Sesame Crusted Chickpea Patties

These patties are a slightly different take on falafel as they are actually no-cook and served cold. They have a yummy chickpea sesame flavour and go great with all sorts of dips such as a cucumber or spicy tomato raita. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did! -- posted by Lalaloula

Source: Recipezaar: Vegan recipes | 11 Mar 2010 | 2:41 am EST

Spicy Tomato Chickpea Stew

This recipe also comes from Family Circle's Fast Vegetarian Cookbook and is the perfect stew/soup for a cold night. It is filling, easy to make, tastes super yummy and is healthy, too. What more can you ask for? :) I modified it a little to have it produce a smaller quantity and suite my taste even more. I hope you enjoy. -- posted by Lalaloula

Source: Recipezaar: Vegan recipes | 11 Mar 2010 | 2:33 am EST

Indian Dhal

This spicy dhal recipe comes from Family Circle's Fast Vegetarian Cookbook, which I received from a dear friend. It is quick and easy to make, yet really yummy! It is also very versatile as it can be eaten cold or transformed into a soup. I hope you enjoy! -- posted by Lalaloula

Source: Recipezaar: Vegan recipes | 11 Mar 2010 | 2:23 am EST

Raw Chocolate Pots De Creme

If you're like me, the idea of chocolate and avocados is not an appealing one. You probably think of some bizarre chocolate guacamole or maybe you wonder why anyone would want to ruin chocolate by added avo to it. I'm not a big fan of avocados, so I was hesitant to try this recipe for raw chocolate pots de creme which is made with avocado. Do not hesitate! This is so goooood!! Believe me when I say you can't even tell it's made with avo... This recipe is from Jennifer Cornbleet's Raw for Dessert. I added a little cinnamon to mine to give it a Mexican flair...more at bellaraw.blogspot.com This recipe is made with 1/2 cup date paste: www.recipezaar.com/raw-date-paste-415833 -- posted by happybella

Source: Recipezaar: Vegan recipes | 10 Mar 2010 | 9:04 am EST

Spicy Green Tea Salad Dressing

Green tea=love. Feel free to adjust the ingredients as you like! -- posted by IndinaMarie

Source: Recipezaar: Vegan recipes | 10 Mar 2010 | 8:58 am EST

Salsa Verde

An herb sauce made with fresh parsley. I serve this sauce with Vegetarian Bellito Misto. -- posted by Chef #1045743

Source: Recipezaar: Vegan recipes | 9 Mar 2010 | 1:46 pm EST

Raw Flax Crackers

Courtesy to Living-Foods.com Recipe! -- posted by Baroque_Pearl

Source: Recipezaar: Vegan recipes | 9 Mar 2010 | 12:24 pm EST

Wild Rice Bowl With Cranberries and Slivered Onions

You can either choose to use wild rice or a wild rice blend of other grains and rice varieties. See link below. From healthyhealth.ca. -- posted by Cookgirl

Source: Recipezaar: Vegan recipes | 9 Mar 2010 | 12:01 pm EST

Vegetarian Bollito Misto

A vegetarian, low-fat version that is cooked in a slow cooker for 6- to 8 hours. Serve with Salsa Verde. It is adapted from the book "Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker." I substituted tomatoes and green chiles for the diced tomatoes because I like it spicy. 4 1-1/2 cup servings. WW points = 7. -- posted by Chef #1045743

Source: Recipezaar: Vegan recipes | 9 Mar 2010 | 11:52 am EST

Lentil Meatballs

A vegan substitute for traditional meatballs. -- posted by StarryFish

Source: Recipezaar: Vegan recipes | 9 Mar 2010 | 11:30 am EST

Shinn Estate Takes The Right Fork

New York’s Long Island breaks into two at Riverhead, some 80 miles from Manhattan. The South Fork encompasses the Hamptons, with its super-fabulous lifestyle astride the magnificent beaches of the Atlantic Ocean. The North Fork has always been quieter, more agricultural, with its bay front coves and more easy-going people. In the last decade, the North Fork has also become home to vineyards and wineries. Route 25 is a mini Napa. Limos fill large parking lots and take the tasting hordes into impressive wineries. Some have odd architectural characteristics like Spanish Mission style – in a region that never had a Spanish presence.

As the area’s popularity has grown, the quality of its wines has improved. The early wines were a homemade affair. As more money flowed in, and the rich and famous became winery owners, the talent pool of growers and winemakers gained depth. Good quality Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are now being made. Experiments with Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc are also taking place. Sadly, there is little or no concern for the environment or sustainable wine making. This is more unfortunate since this historic farmland has been poisoned by decades of pesticides and fertilizer use.

Enter Barbara Shinn and David Page, who in 1998 purchased 20 acres off the beaten path in Mattituck, founded Shinn Estate and immediately took it in a different direction. Combining their love of food (they owned the restaurants Home and Drovers in Manhattan) and their love and respect for the land, they carefully crafted a planting pattern that matched the grapes to the terrain, with a goal of making small quality batches and thoughtful blends. They planted Cabernet Franc and Caberbet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Semillon and Pinot Blanc.

They expanded in an organic manner by slowly adding physical capacity, stainless steel tanks, outbuildings, and finally a 4-room bed and breakfast.

Now, in high gear, they are ready to fully commit to organic and biodynamic winemaking. While they have always been sustainable, they are in the first year of a three-year certification process in both practices. When achieved, they will be the only winery east of the Mississippi to be so. According to Barbara, “We are really driven to farm naturally considering that wine is where food meets agriculture. We’re part of a movement to farm fruit organically out here.”

They are eager promoters of their cause and have started another first for the region: futures dinners, where their customers can have a light dinner, barrel taste upcoming wines and purchase them at a discount. Works all around. Inside barns filled with stainless steel holding tanks and large wooden vats, long tables are set up. Candlelight casts a romantic glow as their border collie wanders between diner’s legs. An order form and tasting notes sheet is at each place setting, facilitating purchasing and remembering.

At a recent event, there were 9 wines. We went with some real experts: Meryl Rosofsky who has written for OWJ and teaches food courses at NYU, and Jean-Pierre and Deidre Riou. He’s the owner of Gifted Grapes, a wine importer of numerous small vintage French sustainable wines and one certified organic one. The final judgment of our group was this — the Shinns and their wine maker Anthony Nappa are making excellent wines. There were favorites however, with the Estate Merlot being almost everyone’s. This was followed by the Cabernet Franc and the 9 barrel reserve Merlot. The Wild Boar Doe blend was also a hit. It was harder to pick a favorite among the whites, although the Coalescence and non-oaked Chardonnay were stand-outs.

Check out David Page’s weekly farming blog that we have linked to. Barbara Shinn will also be writing for OWJ on a regular basis. We hope our readers will stay at their bed and breakfast, drink their wines and consider having weddings and other celebrations there. They are setting the standard and creating an example in responsible farming and winemaking.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 8 Mar 2010 | 12:05 pm EST

Maison Joseph Drouhin Awarded Organic Certification

Twenty years after Philippe Drouhin first began introducing organic practices to the vineyards making up the family company’s domaine (estate), Maison Joseph Drouhin (MJD), the highly regarded producer of Burgundy wines, has been awarded organic certification for all grapes grown within its vineyards beginning with the 2009 vintage. Announcement of the certification was made by Frédéric Drouhin, chief executive officer and president of Joseph Drouhin.

Although the Drouhin vineyards have been organic for years, official regulations require a three- year “conversion” period during which the rules of organic production are applied and verified in the vineyards. The certification process began in August 2006 with a lengthy application to Ecocert, one of several registered companies documenting organic production.

While 2009 is the official vintage year for organic certification, Philippe Drouhin, one of the four siblings running MJD and the one in charge of the company’s 73-hectare (182.5-acre) estate, including 38 hectares (just under 93 acres) of Chablis, now known as Chablis Drouhin Vaudon, began introducing organic practices back in 1990, shortly after joining the family firm. His father, Robert, had already returned to “culture raisonnée,” more traditional viticultural practices, in the late ’70s, but, as he says, “Philippe went further than I.”

Since he took over, Philippe has moved away from all but the most simple and natural treatments of the vine toward a non-interventionist approach and, beginning in 1997, has instituted many of the practices of biodynamie. Considered a leader in the field by fellow Burgundians, Philippe’s credo – and that of the entire family and company – is to bring natural responses to natural problems. Some vineyards are plowed by horses in the steepest areas; grass grows between vines to keep down weeds, fertilization is with natural compost; and treatments are done with herb infusions.

While many wine marketers trumpet organic and “green” credentials with seals, stickers, neckers and brochures, Maison Joseph Drouhin, in its principled and understated way, will confine its achievement only to press releases and web site information. Consumers may be assured, however, that beginning with the 2009 vintage, wines from Joseph Drouhin vineyards, most bearing the words “propriété de famille” on the label, are officially organic – as they actually have been for the past 20 years.

Known and appreciated for their elegant, refined style, the wines of Joseph Drouhin are imported into the U.S. and distributed nationally by Dreyfus, Ashby & Co., based in New York City, whose mission as an importer is to maintain loyalty to all that is special about family-owned and
-operated wineries.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 24 Feb 2010 | 10:38 am EST

Organic and biodynamic wine defy industry surplus: BFA

From WineBiz:

Demand for Australian organic and biodynamic wine continued to increase in 2009/10 despite the wine industry facing one of the largest surpluses in history, according to the Biological Farmers of Australia.

Many organic and biodynamic wine producers have reported record sales in the past year and have received international acclaim from the world’s top wine critics and wine shows.

Read the full story here.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 24 Feb 2010 | 10:04 am EST

5 Organic Wines Win Grand Gold Medals at BioFach 2010

After tasting 622 wines from 19 different countries, an international jury awarded 5 organic wines Grand Gold medals at BioFach 2010 in Nürnberg, Germany. These MUNDUSvini BioFach International Organic Wine awards went to:

• 2008 Lieserer Rosenlay Riesling Spätlese Feinherb, Weingut Hubertushof GbR, Lieser (Mosel), Germany
• 2008 Stülb Gelber Muscateller edelsüß, Weingut Stülb, Zell (Mosel), Germany
• 2003 San Michele a Torri Vinsanto Colli del’Etruria Centrale DOC, Fattoria San Michele a Torri s.r.l., Scandicci, Italy
• 2006 Vougeot 1er Cru Clos Blanc de Vougeot Monopole, Domaine de la Vougeraie, Premeaux Prissey, France
• 2006 Welschriesling Trockenbeerenauslese, Bio Weingärtnerei Artner, Göttlesbronn, Austria

In all, 220 organic wines were awarded medals, including 70 Gold and 145 Silver. Italy received the most medals with 63. Germany netted 41 awards, France received 26 and Austria won 17.

A complete list of winners can be found here.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 23 Feb 2010 | 10:08 am EST

National Margarita Day?

I've been informed by Jane that Today is National Margarita Day.  I must admit, I've never heard of it before, and if I'd given it any thought, I would have tied that in with Cinco de Mayo.  However, any excuse is a good excuse so we will be going out for Mexican food and margarita's tonight.  Mexican is one of the easiest cuisines to veganize.  Simply start with Rice and Beans.  We usually get a fajita and split that as well.

Just a reminder...  there can be pitfalls.  Some restaurants prepare their rice using chicken stock, and some use lard in the preparation of their beans.   In order to be on the safe side, ask your server to check with the chef.  We've had good luck ordering black beans -- so far none have bee prepared with lard.

Related Information:

1. Cinnamon Vegetarian Restaurant – A New Favorite!
2. Eggs-traneous Ingredients
3. Animal Rights National Conference 2009
4. New Special: Tofu Burgers at Bean Sprouts
5. The Veggie Grill

Source: Vegan Bits | 22 Feb 2010 | 8:14 pm EST

St. Francis Winery: At The Organic Crossroads

Winemaker Heather Munden wishes she could just snap her fingers and turn her vineyards organic. The reality is a little harder. “Our first goal is to take 10 acres next to the winery and start with that,” she says. To do the whole thing at once is a little scary for people with no background in organics. If all goes well, we could have the entire homesite certified within five years.”

Like many of their California counterparts, St. Francis Winery & Vineyards has incorporated green practices into their business: a solar electrical system, energy-efficient lighting, electric carts and recycling. They’ve also brought more thoughtful methods to their growing process, using waste water for irrigation, starting a composting program and improving vineyard health with leaf removal and cover crops. So with all this dedication, why isn’t the next step of going organic a sure thing?

It’s a situation being playing out in wineries around the world. A younger generation of winemakers, raised on the idea that organic foods are better, are coming into established wineries and questioning whether organic grapes would make better wine as well. According to Munden, there are the usual economic concerns and internal politics, but it’s also a matter of education. “There is always fear of the unknown. What is organic? What is required of me? It’s not just the vineyard manager and tasting staff. The CFO has to understand and agree to it. What are the costs? We’re a business and we need to make money.”

Coming from a culinary background, where organic ingredients were the norm, Munden made some immediate changes when she became the newest winemaker at St. Francis three years ago. “We used some harsher chemicals in the past, and have backed off a lot of those. We’ve gotten rid of the majority of our sprays, and we’re spraying less with what we do use. We spent a lot more time in the vineyard. Canopy management. Leaf removal. More dry farming. Those changes have been huge.”

Munden then proposed farming ten acres of their home vineyards organically. “I just called it a ‘project’ so people wouldn’t get too worried.” She is working this year to improve soil health, add compost, plant cover crops and release beneficial insects into the soil. “It’s more physical. If I stop using Roundup I need more manual labor to remove weeds. Pulling weeds is difficult just in my own garden.”

Should the first 10 acres prove a success, they will extend these practices onto their entire homesite vineyard, which is 120 acres. “You need to learn to swim before you jump in the deep end. It’s all right if I lose some grapes here and there, but if I wipe out an entire vineyard because I went organic, I’m out of a job.” Munden also plans to apply for certification. “The piece of paper itself isn’t important, but it makes us more conscientious of what we’re doing and shows we’re committed.”

Munden’s colleagues have been supportive of her organic leanings, especially when they see the research she has put into it. Assistant Winemaker, Katie Madigan, was immediately on board, while Tom Mackey, Director of Winemaking, needed a little more convincing. “When Tom and I first talked he said ‘you don’t know enough.’ So I did my homework and wrote up a proposal and then he was like ‘yeah, let’s do this.’”

St. Francis has a supportive community awaiting them for organic advice and problem solving. Domaine Carneros, their sister winery, received their certification in 2008, and many of Munden’s friends already consult on organic vineyard management. It may be years down the road, but Munden thinks there may be an organic future for St. Francis’s other vineyards as well.

“It would be great if I could get my other growers to go organic. I’m going to start bringing one of my consultants when I do my grower tastings, talk to all of them and walk them through the process. The next step is to introduce sustainability, then after that talk organics to them. When you have 4th and 5th generation growers on their land, introducing something new takes encouragement. But some people surprise you and want to jump on board immediately.”

Visit St. Francis Winery & Vineyards online.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 19 Feb 2010 | 1:21 pm EST

Peta at Westmister Dog Show

The Westminster Kennel Dog Show ended today.  Just before the award was given for "Best in Show," two Peta protesters managed to get out in the ring and held up signs reading "Mutts Rule" and "Breeders Kill Shelter Dogs' Chances." The protest was cut from television, so if you missed it make sure to watch the following Associated Press video:

This really touches a nerve for us.  According to Peta, 4 million unadopted pets are euthanized annually! Get your animals from the pound!!!!

Some of you may remember that we had to put down our beloved 16 year old cat last June. Our boy cat is still hanging in there, he'll be 16 in April. We finally got to a place where it was time to entertain the idea of bringing new cats home.  After meeting a few different cats, all of whom would have made wonderful additions to our home, we settled on a brother and sister from our local Humane Society.

We decided to get two because our boy is getting older, so when he goes, there will still be two cats to entertain each other. Jane also figured that siblings would be more likely get along well.

Our two monsters were abandoned by their owner... we're not sure why.  They are really fun cats.  They have very distinct personalities and love to play.  They're three years-old and they are fantastic.  As with any animals being introduced into a new environment, they require a little bit of attention to make sure they don't shred the furniture or climb the curtains.  But we've gotten them new scratching posts and toys to keep them active and help them to bond with us.

When we were at the shelter, the adoption counselor was so excited that we would take the two together. Apparently siblings are much less likely to be adopted together, or at all. They were even running a special... get one cat for $70 and the second for $15. Plus they gave us a coupon for a free vet exam at the vet of our choice in the San Gabriel valley.  This seems to be common practice if you adopt from a Humane Society.  They even offer senior discounts... if you're over sixty and get a cat over 5 years old, there is no adoption fee (not sure about dogs, but there are discounts).

If you're looking to get a new companion animal, you can find plenty of lovable animals looking for a home at Petfinder. They host photos of adoptable animals from a variety of shelters all over the country. There are currently almost 300,000 animals looking for a home!  Don't buy a pet, save a life instead!

And one other interesting fact we learned upon adopting our furr-balls.  The Humane Society provided us with a fact sheet advocating spaying/neutering.  According to them one unaltered cat could yield 420,000 cats in seven years based on the average cat having a litter of 6 every year and each cat from that litter producing the same, etc.  Even if those numbers are halved, that's certainly reason to spay/neuter your pets!

Related Information:

1. Vegan Charities
2. Humane Society Says California Vote Yes On Prop 2
3. Pound Puppies
4. PETA’s List of Animal By-Products
5. Proposition 2 – Revisited

Source: Vegan Bits | 18 Feb 2010 | 1:17 am EST

Ehlers Estate – Organic Philanthropy

We like their organic and biodynamic practices, but we’ve recently learned of another reason to appreciate Napa Valley’s Ehlers Estate. One hundred percent of their proceeds go to the Leducq Foundation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to funding international cardiovascular research.

As a passionate philanthropist and a longtime sufferer from heart disease, Jean Leducq, and his wife Sylviane, established the Leducq Foundation to help fund cardiovascular research in 1996. The foundation was created with the idea that the fight against cardiovascular disease is international in scope. By forging and funding scientific alliances that transcend national borders, it efficiently uses its resources to support innovative cardiovascular research, while promoting international cooperation. No other foundation focuses in this area, and very few make international collaboration a cornerstone of the granting process.

Early on, the foundation was able to benefit from the help of eminent leaders in cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, who, in an inaugural meeting held in Paris in 1999, helped to define the mission, objectives and guidelines of the foundation. The Leducq Foundation awarded its first research grants in both Europe and the United States later that same year. 

As part of its endowment, the Leducq Foundation holds Ehlers Estate in trust, with all proceeds from the sale of Ehlers Estate wines supporting the foundation’s philanthropic mission.

They say a glass of red wine a day is good for your heart. In the case of Ehlers Estate that would seem to be twice as true.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 17 Feb 2010 | 1:50 pm EST

Video Tour of Yorkville Cellars

Yorkville Cellars has posted a video tour of their vineyards. Get a tour of their beautiful Mendocino property, courtesy of “Shadow” the dog.

For more videos from Yorkville Cellars, check out their youtube channel.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 11 Feb 2010 | 4:57 pm EST

Yellow+Blue Wines Go A Shade Greener

Wine importer J. Soif, Inc. has today announced two significant partnerships it has established through its certified organic wine brand, Yellow+Blue, making it the only carbon-neutral wine importer in the U.S. and the only wine importer in the world to put a portion of its sales towards global microloans.

Due to its eco-friendly Tetra Pak packaging, the carbon footprint of Yellow+Blue wines is 46% less than that of wine in traditional glass bottles. In order to offset the remaining 54%, the company has purchased 472 metric tons of verified carbon offsets to take responsibility for one hundred percent of the emissions generated by moving its wine from the vineyards to its packaging plants and warehouses. The carbon credits, which were purchased from Boulder, CO based Renewable Choice Energy, support a landfill gas-to-energy carbon reduction project in the United States.

“Yellow+Blue’s commitment to analyzing its environmental footprint and supporting carbon reduction shows leadership and demonstrates a best practice for environmental responsibility,” said Quayle Hodek, CEO of Renewable Choice Energy. “This organization is creating awareness for voluntary carbon reductions and the importance of investing in clean technology solutions.”

“Keeping in the spirit of our Drink Well Do Good mantra, oenophiles can not only enjoy our wine, they can feel good about buying it,” said W. Matthew Cain, founder of Yellow+Blue. “I’m proud to say that Yellow+Blue’s investment has the collective environmental impact to help avoid the same amount of CO2 emissions produced by driving nearly 1.1 million miles in an average passenger vehicle.”

Yellow+Blue has also devoted itself to strengthening the global community by becoming an official partner of Kiva (www.kiva.org), the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website. Yellow+Blue is giving 1 percent of each sale to Kiva, which empowers unique entrepreneurs around the globe and strives to alleviate poverty. Currently, Yellow+Blue is the only wine brand in the world to join the Kiva community of over 662,000 individuals who have loaned more than $117 million to 290,000 entrepreneurs in 51 countries.

“Yellow+Blue’s decision to work with Kiva is an important milestone for both of our organizations,” said Premal Shah, President of Kiva.org. “We’re looking forward to all the positive things to come from this partnership and admire its dedication in helping to make Kiva the world’s hub for alleviating poverty.”

“Our commitment to Kiva strives to enable entrepreneurs throughout the world to realize their dreams of creating a company and giving back to their communities,” said W. Matthew Cain, founder of Yellow+Blue. “As the only wine company affiliated with the organization, we hope that with each glass of Yellow+Blue poured, an entrepreneur somewhere in the world is a step closer achieving his or her goal.”

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 10 Feb 2010 | 12:08 pm EST

Organic Wine Review – New Site For Reviews

Organic Wine Review is a brand new site featuring short, informative and entertaining reviews of organic and biodynamic wines. Their team consists of host Winston Jones, sommelier Jennifer Arye and “average wine guy” Brent Harrison. We will be posting some of their reviews here, and you can find all their videos at their website organicwinereview.com.

Here is their latest video – a review of Frog’s Leap Zinfandel 2006.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 9 Feb 2010 | 12:12 pm EST

Organic, Shaken and Stirred

As organic foods and wines grow in popularity, it’s no surprise that organic cocktails are now popping up in restaurants and bars. Publishing a green version of a mixed drink book could have been as simple as taking your average bartender’s guide and adding organic before every ingredient. Fortunately, Paul Abercrombie has gone the extra mile in Organic, Shaken and Stirred – Hip Highballs, Modern Martinis and Other Totally Green Cocktails, and provided a fun well-thought-out collection of hedonistic concoctions that take advantage of why you want to drink organic in the first place; purity of flavor.

Ambercrombie has collected drink recipes from mixologists around the country, and provided a great index of organic sprits and mixers, along with their websites, so you know what to look for before your next party. Better yet, the photography in the book is fantastic. You’ll be inspired to make your own Saffron Margaritas and Frozen Berry Bellinis the moment you lay eyes on them.

Purchase Organic, Shaken and Stirred at amazon.com.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 22 Jan 2010 | 2:07 pm EST

Eating Animals

Firstly --- Happy 2010!  We wish you all a peace-filled new year.

Secondly -- Sorry for the vanishing act.  We're still here, and still vegan.  Life has been getting in the way of blogging.  We've both been very busy and when we've had a break, neither of us has been motivated enough to blog.

And thirdly -- If you had to fly through Newark tonight, you have our deepest sympathies!

But enough with the excuses already...  Back to the blog.

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While I've been m.i.a. I had the opportunity to read  Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, and I can't recommend it highly enough.  While none of the information presented was new to me, it was presented in a manner that I found easy to read and entertaining.  Often this material can be very difficult to read.  Safran Foer lays it all out in its gruesome details, but he also alternates that information with stories from his personal life, and his personal experiences with food.

Best of all, I think this book will be easy to read for the disinterested omnivore.  Safran Foer is able to present the information in such a way that the facts are simply that, the facts.  He explores all sides of the argument so that you, the reader, can decide for yourself.  The logic he uses is inescapable.  You cannot consider yourself to be an environmentalist if you eat meat (water, pollution, etc.)  He recounts his decision to stop eating meat, and all that that entails, in an intelligent and non-judgmental manner.  Really, this is one of the better books on the ethics of eating than any other I have come across.  The omnivores in my life will be getting copies of this book to read during the coming year.

Related Information:

1. Vegan Eating Trumps Eating Locally
2. Eating Meatless and Loving It
3. Arguing for Vegetarianism
4. Food Shortages and Vegan Eating
5. Earthlings — A Discourse on Compassion

Source: Vegan Bits | 4 Jan 2010 | 2:10 am EST

Vegan Thanksgiving

Jane and I have been traveling recently.  We were so wrapped up in planning for our trip, getting things ready for us to be gone at work,  and then being away that we cannot get our minds around the fact that it is the start of the holiday season already.  How did that happen?

Normally we plan our meal way in advance as Thanksgiving is "our" holiday.  Our tradition is that we always eat the dinner alone together and "dessert around the world."  One year we visited with four other families for dessert.  The trick to surviving that is to eat the smallest possible amount everywhere. Now we try to limit it to 2 households.  This year, we'll be stopping at one of our neighbors and our cousins who live nearby.

Anyway, because we're so strapped for time this year, and because we are pretty happy with the way our meal turned out last year, we decided to recycle that menu.

So here's what we're making, again:

• Tofurky and Celebration Roast
• Poblano Chili Cornbread Stuffing
• Cashew Gravy
• Cranberry Orange Sauce
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Cumin Braised Brussels Sprouts
• Green Beans with Balsamic Carmelized Red Onions
• Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

Jane will make her apple pie to bring to our cousins house, and her chocolate truffles for the neighbors.  She's toying with a vegan cheesecake recipe, but doesn't know if she'll have the time.  Anyway, if you're still working on your menu, don't forget, we've got a number of Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes posted.

Whatever you wind up doing, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Related Information:

1. Our Vegan Thanksgiving Menu
2. Vegan Thanksgiving – A Huge Success
3. Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes
4. You’re Vegan, So Fish is Good, Right?
5. Our Vegan Valentine

Source: Vegan Bits | 25 Nov 2009 | 2:44 am EST

World Vegan Day – Celebrating 65 Years of Veganism

Tomorrow is World Vegan Day, for some of you around the globe, it is today already.   So what?  Why should you care?   Well, it's certainly not as well-known or celebrated as Halloween is.  But it is a chance to get out and meet with other vegans, to sample vegan fare, to stand up for animal rights, or simply to get our stories out there.

WorldVeganDay.info is asking us all to do just that, to get our stories out there.  To blog, twitter, YouTube, FaceBook, MySpace, or visit forums and get the word out.  Why did you go vegan?  Tell your story, who knows, you may inspire others.

Below is a partial list of activities around the globe.  If you don't see anything in your neck of the woods, check out google, facebook, craigslist, or your local colleges.  The information is scattered, but it is out there.  As for Jane and me, we're going to be making dinner for a few friends who aren't vegan.   Activism through eating.

• If you're in Melbourne, AUS, here's some info on your World Vegan Day celebration.
• If you're in Wellington, New Zealand, here's info on a World Vegan Day Bake Sale.
• If you're in England, near  Croydon, here's some info on your World Vegan Day celebration.  They're saying you should be there, or be without vegan cake and beer.  (Damn, wrong continent!)
• If you're in England, near Ennis Killen and are interested in practicing some yoga, followed by a meal of home cooked vegan fare... visit here.
• If you're in Glasglow, the Univerity of Glasgow is hosting an Animal Lovers Fayre in honor of World Vegan Day.
• If you're in Paris, you should check out  Paris Vegan Day.  I can't tell you exactly what they have planned, but dusting off my High School french, I believe there will be  vegan product representation and vegan food availabe.
• If you're in Montreal, they've got a World Vegan Day Fashion Show planned.  It's billed as an  evening of fashion, gourmet vegan cuisine and musical entertainment.
• If you're in India, the Sthitaprajna Vegan Life Centre near Byndoor, Udupi District, Karnataka, is planning a three-day vegan event (Nov 1 - Nov 3).
• If you're in San Francisco, there's a World Vegan Celebration dinner on Monday night.  Just $15 including tax and tip.  Details here.
• If you're in the Los Angeles area, VegKids is sponsoring a rollerskating event in NorthRidge
• Please note, if you're in the Los Angeles area and were planning on attending the Animal Acres World Vegan Day celebration, IT HAS BEEN CANCELED.
• If you're in Phoenix, AZ, the  Spectrum Mall light rail station is hosting a potluck of vegan goodies.

Related Information:

1. World Vegan Day
2. FX Television Spotlights Veganism
3. Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale 2009
4. You Can Change The World
5. Our Vegan Thanksgiving Menu

Source: Vegan Bits | 1 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am EDT

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LivingECHO Articles was created in an attempt to get public participation in the growing debate on issues concerning the environment. Here you will find our Ecopedia, our reference guide to current eco-related terminology, and articles written on news, events, education, lifestyle and more.

You can submit your own article here for us to review, or email us at articles@livingecho.com.

Note:

• You can submit one picture per article.
• All Articles will be approved by an editor before it is posted.
• All articles must comply with our Media Policy.
• All articles must have a Title, Author, Date, Byline, and Article content (written in plain text).