World Turtle Day is truly a day worth commemorating.  Turtles have been around for over 200 million years, yet sadly turtles and tortoises are now at a much higher risk of extinction than many other vertebrates.  According to a recent report by the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, of the 263 species of freshwater and terrestrial turtles, 117 species are considered threatened, 73 are either endangered or critically endangered, and 1 is extinct, while 71% of all tortoise species are either gone or almost gone.

American Tortoise Rescue’s Tellem and Thompson note that experts predict the complete disappearance of one of the world’s oldest creatures within the next 50 years.  They’ve kindly offered us a few small things that we can do to help save turtles and tortoises for generations to come:

• Never buy a turtle or tortoise from a pet shop as it increases demand from the wild
• Never remove turtles or tortoises from the wild unless they are sick or injured
• If a tortoise is crossing a busy street, pick it up and send it in the same direction it was going – if you try to make it go back, it will turn right around again.
• Write letters to legislators asking them to keep sensitive habitats preserved or closed to off road vehicles, and to prevent offshore oil drilling that can lead to more endangered sea turtle deaths.
• Report cruelty or illegal sales of turtles and tortoises to your local animal control shelter
• Report the sale of any turtle or tortoise of any kind, less than four inches.  This is illegal everywhere in the U.S.

If you can’t attend the fundraiser on May 20^th in Santa Monica, please consider sending them a contribution at http://www.tortoise.com/turtle_donations.html.

For more information, please visit American Tortoise Rescue at www.tortoise.com.  You can also find them on Twitter:  @tortoiserescue and Facebook, www.Facebook.com/AmericanTortoiseRescue and www.Facebook.com/WorldTurtleDay.

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Tortoise image courtesy of Flickr.

                                                                                                            — Brian Howley, Washington, DC

A project of the non-profit Green America, the “Fair Trade Your Supermarket” campaign aims to empower consumers to advocate for more “Fair Trade” products on store shelves at their local supermarkets. Fair trade is a system of exchange that honors producers, communities and the environment by ensuring that farmers and artisans throughout the developing world are paid fair prices for their work and have direct involvement in the marketplace. The goal of the wider Fair Trade movement, according to Green America, is to build real and lasting relationships between producers in developing countries and businesses and consumers around the world.

And that’s where your neighborhood grocer comes in. “While the Fair Trade movement is gaining steam nationwide, most of our supermarkets still carry few–if any–Fair Trade products on their shelves,” reports Green America. “Together, we can put Fair Trade products within reach for millions of Americans.”

And just how does Green America expect us to do this? “First, take stock of Fair Trade products in your supermarket—look for coffee, tea, chocolate, rice, sugar, honey, wine, fresh fruit, and olive oil.” Scan the relevant aisles for third-party certifier Fair Trade USA’s distinctive black-and-white “Fair Trade Certified” label, which is only attached to imported goods where the producers receive fair prices for their products and where strict socio-economic and environmental criteria are met during production. Alternatively, look for the logos of other third-party certifiers such as “Fair for Life” or “Fair Trade Federation” on product labels if you think fair trade versions may be available in a given product line.

“Then, you can encourage the store to stock more Fair Trade products by talking to the store manager as a loyal customer,” adds Green America. They suggest using comment cards, which can be key to getting a store with no Fair Trade items to start carrying them. “Every time you go grocery shopping, drop a comment card in the box asking your manager to stock Fair Trade items.” Of course, talking to a store manager in person may be even more effective, especially if you are armed with a pile of your receipts from the store from the previous month or two to show how much spending power you alone would be able to allocate toward Fair Trade versions of the items you are buying there.

Another creative way to spread the Fair Trade gospel would be by volunteering to hand out free samples of Fair Trade products that the store already sells in order to raise awareness and build consumer demand. “Stores sell more of a product when a sampling table is set out, and if you, your friends and family are working the table, the labor is free for the store too.”

But why stop with your local market? If there is a chain supermarket outlet in your area, take it to the top by writing an e-mail, letter or postcard to corporate headquarters informing them of your desire to buy Fair Trade items in all of their stores. Check out the Fair Trade Your Supermarket website (link below) for more tips on how to make your next shopping trip fairer to the planet and its people.

CONTACTS: Fair Trade Your Supermarket, www.fairtradeyoursupermarket.org; Green America, www.greenamerica.org; Fair Trade USA, www.fairtradeusa.com.

Fairtrade Logo Credit: International Fairtrade Certification Mark

Dagoba image courtesy of Flickr

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BLUEBERRY SHORTCAKE

HEALTHIER STEPS

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GLUTEN FREE VEGAN CREPES

VEGGIE GRETTIE

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VEGAN BUCKWHEAT CREPES WITH CREAMY MUSHROOM FILLING

VEGALICIOUS RECIPES

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GRILLED PESTO & CHEVRE SANDWICH

KEEPIN’ IT KIND

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FRUIT TACOS WITH CHOCOLATE TORTILLAS

MUNCHIN WITH MUNCHKIN

I noticed, however, that there was one aspect of the veggie wedding business that was lacking in providers and services. There was no central resource or company which could provide vegan couples with good and varied options for vegan honeymoon packages. Sure, a few travel agencies may offer to arrange or custom-design  a vegan honeymoon, but no one focused on it or offered a wide range of options. After reading online that this is a sought-after request, I decided to fulfill that need! A few months ago, I launched my online travel business called “Vegan Honeymoons!”

I offer the complete vegan honeymoon package including airfare, accommodations at vegan-friendly inns, lodges and cottages, as well as arranging eco-friendly and animal-friendly sightseeing tours. The accommodations provide romantic destinations in tropical locales such as Belize, Grenada, or Costa Rica and exotic places such as Thailand or Bali. The breakfast meals, lunches, and dinners are vegan. Special items for the honeymoon couple may include couples massage, a candlelit dinner, or flowers in the room. We offer ten or so gorgeous destinations across the globe.

Sightseeing options can include  a rainforest walk, waterfall trek, visit to an animal sanctuary, or a vegan cooking class. Some lodges are even located right by the beach, rainforest, or tea gardens. Complete, vegan honeymoon packages are no longer just a dream! Veganhoneymoons.com fills that need with incredible options at a variety of breath-taking destinations!

AUTHOR BIO

Maria is the creator of the top-ranking vegan travel blog veganworldtrekker.com and the author of the book “How To Travel The World As A Vegan” available on Amazon or on traveltheworldasavegan.com.

Header image courtesy of Flickr Commons

Kristen is also a former competitive bodybuilder who currently plans and prepares the nutrition fuel for her weight-lifting hubby, so she understands the nutrition needs of active high raw and vegan athletes.

It have enjoyed watching Kristen navigate pregnancy and motherhood.  Her blog is am amazing resource for vegan women who are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant soon.  Kristen also pens The Green Mommy Blog filled with  fun and useful information.  Kristen described her Green Mommy Blog as a place where she shares “[H]er green lifestyle as an eco-friendly mommy, including topics such as babywearing, cloth diapering, elimination, communication, green housekeeping, organics (for clothes, food, and living in general), traveling, product reviews, pregnancy, breastfeeding, bed sharing, recycling, beauty, fashion, and much more.”

Through radio, television, books, classes, and her blog and email newsletter, Chef Kristen Suzanne helps people live life to the fullest with the healthiest cuisine in the world.

I hope you enjoy learning more about Kristen…

CV - What motivated you to become raw / vegan and was it an overnight switch or more gradual shift?

KS - I went vegan pretty much overnight after I devoured John Robbins’ book Diet for a New America (that was enough for me, but I also loved his book The Food Revolution). After that, I learned about the amazing health benefits of raw food and decided that I wanted a life where most of the food I ate was raw. I was attracted to having tons of energy, preventing disease, and the possibility of living until I’m over 100 by eating super healthy. I have the most amazing husband and we want to live together as long as possible. And, now that we have a baby. Holy cow! We want to live as long as we can for her as well. But, it’s not just living long… it’s living long lives in good health at the same time.

CV – Tell me a little bit about Kristen’s Raw and what inspired you to create the site.

KS - For starters, I come from a family of chefs so I’ve always lived a “foodie” life. That, combined with my passion for nutrition, health, and food, started me in a certain direction. Then, my mission of saving animals by going vegan and teaching others about that lifestyle quickly became something I wanted to do full time. Put it all together and voila! Raw vegan chef, author, and blogger. Combining my passions of health, food, and saving animals into something I could be proud of was the driving force behind creating Kristen’s Raw.

CV - Walk me through a day in your life.

KS - I wake up snuggled with my toddler, Kamea. We co-sleep which is divine. She breastfeeds, then we get out of bed, and head to the kitchen for breakfast. We follow that with reading and play time. Maybe run errands, too. Then, it’s nap time. Since we co-sleep, I usually snuggle with her for her nap, during which time I also work from my iPhone (or read). After her nap, we plan dinner, play, run errands if needed, and then we go to sleep. Wake up. Do again.  Twice a week we go to the farmers market.

CV – I know you use to be a bodybuilder, what is your weekly training schedule like now?

KS - Prior to getting pregnant, I worked out 5 days a week typically. I strength trained about 3 of them and had a regular routine. But, since having a baby, I typically get my exercise all day long by carrying Kamea around, chasing after her, doing things around the house, taking walks, and trying to squeeze my latest obsession in… yoga (right now that’s about twice a week). I don’t have a steady routine, but one of these days I’ll get it back.

CV – What do you typically eat in the span of a day and are you a snacker?

KS - Total snacker! For the most part, my food consumption changes every few weeks. I find a routine based on what’s fresh at the farmer’s market, along with a few other things, like what I have in stock at home for ingredients. I eat all day because I’m active and breastfeeding right now, while at the same time trying to get pregnant so I need extra calories.

I start my day with water, followed by fresh pressed veggie juice (sometimes), followed by a green chunky smoothie (I don’t blend mine all the way, I like them chunky)… then I wait a bit and have a snack of fruit or a protein shake… a salad or two for lunch… snack of nuts or fruit or veggies with dip… then dinner is anything from veggie pasta to kelp noodles to large salads to something more gourmet like raw lasagna or pizza … and I love dessert, so you can count on me having raw chocolate or dates and nuts or raw cheesecake or raw brownies (sometimes 2 or 3!).

CV – What is your favorite raw / vegan indulgence?

KS - Raw vegan chocolate that I don’t have to make myself!

CV – When people learn that you are raw / vegan, what is the #1 question they ask and what is your response?

KS - “That’s really cool, I could never do that.” I tell people a few things in response to that. First, it is really cool, so thanks! Second, it’s easy and doesn’t have to be an all or nothing game. I help them find ways they already have raw vegan food in their lives (and don’t even realize it usually!), and then I tell them how they can effortlessly add tons more.

CV – What product could you not live without?

KS - Raw vegan chocolate – nuff said.

CV – What kitchen gadget could you not live without?

KS - Although I’m tempted to say my soon to be Norwalk Juicer because of the importance of juicing, I’d probably still have to go with my high powered blender – it is so versatile. I make nut milks, smoothies, chocolate mousse, raw soups, and more with it.

CV – In your wildest dreams what will your life look like in 5 years?

KS - I’ll be parenting (and homeschooling) two kids (I have just the one toddler right now), while writing books, blogging, and traveling the world, with the occasional glass of organic vegan wine.

by Brian L. Patton

Recently, a friend asked me, “How can I make kale yummy?” It occurred to me that perhaps a lot of people are new to the nutritional powerhouse that is kale. Maybe you only know it as that curly green thing underneath your potato salad, or shoved in between the ground beef and the New York strips in your butcher’s display case. It does look quite nice, but it is severely underutilized as a garnish. Loaded with calcium, iron, potassium, vitamins A, C, and K, and even some protein, you’d be much better off eating the kale, and tossing the potato salad. Here are five simple things you can do to make your kale yummy.

Eat it raw. Eating a salad comprised solely of raw kale is a little tough to take. Kale has pretty intense flavor and a tough texture. But if you want to give your salad a nutritional shot in the arm, simply remove the leaves from the stem, chop them up, and mix with other lettuces, like romaine, leaf, or butter. The added flavor and texture will, ahem, (switch to fancy voice) dance wonderfully across the palate and create a unique mouth-feel. Wow, I watch way too much Top Chef.

Massage it. Massaging is a technique used with raw kale in order to both tenderize it and remove a good portion of its bitterness. Remove the kale leaves from the stem, cut them into 1 inch wide ribbons, and place them in a large bowl. For one bunch of kale, add 1 teaspoon of kosher or sea salt, the juice of half of a lemon, and a touch of olive oil (optional), then begin to rub it all around the kale. You must continually massage the salt, lemon, and oil into all of the leaves for 2 to 3 minutes. After this time has elapsed, you will notice that the kale has wilted a bit and it will have a much milder flavor. Now it’s ready to become a salad. Add other veggies, fruits, and nuts and dress simply with a little agave nectar, and lemon juice and olive oil, if needed. Both delicious and energizing, a massaged kale salad always comes with a happy ending.

Blanch it. Blanching is the process of boiling something for a very short amount of time. You need only bring a pot of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt, and you’re ready to go. Depending on what veggie you’re using, blanching times will vary. To blanch kale, remove the leaves from the stem and roughly chop them. Submerge the kale in the boiling water and remove it after 20 seconds. Immediately cool the leaves by running them under cold water, or plunging them into a bowl of ice water, known as an ice bath. This keeps the kale from overcooking, and retains its deep green color. Drain it, and squeeze out as much water as possible. Now tender, with the bitterness removed, your blanched kale is perfect on a pizza, in a lasagna, or as a simple cold side dish with a drizzle of sesame oil and a dash of soy sauce or tamari.

Soup it. Kale is a fantastic way to add a whole bunch of extra goodness to soups and stews. Remove the leaves from the stem and cut them into 1 inch wide ribbons. Personally, I enjoy the texture of the kale, so I add it at the very end of the cooking process, to keep it from getting soft and mushy. Finish cooking your soup or stew, then cut off the heat and stir in the kale. Let it sit for 4 to 5 minutes, then let the tongue scalding begin.

Drink it. Whaaaaat?? How the heck can I drink a bunch of leaves? Put it through your juicer, silly. With life-changing documentaries like Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead approaching the mainstream, juicing has become more popular than ever. You, of course, could not eat an entire bunch of kale at once, but by turning it into juice, you can consume the powerful, supercharging nutrients of said bunch all in one shot! Start with a combination of kale (including the stems), carrot, celery and apples, then add other fruits and veggies for variety. Squeezing in a little fresh lemon juice will help your body absorb the iron that kale has to offer, and it will also balance out its bitterness. Super-mega juicing tip: Since it’s not as curly as green kale, lacinato kale (a.k.a. dinosaur or black kale) is easier to cram into juicers that have smaller feeding tubes. You’re welcome. So, go ahead and juice that kale! You’ll be sporting a Jack LaLane spandex onesie in no time.

I hope you give all of these methods a try because I know that you will love at least one of them, if not all of them!

Brian Patton is author of The Sexy Vegan Cookbook and is executive chef for Vegin’ Out, a vegan food delivery service in Los Angeles. As the quintessential “regular dude” vegan chef, he started posting instructional cooking videos on YouTube as his witty, ukulele playing alter-ego “The Sexy Vegan” and quickly gained a large following.  Visit him online at http://www.thesexyvegan.com.

Based on the book The Sexy Vegan Cookbook ©2012 by Brian Patton.  Published with permission of New World Library  http://www.newworldlibrary.com

CARROT SPICE MUFFINS

OH SHE GLOWS

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BLUEBERRY MUFFINS (GLUTEN-FREE)

VEGGIE GRETTIE

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CHOCOLATE CHIP MESQUITE MUFFINS

BITTERSWEET

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LEMON POPPYSEED MUFFINS

BITTERSWEET

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CHUNKY APPLE MUFFINS

PEAS AND THANK YOU

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BLACKBERRY MANGO MUFFINS

VEGAN YACK ATTACK

Managing a healthy, bountiful life for your dog or cat must include the proper array of nutrition and supplements in order for them to get the most out of life. Now you can revamp your pet’s quality of life with ArcaNatura’s natural, vegan pet products and supplements.  ArcaNatura’s supplements are made with fine ingredients and plant extracts picked from around the globe to promote all-natural healing. All of their products are kind to the earth, made with highly-biodegradable ingredients and recyclable bottles and packaging.

Three years ago, a trio of veterinarians in France decided their pets deserved high quality, clinically proven health solutions and started ArcaNatura France. In 2008, the company launched in the U.S. selling it’s holistic pet products to American customers online.

ArcaNatura’s products focus on treating common ailments dogs and cats experience including allergies, itching, arthritis, cancer and more. Currently, their most popular product is a vegan, liquid Omega-3 DHA supplement. Their other vegan products include a natural tick removal spray kit and a liver detox supplement spray.

Like us, our pets collect toxins in their bodies that can cause adverse health effects or allergies that can lead to excessive itching and licking. Generally, dogs and cats have up to five times more toxins in and on their bodies than humans. This is due to both living at ground level where dust and allergens collect, and self-grooming of the fur and paws. To manage these toxins, your pet’s liver is working overtime. ArcaNatura’s Resolution-3 is a simple three-step detox kit for dogs and cats that includes a natural shampoo, a vegan omega-3 DHA supplement and a vegan liver detox spray supplement. All three products work together to detox and reduce your pet’s itching and allergies.

Learn more about ArcaNatura vegan pet products here.

About the Author

Lindsay Rubin is the Writer and Web Marketing Manager for ArcaNatura holistic pet products. She is a 5-year-strong vegetarian and advocate for all things sustainable. When she is not spreading the word about ArcaNatura, Lindsay spends her free time practicing yoga, volunteering at the local horse rescue, or reading a good old-fashioned book.

Diet soda depletes calcium and may increase heart attack risk

The average American drinks 216 liters of soda each year.¹ Soda drinking has previously been associated with lower bone mineral density in women and children,^2,3 and one study in particular has focused specifically on the effects of diet soda on bone health.  The authors commented that this research was sparked by the observation that diet soda drinking behaviors are often different than regular soda drinking behaviors – women often use diet sodas in an effort to avoid weight gain – either to stave off hunger between meals or as a replacement for calorie-containing beverages.  Many women drink over 20 diet sodas per week.⁴

These researchers discovered that parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations rise strongly following diet soda consumption.  PTH functions to increase blood calcium concentrations by stimulating bone breakdown, and as a result release calcium from bone.

In the study, women aged 18-40 were given 24 ounces of either diet cola or water on two consecutive days, and urinary calcium content was measured for three hours.

Women who drank diet cola excreted more calcium in their urine compared to women who drank water.  

The authors concluded that this calcium loss may underlie the observed connection between soda drinking and low bone mineral density.⁵

Although caffeine is known to increase calcium excretion and promote bone loss,⁶ caffeine is likely not the only bone-harming ingredient in sodas.  A 2006 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found consistent associations between low bone mineral density and caffeinated and non-caffeinated cola (both regular and diet), but not other carbonated beverages.⁷ One major difference between the two is the phosphoric acid in colas, absent from most other carbonated beverages.

In the Western diet, phosphorus is commonly consumed in excess – at about 3 times the recommended levels, whereas dietary calcium often low.  Although phosphorus is an important component of bone mineral, a high dietary ratio of phosphorus to calcium can increase parathyroid hormone secretion, which is known to increase bone breakdown.   Studies in which women were given increasing quantities of dietary phosphorus found increases in markers of bone breakdown and decreases in markers of bone formation.^8,9 Therefore it is likely that the phosphorus content of colas  triggers calcium loss.

There is nothing healthy about diet soda.  It is simply water with artificial sweeteners and other chemical additives, such as phosphoric acid.

The safety of artificial sweeteners is questionable, and they provoke the release of insulin and other hormones that regulate blood glucose; their intense sweetness confuses the body, which naturally associates sweet taste with calories – over time, these mixed signals can lead to increased appetite and weight gain.¹⁰ 

Diet sodas don’t just weaken our bones, they are linked to kidney dysfunction and promote obesity.

Furthermore, in a recent study, older adults who drank diet soda daily had a 43% increased risk of heart attack or stroke compared to those that never drank diet soda.¹¹

Click HERE to read the original Diseaseproof article.

Image courtesy of Chris J. Bowley via Flickr.

Jillian please contact me through gretchen (at) chicvegan (dot) com with your mailing address.  I need to hear from you by the end of the business day Wednesday or I will be forced to choose another winner.

Thanks to all who entered this wonderful giveaway.