peta2 Loves Slaughterhouse? October 23, 2009

Posted by Marta at October 23, 2009 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

Hey there ladies and gents! Renee here, on the road with Tech N9ne. We've been combing our way out west through Seattle, Spokane, and Portland on our way to California. We've met a lot of interesting people along the way ...

The hard work is paying off in our efforts to promote awareness of the suffering that occurs in McDonald's suppliers' slaughterhouses. I'm hatin' it! Each night we make new friends and couldn't be happier with the amazing guys in Slaughterhouse. The guys were cool enough to stop by to check out the table and say hello!


The road has been treating us well ... off to Cali!

Greetings everyone. Daniel here! Glad to be back on the road with peta2. It's been a rowdy week since I've been back with the team doing college outreach. First we hit up Hunter College in Manhattan, New York, to help students expand the vegan options in their dining halls, and we even risked our health passing out McCruelty leaflets outside of McDonald's in the cold rain.


While in NYC we were able to catch some great eats all around town. We visited the unearthly Foodswings vegan fast food joint in Brooklyn on multiple occasions for some intense faux-wing eating sessions. On Friday Joey, Franny, Tyler, and I all participated in a food challenge of gluttonous proportions: Back to back vegan lunches at the world famous Red Bamboo and Vegetarian's Paradise 2 restaurants in Greenwich Village. This consisted of delicious soul-chicken sandwiches, malaysian mango chicken, and pepper steak dishes, to name a few. Tyler and I officially won the challenge because we topped off our two hefty meals with vegan Oreo cheesecake. Our travels then took us to Columbus, Ohio, where we reached out to the Buckeyes at Ohio State University about what happens to chickens in McDonald's suppliers' slaughterhouses.


We fueled ourselves for these outreach operations with the great pastries, cookies, and muffins of Pattycake vegan bakery just up the road from the school. We passed through Akron, Ohio, earlier on our way to Kent State University, and we had some hearty vegan pizza at the elegant Vegiterranean restaurant.


Life is good out on the road. We're reaching people everyday for the animals and we're downing some serious meals all along the way—which goes to show that being vegan is fun and easy no matter where you are. Get stuffed!

-Renee and Daniel

peta2's Sandwich of the Week: Round 2! September 24, 2009

Posted by Cody Ammerman at September 24, 2009 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Howdy ladies and gents! Last week Rachel introduced you to one of her favorite sandwiches, and this week it's my turn. Since I grew in a small town in Indiana I like to keep things pretty simple, and this sandwich is pretty much the definition of simple. I want to introduce you to my BLATMmm!

What does BLATMmm stand for you ask? Well, it's faux bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato, and vegan mozzarella. It's pretty easy to find all of the necessary ingredients for this masterpiece, and it's pretty affordable! Last night I went to my local health food store to pick up some of Lightlife's Smart Bacon and Tofutti's soy mozzarella, but I've noticed that these products are starting to appear in larger super markets if you don't have a health food store near you. Here are some steps of how to prepare such a simple meal:

-Wash the tomato, and cut into slices. I personally like them not too thick, but not too thin.
-Cut the avocado in half.
-Warm up the stove to medium-high heat (or follow the heating instructions on the faux bacon package), and when ready toss the strips onto a skillet for a couple of minutes.
-Toast your favorite kind of bread. I'm a fan of wheat bread and I like it lightly toasted.
-Once the bread is toasted, I like to place a slice of vegan cheese on both pieces of bread. On the bottom piece I put down the avocado on top of the soy cheese, lettuce, and tomato. When the faux bacon is ready, toss the strips on top of the tomato(es)!

That's pretty much it! Since Wednesday nights are usually my movie nights, I invited my friend chocolate soy milk to the party and we enjoyed a flick. Y'all keep up the great work, and keep getting those petitions signed for more veg options at your schools (don't forget to sign up and join the Street Team to get the points)! Let us know if you make this, and shoot any ideas you have for another sandwich to peta2@peta2.com!

Introducing: peta2 Sandwich of the Week! September 17, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O at September 17, 2009 9:20 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 6 ) | TrackBack

Let me set the scene: Your school's vegan options suck—between french fries, iceberg lettuce and potato chips, you're getting a little fed up. You're gathering petitions to get more veg options, and talking to your lunch ladies about serving up some real food, but that's all taking a bit of time. What can you do for lunch right now?

peta2's got you covered. Every week we're going to be comin' up with something creative, but easy to put together, find ingredients for, and obviously easy to eat, for you to bring to lunch! These should make for happy stomachs, and good outreach because while your corpse munching friends are digging into their mystery meat, you'll have food that was tested out by vegan food experts. Trust us—we know vegan food!

I'm starting the blog out with some of my favorite things thrown together:

• Tofurky (any variety will do—I love original, and the new "cranberry and stuffing," pictured here!).
• Sesame tahini hummus—OK, if you haven't had hummus yet, and you're veg, get to it! Hummus can go on pretty much anything and make it amazing. Example? This sandwich. It can be a main dish, a side dish, a dip, or a spread. It's essential!
• Mustard, lettuce, sprouts, bread—these are self explanatory. I love mustard, in fact, some have said I have a small obsession. And I love sprouts. If you don't, leave 'em off! Vegan mayo is also an acceptable condiment for this (again, if you don't have vegan mayo in your life, WTF?).

So where do you get this stuff? Cody and I took a quick trip to Trader Joe's last night, but you can find this stuff at any small (or large) health food store in your area. Obviously, sprouts, lettuce, and mustard can be found at any grocery store—and chances are, you already have most of those in the fridge. Tofurky is great because it's super cheap, and is my favorite faux meat of all time—and it's got some pretty fierce competition. You can usually find Tofurky slices and hummus in stores for less than $5 each—so whether you're spending your own money, or asking your parents to shell it out for you, it shouldn't be too big of a deal.


No picture of food would be complete without my cat Lily Monster trying to eat it! :)

Let us know if you try this and love it! And feel free to send us suggestions at peta2@peta2.com—if there's something you'd like us to try out, or a sandwich you love to make, let us know!

It's 9:30, Do You Know Where To Go In Washington, DC? September 1, 2009

Posted by Cody Ammerman at September 1, 2009 4:43 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 ) | TrackBack

Okay, so it's really not 9:30 unless you're actually reading this at 9:30. I'm writing again to share my love for yet another venue, and this one happens to be in one of my favorite cities in the United States—Washington, DC. The 9:30 Club is one of the most 'happening' places in DC and has featured bands like Cobra Starship, Bayside, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Between The Buried And Me on their stage. Not only do they bring some of the best bands to DC but they happen to have a kitchen that offers one helluva vegan chili!

If you live in/near Washington, DC, and would like to help the peta2 DC Street Team out at events at the 9:30 Club, make sure you join the Street Team, and drop us a line at peta2@peta2.com!

Top 10 Faux-Chicken Sandwiches in the U.S. August 18, 2009

Posted by Marta at August 18, 2009 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 9 ) | TrackBack

Warning: this blog will likely make you very hungry. Check out what Amy from the VegCooking blog has to say about the Top 10 faux-chicken sandwiches in the U.S. Do you have a favorite you don't see on the list (even it's made right in your own kitchen)? Comment with it below! And if you're near one of these restaurants below, you better get to giving this deliciousness a try! I've tried #2, #4, and #10—yum!

You may remember that back in June I asked for your help finding the best faux chicken sandwiches in North America. We read through your suggestions and taste-tested as much faux-chicken as we could get our hands on, and we've finally tallied the results in our quest to name some of the best mock meats on restaurant menus around the country.

And the Top 10 Faux-Chicken Sandwiches in the U.S. are ...

1. Green New American Vegetarian, Tempe, Arizona: The Secret BBQ Chicken Sandwich features mock chicken topped with caramelized onions and peppers slathered in espresso BBQ sauce. The sandwich is also served with vegan mayo and your choice of thyme fries, curry pasta salad, tahini coleslaw, or fresh fruit.

2. Govinda's Gourmet Vegetarian, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Philly's most famous sandwich, but with a twist! The Vegan Philly Chicken Cheese Steak has soy chicken and rainbow peppers grilled in olive oil and topped with soy cheese. The sandwich is served on a sesame seed roll, a whole wheat roll, or a wrap.

3. Veggie Grill, Orange County, California: This SoCal location offers a Bayou Chickin' Sandwich, featuring veggie chicken that is lightly blackened with Cajun spices, dressed with lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, and spicy vegan mayo on a wheat bun, and served with a side of red cabbage slaw.

4. Native Foods, Southern California: Native Foods is known for its interestingly named menu items, and the Chicken Run Ranch Burger is no exception. The sandwich features crispy battered "save the chicken," vegan ranch dressing, lettuce, carrots, and onion served on an organic wheat and sprouted brown rice ciabatta roll.

5. Red Bamboo, New York City: The Chicken Parmesan Hero at one of NYC's many vegetarian eateries takes fifth place with a sandwich made from breaded soy chicken with vegan mozzarella cheese, smothered in sweet basil marinara sauce and served on Italian bread.

6. Pizza Lucé, Minneapolis: Pizza Lucé's Mock Chicken Dijon—a mock-chicken patty seasoned with Dijon mustard and topped with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and banana peppers served on a toasted bun—puts Minneapolis on the list in sixth place.

7. VegiTerranean, Akron, Ohio: Chrissie Hynde's restaurant comes in at number seven for the Grilled Gardein Bruschetta Pomodoro Panini. The sandwich comes with balsamic basil marinated tomatoes and soy mozzarella and is accompanied by a grilled vegetable orzo salad.

8. Foodswings, Brooklyn, New York: Foodswings' No Chicken Caesar Club is made with grilled mock chicken, crisp romaine lettuce, tomato, black olives, and vegan Caesar dressing and is served on warm Italian bread.

9. Vertical Diner, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Breaded Chicken Sandwich is served on French bread, 7-grain bread, or a tortilla wrap and comes with lettuce, tomato, onion, and Vertical Sauce, with a choice of tortilla chips or carrot sticks.

10. Red Dog Saloon, Norfolk, Virginia: Red Dog serves a sandwich made with fried Chickette served on a roll with lettuce, tomato, and chips.

peta2 Sticker Cake! August 5, 2009

Posted by Marta at August 5, 2009 5:11 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 6 ) | TrackBack

Check out this super cute and delicious looking vegan cake that peta2 Street Teamer Melissa made!

Melissa told us that she and her best friend have a tradition where they make one another a birthday cake as a birthday gift, and that since she and her friend are both vegans, she of course made it vegan! She chose to use the golden vanilla cake recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (for other vegan cake ideas, check this out). Melissa topped the cake off with a lemon butter cream frosting (vegan, of course) that she added raspberries to for that lovely pink color.

I absolutely love that she got creative with her peta2 stickers to decorate the cake by taking two of the same sticker and sticking a toothpick between them. The cake definitely sent a strong message to the rest of the party!

What kind of animal rights message would you like to add to the top of a delicious cake?

Being a Jewish Vegan August 3, 2009

Posted by Marta at August 3, 2009 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 5 ) | TrackBack

Here's a special guest post from my fellow peta2 staffer and cookbook co-author Starza about being Jewish and vegan. Enjoy!
-Marta

I was raised Jewish and my family kept a kosher household—that's right, we had "meat" plates and "dairy" plates that had to be kept separate, and you couldn't eat meat if the meal had dairy and vice versa. Because of this, my brother and I would often fantasize about cheeseburgers, pepperoni pizza, and what would happen if we secretly ate steak on a "dairy" plate.

I decided to go vegetarian a few months after my Bat Mitzvah because I didn't want animals to suffer for my meals. I found out that veganism was automatically kosher because there's no worry about whether or not a meal had meat or dairy in it. On top of that, I could eat "cheese" burgers and "pepperoni" pizza by using their faux alternatives. I even ventured out and made the most un-Kosher-but-Kosher-because-it's-vegan snack I could think of—"ham" roll-ups—which were crazy delicious! There's a recipe for them in PETA's Vegan College Cookbook which I'm also sharing with you here, so that you too can experience their Koshery goodness!

Sham "Ham" Roll-Ups

You've always wanted to make something with chives because they sound fancy—admit it.

1 (8-ounce) container vegan cream cheese
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 (5.5-ounce) package vegan ham deli slices

Mix the cream cheese, chives, salt, and pepper together. Spread
the mixture on the deli slices and roll up. Use a toothpick to
hold together.

Makes 4 servings.

If you're curious about vegetarianism, Judaism, and how they are related, check out this article. It explains how the act of being vegetarian is a mitzvah (good deed) and a form of tzedakah (charitable giving)—something all Jews are required to practice on a regular basis.

So there you go, yet another reason why being vegetarian rocks. I know my Bubbe would be proud!

Shalom!

-Starza

Camping: It's All About the Vegan Food August 3, 2009

Posted by Ryan at August 3, 2009 8:17 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 5 ) | TrackBack

Taking breaks is important.

Working 24/7 to help animals can be a draining experience, which is why when I need some time to clear my head, I venture off into the wilderness.

Most recently, I took an extended vacation in a national park, and went camping with some friends. Of course, what fun would camping be without delicious vegan food cooked over an open flame?

Here's a little recap of some of the many tasty treats I cooked up in the woods:

First off, everyone knows it's not a camping trip without throwin' the veggie burgers on the grill. I topped mine with veggie chili, and served them with grilled corn-on-the-cob on the side.

10 minutes over the campfire, and voila!



Of course, you've got to have dessert. For me, that means homemade cinnamon apples. Using a trick I learned many eons ago in the Boy Scouts, you just core out an apple, fill in the middle with Fireball candies, wrap it in tin foil, and throw it directly into the fire until the candy melts. You'll end up with a spiced apple treat that can't be beat!



For snacktime though, it's all about the vegan "pigs" in a blanket. It's super-easy: just take crescent rolls (accidentally vegan, incase you didn't know), and wrap them around your favorite veggie dogs. Hold it over an open flame until the roll gets fluffy and light brown, and enjoy!





P.S. One of the best parts about camping in the woods are the woodland friends that come to visit! I call this picture "Checking the Ingredients, to Make Sure It's Vegan" ...

What Will You Be Grilling This 4th of July? June 30, 2009

Posted by Marta at June 30, 2009 1:11 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 18 ) | TrackBack

I dream about BBQs. Seriously—there is absolutely no better way to spend a Saturday afternoon with friends and family! From chilling out on my parents' deck back in Cali with teriyaki-marinated veggie skewers on the grill to lounging in my friends' backyard here in VA with the delicious scent of veggie dogs and faux chicken burgers wafting at me from the grill, life just doesn't get any better.

Of course, things can sometimes get a tad uncomfortable with people scarfing down animals left and right around you—which is why I'm bringing you peta2's tips for surviving (and loving) 4th of July:

• Be prepared. Don't just sit around complaining that there's not going to be anything you can eat at your family's BBQ. Get off your butt and go to the store to get all your fave fixins.
• Sharing is caring. People love vegan food—most people just don't know how much they love it yet, so be sure to make enough of your deliciousness for others to devour too.
• Don't bring your fightin' face to the party. You may feel defensive and people might try to give you a hard time, but you are so much stronger than that. Show them that just because you don't eat meat doesn't mean you're an angry person who is going to snap at any minute.
• Eat until your heart's content. If you've got more sway with the menu, the possibilities are endless: grilled potatoes, veggie dogs & burgers, potato salad, vegan coleslaw, baked beans, huge chunks of watermelon, lots of chips and dip, black bean and corn salad, grilled garlic bread, and one of my personal favorites: grilled corn on the cob.

Corn on the cob and veggie burgers!

And if you're in the mood for something new, here are a few tasty recipes to try out:

• BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches Topped With Multicolor Slaw
• Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steaks
• Grilled Asparagus

Now lately, I've been thinking more and more about the best topping for veggie burgers. Some faves of mine include sautéed spinach and onions or BBQ sauce with onion rings. What's your preference? Let me know, so I can try it out!

Make Something for Your Dad This Father's Day! June 16, 2009

Posted by Marta at June 16, 2009 4:43 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 6 ) | TrackBack

Since so many of you loved making a cake for your mom this past Mother's Day, we wanted to make sure that your dad got in on the good eats too. And we couldn't think of a better way for you to show how much you appreciate him on Father's Day than by dishing him up a big, homemade, delicious breakfast! Here's a recipe for you to impress your meat-loving dad with, straight out of PETA's Vegan College Cookbook. This recipe is ridiculously easy and I could eat vats of it because I love it. Yummmm.

Toasty Sausage Surprise

The surprise? Your omni friends will never know this isn't real sausage.

1 (14-ounce) tube veggie sausage, crumbled
2 cups soy milk
2 tablespoons vegan margarine
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup flour
6 slices of bread, toasted

Mix together the sausage, soy milk, margarine, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Heat for 3 minutes, then add a dash of flour while stirring. Heat for an additional 2 minutes. Repeat this flour-adding process until the mixture is thick. Place toast on plates and top with the sausage mixture.

Makes 3 servings.

Serve this up with some of your fave breakfast foods (I personally like hashed browns, fresh fruit, OJ, and tofu scramble), and your dad will totally give your cell back to you after you sent way too many texts last month. Well, maybe not, but it doesn't hurt to try, right?

E-mail StreetTeam@peta2.com a picture of your Toasty Sausage Surprise and let us know what your dad thought of it and we'll give you 1,000 Street Team points.

Happy eating!



P.S. Have you gotten a copy of PETA's Vegan College Cookbook yet? What are you waiting for?! It'll make your life easier and more delicious. Seriously.