From Birth to Nov 7, 2009
My pre-vegan days seem like a different lifetime altogether. Back then, when Marty's came out with vegetarian chicharon (pork skin), I didn't get what the fuss was about. I even told my colleagues (yes, from a regular 9-to-6 office job), "Ok lang naman yung Marty's. Pero mas masarap pa rin ang totoong baboy". (Marty's is ok. But a real pig still tastes better). And when I accidentally ordered a vegan meal at a market once, I was also disappointed because I was looking for that real meat taste. That was how I felt about the entire veg version issue: It just was not the same. Nov 8, 2009, Legazpi Sunday Market When I was handed a copy of The Vegetarian Starter Kit, I first refused. I thought, "Me? Vegetarian? No way. I love my meat". Besides, the title seemed as though one has already decided to become vegetarian, and I was nowhere near making that decision at that point. But the lady handing out the magazine gave it another try with me. She put on a huge smile and I didn't want to turn down someone who seemed so sincere. I thought, I will take the magazine but I won't read it. I resisted it. Like I said, I loved my meat. I went to a stall and bought pork barbeque. As I sat down chewing on my pork barbecue, I thought, Ok I will read that Vegetarian magazine, but I won't change my mind about meat. So I read about how pigs are actually smarter than dogs and 3-year-old humans, how fish also feel pain, how chickens are starved so they can lay more eggs, how cows are slaughtered, how meat is bad for health etc etc. But the one article that really moved me was one called The Story of a Downed Cow. It described how a cow in transit from the factory farm to the slaughterhouse was deprived of water for days. It brought back a memory of a time when I was about 7 years old and my sister took me to the mall. On our way home, I asked if we could stop and get something to drink because I felt really thirsty. She said we were close to home and I could just drink water when we get home. I remember how unbearable the thirst was. I asked again. She was annoyed, told me to stop complaining, and said we were only 10 minutes away so I should just wait. Those 10 minutes then seemed like forever. And that was the thirstiest I have ever been in my life. Reading about the cow not having had any water for days made the experience real to me. And I realized I cannot begin to understand the suffering of not drinking water for days. I never had to experience anything like it. But I still loved my meat. So I thought, Sorry cows, sorry animals, so sorry to hear about what happens to you, but I love my meat. That day, I went home and looked online for videos on animal rights. I watched undercover videos about animals used for fur, leather, food etc. It was like watching a car crash. It was horrible but I couldn't look away. Evening came and I thought, "I am really not ready to change. Being vegetarian would be so inconvenient. I do not want to adjust my life at all. I am perfectly content with how things are." In defiance to the information I learned that day, I went to my then-favorite KFC. I wanted to prove to myself that I can keep doing what I was doing. I loved my meat. I didn't want to give it up. A one-piece chicken lay in front of me (though I usually ordered two). I took about two bites, then I realized that even if it tasted exactly the same as the other times, I felt disgusted at what I was doing. What lay in front of me was not a piece of meat, it was not my meat, it was someone who had to endure pain and suffering- unwillingly- to get to that plate. I considered for a second that I should finish the meal anyway, since it felt as though it could be my last KFC. Perhaps have one last meal of meat and enjoy it. Then I thought, "You don't have to do this, Nancy. You don't have to force yourself to eat this if you don't want to anymore." Overnight, I became vegetarian though I had not the slightest idea how. That first month, I thought I would be lacto-ovo vegetarian but that was it. Vegan just seemed too extreme. But I devoured all the information I could get my hands into. I read The Food Revolution, Eating Animals, I listened to the Vegetarian Food for Thought podcast, I watched countless videos. That first month- and beyond, I cried everyday thinking of the suffering that these poor animals go through. It did not seem fair that the world went on as usual, oblivious to their pain. I felt helpless. I also learned that the egg and dairy industries are even more cruel than the meat industry. In a month's time, I was completely vegan. Food-wise, I ate mostly veg meat in the beginning. And the truth was, I knew it did not taste the same. There was an aftertaste, or something fake about it, but I ate the veg meat anyway, because they were the closest to what was familiar to me. Sometimes, it even tasted like cardboard, but I ate it anyway. And contrary to what people think, it was not a sacrifice. Eating something that came from animals would feel like a betrayal, and is thus, unimaginable. Eating animals was no longer an option. After Nov 9, 2009 I now eat a variety of plant-based food, and I am no longer limited to veg meat. I do enjoy eating veg meat now. Maybe the quality of new veg meats have improved, maybe my taste buds have adjusted, maybe both. The truth is, I am not sure if what tastes good to me now would taste disgusting to the meat-eater. The truth is, vegans will show you lots of variety and options in the hopes that you will ease into veganism, and you will most likely still taste the difference at least half the time. And the truth is, even if veg meat tasted like cardboard (and some of them still do), I would never consider eating animal meat ever again. If all I have to eat are tofu and celery all day everyday, I will just find a way to deal with it. I did not become vegan because of food. Veganism is not about food or taste or convenience. It isn't even about me. Veganism is about animals. And that is my unapologetic confession.
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The Sunday Legazpi Market has definitely expanded, and with it sprouted mushroom stall Ministry of Mushrooms. Their cooked food selection is a collaboration with Kitchen Revolution, which means everything is vegan and guaranteed good! Admittedly, when I saw the size of this feta burger, I thought I would have to order a dozen of them. But it was actually quite filling on its own. I got a burger and a calzone (sorry, I ate it before I remembered I have to take a picture). Both were pretty amazing. I guess mushrooms are like the chameleons of the plant-based world. I got this vegan yogurt (not yet being sold at the stall) from Marie of Kitchen Revolution. You see, one of the perks of being vegan is having vegan chef friends who are happy to share their latest works of love. She also gave me the cream sauce for the pizza which I used for the burger. Pizza. Vegan. Yes, the two can go together. And if you missed this at the stall, Kitchen Revolution holds cooking classes in Alabang. Now on to other vegan stuff. These are my Sunday staples. Veggie kuapao Spinach dumplings and mushroom dumplings Drinks for the tropics. The stall only had half a bottle left of the unsweetened almond milk. Since they couldn't sell it to me, they just gave it to me as a freebie when I replenished my supply of flax seeds. Interesting how much free stuff I got today. Must be because I gave a free yoga class today too. What goes around comes around? Legazpi Market is open every Sunday from 7:30 AM to 2 PM. It is located at the corner of Rufino (formerly Herrera) and Legazpi Streets, Legazpi Village, Makati.
Vegan or not vegan? Take a (virtual) tour.
Cotton candy. Pink clouds. Probably vegan. Didn't ask about the sugar (white sugar is not vegan in terms of processing as it uses bone char).
Fresh juices. I got a glass of fresh dalandan (Philippine lemon) juice- with my own drinking bottle of course. Vegan.
Not all My Goodness products are vegan, but these two are vegan.
Many traditional Filipino desserts are rice-based, and hence, are naturally vegan.
A sampler of suman (another rice-based dessert variety). Comes in ube (purple yam), mango, chocolate and other flavors. I guess these are "artisanal"- to use the buzz word these days. Vegan.
A food stall called Heart2Hearth sells only vegan food. I ended up getting the cannelloni, spicy gyro, and a brownie bar.
Nuts. Raw. Vegan.
Vigan longganisa is NOT vegan. Vigan is a place in Ilocos, northern part of the Philippines. Again, not vegan. Make no mistake.
I wish I could say this is made out of tofu. But it's not. This is somebody's body. Now a corpse. Not vegan.
These are the only animals that I am happy to see in any market.
Saturday Salcedo Market is located at J. Velasquez Park, Makati City.
I decided to give my altar a makeover. Thought I could make it blend in with the rest of my condo unit's aesthetics. So here it is!
Gurus from left to right: Sharon Gannon and David Life (Jivamukti Yoga co-founders), Swami Nirmalananda (vegan anarchist/ political activist swami), Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati (nada yogi), Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (asana yogi). PS. Did you notice that Sri K. Pattabhi Jois was wearing a Jivamukti Yoga shirt? I'm so hungry I could eat like a horse, because last I checked, horses don't really cook their food. Not on their own anyway, if they lived in the wild and had absolute freedom.
It may seem like having a smoothie is the last thing one would want to curb hunger. But the smoothie I am making is nutrition-packed with cucumber, spinach, strawberries, apple, flax seeds and maca powder from The Superfood Grocer (ingredients shown above). Full does not mean heavy, lethargic, toxic. Full means you are kind to your body, not to mention kind to animals. I teach 1 to 3 yoga classes a day, I practice yoga daily, walk my dog Scrappy for 30 minutes up to 2 hours daily. So if you have ever wondered about how you can have enough energy, go plant-based! Vegan athletes do it too. You'll be in good company. Simple, home-cooked, and yes plant-based meals can come cheap. In Makati, there are little stalls dubbed Jollijeep that sell cheap food. Some have completey vegan options such as the one on the picture. The ginataang sitaw at kalabasa (string beans with squash in coconut milk) with rice cost only P22.
Other vegan options regularly available at these stalls are puso ng saging (banana heart), laing (taro leaves in coconut milk), adobong kangkong (water spinach in vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic), tokwa (tofu) with soy sauce and chili, and talong (fried eggplant). Make sure that the ones you get are not cooked with bagoong (shrimp paste), patis (fish sauce), and other animal products. The stalls also sell merienda (snacks) mid-afternoon. The vegan options are banana-cue (plantain banana fritters), turon (fried plantain bananas in rice paper and brown sugar), and rice-based desserts like puto, kutsinta, biko, pichi-pichi etc. In pictures are what I had for late lunch/early dinner today: spaghetti in cream sauce with "fish", buko ice cream, and polvoron. All vegan in Dr. Tam's vegan house. Everything is vegan as it is. I don't need to explain or discern or ask for the list of ingredients! I loved everything I had today. The ice cream serving was huge too- even for me!
I am a big supporter of businesses owned by vegans. The way I see it, if I choose to use my money to support a vegan, I know he or she will not buy any animal products and the cycle of cruelty stops right there. Of course, he or she would have to support other businesses indirectly- as do I, but it makes me feel great that the effect is exponential though not perfectly vacuumed. That is why I am a frequent customer at Dr. Tam's in Metro Walk. One more thing I love about vegan businesses is that they inspire me. Unlike most businesses where demands are filled because they are motivated by profit and profit alone, vegan businesses choose to profit by educating others at the same time. They fill the small demand of already-vegans while aiming for the business to help create more vegans. Dr. Tam's holds regular seminars and I was there for the first few minutes when they were showing a video of how pharmaceutical industries thrive by getting people sick. And it would be funny if it weren't so horrific that all these business that get people sick are vertically integrated. Just look at hospitals, all they serve are meat, dairy, and eggs. Well, that is a surefire way to keep their customers! Dr. Tam's is located at 2nd Flr Metrowalk, Meralco Ave, Pasig City. Open Fri 9am-12pm, Sun Thur 9am-5pm, closed Sat. There will be plenty of fish in the sea- if we restore life in the oceans by choosing vegan options. The vegan danggit (vegan "fish") with tofu scramble from The Vegetarian Kitchen is a good alternative. Because the truth is, we are wiping out the oceans from overfishing. And of course, let us not forget that fish are sentient beings who feel pain just like you and I do.
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu. May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of MY OWN LIFE contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for ALL. The "antu" in this mantra means "may it be so". Because I say that I want happiness and freedom for others, so I make the commitment to make it happen. So it becomes MY responsibility. So I am doing everything that I can. Please go vegan. Some information on why leaving fish and other sea animals off our plates is a kinder choice: Fish Consumption and By-Catch Podcast by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau (30:10) Our Oceans Are Dying Video (03:22) The BRGR Project has guilt-free plant-based options for the compassionate eater. The order form shows a cheat sheet where vegan options are marked. And oh, when I say guilt-free, I am not talking about it as a healthy burger (although of course it is healthier compared to non-vegan options). I say guilt-free because no animals had to die, no factory farm worker had to be desensitized, and no human being had to kill for a living for this burger. Guilt-free. That is what it is.
Once in a while, I'd walk into a meat-centric place (as many places are in Manila) and just check out the vegan options. Binalot, cheap and easy Filipino fast-food chain, serves lumpiang toge (fried spring rolls) which you can dip with spiced vinegar and eggplant (ask for the bagoong/shrimp paste not to be served). With rice, the meal costs P50. Also available but not shown in picture are turon (plantain banana fritters) and pre-packed dehydrated banana chips. Cheap, easy, convenient vegan food.
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