Hello friends,

London Ontario’s recent 2nd annual Vegfest was a smashing success!  With 5000 vegans, vegetarians and veg-curious descending on the venue, it was a sure sign that our lifestyle choices are moving in the right direction.  And there is no better time than the present for this shift.  It is becoming easier than ever to skip the meat and pick better options that not only satisfy but taste awesome.  Check out a few of my faves below.

World Heath Organization classifies processed meat as carcinogenic

This statement made the headlines on October 26 (in case you missed it).  Wow – what a powerful news release!  The esteemed International Agency for Research on Cancer (the cancer agency of the World Health Organization) indicated here that processed meat is carcinogenic to humans based on sufficient evidence in humans that the consumption of processed meat causes colorectal cancer.  Processed meat includes hot dogs, ham, sausages, corned beef, beef jerky, as well as canned meat and meat based preparations and sauces.

They classified the consumption of red meat as probably carcinogenic to humans based on limited evidence that the consumption of red meat causes cancer in humans and strong mechanistic evidence supporting a carcinogenic effect.  Red meat refers to all types of mammalian muscle meat, such as beef, veal, pork, lamb and mutton.

So what do we eat instead of meat to prevent cancer?  The World Cancer Research Fund International recommends eating more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes such as beans. Click here to read their other recommendations.

Field Roast Sausages

But sausage lovers rejoice!  Field Roast offers incredible tasting “artisan vegan” sausages in Italian, Mexican Chipotle and Smoked Apple Sage flavours. So far we’ve had them on pizza and in pasta dishes.  They’re at many health food stores, Whole Foods and Globally Local in London.

And Londoners just joining this newsletter (welcome!): for more great vegan options check out restaurants Zen Gardens, Veg Out, and our local and amazing vegan cheese brand Nuts for Cheese (sold at the Western Fair, Veg Out and Globally Local).  , whole grains and legumes such as beans.  Click here to read their other recommendations.

Someone, Not Something Project

I just learned about Farm Sanctuary’s “Someone, not Something Project”. Part of the project involves bringing to light some of the recent science regarding farm animal emotion, cognition, and social behavior.  Here are a few reasons not to support factory farming:

  • Cows have a secret mental life in which they bear grudges, nurture friendships, and become excited over intellectual challenges.
  • Sheep are able to experience emotions such as fear, anger, rage, despair, boredom, disgust, and happiness, because they use the same checks involved in such emotions as humans.
  • Pigs have the cognitive ability to be quite sophisticated. Even more so than dogs and certainly three-year-olds.
  • Chickens do not just live in the present but can anticipate the future and demonstrate self-control…something previously attributed only to humans and other primates.
  • In many areas, such as memory, the cognitive powers of fish match or exceed those of ‘higher’ vertebrates, including non-human primates.

Our Best Chili

Moosewood Restaurant Favorites Cookbook

Thanks to our friends Lindsay and Marty for giving us the cookbook that ended our search for best chili ever!  It’s fast and easy to make, tastes great and freezes well.

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tsp salt
1 cup diced carrots
2 cups seeded & chopped red bell peppers
1 fresh hot pepper, seeded & minced
1.5 tbsp ground cumin seeds
1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernals
one 28-oz can diced tomatoes
one 15-oz can red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
one 15-oz can black beans, rinsed & drained

Instructions

Warm the oil in a covered soup pot on low heat.  Add the onions, garlic, and salt, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the carrots and bell peppers, increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 minutes,stirring often.  Stir in the hot peppers, cumin, coriander, and oregano and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally so the spices won’t stick.

Add the corn, tomatoes, kidney beans, and black beans.  Bring the chili to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring often, for at least 30 minutes.