Veggie Cooking: Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Don't let Bertie's expression fool you, he was also impressed by the final product! (11/11/17)

Attempting to maintain a less cruel diet, I haven't eaten meat, fish or chicken since July 1. While I have also tried to reduce/eliminate products harvested from animals, by replacing animal milk with Almond for example, a satisfactory replacement for some favorites has thus far eluded me. By far the two animal-product-based meals I most miss eating are ice cream and chicken wings. With the ice cream absence addressed by a delicious banana-almond milk-peanut butter smoothie, the chicken wing "loss" is one that often aches at my gut, especially on Sundays.

After recently enjoying some baked cauliflower buffalo wings at a local vegetarian eatery, I sought to duplicate the epicurean experience at home. Fortunately an easy to prepare recipe for Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings online at Gimmedelicious.com was quickly found, and after carrying it around on my cell phone for a month, my tummy prompted me to action. On this wintry November afternoon, Bertie, our English Springer Spaniel puppy, and I set about making our first batch.

I am an unremarkable cook, choosing rather a clichéd path of learned helplessness when it comes to the kitchen. Even with this culinary handicap, I found this recipe remarkably easy to prepare, in addition to being incredibly rewarding. That the sauce consisted of two favorite ingredients (butter and Red Hot) was a bonus.

A key ingredient: classic Frank's Red Hot! (11/11/17)

Baked once in batter for 20 minutes. (11/11/17)

At this point Bertie had other plans. (11/11/17)

Twenty more minutes after being drizzled with buttery Frank's. (11/11/17)

Plated and ready to SLAY! (11/11/17)

The final product proved an excellent gustatory eexperience. Though too spicy for milady, my stepson and I quickly gobbled down the order of "wings" with a side of dressing. The crispiness of the twice-baked flowerets was solid and the overall flavor VERY reminiscent of the far less fowl-friendly original on which it is based. I am excited to have discovered, and actually tried, a recipe from GimmeeDelicious and look forward to attempting another cauliflower recipe, the Sticky Honey Sriracha Cauliflower “Wings” in the very near future!

Summer Reading: Eat & Run

As much as I enjoy a good western or sci-fi novel, the genre I most enjoy hunkering down with is non-fiction. Especially if the book's topic is one about which I am passionate about, and Eat and Run by Scott Jurek with Steve Friedman, is that and more. Equal parts autobiography, running advice book, diet/nutrition treatise and inspirational story, Eat and Run is a book I have returned to quite bit over the past few months (at one point tweeting out its cover on a bus ride to a high school track meet that met with resounding support from some of my son's collegiate teammates), and with my own return to plodding, found myself once again engaging it early this week with a fervor that found me reading straight through the final 120 pages in three sittings.

As suggested by the book's subtitle, Eat and Run is written as a narrative explaining "My [Jurek's] Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathoning Greatness." Though I am went into it with a knowledge of Jurek's feats and backstory as a result of having read numerous articles and interviews with him in running magazines, he is probably most recognizable to the non-runner as one of the characters in Christopher McDougall's uber-successful Born to Run. Jurek does briefly revisit the events of that novel, while telling of his success in the world of ultramarathoning.

As one who doesn't "believe in secrets"(Eat and Run, 155) when it comes to training, Jurek also imparts on the reader a variety of practical recipes, dietary experiences and insights garnered from his personal experiences as a champion athlete in one of the most grueling ports imaginable. For those who have never run an ultramarathon, Jurek also offers detailed descriptions as to the impact on the body during the course of such a  race in a manner that clearly paints for the reader an image of the pain and glory. "my hypothalamus was pumping antitdiuretic hormones, which told my kidneys to mitigate fluid loss by concentrating my urine. ... without enough water, dehydration would thicken my blood." (97).

At the heart of the novel, and Jurek's story to this point in his life, is his relationships with his father, mother and the sport he continues to love. Two attributes further elevate its potential for enjoyment: the inclusion of accessible vegetarina recipes which the reader is invited to try and the multiple book titles and authors Jurek references as influential that are sprinkled throughout. I found myself frequently dog-earring recipe pages (which, along with basic running advice, conclude each chapter), and starring margins that include potential future reading materiel.

After finishing Eat and Run while waiting to board a flight to visit a high school friend, it was clear why my son's teammates were so enamored with Jurek memoir/handbook: he clearly and sincerely speaks to the nascent mystic-philosopher that lies in most distance runners, even those (like myself) who enjoy the practice of reading and recollecting about races more than competing in them myself. I highly recommend this book to athletes (runner and non-runner alike), as well as those searching for some meaning in their physical activities, and look forward to sharing my copy with others.

Re-Reading Thru Epicurean Phantom Pains

Last Thursday, as class was ending just before lunch, I commented to some of my students idling by the doorway that I was hungry. One student asked if I was going to have pepperoni pizza for lunch (it was "Pizza Day" after all), then quickly corrected himself with an "Oh, that's right, you don't eat meat."  I don't preach nor reveal this to students in some grand display, but occasionally we'll talk food and the subject has come up.

The student followed his comment up with a common question, "Why are you a vegetarian? Why don't you eat meat?" I told him that it was in part due to a book I had read early last summer. "I hope I never read that book," he said as he walked into the hallway to the cafeteria.

Cue time travel noise here, to a "review" I posted last July regarding my recently having read Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals...

Jonathan Safran Foer is an author who came to prominence for his fictional works, both of which were made into slightly (Everything is Illuminated) and terribly (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) inferior films by the same names. His third book, however, was a piece of non-fiction, that, despite being on my bookshelf in hardcover since its release in 2009, I had not quite taken the opportunity to read through its completion. Until this past week.

Simply put, Eating Animals is the synthesis of Foer's personal research, interviews, reflections and thoughts regarding what it means to be a "meat eater." Taking a wide view approach to "meat," Foer considers the production of poultry, seafood, and red meat in his exploration of the personal, environmental and spiritual impacts on a diet that results from such a significant degree of cruelty.

How one "feels" about what Foer has to say is likely (and unfortunately) dependent on what personal biases or Epicurean practices the reader brings to the table. As one who both loves a good conspiracy theory and has a healthy distrust of regulatory commissions, I appreciated the attempt at being objective via efforts to engage all parties in conversation. Of, course, some groups just don't want to talk, especially to an author likely viewed as a "radical" liberal.

Page 43.

I've researched two reviews, one from each end of the spectrum, which taken as a whole offer a fairly complete consideration of the books content. The first is "Flesh of Your Flesh" by Elizabth Kolbert which was previously published in The New Yorker Magazine ,and secondly, The New York Times' Michiko Kakutani's review "You Know that Chicken is Chicken, Right?"

There are enough interesting things going on with the structure and rhetorical strategies to make this book equally valuable for an analysis of its composition. Foer employs some of the same creative structural touches which were seen in Extremely Loud; first person narratives presented in the voice of the interviewees each of whom offers a first person perspective on their role in the "food chain" ("I am a Vegetarian Rancher," pages 205-219) and engaging graphics employed to offer subtle insight into otherwise potentially forgotten statistics (for example, pages 11-121, and 43, to the right). Foer also includes an extensive "Notes" section to lend creditability to his research and interviews ( pages 271-331).

Foer shows some restraint by avoiding the obvious route with works of this nature--presenting pictures from the kill floor or abused animals on their way to being "processed." The author chooses instead to let his words, and those of his interviewees, paint descriptively the horrors seen and personal conflicts faced as members of this cycle of food production.

Personal beliefs notwithstanding, I found Eating Animals to be remarkably accessible. Where some authors use the vocabulary of the industry without recognition of their readers awareness of the meaning, Foer writes as he seems to think--as an outsider seeking to understand.

... and we're back in the present.

Occasionally I struggle with my dietary choice to avoid eating any animal meat (chicken, fish, beef, pork), not because I necessarily miss the taste of the food, but primarily because it is so much easier to each those things. There is also a level of comfort I used to enjoy with burying my frustrations in a dozen chicken wings. But, despite a twinge of Epicurean phantom pains, I stay resolute to my commitment  and continue to ween myself from other animal products, such as dairy creamer and milk.

From time to time I also pick up Foer's book for a little reminder as to why I eat what I do... and don't.

Hobo Cookin': Chick Pea Salad

The hobbins are in order, now, lets' get to making that dry combo!

Rather than "calling in" vittles from some "bull cook," appearing a "dino" or "dynamiter", "catting in" on another's camp or eating "bullets," I've elected to take the path of a connoisseur "chronicker" and put my tools to use. The easiest way to make this happen is to "shackle- up" a "dry combo," that way, only a "gunboat" or "tomato can" is necessary at worst--no "sizzler" required. Being that I'm a vegetarian, not  a "belly robber," as some would suggest, I'll have no need for "block scrapings" just easy recipes and basic "hoppins". That is the plan at any rate.

Said without the hobo slang courtesy of the Original Hobo Nickel Society's "Dictionary of Old Hobo Slang", once again I'm trying my hand at cooking more around the house. Of course, as my skills are pretty limited (or at the very least deteriorated), I am also starting small. How small? Can-of-chick-peas-label-recipe small!

As a vegetarian, my diet is chock full of legumes. In any week I consume between 2-3 cans of Goya Chick Peas, not including hummus. This meaty little legume goes with nearly anything from salad to soup to (as I most often eat them) simply dumped from the can, rinsed and served in a cereal bowl.

During various Epicurean explorations I've sampled and enjoyed a number of Indian and Greek dishes which include the chick pea as a key ingredient, but, other than as additions to traditional leafy salads, have failed to develop a broader repertoire of use. While not exactly creative or daring, I resolved this week to expand my chick pea palette but making the Chick Pea Salad which has frequently appeared in the cans of my preferred brand of garbanzo beans, Goya.

Look at me: I CAN chop up red bell pepper, cucumber and red onion all by myself!

Add some garlic powder, oregano, balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and...

Presto--Chick Pea Salad!

Though the completed recipe was meant to serve six(!), it only served one, moi. But it did so three times, and served as a main lunch dish served on a bed of greens the first and second times around. Easily packed into two separate Tupperware type containers, and transported in my official Green Lantern lunch bag, it was a very filling and tasty meal. The flavor was tad bland immediately after preparing, but after adding the recommended "Salt and pepper to taste," it was a pleasant meal (and snack).

 As teased on the label there are indeed more Goya recipes available online, and many of them appear to be as easy to prepare as the Chick Pea Salad.

Going Ground Beef-less?

Pasta? Yes. Tomato sauce? Yes. Grated cheese? Yes. Ground beef? Not quite...

Reading and writing can promote change. Sometimes it can motivate change on an historic scale such as the writing (and subsequent reading) of the United States Declaration of Independence. On an individual level, the influence of carefully read (and digested) information at the right time by the right person can also serve to influence the decisions we make. Two months ago, I read Eating Animals by Jonathan Safron Foer, and despite my having seen films and read other sources regarding the topic, for whatever reason I felt more committed to reducing eliminating severely the amount of animal product in my diet.


Despite having been, at different points in my life, been a faux-vegetarian avoiding red meat (including the other white meat, pork) and chicken, it has always been a relatively short-lived experience. Following completion of Foer's book, however, I have taken it a bit further, attempting to eliminate all animal products such as fish, chicken, red meat, and milk. (Cheese is a very tough one for me!)

Following a period of simply adjusting my current meals by taking out at clearly animal products such as tuna fish, ground beef, and milk, I have begun looking for analogs or substitutes to add back in that might simulate the taste and (more importantly) fill me up in such a way that meals are more substantial. While I recognize the better way to go would be to move towards a whole foods/raw diet approach, I still feel the desire to taste (on some textural level) that which can be best described as "meaty."

Like many folks, I have taken advantage of some opportunities to sample meat analogs such as grain burgers, black bean burgers, even broccoli burgers, but my affair with meat substitutes has not gone too far beyond. A few days ago at the supermarket I bought a bag of BOCA Meatless Ground Crumbles with he intention of sample some possibilities for future meals. Nothing fancy, I assure you. I started by introducing a small portion of the crumbles to a jar of tomato sauce in an effort to make that bachelor classic (which I am not, but my cooking skills are not that much greater), pasta with ground beef sauce.


It looks real (sort of), but does it taste like "real" ground beef?

So, how was it? On immediate benefit to the analog was it's attempt to look aesthetically like real ground beef. The commonalities often fade once one goes deeper though. After preparing about 3/4 of a pound of pasta (some for now and some for lunches later in the week), and smothering a plateful (above), I sat down to eat and was surprised to find that it was pretty good despite the texture being chewier than ground beef. Much like my past experiences with chicken analogs, it was also slightly stringy (the best I can come up with to describe it) than traditional ground beef, though I've had similar experiences with beef of the "organic" nature.

If the purpose of eating meatless is to ultimately improve one's health, then a better alternative would be BOCA's Ground Crumbles Made with Natural Ingredients. The fact that the "regular" ground crumbles include artificial flavors and preservatives was a risk I was willing to take in the interest of moving toward a meatless diet. There are, however, better, cleaner, options out there. Until digging around BOCAs website I was unaware that there was a natural alternative as the local grocery stores stock only those BOCA items in the distinctive red packaging. It would seem that I quick trip to the local co-op is in order as I would be more likely to find that item there.

I am confident this transition to a meatless diet will stick, but a key contributor to that possibility will be to continue looking for diversity in the edible options available...

'Nuff Read: Eating Animals

Jonathan Safran Foer is an author who came to prominence for his fictional works, both of which were made into slightly (Everything is Illuminated) and terribly (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) inferior films by the same names. His third book, however, was a piece of non-fiction, that, despite being on my bookshelf in hardcover since its release in 2009, I had not quite taken the opportunity to read through its completion. Until this past week.

Simply put, Eating Animals is the synthesis of Foer's personal research, interviews, reflections and thoughts regarding what it means to be a "meat eater." Taking a wide view approach to "meat," Foer considers the production of poultry, seafood, and red meat in his exploration of the personal, environmental and spiritual impacts on a diet that results from such a significant degree of cruelty.

How one "feels" about what Foer has to say is likely (and unfortunately) dependent on what personal biases or Epicurean practices the reader brings to the table. As one who both loves a good conspiracy theory and has a healthy distrust of regulatory commissions, I appreciated the attempt at being objective via efforts to engage all parties in conversation. Of, course, some groups just don't want to talk, especially to an author likely viewed as a "radical" liberal.

Page 43.

I've researched two reviews, one from each end of the spectrum, which taken as a whole offer a fairly complete consideration of the books content. The first is "Flesh of Your Flesh" by Elizabth Kolbert which was previously published in The New Yorker Magazine ,and secondly, The New York Times' Michiko Kakutani's review "You Know that Chicken is Chicken, Right?"

There are enough interesting things going on with the structure and rhetorical strategies to make this book equally valuable for an analysis of its composition. Foer employs some of the same creative structural touches which were seen in Extremely Loud; first person narratives presented in the voice of the interviewees each of whom offers a first person perspective on their role in the "food chain" ("I am a Vegetarian Rancher," pages 205-219) and engaging graphics employed to offer subtle insight into otherwise potentially forgotten statistics (for example, pages 11-121, and 43, to the right). Foer also includes an extensive "Notes" section to lend creditability to his research and interviews ( pages 271-331).

Foer shows some restraint by avoiding the obvious route with works of this nature--presenting pictures from the kill floor or abused animals on their way to being "processed." The author chooses instead to let his words, and those of his interviewees, paint descriptively the horrors seen and personal conflicts faced as members of this cycle of food production.

Personal beliefs notwithstanding, I found Eating Animals to be remarkably accessible. Where some authors use the vocabulary of the industry without recognition of their readers awareness of the meaning, Foer writes as he seems to think--as an outsider seeking to understand.

Adventures in Cooking: Summertime Succotash

The rare swanky cookbook recipe without esoteric ingredients!
It has been quite a while since I have cracked open a cookbook, but back "in-the-day" (about six months ago) when I had time to do so, I had been enjoying working through a number of recipes from Alica "Batgirl" Silverstone's vegetarian cook book, The Kind Diet.

With my lovely wife out of town for the day, I set out to first return our empty cans and bottles to the redemption center and then to collect together the ingredients for Summertime Succotash (page 169). I also planned on preparing a second recipe from the book, Hot Rice with Cold Lemon, Basil, and Tomato (page 151), as a simple complimentary dish.

I am slowly becoming the master of this stove top technique--
I'm a big fan of the bright, popping colors in the pan!

The Summer Succotash is ready to be sent to the refrigerator to chill...

...Until being served hours later with a side of Hot Rice--MMMM!
Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Taste Test: Morningstar Hickory BBQ Riblets

Surprisingly, these actually do look very much like the "example"
on the box; the taste however...
I went to the supermarket yesterday to pick up a few things and to attempt to find a way to satiate my desire for the texture of meat, something I have not eaten (in addition to fowl, seafood or other animals) in nearly four months.

While my previous efforts have been marginally successful, I continue to enjoy trying new brands and "molds" (let's be honest, most of these "different" foods all seem to consist of pretty much the same soy or grain ingredients just with varying molds--you know, pick a shape: nuggest, pattie, riblet...)

So, while I purchased the artificial-food-item-in question last evening, I waited until after work today to give it a shot. This afternoon's sampler was the Morningstar Hickory BBQ Riblet. As one can easily see in comparing the live-action shot at the top of the post with the packaging, the end product (after four minutes in the microwave) looks almost exactly like as the box promises it will. Unfortunately, they taste very much like they do when they first come out of the box...

Looks good, right?
The "Hickory" sauce is tasty, but the riblets themselves are rather unsavory... in fact, they taste pretty much like very other Morningstar burger I have samples in the past. So, in the final analysis, I will likely choke down the second riblet, I doubt I will be returning for "thirds."

And the vegetarian journey continues... now for some garbanzo beans with light dressing--a much more satisfying snack!

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Taste Test: Boca Breakfast Links

If they look like sausage links, does it necessarily
mean that they should taste like them, too?
I have been very steady in maintaining a meatless diet for more than 30 days now, and though I have found a groove of sorts, I continue to try different "fake foods," or analogs, in an effort to satiate my occasional desire for the chewy, consistency of meat. This holy grail of healthy eaten has proven to be an elusive prize. This this morning's "shot in the dark" is BOCA Meatless Breakfast Links, a popular soy meat-alternative.

Though requiring less flavor-coverage than the previously sampled Yves Veggie Cuisine "meatless ham," the overall taste of the product definitely benefited from a helpful side of catsup. The overall flavor was not poor (and I've learned it is unfair to compare it one way or another to my recollection of any previously consumed "real" sausages), and I found that the texture was similar enough that it was almost pleasant to eat.

If an important aspect of "eat-ability" is a food item's visual presentation, then the BOCA links also score points for looking (as you can see from the image above) exactly like a traditional sausage link. All-in-all, the overall experience was slightly-above satisfactory and I look forward to the possibility of a meatless breakfast sandwich in the future.

Embrace your invincible summer!

Shame Regret with Apologies to Babe

Run: 4.9 miles in 36:51 min. @ 4:45 a.m.
Weather: Clear, 60°F, 90% Humidity, Wind: NNW @ 7 mph; feels like 60°F.
Pace: 7:31 min/mile
Course: A short, standard loop around my neighborhood.

Last evening I went with my stepson and wife to our relatives for dinner. If you'll recall, I have been eating a meat free diet for almost three weeks now, something I chose to do for a number of reasons, the least of which was not the fact that it made me feel somehow "healthier." (Though, both my wife, stepson and I have all eaten little red meat at various points in our lives--at times more stringently than others.)

Our relatives, however, were unaware of my recent choice in eating habits, (and apparently didn't realize I was coming anyway) and kindly made a dinner fr us consisting of grilled vegetables (potatoes, carrots, onions), sauteed asparagus's and... pork tenderloin.

Given the title of this post you can probably guess what I did--that is to say, I did have roughly one serving of pork, not because I was starving, but because I was trying to be respectful to my family who had prepared the meal. While running this morning, I felt a little guilty about it--"shame" is much too strong a word. As I sit here now, reflecting on both events, I am putting it behind me, as wearing some sort of psychological "hairshirt" will do little good. I will, however, recommit to my conviction and in the future, should I find myself torn, I will minimally offer up a "prayer," or gatha, to the table for the sacrifice apparent there in our meal:

In this food,
I see clearly the presence
of the entire universe
supporting my existence.

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

The Training Week That Was... 6/8-6/14

With no computer/Internet access of late, I have been spending more time preapring and training. Only three more weeks until the the Finger Lakes Fifties and I'm feeling more and more confident of my ability to finish with each passing day of training (even though I've passed a few days without training!).

Here is what took place this past week with my training:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 4.9 miles @ 7:50 min/mile pace
Wednesday: Rest--Missed Training Day!
Thursday: 9.6 miles @ 7:40 min/mile pace
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 20.7 miles @ 8:24 min/mile pace
Sunday: 9.6 miles @ 7:57 min/mile pace

TOTAL MILEAGE: R 44.8 miles (-6.2 miles from the previous week)
Weigh-In*: 185.0 lbs. (-2 lbs.) [* @ 5:30 a.m. on 6/15/09]

It has been about three weeks since, following a steady weening off period, I stopped eating read meat and chicken (currently, I am still enjoying tuna fish) and I feel great. Oddly, I feel as though I eating more food, just healthier food. I've also increased my intake of healthy nuts (cashews, almonds, etc.) and begun eating a protein bar every few days and after runs.

Thus far, my body (and especially my legs) feels wonderful!

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Present Moment, Meaningful Meal

I struggle with my choice not to eat red meat. Occassionally, I'll think about "backsliding" into my red meat eating ways.

Once, it was suggested to me the idea of "mindful eating." This suggested reminded me of a slim volume I had read in college, Present Moment, Wonderful Moment: Mindfulness Verses for Daily Living by author Thich Nhat Hanh. Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist Monk who has also done some writing around a variety of topics inlcuding mindful living, as well as, the similarities between Buddha and Jesus.

In Present Moment, Hanh offers some suggestions for increasing mindfulness in eating, including the following short gatha, or "mindfulness verse":

In this food,
I see clearly the presence
of the entire universe
supporting my existence.

I often think about reconciling the conflict inherent in moving towards a vegetarian diet and the possibility of eating tuna fish. Once suggestion has been to celebrate the inherent communal nature of ingesting the food in a way that recognizes the contributions of the being to be eaten, as well as, the individual eating.

I seem to remember in my Catholic upbringing, opportunities for giving thanks prior to eating not just to my Higher Power, but also to those creatures that "gave" to the meal I was about to eat. Now, while this may seem a bit esoteric but (stay with me), when one chooses to eat something for which another thing has given of itself, is it not appropriate to celebrate that beings contribution?

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Dinnertime for Gracie

One of my best friends is our family dog, Gracie. She is a pure bred English Springer Spaniel and has been with us for almost two years. Anne and I brought her home when she was four months old, obtaining her from a breeder in Ottawa, Canada. Like most folks who do not discover the wonders of dog friendship until after thirty, I used to dread the dog hair and slobbering that I observed in others' pets. Now it is just another reality of daily life (although I must admit, it can get a little tiring sweeping up Gracie's hair from the stairway four times weekly!) Originally we had thought about competing with Gracie in conformation shows, as all of our lives became busier and busier that goal became less and less likely.

I mention Gracie because, as a responsible owner, I walk the dog at least once daily and feed her dinner each evening. To this point, I have given her Adult Iams dry food. But now, I have a problem. Some of my online research of dog food has led me to the PETA website.

The testing that Iams does on cats and dogs in the interest of testing their foods, specifically the treatment of these testing animals, is being called into question. The PETA campaign revolves around a boycott of Iams products by many of the stakeholders in the pet food business. As reported on the PETA run website IamsCruelty.com:

Showing a groundswell of support for the boycott of Iams products, over 100 animal shelters, veterinarians, and companion-animal supply stores have severed their ties with Iams.

The 96 shelters, 34 veterinary clinics, and 36 retail stores across the United States, Canada, and Australia are joining PETA’s boycott of Iams products because Iams confines animals to cages to conduct cruel laboratory tests on them.

While giant retailers and wealthy groups like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) have decided to profit from Iams’ abuse of animals, these shelters, vet clinics, and stores are refusing to benefit from cruelty to animals. They are insisting that Iams end its laboratory tests on animals and instead rely on humane feeding tests conducted in homes and in veterinary offices using animals volunteered by their guardians.

Further research indicates that this is only one of many practices employed by Iams in testing food that is cruel and inhumane to animals, not just cats and dogs. Given this information, Anne and I have a decision to make: Are there other safe, nutritious pet foods we can buy for Gracie that have not been tested on animals through cruel and inhumane ways? While I accept the need for strategic animal testing, I believe there is a way to do this under conditions that allow the animal to live a dignified life free of unnecessary prolonged pain.

At this point there is about four days worth of "Gracie's food" left. During this time we will make an informed decision regarding what we should and could feed Gracie, to honor our committment to feeding her healthy foods, as well as continuing to live in a way which is respectful of all animal life.

If you have any suggestions, please share them.