The City Mouse in the Country

     Thanks to the wonders of algorithms if I try to eat a little healthier or try to eat a bit more plant based, my social media feeds (have you checked out our Facebook page yet) explodes in a variety of articles and recipes.  Which I don't mind so much in that I like to learn about different things that interest me.   What I do mind is that I have more than one interest and my feed is full of nothing but vegan and plant based info now.        For example, Kentucky Fried Chicken's new plant based nuggets.  No, I've not tried them yet but I'm planning on it.  My social media feeds are full of stories, reviews and general information about this one product right now.      Any company that is offering plant based foods I think deserves kudo's and our cash; because if they see it's a profitable market, they will continue to support it.   It's not a bad thing as such, although please note that KFC's plant based offering is technically not vegan or vegetar

If you have been following this blog, or our Facebook page , for a while, then you know that I'm trying to eat healthier not only for my health, but for the health of the planet as well.   I believe that we have a moral obligation to do so. The whole reason behind this "Trendy" series is to introduce you, the gentle reader; to something you may not be familiar with...in the hope that you'll try it.   So when I buy a "plant based meat" I'm really not that interested if it tastes like chicken or steak.  I won't lie, it helps, but for the most part I'm concerned about three things. 1)  Is it healthy?  If I am being completely honest with myself it's probably not.  Any time you buy a prepackaged meal it's most likely going to be highly processed and preserved food we're buying and as such may contain a variety of chemicals and preservatives. It's not something I've grown and made myself.  Thanks to advertising companie

     So I got back from the doctor's the other day.  He was happy with my progress as my weight was down, my blood pressure was down and that affected every thing else that we were worried about, like my blood sugar.    I'm still not exercising the way that he wants me to do...but honestly I have a lot of life changes going on as it is, and I don't need another source of stress in my world right now.  I am also lazy.     I am however fascinated in the change that I've experienced since trying to eat healthier or a Plant Based diet.   I still eat meat, and most likely always will, but I find myself craving something like a full rich salad more than a steak.   Or something with a meat substitute like paneer or tofu or seitan .  I've not tried anything made with tempeh yet but I'm looking forward to that day.       I actually find myself craving something plant based, so much so that I've gone out of my way to buy it.   My energy level seems a little better

I'm slowly but surely becoming more of a vegetarian.  I find myself ordering plant based dishes whenever possible when eating out.  I've packed myself plant based dishes for lunch. If I'm on my own for dinner I've been known to have some veggie pizza or plant based seafood from time to time.  I don't mind tofu, lentils and chickpeas and even have some falafel and saitan in my freezer although I've no idea what to do with the latter.  I'm sure I'll figure it out.     I've made paneer and used it as a meat substitute .   My diet started to change for several reasons, but reducing my carbon footprint was certainly one of those reasons.  While I'm sure this is going to upset some people, animal welfare really didn't play that much of a role into my decision to go flexatarian . So the question becomes; if I believe in plant based diets and it's ability to reduce my overall impact on this planet.  Why in the hell did I buy one half of a co

      It's a classic family scene, perhaps going back to the first family - Greg and his wife Oola as they tried to get their kids to eat veggies.  I can hear it now: " Your mother Oola spent all day slaving in the hot sun gathering those berries and green twig things for you!   She almost got trampled by a giant ground sloth!  So no one leaves the rock till they finish their green twig things!"       So it was that in mind that I decided to try Yummy Dino Buddies.   Originally made by a Canadian company but now owned by Purdue , these are being marketed as Vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian friendly, however not all of their products under the Yummy Dino Buddies name are meatless, so let the buyer beware.       It's up to the indivdual consumer to buy items that they feel comfortable with, however I believe that the only way to move these companies towards an environmentally friendlier product is by supporting their efforts to make plant based products.   With this

     I broke my own unwritten rule the other day.  Within the last year or so I decided that I was going to embrace a plant based diet because of health reasons.   Heart disease and high blood pressure runs in my family and, roughly two years ago, swelling in one of my legs put the fear of God into me.       As it happened it ended up being nothing but it did concern me.        So I gave up the sugary drinks for the most part and made other changes that I thought were needed, and that lead to my current semi plant based diet..  One of those changes was a pact that I made with myself.  If a restaurant offered a vegan or vegetarian option then I would order it.           Not only would I be doing something that (hopefully) was healthier but I would also be supporting the bottom line for those options.  We live in a world where the bottom line is king and if a vegan/vegetarian option makes a profit; then it's more likely to stay on the menu.            A funny thing happene

       **I actually wrote this piece a few days ago, but recently found that I'm part of a growing trend towards a more "Plant based" diet.  You can learn more about this trend here.**        Thanksgiving came and went and we have one major food holiday coming up soon...and my scale was showing me going the opposite way of where I wanted to be.   Due to inactivity and snacks I had gained back about half of what I worked so hard to lose over the last several months.        Part of my plan for losing weight was changing my diet and trying to eat a bit healthier and greener.  I've already written about some of the vegetarian and vegan dishes I had tried.  "Meatless Monday's" were just part of the calendar now, and I often found myself having a salad, or trying a vegetarian or vegan item when out to dinner.  Recently I tried Seitan "chicken wings" for example at a bar and restaurant in Pittsburgh.     An example of Seitan wings     I took the