Cinnamon YUMMIES

Suddenly I have 2 items to report that are both hosting lil' miss cinnamon. I am on a waffle-a-thon for breakfast because they make such delicious, easy waffles with lots of great ingredients like Omega 3 fatty acids and fiber. (Think Dr. Oz on Oprah)
Both of these can be found at your local Whole Foods, although the yogurt is fairly new so you may need to request it.

1. TURTLE MOUNTAIN SO DELICIOUS Cinnamon Bun Yogurt - complete with B12, CRUCIAL for vegans!!! This smooth and creamy number really is decadent, so dreamy and SO good for you! It has 3 grams of fiber, 6 grams protein and 30% of your daily b12. Not bad!

2. MAPLE CINNAMON Waffles by Lifestream/ Nature's Path - Like cinnamon toast, these yummy treats provide 4 grams of protein and fiber. (2 waffles in a serving) Add some soy butter and YUM!

Mad, Not gonna take it anymore

As I was going about my business yesterday, I pondered the fact that vegans are frequently receivers of some nasty verbiage. I tried to think up all of the vegan cut downs used by confused eaters of meat who just try so damn hard to prove that our way of life is wrong. The usual suspects in way of arguments are usually that: animals do not have souls, plants are alive so how can you eat them, nature wants you to eat a mix of available foods, animals wouldn't be on this earth if we weren't supposed to eat them, and so on. My reasoning for cutting animal products from my diet is simply because I LOVE ANIMALS. I owe that realization to my husband as he helped me to come to this conclusion many years ago. You can argue your tongue off with all of the passion and facts but when it comes down to it, there is nothing anyone can say that proves otherwise when it comes to my love for animals. YES, I do make many sacrifices to live the way I do, but I cannot tell you how amazing it is to live in such harmony, knowing there is not leather on my feet or skin/blood on my plate. Lets examine the differences between name calling when it comes to vegans/vegetarians versus meat eaters.
VEG: Tree Hugger, Granola, Hippie, veganity (i guess this is the animal free insanity), self-righteous morons, twig eaters, "like the Taliban", oh and my favorite and most offensive VAYGUN.
MEAT: murderer, cannibal, butcher, etc.
If given a choice, I would rather be a tree hugger or twig eater than a murderer. I have never gone to the extreme of calling anyone who eats animals as such. I am a rare specimen, an educator, not a whiner. I think the name calling is an interesting tidbit that comes up often on my google searches when researching the word VEGAN. When I think about how much peace my lifestyle brings me because of the ability to separate myself from any animal suffering is something you cannot buy. Yeah, I know it feels good to go out to dinner and buy yourself a nice steak to savor for dinner. But, try to buy the sense of calm and love I feel when I choose NOT to. I am the lucky one!
I would like to dedicate this post to my vegan friend Michelle, who is an amazing person in general but I do owe this peaceful life I live, to her. Thanks M!

Tips & Facts

Tonight I picked up Vegetarian Times Magazine. Feelings are mixed with the rag, because a lot of the issues they write about seem to ignore the fact that eating eggs, cheese and milk contribute to the problems they feature. For example, "According to a 2006 report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, animal farms around the globe generate 18 percent more greenhouse emissions than all of these transportation methods combined." (methods being cars, trucks, and buses) Its not surprising that the dairy industry supports the livestock industry including veal production. Veg Times began the article by stating that "eating beef is even worse for the environment than the greenhouse gases emitted from cars, trucks, and buses." I am certain that milk comes from cows, cows live on farms, cows emit greenhouse gases. Sadly, 70% of former forestland in Latin America is now used for grazing fields. Oh well, I guess eliminating meat eating leads to a shift in how people think about food and how it affects the world we live in. I don't expect everyone to go vegan today, but sometimes its hard to swallow stories that only tell half the facts.

TIP: Freeze an onion for 10 minutes prior to cutting. This will eliminate the sulfur oils that make you cry when handling onions.

I had no idea! Foot powders and sprays (including baby powder) used to eliminate athletes foot and such are created from talc rocks which absorb moisture and odor. Talc is closely related to ASBESTOS, a harmful mineral, which is linked to ovarian cancer (among other things.) T for Toes is made by lush, ad its made with lime, tea tree oils ad horsetail herbs to eliminate odor and moisture. Its a natural solution to icky toes. Another option is a mineral salt spray by Crystal Foot Deodorant spray.
Psoriasis and Dandruff shampoos often contain coal tar which is linked to cancer AND irritates and aggravates certain types of scalp psoriasis. Try instead: Max Green Alchemy Scalp Rescue Shampoo OR John Masters Organics Zinc & Sage Shampoo with Conditioner.

Beans NOT beef!

I dig Science Daily. Read this article called EAT TO LIVE: Cut beef, save the globe.

......the [new years] resolution I propose: Reduce your consumption of beef.
Cows do more harm to the environment than cars.
Livestock generates 18 percent more greenhouse-gas emissions as measured in carbon dioxide (CO2) than transport. It is responsible for producing 65 percent of human-related nitrous oxide, which compared to CO2 has 296 times more GWP. That's Global Warming Potential, in science-speak. Most of this, according to a report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, comes from manure.
Manure is responsible for 37 percent of all human-induced methane, mainly produced by the digestive system of livestock. That's 23 times more warming power than CO2. It also accounts for 64 percent of ammonia, which contributes significantly to acid rain.
Alright, so you're one of those -- increasingly rare -- people who think the whole global-warming issue is a load of hot air. Consider this instead:
Thirty percent of the entire land surface of the Earth is now given over to the raising of livestock. While most of that is in pasture, 33 percent of arable land feeds not people but cows, pigs and sheep.
We are expected to double our global meat production by 2050, from 229 million tons in 1999-2001 to 465 million tons. The output of milk is expected to rise from 580 million tons to 1043 million.
As we become more prosperous, our meat consumption increases. To feed the livestock that feeds us, we need more land to make more pasture. In Latin America 70 percent of what used to be forest in the Amazon basin has now been turned into grazing land.
The more we focus on feeding cattle, the more we diminish the biodiversity of the globe. Fifteen out of 24 key ecosystem services are reckoned to be in decline, with the prime blame laid at the feet of our clove-hoofed friends.
They're chomping through so much grass that 20 percent of their pastures has been written off as overgrazed, the land now vulnerable to compaction and soil erosion. Overgrazing also disturbs water cycles, reducing replacement both from the sky and the diminishing water table. Where drylands have been turned over to livestock, the problem is even more severe. The land is become desert.
The biodiversity loss of marine ecosystems in the South China Sea has been blamed on contamination by phosphorous and nitrogen, coming from the on-land waste of animals, the antibiotics and hormones used in their feed, the fertilizers and pesticides applied to the crops that fatten them, along with chemicals from tanneries.
Want another slice of that beef? Instead, why not nip in your car down to your supermarket for another protein source.
Refer to my protein posting on Sunday for ideas!

I feel the need to post this information because the subject comes up everyday in the life of a vegan. I know its annoying, but "Where do you get your protein?"
The recommendation for protein for adult male vegans is around 56-70 grams per day; for adult female vegans it is around 46-58 grams per day.
Here are stats of some vegan protein sources: (food item, serving size, protein count)
Tempeh, 1 cup, 41 grams.
Seitan, 3 oz, 31 grams.
Soybeans, 1 cup, 20 grams.
Lentils, 1 cup, 18 grams.
Black Beans, 1 cup, 15 grams.
Kidney Beans, 1 cup, 13 grams.
Chickpeas, 1 cup, 12 grams.
Tofu, 4 oz, 11 grams.
Quinoa, 1 cup cooked, 9 grams.
Bagel, 1 medium, 9 grams.
Peas, 1 cup, 9 grams.
Peanut Butter, 2 tbsp, 8 grams.
Almonds, 1/4 cup, 8 grams.
Broccoli, 1 cup, 4 grams.
Spinach, 1 cup, 5 grams.
Brown rice, 1 cup cooked, 5 grams.
Whole wheat bread, 2 slices, 5 grams.
Soy milk, plain, 1 cup, 7 grams.
Oatmeal, 1 cup cooked, 6 grams.
VERSUS:
White Meat Chicken, 4 oz, 35 grams.
White Meat Turkey, 4 oz, 33 grams.
Lean Pork Loin, 4 oz, 31 grams.
Egg, one, 6 grams.

Basically, its easy to eat sans cruelty and still (GASP) get your protein. This subject gets even more fun when you are pregnant as you are accused on abusing your child in utero because you don't eat your meats. Lets all get educated and realize that a lot of what we hear is seriously a product of Nutritionism. (more on this subject tomorrow as Michael Pollan wrote an amazing article for the times this Sunday!)

Whole Foods MEALS for FOUR under $15 "veganized"

After many discussions about eating well ending in my feeling like a spoiled brat who can "afford to eat fresh produce and healthy foods," I am on a mission to prove that healthy habits by way of shopping at the supermarket is not solely for middle or upper class consumers.
I wish I got paid for the amount of times I promote Whole Foods but honestly, I am just thrilled that a place exists that actually puts each of their products through a careful evaluation. I reported awhile back that POM juice producers were guilty of some nasty animal testing and I noticed that Whole Foods promptly pulled POM off their shelves. Whole Foods features foods that are free from artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners and hydrogenated fats. Knowing that you don't have to check every damn label for junk added to your cookies, crackers, etc, can make grocery shopping fun again!
365 Everyday Value is a self-branded collection of staples featured at the store. Each item is priced low, most are staples that you need on hand like cereal, canned goods, frozen foods, spices, even coffee. Another featured brand is 365 Organic Everyday Value which is a line giving you all of the benefits of organic food at unexpectedly low prices. Usually these items are available in larger quantities to pass the savings on to the consumer.
Available at every store, is a pamphlet that features MEALS for FOUR under $15. This appears to be updated as the seasons change. Buying foods that are in season can save you a lot of money. Trying to buy organic berries right now is a joke. I think they will run you about $6 a package!
The meals featured in this pamphlet are NOT vegan, and only one option is vegetarian. I vote that you opt for the faux meat versions of these tasty recipes. You will notice the price will probably be LOWER and the taste will be BETTER, flesh and blood free!
Recipe #1 is Butternut Squash Ravioli - this recipe can easily be vegan by choosing a veggie ravioli instead of cheese, using soy butter, and omitting the cheese, perhaps sprinkling some nutritional yeast on top for added protein and B12.
Recipe #2 is Shrimp & Feta Pizzas - Easy to make this vegan and even tastier! Substitute shredded mozzarella with vegan mozzarella from Vegan Gourmet, omit the shrimp and feta and add vegan pepperoni (cholesterol free and low fat vs. cholesterol laden shrimp) and some sliced leeks and potatoes. (in season) YUMMY!
Recipe #3 is Coconut Red Pork Curry - okay, lets just leave the cute pig out of this. If you want to replace this "ingredient"
READ: Pork Tenderloin =

then you can go this route: Substitute pork with veggie ham (bacon flavor) OR you can use tofu or seitan as each are delicious meat substitutes that are delicious in curry sauce.
Recipe #4 is Slow Cooker Hoisin Beef Stew - No need to sacrifice a sweet cow for this recipe.

READ: Beef =
I have a secret for you. Vegecyber features AWESOME beef chunks for your frozen food collection. Try not to eat them before you even cook this recipe because they are fantastic! Unfortunately they feature dairy, whey protein. So, if you are VEGAN, pat yourself on the back and use the "lamb" chunks. These don't contain any animal products at all. The rest of the recipe is vegan friendly except the call for beef broth, just use veggie bullion cubes which are tasty and much more affordable than buying broth in a can or box. You never need the whole can or box which is wasteful. The cube is WISE as it lasts and is easier to measure out!

Recipe #5 is Peruvian Sopa La Minuta - "minute soup"
Again, get out your veggie bullion cubes and your ground beef substitute which is easy to find in most grocery stores these days. Otherwise, I recommend shrimp balls which are a delicious addition to soup. Tofu is also great in soups.

I often opt for a mix of seasonal veggies, for example, right now here are some in-season fruits and veggies to choose from: BRUSSELS SPROUTS, GRAPEFRUIT, LEEKS, ORANGES, PARSNIPS, PEARS, SHALLOTS, POTATOES, TANGELOS, TANGERINES, WINTER SQUASH, GARLIC AND ONIONS. I get out the wok, melt soy margarine or warm some olive oil, toss in crumbled tempeh, sliced tofu, or sliced seitan. Next, I add my seasonal veggies like thinly sliced leeks, halved brussels sprouts, and kale. Steam up some parsnips, whip them up with some soy milk and shallots to serve the stir fry on top of. Sprinkle the finished product with a flavored salt like rosemary or truffle. YUMMY! Flavored salts last forever and add gourmet flavor for just pennies a meal. Make your own by adding fresh herbs to coarse sea salt. Try adding lemon rind or even dried chili's to add some heat.
Highly recommended, and on "special" is a mushroom herb salt on Saltistry's website. Its a mix of herbs and four different mushrooms. 5 oz for $10 will last you many delicious meals and beware, it can be addictive! As they say on their page, "don't worry about getting too much sodium because its beneficial to consume sea salts daily as they naturally contain many trace minerals."

All vegan/vegetarian meats can be ordered online (note the shipping cost) at www.vegecyber.com. These alternatives are great to impress your meat eating friends or to spoil your vegan friends when they come over for dinner. I don't recommend eating much of this stuff because its not exactly healthy to eat faux meats every night for dinner. Make sure you check the ingredients of everything first, as some items do contain whey protein, which is a milk product. I recommend trying the crab and prawns (awesome in stir fries with yummy sauces) which are both vegan.

You can also order online faux meat treats at May Wah.

Top Notch Pet Foods

My dogs are not full-time herbivores. They usually get a mix of foods and I often change their kibble each time I run out because their tummies can handle the switch easily. I don't recommend this for most dog moms and dads because it can cause an annoying and inconvenient bout with diarrhea or gas. There is absolutely no excuse for feeding your pet junk food. Brands often found in grocery stores like Safeway are made with byproducts like chicken feathers and poop, downer animals, bones, blood, intestines, lungs, ligaments, pesticide residues, antibiotics, and molds contained in pet food ingredients. Meat from sick animals may be loaded with drugs, some of which are known to pass unchanged through all the processing done to create a finished pet food (such as penicillin and phenobarbital). Between 1995 and 1999, there were two major recalls of dry dog food by different manufacturers due to mold contamination of grain ingredients. Some fungal toxins are very dangerous. The second recalled food killed more than 20 dogs. Never buy a food containing “by-product meal” or “meat and bone meal.” These rendered products are the most inexpensive sources of animal protein. The contents and quality of these meals can vary tremendously from batch to batch, and are not a reliable source of nutrition for your animal. Healthy and environmentally responsible foods are available at large chain stores like Petco & at small mom and pop stores in your neighborhood. Here are some great choices in different price ranges to keep your pup in tip top health.
MY FAVORITE FOR THE PRICE, QUALITY, AND AVAILABILITY:
NATURAL BALANCE VEGETARIAN DOG FOOD OR ORGANIC CHICKEN FORMULA

CASEY & WILEY (my moms doggies) and SAMMY & HB (my vizslas) go NUTS over:
Merrick's Grammy's Pot Pie Canned & Dry Food....new bags I saw announce "ORGANIC at no extra cost to you!" Merrick has an interesting business model. They help us choose food for our pets by naming them after popular human meals or creative mixes with interesting ingredients. They are very meat-minded, but they also offer organic so I feel okay recommending it over other brands.

IF YOUR DOGS BEG FOR FRUIT.....
CASTOR & POLLUX Natural Ultramix features natural chicken as the #1 ingredient! Fortified with Vitamins & Minerals. Wholesome fruits & vegetables that you can really see! There are banana chips, carrots, bananas, papaya, apples and blueberries in this food! Yummy.
C&P also features an organic food called ORGANIX.

Looking to BEEF UP YOUR KARMA?
KARMA dog food is 100% organic (ALL ingredients in the food, not just the meat is organic), the box is made of recyclable materials, and they manage the food from the way their ingredients are farmed to where the dog food is sold.


Other honorable mentions are:
EAGLE PACK Holistic Formulas
Jeffrey's Pet Food Store (soon online!) in the San Francisco bay area.
Its quite easy to make your pets food if they have allergies and such. A book I used to utilize daily when I made my dogs meals by hand was Dr. Pitcairn's Natural Health for Cats and Dogs book. Its available on Amazon.com.

A Vegan Perspective

Expectations as a vegan can become (I don't want to say LOW) but simplified over time. Yesterday my husband and I were at the Oakland airport and I knew I better eat something before our flight because of the unpredictable pregnant appetite I have. I think I am not hungry, then 10 minutes later I am dizzy with hunger. We decided on Mexican food from 360. I saw the word VEGAN next to a mixed veggie burrito on the menu. I immediately just decided that is what I should get because the actual word VEGAN was up on the board! Then I started looking around and noticed that there were smoked tofu salads, quesadillas (not vegan obviously), and more. I reminded myself that mixed veggie burritos usually SUCK because I just don't like squash, zucchini and bell peppers. What a mushy mix of bitter junk. So I decided on the rice and bean burrito with tofu and guacamole. I was shocked at how yummy the 'rita tasted. The tofu was well seasoned, the guac had bite, and there wasn't too much onion in the salsa. I hate tasting my burrito for the rest of the day because of those damn onions! Its sad because I LOVE salsa.



We are staying at the Four Seasons for a couple of days in Scottsdale on business. I am sitting in my hotel room satiated after enjoying the following: old-fashioned oatmeal with dried berries, fresh strawberries and blueberries, and a huge soy latte. I was worried when I woke up about getting a proper coffee. I didn't see soy milk on the menu so I thought I would ask and heck yes they had it. You know when you get room service, you dread getting the meal because you just KNOW its gonna be mushy and cold. Well, not at the Four Seasons! Its super cold here right now so I thought for sure I would be eating lukewarm oatmeal. It was piping hot, and my latte was even hotter! Simple pleasures, I tell ya! I will have to see what choices I have when it comes to food at dinner tonight with some of the lovely spouses I met last night.



One more thing, if you are looking for a spectacular chocolate chip cookie recipe, look no further. New Classics by Moosewood Restaurant
Replace the eggs with egg replacer
& use dark/vegan chocolate chips (I like Ghiradelli or Scharffen berger) and use soy margarine or soy butter.
Oh my, I cannot tell you how tasty these are right out of the oven AND the next couple of days (if they last that long!)

Uncruel Beauty - Vegan Fashion in NY Times!!

I cannot tell you how many times I have read the Sunday Styles portion of the NY Times, hoping and praying one day there will be something about cruelty-free fashions! Finally, there is an awesome article today in the Thursday Styles (I think they just started this Thursday Styles section recently) about vegan fashions beyond the usual Stella McCartney goodies.
Read about some seriously fashionable vegan items and get happy!
Uncruel Beauty

Natural Wound Care & Vegan Vitamins

My best friend Michelle (soon to be a black belt) with aches, pains and bodily injuries sent me this info about using tree sap instead of crazy glue to close up any cuts you might have, naturally! Crazy glue is always a scary ingredient to deal with. You can only imagine the laundry list of things that can go wrong while using it! It does contain some nasty chemicals, so check out this info below as an alternative!

Homemade Tear Repair

Get some sap from any tree. The tree sap in this formula is what seals the wound. The tree sap is part of the tree's immune system. When the tree is cut, the tree uses the sap to seal the wound and kill bacteria. It is supposed to work the same when WE use it to fill cuts. If you don't have a tree around that has been injured and has sap flowing out, make a cut on a healthy tree yourself and collect the sap. Keep some around for the winter time when the sap is not flowing and you cannot
collect it fresh.
Now, you can choose to mix with the sap equal parts of whatever antiseptic herbs you have lying around: goldenseal, echinacea, tea trea oil, garlic. If you can't get fresh tree sap, try to purchase some myrrh gum. Whether you mix the herbs with the sap or not, you need to dowse the cut with an antibiotic tincture made with equal parts of these herbs before you put on the sap.
Now if the sap is hard, you must mix it with Bacardi's 151 Rum. You will need alcohol this strong to dissolve the tree sap. It will not dissolve unless you have 75% alcohol.
A nurse in England who worked with Dr. Schulze, an MD and master herbalist, said this formula works better for wounds than anything she had seen in 30 years of being an emergency room nurse in Northern Ireland. If you tape shut the wound for 12 hours, it totally seals the wound better than stitches and you won't need anything for infection.
Also, slippery elm bark is spoken of as a "glue." You can make a poultice out of it by mixing slippery elm and whatever other antibiotic herbs you want to add. Slippery elm should be at least 1/3 of your poultice mixture. Add enough hot water to make a gummy, gluey consistency. Besides being a glue, slippery elm draws out poisons, soothes the skin, and reduces inflammation. Once it dries, it takes a lot of effort to remove it. My source says that if you add a layer or two of cotton gauze over the poultice and press it in, it will make a cast even an orthopedic surgeon will admire.
Now, I supposed you could just make some of this sticky mixture, glop some on the tear with the edges as close together as possible, and let it dry.
Of course, if you don't have the other herbs, just the slippery elm and water can be used also.
I would love to know if anyone has tried this method, and if you have, give us your results! OR, even better, give us some dirt on mishaps with crazy glue!

VEGAN VITAMINS (not all vitamins are VEGAN??)

The following nutrients often found in your bottle of vitamins originate from an animal source:
Vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol): derived from animal sources such as lanolin, a waxy fat extracted from living sheep's wool; many companies claim that their products are vegetarian even though they contain D-3, because after laboratory conversion to an isolated nutrient, there is virtually no molecular animal residue remaining.
Vitamin D-2* (ergocalciferol): derived from fish liver or fish skin oils, and is also processed to the point of being considered synthetic.
Glucosamine*: derived from (dead) crustacean shells, and bioidentically synthetic
Microcrystalline Hydroxyapatite (MCHC): derived from bovine bone matrix
Calcium*: most often derived from bone meal, oyster shell, egg shell and coral
Glandulars: derived from animal glands
Pancreatic Enzymes: derived from porcine, bovine sources
Bee Pollen, Royal Jelly, Propolis: nutrients harvested from worker bees
Gelatin: derived from porcine, bovine or fish
The following nutrients are stabilized with animal derived gelatin:
In order to stabilize many fat-soluble nutrients for tableting or encapsulation the oil forms are converted to powder form. Each powder particle is coated with a thin, protective gelatin beadlet to stabilize potency, freshness and integrity. The gelatin is derived from fish, porcine or BSE-free certified bovine sources, and usually less than 1% weight.
Vitamin A* (palmitate, acetate)
Beta-carotene (synthetic, Dunaliella)
Lutein
Lycopene
Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols)
The following nutrients are also available in vegetarian forms:
D-2 (ergocalciferol): microbiologically derived from saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is commonly known as baker's or budding yeast.
Vitamin A (palmitate): stabilized with BHT
Beta-Carotene (Blakeslea trispora): uses soy alginate derivatives as a stabilizer
Glucosamine: produced through a proprietary fermentation process using corn dextrose, citric acid and aspergillus niger fungal starting material.
Calcium: derived from mined limestone

As a mom to be, I knew I had to suck it up and take a prenatal vitamin. I have used the same vitamins for about 2 years and I have to recommend it highly for a few reasons.
You only have to take ONE tablet, ONCE a day! YESSSSSSSSSSS!
These vitamins never make me feel sick to my stomach, good formula for moms-to-be with morning sickness and just plain nausea over just about anything.
This particular brand is stamped with a label that says VEGAN GUARD. It means that this specific formula DOES NOT CONTAIN animal products.
The winner is: RAINBOW LIGHT Vegan Guard Vitamins


Amazon.com has Rainbow Light Vegan Vitamins on sale for around $1 a vitamin (so $1 a day) plus shipping which becomes free if you spend another $5 or so!

Influence of Mom & Dad, oh and Joaquin Phoenix

I don't tend to search out celebrities as leaders of the animal rights community. I was looking today out of curiosity, who is famous and vegan. Surprisingly enough, there are quite a few including Carrie Ann Moss from the Matrix movies, Daryl Hannah, Woody Harrelson and my favorite of the group Joaquin Phoenix. Mr. Phoenix has been vegan since childhood. He apparently just finished a documentary on human dependency on animals for food, clothing and more. A summary of his movie EARTHLINGS, which is out on DVD as of November of this year:

"Earthlings is a documentary about factory farming and mankind's dependence on animals for food, clothing, entertainment and use in experimentation, but also shows how moral those relations are.
With an in-depth study into pet stores, puppy mills and animals shelters, as well as factory farms, the leather and fur trades, sports and entertainment industries, and finally the medical and scientific profession, Earthlings uses hidden cameras and footage to chronicle the day-to-day practices of some of the largest industries in the world, all of which rely entirely on animals for profit."

Joaquin refuses to wear costumes made of animals. He wore faux leather items in the Gladiator.

Since Joaquin was raised by his amazing parents as a vegan child, he exercised his refusal to partake in promoting animal products at an early age. Remember his hot brother River (who sadly died of a drug overdose in 1993) who wept at the sight of his girlfriend Martha Plimpton chowing down on soft shell crab at a restaurant?!
The Phoenix children appeared in various commercials in the beginning of their careers as actors, but NOT for products promoting meat, milk or ANY animal product of any kind.

As a child, I grew up eating meat with my family. We ate pork chops, meatloaf, chicken legs and one of my favorite sandwiches was liverwurst on Roman Meal wheat bread with ketchup. I used to eat those lovely colored marshmallows by the half bag...mmm, hooves and by-products. Another tradition was a glass of milk with every meal until I went to college. I made up for the milk with every meal by a new latte habit.

These days, my parents are vegetarians and I am proud to be vegan. Its a huge relief to know during the holidays we don't have to eat a bird or pig as a tradition. I intend to raise my baby as vegan as possible! I have learned so much over the years about maximizing nutrition and taste when it comes to vegan food. The bay area ROCKS for vegan food, supplies and restaurants. All I can do is set an example for my child to follow and possibly my child will lead others as a result.

GO VEGAN! Have something to be proud of at EVERY MEAL! You will never know until you try, just how easy and rewarding this lifestyle is. Simply: embrace change and you will prosper.

Cloning your next meal

Can't you just imagine, your next Cafe Mocha made with milk cloned from the best of dairy cows? Or, your next juicy steak originating from that big ol' steer produced by science? No, I am not talking about the test tube meat post, I am referring to the latest FDA news regarding cloning of cows to produce oh so delicious steak and dairy products. Apparently this testing period has been going on for about 6 years, and the conclusion, after much delay, is that "milk and meat from some cloned farm animals are safe to eat." This has not been formally approved by the FDA, and the technology is still super expensive so its not likely that you will witness science project meats staring back at you in the aisles I avoid at all costs anyway. Joseph Mendelson, legal director for Food Safety (an advocacy group) says that the decision is still half baked because consumer surveys show that most people are opposed to cloning animals in general, let alone for food. FDA officials claim that the food from cloned animals is indistinguishable from the other food, therefore no labeling is required. The FDA collected a substantial amount of data and compiled it into a 700 page "draft risk assessment" that concludes that milk and meat from cloned cows, pigs and goats (and their offspring) were "as safe to eat as the food we eat every day." Even though cloning has been legal since 2001, there has been a voluntary moratorium on selling milk or meat from cloned animals in order to study the issue. Apparently, experts say, some of those products may have leaked into the food supply. That is comforting.
No one yet has succeeded in cloning chickens or poultry. Farmers who have been producing milk or meat from cloned livestock have been either consuming it themselves or throwing it out because of the struggle to get this cloned product passed through the FDA formally. The FDA seems to be interested only in the cloning companies, not so much the agriculture industry, according to Joseph Mendelson.
A survey conducted last summer by the International Dairy Foods Association found that 14% of women would turn away any dairy product labeled as originating from a cloned animal. Another poll by the Pew Initiative for Food and Biotechnology yielded results saying that 64% of consumers were uncomfortable with the whole cloned food idea. Other countries are not attempting this strategy, just the USA. Of course, this could lead to other countries blocking US meat from crossing their borders. Carol Tucker Foreman, director for food policy at the Consumer Federation of America says consumer groups would ask food companies, retailers and restaurant chains to shun products from cloned livestock. Soon we will see milk with a million labels of what is NOT inside. NO hormones, NO cloned animals involved in the making of this milk....etc.
Experts stand by their position that cloning is too expensive to be used to make animals in order to grind them up into burgers or sausages. Farmers and breeders are cloning prized livestock generally so they can breed them in a traditional fashion. This means that most food from cloning will come from the sexually produced offspring of the cloned animals.
Michael Pollan weighs in on this issue and reminds me of an article about the modern pig farms in New Yorker magazine "awhile back. He explains that cloning animals for meat and milk would be one step further down the path that's gotten us into big trouble in agriculture- monoculture. Cloning brings more uniformity to the genetics of commercial beef and dairy herds, and wherever you have a monoculture, its exquisitely vulnerable to all kinds of shocks, in this case disease. To keep a paddock full of genetically identical animals healthy would take more than drugs. This seems like a big thing for the pharmaceutical industry more than anyone. Just because we can do it, doesn't mean we should do it."
The modern pig farm article in the New Yorker discussed how this specific farm thought that breeding pigs and isolating genes to make the pigs LEANER was the best way to go. No they create nothing but these pigs that have little fat content and a super high metabolism. They are kept far away from where the farmers live to lessen the chance of contamination. Farmers and farmhands are required to wear a hazmat suit in order to go in and work with the pigs. If anyone drives a tractor too close to the pig house, the pigs freak out over the noise and even die because of the panic they experience. They have screwed with the pigs genetic makeup so much that they are so far from being a normal pig on a farm with outside pasture to munch on and mud to roll in that they are literally dying from stress as a loud noise strikes or a contaminated person enters their quarters. Consumers seem to shun the skinny pigs. They want fatty bacon, not lean bacon. So now that this specific farmer has bred his pigs to be lean, he no longer has the fat hogs to breed and make the fatty bacon again. Basically, you screw with the pig, you get the um, hooves?? I wish they had horns.
I think Americans REALLY need to stop a minute and take a second to figure out what they can live without. Everyone is so eager to consume MORE food, MORE fur, MORE junk. I find it sad that we cannot do things a proper, healthier way to really enjoy life like the Italians SLOW FOOD MOVEMENT.
"Slow Food U.S.A. is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating the food traditions of North America. From the spice of Cajun cooking to the purity of the organic movement; from animal breeds and heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables to handcrafted wine and beer, farmhouse cheeses and other artisanal products; these foods are a part of our cultural identity. They reflect generations of commitment to the land and devotion to the processes that yield the greatest achievements in taste. These foods, and the communities that produce and depend on them, are constantly at risk of succumbing to the effects of the fast life, which manifests itself through the industrialization and standardization of our food supply and degradation of our farmland. By reviving the pleasures of the table, and using our tastebuds as our guides, Slow Food U.S.A. believes that our food heritage can be saved." http://www.slowfoodusa.org/about/index.html#1
Do you REALLY need that super whopper special sauce crap between two buns with a huge order of fries and a super giant size chemical laden soda on ice? Do you need to eat that GIANT bag of cheetos between breakfast and lunch? What about that bloody steak on sale at Safeway for .99 a pound? yuck.
Go to your farmers market, see what is in season, enjoy what is supposed to be enjoyed this time of year. As I type I am eating a delicious pear from Oregon, and damn its just as good as an ice cream or a fatty candy bar. Take pride in what you eat, don't shame yourself dammit!