Grilled Opiates on Rye?

“This grilled cheese has too much cheese,” I would complain as a child. I probably felt that too much cheese would choke me if I wasn’t careful. But eventually, my tastes changed and I couldn’t get enough cheese. Whenever I got the craving, I would throw some cheese in the microwave. I was ever so careful so I wouldn’t burn my fingers on the hot bowl when I took it out scurrying off to the living room to sit in front of the TV with a steaming bowl of plain, melted cheese. I loved cheese with all of my heart. It held a special place in my psyche, right next to Captain Planet and Raphael (the red Ninja Turtle). I didn’t know that eating a bowl of melted cheese was weird until a friend came over to play. He laughed at how strange it was and made me self conscious about it. After that, I became a closet cheese junky.

Painting With Carrots

Pablo Picasso once imagined that, “Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” I am fortunate enough to be friends with two such people – Nick and Erin Potter. Happily married in March, 2006, they have one son – Atlas. Nick told me, “When we first met, [Erin] started asking me to work some drawings into her art pieces and we have never been able to stop collaborating since.” Erin and Nick – both vegetarian – are inventive, gifted artists that have emerged on the Salt Lake art scene. Starting out as screen printers, they were invited to participate in the 337 Project (Utah’s Art Experiment). This allowed them to broaden their art into other areas such as installation, mixed media and painting. I have attended a couple of the Potters’ screen printing parties. I was able to have them print one of their radical designs on a shirt for me. That shirt is one of my favorites – second only to my Neil Diamond and Malcolm-X shirts.

I’m Thinking of Making The Switch; A Conversation.

The following is a facebook dialogue spanning several months.  One of the people, Zach (Z) , got a hold of me, Noel (N).  We haven’t seen each other in roughly 10 years but thanks to facebook being ubiquitous, we’ve reunited somewhat via the www.  The convo goes as follows:

(Z) Hey Noel,
It’s been eons since I heard from you. I ran into a guy here in Houston who served a(n LDS) mission with your brother.  Anyway, he thinks the world of you guys and he made me all curious about your guys’ diet. Kind of random, me coming out of nowhere, but that is something I’m kind of interested in these days.

Balanced by Barefeet, Part I

On my first day of high school track practice, we distance runners were sent out on what the coach called a five-mile block.  I didn’t know what that meant, but the all-state distance runner on the team sure seemed to understand.  So after being a clueless participant in warm-ups, I took to the road, sheepishly following the experienced distance runners.  They ran through different streets in our Westside town of Magna and circled about the community, landing us back at the high school magically after five miles.

No Lifeguard On Duty

When I receive texts from my friends asking me what I’m doing, it’s no surprise for them when I respond like this, “At the water park. Life’s a beach!” I try to frequent water parks (especially Lagoon-a-Beach) as often as I can. I mean, who doesn’t want to spend a long sultry day cooling off in freezing cold water?

I make sure to bring lots of water with me to keep myself hydrated. Snacks are a must too. Next to apples and raisins, almonds may be one of the top snacks I like to take along when I go swimming. Recently, as I was soaking in the water I recalled learning that it’s better to soak raw almonds in water before you eat them. Inquisitive about the idea, I went home to do some research on this process.

Why Soak Almonds?

One of the most nutritious of all nuts, almonds are a delectable source of protein, fiber, vitamin E, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are important for proper brain function. Consuming almonds on a regular basis helps to increase the level of high density lipoproteins (HDL or good cholesterol) in your body and reduce your level of low density lipoproteins (LDL or bad cholesterol), which will lead to stable cholesterol levels.

“If It Brings Me Peace,” – Emme Packer

Emme Packer

Can choosing to be a vegetarian make you a great musician? Maybe as much as writing for this website makes me a real author. When I realized that a vegetarian lifestyle wasn’t going to give me super powers (other than living a long and healthy life), I was a little disappointed. However, I recently discovered a great musician personified in a vegetable-built frame.

Emme (pronounced M. E.) Packer is an indie singer/songwriter. She has released four full length albums on her own Blue Siren Label. Her latest release, “Earlier, Later” (2009) is quite revolutionary. It’s a two disc set; each has its own unique feel and mood. This release also features a full band.  Her music and lyrics emanate from a life of rich experience and long hours of practice. In an earlier interview Emme stated, “All my prominent life experiences from the day I was born to now are written about.

Who Doesn’t Like Free Food?

Getting out of Bangkok, Thailand and heading north to some smaller cities, we found ourselves in the ancient city of Ayutthaya. Founded in 1350 A.D, Ayutthaya grew and prospered until the Burmese army destroyed most of the city in 1767, a mere nine years before the United States declared its independence from England. The city was eventually rebuilt but there are many former Buddhist temples – called wats – to distinguish the landscape.

Perhaps the easiest way to get around Ayutthaya is by renting a bicycle. So Jeff and I grabbed a couple of bikes and peddled our way around town. It only took a few minutes for me to be thoroughly soaked in sweat from biking in the 95 degree heat.

Floating Face Down

In the first leg of our travels, Jeff and I made it to Dumaguete, Philippines. At the hotel where we stayed, we signed up to go snorkeling on Apo Island, which is renowned for its brilliant underwater life and beautiful coral. I’ve never been snorkeling before, and in fact, I’m quite afraid of the ocean – or, more accurately, afraid of sea creatures! But I was in the Philippines and sometimes you just have to conquer your fears. So I loaded up on ginger pills (link) to curb my seasickness and jumped on this tiny boat headed for the island, which was about an hour away.

On the way there, our guide regaled us with stories about the Island, the sea life, and the joys of snorkeling. The best advice given to me by a friend was to fight the natural urge to panic because you’re face down in the water. It is difficult to imagine what it is like until you’ve tried it. We anchored just off shore, and, with some trepidation, Jeff and I hiked over to the marine sanctuary, put on our gear and jumped in.

One Night in Bangkok.. Then Have Some Breakfast

Jeff (left) and Dayton (right) in Guilin, China

“The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” Jon Krakauer, an American writer and mountaineer.

Adventure is a big part of my life; so when my friend Jeff proposed a journey to Asia, I couldn’t say no. As adventure seekers, we have climbed the local mountains, rafted the rivers, checked out California’s coastline, and repeatedly visited several water parks. So off to China we went! We started in Hong Kong; then moved to the Philippines and on to Thailand. Our last stop was mainland China. We explored the nature, the culture and, of course, relished in the vegetarian food.

On The Road, Veg Style

My backpack is loaded with gear, my passport stamped and my stomach on empty means I’m ready to find some great veg food. As one of the writers at Wasatch Veg I’m taking time to visit various countries and document the veg food I come across.

So far I’ve been to Philippines and am currently in Thailand and already the food has been amazing. I’ve really enjoyed trying new veg foods everywhere I go. I especially like the mango shakes! Upon my return I’ll be posting articles featuring the foods I ate and where I ate them. Keep checking back with us for my stories of delightful veg food from around the world.

Mexican Style, Bean Soup

I recently took a batch of this savory, spicy bean soup to work and was bombarded with requests for the, “secret family recipe”.  I decided to relinquish my iron grip on it, in so doing, I figured that I would share it with the world.

Power Packed Plants: Quinoa

We tend to think of quinoa as a grain, but it is actually the seed of a plant, which is scientifically  related to beets, chard and spinach. The amino acid-rich seeds are not only very nutritious, but also very delicious.  While the most popular type of quinoa is a transparent yellow color, other varieties feature colors such as orange, pink, red, purple or black. In addition to the seeds, the leaves of the quinoa plant are edible as well, with a taste similar to its green-leafed relatives.

While quinoa is not considered a pantry food in North America, it has been cultivated in the Andes region of South America, for roughly 5,000 years. Sometimes, justifiably refereed to as the “Golden Grain of the Inca,” and for good reason.

The ancient Inca civilization revered the quinoa plant like

Leo Tolstoy: An Insatiable Thirst for a Rational and Moral Justification of Life

Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, also known as Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), was born in, Yasnaya Polyana, Central Russia. As an author and essayist, his works still attract many throughout the world.

Any look a person takes of Tolstoy will ultimately bring the investigator back to his writings. Tolstoy is known as an ingenious author of many novels. His poignantly vivid writings of  19th century Russia  have  justly earned him the title of, the “greatest novelist who ever lived”. Though his writings are no doubt amazing, there is another, less known, more subversive

Water – Are You Getting Enough?

Water is the life force that runs through the veins of all living things, including ourselves. Making up basically two-thirds of our bodies, it is necessary for properly functioning tissues and organs.  Water flushes toxins out of the kidneys, dissolves minerals, and regulates body temperature. It is by far the most important nutrient you can give your body.

How Much Is Healthy?

It’s recommended that we should get a minimum of 1.5 quarts of water daily. There are 32 oz in a quart, which means that you need a minimum of 48 oz of water, consistently. 

Seventh-Day Adventists-Health and Longevity: Part I

Over 34,000 Seventh-day Adventists participated in a 12 year study that compared their diet and lifestyle with the non-Hispanic population of California (Published in 2000). Study results showed that some lifestyle factors practiced by the Adventists can add several years to one’s life, if implemented. Many other studies have also concluded that the Adventist standard of living can improve quality of life.

Don’t Let Your Health Plummet With The Economy

While the Dow Jones continues to fall and most people are losing more and more of their investments, McDonalds is planning to expand their restaurant presence. If you want my financial advice, and I assume you do, then you should be buying McDonald’s stocks instead of their burgers (Click for link). During these financially distressing times the dollar menu has grown with ever increasing popularity. It’s becoming more of a necessity to compromise health for wealth. Although most of us want to eat better, the current economic condition is  halting our good intentions. Isn’t there any way to stay healthy without busting your budget?

You bet your McDonalds stock there is! I have listed five ways to stay healthy without hurting your delicate budget.

1. Drink water instead of pop/soda. Quitting or limiting soda intake won’t only help your finances but it can influence your quality of living. A meager 32 oz of Coke contains a staggering 400 typically unneeded calories. According to the U.C. Berkeley Center for Weight and Health, “decreasing soda and sweetened beverages consumption is one of the most promising strategies for preventing obesity.”

Book Review: Skinny B!#ch; By Rory Freedman & Kim Barnouin

     This book is definitley not for the easily offended! However, if you need a kick to motivate you to begin your journey of healthy living, authors of  ‘Skinny Bitch’ Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin could be just the girls to do it!

    These skinny bitches present a no-nonsense, straight to the point, tough-love approach to becoming healthy and

Wasatch Veg on top 20 in City Weekly!

 As the producing director of  Plan-B Theatre, one of Utah’s front-line theatre companies, Jerry Rapier (a long-time vegetarian) is a man who is in the know. With this status City Weekly asked him to choose his “hot top 20 of Utah”, and here they are in no particular order.

Existence On a New Horizon

There are times when life offers opportunities to change and become something more. Such instances can enrich the soul and give more depth to existence. Dana was offered an opportunity to appreciate life and existence on a new horizon. She is a 24 year old Utah State college student, working on a degree in Special Education. She’s the youngest of three children, and like any other youngest child, Dana has been getting special treatment from her older brothers for her recent decision to live a vegetarian lifestyle. She has been living a plant-based diet for just three months, and has already begun to feel the profound impact that such a life-enhancing change can make.

“I grew up eating meat. I never really thought about not eating it since it was a staple in my diet.  Whenever I thought of a vegetarian I pictured in my mind a long haired hippie that never bathed and religiously attended rallies for animal rights. For me,

DAVID HARTLEY: Carnivorous Callousness

With respect to animal diet, let it be considered, that taking away the lives of animals, in order to convert them into food, does great violence to the principles of benevolence and compassion. This appears from the frequent hard-heartedness and cruelty found amongst those persons, whose occupations engage them in destroying animal life, as well as from the uneasiness which others feel in beholding the butchery of

The Grand Canyon – Trail Mix Cookie Recipe

They don’t call it the Grand Canyon for nothing. Since 1919, this amazing National Park is home to some of the most spectacular views and outdoor experience this majestic planet has to offer. It has unmatched vistas offered to visitors along the rim. For the experienced hiker or for those who just want a nice stroll, the Grand Canyon bids excitement and adventure for every one of the five million annual visitors.

At its deepest, the Grand Canyon is 6,000 vertical feet from rim to river and in some places rim to rim is as much as 18 miles across. We can get a spectacular glimpse of millions of years of erosion in one breathtaking moment of the Grand Canyon.

Not Your Mother’s Milk

“Beans, beans the magical fruit,”  may be a better way of singing about beans now that we are all mature adults, right? Beans are magical, especially soybeans. They are one of the most versatile foods that Mother Nature offers.  Soy milk, made from soybeans, has become a popular alternative to cow’s milk for people who are lactose intolerant, vegetarian, vegan or just don’t want to drink cow’s milk.

Soybeans remain, after centuries, a major crop in China and other parts of Asia. In 1765, while still a colony of Britain, the Colonies were introduced to the healthy soybean. It wasn’t until the early part of the 20^th century that the US established soybeans as a substantial crop.

Sylvester Graham Cracker

You may not know who Sylvester Graham is but I’m sure that your childhood would not have been the same without his influence. You can probably recollect watching your favorite afternoon cartoon, Captain Planet, and dipping crackers in your milk as a snack. But these weren’t just any crackers, they were Graham Crackers! And they were developed by-you guessed it!-Sylvester Graham.

Born in 1795, Sylvester Graham was raised in an environment that inhibited his intellectual development. It wasn’t until he was 19 years old, and by his own volition, that he started to nurture his intellectually malnourished mind and soon became a teacher.

Not Your Ordinary Weiner..

Salt Lake is full of fine dining and tasty food. One of the newest vegetarian/vegan eateries is right downtown. City Dogs, owned and operated by Tasha and Dee, is a savory place to pick up an appetizing dog, taco or sandwich. If you’re like me and don’t like normal hot dogs and aren’t sure you want to devour some soy dog that tastes like a real hot dog, you’ll definitely be satisfied with City Dogs.  After taking my first bite of the Chili Cheese Dog, I was sold.

It’s a Marvelous Night For a Moondance!

Normally just an East Coast privilege, Italian Ice has migrated to Sugar House thanks to Cynthia Osmun, owner of Luna’s.  Italian Ice isn’t quite like ice cream or shaved ice, but is uniquely smooth and mouthwatering.  Made fresh every day, Luna’s is a perfect dessert to relax to this summer.  This is pure Italian deliciousness without the mob telling you to like it. Luna’s is vegan friendly; with no fat and only a fraction of the sugar as ice cream, you don’t feel guilty ordering a large.

I’ll Show You, Betty Crocker!

I’m no chef. I once made lemonade by blending peeled lemons, brown sugar and water.  I thought to myself, “Brown sugar’s the same as white sugar, it’s just brown.” These were the pathetic thoughts of a man [I was 20 at the time] who was completely sugar illiterate. After downing that yellowy-brown glass of warm lemonade, my mind raced to remember where I had tasted that flavor before. It wasn’t anything like the lemonade I tried to sell as a kid. By the time I got to the bottom of the glass, I distinctly recalled that time I threw up the seven layer burrito from Taco Bell. Yuck. Today, I can drink lemonade – but Taco Bell just doesn’t make my edible list.

“Hey, there’s a trail!” Hiking Mt. Peale Part I

I sure enjoy it when my brother drives me places in his car. The A6 is so luxurious with power seats that heat, climate control and all wheel drive, which I didn’t much appreciate until we headed up a strange dirt road and were stopped by a raging river. The boisterous torrent looked fierce for any vehicle. I was baffled that a bridge hadn’t been built over this mini Cataract Canyon. But then I remembered that it was just some random road in Southeast Utah, so what could I expect? We looked at each other and I jumped out of the car to see exactly how deep the water was. I waded in the razor cold water up past my knees. I thought it was too deep.

“Hey, there’s a trail!” Hiking Mt. Peale Part II

The trail we were following broke right toward the peak, mixed itself with rocks and grass then disappeared. We scrambled up the steep scree (a steep mass of detritus on the side of a mountain) that had sparse patches of grass and flowers with bees collecting pollen. We got to the top of the spine of the peak. Walking on this part of the mountain was pretty sketchy. One side was a complete drop off of jagged rocks laced with snow and ice and the other side was a steep slope of rocks that didn’t quite fit on top of each other like legos do.

Revolutionary Thought Series: Part 1; Human Morality and Thought Evolution

Revolutionary

Thought

Every revolution has a factor of instigation behind the movement. The structure and meaning of  the proliferating “vegetarian movement”, is a comprehensive and deeply rooted  idea in the nature of free choice and human developmental thinking.

The fact that human evolution is

HOW TO TURN PEOPLE INTO VEGETARIANS

Ok … so the headline may be a little misleading.  I should have titled this article “how not to be an irritating vegetarian,” but then you wouldn’t have started reading it.  Now that you are here and are finishing up the first paragraph you might as well keep reading.

When I first became vegetarian, over ten years ago, I was fascinated with all of the scare facts and statistics offered by PETA and other in-your-face organizations.  I was so enthralled by these facts that I wanted to share them with everyone and I thought if I simply shared this information with people they would not only change their lifestyle, but they would probably be so pleased that I graced them with the knowledge I would undoubtedly be named in their will.

“Is there meat in this?” Vegetarians at a company potluck and the games we play.

A company potluck is like the tunnel in “Goonies,” full of booby-traps.  I should know since I am an accidental connoisseur of company potlucks; I have been employed at 34 jobs during the 28 years I have been on this planet and that has translated in my attending hundreds of potlucks, company parties, buffets, and smorgasbords.  The one thing each potluck has in common?  The organizer and contributor’s have no idea that vegetarians exist.

Don’t get me wrong, like any decent vegetarian I don’t expect special treatment at these events.  I am satisfied if there is a vegetable tray present, because vegetarians know that a vegetable tray is money at a potluck; a vegetable tray is like meat-eater repellent, “can’t waste valuable stomach space on something that didn’t have a beating heart.”

Seventh-Day Adventists-Health and Longevity: Part II

What does it mean to be healthy? Patrick Holford, founder of the Institute of Optimum Nutrition, said that, “Health is not merely the absence of pain or tension, but the joy of living.” We can find joy knowing that our bodies are being nourished through a wholesome diet and lifestyle. The Seventh-Day Adventists find that eating a plant-based diet not only nourishes the body but also the soul.

Kenneth L. Kelln, M.D. is one of 6 elders in a local Seventh-Day Adventist church. He received his undergraduate degree from Walla Walla College (now University), in 1960 and then he got his medical degree from Loma Linda University in 1964. He received his specialty training in Internal Medicine at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, and in Gastroenterology at Loma Linda University Hospital. His specialty in Gastroenterology includes the area of nutrition and treatment of nutritional deficiencies. Dr. Kelln was employed by the church as a missionary physician at hospitals in Nigeria, West Africa for 9 years and was director of health services for the country for the Adventists for 4 years.

I was fortunate enough to ask Dr. Kelln a few questions about how a plant-based diet is incorporated into the Adventist faith. The interview went as follows.

Running for the Stars 5k, Oct. 10; Helping Children in India

Running for the Stars is a 5k and breakfast fundraiser to help families and children in India who are affected by leprosy. On Saturday, October 10th, join us at Timpanogos Park (just off of HWY 189 in Provo Canyon). Runner check in is at 8:30 and the run begins at 9:30. For more information, click on the flier.

Leprosy In India

Leprosy has been affecting generations of people, which has grown to fill to over 700 leprosy colonies in India. For the people affected by leprosy, they live a life of a beggar. Without the help of Rising Star Outreach the children born in these colonies would, in all likelihood, grow up to be a beggar like their parents.

“Miracle Salsa?!” “Git a rope.”

Peach Mango Mircacle Salsa

Miracle Salsa

Remember those old TV commercials that illustrated some cowboys on the range settlin’ down for the night?  Getting’ their grub, one of those cowboys grabs some salsa to put into the chili.  The other dude looks up and grabs the salsa whilst wigglin’ his handle-bar mustache.  He squints his eyes, focusing on the label.  His eyes shoot open.  “This salsa was made in New York City.”  The others can’t believe it. “New York City?!”  That poor misguided city slicker who brought that New York City made salsa is mighty affeared and sweatin’

Running the Snake

The Snake River

We pulled the raft out of the frigid river while trying to fight off the cold. Amassing ourselves on the dock, our group waited for a ride back to camp. We had just finished rafting down the Snake River in Idaho – a frenetic, 6-mile trip. After being thrown into the water repeatedly for 3 hours on that freezing river, I’d had enough.  After I got my bones warm by lying on the sun-baked ground, I decided that I couldn’t wait for that ride any longer. Maybe it was ADD or my overly ambitious pair of legs but I felt the strong urge to not wait for a ride back to camp but to run it. My brother Noel had estimated that the distance from the boat ramp to the cozy camper was nearly 6 miles.

I borrowed a pair of sandals, a far superior running shoe than the water socks that were currently protecting my feet from the scorching ground. I warmed up my cold legs by running back down to the river to grab a random water bottle from the raft. Taking a huge drink, I started jogging up the hill towards the highway with Noel and our friend Paul, who gamely agreed to run with us.

“The First-Timers Cookbook”

As a child my wife dreamed of becoming a chef, like the ones she saw on TV nonchalantly tossing ingredients into a bowl and then pulling out a magnificent final product.

Unfortunately, cooking is not that easy—I wish it were.  Now when my wife reads a recipe she confidently tosses the unmeasured ingredients listed on the page into a bowl as if she were one of the chefs she watched on TV as a child.  The result?  I’d rather not say since she occasionally reads this thing.

A Conversation with Marty Mendenhall, Ph.D., LPC, VEG. Part I

During a break at school I leapt from my seat and headed out the door for some dinner.  Driving up the road and glancing in the rear-view-mirror now and again.  There was my professor on a Harley motorcycle just behind me, his long blonde hair whipping in the wind.  I pulled into a parking lot and he followed.  Park my car, grab my wallet, and it turns out that this long-haired Harley riding professor is going to the same restaurant as I am.  Stepping off his bike, it’s obvious he’s well over six feet tall and built like an NFL linebacker.  Taking a better look at his bike, yeah, it’s a Harley and, yeah, he has a yoga mat tied to the back of it with a red bandana.

“I haven’t been here in like six years.  What do you get?” I asked.

“Can’t go wrong with a Cafe Rio salad,” he replied as he ordered. “No meat please.”  Hmmm this guy who looks like he can lift his Harley above his head is ordering a salad for dinner, hold the carne.

“Yeah I’ll have the same as him.”

Turns out my professor, Marty Mendenhall, Ph.D., LPC, is a longtime vegetarian.  Not only that but Marty completed his doctoral program at Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center in San Francisco specializing in spirituality and consciousness. He also completed a two-year post-graduate certificate program in Socially Engaged Spirituality at Saybrook.

A Conversation with Marty Mendenhall, Ph.D., LPC, VEG. Part II

During a break at school I leapt from my seat and headed out the door for some dinner.  Driving up the road and glancing in the rear-view-mirror now and again.  There was my professor on a Harley motorcycle just behind me, his long blonde hair whipping in the wind.  I pulled into a parking lot and he followed.  Park my car, grab my wallet, and it turns out that this long-haired Harley riding professor is going to the same restaurant I am.  Stepping off his bike, it’s obvious he’s well over six feet tall and built like an NFL linebacker.  Taking a better look at his bike, yeah, it’s a Harley and, yeah, he has a yoga mat tied to the back of it with a red bandana.

“I haven’t been here in like six years.  What do you get?” I asked.

“Can’t go wrong with a Cafe Rio salad,” he replied as he ordered. “No meat please.”  Hmmm this guy who looks like he can lift his Harley above his head is ordering a salad for dinner, hold the carne.

“Yeah I’ll have the same as him.”

Turns out my professor, Marty Mendenhall, Ph.D., LPC, is a longtime vegetarian.  Not only that but Marty

Air Bud and Other “Sentient Beings”

There are scores of movies that involve some kind of animal who ends up being the hero of the film. I’m not talking about Teen Wolf because the Wolf didn’t even make the winning shot. I’m referring to movies like Beethoven, Homeward Bound, Lassie, Flipper, Babe, Air Bud (the original), Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch (personal favorite), and innumerable other Air Bud movies. After all these years, millions of dollars in production costs, and animal actors/actresses, the European Union now recognizes animals as sentient beings. Well, maybe Air Bud didn’t have much sway in the decision, but who’s to say…