Veggie valentinos know that animal suffering – which is inherent in the meat industry – is a big turnoff! Plus being humane and healthy is hot, so this Valentine's Day, treat your sweetie to a romantic vegan dinner.

We need a broader definition for words like "meat" and "milk"  – veggie burgers and soy milk are just as real as beef burgers and cow's milk.

The vegetarian meat of the matter

Vegetarian meats are typically referred to as mock, fake, faux or imitation. Yet the bulk of them are real food, without artificial additives and flavours. By callng them fake, we imply that we need animal meat. The actual definition of 'meat' means "solid food" (Merriam-Websters dictionary), as in nut meat, the meat of the coconut, etc.

Ironically, many meat products contain more unsavory and mysterious ingredients than veggie meats. I.e: animal-based wieners, hot dogs and baloney. 

One company in the US writes:

“By not labelling ourselves fake meat, and instead calling ourselves "grain meat", we at Field Roast are trying to reclaim a word, assosciation and lifestyle. We know that the very term itself [meat] is a highly charged one, and that's why we like to use it. We like to challenge the idea that our proteins can only come from an animal source. If we to label our foods "fake" bacon, turkey, beef etc. then we are really just buying into the idea that we need to consume those animals in our diets in some form or another.“

Also avoid the terms: "analog," "alternative," and "replacement." Instead say: vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, or call them by what they're based on: soy, wheat, nut, veggie. As in veggie burger, soy meat, vegan deli slices, etc.

Beyond cow's milk

The dairy industry does not own the word, "milk". There are many kinds of animal milks. And there are plant milks including soy milk, rice milk, almond milk and coconut milk. The same would be true for the words: cheese, cream and ice cream.

Eggs

The word “egg“ is by definition a bird’s egg. So what do you call vegan replacements for eggs?  Instead of the term: “egg substitutes“ (which implies second rate) say binder or say nothing. There is often no need to call attention to the absence of eggs in a dish. Or you could refer to a dish as being egg-free or eggless. By the way, tofu scramble is a delicious replacement for scrambled eggs. See our page on how to modify recipes that call for eggs.

	Colleen Patrick-Goud

For more information see Join the Rhetoric Revolution! by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau of Compassionate Cooks.

Colleen also an excellent 10-minute podcast on language titled: “The words we use to refer to the animals we eat reveals a lot about how we feel about eating once-living creatures.“ Words like beef and pork hide the fact that people are eating animals. Even for "chicken", she points out that the addition of just one letter "s" can make people very uncomfortable. As in: "Did you eat chickens for lunch?"

New student guide to vegetarian and vegan options, on and off campus
 
This year, for the first time, Toronto Vegetarian Association printed a special mini Vegetarian Directory for first-year university students.

Thousands of full-colour cards were printed and included in frosh kits at York University and OCAD. We still have cards available to distribute if you know any campus groups that can use them. Online, the information is available at veg.ca/campus.

The guide includes the best vegetarian restaurants close to downtown campuses, the top three vegetarian-friendly places to eat at York U, vegetarian fast food options, vegan sandwich suggestions, veggie groups, cooking classes, nutrition, links for finding a veggie roommates, recipe suggestions and much more.

The VegNews annual reader survey in 2008 included options to select Toronto as your favourite vegetarian-friendly city and our Vegetarian Food Fair as best vegetarian event. According to VegNews: "By voting, you can choose today's most popular vegetarian people, places, and products. This is one of the magazine's most anticipated features, with winners announced in the 'Best of Vegetarian' holiday Nov/Dec edition of VegNews."

Favourites aside, which city is actually the most vegetarian-friendly?

A poll at HappyCow lists the top five as New York, San Francisco, London (England), Singapore and Portland (Oregon). Toronto is a runner up. A list at GoVeg.com shows the top five vegetarian-friendly cities in the U.S. as Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, New York and Atlanta. They list the top four in Canada as Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto and Montreal.

Certainly Toronto has a lot going for it. We have the Annual Vegetarian Food Fair, the largest vegetarian event in North America. The city boasts several excellent organizations that promote vegetarianism, including us. There is also a huge variety of world cuisines available – our Vegetarian Directory lists 54 vegetarian restaurants (73 in the Greater Toronto Area).

Here is an analysis of the number of vegetarian restaurants per person in North American cities: 

Notes: Population stats are from Wikipedia. Number of restaurants are from HappyCow except we used our own more complete list for Toronto, Earthsave's thorough list for Vancouver and SuperVegan's long list for New York. The figures above are not for the greater population living beyond the cities.

Larger cities have one distinct advantage. They have the population to support a greater variety of vegetarian restaurants, including gourmet full-service places.

Of course, other parts of the world are strikingly more vegetarian than North America. HappyCow lists over 100 vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Singapore, a city of 4.5 million, and they report that in parts of Taiwan you can find a vegetarian restaurant or food stall on just about every street. In India (especial in the south) vegetarian restaurants are the norm. Restaurants that serve meat are in the minority and label themselves as "non-vegetarian."

Oprah is doing a vegan challenge for 21 days! Billed as a cleanse, she is also giving up alcohol, caffeine, and gluten. As Colleen and Lisa discuss in this week's podcast – she may just go back to eating dead animals at the end of the three weeks. But what ever happens, by highlighting how a vegan diet is beneficial to humans, animals, and the environment, Oprah is bringing a positive message to her viewers that has the potential to save countless lives.

Well, I feel like I got baptized in Vegan Land today.
– Oprah

The news was announced on her May 20 show that featured Kathy Freston, bestselling author of Quantum Wellness. In her book, Freston describes the 8 pillars of wellness, with "the mother of all pillars" being conscious eating. "...conscious eating means you stay aware of where your food comes from, how the animals are treated, and how the environment is affected by the foods that you eat. You take in the energy of whatever went into creating that food," she says.

Back in March 2007, we wrote about Kathy Freston on veg.ca, after she had three excellent articles posted online by the Huffington Post: "Vegetarian is the New Prius" , "A Few More 'Inconvenient Truths", and "One Bite at a Time: A Beginner's Guide to Conscious Eating." In the latter, she offers suggestions for die-hard meat-eaters who want make the transition to a vegetarian (or mostly vegetarian) diet. See our article for a summary and links.

Oprah is blogging about her experience and sharing vegan recipes by chef Tal Ronnen throughout her journey. Please send her a message of encouragement.

Who is Tal Ronnen? He has performed cooking demonstrations on numerous television shows and works with hotels, businesses and schools, including Hyatt, Hilton, AOL, Yahoo and New York University, to assist with vegetarian menu options. In 2004, he started Veg Advantage, a nonprofit education organization to help food-service operators integrate vegetarian options into their menus.

He has also worked at the top vegan restaurants in the United States, including Sublime in Fort Lauderdale, Candle 79 in New York City and Madeleine Bistro in Los Angeles. In 2007, Tal assisted rocker Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders in opening her restaurant, VegiTerranean in Akron, Ohio.

Tal's signature dishes include a key lime and avocado cream dessert parfait, Old Bay tofu cakes with vegan horseradish crème and artichoke tortellini with saffron "cream" sauce.

A great day out for the Veggie Runners – a team of around 14 runners successfully completed the 10k Sporting Life race in Toronto this past Sunday. The Veggie Challenge team was there cheering on the runners, and at the same time handing out a whole bunch of information to the crowds and race participants. A great time was had by all. The Veggie Runners made a great impression, proving, as their banners proclaimed that they were indeed 'veggie & fit'.

For more info about the Veggie Runners, or to officially join the team, check out their group on Facebook. Not on Facebook? E-mail us at veggiechallenge@veg.ca and we'll get you connected. 

See Veggie & Fit  for more photos.

With winter now a distant memory and signs of spring popping up everywhere, the Veggie Runners are back in support of the Veggie Challenge and gearing up for their first run of the season, Toronto's Sporting Life 10km on May 4, 2008.

So far the team has 14 confirmed members, but all are welcome, from seasoned veterans to newbies looking for their first race experience. If you'd like more info about the Veggie Runners or to officially join the team, check out their group on Facebook. Not on Facebook? Send an e-mail to veggiechallenge@veg.ca and we'll get you connected. Alternatively, you can choose the "Veggie Runners Team" while signing up for the run directly. To register, go to http://www.eventsonline.ca/events/crs_sp10k/.

If you'd like to come out on May 4 and join forces with the Veggie Runners to promote vegetarianism and the Veggie Challenge, keep checking veg.ca for more details. The Toronto Vegetarian Association will be there with its Veggie Challenge banner and loud voices to cheer the team from start to finish. 

On the first day of spring — thousands of people in the US and around the world hold informative and educational Meatout events, including colourful "lifestivals", street theater, lectures, public dinners, cooking demos, food samplings, leafleting, information tables. The public is asked to "kick the meat habit (at least for a day) and explore a wholesome, nonviolent diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains." Our Veggie Challenge has a similar goal, but you can do it anytime and it is for one week.

In Toronto, Wild At Heart is presenting a vegan buffet event this Saturday. They are offering: "great food, delectable desserts, raffle prizes, goodie bags, literature, and lots of fun!"

VegE-News is a monthly news and events email service. It is free to subscribe. Their February issue's stories included:

• Are you a philosophical or a pragmatic vegetarian? "As sales have grown, so has the intrigue about plant-based meat substitutes."
• Q&A with Pamela Anderson, celeb veggie and anti-KFC campaigner.
• Vegans can still love carnivores.
• NFL star Tony Gonzalez: The 247 lb. vegan. Note: Tony is pretty new to the vegan diet thing. It may be too early to consider him a lifelong veggie. He still owns a couple of restaurants that serve meat, for example.
Photo ©2008 Blake Little, Washington Post

Health.
• New avian influenza flare-ups: Virus remains a global threat.
• Sushi made from tuna is trendy, if you're into mercury!
• Obesity becoming world crisis.
• USA Today: Veganism is taking root, but is it healthy? Short answer: Yes.

Environment.
• Eating as if the climate mattered.
• Boycott called for soybeans coming from the deforested Amazon region of Brazil. Note: The vast majority of soybeans are fed to animals. The best way to boycott soy production is to go vegetarian. 
• Africa: Wild meat threatens wildlife, local livelihoods.

Animal Issues and Advocacy.
• Coming home: 'Free-range' hens get first taste of true freedom.
• Video reveals abuse and law violations at California slaughterhouse.
• USA Today: Animal rights groups pick up momentum.
• Widespread kosher slaughter method scrutinized for cruelty.
• Exposed: The long, cruel road to the slaughterhouse. "Live animals including horses, pigs, sheep and chickens are seen being transported thousands of miles across the world. Thousands of animals die en route from disease, heat exhaustion, hunger and stress.

Books and Perspectives.
• 50 Easy Ways Kids Can Save Animals by Ingrid E. Newkirk. Compassion starts in childhood.

Somehow a diet book that is unapologetically vegan has sold more than 850,000 copies! It has been on the New York Times best seller list (advice book category) for 29 weeks and is currently in the top spot. It is Skinny Bitch, a combination of girl power, tough love and gross-out tales from the slaughterhouse written by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.

Sales took off after Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice, was seen buying a copy in June 2007. The resulting media sensation help boost sales through the roof (from 60,000 to 850,000 copies) a full two years after its release. Beckham is über thin, despite having had three children. She has been reported to be following a vegan diet, one based on edamame (baby soybeans), strawberries, seaweed shakes and miso soup. But according to a segment on the Today Show that includes an interview with the authors of Skinny Bitch (click here to watch), Beckham does eat some fish.

An article in the New York Times talks about how the authors use humour and ferocious conviction to tap into the anger and frustration many women feel about food, dieting and body image. Passages from the book include: “You are a total moron if you think the Atkins diet will make you thin”; “Soda is liquid Satan”; “Eggs are high in saturated fat and completely disgusting when you think about what you are eating.”

Julie, who signed up to do the Veggie Challenge two days ago, writes: “Listening to the Skinny Bitch audio CD really gets a girl thinking about the crap we eat."

A follow-up cookbook, Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, has also become a best seller. It is written in the same humorous tone.

The Globe and Mail recently printed a sample recipe and interview with co-author, Rory Freedman. Here are some highlights:

On being shameless about mock meat:

“...we like meat - it tastes great. We're not a bunch of weirdos, the only thing that separates vegetarians from meat eaters is that we don't want animals to be tortured and slaughtered so that we can eat them."

On concerns about relying too heavily on processed meat substitutes:

“I think this cookbook is more for people who are just transitioning ... than for die-hard vegans. I don't eat as many fake meat products as I did when I first transitioned 14 years ago."

On concerns about grossing out readers:

There are two or three references to dead animals in the cookbook. For example, one  recipe is titled: 'Chicken' Noodle Soup: Just like Mom used to make – minus the pieces of decomposing, rotting chicken carcass.

“By the time the food is made and they're sitting down to eat I don't think they're going to be thinking about dead, rotting, decomposing chicken flesh. Especially since they're not going to be eating it."

The Toronto Star, Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, printed a lead article on Sunday about going vegetarian as a new year's resolution. In the print version, the feature starts on the front page with a colour graphic showing a steak with a circle and a line through it – kind of like a no-smoking sign but with the cigarette replaced by meat. The Sunday paper has a circulation of over 440,000.

“There's never been a better time to be – or become – a vegetarian in veggie-friendly Toronto.” 

 
Photo ©2008 Glen Lowson

Toronto Vegetarian Association's Executive Director, Kathleen Farley is interviewed in the article, and the main photo shows her and Food Fair Coordinator, Michael Chambers enjoying a home-made dinner of vegan haggis (see recipe below).

The article details how vegetarianism has been surging in Canada's largest city. Kathleen estimates that at least 100,000 Torontoians are now vegetarian, based on a 1997 study by the Canadian Council of Food and Nutrition. Recent immigrants from India and other Asian countries are bringing their vegetarian culture and lifestyle with them. "Many non-vegetarian cuisines, too, have substantially expanded the city's non-meat food choices – think hummus, pasta with pesto, stir-fried tofu and falafel."

"The public face of vegetarianism – hippies from the 1970s – doesn't work any more. The reality is that vegetarianism is on a world scale; it's hugely prevalent, especially in a diverse city like Toronto," says Kathleen.

For those who may be considering going vegetarian or moving in that direction, the article discusses a few different approaches, tips on what to eat, common myths, and nutrition information. Also, be sure to see our pages on vegetarian nutrition and what to eat as a new vegetarian. And don't forget to take the Veggie Challenge!

Click "This post continues" to for Kathleen's vegan haggis recipe.

ABC 'News' has a nice photo feature on famous vegetarians.

The first shot is of Heather Mills, Paul McCartney's estranged wife, who believes strongly in being vegan. In March she helped Viva! raid a UK pig factory farm to raise awareness of animal cruelty. And in November, Mills made headlines after she launched Viva's HOT! campaign in London's Hyde Park to raise awareness of the connection between eating meat and climate change.

Using figures from a report on global warming by United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization, Viva! argues that livestock are the second biggest cause of greenhouse gases – 18% compared to 13.5% from all the world's different modes of transport combined – and the principal cause of rainforest clearance with 70% of cleared Amazon lands used for grazing and 30% used to grow feed crops for animals.

Other vegetarian celebrities featured include, actor Joaquin Phoenix, Idol star Carrie Underwood, actress Alicia Silverstone, pop icon Prince, Natalie Portman who cites her love for animals as her reason for being vegetarian (she also doesn't wear leather), "Spiderman" Tobey Maguire,  "Tonight Show" band leader Kevin Eubanks, Lisa Simpson, and Kristen Bell and Milo Ventimiglia who star in the television show, Heroes.

Bell says she has been meatless since she was 11 years old because she couldn't disassociate a hamburger from her dog.