SF Chronicle Article - Court: Lame pigs can't be turned into meat

By Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, March 31, 2010

A federal appeals court revived a California law Wednesday that bans the sale of pork products made from pigs that were too feeble to walk before they were slaughtered.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/31/BANU1CO2N1.DTL

For those of you interested in the legal specifics, the ruling in National Meat Association vs. Brown can be viewed at: links.sfgate.com/ZJLK.

101 Cookbooks Recipe - Curried Egg Salad

 Curried Egg Salad



Interesting variation on the typical egg salad recipe, this one uses plain yogurt instead of mayo, and includes curry powder, chopped apples, toasted pecans, and minced chives.

New Book - Diet for a Hot Planet by Anna Lappé

"Anna Lappé’s latest book, Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do About It, investigates the intersection between the environmental crisis and the food system in more detail than any book that has come before it. Lappé’s rendering makes us realize the imperative of addressing these issues, and empowers us to do so by demystifying corporate spin, giving thorough examples of people making change, debunking the myths for maintaining the status quo, and more."

(Taken from Civil Eats posting, which includes a very interesting interview with the author that I recommend reading. I've added Diet for a Hot Planet to my "to-read" list, and will post comments about it once I've had the opportunity to read it. Based on what the author discusses in her interview with Civil Eats, I have a feeling I'll be recommending this book.)

Washington Post Article - Trader Joe's adopts sustainable seafood standards

By Jane Black
March 29, 2010

Trader Joe's has announced that it will sell only sustainably sourced seafood by the end of 2012. In an announcement posted on its Web site, the grocery chain would remove species condemned by environmental groups from its shelves, establish a transparent sourcing policy and leverage its buying power to change the seafood industry. The phase-out applies to all fresh, frozen and canned seafood.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/all-we-can-eat/sustainable-food/trader-joes-adopts-sustainable.html?wprss=all-we-can-eat

Food Safety News Article - Sale of Whale Meat Leads to Restaurant Closure

By Norah Burton 

March 30, 2010

Although illegal, black market whale trade is on the rise. In 1986, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) launched an international ban on whale meat. At present, the global population of whales totals 54,000. The Hump, a sushi restaurant at the Santa Monica Airport, is under federal investigation for selling whale meat.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/03/sale-of-whale-meat-leads-to-restaurant-closure/

LA Times Article - Organic: What it means on different products

By Julie Deardorff
March 29 2010

You see the word more and more, but what does it say about what it's on? Here are tips for fruits and vegetables, dairy and meat, cosmetics, processed foods and cotton and coffee.

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-organic-20100329,0,765711.story

Nutritionism*

Nutritionism is a term first coined by Gyorgy Scrinis (an Australian researcher in the areas of the sociology of food, science, technology, and ecology), and later popularized by Michael Pollan in his book, In Defense of Food.

The term suggests that the nutrients in a food are more important and determine the value of a food more than the food itself. Knowing the chemical makeup of a food is certainly important for understanding which foods are healthier than others (e.g. fiber = good, trans fats = bad, etc.). However, that knowledge (which is unfortunately driven by industry more than science) has taken on such a degree of significance in America that it has led Pollan and others to consider "nutritionism" an ideology rather than a science.

The food industry (e.g. low-fat, sugar-free junk food), the government (e.g. RDA's of various nutrients, the food pyramid), and journalism (e.g. media headlines of health studies revealing the newest secret ingredient to weight loss), are all responsible for nutritionism's pervasiveness in American's daily dietary habits and, ironically, for our lack of understanding of how to eat healthily. "Indeed, no people on earth worry more about the health consequences of their food choices than we Americans do—and no people suffer from as many diet-related health problems. We are becoming a nation of orthorexics: people with an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating."

One of the most troubling aspects of nutritionism is that it "supplies the ultimate justification for processing food by implying that with a judicious application of food science, fake foods can be made even more nutritious than the real thing." Hence, vitamin-fortified Coca-Cola and mineral-fortified chocolate cereals. "When the emphasis is on quantifying the nutrients contained in foods [i.e., getting adequate grams of fiber and protein], any qualitative distinction between whole foods and processed foods is apt to disappear."

As suggested by Scrinis, the simplest way to avoid the influence of nutritionism is to consider the only food groups to be whole foods and processed foods. Making the bulk of your diet the former (and to imbue it with as much variety as possible) rather than the latter will not only lead to healthier eating, but also to happier eating. Paying attention to what you eat is important, but so is enjoying what you eat: instead of counting calories or grams (which can be stressful and confusing), count the different foods you eat each day, and make sure they're mostly vegetables and fruits rather than processed food products (even if meatless).

* Source: Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food

NY Times Article - Push to Eat Local Food Is Hampered by Shortage

By KATIE ZEZIMA

Published: March 26, 2010

In what could be a setback for the local-food movement, independent farmers say they are having trouble arranging for slaughter.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/us/28slaughter.html

I find portions of this article somewhat problematic, even suspicious, particularly this statistic: "According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the number of slaughterhouses nationwide declined from 1,211 in 1992 to 809 in 2008, while the number of small farmers has increased by 108,000 in the past five years."

Food for thought, at the very least!

NY Times Review - "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution"

Trying to Put Nutrition on the Lunchroom Menu 

By MIKE HALE
Published: March 25, 2010

The British celebrity chef chastises and cajoles as he tries to bring healthy eating to students in Huntington, W.Va., in this ABC reality series.

-----

The show premieres on ABC tonight @ 9pm, but has already received lots of mixed feedback from food-focused listservs and blogs, and mainstream media and talk shows alike. The NY Times review posted here captures the dominant response: the show makes for good reality TV, but its impact as a real "food revolution" in America (or even Huntington, WV) will likely be minimal.

I'd be curious to hear reactions from any of you that happen to catch the season premiere tonight!

Film Recommendation - "Food, Inc."

This documentary will change, if not the way you eat, at least the way you view the food industry in America and how it affects not only animals but also farmers, the environment, consumers, and the economy. You will also become more aware of where our food comes from, how it's made, and what's in it. And after watching, should your greater awareness lead to greater curiosity, I encourage you to visit the Food, Inc. website to explore further and even find ways to get involved in the various issues discussed in the film. The book companion to the film, Food Inc.: A Participant Guide, is also an informative, accessible, and motivating resource for those of you who want to know more about, as the book's subtitle states, "How Industrial Food Is Making Us Sicker, Fatter, and Poorer -- And What You Can Do About It."

Google Reader

Most of you who have Gmail may already know about Google Reader, but I've just started using it and have found it to be a really convenient and easy way to read all in one place the various news sites and blogs I regularly visit. So I thought I'd share my discovery for those who perhaps aren't yet familiar with this wonderful Google tool.

Basically any site (including this blog) that you can "follow" or subscribe to (often through an RSS feed, which is indicated by the image to the left) can be added to your personal Google Reader. And each time you visit Google Reader, you will be able to see all at once which sites have new posts since your last visit.

There's probably much more to Google Reader than what I've just described (and I encourage input by way of comments to this post!), but the little I know about it I like so far.

Civil Eats Article - Prairie Crossing: Midwestern Development Making Farming Possible from the Ground Up

March 23rd, 2010
By Nicole Jain Capizzi

As cities across the country struggle with suburban sprawl, disappearing farmland, and a dwindling population of regional farmers, one community in Chicago’s northern suburbs is doing things a little differently.

http://civileats.com/2010/03/23/prairie-crossing-midwestern-development-making-farming-possible-from-the-ground-up/

Toronto Star Article - It's a (no) meat-and-potatoes initiative

Published Tue Mar 23 2010

By Lisa Van de Ven
 

Meatless Mondays asks Ontarians to abstain from flesh for a healthier, greener lifestyle.

 

http://www.thestar.com/living/food/article/783699--it-s-a-no-meat-and-potatoes-initiative

"What kind of vegetarian are you?"

Because being a vegetarian is a very individually-defined lifestyle, a set of terminology has arisen to accommodate the various types of vegetarianism that now exist. These terms essentially define and differentiate vegetarians by what food(s) they exclude from their diets. I personally don't think it's necessary to strictly separate different dietary exceptions or to specifically label your vegetarianism, but in any case it's good to be aware of the various terms and what they mean.

Here are the categories of vegetarianism as defined by the American Dietetic Association:

• Strict vegetarian or vegan: A vegetarian diet that excludes all animal products such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese and other dairy products.
• Lactovegetarian: A vegetarian diet that excludes meat, poultry, fish and eggs but includes dairy products.
• Lacto-ovovegetarian: A vegetarian diet that excludes meat, poultry and fish but includes eggs and dairy products. Most vegetarians in the United States fall into this category.
• Pescetarian: A semi-vegetarian diet that includes fish, eggs, and dairy but excludes meat and poultry.
• Flexitarian: A semi-vegetarian diet with a focus on vegetarian food with occasional meat consumption.

"Real Simple" Recipe - Vegetarian Tacos

Vegetarian Tacos

(Use whole wheat tortillas!)

New Book - Animal Factory by David Kirby

Last night I went to a book signing at The Regulator Bookshop in Durham for a new book by David Kirby called Animal Factory. I have yet to read it, but once I do I'll post any comments I have about it, including whether I think it's recommended reading (based on what was discussed at the signing, I already feel that it is).

While not a vegetarian, the author is strongly critical of the CAFO's (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations), which raise the large majority of animals grown for meat in America. He advocates for a reform of the CAFO system from government, and, more immediately, for consumers to make more informed choices about where and from whom they purchase their meat, dairy, and eggs.

To help people find producers of meat, dairy, and eggs that raise their animals more humanely (which is not only better for the animals but also results in healthier and safer food for the consumer), the Animal Welfare Institute (who had a representative at the book signing I attended) has created the Animal Welfare Approved program, which "audits and certifies family farms that utilize high-welfare methods of farming. Through this program, "farmers benefit from having a third-party affirmation of their practices and consumers benefit by knowing that the label means what it says."

On the Animal Welfare Approval website, you can find out which farms in your state have been AWA-approved. The AWA seal of approval is more trustworthy than the USDA Organic seal, because it means that "animals are raised outdoors on pasture or range on true family farms with the 'most stringent' welfare standards according to the World Society for the Protection of Animals in both 2008 and 2009 reports. The standards have been developed in collaboration with scientists, veterinarians, researchers and farmers and incorporate best practice and recent research. Annual audits by experts in the field cover birth to slaughter."

Knowing where your food comes from is critical for both meat eaters and vegetarians alike in an age when the sources of our food are increasingly harmful not only to the animals, but also to our health and to the environment. Avoiding factory-produced meat, dairy, and eggs is an essential part of being a conscious eater, and doing so is increasingly possible with resources like the one provided by the AWI.

Washington Post Article - First lady asks foodmakers to be on front line tackling childhood obesity

By Jane Black Tuesday, March 16, 2010; 7:19 PM

Michelle Obama on Tuesday called on corporate food giants such as Coca-Cola, General Mills and Kraft Foods to step up efforts to produce more healthful food and then market that, rather than junk food, to children.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/16/AR2010031603620.html

CSPI Applauds Pepsi for Making World-Wide Commitment Not to Sell Sugary Soft Drinks in Schools

March 16, 2010

WASHINGTON—PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi has announced that the company will phase out full-sugar carbonated soft drinks from all schools around the world.

http://www.cspinet.org/new/201003161.html

"Why are you a vegetarian?"

Equally important and as commonly asked as the protein question (see post titled "Where do you get your protein?") is the why behind your decision to become a vegetarian. Not eating meat is a very personal choice as well as a loaded one, and you need to be able to explain it both for yourself and to those who ask about it. I suggest doing as much research about this lifestyle as possible (its benefits along with its drawbacks, its personal effects along with its larger implications) so that you can not only be comfortable answering the "why" question, but also be fully informed and educated about the food decisions you plan to make.

Whenever I get asked why I'm a vegetarian, I give the following three reasons. While they are by no means unique, they came about as a result of much personal reading, exploring, and contemplation:

(1) Health

"It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals. Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than nonvegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer." American Dietetic Association

(2) Environment

"Raising animals for food is one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global...[Animal agriculture] should be a major policy focus when dealing with problems of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortage and water pollution and loss of biodiversity. Livestock's contribution to environmental problems is on a massive scale." The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (as quoted in Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer)

(3) Animal welfare

"Each year in the United States, approximately 11 billion animals are raised and killed for meat, eggs, and milk. These farm animals—sentient, complex, and capable of feeling pain and frustration, joy and excitement—are viewed by industrialized agriculture as commodities and suffer myriad assaults to their physical, mental, and emotional well-being, typically denied the ability to engage in their species-specific behavioral needs. Despite the routine abuses they endure, no federal law protects animals from cruelty on the farm, and the majority of states exempt customary agricultural practices—no matter how abusive—from the scope of their animal cruelty statutes. The treatment of farm animals and the conditions in which they are raised, transported, and slaughter within industrialized agriculture are incompatible with providing adequate levels of welfare." The Humane Society of the United States

GoVeg.com

GoVeg.com

Sponsored by PETA, this website provides a ton of resources about making the transition to vegetarianism or veganism (basically a much more professional and extensive version of this blog!). They also offer a free Vegetarian Starter Kit, which includes recipes, tips on eating out, health information, and more.

Huffington Post Article - A High Protein Diet Won't Make You Lose Weight Long Term: In Fact, It May Make You Fatter

By Kathy Freston (Author, Health and Wellness Expert)
Posted: March 10, 2010

It's resoundingly clear in that a plant-based diet is both preventative and healing, whereas a diet high in animal protein is destructive to our health. High protein diets not only makes us sick, but also fat.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-freston/a-high-protein-diet-wont_b_492203.html

101 Cookbooks

A little bird in my office* told me about 101 Cookbooks, a blog by San Francisco-based cookbook author, photographer, and designer Heidi Swanson. Here's how Heidi describes her site:

"101 Cookbooks is my recipe journal. It's where I write about the recipes that intersect my life, travels, and everyday interests. Often the recipes are from my cookbook collection, sometimes not - they might come from a friend, or I might write about a recipe I created myself. I focus primarily on natural, whole foods and ingredients - vegetarian recipes that are good for you and for the planet. Welcome!"

I recommend browsing through her recipe collections on the left-hand side (the Vegetarian category alone has 250 recipes!), many of which look both delicious and easy to make. (Some recipes that caught my attention and sparked my appetite = Sweet Potato Pot Pie, Lentil Almond Stir-Fry, Quinoa w/Broccoli & Pesto)

* Thanks, Kelly!

"Real Simple" Recipe - Eggplant Pasta Salad

Eggplant Pasta Salad

(Use whole wheat pasta!)

Civil Eats Article - Considering The T-Bone: How Does Local Meat End Up On Local Plates?

March 12th, 2010

By Kathryn Quanbeck

As supporters of sustainable food production, many of us know that finding an alternative to the industrial meat supply chain is difficult but by no means impossible.

http://civileats.com/2010/03/12/considering-the-t-bone-how-does-local-meat-end-up-on-local-plates/

NY Times Recipe - Winter's Greens

Winter’s Greens

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Published: March 8, 2010

Looking for new ways to get greens in your diet? An innovative panino and luxurious gratin are among this week’s recipes.

 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/08/health/nutrition/08recipehealth.html

"Where do you get your protein?"

This is the most common question a vegetarian will be asked, and often the biggest concern for a new vegetarian. Here is some basic information to help you tackle it:

Food Sources
• eggs
• dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt)
• soy (tofu, soy milk, edamame, tempeh)
• nuts (including nut butters)
• hummus
• whole grains (100% whole wheat pasta and bread products, brown rice, cereals, quinoa, bulgar, oats, etc.)
• legumes (beans, lentils, soy)
• meat replacement products (e.g. frozen foods made by Morningstar Farms and Boca) - try to make these supplemental rather than staple sources of protein

Details*
• As long as you eat enough calories (and as long as those calories come from whole foods and not junk foods) and have a balanced diet (more vegetables than refined carbs), you will absolutely get enough protein.
• Most Americans get way more protein than they need, perhaps too much. The USDA recommends one-third of a gram per pound of body weight (e.g. if you weigh 150 lbs., you should be eating 50 grams a day), but even that RDA is considered too high by some experts.
• We've been led to believe that protein is synonymous with meat, and as a result Americans are eating more meat than ever - most people exceed the RDA by 30% or more.
• Too much protein is more of a concern in our society than too little. Exceeding the RDA causes calcium loss (which is why milk is as heavily promoted as a dietary staple as meat - consuming lots of the former compensates for consuming lots of the latter), increases your need for fluids (making your kidneys work harder), and some recent research indicates that protein is related to the immune malfunction that causes food allergies. There are possibly more reasons to avoid protein (particularly from animal sources) than to seek it out.
• There is some evidence that vegetable protein (which gives you more fiber, micronutrients, and healthier fats) is more beneficial than animal protein (which gives you, among other things, more cholesterol and saturated fat).

* Source: Mark Bittman, Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating

USA Today Article - Food safety: Veterinarian to detail slaughterhouse breaches

By Peter Eisler
Published: March 3, 2010

Department of Agriculture officials failed to act on reports of illegal and unsafe slaughterhouse practices, letting suspect operations continue despite public health risks, a USDA veterinarian alleges in testimony to be aired today at a congressional hearing.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-03-03-food-safety_N.htm

LA Times Article - Salmonella found in food additive sparks recall

By Andrew Zajac

March 5, 2010

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday announced a potentially massive recall of salad dressing, chip dip, soup mixes and other foods made with a commonly used food additive that may be contaminated with salmonella.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fda-recall5-2010mar05,0,604740.story

"Real Simple" Recipe - Quinoa With Mushrooms, Kale, and Sweet Potatoes

Quinoa With Mushrooms, Kale, and Sweet Potatoes

NY Times Article - FDA Cracks Down on Nestlé and Others Over Health Claims on Labels

By WILLIAM NEUMAN

Published: March 4, 2010

Warning letters went out over claims about Gerber baby food, Juicy Juice, Dreyer’s ice cream, POM pomegranate juice and Gorton’s fish fillets.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/business/04food.html

Shopping Basics

An ideal diet is composed solely of whole foods and ingredients, and is devoid of packaged and processed foods, and any non-food ingredients (i.e. chemicals, additives, preservatives, etc.). Even if ideal, however, this type of diet is nearly impossible for a typical consumer. Nevertheless, when buying groceries, try to make the best choices possible by following these basic guidelines:

• choose 100% Whole Wheat bread products and pasta, and brown rice (not "made with whole grains," "all natural," "honey wheat," or any other wheat variation - those are all still made with refined white flour, which has little nutritional value)

• for packaged products such as cereals, bars, frozen foods, etc. avoid those with the following ingredients:
- high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and anything that resembles a chemical more than an actual food
- those with some form of sugar as one of the first three ingredients
- those that make health claims (for e.g., food products approved by the FDA as "heart-healthy" are not necessarily healthy)

• choose organic and/or local foods (farmer's markets are ideal for both)

• keep in mind that snack foods and sweets that are labeled as "low-fat" or "organic" are not necessarily healthy (very often low in fat = high in sugar); treat these foods as treats and eat them sparingly
 
• choose eggs and dairy products with the most information about their origins (e.g., local, organic, cage-free, free-range)

NY Times Recipe - Bulgur: An Easy Way to Get Your Grains

Bulgur: An Easy Way to Get Your Grains
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Published: February 8, 2010

Some of the best tasting grains are not part of the traditional American diet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/health/nutrition/08recipehealth.html

Ethicurean Article - The manurification of America

http://www.ethicurean.com/2010/03/02/mounds-of-manure/

Eat Well Guide - Local, Sustainable, Organic Food

Eat Well Guide - Local, Sustainable, Organic Food

The Eat Well Guide® is a free online directory for anyone in search of fresh, locally grown and sustainably produced food in the United States and Canada.

NY Times Article - Soda: A Sin We Sip Instead of Smoke?

By MARK BITTMAN

Published: February 12, 2010

Can a soda tax and warning labels help dam the river of sugared drinks Americans pour into ever-fatter bodies each year?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/weekinreview/14bittman.html

Introduction

My decision to create a blog stemmed from a recent surge in the number of friends who have approached me about becoming vegetarians specifically, and more conscious eaters in general. This blog's primary purpose is not as a forum for me to express my thoughts or feelings about being a vegetarian, nor to rant or complain about America's food industry, but rather as a source of guidance, tips, and helpful information for those making the transition into a veggie diet and a more conscious approach to eating. It will feature recipes, websites, articles - basically anything I come across relevant to the topic that I find interesting and worth sharing. I also encourage anyone that happens to read this to share their own discoveries about the food industry, food policy, vegetarianism, healthy eating, etc.