Vegan Thanksgiving at Plum Bistro

November 28, 2013 by Jean Coburn

For Thanksgiving this year, hubby treated me to a four-course meal at Plum Bistro, a vegan restaurant in Seattle. Most restaurants were closed today, but Plum had a special prix fixe menu. Hubby thought it would be nice to eat without cooking or cleaning up. He was right!

We started our meal with roasted heirloom carrots and Brussels sprouts with a maple and thyme glaze. I could have gone home happy at this point, but there was more.

Our appetizer was Plum’s famous smoky mac and yease. It was creamy and delicious–vegan comfort food at its finest.

For the main course, we dined on smoked seitan roast with gravy and cornbread stuffing. The stuffing, with cranberry reduction on the side was so satisfying I didn’t need dessert.

But when dessert came–a bourbon chocolate pecan pie–I didn’t hesitate to devour it. It was drizzled with caramel, covered with a dollop of smooth, dairy-free whipped cream, and garnished with pomegranate seeds and a pecan.

I have a lot to be thankful for, and this meal was no exception! I enjoyed a cruelty-free meal and I loved seeing everyone in the packed restaurant enjoying healthy, vegan food too.

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. If you’re in Seattle, you’ve got to visit Plum!

Making a wish with a wishbone

November 26, 2013 by Jean Coburn

Have you ever wondered why people fight over the chance to break a wishbone?

A wishbone is the front of a bird’s breastbone: the furcula. It’s formed by the connection of two clavicles. The superstition, where two people grab either end of the dried bone and pull to see who gets the larger pieces, has a long history.

As early as the 15th Century, and before turkeys were introduced to Europe, geese bones were used to foresee the future and predict the upcoming winter. Wars were waged based on the bones’ predictions.

Clergy in the 17th Century even tried to tried to stop people from using the bones as a form of superstition. Despite their best efforts, the practice continued–and was brought over to America.

Now, the wishbone is less about prediction and more about making a wish. It’s even called the merry-making bone. But make no bones about it. There’s nothing merry about killing a turkey.

If you want to see if you get a “lucky break” or a “bad break” without including a carcass at your thanksgiving meal, you’ve got options. I suppose a v-shaped twig would work. My husband and I tried a similar tug-o-war with two grapes and a stem and it was also successful (he got the bigger piece, and hence the opportunity to make a wish).

There’s even a company that sells synthetic wishbones for families who want more than just one wishbone per meal. Their site specifically mentions that their product is suitable for vegetarians.

So no matter how you break it, you can have a fun Thanksgiving, keep the traditions you like, and ditch the cruelty.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dining at Candle 79

November 23, 2013 by Jean Coburn

I met up with my parents in New York this past August and every night, for over a week, we dined at terrific vegan places. The city is a wonderful place to eat meat-free.

The first thing I did when I started planning my vacation was make reservations for Candle 79, New York’s premier vegan oasis (yes, it says that on their website and it’s so true!). On our first night in the Big Apple. we left our condo in Harlem and went to Candle 79’s two-story location on the Upper East Side.

I never thought I’d forget the exact names of what we were eating, but I did. And being an organic, local, seasonal eatery means the menu changes often. So forgive my inaccuracies–and believe be when I share how delicious it all was!

First, we were treated to an amuse-bouche. A delightful teaser and hint of things to come. I tasted chickpeas and cucumber in a smooth creamy sauce.

My parents split an order of spaghetti and wheat balls. It’s a classic simple dish but Candle 79 put their own unique twist on it and my parents couldn’t get enough!

I ate a seitan (or possible tempeh) cutlet with apples and beans. It was divine. The best part about eating in a vegan restaurant (aside from knowing it’s a cruelty-free place and everyone is not eating animals) is that I can order anything off the menu, no questions asked! So I asked very few questions and now I can’t tell you the specifics of what I ate (except I’d be eating there right now again if I could teleport).

Finally, we had chocolate peanut butter bliss for dessert.

Happy, healthy dining!

After our meal, we walked toward Central Park along Lexington, took in the quintessential New York streets, and caught a cab back to our place.

What a fantastic way to start a vacation. If you’re ever in New York, don’t miss the Candle 79 experience!

Cruelty-free Thanksgiving

November 18, 2013 by Jean Coburn

Last year, I attended the Feast for the Turkeys at Pasado’s Safe Haven. This year, the event is already sold out. To make up for disappointment, Hubby surprised me with reservations to a prix fix vegan Thanksgiving meal at Plum Bistro. That’s not until next week though. In the meantime, I’ll show you what last year’s event was like.

guestcard

Instead of having turkey, the turkeys had us! Butterball was the official host, but Stacie, our lovely guide, took us on the tour. First stop: Turkeys, of course!

turkeys

Turkeys are gentle and kind. It’s not true that if it rains and they look up, they drown. On the contrary, they’re smart birds who protect each other, “talk” to their friends (including people), and are loving parents to their little ones. I got to pet Butterball–what soft feathers! As smart as she is, I’m not sure she noticed that I color-coordinated with her today.

At Pasado's

Next, we met these little piggies, who were rescued from a fire. They loved eating the popcorn, carrots, apples, and bananas we brought.

mini pigs

While I was taking their picture, look who snuck up on me! (You might recognize that mug from my banner.)

goat

I gave him a carrot, and he was happy. As we fed the goats and sheep, I spied a rooster, well, roosting.

roosting rooster

I found lots of chickens in the coop next door. The white ones are rescued laying hens. To think they used to live in cages with no more room to move than if they were standing on an iPad. They love their freedom now! And they’ll never end up in a pot.

chickens

They loved eating lettuce and grapes. Look at that blur–she sure was a fast one!

feeding the fowl

This photo doesn’t show how big these two pigs are. They’re each over 600 pounds! Splash, on the left, saw her siblings slaughtered and escaped certain death by swimming across a river where a startled, but loving woman took her in until she could find a proper home for the pig. Nora, on the right, was rescued from a horder and was starving. They’re both happy, healthy, and safe now.

Splash and Nora

The cows loved the carrots I brought for them, but they look a little suspicious of me, don’t you think?

Eddie Cheddar

cow

After an amazing tour, we toasted the animals with a glass of bubbly and went inside for a feast!

I got teary-eyed as our hosts read the menu: Autumn vegetable samosas with plum chutney, carrot miso spread on baguettes, and baked chickpeas; red kuri squash and coconut soup with cashew cream and beet reduction; massaged kale salad with pomegranate, hazelnuts and pears; parsnip apple puree, root vegetable latkes, orange balsamic glazed Brussels sprouts, and maple baked tempeh with apple cider glaze; pumpkin cake with chocolate-hazelnut ganache.

feast

I was overcome with emotion because as we dined on our vegan meal, rescued animals were snuggling in their stalls in the barns next door. Animals that would have been pork chops, turkey cutlets or hamburgers. I wished for peace for all living creatures and longed for every restaurant and household to serve delicious, cruelty-free meals like this.

What a wonderful time! I hope you take a tour of Pasado’s or a similar sanctuary in your area. They’re amazing places.

Wool-free winter wear

November 12, 2013 by Jean Coburn

Whenever I write about what not to do/eat/wear, I like to provide alternatives so we have ideas for things we can consume. I recently wrote about what’s wrong with wool. Well, I’ve found some great, cruelty-free products that are made of wool alternatives and I have to share!

My favorite winter wear company is Vaute Couture. Vegan-owned, Vaute (pronounced vote) is the brain-child of model-turned-entrepreneur Leanne Mai-ly Milgart. Her men’s and women’s designs are made in New York’s garment district using recycled and recyclable fabrics that are windproof, snow- and rain-resistant, warmer than wool, and heat retaining.

Vaute is stylish too. They’re the first all-vegan line to show at New York’s prestigious Fashion Week–and they rocked it! The media picked up the story and vegan fashion went mainstream!

I recently learned about another cool company, Hoodlamb. Based in Amsterdam, Hoodlamb makes men’s and women’s coats and other apparel from hemp–arguably the most environmentally friendly fabric out there. It’s strong and durable and requires no pesticides or fertilizer to grow. Hemp warms you up when you need it and keeps you cool when you’re hot.

Hoodlamb carries stylish, warm winter clothes with a conscience. Love the faux shearling linings!

For budget-conscious fashionistas, I recommend Lulu’s and Modcloth. They both carry a wide assortment of winter coats, many of which are wool-, down-, and leather-free. Not all their products are vegan, so read the descriptions before you buy.

Modcloth and Lulu’s focus on showcasing independent designers from around the world. That might not sit well with localvores, but if you’re like me and are primarily interested in animal-free clothes, you’ll find something adorable at these online retailers.

In fact, if you look around, you’ll find non-wool coats in other stores too. For example, American Apparel, known for their sweatshop-free made in LA clothes, carry some vegan winter items, like a wool-free cape and a unisex parka made with faux shearling.

American Apparel images (c) American Apparel

Do you have any other tips for finding cruelty-free winter wear?

Why not wool?

November 10, 2013 by Jean Coburn

I’ve never liked the feel of wool next to my skin. It’s too itchy! But I couldn’t understand why vegans didn’t wear it. Sheep need to be shorn, right? And unlike fur, they’re not killed for their wool. Or are they?

A few years ago, after researching about wool, I changed my stance. Wool isn’t welcome in my home.

Wild sheep grow only enough wool to keep warm (and they can shed it). Domesticated sheep have been bred for their wooly coats and do require shearing. Often, sheep who aren’t shorn before the weather is too hot will die of heat exhaustion. And if they’re shorn too early, they’ll die from exposure. About a million sheep a year die this way.

Sheep, like merinos, are bred to have lots of wrinkly skin (more area to grow wool on). As a result of their wrinkles, they suffer from skin infections. Flies lay eggs in their folds and maggots literally eat the sheep alive. Ranchers have found a way to combat this: mulesing, a process where large strips of flesh are cut off the sheep’s backsides. About 100 million sheep have this process done to them every year–without anesthetic!

Also performed without painkillers: castration, dehorning and tail docking.

Sheep are shorn by laborers who are paid by volume, not the hour. And in their hurry to work quickly, sheep are often rough-handled and injured. And when sheep stop producing as much wool as ranchers need to keep profits up, the sheep are killed for their flesh. In Australia, sheep are often shipped alive to the Middle East so they can be sold and butchered there. Many don’t even survive the cramped, long journey by sea.

In theory, one can raise a few sheep and sheer them humanely. In reality, the scale of operations–farms with hundreds of thousands of sheep–means there isn’t time or resources to care for the sheep. Dead sheep are a cost of doing business. It’s great that sheep aren’t usually confined to factory farm, like pigs, chickens and cows, but they roam land in habitats that they aren’t native to and often destroy habitat for native species. In Australia, some indigenous species are becoming endangered as a result of sheep grazing.

Don’t get fleeced! Whether for carpets or clothing, skip the wool (which is pricy, shrinks, attracts moths, retains odors and isn’t hypoallergenic) and try humane alternatives:

Cotton
Bamboo
Hemp
Tencel (biodegradable)
PolarTec (made from recycled plastic)
Poly fleece
Synthetic shearling
Rayon
Linen

Resources:

Is Wool Cruelty-free? (Green Fudge)
Wool – (Vegan Peace)
The Wool Industry (Save the Sheep)
Wool: The reality for the Sheep (Vegan Views)

Vegan makeup on a budget

November 6, 2013 by Jean Coburn

I like playing with makeup and changing my look. In the past, I’ve written about vegan makeup, but I happened to list brands that are pricy. For most of my life (and still today), I’ve been more of a bargain hunter. That’s why I’m happy to share with you some inexpensive brands that don’t test on animals!

Eyes, Lips, Face, or e.l.f, is a brand of cosmetics with a great price point. They sell loads of fun makeup and synthetic brushes too! Last holiday season, I treated myself to a 100-color eyeshadow palette. It’s a lot of fun. The pigment isn’t super intense so even the bold colors are wearable.

I found it at a drug store for $10, which is well worth it for some makeup fun. The e.l.f. website specifically states, “We do NOT test on animals or endorse such practices. Our products do not contain animal derived ingredients.”

Jordana makes my favorite eyeliner in any price range. There’s a range of colors (the dark brown is my go-to, but I’ll branch out with brights sometimes). Their liners are self sharpening too, so you’ll always have a nice tip (without slivers–ouch!). I think these are less than $5 each. They sell lip liners too, as well as nail polish and other cosmetics, such as shadows. They’re made in the USA and available at your local drug store. Jordana’s website states that they do not test on animals or buy ingredients that were tested on animals. Some of their products contain animal ingredients, so read the labels!

Wet n Wild is another drug store brand that doesn’t test on animals. Thanks to Luminous Vegans for that tip! Wet n Wild sells formaldehyde-free nail polish, which is great news for a lot of us! The Wet n Wild website states, “As a Peta-certified, cruelty-free brand, we’re proud to say we have never and will never test on animals. We also make it a point to work with cruelty-free, third-party vendors. Wet n Wild loves our furry, scaly, and feathery friends!” Some of their makeup does contain carmine (a dye derived from insects). You can see which items are vegan and which aren’t on their FAQ.

It’s true that these aren’t vegan-owned companies, but for those of us on a budget, or who want to try out a makeup trend without spending a fortune, we have options. You can see PETA’s complete list for the latest info.

Do you know of other cruelty-free makeup for people on a budget?

Down with feathers

October 14, 2013 by Jean Coburn

It’s fall. The weather is cooling off, and you want to get cozy. Dreaming of curling up under a down comforter? Thinking of sporting a down-filled jacket or vest? Think again.

Feathers in clothing or bedding are an oft-forgotten animal product. Many people don’t think about the way down and feathers from ducks, geese and chickens are harvested. Often, they’re slaughterhouse byproducts–and profitable ones! Sometimes, they’re even plucked from still-living birds.

Not all countries live-pluck birds, but Hungary and China are two that do. Plucking is painful for the birds, who often undergo the process many times. Egg-laying geese must endure being plucked 5-15 times in their short lives–before they’re sent to slaughter. Geese raised for meat are killed much younger and are plucked about 4 times.

Birds are raised in crowded conditions and when it’s their turn for plucking, they’re caught and held down. The forceful plucking leaves their exposed skin raw, bruised and bloody. I can’t imagine someone yanking out the hair on my head, but that’s what it must feel like.

Even ostriches suffer from plucking. Their feathers are used for decorations, feather dusters, and boas. And roosters are raised and killed for so-called fashionable hair accessories–I’ll write a separate post about that soon.

Money from the sale of down and feathers lines the pockets of foie gras producers and companies that confine birds for their eggs and kill them for their meat. They’re not simply a byproduct.

Alternatives:

Fortunately, synthetic options are available–and they’re superior to down! So next time you’re looking for a sleeping bag, comforter or parka, make sure to avoid ones made with real feathers. Primaloft, Thermal R and Omni-Heat are examples of high-tech, synthetic materials that trap in heat and keep you warm. image of woman in pink parka c/o Vaute Couture

Patagonia, Marmot, Columbia and Northface are just some brands that carry coats made of those materials. But be sure to check the labels–not all the coats they carry are down-free. That’s why I particularly love Vaute Couture, an all-vegan fashion house with really warm wool- and down-free coats.

Most departments stores and specialty shops carry a variety of comforters. Ask for a synthetic option or check the labels before you buy so you–and the birds–can rest well.

Resources:

Vegans wear makeup too

August 5, 2013 by Jean Coburn

I’m getting ready for a trip and, as a light packer, I’m already planning what to bring. I only use products that are vegan and haven’t been tested on animals. Here’s a look at what’s coming with me.

My Arbonne day cream isn’t makeup per se, but it’s got SPF 20 and is an important way to start my make-up routine. I’m also bringing a tinted moisturizer with SPF. This Josie Maran is a great substitute for foundation and has SPF 30. It’s a great no makeup look. I find it really natural-looking and they have shades for almost anyone.

I’ll definitely need a concealer and this little tube (lower right) by Too Faced is perfect for under my eyes or to cover a blemish.

I light dusting of powder foundation is optional, but I like to be prepared. The Bare Minerals foundation also has SPF and is a nice way to mattify is sunscreen gets me shiny.

~~This Stila kit has five shadows that I can mix and match for day or night and a convertible lip and cheek cream. It includes a mirror and folds flat.~~ Update: Stila is not longer a cruelty-free company.

I’m packing a dark brown eye liner by Jordana (proving you don’t have to buy from higher-end brands to get a good product). I buy Jordana because it’s inexpensive, goes on smoothly and gently, and is available in a myriad of colors. Plus, just about any drug store carries it.

~~I can’t live without my Stila liquid brow liner~~. Since Stila stopped being cruelty-free, I’ve discovered Milani. Not all of their products are vegan, but their site has an entire vegan section. I love Milani’s mechanical brow pencil. The secret to a natural look is the right shade. I use taupe, and I make tiny brush strokes in the direction of my brows. It’s great to fill in and define. Well-defined brows really frame the face and are youthful looking.

My BWC (Beauty Without Cruelty) mascara is also a must. If I had to narrow down my routine to three products it would be brows, lashes and lips.

I packed a bright red lip stain from Stila because it’s an easy way to go from day to night and the cheek cream in the kit is pretty neutral.

Finally, Booda Butter keeps my lips moisturized day and night. I have one in my purse at all times.

As for my other skin and body care, here’s what I’m taking.

If I were going to a hotel, I’d skip the shampoo and body wash, but I’ll need my own so I’m packing a solid shampoo from Lush (just lather like soap and apply to wet hair like you would a liquid shampoo). It’ll be nice to pack a solid because I won’t have to worry about it in my carry-on (or at security checks).

I’m taking 3 ounces or less of hand sanitizer, body wash, a small tube of sunscreen (when I went to Hawaii I packed four little tubes instead of one big one–to make my bag carry-on approved), night cream, a bit of hairspray in a carry-on spritzer, hand sanitizer and a face cloth. My Norwex face cloth removes makeup better than a makeup remover so it’s one less liquid I have to pack.

So there you have it. What are your travel makeup essentials? Are you a light packer like I am or to you prefer to be prepared?