Vegan

Q: Do you limit your fruit servings per day??A: Personally, I do not. If I want fresh fruit, I eat fresh fruit. I could easily eat my weight in mango, strawberries and watermelon. I do find my fruit consumption changes throughout the year, however. For example, I eat (and crave) more fruits in the summer and spring than I do in the fall and winter. Although I don't make an effort to eat seasonally, I find I do naturally. Even though I love mango and watermelon more than life itself, I don't want them during the snowy cold winter. Dried fruits are another story. I use them as condiments. Sprinkle raisins on a salad, for example. I don't eat dried fruits as a snack. That said, I believe Dr. McDougall suggests limiting fruit (fresh fruit) to 2-3 servings per day if you're trying to lose weight and I think Dr. Fuhrman limits fruits as well. You'd need to consult their books/websites for clarification. (I'm in the middle of a move and my books are in storage so I was unable to consult them — sorry!)Q: I was wondering about caffeine. I have ADD and have always relied on caffeine to help with concentration and attention span (this over synthetic drug concoctions with their adverse side affects). I know caffeine is one of those touchy subjects. I know you're not a doctor etc. etc., but I was wondering about what you had to say for it. A: My personal opinion is that generally speaking, caffeine use is your business :) Do I think situations exist where some people should absolutely avoid caffeine? Definitely. A friend of mine has AFib and his cardiologist insists he stay away from caffeine I have OCD and my doctor feels I should avoid caffeine (and alcohol, for that matter). When I suffered from migraines (my pre-plant-based years), I was told to avoid caffeine by countless doctors, and I'm sure there are a dozen or more other medical situations where abstinence would be ideal or necessary.I tell my clients their caffeine and alcohol use is their business — to use it at their discretion. Of course, if someone is abusing alcohol or caffeine, then there is a problem, and they should seek help, quit using immediately and abstain for life. I had a client who was drinking 4 to 6 cans of energy drinks per day. I used to drink 8 to 10 cups of coffee per day. These are clear abuses. I think the better question is not "can I have coffee," but why do I want it? Why am I drinking it? I always tell my clients to honestly and openly explore why they're using caffeine or alcohol. Many times, my clients stop using it after their soul search. Or they stop doing it every day. Everyone is different. One thing to consider: If you're using caffeine to be "awake" and have energy, it's like paying a credit card with a credit card — all the more reason to "get out of debt" during the reboot and/or cleanse.Q: Recently, my doc advised me to eliminate a dairy and soy due to an intolerance. Do you have a good substitute for miso?A: Chickpea miso is soy-free :) Q: We're going to a family reunion this summer and I'm having a hard time finding food options in the area. We have a condo with a kitchen, so I can certainly prep my own brown bag food for reunion events if I can find a store to buy ingredients. But I was wondering if you have any advice/suggestions for traveling someplace not vegan friendly, and surviving? :) Even food ideas that would travel well would be great. A: I've written dozens of blog posts on this topic :) The "Travel" label should get you headed down the right path. Here are some posts on point:How To Eat Healthy and Plant-Based (Vegan) On the Road in Fast Food and Chain RestaurantsHow to Travel on a Plant-Based Diet (What to Pack, Snacks, and More!)Traveling Herbivore: How I eat Healthy, Low Fat and Vegan in AirportsVegan AnywhereStaying Plant-Based While TravelingKeep in mind, you're not there for the food ;) That mentality always helps me. I've traveled all over the world and never had problems finding food, even in remote villages :) So

VEGAN DAILY RECIPE:  Sweet & Salty Sweet Potato Chips

Austin, Texas: Most Vegan-Friendly City In The U.S.: Sir Paul McCartney will present city officials with PETA’s Most Vegan-Friendly City in the U.S. award.  McCartney wrote, “The influx of forward-thinking musicians and techies, the thriving university, and the food trucks all over the city run by young veg-friendly hipsters have made Austin the absolute cutting-edge place for green eating.”

An Organic Fuji Apple and Two Energy Bites for breakfast. Great food choice I made for myself.Lunch was at La Sandia. I had a Margarita De La Casa in honor of VaVa, who is always wanting a Margarita, but never having one. Observe the escalator in the mall in the background.Mom & I shared some great Chips & Salsa...and the Guacamole made fresh table-side was the best we'd ever had...I had the Market Fresh Vegetable Fajitas. All really excellent.Field Roast Celebration Roast with Imagine Mushroom Gravy and Baked Potatoes for dinner.No dessert after all that. Looking forward to the long weekend.

On Sunday June 2 from 7:30pm – 10pm, Bunna Cafe and A+S Works are hosting The Farmraiser at Dun-Well Doughnuts in Brooklyn as part of Bushwick Open Studios. Tickets are $20 in advance ($25 at the door) and will get you dinner and live entertainment, as well as access to a supposedly cheap cash bar. [...]

In summer I’m always trying to create new ideas for using vegetables in salads, that way, even if the vegetables are cooked (as in this salad) its something I can cook once, in bulk, and then have in the fridge for days and not have to keep cooking! My husband likes to snack on a Nut mix, consisting of roasted, salted Macadamias, Almonds, and Cashews, but the macadamias are his favorite which is why I picked them out and added them to this. If they aren’t your favorite nut, or you find them hard to source, use roasted and salted cashews as an alternative.Cauliflower Salad Serves 4 to 6Preparation Time – 15 Minutes, not counting cooking and cooling the cauliflower[soy free][wheat free]2 tablespoons Olive Oil2 tablespoons Water1 tablespoon Grain Mustard1 tablespoon Tahini1 teaspoon Agave4 cups cooked bite size Cauliflower Florets, 1 medium head2 Green Onions, finely chopped, ¼ Cup?cup roasted and salted Macadamia Nut halvesSalt and Pepper to taste1 medium Orange, segmented, about ½ cup, or an equal amount of Mandarin Orange segmentsWhisk the oil, water, mustard, tahini, and agave together in a large bowl. Stand 10 minutes to thicken slightly.Add the cauliflower, onions, and nuts and toss to coat. Taste and season as required.Either gently toss the orange segments through the salad, or arrange on top as garnish.Allow salad to rest in the fridge for at least an hour prior to serving for the flavors to meld.

It’s Paul Shapiro’s Animal News You Can Use! Yay, Paul! Yay, Animals! Still happy about the Tennessee governor’s veto of his state’s ag-gag bill? So is the state’s largest paper, which editorialized this week that “On every level, ‘ag gag’ was a failure” and that “the legislation was built upon a lie.” The new ag-gag battle is in North Carolina, where a bill is pending in the state legislature. You can read the HSUS state director’s op-ed on the issue. You knew that foie gras production was terrible for the birds. Do you know how the farm workers are treated? Here’s the Financial Times’ coverage of the issue. Ever wonder about the guy behind most of the attacks on HSUS? The Boston Globe had a major front-page exposé on meat industry frontman Rick Berman (of the so-called “Center for Consumer Freedom”) and his campaign against HSUS. Appropriately, the piece is entitled, “Washington’s robust market for attacks, half-truths.” And on the polar opposite end of the spectrum, Peter Singer has a great new TED talk on effective altruism that’s worth your time. P.S. Video of the week:The most inefficient—and cutest—way a cat has ever drunk water.

If anyone should be terrified of breast cancer, it should be me. My aunt died of it in our home when I was 5. Figuring out the truth about food and how to avoid breast cancer has become the investigative reporting job of my life. As a result I have felt compelled to respond to Angelina Jolie's recent decision to have a double mastectomy to reduce her risk of developing cancer

A mason-jar bouquet of spring onions from last week's CSA share had been providing ambiance in my fridge for far too long. I needed to use them before they wilted and started to look sad. I also had on hand a stockpile of my beloved Shirataki Noodles which I bought on sale at Whole Foods a few weeks back. Although these tofu-based noodles are not everyone's cup of tea, I adore their chewy texture and no-brainer prep. They are costly, though, so I only buy them online, on sale, or at my local Asian market, where they are drastically cheaper. [The tiny package says it contains 2 servings. Ha! For two baby mice, maybe. I inhale the whole bag.] Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. Spring onions are usually a garnish, at best, but in this recipe, they are the star of the show. There is something immensely satisfying about making something tasty from ingredients you already have on hand. Makes me feel like an urban pioneer woman. Hope all of you attending the Vida Vegan Conference are having a fantastic time. Have a great Memorial Weekend – and watch for a fun review and giveaway contest next week. shirataki noodles with scallions, ginger and pumpkin seeds 1 T oil [I used Colativa Roasted Garlic Cooking Oil Blend] 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely minced 3 large cloves garlic, minced 2 cups spring onions [greens and whites: greens: 1-inch pieces; whites: 1/3-inch pieces] 1 heaping T vegan mayonnaise [I used Nasoya brand] 1 package Shirataki Fettuccine Soy sauce and red pepper flakes, to taste 2 T pumpkin seeds [or your favorite nuts], toasted Serves 1 normal eater or 2 dainty eaters Rinse the shirataki noodles well. Really well. Really, REALLY well. 'Nuff said. Drain. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium and saute garlic and ginger until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, and sprinkle with some salt to draw out the moisture and flavor. Lower the heat slightly, and cook slowly, stirring every now and then until everything is soft, about 10 minutes or so. Add the vegan mayo and stir well. Cook the well-rinsed [ahem!] and drained noodles according to the package directions. Drain well. Stir in the scallion sauce, and add soy sauce and red pepper flakes to taste. Top with pumpkin seeds. Like shirataki noodles? Check out these other vegan recipes: Shirataki Noodles with Creamy Bolognese Sauce Shirataki Noodles with Creamy Pesto-Artichoke Sauce Hot and Sour Shirataki Noodles with Tofu Spicy Shirataki Noodles

One of the most dramatic and meaningful stories in the Bible is read this week in synagogues around the world. It is a food-related story and it merits our attention, yet it is seldom discussed. Or depicted in movies. The story, found in Numbers 11, describes part of the Israelites’ journey in the desert, before […]