Hormone Free and Free Range

Meat products are increasingly sketchy in the United States. Two main factors are if the animals are fed hormones or caged. It is amazing how one of the most weight obsessed countries on the planet has not stopped hormone treatment. Unlike cross-breeding, hormones fed to animals to make them big and fat also affect the humans who consume them.

People make an issue about lower food cost. The Weston A. Price Foundation for Wise Traditions makes a compelling argument for the use of hormones. However, as a health conscious consumer I don't want to be fattened up or produce more milk. Hormones were supposedly tested on live human subjects and the dosage will not noticeably affect a human being. Does it really matter if it is noticeable?

Beyond paying slightly more for non-hormone dairy and meat, the issue of free range animals is a growing problem. Free range products ensure a quality of life of the animal and better product. Free range implies living outside, away from toxins and unclean environments.

Free range means animals are able to run and exercise. They are allowed to burn calories and develop, unlike animals kept in a cage. Caged animals become flabby and fat. The meat is filled with gristle and other unwanted, dormant chemicals.

In addition to restricting their life and being a lower end product, the issue of unclean stalls is probably the main reason for mad cow disease. As the ranching industry progresses, diseases like mad cow, bird flu and pig flu have gone up. This contamination begins with the animal eating something contagious, like feces. Since the animals are stacked together in one inadequately lit barn the disease can spread rapidly to the entire population.

How does eating meat from animals injected with hormones and eating feces sound appetizing? As people become educated on the subject farmers will no longer save money. This product is less attractive to the public. A lower profit also includes repercussions from killing hundreds of chickens, cows and pigs after an outbreak which forces the meat to be recalled.

The cost is reasonably similar in most cases. As demand goes up for hormone free and free range prices should go down. The current, standard methods of ranching are increasingly dangerous to the consumer. Look for the Freedom Food Label when shopping.

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Vegan to Flexitarian

Vegan to Flexitarian

Vegetarian cooking is improving, yet it is difficult to find hardy, healthy meals with traditional home cooking appeal. Experimenting with vegan cooking over the past several years I found a handful of tips to enhance vegetarian recipes.

Focusing on veganism, it is easier to add ingredient than subtract food after cooking it all together. Bread is important. Yeast can be considered an animal or plant and is divided into two categories: ascomycetous (Division Ascomycotina) and basidiomycetous (Division Basidiomycotina) according to answers.com. Basidiomycetous reproduces through budding; therefore, a plant. This is the most common type of cooking yeast; however, check the package.

The main problem with bread and pastries is the addition of eggs and milk. Pizza doe is rarely made with milk or eggs. Refer to "Basic Homemade Pizza" for an excellent doe representing bread. Cook it without toppings for twenty minutes, until the crust is a golden brown. There is enough bread for days. If unsure, make obviously vegan biscuits.

Ingredients:
2 Cups Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Vinegar
1/4 Cup of Water

Place flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and blend. Use fingers to form a hole in the center of the flour. Add vinegar and water. Lightly mix it together. Do not over work the doe. The crumbling doe makes it flaky and light. Gently flatten the doe on a clean surface with a rolling pin or hands. Use a circular cookie cutter or the top of a glass to make half inch high circles. Place biscuits on a baking sheet; heat the oven to 375, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

Rice Vinegar is also sweet. It is a great salad dressing without oil to bridge the gap in making coleslaw and marinades. A quick recipe is to break up a package of ramen while still in the package; open it and put the season pack to the side; place noodles, lettuce and thin slices of celery in a mixing bowl; add slightly more than a tablespoon of rice vinegar, and then cover and shake it all together. It tastes surprisingly good.

Beans, rice and soup are a cornerstone of vegan cooking. Vegetable bouillon is amazing. It connects flavors together. Follow the instructions on the package to make the broth and then add whatever you want. The combinations of beans, rice and vegetables create an array of complexion amino acids and proteins. Even canned refried beans need extra flavor. Stir some canola oil and vegetable broth into refried beans to attain a great consistency. Tortilla chips are usually vegan. Read ingredients on the package.

Boil rice, cauliflower, squash and so-on in vegetable stock. People think the buttery flavor is related to butter; however, I have found that it is iodized salt. Bouillon is salt and additional flavor. Stir Fried Rice is a sample recipe with instructions how to make a meal as vegan or flexitarian as desired. Perfume Pot Roast recipe is also effortlessly modified. Add a cup vegetable broth; reduced the amount of wine, and add more carrots. Carrots become extremely sweet. Do not add the beef, obviously.

Soups are better when thickened. Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch or two tablespoons of flour to a cup of water. Pour it into the soup when it is almost done. This makes soup thick, much better than watery soup. In addition, the cornstarch method is how to make a limitless amount of sauces. Substitute bouillon for milk; reduce the amount of broth, and sprinkle with pepper to make gravy for County Style Eggs.

To make a vegan Semi-Pasta Alfredo, buy vegetable soup. Boil complimentary spices, broccoli, celery or cauliflower in broth and then add pasta. Pasta is a starch. When water evaporates you end up with a tasty pasta dish; however, it is not an Alfredo and does not taste good with cheese. It is possible to boil pasta; drain it, and then add margarine or olive oil. Season the noodles with garlic and Italian seasonings. Seasoning the noodles is great, even with marinara.

Vegetables don't need as much salt; therefore, add it later. When playing around in the kitchen, I make a small, individual serving first. It is usually editable, yet it might need modifications. The recipe is perfected without an audience. Also smaller portions don't take up storage space in the fridge. However, make enough for a few days, after perfecting the recipe. Leftovers can be heated for quick meals and mixed together for something new.

That covers the basics of modifying regular meals into vegan bliss. The recipes on this website are meant to be as vegan or flexitarian as desired. It might take more time to create something new from standard recipes.

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