Ditch the Pot (Roast), Michael Phelps! February 3, 2009

Posted by Ryan at February 3, 2009 1:16 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 13 ) | TrackBack

As you may have heard, world-famous Olympian Michael Phelps was recently busted using marijuana for what could only be described as a non-medical purpose (he was partying at the University of South Carolina).

Reading from the standard celebrity script, Phelps acknowledged "regrettable behavior" and said that he "demonstrated bad judgment", as if he tripped and fell onto a bong or something. He has, however, previously denied using any performance-enhancing drugs (though anyone with a stoner friend knows that "performance-enhancing" probably doesn't apply in this situation).

Of course, we're peta2, not the DEA, so what we're more concerned about is what kind of "munchies" this superstar athlete is chowing down on after his "regrettable" behavior. That's why we thought it'd be a good idea to place this tongue-in-cheek billboard around the USC campus, you know, as a public service announcement to all of the little Phelpses (Phelpsi?) out there...

Meet Sam The Vegetarian Football Player! February 2, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at February 2, 2009 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 10 ) | TrackBack

So the Super Bowl is over and all across the US, people are talking about the big game.

What better time to introduce you to Sam? He's a sixteen year old football player from Massachusetts. And he's been a vegetarian for his entire life! Sam was cool enough to answer some questions about his experience as a vegetarian for you all, so take a read...

Why are you vegetarian?
I was initially a vegetarian because I was raised that way by my mom, but once I could choose whether I wanted to eat meat or not, I remained a vegetarian out of compassion for animals.

What are your favorite sports?
Football, basketball, and track are my favorite sports although I enjoy almost all sports. I am co-captain of the school football team for next year and I also run outdoor track for the school.

How do your teammates react when they find out you're vegetarian?
Usually, the immediate response I get is a series of questions: "Wait, you're a vegetarian? What do you eat? Have you ever even tried meat? But it tastes so good!" If I don't know the kid that well, he'll usually leave me alone after that, but if it's someone I'm familiar with, they'll usually say "I'm taking you to McDonalds" or something like that. Some kids are really nice about it. They'll say "Man, that's cool. I wish I could be a vegetarian, but meat just tastes too good." I get a lot of crap for it, and I'm the only vegetarian on the team, so there's no one to back me up, but I don't mind it that much because I known my teammates are just joking around.

What do you generally eat for lunch at school?
I bring my own lunch so I don't have to deal with the school food. It's usually a sandwich (with some sort of fake meat on it)... I mean, I mix it up a little bit, but that's what my lunch usually consists of.

Are your parents supportive of your vegetarianism?
Absolutely. I live with my mom, step dad, and brother, and we're all vegetarians. My mom has been a vegetarian since she was 12 and raised me and my brother as vegetarians. My biological dad eats meat, but he's 100% in support of me and my brother.

Any tips for people interested in trying out vegetarianism?
Yeah. You can substitute a lot of the meat that you eat with fake meat. I eat fake meat with most of my meals, and I particularly like the Morningstar brand as do many of my meat eating friends. They say that it doesn't really taste like the real stuff, but that it tastes really good. In fact, I have a couple of friends that have completely given up real bacon and sausage for the Morningstar meatless versions.

Thanks to Sam for taking the time to answer these questions. If you eat animals why not take the pledge to be veg and see how you feel? Sam gave you some quick food tips, and there are lots more suggestions at http://www.peta2.com/STUFF/s-recipe.asp. You should tell your school to make the lunches healthier and more humane, too!

Enjoy your week!

Meet Sam The Vegetarian Football Player! February 2, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at February 2, 2009 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 10 ) | TrackBack

So the Super Bowl is over and all across the US, people are talking about the big game.

What better time to introduce you to Sam? He's a sixteen year old football player from Massachusetts. And he's been a vegetarian for his entire life! Sam was cool enough to answer some questions about his experience as a vegetarian for you all, so take a read...

Why are you vegetarian?
I was initially a vegetarian because I was raised that way by my mom, but once I could choose whether I wanted to eat meat or not, I remained a vegetarian out of compassion for animals.

What are your favorite sports?
Football, basketball, and track are my favorite sports although I enjoy almost all sports. I am co-captain of the school football team for next year and I also run outdoor track for the school.

How do your teammates react when they find out you're vegetarian?
Usually, the immediate response I get is a series of questions: "Wait, you're a vegetarian? What do you eat? Have you ever even tried meat? But it tastes so good!" If I don't know the kid that well, he'll usually leave me alone after that, but if it's someone I'm familiar with, they'll usually say "I'm taking you to McDonalds" or something like that. Some kids are really nice about it. They'll say "Man, that's cool. I wish I could be a vegetarian, but meat just tastes too good." I get a lot of crap for it, and I'm the only vegetarian on the team, so there's no one to back me up, but I don't mind it that much because I known my teammates are just joking around.

What do you generally eat for lunch at school?
I bring my own lunch so I don't have to deal with the school food. It's usually a sandwich (with some sort of fake meat on it)... I mean, I mix it up a little bit, but that's what my lunch usually consists of.

Are your parents supportive of your vegetarianism?
Absolutely. I live with my mom, step dad, and brother, and we're all vegetarians. My mom has been a vegetarian since she was 12 and raised me and my brother as vegetarians. My biological dad eats meat, but he's 100% in support of me and my brother.

Any tips for people interested in trying out vegetarianism?
Yeah. You can substitute a lot of the meat that you eat with fake meat. I eat fake meat with most of my meals, and I particularly like the Morningstar brand as do many of my meat eating friends. They say that it doesn't really taste like the real stuff, but that it tastes really good. In fact, I have a couple of friends that have completely given up real bacon and sausage for the Morningstar meatless versions.

Thanks to Sam for taking the time to answer these questions. If you eat animals why not take the pledge to be veg and see how you feel? Sam gave you some quick food tips, and there are lots more suggestions at http://www.peta2.com/STUFF/s-recipe.asp. You should tell your school to make the lunches healthier and more humane, too!

Enjoy your week!

Wolle Nyvelt: Vegetarian Snowboarder of the Year! December 23, 2008

Posted by Shannon Phillips at December 23, 2008 5:27 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Any snowboarding fans out there?

teadrinker/CC

Popular snowboarding magazine, TransWorld Snowboarding, recently named their Riders Poll Rider of the Year for 2008! This is an award that is decided on by the pros, so it's a huge honor, and it basically means that you rock faces off. Just sayin'.

This year's winner was Wolle Wolfgang Nyvelt, a 9 year vegetarian—go figure! To be a successful snowboarder, one must brave the cold, have ultimate dedication, and have high energy and good health.

High energy and good health was no problem for Wolle—in his interview with TransWorld (December 2008), he has this to say about his diet:

"When I first became a vegetarian, I had some people around me who were totally poison-free, who were just kind of an inspiration—they showed me some books... there are lots of different strategies, but what's important is being conscious about your body and finding out what's best for you. Not to sound too proud about it, but these days with so many people living on the world, vegetarians can feel good about this choice."

Well done, Wolle! You're living proof that you can shred better than the best of them, meat-free!

Want more Wolle? Check out 10 Questions with Wolle Nyvelt at TransWorld, and watch him in action here!

Esther Hahn: Vegan Pro-Surfer! December 8, 2008

Posted by Shannon Phillips at December 8, 2008 2:06 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 5 ) | TrackBack

When she's not jet setting around the country, surfing the biggest waves, or blogging about her travels, pro-surfer Esther Hahn is baking delicious vegan meals and being a friend to animals. Check out her Q&A and guest recipe blog below! - xo, shan

Photo by Navi Naveez

How did you start surfing?
I learned how to surf, at a very basic level, around the 5th grade. But I didn't take surfing seriously until I was 14 and started entering contests. I had a wonderful mentor in Jimmy Miller, a local Manhattan Beach surfing legend, who encouraged me to pursue surfing both as a sport and as a passion.

When did you decide to become vegan?
I dabbled in vegetarianism, off and on, throughout high school. But during my freshman year at Yale, I fell very ill and nothing seemed to help me recover. I decided to put Yale's extensive library to good use and read up on the importance of diet in relation to health. The many detriments of consuming animal products clearly outweighed the arguments tending toward the positive. Once on a vegan diet, I noticed my health drastically improved and I haven't looked back since!

Do you find it difficult to travel and surf as a vegan?
I actually feel more energized as a vegan. I think consuming large amounts of animal products, especially dairy, can take a toll on the body. So I feel better, both physically and mentally, surfing as a vegan. In terms of travel, yes, it can be difficult but I'm constantly surprised by how easily adaptable a vegan diet can be. Grains, vegetables, and beans are fairly universal foods.

What companies do you currently surf for?
At the moment, I surf for Bing Surfboards, Airblaster, Power Balance, ZJ Boarding House, Lan Chi Foods, and JAMU Healthy Earth Drinks

Esther's Black Bean Brownies

As a vegan, professional athlete, I love that these brownies are not only healthy but also packed with protein! The recipe is a breeze to throw together and easily adaptable to different spices based on personal preferences.

Ingredients:
1 can black beans
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup evaporated cane juice
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbs canola oil
3/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla

Optional:
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to to 350 and spray an 8" x 8" baking dish with canola oil.
2. Begin by pureeing the black beans in a food processor. Once the beans are as smooth as possible add the rest of the ingredients except for the optional walnuts and chocolate chips and continue to blend. Occasionally stop the processor and scrape down the sides in order to fully incorporate the mixture.
3. Once the mixture is blended smooth, fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips with a spatula.
4. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish and bake for 27 minutes or until brownies appear set and firm.
5. Remove from oven and allow brownies to cool completely before cutting and serving.