Munching muffins/ approached by Greenpeace rant

Working on Monkey-man's computer
right now, even more stranded from
all my photos and on-going work than
usual. Still haven't gotten my camera
back... tempted to just go and buy a
new one since the people that have it
are apparently never home.
Absolutely ridiculous... I am really really pissed off about the whole situation.

Another situation that got me miffed was a run in with a
Greenpeace worker. Walking into a bookshop to chill out while
Monkey-man was at work, I got flagged down by a dude with a
Greenpeace shirt. Hey, I'm not totally opposed to Greenpeace
so I stopped and chatted to hear him out. My problem with
Greenpeace though is mostly thoroughly summed up in what
how Paul Watson (The Sea Shepherd Society) described them to me...
"The Girl Scouts of activists" Yeah, basically... they're wusses
in my opinion.

I've seen them back down on important animal and environmental
issues on too many occasions. A lot of the time we need direct
action and they are not willing to walk that line.

So back to this guy. I feel pretty weird because I did end up
giving him my contact info, but not signing up for a donation.
Don't get me wrong, Greenpeace isn't BAD and I wouldn't mind
donating to the cause, BUT! There are organizations that I
would prefer donating to. Ex: one more progressive.

Also, he went off on the wrong plea with me. He started and
initially got me by invoking the need for ocean protection
and preservation. Yet, then went into how Greenpeace is
apparently setting up protected zones or something. Sounds
cool. Like protected habitats that enforce fishing bans,
to mainly ensure the total food chain balance is preserved.
So far, I'm in-- right? I believe this is what he was
selling me, which I am in no way opposed to.

Initially I though it was a sign up for our email list
(maybe donate), but this was a commitment to donating
every month a set amount. Ok, but not for an unemployed
student.

Where did he lose me? The whole time I was nodding and
throwing in agreements with his description of oceanic
destruction until after I had filled out my contact info,
but before I got to pulling out my check card.
This is where I stopped filling out--

"I love eating tuna and I want my children to continue
to enjoy eating tuna for his lifetime."

Me? "well, didn't you yourself just admit that this
damage to the ocean is a result of human ignorance and
over fishing?"

"Yes, absolutely--" (launches in to a description of
trawling and by-catch.

I cut in.
"Wouldn't it be better to just stop supporting that
industry and stop eating fish and seafood?"

Stumbling, "Yes, well.... We need to replete the ocean
reserves and... protect... We've set up reserves to
repopulate. If that's what you want to do, but."

My cheeks got hot. He obviously didn't understand or
maybe even care that a vegan diet is the first and
ultimately best step to throwing a wrench into global
environmental destruction. It was over.

So I asked about maybe volunteering instead of donating
and what you needed to do. He went on about needing
people about Sundays, I was thinking about how they
needed better spokespeople for the environment.

Oh well, not everyone is good with jumping back, holding
good ground, and thinking on their feet like that.
I think I may have caught him off guard after being
blown off by tons of people. But seriously, Girl scouts.
I will continue to support Sea Shepherd, PETA (despite the
lettuce ladys and shmeat), COK, CREDO, Compassionate Cooks,
FARM, and a few others... Not everyone has a clean record.
I do not always support Sierra Club, NRDC, WWF and the League
of Conservation Voters, but they have definitely been involved
in some nasty stuff.

The moral of the story? At least try to practice what you preach.
I've done a LOT of tabling, food demos, and leafleting.
You've got to be ready to bounce back from practically anything.
That is the worst appeal I may have ever heard.

I don't want to totally bash the org because of one individual,
and I am looking for an internship with an environmental agency
for my degree.... HA!

Alright, back in the kitchen-- I've been working on a peanut
butter trail mix muffin... Take a look!



I want to punch up the nut buttery taste, but the trail mix
strudel topping is to die for. Monkey-man said it was the
best muffin he ever tasted.
My response? I think I need to make muffins for him more often!

Not a Nut Sunflower Stew

No peanut butter for me from now on folks!

Well, at least not for a while. November 1st was international Vegan

Day. We went over to Burbank for a Vegan Roller Skating Party, which

was a blast. There were tons of vegan food vendors, a silent auction,

raffles, goodie bags, and lots of roller skating vegans.

So I left with a huge bruise on my tail bone and the winning bid for a

huge basket of sunflower seed butter (5 jars and a bunch of other stuff).

Sunbutter is pretty darn tasty-- and if you have a peanut allergy, its the

butter for you. My basket and goodie bag came with a bunch of their

little sample packs too, which I guess will be good for school lunches

but I don't like all that extra packaging that cannot be recycled.

Since I love peanut thai dishes, I absolutely had to try this out.

All the flavour and love of a traditional thai dish without the hidden

nastiness of the fish sauce. (That is something to remember kids,

whenever you eat out ANYWHERE-- thai dishes [curry, etc] will

ALWAYS have fish sauce or flakes init-- even if it is on the vegetarian

portion of a menu). You know how, even after you tell people that you

don't eat meat they still think you eat fish because some how fish

doesn't qualify as an animal (??!).

Anyway, enjoy my come back boys and girls (and monkeys)

Thai Sunbutter Stew

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1 large bell pepper, diced

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

some vegetable broth or water

1 package of firm or extra firm tofu

1 sample pack or about 2 tablespoons of sunbutter

3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce

(1 tablespoon fresh lime juice- opt)

1 tablespoon (or more) of soy sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat and add onions.

Cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent. Add garlic

and cook for one minute more. Add tomatoes, pepper, ginger and

some water or vegetable broth to assist in cooking and prevent

sticking. Cook for a few minutes more until peppers just start

to get tender. Add sunbutter, chili sauce, juice and seasoning. Stir until

all mixed and add tofu. Continue to cook until tofu is heated through

and peppers are thoroughly cooked. Serve over jasmine rice or a

super thin pasta like I did.

The pasta I used is similar to a thin angel hair, but it is packaged

in almost cake like packs at mexican markets. Super good and

satisfies every peanut craving.

Feel free to add a hot chili pepper to this recipe to add an extra

kick, I would have if I had had one...