If you love Key lime pie, as many of us do, then you crave the stuff like candy. Kind of tart, kind of green candy from somewhere in Florida ideally topped with low clouds of meringue or even, gasp, whipped cream but candy nonetheless.

But for vegans and the dairy-intolerant, its often off-limits (sad face). To the rescue: Gracias Madre, the vegan Mexican restaurant in West Hollywood, California, whose kitchen is led by Chandra Gilbert. Its a beautiful place (vaulted ceiling, outdoor fireplace), often filled with equally beautiful people. But, more important, the food is the sort of thing that vegans want and do not often get to indulge in. Cream pie, to be specific. Its not actual cream, of course, but for a minute you think it could be. Do you want date paste in your pie crust and coconut oil in your whipped cream? Do you want the filling built from avocados and lecithin? If youre a vegan, you do indeed. And if youre not a vegan, it tastes pretty good, too.

Serves 8 to 12

Crust

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the pecans, date paste, salt and vanilla extract, and process to form an even crumb. Press the crust into a well-oiled 9-inch springform pan, and refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Filling

In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the lime juice, agave, coconut milk, avocado, vanilla and salt, and process until smooth. Add the lecithin and coconut oil, and continue to process, stopping to scrape down the sides, until completely combined and you can no longer see lecithin granules. Pour the filling evenly over the crust, and tap the springform pan lightly to evenly distribute the filling and eliminate air bubbles. Refrigerate the pie overnight.

Whipped cream

Without shaking or turning the cans of coconut milk over, carefully open and remove the semi-solid cream that has risen to the surface (about 3/4 cup heavy cream per can). Save the leftover milk for another use.

Combine the cream in a bowl with the agave, salt and vanilla, and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, 3 to 7 minutes. Beat in the coconut oil.

Refrigerate the whipped cream overnight. Before serving, fluff the cream with a fork.

NOTE: Date paste (also known as pressed dates) is available at Middle Eastern markets; to make it, process pitted dates with a little water to form a paste. Lecithin granules are available at gourmet markets and cooking stores, as well as online.

-- Adapted from a recipe by Chandra Gilbert

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Gracias Madre's Key lime pie (vegan) - Madison.com

In Food Money Sex, we askanonymous Washingtonians to diary the food they ate, the money they spent, and the sex they hadover the course of their weekends. On Mondays,weput it on the internet. This week:

Food:

Money:

Sex:

Last year, I met a girl who was here for the summer, and even though I knew that she wasnt sticking around for long, I completely infatuated myself with her. Since she leftin August, I havent had the desire to even talk to another girl. We stayedin touch for a month or so, before she decided that it would be better for us not to talk for an indefinite amount of time. Nothing bad, just the common-but-true tale of being busy at school and seeing another person, etc. But, every night I go to sleep with my phone next to my bed hoping that it will ring and that it will be her, wanting to talk to me again.

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Food Money Sex: Eating Vegan Sausage and Sleeping with the Phone - Washingtonian.com

Who cares about green beer? Last month, I was blissed to find soy milk and almond milk in every coffee shop in Dublin. Every eatery had a vegan option or could craft one without fuss and didnt look at me like I was crazy. I even talked aquafaba meringues with a waiterbig news in a country where dairy and meat have traditionally been a big part of the plate and a big part of the Gross National Product.

I presented at Happy Food Cafe, Dublins first and only all-vegan cafe, where the beetburger- chowing crowd hungered not just for vegan eats but to create vegan consciousness and vegan community. Passionate about animal welfare, they seemed slightly embarrassed all of Ireland hasnt embraced it, too.

Maybe its not happening as fast as Dublins vegan crowd would like honey, Im familiar with the feeling but the move to vegan has been happening in big ways and small. Dublin had its first-ever vegfest in November and Dublin VegFest 2017 is in the works now, spearheaded by the mighty Pears Hussey and a small dedicated group of people passionate about vegan living. Thats all it takes to bring about change.

In 1898, a dedicated and passionate Irishman, playwright (and vegetarian) George Bernard Shaw wrote, Why should you call me to account for eating decently? If I battened on the scorched corpses of animals, you might well ask me why I did that. About 90 years later, Morrissey, Smiths frontman, Irish vegan and PETA activist extraordinaire came out with Meat is Murder.

Pioneering Blazing Salads, Dublins family-owned whole food vegetarian restaurant opened 30 years before Happy Food Cafe. Its morphed from its earnest 80s beginnings to do a mean, modern and largely plant-based takeaway business.

Beetburgers, plant-based milks and chickpea blondies may be all but mainstream, but they werent always. For many years, Irelands mainstay crop and the mainstay meal was potatoes. And then, when the crop failed, it wasnt. During the Great Famine, 1.5 million Irish died of starvation. You tend not to forget a thing like that, no matter how long ago it happened.

Food is precious, valued in Ireland in a way that it isnt in America. I learned about farm to table in Ireland years before it was big here. I learned about it at the farm. At the table. Its so intrinsic to how theyve lived, they didnt even have a term for it. Coming from America and our monster centralized food system, I couldnt believe a simple roasted newly-dug potato could taste so minerally and rich and fall apart in my mouth like a puff of cloud. I could feel the potassium shoot through my veins like a junkie getting a hit.

Forget corned beef and cabbage (not vegan, not Irish) Celebrate St. Patricks Day with a potato. Planting potatoes on St. Patricks Day is an Irish life-affirming tradition. Potatoes also star in my vegan version of that age-old Irish comfort food, bubble and squeak. A simple hash of cabbage, kale or other seasonal vegetables held together by potatoes, its not only greater than the sum of its parts, its sustainable and farm-to-table as it gets. Nice with a pint of vegan Guinness.

St. Patricks Day, raise your glass to Happy Foods Cafe, to Dublin VegFest and Irelands small but dedicated, passionate and growing vegan-conscious community. Slinte.

This encore post originally ran on March 14, 2016.

Go here to see the original:

Meatless Monday: St. Patrick's Day Dublin-Style Dedicated, Passionate Vegan Community: 1, Corned Beef and ... - Huffington Post

There are plenty of professional athletes that have proclaimed veganism as the source of their power, endurance, and fuel. From Olympic powerlifter Kendrick Farris to ultra runner Scott Jurek, pro athletes are proving that if you think a vegan diet is a weak diet, then you should think again. And Tia Blanco, the 19-year-old surfing phenom, is proof. Blancos pro career is on fire. Shes ranked in the top 50 female surfers in the world by the World Surf League, took the first place Gold medal at the 2015 International Surfing Association (ISA) Open Women's World Surfing Championship in Popoyo, Nicaragua, and came back in 2016 to successfully defend her title by winning the 2016 Championship in Playa Jac, Costa Rica.

And all this achievement comes on the coattails of Blancos choice to go vegan in 2013. Growing up, my diet was pretty easy and simple I was raised on a vegetarian diet, she says. My mom has been vegetarian strictly for ethical reasons since she was 12, and she never forced a vegetarian diet on us, but that was the food she was cooking at home. So as a result, we all just ate vegetarian together because my dad ate what my mom ate and I ate what my parents ate.

As a result, Blanco has never had a bite of beef, sampled a slice of pepperoni pizza, or gone in on a carnitas taco and thats how she likes it. But now, her choice to eat a vegan diet is her own not simply a product of her environment like her vegetarian upbringing was. When I was 11 or 12 I started to get the questions Why are you vegetarian? Meat is good for you! she says. And all I could say was, 'Shoot, I have no idea.' Then when I was 15, I watched the documentary GlassWalls and read The China Study, and then it became quite clear to me why I wanted to be vegetarian and why I wanted to adopt a vegan lifestyle. After doing my research, I chose to go vegan and have been dedicated to a vegan diet for four years now.

One year before going vegan she did allow herself to eat fish since seafood is such a prominent part of surf and sea culture, but Blancos time as a pescatarian was short-lived. I wanted to fit in but I didnt even really like it [the taste of fish], she says. I felt kind of embarrassed and that made me realize that I dont see the food the same way as everyone else does and thats okay. I get grossed out about whats in the food thats not vegan. Thats just whats right for me.

But with vegan lifestyle and options becoming more mainstream, Blanco has been able to maintain her lifestyle despite traveling around the world for surf competitions and often finding herself in situations where fresh lobster is easier to find than a bag of carrots. Ten years ago I dont think anyone knew what veganism was and now you can find and eat anything thats not vegan in a vegan form. There are burgers, mac n cheese, cakes, tacos options everywhere it seems.

That comes in handy when Blanco has a craving, but being vegan doesnt mean she has a get out of jail free card when it comes to dialing in her diet during competitions and training season. I have the biggest sweet tooth and so does my boyfriend, so we gain a little bit of weight after we spend a couple of weeks off of training and being in the kitchen together, she says, laughing. Cupcakes are my favorite dessert and I love making them. If I want to have a cheat day Im going to have a cheat day but I have to be mindful that vegan junk food is still junk food.

In the throes of competition season, Blanco focuses on consuming whole foods to get in top form and maintain the energy necessary to work the waves for hours on end. I feel healthier on a clean, whole foods diet that is very simple especially during competition. And since a plant-based diet is less calorically dense than other diets, I need to make sure Im eating enough food so I up my portions a lot. I think of veggies as nutrition and water, not a food where I can get energy so I dont even count veggies when Im counting calories and nutrition. For energy, I go to potatoes, whole grains, and starchy veggies. Im obsessed with carrots and sweet potatoes.

Following a workout Blanco will make sure to eat within 30 minutes to begin the refueling and repair process for her body. I eat a lot of fruit and fruit smoothies and occasionally Ill do a plant-protein shake with Vegan Smart Protein, she says. Actually, I just came out with my own flavor with them. And if she doesnt have a sweet tooth that day and wants something savory, she reaches for lentils, which are high in protein and fiber.

And although shes very open about her ethical beliefs when it comes to veganism and how a vegan diet has fueled her through her impressive athletic accomplishments to date, Blanco strives to keep her relationship with food and others positive especially with so many other pro surfers adhering to meat-heavy Paleo diets. I definitely get my haters, she says. Even when I was vegetarian not everyone agreed with it, obviously. But I dont push my beliefs on others. I express the benefits if people are asking, and in my case people were asking. I never tell people how to eat. Respect whats on my plate, Ill respect whats on yours.

Heres one of Blancos favorite recipes from Tias Vegan Kitchen for you to try in your own kitchen to try before your next workout.

Tofu scramble Ingredients: 1 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon water sea salt to taste 1 cup of collars greens 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1 onion finely diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 package firm tofu, very well drained and dried 1 tablespoon chopped parsley ---------------- In a small bowl, mix together nutritonal yeast, turmeric, cumin, paprika, water, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Once your pan is at medium heat, add onions and garlic, and saute for about 3 minutes. Crumble tofu into the pan, breaking it up with your fingers. Or you can use a fork. Pour seasoning over tofu and mix well, try to distribute the color as much tofu as possible. Cook for 5 minutes or until tofu is hot throughout. Add in greens and cooked for about 2 minutes Once cooked, serve with favorite sides and toppings! I used tortillas, avo, parsley, salsa, and oranges #tiasvegankitchen

A post shared by Tiarah Blanco (@tiasvegankitchen) on Jan 7, 2017 at 9:38am PST

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Why Surfer Tia Blanco Is Vegan - Men's Journal

March 12th is National Baked Scallop Day a day that celebrates a food enjoyed by many all across the world. If you didnt know, scallops are a type of bivale mollusk, meaning that like clam, they have two shells that is controlled by a large adductor muscle. This muscle is considered a delicacy by many.

But, did you know that it is easy to recreate that fishy seafood flavor? Check outYou Dont Need Fish to Make Delicious Seafood Dishesand5 Delish Ways to Enjoy Seafood Flavor without Eating Any Fish! to learn more. Just like recreating our favorite meat-based dishes, making plant-based versions of seafood dishes is about using the right flavor and texture. When it comes to making scallop dishes, the thick stem of the King Oyster or Trumpet Royale mushroom is the most popular option.

So, in honor of scallops, we have five plant-based scallop recipes for you to try.

Trumpet Royale is a wonderful mushroom to experiment with in the kitchen. They have a mild flavor, tremendous versatility, and even a unique beauty to them. And, as this Lemon Mushroom Scallop Royaleproves, paired with a creamy lemon sauce, they make a wonderful scallop alternative!

These Tofu Scallops are so delicious and they make a beautiful presentation. The secret to their seafood flavor is a savory marinade made from tamari, Old Bay seasoning, and other spices. Then, theyre pan-seared so theyre crispy around the edges, but tender on the inside, just like real scallops. Serve them over pasta or in a scampi or just make a bunch to serve as an appetizer or hors doeuvres.

In this stunning recipe for Bacon-Wrapped Scallop Mushrooms, succulent Oyster mushrooms are cooked until they reach the texture similar to scallops and then are wrapped in a smoky veggie bacon. While they look fancy and intricate, they are actually super easy-to-make! Serve with fettuccini pasta for a deliciously unique dish.

While these Seared Mushroom Scallopsmay look like conventional sea scallops, theyre actually made from King Oyster mushrooms! Liquid aminos or tamari help to bring that savory umami taste that complements the minty pea pure. This is an appetizer fit for warmer weather and fancy parties.

If you want to impress and surprise your friends and family, go out and find some fresh King Oyster mushrooms and make this Oyster Mushroom Scallops With Pesto Pasta for them soon! They wont believe their eyes or their taste buds when you tell them that the scallops are actually mushrooms. King Oyster mushroom slices are marinated in nori seaweed flakes or dulse flakes (another sea vegetable), along with some vegetable stock, and a splash of lemon and cooking wine. The mushroom slices absorb these different flavors and the moisture, resulting in a fantastically tasty vegan scallop with a consistency to die for! Then, serve them up with the cheesy pesto pasta, smoky tofu bacon, and a sprinkling of vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast.

Go on, treat yourself to a fancy dinner with one of these recipes. Let us know what you think of it in the comments below!

Lead image source:Lemon Mushroom Scallop Royale

See the article here:

5 Scallop Recipes Made Vegan Using Mushrooms! - One Green Planet

(Picture: Deni Kirkova)

I want to share one of the biggest moments of my life with you.

I spoke about Vegan Fitness at Vegfest London 2016: How to craft your dream body and achieve optimum health on a vegan diet something I am an expert in.

This happened eight months ago but this is the first time Im writing about it.

It was an honour.

People were spilling out of the room to hear what I had to say. It meant so much.

It means more to me than most things in this life to promote vegan health and fitness.

It is because people seem to think we need to torture and kill animals for our brains, muscles, and other parts of our physiology to work their best.

We seem to think were supposed to mess around with other creatures, use and abuse them, ignore their free will and inflict untold pain and suffering upon them because we may benefit from ingesting parts of their bodies or excretions.

Of course, no-one is going to stand up and admit they believe in animal abuse.

People work hard, mentally, to create emotional dissonance around this. It is unthinkable.

And so we distance ourselves from the pure and blatant facts.

Drink milk? You contribute to child murder, the breaking of a new mothers heart and abuse of the miracle of bearing children. Rearing cattle for dairy is the most un-feminist practice I can imagine.

There are simply no two ways about it.

And that was me less than two years ago. I was that person the same as the 90%+ of the worlds population that consumes dairy.

It is simply a case of allowing ourselves to accept the world as it is presented to us by society and our families who, by the way, were exposed to the same stuff we are now.

So how do they know better than us? Why should we learn how things are and should be through them?

We allow ourselves to question so many things once we become teens, but due to heavy, heavy advertisingcampaigns around animal agriculture industries, we never question this practice.

Then I saw the light.

My newly-vegan pal Chris Hines told me the truth about how you get dairy.

I just want to apologise in advance to sensitive people who read the stuff on that link. Its all true but really horrible, so, Im sorry.

I spent a fortnight crying on the tube and googling stuff, then I went fully vegan.

Rare steak was my favourite food before, and now I eat tofu, seitan and pulses for protein. You can do it too.

I since dropped 10% body fat, 10 kilos and won 1st place Beach Body at the Miss Galaxy Universe European Championships 2016.

Heres the way I see my form of activism: I am an example of what a vegan looks like, how healthy a vegan can be and how healthy veganism can make you, and how normal you can remain.

Plus of course, how easy and pleasant it is to be vegan.

Justlook at me up there, with the abs, with the brain with the functioning physiology.Vegan two years.Not dead, and actually much fitter.

So, ingesting bits of animal: Inessential for good health.

So, now we have to think about what were doing in the context of preference rather than need.

And so the onion begins to peel.

Peel it further, take off your blinders, please. Be free of this cognitive conditioning around animal agriculture, a billion-dollar industry tightly involved with government.

On the mentality side of things, if there is ONE THING I can recommend its please, please:

Read: Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs And Wear Cows by Dr Melanie Joy.

Its brutally truthful, educational and impenetrably informed. It will make you cry.

Also: Watch the following speeches, factual documentaries and educational movies.

They should answer every question and doubt you may have.

I havent mentioned it in this particular blog, but Ive been on prep (a diet and exercise plan) for the past ten weeks.

This is because Im competing in the UK Ultimate Physiques fitness show taking place at BodyPower on May 12th.

Find out how Ive been getting on in my previous and future blogs.

Week 10 progress: Down to 57.7kg .3kg down.

Total progress so far: Down to 57.7kg from 61kg and body fat is now down to 18% from 23%.

Metro Blogs is a place for opinions. These opinions belong to the author and are not necessarily shared by Metro.

Read this article:

My journey to Miss Bikini Body: My vegan fitness speech at Vegfest London 2016 - Metro

By Becky Striepe

Honey is not vegan, but luckily there are delicious alternatives to replace it in any recipe. Try these vegan alternatives to honey!

The honey question is surprisingly contentious in the vegan world, but honey is an animal product and definitely not vegan. Bees do not create honey for humans to eatthey create it as their own, sole food source.

As Piper Hoffman explained to Care2, bees have a central nervous system. They experience pain, just like larger animals do. "I'm going to speculate here that starving causes pain," Hoffman said, "and thanks to beekeepers, some entire hives starve to death during the winter."

There are some vegans who argue that local honey is ethical, because the methods used to take the honey are less harsh than in commercial honey operations. The local honey debate is a hot topic and I'm not here to argue about it. You do you. The resources below are for anyone looking for vegan alternatives to honey.

Vegan Alternatives to Honey

1. Agave Nectar

Agave nectar is a little bit controversial from a health perspective, but there is no question that when it comes to taste and how it behaves in recipes, it mimics honey like a dream. I think of agave nectar as a sometimes food, because it's not terribly healthy.

2. Bee Free Honee

This apple-based vegan honey alternative is truly amazing. Creator Katie Sanchez discovered this recipe in 1999 when an apple jelly experiment went awry. The result of her testing wasn't jelly, but it was a shockingly spot-on vegan alternative to honey.

3. Maple Syrup

Maple syrup gives recipes a different flavor than honey does, but it works well in baking, sauces and most other recipes that call for honey. I even use maple syrup in place of honey in beauty recipes, like this sugar scrub.

4. Brown Rice Syrup

Brown rice syrup is available at most grocery stores. It's slightly less sweet than honey, but that can be a good thing, especially if you're trying to cut down on your sugar intake. Use it just like honey, adding a bit more to recipes, if you find the results not sweet enough for your tastes.

5. Barley Malt Syrup

Barley malt syrup has a distinct, malty taste and, like brown rice syrup, it's a bit less sweet than honey. It's a fun one to play with, though, if you can find it at the store! I especially like barley malt syrup in place of honey for things like granola, cookies or cereal bars.

6. Sorghum Syrup

Sorghum is an interesting crop. Some energy companies are looking at this heat- and drought-tolerant crop as an alternative for the corn used to make biofuels and it's also versatile in the kitchen. Sorghum syrup is available at most grocery stores and is about as sweet as honey, so you can sub it in at a one-to-one ratio.

Reposted with permission from our media associate Care2.

Link:

6 Vegan Alternatives to Honey - EcoWatch

Im a foodie. I love good food, says Sylvie Cote-Nace, author of The Pure Pleasure of Eating Vegan, a cookbook she has put together with recipes she has developed or tweaked and converted to be vegan-friendly.

I entertain a lot. I like nothing better than to share a recipe with friends.

When she became vegan in 2009 she was only able to find two vegan cookbooks.

I checked at Barnes and Noble. I reviewed every vegan book. The early cookbooks had bland recipes, the texture of the food was not appealing and there was not enough creativity.

Besides being for vegetarians or for people who suffer from celiac disease or are gluten intolerant, it (her cookbook) is also good for people who are lactose intolerant, she says I put my personal spin and twist (into the recipes). I cook with a little sherry and a little wine. I am tired of people thinking vegan eating is eating granola.

Every recipe has an introduction telling from where the inspiration came and how the recipe will taste. There is a Cooks Note with several of the recipes indicated by the picture of a Basset Hound in memory of her dog, Charlotte. These notes give helpful hints and/or make-ahead preparation suggestions. She has included a few blank lines after each of the 220 recipe submissions for the users notes. Every recipe was tested by a panel of non-vegetarians with only the best finding their way into the book.

This is the only cookbook I will ever make, says the Gowanda woman. This was more work than getting my Masters. From April until October I spent eight to ten hours a day. I did not see summer.

The Montreal, Canada native tells of the process she used to make this very big project a reality starting with research and even developing her own recipes.

I have been collecting recipes in French and English since I was 16 from several culinary experiences. I have a gift to know if a recipe is good or not.

Much thought was put into the initial selection process from her extensive recipe collection. After shopping for the ingredients came cooking, clean-up, mise en place and snapping pictures of the finished dishes. This could entail as many as 12 to 15 hours.

The five ladies that were testers were here from 11:30 until 2 every two weeks for two years. I did not want any vegetarians for my testers, she says. The final part was reviewing every recipe to be sure every ingredient was there and to make English corrections. I was vegan for awhile, so I learned all of the tricks of the trade.

Processing a cookbook is one of the most expensive things ever, she says of the publication she is selling at cost. My testers all said just for the section of the vinaigrette, soup and gravy, you pay for the book.

The entrees are flavor-packed, thus making it easy to overlook the absence of meat for those that think they cannot exist without it.

There is no section for bread, cookies and cakes. Instead there are 21 recipes made with fresh fruit. She has included a section called Vegan Pantry and Tools, which explains every tool she uses in the book, what it is and where it can be purchased. This section also tells where ingredients can be acquired.

The success of your food will depend on the quality of the ingredients you use. A simple thing like the freshness of your spices and to know the technique will make the best meal youve ever tasted.

There is a condiment section that includes recipes for cheeses, condiments and sauces. The recipe for bechamel sauce includes tips on how to tell if the sauce is done.

Always make sure that your dried spices are fresh, the life of a bottle of spices is roughly 1 to 2 years. If you have old spices, know that this will affect greatly the taste of what you are cooking, and it wont be good, says the cook. I always make sure that in my house I have a nice supply of fresh onions, garlic and shallots. It is a must, as I use them a lot in every recipe I make. That must be my French roots showing up here.

Eating vegan does not mean you will never eat the recipe you like. You will learn how to veganize them and still keep enjoying them. Its even better than the original recipe. People come with prejudice against it, even if theyve never tasted it.

Everything I take to a party or gathering is the first to disappear.

When you eat a plant-based diet, all the food you eat is well-balanced. The protein is found in quinoa, lentils, beans, etc. When you eat there is so much fiber and nutrients you are full and never hungry. You dont have to weigh or measure the food, she teaches. People think when you go vegan it is restrictive, but what they dont know is everything you remove has a replacement. If you remove dairy, the milk is replaced with plant-based milk. You can veganize your favorite recipes. So you dont have to eat food youve never heard of.

When you eat healthy you nourish the brain and the body. When you eat a plant-based diet you have extra energy to be able to participate in life. If you have children you can play with them, she insists. When you adopt a plant-based diet, be organized and plan ahead. Add quality ingredients and do one day of cooking for the entire week.

When you go vegan, it doesnt mean it is the end of celebrating with your friends and eating out. When you have a pizza, you ask for double tomato sauce and hold the cheese. I can go into any restaurant and create a meal. I never feel deprived. You can ask for whole wheat linguine at Olive Garden. I always carry my own dressing.

Prior to getting a masters degree in criminology, she studied law for one year. She has been employed as a probation and parole officer in Canada and the United States. Her husband of 27 years, Reverend J. Michael Nace, is pastor of Java Village Baptist Church. They have a son who resides in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and two sons. The couple also has a cat named Maggie.

Submitted Photo The following Dunkirk School Three students were selected by their teachers as February Students ...

By GIB SNYDER OBSERVER Lifestyles Editor There comes a time in one's life when reality sets in, and apparently ...

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Want to cook vegan? Gowanda woman's book can help - Evening Observer

The University at Albany students are finding the plant-based food options on campus to be inadequate. Many students would like to limit their consumption of animal products, whether for the health benefits or to avoid contributing to animal suffering and environmental degradation. The university should respect and support the ethical commitment of these students by providing sufficient plant-based options in the dining halls and Campus Center.

Plant-based foods can be varied and delicious. Favorites such as pizza, burritos, mac and cheese, and chocolate cake can be enjoyed without any animal-derived ingredients. Vegan food is increasingly available at restaurant chains such as Taco Bell, Blaze Pizza, Chipotle, and D.P. Dough. Mainstream supermarkets are selling vegan meat. Taste-testers on the Today Show couldnt tell that this meat wasnt from an animal.

Unfortunately for UAlbany students, plant-based food choices in the dining halls are scarce. On its website, UAlbany Dining claims to accommodate vegans, but in reality vegans living in the dorms have difficulty obtaining filling and nutritionally balanced meals. The options listed online are limited, and even those that are advertised are often not available. Some vegan dishes are mislabeled, making them difficult to identify.

The university has a responsibility to meet the needs of its students, including vegans; but the arguments in favor of providing more plant-based options go far beyond that. Plant-based foods are more environmentally sustainable: according to the United Nations report Livestocks Long Shadow, animal agriculture contributes more to global warming than does the transportation sector worldwide. Animal products come from an industry built on systematic animal abuse, and human workers in slaughterhouses and factory farms are frequently the victims of human rights violations. According to the American Dietetic Association, a well-planned vegan diet is healthful and nutritionally adequate at any stage of life, and is suitable for athletes. The ADA also states that following a plant-based diet may help treat or prevent certain diseases, a claim which is supported by countless studies on diseases such as heart disease and breast cancer.

With so many reasons to cut back on animal products, UAlbany Dining and Sodexo should be encouraging students to do it, not discouraging them. To make matters worse, students living on the quads are required to buy a dining plan, meaning that currently many of our vegan students are forced to pay for a service that is not meeting their needs. As a rule, freshmen must live in the dorms, so for them opting out is not an option. Some students resort to buying their own food off-campus to supplement the insufficient options in the dining halls; others, having paid the not-insignificant cost of a dining plan, cant afford to.

UAlbany should increase the quantity and variety of plant-based options available. By doing so, they would prove their commitment to the environment and to student health, and would enable students to make food choices consistent with their ethical convictions.

Go here to read the rest:

Oh Kale No! A Dearth of Vegan Options on Campus - Albany Student Press

Not too long ago, veganism was thought to be a practice upheld mostly by food-deprived tree huggers who have an unyielding passion for animal rights.

Nowadays, the rest of the world is catching on, and its not just because more awareness has been created around animal cruelty. The health and wellness benefits of the vegan lifestyle are becoming proven, recognized and indisputable.

Plus, vegan cookbooks proveeating vegan can actually be quite delicious.

If youre thinking about going vegan, you wont regret it. Sure, it involves significant effort, planning and sacrifices but the benefits are well worth it.

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A plant-based diet will dramatically increase your energy levels, promote significant weight loss, improve your overall health, get you glowing skin and much, much more.

Here are six major benefits of following a vegan diet.

Veganism is a great diet for weight loss, and studies have proven this. A recent study involved 1,151 dieters and 12 different diet trials in which participants followed a specific eating regime and their weight loss was monitored.

The diets studied included vegan, vegetarian, animal-based, etc. The vegans lost the most weight but why? Vegan meals tend to be high in fiber,and fiber-rich, plant-based foods will make you feel fuller and more satisfied for longer, so youre less likely to snack on something naughty an hour post-meal.

Also, by cutting out cheese and dairy from your diet, youre cutting out a huge percentage of unhealthy fats. When vegans cook themselves dinner, its typically made up of lots of vegetables and whole grains, all of which have a low glycemic index. Low GI foods contribute to weight loss, as do high-fiber foods.

Adopting a vegan lifestyle can help you prevent a number of different diseases.

For example, studies have shown lower breast cancer rates in countries where women eat less meat and animal products compared to countries where women eat more animal products.

Eliminating dairy products and meat also improves your cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure and reduces your risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Veganism also combats arthritis, inflammation, asthma and osteoporosis.

Your overall health stands to benefit a remarkable amount if you go vegan sooner rather than later.

Several vegans attribute their healthy, clear and glowing skin to their plant-based diet. Come to think of it, almost all the vegans I know have beautiful skin and look fantastic without makeup.

It makes sense since eating a plant-based diet means theyre taking in more vitamins, antioxidants, water and minerals than most people. And its not just skin that stands to benefit, either. Thanks to all that omega-3 and vitamin A and B, veganism results in healthier nails and fuller, more healthy-looking hair.

Vegans look and feel younger, too, and theres a reason. The vegan diet tends to promote collagen production. This is important since we naturally lose collagen as we age, which makes the skin appear thinner and saggier and causes wrinkles.

The vegan diet results in more collagen production because vegans tend to have a higher vitamin C intake (due to all the fruits and vegetables they eat) and vitamin C boosts collagen.

Eating foods that are easy on your digestive system will make all the difference when it comes to your energy levels, and animal foods are difficult for your body to digest.

When your digestive system is overworked, you feel lethargic and low on energy. Thats why going vegan and eating more plant-based foods will dramatically increase your energy levels. This means you can be more productive during the day, have more energy for the gym and achieve more in your day-to-day.

When you become a vegan, you may notice more energy by day but youll also notice better sleep quality by night.

Your sleep will improve when youre a vegan, and it has everything to do with what youre consuming by day. Vegans cant eat meat, eggs or dairy so they end up eating a lot of nuts, fruits and vegetables instead.

Walnuts, pistachios, pineapple, oranges and cherries are known to help the body produce natural melatonin. Plus, plant-based foods are often high in vitamin B6, magnesium and potassium, which aid in the production of serotonin and help relax the body and mind.

Why not be part of the solution, instead of being part of the problem? Vegans save animals, they contribute toward reducing their countrys water-intake and their practices help avoid deforestation.

We need significantly less water and less land to produce plant-based foods compared to the amount needed to produce animal-based foods. So, those tree-hugging vegans really are helping save the planet.

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Erica Majored in Psychology at UBC has worked in the dating industry for over 6 years. She is the author of the popular dating advice book, "Aren't You Glad You Read This?" available on Amazon. See more of her articles on her advice column www. ...

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Here are six major benefits of following a vegan diet. - Elite Daily