Livin’ Veg

The Truth About Soy March 1, 2010

Soy is used in pretty much everything these days. But vegetarians and vegans eat even more of it than the average person. People tend to worry about something called phytoestrogens that are found in soy. Those compounds are similar to estrogen but not nearly as strong. You may have heard of men not wanting to eat soy because they are worried their body will be infected with estrogen. (Many men hate feeling like they are in any way female.)

Neal Barnard from the fabulous organization PCRM wrote a great clarifying article on soy for the Huffington Post. In it, he discusses all of the rumors and gives scientific data to back his assertion that soy is totally safe and even beneficial for the body. He talks about breast cancer, fibroids, thyroid health, hormones in men and women, and other health issues.

Here is part of what Dr. Barnard had to say about cancer:

Women who include soy products in their routines are less likely to develop breast cancer, compared with other women. In January 2008, researchers at the University of Southern California found that women averaging one cup of soymilk or about one-half cup of tofu daily have about a 30 percent less risk of developing breast cancer, compared with women who have little or no soy products in their diets (1). However, to be effective, the soy consumption may have to occur early in life, as breast tissue is forming during adolescence (2-3).

Read the full article for all the facts. Then, next time someone talks to you about soy being sketchy, tell them what you know.

Pala Pizza In New York City February 15, 2010

I think one of the biggest things that vegans miss when they give up dairy is pizza. It’s easy, great for parties, and a perfect comfort food. Happily, Pala Pizza on the lower east side offers a vegan menu with seven vegan pizzas to choose from. (They are not a vegan restaurant but they certainly cater to vegan needs and their pizzas use daiya cheese.)

On Saturday night while there with my husband and our two friends, we had a fabulous time in the small stylish restaurant. I shared the Patatosa with my fellow vegan friend and WOW! I mean seriously, wow. The Patatosa has: shaved patatoes, zucchini, rosemary and daiya cheese. It was beyond delicious. I wish I had brought my camera so I could have a picture for you. But you can see pics over at the blog that made me curious about this fabulous find, The Discerning Brute. Also click here to visit Pala’s site and see all their vegan pizza options. They also deliver.

I’m not a big drinker but their alcohol menu looked so delightful that I had a beverage. For those serious about their cocktails, they were on the weak side, which is kind of frustrating when you spend ten bucks. That was my only real complaint.

Note: If you’re going on a weekend evening, be sure to make a reservation. They were turning people away when we arrived with our 8pm reservation.

Also, one more word to the wise, make sure the door is locked to the bathroom. My friend walked in on some poor woman who claimed it didn’t lock and he saw…everything. The door did however lock for him. A possible vegan exhibitionist? Who knows.

Daiya Cheese On Everything! January 27, 2010

Last week my Whole Foods finally started carrying Daiya cheese. For those of you interested, it’s in the prepared food section near the pizza dough, pizza cheese and sauce. It’s labeled “vegan cheese” and says Daiya.

The first thing I made with it - because I missed them so so much - were nachos. Yep, the ones in the picture to your right with black beans. I have also made pineapple/onion pizza and tomorrow night is taco night. I am living in cheese bliss. I really can’t remember the last time I had a nacho. And as much as I adore salad pizza, I’m super happy with my new daiya cheese pizza.

When you get your fancy new daiya cheese make sure you note that you don’t cook it like regular cheese. You put it on when the dish is nearly cooked just long enough so that the cheese can melt. Cook it too long and it will burn. Read more cooking instructions here. For pizza, I cook my dough with thin slices of tomato/onion first, then when the dough is just turning brown at the edges, I take it out, add my daiya and my pineapple and put it back in for a few minutes. I keep an eye on it and as soon as the daiya is melted, I take it out and enjoy.

Has anyone else tried cooking with it yet? What have you made?

Hospitals In England To Promote Vegetarian Menus January 7, 2010

When I first saw this article, I thought it was going to be about health. But hospitals in England are taking meat off the menu in order to reduce their carbon footprints. They are fighting global warming through vegetarian foods. Meat, as I understand it, will not totally be gone, but it will be greatly reduced.

NHS chief Pencheon said:

“We should not expect to see meat on every menu,” said Pencheon. “We’d like higher levels of fresh food, and probably higher levels of fresh fruit and veg, and more investment in a local economy.”

They also want to stop using plastic water bottles, reuse equipment more often and other steps to become more environmentally friendly.

I love that their healthcare (gov’t run healthcare by the way) sees the link between animal agriculture and climate change. It won’t just be great for the earth. It will also be fantastic for the health of the patients. I can’t even imagine hospitals here doing something like that. We are so far behind in so many ways. I thank the NHS for leading by example and making changes that will benefit us all. Read the full article here…

Peace Food Cafe in NYC January 4, 2010

On New Years Eve my husband and I went to the Peace Food Cafe up on Amsterdam and 82nd with six friends. We had always had a bit of a problem finding food on the upper west side. At least food within our budget. The Peace Food Cafe had a great selection of all vegan food, friendly staff and great decor. Oh yeah, and the price was right! My sandwich was nine dollars. I had the Tahini Sprout sandwich, very light and flavorful. My husband had the fried Seitan Medallion Panini - a massive meal for one pereson but still very tasty. We actually each had half of the others sandwich in order to try a variety of food and it worked out perfectly. I could not have eaten the entire seitan panini on my own.

I didn’t have any of the desserts but what I loved was that they had cookies for $1.25 and other items for under five dollars. That’s unique in a city where even the smallest dessert seems to be six or seven bucks. Even in cafes.

It really is a great little vegan restaurant, and unlike many other cafes, it does not break the bank. We will definitely be going back there.

School Foods Are Unhealthy But Are They Also Dangerous? December 11, 2009

According to the article in USA Today, the answer is yes.

In the past three years, the government has provided the nation’s schools with millions of pounds of beef and chicken that wouldn’t meet the quality or safety standards of many fast-food restaurants, from Jack in the Box and other burger places to chicken chains such as KFC, a USA TODAY investigation found.

For a country that claims to care about the welfare of children, we certainly have a scary way of showing it. The article goes on to say that the USDA has bought thousands of tons of chicken meat from spent egg laying hens. Meat that KFC and Campbells soup won’t even touch! If not sold to schools the chickens would most likely be compost or pet food.

Vegan or not, send this article to every parent you know. McDonalds and Costco’s standards for meat are way higher, testing their ground beef 5 - 10 times more than the USDA does on a typical school day. I think all parents will be able to agree that school food in this country needs serious reform. Read the article for more details on school food. And take action. If you live in NY, visit www.healthylunches.org

The ADA Compares Vegetarian Meats For Thanksgiving November 24, 2009

Ever wonder how Tofurky compares to Field Roast or to that ever odd food Quorn? The American Dietetic Association put together a chart comparing various vegetarian Thanksgiving alternatives. For those of you who may not know, the AMA is the most trusted voice on nutrition and they have repeatedly reported that a vegetarian/vegan diet is totally healthy and even has health benefits like a reduction in the likeliness of heart disease and some cancers.

They reported that the good news is, all but one of the vegetarian alternatives contained no saturated fat. All were a great source of protein. Sadly, all of these products contain at least one of the common food allergens. And all (especially my favorite - Field Roast) had WAY more sodium than one would find in a turkey.

Click here to view the info and the chart so that you may better know your options when it comes to celebrating a compassionate/delicious Thanksgiving.

And while you’re thinking of the holiday, consider sponsoring a turkey at Farm Sanctuary. You can do it for as little as $25. I keep going back and forth between Gideon, Mello and Olive.

Celebration Roast Perfect For Vegan Thanksgiving November 11, 2009

I’ve said this before, but feel the need to say it again every holiday season. Celebration roast by Field Roast is amazing! It is the absolute perfect faux meat for the fall/winter holiday season. Pair it with homemade cranberry sauce for the perfect mix of savory and sweet. It’s stuffed with butternut squash, apples and mushrooms and will work great for your vegan and omni guests. And it’s super easy to make so you can focus your time and energy on sides, desserts and your guests.

And while we’re talking about Thanksgiving, right now is a perfect time to donate to a farm sanctuary and help save the life of a turkey. So many turkeys are killed this time of year. Maybe even ask your guests to bring a bit of cash and have the donation go to saving a life. Thanksgiving should be a time of joy, and what’s more joyful than giving life:)

What Do You Eat For Dinner On A Lazy Night? November 10, 2009

We all come home from work/school some days feeling completely exhausted and hungry. You’d love a fancy vegan meal from your favorite cookbook but the idea of spending more than ten minutes on something (especially since you’re about to lash out at the person closest to you due to your hunger and bad mood) is beyond imaginable.

My question to you all is what is your fall back plan dinner that you make at least once a week just to put food on the table?

For the past two months mine had been a Sunshine burger with a whole wheat bun, tomato, avocado, onion, veganaise and ketchup. Yummy, fast and filling.

Two nights ago, I decided to change our “we’re too tired to cook” standard dinner. I bought some whole wheat tortillas, got out my canned black beans, some fresh tomato, onion, avocado, salsa, lettuce and made myself and my husband a fast and delicious meal. I think it’s even faster than the veggie burgers! Plus, it’s super healthy.

I’d love more ideas. So I ask again, what do you make in a pinch?

Vegan Red Wine Reduction Recipe October 27, 2009

Last Friday on her show, Ellen had a cooking session with her personal cook, Roberto Martin. And of course because Ellen is vegan, everything he makes is vegan. He showed everyone how to prepare a super simple meal with Celebration Roast, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies and a red wine reduction. I’ve never ever made a red wine reduction, but you can bet I will be with this recipe under my belt!

In fact, click here for all recipes they made on the show. And you can watch the section of the show he was on. They really promote veganism on the show and on Ellen’s website. And just for the record, I really want a personal chef. Yes, I love cooking, but after a long day, I would love to come home and see beautiful meals magically appear before me. That’s certainly not going to happen, but a girl can dream.