Heres good news for fans of Ken Ken Ramen, the dearly departed Mission District standby and perennial member of Eaters Essential Ramen of San Francisco list. A year and a half after closing the ramen shop, chef Takahiro Hori is back in business with Konomama, a cozy new restaurant at 4601 Geary Boulevard in the Inner Richmond. This time, however, instead of bouncy Hakata-style noodles, the chef has decided to focus on another category of Japanese comfort food: curry.

Konomama quietly opened three weeks ago as a collaboration between Hori and Ramen Underground owner Yoshuke Takahashi, who ran the previous restaurant in this location, Back Room, which was also known for its Japanese curry. But the space has been given a total facelift, with a quaint chalkboard sign board out front, an abundance of light-colored wood, and a vintage record player that plays a steady stream of jazz and Afrofunk. It all looks and feels very chic and Japanese. Hori, meanwhile, is taking on most of the day-to-day chef duties.

Hori says he and his previous business partner decided to close Ken Ken last April for one simple reason: Hori wanted to have a baby, and working the line at a hectic, high-volume ramen restaurant wasnt really conducive to his idea of fatherhood. I wanted to change my life, Hori says. So he took a year off to go backpacking through parts of Africa and Europe hed never had a chance to visit before. And, soon enough, his wife got pregnant and gave birth to the couples now-five-month-old son.

With that in mind, Konomama marks Horis return to the restaurant scene, but at a bit of a slower pace and most important, Hori says, with a more health-oriented approach. The name konomama means as it is a reference to what Hori sees as a return to the original, older Japanese style of cooking and eating, which tended to feature a lot more different kinds of vegetables instead of having a single main dish that you eat with rice.

That said, Hori says the food hes serving at Konomama could hardly be described as traditional, strictly speaking. Because of his emphasis on both roasted and pickled vegetables, each curry plate is a veritable kaleidoscope of brilliant oranges and greens and reds, with a mound of purple-stained white and wild black rice, and a small portion of house-made edamame hummus and tortilla chips for good measure. Its a far cry from the plate of mostly brown food thats more typical of a Japanese curry shop.

The curry itself, on the other hand, is more straightforward. Theres the original curry, which Hori says is very similar to what he ate at home when he was growing up in Japans Fukuoka prefecture. He makes it with a chicken stock base and 12 or 13 different spices, all slowly simmered for six or seven hours. He also makes a vegan curry with a kelp dashi base. To each basic curry plate, customers can add their choice of toppings, which run the gamut from standard pork katsu, to deep-fried seasonal vegetables, to what Hori says is akin to a Southern-style barbecue pork rib.

Hori says hes aiming to create a relaxing atmosphere at the restaurant the kind of place where customers should feel comfortable just listening to music and lingering over a cup of coffee in the afternoon. Naturally, given Horis own recent initiation into fatherhood, Konomama is also meant to be an extremely kid- and baby-friendly place, fully equipped with changing tables in the bathrooms and plenty of room to park a stroller between tables.

Konomama is open Tuesday to Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sign up for our newsletter.

4601 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA

See the article here:

Ramen Chef Opens Vegan-Friendly Japanese Curry Restaurant and Cafe in the Richmond - Eater SF

A new vegan breakfast pop-up has begun routine operations inside Red Hat Coffee in the East Village. Spoiled Vegans Cafe serves meatless breakfast dishes ranging from acai bowls topped with fruit to waffle dogs made with gluten-free flour and vegan sausages. Other signature items include waffle stacks with sweet or savory stuffings as well as egg muffins and omelettes made with the chickpea-based JUST Egg substitute.

Originally a one-time pop-up, the breakfast cafe was so popular Red Hat Coffees management approached Spoiled Vegans co-proprietor Todd Anderson to reach an agreement to open every weekend. Future plans include installing a permanent kitchen and offering a lunch menu.

There is a lack of vegan options in the East Village, especially vegan breakfast spots, so we wanted to bring something new and inclusive to the neighborhood, said Anderson, who is a neighborhood resident. What we have is a very traditional vegan breakfast plates that any non vegans can fully enjoy as well.

Spoiled Vegans Cafe operates from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Other itinerant pop-ups at local markets and vegan community events are announced on their Instagram profile, @spoiledvegans.

Continue reading here:

Vegan Breakfast Cafe Pops up in the East Village - Eater San Diego

BrewDog is opening its first vegan pub. The multinational brewery chain is turning its Dalston bar in London into a 100 percent plant-based establishment.

The company is partnering with Biffs Jack Shack local vegan junk food specialists to add new burgers, wings, and crispy fried jackfruit to the menu. Biffs focus is on ultimate meat-like dishes. It even uses sugarcane as bone in its signature wings.

Were hell-bent on making the worlds filthiest, most indulgent vegan junk food out of one of the worlds weirdest fruit, says Biffs on its website. We are on a mission to create innovative, playful and exciting food for plant-based folk and meat-eaters alike that smashes preconceptions of what fruit can be.

BrewDog serves vegan options at all of its bars and 95 percent of its beer is vegan. Many alcohol producers still use animal products in their beverages. Isinglass, gelatine produced from fish swim bladders, is a common ingredient in alcohol.

Over 50 percent of our kickass food menu is plant-based. So, whether youre vegetarian or vegan, therell be a food option for you to enjoy, alongside a great craft beer, says BrewDog.

The chain offers 2-for-1 on all vegan and vegetarian mains on Mondays, including Southern-fried BBQ seitan burgers, buffalo cauliflower burgers, and Beyond Meat burgers.

BrewDog has just announced that it will introduce the Hybrid Burger, which contains 50 percent Beyond Meat and 50 percent beef patty. This is intended to encourage meat-eaters to reduce their consumption of animal products.

One enthusiastic customer commented online: I am trying to reduce my red meat and dairy intake this burger would be ideal!

Flexitarianism is increasingly popular as many consumers try to cut down on meat without removing it entirely. Meat-free Mondays the inspiration for BrewDogs 2-for-1 deal and campaigns like Veganuary have been instrumental in this movement. Flexitarians are now the primary drivers of the vegan food boom.

BrewDog Dalston will be 100 percent vegan from the 14th of October. Biffs Jack Shack regularly appears in the local area including at Boxpark Shoreditch, a pop-up market made from shipping containers.

Summary

Article Name

BrewDog Is Opening Its First 100% Vegan Pub

Description

BrewDog is turning its Dalston pub 100 percent vegan. The chain is partnering with London local Biff's Jack Shack to add "filthy" vegan junk to the menu.

Author

Liam Pritchett

Publisher Name

LIVEKINDLY

Publisher Logo

Follow this link:

BrewDog Is Opening Its First 100% Vegan Pub - LIVEKINDLY

On October 16, vegan documentary The Game Changers will be available for viewing on streaming service Netflix worldwide. Narrated by mixed martial arts champion and Special Forces trainer James Wilks, the film follows a diverse group of elite athletes that have thrived on a plant-based diet with the aim of dispelling the myth that consumption of animal products is key for athletic performance. The first cut of the film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival last year and the second edit includes additional footage and highlights game-changing athletes such as Olympic cyclist Dotsie Bausch, German strongman Patrik Baboumian, and a slew of NFL players, amongst others, alongside doctors who demonstrate the performance advantages of consuming a plant-based diet. For its second cut, the film added martial arts legend Jackie Chan, NBA player Chris Paul, tennis star Novak Djokovic, and world race car champion Lewis Hamilton to its impressive list of executive producers, which also include Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Cameron, and Louis Psihoyosdirector of award-winning film The Cove. The Game Changers made its digital debut through iTunes on October 1 after screening at 1,000 theaters worldwide during a special one-day premiere on September 16.

Want more of todays best plant-based news, recipes, and lifestyle?Get our award-winning magazine!

Read more:

Vegan Documentary The Game Changers Is Coming to Netflix This Month - VegNews

Joaquin Phoenix attended Joker movie screenings in an A.L.F. sweatshirt. The award-winning vegan actor, producer, and activist is an outspoken and frequent critic of speciesism. Pheonix regularly uses his platform to promote animal rights and other causes.

Phoenix wore an A.L.F. Animal Liberation Front sweater to various L.A. Cineplexes on the opening weekend of Joker, according to a public Facebook post from Ana Soto. The film, released October 4th in the U.S., is an origin story for the fan-favorite DC Comics Batman villain. The film premiered at the 76th Venice International Film Festival last month and won the Golden Lion; the festivals highest prize.

The A.L.F. is a decentralized, leaderless, and international direct action group funded through donations and the sale of merchandise such as Phoenixs sweater. Any vegans who carry out liberation actions are considered members by default. All individuals must adhere to organizational guidelines, in particular avoiding harm to any human or non-human animals at all times.

A.L.F. activists act out of the belief that animals are not property, and oppose all animal use by humans as speciesist, much like Phoenix himself. The actor recently said that eating animals is absurd and barbaric.

Phoenix has been vegan since the age of three because of an upsetting experience he shared with his family. Me and my siblings witnessed fish being killed in a really violent and aggressive way,he recalled.

It was just absolutely obvious that it was something that we didnt want to participate in and we didnt want to support. To me, it just seems obvious. I dont want to cause pain to another living empathetic creature, said Phoenix.

The actor frequently works with animal rights organizations and even led a public protest against animal cruelty in Toronto; just hours before receiving the first Tribute Actor Award at the Toronto Film Festival.

Phoenix recently worked with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) on an ad campaign targeting speciesism. The poster features a photo of Phoenix and a chicken; eyes aligned. The campaign coincided with the Joker release.

When we look at the world through another animals eyes, we see that inside were all the sameand that we all deserve to live free from suffering, said Phoenix.

Summary

Article Name

Joaquin Phoenix Just Wore a Vegan Hoodie to the Joker Premiere

Description

Vegan actior Joaquin Phoenix wore an Animal Liberation Front (A.L.F.) hoodie to the premierie of the new DC universe movie, "Joker."

Author

Liam Pritchett

Publisher Name

LIVEKINDLY

Publisher Logo

See the original post:

Joaquin Phoenix Just Wore a Vegan Hoodie to the Joker Premiere - LIVEKINDLY

Reykjavks former mayor Jn Gnarr switched to a vegan diet and it changed his life.

Gnarr who is also an actor and comedian recently Tweeted an image of himself alongside the caption, been vegan now for one year. Its fun and Ive lost 15 kg or 33 lbs. Heart, blood pressure, and lipids all better. Will continue this lifestyle.

In response to fellow comedian Doug Stanhopes comment about him being no fun to party with anymore, Gnarr said,way more fun! Come on over and we can try the Vegan BBQ ribs at Fjallkonan and go to my place and watch Forks Over Knives together and maybe have a ginger ale or two and discuss it.

The 2011 documentary Forks Over Knives focuses on the link between disease and animal products. It advocates for a whole-food, plant-based diet.

Gnarr who served as Reykjavks mayor from 2010 to 2014 isnt the first politician to speak out about the health benefits of going vegan.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams who is running for New York City mayor in 2021 believes he reversed his type-2 diabetes diagnosis by following a plant-based diet. Within three months of going vegan, he reduced his A1C blood sugar levels from 17 percent to a healthy 5.7 percent.

Some of Gnarrs fellow comedians and actors have also gone vegan. Kevin Smith ditched animal products after a heart attack in 2018. His daughter Harley Quinn Smith who also follows a vegan lifestyle said of the comedian and filmmaker a few months after his switch,hes doing really great.She added,hes the healthiest hes ever been, hes vegan now, which is amazing.

Studies have shown that a whole-food, plant-based diet can reduce the risk of a number of diseases, including heart disease and some forms of cancer. In contrast, some animal products particularly red and processed meat increase the risk. In fact, some experts believe a tax on meat could save lives.

A study from last year found that by increasing the price of meat, around 220,000 lives around the globe could be saved by 2020. Lead researcher of the study Dr. Marco Springmann said,I hope that governments will consider introducing a health levy on red and processed meat as part of a range of measures to make healthy and sustainable decision-making easier for consumers.

Summary

Article Name

The Former Mayor of Reykjavk Went Vegan and It Changed His Life

Description

Politician, comedian, and actor Jn Gnarr -- the former mayor of Reykjavk -- has discovered the health benefits of going vegan.

Author

Charlotte Pointing

Publisher Name

LIVEKINDLY

Publisher Logo

The rest is here:

The Former Mayor of Reykjavk Went Vegan and It Changed His Life - LIVEKINDLY

In a world where even something as seemingly harmless as "confectioner's glaze" is made with beetle secretions (nope, not jokingthank you, PETA), finding vegan candy can be a CHALLENGE.

Whether you're gung-ho about the animal-free life or just trying to avoid dairy and, ya know, beetles, you can totally still indulge your sweet toothif you know what sneaky ingredients to look out for.

Obviously, dairy ingredients like milk, butter, milk fat, condensed milk, and milk powder are off the table. Same goes for casein and whey, two types of protein in milk often used in candies.

Other no-gos: Gelatin, which comes from animal bones and is often used in gummies. Oh, and another gross one? Carmine (often listed as cochineal extract or Natural Red 4), a red coloring made from crushed insects, per PETA.

Though you'll have to kiss most chocolate candies (including classic Tootsie Rolls) goodbye, you've still got plenty of vegan options left in the candy aisle. After scouring dozens of ingredients lists (and consulting PETA's website), I found 18 popular picks that are completely animal-free.

See more here:

18 Popular Candies That Are Totally Vegan - Women's Health

ST. LOUIS 2 tablespoon olive oil

1 whole red or orange pepper (sliced)

1/2 red onion (sliced)

1/2 yellow onion (sliced)

3/4 cup lite coconut milk

3/4 cup roasted raw cashews (soaked in water overnight)

2 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash

1 cup broth

1/4 cup of water from the pasta (save more if you want)

3 cloves of garlic

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp pepper

Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Cube and peel butternut squash. Place cut squash in the oven for 30-40 min on 400 until a fork goes through it with ease.

2.Add oil to saut pan and caramelize onions and peppers.

3. Boil water for pasta and cook pasta to al dente (8-10 min depending on pasta size and shape).

4. Put the remaining ingredients including onions and peppers (not the pasta) in the Vitamix and blend.

5. Strain pasta and save 1/4 cup of water to add to sauce. Add more water if its too thick!

6. Pour cheese sauce over hot fresh noodles and serve!

7. Add sriracha for a bit of spicy deliciousness.

Originally posted here:

Recipe of the Day: Creamy Vegan Mac & Cheese - KSDK.com

By Lillian Wilson-Daeschlein

Leather has been a staple of every grunge, dominatrix, NASCAR, and punk oriented closet from Grace Jones 1985 oversized leather jacket to Kim Kardashians 2019 lime green bodycon leather dress. Leather was made with the vision of durability and timelessness, but has evolved to take multiple different forms today. The advent of vegan leather and the vintage craze has created a diverse and sometimes confusing landscape for leathers place in ethical fashion. As we are faced with the impending destruction of our planet due to climate change, we fashionistas are searching for ways to look good while feeling good about the environmental impact of the pieces we wear, and leather is no exception.

Although we usually think of vegan as synonymous with eco-friendly, when it comes to leather, this is not always true. Vegan leather is most commonly made out of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PU), which are both damaging to the environment. Not only are they non biodegradable, but bonding a plastic coating to a fabric backing to produce vegan leather requires dimethylformaldehyde, acetic acid, and other harmful and hard to pronounce chemicals. Not all vegan leather is made from these materials, but most of the cheaper and more accessible options are. If youre buying vegan leather from a fast fashion retailer like Zara or ASOS, it's not going to be sustainable in the long run, nor will it be ethically made.

However, there are many vegan leather options that are eco-friendly. For example, the so-called queen of sustainable fashion, Stella McCartney, has a vegetarian leather made from recycled polyester. Even better, the clothing industry has seen recent innovations such as Pinatex by Ananas Anam, which is a faux leather made from pineapple leaves. Cork and kelp have also been used to make faux leather, which promises a bright future for sustainable alternatives in fashion.

Now, if compassion for animals isnt your top priority when it comes to making decisions in the fashion industry, you may find yourself buying real leather. Leather is often a byproduct of the cattle used for beef and milk and it could thereby be seen as wasteful to dispose of the hides, but there are some things to be aware of in the production of real leather. 90% of real leather undergoes a tanning process that requires chromium, salts, formaldehyde, and dyes. However, just like vegan leather, there have been great strides taken to produce real leather sustainably and consciously. When sourced from sustainable ranches and tanned naturally, real leather can be a great addition to your closet, due to the long lasting and durable nature of the material. Real leather has a non-uniform surface, will indent when you push into it, and over time will wrinkle slightly. This wear on real leather is called patina, and it only makes the leather more valuable with time. Real leather is one of the only materials where the more you wear it, the better it looks. That characteristic is extremely valuable in combating over-consumption and our collective desire to keep buying new things. Ultimately, when it comes to sustainable fashion, one of the most important things is being able to buy less, and wear your pieces longer.

Making ethical fashion choices is going to look different for everyone. I wish I had a definitive answer in this debate between vegan leather and real leather, but as is the nature of ethics, I do not. What remains, is that whichever option you choose, you can do it in a more environmentally conscious way. I hope you can begin to identify your own next steps to feeling good about whats in your closet.

Excerpt from:

Vegan Leather Versus Real Leather - The Wake

Getting cozy with a warm mug of chai tea sounds like a wonderful way to spend a chilly fall afternoon. But why stop there? Fall breakfasts and desserts can also be full of the amazing spiced flavor of chai, thatll give you energy and make you feel relaxed all at once. Plus, the added bonus is the wonderful aroma of chai your kitchen will smell like a dream when you try these chai-spiced recipes that you can find on our Food Monster App!

Image Source: Chewy Chai-Spiced Breakfast Protein Bars With Maple-Cashew Icing

Your whole day will be bright when you wake up to chai! Get a boost of energy and protein with these Chewy Chai-Spiced Breakfast Protein Bars With Maple-Cashew Icing by Erin Druga! If you need another grab-and-go breakfast, prep these Chai Spice Apple Muffins by Diane Smith for the week your future self will thank you! Go for breakfast food classics in chai flavors with Maya Popovichs Vanilla Chai Strawberry Pancakes, Kathleen Henrys Spiced Chai French Toast, or these Chai-Spiced Sweet Potato Waffles by Erin Beccia!

Image Source: Spiced Chai Latte

The classic way to enjoy your chai is in a wonderful chai drink, and its totally understandable why once you try these great recipes! Check out some ideas for the well-loved chai latte, with this Spiced Chai Latte by Tiana Haines or this Creamy Chai Latte by Julie Van den Kerchove! Combine two amazing drinks with this Instant Chai Hot Chocolate Mix by Claire Ragozzino, or go for a cold drink if thats more your speed with Kelly Fieldings Nourishing Autumn Chai Smoothie!

Image Source: Chai Spiced Pumpkin Doughnuts with Vanilla Cashew Butter Glaze

Round out the day with a delicious dessert thats full of chai flavors! Youll get all the taste of fall with these Chai Spiced Pumpkin Doughnuts with Vanilla Cashew Butter Glaze by Courtney West. For any parties this season, your dessert will be the star if you bring this Chai Cake With Cinnamon Buttercream by Jessica Bose or Annie Oliverios Chai Spiced Oatmeal Tart With Coconut Vanilla Sauce! And just because chai is so amazing in the fall doesnt mean you cant enjoy it other times of year when it gets warm again, whip up these Creamy Chai Coconut Popsicles by Abbey Rodriguez or this Banana Chai Ice Cream With Gingerbread Crumble by Julie Van den Kerchove

Looking for more fall recipes? Try 15 Fall-Inspired Vegan Doughnuts Youll Dream About and then Dig Into These 15 Flavorful Casseroles For Fall! We also highly recommend downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 15,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to new recipes every day. Check it out!

For more Vegan Food, Health, Recipe, Animal and Life content published daily, dont forget to subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter.

Being publicly funded means that we get to continue to provide you with quality content. Please support us!

Follow this link:

Easy Vegan Cooking Tips: How To Use Chai-Spiced This Fall - One Green Planet