Some people become vegetarians because they love animals. Some, as comedian A. Whitney Brown put it, because they hate plants.

But vegans are committed. Not only do they not eat food that harms or kills animals, some dont even want food that inconveniences animals.

Like honey. Hardcore vegans will not eat honey because, as Noah Lewis of vegetus.org puts it, the simple fact is that the bees are enslaved. Similarly, some vegans will not eat sugar because, while it comes entirely from a plant, some sugar is whitened by using bone char, which comes from animals.

Although the vegan diet lacks in meat, dairy and egg productsor because of itthe diet can be better for you than that which the standard American eats. In 2009, the American Dietetic Association took the position that vegetarian and vegan diets reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes, and lead to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

It can be healthy, but there are some things to watch out for when on a vegan diet: You have to make sure to get enough protein and vitamin B-12and calcium, iodine, vitamin D, iron, zinc and n-3 fatty acids.

Fortunately, a well-balanced vegan diet provides all of these essential nutrients, though you may want to take vitamin B-12 supplements, just in case.

Still, cooking a well-balanced vegan diet can be difficult, at least if you want to stick to what most Americans think of as normal ingredients. Many vegan recipes attempt to re-create meatless versions of familiar meat-based dishes, and to do so they rely on such potentially off-putting ingredients as vegan chicken, egg replacers and nondairy cheese.

Other recipes use soy products such as tofu and tempeh for their protein, and it is one of these that I tried first in cooking a vegan diet for a day.

Mee Goreng, which is a type of stir-fried noodles, is popular street fare in the Philippines. When I have had it before, it always had meat in it, usually chicken or shrimp or both. But then I came upon a vegan recipe for it using tofu, and tofu fans are sure to be instantly hooked.

If they like spicy food, that is. As with a lot of street food, Mee Goreng usually packs a kick. If you want it milder, simply trim down or eliminate the amount you use of sambal oelek, the all-purpose Indonesian and Malaysian ground chili paste.

Also as is the case with much street food, Mee Goreng tends to be a little oily. The recipe calls for 5 tablespoons of oil for four to six servings; I got by with four tablespoons, but that is still a quarter cup of oil.

Do you need it? Yes. The oil brings the dish together, from the spicy sambal to the faintly bitter bok choy to the sweet sauce made from equal parts of soy sauce, brown sugar and molasses.

The tofu, which has the amazing ability to soak up all the flavors in which it is cooked, serves as a protein-rich punctuation to the meal.

For my next dish, I dispensed with the tofu and received my protein in the form of garbanzo beans, which are also known as chickpeas.

Indian-Style Vegetable Curry With Potatoes and Cauliflower (that name seems a little over-descriptive to me) is another spicy dish. I like spices; sue me. If less fiery food is more your style, you can use a mild curry powder (but I wouldnt use much less) and leave out the serrano chile.

This dish benefits greatly from the mutually complementary flavors of potato, cauliflower, garbanzo beans and curry. A bit of tomato paste and a cup of coconut milk make it deeply satisfying, yet it is so healthful that youll practically pat yourself on the back for eating it.

It is the kind of dish that calls out for basmati rice; if you have it, use it.

Finally, I made a vegan version of one of the least vegan dishes I could think of, pancakes.

Pancakes pretty much need eggs, milk and butter. If you try to make them from just flour, water, sugar, salt, baking powder and a little oil, youll wind up with paste.

Or so I thought. But then a colleague passed me a recipe for Vegan Pancakes that she swore was excellent. And she was right.

I dont know how this works. I dont understand how they hold together without becoming slightly sweetened hardtack. Im guessing the oil has something to do with it, but we are only talking about a single tablespoon for 10 smallish pancakes.

These vegan pancakes are fine the way they are, but I incorporated a couple of additions suggested by my colleague: I added two tablespoons of soy milk (almond milk would also do) and a teaspoon of vanilla, just to make the pancakes even better.

They are a perfect foil for maple syrup. And maple syrup doesnt inconvenience any animal.

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The vegan diet meatless masterpieces - Fredericksburg.com

The monthly get-together of the Lancaster Vegan and Raw Food Potluck & Support Group is set for 6 to 8:30 p.m. March 20 at the Kinzer Fire Hall, 3521 Lincoln Highway E., Kinzers.

This is the first potluck meeting since December.

This months topic is Eat More, Weigh Less, featuring a discussion of calorie density.

For the potluck, singles, couples and families of two should bring a 9-by-13-inch raw-food dish or an equivalent amount of food. Families of three or more should bring two 9-by-13-inch dishes or equivalent.

These raw-food dishes should be made with only fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouted grains, herbs and spices and seasonings. They should exclude all animal products. A recipe or complete list of ingredients must accompany every dish.

The meal will be held from 6-7 p.m.; the meeting, from 7-8:30 p.m.

Everyone should bring his or her own place setting, and a contribution of $2 per person or $4 per family toward the rental of the fire hall.

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Vegan, raw food potluck returns to Kinzers March 20; calorie density is discussion topic - LancasterOnline

Being a teenager is tough. The struggle to fit in, feel comfortable in a morphing body, and cope with seesawing emotions is something that we can all relate to. And for vegan teenagers, who are sticking their necks above an additional parapet, surely the world must be a lonely place?

But as rates of veganism climb upwards, its young people that are leading the way. In the decade since 2006, there was a 350 per cent spike in the number of people who identified as vegan. And almost half of vegans are aged between 15 to 34. Meanwhile, food-friendlyplatforms like Instagram andfellow devotees in celebrities from Ariana Grande to Beyonce make committing to a plant-based diet less niche.

And the social network the Teen Vegan Network (Teen VGN) gives young people who are vegan and aged between 12 and 19-years-old a place to belong. The website features forums, recipes, product reviews and opportunities for volunteering. It currently has 1,553 active members, and a reach of around 35,000 social media users, with 28,000 Twitter followers, over 3,000 likes on Facebook, and over 2,500 followers on Instagram. The founders say the group has seen a steady growth in the last four years as veganism has gone mainstream.

We realised that there was so many great campaigning groups that were directed at adults and none for young people, Laura Edwards, 26, who co-founded the organisation in 2013 tells The Independent. She and fellow vegan friend and former animal rights charity worker Kylie Fackrell, 29, created Teen VGNto plug a gap for children who didnt fit in with their peers.

Since then, the group has started sell-out summer camps for members can aged between 11 and 17-years-old.

I wasn't vegan when I was a teenager, but since starting TeenVGN we have noticed how many young people talk about being the only vegan at their school, and parents who are concerned that their children feel left out, says Edwards.

She adds: Our TeenVGN summer camp started in 2015 with space for 32 young people and we sold out within 34 hours. Our second camp we had to increase to 72 spaces due to demand and we sold out months before camp.

At 18, Asher Gilbert is one of the oldest members of the group. At first, I found being a vegan teenager quite lonely, Gilbert, from St Albans in Hertfordshire, tells The Independent. But at camp I met so many other vegan teenagers who I am still in touch with.

Others have had a less isolating experience - including 12-year-old Ella from Horsham in East Sussex. A vegetarian since she was seven, she has lead a plant-based lifestyle for a year-and-a-half after her mum was inspired by a close friend. When she took the plunge, she encouraged her best friends to do the same. Some are now also vegan, while others are dabbling with vegetarianism.I found out that dairy and eggs harmed farm animals just as much as meat, I wanted to follow my mums lead and stop contributing towards the cruelty, she says.

So, isturning vegan as a pre-teen tough?

12-year-oldElla has been vegan for a year-and-a-half

The only difficulty I have is fitting into school and getting people to take my lifestyle seriously, she says. Some girls at my school like to poke fun and think that my friends and I who are also veganare 'extreme'.

"We have learnt to not let it get us down and carry on saving animals lives and try to be excellent animal activists! I have found that it is more effective to be mindful of others who haven't yet made the connection with their food and not to be cross with them," she adds.

The Teen VGN, she suggests,has helped her avoid feeling like an outcast.

At the Teen VGN Summer Camp I met so many amazing friends. We all stay in touch and I know I can chat to them about anything that may be troubling me, they are so special to me as I feel we see the world through the same eyes.

Maia Fanson, a 16-year-old from Bristol, says that her parents were a little worried that she would miss out from staving off meat and dairy.

That hasn't been the case, she says.I actually think that since becoming vegan I've spent more time outside with my mates then I did before, she explains. In my language course we did a trip to France, at first I thought I shouldn't go but I went and when we went to restaurants I just explained to them what I didn't eat, which was hard because I'm not too great at french, and they helped me find the food I could have.

And all of the teens agree that, for now, veganism is a lifestyle they will stick to.

I definitely think I will be vegan forever, says Asher.

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Teen Vegan Network: What it's like to swear off meat and dairy before you're 20 - The Independent

Travis Barker has just wrapped a two-hour-plus rehearsal with Blink 182, and his day is really just beginning. Next he is heading into the gym with trainer and friend Don Brooks for a customized 90-minute session before he steps behind the drum kit again with his friends from Goldfinger, as they prepare a set at his music-meets-tattoos festival, Musink. So what is Barkers secret to keeping up with his cardio-packed days without gassing out? Staying true to a gluten-free, vegan diet that he has cultivated over decades.

Though Barker had been vegetarian since the age of 15, he made the switch to vegan nearly a decade ago as part of a promise he made to himself after surviving the tragic plane crash that took the life of his friend DJ AM. So far, so good.

Honestly, ever since I found this way of eating I have endless amounts of energy, says Barker. I can go all day, and after it all I never find myself getting tired. No matter what kind of shows I have done, or workouts I do on top of it, I still have to force myself to sleep at night.

The drummer managed to put his relentless day on pause to discuss creating his own training method, shake recipes, and how he stays fit on tour.

How do you think your diet improves your performance?

Right from the first time that I started to really eat vegan I could feel how much it was affecting me. John Salley is one of the guys who I would run into a lot here in Los Angeles, and he always told me how the players who ate that way outperformed the others. I started to see that results for myself as well. Most recently I gave up on gluten, and that did incredible things for my functionality. I feel like there are a lot of people out there who may be allergic to it, but dont even realize, and it is weighing them down.

You train hard too.

Don and I have created our own workout that really pushes me, but also keeps me interested. We call it Tempo Training. The main principle is that you do it either to a metronome or whatever the music that you like to listen to is. Then we will go through supersets or circuits of push-ups, pull-ups, and dips, sometimes a little boxing. Every day we change it up. But it is always on the beat. The point is to push yourself hard, but to never slow down. You have to keep on the tempo. Creating that kind of workout has been huge to helping me get ready for tours, because each day I end up playing for about two hours straight, and I need that stamina. Then to cap it all off Ill do a little low-intensity workout, like an assault bike or an elliptical machine.

How else do you train?

I love to get into the boxing ring as much as I can, usually a few times a week. I will work a bit with Glenn Holmes, who has a gym in Los Angeles. I used to try to box while I was on tour, but when you work with boxing coaches that you dont really know, you run the risk of getting hurt. I would end up sparring and feeling pain in my wrists, which is not good when I have a show that night.

So how do you like to train on tour?

I am all about building myself as much as possible before I have to go out on tour. Trying to have a normal schedule while you are on the road is impossible. I fully dedicate to getting in as good of shape as I can before we start. Then while Im out I will do a lot of body-weight exercises in my room, or wherever I can. Lots of push-ups, pull-ups, and I will plank. Sometimes I am able to get out on a run. I also like to bring battle ropes with me, just in case I get somewhere to set them up. Then I can really work out.

Do you find it difficult to eat vegan while you are touring?

I will say that it has gotten a lot easier than it used to be. Vegan restaurants are everywhere now, especially in Los Angeles. (I am an investor in Crossroads, which has an amazing chef in Tal Ronnen.) There is this great app and website called Happy Cowthat helps you find all the vegan options that are closest to you. I use that all of the time. For snacks I will eat a lot of strawberries, blueberries, and acai berries. I find myself eating plates of broccoli or cauliflower at times. I also bring a Juicero with us on tour, and I will use that to make some pretty awesome juices.

Do you share with your fellow Blink 182 members?

Definitely. Matt Skiba is vegan as well. Mark [Hoppus] is closer to vegetarian. I also have everyone doing E3Live. We are full-on getting ready for this tour, and we want to bring the best show possible to the Blink fans.

Travis Barkers Go-To Shake

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Blink 182's Travis Barker: Why I'm Vegan - Men's Journal

Clearly Veg (blog)

Toronto: Vegan Pizza Joint Opening All-Vegan Metal Bar! Clearly Veg (blog) With pizza options like BBQ Buffalover and The Fat Mac (with 8 dipping sauces!), snack/side options including vegan poutine and jalapeno poppers, and desserts like soft serve ice creams, doughnuts (fancy and non-fancy) and deep fried "marz" bars, ... Apiecalypse Now! is opening a barNOW Magazine all 2 news articles »

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Toronto: Vegan Pizza Joint Opening All-Vegan Metal Bar! - Clearly Veg (blog)

WASHINGTONJoanne Evans, M.Ed., R.N., P.M.H.C.N.S.-B.C., provided a presentation to colleagues at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., about the health benefits of adopting a plant-based vegan diet and soon had 19 nurses eager to test out the science firsthand.

After 21 days, 74 percent of the nurses, 14 out of 19, in this self-reported plant-based dietary review lowered their cholesterol, with a mean average of 18 mg/dL, while six lowered their cholesterol by 45 to 60 mg/dL; more than half, 10, lost weight, with an average weight loss of 4.4 pounds, with a range of 1.5 to 9 pounds; 30 percent, six, reported gains in energy; and 41 percent, eight, reported feeling highly satisfied with their health, compared to one nurse who reported this before the dietary modification. After the program concluded, the nurses reported an uptick in fruit and vegetable consumption, while meat and dairy consumption fell. The findings appear in the March 2017 issue of the American Journal of Nursing.

Large bodies of research show a plant-based vegan diet boosts weight loss, lowers blood pressure, improves cholesterol, and stabilizes blood sugar, says Neal Barnard, M.D., F.A.C.C., creator of the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, president of the nonprofit Physicians Committee, and an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. We now have preliminary evidence that this way of eating boosts energy, too. The secret is to stick with the prescription since the health benefits last as long as youre putting the dietary principles into practice. A plant-based vegan diet is not a fad diet, but a new approach to eating, a new approach to health, and a new approach to life.

A review about vegetarian and vegan diets in the Dec. 2016 issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics finds a plant-based vegan diet reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by 62 percent, the risk of death or a hospitalization from a heart attack by one-third, or 32 percent, and the risk of developing all forms of cancer by 18 percent.

Plant-based eating patterns continue to gain traction among cultural influencers, from former president Bill Clintons adoption of a vegan diet to improve his heart health in 2010 to Beyoncs debut of her newfound approach to weight loss in 2013 and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady releasing his plant-based secrets, shortly after a Super Bowl victory, in a New York Times magazine feature in 2015. Serena and Venus Williams applaud this dietary approach for its anti-inflammatory benefits. They competed together at the U.S. Open earlier this year.

Similar to todays top athletes and cultural influencers, the nurses in this study have the ability to influence a larger audiencetheir patients and nursing students.

A plant-based diet provides a healthful template for all patients, but what I find works best is personalizing the approach, says Evans, the lead review author and a clinical research specialist. We miss the point when we give generic advice and suggestions. I recommend clinicians do a nutritional assessment, learn what the patient eats on a daily basis, find out their food preferences, discover their challenges, and create personalized solutions.

The nurses in the program achieved metabolic benefits without counting calories, measuring portion sizes, or adhering to strict rules. They received support through weekly webinars with Evans, who answered questions about day-to-day challenges, provided advice about nutrient intake and cooking procedures, and offered feedback about how to integrate options for family and friends into every meal.

Participants also received daily support from the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart program, a free online meal-planning program that goes live the first day of each month and provides participants with dietitian-created meal plans, grocery shopping lists, inspirational tips, videos of cooking demos and grocery store tours, and interactive tools, including a free iPhone app.

To sign up for the April 1 program, visit 21DayKickstart.org. The program is available in English and Spanish, with international recipes designed to appeal to a variety of palates. Sample entres include steel-cut oatmeal breakfast bowls with berries for breakfast, Mediterranean-inspired chickpea salad rolls for lunch, edamame, pears, and bell peppers as heart-healthful snacks, and leafy greens with Costa Rican Beans for dinner.

To interview Joanne Evans, M.Ed., R.N., P.M.H.C.N.S.-B.C , Neal Barnard, M.D., F.A.C.C., or a registered dietitian, please contact Jessica Frost at 202-527-7342 or jfrost@pcrm.org.

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Nurses Adopt Plant-Based Vegan Diet for 21 Days and Lose Weight, Lower Cholesterol, Increase Fruit and Vegetable ... - PCRM

Whats next for Highland Park? A vegan beer hall apparently, operating under the name Hinterhof.

The news of the upstart operation comes from The Eastsider, who got ahold of some city paperwork to track down owner Matthias Brandt. A Glassell Park resident hailing originally from Germany, Brandt tells the publication that he hopes to soon open a 2,100 square foot indoor-outdoor beer garden that serves vegan German comfort food. The space, based on renderings provided, could end up looking like a big glass box of sorts, with string lights and the usual picnic tables outside and plenty of tall windows inside.

The space for Hinterhof sits on York, just off the core strip that includes the Hi-Hat, Town Pizza, and gastropub The York. Its a little-used former walk-up stand that has been off the market for quite some time, and now Brandt says that if he can get full city approval the place could be up and running by the end of the year.

Hinterhof 4939 York Blvd. Los Angeles, CA

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The Greatest Trick Highland Park Ever Pulled Was a Vegan Beer Hall on York - Eater LA

SAM OWENS | Gazette-Mail file photo

Tomi Bergstrom serves food during last years Meatout Monday supper at Bluegrass Kitchen on March 21, 2016.

The spring equinox marks the start of a new season. It brings about new life in nature and, in some cases, makes a great time to try something new.

On Monday, Bluegrass Kitchen at 1600 Washington St. East in Charleston is giving the community a chance to try veganism.

The annual Meatout Monday event is a part of nationwide Great American Meatout events, billed as cruelty-free dining experiences.

It takes place from 5:30 to 9 p.m.

Chris Higgins, a member of the Kanawha Valley Vegan Potluck group, said its great for someone who isnt vegan to try it and for those who are vegan to hang out together.

Vegans used to just have one or two options on places to shop and eat, he said. Now, you can go to a supermarket and they have a whole aisle dedicated to natural foods.

The entire menu that night will feature meatless, dairy-free foods and items prepped without the use of animal products. The food is all plant-based.

Open-mic night performances of live music or poetry will be held, and there will be coupon giveaways.

Bluegrass Kitchen also will run the feature specials all week long. Reservations for Meatout Monday are recommended.

The Kanawha Valley Vegan Potluck group correspondingly will have its annual MeetUp Monday at Bluegrass Kitchen the same evening. The group typically meets for potlucks to share food created by its members. Around the spring equinox each year, the group has a larger outreach event such as Meatout Monday.

This is for all ages and just a bigger chance for people to get together, Higgins said.

Reach Anna Taylor at anna.taylor@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4881 or follow @byannataylor on Twitter.

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Meatout Monday offers vegan menu for all - Charleston Gazette-Mail (subscription)

New York Times

Playful Vegan Dishes at a New Grocery in Manhattan New York Times Joya Carlton, the executive chef of Orchard Grocer in Manhattan, with smoked carrots made to look like salmon. Credit John Taggart for The New York Times. No, that is not smoked salmon in the deli case of the new vegan Orchard Grocer. It is smoked ...

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Playful Vegan Dishes at a New Grocery in Manhattan - New York Times

Wichita Eagle

Meatless masterpieces part of healthy vegan diet Wichita Eagle Hardcore vegans will not eat honey because, as Noah Lewis of vegetus.org puts it, the simple fact is that the bees are enslaved. Similarly, some vegans will not eat sugar because, while it comes entirely from a plant, some sugar is whitened by using ...

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Meatless masterpieces part of healthy vegan diet - Wichita Eagle