Results tagged “vegan”

Diner food is delicious. It's generally oozing with butter and grease, cheese and saccharine imitation maple syrup. These things taste good. However, many eaters these days are no longer ignorant enough of what goes into this food (the artery-clogging trans fats, the environment-destroying factory farmed meats) to partake in true, unadulterated diner-induced bliss. It may be simpler in a karmic way to live without consuming animal products (denial takes a lot of energy to maintain) but in a purely sensual way, it kinda sucks to live without bacon.

If you're surfing Bostonist right now, wishing you were somewhere else, listening to your stomach grumble its way through the post-lunch-pre-dinner doldrums, we've got some fantasy fodder for you. Because no matter who you are—a princess, a jock, a nerd, a criminal or a basket case—there's a food-filled party in your honor this week. Get ready to make some reservations.

Let's face it, as a culture we just can't get enough celebrity news and gossip. Activism by celebrities then is a useful tool in getting the word out about a veg lifestyle. Veganism got a great push recently by the Queen of All Media herself, Oprah Winfrey. Oprah went on a 21-Day cleanse during which she abstained from all animal products, gluten, caffeine, alcohol, and sugar. She talks about the process on her blog, and while she won't be sticking with her vegan diet, she talks about how much she has learned throughout the month. Check out the cleanse section of her website for some great vegan recipes and information. We don't always buy into the Oprahverse, but the woman definitely has major media pull and we're happy to see her using that power to extol the benefits of veganism.

For the past 28 years, people across the country and throughout the world have dubbed the first day of spring as the Great American Meatout, using the day to spread the word about veganism. Spring is a season of renewal and birth, making it a perfect time to learn more about a compassionate diet that celebrates life - both the life of the animals and the preservation of our own health.

Veggiest is passionate about a meat-free diet, and will happily discuss the innumerable benefits of adopting a veg lifestyle with anyone who asks. When it comes to speaking of slaughterhouses and the meat-producing industry in the U.S. however, Veggiest almost always keeps mum. Why? Well, to be frank, we don't want to piss anyone off. We understand there are many happy carnivores out there who want nothing less that to hear the reality of how their burgers actually get to the table.

Unfortunately the world of vegan gourmet dining is a small one, with most restaurants concentrated in the Veg-friendly cities of New York, San Francisco, and Portland.

-- Happy Valentine's Day! For us being vegan is all about the love. We love our bodies and want to keep them healthy and strong and free of animal products. We love the environment and want to protect it from the extremely destructive practices of factory farming. We love animals and don't want to see them mistreated. You'll most certainly be doing your heart a favor. Heart disease is still one of the biggest killers in the United States, and is due in large part to the S.A.D.'s (standard American diet) focus on meat products. So as you can see, you can add a little love to your life but cutting down on your consumption of meat and dairy products.

While in San Francisco this past week Veggiest was able to take a trip to the beautiful headquarters of VegNews magazine. For those of you unfamiliar, VegNews is the premier (and only completely vegan) vegetarian publication on the shelves right now. What sets VegNews apart, aside from their fabulous staff of course, is that they seek to promote the entire vegetarian lifestyle and offer informative stories on a wide variety of veg topics.

Bostonist's intrepid Veggiest is off this week--but never fear! Veggiest is dining in the finest vegan restaurants of San Francisco and meeting with the brains behind the magazine VegNews.

You are what you eat, so the saying goes. Well, this one old adage certainly rings true. Ask a vegan/vegetarian why they keep their diet, and health will be near, if not at, the top if their reasons. Putting healthy vitamin-rich whole foods into your body makes you feel better, gives you more energy, and helps to prevent against both short and long-term illness.

The pumpkin was amazing - the flavor was very strong with just the perfect amount of spice. It was certainly a nice seasonal departure from standard ice cream flavors. Next we tried the White Russian which was decadent and creamy; we would be seriously surprised if anyone could discern that it was non-dairy without being told. While the Pina Colada flavor was not our favorite of the bunch it had a nice bright tropical flavor with chewy bits of coconut. Finally, the Chocolate Chocolate Chip is one of their most popular flavors and we can certainly see why. The ice cream tastes wonderfully rich with just the rich amount of thick crunchy chocolate bits.

Those who keep a vegan diet will probably tell you that eating a healthy breakfast out can often be a challenge, especially when hoping to get something quickly. Breakfast in America is heavily focused on animal products and often the only options involve bacon, eggs, milk, or all three! Enter the chain of Bagel Rising and Espresso Royale cafes in Boston. These green-leaning, eco-friendly, and vegan-catering cafes are warm, inviting, and most importantly, delicious! While most mainstream coffee shops offer soy milk as an option (and charge up to $.60 extra!) that is where the vegan options usually end. BR/ER is, from our experience asking around, the ONLY cafe in town that offers tofu spread – they even have different flavors!! Their menu offer one fully vegan sandwich (the yummy Joy of Soy), and many others that can be made easily vegan (Chia Bagel minus the cheese). The also offer other vegan cookie and pastry options as well.

In part due to the all the wonderful feedback we received from our two vegan-themed holiday posts, we've decided to have the vegan column be a regular feature. Every Thursday Bostonist will offer some vegan love; not limited to recipes, veg/vegan restaurant reviews, compassionate living information, and more.

We received such a great reaction to our Vegan Thanksgiving post we wanted to offer a sweet treat for the Christmas holiday. This Bostonist made these cookies last weekend and they were a big hit - the omission of eggs/milk, etc certainly didn't hurt their taste or consistency...these were gooey and delicious. The addition of chocolate chips makes them just a bit more naughty, but since they're so healthy otherwise you can munch away guilt free!!

Last Saturday, a group of wallflowers, mostly in their twenties, lined the auditorium of Allston's International Community Church (ICC). The event had all the markings of an awkward youth group mixer, from the empty checkerboard floor to the folk singer on stage. But the attendees weren't there to pray. They were there to eat. It was the Launch Party for the Boston Vegan Association (BVA), and tables sat covered with food donations from members and...