Vegging Out

'Road Runoff Spurring Spotted Salamander Evolution'

2012-01-31T12:30:00.002-05:00

This is a press release sent by none other than the one and only David DeFusco, director of Media Relations and Outreach and

editor, Environment:Yale magazine. It is not edited here - but is posted because it is amazing news. And what is not to love about turns of phrase such as "bystanders to human activities." (The photo also is courtesy of David's link - thanks David!)

NEW HAVEN —Spotted salamanders exposed to contaminated roadside ponds are adapting to their toxic environments, according to a Yale paper in Scientific Reports. This study provides the first documented evidence that a vertebrate has adapted to the negative effects of roads apparently by evolving rapidly.

Salamanders breeding in roadside ponds are exposed to a host of contaminants from road runoff. Chief among these is sodium chloride from road salt, which reaches average concentrations of 70 times higher in roadside ponds compared to woodland ponds located several hundred feet from the road.

"While the evolutionary consequences of roads are largely unknown, we know they are strong agents of natural selection and set the stage for fast evolution," said Steven Brady, the study's author and a doctoral student at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. "These animals are growing up in harsh environments where they face a cocktail of contaminants, and it appears that they are evolving to cope with them."

Brady found that salamanders in roadside ponds have higher mortality, grow at a slower rate and are more than likely to develop L-shaped spines and other disfigurements. In roadside ponds, only 56 percent of salamander eggs survive the first 10 weeks of development, whereas 87 percent survive in the woodland ponds. As roadside ponds become more toxic, the surviving salamanders may develop a genetic advantage over their counterparts living in woodland ponds.

However, the salamanders that survive year after year in the roadside ponds appear to have adapted to the harsh conditions.

"The animals that come from roadside ponds actually do better—substantially better—than the ones that originate from woodland ponds when they're raised together," Brady said.

That animals adapt to human activities is not altogether new. For example, fish have begun to mature at smaller sizes in response to commercial fishing. But whereas humans directly utilize fish for consumption, salamanders are just bystanders to human activities. This suggests that the majority of species, which are not specifically targeted for human use, may be experiencing profound evolutionary consequences. And it appears that even species not being driven to extinction—and seldom thought about—are changing.

"This adaptation is certainly encouraging for conservation," said Brady. "But our modern footprint is fundamentally changing species in ways we don't understand and, critically, we don't know if these adaptive responses will keep pace with environmental change."

Brady observed the development of the salamanders in 10 ponds—five roadside and five woodland—at Yale Myers Forest and in the town of Willington, both in northeastern Connecticut. The paper, "Road to Evolution? Local Adaptation to Road Adjacency in an Amphibian (Ambystoma maculatum)," is available at www.nature.com/srep/2012/120126/srep00235/full/srep00235.html.

Photos of this research are available at https://picasaweb.google.com/114974158024600954678/SpottedLocalAdapt?noredirect=1.

Surprise! Food news on Vegging Out!

2012-01-09T14:30:00.001-05:00

No surprise, however, that this news again comes from the folks at Yale. (Heck, they do a lot of studies, why not share them?) I also am posting it here because you might not otherwise see it. And while I am not advocating one way or the other on this, I do think it is important we consider these issues as we make purchasing choices. To be honest, I had not heard of a"advergames" and in retrospect am glad my kids did not have this option when they were younger. Kids are doing it by the millions now, this release says.

Again - this is a press release - I am simply sharing it.

NEW HAVEN - Despite food company pledges to reduce marketing of unhealthy products to children, a Yale University study finds that children are disproportionately targeted by food company websites using branded computer games, known as advergames. Researchers also found that playing these games increases children's consumption of junk food. The study is published online in the Journal of Children and Media.

Researchers from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity conducted a two-tiered study to determine how many young people visit advergame websites and how much time they spend there; whether exposure to advergames for unhealthy products contributes to increased consumption of unhealthy food; and whether advergames that promote nutritious foods can positively influence children's healthy food consumption.

In the first study, the team utilized syndicated Internet usage data from comScore to examine the number and age of visitors to food company websites and the relative usage of sites that contained advergames. The study found that over one million children visit food company advergame sites every month and that they spend up to one hour per month on some sites. The majority of advergame sites promote candy, high-sugar cereals, and fast food, and many feature products that food companies have pledged they will not market to children. Young people were significantly more engaged in these sites compared with other food company-sponsored websites, according to the study.

The second study examined 152 children and measured how much snack food they consumed after playing advergames that featured unhealthy or healthy food, compared with playing computer games that did not focus on food. Advergames that promoted junk food increased the children's consumption of unhealthy snack foods by 56 percent compared to playing the healthy games, and 16 percent more than playing the control games. In addition, children who played unhealthy advergames consumed one-third fewer fruits and vegetables than children who played the control and healthy games. Children who previously played advergames were affected the most, and both older and younger children were similarly affected. Advergames encouraging healthy eating did increase fruit and vegetable consumption, but the researchers found only one advergame website that promoted primarily healthy foods.
According to the researchers, several companies in the United States have pledged to shift their child-targeted advertising to "better-for-you" foods through the voluntary Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative sponsored by the Council of Better Business Bureaus. However, not one advergame in this analysis met the council's criteria for child-directed advertising.

"While research has shown a decline in television food advertisements targeted to children, companies are introducing new and sophisticated forms of marketing such as advergames that allow children to engage in advertising content for unlimited amounts of time," says author Jennifer Harris, the Rudd Center's director of marketing initiatives.

The researchers assert that this study showing the reach and impact of advergames on children's eating behaviors demonstrates the need for substantial reductions in the use of advergames to promote unhealthy food to children.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. It is unedited here.

Anyone else horrified by this important news?

2012-01-09T08:35:00.001-05:00

I don't know about you, but I was thinking my head had gotten smaller.

This is a Yale press release and it's amazingly interesting. It tells me: Take a darn big breath, go for a walk and relax.

Yale says: "Even in the healthy, stress causes brain to shrink, Yale study shows"

NEW HAVEN.— Experiencing stressful life events, such as a divorce or job loss, can reduce gray matter in critical regions of the brain that regulate emotion and important physiological functions — even in healthy individuals, Yale researchers report in a study published online the week of Jan. 9 in the journal Biological Psychiatry.

The brain imaging study of more than 100 healthy subjects suggests these differences are apparent soon after stressful events occur and may serve as warning signals of future psychiatric disorders and chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, said Rajita Sinha, the Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry, and professor in the Department of Neurobiology and the Yale Child Study Center.

Chronic abuse, trauma, and stress have been linked to changes in brain structure and function in animals and to psychiatric disorders such as addiction, depression, and anxiety in humans. However, the effects of stress on brains of healthy individuals have been unclear. Yale researchers decided to look at the volume of gray matter — the tissue containing nerve cells and their branching projections called dendrites — in a group of community participants.

The team conducted magnetic resonance imaging scans of 103 healthy subjects who had been interviewed about traumatic stress and adverse life events, such as the death of a loved one, loss of a home to natural disaster, job loss or divorce. They found that even the brains of subjects who had only recently experienced a stressful life event showed markedly lower gray matter in portions of the medial prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain that regulates not only emotions and self-control, but physiological functions such as blood pressure and glucose levels.

"The accumulation of stressful life events may make it more challenging for these individuals to deal with future stress, particularly if the next demanding event requires effortful control, emotion regulation, or integrated social processing to overcome it," said Emily Ansell, assistant professor of psychiatry and lead author of the study.

Sinha said that the study illustrates the need to address causes of stress in life "and find ways to deal with the emotional fallout."

"The brain is dynamic and plastic and things can improve — but only if stress is dealt with in a healthy manner," Sinha said. "If not, the effects of stress can have a negative impact on both our physical and mental health."

Other Yale-affiliated authors of the study are Kenneth Rando, Kerit Tuit, and Joseph Guarnaccia.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health

Links:Rajita Sinha
http://psychiatry.yale.edu/people/rajita_sinha.profile

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. It is unedited here. (That means it's a press release, written by those smart folks over at Yale. We did not even touch it up. It's posted here as a public service.)

Old-fashioned book browsing is favorite winter sport in western Connecticut

2011-12-29T15:37:00.001-05:00

Thought this seemed like a nice day trip to an amazing part of the state, so I'm posting it here for your perusal.

When the weather outside is frightful, indoor browsing is delightful in the inviting independent bookstores that are still alive and well in Connecticut's Fairfield County and Litchfield Hills.

Personal and comfortable shops like these are an endangered species in the wake of giant stores and on-line shopping, yet these very special spots continue to survive and thrive, providing the kind of experience book lovers crave. Browsers will find a warm welcome, staffs that know books and owners who are often around to chat and recommend. Best sellers are on view, but so are treasures selected by knowledgeable owners, titles that might have escaped notice in a superstore. While they are old-fashioned in many ways, these stores do keep up with the times and offer a full array of e-books.

A bookstore tour makes for a wonderful afternoon, plus a stack of reading pleasure to take home. Along with books, visitors will be discovering charming towns with other unique shops. Bring the kids along—they will make discoveries, too.

Litchfield Hills
The Hickory Stick Book Shop in Washington Depot is exactly the kind of shop book lovers appreciate. A community fixture for over 60 years, the store has owners and staff with over 100 years (collectively) in the book business. They are ready to help answer questions, find a particular title or suggest something unexpected. Like many of these independent bookstores, the Hickory Stick promotes "indie next" choices culled from many independent booksellers, aimed at adults as well as children and reading groups.

In historic quarters on a street lined with intriguing shops, Kent's House of Books features quality literature and a vault filled with children's books. Befitting a town on the Appalachian Trail, they carry a good stock of maps; trail guides and books on the out-of-doors. Bank Street Book Nook in New Milford is another small gem; full of finds and with a train set to keep kids happy while parents shop.

Fairfield County

The Barnett Book Store has had many reincarnations since it opened for business in Stamford in 1939. The attractive present location in the Noroton Heights section of Darien stocks all manner of interesting books, fiction and non-fiction, and excellent children's books, as well. Books on the Common in Ridgefield is another survivor. A fixture since 1984 in various locations, the store was reborn in 2009 in a 100-year old building right on the town's charming Main Street, maintaining the atmosphere and interesting stock that has kept customers loyal since the start. Elm Street Books in New Canaan is another example of the kind of store avid readers crave, small, personal and packed with treasures. The store features many readings and autograph sessions with authors.

One of the most unusual stores is Diane's Books in Greenwich. When Diane Garrett opened 1990, some said she was crazy, given the negative trends and competition. But Garrett proved them wrong with her concept, a "family bookstore " where she knows her customers and serves them from childhood to adulthood. All ages enjoy the informal atmosphere of the store where stacks of books are piled on shelves, tables and the floor and notes and signatures from authors cover the walls.

Old and rare

Western Connecticut also has treasure troves for those who love the finds hiding among stacks of used books, and collectors will find prizes among the region's rare book dealers. At the Tattered Pages Book Shop in Monroe in Fairfield County, two big floors are chock-a-block with used books, some 30,000 of them. A 1783 schoolhouse in Litchfield County is home to Lavender Path Antiques and Books in Harwinton, another large dealer with a stock of 20,000 used and out-of-print titles. Litchfield Hills offerings for collectors includes Barbara Farnsworth Booksellers in West Cornwall that offers more than 45,000 books with large selections in a wide variety of categories and Salisbury's Johnnycake Books that sells rare and collectible titles in appropriately vintage quarters a nineteenth century cottage.

For more information on area shops and free color guides to nearby attractions, lodging and dining in the Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, www.visitwesternct.com.

Information:

Bank Street Book Nook, 50 Bank Street, New Milford, 860-354-3865, www.bankstbooknook.com

Barbara Farnsworth Bookseller, 407 Route 128, West Cornwall, 860-672-6571, farnsworthbooks.com

Barrett Bookstore, 314 Heights Road, Darien, 203-655-2712, barrettbookstore.com
Books on the Common, 404 Main Street, Ridgefield, 203-431-9100, booksonthecommon.com

Diane's Books, 8 Grigg Street, #A, Greenwich, 203-869-1515, dianesbooks.com

Elm Street Books, 35 Elm Street, New Canaan, 203-966-4545, elmstreetbooks.com

Hickory Stick Bookshop, 2 Greenhill Road, Washington Depot, 860-868-0525, hickorystickbookshop.com

House of Books, 10 North Main Street, Kent, 860-927-4104, hobooks.com

Johnnycake Books, 12 Academy Street, Salisbury, 860-435-6677, johnnycakebooks.com

Lavender Path Antiques and Books, 50 South Street, Harwinton, 860-689-8081, http://www.lavenderpathantiques.com

Tattered Pages Book Shop, 150 Main Street, Monroe, 203-261-6755, www.tatteredpagesbookshop.com.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. It is largely unedited here. (And it's a press release, but since reading is cool, it's posted here as a public service to those who might be looking for something to do!)

Removing Sulfur from Jet Fuel Cools Climate

2011-12-14T13:53:00.001-05:00

Heck yes, this is interesting. What's not interesting about the idea the air folks breathe around airports might be able to be made cleaner? Go figure, those folks over at Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies figured it out. So I'm sharing it. I did not edit it - not even a little.

A Yale study examining the impact of aviation on climate change found that removing sulfur from jet fuel cools the atmosphere. The study was published in the October 22 issue of Geophysical Research Letters.

"Aviation is really important to the global economy. We better understand what it's doing to climate because it's the fastest growing fossil fuel-burning sector and there is no alternative to air travel in many circumstances. Emissions are projected to increase substantially in the next two decades—by a factor of two—whereas projections for other sectors are expected to decrease," said Nadine Unger, the study's author and assistant professor of climate science at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.

Particles of sulfate, formed by burning sulfur-laden jet fuel, act like tiny mirrors that scatter solar radiation back into space. When sulfur is removed from the fuel, warming occurs but it's offset by the cooling effect of nitrate that forms from nitrogen oxides in jet exhaust. The result is that desulfurization of jet fuel has a small, net cooling effect.

In 2006 the United States introduced an ultralow sulfur standard for highway diesel, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is interested in desulfurized jet fuel for its potential to improve air quality around airports. Aircraft exhaust particles lodge in the lungs and cause respiratory and cardiovascular illness. In 2006 there were more than 31 million flights across the globe, according to an FAA emissions inventory.

"It's a win-win situation, because the sulfate can be taken out of the fuel to improve air quality around airports and, at the same time, it's not going to have a detrimental impact on global warming," she said.

Unger used a global-scale model that assessed the impact of reducing the amount of sulfur in jet fuel from 600 milligrams per kilogram of fuel to 15 milligrams per kilogram, which is the level targeted by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The study also simulated the full impacts of aviation emissions, such as ozone, methane, carbon dioxide, sulfate and contrails—those ribbons of clouds that appear in the wake of a jet—whereas previous studies examined each chemical effect only in isolation.

"In this study we tried to put everything together so that we account for interactions between those different chemical effects," said Unger. "We find that only a third of the climate impact from aviation can be attributed to carbon dioxide."

Unger also ran a simulation of aviation emissions at the Earth's surface and found that the climate impact is four times greater because the emissions occur at altitude in the upper atmosphere.

"The chemical production of ozone is greater in the upper troposphere and its radiative efficiency is greater," she said. "It's a stronger greenhouse gas when it's higher up in the troposphere, which is exactly where aviation is making it."

The paper, "Global Climate Impact of Civil Aviation for Standard and Desulferized Jet Fuel," can be found at http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/gl1120/2011GL049289/.

Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies Students in Durban

2011-11-28T13:50:00.003-05:00

Here's another one from the very cool F&ES. and yes, that means folks at Yale wrote it, not me, and it's not edited by me either. They do very interesting things over there and I love to share it. (Plus, it's my blog, so I can post whatever I want) Make sure you scroll to the bottom and click on their blog too. Let's hope those smart folks also can figure out a way for the world to save the sharks. (that's one we all need to care about)

Twenty-five students from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies are participating in the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa.
The students are in Durban to support vulnerable small island states in their negotiations, represent official delegations, lobby, blog and immerse themselves in the arcana of bureaucratic give-and-take. They researched, tracked and wrote briefs on important issues for negotiating teams in preparation for the conference and will be analyzing and defending positions in draft texts of the countries they are representing during negotiations.
F&ES students are representing the small island states of Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Maldives and Latvia, as well as Afghanistan and Latvia.
"These students are well-prepared to inject themselves into the substance of the proceedings," said Roy Lee, who teaches an Environmental Diplomacy Practicum at F&ES. "The Yale team has formed a supportive network to share information and keep each other apprised of quicksilver changes in events."

Delegates from 194 nations are gathering in Durban, South Africa, to seek agreement on ways to address climate change, specifically the differing obligations of industrialized and developing nations, the question of who will pay to help poor nations adapt, the urgency of protecting tropical forests, and the need to develop and deploy clean energy technology.
Last year in Cancun, Mexico, delegates produced an agreement that set up a fund to help poor countries adapt to climate change, created mechanisms for the transfer of clean energy technology, provided compensation for the preservation of tropical forests and enshrined the emissions reductions promises that came out of the Copenhagen meeting.

The F&ES students are blogging about their experiences at http://environment.yale.edu/blog/category/conferences/unfccc-durban/.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.

Yale plus ONE: Alumni join forces for global service & advocacy

2011-11-22T20:15:00.002-05:00

This is a press release. (that means someone at Yale wrote it) It is posted here as a public service and because it's really interesting. It's not really edited, except to take out acronyms in first references, which are quite irritating, and to make the paragraphs shorter because they were too long.

The Association of Yale Alumni and ONE, a grassroots advocacy and campaigning organization that fights extreme poverty and preventable disease particularly in Africa, are launching a strategic partnership to promote global service and advocacy by linking the Yale Alumni Service Corps with ONE's education and advocacy programs.

The Yale-ONE partnership will begin in 2012, with the YASC Africa Project in Cape Coast and Yamoransa, Ghana, July 27–Aug. 7, 2012.
ONE policy experts, advocacy leaders, and field organizers will join with over 100 Yale alumni in Ghana. The project features direct service work with community partners, organized with AFS-Ghana, including teaching with a summer school program, a medical clinic, community building projects, and micro-business consulting.

During the trip, ONE leaders will offer seminars for Yale volunteers about issues in West Africa and take corps members on site visits to examine agriculture, education, health care, and other sectors to experience the issues discussed in seminars. After they return home, Yale alumni can join in ONE campaigns for community development in sub-Saharan Africa.

Together, Yale and ONE can connect more people to Africa and motivate their ongoing involvement, building a larger group of influencers than either might on its own, note leaders from both organizations.
Co-founded by U2 lead singer Bono, ONE raises public awareness to support effective policies and programs that save lives, help put children in school, and improve the future for individuals and their communities.
Yale in recent years has pioneered alumni community service initiatives, with the AYA moving from an organization merely serving alumni to one that calls Yale graduates to lives of ongoing service in their home communities and across the world.

The alumni service corps began with work in the Dominican Republic in 2008. To date, six corps totaling more than 700 alumni, students, family, and friends have served in Mexico, Brazil, China, and the DR. Ranging in age from 19 to 85, corps members have worked with local partner organizations to offer health services, arts education, and business assistance.
"Service corps participants tell us they want to remain engaged as advocates when they return home, to take what they have learned and put it to ongoing use," says Mark Dollhopf, executive director of the Association of Yale Alumni. "ONE has a powerful track record of education and advocacy. Our partnership will leverage Yale's alumni network to address critical global challenges of poverty, health, and education through ONE's high-impact campaigns."
"We at ONE always say, 'We're not asking for your money; we're asking for your voice.' Likewise, the Yale alumni association encourages graduates to give their time and talent to strengthen community," notes Sheila Dix, U.S. executive director of ONE. "We're both about bringing people together to learn, serve, and develop human potential. Yale plus ONE can make a real difference in ongoing advocacy for African development."
Yale and ONE expect the initial project in 2012 both to inspire the development of future YASC programs and to serve as a template for ONE to work with other colleges and universities.

"Education is a gift that must be passed on if it is to have meaning," Dollhopf says. "Alumni associations increasingly recognize we have an urgent responsibility to inspire alumni to action. We hope Yale's partnership with ONE will provide a model of alumni engagement that our peers will adapt and use."
More information on the partners can be found on the Yale Alumni Association homepage, the Yale Alumni Service Corps website and the ONE website.

The end of vegging out?

2011-11-19T23:59:00.000-05:00

Maybe.
Do I suck?
Maybe.
And I already feel crummy about it.
After years of being a vegetarian, I am doing a meat month.
What does that mean?
It means I caved to pressure from someone in my life.
I'm not a follower but in this case the intense and long-lasting pressure and lectures made me decide to try something different.
The insistent voice of a committed carnivore is that I would feel better if I ate meat.
So far all I feel is guilt. How could I not?
Just listen to news stories about how we treat food animals.
The Associated Press reports this week about one farm: "... images shot by Mercy for Animals showed a worker swinging a bird around by its feet, hens packed into cramped cages, male chicks being tossed into plastic bags to suffocate and workers cutting off the tips of chicks' beaks."
For the love of God.

Kudos to McDonald's and Target for seeing this and taking action.
But the person in my family promised I would feel better. So I promised a month.
So far I feel crummy.

$5.5 Million for Yale Reforestation Program

2011-11-15T17:03:00.001-05:00

This is totally a press release, Why am I posting it as is? Because it's interesting and if I didn't you might not see it!

It was sent by David DeFusco, drector of Media Relations and Outreach and editor, Environment:Yale magazine. (Who by the way, I think is pretty cool) So these are his words! (not mine! Thanks David!)

NEW HAVEN —A Yale program that aims to restore tropical forests and the livelihoods that depend on them has received a six-year, $5.5 million grant by the Arcadia Fund to continue its work in Latin America and Southeast Asia.

The Environmental Leadership & Training Initiative (ELTI) for Biodiversity Conservation in Tropical Forest Regions trains environmental managers and local decision-makers to support conservation efforts where forests have been cleared and exploited in Borneo, Brazil, Colombia, Panama, the Philippines and Sumatra.

"With Arcadia's renewed support, ELTI will continue to empower and inspire conservation leaders in the tropics to restore and conserve forests and biodiversity in transformed landscapes," said Mark Ashton, ELTI's principal investigator and a forest ecologist at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.

Yale has directed the program in collaboration with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the National University of Singapore since 2006. The Arcadia Fund grant will extend the life of the program to 2018. Since its launch, ELTI has trained 2,293 people in the Neotropical countries of Brazil, Honduras, Panama and Peru, and in the Southeast Asian countries of Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.

Although the global rate of deforestation has slowed over the past decade, the tropics have been transformed by the industrial farming of soy, oil palm, tea, sugar cane and beef cattle, unsustainable logging, oil exploration, mining, infrastructure development, land cleared for subsistence farming and colonization, and forest fires sparked by these activities.

The grant will train government ministers, indigenous peoples, farmers and representatives of international conservation nongovernmental organizations to rejuvenate forests, which provide water, wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration and climate mitigation, open space and recreation, food and shelter.

The program also will restore and conserve thousands of hectares of remnant natural and secondary forests in the Philippines, Panama, Indonesia and Brazil, rehabilitate marginal agricultural lands with native tree species, and implement sustainable land uses, such as agroforestry and silvopastoral systems, in agricultural and cattle-ranching areas of the Philippines, Colombia, Brazil and Panama.

"These restored areas will be used to improve the connectivity between remaining patches of natural and secondary-growth forests and create riparian corridors that protect waterways and resources," said Ashton.

ELTI will also launch an online training program that will significantly expand the program's audience of university students and professionals worldwide on tropical forest restoration and conservation on transformed lands. Web-based training is increasingly being used to reach people who are unable to take part in formal academic programs or who are better served by programs that provide greater flexibility.

Beginning next April, the program will add more than 40 courses, workshops and conferences in the Neotropics and tropical Asia, reaching 2,500 more decision-makers and practitioners. ELTI will also support more than 50 alumni of the program to put into practice forest restoration and conservation initiatives.

"We're grateful for the Arcadia Fund's support, because it will allow ELTI to rehabilitate lands that are critical to the health of the planet and whole societies," said Peter Crane, dean of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.

Arcadia is the charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin. Since its inception in 2001 Arcadia has awarded grants in excess of $200 million. Arcadia (www.arcadiafund.org.uk/) works to protect endangered culture and nature. For more information about ELTI, visit http://environment.yale.edu/elti/.

Snowtober is over but the power is still out

2011-10-31T11:53:00.002-04:00

Free Film Series starts with "Vanishing of the Bees"

2011-10-17T18:34:00.001-04:00

What's not to love about bees?

Peabody Museum to Screen Audubon CT Film Series

Free Admission

Film screening: Vanishing of the Bees

Wednesday, October 26

6:00 p.m. Meet representatives from local environmental organizations

7:00 p.m. Introduction and screening of the film, running time 90 minutes

Third floor auditorium, Yale Peabody Museum, 170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven

Cost: FREE

On Wednesday, October 26, at 7:00 p.m., the Yale Peabody Museum will screen Vanishing of the Bees, the first of four environmental films focusing on the health of waterways, harmful effects of toxins in the environment and environmental stewardship. Representatives from local environmental organizations will be at each of the film screenings to speak with the public about the Quinnipiac River watershed and the work they are doing to protect.

Film Synopsis

Honeybees have been mysteriously disappearing across the planet, literally vanishing from their hives. Known as Colony Collapse Disorder, this phenomenon has brought beekeepers to crisis in an industry responsible for producing apples, almonds, watermelon, avocados, cherries and a hundred other fruits and vegetables. Commercial honeybee operations pollinate crops that by some measures make up one out of every three bites of food on our tables.

Vanishing of the Bees follows commercial beekeepers David Hackenberg and Dave Mendes as they strive to keep their bees healthy and fulfill pollination contracts across the U.S. The film explores the struggles they face as the two friends plead their case on Capitol Hill and travel across the Pacific Ocean in the quest to protect their honeybees. As scientists puzzle over the cause, organic beekeepers indicate alternative reasons for this tragic loss. Conflicting options abound and after years of research, a definitive answer has not been found to this harrowing mystery.

The films are part of a series hosted by Audubon Connecticut and made possible by support from the Quinnipiac River Fund in partnership with the Yale Peabody Museum, Wallingford Public Library and Quinnipiac River Watershed Association (QRWA). Films will be screened at all locations during the next few months. The remaining schedule for the Peabody screenings is as follows:

November 12, at 1:00 p.m.: Green Fire, Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time

December 9, at 7:00 p.m.: Living Downstream

April, 2012, date and time to be determined: The Work of 1,000

Visit QRWA's website, www.qrwa.org, for screening times at other locations.

PHOTO: Honeybee (Apis mellifera), photo by Rob Flynn, ARS, USDA

'Rare Manuscript Sheds Light on Elizabethan Education'

2011-09-22T10:48:00.002-04:00

How cool is this? It came from a press release - and who knew Oedipus was still so popular!?

NEW HAVEN — Yale said in a statement that "to celebrate the centenary of its founding, the Elizabethan Club at Yale has acquired a unique late-16th-century manuscript version of the Oedipus tragedy, which sheds light on the social and cultural history and pedagogical practices in England at the turn of the 17th century."

"An international conference of scholars will discuss the significance of this rare example of an obscure genre, the 'schoolboys’ play,'" on Sept. 30 at the Whitney Humanities Center, 53 Wall St, the statement said.
The conference, which is free and open to the public, will include performances of scenes and music from the play, the statement said.
The statement said the play "was written for grammar school students as an exercise in the rhetorical arts," according to Yale professor Lawrence Manley, who organized the symposium, also in the statement.
"There are fewer than 10 “schoolboys’ plays” extant, and this is the only one that is hand-written."

“The play presents more questions than answers,” Manley said in the statement.
"It is unclear exactly when it was written and where it was performed, he notes, and looking at the document in the context of its times has much to reveal about how pupils were taught highly valued skills of oratory and appreciation for classical literature in the Elizabethan Age. Shakespeare’s grammar school education would have closely resembled that of the boys for whom this version of Oedipus was written, he says."

The first act of “A tragedy called Oedipus” is largely original material on the life of the hero, which, Manley speculates, might have been written by someone who had attended Cambridge University. Most of the rest of the play was reproduced verbatim from known verse translations of “Oedipus” by the Latin dramatist Seneca.

In addition to being a rare example of a hand-written dramatic work produced in post-printing-press England, “A tragedy called Oedipus” is also distinctive for incorporating Seneca’s drama into this type of exercise, says Manley. “Renaissance oral training in classics was common, but it included memorization and recitation rather than theatrical performance,” he notes.

The manuscript also includes a song, which uses a popular melody, long attributed to William Byrd, but now widely disputed by scholars, the statement said. Scenes from the play will be performed by students from the Yale School of Drama, and the song, “My little swete babie,” will be sung and discussed by Yale faculty member and distinguished mezzo-soprano Judith Malafronte, the statement said.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.

Do you hate the 'new' Facebook look?

2011-09-21T13:08:00.001-04:00

Seems like a whole lot of folks do....and here is what some of them are saying:

Heard it in a love song

2011-09-08T15:00:00.001-04:00

How cool is this? Waving his tail attracts the lady birds.

Yale researchers note: "The courtship songs of the male Anna’s hummingbird are produced by his tail feathers during a steep aerial dive nearby the object of his affection."
But even better, according to a press release: "Yale University scientists show that the song - and therefore the mating success of the hummingbird - depends upon the exact aerodynamic relationship of two of the bird’s outer tail feathers."
This is the Sept. 9 issue of the journal Science, the statement says, and "Yale scientists use high-speed video in wind tunnels and animation to show how exactly how the feathers act upon each other to produce this song of love."
(Yale authors of the paper are Christopher J. Clark and Richard O. Prum, the statement said)

And you really can hear the quiet little love song in this really well-narrated video:

Like to run?

2011-09-07T11:02:00.000-04:00

Then lace up your running shoes as it looks like Trailblazer has something that might interest you.

Their Fall Running Series begin Sept. 16.

I found out about this from Trailblazer- Denali - Enclave staffer Tony DaSilva, who often sings the praises of New Haven and surrounding areas. (and what's not to love about that!)

And they are still lokking for suggestions for places for the running series to hit, because as they say "New Haven is a runner’s paradise."

Learn more here.

Halloween in New Haven. What could be better?

2011-09-06T21:00:00.002-04:00

Well vegetarians do eat pumpkins, right? (Plus, I think Nick Bellantoni is really cool)

NEW HAVEN — The New Haven Museum, 14 Whitney Ave., downtown, will present free programs in October that celebrate Halloween in New Haven.

- Oct. 7 and Oct. 21, the Smoking Gun Research Agency leads “Secrets of New Haven” tours, covering some of the spooky history behind the Green, Yale’s Old Campus and downtown. Tours begin at 5:30 p.m. at the World War I Memorial on the Green. They last about 1½ hours. Guests must register at 203-562-4183, ext. 11 or education@newhavenmuseum.org. Tour is appropriate for ages 10 and older. Rain dates are Oct. 14 and Oct. 28.

- Oct. 12, Nick Bellantoni, state archaeologist with the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History and Archaeology Center at the University of Connecticut, will speak at 6 p.m. on “Vampire Folk Belief in Historic New England” at the museum. Refreshments served. Limited parking is available behind the museum.

- Oct. 15, the museum and New Haven Bird Club present a tour 8-10 a.m. through Evergreen Cemetery, 769 Ella T. Grasso Blvd., exploring its history, some of the famous New Haveners buried here, and the variety of birds that pass through the area.Meet at the main office, the first stone building on the left after the main entrance. Parking is available at the cemetery. The cemetery is handicapped-accessible.

For more information, contact Michelle Cheng, director of education, at 203-562-4183, ext. 11 or education@newhavenmuseum.org.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.

From one Irene to another

2011-08-31T06:08:00.001-04:00

It's such a tough week in Connecticut and the storm brought home how dependant we are on power for nearly everything we do every day.
I was at an office yesterday where a woman went into the bathroom and said she was going to use it because she wanted "to go where there's light" before she headed home to a house where except for daylight she had been in the dark since Irene wreaked havoc on so many lives.
She was upbeat about it because she had plenty of gas in her grill and loves board games.
I have to admit I have some 'survivor's guilt' at this point because despite what turned out to be part of a tree hitting my house, there was no damage and the power came on again almost right away. I was not home at the time as we were covering Irene, and my husband chopped it up enough to get most of it cleaned up so far. The other big tree that fell from our neighbor's yard into mine can wait.
The phone was off for a couple days and the phone company told me Monday is would be eight days before they could come and fix it, but in fact they came yesterday and it's fixed. The cable went back on quickly too.
But who cares about my cable or phone when so many people in the state are suffering real hardship because so much of the electrical grid is still out.
Irene, you really stank.
From from this Helen Irene, to the monster Irene: Many people are helping each other and I think that shows the true Connecticut spirit you could not break.
If I can help anyone tell their story of Irene and it's aftermath, please let me know.

Let the babies eat in peace

2011-06-28T10:07:00.000-04:00

I’ll get right to the point.
It really bugs me that we still need to discuss breast-feeding at all.
But here we are – about 10,000 years or so away from our more primitive selves – and acting like breast-feeding a baby is something new.
While outsourcing it to another woman might have been in gross vogue for a time in history, it seems to me that there would be no human history without those amazing body parts known as mammary glands.
Yet everyone seems to act like it’s something new, every time a new baby comes along.
Take baby Emmy. A lovely baby – and I am not biased despite being her aunt by marriage. I just can’t get over how lovely she is, in fact.
And Emmy needs to eat. To me, seeing her mama breast-feed her is a beautiful thing: It’s nature at its best, a mother using her own body to nourish her young.
But whip out that breast – even demurely covered with a blanket as Emmy’s mom does – and the conversation begins.
Stories about seeing other moms breast-feed, fleetingly covered eyes as if some of the intelligent and educated men in the room had never seen a breast, all are part of the experience. Ridiculous.
Why?
According to the CDC’s “Breastfeeding Report Card 2010,” The most recent CDC data show that 3 out of every 4 new mothers in the United States now starts out breastfeeding. The United States has now met the Healthy People 2010 national objective for breastfeeding initiation.”
That’s the good news.
There’s bad news too.
The report goes on to say: “However, rates of breastfeeding at 6 and 12 months as well as rates of exclusive breastfeeding at 3 and 6 months remain stagnant and low.”
In a rather big ‘duh’ it also says: “…even from the very start, mothers may not be getting the breastfeeding support they need. Low breastfeeding rates at 3, 6, and 12 months illustrate that mothers continue to face multiple barriers to breastfeeding.”
Seems to me that one of these barriers is our own attitudes.
Recently, some moms even felt they needed to band together for a "nurse-in" to show the world babies get hungry everywhere, and that Connecticut law recognizes that fact.
As long as breast-feeding continues to be something we need to deal with by telling uncomfortable stories and to give awkward glances, things are not going to change.

Feed the birds what they crave!

2011-06-22T11:12:00.005-04:00

An ick-free solution to serve backyard birds the 'candy' they're craving – dried mealworms
By Joan Casanova

Think about your favorite restaurant. Sure, you probably enjoy the ambiance and service, but it's really the delicious food that keeps you going back, right? When it comes to attracting birds to your backyard this season, keep in mind the same principle applies for them. They'll appreciate the water and shelter you provide, but what will really bring them back year after year will be the quality and variety of the food they find in your backyard.

Seed and suet are staples, and birds will reward you for serving them by flocking to your outdoor oasis. Keep in mind, suet is not just for winter anymore, no-melt formulas make it the perfect protein for warm weather feeding too. But if you really want to wow them, serve mealworms. What you may consider utterly icky – mealworms – is like candy to the birds. And not only are mealworms delectable to your feathered friends, they're an important source of much needed nutrition during a season that is vital to birds' survival.

Warm months are crucial for backyard birds. Their long migration north can leave them fatigued, stressed and depleted. Then as soon as they arrive in their spring and summer habitat, they must begin the arduous process of finding a mate, staking out their territory, building a nest and raising their young – all while hunting for food. And they have just a few short months to raise their young before it's time to migrate again in anticipation of cold weather. Before your feathered friends show up, make sure all feeders, baths and houses are in good repair and clean. A quick rinsing with bleach, warm water and detergent gets rid of dirt, grime and mold. Then, think about the menu.

If you already serve a seed brand that's natural, not washed or coated with chemicals or mineral oil, and doesn't include cheap filler seeds, you're on the right track. Add in some succulent suet and you have the makings of a dining dream for backyard birds. Now push it over the top by adding dried mealworms to the birdie buffet.
High in protein, fat and potassium, mealworms help birds maintain energy. They're favorites for species like bluebirds, flickers, woodpeckers, nuthatches, siskins and chickadees, and are a perfect food source for new born nestlings. However, it can be much harder for humans to see the appeal; after all, we don't usually seek out the company of grubs and larvae. And handling live mealworms is probably not a welcomed bird feeding experience even for the most committed bird enthusiasts.
In the past, it was difficult for bird fans to provide a supply of mealworms for their feathered friends. But freeze-dried varieties, like Cole's Dried Mealworms have made it easy to serve this nutritious, much-loved treat year round. Freeze-dried mealworms provide all the nutritional benefits of fresh ones and are easy to store and serve. It's also a great way to serve birds something they love without having to endure the "ick factor" of live mealworms. There are a variety of feeders specifically made for serving mealworms, or you can blend with your seed mixes and add to any feeder. Either way, the birds will benefit from the nutritional value of these high protein-packed treats and you'll satisfy their craving, keeping them coming back for more!
With a little preparation and the right blend of food, water and shelter, you can fill your backyard with the bright colors and welcome song of birds all season – and give your feathered friends the help they need to thrive throughout the year. If birds arrive at a well-stocked and well-prepared backyard, they will not only stay for the summer, but probably return the following spring. For more information on top quality seed, suet and mealworms visit http://www.coleswildbird.com/

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.

Weizmann Institute Observatory Captures Images of a New Supernova

2011-06-06T19:13:00.001-04:00

Well heck this is interesting.....

REHOVOT, ISRAEL—Exploding stars are the "factories" that produce all the heavy elements found, among other places, in our bodies. In this sense, we are all stardust. These exploding stars – supernovae – are highly energetic events that can occasionally light up the night sky. Such an explosion generally involves disruption in the balance between gravity – which pulls the star's material inward – and the thermonuclear reaction at the star's core – which heats it and pushes it outward.

Certain types of stars that go in this way have a much bigger mass (10-100 times) and are much younger than our sun. In them, the nuclear reaction begins like that of our sun – fusing hydrogen into helium – but the fusion then continues, producing heavier and heavier elements. The nuclear reaction eventually stops with iron, as there is no energy benefit to the star to fuse the heavier atoms, and the balance between gravity and thermonuclear activity comes to a halt. Gravity then takes over, and the mass of the star collapses quickly, releasing so much energy in the process that the explosion ensues. The star hurls its outer layers into space, and a new "bright star" appears in the night sky where none was seen before. Just such a new star was observed in the night sky between May 31 and June 1 in a spiral arm of our galaxy's close neighbor, M51.

The first to identify the supernova were amateur astronomers in France, and soon after it was detected by the PTF Sky Survey, in which Weizmann Institute scientists participate. The phenomenon was also photographed in the new Martin Kraar Observatory at the Weizmann Institute, as well as in Tel Aviv University's Wise Observatory in Mitzpe Ramon. Israel's place on the globe enables its scientists to follow supernova events when it is daytime for many other observers, and thus to add significantly to the data collection.

The new supernova is being studied by an international team of researchers, including Dr. Avishay Gal-Yam and his research team including Drs. Ofer Yaron, David Polishook and Dong Xu, research students Iair Arcavi and Sagi Ben Ami and Director of the Kraar Observatory, Ilan Manulis, all of the Weizmann Institute's Particle Physics and Astrophysics Department, as well as scientists from the US, England, Canada and other countries. They have already noted that the material thrown into space in the explosion contains a wide variety of elements. The mix they observed is atypical of supernova events at such an early stage of the explosion, and they plan to investigate this phenomenon.

The last supernova observed in M51 (which is a mere 26 million light years away) occurred in 2005. Supernovae are thought to appear about once in 100 years in any given galaxy. The high occurrence in M51 can be explained by its interaction with a nearby galaxy, which causes the process of massive star formation to accelerate, thus increasing the rate of collapse and explosion, as well.

Gal-Yam: "We invite any amateur astronomers who may have viewed the event to send us their time-dated photos. Collaboration with amateurs is very important to us and, in this case, it might help us pinpoint the exact time of the explosion."

Any photos of the M51 galaxy taken between May 30 and June 2 can be sent to ptf11eon@gmail.com. If the image is used in scientific publications, contributors will receive credit.

Dr. Avishay Gal-Yam's research is supported by the Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Astrophysics; the Yeda-Sela Center for Basic Research; the Legacy Heritage Fund Program of the Israel Science Foundation; the Peter and Patricia Gruber Awards; and The Lord Sieff of Brimpton Memorial Fund.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. It is unedited here.

Caution to Motorists Regarding Moose

2011-05-31T14:41:00.000-04:00

I do not want to run into one of these big guys on the road, of course, but I would love to spot one elsewhere! In any case, this is news you should know about, from the state DEP:

In the wake of recent moose sightings in the vicinity of roadways, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection urges drivers to use extra caution.

DEP wildlife and law enforcement officials said motorists on the Merrit Parkway and Interstate 84 in western Connecticut should be extra vigilant as moose have been reported in these areas.

On Monday, May 30 DEP Environmental Conservation Police responded to a moose sighting at 46 Porter Hill Road in Trumbull near the Route 25 and the Merritt Parkway and moose have been reported near I-84 near Waterbury and Bethel in the last week.

The DEP encourages residents to report moose sightings to the DEP's 24-hour dispatch line at (860) 424-3333.

Connecticut's moose population continues to grow steadily and the DEP estimates that more than 100 currently reside in the state, primarily in the northern towns where most of the moose-related accidents have occurred. However, individual moose can travel long distances, which means they will continue to expand southward into populated areas where vehicle traffic density is much higher. As a consequence, the likelihood of hitting a moose on Connecticut roadways is expected to increase in southern portions of the state.

Tips for Driving in Areas Where Moose Are Spotted:

Stay alert, especially around dawn, dusk and after dark when moose are most active. Because moose are 6 feet tall at the shoulders, your headlights typically will not show any "eye shine" from a moose,
Use caution during spring (May-July) and fall (September-November). During these months, moose are most active,
Drive within the posted speed limit,
Use high beams whenever possible to improve visibility, and,
Wear your seat belt.

Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed. It is unedited here.

Peabody Botany Courses: Plant it and they will come!

2011-05-25T15:52:00.001-04:00

Loved this release from the Peabody!

Andy Brand, manager of Broken Arrow Nursery and past president of the Connecticut Butterfly Association, and Peabody educator Jim Sirch team up to help students learn the common groups of butterflies found in Connecticut as well as how to attract them to the yard with plants that are truly "butterfly magnets." The event is 6 to 8 p.m. June 8 at Yale Peabody Museum, 170 Whitney Ave, New Haven.

Fee: $20 members, $24 nonmembers; Registration required at 203.432.3775 or peabody.education@yale.edu<mailto:peabody.education@yale.edu>.

Also:

WILDFLOWERS OF NEW ENGLAND, Thursdays, June 9, 16, 23, 5:30-7pm; Saturday field trips, June 11 & 18, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Botanist Lauren Brown teaches this course in plant identification with a focus on the family characteristics, growth patterns, habitats and pollination mechanisms of native wild flowers. This is a core course in the New England Wild Flower Society's Certificate in Native Plant Studies Program. Fee: $142 members, $150 nonmembers. Registration required at 203.432.3775 or peabody.education@yale.edu<mailto:peabody.education@yale.edu>.

2011 Farm-to-Chef Week Sept. 18-24

2011-05-23T11:52:00.001-04:00

This is a press release and it does mention meat - but hey it also includes vegetables!

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture announced today that this year's Farm-to-Chef Week will run September 18-24, 2011. Open to all restaurants and food service businesses in the state, participants are invited to create and offer their own special Farm-to-Chef menu that showcases Connecticut Grown ingredients and wines.

The seven-day promotion is an initiative of the department's Farm-to-Chef Program, which connects Connecticut farmers and distributors of Connecticut Grown products with chefs and other culinary professionals. Last year's Farm-to-Chef week attracted over 80 restaurants, caterers, institutions, schools, farms, wineries, and various dining venues. Participants created unique, diverse menus that were offered at multi-course farm dinners, food-trucks, white-tablecloth restaurants, coffee and breakfast shops, school cafeterias, and ice cream parlors. Featured Connecticut Grown ingredients included fruits, vegetables, herbs, meats, seafood, dairy, maple, honey, and more.

"Many Farm-to-Chef members already serve locally grown and raised ingredients," said Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky. "What's special about this week is that it inspires even greater creativity, brings attention to the cause on a state-wide level, and encourages businesses that are new to the program to give local products a try. It also gives the public a chance to sample and savor our state's many local flavors and support restaurants and businesses that they may not have ever visited before," he explained.

Restaurants and other food venues who are interested in participating can download the guidelines and registration forms from the Department of Agriculture's website, www.CTGrown.gov (look under featured links). The deadline to register is June 30, 2011.

For more information, please contact Linda Piotrowicz at Linda.Piotrowicz@ct.gov or 860-713-2558.

The CT Farm-to-Chef Program helps connect Connecticut chefs and food service professionals with growers, producers, and distributors of CT grown products. It also helps the public to discover restaurants, institutions, and other dining facilities that serve foods prepared with CT grown ingredients. Please visit www.CTGrown.gov and click on "Programs and Services" for more information.

Backyard Birding by Ear

2011-05-16T14:47:00.001-04:00

This sounds like such a great event! I'm totally tone deaf so would likely not be able to pick a warbler from a wren as far as their calls, but what a lovely day it would be to spend in the very lovely Sharon.

Audubon Sharon will present "Backyard Birding by Ear" at 8 a.m. June 4 at the Miles Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon, Conn.

"Northwest Connecticut has the highest diversity of breeding birds in the country and they rely on our forests and backyards to raise their young," the agency said in a statement.

"One of the best ways to know the birds in your backyard is to learn their songs. There is nothing more satisfying than associating a familiar song with a particular bird as you sit on your deck or work in the garden."

After participating in the program, participants will be able to identify the "Top 20" backyard birds with their ears just by tuning into their songs, the statement said.

The program will be led by Scott Heth and Laurie Fortin and held at the beautiful Miles Wildlife Sanctuary, 99 West Cornwall Road, Sharon.

Cost is $10 per person. Refreshments will be served and reservations are required as seating is limited. To reserve a spot, contact the Center at (860) 364-0520.

A shot and a chaser

2011-05-15T10:08:00.000-04:00

I vaguely recall my mother telling us stories about her mother – my dear Grammie, (she was uber cool and a pic of her is below) who would have turned 107 this year on June 24 and I still miss her – making her kids take shots of cod liver oil.

Yuck. But it seems like Grammie was probably right, as fatty acids are all the rage – try Googling omega-3s and see what happens.

But what’s a vegetarian to do? There is no fish Friday in the calendar of a veggie – (yes, Grammie had that too) or any fish day for that matter.

While not every health expert agrees that taking supplements is necessarily the right thing to do, I have chosen to take some. One of them is flax oil.

But if you look at the label of most flax oil ‘pill’ supplements, they contain gelatin. This is not a vegetarian substance as it is made from parts of animals.

So what is the answer?

Various stores have flax oil in a bottle. No pills, no gelatin, no animals.

Just a shot and a chaser.

One tomato, two tomatoes

2011-05-10T16:52:00.001-04:00

I really liked Joan Casanova's column on Veggin' Out by panting a garden. so here is another one by her on tomatoes. And yes, it promotes a certain bran of tomatoes, (and I left those parts in) as I thought it was interesting to learn about these different types.

I also loved learning about tomatoes because my friend Val gave me - verbaly a recipe for roasted tomatoes that I tried and everyone liked. (slice and roast fresh tomatoes, drop a couple drops of olive oil on them and a blob of pesto, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and reroast briefly until cheese melts. You're done)

Heirloom or Hybrid?

Yes, you really can have the best of both worlds—when you grow both heirloom and hybrid tomatoes. Choose hybrid tomatoes for their improved productivity and performance. Add a few heirloom plants for variety and flavorful additions to family mealtime.

Hybrids

What are they? Plant breeders intentionally cross-pollinate two different varieties or species of tomatoes, aiming to produce an offspring (a hybrid) containing the best traits of the two parents. Cross-pollination is a natural process of crosses within the same plant species. All Bonnie hybrids are non-GMO (genetically modified organisms).

Hybrid tomatoes were originally developed by crossing two different varieties of tomatoes together to create a plant with the best qualities of both parent varieties. Over time those traits were carefully bred into the plants, resulting in plants that are healthy, vigorous and resistant to common tomato illnesses, fungus infections and garden pests. This selective breeding is still continuing, and growers are constantly striving for plants that are able to grow well even in poor conditions. There are many different hybrid varieties of tomatoes on the market, and it is important for gardeners to choose the type that will work best in their own garden.

Why should I grow them? In general, hybrids offer some combination of these favorable traits: dependability, lower care, early maturity, better yield, improved flavor, specific plant size, or disease resistance. A classic example is the Bonnie Original tomato developed in 1967, offering great taste and productivity along with improved disease resistance.

Heirlooms: Heirloom vegetable varieties are really gaining in popularity. A lot of passionate gardeners swear by the flavor of these old varieties. But it's not just diehard heirloom lovers who are growing heirlooms. According to the National Gardening Association, one in five American households with a yard or garden report an interest in heirloom fruits, berries, and vegetables. Bonnie Plants has carried several heirloom varieties for many years, and this year they've added a few more to their list of heirloom tomatoes, including Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, and Chocolate Cherry (shown at left).

What are they? Heirlooms come from seed that has been handed down for generations in a particular region or area, hand-selected by gardeners for a special trait. Heirloom vegetables are open-pollinated, which means they're non-hybrid and pollinated by insects or wind without human intervention.

Heirlooms have wonderful flavor, firm texture and exhibit unique colors and shapes. Unlike hybrid varieties, where the seeds cannot be used over and over again, gardeners can save the seeds from their heirloom tomatoes and plant them again the next year. These delicious heirloom tomatoes were developed over a long period of time, grown in isolated gardens to keep them from mixing with hybrid seeds. As a result heirloom tomatoes have developed a number of unique characteristics, including their unique meaty appearance and rich taste.

In order to grow heirloom tomatoes successfully gardeners will need to pay careful attention to the needs of each plant and choose a variety that is well suited to their environment. There are many varieties of heirloom tomatoes on the market, so it should be possible to find a great tomato that is perfect for your needs.

It is also important to keep in mind that heirloom tomatoes require a little bit of extra care and vigilance from the gardener. While many hybrid varieties have been specially bred to resist disease and thrive in poor growing conditions, heirloom tomatoes have not.

Why should I grow them? Heirlooms boast interesting flavor. Bonnie's Heirloom Tomatoes are clearly marked on plant tags and trays. Heirlooms typically bear a tale that's as tasty as the produce. Arkansas Traveler is a Southern favorite, originating in Northwest Arkansas prior to 1900 and finding its way across the South. This beauty yields delicious tomatoes under Southern summer conditions.

Black Tomatoes: Dark mahogany tones, delicate blend of sugar and acid, rich complexity—sounds like descriptions from a wine tasting, right? Maybe, but these phrases are also being used to characterize a subset of heirloom tomatoes—the Black Tomatoes. Varieties like Black Prince, have dark skin, from burgundy red to deep blackish-purple. They also have rich taste that often win top prizes in tomato taste tests.

Choosing between Heirloom or Hybrid Tomatoes for the Home Garden: Bonnie Plants recommends planting both heirlooms and hybrids in your garden. While heirlooms have unique flavor, color and interesting histories, many of them won't match the high yield of fruit and disease resistance of hybrids and some may be susceptible to disease.

Connecticut Citizens Receive Prestigious Regional EPA Environmental Award

2011-05-10T16:44:00.001-04:00

This is a press release. But I thought it was interesting and cool that Conn. folks are being lauded for caring about the environment. So here it is and it's not edited.

BOSTON - Three Connecticut citizens and two environmental groups from the Nutmeg State will be honored tomorrow in Boston's Faneuil Hall as EPA presented its annual Environmental Merit Awards for 2011.

The merit awards, recognizing valuable contributions to environmental awareness and problem solving, are a unique way that EPA can recognize individuals and groups that are making significant impacts on environmental quality in distinct ways.

Awarded by EPA since 1970, the merit awards honor individuals and groups who have shown particular ingenuity and commitment in their efforts to preserve the region's environment. This year's competition drew 56 nominations from across New England.

Awards were given in the following categories: individual; business (including professional organizations); local, state or federal government; and environmental, community, academia or nonprofit organization. Each year, EPA also may present lifetime achievement awards for individuals.

More information on all Environmental Merit Award Winners from this year and past years is available at: http://www.epa.gov/region1/ra/ema/index.html

The Environmental Merit Award Winners from Connecticut are:

Lifetime Achievement Environmental Merit Award:

Richard Harris and Peter Fraboni
Richard Harris, Director, and Peter Fraboni, Associate Director, have dedicated their careers to the environment. They established Harbor Watch/River Watch (HW/RW) in 1986 as a citizen's monitoring program that gathered data on hypoxia in local harbors. In 1993, the organization became part of Earthplace, a nature and science museum with a mission to educate the community about the environment. Founded in 1958 and accredited by The American Association of Museums, Earthplace maintains a 62-acre wildlife sanctuary with exhibits, trails and an interactive natural history museum, complete with wildlife dioramas and live wildlife for public viewing. It also hosts public nature programs and events.

Harbor Watch/River Watch connects science and action, identifying problems in watersheds and interacting with experts equipped to remediate them. There have been many successes over the past 23 years, and the program has expanded to include dozens of volunteers, mentors and interns. Each year several students spend time learning and conducting important monitoring and sample collection. During 2009 and 2010, HW/RW hosted more than 40 students, giving them a base of education for their continued learning.

Some of the organization's annual activities and achievements include cleanups of local tributaries; monitoring tributaries for various chemical, physical and microbial parameters; organizing a local Earth Day event by inviting many vendors and developing educational displays; hosting kayak trips educating the public about the local tributaries and their resources; and conducting resource studies and population surveys for fisheries, lobster, freshwater invertebrates as well as including water quality testing for dissolved oxygen (DO), nutrients, and phosphorus. Recent achievements include establishing a water quality laboratory that was certified by the State of Connecticut and the EPA along Norwalk Harbor to monitor water quality from the Norwalk River to the harbor and identified pipes. Results were used to monitor pollution to the nearby bathing beaches and shell fishing areas of Long Island Sound.

Leslie J. Mehrhoff (posthumous)
The late Leslie J. Mehrhoff of Willington, Conn. was an outstanding botanist who was well known in Connecticut, New England and the nation. He was an accomplished and enthusiastic naturalist and received his graduate training at the University of Connecticut. He worked for many years with Connecticut's Department of Environmental Protection before becoming the manager of the Torrey Herbarium at the University of Connecticut. During his career, Les inspired, encouraged, mentored and educated many people, influencing botanists, biologists, legislators, students and gardeners young and old. His innumerable presentations on biodiversity and the importance of protecting species and their natural communities included his renowned high-quality photographs. He worked tirelessly to protect endangered species and to prevent the negative impacts from invasive species. In recent years, he traveled to China to promote control of invasive species. He had a spirited sense of humor, and his sense of wonder about the natural world gave him a childlike innocence. Les' life work made incalculable contributions to the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems throughout Connecticut and New England. He was instrumental in gaining passage of Connecticut's Endangered Species statutes, in publishing The Connecticut Butterfly Atlas and in development of The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Connecticut, and The Atlas of Ground Beetles of Connecticut (Coleoptera: Carabidae, excluding Cicindelini). He retired in 2009 and passed away in 2010.

Mark Mitchell, M.D., MPH
Founder and President of the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice, with local chapters in Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport, Dr. Mitchell has worked in the environmental and public health sector for over 20 years, providing assistance to low-income and communities of color. He has dedicated his life to teaching these impacted communities ways to reduce and/or prevent disproportionately higher rates of disease. Through grassroots organizing and leadership development in low-income urban communities, Dr. Mitchell has demonstrated a sustained commitment to improving the environment and public health.

During his four years as Director of the City of Hartford's Health Department, Dr. Mitchell became increasingly aware that many diseases on the rise were linked to the environment and took steps to address this. He lobbied the Connecticut General Assembly for creation of a statewide asthma data collection system and persuaded the City of Hartford to declare an Asthma Emergency, which funded projects to address the high rates of asthma in Hartford. One is the Asthma Speakers Bureau, which educates communities on environmental contributors to asthma and how to best manage the disease. In addition, Dr. Mitchell leveraged the ordinance with a recycling facility permit application that prompted the Connecticut Resource Recovery Authority to retrofit their heavy duty diesel equipment at all their solid waste treatment and storage facilities and to fund the installation of diesel retrofits on 27 municipal solid waste trucks which now run 90% cleaner.

In 2008, Dr. Mitchell collaborated with approximately 30 organizations to enact the state's first environmental justice law that defines environmental justice communities, specifies major pollution facilities and requires enhanced public outreach prior to any permit decision by the state DEP and the Connecticut Siting Council. It encourages industry, the local chief elected official and the environmental justice community to negotiate an environmental benefit agreement to offset potential additional pollution emissions or burdens associated with the proposed permit. Working with the Coalition for a Safe & Healthy CT, his efforts helped pass legislation to reduce lead and asbestos in children's toys sold in the state that same year.

Dr. Mitchell has served on the U.S. EPA's National Environmental Justice Advisory Board and is currently a member of the U.S. EPA's National Advisory Council on Environmental Policy and Technology, as well as Chair of the Community Advocacy, Leadership and Research Group of the US CDC/ATSDR National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures. He is the founding member of the City of Hartford's Commission on the Environment and a member of the Capital Region Council of Government's Transportation Committee.

Environmental, Community, Academia, & Non-profit Organizations Environmental Merit Award:

Green Village Initiative
Dan Levinson, Westport, Conn.

The Town of Westport, Conn., and its neighbors are impressed by the work of Dan Levinson with the Green Village Initiative. In three years, he engaged an enthusiastic group of volunteers to work to protect the environment, including scientists, academics, business leaders, activists, media professionals, artists, government representatives and students. The Green Village Initiative focuses on projects with the best chance of success, including development of an historic town farm and creation of a sustainability center; promotion of community supported agriculture; creation of an edible garden at Westport High School and supervised construction of community and school gardens in Bridgeport. The group also helped Westport Public Library transform its café into a model of healthy local food and rehabilitated Westport's Sherwood Mill Pond preserve. None of this would have happened without Dan, who got it going and keeps it moving forward.

North Haven Citizens' Advisory Panel
North Haven, Conn.

Annette Gattilia, Rico Gattilia, Miriam Brody, David Monz, Hugh Davis, Tom Roberts
In 1979, Annette and Rico Gattilia of North Haven first raised concerns about site contamination at the Pharmacia & Upjohn Company at 41 Stiles Lane in North Haven. Manufacturing areas, lagoons and waste piles had become contaminated during the 150 years of industrial operations; operations ended in 1993. Work by the Gattilias to educate the public about this site ultimately led to an EPA cleanup. Over the next three decades, the Gattilias remained committed to keeping the community informed and finding a remedy. In 1995, the North Haven Citizens' Advisory Panel was formed by the town as a conduit between the community and the company. Annette and Rico were founding members of the panel, along with Miriam Brody, David Monz, Hugh Davis, Tom Roberts and several other residents. Since then, the panel has met repeatedly with corporate representatives and state and federal regulators. The panel worked closely with Pfizer, the current site owner, to make sure the community took part in cleanup decisions. As a result, about 17 acres have been set aside for commercial or light industrial use, more than 60 acres are being restored for an ecological preserve, and an interpretive trail and new open space will be created on the banks of the Quinnipiac River. The North Haven Citizens' Advisory Panel provided the resolve needed to redevelop this site.

Follow EPA New England on Twitter: http://twitter.com/epanewengland

"The Truth About Advertising Junk Food to Children: It Works"

2011-05-09T10:46:00.001-04:00

This is a press release and I did not edit it - but posted it here because I think it is really interesting.

NEW HAVEN - Children exposed to advertisements for high-calorie and nutrient-poor foods consume more unhealthy foods overall, regardless of the specific product and brand being marketed, finds a new study from the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University. The study, published in Economics and Human Biology, shows a relationship between children's exposure to food advertising on television and the consumption of unhealthy food, particularly sugar-sweetened beverages and fast food.

Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), a nationally representative dataset, the study tracked food consumption patterns and Body Mass Index (BMI) among nearly 10,000 children in the fifth grade. The children's BMI were obtained through height and weight measurements, and food consumption patterns were reported by the children themselves. Nielsen, a media research company, provided data on spot television advertising of cereals, fast food restaurants, and soft drinks to children aged 6-11. Once all data were garnered, researchers examined the associations between exposure to television advertising across the top 55 designated markets and children's food consumption and BMI.
The findings reveal that television advertising of sugar-sweetened beverages and fast food is associated with increased overall consumption of these products among elementary school children. Exposure to 100 television ads for sugar-sweetened soft drinks was associated with a 9.4% rise in the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. The same increase in exposure to fast food advertising was associated with a 1.1% rise in children's consumption of fast food. While there was no detectable impact of advertising exposure on children of average body weight, fast food advertising was significantly associated with higher BMI for those children who were overweight and obese.

"Unhealthy foods are most commonly advertised to children. Since exposure to this type of advertising is associated with increased consumption, children's diets are directly impacted with potential long-term effects on BMI and health, especially among the heaviest children," said lead author Tatiana Andreyeva, Ph.D., the Rudd Center's director of economic initiatives.

"This study provides direct evidence that food marketing to children influences much more than their preferences for one brand over another," noted co-author Jennifer L. Harris, Ph.D., M.B.A., the Rudd Center's director of marketing initiatives. "It also contributes to greater consumption of fast food and sugary beverages, two of the least nutritious product categories commonly advertised to children."

The study was funded by grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Rudd Foundation.

Veggin’ out’ is so in: Tips for starting your own veggie garden

2011-05-04T13:32:00.000-04:00

By Joan Casanova

Vegetable and herb gardening is in and studies indicate it will continue to grow in popularity. If you're not growing your own yet it's time to start. Why? The reasons are as varied as the people who garden.

Some do it to save money. Others want to ensure their food is chemical-free, and as safe as possible. Still others grow their own vegetables because fresher is just better. Many do it because gardening is good for you and some because it's still fun to play in the dirt.

Whatever your reason for opting to join the 7 million Americans who grabbed their gardening gear and grew their own vegetables and herbs last year, your road to success is basically the same as everyone else's - planting at the right time, making sure your soil's in shape, weeding and watering responsibly, and feeding and nurturing your plants. This season, you won't have to buy your fresh herbs and vegetables from a farmer's market; you can grow them on your own, and you don't need a farm-sized backyard - or pocketbook - to do it.

Avid gardener Stan Cope, president of Bonnie Plants, the largest producer of vegetable and herb plants http://www.bonnieplants.com/ in North America, growing locally in 75 locations nationwide, offers some time-saving tips to make the growing easy:

* Survey your soil - Your first step is to decide where you'll put your vegetable and herb garden. Good soil is key. The best soil is loam, a soft, dark, crumbly dirt. Loamy soil holds water, allows for drainage and is easy to dig. If you encounter clay or sandy soil, add peat moss and bone meal so that these soils can also be productive gardening bases.
* Size up your space - When plotting out the size of your garden, you'll want to be sure it's big enough to yield a good harvest to make your efforts worthwhile. But if you're limited on yard space - or have none at all - you can grow vegetables and herbs in containers on a deck, terrace, balcony or even on the windowsill.
* Let the sunshine in - Your plants need plenty of sun - at least six hours a day. A sunny and open location is your best bet for producing a plentiful harvest.
* Pick your plants for your plot - Grow vegetables that are expensive to buy in the grocery store or at the farmer's market, such as tomatoes and peppers.
A tried-and-true prolific producer, the Bonnie Original Tomato, was developed exclusively for Bonnie Plants in 1967. They come in environmentally friendly, biodegradable pots that you plant right into the soil. Recent trials, planting five of these tomato plants in 25-gallon containers, averaged 100 tomatoes each at an average of 37 pounds per plant. Another tomato that will tip the scales is Bonnie's Sun Sugar tomato, a yellow cherry type. Trial garden plants averaged 1,228 tomatoes each.
If peppers are your passion, the Yummy Bell Pepper, ripening from green to apricot orange, is a best bet. Trial garden testing of five plants averaged 248 peppers per plant during the summer growing season.
* Time-saving transplants - When you're ready to begin planting, opt for transplants - seedlings that have already been started - rather than starting from seed. Transplants will buy you lots of time because plants are six weeks or older when you put them in the ground, and you'll begin harvesting much sooner.

* Feed your food - Your vegetable plants will need food and water to survive and grow. When feeding plants, try to avoid chemical fertilizers that could potentially seep into groundwater. Bonnie Plant Food is a unique, organically based, soybean oilseed extract formula that has demonstrated superior results in the health and vigor of plants.

Give your garden a good watering once or twice a week, although some crops may need more water, especially if your climate is very hot. A thorough soaking, allowing the water to penetrate 4 to 6 inches into the soil, is better for plants than frequent shallow watering.

Gardening is rewarding. It will bring great pleasure as you bring your produce from plot to plate so you can literally enjoy the fruits of your labor. For more information on varieties and gardening advice, visit http://www.bonnieplants.com/.

Humane Society Expert to talk raccoons

2011-05-02T12:21:00.003-04:00

On May 3 Humane Society Urban Wildlife Field Director Laura Simon will kick-off AARFs speaker series with "Help! There's a Raccoon in my Chimney!".... and Other Unexpected Wildlife Problems.

This discussion will take place from 7 to 8 p.m.
This informative presentation will focus on typical wildlife problems encountered by area residents and provide solutions, organizers.

The presentation is based on Simon's 20 years of experience running a wildlife hotline for the Humane Society of the United States, organizers said.

During Spring and Summer, the hotline is kept busy with calls from panicked residents who find themselves face to face with a raccoon in the kitchen, a skunk under the deck, baby birds fallen from a nest, or a woodpecker tapping loudly on the house at 5 a.m., organizers said.

The solution to these problems can be simple, often requiring nothing more than a few common household tools and a basic understanding of the animal's motivation and behavioral ecology. Bring your questions!
On May 16 Dr. Tracy Johnson, Country Companion Veterinary Services, will discuss dog bites and how to prevent them from happening. This talk is geared toward protecting children and will take place from 6 to 7 p.m.
On May 31 Dr. Elisa Ermilio, Country Companions Veterinary Services will discuss "Basic First Aid for Small Animals." The talk will take place from 7 to 8 p.m.

AARF and Country Companions also will sponsor a Rabies Clinic from 1 to 3 p.m. May 14 at High Plains Community Center. Rabies shots are $12 and micro chips are $15.

The meat behind the mirror

2011-04-28T20:25:00.000-04:00

Have you heard vegan food can only look good when it's really meat?
That is the news about VegNews, according to a recent New York Times story that reported the magazine used meat and dairy products in images that purported to be vegan dishes.
The New York Times story says:
"The gastronomical subterfuge was revealed in an April 13 post by Quarrygirl.com, a vegan blog, which found that images of conventional foods from a free online stock-photo service were identical to images accompanying supposedly vegan dishes in the magazine and on its Web site."

Hmm....is this a tempest in a teapot? Everyone know I tried a vegan month last year and crashed and burned - it was just too hard to do. But if you are making a living writing about veganism, shouldn't the meat be left at the door?

P.S. Someone asked me today if I eat pigs. I thought that was funny. I gave up eating pigs long before other animals.

River Cleanup

2011-04-28T20:13:00.001-04:00

The leaders of the Housatonic River Cleanup LLC today announced that boaters, fishermen and environmentalists within their group are seeking additional volunteers to join in a massive river clean up in three area communities along the Housatonic River – Stratford, Milford and Shelton.

The Housatonic River Clean Up will be held from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday, May 7 (rain or shine). The event will be held in conjunction with the Town-sponsored Project Green Sweep, which is also part of the national Great American Cleanup. Volunteers are asked to meet at one of the following locations:

§ Birdseye Boat Ramp, Stratford

§ Sunnyside Boat Ramp, Shelton

Organizers of the event have arranged for refreshments throughout the day and supplies that will be needed for the cleanup (bags, gloves, etc.) Participants do not need boating experience but they are advised to dress for working outdoors. If they have a pickup truck, they are encouraged to bring it along. All participants will be entered in a drawing to win gift certificates.

Organizers of this event include the Housatonic River Cleanup LLC, all of the boat clubs along the River and businesses in Stratford, Shelton, and Milford.

To volunteer, show up at either of the above locations, and you will be given an assignment. If you have any questions, call Stratford Town Planner Dave Killeen at 385-4017.

I go paperless. Do you?

2011-04-27T20:41:00.002-04:00

This caught my eye. I love planting stuff too.

AT&T and Arbor Day Foundation have announced their commitment to support the Boy Scouts of America in its goal to grow the Centennial Forest, a project aiding in the restoration of forests throughout the U.S. Working with Arbor Day Foundation this year, AT&T intends to plant more than 100,000 trees in the BSA's Centennial Forest on behalf of all qualifying customers who sign-up for paperless billing.

"Last year, AT&T's alliance with Arbor Day Foundation resulted in the planting of over a quarter of a million trees in forests throughout the U.S.," said Philip Bienert, vice president, ATT.COM. "Building on that success, we continue our commitment to environmental sustainability through this year's Arbor Day initiative – offering customers a convenient way to conserve natural resources, while reducing the amount of mail they receive each month."
To date, more than 14 million AT&T customers have chosen to go paperless. Along with the reduction of paper used, enrolling in paperless billing simplifies the lives of customers by providing a faster, more convenient way to manage their accounts online and gain access to billing statements. In 2010, AT&T's paperless billing efforts saved approximately 667 million sheets of paper across the company – the equivalent of approximately 96,000 trees.
"We are honored to team up with AT&T to plant trees to help the Boy Scouts of America celebrate its centennial," said John Rosenow, chief executive and founder of the Arbor Day Foundation. "Trees planted through AT&T's generous donation will help restore environmental benefits that forests provide."
In addition to reforestation efforts, AT&T promotes environmental sustainability through initiatives such as AT&T Reuse & Recycle. Using recycling programs, customer drop-offs and other channels, AT&T collected more than three and a half million wireless devices last year.
AT&T customers can learn more about paperless billing and sign up today at www.att.com/paperfree.
For more information about AT&T's sustainability efforts, please visit http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=2644 or http://www.att.com/gen/landing-pages?pid=7735. To learn how you can recycle with AT&T please visit http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/articles-resources/community-support/recycling.jsp.
All information in this post was from a press release.

DEP Press Release - Be Bear Aware

2011-04-26T09:24:00.001-04:00

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) reminds residents to take steps to reduce contact and conflicts with bears. These steps are becoming increasingly important as bears emerge from winter hibernation looking for food and because the state's bear population is growing. This growing and expanding population is estimated at between 300 to 500 bears, increasing the need for people to know how to prevent problems. In 2010, the DEP received over 3,000 bear sighting reports from 115 of Connecticut's 169 towns. This spring, the DEP has already received several reports of bears coming into populated areas and interacting with humans and animals. When bears emerge from their winter dens, natural foods are scarce and, as a result, bears are often attracted to human-provided foods found near homes. On rare occasions they may attack livestock.

"As Connecticut's bear population continues to grow, residents of our state should familiarize themselves with steps they can take to avoid contact with this species," said Susan Frechette, Deputy Commissioner of the DEP. "Most unwanted contacts occur when bears are attracted close to homes by food – such as bird feed, refuse and residue on grills – that is made available to them. This can lead to more serious problems, including habituated bears that have lost their fear of humans. The best method to prevent problems with bears is to avoid feeding them by taking down bird feeders in the spring, keep garbage cans in a shed or a garage or tightly secured and keep outdoor cooking equipment clean."

The two most common food attractants are bird feeders and poorly-stored household garbage. Birdfeeders should be taken down and put away during spring, summer, and fall. Household garbage should be stored in closed garages or sheds. In cases where this can't be done, ammonia should be added to the garbage bags and cans to discourage pilfering by bears and other animals. Other items that can attract bears include pet and livestock foods, grease and drippings on barbecue grills, sweet or fatty food scraps in compost piles, and fruit on or dropped from trees.

Although uncommon, bears will attack and kill livestock, such as sheep, goats, pigs, and fowl. They also can destroy unprotected beehives. One of the best precautions for these problems is well-maintained electric fencing. Other recommendations for livestock growers include moving animals into sheds at night, keeping feed contained, keeping animals as distant from forested areas as possible, and using guard dogs.

The DEP encourages residents to take the following simple steps to avoid problems with black bears:

1. Never intentionally feed bears.

2. Take down, clean, and put away birdfeeders by late March. Store the feeders until late fall. Clean up spilled seed below feeder stations.

3. Store garbage in secure, airtight containers inside a garage or storage area. Double bagging and the use of ammonia will reduce odors that attract bears. Periodically clean garbage cans with ammonia to reduce residual odor. Garbage for pickup should be put outside the morning of collection and not the night before.

4. Avoid leaving pet food or dishes outdoors at night.

5. Keep barbecue grills clean. Store grills inside a garage or shed.

6. Avoid placing meat scraps or sweet foods in compost piles.

7. Protect beehives, livestock, and berry bushes from bears with electric fencing.

8. Keep dogs on a leash outdoors. A roaming dog might be perceived as a threat to a bear or its cubs.

If you encounter a bear while hiking, make your presence known by yelling or making other loud noises. Usually, a bear will move from an area once it detects humans. If a bear does not retreat, slowly leave the area and find an alternate hiking route. While camping, be aware that most human foods are also attractive to bears. Keep a clean campsite, and make sure food and garbage are secure (for example, keep food in a cooler stored in the trunk of a car).

Prevention and tolerance are the basis for learning to live with bears in Connecticut. It is important to remember that although black bears regularly travel near houses, they are rarely aggressive toward humans and can usually be frightened away by making loud noises, throwing sticks, or spraying with a garden hose. However, it is not uncommon for bears that have found food, such as birdseed from feeders, to ignore such disturbances. In the rare instance when a bear appears to be aggressive toward people, residents should contact the DEP Wildlife Division Sessions Woods office at 860-675-8130 (Mon.-Fri. from 8:30 AM-4:30 PM) or the DEP's 24-hour dispatch line (860-424-3333) during weekends and non-business hours.

Bear sightings reported by the public provide valuable information to assist the DEP Wildlife Division in monitoring the black bear population. Anyone who observes a black bear in Connecticut is encouraged to report the sighting on the DEP's Web site (www.ct.gov/dep) or call the Wildlife Division's Sessions Woods office. Some bears have been ear-tagged for research. Information on the presence or absence of tags, including tag color, letters and numbering is particularly valuable. To obtain informational fact sheets about bears, visit the DEP's Web site or call the Sessions Woods office.

Here's a reason to smile

2011-04-11T12:40:00.001-04:00

Need a reason to think about why animals are so much more than many of us think they are?
Here is one in this video.

I nabbed the video off a friend's Facebook page. Is it real? Looks so to me. You can decide for yourself.
But even if you decide these lovely animals were 'trained' or encouraged to behave in this way, you can't deny they are interested in each other. To me they also appear to be truly interacting, 'speaking' as it were.
Will this inspire anyone not to eat a dolphin? I hope you already don't eat dolphins. I hope even more that you don't eat cats.
Some people have to eat both of these animals. But not everyone does and when you have a choice....

No Child Left Inside/Great Park Pursuit 2011 Kick-off

2011-04-05T19:36:00.002-04:00

The Great Park Pursuit Outdoor Adventure Challenge Begins at Hammonasset State Park, Madison

FREE -- ALL CONNECTICUT FAMILIES INVITED TO PLAY

NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED

WHO: Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Daniel C. Esty joins Connecticut families to kick-off the sixth annual Great Park Pursuit – this year with a new twist.

WHEN: Saturday, April 9, 2011

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: Hammonasset Beach State Park – Meigs Point Nature Center 1288 Boston Post Road Madison

SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES:

· Guided Bird Walks

· Binocular and Spotting Scope Station

· Fill the Bill: activity focusing on the different beaks and types of food that birds consume

· Mist Netting

· Live Birds of Prey

· Bird Hurdles

· Bird Scavenger Hunt

· Purple Martins

· Bird Safety Patrol/Beach Cleanup

WHAT: The Great Park Pursuit Outdoor Adventure Challenge is part of the No Child Left Inside^®initiative. Introduced in 2006, No Child Left Inside^®is a campaign designed to reconnect children with the outdoors, showcase the recreational opportunities available in Connecticut's 139 state parks and forests, and build the next generation of environmental stewards. The Outdoor Adventure Challenge is a year round adventure that encourages families to experience the excitement and joy of fun outdoors in CT State Parks and Forests. Today's event is the first in a series of Outdoor Adventure Challenge Family Days. The Family Days are themed around eleven outdoor recreation activities (Birding, Fishing, Hiking, Biking, Historic Sites, Boating, Swimming, Camping, Picnicking, Letterboxing and Winter Activities).

At Hammonasset we are focusing on birding. The families will receive a GPP Outdoor Adventure Challenge Passport (or they will be able to download a copy from the No Child Left Inside^®website - http://www.nochildleftinside.org/) and that will be where they record their various adventures.

Editor's note: Yes, this is a press release. It is posted here because it sounds like fun and because kids should get outside!

Grow your own food!!

2011-04-05T12:25:00.001-04:00

I just love that vegan chef Mary Lawrence encourages folks to garden.

What better way could there to be bring fresh food to your table and to your family. I hope my family does more of it this growing season. (Stay tuned! The photo at bottom is a flower outside my home.)
In a recent newsletter, Mary says: "Are you a chef who likes to garden? Me, too! I've combined two of my favorite activities into a demonstration that I hope will be a ton of fun as we discuss 'Planning and Planting a Chef's Garden.'"
"This class will teach you how to choose 'double duty' plants that are not only easy to care for, but will reward you throughout the season."

Her event will be held 6:30-8:00 p.m. April 5 at the Bethel Public Library, 189 Greenwood Ave., Bethel.
"This presentation will show you what to plant, when to get started, and how to prepare for a bountiful harvest. Learn about perennial and annual herbs, alliums, 'cut and come again' greens, seasonal staples, canning and cold storage," Mary's newsletter says. The photo above is from Mary's newsletter.

Mary also is part of the Register's Community Media Lab.

Would you like to join the Community Media Lab? Let me know!

Does Eating Meat Cause Hunger?

2011-03-30T14:58:00.001-04:00

By Doug Pibel
So far, agriculture has kept up with population -- there’s enough food in the world to feed everyone. But not everyone’s getting fed -- at least a billion people live with hunger, according to the U.N. World Food Program. And the world is in the midst of yet another spike in food prices. As long as we keep diverting grain from human mouths to animal ones, people will go hungry. It’s simple market economics: It’s more profitable to produce meat -- even though the meat that results from feeding grain to animals has less food value than the grain itself.
Which is why there’s hunger even when there are no grain shortages: The wealthy of the world are willing to pay more to feed animals than poor people can pay to feed themselves.
So must we all become vegetarians in order to avert world hunger? Not necessarily. The spring issue of YES! Magazine suggests another route to food sufficiency.

Recent food price spikes mean those on the margins are more likely to go hungry, and political instability is among the outcomes. In February, the World Bank reported price levels only 3 percent below the 2008 peak that produced widespread food riots. At the beginning of March, The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported a 70 percent increase in export grain prices during the last year. The FAO Food Price Index was at its highest level since the FAO began monitoring prices in 1990.

The World Bank discusses two factors driving up food prices: weather and ethanol, and quotes a USDA estimate that 40 percent of the U.S. corn output will go to making ethanol this year.
But in the United States in 2009, the last full year for which numbers are available, 137 million metric tons of corn, sorghum, barley, and oats became animal feed. That’s 46 percent of total U.S. consumption of those grains. It’s also two and a half times the amount of grain the United States exported in that year.
The solution to world hunger, then, is simple: Stop eating meat.
No realistic person expects that, or anything close to it, to happen. There is a slew of valid reasons for being vegetarian: raising meat produces greenhouse gases, degrades water ways, and displaces forests and wild habitats, and many people feel that the way animals are raised and slaughtered is immoral. Nonetheless, it seems that meat eating will be with us always.
It turns out, though, that eating meat doesn’t have to take food away from hungry people, and it doesn’t have to involve a lifetime in a cage. As Joel Salatin says, in a YES! Magazine interview, “Don’t blame the cow for the negatives of the industrial food system.”
At Salatin’s Polyface Farms, the pastures are five times as productive as the local average, and, he says, “We’ve never bought a bag of chemical fertilizer and we’ve never planted a seed.” Salatin raises cattle, pigs, and chickens, and does it all without using anything that could become human food. He says his farmland has gotten richer and more fertile as a result of decades of grazing.
This is the model that most humans followed for most of history: Animals ate what humans couldn’t, and turned that into meat that humans could eat. Ron Fairlie, in his new book, Meat: A Benign Extravagance, calls this “default livestock.” He calculates that a universal return to that model would return food grains to human mouths, and still produce enough meat for everyone to have some.
Not a great deal, mind you -- about three quarters of a pound of meat and 1.33 pints of milk per week. But the roughly 1.5 billion people in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh eat less than that already.
For the sacrifice of cutting our meat consumption, we’d eliminate the cruelty of confinement animal-feeding operations. We’d do away with the bulk of the greenhouse gases associated with industrial livestock -- Salatin says his operation actually sequesters carbon. Best of all, we’d know that no one in the world had to go to bed hungry.

Pibel is managing editor of YES! Magazine.
Copyright (C) 2011 by the American Forum. 3/11

Editor's Note: This item is posted here with the permission of forum@mediaforum.org. The choice to post it was made with an eye toward sharing opinions.

Martha goes vegan

2011-03-29T19:40:00.000-04:00

Go Martha!

This is all from a press release, but it's pretty interesting.

Martha Stewart "will devote an entire hour-long episode of “The Martha Stewart Show'" (Hallmark Channel) "to the pleasures and benefits of a vegan lifestyle," on March 30.
"Stewart’s groundbreaking “Vegan Show” will feature interviews and cooking demonstrations with some of the country’s most influential vegans, including a sit down with Farm Sanctuary President and Co-Founder Gene Baur, who will inform viewers of the suffering endured by animals raised for food on factory farms," according to a statement.

"To demonstrate just how easy and delicious compassionate living can be, Twitter Co-Founder Biz Stone, who went vegan more than 10 years ago after visiting Farm Sanctuary’s New York Shelter, will help Stewart make vegan fruit (and) nut bars, and former model turned healthy-living guru Kathy Freston will share her tips for adding more vegan meals into your diet, directly from her book "Veganist,'" the statement said.

"The episode will also treat viewers to a heartwarming look at the blissful life enjoyed by the rescued animals who reside at Farm Sanctuary’s bicoastal shelters located" in Orland, Calif. and Watkins Glen, N.Y., the statement said.
Members of Stewart’s studio audience will take home a copy of Baur’s best-selling book, "Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food" (Touchstone), the statement said.
It also said the book "was praised by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for being 'a compelling testament to the need to civilize this industry and end its radical practices for producing meat, dairy, and eggs.'"

Food and sex

2011-03-28T14:05:00.001-04:00

PETA is taking on meatless Fridays.

To support the effort, a "nearly naked" mermaid will swim into the city Tuesday.

I get a big kick out of this. I certainly am not taking sides with any organization, nor do I object to anyone earning a living.
But I do support efforts to educate people about the reality of what we eat.

"Wearing little more than "fins," a sexy PETA member will dress as a topless mermaid on Tuesday to encourage New Haven residents to make one more type of flesh off-limits on Fridays during Lent (or any other time): fish," the organization said in a press release.

"PETA's mermaid will appear outside a popular fish market and hold signs that read, "Fish Are Friends, Not Food" and 'Fishing Hurts,'" the release said.
"People who are already leaving meat off their plates for religious reasons know that it's really no big sacrifice, so we're asking them to cut fish some slack too," PETA campaigner Lauren Stroyeck said in the release. "Fish might not be cute and cuddly, but when it comes to feeling pain and having a will to live, they're just like all other animals."

Will bringing sex - or just sexiness - draw attention to this issue? Probably. Is this right?
Who knows.
But I do know we overfish the Earth and everyone should know about it.

Plus, consider that PETA said in their release: "Scientific studies show that fish are intelligent, sensitive animals who experience pain and fear when they are hooked or netted and pulled from the water. A recent issue of the journal Fish and Fisheries cited more than 500 research papers on fish intelligence proving that fish are smart, can use tools, and have impressive long-term memories and sophisticated social structures."

That sounds pretty cute and cuddly to me.

In case you go, the mermaid will appear outside the State Fish Farm Market, 892 State St. at noon Tuesday, March 29.

For information, visit PETA.org or FishingHurts.com.

Good news for a Golden Eagle

2011-03-24T12:05:00.000-04:00

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and representatives of the Sharon Audubon Center, West Virginia University and Tufts Wildlife Clinic and Center for Conservation Medicine will release a Golden Eagle in Mohawk State Forest Monday in Goshen.
The good news came in a press release from the DEP.
The eagle was found in Amenia, N.Y. York, near the New York/Connecticut border, the release said.
Why is this good news to me? Not only because I think survival of animals is so crucially important, but also because I grew up - at least for part of the time around the area where the big bird was found.
It is a source of joy that Connecticut has become the home to more and more eagles of different types and I hope others feel this way too.

The eagle that will be released was found by snowmobilers in the woods in early February, the DEP said in the statement.
"The bird had sustained multiple puncture wounds on its left leg (possibly from an animal it was trying to capture)," the statement said.
Then a lot of people teamed up to help the animal.
The statement said it was taken to the Sharon Audubon Center and the nature center staff took it to Kensington Animal Hospital for examination and then to rehabilitator Mary Beth Kaeser in Ashford, who transferred it to the Tufts Wildlife Clinic and Center for Conservation Medicine in North Grafton, Mass.
Even better?
"The bird was cared for by the medical staff at Tufts for over a month and is now healed and ready for release," the statement said.
As it turns out, it was extraordinary this bird turned up here at all and was just passing through.
This "population is small, geographically separate, and potentially genetically distinct from western populations," the statement said. "These birds breed in northeastern Canada and winter in the southern Appalachians so it is only possible to find this species in Connecticut during migration."

Still veggie after all these years?

2010-10-28T19:44:00.004-04:00

Is it ever possible for a vegetarian to try meat again and then return to a wholly vegetarian diet?
I am not sure.
But one of my children, who has been a vegetarian by her own moral choice since age 5decided recently to try meat on occasion.
It did not make her ill, something that surprised me. She has been a vegetarian much longer than I have been; since she made that choice, I have supported her in the most healthful way possible. I never so much as used a spoon to mix a vegetarian dish that had been used in a meat dish.
But now, about 13 years later, she is exploring her options. Again, as I did so many years ago, I fully support her decision.
She says she is likely to go back sometime soon to being a full vegetarian.
I'll suppport her again then too.
But this time, it's likely to be with a bigger smile.

Raising a Vegan Family In A “Non-Vegan World”

2010-08-31T15:20:00.007-04:00

By Lisa, The Vegan Mom

My son Alex is 10 and my daughter Ava is 4, and they have been living free from animal products for over a year. Thankfully they both enjoy many veggies, as well as brown rice, whole wheat breads and pasta, beans, fruit and lots of other healthy stuff!

I am also thrilled that they are totally on board with the “not eating animals” thing!!! I know that many kids would pass out if they had to give up pork chops, bbq chicken and steak!!! But not my little Vegans! They are proof that children can physically thrive on a plant based diet and be completely content doing so!
My family could honestly be the “poster family” for Vegan living! All four of us are on board, including my husband. We love that our bodies are healthier, our foot prints on this Earth are lighter and no more animals will suffer for our meals, fashion or beauty products. My family is proud to live cruelty free!
Although becoming Vegan is truly one of the best decisions that we have ever made, I can’t tell people how great it is raising a Vegan or Vegetarian family, without being honest about some of the obstacles we encounter. These obstacles should not sway anyone from choosing this lifestyle, but instead prepare them for a few bumps in the road.
One issue is school lunches!!! I mean, would it kill our schools to have a Vegan option…. other than an ice-burg lettuce salad & PB&J?!?! The food they feed these children is horrible!! Lots of ham, cheese, sausage, fried chicken….. the list goes on!! I’m not even sure if there is actually any chicken in the “pop corn” chicken served in most cafeterias! Is it a surprise that so many kids are overweight and on their way to a lifetime of health issues? I truly hope that our nation’s schools will begin to make some “real” changes in our children’s cafeterias. The school systems need to realize that “food is health & good health begins with what we eat”!! I pack my son’s lunch on most days, but I won’t lie, it is tough to be creative every day. Some mornings I feel a bit overwhelmed, but fortunately there are a lot of great books that offer me inspiration.
The toughest obstacle for Vegan families is eating out. We have a few restaurants in our area that truly cater to our dietary needs, so we frequent those places. Once we venture out a little farther, we have to be careful of where we stop to eat. I find that most ethnic restaurants like, Asian, Indian, Mexican and Italian are good bets. They use a lot of veggies, beans and pasta. Just beware of egg noodles and creamy sauces & dressings. Ask questions about how the food is prepared!! Believe it or not, there are a few good phone apps that can let you know of Vegetarian and Vegan friendly restaurants in the area. Gotta love technology! Also, be sure to pack lots of healthy snacks for your outings, this way you won’t be pressured to constantly stop for food.
Of course there is also the issue of other children questioning, or making fun of Vegans & Vegetarians. The problem is, they don’t understand this type of diet, so they mock it. They might say, “Where do you get your protein” or “Meat is the most important part of the food pyramid” or “Vegans are weak & meat makes you strong”!!! Fortunately, my son is strong and he stands his ground, and recently a few of his friends have said that they would like to be a Vegetarian or Vegan just like him! I love this! The trick is to make your children feel proud of their Veg lifestyle and other people will be drawn to their positive “vibe” and influence! Alex has recently received his 1st degree Black Belt in karate, and he passed all of the the vigorous physical & mental testing with flying colors!
Knowledge is power, so children should be taught about the many benefits, a Vegan diet offers. My son loves the fact that his immune system is so strong and his cardio endurance has greatly increased!! He also realizes that his risk of obesity, diabetes, and certain types of cancers are greatly DECREASED!!! Most factory farmed animals are pumped with steroids, antibiotics and other toxins, which have been proven to negatively effect human health.
My children also realize that a plant based diet is much kinder to the Earth, and that the “United Nations” has recently stated that a Vegan diet is vital for the future of well being of our planet, “A global diet free of meat and dairy is necessary for the world to mitigate the worst effects of climate change”.
I also believe that parents should not hide the truth about factory farming and animal cruelty from their children. Of course you don’t want to be graphic and emotionally scar them. But both of my kids realize that farmed animals are not happy, and they are often in pain and neglected. The media paints such a pretty picture of farmed animals, and many people don’t have a clue about what actually goes on, before they have that glass of milk, chicken nugget or scrambled egg. I recommend taking your kids to visit a local farm sanctuary. Spending time with these beautiful, gentle creatures, will really help your family “make the connection” between human being & animal.
A trick for Vegan parents, is to always have tasty, healthy snacks in the house and not be afraid of baking!! I bake a few times a week, so my kids always have something sweet after dinner. We buy very little processed snack food at the store.
Another trick is READ, READ, READ!! Blogs, magazines, books, etc…… There are so many great ideas for Vegan families! I never leave home without my newest cookbook or copy of VEG NEWS. It is important for me to have the extra support that they offer!
Raising a Veggie loving family can be tough at times, but just remember that you are offering your children a future that is full of compassion and optimum health. You are teaching them respect for living creatures and the Earth we live on. Being Vegan is “bigger” than just not eating meat, dairy & eggs. Veganism is a “Movement” and Vegans are truly “Enlightened” human beings. Our children will carry this enlightenment with them throughout their entire lives and because of this, they will help in changing our world….

Editor's note: Vegging Out is delighted to have this guest blog from Lisa, the Vegan Mom. Learn more about her lifestyle and life with vegan kids here.

Seeking vegetarian recipes

2010-08-26T15:23:00.003-04:00

Do I dare admit it?
Sometimes being a vegetarian can be boring.
I take full responsibility for this, as I know I work very hard and have lots of non-work responsibilities too but that’s no excuse. Lots of folks balance it all, grow their own food and eat well without taking shortcuts.
I take shortcuts.
That means not many breakfasts made in my house. At least not by me. Don’t get me wrong - I love pancakes as much as the next person - but think of all those carbs. Plus, the five people who live there are all on different schedules and any cooking is usually done late and never early.
So if I am going to make something vegetarian lately, fast and simple is the key word in any recipe. And I am trying to avoid - for now anyway - anything that contains wheat or yeast. (including cereal)
That means egg-white omelettes are a staple - with lots of veggies tossed in. I tend to buy frozen, then mix them up and store overnight in fridge, so they cook quickly if I make something in the morning.
Yet, there is nothing so exciting in a veggie omelette.

Especially if that also serves as dinner. And if often does, if my older daughter, who is a kitchen whiz, decides not to make one of her specialties, such as vegetarian curry.
That brings me to the point of this post.
Does anyone have a quick and easy vegetarian recipe they would like to share?
If so, send it along to hbennettharvey@nhregister.com and we will post it here.
We know there are lots of committed vegetarians out there and we would love to share what you know.

And what you eat!

What becomes a legend?

2010-08-24T17:12:00.006-04:00

Have you met Claire Criscuolo?
If not, I think you should.
She is the food maven who for more than a quarter century has made a downtown New Haven block a destination for foodies and vegetarians. Her restaurant is legendary and it draws kudos that is well deserved.
But Claire also shares what she knows and she knows a lot. She wants people to have healthful options and in addition to having those options at Claire's Corner Copia, she writes a regular column and with her friendly voice, gives readers inspiration to make good choice.
Here is her latest, it's on gardening.
A recipe is included.

P.S. Claire also is the author of “Claire’s Corner Copia Cookbook” and “Claire’s Italian Feast.”

Vegan school drop out

2010-08-17T16:34:00.000-04:00

I tried but I could not do it.
I am not sure when or even why eating in general took on a civic meaning, but for me it has and I can’t escape it.
I believe that if more people ate less meat, more people would eat. Period.
Taking this to the next step, it seemed only natural that the benefit of not eating meat would be multiplied by subtracting other animal-based products from my diet.
I gave it my best shot. No milk, no cheese, no eggs. You get the picture. I did it.
But I could not stick with it.
The amount of organization it takes is extraordinary.
The amount of sacrifice it takes is...well, let’s just say it goes beyond giving up a typical birthday cake. (My husband spent $40 on a vegan one)
I have waited to admit it but felt I must: I gave up my short-lived vegan ways and while I am sticking to a vegetarian diet, I have added back milk-based items and eggs.
I know I could be accused of simply being lazy and I accept that as true. But the vegan lifestyle was a lot of work and, frankly, I truly missed having eggs. I try whenever possible to eat only cage-free eggs (yes, I know this is no panacea) and I do love eggs.
There. That’s done.

More on the joys of tofu

2010-06-15T18:03:00.005-04:00

Thanks to our readers for recommending tofu produced by The Bridge of Middletown, CT. I've tried it twice now and am pleased to report it is delicious and as satisfying to me as the Ithaca Soy tofu I wrote about a couple weeks ago. And best of all, it's readily available at Edge of the Woods in New Haven, and Mrs. Green's market near where I live in Fairfield.

I also found a new and exciting way to enjoy tofu: grilled. On Friday evening, my (one and only) vegan friend came over for dinner and we decided to enjoy the nice weather and grill on our patio. I brought out the usual veggie burgers and corn, but also decided to try grilling up some tofu. I cut the Bridge tofu into thick slices, and pressed it under a heavy pot to drain out some of the water. Then I simply coated the grill top with cooking spray and put the tofu on.

It was delicious! I served it with a peanut dipping sauce, which was nice, but the texture of the tofu--crispy on the outside, soft on the inside--and the smoky flavor was perfect on its own. Next time I'll try marinating the tofu in a sauce before I grill it. Got any suggestions? This is one food I plan to enjoy all summer long.

World's best tofu

2010-06-01T16:09:00.003-04:00

While visiting family in Ithaca, NY over the weekend, I was introduced to handcrafted tofu made by Ithaca Soy. And now, I'm in love.

Before this weekend, I thought tofu was tofu. It's pretty bland, got a decent texture, and mostly useful for adding protein to whatever you're cooking. But this stuff is so good that when I was preparing a stir fry with it last night, I kept popping it into my mouth uncooked and unadorned.

It's much denser and chewier than other tofu I've had. It reminds me a lot of paneer cheese used in Indian cooking.

The only problem is, it doesn't seem to be available anywhere around here. And given the 6 hours it took us to drive home from Ithaca yesterday, I don't plan to make regular trips there to buy this product. But I'm craving it.

Does anyone have a favorite handcrafted tofu that's locally available and can fill the void that, before this weekend, I didn't know existed in my life?

On a side note, Ithaca is something of a vegan's paradise. We visited the most expansive farmer's market I've ever seen and ate brunch at Macro Mama's, a delicious all-vegan food stand. We had dinner at the famous Moosewood Restaurant (it did not disappoint). Even the local bagel store had several vegan sandwiches to choose from. And the well-known grocery store Wegman's had a large prepared food section complete with a vegetarian bar, as well as a huge selection of weird produce and the aforementioned Ithaca soy tofu.

Giving it 100%

2010-05-19T12:20:00.002-04:00

In my previous blog posts, I've been wishy-washy about whether I'm ready (more like able) to be 100 percent vegan, or if I'll find it necessary to make occasional exceptions for the sake of my social life/family obligations/sanity.

But now I'm ready to declare that I'm giving it my all.

A breakthrough came yesterday, when I contacted the woman in charge of the camp in Maine where I'll be staying for a week this summer with my husband's family. For too long, I'd been putting off this call--to ask if they were able to accommodate a vegan diet in their dining room--knowing that if the answer was no, I was already committed to going. What a relief it was when the woman told me she'd "take care of me." I'll be honest, I'm a little worried that I'll be served a week's worth of grilled vegetables (see this hilarious article from Ezra Klein of the Washington Post), but I'll make do. If I can be vegan at a family summer camp in the middle of nowhere in Maine, I think I can handle it just about anywhere.

I also had a successful trip out of town recently to visit friends. We ate out at a vegetarian restaurant one night (best one I've ever been to, PLEASE open a branch in southern Connecticut, Garden Grille Cafe people!) , and made gnocchi and tomato sauce from scratch another night. The worries that I had over being a difficult house guest were never realized.

I had previously been toying with the idea of "cheating" on my birthday. My family's tradition is to eat a Carvel ice cream cake on birthdays and other special dates, and the thought of missing out on that saddened me. When the day came, though, I decided to bake myself a batch of vegan cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, a new book I received as a birthday present. Not a bad substitute.

So, after three months of practice, I'm settling into the vegan lifestyle and thinking about it less and less. That's why I haven't posted on this blog in awhile, to be honest.

A couple other high points I'll share with you. I've discovered Cafe Romeo on Orange St. in New Haven as a great lunch spot. They're not a vegetarian restaurant, but they have great vegan salads, sandwiches, pastries, and even pizzas. I even got strawberry vegan gelato there once, which totally made my day. They also have the best (well, the only) banana walnut cookie I've ever tasted.

Since becoming vegan, I've also developed an addiction to Starbucks iced soy lattes. I've always loved lattes, but with soy milk, they are so much creamier and more delicious. This was starting to become a problem for my wallet, but I discovered this week how to replicate them at home. The trick is to use Silk's "very vanilla" flavor of soy milk, which is sweeter and more vanilla-y than their regular vanilla soy milk. Mmm... try it.

That's all for now. Stay tuned for next week's installment, when I go to the doctor and see how all this animal-free eating has been affecting my health. I sure hope it's for the better!

Testing the waters

2010-04-29T16:21:00.009-04:00

Our friend Jodie over at the Valley Independent Sentinel has decided to give veganism a try! She's committing to one vegan meal a day. Please wish her luck.

I'm dipping my toe in the vegan waters.

For health reasons -- to cut down on my cholesterol intake -- I've decided to eat one vegan meal a day.

This blog post marks the start of my journey -- from a place where all my meals are formed around meat, to a place where variety, healthfulness and flavor are king.

I'll admit I'm intimidated. It never occurred to me how much of the food I eat includes meat or eggs. (I'm lactose intolerant, so I've already cut out most dairy.)

But I'm determined to lower my cholesterol and broaden my diet, so I'm committed to making this work. Publicly stating my intentions is one way to make sure I stick with it.

You've probably heard of partial vegan diets like Meatless Mondays or vegan before dinnertime.

Mine's a little different, but with the same reasoning. It's not easy to quit cold turkey (sorry about that pun!).

And I still want to enjoy favorites like seafood.

Also, I love the traditional Polish meals my boyfriend's mother whips up everyday. Pierogi, kielbasa and stuffed cabbage are part of their culture, and I want to continue sharing those meals with them.

So this approach gives me lots of flexibility and lets me ease into a new diet so I'm more likely to stick with it.

I'm in what I like to call preparation mode.

That's the stage where I take out every vegan cookbook in the library, try out some recipes and have long talks with some old vegan friends.

While I'm in this mode, I've been eating vegan breakfast: Cereal or oatmeal with soymilk and fruit.

I've thrown in a couple vegan lunches too. (See photo of the grilled veggies I put in a wrap Wednesday afternoon. Eggplant, roasted peppers and spinach sandwich was Thursday's lunch.)

I'm armed with two great cook books: Veganomicon and Everyday Vegan. (I apologize in advance to the other Shelton residents thinking of becoming vegan this week. These two books appeared to be the entire vegan collection at the library.)

Veganomicon has great chapters on how to cook certain vegetables, beans and grains. Everyday Vegan has an excellent introduction explaining the vegan diet, and other tips to eat healthy foods.

Wish me luck!

Veganizing old favorites

2010-04-22T17:55:00.003-04:00

In my continuing efforts to find new vegan dishes to cook, I've begun warming to the idea of recreating some old dairy-based favorite with vegan ingredients. This was something I'd purposely stayed away from in the past, because I was skeptical it could be done well. Things like fake meat products have always skeeved me out, and I figured fake cheese would be no better.

But, partly in an effort to please my dairy-loving husband, I decided to try making vegan mac and cheese today. My recipe, from Robin Robertson's 1,000 Vegan Cookbooks, required a remarkable assortment of ingredients to try to mimic that cheesy flavor we all know and love. There was nutritional yeast, of course, as well as white miso paste, turmeric, onions, paprika, soy sauce, mustard, cayenne, and soy milk. It certainly looked like mac and cheese, at least the bright yellow kind that comes in a box. I tasted the sauce before pouring it over the macaroni and sticking it in the oven, and it seemed too thin, with a flavor that wasn't even close to "cheesy."

After 30 minutes in the oven, it looked a little more appetizing. The sauce had absorbed partly into the pasta and thickened. The verdict? It tasted pretty good, though I'm pretty sure it wouldn't fool anyone into thinking it was actually mac and cheese. It grew on me as I ate it, and I think I might even make it again (or perhaps look for another vegan mac and cheese recipe to try).

I had more success this afternoon with a veganized dairy favorite. A friend tipped me off that Cafe Romeo in New Haven had begun offering vegan strawberry gelato. I rushed right over. Yum--two thumbs up. The nice man who served me also happened to be a vegan, and we started a conversation about some of our favorite vegan products and restaurants. He also told me Cafe Romeo serves vegan pizza, which I'll have to try soon.

Giving Tollhouse a run for its money

2010-04-20T11:46:00.005-04:00

Inspired by what I saw (and tasted!) Friday night at the all-you-can-eat vegan dessert buffet, this morning I made a batch of vegan chocolate chip cookies. I used a recipe from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, and boy are they delicious!

Just like with the chocolate cake I made a few weeks ago, the recipe called for some odd ingredients (tapioca flour?) and techniques that had me a little worried while baking. The batter was delicious, but very soft and sticky, so it wouldn't form properly shaped cookies. But everything smoothed out in the oven, and they came out great!

I find vegan baking really fun because of the creative ways recipe authors use to get around eggs and butter. It's fascinating to watch a mixture of soy milk, oil and tapioca flour work its magic and turn respectable cookie dough.

Let's see what my co-workers think tomorrow when I bring them to the office bake sale.

Brownies and cookies and cupcakes, oh my!

2010-04-19T11:46:00.004-04:00

On Friday night, I attended an all-you-can-eat vegan dessert buffet (=heaven??) at Fuel coffee shop in New Haven, a benefit for the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary in New York.

All the desserts were provided by Little Vegan Monsters, a small New Haven based company. There was a huge selection of cookies, cupcakes, cakes, breads, etc etc. I was so impressed with the quality of these baked goods.

Since going vegan, the thing I've missed most by far are baked goods. The event Friday gave me hope that delicious baked goods are still in the picture for me--I just have to work a little harder to find them.

Also this weekend, a vegan friend kindly gave me an extra copy of her book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I've heard very good things about this book, and can't wait to try some of the recipes. Many of them are complex, and a little intimidating, but I'm thinking about trying one for a bake sale we're holding at the office this week. The stakes are high to impress an office full of skeptical omnivores. I'll let you know how it goes.

And if anyone knows where I can find the Little Vegan Monsters' recipe for chocolate chip cookies, I would be very appreciative.

Chef Lauren

2010-04-13T16:35:00.005-04:00

This weekend, I got a chance to do something I've been wanting to do for a long time: cook a big vegan meal for my family.

I've been immensely enjoying cooking--something I was never very good at--since becoming a vegan. I have two wonderful cookbooks by Robin Robertson, and love picking out new recipes to cook each week for my husband and me. On Sunday, I decided to prepare dinner for my parents, grandmother (whose birthday we were celebrating), brother and husband.

I was excited, but also a little nervous. Certain family members who will remain unnamed have expressed skepticism about my vegan diet, so I felt some pressure to impress.

For the main course, I decide to cook something I'd made a week earlier with success. It's called seitan en croute, a mushroom-based stuffing with wine and slices of seitan inside a puff pastry. Delicious, except I wasn't a fan of the seitan (wheat gluten), and was pretty sure my meat-eating family wouldn't be either. So I decided to leave out the seitan and add some chopped walnuts to the stuffing.

I also made some simple roasted asparagus, and small red potatoes with caramelized shallots on the side.

I left myself most of the day to prepare this meal, so I wouldn't be rushed and mess it up. It miraculously all came together at the right time, and I think it was a big hit! My dad, a talented cook himself, called it "gourmet." Even my not-so-adventurous-eating little brother tasted a bite of the (non) seitan en croute and proclaimed it pretty good.

Since it was a birthday celebration, I also decided to try baking a chocolate cake. I've had mixed results in the past with vegan baking, so I also purchased my family's traditional Carvel ice cream cake beforehand in case the vegan cake didn't turn out well.

The cake recipe was completely bizarre. First, you made a mixture of flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, sugar, oil and soy milk, which was like a very dense brownie mixture. It was a struggle to spread it across the pan. Then, you made a second mixture of cocoa powder, sugar and hot water, which you poured over the first batter. As it baked in the oven, the two layers combined into something of a normal cake. Fascinating. As for the taste... it was okay. I think my mom put it best when she said, "It's like Passover cake. You know, good for Passover cake."

I was so happy to have the chance to share my new love of vegan cooking with my family. I'm excited to host future vegan gatherings!

Are oysters a type of plant?

2010-04-09T14:44:00.002-04:00

Thought I’d share with you a piece from Slate that I found interesting.

Writer Christopher Cox explains that while he is basically a vegan in that he abstains from meat, dairy and eggs, he has no qualms about eating oysters.

“Biologically, oysters are not in the plant kingdom, but when it comes to ethical eating, they are almost indistinguishable from plants,” Cox argues.

He explains:

”Oyster farms account for 95 percent of all oyster consumption and have a minimal negative impact on their ecosystems; there are even nonprofit projects devoted to cultivating oysters as a way to improve water quality. Since so many oysters are farmed, there’s little danger of overfishing. No forests are cleared for oysters, no fertilizer is needed, and no grain goes to waste to feed them—they have a diet of plankton, which is about as close to the bottom of the food chain as you can get. Oyster cultivation also avoids many of the negative side effects of plant agriculture: There are no bees needed to pollinate oysters, no pesticides required to kill off other insects, and for the most part, oyster farms operate without the collateral damage of accidentally killing other animals during harvesting... Moreover, since oysters don’t have a central nervous system, they’re unlikely to experience pain in a way resembling ours—unlike a pig or a herring or even a lobster.”

I found Cox’s argument very compelling. If I didn’t find oysters completely repulsive (I never enjoyed any shellfish back in my meat-eating days), I might even be okay with eating one as a vegan. I think it’s important to examine why we choose to eat, or not eat, something, rather than just adhere strictly to a set of dietary rules. For example, though I abstained from eating honey during my three-week vegan trial period, I’ve begun eating it again from time to time because I just don’t have the same objections to it as other animal products. (I’ll admit that I need to do some more research on this, though).

Cox touches on the topic of identity in his story. “Because I eat oysters, I shouldn’t call myself a vegan. I’m not even a vegetarian. I am a pescetarian, or a flexitarian, or maybe there’s an even more awkward word to describe my diet. At first I despaired over losing the vegan badge of honor—I do everything else vegans do—but I got over it."

This is something I still struggle with. As I previously explained on this blog, I decided to eat predominantly vegan, but make some occasional exceptions for special occasions, traveling, social events, etc. Over the past month and a half, I’ve broken the vegan code a few times, and always felt uneasy about it. Last week, I had a whole ice cream cone to myself. Rocky road. I made a conscious decision to drive to the ice cream shop and get it. It was delicious. I felt very guilty.

I’ve also take a bite of my husband’s pizza, and eaten some packaged bread with milk as the very last ingredient. Do these actions cause great suffering or contribute significantly to global warming? Probably not. As I wrote before, I believe that if 98 percent of my food choices are good ones, then I’m doing just fine. But by making these exceptions, I can’t help but think of myself as a “bad vegan.” The other day, I thought maybe it would make me feel better to call myself a vegetarian who mostly avoids dairy and eggs. But that doesn’t seem quite accurate either. And as Cox said, I’ve been somewhat enjoying wearing the vegan “badge of honor.” I’ve mostly gotten over my fear that people would view me as weird or radical for being a vegan, and feel proud that I’ve made such a worthwhile commitment. So I’m going to try to keep my “cheating” to a minimum. But I think I still want cake for my birthday next month (hint hint).

To Eat Meat, Or Not To Eat Meat?

2010-04-01T13:25:00.001-04:00

Randall Beach has a story in today's Register about a debate between Yalies and PETA over the great meat-eating question.

PETA, Yalies meet on meat
By Randall Beach, Register Staff

NEW HAVEN — Is it unethical to eat meat? Is it immoral? A roomful of Yalies who listened to a passionate debate Wednesday night appeared to be equally divided on the subject.

The opponents, who clashed on a stage at Linsly-Chittenden Hall in front of about 100 spectators, were Bruce Friedrich, policy vice president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and two members of the Yale Debate Association.

An organizer of the event cautioned the audience that it’s considered bad form to applaud speakers during such debates. Approval was to be shown instead by pounding hands on the small desks at which people were seated.

There was a great deal of pounding, both pro and con.

Friedrich began by stating that “living an examined life” challenges a person to make serious ethical decisions. He said if you care about global poverty, the environment and cruelty to animals, you should not eat meat.

He showed parts of a video, narrated by Alec Baldwin, showing chickens crammed into cages, stuck in their own excrement. “Eating chickens is eating misery,” Friedrich said. “You may not be slitting their throats but you’re paying somebody to do it for you.”

He added, “What it boils down to is a short-term pallet preference; we eat meat because we enjoy it. You weigh this against environmentalism, global poverty and cruelty to animals.”

Steven Kryger, a Yale senior, began by charging PETA adopts “silly” positions, such as opposing testing of animals and seeing-eye dogs. “I think we care enough about blind people that seeing-eye dogs are justified,” he said.

Kryger also asserted that animal testing has saved countless human lives through medical advances. As for animals such as chickens, Kryger said they “are incapable of abstract thought and lack self-awareness. This determines who deserves ethical considerations.”

“I love my bacon,” he said. “I love my steak. Should I replace it with tofu? That’d be really sad. Meat makes most of us really happy. We’re not evil or unethical. Human beings deserve more consideration.”

Grant May, also a Yale senior, said ending meat consumption would destroy local farming. He added that if farms were shut down and pigs, chickens and cows set free, “they would get run over by cars or eaten by birds.”

“They would not even exist,” he noted, “but for the fact that we have raised them.”

Friedrich said raising masses of animals under such conditions contributes to water pollution, water shortages and global warming. “I suggest we have a moral imperative to try to reverse that trend.”

Friedrich said if you agree setting a cat’s tail on fire is unethical, you should believe causing any animal to suffer is unethical.

Kryger replied, “I’m not sure a cat’s tail burns. But if it led to a medical advance that saved lives? In that case, I’d probably do it.”

Contact Randall Beach at 203-789-5766 or rbeach@newhavenregister.com.

A Plea for Passover Help

2010-03-24T11:28:00.004-04:00

Hello dear readers!

I've encountered a mini vegan crisis. I've been kindly invited to my cousin's house for a Passover seder on Monday evening. While they've been so generous to provide some vegan options for me, I was really hoping to contribute a vegan main course to the meal (partly in an effort to be a good guest, and partly so I don't go hungry).

Here's the problem: the majority of the staples I've relied on in my vegan cooking are not Kosher for Passover, particularly those that provide protein. According to my source of Jewish wisdom (my mother), the following are not Kosher for Passover:

all beans, including soy
rice
wheat
peanuts
corn
peas
lentils
mustard
sesame and poppy seeds

I'd appreciate any recipe recommendations you can provide!
By the way, does anyone know where I can find egg-free (ie. vegan) matzoh?
Thanks in advance,
Lauren

Hog Heaven

2010-03-16T15:39:00.008-04:00

It's closer than you think and this little piggy will never go to market

When was the last time you ate something that you could say “sit” to, and it sat?
Even thinking about that scenario makes me think about eating someone’s Golden retriever. And you know you would never do that.
We, in this country, have some sort of ingrained aversion to the idea of eating something that was a pet.
It helps when the pet in question is furry and cuddly.
This, of course, is not the case worldwide, where some cultures have a wider view of what should end up on the dinner table.
But if we really took a few minutes to think about how smart and aware our dinner fare is, would we still slaughter and eat it?
I know I don’t and I would like to introduce you to an example of why not.
Meet Iris Magnolia.
She’s a Wild Russian Boar.
I met her last weekend at Locket’s Meadow Farm in Bethany. The farm is so full of creatures great and small that farm “mom” Kathleen Schurman cares for, that I would be hard-pressed to list them all here, let alone name them.
But Iris Magnolia somehow stood out among the hooved and webbed and winged and pawed family.
Frolicking in her pen, as she so obviously loves to do, on the day I met her, little Iris clearly mostly had eyes for Kathleen. The connection is wonderful to see.
But it was when Kathleen told Iris to “sit” that I woke up again to something I have known for years: pigs - in this case a boar - are a lot like dogs. Maybe not quite as cuddly, but definitely as smart or smarter. This little girl clearly wanted to do whatever it took to make her mom happy, so when Kathleen said “sit,” Iris sat.
Iris is clearly a social animal; she let me pet her and was friendly to the other people getting the tour of the farm.
Yet, I see from many Internet sites that folks hunt wild boar in many places. I understand that the animals have become pests in some area because they got loose. Wonder who left that barn door open?
But we don’t need to hunt.
And I would ask that, next time you reach for that pound of bacon, that package of pork chops, or any kid of meat, think about Iris and all the joy she brings to the world.

This is Iris and Kathleen, at play.

Proud to call myself a vegan

2010-03-14T18:42:00.004-04:00

If someone had asked me four weeks ago whether I could ever be a vegan, I would have said probably not. But three weeks ago, I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad that I did.

As a vegetarian who's concerned about the welfare of animals and impact of my diet on the planet, I've long wanted to give up dairy but felt it would just be too difficult--impossible, really. So I was genuinely surprised at how painless the past three weeks of veganism have been.

As I've said several times before on this blog, it's all about preparation. I was armed with a great vegan cookbook, Fire and Spice by Robin Robertson, which made all the difference. I did my research, and spent hours reading Web sites and blogs about vegan cooking and lifestyle. This served not only to inform me, but to get me excited about what I was doing. I don't know any vegans personally, but the Web made me feel connected to a large network of like-minded folks. And of course having Helen around to talk to was a huge help as well.

One of my main concerns starting out was that I would be so limited in what I could eat that I'd quickly become bored with food. Just the opposite happened. My husband and I had been stuck in an eating rut, cooking the same rotation of simple vegetarian dishes each week. Being vegan forced me to branch out--well, to completely redesign our diet. I bought new groceries and cooked delicious new dishes. It was fun. The only time I really missed a "forbidden food" was when someone else was eating it right in front of me. Then it took willpower not to grab a piece of that cake or a slice of pizza.

So, in case it wasn't clear, I'm planning to stick with it. I feel really good about being a vegan and I don't want to go back. This is something I probably decided a week into the trial.

There are two sticking points. First is whether a vegan diet can sufficiently meet my nutritional needs. I've written on the blog about this before, and I still have concerns. I plan to discuss it with my doctor in the coming months. I'm hoping that a vitamin or two will solve any deficiencies that may exist, and that nutrition won't be an issue.

My bigger concern relates to my ability to lead a "normal" life as a vegan in a meat-eating world. How can I continue to socialize with friends and family without being a burden, always requiring special treatment? I made it through my dad's birthday party last week, but still don't feel confident about future gatherings. So, I've decided to allow myself to make very occasional exceptions to my vegan diet. I will eat only vegan at home, but if invited to someone else's home or out to a restaurant, I'll allow myself to eat dairy (never meat or fish) in order to not spoil everyone's good time. That said, I'll always try my hardest to find a vegan option at a restaurant, and avoid non-vegan foods at others' homes as long as I don't go hungry.

I still feel very conflicted about this decision, and I may decide in the future that it doesn't work for me and I should remain strictly vegan. The way I was able to justify it to myself is that I'm essentially casting votes with every dollar I spend on food. If 98 percent of those votes are going toward the right thing, then that's pretty good. But a question still remains in my mind if I can respect myself as a vegan if I cast that 2 percent of votes the wrong way. We'll see.

The official end to my 3-week trial is in about 5-1/2 hours, but I'll continue posting on this blog from time to time (or maybe all the time, depending on how the mood strikes!). Thanks to all the readers who've written supportive comments. They've really meant a lot to me.

And if anyone has been inspired reading about Helen's and my ventures into veganism and wants to give it a shot themselves, I say go for it. It's not nearly as painful as you think, and you might even like it. Three weeks is a great starting point. If you have any questions, you can always contact me at LHRubenstein@gmail.com.

Do you want fries with that mastodon?

2010-03-12T21:33:00.007-05:00

Not on the Paleo diet you don't

Do you think there were ever any Paleolithic men who actually dragged their mates hither and yon by their hair?
I doubt it.
I think those scrappy Paleolithic ladies had plenty of sharpened mastodon tusks to prevent that from occurring.
But I have nothing with which to protect myself from the onslaught of diet advice I currently receive.
It, of course, began when I decided to launch a trial period of being a vegan.
Somehow being a vegetarian for years never elicited more than an occasional odd look or a comment from co-workers who had guilty looks on their faces because they know I am right when I talk (hardly ever) about the cruelty of factory farming animals.
But being a vegan, even in this trial period, punted me right over into a demographic profile that some people (ill informed as they might be) find quite odd.
When the dear baker on our staff rolled out an amazing birthday cake for me on Monday - think lathered in thick chocolate frosting - I smiled gratefully and said a sincere “thank you,” but I did not have any. It wasn’t easy. Several people suggested I suspend the vegan trial long enough to have a piece of cake.
I couldn’t do it. A vow is a vow and a month is month, even if it is the month I was born. Plus, Lauren (ever thoughtful) brought me in a little vegan cake and my husband brought home a big vegan cake. That bigger vegan cake was remarkably dense, by the way.
But beyond people not understanding what being a vegan means, I also am getting bits and pieces of dietary advice from lots of well-meaning directions.
One of the suggestions - and he really means it - is coming from my son, He thinks I should try the so-called “Paleo Diet” for a month or two.
For those not-in-the know yet, the Paleo Diet is basically: meat, fish, veggies, fruits, roots, and nuts; and does not allow grains, potatoes, legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar, or processed oils.
He knows I would not eat meat or fish, so that would leave me with only the others on the list.
This is a diet, according to some Internet sites, that is kind of in vogue, and it based on claims that humans have not really evolved in a dietary sense past the Stone Age. Or thereabouts, give or take a few hundred thousand years.
I don’t know if that is really what people - or pre-people - ate back in the day, and I am not sure if getting rid of all grains is the most healthful choice. The fad these days is to cry foul over grains and to condemn gluten as a dietary devil.
I am not so sure my brain gets all foggy every time I have a piece of toast, but I am willing to cut down on processed grains and add a lot more nuts to my diet. I already have upped the fruit and veggie quotient even from what is was before I started this vegan trial.
But am I ready to be Wilma Flintstone?
I don’t think so.
Neither Wilma nor Betty really had a lot of choices about what they put on their dinner slab. We, however, are lucky enough to be able to put a lot of thought into what we eat.

Federal food subsidies

2010-03-10T13:45:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine shared this chart over Google Reader today from Andrew Sullivan's The Daily Dish. I think it speaks for itself.

It is possible to be vegan and social!

2010-03-08T12:03:00.002-05:00

First things first: Happy Birthday, Helen!

This weekend, I encountered my first real social gathering as a vegan. My mom and I planned a surprise dinner party for my dad's birthday, to be held at the home of a family friend. As much as I was looking forward to celebrating my dad's big birthday in a big way, I had serious concerns about what I would eat. I didn't want to put any extra burden on our generous hosts, and didn't want to answer endless questions about why I wasn't indulging in the cheesecake.

We informed the hostess of my dietary restrictions a few weeks in advance, and it turned out she had planned to make a veggie side dish that would fit my needs. I decided to bring a peanut butter noodle side dish (in keeping with the meal's Asian theme) that would provide me with some protein. It turned out to be a big hit with all the omnivores in attendance as well. Someone else brought a fruit salad for dessert, so I had something to snack on while everyone else enjoyed the cake. I will admit that fruit doesn't really satisfy my serious sweet tooth, though, and I treated myself to a vegan-friendly dessert later at home.

As for the questions I was dreading, most people didn't much care what I was eating. I had only a few discussions about my vegan trial, and everyone I spoke to was respectful.

One major perk I hadn't anticipated was that not being able to eat everything that was served made it much easier to avoid overeating, a common peril at parties where everyone stands around delicious spreads of chips, dips, cheese and crackers. I ate only two baby carrots dipped in hummus before the meal, and never felt overfull.

One of my biggest concerns when I started out a few weeks ago was that I would be severely limited in my ability to enjoy a good meal with others. This weekend's festivities proved that it is possible to socialize as a vegan, but it does take some planning ahead.

In the coming months, I will be attending a bridal shower, a wedding, a week-long family trip to Maine, and several other birthday celebrations, including my own. I still don't feel confident about being able to enjoy all these while remaining vegan, and have no idea what I will do on the vacation. I guess I'll just take it one day at a time.

But is it good for you?

2010-03-05T18:44:00.006-05:00

As I wrap up week 2 as a vegan, I feel ever more confident that I could do this on a permanent basis--and be happy. But while I feel certain that veganism is good for the planet and for other living creatures, I have reservations about how good it is for me.

Vegan diets have some clear health benefits: low in saturated fat, high in fiber. Lots of fruits and veggies. But last week, a friend of mine who is in medical school told me flat out that he doesn't know any doctors who would advocate veganism as a healthy diet.

In my post a week ago, I questioned the health effects of soy. From what I can tell, the research the still very mixed on whether soy is good or bad for you. This has me concerned, as I'm finding that soy has a way of sneaking into many of the things I eat now.

A family member also brought to my attention the concept of complete proteins--a phrase I'd never even heard before. Wikipedia tells us: "A complete protein is one that contains significant amounts of all the essential amino acids that must be provided to the human body because of the body's inability to synthesize them." Apparently, those who consume meat, eggs and dairy needn't worry about getting complete proteins, but vegans require different combinations of foods to achieve them.

According to the Savvy Vegetarian, food combinations such as legumes with grains, nuts or seeds provide complete proteins. Some sources say it's sufficient to simply eat a variety of these foods during the day, while others suggest strict food combining is necessary. Fortunately, many of these desirable food combinations are intuitive to begin with. Rice and beans, whole wheat pita and hummus.

The Vegan Society Web site says vegans must also be concerned about finding sources of Vitamin B12, Iodine, Vitamin D2 and Omega 3.

From what I can tell, it very well may be possible to eat a vegan diet that satisfies one's nutritional requirements. But it just seems like it takes a lot more work than I would prefer to dedicate to it.

Of course, nutrition isn't confusing only for vegans. The thinking on what constitutes a healthy diet seems to be constantly evolving (think low-fat vs. low-carb). I've always subscribed to the theory that you should eat a wide variety of foods to be healthy, and ignore the trend diets. But becoming a vegetarian, and now a vegan, has cut into that variety dramatically. I'm wondering if I should consult a professional to ensure a vegan diet can meet my needs.

An unrelated observation:
Helen and I both agree that after a few weeks of being a vegan, all of a sudden being vegetarian seems totally easy and mainstream. Like, people seriously still eat meat? And what on earth was I complaining about before? Nothing to eat at restaurants? That's silly!

Have Vegan, Will Travel

2010-03-04T14:42:00.005-05:00

By Paul Bass

Who’d have thought -- fresh macaroni and cheese, on the road, with a side of steak?
For a vegan?
I wandered, I looked to the north, and I found it.
Hitting the road as a vegan sure has changed.
I discovered this feast (under $10) at a vegan oasis in a hard-hit stretch of northwest Washington, D.C. I managed to take this picture before gobbling it down.
These discoveries have become a recurring experience. Since I started leaving New Haven once in a while.
I never used to travel much; North Haven’s a road trip for me. So I didn’t realize how out there on the hustings, it has become possible to find exquisite pure vegan dining -- not just vegetarian, but 100 percent dairy and egg-free -- in just about any major city.
Then I got a job that brought with it free trips to new-media conferences.
At first I figured I had to pack plenty of Yves shrink-wrapped meatless Canadian bacon and Tofurkey slices to supplement the bagels or rolls that used to serve as meals on the road.
The conferences tend to take place in swanky hotels in the middle of downtowns. No signs of vegan meals, outside of those rolls.
Fortunately, the conferences tend to be boring. And unless it’s for a story, I’m no good at schmoozing or hanging out at the bar. But I love to walk for miles to check out new cities. And Google pointed to vegan culinary possibilities on the outskirts of each of these places.
So I had time and the inclination to set out to explore, which seemed fitting, since to me veganism has always been a spiritual search, a Sisyphean quest to scrub clean the soul.
That’s how I found the plate of food in the picture. I was in D.C. It was getting dark. Armed with a Google map, I wandered for miles, past the soulless centers of political power, through tidy, modest residential neighborhoods, into a battered zone that must have resembled what Jimmy Carter saw when he paratrooped into the South Bronx.
There, amid abandoned or near-abandoned storefronts (but across from gates to Howard University), on Georgia Avenue NW, was Soul Vegetarian. All vegan, the restaurant is run by a Black Hebrews group. They serve hugs along with the buffet.
Vegan food fits with their philosophy. They have an uneasy relationship with Orthodox Jews, but seem to get along fine with the rest of us.
I discovered that as well when I came upon another one of their restaurants, on the south side of Chicago.
I was, again, staying at a sterile downtown hotel miles away. I called the Soul Vegetarian East for directions. They recommended the King Drive #3 city bus. The woman behind the wheels took one look at the white guy with the yarmulke getting on and asked, “Are you going to the vegetarian restaurant?” Then she regaled me with stories all the way there, about how much fun it is to drive people around, about the old people she looks out for on the route, about a painful episode in her teenage years (she started crying and stopped talking for a bit, but kept driving), then about how much she likes Chicago.
She dropped me off at another stretch of desolate blocks of burned-out homes, liquor stores, drug dealers -- and then the vegan oasis, the Black Hebrews restaurant next door to a Black Hebrews all-natural fresh juice bar. Complete with Tofutti Cuties, if I remember correctly. Although I was so full from the South BBQ Twist Sandwich, cornbread, and strawberry-and-protein powder smoothie, I didn’t have room left for dessert.
Great as those two spots were, San Francisco had the topper, a place called Herbivore.
It was a two and a half mile walk from where I was staying. The restaurant is in the Mission District. A narrow, cozy spot (think the old Claire’s, pre-Schiavone, but with table service), it’s squeezed in amid blocks of urbanism on steroids: a mission next to a used bookstore next to a flophouse next to gourmet shops next to mercados next to hipster live-music dives.
In the end, it was a choice between the soy chicken or seitan schwarma wrap. (Soy chicken’s my default.)
Then I saw the desserts: Mississippi mud with vegan ice cream. I remember Mississippi Mud with real ice cream. Just like I remember McDonald’s -- and high school. Who knew vegans could eat this stuff?
Actually, I couldn’t. I was too full.
Not that I was complaining. I went back out to walk another two and a half miles, to Nob Hill, to Divisadero. (I was checking out a nightclub there called The Independent. An Americana group that sounded good on the Web was on the bill.) I was one block away from the club when I looked to the left and saw: Herbivore. Again.
It wasn’t a mirage. Turns out they have two of the restaurants in San Francisco. In the Mission District. And here. My fumbling with Google maps earlier that afternoon had failed to show the route that would have saved me an extra two and a half miles of walking.
Thankfully. Now I had time for the Mississippi mud.
Subsequently, my daughter and I came across an amazing Latin-themed vegan joint in Brooklyn (with chicken marinara that brought back childhood flesh memories). A funeral in Harlem led to the discovery of an exquisite okra, soy chicken, sweet potato plate at a vegan paradise on Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.
But those were other journeys...

You got peanut butter in my chocolate

2010-03-03T21:38:00.003-05:00

I am probably dating myself by thinking about the old Reese's Peanut Butter Cup commercial.
I really can’t even picture it, but the catch phrase from it clearly stuck in my mind and has become a good example of an issue I am giving thought to.
Yet while the peanut butter - chocolate mess resulted in a popular concoction, my conundrum is not likely to sound so yummy, especially to those who have long eschewed meat and/or all animal products.
The question I am thinking about is whether it is ever OK for a vegan or a vegetarian to eat something that even touched a product they would not normally eat.
For instance: if there were a tray of nachos in front of you, would it be OK to take chips from the bottom of the pile that had not been touched by the cheese piled on top? What if the cheese melted and some it leaked onto the nachos below?
I know when my daughters were younger and adopted a vegetarian lifestyle - and I wholeheartedly supported it because it was a moral choice they made - I never mixed a vegetarian dish with a utensil that I had already used to mix a meat dish. That just would not seem right.
But if you were served a sandwich and someone had accidentally put cheese on it, would it be OK to take the cheese off and eat the sandwich anyway? Should it go to waste if no one else wanted it?
One of my kids - a nearly lifelong vegetarian - now calls herself more of a freegan -not in it truest sense - but for her which means in part that if there is food available and it would otherwise go to waste - she believes it’s OK to eat it, even if it contains meat. An example she used was that after one college apartment roommate moved out, she and her remaining roommate, both longtime vegetarians - ate some leftover chicken breast that had been left in the freezer, rather than throw out.
That’s not a step I would take - I probably would have cooked the chicken and given it to my dog, who is not about to make a choice to be a vegetarian.
I am not about to indulge in a Reese's now, as the vegan trial continues. I have had vegan chocolate, thought and it was darn good.
But this question of how 'tainted' something must be by a non-vegan product before we decide not eat is an interesting one to me. What do you think?

P.S. Veggie peeps, we have something very special coming up on Vegging Out. A small clue: the full name of this blog is Vegging Out in New Haven and we asked a well known Elm city resident to guest blog for us. He did it and it's coming soon! We are very excited and hope you will be too!

Getting by with a little help from our friends

2010-03-02T10:41:00.002-05:00

I can’t help but do another shout out to Lauren,
While it’s always great to have a co-worker who supports our endeavors - especially those that others might think are a little nutty - Lauren has proved to be an incredible source of support during this vegan trial. And frankly, I should have said ‘a lot nutty’ in terming how many people are reacting to this vegan trial.
But not only does Lauren come prepared and with research and facts in hand, her enthusiasm is contagious.
Plus, she can cook.
Lauren has brought in some of her creations several times for me to try - and let’s face it - on late nights in the office when the cafeteria is long closed - her meal size containers of things for me to “try” have kept me going.
I hope to figure out a way to repay Lauren in kind - but so far nothing I have made has been worth sharing. I will, however, keep trying.
Meanwhile, thanks Lauren.

Just another Georgie's Girl?

2010-02-27T22:10:00.005-05:00

Can bliss be found in West Haven?
I know I spoke on Facebook the other day about a great experience I had with a Campbell Avenue auto parts business and how good they were to me by helping me to install windshield wipers. They did the work, I watched.
Well I also had a good experience on Elm Street in West Haven.
This time it was at Georgie’s Diner. That’s the former Elm Diner for folks who know the area.
Now, however, you can get almost anything you want at this restaurant. And that includes vegan fare.
In keeping with the current theme of what Lauren and I are trying to accomplish, a trip out to lunch this week had Georgie’s as the target. Word, it seems, get around among vegans and vegetarians.
At first I was not so sure the service would be great, but it turned out to be pretty good and I liked our seats because I could watch the bustle of West Haven go by. I used to cover West Haven as a reporter and I am very fond of it.
I had a vegan reuben sandwich. It’s been a long time since I have had anything like it and I can’t wait until next time. The sandwich has tempah and rice cake on it - and sauerkraut and mustard. It came with a choice of sides, and I chose vegan chili. So, because it was too much to eat at once, for about $8 I had lunch and dinner.
A plus was that when I ordered coffee, I got a little pitcher of soy milk with it, and that was a first for me. I am totally used to soy milk in coffee now.
Georgie’s has plenty of vegan specials (tofu picatta) - and appetizers and a vegan cake for desert.
The bottom line as time goes by in this vegan trial, I suggest, “don’t be so scared of changing and rearranging yourself...and oh, what a change there’d be.”

P.S. Lyrics of Georgie Girl taken with due tip of the hat to The Seekers.

Intimidation at a grocery store

2010-02-27T16:01:00.004-05:00

My confidence has been shaken by trips this weekend to two different area natural food stores. I entered both shopping experiences full of excited anticipation, and left feeling defeated. I purchased nothing at the first one, Edge of the Woods in New Haven, and only a few measly items at Whole Foods in Westport.

Surrounded by a veritable cornucopia of vegan food options, I realized that I didn't know what the heck I was doing. I had planned to buy vegan cheese for the first time, but which was best--rice, soy, almond?? I asked a Whole Foods employee for help, and he helpfully told me that they were all terrible. He finally recommended with very little enthusiasm that I get one of the the rice "cheeses," then left to attend his record-setting breaking open of a giant wheel of Parmesan cheese. Free cheese samples were given out to customers who attended the momentous occasion. I wanted one. I didn't buy any vegan cheese.

I realized that with the exception of produce, most things I buy on a weekly basis are no longer available to me as a vegan. That sent all my accrued consumer experience about the best brands, prices, varieties, etc. out the window. I was left asking, is this a good price for tofu? Which brand of soy milk tastes best? Vanilla or plain? Is this type of granola bar vegan? No. How about this one? Am I ready to commit to a big expensive jar of vegan mayonnaise? Is there such a thing as vegan freezer waffles? (There are, and I bought them. I'll let you know how they are).**

In the end, I left with only a few items I felt comfortable with. Oh well, there's always next week. I just hope I bought enough food to get me through the week.

**Update: They're Vans multigrain waffles, and they're pretty good.

Progress Report: Week One

2010-02-26T13:44:00.003-05:00

Happy snowy Friday everyone!

I'm pleased to report that I've made it through the first week (well, the first work week) of the Great Vegan Experiment, and am feeling really good about my decision to do this! For the most part, I've been satisfied with what I've been eating, and I'm excited to go grocery shopping again this weekend and try some new dishes. My sister-in-law gave me this cookbook, Vegan Fire & Spice, which has lots of tasty looking recipes. I'm feeling more and more like I'm going to stick with this after the three-week trial period is up.

There were only a couple hiccups during the week. Of the two big dishes I made Sunday night to last me all week, one of them I couldn't stomach. Turns out I'd eaten one too many lentils in the past few weeks, and need a break from them. Helen was kind enough to take the lentils off my hands so they didn't go to waste. That meant I had to find something else to eat for the rest of the week. Luckily, I found a wonderful recipe for spicy marinated tofu, for which I already had all the ingredients in the house. The experience reinforced for me the need to plan ahead and have plenty of vegan food options.

My resolve was tested early in the week when I attended an evening event for work, and was pretty hungry after not eating most of my dinner (the aforementioned lentils). Two types of homemade cake were being served, which some kind folks repeatedly offered to me. It was probably the most difficult thing I did this week to say, "No thank you." (As I'm writing this, someone just brought a box of Dunkin Donuts munchkins to the office. Alas, I'm tested again.)

I also learned this week that I like soy milk--something I've never cared for in the past--at least in the form of iced lattes from Starbucks. That was reassuring, as lattes were one of the things I was most sad to leave behind.

I shied away from things like vegan cheese, yogurt, mayo and other "mock" foods this week, but I think I may try some next week. Any favorites?

My favorite thing about this week is that I've felt good about everything I put in my mouth. It's all pretty much real, healthy food (except maybe the Oreos). I'm not sure I'm ready to declare that I have more energy, but I'm feeling good. I've also really enjoyed having Helen around to talk to about all this. Being a vegan can be very isolating, and Helen has been enormously supportive and helpful. Congratulations to her on completing week 2 as a vegan!

Something that I initially didn't think would be a concern, but now I'm starting to worry about a little, is how much soy I'm consuming. Three soy milk lattes and two servings of tofu so far this week. I've realized that I really like tofu and would like to rely on it more as a protein source, but I've seen warnings that it can increase the risk of certain cancers. Does anyone know about the health benefits/dangers of soy, or is the jury still out?

If anyone is interesting in joining Helen and me in our journey, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's 21-Day Vegan Kickstart program officially starts March 1. I rediscovered their Web site a few days ago, forgetting that Helen had previously blogged about it, and it has a lot of good resources.

To our readers: are there any questions you have for us, or a subject you'd like us to write about?

Happy weekend!

Food is love

2010-02-24T17:34:00.007-05:00

Especially when it's shared by families

How many times do you have to badger your vegan/vegetarian much younger brother to get a recipe for your blog?
In this case not a lot. so thanks Colin, I really appreciate you sharing what I know is one of your favorite dishes. For those who don't know me well, it's likely Colin - and his young daughter Daisy, who pushed me into the vegetarian lifestyle. Colin (who when he is not cooking, is busy saving the world from global warming, mountain top removal and myriad other social and environmental evils) co-opted my two daughters into being vegetarians at a very young age. I had not come over to the side of the light back then, but I did wholly support my girls from the start.
But enough on that. (Though if you want a peek at him, there's a pic below)
Here's the recipe - and I have had these potatoes at family events, so I can vouch for how yummy they are.

Vegan Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
Potatoes (any kind will do)
Plain soy milk or rice milk
Vegan butter (Earth Balance is really good)
Salt
Garlic (garlic powder will do in a pinch)

Directions:
1. Wash potatoes well (I recommend leaving the skins on).
2. Boil potatoes until soft; they cook more quickly if you cut them into
smallish pieces. If you're in a hurry you can microwave the potatoes.
(While the potatoes are cooking listen to good music. Regina Spektor
comes to mind.)
3. Smoosh the potatoes with a potato smoosher or a spoon.
4. Stir in milk to make them creamy.
5. Add liberal amounts of vegan butter and garlic
6. Salt to taste. If you're cooking for other people remember that they
can add their own salt.
7. Enjoy.

P.S. If you're not a vegan, (but are a vegetarian) try adding cream cheese between steps four and five for an extra special treat (it's my secret ingredient).

Veggie Dog?

2010-02-23T10:50:00.006-05:00

By Lauren Garrison

Meet Maggie, our 6-month-old German Short haired Pointer. She's brought much joy to our lives, but someone recently told me she's also increased our family's carbon footprint dramatically because of all the meat she eats.
As someone who makes a daily effort to limit my carbon footprint, I found that troubling.
My immediate reaction was that this was unfortunate, but there was no avoiding it. Dogs need meat, right?
Yesterday, while Googling "vegan," I came across this statement from Krissi Vandenberg, executive director of Vegan Action, on the Web site vegan.org:
"One major dilemma for vegetarians is feeding meat to our companion animals. Once we’ve decided not to support factory farming, can we justify feeding animal products to our companions? We’ve often made a moral exception for our companions based on the idea that there are no other options for our canine friends.
Many vegetarians and vegans are unaware that dogs can be healthy on a vegetarian/vegan diet.
Pet foods really are the worst of the worst, full of cancerous tissue and animal parts ‘not fit for human consumption’ (please see 'What’s Really in Pet Food'). Do we really want to be feeding this to our animals? After all, we are their guardians and want to make sure they are healthy. After all, we do have some viable options for our animals that we can be comfortable with in our kitchen.
I first tried feeding my three dogs a vegan diet by cooking the food at home based on recipes from a book. While I did not mind the extra time it took, the dogs did not really like it and they started to lose weight. I talked to some other folks with veggie dogs and decided to give the pre-made kibble a try. I did my research and decided to go with a food approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials.
A basic goal of AAFCO is "to provide regulations, standards and enforcement policies to regulate the manufacture, distribution, and sale of animal feeds; resulting in safe, effective, and useful food."
While I do not completely agree with their practices nor am I completely convinced it is essential for a food to be complete, it gave me a sense of ease. Ultimately what it means is that the food is supplemented with vitamins and nutritionally complete by their definition.
I tried a few brands and settled on one that the dogs really like and have been very healthy on for the last three years. In fact, this is the best they have ever looked, especially the fifteen year old! They all love their daily supply of fresh organic veggies too. I haven’t completely given up the idea of making food for them again. There is a supplement called VegDog that is listed as complete and needs to be added to homemade food every day.
From talking with other folks, I realize this is still a controversial issue. I find assurance in the idea that if dogs can be just as healthy (or even healthier in many cases) not consuming animals then there really is no reason to not at least give it a try. We now have substantiated data and collective personal experiences that support a healthy, vegetarian diet for dogs. Since there are several AAFCO approved brands on the market to choose from, why not make the ethical decision to try a vegetarian diet for our companion dogs. I am confident I’m not risking my dogs’ health and feel great to not have to go buy that bag of lamb and rice dog food every month."

Another interesting article on slate.com exploring the environmental impact of pet food ran today. It provides a few different viewpoints on the issue, including this:
Most commercial dog and cat food is made from the parts we humans don't eat, like organs, scraps, and rendered bones and tissues.
Looked at one way, then, pet food is a kind of recycling operation: It takes waste products and finds a use for them. From an economic perspective, these less-than-palatable parts aren't that big of a deal.
Clark Williams-Derry, blogging for the Seattle-based think tank Sightline Institute, notes that byproducts account for at most 15 percent of a livestock animal's value. Thus, he argues, the pet food industry contributes relatively little to the total environmental impact of a meat-producing cow, chicken, or pig. We grow and slaughter those animals to feed our yen for meat—not to make the scraps that go into pet food. So 100 calories of byproduct meat should be credited with a lower impact than 100 calories of human-grade meat.

What do you think? I would never want to put Maggie's health at risk, and would have to do much more research before considering such a change in her diet. But it's interesting to see that people have done it with success.

Ready, Set, Go

2010-02-22T17:36:00.004-05:00

By Lauren Garrison

I wish I had some profound thought or funny story to share with you all on the occasion of my first day as a vegan, but it's been surprisingly smooth sailing so far. I think Helen hit the nail on the head in her last post when she said preparation is key.

Thanks to weekend trips to Trader Joe's and Stop & Shop, my cupboards are fuller than they've ever been with vegan-friendly foods. I have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, almond milk, crackers, pasta, tofu, and Oreos to satisfy my sweet tooth.

With my crazy reporter's schedule, I've gotten in the habit of cooking a big batch of soup or stew, or something else that will last a few days, on Sundays. This week, I tried two new vegan recipes: a green lentil and cashew dish from Mark Bittman, and a butternut squash soup made with coconut milk from a vegan cookbook my sister-in-law got me. I also baked some healthy pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, made with whole grain flour. I was happy with the way all three came out.

I feel much more confident now than I did last week that I'll be able to find enough different tasty vegan things to eat that I, 1. won't starve and 2. will be happy. What I'm more concerned about is missing some of my favorite non-vegan foods. I realized that I don't miss meat at all, and never did after becoming a vegetarian. But I have an emotional attachment to certain foods that contain dairy -- ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, English breakfast tea with milk -- that I've felt a sense of loss over them. Is that silly?

I'm also expecting to miss a certain freedom and pleasure that comes from being able to eat food socially. No longer can I reach carefree into the dishes of M&Ms put out for visitors in stores and offices. I'm almost certain I won't be able to eat out at a restaurant that doesn't cater specifically to vegetarians and vegans. When our resident baker here in the Register newsroom brings in cakes and brownies, I won't be able to partake (this one already happened today!). I can't even go to my parents' house for dinner without causing trouble.

That aside, I'm feeling upbeat today about my decision. I'm happy that what I'm doing is good for the environment, farm animals and my body. I like being challenged to try new things. I'm excited for the next three weeks.

Incidentally, when I turned on my favorite NPR station today, the show "Here and Now" featured an interesting segment with social psychologist Melanie Joy, whose new book is called "Why we love dogs, eat pigs, and wear cows." As the show's Web site explains, "She says it's because of carnism, the belief system which makes us disgusted by the thought of eating golden retrievers, but allows us to eat cows and pigs, even when they are just as intelligent as dogs."

You can listen to the segment here.

One more thing -- I've never been one for taking vitamins, but do I need one to supplement a vegan diet?

A trip and the search for 'cheese'

2010-02-21T22:06:00.007-05:00

Well, tomorrow is Lauren's big day. She decided to go vegan for a trial period and we all should wish her well. Go Lauren!
I dove into the vegan lifestyle a week ago today.
It hasn't been easy, but it has gotten easier every day. I am used to soy milk in coffee and really enjoyed some almond milk hot cocoa last night.
But I have to admit again that I began this little journey ill-prepared (which Lauren would never do) and I must warn anyone who decided to try vegan that preparation is likely a key to success.
What I learned in a trip to Trader Joe's this weekend is that there really is some help out there if you ask for it.
It started when I made some veggie soup this weekend in the hope that I could share it with Lauren on Monday - but it was rather a disaster of a combo of ingredients and there's no way I would try to foist it on anyone.
So I had to go back the drawing board and what I decided to make needs to have vegan "cheese" in it.
That where Trader Joe's comes in. (Hope they don't mind I nabbed this image from their Web site) I went there to shop and one of the things they did not have - amid many options for soy cheese - was a vegan product that would resemble cheese.
But it would have been tough for me to figure this out if it were not for the help of Carole, a young woman who really went out of her way to help me and even printed out a copy of the vegan products for me. She consulted with one of her co-workers about the cheese to make sure it was not vegan.
I had known about the list as Lauren blogged about it and Mary Lawrence, our very favorite vegan chef, also left a note about it on this blog. I just didn't bring one with me.
The list is amazing - the treasure being that TJ semi-sweet chocolate chips are vegan!
But it also turns out Trader Joe's has seven lists - including for it's rather impressive stock of gluten-free items. I very well know how tough it can be to find those.
I ended up going to Edge of the Woods in New Haven to get the vegan cheese, which was OK as that's a great store too.
The lesson I learned this week, shopping trips and Starbucks snafus included, is that like anything in life, a change in lifestyle takes time and takes work.
But it's nice to know there are people there to help, including the people who have left advice and encouragement on this blog.

Lucy's Cookies and other musings

2010-02-20T17:50:00.003-05:00

Starbucks is officially back in my good graces.
All it took was a pleasant smile from the young man working in the Orange coffee shop today. (Take that, Woodbridge Starbucks)
But truthfully, it was not just the nicety that got me; he also pleasantly showed me the Lucy's Cookies, which I sought after a wonderful comment on Vegging Out let me know that the gluten free, dairy free cookies are vegan too.
But it got better.
When I asked this young man for soy milk, he handed my a big container of it and informed me there was no extra charge when it is simply added to a regular cup of coffee. This was good news as rumor had it that soy milk was always an extra charge.
Score 2 for vegans in this store today.
Coming tomorrow: my vegan shopping trip to Trader Joe's, or more accurately, news of the trip that should have come before this vegan plunge, not after it.

A delicate balance

2010-02-18T21:46:00.006-05:00

What’s in your gut?

We read over and over that having the proper balance of bacteria in our intestines is crucial to our health. I have even read that all health can be traced to how well various parts of the digestive system function. There is apparently even quite a connection between what goes on in your head and what is grumbling around somewhere else.

It’s all about bacteria.

So as a newly minted possible vegan, this gave me cause for concern. I might be a dummy, but I really can’t think of any way to get good bacteria other than from some sort of cultured food. This usually means yogurt.

Even kefir.

I love yogurt.

But vegans don’t eat milk-based yogurt, so none for me, at least during this 3-week vegan try out. (Will I make the team?)

So on my way to work today, I stopped off at Edge of the Woods in New Haven. It’s a vegetarian dream store. Heck, lots of organic stuff too, and I have never seen meat there. The bakery vegan cookie I bought for Lauren and I to share was not so hot.

But they have Probiotic Soymilk. Doesn’t sound yummy to you?

Well, it ain’t half bad.

Packed full of 30 percent of the daily requirement of Vitamin D, it also boasts “7 live and active culture.” The one I bought also was on sale and slightly out of date, and I’m thinking that means the bacteria count might have been even higher.

So I downed the entire thing (180 calories - much too high) and am hoping by now my bacteria balance it back where it should be.

I also, however, am curious about what other vegans do to make sure they keep up their culture.

Observations from a vegan-in-training

2010-02-17T12:30:00.006-05:00

By Lauren Garrison

Since deciding on Monday to join Helen in her trial period of eating vegan, I've been preparing both physically and mentally for the start of my challenge on Monday February 22.

I've alternated between trying to eat up all the dairy in the house so it's not wasted, and "practicing" being vegan.

Yesterday, I ate only vegan food up to about 3 p.m., abstaining from the doughnuts at the Fat Tuesday paczki-eating contest in Ansonia I covered for the Register.

I even tried ordering a soy milk gingerbread latte at Starbucks, and while the Fairfield location had no trouble meeting my demands, I'm afraid the beverage was far too sweet, and the flavor too reminiscent of Play-doh, for my liking.
As I've been researching vegan food on the Web, perusing my cookbooks and making grocery shopping lists for this weekend, I've made a few observations.

1. Just because it's vegan doesn't mean it's healthy.

Every vegan I've met has been very thin, and I'll admit that I hope to drop a few pounds during this trial. When I became a vegetarian, many people asked me if I lost weight on the new diet. The answer was no, because I substituted plenty of cheese and pasta for the lean meat I was no longer eating. In my research, I've discovered lists of vegan foods that include such nutritional non-superstars as Oreos, Apple Jacks, potato chips... you get the idea. While in a way this is good news, as I'll still be able to enjoy some treats, it dispels my idea that the restrictions of a vegan diet would force me to eat healthfully.

Alas, I'll have to make smart choices and focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains if I want my new diet to be a healthy one.

2. Food companies don't like to shout "vegan" from the roof tops.

The Trader Joe's list (http://www.traderjoes.com/attachments/Vegan.pdf) of all its vegan products being the exception, I've had a hard time identifying which foods are vegan without first reading their ingredients lists. I've gone to the Web sites of companies such as Whole Foods and Kashi, which cater to nutritionally and environmentally conscious eaters, and was disappointed not to find any note of which products are vegan. I suppose I expected to find a little "V" symbol on box, similiar to the notation for Kosher foods. My husband's take on this: Non-vegans might be turned off by vegan food, thinking it won't taste as good. Maybe we could design a secret symbol that only vegans would recognize to make our jobs as consumers easier.

3. As I feared, my family and friends have been less than enthusiastic about my decision.

Responses have ranged from, "So now you're a vegan?" (as in, 'I put up with this vegetarian thing, but c'mon now!') to "You're going to starve" to "I won't think less of you if you cheat."I'm somewhat ashamed to say that I've assured these people, "Oh, this is just a trial run. Don't worry, I'm not going to be a vegan permanently." I think feel guilty knowing I'll cause more inconvenience for my friends and family than I already do when it comes time to share a meal. Although I myself have great respect for vegans, I also worry that people will think I'm weird or radical or that I'll want to "convert" them.

Truthfully, my hope is that the next few weeks will go well, and I'll stick with the vegan lifestyle, either completely or almost completely. I can envision myself being mostly vegan but making exceptions occasionally for dinner at a restaurant or a family gathering.

That said, I'm struggling with the "identity" part of being a vegan. After four years, I very much identify as a vegetarian. If I accidentally ate meat, I would feel kind of terrible. But the thought of slipping up as a vegan doesn't give me much pause. Perhaps that will change in time, but right now, it's hard to imagine.

4. And a question

Do all vegans eschew honey, and why? Do bees count as animals? Do they mind if we take their honey?

Let them eat cake

2010-02-16T16:52:00.005-05:00

And they did

It sure as heck is no secret that Fat Tuesday is a day for revelry and indulgence.

When it comes to indulgence, nearly every day could be Mardi Gras at the New Haven Register. This is a result of a veritable baking saint who works here, and everyone counts on her for the cakes, brownies and other incredible delights that come from her New Haven kitchen. Be it a birthday or a holiday, Ann comes through every time.

In this case, however, my timing was askew, as I picked this week to go from vegetarian to possible vegan. The three weeks have just started and while the first day was the worst, (check out the grouchy post about Starbucks) it's still not easy.

As an example of what throws a little bump into the vegan road, I included below a video of the cakes that arrived - Mardi Gras beads too - and were the stars in the newsroom today. Christine made the "king" cake and no one got the baby.

For me the news was 'hands off': these cakes contain butter and eggs.

Jumping on the bandwagon

2010-02-15T13:03:00.006-05:00

By Lauren Garrison

I've long thought about trying a vegan diet.

Given all the concerns that drove me to stop eating meat about four years ago, I've always known that it was just as important to avoid animal products.

But while giving up meat was never that much of a sacrifice for me, going completely vegan always seemed... well, near impossible. I love ice cream, and milk in my tea, and scrambled eggs when I don't feel like cooking a real dinner.

And what the heck would I order at a restaurant?

But when I saw that Helen was taking the plunge, I decided to jump in with her. Coming out of a chocolate induced haze of Valentine's Day weekend, I was already feeling the need to exercise greater control over my diet.

And I knew Helen and I could support one another in our endeavors.

I'm going to take this week to research and prepare for the big change. Already, questions are filling my mind: Will I learn to like soy milk? Can I really live without chocolate? Will my friends and family resent how difficult it will be to feed me? And what will I eat at a restaurant?

I'll start by thinking about key components of my diet that are already vegan. Hummus, lentils, pasta with tomato sauce, peanut butter and banana sandwiches. These things are easy.

Then I'll make some simple substitutions: nuts instead of goat cheese in my salad; leave the cheddar cheese out of my vegetarian burritos; find herbal teas that don't need milk to taste good.

I also found this Web site, "I can't believe it's vegan" from PETA.

(http://www.peta.org/accidentallyVegan/).

And Trader Joe's lists all its vegan products here.

I'll print out some lists to bring to the grocery store this weekend.

Any tips or suggestions are appreciated! The adventure begins Monday...

Starbucks stinks

2010-02-15T08:12:00.003-05:00

It doesn't really, of course, and on most days my desire for a gingerbread latte is something akin to a dirty little secret.

But gingerbread lattes are seasonal and Starbucks in Woodbridge really did come close to stinking on Sunday.

There I was, a newly minted vegan-in-training, standing there already perplexed and needing help about what wonderful soy filled concoctions might await those who eschew milk.

The staff had others ideas.

They were apparently too "busy" to wait on me in any normal fashion, let alone be friendly enough to prompt me to ask about getting soy milk in coffee. Note to the staff there, however: I was the only one on line, at least inside the store and only one person was waiting at the pick up counter.

That little rant out of the way, my point is that I would have liked to take 10-30 seconds to ask a question about soy milk and coffee.

I had jumped right into the vegan tryout and - oh bad me - did not prepare properly for my coffee trip by reading the Starbucks Web site to see what they have to offer.

That's the real lesson for anyone who wants to be a vegan: come prepared.

Meanwhile, the oh-so-busy staff bustling about did plop a container of vanilla soy milk on the counter for me.

The bottom line?

The coffee with soy milk was good.

Jumping in head first

2010-02-13T22:36:00.006-05:00

And hoping not to land on it

Well, I think I am finally going to do it.

I've known for a long time that it would be the right thing to do, but sometimes knowing the right thing and doing it are pretty far apart.

However, rather than committing to a vegan diet for good, I am going to take the advice of Dr. Neal Barnard and try it for three weeks. I got the idea of the three-week trial from the Not-Just-Recipes Web site I previously talked about on this blog.

Seems Rich Heiser can be an inspiration all the way from somewhere in Pennsylvania. I know he's from the northeast part of that state and has been hit by a lot of snow.

But the cold has not kept Rich from keeping up the vegetarian drumbeat and promoting the life choice on Facebook and his Web page here.

Meeting Rich in cyberspace was fun and - just as in most things - there's comfort in numbers and knowing so many people are willing to give up eating animals.

He did an interview with Dr. Barnard and that chat that opened my eyes a little further.

The thing I am not sure I can do forever is to give up every animal product. I love yogurt, for instance.

Oh well.

So, here I go, and I know it won't be easy, but thank you Rich and Dr. Barnard.

And please stay tuned during this adventure, as if I crash and burn, I will admit it.

This is the Not-Just-Recipes interview, which Rich very generously let me reprint here.

Dr. Neal Barnard talks to NJR
We’re talking with nutrition researcher Dr. Neal Barnard M.D., president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM.org), to discuss plant-based diets.

NJR: Dr. Barnard, could you please start out by telling us a little bit about the research on vegetarian and vegan diets?

Dr. Barnard: Our research team and many others have shown that vegetarian diets have remarkable health benefits and can help prevent certain diseases, such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. The best of these are vegan diets, that is, a vegetarian diet that has no cholesterol and even less fat and saturated fat than ovo-lacto-vegetarian diets, because they exclude dairy and eggs. Scientific research shows that health benefits increase as the amount of food from animal sources in the diet decreases, making vegan diets the healthiest overall.

NJR: Are vegan diets good for weight-loss?

Dr. Barnard: They’re the best. It’s a very straightforward diet plan with no strict calorie counting or portion control. You can still eat carbs, desserts, and even have a glass of wine now and then. All you have to do is ensure that your meals are built from an array of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans. So, a typical day might start out with a bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins, and if you were to have bacon or sausage, it would be the veggie varieties that many stores now sell. Of course, a fruit smoothie, a half a cantaloupe, or other fresh fruit is fine. If you’re having lunch at a fast-food spot, go for a veggie burger, a bean burrito, or salad bar. For dinner, think international: spaghetti with tomato sauce, Middle Eastern hummus with pita bread, a Chinese stir-fry, etc.It’s also important to cut down on oils. For example, try a water saute instead of oil in your stir-fry, and replace oil with apple sauce for baking. Vegan diets are naturally low in fat, and they’re also extremely high in fiber, which makes us feel full longer and helps fight cravings. Meat and other animal products contain zero fiber.

NJR: Are there any diseases or health conditions that can actually be treated with a vegan diet?

Dr. Barnard: Yes. When people who have type 2 diabetes adopt a low-fat vegan diet, their condition often improves dramatically. In our research, funded by National Institutes of Health, we found that a vegan diet is more effective than a more traditional diabetes diet. We conducted a long-term clinical trial and found that a plant-based diet helps people with diabetes lose weight and improve their blood sugar and cholesterol. We also found that the vegan diet can be easier to follow than a more conventional diabetes diet, which typically restricts portions and calories. The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is the longest and best-controlled study of diet and diabetes management that has ever been published. We now know that vegan diets can aid in the treatment of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and many of the other devastating illnesses Americans are struggling with. But remember, it’s always important to speak with your doctor before deciding to change a treatment regimen or change your diet or medications.

NJR: Is it healthy for children to be on a vegan or vegetarian diet?

Dr. Barnard: Definitely. A well-balanced vegan or vegetarian diet is safe and healthy for any person at any stage of life, including infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Vegetarian diets are packed with all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that growing children need. Childhood obesity is overwhelming the nation, and one in three children are expected to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes later in life. But a focus on healthful eating can help. Perhaps the most important consideration for feeding children is this: Lifelong dietary habits are established at a young age. Children who are raised on a vegetarian diet and acquire a taste for healthful foods like veggie burgers, kale, and edamame will have a lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, compared with their peers raised on the average American diet. They will also tend to live years longer.

NJR: What about soy? Soy foods are becoming very popular, but many people have grown concerned about whether they’re safe to eat.

Dr. Barnard: Let’s take a look at the research. The overwhelming majority of studies on soy have shown positive health effects. Girls who consume soy products, such as soy milk or tofu, during adolescence have about 30 percent less risk of breast cancer later in life. And a new Journal of the American Medical Association study suggests that women who have previously been diagnosed with breast cancer can cut their risk of recurrence by having soy products daily. Eating soy in moderation is appropriate for a healthy diet. There have been concerns about processed soy products, such as soy hot dogs and other “mock meats”, but moderate intakes of these foods are not likely to cause health problems. Some soy products are high in sodium and contain a higher-than-healthy level of fat, so be sure to check the labels and choose the healthier versions. Nonetheless, these foods are much healthier than animal-derived foods.

NJR: Do you think vegetarian and vegan diets are becoming more common?

Dr. Barnard: Slowly but surely. Doctors, writers, and the media are talking about vegan diets, and more and more people are eating vegan full-time or part-time. Big, beautiful health-food stores are replacing the tiny corner shops where people use to have to go just to find tofu. More and more Americans are discovering that vegan diets can drastically improve their health, help reduce the cruelty involved in animal agriculture, and even fight climate change. At the same time, school lunch lines are still flooded with pepperoni pizza and chicken nuggets, and overseas, westernization is ushering in meat and dairy products like never before.

NJR: What about this new term “flexitarian”? Do people who drastically reduce their meat consumption experience the same health effects as those who cut it out completely?

Dr. Barnard: Being a “flexitarian” is a baby step in the right direction. But this diet plan just doesn’t measure up to a plant-based diet. In fact, a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed that even one meal high in saturated fat can prevent a person’s “good” cholesterol from safeguarding the body against clogged arteries. Saturated fat, found mostly in animal products, is linked to plaque buildup in the arteries, which can lead to heart attack and stroke. Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans throughout the day will provide all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals you need—without the fat and cholesterol found in animal products.

NJR: Finally, do you have any advice for someone who is considering trying a plant-based diet?

Dr. Barnard: Try this new diet for three weeks. Fully commit to drop all meat, dairy products, and eggs and fill up on healthful, low-fat vegan foods. Three weeks is the perfect starting point, because it’s less intimidating than committing to a new lifestyle forever, but it allows enough time for you to really experience the wide-ranging health benefits. PCRM has a new online program that guides people through a three week trial of a vegan diet. The 21-Day Vegan Kickstart provides daily tips, recipes, webcasts, a message board moderated by doctors and dietitians, and even guidance from Alicia Silverstone and other celebrities. We had nearly 30,000 participants in our recent Vegan Kickstart, and we welcome more! Anyone who’s interested can sign up for this free program at 21DayKickstart.org.

For more information about Dr. Barnard’s organization, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, go to PCRM.org.

Not-Just-Recipes would like to thank Dr. Barnard for taking the time to do this interview. Thank you as well for all the good work you and the folks at PCRM do every day.

Sarah's kitchen really is beautiful

2010-02-11T12:29:00.007-05:00

It has recipes any vegetarian would love

In the interest of full disclosure, I was once Sarah W. Caron's boss.

Now she's a media super star and writer and editor. She writes food blogs, has Web sites and rivals Martha Stewart when it comes to giving advice. Only Sarah tells people more of what they really need to know: ways to successfully wade the job of being a mom.

You can tell I am darned proud of her.

She also admits she is, "Way too sentimental." I like that too.

I also like that her cooking media empire does not neglect recipes that a great for vegetarians. Sarah,, shown, does use meat in some dishes but her focus is on what can be healthful for families and that means a lot of a lot of vegetables and a lot of very kid-friendly ideas. (Her kids are too cute to even describe here)

But for now, what I want to share is a couple of her delightful dishes that involved no meat (of course) and hope you try one of them for yourself. I shamelessly lifted the photos from her Web site - so they are the real deal of what she makes!

Here's one of the places you can find her: http://sarahscucinabella.com/ She's also on Twitter @SarahWCaron. Of her recipes, she says ..."if I am going to eat the stuff, it’s got to taste good. In fact, it’s got to be delicious."

This recipe truly sings to me:

Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad with Gorgonzola and Sunflower Seeds (serves 1)

2 cups halved Brussels sprouts

salt and pepper

1 tbsp sunflower seeds

1 tbsp Gorgonzola crumbles

1 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray an oven-safe pan with cooking oil spray. Spread the Brussels sprouts in the pan in a single layer. Lightly spray the sprouts with cooking oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, flipping once.
Toss the roasted Brussels sprouts with sunflower seeds, Gorgonzola and balsamic vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Sarah's recipe for kale pesto:

1 bunch kale, chopped (15-20 stalks)

2 large cloves garlic2/3 cup freshly grated Romano cheese (you can substitute Parmesan, if you prefer)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 cup pine nuts; a generous amount of salt
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.
Kale pesto, shown, can be frozen in smaller portions to use thorugh the winter.

More about Sarah: Sarah W. Caron, a journalist with a degree in political science from Barnard College of Columbia University. Her the blog gives you a glimpse into the eating-life of Sarah, her four-year-old son, Will, her two-year-old daughter, Paige, her husband, Shawn, and their two beagles and assorted other family members.

YOGA for a CAUSE to benefit Haitian Ministries

2010-02-09T20:11:00.004-05:00

GUILFORD — Yoga in Bloom will hold a YOGA for a CAUSE event to benefit Haitian Ministries for the Norwich Diocese.
The free will donation yoga class, suitable for all levels, will be held from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, at the Nathanael B. Greene Community Center, 32 Church St.
Child care will be available, thanks to parent volunteers, organizers said. Mohawk Paper will donate materials for school-aged children to create an art project to be sent to the Norwich Mission House in Haiti.
Yoga in Bloom founder and teacher, Stefanie Patterson, will donate 100 percent of the proceeds of the event to the relief work of Haitian Ministries, organizers said.
"I find great joy in my yoga practice when teaching within a like-minded community, and I would like to foster a sense of love and peace for the Haitian people by quieting the mind, stretching the body and connecting the collective spirit," Patterson said.
Patterson selected Haitian Ministries because of its long-standing presence in Haiti and the work it does to support those in need, event organizers said. The office of Haitian Ministries was inaugurated in 1985 with the help of Fr. Jim Carini, who was Stefanie’s parish priest while growing up in Preston, CT.
Over the years, Haitian Ministries has supported two orphanages, a meal program, a medical clinic, a scholarship program and reforestation projects.
To reserve a spot at the event, call Patterson at 877-224-3178. Beginners are welcome. Space is limited and pre-registering for childcare and the children’s craft project is required.)
Patterson has been practicing yoga for 15 years. She is certified through Finding Inner PeaceYoga School’s 200 hour program and is a member of the Yoga Alliance and has received specialty certifications in pre-natal yoga and children’s yoga, organizers said.

What's on your list?

2010-02-08T19:20:00.007-05:00

Talk about good news.

Vegetarians made the Huffington Post. Everyone knows that is uber cool.

The author of this particular piece, in fact, lauded vegetarians in a list entitled "Seven Things I Love About Vegetarians."

Now, I can think of more than seven things to love about vegetarians, but I think seven is a good start.

I think my favorite among writer Olivia Rosewood's list is No. 2: They have found a way to live without eating anyone who once had a mommy.

That's a good one.

She also points out, however, that a vegetarian lifestyle helps cut down on the pervasive problem of cow flatulence. People love to talk about cow gas don't they?

I think No. 1 on my list of things to love about vegetarians is that my niece Daisy convinced me to be one when she was about five years old. I have two daughters who had already gone that route from a very young age and while I always supported them in their decision, it was Daisy who finally convinced me.

Next on my list of things to love about vegetarians is that everyone would get to eat if everyone were a vegetarian. More on that in another blog post.

But for now, what tops your list of things to love about vegetarians? I bet you can think of more than seven too.

Read Rosewood's full story here

Not Just Recipes

2010-02-05T14:05:00.009-05:00

Turns out Facebook is the place for vegetarians too.

There are a number of groups that allow veggies and vegans to gather and chat and share cooking lore. One has almost 10,000 members.

I am now a fan of one group in which I met I "met" Rich Heiser.

Rich makes it happen.

He has a Web site and a Facebook page devoted to the vegetarian lifestyle and both contain not only recipes, but interviews and other useful information. It's no wonder he calls them both Not-Just-Recipes.

His Not=Just=Recipes Web site is "Your source for great vegetarian recipes. Simple vegetarian recipes - vegetarian dinner ideas, vegetarian lunch ideas - from breakfast to dessert. You'll find tips on cooking that promote a healthful, compassionate lifestyle," it says.

But, "You'll find more than just vegetarian recipes; there are vegan recipes as well as cooking videos and articles and information that will inform you and help you choose a healthier lifestyle."

Choosing a more healthful lifestyle is something everyone should strive for and for vegetarians staying informed is a key to making the right choices.

The Web site, amid a number of features, also offers a place for folks to share their stories and experiences, which I think is a great idea.

Thanks Rich for all you do.

The site is here: Not-Just-Recipes

The Facebook page can be found at the link I pasted here. The caveat, of course, is that to see that site, you have to join Facebook. If you are already a member, or do join, please friend me and let me know Vegging Out sent you!

P.S. For the Twitter family out there, I tweeted this story two. That seems like a full circle. See me @newsgirlct

It's all about love

2010-02-04T20:33:00.007-05:00

Mary Lawrence will show you how vegans make better lovers

Well, I made that up to grab your attention, but she will cook up a meal I think any vegan would love.

What better way would there to be to spend Valentine's Day showing your affection than to share a vegan dinner with your loved one or ones?

I am pleased to say that Mary Lawrence, that wonderful wonder of vegan chefs, shown with one of her chocolate creations, will be host for a vegan dinner at Georgie's Diner in West Haven on Valentine's Day.

It will be an entirely vegan four-course menu and include a mini cooking demonstration of one of the recipes. Lawrence said.

The dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. with an appetizer of red pepper tapenade on crostini, followed by a field green salad with candied pecans, dried cherries and raspberry vinaigrette.

The entree will be tofu picatta with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus, and for dessert, a chocolate ambrosia tart with toasted coconut almond crust.

A complimentary beverage will be served.

The cost is $40 per person and reservations are required.
Those interested in attending can contact Lawrence by calling 860-985-1645, or emailing mary@wellonwheels.com.
More info can be found on her Web site, http://www.wellonwheels.com/.

P.S Georgie's is at 427 West Elm St., West Haven

Sushi X hits the spot

2010-01-31T10:32:00.003-05:00

I was really in the mood for breakfast. That's what my son and I usually do on Saturday morning.

He had another idea, however.

Sushi X.

This kid really knows how to pick them.

He assured me there would vegetarian fare among the incredible number of dishes and types of sushi that this amazing little West Haven restaurant makes. He was right about that too.

The waitress, Chloe, also made a point of pointing out salads, soups, appetizers and other items that contained no meat.

And these turned out to be little bits of veggie heaven. The sweet potato appetizer was sweet and crunchy, the seaweed salad was a heap of green goodness, the soup was loaded with fresh veggies and the avocado and cucumber rolls tasted so fresh one could imagine Sushi X has a garden out back.

I am not one much for promoting products - it can be fraught with pitfalls - but in this case I am going give a thumbs up to Sushi X.

I realize it serves a lot of fish - which I would never eat - but this Capt. Thomas Boulevard eatery also readily serves up a menu full of animal free offerings.

The one warning I must give is that Sushi X's menu is an all-you-can-eat deal - and if you go be prepared to make sure you don't order more than you can eat. They don't like waste, and that's a credo I like too.

A job for Steve

2010-01-30T10:16:00.002-05:00

Everyone is talking about Steve Jobs this week, and while I am not really grooving on the name of the new Apple product, (I am not alone - Google it) it turns out Steve is a vegetarian. Now, I know his real job is coming up with products we all have to have, but it's nice that since he has that job it gives the vegetarian lifestyle a high profile plug.

Read about it here

Vegetarian connection

2010-01-28T19:32:00.004-05:00

There is something about being a vegetarian that both sets you apart from some people and connects you to others.

Maybe because I so often feel set apart from people who eat meat that the immediate connection to other vegetarians is so clear.

I was at a social gathering recently and while being a vegetarian had nothing to do with the reason for the party, the host did make a point of making sure there were veggie-only foods there and he even made homemade potato soup that was out of this world.
While I chatted with people at the party, however, it somehow came up with one woman that I am a vegetarian and she is a vegan.

Was this the reason we hit it off so well? I am not sure.

But we became friendly enough that we chatted about how hard it is to find veggie restaurants - and how interesting it can be that we are so often the subject of apparently good natured ribbing by everyone from friends to co-workers. We touched on the fact that we wonder why so many people who do eat meat seem to bring up the subject of our veggie-ism so often - and we never came to a real conclusion. Neither of us criticize meat eaters - but some meat eaters seem to enjoy taking the vegetarian lifestyle to task.

We had both experienced it.

The bond grew strong enough in a short time that we made plans to try out a vegetarian/vegan restaurant together. I hope we do it one day, and I hope our husbands join us - they are two meat eaters who don’t feel the need to try to convince us to go back to the dark side.

He did it!

2010-01-11T13:51:00.001-05:00

One year and counting, one man's commitment to a humane way of life

By Joel Marks

Correct me if I am wrong, but I do not think you want to torture and kill an animal, or see anybody else do it, or have anybody else do it for you.
You are also informed enough to know that the food you eat is likely the result of extreme cruelty to animals.
That last sentence presumes that you are not a vegan, given how few vegans there are. So it looks like you are caught up in some kind of contradiction, does it not?
Believe me, I know what it’s like. For most of my 60 years on this planet I have known that there are slaughterhouses, and yet I continued to eat various animal products.
It is only relatively recently, however, that I learned that during the course of my lifetime, animal agriculture has become completely mechanized.
Hardly any meat, milk, cheese or egg that you can eat today comes from an animal that has lived a normal life. Most likely the animal has never even been outside. And in any case the animal is killed in the prime of his or her life.
Enough of that. You have read about it, seen it on television … and filed it under "Forget." It seems like one of those overwhelming phenomena that fill the front pages but over which you personally can exercise very little control: tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, wars, famines, poverty, plagues, you name it.
But this is not so. You can simply stop eating animal foods.
"Simply?" you say. It is not so simple. Even if one resolves to abstain, it is a real question whether one can stick to it. Our food must appeal to our taste buds. Furthermore, we must consider our nutritional needs.
Here is what you need to know. First, there are countless appetizing dishes that are entirely free of animal ingredients, and most of them are a cinch to prepare.
Second, in a press release last summer the American Dietetic Association stated that "appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases including heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes.
Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes."
I myself decided to take the plunge a year ago. It was my new year’s resolution. I did not exactly go cold turkey, so to speak, because I had abstained from eating mammals for decades.
But my original motivation had been health and humanitarian. I had read about the cholesterol advantages of avoiding meat, and also about the inefficient production of protein by feeding grains to animals in a world where millions of people were starving.
Only much more recently did I learn about factory farming, and also that by far the most numerous abused creatures on this planet are poultry and fish. T
here was nothing for it, then, but to give up eating all animals as well as dairy and eggs.
I am very happy to report that I have been able to stick to my resolve. Indeed, at this point it would be difficult for me to return to a non-vegan diet, so satisfied have I become with my new way of eating.
I have discovered from my own experience that there are additional unanticipated benefits. For one thing, a vegan diet costs less. For another, it consumes less of my time to prepare meals. Most surprising and delightful of all: both my mind and my body feel more energetic.
My thinking is more alert; I feel motivated to take on new projects; my sleeping is more restful.
When you consider also that animal agriculture is a leading cause of environmental degradation, including global warming, the conclusion seems inescapable: Let your New Year’s resolution be to go vegan.

Joel Marks is professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of New Haven and a resident of Milford. He can be contacted through his Web site at http://www.theeasyvegan.com/.

Editor's note: One year ago this week, Joel Marks debuted his resolve to go vegan, here on Vegging Out. Well, he did it and this column is reprinted here with the permission of the Milford-Orange Bulletin and with our thanks to Editor Bridget Albert.

Get moving

2009-11-21T23:24:00.005-05:00

You know what's great?
It's when kids provide an inspiration. And that's exactly what a group from the University of Maryland did with this short but sweet video they have posted on YouTube.
With a light touch, it shows us how exercise - yes exercise - helps you and helps everybody.

Check it out here

How do we love you Mary Lawrence?

2009-11-10T19:26:00.003-05:00

There are so many ways and just in time for No-Turkey Day!

The Woodbridge Library says it is proud to offer a cooking class,“Vegan Cooking for the Holidays” at 7 p.m. Nov. 16. (hurray for the Woodbridge Library!)

Chef Mary Lawrence will "help solve the age-old problem of what to serve a vegetarian for Thanksgiving."

The class will teach you how to celebrate "the holiday season with a harvest feast of vegetables, fruits and baked goods that everyone will enjoy," organizers said.

That includes ideas for appetizers, seasonal side dishes and delectable desserts that are all free of animal products, including eggs, dairy and, of course, turkey, organizers said. (you can't beat that!)

The event will include learning how to prepare a winter vegetable chowder with spiced toasted pepitas "that's perfect for a chilly evening or holiday celebration."

The program is free, but space is limited and registration is required.

To register or for more information, call 389-3433, stop by the library Circulation Desk, or email pvalsecchi@ci.woodbridge.ct.us.

Chef Mary Lawrence is the owner of Well on Wheels, LLC, a vegan personal chef service providing organic whole foods meals prepared in clients' homes, group cooking classes and private lessons. Lawrence has taught at the Connecticut Culinary Institute, Wild Oats Market and numerous adult education programs in Hartford and New Haven counties. She has been a featured guest on WTNH TV's Noon News, and more.

She is a contributor to the Friends of Animals' cookbook, 'The Best of Vegan Cooking (2009)', and in 2007 she published her first cookbook, 'Quick and Easy Vegan Cuisine.' Mary Lawrence maintains a nutrition counseling practice at the Shoreline Center for Wholistic Health in Guilford.

Fatty food make you dumb

2009-08-14T17:11:00.002-04:00

A story in the New York Times says fatty foods very quickly slow down your body and your brain.

"...the new research shows how indulging in fatty foods over the course of a few days can affect the brain and body long before the extra pounds show up," the story says.

Yikes, that means a double cheeseburger for lunch might even make it tougher for you to make your way through the maze of the rest of the workday.

All the more reason to stick to vegetables and leave the cows alone.

Read the full story here

Tea for me

2009-08-13T13:22:00.003-04:00

So there I was a few weeks ago, feeling kind of punk. It was that feeling everyone likely gets once in awhile: you feel as though you are getting sick, but can’t quite put your finger on what is wrong. It usually passes quickly.
But on that day, as I sat in my office realizing I was not feeling yucky enough to go home, I spotted a little gift that recently had come to me in the mail: Tea bags from of Homegrown Herb and Tea, a “small herbal tea apothecary” in Portland, Maine.
Just looking at the tea is enough to make anyone with a sense of adventure feel better. The tea comes in little gauzy tea “bags” and through the bag you can see little lumps of flowers and other natural goodies that release an incredible aroma.
So off I strolled over to the office water cooler, which blessedly dispenses both hot and cold water, freshly supplied by none other than the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority.
My choice among the offering the herbal tea company gifted to me was “The Flower Child.” It is billed as a “delightful bouquet of jasmine flowers, rose petals, lavender flowers and lemon grass” and as “uplifting, clean and refreshing.” That sounded like just the ticket.
It was.
Now, I know I am in no way any expert on anything, especially the mysterious qualities of tea that make it so reportedly healthful. But I do know it’s yummy and I drink it every day, usually some combination (not mixed) of black tea, red Rooibos tea and other herbal teas.
I had never had anything quite like “The Flower Child.” It was lumpy with flower parts in its little bag and those flowers seemed to infuse the water with a variety of tastes. I added a little honey and that really hit the spot. It really was uplifting.
Although the owner of Homegrown Herb and Tea, Sarah Richards, hopes her brews outpace coffee sales nationwide, I am not quite ready to give up the cup of coffee I have in the morning when I get to work. I will always love tea more than coffee; my husband also drinks many cups of tea each day.
But this foray into the magic if what Sarah Richards has created – she handcrafts with organic (some grown on her brother’s farm) and fairly traded products – was a wonderful experience and I offer kudos to her for this wonderful business she created.
For more on the teas visit http://www.homegrowntea.com/.