Quote

"Certainly, if the entire world decided to become vegan tomorrow, a whole host of the world's problems would disappear overnight. Climate change would decrease by 25 percent, deforestation would cease, rainforests would be preserved, our water- and air-quality would increase, life-expectancy rates would increase, and our rates of cancer would plummet, so certainly, with that one action of becoming vegan you are quite effectively making the world a better place."
-Moby, VegNews interview

A Great Find

Today I wanted to share with you my favorite store-bought bread.

I do most of my grocery shopping at Sunflower Market and Trader Joe's. No matter where I shop, though, I need to be an expert label reader... and a loaf of bread is certainly no exception! A lot of bread contains milk, whey (milk product), and/or honey.

My favorite vegan bread actually comes from Safeway! It's labeled "Seven Grain Deli Style Sliced Bread", it only costs $2.69, and if you can find it fresh out of the bakery (?)... it's gonna be a GOOD day.

The Loving Hut

Did you know there is a GREAT new vegan restaurant in town? The Loving Hut, located at 35th Avenue and Union Hills (on 35th, SW corner of intersection). How nice to NOT have to drive to Scottsdale or Tempe for quality vegan fare!

Their entire menu is totally vegan, and they even offer great drinks and desserts. :-) Stop by when you can, they are open every day (11-3 for lunch, and 5-9 for dinner) and bring a friend!

Let's support businesses that share our priorities of health, environmentalism, and compassion.

Quote

"This is the quintessence of wisdom: not to injure any living being."
–Mahavira

Fish is not a Vegetable.

From my gal Jenny I....

Q: What do you call a vegetarian who eats fish?
A: A hypocrite.

You're so right, my friend. And I know this has a little sting to all you sushi-lovers... but don't worry! We veg*ns really DO appreciate you cutting red meat and poultry from your diet. That's a big step! Just please, do us a favor and stop calling yourself a vegetarian.

Fish is not a vegetable!

Easy Stir Fry...

Fresh Red Bell Pepper
Canned Pineapple
Frozen Broccoli

...and that's it! This is a favorite flavor combination of mine. Just throw in a frying pan with a small amount of oil and Bragg's (or soy sauce); broccoli first-so you don't overcook the pepper. Serve over brown rice and garnish with garlic gomashio.

Quick, Yummy, and Quick. And who doesn't like quick?

Quote

"The superiority of the diet I recommend is established beyond the possibility of debate."
–Dr. William A. Alcott, The Vegetable Diet: As Sanctioned by Medical Men and by Experience in All Ages

Read This Book

VEGAN FREAK

Being Vegan In A Non-Vegan World
(Bob Torres and Jenna Torres)

-how to easily go vegan in three weeks or less
-the arguments for ethical veganism
-how to get along with family, friends, and others (including other vegetarians)
-tons of practical tips for traveling, shopping, and living as a vegan
-tips for surviving the grocery store, restaurants, and dinners with omnivores
-how to respond when people ask you if you "like, live on apples and twigs"

Only 150 pages; a quick read. Well worth the $14.95. I love this book!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Freak-Being-Non-Vegan-World/dp/1604860154/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250719065&sr=8-1

Recipe!

Punk Rock Gravy

...from the pages of -Vegan with a Vengeance- (Moskowitz)

I admit it; I have Autumn Fever! While I refuse to complain about something I cannot change (Arizona summer), I have found myself hallucinating about cooler weather as of late. I blame this ailment for my recent visions of comfort food. I thought it best to air the malady and share my daydreams of Thanksgiving grandeur.

"Veg*n Thanksgiving?" you ask.

"YES!" I reply. Nearly three years ago I created my first vegan Thanksgiving feast... a great success, if I do say so myself. What do I think was the secret? Punk Rock Gravy!!!

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
approx. 2 & 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 med. onion, quartered and thinly sliced
2 tsp. mustard seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained, OR 1 (16oz) can, drained & rinsed
2 pinches ground cumin
2 pinches paprika
pinch dried rosemary
pinch dried thyme
pinch dried oregano
pinch ground coriander
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Mix the flour with 2 cups of water until the flour is mostly dissolved.

Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Add the olive oil and let heat for 20 seconds or so. Add the onions and mustard seeds; cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are browned and the mustard seeds are toasted. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes more. Add the chickpeas; use a potato masher to mash them--you don't want to mash them into a paste, just make sure each one is broken up although if there are a few whole ones left that is okay. Add the herbs and spices, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits of onion.

Lower heat and pour the flour mixture into the pan. Stir constantly until a thick gravy forms. Stir in the nutritional yeast. If it looks too thick and pasty, add more water and mix well. It may look like it doesn't want any more water added to it, but just keep mixing and it will loosen up.

Keep warm until ready to serve. Makes about 3 cups. And most importantly, don't wait until November to make this!!!

ps. soy milk makes GREAT mashed potatoes. :-)

Quote

"Recently, while I was in the street, my eye was caught by a poulterer's shop; I stared unthinkingly at his piled-up wares, neatly and appetizingly laid out, when I became aware of a man at the side busily plucking a hen, while another man was just putting his hand in a cage, where he seized a live hen and tore its head off. The hideous scream of the animal, and the pitiful, weaker sounds of complaint that it made while being overpowered transfixed my soul with horror. Ever since then I have been unable to rid myself of this impression, although I had experienced it often before."
-Richard Wagner (pronounced "vag-ner", German opera composer), On Selected Letters of Richard Wagner

Beer & Fries...

...are vegan, so why do I feel so crappy today?

Well, friends; let's clarify. If you've made the veg*n switch, you have undoubtedly made a transition toward a healthier diet. However, just because something is vegan, doesn't mean it's good for you. Or, in my case, there CAN be too much of a good thing.

Last night I went out for a beer with a friend after my last class. When it became obvious that we need to properly catch up, we knew that calories must be added to the mix! I think the Sweet Potato Fries were my only option on the menu, so we got a giant plate.

90 minutes and a LOT of sweet potato fries later (and only 1 Corona, btw), I went home with no desire to eat the remainder of my lentil soup. I was certainly full, but not necessarily fulfilled...

This morning I woke up and just felt AWFUL. I thought, "Can this be a hangover? Certainly not, after having only one..." But could it be the combination of a beer with only greasy fries and a touch of ketchup? My guess is YES. Grr.

One of the BEST (and most obvious) things about a vegan diet is how quickly the body rids itself of toxins, and how it just keeps wanting the good stuff! It tells me when I'm not eating enough vegetables or drinking enough water. And it reminds me to take care of myself when I stop paying attention.

Oh, the healthy body. What a good friend to have!

Famous Veg*ns

Weird Al Yankovic (Vegan-comedian, musician)
Wendy Malick (actress)
Wendy O'Williams (musician)
Willem Dafoe (actor)
William Blake (writer)
William Clay Ford, Jr. (CEO of Ford Motor co.)
Wolfgang Peterson (director)
Woody Harrelson (Vegan-actor, environmental activist)

Yasmin Le Bon (supermodel)

Yoko Ono (of "John & Yoko", artist)

Zach Blair (musician)
Zearle (hip hop artist, poet)
Zooey Deschanel (actress, musician)

Quote

"No chemical carcinogen is nearly so important in causing human cancer as animal protein."
–Dr. T. Colin Campbell

Recipe!

Rustic Tomato Lentil Soup

I love this soup! It's super-easy, just get the lentils cooking first, so you don't have to wait when the rest of the soup is ready. This is a big batch, and it's hearty-so you can make it for your friends... I think it will be especially good for Sunday afternoon football, come winter... Da Bears! But if you keep it all for yourself, don't worry-it's even better the next day!

And now, from the pages of -How It All Vegan- (Barnard, Kramer)...

as much garlic as you can stand, minced
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 cups vegetable stock
1-28 oz can diced tomatoes, including juice
2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup dry pasta (any short kind)
cayenne pepper (to taste)

In a large soup pot, saute garlic, onions, and carrots in oil on medium-high heat until the onions are translucent. Add the celery, stock, tomatoes, lentils, and cayenne and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until carrots are tender. Add pasta and simmer for 10 more minutes before serving. Makes 4-6 servings.

*Please note*
You can use 2 cups canned lentils instead of cooking them yourself. Also, you can replace the canned tomatoes with fresh (5-8, diced, with 1/4 C water). As for the garlic? When I made this last night I started out with 3 Tablespoons of minced, and could have used even more! Then again, I really like the garlic...

Go See "Food, Inc."

Take a friend, take a family member. Take someone that eats fast food, take someone that just eats without thinking about it. Go watch this film. It was thoughtful, scary, and even hopeful.

"Food, Inc." didn't discuss vegetarianism as a healthy alternative to the dangers (outbreaks!) associated with factory farming (in fact, I don't remember hearing the word 'vegetarian' ONCE)... but it did bring under a bright light what many people would rather keep in the dark.

The movie began with the author of "Fast Food Nation", Eric Schlosser, eating a hamburger and fries at a diner, saying how this is STILL his favorite meal... ugh. Well, at that point I realized this piece would not be about getting people to NOT eat meat. This is okay, though-because it was about people making an informed choice about the food they take in to their bodies. Most people don't know, or don't care, about what it takes to get "their" food on their plates.

I really hope this helps in changing things...

being vegan at the movies...

Today I saw "Julie and Julia", with Amy Adams and Meryl Streep. Both gave lovely performances; it was a very sweet, and touching movie overall. I give it 9 of 13 stars, if anyone is interested...

I noticed, however, my (literally) physical reaction the first time in the movie they showed the character Julie preparing a whole chicken for dinner. It occurred to me there was going to be a LOT of meat eaters in this film, and I had to tell myself to let it go and focus on the story. It was hard, admittedly, especially when they were eating chicken and duck and working with the whole bird. I kept thinking to myself, "How can these people not see this creature for what it is (was)? How can directions from a cookbook that read, 'feel the knife scraping the bone' not freak someone out?"

And the scene where Julie must prepare lobster? Holy crap. In the beginning of the scene, she's (understandably) appalled at the idea of steaming the crustaceans alive... but she can't bring herself to sticking a knife in their heads, so she ends up throwing all three in a pot of boiling water. She can't even watch herself toss these creatures to their death, but she does it, millions do. For the sake of taste.

Don't misunderstand, I watch people eat meat all the time. And I realize this movie was ABOUT cooking (French cooking, specifically), but it got me thinking about what we see in the media about vegetarianism.

Who are the vegetarians we know best from TV? The two that come to mind first for me is "Phoebe" from Friends, and "Lisa" from Six Feet Under. Phoebe was the lovable ditz; the new-age, hippie massage therapist that only occasionally mentioned her vegetarianism, until the season she had the triplets, and decided they "wanted" meat. Oh, NBC... you almost had it. Next up? Lisa was actually an intelligent character; a vegan chef. She was also pegged as "new-agey", but Lili Taylor played Lisa in a way that you felt she had made an informed decision about animial cruelty and her own health... Until, of course-she got pregnant. I remember watching the episode that she was eating meat "protein for the baby", and almost fell over from the disappointment (HBO... I love Six Feet Under-this was my only complaint; but a BIG one).

***Don't even get me started veganism and pregnancy. Of COURSE you can have a healthy pregnancy without animal products... hmm. Just had an idea for another post, but another day.***

Am I leaving out any famous Veg*n characters? Any others you can think of? Any veg*ns that aren't depicted as flakey? I'd love to hear your comments on this.

I look forward to the day that the entertainment industry can depict vegetarianism not as a character quirk, but instead as something to be admired... or even, as something NORMAL. Vegans are some of the strongest, most determined, and mindful people I know. I say we show the world!

Quote

Nothing will benefit health or increase chances of survival of life on Earth as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.
-Albert Einstein

Recipe!

BANANA PANCAKES!

-makes 2 or more servings-courtesy of How It All Vegan (Barnard/Kramer)-

On mornings that I find myself with a little more time, having guests for brunch, or just need something warm in my belly... this simple recipe always hits the spot. Sometimes I add blueberries to the batter, too. yyyyum.

1 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 & 1/4 C soy milk
1 Tbsp sweetener (I like raw cane sugar)
sliced fresh fruit (garnish)

In a large bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together. In a small bowl, mash the banana with a fork and add 1/4 cup of the "milk", mixing together until there are no lumps. Add the banana, sweetener, and remaining "milk" to the dry mix and stir together until JUST mixed. Portion our about 3/4-1 cup of batter onto a hot, non-stick pan or a lightly oiled frying pan and cover with a lid. Let sit on medium heat until the center starts to bubble and become sturdy. Flip pancake over and cook other side until golden brown. Repeat process until all the batter is gone. Garnish with fresh fruit and maple syrup.

Enjoy!

Famous Veg*ns

Uri Geller (actor, trick performer)

Valerie Harper (actress)
Valerie Kaprisky (actress)
Vanessa A. Williams (Vegan-actress, dancer)
Vanna White (actress, TV personality)
Venkatesh Prasad (Cricketer)
Victoria Moran (Vegan-author)
Ville Valo (singer)
Vincent van Gogh (Dutch Post-Impressionist artist)
Voltaire (French writer, philosopher)

Let's not kid ourselves.

There is NO SUCH THING as "compassionate killing" when it comes to eating meat.

While I will agree that there are more humane ways to treat animals when it comes to the industry, I cannot concede that any meat-eating is less than objectifying. If one was compassionate towards another living creature, they would do what they could to alleviate it's suffering.

Let's call a spade a spade. If you're "compassionate" toward animals, you don't eat meat.

For my yogi*s...

Grrrrrreat article on the vegan diet, check it out!

"www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/2285"