Vegan Convenience Entrees
The term “vegan”, coined by Donald Watson in 1944, refers to individuals who intentionally refrain from consuming and supporting the exploitation of animals through any combination of animal-derived products (such as food, fashion, medical use, etc.). Beyond being a significant contributing factor to global warming, consuming animal protein can compromise one’s health and be more expensive than choosing to eat a plant-based diet. A Harris Interactive Service Bureau conducted in 2008 determined that of the roughly 7.3 million American adults (3.2% of the entire population) who are consistent vegetarians, 1 million of them are vegans. This growing segment of the population is definitely reflected in the increasing availability of vegan resources such as websites like www.vegan.com and www.vegsource.com, magazines like Veg News and Vegetarian Times, vegan fashion lines like OlsenHaus and vegan makeup like Emani Minerals.
Not surprisingly, vegan food has galloped to the forefront because why should those who eschew meat miss out on all of the heat-and-eat fun? From Tasty Bite’s Indian cuisine-inspired offerings to Amy’s Kitchen, Kashi, Seeds of Change and Ethnic Gourmet, there are quite a diverse variety of shelf stable and frozen “complete meals” to choose from that can be purchased not only online or in person at natural food stores but even more increasingly at conventional supermarkets. Linda McCartney’s line of frozen, plant-based entrees – which have been around in the UK since 1991 and are also available in the states – will now be sharing a little friendly (or not?) competition with long-term vegan Heather Mills’ new collection of shelf stable VBites Ready Meals. Those who want a little variety in their lives can also try incorporating vegan staples into their own recipes, such as Field Roast’s flavorful Italian style meat free sausages and Tal Ronnen’s Gardein toothsome grain-soy-wheat-and-pea protein meat substitute products (among many, many others).
Raw Food Treats
Those who choose to consume an entirely unprocessed, meat-free diet consisting of foods that are in their natural state (aka NOT heated above 116 degrees Fahrenheit) claim to benefit from a long list of health perks, including weight loss, enhanced energy, low cholesterol and even better skin tone. In light of the fact that the majority of the foods that raw enthusiasts eat are incredibly healthy -- including lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans -- it’s no wonder why people interested in a personal wellness boost gravitate toward this type of lifestyle. Of course, eating virtuously can make you feel like you’re on top of the world, but who doesn’t want to dabble in a little edible sin every so often? While you might imagine that it would be challenging to commit a carnal food crime as a raw foodie, there are a few companies that are making pre-packaged (albeit still nutritionally dense) snacks more readily available.
Case in point: a) ChocAlive’s fantastic range of organic, vegan, raw and gluten free indulgences, such as chocolate syrup, mousse, ice cream, Italian ices and truffles. b) For several years now, Larabar has made individually wrapped fruit and nut snack bars in such indulgent yet equally delicious varieties like tropical fruit tart, ginger snap, banana bread, and peanut butter and jelly. c) Los Angeles-based Blissed Out offers hand-poured raw, gluten-free, organic and 100% vegan cacao truffles to the masses. d) One Lucky Duck’s impressive range of snacky-yet-wholesome treats offer something for every raw food palate, including Blonde Macaroons, Grawnola, Rosemary Quackers, and Cinnamon Crispies. (And that's just the tip of the snacky iceberg, people -- explore your local health food store and you'll discover all sorts of intriguing new offerings.)
Ancient Grains
Ever heard of teff, faro, chia, buckwheat, kamut, millet, spelt, einkorn, sorghum, quinoa, spelt and amaranth? If not, keep an eye on the shelves of your local grocery store because you’ll be seeing these flavorful and protein-rich offerings pop up a lot more frequently. Sure, some of these grains are what you might find in a wild birdseed blend, but they also happen to be highly palatable and extremely beneficial to humans, too. Offering a desirable and safer alternative to modern day staples such as wheat and rice (which are typically genetically modified and can oftentimes trigger the incidence of dietary issues like gluten intolerance), ancient grains expose consumers to a complex range of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and proteins that are typically absent in their modern GM counterparts. Expanding one’s consumption of cereal and “pseudo cereal” (seed or grass) whole grains also creates dietary diversity and helps to encourage plant biodiversity as well as fuel the resurgence of crops that are still cultivated in the genetic form that Mother Nature intended. Beyond their health aspects, the aforementioned ancient grains are also very flavorful and tend to impart a nutty flavor profile to recipes which really enhances the dining experience.
Organic Alcohol
Never before have so many organically produced spirits – such as TRU Organic Vodka, Utkins UK5 Organic Vodka, Juniper Green Organic London Dry Gin and Highland Harvest Organic Scotch Whisky -- been available to consumers. Some claim that it’s symptomatic of the widespread trend to embrace anything “green” or “eco-friendly”, but industry analysts believe that consumers simply want their spirits to reflect a higher level of quality. One thing is certain -- the process that spirit companies must adhere to in order to obtain organic certification is certainly not for the faint of heart. Absolutely no fertilizers, fungicides or pesticides can come into contact with the grains cultivated on certified organic farmland and once they are processed in a certified organic distillery, they must be entirely free of all chemicals, nitrogen and all other potentially harmful elements. The result of their efforts is smaller batches of planet-friendly libations that, while a bit more expensive than conventional offerings, are better for your body and reportedly more flavorful as well.
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