Photo Credit - Alter Eco

It has been a busy few weeks so this will be a brief update, but I wanted to share this lovable link for chocolate lovers who don’t partake of animal products! VegNews does it again with a wonderful compilation of products found across the U.S. The treats are flavored with everything from quinoa to bananas to figs. The Alter Eco brand is organic and Fair Trade to boot!

With some people touting the health benefits of dark chocolate for our hearts and beyond, let’s live a little!

Photo Credit- San Diego CityBeat

I wanted to share a few exciting goings-on in the lovely spring month of April in seaside San Diego:

From San Diego CityBeat:

On Thursday, April 5, Sea Rocket Bistro’s serving up a $30, three-course prix-fixe vegetarian menu to help raise money for San Diego City College’s Urban Agriculture Program. The meal will feature produce grown at Seeds at City Urban Farm. We’re especially smitten with the Cape gooseberry bread pudding with candied fennel and gooseberry compote.

And on April 22 from 10 am to 5 pm in Balboa Park,  it is time for the 23rd annual Earthfair- the world’s largest annual environmental fair and Earth Day Celebration – produced by volunteers! For some reason this event always falls on a hot day, so bring your summer clothes and lots of water! However, the event may be in jeopardy due to conflicts between the World Beat Center and San Diego Park and Recreation Department.

From VegNews:

Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale
The fourth-annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale returns April 21 to 29, giving animal-welfare advocates a tasty way to raise money for a worthy cause. Participants sell their baked goods during the prescribed time period, with proceeds benefiting the charity of their choice. Approximately $100,000 has been raised in the three years since the event’s inception.

Delicious TV’s new television project is featuring popular vegan chefs through a six-episode cooking series to be distributed on public television. Since the episodes (half hour each) will be available to all stations via satellite, this project could explode as they will approach cable stations and eventually overseas markets.

Each week’s mash up is designed for universal appeal – every episode can be watched by followers of various diets. Join known chefs and cookbook authors Terry Hope Romero, Toni Fiore, and Miyoko Schinner every week in their own kitchens as they whip up some easy and tasty fare. A guest chef will be included to add some spice.

Betsy Carson’s “Totally Vegetarian” on Delicious TV has been seen nationwide and her recipe podcast VegEZ has reached more than 4.5 million people. She also produced Vegan Hotspot, a celebrity dining series.

The Chefs

Terry Hope Romero is the author and co-author of bestselling cookbooks Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, and Viva Vegan!: Authentic Vegan Latina American Recipes. She’s also presented cooking demos and talks at food festivals and conferences ranging from Paris to New York City, Toronto, and many more. Romero contributes to VegNews (leading vegan lifestyle magazine) through her “Hot Urban Eats” column. She holds a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University.

Toni Fiore

Toni Fiore is the host of the popular public television show Delicious TV’s “Totally Vegetarian.” Fiore was raised by an Italian-American father and a German mother who instilled in her a sociable nature and the love of travel and of good food. She has two grown vegetarian children and a cat named Cadie. The author of Totally Vegetarian: Easy, Fast, Comforting Cooking for Every Kind of Vegetarian, she is planning a future cookbook and the next season of her show.

Miyoko Schinner published three cookbooks, two of which are still in print, The New Now and Zen Epicure and Japanese Cooking: Traditional and Contemporary. She owned a restaurant, developed and sold products nationwide and on United Airlines, and taught cooking in front of live audiences and on television. Her cooking show, Miyoko’s Kitchen, aims to go mainstream with vegan cuisine and make it fun and accessible for all.

Check Out Delicious TV on Facebook or YouTube. Funds are needed to make this mash up show meet the highest television standard possible. Financial assistance will cover the film crew, equipment, editing, closed captioning, tape stock, and publicity.

Though compared to some places, San Diego’s winter is mild, we still gravitate toward foods that heat us up and add spice to life on those dreary grey Seattle-like days. The perfect product for adding that warmth and comfort appeared in the mail recently and I haven’t stopped dabbling with it since. Nacho Mom’s Ultimate Vegan Queso and the newer Fire Roasted Queso (gluten-free, with chipotle and fire-roasted tomatoes) are fabulous for getting that cheesy feeling some veggies crave.

To boot, this vegan product is fat-free, and has no allergens like soy, nuts or corn.

I put it on top of my tomato sauce-laden potato gnocchi and dipped crackers in the stuff. My non-vegetarian friend and I gobbled down an entire tray of nachos (tortilla chips, black beans, olives, avocado, and Nacho Mom’s). She said “I wouldn’t know this was not cheese – these are really good!”

Nacho Mom’s was started by an award-winning chef in Texas who went vegan and was left with cheese cravings to fulfill. Nutritional yeast and other ingredients do the trick, and plenty of people are enamored, including VegNews Magazine, who picked Nacho Mom’s as the Best New Product in “This Just In.”

For more info, recipes, and where to buy this wonderful product, see their website (link above), and follow this fun company on Twitter.

Mickey and Her Creative Cupcakes

At the recent Compassion Bash, I was charmed by delicious pumpkin spiced cupcakes with cinnamon “buttercream” and candied maple pecans. The vegan dessert was a creation of Mickey’s Bakery, which started in Berkeley, CA in 2002, although Mickey Walker had been baking vegan items since attending The Natural Gourmet Institute and working as a chef in several vegan restaurants. Eventually one of her cakes was featured in the VegNews wedding issue.

Mickey’s Bakery makes mostly special occasion cakes (for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.).

“Really any vegan baked goods that someone might want I can make — cookies, cinnamon rolls, pies, fruit tarts, muffins, truffles — sky is the limit!” said Walker.

With a higher demand for gluten-free items and also no dairy, soy or nuts, Walker is happy to experiment. She has made gluten-free cakes, cookies, tarts, cupcakes, and pies with success. She often uses organic, quality ingredients and fruits are usually chosen seasonally from a farmer’s market.

After only two years in San Diego, business has mainly been word of mouth. In the next few months the hope is to have a website up, and to see her vegan dessert and food in local cafés and health food stores. For now, Walker only does custom orders for private events — email mickeysbakery@gmail.com or call 619-770-7141.

This year Walker also started a personal chef business called Flourish.

Sample meals:  Coconut/Macadamia Nut Crusted Tempeh/Seitan with Rice and Sweet Mango-Coconut Curry Vegetables, and Cilantro Peanut Chutney, and Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Roasted Carrots, Caramelized Onions, to name a few.

“It’s funny, but none of my clients so far have actually been vegan! Most people are simply trying to eat healthier and cut the junk out! I focus on seasonal, local and organic, on top of being strictly vegan,” said Walker.

She charges $25 hourly, including shopping, menu planning, cooking, and clean-up. The initial consultation is free. Beyond 20 miles, fees may apply for time/gas.

“Everything was amazingly delicious! We’re amazed at your talent,” said an enthusiastic customer.

For more info, call 619-770-7141 or write flourishchef@gmail.com

It is unbelievable how life flies by, seemingly more so the older we get. As I turn 40 today I reflect on the journey since becoming a vegetarian 36 years ago — a choice I made as a four-year-old. My decision was supported by my mother who was already conscious of animal cruelty but was feeding us meat because she felt pressure from others for her “radical” choices at the time.

The year I was born, 1970, was also the first Earth Day — a big step for people to make correlations between their actions and the planet’s well-being.  For environmental and health reasons, and out of compassion for animals, I became a vegan 20 years ago. The world and the meat-free movement have changed much since I made those two dietary transitions.

Now with social media like Facebook and Twitter, vegetarians and vegans all over the world are in touch, relieving the isolation our unique lifestyle can bring. Many of us went from being called writers to being referred to as “bloggers” – who knew what that was until recent years? There are veggie blogs left and right; one can hardly keep up with all the information and inspiration.

Becoming a vegetarian today is much easier than a few decades ago. There are veggie events, great magazines like VegNews (celebrating its 10 year anniversary), cookbooks, restaurants, bakeries, and more. Food options have multiplied like crazy, and vegan cheeses have evolved from weird to delicious and capable of melting! There are many more types of energy bars, ice creams and other desserts without animal products.

As for veggie-friendly regions, San Francisco is in the forefront, having passed a resolution to observe every Monday as Vegetarian Day – urging local restaurants, schools and grocery stores to offer meatless options. May other cities follow soon. Let’s celebrate the huge strides we have made toward having a more compassionate world. That is the best birthday gift a lifelong vegetarian could ask for.

Photo by Navitas Naturals.

What do vegans eat? That is a common question we vegheads receive. What some folks don’t know is that for many people, the diet consists of a plethora of vegan dishes from all over the world.

Check out websites like International Vegetarian Union, which lists over 3,000 recipes from around the world. Some authors specialize in foods from all different countries, like Robin Robertson – see Global Vegan Kitchen and her bestselling cookbooks like Vegan Planet, Vegan Fire and Spice, and others. Robertson also has a column called “Global Vegan” in VegNews.

So, where to start if you feel like trying something different or are new to vegan cuisine? Ethiopian food entails wonderful pancake-like bread called injera which is used to scoop up beans, greens, salad and other sometimes spicy dishes. Mediterranean restaurants offer falafel (fried chickpeas), hummus, tabouli and more.

Indian food is an easy choice for veggies, with restaurants offering famously flavorful dishes like curries and dal (simmered spiced lentils, beans or peas). Trader Joe’s even has instant packaged foods for those on the run, like spicy eggplant. See this list of vegan goods they carry, many of which are international.

Thai food works for noodles, soups, veggie curries and the like — make sure to ask for no fish sauce. Fully-veg Asian restaurants abound in major cities. Araya’s Place has wonderful veggie food in Seattle, as does Loving Hut in San Diego and San Francisco, and Sipz in San Diego.

Mexican cuisine includes vegan dishes like burritos, tacos, tamales and such. Many places do no lard and no chicken stock. As long as the amazing avocado is involved, some of us are happy. The  list of ethnic foods goes beyond what I have mentioned, so travel the globe — or try something new in your own backyard.

Photo by Jeremy Pearl.

Allison and Family

You never forget your first taste of Allison’s Gourmet, organic vegan dessert from the heavens. I still recall with longing the birthday package filled with chocolaty brownies and cookies sent by my mom eight years ago, when fantastic vegan desserts were not as common.  The gift meant more knowing the treats were dreamed up by Allison Rivers Samson, a lovely woman I had met at a vegetarian event.

Today, the company’s widened vegan dessert range includes everything from brittle to peppermint patties to fair trade hot cocoa, sending anyone with a sweet tooth into Willy Wonka bliss. And all this creative genius stems from Samson, who became vegetarian in 1989 and vegan in 1997.

“Becoming vegan was one of the biggest turning points in my life and one of the best choices I ever made,” said Samson.

Being vegan outside of a large city can be challenging, but four health food stores are near the small community by the Sierra Nevada Mountains where Samson lives with her husband David and daughter Olivia.  Samson is also studying how to garden veganically, with mixed results.

The vegan family enjoys making food at home, like the Tuna-free Sandwich recipe created for Samson’s column, “Veganize It!” in VegNews Magazine.  A few other veggie-friendly websites Samson frequents are  The GirlieGirl Army and VegFamily.

In addition to writing a column, running a successful business for the last 14 years, and being a mom, Samson practices Nia, a movement form that incorporates dance, martial arts, and healing arts. She also teaches cooking classes occasionally. Her favorite class was at the preschool where Olivia is the only vegan and the other children were astonished they could make ‘cheese’ out of vegetables and all devoured Samson’s mac ‘n cheese.

People are much more willing to try vegan dessert and foods these days, Samson said, partly because vegan products have come a long way and people have greater exposure to the benefits of veganism.

“I really love that I get to do my passion every day, which is of course, creating and tasting yummy foods!” said Samson.

Vegan dessert lovers can rest assured there will be more to come from Allison’s Gourmet, including gluten-free products and other surprises!

Adam Yauch

With vegan and raw food diets becoming widely known for health benefits, many celebrities, including musicians, are filling their plates and homes with vegan products. Some of these famous vegetarians are taking a stand against environmental destruction and cruelty to factory farm animals by becoming vegan.

Alanis Morissette wiped her “Hands Clean” by saying goodbye to the processed food making her overweight and unhappy. In becoming a vegan, she lost 20 pounds, feels her best and no longer has aches and allergies.

Beastie Boy Adam (MCA) Yauch decided rather than let it be “Time to Get Ill,” is fighting off salivary gland cancer through Tibetan medicine, and at the recommendation of the Tibetan doctors he met in India, is following a vegan/organic diet.

Moby, a vegan of over 20 years, doesn’t really live like “Hope is Gone.” He has numerous albums, is outspoken on his animal rights passion, and even owns Teany, a New York City teahouse with vegan cuisine – closed for the moment due to a fire.

Erykah Badu has been vegetarian over 20 years. For the the last two years she has been vegan, after realizing “Time’s A Wastin.” She told VegNews, “[What farmed animals] endure is just terrible. It’s horrible.”

Snatam Kaur, a highly popular New Age musician, is definitely “Feeling Good Today!” as she graces so many others with her gorgeous voice and her compassion for all creatures and the planet.

“There’s actually nothing more powerful that one can do for the environment than become a vegetarian. The energy that goes into creating that piece of meat is incredible. And as human beings, we simply cannot digest it . . . during autopsies, they find traces of meat leftover from when somebody was five years old—even when they’re doing the autopsy on an 80-year-old. It’s just not healthy.” (Vision Magazine, November 2009 issue, article by Elyssa Paige)

Peaceful Snatam Kaur

Snatam will hold an afternoon Children’s Yoga Adventure’ workshop before a Nov. 14 show in San Diego.

For more extensive lists of musicians you might love who are veggie, don’t be afraid to Google!

Kath Rogers and Annie

Kath Rogers became a vegetarian at age 9, when as an only child very bonded to her dog, she felt like animals were meant to be friends.  At 13, she looked up “animal rights” on the Internet, realized eggs and dairy involved cruelty to animals, and became a vegan.

“Once you know (about cruelty), then it’s a conscious choice,” said Rogers, 24.

In 2003, at just 19, she co-founded a non-profit, Animal Protection and Rescue League (APRL), with her husband Bryan Pease as Pro Bono Attorney. Now volunteering at APRL, Rogers is also a full-time student finishing her Bachelor’s degree.

Today, APRL is powered by seven employees and about 50 active volunteers.  Through APRL, five California cities passed resolutions regarding foie gras. Pease spearheaded the passing of a state law allowing the seals to stay at the Children’s Pool in La Jolla, and APRL urged the City of San Diego to install hundreds of educational signs about feeding squirrels leading to unnecessary poisoning. Rogers and company led one of the largest signature-gathering efforts to support Proposition 2, setting more humane standards for confining farm animals. Persistence was the key to making a big impact.

In early 2009, Rogers was one of the activists featured in VegNews article “20 Under 30.”

“If you have confidence, you can make change. In the coming generations, we’ll see a vegan world. Most social movements have seen that a small percentage leads the rest of society to do the right thing,” Rogers said.

To fuel her body for her busy life, Rogers mainly eats fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains – from teff and quinoa to amaranth and millet. Another daily boost is her smoothie with frozen mangos/berries/spinach, spirulina, acai, hemp, soymilk, and cocoa. A favorite meal is blended cashew cream over rice noodles with tempeh bacon.

She suggests people wanting to become vegetarian or vegan try new foods at the grocery store, and explore cookbooks like How it all Vegan and recipes at vegcooking.com.