A raw decision

I have been moving these last few days. Thus, a delay in our vegan nutrition lessons. And as I've been moving, I discovered a new roommate - a field mouse. Because I've been determining how to best deal with my new friend (and I want to share it with you), we have another reason for the delay.

One of my first mornings in this new place, I made way into the kitchen and saw the eyes of a little creature poking around on the partially covered stovetop. When I moved closer, it dashed into the hole of the stove where the gas line comes up, and it disappeared while I tried to get a look to see where it escaped.

I had just moved in and was (and still am) between my old place at camp, which has hot water, and this new place, which still has no hot water. Other than my fruit bowl and compost bin, there is no food here and I've not done much food prep in this kitchen. There were no signs of visit earlier as this 5th wheel trailer unit I've moved into just arrived at camp last week. Thus, this is a new visit and a new place for my forest friend, who I prefer remain a "forest" friend.

A few weeks back I blogged about how I deal with insects as a vegan, and wrote, "luckily, I've not had to face ant swarms or rodent invasions in my place. If I do, you'll probably read it on the blog as I cross that ethical vegan dilemma when the time comes." Well, the time has come. How DO I as a vegan deal with this new dilemma?

At work last week, our camp's Executive Director asked me to pass the message on to our Associate Director that we need more rat poison. If I were to ask the camp for assistance on what to do, I know what their response will be as there has been evidence of increased invasion in other staff resident trailers. (That was a nice thing about my old residence - it was a house not a trailer.)

In moving from a house to a trailer, I've been needing to downsize and make decisions about what to keep, what to store, what to give away what to bring to my parent's place as I will be living there part-time and here at camp part-time when in school (the reason I'm switching residences at camp).

Like most folks, I have a shlew of pots, pans, et al. The night before "the visit", I had just moved a crate of some essential cookware I thought I might need. The cookware was actually in a crate right in front of the stove when I see the eyes looking at me. While moving the crate, removing the metal grate, and covering the entire stove top with cutting boards, I decided to simply leave the crate packed and bring it to my parent's place. And in that moment I decided I will not be cooking here and with that made another decision.

How do I as a vegan deal with the problem of rodents? Become a raw food vegan. (or at least, a raw food vegan while here at camp... for now.) The vegan-me adventure continues. Stay tuned.

The rising value of food

I am in LA visiting my sister and her family for the week (thus, the delay in posting to this blog). To make sure my "rawer vegan diet" is being fed, this weekend I went to food markets to purchase fresh fruits and veggies. When at home, I don't really need to shop at grocery stores as much of my produce comes from the food pantry where I weekly volunteer, or from the kitchen at the camp where I work. Thus, this weekend was the first time in a long time I entered a store to buy food for myself. I was shocked by the prices I found! Surprised. Blow away. I had heard that food prices had risen because of the rising costs of fuel, but I could not believe what I was seeing as I walked down the aisles.

I discovered just how much more organic locally grown food really is, and how expensive fresh fruits and vegetables currently are. Thus, I realized how lucky I am to have access to the bounty of produce, which is always available in the refrigerators at camp, even though it is not organic but similar in quality to grocery stories. And I also realized how blessed I am when organic selections become available at the food pantry, which is stocked by Trader Joe's through the "scraps" pulled from the shelf when the "sell by" date is reached. The multitude of perfectly wholesome food would literally be taken to the dump, if it was not for the non-profit groups that thankfully and gratefully pick up the many many bags everyday. (The group I work with gets the Saturday and Sunday scraps from the Trader Joe's in Millbrae.)

With food costs on the rise, and me, personally seeing the domino effect that American lust and obsession with autos has created, it becomes even more of a horror for me now to see food go to waste. Each piece of fruit has so much more value - with value being assessed not just by the grocery bill factor.

Though the value of food is accentuated today because of its economic cost, vegan-me is also learning about how the value of food is increased because of its nutritional value.

When I share about my dietary transformation to vegetarian to vegan to now a "rawer vegan" (a vegan considering and transitioning into a raw foods diet), people always ask questions about something they assume I would be lacking, like protein or calcium, enjoyment or taste. To be honest, I've never felt like I had a good succinct answer as I still am coming to understand nutrition, what the body needs, what my body needs, the amino acids of protein, the purpose of calcium, and so forth. While the resources are helpful (to a point), some are confusing, others conflicting, a few overly technical with too much information, and a few too simplistic with no good explanation. It's been a challenge.

A resource I found recently by George Eisman, one of the nation's foremost educators on nutrition, has provided the simple clarity I've been looking for and needing. The author of The Most Noble Diet:Food Selection and Ethics, Eisman in his second work, A Basic Course in Vegetarian and Vegan Nutrition, provides an excellent overview of the advantages of the vegan dietary, expert guidance on the "whys", and clear nutritional information with insightful illustrations. With my limited background and non-scientific mind, this resource has been a God-send.

A study-at-home course on basic nutrition, one copy is listed on Amazon for $49.99 + $3.99 shipping! I bought my copy for less than the cost of shipping -- $3.98 at Half Price Books in Berkeley. I value my brand new copy now more than ever, though copies are available for $21.95 from American Vegan. However, in the coming weeks, I will be highlighting (for FREE - a real value) some of the key nutritional insights I'm gleaning from the text related to protein, calcium, and other issues with which vegans are confronted.

For me, one of the key breakthroughs in my transition to a raw vegan diet is the simple realization that to benefit from the nutrition in raw plant foods, I will need to eat more. I'll explain why in the coming weeks, but the value of food is increasing in my life as I recognize the life-giving energy in whole, natural, unprocessed foods, as the Creator has intended.

Because of my limited financial resources, I was not able to purchase all organic vegetables and fruits for my time in Los Angeles this week. I did get to a local Farmer's Market for a few valuable purchases like large luscious locally grown apricots, but at the grocery stores, my most valuable purchase by far was a homemade local raw vegan chocolate brownie, which I've been enjoying (in small chunks) after each run - definitely worth the sticker shock $5.95 I paid!

Eisman writes, "We each must choose foods everyday, and in that choice some rippling effect takes place. Every dollar spent for food sends a message to food producers, some of which are the largest and most powerful corporations in the world. They are motivated by profit, and will respond to what is and what isn't consumed. Therein the power of the individual lies." (A Basic Course in Vegetarian and Vegan Nutrition, p. 123)

In the footsteps of Francis

Because vegan-me is in the midst of finishing up my first semester at the Franciscan School of Theology with a paper on St. Francis of Assisi and his relationship with creation, this week's blog is simply a reflective thought. It is an example from one of Francis' biographers of Francis' contemplation on creation, which led to his reverence of creation, and to his responsibility to embrace an environment ethic of sustainability. With news reports this week of global natural disasters, food shortages, polar bears on the extinction list, meat recalls, and more, may you be challenged by Francis' example to reflect on what creation is calling you to be and do, in terms of reverence and responsibility in our era of environmental crisis.

Thomas of Celano writes of St. Francis of Assisi:

He rejoices in all the works of the Lord's hands, and through their delightful display he gazes on their life-giving reason and cause. In beautiful things he discerns Beauty Itself; all things cry out to him: "The One who made us is the Best." Following the footprints imprinted on creatures, he follows his Beloved everywhere; out of them all he makes for himself a ladder by which he might reach the Throne. He embraces all things with an intensity of unheard devotion, speaking to them about the Lord and exhorting them to praise Him....

When the brothers are cutting wood he forbids them to cut down the whole tree, so that it might have hope of sprouting again. He commands the gardener to leave the edges of the garden undisturbed, so that in their season the green of herbs and the beauty of flowers may proclaim the beautiful Father of all. He even orders that within the garden a smaller garden should be set aside for aromatic and flowering herbs so that those who see them may recall the memory of eternal savor....

He calls all animals by a fraternal name, although, among all kinds of beast, he especially loves the meek (and those who are going extinct - a vegan-me editorial). Who is capable of describing all of this? Truly, that fountain-like goodness, which will be all in all, already shone clearly in all for this saint.

(From "The Remembrance of the Desire of a Soul by Thomas of Celano" - 2C 165 in Francis of Assisi: The Founder: Early Documents, Volume 2, p. 353-354.)

Restaurant review: CAFÉ GRATITUDE

"There's something wonderful about going to a restaurant and being able to order anything from the menu."
Those were the words of delight from my cousin the other day as I treated her out for a much belated birthday meal at Café Gratitude, a raw vegan restaurant. This was my first time at Café Gratitude, and her first time at the original location just blocks from her and her husband's new home in the Mission.

After Mother's Day dinner with my parents this weekend, when my selections at the very nice Italian restaurant were extremely slim, my cousin's words ring especially true. I thoroughly enjoyed the total splurge at Café Gratitude with drinks, appetizer, main entrée, and dessert. And though the $50 I spent felt steep, it was definitely worth it in comparison to the $75 I spent on Mother's Day, for a salad and soup, which left my taste buds longing for something more.

I am grateful for places like Café Gratitude, which I am discovering. Actually, on my first visit, I was not only "grateful" but I was also "insightful" (with spring rolls), "graceful" (with Indian Bahraini), "youthful" (with fresh almond milk) and "adoring" (with tiramisu). My cousin found herself "insightful" and "adoring" also, but in addition she was "accepting" (with a sushi bowl) and "effervescent" (with house ginger ale).

Just reflecting on our meal after my Mother's Day dinner "rations", I am reliving the taste bud sensations. Aha... It was a divinely delightful experience. There is little to critique, other than I wish there was a location near my place and that the meals weren't so expensive. Yet, I recognize the fresh tastes, the organic ingredients, and care given to ensure quality, especially during challenging economic times, so I understand the prices. I just wish my employer would understand that too when it comes to my paycheck!

While the food feeds the body, the café is also intended to feed the soul. Each item on the menu is named "I am ____", followed by a positive attribute to reflect the philosophy and lifestyle which gave rise to this "movement", now in four locations -- San Francisco in the Mission and Sunset, Berkeley, and the newest location, San Rafael.

Based on their life journeys, Matthew & Terces Engelhart developed the Abounding River board game in 2002 to share their experiences with others. The purpose of the game is to help people transform from a place of scarcity to a place of abundance. It's about "being abundance", training people in a day to day practice as well as discovering a spiritual foundation that opens up to a whole new way of looking at money and resources. The Engelharts want people to experience themselves as being the source of unlimited supply.

After leading workshops based on the game around the country, the couple felt that the next step was opening a gaming parlor that served food - a raw food gaming parlor. Café Gratitude was born, with original recipes developed by Terces, vegetarian and raw with no wheat, dairy, or sugar.

As the website, which features the beautiful artwork of the board game, states: "Café Gratitude is our expression of a world of plenty. Our food and people are a celebration of our aliveness. We select the finest organic ingredients to honor the earth and ourselves, as we are one and the same. We support local farmers, sustainable agriculture and environmentally friendly products. Our food is prepared with love."

You can literally taste the love while there, as well as play the game. While my cousin and I really didn't know about the gaming parlor aspects while there for nearly 2 hours, we did feel the love as we enjoyed good food, encouraging conversation, and friendly wait staff who answered questions, and even let me look at a recipe book to see ingredients in the desserts! It was sweet, and I am "thankful" as I eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to get there again, to not just enjoy the food, but to play the game and to be "abundance" as well.

A bug's life

While journaling this morning, a huge moth came flying out from under the table and nearly knocked me in the face. Spring has sprung here up in the mountains. The bugs are finding new life. And vegan-me is working through what it means to live with compassionate care for ALL of God's creatures, including those "non-sentient" (aka "not able to feel or emotionally respond ") creatures, like moths and the summer dread up here at camp, mosquitoes.

Vegan values embrace compassionate care for all life, which means honoring all that God has made, including insects, bugs, and rodents. While it is easy to care for "sentient creatures" like cows and dogs, it often becomes a stretch to see the rationale in respecting those creatures that don't have emotional capacity, which are simply annoyances. For me, it is an issue of integrity, which is an important value in my life. Thus, I maintain true to my commitment to compassionate care for all of creation, respecting the life of the "non-sentient", and tolerating those pesky bugs that emerge as the spring warms into summer.

As Joanne Stepaniak writes, "For vegans, the issue isn't finding a reason not to kill but learning what it means to honor life." (Being Vegan, p. 31)

Luckily last summer (my first vegan summer), mosquitoes were not a problem, but it is still an exercise in restraint, not squashing one that has landed, ready to bite. I shake and blow instead, and it seems to work for me. And with bees during barbecues at the picnic area, I simply do not bother them and they do not bother me.

Inside, I am learning "compassionate bug capture" for those moths that get in and fruit flies that like my produce. I have a clear plastic cup, which I use to enclose them when they land on a wall or window. I then slip a piece of paper underneath to escort my "new friends" from my home to theirs, out the front door so they can fly and be free, and no longer bother me! Spiders I've learned to ignore, and luckily, I've not had to face ant swarms or rodent invasions in my place. If I do, you'll probably read it on the blog as I cross that ethical vegan dilemma when the time comes.

Though creatures like that are bothersome as the weather warms, I am thankful for the beauty of butterflies that also emerge this time of year. At times there will be one or two which accompany me on a run along portion of our back trails. As I reflect on their transformation from bug to butterfly, they remind me of the many ways my life has been transformed over the years, and I am thankful for the new beauty I see in me as I run.

There are lessons to learn about the Creator from all of creation, including those pesky insects. The author of Proverbs writes: "Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; coneys are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces." (Proverbs 30:24-28)

Startled by the moth earlier this morning, I followed it with my eyes as it flew around a bit before settling and landing. I quietly and slowly found my "bug capture cup" and proceeded to gently but quickly surround it, which I did. I wiggled it around to get it off the ground as the paper slipped underneath. I escorted it out, and released it. "Fly and be free."

Though not as beautiful as the butterflies on the trail, moths too are transformed. With their abundance around camp, they remind me of the transformations, which continue to occur in my life, which are not big, bold, and beautiful, but take place in the mundane decisions of everyday life around here. As I reflect on those, vegan-me is thankful. God is good, as I choose to praise the Creator, even for insects and bugs. We'll see however how thankful I am for mosquitoes this season.

No rush

When I began back in school earlier this year, I also began spending a few nights at my parent's home each week as public transportation to and from campus is readily accessible. As much as I am learning about Franciscan Creation Theology, I am also learning what it means to be an adult child living part-time with aging parents.

One key lesson I've learned in the past month: When on a run between 10-12 noon, "NO RUSH". If I complete a run and return home during those late morning hours, I am greeted by the voice of Rush Limbaugh and conservative political commentary blaring from the kitchen radio. If I slow down the run, I can quite literally, "avoid the Rush."

As vegan values emerge in my life, they are creating views regarding politics, religion, and food, which are very different from my parents, who often do not understand the reasons for some of my lifestyle choices, in spite my best attempts to explain them. While I respect my parents' perspectives, they are definitely not mine, and I have on a few occasions asked them if they were not listening (and especially not in the room), if I could turn off the radio, creating interesting conversation but also uneasy quiet.

Dinners each week continue to be an interesting experience as my dietary choices have shifted over the past year. Just this past week, as we sat down for dinner, I had a big bowl of greens topped with a raw vegan veggie curry (yummy) while my parents had rotisserie chicken, pasta, and zucchini. My mom put two pieces of chicken on her plate, and my dad's comment to her: "Is that ALL the meat you're taking?", implying of course that she should take more. Passive-aggressive? If you know my father, probably yeah.

In the midst of my dietary decisions, my mom does her best to understand and to support me. Yet I know from her passing comments that she does not always agree, especially when it comes to issues related to food and the environment as she has implied that she is still not convinced of global warming. I know I cannot change my parents perspectives (though I would like to). My desire is to help them understand mine.

Along with listening to Rush in the morning, my parents also read the newspaper. In looking through the paper this week with them, I discovered a new weekly food columnist, EcoChef, Aaron French. His first article: "Lower your carbon - cholesterol may follow."

Many of my parent's friends have high cholesterol and diabetes, which has created numerous opportunities over dinner for me to discuss diet, disease, and my dietary decisions with them. The EcoChef article clearly articulates the environmental connection with diet that they do not fully grasp, which is foundational to my vegan life. I shared it with my mom, who initially noticed the word, "carbon" (aka "carbon footprint" implying "global warming"), and gave me that "let's not go there" look.

I told her that the article reflects many of my perspectives on food and the environment, and that I wanted to keep it. She said to take it, but I asked her first to read it then save it for me. When I returned from my run at 12:05 pm, the kitchen was quiet, there was "no Rush", and the article was neatly folded on the table.

I have not yet asked my mom what she thought about the article. I am learning that with my parents, it is best not to push, but to be patient, to plant seeds, and to allow the process to naturally unfold. As I was officially accepted full-time this week into the Master of Theological Studies program at the Franciscan School of Theology, I know that over the next two years, there will be many more opportunities over dinner to talk. Thus, there is "no rush".

Why?

It's been about a year since I officially crossed the line to vegetarianism. It's been about 10 months since I officially embraced a vegan lifestyle. Over these past few weeks, I've been considering another dietary transition as I have been reading about and trying out aspects of a "raw vegan diet".

What was initially "Raw Mondays" began turning into "Raw Other Days" as I found myself enjoying the experience, struggling at times, but finding it very intriguing to consider what "raw foodism" is all about.

While I've not made any "official" transitions, all this is causing me to ask myself again, "WHY?" Why do I do what I do? Why do I choose certain foods, a certain lifestyle, certain values?

With Earth Day coming up on Tuesday, April 22nd, I was asked to speak to a church congregation today about environmental issues. My intention was to have them each consider "WHY" they do what they do when it comes to the world God has created.

Using St. Francis of Assisi's Canticle of the Creatures, I shared the one word I believe to be the theological foundation of Franciscan Creation Theology = "fraternitas". Because God is our Creator, the Source of all, our Father, Mother, Parent, we are in essence related to all else that God has made, one family living together in the one home we call earth.

I believe our brotherhood/sisterhood (our fraternitas) with all of creation should be the framework for our choices. In looking at Sister Water, Eric Doyle, a Franciscan theologian in his book, The Song of Brotherhood and Sisterhood writes: "Water is a creature like (ourselves). As a creature, water is our sister, and it is hardly normal to pour toxic acid into your sister!" (p. 56). How we treat members in our biological family as we consider their needs is how we are to treat members in our "cosmic family".

Why do I make some of the choices I do in terms of my diet and lifestyle? It is because of compassion, my desire to live in harmonious relationship with all my brothers and sisters, human and non-human, everything that finds life in the same God who gives life to me, too.

When it comes to a raw vegan diet, I know that 100% raw will not work for me. Compassion is too great a value in my life. While I have compassion for animals and the natural world, I also want to live in compassion with my human brothers and sisters. I do not want my dietary decisions of ahimsa to offend someone who has gone out of their way to serve me. Thus, I make dietary exceptions. I guess I'm really a vegan, a "compassionate % of the time". Though it is not often I will stray at this juncture, I do not allow legalism of a dietary decision to keep me from caring for another.

I am encouraged because I see that in Francis of Assisi. The story is told that while on a strict diet, Francis saw one of his brothers who was very sick and needed food but refused to eat because he wanted to show how holy he really was. Francis, out of compassion, took grapes and ate them first, breaking his dietary holiness to encourage his brother to eat. Compassion.

Earth Day is on Tuesday. It is a good time, I believe, for each of us to consider again why we do what do, why we make the choices we make each day. I pray that compassion for the earth, compassion for all your brother and sisters in the cosmic family will become the foundation of daily decisions for you.