Innholdsfortegnelse for March/April 2017 i VegNews Magazine

Years ago, as a wide-eyed 20-something traveling through Asia after college, I found myself in Southern China. I’d spent weeks securing a visa to get into the isolated country, and looked forward to experiencing the culture before Western influence altered its traditional landscape. The Tiananmen Square uprising had occurred just a few years earlier, and Caucasian tourists like me were still a rarity. As a young woman traveling solo, I was as much a novelty to the locals as they were to me. Wandering through a colorful produce market one cold winter morning, I was followed by a smiling woman and her teenage son. The mother spoke no English and I no Cantonese, but the son managed “hello,” “America?,” and “husband?” Having found China a challenging and sometimes lonely country…

Fast-food chain Taco Bell has launched the online guide, “How to Eat Vegan at Taco Bell,” highlighting the company’s nine American Vegetarian Association-certified vegan menu options. Made plant-based by substituting ingredients—such as beef, cheese, and sour cream for black beans, pico de gallo, and guacamole— veganizeable options include the following: French-born Buddhist monk and longtime vegan Matthieu Ricard was named “the world’s happiest man” after a 12- year University of Wisconsin study of his brain activity revealed gamma waves “never reported before in neuroscience literature.” News to smile about, for sure! “We’ve reached a tipping point for vegetables. They’re pushing animal protein to the side of the plate ... or entirely off it.” FOOD CONSULTING FIRM BAUM + WHITEMAN, AFTER RELEASING ITS ANNUAL FOOD-TRENDS REPORT PREDICTING A MAJOR BOOM IN…

When thinking of Southern cuisine, some may envision fried food and buckets of butter—but actually, Southern cooking is full of fresh produce, fragrant spices, and lots of color. Down South, we’re known for our peaches, sweet potatoes, and collard greens, and we take pride in letting local vegetables be the stars of the dish. With all of this fresh bounty, it’s no wonder why so many traditional Southern dishes are ripe for transforming into delicious vegan meals. Start your day with fresh-baked hand pies stuffed with a spiced sweet potato filling for a fun, on-the-go breakfast. For a picnic-ready lunch, a twist on Italian panzanella bread salad is perfect for a warm, spring day. Enjoy a refreshing peach margarita while savoring meaty, barbecue-braised oyster mushroom sliders. And for dessert, a…

Pickling your own vegetables often involves canning jars, oversized pots, tongs, and a painstaking sterilization process. For our version, however, we’ve cut out the hassle and are going back to basics. Sturdy produce such as daikon radishes, jalapeños, and mushrooms pair with vinegar, herbs, and fresh garlic for quick pickles that are ready in just 30 minutes. Bright, unique additions to an antipasto platter, perfect served on top of your favorite sandwich fillings, or stuffed inside a vegan quesadilla, our homemade pickles are a versatile way to add a wallop of flavor to most any dish. So what are you waiting for? Get pickling! Pickled Kimchi Radishes Makes 4 cups 1 ½ pounds daikon radish, peeled and cut into ½ -inch cubes 4 scallions, ends trimmed and thinly sliced 3…

First, Peanut Butter & Co brought us the mind-bending peanut butter blends of our dreams (think cinnamon raisin, white chocolate, and cayenne-spiced). Now, the company is bringing us Chocmeister—a smooth, dark chocolate-hazelnut spread—and we’re spreading it onto our crêpes, slathering it on our sliced fruit, and frankly, eating it straight out of the jar when no one’s looking. And with only seven ingredients—plus 50 percent more protein than Nutella—we’re taking a jar with us everywhere we go. That’s not weird, right? ilovepeanutbutter.com We’ll always appreciate almond and have a soft spot for soy, but when it comes to non-dairy milks, it’s time to make way for macadamia. Lusciously smooth Milkadamia (in unsweetened and original flavors) is made from nuts sustainably grown on a family farm in Australia, and has twice…

If you’re vegan, chances are you’ve pondered whether you’re a vegansexual—even if you’ve never heard that term before. A vegansexual is, put simply, someone who will only date or sleep with other vegans. I can relate. My name is Jasmin Singer, and I’m a vegansexual. Searching for a love connection can be loaded enough without the added complication of finding a partner who ascribes to the same worldview as we do. For “hardcore vegans” who battle with the basics of how to play the dating game, weighing how important it is to court only those who steer clear of animal products has its own thorny set of complications. When it comes to all the variables involved in choosing relationships, learning where we can bend is key (sometimes literally, but I’ll…

LAST FALL, public health nutritionist, author, and activist Tracye McQuirter teamed up with animal advocacy organization Farm Sanctuary to launch the first-ever vegan starter guide created by and for African Americans. The 40-page project draws upon McQuirter’s 25 years as a health professional and includes contributions from many other notable black vegans. VegNews spoke with McQuirter about the comprehensive, firstof- its-kind guide, and discussed why reaching out to the African- American community is so vital. VegNews: What motivated you to release a vegan starter guide for black Americans? Tracye McQuirter: Toni Morrison once said, “If there is a book you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” As a vegan for 30 years, I had never seen a vegan starter guide that was…

1 Jenné Claiborne Southern Comfort, p.38 Where I live: New York City Veg for: 6 years What I ate for breakfast today: Teff porridge with dates, banana, and toasted pecans I make a mean: Vegan crab cake My favorite smoothie blend: Frozen banana, cacao, cardamom, espresso, and almond milk My favorite vegetable: Sweet potato My vegan splurge: Philadelphia’s Vedge My dream vacation: Madagascar My must-have kitchen tool: Chef’s knife 2 Kelly L. Williams Rhode Trip, p.58 Where I live: Montgomery Village, MD Veg for: 12 years What I ate for breakfast today: Tofu scramble wrap with roasted peppers and spinach I make a mean: Vegetable stew My favorite smoothie blend: Kale, banana, and almond milk My favorite vegetable: Brussels sprouts My vegan splurge: Califia Farms’ almond milk cold brew with…

Hot Pockets have whirred around microwaves since the ‘80s, but our fresh-baked versions put a vegan spin on the iconic snack. A no-knead dough requires five simple ingredients—so combine our seitan-based ham with your favorite vegan cheese, and you’ll enjoy these savory, melty rolls in no time. Vegan Ham & Cheese Pockets Makes 4 pockets For the no-knead dough: 1 ½ cups warm water 1 tablespoon brown sugar ½ teaspoon active dry yeast 3 cups bread flour 2 teaspoons salt Olive oil, for coating For the seitan ham: 1 cup vital wheat gluten 2 tablespoons chickpea flour 2 teaspoons smoked paprika ½ teaspoon granulated onion ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice 1 ½ teaspoons salt ½ cup water ¼ cup pineapple juice 2 tablespoons hickory liquid smoke 2…

The mercury is rising, and rhubarb—a delightful ingredient available in deep reds, pretty pinks, and pale greens—is bountiful this time of year. Paired best with sweet fruit and sugar, rhubarb is tossed with strawberries, nestled into a ready-made vegan puff pastry, and finished off with a drizzle of homemade vanilla cashew cream for scrumptious tarts that are as easy to make as they are to devour. Whether you enjoy them as part of a light brunch or served alongside strawberry lemonade at your next picnic, these bright, cheery desserts are sure to become a fast favorite in your recipe repertoire. Strawberries & Cream Rhubarb Tartlets Makes 9 tartlets For the vanilla cashew cream: ⅓ cup soaked raw cashews ¼ cup water 2 tablespoons plain vegan yogurt 2 tablespoons powdered sugar…

Are there any foods or natural remedies that can help my mood even out before my period starts? Every woman responds differently to premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and though there is conflicting information about how to alleviate symptoms, for a lot of women certain foods can impact everything from cramps to crabby moods. Salt, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine, for example, all stimulate or interrupt how you feel. Salt increases bloating, while sugar, alcohol, and caffeine can promote peaks and valleys in your state of mind, energy, metabolism, and sleep. Pay extra attention to these foods around the time of your period, because this is when eating as cleanly as you can is of utmost importance. Focus on salads, fruit, cooked vegetables, soups, grains, stews, and other whole sources of foods—and avoid…

Accessories are an easy way to make a style statement that also reflects your compassionate values. Each of these fashionable frames was created by an independent brand that stands for something meaningful, even beyond shielding your vision from harmful UV glare. So slide on a pair and let your vegan ethics shine bright. 1/ Greek to Me Vegan sunglasses? They exist! Velo’s made-to-last sunnies are handcrafted in Greece by a crew of happy herbivores, and for every pair sold, they make a donation to Greek animalrescue organizations. 2/ Animal-Lover’s Lenses If you’re vegan for the animals, the sporty specs at Fetch Eyewear will take your advocacy to the next level. A whopping 100-percent of the Portland-based company’s profits go to animal charities, and they’ll even send you frames to try…

Burgers Impossible Foods, makers of the widely publicized Impossible Burger, employs ingredients such as wheat, coconut oil, and potatoes to craft a burger so convincing—and sustainable—that critics call it “the future of food.” Meatballs One-year-old biotech startup Memphis Meats works with a small amount of animal cells to culture real meat (“clean” meatballs will hit the market in 2021) in hopes of removing animal farming from the process. Chicken Israeli company SuperMeat “humanely extracts a painless biopsy sample from a chicken” to culture cells into tissue, then turns tissue into lab-grown chicken breast meat—soon to be available worldwide. Egg Whites Bay Area-based Clara Foods creates egg whites (dubbed Clara Whites) using “reprogrammed” yeast to produce egg proteins in the exact same way a hen would. Shrimp To achieve a convincing…

10 THINGS WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE / READ / DO They’re cute, they’re smarter than your dog, and today is their day! Expect to find us at our local animal sanctuary on National Pig Day. From bacon to butter to burgers, we’re creating DIY versions of everything, thanks to today’s publication of Veganize It! Easy DIY Recipes for a Plant-Based Kitchen by Robin Robertson. This isn’t something we’d make up. We’re excited for Kat Von D’s birthday! Need a reason to whip up coconut milk shamrock shakes? St. Patrick’s Day is your lucky day. International Waffle Day falls on a Saturday this year, and if that’s not a sign you need to plate up a tall stack, we don’t know what is. Blueberry, chocolate chip, and Belgian, here we…

China’s burgeoning middle class is booming like no other time in history. A mere four percent of the country’s households fell into the category in 2000, but by 2012, that number exploded to 68 percent. By 2020, this group will number more than 700 million people, transforming the global economic stage and ushering massive social change. In a nation where food-as-status is a deeply entrenched part of the culture, how will this major spike impact animal food production? Rising wages and incomes, economystimulating financial reforms, and an increase in private enterprise is feeding the growth of the middle class. And as its numbers rise, so too does its purchasing power. Whether China can offer the convenient, quality goods this prospering class desires—without contributing to the buildup of greenhouse gas emissions…

From the lemongrass-infused green curries of Thailand to the hearty, stewed versions of Japan, curry is a beloved staple dish in many cultures around the world. For our take on an Indian-inspired curry, we incorporate traditional spices like amchur, cumin, and ginger into a rich, aromatic base with chickpeas, spring peas, tomatoes, and spinach. Enjoy over steamed quinoa with an iced chai latte for a fresh twist on an old classic. Spring Pea & Chickpea Curry Serves 4 2 teaspoons coconut oil ½ teaspoon amchur (see “Curry Favor”) ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 dried red arbol chiles 1 teaspoon salt 1 small yellow onion, finely diced 3 garlic cloves, finely minced 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 cup…

KITE HILL Artisan Almond Milk Yogurt Kite Hill’s elegant yogurt is cultured from California almonds and dotted with chunks of fresh pineapple. Favorite flavor: Pineapple kite-hill.com FORAGER PROJECT Creamy Dairy-free Yogurt This first-of-its-kind organic yogurt is made from cashew milk, punctuated with flecks of vanilla bean, and crafted with powerful probiotic goodness. Favorite flavor: Vanilla Bean foragerproject.com STONYFIELD FARM O’Soy Soy Yogurt Classic, child-friendly flavor studded with hand-picked Canadian blueberries and packed with seven grams of protein— what’s not to love? Favorite flavor: Blueberry stonyfield.com YOCONUT DAIRY FREE Creamy Coconut Milk Yogurt Monkfruit-sweetened and made with coconut milk, coconut water, and dark cocoa, this yogurt is a unique find—and has only three grams of sugar! Favorite flavor: Chocolate yoconutdairyfree.com DAIYA FOODS Greek Yogurt Alternative Thick and sweet with a signature…

Dear Marla, I love to dine out, but I occasionally get uncomfortable making my vegan requests known. How do I tackle this? Signed, Hungry for Change The problem many vegans have with speaking about their needs comes from two presumptions: first, they worry that they might sound like the stereotype they have in their heads of the Obnoxious Vegan Jerk (OVJ). Second, they might not think they deserve to have their voices heard. Let’s tackle these beliefs one at a time, but first, let’s talk strategy. Many find it easiest to look up menus online before walking into a restaurant. Doing your research will make you feel more prepared. The first anxiety vegans have about speaking up is simple. Don’t want to sound like an OVJ? Don’t be one. When…

READ The Reducetarian Solution How the Surprisingly Simple Act of Reducing the Amount of Meat in Your Diet Can Transform Your Health and the Planet Featuring a foreword by New York Times contributor Mark Bittman, this book— authored by Brian Kateman who coined the term “reducetarian”—encourages meat-lovers to consume less animal flesh. Why we love it: While we choose to leave animal products off our plates altogether, for those not ready, meat-reduction can bring about valuable, incremental change. What we learned: Reducetarian philosophy may be hard for ethical vegans to swallow, but this inclusive approach aims for the same goal—the end of animal suffering. The Animals’ Agenda Freedom, Compassion, and Coexistence in the Human Age Animal expert Marc Bekoff and bioethicist Jessica Pierce team up to discuss the intricacies of…

At Los Angeles album release parties, punk shows, and underground benefits for Black Lives Matter and the LGBTQ community, chances are you’ll see someone biting into a mouthwatering vegan baked good made by Clara Cakes. The Los Angeles vegan bakery is helmed by 19-yearold Clara Polito, an industrious rising star in the Southern California vegan scene who first cut animal foods out of her diet at the tender age of 12, and started her critically acclaimed baking business that same year. Now the author of the brand-new Clara Cakes: Delicious and Simple Vegan Desserts for Everyone!, her brand is continuing to gain serious traction, and her arsenal of Instagrammable treats—everything from banana cream pies to Butterfinger cakes— are popping up everywhere. But how exactly does the young entrepreneur pull off…

We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so we’re making sure we never miss another morning meal by reimagining toast. Don’t get us wrong—margarine and peanut butter are great, but if you think outside the bread box, an endless array of creative toppings will make your meal the breakfast of champions. So rev up your toasters, and let’s eat! Jam On It Tart raspberries, sweet strawberry jam, and a smear of velvety vegan cream cheese come together for an easy-to-make, beautiful bite. Rise & Shine With a scrambled vegan egg, cheddar, spinach, and a pinch of chipotle, we can enjoy Sunday brunch any day of the week. Blackout Berry This galaxy-inspired concoction of chocolate-hazelnut spread, blueberries, and pomegranate has us seeing stars. The Elvis Whether…