Vegetarian Star

Yom Kippur is approaching and the Jewish ritual known as kapparot may make some vegetarian Jews a little uneasy.

The practice involves taking a chicken and moving it around one’s head, meant to remove the sins from the person to the chicken. The chicken is then slaughtered and eaten or donated to the poor.

Dr. Allen Kornberg, executive director for Farm Sanctuary, gave his thoughts on the matter.

Kornberg says the practice can be done 100% chicken free, but people are still, “swinging the chickens over their heads and then slicing their throats with razors.”

Some rabbis believe that this violates kosher food standards and an Israeli court ruled in 2007 that the practice violates animal welfare laws.

So what’s a Jewish vegetarian to do?

Dr. Kornberg gives this advice:

“Fortunately, celebrating kapparot need not involve animals at all, because Rabbinical law stipulates that there are humane ways to partake of this sacrament. That is, even the most orthodox among us can spare a chicken’s suffering by making a monetary donation to a worthy cause instead of sacrificing a bird, and those wanting to experience an authentic kapparot ceremony can put their material offering in a bag and use it as part of the ritual in the same way they would a live chicken. In contrast to slaughtering innocent animals, practicing kapparot humanely is consistent with the prayers offered up during the high holy days to rachamim (compassion and sensitivity), and is in keeping with the true spirit of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.”

Or, as one commenter on gothamist.com suggested:

“How about a nice bowl of matzoh ball soup instead?”

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The Kind Diet

“I’ve been thinking about writing this book for 8 years. I kept a big file where I would put all the information I gathered (recipes, tips, etc) and it just kept growing. Over the years, I’ve been able to help friends deal with everything from ovarian cysts, to digestive & stomach issues, to irregular periods. I would send them all a packet of info and they would say to me, “This is a book!” But it wasn’t until a friend gave me the solid nudge I needed that I actually took steps toward getting it published. I finally carved out space in my life to devote to this project and I am so glad I did. I’m really looking forward to being able to share all the knowledge and tools I’ve accumulated over the years — simple and delicious ideas that will allow people to look and feel their best!”

—-Alicia Silverstone, in an interview with Crazysexylife.com, on what inspired her to write the vegan diet and health book, The Kind Diet, set for release next month.

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Gwyneth Paltrow has just did a double on us and made vegetarian/vegan the theme for the Make section the second week in a row on her website Goop.com.

The most recent addition features an interview with Erin McKenna, founder of celebrity adored BabyCakes NYC, a bakery specializing in sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan desserts like cupcakes and cookies.

Gwyneth’s featuring Erin’s recipes for Vanilla Frosting, Chocolate Cupcakes, Lemon Poppy Teacake, and Double Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Yum!

A few highlights from Gwyneth’s interview with Erin. Don’t forget to check out our interview with Erin when you get the chance.

GOOP: Are there any recipes you are working on that you are excited about? Or are there any old classics you are still trying to master? Will there ever be a vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free Twinkie?

Erin McKenna: I just made donuts a couple weeks ago, which was almost as exciting to me as when I came up with the frosting recipe. I LOVE donuts. I think they have the same appeal as cupcakes and evoke the same feeling. When I announced that we were now serving gluten-free, vegan, soy-free donuts at the bakery everyone lost it! Everyone went into a frenzy and one guy biked from Brooklyn through heavy rain just to try one. Luckily everyone loves them and some say it’s the best thing we make. I love it!!!!!

GOOP: Is spelt gluten-free? It is often a common misunderstanding.

Erin McKenna: Spelt is not gluten-free. It’s an ancestor to wheat and contains gluten. Some people who are wheat sensitive can tolerate spelt but not everyone.

Read the entire interview and grab Erin McKenna’s recipes at Goop.com.

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Credit: Peter Homes (Pr0phecy Sun on Myspace)

Looking for some good vegetarian burritos when you’re in the Vancouver area?

Look no further than to Budgies Burritos, where you’ll find all the vegetarian and some even vegan options, according to musician Pr0phecy Sun.

“Budgies Burritos [44 Kingsway],” she said to straight.com. “It’s got lots of vegan options. I’d like to buy everybody burritos and then I’d like to get a truckload of mangoes to go with them.”

Check out what other Vancouver based bands recommend for eating, music, fun and more.

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Wolfgang Puck was recently interviewed by The Gothamist, where he discussed his reasons behind sourcing his food from animals that were treated more humanely before slaughter.

“…in most places when you look at the way they treat the animals, you’re going to become a vegetarian anyway,” Wolfgang said.

More from gothamist.com:

“If you would go to some of these huge farms where they raise veal, and they’re in these little cages where they can’t turn around and they can’t stand up, it’s so depressing. I went once when my son was 15 and he started to cry. He said, “I looked in this cow’s eyes and it looked like she was crying.” Why do they have the big chain around the neck? It’s not necessary.”

“And you know, I think, we always said we want to know how people treat everything we eat. And of course they get killed at the end, but during their life span they should be treated humanely. And I think also it will help small farmers stay in business. And it’s enough that the government subsidizes these corn farmers that are going to make ethanol and that’s not the answer anyway, instead of subsidizing these organic farmers so that our kids in school can get their vegetables. I mean, when you really think about, they get really cheap food. It’s getting a little better, but overall, from that to the Army, they’re getting the worst stuff. Why don’t we put the money for people to grow on small farms so they can grow good things that’s better for us? And in the long run, it cuts down on health care, we will need less doctors because we eat healthier. And I think food and nutrition and eating healthy go hand in hand. We forget that sometimes all these problems are out there because of nutrition, and we are in the most expensive country in the whole world, and we either have no food or people who don’t know how to eat—Oh!”

Wow.

Animal welfare, nutrition, and health care all in one answer. Maybe it was really Wolfgang and not Emeril who invented the catchphrase “Bam!”

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Once upon a time, a hookup took place in the back of a minivan and Hillside Quickie Inc., a vegetarian institute, was the love child of the creation.

After successfully running a food shop from the minivan, many other Hillsides were spawned, including Hillside Quickie’s Vegan Sandwich Shop, Hillside Quickie’s Cafe, and Quickie Too.

Years later, Hillside is still gettin’ it on and welcomes the birth of Plum: Hillside Quickie’s New American Bistro.

Plum offers delicious vegan dishes such as Northwest portobello and tempeh crepes, apple-pecan salad, vegan sliders, and the pizza of the day complete with vegan cheese.

It’s rumored that actor Tobey Maguire was a regular at Plum during the filming of his latest movie The Details.

For more information on what kind of delicious vegan hookup you can get, visit Hillsidequickie.com.

via thestranger.com

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The Kind Diet

Alicia Silverstone‘s vegan diet book, The Kind Diet, is set for release on October 13.

Here’s the cover, featuring the beautifully flawless actress.

Making the vegan transition is a gradual process that Alicia has broken down from “flirting” to “superhero.”

From an editorial description at bn.com:

“Alicia knows that changing life-long dietary habits is a process, and that each person progresses at a different pace. For that reason, The Kind Diet encompasses 3 separate levels, from Flirting to Superhero. Flirts learn to dip a toe into the vegan pool, reducing their meat-eating and swapping out a few key foods for plant-based substitutes to see quickly how even small changes can reap big results. Vegans get to experience the life-altering effects of forgoing animal-products entirely, while still enjoying many convenience foods and meat substitutes in addition to the wonderful grains, vegetables and fruits that form the core of that diet. True enlightenment comes with the Superhero program, based on the principles of macrobiotics and built on a foundation of whole grains, vegetables, and other yummy foods that Alicia describes in detail.”

Sweet!

Can’t wait to get to superhero level cause we’ve always wanted to wear a cape in the kitchen!

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It’s time to break out the agave syrup for those waffles and pancakes.

Brigitte Bardot is urging everyone to boycott maple syrup made in Canada because of the country’s seal slaughter practices.

“These massive ethical reactions from consumers can sometimes convince a government or a corporation to change the way that it does business.”

“Canadian law authorizes seal pups to be legally killed as soon as they have lost their white baby fur, which happens about two weeks after birth. On the ice floes, the seals are bludgeoned, and some are skinned while still alive. Each spring, this vision of horror returns: The ice floes become an open-air slaughterhouse, where some pups are left in agony, their mothers trying desperately to revive their small bloody bodies.”

“The United States and the European Union have banned seal products, but Canada produces about 85 percent of the world’s maple syrup?the maple leaf is even the symbol of this country.”

“Refusing to buy maple syrup so as to refuse to be an accomplice to the slaughter perpetrated on the ice floes can send a strong message to Canadian officials.”

Read Brigitte’s entire post at peta.org.

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