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?

No warm fuzzies with angora

December 18, 2013 by Jean Coburn

I’ve often wondered about angora production. The soft, fuzzy sweaters, mitts and hats that pop up in stores each fall seem so cozy. I’ve never bought angora though.

Angora can refer to cats, goats, ferrets, but it’s the angora rabbit that people use for wool. To get angora, the animals don’t need to be killed, which is why many people don’t think about it as a cruel industry. Angora can be combed, shorn, or plucked.

What? Yes, I wrote that. Plucked! Shearing results in shorter hair, so often plucking is preferred. Angora molt every few months, and in theory, pulling loose hair from a rabbit shouldn’t hurt, but as with everything, care and welfare is abandoned when volume goes up and there’s money to be made.

Ninety percent of angora comes from China, where there are no animal welfare standards and no oversight into the angora industry. Recent undercover video shows rabbits screaming in pain as they’re plucked. I didn’t even know rabbits could scream. It’s heartbreaking. And after being plucked, they lie in shock in their filthy cages. After 3 to 5 years of this abuse, they’re killed). You can read more about the developments here (the video is embedded but won’t play automatically, so you don’t have to watch it).

If 90% of angora comes from these conditions, it makes sense that 90% of the angora in the stores is cruelly sourced. Frankly, even shearing doesn’t look humane to me. In this video, a woman boasts about how well her rabbits are treated, but she ties up one rabbit’s legs, stretches him and rotates him like a spit pig (minus the skewer).

The video isn’t graphic per se, but it’s not how I would like to be handled on a quarterly basis. Kind or cruel, why should they live in cages to be wool-making machines? Rabbits need to forage and burrow. It’s another example of commodification. These rabbits are slaves for our fashion and treated like nothing more than money-making machines.

animals are not fabric

To quote the slogan on my new favorite sweater (from The Tree Kisser’s website), animals are not fabric.

If you want to help, here’s how:

Don’t wear or buy angora.
Ask the stores you shop at not to carry angora.
Sign the petitions linked to in this article and tell stores like The Gap and Zara to stop carrying angora

(Update: Zara and The Gap, along with Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, suspended further angora purchases pending investigation. H&M and ASOS have vowed to stop selling it permanently. Pressure works! Keep on these retailers. They make money from us, so we have a say!).

The cult of protein

December 17, 2013 by Jean Coburn

In the early 19th century in America, women couldn’t vote, slavery was legal, and blood-letting was a legitimate medical procedure. Around that time, scientists decided protein was the most important nutrient. We changed our thinking about the first three issues, but protein myths are still being perpetuated–and the meat, egg, and dairy industries want to keep the myths alive.

If you read nothing else:

Protein is essential.
We get all we need from plants.
In developed nations, it’s hard to get too little protein.
Too much protein is bad for our health.

History

Protein comes from a Greek term meaning of prime importance–talk about high regard! It was first described by Dutch scientist Gerardus Johannes Mulder in the early 19th century. His German contemporary, Justus von Liebig, called it “the stuff of life itself.”

Carl Voit, a 19th century German physicist, was enthusiastic about protein too. Even after discovering that 52g per day is all an adult man needs, he recommended 120g a day. Protein was regarded as the king of nutrients.

Not everyone was on board, though. in the early 20th century, Russell Henry Chittenden, an American biochemist and professor at Yale, disagreed with the idea that more was better. He tested his theory on himself by cutting his protein intake to 40g a day. He lost weight and felt better!

Chittenden then tested his ideas on his colleagues and school athletes and everyone in the study thrived. He upped the ante and gave ROTC recruits and world-class athletes low protein diets and tested their athletic performance. They all improved!

His colleagues chastised him in spite of his findings and the cult of protein continued.

What is protein?

Protein is a polypeptide (a long chain–or polymer–of about 15 to 20 amino acids). Of those amino acids, 8 or 9 are essential for consumption, meaning our bodies can’t make them. We have hundreds of thousands of different proteins in our bodies, many of which are enzymes. Proteins become enzymes (the catalyst for chemical reactions), hormones, and part of the structure of cells.

That makes protein an essential nutrient. We do need it. Our bodies constantly use new protein molecules, and get rid of old ones.

Myths

Want to be strong as an ox? Eat one! That was the thinking. And that’s why animal-sourced foods were (and still are) seen as higher-quality sources of protein.

Plant protein is referred to as “incomplete” because it doesn’t match our human amino acid profile. However, plant protein isn’t incomplete when it comes to fulfilling our dietary needs.

An early myth encouraged protein mixing. The thinking was that in order to compensate for an inadequate vegetarian diet, people needed to eat the proper combination of foods.

Frances Moore Lappé wrote about it in Diet for a Small Planet. However, she’s since changed her stance: “In 1971 I stressed protein complementarity because I assumed that the only way to get enough protein…was to create a protein as usable by the body as animal protein. In combating the myth that meat is the only way to get high-quality protein, I reinforced another myth. I gave the impression that in order to get enough protein without meat, considerable care was needed in choosing foods. Actually, it is much easier than I thought.”

The American Dietetic Association agrees: “Plant sources of protein alone can provide adequate amounts of the essential and nonessential amino acids. Conscious combining of these foods within a given meal…is unnecessary.”

Reality

Plants have protein too! Without protein, they wouldn’t grow. Protein from a whole food, plant-based diet is all we need, both in amount and kinds of nutrients. In fact, animal-based foods displaces complex carbs and antioxidants while adding unnecessary protein and fat of the wrong kind.

Yes, we need protein! And we should get protein from the places that big, strong, fast animals get them from: plants.

When protein has ratios of amino acids similar to ours, we synthesize it effectively. Animal protein is more likely to have these ratios because we are similar to animals. While that might be efficient, it’s not necessarily ideal. Farmers want animals to grow big quickly so they can slaughter them sooner. But this fast rate of gain isn’t good for humans. We shouldn’t grow as fast as a farmed animal!

Risks

Higher protein efficiency means faster growth rates, but it also means faster cancer growth rates and earlier menarch (which is linked to increased rates of breast cancer).

Animal protein creates an acidic environment in our blood (metabolic acidosis). Our bodies pull calcium from our bones to neutralize our blood, which can lead to osteoporosis. Then, excess protein is excreted in our waste, and that taxes the kidneys.

Animal protein elevates blood cholesterol levels, promotes heart disease, can initiate type 1 diabetes, is associated with Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, cataracts, kidney stones, an increase in the production of growth hormones and rate at which cells divide.

Plant protein has the opposite effect.

How much do I need?

A whole food, plant-based diet with variety will naturally contain enough protein. We don’t need to worry about not getting enough and we don’t need to be concerned just with protein; we need a balanced diet.

If you want numbers, no more that 8-10% of our calories need to be protein–even less as we age. The estimated average requirement (EAR) states that 0.5-0.6g of protein/kg of body weight is needed to replace what our bodies get rid of (4-5%). The recommended daily allowance (RDA) recommends 10% daily protein consumption, right in line with what a whole foods, plant-based diet provides! Broken down, that’s 0.8g/kg or about 48g/day for an average 60kg/132lb woman or 56g/day for an average 70kg/154lb man.

Now, if anyone asks you where you get your protein, you can confidently say, “from plants!”

References

Much of this information comes from notes I took during the Plant-Based Nutrition program I completed this past summer. I have to thank Dr. T. Colin Campbell for his stellar lectures and Dr. John McDougall for his guest lecture. I am not a medical professional, but I care about my health and I take care to research carefully. I hope to spread the word and help people take control of their health. Where applicable, I’ve linked to sources.

Vegan alternatives to fish

December 16, 2013 by Jean Coburn

I’ve found vegan alternatives to most types of meat. We’ve got seitan bacon, veggie burgers and dogs, ground round, chickenless nuggets, Tofurky, deli slices, and “ribs.”

Until recently, I didn’t know of a fish alternative. Sure, I’ve made delicious mock tuna salad, but prepackaged vegan fish? I came up empty-handed.

But then I found a brand called Sophie’s Kitchen at my local Whole Foods. Admittedly, I never was a big seafood (or as I prefer to call it, sealife) eater. Nevertheless, I thought I’d give a few of their products a try. I chose fish sticks, calamari, and crab cakes.

Sophie’s Kitchen uses elephant yam root (also called konjac) as the primary ingredient in their products. It’s low-calorie and full of fiber.

I liked the crab cakes the best. They were full of flavor and worked well as one of the items on the dinner plate, along with vegetable fried rice and a little salad. I’ve never had real crab cakes, but my husband has, and he liked these just as much (if not better).

Next up, I tried the fish sticks. They had a mild fishy taste, and I think they made a fine fish stick substitute. They’re easy to prepare and are a fun finger food for kids. Plus, now I can make fish and chips! Trader Joe’s has great fries for the oven.

Finally, I sampled the calamari. I don’t know what calamari is supposed to taste like, and I realize that makes me a horrible reviewer. First impressions: I was surprised that these were “hearty” and a bit chewy. I expected something more like a thin onion ring that falls apart quickly. I liked the breaded coating a lot!

I’m not sure I’d get the calamari again. I can’t really miss something I’ve never tried. That’s actually why I didn’t buy their shrimp or prawns. But for someone with a hankering for some shrimp, I’d recommend trying it–especially if you make dishes like stir-fries or jambalaya and miss the shrimp. I liked the other two products more, mainly because I can integrate them into my regular cooking.

Harvesting squid, shrimp and some types of cod from the oceans is done with trawling, a process that basically rakes up all life forms the sea floor, killing everything, and creating dead zones. For every one pound of shrimp eaten, 10 pounds of bycatch (species people weren’t trying to catch) are killed.

Farmed fish doesn’t have the bycatch issues but is usually raised in chemically treated water, treated with pesticides, and full of antibiotics. It takes two pounds of wild fish to feed one pound of farmed shrimp.

With that in mind, you can try Sophie’s Kitchen product with a clear conscience.

Pints for Pigs Event

December 12, 2013 by Jean Coburn

I’m so happy that there’s another animal fundraiser social event in my future. In October I wrote about a vegan wine and cheese tasting I went to. Sadly (or happily) the tickets sold out in less than two days so a lot of people I know couldn’t attend.

NARN is organizing another fundraiser–this one benefits Pigs Peace Sanctuary. And it’s in a bigger venue! That means that even though tickets are selling fast, there are still tickets available! I say get ’em while you can!

Pints for Pigs Peace is a pig-themed afternoon of fun at Central Cinema. There will be beer, movies, vegan food, brew-themed drawing prizes, and other treats. The cinema will be playing Babe, you know, the sweet, mid-90s movie about a little pig. And they’ll also show a heartwarming documentary about the important work at Pigs Peace Sanctuary.

This will be a fun event for beer lovers, wine lovers, and of course, animal lovers! Unlike the wine tasting, this event is all ages. You’ll be able to buy vegan food too, including Central Cinema’s vegan “pig in a blanket” and vegan pizza.

When: January 11th, 2014 from 2:00 to 5:00 pm
Where: Central Cinema (1411 21st Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122)
Cost: $20 (Get your tickets here)

Check out Facebook to see the event info (but don’t forget your tickets).

6 ways to help animals this season

December 1, 2013 by Jean Coburn

It’s December already and that means it’s the season of giving. In the spirit of Christmas, here are a few ways you can help animals:

Become vegan – Not eating animals is the number one thing you can do to help them. If you’re an animal lover, start your plan to transition to veganism today! You can find links on the right that will take you to sites that offer starter kits with recipes and nutritional info.

Don’t give animals as gifts – A dog or a cat is a ten to twenty year commitment. Giving an animal as a gift is giving someone a boatload of responsibility–and expenses! If someone isn’t ready for that, it’s likely their new animal will end up in a shelter. If you know someone really is ready for a companion animal, consider giving a gift certificate to a pet supply store. They’ll definitely need it when they have to feed and care for their new animal.

Adopt, don’t shop – If you’re planning to add an animal to your household, and all family members are on board, visit local shelters, rescue groups, or check out the nationwide network on petfinder.com. Contrary to what some people think, purebred and young animals are available for adoption. Then again, older animals are usually calmer and house-trained. They’re often a great choice.

Give to charities that don’t exploit animals – Giving livestock to a poor family in a developing nation might sound noble but it’s a burden for people who can barely feed themselves. Instead of giving to organizations that give animals, consider supporting ones like Vegfam, Trees for Life, or Plenty. These groups work with local communities to provide plant-based meals, education, disaster relief, and clean water.

Sponsor an animal – What do you give someone who has everything? How about sponsoring an animal in their name? You can choose from farm animals, rescued primates, dogs and cats, or wild animals at a number of sanctuaries. Every animal rescue group needs funds, and many offer official sponsor programs, like Pig Peace, PAWS, Farm Sanctuary, Chimpanzee Sanctuary NW, Soi Dog (Thai street dog rescue), and the Performing Animal Welfare Society.

Give swag – Message gear is a fun way to give to someone, support a great cause, and spread the pro-animal message. If you know someone who supports animal causes, why not give them something from those groups? From chimpanzee wine, message mugs, cookbooks and vegan slogan T’s, there’s something for everyone.

These are my ideas for helping animals during the holiday season (not that we have to limit ourselves to just December). Do you have any other ideas?

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!