Vitamin supplements for vegans

January 26, 2014 by Jean Coburn

When people find out I’m vegan, they’re often concerned about my health. “Where do you get your protein?” is a common question (I’ve answered it in this post). Iron, calcium and B12 are other things people worry about too. I’m going to address these concerns (and throw in a bit about vitamin D too).

I’m not a medical professional, but I study nutrition and I’ve completed the Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate taught by Dr. T. Colin Campbell at Cornell and I’m going to share a bit about what I’ve learned about supplements and vitamins for vegans.

The good news is that we can get all the nutrients we need from plants. Ditching meat, eggs and dairy is ethical and it’s a way to avoid cholesterol and excess fat and protein (too much protein is not healthy). Animal products lack fiber and are missing a host of other nutrients–as well as cancer-fighting antioxidants!

The course I took emphasized a whole food, plant-based diet. Coke and Oreos are vegan, but not good for us! When we eat a variety of whole foods, we get a variety of nutrients. Our bodies utilize nutrients over time and it’s healthy to eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes and beans.

Vitamin B12 – We need B12 so our brains and nervous systems work properly. It helps build blood and regulate our metabolisms. B12 is produced by microorganisms (it comes from bacteria, not meat). Animals who eat foods from the earth consume dirt and the B12 stays in their intestines. In the past, we ate food with a bit of soil on it too and got our B12 the same way animals do. Today, we’re cleaner (and soil is often depleted of nutrients), making B12 not just “a vegan problem.”

A simple blood test can determine your B12 levels. Fortified soy and almond milks contain it, but you can also take a supplement. Deva makes vegan vitamins (meaning vitamins for vegans but also vitamins free of animal ingredients and gel caps made from gelatin).

Vitamin D – This vitamin isn’t truly a vitamin (it acts more like a hormone and helps us absorb calcium). We can make our own just by getting some sun. It’s often added to dairy, but milk normally doesn’t have vitamin D. It’s in fortified soy and almond milks too. The best way to get vitamin D is to get a bit of sun exposure. Not too much, course! Get your levels checked and supplement if you’re low (a lot of people in the northern hemisphere are).

Calcium – Calcium builds strong bones and helps our bodies absorb vitamin D. Many people think about milk when they think of calcium, but milk and other animal proteins create an acidic environment in our blood. Our bodies use bone calcium to neutralize the acidity and make blood more alkaline. When we get rid of the excess protein, we lose calcium. Animal proteins also block vitamin D which, in turn, promote cancers. Yikes! So where should we get calcium? Check out this chart from Vegan Street:

Iron – Iron is also important. Among other functions, it carries oxygen to the lungs. Meat has iron, but fortunately so do a lot of plants. Pro tip: eat iron-rich foods with foods containing vitamin C. The vitamin C aids in iron absorption. Tomatoes and spinach on a pizza, anyone? Here’s another great image from Vegan Street:

Thoughts about supplements

One of my nutrition classes was presented by Dr. Matt Lederman. He said we’re designed to get nutrients from food. Supplements aren’t food. They don’t cure disease, and we don’t need then unless we have a deficiency. The real reason people are sick is because they’re poisoning themselves with fat, cholesterol and protein and by eating foods that are lacking in nutrients. Doctors don’t know exactly how much of each nutrient we need, but our bodies do. Poor health, Dr. Lederman said, is a fruit, grain and vegetable deficiency.

The best thing we can do is eat a variety of whole foods from plants. With the exception of B12, and (if you’re in a northern clime) vitamin D, we can follow Hippocrates’ advice:

Let food be your medicine and medicine your food.

Another reason stop eating shrimp

January 24, 2014 by Jean Coburn

I reviewed some vegan alternatives to seafood by Sophie’s Kitchen a few weeks ago. In addition to singing the praises of their products, I listed a few reasons why eating sealife isn’t a great idea:

Harvesting wild animals–like calamari, shrimp and some types of cod–is done with trawling, a process that basically rakes up all life forms the sea floor, killing everything, and creating dead zones.
For every pound of shrimp, 10 pounds of bycatch (species people weren’t trying to catch) are killed.
Farmed fish is usually raised in water treated with pesticides and antibiotics.
It takes two pounds of wild fish to feed one pound of farmed shrimp.

But I’ve learned something new that I can add to the list: eyestalk ablation.

Eyestalk ablation is as gross as it sounds. It’s the process of removing one or both eyestalks from female shrimps and prawns–and it’s done in almost every shrimp reproduction facility in the world! The goal of ablation is to stimulate the female shrimp to develop mature ovaries and spawn.

In the wild, shrimp sexually mature on their own, but captive conditions prevent them from developing mature ovaries. Even the types of shrimp that could develop ovaries and spawn in captivity have their eyestalks removed because it increases egg production. There’s detailed info online about the how and why behind the phenomenon.

The science behind ablation isn’t the interesting part. I’m saddened to learn of yet another way humans manipulate animals for profit. Apparently tiger prawns can regenerate their eyestalks, but that’s not the point.

We don’t need to eat shrimp or prawns. In fact, it’s better we don’t (as bottom feeders, they’re actually toxic). They’re another example of species that are exploited. They may not be cute or cuddly, but they don’t deserve to be mutilated and blinded–just so people can eat them at cocktail parties!

Knowing about this form of cruelty makes me say “bring on the vegan options!”

Cheddar beer bread

January 18, 2014 by Jean Coburn

When I was a university student, I made the easiest bread–but the recipe wasn’t vegan. After going vegan, I missed that bread, but I never thought to veganize it. So imagine my delight when I found a vegan version on the Daiya website.

Here’s what it looks like. Tempted? Read on!

Ingredients:

1 cup Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
3 tbsp. organic cane sugar
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1 bottle of beer, room temperature (341 mL lager or light ale)
2 tbsp. dairy-free margarine, melted

First, preheat your oven to 375 F and grease a 9” x 5” loaf pan. This is a good time to melt the margarine.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in large bowl and then stir in the cheese. Pour the bottle of beer into the bowl and stir just until batter is moistened. I used Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. It’s a vegan beer! Don’t overmix. The batter will be lumpy. That’s okay.

Spread the batter in your loaf pan and pour melted margarine evenly over top.

Bake loaf for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaf in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.

The bread is easy to make, foolproof, and delicious! I ate it with a hearty vegan stew. Perfect for dipping! It’s great on its own too. A yummy snack.

Why vegans don’t eat eggs

January 15, 2014 by Jean Coburn

When I was a vegetarian, I ate eggs and I drank milk. “They’re byproducts,” I’d say. “The chickens and cows don’t get hurt.” I was convinced of this. Then I read Diet for a New America and found out how wrong I was. I cut out eggs and dairy immediately.

So what’s wrong with eggs?

It starts at the hatcheries–the places that breed chickens and incubate eggs. Hatcheries are where factory farms, free-range operations, and even “urban farmers” get their chicks.

The boys – On day one, all male chicks are killed. They’re ground up alive, gassed, or dumped in the trash and left to die. The boys, you see, have no value. They won’t lay eggs, and they’re not meaty broilers like their cousins. They are useless to the egg industry.

That’s enough for me to ditch eggs. But wait, there’s more:

Confinement – On factory farms hens are crammed into tiny battery cages. Each bird has less “floor space” than an iPad (except, unlike an iPad, she has to stand on wire). In these conditions, hens will become frustrated and crazy and will sometimes hurt each other.

Debeaking – To prevent injuries, chickens are, well, injured. When they’re still babies, they have the ends of their beaks seared off with a hot blade. Even free-range set-ups will often have debeaked hens. A lot of so-called free-range farms are really just cageless, not roomy. They’re cramped warehouses that may or may not have outdoor access.

An unhealthy environment – These “farms” stink to high heaven and the air is so polluted that the ammonia will burn your eyes (if they let you in). My mom saw first-hand what a small-scale battery-cage farm looks like. You can read about her experience on her guest post at Honk if you’re Vegan.

Physical stress – In nature, a hen will lay a clutch of eggs (maybe 10 or 12) in a nest, where she will sit on them for three weeks until her chicks hatch. She won’t lay eggs again until her young can fend for themselves, so she gets a break from laying. But on egg farms, hens have their eggs taken away so they keep laying. It’s stressful on their bodies and depletes them of calcium, which often causes osteoporosis. Up to a quarter of battery hens experience bone breaks during their short lives.

Willow at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary

This rescued hen, Willow, is safe now (picture (c) Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary)

To get the most eggs from indoor hens, some farms practice forced molting. Farm operators stop feeding hens for a week or two, which causes them to shed their feathers and simulate the fall season, when they would normally stop laying eggs. After an induced period of “rest,” in which they lose about a third of their body weight, they begin to lay again. This practice is banned in some countries. Where it does exists (like the USA), it coaxes another laying season out of already taxed birds.

Hens are social, nurturing and smart–when in a natural setting. But to the egg industry, they’re a commodity–valuable only when they’re making someone money. So after a year or two, when hens lay fewer eggs, they’re slaughtered.

The egg industry is inherently cruel. Over 95% of birds come from factory farms. Even those who are “treated well” have lost their brothers. And most, even those from hobby farms and urban coops, are sold, or killed when they lose their value.

Animals deserve to live their own lives. A hen’s worth is not tied to what she can give me. And there are so many egg alternatives. There’s no need for cruelty.

That’s why vegans don’t eat eggs.

We Animals

January 11, 2014 by Jean Coburn

Last summer, as part of a Kickstarter fundraiser, I contributed to getting the book We Animals printed. For my donation, I received a copy of the book, which arrived in December.

We Animals is a gorgeous, hardcover photo book by award-winning photographer Jo-Anne McArthur. She also wrote the accompanying text that explains the circumstances in each picture. It’s beautifully written.

McArthur spent years travelling the globe, documenting the plight of animals in human environments. She covers animals raised for food, clothing, used in entertainment and research, as well as rescued animals.

Her photos draw viewers in and help make a connection to the animal subjects in them. The photos aren’t all easy to view, but they all tell a story that needs to be shared. If they must endure it, the least we can do is acknowledge it.

Bearing witness–observing but not necessarily being able to help–is a key part of the book. McArthur travelled to factory farms, fur ranches and zoos. What can one do other than promise those animals that they will not be forgotten–that their message will be shared and that someone will fight for them and others like them?

Every animal lover should own a copy of this book. Mine is on the coffee table and is a great conversation starter when guests come over.

Jo-Anne McArthur is the subject of the documentary The Ghosts in Our Machine, by Liz Marshall. When I get a chance to watch that, you can bet I’ll share my thoughts with you.

Grits Casserole

January 5, 2014 by Jean Coburn

When I was in Georgia, I visited the Savannah farmers market, where I bought a bag of grits. Quintessential southern cuisine, I thought. I’d had grits as a kid when I was on a family a road trip through the South. I enjoyed the grits this time too (hubby added salt and margarine, I had mine with agave and a dollop of peanut butter).

grits

The real treat, however, was the recipe for grits casserole that I found on the back of the package. It called for sausage, eggs and two kinds of cheese. I knew I could veganize it. I did, and it was delicious!

The company, Carolina Plantation Rice, carries a lot of great kitchen staples like cornmeal, grits, rice flour and, well, rice. I plan to order some soon. Bonus: They’re a green-certified, renewable-energy company!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked grits
Half a brick of firm tofu (instead of eggs)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp kala namak (black salt)
2 Field Roast vegan sausages
1/2 cup Daiya vegan Swiss, grated
1 cup Daiya vegan cheddar, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

First I added the cooked grits to a 9″ casserole dish. Then I browned the sausage, broke it up, and added it to the grits.

Next, I drained and crumbled the tofu into a pan and heated it up, while mixing in the turmeric (for flavor and color) and kala namak (for eggy flavor). These last two ingredients weren’t in the original recipe, but it’s what I did to veganize it. Be careful not to overcook the tofu. In theory, it (and the sausage) doesn’t need to be cooked. Field Roast is pre-cooked and tofu is fine in any state. Plus, the whole shebang gets baked anyway.

Finally, add the Swiss and cheddar, stir, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

My husband and I loved this dish! I’m definitely going to make it again soon. It’s almost quiche-like. Next time, I’ll add onion, broccoli and red pepper. And more cheese!

Have you veganized any recipes lately?

Vegan motorcycle jackets

January 2, 2014 by Jean Coburn

I’ve already written about motorcycle safety gear for the avid rider, but what about the moto look for fashion? You won’t need to be protected, but if you want to look good and steer clear of leather, you’ve got options!

Here’s the classic James Dean style jacket–with a twist: The pleather is quilted. I love this jacket and recently got it on sale at Aeropostale. You can find a lot of faux leather options at this place. And unlike leather, you won’t have to worry about a little rain.

For guys, how about this faux suede moto jacket? It’s a Perry Ellis design from Nordstrom. My husband didn’t mind the faux. He was happy actually, and pointed out that a lot of high-end cars use Alicante (a durable, water-resistant faux suede) in their interiors.

If you don’t need to replicate the look of leather but love the moto style, check out a few other options like this brown velvet version and a bright yellow cotton one. The velvet jacket is from Forever 21 and the cotton one I found (new) on eBay.

I couple of other takes include a blush pink number from JC Penney and a fabric and pleather one also from Forever 21.

I recently spotted a slew of great motorcycle jackets in the Macy’s juniors department. These are by American Rag and come in a lot of great shades.

So far, most of the jackets I’ve shown are lower end, often juniors, and they’re likely faux because faux is often cheaper (for the younger demographic). But you don’t have to go cheap to go faux. Vaute Couture, the vegan fashion house out of Brooklyn, makes a great classic moto jacket in v-wool for men and women and waxed canvas, also in men’s and women’s sizes.

You can check out Alternative Outfitters too, a vegan online retailer, to find jackets that are cruelty-free. Other stores like Free People and ModCloth are good sources too and carry cute vegan options. Do a search on their sites for vegan or faux and you’re bound to find something.

No matter what price point or style you’re looking for, you can avoid animal skins easily, thanks to the abundant choices we have these days. Happy shopping!

Vegan new year’s resolution

December 29, 2013 by Jean Coburn

The new year is a time to celebrate with loved ones, to start fresh, and to make resolutions.

If you’re already a vegan, now is a great time to make a resolution to stay vegan and perhaps add something extra to your vegan journey. Join (or start) a vegan supper club and meet other vegans, raise funds for an animal organization, or maybe step out of your comfort zone and get involved with activism.

If you’re not vegan yet, try it for a month. Veganuary.com is a great place to start. You can also look at Amazon.com for vegan cookbooks (my first was How it all Vegan and I still use it) or go to websites like the Post Punk Kitchen or Engine 2 Diet. A web search will result in a ton of links to vegan recipes. The China Study Cookbook has simple recipes with common ingredients.

You might find being vegan is fun, easier than you thought, and makes you feel good about your health and all the animals your not eating. On a trial run, take the time to read about the plight of animals. Often, the easiest time to learn about what animals endure for our taste buds is when you’re not partaking in them. No guilt. No excuses. Just learn and be the change.

If you’re not ready to dive in, get your toes wet with a transition plan.

On New Year’s Eve, as you’re singing Auld Lang Syne, a song by Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns, think about another poem he wrote. To a Mouse was written after Burns upturned a mouse’s nest in a field. The original poem, in Scottish vernacular, is harder to understand (even though it sounds great), so here’s a link to the original along with a modern translation.

The first two stanzas especially, share a message that we are all in this together:

Small, sleek, cowering, timorous beast,
Oh, what panic is in your breast!
You need not start away so hasty
With a hurrying scamper!
I would be loath to run and chase you,
With a murderous spade!

I’m truly sorry that Man’s dominion
Has broken Nature’s social union,
And justifies that ill opinion
Which makes you startled
At me, your poor, earth-born companion
And fellow mortal!

Burns feels empathy for a tiny creature who is now homeless in the coldest season. He relates to the mouse as a fellow being on the planet. He tells the mouse that they’re alike, because “The best laid plans of mice and men / Go oft awry.”

We can plan, but things change. If you have great plans for the new year and they don’t fall into place, you’re not alone. If you try to be vegan and fail, pick up and keep at it. Be like the mouse who is forward-looking, and not like humans, who often dwell on the past.

The future is vegan! Happy New Year!

Heavenly potatoes

December 27, 2013 by Jean Coburn

When a vegan friend of mine told me that she misses deviled eggs, I saw an opportunity. I believe in the saying, “anything you can eat, I can eat vegan” so I set off to find a vegan recipe. Sure enough, I found one on the Post Punk Kitchen–and it’s divine! Maybe these should be called angelic potatoes. No matter what, they’re a fantastic vegan deviled egg alternative.

First, I sliced a bunch of baby potatoes in half. I put them on a baking sheet and baked them in a bit of olive oil and salt, flat side down, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. I didn’t put them on parchment paper first (like I was supposed to) and they came out slightly crispy.

No worries! As I cut out the centers with a grapefruit knife, I ate, or gave to my dog, the crispy “skins.” I saved the potato “innards” because I needed to add it to the filling.

Filling:

1/2 a cup of cashews, soaked in water for at least two hours
3/4 cup vegetable broth (I used 1/2 a bullion cube to make the broth)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (for flavor and color)
1 teaspoon kala manak black salt (very important if you want an eggy flavor)
2 teaspoons lemon
a pinch of black pepper

I drained the cashews and blended them with my electric mixer, along with the broth and tumeric, until it was creamy. I added the lemon, salt and pepper and the potato centers and mixed it well. I chilled the mixture in the fridge for half an hour and then scooped it into the potatoes. If you have a pastry tool, you can get fancy.

Finally, top with paprika and a bit of dill.

I brought these to a vegan Christmas dinner and they were a huge hit! We ate them at room temperature while the main dishes–green bean and mushroom casserole, “beef” fried rice, and a fiesta bake with Daiya vegan cheese–were cooking. Everyone loved them an I’ll definitely make them again! I’ll be sure to serve them to my deviled-egg-craving friend too.

To see the original recipe, and pictures of how Isa Chandra made them, check out the details on the PPK.

Shopping at Vegan Haven

December 22, 2013 by Jean Coburn

Seattle is a great place to be vegan. We even have our very own all-vegan grocery store, Vegan Haven. The store is owned by Pigs Peace Sanctuary, and 100% of proceeds go to the pigs. Gotta love that!

Vegan Haven is all volunteer-run, with the exception of its sole employee, manager Demarie, a compassionate vegan who keeps the store stocked and the variety growing. Vegan Haven recently expanded by taking over the empty space next door and the place looks amazing!

I love that when I shop at Vegan Haven, I don’t need to read labels religiously. Everything is “safe” to eat. This is where I buy V-Dog, my dog’s kibble, and staples such as Daiya cheese, Upton’s seitan bacon.

Need vegan marshmallows? Vegan Haven’s got ’em. Wine? Check. There’s even a whole section devoted to vegan jerky!

In addition to food, you’ll find wallets, bags and belts, jewelry, books, and beauty products. It’s a fun place to shop and even when I think I don’t need anything, I always find something to try. This time, Vegan Haven was having a bake sale, so I bought some baked goodies. I also picked up a Daiya frozen pizza, since I haven’t tried them yet. I bought another pack of crab cakes. I wrote about them earlier and they were my favorite of the Sophie’s Kitchen products.

Vegan Haven is at 55th and University Way, in a part of town with lots of vegan options. Pizza Pi is next door, Araya’s vegan Thai is down the street, and Wayward Vegan Café is across the street.

Have you been to Vegan Haven? Is there a vegan grocery near your place?