Archive for June, 2011

Happy Birthday @LidiaLF!

Published by VeganCauldron on June 30th, 2011

I’m going to dedicate this post to the most amazing human being on this planet! My beautiful wife @LidiaLF! Thank you for always being there when I need you and for sticking by my side through everything.

Not everyone is for marriage, but let me tell you, when you meet the right person it just seems to make sense. At least that’s what happened to me. Lidia is such a joy to be around, always a smile on her face and abundant laughter.

We’re not ones for birthday plans and events so this blog post will be surprising to her! Last year I bought her an iPad for her birthday and nothing will ever top it, she loves it so much.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Lidi! You’re my everything and you make my life a happy place!

Jennifer Payen, Caitlin McColl, Daniel Shakhmundes, Nicky Ledder liked this post
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Posted in Random, Toronto
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Summer is for biking

Published by VeganCauldron on June 28th, 2011

It’s been a few years since I last had a bicycle. My last one had been stolen and I didn’t get around to buying a new one until a few weeks ago. It feels great to finally go out on the trails again. I used to go riding for hours on end every weekend. Even though I might not go for as long anymore, I’ll still enjoy it as a way to relax and get my thoughts together.

What I love about living in midtown is that there are so many different parks and biking trails in ravines and wooded areas. Just last weekend we discovered a new biking trail behind a Loblaws at Millwood and Redway. They’re shared bike and pedestrian tails, but it sure beats riding on the roads alongside cars. I prefer being outside in the peacefulness. There is also Sunnybrook park which is a short distance away from where I live.

I hope everyone is out there enjoying some sort of outdoor activity!

 

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Posted in Toronto
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Chex cereal finally came to Canada!

Published by VeganCauldron on June 27th, 2011

As the subject line says, Chex cereal finally came to Canada! This is exciting for me because there really aren’t many options for gluten free cereals, and out of the few options most aren’t the most appetizing. Up to this point we’ve been driving down to Buffalo to get Chex but it was honestly a bit silly to drive so far just for cereal. Though we’re always looking for a reason to get away.

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Domino Thiry, Caitlin McColl liked this post
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Posted in Gluten Free, Vegan
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Ahimsa

Published by VeganCauldron on June 20th, 2011

Everyone strives to live a life of no harm. Everyone has different ideals as to what no harm is, and if anyone ever tries to tell you that yours is wrong stand up for your beliefs. If you don’t know how to then you might want to rethink your ideals.

Ahimsa is one of those philosophies I truly respect the most from Hinduism. I do believe that non violence does bring good karma in the long run. My personal views are that animals have equal rights in the world as humans. I don’t value one soul over another’s and I will respect them all equally.

Taken from Wikipedia

All this to say that I think everyone should respect everyone and if you have time I highly recommend reading up on ahimsa and Jainism.

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Posted in Vegan
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Lifestyle choices

Published by VeganCauldron on June 17th, 2011

I recently read an article on BBC that Morrissey banned meat from any venue he’s performing at. As much as I respect him for it, it also made me wonder how he can force a whole group of people to follow along his ideals. Sure, these ideals are the same as mine but I still find it odd that this would be one of his requirements to perform somewhere.

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Posted in Vegan
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Summer’s best drink

Published by VeganCauldron on June 16th, 2011

I’ve come to love making lemonade every day so far this summer. My favourite way to make it is quite simple:

1) Squeeze 2 limes and 1 lemon.

2) Two tablespoons of Agave syrup (or nectar)

3) Add water, shake and enjoy!

Now get out and enjoy the nice weather!

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Posted in Gluten Free, Toronto, Vegan
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People Towels – Everyone should make the switch

Published by VeganCauldron on June 15th, 2011

I was introduced to People Towels via our wonderful friend Amanda. The idea might be simple but it’s definitely something that everyone should consider. Yes at first you might think the cost is a bit steep for a towel, but when you consider the practicality they offer, they’re well worth the price.

I could try to explain exactly what they are but their website tells it best!:

What are PeopleTowels?

PeopleTowels are the newest concept in sustainability, and the latest in eco-chic fashion. An on-the-go, sustainable alternative to paper towels in public facilities, these reusable personal hand towels are made of a patent-pending fabric that’s 100% certified organic Fair Trade cotton.  The light-weight fabric is absorbent, yet dries quickly.PeopleTowels are printed with eco-friendly dyes, and come in a variety of designs to appeal to different tastes and styles.  Convenient hangtags even allow you to clip or loop your PeopleTowelsl to your backpack, belt buckle or purse. PeopleTowels are machine washable and will last for years. The towels will soften and fade slightly after repeated washings.  You may see slight variations in the towels.

We started out with the 5 day pack and it’s perfect. I use one every day, throw it in the wash and have another ready for the next. No more fighting with the paper towel dispensers or half dead blow dryers.
Please watch their video to get even more of an idea of who they are! I know visuals and media are the easiest way to grab my attention so here you go:

 

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Posted in Eco Friendly
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My trip to becoming vegan

Published by VeganCauldron on June 14th, 2011

I might have left my heart in San Francisco but what San Francisco brought me will stay with me forever. It’s not that the city itself is responsible for me becoming vegan, it’s definitely something I had been considering for a long time but it definitely gave me the kick I had been waiting for. Everywhere you go in San Francisco there are vegan options and it just makes you excited to make the jump.

It blows my mind that some people can look at an animal and not feel even the remotest sense of sympathy. To me they are true sense of unconditional love, not only are they a totally different species but yet they are willing to give their full trust upon whoever’s willing.

Yuki was my first cat and she still amazes me every day. The fact that she loves seeing us and begs for affection is so touching. We treat her like a little queen, she’s probably more spoiled than most cats, but we love her to bits. Just looking at her and our other cat Yoshi made us think about the fact that we could never eat them, so why would we eat other animals? I don’t like the idea of being hypocritical and that’s exactly why I chose to become vegan.

I am very respectful of everyone and their different views, I will not impose my views upon anyone and I expect the same favour in return.

To each their own and to everyone living in harmony.

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Posted in Toronto, Vegan
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Toronto pet stores to stop selling animals as pets? Please help!

Published by VeganCauldron on June 13th, 2011

To all those that like me care a lot about the welfare of animals, you should definitely write our city councillors to make sure this motion gets passed. It’s easy, all you need to do is copy and paste the email below and the addresses:

1. These are the email addresses. If you highlight all the councillors as a group, then copy and paste them in to the cc section in your email you can do it all at once and not have to do them individually, please put the Mayor in the To section.

To – the mayor
cc – the councillors
subject – Please support Motion LS4.3 – better protection for dogs/cats in Toronto Pet Shops

To: mayor_ford@toronto.ca
Cc: councillor_lindsay_luby@toronto.ca; councillor_minnan-wong@toronto.ca; councillor_holyday@toronto.ca; councillor_debaeremaeker@toronto.ca; councillor_delgrande@toronto.ca; councillor_mammoliti@toronto.ca; councillor_crawford@toronto.ca; councillor_wongtam@toronto.ca; councillor_thompson@toronto.ca; councillor_stintz@toronto.ca; councillor_shiner@toronto.ca; councillor_robinson@toronto.ca; councillor_perruzza@toronto.ca; councillor_perks@toronto.ca; councillor_pasternak@toronto.ca; councillor_parker@toronto.ca; councillor_palacio@toronto.ca; councillor_nunziata@toronto.ca; councillor_moeser@toronto.ca; councillor_milczyn@toronto.ca; councillor_mihevc@toronto.ca; councillor_mcmahon@toronto.ca; councillor_mcconnell@toronto.ca; councillor_matlow@toronto.ca; councillor_lee@toronto.ca; councillor_layton@toronto.ca; councillor_kelly@toronto.ca; councillor_grimes@toronto.ca; councillor_fragedakis@toronto.ca; councillor_dford@toronto.ca; councillor_fletcher@toronto.ca; councillor_filion@toronto.ca; councillor_doucette@toronto.ca; councillor_digiorgio@toronto.ca; councillor_davis@toronto.ca; councillor_crisanti@toronto.ca; councillor_colle@toronto.ca; councillor_cho@toronto.ca; councillor_carroll@toronto.ca; councillor_berardinetti@toronto.ca; councillor_bailao@toronto.ca; councillor_augimeri@toronto.ca; councillor_ainslie@toronto.ca; councillor_vaughan@toronto.ca;

2. This is the text

Dear Mayor Ford and Toronto City Councillors,

Please support the motion put forth by Councillor Cesar Palacio, the Chair of the Licensing and Standards Committee for item LS4.3, and supported by Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker (who is committed to the elimination of puppy mills).

The motion was unanimously passed by the Councillors, at the Standards and Licensing Committee, it offers better consumer protection to people in Toronto looking to bring a dog and/or cat into their homes.

Cesar Palacio’s motion is to allow retail stores to sell dogs and/or cats, only from Humane Societies, Rescues, and City Shelters and Certified Breeders.

If you would like to offer even more consumer protection I would ask that you consider the motion, without including Certified Breeders.

Regards,

 

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Posted in Toronto
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Maca – The wonder plant?

Published by VeganCauldron on June 13th, 2011

Maca, otherwise known as Lepidium meyenii has been used for over 2000 years for medical and nutritional reasons.

I only recently heard about maca and the more I looked into it the more amazing it appears to be. Is there really such a magical plant that can bring so much good? The recommended dosage is 2.5 g per day, which doesn’t mean you can’t go over the dosage but it flattens out at that point so it’s not really worth it. Reading the wikipedia page about maca does show some worrying side effects though:

Though this is common in other foods with high levels of glucosinolate, it is uncertain if maca consumption can cause or worsen a goiter. Maca has been shown to reduce enlarged prostate glands in rats.

I realize that it’s still uncertain and it probably only affects a minority so it’s best not to focus on the minute chances of something happening, but it’s still a good idea to keep it in minde.

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Posted in Gluten Free, Vegan
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