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EVEN News Blog
- Page Summary ▼
- World Health Organization Announcing Links Between Processed Meat and Cancer
- Cowspiracy - Now on Netflix!
- 101-Year-Old Heart Surgeon Reveals Vegan Diet is Secret to his Longevity
- Brenda Davis - Exclusive EVEN Interview
- Meet Scott Jurek, a Former "Meat and Potatoes" Guy, Who Slowly Weaned Himself off Animal Products
- The Village School Is a Grand Prize Winner of the 2015 Golden Carrot Awards for National School Lunch Week
- How to Eat Vegan while Traveling
- Being Vegan, Meat Bans, and Personal Choice
- Vegan Sausage Platter by Ron Pickarski
- Carmel Resort & Wellness Center's
- Vegan Vision for Longevity
- What is a Vegan Diet?
- Ethical Living: Going Vegan
- Chia Seeds are an Athlete's Nutritional Power Force!
- Sublime Is the Number-One Celebrity Vegan Dining Spot in the U.S.!
- Classic Eggless Mayonnaise by Miyoko Schinner
- Student Says Cal Poly Pomona is Trying to Silence his Vegan Campaign
- For Vegetarians and Vegans, it's a New World of Appealing Options
- Vegan Cookbooks To Consider
- If You Love Food...
- Animal Lovers Unite at New Sanctuary Location
- Vegan Cupcake Recipe
- Purrfect Cat Cafes
- Erin McKenna's Bakery - New York City, LA, Orlando, or On Line
- 5 Vegan Ingredients Everyone Can Appreciate
- Suzy Amis Cameron Describes Her Transition to a Vegan Diet
- Vegan Food Fuels Record-Setting Race Across the Appalachian Trail
- 7 Ways Going Vegan Has Helped My Relationship
- Renee King-Sonnen Turned Her Husband's Cattle Ranch into a Vegan Animal Sanctuary!
- Goat Cheese Farmers Give it All Up to Make Vegan Cheese Instead
- Callicoon Kitchen Now 100% Vegan
- Real Men Don't Eat Meat
- How a Trucker Lost 65 pounds by Cooking Vegan Meals on the Road
- Choosing Life
- Why Go Veg?
- Essential Fatty Acids
- A couple who cooks (plant-based meals) together, stays together. My husband and I have never had so much fun in the kitchen. Gone are the days of heating up a bland chicken pie. Today, we love getting adventurous in the kitchen and trying new flavours and dishes - like our scrumptious chickpea, coconut and cashew curry.
- We have so much energy. Since going vegan, we have more of a spring in our step - which means more fun, more adventures and more vibrancy in other areas, too, if you get my drift!
- We found a new sense of purpose. On today's factory farms, animals are crammed into filthy cages or sheds. Most won't get to feel the warmth of the sun on their backs or breathe fresh air until the day they're loaded onto lorries bound for slaughter. Luckily, helping these animals is as easy as leaving them off our plates. My husband and I feel good knowing that, together, we're sparing approximately 200 animals a lifetime of suffering.
- Confidence galore. When I went vegan, friends and colleagues noticed and commented on the change in my skin. As someone who had suffered from acne for years, I was really happy to see the improvement in my complexion. I can say without a doubt that when your skin is clear, you feel more confident and attractive - and I know my husband loves the more self-assured me, too.
- In a debate, you've got backup. As a vegan, you get used to lively discussions with people who still think that humans need to eat animals. So when the topic comes up, it's nice knowing that I can rely on my partner to help me explain our decision to live a cruelty-free lifestyle.
- It's easier to stay fit. Truth: People, particularly women, are more likely to gain weight when they're in a long-term relationship. Fortunately, once you replace high-fat animal-derived foods with healthy fruits, veggies and grains, it becomes a lot harder to pile on the pounds. In one recently study of people who were trying to lose weight, vegans lost 2.52 kg more than their meat-eating counterparts.
- We have new friends. We had a great group of friends before we went vegan, but since making the switch, we've met lots of other vegans from all walks of life at animal-charity fundraisers, vegan dinner parties and other similar events. We now consider many of these people friends for life.
Links Between Processed Meat
and Cancer
Red Meat Causes Cancer in Humans? Yes!
WHO has received a number of queries, expressions of concern and requests for clarification following the publication of a report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) relating to processed meat and colorectal cancer.
IARC was established 50 years ago through a resolution of the World Health Assembly as a functionally independent cancer agency under the auspices of WHO. Its programme of work is approved and financed by its participating states.
IARC's review confirms the recommendation in WHO's 2002 "Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases" report, which advised people to moderate consumption of preserved meat to reduce the risk of cancer. The latest IARC review does not ask people to stop eating processed meats but indicates that reducing consumption of these products can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
WHO has a standing group of experts who regularly evaluate the links between diet and disease. Early next year they will meet to begin looking at the public health implications of the latest science and the place of processed meat and red meat within the context of an overall healthy diet.
In 2015, the World Health Organization announced that regularly eating processed meats can cause cancer, and that red meats—such as beef, pork, veal, and lamb—are "probably carcinogenic." The report went so far as to say that regularly eating bacon is on par with smoking and asbestos exposure in terms of cancer risk. Beyond that, eating meat is widely regarded as damaging the environment compared to a more plant-based diet. John McDougall, MD,
recommends incorporating lots of beans, lentils, potatoes, and veggies into your diet instead of lots of meat, given the environmental and health benefits of being vegetarian.
Source: The World Health Organization
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Cowspiracy - Now on Netflix!
By Alison Homewood
Streaming giant Netflix recently launched Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, a 90-minute documentary financed via the crowd-funding site Indiegogo and executive-produced by Hollywood star Leonardo di Caprio. It is the latest in a short line of factual features promoted by Netflix, which was prompted to make this acquisition by the huge number of people keying the title into its search box.
Since its internet release last August, the film has been triggering major behavioral change among young adults, an age group often labeled as apolitical and apathetic. As friends and Facebook contacts recommend the film, young people watch it and by the time the end credits roll, they have resolved to become vegans or vegetarians. >>MORE
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Dr. Ellsworth Wareham (Picture: CCTV America)
101-Year-Old Heart Surgeon Reveals Vegan Diet is Secret to his Longevity
A sprightly centenarian says a vegan lifestyle is the secret to his sharp mind and incredible health at 101 years old. Dr. Ellsworth Wareham worked as a heart surgeon until he retired just five years ago. But he's yet to give up his driving license as he's still feeling quite comfortable behind a wheel.
"I don't have any trouble with my joints, my hands are steady, my balance is good, I don't have to walk with a cane," he told CCTV America. He said he has 'never cared for animal products,' and becoming vegan was 'a very easy thing.'
Dr. Ellsworth Wareham says a vegan lifestyle is the secret to his sharp mind and incredible health (Picture: Facebook)
Dr. Ellsworth Wareham says a vegan lifestyle is the secret to his sharp mind and incredible health
Dr Wareham lives in Loma Linda, California, one of the world's five designated blue zones — aka places where people live longer on average than the general population.
Studies show people who live in these regions do more exercise, follow more plant-based diets, and engage in community activities, according to Veg News magazine.
Loma Linda men in particular live six to seven years longer than the average American man.
But Dr Wareham has outdone the majority by far.
He worked as a heart surgeon until he retired just five years ago
(Picture: Vegnews)
The average American man lives to 75.5 years old. Dr. Wareham is 26 years older.
'People associate age with wisdom and I think that's probably unscientific,' he said.
'It just so happens that veganism is a very healthy lifestyle.'
Source: Metro News/UK
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Brenda Davis - Exclusive EVEN Interview
Read an exclusive EVEN interview HERE with Brenda Davis, Registered Dietitian, Author, Speaker, Nutritional Consultant
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Meet Scott Jurek, a Former "Meat and Potatoes" Guy, Who Slowly Weaned Himself off Animal Products
When you run, there's always a new target. Even if you run out of new races, you can always run old ones faster than you did before. There are personal records to beat, and then, once you knock those down enough times, world records to chase.
Take Scott Jurek, for example, the ultramarathoner who made headlines this summer when he ran the entire length of the Appalachian Trail in a record-setting 46 days, eight hours and seven minutes. He's also won the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon, the "world's toughest foot race," twice; the 153-mile long Spartathlon in Greece three consecutive times; and has taken first place in just about all the ultrarunning world's most high-profile races.
Jurek grew up in Minnesota, and paints his mother in the style of Betty Crocker. Meals were meat heavy, and everything revolved around the huge family dinners at the end of every day. While most of his diet has changed dramatically since then, dinner is still the biggest meal of the day. Food has been such an integral part of his life that his memoir is titled Eat & Run. >>MORE
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The Village School Is a Grand Prize Winner of the 2015 Golden Carrot Awards for National School Lunch Week
Physicians Committee Provides the Public Charter School with a National School Lunch Award to Celebrate All-Vegetarian Menu
The nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine awards a grand prize to the Village School in Eugene, Ore., in the 2015 Golden Carrot Awards. The Village School will receive the award and a $2,015 cash prize during National School Lunch Week starting on Oct. 13 in recognition of its exceptionally healthful plant-based school lunches and outstanding health promotion initiatives.
The Village Kitchen serves a made-from-scratch vegetarian menu packed with fresh, mostly organic ingredients. The kitchen prioritizes local ingredients, with some of its vegetables and herbs originating in the school's own garden. Popular entrée items include:
chickpea coconut curry,
black bean and brown rice bowls served with
fresh vegetables and
locally made vegan Yumm! Sauce,
and Pad Thai topped with tofu and seasonal vegetables.
All lunches include fresh fruit and unlimited salad bar access.
"By serving a plant-based menu filled with brain-boosting and disease-fighting fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, the Village School is planting the seed for healthy habits from day one," says Cameron Wells, M.P.H., R.D., associate director of clinical dietetics for the Physicians Committee. "Students who form health-promoting eating habits early on in life reduce their risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease, certain forms of cancer, and dementia later on in life."
Kitchen staff members involve students throughout the lunch process. Students harvest produce in the garden, volunteer in the kitchen, write out daily menu boards, and participate in taste-tests. Students are also encouraged to try "thank you bites" of new foods, including roasted cauliflower, to expand their palates. Enthusiastic staff members encourage students by incorporating nutrition education and cooking classes into the curriculum and modeling healthy choices in the cafeteria.
These efforts have paid off: Approximately 84 percent of students participate in the Village School's lunch program daily, compared with a national average of 56 percent.
The Village School keeps costs down by buying nutrient-dense ingredients including grains and beans in bulk and simplifying the menu by offering one main entrée, along with a full salad bar, each day.
"With just two in 10 children meeting the recommended five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, our children are at risk for chronic health problems earlier than ever before. It's encouraging to see parents, teachers, staff, and students working together at the Village School to reverse these trends and prioritize health and nutrition," adds Wells.
The school plans to use the school lunch grant to build a brand new kitchen to continue to create healthful scratch-cooked meals.
For an interview with Village School Kitchen Coordinator Toña Aguilar or Ms. Wells, please contact Laura Anderson at landerson@pcrm.org or 202-527-7396.
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Yes, it's vegan.
How to Eat Vegan while Traveling
It's possible, we promise.
First things first: traveling while vegan isn't easy. But it's possible. Here's how.
1. Plan ahead
While casual spontaneity, strolling the cobblestone streets of paradise, is exciting and sexy for a handful of meals, you'll want a game plan for the rest, trust us. So do your research and use any of a number of wonderful apps that will direct you to eateries offering vegan options. We also suggest packing a few healthy snacks in your bag in case of emergencies. It's the healthier, less stressful option.
2. Eat those veggies
Roasted, baked and sauteed and topped with fresh mint and parsley. Cooked with soy sauce, fresh olive oil, or sweet and savory vinaigrettes. Thrown, sizzling hot, on a plate of couscous or a hearty slab of pita bread. The ways different cuisines incorporate veggies are an adventure all on their own. If you're vegan, you're probably already familiar with a number of them. Still, prepare to be surprised even further.
3. "Vegan" transcends language barriers
However, it's smart to learn the term for vegan, vegetarian or whatever you practice as a lifestyle, in the language of the country you're visiting, to avoid confusion when you're spelling out V-E-G-A-N to the waiter and he nods in understanding before bringing back a huge fish soaking in a butter broth. Learn the words for "no meat" as well, just in case. But beware: some cultures may be offended by the idea of removing meat from their dishes. Refer to Tip # 1.
4. Just. Say. No.
Look away from the hypnotic five-cheese gougeres! If you're a recent convert, this one's for you. Sure, flaky and buttery-soft pastries and moist rum-soaked egg cakes will tease you at every corner. But around another corner is a gorgeous tartelette de myrtille or a smooth vegan ganache just waiting to be devoured. Veganism is expanding everywhere, and the options are endless. You just have to know where to look and have the patience to find it. You'll be rewarded, we promise.
5. Stay mindful.
The key to staying mindful is to always pay attention and listen when your body speaks. Don't ever look at veganism as an immediate route to a healthier lifestyle; healthy always means work. Use your adventure to explore options that are delicious and good for you—with the occasional splurge.
Source: Akshaya Iyer for Houstonia Magazine
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Being Vegan, Meat Bans,
and Personal Choice
by Poorva Joshipura, VP, International Operations, PETA Foundation
The recent bans on meat in Mumbai, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Haryana in respect of Paryushan have resulted in many on Twitter asking about personal choice.
I am a big supporter of personal choice. When I was a teenager, now 20 years ago, even though I was raised in a conservative family, I dyed my hair fire-engine red and got a tattoo, much to the annoyance of my parents. I enjoyed excellent marks in school and university but chose not to follow traditional career paths. In my twenties, I moved to and explored different countries on my own in order to exercise my free will further. I so valued my sense of self-determination that I long avoided getting married because I thought it might affect my ability to live on my own terms. Eventually, I married the man I chose, who also respects personal choice.
So, yes, I understand the importance of having the opportunity to make one's own decisions. In fact, because of my immense respect for personal choice, in my teens I became vegetarian and later vegan, and today I'm happy about these meat bans.
Consider the life of a farmed chicken from birth to death: most chickens used for meat and eggs are not born in a nest but in a factory incubator with temperature and other controls. Their first sight of the world is not their mother but numerous other baby chicks, all born in the same way, in a metal hatchery crate. Soon after, female chicks to be used for eggs have their beaks painfully seared off with a hot blade in order to prevent them from pecking each other in frustration when they're moved to cages where they spend their short lives confined to a space smaller than an iPad screen before they are taken to slaughter. Male chicks, considered worthless by the egg industry, are typically killed when they're just babies in various horrific ways, such as being suffocated or ground up live. Chickens deliberately bred to be unnaturally top heavy for extra breast meat are typically crowded by the hundreds or thousands into dark sheds that reek of ammonia from the accumulated waste in which the animals are forced to stand. These birds never see the light of day and are denied everything that is natural and important to them. They are then thrown into vehicles for slaughter in ways that often break their bones and cause many to die en route. At slaughterhouses across India, workers typically hack at the birds' throats with dull blades while they're still conscious.
What personal choice does the gentle, defenceless chicken have in all this?
When everyone involved in and affected by a decision does not enjoy the same freedom from harm, it's no longer a simple matter of choice or free will, just as choosing to assault or rape a person is not considered a valid personal choice. Like any victim of a person who chooses to murder, animals in the meat industry are victims of cruelty.
Also, what about the personal choice of wanting to live on a healthy planet?
Meat production is a major contributor to the greenhouse-gas emissions that cause climate change. This means that meat-eaters' choices are negatively affecting us all. India is already suffering from climate change's disastrous effects, including a warming climate, changing rainfall patterns, droughts, melting glaciers, rising sea levels and an increased risk to food, energy and water security. What this means in real terms for people today are problems such as extreme weather with increases in heat waves, cyclones and floods; a drop in crop production; a resurgence of several vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue because of temperature fluctuations and other problems.
And what of our personal choice to try to have a long life?
When meat-promoting fast-food chains, for example, spend literally billions of US dollars on clever advertising in order to convince people to eat meat burgers and other junk food whose consumption can be linked to health problems, are consumers truly making a free choice, or have they been coerced - or even fooled - into buying these companies' products? Anyone who has watched the 2004 documentary Super Size Me knows what damage a diet of McDonald's fast food can cause, and more doctors now tell us that consumption of meat and other animal-sourced products can contribute to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer and obesity.
The choice for me is clear: choose life, choose respect, choose vegan. If you'd like to join me, PETA India is here to help you make the switch. Order your free vegetarian/vegan starter kit from PETA India today.
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Vegan Charcuterie Individual Plate Serving
photo courtesy of Chef Ron Pickarski
Vegan Sausage Platter
by Ron Pickarski
Wins Bronze Medal in
Professional Competition
On August first I was a visiting chef at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Orlando, Florida where I competed for the first time since 1996 in a professional culinary competition sponsored by the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The ACF created a special vegetarian cold platter category knowing I would be the only one competing. Professional chefs don't fully understand how to creatively cook nor the full culinary potential of vegan proteins nor how to make a crystal clear vegan gelatin. The American Culinary Federation sees the vegan market growth and seeks to expose its membership to this new evolving cuisine.
Vegan Bronze and AAC Plate
photo courtesy of Chef Ron Pickarski
The presentation took a bronze due to not having time to practice the presentation. Had I the time I could have won a gold. The two important factors are winning a medal for the credibility of the cause and exposing chefs to this new evolving cuisine. It captured the attention of all the judges. I had never done anything like it and they had never seen anything like it. We both received an education. The presentation self-taught me new vegan preparation techniques in charcuterie, motivated me to create a vegan gelatin, and opened the minds of many chefs. In the midst of all the meat competition stood this vegan sausage cold platter making an exquisitely beautiful culinary statement.
Preceding the competition I was invited to prepare and serve two vegan courses at the ACF's Academy of Chefs Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria for 400 chefs and guest. One course was an Italian meat ball with Sweet & Sour Balsamic Sauce (hors d'oeuvres) and the second was the appetizer course consisting of a Pâté Francias with Cranberry Port Vinaigrette, field greens and French Crouton. I worked on the dinner all Friday and Saturday, and went into the competition immediately after that working through the night to present at 7 a.m. on Sunday morning with the assistance of a former Culinary Olympic team member. Many unsolicited very positive remarks is an indicator the food was well received.
Vegan Charcuterie Cold Platter
photo courtesy of Chef Ron Pickarski
Recipes for the dinner courses and competition came from my recent self-published cookbook titled "The Professional Vegetarian Cookbook for Professional Chefs and Inspired Cooks". All of the recipes in the cookbook are designed as culinary innovation platforms for professional and personal cooks to use as is or build on them. The dinner courses were from the book as is and some were modified for the cold platter. That is how classical cuisine works (i.e. the mother sauces or force meat pates). My approach was to use that same classical format with vegan cuisine and the presentation proved it successful in both the dinner courses and cold platter. The recipes are easy to prepare and approachable by chefs or personal cooks who know little or are experienced in the cuisine.
You can learn more about the cookbook on
Eco-Cuisine's website
Source: HuffPost Taste
Editor's Note: I have been a fan of Chef Pickarski for as long as I can recall. His much-used recipe book on my shelf will attest to that. Some of my favorites are his Garbanzo Bean Burger, Yellow Pepper Sauce, Southern Black-Eyed Pilaf, Orange Cranberry Ice Cream Cake and his Cucumber Avocado Shake. (yes, I know, but if you try them, you'll see.) The list goes on. Very worthwhile! You've always been a Gold Medalist to us, Ron!
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Photo Sarah Rice
Tong Kim makes breakfast for guests at the Carmel Resort & Wellness Center, formerly the Carmel Valley Lodge, which no longer serves waffles, milk or juice.
Carmel Resort & Wellness Center's
Vegan Vision for Longevity
The craziest thing about painter, poet and self-made millionaire Tong Kim is not that he has survived three armed robberies. Neither is it the fact that he's confident humans should live to 170 years. Or that he's eaten only nuts, berries, lettuce and other vegan ingredients for the last 53 years. Or that he bought and overhauled the former Carmel Valley Lodge to imprint his trademarked Rainbow Ssambap diet and lifestyle — which involves a 22-ingredient dish with soaked beans, chopped lemon peel and banana among them — onto guests.
The craziest thing is that he can convince others it all makes sense. >>MORE
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What is a Vegan Diet?
by Bridget Creel, Editor
With all of the diet variations that exist, it is difficult to decipher which are the healthiest, the best for weight loss, or which will prevent health problems. Vegan diets may be adopted for religious reasons, moral reasons, or health reasons. According to a study by The Vegetarian Resource Group, about 16 million United States citizens are vegetarian and about 8 million of those vegetarians are vegan. I spoke with Vandana Sheth, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, about the positive and negative consequences of practicing a vegan diet.
"A vegan diet is a strict vegetarian, plant-based diet that excludes all animal products, including dairy, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, lard, and gelatin," Sheth said. "Some people on a vegan diet also avoid honey."
Although a vegan diet is safe and can be beneficial, there are some concerns to be aware of. It is possible that some vegans need a vitamin B-12 supplement to replace the nutrients found in animal products. Sheth also suggests getting vitamin B-12 from plant-based dairy alternatives, such as almond milk or soy milk.
"Well-planned vegan diets can be nutritionally adequate and provide many positive health benefits," Sheth says. "Going meatless even one day per week may reduce your risk for developing conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity."
For a vegan diet, it's very important to get the right quantity and combination of foods so that the body receives essential nutrients to stay healthy. Planning and balancing meals to be nutritionally adequate and appropriate goes a long way.
Source: The Daily Meal - All Things Food and Drink
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Ethical Living: Going Vegan
Anna Lee considers ditching the dairy and forgoing other animal by-products, too.
Recently I've been asking myself, should I go vegan? I've been vegetarian for the last five years, meaning I don't eat meat, fish or poultry, but I am considering ditching the dairy and forgoing other animal by-products too.
I'm not plunging face first and open-mouthed into a kale gluten-free paleo no-fun salad and with my diet currently consisting of various appetiser platters and glasses of wine, I'm certainly no nutrition expert, but I have decided to make a conscious decision to be more aware of what I eat.
This isn't some preachy, lecturing tale of my trouble with meat or the exaggerated benefits of plant based diets, and I'm done with the age old conversation that eventuates after revealing my eating habits and discussing (then subsequently defending) my protein intake. Put simply, I don't like eating things that are confined, tortured, mutilated and killed just for my dining pleasure — and I don't want to wear them either. Why?
"The animals — who are housed in unbearably small cages — live with fear, stress, disease, parasites and other physical and psychological hardships, all for the sake of an unnecessary global industry that makes billions of dollars annually," says PETA. "The anguish and frustration of life in a minuscule cage leads animals to self-mutilate — biting at their skin, tails, and feet — and frantically pace and circle endlessly."
Intensive factory farming is rife in New Zealand, which is ironic considering there is ample land for free range farms. According to the Animal Justice Fund, factory farming remains the greatest source of animal suffering in our country, with the industry impacting nearly 100 million animals annually.
And while some punishing practices (caged hens and sow stalls) are banned or being phased out overseas, they still remain legal in New Zealand. There is a reason they're out of public view. Approximately 83 per cent of 85 million chickens that are killed annually for their meat are caged in torturous, horrifying confines, jammed in small steel cages to cut costs and fed hormones to make them grow at extreme rates. Male baby chicks are often killed immediately upon birth because they can't produce eggs.
According to Safe, around 67 per cent of pig farmers (just over 31,000 pigs) within New Zealand are using farrowing crates and sow stalls in intensive pig farms. Known to be highly intelligent creatures, the pigs suffer tremendously within the steel confines — which are often just a fraction bigger than the pig itself and kept in large windowless sheds for their entire lives.
The fur industry is no better, with PETA claiming up to 85 per cent of the fur industry's skin comes from animals living captive in fur factory farms suffering in distressing and inhumane conditions. And, because the fur industry often demands thicker pelts of older animals (animals raised for meat are killed young), billions of animals are bred and killed annually solely for their fur. Fur is not a "by-product" of the meat trade.
The killing methods are gruesome. "Because fur farmers care only about preserving the quality of the fur, they use slaughter methods that keep the pelts intact but that can result in extreme suffering for the animals. Small animals may be crammed into boxes and poisoned with hot, unfiltered engine exhaust from a truck. Engine exhaust is not always lethal, and some animals wake up while they are being skinned. Gassing, decompression chambers, and neck-breaking are also common slaughter methods on fur factory farms," says PETA.
Most people love to voice their opinion either way on the topic and the majority I've spoken to so far have been quick to paint veganism as unrealistic and unachievable. But, if you contribute outright to the animal agriculture business by eating their meat and wearing their skin, do you really have the right to say you 'love' animals?
The global outrage that followed after a Danish radio presenter killed a baby bunny with a bicycle pump on air earlier this year highlighted the hypocrisy surrounding the topic, with most quick to point out the barbaric nature of the death but not realising that millions of bunnies die far more gruesome deaths annually for their flesh and fur to keep up with consumer demand.
With a growing number of consumers becoming increasingly aware of the meat, dairy, leather and fur trade issues, almost 16 million people in the U.S alone have become vegetarian, and approximately half of those vegetarians are vegan.
The movement has gained momentum through high profile advocates supporting the cause including Mike Tyson, Ellen DeGeneres and Usher — with early adopter Natalie Portman telling The Huffington Post in 2011, "the human cost of factory farming — both the compromised welfare of slaughterhouse workers and, even more the environment effects of the mass production of animals is staggering".
Ignorance is bliss, but it's hard to turn a blind eye to animal exploitation. As British philosopher Jeremy Bentham wrote in The Principles of Morals and Legislation, "The question is not 'can they reason?' nor 'can they talk?' but 'can they suffer?'"
Source: by Anna Lee for Viva - The Good Things in Life
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Chia Seeds are an Athlete's
Nutritional Power Force!
by Heather Suhr
We all know that regular exercise and eating well supports our health in many beneficial ways. One of the common things that vegan athletes face is how to get enough "nutrition", especially protein. Many vegan athletes face this challenge today because of the influence of the standard American diet.
It is encouraging to see athletes like Rich Roll, Jim Morris, Carl Lewis, Mac Danzig, and Austin Aries thrive on a vegan lifestyle. Their vegan success is especially impressive because of their diverse specialties, including: marathon, sprint, martial arts, and even wrestling!
Chia seeds can provide you with a boost in athletics!
Chia seeds are one of the most popular superfoods in the health community! They are easy to digest, incredibly versatile, nutrient dense, and packed with energy boosting power! History tells us that Aztec warriors ate chia for high energy and endurance. In fact, one spoonful of chia could sustain them for 24 hours! (1,2) WOW!
Looking at chia's nutritional profile, we can easily see why it's benefits are desired by athletes, from runners to warriors. Chia seeds are packed with dietary fiber (42% of RDA), protein (9% of RDA), omega-3 & 6 fatty acids, and minerals. (1)
Plenty of research touts the amazing benefits of chia seeds.
Exercise is good for heart health and so are chia seeds! They have the ability to reverse inflammation, regulate cholesterol, and lower blood pressure. A study found that benefits include increased effectiveness for athletic performances, reduced heart disease, heart attack, and more. (1,3)
Chia seeds can be used instead of carb loading to boost energy and metabolism! Another study found that consuming chia seeds enhanced exercise performance for workouts that lasted 90 minutes. Half of the athletes drank 100% Gatorade, while the other half consumed half Gatorade and half chia. The running time for both groups were almost identical. This concludes that consuming chia has equal benefits, without all the sugar! (1,4)
For stronger bones and muscles: exercise, weight lift, and add chia, too!
Exercise is extremely vital to build stronger bones, but did you know that just one ounce of chia seeds has 18% of the RDA for calcium and contains boron? Both of these minerals are essential for bone and muscle health. (1)
Looking for a way to increase your muscle mass? Chia seeds are one of the top ranked plant-based sources of protein to pack on lean muscle, burn fat, and balance blood sugar levels. (1)
Looking for a way to lose weight? Chia seeds can absorb up to 10 times their weight in water, which can help prolong hydration, improve nutrition absorption, slow digestion, and keep you feeling fuller longer. (1)
Athletes out there, go get your chia on! They are fantastic for you!
Footnotes: (1) draxe.com; (2) whatiscookingamerica.net;
(3),(4) ncbi.nim.nih.gov
Click >>HERE to enlarge
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Sublime Is the Number-One Celebrity Vegan Dining Spot in the U.S.!
So where would you go to spot these famous foodies as they tuck into a plate of veggies? Turns out, the best place to spot vegan actors and musicians is in Fort Lauderdale.
PETA started by asking its network of vegan and vegetarian celebrities where they eat while on the road. "We also sent out messages asking people where stars are eating. There are so many famous people who dine at Sublime.
"Paul McCartney has eaten there while coming through town, and television journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell practically has a private room there. She basically lives at Sublime. On the wall, there's a picture of basketball great John Salley picking up Sublime's owner Nanci [Alexander]., and there's a large Peter Max painting on the wall. Everybody who is anybody within a fork's distance has been there. That's pretty amazing for a Fort Lauderdale restaurant." >>MORE
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Classic Eggless Mayonnaise
By Miyoko Schinner, Homemade Vegan Pantry (Ten Speed Press)
Classic Eggless Mayonnaise
Makes 3 to 31/2 cups
With a marvelous rich flavor and thick, creamy texture, this will easily become your go-to mayo for everything from sandwiches to potato salad.
Recipe:
o 1 cup soy milk or other nondairy milk
o 1 to 2 tablespoons mustard
o 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or freshly squeezed
lemon juice
o 1 teaspoon sea salt or black salt
o 1 teaspoon organic sugar (optional)
o 1½ to 2½ cups canola or other neutral oil
Place the soy milk, mustard, vinegar, salt, and sugar (if you like your mayonnaise sweeter, like Miracle Whip) in a blender and process briefly. With the blender running, add the oil in a very thin, steady stream (and I mean a very thin stream) until it turns very thick and the blender has trouble processing (if you have a high- or multispeed blender, use a medium speed).
Thickening will not happen gradually, but rather suddenly, and may take as long as 4 minutes altogether. Also, please note that the amount of oil necessary for thickening will depend on the speed of your blender and how slowly you pour, and can vary by as much as a cup. Transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Black Salt: Black salt, or kala namak, a highly sulfuric-smelling and -tasting salt from India, is actually pinkish in color. It lends an egg-like flavor to dishes. It can be ordered online or found at some Indian grocers.
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Student Says Cal Poly Pomona is Trying to Silence his Vegan Campaign
Cal Poly Pomona student Nicolas Tomas never thought handing out leaflets promoting a vegan diet would become so controversial.
But when college administrators moved to restrict his activities, Tomas sued the university. His case became a flashpoint in the debate over how far universities should go to promote tolerance and civility on their increasingly diverse campuses — and whether some of those policies unfairly restrict constitutionally protected free speech.
Although virtually all academics say they support freedom of speech, many also argue that campuses have good cause to be sensitive to activities that could provoke vulnerable young adults. Colleges are charged with protecting the personal safety of students and must juggle the interplay of sexual, racial and ethnic dynamics that could lead to charges of harassment or bullying and potential lawsuits.
"I think if nowhere else, college free speech should be prized," Policinski said. "It's striking when I see colleges enacting speech codes: all of America is a free speech zone."
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For Vegetarians and Vegans, it's a New World of Appealing Options
by Mary MacVean, LA Times
In his new book, environmental journalist Joel K. Bourne Jr. argues that poverty is only partly to blame for hunger. Prosperity also plays a role: When people have more money, they tend to eat more meat and dairy foods. And that, he says, will increase the severity of the problem.
"More than two-thirds of the world's agricultural land is already used to grow feed for livestock, [and] world meat consumption is on track to double by 2020," Bourne says in "The End of Plenty: The Race to Feed a Crowded World." But the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization predicts grain production will need to grow by at least 70% by 2050 to keep up with population growth, he writes.
Even California Gov. Jerry Brown has weighed in on the use of resources, saying during a recent conversation about the drought: "If you asked me, I think you should be eating veggie burgers."
So what does that mean for responsible consumers who want to embrace a vegetarian or vegan diet but who also want to eat well?
Never have they had so much choice. >> MORE
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Vegan Cookbooks To Consider
If You Love Food...
Because Veganism Can Be More Delicious
Than You Probably Think
by Phoebe Waller/Bustle
A couple of months ago I decided to make the transition to a vegan lifestyle. What made the change a heck of a lot easier for me was my collection of vegan cookbooks. I used many resources during my transition from vegan blogs to videos made by my favorite vegan vloggers to recipes found online, but I would say my most useful tools that helped me to experiment with new and exciting dishes would have to be my vegan recipe books.
Now I'm not saying you have to go out and spend a ton of money on vegan cookbooks in order to go vegan, I personally created my collection slowly but surely. Maybe you prefer browsing online to flicking through a book. I started my journey to a vegan lifestyle by looking online and following awesome plant based bloggers such as Ella Woodward of Deliciously Ella and Angela Liddon of Oh She Glows. It wasn't long after drooling over their delicious photos and learning vital information such as how to get specific nutrients into your diet as a vegan that I invested in Angela's cookbook and eagerly awaited the release of Ella's recipe book.
So if you're thinking of going vegan, here is a selection of books that might help you on your way.
Keep It Vegan by Áine Carlin
This was one of the first vegan cookbooks I bought and it's still the one I use the most. I find it seriously easy to follow and the recipes often don't call for too many ingredients. This recipe book made getting started as a vegan easier than I thought because it has quite a few dishes you can whip up quickly without spending hours in the kitchen.
Deliciously Ella by Ella Woodward
Deliciously Ella was the first plant based blog I started reading. Her tone is really casual, positive, and fun and she comes across as a really genuine and lovely person. Woodward was suffering health problems before she went vegan and she felt her plant based diet gradually brought her back to her old self. This is a great recipe book if you're looking to improve your health as well as embrace a plant based diet.
But I Could Never Go Vegan! by Kristy Turner
This book is on my list of books to buy, not only because I've heard great things about it, but also the tagline, "You can live without cheese" really speaks to me, as I struggled a lot with giving up cheese at the very beginning. I think I was addicted to casmorphins found in dairy and I even caved in to my powerful cheese cravings when I initially tried veganism back in January, proving I should have purchased this book right back at the start.
The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon
Angela started her blog Oh She Glows to write about her recovery from an eating disorder. She began creating plant based recipes that she enjoyed and that her fast food loving husband approved of. Before she knew it, the blog was a huge success and she had released her cookbook. Although there are some items that may be unfamiliar to new vegans within this cookbook, Angela goes into great detail of each aspect of her cooking including what kind of equipment she uses to how to make homemade almond milk. If you wish to dive headfirst into a vegan diet and totally immerse yourself, then this book is a great tool to get all the basics right.
Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day! by Tamasin Noyes
The sandwich is a favorite food of many people across the globe. As an English gal, the sandwich was an after-school dinner staple and I always had one in my packed lunch. This book ensures you're never stuck searching for a sandwich filling again.
Ms. Cupcake: The Naughtiest Vegan Cakes in Town! by Melissa Morgan
A vegan diet isn't all kale and tofu. Yes, it's important to eat a healthy, balanced mix of foods as a vegan as it is when you're on any other diet. Being an avid baker I was so pleased to find this little gem including such delights as Bakewell Tart Cupcakes, Victoria Sponge Cake, and Chocolate Brownies, proving that vegans can also have a decadent treat when they crave a bit of something naughty but nice.
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Volunteers and visitors play with sheep at the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, which celebrated its move from Willow to High Falls with a free grand opening event.
Animal Lovers Unite at New
Sanctuary Location
By Amanda Loviza-Vickery
After relocating from a much smaller property in Willow, Woodstock Farm Sanctuary's re-opening celebration was not quite a typical petting zoo or festival. Toddlers in cow T-shirts that said "Friends not Food" laughed as they pet a sheep with a prosthetic leg. Long lines snaked around food trucks with names like "Veggie Oasis" as families waited to buy meals of falafel, vegan burgers and frozen dairy-free desserts....
Activist and documentary director Marisa Miller Wolfson, who lives in New York City, said places like Woodstock Farm Sanctuary are great because they open visitors' eyes to the lives of food animals, and people can learn why veganism is a positive lifestyle.
"Usually when they have an experience like this, it sets them on a different path, or at least a different way of thinking," said Wolfson, who has been vegan for 13 years. >> MORE
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Vegan Cupcake Recipe
Just because a cupcake is egg-free
and dairy-free doesn't mean it can't be
amazingly delicious!
Adding mashed banana to this cupcake batter not only gives it one of the essential banana split flavors but also works as a great substitute for eggs, helping to give the cupcakes structure as they bake. Just be sure you don't overmix these cupcakes; small lumps of banana in the batter are OK. >>MORE
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Cat Town Cafe, Oakland, CA
Purrfect Cat Cafes
Feline Fanciers in need of a caffeine fix can satiate both addictions at cat cafes cropping up in cities from coast to coast. The combo of hot coffee and furry friends traces its roots to Taiwan, but the phenomenon took off in Tokyo. The concept is not blossoming in the West, where new cafes help animals find permanent homes.
Cat Town Cafe was the first cat cafe to open in the United States. Since its debut in Oakland, California late last year, it has found homes for more than 200 felines. In the petting room, kitties leap in and out of small-scale replicas of local landmarks or take respite in a quiet zone. Patrons can relax is coffee and snacks both savory and sweet.
Across the bay, KitTea launched in San Francisco's Hayes Valley. Furnishings match the cat theme, including light fixtures resembling balls of yarn. KitTea serves artisan teas, some sourced from a small farm in Kyoto, Japan.
At Purringtons Cat Lounge, in Portland, a space-themed mural presides over the cat room filled with toys, towers, and comfy chairs. Visitors can sip coffee, tea, local wines, microbrews, or Meowmosas.
The Cat Cafe in San Diego, California, creates a homey environment in its playpen with soft beds, scratching posts, and climbing shelves. The cafe pours java from West Coast Coffee Roasters and Cafe Virtuoso.
Bookstore cat meets cat cafe at Denver Cat Company, a gathering place that sells used books from the owner's library, offers gallery space to local artists, and lets adoptable kitties roam at leisure. Visitors can purchase tea or coffee while curling up with a good book and a four-legged lap warmer.
Source: Marlene Goldman for VIA Magazine
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Photo: Erin McKenna with Tom Collicchio, photographed for Inc. magazine
by Mackenzie Stroh.
Erin McKenna's Bakery - New York City, LA, Orlando, or On Line
Gluten-Free, Vegan, Non-GMO,
and Good for You!
What is vegan at the bakery? All of it! We've got you covered right down to our sprinkles! We've researched all our sweeteners, food colorings, chocolates, non-dairy milks, and flours to ensure there are no animal products or by-products present in our desserts.
Erin McKenna's Bakery
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5 Vegan Ingredients
Everyone Can Appreciate
by M. Elizabeth Shelton
Vegan food has officially gone mainstream, as evidenced by a handful of new restaurants that take vegan cooking beyond the "health food" category and into the world of fast food. One of the best examples of this trend is New York City's new café By Chloe, where Chloe Coscarelli, a cookbook author and the vegan champ of Food Network's Cupcake Wars, is turning out awesome takes on burgers, ice cream and lasagna, all without using a drop of dairy or an ounce of meat. She's challenging the way people think about vegan cooking and the limitations of vegan ingredients. We tapped the up-and-coming chef for her favorite vegan pantry staples and tips on how to incorporate them in ways you may never have considered.
Nutritional Yeast
Not just for hippie popcorn anymore, Coscarelli loves how nutritional yeast adds a "roasted, nutty, umami flavor to any dish." It's a key source of amino acids and B vitamins for both vegans and non-vegans, and it's almost always gluten-free. "Use it the way you would parmesan, sprinkling a handful on salad or your favorite pasta," says Coscarelli, who uses it as a secret weapon for cheesy flavor in her kale-artichoke dip.
Alternative Flours
These can be great for adding new textures and flavors to your baked goods, even in non-vegan dishes. In vegan recipes, they can help compensate for textural changes if you're not using dairy. Coscarelli particularly likes chickpea flour, which "can be subbed in for normal white flour while adding extra protein and fiber." She also recommends using almond flour to add richness in vegan scones, or as the base for a batter to fry up things like vegetables and tofu.
Non-Dairy Milks
According to Coscarelli, this is "the most important staple to have in your vegan panty, and it can be easily made at home or purchased." She uses full-fat coconut milk as the base for her ice creams, though she plays with the proportions of coconut and nut milks to achieve the ultimate texture for each flavor, including a coffee with chocolate-covered chia seeds variety.
Nuts
"These are the most versatile foods you have in your kitchen," says Coscarelli. If you're interested in going the DIY nut milk route, she recommends cashews, which have a soft texture and richness that make them great for experimenting with. "At By Chloe, we make fresh mozzarella from cashew milk and a version of parmesan that's based on almond milk."
Fresh Herbs
If you can nail the seasoning combinations of your favorite non-vegan dishes, it goes a long way toward perfecting the vegan versions, too. For example, Coscarelli relies heavily on garlic, basil and oregano to re-create the flavor of the meatball parm she ate as a kid, though her version is totally meat-free and topped with that genius cashew mozzarella.
Source: Food & Wine
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Suzy Amis Cameron Describes
Her Transition to a Vegan Diet
by Brianne Hogan, Ecorazzi
Suzy Amis Cameron shares with The Huffington Post about the "radical wake-up call" that led her to adopting a vegan diet, alongside husband James Cameron.
Amis Cameron says that for, 26 years, she paid close attention to what her family was eating, ensuring it was healthy and nutritious. "We purchased grass-fed meat and free-range eggs, enjoyed plenty of fruits and vegetables from our organic garden, and even had fresh goat yogurt from our well-loved goats," she said.
Then, in 2012, she watched the documentary, Forks Over Knives, and her whole world of what it was to eat healthy, immediately shifted.
"It gutted me on a physical and emotional level. One idea in particular shocked me: the revelation that we don't actually need animal protein to be healthy," she said. "For a girl raised in a big Oklahoma family, the idea that we didn't need meat and dairy was a radical wake-up call and turned everything I thought I knew about healthy eating upside down."
The environmentalist was also shocked to learn that a diet based on animal products "was linking to higher rates of chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes." She watched the documentary again with her husband, hoping the information would affect him as deeply as it had her.
It did. After the film ended, >>MORE
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Vegan Food Fuels Record-Setting Race Across the Appalachian Trail
by Heather Moore
It takes the average hiker between five and seven months to travel the length of the Appalachian Trail (actually, the average hiker never even finishes it). Ultramarathoner Scott Jurek recently completed the 2,189-mile journey from Georgia to Maine in 46 days, 8 hours and 7 minutes. Beef jerky didn't pass his lips once. Jurek thinks of food as fuel and only fills his tank with plant-based nutrition. And he's not the only competitive athlete to champion a vegan lifestyle. Many popular athletes - from baseball and football players to boxers and bodybuilders - are taking advantage of performance-enhancing animal-free foods.
Plant-based foods provide athletes with the nutrients they need without the artery-clogging saturated fat and cholesterol they don't. Vegans tend to have a lower body mass index than nonvegans, and studies show that plant-based foods can help reduce blood pressure, improve blood flow and boost athletic performance. An article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concludes that a plant-based diet is "compatible with successful athletic endeavor."
Vegan foods have propelled sports figures quite far. Jurek won the 100-mile Western States Endurance Run seven years in a row, setting a course record, and he's represented the United States' winning teams in overseas races. His accomplishments are impressive - and so are those of other vegan competitors. Ultrarunner Patrick Sweeney recently raced from Los Angeles to Boston in 114 days - that's more than a marathon each day. Rich Roll, who in 2009 was named one of the 25 "fittest guys in the world" by Men's Fitness, and fellow competitor Jason Lester completed five Ironman Triathlons - each on a different Hawaiian island - in one week. Not to be left in the dust, vegan runner Fiona Oakes ran marathons on all seven continents and the North Pole, where she set a course record.
These vegans are following in the footsteps of some true sports greats. Carl Lewis, Sports Illustrated's "Olympian of the Century," says that his best year of track competition was the first year he ate a vegan diet, and Fauja Singh, who at age 101 finished a 6.25-mile race in 1 hour, 32 minutes and 28 seconds, credits his stamina and longevity to plant-based meals.
Ultramarathoner Dom Repta, who has run 100 miles in just under 20 hours, jokes that "vegan power" has turned him into a cyborg who suffers no injuries. While that may not be entirely true, vegan foods can protect against heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other debilitating diseases. That's why former triathlete Brendan Brazier, the author of the Thrive book series and creator of the award-winning line of plant-based Vega nutritional products, says that whole plant-based foods are "proactive health insurance." And since vegan athletes power up with healthy protein sources such as beans, lentils, tofu, pumpkin seeds and almonds, they have all the energy they need to be at their best.
Many other athletes thrive on vegan foods as well, including MLB pitcher Pat Neshek, NFL players Griff Whalen and Brandon Flowers, hockey great Georges Laraque, basketball stars John Salley and Salim Stoudamire, free-climber Steph Davis and Ultimate Fighting champ Mac Danzig.
In fact, some of the strongest athletes in the world are fueled by fruit, vegetables and other plant-based foods, including Patrik Baboumian, who broke the world record for the most weight ever carried by a human being, and all the bodybuilders on the PlantBuilt Vegan Muscle Team.
So, if you want to succeed in sports - and save animals to boot - pick a healthy vegan role model and follow his or her example. And even if sitting in the cheering section is more your style, you can still look and feel your best by eating vegan foods.
Click Here for Full Size
Who else is a vegan in the world of sports?
Here's just a sample, a small cross section:
Laura Kline, vegan duathlon competitor; Seba Johnson; Yassine Diboun; Neil Robinson, vegan footballer; Vicki Cosio, vegan tennis player; Peter Ebdon, vegan snooker player; Esther Hahn, vegan surfer; Sarah Stewart, vegan wheeelchair basketball player; Kara Lang, vegan footballer; Joni Purmonen, vegan strongman; Kenneth G. Williams, vegan bodybuilder; Meagan Duhamel, vegan figure skater; Tony Fiammetta, vegan American footballer; Michael Zigomanis, vegan ice hockey playaer; Greg Chappell, vegan cricketer; Ed Templeton, vegan skateboarder; Weia Reinboud, vegan track and field athlete; Christine Varderos, vegan cyclist; Craig Heath, vegan figure skater; Catherine Johnson, vegan cyclist; Harri Nieminem, vegan Thai boxer; Willie Austin; James Southwood; Catra Corbett, vegan ultramarathon runner; Henry Akins, vegan Jui Jitsu master, to name just a few!
See Other Great Vegan Athletes.
Source: The News Hub
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7 Ways Going Vegan
Has Helped My Relationship
by Elisa Allen
More people than ever are refusing to let their bodies be a graveyard for dead animals and instead choosing healthy, colourful and delicious plant-based foods. And my husband and I are among them. From lowering our risks of developing cancer and heart disease to reducing our carbon footprint, the benefits of going vegan are immense - but what we discovered along the way was that it actually helped our relationship, too. Here's how:
Source: Elisa Allen, Female First
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Renee King-Sonnen Turned Her Husband's Cattle Ranch into a Vegan Animal Sanctuary!
For generations, Sonnen Ranch has been a place for raising livestock - where animals, though treated humanely, were destined to be used for meat or dairy products. Now, after several rounds of fundraising, the ranch has been transformed into Rowdy Girl Sanctuary, a safe haven for farm animals, allowing the creatures to live out their lives without distress....
"Until I moved out here to the ranch, there was no connection to the animals that ended up on my plate. I'd experimented with vegetarianism, raw food diets, but never really called it 'vegan.' It all happened as a result of me living here."
>> MORE
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Goat Cheese Farmers Give it All Up to Make Vegan Cheese Instead
by Abigail Geer
After 20 years as award winning goat cheese farmers, Carol and Julian Pearce have decided to give it all up and make vegan cheese instead.
Still in the transition phase from farm to sanctuary, these two compassionate farmers decided that there was simply no way they could continue to justify bringing more life into the world while there were so many being mistreated and murdered, and in desperate need of a new home.
The No Kill Goat Cheese Farm
Having always identified themselves as being animal lovers and compassionate carers, their goat cheese business was a 'no kill' farm, where the animals were not slaughtered after their production days were over, but instead would live out the rest of their natural life on the farm.
As well as the no kill farm, the couple had already been taking in abused and abandoned goats, pigs, cows, horses, chickens, ducks and dogs for many years, and this is what ultimately led to the decision to halt their profitable farm business, in order to pursue an altogether more ethical cheese making venture.
Although many people are under the impression that small scale farming is not cruel or inhumane, this story highlights the fact that even a 'no kill' farm is not without its ethical problems. Apart from the fact that the animals are still being exploited for their milk (which was only ever intended to be drunk by their own kids), the farm is bringing more and more animals into the world in order to create that milk.
As hard as any farmer may try to care for their animals, the industry is inherently flawed from a moral standpoint as the animals are always being treated as commodities, with their bodies being exploited for our own gain. The Pearces' statement about their decision to turn their farm vegan echoed this point by saying, "We did the best we could for our animals while still producing cheese, but then we realized ~ a vegan farm will allow us to do even better."
The Animal Friendly Cheese
These two resourceful farmers are converting their 20 years of goat cheese making experience into vegan cheese making, in an effort to adapt and utilize their skills and find additional funding for their new 501(c)(3) non-profit rescue organization, The Sanctuary at Soledad Goats.
With the tagline "our cheese rescues animals," the couple is hoping that their newfound love for vegan cheese making will help to spread the message about cruelty free cheese and help them to rescue more animals from the exploitation of the farm industry at the same time.
A Model for All Farms to Follow
Skeptics of change always come up with reasons why things have to remain the way they are, even when the current system of farming is leading to the exploitation, confinement, suffering and death of billions of animals every year.
As Grace Hopper said, "The most dangerous phrase in the language is 'we've always done it this way.'"
Stories like this one offer hope and provide proof that it is indeed possible for us to change our ways and to find more compassionate alternatives. There are many options for animal farmers wishing to give up their current exploitative practices in favor of kinder ones, whether it's switching from goat cheese to vegan cheese, or from pig farming to vegetable farming, we can create a better future for animals.
Source: Care2
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Callicoon Kitchen Now 100% Vegan
Watch free youtube videos for delicious recipes, and inspiration!
Living a healthy lifestyle and offering people plant-based cooking ideas is a passion for Ron Badach. After appearing on ABC's The CHEW, Ron began posting his dishes to his YouTube Channel---Ron Badach Callicoon Kitchen. Ron hopes to see an increase in parents getting involved with their children in the kitchen and educating them on the benefits of eating healthy organic produce.
His new website, Callicoon Kitchen, will be live shortly, posting all of his dishes along with the recipes to match.
Watch Ron's video at the Catskill Animal Sanctuary in Saugerties NY. Fantastic Vegan Chef, Linda Soper-Kolton, makes Vegan Tempeh Sliders with a crunchy slaw and awesome barbecue sauce.
More!
Quinoa, Baby Black Lentil Burger with Fresh Avocado and a crunchy Jicama Slaw.
Vegetarian Miso Soup is really simple and delicious. - My 11 year old daughter, Emma, stars as our guest taster.
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Real Men Don't Eat Meat:
Why this veteran Marine and police officer went vegan.
by Robert Atcheson
I fall pretty squarely into the stereotype of an all-American tough guy.
I grew up on a farm in Iowa, where I helped my family raise and slaughter hogs and cattle before moving into a town of 50 people. For a time, we ran a restaurant that served standard greasy-spoon fare: bacon, burgers and fried chicken. At 19, I left home to spend four years in the Marine Corps, then joined the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department. I worked on the MPD's Fugitive Task Force apprehending suspects wanted for murder, robbery and rape, and later supervised the presidential escort unit. I was eventually promoted to captain and retired after 25 years of service last fall.
For years I drank and smoked. I still pump iron and drive a big pickup truck I call Bruno. At work and at home, I've always been a strict disciplinarian.
So when my teenage daughter told me she was going vegan several years ago, I did what many tough parents would do when faced with the same situation. I gave her a simple choice: Either eat the food I cook for you, or get out of my house.
Today, I have the same rule for everyone who enters my home. Except the food I now cook is 100% vegan — no meat, eggs or dairy. If I had things my way, everyone in America would make a similar choice. What prompted the change?
I'm a no-nonsense guy, the chief cook and bottle washer at our home. While I ridiculed her for it at first, my daughter's decision got me thinking. I started to read books on the subject, trying to find the flaw in her argument. It turns out that her facts were supported by experts on all sides: doctors, researchers, dietitians, fitness gurus — everyone except the meat industry itself.
And I thought of my own relatives. My dad had seven stents put in his heart and died of a heart attack at age 69. My mom, who has type 2 diabetes, had quadruple-bypass surgery in May. At family get-togethers, I cringe each time my family members pop pills and stick their sides with insulin needles while telling me — without missing a beat — that they could never give up meat and cheese.
Most Americans would say the same. The state of America's health today is, as I like to say, FUBAR (to put that more politely: fouled up beyond all recognition). We are now more likely to die from poor diet than from anything else. Rates of diet-related chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity are off the charts. So is the amount of money we spend treating these diseases: about 75% of the nation's $2 trillion health care bill in 2012.
The problem plagues not only American civilians but also our military and police forces. Obesity is the No. 1 cause of military ineligibility, and according to Mission: Readiness, a group of 300 retired military generals and admirals, it costs the Department of Defense about $1 Billion annually. Chronic diseases also disproportionately affect veterans: One in four has diabetes, and nearly 80% are overweight or obese.
Cops are no better off. Law enforcement is the fattest profession in America, according to an analysis of data from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Doughnut jokes aside, more than 40% of police, firefighters and security guards are obese. Police officers are 25 times more likely to die from weight-related disorders such as heart disease than from fighting crime.
I retired from the police force at age 50. If I had the same lifestyle and eating habits as most of my colleagues, I could expect to be dead in five to ten years.
It's ludicrous that those responsible for protecting the people of this country are themselves in dire need of protection — and from entirely preventable diseases, no less. Because I don't eat animal products, my risk of cancer is a fraction of the average. I weigh the same today as I did at age 21. I'd bet my life savings that unlike many of my family members — and fellow jarheads and cops — I will never get heart disease or diabetes.
As a police captain, I was known as a hard-ass, take-no-excuses kind of guy. Once I went vegan, I gave my officers a message I'd like the whole country to hear: When you eat meat and other animal products, you're playing a losing game of chicken with your health. It takes courage and discipline to ditch that crap and clean up your plate.
So do what I did, and what many of my best officers eventually did, too: Trade in that morning doughnut for a smoothie. Swap that chicken sandwich for a black bean burger. Your health — and your family — will thank you.
Robert Atcheson is a former captain in the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department who retired in late 2014 after 25 years of service. - USA Today
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How a Trucker Lost 65 pounds by
Cooking Vegan Meals on the Road
By Jordan Muto, Today.com/food
One man is proving that what seems like a trying task to most can be done with a little dedication -- and vegetables. We're talking about losing weight. Long haul Mississippi trucker Bobby Anderson realized that after 21 years on the job, it was time to reevaluate his lifestyle...
The biggest game changer was that he began cooking his own meals. He put himself on a restrictive diet, cutting out all meat, fish and dairy, and adding nutritious fruits and vegetables like avocados, potatoes and blueberries to create a well-balanced diet. >>MORE
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Choosing Life
by Chris Hedges
....Once the right of the powerful to exploit the powerless—whether that exploitation is of animals by humans, other nations by an imperial power, other races by the white race, or women by men—once that right is removed from our belief system, blinders are lifted. On my visit to rural New York state I saw dairy farming in a new way—as a business that depends on the enslavement of the female reproductive systems of animals, animals that feel pain, suffer and love their young....>>MORE
Source: truthdig
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Why Go Veg?
... An estimated 70 percent of all diseases, including one-third of all cancers, are related to diet. A vegetarian diet reduces the risk for chronic degenerative diseases such as obesity, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and certain types of cancer including colon, breast, prostate, stomach, lung and esophageal cancer....>>MORE
Source: Vegetarian Times
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Essential Fatty Acids
(...and what you should know about fish oils!)
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are important in the normal functioning of all tissues of the body.... Adequate intake of the essential fatty acids results in numerous health benefits. Prevention of atherosclerosis, reduced incidence of heart disease and stroke, and relief from the symptoms associated with ulcerative colitis, menstrual pain, and joint pain have also been documented....
It is important for vegetarians to include foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids on a daily basis. Alpha-linolenic acid, a common omega-3 fatty acid, is found in many vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and fruits. The best source of alpha-linolenic acid is flaxseeds or flaxseed oil. For those seeking to increase their intake of omega-3 fats, more concentrated sources can be found in oils such as canola, soybean, walnut, and wheat germ. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in smaller quantities in nuts, seeds, and soy products, as well as beans, vegetables, and whole grains. (Corn, safflower, sunflower, and cottonseed oils are generally low in omega-3s.) >>MORE
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