Dear Boston Vegetarian Society List,

I hope you'll find something of interest among these short items!

1) BVS at Pet Rock Festival
2) Broccoli and Cancer; Broccoli and Baby Mocha
3) Meat and Global Warming in the News
4) Upcoming Events - Walk for Farm Animals, more
5) Veg-Friendly Job Opening
6) Bev's Vegan Chocolate Mousse from Peace Abbey Potluck

1) BVS AT PET ROCK FESTIVAL

BVS will be exhibiting this Sunday, Sept. 9, at the Pet Rock Festival in Worcester, a nonprofit annual event to promote kindness to animals that offers rock bands and lots of animal-friendly exhibitors, with an emphasis on companion animals.

BVS feels a special affinity for this event. Five years ago when we first learned of it, BVS contacted the organizers of Pet Rock about their food policy. Learning that the food served was standard carnival fare of sausages, hamburgers, and hot dogs, we asked for a meeting to discuss making all their food vendors serve only meat-free items -- consistent with their animal kindness mission. They generously agreed, and Pet Rock became, along with our own veg festival, the second all-vegetarian major Festival in New England! A great day to introduce veggie dogs and burgers to thousands of non-vegetarian attendees, while BVS distributes free veg starter kits, recipes, nutrition and other information at our exhibitor table!
http://petrockfest.com/ (Admission $12, Noon - 5 PM)

2) BROCCOLI AND CANCER; BROCCOLI AND BABY MOCHA

Eating Cruciferous Vegetables May Reduce Risk of Prostate Cancer Aug. 27, 2007

The risk of prostate cancer may be reduced by consuming more than one serving per week of broccoli, cauliflower, and other cruciferous vegetables, according to a Yale School of Medicine study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The research team reported that men who ate broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, and turnips were 40 percent less likely to be diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer compared to men whose diet included very little of these vegetables.

The research team evaluated the association between fruit and vegetable intake and subsequent risk of prostate cancer among over 29,000 men participating in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. More details here:
http://www.nutritionhorizon.com/newsmaker_article.asp?idNewsMaker=14807&f Site=AO545&next=pr

Endorphin release time: Here is a sweet, short video clip to inspire us all to eat our broccoli:

Baby hamster Mocha eats his first broccoli floweret (with music)
http://emuse.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/17891

3) MEAT AND GLOBAL WARMING IN THE NEWS

New York Times - Aug. 29, 2007 "Trying to Connect the Dinner Plate to Climate Change"

"EVER since 'An Inconvenient Truth,' Al Gore has been the darling of environmentalists, but that movie hardly endeared him to the animal rights folks. According to them, the most inconvenient truth of all is that raising animals for meat contributes more to global warming than all the sport utility vehicles combined."... "they do have scientific ammunition. In late November, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization issued a report stating that the livestock business generates more greenhouse gas emissions than all forms of transportation combined."

The article showed PETA's new billboard with Al Gore, and HSUS' new global warming ad, and included some terrific quotes including this from Vegan Outreach's Matt Ball: ''Al Gore calls global warming an existential risk to humanity, yet it hasn't prompted him to change his diet or even mention vegetarianism. And I guess the environmentalists recognize that it's a lot easier to ask people to put in a fluorescent light bulb than to learn to cook with tofu.''
http://nytimes.com/2007/08/29/business/media/29adco.html

 

Memo to Environmentalists: It's Time to Seriously Address the Number One Cause of Global Warming Sept. 6, 2007

"In the August 27 New Yorker, there is a cartoon showing two men on a private plane. Off to the side is a recycling bin; as one man tosses a piece of paper into the bin, he explains, "I try to do my part." This cartoon made me think of environmentalists who urge people to drive less, switch to hybrid cars, use energy-efficient light bulbs, and make other similar changes, while they ignore the global warming, waste, and pollution that is produced by funneling crops through chickens, pigs, and other farmed animals." Read full article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-friedrich/memo-to-environmentalists_b _63406.html

 

4) UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST

* Join the 2007 MA Walk for Farm Animals!

Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007 - Farm Sanctuary's annual Massachusetts Walk for Farm Animals will be held in Lexington. Help farm animals by showing the community that you care, and raise funds for Farm Sanctuary's campaigns and shelter. Registration begins at 12:30 PM; the 3 mile walk begins at 1:30. Register for the Walk or make a pledge to support this effort. Full details at
http://www.walkforfarmanimals.org/locations/boston.htm

* 22nd Annual International Compassionate Living Festival

October 5 -7, 2007 - Durham, North Carolina It brings together notable authors, academics, activists and artists united for positive social and political change on behalf of animals worldwide. The conference will feature leaders from many areas of animal activism and focus on how everyone can become the change the world's animals urgently need.
http://www.animalsandsociety.org/conference07.htm

 

5) VEG FRIENDLY JOB OPENING

No Sweat Apparel in Boston, a pioneer of fair trade fashion and footwear, has a need to fill an Administrative/Customer Service Position immediately! They write, "We participate in the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival every year... We are looking for someone who is interested in social issues and veganism." Read job description here: http://www.nosweatapparel.com/employment-opps.html

 

6) BEV'S VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FROM PEACE ABBEY POTLUCK

Our July potluck at the Peace Abbey showcased some of the most delicious dishes imaginable! One of the most commented on was this chocolate mousse brought by BVS board member Beverly Rich:

Yummy Vegan CHOCOLATE MOUSSE (modified from a recipe provided by Amber Waves, a natural foods store in Falmouth, MA)

Ingredients:

24.6 oz. silken tofu (2 packages Mori-Nu tofu – I use organic firm )
15 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted (~1 1/2 10-oz packages)
4 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Food process tofu with maple syrup and vanilla until smooth. Add melted chocolate chips and food process until smooth. Adjust maple syrup and vanilla to taste if needed. Chill until at least a pudding consistency.

Adjust ingredient amounts according to your taste, and to fit available package sizes – e.g. if you use the 1 lb size refrigerated silken tofu, you will need to vary amounts of the other ingredients. Also, the taste may vary depending on the chocolate chips used.

"I finally got around to making the mousse and it is unbelievable!! I challenge any omni to be able to tell that it's not traditional chocolate mousse! Not a hint of soy flavor. Dangerously easy! Delicious!" - Katherine McCracken ( who requested the recipe after the potluck)