The Best Meal in Town - American Vegan Society

Ahimsa Lights the Way
Second Series: Volume 8 Number 4
SPRING 2009
Anne Dinshah reports on
The Best Meal
in Town
Sixty people heartily devoured
dishes heaped with great vegan food
at a beautifully-prepared sit-down
dinner. Everyone was well satisfied
and complimented the cooks. Few of
those in attendance for the best meal
in town were vegan or vegetarian.
The monthly dinners of the
Vegetarian Society of Chautauqua
County (VSCC, formerly Chautauqua
Allegheny Vegetarian Society) were
so popular that reservations were
taken as they often maxed-out the
Westfield YWCA which is centrally
located in this New York county.
Continued on page 10
Brenda Bruner
INSIDE:
● Heather
Mills and the Children of the Bronx
8—4, SPRING 2009
1
● Pushing the Peanut ● Letter to Obama American
● Why Vegan
I Became
a Vegetarian
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, 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, 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 PAID ADVERTISING: any notices printed are for
informational value to our readers, and unpaid.
ARTICLES or items may be submitted for possible
publication.
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
American Vegan
Volume 8, Number 4— Spring 2009
ISSN: 1536-3767 © 2009
Contents
*Freya Dinshah, Malaga NJ
Best Meal in Town.......................................1, 10
Dear President Obama .......................................3
Siren Song of Welfare Reform (FARM) ...........4
Dating Vegans: Meet Steve Becker ...................5
Vegetarian Summerfest: Recipes/Notice ........7,8
Notices: Vegan Health Study, Vegfam............10
American Vegan T-Shirts ................................11
Stupid Boring Vitamins ...................................12
Book Review: Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven 14
Is Your Health Food Unhealthful?...................15
How and Why I Became a Vegetarian.............16
Testimony: 2010 Dietary Guidelines ...............20
Beware New Fats .............................................21
Vegan Runners.................................................21
Macbeth Footwear and Hunter Burgan............21
Funding for Vegan Food at Events ..................21
Why We March: Pushing the Peanut ...............22
Veggie Pride Parade.........................................23
Heather Mills’ Project in the Bronx.................24
NY Coalition for Healthy School Food ...........25
New Books and DVDs.....................................27
International Events .........................................27
Candle 79 Celebrates Five Years.....................28
Notices: Veggie Brothers, Not Trivial Game ..28
Garden Party/AVS Annual Meeting ................29
Events & Conferences .....................................30
AVS Membership/Subscription.......................31
How Much Cruelty Can You Swallow? ..........32
–President/Treasurer/Editor
Roshan Dinshah, Malaga NJ –1st Vice President
*Rosemary O’Brien, Woodbridge NJ
–2nd Vice President/Secretary
*Anne Dinshah, Columbus OH –Assistant Editor
*Andy Mars, Los Angeles CA
Daniel J. Dinshah, Malaga NJ –Assistant Treasurer
*Gabriel Figueroa, Austin TX–Assistant Editor
Front Cover Photo: Anne Dinshah
Back Cover Photo: Courtesy, Mercy for Animals
Inside photos as credited. Some photos provided
by author/subject. Remaining photos by AVS.
Assistant Editor and Graphics: Carolyn Githens
Technical Assistance: Scott Depew
Printed by GraphiColor Corporation, Vineland NJ
AMERICAN VEGAN SOCIETY
Since 1960
Founder: H. Jay Dinshah
AVS Council Members & Officers
*Council
2
Website hosted by VegSource
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
www.americanvegan.org
Sign on to E-Alert
Webmaster: Curt Hamre
Dear President Obama,
During your campaign, you
said that Senator McCain's plan
to reduce federal spending was a
hatchet job and you would prefer
to use a scalpel. I also seem to recall that you said special interest
groups and their lobbyists will not
have an ear in your administration.
Please allow me to suggest
some places to use such a scalpel.
Ranching on public lands is a
welfare service for a special interest group—cattle ranchers who
provide less than 3% of the beef
consumed in our country. The
cost to the U.S. Forest Service
and the Bureau of Land Management to administer public lands
grazing programs is approximated
at close to a billion dollars a year.
The fees paid by ranchers recover
only a small percentage of the
cost of the programs. Cattle
ranchers pay one tenth of the
market value of private grazing
lands. They pay $35 a month per
cow/calf pair. Either up the fees to
fair market value or, even better,
eliminate grazing on public lands
and save a billion dollars a year.
Public lands grazing leads to
other problems as well. We spend
tens of millions of dollars each
year to kill the bison of Yellowstone National Park so that the
bison don't compete for grass on
grazing allotments which surround
the park. These public lands are
used by less than a dozen cattle
ranchers to graze a couple of hundred cows. Close the grazing allotments around Yellowstone and
save millions spent to kill the bison.
Wildlife Services is an agency
which is part of the USDA. As a
service to a special interest group,
livestock ranchers, this federal
agency spends forty million dollars
each year to kill animals that are
considered pests to ranchers.
Eliminate this program and save
millions.
During the debates, you talked
about the urgency of fixing climate
change, Social Security and Medicare. I have a few more suggestions
which address these problems.
Health care in our country has
been estimated at over two trillion
dollars a year. If the White House
and the USDA were to strongly
recommend that people adopt a
vegan diet, and end the alliance
with animal agribusiness, perhaps
solving these problems would be
easier.
The National School Lunch Program serves approximately 30.5
million lunches per day at a cost
of $8.7 billion a year. Each year
the USDA purchases hundreds of
millions of dollars worth of excess dairy products, pork, beef,
and other high-fat, highcholesterol animal products, primarily as an economic benefit to
the meat and dairy industries. The
USDA allocates between 60 and
70 percent of food program procurement expenditures to meat,
dairy and egg products, while
providing less than 5 percent to
purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Let’s stop supporting the meat
and dairy industries to the detriment of our children’s health. We
can save money in the process.
During the debates, you suggested that we should all tighten
our belts to deal with the current
economic crisis. Instead, I suggest
that you urge people to eat more
lentils and other beans, whole
grains, fruits, and vegetables. We
wouldn't have to tighten our belts.
I know it might seem trite and
simplistic, but the fact is that a
plant-based diet is an important
part of the solution to the problems we face. A vegan diet is
much less energy intensive and
will save our national resources.
The United Nations recognized in
2006 that a meat-centered diet is
a major cause of greenhouse gases,
more so than all forms of transportation combined. The meat production and distribution system
uses close to one-third of all the
fossil fuels we use in this country.
Urge a vegan diet, help reduce the
effects of climate change, and save
billions. This is change we need.
The U.S. obesity rate continues to grow, leading to health
problems across the board for all
ages and of all the major illnesses
that affect our citizens. Many major studies have linked animal
products to several forms of cancer and to heart disease. Urge a
vegan diet and you will certainly
reduce part of that two trillion a
year cost for health care.
There is only one drawback to
my last suggestion. A vegan diet
will probably increase the life
expectancy of Americans. This
will require the Social Security
system to be fixed as soon as possible.
Thank you, President Obama,
and if you would like any other
advice, I'm here for you.
Sincerely,
Greg Lawson, President
Vegetarian Society of El Paso
Greg Lawson
An Open Letter:
Reprinted with permission of the
Vegetarian Society of El Paso
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
3
Name change:
Farm Animal Reform Movement is now
Farm Animal Rights Movement
Alex Hershaft explains the:
Siren Song of
WELFARE REFORM
“The world won’t go vegan in
the near future, so let’s reduce the
suffering of innocent animals
through welfare reforms.” Few
people who care about animals
can resist a proposition so enticing. And that included myself,
when I founded the Farm Animal
Reform Movement more than 30
years ago. For half of those years,
I vigorously pursued campaigns
to ban the veal crate and to fund
and enforce the Humane Slaughter Act. However enticing, this
proposition is based on several
faulty premises.
First, our work is not about the
world going vegan at any specific
date, but about reducing animal
suffering by cutting their consumption, one person and one
meal at a time. Each friend, relative, or passerby who “kicks the
meat habit” saves 34 land animals
per year (in excess of 2,000 in a
lifetime), from factory farm and
slaughterhouse atrocities, as well
as countless aquatic animals.
PR Tactician
Second, significant welfare
reforms would require a great
deal of money, land, energy,
manpower, and other resources,
and thus, a fundamental restructuring of the meat and dairy industries. This is much more farfetched than the likelihood of a
significant number of consumers
cutting their meat consumption.
But the worst consequence of
advocating welfare reforms is the
public perception that such advocacy sanctions continued abuse
and slaughter of animals for food.
Sadly, on the campaign trail, welfare reform advocates are frequently forced to deny their animal liberation ideology.
The statistics are clear: 93 percent of American consumers oppose farmed animal abuse and 97
percent continue eating them.
Welfare reforms are a win win
situation for consumers and industry. Only the animals lose. We
need to send a clear message that
the only way to help animals is to
stop eating them. Did I mention
that we are now the Farm
Animal Rights Movement?
—Alex Hershaft, Fall 2007
Farm Animal Rights Movement
10101 Ashburton Lane
Bethesda MD 20817
www.FARMUSA.org
888-FARM-USA (888-327-6872)
Masters of the media. Volunteer coordinators
FARM CAMPAIGNS:
Great American Meatout
March 20, www.Meatout.org
Includes Go Vegan Too
California Campaign for 2009
&
Meatout Mondays
www.MeatoutMondays.org
Vegan Earth Day
www.GreenYourDiet.org
Animal Rights Conference
July 16—20 2009, LA CA
www.arconference.org
World Farm Animals Day
October 2, www.WFAD.org
Gentle Thanksgiving
www.GentleThanksgiving.org
www.VegKit.org
We’re in complete agreement, Alex —
Freya Dinshah, American Vegan Society
In November 2008, California voters approved Proposition 2 requiring
that most animals raised for food be provided enough space to turn around by
January 2015. This is not enough! It won’t stop rough handling, terrible
transportation conditions, and the hell of slaughterhouses. To save animals
from being raised for food, we must mobilize to promote veganism.
Alex Hershaft, Photo: FARM
4
Respect Animals—Don’t Eat Them
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
As vegans socialize with non-vegans, our food choices can be
a source of frustration or an opportunity for positive interactions
and fun festivities. This series of articles provides ideas to improve
dating experiences.
Anne Dinshah
Meet Steve Becker
My eyes were drawn to his tall
athletic frame as Steve Becker entered
the Singles Weekend Icebreaker at the
Vegetarian Summerfest—the annual
conference of the North American
Vegetarian Society (NAVS). Meanwhile he had spotted me, which confirmed his decision to join the group.
We played a fun interactive questions
game to get to know everyone in the
room. I had the opportunity to check
out his shy but friendly smile, and find
out that he is vegetarian, not vegan.
Steve’s favorite food is spinach
pizza while mine is mushroom-olive
pizza. We were the only two who
claimed pizza as our favorite food during the game. As the group was dispersing, I used pizza to talk with Steve—
who later thanked me for initiating the
conversation which continued as we
strolled around campus with a few
other singles. I inquired whether he put
sweet potato on his spinach pizza, a favorite of mine that he had not tried. He
asked if I order my pizza without
cheese, which I do.
The next afternoon I joined a singles
volleyball game. Steve was already
playing. As the ball bounced out of
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
bounds, we whispered invitations to join each other for dinner. We met at the NAVS
Bookstore where he asked for
my recommendation of the
best vegan cookbook for
someone who is not vegan or
much of a cook. I led him to
Healthy Hearty Helpings.
Steve quickly noticed I was
the author. I told him if he
made it to the third date with
me I would give him a complimentary copy. Although confident he could succeed to the
third, he purchased the book. I
said I would give him a copy
of my next book if he agreed
to let me interview him.
In 1981, as a student at
Connecticut College, Steve
watched a movie that showed
how cattle were handled before and during slaughter. It
left him sick and sad. “The
next day I quit cold turkey…
and cold beef, ham, fish, etc,”
he said of his decision to be a
vegetarian. “I’ve always kept
it in the back of my mind that
I haven’t gone all the way.”
Photos: Steve Becker by Anne Dinshah,
Anne Dinshah by Robert Crane
In 2005, Steve saw an ad on
veggiedate.com for Vegetarian
Summerfest. Every year he
thought he should go. Finally
in 2008 he was the last person
to register for the conference,
calling while packing his bags.
“If I hadn’t come here I
wouldn’t have thought to buy
my first vegan book,” Steve
said. I am honored to be his
first purchase. He also bought
Veganomicon by Moskowitz
and Romero for its good general information, advice on
kitchen equipment, and basics
on how to cook vegetables,
grains, and beans. His third
acquisition was The Complete
Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Living
by Bennett and Sammartano.
psychic powers will work for useful things. Later
we enjoyed conversation, passionate kisses, and a
stroll around the beautiful foggy campus before
sunrise. I received his permission to kiss and tell,
because it is important to let readers know dating a
vegan can evolve romantically!
I used my limited knowledge of astrology and
Steve to guess which ten signs he is not. I flipped a
coin between the last two, only to guess wrongly
Aquarius for a final answer. He is a Pisces whose
hobbies include reading, any genre of movies, the
stock market, and Scrabble®. True to a Pisces nature,
he is into philosophy. He lifts weights twice a week,
bikes or runs five times a week, and occasionally
plays tennis or golf.
Steve, a high school counselor from a suburb of
Philadelphia, said, “In the back of my mind was the
hope of meeting someone. I thought she might be
from somewhere far away like Toronto or Ohio.”
He describes me as, “Beautiful, fun, and athletic,
but of course she lives in a cabin in the woods eight
hours away and still thinks she might want kids.”
Steve would prefer not to date long distance and is
very committed to environmental issues.
Both of our cars get 40 mpg, and his has low
emissions. Nevertheless it would be kinder on the
environment to date locally. I respect Steve’s personal commitment to not add to the world’s population. I am fond of children and have not determined
whether biological or adopted kids are in my future.
We enjoyed our Summerfest dates together including lunch the following day. He did make it to
the third date! I sometimes visit relatives near Steve,
so we made a tentative plan to coordinate that with
our fourth date, if we are both still single. Drooling
over the color photos in Veganomicon, I asked,
“What are you going to make me for dinner?”
“Something from the other book,” he replied,
nodding towards his copy of Healthy Hearty Helpings.
o
Singles Playing Volleyball at
NAVS Summerfest.
Photo courtesy of NAVS.
His thoughts on dating have evolved over the
years. He dated his first vegetarian a few years ago
and enjoyed not having to think about the food differences. They could share food, whether ordered at
a restaurant or prepared at home. When he subsequently dated omnivores he found it difficult not
having that veggie connection. “Vegetarians tend to
be pretty spiritual and think about decisions they
make. I find that very attractive,” Steve explained.
Meals at Summerfest are a terrific vegan smorgasbord. Some of our favorite Summerfest recipes
follow— provided by Ken Bergeron, catering
director. In order to sample more items we shared
our desserts, appreciating our food connection.
Steve could easily give up most dairy products.
He has not drunk milk or put it on cereal for ten
years, but may eat it as an ingredient. He eats nondairy ice cream at home. Cheese is the problem. He
consumes cheese sandwiches: toasted bread, mustard, avocado, and cheddar. He has not discovered a
vegan packaged cheese to his liking. He is having
difficulty imagining pizza without “real” cheese. I
suggested The UnCheese Cookbook by Stepaniak,
but he decided he needs to work on his basic
culinary skills before purchasing another vegan
cookbook. “I’ve never tried to make a vegan cheese
or anything else. I am not a cook,” he commented.
Steve eats frozen dinners three or four times a
week, and likes Indian food. His progressive thinking is leading him to try vegan cooking and I am
looking forward to hearing of his success. If someone were to cook a vegan meal for him he would
enjoy cleaning up to show his appreciation.
This night we bused our trays and appreciated the
cafeteria staff. We joined friends for a singles activity together before ducking out to the dance floor.
He liked the first song we danced to while I yawned
and joked I would rather be doing “Da Butt.” Sure
enough, with the next song that came on I had to put
my backfield in motion while pondering when my
6
American
Vegan
8—4,
SPRING
2009
American
Vegan
8—4,
SPRING
2009
SUMMERFEST RECIPES
Steve Becker and Anne Dinshah dined together at Vegetarian Summerfest. Chef Ken
Bergeron and the catering staff prepared everyone’s meals. To replicate these delicious
meals prior to next Summerfest, here are a few of their favorite recipes. A bountiful salad
bar supplied additional healthy variety at lunches and dinners.
Creamy Dill Salad Dressing
(Yield: about 1½ cups)
½ lb. silken tofu, drained and
cubed
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. chopped dill
1 tsp. tamari soy sauce
¾ tsp. prepared mustard
½ tsp. sea salt (optional)
Blend all ingredients, plus
water if needed to blend or thin.
Vegetarian Cooking for a Better
World by Muriel Golde, first edition,
1985, NAVS. Reprinted with permission.
Black Bean Sauce
Great on baked potatoes
(Yield: 4 servings)
18 ounces cooked black beans,
drained
¾ cup roasted red pepper,
coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp. sesame tahini
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Blend in food processor. Heat
and serve..
This recipe has been a favorite
for many years at NAVS Summerfest.
Reprinted courtesy of Jennifer
Raymond from The Peaceful Palate,
1994.
Mushroom Spinach Pizza
Whole Wheat Pizza
or Bread
(Yield: two 14-16” pizzas
or 2 loaves of bread)
Dough:
Dry mix:
3 cups organic white bread flour
2 cups whole wheat bread flour
1 tsp. salt
Wet mix:
2 cups warm water, 110ºF
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast granules
¼ cup barley malt syrup or other
sweetener of choice such as
maple syrup or a dry sugar
1 Tbsp. canola oil
In a large bowl combine the wet
mix ingredients. Let stand 10
minutes or until yeast bubbles
and foams. If it does not, the
yeast is not active; try newer
yeast.
In a separate bowl, mix flour
and salt, except one cup of white
bread flour. Gradually stir the dry
mixture into the wet mixture. Add
the reserved one cup flour as
needed until dough is no longer
sticky.
Turn dough out onto a floured
work surface and knead for about
ten minutes or until smooth and
elastic. Lightly oil a bowl and put
dough in bowl. Cover with a
towel and allow dough to rise in a
warm place until doubled in bulk,
about 60 minutes.
All cookbooks mentioned are
available from the American
Vegan Society. See listings at
www.americanvegan.org.
For Pizza:
Brush olive oil on 2 pizza
pans, or sprinkle with corn meal,
and set aside. Punch down dough.
Divide in two. Place one half on
floured work surface and form
into pizza round by rolling. Place
pizza dough on the pan and, if
needed, stretch to fit. Repeat with
other half. Top with purchased
tomato sauce and grated vegan
cheese of choice, or just drizzle
with olive oil and sprinkle with
minced garlic. Additional toppings may include cooked and
squeezed spinach and sliced
cooked mushrooms.
Preheat oven to 450ºF. Allow
to rise again. Dough will double
in height. Time depends on room
temperature, approximately 20 to
30 minutes.
Bake at 450ºF for 15 to 20
minutes. Check if the bottom of
the crust is browned.
For Bread:
Punch down dough and allow
a second rise, 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly
mist a baking sheet or 2 loaf pans
with non-stick cooking spray.
Punch dough down again and
form into two loaves. Place on a
baking sheet. Allow loaves to rise
again until doubled, approximately
20 minutes.
Brush tops of loaves with oil
and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes or until bread is golden
brown and sounds hollow when
tapped on the bottom.
Recipes continue on page 9.
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
7
THE
experience
YOU UP
TO FILL
July 8 - 12 │ Johnstown, PA
35th Annual Conference of the North American Vegetarian Society
The event vegetarians
look forward to all year!
Classes, Conversation & Community!
REGISTER NOW & SAVE!
www.vegetariansummerfest.org
or call 518-568-7970.
•
Cutting Edge Educational Sessions
• Great Natural-Food Vegan Meals
• Meet Others Of Like Mind
North American Vegetarian Society ● PO Box 72 ● Dolgeville NY 13329
8
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
Carob Icebox Cake
(Yield: 12 servings)
4 cups carob soymilk
6 Tbsp. cornstarch
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. almond extract
1 cup carob or chocolate chips,
sweetened, dairy free
½ cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 batch Vanilla Oatmeal Cookies
(see recipe) or 12 ounces vegan
graham crackers
Set aside ½ cup soymilk. Mix
3½ cups soymilk, maple syrup,
vanilla extract, and almond extract in a pot and bring to a boil.
Mix reserved soymilk and
cornstarch. Whisk it into the boiling pot to thicken. Turn off heat
and stir in chocolate chips. When
chips are melted, stir in half of
the toasted walnuts.
In a 10"-square baking dish
(6-cup capacity), layer hot pudding mixture, and cookies or graham crackers, until all are used up.
Sprinkle top with remaining walnuts. Chill dessert 2 hours or overnight to allow cookies to soften.
Note: If only plain or vanilla
soymilk is available, use chocolate or add a little carob or cocoa
powder to deepen the chocolate
flavor.
Vanilla Oatmeal Cookies
(Yield: 16 big or
24 medium-size cookies)
Serve this plain cookie as part
of a dessert or on its own.
Dry Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose white flour
1 cup rolled oats, instant or
ground in processor or blender
2 cups natural dry sweeteners*
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
Wet Ingredients:
4 ounces firm silken tofu
6 Tbsp. canola oil and/or apple
sauce
(Some oil preferred if serving as
cookie. Applesauce is good if
using cookies in Icebox Cake)
½ cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
In a large bowl combine dry
ingredients and push to one side
of the bowl. In a food processor,
purée silken tofu until very
smooth. Put the remaining wet
ingredients into the processor and
process until smooth. Pour wet
mixture into the bowl with the
dry ingredients and mix quickly
and thoroughly. Chill dough for
at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. On a
baking sheet, lined with parchment
paper, place ¼-cup pieces of
cookie dough for big cookies or 3
tablespoons for medium cookies.
Cover dough with plastic wrap
and flatten each cookie, carefully
remove plastic wrap, and save to
use again.
Bake for about eleven minutes
for large cookies or seven minutes
for the medium cookies. If the
bottoms of the cookies seem to be
browning too fast, try doubling
up the sheet pans.
*You may use 1 cup of Sucanat®
and 1 cup of Florida Crystals® or 2 cups
of either, or other brands of light brown
and tan evaporated cane sweetener or
other dry sugar.
Whole Wheat Pizza and Wheat
Bread, Carob Icebox Cake, Vanilla
Oatmeal Cookies recipes adapted
from Professional Vegetarian Cooking by Ken Bergeron, © John Wiley &
Sons Inc. 1999. Awarded “Best Professional Book in English” at the
1999 World Cookbook Fair, Versailles, France.
Tofu Ruben Sandwich
(Yield: 4 servings)
1 pound extra firm tofu
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
½ tsp. garlic powder
ground black pepper, to taste
Cut tofu across into eight
slices. Mix other ingredients in a
baking dish large enough to lay
out tofu slices. Put tofu slices into
dish and then turn over to coat
second side. Bake tofu at 400°F
for 10 to 15 minutes, turning over
once, until browned. Or fry in a
lightly-oiled stick-free pan.
8 large (or 16 small) slices rye
bread
oil or trans-fat-free margarine to
brush on bread
4 slices Swiss-style vegan soy
sliced “cheese” (or grated vegan
“cheese”)
15-ounce can or bag sauerkraut
(rinse if desired), drained and
chopped
mustard, as needed
999 Island Dressing (use recipe
or purchased vegan Thousand
Island) as needed.
Using two slices bread per
sandwich, oil bread on one side
and place oiled side down in nonstick pan over medium heat. Put a
little mustard on one slice and
dressing on the other. Then soy
cheeses on one and tofu on the
other and end with sauerkraut on
the soy cheese. Brown the outsides of sandwiches until golden.
Fold the tofu side onto the soy
cheese side. Slice lengthwise and
serve.
999 Island Dressing
(Yield: about 11/3 cups)
1 cup vegan soy mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. tomato catsup
2 Tbsp. dill relish (unsweetened)
1 tsp. mustard
ground black pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients. Serve
as dressing, a dip for raw vegetables, or an ingredient in Tofu
Ruben Sandwich.
Tofu Ruben Sandwich and 999
Island Dressing recipes from forthcoming books by Ken Bergeron.
Recipes courtesy of Chef
Bergeron who coordinates all the
Vegetarian Summerfest meals.
tsp.= teaspoon
Tbsp.= tablespoon
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
9
The Best Meal in Town
(Continued from page 1)
The facility has a good-sized
kitchen with two stoves and available dishes. It is handicapped
accessible, with a ample parking,
and it is easy to find for people
coming from out of town. Use of
the facility costs $35 per month and
the kitchen can only be accessed
after 5pm due to other programs.
Brenda Bruner was the modest
gem who facilitated the meal. She
is motivated by people who incorporate even one of her healthy
dishes into their daily menu;
whether they are vegetarian or
not, they may become healthier.
Brenda feels good that she can
relay helpful information. Eighty
to ninety percent of the members
are non-vegetarian, but interested
in a healthier lifestyle.
Four cooks prepared four
dishes for everyone. The salad
and dressing were always raw.
The three cooked courses were
an entrée, a side, and a dessert,
sometimes with bread. Brenda
planned the menu, encouraged
members to cook, invited the
speaker, shopped for many ingredients the cooks needed (especially
organic), and wrote the flyer. Other
cooks and active members gave
her input on the flyer and menu.
Members served as librarian,
greeter/treasurer, flyer distributor,
table setters, and dishwashers.
Brenda often did much of the
cooking. Additionally she made
vegan raw meals for an average
of eight people. Raw dishes require more preparation: soaking,
sprouting, dehydrating, marinating, etc. and combining foods to
keep dishes interesting.
John Cayer and Bill Boerst
started VSCC in 1993. Brenda
became involved with the society
in September 1998 after she
brought veggie burgers to a roller
skating picnic. Her friends noticed
the meatless offering and invited
Brenda to the next VSCC dinner
which was a sit-down dinner prepared by members because potlucks had received poor turnouts.
Dinner usually costs between $7$11 with members receiving a $2
VEGAN HEALTH STUDY
Participate in nutrition research, investigating the long-term effects of vegan diets,
by any or all of these ways:
• Complete a questionnaire.
• Provide blood and urine samples for
lab testing—fee charged.
• Donate tax-deductible funding.
Michael Klaper, MD, Director
Institute of Nutrition
Education & Research
1601 N Sepulveda Ave #342
Manhattan Beach CA 90266
www.veganhealthstudy.org
10
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
discount. The goal was just to
break even on the cost.
John asked Brenda to prepare
the dessert, Mango-Peach Cobbler,
to accompany the next month’s
Mexican meal. Each month the
more Brenda did the more she
enjoyed making her culinary contributions to the society. In the
summer of 1999 Brenda became
the dinner coordinator.
Brenda likes to help people
attain a healthier lifestyle, learn
vegan cooking, and experience
raw food preparation. Although
she grew up in Chautauqua
County and loved her role in the
VSCC, she moved to Avon Park
Florida in 2005.
RECIPES
Brenda’s story continues in the
next issue.
Vegetarian Society
of Chautauqua County
Gail Erb
7563 Bloomer Rd
Mayville NY 14757
Phone: 716-753-7761
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
https://charitychoice.co.uk/vegfam
can be used from the U.S.
Blueberry Bread Pudding
Golden Dessert Sauce
(Yield: 12 servings)
3 Tbsp. Earth Balance® (or other
healthy butter-like spread)
¾ cup Sucanat® or Florida
Crystals® non-refined sugar
egg-replacer* to equal 3 eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3½ cups vanilla rice- or soy-milk
8 cups whole grain bread cubes
1¾ cups fresh or frozen
blueberries
2 Tbsp. Sucanat® or Florida
Crystals® non-refined sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
(Yield: 1½ cups)
1 Tbsp. Earth Balance® spread
½ cup rice syrup
1 cup puréed silken tofu
In medium saucepan, combine
spread and rice syrup. Cook and
stir over low heat until spread is
melted. Stir in 1 cup puréed
silken tofu; bring to boil; reduce
heat, boil gently, uncovered, for
5-10 minutes or until mixture is
slightly thickened.
Refrigerate sauce if not using
within 2 hours. Reheat to serve or
serve at room temperature over
warm pudding.
Prepare Golden Dessert Sauce,
cover and set aside.
For Bread Pudding, preheat
oven to 350°F. In a large mixing
bowl beat spread and ¾ cup sugar
with electric mixer on medium to
high speed until well combined.
Add egg replacer* and vanilla;
beat again. Slowly stir in milk.
Place bread cubes in a large
bowl; pour milk mixture over the
bread. Let stand 5 minutes.
Stir blueberries into bread
mixture; transfer to a lightly oiled
3 quart rectangular baking dish.
Combine the 2 Tbsp. spread and
cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over
bread mixture.
Drizzle 1/3 cup of the Golden
Dessert Sauce over bread mixture. Bake about 35 minutes or
until knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm
with remaining dessert sauce.
Double Mango Salad
(Yield: 4 servings)
1 cup cubed, peeled mango
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
½ tsp. safflower or sunflower oil
½ tsp. ground coriander
1/8 tsp. sea salt
3 cups mesculin mix, or your
favorite salad greens
½ cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 Tbsp. slivered almonds
Place ¾ cup of the mango in a
food processor and process until
finely chopped. Add lime juice,
oil, coriander, and salt and process until smooth.
Combine remaining mango
cubes, greens, and strawberries in
a large bowl, add dressing and toss
to coat well. Divide among four
serving dishes and sprinkle with
almonds. Serve immediately.
*Examples of egg replacers equivalent to one egg:
1 Tbsp. ground flax seed + 3 Tbsp. water whipped together
Ener-G Foods, Inc. Egg Replacer: 1½ tsp. powder + 2 Tbsp. warm water
HELP AVS SPREAD THE VEGAN MESSAGE!
GoodSearch.com and GoodShop.com are search engines that
donate half their revenues, to the charities their users designate. You
use them just as you would any search engine, and they are powered
by Yahoo!, so you get great results.
Go to www.goodsearch.com or www.goodshop.com and enter
American Vegan Society as the charity you want to support.
T-SHIRTS
Typestyle and text as above
50% preshrunk cotton,
50% polyester
Small, Medium, Large,
Xtra Large, 2X Large
Yellow type on
Cornflower Blue,
or Forest Green Shirt
Adult sizes: $15 each
($12-AVS members)
Youth XS, Youth S, Youth M,
Youth L, Youth XL
Yellow type on Forest Green,
or Iris Blue Shirt
Children’s sizes (Youth): $12
($10-AVS members)
Steven Faris, a member of
AVS, owns Home Clean
Home—Green Cleaning which
operates in South Jersey and
surrounding areas.
HCH has been in business
for six years, using natural
cleaners.
Steve offers a 10% AVS
member discount. Contact
him at 856-767-8807 or
www.hchgreen.com.
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
11
Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
Stupid, Boring
Vitamins
By Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
Authors of The Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven
Okay, so maybe you've figured it out by now. If you haven't,
let us spell it out for you: Your
baby is like a parasite growing
inside you. And you are the host
body. So whether your little parasite thrives or not is entirely up to
you. (Charming, huh?) We cannot
emphasize enough the importance
of having a healthy host body for
your baby. For starters, your
baby's life depends on it, literally.
But it also means the difference
between you glowing or growling
for nine months.
So in addition to resting often,
exercising regularly, and giving
up junk food, you need to be sure
you're getting all your vitamins
and minerals. The best way to do
this: Eat a variety of healthy
foods. Our bodies absorb vitamins
and minerals from food better
than they do from supplements,
and good food supplies thousands
of protective components you
won't find in a pill. So even
though your health-care provider
will likely have you popping pills
on a daily basis, there's no substitute for healthy eating. At this
12
point in the book, we've probably
said it a thousand times, but we're
saying it again: Eat a wellbalanced diet of fruits, veggies,
whole grains, nuts, seeds, and
legumes. And be sure to change it
up so you aren't eating the same
exact foods every day for nine
months. This will ensure you're
getting a good variety of vitamins
and minerals and nutrients.
And don't be a cheap jerk. Buy
organic! Studies show that conventional produce has significantly less phosphorus, iron, calcium, protein, riboflavin, and
ascorbic acid than it did fifty
years ago. Why? Because of all
the chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and monoculture farming
practices that came with the industrialization of our food production. Fortunately, studies
show that organic produce has
higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Do not
shrug this off. Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are everything to your health and your
baby's health. Pesticides can cross
the placenta and cause neurological and reproductive damage to
your unborn baby. Get in the
habit now, because when your
baby is a child, he or she will still
need you to buy organic food. In
2003, a report from the Centers
for Disease Control & Prevention
found the urine of children tested
twice as high as the urine of
adults for some pesticides. And
let's not forget the University of
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
Washington study on preschoolers. Those fed conventional diets
tested six times higher for certain
pesticides than the kids fortunate
enough to be fed organic diets. So
decide right now what kind of
mom you want to be: Loving or
lacking.
According to some research,
the diets of pregnant women may
be lacking in folic acid, calcium,
magnesium, iron, zinc, and vitamins B6, D, and E. But, like everything else in the world of
health, there's a lot of conflicting
information out there. Especially
regarding vitamin supplements.
Some researchers say, "Better
safe than sorry," and advise pregnant women to take a multivitamin. Others suggest just taking supplements for the things
you could be deficient in. And
some even say there's no reason
to supplement at all if you're eating a well-planned, well-balanced
diet and all your levels are good.
So we're gonna present you with
a broad overview of what we've
learned and let you decide, with
the help of your health-care provider, what's best for you. Remember: We're not the end-all,
be-all on anything. So don't be
writing to us, asking, "What
should I do about vitamins?" Ask
your doctor for the most current
RDAs on vitamins and minerals,
read more on the subject from
other sources, and then make an
educated decision with his or her
help. And be sure you develop a
game plan regarding supplementation for pregnancy and breastfeeding.
(Warning: There's nothing more
boring than talking about vitamins. Sorry in advance.)
While there is a ton of conflicting information, one thing
experts do agree on is that alcohol, tobacco, soda, sugar, and
highly-processed junk foods can
cause the body to excrete vital
vitamins and minerals. Another
area of agreement is the importance of folic acid. Hopefully,
you were taking it before you got
preggers. (If you weren't, don't
start freaking out now.) But it's
also important during your first
trimester, as deficiencies can
cause neural tube defects. You
can get it from fruits, veggies,
whole grains, nuts, seeds, and
legumes (of course). But most
experts say, in addition to the folic acid you're getting from your
food, you should also take 400
micrograms a day.
Your doctor may suggest taking a supplement that has all the
B vitamins. You can give your
body extra help by eating a variety
of fruits, veggies, leafy greens,
whole grains, legumes, nuts, and
seeds. However, in the case of
veggies (and fruits, too), cooking
or overcooking can cause a loss
of vitamins (and flavor too). So if
you can't eat them raw, try lightly
steaming them. And if you have
to boil them, just do it for the
minimum time possible. They
should still look alive, crisp, and
brightly colored when you're done
cooking them. They shouldn't
look lifeless, mushy, or dull. Also
be aware that high intakes of sugar,
coffee, alcohol, nicotine, and black
tea can cause nutrient depletion.
If you've decided to eliminate
meat, eggs and dairy products
from your diet, feel good about it.
And know that plant foods contain all the vitamins except vitamins D and B12. (We don't say
this meaning you should ignore
your doctor's orders for supplements. We just thought you'd like
to know that, in general, plant
foods have all the vitamins except
D and B12.) You may remember
from earlier on that you can get
vitamin D from sun exposure on
your skin (though if you live in a
northern climate this will be
harder to do). And of course you
can eat D-fortified foods like cereal and rice- or soy- milks. And
while small amounts of vitamin
B12 are present in bacteria, algae,
tempeh, and fortified foods, vegetarian mothers-to-be should take
supplements. (FYI: Many experts
say all vegetarians should take
B12 supplements, not just pregnant women.)
So be sure to discuss B12 supplementation with your doctor, for
both pregnancy and breastfeeding. It's a really important one for
you and your baby. Babies born
to moms who are deficient in B12
can have anemia, developmental
delays, impaired growth, and
poor brain development.
Believe it or not, vegetarians
and vegans eating a wellbalanced, well-planned diet can
have better levels of most vitamins and minerals than meateaters. You may wonder about
iron. While our levels can be
lower than average, they're still in
the normal range. So when some
meathead tells you that vegetarians or vegans don't get enough
iron, tell him or her that we have
no higher incidence of iron deficiency anemia than the general
population. Regardless, do your
best to eat iron-rich foods, like
almonds, asparagus, avocados,
chickpeas, black beans, lentils,
apricots, prunes, wheat germ,
whole-wheat bread, sesame
seeds, white beans, cherries,
broccoli, leafy greens, beets, carrots, fortified cereals, and riceand soy- milks. You can help
your body optimize iron absorption by pairing up high-iron foods
with high vitamin-C foods. Your
doctor may test your iron levels
throughout your pregnancy to make
sure you aren't anemic. If you are,
you might have to take iron supplements, which can cause nausea,
barfing, stomach upset, or constipation. (It can also inhibit zinc absorption.) So eat right, fool!
The above is an excerpt from a
chapter in the book Skinny Bitch
Bun in the Oven: A Gutsy Guide
to Becoming One Hot and
Healthy Mother!—Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.
o
Rory Freedman and Kim
Barnouin started a movement
when they wrote their bestselling manifesto, Skinny
Bitch. Both a wake-up call
and a “kick in the ass”, Skinny
Bitch exposed the horrors of
the food industry while inspiring people to eat well and enjoy food.
Freedman, a former agent
for Ford Models, has been
studying nutrition for fifteen
years. She has one uterus.
Barnouin, a former model,
holds a Master of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition. She
has one son, Jackson, with
whom she was pregnant while
researching this book.
Both Bitches live and pig
out in Los Angeles. Visit them
at www.SkinnyBitch.net.
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
13
Book Review:
SKINNY BITCH BUN IN THE OVEN:
A Gutsy Guide to Becoming One Hot and Healthy Mother!
by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven is
a pregnancy guide unlike any other.
Brazen visionaries Rory Freedman
and Kim Barnouin are back with
their third book, this time to raise
awareness of important concerns
surrounding the pregnant experience.
With their "wildly inappropriate
senses of humor", these ladies use an
eclectic mix of wit, sarcasm and
less-than-subtle potty humor to get
women's attentions, and open minds
and hearts. Topics range from what
to eat, complaints about being pregnant, to diapering and baby care
products.
This book came as a refreshing
surprise in content and tone to me, a
mother who has had three successful
vegan pregnancies. It would have
been a welcome-read nine years ago!
Even seasoned mamas have something to learn here.
Freedman, proclaimed as a selftaught know-it-all who has studied
nutrition for the past 15 years,
teamed up with Barnouin, who has a
Masters degree in Holistic Nutrition.
Together they attempt to set the record straight on not only a diet, but a
lifestyle, that is nutritionally sound
for pregnancy and beyond.
Although the message of the
book is vegan, pregnant women
from all walks of life stand to learn
something. “We didn't write this
book to make friends. We wrote this
book to help women eat right, ensuring successful pregnancies and
healthy babies. If you want to
hear...candy-coated b~~~~~~t, pick
up another book.” The authors advise educating oneself; not just relying on common “knowledge”.
14
Statements such as: “...how
would you like it if right after birth
someone snatched your baby away,
attached clamps to your nipples,
milked you and then sold your milk
for profit?” work as a starting point
for raising ethical questions about
the treatment of animals that an expectant mother especially might connect to. The book also delves into
the hidden side of factory farms and
the industries producing meat, dairy,
eggs, and fish.
Leery of what two women with
little experience of pregnancy
(Freedman not yet a mother,
Barnouin pregnant with her first
child while writing the book) might
offer as expertise on a matter I am
all too familiar with, I was pleasantly
surprised with how well-researched
their topics were. Although they
couldn't give much firsthand advice,
they managed to find resources to
back up their opinions and kept the
flow of the book attention-keeping
and palatable.
Advice on foods one should be
eating during pregnancy—especially
important when "eating for two", is
tempered with admonitions to pay
attention to ingredients and learn
what to avoid. Freedman and
Barnouin share the building blocks
for health, not only for mom and
baby, but for our Earth and the animals as well. They include a helpful
four-week sample menu. They dispel
myths about the need for animal proteins and milk; and convincingly
show that a plant-based diet during
pregnancy can easily meet the nutritional needs of mother and growing
fetus. This is especially important
for pregnant vegans and vegetarians
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
to hear because friends, family, even
doctors, push them to add meat, eggs,
fish, and milk to their diets. Eyeopening statistics from the EPA and
FDA document the toxins and pollutants found in such items—
information usually unheard by the
pregnant population.
Any woman considering pregnancy would benefit from reading
"Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven".
The well-rounded advice includes
what a mother or sister might share
and so it is very embraceable. Those
who are already vegan will be reassured, and those who are not will
find much to think about. The message rings out loud and clear: “Read
the labels of everything you buy. If
you're going to put it in your
mouth....or in your baby's mouth,
you better know exactly what it is.
Use your own head and don't believe…anyone.
Do your own research and make
your own decisions.”
-Reviewed by Melissa Maly
SKINNY BITCH BUN IN THE
OVEN: A Gutsy Guide to Becoming One Hot and Healthy Mother!
—Rory Freedman, Kim Barnouin,
2008, 329pp 5¼x7¼” $14.95.
.
Melissa is a mama of three vegan-since-birth children (3, 5 & 7
years old) and lives in Upper Deerfield New Jersey. She is passionate
about veganism and natural living
and hopes to open a café one day.
Jolie Bookspan, PhD, asks:
Sports Drinks & Sports Bars
Is Your Health Food Unhealthful?
Most people know junk food
when they see it. Would you recognize it in disguise? In gyms
and fitness centers, I see people
buying expensive exercise foods
and drinks advertised for "health"
and "energy" that are not healthful. Here are four things to
check:
1. Many "energy" and workout
foods are high-calorie. The sportscience definition of calories is
energy. That does not mean calories make you energetic. If you
are calorie deficient you will feel
weaker. More calories than
needed will not make you
stronger or able to exercise more.
A 400-calorie workout followed
by eating a 200-calorie sports bar
and a 200-calorie energy drink,
plus regular meals, will result in
weight gain, not loss.
2. Next, many bars and drinks are
little more than unhealthful
candy—refined sugar, fillers,
dyes, hydrolyzed proteins, unhealthy fats, and some synthetic
vitamins. Eating them does not
make you healthy just because
they have the words "natural,"
"healthy," "vitamins," or
"exercise" on the label. You
would get more vitamins and
health from eating a pear and
some walnuts. Some that are labeled "low-carb" are high in unhealthy trans fat and hydrogenated fat. Many products labeled
"low-fat" or "no-fat" have much
junk refined sugar. Junk fats and
sugars damage your health over
the long term. There is nothing
you need to eat that has high
fructose corn syrup. Both junk
food and "health food" low-
carbohydrate products can have
sugar substitutes like sorbitol that
can make you bloated and gassy.
3. Third, many powders, drinks,
and bars have unfermented soy,
which does not have the benefits
of fermented soy, and in large
amounts can slow the thyroid and
may have estrogen-promoting
qualities. People with tendency
to estrogen-dependent tumors
like fibroids, cystic ovary, and
endometriosis probably want to
avoid these products.
4. Fourth, watch for stimulants in
exercise foods; often caffeine,
guarana, ephedra, ginseng, ma
huang, and others. You don't
need them to exercise or lose
weight. Many exercisers take
them, plus energy pills, diet pills,
and their usual coffee and espresso. A cycle starts of needing
them to avoid feeling weary and
headachy. Nervousness, anxiety,
inability to concentrate by day
and sleep at night, and irregular
heartbeats can occur. Then, take
over-the-counter or prescription
medicines to try to stop those effects? That's not health!
Make healthier, less expensive
sports drinks by putting an apple,
banana, grapes, or other fruit,
with nuts, a green pepper, and
clean water in a blender, grinder,
food processor, mixer; or just
make fruit salad in a bowl. Add a
touch of any combination of unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon, cloves, ginger root, sesame
seeds, and other healthy items,
for flavor.
When baking treats, there is
no need to add any sugar; use
mashed fruit. Instead of shorten-
ing, use a cooked sweet potato
and ground flax seeds or walnuts.
Instead of icing, mash apples (no
cooking needed) for a topping as
sweet as any sugar or syrup, and
a better habit for the long run.
Exercise your brain and be
able to spot foods marketed for
health and exercise that are
unhealthful foods in disguise!
For more information, see an
entire chapter, Healthy Nutrition,
on making good tasting, easy
health food for exercise; and the
chapter, Performance Enhancement, on performance-enhancing
supplements, drugs, and food in
Jolie’s book Healthy Martial
Arts ($24.95). Also, the Nutrition
section of Health & Fitness in
Plain English –Third Edition
($24.95) has a chapter on Sports
Drinks, and a chapter on Healthy
Eating. (Books in stock at AVS)
Jolie Bookspan, MEd, PhD,
FAWM, The Fitness Fixer,
teaches comfortable body movement, and gives health tips at
www.healthline.com/blogs
Exercise and Fitness.
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
15
How and Why I Became a Vegetarian
Maureen Koplow
The Beginning
When I was a child, I was an
animal lover. I especially loved
dogs. When my mother wanted
me home for dinner, she called
neighbors who had dogs rather
than children. My mother, however, was not an animal lover, so
most of my contact with animals
was outside my own home. I
played records labeled “fox trot,"
watched Lassie, Rin-Tin-Tin, and
My Friend Flicka on TV, and The
Roy Rogers Show because I
wanted to see Bullet and Trigger.
I read every book in the school
library about dogs, cats, and
horses, including encyclopedia
entries. I was single minded. I sat
behind little old ladies with fur
stoles on buses, so I could pet the
animals. My father owned a
butcher shop, as did his brother
and father. I loved the occasional
visits to the slaughter house,
where I could see and even touch
the sheep and steers while they
were waiting to be killed. I was
quite innocent and extremely naive. I took a steer’s head to my
high school biology class for everyone to examine. We dissected
the eyeball. I wanted to know
everything about animals. I loved
the zoo and the circus and cowboy movies. More chances to see
animals. I ate meat at least once
every day.
I went to college and became
a special education teacher. I
married and moved from Cleveland Ohio to Camden New Jersey
following my husband’s career.
One day we found a tiny mouse
on the floor of our apartment. We
16
Maureen with Tippy.
caught it in a box, set it free outside, and went to a pet shop to
buy a cat. I finally had an excuse
to begin my own menagerie. We
bought our first kitten from a pet
store, and he died within two
days from a terrible case of distemper. Many animals from pet
shops (I was told by the veterinarian) are diseased. I waited the
recommended six weeks, and
then adopted another kitten, from
an animal shelter. He was
healthy—and lived 17 years.
Glimpses of Awareness
Soon, I realized that one cat
gets lonely, so I purchased a companion for him. I was still an animal lover, but I was beginning to
understand that animals are complex and sensitive beings. I continued to be unaware of the incredible suffering that so many
animals endure.
It was hard to find a place that
allowed pets, but I discovered the
Camden County SPCA which
was just down the street from the
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
station. I asked if they knew
where we could find an apartment
which allowed pets, and they suggested one. We moved to a new
apartment complex, close to the
high speed line (train).
I soon purchased a purebred
pup, paying lots of money for
“show quality”. A year later, I
bought another pup from a
breeder I met at dog shows, and I
took them both to dog shows on
weekends.
I felt indebted to the SPCA for
helping me find an apartment, so
I began volunteering there when I
wasn’t teaching. The first few
weeks, I cleaned cages and
walked dogs. Soon, I was working in the office on weekends,
answering the phone, and signing
animals in and out. By this time, I
was quite knowledgeable about
pet care. I knew about overpopulation, and the resultant incredible
euthanasia numbers. I knew about
health problems, grooming needs,
and even some wildlife information. My reading had never
stopped, and I collected knowledge avidly. I was quite proud of
my ability to give advice to people who came into the shelter,
and I was still showing my dogs.
I adopted several more cats which
were too special to be “put to
sleep", and eventually lived with
two dogs and nine cats. I stopped
showing the dogs because they
obviously didn’t enjoy the ordeal.
Once they were retired, I had
them both fixed. All of my animals were spayed or neutered,
and I considered myself a truly
aware animal lover.
Introduction to Vegetarianism
Then I signed up for a night
school course. My teacher was a
very interesting person who happened to be a vegetarian. One
evening, during the break, he and
another student were involved in
a discussion about vegetarianism.
I joined the conversation, arguing
that meat is necessary and normal
for humans. He turned to me and
said, “You love animals so much.
Why kill to eat?” That was January 23, 1973. My reaction was
anger and defiance. I stopped at a
seafood restaurant on the way
home and ordered a fish sandwich, a shrimp cake sandwich,
and a crab cake sandwich. I devoured all three in a “feeding
frenzy", with tartar sauce dripping down my chin. That was the
last time I ever ate an animal. The
next week, I went to class and
told the teacher I hadn’t eaten
meat in a week. He replied,
“That’s nice.” I expected a bigger
reaction, maybe even some encouragement, but it didn’t happen. But I remained a vegetarian
from then on, because I couldn’t
look at meat without knowing it
was a dead animal. And I couldn’t think of a single reason that
would justify “killing to eat”.
Rationalizations Disappear
Why do people kill to eat? Not
one of the excuses I had used to
rationalize my former eating habits held water for me. Everyone
does it. Eating meat is convenient. Meat tastes good. My family
eats meat. Most of the meals at
restaurants have meat in them.
Most of the foods in grocery stores
have meat in them. Most of my
coworkers eat meat. Most of my
friends eat meat. All of these
statements were, to a large extent,
true. But not one of them was a
good enough reason to take the
life of an animal. I realized that
tasting good should not be a
capital offense.
Times Have Changed
Furthermore, in the 35 years
since I stopped eating the bodies
of animals, many of those excuses have become less true. Lots
of people have stopped eating
meat. Eating a plant-based diet is
very convenient. Fruits and vegetables taste good. My family eats
far less meat and lots more vegetarian dishes. Most restaurants
offer delicious vegetarian selections. Many grocery stores have a
large variety of vegetarian selections. Many of my coworkers
have reduced or eliminated meat
from their diets. And most of my
friends are now vegetarian.
My father, a kosher butcher
whom I loved with all my heart,
died of a heart attack at the age of
51. When I became a vegetarian,
my mother was horrified. She
said if my father were still alive,
the news would kill him. I replied
that if he had been vegetarian, it
might have saved him. My
mother still eats flesh, but not
nearly as much as before. And
she’s become far more conscious of
the many reasons for considering a
vegetarian diet.
Increase in Awareness
I became a vegetarian because
I didn’t want to cause the death of
animals. Since I became aware of
the real situation, I have discovered that death is just the final
blow, as there is an incredible
amount of suffering that comes
before each animal dies. Animals
raised on farms often start life
through artificial insemination
which involves rape of the male
with an electric prod to obtain his
sperm, and rape of the female
with a semen-filled syringe. Ba-
bies are taken from their mothers
as soon as possible, and the mothers are bred as soon as their bodies can take it. There is horrible
overcrowding, with drug- and
chemical-filled feed and separation from any semblance of a
natural lifestyle. Housing is often
in concrete-floored buildings,
with ammonia from their waste
building up so strongly their eyes
are constantly burning. Human
workers rarely enter the buildings, and much of the feeding is
done with automatic machinery.
Death rates are high, and bodies
are removed daily. These are the
realities of factory farming.
Transport from the farm to the
slaughterhouse is amazingly brutal, with severe injuries the norm,
Maureen (front) with her father, baby
sister Carol, and sister Sue.
not the exception. The transport
used by Nazis to concentration
camps were called "cattle cars,"
because it is the way animals are
always moved to their death. For
large animals, killing methods
usually involve hoisting by a back
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
17
leg, with the full weight of the animal dangling from an ankle. A
blow to the head (sometimes striking an eye) and a slash to the
throat (sometimes not an immediate death) is the final scene for
these animals. For chickens, death
comes after being yanked from a
crate, hung upside down by the
feet, moved on a conveyer belt to
a throat-slashing knife which all
too often doesn’t cause immediate
death, and immersion into boiling
water. Animals called “livestock”
never experience a moment of tenderness or compassion on their
way to the dinner table.
The Worst Tragedy
Perhaps the worst tragedy of
all is that children are still taught
that Old McDonald’s Farm is a
happy place, filled with mooing,
oinking, quacking and clucking,
when the real sounds are often
moans of fear and cries of pain.
Most children love animals, and
many are reluctant to eat meat
when they first discover its origins. Adults need to be honest
with young people, and allow
them to follow the consistent
18
logic of refusing to eat the bodies
of those creatures they have been
taught to respect and love.
My Vegetarian Choice
I had made the choice to become vegetarian because of my
love for animals and the realization that eating meat actually meant
eating animal bodies. The switch
that clicked for me was sudden
and irrevocable. But it simply
meant that I no longer ate animals.
It was a negative reaction, in that
it only encompassed what I
would NOT do. The fine points,
such as all the new foods that I
WOULD eat, were not obvious to
me at the time. I had been eating
omelets, grilled cheese sandwiches,
and lots of salads.
At a vegetarian conference
less than two years later, I discovered entirely new ingredients and
expanded cuisines. I purchased
cookbooks and read through them
to find out what I could do with
food when I returned home. My
interest then, as now, centered
primarily on the animal-related
aspects of vegetarianism. Although there were many speakers
and workshops on health aspects
of vegetarianism, I did not pay
much attention to them. Personal
health benefits that come from
avoiding flesh are a bonus, and
are certainly welcome. But I
would avoid flesh even if the only
benefit were a clear conscience. I
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
felt that way when I first stopped
eating animals, and that was my
philosophy when I attended the
conference. Fortunately, there were
also speakers and workshops that
dealt with my concerns. And in
spite of my own singlemindedness, I was awestruck by
the multiplicity of reasons for eschewing (not chewing) “meat”.
Becoming Vegan
After being vegetarian for 16
years, I decided to become
“vegan”. Vegan means becoming aware of all the suffering to
which humans subject the animal
kingdom, and making the decision to avoid participating in the
system that perpetuates this form
of cruelty. It certainly includes
being vegetarian, and refusing to
eat animal flesh. But it progresses
to the next logical step, which
involves refusing to use the
“byproducts” of pain. Over the
centuries, humanity has devised
countless methods for obtaining
benefits from other species, resulting in subjugation and objectification of these beings. A vegan
strives to determine which products rely on this exploitation and
then stops using them. And perhaps most importantly, a vegan
attempts to share this information
with other compassionate and
caring people in an effort to end
the continued institutionalized
cruelty. When I became vegan, I
stopped eating eggs, milk,
cheese, and honey.
My change to purchasing
“cruelty free” cosmetics
and household products
(not tested on animals,
and not made of
animal-derived
products) came
soon after I gave
up eating flesh.
When I first became vegetarian, I felt that was enough. I had
stopped eating and wearing animal bodies, and I felt very satisfied with my choices. However,
over the next 16 years, as I learned
more about the connections between milk production and the
veal industry, and the intensive
factory farm methods involved in
egg production, I found it more
difficult to rationalize my desire
to eat these items. Giving up
flesh had been easy—I became
vegetarian in a single day. But becoming vegan has continued to be
a process.
The Challenges
Finding and avoiding the
“hidden” ingredients has been a
difficult challenge, but more difficult has been keeping myself on
track. It is easy to avoid flesh in
my diet. Since becoming vegetarian, I have never been tempted to
“cheat” and eat “meat". The very
idea of eating an animal’s body is
repugnant. But there is no repugnance to eating eggs, milk, or
honey. The challenge comes in
remembering how these items are
produced, and maintaining the
commitment to refuse to participate in their use. Secondarily, I
find it frustrating and even tragic
that there are so many items
which contain animal “products”,
and which I still use in my daily
life. These include the glue used
to bind books, the gelatin used in
photographic film (the advent of
digital cameras provides a solution to this problem), the lubricants used in cars, and other similar items. It is inconceivable to
me that it is “necessary” to use
animals in these ways, and I don’t
see any realistic way to avoid
them. So I feel frustrated.
The Rewards
For me, the most rewarding
aspect is the educational value of
being vegan. While I realize that
animal exploitation is so pervasive in our society that no one can
be truly and purely vegan, I feel
very satisfied that I am able to
cause others to ask questions
about my choices. I try not to
sound “preachy”, but I welcome
every opportunity to explain what
is happening to animals and what
changes I have made to avoid
participating in the system. My
reward comes when they ask for
more information, and even when
they wrinkle their noses in disgust and say, “Ewwww, I didn’t
the system. I still read labels, but
I’m not as shocked as I used to be
by all the products that use animals. I use the opportunity to act
innocent and question others. As
an example, I go into a shoe store
that I know carries only leather. I
ask if they have any shoes that
aren’t made with leather. When
the clerk responds that all their
shoes are made of leather, I reply,
“What a shame. Everything in the
store is dead. What’s a vegetarian
to do?” The response is invariably the same. The clerk looks uncomfortable, apologizes, and says
something like this: “I never
thought about it like that before.”
So being vegan has changed my
life by helping me to help others
change their thoughts.
...you can do good,
do bad, or do
nothing...Let your
conscience be
your guide. And if
you’re not proud
of a choice you
make, you can
always make a
different choice
the next time.
Final Thoughts
If there is one thought about
being vegan I could share with a
non-vegan, it would be this: I’ve
been accused of being a “dogooder", as though it was a bad
thing to be. My reply is that in
every situation, you can do good,
do bad, or do nothing. Every
situation requires a new choice.
There are no rules, no laws, no
guards looking over your shoulder. Let your conscience be your
guide. And if you’re not proud of
a choice you make, you can always make a different choice the
next time.
know that.” I feel like I’m planting many seeds that may take a
while to sprout, but will eventually
grow in their hearts and minds.
Sharing My Awareness
At first, being vegan made my
life much more difficult. I was
obsessed with reading every label
and with trying to ensure I was
pure. As time has passed, I have
come to realize that it is more important to share my awareness
with others and to try to change
Maureen Koplow is volunteer
coordinator and website manager
for Save the Animals Foundation
(www.stafnj.org). She lives in
Deptford New Jersey.
Like to Cook?
VEGAN
COOKING CLASS
Listings
www.americanvegan.org
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
19
Testimony to the Advisory Committee for the
2010 DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS
Saurabh Dalal
Washington DC January 29 2009
Good morning. I’m Saurabh
Dalal and I’d like to thank you for
the opportunity to provide testimony
as you reshape the influential Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
These comments are presented on
behalf of three volunteer-driven,
nonprofit organizations:
The Vegetarian Union of North
America (www.ivu.org/vuna)
The Vegetarian Society of DC
(www.vsdc.org)
The International Vegetarian Union
(www.ivu.org)
Vegetarian foods offer powerful
advantages for humans. A large
number and wide variety of scientific studies have shown that wellplanned vegetarian diets support
good health for all stages of the life
cycle. Many nutritionists and other
health professionals recognize that a
well-planned, low-fat vegetarian
diet—and preferably a vegan diet,
completely free of all animal products—is the best diet for humans.
Animal products are the main source
of saturated fats, the only source of
dietary cholesterol, and contain no
fiber, often resulting in high cholesterol levels and a variety of dietrelated disorders in people. Preventing and sometimes reversing heart
disease, preventing several types of
cancer, preventing and reversing
diabetes, lowering blood pressure,
and helping manage weight are
among the many successes of such a
diet.
We urge the advisory committee
to clearly emphasize plant foods and
alternatives to meat, dairy, and eggs
in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for
Americans. A wide variety of plant
foods consisting of whole grains,
whole fruits, vegetables, legumes,
nuts, seeds, and fortified cereals and
20
fortified plant milks like soy milk
can ensure a healthy, well-balanced
diet. Naturally- and strongly-colorful
vegetables and fruits should also be
emphasized for their antioxidant and
phyto-nutrient value.
I’d like to highlight key points.
1. A diet drawn from varied plant
sources can be nutrient-dense, and
easily satisfies protein requirements,
without the potential for protein excess. Soy protein has been shown to
be nutritionally equivalent in protein
value to proteins of animal origin.
Animal products being acidic, force
calcium out of the body, thereby promoting bone loss.
2. Many plant-based sources of calcium exist. Excellent examples are
dark leafy greens like collard greens
and kale and fortified soy milk. The
more extensive range of dietary
sources of calcium from plant foods
would increase intakes of boron, vitamin K, and magnesium, helping
reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Calcium absorption and bioavailability from dark leafy greens
have been shown to be very good.
Also very important in regard to the
basic food groups is that each serving of leafy green vegetables count
as a serving from the calcium-rich
foods group AND in the vegetable
group. This is an added benefit,
showing the versatility and benefit of
plant foods.
3. Iron is plentiful in beans, whole
grains, and fruits.
4. Flaxseed oil and ground flaxseeds
are good sources of omega 3s, while
consumption of fish and other sea
animals have the downside of potential mercury and other contaminants,
along with significant cholesterol.
5. An adequate intake of B12 is necessary and straightforward, and
should be from fortified foods or a
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
reliable supplement. Fortified soy
milk for example is a good source of
vitamins B12 and D as well as protein and calcium.
6. Eating patterns are changing and
the diets of a great many are more
plant-based than a decade ago. The
Dietary Guidelines must address the
needs of those moving away from
animal products, consistent with the
messages of many major public
health organizations, but also with
guidance that is more comprehensive
in terms of alternatives to animal
foods and cow's milk.
We urge the advisory committee
to clearly incorporate even more
plant foods, specifically a wellplanned, low-fat, vegan diet, with its
health benefits and other benefits in
all respects, as you update the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for
2010.
Saurabh Dalal is President of VSDC,
of VUNA; Deputy Chair of IVU.
———————————The American Vegan Society,
October 27 2008, petitioned the 2010
Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee:
“Kindly do an Evidence-Based
Review on the benefits of a wholefood-based vegan diet for health, nutrition value, weight control, food
safety, and economy of resources.
Review and expand on alternatives to
meat, fish, and milk.”
Comments related to the 2010
Dietary Guidelines revision process
are submitted on a continuous basis
through the completion of the Advisory Committee's report (due later in
Spring 2009). Progress may be followed at www.cnpp.usda.gov/
dietaryguidelines.htm.
Read comments made by Neal
Barnard MD of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, John
McDougall MD, Vegetarian Resource Group, and more.
Beware New Fats
with Probable
Animal Ingredients
Some manufacturers now use
interesterified fat instead of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil,
the source of the heart-harming
trans fats now being removed
from many foods.
Interesterified fat is created by chemically inserting saturated fatty acids, which come
mainly from animals, into the
molecular backbone of vegetable
oil to make it more stable. But
some research suggests that the
new fats are just as bad for you as
trans fats. They might increase
heart disease risk by lowering
HDL (good) cholesterol and raising LDL (bad) cholesterol, as
trans fats do. And they might increase the risk of type 2 diabetes
by raising fasting blood-glucose
levels and decreasing insulin response.
You can avoid trans fats by
checking nutrition labels on packaged foods, but to find interesterified fats you have to read the ingredients list. From Consumer
Vegan runners as the years roll by:
A Wonderful Way to Celebrate Turning 73!
On February 18 2008, Ruth Heidrich
celebrated her 73rd birthday by running
the Great Aloha Run which goes from the
Aloha Tower to the Aloha Stadium, 8.15
miles. People from all over come every
year to run this race and with more than
27,000 people, it's more of a party than a
serious race.
In January of this year Ruth embarked
on a world cruise to thirty countries with
plans to celebrate her 74th birthday running in Lompoc Indonesia.
Ruth E. Heidrich, PhD, a breast cancer
survivor, has been vegan for over 25
years, is an ironman triathlete, and author
of A Race for Life ($15.95), CHEF
($9.95), & Senior Fitness ($17.00)
Gary Fanelli, at 57 in May 2008, won his age group in Philadelphia’s Broad Street 10-mile run in 1:00:49, and in November’s Philadelphia Half Marathon (13.1) in 1:20:40.
Dr Barbara Ellicott, 67, of Madison NJ is in training for the Flora
London Marathon on April 26 2009.
Macbeth Footwear & Hunter Burgan
Fashion &
Function
Reports on Health, January 2009.
“The Hunter”
Funding for VEGAN FOOD at Events
How many times have you gone to
a fundraiser or other event that has a
compassionate mission but serves
food that promotes violence and
environmental degradation?
VegFund provides funding to groups
and individuals wanting to table at
community events and give away
free delicious vegan food!
VegFund covers the cost of all food,
serving supplies, and booth/table fees for events such
as: Environmental Fairs, Rescue/Shelter Events, School
Events, Farmers' Markets, Health Fairs, Art Openings,
Religious Events, etc. You volunteer your time.
Information and application at www.VegFund.org
Macbeth Footwear introduced Hunter Burgan, of AFI
(A Fire Inside, bassist) and
Hunter Revenge, as its new
vegan ambassador and official
vegan spokesperson.
Burgan has designed a new
vegan high top, “The Hunter”,
featuring ballistic-mesh and
synthetic-nubuck textiles for
the uppers, rubber soles; and
no animal-sourced glue.
With AFI’s new album for
2009 and his new position with
Macbeth, Burgan advances Straight-EdgeBand ideals, which often eliminate the use of
animal products of any kind. Macbeth's first
shoe, “The Eliot”, launched in November 2002
as a vegan design.
Shoe information: http://macbeth.com.
Burgan blogs at http://macbeth.com/vegan.
Interview and video with PETA is at
www.peta2.com/outthere/o-hunter-burgan.asp.
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
21
OPINION
Pamela Rice: Why We March
Pushing the Peanut
Recently, I was asked
by a meat eater to explain
why we vegans need a
Veggie Pride Parade.
I believe so strongly in such
an event that last year I made it
my mission to make it happen.
I'm also a long-time vegan advocate. The meat eater got an
earful! I paraphrase.
“My dear friend, you may not be
aware of the discrimination that we
vegans must endure in this meateating society. We're regularly
faced with suspicion, resentment,
and even downright hatred. Then
there are the stereotypes that
we're up against. But ultimately,
there are phrases in the language
that send subtle messages to the
uninformed that there is, in fact,
something wrong not only with the
veggie diet but with us.
“The parade last year was a nascent step in a journey to build a
political constituency from our
numbers. Vegans, it seems, are
finally fed up. That's a good thing.
The surprisingly-large crowd in last
year's parade tells me that vegans
now realize that we must come together, just like any other oppressed group, in order to state our
case to the world.
“You know how you can tell we
need a vegan movement with
teeth? By the fact that people in
public positions—politicians, celebrities, TV talking heads of all
stripes—are not afraid to say anything they wish about us. What
happens to a public official who is
caught on tape saying a racist remark today? It's political suicide.
The African-American community
worked long and hard for that. My
goal is for a similar fear of repercussions for public persons who say
derogatory things about vegans.
“I am much heartened by the
fact that last year's parade was so
well attended. I never thought the
event would be even near as big as
it was. Truth be told, before the
parade I did a lot of moping around
with the view that we vegans were
22
so completely downtrodden that we
didn't even know it. We had, I believed, thoroughly internalized our
oppression.
“But after the parade, my pessimistic attitude evaporated. My assessment of vegan passivity had
gone out the window. My negative
views had turned around one hundred eighty degrees, overnight.”
Several days after, I thought
about all the times I've heard
hurting words about vegans in
the mainstream media. For one,
I wondered: will we ever get
Tony Bourdain to shut up?
Bourdain, darling of the Food
Network, has built a small industry out of ridiculing vegans.
He gives talks all over the
world, and audiences feel
slighted if they don't get a taste
of his anti-vegan invective. He
once famously said, "Vegans are
the enemy of everything that is
good and decent, and must be
hunted down and destroyed so their
genes don't pass on to future generations." He's kidding. Or is he?
In any case, I took a little
time to dig out the following examples that illustrate some of
the hurtful misconceptions
about veganism from mainstream news stories. All but two
were published within the
month of January posted to the
International Vegetarian Union
"VegNews" listserve: http://
groups.yahoo.com/group/ivu-vegnews/.
An AP story began like this,
"If you still think vegetarian food is
all bland brown rice and beans, you
suffer from a serious culinary time
warp." It means well, but it's off
to a bad start.
A dailytexanonline.com story
surmised, "Labeling a restaurant
with titles like 'vegan' and
'macrobiotic' seems daunting. … [T]
he maintenance of strict dietary
categories such as these seems to
conjure images of Gandhi and
words like 'deprivation’.”
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
There was nothing but fear
and negativity in a Q & A exchange taken from an article in
a Canadian publication. The
questioning mother first characterizes her 13-year-old daughter's decision to become a vegan as just another in a long list
of fads. Then she asks the expert if there is a way to make
sure the girl is getting enough
to eat without "meddling too
much." The answerer advised:
“Send the daughter to the doctor, then to a nutritionist, in order that she can meet all of the
dietary needs of a growing
teenager.” There was not a
word
about
the
welldocumented dangers and deficiencies of the standard, Western meat-centered diet that the
daughter is sure to avoid.
Another story was of a vegetarian Wall Streeter, Ryan
Pacifico, whose boss and coworkers linked his vegetarianism to an assumption that he
was also gay. Once, before coworkers were about to go together to a steakhouse, according to the story, the subject of
Pacifico's diet came up. The
boss is to have allegedly said,
"Who the f--- cares?" and then
added "It's his fault for being a
vegetarian homo."
A chartattack.com story re-
ported that Ira Black, the incarcerated guitarist for glam rockers
Lizzy Borden, has launched a
hunger strike because he claims
the Los Angeles prison system
doesn’t recognize his veganism.
The story relates comments
from Black's fiancé that only
inmates with medical problems
or religious beliefs are allowed
vegan meals. Black is actually in
fear of threats and unwarranted
punishment for requesting a
meal of vegetables and/or fruit.
In May 2005. Roya Nikkhah
reported on The Vegan Forum
(a message board) that Gordon
Ramsey, a British TV-show chef,
sparked outrage by tricking a
vegetarian into tasting a pizza
with ham hidden under the toppings. In 2003, Ramsay confessed to lying. "To a table of
vegetarians who had artichoke
soup. I told them it was made
with vegetable stock when it
was chicken stock."
In a snarky online-only Time
magazine story in 2002, featuring me at the Vegetarian Center, reporter Matthew Cooper
(interestingly,
later
of
Plamegate fame) wrote,
VEGGIE PRIDE PARADE
Sunday May 17 2009
Greenwich Village, New York City
Winner
VegNews 2008
“Veggie Awards—
Event of the Year”
"It's not easy living like a monk
in a meat-and-potatoes culture. It
takes constant vigilance and a thick
skin. ... If you think of vegetarianism as a religion with many sects,
ranging from orthodox fanatics who
eat only raw fruit and vegetables to
liberal deists who skip steaks but
enjoy fish and fowl, vegans represent the fundamentalists. They see
sin everywhere: in a silk tie (the
worker worms), in Jell-O (gelatin
from animal products), in a slice of
cheddar (no dairy, thank you).”
This was not a media story,
but an email I received from
someone regarding the Veggie
Pride Parade:
"Stop acting like your selfrighteous little band of fanatic, terrorist whack-a-dos are some sort of
"persecuted minority" and get the
f--- over yourselves. You can lie to
yourselves, the credulous and
overly-sympathetic U.S. press, and
all the mouth-breathing retards in
the American public all you want,
but actual scientific evidence produced by actual real scientists
keeps refuting every lie you tell,
and will continue to do so ad infinitem [sic]. Thanks very much for
posting the date and planned route
of your asinine little exercise in
self-contratulatory [sic], backpatting and sanctimonious navel
gazing. I'll be the person sitting at
an outdoor cafe enjoying a nice,
juicy, rare steak with a side of foi
[sic] gras and a big glass of milk as
you and your flock of village idiots
prance by.”
For details, see www.veggieprideparade.org.
I'm always amused that
hateful emails are almost invariably loaded with misspelled
words.
I admit, very few emails and
far from all news stories about
veganism or meat-free living
are negative. Of news stories,
I'd say that only about 40 percent are as denigrating or misinforming as those I've noted
here.
One article in The Northern
Star (Northern Illinois University) was downright glowing
about veg living in its presentation. And the tone we find here
is not entirely unusual. The featured person in the story was
quoted as saying:
"Even if one is not a vegetarian,
they can still drastically improve
their own health. ...If everyone in
the U.S. that ate meat cut in half
their consumption, they would
greatly reduce their chances of a
heart attack, stroke and cancer."
I love the assumption here
that vegetarianism is the primary road to health.
Things are changing, but we
have a long way to go, and the
Veggie Pride Parade is a great
way to push the peanut.
What do you think?
Pamela Rice is the author of
101 Reasons Why I'm a
Vegetarian and the organizer
of the Veggie Pride Parade, NYC
www.veggieprideparade.org.
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
23
HEATHER MILLS’ PROJECT IN THE BRONX
Heather Mills hopes to
bring vegetarian food to the
masses, starting with underprivileged communities where nutritious food is hard to come by. She
is working on a faux-meat line with
Gardein—the veggie protein provider for Morningstar Farms®,
Trader Joe’s®, and Whole Foods
Market®—to create everything
from veggie chicken breasts to
vegan-friendly shrimp. “I want to
create the largest plant-based food
chain in the world,” she explains.
Mills has pledged to donate $1
million of fake meat and vegan
food (enough for about three
years) to benefit the health of the
roughly 11,000 residents of Hunts
Point in the Bronx. The impoverished Hunts Point area has New
York City’s worst rates of obesity, diabetes, and asthma.
Heather, along with Hunts Point
Alliance for Children (HPAC),
hopes this drive to eating healthfully can make a real difference
in the community.
The 329-acre Hunts Point
Food Distribution Center is one
of the largest such centers in the
world. Almost a third of the
area’s children suffer from environment-related asthma, much of
which can be traced to the high
concentration of diesel trucks.
Despite living in the shadow of a
massive food distribution hub,
which sells wholesale to grocers
and restaurateurs, local people do
not have a decent neighborhood
supermarket. The neighborhood
bodegas (small Hispanic shops
selling wine and groceries) offer
little in fresh vegetables, let alone
an extensive soy-foods section.
The local Farmers Market only
operates on summer Saturdays.
Nearly half the households earn
less than $15,000 annually.
Heather’s efforts are welcomed, but also draw criticism
from those who doubt the acceptance of meat substitutes in this
community. They suggest healthier versions, with less salt and fat,
of typical Latino dishes of roast
pork, soups, rice and beans.
In September 2008, hundreds
of Hunts Point residents had their
first taste of vegan “meat”—
many without even knowing it.
The Back to School Fair offered
free school supplies, health
screenings, and barbecue to kids
and parents. Posters for the event
made no mention of the vegan
aspect of the cookout. The signs
were printed before Mills offered
to donate 1,000 meatless meals
for the barbecue and $1 million
worth of vegan food to the community. The burgers were thicker
and heartier than most veggie
burgers, with a bit of seitan-like
chew. The vegan chicken, which
had a similar texture, resembled a
boneless, skinless chicken breast
in shape and color. The free fake
meat was welcomed in Hunts
Point by many meat-eaters who
found Mills’ vegan fare “not
bad”. Others were more wary.
Read about Heather Mills on page 26.
Heather’s Recipes
Potato Dish
4 large or 6 medium potatoes,
peeled and cut into 3” chunks
1 medium onion, small dice
1 large fresh bell pepper,
julienned, color not important
2 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
handful of Spanish pimento,
fine diced
1 Tbsp. capers, lightly chopped
8-oz can of tomato puree
TT fresh ground cumin
TT fresh ground salt and pepper
TT hot sauce
oil as needed
TT=to taste
24
Boil potatoes until tender.
Add oil to a heated heavy skillet. (I like to use my iron skillet,
heating it in a hot oven while I do
my prep work)
Add onions to the hot skillet,
then the peppers. Cook over a
burner for a minute or two, then
add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the rest of the
ingredients. Remember, when
adding the seasoning, "You can
always add more, but you can
never take away!"
Cook over a medium heat for
about ten to fifteen minutes, stirring
regularly, so you don't burn your
potatoes.
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
Julienne, also called the matchstick cut, is used to make long
thin strips.
Tip:
When recipes tell you to boil
potatoes they really don't mean boil.
You always start potatoes in cold
water, and bring it to a bubbling
boil (212°F), then turn down the
heat so the water is at a simmer
(180°F)—small little bubbles.
Cover the pot with a lid.
If you boil the whole way through,
your potatoes will fall apart leaving
you thick potato water.
Recipes continue on page 26
cooking event was announced it was filled to capacity; all the families in
the neighborhood wanted to
come.” Kids and parents
alike commented on how
good the food tasted.
Heather knows what it’s
like to go without—having
experienced the dangerous
uncertainty of cardboardbox street living. “As a
mother I see firsthand the
benefits of healthy eating
and I’m thrilled the families
of Hunts Point are embracing these delicious vegan
foods that I’ve loved for so
many years”, she said.
“Working with these children here is truly rewarding
and a lot of fun.”
Heather was overjoyed at
the success of the day. She
said, “I am always made so
Cutting Greens (Bok Choy and Collards) for a Stir-Fry welcome and get to meet
Photo by Mike Coppola/Contributor—WireImage some truly great people. Such a warm friendly
On January 10 2009, Heather new short feathered hair-do, but this community spirit, I love the Bronx; I
Mills hosted a cooking day for chil- was not merely a publicity photo-op, love New York.”
With her new friends she plans
dren and families from the Bronx at but hands-on education.
Maryann Hedaa, managing direc- “healthy cafés” (run by HPAC and
the John V. Lindsay Wildcat Academy Charter School—teaching them tor of HPAC said, “Heather has been other community organizations)
how to prepare healthy vegan meals. a galvanizing force of the neighbor- where neighborhood teens can
Heather and children donned chefs’ hood. Her generous donation of food gather over nutritious meals instead
whites to cook a meatless feast. The and time has brought people together of hanging out on corners.
press was there, taking note of her in unheard of ways. The minute this
Heather Mills’
HEALTHY-MEAL
COOK-A-THON
Healthy Foods + Exercise = Better Health, Better Grades, and Better Behavior
Heather Mills has joined the Board of Directors of the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food (NYCHSF)
which promotes the optional vegan entrees, healthy snack foods, farm to school programs, and nutrition education, recommended by the NY State legislature in 2004, following a campaign led by Amie Hamlin and reported in American
Vegan 4-1. Plant-based entrees contain no cholesterol, are low in saturated and total fat, and contain fiber. This helps
schools better meet the US Dietary Guidelines. Schools are encouraged to apply nutrition standards to meals, snack
foods, and fund-raisers, and not to use unhealthy food as rewards, nor exercise for punishment. See
www.healthylunches.org.
Cross reference: Also on the Board is Joy Pierson (page 28)
EAT LIKE A RAINBOW—Jay Mankita. Ten songs celebrating
healthy whole foods grown on our farms and in our gardens—fruits and
vegetables, seeds, beans and grains—that help keep kids healthy, happy
and singing along! Crunchy rhythms and tasty harmonies gets 'em dancing!
Commissioned and inspired by Amie Hamlin, a portion of the proceeds
from these CDs support the NY Coalition for Healthy School Foods.
CD $15.00/MP3 $10.00. Order from www.jaymankita.com 800-268-9148.
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
25
ABOUT HEATHER MILLS
Heather Mills is popularly known as the beautiful model who was married
to Sir Paul McCartney and
who competed on Dancing
with the Stars despite being
an amputee.
Few people realize that she donated her fees from Dancing with the
Stars to Viva! (Vegetarians International Voice for Animals)—an animal rights organization based in the
United Kingdom which forecasts a
vegetarian and vegan future. Heather
promotes her vegan lifestyle, and
appears on Viva! billboards. Juliet
Gellatley, founder and director of
Viva!, says, “Talking to Heather, she
immediately puts you at ease.
There’s no sniff of arrogance—
instead she’s down to earth and has a
wicked sense of fun. She is passionate about animal welfare, a committed vegan; and, unusually and refreshingly, turns words into action.”
“Getting Healthy with Heather,” a
full-color, 63-page booklet is available online or from Viva!
Heather’s life changed forever in
1993 when, as a pedestrian, she was
involved in a road accident with a
police motorcycle. She suffered numerous injuries including crushed
ribs, a punctured lung, multiple fractures of the pelvis, and the loss of
her left leg below the knee. She was
not expected to live. Plagued by
chronic infection, when three months
of antibiotics didn’t work, she turned
to raw organic vegan food including
wheatgrass, while garlic salves were
applied to her leg—which healed.
With intense media interest in her
recovery, and her inherent ability to
identify an opportunity to help those
in need, she set up the Heather Mills
Health Trust to use redundant artificial limbs from the U.K. and redistribute them. Just one year after her
accident, Heather arranged for the
first convoy of artificial limbs to be
sent to Croatia. Since then over
400,000 amputees and survivors of
landmine explosions around the
world have been helped.
Heather has her share of detractors, but among those paying her
compliments is Hillary Clinton who
says, “Heather is an extraordinary
person. She has accomplished so
much and she has inspired so many
people along the way. But she’s also
great fun, someone who just lights
up the room when she walks in. She
combines the seriousness of her mission with an understanding of the
fleeting nature of life and the need to
enjoy every single minute.”
In 2005, Heather received a Humanitarian Award from PETA
(People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals). She co-produced the
“Wrap up Warm” DVD—PETA's
video exposé on the horrors of Chinese fur farms, a powerful edit of
dogs and cats being skinned alive for
the fur trade with contrasting images
of pets playing happily.
The Vegan Society (in England)
honored Heather with their Achievement Award in 2007. One of her best
videos is “Do You Really Want to
Know?” disclosing the dangers of
cows’ milk. It can be viewed on her
website.
FARM (Farm Animal Rights
Movement, Bethesda MD) named
Heather the “Animal Rights Activist
of the Year” in 2008. She has been
involved in campaigns to stop seal
hunting in Canada and ban the use of
farrowing crates for pigs on factory
farms.
o
See: www.heathermills.org., www.viva.org.uk, www.vegetarian.org.uk,
www.landmines.org.uk, www.vegansociety.com, www.farmusa.org,
www.peta.org.
26
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
Heather’s Recipes
continued from page 24.
Fajitas
4 burrito wraps
Oil, as needed
Julienne:
1 large Vidalia onion
1 large bell pepper
1 jalapeño pepper
Chicken- and/or beefsubstitute sliced quarter- inch
thick
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
Tip:
Steaming the burrito wrap softens
the wrap for easier folding..
To set up a steam bath at home
for this procedure, you'll need a pot
large enough for a plate the size of
the burrito wrap to fit inside it. Fill
pot with about two inches of water.
Place a bowl inside so you may
perch the plate on top to keep the
wrap out of the water.
1. Set up steam bath.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet, add
all ingredients except wraps and
cook until heated.
3. Steam wraps, singly.
4. Place about a third of a cup
filling in the center of each wrap.
Fold the bottom third of the wrap
up over the filling. Fold the left
side in over the filling. Repeat
with the right side, then fold it up
to enclose the filling in a neat envelope.
4th fold from top down
will close the envelope.
4
2
3
1
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Texas Firefighter’s 28-Day
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the Pounds–Rip Esselstyn. The
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how people rationalize meat, egg,
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Yearly compilations of the most important findings
from the world's scientific nutrition literature:
LATEST IN CLINICAL NUTRITION 2007—
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DVD, 1:30, $20.00.
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Michael Greger MD.
DVD, 1:30, $20.00.
Descriptions at www.DrGreger.org/DVDs
VEGAN SOUL KITCHEN: Fresh,
Healthy, and Creative African-American
Cuisine –Bryant Terry. An eco-chef cooks
with an eye for local, seasonal, sustainablygrown food. This succulent gumbo of autobiography, recipes, and historical notes is traditionally based, peppered with reinterpretations.
2009, 223pp 7¼x9” $18.95.
Order from:
METAMORPHOSIS: Poems
to Inspire Transformation—
Vegan Poet. 50 poems,
50 full-page full-color
photos. 2008, 104pp
6x9” was $20.00, now
$10.00.
American Vegan Society, PO Box 369, Malaga NJ 08328
Phone: 856-694-2887, Fax: 856-694-2288
Free shipping by media mail within the U.S.
20% DISCOUNT TO AVS MEMBERS ON ALL BOOKS!
30% DISCOUNT FOR ORDERS OF 10 OR MORE BOOKS!
See complete Book & Video/DVD Catalog at www.americanvegan.org.
INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
BRAZIL
12th International Vegan Festival, July 22 to 25 2009, at Pontificia Universidade Catolica
(PUC University), Rio de Janeiro Brazil, with added post-festival tours and meetings. Check for regular
updates at www.vegansworldnetwork.org/festival_12.php.
INDONESIA
4th Asian Vegetarian Congress, November 6 to 10 2009, on Batam Island, Indonesia,
www.avc2009.org
39th IVU World Congress 2010, Jakarta-Bali Indonesia, October 1 to 7 2010, sponsored
by the International Vegetarian Union. Information, as it becomes available, at www.ivu.org/congress/2010.
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
27
Candle 79 in New York City, arguably the top vegan restaurant in the
country, celebrated a fifth year in business against suspicious odds! It
seems they have beaten a curse! Even The New York Times stated in 2003
when Candle acquired the space that the location was apparently doomed for
restaurants, having had many operators and all failed in the two-story
townhouse at 154 E 79th Street. But, that was not a problem for Bart
Potenza, founder of Candle Café and now Candle 79. He just cured the
curse with vegan fare and a Feng Shui
Master, Judith Wendell. With the help
of partner Joy Pierson, and their COO,
Benay Vynerib, it thrives with regulars
and eco-chic celebrities who have discovered that dining with a conscience
Joy Pierson, Bart Potenza,
can be delicious!
and the Feng Shui Master,
They published Candle Café CookJudith Wendell
book as a reflection of their first restaurant just around the corner and down a few blocks, and now Bart released a little book of sayings, Look Two Ways on a One Way Street,
from 20 years of collecting—A treasure to just open and see what saying you were deemed to read in just that moment, and about which Gloria
Steinem says: "Bart Potenza tells us to 'dwell on what's swell' —and to me,
that means both his food and his philosophy. Enjoy!"
Candle 79 rolls out the red carpet
Cross reference: Joy Pierson is on the Board of NYCHSF (p.25)
Photos and story by Linda Long
Available from AVS: Candle Café Cookbook, $18.00
Look Two Ways on a One Way Street, $17.00
Candle 79: 212-537-7179, www.candle79.com ● Candle Café: 212-472-0970, www.candlecafe.com
28
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
Not Trivial, a card game
about animal overpopulation
and spay/neuter, is presented
in an entertaining way.
Can be for two players
or a large class or group.
Appropriate for teens and
adults.
$11.00 per game—
includes postage. Order
from Marie Cappuccio at
[email protected]
or 609-304-5565.
Sunday May 24 2009
AVS Headquarters, Malaga NJ
Outdoor Lunch ● Noon Afternoon Program ● 2pm
(Includes a short Annual Membership Meeting/Trustee Election)
Erin Williams will speak on Why Farm Animals
Matter. Erin’s concern for animals stems from her
childhood on a rural Illinois dairy farm. She coauthored
the book Why Animals Matter, a comprehensive review
of the many ways animals are cruelly utilized.
Erin is now communications director for the
factory farming campaign of the Humane Society
of the United States.
A
WhiteWave Foods Company representative from the
nearby Bridgeton NJ Silk® manufacturing plant will talk
about modern soymilk production.
Mary K. Lombardi & Friends will be performing live. Mary
is a lead vocalist, songwriter, actress, and model. She played the role
of “Annie” with The 1st National Touring Company (1979). Mary
enthusiastically uses her talents to help animals whenever she can.
Book Room Sale ● 11am to 6pm: Books, Videos, DVDs
Lunch Reservations Deadline: Tuesday May 19
Suggested donation: $20
For Information and Reservations:
American Vegan Society ● PO Box 369
56 & 72 Dinshah Lane, Malaga NJ 08328
www.americanvegan.org ● 856-694-2887
EVENTS & CONFERENCES in U.S.A.
CALIFORNIA
WorldFest 2009—L.A.'s Largest Environmental Festival, Saturday, May 16 2009,
10:30 am-7:00 pm, at Woodley Park, Encino CA. Vegan Food Court, Speakers, Exhibits, Live Bands.
Towards Freedom, PO Box 25083, Los Angeles, CA 90025. Ph: 310-477-7887, www.worldfestevents.com,
[email protected].
NEW YORK
Veggie Pride Parade, Sunday May 17 2009, 12 Noon, Greenwich Village, New York City.
Winner VegNews 2008 “Veggie Awards—Event of the Year”. For details, see www.veggieprideparade.org.
NEW JERSEY
American Vegan Society Annual Meeting Garden Party, Sunday May 24 2009,
12 Noon, AVS HQ Malaga NJ. Speakers Erin Williams, Why Farm Animals Matter, and a representative
from WhiteWave will talk about local soymilk production. (See p. 29 and www.americanvegan.org.)
PENNSYLVANIA
Vegetarian Summerfest—35th Annual Conference, July 8-12 2009, Johnstown PA.
(See p. 8) Speakers include Michael Greger MD, George Eisman RD, and Anne Dinshah. North American
Vegetarian Society, PO Box 72, Dolgeville NY 13329. Ph: 518-568-7970, Fax: 518-568-7979,
www.vegetariansummerfest.org.
CALIFORNIA
Animal Rights National Conference, July 16-20 2009, Los Angeles CA. A forum for reports and sharing info., plus presentations by prominent leaders of the consumer, environmental, and social
justice movements. Contact: FARM, 10101 Ashburton Lane, Bethesda MD 20817. Ph: 888-FARM-USA
(327-6872), www.arconference.org, [email protected].
FLORIDA
National Health Assn Healthy Living Conference, July 23-27 2009, Regency House
Spa, Hallandale Beach FL. Live Natural Hygiene with health professionals, vegan meals.
www.healthscience.org. NHA events register by phone: 800-454-0003 or 954-454-2220.
VIRGINIA
Taking Action for Animals, July 24-27 2009, Hyatt Regency Crystal City, 2799 Jefferson Davis
Hwy, Arlington VA. Hotel Ph: 703-418-1234. Presented by the Humane Society of the United States.
Featuring Wayne Pacelle. Contact: Dina McDaniel at 888-259-5088 or [email protected].
Details at www.takingactionforanimals.org.
CALIFORNIA
The 5th Annual Vibrant Living Expo, August 21-23 2009. Plus FREE Thursday Night Plenary August 20, 7pm at the Town Hall, Fort Bragg CA. Culinary demos, mini film festival, health panels,
raw pie contest, renowned speakers, Rising Star Chef showcase, exhibitor booths, workshops, seminars,
wellness pavilion, food vendors, and delicious raw food! There are also pre- and post-Expo events and
workshops. Register early and save. Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, 301-B N Main St, Fort Bragg CA
95437. Ph: 800-816-2319, 707-964-2420, www.RawFoodChef.com, [email protected].
NEW YORK
New York’s Capital Region Vegetarian Expo, Saturday September 19 2009, 10:00 am5:30 pm at Saratoga Springs City Center, 522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs NY 12866. Nationally renowned
speakers. Free admission. Hosted by the Albany Vegetarian Network, PO Box 1617, Latham NY 12110.
Ph: 518-686-7486. www.nyvegetarianexpo.org, [email protected].
See AVS’ website: www.americanvegan.org. Check for updates throughout the year.
30
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
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DEFINITIONS
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American Vegan Society
Together we explore and apply compassionate living concepts, and reflect on the beauty of life.
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which delicious meals are made. Foods from plants best provide for all people in the world.
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
31
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DATED MATERIAL
Before being turned into burgers, hot dogs, and
nuggets, farm animals suffer painful mutilations,
extreme confinement, cruel handling, and violent deaths.
Chicken, cow, and pig images on Chicago
32
American Vegan 8—4, SPRING 2009
transit systems challenged millions during
a two-month ad campaign.
PO Box 363, Columbus OH 43216
866-MFA-Ohio ● www.mercyforanimals.org