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ravenclaw-craftsgirl · 4 years

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~IDENTITY (AS OF 6TH YEAR)~

Name: Lilian Marie Le’Reau

Gender: Female

Age: 17

Birth Date: February 23, 1973

Species: Human

Blood Status: Muggleborn

Sexuality: Gay

Alignment: Neutral

Ethnicity: Caucasian

Nationality: French/English (dual citizenship)

Residence: London, England

Myer Briggs Personality Type: INFJ-T The Advocate

1st Wand:

Alder Wood 12 3/4 Slightly springy flexibility Unicorn Hair core Alder is an unyielding wood, yet often its ideal owner is not stubborn or obstinate, rather helpful, considerate and most likable. Whereas most wand woods seek similarity in the characters of those they will best serve, alder is unusual in that it seems to desire a nature that is, if not precisely opposite to its own, then certainly of a markedly different type. When an alder wand is happily placed, it becomes a magnificent, loyal helpmate. Of all wand types, alder is best suited to non-verbal spell work, whence comes its reputation for being suitable only for the most advanced witches and wizards.

2nd Wand:

Acacia Wood 13 Supple flexibility Horned Serpent Horn core A very unusual wand wood, which I have found creates tricky wands that often refuse to produce magic for any but their owner, and also withhold their best effects from all but those most gifted. This sensitivity renders them difficult to place, and I keep only a small stock for those witches or wizards of sufficient subtlety, for acacia is not suited to what is commonly known as ‘bangs-and-smells’ magic. When well-matched, an acacia wand matches any for power, though it is often underrated due to the peculiarity of its temperament.

Animagus: Black Ragdoll with curved white marks under the eyes and on the paws

Misc Magical Abilities: Naturally adept at most forms of transfiguration and animation charms, wandless spell casting, silent spell casting

Boggart Form: Death Eater from her past

Riddikulus Form: Darth Vader saying “Lilian, I am your father”

Amortentia (others): A kitchen cooking a full meal; generally steak, green beans, baked potatoes, buttered rolls and brownies

Amortentia (Lilian): (before dating) Machine shop oil, the smell of grease and degreaser (after dating/ married) The smell of an old book and the fragrance of Merula’s perfume

Patronus: Multiple Wolves (average 2-3, more depending on the need)

Patronus Memory: The memory of all her friends, family and loved ones attending the unveiling of her first golem

Mirror of Erised: Herself, living life without fear of persecution by muggles or pureblood wizards.

Specialized/Favourite Spells:

Piertotum Locomotor

Baubillious (for offense and creation)

Permanent Sticking Charm (It’s easier than weeks of welding)

Aguamenti (you wouldn’t believe how many fires are started near Lilian)

Incendio (speaking of fire…)

Engorgio

Reducio

~APPEARANCE~

In game

Height: 6’3” (190.5 cm)

Weight: 170 lbs (77 kg)

Physique: Toned/ Lean build

Eye Colour: Purple/ Amethyst

Hair Colour: Snow White (originally chestnut)

Skin Tone: Porcelain

Body Modifications: Single Purple streak of Dyed hair

Scarring: After the battle of Hogwarts in the second wizarding war, Lilian loses her left arm and right leg below the joints. She later develops prosthetics nearly identical to her original limbs, but stronger than steel

Inventory: On her person she will have a charm bracelet of several shrunken items including:

-a table -a cooler -a medical cabinet (with everything inside secured) -three Tiny Golems (for easy transport when not in use)

As well as a satchel with several books, pencils and sketch pads for when she has an idea or observes something inspiring. She owns a car and a Thunderbolt broomstick.

Fashion: Lilian normally dresses in black slacks, a white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a black vest over the white shirt. She also owns several pairs of boots, most in the style of buckle up platforms with steel toes. She will also wear various dresses to accentuate her figure, muscles or the dresses design as well as several pop culture t-shirts (her favorites are often science fiction based such as Star Wars and Halo)

~ALLEGIANCES~

Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw

Affiliations/Organizations:

The Order of the Phoenix

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

The Constitutional Republic of France

The Royal Crown of England

Professions:

Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office (consultant)

Department of Magical Equipment Control

Freelance Craftswoman (magical prosthetics)

Freelance Craftswoman (miscellaneous items)

Freelance Craftswoman (Animated Objects)

~HOGWARTS INFORMATION~

Class Proficiencies:

Astronomy: ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ (E) Charms: ★★★★★★★★★★ (O) DADA: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ (O) Flying: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (A) Herbology: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ (E) History of Magic: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (A) Potions: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (O) Transfiguration: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ (O)

Electives: Study of Ancient Runes Ancient Runes Alchemy Arithmancy Advanced Arithmancy

Extra Curricular:

Dungeons and Dragons club Potions Club Magic TheoryAncient Runes Club Education of Muggle Items Group (unofficial president)

Favourite Professors:

Professor McGonagall: While not typically the first choice of Ravenclaws, Lilian respects Professor McGonagall for her cool and decisive temperament, her rational thought processes and her ability to make the correct call in stressful situations. She is also partial due to the shared Animagus attribute as well as the professor’s forgiving nature towards Lilian’s Experimentation with magical creations.

Least Favourite Professors:

Professor Trelawney: While Lilian respects every form of knowledge, she never understood why this class was a core requirement and not an elective. Surely if someone was that desperate to know their ‘future’ they could use their own time instead of forcing an entire class to follow suit. Lilian is a firm believer in ‘you make your own fate’ and views Professor Trelawney as overly superstitious, even by wizarding world standards.

~RELATIONSHIPS~

Father: Daniel Le’Reau Muggle English Professor Attended University of Cambridge, England Short, Chestnut brown hair with matching Goatee. Tall, slightly scrawny 38 years old.

Daniel is soft-spoken and amicable, often seeking the least confrontational methods. Polite and poised, as expected of a respected University professor

Upper Middle Class

Professor of Literature and English Studies at the University of Cambridge

Daniel is a very well known professor, often sited in many English studies papers for his ideas on early literature such as Shakespeare and Anglo-Saxton ballads, noting their implications in modern art and culture as well as their historic significance. He is also known to be quite supportive of his students, often treating them like family members and helping them achieve their dreams.

Known the McKinley family since Lilian was 5 (the day she was almost kidnapped)

Mother: Amelie Nicole Le’Reau Muggle Long straight Black hair, Amethyst eyes, Average height, toned muscles, rugged beauty. Mechanic (military contracted) 37 years old.

Amelie is an outspoken, avid thinker who spends just as much time as her husband educating people.

Amelie originally served in the Royal Engineering Corps in her early years until she met and fell in love with a rather awkward yet lovable man named Daniel. Shortly before her Exit date, she married him and had Lilian. Since then, she’s been a military contractor for the Royal Engineering Corps. Assisting with various mechanical jobs from basic transportation to armored troop transports to Tanks and Mobile Weapons Systems.

Nearly traumatized when a dark wizard kidnapped Lilian after killing several bystanders with magic and curses. Almost forbade Lilian from attending Hogwarts when she received the acceptance letter. Remains in good standing with Shamus McKinley.

Love Interest: Merula

While they only officially started dating during the Sixth year, their relationship started in the Fourth year.

During the Celestial ball, Lilian noticed that Merula didn’t have anyone to dance with and offered to dance with her. After the Celestial Ball, Merula’s Attitude softened to a degree. While Lilian was still being teased about how tall she was, she was no longer harassed for being a muggle, nor was she mocked for her passions. While Merula wouldn’t outright ask for help from Lilian, She would never deny Lilian helping her.

Generally the attitude of the two was always Lilian genuinely trying to learn about Merula while Merula made an effort to understand Lilian and where she was from. Eventually Mistrust and Resentment would make way to curiosity and intrigue.

Only when Lilian had saved Merula’s life from Dementors had she finally figured out her mixed feelings for Lilian, realizing that she had fallen in love with the quiet muggle born witch, eccentricities and all.

Best Friends:

Rowan Hubei Khanna (Female Khanna) Rowan Harrow Khanna (Male Khanna) Ben Copper Penny Haywood Badeea Ali Ismelda Murk Rival: None

Enemy:

Patricia Rakepick

Dormmates:

Rowan Hubei Khanna Badeea Ali Tulip Karasu

Pets:

Eleanor is an american shorthair that Lilian rescued from the street during her trip to Diagon Alley. Eleanor had been a kitten at the time, thus Lilian was given special permission to have her familiar with her during all classes to make sure she didn’t go hungry.

Due to outstanding Circumstance, Lilian has also (legally) adopted an Acromantula that refers to himself as Cain. While technically intelligent enough to take care of himself, he does allow her to give pets and scratch his carapace in the right areas. In exchange, Lilian is given a supply of webbing to refine into silk as she needs.

Closest Canon Friends:

Ismelda Murk Rowan Hubei Khanna

Closest MC Friends:

Helene Adler @heleneplays

Skylar Morningstar @angrynar

Ada Corcoran @ask-bincopper-archive

Neon Welkin @neonbluewaves

Ethren Whitecross @hogwartsmysterystory

~BACKGROUND/HISTORY~

[The following is an excerpt from the book The Craftswoman, a biography on the Life and Philosophies of Lilian Le’Reau]

Interviewer: What do you know of Mrs. Le’Reau? Headmistress Rowan Hubei Khanna: Lilian? Wow, where do I begin… She was always quiet. It was almost as if she were watching everything that happened for the sake of safety and precautions. Like she was always expecting the worst to happen to her no matter what. But given her history I wouldn’t put it past her.

I: Could you please elaborate on that? Headmistress Khanna: Well, I suppose so. When Lilian was around the age of five, she and her mother were attacked by a rogue Death Eater, one of the remnants of the first wizarding war. A lot of people died that day, several more had to have their memory erased.

I: With the Memory Erasing Charm, yes. The report of ‘The Market Massacre’ were in the papers for weeks after the incident, if I recall. Headmistress Khanna: Right. Well, This death eater had a particular goal in mind. I was told that he kept on rambling about how he was gonna make new army, one to combat the remnants of the Order of Phoenix. He had planned on kidnapping Children with magical talent in order to build this order.

I: Fortunately, the Auror Shamus McKinley was nearby to save her. He not only saved her, but dispatched the dark wizard as well, yes? Headmistress Khanna: While this is true, it still had its ramifications. No one goes through that sort of experience the same. Lilian didn’t like to talk about where she came from or about her childhood.

I: Well, how about her years alongside you at Hogwarts? How would you describe that? Headmistress Khana: Our time at Hogwarts was actually rather mundane compared to the adventures of our other classmates. Lilian and I were generally the part of the plan that collected information and helped solve the riddles of the vaults, rather than actually fighting any of the curses there. Otherwise, much of her time was spent studying, trying to figure out new ways to apply spells and context of said spells, and honing her own personal abilities. Like I said, a rather average Hogwarts tenure for the both of us.

I: Alright. How about during the battle of Hogwarts? Or perhaps anything during then and your graduation of Hogwarts? Headmistress Khanna: The time before the battle of Hogwarts, I can't testify for. For a while, most of us fell out of contact as we moved on with our lives, trying to make a name for ourselves in our own fields. But…

I: It’s okay if you would like to avoid this subject. Headmistress Khanna: No no, it needs to be said. During the battle of Hogwarts, a lot of us were scared. None of us had been in this sort of conflict before, and those of us that had weren't ready for what we faced. Yet there Lilian was, setting up perimeters and directing people to the best suited jobs to help defend. She even brought in nearly a dozen golems to assist in the defense. We were lucky too, since those were the only things stopping the main host of trolls from climbing up the bridge. The battle itself is a blur, but when the dust settled, we all saw Lilian slumped against a wall, babbling on about equations and how many litres of blood she felt she had lost. She was missing her arm and leg, surrounded by a dozen or so dark wizards.

I: Thank you, Headmistress. I think that’ll be all for now. Headmistress Khanna: I appreciate the need to document Lilian’s life. She’d be too busy to actually sit down and write it herself, believe it or not.

~PERSONALITY~

Lilian is a very open minded individual. Creative and Intelligent, She will always see projects through to the end, even if she already knows that the result will be failure. Despite the innumerable amount of failures that she’s had, Lilian always finds a way to take joy from any situation. While she mainly focuses on her work, she is a rather quiet and shy woman despite her imposing stature and very apparent abilities. She doesn’t like to brag, nor is she prone to any outwardly negative emotions.

She does have several flaws though, first and foremost being her inability to cope with overly strong negative stimuli as well as a tendency to hyper fixate on a project at hand, often forgetting to eat and rest until her body physically forces her to sustain itself. (most common being her collapsing from exhaustion and sleep deprivation.)

MISC

Lives in the muggle world (London specifically)

Has family in both France and England

While not typically a fighter, Lilian has mastered the Patronus charm to astonishing success, manifesting three or more Wolf patroni with one casting.

While she is missing her left arm and right leg from the joints down, Lilian has since made prosthetic arms that are not only nearly identical to the previous limbs, they are far stronger than steel and well crafted enough to fool Muggles unless they closely inspect the hand in question.

Lilian married Merula nearly a year after the Battle of Hogwarts

In order to maintain hold of her tools while working and simultaneously casting spells, Lilian has mastered both the art of wandless and silent spellcasting.

Lilian owns a machine shop in London, making both Muggle and Magical items for multiple clients. She is allowed to do this through the employment of Squibs. This also allows her to take Auror Interns, teaching them how muggle technology works.

Lilian attempts to pioneer Golemancy, even attempting to have it recognized as an official practice of magic.

After Much convincing and reassuring, Lilian managed to get Merula to move to the Muggle world. Even then, this was only after several charms had been cast to help hide their magical nature from Ordinary Muggles. (Merula is particularly keen on cell phones.)

After several letters, Lilian agrees to teach several Magic Theory classes at Beauxbatons, much to the joy of several students and faculty. Lilian even demonstrates the magic and technology behind her prosthetics, inspiring the next generation of magic craftsmen and women.

#Biography #character bio #Lilian Le'reau #story #art by helgship #template by hogwartsmysterystory #this was fun to make #i finally made a full character bio

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takis-scribbles · 4 years

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ULTIMATE SHIP MEME! Send in two (or more) names and I’ll fill all this out about the ship! Xaldin/ Luxord General:

How long will they last? They’re married

How quickly did/will they fall in love? VERY SLOWLY. Their romance is a slow ass burn, like a well done steak

How was their first kiss? Tender. Luxord betted on it during one of their many private games, only he didn’t dare to follow through with it when he won. Later during one of their discussions on their respective philosophies, they kiss. And Xaldin’s the one that instigated it.

Wedding:

Who proposed? Luxord kind of did first by giving Xaldin a protection ring during their Org days (based on this hc i have about KH’s social customs), but Xaldin/Dilan made it an official thing later.

Who is the best man/men? Ael, Braig & Axel (he's there ‘cause i think he and Luxord got along fairly well)

Who is the best maid(s)? N/A (Nomura, give me more ladies to work with)

Who did the most planning? Luxord took care of most of the planning

Who stressed the most? Both

How fancy was the ceremony? - Back of a pickup truck | 2 | 3 | 4 | Normal Church Wedding | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Kate and William wish they were this big. Very small and discrete, only close friends and family.

Who was specifically not invited to the wedding? Ansem the Wise

Sex:

Who is on top? Xaldin

Who is the one to instigate things? Almost always Luxord.

How healthy is their sex life? - Barely touch themselves let alone each other | 2 | 3 | 4 | Once a couple weeks, nothing overboard | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They are humping each other on the couch right now

How kinky are they? - Straight missionary with the lights off | 2 | 3 | 4 | Might try some butt stuff and toys | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Don’t go into the sex dungeon without a horse’s head

How long do they normally last?

Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms? YES

How rough are they in bed? - Softer than a butterfly on the back of a bunny | 2 | 3 | 4 | The bed’s shaking and squeaking every time | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Their dirty talk is so vulgar it’d make Dwayne Johnson blush. Also, the wall’s so weak it could collapse the next time they do it.

How much cuddling/snuggling do they do? - No touching after sex | 2 | 3 | 4 | A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They snuggle and kiss more often than a teen couple on their fifth date to a pillow factory. They’re both very cuddly & needy, only difference is one is more ‘open’ about it (Luxord). But never in public, tho they will hold hands and such.

Children:

How many children will they have naturally? -

How many children will they adopt? They’ll probs wait for a bit, but if Lea and Isa dont have them: Roxas and Xion.

Who gets stuck with the most diapers? Neither

Who is the stricter parent? It depends, but mostly Xaldin

Who stops the kid(s) from doing dangerous stunts after school? Xaldin

Who remembers to pack the lunch(es)? Both, but mostly xaldin as the designated cook of the house

Who is the more loved parent? Both

Who is more likely to attend the PTA meetings? Neither

Who cried the most at graduation? Xaldin would be a little teary eyed

Who is more likely to bail the child(ren) out of trouble with the law? LUXORD

Cooking:

Who does the most cooking? Xaldin

Who is the most picky in their food choice? Xaldin

Who does the grocery shopping? Both

How often do they bake desserts? Weekends and Fridays, they both have a sweet tooth

Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater? In-between

Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner? Luxord

Who is more likely to suggest going out? Both, they’re both outdoor people

Who is more likely to burn the house down accidentally while cooking? Neither

Chores:

Who cleans the room? Both, but mostly Xaldin

Who is really against chores? Luxord understands its a necessary evil

Who cleans up after the pets? Both

Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug? Luxord, if he’s feeling lazy

Who stresses the most when guests are coming over? Neither

Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning? Xaldin

Misc:

Who takes the longer showers/baths? Neither

Who takes the dog out for a walk? Both

How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays? always

What are their goals for the relationship? they don’t have a set goal, they deal with things as they go

Who is most likely to sleep till noon? Luxord, if he had a rough day of work

Who plays the most pranks? Luxord, but Xaldin is fully capable of paying him back in kind

#xallux #luxord #xaldin #dilan #otp #you know i had to do it

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ladydorian · 4 years

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tag game ★~(•◡•✿) 50 questions you’ve never been asked before

THIS LOOKS SO MUCH FUN thank you @ithinkwehitametaphor

what colour is your hair brush?

I had a green and white one for years but it just broke so I’m using my backup mini black one that I keep in my purse until I can get another.

Are you typically too warm or too cold?

I’m usually cold except for in the summer.

what were you doing 45 minutes ago?

Proofreading IFUs while blasting music to drown out the sound of my neighbor blasting music.

what is your favorite candy bar?

Oooh Japanese Kit Kats. I’ve got some matcha ones in the cabinet right now, but the apple pie ones were also really good.

have you ever been to a professional sports event?

Mostly baseball and hockey when I was younger. Nothing recently, I’m not terribly interested in sports.

what is the last thing you said out loud?

“Saigo ni nan to itte ita kke anata wa nan to itte ita kke...” (I was not even paying attention while writing this but “Kekka-ron” by SUPER BEAVER came on and I automatically started singing the opening lines)

what is your favorite ice cream?

So I really can’t eat dairy (even tho I do sometimes), but there’s this brand of coconut milk ice cream called Luna & Larry, and their cherry amaretto is the besssssst.

what was the last thing you had to drink?

Drinking coffee right now.

do you like your wallet?

It’s cute, it’s pink and black and has cats on it, and I bought it from an anime con a couple years ago.

what was the last thing you ate?

Chocolate almond milk pudding for breakfast.

did you buy any new clothes last weekend?

No but I bought these awesome Shintaro Kago enamel pins for when I finally get off my ass and redo my itabag (link contains kittens exploding from cute girls’ faces, and there is a bit of blood - also the site is very NSFW).

the last sporting event you watched?

We watched some marble racing after seeing John Oliver talk about it.

what is your favorite flavor of popcorn?

Caramel I guess. Not a huge popcorn eater.

who is the last person you sent a text message to?

I texted my brother Mark about Rakuten Global Market closing. Though I’ve only bought maybe one j-rock CD off of there once. I usually just go to cdjapan.

ever go camping?

A few times. I’m really scared of bugs and spiders, so it’s not something I do often. But I’ve had the fun experience of getting up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and seeing a snake slither right past the building.

do you go to church every Sunday?

I haven’t been in a church since I was in high school (except for funerals) and I’d like to keep it that way.

do you have a tan?

I don’t tan, I burn. I got my dad’s Italian hair and my mom’s Irish skin.

do you prefer Chinese food or pizza?

Oooh, Chinese food. Especially crab rangoon if they’re homemade.

do you drink your soda with a straw?

I slam that shit straight outta the can.

what color socks do you usually wear?

If I had a choice, I would never wear socks. But when I do wear them, they’re usually novelty socks with, like, tacos and poptarts all over them.

do you ever drive above the speed limit?

When my stepdad taught me how to drive, he said “always go 10 miles over the speed limit, because that’s what everyone else is doing and they’ll run you off the road otherwise.” I’ve only gotten caught about 3 or 4 times.

what terrifies you?

Talking to people. Being judged. Failure. All my friends abandoning me. Being alone.

look to your left, what do you see?

My ONE OK ROCK tote bag with an Arches cold press watercolor pad sticking out of it. I need to paint larger pictures more. That’s good quality just sitting around going to waste.

what chore do you hate?

Emptying the dishwasher when it’s cleaned.

what do you think of when you hear an Australian accent?

That episode of the Simpsons when they went to Australia because Bart got in trouble, and Marge went to the bar asking for a tea and the guy just kept saying “Beer?” -- “No, TEA.” “BEER?”

what’s your favorite soda?

La Croix, though it’s technically sparkling water.

do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive-thrus?

I usually just get takeout, I haven’t been in a typical fast food place or a drive-thru in years (unless you count the Korean chicken wing place, I guess that’s kind of like fast food. But I don’t go to McD’s or anything.).

who’s the last person you talked to?

I told Greg I was going to throw some laundry in but he already did it.

favorite cut of beef?

Not really a steak person but I’ll eat a burger all day long.

last song you listened to?

[Alexandros] - “Philosophy” (it’s gotten me thru some tough shit a couple months ago)

last book you read?

I read @ithinkwehitametaphor‘s Narcos fanfiction and @mouthface‘s Brommet wip. I’m a straight-up fanfic person these days.

favorite day of the week?

Probably Saturday, but Friday is a close second.

can you say the alphabet backwards?

Oh god no.

how do you like your coffee?

1/2 - 1 teaspoon of sugar. No cream.

favorite pair of shoes?

I got an old pair of Chinese Laundry black boots with studs in the heels that I wish I had bought 2 pairs of before they were discontinued.

the time you normally go to sleep?

During the week, about 10:30PM - 11:30 (it’s a little later now that I’m working from home). Weekends are usually between 1AM-2 (look, I’m old OK).

the time you normally get up?

8:30AM or so (working from home), and between 9AM-10 on weekends.

what do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets?

I have maybe been awake for 2-3 sunrises in my life, so sunsets it is.

how many blankets on your bed?

Just one.

Describe your kitchen plates.

I have a couple plain blue ones and then some white with black trim. I think they were all housewarming gifts from my grandma from about 10 years ago.

do you have a favorite alcoholic beverage?

Vodka and beer.

do you play cards?

I used to on occasion, but I don’t have friends who live around me, so I don’t really have anyone to play with.

what color is your car?

Red with the coolest bumper stickers ever.

can you change a tire?

If I need to, I guess.

favorite job you’ve ever had?

I don’t think I’ve ever had a job I liked.

how did you get your biggest scar?

I fell off a bike at Soulcycle a couple years ago and punched a quarter-sized hole in my right thigh. Rode thru the entire 45-minute class, drove home, made dinner, and about 2 hours later finally asked Greg to take a look at it. I thought it was just a scrape, but he told me we were going to the hospital immediately as fat tissue was leaking out of it. I ended up getting 10 stitches and was called “one badass bitch” for my ridiculous pain tolerance.

what did you do today that made someone else happy?

Idk, I like to think I’m a good listener if anyone wants/needs to talk.

I’m always terrified of bothering people, so if you want to do this, please do!

#ask meme

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claudiablacks · 7 years

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GENE RODDENBERRY: My philosophy about the use of animals has changed. I am not yet a vegetarian, but I don’t feel comfortable as a meat eater knowing a lot of the things that go on to put meat on the table.

INTERVIEWER: I remember the character of Commander Riker on the current series commenting on how it was no longer necessary for animals to be raised for food. Twenty-fourth century technology could create an analog of meat so that all the things associated with bringing meat to the table were no longer necessary.

GENE RODDENBERRY: I look forward to that day coming. We would have our juicy T-bone steak without having to kill the animal. I feel different way about domestic animals now. I am a bit queasy about the way we raise our chickens and beef cattle and so on. It’s really ugly.

#tngedit #trekedit #star trek #gene roddenberry #veganism #william riker #tasha yar #mine #my gifs #mytrek*#mytng*#q #....have i mentioned that i'm now a vegan?#it's been like 18mths but i don't think i've said anything

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lilydawsonfield · 4 years

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Post-youknowwhat

I don’t know what I want to write. I only know that I want to write. But why do I always have to write right down the bone as they say? Why do I always have to write directly from my thoughts? Why can’t I spin a thriller like Baby Teeth? Or can I? Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage, that one just may have been my favorite thriller so far.

It is a little strange, some of the seismic shifts that have taken place lately, post-menopause. “Shut up about post-menopause!” I hear you scream. It’s basically impolite talk, like talking about menstruation, or breastfeeding! It just falls in among personal female trouble and females seem quite mentally unbalanced because of all these fluids coming and going. Milk and blood for God’s sake! They are like cows, the way they produce milk and sometimes insist on displaying it in public. Why can’t they just be normal like men? And why do their bodies go straight to hell all of a sudden, like that?

Well guess what? If you object to the subject of post-menopause, nobody is forcing you to read this. So go back to your YouTube videos, or your facebook feed, or whatever it is you waste all your time scatter-consuming online!

Because for some of us, and that would be half the human race, post-menopause is an in-your-face reality that is quite untenable; and if you don’t know what untenable means, it means if you didn’t realize you were a pawn in the great game of Universe, there’s no denying it now.

The first great shift occurred a few years ago, when the intense hot flashes were at their most frequent, and I could literally feel the effect they were having on my body, which was rapid aging; reminding me of witnessing my father’s death process and the rapid change of color from flesh to gray and then impossibly grayer.

I suddenly craved fish. I had never been a fish eater. Or at least that wasn’t my first choice. My first choice had always been steak. I liked sausage or at least pepperoni on my pizza. I liked steak fajitas. There was no greater treat in life than a filet mignon smothered with butter-sauteed mushrooms. But quite like children grow out of their instant mac & cheese childhood, I had suddenly morphed into a person who wanted to eat stuff that came from either the ocean, the lake, or the river. It seemed to me quite like an evolutionary reversal or a alternately, a futuristic leap forward into a diet that seemed altogether more natural, more primal, more of the beginnings, and endings, than eating all those dense land birds and mammals.

Now I hear all the vegetarians taking offense. Why were you eating those nice animals in the first place? That’s so cruel and inhumane! And even creatures of the waters are our friends and compatriots of this our only planet. What about vegetables? At least you aren’t slaughtering creatures!

Well, I hear the argument and I’ve certainly considered it. Maybe the vegetarian diet happens when you hit Elderly which isn’t too far off at this point. That’s probably the case. Because certainly the shift from meat to fish is a shift from bodily energetic regeneration to bodily organ maintenance in the face of degeneration.

And now back to sudden post-menopausal paradigm shifts.

For years upon years, perhaps since my children were small and I wanted to understand child development, education theory, and psychology; so that would be thirty years; I have been reading non-fiction material. And yes, I’m a reader. Not a television watcher whatsoever.

Pre-college, I read everything in my parent’s small fireplace flanking bookshelf offerings; Herman Wouk’s Marjorie Morningstar and Susan Howatch’s epic historical romance, Penmarric. Best of all was the collection of scary stories, Alfred Hitchcok Presents Stories to Read Late at Night, one of which was The Fly by George Langelaan.

I read all the other books I found around the house, my older sister had a little bookshelf of popular best sellers like Memoirs of an Ex-Prom Queen and Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann and Go Ask Alice.

I must have visited our public library as frequently then as I do now, because my reading went far beyond what I found around the house. Suffice it to say, my reading material pre-college was popular fiction. I do remember my intense passion for all things Taylor Caldwell while I was in high school and during the span of my life in which I was, what would now be considered bi-polar: either I was ecstatic with Christian fervor or I was feeling the unbearable and exquisite anguish of what adults refer to as teen angst, but what adolescents experience as the soul-crushing and prolonged experience of not being wanted, not being accepted, not even being noticed by the favored teens, who suddenly appear as utterly desirable, and by whom everybody else, including all the teachers, are held in thrall.

From college to having children, approximately a 10-year span, I read literature. All of it. You name it. I read it. I especially was impassioned by existentialist literature, beginning with Jean-Paul Sartre’s Nausea which made probably the most impactful impression and had the most game-changing effect on me of any book in my life. It extinguished my Christianity and rebirthed me as an atheist. I went from viewing all existence as a comfortable and natural and familiar surrounds, to viewing myself and all else as a profoundly irrational and absurd proposal that made absolutely no sense and had unknowable purpose.

As I’ve been wont to do, I’m travelling the scenic route with whatever point I was trying to arrive at originally. Here we are, thinking about writing a thriller and there we go, just drifting off into Lilyworld as usual.

The entire point of this long-winded spiel is that I do want to write, I do love to write, I do call myself a writer (because A.E. vanVogt said to) and I am wanting to write a thriller because all of a sudden, post-menopause, I put down the philosophy books, I put down the ultra-fascinating mathmos theory of the origin-of-the-universe books, I put away my beloved Foucault and Hegel, I stopped looking for new books about chaos theory and DMT space travelling; and I began rapidly devouring best-selling thrillers, one after the next.

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downtoearthmarkets · 5 years

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Chicken is one of America's favorite foods, and that's no surprise. It's easy to cook, takes well to a wide variety of seasonings, offers different cuts for different purposes, and is an economical protein. What do you do when chicken breast is not available from your favorite meat farmer? Remember that variety is the spice of life and try something else, like duck.

In the 1870s four Pekin (the breed, not the recipe) ducks arrived in Connecticut. As the name implies, this is a breed that was developed in China, which has a strong and long-standing culinary tradition of roasting duck. Historical records show that Chinese royals had been eating sweet, crispy-skinned Peking (the recipe, not the breed) duck for at least 500 years before those four ducks made it stateside. A recipe for Peking duck appears in The Proper and Essential Things for the Emperor’s Food and Drink written in 1330. 15 ducks didn't survive the journey from China to New England in the 1870s and five more were eaten on arrival, making the original plan for the ducks unclear. Long distance take out? What we do know is that by the early 1900s there were enough Pekin ducks to start a duck farm boom across the Sound on Long Island.

Duck is rich and flavorful, with a dark meat that can easily veer toward luxurious. The Pekin duck is particularly favored because it matures quickly and can grow to a large, meaty, 12 pounds (though you will generally find smaller birds at the farmers market). The rise of the Pekin duck in New York met the rise of fine dining restaurants in and around New York City and a food trend was born. By the 1960s Long Island farmers were shipping out 7.5 million ducks a year. But in the 1970s those farms began a decline.Towns on the Eastern end of Long Island were getting pickier about land use. Hamptons beach house traffic led to an increase in property taxes. And in the early 1980s a global fast food restaurant launched something new, pucks of breaded chicken with dipping sauce on the side, completing chicken's rise to popular food ubiquitousness. Poultry farmers setting out for cheap land and large scale operations in the midwest and mid-Atlantic weren't going to mess around with ducks when demand for chicken was soaring.

However, small scale farmers have traditionally kept more than one kind of bird at a time, using a mix of ducks, chickens, geese, turkeys or other birds to provide meat and eggs, forage in fields and farmyards to keep pests down, contribute nitrogen to the soil with their droppings, and spread out demand on the farm's resources among birds with different needs and habits. The philosophy behind diversified farming - healthier crops and better risk management through variety - applies to both animals and row crops. But diversity isn't just sensible for farming, it's a good pattern for eating. Eating broadly means one is sure to get access to a variety of nutrients in a wide range of combinations. Meat eaters can turn this into a thoughtful approach to their environmental impact as well. Small scale farms producing pasture-raised meats have the potential to be low-emission or even carbon-neutral by cultivating a healthy grassland habitat for their animals. Farmers market shoppers who venture beyond steak and chicken breast to other cuts and other meat sources will be rewarded with both delicious food and the knowledge that they are supporting a farming system that makes waste-free use of the whole animal and treads lightly on the land by avoiding intensive single product farming.

#duck #meat #meat farm #New York farm #new york foods #new york food

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toddlazarski · 5 years

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A Definitive Taco Truck Tour

Shepherd Express

Before 2010, when The Fast Foodie trademarked the name “Globaco” in some kind of full shark-jumping signifier of the epochal food truck wars, and long before today’s scene of the Zocalo food truck park, complete with the backing of real estate developers and an “incubator” program; before food truck festivals, Food Truck Friday, Food Truck Thursday, Takeout Tuesday, changing locations necessitating hungers be equipped with GPS-capabilities, before $12 crepes, $5 mushroom tacos, takeovers, residencies, Food Network validation, before the food truck was a hip wedding menu option—almost all somehow worth it, all ridiculous but inevitable, overdone but delicious—there was the taco truck.

Really since, probably, 1974. That is when Raul Martinez converted an ice cream truck into King Taco and parked it outside of an L.A. bar. Lines formed, a legend was born, offshoots ensued, and it was a first step toward fixed, consistent locations. A metaphorical flag seemed planted. The dawn of an era, certainly, but really it was but the next step in a lineage that flows organically, pragmatically, from roaming street tamale vendors that date to as early as the late 1800’s. Also, more simply, from lunch carts at construction sites. Any time humans move, mass, and build, portable kitchens will surely follow. Today, in an era of mobile offerings listing the likes of Mochaccino cupcakes, how much said kitchens choose to raise their fists in culinary challenge to brick-and-mortars really just seems a matter of ambition and philosophy.

But a quest for such bygone spots is not just an act of nostalgia. It’s far from slumming or the loaded, problematic idea of authenticity. It’s a harkening of a simpler time, before we gussied menus and overshadowed the farmers at farmers markets with lines for $8 waffles, before mobile grilled cheeses required “Cedar Valley 2 Year Aged Cheddar,” before what Ta-Nehisi Coates, in a skeptical essay penned in the Atlantic in 2010, termed with some derision, “nuevo-food trucks.”

If you know where to look, when to stop, how to navigate crinkly handwritten placards of exotic sounding mouth meats and such, can make yourself heard over grumbling generators attached to rickety Freightliners, glimpses of this old world still abound. Quick, cheap, consistent, doused in multiple salsas, chased with frigid Jarritos, this is a pursuit of no-frills, flavorful, long-stewed quick meal. You don’t have to live every moment like it’s a beer commercial afterall, with an Instagrammable converted camper, with clever alliteration names, hyper-specification, like it was Austin, like it was Portland, pesky cities of smug overachieving and some oblique pursuit of “weirdness.” Sometimes you just want a taco. Through a hungry and thorough survey of Milwaukee summer streets, these are your best bets for such movable feasts.

12. El Charrito

Some slithery cooked onions and half of a huge charred jalapeño side a taco plate—the only real indicator this is anything but standard, cheap workaday Mexican fare. But that might very well be what you’re after, especially after shopping at the never-ending Restaurant Depot, or cranking on the sprawling hard hat site that is the new Michels Corp development that one of the four El Charrito’s sits beside. If so the pastor is a satisfyingly seasoned pork filling, tender and mostly drowning in blood red adobo-rich sauce. The asada might land on the dry side, but that actually makes it rightly fit for salsa water-falling. A chorizo torta, with not quite crisped but not too greasy meat, is a big-hearted lunchtime bomb of a sandwich just this side of nap-inducing, held together precariously by a griddled bolillo roll, souled up with the usual filler of cream, lettuce, tomato. Side anything with the special stewy charro beans—pintos in a smoky, soupy broth—to fill out a full appetite. Otherwise it is limited-menu, no-frills starter platter fare starring prominently two-buck, double corn tortilla tacos, packed with the salty meatstuff of your preference, peaked with heaps of onion and cilantro, sided by exactly the well-executed baseline taco truck spirit that flattops-on-wheels should always embody.

11. Tacos El Amigo

Perhaps as a nod to the neighborhood’s encroaching condo sprawl the menu here sports the likes of nachos, wings, pulled pork, other Philly sandwich type stuffs. Also, perhaps in protest, the dark truck appears in raggedy, noisy form, the service comes sans smile, and the vibe is that of the Black Hat character on the 1st and National scene.

Skip the drunk college kid fare, also the singular allure of what proves to be a docile shrimp taco. Rather the milanesa torta hits all pleasure points for a quick lunch or a hunger-necessitating buzz from too many nearby craft cocktails. Inside the pale, soft bolillo roll, breaded, lightly fried chicken cutlet hunks form a well-rounded flavor squad with pinto beans, avocado, mayo, and melty queso. Or try the pastor, which is tender and scooped in smoky hunks that are a bit sweet, minimally saucy. There is also the always helpful campechano - a taco filling combo of the eater’s own calculus, for those who can’t decide. Chorizo and asada is a personal favorite. But they even have hot dog on the meat list here, so a choose-your-own adventure might be endless.

10. Taqueria Buenavista

Despite consistency woes, and worse, a reliance on lettuce-and-tomato taco topping sacrilege, this rolling outpost of the ‘Stallis taqueria deserves much matchmaker credit for my introduction to this verde salsa, a comforting friend now oft-found about the southside taqueria scene. The emulsified sauce is a spicy viscous goo: part oil, part cream, plenty of green pepper capsaicin zing, and a whole lot of soul. It can perform the soft miracle of making dry pollo good, or further enhance a stew-y birria that is by itself a saucy hangover comfort blanket. Really anything at the spot—regularly stopped suggestively outside of the Piggly Wiggly, seemingly nudging, prodding, asking: “why cook yourself?”—is mostly canvas for the bite-back salsa.

9. Las 7 Estrellas

Even an unabiding love for the singular offering of albondigas couldn’t sell me on any exceptionalism at the brick-and-mortar branch of this new-ish Bay View spot. Then the truck popped up nearby, and seemed aggressively approximate to Buenavista—a decidedly unchill encroachment of competition. Nonetheless, there is our local Home Depot, and there are Saturday to-do lists, and there is a unique “order ready” system that finds a siren wailing once your number is up. Ringing like Pavlov’s perro, it is an indicator that it’s time to get your fingers greasy, the cuticles a bit burnt, especially by way of pambazo. This is a soft-bunned bruiser of a sandwich, the bread of which is dunked in fire-y hot sauce, griddled, and then lined reasonably with meat, lettuce, crema. The salty chorizo, or a saucy, pineapple-flecked pastor are ideal.

Or there is tripa, cabeza, lengua—more proletariat cuts for less Americanized palates. No matter the filling, the bun will bleed delicious salsa onto your fingers, staining skin, implicating eaters, making it obvious you did more than make a productive run for yard work supplies.

8. Taqueria El Paso

The good guy in the white vs. black hat rivalry in the 1st and National zone of moving taco trucks, El Paso belies it’s mildly racist caricature—brown skinned man in a sombrero and pancho, holding a burrito, grinning under a mustache amongst desert and cactuses—with smiles, a welcome picnic table, and even friendlier meat cuts. Look no further than the alambre. It’s a gargantuan two-meal styrofoam plate of melty queso, variably crisped asada bits, salty, suggestive bacon hunks, onions and peppers, and beefy, grounded flavor scoops for personal taco crafting. Spike it with the spark plug orange-red salsa, which also works well with a dry, salty, scrappy take on pastor.

Bold, or, possibly too-drunk Walker’s Point feasters might combine these two and venture a stomach for the El Paso Special: steak, pork, bacon, onions, peppers, mushrooms, cheese, pineapple. It is basically like an alambre on steroids, which is a dish that is already itself like a Mexican skillet on HGH. Maybe American obesity is a bit inspired afterall.

7. El Tapatio

Speaking of American appetites, a white person order, the Taco Bell-ification of our view of Mexican cuisine, the oft-called “gringa” is a popular truck option mistakenly easy to sleep on. It’s basically a quesadilla—a large, griddled flour tortilla, lined with gooing cheese and whichever meatstuff. Simple, basic, here it is the everything you want in one bite, especially with the asada. Deep, greasy, fatty grilled steak flavor, aggressively chopped, almost pulled, sticks and makes close friends with half-soft queso. Smoky rojo elevates it well beyond the realm of packaged ‘Fire’ sauce and into something that reeks of an old country. The same can be said about the pastor, another in the line of adobo-seasoned pork offerings, one with murmurs and rumors of pineapple, something sweet, something smoky, chopped and sauced to the point of making salsa optional, the taco package happily sassy as is. It’s maybe the best such version around, and is offered generously, heaping.

It’s a truck along the lines of Charrito—in fact they also have 4 roaming kitchens about town, and a minimal menu. But you can tell by the milling eaters huddled across the street from Koz’s: these are the basics cooked slowly, carefully, everything seemingly done, welcomely, much better than it has to be.

6. La Mazorca

Sometime early next summer, when the troves of “Actually, Milwaukee’s Not So Bad” headlines make their way through the national press to preview how to spend time here during the DNC, there will certainly be an article fronted by a picture of Mazorca, the entirety of the new Zocalo food truck park. Perched against not-quite gentrification—the shell of Camacho’s bar and a discarded sidewalk syringe loomed over a recent Sunday afternoon visit—it is still adorably cutesy, the taco truck made for Instagram. It’s almost worth an eye-roll. As a tree grows in Brooklyn, so a food truck grows in a gentrifying warehouse district. The tacos themselves also come overly-crafted, like a contoured Mexican experience: the pastor is pre-topped with avocado cilantro salsa, the birria with pickled red onions, the bistec is marinated in “Wisconsin beer” and topped with pintos and tomatillo salsa. It’s a tad unfortunate, a bit prefab-feeling. Especially as the two fire-colored squirt bottles of salsa and endless to-go containers pack so much arbol sizzle, creamy piquant buzz.

It’s also not that unfortunate, because said tacos are indeed bursting with vitality, high-end flavor. The pastor especially oozes with adobo essence and juicy grilled-ness, the birria is a perfect texture template for an overly avuncular orange salsa pour, the steak strips are smartly seasoned and thin and unimpeachably beefy.

On a true crawl of southside streets, amidst grime and espanol-only ordering, a trek here can seem like selling out, like going Pirates of the Caribbean. But then you walk out, past the patio lights and bumping “Wonderwall,” and realize you’re sucking air, craving water, and wondering why your mouth is still on fire. Serious tacos come in many backdrops.

5. El Comedor

The on-paper listing of the aptly named Torta Suprema here is absurdly gluttonous, borderline-stunt-ish: ham, mozzarella, chorizo, milanesa. That’s not a choice of meat types, it is the lineup. Additionally, unannounced, coming off the bench, there are refried beans. Then you see it, scoop it, can’t stop. And you realize it’s actually an exercise in restraint, with thin, minimal layers of each ingredient laid carefully atop one another, all beautifully constructed for integrity, neatness, consistency, the whole beast cut in half for easy, no-fallout management. Of course it is still absurdly gluttonous. It is two kinds of pig—crumbly, greasy chorizo and fatty golden ham slices, with chicken—golden-fried strips of barely-breaded breast, all tied together with stretchy, melty virgin-white mozzarella gliding throughout, every bite contrasting soft and crisp, as the fluffy bolillo has been gently charred both inside and out, and lined with mayo, lettuce, tomato.

There’s, also, somehow, a Cubano, the same sandwich with American cheese and turkey added to the fertile fray. And, according to handwritten cardboard signs, there are occasional special mole offerings. But Comedor is definitely, foremost, the rolling torta king, the truck on 13th and Hayes good enough to make it forgettable that their brick-and-mortar big brother is mostly known for its pastor. Which, when you try it here, is a succulent, juice-running, half-crispy shimmering pork take, delicious and welcoming of fiery red or fresh green salsa. No matter though, the most important impression you’re taking away is really that other half of torta, for the fridge, and then for a brilliant late-night snack.

4. La Flamita

Flamita might serve the greasiest chorizo around, the finest, tiniest dice of any meat on any menu, and the most over-stuffed of all taco truck tacos. There’s also a big, bad alambre— an asada, bacon, cheese, pepper, onion melange of heft and farmland machismo.

But, on Sundays, between 3pm and midnight, when pastor tacos are $1, when the crowds gather, when the knives are being sharpened by big laughing men glimpsed through the little window, it’s trompo time on 20th and National. It’s the only time of the week they use the vertical spit of Lebanese, Greek, Turkish descent. As if coming to life for everyone else’s day of rest, it wields slithery wedges of reddish-brown and amber, the half-charred pig flavor dribbling juice, the tacos decked with huge wedges of pineapple, splashed liberally with onion and cilantro.

Some bites come on like bacon, some like semi-fatty shoulder, taste profiles bounce between rich, fruity, bracing, and, if you’re doing it right with the orange sauce, tingly and blood-flowing. They are little six-bite nuggets of life affirmation, pillowed by double corn layers, gleaned for less than it costs to park downtown for an hour-and-a-half.

3. Marta’s Tamales

There is no way to half-ass tamales. A labor-intensive dish of corn husks, steam, and up-at-dawn love, it would be like your doctor just sort-of practicing medicine. That’s why if it’s in the name, if it is in the taco-slinging game, there’s certainly legit pedigree. So it is with the Christmas-lighted truck on Cesar Chavez, amidst the cacophonous intersection by El Rey. You can tell the seriousness from the crumbly, heavily seasoned, ground-beefy asada, from an inspired, neatly shredded, soupy barbacoa, rich with faraway spices and earthy, funky sweet-savory balance. Big appetites and food pic takers will be drawn to the pambazo. The chorizo and potato mix is especially hearty, filling, crisped with lettuce wedges, the entire drowned-roll concoction crowned with a sea of crema and a little mountain of crumbly cotija. It’s a sandwich basking in photo op. Then there are elotes—the favorite Mexican street dish of corn smeared in mayo, cream, cheese and spicy pepper seasoning—served either on the cob, or, for those dainty or with a too-nice-an-interior to spill queso, in a dish.

And what of those tamales? Bulbous and piping hot, try the puerco, which is tender pale chunks chock with a potent red-hot chile pepper mash. It is 2-buck brilliance. And somehow almost an afterthought.

2. La Guelaguetza

Rick Bayless once famously opined that the best taquerias are those attached to grocery stores. So it would follow that Guelaguetza, it’s extra long frame situated outside El Rey at 13th and Burnham, is a natural extension, a vomitorium, if you will, of the always-bustling, teeming, slightly-stressful emporium of meats, seasonings, breads, and everything that you could possibly imagine inside. Pig’s feet? Yes. Jewelry? It’s by the checkout counter. Take, for example, the fact that a recent trek found radishes and fresh cucumber offered along the counter salsa bar. Like they belong to a CSA and aren’t sure what to do with all their extra stuff. Sometimes though, there is a downright ferocious onion-habenero pickled mix. In a world of menu repetition, it’s such small touches that add up, that get you a top-2 ranking. It helps that they have a trompo, one of the very few in town. This spit yields pale, red-hued chopped pork scraps, a touch fatty but beautiful, with whiffs of adobo-seasoning, maybe cinnamon, something bright and sweet and indefinable in each balanced bite. There is also a deep-stewed, earthy barbocoa, with intense, unrelenting beefiness. There are, maybe, if you know how to ask, homemade tortillas. And, of course, there is an alambre. It is best as a piping, queso-gooey gumbo of steak, chorizo, crumbly bacon bits, peppers, onions, and the subsequent happiest grease slither of DIY-taco mix possible. Or try try one of their specials that might team ham with pastor. Either way it’s sided by a baked potato, seemingly as that something extra, to give the feel of going to grandma’s house, her wanting to show that she loves you very much, wants you to eat, and to get fat.

1. Taqueria La Costena

There is a filter on Instagram—Nashville, Ludwig, whatever—that brightens, lightens, accentuates, makes pop all the colors and vividness of the happy summer days of life. The tlayuda here, once you pour some thick smoky rojo salsa atop, seems to exist in this doctored state of beauty all on its own: dazzling green avocado, pristine and pure crema, milky queso, sheeny tomato and lettuce flecks, the whole thing framed by they earthy tones of a griddled tortilla and pinto beans. Red, white, green, it looks like the Mexican flag, waving loudly, begging to be scooped, one triangle wedge at a time, folded like a NY-style slice, and devoured. Top it with perfect crumbly chorizo—like a little but ambitious cousin of piquant pepperoni—to complete the Mexican-pizza experience. It’s a destination-worthy dish. But really the fake-wood paneled, slant-roofed mini house is more, much more than just an adorable tlayuda outpost between St. Luke’s and the Domes.

They also have a specific take on pastor: drier, but still liberally seasoned, small-diced, with half-blackened bits, the result yielding moist, just-grilled flavor that allows the meat itself to shine. The same can be said about the smoky, beefy barbocoa. Or even the asada—-so often rote, so often a shoulder-shrug of a meat offering, here is tender, juicy, and seems to fully reveal a careful hand at the flattop. It’s indicative of a subtle touch, a deft hand, offered with friendly delivery. Everything here is more than enough reason to stop the car while cruising 27th Street. It’s actually inspiration to get in the car, to get a car-meal, in the first place.

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kintatsujo · 7 years

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Hi I have some questions. Have you ever read about any of the following people: Arthur Schopenhauer, David Benatar, Peter Wessel Zapffe, Gary Francione, Peter Singer, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins? If you have, what are your thoughts on them? Also, are you a big meat eater? You'd hate to be a vegetarian or vegan?

Peter Singer and Richard Dawkins were both required reading for modern philosophy.

Ole’ Dawkins manages to sound exactly like an atheist version of a religious extremist when you actually read him talk? So, uh.

Singer is the founder of PETA, and while I was already angry at PETA for some of the things they have done Peter Singer literally compared autistic children to horses and suggests, essentially, that the reason one shouldn’t eat meat is because we keep disabled people alive, which is disgusting. Comparing a disabled person to an actual animal? Literally get away from me. I don’t care what your reasons are.

(On record, PETA’s current stance is literally that animals would be better off dead than in human contact; people try to tell you that those folks who were killing animals as soon as they got into the PETA shelter truck weren’t acting under PETA policy but I know too much about PETA to believe that. And domestication is a form of symbiosis, so no. Should we be treating animals better than we are? Sure, but we should also be treating humans better than we are. Animal abuse is often a symptom of a deeper underlying issue.)

If any of those other men are anything like these two I’m not all that interested in investing energy on them at this point in time. (Some of these names sound familiar, but I’m currently in the “awake for two hours” part of my sleep cycle and own that my memory isn’t going to be the greatest; I had to refresh my memory on Dawkins and only remembered Peter Singer because I’ve written multiple actual papers on how much I hate him.)

That said, I actually tried to replace animal protein with vegetable protein more than once (because brown beans are cheaper than steak) and as it turns out, I get sick when I do that; something about my body literally can’t extract enough protein from vegetables to keep me healthy. I have to eat red meat at least once a week or nothin’ doing.

This combined with the fact that I keep turning out to be dangerously allergic to random things means I’m not especially inclined to give up the foods I already know I can eat. And it’s expensive enough just trying to avoid cattle specific dairy products (I’m allergic to cow’s milk and no Lactaid isn’t an option).

Giving up foods for ethical standpoints isn’t actually an option for everyone and it’s both classist and ableist to assume that people can.

#I'm keeping my eye on you anon #ableism #I hope you know it's really easy to block anons on Tumblr #I could have said more about Dawkins but Singer's the one that I have a memorized essay for built from years of articulating WHY I HATE HIM #Anonymous

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jesseneufeld · 5 years

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What’s the Pegan Diet? (And How Does It Compare To Primal?)

Because people don’t have enough diets to choose from already, there’s a new one on the scene: the Pegan diet. Actually it’s not that new—Dr. Mark Hyman started writing about it back in 2014, but it’s gained traction since he published his latest book last year, Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?

According to Hyman, Pegan is a somewhat tongue-in-cheek play on the fact that it’s not quite Paleo and it’s not really vegan, hence Pegan. It claims to combine the best of both diets, namely a focus on eating lots of vegetables, as well as an emphasis on sustainable agriculture and ethical and ecologically sound animal farming.

Setting aside the obvious issue that it’s 100% possible to be a vegan who eats few to no vegetables, or to be a paleo dieter who cares naught about the environment, Pegan is touted as being easier to stick to than either vegan or paleo (presumably because Pegan allows for consumption of foods not allowed on either). Frankly, trying to frame it as a bridge between the two hasn’t proved to be a seamless, happy compromise based on social media conversation, but that’s probably of little surprise to anyone here.

I’ve had some readers ask me about the merits of Pegan and whether it offers any particular advantages over paleo/Primal, and I’m taking up that question today. (Note that I’m only focusing on the Pegan diet proposed by Dr. Hyman, not the “Pegan 365” diet offered by Dr. Oz. The latter isn’t paleo at all, allowing whole grain bread and pasta, corn, tofu, and a weekly “cheat day.” You can imagine my response to this version.)

Defining the Pegan Diet

These are the basic tenets of the Pegan diet in a nutshell:

Focus on sourcing high-quality food – Prioritize organically grown and pesticide-free produce as well as meat, eggs, and fats from pasture-raised and grass-fed animals and finally sustainably harvested seafood. Choose seafood with the lowest possible mercury content. Buy local when you can. Avoid CAFO meats and foods containing chemical additives.

Eliminate processed modern food-like substances and franken-fats – Processed carbohydrates have a high glycemic load and lead to excessive insulin production. Refined vegetable and seed oils such as canola and sunflower are pro-inflammatory. Avoid all such products.

Go gluten-free – Even if you don’t have celiac disease or an obvious gluten sensitivity, modern wheat is still a frankenfood, and gluten can damage the gut. Occasional consumption of heirloom wheat (e.g., einkorn) is ok if you tolerate it.

Go dairy-free – Dairy is problematic for most people and is best avoided. If you do decide to include some dairy, consider choosing goat and sheep milk products instead of cow. Grass-fed butter and ghee are acceptable.

Make vegetables the centerpiece of your diet – Vegetables (mostly non-starchy) should comprise 75% of your diet.

Enjoy healthy fats – Focus on omega-3s, as from small, oily fish. Eat plenty of healthy fats from grass-fed and pastured meats and whole eggs, nuts and seeds, avocados, and coconut products. Use olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil for cooking.

Eat meat sparingly – Dr. Hyman uses the term “condi-meat” to emphasize that meat should be a side dish, not the focus of the meal. He recommends no more than 4 – 6 ounces of meat per meal.

Include gluten-free grains and legumes in small quantities – You may eat ½ cup of gluten-free grains like amaranth or quinoa, plus ½ – 1 cup of legumes (preferably lentils) per day. If you are insulin resistant, you should limit these or refrain altogether.

Limit sugar – Avoid refined sugar and conventional “treats.” The bulk of your vegetable intake should be from non-starchy varieties, and opt for low-glycemic fruit. Natural sweeteners like honey should be used only sparingly for the occasional treat.

How Does Pegan Compare to Primal?

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Gee, Mark, this sounds an awful lot like the Primal diet,” I agree. While there are some differences between Pegan and Primal, they aren’t particularly dramatic:

Primal allows full-fat dairy consumption. Pegan discourages but doesn’t outright ban dairy.

I don’t actively encourage people to consume gluten-free grains and legumes, but I’m not as strongly opposed to them as others are in the ancestral community. I’ve said before that I consider quinoa, amaranth, wild rice, and legumes to be moderation foods (when well-tolerated, which is more an individual thing). They deliver pretty substantial carb hits relative to their nutritional value, but they certainly aren’t the worst options out there. I don’t think they should be dietary staples by any stretch—and daily consumption is too much in my opinion—but if Primal folks want to eat them occasionally, I’ve seen it work for people.

The biggest difference is in regard to protein. The Pegan diet explicitly limits protein consumption, while the Primal Blueprint recommends moderate protein consumption tailored to your activity levels, goals, age, and medical needs. On the surface, this might seem like a substantial difference, it’s probably not very disparate in practice. If a Pegan eats 3 eggs for breakfast, a large salad with 4 ounces of sardines at lunch, and 4 ounces of skin-on chicken thigh at dinner, that gets him or her to about 70 grams of protein, not counting the (admittedly incomplete) plant protein from the salad and any additional veggies included with breakfast and dinner, plus nuts and seeds. That’s within the realm of Primal guidelines, albeit less than I’d recommend for some populations.

That said, if Pegans are taking the whole “treat meat as a condiment” mantra to heart, they are probably at greater risk of underconsuming protein compared to the average Primal eater. This could present a problem for athletes and older folks looking to preserve lean mass. Likewise it is surely harder to get enough protein while also practicing time-restricted eating—and perhaps only eat one or two meals per day—and trying to follow Pegan guidelines. That isn’t a knock against Pegan per se, just a cautionary note.

Finally, while we’re on the subject of protein, I must object to Dr. Hyman’s appeal to environmentalism as a reason to limit meat consumption. I’m not at all convinced that raising livestock taxes the environment more than monocropping acres and acres of corn and soybeans.

In my opinion, Pegan could simply be called “vegetable-centric Paleo with permission to eat small amounts of quinoa and lentils if it suits you.” That isn’t catchy, though, so Pegan it is.

That said, I appreciate how Dr. Hyman for his version of the Pegan Diet emphasizes that there is no single diet that is exactly right for each individual and, like me, he advocates for self-experimentation. Dr. Hyman also speaks out against diet dogmatism and encourages his followers to focus on big-picture health. These are obviously messages I can get behind.

The Bottom Line

I’m a fan of anything that gets people thinking about food quality instead of just robotically tracking macronutrient intake and/or plugging calories into a magic weight-loss formula. Supporting sustainable agricultural practices, eating locally and seasonally, and avoiding environmental pollutants have always been part of the Primal Blueprint recommendations. In short, there is a lot I like about the Pegan diet.

However, I don’t agree that the Pegan diet is necessarily easier to implement than vegan or Paleo, which is supposed to be one of its big draws. If you’re a vegan who gets by on bagels, pasta, and Oreos, or a Paleo person who dutifully eschew grains but relies on the myriad processed, packaged Paleo food options, Pegan is not going to be easier. Changing your diet to focus on carefully sourced “real food” is still going to be a massive shift. It’s going to be much more expensive and time consuming to prepare your meals, and it will probably be incredibly burdensome at the beginning.

Sure, being able to include a small serving of gluten-free grains and legumes might make life a little easier for Paleo folks… but how much really? (For this reason I’d be skeptical if you’re considering using the Pegan diet to lose weight.) Are a lot of Paleo folks really falling off the wagon because they are feeling deprived of ½ cup of lentils? Dr. Hyman has said that his issue with Paleo is “some use the paleo philosophy as an excuse to eat too much meat and too few plant-based foods.” I’m not really seeing this pervasively in the Paleo/ancestral community, to be honest (intentional carnivore dieters notwithstanding). This strikes me as an attempt to solve a problem that didn’t need solving.

Truthfully, the things I like about Pegan are all the ways in which it is similar to Primal, which are many. Both Primal and Pegan have vegetables as the base of their food pyramids. They similarly emphasize the importance of choosing healthy fats and oils, avoiding grains and processed modern junk foods, and moderating carbohydrate intake (which Dr. Hyman frames as maintaining low glycemic load, but the effect is the same). Still, for many people the tighter Primal guidelines around carbs are probably better suited for weight loss and even weight maintenance.

Most days, if you were a fly on the wall in my kitchen, you’d see me eat a big-ass salad for lunch and a piece of meat with several types of vegetables on the side for dinner, and you wouldn’t be able to discern if I was Primal or Pegan. Then again, those nights when I tear into a giant steak would you most certainly be able to tell… and, trust me, I’m not giving those up any time soon.

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What’s the Pegan Diet? (And How Does It Compare To Primal?)

Defining the Pegan Diet

These are the basic tenets of the Pegan diet in a nutshell:

Make vegetables the centerpiece of your diet – Vegetables (mostly non-starchy) should comprise 75% of your diet.

Eat meat sparingly – Dr. Hyman uses the term “condi-meat” to emphasize that meat should be a side dish, not the focus of the meal. He recommends no more than 4 – 6 ounces of meat per meal.

How Does Pegan Compare to Primal?

Primal allows full-fat dairy consumption. Pegan discourages but doesn’t outright ban dairy.

In my opinion, Pegan could simply be called “vegetable-centric Paleo with permission to eat small amounts of quinoa and lentils if it suits you.” That isn’t catchy, though, so Pegan it is.

The Bottom Line

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rethagpierce88 · 5 years

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Why Going Vegan Is Your Best Way to Weight Loss

Every other day it seems someone’s going vegan. Often it’s a size two celebrity with a personal chef on the payroll and a thigh gap the size of Texas. Or that neo-hippie friend of a friend on Facebook. You know, the one who ferments their own kombucha and wears hemp underpants. Not exactly relatable.We need to know Why Going Vegan Is Your Best Way to Weight Loss

That’s the myth anyway. The reality, thank goodness, is far different. A vegan or plant-based way of eating is one that works for any budget, with no flower-power attitude required. What’s more, it’s a fantastic solution for shedding unwanted pounds and inches. All it takes is a little know-how and the desire to lose weight and keep it off—safely and deliciously—for the rest of your life. Intrigued?

First Things First Why Going Vegan Is Your Best Way to Weight Loss

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before diving into the details of plant-based weight loss, there’s a little matter of verbiage to attend to. Are “vegan” and “plant-based” the same thing? And how does “vegetarian” fit into the picture?

What’s in a Name?Why Going Vegan Is Your Best Way to Weight Loss

It helps to step back and look at eating patterns in context. Currently, most people belong in the “omnivore” category. Omnivores eat whatever—meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, you name it—without concern for what food group it falls into.

“Vegetarians” make a point of not consuming the flesh of animals, meaning they won’t eat a steak or a chicken cutlet. But vegetarians will eat products derived from animals, such as eggs and dairy foods like cheese, butter, and milk.

Another group you may have heard of are “flexitarians” (aka “semi-vegetarians”). These are people who follow a vegetarian diet most of the time but stay flexible about it. Flexitarians don’t eat meat three times a day like a lot of omnivores do, but they will partake of an occasional serving of meat now and then.

Finally, there are “vegans” and “plant-based” eaters. These terms are commonly used interchangeably which makes a lot of sense. Vegans eat a 100% animal-free diet, avoiding animal flesh as well as eggs and dairy, which is precisely what plant-based eaters do. So why the two separate terms?

The Same but Different

It has to do with intention. Vegans eat only plants because it’s part of an overall philosophy that opposes animal exploitation in all forms, whether for food, clothing, entertainment, or anything else. That’s why vegans often say, “It’s not a diet.” And why you’re unlikely to see vegans do things like visiting a zoo, take a horse-carriage ride, or wear leather shoes, silk blouses, or wool sweaters.

A plant-based diet (PBD, for short) is a neutral term that simply describes what a person eats without implying anything about their reason for doing so. Medical professionals prefer the term “plant-based” rather than “vegan” because they care about what you’re eating and not so much about what fabric your clothes are made from. Think of PBD as a way to describe a vegan diet without all the baggage associated with veganism.

For our purposes, we’ll use both “vegan” and “plant-based,” with the understanding that our focus here is diet and weight loss, not ethics.

Regardless of the label, the cool thing is that vegan diets work. Like, really work. In fact, when it comes to getting control of your weight without sacrificing your health, a plant-powered approach out-performs every other diet by a mile.

Low-Carb Fail

What makes a vegan diet so effective? Interestingly enough, a huge part of the PBD appeal is what it doesn’t do.

Unlike the low-carb fad diets that are getting so much attention these days—Paleo and Keto, naming two—a vegan diet doesn’t make you sick in order to get you skinny.

But I know lots of people are eating that way, you may be thinking, and they’re doing great!

Are they? If you could look inside their bodies, what you’d see wouldn’t be a pretty picture. Instead, you’d find the same internal damage that has accompanied these sorts of diets for decades.

Same as It Ever Was

Despite the massive overhype, Keto and Paleo are really nothing new. They’re simply old, discredited diets that have been tweaked and rebranded with new names. Ever hear of the South Beach diet from the early 2000s? Or the Atkins diet from decades before that? Same schlock, different day.

Here’s the problem. No matter what they’re called, what all these diets share is a low-carbohydrate, high-protein (or in the case of Keto, high-fat) approach. They designate carbs as “evil.” While they tout meat in all its forms—whether from cows, chickens, and fish or from “exotics” like bison and alligator—as a wonder food that will slim you and trim you and make all your fitness dreams come true.

The trouble is, it’s all baloney. Literally.

Sick Science

Low-carb diets look like they work, in the short term especially, because increasing protein to unhealthy levels forces the body into a “flushing” mode.

Every time a person eats protein, particularly from meat and dairy, blood levels of uric acid and urea—the toxic by-products of protein metabolism—go through the roof. To eliminate these toxins, the body flushes them out through the kidneys. And voila! You’ve lost water weight. But it’s really just urine — no reason to get too excited.

To be fair, it’s not all about pee. Carbs are stored in the muscle cells as glycogen, and glycogen molecules hold onto water. When you stop eating carbs, you deplete your muscles of glycogen and therefore of water too. This also results in water weight loss. But it’s at the expense of dehydrating your muscles.

The detrimental side effects of all this fluid-flushing can’t be overstated. Along with all that water your body’s getting rid of, you’re also losing essential minerals, including calcium. Medical evidence shows that high intake of animal protein leaches calcium from the bones, which leads to osteoporosis. That’s a condition where the bones in your body become weak and brittle. In addition, all that calcium and other leached minerals tend to end up in your kidneys, where they can form painful kidney stones.

Carb Cutters Meet the Grim Reaper

But that’s not the worst part. Can someone “succeed” in losing significant weight on a high-protein, animal-based diet? Yes, but the price they pay may be their untimely death.

A new study of almost 25,000 American adults found that people with the lowest carb intake had a 51% increased risk of dying from coronary heart disease and a 35% increased risk of dying from cancer, compared to those who ate the most carbs. Whoa! If numbers like that don’t show what how important carbohydrates are, what does?

It’s not a just one study either. In fact, what makes this US finding so significant is how perfectly it aligns with other data. An earlier monumental study of more than 440,000 people around the globe garnered the exact same results. Carb eaters were shown to live longer lives than carb reducers. So don’t let anyone convince you that carbs are the enemy. The data just doesn’t bear it out.

Luckily, you don’t have to choose between a shorter life and a slimmer body. There’s one eating plan that promotes both health and weight loss. It’s affordable, easy, and it all revolves around the most abundant food group in the world: plants.

Plant Magic

From a health perspective, plants are a wonder food. Now we’re not talking about a certain root vegetable that’s often thinly sliced, fried in oil, and sold in a bag. Or plants that have been processed and refined beyond all recognition. (We’re looking at you, white bread).

Though we might wish it were otherwise, plants best work their magic when they’re consumed “whole,” meaning in or close to their natural state. When this happens—when plants are allowed to be the star of every meal and not merely a sidekick— amazing changes result. In fact, it’s not an overstatement to say that, for optimum health and weight loss, nothing is more effective than a whole-food, plant-based diet.

The evidence for this, despite the meat and dairy industries’ constant propaganda, is overwhelming. Here is just a sampling of what a plant-powered diet has been proven to achieve:

Lower blood pressure,

Reduced risk of heart disease,

Reduced risk of stroke,

Reduced risk of cancer,

Lower cholesterol,

Reversal of Type 2 diabetes,

Lower blood sugar levels,

Prevention of eye diseases,

Improved digestion

Reduced constipation,

Increased energy,

Better sleep,

Improved body weight and BMI.

Even if health is not your bag and your only concern is looking smoking hot in a swimsuit, plants are still your best solution.

The Skinny on Plants

Numbers don’t lie. Plant-based eaters have, by far, the lowest rate of obesity (just 1.9% in men and 1.8% in women) compared to any other group. These figures are even more impressive when compared to the rest of the population. According to the latest statistics from the CDC, a whopping 39.8% or about 93.3 million of US adults are obese. And those numbers are projected to increase 5% every year.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Study after study bears out the connection between plant-based diets and weight loss. Recently, a randomized control trial, which is the gold standard of scientific evidence, allocated overweight and obese adults to five different diets, from omnivore (eating the most animal foods) to vegan (eating no animal foods). The result? According to the authors, only the “vegan diets were associated with significantly higher levels of weight loss by the end of the study.”

You don’t have to have a PhD to understand that plants possess the power to make our bodies lean and healthy. The only question is how to harness that power: How does one start and stick to a plant-based diet? The answer is easier than you think.

But What Will I Eat?

If you’re accustomed to the Standard American Diet (aptly known as SAD), the prospect of going vegan is likely to induce fear. Troubling questions may plague your mind. Questions such as: Can I actually do this? Will I starve? And even the dreaded: Do I have to start liking green smoothies?

The answer is yes, no, and only if you want to.

It All Adds Up

Contrary to popular belief, a vegan diet is less about the handful of nasty foods you’re removing from your diet and more about the oodles of fantastic foods you’re adding.

Mindset is really important here. Think “restriction”, and you’ll feel restricted. Think “expansion”, and you’ll feel like every meal is a journey of excitement and discovery.

This is not to say change isn’t scary. It is.

Almost any change causes at least a little bit of stress, and drastic changes can trigger huge anxieties. But you are the lead explorer on this journey. You are in control of how much, and how quickly, you want the transition to plant-based eating to go. The pace you take needs to match the person you are.

Be Yourself

Some of us are daredevils. We dive into the deep end and never look back. If this is your personality and you’re already an adventurous eater, go for it! Head to a well-stocked grocery store and fill your basket with as many unfamiliar vegetables, fruits, grains, mock meats, and other plant-based provisions you can find. Then buy a few top-rated vegan cookbooks (or get them from the library) and have at it!

On the other hand, if you’re a basic meat-and-potatoes person whose taste buds are pretty much in a state of virgin purity, you’ll want to take things slow. No forays into the deep end for you, at least not without your water wings. And for newbie vegans, that means learning the art of the swap.

Swap Away

In the plant-based world, “swap” means substituting a non-vegan food item with its vegan equivalent. Essentially, these swaps are your water wings. They support you while you’re learning a new skill, which in this case is converting to a PBD.

In ages past, swaps (like water wings) didn’t exist. A fledgling vegan would have to go from bacon to bean curd in one fell swoop. Not surprisingly, many didn’t make it.

Fortunately these days, there’s a vegan equivalent for just about any animal-based food out there. Condiments are a great place to start because they’re easy and unthreatening. Most condiments like ketchup, mustard, sriracha, and salsa are already vegan anyway. And for the ones that aren’t, like mayonnaise and salad dressing, vegan alternatives are readily available.

Ready for Something New

Here’s how to start. The next time you run out of mayo, simply purchase a vegan version instead of your old standby. It will probably taste similar, if not better. There’s no need to go to a specialty store to get it either. Mainstream brands, like Hellman’s, now make a vegan option, and Hampton Creek’s scrumptious Just Mayo is on the shelf in every Walmart nationwide.

Other easy-peasy swaps include veggie burgers for beef burgers, vegan cheese for dairy cheese, and plant milk for cow’s milk. In fact, there are so many choices when it comes to nondairy milk; you can have fun trying them all and seeing which you like best. Soy or almond? Rice or cashew? Oat or pea or flax?

For die-hard carnivores, meat-oriented swaps abound thanks to brands like Gardein, LightLife, Field Roast, Yves, Tofurky, and many others. These companies offer vegan versions of chicken tenders, frankfurters, meatballs, bacon, cold cuts, and even fish filets and crab cakes! And they’re conveniently found in the freezer and produce sections of almost every supermarket. (Be sure to shop around though, as prices tend to vary widely).

Now, are these swaps the über-healthy whole foods that will promote the quickest weight loss? No. But that doesn’t mean they’re bad. Any more than water wings are bad. Of course, you don’t want to get stuck wearing water wings forever, and neither do you want to rely on packaged, processed vegan foods for the rest of your life. But both serve a purpose, so there’s no reason not to take advantage of them when it’s useful.

There’s no reason to feel guilty eating them either.

While they’re not the superstars of plant-based cuisine, all these vegan swaps are almost certainly much healthier than the animal-derived foods they’re based on. Because they’re made from plants rather than animals, processed vegan foods will tend to have much less fat and cholesterol (which you don’t want) and much more fiber (which you do want). Plus they’ll have fewer calories than their meat counterparts. Pretty sweet, huh?

A Tale of Three Nuggets

For a case in point, let’s look at one of America’s favorite foods: the chicken nugget. Just four Tyson Chicken Nuggets gives you with a walloping 270 calories, 17 grams fat (4 saturated), 40 mg cholesterol, 0 fiber, and 14 grams protein. Can anyone say, Ugh?

McDonald’s chicken nuggets are only slightly better, with 180 calories, 11 grams fat (2 saturated), 30 mg cholesterol, a measly 1 gram of fiber, and 10 grams protein per four-piece serving.

But how about the vegan swap? An equivalent amount of Boca Chik’n Veggie Nuggets contains just 160 calories, 5 grams of fat (0 saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 3 grams fiber, and 14 grams protein. In every case, you’re getting less of the bad stuff and the same or more of the good stuff. It’s win-win all around.

Making vegan swaps for your favorite omnivore foods keeps you from feeling deprived and gets your taste buds transitioning to more plant-centric fare. And because the faux meats are lower in fat and calories, you’re likely to see weight loss with this simple step alone.

That last bit is worth repeating. Even if all you do is substitute vegan versions for the foods you’re already eating, your calorie intake will drop and so will your weight. Of course, if you’re consuming boatloads of processed foods, this won’t be enough to make you a skinny Minnie, but it’s a helluva result with minimal effort.

The Next Steps

Since processed chow, whether plant- or animal-based, is nobody’s idea of healthy eating, at some point you’re going to need to expand into whole foods. Again, take your time. There’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all clothing, and there’s no single “right” way to transition to a vegan diet. You do you.

Start Where You Are

Who “you” are will provide you with helpful clues. Start with what you know and like. If the one green vegetable you enjoy is peas, then find as many ways to eat peas as possible. There’s pea soup, as everyone knows. But what about pea-and-potato curry? And did you know there’s a super-tasty spread whose main ingredient is puréed peas?

Or let’s say you hate anything green, but you’ll tolerate carrots. Start including them more often with your meals and vary the way they’re prepared. Whole roasted carrots, simply seasoned with salt and pepper, are elegant and delicious. Carrots with ginger make a yummy side dish. And for main courses, there’s “pulled carrot” barbecue and even savory carrot “hot dogs” that some vegans swear by.

The trick is to pick what you already like, plant-wise, and expand upon it. In terms of mindset, focus on eating more, not less. That’s how weight loss on a plant-based diet works. When you fill yourself up on a garden of goodness (in the form of vegetables, beans, whole grains, and fruits), you have less room on your plate and in your belly for the foods that lead to weight gain.

Easing Out of Your Comfort Zone

Once you’ve fully explored the foods you already know and enjoy, you’re ready to venture into more exotic territory. If you’re lucky enough to live in an area with vegan-friendly restaurants or delis, eating out can be super helpful at this stage. Have your server explain dishes in detail, so you’ll understand what they’re supposed to taste like, and then order something you’ve never tried before. This way you’ll develop your palate and be inspired to go beyond your old, familiar choices.

Grocery stores can be helpful too. Many “fancier” supermarkets, such as Whole Foods, have extensive vegan-friendly hot bars and counters with an array of prepared foods you can sample before you buy. When you find a dish you like, try to recreate it in your kitchen. In time you’ll have a batch of go-to vegan recipes you can whip up to satisfy whatever you’re craving.

For a sneak peek into what a healthy, weight-reducing plant-based diet looks like, here’s a sample of dishes that are easy to prepare, delicious, and appropriate for those considering making the leap to vegan eating:

Breakfast

Oatmeal with Tons of Fresh Berries

Whole Grain Toast with Fruit-Sweetened Jam

Vegan Whole Grain Cereal with Plant-based Milk

Savory Breakfast Sandwich (with Vegan Sausage Patty)

Bagel with a Schmear of Vegan Cream Cheese

Lunch

Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Rice, Beans, and Spinach Pita with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Cobb Salad Wrap with Vegan “Turkey” Slices

Couscous Bowl with Diced Apples and Veggies

Dinner

White Veggie Lasagna with Cashew Alfredo

Butternut, Potato, and Chickpea Curry over Rice

Whole Wheat Pesto Pasta with Roasted Eggplant

Stuffed Baked Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes

Spicy Black Bean Tacos with Shredded Vegan Cheese

Strength in Numbers

Your plant-based journey is yours. But it doesn’t mean you have to experience it by yourself. If you have friends, who are already vegan, lucky you! Use them. They’re probably falling all over themselves to advise and encourage you.

Don’t know any vegans? That’s okay too. You’re not doomed to struggle all alone. There are scores of online support groups for plant-based eaters ready to answer your questions, and probably local groups too. Unless you live hundreds of miles from any city, it’s a safe bet that there’s a vegan organization in your area. Such groups hold regular gatherings like vegan potlucks and other fun get-togethers. (You haven’t lived until you’ve been to a vegan game night). Groups like this are open to everyone, and they’re a wonderful resource for vegan newbies and pros alike.

No Need to Overdo It

Of course, it’s a balancing act. In your excitement, it’s easy to try to do everything at once. The next thing you know your Pinterest board is overflowing with vegan recipes, your bookshelf is sagging with The China Study and Veganomicon, and your movie queue is backed up with Forks Over Knives, What the Health, and Earthlings.

You don’t want to access so much information that it overwhelms you. Or hear from so many different points of use that it makes you question what you’re doing. Trust your own body and how it reacts to the changes you’re making. Many people, when they first go vegan, report feeling lighter, fresher, and mentally clearer. If this turns out to be your experience, be happy for yourself! If not, don’t be discouraged. Everybody—and every body—is different.

No matter how they started, though, the majority of plant-based eaters agree on one thing: They wish they’d gone vegan sooner. Whether your path is direct or indirect, whether your pace is speedy or slow, never forget that a plant-based diet is, without a doubt, the best way to lose and control your weight.

Ready to give it a go? If so, you are about to bestow an amazing gift to yourself, your health, and your overall well-being. Enjoy!

from https://biogreen.life/why-going-vegan-is-your-best-way-to-weight-loss/

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marthaalayne3 · 5 years

Text

Why Going Vegan Is Your Best Way to Weight Loss

First Things First Why Going Vegan Is Your Best Way to Weight Loss

What’s in a Name?Why Going Vegan Is Your Best Way to Weight Loss

The Same but Different

For our purposes, we’ll use both “vegan” and “plant-based,” with the understanding that our focus here is diet and weight loss, not ethics.

Low-Carb Fail

What makes a vegan diet so effective? Interestingly enough, a huge part of the PBD appeal is what it doesn’t do.

Unlike the low-carb fad diets that are getting so much attention these days—Paleo and Keto, naming two—a vegan diet doesn’t make you sick in order to get you skinny.

But I know lots of people are eating that way, you may be thinking, and they’re doing great!

Are they? If you could look inside their bodies, what you’d see wouldn’t be a pretty picture. Instead, you’d find the same internal damage that has accompanied these sorts of diets for decades.

Same as It Ever Was

The trouble is, it’s all baloney. Literally.

Sick Science

Low-carb diets look like they work, in the short term especially, because increasing protein to unhealthy levels forces the body into a “flushing” mode.

Carb Cutters Meet the Grim Reaper

But that’s not the worst part. Can someone “succeed” in losing significant weight on a high-protein, animal-based diet? Yes, but the price they pay may be their untimely death.

Plant Magic

The evidence for this, despite the meat and dairy industries’ constant propaganda, is overwhelming. Here is just a sampling of what a plant-powered diet has been proven to achieve:

Lower blood pressure,

Reduced risk of heart disease,

Reduced risk of stroke,

Reduced risk of cancer,

Lower cholesterol,

Reversal of Type 2 diabetes,

Lower blood sugar levels,

Prevention of eye diseases,

Improved digestion

Reduced constipation,

Increased energy,

Better sleep,

Improved body weight and BMI.

Even if health is not your bag and your only concern is looking smoking hot in a swimsuit, plants are still your best solution.

The Skinny on Plants

But What Will I Eat?

The answer is yes, no, and only if you want to.

It All Adds Up

Contrary to popular belief, a vegan diet is less about the handful of nasty foods you’re removing from your diet and more about the oodles of fantastic foods you’re adding.

Mindset is really important here. Think “restriction”, and you’ll feel restricted. Think “expansion”, and you’ll feel like every meal is a journey of excitement and discovery.

This is not to say change isn’t scary. It is.

Be Yourself

Swap Away

In ages past, swaps (like water wings) didn’t exist. A fledgling vegan would have to go from bacon to bean curd in one fell swoop. Not surprisingly, many didn’t make it.

Ready for Something New

There’s no reason to feel guilty eating them either.

A Tale of Three Nuggets

McDonald’s chicken nuggets are only slightly better, with 180 calories, 11 grams fat (2 saturated), 30 mg cholesterol, a measly 1 gram of fiber, and 10 grams protein per four-piece serving.

The Next Steps

Start Where You Are

Easing Out of Your Comfort Zone

Breakfast

Oatmeal with Tons of Fresh Berries

Whole Grain Toast with Fruit-Sweetened Jam

Vegan Whole Grain Cereal with Plant-based Milk

Savory Breakfast Sandwich (with Vegan Sausage Patty)

Bagel with a Schmear of Vegan Cream Cheese

Lunch

Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Rice, Beans, and Spinach Pita with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Cobb Salad Wrap with Vegan “Turkey” Slices

Couscous Bowl with Diced Apples and Veggies

Dinner

White Veggie Lasagna with Cashew Alfredo

Butternut, Potato, and Chickpea Curry over Rice

Whole Wheat Pesto Pasta with Roasted Eggplant

Stuffed Baked Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes

Spicy Black Bean Tacos with Shredded Vegan Cheese

Strength in Numbers

No Need to Overdo It

Ready to give it a go? If so, you are about to bestow an amazing gift to yourself, your health, and your overall well-being. Enjoy!

source https://biogreen.life/why-going-vegan-is-your-best-way-to-weight-loss/ from BioGreen Life https://biogreenlife1.blogspot.com/2019/01/why-going-vegan-is-your-best-way-to.html

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biogreenlife · 5 years

Text

Why Going Vegan Is Your Best Way to Weight Loss

First Things First Why Going Vegan Is Your Best Way to Weight Loss

What’s in a Name?Why Going Vegan Is Your Best Way to Weight Loss

The Same but Different

For our purposes, we’ll use both “vegan” and “plant-based,” with the understanding that our focus here is diet and weight loss, not ethics.

Low-Carb Fail

What makes a vegan diet so effective? Interestingly enough, a huge part of the PBD appeal is what it doesn’t do.

Unlike the low-carb fad diets that are getting so much attention these days—Paleo and Keto, naming two—a vegan diet doesn’t make you sick in order to get you skinny.

But I know lots of people are eating that way, you may be thinking, and they’re doing great!

Are they? If you could look inside their bodies, what you’d see wouldn’t be a pretty picture. Instead, you’d find the same internal damage that has accompanied these sorts of diets for decades.

Same as It Ever Was

The trouble is, it’s all baloney. Literally.

Sick Science

Low-carb diets look like they work, in the short term especially, because increasing protein to unhealthy levels forces the body into a “flushing” mode.

Carb Cutters Meet the Grim Reaper

But that’s not the worst part. Can someone “succeed” in losing significant weight on a high-protein, animal-based diet? Yes, but the price they pay may be their untimely death.

Plant Magic

The evidence for this, despite the meat and dairy industries’ constant propaganda, is overwhelming. Here is just a sampling of what a plant-powered diet has been proven to achieve:

Lower blood pressure,

Reduced risk of heart disease,

Reduced risk of stroke,

Reduced risk of cancer,

Lower cholesterol,

Reversal of Type 2 diabetes,

Lower blood sugar levels,

Prevention of eye diseases,

Improved digestion

Reduced constipation,

Increased energy,

Better sleep,

Improved body weight and BMI.

Even if health is not your bag and your only concern is looking smoking hot in a swimsuit, plants are still your best solution.

The Skinny on Plants

But What Will I Eat?

The answer is yes, no, and only if you want to.

It All Adds Up

Contrary to popular belief, a vegan diet is less about the handful of nasty foods you’re removing from your diet and more about the oodles of fantastic foods you’re adding.

Mindset is really important here. Think “restriction”, and you’ll feel restricted. Think “expansion”, and you’ll feel like every meal is a journey of excitement and discovery.

This is not to say change isn’t scary. It is.

Be Yourself

Swap Away

In ages past, swaps (like water wings) didn’t exist. A fledgling vegan would have to go from bacon to bean curd in one fell swoop. Not surprisingly, many didn’t make it.

Ready for Something New

There’s no reason to feel guilty eating them either.

A Tale of Three Nuggets

McDonald’s chicken nuggets are only slightly better, with 180 calories, 11 grams fat (2 saturated), 30 mg cholesterol, a measly 1 gram of fiber, and 10 grams protein per four-piece serving.

The Next Steps

Start Where You Are

Easing Out of Your Comfort Zone

Breakfast

Oatmeal with Tons of Fresh Berries

Whole Grain Toast with Fruit-Sweetened Jam

Vegan Whole Grain Cereal with Plant-based Milk

Savory Breakfast Sandwich (with Vegan Sausage Patty)

Bagel with a Schmear of Vegan Cream Cheese

Lunch

Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Rice, Beans, and Spinach Pita with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Cobb Salad Wrap with Vegan “Turkey” Slices

Couscous Bowl with Diced Apples and Veggies

Dinner

White Veggie Lasagna with Cashew Alfredo

Butternut, Potato, and Chickpea Curry over Rice

Whole Wheat Pesto Pasta with Roasted Eggplant

Stuffed Baked Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes

Spicy Black Bean Tacos with Shredded Vegan Cheese

Strength in Numbers

No Need to Overdo It

Ready to give it a go? If so, you are about to bestow an amazing gift to yourself, your health, and your overall well-being. Enjoy!

from BioGreen Life https://biogreen.life/why-going-vegan-is-your-best-way-to-weight-loss/

0 notes

anachef · 5 years

Text

Tom’s Urban Strengthens Leadership Team

Leader in the Emerging Eater-tainment Segment Adds Three Key Roles to Support Company’s Growth Plans

Denver, CO (RestaurantNews.com) Tom’s Urban, a fast growing eater-tainment concept and modern casual dining restaurant, has strengthened its leadership team by adding three key roles to help catalyze the brand’s growth plan. The Company appointed Jane Crouse to Director of Training and Development, Lori Belloir to Director of Design and Communication, and Joanna Sanchez to Vice President of National Event Sales. All three positions will report to Shannon McNiel, President and Chief Operating Officer.

As Director of Training and Development, Jane Crouse will play a critical and strategic role, developing a new store toolkit to support the Company’s future growth plans. Crouse will spearhead new hires and training at opening locations, a crucial role to get each humming and operating efficiently as quickly as possible. She is joining Tom’s Urban from Texas Roadhouse, the western themed steak house. As a veteran in the service and fast casual industry with extensive operational experience, Crouse won the brand’s Service Manager and Kitchen Manager of the Year awards in consecutive years. Most recently, Crouse held the position of Corporate Training and Development Coach at Texas Roadhouse, supporting 160 locations.

Lori Belloir is joining as Director of Design and Communication. In her role, Belloir will be responsible for all internal and external communication with the company. Belloir will develop and manage all aspects of the Tom’s Urban brand design and creative outputs and will play an integral role in publicizing Tom’s Urban’s new interactive entertainment platforms.

With over 20 years of experience in sales and hospitality, Tom’s Urban’s new Vice President of National Events Sales, Joanna Sanchez, will be responsible for developing and implementing the company’s event sales programs at all current and future locations. Tom’s Urban is an industry leader in creating standalone events and experiences for its customers and Sanchez has been instrumental in strengthening the sales programs in existing locations while continue to make the Company’s L.A. LIVE location an industry leader in the private event category.

“We are pleased to have these three exceptional leaders joining our Tom’s Urban team as we continue to grow and enhance our brand,” says Shannon McNiel, President and COO of Tom’s Urban. “Tom’s Urban has a truly unique edge in today’s eater-tainment space offering our guests a memorable experience with our innovative menu, extensive drink offerings and immersive entertainment options. Joanna, Jane, and Lori will play a vital role in strengthening our team to help us achieve our short- and long-term strategic growth objectives.”

Tom’s Urban is owned by Black Shamrock Partners, formerly Consumer Concept Group, a Denver-based investment and operating company, focused on launching, operating and investing in Experience Based Lifestyle Economy brands in the consumer, lifestyle and event sectors. Tom’s Urban has locations currently at LA LIVE in Los Angeles, Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, NYNY Hotel in Las Vegas, Ilani Casino in Portland and Denver International Airport.

About Tom’s Urban

Partners Rick Schaden and Tom Ryan founded Tom’s Urban to be a leading eater-tainment destination where guests can enjoy a modern American comfort menu offering of entrées and small plates with a twist in a polished casual restaurant setting. Tom’s Urban offers the best of everything – breakfast, lunch, dinner, late night, epic handcrafted cocktails and cold beer, and good company in a hip, inviting and entertaining atmosphere. For more information, visit www.tomsurban.com.

About Black Shamrock Partners

Black Shamrock Partners, formerly Consumer Concept Group, is an innovative investment and operating company, focused on launching, operating and investing in consumer, franchising and lifestyle brands. They also invest opportunistically in private businesses, real estate and alongside alternative investment managers. Black Shamrock Partners is guided by a relentless focus on investing in tomorrow’s demands and is managed by a group of officers with deep expertise in the restaurant, lifestyle, entertainment and sports industries. Their investment philosophy is rigorously centered on aligning interests and the virtues of patient capital, allowing them to pursue growth plans and make strategic decisions solely in the best interests of the companies in which they invest.

Contact: Jennifer Mazzabufi [email protected]

source http://www.restaurantnews.com/toms-urban-strengthens-leadership-team-011019/

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