Living Without Meat

Oprah is wrapping up her first week eating only vegan food, and continuing to blog about her experiences. Here’s an interesting excerpt from her Friday entry:

“Tom [Cruise]’s chef prepared ribs and chicken for lunch. I had salad and corn on the cob with no butter and a kale salad, which was also offered. There were also home made chocolate brownies with marshmallow filling made by Tom’s mom, which I also turned down. I feel like I let Tom’s mom down …”

For some reason, I thought that Oprah would not experience the same things that average Jane vegans see everyday. Being Oprah, and having the world know that you are eating only vegan food for at least 21 days apparently doesn’t mean people won’t still offer you anything but.

You cannot tell me that Tom Cruise’s (I’m not on a first-name basis with him like Ms. Winfrey is) chef didn’t know. Furthermore, he served two meats? At one meal? That’s not a buffet, nor a large family dinner, nor a church gathering. Ribs and chicken for lunch?

What is wrong with people?

But it’s not just an odd meal because a vegan eater was present, it’s unhealthy regardless.

The New American Plate, a revised way to fill your plate by the American Institute for Cancer Research, suggests no more than one-fourth of your plate be filled with animal flesh. (The other three-quarters are recommended to be two servings of different vegetables, and one of a starch.)

If you were to put one small rack of ribs and one small chicken breast on a plate, one-half of your plate would easily be overcome with meat. People do not need this much protein, fat, cholesterol, blood, flesh, bones …

The snapshot shown here is of the New American Plate brochure; click on it to see a PDF version of the insides.

Blech! I am more and more disgusted with big business foodstuffs with every label I read. For instance, I could find but one brand of bread this weekend at ACME that didn’t feature high fructose corn syrup. Every whole wheat, multi-grain, or plain loaf had this nasty, falsified sugar in its first few ingredients.

Another place that high fructose corn syrup runs rampant? Sparkling waters. So why not make your own?

Jeffrey Morgenthaler - a wine and spirits, bartending writer - provided a doable step-by-step of “How to Make Your Own Tonic Water.”

As for bread, sprouted loaves were the only one that I found to be sugary chemical free. But don’t be wimp - try making your own bread, too. My friend Kelly has started making it regularly, and she’s got three kids under 6 and co-runs her own law firm. So if she can find the time …

It’s that time of year again: it’s the time when we gather around PETA’s Web site to vote for the male and female Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity.

Over the past year, Carrie Underwood and Kevin Eubanks (Jay Leno’s sidekick) have served strong as the 2007 winners, but it’s time for them to defend their titles.

After being dethroned of her 2006 title, Kristen Bell was ridiculed on the set of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, where co-star Russell Brand steadily maintains his title as Britain’s Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity.

Kristen needs our help. Vote, vote, vote!

As with all years past, I voted for K.Bell along with Joaquin Phoe… oh, wait. What’s that? I didn’t vote for the same male that I always have in previous years?

This year I clicked next to Heroes hottie Milo Ventimiglia’s name. Because I love him, and I thought that it was only fair that he get some of my voting love, too.

Who will you vote for? Natalie Portman and Jared Leto? Hayden Panettiere and Noah Wyle? Alicia Silverstone and Tobey Maguire? Or … Kristen and Milo (both shown in pictures here)?!

I expect stand-up comedians to be offensive, but usually their jokes are based in truth to some extent. Last Comic Standing Tempe, Arizona performer Christina Pazsitzky - who has previously been a cast member on MTV’s Road Rules - appears to have a hatred for vegans, but in her attempt to make fun of vegans misses the boat completey.

In her stand-up routine that got her through to the next round, Christina describes dinner with a vegan as a nightmare. Not word for word, but from my memory, here’s what she said:

I have a cousin that’s one of those vegans, and going out to dinner with her is a nightmare … Is there mayonaise in this tuna salad? There is? Well, instead of mayo can you make mine with unicorn tears?

How does that come close to imitating vegans at all? If anything, that pokes fun as people who start “I’m vegetarian” and then go on to explain “I mean, I eat chicken, but that’s it.”

Want a real imitating joke on vegans, Christina? Think like Screech and comment on a vegan’s farts; point out that vegans have a stronger bond and relationship with labels than their showers. Stereotype vegans with a play on truth, not with crazy unicorn tears.

When listening to the Dandy Warhols’ song Bohemian Like You, I like to pretend that they are singing to me.

… But if you dig on vegan food
Well, come over to my work
I’ll have ‘em cook you something
That you’ll really love

‘Cos I like you
Yeah I like you
And I’m feeling so bohemian like you
Yeah I like you
Yeah I like you
And I feel …

Check out the complete song lyrics.

Today, May 23, Ellen Degeneres is having Skinny Bitch co-authors Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin on her show to talk about the new cookbook Skinny Bitch in the Kitch. I look forward to … catching clips online because I forgot to set my VCR to tape it. Hopefully, Rory dresses a little better than she did while attending the Farm Sanctuary Gala.

Next week, on Wednesday May 28, Kathy Freston, author of Quantum Wellness and the nutritionalist that has Oprah on a 21-day vegan cleanse, will be visiting Ellen’s show.

Hmm … is Ellen the next to go vegan?

This silver grocery tote is the bag that was filled with samples and given out to guests - and volunteers! - after the Farm Sanctuary Gala this past weekend. It’s a Matt & Nat! M&N are very well known within the vegan realm as quality, vegan designers of bags, purses, and wallets.

They are not the cheapest buys, but they are so worth it. And now, I have one that I got for free! You can get this great bag (sort of) for free, too.

While supplies last, Matt & Nat are giving away this Enviro Tote with every order totaling at least $250. Plus, shipping is free once you spend a minimum of $150.

Yours won’t be filled with vegan: chocolates, cookies, lotions, hair care items, meal bars, dog foods, magazines, and more; but, it will still be a fabulously fashionable, environmentally-friendly, vegan grocery bag.

Pop quiz time!

What female celebrity started a blog this week to track her 21-day, vegan cleanse?

Her first entry included some great vegan PR:

“Well, I feel like I got baptized in Vegan Land today. … Wow, wow, wow! I never imagined meatless meals could be so satisfying. I had been focused on what I had to give up - sugar, gluten, alcohol, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese. “What’s left?” I thought. Apparently a lot. I can honestly say every meal was a surprise and a delight, beginning with breakfast—strawberry rhubarb wheat-free crepes.”

Click the “more” option to find out. (more…)

Downers - cows and other animals that are too weak, sick, or injured to stand on their own - made headlines not long ago when the Humane Society released video footage of an undercover investigation into the treatment of these animals. Workers seem to think that a few, constant swift kicks will help a downer get motivated to walk. If an animal still won’t (can’t!) get up, perhaps a tow truck, front-end loader (a “digger” in 3-year-old boy speak), chains, ropes, or other will help. It’s also consider acceptable to use the meat of these sick and dying creatures for human consumption.

The public was shocked to learn about this standard practice when the HSUS video gained coverage even in public media outlets including television news.

The HSUS never gave up; their power has only been strengthened by the public outcry. Yesterday, they announced a breakthrough: “…the USDA announced that it will implement a complete ban on slaughter for human consumption of cattle unable to stand and walk unassisted.”

A Clueless quote is what comes to mind regarding this change: “Not a total Betty, but a vast improvement.” In other words, there is still plenty of work to be done, but this is still a great step towards preventing the abuse and misuse of downed animals. I can guarantee that the HSUS will not stop here.

The picture here is a screen shot from one of the HSUS’s downed cow videos. Click on it, and you can view this and all of their undercover footage.

It’s World Vegetarian Week this week … and I have no clue what that means, who deemed it that, or whatnot. But, hey, Happy World Vegetarian Week!

To celebrate: eat vegetarian.

Other options include making other people eat vegetarian, wearing a sign that says “I’m a vegetarian,” singing “She’s a vegetarian … oh oh and she don’t eat meat” all day everyday, or signing other people up to receive free vegetarian starter kits in the mail (because I know that you already have all of them, right?).

Appreciate the vegetarians in your life and thank them on behalf of the animals!

UPDATE: Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM) says this about the history:

“World Vegetarian Week was launched in 1992 by the Vegetarian Society as National Vegetarian Week in the UK. It has since caught on worldwide…”

And now you know.

Looking for some more recipe and meal ideas? Over at Allie’s (Green) Answers you can find a regularly scheduled, weekly meal inspiration through Allie’s Meat-Free Mondays. Full-time vegetarian or not, Allie doesn’t consider a meat-free meal to be two side dishes: a veggie and a starch. She dives head first into trying tofu, quinoa, and fresh organic seasonal crops.

“I haven’t eaten meat for about fifteen years,” says Gwyneth Paltrow about her new diet, that turns away from her previous macrobiotic one.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s a vegetarian?

“I eat fish, a little bit of dairy – not much milk – but I love cheese. We’ll make chocolate chip cookies and eat them, but sugar makes me feel pretty bad. I have coffee and wine. I’ve got lots of lovely vices.”

Oh. Nevermind. She’s just one of those annoying people who seem to think that fish don’t count as animals.

After a weekend in New York City volunteering at the Farm Sanctuary Gala, I have lots to share.

Friday evening I got a chance to meet and eat with several Farm Sanctuary staff members. I had an amazing dinner out with the communications team at Caravan of Dreams, a phenomenal vegan, kosher, and raw food restaurant in the city.

Saturday night was the gala itself. Here’s what stick out in my mind about the event:

1. Zora Andrich, who is known for her appearance on the reality series Joe Millionaire and has since become a spokesperson for Slim-Fast, worked as a volunteer. With the number of people whispering about her presence, she easily could have made a red carpet appearance but chose to volunteer instead.

2. Bones star Emily Deschanel has a deeper voice in person, and is super mellow and friendly. She was one of the few top names in attendance that perused the silent auction section (where I was stationed). She bid on several fashion items including purses and clothing, winning a set of organic shirts. She also bid $3,000 at the live auction for an autographed, box set of Skinny Bitch and Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, including a lunch with co-author Rory Freedman.

3. Speaking of author Rory Freedman … her outfit. Wow. Shown here, is Rory wearing an ’80s homecoming dress: silver metallic fabric, off the shoulders with a ruffle around the neckline, and gathered just below the buttocks.

4. Comedic actor Kevin Nealon bumped into me, as did Russell Simmons who was by far my favorite speaker of the evening. As he was introducing award-winning yogis, he brought up the Biblical subject of man having “dominion over animals.” I was in awe of his smooth voice, and eloquently delivered message that God asked us to take care of and look out for his creatures - not to torture, abuse, and control them.

5. Emcee Melissa Rivers and hostess Heather Mills pleasantly surprised me with their speaking skills, stage presence, and likability.

6. The Piraros made quiet a showing. Bizarro comic artist Dan donated two auction pieces, one was a hilarious restaurant scene: a hippie mom saying “Do you have to do that in public?” to a woman feeding her baby chicken breast meat. Dan also bid on several objects, including a statue title “Pig-Headed” which was a blind-folded person form the waist up, a pig on his head, and situated on a grill. Dan will swear to you that he has no idea who attempted to close this silent auction early, right after his bid. His wife Ashley Lou - who was one of the PETA members who showered in Times Square - showed up with pink hair. Love it!

7. House’s Lisa Edelstein was announced as Linda. Last year her last name was said wrong.

8. Susie Essman of Curb Your Enthusiasm looked nervous before going on stage to host the live auction. So I, not knowing who she was at the moment, chatted her up.

9. Hal Sparks was hard to recognize because he now has girl hair: long, luxurious locks.

10. True Whitaker, shown here arriving with her mom Keisha Whitaker, was dressed adorably. Yes it’s over the top, but chances are she felt like a princess.

11. One of the most popular silent auction items was an autographed, complete set of The Golden Girls, including a signed photo of Rue “Blanche” McClanahan. The many gorgeous paintings of farm animals were popular, too, as well as all the vegan handbags, wallets, and purses.

12. The ice sculpture was dropped. It shattered.

13. I spied one guest with a leather Louis Vuitton bag, and another one wearing Christian Louboutin leather shoes. Don’t think I didn’t notice.

And the most important … Kristen Bell couldn’t make it. I cried.

Stay tuned and find out about the goody bag contents, auction items, and donations (including one for $1 million!).

I’m heading out for the weekend to volunteer at the Farm Sanctuary Gala in New York City!

Anyone going?

I’m all for people on both sides of an issue speaking their mind … but in a mature, respectable manner. This means to paint throwing, no name calling, and no childish language.

Animal rights, and PETA specifically, tend to get a lot of grief for their alleged immaturity. So today’s lesson is that neither side is innocent … or fully matured.

A press release from the Center for Consumer Freedom, a non-profit supposedly “devoted to promoting personal responsibility,” was just sent down the wire with this title:

“Foie Gras Prohibition Repealed! Consumers Win!”

Offenses made:

1. Media fails to be unbiased.

2. Improperly and incorrectly speaks on behalf “the masses.”

3. Lacks basic journalistic skill; does not follow writing guidelines.

Next, the opening sentence:

“Today in a stunning yet welcome reversal of an ordinance that had made the Windy City a national laughingstock … “

4. Name calling begins.

5. Immaturity enters the picture.

6. Continued proof of lack of professionalism.

Now they bring in an “expert”:

” … experiment with Prohibition was always bound to end like this … “

7. Comparing your situation to a historical hard time is always a dumb move.

8. Arrogance much?

9. It’s just a wordier version of the grade school kickball rave: “I’m gonna kick your butt!”

“… a Nanny State looking over the
shoulders … “

10. So laws and regulations are bad? Is this what you are telling me?

I could go on and on, but I’ll just allow you to take it from here. For a good laugh (and groan), visit their Web site - you’ll find smear releases about PETA, jeers at organizations trying to help with America’s obesity epidemic, and, of course, plenty of childish, unprofessional language.

If you would like to understand more about why people are against foie gras, read Farm Sanctuary’s opinion on Chicago specifically. Also find great information through the No Foie Gras campaign.