There's a reason we have canines...

Listening to meat-eaters justify eating meat is funny to me, because they use all the same arguments I used to. I also know there is no sense in arguing with them or trying to enlighten them, because they just won't have it.


I grew up eating massive amounts of meat. My dad is from Texas, my mom is from Indiana. It was meat and potatoes all the way. My dad is the grill master...it was always steak, ribs, prime rib, and home-made beef jerky. Oh, and bratwurst. We lived in Germany for three years and I became addicted to bratwurst. To this day, if I had to say there were anything I even REMOTELY missed about eating meat, it would be home-made beef jerky and bratwurst. Luckily I found a replacement for one of those.


Back to the canines though. To that I say: what canines?? It only takes a little intuitive logic to realize that the canines of humans are grossly underdeveloped in comparison to that of carnivores. Hell, they're underdeveloped in comparison to those of our closest DNA relatives, chimpanzees.





Tell me those are not some SERIOUS canines. Yet the chimpanzee's diet is 99% plant-based.

Although omnivorous, its diet is mainly vegetarian, consisting of fruits, leaves, nuts, seeds, tubers, and other miscellaneous vegetation, supplemented by insects and small prey. There are also instances of organized hunting; in some cases, such as the killing of Leopard cubs, this primarily seems to be a protective effort, since the Leopard is the main natural predator of the Common Chimpanzee. (source)

And the "meat" they do eat consists of insects and probably lizards. I am not a proponent of a 100% vegan diet. When I met David Wolfe a couple years ago at a retreat, he really enforced this idea. It's unnatural. No animal in nature is vegan...they will inadvertently eat insects when they are eating wild plants. Does that mean I'm going to go around eating bugs like David Wolfe does? Hell no. He be crazy; brilliant, but kinda crazy. I do include bee products in my diet though, because the benefits of bee pollen are so enormous, and as David Wolfe says in Eating for Beauty, it is the most complete food on earth. Plus, I don't think the bees are mistreated when the pollen is collected...try to mistreat a bee. I think you'll be surprised at what happens.


This whole post stems from my experience with this girl I work with--who reminds me SO much of myself when I was eating meat--who teases me all the time about not eating meat. Could I tell her everything I have just written here, sources and all? Sure. Would she listen or care? Hell no. Like me, she just has to get to that point in her life when she realizes it's not doing her any favors, and that there is something better out there.


It's a gorgeous day outside, I'm going to go on a hike and for a swim :D But I'll leave you with my substitute for beef jerky. My carnivorous boyfriend asks me to make this all the time, and he always eats it all before I get to have any!


Mushroom Jerky

Portobella mushroom caps sliced appx. 1/4" thick

Marinade:

all measurements are to taste, except where noted
-Nama Shoyu

-Liquid Smoke (use very little, then taste, and add more if needed--VERY potent)

***obviously not raw, but if you don't mind cheating a little, this makes a world of difference

-Worcestershire sauce (optional, again not raw)

-Agave nectar

-Garlic powder -or- minced fresh garlic

-Onion powder -or- minced fresh onion

-Cumin

-Crushed red pepper

-Black pepper

-Chili powder -or- diced hot chiles


Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Next, you can either put the sliced mushrooms right into the marinade bowl (if you made enough marinade to cover all of it), OR, if you're like me and are stingy and don't like to waste a lot, dip each mushroom slice individually into the marinade and layer in a separate bowl. Once all your mushroom slices are dipped and in the bowl, pour remaining marinade over them. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Dehydrate for about a day. I like mine to be almost crunchy, but you can take them out earlier if you like it more chewy.