Filed under: Vegetarian , Vegan , Dairy , Newspapers , Health & Medical There has been a 75% increase in the "twinning" rate since 1980 and a new study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine is saying that it has to do with dairy consumption. In a study that compared omnivores, lacto-vegetarians and vegans, omnivores were the most likely to have twins. The scientists attributed this to the fact that they had much higher levels of  insulin-like growth factor (IGF) in their bloodstream, and that those levels, which were also lowest in the vegan women, directly corresponded to the likelihood of having twins.

Filed under: Vegetarian , Vegan , Books , Cookbook of the Day Vegan cooking may sound intimidating - or possibly unappetizing - at first, but I assure you that it's not. After all, there are lots of things that even omnivores eat on a regular basis that are vegan, like salads, pasta sauces and even cakes , that happen to be vegan and don't get the name attached to them. Vegan with a Vengeance is a book with over 150 excellent recipes that can certainly stand on their own without having to qualify a "yum!" with an excuse about it being vegan. The recipes are, for the most part, inexpensive and easy. One of the things that is great about it is that, unlike some other vegan cookbooks, there are quite a few recipes for cookies and other baked goods. Check out the ginger cookies and the stunning "fauxstess" cupcakes  at Rae's blog, bunnyfoot , where she sampled a few of the recipes from the cookbook with excellent results. It is a fantastic book to get if you want to have a vegetarian meal once in a while to give your diet (and your family's) some variety, not just if you're vegan. It is also a very useful book to have if you are dealing with allergies to dairy or eggs. If you actually are vegan, however, this is a "must have" in your cookbook collection.

Filed under: Dinner , Vegan , Grains , Vegetables , Nuts/seeds , Recipes , Baking , On the Blogs

Filed under: Vegetarian , Vegan , Vegetables , Steaming , How To Sarah posted that she was surprised to see such large globe artichokes when she was out shopping, but as an artichoke fan, I have been enjoying these for some time. They are significantly larger than your average 'choke - that is my chef's knife in the photo below for a size comparison - and they are so satisfying that they can actually serve as a light meal. The only downside is that you have to dedicate a whole, large pot to steaming one, so it's best to either only prepare one at a time as an appetizer for a group or a snack for yourself.

Filed under: Snacks , Vegetarian , Organic , Vegan , Non-GMO , Chocolate , Fruit , New Products , Light Food

Filed under: Lunch , Dinner , West Coast , Business , Vegetarian , Organic , Vegan , Grains , Vegetables , Nuts/seeds , Fruit , New Products , America

Filed under: Science , Vegan , Dairy , Culinary Kids , Magazines An article from Newsweek discusses the possibilty that soy and rice milks can actually harm kids, especially toddlers. There have been reports of vitamin and protein deficiencies - rickets and kwashiorkor , respectively - in very young children who were given rice or soy milk as a substitute for regular milk or baby formula. One would think that calcium deficiencies could be a problem, as well, but it was not reported in the article.

Filed under: Vegetarian , Vegan , Vegetables It was a term that was coined several years ago, but I haven't heard it being used recently. " Flexitarian " refers to a person who wants to eat vegetarian, but will occasionally eat meat. In 2003, the term was voted most useful by the American Dialect Society.

Filed under: Lunch , Breakfast , Snacks , Dessert , Vegetarian , Organic , Vegan , Non-GMO , America

Filed under: Farming , Vegetarian , Vegan , Grains , Vegetables , America When going vegan, it helps to be able to shop at a grocery store that works with you. In San Francisco, that store is Rainbow Grocery . The grocery store contains no meat, poultry, or fish so there are no "temptations of the flesh", as it were.  It does carry dairy products and eggs, but along side those are an abundance of vegetarian and vegan alternatives. Rainbow Grocery is more than a supermarket. It's sort of a "healthy lifestyle mercantile" selling everything from yoga mats to vitamins to juicers and sprouting kits. Rainbow Grocery is where I found my favorite cookbook right now, Vegan Planet. I've been cooking from it for the past two weeks, and the recipes haven't disappointed me yet. One I particularly enjoyed was the Pesto Polenta with Mushrooms (recipe follows). It was bursting with bold flavors, although I have to admit that the polenta was crying out for a little butter and cheese. Aside from that, though, I enjoyed the dish and it would make a tasty and impressive dish for entertaining, vegan or not. More after the jump! I ate restaurant fare twice this week. We did Chinese take-out again, because I really enjoy the variety and selection of vegetable and tofu dishes that most Chinese restaurants offer even when I am eating meat. I also ate at a Turkish restaurant which had plenty of vegan choices from a meze platter which included luscious bean- and roasted-vegetable-based spreads and dips to light zucchini pancakes to warm falafel on a bed of hummus. It was hard to avoid the Cacik , which I love. I admit, I dipped my flat bread in it a few times. This weekend we are off to Portland, Oregon, where I will be eating out every meal. I will report back on Tuesday and let you know how it went. Best recipe of the week— Pesto Polenta with Sautéed Portobello Slices Portobello mushrooms squick me out (the gills and spongy texture...yick) so I substituted about 2 pounds shiitake and cremini mushrooms instead. I also used quick cooking Italian polenta prepared according to the package directions, and it was fine. 3 1/2 cups water 1 teaspoon salt plus more for seasoning 1 cup medium ground corn meal 1/4 cup vegan pesto (homemade or store bought) 3 tablespoons olive oil freshly ground black pepper 2 garlic cloves, chopped 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed and caps cut into 1/4-inch thick slices 1. Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, add the salt, and slowly whisk in the cornmeal stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until thick, about 30 minutes. Near the end of the cooking time, thin the pesto with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and stir it into the polenta. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 2. Spoon the polenta into a lightly oiled, shallow, 10-inch square baking dish. Spread it evenly over the bottom. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes 3. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mushroom slices, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook until the mushroom slices are tender, about 5 minutes. Keep warm over very low heat. 4. Preheat the oven to 375º F. When the polenta is firm, cut into four squares. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet and brush with remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Bake until hot and golden brown, about 30 minutes. 5. To serve, transfer polenta to individual plates, spoon some of the mushrooms on top, and serve hot. Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments