Check Out the "Groovy Vegetarian" Blog

This entry was written on Feb 05, 2010 by our Vegetarian Guru Staci Marquez-Nichols

I subscribe to a number of vegetarian and animal rights related blogs like Animal Person, Animal Rights Blog, and Groovy Vegetarian.

Groovy Vegetarian is one of my favorites. Missy, who manages the blog, posts a lot of entertaining, informative, and fresh content. She welcomes posts from outside sources. In fact, a lot of the content I pass on here is related to things I read on the Groovy Vegetarian Blog. For example, the $5 annual subscription to Vegetarian Times magazine was news I got from her site!

Here are some of my favorite posts from Missy:

<a href = "http://www.groovyvegetarian.com/2010/01/31/top-vegetarian-cookbooks/" >Top Cookbooks As Picked By Doctor Committee, Many Are Vegetarian </a>

<a href = http://www.groovyvegetarian.com/2008/06/18/real-girls-eat-meat-dont-think/>Real Girls Eat Meat, I Dont Think So Jessica! </a>

<a href =http://www.groovyvegetarian.com/2009/04/01/peta-founder-caught-eating-big-fat-whopper-wtf/>PETA Founder Caught Eating Big Fat Whopper! </a>

Do You Know What's in Your Soap?

Store-bought soap is generally made with "tallow." Tallow is a nice way of saying "rendered animal fat." Because the FDA does not consider soap a cosmetic, the ingredients do not have to be disclosed to consumers. Despite this, some "soaps" have voluntarily disclosed their ingredients. (I say "soap" because most of the so-called soap on the market today is so mutated that it can no longer be lawfully labeled soap. They now label themselves "Deoderant Bar," "Beauty Bar," and "Antibacterial Bar.")

We know that Irish Spring, Dove, Camay, Dial, and Lever 2000 are not vegan because they contain tallow. Both Ivory and Jergens refuse to disclose their ingredients, so you might as well cross those ones off your list as well. And, don't forget Camay, Ivory, Oil of Olay, and Zest all test on animals. So what's left?

Your best bet is home-made soap (which is readily available in health food, novelty, and online stores). Dr. Bronner's and glycerin soap are generally recommended; however, be careful. Many homemade and glycerin soaps contain harmful dyes and colorants that you probably also want to avoid. Just because something is homemade doesn't mean it's healthy!

To avoid supporting factory farming, make sure you buy soap that discloses its ingredients. There are many affordable, healthy, vegan soaps available. Try:

www.SustainableSoaps.com

www.HowardsVeganSoap.com

www.TomsofMaine.com/products/soap.aspx

If you want to learn how to make your own soap, which many people are doing these days, there are a number of books, websites, and free videos with all the instruction you need. Try:

www.How2MakeSoap.net

www.TeachSoap.com

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORlegT0hGy0 (free Expert Village video series called "How to Make Lye Soap")

Alicia Silverstone's Faux Pas?

This entry was written on Feb 04, 2010 by our Vegetarian Guru Staci Marquez-Nichols

On the Oprah show a few days ago, Oprah convened a food panel of experts. One of her guests was advocacy-leader and vegan Alicia Silverstone. Before I say this, I must admit I have great admiration for Alicia Silverstone. She has been and is a true front-runner for animal rights and vegan diets.

But, I guess, even movie stars get nervous on TV. Oprah asked Alicia if she thought it was OK to eat cows and chickens if they were treated really, really nicely. Laughing, Alicia said she'd have to see the animals. Now I know Alicia would not have given that answer twice if she took a minute to think about it. It doesn't matter if the cows and chickens are living in penthouses--the bottom line is they are all spending the last second of their lives looking at the barrel of a shotgun.

Even worse, Oprah asked Alicia if she ever cheats on her vegan diet--and she said yes! Alicia said she has a bit of cheese from time to time. Oh no...is that the vegan police I hear...coming to drag Alicia away for "cheating." No, but it definitely opens up the door for nay-sayers to point out that even one of our greatest spokesman (is "spokeswoman" a word?) isn't devout to the cause.

I know I've certainly been in Alicia's shoes...and it is hard. Once during the police academy (Yes, it was in another lifetime called my 20s), my instructor said she would not require my class do some 200 push-ups we owed for "being bad" if I ate a small piece of beef jerky. I did it. All of the instructors came in to watch the great vegetarian fall. It tasted like plastic and was the first piece of meat I'd had in over a decade. I sure was popular for the rest of the day. Plus, I really hate push-ups. Would I do it over again? Probably. Was I proud of it? Definitely not.

Stay strong, folks. Every bite of meat, dairy, or eggs we don't eat is a step in the right direction. Alicia, if you're reading, hold your head up high. Your intentions were good, and you've done more to advance humanity in the last year than most people do in a lifetime.

Tofurkey Italian Sausage

If you've read my Lifetips book, you know I love anything by Tofurkey! These are the only tofu-based meat substitutes on the market (most are based on unhealthy, processed soy mutations like "soy protein isolate," "soy protein concentrate," "texturized vegetable protein," or "hydrolyzed vegetable protein.")

When most people think of Tofurkey, they think of fake turkey. But this Italian sausage by Tofurkey is a total home run. It contains 50% less fat than typical pork Italisn sausage. Also, the Tofurkey sausage has NO cholesterol, while pork sausage usually has about 65 mg. One serving (which is one link) contains 29 grams of protein...and is delicious!

Tofurkey uses non-genetically modified soy beans and other non-gmo ingredients. The sausages contain sun-dried tomato, basil, garlic, and other spices! The flavor is unbeatable and very fresh. Plus, they make great hot dog substitutes. Learn more at www.Tofurkey.com.

You can't lose when you cook these Tofurkey Italian sausages. Cook them cut up in bite-size pieces (my preference) or as they are (in links the size of hotdogs). You can grill them on a low temp in the skillet (they brown quickly). Cut them up into a veggie egg scramble. Unlike a lot of other fake meats, these sausages do not need to be over-cooked to avoid being mooshy. Like animal meat, once they're golden brown, they're done.

Enjoy!

New Video Exposing Dairy Industry Cruelty

This entry was written on Jan 28, 2010 by our Vegetarian Guru Staci Marquez-Nichols

I subscribe to the Mercy for Animals blog (a wonderful blog, if you haven't checked it out). They recently put together a video on an undercover investigation they conducted at a dairy factory...I mean, "farm." This is a very eye-opening video. In one of the most powerful scenes, a worker shoves several of his his fingers two-knuckles-deep into a calf's eye socket to better control her head as he painfully burns her horns off. I had to look away...

I blogged earlier that my resolution for 2010 has been reducing my dairy intake. I'm trying to only buy organic, hormone-free, free range dairy products, which are hard to find in my neck of the woods. I have completely stopped eating cheddar (my old favorite...but I couldn't stomach it any more). If you are also considering reducing or eliminating your dairy intake or going completely vegan, watching this video will give you the motivation you need!

Watch the video here:

http://www.mercyforanimals.org/dairy/

Thanks Mercy for Animals for your great work...as always!

Tofurkey Italian Sausage

If you've read my Lifetips book, you know I love anything by Tofurkey! These are the only tofu-based meat substitutes on the market (most are based on unhealthy, processed soy mutations like "soy protein isolate," "soy protein concentrate," "texturized vegetable protein," or "hydrolyzed vegetable protein.")

When most people think of Tofurkey, they think of fake turkey. But this Italian sausage by Tofurkey is a total home run. It contains 50% less fat than typical pork Italisn sausage. Also, the Tofurkey sausage has NO cholesterol, while pork sausage usually has about 65 mg. One serving (which is one link) contains 29 grams of protein...and is delicious!

Tofurkey uses non-genetically modified soy beans and other non-gmo ingredients. The sausages contain sun-dried tomato, basil, garlic, and other spices! The flavor is unbeatable and very fresh. Plus, they make great hot dog substitutes. Learn more at www.Tofurkey.com.

You can't lose when you cook these Tofurkey Italian sausages. Cook them cut up in bite-size pieces (my preference) or as they are (in links the size of hotdogs). You can grill them on a low temp in the skillet (they brown quickly). Cut them up into a veggie egg scramble. Unlike a lot of other fake meats, these sausages do not need to be over-cooked to avoid being mooshy. Like animal meat, once they're golden brown, they're done.

Enjoy!

Top 6 Excuses for Eating Meat

This entry was written on Jan 25, 2010 by our Vegetarian Guru Staci Marquez-Nichols

Today on the Animal Person Blog, Mary Martin passed on results from an informal survey she did of why people just can't go vegetarian. I recognized all of these "excuses," as Martin calls them. How about you?

1. Eating meat is the way it should be. It's what we're supposed to do. My response: I guess we should all be naked too...and dying off at 30 years of age.

2. Vegetarians "bug" God. My response: Thou shalt not kill??? Hmm...Re-read Gensis 1:29.

3. Our bodies are designed to eat meat. My response: Great, then eat it in the way your body was designed to intake it. (You hunt it, organic/free range animals native and local to your area only, consume only small quantities a few times a week, use EVERY part of the animal for something leaving nothing wasted...but most importantly have the blood on YOUR hands.)

4. It's not healthy. My response: Time for a basic nutrition lesson. I understand though because most people's understanding of nutrition comes from "milk does a body good" and "beef - it's what's for dinner" TV commercials. Do some research.

5. We as humans are at the top of the food chain--it's our duty to eat meat. My response: Then we better start acting like "leaders" and start eating a more sustainable diet...and, if we're not too busy being superior, maybe figure out a way to stop the innumerable human deaths caused by starvation everyday.

6. Last but not least...the guilty meat-eaters! They say a prayer for each piece of meat they eat. My response: Take the plunge, folks. Start making prayers of thanks, i.e. "God, thank you for allowing me the joyous opportunity to save animals by not eating them." Amen!

Mom and Dad, I Want to Be Vegetarian

This entry was written on Jan 21, 2010 by our Vegetarian Guru Staci Marquez-Nichols

I recently had Kennedi ask me, "I'm 11 and I'd like to become a vegetarian. How would I explain that to my parents so they'd let me?"

A lot of children and teens are facing this concern. Mom and Dad, if your child comes to you and expresses a desire to give up meat--don't freak out! Here's what you do:

1. Remember that meat contains dangerous growth hormones, antibiotics, and diseases that are far more toxic for them than for you. Plus, in the US, we eat TOO MUCH meat. In other countries people are dying of "not enough." We are dying of "too much."

2. Read and research what a healthy vegetarian diet looks like. It's not about buying fake meat and eating protein bars; it's about learning to combine proteins and get other important nutrients like Omega-3s, vitamin B12, etc.

3. Don't forget that MILLIONS of children around the world (and here in the US) are meat-free. Hindus, Seventh Day Adventists, some Buddhists, and Jainists are all vegetarian. And their kids are growing up just fine!

4. Being vegetarian is a learning experience--socially and personally. Let a vegetarian diet be a tool of empowerment and self-knowledge for your child. Kids never want to be "outside" the peer group, so when they consciously decide to break-free, be supportive and proud.

5. I personally stopped eating meat in 7th grade. I went on to become a two-time NCAA All-American athlete and graduated high school with 7 YEARS perfect attendance. (I never got sick!)

6. There are a number of books for vegetarian children--pick one up. My own Life Tips book includes a section on raising vegetarian children and will give you all the nutrition information you need.

In the great words of GoVeg.com: "Meat: Not Suitable for Children." Be open-minded Mom and Dad!