An Oldie, But a Goodie: The Top Fifteen Kiss-Worthy Reasons To Put The Mozzarella Cheese Stick Down And Finally Kick Your Dairy Habit!


Okay, this may be hands down one of my FAVORITE blog posts. Mostly because cows are extremely close to my heart. I hope you'll enjoy this as much as I enjoyed crafting it back in January. Give that cashew cheese recipe a try too - it's enough to make you smile for the rest of the week!

The Top Fifteen Kiss-Worthy Reasons To Put The Mozzarella Cheese Stick Down And Finally Kick Your Dairy Habit!  (January 29, 2011)

Okay - if you're a regular reader of this blog, you probably know the truth about dairy and have happily adopted a vegan lifestyle. For everyone else out there, here are some reasons to make your new resolution this year to cut dairy out of your life like it's a bad boyfriend!


2. This recipe I came up with - and it's raw to boot!

Lindsay's Cashew Cheesy Cheese

Great on top of crackers, added to a sauce to make it creamy, or enjoyed plainly with a very large spoon!

1 1/2 c. raw cashews
1/4 c. water
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 c. nutritional yeast (or more if you like!)
2-3 garlic cloves
Splash of salt

Start with 1 c. of cashews and place all of the ingredients in a Vitamix or Food Processor and mix until completely smooth. Add more water if it's too thick, and add more cashews if it's too thin. 

3. This kiss-worthy fact (from PetaKiDS.com): 

"Cows are excellent mothers who are very loving and protective of their calves—they even take turns babysitting for each other! And despite their size, cows have been known to jump fences to search for lost calves."

4. This not-so-kiss-worthy fact: Female cows on dairy farms are continuously made pregnant so that they can produce milk for us, even though their babies are the ones who need their mama's milk. So if you think about it, we are stealing milk from a baby. There's something so wrong about that picture...

5. Loving your cheese or ice cream is actually an addiction, folks, much like being addicted to caffeine or alcohol. Don't believe me? Pick up a copy of Skinny Bitch (or Skinny Bastard) and learn more for yourself.

6. Coconut BlissPurely Decadent Coconut Milk Ice Cream, and all the other deeeeelicious vegan ice creams out there on the market.

7. Speaking of coconuts, homemade coconut milk whipped cream with a little vanilla extract mixed in. On top of vegan pumpkin pie. Pure joy.

8.  Dairy, like all animal-based foods, is filled with heart-clogging cholesterol. Yuck!

9. You know what's not filled with heart-clogging cholesterol? Soy Milk, Almond Milk, Rice Milk, Hemp Milk. Even Hazelnut Milk!

Photo courtesy of Compassionate Cooks
10. “The very saddest sound in all my memory was burned into my awareness at age five on my uncle’s dairy farm in Wisconsin. A cow had given birth to a beautiful male calf… On the second day after birth, my uncle took the calf from the mother and placed him in the veal pen in the barn—only ten yards away, in plain view of his mother. The mother cow could see her infant, smell him, hear him, but could not touch him, comfort him, or nurse him. The heartrending bellows that she poured forth—minute after minute, hour after hour, for five long days—were excruciating to listen to. They are the most poignant and painful auditory memories I carry in my brain.” - Michael Klaper M.D 

 11. We're the only species on Earth who continues consuming milk past being a baby and from another species. Crazy, but true - and definitely not necessary!

12. You CAN live a life of joy without cow's - or goat's, or any other animal's - milk! This blog is living proof of that.

13. This kick-butt list of plant foods that contain mucho amounts of calcium:

Almonds!
Collard Greens!
Rhubarb!
Spinach!
Figs!
Sesame Seeds!
Tofu!
Kale! 
Fortified non-dairy milk!
The list goes on and on...

Need more convincing? Click here to check out more calcium-dense plant foods.

14. Once you kick dairy to the curb, your taste buds will come alive. Which means even brussel sprouts will taste yummy!

Photo courtesy of Moo Pig Blog
15. When you tell people you love animals, you can really mean it now.  

Okay friends - I know how difficult a process eliminating dairy from your diet can be. But it is possible. I've done it, many of my friends and family have done it, celebrities have done it, doctors have done it, athletes too - the list goes on. So you - yes, YOU! - can do it too. Chooseveg.com is a great place to start your journey. And of course, you can always email me if you feel really stuck. Now, get going on your dairy-free journey, and celebrate this awesome, empowering change!

Comments

Myra Wolf said…
Any oldie you have is priceless... Having had this...so is your cooking :) ever and ever, xo
chelsea said…
Man, I remember when I was addicted to cheese. I would go to the Whole Foods and circle the cheese area and pouncing on any cheese samples. I would shamefully grab handfuls of cheese and scurry away, only to come back for more. My excuse was that I was poor (cheese is so expensive!) and hungry, but I now see how addicted I was. Great to see that as a point on this list.
jana said…
i <3 the pictures you have posted on this blog post, Lindsey. I was able to visit Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York in July - it made me soooo thankful to be cheese free. I enjoy the coconut milk ice cream, vegan rice slices and vegan amy's pizza. Love daiya. Love this post! <3
jana said…
i should say dairy free, not cheese free. that was the one thing about leaving vegetarianism behind that was so hard. I was a mouse! lol.
CurlyLocks said…
I loved this blog entry the first time, and I still love it!
Jessica said…
Fantastic post :-)
Unknown said…
love your post! It's hard to break from cheese because all of my meat eating relatives and friends assume the only thing I eat is cheese so granted there is always a cheese version of whatever dish the hosts are fixing. :( Ineed to substitute the cheese with something else.......
Molly said…
great post! i thought it was going to be difficult to kick the dairy habit. but there were too many good reasons to do so...and lots of great vegan substitutes!
Unknown said…
I just found your blog, and I'm so happy I did!
Sarah Creighton said…
LOVE this post, oldie or not!!! I am passing this on to friends/family members who need to read this!
Thanks for sharing.
Sarah
Veggie Kids
Lindsay Wolf said…
This is exactly why I reposted it. Thank you so much for your support and generous comments! I'm thrilled to have you all in the KMIV family! xo