I’ve received a response from my e-mail to Claim Jumper regarding their vegan options and the following are their suggestions:

“The following is a list of selected items that are/can be prepared Vegan with little or no alterations:

• Soft Pretzel — Comes brushed with butter, so ask for no butter
• Candied Walnut and Asian Pear Salad — Ask for no Blue Cheese Crumbles
• California Citrus Salad — Ask for no Blue Cheese Crumbles
• Crunchy Spinach Salad — Ask for no bacon, or feta cheese
• House Salad — Ask for no bacon, egg, cheese or croutons
• Our Citrus Dressing is the only Vegan salad dressing option, but it is delicious!
• Roasted Vegetable Soup
• Thai Cole Slaw
• Shoestring French Fries
• Fresh Charbroiled Asparagus
• Seasonal Roasted Vegetables or Steamed Vegetables
• Baked Potato
• All of our pizzas and calzones can be made without cheese.
• Our sourdough bread, French bread, wheat bread, and squaw bread are all made without eggs, milk or whey.

We are currently in the process of compiling nutritional data on our vegetarian items and that information will be posted as soon as it is available. I hope this information is helpful to you. Please do not hesitate to contact me again if you have any additional questions or need any clarification. Thank you for choosing to dine with us!” Thanks, Claim Jumper, for taking the time to respond!

My original post dated April 6th, 2010:

Hey guys!

Oh Claim Jumper. l love your big booths, your dim lighting and your chocolate cake the size of my large 5-head. But, you’ve got some issues. Like, maaaaaajor issues. Freud would call them attachment issues — you’re totally attached to high calories and perhaps this is a subconscious effort to remain childishly plump, but you’ve got to grow up sometime and grow a pair…of discriminating and fully-conscious eyes (all the better to see nutritional info. with! buhaha!)

Here are the vegetarian options at Claim Jumper and ways I think you can make them vegan. I’ve noted the nutritional info. for these items because, well, it’s shocking (but we knew that already!). They recently did something abominable…they got rid of their veggie burger (it was a Boca patty loaded with avocado and caramelized onions) and my go-to item! They’ve replaced it with a vegetable sandwich with goat cheese and portabello mushroom. Bleh. It tastes alright (though I get it without cheese and the huge mushroom, and change the bread lol), but it’s no veggie burger and it’s also harder to de-calorie-fy (<– yep, that’s a word

Vegetarian Options

Appetizers

Fire Roasted Artichoke (Seasonal)
Marinated and grilled artichokes served with garlic mayo 10.95
1165 calories, 13g sat. fat, 1986mg sodium, 35g fiber, 23g protein
Bottom line: Well stab my (artichoke) heart — run away from this “vegetable” dish that’s really fat with a side of artichoke! Presumably vegan if you don’t use the mayo,but who cares? Don’t eat it.

(Small Bite) California Quesadilla
Grilled corn tortillas filled with jack & cheddar cheese, fresh avocado, green onions, mild salsa & black beans. Served with salsa ranch 10.95
834 calories, 22g sat. fat, 1504mg sodium, 9g fiber, 31g protein
Bottom line: By “small bite” they must mean “feat in engineering”! How you can inject that many calories in something small is crazy sauce! Split this with 4 friends and you’ll be alright except you’ll probably each just get a crumb since it’s a “small bite.” To veganize you’d have to ask for it w/o cheese and verify the beans are not cooked in lard.

(Small Bite) Oven Roasted Tomato Flatbread
Baked in our stone hearth with alfredo sauce, mozzarella and smoked gouda cheese, roasted herb tomatoes, fresh oregano topped with fresh spinach 4.95
591 calories, 17g sat. fat, 970mg sodium, 3g fiber, 20g protein
Bottom line: What did you expect? It has alfredo sauce and cheese! Can’t veganize this one.

Avocado Rolls
Wrapped with crushed chilies, sweet red peppers and fried crisp with ponzu ginger dipping sauce 9.95
894 calories, 6g sat. fat, 1883mg sodium, 15g fiber, 14g protein
Bottom line: Sounds delicious, but if I’d like to keep a lid on the junk in the trunk I’d see if they could steam instead of fry, and then I’d split with 4. This is potentially vegan — but you’d have to ask your server for the deets.

Nacho Platter
Melted jack & cheddar cheese, black beans, diced tomatoes top crisp chips with fresh guacamole, sour cream & chives. Served with mild & roasted salsas 8.25
2246 calories, 41g sat. fat, 2243mg sodium, 24g fiber, 77g protein.
Bottom line: A misanthrope’s delight. I think I gained a pound just reading about this dish.

Pizzas

Tomato Basil Pizza
Fresh roma tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and chevre cheese 9.95
1163 calories, 27g sat. fat, 2357mg sodium, 6g fiber, 54g protein
Bottom line: I’m noticing a trend in these dishes and wondering why I’m even bothering…

Classic Cheese Pizza
With marinara sauce, mozzarella and fresh oregano 9.95
Nutritional info. unavailable, but I think we don’t really need to confirm what we already can surmise, ya know what I mean?

Entree Salads

BBQ Salad
With corn, black beans, jicama, tomato, green onions, cilantro & crisp corn tortilla strips. Topped with sweet BBQ sauce and tossed with homemade ranch dressing 12.50
(Info. includes the version with chicken) — 1009 calories, 12g sat. fat, 2120mg sodium, 10g fiber, 65g protein
Lighter portion 9.50 (info. includes the version with chicken) — 701 calories, 10g sat. fat, 1310mg sodium, 5g fiber, 47g protein
Bottom line: I’d get the lighter portion (sans chicken, of course) and order without BBQ sauce, dressing or tortilla strips. I’d then add salsa for dressing. I can’t give exact nutritionals, but I guarantee that would knock off a few hundred calories and most of the fat.

Vegetarian Cobb Salad

Danish bleu cheese crumbles, avocado, corn, black beans, diced egg, tomatoes with homemade Danish bleu cheese dressing 12.50
(Info. includes the version with chicken and bacon) — 1829 calories, 41g sat. fat, 3104mg sodium, 12g fiber, 110g protein
Lighter portion 9.50 — 1265 calories, 30g sat. fat, 2080mg sodium, 7g fiber, 74g protein.
Bottom line: Unless you’re trying to win a contest for eating the most calorie-filled and protein-injected salad, stray far away from this beast. You’d have to take so many things OFF this salad to make it healthy or vegan, that you might as well get the produce bar and make your own.

Chinese Salad

Crunchy noodles, almonds, sesame seeds, green onions, carrots, basil and cilantro tossed with sweet & spicy peanut dressing 12.50
(info. includes version with chicken) — 890 calories, 10g sat. fat, 1483mg sodium, 8g fiber, 66g protein
Lighter portion 9.50 — 673 calories, 10g sat. fat, 1146mg sodium, 4g fiber, 46g protein
Bottom line: Not sure how the lighter portion has the same amount of fat as the hefty portion. Take off the crunchy noodles and get the dressing on the side if you’re vegetarian and health-conscious. If you’re vegan, avoid the dressing as well.

Entrees

Vegetarian Stuffed Baker Idaho
Stuffed with seasonal veggies, melted jack & cheddar cheese and fire-roasted salsa 9.95
818 calories, 17g sat. fat, 5124mg sodium, 14g fiber, 34g protein
Bottom line: If you’re vegetarian and order this “as is,” this is actually one of the best options on the menu calorie-wise. But why order “as is” when if you ask for “light on the cheese,” “no butter on the veggies” and “light oil,” you could knock off at least a hundred calories and more likely a couple. To veganize, I ordered without cheese, asked for a sweet potato instead of an Idaho (sweet potatoes are more nutrient-rich and DELICIOUS) and requested that my veggies be steamed without butter and no oil. I’m guessing the calories came in around 300 calories.

Vegetarian & Goat Cheese Sandwich
Marinated eggplant, zucchini and Portobello mushroom in balsamic vinaigrette with onion, carrots, sliced avocado, oven roasted tomatoes and field greens. Served on grilled herb bread with fresh pesto sauce and goat cheese 8.95
1227 calories, 17g sat. fat, 2215mg sodium, 19g fiber, 52g protein
Bottom line: If you’re a calorie-conscious vegetarian, order w/o goat cheese and with the pesto on the side (that way you can just dab a tiny bit — pesto alone has around 230 calories per 1/4 cup (per Calorie King)). I’d also switch the bread to a rye, whole-wheat or squaw. I’m waiting to hear back from Claim Jumper, but it’s usually safe to assume pesto is vegan.

Vegetarian Bow Tie Pasta
With spinach tortellini tossed with homemade alfredo sauce 12.50
Nutritional info. unavailable, but alfredo sauce + tortellini = calorie catastrophe.

Lighter portion 9.50

Bottom BOTTOM Line: Get the produce bar and a bowl of vegetable soup (82 calories per cup! and it’s made in veggie broth), or the vegetarian baked potato (w/o cheese for the calorie-conscious or vegans).

If you’re feeling crazy and un-vegan (then you’re probably one of my friends — hi!), you can order a slice of the Chocolate Motherload Cake (see what I meant about maternal attachment issues, CJ?). Coming in at 2723 calories and 55g sat. fat, you’ll be sure to feel a dare-devil’s euphoria even if just for a second. Keep your doctor’s (& therapist’s) numbers handy, though, the physical and mental remorse is sure to kick in at some point. You could always split a slice with your 20 closest friends.

<3,

The Cranky One

p.s. I’ve sent an e-mail to CJ asking if the beans are vegan, if the herb bread is vegan and verifying a couple things (oh and also asking where I can find nutritional info. on the specifically “vegetarian options” like the BBQ salad w/o chicken). I’ll amend to this post when I get it.

p.p.s. Thanks to reader Sam for pointing me to this info.!

Restaurant Guides

Organic

• Eat Well Guide

Vegan

• Happy Cow
• Veg Guide

Vegetarian

• Happy Cow
• Veg Guide
• Veg Dining

Los Angeles/Orange County Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants (These are the ones I know of — but there are *tons*)

• Native Foods (Vegan) – Los Angeles & Orange County
• Real Food Daily (Vegan) – Los Angeles
• Swingers (Has vegan, vegetarian and/or organic options) – Los Angeles
• Veggie Grill (Vegan) – Los Angeles & Orange County
• 118 Degrees (Raw Vegan Organic) – Orange County
• Urth Cafe (Organic with some vegetarian and a couple vegan options)
• Baby Cakes (Vegan Desserts) — Opened yesterday in downtown Los Angeles!!!

Online Vegan Stores

• Cosmo’s Vegan Shoppe
• Vegan Essentials

My Fave Vegetarian Recipe Blogs/Websites

• 101 Cookbooks
• Vegetarian Times online (Has option to search only vegan recipes, too)

My Fave Vegan Recipe Blogs/Websites

• Vegan Yum Yum
• Happy Herbivore
• Fat Free Vegan
• Post Punk Kitchen
• Dreena’s Vegan Recipes
• Vegan Lunch Box
• Vegan Feast Kitchen
• What Do Vegans Eat?

Additional Resources

• Check out the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart (backed by doctors and Alicia Silverstone) — A vegan challenge began the first of this year and the site provides recipe plans each day for 21 days.
• List of vegetarian restaurants in Los Angeles, CA here

Tips for Eating Out at Non-Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants

• Do your research beforehand!  Most large restaurant chains put information online as to what’s in their dishes and even break it down for you in list fashion which dishes are vegetarian and/or vegan.  For instance, check out California Pizza Kitchen’s vegetarian/vegan list here. Check out Subway here
• Google search your fave place to eat and its vegan/vegetarian options. A lot of your co-veggie-peeps have done the research for you and have put their research on the web for your convenience! (Always double-check and use your good judgment though…;)

Any of you have additional resources to add?

<3,

The Cranky One

CHOCOLATE.  Oh dear God. Chocolate is my kryptonite. My Achilles’s heal. My tragic flaw. I bypassed the See’s candy on Christmas with super hero strength, but I think that was the strength of novelty — the added power of “this is new, can’t fail yet” sentiments added with an audience of family who could call me out on my b-s. But put me in a room alone with chocolate and no matter how much game I’ve got in me, chocolate will most likely win. Damn you! Damn you, chocolate!

I think I just heard the voice of reason entering my blog post with “Uhh, but Bella, there are vegan chocolates, no?”

Yes, Reason, there are vegan chocolates — but the preponderance of chocolate that has surrounded me has not been vegan and I’ve been weak. So, so weak.

Ok I’ll stop this tragedy I’m writing and just say — yep, eaten vegan except for a few pieces of milk chocolate thrown in here and there. Oh and a couple Skinny Vanilla Lattes. The lesson I’m going to take from this is what we all know has been proven before in all health-related goals — don’t expect to have everything you want in a flash second. As I was watching horrible trashy reality t.v. today (what?! I’m on break!), there was some chick on a cooking show who was trying to quit smoking. She brought in a hypnotist to help her and a few hours later complained that she had not yet achieved the mental “clarity” that was supposed to come from not smoking. I chuckled to myself and was like, “woman, woman. It’s been THREE HOURS! And mental clarity ain’t going to come after three hours of not smoking. No matter how zen you are.” Then after pointing and laughing at her my finger reversed and hit me in the head and I had a “duh” moment. I can’t expect to just “be” vegan after a few days. Set backs are inevitable. There is one step I need to really take — clarifying my goals in eating vegan. I was a bit evasive in my “coming out” post. and yet I feel that’s just reflective of the truth of the matter — I feel being vegan is a great lifestyle choice for health reasons and even has the added benefits of being good for the environment and passionate towards animals. But, truthfully, I don’t feel that burning passion (or maybe zealousness?) that I feel is required for any lifestyle change that requires a ton of commitment. So, I’ll continue with the soul-searching and the vegan eating and see if I might get that mental “clarity” that reality t.v. smoker chick and I are searching for.

I got a lovely e-mail from someone asking what my favorite vegan snacks have been and, well, I haven’t been vegan long enough to really give you a good overview, but here a few things I’m enjoying:

(hehe sorry the labels are backwards!)

• Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels (w/ no salt on the pretzel) — $2.99 — Ingredients: Enriched unbleached wheat flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), peanut butter (peanuts, sugar, salt, monoglycerides and diglycerides [emulsifiers]), palm oil, corn syrup, yeast, bicarbonates and carbonates of sodium Nutrition facts (11 pieces): 150 calories, 8g fat, 1g fiber, 5g protein. These are delicious! They taste sooo bad for me, which tastes soooo good.
• Trader Joe’s Organic Whole Grain Drink — $1.99 — Ingredients: Filtered water, organic brown rice, organic evaporated cane juice, organic inulin, organic expeller pressed canola and/or organic expeller pressed safflower oil, organic brown rice syrup solids, sea salt, organic vanilla extract, vitamin mineral pre-mix (tricalcium phosphate, vitamin A palmitate, ergocalciferol [vitamin D2], cyanocobalamin [vitamin b12]), soy lecithin, natural flavor, carrageenan, organic amaranth, organic millet, organic quinoa. Nutrition facts (1 cup): 70 calories, 2.5g fat, 3g fiber, 0g protein. I like soy milk as a dairy replacement in recipes and in my green monsters, but not on its own. This whole grain drink is perfect alone.
• Trader Joe’s Mini Cafe Twists — $2.29
  
  Ingredients: Wheat flour, soybean oil, palm oil, beet sugar, cinnamon, salt. Nutrition facts (4 pieces): 120 calories, 4g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein. Love the minimal ingredients. They taste like palmiers!

The thing about being “vegan” (and it’s the same with being vegetarian) is that you can just as easily gain weight or eat like crap as you could being an omnivore. So, let’s be real! When I did a review of Alternative Baking Co.’s vegan cookies here, I saw they each had over 400 calories. So, being vegan is not a free-pass to eat whatever you want as long as its free of animal products (if you’re health-conscious, that is).

My other go-to snacks still remain the same as when I was an omnivore as they just so happened to be (mostly) vegan! See those here.

Has reality t.v. ever taught you a lesson? What’s a new snack find you’d share with the cranky one?

<3,

The Cranky One

I wanted to share the recipes for the vegan meals I made on Christmas. I chose Thai food a) because it’s delicious and b) because Vegetarian Times did a piece on how Thai philosophy emphasizes health by eating seasonal foods and balancing the “four basic elements of life: earth, water, wind, and fire.” I wanted a nice, hearty meal with kick and these dishes provided just that!

Stir-Fried Tofu
Recipe from Vegetarian Times, January 2010 issue

Ingredients

• 1 tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. red bean paste, or miso (I used the brown paste I had on hand from the miso soup I made for Thanksgiving)
• 1/2 tsp. white peppercorns, roasted and ground, or 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
• 1 19-oz pkg. extra-firm  silken tofu, drained and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
• 1 green onion, finely chopped (2 tbsp.)
• 1 tsp. sesame oil

Directions

• Combine soy sauce, bean paste, peppercorns, salt, cayenne, and cloves in small bowl. Set aside.
• Heat large skillet or wok over medium high heat 1 minute. Add oil, let warm 30 seconds, then add garlic. Stir-fry 6 to 7 seconds, or until garlic is pale golden. Add tofu, then add bean paste mixture and ginger. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until tofu is heated through, shaking pan or gently stirring to toss tofu in spice mixture. Stir in green onion and sesame oil. Transfer to bowls, and serve warm.
• Nutritional information per 1/2 cup serving: 115 calories, 8g fat, <1g fiber, 6g protein

Citrus Salad
Recipe from Vegetarian Times, January 2010 issue

Ingredients (Dressing)

• 2 tbsp. agave syrup
• 1 1/2 tbsp. lime or lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Ingredients (Salad)

• 2 oranges or blood oranges
• 1 grapefruit
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped arugula
• 1 shallot, peeled, thinly sliced crosswise, and loosened into strands (1/4 cup)
• 1 tbsp. coarsely chopped mint leaves
• 2 tbsp. crushed roasted peanuts or dry-roasted almond slivers, for garnish
• 1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions

• To make dressing: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Taste for balance of sweet, sour, and spicy, adjusting seasonings as necessary. Set aside.
• To make salad: Slice ends off oranges and grapefruit. Stand fruit on cutting board, and slice away skin and pith from outside with knife. Cut fruit segments from membranes, and transfer to bowl; toss lightly with arugula, shallot, and mint. Toss with dressing. Serve garnished with peanuts and sesame seeds.
• Per 1/4-cup serving: 142 calories, 3g fat, 3g fiber, 3g protein
• *Note: I changed this recipe when I made it by making it more of a green salad. I used 3 cups of arugula, one orange and half a grape fruit. I loved the taste this way and quenched my green salad craving.

Fried Brown Rice
The Cranky One’s Recipe

Ingredients

• One cup of long-grain brown rice cooked as instructed on its package
• 1/2 tbsp. sesame oil
• 2 scallions chopped
• 1/2 cup diced red onions
• 1 tbsp brown rice vinegar

Directions

• Heat sesame oil, scallions and red onion in large skillet over medium heat. Once onion is slightly browned, add cooked brown rice. Once brown rice mixture is warmed, add brown rice vinegar, remove from heat and enjoy.
• Nutritional information per 1/2 cup serving: 163 calories, 6g fat, 2.3g fiber, 3g protein

What is your favorite Thai dish?

<3,

The Cranky One

Lately, I have been having trouble eating enough vegetables.  By “trouble,” I mean I have reverted to a cranky 4-year-old who would prefer to eat whatever I want to eat whenever I want to eat it.  “But, wait, you are a vegetarian, Annabel — what do you eat?!”  Well…

I have been living off of coffee, pita and hummus.  The food choices of a champion frazzled student. It’s an absolute misconception that vegetarians naturally eat healthier than their omnivore counterparts.  I have known plenty of people who eat a nice, steady, vegetarian diet of cheese pizza. So, short of spoon-feeding myself vegetable purees via “air plane,” I’m forcing myself to grow up and get on track.  Le sigh.

The thing is, I am totally “salad-ed out” — sorry Salad Girl, but I have no desire whatsoever to eat a salad in my current food stage.

So, the three things I resolve to do:

• Plan. Buy bags of celery and carrots, chop on the weekends and keep “snack packs” available to take to work, school and elsewhere when on the go.
• Cheat. When in a real time crunch, buy bags of pre-washed and chopped vegetables. I have to fork over a little extra cash, but I don’t mind cheating and buying these bags since they make my life easier.
• Make 3-ingredient-or-less meals. Yep, you so do not need to be a kitchen pro to get in a nice, healthy veggie-filled meal.  The following is my new fave dinner:

Three Ingredient Meatless Stir Fry

Trader Joe’s Vegetable Medley.  1/2 bag — 50 calories, 0 g fat, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein, 25 mg sodium
+

Meatless meatballs.  I love these things!  They are so versatile and delicious.  Six meatless meatballs — 140 calories, 6 g fat, 4 g fiber, 16 g protein, 560 mg sodium
+

Trader Joe’s Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce.  1 tbsp — 15 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, 460 mg sodium
=

Total:  205 calories, 6 g fat, 8 g fiber, 20 g protein, 1045 mg sodium

Three ingredients.  Mix together over medium heat.  Add a couple tablespoons of water, cover. Wait. Uncover. Enjoy.  So easy even a cranky toddler (me!) can do it.

Pros:  Convenient, low cal, low fat, lots of veggies and taste.
Cons: Convenience cost for pre-chopped vegetables, high sodium.
Overall:  I’m all about this dish.

In the News

• Science Daily‘s, “Mediterranean Diet Associated With Reduced Risk Of Depression” (10/6/09) here
• Science Daily‘s, “High-fat Diet Impairs Muscle Health Before Impacting Function” (10/6/09) here
• Los Angeles Times‘, “FTC Announces New Guidelines, Says Bloggers Must Reveal Payments for Reviews” (10/5/09) here — We knew this was coming. What do you think about blog disclosure rules? Frankly, I think ethical bloggers should and do disclose when they’re paid to write about a product, and I get that this rule is meant for the very few big-time bloggers.  But is it considered “payment in kind” if a company gives you free products to try without the promise of a review? Curious.

Do  you have any super simple ways to get in your vegetables that do not include making a salad?  Do you go through food “stages”?  Get in food ruts?

<3, The Cranky One

So…

If you saw my video here, you either a) felt bad for me for realizing there was gelatin in my candy after I had consumed five pieces, b) Thought that my overuse of the word “treat” was annoying (or cute? please?) or c) thought I was an idiot for not knowing that jelly candies would invariably have gelatin in them.  From the e-mails I’ve gotten and responses from friends, I’m going with option c as the popular choice.  It’s alright, I can suck it up and face the fact that some times I am just plain clueless

Hmm actually, let’s go with this version of clueless instead

(aww still one of my fave movies of all time!)

So, if there’s one thing I’ve learned along my journey to health, it’s not to assume I know everything!  If I can accept that I don’t know everything and always be open to learning more, I’m better off.  So, if anyone else out there has been as clueless as me and maybe wants to know a little more about gelatin and where it’s lurking, here’s to you!

What is Gelatin?

Gelatin is “a translucent, colorless, odorless, brittle, nearly tasteless solid substance, derived from the collagen inside animals’ skin and bones. It is commonly used as a gelling agent in food, pharmaceuticals, photography, and cosmetic manufacturing” [source].  There are vegetarian substitutes such as carrageen and agar agar, but, apparently, the word “gelatin” alone will always mean it’s derived from animals.  If a gelatin is prefaced with “kosher” that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s vegetarian –  it means it’s not derived from pigs, but could very well be derived from other animals.

Where Might it be Lurking?

Jelly candies, gum, marshmallows, vitamins, margarine, cream cheese, ice cream, pop tarts, cereal, powdered dessert mixes (e.g. jell-o), among others.

Haribo gummy candies, for instance, contain pork gelatin (or beef if manufactured in Turkey) [source]

What Should You Do If You Want to Avoid it?

Read the labels on food packaging before you consume it!  Don’t assume that just because you’re buying a product from a “health food” store that it’s not going to contain gelatin.

Why I’m Now Wringing My Hands

I’m now seeing that animal remnants are lurking everywhere…I didn’t know that fish bladders were used to “fine” wine and beer.  Did you?!  I’m also realizing what a slippery slope it is to be vegetarian for “ethical reasons” — for 1, vegetarians still eat cheese and eggs, which are — hello — animal products! and 2, I’ll be honest, I think people typically use their version of “ethics” for self-righteous reasons and usually as a justification for doing something completely unethical (*cough*PETA*cough*).  So, I don’t care to go into my reasons for being vegetarian. But I will say, if you prefer to avoid animal products as much as possible, do your research.

Give-Away Round Up

• Win a hand-grip exerciser here
• Win some Annie’s goods here
• Win a sports pedometer here
• Win some Nasoya here
• Win a Pulse Yoga DVD, a set of two Banglz, and a pack of TightCurves protein powder here
• Win a copy of the book, 101 Things to Do Before You Diet here

Congrats to All those Race Runners this Weekend!

• Holly, Anghard, Robin, Matt (If I missed you, holla’ in the comments — you deserve props, too!)

How were your weekends?  Ever find an ingredient in your food you were not happy with (after it was too late!)? Ever been an inconsiderate coffee-shop patron?

<3, The Cranky One