DC: Inaugural Zinefest this Saturday!

I took a bloggie break, needed more outdoors and real life interactions with this beautiful but oppressively hot summer we're having. But I'm back! Expect periodic updates and such, however I'm realizing the time consuming nature of the internets, and like to find a healthy balance.

That being said, if you're craving non-electronic, real live human interactions, and should probably get the fuck away from a computer for a couple hours, please come out this Saturday to the DC Zinefest!!!

(c) DC Zinefest

I've never done a zine, but I know people that do. And 10 out of 10 agree that it's awesome, cathartic, expressive, enforces DIY culture, and creates community. I'm all for that, and I enjoy reading them!

So come by St. Stephen's Church from 11AM-5PM and pick up some zines, talk with the writers and artists, take a zine-making, art, or bike maintenance workshop and share some skills.

Best of all, it's totally FREE!

Also- word is there will be delicious vegan treats for purchase by the talented and adorable Shannon from the DC CLITFest crew!
One word: VEGANCHOCOLATEDONUTS.

Peep the workshops available!

Check out the full list of zines and distros tabling!

Why I'm Vegan: Excessively Fun Vegan Recipe Blogs

I just came across The Vegan Stoner blog (and hopefully soon-to-be cookbook!) which is comprised of delicious, ridiculously easy and fast recipes, minimalist ingredients to cook healthy on the cheap. And it's illustrated! It's accompanied with idiot/inebriated-proof directions, making it accessible to young folk, old folk, and those with a grade F- in culinary skills.

It kind of reminds me of my childhood cookbook that got me into cooking and feeding myself in the first place (after I made the recipes veg-friendly): Kids Cooking: A Very Slightly Messy Manual. It even came with measuring spoons and had a veggie dog treat recipe! Aw nostalgia.

All the lazy veg*ns, parents, excusatarians, and omni's alike out there, check out one of my favorite recipes below and the rest of the munchies at The Vegan Stoner Blog: 

(c) The Vegan Stoner

Here's an interview with the creators of The Vegan Stoner at Disarray Magazine

Why I'm Vegan: Industrial Animal Agriculture Hates/Heats the Planet

We should all be able to recognize by now that Industrial Animal Agriculture (CAFO systems aka Big Ag) is the LARGEST contributor to climate change and environmental pollution. These city-sized manure factories dump billions of tons of solid, liquid, and gaseous waste that degrade our environment, create antibiotic resistant diseases that contaminate other farms and in turn the public, and there are always evident workers' rights and animal welfare violations in such industrialized systems. Not to mention how unsustainable it is to filter all our natural resources through that dirty, inefficient system (water, feed crops, fuel, antibiotics, land, etc.) U.S. taxpayers foot the bill for environmental clean up, CDC costs, animal rescue, and ridiculous health care bills to name a few, totaling to billions of dollars lost each year. See below for additional information if you need any more convincing.

Great news though! Plate to Planet is new project from Farm Sanctuary! It will feature media and educational tools on the intersections between factory farming, how it affects the planet, and in turn human health.They produced a great video narrated by Jason Schwartzman, please watch it and check out their new site:




To find out more on why Big Ag hates the environment, check these out:
United Nations 2006 Report: Livestock's Long Shadow
Farm Sanctuary
Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production 
The Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming
Sustainable Table 
Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
Farm Forward
Food and Water Watch 
Price of Meat
EarthSave 
Sierra Club 
CAFO: The Book
World Watch Institute: Livestock and Climate Change
Mother Nature Network: 25% of US Meat Contaminated
Nebraska Center for Rural Health Research: Report on CAFO's Potential Implications for Public and Environmental Health
American Public Health Association's 2003 Proposed Moratorium on CAFOs
UNESCO Report: Energy Flow, Environment and Ethical Implications for Meat Production Down on the Factory

And because environmental conservation and public health are just two pieces of a huge messy puzzle, here is just one case exemplifying the issue of food (in)justice. The U.S. government would rather spend money buying out food subsidies that make America's children sick and keep private corporations rich. The Catharine Ferguson Academy--a public school for pregnant teens in Detroit with a garden and daycare--is being defunded and shut down. A thorough piece on this obscene act at Grist and coverage from Rachel Maddow.

DC: Tuesday To Do's

Go eat at Everlasting Life Cafe! Tuesday is Shepherd's Pie and Eggplant Parm, and as always, the best Mac in town! One of those I Can't Believe It's Vegan kinda meals.

While you're doing that, listen to these lovelies! There's a show from 7-10pm:

The Two Funerals

Hot Mess

Foozle

The Fordists

Everlasting Life Cafe

2829 Georgia Ave. NW

Washington, DC

7:00pm - 10:00pm

 Facebook Event Page

A little taste of the hometown heroines Hot Mess:

DC: Magical Perfect Sunday

image cred: Jennifer Parks

Prelude to summa summa summatime:

Woke up early for a Sunday and found a new cat friend on the block that tried to make our house his new house, named him Bob, an ado male tabby that loves our front porch. I will try to get a picture if he comes a calling again. 

A lazy brunch at Sticky Fingers. French Toast hell yes! The grits, not so much.

Bike ride on Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park, almost 10 miles round trip! Portions of Beach Dr. are closed to cars on the weekends, so take advantage of only having to dodge pedestrians, strollers, and other cyclists. And it's one of the best (and free) things to do in DC!

Dinner consisted of ginger-soy marinated tofu with beets, orange chunks, over romaine and spinach. I can't wait until the 2011 Mt. Pleasant Farmer's Market season begins and I can score better food!

Ginger-Soy Marinade:
2T fresh grated or powdered ginger
2T soy sauce
equal parts rice/balsamic vinegar and olive oil
toasted sesame oil (sparingly)
spoonful of Dijon mustard
squirt of agave nectar
oregano, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder to taste

Directions:
Whisk all ingredients together. Taste. Add flavors as needed. Submerge food of choice in marinade and refrigerate for minimum 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Why I'm Vegan: Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary

I'm going to volunteer at the Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary today! Be jealous. Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary takes in rescued farmed animals from throughout the east coast, all of them survivors from cases of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. These animals, which are the unwanted remains of the Ag Industry, are retired and allowed to finally thrive in true natural elements: pair bond, dust bathe, be in social groups, be outside, feel grass and mud, receive proper vet care and nutrition, express their personalities, not fear for their lives or be subject to physical and psychological trauma. For having received the worst of human nature, all the residents at PSAS are pretty social and not afraid of humans, a testament to forgiveness and peace that I don't even have as much capacity for. Check out these guys!

oh hai!

Why I'm Vegan: Mercy for Animals Calf Farm Exposé

This is serious. This is an issue most people turn a blind eye to. This is not funny and should not be trivialized because there are other important issues out there or because of people's biases against certain species. This is common. Anything goes when money is to be made, regardless of the autonomy or independent will of another being. This will not stop if people keep paying other people to beat calves in the head with pick axes and hammers. For what? Milk, cheese, veal, and other products from the dairy and meat industry. Read more at watch the undercover video from Mercy for Animals.

Additionally, here is Farm Sanctuary's Report on the Dairy Industry.

Calf being beaten by employee of E6 Cattle Co. Hart, Texas. March 2011

Personally, I'd rather drink plant milk and not eat cheese than contribute to needless suffering of animals that never even had a chance to live (let alone what it's done for my health.) Plants have evolved to grow fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains for animals to eat and spread their seed. Animals have evolved legs to run away from carnivores. 

To boot, we have not biologically evolved to eat dairy for the most part, our bodies react in varying degrees of revolt against it. We are the only species that suckles from other animals, and into adulthood. There are numerous studies demonstrating as such, linking dairy intake to type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis, chronic sinusitis, allergies, asthma, Asperger disorder, breast, prostate, colorectal and other cancers, cardiovascular disease, and other illnesses that have created a modern pandemic of diseases of affluence in developed and now developing countries.  

More info on lactose intolerance, and dairy's correlation to disease: 

SuperVegan article and chart on global lactose intolerance

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's information on Preventive Medicine and Nutrition 

The Cancer Project- Dairy and Breast Cancer

Jane Velez-Mitchell sets it straight with Dr. Barnard on serving milk in school

Go Dairy Free

Farm Sanctuary's Report on the Dairy Industry 

The China Study 

Finally, what strikes me at the heart of this particular issue, is the basic fact that humans have co-opted and exploited purely for financial gain the autonomy of billions of female mammals' reproductive cycles (and animals' repro cycles with eggs), in the most horrific and brutal ways imaginable (if you can think it, it's been done to female animals and babies in the Ag Industry.) We make commodities of cows' babies and the milk these mothers make for them. If you cannot see the intersection between feminism and speciesism, look harder. There is also a positive correlation between animal abuse (companion and farmed animals) and bestiality and sexual and domestic abuse. More on that here: 

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau of Compassionate Cooks- Female Exploitation video

For the Birds Collective- Feminism and Veganism

The Sistah Vegan Project and Anthology

Our Hen House- Feminists Go Vegan

LOVE: Living Opposed to Violence and Exploitation- Ending Rape Culture is a Vegan Issue

Huffington Post- Ari Solomon's Feminist's Dilemma

Carol J. Adams' work on the overlap of veganism and women's rights 

Pattrice Jones- Communications from an eco-anarcha-feminist animal

Delicious Vitality- Alexandra Jamieson's women's nutrition site

Report from Michigan State University on Slaughterhouses and Increased Crime Rates

Marti Kheel- Nature Ethics

Beyond Animal Rights: The Feminist Care Tradition in Animal Ethics

Animals and Women: Feminist Theoretical Explorations

Animal Welfare and Domestic Violence Report

Persephone Magazine- Intersectionality between Veganism, Feminism, and the LGBT movement

Mother and her calf

Recipe: Soy-Free Vegan Matzo Ball Soup

Finally we can all stop complaining, here's a matzo ball soup recipe that works!!! The trick is to let them cook without being boiled (the boiling rips them apart. 


The Backstory: Matzo Ball Soup is actually what got me to give up eating eggs, do to an unfortunate and disgusting surprise chicken fetus in my matzo ball back in the day (thanks mom!) Eggs are mean and nasty and totally unnecessary (check Links to learn why!) 


Soy-Free Vegan Matzo Ball Soup
makes about 6 servings  

Ingredients:
2 C matzoh meal 
2 t salt 
black pepper to taste
two dashes onion powder 
(minced parsley- optional)

6 T vegetable oil 
1 1/3 C water

1 giant pot-ful of vegetable broth (canned, boxed, or make your own stock!) 

Directions:
1. In a large bowl combine matzoh meal, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Stir dry ingredients to distribute evenly. 

2. Add vegetable oil and water and mix well, forming into a giant dough ball. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for a half hour. 

3. While the matzo dough is in the fridge, get started on the vegetable stock. Heat on high. Add spices, parsley, noodles (i've done chow fun rice noodles or udon en lieu of the traditional egg noodles), veg like carrots, onions, leeks, celery, etc. 

4. Take the dough out of the fridge and form into small-sized balls (about the size of a golf ball.) It helps if you keep you fingers/palms oiled so the dough sticks to itself instead of your hands. 

5. Let a giant pot of water come to a boil, then lower heat to medium/medium-low until it's just barely simmering and gently add the matzo balls to the hot water, lowering them in with a slotted spoon, they will sink to the bottom. Cover with a lid and leave to cook until matzo balls float to surface (~20-30 minutes.)

6. Turn down heat on veg stock to a simmer/medium-low and add matzo balls gently to the veg stock and let cook further for about 10 minutes. Stab a matzo ball with a fork to see if the center has cooked all the way through, leave to simmer until completely cooked but still firm. 

7. EAT THEM ALL!!

*Note: you can also add 2 T Ener-g Egg Replacer to the water before you mix with the dry ingredients to be on the safe side.