Supra Duper, NHLV Gala, Veggie Conquest 3!

Discerning Brute Contributor, Troy Farmer points us to the new Holiday ‘09 Vegan Pack from Supra Footwear – featuring the Dixon, Thunder Lo, Thunder and the Diablo 1.5,  wearing 100% canvas uppers and done up in a variety of colorways.

Come party with me at the New York League of Humane Voters Gala in NYC on November 12 at six o’clock in the evening at the famous Prince George Ballroom, 15 E. 27th Street (between Madison & Fifth Avenues). Featuring Keynote speaker NYS Governor David A. Paterson.

Celebrity guests include GirlieGirl Army’s Chloe Jo Berman, Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary founders Jenny Brown and Doug Abel, “Super Size Me” co-star and author Alex Jamieson,  ”Discerning Brute” Joshua Katcher, author & political guru Julie Lewin, world-renowned artist Peter Max, ”Bizarro” comic creator Dan Piraro, rapper Princess Superstar, actress and author Ally Sheedy, singer/songwriter Rachel Trachtenburg, CNN’s Jane Velez-Mitchell and ”Whale Wars” star Captain Paul Watson.

I will be your Emcee!

Don’t miss your chance to buy tickets to the 3rd Veggie Conquest! Or enter to be a competitor! Conquest 1 and 2 were completely sold out, and this one should be even better! Please get your tickets early. THEY WILL SELL OUT!! You must buy your tickets here.

Veggie conquest 3 will take place at Not Fade Away Gallery, in Union Square, NYC. They will have a very special second course at VC#3. Match Meats has shipped our volunteers a whole freezer full of vegan meats to try.

55 Bottle Bags, Marshmallow Ghosts & New Laws

Check this gorgeous “Kenner” bag from Matt & Nat, made from 100% recycled materials. Get it now at mattandnat.com for $255

Sweet & Sara is Perfect for Halloween! The scariest thing about most marshmallows is that they are made of the boiled hooves, cartlige, skin and tendons from animals. Boo!

But guess what? These fluffy spirits from Sweet & Sara are made of their 100% vegan vanilla marshmallow, with chocolate detailing. We can’t wait to see what else they come up with. I heard a rumor about vegan peeps!

Thanks to Farm Sanctuary, The Michigan Humane Society, and The Humane Society of the United States Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill which will ban tail docking by the California dairy industry and Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan has just signed legislation to ban cruel battery cages, gestation crates and veal crates in her state. California is the first state to ban the tail docking of dairy cows. Michigan is now the second state to ban battery cages, following the example set by California last year with the passage of Proposition 2. It is also the fifth state to ban veal crates and the seventh to ban gestation crates.

400 lbs Ago: The Philip McCluskey Story

by contributor Philip McCluskey

I’m a sexy guy. I’ve fallen in love with myself, because I am a beautiful, sexy, gorgeous man. I feel like I can say that without worrying that my ego needs to be checked at the door . . . Because I used to be 400lbs.

See, I’ve been overweight my entire life, starting as a “cute” chubby little kid, all the way to morbidly obese and not so cute in my twenties. I tried every fad diet, fasting program and fancy gym equipment there was. Nothing worked. I was still overweight and I still despised myself. It wasn’t until I chose a raw vegan lifestyle and to begin practicing self-adoration that my life became amazingly sexy, full and alive.
It was the living food and the way it helped start the kickass circle of falling in love with ME. I felt better as I was losing weight like crazy, so I liked myself more. As I began to like myself more, I started positive affirmations in front of mirrors and I smiled even when I didn’t feel like it. Sometimes I felt self-conscious but I kept adoring myself, or at least working on it. And now. . . I think I’m the sexiest piece of raw vegan “meat” out there.

Eating raw living uncooked organic vegan food (veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds) was just the beginning. It led to so many other changes, as I began respecting and caring for the planet, becoming eco-conscious, thinking about the present moment, letting go of control, exercising and actually enjoying it, learning to trust and adventuring in the outside world, feeling like a kid again and yet becoming fully a man that I love and actually really admire.

So my goal was really always to become half the man I was. . . And through self-love and the best raw vegan food ever, I did.

Now about that food! Here’s my favorite sexy salad recipe that is easy to make with whatever you have on hand, can be put in a heaping man-sized bowl, and is as spicy and flavorful as you can handle.

1. Rip up one head of greens (kale, farmer’s market lettuce, dandelion, wild mesclun, go crazy and think outside the iceberg lettuce box)
2. Add 1 avocado, pitted and mashed
3. Throw in any sliced raw veggies you want, whatever is local and in season is best for the planet and for your body. I think my favorite additions this time of year are the last of the delicious sungold tomatoes, I just add a handful or two whole.
4. Rip up a bunch of dulse, add some kelp powder, soaked wakame, hijiki, sprinkles of blue green algae or the incredible sparkly crystal manna. . .get those superfoods from the sea!
5. Add whatever other flavorings and seasons you want: nutritional yeast, raw nuts/seeds (I’m addicted to hemp seeds), Bragg’s Amino Acids, Himalayan Sea Salt, cayenne pepper, chipotle, even a little raw nut-cheese every now and then. . .the whole idea is to play, experiment, mash it up and dig in.

Eat and be sexy.

Philip McCluskey
www.lovingraw.com

Sonic Neckties, Land O’ Aches, The Conscious Cook & Green Porn

• Tal Ronnen, the notorious chef that got Oprah to go vegan, shares his enticing, unexpected vegan dishes with everyone who relishes eating beautiful, flavorful, and filling food. In the Conscious CookEvery recipe delivers on his promise to omnivores and foodies: “You won’t miss the meat.”

• It’s so cool that the Girlie Girl Army crew pointed out these Limited Edition “Sonic Neckties” made from recycled audio cassette tape! Get them in skinny or wide at Supermarket for 90$

• Where simple goodness begins? The picturesque, historically inaccurate and greenwashed imagery on the cover of Land O’ Lakes products can not hide the cruelty under the wrapping. A new PETA undercover investigation inside a Land O’Lakes supplier facility in Pennsylvania has revealed routine neglect and cruelty to cows who are milked for the Fortune 250 company’s products.

• The only porno I’d ever recommend to you guys is the amazingly clever Green Porno by Isabella Rosellini on the Sundance Channel. Hilarious, hot, and the best biology and ecology lesson you’ve ever had.

Beefless-Tips Stuffed Collards with Eggplant & Shiitake

I recently got to try some of Gardein’s new frozen line, and I experimented with some recipes using their meatless “meats”. They are low-fat and high protein, and taste incredibly authentic. If you are into the taste and texture of meat but want to avoid the ethical, ecological, and social implications of eating animals, this is a pretty great product made from a combination of soy, wheat gluten, quinoa, amaranth, millet and kamut!

I think this recipe for Beefless-Tips Stuffed Collards with Eggplant and Shiitake is easy, delicious and full of nutrients. Enjoy!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED (serves 2):

• 1 small red onion
• 6 medium shiitake mushroom heads
• 1 cup chopped eggplant (about 1/4 of large Eggplant)
• 1/4 cup mixed olives including juice
• 1 tbs red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 tbs olive oil, for sauteing
• 2 large collard green leaves
• 1/2 bag (about 2/3 cup) Gardein Beefless Tips
• salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash 2 large collard green leaves, and set aside on 2 plates.
2. Bring a large, oiled skillet ( I prefer cast iron) to medium head.
3. Chop the onion, mushrooms, and eggplant and place in the hot skillet. Add the olives and Gardein Beefless Tips.
4. Saute on medium heat for about 10-12 minutes, until the eggplant turn golden and begins to fall apart.
5. Add the red wine vinegar, and white wine and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the liquid cooks off.
6. Divide the contents of the skillet in half, and scoop each half onto a raw collard leaf.
7. Fold the leaf over, then flip so the midrib is on the outside and top:
8. Serve and enjoy!

TIP:

This would go great with some soup. Try my Savory Parsnip or Souper Easy Squash Soup

Lobster Mushroom Tostada Tower

Lobster mushroom is one of Earth’s strange and incredible inventions. But don’t be scared off by the fact that it’s actually not a mushroom, but a parasitic ascomycete (a parasite-fungus that is hosted by, and consumes mushrooms). When this delicious fungal-parasite takes over the mushroom, it engulfs it and turns it red, giving it a lobster-like appearance, and strangely, a subtle seafood taste. Thanks for mycological cannibalism, mamma nature!

This dish is like fancy-shmancy fish tacos, but vegan and minus the whole devastation of reefs and other ocean ecosystems. And unlike seafood, this mushroom will still probably be around in 2048. The crisp layering of toasted tortillas, the smoothness of the hearty kale-potato sauce, and the crispy-edged, pan-seared lobster mushroom sauteed with shallots and garlic all come together quite wonderfully. The texture of sauteed and seared lobster mushroom is tender, slightly chewy, and very satisfying. Lobster mushroom isn’t cheap, so save it for a special occasion.

This dish is vegan, soy and gluten free! Mercury free, too!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED (serves 2):

• 1 large or 2 medium Lobster Mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 med-large shallots
• 2 small red potatoes
• 1 packed-cup fresh green kale
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 Tbs olive oil (for sauteing)
• 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
• 2 small corn tortillas
• 1 tsp/cube unsalted veg bullion
• 1 tbs nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp cashew cream (equal parts cashew and water, blended)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large oiled skillet to med heat.
2. Half the potatoes and steam them along with the kale for about 12-15 min.
3. Dice the garlic and chop the shallots and add to pan for about 5 min, mixing occasionally.
4. Slice the mushroom in 1/2 in thick slices and add to pan.
5. Saute for another 10-12 min, flipping the mushrooms once.
6. Add the vinegar to the pan and saute for another 5 minutes, flipping the mushrooms again.
7. Remove from the heat.
8. In a blender or processor, combine the steamed kale, potato, almond milk, salt, nutritional yeast, and bullion until smooth.
9. Half the tortillas and toast or pan fry until crisp.
10. On a large plate, layer the tortilla, then kale sauce, then mushroom. Repeat for another layer, and top with the garlic/shallots and the cashew cream.

Raw Sweet-Pesto “Pasta”

The last recipe I did was a cooked, more traditional version of sweet pesto pasta – but for those of you who like it raw, I offer you my uncooked interpretation. Zucchini, squash (and even eggplant and carrots!) can be shredded into thin, linguine-like strips. If you suffer from gluten allergies, want to shrink your carb-footprint, or just want a lighter, healthier dish – check this cheap and easy (just like me!) recipe:

WHAT YOU’LL NEED (serves 2):

• 1 med-large zucchini
• 1.5 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 clove raw garlic
• 2 dried black mission figs
• 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs nutritional yeast*
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

1. Using a vegetable peeler, shred the zucchini very thinly (using almost no pressure).
2. In a blender, combine the basil, cashews, avocado, water, garlic, figs, vinegar, nutritional yeast, salt, and Italian seasoning. Save the black pepper for putting on top!
3. Pour the pesto over the shredded “pasta”, mix, top with the pepper, and serve!

Q&A

*Sometimes when I include Nutritional Yeast in a raw recipe, readers ask, “Is Nutritional Yeast actually raw?”.

The answer is no, it’s not raw. However, you NEVER want to eat raw yeast! Nutritional Yeast it is a really valuable supplement with a rock-star nutritional profile. So if you’re religiously raw – skip it. If not, it’s crucial – and tastes like yummy, nutty, cheesy goodness! According to Sundance Natural Foods:

Raised On Molasses
Nutritional yeast is grown on mineral enriched molasses and used as a food supplement. At the end of the growth period, the culture is pasteurized to kill the yeast. You never want to use a live yeast (i.e. baking yeast) as a food supplement because the live yeast continues to grow in the intestine and actually uses up the vitamin B in the body instead of replenishing the supply. (Brewer’s yeast is nutritionally the same but as a by-product of the beer-brewing industry it has a characteristic bitter hops flavor.)

It’s Good For Ya’
Nutritional yeast contains 18 amino acids (forming the complete protein) and 15 minerals. Being rich in the B-complex vitamins, it is vital in many ways and particularly good for stress reduction. The B-complex vitamins help make nutritional yeast such a valuable supplement, especially to the vegetarian. It is one of the rare vegetarian sources of B12.
One element of yeast is the trace mineral chromium, also known as the Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF). This is necessary to regulate blood sugar and is important for diabetics and people with a tendency toward low blood sugar.

Hockey Heavy-Weight Georges Laraque Goes Vegan

Montreal Canadien enforcer Georges Laraque is down to a relatively svelte 245 pounds after adhering to a vegan diet this summer. Graham Hughes/THE CANADIAN PRESS

After watching the documentary, Earthlings narrated by Joaquin Phoenix – Montreal Canadiens Forward, Georges Laraque, committed himself to a vegan lifestlye. That’s right – no dairy, no poultry, no fish, no more leather shoes or animal byproducts for this hockey tough-guy. And it’s not for his health (although he is benefiting) – it’s for the animals.

“It’s unconscionable what’s happening to animals in this country and the way we treat animals we eat. … I realized I had to make some big changes…I’ve lost some weight, but I’ve been working with a really great nutritionist and I’ve never had this much energy,” - Georges Laraque

Read the FULL ARTICLE, and if you haven’t seen Earthlings yet, watch it now. Lives are depending on it.

Local Myth, Man-Boob Billboard & Walking For Farm Animals

It turns out that omnivorous locavores may be bending over backwards for no reason if their goals are environmental. Read the Forbes article that takes the meat out of the locavore argument and puts the emphasis right back on the largest single contributor to greenhouse gas emissions: meat and dairy. But we know that already, right? There’s nothing green about local bacon aside from the greenwashing in which it’s packaged. It’s almost as bad as the “humane slaughter” myth.

Sometimes all you need is a simple, organic cotton tee in a few colors to take your wardrobe to the next level. Logos, silkscreen graphics and band names can distract from the main attraction: you. Alternative Apparel has crew neck and v-neck tees in every damn color.

PETA recently took some heat for asking us to save some whales - from blubber. Women went nuts when PETA put up a billboard saying that adopting a vegetarian diet can lead to weight loss, and now they are going after the guys! So what do you think? Offensive or crafty?

Meatloaf is not just for meat-eaters. With 33g of protein per serving, Field Roast’s Classic Meat Loaf packs some serious muscle. Order it online or check your local retailer.

Walk like a man. We often hear about all the things we should do “like men“. But now, you can really walk like a man, by raising money to benefit Farm Sanctuary! Click HERE to see all the walk dates and locations.

To raise funds in person, please use the Offline Donation Form. You’ll need to bring the completed form and any donations with you the day of the Walk. If you can’t make it and want to sponsor someone, like our friend Gretchen or Dave, or simply donate, please do that too!

Thanks to our friend Ari, who is often a guest columnist on GGA, and who owns the snarky, yummy vegan, soy-candle company A Scent of Scandal forwarded locavore and man-boob articles.

EMPTY V: The Legendary John Norris

John Norris might be one of the most recognizable faces to anyone who liked music during the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. John had one of the longest-running VJ careers on MTV, and has incredible perspective on where we stand concerning pop-culture. His environmentalism, veganism, and massive, glitter-crusted Rolodex of important musicians spanning a quarter-century make his perspectives worth considering. I sat down with John recently at the Jivamukti Cafe in NYC to talk about the state of mass media, music, and his personal politics.