Sunday, July 10, 2011

Best Oils to cook With!

So Many oils and so many ways to cook!. Which ones are the best at what temperatures.

Non-processed and organic saturated fats (the kind that are solid or semi-solid at room temperature) are typically the best for cooking at high temperatures, as they will not go rancid nor oxidize.

When an oil goes rancid or oxidizes, it produces free radicals. Free radicals are the anti anti-oxidant. Where anti-oxidants help prevent signs of aging like wrinkles and heart disease. Free radicals cause premature aging and diseases.

When cooking at high temps or with a high flame you should use a good, hearty saturated oil or fat that will remain stable when being heated and not produce any free radicals. Such fats are butter, coconut oil, sesame oil.

When using a low flame, or baking-- monounsaturated cold- pressed, organic, extra virgin olive oil
is a good choice. Olive oil will go rancid and create free radicals at high temperatures (or with a high flame). A good general rule of thumb: if you’re cooking with more than a medium flame on the stove-top: DON’T use virgin olive oil. Use organic coconut or sesame oil, butter or ghee instead. Since this is about vegan diet, butter and ghee are out!
For high temperature baking, you can use light olive oil.

High Heat/Frying/Browning

  • Coconut oil
  • Palm Oil

Medium Heat/Light Sauteing

  • Olive Oil
  • Sesame Seed Oil
  • Hazelnut Nut Oil
  • Pistachio Nut Oil

Low Heat/Baking

  • Pumpkin Oil
  • Sunflower Oil

No Heat

  • Flax Seed Oil
  • Hemp Seed Oil

Also, avoid cooking with any of the commercial vegetable oils: cotton seed oil, soy oil, corn oil, canola oil, hemp oil and grapeseed oil; all margarines, spreads and partially hydrogenated vegetable shortenings. They're over processed, offer us no nutrition and all the processing adds toxic chemicals which are just not good for anyone.

Here is some reading about oils



Saturday, July 09, 2011

Conversations

While discussing some activists who risk going into labs and factory farms or other places to do under cover investigations to expose cruel practices and abuse, or who break in to save animals..
Me: Those activists are brave.. I dont know why people call me brave.. i am just living my lifean dealing with whatever comes my way.
Hubbs: Dont worry babe, Once u are out and about and all ready to roll again you will do all that too.
Me: U sure?!
Hubbs: Yeah. u are a passionate person
Me: So u r saying u are ok with the idea that u will have to bail me out from jail some day.
Hubbs: Sure.. There are risks in everything.. u r brave..
Me: Hmm, I am not sure I am that brave.. the idea of spending any time in a windowless cell is scary.. we will see.

Did you all know that you cannot be charged for trespassing if you enter someones property, where any animal is not getting its basic needs like food and water? Well, now u know.. so if your neighbors dog is not getting fed, please do give him some food! And if he is kept on a chain more than 10 hours a day, please contact Dogs Deserve Better in the US.
6-8 million pets are euthanized each year in the US, that is one per 8 seconds.
Please Adopt and talk about adoption with anyone who is thinking about getting a dog or a cat.

Buying = killing 2 animals. One in the shelter and the other that could have taken the place of the adopted animals.

Friday, July 01, 2011

day today

soo what do i do everyday..
Read up my regular does of blogs if my eyes cooperate...
Check up on articles and posts on facebook..if my eyes cooperate
Read up some vegan blogs, recipes, cook, bake and write up my food blog! 
share posts, write up articles or blog posts if my eyes cooperate..
Share dogs, who are on the euthanization list, for adoption, try to find people who want to adopt them, email or post on rescues near the dogs, write to people on craigslist, pledge and donate some funds to a rescue can pull the dogs out and more, if the eyes cooperate.

If they dont.. then its all about listening to a book.. which is quite boring these days because I havent spent enough time to find some other good authors.. already exhausted the book supply from the usual authors.!

I stumbled upon these set of volunteers and rescues in new york and in California,  who are trying hard to reduce the euthanization rates in the area shelters. Its quite ridiculous, the number of healthy dogs and even puppies that are put down, just because of lack of space and no adoption interest within the 3 day hold period. So the volunteers try to take pictures of the dogs every few days and put them up on facebook and share them on the local rescue pages, and some others volunteer to go pick up the dog, some transport them, some foster the dog for the rescue and take them to weekly adoption events etc.
Lots of volunteer options.. But dogs that can be pulled out depends on the availability of foster homes. Lots of dogs are also adopted out of state, but there is the time period in which the adopters get approved and the rescues can arrange for transport.. and the shelter does not keep the dog for that long a time..
Half the dogs I share and connect and keep track of, are not there when I check a few days later. those cute tiny fluffy white maltese or poodles, chihuahuas, gsds, huskies.. all adoptable breeds.. but they dont get a chance because the shelters do not give them enough time.
Its an amazing job all these volunteers are doing and i try ti support in whichever way I can!

Thats my day!