Archive for vegan dining
Meatless Monday with Cashew Nut Roast with Sage and onion stuffing
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Image courtesy of Vegan Family House
Happy holidays and welcome (back) to the blog on this fine (and snowy) Meatless Monday. We appreciate you stopping by and reading this week’s eco-friendly vegetarian recipe idea in support of this great movement to “reduce meat consumption by 15% to improve personal health and the health of our planet”.
Today we have a vegan recipe that will work perfectly over the holidays or any time really especially during the colder months when you want something a little heartier. This cashew nut roast with sage and onion stuffing would make a perfect substitute for a turkey or roast dinner. This recipe comes courtesy of Vegan Family House so without further ado….
Ingredients
A sixth of a cup/30g/1oz of vegan margarine
2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
1 medium leek, finely chopped
1 and a half cups of hot water
1 teaspoon of yeast extract (marmite, vegemite etc.)
3 cups/550g/16oz of ground cashew nuts (or other nuts of your choice – almonds work well too)
2 Tablespoons of soya flour
2 teaspoons of fresh herbs – winter savoury is great (if using dried 1 teaspoon)
3 cups/160g/6oz of white bread crumbs
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Chrissie Hynde launches new eco clothing line that will be The Talk of The Town
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If you grew up in the same era as I did and music played a significant part of your life, you’ll already be very familiar with Chrissie Hynde the vocalist who founded the band The Pretenders in 1978. Since their first album in 1979 The Pretenders have remained a going concern for over 30 years now although there have been lineup changes Chrissie Hynde has always remained at the front of a band who were hugely popular in the 1980s. Hynde’s public profile has been high for many years and not just due to her music, as she has been an avid campaigner for animal rights groups and has been an active part of PETA and Viva! for many years. It’s always great when a musician has something to say about social issues of any sort especially when their time is also spent actively supporting groups that benefit the world as a whole. Hynde has long been a dedicated vegan and has even opened her own vegan restaurant back in her hometown of Akron, Ohio.
Chrissie has also had some high-profile romances including Ray Davies of The Kinks, Jim Kerr of Simple Minds and renowned artist Lucho Brieva. In fact her most recent relationship with producer/musician JP Jones has resulted in the two of them launching a brand-new eco-friendly line of clothing. As you would expect the new clothing line contains numerous items that are not just environmentally friendly but also stylish with more than a hint of rock ‘n roll.
The company is called Fairground Luck and will contain no animal skins and all products will be made in an eco-friendly fashion. While the high-end line is targeted towards musicians essentially anything could be worn by anyone such as stylish T-shirts, skinny jeans, faux leather jackets and cowboy boots. Chrissie believes not enough choice exists when one comes to choosing clothing with a rock sensibility. She adds:
“Like most women, I love fashion and clothes. I love handbags and shoes. Everybody will be able to find everything they love in a non-leather version, fashion should be fun. I’ve thought about this for years. How to get non-leather cool boots and stuff. Ask EmmyLou Harris what her favourite boots are, and get Todd Oldham to design them”
The product line will definitely have a certain amount of flair attached to it seeing as famed designers Todd Oldham and John Bartlett have worked with Hynde on the entire product catalog. Fairground Luck does not yet appear to have a website that is live but I’m sure that will follow in the weeks ahead. But in the meantime I suggest you stop your sobbing, keep your brass in pocket because these new clothes will be the talk of the town. If you’re a Pretenders fan you know what I’m saying!
Fast Food Revolution – Chipotle Serves Corporate Social Responsibility
Posted by: | CommentsSteve Ells was interviewed by Oprah to discuss his revolutionary ideas about fast food. Ells shared his story which illustrates how Chipotle Mexican Grill is a great example of corporate social responsibility (CSR), “in 1993, [he] opened the very first Chipotle Mexican restaurant. “I think fast food to most people means cheap, highly processed,” he says. “At Chipotle, it’s just the opposite. Everything at Chipotle is fresh, never frozen, with the exception of corn.”
Ells says 45 percent of Chipotle’s beans are organic, and restaurants buy produce from local family farmers in the months it’s available. Chipotle also serves more naturally raised meat than any other restaurant company in the country. In 2010, the chain expects to serve about 70 million pounds of meat. One hundred percent of its chicken and pork are naturally raised, with beef at 60 percent. “These make for better tasting meats and better for the environment,” Steve says. Steve’s dedication to fresh food is paying off. Chipotle serves 700,000 people a day and saw more than $1 billion in sales in 2009. “Access to sustainably raised food shouldn’t be a luxury,” he says. “It should be an everyday occurrence.””
Ells’ Chipotle Mexican Grill is an excellent example of corporate social responsibility because he believes in Food With Integrity™, but this is more than a mere slogan. According to the Chipotle website “the hallmarks of Food With Integrity™ includes things like unprocessed, seasonal, family-farmed, sustainable, nutritious, naturally raised, added hormone free, organic, and artisanal. And, since embracing this philosophy, it’s had tremendous impact on how we run our restaurants and our business.”
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