Umm, ewww...

Via: Online Schools

Lotsa Workin', Not Much Cookin'

Whew! I've been busy lately. Consequently, I haven't been very creative in the kitchen. No new "This Week in My Kitchen" post for a while - sorry!

I have been working on a few fun little projects though, while working full-time (only for two weeks) at a real estate brokerage making sales brochures for properties I'll never be able to afford...

First, I made a new print portfolio for Kirk. Here's the cover page, based on his web site design:

Then I worked on an ad for Adrenaline. Look for it in Vancouver buses soon!

I also got to do a brochure for the Stanley Park Ecology Society's Schools programme. Here's the inside page:

Right now I'm working on a fun website and flyers for Walk 'n' Piddle Dog Walking. This is the flyer:

Lastly, here's a little goldfish illustration I did for myself. I think I'll make it into t-shirts with my new Yudu that Kirk got me for my birthday last month!

How to be a Soy-free Vegan...

My family history has a lot of endometriosis, and although I understand that it's bad, I never really knew much about it. After some recent health issues and some unpleasant testing (Ever have a hysterosalpingogram? Ugh!), I have a tentative diagnosis of endometriosis. The only way to get a confirmed diagnosis is through surgery, and I'm scheduled for a laparoscopic procedure next month. They are going to remove any errant endometrial tissue at the same time. There are other treatments besides surgery, but they negatively effect fertility, and I'm really not willing to do that. Kirk hates the idea of my having surgery, but I'm kind of happy about getting definitive answers as to what's gone wrong. Then I can make an action plan. I don't like surgery, but I really like action plans!

So in the meantime, what do I do? Being the internet research junkie that I am, I started searching. There are lots of nutritional changes I can make to help, but one really stuck out: Some studies have shown that soy foods can aggravate endometriosis because of the high levels of phytoestrogens found in soy. I've read about the whole phytoestrogen debate before, which mostly seemed alarmist and one-sided to me. But now it's different. Now I already have a health problem that I could be exacerbating through my seemingly healthy diet. Damn!

How am I supposed to follow my strict vegetarian diet, which I believe in very strongly, without consuming soy foods? It's possible, but it's just that much more difficult. I've been eating soy foods in some form or another for nearly twenty years. I love miso so much! I am at this very moment wearing a t-shirt that says "I Heart Tofu" on it for goodness sake! I guess I'll be eating a lot more beans and quinoa!

Any of you have any favourite soy-free vegan recipes or cookbooks?