2.27.2008

I found this handy little food pyramid when talking with a friend about how vegans get just as much, if not more nutrients than meat eaters.

2.18.2008


Why I am Vegan...



I have been a vegetarian for a decade now and a vegan for almost two years.While some people assume I am a huge animal rights person, I do get the occasional inquiry into why I am a vegan. While I enjoy the additional benefits of not eating animals like health and ethics it often surprises people when I explain I am vegan for environmental/economical reasons. "What does eating meat have to do with the environment?" someone might say, to which I would respond "It is pretty simple".... and it is, though it takes a bit of time to explain.

http://www.enviroveggie.com/ puts it this way

Land + Water = Crops
Land + Water + Crops = Livestock


There is not an unlimited amount of land- Fact.
There is not an unlimited amount of water-Fact.
There is not an unlimited amount of crops- Fact.
There is not an unlimited amount of livestock- Fact


By eating meat, humans are using limited resources to create crops. Then additional limited resources plus those crops are used to create livestock. Wouldn’t it make sense to just eat the crops?

The answer is yes.
In the U.S alone, more than 260 million acres of forest has been cleared to create cropland to grow grain to feed farmed animals; farmed animals are fed more than 70 percent of the corn, wheat, and other grains grown in the U.S.; and almost half of the water and 80 percent of the agricultural land in the U.S. are used to raise animals for food.
All of this goes on while the World Health Organization calls malnutrition "the silent emergency", and says it is a factor in at least half of the 10.4 million child deaths which occur every year. Cornell scientists have advised that the U.S. could feed 800 million people with grain that livestock eat.
We are not only overusing our own land, but large beef companies are expanding into other countries, ravishing anything that gets in the way.
The Society for the Social Advancement of Education published an article in 2004 that stated "In Central America, 40% of all the rain forests have been cleared or burned down in the last 40 years, mostly for cattle pasture. In the process, natural ecosystems, where a variety of plant and animal species thrive, are destroyed and replaced with monoculture grass."

With a vegetarian or vegan diet we can greatly reduce world poverty and also stop destroying land that is so important to our economy.

This is just a very quick summary of the basic reasons I believe being vegan contributes to creating a better world to live in. If you think about it further, a lot of aspects in the meat industry can harm our environment...

What about animal waste?
Its disgusting to think about, but you should the next time you are drinking a tall glass of water. Where does waste run off to? Into our fresh water supply. Waste spills happen all of the time, and fresh water is a resource that takes 10,000 years to rejuvenate.
What about methane?
Yes, cows give off methane. It may seem humorous talking about cows flatulence, however, when a company decides to cut down a rain forest to put in a grazing area for thousands of cows, natural bodily functions become a problem.
Here are the facts according to http://fatknowledge.blogspot.com/

Average car drives 15,000 miles a year and gets 30 mpg (my estimates, might be a little high on the mpg estimate)15,000 miles /30mpg = 500 gallons of gasoline a year * 20 pounds = 10,000 lbs of CO2 a year

Methane is over 20 times more effective in trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (source)90 kg * 2.2 lb/kg = 200 lbs of methane * 20 = 4,000 lbs of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gases
It's a scary thought but everyone going out there buying a hybrid would do a lot more good just giving up meat.

Then we come to disease.
Mad cow, avian flu, beef recalls... it all relates to bad business practices and the over consumption of meat. Even the recent recall of vegetables relates to improper drainage of meat factories and cattle farms in which the water systems became contaminated.

So I say it is pretty simple...

All this ,and more, is enough for me to ask "is that burger worth it?"
for me;
no it is not.

2.15.2008





Vegan on the Go



My newest veggie addiction....

As a student at Temple University I have a few vegan options available to me on campus. There is the Hummus Abe sandwhich at The Noshery sandwhich shop on Broad St., a few falafel carts, and a couple of Korean/Japanese carts that I often frequent. It can, however, be time consuming to wait in line for these veggie friendly places, and therefore I often resort to Odwalla bars and pita chips from the bookstore. At the beginning of last spring semester I wandered into our 7-eleven (probably for a vitamin water and a pretzel, how healthy) and noticed the back shelf filled with vegan friendly options. I pinched myself...I was not dreaming. I then proceeded to grab a "chicken" salad sandwich for $3.25. It was good! I proceeded to try the rest of Moshe's brand sandwiches, and quickly found my favorite to be the seitan steak. I had not been able to stop eating these suckers ever since. I am so happy that a place like 7-eleven is stocking veggie friendly food, but apparently it is only happening in Philadelphia (or so I hear), and it is unsure how permanent the situation could be. So this is a call for all you Philly veggies to try out these sandwiches at the following locations and let 7-eleven know that you want them to permanently carry them.

Moshe's brand can be found at...

16th Street and JFK Boulevard, 34th Street and Lancaster Avenue, Ridge Avenue and Walnut Lane, and Temple University.


UPDATE: Moshe's will be adding their sandwiches to more 7-elevens! The owner of Moshe's (which I learned started with a falafel cart that still exists at 46th and 6th) was quoted as saying, "In May, we'll be expanding the number of locations where you can get Moshe's sandwiches. [The product line] will eventually be in all of them around here. "
Hooray! Now we have to see what we can do about getting similar products in ALL 7-evelens.

Vegan Shoe Guide: Philadelphia



Okay, so I have to admit I am addicted to online shopping, so I often make shoe purchases through the web. I do, however, make it to an occasional shoe or department store where I am always looking for those perfect pair of vegan boots or heels among the sea of leather and suede products ...needless to say it tends to overwhelm a veggie girl. So here are some ideas for those of you in the Philly area, and also those of you just getting into cruelty-free shoes...

First I would like to give some tips on buying vegan shoes :

1) Do not be afraid to ASK: I have found that, in sneaker stores especially, there is an online catalog of the types of sneakers a store carries that the clerk can tap into. These catalogs almost always give the materials used to make the shoes, and I have not run across a clerk yet who simply refused to check in on a pair for me.

2) Know where to look: There are 3 common places where materials can be listed on a shoe. The first is on the tongue area, the second by the heel, and for dress shoes they are often printed on the outside bottom of the shoe, so keep your eyes peeled.

3)Know what to look for: Many companies have common symbols such as:

For leather


For sooth leather


For textile (veggie friendly)



For "other materials" (this can get a bit sticky for us veggies. While this often means rubber or something along those lines, it is almost impossible to get this confirmed, so be weary)


I have been somewhat successful in buying shoes in Philadelphia, and here are some of my experiences;

DSW: 101 Rte 73 S Marlton, NJ
It is always a hit or miss at DSW, but I always find at least a few non-canvass/converse-style sneaker options here. A few brands I have run across that DSW keeps in constant supply include M.u.d.d and the occasional pair vegan Pumas. As far as dress shoes go, there are usually ballet flats or something of the sort, as long as you look at the tags you can usually find something. Of course a big issue with DSW is it also requires transportation, and seeing as I do not own a car, I do not frequent there very often.

Nine West: 1455 Franklin Mills Cir Philadelphia, PA 19154
Because this is an outlet store, it is not a guarantee that a certain type of shoe, or your size, will be in stock. In fact, your size probably won't be in stock, but when it is you will be so excited about how easy it was to get non-leather shoes at a discount. This is because they clearly write "Leather" or "Synthetic" on the outside of their boxes. The store is definitely worth checking out if you planned on outlet shopping for a day.

Target:
There has been a recent rumor that Target has been skimping on the veggie selection as of late. I have not experienced this, probably because I buy from Target online as there is a better selection. If you would like to venture out to the closest Target to center city Philadelphia head on down to 179 Mifflin St., which is in the same area of a Payless and a Marshalls if you are budget shopping.

Macy's:
Not a lot of options here, but if you search hard enough it IS possible to indulge in Macy's footwear. While, in my opinion, Jessica Simpson has not done anything consisting of great talent musically, she DOES however have a shoe line that has a few veggie options. Props to Jess. here are two of my favorite pairs that I saw on a recent trip to the Macy's on 1300 Market St.



"Midnight Stretch" for $110






"Women's Felysee" for $69.99

Payless: I am constantly buying shoes at payless, and I actually have a full review on them here.


As far as supporting small vegan businesses in Philadelphia, I sadly do not know of anyone who carries a shoe line. If you want to buy from some of my favorite online veggie friendly shops, I have listed a few below:



http://www.mooshoes.com/ My boyfriend uses this site to get his dress shoes, they are very stylish although a bit pricey. They also have a great selection of women's footwear, and are 100% vegan.

I have not actually bought shoes from http://www.veganessentials.com/ , but I have bought makeup and various other items. They have an okay selection, and they are a little better in price than mooshoes.


http://www.alternativeoutfitters.com/ is my favorite place to buy vegan shoes and bags. They are always having sales so you can get some really great deals here.


UPDATE: Thanks to an anonymous poster, and my double checking, I have confirmed that Essene Food market DOES have a variety of nice vegan shoes (as well as a really great hot food bar that I highly suggest). Here is their link to the department... http://www.essenemarket.com/index.php?page=72

2.14.2008



Portland or Bust



So, as you may or may not know, a few months back Portland Oregon opened up a strip mall made up of all vegan businesses. It already had a plethora of vegan food and clothing stores and the mall sealed the deal, making it king of vegan living. A while ago I also heard a rumor about Portland; along with being in the most beautiful part of the U.S., it holds the record for the greatest number of strip clubs per capita. So it should not be a surprise when someone had the bright idea of combining veganism and a strip club in this grande 'ol city ... and gosh darn it if this dude didn't set it up...


http://www.supervegan.com/blog/entry.php?id=999#more

Anyone for a road trip?

2.10.2008


2.09.2008


Good Times at the Punk Rock Flea Market



Over winter break a friend of mine asked if I would keep him company at his table for the Punk Rock Flea Market that is held twice a year in Philadelphia. I agreed, although I was clueless to just how much fun it would be.


The market itself was setup in the Starlight Ballroom , which was quite small for the insane amount of people who show up to this event. My lucky vegan self just so happened to be situated in between two of her favorite things; Vegan baked goods and a flamboyant pseudo celebrity.


The "Food Not Bombs" people kept me in constant supply of earl grey tea cookies, and the winner of Project Runways season 1, Jay Mccarroll, kept me in stitches all day. Jay is a vegetarian and we were able to talk about his line and how he chooses to be cruelty free as a designer. While we had a little too much to drink (Matt and I with our bootlegged screwdrivers, Jay with the flat Lagers he was downing), it was a great experience to see and meet some new people and talk about our similar ideas of veggie ethics.


By the end of the day I had; met a celebrity, eaten a ton of vegan goodies, made about $120, and bought some really great unique crafts, photos and a painting. I will certainly attempt to go to the next flea market, and I will keep all you veggies posted when I hear about it.

2.02.2008

Philadelphia Eating Guide: Part II

For Part 1 Click here


Kindom of Vegetarians (Chinese) Location: 129 N 11th St
Price: Typical Chinese food pricing, $10 all-you-can-eat Dim Sum

Pros: Very delicious, very affordable Chinese food. They have lunch specials, and the dim sum is fantastic. Their mock meats are amazing, and I can not get enough of their dumplings. You can bring your own wine and have a nice meal for two, or you can bring your whole family.
Cons: It is not a particularly fancy joint

Doobies (American bar) Location: The corner of 22nd and Lombard
Price $5-6 for food, $9 pitchers of Lager
Pros: Great neighborhood bar! The owner always has something going on, whether its fundraising or gifts baskets for animals rights causes. They do not purchase Canadian products because of seal clubbing, and they ALWAYS have something for us vegans to eat on the menu. The veggie burger and pita pizza are always available, but check out the board for their daily specials. Veg items are marked in red and can range from Thai pasta salad to vegan chili. Also check out their jukebox, it is definitely a favorite.
Cons: Not many, sometimes I manage to get there when they just range out of vegan soup or hummus sandwiches, but as I said, there are always options available.

Monk's Cafe (Belgian) Location: 16th and Spruce
Price: Veggie Burger w. vegan Aoli $8.25
Pros: GREAT selection of beers, usually has a few more vegan entree options, good atmosphere
Cons: Way to busy. If you are going for dinner expect to wait since they do not take reservations. It is a bit pricey, but they have interesting beers you can not easily find in most bars.

Nodding Head (American brew pub) Location: 1516 Sansom St.
Price: $7.50-$10 for food Beer averages $5 a pint
Pros: Quite a few delicious vegan options including seitan stew, white beans and sage with pita, and of course a veggie burger. This place is owned by the same people as Monk's, but has a neighborhood feel to it. There is a dart board and a decent jukebox, and there is never a wait.
Cons: Beer is a bit pricey and rumored to not be vegan

Grace Tavern (neighborhood bar) Location: 2229 Gray's Ferry Ave
Price: $7.50 or so

Pros: Again owned by the same people that brought us Nodding Head and Monk's, this place is a tiny version of the two smashed together. It is small and smokey, but the veggie burger is good and you never have to wait (unless it's because the waitress is in the back and didn't realize someone actually came in).

Cons: The only time it gets busy is sporting events, and there is only one T.V.- doesn't make much sense to me, but whatever.



Gianna's & Gianna Jrs (American Italian) Locations: 507 South 6th Street & 106 South 20th Street

Price: $5-$15
Pros: They make a decent tomato pie as long as the person you are ordering from knows that a tomato pie is not just a pizza without cheese (which happened once to us), they also have vegan cheese pizzas and a various assortment of toppings. They have an entire veggie menu.
Cons: While the veggie menu is large, not a lot of it is all that good. Maybe it is because I never liked greasy cheesteaks before, but I would stay away from their sandwich list if I were you. Also, while their desserts are good they had some shady business with blatantly stealing the recipes from my favorite vegan bakery Vegan Treats. For shame.

Mad Mex (Mexican American) Location: 3401 Walnut Street

Price: $8-$10
Pros: Many options for us veggies, and they have a delicious tofu sour cream.
Cons: It can get busy and because it is not totally vegan you have to double check your order and your food once you get it. I had a friend order a tofu burrito and get chicken, so watch out.

Gourmet to Go (Mostly American) Location: At the corner of Broad and South St.
Price: $5-$9 per sand which
Great place to get that Vegan cake or cheesteak you've been craving. Previously Reviewed under "Veg. Spotlight"

Govinda's (Upscale: Indian, American, Italian) Location: At the corner of Broad and South St.
Price $15-$20 per entree
Great place to bring a bottle of wine and have a romantic dinner.Previously Reviewed under "Veg. Spotlight"

Horizons (Tropical/Mediterranean) Location: 611 S. 7th St
Price: $17-$20 per entree
Expensive, but the best upscale vegan restaurant in town. Previously reviewed under "Veg. Review"