Thought for the day

vacance *en images*

"Now my life is sweet like cinnamon

like some fucking dream I'm living in"

Oyster Bay

We spent our break at Oyster Bay Beach Lodge, a low-key, pet-friendly, vegan-friendly establishment which has the most magnificent views of the Indian Ocean that you could ever hope to see.

When we arrived at the Lodge after an arduous 7 hour car drive, we almost jumped out of our skins upon seeing the view and discovering that we had our own private beach less than 100 meters away.

Nick, the owner of the Lodge, is a wonderful host- he didn't bat an eye-lid when we disclosed that we are vegan and he bent over backwards to accommodate us. He eventually suggested that we use his kitchen to prepare our own food despite the fact that, strictly speaking, the Lodge is not a self-catering establishment.

The Lodge also has 2 resident (barking-mad) Jack Russells, Mafuti and Piri, and this immediately put us at ease insofar as the tolerance level for our 2 dogs was concerned- this is truly a pet-friendly as opposed to pet-tolerant establishment.

The rooms are clean and nicely decorated and all feature magnificent ocean views. However, since the management of the Lodge is pretty laid-back and easy going, you'll have to specifically request new towels and bedding (although the rooms do get serviced daily).

Dinner is also eaten communally amongst the Lodge's guests which may or may not be your thing. I wasn't too happy about it the first night but we eventually got to know some really awesome people and it adds to the sense of informality of the place.

The Lodge is located about 20 minutes' drive from Port Saint Francis which has a host of shops and restaurants to visit. The point of the holiday, for us at least however, was to get away from anything urban or developed.

If you visit the Lodge during low-season, you'll look to pay about R850.00 per night for bed and breakfast and will have the added perk of having virtually an entire 6 kilometer stretch of beach to yourself.

We really could not have asked for a better experience all round. Now back to the bump and grind of city life. Sigh.

Humeur du jour



*Raspberry* bitches.



Doupe.Boule

My most recent recipe which again, comes courtesy of the Vegan Stoner is the Green Boule. Culinarily, "Boule" refers to a round loaf of white bread. My focus, however, was not so much on the Boule as on its contents (which weren't quite firm enough to amount to a dip and not quite runny enough to be called soup, so more of a "Doup" really). Once I forced myself to embrace the foreign consistency of the Doupe as well as wrap my mind around using my food as a bowl, I was super excited to try out the Green Boule. What's great about the Doup's consistency is that it tends to be firm enough to stick together on the plate-to-mouth trajectory. We tried it with a large loaf of rye bread but I think using smaller (equivalently durable) rye rolls will probably make eating the Doupe Boule less of an exercise in concentration. It's a great way to consume those vegetables which you're not crazy abouts (read: brussel sprouts ~eugh!~) and an even better way to save on washing dishes (seeing as you eat your bowl). I also assume that, as long as you stick to the requisite amount of soy milk to be added, you can pretty much make any type of Doupe filling that you desire (!)

Ingredients (double ingredients if you're going to use a large loaf as opposed to rolls):

• 1 cup brussel sprouts ~eugh!~
• 2 stemps spring onions
• 3 stems kale or spinach
• 2 cups soy milk
• 2-3 tbsp salad dressing or vegan mayonnaise
• 1 rye loaf or 4-6 rye rolls
• vegan parmesan cheese (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• vegetable stock/seasoning (optional)

Combine brussel sprouts (~eugh!~), chopped spring onions, chopped kale/spinach, soy milk and salad dressing/mayonnaise in a blender (the "Doupe"). BLEND.

Pour the Doupe into a pot and heat slowly on the stove. Add salt, pepper and dry vegetable stock/seasoning to taste.

Whilst the Doupe is simmering on the stove, hollow out the top of the rye bread loaf/rolls.

Remove the Doupe from the stove and ladle into the hollow rye bread loaf/rolls.

Top with vegan parmesan cheese and/or more salad-dressing/mayonnaise. EAT(!)

Meeting your Meat

I was at Cora's house yesterday and got to meet her recently rescued piglet, Jools. I can't remember the last time that I was so excited for anything- I almost peed my pants. CLAW is currently conducting investigations into horrific instances of neglect at various animal farms in the Gauteng area. Jools was rescued on the brink of (a much sooner) death and has been recuperating ever since.

Holding Jools in my arms and having her snuggle into my lap to sleep reinforced every reason for which I'm vegan. While most people will think she's awfully cute, very few will make the connection between her and the next bacon/ham sandwich they eat. Again, what hit me was that complete disconnect between a living, sentient being and an abstracted, neatly packaged "piece of meat".

Cora told us of Jools' separation anxiety (she is only 4 weeks old). She was left alone at the home recently (for a short while) with ample supplies of food, bedding and water. Nonetheless, upon discovering that she was alone, Jools went into such a panic that by the time Cora's husband came home, she had slipped into a coma and had to be resuscitated- she almost died from the stress of being separated from her adopted family.

Which led me to my next thought. Namely, the horrific and indefensible amount of trauma that mothers and their offspring undergo in factory farms. These creatures crave comfort but are ripped away from their mothers virtually as soon as they're born. I've read studies which state that pigs (much like humans if they were kept in the same conditions) slowly go insane. They literally lose their minds because of the stress, trauma and abuse they suffer until they're ultimately done the one and only "justice" in their lives and are slaughtered. Have you ever heard a pig scream? Sounds a lot like a person.

I was sitting there with Jools in my lap and my recurring thought was "this is a piece of meat". Holding and interacting with something which is so substantial, so real and then transposing that onto her "purpose" and "value" as a commodity was a major mind-fuck for me.

The more I think about it, the more I realise that commercial farming is the biggest conspiracy of the modern age. An industry that specialises in and thrives on obfuscation. 

The worst part of it is that the real information is out there, but then again, that tends to be an inconvenient truth.

Dexter//Seuss

“You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left."

-Dr. Suess

10 Minute Lunch Munch.

This Corn Salad Sandwich recipe comes courtesy of The Vegan Stoner. Its a really lovely, guilt-free alternative to those playground egg/chicken/tuna mayonnaise sandwiches of yesteryear.

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 to 1 packet firm tofu
• 1/2 to 1 can sweetcorn or corn pieces 
• handful spinach
• 2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
• breach
• sundried tomatoes (optional)
• salt  
• pepper
• seasoning of your choice 

Drain the tofu and canned corn. Chop up/crumble the tofu and combine with corn and chopped spinach. Stir in the vegan mayonnaise, salt, pepper and any other seasoning to taste ("the filling").

Pack the filling into a sandwich with sundried tomatoes and enjoy one of the quickest lunches you've ever made.

*Real.Humans.Real.Heroes*

Scramble.Gamble

Despite my best attempts, I’ve really never been inclined towards sweetness. Whilst this statement may serve as a précis of my life, today I’ll limit it to food. There is nothing better for me than starting the day off with a deliciously savory breakfast. I’m presently addicted to scrambled tofu on toast with copious amounts of tomato sauce. Oh my, I’ve always loved anything saucy.  

Ingredients:

·         1 packet firm tofu

·         5 spring onions

·         1-2 cloves garlic

·         1-2 radishes

·         1 packet sliced mushrooms

·         Unlimited cherry tomatoes

·         Salt and pepper to taste

·         Pinch of Turmeric (for colouring)

·         Pinch of Paprika

·         olive oil

·         nutritional yeast and/or marmite (optional)

·         vegan parmesan cheese (optional)

Chop the spring onions, garlic, radishes, mushrooms.

Pour olive oil into a pan and fry the spring onions, radishes and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cherry tomatoes and fry until soft. Crumble tofu into the frying pan and mix ingredients (hereinafter referred to as “the scramble-gamble”).

Season the scramble-gamble with turmeric, paprika, salt and pepper. I tend to add about 1 teaspoon of marmite to the mix as well as a dash of vegan parmesan cheese.

Serve with toast and (copious amounts of) sauce.

somebody.that.i.used.to.know

"Now and then I think of when we were together
Like when you said you felt so happy you could die
Told myself that you were right for me
But felt so lonely in your company
But that was love and it's an ache I still remember

You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness
Like resignation to the end
Always the end
So when we found that we could not make sense
Well you said that we would still be friends
But I'll admit that I was glad that it was over

But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened
And that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger
And that feels so rough

You didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records
And then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
But had me believing it was always something that I'd done
And I don't wanna live that way
Reading into every word you say
You said that you could let it go
And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know...

But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened
And that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger
And that feels so rough

You didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records
And then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

I used to know
That I used to know

Somebody..."