Vegan

Babysitters, Tofu, Sesame Street, and School Lunches

category: Vegan

Published September 23, 2009 @ 07:03AM PT

I was a grade-school fan of the Baby-Sitters Club books. (In my defense, the books I remember most from that same time period are Island of the Blue Dolphins and Bridge to Terabithia, not Baby-Sitters Club.) I mention this here because in the series, one of the club members was a vegetarian (I think). And in at least one of these books, the word "tofu" came up. I had no idea what this was -- and continued not knowing for years. Likely because of whatever the context (or dish) was when the tofu was mentioned, I spent a decade thinking it was some kind of weird, healthy-but-disgusting casserole. I'm pretty sure I was nearing the end of college before I had a clue; I had only one truly vegetarian friend in college (whom I teased -- yeah, I was that person), but I don't recall her ever mentioning, never mind eating, tofu. And I'd graduated by the time I tried it for the first time, in some Thai takeout.

Maybe I wouldn't have been so oblivious if I'd not grown up in a rural area and in a meat-and-potatoes family and community that knew all about raising animals for slaughter but to whom even "vegetarian," let alone "vegan," was a baffling, almost blasphemous concept. But I am also absolutely convinced that much has changed in the last couple decades, that adults and kids alike are more aware of what's out there in the way of non-animal foods, not only for health reasons, but also because of growing awareness of animals, who they are, and what we do to them in the name of "food."

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Compassionate Hockey Players and "Militant" Vegans

by Stephanie Ernst

category: Vegan

Published September 16, 2009 @ 01:48PM PT

Canada's Globe and Mail published a story today on Georges Laraque, NHL star and -- yes -- vegan. The piece is mostly positive, but with a few annoying, condescending remarks that the journalist apparently felt obligated to get (and publish) from others in the world of hockey and one quick, three-word commentary from the journalist himself that troubled me. Here's an extract from the good parts:

No dairy, no poultry, no fish, no more leather shoes or animal byproducts, Laraque has been on a strict diet of vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes since June 1.

While he says he was partly motivated to improve his health for the hockey season, Laraque insists the decision was made primarily for political, rather than nutritional, reasons.

Everything changed, Laraque said, after he saw Earthlings, a 2006 documentary that is widely celebrated in animal-rights circles.

Read More »

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On the Disheartening Aspects of Animal Advocacy and Beginning Again

by Stephanie Ernst

category: Vegan

Published August 18, 2009 @ 01:19PM PT

In animal rights advocacy, moments or days of feeling encouraged and heartened are too often countered or overshadowed by experiences that frustrate, dishearten, and discourage. It can be a one-step-forward, two-steps-backward movement. Sometimes what you think is progress isn't. Sometimes what you think is change is more of the same. Sometimes what you put all your faith into disappoints. And especially if you devote much of yourself to this movement, if you're immersed in it every day, those steps backward, those disheartening moments, those discouraging not-changes or missed opportunities can wear you down and come awfully close to breaking your spirit. When you know that you're fighting for the most oppressed, most abused, greatest-suffering beings on this planet, and literally tens of millions of them are being brutally slaughtered every single day after a too-short life full of exploitation and suffering, and yet people still seem not to care and are content to push it all aside--simply because, for example, they like how those animals taste and consider change to be inconvenient--and the movement's efforts are still mocked and marginalized rather than supported, it can be absolutely crushing.

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Friday Food: Creamy Ravioli, Homemade Tofu, "Tuna" Melt, Chocolate, Cherries, and More

by Stephanie Ernst

category: Vegan

Published August 14, 2009 @ 07:31AM PT

Photo by Show Me Vegan

There are weeks when the vegan foodie blogosphere seems oddly quiet. And then there are weeks when it seems like every few hours, Google Reader is presenting me with an incredible new recipe. This week? This week was one of the latter. Brace yourself for all sorts of animal-friendly awesomeness. If you don't continue after the jump, you're hurting only yourself.

Ravioli with Pesto Cream and Chili Tamarind Paste (unrelated recipes) from Vegan Dad

Homemade Tofu from Vegan Eats & Treats (I...am so...impressed)

Chocolate, Matcha, and Raspberry Parfait and Raspberry Lemon Ice Cream from BitterSweet

Vegetable Rundown (Jamaican Stew) from Show Me Vegan

Green Tomato Masial and Okra Subzi from Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

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Affluent Kids Get Healthy Animal-Free Lunches; Why Not All Children?

by Stephanie Ernst

category: Vegan

Published August 11, 2009 @ 08:36AM PT

We've talked about the need for healthy, humane plant-based options in schools several times on this blog (e.g., here and here). PCRM's Healthy School Lunches campaign has had a related petition on this site for a while now, in addition to elsewhere on the Web (go sign if you haven't!).

And recently, with the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act coming up in October, PCRM has stepped up its campaign, with this compelling ad placed around D.C., an ad that some find bothersome, as the Washington Post is reporting today.

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Friday Food: Fresh and Light Pastas, Zucchini Love, Filled Pancakes, and More

by Stephanie Ernst

category: Vegan

Published August 07, 2009 @ 06:05AM PT

Photo courtesy of a Raw Food Wednesday at What the Hell Does a Vegan Eat Anyway?

If you're growing a garden or taking advantage of farmers' markets and/or CSAs this year, this list is for you--included are several suggestions for how to use all those veggies, including at least a three or four recipes featuring that common garden favorite, zucchini (in addition to great recipes featuring ingredients that maybe don't grow in your garden too, of course):