Project Animal Farm

Vegan Outreach's review on the book Project Animal Farm!

Review by Josie Moody, Office Manager

Project Animal Farm by Sonia Faruqi is not an easy read, but it is an important one. It is painfully and necessarily graphic. There’s no way to sugarcoat the subject matter, and that’s why it is so powerful.

Project Animal Farm is a project Faruqi set about unintentionally after she lost her position as an Investment Banker during the American recession. After lots of reading during her time off, she decided to put her free time to good use by volunteering on an organic dairy farm in Canada. After reaching out to dozens of farms, only one agreed to take her on as a volunteer, and, as they say, the rest is history.

Rudely awakened from her fantasy of what life on a modern farm would be like, Faruqi is disturbed by the mistreatment of the animals at these operations and the apathy of the humans who work there. She then uses her connections and experience at the dairy farm to investigate if this is an isolated incident, or a widespread practice.

Unfortunately she finds the same horrors at the chicken, pork, turkey and veal operations she subsequently visits. By the books end, she has explored agribusiness in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Belize, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. I have read books, visited websites and seen footage that exposes what happens on factory farms over the past four years, and was distressed to learn of more torturous practices she uncovers in this book that I had been previously unaware of.

Writes Faruqi, “I found that the pattern of factory farming everywhere follows the trajectory of the United States. Chickens and egg-laying hens are confined and commoditized first, followed by pigs, then by cows. It’s as if the industry starts with animals it considers least sentient first, then works its way up the ladder.”

At the end of the book she concludes,“The agriculture industry claims to be strong and healthy, but upon inspection one finds that he is not a vigorous young man bursting with life, but a paranoid and senile old man who lives in terror that any encounter with outsiders will spell his death.”

If you’re interested in reading it, you can buy it here: http://amzn.to/1Ygu5IU

Minestrone Soup and BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich

By Toni Okamoto

I can definitely see Robin Robertson’s Cook the Pantry being one of my favorite cookbooks this year! She focuses on using staple ingredients paired with vegetables, and makes her recipes flexible for the reader to use what they have on-hand.

Vegan Outreach reviews "Cook the Pantry" by Robin Robertson

Since my favorite food is any kind of soup, I decided to try Robin’s Minestrone. In my version I added carrots, zucchini, and kale, along with quinoa and pasta stars. You can buy the bags of pasta stars in most grocery stores in the hispanic foods section — they are crazy cheap! I think I bought my bag for .32 cents!

This is another great recipe to rid your refrigerator of almost expired produce! It’s really flavorful, filling, and healthy!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups fresh or frozen chopped vegetables (such as carrots, kale, green beans, zucchini, in any combination)
  • 1 (15.5 oz) can chickpeas or white beans, drained
  • 1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • salt and black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked pasta, rice, or other grain

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in the vegetables, tomatoes, chickpeas, and broth. Season with basil, oregano, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the pasta or grain, if using. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.

BBQ Jackfruit

This recipe was appealing to me because I had never cooked with jackfruit. I see it trending online so I thought it’d be easy to find, but it was surprisingly difficult. I went to Sprouts, Raleys, Oto’s Japanese Market, and finally found it in the “Little Saigon” area of Sacramento at a market called SF Market. When I did find it, I was happy to see that it was only $1.39 per can. That’s a really great price for the meat in a sandwich.

It was easy to make and only took me 20 minutes to do all the cooking! The filling was delicious, the flavor was rich, and the leftovers kept well for a weekend lunch.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 (16 oz) can water-packed jackfruit, drained, shredded or thinly sliced
  • 1 (4-oz) can chopped mild or hot green chiles, drained
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • salt and ground black pepper
  • 4 sandwich rolls

Directions:

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the jackfruit and chiles and cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Stir in the BBQ sauce, tamari, mustard, paprika, liquid smoke, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, to heat through and blend the flavors, about 8 minutes. Mix well, adding a little water in the mixture if it is too dry. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. When ready to serve, spoon the mixture onto the rolls and serve hot.

Emmanuel Marquez

Emmanuel Marquez

Continuing our series of activist profiles, today we talk to Vegan Outreach’s Mexico Outreach Coordinator, Emmanuel Marquez. Since he began in January 2015 as our first full-time Outreach Coordinator in Mexico, Emmanuel has been an invaluable asset to the Vegan Outreach team. On the first stop of his initial tour, he had a record-breaking day at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, passing out 5,500 booklets in one session! Emmanuel has now leafleted 137 different schools, reaching more than 144,000 students. Take a moment to get to know Emmanuel a little better below.

Where are you from and where do you live now?

I’m from Monterrey, Mexico, and I live there as well.

What got you interested in animal rights and veganism?

Growing up, I constantly shared my home with dogs, fish, hamsters, and many other animals. I learned to love all of them – even insects, reptiles, and others that many people don’t like. Some years ago, I saw a video on the Internet about factory farming. I was shocked and outraged, and I decided to change my diet immediately. I also felt the urge to share what I had just learned. As soon as I finished watching the video, I showed it to my brothers, and they are now vegan.

How did you get involved with Vegan Outreach and leafleting?

I started to get involved with different kinds of activities with local groups to help animals, such as demonstrations and signing petitions. As a result, I learned about the Animal Rights National Conference in the US, and I attended for the first time in 2013. There, I met Victor Sjodin, Director of Outreach for VO. Victor was about to begin a tour in Mexico, and I volunteered to help him in my hometown. We visited the main universities in Mexico and had a very positive response. Later, I was offered a position with Vegan Outreach as an Outreach Coordinator traveling all over Mexico, visiting universities to speak up for farmed animals, and here we are.

How is the response to VO literature in Mexico?

It is wonderful. When I’m on tour, almost every day I get to meet someone who is interested in changing their eating habits to help animals, thanks to a leaflet they’ve received from us. It’s sometimes overwhelming to see so many students reading the booklets on a campus we are visiting!

Tell us what you like about leafleting.

I love leafleting because it is a very simple and effective way to help animals and to change people’s lives. Everyone should give it a try, even if you are introverted. I used to be hesitant about doing it on my own since I’m naturally shy, but after doing it for some time, it has helped me to be more confident in general and better at interacting with people. It is easier than it looks and the more you do it, the easier it gets. Leafleting with a friend and smiling always helps.

Do you have a favorite leafleting moment to share?

I have different moments that I like a lot, but I think my favorite was when I was visiting the Tech Institute of Querétaro with Carlos Contreras. Our day was made when a guy named Luis [below] was standing with his guitar very close to us, waiting for someone outside the main gate; we gave him a leaflet, and he read it completely while we kept leafleting. After he finished, I approached him and asked for his thoughts about it, and he said “I’m not eating meat anymore” right away! We had a long talk with him about dairy and eggs and gave him some advice on how to make the transition to veg easier and more likely to last. It was one of those times where you get to see the effect of leafleting on people firsthand – there are many people who react like Luis when they receive a leaflet, but you don’t get to see them.

Luis at ITQ

What do you do for fun when you’re not leafleting?

I like to watch movies, spend time with friends and family, go hiking, visit museums, attend concerts, and play video games.

I’m also proud to share that my family runs a vegan taco business. My older brother Eleazar started it almost three years ago. Now my parents, Eliazar and Mary, and my younger brother Isaac all sell them in farmers’ markets and at other events, and cater as well. They are made of oat chicharron, amaranth picadillo, beans, and potatoes. I love to see people enjoy them. Vegans and non-vegans go wherever they are sold to eat delicious and accessible plant-based food.

Vegan at Costco

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By Toni Okamoto

Michelle and I snagged my family’s Costco card so we could show you all the vegan options they offer! As you can see in the video below, they have TONS of stuff! Everything from a wide selection of non-dairy milks, to animal crackers, Hodo Soy products, frozen foods, and much more.

Different Costco locations carry different products, but the Sacramento one was fantastic! Let us know in the comments below the best scores you’ve found!

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New York, New York

Terri NYC restaurant

By Cynthia King, Guest Blogger and VO Supporter

How thrilling–more vegan food joints in New York! Terri‘s third location in Midtown East is a breath of fresh air–currently under some standard-issue NYC scaffolding. I went with my son on Wednesday last week, their second day up and running. The place was bright and bustling and the staff was warm and welcoming.

I dug right in to an amazing Kale Superfood salad, which was bursting with fresh kale, avocado, sweet potato, quinoa, chickpeas, and a thick yummy lemon tahini dressing. It was huge, filling, and delicious!

My son thoroughly enjoyed his Breakfast Scramble wrap, which was filled with scrambled tofu, Italian “sausage,” and Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds (he had them hold the spinach and hot sauce). He described the tofu as savory and fluffy–similar to the one at another of our regular vegan haunts, Champs in Brooklyn. The “sausage” was flavorful and the Daiya added great texture and taste.

terrisbreakfastscramblewrap

We also tried the Protein Bowl and Southwestern salad, and they were both scrumptious. There was an assortment of cookies, brownies, and other vegan treats. We had Banana Walnut Bread for dessert, which was deliciously moist and sweet.

terrisproteinbowl
Protein Bowl
terrissouthwestern
Southwestern Salad

We look forward to returning soon for their famous Butterfinger Shake and Breakfast Slam. Being vegan is so simple, and with more incredible places like Terri’s to satisfy anyone’s appetite, there’s no reason for anyone to not go vegan! Remember, “Peace begins on our plates.”

cynthiakingCynthia King is director of  Cynthia King Dance Studio and choreographer whose work frequently examines the lives of animals, shedding light on the suffering they endure as victims of the food, entertainment and fashion industries.  She is the creator of Cynthia King Vegan Ballet Slippers and mother of two vegan B-boy activists!

The Butcher’s Son

Take a peek inside the new vegan restaurant in Berkeley, CA: The Butcher's Son.

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By Toni Okamoto

Oh my goodness! This place is amazing! The Butcher’s Son is the newest all-vegan restaurant in Berkeley, CA. They have a delicious house-made mozzarella, and it is absolutely perfect served fresh on the Caprese sandwich or on the Fried Mozzarella and Meatball sandwich.

Watch the video above for a sneak peek inside!

 

Video: What I Eat Vegan in a Day

what I eat toni michelle

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By Toni Okamoto

Michelle Cehn from World of Vegan and I have started a new series called “What I Eat Vegan in a Day!” Episodes will usually contain quick meals that are easy to throw together, as well as what we order when we go out for food. In this episode, we start our morning at an all-vegan coffee shop in Oakland, CA called Timeless, and for lunch we made a Jackfruit Noodle Soup from the Vegan Outreach blog. We finished the day eating a vegetable soup from our favorite Japanese restaurant Cha-Ya, and of course we couldn’t forget dessert … heavenly Divvies cookies!

This particular video was made on a busy day where we ate out for two meals, but we plan on doing a lot more of these types of videos while we’re cooking in the kitchen!

Hope you find this series helpful and inspirational! As always, if you have any questions about vegan food, feel free to shoot me an e-mail: [email protected]!

Katia Rodriguez

Katia Rodriguez

Continuing our series of activist profiles, today we talk to Katia Rodriguez, Vegan Outreach’s Mexico Campaigns & Spanish Media Coordinator. In addition to helping run VO’s Español pages, Katia has leafleted 36 different schools, reaching more than 29,000 students, and holds the all-time record for the most booklets handed out in a single day with 6,496 booklets at her alma mater, the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León!

Where are you from and where do you live now?

I was born and raised in Monterrey, México, and am currently living there.

What got you interested in animal rights and veganism?

I’ve always loved animals and music. I was invited to a concert where several bands were going to play, and one of my favorite bands was one of them. I was told that the money raised at this event was going to be donated to a local animal shelter, so I invited more friends so that there would be more money for animals in need of a loving home. Since there were more than 10 bands playing, there was a short period of time that was given to the bands to tune their instruments; during that time PETA’s 30 Reasons To Go Vegetarian video was being played on a big screen on the stage. I decided to go vegetarian after watching it. I thought helping animals by not eating them or supporting any form of exploitation was not enough, so I decided to speak up for them and started giving conferences, setting up tables, leafleting, getting involved with animal rights organizations, and I also became vegan.

How did you get involved with Vegan Outreach and leafleting?

I had handed out leaflets about animal rights a few times before during my PETA internship, at my high school and at other animal rights demos, but it was back in 2013, when some vegan friends told me a guy named Vic Sjodin from Vegan Outreach was going to be leafleting at my university and that it would be good to have more volunteers. That was the first time I leafleted with Vegan Outreach.

Do you have a favorite leafleting moment to share?

So far, I can’t say that I have only one favorite moment, I definitely have a few, but one of the most memorable is when I offered a leaflet to a guy who said no in a rude way and walked away. Then, he came back where I was standing and asked for a leaflet, said he was sorry for rejecting it and explained why he did it. He said he kind of knew what the content was going to be about, that he knows eating animals is wrong, but he has been avoiding reading more about it. He said it was time to face the truth, took the leaflet and continued walking. Another favorite moment was when I gave a leaflet to a guy named Israel the day VO officially started its first tour in Mexico at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León [below]. He read the booklet and decided to join us, and he handed out over 1,000 booklets that day.

Miroslava, Katia, Fernanda, Israel, and Carlos
Above (from left) are Miroslava Garza, Katia, Fernanda Riojas, Israel, and Carlos Contreras.

What do you do for fun when you’re not leafleting?

I love reading, attending concerts and visiting my friends that were rescued and now live in an animal sanctuary. I enjoy watching 90s cartoons and horror movies, walking around store aisles discovering accidentally vegan food and hanging out with my friends.

Do you have anything else you’d like to add about leafleting?

Leafleting is a very effective way to reach a great amount of people and creates a positive impact. Every time I leaflet and hear someone say they are seriously considering going vegan, every time I see someone reading the booklet, every time someone asks me for more information or thanks me for being there, they are all special moments that remind me how important creating awareness is and how important this is for the animals.

Spring 2016: Rachel Shippee and John Deetjen

This semester, Rachel Shippee has handed out 7,974 booklets at 15 different schools, and John Deetjen has traveled to 36 different campuses, handing out 5,480 booklets!

John Deetjen and Rachel Shippee at NIU

Above are John and Rachel after handing out 960 booklets at Northern Illinois University on April 11, which marked an Adopt a College milestone for Rachel:

We had a tough time with the wind and cold, so we tried leafleting inside the student union; it wasn’t very busy there but it’s a good option during extreme weather. They have tables set up too, which worked perfect for us.

Students here are always really nice and interested in the information.

Despite the weather, I was thrilled to hit my goal of 200K leaflets handed out! Hopefully many more to come.

Rachel Shippee, John Deetjen, and Kevin Cooney at Wizard World Comic Con Madison

On April 9, Rachel, John, and fellow activist Kevin Cooney (above) leafleted Wizard World Comic Con in Madison, WI:

Kevin, Rachel and I had a great day of activism in Madison! We reached 894 people with Vegan Outreach booklets at Comic Con and drew this for the #veganchalkchallenge!

Kevin, John D, John S, Rachel, Alex, Anita, and pig at vigil

Rachel, John, and Kevin traveled to Canada in January and joined John Sakars, Alex Greenwood, Anita Krajnc, and other activists at a Toronto Pig Save vigil outside a slaughterhouse in Burlington, Ontario (above). John reports:

During the time that we were there, we saw four full transport trucks with pigs. Talk about a moving and activism-motivational experience!

I leafleted cars that were stopped at the stoplight…people seemed very receptive and curious to learn why we were out there!

John Deetjen, Thomas Goodman, and Amanda McCrary at UWM

On February 17, John teamed with Thomas Goodman and first-time leafleter Amanda McCrary at the University of Wisconsin (above):

Huge day of veganizing Milwaukee! This crew reached 2,377 people with Vegan Outreach leaflets at UW Milwaukee and an additional 262 students at Riverside University High School! One student told us that getting a VO booklet is what made her and her family go vegan!

You can help more students and their families go vegan by taking part in VO’s Team Vegan campaign! Register for your own fundraising page and post a profile pic by May 20, and a generous donor will seed your campaign with $100! You can also help Rachel and other team members reach their fundraising goals, or make a donation to the general fund. All contributions up to $200,000 will be matched, inspiring twice as many people to go vegan and sparing twice as many animals from suffering!

BLT Pizza and Homemade Bacon

By Josie Moody, Office Manager

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This is part two of my review of the cookbook Baconish by Leinana Two Moons.

Last week I reviewed a recipe from Baconish for Bacon-Spinach Quiche. But this cookbook has so many good recipes, that I wanted to share a couple more! BLT is a definite theme in this book, and I thought this recipe was perfect because it mixes that with one of my (and the world’s!) favorite foods—pizza!

BLT Pizza

Serves about 4 to 6.

Ingredients

  • 1 Quick and Easy Whole-Wheat Pizza Crust (from recipe in Baconish) or store-bought crust, at room temperature
  • ⅔ cup store-bought pizza sauce
  • ⅓ cup vegan shredded mozzarella cheese (I used Daiya brand)
  • ⅓ cup chopped Tofu Bacon (see recipe below), marinated but not cooked
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup arugula leaves

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 475℉.
  2. Stretch the pizza crust dough onto a 12-inch round pizza pan. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the crust to within 1 inch of the edge. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly on top of the sauce. Distribute the Tofu Bacon pieces and cherry tomatoes over the mozzarella.
  3. Bake the pizza for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and the Tofu Bacon is browned. Remove the pizza from the oven, arrange the arugula leaves all over the top, cut into slices, and serve.

I couldn’t justify reviewing a cookbook centered on plant-based bacon without trying out one of the recipes for vegan bacon. This is the first time I have ever tried to make anything like this—it was surprisingly easy, and I was happy with the result. I had to stop myself from eating these solo before I had a chance to put them on the pizza! (I cooked these before putting on the pizza, although the recipe above recommends having them cook with the rest of the pizza).

Tofu Bacon

Makes about 2 cups.

Ingredients

  • 1 (8-ounce) package smoked tofu
  • ¼ cup tamari
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive or safflower oil (if pan-frying)
  • Non-stick cooking spray (if baking)

Directions

  1. Use a sharp knife to cut the tofu into ⅛-inch strips.
  2. Whisk the tamari, maple syrup, tomato paste, liquid smoke, apple cider vinegar, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder together in a medium bowl. Place the tofu slices in a large shallow 9 x 13-inch baking dish or gallon-size plastic freezer bag, then pour the marinade over the top. Make sure all the slices are evenly coated. Allow the tofu to marinate a minimum of 1 hour (several hours is even better; the longer it marinates, the more flavor it will have).
  3. To pan-fry the Tofu Bacon (which is the cooking method I recommend), heat the oil in the large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet because the bacon slices will get more carmelization and crispier edges than they will in a non-stick skillet. Working in batches, place the bacon slices in a single layer in the oil and pan-fry until they are dark brown in spots and crispy around the edges. Using tongs or a spatula, flip the slices and fry until they are crisped and browned on the other side.
  4. To bake the Tofu Bacon, preheat the oven to 400℉. Lightly spray two cooling racks and place them on top of two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Arrange the bacon slices in single layers over the cooling racks. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, keeping a close eye on the tofu during the last 5 minutes. The thinner the slices are, the faster they will begin to burn. Baking them in the oven will create a firmer, crunchier bacon and will omit the oil.

Have you made anything from Baconish? Have a favorite plant-based bacon? Share your answers with us in the comments below!

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