VEGANIK: 10 VEGAN PRODUCTS TO TRY IN 2010 (PART 2)

(Part II: #6-#10)

By contributor Nik Tyler

Continuing on my epic quest to discover new (to me) products that I think you’ll dig as well; enjoy #6-10 vegan products to try in 2010!! (see 1 -5 HERE)

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6. AMY’SAmys
I think Amy’s Natural & Organic meals are groovy!! Everything they produce is vegetarian, and many are vegan. They’re all organic, easy to heat and serve, and darn tasty to boot! Amy’s vast array of vegan options range from breakfast steel-cut oats to tofu scramble to Asian noodle stir-fry to vegetable enchiladas to veggie burgers, pizza, chili, baked ziti and even chocolate cake (and that’s just to name a few)!! My personal fave is Amy’s vegan “Family Marinara” Sauce – which is a fantastic addition to noodles, quinoa, beans, sauteed veggies and just about anything else you can think of!

You can find Amy’s products at Whole Foods and several other health food stores. For more info, check out their website: http://amys.com/

7. MAUK FAMILY FARMS
Raw Breakfast CrustsI’ve been a fan of Mauk Family Farms products for a while now. This company makes some really delectable Flax Seed crackers (my favorite flavor is “Garlic Onion”) as well as two other great products called “Wheat Free Crusts” (brown and golden flax seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, celery seed, garlic, onion, red bell pepper, parsley, sea salt & water) & “Breakfast Crusts” (pumpkin seeds, black/white sesame seed,golden flax seed, garlic, onion, dulse flakes & sea salt). They have no grain or gluten and are rich in Copper, Magnesium & essential fatty acids. These crusts are totally addictive and perfect on their own… or try one of my favorite combo’s and  spread on some creamy coconut oil and you’ll be in total ecstasy!!

You can buy Mauk Family Farms products at Whole Foods, perhaps your local Co Op or in their online store: https://maukfamilyfarms.com/mm5/merchant.mvc

8. ENJOY LIFE FOODShappy apple<sup>®</sup> cookies : click to enlarge
Searching for a food company that makes delicious snacks and is “sensitive” to the issue of food allergies? Enjoy Life Foods is that company; their mission is to create and sell cookies, trail mix, snack bars & baking products that are uber tasty, as well as free and clear of gluten, dairy, egg, casein, peanuts, tree-nuts, and soy… And that’s exactly what they’ve done! My favorite products that they make are the “Happy Apple” & “No-Oats “Oatmeal”" cookies; They’re moist, chewy, not-too-sweet, and just undeniably delicious!

So now you know a company that makes treats that can be enjoyed by literally everyone, even those who need to be extra cautious due to food allergies. Be sure and check out their full product list and learn more about this cool company: http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/

9. 2 MOMS IN THE RAW


Founded by Shari, a very cool, health-conscious mom of three, 2 Moms In The Raw is a fantastic company that produces a yummy array of organic, raw Granola (“Blueberry”, “Cranberry”, “Gojiberry” & “Raisin”) and Sea Crackers (“Garden Herb”, “Pesto” & “Tomato Basil”).

The “Garden Herb” Sea Crackers are definitely my favorite; consisting of Flaxseed, Kombu (Sea Vegetable), Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Sea Salt and Spices - they’re light, crunchy, crisp and they taste like a fresh herb garden compressed into chip form! The “Tomato Basil” Sea Crackers are rad as well, made up of Flaxseeds, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Garlic, Kombu, Herbs & Sea Salt – they have a wonderful garlicky, sun-dried tomato bite! Both of these crackers are the perfect light-bite for kids and adults; enjoy them on their own or dip it!

In addition to their delicious crackers, 2 Moms also sell raw Granola which rocks! Not your typical granola, a little more chunky, you can break it into little pieces and eat it like a breakfast bar. The two flavors I’ve tried, Blueberry & (Gluten-free) Gojiberry are free of refined sugars (substitute Agave) and instead are jam-packed with a ton of healthy ingredients (buckwheat, coconut, a plethora of seeds/nuts and more!!), all of which have been soaked & sprouted to perfection; chewy, crunchy, semi-sweet and utterly delicious, countless textures and flavors awaken your taste-buds and take em’ on one helluva’ wild joy-ride!

You can purchase 2 Moms In The Raw products at Shari’s wonderful site: http://2momsintheraw.com/ or look for them at your local health food store.

9. SUNPOWER NATURAL


In addition to a full-blown gourmet vegan menu at their restaurant (located in Studio City, CA), Sun Power Natural has an awesome product line of raw cookies that I recently discovered at my local co op. The two flavors I’ve tried are “Cinnamon” (coconut, raisins, cinnamon & agave) & “Fruit Burst” (oranges, coconut, raisins, agave). These cookies are “chewy, gooey & delicious” and I definitely think Sun Power Natural has got it going on! In addition to tasting like heaven, these organic treats are raw, gluten-free & low glycemic.

Look for SunPower food at your local co op and Whole Foods, or just click on this link (http://www.sunpowernatural.com/) and get some raw decadence in your life stat!

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I hope you enjoyed my 10 vegan product picks! In addition to these yummy snacks, try and balance your diet and combat any acidic/sugar intake by consuming tons of alkalizing greens and lots of pH balanced water. Here’s to your health!

1 Comment

joshuakatcher, March 15th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Contributor, Health, Uncategorized, cruelty-free, food, green, organic, raw, restaurant, vegan, vegetarian

Swim Trunks for Guys Who Care About The Ocean

Not only does Livity make their entire line from recycled materials and organics, but everything is produced in equitable trade. These trunks are made from recycled plastic and hemp. They are quick-drying, and feature some cool patters and prints.

Loomstate’s Baja Board Short in organic cotton are less bold, and feature a leaf-inspired print.

Baja Board Short Baja Board Short

Patagonia also has a handsome khaki, or khaki check board short in organic cotton.

Patagonia Men's Cotton Board ShortsPatagonia Men's Cotton Board Shorts

If you care about the oceans, there are some great resources out there for ethical surfers, like EcoBusinessLinks page on surf companies.  Country Feeling Surfboards uses soy-based and sugar-based foams; deck inlays made from hemp, organic cotton, bamboo, and resin that is catalyzed by the sun.  The best surf accessories, like hemp boardbags can be found at Wave Tribe. If you have an old board to recycle, send it to ReSurf! I also highly recommend joining the efforts of Sea Shepherd.

http://www.sfgate.com/blogs/images/sfgate/hawaii/2008/10/07/countryfeelingboards_001250x187.jpg

We know that The Cove has won an Oscar for Best Documentary of 2009, and if you haven’t seen End Of The Line, you must!

1 Comment

joshuakatcher, March 12th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Skateboard, Uncategorized, design, fashion, green, organic, recycled, social responsibility, sports, travel, trend report, vegan, vegetarian

Velour’s Shirts & Ties

Velour’s online store, featuring a bunch of organic cotton in classic men’s styles, is up and running! The coordinating shirt-and-tie combinations are incredibly fetching, and mismatching them is even more fun. No one will even suspect that you’re a hippie in these sharp cuts:

Dominic SS10Dominic SS10

IsacGaryTradeJoe

BenRalph SS10

LennonTimAlbinBrian

AndrewTodd SS10Craig SS10 Ernest SS10

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joshuakatcher, March 11th 2010 | Tags: , ,
Posted in fashion, green, news, organic, trend report, vegan, vegetarian

Garlicky Polenta, Tender Eggplant & Marinated Tofu Tower with Mushroom & Wine Red Sauce

I made this yummy Italian dish for my family last night. It was full of flavor, not too heavy, and went great with some steamed kale and quiona. The presentation really makes the dish stand out, so use it the next time you need to impress someone!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED (serves 4):

  • 1 medium eggplant
  • 1 package of plain firm tofu
  • 1 package of Italian herb polenta
  • 1 medium zucchini
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbs dried oregano
  • 1 Tbs dried basil
  • 4 Tbs olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 Tbs wine vinegar
  • 6 med/small crimini mushrooms
  • 1 can tomato sauce

DIRECTIONS:

*tofu marinade: Combine the basil, oregano, paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper and 2Tbs olive oil, the vinegar, and 1/4 cup tomato sauce in a deep plate and set aside.

  1. 1. Cut the tofu into four, 1-inch thick pieces, and place them in the marinade, coating evenly on each side. Let stand for at least 20 minutes.
  2. 2. Place the tofu along with the remaining marinade and all the garlic (crushed, peeled, and diced) into a large oiled saucepan on medium heat.
  3. 3. Slice the eggplant into four, 2-inch thick medallions, and add to the pan.
  4. 4. Every time the pan starts to brown or get dry, add a little white wine and tomato sauce, which will tenderize and keep the eggplant and tofu from sticking and add flavor. Saute for about 10-15 minutes or until the eggplant is brown on each side and practically falling apart with tenderness.
  5. 5. Cut the polenta into four, 1-inch thick medallions, and in a separate pan, saute on medium heat with the diced mushrooms in 1Tbs olive oil and 2 Tbs white wine until golden on each side.
  6. 6. Slice the raw zucchini longways using a peeler into very thin, long pieces, then lay about 3 or 4 slices on each plate.
  7. 7. Stack the eggplant, tofu, and polenta on top of the zucchini, then fold the zucchini over and flip it so the crease is on the bottom.
  8. 8. Top it with some extra wine-infused tomato sauce from the pan and the sauteed mushrooms, and serve!

2 Comments

joshuakatcher, March 6th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Health, food, green, organic, recipes, vegan, vegetarian

GQ’s Spring Suggestions, SeaWorld Must Drown & Bad Parenting

• GQ’s Spring Must-Haves include a vegan new-wave boat shoe from Sperry Topsiders (without those leather laces, finally), fancy pocket squares of every pattern and color, bright and bold striped ties and straw fedoras.

When searching for a striped tie that isn’t made from hundreds of worms who are boiled alive, we suggest hitting up your local thrift or vintage store which typically have piles of ties or our favorite vegan tie company, Jaanj.com. As for straw fedoras, that one thing we love about spring. You can avoid the wool hats and go with a 100% plant-based straw hat. LiViTY makes recycled, hemp, organic, and fair trade fedoras in some bold patters and classic shapes, and Engineered Garments makes an organic linen boater cap. We suggest keeping a lid on it and sticking to classics like these:

Click to enlarge

Engineered Garments Boater Hat- Organic Linen w/ Khaki/Blue Madras

The Hill-Side offers some selvedge Pocket Squares that we find quite fetching:

The Hill-Side S13-006 Selvedge Chambray Pocket Square Stonewash IndigoThe Hill-Side S13-004 Selvedge Chambray Pocket Square Kyoto VioletThe Hill-Side S13-003 Selvedge Chambray Pocket Square Plum Violet

ric o'barry seaworld tillikum• I’ll be as happy as the next guy to see SeaWorld go under. The next guy is our pal Gary Smith, and he’s written an article on SeaWorld and the exploitation of dolphins and whales that flooded the enterprise with a 1.4 billion profit last year. In the article over at Elephant Journal. Ric O’Barry, who was featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary film “The Cove” and serves as the marine mammal specialist for Earth Island Institute, shares some thoughts with Gary on the recent killer whale tragedy. If you needed to be convinced that captive seas mammals are unhappy, this will do it!

“Orcas are the most social animal on the planet, even more so than us,” said O’Barry. “Males will stay with their mothers their entire lives. When we capture an animal like Tilikum, we take him away from the two most important things of his life; the world of sound and family. We put them in a concrete box and expect him to stay mentally healthy. It simply doesn’t work.” - Rick O’Barry, Marine Mammal Specialist EII

mousse• Is Discovery’s Planet Green FINALLY getting the meat/global warming connection? Or not. The promos for Emeril’s Green(washed) Kitchen still lists “beef” as a major ingredient, but I got a recipe for vegan chocolate mousse in my inbox this morning, and they have a vegan section. Strangely, their new show Future Food: Gastronomic Geniuses seems like a bunch of dudes playing with their meat. The video showcases these “geniuses” shooting bratwurst with paint-balls, and trying to figure out the tastiest way to serve this meat up in mad-science ways. The maddest science is showcasing meat on a self-proclaimed “green” network when it’s the #1 cause of global warming! Hey Discovery, WTF!?

• Rock It Out: A Night to Benefit New York’s Farm Animal Sanctuaries

http://woodstockfas.org/art/animals/DylanPlusOlivia.jpg

Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary

This benefit will feature live musical performances, a scrumptious vegan bake sale, and an awesome raffle all to benefit farm animals at Farm Sanctuary and the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary! Check out what these sanctuaries do to save animals like Billy, who was taken in after almost being killed by a sledgehammer at a dairy farm just a few weeks ago:

Saturday, March 6, 2010 from 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Location: Reidy Hall at All Souls Church, 1157 Lexington Ave @ 80th St, Basement Level
$10 pre-sale, $15 at the door (cash only)
Pre-sale tickets can be purchased at:
https://www.mycommunitytickets.com/event_info.asp?eventid=26496

• Did society create monstrous people, or do a collective of monstrous people create civilization? This was the topic of last week’s Hardcore History, and we suggest you listen. Totally mind-bending! Could widespread child abuse and bad parenting in earlier eras explain some of history’s brutality? We think so.

• Learn to Lobby for Animals with the HSUS. We are only a few weeks away from the 2010 New York State Humane Lobby Day on Wed, March 24th in Albany. Join fellow activists to help pass legislation to crack down on animal fighters, stop puppy mills, end canned shoots of captive exotic wildlife, and protect farm animals from cruel treatment. To RSVP and get more info, click HERE.

• Jessica Reid asks GGA readers if a No Kill Nation is possible when it comes to dog shelters. There’s always a fierce discussion on the GGA comment-board, so have you say!

“The truth is you cannot blame having to kill shelter animals on an “irresponsible public” or “too many animals” when a shelter doesn’t implement lifesaving and low cost programs. I personally witnessed missed opportunity after missed opportunity from alienating potential fosters to terrible customer service to rude behavior toward rescue groups. I heard the same stories from other volunteers.  These were not isolated cases. These were failures of management and staff to do what they should be doing: saving lives.”

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joshuakatcher, March 2nd 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Health, Shoes, Uncategorized, activism, animal rights, cruelty-free, design, dogs, environmental justice, event, fair trade, fashion, food, global warming, green, news, organic, pets, philosophy, recipes, recycled, social responsibility, trend report, vegan, vegetarian
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