What came first?

I'm not very much into collecting or themes but I will admit to having a few chicken related items, including jewelry. I mainly have the Paraphernaila Chicken claw necklace, the Chicken Fauna bracelet and the Cpt. Poulet necklace. 

But now I have a new must have item.  And, of course it is from Wendy Brandes!  The Chicken on the Nest necklace.

I mean how adorable is that.  This delicate piece is so detailed AND it's mechancial!  All for $150.  Amazing!

Of course, if someone wanted to get me the parent piece, the museum-worthy Hen in the Egg necklace, I wouldn't mind.  RIGHT?!?!

Le Sigh!  Wendy, quit breaking my heart!

I'll Bet You...

You put a baby in a crib with an apple and a rabbit.

If it eats the rabbit and plays with the apple,

I’ll buy you a new car.
- Harvey Diamond

What kind of asshole eats a lamb?

Yeah, the title's a little inflammatory (it's also from my new favorite shirt) and, yes, I used to be a lamb-eating asshole, but if you can watch this video, especially starting at 00:16, know how these animals are treated and killed and STILL be okay with it, well.... I don't want to know you.

Where's Bea???

The Power Plate by PCRM

I love the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. The are tirelessly active on behalf of humane medicine and healthy eating. And they have a great site filled with information and resources.

My new favorite feature is the Power Plate.




I love that they, the doctors, state:

These four food groups provide the good nutrition you need. There is no need for animal-derived products in the diet, and you're better off without them.

Heck yeah!

We continue to be surprised that when we tell folks we're vegan that people a) don't even know what that means sometimes and b) they ask "what do you eat?". The husband was in a situation this week where he was asked this and he answered, "You know that stuff next to your steak? Just a larger portion of that." Of course that does not convey the true breadth and range of foods we eat which is far more varied and interesting than what we ever ate before.

Well this handy little site lets you click through to each of the quadrants and has a bunch of recipes for each! Click through!

There is lots of information under the navigation on the left, including a fun quiz for kids. They even spell out the common concerns about protein, calcium, vitamin D, B-12, Iron and Omega-3s.

Can you tell I'm in love with this site and the group. I may just direct folks here when they ask if we're healthy, what we eat and where we get our protein.

A Change in Plans

So we've had another "change in plans". We're essentially cutting eggs out of our diet altogether.

Not that this is a big change. We're pretty much egg-free all winter. Most people don't recognize this but chickens, left to their natural cycles, do not really lay eggs during the winter. Unless they are artificially tampered with, as all commercial egg factories do, hens don't lay eggs when it is not feasible to have baby chicks around. Therefore, no eggs in the winter.

But it's spring again and the girls have started laying again. We know that our girls live in a cruelty-free, natural environment. We know they won't be killed when they stop laying. We know they were rescues and not bred just for us. So theirs are the only eggs we ate because they lay them regardless of what we do with them. And, as there is not a rooster around, these eggs would never become chicks.

(BTW, you know that's how it works, right? Eggs are part of the hen's reproductive cycle. Just like humans, they produce an egg no matter what. Only if it is fertilized does it become a chick. So many people have been surprised by this that I have to make sure to clarify.)

The hubby is really the only one who has been eating the eggs. I was never a huge fan anyways but after we became vegan I really saw no point in it, especially as I've had no problem working around them for baking. Well, he tried eating some recently and has found that they are bothering his stomach. His body has recognized, by being free of this animal product for several months, that it does not need them. So now they're out.

What are we going to do with the eggs that Meg and Gertie lay each day? We are going to share them with our friends. While I don't want to encourage egg consumption, I'm hoping these eggs can replace some of the purchasing of commercial eggs and spare, if only slightly, the millions of abused animals that are subjected to unspeakable cruelty in this industry.



While we're talking eggs, check out the giant egg that Meg laid the other day. The egg on the right is her typical egg. Crazy, huh?

Go Meggie!

Friends Don't Let Friends: Miss out on warm Brownies

Brownies are one of my favorite dessert. The only need a few ingredients, they're easy to make and the bake fast. Plus you can lick the bowl! I like mine dense and dark chocolate-y. This recipe was in VegNews and came from a bakery. I'll track down the original sources asap!


Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 ½ cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup coffee
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
¾ cups water
1 cup + 2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Chocolate chips - optional
Nuts - option

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease or line a 9 x 13 baking pan. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

Add coffee, flaxseed, water, oil and vanilla to dry ingredients. Combine with a spatula until just combined and thick. Stir in chocolate chips. I like to add at least a bagful!

Spread batter in prepared pan and bake 30 min or until a toothpick in center comes out clean.

Serve warm with a big scoop of Purely Decadent ice cream.


Image by z_b on flickr