Chelsea Musick: The Vegan Country Singer June 6, 2008
Posted by Pulin Modi at June 6, 2008 2:23 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 5 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
Vegan vegetarian Chelsea Musick country
I'm a big fan of music. It's about the best thing in the world other than playing soccer or eating vegan ice cream. When fourteen year old country singer Chelsea Musick told me that she's vegan and into peta2, I was really excited and wanted to feature her on our site. In case you haven't noticed, we don't tend to come across many vegetarian or vegan country singers.
Check out this quick interview with Chelsea:
How long have you been vegetarian/vegan?
I started out being a vegetarian when I was 10 years old...but now I'm a vegan.
Why did you go vegetarian/vegan?
I think it is cruel to murder an animal like people do, then eat it. The way that they kill them is wrong. Plus, the thought of eating animals, is gross!
What is your advice to those looking to go vegetarian or vegan?
Try it slow...there's A LOT of food out there for us... so go for it! :-)
What are your favorite foods?
VEGGIES!! haha. I love veggie burgers. Vegan steak and sausage is reallllly good too.
How would you describe your music?
Country-Country/Pop-Country/Christian
Where can people learn more about your music projects?
www.chelseamusick.com and www.myspace.com/chelseamusick.
Anything else you would like to add?
Go for your dreams. GO VEGGIE! GO GREEN! (haha, that rhymed :-D)
I hope Chelsea's positivity helps inspire you to go vegan and get active for animals. Do you all like country music? If not, what's your favorite style of music, or who are some of your favorite bands/musicians?
Posted by Pulin 
peta2 in Egypt! May 28, 2008
Posted by Ryan at May 28, 2008 5:11 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 7 ) | TrackBackHere at peta2, we work hard, and we play hard.
For me, that means using my precious vacation time wisely, and really clearing my head for a bit.
That's why I decided to take 2 weeks this spring, and travel to Egypt. I have always wanted to go, and with the semester wrapping up for most college students that I work with, the timing was perfect!
It's worth noting that I don't speak a word of Arabic (the national language), but even still, being vegan in Egypt was easier than you might think! In fact, many of the traditional dishes, such as ta'amiya (known elsewhere as "falafel"), are already animal-free!
One dish I was particularly fond of was called kushari, which is a delicious snack made up of lentils, chickpeas, macaroni, fried onions, garlic, and tomato sauce, served with warm pita bread. Scrum-diddilly-umptious!
Yes indeed, it was a thoroughly enjoyable break. Needless to say though, even when I'm half-way around the world, I'm still not a douche. :)
- Ryan!
Posted by Ryan 
As Seen on Ellen, Skinny Bitch coauthor Rory Freedman for peta2! May 27, 2008
Posted by Ryan at May 27, 2008 2:05 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 18 ) | TrackBackI love Ellen, and I'm not ashamed to say so. She's just so gosh-darned spunky, isn't she?
That's why we were all so thrilled to see that she hosted Skinny Bitch authors Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin on the show last Friday, talking all about the benefits of a vegan diet!
Thankfully, peta2 is always ahead of the trends. That's why we hosted a peta2 event at the University of California - Los Angeles a few weeks ago, featuring Rory herself! The event was standing-room-only, and she even took the time to record this fun interview for all you blog-readers!
Pretty awesome, eh??
In fact, it's gotten me so excited about vegan food, I think it's time to give away a copy of the best-selling Skinny Bitch in the Kitch cookbook to one of you lucky readers!
To win it, we'll play a game! I'm thinking of MY FAVORITE vegan snack food on Earth. It can be found in every major grocery store, is on our Accidentally Vegan list, and is deeeeelish! If you are the first to guess it by commenting below, you'll win a free copy of the book!
Ready...set...go!
- Ryan!
P.S. - Just so you know...by commenting here, we're taking that as acknowledgment that you've read and agreed to our privacy policy.
Also by commenting, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions.
Posted by Ryan
Why I Went Veg or A Tale of a College Potluck May 22, 2008
Posted by Lara Sanders at May 22, 2008 1:01 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 3 ) | TrackBackSometimes I suffer from vegetarian longevity envy. I wish I could compete with Marta, who went veg at age 4, but that was just not the case with me. I decided to go vegetarian in college. A bit late in the game, but better late than never!
Now I used to be one of those obnoxious people who always made fun of vegetarians. I would mock the lone vegetarian in my high school by eating meat in front of him and saying how good it tasted. Lame right?
Flash forward to my freshman year at American University (AU). My next door neighbor, Tara, invited me to a potluck being thrown by AU's animal rights group AUARE. I didn't go because I was interested in learning about animal rights; I went because I was just plain hungry.
There was one catch though. Before we could eat, we had to watch a video. Can you guess what video it was? It was 'Meet Your Meat'. I had never seen anything like 'Meet Your Meat' before. I had no idea that what I saw was what went on in factory farms. I was appalled, grossed out, and lost my appetite.
I didn't go vegetarian right then and there. It happened about a week later when I was in the dining hall about to get a chicken sandwich. I then thought back to the horrific images I saw in the video, and decided to stop eating animals.
I went vegan a few months later. I am not going to say that the transition from meat eater to vegan has been the easiest for me (before I went vegetarian I hated most vegetables). It was slightly hard for the first few months, but as time went on, it became like second nature to me. It actually became easy to be vegan!
So here are two words of advice if you are trying out vegetarianism for the first time:
1. Don't get discouraged! For some people (like me) it takes some time. Don't give up! It really does get easier.
2. Try out my patented recipe for "Vegan Pigs in a Blanket" below. It will prove to you that being vegan is delicious!
Vegan Pigs in a Blanket!
Ingredients:
8 veggie hot dogs (try my fav Tofu Pups)
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 F
2. Separate dough into triangles. Wrap dough triangle around each hot dog. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 375 F. for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
*For a cheesy take on the old standard, try wrapping a slice of Tofutti American Soy-Cheese Slices on the veggie dog before wrapping in the dough.
xoxo-Lara
P.S. Happy World Vegetarian Week!
Posted by Lara 
Oprah is Going Vegan for 21 Days! May 21, 2008
Posted by Patricia at May 21, 2008 4:42 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 7 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
Vegan fish meat celebs chicken Dairy eggs diet Oprah Winfrey Quantum Wellness Kathy Freston meatless meals
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I love me some Oprah. I was an Oprah fan long before most of the country even knew who she was. I grew up watching Oprah when she did double-time as an anchor and as a co-host of a chat show on WJZ-TV channel 13 in Baltimore and have been enamored of her ever since.
Of course now that she's Oprah Winfrey: Media Mogul and World-wide Mega Star, she has the power to influence millions and save countless animals. She's already started blogging about the experience stating, "Wow, wow, wow! I never imagined meatless meals could be so satisfying. I had been focused on what I had to give up—sugar, gluten, alcohol, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese. "What's left?" I thought. Apparently a lot. I can honestly say every meal was a surprise and a delight, beginning with breakfast—strawberry rhubarb wheat-free crepes."
Yum, crepes. Sounds delightful to me! Here's hoping she sticks to her vegan diet, and that her legions of fans follow in her footsteps.
xox
Patricia
P.S. If you're considering eliminating animals from your diet but aren't sure where to start, we can help. Start by taking the seven day veg pledge!
Posted by Patricia 
Happy World Vegetarian Week! May 21, 2008
Posted by Ryan at May 21, 2008 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBackThe world looks so much happier during World Vegetarian Week, doesn't it? So in keeping with the theme of going vegetarian, here's my story:
I'm a huge fan of traveling. During college, I went on a road trip across the country by myself (one of those "find yourself" kinds of trips). Notice how I set the timer on my camera for this "soul-searching" photo of me at the Grand Canyon:
The rest is history. I made the connection that the animals I was eating were violently killed in bleak surroundings like this one, and I stopped supporting it. I went vegetarian, and a few months later, I went vegan.
NOW FOR THE FUN PART. Here's my favorite vegetarian meal (can be consumed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner):
Blueberry Pancakes
These fluffy pancakes are packed full of delicious blueberries, and are the perfect start (or end) to your day.
2 cups flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups vanilla soy milk
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and sift together. Add the soy milk and oil and mix until the batter is smooth.
- Ladle the batter onto a hot pancake griddle. Add frozen blueberries. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
- Serve with fresh blueberries.
If done properly, they should look like this:
Mmmm mmmm good.
- Ryan!
P.S. - A final word of advice to those who want to venture across the country on a road trip: Don't camp next to the Grand Canyon. The wind coming out of the canyon will knock you (and your tent) over in the middle of the night. Don't be a fool; sleeping upside-down isn't cool.
Posted by Ryan
Positive Changes in Yourself May 20, 2008
Posted by Marta at May 20, 2008 4:51 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 16 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
Vegan vegetarian lactose intolerant
At peta2, we obviously like to talk about all the animal suffering you spare by going vegetarian and vegan, but we also love to hear about all the positive changes you see in yourself by making changes to the way you eat.
For example, before I went vegan, I had absolutely no idea that I was lactose intolerant. I would make myself hot chocolate almost every single night during the winter (complete with cow's milk and cream), and every single night I had hot chocolate I would get absolutely horrendous stomach cramps within an hour and would feel nauseous. This didn't only happen when I'd have hot chocolate either—it happened when I'd have cheese pizza, Fettuccini Alfredo, ice cream, etc.
It is beyond me why I thought it was normal to feel like this after eating, but I always thought it was something everyone just dealt with, so I never really thought much of it. Then I went vegan. A few weeks into my veganism, I realized that I never felt disgusting after eating anymore. The stomach cramps and nauseous feelings disappeared completely; I felt ten times better. Now I have all of those same foods but with a non-dairy alternative, like rice milk or soy cheese. Yum!
I always tell people about this, explaining that dairy products made me feel so completely weighed down. One of my best friends had similar problems after eating dairy, and when she went vegan, her symptoms also disappeared and she lost weight to boot.
So let's turn the tables. I want to know all the amazing things you guys have experienced since going vegetarian or vegan. More energy? Hardly ever get sick? Increased confidence? I want to hear about it all.
Comment away!
♥ Marta
Posted by Marta 
ROAD TRIP!!! May 14, 2008
Posted by Ryan at May 14, 2008 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 5 ) | TrackBackYes, it's the classic summer adventure. What could be more liberating than venturing out into the great unknown (also known as Nebraska), to find yourself? How about doing it all while eating incredible vegan food along the way?!
Me driving down Pacific Coast Highway on my first (but far from last) cross-country trip
Need help getting started? Here are some tips:
- Visit HappyCow.net for a full listing of vegetarian—and vegan—friendly restaurants in cities ALL over the world!
- Do you enjoy eating the same thing in every city? If so, check out our guide to eating vegan at chain restaurants. Now you can zigzag from Johnny Rockets to Johnny Rockets across the map (using our coupons at every stop, of course).
- A little short on cash? Why not stick with buying snacks at grocery stores and 7-11? Check out our "Accidentally Vegan" list for some tips!*
- Want to play a game to pass the road time? While driving across the country, I try to flick off as many KFC's as is humanly possible. My personal record is 36 in a month. Go ahead, try to beat me. I dare you.
* Note: peta2 not responsible for any indecent acts conducted while on an Airheads taffy sugar high.
Pretty exciting, eh?
It's a big world out there, folks. Go flick off some parts of it.
- Ryan!
Posted by Ryan
peta2 <3's SoCal May 5, 2008
Posted by Ryan at May 5, 2008 9:04 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
Vegan UCLA health skinny bitch beauty weight loss diet
Ohh, southern California, you never disappoint.
Last Tuesday, peta2 held its first on-campus speaking event (co-hosted by the student group Bruins for Animals), featuring Skinny Bitch author Rory Freedman. As has been the trend at peta2 events recently, it was standing room only. We crammed over 200 students into a UCLA lecture hall fit for 160, where they chowed down on vegan "chicken" salad wraps, straight out of the best-seller Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, and enjoyed a talk about the health and ethical benefits of veganism. Check it out!
As if that weren't enough, we used our spare hours here and there to work with the AMAZING student groups at Cal State - Long Beach and the University of California - Irvine, to help them promote vegetarianism on campus.
Meat-eaters don't stand a chance. :)
Want to get people talking on your campus? Contact me to get started!
- Ryan!
Posted by Ryan
Veggie Burgers At School? Yum. April 28, 2008
Posted by Pulin Modi at April 28, 2008 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 7 ) | TrackBackWhen sixteen year old Ashley Capps sets her mind to do something, it gets done. So when this Everglades High School student decided that her school lunch options sucked, she decided to take charge. She got lots of great media coverage for her work, which then inspired even more people to take steps toward vegetarianism!
I figured that her experience can help motivate many of you to take the same great steps, so here's a quick interview with Ashley.
What successes were you able to achieve for your school district?
I got veggie burgers and veggie chili added to the district's school lunch menus.
What steps did you need to take to get these vegetarian/vegan options?
I started a petition at my school and got over 300 people to sign it. I wrote a letter explaining why I did the petition and why I thought the new vegetarian foods should be added. I also included information about VegAdvantage and the benefits to vegetarian food and I sent it to the county Food and Health services.
How are other students responding to the healthier vegetarian and vegan options?
A lot of the students really like it. Many of them weren't expecting it to be as good as they are.
The local media got interested in the work you've done, can you tell us a little bit about their response?
They were really surprised that I was the reason that the new foods were added. I think they expected it to be a county decision and not something that a little teenager came up with. They really liked the foods though and thought it was a great idea.
Anything else you'd like to add for students looking to run successful campaigns at their school just like you have?
I would say just totally go for it. If you want to get something done and to do something good then you shouldn't let anything stop you. You really can make a difference.
Oh one last thing. If you were in a fight with Col. Sanders, who do you think would win and why?
I would win!! He doesn't have anything on me, plus I am nice to animals and he isn't!
Are you interested in getting better options at your school? Click here for tips and don't forget to join the Street Team.
Posted by Pulin
