"Self-Radicalization" and the Vegan View on Violence

Since the Boston Marathon bombings, the term "self-radicalization" has entered the common lexicon. It refers to someone who became radical without face-to-face interaction with those holding extremist views, basically someone who developed radical beliefs through viewing extremist material on the Internet. Frankly, the phrase is kind of silly. 

First of all, viewing extremist material on the internet is still being influenced by others. There is no Big Byte Bang happening where this content explodes into digital existence from nothingness; someone developed and posted it. So for starters, we can take the 'self' out of 'self-radicalization.' 

Second, 'radicalization' is something of a misnomer. One can hold radical beliefs without being a violent extremist. What does being 'radical' mean, after all? It simply means believing that drastic change is necessary in some element of society, be it political, social, financial, or environmental. The Founding Fathers of the United States were radicals in their rejection of the British monarchy, for example. Furthermore, to some degree being radical depends on your circumstances. While a person with communist views was considered radical in America in 1950, a person with democratic views would've been considered a radical in Russia. So clearly, (1) it's something of a subjective term and (2) there is nothing inherently wrong with being radical. 

Ethical vegans are, by definition, radicals. We believe that a drastic change must take place in our society for the sake of animals, the environment, and human health. Most of us are, by the silly definition, 'self-radicalized,' having adopted this belief through reading books and viewing material on the internet, rather than indoctrination. Again, nothing inherently wrong.

So where does the real problem lie? Not in radical thinking, but in violent thinking. Not in believing drastic change is necessary, but in believing that violence is justified to create that change. When an individual begins to believe committing violent acts is justified, they cross the line from radical to extremist; when they actually commit those acts, they cross the line from extremist to terrorist.

Unfortunately, there are certainly dark corners of the vegan world where this extremism exists. I was tremendously disappointed to learn that the oft-quoted, oft-promoted Gary Yourofsky (he of the "Best Speech You Will Ever Hear" viral video) actually publicly endorses violence, up to and including murder of vivisectionists. (I will not link to his essay here because I oppose violence, but a simple Google search will turn it up.) 

While I object to the term 'self-radicalization' to describe the process that led two young men to kill and maim in Boston, there clearly was a process that led them to become extremists, and then terrorists. It was a process that involved (1) finding people to blame, (2) finding validation of that blame and anger from a community of others - in this case, an online community, (3) feeding that negativity until it boiled over into hatred and violence.

And I suppose that's my point for my vegan friends: what are we feeding in ourselves? Hatred or compassion? 

A reporter who decided to investigate extremist groups online described the violent imagery they share as a sort of  pornography. 'Hate porn', if you will. In Muslim extremist groups, he found hate porn of children killed by Western military action. Had he examined vegan extremist groups, he would've found graphic images of slaughtered and abused animals. 

I'm not suggesting there isn't a place for these images. Yes, it's important to help others understand the inherent violence of a non-vegan diet. Yes, it's important for us to know what's really going on in CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations, or factory farms). Yes, it's important to document and educate about animal abuse. But the constant viewing of these types of images is a red flag that you may be headed towards extremism. Logically, if you are a vegan who understands the truths these images represent, how often do you need to see them? How does it benefit you to see them again and again? You have to ask yourself, at what point does this only serve to feed my anger?

If you follow the so-called self-radicalization process and (1) find people to blame - in this case, non-vegans, (2) find validation of that blame and anger from a community of others who are equally angry and (3) continue to feed it with hate porn, the natural outcome is a justification of violence. The natural outcome is extremism at best and terrorism at worst.

So I think we have to beware. Beware of blaming, beware of hatred, beware of justifications of violence. Beware of feeding the negative. If you find yourself anywhere along that dangerous path that's being mistakenly called 'self-radicalization' - the path that goes from blame, to hatred, to justification of violence, to violent acts - just turn back. Feed compassion, understanding, and empathy instead.

The heart of veganism, the very essence of it, is a belief in the right of all creatures to live, free from unnecessary suffering. Violence toward any living creature is inconsistent with vegan tenets. That's a simple truth. Remember that veganism is, in it's refusal to kill or harm animals, radical nonviolence. That's a kind of self-radicalization that no one can condemn.

Photos: Charlotte, NC

This graveyard dates to 1776. It's one street over from the main drag, pictured above.

 Charlotte is an interesting city for the attractive blend of old and new, urban and suburban, all in very close proximity.

We took a walking tour of the historic 4th Ward, which is a lovely family neighborhood smack dab in the middle of downtown. People chatted to us in the street, waved from their porches, and all seemed to know each other's dogs by name.


I loved both the historic homes and the lovely local flora.

Outside the city, I had the chance to visit the McDowell Nature Preserve.

Check out my previous post for info on my favorite vegan eats in Charlotte!

Tabbouleh Tacos

How fresh and delicious does that look? And yet, it's a quick meal made with prepared foods. I don't feel guilty at all, because it's easy to find prepared hummus and tabbouleh that are fresh and wholesome, without added preservatives or chemicals. Just check the deli section of your local grocery.

Here's my ideal blend for perfect flavor.

For each taco:
1 three-seed whole wheat tortilla
2 tbsp lemon hummus (or original hummus with a small squeeze of fresh lemon)
3 tbsp tabbouleh
garnish with olives and dark leafy greens (I used Organic Girl's "I Love Baby Kale" blend, which has kale, spinach, and other greens)

When I'm feeling the need for something a little more hearty, I'll add in some matchstick carrots and slices of cucumber. Delicious!

Vegan on the Road: Zizi's Vegetarian in Charlotte, NC

According to the Veganesse's Charlotte Vegan Dining Guide, there are quite a few places for a vegan to get a meal in "Queen City." Unfortunately, the way the timing worked out, I only got to sample one. Fortunately, it was a good one!

Zizi's Vegetarian Restaurant is not at all aptly named. First of all, the food is all vegan. Secondly, it's not exactly a restaurant. More of a takeout counter. But the food is worth finding a place to sit and eat.

(Just a hint, Reedy Creek Nature Center & Preserve is less than 5 minutes away. There are plenty of picnic tables, covered pavilions - even with a fireplace! -  and a really charming view of the woods.)

For a little takeout counter, Zizi's really has a pretty extensive menu. They specialize in veganized versions of American food - Buffalo chicken, meatloaf, turkey and gravy, burgers, fried fish, macaroni and cheese. But they also have some conventional vegan fare for those not into analogues, like veggie stir-fry, spicy tofu, or grilled portabellos.

My flexitarian traveling companion, Debbie, ordered the lentil loaf with mac & cheese and mashed cauliflower potatoes with gravy.

Debbie was a big fan of the lentil loaf (which I snitched a bite of and I agree, it was delicious). Having never had vegan mac & cheese before, she was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was, and really liked the addition of corn to give it a little texture. Her only criticism was that she expected the cauliflower mashed potatoes to be a little more cauliflower and a little less potato.

I also had the mac & cheese and the cauliflower mash. My main dish was the Philly cheese steak sub, which is finely chopped seitan cooked with grilled onions and topped with a 'cheese sauce' of whipped Veganaise.

I cannot emphasize enough how delicious that sub was. It was very much like the original (meat) version in flavor and texture, but without any of the greasiness, grossness, or the guilt.

I also really enjoyed the sides. The gravy on the mash was flawless - much better than mine. The mac & cheese was good, but didn't compare to my homemade. (Of course, that would be really difficult, since I make the VegNews recipe, which is literally the best mac and cheese in the universe, no exaggeration.) But really, it was the sub that got me. So much so that I was tempted to run by to grab another for dinner on my way to the airport. I refrained, but only just barely.

I've got to give Zizi's credit for both the quality of the food and the reasonable prices. If I lived in Charlotte, I think it would be my go-to for takeout food. Should I find myself back in town, I'll definitely be visiting again!

Photos: Montauk, NY

These are some of my favorite photos from my recent trip to Long Island. There wasn't a lot of wildlife, but the scenery was glorious!

Can you be vegan and gluten-free?

Transitioning from a standard diet to a vegan one seems daunting enough, but for those with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or wheat allergies, there's an added level of fear. Can it even be done?

You may be surprised to know that, not only can it be done, but there are now an abundance of resources to help you: blogs, cookbooks, a website, even a forum. Let's take a look, keeping in mind this list is not exhaustive:

Blogs:
The Gluten-Free Vegan - A wide variety of recipes, including many common comfort foods (mac & cheese, shepherd's pie, muffins and cookies) and a selection of Mediterranean dishes (falafel, tabbouleh, dolmathes). Recipes come in a printable format.

Gluten Free, Soy Free, Vegan - Earthy foods and flavors from a Peace Corps volunteer living in Senegal. Mixed in among standards like pancakes and smoothies, find recipes for pumpkin lasagna, squash tagine, lentil dhaal, or dosas.

Manifest Vegan - An all-purpose gluten-free vegan cooking site. Find recipes to satisfy foodies as well as novice cooks. Also has tags for those who are soy-free, nut-free, corn-free, or refined sugar-free.

See also: The Welcoming Kitchen, Going Against the Grain, Veganza, and Fork & Beans

Website:
http://xgfx.org/ - Includes resources, recipes, product reviews, tutorials, tips for baking and for dining out.

Cookbooks:
Great Gluten Free Vegan Eats, by Allyson Kramer
The Gluten-Free Vegan and Gluten-Free Vegan Comfort Food, by Susan O'brien
The Welcoming Kitchen, by Kim Lutz
Gluten-Free & Vegan Holidays, Flying Apron's Gluten-Free & Vegan Baking Book and Gluten-Free & Vegan Bread by Jennifer Katzinger

Forum:
http://www.vegiac.com/ - While the activity in the forum ebbs and flows (it seems to be in an ebb stage at the time of this writing), the wealth of information in the previous thread makes it worth creating an account. Find recipes, resources, and advice from others with first-hand experience.

While being both gluten-free and vegan definitely presents some challenges, with the amount of information and support available, it's not only possible, it's now simpler than ever.

Vegan on the Road: Ariana Cafe & Hikudo Asian Bistro in Huntington, NY

It's never too difficult for a vegan to find some place to eat while traveling, but still, it sure is nice when someone takes it out of your hands! On a recent trip to Long Island, I left myself entirely in the care of my dear hosts, Jenn and Betsy, and was amply rewarded for my trust in their restaurant-finding abilities.

On the day of my arrival, we dropped my bags at my hotel in Huntington, then took a day trip out to Montauk to hike around the lighthouse. Along the way, we stopped for lunch in East Hampton at a gourmet market chain called Citarella.

Citarella had an absolutely amazing salad bar. In addition to all your standard salad bar items, they had grilled squash and zucchini, gourmet olives, huge artichoke hearts, roasted peppers... very fancy! And still reasonably priced - it was about the same per-pound price as the salad bar at Whole Foods.

For dinner that night, we returned to Huntington and met up with my colleague and traveling companion, Crystal, and her friend at Ariana, an Afghan fusion restaurant with a separate vegan menu. 

Jenn warned me that Ariana had been featured on Restaurant Stakeout for bad service. It's a family-run restaurant, and while the food rates highly, the service leaves something to be desired. Well, this turned out to be true, but I've certainly had worse service. The owners themselves attended to us, and they were polite and careful about determining who at the table was vegan and who wasn't. It was only their attentiveness and speed that left something to be desired. If you go, just be ready to flag them down if you need something. But on to the food! 

Upon seating, we were served pita triangles with house-made hummus and eggplant dip, kalamata olives, and pickled red cabbage. All absolutely delicious.

The hot tea was a lovely selection of tea bags of various flavors, and I was pleased to see that they did have raw (vegan) sugar out in the sugar service.

Crystal and I both ordered from the vegan menu. Crystal ordered the Vegan Delight, which was a sampler including banjan buranee (sliced eggplant with peppers, onions, and tomatoes in a marinara sauce) and sabzi chalaw (spinach and herbs with basmati rice), all with a side of steamed vegetables. Crystal enjoyed the dish, saying that the eggplant was similar to an Italian style eggplant, and the spinach to an Indian palak dish.

 

I chose the vegan steak, a portabella mushroom with a pomegranate balsamic sauce, accompanied by a side of sauteed spinach and steamed vegetables.

The vegetables were all cooked beautifully. I could've eaten a significantly larger portion of spinach, but you know how we vegans love our greens. The portion of mushroom steak was ample, with two large mushrooms. The pomegranate sauce was tart and a lovely complement to the earthy flavor of the mushroom, but the balsamic was a bit heavy. Next time I'd ask them for a lighter touch with the vinegar. But it didn't deter my love of the dish in the slightest.

I would definitely recommend a visit to Ariana if you're in the area. Just make sure you're not in a rush!

The next morning, Crystal and I had a breakfast meeting at our hotel, the Hilton Long Island. I was delighted to find that their buffet actually had many vegan-friendly items - fresh fruit, home-fried potatoes, oatmeal and cream of wheat made with water instead of milk (made plain, with various dried fruits and nuts to choose from to make your own flavor), and fruit smoothies made to order. And at $12.95 on weekends, it was actually less expensive than many hotel breakfasts.

Finally, before Crystal and I caught our flight back that evening, we made our way back to Huntington's Main Street, right down the road from Ariana, and stopped at Hikudo. This Asian bistro/sushi bar had a variety of vegan options on the menu, in every category from soups and salads to appetizers and main dishes. (Unfortunately not desserts, but I was wisely carrying some fair trade vegan chocolate.) 

I opted for the vegetable dumplings as an appetizer, and I would fly back to New York right now just for another serving. They were perfect! The perfect amount of crisp on the bottom, the perfect firm 'bite' in the middle (to the point that I actually double-checked with the waiter to make sure they hadn't inadvertently given me meat-filled dumplings, as veggie dumplings tend to be mushy), and perfectly seasoned. The sauce was light and tasty. Just so good.

For my main dish, I selected the mixed green vegetable stir-fry, which was a huge plate loaded with broccoli, snow peas, carrots, baby corn, and mushrooms and a side of rice. The sauce was delectable, and like the dumplings, the vegetables were cooked to the exactly perfect degree. Not one bite overcooked, not one bite undercooked, but every vegetable on the plate done just so. That's an impressive feat.

Jenn and Crystal seemed to be equally satisfied with their (non-vegan) selections, so I'd say it's definitely a place for enjoying a meal in mixed company. As a plus, the service was outstanding.

My thanks to Jenn and Betsy for making it such a stress-free, fun, and delicious trip for me and for Crystal!

Miracle Minute Vegan Fudge

I was going through a box of my old recipe cards the other day and found the recipe for my mom's microwave fudge. I used to love this stuff when I was a kid, even though it never really set up like real fudge. Well, problem solved through veganizing! Since vegan shortening or butter tends to stay firmer than dairy butter, this has a very authentic fudge consistency. People will think you made it the old-fashioned way!

It's so easy that even non-cooks can make it. I've come up with two different delicious flavors. Best of all? It only takes a max of five minutes!

Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegan shortening or butter (I use 1 stick of Earth Balance shortening)
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I use almond milk)
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Creamy, delicious peanut-buttery fudge!

Line a 8x8 pan with parchment paper (or wax paper). In a microwave-safe bowl, mix the first three ingredients. Cut the butter into pats and drop into dry ingredients. Microwave 1 - 2 minutes until butter is melted. Add milk and stir until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Microwave one minute, add vanilla, and stir until smooth. (If it gets too firm to stir effectively, microwave 30 seconds and stir again.) Microwave 30 seconds and pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Cut in squares and serve.

Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegan shortening  or butter (I use 1/2 stick of Earth Balance shortening)
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I use almond milk)
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions:
Line a 8x8 pan with parchment paper (or wax paper). In a microwave-safe bowl, mix the first two ingredients. Cut the butter into pats and drop into dry ingredients. Microwave 1 - 2 minutes until butter is melted. Add peanut butter and microwave 30 seconds. Add milk and stir until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Microwave one minute, add vanilla, and stir until smooth. (If it gets too firm to stir effectively, microwave 30 seconds and stir again.) Microwave 30 seconds and pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Cut in squares and serve.

20 Recipes for Vegans Who Can't Cook

This post is mainly for my friend Ana - a frozen food vegan, but it's come up before and I'm sure it will come up again. When you develop a sensitivity or allergy to something like soy or wheat, that way of eating can become really tough to maintain.

So here are some really easy meal ideas (I only hesitatingly call them 'recipes') for people who are cooking-challenged. They don't generally require any more knowledge than being able to boil water, turn on your oven to a specified temperature, or simmer something on the stove.They're also very flexible for whatever your likes or dislikes are. To make gluten-free, simply use gluten-free noodles or breads when those are called for.

If you have other suggestions for soy-free, super-easy meals, please leave them in comments!

Noodles: 
Pixie's Spaghetti Bolonese - Boil noodles. Drain and rinse a can of black beans. Either chop beans roughly and add to sauce, or add to sauce and pulse with an immersion blender until roughly the consistency of soy crumbles. Serve with a salad and fresh whole grain bread.

Pesto pasta - Boil & drain noodles. Toss with prepared dairy-free pesto. Add your choice of combination: a drained jar of artichokes, a drained jar of olives, a drained jar of marinated mushrooms, jarred roasted red peppers, or pre-cut from the fresh produce section, a package of diced peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Serve warm or cold.

Mom's Italian pasta salad - Boil and drain noodles. Add any of the veggies listed under 'Pesto' or matchstick carrots, drained and rinsed kidney beans or chickpeas, or chiffonade (thin ribbons) of spinach, kale, or basil leaves. Toss noodles and veggies with Italian salad dressing to coat. Best served chilled.

Lo Mein - Boil rice noodles. Microwave a bag of stir-fry vegetables. Toss with the Asian sauce of your choosing. (If you want to add seitan for extra protein or 'bite', toss strips into the pot with the noodles for the last minute of cooking to heat up.)

Beans:
Chili - Mix 2 cans of ready to eat chili beans with 1 can black beans, 1 can of diced tomatoes and chilies, and a drained can of corn. Mix in chili powder and cumin to taste, or add half a can of enchilada sauce if you don't have spices on hand. Heat and serve.

Black-eyed peas: Heat a can of black-eyed peas on the stove top. Toss in a teaspoon of minced garlic (sold in jars in the produce section) and 1/4 diced onion (also sold pre-cut in the produce section) and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. Serve over steam-in-bag microwave brown rice or quinoa, with some steamed broccoli or carrots mixed in. (Birds Eye has a rice mix with those things already in it!)

Wraps & Sandwiches
Mediterranean wrap - On a sundried tomato wrap, spread 2 tbsp of hummus, 1/4 - 1/2 cup of prepared tabbouleh (available in most grocery store deli departments), and a handful of raw spinach or kale. You can also add matchstick carrots, sunflower seeds, and/or olives. Roll and eat.

Hot artichoke sub - Stuff a sub roll with marinated artichokes, canned mushrooms, jarred roasted red peppers, spinach leaves, basil leaves, and olives. Wrap it in tin foil. Turn your oven to 400 degrees and toss it in for 10 minutes to heat up.

Burrito - Spread a large whole wheat tortilla with refried beans or mashed black beans. Add any combination of lettuce, baby kale, spinach, tomato, onion, salsa, black olives, diced cucumber, leftover kernel corn, avocado

Open-face tapenade sandwich - Toast two pieces of rye or pumpernickel bread. Top with prepared dairy-free olive tapenade and spinach leaves.

BBQ seitan - Mix seitan strips with your favorite BBQ sauce and warm on stove or in micro. Serve on a bun.

Pizzas
Mexican pizza - Coat one side of a flat bread, pita, or tortilla with taco sauce. Top generously with pre-cut trio of tomatoes, onions, and peppers (sold in the fresh produce department). Add black olives, leftover corn kernels, or jalepenos. Bake 10 min at 400.

Italian pizza - Coat one side of a flat bread or split, toasted English muffins with marinara sauce. Top with the pizza veggies of your choosing and/or a little Daiya (shredded vegan cheese). Bake 10 min at 400.

Mediterranean pizza - Coat one side of a flat bread or pita with dairy-free Greek dressing (or Italian dressing if you can't find a dairy-free Greek). Top with spinach, tomatoes, onions, olives, artichokes and vegan parmesan-substitute, if you like. Bake 10 min at 400.

Rice (or substitute other steam-in-bag grains)
Mushroom rice and veggies - Mix 1 bag steam-in-bag rice with a can of vegan mushroom gravy and a bag of steamed mixed vegetables.

Microwave stir-fry - Mix 1 bag rice with 1 bag Asian steamed veggies. Top with you favorite soy-free Asian sauce.

Mexican rice and beans - Take 1 bag steam-in-bag Spanish rice or Southwestern rice and mix with one cane of seasoned chili beans or seasoned black beans.

Soups
Vegetable soup - toss cut up root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, turnips, etc.) into a pot with a box of vegetable stock. Boil until 10 minutes, then add any other softer veggies you like and simmer for 10 more minutes or until all the veggies are fork tender. Add a little salt or any other spices you like.

Box soup - take any vegan boxed soup (creamy broccoli, carrot almond, roasted red pepper, etc.), warm, and add a bag of steamed vegetables and some salt and pepper. You could also add leftover grains or noodles.

Black bean soup - add 2 cans of seasoned black beans to a box of vegetable stock. Mix in one package of pre-cut tomatoes, peppers, and onions (sold in the fresh produce section). Simmer until the peppers are soft.

Currant and Walnut Applesauce Cake

This is the quickest, easiest egg- and dairy-free cake imaginable. It takes under five minutes to prepare and comes out perfect every time. I can't take all the credit: this is a modified version of a recipe from PETA's cookbook, The Compassionate Cook. (Which is a cookbook totally worth the five or so bucks on Amazon.) Here's my version:

Currant & Walnut Applesauce Cake

1/2 cup vegan butter (1 stick of Earth Balance)

2 cups unsweetened applesauce

2 cups all-purpose flour (organic white or wheat)

1 cup packed organic brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup currants (or raisins)

1 cup crushed walnuts

2 tbsp organic powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Spray the bottom of an eight- or nine-inch square pan with organic cooking spray. (I use a Corningwear dish.) Melt the butter (either in a pan on the stove or in a microwave-safe bowl). Mix all the other ingredients except the powdered sugar into the pan/dish with the butter. Stir just until combined. Pour into the sprayed baking dish. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes until a knife slid into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar and serve.