A story about religion, guns, militias, cults, wiretapping, fraud, murder and individual and communal sovereignty, Wild Wild Country couldnt be more timelyeven if the particulars of its story are crazily unique to itself.

Directors Chapman and Maclain Ways six-part Netflix documentary series (produced by Jay and Mark Duplass) recounts a truly insane episode in recent American history, which will be well-known to those who lived through it and, given that its since faded from the countrys collective memory, will likely stun those who didnt. No matter your familiarity with its subject, however, the Ways non-fiction effort functions as both an eye-opening expose and an even-handed (sometimes to a fault) look into a host of contentious issues Americans are still grappling with today, minusat least for most of usthe free-love orgies.

Capably assembled from hundreds of hours of archival footage, Wild Wild Countrys focus is the late Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, an Indian guru in flowing robes and sporting a Rip Van Winkle-style beard who, in the 1970s, created a New Age-y movement founded on ideas of peace, compassion and sexual inhibition. Many of his followers, known as sannyasins, came from the cream of the cultural crop, wore red clothes, and partook in meditation as well as other therapies involving lots of screaming, shuddering, and writhing about en masse. It was touchy-feely spirituality designed to spread across the globe and be easily marketable to consumers via retail books and international centers.

In 1981, having run afoul of Indian authorities, it relocated its epicenter to a 60,000-acre ranch in Wasco County, Oregon, right next to the tiny town of Antelope (population: 40), where it began construction on a city designed to be a paradiseand, also, a place where Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh could store his 19 (!) Rolls-Royces.

And the actions she took to maintain her coveted position beside Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh soon involvedpoisoning the surrounding populace in an act of bioterrorism.

Antelope was a tiny enclave made up of elderly Christian retirees who prized their solitude and tranquility, so the influx of red-robed sannyasins and their master, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (or Osho), wasnt exactly welcome. A battle soon began brewing, with ranchers and farmers on one side, and Bhagwan Shree Rajneeshs second-in-command, secretary Ma Anand Sheela (Sheela Silverman), on the other.

Sheela served as Bhagwan Shree Rajneeshs mouthpiece (since he went silent for a four-year stretch), and orchestrated the development of an independent metropolis known as Rajneeshpuram in Wasco County, replete with its own mail service and law enforcement. When long-time locals objectedincluding Bill Bowerman, the co-founder of Nikeand raised legal challenges to stymie this expansion, Sheela fought back by moving sannyasins into Antelope so they could take control of its municipal government through elections.

Then, she imported busloads of homeless people from around the country into Rajneeshpuram in an effort to further swell Rajneeshpurams ranks so theyd have enough voters to take control of Wasco Countys entire legislature. And when that plan failed, the surrounding area was suddenly, mysteriously struck by a plague of salmonella that made dozens violently ill.

Was this a case of a group exercising its constitutional rights to assembly, religion and representation, only to be persecuted by Christian bigots who didnt approve of peaceful others? Or was it a takeover by an invading sex cult that was exploiting (and outright breaking) American laws in order to establish its own sovereign New Age nation? Wild Wild Country leaves those answers to the viewers, providing equal access to both sides of the debate.

On the one hand are those like Bill Bowermans son Jon and the McGreers, who fought alongside Antelope mayor Margaret Hilland, later, those in the Oregon Attorney Generals officeto boot Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and company out of the state. And on the other hand are sannyasin publicist Sunny, disciple Jane Stork, lawyer Swami Prem Niren, and Sheela herself, who in new interviews paint their saga as one of discrimination and oppressionand ultimately, according to Swami Prem Niren, as a tragedy.

At the center of this entire affair is Sheela, a young Indian woman whose slight built and cheery smile belied her ferocity. As Wild Wild Country elucidates, Sheelas dedication to her cause was second only to her lust for power. And the actions she took to maintain her coveted position beside Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh soon involved not only stockpiling an armory featuring more guns than were possessed by all of Portlands police, but poisoning the surrounding populace in an act of bioterrorism, wiretapping her fellow sannyasins (in the largest such case in U.S. history), plotting to bomb a courthouse and assassinate the U.S. attorney for the District of Oregon, Charles Turner, and having Stork carry out a (botched) hit on Bhagwan Shree Rajneeshs doctor.

Throughout, the filmmakers give Sheela and her former cohorts ample time to characterize Rajneeshpuram as an innocent, enlightened enclave (a shining model of diverse people living in blissful harmony!) that eventually took reasonable measures to protect itself from extinctiononly to be treated heinously by intolerant conservative Americans and the dastardly U.S. government. And to its credit, Wild Wild Country lets them raise a couple of not-unreasonable questions: Dont religious groups have the right to congregate, even in enormous numbers? And what prevents such collectives from seizing control of their regional governments via the ballot box?

Wild Wild Country allows its speakersSwami Prem Niren in particularto consistently cry victim while proclaiming (through moved-to-tears waterworks) the holiness of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. The problem is, such arguments ring more and more false as we learn about the illegality, corruption and murderousness of the commune and its leaders.

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In an effort to provide both sides of the story, the directorsespecially in late, slow-motion-drenched elegiac passages full of uplifting and/or mournful musicbuy too much of the pap being sold by the sannyasins. Their comments are often self-serving to the point of being laughable, and much of the happy-go-lucky video footage of life inside the commune is clearly propagandistic. Worse still, the Ways refusal to have Sheela now directly address her own wretched behavioreven after Stork has outright admitted on-camera that Sheela ordered her to kill Bhagwan Shree Rajneeshs physician with a syringe full of poisonmakes it feel like the directors are skirting obvious fundamental truths (and conclusions) in the name of objectivity.

No such equitableness, however, can obscure the fact that Bhagwan Shree Rajneeshs communeregardless of Antelope citizens prejudicesseverely violated the separation of church and state, and participated in a wide range of crimes that eventually led to its downfall (this after Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh himself had a falling out with fleeing-from-justice Sheela).

As a portrait of militant zeal and religious conflict, Wild Wild Country is a fascinating glimpse at the perils of fanaticism-run-amok and the contentious intersection between faith and freedomand its one that, in our current age of armed civilian slaughter and red state-blue state hostility, doesnt seem as far in the past as one might like.

Wild Wild Country premieres March 16 on Netflix.

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Inside the Crazy Sex Cult That Invaded Oregon

Over the last year, there have been debates amongst mostly non-white vegans and non-white animal rights folks about how intersectionality has been co-opted by mainstream veganism and has lost its original intention and meaning. Furthermore, there is suggestion that intersectionality doesnt dismantle systems of oppression, it just shows how either social identities and/or struggles are connected (i.e., one isnt just Black, but that their Black identity is influenced by sexual orientation, gender, socio-economic class, ability, etc).

Why do I start with Intersectionality, despite there being a rising backlash against it by many non-white anti-racism activists (vegan and non-vegan)?

I start with intersectionality because most people in the USA do not have a literacy around reality beyond a one-dimensional approach. I cant just jump into Black Marxism or decolonial world systems analysis without using intersectionality as a bridge and a way to move beyond one-dimensional or binary ways of trying to understand history, politics, economics, the food system, law, etc. Most of my work over the last decade uses intersectionality but is not bound to it or limited by it; its one of many pedagogies I use (others areEngaged buddhism, Black Marxism, Decolonial World Systems Analysis,). I am employing Intersectionalitybecause I am getting ready to set up the next phase of action> which is to then decolonize and dismantle this current inequitable system.

I find that most people I work with or talk to cannot dive into decolonizing and dismantling this oppressive system that currently has existed for 500+ years (at least here in the USA) until I first begin with basic concepts that social-identities are not existing in a vacuum, void from being affected by and affecting a system. The goal is not to get stuck in swirling around in making a game out of howeverything is connected (i.e. intersectionality)without taking the plunge todismantle it;even if it means for many of the white racial status quo to give up their possessive investment in whiteness ( I mention the racial aspect of oppression first because I come from a critical race studies and anti-racism background as it relates to my ethical consumption scholarship and have written about possessive investment of whiteness within the ethical vegan movement).

Interestingly, I keep on seeing more and more non-white activists who are actively taking a stance against oppressive systems (namely white supremacy, racism, neocolonialism, and neoliberal capitalist) claiming that intersectionality cannot do true justice or create equitable systems since it does NOT seek to abolish the present inequitable system (i.e., its current co-opted framing doesnt eradicate white liberal possessive investment in whiteness despite intersectionality gaining popularity among white liberal identified crowd.)

So, how do I approach the end goal (dismantling the present exploitative neoliberal capitalist model of equality) without addressing that we dont live in a one-dimensional vacuum? Like I wrote earlier, I use intersectionality as one of the tools but not theonlytool. I start here with these steps:

I come from the camp of intersectionality as used by and mostly for the unique situation that Black women in the USA were in (and currently continue to be) when Crenshaw first coined the concept several decades ago (when it was nothip for white folk to use, period). For me, my engagement with Crenshawsintersectionalityis incontinuation of and part of the Black radical tradition and even Black Marxist roots I come from as thousands of Black women are aware that sexism, poverty, anti-black racism, white supremacy are a result of a CAPITALIST/NEOCOLONIAL arrangement of power, resources, rights, etc. Id argue thatour collective intersectionality isnotthe same as the one that is now hip and even lucrative for white mainstream businesses and organizations to employ.Its more like a cosmetic diversity add-on that is a faade and even used many times of cultural capital for those least likely to be negatively affected by systemic racism.

However, do I abandon intersectionality now just because it is being co-opted more and more by a status quo the uses it in a trendy way but still doesnt truly want to demolish capitalism and covert-systemic forms of white supremacy ?

RIP Intersectionality? Nah, I am not ready to bury it just yet.

Dr.A. Breeze Harperhas a PhD in Critical Food Geographies. She isthe creator of The Sistah Vegan Project and the editor of the ground-breaking anthology,Sistah Vegan: Black Female Vegans Speak On Food, Identity, Health, and Society,is a sought-after speaker, writer, andconsultantat Critical Diversity Solutions (www.criticaldiversitysolutions.com).

Her most recently published book isScars: A Black Lesbian Experience in Rural White New England(Sense Publishers 2014).Scarsinterrogates how systems of oppression and power impact the life of protagonist 18 year old Savannah Sales, the only Black teenager living in an all white and working class rural New England town. In 2018, her latest book project will be published, tentatively titledBlack Mama Scholar: On Black Feminism, Food Ethics, And Toddler Tantrums .

Overall, Dr. Harperswork focuses on how systems of oppression- namely racism and normative whiteness- operate within the USA. She uses food and ethical consumptions cultures, within North America, to explore these systems. Her favorite tools of analysis are critical whiteness studies, decolonial world systems theory, Black feminisms, critical race feminism, critical animal studies, and critical food studies. She is known for usingengaged Buddhismas the choice method to explain her research andbroach these often difficult topics of power, privilege, and liberation.

Dr. Harperhas been invited to deliver keynote addresses and lectures at universities and conferences throughout North America. Her talks explore how and why people have unique relationships to food and wellness and how these relationships are impacted by race, socio-economic class, gender, sexuality and physical abilities.

If you are interested in having A. Breeze Harper speak at your college, conference or organization please contact her atbreezeharper@gmail.com. Learn more about her on her author andpublications page here.

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Sistah Vegan - Anti-oppression, food justice & veganism

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I absolutely LOVE one pot meals! Especially on busy weekdays, they can be an absolute time saver! So this months roundup is all about easy vegan one pot meals!

I really love cooking, but sometimes I just dont have enough time to spend hours in the kitchen. Life can just be too hectic and lets be honest, after a long day at work we sometimes just want to crash on the couch and relax. These 30 vegan one pot meals are perfect for these days. All of these recipes are complete meals that are made in only one cooking vessel. This is not only super easy but it also means less washing-up. Yaaay!! I mean who would say no to less work, right?

As every month, I teamed up with some fellow food bloggers to provide you with an awesome list of vegan recipes for the whole family.

This roundup of 30 vegan one pot meals includes something for every taste.

We got:

All of these recipes look SO comforting, which makes them perfect for fall. Just click on the title beneath each photo to be redirected to the recipe. I hope you like these recipes as much as I do!

So lets get started

Super Creamy One Pot Pasta with Coconut Milk and Red Curry Paste

One Pan Vegan Chickpea Shakshuka by Nico from Yumsome

One Pot Kale Mushroom and Garlic Spaghetti by Lauren Caris Cooks

One Pan Mexican Quinoa

One Pot Peanut Sauce Noodles by Richa from Vegan Richa

Vegetable Jambalaya by Caroline from Taste Love and Nourish

Vegan One Pot Spaghetti with Vegetables

Vegan Crock Pot Lentil Chili Lindsay from Cotter Crunch

One Pot Farmers Market Pasta by Sue from The View From Great Island

One Pot Pad Thai by Florian from Contentedness Cooking

Vegan Paella with Artichokes and Smoked Tofu

Vegan Mac and Cheese by Michelle from Healthier Steps

20 Minute Vegan Alfredo by Brandi from The Vegan 8

One Pot Ratatouille Spaghetti by Aimee from Wallflower Kitchen

Vegan Hungarian Paprika Potato Stew by Evi from Green Evi

One Pot Vegetable Rice with Bell Pepper and Peas

Chickpea Sweet Potato Spinach Curry by Richa from Vegan Richa

Sprouted Lentil Chipotle Chili by Jess from Choosing Chia

Vegan Lentil Stew by Michelle from Healthier Steps

10 Minute Vegan Tomato Pasta by Anne from The Mostly Healthy

Easy Stove Top Enchiladas with Cauliflower Rice by Izzy from She Likes Food

One Pot Red Lentil Dal by Florian from Contentedness Cooking

One Pot Courgette Pea Lemon Pasta by Aimee from Wallflower Kitchen

One Pot Asparagus and Spinach Gnocchi by Evi from Green Evi

Kale Sweet Potato White Bean Skillet by Kelly from Tasting Page

Portobello Pot Roast by Melanie from A Virtual Vegan

Butternut Squash Chili by Julia from The Savory Tooth

Mexican Brown Rice by Swati and Tushar from Watch What U Eat

Vegetarian Enchilada Soup by Melissa from The Stingy Vegan

One Pot Spinach Rice by Swati and Tushar from Watch What U Eat

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30 Easy Vegan One Pot Meals - Vegan Heaven

Greetings! Sunnie and I have been very bad bloggers lately. I thought I would break the drought with a long, long overdue post, and a first of its kind on Vegan8Korean a product review!

One of the biggest challenges of being vegan and eating Korean is the kimchi. Youve got to have kimchi, but so often, the available kimchis in stores are not vegan they have shrimp or other sea animals in them. This isnt always the case, and you can find vegan kimchi, but things get even more complicated if youre trying to find kimchi that doesnt have msg in it either (seriously, why do we need that crap in our healthy, pro-biotic kimchi?!).

We were contacted by the good people at Granny Choes to see if wed be interested in trying out their kimchi. They are available in some stores, but not around here, and so they mailed us over three sample jars in a cold pack. You can buy their kimchi directly from them online, so this was a good opportunity for us to check out how their shipping process works too as they arent yet available in stores in our area.

As you can see in the picture above, their kimchi is actually labeled vegan! Right there on the label! You dont have to look at the ingredients to figure it out yourself what a brilliant concept! Right away we can tell these guys are onto something here. They also dont have msg or artificial preservatives in any of their kimchis. Youre getting legit, healthy kimchi from them.

The three samples they sent us arrived in a cold pack, and we received a jar of the traditional cabbage kimchi, a white kimchi (this is the traditional, non-spicy kimchi that was in Korea before the chili pepper was introduced and transformed Korean cuisine), and one of my very favorite kimchis, ggakdugi, radish cube kimchi.

The first kimchi we sampled was the traditional, cabbage kimchi. Sunnies mom and dad were visiting us (well, visiting their grandson but we were here too), and so we had some hardcore kimchi experts lending their opinions to our review.

Our conclusion yummy! This was a good, solid kimchi. It is definitely a more traditional kimchi, meaning that some kimchis you find in restaurants are quite young and not aged, which makes them less sour, but your traditional kimchi will have a bit of that sour flavor and bite to it and thats a good thing. We had that here and really liked it.

The second kimchi we tried was the white kimchi. Now this is a very mild, non-spicy kimchi. Sunnie loves this kind of kimchi, but Ive never been a big fan of it. I like it better if it is sauteed, which gives it an almost buttery sort of flavor, but otherwise, its a bit mild for me. I go more for big flavors.

However, Sunnie, being a fan of these kind of kimchis, liked this one best of our three samples. Her mom also was a fan of it. The two of them went through this jar pretty quickly, and it was gone first.

The final kimchi we reviewed is one of my favorite kimchis, ggakdugi radish kimchi. This is one that I seldom get because its hard to find a vegan version available locally, and we dont make it as often as we make our regular, cabbage kimchi.

Unfortunately, this one, while very pretty, was our least favorite amongst the three. The main issue was the texture was a little too soft. We want some bite and crispness to it. We were all unanimous in this. I dont know if the softness was from being too warm in shipping, aging (kimchi is probiotic so the bacteria continues to culture and the kimchi changes as it ages), or just preparation, but we definitely wanted more crispness (that being said, I still ate the whole jar).

So, many thanks to Granny Choes for letting us review their kimchi (and apologies for taking so long to get the post up). Its great to have a company making healthy, vegan kimchi available. Check out their website to see if their products are available near you or to place an order directly from them!

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The Vegan 8 Korean | Vegan food is good for your Seoul! : )

The following reviews are written by real-life Genuine Health customers. Individual results may vary.

Really love this protein powder! Of course, i use vanilla! 🙂 I had switched to another vegan brand for a while, and came back to this one. It digests so easily and does not sit heavy like some do. The amino acid profile is nice and high which is difficult to find! Please don't change this formula to anything else! Great stuff!

Vanillabn

I have a problem with bloating. I bought this product thinking that it will help me with gas. After my work out I usually wantto drink my protein powder with plain water. The chocolate flavor texture is very sandy and my stomach got bigger full of gas. My gas was release after 8 hours of embarrassment. I have tried it again after a week and still my experience was the same. Not sure why everyone here is having great experiences. Honestly I have never seen myself so bloated that I have to jump to release my bloatness. Just a thought

Che

I've tried different whey proteins and they always upset my stomach and gave me gas. I have not had an issue with this product. I have vanilla and I genuinely enjoy the taste. I've tried vanilla whey before and it left too much of a milk aftertaste, in a bad way. I find the chocolate flavour a bit too earthy for me, but I'm willing to try it again next time. The coconut flavour also has a nice tropical/pineapple aftertaste so I would recommend that as well! I'm very satisfied and am glad that I can get extra protein in my diet that is vegan and soy free!

eri

I have tried many protein powder formulas over the years and the "Genuine Health unflavored unsweetened fermented vegan proteins+" is by far the best I've ever had hands down. The most necessary factors for me are digestion, absorption. bloat & sustenance. This protein powder offers all of that and more. Aside from being beneficial to your gut, this fermented protein powder is super digestible, therefore allows your body to fully absorb the nutrients it contains giving your system the added benefits it needs. The unflavored formula allows you to add what you desire to your smoothies or other recipes without altering the taste you are trying to create. The added bonus of it being unsweetened is awesome for persons like myself who cannot tolerate stevia. It is getting increasingly difficult to find health products that does not contain stevia. In addition, it is totally loaded with the essential amino acids. Thank you "Genuine Health" for making such a wonderful product !!

Nicky

With no gallbladder I have to be careful what I eat because I get bloated and cramps from hard to digest foods. Some powders I have tried and really bloated me.It was my first time trying this protein powder so I blended it in my Vitamixer with just a cup of cold water for 1 minute, I wanted to get a true idea of the taste and effect without anything extra added.

It was very smooth and creamy with just water, no bad after taste whatsoever. I was very pleasantly impressed, then more impressed by how it made me feel after, it was easy to digest, no bloating or negative effects, I felt great.

So nice to find a great clean protein powder that ticks all the boxes for soy free, vegan, low fat, no agave or anything I have to compromise on. I look forward to trying out other products from this brand.

Calgary lass

Once I tried this protein powder I doubt I will ever switch again, it's easy to digest, high in protein and has a good taste to it. I've been using the unflavoured, but I really enjoy it blended with ice and soy or almond milk! Would highly recommend.

Aliya

Thank you Genuine Health,

Over 50

Over 50

First protein I've found that I've liked!

My naturopath recommended a protein powder and I didn't want one with extra sugar - I also wanted something vegan. My friend told me about this. I purchased it unflavoured - I mix it with water every morning and drink it straight. It tastes just fine, no troubles getting it down and no bloating issues. It's the first protein powder I ever re-purchased.

Criss

Tried numerous protein powders and couldn't find one I liked. Either they were too bland, too sweet, horrible after taste, felt too bloated, or too hungry after. But this stuff is amazing!! Have the protein vanilla and cannot wait to try the chocolate next. Thank you sooo much for this!!

Helena

Yummy for my tummy! No funky side affects.

The best I've ever had. I can feel it hit my system very quickly, and does not make me sick to my stomach whatsoever. No bloating no heavy feeling. After using this protein I really don't have the desire to try anything else. It goes down easily and makes me feel great.

Satisfied Angie

Love, love, love it. The chocolate flavour is so good. I really enjoy blending in a little banana, blueberries, flax seeds and nut butter for a super shake.

Doris

I quite liked the taste of the chocolate flavoured protein+ and am looking forward to trying the vanilla. Having tried quite a few other plant proteins, I find that this one is superior in it's digestibility and unlike the others, there is not a feeling of heaviness or discomfort of any kind, quite the opposite. I feel as though it has a beneficial, nourishing affect that is very agreeable energetically to both physical and mental balance and performance.

Corry

The vanilla taste so good and it keeps me full until lunch time. I recommended this to all of my friends that are trying to lose weight and they love it also. It really works for losing weight.

DJ

Genuine Health's fermented vegan proteins+ has turned this skeptic into a believer! Honestly, I have tried them all and I can't/ won't consume things that don't taste or make me feel great. I tried this protein a few times at various health shows and was never sold on the flavour (I am really sensitive to stevia after-taste). However, after trying many others and never being satisfied I bought a tub from a friend. It was supposed to be the unsweetened unflavoured variety but I ended up with the natural vanilla instead. I dug into it thinking I'd just choke through it and see how it made me feel... this is where things changed. Blended with frozen bananas the vanilla is unreal tasty, smooth, minimal to no after-taste, and the kicker??? I felt AMAZING - no bloat! I have now powered through a tub of the vanilla and onto a tub of the unflavoured which I like equally well. My morning green smoothies used the leave me bloated (even without protein added) and hungry shortly after. I now enjoy my smoothies, I keep them simple (usually water, frozen fruit, fermented vegan proteins+) and I feel so good after for much longer than before. I have been vegetarian/ vegan 3+ years and even before this had low iron/ B12 - I can't say it was the fermented vegan proteins+ for sure made the difference but it's the only real dietary change I've made and my recent blood work showed my ferritin stores doubled and my B12 was off the charts (no supplements being taken). So to sum it up, this product tastes good, makes me feel great, and seems to be doing my health a favour. If you've read this far you're probably wondering why the rave review and only 4 stars? I would do 4.5 if I could and the only reason for the .5 star off is because of the stevia & not all of the ingredients are organic and I would really prefer they were. I won't be without this product though and anyone on the fence should give it a try - it might just change your world!

Stephanie D

We purchased this product a week ago to try it out (vanilla). Dissolves very well in almond milk and doesn't seem to turn to a cement type material if you don't wash the glass right away. Not sure what that says about other protein powders I have used. Tastes good with no chemical after taste like most other protein powders.

calgary couple

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fermented vegan proteins+ | Genuine Health

This past Friday, the vegan world got rocked by an announcement from a formerly vegan blogger who went back to eating meat. Tasha, the former Voracious Vegan, made this announcement on her Voracious Eats blog in a post titled A Vegan No More. Tasha's post nearly perfectly echos numerous aspects of Lierre Keith's Vegetarian Myth, describing how her time as a vegan left her suffering bouts of depression, low energy, B-12 deficiency, and numerous other physical and psychological troubles, and that somehow out of these troubles that very literally boggled her mind, she managed to come to a well-reasoned truth, that the only way to restore her health was through the consumption of animal products once again. She even goes so far as to echo Lierre's signature line that life requires death. Ginny Messina over at The Vegan RD does an excellent job of pointing out this similarity with Lierre's book, along with discussing how poorly several of her health issues were addressed by a doctor who seemed set on merely echoing the Weston A Price Foundation's selling points.

One thing this event emphasized for me, however, was the importance of skepticism in the animal rights movement, both in the message we sell to non-vegans and in correcting the misinformation we hear from other vegans.

In the post Tasha describes how she had been told, and had unskeptically accepted, that a vegan diet would be a miraculous panacea for her health.

I think Ginny (the Vegan RD) makes an excellent point about what causes some vegans to fail.

I have talked with Jamie of Skeptical Vegan and we have agreed to go through several of the new pseudo-scientific claims being made by the Voracious Eats blog in greater detail.

One of the best bits of skepticism I saw in response to the Voracious Eats post, however, was a comment left on Reddit in response.

Seriously, how many closet meat-eating vegan bloggers would out themselves after a simple email?

While I can agree that maintaining a healthy vegan diet can be difficult and perhaps impossible for some people I just can't believe this article which is so obviously playing on misplaced emotions to persuade the reader.

See the original post here:

Vegan Skeptic: A Vegan No More

for those of you who use Facebook, and are members of the vegan humour group, you may have noticed that some peoples feathers were ruffled when someone decided to discuss the vegan ryan gosling memes.

i would just like to clarify that Ryan Gosling is NOT VEGAN (he eats meat - there is no sugar coating that fact) however I never stated that he was, this site was merely created as a take on the hey girl ryan gosling meme, which can be read about here.

Ryan has spoken out about some animal rights issues which is great for any person who is in the spotlight, to use their popularity and fame to highlight, however the beautiful babe that is The Gos isnt vegan.

a re-post from PETA featuring our favourite man.

liljamonster asked: Can we make a compromise? Best friends with R.G and almost overwhelming sexual tension between us and only a few months supply of tofu?

oh my god. as if you could resist the unbearable sexual tension! I would take Ryan any day!

not vegan related, but oh god dont you just love him?!

(via killert)

Happy Holidays! I hope everyone had/is having a lovely holiday season.

From our friends at The Staple Store in Melbourne, Australia.@thestaplestore

liljamonster asked: I have found the blog of my dreams. Goodness gracious darling this is just fabulous.

thank you, thank you xx

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Vegan Ryan Gosling

The Next NYC Vegan Drinks!

Thursday, September 26, 2013. 7pm-10pm.benefits Vegan OutreachFood from Killer Vergan21+. At Fontana's Bar105 Eldridge Street, Lower East Side, NYC [map]

This website is the headquarters for Vegan Drinks in New York City. The next event will be Thursday, September 26, 2013 at Fontana's Bar at 105 Eldridge Street, Lower East Side, NYC.

We'll be in the back, in the two-story Chandelier Room (don't worry, despite the name it's not too fancy).

RSVP on Facebook if you like. (It's fun to see who else is going!!)

The September 26 Vegan Drinks benefits Vegan Outreach, "a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the suffering of farmed animals by promoting informed, ethical eating. This is done through the widespread distribution of illustrated leaflets mainly to college students that show what animals endure in factory farms and slaughterhouses".

We'll have food from Killer Vegan!

Raffle prizes include:

Vegan Drinks is a monthly social networking* event for people interested in promoting veganism and advocating for animal rights. Vegan Drinks mission is to bring together a diverse group of peoplefrom cupcake aficionados to animal lawyers to veg*ns of all stripes in betweento build new coalitions and promote the sharing of resources. Vegan Drinks is for newbies and oldies. All we expect is an interest in animal rights, veganism and the pursuit of after-work fun. Show up and introduce yourself, pass around business cards (if you've got em) and embarrass yourself at least once an hour.

Vegan Drinks takes place the last Thursday of the month (usually; check the date to be sure!) from 7pm to 10pm. It's an alcohol-based event and it's at a bar, so you have to be at least 21 years old.

If you have questions or comments, contact us at info@vegandrinks.org.

There is no dress code. If you come straight from work in a suit, we promise not to make fun of you. Entrance is free, but the booze is not. Remember to tip your friendly bartender!

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Vegan Drinks

Hello web-land!

I have exciting news for all of you!

I am one of the final folks reviewing Laura's newest cookbook, Jazzy Vegetarian's Deliciously Vegan [AMAZON]and am hosting a giveaway for a copy of the book to one lucky US resident!

For those not able to take part in the giveaway, I am sharing an exclusive recipe - one that hasn't been posted yet (that Google and I can find, anyway - please don't tell me if you do find it elsewhere; let me live in my bubble).

More in the great news department: The Jazzy Vegetarian Season Six will start on May 28th! Catch it on Create TV or on Laura's station: HERE.

This is Laura's fourth cookbook and I could hardly wait to see what she came up with this time! I find something new in Laura's book with regular frequency, so for me, this was really exciting!

And of course, my favorite thing in all of her books: the menus!

I am such a sucker for menus! I love to serve 'complete' meals and a menu is a great way to make sure of that -- all headache-free.

So that's where I started, the Menus. And this is what I found:

Yeah, I am a brunch-aholic. I love reviewing brunch items because, frankly, brunch is hard to make vegan, with all the cheese and eggs that are usually involved. Laura seems to have made it with perfection.

And then I looked at the ingredients in the recipes and the ingredients in my fridge. We get CSA so we don't always have just exactly what is called for, so a bit of editing of the menu brought me to this...

And then I realized I didn't get blueberries this week, but I did get strawberries, so the cake turned into Strawberry Tea Cakes. Since dessert usually has to be made well beforehand, the cake came out of the oven first -- smelling amazing, by the way.

(Why bake bread at home: store bought has its own legacy of troubles, but for me the biggest is the plastic bag they come in. I can buy great, organic, wholesome, delicious bread, but they come in plastic bags. To save the plastic, I bake our bread.)

Unfortunately, I don't have a photo for the French Toast Bake due to cook's error.

Simply put, I messed up the directions (my fault, 100%) and the bake didn't look like it should have and I didn't want to taint Laura's recipe. In any case, it came out tasting great and disappeared as soon as I put it on the table.

The other main dish on the menu is a quiche cup. Zucchini season is already on us here, in San Diego, so these miniature quiches, Zucchini Quiche Cups with Rustic Bread Crusts, were destined to be.

This is a really simple recipe but supremely tasty. My eldest daughter couldn't keep her hands off them! Nicely done, Laura. She is extremely discerning!

How about, instead of a fruit salad, confetti fries? See how my brain works? Not very logically, I'm afraid.

The recipe, Colorful Confetti Fries, calls for sweet potatoes and russets, and ... (you can probably see where I'm going with this) ... my CSA brought me kholrabi and sweet potatoes, not russets.

Nevertheless, Laura's recipes are pretty flexible and this one was no exception. Any root vegetable would be great here so don't be shy.

In addition to the root vegetables being air-fried and the zucchini in the quiche, I wanted to serve another vegetable.

I saw this recipe in the book: Green Beans and Tomatoes. I happen to have both in spades right now, and the recipe was so easy, and looked so good, that onto the "Wow! Weekend Brunch 2" it went!

Isn't it a pretty color combination? Pretty food also happens to taste good!

To round off the menu, a drink is always appropriate.

In fact, when I told my daughter that we were having the brunch, her first question was what kind of drink will we be having with it. Her usual go-to is a big batch of some kind of iced tea, but she was very happy with Laura's Green Julius Smoothie.

To make up for the lack of a photo of the French Toast Bake, I offer you a photo of the complete Strawberry Tea Cakes. They are both spectacular dishes.

As always, first I want to share a recipe with you from the book. This time I wanted to pick something that was not shared already and something that shows you that this isn't just a brunch book, it's also a lunch, dinner, snack, dessert book!

It is full of healthy and delicious recipes that are easy and pretty fast to make. And each one has Laura's unique Jazzy spin.

Take the recipe below for a spin, or have a look at some of the other recipes being shared on this tour:

Details:

When: April 29 - May 7, 2018

Who: US Residents only

How: Enter in the Rafflecopter below

Gingered Portobello Steaks

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

These delicious mushroom steaks taste and look much like a conventional steak, making a great substitute for a meat entre. I like to serve this snazzy dish for dinner parties, but it is easy enough to make for a weeknight meal, too!

3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed

6 large (or 8 medium) portobello mushrooms, washed and stems removed

2 tablespoons tamari

1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Line a rimmed baking sheet, large enough to accommodate a single layer of the mushrooms, with unbleached parchment paper. Brush about 1/2 teaspoon olive oil (in a thin layer) on each mushroom cap, then flip the mushrooms over and arrange them gill-side up on the prepared baking sheet.

To make the marinade, put 21/2 tablespoons of olive oil and the tamari into a small bowl and briskly whisk to combine. Add the ginger, garlic, maple syrup and cayenne pepper and whisk to combine. Spoon an equal amount (about 2 teaspoons or so) of the marinade evenly over the gills of each mushroom. Cover with foil and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to let the flavors marry.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the mushrooms for 35 to 50 minutes (see note) or until they are almost soft. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or until the mushrooms are golden and becoming caramelized.

Let the mushrooms rest at room temperature for 5 minutes. Transfer each mushroom onto a cutting board and cut into thick slices, on the bias. Serve 1 to 2 mushrooms per person, with rice, quinoa, or potatoes and a green veggie on the side.

CHEFS NOTE: Baking time will vary depending upon the thickness of your mushrooms. Thinner mushrooms will require a shorter baking time, while thicker mushrooms will need to bake longer.

Recipe by Laura Theodore, from JazzyVegetarian's Deliciously Vegan. Published by Scribe Publishing, 2018, reprinted by permission.

Read the rest here:

Zsu's Vegan Pantry

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This list of cruelty-free brandsincludes only brands that we can be sure are cruelty-free and offervegan options.

PressCtrl + F on Windows or Command + F on a Mac to open a search box. Type in the brand name you wish to find and hit Enter. If the brand is listed, your browser should scroll to it automatically.

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Cruelty-Free Brand List - Logical Harmony