Vegetarian Star

Rachael Ray joined a bi-partisan group on Thursday to help unveil changes to the Child Nutrition Act.

The bill proposes that more students have more access to school meals, including breakfasts, and would extend the umbrella for assistance for low-income students, making it easier to access meals without the hassles of paperwork that might otherwise deny them based on a small margin declaring them ineligible. It would also extend school lunch programs during the summer for certain programs like camps in rural areas.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, said in a press release that although the program is a start, it doesn’t address the issue of high fat foods in school lunches or providing enough plant based options.

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Valentine’s Day is over, but if you share the love of all things vegetarian with your partner, the passion lasts 365 meals a year. There are several great vegetarian couples in the media eye.

Here are a few favorites.

Dennis Kucinich and Elizabeth Kucinich. Dennis is one of the few vegan politicians (or at least the few who come clean about it) and has been open about how switching to a vegan diet alleviated several health problems. Wife Elizabeth is the public affairs director of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a group that advocates a vegan diet.

Zooey Deschanel and Ben Gibbard

Zooey Deschanel’s vegetarian platter is a little harder than average to create. As the contestants of Top Chef learned, Zooey not only does vegetarian, but needs gluten-free and no soy.  Ben better study up on the cookbooks when he’s not on tour with Death Cab for Cutie.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi

The couple decided to go veg together after a dinner date discussion of the ethics of animals in fashion.
The two were honored by the Humane Society for publicly advocating better treatment of animals.

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Michelle Obama recently spoke about her initiative  to reduce obesity rates in children.

The administration is requesting $10 million dollars over the next decade to improve the school lunch program, which includes making more fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy products available.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine advocates a vegan diet, and two of its representatives, nutritionist Kathryn Strong and public affairs director Elizabeth Kucinich, the wife of representative Dennis Kucinich, have offered their insights.

Strong suggested that subsidies to the meat and dairy industries be cut. If these higher fat meat and cheese items aren’t as cheap, they may be less likely to be included as a regular option in schools.

Kucinich emphasized the value of healthy foods as preventative medicine for obesity related illnesses like diabetes.

“What is the cost to the nation if we don’t [consider it]?” she said, according to the Epoch Times.

Kucinich also emphasized that for some low-income children, the school meal might be the only meal they eat.

Dairy sensitivities and/or lactose intolerance is common in minority groups that are often over- represented in low income school districts.

A carton of soy milk replacing 2% on the lunch tray may give schools a better report card in future semesters.

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Representative Dennis Kucinich completed an interview with reddit.com and gave a deliciously surprising answer when asked, “What would you do if you could be dictator of the United States for a day?”

“Well, I think I would order everyone to have vegan chocolate chip brownies,” Kucinich said.

Ah, the torture!

Kucinich and his wife Elizabeth are both vegans, and constantly voice their support for the lifestyle, including lobbying for vegetarian lunches in schools.

Where were the Kucinichs’ when you were forced to eat cardboard sandwiches at lunch?

“I’ve been a vegan since 1995, and as a result I’ve had great health, tremendous energy, and mental clarity … I had Crohn’s disease as a kid, and a pretty severe case of it, but when I changed my diet my symptoms began to disappear.”

Watch the video and eat your vegan brownie already, before Dictator Kucinich punishes you!

via washingtonscene.thehill.com

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Elizabeth Kucinich and politician husband Dennis Kucinich joined forces with ex NBA basketball player John Salley and members of the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine on Capitol Hill recently to  promote vegetarian school lunches to the Child Nutrition Act that is set for re-authorization this year.

Elizabeth is totally with Salley when it comes to veg school lunches, but don’t ask her to cheer for his former team.

“The only thing I have difficulty with is that you played wth the Detroit Pistons,” Elizabeth said. “As a Cavaliers fan, I take that personally.”

It’s okay, Liz. You can work it out over a tempeh sandwich.

Salley told students to lay off the meat and cheese in order to “stay healthy fit and ready to learn.”

Democratic representative Jared Solis noted that many school lunches contain high levels and fat and low levels and fiber and proposed a bill that would increase federal subsidies for non dairy vegetarian school lunches by 20% and permit non dairy beverages such as rice and soy milk to satisfy the milk requirement as long as they contain between 5 and 8 grams of protein.

“Because healthy habits start early in life, it is important for children to eat healthful foods at school,” Polis said.

“Making sure sure students across country have vegetarian and vegan options is a step in the right direction for improving the health of our next generation.

Amen.

And no more mystery meat.

via cleveland.com

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Vegan politician Dennis Kucinich has himself a real looker.

But not only is the tall redheaded Elizabeth Kucinich as hot as her hair color, she’s also a great animal activist.

Elizabeth is the newly appointed director of public affairs for the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

She went to Capitol Hill this week to show support for the Great Ape Protection Act, which would phase out invasive medical research on chimpanzees.

“For me, it’s a moral issue, about practicing good science and moving with the times,” Elizabeth said.

Elizabeth, along with her entire family, went vegan after learning her mother had Crohn’s disease and learned to manage it by cutting out meat and dairy products.

Elizabeth and Dennis make one powerful veg couple!

via washingtonpost.com

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