Take Action!

* So Delicious is donating $1 (up to $5000) to the Farm Sanctuary. for every UPC mailed in between now and September 30th. Farm Sanctuary does great work rescuing farm animals from cruel and inhospitable environments to instead live their lives on a peaceful farm in upstate New York or California. See kids, it's just like your parents told you- Daisy did go live on a farm! You can mail your UPC's to:

Farm Sanctuary Donation
Turtle Mountain, LLC
POB 21938
Eugene, OR 97402

* The Huffington Post offers some tips for those who "hate" cooking. You can also check out my beginner cooks larder (that's pantry for the rest of us) on The Art of Throwing Stones. You can also find my fledgling food writing there by clicking on "cooking" or "food".

* Dangers of soy. And more evidence from Scientific American

* Very exciting news: The USDA has approved new rules for the National Organic Program (NOP) called The Access to Pasture rule. It states:
"The Access to Pasture rule specifies that organic milk and meat products come from organically‐raised animals that are actively grazing on pasture. "

Basically, it requires organic livestock to have access to pasture throughout the grazing season and that that intake must account for at least 30% of the animals diet. Of course, organic livestock must still refrain from using GMO's, antibiotics/vaccinations, synthetic parasiticides, 100% organic feed with no animal by-products.

So, how is this different from what is currently labled "organic"? I had to look that up myself, and found a great side-by-side chart from the USDA website. Many of the changes have to do with verbage and further definition/inclusion of verbage (a crop is more than just the plant but also now includes the pasture, cover crop, catch crop, or any part of the plant used for food to either humans or animals or to feed the soil).

The point is, to be labled organic is now a more defined and policed process which protects the integrity of the product and the brand. Also, all those cows making your milk and chickens laying your eggs are now entitled to more time running around outside in pastures and enjoying their lives to the fullest!

Take Action!

* Vegetarian Times magazine has released their nominations in the 2010 Foodie Awards. Click the link to vote for your favorite veggie friendly treats and staples.

* Vegetarian Times is a great magazine for veggies and friends alike. Their website has some awesome info, including a veggie storage guide and Ingredient Substitute guide. I also recently checked out an issue of VegNews, a vegan (somewhat vegetarian friendly) magazine. What can I say? They caught me with a pic of Ginnifer Goodwin, and I loves me some "Big Love". There were some cute recipes and product recommendations in both. Definitely worth a look.

* In the latest issue of Veg News, there was a short article talking about the dangers of soy. In it, they quote Dr. Neal Barnard (author, researcher, and physician) who says that soy is healthy for both men and woman and may even help reduce the risks of fibroids and osteoporosts. You can read more on The Huffington Post.

* Check out Soy Happy for a complete list of Ballparks offering vegetarian and vegan fare. (Good job Rangers!)

* I was super excited to hear that Nestle has vowed to stop using rain forest-destroying palm oil in their products. The company says it will avoid "high risk plantations or farms linked to deforestation." The production of palm oil for commercial use has lead to the destruction not only of the rain forest but also to the animals (elephants, orangutans, etc) and peoples who live there. If you can, try to avoid products that use palm oil and opt for friendlier options instead.

* Here are some of my new favorite foodie sites and recent winners of my Veggie Superstar Award. Show 'em some love:
Heather Eats Almond Butter (mostly vegetarian with great recipes)
Homesick Texan (not a veggie site, but she makes plenty of Texas style veggies!)
Kristen's Kitchen (vegan blog)
Look 2 Beauty: A Vegan Blog
Noshtopia
An Opera Singer in the Kitchen (great vegan blog with awseom pics and recipes)

Take Action!

* Genetic engineering (GMOs, etc) is excluded from organic produce, except in the case of vaccines. These vaccines can be given to livestock and have them still labeled as organic. To petition for change and learn more, click here.

* Daiya and Peta are joining forces to sponsor a really cool contest: Just tell them what you would make with Daiya and how you would share it with friends and you could win 10 lbs of Daiya cheese! That's a lot of cheese! Click on "contest" above to enter, but act fast- the contest ends June 1st.

* Eating Well and Organic Valley are sponsoring a holiday cookie contest as well. Submit your favorite, healthier cookie recipe and you could win a $2000 Baker's Dream shopping spree and a years supply of Organic Valley products. Check out the guidelines and enter here.

* I've heard a lot about the dangers of soy. An excess of soy in the diet can cause growth problems in children, thyroid issues, infertility, and certain cancers (like breast cancer). That's a pretty hefty list and it doesn't include everything that has been linked to soy. What's more, soy is in so many products today either as a filler or as the main source of protein. So, how much is too much and what should you do? The average recommended use I found online, called for soy no more than 3 times a week. That's not very much when you take into account soy milk in your cereal, veggie burgers for lunch, or tempeh/tofu for dinner. It is super important that you check in with your doctor regularly and before you start any type of new diet. Also, experiment with other milk, dairy, and meat substitutes. I love coconut milk and have been putting it in my oatmeal all week. It's naturally sweet and delicious. Sub seitan (wheat gluten) in recipes that call for tempeh or tofu. Daiya cheese is soy free and melts great. What have you heard or experienced about soy?

For further reading check out this article in Scientific American.