Vegan Pizza For Your Tummy May 24, 2008
Posted by Pulin Modi at May 24, 2008 1:49 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 7 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
Hey, how's World Vegetarian Week going for you? I've been vegan for over ten years and was vegetarian for another ten years before that. It's great to know that my body is not a graveyard for tortured animals. Know what I mean?
I don't eat animals because they are my friends. I'd much rather feed grapes to chickens and turkeys than eat their lifeless bodies. I could get into more detail about how being vegan has also helped me reduce my cholesterol and become a better athlete and protect the environment. But honestly, even if those benefits didn't exist, I'd still go vegan for the animal rights reasons.
Having said that, here's a recipe for a vegan soy cheese, spinach, sausage pizza. It's super easy, but you get the point and can mix it up any way you'd like. Other than the ingredients, all you need is an oven, a pan, and preferably a small kitchen shredder. I tend not to really make elaborate meals, and believe me this will take less than 30 min to make including the time in the oven.
Ingredients:
- Soy cheese (I prefer Follow Your Heart brand cheddar or mozzarella, but whatever brand and variety you like)
- Pizza crust (I prefer Rustic Crust, but anything works)
- Tomato sauce
- Gimme Lean Sausage (or any other variety)
- Spinach (frozen or fresh)
- Olive Oil
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Break the sausage into small pieces, put into a pan with a tablespoon of oil, and heat on medium for about 3 minutes.
- Add spinach to the pan and cook for 2 more minutes then turn off the heat and set aside.
- Coat the top of the crust with a very thin layer of oil.
- Put a layer of sauce on the crust.
- Then spread the mixture of spinach and sausage on top.
- Now shred a layer of soy cheese on top of that.
- Put in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Take out of the oven and email me a photo of your masterpiece.
- Ok, now you can eat it.
- Now set that pizza photo as your default on Facebook or MySpace so your friends can be jealous.
When you're not eating, make sure you check out ways to help animals with our campaigns.
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!
Scary Kid Goes Veg for the Week! May 19, 2008
Posted by Nicole at May 19, 2008 2:51 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 9 ) | TrackBackAs previously mentioned by the lovely Marta, today begins "World Vegetarian Week." We thought it would be a great idea to ask one of my absolute favorite non-vegetarian people to try dropping meat from his plate in celebration of this joyous occasion. So who is that I turned to, you ask? Well the one and only Pouyan from peta2's Libby Award winning Scary Kids Scaring Kids, but of course! Read on to see what the dear boy has to say about the upcoming week and don't forget to check back early next week to see how it all turned out for Pouyan!
Never have I ever been a vegetarian or even challenged myself to try even for a day, but I've always assumed it wouldn't be that difficult. So when peta2 came to me when we played at the Norva, and asked if I wanted to try I said hell yeah. My problem is I love good food, more than most things, a great meal at a nice restaurant is my idea of a good time. So that might be the only challenge I have unless I can find great alternatives. I am currently a carnivore, but obviously since we're affiliated with PETA, I am against animal cruelty which for a meat eater means a few things. I avoid all fast food and companies who are known to have unnecessarily poor treatment of animals, I attempt to purchase farm-raised meats, and I try to frequent restaurants that offer great vegetarian options on their menu like the ridiculously killer meals they serve at Chinese Buddha in Georgia where they have an entire menu of great Chinese food dedicated to vegetarians. Also small things like take from the Vegetarian options from the warped tour line even though it is marked "VEGETARIAN ONLY!!" in big angry letters. Obviously most of these are small steps in order to provide good conditions for animals until their death, and the best way to support animal cruelty is by not killing them to eat them, haha. My ultimate restraint from transitioning is flavor, and my love for food. So since during this week I'll be rapping up the headliner we're on, I'll be checking out a few vegetarian restaurants in the mid-west and west and see if they are solid alternatives to what I currently eat. I'll also find out if I can jump start this diet and still feel healthy. Word up gangsters, let's see if it sticks! Wish me luck!
Pouyan.
Thanks, Pouyan! Why not try vegetarianism out yourself this week? If it's something you've always wanted to do, this is the perfect time to try it out.
Why not help Pouyan out? Comment below to let him know what vegetarian snacks you think he should keep by his side this week, in case he gets the munchies!
Good luck, Pouyan!
nicole
World Vegetarian Week is Here! May 19, 2008
Posted by Marta at May 19, 2008 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 3 ) | TrackBackWorld Vegetarian Week has officially descended upon us, so throughout the week, peta2 staffers will be sharing stories of why we went vegetarian and, of course sharing delicious recipes with you all. Exciting stuff!
I can hardly remember a time when I wasn't a vegetarian. I was four when I decided to stop eating meat because I saw a pig roasted over a fire at a luau in Hawaii. People always ask me how I could have made a decision like that at such a young age (no one else in my family was vegetarian). Thinking back, I understand why I was able to make that decision: Kids don't realize that the "chicken" they're eating is the same farm animal they read about in books. I was absolutely horrified when I saw the entire pig being cooked and was even more horrified that everyone else seemed to be okay with eating the pig.
Pigs are friends, not food, people. I was pretty lucky, since my family has always been completely supportive of my vegetarianism (and yes, that's nerdy, devious me around the time I went vegetarian). Thanks, family.
Now that you've seen my true nerdy roots, I feel compelled to talk about an obsession of mine: Hummus. Seriously, nothing could make me happier than that creamy concoction. Try my recipe for yourself (most hummus has tahini in it, but I choose to leave that out).
Marta's Delectable Hummus
In a blender or food processor, add the beans, garlic, oil, and salt. Blend until creamy (add some water or more oil if you need more liquid to blend the mixture). Transfer mixture to a bowl. I then like to mix in chopped green onions or chopped black olives. Yum, yum. Refrigerate for an hour. Devour with chips, crackers, veggies, or spread on a sandwich. The possibilities are endless!
How's your day going? Delicious? I hope so!
♥ Marta
Want to Try Something New for a Week? May 15, 2008
Posted by Marta at May 15, 2008 3:01 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 12 ) | TrackBackNext week (May 19th - 25th) is World Vegetarian Week, and if you've ever considered giving vegetarianism a try, there's no better time than now to give it a shot. Take our Seven Day Pledge to Be Veg. I mean seriously, seven days is hardly a commitment, but it is enough time to give you a good idea of how easy it is to be vegetarian.
If you want to give it a shot, but you're worried about what you'll eat, rest easy: If you take the pledge, I'll send you an e-mail each day next week with recipes, suggestions, and encouragement.
And guess what? Pouyan from Scary Kids Scaring Kids is taking the Seven Day Pledge to Be Veg, too! He'll be doing a couple guest blogs for peta2 about the experience next week, so keep an eye out.
This'll be fun!
♥ Marta
Follow Us