It’s an exciting time for veganism – new products are coming out all the time, more restaurants are offering vegan options, even fashion brands are going vegan. It seems like every week something new is cropping up in the vegan world and more awareness is happening every day.
In honor of Veganuary, this post is about recent vegan news and info. I’m sharing links from around the ‘net, with additional information for some items that I’ve come across in my research. Oh and a cute cow gif too, ’cause why not. 🙂
So here it is! Trending Vegan for January 14, 2018.
And here’s a gif of an adorable cow family sharing some bread together. ♡ If you want to see more, his whole channel is him feeding cows (sometimes other animals too). Super wholesome and sweet (I love how even the video titles are all “feeding the lovely” animals).
There’s something special about pesto. It’s so delicious, and I just love the fragrant combination of basil and garlic. It also reminds me of summertime, which makes me happy since it’s my favorite season. 🙂Â
Basil pesto is quite easy to make and really simple to veganize by replacing the traditional parmesan cheese with either vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast. It’s also very versatile – if you don’t have pine nuts, you can substitute other kinds (like almonds or walnuts), and you can add sun-dried tomatoes for a nice variation too.
We like to make huge batches of this and freeze it so we can have it whenever we want. The best method we’ve found is using an ice cube tray, which makes neat little pesto cubes. You just fill each mold with pesto and tamp them down to remove any air. Add a drizzle olive oil on top of each cube (this helps retain the color), then cover with plastic wrap, ensuring to press the wrap down close to the pesto (again, this is to remove as much air as possible).
Once frozen, you can leave them in the trays, or pop them out and put the cubes in a freezer bag. The easiest way to get them to come out is to turn the tray upside down and run cool water over the back of it – the pesto cubes will slide right out (although you may need to wiggle or hit the back of the tray for the ones that need more encouragement!).
We love pesto on pasta (of course), but it’s also amazing on sandwiches, paninis and as a pizza topping.
This pesto recipe is quick to prepare, fragrant and delicious.
Prep Time10minutes
Total Time10minutes
Servings6
AuthorBlooming Vegan
Ingredients
1 ½cupsfresh basil
1cuppine nuts
3clovesgarlic
â…“cupnutritional yeast
â…“cupolive oil
Âľtsp.salt
½tsp.pepper
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a food processor and combine until desired consistency is reached.
Recipe Notes
When you add this to pasta, you may want to reserve some of the water the pasta was boiled in and add a small amount to the pesto; this helps it mix well and adhere to the noodles.
In July of 2016 we took a week-long trip to ReykjavĂk, Iceland. My Mother-in-Law, Susan, had always wanted to go there, so when she came from Australia to visit us in New York it was an excellent opportunity to make the trip.
Our accommodations were great; Susan found a lovely two bedroom flat through Airbnb that had a huge kitchen and views of a small inlet out back, complete with an outside seating area facing the water. It was perfect for watching the seabirds and the changing twilight sky.
While sitting outside the first night this adorable cat came and perched on our table – he was so sweet and friendly! Every evening when we got back from exploring we would leave the back door open and he always visited us, coming inside for some pets and then going back out on his way to do cat things.
Iceland in July is like spring or fall in New York – the temperature averages around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, so packing warm clothes is a must. There are twenty hours of daylight in the summertime, but it never really gets dark; when the sun sets, it sort of hovers just below the horizon, so nighttime is more like twilight. The sunset while we were there was around 11 PM, and sunrise was about 3 AM, which was especially confusing to our circadian rhythms – we stayed up past 2 AM on our first night (definitely not the norm for any of us!). Â
As you probably know (especially if you’re a Game of Thrones fan!), there are incredible views from anywhere you go in Iceland. And waterfalls – they’re just everywhere – from big huge ones to little tiny ones. We hiked up a giant one called SkĂłgafoss (which was a little scary!), and climbed behind a famous one called Seljalandsfoss (people take many beautiful pictures there, both from the front and while inside the small cave behind it).
SkĂłgafossA view from the top of SkĂłgafossSeljalandsfoss FallsThe cave behind Seljalandsfoss
When we weren’t stopping at all the scenic tourist spots, we spent our time driving and taking pictures. As we always do when we travel, we visited the local supermarkets to get our fresh fruits and veggies and to see what vegan items they have.  At Bónus (which has an unfortunate logo of a smiling, stoned looking pink pig), there was a whole vegan section (albeit a small one) that had vegan cheeses and meats, like gyro seitan (which was so good). Another store we checked out was Krónan, which had vegan items throughout the store, such as hummus, frozen pizzas, plant-based mayo and even remoulade.
This was delicious!
Twice we went to eat at a pizza place called ĂŤslenska Flatbakan – after going there for lunch I insisted we go back another day for dinner! We ordered pizzas and vegan cheese-filled breadsticks, all of which were amazing (the breadsticks were my favorite). They’ve actually added more items to their menu since our visit – vegan buffalo breadsticks and buffalo cauliflower, as well as a cinnamon dessert.
Puffins!
For this trip we decided to bring some vegan items from home, an idea Richard had come up with not long after we started traveling together (I discuss this in more detail in my post Tips for the Traveling Vegan). This time we took Tofurky slices, a block of tofu, and some veggie burgers. For breakfast most days we had either avocado on toast or tofu scramble. Lunch was usually Tofurky sandwiches, which were perfect for us to bring as we drove around exploring, and on one of our last days it was just warm enough for us to have a picnic buy the water. For dinner we usually cooked – or I should say, Richard cooked, while Susan and I chatted and drank wine!
A stop off for pictures in MosfellsdalurRichard said, “act like a bunny” – this was the best I could do!
We were pleasantly surprised by the availability of vegan options in Iceland, and I hope to go back one day. As much as I hate the cold, I would love to be there in the winter to see the Northern Lights, and to experience the shortened daylight hours. Since I wasn’t actively blogging at the time I didn’t take pictures of what we ate like I would have now, so I’d relish the chance to do that too. And of course, being the foodie I am, I also really want to return to that awesome pizza place, as well as get more (like a lot more) of that gyro seitan!
If you’re going to ReykjavĂk, I highly recommend this blog by Ragnar Freyr – it’s frequently updated, and not only does he review the available vegan-friendly restaurants but also has a list of helpful Icelandic phrases and words for the traveling vegan.
One of my favorite items at the all vegan Champs Diner in Brooklyn is the “Baja Fish Burrito”. It’s described on the menu as “crispy fish cutlets, purple cabbage, greens, sour cream, avocado, salsa, chipotle mayo in whole wheat tortilla”. Whenever I get it I always end up eating the whole thing, even though with that plus appetizers I can barely move afterwards!
I decided to try recreating this at home using one of my favorite products by Gardein, their Fishless Filets – they have a definite fish-like taste and texture, and come out of the oven nice and crispy. I also used a bagged mix of chopped coleslaw and jarred salsa of medium hotness. Â The Chipotle mayo was simple to make using only vegan mayo and Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
I was very pleased with how my version turned out and how easy it was to put together. Normally when we have the Fishless Filets we eat them on their own with a side of fries, tartar sauce and a salad, or in a wrap with lettuce and tomatoes, so this was a really nice variation. Using cabbage instead of lettuce gave it an extra crunch that was delicious.
This is one of those recipes where you can add as much or as little as you like of each item. I used two Filets per burrito, but you can certainly do more if you want – I just find the Filets to be quite filling (and adding more makes it hard to wrap the burrito properly – I had difficulty folding it up with just two!).
Changing your diet is a huge lifestyle adjustment for most people, so it’s understandably more than a little confusing at first. Add to that the importance of getting all the necessary nutrients and vitamins from the food you eat, and you may feel frustrated before you even begin!
For me, nutrition was a big consideration before becoming vegan – which is actually kind of funny since I never cared about it at all as an omnivore. I had always assumed I was getting everything I needed, but I realize now that I definitely wasn’t. So for me, going vegan provided an added benefit in that I actually learned more about what my body needs to be healthy.
I’m going to briefly address a few myths and concerns that are sometimes raised about vegan diets, and then provide a detailed list of common sources of nutrition for vegans.
Protein
The biggest thing people wonder about regarding vegan (or even vegetarian) diets is protein. The truth is, we have been grossly misinformed about the need for protein in our diets; in fact, too much protein is detrimental to our health, leading to problems with kidney function, weight gain, constipation and an increased risk of cancers.
Since most people in the U.S. follow the SAD (Standard American Diet, also called Traditional Western Diet or Western Pattern Diet), the average American ingests twice the recommended amount of protein per day. There is mounting evidence that a diet high in protein increases IGF-1 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1), which promotes the development of tumors. High protein diets are also linked to a decrease in longevity; interestingly, mortality rates are reduced if the protein ingested is derived from plants.
If you’re very athletic, you probably will want to incorporate more protein into your diet – fortunately, you can get all you need from plant sources. This is also evidenced by the increasing amount of elite athletes who are going vegan, or who have been vegan for years, such as Scott Jurek and Rich Roll. A great resource is the blog No Meat Athlete, which I definitely recommend as it contains an abundance of excellent information.
Calcium
Calcium is another myth regarding vegan diets. Don’t we need calcium from milk? Isn’t it necessary for strong bones, especially for children and the elderly?
Cows’ milk is for calves and designed to grow a baby cow into a 1,000-plus pound adult in a relatively short amount of time. Humans are the only animal who wean off their mothers’ milk to then start habitually drinking the milk of an entirely different species. Plus, from an evolutionary perspective, it seems strange (as well as detrimental to survival!) that humans would have evolved in such a way as to require the milk of another creature to be healthy.
B12
B12 is something that most people supplement as vegans, or at the very least when starting out. B12 comes from bacteria in soil; humans have historically fulfilled their B12 needs by consuming plants containing remnants of the soil they grow in. In modern times, we wash our fruits and vegetables thoroughly, removing the dirt where this vitamin resides. Most omnivores meet their requirement by eating animals that have been supplemented with B12 (since animals raised in factory farms are not given the opportunity to graze and get their B12 naturally).
Many foods are now fortified with B12, but to be sure you are getting enough, it’s highly recommended that you take a supplement, either daily or twice a week (more on this below in the section on B12 sources).
Soy
I am mentioning soy as it’s been a bit of a hot topic in recent years. Just like with protein and calcium, there is an abundance of misinformation floating around about whether or not soy is bad for you. Some beliefs are that soy causes feminizing effects in men and that it increases breast cancer in women. However, studies have demonstrated that the intake of soy does not affect the testosterone levels of men, and there is no correlation with increased cancer risk and soy consumption.
Interestingly, although vegans and vegetarians often incorporate soy into their diets, many omnivores ingest it indirectly due to the fact that the animals they eat are primarily fed soy.
That being said, some people are indeed allergic to soy, and will need to obtain the nutrition it provides elsewhere.
Sources of Nutrition
Now that we’ve addressed some misconceptions, let’s take a look at the various nutrient sources for vegans. All foods listed are in no particular order (though I did try to group them by type). Some items show up in more than one category; also, many greens tend to contain more nutrients (such as iron and calcium) when they are cooked rather than eaten raw.
Protein Sources Â
Beans, lentils, grains, greens and mock meats like tofu, seitan and tempeh all contain enough protein to meet your daily recommended requirements.
Calcium is often found in dark green leafy vegetables and fortified plant milks.
Navy beans
Chia seeds
AlmondsÂ
Amaranth
Kale (cooked)
Spinach (cooked)
Mustard greens (cooked)
Broccoli (cooked)
Bok choy (cooked)
Collard greens (cooked)
Tahini
Almond butter
Blackstrap molasses
Fortified plant milks
Tempeh
Tofu
IronSources Â
You can consume these with Vitamin C to increase absorption; try to refrain from having with coffee/tea which limits absorption. Cooking with a cast iron skillet also imparts iron into your food – up to three times more than if you cook in non-iron pans!
Commonly thought to only be found in seafood, it comes from several plant-based sources as well, some of which (like chia seeds) actually contain more omega-3 than salmon.
Flax seeds
Flaxseed oil
Chia seeds
Walnuts
B12SourcesÂ
Meat substitutes are often fortified with B12, as well as various cereals and non-dairy milks.
Nutritional yeast
Fortified soy and nut milks
B12 supplement (at least 2.5 mcg (micrograms) twice a day or 1000 micrograms twice a week) – you may want to find one that you take sublingually (under the tongue) in order to increase absorption efficiency.
Vitamin C Sources Â
Quite a few fruits and veggies are excellent sources of Vitamin C.
Red bell peppers
Green bell peppers
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Kiwi fruit
Oranges
Strawberries
Pineapple
Grapefruit
Vitamin D Sources Â
Most people, whether vegan or not, are somewhat deficient in Vitamin D, which is produced by our bodies via sunlight. Up to 30 minutes of sun exposure a couple of times a week can help, but if you’re like me and burn easily, you may want to supplement this with a daily vitamin. The recommended dose is 600 IU per day (IU meaning “International Unit”); 600 IU translates to 15 mcg a day.
Blackstrap Molasses
Finally, I want to mention blackstrap molasses, something I had never even heard of before I went vegan. After doing some research on it, I bought a jar right away! I personally don’t find it particularly tasty – it has a strong flavor that isn’t as sweet as regular molasses, and is a thicker consistency.  I know that doesn’t sound very appealing, but here’s the thing – it’s quite good for you. It contains calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron, and is also believed to have numerous other health benefits. Many people take a spoonful or two of it a day as a supplement; it can also be added to some recipes, bearing in mind that it should not be used as a true replacement for molasses since the flavor is quite different!
As you can see, it’s relatively easy to get all of your nutritional needs met on a vegan diet – you may initially just need to think about it a bit more than you would normally be accustomed to. A great thing to keep in mind is to make sure you have plenty of variety – it’s often recommended to “eat the rainbow”, since the more colorful your plate, the greater the range of vitamins and minerals you’re incorporating into your meal. This will assist in ensuring you eat an adequate amount of fresh, natural whole foods as well.
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I loved tuna as an omnivore and went through a phase where I ate it every day for lunch until I read about the dangers of mercury (oops!). As much as I enjoyed it, I actually like this so much more – mainly because it’s vegan (of course!), but also for a couple of other reasons. I had never liked handling tuna because it’s so fishy, and would always manage to get that smelly juice on myself when draining the can (ewww). I also feel that chickpea “tuna” is a lot more versatile since you don’t have that strong tuna flavor to contend with, so whatever you put in it stands out a lot more. And of course, not having to worry about mercury is awesome, since that means I can eat this every day if I want!
This recipe is very basic, and you’ll want to adjust the measurements to your preference. You can also add so many different things to this No-Tuna – it’s easy to experiment with and to make a bit differently every time. I like to eat this on sandwiches with lettuce and tomato (and avocado if I have it on hand), but it’s also excellent with vegan cheese added and then heated in a pan or sandwich press to make a No-Tuna melt.
This simple and versatile chickpea salad is healthy and delicious.
Prep Time15minutes
Total Time15minutes
Servings4
AuthorBlooming Vegan
Ingredients
115.5 oz.can chickpeas
1large celery stalk, chopped
ÂĽonion, chopped(red or white)
3-4Tbsp.vegan mayonnaise
1-2tsp.Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Drain the chickpeas and rinse them well.
Pour the chickpeas into a bowl and mash them until desired consistency is reached. (I use a potato masher but a fork works too.)
Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Enjoy on sandwiches, wraps, crackers or just on its own!
Recipe Notes
You can add so many things to this: lemon juice, capers, garlic powder, sun-dried tomatoes, diced cucumbers, sweet pickle relish, chopped dill pickles, dulse flakes - I like to add chopped artichoke hearts sometimes too.
People switch to veganism for various reasons. The majority do it for ethical concerns, to aid in preventing animal exploitation. Some become vegan in diet only (plant-based) due to health or environmental concerns. Often people who eat plant-based for their health or the planet eventually learn about the reality of animal agriculture and begin eschewing animal-derived clothing and other products. Many vegetarians also progress to veganism once they learn of the animal abuse in egg and dairy production.
Below is a general overview on each of the three major issues that cause people to go vegan. I’ve only just touched on these topics here; an abundance of detailed and specific information can be found online (you can view my Resources page for links as well).Â
Animal Welfare
Animals raised for meat, eggs and dairy are kept in filthy, unnatural conditions and forced to endure unbearable pain and suffering during their short lives. Modern meat animals are raised in factory farms/CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations), where they are forced to live in crowded and inhumane environments. For all of them, the natural length of their lives is shortened substantially when they inevitably go to slaughter.
Egg laying hens (“layers”) usually live in battery cages – tiny wire cages usually stacked and kept in sheds, where for about two years the chickens live packed in so tightly together they can barely move. Although many eggs are now labeled “free range” or “cage free”, the USDA guidelines for what is required to meet these standards are still very bleak, as well as poorly regulated.
Pigs are also kept in extreme crowding conditions, and female pigs (sows) are kept in gestation crates where they can barely move and cannot even turn around – all they can do it lie down or stand facing one direction. They live this way for several years before being sent to slaughter.
Dairy cows live their lives as milking machines – but they cannot produce milk unless they have babies. They are artificially inseminated repeatedly for this purpose, and not long after they give birth their babies are taken away from them. The female calves are raised into the same fate as their mothers, while the male calves are placed into small, restrictive enclosures called veal crates where they endure their short lives.
All the animals we raise for food or products endure horrible mistreatment throughout their existence, and are not afforded the protections that our companion animals receive. Unfortunately, even the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (which only applies to mammals; chickens and turkeys are exempt) does not guarantee that they are at least treated well in the moments before death, due to the hectic nature of the slaughterhouse, the speed at which the workers must perform and the lack of enforcement by the USDA.
Environmental Impact
Animal agriculture is one of the main contributors to the destruction of the planet. Forests are being destroyed at a rate of 4,500 acres every hour, primarily to clear space to raise animals for humans to eat. In 2006 the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization published a report called “Livestock’s Long Shadow” which noted that 30% of Earth’s land mass is used for for growing crops and grazing for animals. Deforestation also has an enormous impact on eliminating habitats for wild animals, including endangered species.
The animals we eat also produce an abundance of excrement, methane and ammonia. Per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), approximately 80% of the ammonia emissions in the US come from livestock waste. The same United Nations report mentioned above notes that animal agriculture is responsible for 18% of the total greenhouse gases world-wide – more than all the cars, trucks, planes and ships in the world combined.
Fishing is also destroying the oceans; these boats are trawling the seas, dragging enormous nets along the ocean floor. This not only destroys environments, but picks up anything in its path, including turtles, dolphins and other sea life (bycatch). Fish farms are not much better – they cause ecological dead zones, and just like animals in CAFOs they are given antibiotics to prevent the spread of sickness. Some scientists estimate that the majority of the world’s oceans will be devoid of fish by 2048.
Animals bred for food are also routinely fed antibiotics to prevent the spreading of illnesses due to the cramped conditions they live in. It is estimated that over 80% of the antibiotics in the US are fed to factory farmed animals. Animals are also given hormones (such as rBGH) so that they grow or produce milk much faster than is natural or normal.
“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association 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. 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….The results of an evidence-based review showed that a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease. Vegetarians also appear to have lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension and type 2 diabetes than nonvegetarians. Furthermore, vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates.”
Why are things like this now?
The images of happy cows on milk cartons and smiling pigs on bacon packages are designed to shield the consumer from the harshness of reality and distance them from the fact that these are living, feeling creatures who don’t want to suffer and die. With the advent of factory farms, costs in animal production have been reduced by the implementation of automation, and the removal of any kind of veterinary care or natural environments for the animals – all of which increases efficiency, for the goal of making more money as quickly as possible.
Over 56 billion farm animals are killed by humans every year – excluding fish, as they cannot be measured as individuals; the numbers are so large they are measured in tonnes. We are wasting resources on an impossible scale, and not only is it unnecessary and unsustainable, it’s cruel to the animals and bad for our bodies.
What can I do?
Going vegan is the best thing you can do to stop supporting the violence and destruction caused by the industry, with the added benefits of improved health and decreased environmental impact. It’s remarkably easy nowadays to embrace this lifestyle, which has only continued to become more mainstream in recent years. Plus, with the increased advent of vegan products, stores and restaurants, most new vegans find that rather than feeling restricted, they discover new foods and add to their diets much more than they omit.
Veganism is not about sacrifice; it’s about making a choice to challenge what is considered acceptable and normal, and to live aligned with your beliefs. Making the switch offers peace of mind in the knowledge that you’re doing your best to live as healthy, cruelty-free and green as possible – for yourself, the animals, and the future.
