For the second time in the past year, I tracked down Natalie Portman at a public appearance in New York City and asked her about connections between her Jewish faith and her vegan diet. After the world's most famous Jewish vegan took the topic in a different direction in April, I asked her a much more direct question as part of The New York Times' Arts & Leisure Weekend on Saturday night.

While performing my journalistic duty as a Jewish-vegan blogger, I learned several fascinating things. First, Natalie loves the name "heebnvegan." (I somehow managed to maintain my composure when she said this.) Second, she apparently remembers our initial encounter. Third, she sees her decision not to take animals' lives for food as the core of her Judaism. Finally, she thinks vegetarian food in Israel and California is excellent, but unlike the world's second-most famous Jewish vegan, she finds New York vegetarian food disappointing.

Below is a transcript of our conversation during the Q&A portion of the event.

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The Jew and The Carrot is Hazon’s blog about Jews, food and contemporary life.  According to their mission: "The blog has a diverse and inclusive community, where we welcome readers and volunteer writers from across the Jewish denominational spectrum, and from all walks of culinary life.  Our aim is to ensure that The Jew and The Carrot community is a platform for vibrant discussion for anyone interested in food issues."

Late on Friday they received the following letter from Pete Cohon, founder and moderator of VeggieJews, an international, real-world and online, Jewish, vegetarian organization.  He has been a vegan and animal rights activist for 22 years and a vegetarian for 27 years.  A former San Francisco trial lawyer, Pete now lives in Tel Aviv.

An open letter to Nigel Savage, Executive Director of Hazon, and the group's members:

The Hazon group claims that it works to create a healthier and more sustainable Jewish community, fight climate change and promote a more sustainable world for all.  I understand that the group even hosts vegetarian meals at which it promotes its programs.

That sounds great.  But I’m concerned that Hazon is not living up to the promise.

Three years ago, during your group’s 2007 Jewish Food Conference, Hazon publicly slaughtered three goats despite numerous appeals that the cruel demonstration of shechita be canceled.  I am disappointed that Hazon remains unapologetic for its cruel and unnecessary slaughter.  But I am truly offended that you are planning a similar demonstration again at this year’s Jewish Food Conference which will begin on December 24 near Monterey, California.

According to Hazon’s Web site, this year’s conference will include:

Chicken Shechita at Green Oaks Creek Farm:

We will meet on the farm early in the morning on Wednesday, December 23 to observe the shechita (ritual slaughter) and to help pluck, clean, soak, and salt pasture-raised chickens.  If you are old enough to be a bar or bat mitzvah, you are old enough to volunteer.  No experience is necessary.  Wear warm work clothes and be prepared to get your hands dirty.

In other words, Hazon is again promoting unnecessary animal cruelty in the name of Jewish environmentalism.

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Natalie Portman: has a shoe fetishNatalie Portman is known for being as socially conscious as she is gorgeous, so it's no surprise that the Israeli-born actress has launched her own line of vegan shoes. In an entertaining interview with the London Times, Portman recently talked about what drove her into the business of footwear. "I’ve been getting stuff from Target, which is de facto vegan because it’s so cheap. But I did need some shoes that weren’t made of canvas or plastic." High maintenance!

Portman apparently designed the line of limited edition shoes herself, and according to various reports, anywhere from 5% to all profits are going to the Nature Conservancy. The cruelty-free kicks are being sold through New York boutique te casan for around $250 a pair.

Portman's latest film, The Other Boleyn Girl, hits theaters this Friday and stars fellow-Jew Scarlett Johannson.

 

 

 

Affection or Confection: which would you choose?Can an omnivoracious eater find love with a vegangelical? Such is the question posed by this article in the New York Times, which profiles a handful of "interdietary" couples, including vegetarian Jewcy friend Leah Koenig and her kosher beau. Just in time for Valentine's Day, the article, which is guilty of a few gross generalizations (vegans shiver at the thought of kissing someone who has so much as sipped honey-sweetened tea? Please, spare me), actually does raise an interesting point: Food has a strong subconscious link to love.

Seeing as how preparing, providing, and sharing food is often an act of affection and intimacy, do couples with conflicting diets stand a chance? From those profiled, the answer to that question seems to be a resounding...maybe. Assuming the relationship is built on tolerance and compromise, then sure, you're golden. But if your vegan boyfriend or carnivorous girlfriend disapproves, or worse yet, tries to change you, you're screwed.

The article also looks at other dietary issues. One gluten-free goddess recounted a story of being dumped by a guy who "liked bread too much" to date her. Ouch.

Related: No Death, No Dinner

Alicia Silverstone doesn't require much introducing. If you don't recognize that pouting punim, you've likely been living under a rock since, oh, about 1993. Fourteen years ago she rocked our worlds with debut appearances in a few highly memorable Aerosmith videos, and later she won our hearts with roles in films like Clueless and Blast from the Past. With her talents for both serious acting and comedy, Alicia has continued to perform and produce, but there's much more to her than what you see on screen. A vegan and outspoken activist for animal rights, she's been known to lend her name (and hot bod) to PETA campaigns, recently appearing in a controversial PSA directed by acclaimed director Dave Meyers. We asked her to tell us about her Jewish upbringing, path to veganism, and favorite recipes. Here's what she had to say.

I've read that you went from a meat and potatoes diet to a vegan diet overnight. What were the biggest stumbling blocks that you faced in making such an abrupt change? What were the hardest foods and items to give up, and how did you deal with those challenges?
It kind of happened overnight. I had tried to go vegetarian before. Once, when I was 8, again at 11. I would try without any guidance or inspiration. My brother would make animal noises of the animal I was eating and I thought, "I have to go vegetarian!" But I was so young and it didn't stick then.

It wasn't until I was 21 that I really started to understand the puzzle of the whole thing. I realized that if I wanted animal cruelty to end, it would have to start here. I never went back after that. Before then, I was on a meat and donuts diet!

Other than the first couple of weeks, I don't think there really were many stumbling blocks. It was just learning to adjust. For instance, buying potato chips. Most of them are vegan, but you have to read everything to know for sure. It was learning what ingredients actually count as vegan....having to think "does this have dairy in it, or gelatin from cow bones" that was most difficult. I found the experience to be really exciting. I was so passionate about what I was doing. It was a fun adventure for me.

The hardest food to give up was definitely Brie cheese. It's funny because it doesn't appeal to me at all now. It was also hard to realize you can't just go into any shoe store and buy any kind of shoe you like….that is until Stella McCartney started making the most sexy, awesome vegetarian shoes. It's much easier now!

I may see something that I want and I immediately get such a visual of the animal and the production involved. For instance, because I knew how cheese was made and the suffering involved in the process, it became instinct to no longer want it. Yes, sometimes I really want to eat some cheese, and sometimes my desire overtakes me and I have a bite. It makes me feel guilty and sad because it truly wasn't worth it. It tasted great for a second but then it makes you gain weight and break out and fart the next day. It makes me feel icky and phlegmy in my throat. Most of the time I am able to say no because of the visual I get of the animal suffering, but sometimes I am weak.

Ultimately I believe the more effort you put forth to be a vegan, the better, but if you don't try at all, that is what sucks. It's not all or nothing. You do the best you can, make as many awesome veggie choices as possible. If you slip, don't fall off, just get back on. No one is perfect all the time, but hey....let's try to be!

I came to the conclusion that for most everything in the meat world, there is an alternative that is just as yummy. It is not a sacrifice for me. I think vegan cookies and desserts are just as good, if not better than regular desserts. I could go to a bakery, or just drive down the street to a vegan bakery! I don't feel like I am ever missing out on anything. I know it's not all the same…for instance, vegan cheese is not as good as regular cheese, but the nachos at Real Food Daily with the cashew cheese are so insane: It is even better than Brie, or at least on the same level! The same goes for rice krispie treats, you can make amazing brown rice krispie treats. Both are equally tasty. One option causes suffering and torture and hurts your body, and the other doesn't. That's just how it works.

She'd rather go naked: Silverstone's PETA adWhat kind of an effect has your veganism had on your family? Has anyone close to you followed in your footsteps?
Yes, it's really awesome. It is the most amazing thing for me when people go vegan or make an attempt to go vegan. Most of my family is vegetarian. I have a lot of meat-eating friends, and a lot of vegan friends, and some that are trying to make changes. I love to see people get excited and inspired. There is nothing more thrilling than when people stop eating meat and suddenly feel so much better. It makes my whole year and it happens all the time! I am very grateful for that.

I often find that omnivores are defensive when faced with my veganism, asking questions to bait me in argument, and just generally writing me off as a crazy hippie. You've taken a very vocal stance, discussing your lifestyle in the press and appearing in PETA campaigns. Why do you think so many non-veg*ans are up-at-arms about veg*anism, and how do you deal with that personally and publicly?
The best way I have found to deal with situations like these is to be as informed as possible. I try to have all the information I can so I can answer any question calmly and happily. This way, they can't frame you as a crazy hippie. I do have a lot of hippie in me, but also some rock 'n' roll and also some lady. We are all mixes of all sorts of things. I like that. By focusing on being the best example of health, eating your greens and seaweeds, beans and whole grains (on a side note, macrobiotics is very helpful for becoming superwoman or man) you can lure people in with your radiant gorgeous self.

I try to focus on myself and be the healthiest and happiest possible. People come to me wondering how they can be as happy or not as constipated or have better skin, the list goes on...by being my healthiest, I am promoting my lifestyle and this makes people more interested in the subject. The truth is hard for people to look at sometimes. If we treat those people who are asking baiting questions with grace and intelligence, they may think twice later on and maybe they'll even try some vegan cookies!

PETA often takes their message to the extreme, staging protests and using tactics that can alienate people, rather than gently bringing them into the fold. How and why did you choose to align yourself with them?
I work with PETA on campaigns where I feel I can be instrumental in creating change. I think that no matter what they do, they are trying to end the suffering of animals. I am not familiar with any specific PETA campaign that was inappropriate. I imagine that whatever they do is for the purpose of drawing attention to the issue. Unfortunately, the press isn't interested in just the facts. PETA needs a little something to get their attention.

I know that you were raised in a Jewish household. What Jewish traditions have you held onto as an adult? How do you celebrate and maintain your Jewish identity? Vegan challah? Latkes made with egg replacer? What does being Jewish mean to you?
I remember going to Temple as a little girl and singing prayers. I love the sense of community that comes from singing prayers together. It's a really neat thing. I get the same feeling when I chant in yoga. A lot of my spirituality has transferred into yoga and vegetarianism. Trying to make the world a better place every day is also part of my spiritual living. I do not regularly attend a specific temple but I do dabble in them. I'm searching and seeing what it might add to my life. I don't feel that I need to have a regular Temple right now, but I am very open and interested and continue to investigate. I am looking for what this experience will add to my life. I do not want it to be something I feel I have to do or should do. I get spiritual fulfillment from yoga, meditation, and writing in my journal. When I do those things, I feel closest to the Earth and to God.

I love that I am Jewish. I loved growing up in a Jewish community. I thought it was really neat, but it doesn't define me. My heart and spirit define me. My dedication to non-violence and being the best person I can be in this world define me. Judaism talks about all this, but I don't look to Judaism to find those things. I find them in myself, in spiritual teachers and yoga and vegetarianism. It is not the most important thing in my life, but I am very proud to be Jewish and am interested in seeing what else it might have to offer me in my adulthood.

Do you cook? What are your favorite cookbooks? Favorite cuisines and dishes?
Yes, I do cook, but not nearly as much as I would like! My favorite cookbooks are the Real Food Daily Cookbook and the Candle Café Cookbook.

I love making Rice Krispie treats. I have an amazing vegan Peanut Butter Rice Krispie treat recipe. I also love this vegan Tostada recipe with tofu cream, and a cabbage and leek recipe.

Are there any tools, ingredients, or recipes that are essential staples in your kitchen?
A good quality miso, from a natural foods store is absolute essential. I have miso soup almost every day for breakfast. It is a natural antibiotic and it is loaded with vitamins and minerals.

Umeboshi plums and Umeboshi plum vinegar are other must haves. The plums are excellent if you've had anything acidic, or anything that has made you feel a little funny. They are like a magic tool, incredibly healing. You can make an Ume Sho Bancha tea with them. Make a hot cup of Kukicha tea. Put a quarter of an Umeboshi plum in it and a few drops of Shoyu and let it simmer together. This is a great healthy drink. Also the Umeboshi vinegar is delicious, I use it all the time in recipes.

I also like to have a good quality Shoyu sauce, Earth Balance Butter, and Vegenaise instead of mayonnaise for sure. Other tasty items that are also great transitional items are the tempeh bacon strips…and all the great "ice cream" options. I think some of the best ones are the vanilla bars dipped in chocolate with nuts that Rice Dream makes and the Soy Delicious ice creams. They have so many flavors!

 

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By now we've all read Steve Almond's A Very Osama Hanukkah, and some of us have even worked our way through Christopher Hitchens' scathing testimony on what he terms "tribal Jewish backwardness," wittily entitled Bah, Hanukkah, over at Slate. It would seem that this Hanukkah season is about raising consciousness, confronting the past, and being accountable for our actions and traditions. What fun! While we're at it, I thought we might as well confront some current "backwardness," for example, the backwardness of how we treat the animals we raise for food with heartless violence and torture. (Oh, cut me some slack, I'm just getting into the holiday spirit). First up is the evils of the Egg Industry, and Exhibit A is the battery cage! Give that a read, and if it upsets your stomach, fear not: I have an infallible, mouth-watering, egg-free latke recipe for you. Happy Hanukkah, you backward fundamentalist.

Humane Latkes
4 Russet Potatoes
6 Teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer, packed flat
8 Tablespoons of warm water
2 Small Yellow Onions
Salt and Pepper to taste
Oil such as Grapeseed, Rice Bran, or Canola for frying

Using a food processor (or old-fashioned grater, if you're a backward fundamentalist), shred the potatoes and onions so that they feel the pain of centuries of backwardness.

In a small mixing bowl, combine 6 Teaspoons of Ener-G Egg Replacer with 8 Tablespoons of warm water. Mix thoroughly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded potatoes and onions with the Egg Replacer. Add salt and pepper and mix well.

In a large frying or griddle pan, heat your oil. Use a small serving spoon to scoop the mixture into the pan. Flatten, and fry until golden and crispy on both sides. Serve after your self-flagellation parade, with apple sauce and non-dairy sour cream.

 

 

Meet Katie, the creator of Don't Eat Off The Sidewalk, a vegan zine and counterpart website that has taken the cooking world by storm. Full of "simple recipes for complicated vegans," DEOTS is a testament to the creativity, community, and cuisine that exists both online and off in the world of DIY vegan cooking. The first issue--which was championed by Isa of the PPK, and of which over 400 copies were printed--quickly sold out, and now Katie is putting the finishing touches on her second, holiday-themed installment, as well as making plans for a very special third issue.

What inspired you to create your zine, "Don't Eat off the Sidewalk"? Did you have any previous zine or chapbook publishing experience? Why did you choose that format, rather than shopping your recipes around to potential book publishers? And of course, how'd you come up with the name?
My New Years resolution for 2007 had been to make a DIY cookbook for my friends and family as Christmas gifts. Eventually it occurred to me that other people might be interested in it, so I decided to do a zine. I had never done one before, so I ordered a copy of Stolen Sharpie and did some homework.

I honestly feel that my recipes and cooking style are more fitting for a DIY format. I can be loose in my recipe instructions, I can cuss, and I can do themes! Themes are fun.

I was trying to think up a name, and the song "Don't Eat Stuff Off The Sidewalk" by The Cramps came up on my playlist.

How long have you been vegan, and why did you choose this lifestyle?
I have been vegan since July of 2006, but i've been a vegetarian since 1993. My transition was very gradual. I started drinking soy milk and limiting my dairy intake in general. Then I stopped buying eggs because I never ate them all, and I dabbled in vegan baking. I started considering veganism because I didn't feel right anymore, I was feeling guilty about consuming animal products at all. I hopped online to do some research, and discovered The Post Punk Kitchen. I bought Vegan With A Vengeance, joined the message boards, and was vegan within a week. Everyone there is so nice and they made it seem so easy, and it was! I've never doubted my decision.

From what I've been able to glean, your husband isn't vegan. Does that create any conflicts, and do you have any culinary-inspired advice for other couples?
No, he's not vegan. Sometimes it creates problems, but most of the time he is very respectful. We have a compromise, our household is vegetarian (no meat), but he keeps cheese and pudding around. I do most of the shopping, but sometimes he'll come home and say something like, "I got barbecue sauce, and I checked the ingredients to make sure that you could eat it." The fact that he likes a lot of vegan foods really helps. He loves seitan, I have a picture of him stuffing a whole chunk in his mouth straight out of the pot. Unfortunately, he hates vegetables. So a lot of the time I'll make something simple, like tofu with rice and sauce, and then I'll cook the vegetables on the side for me. Or we'll make vegetarian tacos and he'll add cheese to his at the end. Then there are times that I tell him that I'm going to make something he won't like, like lasagna, and he'll eat a tofurkey sandwich for dinner.

My advice would be to find a middle ground. If you try to force your non-vegan partner to be vegan, it's just going to cause tension, and relationships have enough of that. That doesn't mean that you have to cook them steak for dinner, either. It's all about respect. And keeping around lots of vegan cookies to stuff in their mouths if they start complaining.

What kind of food did you grow up eating?
Ha, my parents were terrible cooks. I grew up eating things like frozen salisbury steak and Hamburger Helper. One time, I got grounded because I wouldn't eat a mustard sandwich. Everything was overcooked, the meat and the vegetables. When I hit junior high, my mother stopped cooking dinner and I ate microwave meals most of the time. The upside is that I really appreciate fresh foods now. The downside is that when I started learning how to cook, I had no foundation to start with.

What cuisines, geographical regions, or flavors most inspire your cooking?
I'm from the Midwest, "the breadbasket of the country", and that has greatly influenced my preferred cooking style. I like things that are warm, creamy, and filling. Basically, comfort food. I grew up in the city that hosts the Illinois state fair, so I believe that you can deep fry pretty much everything (but I don't). I'm on a mission to make a really good vegan horseshoe.

You're based in Clarksville, Tennessee, which I would imagine is a meat-heavy place to be. How do the locals regard your veganism?
The problem is not being in Tennessee, but the fact that my husband is in the army. Almost all of the social activities that I'm expected to attend are either barbecues or potlucks. Since I don't like going to food related activities where I can't eat anything, I just avoid them. I'm a very private person, and years of having people shove hamburgers in my face have made me cautious about telling people that I'm vegan. I'm a hermit in general, so it's usually not an issue.

There's no health food store here, but there is a natural food section at the local Kroger. Also, the army commissary is surprisingly vegan friendly, with tempeh, tofu, soy yogurt, and even a small organic section.

When will the second issue of DEOTS be available? What kinds of recipes will be included? How many more issues do you aim to publish?
It's mostly written right now, and depending on when you publish this, it might be ready by the time people are reading this. I had a setback with the cover art. I can't draw, so I have an artist friend do it for me and I forgot to ask her about it until a few weeks ago.

Most of the recipes are holiday-themed, but not all of them. A lot of them are veganized versions of recipes i've been using for years. There are a few original recipes that I'm pretty proud of, like the Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake. In addition to recipes, I have a few articles about vegan gifts, other recipes I really like, etc.

I honestly can't say how many issues I will make. There is definitely going to be a third issue, because I have been sitting on the theme for that for over a year. It's going to be a tribute to my favorite TV show and all of the food references in it.

Which show?
It's a secret!

How do you find your testers, and what is that process like?
Very simple, I post a thread on the PPK message boards asking for testers. People reply, I send them a link to my testing forums. They point out errors in the recipes, suggest changes, etc. and when I write the final draft I take all of the comments into consideration and make little changes as necessary. I could probably get away with not having testers since i'm just doing a zine, but I like the feedback.

There's a fringe group of vegans being dubbed "vegan-sexuals," who abstain from physical intimacy with non-vegans. What are your thoughts on this?
It's infuriating, because this is the kind of stuff that gets a lot of media attention. The general public doesn't want to hear that vegans are happy and healthy, they want to hear about how we're elitist snobs who are picky about who we sleep with and that we starve our children. It confirms their belief that vegans are an insane little cult. I'd like to see some mainstream news stories that shatter that stereotype.

It makes sense that a person who is vegan might not want to be in a long term relationship with an omnivore, but to say that you won't even have sex with one? Where do you draw the line? Can you not be friends with people who eat meat?

I believe in the saying that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. If you tell someone you won't sleep with them because they're not vegan, they're not going to think about their diet. They're just going to think that you're a whackjob.

The second issue of Don't Eat Off The Sidewalk will be available Nov. 1

Previous Pickled Q&As
Adam Roberts, the Amateur Gourmet
Vegan Cookbook Guru Sarah Kramer

 

 

Sarah Kramer's career as a lauded vegan cookbook author began by accident when, in 1996, she and her friend Tanya Barnard designed and printed a small 50-page cookbook to give out as holiday gifts. The feedback they received from family and friends was so positive that the two decided to print another thousand copies, which they sold at punk shows and over the internet. Before they knew it, they had a book deal with Arsenal Pulp Press. In 1999, How it All Vegan! was published, followed by The Garden of Vegan in 2003, and La Dolce Vegan! in 2005. A true renaissance woman, Sarah Kramer has her "thumbs in many pies." Despite a busy schedule that includes writing a column for Herbivore Magazine as well as running both a tattoo shop and her own professional photography business, Sarah found the time to chat with Pickled about veganism, Jewish food, and more.

How has the culinary world (or at least, North America) changed since you went vegan in the early 1990's?
Well there’s now an actual “vegan/vegetarian” section at the cookbook store and the shelves are brimming with excellent vegan books, back in the day it was slim-pickins for vegan cookbooks.

Most restaurants in my neck of the woods now have at least one or more vegan/vegetarian choices on the menu. I remember a time when all I could order was a dry baked potato and a wilted iceburg salad.

There’s also the internet ... now you can live in butt-fuck nowhere and have access to any vegan ingredient your credit card can buy.

Once generally misunderstood, veg*anism is starting to take on a "cool" all it's own in urban centers and beyond. Trendy--and even some gourmet--vegan (and vegan-friendly) restaurants are popping up in Los Angeles, New York, and even Akron, Ohio, where Chrissie Hynde recently opened her new eatery, VegiTerranean. Could "vegan" be the new "it" cuisine? Where do you see this going?
Trends are for suckers. Lifestyle change is the new trend. *laugh*
I don’t really care what the hipsters are up to. I’m just doing my thang and if people dig it... I’m stoked.

I often encounter questions from people who aren't familiar with what it means to be vegan. They want to know why I've chosen this lifestyle, as well as what I eat. How do you explain veganism to the ultimate layman?
My quick and dirty answer is: “A vegan is someone who doesn’t use or consume any animal products”.

Where do you get your protein? Tee hee.
Where don’t I get my protein?? *laugh* Protein is the last of our worries for vegans, we need to pay more attention to our b-12.

What are your favorite childhood food memories? Are there any traditionally Jewish foods that you miss, or that you've veganized?
I don’t have one specific childhood memory but I have great memories of just spending time in the kitchen with my family making food and just hanging out. We Kramers really like food.

As for traditional Jewish foods, my Dad loves Gefilte fish but as a kid I could never eat fish... especially fish that smelled that terrible. *laugh*

I really miss dessert knishes with cottage cheese. I have yet to find a good vegan substitute for cottage cheese.

What do you feel are the worst misconceptions about vegans/veganism, and do you think they're changing?
That we’re righteous or judgmental. I mean... there’s lots of vegans who are that way but same goes for carnivores. I also find that people are surprised by how full of delicious food my life is. A lot of people have a misconception that we’re denying ourselves so much... but if you look at the big picture it’s really only a few ingredients that we’ve opted out of.

In reading the ingredients list on a package of "soy cheeze" recently, I noticed that it surprisingly contained casein, a milk product. What other non-vegan products masquerading as "vegan-friendly" should we be on the lookout for?
There are some GREAT vegan cheezes on the market right now. Just look for the vegan symbol “V in a heart” on the package. Vegan-rella, Follow Your Heart, and my new favorite: Sheese. It’s the kind of “cheese” you can serve with a cracker and a nice glass of wine. It’s expensive, but it’s worth every penny.

There's also a lot of fake meat products on the market right now... but you have to check for eggs and whey powder.

Recently, I was invited to a dinner party. Although I alerted my hosts to my dietary restrictions long beforehand, and even offered to bring my own meal, they promised to prepare something suitable for me. When I arrived, I found there was nothing for me to eat. I sat hungry and embarrassed while the others ate a meal of fillet mignon and cheesy mashed potatoes. What's the worst social vegan experience you've had, and what related advice do you have for others?
First off. NEVER attend a dinner party with non-vegans without bringing your own food.

Second. Never feel embarrassed for your convictions, it is your host who should feel embarrassed. If that ever happens again ... get up and start going through their cupboards and make yourself a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich. *laugh* There’s a fantastic book called Vegan Freak that talks about all the trials and tribulations of navigating your vegan self through a non-vegan world. It’s a great read.

While backpacking through Europe a few years ago, I was thrilled to find an awesome vegetarian restaurant in Helsinki, Finland, of all places. Where have you found the most surprising veg*an dining options?
I was shocked when I went back to my home town in Regina, Saskatchewan (beef country) and found a fantastic japanese restaurant that had actually put a little “carrot” symbol beside all their dishes that were veggie friendly. It was great!!

What are your favorite restaurants around the globe?
I love Cha-Ya in Berkeley. Red Bamboo and Hangawi in New York. Fresh and Live in Toronto.... I could go on forever.

What books, food-related and otherwise, have changed your life?
Food wise: Early on, Laurel’s Kitchen inspired me to start documenting what I was doing in the kitchen.

Life-wise: Other books that have changed my life ... how long do you have? *laugh* Anything written by Douglas Coupland. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto and anything written by Paul Fieg.

Who inspires you?
My dog.

Your cookbooks have been a phenomenon, and you write a column for Herbivore Magazine, which has labeled you "The World's Coolest Vegan." What other creative projects are you working on, and what's on the horizon?
Well I’m being very domestic right now. My husband and I just purchased our first home so I’ve been up to my armpits peeling really bad 1970’s wallpaper off the walls. Renovating our place has been all consuming ... but I’m enjoying myself immensely.

I also own/run Tattoo Zoo with my husband and that keeps me very busy, as well. I’ve also been doing a lot of photography and I’m also working on a novel. I’m always doing something creative and have my thumbs in many pies.

And no. I’m not working on any cookbooks right now. *laugh* The trilogy of HIAV, GOV and LDV will have to tide you over for now.

Syrian Stuffed Cabbage: so sweet, so sourAs was previously noted by the clever Dale Raben, traditional Sukkot dishes are filled foods, like stuffed vegetables, which symbolize a bountiful harvest. Also common are dishes that are easy to transport from kitchen to sukkah, such as casseroles. Hence, my offering for this year's Sukkot Shabbat: Syrian Sweet-and-Sour Stuffed Cabbage. Healthy and delicious, this dish is full of complimentary flavors. The savory stuffing is made with home-soaked chickpeas, long-grain rice, and fresh cilantro, mint, and parsley. The sweet-and-sour, tomato-based sauce includes fresh lemon juice, lekvar, and raisins.

Mon Cuisine: Vegetarian Stuffed CabbageGrowing up, stuffed cabbage was an Ashkenazic meat dish, so when I embraced vegetarianism, it seemed as though I was out of luck. At some point I discovered Mon Cuisine's meatless version, which proved to be a surprisingly satisfactory substitute. Made with soy protein and brown rice, the frozen entrée sufficed until I went totally vegan. Because it's made with egg white powder, I had to cross it off my shopping list.

I set out on a holy quest to find a totally tasty, veritably vegan recipe, and it wasn't long before I made the happy discovery that Sephardim use various vegetarian fillings in their stuffed cabbage dishes. Bingo! Thank you, Sephardim! The recipe that follows, Syrian Sweet-and-Sour Stuffed Cabbage, is from Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World, by Gil Marks.

Happy Meat?At the tender age of 17 - upon discovering the ridiculous amount of resources (grain, land, water, etc.) that were used to feed cows and chickens instead of directly feeding humans - I became a vegetarian.  A year later I went vegan.  It was all so wonderful and confusing - being a young liberal college student surrounded by sexy dreadlocked activists and PETA literature.  What else was I supposed to do?

During those early years, I dutifully cooked limp tofu stirfrys, checked my Ruby Red grapefruit juice for carmine coloring (which is made out of bugs, people!) and tried to convince my friends and family to change their flesh-loving ways - not an easy task considering I grew up in the meat-loving Midwest.  Soon, I started to notice that I could not share a meal with other people without giving my "why I am a vegan" spiel.  It was great to get the chance to express my views, but the whole thing started to grate on me.  Couldn't I just eat for once and not talk about it?  I also started to feel tired a lot so I started puting Bragg's Liquid Aminos on my and taking a calcium vitamin.  Then one day my brother - a definite carnivore - said to me, "if you have to take a vitamin to get all your nutrients, are you really eating the right diet for yourself?"  His words merely confirmed what my body was already telling me. 

Now, eight years after first eschewing meat, I'm still a vegetarian - aside from an occasional craving for a corned beef sandwich, I just don't want it anymore.  However, I happily eat eggs and drink all the milk I can get - though I buy my eggs from small scale farmers, and make sure my milk is organic and from pasture-fed cows or - at very least - anti-biotics and hormone free (I have enough raging hormones of my own, thank you).

My story, I think, is not unusual.  More and more, vegetarians and meat eaters alike are clamoring for sustainably raised and produced foods that don't ravage the land and pay proper respect to the animals that so kindly share their goods.

The Jewish community is getting in on the action too - check out this article about the rising Kosher organic/pasture-fed meat craze in this week's Jewish Week. Or this one in the Washington Post from a couple of weeks ago (featuring a special bonus video). 

The bottom line?  Find out about where you food comes from and don't eat food that makes you guilty.  But while you're out there fighting the good fight for animal welfare and ecological well-being, don't forget to take care of yourself.  You can read more on this topic and just about everything else on Jews, food, and sustainability at The Jew and the Carrot.