Living Without Meat

Another major print and online news source has worked up a great article on veganism.

The New York Post published “Intriguin’ Vegan: (Don’t) Say ‘Cheese’ at These Spots” on Wednesday, June 25. The article hits on celebrities in the vegan spotlight and New York City vegan restaurant reviews (simultaneously by a vegan and carnivore). It also includes a spread from a photo shoot - “V” for Vegan.

Recently I came across an archived article, titled “Should You Become a Vegetarian? Think Before You Eat,” from Ebony magazine’s July 2003 issue. It’s a good read, and good press coverage of a vegetarian diet, but I’ve devised a quicker way to decide if you should become vegetarian or not.

Answer each question with a yes or no:

1. Do you want to be healthy?

2. Do you like living animals?

3. Do you respect your body?

4. Do you believe that you are what you eat?

5. Do you feel that no creature should live a life of torture, confinement, abuse, and general mistreatment?

6. Do you like to eat delicious, nutritious, colorful food without feeling guilty?

7. Do you want to feel physically, mentally, and emotionally better?

8. Do you hate touching and preparing raw meat?

9. Do you want to be trendy and jump on the green-friendly or educated-consumer bandwagon?

10. Do you want to be in the company of celebrities like Paul McCartney, Carrie Underwood, Kristen Bell, Emily Deschanel, and Tobey Maguire?

If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, then you should become a vegetarian! (And if you answered yes to all of them … what are you waiting for?!)

People voted, and although it seems enough of us did not vote for Kristen Bell, two celebs have won PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian title for their first times. “Bleeding Love” singer Leona Lewis and Red Hot Chili Peppers lead singer Anthony Kiedis have won.

Congrats, Leona and Anthony. And Kristen and Milo … don’t worry. You two are the sexiest in my book!

“Emily Deschanel just came up to me and started talking about cheese!!!!” said a very excited friend to me while we were volunteering at the Farm Sanctuary Gala in May.

Apparently, Emily has a brand of vegan cheese that she highly recommends: Dr. Cow.

Dr. Cow makes natural, vegan, living products. The company sells two superbly yummy-sounding granolas online, as well as a sprouted nut blend, and an instant oatmeal-like product that has no oats! Instead, the Que!Meal is filled with quinoa, sprouted nuts and seeds, raisins, and more.

But the product that Emily was raving about - a completely raw, vegan, tree nut cheese - is only available in certain stores, none of which I’ve heard of, and all of which seem to be in NYC. However, they will do large shipments to other states, so request it at your local coop or other vegan food haven.

For now, I am thinking I may have to try both the Que!Meal and the two kinds of granola - cocoa bean and regular.

Stores that carry Dr. Cow’s Tree Nut Cheese are: Pure Juice & Take Awa, Westerly, Organic Avenue, Live Live, High Vibes in Manhattan, Marlow & Son’s, Park Slope Food Coop, and Pumpkin’s Organic Market in Brooklyn.

She’s perhaps one of PETA’s most outspoken celebrity supporters. Spending her time serving food to those in need, speaking up when the media assumed that the hot dog she was eating was made of meat, and starting a petition to help the harp seals.

Who is the wondrously outspoken, animal-rights activist? Why, it’s Pam Anderson, of course! And now she’s found yet another way to act on her beliefs.

Not long after holding a fund-raising, private estate sale at her home, Pam will be auctioning off her beloved 2000 Dodge Viper (shown here) to collect more money for PETA. Anderson’s Viper will be auctioned off during the “Julien’s Auctions’ Summer Entertainment Sale of Hollywood Memorabilia” event on June 21 and 22 at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

“I’ve been working with PETA for 15 years. They’re kind of my ethical advisers. With them, I see actual results,” she told reporters with the AP.

What have you done for the animals lately? Remember, it doesn’t have to be a huge gesture: every small detail makes a difference. As Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see.”

I am really starting to love Oprah. Here’s what she had to say yesterday:

MorningStar Farms has a lot of great meatless items to choose from, including several vegan options. My favorite from this company is the Meal Starters Grillers Recipe Crumbles, which act in place of sauteed ground beef (a.k.a. dead, chopped up cow).

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is often deemed one of the worst cases of animal cruelty by animal rights groups, especially PETA who has a Kentucky Fried Cruelty campaign.

While most of the claims of inhumane treatment fall on deaf ears within KFC, the Canadians have listened and are ready to change!

After seven months of closed-door negotiations between Canada KFC and PETA - and don’t forget a letter from Ryan Gosling to Canada KFC - a new animal welfare plan has been set into motion.

Some of the details set forth include:

* Phase in purchases of its chickens from suppliers that use controlled-atmosphere killing (CAK) until 100 percent come from this method, considered the most humane.

* Have a vegan, faux-chicken item available.

* Improve its animal welfare criteria.

* Urge suppliers to adopt better practices.

* Form an animal welfare advisory panel to monitor the changes and recommend further advancements.

Even if I did live in Canada, I still wouldn’t eat the chicken. But being able to (occasionally) grab a vegan fast-food meal would be nice. Although … how much would you bet that they will fry the fake meat in the same oil as the real 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.

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)?!

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?

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…)

“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!).

If Ryan Gosling has time to write a letter expressing his concern for animals, even while working abnormally long days on movie sets, then we should be able to find a few minutes to do the same.

Here’s a copy of the letter (click on it to see a readable size) and an excerpt of what the star from Lars and the Real Girl, Half Nelson, and *sigh* The Notebook had to say to John Bitove, Canada’s Kentucky Fried Chicken top dog.

The time is ripe to do the right thing. By adopting the basic recommendations made by PETA and scientific experts (including raising birds in a more natural manner and employing less cruel slaughter methods), you could dramatically improve the lives and deaths of chickens raised and killed for KFC Canada.

The letter was written by Ryan on behalf of PETA, which is why it is on PETA letterhead. The actor is originally from Canada, and wrote his country’s KFC executive to urge him to stop KFC suppliers’ worst abuses of chickens.

One of Ryan’s longtime passions has been educating the public on the issues of Darfur. He also has a rescued dog named “George.”

Sigh. As if I needed any more reasons to be smitten with Noah, er, I mean Ryan.

To find a letter-writing campaign that fits your passion check out PETA’s Get Active Center, the Humane Society’s campaigns, or any favorite organization’s Web site. Many will also send you local contacts and concerns - such as proposed legislations - if you sign up for their e-mail alerts. Like Horton the elephant says: every voice counts!