Vegetarian Talk

Braised Cabbage with Apples and Carrots

Whole, vegan comfort food

Well, our winter finally bit. It toyed with us for a little while there, doing a convincing Bay Area dance around 50 with a healthy dose of showers, when suddenly Mother Nature slammed on the brakes and froze us over with the midwestern chill we know so well. I've been going out in my big cocoon coat with four layers underneath and to tell you the truth I'm a little relieved. At least the seasons are revolving more or less as they should be, even if the freeze is a little tardy.

Of course, this newly arrived arctic ambiance means that I've been reaching for the warm and toasty comforts. I've been drinking boatloads of tea, taking plenty more hot showers than usual, and running to the corner of my living room to curl up in front of the furnace every time it goes on. I'm a simple, rather feline creature, and I like my warm things.

I also like my wintry comfort foods, but my new resolution to keep my eats on the vegan and super-frugal side of things means that such seasonal classics as baked mac and cheese are no longer on the table. Instead, I've got to find ways to make fruits and veggies into comfort foods. This challenge has mostly resulted in my nuking up a whole lot of lard-free refried beans, but in an effort to get some real, whole plants into my system, I recently went ahead and bought a cabbage. It felt right. It's a winter vegetable, it's green and leafy, it's round and sturdy like a bowling ball. I don't think I'd ever cooked it to satisfaction before this time, but I went ahead with it despite the follies of my past. And by God, I was going to turn that plant into a warm and sticky comfort food fit for the bitterest of winter nights.

Accidental Salad

Or: how failed hummus led me to arrive at a brilliant new vegan dish

Read more about Accidental Salad

Here's to happy accidents. As someone who's started out the new year on a whole-foods vegan diet, I welcome them with open arms when they make my food taste better. And boy, did they. I don't know if it's the carb withdrawal talking, but today I think I had the best salad of my entire life. And it's all thanks to my spectacular failure at making myself hummus.

The Best Vegetarian Frozen Meal Brands

I have been a vegetarian for about 20 years now. I went vegetarian as a child out of my deep concern and compassion for animals. Although I was the only vegetarian in my family (and only vegetarian that I knew), it just struck me as the right thing to do. Animals deserve to be free of abuse and exploitation, and they should not be killed for food. I mean, there are so many more ethical and absolutely delicious choices, especially in this day and age.

Finding and Making Vegan Treats During the Holidays

One of the most exciting and treasured things about the holidays for most of us are those delicious aromas from the terrific foods that get made at this special time of the year. Unfortunately, sometimes vegans can get overlooked when it comes to holiday baking. If a recipe calls for milk, it need not be dairy milk. Instead, opt for soy, almond, rice, or hemp milk. Read more about Finding and Making Vegan Treats During the Holidays

5 Notable and Inspiring Celebrity Vegetarians

Ted Danson, Natalie Portman, Alicia Silverstone, Quinn Cummings, and Carrie Underwood

Vegetarianism is important for one’s health and the health of our planet; it’s absolutely essential for the many animal lives saved each year. Sometimes is fun to take a look at some of the celebs in our midst who are also vegetarians. These are only a few, but there are dozens of celebrity vegetarians that should be celebrated. Be sure to Tweet or message your faves who are vegetarian and let them know that you appreciate the kindness they show through standing up for animals through their daily lifestyle choices.

Ted Danson

Ted Danson was the highest paid actor on television in the late 1980s and early 1990s, thanks to the epic success of the television show, “Cheers.” He also saw success as a film star in such movies as “Three Men and a Baby,” “Cousins,” and “Made in America.” The enduring star has flirted with vegetarianism for several years, and his wife, Mary Steenburgen, told the ladies on “The Talk” in November 2011 that Ted had made the switch and was now completely vegan. Ted has long campaigned for environmental causes, even starting the American Oceans Campaign, which is now called Oceana. Since being a vegan also does so much good for the environment, this is a great and important step for him to take in keeping with his strong convictions.

Microbe-Destroying Bok Choy and Tofu Soup

Vegan comfort food

Hey there animal abstainers. Hope your tofurkey day was delicious and especially free of awkward truncated explanations of your dietary choices (always fun to be the one guy at a family gathering who's not chowing down on bird). I spent most of mine eating without abandon and lying around playing Skyrim, so I slothed out pretty successfully despite the absence of tryptophan in my system. Unfortunately, consuming excessive quantities of starchy, fatty goo left my immune system in something of a distracted state and now I'm sick as balls. So I decided to gather up the remaining fresh ingredients in my neglected fridge and swirl them together into a formidable weapon against the microbes living in my membranes.

Tofurky as a Holiday Meal Centerpiece for All

Now that Thanksgiving has passed us right on by, many of us start that countdown ‘til Christmas. That special Christmas meal is often as remarkable as the Thanksgiving one, even more important for some celebrants who host friends and family members that come in for Christmas. Dispel the myth that vegetarians get the fuzzy end of the lollipop when it comes to delectable foods and rock a few vegan main dishes along with those irresistible side dishes.

Vegan Hemp Ice Cream Bars

If you are looking for a great vegan ice cream bar substitute, take a look at TEMPT brand of hemp bars. These yummy bars come in four flavors – chocolate, coffee, fudge swirl and blueberry swirl. They have a bit of coconut oil along with the hemp and the flavor and texture is (if I may say) better than dairy. They contain no dairy or cholesterol, and are also gluten and soy free.

These bars are quite good. Even my non-vegan friends like them.

Vegan Cats: the Pros and Cons for Your Pet and the Environment

It's only natural for someone who's gone vegan to want to erradicate all meat products from their life and purchases. However, is a sudden change of diet in your cat, one that deprives him of the meat he likely savors, worth it? Many cat owners struggle with the issue, trying to find the real answer to what the right thing to do really is. You certainly don't want to hurt other animals, but you don't want to hurt your beloved pet either. Here's some information that may help you make the right choice for you and your furry child.

Taurine

The critics of a vegan diet for cats are quick to point out that taurine is a necessity for a cat's survival. You know what? They're absolutely right. However, synthetic taurine has been massively produced and consumed since the 1930s. Meat-based products often contain the synthetic version as well because natural-occurring taurine is decimated in the manufacturing process. You can feed your cats products that have the synthetic version added, or you can feed them supplements, such as Vegecats. Although taurine is not found in any plant source, the synthetic brand is what most cats get, anyway.

Cat Health

Male cats are susceptible to urinary tract infections when following an all-vegan diet, especially when they are primarily fed kibble. Male cats should have plenty of liquid with their food, especially if you are trying to get them to go vegan. Male cats can be very uncomfortable with frequent urinary tract infections, and some male cats get this unless they are fed a more Western traditional cat diet. However, there are ways around this if the owner is willing to put in the effort and time to work toward the male cat's health and keeping him on track with a vegan diet. Again, the first consideration needs to be making sure he eats next to no kibble. He should be fed wet food and vegan food that's specifically prepared for him with a taurine supplement.

Female cats have an easier time going vegan than their male counterparts because they are less susceptible to the dreaded urinary tract infections.

Ultimately, it's very important to do what is best for your cat. Speak with an objective veterinarian if you have any unanswered questions.

Blue-green Algae: Vegan Source of DHA and EPA Omega-3

Vegans have a lot of trouble getting enough of the right kind of omega-3 in their diet. In fact, this is the reason that vegans sometimes experience nerve degeneration. Omega-3 is essential to maintain a healthy nervous system and to ensure maximum mental capacity.