A Visit to Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary
Transcription
A Visit to Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary
Ahimsa Lights the Way Second Series Volume 13 Number 1 Spring 2013 A Visit to Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary Co-founding and running Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary (WFAS) is a major achievement. Doing such with a prosthetic leg makes Jenny Brown’s personal story even more compelling. During an afternoon with her, it became clear that she could do anything; her heart compensates for seeming obstacles in her life. (Story on page 6) ● Where Livestock Imperils Wildlife ● Healthy Gourmet To-Go ● Nutrition Studies Update ● Ivy Conference ● Villanova Mania American Vegan 13—1, Veggie SPRING 2013 1 ● Sugar ● Eat Well & Save $$ ● Fashion with Karen ● Ag-Gag Laws ● Dogs What a great book! Clear, compassionate, comprehensive—and oh, so practical! — Michael Klaper MD Cashew Nut Loaf Quinoa Tabbouleh Vegetable Napoleon Begging to be picked up, Virgin Vegan is a guidebook for people awakening to healthier, more compassionate, bountiful food choices. Linda Long teaches basic nutrition, meal planning; and about new ingredients, products and brand names. She draws on years of experience with food and life, and the wisdom of many friends. Neighbors asking advice will find her book uncluttered, on target, and the place to start. Most of the recipes in this collection are photographed so readers can feast their eyes before making and tasting. Nearly all ingredients are easy to find. If there’s any hesitancy, invite some friends to a potluck using recipes from Virgin Vegan. The book is such a convenient size and, with its hard cover, bound to become a durable companion. Simple and inviting, we recommend it to all. Bonus material, including video interviews of notable vegans, chefs, and experts, will be found at www.virginvegan.com. VIRGIN VEGAN: The Meatless Guide to Pleasing Your Palate –Linda Long. Full-color photos, 2013, 160pp 5¾ x 8¾” hard $19.99. Linda Long taught home economics before a corporate career in New York City, a place she loves. She is the author and photographer of best-seller Great Chefs Cook Vegan. 2 Fast Horseradish Tomato Soup American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 All photos on this page by Linda Sunday May 26 2013 Noon: Outdoor Lunch ● Music ● 2pm: Afternoon Program Includes short membership meeting & trustee election AVS Headquarters, Malaga NJ Emcee Anne Dinshah is a lifelong vegan, rowing coach, author of Dating Vegans, and co-author of Apples, Bean Dip, and Carrot Cake: Kids! Teach Yourself to Cook. SPEAKERS: Jenny Brown is a longtime animal advocate, co-founder and director of Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary in Woodstock New York—a nonprofit farmed animal shelter and advocacy organization located in the Catskill Mountains. www.WoodstockSanctuary.org Michael A. Weber is the Executive Director of Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM), where he oversees FARM’s Sustained Vegan Advocacy approach to reducing (and eventually eliminating) the number of animals raised and killed for food. www.farmusa.org Music: BLU HiPP—Alternative Rock for Vegans & Animals AVS Book Room Open 11am-6pm: Books, Media, and Posters! American Vegan Society 56 & 72 Dinshah Lane Malaga NJ 08328 Phone: 856-694-2887 Fax: 856-694-2288 www.americanvegan.org Register by May 22 Donation: Supporter $50, Adult $25 Student/Low income $10 Child $5 American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 3 AHIMSA THE COMPASSIONATE WAY AHIMSA is a Sanskrit term meaning non-killing, non-injuring, non-harming. AVS defines it in daily life as Dynamic Harmlessness, spelled out at right. THE AMERICAN VEGAN SOCIETY is a nonprofit, non-sectarian, non-political, tax-exempt educational membership organization teaching a compassionate way of living by Ahimsa (see above) and Reverence for Life. VEGANS—pronounced VEE-guns—live on products of the plant kingdom, so exclude flesh, fish, fowl, dairy products (animal milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, etc.), eggs, honey, animal gelatin and broths, as well as all other items of animal origin. VEGANISM ALSO EXCLUDES animal products such as leather, wool, fur, and silk, in clothing, upholstery, etc. Vegans usually try to avoid the less-thanobvious animal oils, secretions, etc., in many soaps, cosmetics, toiletries, household goods and other common commodities. AN EDUCATIONAL CONVENTION is held each year, at Malaga or elsewhere. INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL ADVICE is not given; AVS educates on ethical, ecological, aesthetic, healthful, and economic aspects of vegan living in general. KNOWLEDGE AND OPINIONS in articles (or books, tapes, etc., listed or reviewed in American Vegan) represent the views of the individual authors, not necessarily those of the society or American Vegan. CONFIDENTIALITY: AVS' membership list is never rented or given out for commercial use or solicitations. NO COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING: Any notices printed are for informational value to our readers. ARTICLES or items may be submitted for possible publication. AMERICAN VEGAN SOCIETY Since 1960 Founder: H. Jay Dinshah AVS Council Members & Officers *Freya Dinshah, Malaga NJ –President/Treasurer/Editor Roshan Dinshah, Malaga NJ –1st Vice President *Rosemary O’Brien, Woodbridge NJ –2nd Vice President/Secretary *Anne Dinshah, Fredonia NY –Assistant Editor *Andy Mars, Los Angeles CA Daniel J. Dinshah, Malaga NJ –Assistant Treasurer *Gabriel Figueroa, Austin TX American Vegan Volume 13, Number 1— Spring 2013 ISSN: 1536-3767 ©2013 Contents A Visit to Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary.... 1, 6 Book Review: Virgin Vegan .................................... 2 American Vegan Society Garden Party 2013.......... 3 U.S. Ag-Gag Laws ................................................... 5 Villanova Veggie Mania .......................................... 8 Book Review: Unprocessed ..................................... 9 Vegan Dogs............................................................ 10 Obituary: Brian Gunn-King ................................... 11 6th International Congress Vegetarian Nutrition ... 12 Wegmans................................................................ 14 Top 10 Ways to Eat Well & Save Money .............. 15 Dating Vegans: Adair & Nick Moran .................... 16 Careme’s Gourmet Vegan Dinners ........................ 18 Book Review: Wild About Greens ......................... 18 Fashion with a Conscience..................................... 19 Local Sustainable Animal Farmers Won’t Tell...... 20 Book Review: V is for Vegan................................. 21 The Clint Chronicles .............................................. 21 Solving the Sugar Puzzle........................................ 22 Toute Sweet Recipes for Better Health .................. 24 AVS Trustee........................................................... 24 Veganification ........................................................ 25 Healthy Gourmet To-Go ........................................ 27 New Books ............................................................. 28 Upcoming Events ................................................... 29 Vegan Wedding................................................ 30, 36 EU Ban on Cosmetic Testing ................................. 32 Powerful Vegan Messages ..................................... 32 Ivy League Conference .......................................... 32 AVS Membership/Subscription ............................. 33 AVS Internships Available..................................... 34 International Vegan Events .................................... 35 Front Cover Photo: Jenny & Ralphie by Derek Goodwin Back Cover Photo: courtesy Tatiana Breslow Inside photos as credited or by AVS Assistant Editor and Graphics: Carolyn Githens Technical Assistance: Scott Depew Printed by GraphiColor Corporation, Vineland NJ Latest Book & Video/DVD Catalog is on our website, or you may order it from AVS! www.americanvegan.org Sign on to E-Alert *Council 4 ABSTINENCE from Animal Products HARMLESSNESS with Reverence for Life INTEGRITY of Thought, Word, and Deed MASTERY over Oneself SERVICE to Humanity, Nature, and Creation ADVANCEMENT of Understanding and Truth Webmaster: Curt Hamre American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 Website hosted by VegSource U.S. AG-GAG LAWS “SINISTER” SAY LEADING ACADEMICS NEWS RELEASE: March 2013 Leading academics have branded United States “Ag-gag” laws (now in force in Iowa and Utah and awaiting consideration in other U.S. states), that make it a criminal offence to photograph or make a sound or video recording of an animal facility without the owner’s permission, as “sinister.” The editors of the Journal of Animal Ethics (JAE) (recently published by the University of Illinois Press), Professors Andrew Linzey and Priscilla N. Cohn, note that the objections to these laws seem to have been “insufficiently regarded in the preceding debates in these states, so perhaps they need to be spelled out.” They list five reasons for concern: In the first place, the overwhelming majority of Americans eat meat and animal products. That being so, they have an obvious interest in what (or whom) they are eating, in how the animals who result in that meat were bred, raised, fed, transported, handled, treated, and slaughtered. Second, these animal facilities, though they may be privately owned, are subject to the laws of the land (however inadequate) that apply to the treatment of farmed animals. If they continue to be hidden from public gaze, it is difficult to see how we shall know what conditions prevail, who is responsible when things go wrong (e.g., when even the minimal standards are not adhered to), and what penalties are in force. Third, although again they may be privately owned, these “animal facilities” are the recipients of public subsidies. Every taxpayer in the United States, vegetarian or otherwise, has a right to know what is being funded in his or her name. After all, it is their money. Fourth, the ag-gag laws prevent consumers and taxpayers not only from knowing but also from seeing and judging for themselves. In the history of moral causes, the denial of transparency invariably betokens something to hide. Last, there is an underlying ethical issue here of some importance. What we see, or are allowed to see, affects our moral judgment. That so much of industrialized farming is, as a matter of course, hidden from view hinders full moral evaluation. The editors conclude “We can only hope that these laws will soon be judged unconstitutional. One of the redeeming features of U.S. law is the way in which state or even federal legislation can be referred back to fundamental principles. Some may judge that it can only be a matter of time. But in the meantime, the truth about animal farming in these states will be denied to those who have a right to know.” The JAE has been launched by a U.S. and U.K. academic partnership with the goal of widening international debate about the moral status of animals, and is the result of years of collaboration Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics Helping people to think differently about animals between the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics (www.oxfordanimalethics.com) and the University of Illinois Press. It is edited by the internationally-known theologian the Reverend Professor Andrew Linzey, Director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, and Professor Priscilla Cohn, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Penn State University and Associate Director of the Centre. Multidisciplinary in nature and international in scope, the JAE covers theoretical and applied aspects of animal ethics. To subscribe to the Journal, please visit the Journal’s website at www.press.uillinois.edu/journals /jane.html. Copyright © 2013 Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, all rights reserved. VEGFAM feeds the hungry without exploiting animals VEGFAM ℅ Cwm Cottage Cwmynys, Cilycwm, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire SA20 0EU, WALES, U.K. www.vegfamcharity.org.uk Checks to American Vegan Society designated projects only or projects & administrative costs, and marked for overseas relief will be forwarded in £s. Or Vegfam’s online giving facility www.vegfamcharity.org.uk can be used from the U.S. American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 5 A Visit to WFAS Linda Long On a warm day, I left Manhattan for pastoral Woodstock New York in the Catskills, accompanied by Jane Belt, a vegan home economist from Columbus Ohio, and her brother David Belt, a singer in NYC, transported in style in David’s bright yellow vintage ’65 Chevy Impala. I had arranged a video interview with Jenny, but the visit was more than expected. Driving through the famous and quaint village of Woodstock was worthy of a trip in itself. There’s a good vegan restaurant right on the square, Garden Café on the Green. Entering another world, we turned onto a lane with a huge richly-curry-colored fairyland house in the distance. It was a new experience when this city girl opened the wide corral-type farm gate to walk down the wide graveled path to the visitor building and the animal shelters. 66 We did not have to wait to be greeted…animals were in front of us wandering about, not caring that we were sharing their space. A big colorful tom turkey on the porch proudly strutted about enjoying his day, lucky bird. We glanced left to observe two large white goats—artfully resting, faces blissfully to the sun, perfect for a portrait, so I availed them. To the right were pigs sleeping in mud puddles with huge visible smiles of contentment. Camera! Our warm feeling was shaken upon seeing an example of the metal-barred cages where pigs are forced to live on factory farms, not allowed to walk about ever. And we noticed cutouts in the ears on some of the pigs—where tags had been stapled to them. Jenny’s welcoming voice greeted us as she came down the lane. Her huge smile and determined demeanor promised that our time there would be filled with insight, delight, and the information that makes a difference in one’s life. American American Vegan Vegan 13—1 13—1,SPRING SPRING2013 2013 I asked Jenny for her vision; her answer was allencompassing. “I hope that one day, maybe in the next 100 years, that we will look back at our treatment of animals and our eating of animals with the same disgust and distain that we now have for the enslavement of human beings. Let’s remind ourselves that we too are animals. Such oppression of other living beings has to stop. “Violence is on our plates three times a day and it is up to us to change that. And, if you say you love animals and you are opposed to cruelty, you’ve got to take a look at the meat you eat and realize that these are emotional beings who lived life and feared death—like any one of us does—raised and killed for the trivial pleasure of our palates.” WFAS has about 200 rescued animals, 50 of the 4-legged variety, on 23 acres. The space is allotted so as not to crowd the animals. Jenny’s goal is to be able to provide the best medical care for many special-needs animals. It is costly, so donations are important to maintain the sanctuary, and volunteers are critical to keep the animals happy and loved. Hundreds of people come on the weekends. The animals have names (even each chicken!). The white goats in the photo are Jasper and Emmet. They came with a common goat disease, a virus called CAE for which there is not treatment; it is a form of arthritis. The unwanted males from the local dairy are usually sold for meat; goat is the world’s largest selling meat—amazingly, more than chicken and beef. Jane and David were impressed that Jenny knew which animals get along with others, and on which she has to keep an eye. At WFAS abused animals come to trust humans. The special-needs animals are treated medically and socially. The staff and volunteers daily put some lovin’ on the animals. For the pigs, that could mean sitting beside them on hay and Jasper and Emmet stroking them a long time. All Americans should visit to Pigs’ eyes seem human; there is so much feeling and intelligence see, touch, and get to know these behind them! I was thinking pigs animals that are thought of simply would be slippery! In fact they as “food.” Dress for the country and wear have very coarse hair; and I shoes that can withstand dust. If realized the hair is protective. To say they are dusty is an one plans to be near mud puddles understatement. They come into with the pigs, one needs boots. the barn from resting and playing But, all of the animals were in the mud puddles and then it accessible in the barns, grassy dries. But, pigs certainly do love fields, and lawn. to have someone stroke them, and Jenny’s Book they lay very still with the most If you cannot visit WFAS, blissful look on their faces. read Jenny’s engaging book, The Lucky Ones, which will take you on an impactful journey. Having spoken to Jenny, I recognized her voice in its pages as she shares the highs and lows of her life that led to her eventual move to the Catskills: How a tiny cat companion—“Boogie,” given to her at ten and loved for eighteen years—enabled her understanding of the plight of farmed animals. How Jenny transitioned from being a teen McDonald’s server, to creating documentaries for major television productions, to going undercover in Texas to film animal abuse. How, with her husband Doug, she created Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. It is quite an adventurous read. The LUCKY ONES: My Passionate Fight for Farm Animals —Jenny Brown with Gretchen Primack. 16pp full-color photos. 2012, 303pp 6¼x9¼” hard $26.00. WFAS PO Box 1329 Woodstock NY 12498 845-679-5955 www.WoodstockSanctuary.org Linda’s video interview with Jenny: www.virginvegan.com Hear Jenny speak at AVS Garden Party! Info on page 3. As a committed vegan, it was so validating to visit this sanctuary, to make the animals “real.” To stand in the sunlight and share the ground with them brings intensity to the decision about not eating them. The thought that I ever, even if 37 years ago, decided one of them should not live so that I could have a meal is devastating. American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 7 7 American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 Villanova VEGGIE MANIA Villanova University Dining Services hosted Veggie Mania Day on March 13, part of the 10th annual campus-wide celebration of National Nutrition Month. Veggie Mania features an original vegan entrées contest; chefs compete to see whose recipe will be included in the school’s regular menu. A guest judge this year was author, activist, and lifetime vegan Anne Dinshah. A lunchtime cooking demo by dining chefs impressed students with ten simple dishes from The 4-Ingredient Vegan (by Abrams and Dinshah) such as tomato-yam pizza and chocolate mousse. Veggie Mania was attended by students and faculty, vegans and nonvegans. As Anne explained in the talk based on her book, Dating Vegans, encounters between people of different dietary backgrounds can be both challenging and constructive experiences. Her comical recollections of dating experiences with nonvegans served as a springboard for opening up questions and discussion among the diverse audience members. After the presentation, faculty and students chatted over hors d’oeuvres, including artichoke dip, fudge, and edamame bruschetta inspired by Anne’s recipes. Tim Dietzler, Director of Villanova Dining Services, has made it a primary goal over the past several years to create a vegan-friendly dining environment, embracing this widespread trend on college campuses. “Local plant-based options are on the rise and heading to university dining programs across the country,” he said. “Sustainability, farm to fork, and socially responsible food all come together in a vegan diet.” The top administrator of Villanova’s food program has himself followed a vegan lifestyle for a year and a half: “I was encouraged by a Villanova student to try a vegan diet for 30 days as a challenge, to see what it would be like to dine as a vegan in our dining operations.” Dietzler also cites vegetarian colleagues, dietary studies, films, and literature as influences. Villanova senior vegan Marissa Pardue is optimistic about the changes, but sees the need for a shift in the campus attitude toward meat. “Students express an extreme guardedness when it comes to hearing any call for lessened meat consumption,” she said of her nonvegan peers. 8 American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 “The ultimate need for change must come from the student body if Villanova is to ever become more receptive toward veganism.” Pardue is president of Villanovans In Defense of Animals (VIDA). Several campus organizations advocate vegan and vegetarian lifestyles. Villanova Environmental Group (VEG) works to increase campus awareness of environmental issues including sustainable food. The latest organization to promote ethical food practices is the Just Food group, which works alongside Dining Services to ensure that food served is produced ecologically, with student health and animal welfare in mind. The group educates students about the underlying issues and practices behind food production so young adults can make informed dietary choices. For example, many students remain unaware of the profound importance of their everyday decisions about food. According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report, the average American consumes 195 pounds of meat yearly.* Producing food including livestock to feed omnivores requires over three acres of land, growing plants to be consumed directly requires 1/6 of an acre per year for a vegan. Samantha Butwill, sophomore vegetarian and founding member of Just Food, “The fact that there are enough people who choose that [vegan] lifestyle to make it part of the cafeteria’s daily offerings is a sign that our campus’s awareness about food is going in the right direction.” “Be who you are and interact with people who may not think like you,” Anne told her audience. Veggie Mania celebrations are a part of this interaction, providing a foundation by which vegans and nonvegans come together in mutual education and awareness of the ethical concerns underlying our modern food dilemma. *USDA.gov/factbook/chapter2.pdf Article by Lauren Clem, a sophomore English and Communication double major at Villanova University, near Philadelphia PA. “Though I am not vegan or even vegetarian, various experiences since coming to college—including exposure to vegan options in the dining halls, educational opportunities such as Anne’s presentation, and the influence of vegetarian friends—have encouraged me to be more conscientious about what I eat and from where it comes.” Book Review: UNPROCESSED: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight Chef AJ, well-known as a rotund vegan comic (now more svelte with a vibrant youthful beauty), tells a very personal story of her addiction to processed foods and bad lifestyle choices. Luckily she has an unnatural and exaggerated fear of surgery and general anesthesia so when she got large bleeding colon polyps, she finally did something drastic. She checked into Optimum Health Institute in San Diego where she took classes that deal with healing on three levels—body, mind, and spirit. The diet was not only plantbased, it was organic and 100% raw, also free of sugar, oil, and salt. Genetics only load the gun— diet and lifestyle pull the trigger. Memorably her husband roasted AJ at her 42nd birthday, “My wife is the only vegetarian who never eats fruits or vegetables. The only greens she gets are in a box of Skittles®.” AJ was a junk-food vegan whose battle for her health brought her to discover that sugar, oil, and salt were the bane of her existence and the reason she couldn’t be healthy. She talks about how the things we commonly eat (meat, cheese, dairy, eggs, sugar, flour, caffeine, alcohol, oil, salt, processed food) make our bodies acidic. AJ spent four decades abstaining from animal products, but had her own set of four basic food groups: sugar, flour, oil, and caffeine. She had to detox! Chef AJ used raw food as a cure, but finds she can maintain good health including some simple cooked food. Her recipes are a variety of raw and cooked. Don’t let her Chef title fool you—they are easy recipes for anyone with a food processor. ;) Easy to read, full of humor that punches you hard in your gut, and packed with simple recipes, Unprocessed doesn’t tell you to be a fully raw vegan or to quit everything you love. Just start thinking before you reach for food from a box. Processed foods are packed with addictive sugar, oil, and salt to make you keep wanting them! 2011, 178 pp 6x9” $19.95. Tax–deductible DONATIONS have supported the work of American Vegan Society for 53 years: Outreach at public events (books, literature, speaking) American Vegan magazine (formerly Ahimsa magazine—back issues available) Annual Garden Party Website video productions LECTURE TOURS hosting Gourmet Vegan Dinners inquiries (phone, e-mail, mail, fax and in person) cooking classes conferences BOOK PUBLICATIONS DONATE TODAY! Help people, the planet, and the animals. American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 9 Lucy (left) and Dapper (right) at Bondi Beach, New South Wales, Australia on a holiday trip. Lucy and Dapper Lucy is a foster dog waiting for a new home. She is two years old and has been with me for just over a year. She is very energetic, and highly intelligent too. She does catch birds occasionally, so she's not completely vegan, and less than once a year someone will give her (and Dapper, my other dog) bones or meat, but the rest of the time she and Dapper eat completely vegan. Dapper is nine or ten years old. He has been with me since about the age of two and came to me as a skeletal, abused street dog. He has been vegetarian ever since he's been with me, and vegan for six years. He is fit and healthy and a very happy vegan dog. He doesn't chase or hunt anything, and is calm, confident, and loving to all. 10 Although members of the order Carnivora, dogs are nutritionally omnivorous (able to eat plant as well as animal food). However, achieving a good nutrient balance to feed a dog as a vegan takes thought and care, because in nature they are scavengers, primarily eating flesh. Over the years some dogs, living in households shunning animal products, have thrived on a vegan regimen. (AVS reported on Dudley Giehl’s dogs in 1974). It became easier in 1985 when Harbingers of a New Age, after careful scientific research, pioneered a dog-vegan-feeding system with recipes and a supplement they developed. Today there are companies selling vegetarian, and vegan, dry kibble and canned dog food. Meatless soon proved superior to animal-based diets. The dogs’ odor improved! People were amazed at health improvements that took place in their dogs. Below are stories of vegan people and their dogs. I generally feed them a blend of lentils, barley, quinoa, and buckwheat, mixed with fresh chopped celery, carrot, and leafy greens. Sometimes I add chopped-up bread, spirulina, chia seeds, savory yeast flakes, and whatever leftovers are ready to leave the fridge. I also feed them Veganpet® dried food regularly, though not every day, and the veggie pigs’ ears. They love fried faux meat of all sorts: sausages and hamburgers. They also love green smoothie ice cream. was a Royal Blue Tick Deer Hound, and we've never seen another dog that looked like her. Vegan was at Gentle World when I first came there 30 years ago. For me, Vegan is the forerunner of the “vegan dog movement.” Vegan— Pioneer of the vegan dogs Vegan Vegan was a pioneer of the vegan dogs that shared life with Gentle World. She had a keen sense of understanding. To the best of our knowledge, Vegan American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 Lucy and Dapper, and Vegan stories by Butterflies of Gentle World. Jasmine, “Jazz” Jasmine came into our life a little over four years ago. She is a half Border Collie half Aussie Shepherd. We got her from the barn that she was born in and took her home. She was almost eight weeks old. We took the kibble that she was eating, and gradually mixed in a garbanzo Vegedog™ recipe. Soon she was eating just the Vegedog. She always loved her food and the transition was no problem. A favorite chew is dried sweet potato slices. Story and photos of Jasmine by James Peden Owner, Harbingers of a New Age www.vegepet.com 717 E Missoula Ave Troy MT 59935 Phone: 406-295-4944 Fax: 406-295-7603 Jasmine as a puppy made this her favorite napping spot in the front room. Jasmine full grown at 3 years, 8 months Biographies of 100 vegan-fed dogs, and vegan dog nutrition info at http://thevegantruth.blogspot.com /2013/01/dogs-that-eat-vegandirectory.html. Obituary Brian Gunn-King 1933-2013 Ballymena Co Antrim Northern Ireland: Brian J. Gunn-King, 1977 recipient of the Mankar Memorial Award for services to vegetarianism, died March 18 2013. Brian was Honorary General Secretary of the International Vegetarian Union, 1968 to 1979. In that capacity Brian had a central role in organizing several international vegetarian congresses, in England, India, Israel, Holland, Sweden, & U.S. Brian and his wife Margaret worked closely with H. Jay and Freya Dinshah, and Brian and Sharon Graff, on the 1975 XXIII World Vegetarian Congress hosted by the North American Vegetarian Society in Orono Maine, an event pivotal in launching the modern U.S. vegetarian and animal rights scene. Gunn-King became a vegetarian in his teens, and a vegan soon after. In 1968 he married Margaret Patching, an Iyengar Yoga instructor and teacher of vegan cooking. In his professional life he was Town and Country Planning Chief for the Antrim and Ballymena Development Commission, helping the area win awards. Brian and Margaret were leaders in their local preservation and vegetarian communities. Brian was a member of Men of Trees, a supporter of Vegfam, and a keen veganic gardener. Brian is survived by his wife Margaret and their daughters Sita-Laura and Venetia, to whom we send our heartfelt condolences. More about Brian Gunn-King at www.ivu.org/ members/council/brian-gunn-king.html In 1995 Brian and family attended the International Vegan Festival hosted by AVS in San Diego California. Brian, then Treasurer of Vegans International, shared honors with Howard Lyman and Julia Hope Jacquel in a treeplanting ceremony. American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 11 The 6th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian In February of 2013 I attended the 6th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition, which is held in Loma Linda California every five years. I was so excited that I could barely sleep the preceding night, like a little girl invited to a special birthday party. The 2nd Congress, held in Arlington Virginia in 1992, had turned out to be so inspiring that Brenda Davis and I, along with a third dietitian colleague Victoria Harrison, wrote our classic Becoming Vegetarian. This pro-vegan book is now updated and published in 15 countries and 5 languages. Nutritional scientists from around the world gather at this premier conference and its proceedings are published in the most prestigious of nutrition journals, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The audience consisted of over 700 nutrition experts who research and publish in fields relevant to vegan nutrition, including Dr. Frank Hu from Harvard (Nurses’ Health Study) and Dr. Tim Key of Oxford. Here are a few of the many, many highlights. Colorful Veggies and Fruits and Our Eyes Dr. John Paul Sangiovanni of the National Eye Institute emphasized the essential nature of two substances, lutein and zeaxanthine, that come to us from orange, red, yellow, and green veggies and fruits. These gather in a central area of the eye that allows fine-pattern vision and absorb blue light, protecting the cells in the macula against damage from these light rays. These carotenoids can stabilize cell membranes and quench free radicals. Without enough of these in our diet (and pills are no substitute for the carotenoidrich plant foods), eventual agerelated macular degeneration can occur. This is especially true for those whose genetic makeup predisposes them to macular degeneration. 12 Vegan Diets and Bone Health Dr. Reed Mangels, of the Vegetarian Resource Group, and also Dr. Katherine Tucker, a researcher with the Framingham Study, both noted that vegans have advantages when it comes to certain nutrients that are critical to bone health, including vitamin A (made from carotenoids), vitamin C, and the isoflavones in soyfoods. The magnesium and potassium in vegetables and fruits may help balance the acid load of diets in an alkaline direction. Fruits and vegetables have been shown to be protective of bone health. Building and maintaining strong bones over a lifetime involves many nutrients. Some vegans are at risk due to lower intakes of vitamins B12 and D, calcium, and protein. There are adequate vegan sources of all of these nutrients, including supplements or fortified foods for the vitamins, and for some of the calcium. Foods containing approximately 150 mg calcium in these serving sizes include 1 cup cooked bok choy, 2 cups of cooked broccoli, 2 navel oranges, ½ cup dried figs, ½ cup tempeh, and ½ cup fortified non-dairy beverages. To get the desired calcium intake for adults younger than 50 years of age, include 5 to 6 such servings daily which, added to that derived from a wide variety of plant foods that are less concentrated calcium sources, will reach the recommended 1000 mg. A vegan source of vitamin D3 (from lichen) is now available and either this or vitamin D2 are suitable and effective sources for vegans. When vegans take care that their intakes of these nutrients are at recommended levels, research shows that this is reflected in good bone health. American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 As Our Diet Becomes More Plant-Based, We Reduce Risk of Chronic Disease As we replace animal products with plant foods, we significantly reduce our risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. This was clearly shown by Oxford University-based research, following 34,000 meat eaters (of a particularly health-conscious variety compared with the general population), 10,000 people who eat fish but not other meats, 19,000 lacto-ovovegetarians, and 2,500 vegans. Their dietary choices, diseases, and causes of death have been tracked since 1993. These findings were backed up by the Adventist Health Study-2 that included 96,000 generally health-conscious Adventists, aged 30 to 112, from across Canada and the U.S. The dietary status of study members is 8% vegan (no red meat, fish, poultry, dairy, or eggs), 28% lacto-ovo-vegetarian (consume milk and/or eggs, but no red meat, fish, or poultry), 10% pesco-vegetarian (eat fish, milk, and eggs, but no red meat or poultry), 6% semi-vegetarian (eat red meat, poultry, and fish less than once per week), 48% non-vegetarian (eat red meat, poultry, fish, milk, and eggs more than once a week). Both of these large and very welldesigned studies showed vegans have a lower average Body Mass Index (BMI), with body weights that are typically in the healthy range, rather than overweight. Vegans also have significantly lower blood pressure, serum cholesterol levels, rates of diabetes, and female cancers. Lacto-vegetarians have reduced risk of gastrointestinal cancers. Vegetarians and vegans have far less likelihood of developing heart disease (as long as they have a reliable source of vitamin B12) and of cancers in general, compared with non-vegetarians. Vitamin B12 Dr. Haddad of California’s Loma Linda University reported incidence of low vitamin B12 status among over 900 participants in the Adventist Health Study-2 as determined by serum B12 and holotranscobalamin levels. The prevalence of low vitamin B12 status was 6.8% in vegans, 7.5% in lacto-ovo-vegetarians, and 7.9% in non-vegetarians. Good vitamin B12 status is important throughout the life cycle, especially in pregnancy, the neonatal period (when an infant has negligible B12 stores), and in the elderly (where it can be linked with cognitive decline.) Along with a plant-based diet, just be sure to take a vitamin B12 supplement, either daily as part of a multivitamin, several times a day in fortified foods, or as 1000 mcg twice a week! Vegan Diets as Therapeutic Diets Neal Barnard, MD made some fascinating points regarding the power and effectiveness of vegan diets in management of body weight, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Researchers found that many participants found it easier to eat good healthy food, rather than cutting and counting calories. Certainly following a vegan diet was no more difficult than following other types of therapeutic diets. People could eat as much as desired of the low-fat plant foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes—meaning beans, peas, and lentils). The fiber in plant foods helps people to feel full. The vegan foods significantly boost calorie burning as well. Iodine and Vegetarian Diets Dr. Serena Tonstad of the Adventist Health Study-2 research team reported that the first U.S. study on iodine status of Boston vegetarians appeared in 2011. Vegans had low urinary iodine concentrations compared to other vegetarians yet in certain respects, such as slimness, are protected against thyroid conditions. She advised vegans and other vegetarians to take care to maintain adequate iodine intakes (150 mcg per day). This is of particular importance during pregnancy (recommended intake 220 mcg per day) when deficiency can cause mental (cretinism) and physical damage to the fetus. Iodine is present in iodized salt and in variable levels in some breads (where iodine solution is used to clean equipment), and in seaweeds. Safety of Soyfoods Unfounded rumors (promoted by competitive industries or by Weston Price websites, if you trace the source) have thrown a negative light on soyfoods. As it turns out, soyfoods are clearly protective against prostate cancer for men and researchers have demonstrated how the protective effects work in cells that have gone awry. Giving your little girl (or teen daughter) soy is a great way to protect her against breast cancer in later life. And for those who have developed breast cancer, recent studies show soyfoods to reduce risk of recurrence by 25%. Just don’t overdo it, 2 to 3 servings a day are enough for anyone. Problems occurred when two men (independently) chose to consume 12 or 14 servings of soy a day for months on end—not a good idea! Raw Food Diets I (Vesanto Melina) presented on the recent and popular trend towards raw vegan diets, both among some vegans and for the general population interested in weight loss or for decreasing their symptoms of fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis or other chronic diseases. There is no research showing raw vegan diets to be appropriate or healthful for infants and children; in fact, tragic cases have been reported in the medical literature. Apart from fruitarian patterns, raw vegan diets can meet adult recommended intakes for essential nutrients. Environmental Impact of Diet Italians presented unique and fascinating research on the environmental impacts of various dietary choices using a European computer program, Simapro (see www.esu -services.ch/projects/lcafood/). The consequences of a radical shift to a plant-based diet would be all beneficial and include decreased energy use, water wastage, deforestation; more rational use of soil, and less use of chemicals in agriculture. Vegetarian Diets: Past, Present, and the Future In an inspiring overview, Dr. Claus Leitzmann of Giessen Germany ended by saying that people no longer want animals to suffer. “Who wants this?” he added, showing a bacon-cheese burger that would fatten a person up with 1420 calories, followed by pictures of environmental devastation. His overall tone was inclusive, appealing to the good we know exists in others, rather than judgmental. I found Dr. Leitzmann’s perspective to be uplifting and a very positive example for spreading a vegan message. Vesanto Melina is a Registered Dietitian and co-author of books that are classics in vegan nutrition: Becoming Vegan: Express Edition (new edition, summer 2013); Becoming Vegan: Comprehensive Edition (longer and fully-referenced edition, autumn 2013); Becoming Raw; The Raw Food Revolution Diet; The New Becoming Vegetarian; Raising Vegetarian Children; The Food Allergy Survival Guide; and Food Allergy: Health and Healing. Vesanto taught nutrition at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada and at Seattle’s Bastyr University and co-authored the joint position paper on vegetarian diets of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada. Her website is www.nutrispeak.com. American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 13 Let’s Meet for Lunch! Wegmans, the upscale gourmet supermarket headquartered in Rochester New York, is now offering vegan prepared food at their Manalapan and Cherry Hill New Jersey locations. This is a breakthrough into the mainstream supermarket industry. In October 2012, Wegmans’ Manalapan store presented a vegetarian luncheon, which included excellent vegan options. Monmouth Area Vegetarian Society luncheon attendees enjoyed a gourmet lunch in return for acting as a food focus group. Entrées were prepared by Wegmans’ sous chef, Sarah Vrooman. “I’m so happy to be able to cook for you,” Chef Vrooman repeated several times, smiling in her genuine sincere manner. After this brief introduction, the group of about twenty people sampled vegan-fine-dining entrées: Beefless Wellington with vegan gravy and Chickenless Parmesan made with soy cheese and Gardein™ Cutlet. Side dishes included Portabello Stuffed with Spaghetti Squash. An ovo-vegetarian dish, Sesame Chickenless, which easily could be made vegan, was a big hit. The group, ranging in age from twenties to sixties, discussed the difference between whole or “real” food and the mock interpretations generally from processed soy. The concern that soy products are not beneficial when avoiding cancer was expressed. [Ed. note: Pro soy information on page 12] Several members felt that, when changing diets, having a transitional food, such as the Sesame Chickenless, was helpful—while others preferred a non-soy-based transition from a meat-based to a plantbased diet. Apart from animal-product issues, concerns were raised about genetically modified food, as well as food containing gluten. On the luncheon menu glutenfree options were marked. Chef Vrooman says the family-owned Wegmans supermarket chain has always been “a healthbased company.” Wegmans’ CEO, Denny Wegman, went to Europe and saw a self-serve vegetable bar. He really liked it and wanted to bring it back to his U.S. stores. Sarah Vrooman, sous chef Photo by Mary Ann 14 American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 Since she enjoys the creativity of learning new cooking techniques, Chef Vrooman volunteered to be part of Wegmans’ new vegan/vegetarian program. She went to the headquarters in Rochester NY to learn new recipes which she brought to the Manalapan store. The local store started with one vegetarian/vegan option on the hot self-serve bar, and at the time of this writing have six. The trend of vegan food sales is increasing along with public demand. At the close of the luncheon, one guest commented that no desserts were offered. It is to Wegmans’ credit that the store chose to focus on healthy options rather than sugar-filled food items, but dessert is part of a meal. Chef Vrooman assured guests that all comments would be conveyed to corporate headquarters which initiates change. We are waiting to find out “What’s for Dessert?” In the meantime, meet your friends for lunch and let Wegmans know how much you want to see more vegan choices on the hot food bar. This event was hosted at Wegmans, 55 Rt 9, Manalapan NJ 07726. Reported by Mary Ann Cavallaro Like to Cook? VEGAN COOKING CLASS Listings www.americanvegan.org HELP AVS SPREAD THE VEGAN MESSAGE! Go to www.goodsearch.com or www.goodshop.com and enter American Vegan Society as the charity you want to support. TOP 10 WAYS to Eat Well & Save Money Ocean Robbins Do you want to eat healthy food, but worry that doing so is a privilege available only to the rich? Do you want to save money on future medical bills, without going broke along the way? The average American spends $6,300 per year on food. If you’re like me, you’d like to SAVE money. The thought of spending more in order to eat healthy food is hard to stomach. But the truth is… You can enjoy nutritious and delicious food, without spending a fortune! Here are 10 top tips for healthy and affordable food: 1. Go with Homemade. Americans today spend 49% of their food budget on eating out at restaurants. When you make it yourself, you know what’s in it—and you can save a lot of money, too. 2. Use Bulk Bins. Buying beans, whole grains, and other non-perishables from bulk bins will save you an average of 56% over buying the same items pre-packaged. 3. Cook in Quantity. Whether you live alone or are part of a big family, making big sauces, pots of soup, casseroles and other meals saves time in the long run. You can freeze extras for convenient instant meals, or create meal-sharing arrangements with friends or co-workers. 4. Grow Food. It takes time, but gardening is the most economical way to enjoy the freshest possible food. In urban neighborhoods, community gardens are a great way to grow food and build community at the same time. There are an estimated 18,000 community gardens in the U.S. and Canada. For resources to help you start one, visit the American Community Gardening Association. 5. Buy Direct From Farmers. When you join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), you enter into a direct win-win partnership with local farmers. Farmer’s Markets are a fantastic way to support farmers while enjoying fresh food straight from the source. In the U.S., the number of farmer’s markets has more than doubled in the last decade. 6. Use What’s in Season, Economical, and Nutritious. Some of the most budget-conscious starches include beans, whole grains, and potatoes. Some of the most affordable and nutritionally-potent vegetables often include cabbage, carrots, and onions. 7. Use – and stick with – Shopping Lists. Maintain an ongoing shopping list. Conduct a quick inventory of your kitchen before you shop to see if you’re missing anything important. By thinking your shopping through in advance, you’re more likely to get what you actually need, and less likely to waste money on impulse buying that you’ll later regret. 8. Cut Down on Animal Products. As Dr. John McDougall has pointed out, approximately one-third of the calories consumed by people living in developed nations are from animal sources. Animal foods— like meat, poultry, fish, milk, and cheese, are usually an expensive source of protein and nutrients. 9. Eat Before Shopping. Grocery stores know the power of delectable smells. Everything looks good when our stomachs are screaming, "feed me!”, and that can lead to more impulse buying. 10. Join Green Polka Dot Box. This is a natural and organic buyers’ collective that makes healthy and GMO-free foods available for great prices, delivered straight to your door, anywhere in the United States. Healthy food is a fundamental building block to a healthy life. It’s an investment worth making. And in many cases, we can even save money in the process. My dad, John Robbins, and I have joined more than 70 leading food and nutrition experts in calling for the government to radically change the Farm bill so that it can truly serve a free and fair market, and support the well being of the public. Food Revolution Network, 400 Bronco Road, Soquel CA 95073 www.foodrevolution.org Ocean Robbins American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 15 People forget that married couples should still be dating (each other). Think how fun it is to look forward to weekly date night with your spouse (stunts optional). Let Adair and Nick Moran inspire you to go to the theater after a delicious vegan meal at your favorite little ethnic restaurant downtown or cook for each other! Series by Anne Dinshah Adair Moran and Nick Little were cast together in a national tour of a children’s theater production, Ramona Quimby. They gradually evolved from “eating together” or “watching a movie together” to “dating.” They married in 2005. Adair was raised vegan and has been vegan all her life. She maintains a vegan diet primarily because she loves animals and does not want to see them harmed. She also likes the health and environmental benefits. Being on the road together and working in a lot of small towns, Nick saw Adair working hard to maintain a vegan diet in less-thanideal circumstances. Nick was already not a big meat eater. He had been vegetarian about six years, but had gone back to eating meat for convenience when touring the country doing a very athletic one-person show. “I’ve always had a very high metabolism, and it just got to the point where I was tired of putting the time and effort into finding decent vegetarian options when traveling through areas where vegetarian options are limited,” says Nick. “Eating meat tends to be habit-forming. Once I started eating meat again, I didn’t stop until Adair brought the subject up some years later.” 16 American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 They were always cooking vegan food and going to vegan or vegan-friendly restaurants together. He gradually started eating less meat. As their relationship progressed and they began to talk about things like living together and getting married, Adair expressed a preference for a vegetarian household. “When things started getting serious, I let him know that I didn’t think I could be married to a non-vegetarian.” As Nick had previous experience with a vegetarian diet, he was open to this. Nick is now an ovo-lacto-vegetarian who loves cheese and admits to missing good kielbasa. He credits Adair’s influence for cutting meat out of his diet. “If he went totally vegan I’d want it to be because he believed in it, not because I made him do it,” says Adair, who notes that Nick has switched from milk to soymilk. Nick has found ways to satisfy his occasional cravings for hearty, meat-like things. For example, he and Adair go to a vegetarian restaurant that makes a soy vegetarian fried chicken so good that Nick says it satisfies all of his fried chicken cravings. They live in New York City where they frequent favorite vegetarian restaurants. Their apartment is convenient to ethnic restaurants they like: Japanese, Ethiopian, Chinese, Thai, and Indian. The couple has a very small kitchen, so dinner is usually simple, but definitely satisfying: loaded baked potatoes, big salads, veggie burgers or dogs with fries, pasta dishes with homemade marinara, vegetable curry, or hearty vegetarian soups and stews. “I’m a sucker for savory and/or spicy dishes. But it’s not very often I have the time to make these things myself,” says Nick. When Nick does have time to cook, it is also appreciated. “He makes mean vegan pancakes,” says Adair of his Classic Pancakes. As a nonvegan who dated and married a vegan, Nick expresses it as similar to other cultural or Photos supplied by the Morans lifestyle differences. “Listen. Ask questions respectfully. Come with an open mind ready to learn. Learn to disagree without arguing. If you don’t get the same in return, the person probably isn’t worth your time.” Classic Pancakes Yield: 15 (4-inch) pancakes The art of making these simple pancakes is all about controlling the batter thickness and heat. Thick batter + lower heat = a thicker, more cake-like result. Thinner batter + higher heat = thinner, crispier, more crepe-like result. 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour or unbleached white flour 2 Tbsp. raw cane sugar crystals 2½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 3 Tbsp. plus 4 tsp. vegetable oil 1½ cups soymilk or nut milk, plus extra as needed Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the soymilk gradually while stirring to get the desired consistency without lumps (see note). Place 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat. The pan is hot enough if a drop of water spatters when flicked onto the surface (stand back). Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and pour ¼ cup of batter per pancake into the pan (2 or 3 pancakes per typical pan). Cook the pancakes for approximately 3 minutes or until bubbles come everywhere through the batter and the underside is golden brown. Flip the pancakes and cook them for another 2 to 3 minutes or until they are golden brown on both sides. Remove the pancakes and serve warm. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding 2 teaspoons more oil between every two batches of pancakes, or more often if necessary. Move the oil around the pan so it is completely coated. The batter thickens as it stands; add additional soymilk as necessary to produce the desired consistency. Nick’s notes: Basically substitute soymilk or nut milk for the milk in a nonvegan pancake recipe, and drop the egg. This is also a bit more baking powder than in a typical recipe which helps compensate for the lack of egg by making the pancakes lighter and airier. (The binder of the egg helps trap gas bubbles in the pancakes as it cooks). I’ve experimented with using thickeners like arrowroot and cornstarch to substitute for the egg, but nothing has worked as well as simply adding more baking powder. …and I’m not a big fan of trying to gussy up such simple fare with innovative ingredients. Do not mix the batter any more than is needed to completely combine the ingredients. Mixing too much activates the wheat gluten and creates chewy, doughy pancakes (ick). For this reason, never use an electric mixer for pancakes. Anne’s Notes: For those with the urge to be innovative, this recipe works well with chocolate chips or sliced bananas in the mix. Use blueberries in pancakes thick If you like Dating Vegans, buy the book from americanvegan.org, amazon.com, or bn.com. enough to contain whole blueberries. Top with vegan margarine, maple syrup, and add fruit such as peaches or mango. Adventurous folk like savory pancakes. Halve the sugar, double the salt, and add herbs such as 1 Tbsp. Italian seasonings to the batter. Serve with mashed avocado and a hint of lemon juice. Stir-fried mushrooms top pancakes well. Nick’s Beets and Greens 1 bunch fresh beets, thinly sliced 1 bunch dark greens (see notes) 1 medium onion, chopped 3-6 cloves garlic, chopped 1/8 cup pine nuts 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil 3 Tbsp. lemon juice or red wine vinegar 2 tsp. liquid smoke salt and pepper Wash beets. Wash greens and trim stalks. Tear greens with hands into manageable-sized pieces. Sautée onions and garlic in oil in a 4-quart saucepan until onions are translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add ½ cup water to pot and raise heat to high until water boils. Lower heat to slow boil; add beets then greens. It may be difficult to fit greens in pot; they reduce quickly; add greens in batches if necessary. Cover and cook until greens reduce, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining ingredients and reduce to simmer 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beets are soft, not mushy. Notes: Swiss chard is Nick’s preference. Spinach, collards, and mustard greens also work. Strongerflavored greens change the character of the dish. Recipe also works well with fiddleheads. Garlic, lemon juice/vinegar, liquid smoke, salt, and pepper measurements are to taste. Adair Moran is co-author with her mother, Victoria Moran, of Main Street Vegan. American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 17 Vegan Fine Dining Book Review: Carême’s Gourmet Restaurant The Academy of Culinary Arts Atlantic Cape Community College Compassion for Animals, Respect for the Environment (CARE) members Lee Ruslander and Lee Hall traveled from West Chester PA to join Freya Dinshah of American Vegan Society (AVS), and 64 other guests for a wonderful event at Carême's in South Jersey. Student chefs prepared a vegan meal, and received grades towards their academic credits. Hosted by AVS, the late February “Dinner After Dark” menu at the Academy of Culinary Arts, was (drum roll, please).… Barbequed Portobello, Black Beans, and Farro, with Asian Slaw. Purée of Sweet Potato Soup topped with Crispy Sage, Apple, and a Coconut Milk Swirl. Panzanella (crispy bread) Salad with Grilled Vegetables and a Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette. A main course of Sautéed Polenta-Shallot Cake with Spicy-Smoked Tofu, Pickled Baby Carrots and Green Beans. Dessert was a Lemon Zest Cake with Strawberry Sorbet. AVS’ series of seasonal events at Carême's are sold out each time, with 60+ people enjoying the kitchen tours and conversations with the culinary arts students, as well as the fine meals. Some “scholarship” tickets are available. The cooks and servers, working under their chef educators, are all students of the Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape Community College in Mays Landing. CARE is impressed with this wonderful series that benefits vegan or vegan-curious diners, dozens of student chefs, and their future clientele. Now all of these chefs, wherever they work after graduating, will be able to offer their guests an array of excellent vegan dishes. To sign up for the dinners, please contact the American Vegan Society: www.americanvegan.org, or phone 856-694-2887. Upcoming Dinners Hosted by AVS Due to the popularity of these dinners, and to accommodate more people wishing to attend, each of the upcoming dinners will be offered on two successive nights. You may choose to attend on Monday or Tuesday. Fall Celebration Dinner Monday September 23 and Tuesday September 24 2013 Holiday Celebration Dinner Monday December 16 and Tuesday December 17 2013 18 American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 WILD ABOUT GREENS: 125 Delectable Vegan Recipes for Kale, Collards, Arugula, Bok Choy, and other Leafy Veggies Everyone Loves Everybody seems to be talking about greens these days: “I had a Kale & Pear Smoothie for breakfast!” “My lunch is leftovers: Lentil Soup with Greens & Tiny Pasta. Delicious!” “I’m making Rosemary Potatoes & Collard Greens with Vegan Sausage for dinner. Want to come eat with me?” From where do people get their ideas of what to do with greens? Odds are they own a copy of Nava Atlas’ Wild About Greens. With its big green cover and little drawings of greens on the inside, this book abounds with inspiration to eat your greens. Tips include buying, rinsing, freezing, and dehydrating. Nava also provides information about things one might not think of doing such as Greens on the Grill. Her Introduction to Leafy Greens is great for people who wonder what to buy and why. One expects to find greens in salads, but she also features them in dips. Greens aren’t just a side dish, they take center stage with Beans, Grains, Pasta, & Other Vegetables. Nava provides ideas for using greens in soups, stews, juices, and smoothies too. Now use your green and purchase your own copy of the book. Wild About Greens, 8pp fullcolor photos. 2012, 223pp 8x9¾” hard $24.95. Karen shares vegan and cruelty-free fashion finds to make you feel as fashionable and ethical as possible. She will include tips from you. Let’s have some fun here! TRENDS Spring has sprung and it's time to start digging out those summer clothes. We all know and love the feeling! Nothing like pulling something out you forgot you had and getting excited for the perfect day to wear it. Luckily for us some trends tend to stick around, so we always have that one item to help us feel fabulous. If you are looking to spruce up your wardrobe and are on a budget, here are a few tips to help you get started! Nail Color! Seems crazy that a nicely-polished hand can be the accessory your outfit needs? So you are wearing your classic white t-shirt and a pair of shorts, you have your belt on, and your sandals look great! But something is missing! You can brighten your day by grabbing one of my favorite brands, OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE COSMETICS, also known as OCC. You can browse through the selection on their website at occmakeup.com, and click the “Nails” link on the lefthand side. This all-vegan and cruelty-free company produces some of the most vibrant colors I have come across. Current trends for 2013 are: pale nails, really dark nails, adding a splash of metallic, or trying out one of those crazy prints you came across while surfing the Internet. I am currently looking at my nails and my color is OCC Chlorophyll, a vibrant teal green! I had received several compliments the other day, so I'd say I feel pretty good wearing it. I personally do not have the patience to make the really cool designs that I am seeing everywhere, but I encourage you to give something new a try! While you are on the OCC website, feel free to browse their selection of Makeup Brushes and Lip Tars™. Take my advice, from someone who gets their makeup done a lot by artists, the brushes are AMAZING—so soft and they apply makeup evenly! The lip tar combines the longevity of a lipstick with the ease of application of a gloss. Ultrasaturated in color—a little goes a long way! One of the trends this summer for lip color is Hot Pink. OCC is very pigmented, so you will have some serious color if you are looking for a hot pink. Looking over their website right now makes me want to order their new color, True Fuchsia Metallic. Looks amazing! If pink is not your thing, Red never goes out! So give it a try, see how you feel. Two Clothing Trends that you probably have packed away somewhere are floral and geometric patterns. I know when I see someone dressing trendy in New York City, I always feel as though they picked Lips photo supplied by OCC. Karen photo by Rita Zimmerman out their outfit in the dark, but it always works! I have challenged myself to thoughtfully do the same thing. I have a floral dress that I probably wore 15 years ago that fits the current trend. I put it on the other day, added a belt and my lipstick, and it worked! You can find cotton t-shirts pretty inexpensively at stores like Target and Old Navy (just to name a couple). Grab a floral t-shirt for under $10 and tuck it into a high waist skirt or into jeans with your favorite belt! If you are nervous about covering your body in floral, start slow with an accessory. Find a purse or necklace and go from there! Target's Merona® brand has a few Floral Totes out right now around $30. Not bad! The same rule applies for geometric patterns. If you do not want to wear a checkered pattern, start with stripes. They are classics and always look great. You can start with a t-shirt or purse and work your way up to a striped dress! I am seeing sunglasses with patterns, as well as bathing suits! You probably have a few things in your closet right now. So go bold this summer! If you put together any outfit thoughtfully, you are going to look great. We all know the key to looking great is feeling great, so if you love your outfit, that is all that matters! Enjoy summer! Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics 100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free 174 Ludlow St, NY NY 10002 Ph: 212-675-2404 Fax: 212-214-0636 www.occmakeup.com Contact Karen at [email protected] American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 19 What “Local” and “Sustainable” Animal Farmers Won’t Tell Customers Lee Hall Environmental advocates and progressive people everywhere are shunning factory farms and talking up humane, sustainable animal farming. Ranchers and grocers can sell the bodies of animals to this growing client base—people who genuinely care about the environment and animal-welfare too, and are willing to put their money where their mouths are. The shoppers know, of course, that slaughter comes into the picture somewhere. That’s obvious when the product is flesh. These customers persuade themselves that the animal they eat had only “one bad day.” Those consuming eggs, and dairy (no matter how local) might not know that these products involve sacrifice of unproductive young male lives, and that all lives end at the owner’s whim. The ranchers don’t tell anyone that the more “free-range” a farm is, the more vulnerable to predators the farm’s animals are. Coyotes, wolves, foxes and grizzlies, and the large, untamed feline beings who still walk this planet on nature’s terms, are understandably tempted to eat the pigs, goats, chickens, and cows they encounter on or around their habitat. To these free-living animals, a free-range farmer is most inhospitable. Several poisons, including sodium cyanide and sodium fluoroacetate, are marketed to kill coyotes. Compound 1080, sold by Tull Chemical Company of Oxford Alabama, goes into “predacide” collars strapped on goats and lambs. It won’t save the goat or lamb from death, but the animal who bites the collar enters Hell; Compound 1080 takes three to fifteen hours to kill. Many animals are poisoned accidentally, for example, curious pet dogs and cats, bald eagles, turkey vultures, black bears, beavers, migratory shorebirds, otters, and porcupines. 20 Shooting coyotes is legal in most places. S o me c attl e ranchers believe an assault rifle, such as the infamous Bushmaster, is an appropriate weapon to use against coyotes. And then there are the traps and snares that kill tens of thousands of animals annually. These deadly contraptions are not in the factoryfarm warehouses. The call to “end factory farms” won’t affect them. The Way Out Of all the species recorded as becoming extinct in the past five centuries, most lived in the United States. Here, the wilderness has fallen to ranches. And the fertilizer and waste oozing from animal–based agriculture clogs bays and oceans with oxygen-depleted zones that suffocate every living being sucked into them. Some say various ranges have been grazed by herbivores since time immemorial, but purpose-bred cows were imposed on the land, and the practice of animal farming tramples riverbeds and their diverse vegetation, pushing out prairie dogs, hummingbirds and tortoises, black bears and even jaguars—leaving a diminished ecosystem and a depleted store of groundwater. (Free-range grazing displaces free-roaming horses and burros, too. So it’s ineffective to cry out for a stop to the horse roundups of the West if we have yet to lay down our cleavers.) If we’d stop farming animals (for animal farming itself, not merely the concept of a factory farm, is the real trouble) we’d instantly be involved in the one action that can free hundreds of millions of acres from rows of feed crops. Land use would be strikingly more efficient if we feed ourselves, rather than feed animals in order to eat them. And vast releases of methane, chemicals, and waste products could be averted. American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 Those who hasten to invoke the benefits of animal farming and herding practices of people barely surviving in Africa and India might pause to remember that much of the global south’s forests and waters are enlisted for cattle feed destined for the multinational market. When companies promote animal products within these regions themselves, they increase the likelihood of dependence on insecticides and on imported food. Moreover, the emissions caused by animal farming bring rising threats to everyone, wherever they live on the globe. Christopher Weber and H. Scott Matthews of Carnegie Mellon University, having carried out a study calculating greenhouse gas emissions, assert that “replacing red meat and dairy with vegetables one day a week would be like driving 1,160 miles less” each year. This suggests: 1) Animal agribusiness is tantamount per se to non-local food; and 2) A seven-days-a-week shift would save the equivalent of 8,120 miles driven annually. If we have such power, why not use it? Life on Earth is at the point of crisis, and this time it’s because of humans. Vegan principles offer humanity a straightforward way ahead. And actions that would decrease the hurt and harm caused by climate chaos to vulnerable populations and species is the right thing to do. That’s why the real humane and sustainable farms are the ones growing food, not feed. Lee Hall is a member of American Vegan Society, Legal VP for Friends of Animals, and a candidate for Vermont Law School’s LL.M. in environmental law (2014). Lee’s newest book is On Their Own Terms: Bringing Animal Rights Philosophy Down to Earth (2010, $17.95 in stock at AVS). Follow Lee’s meanderings on Twitter: @VeganMeans. BOOK REVIEW: The CLINT CHRONICLES Adventures of a vegan kid with one vegan parent and one nonvegan parent. Part 1 of 2 Animal Words — Dairy Difficulty Written and Illustrated by Ruby Roth This alphabet book for kids shows what to eat and how to be kind to animals. Ruby tells the truth about mean things people should stop doing to animals. ABC Examples: “Ee is for eggs—from a chicken’s butt?! Wow.” with a chicken showing her tail feathers. “Kk is for kitchen, let’s help cook and clean!” has five kids in the kitchen, one of my favorite things to do. “Tt to treat others as they should treat you. No testing on animals!” The nice bunny reminds me to follow The Golden Rule. I like this book. Review by Clint Dinshah age 2½. For ages 3 to 5, full-color illustrations throughout, 2013, 32pp 8x8” cloth $16.95. We received an advance copy. Book release date is August. Dad ordered milk when we were all out at dinner. I asked if I could have some milk. Mom whispered that there are different kinds of milk. I used to drink Mom milk. Now I drink seed milk (usually homemade sesame milk), nut milk (often almond milk), rice milk, soymilk, hemp milk, and other plant milks. Mom asked me if there is such a thing as cow milk. I said, “Nooo. No milk from cow,” remembering my big bovine friends at The Cow Sanctuary. She told me about milk from cows. I couldn’t believe that humans drink milk from another animal...and adults drink it! Milk is for baby animals. The next day Mom and I went to the store. Mom explained not just what we put in our shopping cart, but also things we don’t put in our cart. I love soy yogurt and get really excited when I see yogurt containers. She explained how most yogurt uses milk from cows. She told me how cows are confined and hurt in the process. And how boy calves at a dairy become veal eaten by humans. I’m glad I’m not a calf! When I understood to question milk, she told me about casein, whey, cheese (many varieties), and other dairy products. We went to a different store. Mom and I walked around because this store was too small for big carts to ride. At my eye level on the bottom shelf I saw the tubs of yogurt up close with pictures of cows or goats on them. Pictures of animals on them and people buy it!? One display had fun blocks in different shapes. I wanted to play with the blocks and stack them, but there was a goat picture on one. Mom explained it was cheese made from goats’ milk. Suddenly, I wasn’t interested in the blocks. The animal products hidden in packaged items are more difficult. As I learn to read, Mom promises to play one of her favorite games with me, “Who Can Find the Objectionable Ingredient First?” Two people simultaneously turn two of the same product around and determine whether it is vegan or not. The first person to spot a nonvegan ingredient gets a point, but the first person to correctly conclude an item is vegan gets two points. Shop with a friend, perhaps a new vegan, and have some fun today! American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 21 Solving the Sugar Puzzle Steve Blake, ScD Americans eat an astonishing 140 pounds of sugar each year! This sweet addiction is split evenly between sucrose and fructose. Granulated sugar is a drug‐like chemical that does not occur naturally. While beets and sugar cane are whole foods, the sugars made from them are missing valuable vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Let’s find out more about our favorite sweeteners. Table Sugar, Glucose, and Fructose There are three simple sugars: glucose, fructose, and galactose. Regular table sugar is a doublesugar called sucrose, made up of glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down to glucose and fructose before absorption. Glucose circulates as blood sugar. Much of the fructose gets converted to fat. Glucose is the form of sugar cir- culating in our blood (blood sugar). Plants make glucose and store it in fruits and juices. We also get glucose when carbohydrates in starchy food are digested. Fructose, fruit sugar, is another simple sugar. It is found in fruits and roots: beets are one example. Fructose is the sweetest of sugars and makes up half of table sugar (sucrose). We have all heard about the controversies surrounding “high-fructose corn syrup.” While cheap and sweet, it seems to promote obesity. About 240,000 tons of fructose are produced annually. Galactose, along with glucose, forms milk sugar (lactose) which is found in human and cow milk. Does Sugar Make Us Gain Weight? Even vegans can add on a bit too much weight if we eat too many refined and sweetened foods. Raw and 22 whole plant foods are the best way to stay slim and healthy. Sugar- and fructose-sweetened drinks contribute mightily to the epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease according to a Harvard study by Dr. Hu in 2010. Americans consume an average of 16 teaspoons of combined sugar and high-fructose corn syrup daily. Just the added sugar in a few drinks contributes 508 calories to our average daily diet. 508 calories is about one-quarter of our daily need for energy. This is more than the amount of calories from a whole pound of potatoes. Fast Calories & Slow Calories There is a vital difference between the absorption of calories from sugar versus potatoes. Sugar enters the bloodstream in an explosion of pleasure. This blast of energy is fun, but results in too much sugar in the bloodstream. Extra blood sugar can damage our arteries, eyes, and kidneys by forming advanced glycation endproducts. In athletes, some of the excess blood sugar can be converted into glycogen stored in muscles. The excess sugar must be immediately converted into fat. Our bodies make a fatty acid called palmitic acid that sticks to bellies and thighs and also can clog arteries. Fructose turns into fat more readily than the other sugars. It is difficult to eat a whole pound of potatoes because we get full. Even if we do eat this many potatoes, our blood sugar rises slowly. This slow release of energy allows us to use the energy as it is being released, a little at a time. This is why potatoes do American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 not contribute to obesity—unless slathered with fatty toppings. The potatoes also contain valuable amounts of minerals and vitamins, while the “empty calories” from sugar do not. Fat and Hungry One weird thing about fructose is that, unlike other sugars, eating fructose does not seem to reduce hunger. Hunger can be suppressed with a hormone called leptin. Leptin is important because it reduces appetite when food is eaten. But this hungerreducing hormone is not stimulated by fructose. So if people drink a big soda loaded with high-fructose corn sweetener, they may not hesitate to top it off with some fatty and sugary treats. High‐Fructose Corn Syrup Versus the Immune System Excess sugar or refined carbohydrates can reduce our immune power. Our innate ability to fight flu virus and staph infections can be reduced by eating high-fructose corn sweetener as shown in a 2011 study in the Open Journal of Immunology. This study notes that only fructose, not sucrose, reduces our ability to fight viruses. In addition, our immune system needs many vitamins and minerals—just the ones that are stripped out of these sweeteners. Fruit is Still Healthy Naturally-occurring fructose in whole fruits is healthy and does not have the ill effects of high-fructose corn sweetener. Fruit contains fiber, micronutrients, and antioxidants. In addition, the intake of naturally Comparing Sugars Sweetener Stevia Erythritol Calories per ounce 0 6 Xylitol Maple Syrup 65 73 Dates High-Fructose Corn Sweetener Molasses 78 80 Agave Syrup 87 Honey Coconut Sugar 86 105 Brown Sugar White Sugar Turbinado Sugar 106 108 112 81 occurring fructose is low, only about 15 grams per day (as compared to ten times as much from highfructose corn sugar). Watch out for fruit juices, though, because they have almost as much sugar as sodas. Sugar, Diabetes, and Heart Disease It is no surprise that excess sugar consumption raises the risk of diabetes. Americans get most of their excess sugar from sweetened drinks. In one large study by Dr. Vasantis Malik, ScD in 2010, those with the highest intake of sugar-sweetened drinks had a 26% higher risk of diabetes. Another contributor to type II diabetes is consumption of animal fat. The saturated fat from animals reduces cell sensitivity to insulin, so more sugar stays in the bloodstream. Sugar-sweetened drinks contribute to the problems of high triglycerides, low HDL (good cholesterol), and more small, dense (bad) LDL. This raises the likelihood of a heart Notes A naturally sweet leaf with a bitter aftertaste. 65% as sweet as sugar. Cooling on the mouth. Tooth-friendly. Safer for diabetics. Tooth-friendly. Yummy! Expensive. If organic, it does not contain formaldehyde. One of the most natural sweeteners. Healthy. An undesirable sweetener. Contributes to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. A sweet syrup with good minerals. Blackstrap molasses (66 cal) is healthier, but less sweet. About 75% fructose (56%-92%). Tasty. High fructose content can contribute to weight gain. 38% Fructose and 31% glucose. Non vegan. About 75% sucrose. No healthier than white sugar. 26% sucrose. 28% sucrose. 28% sucrose. attack or stroke. A large and welldone study by some of my favorite Harvard researchers (Drs. Willett, Hu, and Stampfer) looked to see if refined carbohydrates increased the risk of heart disease. They found that high consumption of these sugary foods and drinks doubled the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Fructose is the only sugar that raises uric acid in the blood. In one study men who consumed more than two fructose-sweetened drinks daily had an 85% greater risk of developing gout compared to infrequent fructose users. A small amount of any kind of sugar added to food is not the problem. It is the huge amounts of sugar added to junk food and drinks that creates these health problems. References: Sugar-sweetened beverages and risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes: Epidemiologic evidence, Hu and Malik, Physiol Behav. 2010 April 26; 100(1): 47–54. Dietary sugars inhibit biologic functions of the pattern recognition molecule, mannosebinding lectin, Takahashi et al. Open Journal of Immunology, Vol.1, No.2, 41-49 (2011). Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes, Malik et al. Diabetes Care 33:2477–2483, 2010. A prospective study of dietary glycemic load, carbohydrate intake, and risk of coronary heart disease in US women, Liu et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;71:1455–61. Dr. Steve Blake, ScD is a dynamic speaker and a researcher in how nutrition affects health. He is the author of the 2008 McGraw‐Hill col‐ lege textbook Vitamins and Minerals Demystified. He has many other ma‐ jor publications including Mosby's 2001 Nursing Drug Reference, A Nu‐ tritional Approach to Alzheimer’s Disease, and Understanding Dietary Fats and Oils. He was the director of the Maui Holistic Health Center for seven years. He teaches at the Uni‐ versity of Hawaii. Visit his website www.DrSteveBlake.com. American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 23 Toute Sweet Recipes for Better Health from Healthy Recipes for Friends by Catherine Blake, BA, BD Trying out healthier sweeteners can be a fun puzzle. Perhaps I can be of help. Ever since I was a child I've enjoyed eating dessert first. One time my brother and I shared a freshly-made cherry pie while Grandma was out shopping. Boy was that good! Now, I’m making better choices. Let's explore a few alternatives to white sugar. It takes time to understand how new ingredients behave in cooking, cold prep, and recipes. These goodies, eaten occasionally in moderation, will keep you happy. Chocolate, Your Way No dairy, no chemicals, no fats. Just the excitement and the bitters. We can control the dose perfectly this way, too. It's hard to overdo it because it is bitter! 1 Tbsp. organic cocoa powder 1½ Tbsp. erythritol sweetener or maple syrup 3 Tbsp. water Mix with a fork and drink. Fried Bananas This is a nice treat anytime. 5 ripe bananas, cut into ½ inch slices dash of olive oil to coat the frying pan ½ tsp. salt Heat skillet, add oil and bananas. Stir and fry until lightly browned. Add salt, stir again. Enjoy! Cashews and Raisins To Go Place in snack-sized bag or container. Can go anywhere and calm a hungry stomach. Choco‐coco‐pioca Pudding 1/3 cup coconut flakes, small ½ cup arrowroot-, corn-, or potato-starch 4 cups water 5-oz can coconut milk (I like Thai® Kitchen, concentrated size. It’s like coconut cream!) 1½ tsp vanilla ¾ cup small pearl tapioca ¼ or ½ cup stevia or ¾ cup organic brown sugar ¾ cup organic cocoa powder, eg Rapunzel ½ tsp sea salt In skillet, lightly toast coconut flakes until golden brown to bring out the flavor. Set aside. In large bowl, mix starch and water until smooth. Then stir in the coconut milk and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients. Then mix all ingredients together. Place in a double boiler (water in bottom pot, and recipe mixture in top pot, prevents burning) and boil—heat for about ½ hour, stirring about every 3-5 minutes. Serve warm or cool. A real winner! Stevia grows as a small bushy shrub in Brazil, Japan, and elsewhere. It contains zero calories. It is between 10 and 40% sweeter than sugar and has a slightly bitter aftertaste. One brand, Nunaturals Baking Stevia has been diluted to use in equal portions to sugar. Be sure to taste other stevias, powder or liquid, before adding them to your recipes. Erythritol is new to the sweet scene. It has zero calories, is 60 to 70% as sweet as table sugar yet does not affect blood sugar nor cause tooth decay. At about $6 a pound, it is sold in health food stores/online. Erythritol occurs naturally in small quantities in grapes, melon, other foods. This sugar alcohol is obtained by extraction and or by fermentation. Digestive upset less likely. Maple Syrup is a classic. It contains 50 calories per tablespoon. It adds a sweet, deep tone to your dessert. I use half the amount of maple syrup in recipes that call for sugar. Manganese, riboflavin, and zinc are in this, but remember: it is still a sweetener, not a strengthening food. Organic Brown Sugar has 45 calories per tablespoon. It is brown due to the presence of 6.5% molasses (dark brown) to 3.5% molasses (light brown). Raw Sugar, Turbinado sugar, is more moist than brown sugar. It is derived from cane grass, first pressing. AVS Invites Applications for Trustee The American Vegan Society Council of Trustees governs AVS, setting forth long-term goals and activities, and general operating policies. Trustees must be at least 21 years old, advocate and practice vegan ideals and the principles of harmless living. Trustees serve three-year renewable terms and may reside anywhere in the U.S. They should be able to devote time to AVS service. Ask yourself: What skills can I offer AVS? What experience do I have running organizations? What wonderful vegan work can I help accomplish? What great things do I see in AVS’ future? Contact AVS to receive further information and apply. 24 American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 Veganification CELEBRATING THE JOURNEY OF BECOMING & BEING VEGAN This is a series of articles by Linda Voorhis about food, recipes, and lifestyles. Linda will relate the experiences of individuals, restaurants, and communities. IN SEARCH OF MY QUINTESSENTIAL MEAL... Prior to becoming vegan, one of my guiltiest pleasures was Eggs Benedict; and often since I would long for that glistening silky hollandaise adorning a glorious English muffin, fried egg, and sausage. Last year I went to Las Vegas. I’d heard that casino owner Steve Wynn had gone vegan; every one of his casino restaurants offers its own unique vegan menu—you just have to ask for it. What an absolute delight! I knew I had arrived. I ate almost every meal at one of those restaurants, trying a different one each time. Every meal left me sated. Brunch was at Tableau. To my utter glee, my beloved “Eggs” Benedict was on the vegan menu. Would it measure up? When it arrived at my table, I was immediately transported back in my memories. I took my first bite. How could it be? It was sheer perfection! I savored every bite and didn’t want it to end. I’ve obsessed about it ever since. And so the quest began. After numerous attempts, I can now jubilantly tell you that I recreate this delectable delight in the comfort of my very own home—and so can you. You can certainly purchase vegan English muffins and sausage, but if you really want to impress, give all these recipes a whirl. I promise you, they are rather easy to execute and will make you the talk of the brunch crowd. It is the ideal entertaining meal because you can prepare all the components in advance and park them until just before serving. English Muffins You will need a cast iron griddle or skillet, 3” cookie/biscuitcutter rings without handles, and cooking spray such as Pam®. 1¼ cups non-dairy milk 1¼ cups lukewarm-filtered water 2 Tbsp. vegan margarine such as Earth Balance®* 1 Tbsp. agave (or maple or brown rice syrup) 3½ cups white whole wheat flour 2½ tsp. instant yeast ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. sea salt Mix wet ingredients together and set aside. Mix dry ingredients together into a large bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry. Using either a mixer with a dough hook or hand mixer with only one of the two beaters, mix wet and dry ingredients together at high speed until a soft dough forms, about 2 minutes. Cover bowl; put in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. Preheat a cast iron skillet/ griddle on medium heat for 5 minutes. Spray rings and place on griddle (photo page 26). Scoop ¼ cup dough into each ring (4 oz. ice cream scoop works well); lightly pat down to level. Cook 4-5 minutes. You will start to see the sides come away from the rings and begin to dry, lightly brown. Remove the rings. Flip the muffins, cover with lid, and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Cool on wire racks. To Serve: Do not cut muffins. Go around the side of each muffin, piercing it with a fork, and split open. This will retain the integrity of those wonderful “nooks and crannies” (photo page 26). *The Earth Balance margarine’s silkiness creates a reminiscence of egg yolks, butter, and lemon. Note: I have substituted gluten-free flour mixes (Bob’s Red Mill® or Namaste Foods LLC) with excellent results without having to adjust any other ingredients. Breakfast “Sausage” Dry Ingredients: 2 cups vital wheat gluten 1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. slightly crushed fennel seeds 2 tsp. poultry seasoning ¾ tsp. garlic powder ¾ tsp. onion powder ½ tsp. crushed red pepper ½ tsp. black pepper Wet Ingredients: 1¾ cups plus 2 Tbsp. water 1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. soy sauce or tamari 1 tsp. liquid smoke Cooking Liquid: 8 cups water 2 Tbsp. dark miso American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 25 Veganification Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients together. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix well. Knead dough until it becomes elastic, about 5 minutes. Form the dough into a log about 3-4 inches in diameter; let rest. Prepare cooking liquid in very large pot, and turn burner on to high. Slice dough into 14 pieces. Roll and shape each piece into a round, and place into cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for one hour. Let cool slightly, then lay sausage on cooling racks to drain. Tofu “Eggs” 1 block extra-firm tofu 1 Tbsp. black sea salt* 1 cup hot water Drain and dry tofu. Slice lengthwise to make four steaks. You have a couple options here. You can use your 3” cookie cutter and cut out four “eggs,” or cut the four steaks in half, and you will have eight smaller “eggs.” Dissolve the black sea salt into the hot water and put in a casserole pan. Put the tofu steaks in a single layer in the marinade, turning them once so the marinade goes through the entire steak. *Black sea salt can be purchased at any Indian grocer, or online. You don’t want to omit this ingredient or substitute anything else for it. The sulfur in the black sea salt is exactly what transforms ordinary tofu into a believable “egg.” 2 1 To Assemble Your “Eggs” Benedict Vegan Hollandaise Sauce 4 ripe yellow tomatoes* ¼ cup Earth Balance, melted plus 2 Tbsp. extra for tossing with the tomatoes 1 tsp. Dijon mustard pinch of white pepper 1 tsp. black sea salt. 2 tsp. arrowroot mixed with ¼ cup cold water Preheat the oven to 300°F. Toss the tomatoes in a little melted Earth Balance. Place in a baking pan and roast (bake) for 30 minutes. Flip over and roast for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and place in a blender, pulsing to chop. Slowly add the ¼ cup of Earth Balance, mustard, white pepper, and black sea salt, blending until fully emulsified. Strain through a sieve. Place the sauce in a medium sauté pan over low heat. Add the arrowroot mixture and whisk until thickened. Taste and adjust the seasonings. *Yellow tomatoes aren’t always easy to find. Using Amazon.com, I found this wonderful product, Maida Pomodore, yellow tomato puree. It works perfectly for this recipe. Measure out one cup. Pat dry the sausage and tofu. In a cast iron pan, melt some Earth Balance margarine, and fry the sausage until golden on each side and sauté the tofu, warming it through but do not brown. Warm the “Hollandaise” Sauce. Arrange split English Muffins on a plate. Atop each muffin half, place a slice of sausage, an “egg,” and top with “Hollandaise” Sauce. Garnish with roasted potatoes; plus parsley for panache. 3 1 Muffins in cookie/biscuit cutter rings 2 Muffins with nooks and crannies 3 The finished “Eggs” Benedict Photos by Linda Linda’s blog: www.veganification.co Linda has started a Verde Valley Vegans Meetup group in the Sedona Arizona area. Go to www.meetup.com and search Verde Valley Vegans. 26 American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 Healthy Gourmet To-Go We Do The Cooking So You Don't Have To! Healthy Gourmet To-Go (HGTG) is a vegan, organic, gluten-free, meal-delivery service, and catering company. Roni Shapiro is owner and head chef of this venture she began in New York City in 1994, moved to upstate New York in 2001, then Saugerties NY in October 2011. In preparation she had spent years studying cooking and volunteering at New York City’s Whole Foods Project at The Manhattan Center for Living. Working with well-known natural-foods chefs preparing large quantities of healthful vegan meals for people with lifechallenging illnesses was transformational for Roni. Previously she had taught special education, and learned about running a business in her family's 100-yearold coat manufacturing company. BBQ Tofu with Mexican Salad and Guacamole Cream Menu examples: Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms w/ Romesco Sauce, Pad Thai Noodle Dish, Curried Quinoa Croquettes, and Banana Parfait HGTG menus change weekly and seasonally, and are emailed to customers. Ten main dishes are prepared weekly. Prices are quite affordable; most people say they get 15 to 20 meals worth of food, especially when supplemented with easy-to-prepare salads. Delivery, on Wednesdays, is available to homes and offices in New York including New York City, Brooklyn, Westchester, Albany and Upstate, plus locations in New Jersey and other areas. Orders are due by Saturday. As a caterer, Roni offers event, party, and holiday platters. The new storefront location in beautiful Saugerties has been very successful. HGTG is better situated to take advantage of organic farms in the area. Roni likes having one place to cook instead of using various kitchens. She made the operation totally gluten-free. This is a boon to celiac sufferers since flour stays in the air for 24 hours and wheat crumbs remain in the oven. When Roni was satisfied she could bake a scrumptious gluten-free chocolate cake, the decision was made. Her healthful menus include macrobiotic meals, and are good for people trying to lose weight. Saugerties gave HGTG a warm welcome, and Roni has found a community interested in learning how to eat healthier. Folk come by to find out about the shop for take-out, and may stay for a sit-down meal. It’s a busy life. “I don't seem to ever really have a day off. Running my own business there always seems to be a ton of things to do. When I'm finished with one list or project, there's another waiting,” Roni says. Keys to being efficient are “decades of practice, discipline, organizational skills, and focus.” To keep fit for the strenuous demanding work, she weight trains, does yoga and lots of cardio exercise, and gets “I love what I do and feel so blessed that I get to prepare crueltyfree food for more and more people as my business continues to grow. Making a difference in the world for animals is why I'm here. It's my passion and my purpose. Inspiring and making it easier for meat eaters to go veg, vegetarians to go vegan, and busy vegans to stay vegan is the coolest thing in the world.” massages and acupuncture regularly. To relax, Roni spends time with her beloved 150+ pound rescued English-Mastiff pooch, Harley. She says, “He's the calmest couch potato I know. When I need to chill, I hang with him and he brings me right into the present moment.” Roni likes to walk in nature, and connect with good friends. Healthy Gourmet To-Go flourishes with Roni’s warm caring nature adding a special touch as she happily spends time talking with clients about their dietary needs and wants. Photos provided by HGTG Healthy Gourmet To-Go, Inc Roni Shapiro, Head Chef, Owner 12 Market St Saugerties NY 12477 914-388-2162 www.HealthyGourmetToGo.com American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 27 NEW BOOKS VEGANISSIMO A to Z: A Comprehensive Guide to Identifying and Avoiding Ingredients of Animal Origin in Everyday Products —Reuben Proctor and Lars Thomsen. The essential new resource to reduce your “animal footprint.” 2013, 310pp 5¼x7” $15.95. COOKBOOKS 365 VEGAN SMOOTHIES: Boost Your Health with a Rainbow of Fruits and Veggies —Kathy Patalsky. Innovative recipes built around themes such as brain boosters, weight loss, healthy digestion, immunity boosters, mood tamers, and detoxification. Color photos throughout. 2013, 335pp 7½x9” $20.00. BETTY GOES VEGAN: 500 Classic Recipes for the Modern Family —Annie and Dan Shannon. Meals and comfort foods inspired by The Betty Crocker Cookbook, recreated with use of vegan cheeses, mock meats, and standard vegan ingredients such as tofu and whole grains. 22pp full-color photos. 2013, 480pp 8½x10¼” hard $26.99. BLOOMING PLATTER COOKBOOK, The: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes —Betsy DiJulio. Simple and sophisticated recipes celebrating each season. 8pp full-color photos. 2011, 212pp 7½x9” $18.95. CHINESE VEGAN KITCHEN, The: More Than 225 Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Dishes From the Culinary Regions of China — Donna Klein. Easy yet authentic recipes with ingredients readily available in western supermarkets. 2012, 224pp 7½x9” $18.95. LIVE FOODS LIVE BODIES!: Recipes for Life —Jay and Linda Kordich. Book divided into three parts. Part 1 is story of Jay’s recovery from cancer through healing juices. Part 2 is a guide for transition to a raw foods diet and the tools and appliances needed. Part 3 is over 100 recipes. Full-color photos throughout. 2013, 233pp 7½x9¼” $18.95. FREE SHIPPING: Media Mail within the U.S. 20% DISCOUNT: AVS Members on Books! 30% DISCOUNT: Orders of 10 or More! ORDER FROM: American Vegan Society PO Box 369 Malaga NJ 08328 Phone: 856-694-2887 Fax: 856-694-2288 Complete BOOK & VIDEO/ DVD CATALOG: www.americanvegan.org NUT BUTTER UNIVERSE: Easy Vegan Recipes with Out-Of-ThisWorld Flavors —Robin Robertson. Creative ways to make protein-rich recipes from a variety of nut butters. Make your own nut butters that add texture and nutrition to dishes. Recipes labeled gluten- or soy-free, and options for those with nut allergies. 8pp full-color photos. 2013, 163pp 7½x9” $18.95. PRACTICALLY RAW DESSERTS: Flexible Recipes for All-Natural Sweets and Treats— Amber Shea Crawley. Filled with easy recipes for scrumptious cakes, pies, cookies, brownies, puddings, American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 28 American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 20132013 candies, pastries, frozen treats, and more. Free from gluten, wheat, soy, corn, refined grains, refined sugars, yeast, starch, and other nutrient-poor ingredients. Raw desserts with baking options. Full-color photos throughout. 2013, 222pp 7½x9” $19.95. QUICK AND EASY VEGAN SLOW COOKING: More Than 150 Tasty, Nourishing Recipes That Practically Make Themselves —Carla Kelly. Whole foods-based meals with easy-to-find economical ingred ients, simp le cooking techniques, and minimal prep time. Year-round cooking from hearty, comforting winter fare to light summer dinners that won’t heat up your kitchen. 8pp full-color photos. 2012, 287pp 7x9” $17.95. RAW FOOD FOR DUMMIES — Cherie Soria and Dan E. Ladermann. The raw experts from Living Light International share reasons for adding more raw food to your diet with healthy tips. Includes over 100 raw satisfying recipes for incorporating raw foods into your meals or transitioning to an all-raw lifestyle. 2013, 362pp 7½x9¼” $19.99. SOAK YOUR NUTS: Karyn’s Conscious Comfort Foods —Karyn Calabrese. Two books in one! Recipes for everyday life: vegan fare or flip book for raw recipes. 2013, 192pp 8x9” $19.95. SWEET & EASY VEGAN: Treats Made with Whole Grains and Natural Sweeteners —Robin Asbell. Over 80 recipes exploring the sweet side of going vegan: cereals, snacks, and sinfully rich desserts for your next dinner party. Full-color photos throughout. 2012, 208pp 8¼x10¼” hard $35.00. VEGAN EATS WORLD: 300 International Recipes for Savoring the Planet –Terry Hope Romero. Showcases the building blocks of cuisines: spices, herbs, and grains. Add seitan, tofu, or veggies and the possibilities are endless! 36pp fullcolor photos. 2013, 397pp 8½x10” hard $35.00. VIRGIN VEGAN: The Meatless Guide to Pleasing Your Palate – Linda Long. Great for new vegans! See book review p2. WILD VEGAN COOKBOOK, The: A Forager’s Culinary Guide (in the Field or in the Supermarket) to Preparing and Savoring Wild (and Not So Wild) Natural Foods —“Wildman” Steve Brill. Learn to use, sustainably and safely, the wild plants that thrive in local parks, woodlands, fields, and other open spaces, as well as the underused natural foods in markets. 2010 (originally published 2002 as The Wild Vegetarian Cookbook), 525pp 8x9” $27.95. UPCOMING EVENTS DVDs BETHANY’S STORY —Paralyzed by a bad reaction to medication, Bethany discovered healing power of raw vegan foods. 2012, 75mins $19.95. Order from sanaview.com. LATEST IN CLINICAL NUTRITION Vol 12 & Vol 13 — Michael Greger, M.D. Two compilations this year of important findings from scientific studies. NutritionFacts.org Each 2 hr $20.00 More events are listed at www.americanvegan.org. WASHINGTON DC Animal Rights Conference Thurs June 27 to Sun June 30 2013, Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, just outside Washington DC. Connect with animal advocates, train for your campaign, meet compassionate people. F.A.R.M. 10101 Ashburton Lane, Bethesda MD 20817. 888-FARM-USA (327-6872) arconference.org PENNSYLVANIA Vegetarian Summerfest Wed July 3 to Sun July 7 2013, U. of Pittsburgh, Johnstown PA. The event vegetarians look forward to all year. Hundreds gather for lectures, delicious food, and socializing. North American Vegetarian Society, PO Box 72, Dolgeville NY 13329. 518-568-7970 vegetariansummerfest.org CALIFORNIA McDougall Advanced Study Weekend Fri Sept 6 to Sun Sept 8 2013, Santa Rosa CA. Speakers are world changers in dietary, medical, governmental, & environmental policies. 800-941-7111 drmcdougall.com Healthy Lifestyle Expo Fri Oct 18 to Sun Oct 20 2013, Warner Center Marriott, Woodland Hills CA. Health experts speak on heart disease, weight loss, cancer, and how to make lifestyle changes. 818-349-5600 vegsource.com MULTIPLE LOCATIONS Vegan Mainstream Professional Bootcamp April 27 Wash DC, June 8 Chicago IL, August 24 NYC NY, Oct 12 Los Angeles CA, Nov 2 Austin TX. Provides entrepreneurs, authors, chefs, personal trainers, coaches, or aspiring business owners with tools & tips for successful business. veganprofessionalevents.com VegFests, big & small, usually have exhibits of vegan products, food samples and sales, and speakers. Lookup VegFest on the web for additional listings. If one doesn’t exist, start one in your area! Sat June 1 Rehoboth Beach VegFest 9285 Holland Glade Rd, Rehoboth Beach DE rehobothvegfest.org Sat June 1 Cleveland VegFest Cleveland State U. Student Center, Cleveland OH clevelandvegfest.org Sat June 15 Richmond VegFest Azalea Gardens Bryan Park, Richmond VA 804-756-0536 veggiefest.org Sat June 15 VegFest Houston Pershing Middle School, Houston TX vegansocietyofpeace.org Sat/Sun July 6/7 VegFest Colorado Jeffco Fairgrounds, Golden CO 303-719-8264 vegfestcolorado.org Sat Aug 10 C.A.R.E. VegFest Hoopes Park, West Chester PA chestercountycare.com Sat Sept 7 Bethlehem VegFest Bethlehem PA downtownbethlehemassociation.com Sat/Sun Sept 21/22 Portland VegFest Oregon Convention Center, Portland OR 503-746-8344 nwveg.org Sat Sept 28 DC VegFest Yards Park, Washington DC 301-891-2458 dcvegfest.com Sat Oct 26 Twin Cities VegFest Coffman Memorial Union U. Minnesota, Minneapolis MN tcvegfest.com Sat/Sun Oct 26/27 Boston Vegetarian Food Festival Boston MA 617-424-8846 bostonveg.org Sat Nov 9 Northeast Florida VegFest Riverside Park, Jacksonville FL nfvegfest.org Sun Nov 10 Atlanta VegFest Atlanta GA atlantavegfest.com Sat Nov 16 NY Capital Region Vegetarian Expo Albany NY nyvegetarianexpo.org American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 29 Mark advises couples to plan food that is somewhat familiar, tastes good, looks good, and has Andrea Petzko & high-end design. A good formula Daniel Vassilev is elegant and substantial with a “I have been a vegetarian my modicum of variety. entire life and a vegan for many Mark was contracted two years years. So when I started to plan my ahead of time. Four months ahead wedding, I was unwilling to com- (when he received a down paypromise on the menu. I insisted ment), he began freezing hors that my day be ‘cruelty-free’ and d’oeuvres ingredients and vegan ‘karma-neutral.’ I did not want any meats. The fresh portions, sauces, creatures harmed for the sake of and assembly were all done the day my celebration. But as much as I of the wedding. wanted vegan food, I didn’t want The bride and groom met on to be eating veggie kabobs and match.com when she lived in New burgers. I wanted classy cuisine in Jersey and he was in New York a glamorous setting,” declared City. Andrea’s parents raised her Andrea. to always love animals. She is a In her quest she fought stigma, model and ESL teacher. Daniel, a stereotypes of vegan food, and native of Bulgaria, is a software advice from chefs inexperienced developer who eats mostly vegewith vegan cuisine. Caterers tarian. His family would travel wanted to charge double, said their from Bulgaria for the wedding. kitchen isn’t sanctified vegan “Vegan” would be another cultural (thinking kosher), or that they just difference for them to experience! couldn’t do it. However, vegan Andrea invited American Vegan to events are a huge trend, presenting attend because she was eager to share her story with others worrya new clientele. Professional vegan chef Mark ing about their reception. A cocktail hour preceded the Rasmussen changed Andrea’s luck. At their first meeting he wedding ceremony. Cultural and impressed her with an array of religious traditions reflected amazing vegan hors d’oeuvres. the couple’s blend of personal Andrea and Daniel worked with beliefs. Hebrew, Bulgarian, Mark to design the menu, combin- and American customs intering the power of vegetables (such twined throughout the evening, as the exotic mushroom ensemble) portions being in all three with gourmet meat substitutions languages. Among the laws (sesame-crusted grilled “chicken”) for Jewish weddings is the that even her doubting relatives obligation to eat, drink, have would love. Mark likes the chal- a wonderful time, make lenge of selecting from many the bride and groom smile, plant-sourced options to match the and create joy in the world wishes of the bride and groom. for their wedding day. 30 American Vegan 13—1 SPRING 2013 Symbolic dances were led by the couple. Andrea has 25 years of dance training and Daniel has two left feet, but he’s such a good sport that it didn’t matter! The couple emphatically enjoyed dancing together. EVERYONE got on the dance floor! Dinner was served at five different stations. Guests, who knew it was vegan, were shocked and pleased with the great quality and taste of the food. (Some expected endless raw veggies and flavorless dishes.) “My boyfriend who’s a ‘meatavore’ loved it,” said Maid of Honor Rachel Defer. “Everything tasted delicious. People have a preconceived idea of what something tastes like; but, if they try it with an open mind, they can experience something enjoyable like this.” “It was a great opportunity to cater this fabulous upscale vegan wedding. Andrea and Daniel really stuck their necks out, boldly vaulting familiarity and tradition for a completely vegan affair with most of their invited guests being not vegan,” said Mark. “Collectively, I think we changed a few heads. My staff and I are hoping to do something like this again really soon.” Mark works in the NY/NJ/PA area and Andrea highly recommends him. Brides in other locations may be fortunate to find a vegan chef or they may have to persevere and patiently work to encourage caterers to change with the times. In addition to wearing a chef’s hat, Mark is a consultant, cookbook author, and entrepreneur. Contact Mark by email: [email protected] or on his Facebook page, Chef Mark Rasmussen. Andrea and Daniel, now living in Florida, enjoy the beach and the company of their cat. HORS D’OEUVRES VEGAN DINNER Mashed Potato Bar white potatoes with or without garlic, mashed sweet potatoes; with toppings of tempeh bacon bits, chives, or “cheese” Mediterranean Bar olives, artichoke hearts, hummus, baba ganouj, bruschetta Served Petit Filet with Carmelized Onion on Toast Points Avocado Rolls (cucumber & carrot) Rissoto Balls with a Pomodoro Sauce Phyllo Purse w/ Lentil & Root Vegs Smoked Atlantic on Black Breads Edamame and Thyme Dumplings Butternut Squash Soup Sippers Petite Stuffed Mushroom Caps Sesame Sate Skewers Artichoke Tempura Endive Florettes Bruschetta Main Entree Buffet (photo 1) Peppers Stuffed with quinoa, herbs, and vegetables; Mini Eggplant Rollatini; Vegan Marsala; Petite Filet Slices; Roasted Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus; Tri-color Salad Exotic Mushroom Ensemble (photo 2) Mushrooms of the World: shitake, portobello, cremini, and oyster, sautéed in fresh herbs and olive oil, served over Grilled Polenta with sautéed arugula and sauce, served with garlic chips and truffle oil Oriental Wok Stir-fry prepared from assorted oriental vegetables, mock meats, and sauces. Made with 3-grain rice or buckwheat pasta, served with dim sum and fortune cookies Pasta Bar Handmade Vegetable Ravioli or fusilli with choice of garlic oil or original vodka sauce Fresh Crepes (from the following or 1 2 create your own) Mushroom, spinach, and “mozzarella” with wine truffle sauce “Chicken,” tomato, “mozzarella,” pesto “Beef” & broccoli with caramelized shallot and horseradish mustard sauce Bananas, berries, & whipped “cream” 3 DESSERT Chocolate Wedding Cake with fresh strawberry filling & white icing Assorted Cookies and Dark Chocolate Covered Fruit (photo 3) Reported by Freya and Anne Dinshah. People photos Tatiana Breslow, food photos Anne Dinshah American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 31 Europe Bans Animal Testing for Cosmetic Products Brussels, March 11 2013: The European Commission announced that a full European Union ban on animal testing of all cosmetic products (and ingredients) marketed in the EU had come into force, per a directive made in 2003. The Commission is also charged with further research and support of alternative methods of product-safety testing. Leading the cosmetic market, Europe is reaching out to trading partners to explain and promote the European model. The action results from concern for animal welfare. United States cosmetic companies that do not test on animals may display the Leaping Bunny symbol. The symbol does not mean that a product is “vegan;” that is a separate issue. Look also for a statement that an item contains no animal products nor animal-derived ingredients, or that it is certified vegan by Vegan Action (U.S.) or The Vegan Soc. (U.K. & International). iV Powerful Vegan Messages H. Jay Dinshah’s Out of the Jungle: The Way of Dynamic Harmlessness will be revised into a 6th edition, initially as an e-book.* The working title is Powerful Vegan Messages: Out of the Jungle for the Next Generation. We are adding stories of how Jay’s leadership and words led many current luminaries to veganism and to align their work with their values. Their practical applications of dynamic harmlessness will reach new readers, thinkers, and doers! Let’s inspire the next generation! To contribute stories, photos, and/or funds, please contact: Anne Dinshah, c/o AVS PO Box 369, Malaga NJ 08328 [email protected] (subject: PVM) or 856-694-2887. *A print version will be contingent on demand and donations. Anne and Jay Dinshah in 1976 Out of the Jungle 1995 5th edition is available $7.95 from AVS. Ivy League Conference Fosters Vegan Scholarship and Community Vegans, scholars, animal activists, and other professionals gathered in New Haven Connecticut from February 15 to 17 for the second annual Ivy League Vegan Conference, held this year at Yale University. The conference focused on building a scholarly network and promoting academic discourse about issues related to veganism, animal welfare, health, and the environment. Speakers addressed questions ranging from “Are humans designed to eat meat?” to “Does an individual make a difference?” to “How can I best use my time to make the biggest impact for animals?” Experts from diverse fields—geophysics, philosophy, law, even neuroscience—weighed in on the environmental, health, and ethical implications of plant-based lifestyles. Wayne Pacelle, President of the Humane Society of the United States, delivered the conference’s keynote speech. The conference also featured a career fair and a brainstorming session on college activism. As the conference’s single attendee from the South—a place slightly less hospitable to vegans—I found the conference’s support and fellowship especially empowering, and enjoyed the chance to share ideas with other vegan students. By the end of the conference I had a lot to take back with me to North Carolina, and some bright Ivy League contacts to boot. The Ivy League Vegan Conference for 2014 will be held at Princeton University from February 7 to 9. It promises to be another engaging, informative event. —Jamie Berger 32 American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 Subscribe to American Vegan Make payments to American Vegan Society & receive 20% or greater discount on books purchased from AVS. Enclosed: …..$20 per year …..$10 Student/Low Income .….New subs. ..…Renewal …..$200 Life Membership …..$500 Life Patron …..$1000 Life Benefactor …..I’m learning about vegan living. …..I am a new vegan. I have been vegan……years. Remarks: Check one or both Name, Address, City, State, Zip-plus 4: □ Print copy □ PDF copy If both checked, add $5 Phone, e-mail AV 13-1 Send to: American Vegan Society, PO Box 369, Malaga NJ 08328 Ph : 856-694-2887 or Fax: 856-694-2288 Your Address Label Above your name is the year of your membership expiration. If you are a Life member, you will see “Life.” If you have inquired but not yet joined, “Inq” appears above your name. DEFINITIONS VEGAN: Uses no animal-source food or clothing. TOTAL VEGETARIAN: Uses no animal-source food, vegan in diet only; still using some animal items such as leather, wool. VEGETARIAN: Uses no flesh, fish, fowl (products of slaughter), still using milk or dairy products. (lacto-vegetarian), or eggs (ovovegetarian). Sign-up for E-Alerts online at www.americanvegan.org AMERICAN VEGAN SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP BASIC MEMBERSHIP is open to all: vegan, vegetarian, or non-vegetarian. ADVANCED Membership (voting, office holding) is open to vegans practicing Ahimsa (send for application form). MEMBERSHIP/SUBSCRIPTION is $20 per calendar year (2 or 3 print issues & website). ($10 student/low-income within U.S.A). Join before midyear, receive back issues, or join later and you’re on to end of next year. Pay by check/money order/credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover). LIFE MEMBERSHIP is $200; Life Patron $500 or more; Life Benefactor $1000 or more. Each type includes lifetime (your or AVS, as the case may be) American Vegan subscription. Each type payable at one time or in installments, normally completed within two years. IRS REGULATIONS permit tax-deductibility for all actual contributions (including Life Membership donation beyond the first $100—due to the value of the lifetime American Vegan subscription). FEES paid for annual membership, or books, tapes, conventions, etc. are paid for value received so are not taxdeductible according to IRS regulations. CANADA: Please remit in $U.S. only, by International Postal Money Order, or Bank Cashier’s Draft on account in a U.S.A. bank. Or use credit card. OVERSEAS: U.S. $25 air mail. As above; or United Kingdom personal check in ₤ Sterling at current exchange rate. American Vegan Society Together we explore and apply compassionate living concepts, and reflect on the beauty of life. We learn how to save the animals, how to revere the Earth, and how to care for ourselves. We learn to live in harmony, creating a better world for all. People follow a vegan lifestyle for ethical reasons, for health, and for the environment. A vegan diet is an adventure in taste offering an amazing variety to please the palate. Vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes are the basics from which delicious meals are made. Foods from plants best provide for all people in the world. American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 33 Kids! Teach Yourself to Cook • Make healthy snacks and meals use knives, stove, oven, blender • Learn easy cleanup techniques • Earn certificates of accomplishment • Have fun! • Safely Great gift for summer vacation, birthdays, holidays, or any day this year! Full-color photos throughout 160 pages Ages 4 to 12 8½”x11” $24.95 Purchase today from AVS. Quantity prices available. E-book & glutenfree options coming July 2013. Adults are secretly learning to cook with this book too! 34 American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 I learn to cook using the book Apples, Bean Dip, & Carrot Cake SHIRTS! Colors: Carolina blue, light purple, hot pink, lime green, and cherry red Kids’ sizes: XS 4/5, S-8, M 10-12, L 14-16 Price: $12, or $10 if purchased with the ABC cookbook. Order from AVS. INTERNATIONAL VEGAN EVENTS COSTA RICA and HAWAII McDougall Adventures: June 22 to 29 2013, Hilton Papagayo Costa Rica Resort & Spa, Guanacaste, North Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. More information and other adventures: www.drmcdougall.com/adventure. Call 800-941-7111 or email [email protected]. INDIA Indian Vegan Festival Fri Sept 27 to Mon Sept 30 2013, Sthitaprajna Vegan Centre, Near: Yeljit, Byndoor-576214, Udupi Dist., Karnataka, India. Sharing experiences on how to live a more healthy, happy and meaningful life. Excursion on last day. More info: www.indianvegansociety.com/vegan-festival.html MALAYSIA 41st IVU World Vegfest & 6th Asian Vegetarian Congress Thurs Oct 3 - Mon Oct 7 2013 Kuala Lumpur, and Tues/Wed Oct 8 & 9 Penang, Malaysia Proudly sponsored by Malaysian Vegetarian Society which promises a colorful festival among warm and friendly people of many races and religions, in an inexpensive gastronomical paradise. See www.worldvegfest.org. Plus THAILAND Post Vegfest trip to Southern Thailand starts Oct 10 to attend Thailand’s 10th Vegetarian Festival. American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013 35 American Vegan Nonprofit org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID VINELAND NJ Permit No. 38 Published by The American Vegan Society A NONPROFIT EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION 56 Dinshah Lane PO Box 369 Malaga NJ 08328-0908 Ph: 856-694-2887 Fax: 856-694-2288 www.americanvegan.org Permit can only be used by Publisher at Vineland P.O. CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED DATED MATERIAL ixztÇ jxww|Çz See page 30 36 American Vegan 13—1, SPRING 2013