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American Ahimsa Lights The Way New Series: Volume 5 Number 1 SPRING 2006 From Her Tennessee Home Louise Hagler’s house is built around her kitchen—a perfect setting for vegan cooking demos, and the center of her life. An American soyfoods pioneer, Louise started experimenting with soy over thirty-five years ago—at first on her own, then with other community members at The Farm in Summertown Tennessee. They made tofu, soymilk, and tempeh in their homes on wood stoves, and then, as a village industry, for The Farm Community and beyond. “It was our shared knowledge that really made it possible to put it all together,” she says. Louise teaches cooking classes across the country. Articles by and about her are published in the media, which calls on her expertise. She also serves as a consultant for Soy Nutrition Education Projects and is a member of the advisory board for Plenty International. Central Mexico is where Louise currently spends part of each year doing soy education. More inside, page 3... INSIDE: Donald Watson dies at 95 Vegan Health Study: Clinical Summary McCartneys Plea for Seals Candle Cafe Vegetarian History Unwine & Uncheese Reception Cows & Global Warming Firemen Go Vegan Raw-Vegan Centers Open on East & West Coasts Recipes, Reviews AHIMSA THE COMPASSIONATE WAY AHIMSA is a Sanskrit term meaning non-killing, non-injuring, non-harming. AVS defines it in daily life as Dynamic Harmlessness, spelled out at right. THE AMERICAN VEGAN SOCIETY is a non-profit, non-sectarian, non-political, tax-exempt educational membership organization teaching a compassionate way of living by Ahimsa (see above) and Reverence for Life. VEGANS—pronounced VEE-guns—live on products of the plant kingdom, so exclude flesh, fish, fowl, dairy products (animal milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, etc.), eggs, honey, animal gelatin, all other items of animal origin. VEGANISM ALSO EXCLUDES animal products such as leather, wool, fur, and silk, in clothing, upholstery, etc. Vegans usually try to avoid the less-thanobvious animal oils, secretions, etc., in many soaps, cosmetics, toiletries, household goods and other common commodities. AN EDUCATIONAL CONVENTION is held each year, at Malaga or elsewhere. INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL ADVICE is not given; AVS educates on ethical, ecological, aesthetic, healthful, economic aspects of vegan living in general. KNOWLEDGE AND OPINIONS in articles (or books, tapes, etc., listed or reviewed in American Vegan ) represent the views of the individual authors, not necessarily those of the society or American Vegan. CONFIDENTIALITY: AVS' membership list is never rented or given out for commercial use or solicitations. NO PAID ADVERTISING: any notices printed are for informational value to our readers, and unpaid. ARTICLES or items may be submitted for possible publication. AMERICAN VEGAN SOCIETY Since 1960 Founder: H. Jay Dinshah AVS Council Members & Officers *Freya Dinshah, Malaga, NJ –President/Treasurer/Editor Roshan Dinshah, Malaga NJ –1st Vice President *Rosemary O’Brien, Woodbridge NJ –2nd Vice President/Secretary *Anne Dinshah, Erie PA –Assistant Editor *Andy Mars, Los Angeles CA Daniel J. Dinshah, Malaga NJ –Assistant Treasurer *Gabriel Figueroa, Austin TX *Council Website hosted by VegSource 2 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 ABSTINENCE from Animal Products HARMLESSNESS with Reverence for Life INTEGRITY of Thought, Word, and Deed MASTERY over Oneself SERVICE to Humanity, Nature, and Creation ADVANCEMENT of Understanding and Truth American Vegan Volume 5, Number 1— Spring 2006 ISSN: 1536-3767 © 2006 CONTENTS 1, 3—From Her Tennessee Home 3—Plenty Projects 4—Canadian Seals Get Help 5—Unwine and Uncheese Reception 7—Dr. Klaper’s Vegan Health Study 12—Vegan Diet: Bad, Good, or Superior? 13—Farewell to Donald Watson 14—Book Reviews:101 Reasons Why I’m a Vegetarian; Raw Food/real world 15—Raw-Vegan-Gourmet Cuisine Centers 16—Book Review: The Candle Cafe Cookbook 17—Book Review: More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally 18—Book Review: Vegetarian America: A History 19—Book Review: Vegetarian Christian Saints 20—Cows Contribute to Global Warming 21—Vegans Gather for National Conference 22—Vegan Diets Include Most Necessary Nutrients 24—Recipe Demo by Cory Davis 25—Hippies Find Happiness...on The Farm 27 to 29—FarmSoy, Mushroom People, Book Publishing, Quilt Making, Community Center, Tempeh Making, Vegan Deli, Ecovillage. 30—Firefighters Gone Vegan? 31—Vegfam & Notices 31—Vegan Dogs Now at Phillies Ballpark 32—Consumer Listings 33—Calendar of Conferences 34—AVS Annual Meeting 34—Letters to Editors 34—Obituary: Gloria Cossaboon 35—AVS membership/subscription Cover Design: Scott Depew Front & Back Cover Photos: Linda Long 2005 TN Conference Photos: Linda Long Printed by GraphiColor, Vineland NJ Book & Video catalog available from AVS. From front cover Soy Huichol The Huichol, descendants of Aztecs, live in remote villages in the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains along the Pacific side of Mexico. Theirs was an isolated self-sufficient community, strong, with traditional ways. They resisted assimilation attempts by governments and religious organizations. But exposure to global forces reduced their numbers (they are now about 7,000), impoverished and made them vulnerable to social problems such as alcoholism. They frequently do not grow enough food to provide adequately for their children. The Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts is run by local people. It is in the market town of Heujuquilla, in Jalisco, to which villagers come to sell crafts and agricultural products, and buy supplies; and from where buses leave for other parts of the country. Plenty International is working with this center, the Mexican government’s Department of Infants and Families, and Chapingo University – Agriculture, to develop and maintain a program of nutrition education and soy food supplementation for Huichol families. Louise Hagler has been working with the Huichol Center’s staff to develop recipes (using soybeans, soymilk, tofu, and texturized vegetable protein) that local Huichol, and urban and rural Mexican families, would comfortably integrate with traditional meals. Demonstrations are set up in village centers. Louise described one which was soon operating like a three-ring circus making gorditas (TVP-potato-chile filled tortillas), cooking soymilk (some Enjoy working with soy! Photo: Linda Long Louise (with Dorothy Bates) edited the first cookbook put together by Farm members which presented recipes and nutritional information for a completely vegetarian diet based on the use of beans (particularly the versatile soybean) and grains along with fruits and vegetables. The Farm Vegetarian Cookbook first edition was published in 1975. Louise edited their next landmark book, Tofu Cookery, which features full-color plates and has been a consistent best seller. More books followed. was made into atole which is a cornflour-t hickened, spiceflavored drink), and making tofu. Ladies of all ages attended and took samples home for their families. They were interested to see soybeans and how they grow, and to learn of the protein value and many ways they can be used.. Now villagers are buying soybeans, which they get at cost along with illustrated instructive leaflets Louise helped prepare. Growing trials of 35 soybean varieties are underway to see which are most suited to the area. • Other Plenty Projects Peter Schweitzer has been working with Plenty International since 1974 and is its current executive director. Plenty works with community groups: natives protecting their cultures; women improving their health, economic and social structures; families, schools and community groups focusing on children’s welfare; and those teaching the young respect for the earth and all its living things. In Belize projects include organic school gardens, and nutrition and environmental education. In Mexico, Guatemala, and Nicaragua the expansion of locally-grown high-nutrient foods to improve family nutrition and food security, and increase employment in rural and urban communities is underway. Plenty’s Kids to the Country in the U.S. brings inner-city kids to middle Tennessee. Katrina Following hurricane Katrina, Plenty sent crews to repair roofs, and train others in this job. Plenty is providing food, clothing, and medical care, and doing clean-up along the Gulf coast of Mississippi and Louisiana, primarily with Native American communities in the Bayou regions southwest of New Orleans. Volunteer help is still needed. To give your support, contact them, or send a check to, Plenty International, Box 394, Summertown TN 38483 or donate through their website www.plenty.org. • Information in this article is from a talk given by Louise and Peter at AVS’ 2005 conference, and from the Plenty website. FD American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 3 Canadian Seals Get a Little Help from their Friends Heather and Paul McCartney Urge Canadian Prime Minister to Prevent Upcoming Massacre March 9 2006 e-news from In Defense of Animals Former Beatle Paul McCartney and his wife Heather Mills McCartney recently accompanied other animal advocates on a visit to the Canadian ice floes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in hopes of halting the slaughter of over 300,000 baby seals for their fur. While there, they urged Canada's newly elected Prime Minister to implement the will of the people by banning the annual seal massacre. "[The] majority of [Canadian] citizens – as well as those in Europe and America – are opposed to it," the couple has said. "We have complete faith that Prime Minister Harper will take swift and decisive action to end the slaughter of these defenseless seal pups for good." Canadian fisheries officials had actually considered prosecuting the McCartneys for "interfering with a marine mammal" because the couple had been photographed hugging a single baby seal. The sad irony is that these same fisheries expressing grave concern about the McCartneys’ "disruption of the herd" will soon butcher hundreds of thousands of the newborn seals in a frigid bloodbath if Prime Minister Stephen Harper doesn't intercede to save them. Even though the defenseless seal pups have only just been weaned from their mothers, fishermen will beat them with clubs and shoot them with rifles later this month. Last year, more than 98.5% of the seals killed were newborn pups less than two months old. Witnesses to the slaughter saw many seals skinned alive. During their visit, Paul also met with the press and addressed practical concerns raised about the slaughter's impact on the local economy "[The seal hunt] is quite a small amount of [the communities'] annual revenue," he pointed out, "and this could be easily sorted out by the Canadian government, if they care to do it." Sealing is an off-season activity conducted by commercial fishermen from Canada's Atlantic Coast. On average, they make about one-twentieth of their annual incomes (approximately $14.5 million) from sealing (the rest comes from working in commercial fisheries). Canada exports over three billion dollars worth of seafood a year to the U.S. alone, but only makes a few million from the seal slaughter. Products made from seal pelts were banned decades ago in the U.S. and the European Union. This is not the only time the McCartneys have directed their considerable public visibility into effective campaigning for the animals and the public good. They recently debated the seal slaughter with Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams on Larry King Live. Both vegans, they have campaigned for cats and dogs killed in the Chinese fur trade, chickens abused by fast food giant KFC and numerous other causes. Paul's former wife Linda, who died in 1998, had her own line of vegetarian cuisine, and his daughter Stella is a world-renowned fashion designer who often speaks out against fur. The McCartneys are joined by other famous animal friends such as Brigitte Bardot, Martin Sheen, Mick Jagger, 4 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 Richard Dean Anderson, Kim Basinger, Pierce Brosnan, and even the Dalai Lama, in publicly opposing the seal slaughter. The media attention these and other celebrities have drawn to the seals' plight creates widespread awareness of what is going on and stimulates people to speak out against it. These compassionate stars join thousands of hard-working activists and organizations around the world who are fighting to end the cruel slaughter. -Mat Thomas What You Can Do: Please join Paul and Heather in urging newly-elected Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to end the seal massacre. Click http://ga0.org/ campaign/SealMassacre to send an automatic message, or contact the P.M. by postal mail, fax or personal e-mail. P.M. Stephen Harper Office of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington Street Ottawa ON K1A 0A2 CANADA Fax: (613) 941-6900 E-mail: [email protected] For questions or comments regarding furkills.org or IDA's fur campaign, or to order materials, contact [email protected]. In Defense of Animals 131 Camino Alto, Suite E Mill Valley, California 94941 Tel.: (415) 388-9641 Fax: (415) 388-0388 Unwine & Uncheese Reception What is every vegan's dream? Aside from wishing for more veg options while dining out, or the ever-so-hopeful prospect of friends and family becoming converts, most of us have, one time or another, missed the taste, texture or meltability of cheese. Some of us may have even had quite a holdup on the oooey-gooey stuff and had a hard time giving it up when transitioning to veganism. What better way is there to surprise a group of unsuspecting vegans than to present them with an array of Uncheeses that are so dairy-like in appearance, that the tasters ask many times, “Are you sure this is vegan?” L to R: Linda Long, Melissa Maly with Cypress, Jo Stepaniak, and Art Giffoniello toast to vegan health! This very scenario was played out when an Unwine and Uncheese Reception was held in honor of the beloved master of Uncheese itself, Jo Stepaniak. A talented crew was put together to pull off this incredible feat: Melissa Maly as lead chef, alongside the scrumptiously creative Linda Long and the big helping hand of Art Giffoniello. The Unwine, better known as de-alcoholized wine, was graciously contributed by Ariel Vineyards, and was a wonderful accompaniment to the hors d'oeuvres. Tastefully and artistically laid out, the whole affair had the air of a shindig for the well-to-do, but the atmosphere was laid-back and the people were down to earth. Above: ARIEL PREMIUM DEALCOHOLIZED WINE The attendees at this reception crowded around a contains less than ½ of 1% of alcohol, which is less than is in most fresh-squeezed orange juice. The wine long table and proceeded to devour all that was laid is made from grapes, fermented, and the alcohol rebefore them, while chatting. There was an assortmoved through a cold filtration process. For informament of Uncheeses to feast on, including flametion call (800) 456-9472, see www.arielvineyards.com, warmed Swiss Fondue served with fresh baked pita write Ariel, PO Box 3437, Napa CA 94558 chips, Gooda Cheez chunks served with a variety of crackers, Crock Cheez accompanied by vegetable crudités, and Roasted Veggie Focaccia. It was the Ultimate Uncheese banquet! It certainly didn't take a connoisseur to appreciate all of the evening's fare. When all was said and done, the guests were impressed, as was Jo herself! -Melissa Maly Thanks to Barb Bloomfield for prep-time in her kitchen. Next page….. American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 5 Gooda Cheez 1¾ cups water ½ cup chopped carrots 5 Tbsp. agar flakes, or 1½ Tbsp. agar powder ½ cup chopped raw cashews ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes 3 Tbsp. sesame tahini 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 2 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. garlic powder ½ tsp. dry mustard ¼ tsp. turmeric ¼ tsp. paprika ¼ tsp. ground cumin Lightly oil a 3-cup bowl or mold with a rounded bottom, and set aside. Put the water and carrots in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove lid and stir in agar flakes. Bring to a boil again. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until agar is dissolved, about 5 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer to a blender and add the remaining ingredients. Process several minutes until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender jar as necessary. Pour into the prepared container and smooth the top. Cool uncovered in the refrigerator. When completely cool, cover and chill several hours or overnight. To serve, turn out of the mold and slice into wedges. This impressive, dome-shaped cheez has a creamy texture and lovely golden color. Slice it into wedges for a delectable snack or appetizer. For Smoked Gooda, add a few drops of liquid hickory smoke or a pinch of hickory salt while blending. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator; keeps 5 to 7 days. Swiss Fondue 3 cups water or plain nondairy milk ½ cup nutritional yeast flakes 1/3 cup quick rolled oats, or ¼ cup flour (any kind) ¼ cup fresh lemon juice ¼ cup sesame tahini ¼ cup kuzu, arrowroot, or cornstarch 4 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. dry mustard Place all the ingredients in a blender and process several minutes until the mixture is completely smooth. Pour into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, and continue to stir and cook a few minutes longer until thick and smooth. Transfer to a fondue pot and keep warm over very low flame. This thick cheezy sauce makes a superb dip for crusty, wholegrain bread cubes, seitan chunks, grilled tempeh, button mushrooms, broccoli and cauliflower florets, cherry tomatoes, and any other raw or lightly steamed vegetables. THE ULTIMATE UNCHEESE COOKBOOK—Jo Stepaniak 192 pp 8x9” lie-flat $15.95 The first edition was a huge popular success. This revised 10th Anniversary Edition (2003) debuts some new recipes. An introduction by Vesanto Melina points out the problems with dairy products and gives an interesting comparison of nutritional values for cheeses from animal milk and their uncheese counterparts with plant-derived ingredients. The not-exactly-the-same substitutes for dairy cheeses, and cheese dishes, are easy to make, satisfy cravings, nourish and please. Prepared from wholesome ingredients, they surpass commercial offerings. The Unwine & Uncheese Reception took place at The Farm in Summertown Tennessee, August 10 2005. Photos by Linda Long. Jo Stepaniak, the “grassroots vegan” is a trusted advisor through her website column at vegsource.com and her books. Being Vegan, $16.95. Answers questions on practical aspects of living as a vegan. Raising Vegetarian Children (with Vesanto Melina), $18.95. Advice for families with vegetarian and/or vegans members. 6 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 The Vegan Sourcebook (with Virginia Messina), $21.95. A thorough examination of vegan rationale, a history, and resources. Among her other books are these cookbooks. Vegan Vittles, $12.95, Vegan Deli, $15.95, The Saucy Vegetarian, $12.95 (Order from AVS; 20% discount for members.) Vegan Health Study Clinical Summary 2005 Michael Klaper, MD The Vegan Health Study examines vegan health through analyzing questionnaires submitted by over 900 participants and includes results from testing blood and urine samples of some vegan participants. This summary also incorporates findings of numerous surveys of the medical literature, and clinical interviews with many vegans in the past seven years. Specifically, it addresses three primary issues: 1. The major health advantages associated with vegan diets 2. The major risks for nutritional deficiencies and disease states associated with vegan diets 3. Recommendations for dietary patterns that minimize risks and optimize health and function for long-term vegans. Advantages and Benefits In recent years, vegan diets have been shown to exert protective effects against a number of chronic diseases and medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, as well as some kidney disorders, immuneinflammatory diseases, toxin exposure, gastrointestinal diseases and eye disorders. Whole-food-based vegan diets improve insulin sensitivity, blood sugar control, reduce insulin requirements, and aid in weight loss in people who have type 2 diabetes. These advantages are thought to be largely due to the increased intakes of fiber, plant sterols and soy protein, and the reduced intakes of total fats and refined carbohydrates. Cardiovascular Disease: Eating a vegan diet and incorporating prudent lifestyle practices (abstinence from tobacco, moderate exercise, etc.) is associated with: •Regression of coronary atherosclerosis and improved coronary perfusion with reduced frequency, duration and severity of angina. •Reduced oxidation of LDL cholesterol, and lower blood viscosity resulting in advantages to artery health. •Lower total and LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. •Reduced rates of hypertension – if salt and refined carbohydrates are minimized (Note: Vegans can and do develop high blood pressure as they age and if they consume excessive salt and refined sugarcontaining foods.) Cancer: There is significant evidence that vegans are at a reduced risk of prostate cancer and cancers of the colon and rectum. Prostate cancer – Vegan men appear have a reduced risk of prostate cancer. This is thought to be due to the reduced intake of meat and dairy products, and the increased intake of protective phytochemicals. Cancers of the colon and rectum – both male and female vegans appear to enjoy a reduced risk of cancers of the colon and rectum. This is thought to be due largely to the reduced intake of meat and animal fats, and the increased intake of fiber and protective phytochemicals. Type 2 Diabetes: Vegan diets that are high in whole, unrefined foods and low in refined carbohydrates, saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans-fatty acids can offer significant benefits in both the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. Genito-urinary Disorders: Low fat, moderate protein-containing vegan diets appear to offer some protection against genitourinary disorders; namely, such diets may: •Reduce painful menstrual cramps. •Preserve kidney function – high protein diets cause hyperfiltration of kidney filters. American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 7 Toxin Exposure: People consuming whole food-based, “organically-grown” vegan diets have reduced exposure to environmental toxins, especially mercury (associated with nervous system and kidney toxicity) and dioxins, associated with elevated risks for numerous types of cancers and birth defects. The reduced toxin levels have favorable consequences for the breast milk of vegan mothers. While levels of hydrocarbon contaminants have been found to be elevated in the breast milk of omnivorous women, levels in vegans tend to be far lower. Immune/Inflammatory Diseases: Vegan diets appear to offer some protection against immune/inflammatory disorders, and there is some evidence that they may provide useful treatment for some of these conditions. Evidence suggests that vegan diets: •Can effectively reduce symptoms of autoimmune diseases – rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, although findings are inconsistent for fibromyalgia. •Can improve some skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis. •Can improve asthma symptoms. •Can possibly reduce severity and frequency of sinus infections. Gastrointestinal Diseases: Evidence suggests that vegans have lower rates of gastrointestinal disorders. This is thought to be due to the increased intakes of fiber-containing plant foods. Vegan diets have been found to: •Minimize risk of constipation, and provide effective treatment of constipation. •Reduce incidence of colonic diverticula. •Reduce incidence of gallstones. Eye Diseases: Vegan diets may reduce risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Dietary components that appear particularly protective include a variety of carotenoids, particularly zeaxanthin and lutein. These phytochemicals are concentrated in a variety of fruits and vegetables, especially dark greens such as collards and spinach. 8 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 Risks and Possible Disadvantages While vegan diets offer considerable protection against many chronic diseases, the Vegan Health Study has found that vegans may be at increased risk for certain nutritional deficiencies. For optimal long-term health, it is essential that vegans are aware of the potential pitfalls, and make the necessary dietary adjustments to avoid them. Vitamin Deficiencies: The Vegan Health Study confirms numerous other studies that vegans who do not supplement their diets with vitamin B12 are at definite risk for deficiency of vitamin B12. The effects of vitamin B12 deficiencies may appear as soon as 6 months after adopting a purely plant-based diet, or may not appear following consumption of an exclusively vegan diet for 10 years or more. Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Vitamin B12 deficiency has numerous negative consequences for health: Artery Damage: When vitamin B12 levels fall, homocysteine levels in the blood begin to rise. Homocysteine is a waste product of the metabolism of the amino acid methionine. Elevated levels of homocysteine can damage the inner surfaces of arteries and in doing so promote deposition of cholesterol plaques - thus elevating the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Neurological Damage: Peripheral nerves – numbness and tingling and burning sensation in extremities and profound muscular fatigue. Spinal cord injury – a serious form - subacute combined degeneration - may cause paralysis and be irreversible. Other neurological hazards of vitamin B12 deficiency: dementia and depression in adults. Risks to Children: If mother is B12 deficient while pregnant: birth defects. If mother is B12 deficient while breastfeeding: nerve and brain damage, poor weight gain and “failure to thrive syndrome.” If child is B12 deficient during infancy and adolescence: impaired intellectual function. Blood System Damage: Vitamin B12 deficiency leads to macrocytic anemia (abnormal shape and function of red blood cells), causing weakness, fatigue, irritability and inability to concentrate. Vitamin D Deficiency: Vegans who have limited exposure to warm sunshine, such as those living in northern climates, as well as those who have dark skin, and older adults, are at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency, leading to weakened bones. The vegetarian form of vitamin D (vitamin D2) is only 60 percent as available as the animal form (vitamin D3), which would raise requirements for vegans who rely on vitamin D2 in the form of supplements or fortified foods. Mineral Deficiencies: High fiber diets conspire against effective mineral absorption because (a) minerals are bound tightly to phytate molecules in the plant fibers and (b) because the food mass moves through the intestine so quickly that there is less time for mineral absorption. In addition, some minerals, like iodine, magnesium and zinc, simply exist in far lower concentrations in plant-based foods than animal-derived foods. Mineral Commonly Inadequate in Vegan Diets: Iodine Vegans who do not include iodized salt or seaweeds in their diet are at increased risk of iodine deficiency, needed for production of vital thyroid hormones. Minerals Sometimes Inadequate in Vegan Diets: Calcium Evidence from the Vegan Health Study suggests that a significant proportion of vegans fail to consume and absorb sufficient calcium, contributing to reduced bone density. However, vegans who do ensure sufficient intakes of calcium and other bone building nutrients, like magnesium, boron, and vitamins D and K, can have excellent bone health. Iron Vegan iron intakes are often higher than that of non-vegetarians and lacto-ovo vegetarians. Yet many vegans and vegetarians can show low levels of iron in the tissues (as ferritin) indicating low absorption of the iron they consume, probably from insufficient intake of vitamin C, which facilitates iron absorption. Zinc A significant percentage of vegans have zinc intakes below the RDA, and suboptimal zinc status. Absorption of zinc in vegan diets is reduced relative to those consuming non-vegetarian diets. Vegan diets are higher in phytates, which can significantly compromise zinc absorption, and lower in animal protein, which appears to enhance zinc absorption. To ensure sufficient zinc in vegan diets, intakes above the RDA may be required. Magnesium A metal required by hundreds of essential enzymes needed in energy production and vital tissue functions (blood, muscle, etc.) While vegan diets can be higher in magnesium than nonvegetarian diets, absorption may be lower due to higher fiber intakes. Essential Fat Deficiencies: Long-term vegans commonly have low tissue levels of highly-unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) of the omega-3 family – namely, EPA and DHA (eicosapentaenoic acid – 20 carbon atoms in length, and docosahexaenoic acid – 22 carbon atoms in length). Deficiencies in these fatty molecules can lead to dry skin and low energy levels, as well as increased risk for: cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, neurological/behavioral disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, depression, (possibly) ADHD, schizophrenia, immune/ inflammatory disorders such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel diseases, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis. Also, deficiencies of EPA and DHA can lead to suboptimal infant development with compromised brain function and reduced visual acuity. The primary reasons for depressed omega-3 fatty acid status in vegans are twofold: First, vegans consume insufficient amounts of alpha-linolenic acid (the essential omega-3 fatty acid found primarily in flaxseeds, hempseeds, canola oil, walnuts, green vegetables) relative to their intake of linoleic acid (the omega-6 fatty acid found in margarines, commercial mayonnaise and many salad dressings, crackers, chips, cookies and snack foods, as well as cooking and other oils like safflower, grapeseed, sunflower, corn oil [60-75% n-6] soy, cottonseed oil and sesame [45-50% n-6]). Second, vegans seldom consume the long chain omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which in nonvegetarian diets come mainly from fish. Protein deficiencies: Although the majority of reports suggest adequate protein intakes in vegans, the Vegan Health Study has found that sub-optimal amino acid status (the “building blocks” of protein) is relatively common among vegans, and many vegans have low levels of branched-chain amino acids (valine, leucine, and isoleucine) due to insufficient protein intake. American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 9 Vegans who do not consume enough sulfurcontaining amino acids, particularly cysteine and methionine, are at risk for reduced production of carnitine, a protein necessary for metabolizing fats for energy. Low levels of carnitine can lead to fatigue and reduced physical performance. A lack of these sulfur-containing amino acids also reduces the production of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant needed for detoxification of tissue-damaging free radicals, which can accelerate aging of tissues and increase cancer risk Organ Dysfunction: Heart and Blood Vessels Elevated blood cholesterol levels: While vegans generally have lower blood cholesterol levels relative to non-vegetarians, those who consume a diet with: •large amounts of refined carbohydrates (both sugars and starches found in highly processed breads and cereals, pastas, white rice, pretzels, pastries, candies, soft drinks, etc.) •trans fatty acids and deep-fried foods, and •insufficient fiber, and green and yellow vegetables, commonly develop elevated blood cholesterol. Elevated triglycerides: Vegans generally have lower levels of the bloodfat family of triglycerides than non-vegetarians; however those who consume excessive amounts of refined carbohydrates – both sugars and starches – commonly develop elevated levels of triglycerides, possibly elevating their risk of blood vessel disease. High blood pressure: Vegans are generally at an advantage where blood pressure is concerned; however those consuming a high sodium (salt) diet, combined with excessive stress levels and insufficient exercise can and do develop hypertension – leading to increased risk of heart attack and stroke. (Risk for hypertension is especially high if either parent or a sibling had high blood pressure.) Heart attacks: Vegans experience considerable protection against heart attacks; however, this advantage can be virtually negated in those consuming insufficient vitamin B12, with resulting elevated levels of artery-damaging homocysteine. 10 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 Bones: Vegans are at definite risk for osteoporosis (despite lower protein intakes) if they do not consume and absorb enough calcium, magnesium, trace minerals like boron, zinc and manganese, as well as vitamins K and D – and get enough weightbearing exercise. Tissue Aging: In the body, refined sugars are oxidized, forming “advanced glycosylation end products” (“AGEs”). These molecules then cross-link with protein strands throughout the body (the Maillard reaction) which causes stiffening and dysfunction of connective tissues in arteries, eye tissues, and other vital organs. Consequently, vegans who consume diets rich in refined sugars (candies, pastries, soft drinks) age their tissues prematurely through these dietary choices. Nutrition and Lifestyle Recommendations Make whole plant foods the foundation of your diet. Emphasize (non-genetically modified, organically-grown) whole foods (“foods as grown”). Include a variety of fresh, colorful vegetables, including green leafy vegetables on a daily basis, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains*. (*If there is any question of gluten intolerance – e.g. abdominal cramps, bloating, diarrhea or hives after eating wheat, barley, oats and rye – consider eliminating products made from those grains and emphasize low-gluten grains like quinoa, millet & buckwheat.) Minimize refined carbohydrates – both sugars and starches. Refined sugars, such as white sugar, brown sugar, syrups, candy and sodas, as well as refined starches, such as white flour products and white rice products, crowd out foods that nourish and protect us and contribute to a variety of health problems. These foods cause oxidative damage to tissues and contribute to premature aging of the body. They elevate blood sugar levels, adversely affect blood lipids (particularly triglycerides), and increase risk for type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes, as well as cardiovascular diseases and gastro-intestinal disorders. Include a healthful intake and balance of essential fatty acids. Aim for 3 to 5 grams of alphalinolenic acid per day for most adults. This can be achieved by consuming 2 Tbs. freshly ground flax seeds or 2 tsp. of fresh flaxseed oil daily (add to gravies, cereals, smoothies, salads, etc.), or an equal amount of alpha-linolenic acid from a combination of foods such as hempseed oil, hempseeds, walnuts and organic canola oil. If taking omega-3 fats in the above forms is impractical or undesirable, consider taking an algae-derived DHA supplement (300 mg./ day, in “vegi-cap”), available at natural food stores. This is particularly important for those who may have increased needs (e.g. pregnant or lactating women), or reduced ability to convert alphalinolenic acid to EPA and DHA (e.g. people with diabetes or hypertension). Assure an adequate protein intake (approximately 60 to 90 grams per day for vegan adults.) Liberally ingest protein-rich foods – lentils, chickpeas, beans, tempeh, tofu, and other legumes, as well as nuts, seeds, and products made from them. Assure an adequate supply of trace minerals. Consume ample helpings of dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, root vegetables and fruits. It is not enough to eat the minerals – you must absorb them. So, break up the plant fibers by chewing your foods well and/or using food preparation methods that help to break up plant fibers: cooking (e.g. soups or stews), grinding, juicing, grating or pureeing. Insure a reliable source of vitamin B12. Reliable sources include fortified foods and supplements. Fortified foods such as non-dairy beverages (rice-based and soy-based drinks), Red Star nutritional yeast (Vegetarian Support Formula) and some cereals are good choices. Select at least two servings of these foods each day, with at a total of at least 3 mcg. of B12 in total. If there is any likelihood that your intake of B12 is not sufficient (as is common with many long-term vegans) then a vitamin B12 supplement is advised. Take a sublingual “microdot” of approximately 2000 mcg. vitamin B12 at least once a week. When using large amounts of B12, only 0.5 to 1.0% will be absorbed - thus high intakes are required to insure sufficient absorption. Keep sodium intake to not more than 2400 mg per day, and preferably around 1800 mg per day. About 75% of the sodium in most diets comes from processed foods, and about 20% is added at the table. This is one more reason to limit processed foods (meat analogs, canned soups, etc.). Use flavored vinegars, lemon juice and other lowsodium taste enhancers, rather than soy sauce and other salty seasonings. Note: Athletes, especially those living in warm climates, may require higher amounts of sodium in their diets. Eliminate trans fatty acids. Commonly found in processed foods containing “hydrogenated vegetable oil,” “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” or “shortening” (read the labels!), trans fatty acids distort the shape, flexibility and permeability of cell membranes, thus compromising their function and increasing risk for artery disease, type 2 diabetes, and possibly some cancers. Again, minimize processed foods and emphasize fresh, whole foods. Consider taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement. If there is any question of adequate intake of any given vitamin, mineral or essential fat, consider taking a high-potency (vegetarian) multivitamin-mineral preparation (tablet or liquid or powder) daily, or approximately 2-3 times per week. This supplement should contain the following nutrients in approximately these amounts: iodine 150 mcg., zinc 15 mg., copper 1-2 mg., boron 2 mg., vitamin K .5 mg., and vitamin D2 5 mcg. Other possibly helpful supplements to consider would be: a calcium/magnesium supplement (approximately 1000 mg. of calcium and 800-1000 mg. of magnesium), as well as 300 mg of algaederived DHA and 10 mcg. vitamin B12 daily or 2000 mcg. vitamin B12 weekly. Be sure to get a consistent, reliable source of vitamin D. The best way to get your vitamin D is from sunshine. Aim for about 20-30 minutes on your face and forearms each day, and more if you have dark skin. (Such brief exposure times will not damage your skin or increase cancer risk and will produce substantial benefits for your immune system.) If you live in a cooler climate, sunshine will not be intense enough to produce vitamin D during the winter months, and you will need to rely on fortified foods such as fortified non-dairy beverages or vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D3 is generally derived from animal sources, while vitamin D2 is plant-based. Try to get 20 to 30 minutes of active, weightbearing exercise at least every other day. Include a balance of cardiovascular, flexibility and strength exercises. American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 11 For optimal health, a positive mental and emotional state is essential – and possibly more important than nutritional intake. Life is about more than avoiding disease and death. Get as much love, laughter and meaningful service into your daily life as possible. Make your life a reflection of your hopes, dreams and joys. (Acknowledgment and appreciation is expressed to Brenda Davis, RD and Vesanto Melina, RD for their valuable contribution to these recommendations for creating health-enhancing vegan diets.) The Vegan Health Study research program continues. In the near future we will be focusing on the dietary patterns and supplement programs of those long-term vegans who are experiencing exceptionally good health as well as those who are failing to thrive on purely vegan diets. Vegan athletes and people who have been vegan since birth are of special interest. We will distill out patterns of foods and supplements that seem to promote optimal health and communicate them to all participants as they become available. If you have not already done so, please complete our questionnaire at www.veganhealthstudy.org, or write to the address below for a copy. Inform others of our research efforts and encourage their participation. Tax-deductible contributions to support this research are greatly appreciated. Michael Klaper, MD Director Institute of Nutrition Education and Research 1601 N. Sepulveda Avenue #342 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 A 501 (C)(3) NOT-FOR-PROFIT EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATION E.I.N. #33-0507634 12 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 VEGAN DIET: Bad, Good, or Superior? Contrary to most definitions, vegan diets are defined by what they do not contain! Consequently it is not possible to say that a vegan diet is bad or good, for it depends entirely on what each person eating with these proscriptions chooses to consume. There are some advantages shared by all vegan diets, and these pertain to not ingesting animal fats, animal proteins, and the toxic load (inherent and environmental) present in all flesh — that increases as you feed higher up the food chain. In leaving animal items off the plate a void is created which calls for substitutions. Some fill their stomachs by increasing the amounts of the food left on the plate. If the quality of that food is poor it’s a bad bargain and likely missing a food group. Many folk would be left with white bread, French fries and ketchup, washed down with a soda. A wholesome vegan diet consists of daily servings of fresh fruit, raw and conservatively cooked vegetables; cooked whole grains (bread, brown rice, etc.), and pulses (peas, beans, lentils); some nuts and seeds, and a little seaweed. Green leafy vegetables are rich in vital nutrients; few eat enough. Convenience foods can make vegan living easier, but their overuse may increase the intake of salt, sugar and refined grains above healthful limits. The Vegan Health Study provides a yardstick by which to gauge our health status as a group. Now is a good time for each of us to evaluate our eating habits, pay attention to B12 levels/intake, make sure we exercise, enjoy fresh air and sunshine, and get enough sleep. Furthermore, we can find out what condition our bodies are in through some diagnostic tests which may reveal troubles in the making. Most people we know who adopt a vegan diet are very happy to find their health improves. Those who are satisfied with their new lifestyle and do well stay vegan; others drop away. Beyond social and veganfood-not-readily-available factors, failed attempts may be due to poor practice or physical limitations. We believe that most people who want to eat vegan can achieve a personal best fitness level. Learn how by reading, consulting vegan doctors and dieticians (online, at conferences), attending cooking classes, and sharing vegan meals and recipes with friends. Experiment a bit to see what works for you. Take care; live the best you know how. -Freya Farewell to Vegan Society Founder Donald Watson 1910—2005 Donald Watson, the visionary who coined the word ‘vegan’ and founded The Vegan Society in 1944, died November 16 2005 at his Keswick England home in the Lake District. Donald had celebrated his 95th birthday on September 2 with a chat to the BBC World Service. Son of a headmaster and with parents who encouraged their children to find their own paths in life, Donald grew up in a coal mining area of south Yorkshire. As a child he loved to visit his Uncle George’s farm. But the idyllic scene with friendly livestock was shattered for him when he saw a pig slaughtered and heard its screams. (He later described the farm as a death row for animals.) At 13 he made a resolution and became vegetarian. Later in life he excluded dairy products and eggs from his diet. He abhorred the way dairy cows are exploited: having calves taken from them within a few days of birth, and being fed and bred to produce ever larger quantities of milk. Milk, egg, and wool production he perceived involved cruel exploitation and slaughter of highly sentient life. The animals that “gave” something were killed when no longer productive; the male of their kind disposed of at birth (chicks), or slaughtered later for meat. View from the top. Upon retirement from teaching Donald acted as a guided walks leader in Cumbria. He enjoyed fell-walking until 94. Donald was a member of the Leicester vegetarian group. By 1942 he was corresponding and occasionally meeting others to discuss his insights. When their suggestion of a nondairy section in The Vegetarian Messenger was rejected, they formed a new society. It was 1944 and the small group accepted the term ‘vegan’ that Donald and his wife Dorothy had coined. As editor of The Vegan News it was Donald who introduced ‘vegan’ to the world, as is recorded in The Oxford English Dictionary. Donald was a carpenter employed as a craft-teacher in woodwork then and throughout his working life. He would be in sole charge of the new organization for over 18 months, putting in many nighttime hours. o “Why did we do it then of all times? Perhaps it seemed to us a fitting antidote to the sickening experience of the War, and a reminder that we should be doing more about the other holocaust that goes on all the time. Or perhaps it was that we were conscious of a remarkable omission in all previous vegetarian literature — namely, that though nature provides us with lots of examples of carnivores and vegetarians it provides us with no examples of lactocarnivores or lacto-vegetarians. Such groups are freaks and only made possible by man’s capacity to exploit the reproductive functions of other species. This, we thought, could not be right either dietetically or ethically. It was certainly wrong aesthetically, and we could conceive of no spectacle more bizarre than that of a grown man attached at his meal-times to the udder of a cow.” “In the short term it was, and is, possible to obtain milk and eggs without killing the creatures concerned, and from this the erroneous deduction was made that these foods could be produced commercially and in enormous quantities to form part of a humane diet.” “Our tottering civilization is built on the exploitation of animals, as earlier civilizations were built on the exploitation of human slaves.” Above quotes by Donald Watson from The Vegan, Summer 1988, Spring 1989, Summer 1989. Biographical information from these sources and The Vegan Summer 2003, Spring 2006, an obituary by his daughter Janet, BBC News Nov. 18 2005, VegNews Jan/Feb 2006, & www.vegansociety.com. The Vegan Society Donald Watson House 7 Battle Road St Leonards-on-Sea E Sussex TN37 7AA ENGLAND www.vegansociety.com American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 13 BOOK REVIEW: 101 Reasons Why I'm a Vegetarian Pam Rice is the chief cook and bottle washer for VivaVegie Society (New York City), which has an actual physical office where veggies can comfortably hang out by appointment. The mailing address is P.O. Box 294 Prince Street Station, New York, NY 10012-0005 and the phone number is (212) 242-0011, just in case you're going there anytime soon. Pam founded the group in 1991. By day she's a writer, but her true avocation is the assembly of an accurate and exhaustive list of references supporting vegetarianism, for which she gets paid, guess what, nothing! The 101 Reasons, plus a lot more, is accessible for free at her VivaVegie website, but this book puts it all in a portable format. The book gives solid documentation with 28 pages of references, about 50 to a page, so something like 1400 in all. Mostly the articles are from reliable BOOK REVIEW: media sources like AP, The New York Times, and The Guardian, with a sprinkling of EPA, The Meating Place, and USDA documents thrown in. Some of the citations are accompanied by URLs, but not all, and for the benefit of readers too lazy to dig in a library, of which your humble correspondent is a splendid example, more would have been welcome. Not that the book itself is a dry read. Pamela writes cogently and with an underlying passion for her subject, and while she admits it's a negative one, her personal attitude is positive with a hope that things will get better. She has always been good at tracking the spoor of the USDA and its financial bailouts for the meat and dairy industries, and in Chapter 44 she details 10 separate and flagrant categories, wryly suggesting we need "a separation of meat and state." "It is high time that those who choose meat pay the true cost of Rather quickly they launched Pure Food & the Glow Wine to immediate success bringing customers into an experience of exceptional animal-free, stove-free cooking. Once so many world-class recipes had been developed, they, their large staff, and even non-vegetarian customers were enjoying better health, and this had to be shared with those who do not have access to their unparalleled restaurant. This book can be relished just by turning pages for the illustrations. Wonderful photography by Charles Schiller showcases the authors, the food, its preparation, and delightful eating. It is worth having this book if only for the recipes for Red Beet Ravioli (Page 176) and Chocolate Macaroons (Page 257)! Raw Food/real world: 100 Recipes to Get From the overwhelmingly successful Manhattan raw restaurant, Pure Food & Wine, comes a mesmerizing, energizing and revitalizing book of exquisite recipes. It is both a primer for the philosophy and getting started with raw food, and a sophisticated recipe collection. “Eating food that is alive keeps you feeling alive”, say the restaurateurs and authors, Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis. Although classically trained at the French Culinary Institute and having pursued successful careers in the cuisine of some New York City hot spots, they could not deny the flavors they experienced while eating in a raw vegan restaurant unsuspectingly one evening. Even they are surprised their interest grew to such heights! 14 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 Reviewed by Linda Long their predilection" (i.e., cut out the subsidies, already). However, the shell game going on at the USDA and its financial arm, the Commodities Credit Corporation (CCC), changes so rapidly that it's hard to keep up with anything but the human, animal, and environmental wreckage left in its wake. That she has done very well. This is an important book for those in need of factual backup. For those just getting into vegetarianism, a very user-friendly resource is her www.vivavegie.org where you'll find just about all you need to know, particularly if you're headed in the direction of NYC. Review by William Harris, MD in The Island Vegetarian, newsletter of Vegetarian Society of Hawaii, Quarter One, 2006. Lantern Books, ISBN: 1590560752 101 Reasons Why I'm a Vegetarian by Pamela Rice, 2005, 254 pp 6x9”$20.00 “Raw food is going glam.” -New York Post ISBN: 0060793554 Raw Food/real world: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow Matthew Kenney & Sarma Melngailis. (Mostly vegan; some bee products.) 2005, 375pp 7½ x 9½” $34.95 Books in stock at AVS. 20% discount to members, free shipping. Raw-Vegan-Gourmet Cuisine Centers Classes, Catering, Commissaries, Cafes. California: The Living Light Culinary Arts Institute (LLCAI), which has been teaching vegan raw food preparation for 10 years, opened its new premises in Northern California August 2005. Tucked into the historic Company Store building in downtown Fort Bragg, the center also houses a marketplace, to-go juice bar and deli, and a raw-food catering company. LLCAI, “Living Light”, founded by master raw-vegan chef Cherie Soria, offers hands-on certification courses in the art of gourmet rawvegan cuisine for individuals, chefs, and teachers. Living Light is known internationally as the premier raw-chef school in the world. Courses are designed to assist students in achieving the highest level of competence, regardless of initial skill level. In its training classes at the Living Light Center on the beautiful Mendocino coast in northern California, it is common to meet people from six different countries. Hundreds of associate chefs and many of the world's best raw-food chefs have been certified by Living Light. One-evening classes; three-, five-, and ten-day courses, and sixweek programs are given in Fort Bragg. One-day Raw Living Foods Intensives are scheduled in cities across the U.S., plus events in other countries. New York: Matthew Kenney has continued to blaze a trail in the vegan community since the publication of Raw Food/real world. Nobody before has ever opened so many new restaurants in just a few weeks. In Manhattan are Heirloom, an upscale restaurant, and two Blue/Green Organic Juice Cafés, and in Brooklyn’s DUMBO area, The Plant. The Plant is a 4,000 sq. ft. commissary kitchen and café devoted to raw food preparation, education, and distribution. It is the production hub for all the Blue Green Organic Juice Cafés, a model of its kind for fresh, clean, organic nutrition. The Cafés are part of a lifestyle company, Organic Umbrella, which Matthew founded as a vehicle to advocate organic living. How very ambitious, wonderful, and not to be missed when visiting New York City! MANHATTAN: Heirloom, 191 Orchard Street; New York NY 10002. (212) 228-9888 www.heirloomnyc.com. Pure Food & Wine, 54 Irving Place @ 17th Street New York NY 10003. (212) 477-1010. Blue/Green Organic Juice Cafés at 203 E. 74th Street, New York NY 10021, and 248 Mott Street, New York NY 10012. BROOKLYN: The Plant, 25 Jay St./John Street, Brooklyn NY 11201. See www.theplantindumbo.com or call (718) 722.7541. LL Cherie Soria, founder and director of the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, with co-director Dan Ladermann. Photo: Linda Long, August 2005 Cherie Soria is respected in the international raw-food community as one of the world's top raw-food vegan chefs, and is an early pioneer in the development of this style of gourmet cuisine. Previously she taught ethnic vegetarian cooking for twenty years. Then she met and studied with Dr. Ann Wigmore who encouraged Cherie to express her talent by developing new preparation techniques for fresh foods. Cherie’s video presentations are much in demand. Annual Vibrant Living Expo Fort Bragg California August 24 to 27 2006 Exhibits, Speakers, Demonstrations Living Light Culinary Arts Institute 301-B North Main Street, Fort Bragg CA 95437 (800) 816-2319 (707) 964-2420 [email protected] www.rawfoodchef.com American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 15 Andrea: The secret of sophisticated and extremely tasty vegan cuisine is revealed in The Candle Cafe Cookbook with the most popular recipes from the current or past menus. Full of specialties and interesting combiPhotos: Andrea Carvalho nations, the book transforms any ordinary cook into a real chef! Color your summer with a Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumb Pie that tastes far more delicious (and is healthier) than more traditional recipes. ReCandle 79, 154 East 79th Street, New markably, I had never seen rhubarb York NY 10021 (212) 537-7179 prior to attempting this pie, and it Candle Cafe, 1307 Third Avenue, came out perfectly – evidence that New York NY 10021 (212) 472-0970 the recipe is foolproof. Visit www.candlecafe.com for news. For special events, the Book reviews: Seitan Piccata with White Wine and Caper Sauce – just as it is served at the Upper East Side Susan: If you live anywhere near the New York metropolitan area, restaurants – is worth the substantial time and effort needed you know that Candle Cafe, and its newer second location Candle for preparation. This recipe is 79, both in the Upper East Side of Manhattan is the place to be, vegan full of valuable details such as or not, for delicious vegan meals and catering. From the smoothie bar how to make homemade seitan to delicious soups and salads, Cajun seitan sandwich to tantalizing desand vegetable broth. For those serts, – just looking at the menu is mouthwatering. cooks not so experienced, or on But, if you aren’t able to get yourself into the City, you’re in for a a tighter schedule, buying the treat – The Candle Cafe Cookbook is filled with recipes for their fabasics and following the remous dishes. The recipes, much like the dishes in the restaurant, are maining recipe still makes a absolutely delicious, even prepared by an amateur like myself! Be pregood dish. pared though, they may be variations on those you enjoyed in NYC. Delectable fancy dishes like The cookbook, at first glance, may not seem appropriate for someEggplant Parmesan Sandwiches are now at your fingerone on a budget (such as a college student like myself!) – ingredients tips – they make attractive platlike kuzu and agave nectar frightened me! However, rarely do the reciters. It takes time, but believe pes call for large amounts of ingredients you wouldn’t normally buy. me, you can do it! Although I The lesser-known or more expensive ingredients used can be subbed didn’t have all of the ingrediwith some more well known ingredients – corn starch for kuzu; corn, ents, it was easy to substitute rice or maple syrup for the agave. with less-expensive products Also, many of the recipes call for sauces and icing – and instruct that I already had at home. preparation for disproportionately large amounts. I found this to be Don’t be scared of new inquite wonderful actually – some of the oil based sauces kept very well, gredients; the book has a glosand could be used later as a very quick sauce over a simple pasta, or in sary, and a guide to natural the case of too much icing (is there ever too much icing?), I found simmarkets where you can find the simple and hard-to-find items. ply refrigerating it hardened it into a fudge-like consistency, which There is a handy conversion could then be cut into squares and eaten along with dessert or given chart of U.S. to International away to friends. and Imperial measurements. All in all, the cookbook, much like the restaurants, is exceedingly Color photos condelicious. Some of the recipes take a little longer than others, but the vey presentation end product was good enough to bring compliments from all of my of select dishes. Candle 79 awarded New York Naturally's Restaurant of the Year for 2005! THE CANDLE CAFE COOKBOOK non-vegan/veg college friends – who are used to dining hall fare! If I didn’t already own The Candle Cafe Cookbook, I’d order it today. -Susan Dubois from New Jersey, recent graduate of Dartmouth College NH 16 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 -Andrea Carvalho, from Brazil living in NYC Book review: Candle Cafe Shines More THE CANDLE CAFE COOKBOOK: More Than 150 Enlightened Recipes from New York’s Renowned Vegan Restaurant –Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza, with Barbara ScottGoodman. Color photos. 2003, 230pp 7¼x9” $18.00. Candle Cafe opened in 1994 and has been instrumental in giving vegan cuisine its current glossy profile. Bart Potenza and Joy Pierson, owners, welcome health-conscious diners including some well-known celebrities. Bart and Joy are committed to serving excellent vegan cuisine ut ilizing seasonal produce delivered daily from organic farms for peak perfection. By not using animal products and supporting good farming practice, they recognize the bonds of environmental, spiritual, and physical well-being. Bart, 68, is very fit and says, “Experience has taught me that the (food) fads come and go. I continue to eat an all-vegan, low wheat, low-sugar diet.” Joy, 43, is proud of their culinarily vibrant fare served in a friendly atmosphere. Both are kind and generous. The candles? They use soybased candles; never beeswax, petroleum, or lead-wicked. -Freya Dinshah These books are in stock at AVS. 20% discount to members, free shipping. Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally Fran Costigan This is not a book review. This is a love letter. I hope it is alright to have a romance with a book! In More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally, Fran Costigan does not just write the best dessert cookbook, she offers us a complete cooking school course. Her tips and techniques will make us all master bakers! Most of us miss some favorite desserts from before we started animal-free eating. No more with this book! The three-layer chocolate cake on the cover is the ultimate one. I was at two parties (at upscale restaurants in New York City) to which Fran brought chocolate cakes. The guests and the restaurant owners raved. Such praise was notable coming from people who normally do not seek natural, dairy-free, eggfree desserts. They were astonished! If lactose intolerance is an issue, or cutting out trans fats and cholesterol is a goal, this book sets those concerns to rest. Any owner of this book is a beneficiary of Fran’s years of professional experience: working in restaurants like Angelica’s Kitchen and Luma in New York City, private baking for select clientele, and teaching at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) and the Natural Gourmet Cookery School in New York City. Besides in-depth information about sweeteners, Fran tells us the best ingredient choices to make. Use all her advice when making luscious desserts like Coconut Cloud Layer Cake (page 142), Peanut Butter Mousse in Chocolate Candy Cups (page 44) – like the popular candy but much better for you, Caramel Popcorn (page 207), and even Pumpkin Pie with Candied Pecans (page 182) that includes the often illusive Nondairy Foolproof Flaky Pie Dough (page 169)! Besides the moist cover cake do not overlook a cake you can bake during your meal, the Amazing Hot Fudge Sundae Cake (page 164) that makes its own sauce in the same baking dish. Find exceptional recipes for satisfying gels, creams, cookies (a few old favorites were updated and included along with new and creative ones), cobblers, biscuits, and pancakes. Creamy frostings have the Wow! factor. There are frozen desserts, confections, and beverages – including a New York Eggless Cream (page 205) which reluctantly brings this new classic to an end. As Fran says, “Now let’s go into the kitchen and make something good.” -Reviewed by Linda Long MORE GREAT GOOD DAIRYFREE DESSERTS NATURALLY: Sin-sational Sumptuous Treats –Fran Costigan. Color photos. 2006, 224pp 8x9¼” $19.95. American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 17 Vegetarian America by Karen and Michael Iacobbo BOOK REVIEW: The Iacobbos have performed a prodigious feat of research in producing this 268-page history of vegetarianism in America. Although their prose style is workmanlike, the reader is carried along by the cascade of information about noteworthy vegetarian individuals and groups that have been hidden from view for decades. For instance, they have uncovered the recondite fact that the first raw-food community, Joyful News, was founded in California in the 1880s. Sylvester Graham, Bronson Alcott, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, John Robbins, Jay and Freya Dinshah, Dr. Neal Barnard, Ingrid Newkirk, and other bright luminaries of the past 250 years of vegetarian history are here. Lesser lights such as Curtis Freshel, Henry Bailey Stevens and Alfred Crosby are also allowed to shine forth. On the other hand, there are some glaring omissions; Horace Fletcher, for example. At the turn of the 20th century this corpulent businessman developed a system of losing weight through vigorous mastication. When Fletcher found meat was resistant to being liquefied through repetitive chewing, he turned vegetarian. Fletcherizing became a popular dietary trend for more than half a century and the word was enshrined in Webster's Dictionary. Fletcher, Bernarr Macfadden and Upton Sinclair formed a triumvirate of food reformers who helped steer the nation toward mainstream vegetarianism. Another omission is the Iacobbos’ failure to take note that the very term “vegetarian" is a neologism that was coined in England in 1847. Neither do they mention the English couple, Donald and Dorothy Watson, who coined the term ‘vegan’ in 1944. The Iacobbos might argue that the coining of the terms vegetarian and vegan are peculiarly English phenomena that fall outside the scope of a history of vegetarianism in the U.S.; but elsewhere in their history they pride themselves on adverting to the British connection, as when they recount the contributions to American vegetarianism made by English vegetarian Henry Clubb. Clearly, the history of vegetarianism in the U.S. is fatefully entwined with that of England. The first vegetarian church was established in Philadelphia by a boatload of English vegetarian missionaries, the Bible Christians in 1817, and the first secular vegetarian society in the U.S., formed in 1850, was headed by an Englishman, the Reverend William Metcalfe. To their credit, the Iacobbos redress the wrong (of being allowed to fall into neglect) done to many of the movement’s women, honoring Mary Gove Nichols, Asenath Nicholson, Victoria Woodhull, Emarel Freshel, Connie Salamone, Nellie Shriver, Marcia Pearson, and other estimable female activists. But other notables, such as Rosalie Hurd and Agatha Thrash MD are missing. Unfortunate carelessness shows when they misname the National Health Association (previously American Natural Hygiene Society) the National Medical Association. Some details are in error; Freya Dinshah was not a co-founder of the American Vegan Society. With their admirable assiduousness in ferreting out facts about obscure vegetarians in late 18th and early 19th centuries, it is all the more perplexing that the Iacobbos are so slipshod in recording the contributions of other vegetarian historians over the past fifty years. Indeed the number of vegetarian historians whose work they appear to have drawn upon without acknowledgment is astonishing. These include Janet Barkas' Vegetable Passion 18 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 (1975), which for all its defects opened some wide vistas on the topic; Keith Akers’ Vegetarian Sourcebook (1982) containing an excellent outline of vegetarian history in the U.S.; Dr. Bernard Unti's important article on the Bible Christians and the early history of vegetarianism in the U.S., which appeared in Vegetarian Times (April 1990), and Colin Spencer’s work in The Heretic’s Feast (1995). Jo Stepaniak, who has written innumerable vegan cookbooks and a valuable compendium, The Vegan Sourcebook (1999), also goes unmentioned. In the section on vegetarianism in California, material painstakingly gathered by Gordon Kennedy about The Nature Boys, Robert Bootzin, Eden Ahbez, et al, for Children of the Sun (1989) is not attributed. What could have been a very fine work by the Iacobbos is marred by their seeming unwillingness to cite the work of other contemporary vegetarian historians – among whom Keith Akers, Jo Stepaniak and Bernard Unti deserve mention also for their role as prominent activists. Even though it may not live up to its claim of being a complete history, for most people Vegetarian America provides more than any other book currently in print on the subject. -Reviewed by Rynn Berry Rynn is historical advisor to the North American Vegetarian Society, author of Famous Vegetarians and Their Favorite Recipes, Food for the Gods: Vegetarianism and the World's Religions, Hitler: Neither Vegetarian Nor Animal Lover, et al. He was commissioned to write the history of vegetarianism in the U.S. for The Oxford History of Food and Drink in America (2004). VEGETARIAN AMERICA: A History –Karen and Michael Iacobbo (Praeger Publishers, Westport Conn. ISBN:0-27597519-3) 2004, 269 pp 6½x9½” hard $39.95. From the cover of Book review: Your Vegetarian Pregnancy: Vegetarian Christian Saints: Mystics, Ascetics & Monks Dr. Holly Roberts, a woman of medicine and herself a vegetarian over twenty-five years, takes a straightforward positive look at some 150 canonized Christian saints and their eating habits in her book Vegetarian Christian Saints: Mystics, Ascetics and Monks. Saints such as the famous St. Francis of Assisi, popular with believers as well as unbelievers, St. Catherine of Sienna, the first woman doctor of the church, and St. Peter Celestine, the vegetarian pope, lived their daily lives e xp r e ss in g co mp as s io n, meditating, and often fasting. Dr. Roberts traces their vegetarian lifestyle from their observance of asceticism which generally incorporates the practice of abstinence, including not eating meat. Mystical saints, such as St. Francis, sense the soul, spirit and essence of God in all creation whether it is human or a non-human animal. Not only an organizer, leading both men (friars) and a sister order of nuns, the Poor Clares, St. Francis is known as a healer. Through animals he reaches people. It was he who instituted the Christmas Crib. Similar to St. Francis, Catherine of Sienna committed her life to serving the community, performing works of charity and assistance to others seeking God. Helping the sick and the dying, she is known as a patron saint of nurses. She lived an uncomplicated life, consuming only bread, raw vegetables and water. In 1970, Pope Paul VI conferred on her the title of Doctor of the Church, a title never before given to a woman. Pope Peter Celestine V differed from his predecessors as well as his successors by living an ascetic and vegetarian lifestyle. St. Peter Celestine was living as a hermit when he was called to be pope. Dr. Roberts enjoys tracing the lives of these holy individualistic people as an inspiration for those who choose a lifestyle different from the majority, vegetarians. Grouped logically, also by saint d a y, a nd a lp h a be t ic a l l y, Vegetarian Christian Saints can be used as an informational reference. Having studied theology at Georgian Court University, a private Catholic University in Lakewood NJ, Dr. Roberts shows her flexibilit y and openmindedness by exploring the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain religions in another of her books, The Vegetarian Philosophy of India: Hindu, Buddhist & Jain Sacred Teachings. Reviewer: Mary Ann Cavallaro When you're eating for two, you need to eat well. There's no question that a vegetarian or vegan diet is just as nutritionally sound during pregnancy as one that includes animal protein. In fact, vegetarian nutrition offers pregnant women valuable health benefits that you simply won't find in a non-vegetarian diet, such as higher levels of folic acid, lower cholesterol, and an abundant variety of essential minerals, vitamins, and nutrients. Whether you are already vegetarian or you simply want to reduce the amount of meat in your diet, making the right dietary choices to support you and your baby is the key to a safe, healthy pregnancy. YOUR VEGETARIAN PREGNANCY: A Month-ByMonth Guide to Health & Nutrition –Holly Roberts, DO, FACOG, Board-Certified Obstetrician-Gynecologist. A lifetime of expertise, information, and wisdom that will help vegetarian and vegan women achieve healthy pregnancies. Adequacy – and advantages – of well-chosen vegetarian and vegan diets expounded. 2003, 378pp 6x9¼” $15.00. VEGETARIAN CHRISTIAN SAINTS: Mystics, Ascetics & Monks. –Dr. Holly Roberts. 2004, 258pp 7½ x9¼” $20.00. The VEGETARIAN PHILOSOPHY OF INDIA —Hindu, Buddhist & Jain Sacred Teachings – Dr. Holly Roberts. Presents a journey into the sacred teachings that have led billions of people in the subcontinent of India to live as vegetarians and to cherish the values of nonviolence and compassion for all creation. 2006, 146pp 7½ x9¼” $20.00. Books are in stock at AVS, 20% discount to members, free shipping. My Personal Journey as a Physician and Vegetarian Dr. Holly Roberts will speak at AVS HQ in Malaga NJ May 28 2006 See page 34 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 19 COWS CONTRIBUTE TO GLOBAL WARMING From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Someone told me that methane gas emitted by cows is a major contributor to global warming. I thought it was a joke, but is this true? —David Rietz, Goose Creek, SC Accumulation of methane in the Earth’s atmosphere has nearly doubled around the globe over the past 200 years. Scientists believe that rising concentrations of this “greenhouse gas,” which absorbs and sends infrared radiation to the Earth, are causing changes in the climate and contributing to global warming. Livestock animals naturally produce methane as part of their digestive process, belching it while chewing cud and excreting it in their waste. According to the Worldwatch Institute, about 15 to 20 percent of global methane emissions come from livestock. John Robbins, author of The Food Revolution and Diet for a New America, says that methane is 24 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, the culprit normally at the center of global warming discussions. And there are plenty of sources of it: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that animals in the U.S. meat industry produce 61 million tons of waste each year, which is 130 times the volume of human waste produced, or five tons for every U.S. citizen. In addition to its impact on climate, hog, chicken, and cow waste has polluted some 35,000 miles of rivers in 22 states and contaminated groundwater in 17 states, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ronnie Cummins, national director of the Organic Consumers Association, says that a food chain with meat at its top is unsustainable not only as a major contributor of greenhouse gases, but also with regard to inefficient dedication of large amounts of acreage to livestock grazing. The USDA, for example, says that growing the crops necessary to feed farmed animals requires nearly 80 percent of America’s agricultural land and half of its water supply. In addition, animals raised for food in the U.S. consume 90 percent of the country’s soy crop, 80 percent of its corn crop, and 70 percent of its grain. “If all the grain currently fed to livestock in the United States were consumed directly by people, the number of people who could be fed would be nearly 800 million,” says Cornell ecologist David Pimentel. He adds that irresponsible livestock farming is directly or indirectly responsible for much of the soil erosion in the United States. Unfortunately, environmental problems associated with livestock rearing are not limited to the United States. AcPhoto: Lois Dinshah cording to the international environmental journal, Earth Times, meat production grew more than fivefold worldwide during the latter half of the 20th century. And as intensive “factory” farming methods of raising livestock spread from the U.S. to other countries–many with regulatory monitoring and enforcement standards far worse than our own–this form of pollution is sure to play an increasingly larger role in environmental problems moving forward. CONTACTS: Organic Consumers Assn, www.purefood.org; Worldwatch Institute, www.worldwatch.org. GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or email: [email protected]. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php. Also see the EarthSave website for Noam Mohr ‘s report, A New Global Warming Strategy: How Environmentalists are Overlooking Vegetarianism as the Most Effective Tool Against Climate Change in Our Lifetime: www.earthsave.org/globalwarming.htm 20 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 Article from The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville TN, August 17 2005 Vegans Gather for National Conference© Stacy Smith Segovia Like all vegans, Davis now believes that in order for humans to live, it isn't necessary for other animals to die. Factory farms Last August, a who's who of the vegan world gathered in Tennessee. The American Vegan Society's national conference was held at The Farm in Summertown, Tennessee, led by Freya Dinshah, wife of the founder (the late H. Jay Dinshah) of the 45-year-old organization. Unlike most other all-star conferences in the world, there was not a deli meat and cheese platter in sight. A vegan, a term introduced in 1944, is a person who takes the concept of vegetarianism and carries it to its furthest extent, using no animal-derived products whatsoever. A selfless diet cheese, or milk chocolate. They don't use honey or use hygiene products containing beeswax or animal fats. They don't wear leather or silk. Jo Stepaniak, whose vegan cookbooks include the "UnCheese Cookbook," teaches vegans to make non-animalderived substitutes for their favorite cheeses. But Stepaniak says there wasn't a particular book or experience that inspired her change to veganism. "It was just a light switch came on," she said to a group of 40 vegans (out of 100 –AVS) assembled from New York, California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, British Columbia, and many other places. Vegan diets are in many ways healthier than meat-based diets. Vegans are rarely overweight, and do not have the high cholesterol that plagues people in the meat-eating population. But they do not make their choices based on their own health. Instead, vegans are motivated by the desire to end slavery of and cruelty to animals for humans' gain. Vegans eat no beef, pork, fish or fowl. They do not use milk, eggs, or anything containing them, such as butter, "A deer hunter flipped the switch for me," said Brenda Davis, a former public health nutritionist in Canada. "He dropped two books on my desk — ‘Diet for a New America’ by John Robbins and ‘A Challenging Second Opinion’ by John McDougal, and asked me if they were valid." Davis said the reviews she had read about the books were not very flattering, but she asked to borrow them for a week, read them herself and came to her own conclusions. Learning the horrors of factory farming, as touched on by two films, “The Witness” and “Peaceable Kingdom” produced by Tribe of Heart, motivates many people to become vegans. Factory farms bear little resemblance to the family farms of a century ago. Animals are given drugs and diets designed to make them grow faster or produce more milk or eggs. They are crammed in small spaces and not allowed to practice any of their natural behaviors — such as walking freely, grazing, or for chickens, preening and taking dust baths. For vegetarians, the fact that animals aren't killed to produce dairy products and eggs may make their consumption acceptable, but for vegans, it is not. Dairy cattle are not allowed to nurse their newborn calves, who may be taken away from them within a day of their birth. Veal is a bypr odu ct of the dairy industry, with many dairy cows' calves going into c onfinin g, dark crates for the duration of their short lives in order to produce white veal. And Brenda Davis factory egg American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 21 production is as much of a horror to some, with hundreds of thousands of chickens crammed into cages so tightly that they cannot spread their wings. Baby chicks' beaks are routinely cut off shortly after birth to prevent them from hurting each other in unnaturally tight quarters. "For modern animal agriculture, the less the consumer knows about what's happening before the meat hits the plate, the better," Michael Pollan wrote in New York Times Magazine in November 2002. "Should we be reluctant to let people know what really goes on, because we're not really proud of it and concerned that it might turn them to vegetarianism?" Pollan points out the contradiction in humans' relationships to animals, in which sentimentality and brutality exist side by side. "Half the dogs in America will receive Christmas presents this year, yet few of us pause to consider the miserable life of the pig — an animal easily as intelligent as a dog — that becomes the Christmas ham," he writes. Eating to feed the world For many vegans, such as Meat Free Zone founder and former EarthSave board member Jerry Cook, the distribution of the Earth's resources is one of the motivations for being ve- gan. Cook, who appears in the Peaceable Kingdom movie, was at the American Vegan Society conference last week, assisting in cooking demonstrations and playing music for the children between sessions. "To be truly healthful, a diet must be best not just for individuals in isolation but must allow all six billion people to thrive and achieve a sustainable coexistence," according to the EarthSave International Web site, www.earthsave.org. Feeding animals that will later be slaughtered requires 10 to 100 times as much consumption of water and plants, depending on the animal, than would be required to feed the plants to humans directly. Stepaniak writes about vegan philosophy as well as vegan cooking. She explains that the decision to be vegan means more than simply avoiding all animal products. Becoming vegan is a life-changing shift that is a difficult and gradual process for some people. "There is no end to the vegan journey," Stepaniak writes. "Vegans are perpetually challenged to do more, to strive higher, to see and understand more clearly, to be more loving and humble. This is the gift of veganism. It is a guide for compassionate living. It is the path of honoring our roots, our planet, all life, and ourselves." o Reprinted with permission Jerry Cook and JoAnn Farb lead evening singing 22 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 Vegan Diets Include Most Necessary Nutrients© One of the boons of a vegan diet — which excludes not only meat, but all dairy products as well — is better health. Vegans have almost no problems with obesity or high cholesterol, living as they do on a plant-based diet. Heart disease is greatly reduced. But the biggest criticism of vegan diets relates to health, as well. Detractors say the diet is short of essential calcium and protein. But calcium needs are easily fulfilled with leafy green vegetables such as spinach (kale better –AVS), and protein abounds in nuts, beans, and soy products. Lack of B12 The legitimate health criticism of a vegan diet is its lack of B12, which is found naturally only in animal products. In order to function, humans must have vitamin B12. Lack of it can cause permanent neurological damage. Jo Stepaniak, vegan cookbook author and philosopher, attended the American Vegan Society national conference in Summertown, Tennessee. She says the human need for B12 does not mean that a vegan diet is unnatural or inadequate. "All vitamin B12 comes from bacteria and is found in the soil as well as in the intestines of animals. At one time vitamin B12 was readily available in our soil and water supplies, and the minute amount that humans require was easy to get," Stepaniak writes. "Today our land and waterways are polluted, making it essential that our produce is thoroughly cleaned before we eat it and our water is purified before we drink it, thus eliminating any available B12." >>> Article from The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville TN August 17 2005 Vegan Diets Include Most Necessary Nutrients© Stacy Smith Segovia Jo Stepaniak Colorful and delicious foods Vegans can supplement their diets with B12 tablets or with B12 fortified foods, such as nutritional yeast, which is used as a cheese flavoring in many vegan dishes. Many dry cereals are also fortified with B12, and fit in with a vegan diet when used with milk made from soy, rice or almonds. In "The China Project," researcher T. Colin Campbell concludes that a vegan diet is the healthiest for humans. He estimates that 80 to 90% of cancer, cardiovascular disease and degenerative illness can be prevented until old age by adopting a plant-based diet. One of the stars of the AVS conference was 17-year-old Cory Davis, who did a vegan cooking demonstration using nutritional yeast as a flavoring for his egg-like scrambled tofu. He also made carob snacks that tasted like chocolate fudge, and a lush banana-mango pie. Cory's mother, Brenda Davis, said one of the biggest challenges for people going from lacto-ovo vegetarians to vegans is giving up cheese. Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat both milk products and eggs, while vegans eat neither. So Davis, in feeding her teenage son and in creating recipes for her many vegan books, keeps mock cheese on the menu. "I always put the 'cheese' sauce in," Cory said, stirring a nut-based cheese substitute into scrambled tofu. Cory is an animal activist who directs youth programs for The Responsible Animal Care Society in Kelowna, British Columbia. But at the AVS conference last week, he spent little time discussing the plight of the millions of animals in factory farms. Because the attendees were all vegans (or interested in being so –AVS), the atrocities to which animals are subjected are all well known to them. Instead, Cory and the other presenters focused on the joys of food — the colors, flavors and textures of plant-based cuisine. Vegan eating does not have to be about deprivation. In fact, people's diets often become more varied when they become vegans, chef Elysa Markowitz said. Vegan recipes are widely available, with thousands available free online. While some aim to mimic meat and milk dishes by using soy-based meat substitutes and mock cheeses, others are all about the simple beauty of raw fruits and fresh vegetables. "There's nothing sweeter than fresh corn, hot from the summer sun," Markowitz said in a presentation on the pleasures of food. “People should leave conflicts and stress away from the table”, she said. “They should eat slowly, and appreciate the sacred value of the nutrients their food provides.” "We all deserve the pleasure and sweetness in life. We are all born into sweetness. Let that sweetness come into your life," she said. "Food, to me, is a wonderful source of pleasure, learning, exploring." Reprinted with permission. Cory Davis cooking in Louise Hagler’s demo kitchen The Farm, Summertown TN, August 2005. (Recipes on next page.) His T-shirt advertises the CD: COWS WITH GUNS by Dana Lyons from Reigning Records, Bellingham WA O Thanks to Lige Weill, for media work on behalf of the AVS 2005 Conference in Summertown TN. American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 23 Recipe Demo by Cory Davis Melty “Cheese” Sauce This is my favorite “cheese” substitute. It is simple and very tasty. 2 cups water 500 mL ½ small sweet red pepper 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes 30 mL 1 tsp. salt 5 mL 3 Tbsp. cornstarch 45 mL 1 cup raw cashews 250 mL 1½ Tbsp. lemon juice 22 mL ½ tsp. onion powder 2 mL ¼ tsp. garlic powder 1 mL Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth and creamy. (Onion and garlic powder are optional.) Pour mixture into heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly until thick. Return to blender, and blend again until smooth. Serve warm over favorite steamed vegetables (e.g. broccoli, potatoes), pasta; or use with any dish calling for a cheesy sauce (tacos, scrambled tofu, etc.). Or put in a container in the refrigerator. Serve cold on celery, toast or crackers. Scrambled Tofu Scrambled tofu is a great breakfast, but it makes an awesome supper too. Nutritional yeast and turmeric give the tofu a yellow color similar to scrambled eggs. 1 lb. medium or firm tofu 450 g drained and mashed 1 cup chopped spinach 250 mL 2 Tbsp. chopped green onion 30 mL ½ chopped red pepper 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp. olive oil 10 mL 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast 16 g 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 30 mL ¼ tsp. turmeric (optional)1 mL ¼ tsp. salt, or to taste 1 mL Pepper (to taste) Drain tofu well and mash with a fork. In a heavy pan or cast-iron frying pan, over medium heat, sauté spinach, red pepper, onion and garlic in oil until soft. To mashed tofu, add yeast, turmeric (if using), salt, and pepper, and then parsley. Mix well with a fork, and then add to vegetables in pan. Stirring, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until warmed through. Serve immediately, with toast. Makes 1½ cups (375 mL); 3 servings. Flavor Boost Variations: Omit salt, and use Bragg Liquid Aminos or Tamari instead (about 2 tsp (10 mL) or to taste). Add herbs like basil and oregano or Spike™. Vary the vegetables – try mushrooms, zucchini or other vegetables that cook quickly. Banana-Mango Cream Pie Absolutely amazing pie. Crust: 1 cup pitted dates 250 mL 1 cup almonds 250 mL ¼ cup coconut 60 mL Cover all ingredients with water and let soak about 4 hours or more. Drain. Put through a Champion™ juicer or use a food processor. Pat into a pie pan (preferably glass), and sprinkle with coconut, if desired. Put pie crust in refrigerator. Fresh fruit layer: 2 mangos, chopped 3 bananas, sliced 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 15 mL Slice bananas and mangos. Coat with fresh lemon juice. Put fruit on pie crust to evenly cover pie bottom. Cream Filling: ½ cup raw cashew pieces 120 mL ½ can coconut milk (lite is best) 3 ripe bananas, in pieces 2 mangos, sliced 1½ Tbsp. agar powder 22 mL 1 cup boiling water 250 mL 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 45mL (juice of 1 large lemon) 1 tsp. vanilla 5 mL 24 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 3 Tbsp. liquid sweetener (agave syrup or maple syrup) 45 mL Nuts /coconut for decoration Cover cashews with water and soak for an hour or more. Drain. Blend cashews, coconut milk, liquid sweetener and vanilla until very smooth. Add bananas and mangos. Blend until smooth. Stir agar or veg-gel with boiling water until dissolved. Add agar or gel to the filling. Blend until well mixed. Pour immediately over fruit in pie shell. Sprinkle with pecans, walnuts, or coconut. Refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours until firm. Serve cold. Makes 6 large or 8 small servings. Variations: Use fresh coconut milk for a completely raw (uncooked) pie. Use 1/3 cup soaked dates instead of liquid sweetener. Play around with different types of fruits – strawberries and kiwi would work well. Nutty Carob Date Bars These are super simple, nutritious and delicious. 2 cups dates 500 mL ½ cup water 125 mL 1 cup almond butter 250 mL or other nut butter 3 Tbsp. carob powder 45 mL ½ tsp. vanilla extract 2 mL 1 cup chopped walnuts 250 mL or other nuts ¼ cup coconut 60 mL Place dates and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently until dates are soft. Mash dates. Add nut butter and cook until mixture bubbles. Stir in carob powder and vanilla. Spread in lightly oiled 8 x 8” (20x20cm) pan, refrigerate, and cut in squares to serve. Note: Mixture can also be rolled into balls and coated with nuts or coconut. Makes 21 small bars or balls. o Article from The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville TN, August 18 2005 Hippies Find Happiness in Community on The Farm© Stacy Smith Segovia SUMMERTOWN — Call the 175 residents of The Farm hippies and you'll hear no objection. Although residents of the three-square-mile community in Summertown bear little resemblance to the teenage hippies who founded the commune in 1971 — many are now doctors, nurses, midwives and technology professionals — they hold the same ideals. The Farm's story began in 1969, when San Francisco State College English professor Stephen Gaskin was invited by a group of ministers and theologians to tour the country speaking at various churches. Two hundred members of Gaskin's Monday Night Class on world religions' relationship to psychedelic experiences decided to join him. In 1970, a caravan of brightly-painted school buses, VW vans, trucks and campers departed for a coast-to-coast tour, picking up more people at every stop. When, four months later, the trip was over, many didn't want it to end. They decided to pool their money to buy land for a new community where they could all live together. Tennessee was the logical location. "We came back to the South where people were friendly and land was only $70 an acre," says Douglas Stevenson, a resident of The Farm since its early days. Within two years, the 320 residents had 1,750 acres near Summertown, about 50 miles south of Nashville, but only one building with electricity. Most of the residents lived in tents for years. "We worked as a commune The Leaf-Chronicle for 10 years, and the population grew to 1,200 people," Stevenson says. During this surge, The Farm attracted 20,000 visitors per year. No one paid to live at The Farm, and the aim was to work together to grow enough food to feed themselves with surplus to sell for income. However, the math didn't work out. "We were spending $10,000 a week and bringing in $4,000 to $6,000," Stevenson says. The Farm Store Compounding the problem was that residents were charged full price for any medical services they received because they had no insurance and were considered well-to-do based on the land they owned in common. At one point, The Farm's bill at Vanderbilt University Medical Center topped $100,000. A tough decision was made — each adult living on The Farm would have to pay $135 per month to live there. "People were disillusioned, going from a community based on the Book of Acts structure," Stevenson says. "The population fell to 250." 'The Changeover' The period in 1983 was called "The Changeover," when families began to have their own income and property. Desperate to generate cash flow, residents started new businesses and expanded those already in place. Stevenson explains that The Farm is much less a farm than what you'd expect because the residents had little or no experience with farming. Instead, they were mostly technology geeks. An electronics manufacturing center was started by a group of ham radio operators. Within a few years, their Geiger counters they sold made them by far The Farm's most lucrative business. Other businesses followed. The 31-year-old Book Publishing Co. is today a leading printer of books on healthful, sustainable living. The Mail Order Catalog sells vegetarian foods. FarmSoy Co. operates a soy "dairy" that produces soy milk and soy ice cream that is sold in grocery stores regionally. Stevenson's business, Village Media, is a state-of-the-art digital media production company, creating documentaries as well as commercial and industrial promos. His company also created and maintains one of The Farm's two websites: www.thefarmcommunity.com. > American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 25 Today, the Farm has a grocery store, medical clinic, pharmacy, birthing center, solarpowered school, recycling center and a shed that serves as the community post office. It has paved roads, electricity and modern water supply. Its biggest expense, Stevenson says, is paying to have its water regularly tested for safety, which is required by the state. Passing on ideals Residents still do not own their homes or the land on which they are built, but those who decide to leave the community may sell to new prospective members — who must be approved by a board of residents — for the cost of the materials used to build their homes. Stevenson and his wife, Deborah Flowers, a nurse who works outside the community, have lived at The Farm since the days of tent winters, the only heat coming from wood stoves. They raised their children, Jody, 31, and Leah, 29, at The Farm from birth. Now, their grandchild, 5-month-old Lulie, lives there as well. "We're learning that sustainability is passing on your ideals, handing it off to another generation," Stevenson says. “Living in a community of like-minded people, sharing oldfashioned family values and neighborliness amidst a progressive world view will never lose its appeal. And after all these years, most of the residents are like family. "We've had to work together to build it all. We cooked for each other, shared babysitting," she says. "We did everything cooperatively, and you form pretty strong bonds that way." Although life on The Farm is no longer strictly communal, the group still shares the land and its upkeep, and meets frequently for community dinners at the small community center across from the school. These gatherings are always festive, and often include music. Those who have been at The Farm since its beginning accept residents' friends, children and grandchildren as part of the family, as well. "We all dance to each other's music — old and young, dancing at the same time," Flowers says. "It's one of the few places I've ever been where all ages o party together." Stephen Gaskin, charismatic leader and teacher, and now private citizen at The Farm, welcomed AVS, and reminisced. FARM EXPERIENCE WEEKENDS Workshops/Tours/Hikes/Meals (931) 964-3574 www.thefarmcommunity.com Calendar of Events Bed & Breakfasts Reprinted with permission. Below: Dancing August 2005. Bottom left: the birthing house. Flowers says The Farm hasn't lost any of its appeal after more than three decades. 26 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 Bloomfield Bed & Breakfast Barb and Tom Elliott of FarmSoy. Other Soy Products When the American Vegan Society held its conference in Summertown, August 2005, we enjoyed other FarmSoy products produced for The Farm community. The soy yogurt was superb, and wonderful with blueberries or blueberry sauce. The ice bean, comes in many flavors, was delightful on hot afternoons, and packed more nutrition than other cones. What a treat! LASAGNA 1 lb. lasagna noodles 2 jars (qts) spaghetti sauce 1 lb. FarmSoy tofu 1 tsp. dried basil 1 tsp. onion powder (Tom is also a heavy equipment operator who maintains roads on The Farm.) FarmSoy company has been making soymilk and tofu since the early 1970s and the products have been certified organic since 1992. It began as The Farm Soy Dairy in the early 70s to supply The Farm community – which was totally vegan at the time. It became a commercial business in 1983. Barb and Tom Elliott, the current owners, purchased the business in 1991 and have been upgrading the building, equipment, and marketing. ½ tsp. salt (or to taste) Optional ingredients: ½ tsp. oregano ½ tsp. rosemary ¼ tsp. black pepper 1 Tbsp. olive oil Prepare noodles as directed. Drain water from tofu. With a potato masher (or by hand), mash tofu in a bowl. Add spices to tofu and re-mash to distribute spices evenly. You may lightly sauté tofu and spices in olive oil if desired, but this is not necessary. You may also blend the seasoned tofu in a blender to make it more creamy and smooth. Cover bottom of 9 x 11” pan with spaghetti sauce. Layer noodles over sauce. Sprinkle some tofu over noodles, cover with spaghetti sauce, continue to layer this way (noodles, tofu, sauce) until all noodles are used. Cover casserole to bake. Bake at 350ºF, 40 to 45 minutes. Serves 6 to 8. Tofu: Unlike some companies, FarmSoy tofu does not contain certain processing aids which are not required to be shown in the list of ingredients. The soybeans used are grown organically on small farms in Tennessee and Illinois. FarmSoy uses the community well water which is very pure and tested frequently. The only other ingredient is calcium sulfate, a natural mineral from the earth, used to coagulate the soy milk into the curds that are then pressed into tofu. FarmSoy: Equipment for making soy milk and tofu. FarmSoy tofu is firm yet creamy, and many say it Other equipment includes that in pressing, packagis the best they have ever tasted. The care with Photos Linda Long ing and cooling areas. which it is made is evident. Many youth who have grown up on the farm worked their first jobs there. In addition to their regular firm tofu, FarmSoy recently introduced a soft tofu. FarmSoy tofu is sold in Fresh Market™ stores in Tennessee and the Midwest. It is also distributed to other stores in the Midwest area (including Kentucky and Ohio) by Crosset Co. a distributor of certified organic produce. Outside these areas it is available through another business on The Farm, The Mail Order Catalog at www.healthy-eating.com (800) 695-2241. American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 27 Right: Vicki Montagne staffs the Welcome Center at The Farm Gate, and the Tempeh Lab – housed on one side of the building. The Lab is the leading producer of tempeh culture in the United States. < Tempeh made in a class given by Louise Hagler who, at the AVS 2005 conference, demonstrated that making tempeh at home is relatively easy and tastes far superior to what can be bought commercially. Obtain tempeh spore and starter kits from The Tempeh Lab, (931) 964-3574. PO Box 208, Summertown TN 38483. www.tempehlab.com. Frank Michael, who has lived on The Farm for 33 years, is a scientist and proprietor of Mushroom People which provides spawn, tools, books and videos on cultivating shiitake, reishi, and other edible mushrooms. Judy initiated this educational project to foster understanding, (931) 964-4400 knowledge, and compassion (August 2005) Judy Meeker between cultures. watches Sky Dalrymple, one www.morethanwarmth.org of the children working on a More Than Warmth Quilt destined for the Middle East. www.mushroompeople.com Tunempeh Salad Yield 3 cups, 4 to 6 servings 8 oz. tempeh ¾ cup Zippy Tofu Salad Dressing, Or Nayonaise™/Vegenaise™ 1 cup celery, diced ¼ cup green onions, chopped 2 tsp. sweet pickle relish 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced ½ tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper Toasted slivered almonds (optional) Steam the tempeh for 20 minutes, then cut into ¼-inch pieces, or grate. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and serve. From Soyfood Cookery –Louise Hagler Bob is production and sales manager, and Cynthia managing editor. The company has over 150 cookbook (vegan and vegetarian), healthy living, and lifestyle titles in print, and over 60 Native American titles. (Many of their vegan authors have spoken at AVS conferences.) To read more about The Farm experience, order these and other titles from them: Spiritual Midwifery $19.95, Monday Night Class $14.95, Voices from The Farm $9.95, Bob and Cynthia Holzapfel of Book Publishing at The Farm in Summertown TN. 28 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook $10.95. www.bookpubco.com, www.healthy-eating.com Ph: (888) 260-8458, Fax: (931) 964-3518 PO Box 99, Summertown TN 38483 FOOD TO LIVE FOR: Biscuits and Gravy, Soysage, Pancakes, Soy Yogurt, Fruit Salad. Mushrooms & Potatoes, Tempeh Burgers, Red Pepper Hummus, Quinoa Tabouli, Lasagna, Enchiladas, Tofu Pot Pie, BBQ Seitan, Knishes, Vegetable Wraps, Pizza. Garden Salads. Tofu Cheesecake/Berries Chocolate Sponge Cake Baklava, Ice Bean & More The Community Center (above) at The Farm, Summertown TN, has a commercial kitchen and large dining hall/ meeting room. Roberta Kachinsky (top) and her staff, which includes mother Claire (87 years old) and friend Ramona Christopherson, serve splendid vegan meals with the fresh touch of vegetables and herbs from the gardens and blueberries from the property. It is the home of Bert & Rae’s Vegan Deli: Take-out & Catering ECOVILLAGE TRAINING CENTER (From back cover) The Ecovillage Training Center teaches sustainable design, natural building techniques, and organic gardening, with methods suited to the third-world, and environmentalists. Grey water from the house is treated through a series of ponds in a naturalfiltration purification system. Alternative energy sources are used which include passive and photovoltaic solar systems. Students from over 70 nations have attended Above: Tami Brunk shows the children and adults cob-wall construction. Bamboo rebars are used. Below: A passive-solar water tank used for showers. courses and workshops there led by director Albert Bates. < Louey Kachinsky may be found in the packing room at Book Publishing, on a construction crew, making tofu, or life guarding at the swimming hole. American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 29 From The New York Times March 26 2006: Firefighters Gone Vegan? Even Austin Is Impressed© By DEBORAH BLUMENTHAL AUSTIN, Texas — The image of big brawny firefighters devouring platters of four-alarm chili, sizzling steaks and double cheeseburgers is as much a part of firehouse lore as brass fire poles and heroic Dalmatians. "They're dinosaurs, they're big meat eaters," said Joseph T. Bonanno Jr., a former New York City firefighter and the author of "The Firehouse Grilling Cookbook" (Broadway Books, 1998). But not here. In this health-conscious state capital, sometimes called the People's Republic of Austin, maverick behavior is nothing out of the ordinary. But when Jimmy John's, the local sandwich joint, names a sandwich after you, "the Engine 2 Veggie Sandwich"; when People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals gives you an award for "Animal-Friendly Firehouse of the Year"; and when people call out to passing fire trucks, "Are y'all the vegans?" even Austin is taking notice. The five firefighters of Team C at Firehouse 2 – Rip Esselstyn, James Rae, Matt Moore, Derick Zwerneman and Scott Walters – now eat vegan, taking turns whipping up plant-based fare like meatless and cheeseless pizza, pasta primavera and spinach enchiladas. It did not happen because they shared a love of sprouts. A routine cholesterol test left Specialist Rae, 37, shaken. The American Heart Association ranks anyone with a level of 240 or more high risk; Specialist Rae's hit 344. "I was floored, scared," he said. "I had no clue." All but one of his male relatives had succumbed to heart disease by age 59. Specialist Rae's father, the sole survivor, had a heart attack and then triple bypass surgery in his mid-50's. The team's nutrition guru came to his aid. Firefighter Esselstyn, 43, a professional triathlete for a decade before joining the department in 1997, was living proof that meat was not necessary for hard work and endurance. He became a vegetarian in 1986 and a vegan in 2002. He persuaded the group to rally around Specialist Rae and start cooking vegan dishes. Firefighter Esselstyn knew through his father's work that a strict vegan diet would help. His father, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn www.engine2.org 30 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 Jr., had been a general surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic and still conducts research there. Dr. Esselstyn's 12-year trial with patients with what looked like terminal heart disease showed that a very-low-fat, plantbased diet with cholesterollowering medicine could bring striking improvement. Heart disease "never need exist," Dr. Esselstyn said, but if it does, "it never need progress." His son cited another reason for improving Specialist Rae's health. "J. R. became more of a liability than an asset to us," Firefighter Esselstyn said, glancing at his partner with a half-smile. "Do I want a guy with a bad ticker dragging me out?" But while Specialist Rae adhered to the diet at the firehouse, he was not as strict outside. He became what he calls a flexitarian, someone who occasionally eats meat or fish. When that did not lower his cholesterol enough, he switched to the vegan diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Now, he said, his cholesterol is under 200, and he calls the way he eats "a way of life." While Team C eats vegan at work – each man shops and cooks dinner twice a month – the other two members, Lieutenant Walters and Firefighter Zwerneman, are not always such purists at home. At a recent party catered by a barbecue restaurant, Firefighter Zwerneman did not stick to just the beans, a mistake he later realized. "The next night I was paying for it," he said. "I felt sort of the way I did after my first couple of tofu dinners, which didn't go so well either. But now I'm one of the weirdos like everybody else." For the other 10 men in Firehouse 2, the vegan diet has not gone down so easily. Inside the freezer are a bag of cheeseburgers, French fries and a package of beef next to vegan offerings. One firefighter even put up provocative posters on the walls, including one that reads, "Beef. It's What's for Dinner." Firefighter Esselstyn and the others shrug it off. "Seventy percent of our calls are medical," he said. "Every day we see the ravages of people eating to their heart's content." If not for Specialist Rae's cholesterol, he said, "there would have been someone else, someone prediabetic or obese who would have prompted us." To reach the public, Team C has a Web site: www.engine2.org – with goofy pictures of the men posing with fruits and vegetables, campy biographies, health links, and recipes like Paul McCartney's enchiladas, tortilla pie and Station 2's award-winning wraps. Even the firehouse carnivores benefit from the vegan cookery, routinely scavenging leftovers. As Edward Roel, a driver on the B shift, admitted, "They taste good." Copyright © 2006 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission. PHILADELPHIA PA: Baseball: Thanks to Kevin Tedesco of Aramark and the Phillies, Citizen’s Bank Park now adds Yves™ Smart Dogs to the flame–grilled Gardenburgers™ which debuted in 2005; both are vegan, on a vegan bun. Look for stands in sections 128 (dogs), 206, 318. Also Peace A Pizza sells a veggie pizza, no cheese. Scott Geiger has arranged for a group outing to the Phillies game Fri. June 16 2006 at 7:05 pm. E-mail [email protected] or call (267) 481-0487. News of this and other ballparks at www.soyhappy.org. VEGFAM Feeds the hungry without exploiting animals VEGFAM The Sanctuary, Lydford, Nr. Okehampton Devon EX20 4AL, UK Checks to American Vegan Soc., marked for overseas relief will be forwarded in £s Meatout Mondays Weekly e-newsletter with a vegan recipe, inspirational message, and vegan product www.meatoutmondays.org. OrganicAthlete.org Leading the Race for Life on Earth PO Box 33, Graton CA 95444 (707) 360-8511 GoVeganRadio.com Bob Linden/SEE, PO Box 220025 Newhall CA 91322. (818) 623-6477 VEGAN OUTREACH 211 Indian Dr. Pittsburgh, PA 15238 www.veganoutreach.org INSTITUTE for PLANT BASED NUTRITION 333 Bryn Mawr Ave, Bala Cynwyd PA 19004 Phone: (610) 667-6876 www.plantbased.org U Penn Law: Jessica Alms announces first volume/issue of Journal of Animal Law & Ethics & lead article by Gary Francione. Subs. $19; or organizations $29. 3400 Chestnut St Phila PA 19104 www.law.upenn.edu/groups/jale [email protected] VEGFAM PROJECTS Vegfam provides short- and long-term aid to victims of flood, drought, cyclone, famine, and war, as well as earthquake. It funds emergency feeding, seeds for planting, and water supplies. 2004 aid went to Ghana, Tajikistan, India, Sudan, Mozambique, & Bangladesh. Tsunami relief was sent immediately to India’s Tamil Nadu region in the form of food packets of vegetables, pulses and rice. 2005/6: Usual relief efforts, plus Vegfam’s Indian Ocean Earthquake Appeal is raising funds for long-term vegetable growing projects. American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 31 CONSUMER NEWS: Earth Vegan Shoes are among the latest celebrity fashion statements. They are worn today by Pierce Brosnan and his wife Keely Shaye, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cheryl Hines, Jennie Garth, Tatum O’Neal, Alexandra Paul, Ed Begley Jr, Mindy Cohn, and Cloris Leachman –from Market Wire, Waltham MA, October 4 2004. Made of soft, breathable simulated leather uppers and linings, \with multi-density cushioned footbed, natural latex rubber sole and KALSO® Negative Heel™ Technology. (UK) Vegan Society certified components & construction. Many styles of Vegan casuals for men and women. Earth Vegan Footwear *New line of vegan shoes* 151 Newton St Waltham MA 02453 (877) 746-3364 www.earthvegan.us Commercial products today are often advertised as "wholesome", "natural", or "cruelty-free", with no clear standard of what is really meant. Some firms don't see insects as animal; products using lanolin (wool fat) or fish parts are sometimes sold as "non-animal". We are pleased to list some mail-order catalogs and websites you’ll find helpful, selling vegan clothing, shoes, cosmetics, toiletries, etc. For a list of 200+ ingredients commonly used in foods, cosmetics, etc., see VEGANISM: Getting Started (AVS/Ahimsa publication). Sources of Non-Animal Items Amberwood Route 2 Box 300, Milford Road Leary GA 31762 (912) 792-6246 Laundry/household cleaning products, toiletries/cosmetics, women's quality belts/bags/wallets. Beauty Without Cruelty (USA) 175 West 12th Street New York NY 10011 Lists items non-animal-tested, and non-animal products. List, info: $5 Different Daisy Webstore Christi Wymer 10766 State Route 139 Minford OH 45653 www.DifferentDaisy.com Supplements, apparel, cosmetics, body care, household cleaners, first aid, + info, recipes, events, & more. Working Vegan Network. Heartland Products Ltd. Box 218 Dakota City IA 50529 (515) 332-3087, (800)-441-4692 www.trvnet.net/~hrtlndp Men’s/women’s footwear: safety, athletic, hiking, dress; also, luggage, belts, baseball gloves. moo shoes: alternatives to leather 207 East 26th Street New York NY 10010 (212) 481-5792 www.mooshoes.com Non-leather shoes and accessories. Pangea 2381 Lewis Avenue Rockville MD 20851 (800)-340-1200 www.veganstore.com Toiletries, shoes, T-shirts, clothing, bags, food items, dog food, etc. soles of the earth Roger Romanelli 2046 West Charleston Sreet. Chicago IL 60647 (773) 252-SOLE (7653) [email protected] Footwear and accessories. 32 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 Veg Essentials 7722 W. Menomonee River Pkwy. Wauwatosa WI 53213 Ph/Fax: (414) 607-1953 (866) 88VEGAN (888-3426) www.veganessentials.com Soap; bath, body, dental-care items; cosmetics; flavorings, and sweets. The Vegetarian Site David Sudarsky PO Box 64956 Tucson AZ 85728 www.thevegetariansite.com NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS ►Vegans generally obtain vitamins and minerals in natural foods rather than extracts or supplements. (See Do You Need Vitamin Supplements? article by Dr. Agatha Thrash, from AVS.) Freeda Vitamins, Inc. 36 East 41st Street New York NY 10017 (800) 777-3737 www.freedavitamins.com Non-animal supplements. Pioneer Nutritional Formulas, Inc. 304 Shelburne Center Road Shelburne Falls MA 01370 (800) 458-8483 orders (413) 625-8212 www.pioneernutritional.com Some Pioneer Formulas have Vegan Action’s seal of approval. Prescription 2000: 3301 Arden Way, Suite 2 Sacramento CA 95825 (916) 483-1020 (877) DO-VEGAN (368-3426) www.prescription2000.com NOT A SUPPLEMENT BUT A COMPLETE MEAL The Ultimate Life Box 4308 Santa Barbara CA 93140 (800) THE MEAL (843-6325) www.ultimatelife.com MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES U.S.A. FLORIDA 2006 NATIONAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE, Thurs. June 1 to Mon June 5 2006 at the Regency House Natural Health Spa, 2000 S Ocean Dr, Hallandale FL 33009. To register phone Regency House at: (800) 454-0003 or (954) 454-2220. All-vegan meals, fitness activities, lectures by members of International Association of Hygienic Physicians (IAHP). (National Health Assn. PO Box 30630, Tampa FL 33630, (813) 855-6607). NEW JERSEY Christian Concern for All God’s Creatures Conference, Saturday June 3 2006 10 am to 5 pm at Caldwell College, 9 Ryerson Ave, Caldwell NJ Speakers: Rev. J. R. Hyland -author of "God's Covenant with Animals" and "The Slaughter of Terrified Beasts", Deborah Jones and Jan Fredericks -Catholic Concern for Animals, and Frank and Mary Hoffman– who host Christian animal websites. See www.Godscreaturesministry.org. Write [email protected] or God’s Creatures Ministry PO Box 322 Wayne NJ 07474. Phone: (973) 694-5155. PENNSYLVANIA 32nd Annual VEGETARIAN SUMMERFEST, Wed. July 5 to Sun. July 9 2006 at University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown PA. The event vegetarians look forward to all year presented by North American Vegetarian Society, PO Box 72, Dolgeville NY 13329. (518) 568-7970, www.vegetariansummerfest.org. VIRGINIA Animal Rights 2006 National Conference, Thurs. August 10 to Mon. August 14 2006 at the Hilton Mark Center Hotel in Alexandria VA. 25th anniversary event theme is Promoting Cooperation. Speakers from every faction of AR. www.AR2006.org, (888) FARM-USA (327-6872), AR2006/FARM, 10101 Ashburton Lane, Bethesda MD 20817. CALIFORNIA Healthy Lifestyle Expo, Fri. September 22 to Sun. September 24 2006 at the Burbank Hilton Convention Center, Burbank California. Drs. McDougall, Gordon, Fuhrman, Esselstyn, Mills; John Robbins, Jeff & Sabrina Nelson, vegan chefs. See www.HealthyLifestyleExpo.com or call (818) 349-5600. CALIFORNIA 21st International Compassionate Living Festival, Friday October 6 to Sunday October 8 2006, titled The Strength of Many, will be held at the Renaissance Montura Hotel near Los Angeles airport. The festival is co-produced by the Animals & Society Institute (ASI) and Tom Regan (Empty Cages) of the Culture and Animals Foundation.. Information from Kim W. Stallwood, ASI, 3500 Boston St. #325, Baltimore MD 21224, (410) 6754566, www.animalsandsociety.org. FESTIVAL AND CONGRESSES, OTHER COUNTRIES DENMARK 10th International Vegan Festival, Skagen, Denmark July 30th – August 5th 2006. At the very top of Denmark, where the 2 seas Kattegat and Skagerak meet and where there is a special light, which attracts many artists and tourists is Diget, a folk high school very beautifully situated, 600 m from the beach with a golf course nearby. See www.vegansworldnetwork.org and make reservations by April 1, please! Contact: Kirsten Jungsberg, Raadmand Steins Alle 45,7, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark. Phone 45 3874 3404. E-mail [email protected] or [email protected]. (Cell phone 45 6133 3874.) BRAZIL Brazilian and Latin American Vegetarian Congress, Fri. August 4 to Tues, August 8 2006 at Memorial de America Latina, Sao Paulo Brazil. See www.svb.org.br or contact Marly Winckler, Servidao do Nilton, 412 Paia de Cacupé, 88050 Florianopolis SC Brazil. Phone 55 48 2351609. INDIA 37th World Vegetarian Congress, Sun. September 10 to Sat. September 16 2006 at Radisson White Sands Resort, Pedda, Varca-Salcete Goa 403721, India. Sponsor: International Vegetarian Union (www.ivu.org) and others. Opening the doors to Healthy Lifestyle Vegetarian Way! See www.vegsocmumbai.org. Write: [email protected] or The Vegetarian Society 114-A Mittal Court, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021, India Phone 91 22 85 5755/56 Fax 22 84 5040. American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 33 American Vegan Society Annual Meeting Sunday May 28 2006 American Vegan Society headquarters 72 Dinshah Lane, Malaga New Jersey 08328. Phone: (856) 694-2887 12 noon PICNIC LUNCH Freshly-picked locally-grown and wild foods will be featured on the menu: Asparagus with Carrot-Herb Dressing, Nettle-Spinach Puree, Potato Salad, Veggie Burgers, Mushroom-Onion Gravy, Carob Sponge Cake with Strawberries and Vanilla–Pear-Cashew Cream, Herb Tea. Reservations required. Suggested donation $15. Speakers start at 2 pm. Joe Colanero: Jersey Fresh Produce from the Garden State Joe is a columnist on food, farming and gardening, writing for various regional NJ newspapers. A short Membership Meeting to include election of Trustees. Holly Roberts DO FACOG: My Personal Journey as a Physician and Vegetarian Dr. Roberts (obstetrician-gynecologist, cancer surgeon) is a long-time vegetarian, religious scholar and author. Your Vegetarian Pregnancy testifies to the adequacy and advantages of vegetarian and vegan diets. Vegetarian Christian Saints and The Vegetarian Philosophy of India show roots of compassion. Monday May 29, 10 am AVS Council of Trustees Meeting (members invited), AVS HQ, Malaga. Letters to Editors Los Angeles Times 11-24-05 Eating meat gets vegetarian’s goat Re: “No Kidding: Americans Acquiring Taste for Goat,” Nov 21 While “some California farmers see gold in goat,” I see unnecessary slaughter, heart disease and cancer, and a waste of resources. Raising animals for human consumption compromises the air, water, and land where the animals live. Eating meat contributes to the chronic diseases that have become epidemic in developed countries. And with so much killing in the world, why people continue to pay others to kill living beings for them is beyond me. More peace-loving people are choosing a non-violent, healthy, Earth-sustaining vegetarian diet. I am among them, and I am sad for the goats and the people who plan to raise, slaughter and eat them. PATTI BREITMAN, Fairfax, Calif. Cuttings of Letters to Editors printed in mainstream newspapers or magazines that express a vegan viewpoint may be submitted to American Vegan Society by the writer, or a reader, to qualify for a free one-year membership and subscription to American Vegan. Patti is already a Life member of AVS. Her letter was spotted by another AVS Life member who is making this offer. Vineland NJ — Gloria Cossaboon 1936 to 2005 Gloria Cossaboon died August 20 2005, as a result of injuries sustained in an auto accident, at 69 years. She had been the artist-on-call for American Vegan, appreciated for her quick response to our requests for an illustration to accompany an article, as well as the quality of her work. Gloria supported wolf conservation. She was employed at Precision Electronic Glass as a fire polisher and on the hot press. She was a lifelong resident of southern New Jersey, the Garden State, so we chose to remind readers of her artwork with this drawing she did depicting produce of the area. 34 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 Gloria Your Address Label shows above your name the year at the end of which your membership expires. If you are a Life member, you will see “Life”. If you have inquired but not yet joined “Inq” appears above your name. DEFINITIONS VEGAN: Uses no animal-source food or clothing. TOTAL VEGETARIAN: Uses no animal-source food, vegan in diet only; still using some animal items such as leather, wool. VEGETARIAN: Uses no flesh, fish, fowl (products of slaughter), still using milk or dairy products. lacto-vegetarian), or eggs (ovovegetarian). AMERICAN VEGAN SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP BASIC MEMBERSHIP is open to all: vegan, vegetarian, or non-vegetarian. ADVANCED Membership (voting, office holding) is open to vegans practicing Ahimsa (send for application form). MEMBERSHIP/SUBSCRIPTION is $20 per calendar year (or 4 issues). ($10 student/low-income within U.S.A). Join before midyear, receive back issues from Spring Issue or join later and you’re on to end of next year. Pay by check/ money order/credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express). LIFE MEMBERSHIP IS $200; Life Patron $500 or more; Life Benefactor $1000 or more. Each type includes lifetime (your or AVS, as the case may be) American Vegan subscription. Each type payable at one time or in installments, normally completed within two years. IRS REGULATIONS permit tax-deductibility for all actual contributions (including Life Membership donation beyond the first $100—due to the value of the lifetime American Vegan subscription). FEES paid for annual membership, or books, tapes, conventions, etc. are paid for value received so are not taxdeductible according to IRS regulations. CANADA: Please remit in $U.S. only, by International Postal Money Order, or Bank Cashier’s Draft on account in a U.S.A. bank. Or use credit card. OVERSEAS: U.S.$20 sea mail; U.S.$25 air mail. As above; or United Kingdom personal check in ₤ Sterling at current exchange rate. American Vegan Society Together we explore and apply compassionate living concepts, and reflect on the beauty of life. We learn: How to save the animals. How to revere the Earth. How to care for ourselves. People follow a vegan lifestyle for ethical reasons, for health, for the environment. A vegan diet is an adventure in taste offering an amazing variety to please the palate. Vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes are the basics from which delicious meals are made. Foods from plants best provide for all people in the world. Vegans exclude flesh, fish, fowl, dairy products, eggs, honey, animal broths and gelatin, and other items of animal origin. Vegans dress with care; fashion with compassion is the style. We do not use leather, wool, fur, or silk, and choose animal-free soaps, toiletries, and consumer products. Learn to live in harmony, creating a better world for all. Subscribe to American Vegan Make checks payable to American Vegan Society & receive 20% or greater discount on books purchased from AVS. Enclosed: …..$20 per year …..$10 Student/Low Income …..I’m learning about vegan living. ...I am a new vegan. ….New subs. …Renewal ...I have been vegan …..years. Remarks:: *Name: A V 5-1 *Address *City, State, Zip, plus 4 Phone, e-mail Send to: American Vegan Society, PO Box 369, Malaga NJ 08328 Phone : (856) 694-2887 or Fax: (856) 694-2288 Sign-up for E-Alerts online at www.americanvegan.org American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 35 Cob Building: Mixing earth, sand, and straw which will be used to build a garden wall in the Ecovillage Training Center in Summertown Tennessee. Children were attending an American Vegan Society conference. See inside, page 29. American Vegan AVS Annual Meeting notice on page 34. Published quarterly by The American Vegan Society A NONPROFIT EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION 56 Dinshah Lane PO Box 369 Malaga, NJ 08328-0908 Phone: (856) 694-2887 Fax: (856) 694-2288 www.americanvegan.org CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Nonprofit org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID MALAGA NJ Permit No. 5 Permit can only be used by Publisher, at Malaga P.O.