Ready to Go Veggie

New Film - "Vegucated"

2011-10-14T12:01:00.000-04:00

The documentary Vegucated follows three heavy meat and dairy eaters as they try to go vegan for six weeks. Watch as they uncover the hidden truths about meat production and animal agriculture, and feel compelled to expose the same industry they fully supported weeks earlier. According to the film's website, Vegucated "showcases the rapid and at times comedic evolution of three people who share one journey and ultimately discover their own paths in creating a kinder, cleaner, greener world, one bite at a time." Check out the film's website here, and the trailer below. Also, click here to read Epicurious's interview with the film's director, Marisa Miller Wolfson, to find out what inspired her decision to make the documentary, how she went about making it, and what she hopes audiences will get out of it.

Epicurious - Our Favorite Vegetarian Dishes

2011-10-07T12:29:00.000-04:00

Check out Epicurious's collection of delicious vegetarian-friendly recipes and tips:

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/howtocook/dishes/vegetarian

October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, so Happy Veggie Eating!

Farm Sanctuary - National Conference to End Factory Farming

2011-10-07T12:24:00.001-04:00

Farm Sanctuary is hosting, for the first time, the National Conference to End Factory Farming: For Health, Environment and Farm Animals. The conference will be held in Arlington, Virginia, from Thursday, October 27th through Saturday, October 29th. It will feature "over 30 speakers from a wide range of backgrounds" and "will be unique in its exclusive focus on factory farming and the problems surrounding it." The goal of the National Conference to End Factory Farming is "to reach a broad audience of professionals and advocates from the animal protection, health, and environmental movements to collaborate on these issues."

To find out more about the conference, including how to attend, who will be speaking, and its daily program, check out the conference website.

The Atlantic - The Locavore Movement's Mistake: Deregulating Animal Slaughter

2011-10-07T12:16:00.001-04:00

James McWilliams criticizes the locavore movement's attempt to deregulate animal slaughter and allowing backyard livestock owners to kill their own animals for food. According to McWilliams, the consequences of such a move will be dire - for both the animals and the movement in general. He warns that "by extending their mission from the plant to the animal world, those who want us to eat local risk reducing this hard-earned victory into nothing short of a bloody mess."
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September 13, 2011
By James McWilliams

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/09/the-locavore-movements-mistake-deregulating-animal-slaughter/244897/

Civil Eats - Americans' Views of Industrial Agriculture by the Numbers

2011-10-03T19:10:00.000-04:00

This article reveals some positive signs about Americans' thoughts on the food industry with the results of two recent surveys of "American attitudes on issues related to agriculture, the environment, and the federal budget." Also discussed is a recent panel called "Food Dialogues," which was formed "as an effort to connect consumers with farmers and ranchers." The public's growing interest in and concern about food is a necessary step towards improving the system!
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September 29, 2011
By Donald Carr

http://civileats.com/2011/09/29/americans%E2%80%99-views-of-industrial-agriculture-by-the-numbers/

Mother Jones - California's Fruit-and-Veg Behemoth: Too Productive for Our Own Good

2011-10-03T19:03:00.000-04:00

Tom Philpott reveals how dependent we are on California's (increasingly "water-challenged") agriculture, and urges Americans to move away from the western state and towards a more local, seasonal approach to their produce purchasing.
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September 9, 2011
By Tom Philpott

http://motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2011/09/california-agriculture-too-productive-our-own-good

Food Safety News - Ag Subsidies Fund Junk Food, Report Says

2011-09-27T12:26:00.000-04:00

A new report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group reveals that since 1995, approximately $16.9 billion of American tax money has fed into farm subsidies, not for fruits and vegetables, but rather, for four core ingredients of junk food: corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, and soy oils.
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September 22, 2011
By Gretchen Goetz

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/09/ag-subsidies-fund-junk-food-report-says/

Mother Jones - Meat Industry Still Denying Antibiotic Resistance

2011-09-27T12:23:00.000-04:00

Tom Philpott discusses the meat industry's new denial tactic in regard to the adverse effects of feeding antibiotics to farm animals: the industry blames bad science.

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September 21, 2011
By Tom Philpott

http://motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2011/09/meat-industry-antibiotic-resistance

The Atlantic - Bringing America to the Table: How to Get People Interested in Food

2011-09-26T14:46:00.002-04:00

Author Helene York bemoans the recent flood of books about the food industry, calling them overly dire and negative, and claiming that they are "preaching to the choir" of food journalists, activists, and conscious consumers. She insists that "for the food system to change meaningfully, Mr. and Mrs. Average American have to tune in eventually." And the solution to getting through to them is not requiring them to read "ominous tomes." Instead, York suggests three alternate angles that will get the American masses to care about their food: gardening, health, humor.

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September 22, 2011
By Helene York

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/09/bringing-america-to-the-table-how-to-get-people-interested-in-food/245442/

Food Safety News - Media Influence on Food Safety Practices

2011-09-26T14:36:00.000-04:00

A new study reveals the positive impact of food safety issues being reported by the media. Both the public and the industry benefit from awareness about food safety (including food handling outbreak prevention), and that awareness is at least partially due to the media's coverage of those issues.

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September 26, 2011
By Mary Rothschild

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/09/media-coverage-influences-food-safety-practices/

The Atlantic - Antibiotic Resistance and the Case for Organic Poultry and Meat

2011-09-26T14:29:00.000-04:00

A recent study from the Maryland School of Public Health found that livestock who were not fed antibiotics showed an immediate and dramatic decline in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Neil Wagner discusses the issues surrounding the study and how they affect human health. He ends the article encouraging readers to buy organic meat and poultry, thereby making a statement to the industry about the unnecessary and harmful use of antibiotics in the meat industry.

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September 14, 2011
By Neil Wagner

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/09/antibiotic-resistance-and-the-case-for-organic-poultry-and-meat/245067/1/

The Nation - What's Next for the Global Food Movement?

2011-09-26T11:46:00.000-04:00

The October 3rd issue of The Nation features a central piece by Frances Moore Lappe, titled "The Food Movement: Its Power and Possibilities," along with a series of response pieces by authors such as Raj Patel, Eric Schlosser, Michael Pollan, and others.

Lappe's article and the brief replies survey a range of issues related to the global food industry, such as environmentalism, diet, workers' rights, food deserts, politics, land use, GMOs, world hunger, and more.

The Nation's focus of an entire issue on the food movement reiterates its increasingly prominent position in the media and among consumers, and yet the pieces remind the reader that the food movement has a long history, both within the U.S. and globally, and has produced both good and bad results. The hope of these essays' authors and their audience is that the movement continues to gain traction and make progress towards a more productive while also more sustainable global food system.

The Food Movement: Its Power and Possibilities by Frances Moore Lappe
Why Hunger Is Still With Us by Raj Patel
Resisting the Corporate Theft of Seeds by Vandana Shiva
It's Not Just About Food by Eric Schlosser
How Change Is Going to Come in the Food System by Michael Pollan
The Production Conundrum by Samuel Fromartz
Walmart's Fresh Food Makeover by Bridget Huber
Farm Bill 101 by Daniel Imhoff
Who Says Food Is a Human Right by Anna Lappe
Venezuela's Radical Food Experiment by Paula Crossfield

New Film - American Meat

2011-09-26T11:13:00.000-04:00

American Meat is a new documentary that surveys the current state of America's meat industry. The film features a number of farmers who take varying approaches to raising animals for meat. Some of these farmers reveal to the audience the longstanding industrial system, while others - like the infamous Joel Salatin - introduce us to the growing grass-based farming revolution. Through tracing the history and the current state of meat production in our country, the film encourages a more promising future for animal husbandry by presenting every day solutions for improving the system.

Watch the trailer below and check out the film's website or follow it on Twitter or Facebook to find out when a screening is near you.

AMERICAN MEAT TRAILER from Leave It Better on Vimeo.

Real Simple Recipe - Ratatouille

2011-09-26T10:59:00.000-04:00

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/ratatouille-10000000524327/index.html?xid=dailyrecnews-09-06-2011

The New York Times - Bad Food? Tax It, and Subsidize Vegetables

2011-07-25T13:14:00.001-04:00

Another excellent opinion piece by Mark Bittman. He suggests taxing junk food (soda in particular) and subsidizing fruits and vegetables (instead of the current subsidization of corn and soy, both of which are used in highly processed foods and soda). His argument is highly convincing for its exploration of the many predicted benefits to America's financial and physical health, and the use of tobacco as a precedent for his propositions.

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July 23, 2011
By Mark Bittman

"What will it take to get Americans to change our eating habits? The need is indisputable, since heart disease, diabetes and cancer are all in large part caused by the Standard American Diet. (Yes, it's SAD.)..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/opinion/sunday/24bittman.html

Farm Sanctuary's Walk for Animals

2011-07-25T13:05:00.001-04:00

This fall, thousands of people in cities across the US and Canada will gather for the 2011 Walk for Animals by Farm Sanctuary. The walks are a fun and way to raise funds for Farm Sanctuary as well as to raise awareness about the abuse of farm animals. As states on the event's website, "the Walk for Animals is a positive way to speak out on behalf of animals who cannot speak for themselves and to make a real difference in their lives."

To find out if there's a walk near you, click here. Also visit the event's website to find out more about the walks, what they support, and how else you can get involved if there isn't a walk near you.

LA Times - Michelle Obama, Wal-Mart and the 'food desert' problem

2011-07-25T12:57:00.000-04:00

Discusses the problem of the lack of access to fresh produce in low income neighborhoods (now given the name "food deserts" as a result) and lists some programs being developed to increase that access.

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July 22, 2011
By Daniela Hernandez

"What a first lady, a chain store and others are doing to try to make fresh fruits and vegetables more available in poor communities."

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/22/news/la-heb-fruits-vegetables-poor-communities20110722

Chicago Tribune - Meat labels: A lot of fine print to read

2011-07-25T11:45:00.000-04:00

A helpful guide to current labels found on meat products, and an introduction to various other initiatives to help consumers be more informed about the origins of the meat they eat.

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July 13, 2011
By Steve Cavendish

"Dan Buskirk knows the path meat takes to arrive on your table. And the Michigan State University animal science professor knows that consumers increasingly want to be informed of that route as well. 'People want to know where their meat comes from,' Buskirk says..."

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-07-13/features/sc-food-0708-meat-labeling-20110713_1_meat-labels-beef-grades-usda

The Atlantic - How 'Conscientious Carnivores' Ignore Meat's True Origins

2011-07-25T11:41:00.000-04:00

James McWilliams questions the ethics and motivations of those who choose humanely raised meat over a meatless diet, and whether their actions have any impact on reforming the meat industry. Although I generally disagree with his argument, he does raise some valid and interesting points about this recent phenomenon of the "conscientious carnivore."

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July 12, 2011

By James McWilliams

"If there's one phrase I'd like to put to pasture it's the increasingly popular designation of 'conscientious carnivore.' As with so many other expressions in the food movement's growing lexicon of culinary virtue, this one euphemistically makes a harsh reality with a soothing, but ultimately damaging, rationalization..."

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/07/how-conscientious-carnivores-ignore-meats-true-origins/241828/

CNN Eatocracy - How animals are raised for food

2011-07-25T10:49:00.001-04:00

Bruce Friedrich of Farm Sanctuary divulges a list of five lesser known (and perhaps surprising for that reason) facts about the meat industry.

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July 8, 2011

The average American eats more than 30 land animals, and countless sea animals.
The egg industry is even worse than the veal industry for animal welfare.
Broiler chickens are given more drugs than any other farmed animal.
There is no national legislation to protect 98.5 percent of farmed animals.
Farmed animals are interesting individuals, just like the dogs and cats who we know a bit better.

Click here to read the full text accompanying each fact.

Mother Jones - The Spam Factory's Dirty Secret

2011-07-25T10:30:00.005-04:00

This piece exposes some of the extreme health risks and appauling labor standards experienced by workers in a hog processing facility. A long article, and at times difficult to read for its gruesome details, but nonetheless very illuminating and well worth reading.

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By Ted Genoways

July/August 2011

"On the cut-and-kill floor of Quality Pork Processors Inc. in Austin, Minnesota, the wind always blows. From the open doors at the docks where drivers unload massive trailers of screeching pigs, through to the 'warm room' where the hogs are butchered, to the plastic-draped breezeway where the parts are handed over to Hormel for packaging, the air gusts and swirls, whistling through the plant like the current in a canyon. In the first week of December 2006, Matthew Garcia felt feverish and chilled on the blustery production floor. He fought stabbing back pains and nausea, but he figured it was just the flu--and he was determined to tough it out..."

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/06/hormel-spam-pig-brains-disease

Civil Eats - Landmark Agreement to Help Millions

2011-07-12T22:12:00.000-04:00

Amazingly, the Humane Society of the United States and the United Egg Producers (primary trade association for the egg industry), two organizations traditionally at war about the treatment of laying hens, announced last week an agreement that will put into effect an end to battery cages, and will implement a series of other reforms that will greatly improve the lives of laying hens. The details of the agreement are laid out in the article below by the president and CEO of the HSUS.

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July 8, 2011
By Wayne Pacelle

"The goal of The HSUS is not endless campaigning or conflict with political adversaries, but to find a place where we can forge solutions that produce tangible and meaningful outcomes for animals and show a new way forward in society. And that means sitting down with people who see the world differently than we do, even sitting down with industries that we’ve had deep disagreements with in the past. Yesterday, we put that principle into practice. I participated in a press conference that I thought could only occur many years into the future: a joint event with The HSUS and the United Egg Producers (UEP)..."

http://civileats.com/2011/07/08/landmark-agreement-to-help-millions-of-hens/

NY Times Opinionator - Banned from the Barn

2011-07-12T22:03:00.000-04:00

Mark Bittman explains why more visibility within the meat industry is necessary by describing what hides behind factory farm walls. Despite the horror, Americans shouldn't be shielded from it, specifically with ag-gag laws like the one Iowa recently failed to pass.

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July 5, 2011
By Mark Bittman

"Iowa’s ag-gag law failed to pass before summer recess last week: a good thing. The ridiculous proposition, which died along with similar ones in Minnesota, Florida and New York, would have made it illegal to videotape or photograph in the agricultural facilities that house almost all of our chickens and pigs. Sadly, a lack of idiocy is not the same thing as a presence of wisdom, and the demise of ag-gag won’t give us a clearer view of food production. We need more visibility, not less..."

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/05/banned-from-the-barn/

The Atlantic - 5 Essential Reads on Food Politics

2011-07-12T21:40:00.005-04:00

I've added all of these books to my wish list, and will post accordingly as I read them!

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July 8, 2011
By Marion Nestle

"Publishers are turning out so many food-related books that it's hard to keep up--so we've identified a handful not to miss..."

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/07/5-essential-picks-for-a-food-politics-bookshelf/241621/

Here's the book list in short:

The Butcher's Guide to Well-Raised Meat by Joshua and Jessica Applestone, and Alexandra Zissu
Cultivating an Ecological Conscience by Fred Kirschenmann
Fair Food by Oran Hesterman
Farm Together Now by Amy Franceschini and Daniel Tucker
Milk by Deborah Valenze

LA Times - America just keeps getting fatter

2011-07-12T21:33:00.000-04:00

A new report called "F as in Fat" shows that obesity rates in the U.S. are still on the rise, as well as diabetes and high blood pressure. Americans just need to put down the forks, as my dad would say.

(Special thank you to Austin for bringing this article to my attention!)

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July 7, 2011
By Melissa Healy

"America continues to get fatter, according to a comprehensive new report on the nation's weight crisis. Statistics for 2008-2010 show that 16 states are experiencing steep increases in adult obesity, and none has seen a notable downturn in the last four years. Meanwhile, cases of Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure that health experts have long warned would result from the nation's broadening girth and sedentary ways are becoming increasingly widespread, according to the report, titled 'F as in Fat,' released Thursday..."

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/07/health/la-he-obesity-report-20110708

2011-07-12T21:28:00.000-04:00

A growing trend of ex-vegetarians becoming mindful meat eaters places new emphasis not on no meat, but rather, certain meat.

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June 30, 2011
By Zara Kessler

"Are you a vegetarian? Stats say you're probably a woman. You probably bid adieu to four-legged creatures for ethical reasons. And you'll probably be a carnivore again in no time..."

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/06/30/return-of-the-meat-eaters-many-lapsed-vegetarians-become-ethical-omnivores/

Civil Eats - A "Real Food" Guide to MyPlate

2011-07-12T21:18:00.001-04:00

Check out the infographic below, a "Real Food" guide to the most recent USDA dietary guidelines depicted in their new MyPlate logo.

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June 28th, 2011
By Kristin Wartman

"In my recent critique of the new USDA dietary guidelines, I wrote that we’ll never see a real food version of MyPlate as long as the food industry holds sway over the guidelines and USDA continues to promote industrial foods. While this is true, there’s no reason we can’t create our own “Real Food” version of MyPlate to promote what we think is healthy and what’s not..."

http://civileats.com/2011/06/28/a-real-food-guide-to-myplate-infographic/

Plate to Planet: Making the Connection Between Food and the Environment

2011-07-12T21:13:00.000-04:00

Farm Sanctuary has a new project site called Plate to Planet, which teaches the environmental impact of our food choices, and how small steps we take can make a big difference. The site features facts, interviews with experts, and the video below narrated by Jason Schwartzmann.

NY Times Opinionator - Tough Week for Meatless Monday

2011-06-30T10:20:00.000-04:00

Mark Bittman sheds light on one of America's most beloved Fourth of July pastimes: eating meat. Does Meatless Monday stand a chance amidst all the hot dogs and hamburgers on this year's holiday?

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By Mark Bittman
June 29, 2011

"Like every day in America, the Fourth of July is a celebration of protein. But the Fourth is a special day for burgers and ribs, not beans and rice, a day with contests to see who can eat the most hot dogs, not the most veggie patties. If you're anti-meat, the Fourth of July can feel anti-you..."

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/29/tough-week-for-meatless-monday/

Food Safety News - More Documented Abuse of Iowa Animals

2011-06-30T10:14:00.000-04:00

Yet another undercover video of farm animal abuse has been released online, this time by Mercy for Animals. These videos bring media attention and public awareness to the horrific treatment of animals at factory farms; what will happen if the Iowa bill to outlaw the videos passes?

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By Dan Flynn
June 29, 2011

"This might not be the best time to release an undercover video of cruelty to Iowa farm animals. A bill to outlaw such videos, and punish people who make them, remains alive in the Iowa Assembly. Presidential candidates from both parties are showing up in Iowa by the day now. It's the time when what Iowa wants, Iowa usually gets..."

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/06/more-documented-abuse-of-iowa-animals/

Civil Eats - "100 Days of Real Food" Pledge

2011-06-29T11:42:00.000-04:00

Major kudos to Lisa Leake and her family (fellow North Carolinians!) who have revolutionized the way they eat and live by devoting their diets to "real food" only. Check out her website and the article Leake recently posted on Civil Eats, below, to find out how this family managed to overcome the many challenges involved in abstaining from processed food, and about the many benefits (health and otherwise!) that resulted from their experiment.

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By Lisa Leake
June 27, 2011

"A little over a year ago, our family made a bold move by pledging to follow strict 'real food' rules for 100 long days. A few of these rules included no white flour, no sugar, and nothing out of a package with more than five ingredients. And there were no exceptions whether we were traveling, out to eat, at a birthday or with friends. We started this little experiment of ours simply to draw attention to how dependent Americans have become on highly processed food..."

http://civileats.com/2011/06/27/%E2%80%9C100-days-of-real-food%E2%80%9D-pledge/

Epicurious Recipe - Chopped Veggie Salad with Watermelon and Feta Cheese

2011-06-26T08:06:00.002-04:00

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/photo/Chopped-Veggie-Salad-with-Watermelon-and-Feta-Cheese-242491

New App - Chemical Cuisine

2011-06-26T08:04:00.000-04:00

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has released a new app called Chemical Cuisine that allows consumers to make healthy food purchase decisions by searching and filtering through a list of food additives, their descriptions, and safety ratings. No smart phone? The same information is available at CSPI website here.

Food Safety News - 'My Plate' -- Rounding out the American Diet

2011-06-26T07:56:00.000-04:00

Food Safety News explains the USDA's thinking behind and goals for its new "My Plate" initiative that replaces the once familiar food pyramid.

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By Gretchen Goetz
June 22, 2011

"Earlier this month, the food pyramid officially became old news as the government rolled out a new image to promote healthy eating: a plate depicting the five food groups and how much space they should occupy at mealtime..."

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/06/my-plate---rounding-out-the-american-diet/

New Book - Fair Food by Oran B. Hesterman Ph.D.

2011-06-26T07:50:00.002-04:00

Dr. Hesterman (of the Fair Food Network) has spent years fighting to "improve access to good, quality, healthy food for all Americans, regardless of their income or zip code." His new book Fair Food: Growing a Healthy Sustainable Food System for All "lays out exactly how individuals and communities can make changes -- small and large -- to bring about that fairer system."

Check out TakePart's interview with the author to learn more about his vision for a fair food system and how people can do their part to make that vision a reality.

http://www.takepart.com/news/2011/06/17/fair-food-a-new-roadmap-towards-a-healthier-food-system

LA Times - On the healthful highway

2011-06-25T19:27:00.000-04:00

A vegetarian couple discovers veggie-friendly hot spots on their road trip from LA to Florida and back. Their finds range from Whole Foods in Naples, Florida to a vegan food truck in Austin, Texas.

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By George Fuller
June 26, 2011

"For the junk food junkie, a road trip can be a dream journey. Between the fast food outlets and the glop at gas station minimarts, travelers may find themselves on a never-ending sugar/trans-fat wallow. But on a monthlong road trip from Los Angeles to Naples, Fla., to visit friends and family, my wife, Landry, and I decided to go another direction: We would eat healthfully. It was a challenge, but not an insurmountable one if you knew where to look. Our goal on this trip was to find those hidden, healthful dining oases. As a bonus, we hoped we wouldn't gain weight. Bye-bye, guilt..."

http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-healthyroadtrip-20110626,1,1094636.story

ABC News - Is 'Big Food's' Big Money Influencing the Science of Nutrition?

2011-06-25T19:24:00.000-04:00

A scientist who studies the links between diet and disease is being accused of being paid by food companies to skew the science about their products' impact on human health.

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By Dan Harris
June 21, 2011

"[The] Centers for Disease Control last week warned teenagers to cut down on their soda consumption, citing studies that show soda contributes to obesity and other health problems such as diabetes. [Scientist David] Allison has said such studies haven't been rigorous enough to prove soda contributes to obesity, but critics say his skepticism stems from his financial ties to entities such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi and the American Beverage Association, who, critics say, have paid Allison to poke holes in the scientific consensus..."

http://abcnews.go.com/US/big-food-money-accused-influencing-science/story?id=13845186

The Atlantic - A Conversation with Michael Jacobson, Food and Public Health Advocate

2011-06-25T19:19:00.000-04:00

Daniel Fromson interviews Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

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By Daniel Fromson
May 23, 2011

"This year, the CSPI has organized Food Day, its 'most ambitious project ever,' a day of education and advocacy featuring hundreds of local events that will be held on October 24. Here, Jacobson discusses dietary supplements, how young people are changing America's food systems, and why we shouldn't spend so much time talking about high-fructose corn syrup..."

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/05/a-conversation-with-michael-jacobson-food-and-public-health-advocate/239300/

U.S. News - Colleges That Offer Courses, Choices for Vegetarians

2011-06-25T19:12:00.000-04:00

Universities are responding to the growing vegetarian and food-conscious student population by adjusting their dining hall and course selection accordingly.

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By Katy Hopkins
June 7, 2011

"For college students who choose to limit their diet—whether vegetarian, gluten free, Kosher, or vegan—finding a wide selection of food that both meets their needs and tastes good can be difficult, given the typically meager options in dining halls that often include little more than self-serve cereal stations and salad bars..."

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2011/06/07/colleges-that-offer-courses-choices-for-vegetarians

NY Times Recipes - Proper Uses for Quinoa

2011-06-25T19:02:00.001-04:00

Check out this selection of recipes that use quinoa, a versatile and flavorful grain that is also an excellent source of protein for vegetarians.

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By Martha Rose Shulman
May 23, 2011

The Atlantic - Foodies vs. Darwin: How Meat Eaters Ignore Science

2011-06-25T18:49:00.000-04:00

James McWilliams explores how our nation's foodies tend to overlook one important aspect of the food movement: animal welfare. Favorite quote: "What if we discussed the moral and legal rights of animals with the same level of detail we bring to discussion about where to find the best prosciutto?"

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By James McWilliams
May 19, 2011

"[Matthew] Scully [author of Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy] highlights one of the more troubling paradoxes at the core of modern life. Humanity proves its love for animals on a daily basis. We lavish an abundance of affection on companion animals, work tirelessly to protect endangered species, and donate generously to shelters and welfare organizations. At the same time, we treat animals with unfathomable disdain. We wear them, experiment upon them, hunt them, render them into cosmetics, and, most notably, eat them. Making matters even more disturbing, we rationalize all this behavior as perfectly normal. It's just the way of the world, red in tooth and claw. Humans are the only animals capable of untangling this paradox..."

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/05/foodies-vs-darwin-how-meat-eaters-ignore-science/239127/

New Book - The Feast Nearby by Robin Mather

2011-06-25T18:39:00.000-04:00

TakePart interviews the author about the experiences that led her to writing this book: The Feast Nearby: How I Lost My Job, Buried a Marriage, and Found My Way by Keeping Chickens, Foraging, Preserving, Bartering and Eating Locally (All on $40 a Week)

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"The Feast Nearby is a collection of charming essays and recipes that celebrate the simple pleasures in life, and reveal how a back-to-basics approach to the way we think about food can have a positive impact on ourselves, and our communities..."

Click here to read full interview with Mather and to read an excerpt from her book.

New Film - "Forks Over Knives"

2011-06-25T18:25:00.000-04:00

This new documentary "examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the so-called 'diseases of affluence' that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed food."

The film follows the research of Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a nutritional scientist at Cornell, and Dr. Caldwell Esselsystn, a top surgeon, about the relationship between disease and diet around the world. The doctors' research led to a startling discovery: "degenerative diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even several forms of cancer, could almost always be prevented--and in many cases reversed--by adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet."

The findings of Drs. Campbell and Esselsystn have remained relatively unknown to the public, but are now richly documented in "Forks Over Knives." Check out the film trailer below, then visit the film's website here to learn more about it and to find out where and when it's showing in a theater near you.

The Washington Post - Why being a foodie isn't 'elitist'

2011-05-01T12:03:00.001-04:00

Excellent editorial by Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation.
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By Eric Schlosser
April 29, 2011

"At the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual meeting this year, Bob Stallman, the group’s president, lashed out at 'self-appointed food elitists' who are 'hell-bent on misleading consumers.' His target was the growing movement that calls for sustainable farming practices and questions the basic tenets of large-scale industrial agriculture in America..."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-being-a-foodie-isnt-elitist/2011/04/27/AFeWsnFF_print.html

The Atlantic - New Federal Guidelines Regulate Junk Food Ads for Kids

2011-05-01T11:05:00.000-04:00

Marion Nestle describes the FTC's newly released rules about marketing food to children, and points out where there's still room for improvement.
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By Marion Nestle
April 29, 2011

"The FTC released its long-awaited principles for food marketing to children yesterday. These are proposed principles, scheduled to apply to marketing to children ages two to 17, to go into effect by 2016. The principles are now open for comment..."

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/04/new-federal-guidelines-regulate-junk-food-ads-for-kids/238053/

Grist - Is Walmart our best hope for food policy reform?

2011-05-01T10:48:00.000-04:00

Tom Philpott points out several flaws with the recent deal between Walmart and the Let's Move! campaign.
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By Tom Philpott
April 29, 2011

"Two years into the Obama administration, most of the energy around food-policy reform resides in the East Wing, in the form of the first lady's Let's Move! campaign. So far, Let's Move has been about Michelle Obama pursuing what I have called a 'soft power' campaign -- that is, using her stature to nudge private companies to reform their ways in the absence of real policy change..."

http://www.grist.org/food/2011-04-29-is-walmart-our-best-hope-for-food-policy-reform

Food & Water Watch - In North Carolina, the Pig Manure Is Hitting the Fan

2011-05-01T10:42:00.000-04:00

North Carolinians, take action to help fight the worst factory farming practices in NC!
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April 21, 2011

"If you think of it literally, that’s pretty close to what’s happening with North Carolina’s hog industry — specifically within large factory farm operations that collectively raise most of the state’s 10 million hogs… and their 40 million daily gallons of untreated manure. Sadly, North Carolina has one of the oldest and worst ways of disposing of hog waste: they use manure lagoons and sprinkler systems, which presents a serious threat to public health. The state passed a legislative measure in 2007 that asked factory farm operations to voluntarily phase out their old practices and improve their quality standards for air and water. But it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that, when something is voluntary, industry doesn’t usually do it. So far only a few factory farms have implemented the new systems. It’s time for North Carolina to make these standards mandatory..."

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/in-north-carolina-the-pig-manure-is-hitting-the-fan/

LA Times - Dieters can get out of 'healthy' food trap by checking ingredients

2011-05-01T10:40:00.000-04:00

If a packaged food is labeled as "healthy," it probably isn't.
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By Marissa Cevallos
April 23, 2011

"Dieters are more fooled by misleading health labels than people who don’t obsess about calories, a new study suggests. Dieters believed a heap of pasta shells, mozzarella and salami was healthier if it was called a 'salad' instead of 'pasta.' They also ate more jelly beans than non-dieters if they were presented as 'fruit chews' instead of 'candy'..."

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/23/news/la-heb-diet-healthy-20110422

This Dish Is Veg - New Study: Vegetarian diet helps prevent heart disease, diabetes and stroke

2011-04-22T15:45:00.000-04:00

Yet another reason to go veggie!
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By Robin Lawless
April 22, 2011

"Happy Earth Day everyone! Just in time for Earth Day comes the release of a new study that confirms what most vegetarians and vegans know already; not eating meat is not only better for the planet, it’s better for your health!..."

http://www.thisdishisvegetarian.com/2011/04/1526new-study-vegetarian-diet-helps.html

Huffington Post - Drug-Resistant Bacteria in Half Your Meat? Time for Congress to Act

2011-04-16T08:53:00.001-04:00

Author of Animal Factory reacts to the recent report about the amount of drug-resistant bacteria found in meat. Could not agree more.
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By David Kirby
April 15, 2011

"Once again, our industrial food production system has come to bite us back -- this time in the form of drug-resistant staph bacteria detected in one-half of supermarket meat samples tested in one study, with one-half of the resistant samples found with bacteria that were resistant to multiple drugs..."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/drugresistant-bacteria-in_b_849928.html

LA Times - Meat contaminated with resistant bacteria

2011-04-16T08:49:00.001-04:00

One more reason to not eat meat, or to at least pay attention to where it comes from...
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By Marissa Cevallos
April 15, 2011

"Meat in the U.S. may be widely contaminated with strains of drug-resistant bacteria, researchers reported Friday. Nearly half of all meat and poultry sampled in a new study contained drug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, the type of bacteria that most commonly causes staph infections. Such infections can take many forms, from a minor rash to pneumonia or sepsis. But the findings are less about direct threats to humans than they are about the risks of using antibiotics in agriculture..."

http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-meat-bacteria-20110415,0,7997782.story

Food Politics - FDA makes recalls transparent

2011-04-13T22:23:00.000-04:00

By Marion Nestle
April 5, 2011

"The FDA has just revised its method for listing recalls online. As explained by Food Production Daily, the FDA was required to do this by the food safety bill passed in January. The new site is nifty. It displays recalls in a neat, searchable, trackable table..."

Click here to see an example of how the table works and to link to the FDA's new recall tracking site.

Huffington Post - Let's Ask Marion Nestle: Does Factory Farming Have a Future?

2011-04-13T22:20:00.001-04:00

By Kerry Trueman, EatingLiberally.org
April 13, 2011

"We talk a lot about the factory farms that provide most of our meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products, but most Americans have no idea what really goes on inside a CAFO, or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation... Given all the problems inherent in industrial livestock production, do you see a future for factory farming?"

Click here to read Nestle's answer and to view a slideshow about factory farming.

This Dish Is Veg - The mock meat debate: Is it okay for vegans and vegetarians to consume?

2011-04-13T21:38:00.001-04:00

By Jodi Truglio
April 11, 2011

"The issue of whether it is ethically correct for vegetarians and vegans to eat faux meat has long been debated and become somewhat of an enigma. As vegans we strive to live a humane lifestyle by eliminating all animal products from our diet and that sometimes comes with the price of feeling alienated at social or family gatherings. That’s where faux meat comes in, for many vegans it has served as a lifeline and a way to fit in..."

http://www.thisdishisvegetarian.com/2011/04/mock-meat-debate-is-it-okay-for-vegans.html

Food Politics - How to get involved: the Farm Bill

2011-04-13T21:36:00.000-04:00

By Marion Nestle
April 8, 2011

"When giving talks here and there, I am invariably asked how listeners can get involved in social and political action on food issues.From the standpoint of personal responsibility, it’s easy: Vote with your fork! Buy and eat according to your principles to the extent that you can. But participating in democratic processes is also part of personal responsibility, and here is where things get more complicated..."

http://www.foodpolitics.com/2011/04/how-to-get-involved-the-farm-bill/

Be sure to check out Food Politics over the next week or so, because Nestle is going "to post suggestions about how to get involved in a variety of food issues, starting with work on the 2012 Farm Bill."

The Atlantic - An Inconvenient Truth? Free-Range Meat Isn't 'Natural'

2011-04-13T21:30:00.000-04:00

By James McWilliams
April 8, 2011

"It's the strangest thing. Whenever I'm on a panel discussing meat production I seem to be strategically pitted against someone who produces meat through sustainable and more humane ('free range') methods. What's so strange is the response I get when I bring up the following conundrum: even if an animal is raised under favorable conditions, we still kill the creature for our benefit and, in so doing, confront a serious ethical dilemma nonetheless..."

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/04/an-inconvenient-truth-free-range-meat-isnt-natural/237006/

Huffington Post - Why Is Our Food Making Us Fat?

2011-04-13T21:25:00.002-04:00

By Nicolette Hahn Niman
April 7, 2011

"As a rancher and environmental lawyer, when I write or speak about America's food system, usually it's related to impacts on natural resources -- air, water, and soils. But these last few years I've also become increasingly interested in how what we eat, and the way we eat, affects our health. With diet related problems like obesity and type II diabetes reaching dangerous levels, public officials finally seem poised to take action on what has grown into a crisis. At the same time, thousands of diverse individuals all over the country -- from moms to school administrators to farmers -- are taking food matters into their own hands. The reality is that truly changing the way America eats and produces its food will require both public and private action..."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicolette-hahn-niman/why-is-our-food-making-us_b_845883.html

This Dish Is Veg - Veggie newbie 101: Foods that are included & excluded in a plant based diet

2011-04-13T21:18:00.000-04:00

By Elizah Leigh

April 7 & 8, 2011

Part One provides "a little background on the whole veggie dietary situation." Helpful guidance about how to begin your journey into vegetarianism, the challenges ahead, and what to expect.

Part Two provides a list of "exactly what foods vegetarians and vegans exclude from their diet." Please note that your options are not limited to this list, but nevertheless it is a helpful starting point. It also provides a list of alternatives to store bought dairy, meat, and egg products.

Civil Eats - Where Do Americans Get Their Calories?

2011-04-13T20:59:00.000-04:00

By Andrea Jezovit
April 5, 2011

"In the past 20 years, obesity rates rose dramatically in the U.S. In many states nearly a third of adults are now obese. Where exactly are Americans getting the calories to grow their girths? How many more calories are being consumed than in previous decades?..."

Click here to read on, and to check out the infographic that illustrates the answers to the above questions - calories available per day per capita divided into food groups over the last 30 years. The data is fascinating, shocking, and disappointing in equal parts!

Food Day - October 24, 2011

2011-04-13T20:54:00.001-04:00

The Center for Science in the Public Interest is sponsoring Food Day, what they "hope will become an annual event that is both a celebration of real, healthy food—and a powerful, grassroots movement for change."

The CSPI has identified five key priorities for Food Day:

Reduce diet-related disease by promoting healthy foods
Support sustainable farms & stop subsidizing agribusiness
Expand access to food and alleviate hunger
Protect the environment & animals by reforming factory farms
Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing to kids

Check out the website here to find out more about how to prepare for, celebrate, and enjoy Food Day 2011!

Civil Eats - Eating Liberally & Kitchen Table Talks NYC Present: What's the Matter with Mass-Produced Meat?

2011-04-13T18:37:00.000-04:00

What: A discussion about how meat is produced and the changing face of the industry, entitled “What’s the Matter With Mass-Produced Meat?”

Who: Co-sponsored by Kitchen Table Talks and Eating Liberally, the event will feature Daniel Imhoff, editor of CAFO: The Tragedy of Industrial Animal Factories, Michael Moss, the New York Times investigative reporter whose exposé on E. coli-tainted industrial beef, “The Burger That Shattered Her Life,” won a Pulitzer Prize; and Marion Nestle, NYU nutrition professor who served on the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production, and author of Food Politics and What to Eat, among other books.

Where: Fales Library at New York University, 70 Washington Square So, Third Floor

When: Thursday, April 14th from 6:30 to 8:30pm

Please RSVP to rsvp@library.nyu.edu or call 212.992.7050.

Click here for more information.

CSPI Releases Food Additives Mobile App

2011-04-13T18:23:00.001-04:00

April 11, 2011

"For years, the Chemical Cuisine glossary of food additives has been one of the most heavily trafficked pages on the Center for Science in the Public Interest's web site. Today the group is launching a mobile application that will bring CSPI's food additive safety ratings directly to iPhones, iPads, the iPod Touch, and Android-equipped mobile devices..."

http://cspinet.org/new/201104111.html

Wall Street Journal - U.S. Aims to Test Meat Prior to Selling

2011-04-13T18:19:00.002-04:00

[Odd - and a little scary! - that this isn't done already...]

By Bill Tomson
April 5, 2011

"WASHINGTON—The Obama administration, hoping to prevent recalls, consumer illnesses and even deaths from contaminated meat, will unveil a proposal Tuesday to force companies to delay sending beef, pork and poultry to grocery stores while government inspectors complete tests..."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704587004576243354235379030.html

Huffington Post - A "Sin Tax" on Meat Would Improve Our Health and Environment

2011-04-13T18:17:00.002-04:00

By Bruce Friedrich
April 3, 2011

"Tax Day is around the corner. While there is ample controversy over various elements of the tax code (and over taxes in general), one new tax that would make tremendous sense is an excise tax on meat, eggs, and dairy products. Americans have to pay an excise, or 'sin,' tax on cigarettes, alcohol, gasoline, and luxury vehicles in order to help offset the health and environmental costs of these items. Why shouldn't we also have to pay more to purchase foods that cause animal suffering, pollute the planet, and send our health care costs skyrocketing?..."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-friedrich/a-sin-tax-on-meat-would-i_b_844179.html

Epicurious Epi-Log - Backyard Chickens and Eggs

2011-04-13T18:15:00.000-04:00

By Esther Sung
April 1, 2011

"Do a search for 'chicken recipes,' and you might be overwhelmed with the results. Search for books on raising backyard chickens and you'll have plenty to choose from, too. The trend of raising backyard chickens in (sub)urban areas continues to grow and books on the subject matter are still being published..."

Click here for recommended books on raising chickens, and for recipes from one of them.

SF Gate - Food is cheap at market, but costs a lot elsewhere

2011-04-13T18:09:00.001-04:00

By Marion Nestle
April 3, 2011

"Q: I pay a lot for food, and more each day, but then people like you say our food is cheap because its real costs are 'externalized.' Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

Click here to read Nestle's answer, which covers the human, environmental, safety, and health care costs involved in food production that are separate from food's cost at the grocery store.

Grist - Reversing roles, farmers sue Monsanto over GMO seeds

2011-04-13T18:02:00.000-04:00

By Tom Laskawy
March 31, 2011

"Genetically modified seed giant Monsanto is notorious for suing farmers [PDF] in defense of its patent claims. But now, a group of dozens of organic farmers and food activists have, with the help of the not-for-profit law center The Public Patent Foundation, sued Monsanto in a case that could forever alter the way genetically modified crops are grown in this country. But before you can understand why, it's worth reviewing an important, but underreported aspect of the fight over GMOs..."

http://www.grist.org/sustainable-food/2011-03-31-reversing-roles-organic-farmers-sue-monsanto-over-gmo-seeds

Civil Eats - No Quick Subsidies Fix for Food System

2011-04-13T17:59:00.000-04:00

By Wenonah Hauter, Food & Water Watch
March 31, 2011

"Over the last decade, the sustainable food movement has brought much needed attention to U.S. agricultural policy and how it influences which foods Americans grow, buy, and consume. From chefs and policy wonks to teachers and bloggers, everyone interested in food has an opinion on subsidies and how to craft the 2012 Farm Bill. One of the most common focuses is moving subsidies away from commodities like corn and soy, which are used to make junk food and factory farmed meat, to fruit and vegetable production. This simple fix misses the bigger picture—the consolidation and the inability of diversified farms to compete in our industrialized food system..."

http://civileats.com/2011/03/31/no-quick-subsidies-fix-for-food-system/

Grist - The omnivore's other dilemma: expanding access to non-industrial food

2011-04-13T17:56:00.000-04:00

By Bob Comis
March 29, 2011

"...[R]eal food security is not only about developing infrastructures to make it possible to get local meat into supermarkets like Price Chopper. There is cultural work to do as well, including changing the "race to the bottom" supermarket mentality. Supermarket executives and managers need to be convinced of the value of supporting farmers by paying decent prices for non-industrial meat, and in turn, taking less of a profit margin to keep the prices down to help provide real food security. That is asking a lot of large corporations acting in competitive markets..."

http://www.grist.org/locavore/2011-03-29-access-farmers-market-pastured-pork

CNN - The grass-fed vs. grain-fed beef debate

2011-04-13T17:52:00.000-04:00

By Kim Cross, Cooking Light
March 29, 2011

"A large herd's worth of beef cattle has passed through the Cooking Light Test Kitchen over the past 24 years, almost all of it standard-issue, grain-fed supermarket meat. But with beef, as with everything in the American diet, change is afoot. Shoppers are seeing more and more grass-fed beef in regular grocery stores, along with meat from breeds marketed as special (like Angus), and meat from organically raised animals. The local/sustainable movement has been singing the praises of the grass-fed cow, while the grain-fed industry has been under attack by food activists..."

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/03/29/grass.grain.beef.cookinglight/index.html

NY Times - F.D.A. Panel to Consider Warnings for Artificial Food Colorings

2011-04-13T17:47:00.000-04:00

By Gardiner Harris
March 29, 2011

"WASHINGTON — After staunchly defending the safety of artificial food colorings, the federal government is for the first time publicly reassessing whether foods like Jell-O, Lucky Charms cereal and Minute Maid Lemonade should carry warnings that the bright artificial colorings in them worsen behavior problems like hyperactivity in some children..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/30/health/policy/30fda.html?src=me&ref=general

NY Times Recipes - A Versatile Vegetable for a Chilly Spring

2011-04-13T17:40:00.001-04:00

By Martha Rose Shulman
March 28, 2011

"Spring vegetables aren’t here quiet yet — and if the weather doesn’t improve soon, they may not arrive for a while. Until then, there’s a fine alternative: Swiss chard..."

Click here to read full article and to check out the following Swiss chard recipes, including nutritional information:

Orecchiette With Swiss Chard, Red Peppers and Goat Cheese
Onion Pizza With Ricotta and Chard
Bruschetta With Swiss Chard and Smoked Trout
Swiss Chard and Chickpea Minestrone
Stir-Fried Swiss Chard and Red Peppers

New Book - Good Meat by Deborah Krasner

2011-04-13T17:32:00.000-04:00

"Good Meat is the sustainable meat manual. From where to find it, to what to ask for, to how to prepare it, Krasner answers every question about the process of obtaining and preparing healthy flesh in a way that will be understood on first reading by even the most inexperienced of home cooks. Krasner's book provides more than 200 recipes and suggestions for how to cook each and every edible part of the animal. Nothing goes to waste, and you, the informed diner, can appreciate the joys of eating well-raised, healthy animals..." (from TakePart interview with author)

Click here to read full interview with Deborah Krasner, in which she discusses the many - and even affordable! - ways and places consumers can find non-factory farm meat.

This book is the perfect solution for those who are seeking to make more informed and conscious eating decisions, but who are not necessarily prepared to not eat meat.

CNN - Can you get hooked on diet soda?

2011-04-03T21:20:00.001-04:00

By Denise Mann
March 2, 2011

"First thing every morning, Ellen Talles starts her day by draining a supersize Styrofoam cup filled with Diet Coke and crushed ice. The 61-year-old from Boca Raton, Fla., drinks another Diet Coke in the car on the way to work and keeps a glass nearby 'at all times' at her job as a salesclerk. By the end of the day she has put away about 2 liters. 'I just love it,' she says. 'I crave it, need it. My food tastes better with it.' Talles sounds a lot like an addict..."

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/03/01/diet.soda.health/index.html

Grist - Poultry industry smothers immigrant farmers and abuses antibiotics

2011-04-03T21:13:00.000-04:00

By Tom Philpott
March 15, 2011

"The U.S. meat industry offers some of the biggest bargains you can find: stuff like 'boneless skinless chicken breasts' for just two bucks a pound; or a 'Crispy Chicken Sandwich' for a dollar. But when you dig beneath the marketing jargon and the coupon fliers, you start to see that all that cheap bird flesh has a much heftier price tag than meets the naked eye. In all my writing about the meat industry, the main theme is the destructive power of consolidation in a market geared to cheapness. If you have three or four big players competing not to see who can deliver the highest-quality product, but rather the cheapest product, you're inviting all manner of abuses..."

http://www.grist.org/factory-farms/2011-03-15-poultry-industry-smothers-immigrant-farmers-abuses-antibiotics

Food Safety News - Gearing Up for the 2012 Farm Bill Debate

2011-04-03T20:55:00.002-04:00

By Claire Mitchell
March 14, 2011

"Daniel Imhoff, a researcher, farmer, author of numerous articles and books, independent publisher, and speaker, recently gave a presentation at the University of Washington about the upcoming 2012 Farm Bill. The March 1 event, sponsored by Northwest Farm Bill Action Group and the University of Washington's Department of Urban Planning and Design in the College of Built Environments, drew a large crowd of students, faculty, and advocates working to reform the U.S. food system..."

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/03/dan-imhoff-discusses-the-2012-farm-bill/

TakePart - "Food, Inc" Coming to 3,000 Schools Across America

2011-04-03T20:51:00.000-04:00

By Max Follmer
March 9, 2011

"TakePart HQ is big on spreading the gospel of good eating, especially when it comes to young kids. We're thrilled to pass along word that our parent company and partners in goodness—Participant Media—announced Wednesday that it's partnering with the Center for Ecoliteracy to bring the movie Food, Inc. to 3,000 schools across America..."

http://www.takepart.com/news/2011/03/09/food-inc-coming-to-3000-schools-across-america

Civil Eats - More Meatless Mondays

2011-04-03T20:49:00.000-04:00

By Chris Elam, Program Director of Meatless Monday
March 7, 2011

"Meatless Monday has been getting an awful lot of attention lately, with Oprah’s vocal support and the food services giant Sodexo’s rollout only the most recent examples. But what is Meatless Monday, really? Is it a rallying cry for health, a food marketing ploy, a blogger-led viral movement, a student activist cabal, a celebrity-driven bandwagon, an environmentalist’s dream, or a meat packer’s nightmare? I’d say it’s a little bit of all of these things and perhaps that’s its appeal..."

http://civileats.com/2011/03/07/more-meatless-mondays/

Huffington Post - Wait, What's So Great About Quinoa Anyway?

2011-04-03T20:40:00.000-04:00

By Penelope Wall, EatingWell
March 21, 2011

"My parents were back-to-the-land kind of folks, so I grew up eating all sorts of interesting whole grains. But it wasn’t until a few years ago that I actually heard of quinoa (pronounced “KEEN-wah”). And it wasn’t until the last several months that I’ve noticed a growing buzz around this quite petite, mild-flavored grain. Quinoa is everywhere. Some would say it is, in effect, one of the “hot” foods you should be eating this year. (See more trendy foods to watch for here.) But quinoa isn’t exactly new. It was, in fact, a staple in the ancient Incas’ diet. So why has this very old grain been given a new second life in 2011? Why quinoa and why now?..."

Click here to read more about the merits of quinoa, nutritional and otherwise, and to see a list of 10 flavor stir-ins to try with quinoa.

Huffington Post - Pollan on Pollen

2011-04-03T20:36:00.000-04:00

By Annie Spiegelman, author of Talking Dirt: The Dirt Diva's Down to Earth Guide to Organic Gardening
March 22, 2011

"For the past twenty-five years, Michael Pollan has been writing books and articles about the places where nature and culture intersect: on our plates, in our farms and gardens, and in the human-developed environment. He is the author of four New York Times bestsellers: Food Rules: An Eater's Manual; In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto; The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals and The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World. He's on tour now speaking about The Sun Food Agenda, an inspiring multimedia presentation, connecting the dots between food and health (personal as well as environmental), and introducing some of the visionaries who are "resolarizing" the food system.

Click here to read full interview with Pollan, in which he discusses "why he's got his knickers in a twist about the high rates of the so-called Western diseases: obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, and why he says we shouldn't eat 'food' from gas stations."

Civil Eats - Lights, Camera, Cover Up

2011-04-03T20:29:00.002-04:00

By Wayne Pacelle
March 23, 2011

"What do Florida and Iowa have in common when it comes to animal agriculture? They’ve both been hot spots, past and present, for the movement to combat some of the worst abuses in industrial agribusiness. And now the factory farming industry is fighting back in both states—and their latest methods represent their biggest overreach yet..."

http://civileats.com/2011/03/23/lights-camera-cover-up/

Civil Eats - Farmer Apprenticeship Program Seeds Next Generation Small-Scale Farmers

2011-04-03T20:27:00.000-04:00

By Stacey Slate
March 23, 2011

"It’s not the first farmer apprenticeship program of its kind, but the University of Vermont’s upcoming curriculum aims to be just as revolutionary as its university counterparts. Farming apprenticeships at Michigan State and UC Santa Cruz, have already proven that college graduates are not only ready for intensive, professional training in sustainable agriculture, but are capable of turning their experiential education into sustainable jobs..."

http://civileats.com/2011/03/23/farmer-apprenticeship-program-seeds-next-generation-small-scale-farmers/

And for more information about UVM's 5-month Farmer Apprentice Program, click here.

Huffington Post - Are Regulations for Sustainable Fish Farming Just a Red Herring?

2011-04-03T20:23:00.000-04:00

By Regina Weiss
March 23, 2011

"Last month the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued draft guidelines for deep water ocean fish farming with the stated goal of supporting sustainable practices. However, the primary purpose appears to be creating a regulatory structure to encourage rapid expansion of ocean fish farming. According to the agencies' joint press release, the new policy, which they plan to finalize by the end of this year, will 'increase the U.S. supply of healthy seafood, create jobs in coastal and other communities [and] spur innovation in technology.'..."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/regina-weiss/are-regulations-for-susta_b_836947.html

Grist - Introducing... the Vegan/Omnivore Alliance against Animal Factories

2011-04-03T20:13:00.000-04:00

By Tom Philpott
March 23, 2011

"Every day, Americans eat more than a half pound of meat per capita -- one of the highest rates on the planet. The vast majority of it is produced with methods that abuse the environment, animals, workers, and public health as a matter of course. The handful of companies that dominate U.S. meat production suck in more than 40 percent of the corn grown by our farmers -- that's more than 15 percent of the corn grown worldwide. Industrial corn, of course, is our most ecologically destructive crop. In our society, I can think of two broadly defined groups that abhor our animal-agriculture regime: 1) conscientious omnivores, inspired by the work of figures like Wendell Berry, Vandana Shiva, Michael Pollan, and Eric Schlosser, who think that animals have a place in our farming and our diets, but in a much different way than the prevailing manner; and 2) vegans, who wish to remove animals from our farms and tables altogether..."

http://www.grist.org/factory-farms/2011-03-23-introducing-the-vegan-omnivore-alliance-against-animal-factories

TakePart - 100+ Books on the Food Industry: If You Eat Food, Read Some

2011-04-03T20:09:00.000-04:00

By Megan Bedard
March 24, 2011

"TakePart asked its Food, Inc community to share some of its favorite books about the food industry. With more than 850 replies, the response was overwhelming—and exciting. We've compiled the whole list and broken it into four sections: the most mentioned books, the runner-ups, books related to diet, and cook books. Michael Pollan placed three books in the 10 most-mentioned. But plenty of other great voices are in the mix, speaking on industrial agriculture, the obesity crisis, migrant farmworkers, pesticides, urban farming, and more..."

Click here to read descriptions of the most mentioned books and to see the complete list of food books (many of which I'll be adding to my to-read list!).

TakePart - Green Hogs: The U.S.'s First Zero-Waste Pork Processing Plant Coming Soon

2011-04-03T20:02:00.000-04:00

By Fast Company Staff
March 25, 2011

"Vegetarians generally have a smaller food-related environmental impact than meat-eaters, but that doesn't mean environmentalists should give up on meat-processing operations. Witness Russ Kremer, a Missouri-based hog farmer and leader of a group of 51 family farmers that sell meat under the brand Heritage Acre Foods. Kremer is in the midst of installing the country's first 100% biodiesel-powered, zero-waste pork processing plant..."

http://www.takepart.com/news/2011/03/25/green-hogs-the-uss-first-zero-waste-pork-processing-plant-coming-soon

NY Times Opinionator - Food: Six Things to Feel Good About

2011-04-03T19:55:00.001-04:00

By Mark Bittman
March 22, 2011

"The great American writer, thinker and farmer Wendell Berry recently said, 'You can’t be a critic by simply being a griper . . . One has also to . . . search out the examples of good work.' I’ve griped for weeks, and no doubt I’ll get back to it, but there are bright spots on our food landscape, hopeful trends, even movements, of which we can be proud..."

Click here to read six examples of current "bright spots" in food that Bittman has identified.

NY Times - Masters of Disguise Among Meatless Burgers

2011-04-03T19:49:00.000-04:00

By Jeff Gordinier
March 22, 2011

"They were the four syllables that had the power to make both carnivores and vegetarians cringe: veggie burger. For meat-lovers, the veggie burger was long seen as a sad stand-in that tried to copy the contours and textures of a classic beef patty while falling pathetically short of the pleasure. And for meat-refusers, the veggie burger served as a kind of penitential wafer: You ate this bland, freeze-dried nutrient disc because you had to eat it (your duty as someone who had forsaken the flesh) and because at many a restaurant or backyard barbecue, it was the only option available..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/dining/23meatless.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&emc=eta1

The Globe and Mail - Author Michael Pollan explains the war on food movement

2011-04-03T19:44:00.002-04:00

By Ian Brown
March 18, 2011

"Ian Brown sits down with Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and god of the food movement."

Click here to read full interview.

NY Times Recipes - A Better Way to Serve Eggs

2011-04-03T19:35:00.001-04:00

By Martha Rose Shulman
March 21, 2011

Click here to read article about the versatility of eggs, and to check out the following frittata recipes, including their nutritional information:

Onion and Thyme Frittata
Frittata with Grated Zucchini, Goat Cheese and Dill
Ricotta and Spinach Frittata with Mint
Carrot and Leek Frittata with Tarragon
Spinach and Red Pepper Frittata

NY Times - Quinoa's Global Success Creates Quandary at Home

2011-04-03T19:32:00.000-04:00

By Simon Romero
March 19, 2011

"LA PAZ, Bolivia — When NASA scientists were searching decades ago for an ideal food for long-term human space missions, they came across an Andean plant called quinoa. With an exceptional balance of amino acids, quinoa, they declared, is virtually unrivaled in the plant or animal kingdom for its life-sustaining nutrients. But while Bolivians have lived off it for centuries, quinoa remained little more than a curiosity outside the Andes for years, found in health food shops and studied by researchers — until recently..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/americas/20bolivia.html

NY Times Opinionator - Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others

2011-04-03T18:07:00.000-04:00

By Mark Bittman
March 15, 2011

"It’s time to take a look at the line between 'pet' and 'animal.' When the ASPCA sends an agent to the home of a Brooklyn family to arrest one of its members for allegedly killing a hamster, something is wrong. That 'something' is this: we protect 'companion animals' like hamsters while largely ignoring what amounts to the torture of chickens and cows and pigs..."

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/15/some-animals-are-more-equal-than-others/

NY Times - No Face, but Plants Like Life Too

2011-04-03T18:02:00.000-04:00

By Carol Kaesuk Yoon
March 14, 2011

"Several years ago, after having to drive for too long behind a truck full of stinking, squealing pigs being delivered for slaughter, I gave up eating meat. I’d been harboring a growing distaste for the ugliness that can be industrial agriculture, but the real issue was a long-suppressed sympathy for its — or really, my — victims. Even screaming, reeking pigs, or maybe especially screaming, reeking pigs, can evoke stark pity as they tumble along in a truck to their deaths..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/15/science/15food.html

NY Times Recipes - Fast Food for Harried Days

2011-04-03T17:41:00.001-04:00

By Martha Rose Shulman
March 14, 2011

Click here to read about the nutrition and convenience benefits of quesadillas as a quick meal, and to check out the following recipes, including their nutritional information:

Baked Bean and Cheese Quesadillas
Broccoli and Red Onion Quesadillas
Black Bean and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
Mushroom Quesadillas
Spinach and Goat Cheese Quesadillas

NY Times - In New Food Culture, a Young Generation of Farmers Emerges

2011-04-03T17:34:00.000-04:00

By Isolde Raftery
March 5, 2011

"Corvallis, Ore. -- For years, Tyler Jones, a livestock farmer here, avoided telling his grandfather how disillusioned he had become with industrial farming. After all, his grandfather had worked closely with Earl L. Butz, the former federal secretary of agriculture who was known for saying, 'Get big or get out.' But several weeks before his grandfather died, Mr. Jones broached the subject. His grandfather surprised him. 'You have to fix what Earl and I messed up,' Mr. Jones said his grandfather told him. Now, Mr. Jones, 30, and his wife, Alicia, 27, are among an emerging group of people in their 20s and 30s who have chosen farming as a career..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/us/06farmers.html?src=me&ref=homepage

NY Times Recipes - Whole Grain Goodness, Straight from the Oven

2011-04-03T17:29:00.001-04:00

By Martha Rose Shulman
February 28, 2011

"The muffins available in most coffee shops and cafes are like oversize, unfrosted cupcakes: too sweet and too big. But muffins don’t have to be cloying — a bit of natural sweetener is all that’s required to make them taste like a treat. And they don’t have to be calorie-laden confections..."

Click here to read rest of article, and to check out the following muffin recipes, including their nutritional information:

Buckwheat and Amaranth Muffins
Steel-Cut Oatmeal and Blueberry Muffins
Carrot Cake Muffins
Savory Cornbread Muffins with Jalapenos and Corn
Rye and Cornmeal Muffins with Caraway

Grist - Costco agrees to stop ravaging the oceans

2011-04-03T17:16:00.000-04:00

February 25, 2011
By Jess Zimmerman

"It only took eight months for pressure from Greenpeace to make food-hoard purveyor Costco stop selling threatened fish. Twelve species that appear on Greenpeace's 'red list' were also appearing on Costco's shelves..."

http://www.grist.org/sustainable-food/2011-02-25-costco-agrees-to-stop-ravaging-the-oceans

This Dish Is Veg - Two major universities select "Eating Animals" for summer reading program

2011-04-03T17:14:00.000-04:00

February 25, 2011

"Two major research universities have selected Jonathan Safran Foer's book Eating Animals for their summer reading programs for incoming freshmen. A joint committee of faculty, staff, and students from both Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill selected the book from a list of 393 nominated books as a way of strengthening the connection between the two universities, which are less than twenty miles apart..."

Wired - Google Recipe Search Cooks Up Next Gen of Search

2011-04-03T17:07:00.000-04:00

By Ryan Singel
February 24, 2011

"Stepping into the kitchen now, Google introduced a recipe search engine Thursday that serves up dishes based not only on the ingredients you may have on hand, but the calories you want to consume and even how much time you have to cook..."

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/02/google-recipe-semantic/

Food Safety News - Most U.S. Antibiotics Go to Animal Agriculture

2011-04-03T17:04:00.002-04:00

By Helena Bottemiller
February 24, 2011

"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration confirmed numbers this week that indicate animal agriculture consumes 80 percent of all antibiotics used in the United States, more than previously estimated..."

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/02/fda-confirms-80-percent-of-antibiotics-used-in-animal-ag/