THE MORAL BASELINE

I used to have this particular section labeled “Compassionate Eating”, which I wrote is rather a misnomer, in that it implies that being sympathetic, or empathetic, is a righteous endeavor, borne out of kindness and decency, an effort to achieve a level of consideration that is the exception rather than the norm.  

However, rather than view our actions as an extension of kindness towards other beings, we need to see them as an obligatory baseline of moral equality, a threshold from where we BEGIN rather than where we END.

If you’re going to become unhinged and blame vegans for being “virtue signalers”, it’s YOU who is using term “virtue”, it’s YOU who is labeling veganism as “righteous”, and it’s YOU who lacks those “attributes”.

Being vegan is our moral obligation, the very LEAST we can do for fellow sentient animals.  To put this into perspective, does anyone ever say that not being homophobic is a compassionate decision, or that rejecting racism is based on compassion?  Of course not.  It’s our moral baseline from where we begin; it’s not our “destiny”, at where we end.

In this section I’ve kept a lot of dietary information; the diet portion of veganism is plant-based diets. Our Compass recognizes the important health benefits of plant-based diets, and it would be remiss of us to exclude this essential step to reducing the risk of diseases and improving lifestyles via a plant-based diet, which is a medically vital and appropriate response to detrimental health conditions related to the consumption of animal products, as well as a preventive to them.

FYI, the vegan definition is clear: ALL vegans consume a plant-based diet; not all people who consume a plant-based diet are vegan.

The Vegan Society definition:

“Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”

As for the as far as is possible and practicable “clause”: the intent is referring to items that HAVE NO VEGAN ALTERNATIVE, such as medically necessary medications or treatments, it is NOT intended to excuse people who live in a food desert or on an ice floe or on a deserted island with only fish.

Some of the below information may be out-of-date as I initially created this page in 2010, but it’s important to know that plant-based diets have been studied, reviewed, and approved by numerous nutrition bodies and organizations. It’s important to remember that veganism is for animals even IF plant-based diets had no nutritional human benefits. It’s fortunate, therefore, that they DO.

And for those who zoom in on “appropriately planned…”: ALL diets require appropriate planning, that’s the reason behind grocery lists, recipes, food nutrition labels, and supplements. In the US, >75% of adults supplement, the VAST majority of whom and which are NOT vegan. That a supplement takes the place of suffering animals who supplement via their diets, should not be cause for conflict. SL

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Learn why a plant-based diet is so nutritional and is proven to reduce the risk of numerous debilitating conditions, including heart disease, obesity, and other life-threatening illnesses and cancers. Determine also why it is the only lifestyle that will preserve Earth.  Our planet is dying; humans are the only species who maintain a parasitic ruling over the Earth – while all others live within a symbiotic, mutually-beneficial relationship, humans continue to maim, destroy, and kill her.  Livestock is a primary contributor to this destruction.

Please also see VEGAN GUIDES for numerous, full-length, free guides to veganism, nutrition, shopping advice, information, etc.

Click on each, hit your back button to return to this list:

SoyStache Information
Nutrition Links
Link To PCRM 21-Day Vegan Kickstart
Vegan Restaurants/Grocers Link
Vegan Shopping List
Accidentally Vegan: Really … It’s Vegan!
Vegan Foods from the Grocer
Animal Ingredients to Avoid
Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating
Global Warming, Meat The Truth: How Killing Animals is Killing Earth
Devour The Earth
Environmental Resources
Environmental Impact of Vegans Versus Conventional Diets
Livestock’s Long Shadow
Livestock and Climate Change
Deforestation is Made Possible By…Green, The Film | Facts
Palm Oil | Key Players
Easy Vegan Recipes
Allergen-Free Vegan Recipes
Vegan Search Engine: 40 Vegan Sites
Other Vegan Food Sites
Recipes

There is a great deal of information on the internet about the importance of protein in the diet, as well as the most healthful sources. Below are some links to articles about protein, its sources, and the problems associated with the consumption of animal protein. Please feel free to visit these articles for additional information. Following the article links is our extensive table of protein sources with other nutritional information.

Something everyone should know about protein: Every whole food contains protein! Carrots contain it, celery contains it. We do not have to restrict ourselves to nuts, seeds, and beans when thinking about protein. We certainly do not need to focus on animal products. The protein consumed from a balanced plant-based diet appears to be plenty. Many of us have been conditioned to worry about specific nutrients, such as protein. If we just consume the foods the human body is designed for, we don’t have to worry about the nutrients and we should experience optimal health. ~ SoyStache

Please visit SoyStache for all the info and associated content and sources by clicking HERE

Click on the apple for essential nutrition information.

Maintained by Jack Norris, Registered Dietitian, President of Vegan Outreach (Bio)

 

Want additional information? Try PCRM’s 21-Day Vegan Kickstart Diet for expert advice, professional information, tips, and more.

Vegan restaurants, grocers:

• VegGuide.Org is a community-maintained, world-wide guide to vegetarian and vegan restaurants, grocers, and more.
• Happy Cow Vegan Eating Guide

Need a vegan grocery shopping list?  Check out PETA’s:

Accidentally Vegan … Really, it’s vegan!

Vegan Deliciousness from the Grocer

Animal Ingredients to Avoid

Guide To Cruelty-Free Eating: Vegan Outreach

Watch Global Warming, Meat the Truth

How to stop global warming? This extraordinary movie made by the Nicolaas G. Pierson Foundation from Holland shows us the whole and bitter truth about the influence of the meat industry on our climate and on the devastation of our environment, water and air.

Environmental Impact of Vegans Versus Conventional Diets

Livestock’s Long Shadow

Livestock and Climate Change

Deforestation is Made Possible By…

Green, The Film | Facts

Palm Oil | Key Players

COK’s Easy Vegan Recipes

Allergen-Free Vegan Recipes

Click to visit Vegan search engine for food, recipes, and more.

A few sites to visit for ideas, inspirations, recipes, and more :

• Compassionate Cooks
• Vegan Planet
• Veg Web
• Vegan Recipes: 101 Cookbooks
• Vegan Food Net

For additional information and resources, please visit VEGAN GUIDES

Click on each (hit your “back” button to return), and please scroll down to the comments where there are numerous other recipes!

• Shada’s Real Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
• Southwestern Lentil Soup
• In honor of St. Patrick’s Day…..Lazy Corned “Beef” and Cabbage w/ Veggies
• Crock Pot Vegetarian Chili
• Delightful and Easy Enchiladas
• My New Favorite Mac & Cheese
• Bean Loaf
• Breakfast Casserole
• Vegan Fettuccini Alfredo
• Sweet Tofu BBQ
• Judy’s Middle Eastern Vegetable Wraps
• Shada’s Very Simple Blueberry Muffins

Shada’s Real Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Makes 1 cup

1/2 c. vegan mayonnaise, I have used regular mayo too
1/2 T. lemon juice PLUS soymilk or nut milk to make 1/2 c.*
0 1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder or granules
1/2 tsp. onion powder
pinch dried thyme

Pour nut milk into measuring cup and add lemon juice and set aside for 2-3 minutes
Combine all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, when buttermilk is ready add and whisk until smooth. Place in a covered container or jar and refrigerate for several hours before using. Will last one week in fridge.

* If you are using nut milk, soy is best. It is thicker and makes better buttermilk

Southwestern Lentil Soup
This makes enough to serve about four people.

· 1/2 pound dry lentils, sorted and rinsed
· 1 onion, chopped
· 2-4 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
· 2 or 3 bay leaves
· 1 tablespoon salt
· 1 tablespoon oil
· Water
· 1 16-ounce jar of your favorite salsa (i.e. Trader Joe’s Garlic Chipotle Salsa) or 1 16-ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes
· 1 16-ounce can sweet corn or 1 10-ounce bag frozen sweet corn

Sort and rinse your lentils, then put in a large cooking pot. Add water to about an inch above your lentils. You may need to add more water later, which is fine. Add your salt, oil and bay leaves and turn on the heat to medium-high.

Chop up your onions and garlic
Add the onions, garlic and frozen corn to your soup and stir everything together.
Allow it to cook for a few minutes, then pour in the jar of salsa (or can of crushed or diced tomatoes).

Allow the soup to simmer, and stir occasionally. At this point you’ll want to turn down the heat to about medium so that the liquid will not evaporate more quickly than the lentils have time to cook.

After about twenty minutes check the lentils to see if they have cooked through. You want to be sure that they are soft but not mushy. The liquid may have still cooked off a little bit, so you may want to add an extra cup or two to make sure it is still soupy.

Once the soup is done, discard the bay leaves (don’t eat them), then serve with vegan buttered bread or toast or with tortilla chips. For a creamier soup, add about a tablespoon of Vegenaise/Mayonnaise or Sour Cream to an individual serving of soup.


In honor of St. Patrick’s Day…..Lazy Corned “Beef” and Cabbage w/ Veggies
Serves: 4-6

1/2 package “steak” strips (I used Morning Star Farms version)
1/3 head of cabbage, shredded
2 large red potatoes, sliced or cubed
1/2 onion, thickly sliced (I used sweet yellow–but use what ever kind you like)
1 large carrot, sliced
1 can vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon horseradish
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour

Directions:

I’m pretty lazy so I’m partial to one pot dishes. This recipe doesn’t really take a lot of effort except for the chopping of the veggies. I just wing it when it comes to amounts too so don’t feel like you have to follow this exact–use what you have around the house and just sit back while it cooks!

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.

Slice/cube vegetable and place in large casserole dish w/ faux steak strips. I just threw everything in together in no particular order.

In separate bowl combine horseradish, mustard and vinegar and mix together. Stir in vegetable broth and mix well.

Pour broth over veggies and “steak”. Cover and bake approximately 45 minutes. The dish will be done when the potatoes and carrots are soft–or to your liking.

Spoon out veggies and “steak” and pour left over broth into a sauce pan to make “gravy”. Heat on low-med and add in flour and more vinegar (if you want). Mix completely–if your gravy seems too thick add some water a little at a time until you get the consistency you want.

That’s it–spoon gravy on to veggies and you have yourself a tasty vegan-Irish treat!

This recipe can easily be converted to suit what you have around the house–the “gravy” tastes pretty good on any vegetable too! The only thing I would suggest you not substitute is the red wine vinegar. White or cider would just not work!

Enjoy my laziness!


Crock Pot Vegetarian Chili
(about 2 cups)

Ingredients
· 1 Green pepper chopped
· 1 lg Onions chopped
· 1 1/2 cup Carrot diced
· 8 ounce Mushroom chopped
· 1 can (28 oz) Crushed Tomato
· 3 can (15 oz) Kidney beans
· 1 can (12 oz) Crushed Pineapple in own juice
· 2 T Chili powder
· 1 Red bell pepper chopped

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours.
Use additional veggies as desired.
**Can use kidney beans, black eyed peas, black beans etc. (all 3 the same or 1 of each)


Delightful and Easy Enchiladas
Serves: 2-4 , Preparation time: 20 min.

Ingredients:
6 Flour Tortillas
1 can refried beans
1 small can chopped green chilis
1 pkg. enchilada sauce mix
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 16 oz. can corn
1 lb. fresh spinach – no stems
1 cup dairy free shredded cheese of choice (optional)

Directions:
Begin by preparing the sauce according to instructions on package. While sauce is heating on stove, begin heating refried beans in another pan. As beans get hot, and as sauce is thoroughly mixed, add about 1/4 cup of sauce to the beans. You don’t want the beans to be soupy, but this will make it more manageable. Steam the spinach until wilted. Add cup of corn and the chilis to the bean mixture.

When spinach is finished, begin making the enchiladas. Spread approx. 3T sauce on each flat tortilla, then layer bean mix, spinach and a small amount of cheese (optional) in the center of the tortilla. Roll up and place in a baking dish. Line up enchiladas in baking dish, then cover with remaining sauce and any leftover (or additional) cheese.

Bake covered with foil for 20 min. at 375 degrees. Bake an additional 10 min. uncovered.


My New Favorite Mac & Cheese

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups Elbow pasta
1 cup soymilk/ricemilk
1/4 cup tamari
1 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp paprika
1 glove garlic
1 tsp dijon mustard
2/3 cup canola oil
salt & pepper

STEPS
Cook the pasta al dente.
In a blender/food processor combine the garlic, nutritional yeast, mustard and paprika, blend to chop garlic.
While the machine is running add the tamari, soymilk/ricemilk and canola oil and blend until creamy.
Heat sauce and mix with cooked noodles.

You can also do it as a baked Mac n’ Cheese by adding about 1/2 cup of water to the sauce and undercooking the noodles a little.
Top with breadcrumbs and bake in a casserole dish in a 350 oven until bubbly and breadcrumbs are browned.


Bean Loaf

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pecans
2 tablespoons olive oil
One cup mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans(or any kind of bean you like), partly mashed
1 cup wheat germ
1/4 to 1/2 cup liquid from cooked or canned beans, as needed
1 heaping tablespoon flaxseed meal
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Spike or other low sodium seasoning blend

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a loaf pan or 8×8 square baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside (an 8×8 pan makes a crisper loaf).
Grind the pecans into a coarse meal using a food processor or spice/coffee grinder. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Sauté any vegetables you’ve chosen in the olive oil until soft. Add to the large mixing bowl along with all the remaining ingredients. Mix and mash together well, adding only as much liquid as needed to create a soft, moist loaf that holds together and is not runny (you may not need to add any liquid if the grains and protein are very moist). Add more binder/carbohydrate as needed if the loaf seems too wet.

Press mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cooked through.
Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a plate or platter and slice. Serve with potatoes, vegetables, and vegetarian gravy, if desired.
Cold leftover slices of make a great sandwich filling.

**I use red or pink beans that I soak over night and then cook in a crockpot with one of each: carrot, celery stick, 1/2 sweet pepper and 1/2 onion**


Breakfast Casserole
Serves 6

Outstanding flavor that everyone in your family will love.

Ingredients:
6 whole-grain bread slices, very lightly toasted
Vegan sausage, to taste ( LightLife’s 14-ounce Gimme Lean Sausage tube) or lightly cooked Morning Star Farms bacon, patties or links
2 cups non-dairy milk (my favorite is original RiceDream)
1 cup silken tofu
3 Tablespoon Tahiti
2/3 cups nutritional yeast
3 teaspoons onion granules
2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup or Agave
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon marjoram

Directions:
1. Lightly oil an 8 x 11.5 baking dish. Cut very lightly toasted bread into large cubes and scatter evenly across bottom of baking dish.
2. Next, if using a tube of sausage, wet fingers and break sausage or bacon into bite-sized pieces, scattering 1/2 the sausage or bacon evenly across bread cubes. (If using sausage links or patties, cut into bite-sized pieces and scatter 1/2 the sausage evenly across bread cubes.)
3. To a blender, add milk, tofu, Tahiti, nutritional yeast, onion granules, mustard, salt, syrup, lemon juice, garlic powder, thyme, black pepper and marjoram. Blend until completely smooth. Pour mixture over bread/sausage mixture.
4. Scatter remaining sausage over the top of the casserole.
5. Cover dish with plastic wrap. Place in freezer for 2 hours, or in refrigerator until liquid is “set”. (Refrigerating overnight works beautifully too.)
6. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake casserole, uncovered, until lightly browned, but not burned. (About 50 minutes.)


Vegan Fettuccini Alfredo

Ingredients:
½ lb. fettuccini, cooked and drained
1/3 cup vegan margarine
2 cup MimicCreme, unsweetened
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ – 1 tsp. salt
3-4 tbs. grated vegan parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook fettuccini in a pot of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. While fettuccini is cooking, melt margarine in large pan, add garlic and allow to cook slightly. Add MimicCreme and whisk until margarine begins to incorporate into MimicCreme. Add salt and vegan parmesan cheese. Heat through, then add drained fettuccini. Serve Immediately.

Homemade Applesauce

Core and peel the apples and place them in a saucepan or pot.
The peels can be composted or you can feed them to your children if, like mine(Kodi), they’re anxious to eat them.
Add about 1/2 inch of water to the pot, cover, and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Turn heat to low and simmer for about an hour, or until the apples are very soft. Keep an eye on them to make sure that all the water hasn’t boiled out(in that case, you’d end up with burnt apples and a very messy pot.)Remove the cinnamon stick and, using a slotted spoon, remove apples to a bowl. For chunky applesauce, mash by hand, using a potato masher. For a smoother applesauce, pour the apples into a food processor and process them until they are the desired consistency, adding liquid from the pot as needed.

The finished product should look similar to the store or chunkier, and it will be delicious. Even with no sugar added, homemade applesauce is SO much tastier than store-bought applesauce. And it’s a far better alternative to throwing the unwanted apples away.

By the way, the liquid from the pot is usually quite sweet and tastes sort of like apple juice, so I save mine to have at breakfast.


Sweet Tofu BBQ
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb. firm tofu
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground red pepper
6 oz. frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Vegetable cooking spray

Directions:
• Slice the tofu in half, widthwise. Wrap it in a towel and press between 2 heavy books for 30 minutes.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, thyme, chili powder, red pepper, and apple juice. Cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Set aside.
• Unwrap the tofu and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Marinate in the barbecue sauce for 1 hour.
• Grill the tofu for 10 minutes, turning halfway, until hot and grill marks appear. Brush with the barbecue sauce.


Middle Eastern Vegetable Wraps

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
3/4 lb. large fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 orange bell pepper, seeded, cored & diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded, cored & diced
1/3 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp. black pepper
4 large flour tortillas
1/2 cup hummus
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro
12 large fresh basil & fresh leaves

Directions:
1.Heat oil in a large skillet; sauté eggplant, mushrooms and bell peppers over medium-high heat until tender.
2.Combine vegetables, onions, lemon juice and black pepper in medium bowl.
3.Place tortillas on non-stick skillet and heat both sides about 1 minute or until warm.
4.Spoon 1/4 of hummus, 1/4 of herbs, and 1/4 of vegetables down center of each tortilla.
5.Roll to enclose filling and serve immediately.



Very Simple Blueberry Muffins
Makes: about 8 muffins, Preparation time: 5 minutes, Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour (I use Whole Wheat Flour)
1/2 cup vegan sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup soymilk/ricemilk
1/4 cup oil
1 cup frozen blueberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F. Place baking cups in a muffin pan.
Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a mixing bowl. Add milk and oil. Mix.
Fold in blueberries.
Pour into baking cups and bake for 25-30 minutes.