Vegetarian Star

Brandy Kuentzel

It’s down to the final three on The Apprentice and vegetarian Brandy Kuentzel has survived Donald Trump‘s ax by winning challenges and demonstrating her business expertise. Vegetarian Star was fortunate to get an exclusive interview with Brandy to learn about her motivations behind going vegetarian, her work with animal welfare and her idea of the ultimate green job.

Did your vegetarian diet come up at any time during The Apprentice, either among the contestants or the show’s staff?
I think that any time you make an effort to ask where you food comes from (whether that’s refraining from eating factory-farmed meat, eating vegetarian or vegan fare, not buying products that are tested on animals, etc.), it sparks conversation. Simple everyday choices can make you an advocate for animals. This certainly was the case while filming The Apprentice. I was pleasantly surprised by how accommodating The Apprentice film crew was of my dietary preferences. Since vegetarian food had to be brought in for me, others also ended up choosing the (often healthier) vegetarian option. Of course, some cast members did not consider it a “real” meal unless meat was involved. C’est la vie.

Describe some of your experiences working with animals or animal welfare issues.
I’ve personally volunteered at animal shelters for nearly a decade, and I currently volunteer each week at the SFSPCA. You can also find me at the SFSPCA/Macy’s holiday windows in San Francisco this December. For those individuals looking to get more involved, the HSUS offers amazing seminars on animal advocacy…and, of course, don’t forget to vote!

If you had the opportunity to be “hired” for the ultimate green job, what would it be?
If I could really shoot for the moon, my ultimate green job would be to host a television show with my best friend showcasing our common passion: ethical, conscientious eating prepared to perfection. By showcasing innovative restaurants, family farms, dairies, markets, orchards, vineyards, breweries and artisanal shops, the show would educate the consumer and provide realistic options for dining anywhere along the meat-eating spectrum. I think that consumers want to learn how to eat with the seasons, how to enjoy the perfect humane cheese and how to grow herb gardens in 600 square foot apartments. Urban homesteading and conscientious eating is not just a fad – it’s at our roots. If The Universe delivers on this wish, I guarantee that our lemon-carrot soup would bring all the boys to the yard.

(more…)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Jon Stewart and Wife Tracey Stewart Adopt Horse
• Chrissy Teigen Failed Vegan Experiment
• Mia Evans Is A “Masterchef Junior” Vegetarian Star
• Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Elephants Retire To Sanctuary
• Holly Madison Enjoys Vegan Smoothie From M Cafe In Beverly Hills

Ady Gil

Ady Gil is a successful entrepreneur who, as a founding partner of American Hi Definition (AHD) and Sweetwater Digital, has made contributions to digital services for film and television. This year, Ady is matching Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt-A-Turkey adoptions up to $50,000. Vegetarian Star had the opportunity to conduct an exclusive interview with Ady about animal welfare, the Thanksgiving holiday and his vision for former president of the United States Bill Clinton.

How did you get involved with Farm Sanctuary and the Adopt-A-Turkey campaign?
It was my ex-girlfriend who in 1999 told me that she was adopting a turkey. She was a vegetarian, and she told me for Thanksgiving she was adopting a turkey. I didn’t know exactly what it meant then, but she told me you had to send the fee. It was $20 at the time. It was sort of symbolic, but you get a card with the picture of the turkey. The year before I ate turkey for Thanksgiving, and that year I did not. It did not make my Thanksgiving any worse. Not at all did it affect my life to not eat turkey. I adopted the turkey, and I felt proud like I saved a life, without touching it. Not always can you save a life by touching it – sometimes you can, like with an injured dog or a bird you find you might bring it to the vet, but most of the time you can’t touch the lives you save and you need an organization that can touch the lives. I see Farm Sanctuary as an avenue to save farm animals.

Recently, two large chicken producers in the U.S, Bell & Evans and Mary’s, announced they’re changing the way they slaughter chickens. Instead of electrical stunning, they’ll be using methods similar to what many in Europe and the UK do by knocking the birds out with gas first. What are your thoughts on this more “humane” way of killing and do you view changes like this as real progress for animal welfare?
I cannot put the two words together – killing and humane. I do not believe they can really coexist in one sentence. Is it less cruel? I think it is. But is it still cruel? Sure it is. Is it more humane? Sure it is. But is it humane? No. Is it better? Sure it is. But is it still evil? Yes. But it’s less evil, and so less evil is better than more evil, right? If in the last ten seconds they don’t suffer, that’s better. If they suffer their whole lives and we can give them their last ten seconds without suffering, then that’s better. Any second counts. But I do not think that killing can be humane.

Learn Ady’s wish for Bill Clinton after the jump.

(more…)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Jon Stewart and Wife Tracey Stewart Adopt Horse
• Chrissy Teigen Failed Vegan Experiment
• Mia Evans Is A “Masterchef Junior” Vegetarian Star
• Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Elephants Retire To Sanctuary
• Holly Madison Enjoys Vegan Smoothie From M Cafe In Beverly Hills

Daphne Oz

Daphne Oz, author of The Dorm Room Diet, and daughter of the famous daytime television host and heart surgeon Dr. Oz, has accumulated a wealth of information from her father, holistic nutrition adviser grandmother and vegetarian mother over the years. Daphne took her knowledge and wrote a book aimed to teach people how to fuel their bodies with food that gives energy, fights disease, and is healthier for the planet. The Dorm Room Diet contains an entire chapter especially dedicated to thinking about the impact of food on the environment, in addition to a chapter filled with vegetarian recipes.

Throughout the book, you remind readers of the benefits of being vegetarian (discuss how you get your nutrients without meat, pitfalls of meat protein, only vegetarian recipes in the book) without actually telling people to go veg. Was this done on purpose as a way to promote a vegetarian lifestyle without being preachy or did it naturally fall into place?
It naturally fell into place, partly because I have no idea how to cook meat, and partly because it’s a lot easier to purchase, store and cook vegetarian dishes when living in the dorm room. I’m glad you saw it as a natural way to promote the vegetarian lifestyle, and introduce readers to flavors, textures, and substitutes they might never have considered before, because that was certainly a goal of ours throughout the chapter. So often, knowledge and a little nudge is all people need to change old habits.

What’s your favorite recipe from the book and why?
My favorite recipe is the Nuttier Butter, just because it’s so easy and versatile–I would spread it on whole grain toast for breakfast, eat a spoonful before working out for a powerful shot of protein, fiber and energy, and even used it as the base for a spicy thai peanut salad dressing for dinner sometimes. Plus, it’s such a cool variation on the average peanut butter that adds omega fats and fiber.

The Dorm Room Diet sounds like it’s aimed at college students. How can a regular, working adult benefit from some of the advice in the book?
The advice in the book is really targeted at anyone looking to break free of the deprivation of fad diets and establish a permanent, healthy lifestyle that puts you in total control. The tips and tricks are targeted at anyone short on time, space, and/or money who still wants to make an effort to establish healthy habits to last a lifetime, so it’s equally helpful to people spending their time in a dorm room or a cubicle!

(more…)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Chrissy Teigen Failed Vegan Experiment
• Mia Evans Is A “Masterchef Junior” Vegetarian Star
• Holly Madison Enjoys Vegan Smoothie From M Cafe In Beverly Hills
• Controversy Over Pro-Vegeterian Curriculum In Schools
• Ellie Goulding Creates Protein Bar “Everlasting Joy” With GoMacro

Michael Franti is the musical creator of Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band that blends hip-hop with funk, jazz, reggae, folk and rock. Franti’s Say Hey (I Love You) reached #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was featured on the Showtime series Weeds and during the opening credits of the 2010 film Valentine’s Day. Franti is an outspoken proponent for social justice and will perform a live acoustic version of his upcoming September 21, 2010 album release, The Sound of Sunshine, at the 12th Annual Power to the Peaceful Festival in San Francisco.

In an exclusive interview with Vegetarian Star, Franti addresses the issue of raising children vegetarian, Meatless Monday, John Mayer and more.

You have children. What’s your take on raising children vegetarian/vegan? Should parents force it on them? Or wait until they’re old enough to decide?
I feel when you raise a child, you raise them with whatever circumstances you live in. If you take an Inuit family in Alaska, for example, they eat fish year round and there’s no choice. They don’t have an option so the kids grow up eating fish and never think otherwise. Whatever you choose to feed your kids is your decision and in America we have a lot of choices. You’re not forcing your child, you’re just choosing to eat a certain way. But I do think as kids get older, just as they want to play video games, sports, watch TV or whatever – it’s their own choice and we have to respect the choice of others. My oldest son decided to become vegan when he was 14 and that was on his own accord. He’s now 23 and still predominantly vegan. My 11 year old son eats chicken from time to time but he’s never wanted to have any kind of beef or pork or anything like that.

Between tofu, tempeh and seitan, what’s your favorite?
Tofu. Because it doesn’t give me gas and the others do. I like the flavor of tofu. Some people don’t like the flavor of plain raw tofu, but I love it. I toss it into just about everything – salads, smoothies, shakes, everything.

(more…)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Chrissy Teigen Failed Vegan Experiment
• Mia Evans Is A “Masterchef Junior” Vegetarian Star
• The Passing Of A Vegan Prince
• Holly Madison Enjoys Vegan Smoothie From M Cafe In Beverly Hills
• Controversy Over Pro-Vegeterian Curriculum In Schools

Chef Tal Ronnen is the author of The Conscious Cook, a hot new cookbook being snatched off the bookshelves by vegetarians, vegans and food lovers in general. Tal is the chef who helped design Oprah Winfrey‘s meal plans when she went vegan for 21 days and has worked with Chrissie Hynde‘s restaurant, The Vegiterranean. He’s been a vegetarian for 19 years and a vegan for 11 years. Tal took a few moments away from braising tempeh to give Vegetarian Star an exclusive interview.

Tofu, Tempeh, or Seitan:
It depends on the application. I think my personal preference for home is definitely tempeh. It’s a less processed product. It’s fermented so it’s got nutritional benefits from the fermentation process. With that said, it has to be cooked properly. People will just cut tempeh up and sauté it or stir fry it or something like that. [But] Because it’s so dense, it’s hard to get any flavor to penetrate. Tofu just acts like a sponge, it just sucks up all the marinade. [With] Tempeh, the best way to get the flavor in there is to braise it. So cook it in a flavorful liquid and the flavors can change based on the dish that you cook. So if you’re doing something like Tex Mex or South of the Border you can braise it in a stock that’s got chilies and peppers. If you’re doing something like Asian, it can have soy sauce or ginger. When you’re cooking it in a broth, you’re able to penetrate tempeh. After it’s cooked in a broth, you start cooking with it. So I can grill it or sauté it, but the first step for me whenever I work with tempeh is to braise it.

On Guest Chefs in The Conscious Cook:
We wanted to have a really broad view of what professional vegetarian cooking looks like. And [we did this] by bringing in people who have influenced me or I’ve influenced throughout the years. All the chefs that are highlighted in the book are people who’ve been a big influence in my culinary career or someone that I’ve worked with very closely. And by doing that we’re able to really show different perspectives in the book, not just my perspective with vegetarian cooking.

Favorite recipes from The Conscious Cook:
I love the celery root soup. I love the Gardein scaloppini with the shiitake sauce. And the banana  rum cheesecake I think is really great.

Learn how Tal got a school district in southern California to put veggie burgers on the menu after the jump… (more…)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Chrissy Teigen Failed Vegan Experiment
• Mia Evans Is A “Masterchef Junior” Vegetarian Star
• Holly Madison Enjoys Vegan Smoothie From M Cafe In Beverly Hills
• Controversy Over Pro-Vegeterian Curriculum In Schools
• Ellie Goulding Creates Protein Bar “Everlasting Joy” With GoMacro

Julian Winter

Julian Winter is the male winner (along with his female counterpart, Mimi Kirk) in PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian over 50 contest. for 2009.  Julian is 51 and resides in the Framingham Massachusetts area.

VS: What led you to go veg?
JW: The first one involved shooting a deer. I grew up in an agricultural community and hunting is pretty common. I was young, I think I was 13 and I shot my first deer. It was kind of dramatic because it wasn’t a clean kill and we had to take care of it by hand, which wasn’t fun.

And ironically, it was sort of a bit of cosmic trickery, the following year we were out pheasant hunting and I got shot by another hunter. I was lucky I got out of that. That turned me off to hunting and at that point too I was just sort of considering [it]. Where we lived-I’m not disparaging agriculture-I grew up with the slaughterhouses. I know how animals are dealt with, I’ve watched it all the time-cattle and pigs and chickens and sheep. When I got old enough I kind of decided it was a choice. I didn’t have to eat that stuff. I was 17. Senior in high school. I’ve been vegan since ’99. The longer you’re a vegetarian, you just sort of keep going that way [toward veganism].

VS:Life changes since winning Sexiest Contest
JW: I actually take more grief from my daughters now. They’ve always liked to make fun of dad-old geezer according to them. I grew up, if you were 50 you’re over the Hill. I’ve got four daughters, I’ve never made it any kind of a mandate, but two of them are [vegetarian].

Food Voyeurism
JW: I love Morningstar; they have these veggie cakes that I eat. I love those. I usually have one of those a day in a sandwich. On a regular basis, I’m going to eat salad probably daily. Every type of vegetable I can get my hands on. I eat a lot of fruit. The Ezekiel Bread too. They make one with seeds and sprouts-it’s really good. There’s one dish that’s really good too. You take sprouted soy beans and sauté it, put sesame oil and soy sauce on it and sesame seeds on top. It’s really simple. Doesn’t sound like much, but it tastes so good. They’re some nice vegetarian and vegan restaurants in the Boston area, but I haven’t been there a lot because I work a lot and it’s hard to get out.

What’s on Julian’s wikipedia page? Find out after the jump… (more…)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Chrissy Teigen Failed Vegan Experiment
• Mia Evans Is A “Masterchef Junior” Vegetarian Star
• Holly Madison Enjoys Vegan Smoothie From M Cafe In Beverly Hills
• Controversy Over Pro-Vegeterian Curriculum In Schools
• Ellie Goulding Creates Protein Bar “Everlasting Joy” With GoMacro

Photo Credit: Clarke Tolton

As if you really need another reason to enter our contest to win a copy of Erin McKenna’s BabyCakes cookbook as part of our one year anniversary giveaway. Isn’t the picture of the cupcakes on the book cover enough?

The lovely lady who founded the New York city bakery that is so popular among celebrities and mere non Hollywood mortals like ourselves answered a few of our questions about herself, the bakery, and some of her favorite recipes from her recently published cookbook, BabyCakes : Vegan, Gluten-Free, and (Mostly) Sugar-Free Recipes from New York’s Most Talked-About Bakery.

How did you determine which of your recipes to include in the BabyCakes cookbook?
I chose the recipes that people seemed to favor. I wanted to offer a collection of the greatest recipes.

What are a few of your favorite recipes from the cookbook?
I think my favorites are the volcanoes and the macaroons for sure.

You used to work in fashion and you said the one thing that really relieved stress at the end of the day was experimenting with baking and that prompted you to change careers. What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs who may still be stuck in a day job and want to get out and have a successful business?
I would tell them to live fearlessly and go for what is in their heart. It will work out and nothing beats doing what you love for a living. It’s what life is about.

There are several celebrities that have their personal stories in the Baby Cakes cookbook like Natalie Portman and Pamela Anderson? What was either your first or most memorable experience learning a celebrity was so fond of your desserts?
The first time a celebrity made it known how fond he was of BabyCakes was Jason Schwartzman. He came in once by himself the first time and then brought a whole gang of friends with him and had an eating contest in here. He was going crazy over everything–it was really fun!

Guess how many siblings Erin has? Four, five, six, seven? Higher than that! Find out after the jump… (more…)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Mia Evans Is A “Masterchef Junior” Vegetarian Star
• Ben And Jerry’s Launch Vegan Ice Cream
• Best Vegetarian Stories Of 2015
• Moby Opens Little Pine Vegan Restaurant
• Tal Ronnen Brings LA Restaurant To Everyone In “Crossroads” Cookbook

Photo: Phil Cavali

Leilani Munter is an environmentalist and race car driver who races in both Indy Lights, the development league of IndyCar and ARCA, a development league of NASCAR.

Is anyone else in your family vegetarian?
As far as family members go, I have two vegetarian nieces right now. All three of my sisters have at one time been vegetarian and my sister Natascha was vegetarian throughout both of her pregnancies and during breastfeeding, which is interesting, because those are my two nieces that are now vegetarians. She told me that she had read that whatever you feed a child from zero to three is what they will crave for life. So she did not feed them meat and both of them are vegetarian by their own choice. Also, when I was a child, I never craved sweets, my mother told me that I always would refuse cookies and ask for parsley instead and to this day, I don’t crave sweet foods.

Is Craig (Leilani’s husband) vegetarian too? Did you have any eco features about the wedding?
Craig is not [completely] vegetarian but I would say he is about 95% vegetarian now. I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw him eat meat and we never, ever bring meat into our house. We had a small seaside wedding in New Zealand (where Craig is from) and we had an eco conscious cruelty free vegetarian meal. Our wedding invitations were printed by Green Field Paper on tree free paper that you can plant and wildflowers will grow!

You volunteered at a wildlife rescue and rehab center in college. What were some of the best parts about working with these injured animals?
The best part was when we were able to release them back into the wild, where they belong. Nothing is more magical than giving an animal its freedom. It is a truly beautiful moment.

In the future, do you see yourself being just as active and public with vegetarianism as you are with environmental issues?
Yes, I definitely would like to be just as active with promoting vegetarianism as I am with speaking out about environmental issues. They go hand in hand. [When] I give speeches on a regular basis, I am often discussing the environment and I always talk about the fact that the meat industry contributes more greenhouse gases into our atmosphere than all the planes, trains, cars, trucks, ships, and all other forms of fossil fuel based transportation in the world. Besides the obvious animal cruelty issues, going vegetarian can do wonders for our environment and for world hunger. Vegetarianism is one of the most important issues that is not talked about nearly enough. We hear a lot about alternative fuels and clean energy, but we need to be talking a lot more about our meat consumption. I know that it’s not realistic to think everyone in the world is going to become vegetarian, but if everyone could just start by reducing the amount of meat they consume, it would change the world for the better.

Learn about Leilani’s Eco-Dream team and her love for cooking with fake meats after the jump… (more…)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Meatless Mouthful–Stevie Wonder Says Vegan Helps His Good Looks And Planet
• Pamela Anderson Saves Water Alfred Hitchcock Way In PETA Ad
• Best Vegetarian Stories Of 2014
• Marco Antonio Regil Interview With Vegetarian Star–Part 2
• Marco Antonio Regil Interview With Vegetarian Star–Part 1