Life + Garden

Patricia de Leon’s career in front of the camera began with her work as an anchor and reporter in her native country, Panama. Then Hollywood beckoned. De Leon has appeared in films as well as on TV, including the Starz series Magic City. A vegetarian, she’s taken a real-life role in PETA’s campaign against bullfighting.

I like to buy products with homegrown raw materials when I can, and it’s nice when U.S. authorities help not hinder that from happening. I’m thinking hemp oil, hemp milk, hemp apparel, and (if I ever build my dream house) Hempcrete.

A round-up of VT editors’ favorite newsworthy links: Turns out, wrinkly dried plums are good for more than just staying regular. New research finds that eating prunes helps you lose weight (by making you feel full).

Actress Dylan Gelula can be seen in two series: TV Land’s Jennifer Falls, and ABC Family’sChasing Life. Gelula’s been meat-free for most of her 20 years.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

As the president and co-founder of the nation's largest farm animal rescue and protection organization, Gene Baur seizes every opportunity to raise awareness about the effects of factory farming. Marathon running has given him a new outlet for his energy and a unique way to advocate for animals.

You probably recognize the Melissa’s logo from stickers and labels on fruits and veggies you’ve bought. But unless you’re in the food world, chances are you don’t know Robert Schueller, public relations director at the largest supplier of variety produce in the U.S.

As if being a teen isn’t crazy enough, consider the extra stress of being a teen who’s obese. Stephanie Soechtig, producer and director of the documentary Fed Up, says, “I could see government policy, marketing, and industry-funded science actually playing out in these kids’ lives.”

Didn't catch last night's 2014 James Beard Awards? No worries. We whipped up a handy-dandy cheat sheet to the veg-tastic books nominated in the Focus on Health and Vegetable Focused and Vegetarian categories.

Bring on the beans, cabbage, kale, and broccoli! Turns out, eating gas-producing foods may help your gut get the nutrients it needs.

As if her plate isn't already full with an acting career and her nonprofit foundation, Izabella Miko is also seriously into cooking. On the last day of shooting Starving in Suburbia, the new Lifetime movie she co-stars in, she treated cast and crew to homemade vegan treats.

Here's round-up of VT editors’ favorite newsworthy links. It's US VegWeek! Need convincing to take the veg pledge? Read our top 15 reasons to go veg.

Love NYC's Cinnamon Snail? The super-popular lunch truck, which we highlighted a few years ago in a roundup of all-veg carts, trucks, and stands, just launched a Kickstarter campaign to build a new food truck—raising more than $28,000 of their $82,000 goal in just four days.

Documenting a road trip to scout out urban farms across America, Growing Cities visits rooftops, back yards, and reclaimed abandoned lots under cultivation in major urban centers including Seattle, Atlanta, and Detroit.

Bring on the beans! A new study finds that eating one serving a day of beans, peas, chickpeas, or lentils could significantly reduce cholesterol (the "bad" LDL kind).

Documenting the second-largest farm animal rescue in the U.S., Turlock gives witness to the rescue of more than 4,000 hens abandoned by the A&L Poultry egg farm west of Turlock, Calif. The film follows the rehabilitation of the rescued birds and the birds’ adoption by new owners.

Chocoholics, rejoice! A new report finds that the flavanol antioxidants in dark chocolate may help prevent obesity and diabetes.

Know who invented the veggie burger? We didn't either. Here's a brief history of the amazing meatless patty once known as the "VegeBurger."

New research confirms eating oatmeal helps lower cholesterol, thanks not only to fiber, but also to bioactive compounds called AVEs. (Psst: have you tried our overnight no-cook chai steel-cut oats?)

Share your comments, and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of Vegetarian Times.

San Francisco moves one step closer to banning the sale of plastic water bottles. According to the Food & Water Watch, 75 percent of empty plastic bottles end up in landfills and waterways.

Highway signs throughout California plead, “Serious drought. Help save water,” as city councils pass restrictions on outdoor watering and other extraneous water usage in hopes of fighting the severest drought in state history.

Laura went veg in June 1995 after staying with a family member who was not eating meat at the time. Click to learn more about Laura, including her best advice for new vegetarians.

Kids are eating more fruits and veggies, thanks to a new federal school meal standards, including placing limits of calories and sodium and upping the amount of fresh produce.

A little bit electro-pop and a little bit folk, singer-songwriter Dan Croll is showing up on lists like iTunes New Artists 2014 and VEVO’s Ones to Watch 2014.

Outside investments in mechanized quinoa farming are pushing Bolivian farmers to prioritize quick, mass production over sustainability

Marking its fifth anniversary in style, the Red Carpet Green Dress contest is adding menswear to the mix on Oscar night. Founded by eco-activist Suzy Amis Cameron, Red Carpet Green Dress not only spotlights ethical and sustainable fashion but also helps raise funds for nonprofits.

Need another reason to load up on berries? A new study finds that eating strawberries may help lower bad LDL cholesterol.

Now that the four-year tug-of-war over the Agricultural Act of 2014 (aka the farm bill) has come to a ceasefire, I encourage all who were following along to take a breath. A big one.

Having both Comedy Central and The New Yorker on your resume says something about range, or maybe it’s versatility. And that’s not even all there is to Pete Holmes’s work history: he’s written for sitcoms and hosts a podcast, while the second season of late-night TV’s “The Pete Holmes Show” starts February 24.

A new study finds that dark chocolate relieves stress. (But you kind of already knew that, right?) It's also loaded with antioxidants, so go ahead and make one of these feel-good dark chocolate recipes.

Move over, cheesesteaks! The folks behind Philadelphia's celebrated Vedge will open a new vegan restaurant focused on street food.

Daniel Biron falls under that lucky category of “globetrotting chef.” The 37-year-old ethical vegan hails from Brazil, but has lived and cooked in Paris, New York, and—most recently—Copenhagen, where he exercised his culinary talents in one of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, Noma.

Share your answer and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of Vegetarian Times.

A round-up of VT editors’ favorite newsworthy links: Hey, yogurt lovers! A new study finds that the probiotics in your favorite tangy treat may help you lose weight.

Move over, wings! Vegan sausages and burgers will be sold at this year's Super Bowl. Throwing a party at home? Make our hearty veg Beer Brats.

Need another reason to gobble up berries and chocolate? A new study finds that the flavonoids in these foods (and in tea) could help protect against type 2 diabetes.

Did you know that the average woman ingests up to four pounds of lipstick and gloss over her lifetime? That’s a lot of lipstick! It's pretty clear that choosing natural lip products is a wise move.

Add at least one more vegetarian to the population of Park City, Utah, during this year’s Sundance Film Festival. A New York transplant from her native Australia, Stephanie Ellis co-stars in the independent feature The Sleepwalker, which premieres at the festival on January 20.

Caffeine lovers, rejoice! A new study finds that, contrary to popular belief, coffee does not cause dehydration. In fact, drinking three to six cups a day may actually have "similar hydrating qualities to water."

New research finds that eating half an avocado at lunchtime helps overweight people feel more satisfied. Our favorite way to get a daily dose of the good-for-you fruit? An avocado-mango smoothie!

To encourage people to waste less, San Francisco may ban the sale of plastic water bottles at big events on public property. Instead, water fountains and bottle-filling stations would be installed. We'll drink to that!

Electro-pop artist and radio show cohost Terri Nunn has a glorious voice, opinions that feel lived-in, a no-holds-barred curiosity, and a livewire sense of humor.

Big win for organics: a new study finds that organic milk contains more omega-3s than conventional milk.

Share your answer and see what others have to say.

Michael Stebner is executive chef at True Foods Kitchen, a chain of restaurants developed by Dr. Andrew Weil and Phoenix restaurateur Sam Fox with the goal of serving great-tasting food that also happens to be nutritious.

The 700 people spreading the message of environmental stewardship across the Himalayas in the documentary film Pad Yatra: A Green Odyssey literally walk the walk.

Congratulations to VT reader Susan Hayse, vegetarian since 2004 and winner of a prize pack from Frontier Natural Products.

A round-up of VT editors’ favorite newsworthy links: Jay-Z and Beyonce pledge to go vegan for 22 days. The power couple is looking for meal ideas—guys, VT has oodles of plant-based recipes that'll keep you super-satisfied (lasagna, pizza, tofu scramble, chili, and more!).

Dismissed as dirt, soil gets no respect from most of us. The gorgeously shot documentary Symphony of the Soil recasts the stuff as a key player in hot-button issues, such as water scarcity, climate change, and food security.

A round-up of VT editors’ favorite newsworthy links: Need another reason to slather cranberry sauce over everything this Thanksgiving? A new research review confirms cranberries' health perks go beyond preventing urinary tract infections.

A new study finds that eating a protein-packed breakfast can herb curb appetite and leave you satisfied till lunchtime. Not sure what to make? Check out our high-protein breakfast story (complete with protein heavy hitters and easy-peasy recipes) from October.

With Thanksgiving a mere two weeks away, you’re probably prepping up a storm: planning pies and sides and gravies, stocking up on pumpkin purée, writing frighteningly long grocery lists. No need to panic—we’re here to help!

We want to celebrate your awesome commitment to vegetarianism or veganism and inspire others by sharing your story of when and why you went veg. Plus, enter for a chance to win cool prizes from Frontier Natural Products!

Drink up! New research confirms that tea may help prevent chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Share your answer and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of Vegetarian Times.

Can you imagine a doctor advocating a procedure that's not in the best interest of his or her patient? Yet that is the case with declaw surgery, argues The Paw Project, a film documenting the efforts to abolish the crippling procedure and rehabilitate cats who have been subjected to it.

Produce companies will soon be allowed to use Sesame Street characters to market fruits and veggies free of charge. (A recent study showed that twice as many kids chose to eat an apple over a cookie when the apple had an Elmo sticker on it.)

The Ghosts in Our Machine is a lyrical, often wordless, film that shadows Jo-Anne McArthur as she documents the lives of animals in research labs and in fur and factory farms.

We get lots of questions from our readers. Here, VT editors respond.

A round-up of VT editors' favorite newsworthy links.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Even as a vegetarian, I realized while watching the documentary Specieism: The Movie that I'm not free of species bias.

You know that Queens elementary school that went full-fledged veg? The principal says that since ditching meat in January, the school has seen better academic performances and higher energy levels.

A round-up of VT editors’ favorite newsworthy links: Time to go nuts! A new study finds that snacking on almonds satisfies hunger without making you gain weight. Look for the unsalted, skin-still-on kind.

It's hard not to marvel at Josh Garrett. The 30-year-old track coach from Southern California just backpacked the Pacific Crest Trail—all 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada—in a record-setting 59 days. In the name of raising money for animal rights group Mercy for Animals, he hiked as quickly as he could, averaging 45 miles a day and sleeping just a few hours every night. How to fuel such an epic adventure? Below, Garrett gives props to his vegan lifestyle (he made the switch about two years ago) and the awe-inspiring critters he met along the way.

A round-up of VT editors’ favorite newsworthy links: California legalizes commerical hemp farming! (Most of the hemp found at the supermarket—hemp seeds, hemp oil, hemp milk—currently comes from Canada.)

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

A round-up of VT editors’ favorite newsworthy links: Artificial food coloring, begone! New research finds that purple sweet potatoes make for promising plant-based dyes, ranging in color from bright red to deep purple.

A round-up of VT editors’ favorite newsworthy links: Got aches and pains from working out? A new study finds that drinking watermelon juice an hour before exercise relieves muscle soreness and increases performance.

I’ve survived another Shark Week. Every August, I steer clear of the Discovery Channel’s glut of sharks-ploitative shows with titles like Voodoo Sharks and Great White Serial Killer. Still, I've got to credit Shark Week with every now and then presenting an edifying program like Shark Fight, about Shark Attack Survivors for Shark Conservation (yes, you read that right). Here, a Q & A with the organizer of the group, Debbie Salamone, whose Achilles tendon was severed in a shark attack—she recovered successfully to resume her hobby of competitive dancing.

This summer, an all-vegetarian restaurant debuted at Mexico’s Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa, taking the destination’s eco-friendliness up a notch. We like that veg food will fuel such onsite volunteer activities as the SOS Marine Sea Turtles and Mangrove Swamps Cradle of Life environmental protection projects. Plus, the kitchen at Salvia contributes to the composting stations that, along with solar panels, help the beachfront getaway earn its eco-cred. Here, intel about Salvia’s menu—which includes raw options—from chef Milton Landa.

A round-up of VT editors’ favorite newsworthy links: A new study finds eating raw garlic significantly lowers the risk of lung cancer, but how to stomach the pungent little cloves?

“I guess they thought I’d go away, and the film would fall into the indie-documentary abyss,” says director Gabriela Cowperthwaite, in answer to my asking why she thinks SeaWorld declined to participate in her recently released documentary Blackfish. The film investigates the deadly 2010 attack on a trainer in SeaWorld's Orlando park by an orca named Tilikum, and its most compelling witnesses to the troubling reality of killer whales in captivity include former SeaWorld trainers. If SeaWorld was banking on the film sinking into obscurity, they figured wrong—Blackfish scored a 97 percent on RottenTomatoes.com’s All Critics Tomatometer, and the Los Angeles Times stated in an editorial, “The documentary ‘Blackfish’ reminds us that it’s time to stop imprisoning orcas in marine parks to entertain the public and enrich their corporate keepers.” Here, Cowperthwaite answers more questions about the film.

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Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

A round-up of VT editors’ favorite links of the moment: Stashing a snack in your drawer? Go nuts: a new study shows that eating nuts (particularly walnuts) three times a day reduces the risk of dying from cancer and cardiovascular disease.

We want to know: What’s your best throw-together dinner idea after a long day at the office? We love the Roasted Red Pepper Pita Pizzas, pictured above. Share your answer below and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of Vegetarian Times.

Cooking homemade, plant-based meals almost every night of the week for my family is one of the most gratifying and joyful parts of my daily life—but that doesn’t mean it isn’t stressful sometimes. Juggling a full-time job and an energetic toddler can make meal prep tricky, which is why I love this family-friendly enchilada recipe from blogger and cookbook author Sarah Matheny’s recently released More Peas, Thank You cookbook, sequel to the New York Times bestselling Peas and Thank You. These enchiladas can be made in stages, and they don’t create a lot of dishes—the bane of my existence