Nori, how could we have been so blind? We thought we KNEW you. We thought you were not to be looked at outside of Nobu! We thought you were the property of Master Sushi Chef’s and Marcobiotic wunderkinds, and not to be looked at by naive, klutzy cooks. We didn’t realize you were ours to experiment with at our very own home - to stuff with everything from figs to Indian food. Imagine our surprise when you breezed into our life with the lackadaisical air of a whole wheat tortilla. We didn’t know you could look this way. We didn’t know you’d make us feel these things!

If we’d known that stuffing you with anything from leftovers to grains (particularly quinoa), beans (especially lentils, chick peas, and lima’s), salads (particularly those highly concentrated with numerous ingredients), avocado, fruit (yes, fruit - especially shredded long and thin in the Cuisinart), and well-pounced upon nuts would be the world most delicious, nutritious, and low-fat meal - we would have been buying you in bulk so long ago. If we’d have known that your skinny body rolled with a naughty line of even the most average bland salad and a bit of salad dressing or Braggs Amino Acids would feel like such a sinful indulgence - we would have been lining our cabinets with back up Nori packs years ago! We feel so wronged! How could someone have not told us!

Nori love

Oh, Nori. You are expensive, hard to find organic and raw (though we are just as attracted to you when you are toasted) and we go through you like water. At $20 for 50 sheets, you are too hard to resist when we know you are sitting just minutes away in our fridge. We just can’t stop seeing you now. Our affair has just begun; and its one of the hottest, more delicious we’ve ever had.

We’ve couldn’t help but swoon when The WHF Foundation said;

“Why would anyone want to eat sea vegetables? Because they offer the broadest range of minerals of any food, containing virtually all the minerals found in the ocean-the same minerals that are found in human blood. Sea vegetables are an excellent source of iodine and vitamin K, a very good source of the B-vitamin folate, and magnesium, and a good source of iron and calcium, and the B-vitamins riboflavin and pantothenic acid. In addition, sea vegetables contain good amounts of lignans, plant compounds with cancer-protective properties.”

They also said you help promote healthy thyroid function, prevent birth defects and cardiovascular disease, provide Relief for Menopausal Symptoms, and have wonderful anti-inflammatory properties. If we weren’t a little jaded in the language of love, we’d say you may just be the perfect food for us. A few more Months like this, and who knows where we may be.

We also know we can’t share you. We have learned the err of our ways trying to keep you to ourselves; you are the Every woman’s Sea Vegetable, and to be enjoyed pell mell by all, with reckless abandon! Though we may ask how it was. So, what do you do with Nori when your front door locks are clicked firmly into place?

We like you just the way you are.

This link BLOWS me away: http://www.poodwaddle.com/clocks17.htm. The link takes you to a ticking clock which shows you EXACTLY how many crops and animals are being produced and used in the United States each second. You’ll find the numbers STAGGERING, and maybe even bone chilling. Take a moment and ponder how much crap we all USE.

As Daryl Hannah recently said at GreenFest in CO; “People need to remake the American dream. The three Rs — recycle, reduce, reuse — can use two more: repair and reject.”

Perhaps we could all dump one item from our diets, or lifestyle TODAY that is harming our planet. Think of the sheer strength of that action if we all got onboard! I thereby proclaim TODAY that I will join look seriously into joining a CSA, buy fewer packages of non-organic baby carrots from the fruit stands (guilty as charged!!), and stop using toxic nail polish (more on that in a very soon to come post). Tiny steps create TREMENDOUS change. What are you going to do to make a tiny little change today?

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead

On Wendesday, September 17, 2008, people around the world will turn off their lights for ten minutes - from 9:50pm to 10:00pm in their local time zone. That’s an easy first step, eh?

Next; check out PETA’s new carbon calculator widget—a small interactive tool to determine how much a change in your diet could change your impact on the environment. Simply enter your age, gender, and current eating habits, and the tool will instantly tell you how much carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) you’d prevent from polluting the Earth if you upgraded your diet. Go on, it won’t bite or tell your trainer about that container of mixed nuts you stuffed down your gullet last night!

We love our natural, fancy skin care products as much as the next hot mess, but once in a while it’s fun to get down n’ dirty and DIY. Invite over a couple homies and have a crafting party! The great thing about this is - there is no EXACT science to it. Play around with more or less of a particular ingredient until you reach your desired scent and consistency. Are you broke as a joke? Buy great (cheap) vintage jars at your favorite Salvation Army, or get bottles in bulk from any of the suppliers below. We love the vintage feel and look to old Ball Mason Jars, but some peeps (ahem) are too clumsy to use glass in the shower. Those folks are better off with non-leaching plastic containers. Anyhooters, put together gorgeous scrubs or oils, toss a couple of dried flowers into the mix, make a cute homemade label, tie the lid with brown twine, and OUILA! A fabulous gift for anyone, made with love, without chemicals, and on a dime. Want to get all fancy pants on our ass? Learn more elaborate skill at a potions and lotions class (we did!) at your local YMCA or crafts emporium. For now, try out the basics below; Ready to get started? Good. You can buy supplies through any of the links below, but you may just find what you need sitting in your kitchen right now.

• From Nature with Love
• Essential Oils
• Sunburst Bottle
• Brambleberry
• The Sage
• Herbal Accents
• The Scent Shack
• The Soap Dish

Make your own;

BODY OIL

• 1 ounce grapeseed oil
• 1 ounce sunflower
• 1 ounce wheat germ oil
• 4 ounce jojoba oil
• 12 drops of Essential oil (your choice - but some we love are lemongrass, gardenia, patchouli, and Sandalwood)

Combine oils in a bottle, shake gently to blend, then use for absolutely anything from making your bod shine to taming uber wild locks.

—

BODY SCRUB

• ½ cup Sea Salt, Sugar, or Coffee (yep, any of the three would work)
• 4 Tbsp Grapeseed Oil
• ¼ cup Baking Soda
• 5-6 drops of Essential oil

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Consider yourself done, lazy mo’ fo’.

—

BODY LOTION

• 3 Tbsp Emulsifying wax
• 3 Tbsp Avocado oil
• 1 Tbsp Vegetable glycerin
• 1 Tsp Shea Butter
• 1/2 cup water
• 15 drops essential oil

Mix with hand mixer for under 1 minute. Funnel mixture into bottle.

—

FIZZY BATH BOMBS

• 1 part citric acid
• 2 parts baking soda
• Witch hazel or water in a spray bottle
• Coloring of your choice (you can find bathbomb coloring on most of the natural sites above)
• Essential oil of your choice (depending on how much citric acid/ baking soda you use)

In a large mixing bowl; mix together the citric acid and baking soda very well. Add color. A little goes a long way, wait til later to see the color pop. Add your essential oils. Next use a water bottle to slowly spritz witch hazel or water on your mixture. Roll a ball of the glop into your hands and roll it back and forth (using the spritzer sparingly) to harden it into a very tight, hardly packed ball. This is not the easiest of the recipes, and may take you a few tries ’til you perfect it. Do not get the mixture TOO wet, or it will fizz before you want it to. Still, you will have fun trying and will eventually get used to it. — We will share more of our DIY recipes in the very near future. If your panties are all in a bunch and you want it NOW, Daddy… well hang on Veruca, cuz Momma’s got you covered. Check out this divine recipe for Lavender soap that smells like absolute heaven. And please do use the “comments” to share your own faves, if you so choose. Smell ya later!!!

Chloé gets koo-koo for eco-puffs:

What are the new eco-fabrics? Obviously recycling or buying vintage is the most green way to shop. But if you jones for new clothes faster than Samantha Jones goes through condoms, the newest eco-fabrics got you covered. You already know about organic cotton, so we won’t bore you with the why’s and where’s (okay, maybe in a future blog). For now - let’s talk about the new kids on the block that are as light on the earth as Clay Aiken is on his toes.

BAMBOO:

You’ve heard us wax rhapsodic about Bamboo clothes before. No, they don’t come with a cute Panda bear - but they do have antimicrobial properties. Bamboo fabric is a natural textile made from the pulp of the bamboo grass. It feels like silk jersey - and is comfy beyond belief. Bamboo fabric has something in it called “Bamboo Kun” which means it’s naturally an antibiotic - even after 50 washes! Believe it or not, regular cotton is treated with pesticides and and they do seep into your skin. It’s nice to know practically everything causes cancer these days - sheesh! Another cool fact about Bamboo is it’s got mild UV blocking protection, so you don’t have to go too nutty with the SPF when you rock the ‘boo. So, I’m kinda in love with my Panda Snack tee shirts which are comfier than my 25 year old nightie from Disneyworld.

Like this basic v-neck which you will wear til death do you part:

Provided by www.Tobi.com

Of course there are way more elaborate bamboozlers. Like this off-the-shoulder dress, which would be perfection with chocolate jack boots on a mild fall day.

Provided by Kaight

SEAWEED:

Seaweed is something I wrap my salads in everyday. I’m obsessed with hunking sheets of Nori. And any other kind of seaweed. So much so that on a recent trip to Mexico, I pulled a big hunk of floating seaweed out of the Ocean and (much to my Fiance’s chagrin) stuffed it down my throat. Needless to say, my gag reflexes aren’t what they used to be. Blech. The newest eco lovechild is a fabric called SeaCell, a mixture of seawood and wood pulp. The word on the street is that when you wear Seacell, your hotbod actually absorbs some of the delicious goodness found in seaweed; like calcium, magnesium, and vitamin E. Don’t believe our Girlie-typin’ fingers? Check out the 101 straight from the Professors themselves: www.smartfiber.de. All I know is when I eat Seaweed, I genuinely feel amazing. Buy this precious kimono for the little lass in your life and maybe, just maybe, she won’t need Prozac in 16 years.

Courtesy of the Baby Elephant Collection

CORN:

What is more yum in the tum tum as BBQ’ed corn in the summer? Nothing. How about a corn dress nosh? Corn fabric, being sold as “Sorona” is touted as the new nylon. It’s a fabric that uses much less energy to create than traditional fabrics and is a renewable resource. I haven’t been able to find much made from Sorona just yet, but I know you guys like to be the first to know — so look out for it at your favorite Eco-Boutique.

COCONUT:

Nothing on this earth is more delicious than a fresh coconut water. It brings up the heady childhood smell of Chocolate milk for me, for some odd reason. If you live in NYC, definitely pop into Bonobo’s for a fresh coconut water asap. I always get bummed out throwing away the shells, wondering what I could have made out of it or how I could have reused it. Now I know someone is doing something tremendous with coconut leftovers; making wearable (though not yet gorgeous) clothes. Like this jacket for bike riders that I would never have use for, but thank god some gorgeous butch types may.

Courtesy of Cocona

SOY:

You will rarely hear us at GirlieGirl Army go bananas for byproducts, but in this case we are overjoyed! Soy fabric is created from leftovers in soybean and tofu production, and has all the great benefits of moisture wicking (which means it’ll help you out with your sweaty pits). Check out this hot little halter that will have your date saying “Soy vey!”

Courtesy of The Green Loop/ Anna Cohen

SILVER:

What’s up with all these natural fabrics that make us not smell? You’d think the earth was trying to tell us something! Could be! Go simple, get benefits? Silver fabric (yep, made from real silver) helps with that not-so-fresh feeling (that post-jog, pre-dog walk aroma) cuz it’s chock full of antimicrobial properties which expels any fungus or odors that come near it.

DATING TIPS FOR THE TRAGICALLY SHY: We know you want to get your final summer fling poppin’ - here are some tips to help make it happen.

Romance isn't dead

Most of us ballsy broads at GirlieGirl Army HQ have never had a problem with dating. Though we’ve been mostly serial monogamists, when we are single - we are confident dating demons, feverishly meeting and questioning all interested suitors. We find dating fun - it’s like thrifting. You never know what you are going to find amongst the rags, or what’s going to look good on you - sometimes the most unexpected jacket just happens to pop! Point is - each date can teach you something you didn’t know - a fact on global warming or how to say “baked potato” in French perhaps. Each date is like writing your own life story. GirlieGirl Army friend (and original member) Maria Dahvana Headley wrote a book called “THE YEAR OF YES” where she said yes to every single person who asked her out on a date for a year (including cabbies and the homeless). It culminated in her meeting her Pulitzer Prize winning Hubby. What did we get away from her book? Put yourself out there - you simply can’t lose by meeting someone new. At the very least you may write a Best-selling novel!

** There is a niche group for anything you are into - from pottery making to rifle shooting - and you will meet like minded folks. If you are looking for a Catholic wo/man who loves ferrets and good wine, does crossword puzzles like a champ, and will read to your Grandmother - specify it and seek it out. It’s sort of like “The Secret” mentality - if you will it so - it will come your way.

** We are big proponents of online dating. You don’t need to waste time having three dates with the cutie from the bar, only to find out s/he hates dogs when you have three of them! You can specify your flavor and find the exact type o’ pardner you are looking for. We know there are losers out there, but you can pretty much weed out the meshugeneh’s if you have any semblance of instinct. Many of our friends have had big-time love success with nerve.com.

** Margaret Mead said “I personally measure success in terms of the contributions an individual makes to her or his fellow human beings.” If you follow that philosophy - then aim to meet someone who is contributing to the world. Don’t complain to your best friend 2 years into dating Johnny X that he doesn’t have ambition; if you wanted someone who was ambitious you could have met them at a MENSA meeting or stock market group, if you wanted someone who contributed to the world, you could have met him at a demonstration for a cause you believe in. You choose to bring certain people in your life, know your hand ultimately decides your own destiny.

** DO NOT give up your life story on date #1. Let them work for your story. You’ve taken years to write this bio, don’t give it up so easily. Do be strong and clear about what you are looking for after the first date… if you are looking for a serious commitment and the guy isn’t - it’s better to know off the bat rather than flounder around with a non-committal type. Be strong, but sexy. DEMAND real dates, RESPECT, and let him/ her know you are not to be messed with (without him/her knowing you are pulling all the strings, you smart n’ sexy cookie!).

** Forget about one date with a guy or girl you already know is not right for you. You are wasting your time. “Well, it’s just coffee - how can it hurt?” Listen Gentlemen - it can hurt because in the time you spent having coffee with that too young, brainless waitress from Hooters (sure, sure - you have a cousin who worked at Hooters and is now a Scientist. Mazel Tov.) - you could have been at the gym chatting up the clever brunette on the treadmill next to you. SEEK OUT QUALITY FOLK and you will live a QUALITY life.

** Your friends really matter when it comes to dating. If you exclusively hang out with all married, terminally single, or unlucky in love/ life folks - you won’t meet people unless the marrieds are generous in their hook ups. Meet other singles who are intelligent, interesting, and fun to be around; they will invite you to places where other quality singles will be - and you’ll be way more likely to meet people. Your coupled friends don’t want to hang with you at the Al-anon Singles Event - they want to go home, have sex, and eat Brownies! Do things with people who will enjoy the process with you, aka other singles.

** And a final note; look gorgeous, but more importantly, feel gorgeous. If you don’t put a little effort into your visual and mental offerings, then do you really love you? And if not, how are your suitors supposed to want you if you don’t want yourself? A proper conundrum! Go to the gym, read Wayne Dwyer books, use lots of lip gloss… get your a-game in full swing. You will be so happy lovin’ yourself up, you’ll barely notice when s/he knocks on your door and falls in full blown love.

Happy Shopping!

GO GREEN 101;

A German study conducted by the Institute for Ecological Economy Research in 2008 concluded that a meat-eater’s diet is responsible for more than 7 times as much greenhouse gas emissions as a vegan’s diet. Therefore; living a vegan lifestyle is one of the best things you can do to help animals, yourself, and the environment. On average a person switching from the standard American diet to a vegan diet will prevent the abuse and killing of over 100 animals per year. You save more water by not eating a pound of beef than you do by not showering for an entire year. Now a new United Nations report calls cattle the greatest threat to the climate, forests and wildlife. Cattle are ‘responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases, more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together.’ This includes the fuel burned making fertilizer, to produce the meat and transport it, as well as the obvious cow fart and manure production of methane, 20 times more effective as a global warmer as CO2. Between the water and the carbon footprint, it is definitely time to go veg. It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat, but only 60 gallons to water to produce a pound of wheat! Nearly 10 billion animals raised and slaughtered for food in the U.S. every year. The green pastures and idyllic barnyard scenes of years past are now distant memories. On today’s factory farms, animals are crammed by the thousands into filthy windowless sheds, wire cages, gestation crates, and other confinement systems. These animals will never raise their families, root in the soil, build nests, or do anything that is natural to them. They won’t even feel the sun on their backs or breathe fresh air until the day they are loaded onto trucks bound for slaughter. Animals on today’s factory farms have no legal protection from cruelty that would be illegal if it were inflicted on dogs or cats: neglect, mutilation, genetic manipulation, and drug regimens that cause chronic pain and crippling, transport through all weather extremes, and gruesome and violent slaughter. Yet farmed animals are no less intelligent or capable of feeling pain than are the dogs and cats we cherish as companions. The factory farming system of modern agriculture strives to maximize output while minimizing costs. Cows, calves, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and other animals are kept in small cages, in jam-packed sheds, or on filthy feedlots, often with so little space that they can’t even turn around or lie down comfortably. They are deprived of exercise so that all their bodies’ energy goes toward producing flesh, eggs, or milk for human consumption. The giant corporations that run most factory farms have found that they can make more money by cramming animals into tiny spaces, even though many of the animals get sick and some die. Industry journal National Hog Farmer explains, “Crowding Pigs Pays,” and egg-industry expert Bernard Rollins writes that “chickens are cheap; cages are expensive.” They are fed drugs to fatten them faster and to keep them alive in conditions that would otherwise kill them, and they are genetically altered to grow faster or to produce much more milk or eggs than they would naturally. Many animals become crippled under their own weight and die within inches of water and food. While the suffering of all animals on factory farms is similar, each type of farmed animal faces different types of cruelty. Also; for your health The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has warned people that if you eat 50g of processed meat; the equivalent of just one small burger a day then your risk of bowel cancer is increased by 20 per cent. There is compelling evidence that veggie diets can cut the risk of heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. And they are useful in controlling weight, diabetes, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. A veggie diet is also laden with cancer-fighting foods.

In the top ten are: Dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, curly kale and watercress), Oats and other wholegrains (wheat, rye, millet and quinoa), Berries (cranberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries), Garlic, Yams and sweet potatoes, Peas, beans and lentils, B12 fortified foods, Flax seeds & ground up and oil,Tofu, miso and other traditional soy products.

At a time when food prices are skyrocketing, food riots are occurring in many areas and an estimated 20 million people are dying annually worldwide from hunger and its effects, it is scandalous that over 70 percent of the grain produced in the United States and over 40 percent produced worldwide are fed to farmed animals. Also, in an increasingly thirsty and energy-dependent world, animal-based diets require up to 14 times as much water and 10 times as much energy as vegan (all plants) diets.

While the world is increasingly threatened by global warming, animal-based agriculture emits more greenhouse gases (in CO2 equivalents) than all the cars and other means of transportation worldwide
combined (18 percent vs. 13.5 percent). And, the consumption of animal products is projected to double in 50 years. Hence, a major shift toward plant-based diets is essential to move our precious, but imperiled, planet to a sustainable path.” Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus, College of Staten Island

• Chickens killed for their flesh in the United States are bred and drugged to grow so quickly that their hearts, lungs, and limbs often can’t keep up. Read more about chickens.
• Hens used for eggs live six or seven to a battery cage the size of a file drawer, thousands of which are stacked tier upon tier in huge, filthy warehouses. Read more about laying hens.
• Cattle are castrated, their horns are ripped out of their heads, and third-degree burns (branding) are inflicted on them, all without any pain relief. Read more about cows raised for their flesh.
• Cows used for their milk are drugged and bred to produce unnatural amounts of milk; they have their babies stolen from them shortly after birth and sent to notoriously cruel veal farms so that humans can drink the calves’ milk. Read more about dairy cows.
• Mother pigs on factory farms are confined to crates so small that they are unable to turn around or even lie down comfortably. Read more about pigs.
• Fish on aquafarms spend their entire lives in cramped, filthy enclosures, and many suffer from parasitic infections, diseases, and debilitating injuries. Conditions on some farms are so horrendous that 40 percent of the fish may die before farmers can kill and package them for food. Read more about fish.
• Turkeys’ beaks and toes are burned off with a hot blade. Many suffer heart failure or debilitating leg pain, often becoming crippled under the weight of their genetically manipulated and drugged bodies. Read more about turkeys.

When they have finally grown large enough, animals raised for food are crowded onto trucks and transported over many miles through all weather extremes to the slaughterhouse. Those who survive this nightmarish journey will have their throats slit, often while they are still fully conscious. Many are still conscious when they are plunged into the scalding water of the de-feathering or hair-removal tanks or while their bodies are being skinned or hacked apart. Question reality! Just because it’s “always been that way” doesn’t mean its right! Animals are born in horrible conditions and then live in their own excrement, and around dead animals. So, when you think you’re sitting down to a nice steak or chicken dinner, you are essentially eating medication, antibiotics, pus, fecal matter, and cancer. Did you know dairy is a prelude to the kill for the cows? They are kept terminally pregnant to keep lactating and their calves are pulled from them and used as veal. They mourn their lost babies each time. Some stop lactating from the emotional pain and then they are slaughtered because they are no longer useful. They actually cry when their babies are pulled away. Think about that the next time you eat grilled cheese. I have an email with more information on dairy if you’d like to see it - please email me! Animals can languish in traps for days. Up to 1 out of every 4 trapped animals escapes by chewing off his or her own feet, only to die later from blood loss, fever, gangrene, or predation. To kill the animals without damaging their fur, trappers usually strangle, beat, or stomp them to death. Animals on fur farms may be gassed, electrocuted, poisoned with strychnine, or have their necks snapped. These methods are not 100 percent effective and some animals “wake up” while being skinned.

The basics: Get inspired to live cruelty-free with these green and vegan weblinks: If you are already veg, or on your way there, please resolve to become more active in Veg and Eco outreach and education. Being vegan or eco-conscious yourself is great but unless we educate others by promoting a vegan diet and lifestyle billions of farmed animals and billions more fish are still going to suffer. It is very likely your decision to become vegan, or to start on the path towards veganism, was the direct result of someone else’s vegan outreach and education efforts. If you are interested in hosting a film screening at your church, synagogue, work place, house, bar, or local knitting group in the NY area - email beautiful, wonderful Marisa - she has projector and will travel! marisamiller@verizon.net.

First off; Visit: www.VeganStarterPack.com , www.chooseveg.com , www.goveg.com , www.tryveg.com , www.peta.org, www.meetyourmeat.com, Howard Lyman, and HumaneMyth.org offers provocative new testimony from former farmers, investigators, and animal rescuers who expose fallacies associated with animal product labels such as cage-free, sustainable, organic and certified humane.

BOOKS/ MAGAZINES/ FILM/ ARTICLES:

• WATCH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeempD8cJDE First and foremost, watch this video.
• WATCH: www.meetyourmeat.com A must see.
• WATCH: www.tribeofheart.org Extraordinary documentaries on animal issues.
• WATCH: www.vegnews.com Hands-down, the best eco/ veg eating and lifestyle magazine.
• READ: The Food Revolution by John Robbins
• READ: Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman www.skinnybitch.net
• READ: Thanking the Monkey by Karen Dawn www.thankingthemonkey.com
• READ: The China Study: Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health http://www.thechinastudy.com/about.html A Seminal study documenting link between animal food & disease, and industry influence.
• READ: Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet by Brenda Davis
• READ: Vegonomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz for the best recipes on earth.
• READ: Healthy Eating Series http://pcrm.safeshopper.com/13/cat13.htm?53 Books on vegan diets for children, women, cancer, and diabetes.
• READ: Eat to Live and Disease-Proof Your Child www.drfuhrman.com/book.html
• READ: Vegan Freak by Bob and Jenna Torres
• READ: Living with Meat-Eaters www.triroc.com/caroladams/#living How to deal with questions from meat-eaters once you go veg.
• READ: Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World www.vegfamily.com/raising-vegan-children/index.php?src=lbinfo
• READ: Vegan World Fusion Cuisine www.veganfusion.com
• READ: How It All Vegan and The Garden of Vegan www.govegan.net
• READ: The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook by Robin Robertson
• READ: Vive le Vegan!: Simple, Delectable Recipes for the Everyday Vegan Family www.everydayvegan.com/vive_le_vegan.htm
• READ: The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook www.vegsource.com/jo/books/ultimate.htm. Favorite “cheese” dishes without the cholesterol, animal products, and dairy allergens.
• READ: Simple Treats: a dairy-free wheat-free guide to scrumptious baked goods www.simpletreats.com
• WATCH: Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days, a feature documentary about the healing powers of live foods. Fascinating short film online here free: http://www.rawfor30days.com/
• WATCH: A SACRED DUTY www.asacredduty.com
• READ: The Meat/ Cancer Connection: http://www.naturalnews.com/023556.html
• READ: Quantum Wellness: A Practical and Spiritual Guide to Health and Happiness by Kathy Freston. Also by Kathy: Why Vegan is the New Atkins. Read it.
• WATCH: Free short informative online video on how everything is connected, from your food choices to the planets wellness: http://www.nonviolenceunited.org/veganvideo.html.
• READ: Big Green Purse by Diane MacEachern. Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World. This book is a great primer for green living.
• READ: Animal Liberation by Peter Singer

FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

• www.pcrm.org Medical doctors who provide excellent veg nutritional information.
• On-line vegan grocery store: http://store.foodfightgrocery.com
• Everyday grocery store food that you never knew was vegan: www.peta.org/accidentallyVegan
• Hundreds of reviewed recipes: www.vegweb.com, www.vegsource.com, www.theppk.com, http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com,
• Fabulous DVD that shows how to cook and shop cruelty-free: www.compassionatecooks.com
• With this video/DVD, adding tofu to your diet has never been easier: www.deliciousadventures.com
• Ridiculously tasty, soy meats delivered right to your door: www.vegieworld.com, www.auraprofoods.com
• Scrumptious cookies, brownies, and chocolate: www.allisonsgourmet.com , www.TheGroovyBaker.com, http://www.vegantreats.com, www.babycakesnyc.com , www.sweetavenuebakeshop.com, www.madamebutterflycakes.com, http://theonelifestyle.com/, www.alternativebaking.com , www.crispycatcandybars.com
• Dr Cows Vegan Cheese to die for: www.dr-cow.com (read this cool article about it too!)
• Follow your heart cheeses (Amazing for melting/ sandwiches) http://followyourheart.com
• Amazing raw food snacks http://oneluckyduck.com
• Incredible grain based meats: http://www.fieldroast.com/
• Ice Cream & Vegan yogurts: http://www.turtlemountain.com/
• Instead of butter: Earth Balance spread (much yummier than butter!)
• Instead of eggs: Tofu Scramble - try the one at Bliss in Brooklyn or Curly’s in NYC, or make your own.
• Instead of mayo: Nayonaise http://followyourheart.com/
• The Post Punk Kitchen is home to Isa Chandra Moskowitz and her INCREDIBLE cookbook (my favorite) Vegonomicon. Check it out for hipster style and dope recipes: http://www.theppk.com/.
• CAN YOUR DOG OR CAT BE VEG? Absolutely! Learn more here: http://www.vegforlife.org/dogscats.htm. Dog and cat vegan food: http://www. v-dogfood. com/ and another whole list here: http://www. peta. org/factsheet/files/FactsheetDisplay. asp?ID=34.
• Think about what are you consuming: http://www.poodwaddle.com/clocks17.htm.
• www.welikeitraw.com (for the raw foodies)
• www.tastyeats.com soy jerky

YUMMY RECIPE SITES:

• www.Blog.fatfreevegan.com
• www.consciouskitchen.blogspot.com
• www.theurbanhousewife.com
• www.vivelevegan.blogspot.com
• www.theppk.com/blog
• http://veganrd.blogspot.com
• www.veganmenu.blogspot.com
• www.aboverubies.org/health/cheese.html
• www.letsgetsconed.blogspot.com
• www.veganyumyum.com
• www.bittersweetblog.wordpress.com
• www.hezbollahtofu.blogspot.com
• http://www.domesticaffair.ca

RESTAURANTS:

• Lists all vegetarian and organic restaurants worldwide: www.vegdining.com
• Vegan Restaurant Guides (for NYC, LA, San Fran, Seattle, Portland, and D.C.) http://www.friendsofanimals.org/programs/vegetarianism/restaurant-guides/index.html
• www.supervegan.com (An ambitious website made by vegans for vegans primarily in NYC)
• Private vegan chef’s and meal delivery services (NY AREA): Ella@TheRegalVegan.com, wildandraw@gmail.com, yoli@ouiya.com, joshuakatcher@earthlink.net, Lagusta’s Luscious: www.lagustasluscious.com
• Vegan Cooking Classes LA taught by two hip awesome girls: http://www.sporkfoods.com
• Compassionate Cooks: Vegetarian Vegan Cooking Baking, Eating Healthy Food, Cooking Classes, Cookbook in San Francisco.
• A few personal favorites (note I said PERSONAL - there are thousands of veg restaurants worldwide, these are just some of my faves); Los Angeles: www.madeleinebistro.com (you haven’t lived til you try the “Big Macque”) , www.mcafedechaya.com, www.realfood.com , www.nativefoods.com . New York: Candle 79, Hangawi, Blossom, Kate’s Joint, Counter, Caravan of Dreams, Bliss (Brooklyn), Candle Café, Angelika’s Kitchen, Curly’s, Gobo.

FOR THE FAMILY:

• www.vegfamily.com: (Info for vegetarian families; includes product reviews and contacts to veg playgroups)
• www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/pregnancy.html & http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/veganpregnancy.htm: (Nutritional info on vegan diets for pregnant women) www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/veg_diets_for_children.html: (Nutritional info on vegan diets for children) www.pcrm.org/health/prevmed/building_bones.html: (Parents’ guide to building better bones for kids) http://www.andrews.edu/NUFS/vegathletes.htm: (Nutritional information on vegan diets for athletes) www.cyberparent.com/nutrition/osteoporosisimpotencecancer.htm: (The low-down on how dairy products aggravate osteoporosis, not prevent it) www.choiceusa.net: (For parents who want to get vegan meals into their children’s schools)
• READ: Vegan Lunch Box: 150 Amazing, Animal-Free Lunches Kids and Grown-Ups Will Love!
• www.perhapsmedia.net/p4_portfolio.html: An amazing short film on Vegan Kids!
• Tips on How to plan a VEGAN wedding: http://www.vegcooking.com/InviteElegantCateredCuisine.asp?c=vc_enews
• www.VeganDad.blogspot.com A Vegan Dad cooks for his family.

CLOTHES TO MAKE UP TO HOME:

Note on this list, I will be regularly updating it - so please recheck this blog post often. So many fantastic new designers pop up everyday.

FABULOUSLY ECO FRIENDLY/ ANIMAL-FREE SHOES & BAGS:

• www.mattandnat.com
• www.beyondskin.co.uk
• www.bboheme.com
• www.charmone.com
• www.olsenhaus.com
• www.cri-de-coeur.com
• www.mohop.com
• www.tecasan.com/page.aspx?id=136 Natalie Portman shoes for Te Casan
• www.stellamccartney.com/us/en/shopStella/Shoes.aspx
• www.minkshoes.com
• www.beyondskin.co.uk
• www.crystalynkae.com
• www.novacas.com
• www.formandfauna.com
• www.veganqueen.com
• www.melissaplasticdreams.com
• www.nyartificial.com
• www.neuaurashoes.com
• www.Ragazzivegan.com
• www.mooshoes.com
• www.alternativeoutfitters.com
• www.elezar.com/Collections/vivi/index.html
• www.noharm.co.uk
• www.vegetarianbelts.com
• www.simpleshoes.com
• www.georgette.be
• www.rozcoo.com
• www.ahimsafootwear.com
• www.allveganshopping.com
• www.meliebianco.com
• www.pazapparel.com

CLOTHING:

• www.herbivoreclothing.com
• www.muso-koroni.com
• www.motivecompany.com
• www.whiteapricot.com
• www.kaightnyc.com
• www.pandasnack.com
• www.devidoll.com
• www.thegreenloop.com
• www.GreenFinds.com
• www.shopenvi.com
• www.naturevsfuture.com
• www.armoursansanguish.com
• www.stewartbrown.com
• www.ecoganik.com
• www.twice-shy.com
• www.greenfinds.com
• www.loyaleclothing.com
• www.johnpatrickorganic.com
• www.ekovaruhuset.se
• www.gominyc.com
• www.animalrightstuff.com
• www.fabulousfurs.com
• www.bynature.co.uk
• www.nimli.com

www.caringconsumer.com/pdfs/companiesDontTest.pdf If a company is not listed on the safe list, assume they do indeed test on animals. To learn more about the unnecessary testing of animals for make up and home products - please watch “Behind the Mask” or google Animal Testing on PCRM’s website (www.pcrm.org).

• www.urbandecay.com
• www.dupreycosmetics.com
• www.smashbox.com
• www.rarenatural.com
• www.janeiredale.com
  
• www.sevicosmetics.com
• www.arbonne.com
• www.mychelleusa.com
• www.zianatural.com
• www.naturaleurope.com
• www.naturenvy.com
• B4 Brands
• Christopher Drummond Beauty
• Cocoa Pink
• DuWop Cosmetics
• gloProfessional
• Josie Maran Cosmetics
• LA Minerals
• Mineral Fusion Cosmetics
• Nadarra Skin Care
• Nothing Nasty
• Rockstar Cosmetics
• Shangra Lily
• Villainess
• Zosimos Botanicals

If your favorite company isn’t on this list of cruelty-free companies, send the company a polite e-mail encouraging it to take the necessary steps to go sans animal testing!

HOME/ MISC. ITEMS: Find out which products are safe to use in your home, and light on the environment (and the animals!) on this marvelous website: www.caringconsumer.com

• www.OrganicAvenue.com
• www.ascentofscandal.com
• www.veganstore.com
• www.veganessentials.com
• www.thevegetariansite.com
• www.bboheme.com
• www.ahappyplanet.com/ahpstore/bedding/prblank2.html
• www.kidbean.com
• http://www.waterjets.org/vegan_motorcyclist.html
• www.veganetsy.blogspot.com

TRAVEL:

• Green Earth Travel is the one stop travel service for all of your travel needs. Their specialty is meeting the vegetarian/vegan needs of their clientele.
• Healthy Highways: A Traveler’s Guide to Healthy Eating www.book.nu/1886101108
• Lonely Planet Travel Guides (Travel guides with helpful tips for the veg world traveler)
• http://www.healthyvoyager.blogspot.com/ - great blog on veg traveling

MORAL SUPPORT/ MAILING LISTS/ COOL BLOGS: Some email lists we love;

• www.dawnwatch.net
• http://thediscerningbrute.wordpress.com
• www.swankyveg.com
• www.supervegan.com
• www.farmedanimal.net
• www.girliegirlarmy.com
• www.veganbabe.com
• www.vegansofcolor.wordpress.com
• www.veggieboards.com
• www.famousveggie.com
• www.veggiedate.org
• www.farmusa.org
• www.JewishVeg.com
• www.abolitionistapproach.com
• www.walkingtheveganline.blogspot.com
• www.veganman.net
• www.vegblog.org
• www.ananimalfriendlylife.com

ANIMAL PROTECTION GROUPS (just a few of many, get involved however you can):

• www.farmsanctuary.org
• www.hsus.org
• www.cok.net
• www.aldf.org
• www.humaneusa.org
• www.peta.org, www.peta2.org, www.petakids.com
• www.VeganOutreach.org
• www.seashepherd.org
• www.savethechimps.org
• www.woodstocksanctuary.org

WORDS TO LIVE BY:

“To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. I should be unwilling to take the life of a lamb for the sake of the human body.” — Mahatma Gandhi

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead

“Thou shalt not kill” does not apply to murder of one’s own kind only, but to all living beings; and this Commandment was inscribed in the human breast long before it was proclaimed from Sinai. — Leo Tolstoy

“Truly man is the king of beasts, for his brutality exceeds theirs. We live by the death of others: we are burial places! I have from an early age abjured the use of meat, and the time will come when men such as I will look on the murder of animals as they now look on the murder of men.” — Leonardo da Vinci

“Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” Albert Einstein

“If you have people who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have people who will deal likewise with their each other.”

“Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” –Elie Wiesel

“The victim feels the suffering in his own mind and body, whereas the victimizer … can be quite unaware of that suffering. The sword does not feel the pain that it inflicts.” — Philip Hallie, From Cruelty to Goodness

“People often say that humans have always eaten animals, as if this is a justification for continuing the practice. According to this logic, we should not try to prevent people from murdering other people, since this has also been done since the earliest of times. ” — Isaac Bashevis Singer (1904- )

“We are the living graves of murdered beasts, slaughtered to satisfy our appetites. How can we hope in this world to attain the peace we say we are so anxious for?” — George Bernard Shaw (Living Graves, published 1951)

“A man of my spiritual intensity does not eat corpses.” — George Bernard Shaw

“By insulting vegetarianism you are insulting you own divinity. Who are you worshipping?” — Rosa Ena

“”For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love.” — Pythagoras

“The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men.” — Alice Walker

“”Animal cruelty is not a personal growth journey, it’s a social justice issue.” Karliin Brooks

“All the arguments to prove human superiority cannot shatter this hard fact: in suffering, animals are our equals.”- Peter Singer

“To animals, all people are Nazi’s.” Isaac Bashevis Singer

“I have no doubt that it is a part of the destiny of the human race, in its gradual improvement, to leave off eating animals.” Henry David Thoreau

“As long as people will shed the blood of innocent creatures there can be no peace, no liberty, no harmony between people. Slaughter and justice cannot dwell together.” Isaac Bashevis Singer

“A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite. And to act so is immoral.” Leo Tolstoy

“Eat Beans, Not Beings.”

VISUAL FOOD FOR THOUGHT