plant based Archives - Page 2 of 2

Could Tempeh Eventually Replace Meat At Our Kitchen Tables? Let Me Hear Y’All Say Yee-Haw For Texas Tempeh

January 18, 2014 by India Leigh

Beth & Becky founders of The Hearty Vegan

I arrived in Austin, promising myself I would lay low so I could complete a project I’ve been meaning to do for some time. But, I guess my curiosity for vegan artisans runs too deep. I was at the natural foods store, filling up my basket with ingredients for a recipe I was creating and I could not help but notice, in the chilled foods section, a local Texan company making Tempeh. After a brief search on the internet I find it is made by The Hearty Vegan, and run by a mom and daughter team, right here in Austin. With numbers of people adopting a plant based diet increasing steadily year on year, and the increasing population highlighting issues of landmass, meat alternatives are becoming ever more popular (and innovative with flavours and their uses), I’m all for spreading the word. So,I wanted to meet them. I sent a message and asked if they would like to get together. Thankfully, they replied that they would.

We arranged to meet in the cafe I ended up frequenting the most whilst I stayed in Austin, Counter Culture. It is a homey, vegan cafe. The painted bright turquoise interior is as bright as it’s servers. The owner, Sue, is a fellow world traveller who has put down her backpack and tied on her apron to share her love of food. I was sitting watching the world go by and sipping on hot tea when Beth and Becky breezed in, armed with a box of their tempeh goodies for me to try. They had that typical Austin warmth and easiness about them as I probed them with a million questions about their mutual tempeh obsession.

For those that don’t know. Tempeh was first made in Indonesia as a food protein, made from fermented beans. High in fibre, low in saturated fat and zero cholesterol, Tempeh is now becoming more and more popular as people seek tasty meat alternatives. It is incredibly versatile, ‘meaty’, with a firm texture that absorbs flavours well. Many prefer it over tofu for it’s firmer, more substantial texture. If you’ve not yet tried tempeh ‘bacon’ then do. You’ve got a treat in store.

The Hearty Vegan

Beth, the mom, told me how she turned vegetarian in college after choosing a topic to debate in class. She had to convince her classmates that being vegetarian was not only beneficial to health but morally responsible. She researched this subject that she had previously known nothing about, and formed her argument so well that she ended up convincing herself and became a vegetarian. Taking up many causes to help educate others to the vegetarian lifestyle. It really opened her eyes and made her live far more consciously. When Becky was born, she fed her a vegetarian, then vegan diet. She also decided to ‘un-school’ her for the majority of her education. Becky is a breath of fresh air. Her confident, passionate nature is obvious and infectious. My reserved British counterparts could benefit from her outlook and worldliness. Un-schooling obviously did her no harm, or judging by her sparky exuberance, neither does her being vegan.

Beth had been making tempeh for 25 years for herself and her family, and generously giving it to friends. Just over three years ago in 2010, she and Becky began forming a dream of selling their tempeh and their business becoming part of the local economy. So they founded The Hearty Vegan which is steadily growing as word spreads. They sell in many of Austin’s vegetarian friendly and vegan restaurants, food trucks, natural markets, local CSA’s and Whole Foods. Perhaps one day the big red heart logo of The Hearty Vegan’s Texas Tempeh will be as synonymous a lighted sign as that big old M used to be. It doesn’t take too much of a paradigm shift to see this as a possibility. The Beth & Becky team obviously is working. The girls have their own personal strengths that they bring to the company, and they clearly have a relationship that many mothers and daughters might wish they could have.

Over the years that awesome ‘at home’ baking and cooking has created a long list of recipes loved by many. Beth and Becky decided it was time to share them, and so put together the Vegan Duet cookbook. This news is fresh off the press, so I promise I will let you know when you can go buy the book for yourself. I think you will want to, with recipes like Asian Meatballs, Spanakopita, Southern Fried Tempeh, Blackened Burgers and Beth famous and delicious Dill Tempeh (‘Tuna’) Salad. They pride themselves on keeping it simple but delivering flavour with few ingredients. Tuna salad and meatballs are Beth’s particular pride and joy. I tried the salad and I’d have to concur it is pretty darned good!

They believe in offering people more choices. Alternatives to meat. They promise that they are never putting any weird stuff in their food and keep as close to the original Indonesian methods as practically possible. Their beans are non GMO, gluten free and 100% organic. I wondered what made their tempeh so delicious Becky told me,
‘We don’t pasteurise our tempeh. Instead, we sell it frozen. Freezing doesn’t kill this amazingly healthy fungus and so our tempeh is still alive. Our tempeh is white because it’s completely covered with mycelium. Beans are delicious by themselves, but the mycelium adds a a layer of rich, complex flavour that puts tempeh in a class by itself’.

Beth Taylor of The Hearty Vegan

After exhausting the girls with my barrage of questions it was time for us to part ways and for us to go back about our business. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. It is heartening to me when I see that businesses can be ethical, profitable, employment generating models, that can be a touchstone for all. I’m sure you will agree that’s happy making. The Hearty Vegan are one of several local food artisans I came across in Austin that are run by families, couples and friends. Their food served up with the characteristic joy and pride, bordering on obsession that food artisans usually embody.

Spicy sausage, sizzling in a pan.

I used the garbanzo tempeh for my original vegan and gluten free Haggis Neeps & Tatties recipe.

Their spicy sausage tempeh was turned into sausage crunches and topped my vegan breakfast tacos (I will share this recipe soon!)

Do I really believe that tempeh can be the high protein choice of many that can eventually overtake consumption of animal products? After tasting the likes of tempeh ‘bacon’, chewing down on a BBQ ‘rib’ made from The Hearty Vegan Garbanzo Tempeh, and my recipes of my own of Haggis, and Breakfast Taco’s with Sausage Crunchies, among others (not to mention the health benefits of plant based eating)…I’d have to shout out a whole hearted..’you bet ya’. And, I am sure Beth & Becky will be doing their darndest to make it happen.

Delicious. Organic. Cruelty Free. Beauty. 100% Pure.

January 13, 2014 by India Leigh

I had to tell you about an wonderful discovery I made on my latest trip. Just arrived in Austin, I was making my first stop to the local natural foods store in search of a good body lotion. I asked a member of staff to give me a recommendation and without a word she led me over to some beautifully packed tubes sitting on the shelf. ‘This smells INCREDIBLE’, she said, with much animation. I tried it. And it did. I squeezed a blob of the coconut body lotion onto the back on my hand and rubbed the lotion in. I honestly have never smelled any lotion or potion so delicious and intoxicating! I had to take it home!

Showered and slathered liberally in the stuff I smelled so gorgeous, I couldn’t stop inhaling the scent on my arms. Until it just started to look weird in public, so I stopped.

The range from 100%Pure is extensive. Literally has everything you could desire to preen and pamper your lovely self. I tried more products. As you know, if a product excites me I want to know more about the story behind it’s conception. Then I want to tell you all about it. You can read this amazing tale below the review. It is worth the scroll, believe me.

This is what I found.

The Pink Grapefruit body scrub. Intensely citrusy and vibrant. Chock full of luscious ingredients. The cane sugar crystals slope off any dead skin and the oils left my body feeling silky and utterly smooth and hydrated. NOTE: Be very careful when using this in the shower. It is oily and makes the bath/cubicle very slippery!

The coconut hand cream. This is the divine, intoxicating, tropically scented coconut moisturiser I first stepped into the heady, pampering world of 100%Pure with. The scent is like nothing else. I cannot smother my body in enough of the stuff. To be honest, in regards to the hand cream as opposed to the big tube of body lotion, unless you want a small handy carry size, I’d just buy the Virgin Coconut body lotion and use that. It did not appear to be any more concentrated.

The Coffee Bean Caffeine eye cream is hydrating and light. Smells divine! Tapping it around my eye socket. Not sure if I experienced any pepping up of the skin anymore than the physical action of acupressure around the socket with a light cream would provide. (But, I haven’t had any heavy nights to test it out upon waking lately!)

The fruit pigmented tinted moisturiser is hydrating and non-oily. It stayed put and gave a light coverage even on the warm days we had in Texas. It doesn’t have any sunscreen though. So you’d have to apply a layer of that or have a face powder with SPF as I do (but from a different company).

The cute little lip and cheek crayon (I have the Shimmering Strawberry) gives a natural healthy blush to your cheeks. It is actually tinted with whole fruit!

I really love all the packaging, and just knowing that I can go out and buy a total range of cosmetics and toiletries that are effective, smell DIVINE and are good for the planet makes me feel so hopeful for the expanding awareness that is making it’s presence felt in a growing number of businesses these days. Yay!

The story of Susie Wang

The real life story of the founder Susie Wang makes like a novel, or perhaps an exquisitely gentle, and beautifully shot movie. She grew up with her Geisha grandmother in Japan. Her formative years sound idyllic. At the age of 5 she was already immersed in the world of flora and loved to garden. She learnt about herbs, teas, trees and flora that surrounded her. She even cultivated her own fruits to make facial masks, perhaps this was as a result of witnessing the purity of the Japanese bath houses.

Despite this happy existence. Her grandmother wanted more for Susie that she had had in life. So at age 15 she sent her off to live in San Francisco. This world was so alien to Susie, so for solace she took to rescuing animals and volunteering at animal shelters. Susie settled and studied at the University of California in Berkerley, just across the Bay from San Francisco. One day, she purchased some anti ageing serum from a store and after just one week, found it oxidising and turning brown, meaning the Vitamin C, meant to be nourishing the skin was actually devoid of any power and was actually applying harmful free radicals to the skin. Susie being Susie, decided to find out how to stabilise the natural ingredients. This led to a patent. This led to some of the worlds largest cosmetics companies buzzing around her. So..she ended up working for them as a skincare formulator and product developer. Her new path was set.

The story then takes another surprising turn. (Quote) Susie was in the lab formulating the “next big eye cream”. She accidentally knocked over a vial of a chemical that was to go into that eye cream onto the lab table. Within a few minutes, the chemical eroded the lab table (I take it not the whole table?!). Shocked that the ingredients used to formulate cosmetics were harsh enough to eat away a lab table, Susie began digging for answers. She soon discovered that many chemicals that were widely used in cosmetics were proven to cause cancer, tumors, irritations, and other skin disorders. In addition to using toxic chemicals, Susie witnessed formulas only having just a dash of the active ingredients they were advertising and that most formulas were diluted with mostly water, thickeners, emulsifiers and other cheap fillers to “economize.”

Then, one day whilst she was in her organic garden picking berries, Susie noticed how the berries stained her fingers. The lightbulb went off. She realised all of the antioxidants and vitamins were in the actual fruit pigments.

The skills gained from her time at one of these huge international cosmetic company, and her outrage at at how these companies were misleading the public, AND her backyard berry picking discovery, compelled Susie to launch 100%Pure. 100%Pure was created to deliver the nutrients directly onto your skin. It’s like bathing and slathering in a fruit smoothie. But cleaner..and in a tube!

100% Pure is 100% Pure, vegan (or vegetarian when cruelty free honey is in formula), synthetic fragrance free, paraben free, toxic free and the most concentrated formulas possible without the use of water, thickeners, emulsifiers or any other cheap fillers. Cruelty-free. Is there anymore to love about Susie and her company? YES! They have even rescued and placed 21 dogs in loving homes last year alone, as well as given financial aid to those who need it for medical aid for their pets. Their long term goal is to open up an animal sanctuary to further help their mission to help animals. LOVE!

Isn’t that incredible?! I love that story! AND, I love smelling and feeling like a goddess!

Just so you know:

I spoke to 100%Pure to tell them how amazing their cream was (I like to let people know I appreciate them) and they were so happy to the extent of my gushing about their body cream to them, they sent me some other products to review. This review is based on my totally individual opinion and not at all biased. I guarantee that I will only ever tell you about products that I totally love.

Have you tried other products in the range? Leave a comment and let us know what else is good and we should try.

[Friday GIVEAWAY for Dog Lovers] Healthy Chew Bones For Your Darling Dog

August 2, 2013 by India Leigh

It’s the Friday Giveaway! We’re have 1 bag of medium or large BREATHBONES (you choose, depending on the size of your pooch).

Full of natural ingredients like sweet potatoes, carrots, cinnamon, spinach. Even chia seed get stirred into the mix(sounds delicious…try not to eat the chews yourself!). Parsley is added to make your dog’s breath sweet. Grain free, free of known allergens, and non-GMO.

A couple of months ago I posted an article about Vegan, Allergy Free Dog Food and it got you guys talking. Sometimes, something comes along that shifts beliefs we have had about how things are. It makes us question. That’s a good thing. It seems many dog owners are helping to optimise their dog’s nutrition with V-Dog. We really care about our pets and people are saying it helps manage their dogs diabetes, stops them itching, improves their digestion and keeps them bright. Now V-Dog have agreed to let you their Breathbones for free. If you want to be in with a chance for your dog to try them, just enter our giveaway.

Giveaway open to USA residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Food Writer Serving A Spoon Of Comfort - Feeding The Hungry Ghosts [Book Review] [Recipe]

June 5, 2013 by India Leigh

Ellen Kanner - Feeding the Hungry Ghost. A book that both surprised, comforted and delighted me.

Ellen’s book was waiting for me, upon return from my latest trip, atop my pile of unopened mail. Sent to me by the New World Library. i plunged into it with a hearty appetite for culinary prose.

Ellen writes a blog and is Huffington Post’s Meatless Monday guru/writer/cook. I had no previous knowledge of Ellen so I had no preformed ideas or expectations.
I was surprised at the manner in which it is written. Though the book is entitled, ‘Life, Faith and What To Eat For Dinner’, it is far from preachy. More observational from a curious’ perspective. It is a book of vegan recipes, however, you could almost take away any reference (of which they were few in number), to the fact all recipes are plant-based, and it would just be a wonderful, honest and tender memoir of life. Ellen has a well developed sense of fun too, and is just a little bit naughty. She drew me into her stories. I was rapt. She writes of her travels, family life, an early altercation with a rabbi. She had me in stitches as she recalled attempts at mass seduction with her amorous cardamon & apple crumble. It’s an honest, book. Ellen’s not afraid to tell you where she trips up in life. She seems to accept all she is, peculiarities (in her eyes) and all, with humour.

Ellen shares her life and love through food. I wanted to be sitting alongside her at her kitchen table as she shared her tales. I almost felt like I was! To me, a book is good if it offers me something. Knowledge. A whiff of escape. It was, comforting to my jet lagged and befuddled mind. The cover features a bowl of warming soup. It sums up the contents for me; comforting, nourishing.

I didn’t want it to end. Some parts resonated more than others. I will leave you to connect in the places where you may need.

The recipes are almost secondary. I just wanted to feast on her stories. But it is so clever in a way, as the stories stay with you long after the book has nestled into its new home on your shelf, and I found myself returning to the book to see what other of Ellen’s recipes I could try.

Containing culinary diverse recipes. 49 of them squeezed between the prose. Some are exotic, influenced by her travels. All are simple. Even the novice cook would/could/should happily reconstruct Ellen’s dishes in their own kitchen. She lulls you into a cocoon of security and makes everything feel like the making of it would be a breeze. She encourages you to bake, chop, shop, all in the company of others.

Think ‘How to hack life via the life in your kitchen’ type of paperback.

Conclusion? I LOVED IT!

The book was inspired by the Hong Kong Festival Of The Hungry Ghost, Yu Lan. A festival on the 15th night of the seventh month that legend tells is the night when the deceased come party with the living.
This was the first recipe I chose to recreate.

recipe Republished from Culinate.com From the book Feeding the Hungry Ghost by Ellen Kanner. This content is from the book Feeding the Hungry Ghost by Ellen Kanner. Copyright @ 2013 New World Library

Hungry Ghost Mood Modifier

Serves

Introduction

Shirataki are low-calorie, gluten-free noodles made from sweet potato, with an interesting chew. They require no cooking, come packed in water, and can have an off-putting smell when you open the bag. Don’t be afraid; just rinse them well. Find shirataki, along with rice vinegar and sesame oil, at most Asian markets and natural-food stores.

Ingredients

	2	tsp. canola or peanut oil
	1	garlic clove, minced
	1	thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
	2	scallions, chopped
	1	carrot, cut into matchsticks
	1	celery stalk, chopped
	1	red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
	1	cup shredded cabbage
	4	oz. firm tofu, cut into bite-size cubes
	2	Tbsp. soy sauce
	1	Tbsp. Asian rice vinegar
	1	tsp. agave nectar or honey
	1	tsp. sesame oil
	1	package (8 ounces) shirataki, rinsed well and drained

Steps

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes.
Add the carrot, celery, and red bell pepper. Cooking, stirring occasionally, until they become tender, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Add the cabbage and tofu. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the vegetables and tofu from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cabbage wilts quickly, so this will take only 3 to 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, agave nectar, and sesame oil. Pour the mixture over the vegetables and tofu, and stir gently until evenly coated.
Add the shirataki and toss to combine. Cook, giving a gentle stir, until the sauce is mostly absorbed and the shirataki is heated through, a few minutes more.

Serve.
So good. Even better when eaten with exaggerated slurping noises. Try it. It’s traditional in China to eat noisily!

I contacted Ellen, to ask her just one question.

I wonder, with all your time filled with whisking up feasts for other people, what dish do you most like being served to you?

Ellen replied
Thank you for your delicious question. I adore fresh greens, legumes and chilis in every combination and every cuisine, from Indian curries to soulful Mediterranean stews.

If you want a weekly feed of Ellen, you can! Here is the link to her Huffington Post column.

Does Cheese Have To Be Made From Dairy to be good? Mozzarella Alternative. Free Of Lactose!

June 4, 2013 by India Leigh

I’ve been reviewing quite a number of vegan cheeses lately (I will include the links at the end of the article). Most, if not all, have been produced in the USA. This cheese, MozzaRisella is made in Europe. Italy to be exact. I decided to try it for myself and chat with the guy who is bringing this dairy free cheese to Britain.

With zero cholesterol. Lower in fat than dairy mozzarella. It is better for not only those who eat a plant-based diet but also those with lactose intolerance, or those wishing to eat healthier. It is true of any cheese though. Moderation.

It is more expensive than dairy based www.galbani.co.uk But, allergy free food, when first to market are usually more expensive. However, they are usually also have more of an artisanal quality. Quality ingredients, respecting nature.

Cheese is often sited as the sticking point from a animal based diet to plant-based one. So, in my mind, the more plant-based cheeses I can write to you about the better. Once you’ve opened the portal to vegan cheese, you quickly step out of any incorrect assumptions about dairy being the only way to make cheese and expand your experience to differing ingredients, much like when you first heard about goats cheese, right?!

So, what’s it taste like? Does it stand up to the flavour test?

MozzaRisella comes in three guises.

Original - a firmer cheese, similar to mozzarella, light and creamy, but not quite as cool and silky. It found it’s niche, paired with fresh basil and vine tomatoes. I crumbled some on one of my gluten free pizza crackers, tore off a few basil leaves and cut heirloom toms and finished with a light drizzle of olive oil. Scrumptious!

SmokeyRisella - infused with turmeric for a smokey flavour. I admit I just sliced, and ate!

CreamyRisella - like a smooth cream cheese, with a hint of tang. I wondered if it would make a good gananche (mini chocolate bites were just cooling from the oven at the time) incorporated naturally sweet carob flour, a dash of agave nectar, vanilla seeds and a pinch of salt and whipped with a spatula to create a simple ganache for mini, chocolate bits. Incredible!

They all melt too! Check out their really cute video

CreamyRisella dolled up as a tantalising ganache, sat atop a mini bite.

So, I wondered just how they managed to make cheese from rice. In their own words, here is how…

By following the natural rhythms of germination we activate the seeds of brown rice (only Italian origin) in spring water flowing at 600m above sea level in the heart of Lessinia Park - Piccole Dolomiti. In this stage, when the buds are at their maximum vitality, we transform the germinated brown rice in a delicious and balanced ”vegan milk” thus achieving the BioSuRice: laboratory tests confirm the presence of precious and balanced nutrients in germinated brown rice, useful for people wellness. It is, among vegan drinks, the most similar to breast milk.

INTERVIEW!

I wanted to find out more about the people behind MozzaRisella. I told them of my curiosity and this is what Mauro, at London HQ, had to say.

‘Basically , a cheese producer (of three generations) in Italy, was vegetarian, and was becoming vegan. He was looking for an alternative and he met a dynamic young company specialised in germinated whole rice milk. which had just invented what we call MozzaRisella Today. The two put their heads together. It took another year before arrive to create the MozzaRisella. The project has started and is growing. He still producing cheese back in Italy, as you cannot stop a business in a day and unfortunately the non vegan are still more than us vegans. But they are conscious of what they started is the future, and they are looking to stop their cheese production as the MozzaRisella production will increase’.

At the beginning, MozzaRisella was only a vegan cheese substitute for pizza (this was the concept) but later they discovered that in the organic and natural shops in Italy, there is more and more demand for vegan products, not as much as Germany or England, but is growing a lot, and they found support from many people and associations. Mauro Vendramin, a Venetian and the UK distributor, has known the producer (Alessandro Menegon) since he was 15.

‘two years ago he came to see me in London with the prototype of Mozzarisella. To be honest I could not believe it! I decided to help them creating the brand and the marketing. So in the end at the base of the project, some vegan and vegetarian, young entrepreneurs, (including some volunteers) and lot of friendship has bought about MozzaRisella today.

In times of climate change, land shortage, obesity and heart disease, it is good to see another sustainable food product on the rise. Try it. Or maybe you have already? Let us know. Click on the comments link below.

other cheese reviews by A Vegan Obsession: Dr. Cow Cheese Making Workshop

Para mis amigos italianos .. aquí es donde usted puede conseguir MozzaRisella en Italia!

Pulled ‘pork’ Jackfruit with Fresh & Crunchy Apple & Cabbage Slaw -

May 21, 2013 by India Leigh

It’s National Vegetarian Week in the UK!
I’m kicking it off with Sage & Apple ‘pulled pork’ Jackfruit. Great BBQ food for our ‘great’ British Summer. Did I say great? I meant grey. I should have said grey. It’s just..grey (So far anyway). BUT, I’m ever the optimist. Anyway, this dish doesn’t need sun. It does beg to be shared.

Please, carnivore BBQ’rs. No more bland freezer veggie burgers! Serve this to your veggie friends. The meat eaters will no doubt want some, so make extra. I want to show you that plant based food is delicious AND easy. The bonus is it is very low fat, low carb and is a good choice for protein.

What you will need

1 tin young green jackfruit, in brine (buy from Asian stores or online).

1 diced onion

1 apple chopped into 8 pieces (1/2..1/2 again, 1/2 again)

1/4 cup water

2 large cloves minced garlic

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tbs sage (or 1 tsp chopped fresh sage)

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

olive oil for frying

Step 1

Put a small amount of oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the onions and sprinkle over the salt. Mix. Add a lid and gently sauté until soft.

Step 2

Open the jackfruit can and drain the contents. The chunks are in triangular pieces. Cut off the bottom V where the core attaches to the outer. This will allow the pieces to stew and take on the look of pulled pork (but do put all the pieces in the pan).

Step 3

Add the jackfruit. The chopped apple and herbs to the onions. Add the water. Stir and keep the heat on a low simmer, without the lid, for 20 minutes. Then turn off the heat. Allow the stew to cool a little. It is best to leave over night, for jackfruit to take on the fullest flavour. But, don’t worry if you can’t.

Now, you can stop there. The stew is lovely with creamy mashed potato, and/or sautéed french beans. But, if you want a more intense flavour more akin to something you’d find in a bun then lets continue. Turn on the oven. 250 c or Gas mark 8.

Step 4 (optional)

This step is to bake most of the water out of the stew and make it dryer. Intensifying the flavour. At this point you can add a chilli sauce and 1 tbs extra of balsamic vinegar or tamari. Or your favourite BBQ sauce, if you like that sweet, caramel, salty and hot flavour.

Take a high sided baking sheet. Gently transfer the stew to the baking sheet and spread it out. Bake for 20-30 mins. Keep a watch on it though. Move the stew around with a spoon, and make sure it all gets its time at the top. It will dehydrate. Keep tasting it and see what level of dryness you want to take it. It will also get more chewy. More like jerky.

Serve with an apple, cabbage coleslaw. Throw on some chopped green/salad/ onions (scallions). Some rocket (arugula) and fresh herbs from your garden.

What are you doing for National Vegetarian Week? Don’t be shy, let us know in the comments below.

If you need some ideas, here is a list of events from the Vegetarian Society UK.

Animal Lovers. People Lovers. Planet Lovers. How to get ACTIVE.

April 29, 2013 by India Leigh

My recent (and still current) trip to California has been an eye opener. It seems my scope is broadening. Timing is playing it’s soulful tune!
I’ve been afraid before, to look at the issues surrounding mal practice in the meat/dairy industry. Afraid that I’d have to tie myself to a tree or lie in front of a animal shipment truck or have to share my apartment with a pig I rescued from a farm in the dead of night. I wasn’t ready for all that. To be honest, I am also afraid of the enormity of it all. It looks to me like such a vile and unimpenetrable mess that it overwhelms me. Movies like Vegucated Earthlings Food Inc. to name a few just had me mortified. I wasn’t ready for it and I’m still not sure I am ready to step up fully, but I am now ready to step into the fray and take a better, more in-depth look.
But I see you don’t have to do that to make a difference. If each one of us did a little bit, collectively we can be powerful and change will come. I see these organisations are happy for you to help by volunteering, donating or just helping spread the word, should you wish, without having to stop washing or have my hair fall into unruly dreadlocks. A stereotype of the activist that really doesn’t hold up anymore. I am meeting more and more people who are adopting a meatless diet because of the atrocities of meat and dairy industry.

What can you do to help?
We can make a difference simply by going to a nice and clean supermarket like Whole Foods, Sainsbury’s or Superama (or whatever your local store is called), and shop consciously. That in itself is more powerful that you can imagine. In a consumer world, currency casts votes. Currency changes worlds. You can make a positive change, countless times EVERY DAY.

If you want to do more. As I now do. Then there are organisations you can join with. Normal people who just care about the environment and animals. Do what feels right for YOU.

The following organisations are in the US. They are some of the amazing people that I met recently. There are many, all over the world. This is by no means a comprehensive list. Thankfully, the world is full of passionate people making positive change. Also, this isn’t just about animals but people who have to be exposed to pesticides and horrific animal practices to earn a living who probably have little clue on the effect it is reeking.

I was at Berkeley Vegan Earth Day and met with author and activist Sarah Stone.. A fascinating woman who has volunteered with the Jane Goodall Institute in Africa and was offering information about various animal and farming issues to anyone who asked.

Factory Farming Awareness Coalition. “The Factory Farming Awareness Coalition is an educational non-profit committed to empowering people to save the environment, animals, and our own health through our daily food choices.” It’s an all-volunteer organization, founded and led by Katie Cantrell. FFAC has an informative, engaging (and free) power-point presentation that brings together the issues of animals, the environment, and worker’s rights. In addition to trainings in the Bay Area, FFAC has recently had tours in the Northwest and on the East Coast and is partnering on the current Justice Without Boundaries tour, a new collaborative effort uniting activists from the United States and Mexico, with 40 presentations in 14 cities, including speaker training and vegan cooking demonstrations.

FFAC is always looking for new members, places (schools, colleges, organizations, etc.) to give the presentation, and new speakers (FFAC provides trainings and materials). And right now there’s a Blue Sky contest on BART. Anyone who votes is entered for the chance to win a $500 Clipper card. If people vote for FFAC, they can help get out crucial information about factory farming to everyone who rides BART. I’m including the details and link below.

If you want to know more than the websites show, you can reach Katie directly at Factory Farming Awareness Coalition ([email protected]). And meanwhile, here are the links and the Blue Sky info.

Here’s the FFAC website:

Factory Farming Awareness Coalition

And the website for the Justice Without Boundaries tour.

http://justicewithoutboundaries.com/

The blog has pictures from recent tours:

http://ffacoalition.org/blog-2/

And you can see Katie giving a version of the presentation online:

http://ffacoalition.org/media/

Here’s the Blue Sky info:

www.bart.gov/guide/bluesky/contest.aspx

Vote for your favorite Blue Sky partner for a chance to win a $500 Clipper card

There are so many great non-profit organizations doing important work in the Bay Area, now’s your chance to help them out. As part of BART’s Blue Sky Celebration, you can vote for your favorite BART Blue Sky non-profit partner here. The non-profits that get the most votes will win valuable exposure in front of BART’s 400,000+ daily weekday riders for their organizations, and YOU have a chance to win a $500 Clipper card just for voting. You can only vote one time, so make it count. You have until Sunday, May 12, 2013 to vote.

This contest features non-profits that are participating in our BART Blue Sky Festival, and are promoting some great initiatives that are making a difference locally.

You can vote for one of the following: Bay Area Green Tours, City CarShare, CUESA (Ferry Plaza Farmers Market),Factory Awareness Coalition Friends of the Urban Forest, Greenbelt Alliance, Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco, Save the Bay and Sierra Club, SF Bay Chapter.

Alternate Method of Entry: e-mail or mail. Entrants may submit an entry for the sweepstakes, but will not be able to submit a vote by mail.

To submit by email, send an email with the subject line “BART Blue Sky Sweepstakes 2013, Attn: Email Submission” containing your full name and phone number to [email protected]. Your email address and phone number will be used solely to notify you of a winning entry.

To submit by mail, include your full name and either a telephone number or email address, and mail your entry to BART Blue Sky Sweepstakes 2013, Attn: Mail Submission, Marketing Dept., P.O. Box 12688 (LKS-18) Oakland CA 94604-2688.

All entries received in this manner will be entered in the BART Blue Sky Sweepstakes, but will not be eligible to vote for their favorite Non-Profit. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. PT on May 12, 2013. Sponsor’s official judging organization’s computer is the official time keeping device for internet entries. Limit one entry per email address and/or person.

PETA are an international organisation. You could look at their website and see how you can help. Or just educate yourself.
Animal Liberation Front

Please leave a comment below and tell us the ones in your country.

What are your antioxidant levels? Protect yourself!

April 29, 2013 by India Leigh

I was at a New Living Expo in San Francisco this weekend. I saw this scanner that measures your bodies antioxidant levels. It was featured on Dr. Oz in his episode about the importance of antioxidants to protect your body from diseases like heart disease, cancer, ageing. It is also immune boosting. Read here

I was sitting next to a woman who asked the woman who was testing her, ‘what do I need to do to get into the top blue level?’. I was waiting for my results at the time. I got 64K! High Presence of antioxidants. I said to her….

‘Eat more greens. LOVE KALE. Eat more PLANTS. In the very least, Embrace Meatless Monday or better still adopt a low-fat vegan diet.
Be a non-smoker.
Don’t drink alcohol.
Walk lots, and zumba your bootie off as often as you can!’

Get some colour on your plate!

Be well

India Leigh xo

Sophie’s Kitchen - Healthy & Convenient Plant-Based Seafood - Reivew & Your Chance To Win!

April 25, 2013 by India Leigh

I’ve never tasted scallops. I’ve tasted prawns. I wasn’t that into them. But when I saw this new ‘seafood’ product being demonstrated in my local organic store, in San Francisco, in my efforts to review foods for your transition or already plant based diet, I wandered over to where all these delicious smells were emanating and grabbed some samples to taste. Calamari. Scallops. Crab Cakes and Fish Cakes. Frying on a griddle and partnered with Vegenaise Tartar Sauce. I tried. I tasted. I was hooked. I had to tell you about them and not just because of their flavour. Here’s why…

According to a shocking study by the American Academy of Paediatrics 1 in 12 children have a food allergy. It was a severe allergy to seafood sparked one young girl’s father, Eugene Wang to create an alternative. Wang had a 20 year history in the food industry. He also had an increasing awareness to the reported dwindling numbers of sea creatures from over dredging of our oceans, not to mention increasing levels of pollutants. At the same time, he also was noticing the trend towards the vegan lifestyle. So he took his Taiwanese knowledge of ingredients and concocted an alternative using Konjac (pronounced ‘kon-jack’) , a mineral rich seaweed, widely used in Asia. His company, based in Sebastopol and founded in 2011 and Sophie’s Kitchen (named after his daughter), now produces 7 faux seafood products.

100% vegan & plant based
Gluten free
Kosher
Non-gmo
Soy free
No cholesterol, trans fat or preservatives
High fiber

Located the frozen section. Sophie’s Kitchen products include - Prawn, fish fillet, calamari, shrimp, fish sticks, coconut shrimp, smoked salmon. All vegan & gluten free! It is hard to see a processed product as a health food, we have been so used to the stuff in packets being high in salt, fat and cholesterol, but if you need food in a hurry then you just may love these. Eating them feels/tastes like a decadent treat.

The secret to the texture of the ‘seafood’ is Konjac.

Konjac root is used as vegan substitute for gelatine and is the main ingredient in Sophie’s Kitchen’s range. The starchy corms of the plant are made into a flour and jelly. In its basic form konjac is a tasteless food which easily absorbs accompanying flavours. It has zero calories. Yep, calorie free. It is used in every dieters dream food - shirataki noodles . It is also zero carbs! Packed with soluble fibre, clinically proven to actually lower cholesterol. It has a really high fiber (fibre) content that slows digestion, therefore controlling blood sugar and increasing the feeling of fullness or satiety. I know, I know, I am excited about this too! But that is in it’s pure state. Sophie’s Kitchen add breading to some products (gluten free, made with potato starch and brown rice powder) and so this adds to the calorie value, but their values are still really low. I sampled the scallops and found them to have the slightly rubbery texture akin to seafood and a subtle, savoury, but not really ‘fishy’ flavour. I loved them. And the bonus is, if you grill/broil them or dry fry in a little stock they are only 50 calories, 1g fat and 11g carbs per 100g serving. Awesome!! The crab cakes (120 kcal, 13g carb, 3g protein) had an interesting texture. They are a patty of shredded konjac gel which has a flaking consistency. The flavours are all of their own, hard for me to describe, but really good. Delicately seasoned with white pepper. As a long term vegan I appreciated the new flavours and textures. My housemate, presently a carnivore, is always honest about the little ‘trials’ I put before her as she sits at her desk working. She enthusiastically pronounced that they were both ‘really delicious’.

The products have an ingredient, beta glucan, I’d not come across before so I researched it to make sure it was not a ‘nasty’ and was ok for you. According to the information I found online, beta glucan is a soluble fibre that may lower blood sugar. It has also been proven to be an immune stimulator. I’ve since seen it sold in veggie caps online at a health food store.

There are recipes on the website but really I think they are meant as a quick and easy convenience food. I spoke with a member of the Sophie’s Kitchen team and she said their customers regularly use them in Asian style soups and lettuce wraps. Veg TV has a couple of recipes if you need some inspiration.

I asked the people at Sophie’s Kitchen they’d let me offer one person a chance to try them for free. They happily agreed. Simply just use the Rafflecopter below and like my Facebook page. Good luck. Oh..sorry, entrants only in the USA please. T&C’s in the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Introduction

Ingredients

Steps

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