Web Monday: vegnews.com

I share with you a favorite website of mine: vegnews.com. I almost always peruse their Travel section before getting on a plane. It's the next best thing to travelling with a vegan in-the-know.

For those all-too-often days when I'm at a lost for dinner and totally uninspired, this is my go-to site for a guaranteed delicious and easy recipe. Check out their recipe for Vegan Sheppard's Pie. Veganized comfort food from my childhood...there's nothing better in my world.

Oprah, is there anything she can't do?

On today's Pre-Oscar show, Oprah tacked on a short segment of these adorable yorkie puppies, who are desperately in need of homes. Along with 90 others, these sweet youngsters were rescued from a puppy mill by the Humane Society of Missouri, who described the conditions of the mill as some of the most horrific they had ever seen. This should say a lot. Living in urine and feces soaked 2x2 cages, some of the rescued pups were found with fur so matted that it had actually bound their limbs. For some particularly unlucky souls, the matte cut blood flow to the bones, permanently disabling them. This honestly pushes the limits of my comprehension.

If you are able to adopt a puppy, or care about animal welfare, I strongly encourage you to visit Oprah's website to learn more.

Thank you, Oprah, for once again brining much needed attention to animals, and for using your public forum so responsibly.

Veggie Satay with Vegetables on Brown Rice

Last night, I cooked what turned out to be a rather delicious dinner. Surprisingly. Dinner happened on the fly, piecemeal as I was too tired and too grumpy to actually go to the store. I found a package of Yves Satay Veggie Skewers in the freezer and it just snowballed from there. Brown rice, some frozen vegetables, a little tamari, and voilá!

Start by browning (and defrosting if you're me) the skewers on a non-stick pan. Turn heat down to medium, throw in as many veggies as you can possibly eat, and sautée until the vegetables are cooked through--hot but still crunchy. Once the brown rice is ready, drizzle some tamari, and serve. I finished off my meal with too many oranges to count (remembering that Vitamin C aids in the absorption of iron) and a big mug of organic mint tea.

I know that these pre-packed faux meat products aren't the most nutritional, and I don't advocate a diet that relies on them. But, in a pinch, on a messy winter night like last night, they can be a life saver. Quick, filling, packed with protein. This was my first time trying the satay skewers and, I am happy to report, they were surprisingly tasty with a little kick at the end. I highly recommend!

Greenwashing At Its Best

While doing some online research today, I fell onto this site--thank you to the Google gods. From the Fur Council of Canada, furisgreen.com. This was certainly news to me! But, I must give kudos to the marketing genius behind this one. It is one of the best examples of marketing spin that I have ever seen.

The Fur Council claims that fur, like leather, suede, and all other animal products, is gentle on the environment because it's natural..."a true gift of nature". Furthermore, they point out, fur is both renewable (until the entire species is wiped out, I suppose), durable, biodegradable, and energy-efficient. They go on to claim that they are responsible "conservationists" for respecting hunting and trapping laws and for strictly ensuring that endangered animals are never used.

Now, derived from nature does not a green product make. Anything that uselessly and cruelly takes from Mother Nature to feed a senseless and wasteful need is in no way environmental. Moreover, it is the antithesis.

If you are looking for truly sustainable fashion, and I stress the word fashion, check out Kaight: environmentally-friendly and ethical.

On a Chilly Friday Afternoon...

I discovered a surprising little spot for a warm, comforting, and totally sugary snack--Indigo's! Seriously. At the downtown Montreal location, they serve soy milk and a whole assortment of Skinni granola bars and cookies in the upstairs café. I opted for a soy latte and Skinni granola bar.

I searched everywhere online for Skinni products, hoping to share more locations with you. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have a website. Hours of google searching without results, although I did turn up some surprising results for "skinni in montreal"!