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Lately, I haven’t stuck to my Friday ritual of posting vegan related news and issues, but now I’m back, so feast on this:

The Humane Way

A friend recently sent me a link to Wayne Pacelle’s blog. He is the the President and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States and is dedicated to eliminating animal cruelty. I then noticed he is featured in the latest issue of Vegetarian Times, promoting his new book, The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them.

Pacelle, a vegan since 2004, hopes that his book will help people see “the instinctive connection we have with other animals.” The book comes out April 5th and I’m excited to grab a copy of it. On his website, check out a great opportunity for you to get involved by submitting a photo featuring you and your bond with an animal. Send it in by April 4th and you could be featured on TheHumaneSociety.org and have $1,000 donated in your name to a shelter.

Moe and I not only share a bond, but usually, we share a couch, too.

Messing with Nature?


Researchers at China Agricultural University have genetically modified 200 cows to produce “breast milk.” You can read about it HERE. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised—it was bound to happen. The goal is to create the same antibodies that human milk contains and I can see it feeding children in poor countries, but could we trust it? What do you think?

Follow Me on Twitter!


Yes, I finally joined the masses and started tweeting. One thing I’ve learned is to not let the many anti-vegan tweets that pop up all the time irritate me—they just ain’t worth it! It’s been to connect with others and see what Twitterville is all about! Twitter.

“The Gods created certain kinds of beings to replenish our bodies; they are the trees and the plants and the seeds.”

-Plato

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Have You Discovered Happy Cow, Yet?


Happy Cow is a fabulous vegetarian/vegan resource to locate veg-friendly restaurants, meet other veggie-mites, recipes, and more. Join for free, set up a profile, chat, partake in forums, learn more about being a herbivore than you ever dreamed possible! When traveling, it’s a handy resource for finding veg-friendly restaurants in a new city or town. It proved helpful while I was in California and needing to find places I could eat at. Sign up for their newsletter to keep on top of veggie news, updates, and even contests and giveaways. Gotta love that!

While You’re At It . . . Visit Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine


The PCRM is a non-profit organization headed by Dr. Neal Barnard and 11 advisory board members from around the country. They are supported by subscribers to their quarterly publication, Good Medicine. The PCRM works toward finding preventative solutions through research for cancer, diabetes, and other conditions, while promoting alternatives to animal testing and other unethical testing. Encouraging a vegetarian/vegan diet, they have a great online Free download-ableVegetarian Starter Kit and lots of other literature and fact sheets. They have a great collection of articles for vegetarian/vegan information—just a click away. Check out The Veganizer, a helpful chart with suggestions on how to veganize typical meals. And be sure to read about the lawsuit the PCRM has just brought against the government for deceptive language used on the recent dietary guidelines.

In a lawsuit filed this week against the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, PCRM says the Dietary Guidelines are clear about what to eat more of—vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, for example—but deliberately hide the foods Americans should eat less of. The Guidelines use biochemical terms, such as “saturated fat” and “cholesterol” instead of specific food terms “meat” and “cheese.” This deliberate omission can be traced to the USDA’s close ties to the meat and dairy industries, including fast-food companies such as McDonald’s.

–source

A contribution of $20 or more gets you a subscription to Good Medicine which is packed full of research issues, prevention, and nutrition—a worthwhile investment.

 

“Meat consumption is just as dangerous to public health as tobacco use… It’s time we looked into holding the meat producers and fast-food outlets legally accountable.”
-Neal Barnard

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Foodies for Farmers


Lisa over at Lisa’s Food on the Move gathered a bunch of vegetarian/vegan food bloggers (including yours truly) to put together a collaborative 132-pg digital cookbook called Foodies for Farmers. All proceeds from the cookbook goes to Farm Aid which raises funds to support family run agriculture and make sure that they stay that way. For a minimum suggested donation of $10 you can download this fabulous vegetarian/vegan cookbook that is packed full of amazing recipes from my world famous party cheese ball to a raw Brazilian fig torte. This is a great way to support a worthy organization–through food! A big thank you to Lisa for putting the time, effort and love into this great cause!

 

Doctor Yourself and The Gerson Therapy

I had ordered my very own copies of The Gerson Therapy by Charlotte Gerson and Doctor Yourself by Andrew Saul, Ph.D.,  both featured in Food Matters. Gerson’s book details a nutritional program for cancer and other illnesses and has been proven to cure cancers when western/conventional treatments fail. Doctor Yourself is about how nutritional therapy has been proven to treat just about every health condition out there from A-Z. Literally. It’s an A-Z guide from acid reflux to vaccinations. Ok, A-V. It also provides tips and tools on everything from Saul’s Super Remedy to A Crash Course in Vegetarian Cooking. I’m sure as I delve through these books, I’ll be sharing what I learn with all of you. But don’t wait for me. Buy your own copies!

“Ham and Eggs: a days work for a chicken; a life time commitment for a pig.”
-Author unknown

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If there is anything that you read on my blog today, I hope it’s this post. I just watched the documentary, Food Matters on, well . . . food and how it really does matters—more than you think. We all know there is food out there that is bad for us, and that there is food out there that is good for us. Yet, people are still eating these bad foods, with a few good ones sprinkled in and left wondering, why are we so sick? We go to the doctor to prescribe a pill (with lots of side effects) that may or may not take care of the symptoms, not the problem itself. Our reliance on drugs and western medicine is killing us. It’s killing those we love.

I was seriously so blown away, I was practically in tears. I can honestly say I have never been more moved by a film, than this one. Food Matters, focuses on how our food is directly correlated to disease prevention, both chronic and deadly. And what’s sad, is how that research and education has been grossly ignored by western medicine; even shunned. And you ask why? Because eating a plant-based diet and taking vitamins doesn’t make the doctors and the pharmaceutical companies any money. This 80 minute documentary shows us how our diet of plant-based foods and vitamins can and has reversed illnesses such as depression, diabetes, cancer, heart disease . . . the list goes on.  From the film via their website:

“Food Matters’ the film was originally created to help James’ father overcome Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Depression & Anxiety (read the full story). From that one success a wave of enthusiasm for the film followed and it has now been seen by hundreds of thousands of people in 9 different languages. ‘Food Matters’ discusses:

  • How to use food as medicine
  • Who needs vitamins?
  • Is organic better?
  • How safe is our food?
  • Natural treatments for lowering Cholesterol
  • Foods that fight Anxiety and Depression
  • Natural therapies for Cancer
  • Which drugs might do more harm than good?
  • The best ways to detox, lose weight and keep it off!

It was a truly powerful film. Many will balk and say “If it’s so great, why haven’t we all heard about it?” well, they explain that too. Being healthy, doesn’t make money for those in the “health” industry. Just watch it. Don’t knock it ’til you see it. Spend the $4.95 on their website to watch it online. Get it on Netflix, like I did. It’s a game-changer, folks.

(and while I’m at it, check out the trailer for Forks Over Knives, another amazing food documentary coming out May 6th–my birthday! I can’t wait to this one, too!)

“Good health makes a lot of sense, but it doesn’t make a lot of dollars.”

-Dr. Andrew Saul, Therapeutic Nutritional Specialist, Food Matters

“Food Matters is 80 minutes long.  The best 80 minutes that you will ever spend viewing a movie. The information in this documentary could save your life and possibly the lives your loved ones.”

–Be a Healthier You

“I am inspired. I am motivated. I am feeling high after watching this documentary, even though it’s the fifth time I’ve seen it.”

–Kristin’sRawBlogspot.com

“Anyone who is serious about their health needs to see this stunning film.”

–Christiane Northrup, MD, author of the Women’s Wisdom Series

 

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Did You Watch Oprah?

On Tuesday, she aired the results of she and 378 of her staffers going vegan for a week. It was fascinating to watch, and great to see the results of many of the participants. A total of 444 pounds were lost, but 80-some were gained. Several staffers even plan to stick with it. On the show, was Michael Pollan, author of Food Rules and Kathy Freston, the Veganist. I was delighted of course that veganism made it all the way to Oprah-Land, but I was disappointed that there wasn’t more brought up about the ill-health effects of eating animal products; it focused only on animal welfare it seemed–which is great, too, but I think what is going to make an impact on most people, is how is it’s going to affect them–not the animal. I didn’t feel that it was an accurate portrayal of the vegan diet and all that it is about. Of course, that may not have been Oprah’s aim. I was actually surprised that Pollan seemed determined to put a damper on the vegan diet the whole time, yet I agreed with him that meat and dairy industries need to be reformed. I definitely plan on picking up Freston’s book though.

What did you think?

Make it a Vegan Super Bowl Party

Super Bowls parties are known for being packed with chicken wings, cheese dips and spread, but that doesn’t mean they have to be staples of the shindig. Ecorazzi lists their top 10 vegan Super Bowl foods. The Buffalo Tofu looks fabulous!

Other winning appetizers to bring: Party Cheese Ball, Crock Cheez, Stuffed Mushrooms, Cheez Platter, Cheddar & Sun-Dried Tomato Dip, 8-Layer Dip, Spring Rolls, Avocado Bruschetta,  or Spinach Dip!

One commercial you won’t see aired during the big game will be PETA’s attention-getting “veg-porn” ad, called “Veggie Love.” I’m sure you’ve all seen it by now because it’s been getting lots of internet views. I realize it’s all about getting attention, but I wonder if the money could have been spent in better ways—in a way that would have actually benefited animals and have a positive impact. I love PETA and respect what they do, but there are times I feel they shoot themselves in the foot once in a while.

What do you think of the ad?


“Vegetarian – that’s an old Indian word meaning “lousy hunter.”

-Andy Rooney

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I guess it’s time to finally get back to my Friday ritual of posting about vegan health and news issues. Those darn holidays sure threw me off 😉

 

I always squeal with delight whenever I receive the latest issue of VegNews. It is packed with awesome information and delicious recipes.


Here’s a few tidbits and food-for-thought:

  • 2009 was the first year on record that meat consumption in the US decreased.
  • 45,000 deaths in the UK are caused by over-consumption of meat (and are preventable)!
  • 190 tons of deli meat were recalled just last fall, and we can’t forget the 550 million eggs recalled in just one month last year!
  • 100,000+ people were studied over a course of 20-26 years and found that animal protein heightened mortality rates. Lower mortality rates were found with those who ate plant-based fats and proteins.

Ok, need to end it on a high (and tasty) note. Be sure to check out on page 58 the Triple-Layer Cheesecake or their Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake. I will be trying both!

“My perspective of veganism was most affected by learning that the veal calf is a by-product of dairying, and that in essence there is a slice of veal in every glass of what I had thought was an innocuous white liquid – milk.”

-Rynn Berry, quoted in Joanne Stepaniak, The Vegan Sourcebook, 1998

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Wow…Friday already?! That was fast. . .

Staying Vegan (.com)

I’ve recently discovered this Staying Vegan, a blog dedicated to giving you tips and tricks to staying on the vegan path. You can meet (and see) Jason Doucette, owner of Staying Vegan everyday on videos he posts–giving advice and tips on living as a vegan, in a non-vegan world!

He gives practical, thoughtful, and oftentimes, clever answers and advice to everyday vegan dilemmas such as, finding vegan products in a small town, what to say to meat eaters who say they “love animals”, and vegan kitchen essentials, which leads to. . .great recipes and other advice for the vegan chef in you.

Check out Staying Vegan and once you do, I’m sure you won’t hesitate to sign up for his newsletter!

Do you find that it’s had to stay vegan? What are some frustrating  issues that you encounter often from being a vegan?

How to Raise a Vegan Mini-Me


Well, I don’t know if I really have the answers to this, but I think I’ve learned a few things along my vegan journey. My son went vegan shortly after turning 11, so weaning a kid off animal products at that age, could be like starting World War III, but lucky for me, my kid takes after his mother.  🙂 I was never a big meat eater as a child, and neither is The Sixth Grader. That helps. So here are a few things I’ve learned as a vegan parent:

1. Cook Good Vegan Food. Easy, right? It really is, actually. Today, meat and dairy alternatives are so much better than they ever used to be and make cooking veg a lot easier than you think. However, I would introduce these “alien” foods little by little—don’t want to induce shock. When making things with ground beef, try subbing half the meat with Boca Crumbles, then every time you make junior’s favorite tacos, add more of the plant-based crumbles. Do the same with dairy: Make a mixture of almond milk and cow’s milk in a container for their morning cereal, and slowly convert it completely to almond milk. This may take a couple of weeks. Wean. . .think wean. My suggestion, is not to make it a big deal. Don’t go saying, “Guess what? Mommy’s going to make Tofu Steaks for dinner! Yea!” Won’t work; they’ll hate it before they even try it. Also, don’t try to focus on veganizing their favorite meals because it could backfire. Perfect it first, before surprising them with it.

2. Let the Kiddo be the Cook. Or at least be the sou chef (if knives aren’t involved). Whether it’s once a week, every two weeks, or once a month, let the kid pick out ingredients to make a meal for the fam. The main rule: ingredients have to be plant-based. Take them to the farmers’ market or Whole Foods and let them have a gander—rule number one won’t be a problem. There will be plenty to choose from. I think that when kids know they can be part of something and to also know a little of what to expect, they’re putty in your hands. Being able to create a meal for the family (with your help, of course) give them so much confidence and pride, they’ll probably forget that it’s vegan. Not only that, what a cool activity to do together that gives you chance to instill healthy eating habits!

3. Watch Food, Inc. This one is great for kids 5th grade and up. They “get it.” Watch it with them, then talk about it. Even though it’s not about veganism, it raises poignant questions regarding animal consumption and where it comes from. The Sixth Grader said that this movie really pushed him to go veg. For the reader, try The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Young Reader Edition. I have not read this version, have you? What did you think?

4. Try a Heaping Scoop of Guilt. That’s right. Mom’s are awesome at this. Or maybe what it is, is just tugging at your kids’ heartstrings. Take them to an animal sanctuary/rescue. Yea! Field trip! Kids love this stuff, especially when animals are involved. This is a perfect opportunity to explain why and how these animals came to be at the sanctuary. I’m sure those in charge of the sanctuary are great when talking to kids about their fabulous organization and would gladly help you out.

5. Be the Coolest Lunch Lady Ever. Pack your kid’s lunch and be the envy of all grade-schoolers everywhere and let your kid help! Ask for their suggestions, then of course, compromise (because you’ll have to), but also let them pick something out. Again, like dinner, it has to be plant-based and preferably healthy, but it gives them a little bit of power. And change it up every so often; the same-o, same-o gets boring and thrown in the trash. The Sixth Grader gets a sandwich with Smart Deli meat, a Tofutti cheese slice, tomato and spinach. He picks out his favorite soy yogurt and other snacks, such as peanut butter pretzels and trail mix. Make it a team effort and they’ll look forward to their vegan lunch everyday. Maybe you can make their favorite chili Sunday night and send it with them all week, or vegan mac n’ cheese.

6. Don’t Give Up, But Don’t Be a Nag. They’ll come around. Kids learn from their parents’ actions and will see from  you, that being a vegan works. Cut them slack though, because otherwise, they’ll fight you the whole way. If you include them in the process, they’re more apt to be open to it—they may even teach you a thing or two!

“To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being.  I should be unwilling to take the life of a lamb for the sake of the human body.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

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Vegan MoFo, Day 19

Friday sneaked up on me. Normally, I’m waiting for it, but I woke up and suddenly realized what day it was. I usually write my Feast On This post Thursday nights, so you’ll have to bear with me this a.m.; I haven’t had my cup-of-joe to get my Vegan MoJo on for Vegan MoFo yet. . . so here goes.

Gee . . .Another Recall


2,600 pounds of full-cooked, ready-to-barf-eat turkey breast was recalled in Texas because it may have been contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, a potentially deadly bacteria. Lovely. The four different products by the New Braunfels Smokehouse, were distributed nationwide and each has a UDSA Inspected mark on them. Way to go.

The FDA just made their third cheese recall of the month. In Washington state, several varieties of Del Bueno Mexican-Style cheese was found to also contain listeria.

Earlier this month, Gorgonzola cheese was recalled from Cosco stores because of E. coli.

It is absolutely staggering the amount of food recalls in the United States just this year—we only hear about some of them. People have gotten sick. People have died. Some people could still have these products at home, unaware of the recall. Check out an earlier post regarding recalls. Visit the Recall page of the FDA’s website for a comprehensive list of recalled products. With the amount of meat and dairy recalls that continue to pile up, why do Americans take the risk?

Fat=Taste?

(I try not to post dead animals on my blog, so here’s a fake dead animal)

What food do you consider to have more taste? Meat? Veggies? Dairy? Since going vegan, I have found for myself that food has so much more flavor and taste. I never was a huge meat-eater before and never understood that thrill people claim they get when eating a steak. Peter Springberg, MD, a fellow NCW member, wrote an interesting post the other day regarding fat, taste, and beef burgers, entitled Even More Fat for our Taste Buds. The post is based on a Wall Street Journal article about celebrity chefs’ quest to make the most expensive, fattiest, and tastiest burger. Two burgers were featured in the article, one costing $39, and another a whopping $60! I guess compared to the cost of a triple bypass, it’s nothing.

“If you knew how meat was made, you’d probably lose your lunch.”

-K.D. Lang


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A Veggie A Day Keeps The Colds (and Cancer) Away

It’s that time of year. Cold season. Although we can’t always avoid getting the traveling crud, there are ways to boost your immune and shorten the length of the cold or flu. And guess what? They’re all plant-based. No surprise there. Experts tend to agree that it’s best to avoid supplements and go straight for the real thing. For example, eat an orange rather than popping a supplement since you’ll also get magnesium, potassium, folate, B6 and antioxidants.  Fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants that are also key in fighting many cancers.

Vegetables:

  • Leafy Greens–Spinach, Swiss Chard, Mustard Greens & Kale: are loaded with antioxidants. Steam some kale and spinach and add a little Earth Balance, which has lots of Omega-3.
  • Broccoli, Green Peppers & Cauliflower: High in Vitamin C.
  • Orange Veggies–Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Squash and Pumpkins: are loaded with Beta carotene which turns to Vitamin A, that is rich in antioxidants (which is also cancer-fighting).

Fruits:

  • Apples: contain antioxidants and insoluble and soluble fiber to help the bowels run smooth (always a good thing)
  • Kiwi, Oranges, Grapefruits & Cantelopes: High in Vitamin C and A and oranges and grapefruits are actually cheaper in the winter.
  • Blueberries and Raspberries: Rich in antioxidants and Vitamin B.
  • Strawberries: 8 berries supply 160% of your daily value of Vitamin C, as well as 170 mg of potassium.

Other Good Stuff:

  • Onions, Garlic, Leeks, & Chives: loaded with Vitamin C, potassium, chromium and selenium.
  • Ginger: Strong in antioxidants and helps with digestion and circulation.
  • Whole Grains, Quinoa, Barley & Amaranth: packed with fiber, zinc, and B vitamins.
  • Seeds: Lots of Vitamin E

Tips to Staying Healthy

  • Stick to organic: free of chemicals and contain more nutrients.
  • Avoid processed, canned or frozen food (With the exception of vegetables—steam or microwave them) but even avoid canned soups–they’re not fresh and are full of sodium.
  • Keep away from excess sugar. If you need a sugar fix, eat some strawberries.
  • Make some soup with vegetable broth, ginger, spinach, and green onions.
  • Eat some hot salsa or sprinkle some cayenne on steamed veggies to clear the sinuses.
  • Chew (and swallow) a garlic clove to cure a cough—some people swear by it. Just don’t breath on anyone.

Bottom line, stick with fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, and avoid hard-to-digest and processed foods. Don’t forget to drink tons of water and only 100% juice with a low sugar content. Then boil some fresh ginger, pour it through a strainer into your favorite mug, add a bit of fresh lemon juice and settle in with a good book!

Meat consumption is just as dangerous to public health as tobacco use… It’s time we looked into holding the meat producers and fast-food outlets legally accountable.
-Neal Barnard

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Vegan MoFo, Day 5

A Vegan Thanksgiving

I’m coming up on a year of being vegan. I actually went veg after Thanksgiving last year. Not because I wanted to gorge myself one last time on some poor dead bird,  but because I didn’t discover Alicia Silverstone’s book, The Kind Diet, until after T-Day. I felt her book did a fantastic job of explaining the concepts of veganism in all aspects: health of your body, the health of the environment, and the health of animals. I read the book in a day and as they say, the rest is history.

I’ve learned over the course of a year, that converting recipes to a healthier, yummier (vegan) version has been quite easy, so I have no fear when it comes to making a vegan Thanksgiving. In fact, besides the dead bird, most of the traditional dinner is comprised mostly of veggies. Yams, mashed potatoes, stuffing, that green bean casserole, cranberries . . . c’mon, all that can easily be made vegan.

Cloe Coscarelli has a few ideas on how to have a thankful holiday vegan-style with Harvest-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Toasted Hazelnuts, and Chocolate-Pumpkin Bread Pudding.

I’m not sure what I’ll be bringing to the table yet, but those recipes look outstanding.

What’s your vegan Thanksgiving look like?

 

The UNhappy Meal

For many, many reasons, please, please do not feed your kids McDonald’s (or any fast food for that matter). San Francisco (who leads the nation with the Meat Free Mondays campaign) agrees with me and has banned the fat farm fast food joint from putting toys into their Happy Meals. In an effort to combat childhood diabetes and obesity, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors made the bold move on Tuesday and “i’m lovin’ it.”

“This is a challenge to the restaurant industry to think about children’s health first and join the wide range of local restaurants that have already made this commitment.”

Eric Mar, SF Supervisor

By December 1st, Micky D’s has to either make their Happy Meals contain 600 calories or less, include fruits and vegetables, and the beverage without excess fat and sugar, or the toys are history. McDonald’s was pissed.

“We are extremely disappointed with today’s decision. It’s not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for,” McDonald’s spokeswoman Danya Proud said in a statement. “Getting a toy with a kid’s meal is just one part of a fun, family experience at McDonald’s.”

Oh, boo-hoo. Get over it and start thinking about the kids that eat this crap. They need to take this as an opportunity to help feed kids a healthier meal. This reminds me of the segment in Food, Inc., where a family of 4 could only afford to eat off the McDonald’s Value Menu and were slowly becoming diabetic, obese and just plain unhealthy.

I’m anxious to see how this plays out if other cities will follow suit.

Source

“Dear Lord, I’ve been asked, nay commanded, to thank Thee for the Christmas turkey before us… a turkey which was no doubt a lively, intelligent bird… a social being… capable of actual affection… nuzzling its young with almost human-like compassion.  Anyway, it’s dead and we’re gonna eat it.  Please give our respects to its family.”

-Berke Breathed, Bloom County Babylon


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