I found myself getting quite excited about a cauliflower the other day. Ooh, I thought, look at that handsome, brainy cauliflower, firm and creamy and capable and just packed with tight little boffin-like florets.

So many possibilities, I mused. Why, I could roast it with garlic and turmeric, or bake it with jerk seasoning and maple syrup. I could pulse it to make a satisfyingly crunchy alternative to rice, or I could just do it plain old missionary position, blanketed in cheese sauce and hidden in the oven.

What larks, eh? I skipped gaily to the checkout, like a spring lamb awoken to the scent of clover.

I think they do something with the lighting in supermarkets. When I got home, the vegetable looked dull, jaundiced and unresponsive. I threw it in the box next to a worried-looking parsnip, in the process discombobulating the cat, who, as I told you, has taken to nesting on top of the veg like an agricultural sphinx.

Oh, when will it be day? I asked myself, slumped on a kitchen chair in my anorak. When will this pantomime end?

Ive done as much oohing and aahing as I can. Ive booed the villains and cheered the heroes. Ive looked behind me and been truly scared, and Im still here, in my grubby kitchen/gym, tripping over barbells, headbutting the boxing bag and getting over-excited about chilli-flavoured sausages. (The veganism has gone up the spout, by the way. Sometimes you just lose the will to pulse a mushroom.)

Listen to me, pussycat, I hissed at the reclining moggie. I just cant take it any more!

This was a line echoed the other morning by a friend who rang me from her bed. I just cant take it any more! she said.

My friend lives alone; shes a gregarious and resourceful character who infuses the world around her with warmth.

I havent hugged a friend since . . .

She trailed off.

Whats the best bit? I asked her.

She didnt hesitate. Ive started painting. I do an online art class once a week. I love it.

Days later, an envelope arrived in the post. I recognised my friends loopy handwriting. Inside was a supermarket catalogue and, tucked inside that, a small painting my friend had made of reeds by water. I stuck it on the wall.

I just cant take this any more, another friend said. We were walking together along a rutted path, mud choking our boots, the wind whipping her words away.

I see my children through a Zoom lens, she said. My work is gone, I wake up every day and think: When will this end? And then I think: Hang on, will this end?

Whats the best bit? I asked her.

She didnt hesitate.

Every day the dog and I walk down to my mothers at lunchtime, she said. The dog loves it. He eats a cubed-up apple, and we chat, my mother and I. And if it wasnt for all this she gestured around her that wouldnt have happened.

A young woman I know, and love, is an advanced paramedic, working with the ambulance service in another city. Reading between the lines of her texts and messages, I hear her weariness from days spent parked in emergency bays, working in the back of an ambulance in full PPE, treating sick people waiting for a bed.

Whats the best bit when you come off your shift? I asked her.

Cooking at home, being outside, spoon-feeding porridge to the hens. Ive learned to be content without being busy.

I texted my sisters, one of whom lives abroad, and asked the same question. I was surprised at the alacrity of their responses. Both acknowledged their loneliness (not least for the other). One talked about becoming more independent, the other of rejecting guilt at not being busy and of the peace that comes from days without plans. But both spoke enthusiastically of the satisfaction of learning to knit (with very big needles).

Others in my deeply unrepresentative sample group talked about the joy of not having to commute to work, of not having to hurl themselves out of bed in the mornings, of having someone deliver their supermarket shopping. Everyone, though, said they would swap these small compensations for a chance to sit together, to raise a glass in their freezing mitts.

Whats the best bit? I asked the reclining cat in the vegetable box. She treated the cauliflower to a hopeful sideways glance. Maybe, in her dotage, she thought it was a friend.

Continued here:
Hilary Fannin: The veganism has gone up the spout. I lost the will to pulse a mushroom - The Irish Times

RZA is helping Black-owned restaurants go vegan. The Wu-Tang Clan member donated a $100,000 grant to help businesses include more plant-based dishes on their menus.

RZAs grant was made in partnership with Upfield-owned brand Violife. The plant-based foods manufacturers multi-year grant program, Plant Grants, promotes eating vegan through funding, education, and mentorship opportunities.

According to the vegan company, this years initiative aims to help Black-owned restaurants that are struggling due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Minority-owned businesses have suffered disproportionately amid the COVID-19 crisis. According to a 2020 report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Black-owned businesses in America fell by 41 percent from February to April. Latinx business owners declined by 32 percent. Asian-owned businesses dropped by 26 percent.

Supporting Plant Grants is important to me because it will fund Black-owned restaurants who are the fabric of their communities, RZA said.

The rappers generous donation to a vegan cause should come as no surprise. He ditched animal products in the 90s. Since then, hes been outspoken about the positive impacts of consuming a plant-based diet.

When you think of a better tomorrow, you think about veganism in the world, RZA said. I dont need a dead animal or a dead piece of flesh to go into my live body, he added. Theres not nothing on this planet that doesnt want to live.

In addition to receiving financial support, the Black-owned businesses will learn how to develop plant-based menu offerings through the program.

Pioneering vegan chefs Lemel Durrah and Laricia Chandler Baker will teach grant recipients how to cook with plant-based ingredients. Durrah is the founder of Los Angeles-based vegan soul food company Compton Vegan. Chandler Baker is the co-owner of Chicago vegetarian restaurant I Cant Believe Its Not Meat.

Grant applications for Plant Grants will be open until July 31, 2021. In addition to being Black-owned, criteria include having less than 50 employees and being currently open and operational. Violife will award five $20,000 grants to Black-owned restaurants that are committed to embracing plant-based foods on their menus.

About the author

STAFF WRITER | LOS ANGELES, CA Audrey writes about sustainability, food, and entertainment. She has a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism and political science.

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RZA to Grant $100k to Black-Owned Restaurants That Try Vegan - LIVEKINDLY

Vegan offering at Lifestyle cafe

Lifestyle Cafe owner and chef Shanna Dean talks about healthy eating.

Doral Chenoweth, The Columbus Dispatch

As Shanna Dean alternates between meticulously folding vegan lunch wraps and speaking with customers as though she is keeping up with longtime friends, her cell phone buzzes atop the wooden kitchen counter.

She pauses for a moment, glances at the screen of the vibrating device, and then dives back into wrapping without giving it a second thought.

Thats the boyfriend, said Dean, the owner of vegan eatery Lifestyle Cafe. He knows Im working.

A more recent addition to Olde Towne East, Lifestyle lives in a catty-cornered storefront at Oak and South 18th streets. During the work day, the block just outside lacks the hustle and bustle of only a few miles away and a dozen months ago, where pre-pandemic stretches of Downtown Columbus sidewalks flowed with life.

Inside, however, is a different story. Warm sunlight streams through the front window, illuminating brick walls and paper lamps, as contemporary pop and R&B jams from ceiling speakers.

Between part-time jobs as a server, work as a personal chef and a stint in culinary school, elements of the restaurant industry have perpetually been in Deans life.

Little did I know, I was actually preparing myself. Its funny how life is, she said. Even though the writing was on the wall, I never thought I would be opening a restaurant.

Deans longtime friend and entrepreneur Dawn Dickson approached her in August 2019 about opening a business in the space previously vacated by the Angry Baker.

After mulling it over, Dean said she trusted her friend and went with it.

You have to be really creative, Dean said. But what infected me was the idea that I could feed people who are on their journey some food that will keep them on their journey.

After signing paperwork, stocking inventory and solidifying the menu including nine trial runs of the vegan chicken and waffles until Dean settled on one Lifestyle was ready to open to the public.

Core to Lifestyle Cafes culture is that it offers 100% vegan menu items, something that Dean holds near and dear. She became vegetarian at age 24, and switched to veganism in 2007, for both health and ethical reasons.

Thats what helped me with the menu, and coming up with things that people can really connect to, Dean said. When I cook at home, I want to have a pleasurable experience, so I lean on the spices and the flavors that made traditional foods appealing. Its worked so far.

Lifestyle offers vegan menu items that mimic non-vegan cuisine egg and cheese melts, BLTs and buffalo chicken balls are all made to order.

Deans daughter, Cadence Addison, works behind the counter at Lifestyle. A vegetarian herself, she said shes grown a lot on the job.

Ive learned a lot of different nutrients, Addison said, adding that working at LifestyleCafe has also taught her about customer service.

Working with mom as your boss is better than working at Piada, Dean said of her daughter.

Joshua Douglas, 30, stopped by Lifestyle to pick up a late lunch and to immerse himself in the budding vegan scene in Columbus.

Douglas himself owns the first U.S. franchise of Greenhouse Canteen, an Australian plant-based restaurant and bar concept that he opened on the Northwest Side of Columbus in late summer 2020.

On a Thursday afternoon in June 2021, lunchtime at Lifestyle cultivates a space where people sit and talk long after their plates are empty.

Its only recently that way.

Lifestyle Cafe opened in January 2020, only two months before the COVID-19 pandemic rocked Columbus and the rest of the world.

In the two months before the pandemic, business was bumping, according to Dean. Everything slowed to nearly a halt until June 2020. In the throes of the reignited Black Lives Matter movement, Dean said customers came frequently.

I had a lot of people come to me here, just trying to support a Black business, Dean said. I was super thankful for that.

But by July, the flow of people in and out the door had dried up again.

With revenue down, Dean had to make challenging decisions in 2020, including with her own finances. She introduced delivery, but reduced the menu, number of workers and store hours.

Anything that didnt have to be paid, for me to operate the restaurant, was not paid, Dean added.

Paycheck Protection Program and CARES Act funding provided much-needed relief during the pandemic.

Even as health restrictions on restaurants were lifted and the pandemic seemed to ease in the United States, owning and operating a newer, local business has not been without hardships. Dean's head chef was recently outwith an injury; she also has struggled to hire a full slate of workers.

Labor shortage:Desperate employers in Ohio luring workers with pay, perks and pizza

Toward the end of the summer, Dean plans to pack up and move to Atlanta. Addison is set to start her freshman year at Alabama State University, just a few hours' drive from Atlanta.

Dean's head chef will be running the kitchen at Lifestyle, and Dean plans to travel back and forth. She also hopes to open a new restaurant with a different concept in Atlanta.

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Black Business Spotlight: Lifestyle Cafe owner talks veganism and the plant-based life - The Columbus Dispatch

Vegan lifestyle is a way of using all plant-based products be it food, cosmetics, or any other life choice. The aim is to adapt to cruelty free living against animals, thereby also enhancing once health and body. Vegan food has been in light for quite sometimes now, but due to the limited awareness around vegan food, there are several myths that need to be understood for developing a better vegan lifestyle. Let us have a look at some of these-

1. Vegan food is protein deficient-It is true that egg and meat are a high source of protein but saying that vegan food does not have enough protein content is a myth. A diet including beans and greens can easily average out your protein intake in a day.

A normal person needs 56 gm of protein in a day that can be easily achieved by consuming a cup of kidney beans also known as rajma, along with some peanut butter or one bowl of dal. You can also add almonds, soy milk, tofu, and green vegetables to complete the protein content in the diet. An average Indian diet contains pulses and greens which are enough quantity of protein for a human body.

2. No milk= weaker bones- One of the most deeply rooted myth in the Indian households is that milk is beneficial for your bones. While milk does contain calcium- approx. 130mg per 100 ml, but just like protein obtained from animals, milk is also likely to acidify the human bodys pH level, which activates a biological correction. As we know calcium is a very efficient acid neutralizer and is available in our bones in huge quantity, the same calcium that our body bones need to stay strong is harnessed to counteract the acidifying impact of milk. Therefore, the body becomes calcium deficit with the consumption of milk.

India is amongst the largest producer of milk and on the contrary it also has over 10 million cases of osteoporosis every year. Calcium can easily be obtained from several plant-based diets like sesame, beans, broccoli, sunflower seeds, almonds, soya milk, green leafy vegetables, and tofu.

3. Vegan diets are unhealthy- That is incorrect! It would rather not be wrong today that vegan diets like no other diets are wholesome and full of all nutrients that provides the body the much-needed nourishment and growth. According to a report by WHO (World Health Organization), it quotes, Households should select predominantly plant-based diets rich in a variety of vegetables and fruits, pulses, or legumes, and minimally processed starchy staple foods. The evidence that such diets will prevent or delay a significant proportion of non-communicable chronic diseases is consistent. A predominantly plant-based diet has a low energy density, which may protect against obesity. Hence there is no denying the fact that vegan food adds value and amongst the top 10 lifestyle related ailments in India, eight can be prevented by moving to a plant-based intake. Vegans are less prone to suffer from obesity, heart disease,cancer, cholesterol, blood pressure, and other lifestyle disorders.

4. Eating vegan means expensive food This is one of the most common myths, as people think that replacing meat with vegan food that look fancy is costlier. But that is not true. Eating vegan is much more affordable that eating meat, fish, or dairy. Your grocery bill that contains soy milk and tofu products will be lesser than that of a non-vegetarian or vegetarian on an average.

The basic ingredients in most of the food items remain the same with small changes like the use of sunflower oil instead of ghee or the use of tofu or jackfruit instead of meat. These small changes minimize the amount of your grocery bill. Additionally, you can also make the soy milk or almond milk at home rather than buying the packaged ones.

5. Vegan food only means salads Yes, vegan eats only plants but that does not mean only raw plants. Plant-based diet includes fruits, beans, whole grains, potatoes etc. which are cooked into amazing dishes like Mexican rice,lasagna, pizza,rajma chawal, chole bathure and what not! So vegan food is all fun and scrumptious while also living a cruelty free life.

How to go vegan

There is no ritual of going vegan. It is all about the life choices and of course the food choices you make. To go vegan, consume food products that are completely plant-based. Bust your myths around vegan food and go cruelty free by being a part of a healthy and morally driven community!

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

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Busting the myths around veganism- How to go vegan- what to replace with what? - The Times of India Blog

Boise keeps growing, even during the pandemic, and restaurants are popping up all over town. Its great because it means people have more options, but one area thats sorely lacked growth is vegan cuisine. However, things are a-changing and Boise is gaining more options for people who choose a plant-based eating lifestyle. Although there are many naysayers about veganism, eating a plant-based diet can lead to a healthier lifestyle and a healthier planet.

One of the main complaints toward vegan food can be the flavor, but these local restaurants serve up tasty fare that could even have omnivores asking for more. There are even some options where meat is still served but the vegan options are safe and delicious.

The Void

The Void is a vegan food truck that opened Feb. 2. Owner Justin Arroues and his partner Rylee Gabbitas put an inordinate amount of work into their food.

Ive been saving up to do this for a while, said Arroues. I was going to open a restaurant but then COVID happened, and I didnt want to support big-ag. So we came up with this idea for the truck, and weve just been testing recipes.

The result is some pretty delicious food. The Void parks in front of Rhodes Skate park and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Customers order the food and pay online, a cashless process for COVID safety.

The truck is currently open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, though hours are subject to change. Find updates at thevoidboise.com and on the The Void Boise Instagram.

Since the opening, the truck has often had to close early because theyre selling out of food its that good. Gabbitas background is in baking, and she said that knowledge really helped her with making vegan cuisine.

It takes hours to make these recipes and so much practice, said Gabbitas. I read cookbooks over and over again. It took so long until we were happy with it. We wont serve it unless were happy with the results.

The Void serves up a big menu for all three meals but the most popular so far is the seitan Devil's chikn breast, the biscuits and Beyond Meat sausage gravy and the cheesecake. Seitan is a food made from wheat gluten and is used in lieu of meat in many vegan recipes.

Its really more of an upscale vegan fast food, and prices reflect the work that goes into it.

Arroues and Gabbitas said the desserts will change and rotate and theyll add more items. Once they get into the swing of things, they should have a little something for everyone.

My main reason for this was Im trying to make food for all people, especially meat eaters, said Arroues. The goal is to make really good food, and it might even help someone be healthier or begin to transition to veganism.

He recommends trying the fishless filets, spicy chikn sandwich or rotini and cheese.

Vegan Soul

The winner of PETAs Vegan Soul Food Award, this pop-up restaurant is a local favorite. Owner Mae Gaines has had some ups and downs trying to get the restaurant up and running, even breaking both ankles at one point, but shes persevered and pivoted when necessary.

I was going to make my big debut in January last year, but the pandemic happened and God had other plans, Gaines said. So I changed plans because I had to keep it going, and Im also scouting new locations.

For now people can browse the menu on the website, ohvegansoul.square.site, and order online or call orders in. The restaurant pops up sporadically all over the city. The next one is at CHOW marketplace on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 27-28. Its in celebration of Vegan Souls one-year anniversary, and the restaurant will debut its new BBQ vegan ribz.

The most popular items on the menu are the southern mock fried chicken, made out of mushrooms, a very rich macaroni and cheese and a peach cobbler. The menu and availability can change, so people can check Facebook or the website for updates.

Gaines has no plans for slowing down; shes working on adding new desserts like a pineapple upside-down cake and a banana pudding. For the summer shes also planning to serve barbecue-like vegan sausages, brisket and the new ribz.

If people like the sound of the upcoming menu, they can also go to the website and support Vegan Souls fundraiser to find a new permanent space.

High Note Cafe

The High Notes owner Maria Bahruch was already vegan, and she said the decision to make the restaurant all plant-based was, for her, a no-brainer.

The thing with cooking vegan food is, its like science, said Bahruch. Its really not hard, just about figuring it out. The best thing to do is to read recipes and take it all in and then figure out how to do it on your own.

The restaurant was only serving take-out but is now putting up outside tables for dining. The most popular item is the breakfast burrito Bahruch said they sell one for every other item, but everything is tasty. The restaurant also makes the seitan in-house, different soups that rotate and tasty desserts like fruit pies. For the full menu people can check out the website. She also plans on bringing back a popular French chocolate mousse cake.

During quarantine, Bahruch began experimenting with making cheeses, and High Note now serves homemade vegan mozzarella, parmesan and nacho cheese. Bahruch said the cheeses are not only delicious, theyre also healthier for people, and she just wants people to have more options.

Im excited even when I see other vegan restaurants open, its about time, said Bahruch. Boise is so far behind for vegan options and when I did it, it was scary because no one else had. Now more people are doing it, and thats great because we need it and its delicious.

Originally posted here:
Eatin' Vegan: Plant-Based Dining Options in Boise - Idaho Press-Tribune

Maisha Wynn, a nationally recognized media lifestyle personality, vegan enthusiast, and author, announced today during Black History and Vegan Cuisine Month that she will be the host of a new, first-of-its-kind television show called Whats on the Menu Chef that will be centered around vegan food, the power of love, and forming human connections.

As more people than ever are ditching animal byproducts to embraceveganism, the show will offer aspirational and practical guidance for people who are truly looking to live a more abundant and well-balanced lifestyle. According to a recent article by Vegan Food & Living, Veganuary, a campaign that challenges participants to eat vegan during January, saw a record-breaking 582,538 sign-ups in 2021, while some vegan meat brands have seen a sales increase of more than 200% year-over-year.

COVID-19 has impacted all of us on many levels, but if there is one bright side, its that weve had the opportunity to shift our mindsets to focus on our overall health and well-being. Thats why, I couldnt think of a better time to bring awareness to veganism with our new show, as we shed light on how to fuel and heal the body through a plant-based lifestyle, said Maisha Wynn. Veganism not only saved my life after learning about my brain aneurysm, but it taught me how to be kinder to other people. With our new show Whats on the Menu Chef, we hope to deliver a platform based on empathy and compassion knowing the world needs these values now more than ever before.

In advance of the first trailer being exclusively released to LiveToWynns Instagram and YouTube supporters, Maisha Wynn will be hosting a TV Trailer Cocktail Contest, in partnership with Aperol, where cocktail connoisseurs can create a unique Valentines Day-inspired libation for the big release. The trailer will premiere on Thursday, Feb. 11th, at 6 pm CT/7 pm ET, as the Territory Manager with Aperol, Alison Mouratis, and Maisha will be creating sexy cocktails and talking about the perfect food and cocktail pairing for seasonal vegetables. Details on how to enter the contest and rules can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CK9INtspTFZ/

As a transparent, resilient, positive, and true Wynner, Maisha Wynn is the founder of LiveToWynn, a lifestyle consulting firm dedicated to inspiring, igniting, and initiating change in others. Wynn is no stranger to the national arena. She has shared her life story and vegan expertise to some of the countrys top platforms including The Rachael Ray Show, KTLA 5 Los Angeles, Good Day Fox 5 DC, VegNews, and more.

For more information, visithttp://www.livetowynn.com/.

Continued here:
Maisha Wynn Focuses on Vegan Food, Love and Connection with New TV Show. - Chicago Defender

Ratziel San Juan (Philstar.com) - February 11, 2021 - 12:13pm

MANILA, Philippines There's no better way of celebrating the Year of the Ox than respecting the rights of bovines, according to animal welfare activists that trooped to Chinatown in Manila ahead of the Lunar New Year celebration on Friday.

Representatives from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), including one dancing human in a cow costume, called the attention of passersby in front of Carriedo Fountain in Ongpin Street aroundWednesday noon.

The cow danced while holding a sign that read, Make it a Good Year for Cows: GO VEGAN.

Meanwhile, their companion handed out printed materials promoting veganism and vegetarianism.

The Year of the Cow is the perfect time to start practicing compassion for cows and other animals by going vegan and leaving meat and dairy off your plates, PETA Senior Vice President Jason Baker said in a release.

With everything from vegan caldereta and mechado to soy and coconut milks to dairy-free cheese and ice cream available across the Philippines, PETA is calling on everyone to make the switch to cruelty-free eating today.

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Dancing 'cow' says 'ox' to veganism ahead of Chinese New Year 2021 celebration - Philstar.com

World renowned chef Gordon Ramsaywho was previously a critic of veganismrecently shared a new recipe for vegan bacon on TikTok. In the TikTok video, the bacon is made in three stages. First, Ramsay whisks together a marinade of granulated garlic, nutritional yeast, paprika, cayenne pepper, maple syrup, soy sauce, sriracha, and vegan butter. A few spoonfuls are mixed into a bowl of crumbled tofu. Then, Ramsay cuts strips of rice paper that are dipped into the marinade and placed on a baking pan. A few spoonfuls of the crumbled tofu are then sprinkled on each strip of rice paper, covered with another strip, and then pressed together. After baking in the oven, the rice paper appears crispy and oilysimilar to traditional animal-based baconas the crumbled tofu between the two layers of rice paper acts as the bacon fat while it is baking.

The TikTok video goes on to use the vegan bacon to make a vegan BLT sandwich. Ramsay spreads vegan basil aioli on toasted bread, tops it with lettuce, tomato, the vegan bacon, avocado, and another slice of toasted bread. Im turning vegan, Ramsay says at the end of the video, for lunch.

In recent years, Ramsay has made himself out to be one of the biggest critics of veganism. He would frequently joke about vegans and once stated that he was allergic to them. But in 2018, the chef added a vegan Charred Aubergine Pizza to his Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza restaurant (now called Bread Street Kitchen) in London. At the time, he shared a photo of the new menu item on Twitter with the caption: Going to give this #vegan thing a try.

After receiving positive feedback from fans about the new vegan dish, Ramsay continued to experiment with plant-based cooking. In January 2019, he implemented a full plant-based menu at his restaurant in celebration of Veganuaryan annual challenge that promotes veganism and encourages people to go vegan for the month of January. Ramsays Veganuary menu featured pumpkin soup dotted with truffle oil, a superfood salad, risotto made with wild mushrooms, eggplant-topped pizza, and a selection of desserts ranging from chocolate avocado mousse to banana-based ice cream. The chef also created a vegan version of his famed Beef Wellington using beets instead of meat.

In 2019, Ramsays vegan take on the traditional British Sunday Roast grabbed the attention of famed vegan hater and Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan. When Ramsay tweeted a photo of the vegan Sunday Roast, Morgan commented: Oh, for f*cks sake, Ramsay not you, as well? This looks utterly revolting. Not long after, Ramsay set Morgan straight during an appearance on the Late Late Show with James Cordon. So, Piers Morgan is now a food critic? Go and f*ck yourself, Ramsay said. Heres the thing veganism is on the rise and we ought to adapt and yeah, eat a slice of humble pie.

Earlier this year, Ramsay took his newfound love of the plant-based lifestyle one step further by welcoming the first vegan contestant, Josie Clemens, to the most recent season of his cooking reality show, Hells Kitchen.

Ramsay also recently became an ambassador for a new campaign by vegan brand Silk to promote its oat milk. The G.O.A.T. campaign promotes Silks oat milk as the Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T.) milk and features celebrity ambassadors who are the G.O.A.T. in their own right. Ramsay, who was named the G.O.A.T. of Yelling in Kitchens, took to social media to promote the campaign. Well, it took my kids getting on me, but now I really enjoy cooking more plant-based dishes at home and in my restaurants, Ramsay said. Let me tell you, I know greatness when I taste it, and I am loving Silk Oatmilk for both sweet and savory recipes.

Love the plant-based lifestyleas much as we do?Get the BESTvegan recipes, travel,celebrity interviews,product picks,and so much more inside every issue ofVegNews Magazine. Find out why VegNews is the worlds#1 plant-based magazine by subscribing today!

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Gordon Ramsay Just Dropped a Crispy Vegan Bacon Recipe on TikTok. And It's So Easy to Make. - VegNews

Nicholls student Rodney Woods has gained some traction lately on social media with posts of vegan dishes he created.

Woods, a sophomore Studio Fine Arts major from Thibodaux, said he began his journey in veganism in March of 2020.

At first I was just very curious about the lifestyle, Woods said. I just wanted to try it out for a month or two, but those two months extended to 3 or 4 months.

Woods said beginning his first attempt at veganism was very overwhelming. He said he was trying to cook something every night while also trying to keep up with school work as well as maintaining his photography business, Visuals by Duke.

It was just stressful, so I ended up stopping, Woods said. But when I stopped, I didnt really change my eating habits.

Woods said that hes allergic to seafood, doesnt care for pork, is lactose intolerant and doesnt eat red meat because of the health consequences. Being that chicken was the only animal product he would eat, he said the transition wasnt that difficult.

After a while I just felt like being vegan was the lifestyle that was meant for me, Woods said.

Woods said he felt the need to go back to vegan-eating because of how he felt while he was doing it.

I was so much happier eating completely clean; my body felt completely different, said Woods. Within the first two or three weeks I lost 15 pounds.

He said that the thing that really pushed him to go back to veganism was the knowledge of health issues on both sides of his family. He said his family members struggle with diabetes and high blood pressure.

Im only 20 right now. If I could prevent that at a young age, then why not? Woods said.

Woods said that cooking has been a hobby of his for a long time, so it wasnt difficult to start creating his own vegan dishes.

I find that its easier to cook plant-based meals than meals with animal products, Woods said. Vegetables soak up all the flavors.

Woods said that he makes a lot of traditional southern dishes, such as jambalaya and gumbo.

A lot of people ask me, How do you make a vegan gumbo? Woods said. I say, Easy, take out the meat!

Woods said he usually sells plates of his vegan dishes to his community every other weekend, but he has slowed down since school has started.

If I can do something like that for the community to show people that you dont need meat to make a good dish, I mean, why not? Woods said. We have this large stigma in the black community, and in the south in general, where the first thing they think when they hear vegan is just plants.

Woods also said he wants to break the stigma that going vegan is expensive. He explained how switching some products, such as salts, oils and flours may be more expensive, but it ends up being cheaper once you are no longer buying expensive meat products.

The price of certain vegetables stays between one to two dollars, Woods said. Ive never been to the store and paid over $3 for a single vegetable.

Woods also explained that veganism replenishes itself at no cost a lot of times. He said he has a garden where he grows herbs and vegetables, which he plants after using parts of them in his dishes.

Woods twitter account, where he has gained popularity with photos and recipes of his vegan dishes, has nearly 7,000 followers. He said he likes that he is able to use his platform to share how easy and delicious veganism is and to see how it impacts his followers lives.

When I show them that you can get creative with different vegetables, they all start asking for the recipe. Woods said. Its not hard, its just a mind thing.

Woods said that he is currently working on his own vegan cookbook that he says will hopefully be out by the end of June 2021.

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What Veganism Looks Like in the South for Nicholls Student - Nicholls Worth

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Comedian Russell Brand has responded to TikTok star That Vegan Teacher calling for acceptance and tolerance online.

The stars latest YouTube video explores howThat Vegan Teacher, real name Kadie Karen Diekmeyer, has become a media sensation.

What is it about her, veganism, and what human beings eat that causes so much controversy? Brand asks.

Is it that shes a bit judged because shes not what you expect to see on TikTok? Like everything is a bit hippy-dippy Is it also that people dont like to be preached at?

Im vegan myself but Ive always tried to stay clear of that kind of political aspect, or at least the evangelical aspect of veganism. But, the fact is, our diet and what we regard as sacred have always been intertwined.

Brand goes on to explain how hunter-gatherer societies worshipped, revered, and held as sacred the meat or food that they hunted.

He then adds: Its interesting that in the English language there are different words for animals when theyre alive to when theyre served as food

But for me, theres something about the way not eating animals necessarily being fundamentally and entirely wrong but it does seem to be something we need to keep at arms length.

And That Vegan Teacher, in the very first joke of hers that Ive seen, is sort of satirically and humorously claiming a divine connection

The celeb says that while veganism is important to him its also important that he stop short of judgment or condemnation of others based on what they eat.

Responding to That Vegan Teachers Eating Animals Is Wrong song, Brand said: Is it that it seems a bit unaware? Is it that? Like it seems sort of overly sincere and reductive. Eating animals is wrong completely agree with that Im a vegan. Im sort of not a real fan of McDonalds apart from how bloody delicious.

I agree with everyones right to express themselves freely. Im simply trying to understand why this woman has become the subject and I think that part of it might be a kind of unblinking sincerity.

The video mentions how That Vegan Teacher attracted global media attention by urging celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay to go vegan.

In one of her videos, Diekmeyer sings the celeb a song, telling him hurting animals is wrong. She adds: And if you call me a donut, thats fine, as long as youre vegan from now on.

In response, Ramsay posted a video nodding along to the song whilst eating lettuce. He called her a vegan donut and at the end of the video, took a large bite from a burger.

Beef burgers were consumed while making this TikTok was the caption. Later posting the video on his Instagram account, Ramsay said: Its an honor a song was written about me.and now back to my beef burger.

While That Vegan Teacher has stirred opinions online due to her comparison of animal agriculture to the Holocaust as well as her use of terms such as meat is murder.

She also received backlash for arguing that coming out as a vegan is more special than coming out as gay. While Brand did not mention these points, he did address online trolling.

If youre trolling what is in your heart while youre doing the trolling? He asked.

Its anger, isnt it? And sort of disdain and judgment. Now, it cant really be for her can it? You could completely ignore it.

Certainly, it would be good if, in my opinion, if more people were vegan. Certainly would be good in my opinion if there was a general sense, particularly online, of acceptance and tolerance. Beyond tolerance actually, because it suggests something is a bit annoying and youre putting up with it like a deep acceptance that people are so different.

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Russell Brand Responds To TikTok Star That Vegan Teacher Calls For Tolerance Online - Plant Based News

The diet many Americans consume full of convenient, fast, ultra-processed foods is also responsible for many long-term health consequences. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is to blame for most of chronic metabolic disease (CMD), which is one of the greatest global health threats of the 21st century.

Obesity, metabolic syndrome, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia (high triglycerides and low HDL), fatty liver disease, coronary artery disease, stroke, dementia and cancer are all health-threatening conditions that can be caused by poor diets, with rates that keep increasing year after year.

It might be surprising, but 90% of CMD is attributable to personal lifestyle choices, while genetics and inheritance cause only about 10% of CMD. This is great news and means we can control the diseases more than most of us realize. While lack of exercise, smoking, poor sleep and stress all contribute to CMD, poor nutrition undeniably bears most of the burden of the increasing rates of these diseases.

So, which diet should one choose to maintain a healthy weight and improve metabolic health?

The public is bombarded with endless advertisements about which diet is best for them or their illnesses. From TV and radio to newspapers and magazines, and more recently social media such as Facebook and Instagram, the average person is hounded by ads for different diets that usually promise weight loss.

The list is long, and some of the more popular options include Nutrisystem, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, low carb, keto, paleo, south beach, Mediterranean, vegetarian and vegan diets. Some of the diets can be expensive, and many are hard for people to stick with over time.

There are so many to choose from, and it is so confusing. How does one decide which diet is best for them? Which way of eating will one be able to successfully continue over time?

There are many diets as noted above, but instead of thinking of a short-term or temporary diet, it is important to instead be working toward a long-term lifestyle change and healthier way of eating. The different diets can all lead to weight loss and might also lead to improvements in metabolic health, but there is not a one-size-fits-all diet. There can be different factors affecting people, which might make one diet more appropriate for them than another. Personal, cultural and religious preferences might also affect someones dietary choices.

Working with an appropriately-trained healthcare provider who can tailor dietary, lifestyle and behavioral recommendations to the individual can be very helpful. Underlying health conditions need to be followed appropriately throughout the process of making dietary and lifestyle changes and sustaining a healthy weight. A healthcare professional should be involved in any major eating plan changes, especially if you take certain medications.

Obesity medicine practitioners have advanced education to provide comprehensive care for patients to help them sustain a healthy weight. Obesity medicine combines science-based medicine with individualized obesity treatment, using therapeutic interventions including diet, physical activity, behavior change and medications, to work toward improved health for patients.

You can take back your health!

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Health In A Minute: From Keto To Veganism: What To Do When It Comes To Your Diet - Greeneville Sun

A new study from Holland and Barrett conducted in December 2020 has unveiled some interesting statistics, such as the most popular reason for choosing a vegan diet being the health benefits.

In fact, 41% of new vegans say they switched to veganism for their health, compared to 32% for ethical reasons, and 24% for sustainability and the environment.

These enticing health benefits have been identified as weight loss, glowing skin, and increased libido. Nearly half of the study participants said they had lost weight, with 60% seeing weight loss in the first three months.

Increased libido is something longterm vegan Pamela Anderson highlighted on social media recently, and even challenged Piers Morgan to try a vegan diet for that purpose. The actress tweeted to her 1.2 million followers:

Vegans make better lovers. The cholesterol in meat, eggs, and dairy causes hardening of the arteries (and not much else).

It slows blood flow to all the bodys organs, not just the heart. You can improve your overall health and increase stamina in the bedroom by going vegan.

Its safe to say Piers didnt like this insinuation that his manhood didnt perform well in the bedroom, and wasnt on board with Andersons claims.

However, a third of men and a quarter of women questioned in the study reported a libido boost, so there may be truth to the claim!

An interesting find was that more than one in four vegans (29%) had adopted the diet in the past 12 months. This indicates two things. Firstly, the rise of veganism is exponential and will continue to increase more steeply over the next few years.

Moreover, the Vegan Society has predicted that vegans and vegetarians will make up a quarter of the British population by 2025.

Secondly, that the Covid-19 pandemic has played a significant role in the rise. In fact, 12% of adults (and 23% of those aged 16-24) said that the outbreak had made a vegan diet more appealing. With the threat of a bird flu pandemic on the horizon, it is no surprise that switching to plant-based foods is looking like the best option for many people.

Holland and Barretts nutritionist Emily Rollason has debunked some health concerns of vegans and non-vegans on the website, and you can read the full results of the study here.

Are you a newbie to veganism? Here are7 unexpected truths youll discover when you go vegan.

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New study finds going vegan leads to weight loss, glowing skin and increased libido - Vegan Food and Living

The Telegraph

Were desperate for something to look forward to, reads the email from a London couple, as they book my Dartmoor holiday let, Moorland View, for a break this summer. Its a sentiment echoed by dozens of holidaymakers, who in four days of frenzied reservations recently, booked up the cottage for almost the entire season. Devons holiday accommodation agents report a similar surge, including Toad Hall Cottages, who saw a record 1,000 bookings in seven days. If youve been reticent about booking a getaway, its not too late. Although established hotels and holiday homes have limited summer availability, new properties, cottages in lesser-known locations and city hotels still offer plenty of choice. Heres our round-up of best, including luxury coastal retreats, dog-friendly hotels and wildlife tours. For more ideas, keep an eye on tour operators social media feeds its where many post last-minute availability and deals. 1. Stay in a new waterside hotel, Salcombe If youre quick-off-the-draw, youll have top pick of dates at this new luxury hotel on South Sands beach in Salcombe, which opens the books for its summer launch on Friday (February 5). Owned by Harbour Hotels, it promises 50 stylish rooms and suites, many with sea views, a spa, beach bar and laid-back restaurant. Doubles start at 340 per night, including breakfast (01202 400614; http://www.harbourhotels.co.uk/harbour-beach-club).

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Veganism is not just for January, and it's not just about food - Yahoo Lifestyle UK

By Becca Longmire.18 Jan 2021 7:36 AM

Piers Morgan has made it clear he isnt a fan of a plant-based diet and he went to great lengths to get his points across to Pamela Anderson on Mondays Good Morning Britain.

Morgan spoke to Anderson about her tweets posted over the weekend stating veganism made you a better lover.

The Baywatch star laughed, Cholesterol hardens your arteries, but not much else, adding of her own diet: Thats what I hear. Im vegan, Im fairly confident in that statement, confirming shed been plant-based for around 30 years now.

She added of whether shed noticed her own sex life was better post-veganism, Absolutely, I think. But I think Ive always had a lot of fun in that department.

RELATED: Pamela Anderson Pens Letter To B.C. Premier After COVID-19 Outbreak At Mink Farms

Morgan then had co-host Susanna Reid cringing as he said, Im a meat-eater and I can assure you fun things happen to us, too!

As Dr. Hilary Jones then appeared on the show to voice his opinion, Morgan admitted hed offered a solution on Twitter but the actress only responded, Typical Piers!

RELATED: Pamela Anderson Unveils New Initiative To Protect Canadas Herring Population

Jones said during the conversation: You could eat chips all day and still have a vegan diet. If youre educated and knowledgeable about veganism of course you can have all the nutrients that you need but its very difficult to get all the nutrients you need.

The amount of cholesterol you eat in meat and dairy, the blood flow to the rest of your body becomes restricted.

He added of Andersons sex-life remark: Its stretching a point to a great degree. You can have high cholesterol levels if youre a vegan if youre eating the wrong food.

As far as too much red meat, there is the possibility that your arteries could suffer, too.

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Piers Morgan Disputes Pamela Andersons Claims That Vegans Make Better Lovers: Im A Meat-Eater And Fun Things Happen To Us Too! - ETCanada.com

Opinion: In no case will a vegan diet be better for the planet than a moderate omnivorous diet, writes Dr Jacqueline Rowarth. She spoke with Jamie Mackay from The Country above about her thoughts.

Veganism will not save the planet from climate change under current population growth scenarios.

The scientific facts are clear. A diet including a moderate amount of meat and dairy products, sourced from efficient (most product for fewest greenhouse gases (GHG)) farmers, delivers the required nutrients per person for least environmental impact.

This includes water use and nitrogen loss as well as the GHG. It also includes the impact of agricultural land use expansion and consequent impacts on biodiversity.

Promoters of Veganuary (avoiding animal products for the month of January) would have you think otherwise.

Promoters also suggest that adopters of the vegan lifestyle will feel so much better that they will never revert.

For some people this might be true. For others it won't. But in no case will a vegan diet be better for the planet than a moderate omnivorous diet.

People claiming that it will, usually base their calculations on feedlot animal production.

The argument is that the land used to grow crops for animals could be used to grow crops for direct human consumption.

This might be possible, but the yields achieved for humans will be lower than those for animals.

Dr Jacqueline Rowarth. Photo / Supplied

New Zealander Eric Watsonholds the world record for producing feed wheatat 17.398t/ha. The average is more like 12 t/ha.

Yields for milling wheat (for human consumption post processing and cooking more GHG) are potentially 12-13 t/ha, but the average is nearer 8 t/ha.

A further factor is that the amount of grain (potentially human food) actually consumed in feedlots is only a small component of lifetime feed.

Researchers from Oklahoma State University have gathered the data, done the calculations, and state that "Regardless of the type of beef production system, the majority of beef cattle's nutrient requirements over a lifetime are met with human inedible feeds.Only 7 per cent of beef cattle's lifetime feed intake is corn grain."

The other 93 per cent of the animal's lifetime diet is generally inedible to humans, and not in direct competition with the human food supply.

In fact, by digesting fibre and converting previously human-inedible feeds into nutritious, human-edible foods, ruminants increase the land available for human food production.

In the US, a considerable proportion of cattle diet is distiller's grains, which is a by-product of alcohol production from corn (either for fuel or human consumption).

The amount of distiller's grains fed to beef cattle has increased rapidly this century as the production of fuel from corn has increased.

The Oklahoma State University researchers suggested that improvements in corn productivity (yield per unit of input, including land) would do more to help the sustainability of land use than tinkering with cattle diets.

Improvements suggested include no-till or conservation tillage practices to reduce soil erosion and increase soil organic carbon, the use of winter cover crops to reduce nutrient run-off and using precision agriculture techniques to apply fertiliser at variable rates across field to minimize nutrient emissions to the environment while improving corn yields. These are practices already in common use in New Zealand.

The argument then becomes human edible crops instead of grass, but that change requires more fertiliser, including nitrogen, per hectare, plus fossil fuels for machines.

On land usage, Veganuary doesn't stack up.

Veganuary proponents also overlook the environmental impact of the manufacture of the dietary supplements that are necessary to maintain health.

Nor do they consider the impact of replacements bamboo shoes instead of leather shoes, for instance.

Bamboo is a crop in this context, and it is possible that the land could be used for growing food instead of material for shoes.

Leather is a component of an animal so when the animal is killed for food, the hide (a co-product) can be used for other purposes e.g., shoes.

Over half a million people have already signed up to participate in Veganuary this year and have a month of "doing their bit for the environment".

Sadly the effect won't be what is intended not calorie for calorie (or kilojoule) nor per unit of protein.

Veganuary might help their own weight, however, by assisting a focus on food consumption and quantity.

There are certainly some people who could eat less meat and dairy products and be healthier. Globally, however, there are at least an equal number that would be healthier if they ate more.

In New Zealand the biggest personal environmental impact we have is in fossil fuel use.This is the component of our national emissions that has almost doubled since 1990.

Covid19 has reduced our transtasman air travel, but not the car trips to the beach and bach.

For those wanting to make a difference, a month of biking will do more to assist the environment than tinkering with diet.

It will probably help health and fitness as well, but of course, impact depends upon starting point a point frequently overlooked by enthusiasts, including those advocating Veganuary.

- Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, Adjunct Professor Lincoln University, has been vegetarian (not vegan) for over 40 years. She is a farmer-elected director of DairyNZ and Ravensdown. The analysis and conclusions above are her own. [emailprotected]

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Dr Jacqueline Rowarth: Why veganism won't save the world - Newstalk ZB

Mumbai: While most citizens continue to blame the BMC for several civic issues, there are some who think its not solely the municipal corporation's task to maintain the city. These few have taken the responsibility of keeping the city green in their own hands and have been working tirelessly to achieve their goal.

One such good Samaritan is a former engineering student and activist, Sushant Bali, who has been promoting green Mumbai for the last four years. I dedicated my life to make this city a better place to live in, and that decision was an overnight one, says Bali, a resident of Mulund.

From promoting segregation and composting of waste at home, and planting more trees in association with the BMC and NGOs, Bali is working hard to meet his target. I read certain news stories on dumping grounds and the rising quantity of waste generated in the city. Thus, I decided to do something on my own. We cannot keep blaming the BMC for it, says the manager of Saahas NGO.

I started segregating waste at my house and even composted it. I then created awareness about it in my society and vicinity. Later, we tried to reach out to citizens of nearby areas, he adds.

According to Bali, because of the collective effort, he and his team have managed to composte at least 50 tonnes of waste in the last one and a half years.

Further, Bali has been closely working with the BMC to plant more trees in Mulund and other parts of the Eastern suburbs. We plant saplings in public places, open grounds, etc. I learnt a tree-planting technique from Himachal, and the same is being used by the civic body, he points out.

Not only tree plantation, but Bali is also keeping a watch on felling or trimming of the trees. For the first time, when I pointed out to the civic officials that they were not following the rules while chopping trees at Mulund, I faced a lot of opposition. However, I ensured that law is followed, he adds.

Since then, Bali can be spotted at almost every tree cutting drive of the BMC in the Eastern suburbs, which he visits armed with appropriate permissions, and ensures no excessive chopping is done. Bali is also a staunch supporter of veganism.

I have been promoting veganism for the last four years. My family, including wife and child, don't even consume dairy products. We urge people to go green, that is, consume nutritious food that we get through plants alone," Bali said.

I promote veganism everywhere I go. Initially, people opposed my ideas, but when they were confronted with statistical data about how animal are tortured even in the dairy industry, they are convinced. I aim to make this city clean, green and vegan one, Bali concludes.

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Angels of Mumbai: This man from Mulund is on a 'green' mission - Free Press Journal

Society is becoming increasingly more aware of the impacts our ways of life have on other animal species. For this reason, veganism is becoming more popular among individuals. However, this entails more than simply not eating meat or other animal products, it also applies to our everyday fashion and skincare choices, as so many animals in order to provide us with these products.

When it comes to fashion, we must be aware of what we buy and what we wear. Not only because products may have been created from animal products, but also their creation did not rely on animal or human exploitation, which continues to be a serious issue around the world.

In this article, we will discuss what you should know if you are buying a pair of vegan shoes.

Essentially, vegan shoes are items that have not been created from animal materials or through the exploitation of human beings. You may not really think about this when you go clothes shopping but many items are actually created in sweatshops, buy individuals in different countries who are not getting paid nearly as enough as they should. Veganism embraces the principles of humane environments and treatment for both humans and animals. You may be surprised at the amount of very popular brands that do not stick to these principles.

If you want vegan shoes, there are a few materials to look for that indicate they are vegan. Below there are a few examples of materials to select when buying vegan shoes:

Just like there are materials you should select, there are evidently some that you should avoid at all costs. Some may be straightforward such as animal skin, but others perhaps not so much. Many fashion items including shoes are made with glue that has gelatin as an ingredient. Gelatin is made from connective tissue and bone, therefore derives from animals. It is important that you look for this particular factor as everything else on your pair of shoes may be vegan-friendly, apart from the glue. The materials to avoid include:

If you want to choose the right pair of shoes for yourself, you may see that it is more difficult than you think, considering the range of options available, as well as to ensure that the shoes are 100% vegan and are also stylish and comfortable for you to wear. The experts behind https://vegomm.com/vegan-dress-shoes/ recommend finding the brands that sell vegan shoes so that you can find the right fit for you.

When looking to buy vegan shoes, you cannot quickly assume that they are vegan simply by looking at the shoe itself. Believe it or not, companies often advertise their products as vegan-friendly- when this in fact not the case. For this reason, it is crucial that you check the labels before buying the item. This label should clearly indicate which ingredients have been used in the making of the shoes be particularly aware of labels that indicate other materials in the list. This is often a sign of poor disclosure from the company, meaning they may be purposefully trying to conceal certain materials used.

In addition to checking the labels for the listed materials, as we discussed above, you also need to familiarize yourself with different symbols used in these labels as they will have different meanings. A symbol that represents the hide of an animal suggests that the shoe is created with leather. On the other hand, if you see a symbol of woven patterns, it shows that the shoe is made from natural or synthetic fibers.

Buying shoes in a store may not always provide you with full information on whether they are 100% vegan-friendly. Surely, you may ask professionals at the store, as they should have the answer to your questions, although you can never be too sure. One of the best ways to check if the pair of shoes you fell in love with are vegan-friendly is to actually check the companys website. Here, you should be able to find all the information about materials as well as manufacturing procedures. This will evidence whether the shoes are not made from animal materials as well as proving that the company in question supports and abides by human working rights

If you are thinking about buying a vegan-pair of shoes, make sure to read the information discussed above to ensure what to look for, and to get the perfect pair for you.

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Buying a Pair of Vegan Shoes? Here's What You Should Know - Scubby

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There are many reasons why switching to a vegan diet, or even simply cutting back on animal product consumption, can benefit your health. Studies have shown a vegan diet can significantly improve cholesterol levels as well as aid in weight loss. Veganism may even greatly reduce ones chances of dying from heart disease. These perks might get you motivated to do a total revamp of what you have in your kitchen to incorporate more plant-based foods. But the moment you realize just how many of your favorite recipes require (or seem to require) animal products, that motivation could go right out of the window. The American diet is largely built on butter and eggs. Turning vegetarian may not be too difficult, but youll quickly find that many meat-free recipes still call for dairy or other animal products.

Were relatively new to understanding how to use plant-based ingredients to make food creamy, or fluffy, or filling. Were sort of stumped on how we get baked goods to bind or rise without animal products. But, dont let that kill your motivation. There are, fortunately, vegan alternatives for nearly any animal product your recipe might call for. As you slowly begin to accumulate new foods and ingredients and stock your pantry, youll stop having those, Damn I have to run to the store moments when youre in the middle of cooking. You may even begin to experiment with your own ways to utilize these items. Here are kitchen must-haves that make veganism much easier.

Source: Westend61 / Getty

If youre a cheese lover who is trying to go vegan, you will need something to satisfy your cravings because you know the cravings are strong. There are many vegan cheeses out there, but nutritional yeast is beloved in the vegan community. A form of deactivated yeast, its usually sold in a powder or flake variety and is slightly yellow in color. Many vegans enjoy sprinkling it on food that would typically call for cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese, like quesadillas or bowls of pasta. It can be eaten cold, but also becomes nice and creamy when heated, which is why it makes a great addition to vegan mac and cheese.

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Must-Haves Items In Your Kitchen That Make Veganism Easier - MadameNoire

First Lady Michelle Obama's "eat healthy" White House garden ignited a battle in the divisive "culture war. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)

Andrew Breitbart, who founded the far-right website Breitbart and who died in 2012, coined an aphorism: Politics is downstream from culture. In other words, cultural commitments come first, political ones second.

If this is a useful maxim, its high time we asked: Why do we keep drinking the dirty downstream water? American politics in 2020 has been a filthy swill, suffused with corruption, madness and soulless cruelty. For the new year, lets resolve to savor culture as beauty and intelligence, and call an end to culture war follies.

But first we have to understand Breitbarts maxim. However odious the man was, the line resonates.

Even trivial-seeming cultural preferences can lay the groundwork for politicking look no further than the Disco Sucks phenomenon of the 1970s. This was the ragtag movement in which white rock music fans in the heartland rose up, sometimes violently, against the new dance music, which was associated with cities, queer culture and people of color. At heart, Disco Sucks was a hazy form of what has hardened over the decades into contemporary white nationalism.

Likewise, the obsession with healthy, unprocessed food that gripped coastal residents in this century, and found an evangelist in former First Lady Michelle Obama, came across to some in red states as nanny-state condescension that required reaction. When Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) ran for president, he swore that his wife as first lady would bring French fries back to school lunches.

As for clothing and cars, opportunities for showdowns abound. People who drive hybrids and wear hemp, the cliche goes, vote left; in the reciprocal stereotype, people in tactical athleisure-wear piloting jacked-up pickups vote Trump.

Or say you like the chic, practical wardrobe of Rachel Maddow of MSNBC: thats a lefty style. If you prefer short, tight dresses in candy colors (think Ainsley Earhardt of Fox News), youre on the right.

And after years of having the meaning of such choices supercharged by social media, standup comics and especially the ideologues of the far right, people now get far more incensed about cultural artifacts ATVs, veganism, the national anthem, avocado toast, etc. than they do about public policy.

Story continues

Pundits, scholars and the unfake media insist that whats needed to cool off the passions and divisions of Trumptimes is better political reporting and civics education. But what if what we need instead is a richer culture?

I watch cable news and use social media, but, come on as culture, these things are pretty thin gruel. To the extent they can be considered theater or literature, they have a limited range of characters, predictable costuming, unsubtle dialogue, minimal emotional range and palette, and near-zero musical or visual artistry.

If were scrounging for morsels of sensory-emotional experience on CNN and Twitter, were not getting fed. Were being culturally underserved.

The internet destabilized the arts in thousands of ways, and beginning about 15 years ago social media, including YouTube, rolled in to supplant film, novels, and even music and fashion as central to identity-formation.

But YouTube tutorials and social media brush fires are not poignant, robust creations. Viewed via Instagram or a Twitter thread, a campaign or a crisis might have the outlines of something interesting, even operatic, but it cant slake our thirst for the complete narrative. It inevitably lacks the unity, coherence and emphasis that make art different from, more telling than, life.

It seems fair to say we are starving for what the 19th century British cultural critic Matthew Arnold called sweetness and light the beauty and enlightenment that can only be found in literature, theater, music and art.

Though Arnold would disagree, high culture does not have a monopoly on sweetness and light. Bob Dylans latest ballad, Key West (Philosopher Pirate), seems to do it for me these days. And Joshua Redman, the Pretenders and the Weeknd also released powerful and surprising tracks in 2020.

Culture as culture, rather than a lever in a political war, can be found everywhere. Chess, the books of John le Carr or old zombie flicks can also help crystallize who you are and ignite your curiosity or promote your well-being. Last week in this space I recommended the Hallmark Channel, with its soothing and moving stories that play cherished American memes in major chords.

Weve had to make a meal out of politics-as-culture for way too long. But that doesnt work forever. As the nations white whale, Donald Trump, leaves his place of prominence, heres to an America with more nuanced heroes and villains. Lord, do we ever need wilder soundtracks, bigger canvases. Paintings, poetry, a dance craze or two. When theaters and stadiums open up again and we get concerts, museums and plays back, I hope well recognize how deprived weve all been by both the pandemic and the phony culture war, and fill them all up.

In the very last weeks of an extraordinarily demoralizing political period in American history, its time to give other quarters of the brain and heart some attention. How hard can it be? Its not homework. Art gives pleasure and expands perspective. If politics are indeed downstream from culture, the water is bound to be clearer, cleaner and crisper at the rivers source and thats where we should drink.

@page88

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Heffernan: It's the end time for Trumptimes, and never a better time to trade politcs for culture - Yahoo News

Its the topic dominating conversations around the world as countries begin to start the so far optional vaccination campaign against the Covid-19.Since all medications currently go through animal testing and animal products are commonly used in their manufacturing, decisions around taking medication can be complex for vegans. Many vegans find compromising their beliefs in this way to distressing, but the truth is it has never been more important for us to talk about the definition of veganism in the context of medications, including vaccines.The definition of veganism recognises that it is not always possible or practicable to avoid animal use, which is particularly relevant to medical situations.In the case of Covid-19, scientists (and world leaders) recognise that vaccination will play a fundamental role in tackling the pandemic and saving lives. As all vaccines currently are tested on animals, at this stage it is impossible to have a vaccine that has been created without animal use.At the end of the day, as there is no plan for compulsory vaccination, it is the responsibility of each individual to make an informed decision about vaccines, bearing in mind the definition of veganism, and your own beliefs, while respecting the science.Its a sensitive subject. UK media reported that Pfizer and BioNTech, the big pharma companies behind the vaccine, have treated monkeys and mice with contempt. While their human researchers have been protected with elaborate PPE, the animals in their care have been trapped and deliberately infected. Some were injected with an inoculation first and some werent.Everyone wants to see the back of Covid-19 but with vegan beliefs, or as a strict vegan, should we accept a jab thats the result of animal cruelty? Again, its a personal consideration, and much of the world agree that it should only be made by the individual.There is evidence that most epidemics and pandemics, including Covid-19, have actually been caused by humans exploiting animals. In August, a white paper found that nearly every major zoonotic disease (an infectious disease that is transmitted between species from animals to humans outbreak) such as Covid over the last 120 years is linked to animal exploitation, including mass meat consumption.The human cost is huge: even before Covid-19, two million people were dying from these kinds of diseases each year, as a result of exploiting animals, and the spill over that occurs from animal to human.A separate report from the UN said the number of zoonotic epidemics the ones that can be transmitted from animals to people is rising, from Ebola to Sars to West Nile virus and Rift Valley fever.The authors warned that although the world is treating the health and economic symptoms of this coronavirus pandemic, governments are ignoring the root causes: humans destruction of nature and meat eating. We need to wake up. Since it was exploiting animals that got us into this mess, its both immoral and ill-advised to continue to exploit more animals now, and we need educating about this in order to reduce pandemics, respect animals, and live healthier, longer lives as a global population.* The author is an expert in vegan wellbeing and health. Instagram handle: @Ghanim92

Link:
Gulftimes : Will you get the vaccine? - Gulf Times