|
|
|
|
June 2008
GREETINGSMay has been a quiet month for MARV. Besides our usual potlucks, we don’t have too much else going at the moment. One thing to mention is that I received in the mail some flyers advertising the North American Vegetarian Society’s Vegetarian Summerfest, and requesting that we post them. This seems to me a small but good way to promote vegetarianism; my problem is figuring out when I would have time to do it. Any volunteers? Phone 414-962-2703 if you’d like to help. For that matter, if you yourself would like to attend, it will be early this year, on June 18-22, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. This event features speakers, workshops, vegan food, networking, and fun for all; if you’d like to attend, phone NAVS at 518-568-7970 or go to www.vegetariansummerfest.org.M.A.R.V. ACTIVITIESSunday, June 1, 5 PM, regular potluck at the Friends’ Meeting House, 3224 N. Gordon Pl. in Riverwest (from Humboldt Blvd., go east on Auer a few short blocks to the parking lot). Theme will be non-dairy ice cream tasting (if you want to bring one, phone Jody at 414-764-7262; otherwise bring a dish to pass. Subsequent regular potlucks will be on July 6, August 3, Sept. 7, Oct. 5, Nov. 2, and Dec. 7.Other veg-friendly meetingsI have not heard about a June macrobiotic potluck. Try calling Pat O’Neill at 964-9759. The Urban Ecology Center’s vegetarian potluck should be on Thursday, June 19 at 6:30 PM at 1500 E. Park Pl. – bring plate and fork as well as a meatless dish. Phone 414-964-8505 to confirm or get directions. To find out about Vegan Meetup’s possible June events, check the Vegan Meetup website.QUOTES OF THE MONTH“Replacing red meat and dairy with chicken, fish, or eggs in your diet for one day per week reduces [climate-change-causing] emissions equal to 760 miles per year of driving. Switching to vegetables one day per week cuts the equivalent of driving 1160 miles per year.” Organic Bytes (newsletter of Organic Consumers Association) “Just a few small changes – eating more [omega-3 fatty acid foods], vegetables, nuts, and fiber – can have a major impact on your risk for heart problems… regular consumption of omega-3s from a variety of sources, including fish, nuts, and soybean oil, can lower cardiovascular risk as much as 60%..” New York Times special section on the body NEWS The USDA has finally responded to the meat slaughterhouse scandal by completely banning the slaughter for food of any cattle too weak or sick to stand, closing a long-standing loophole. But the FDA’s final rule on banning brain and spinal cord tissue from all animal feed, while stricter than before, is still less stringent than Canada’s regulations. Meanwhile, the problems with biofuels continue. While Monsanto, Cargill, and ADM are profiting wildly from the planting of corn and soy for biofuels, Congress is hearing from citizens that ethanol expansion needs to be reined in, and the Asian Development Bank has stated that developed nations should halt subsidies for biofuels since these are making staple foods more expensive. At the same time, biologists and botanists are warning that nonfood biofuel plants are often invasive non-natives, and should not be mindlessly embraced either.In other bad news, Chicago has repealed its ban on foie gras. Then there are ongoing issues regarding things to drink. The Cornucopia Institute is still battling Dean Foods, Producer of Horizon Organics, regarding that corporation’s skirting of the organic standard. And E Magazine ran an article on how far removed the milk people buy in stores really is from what the cow produced. Also, people are increasingly realizing that bottled water is a very expensive scam, and environmentally bad, while tap water, filtered if necessary and carried in a metal bottle rather than plastic, is a much better idea. I also saw an article stating that a review of scientific studies turned up no evidence at all that 8 glasses of water a day are needed for health. Easing unnecessary consumption of water is good: Spain has now shipped water to Barcelona due to a drought in Catalonia.There is good food news as well. I saw two different reports about a renewal of urban farming, in which people grow fruits and vegetables on inner-city plots for sale to inner-city residents. And on a different note, New York City had its first Veggie Pride parade on May 18. And as always, there are many ways in which plant foods are good for you. Nutrients taken from Haas avocados seem to help prevent oral cancer. Eating whole-grain diets helps fight belly fat and reduce C reactive protein (an indicator of inflammation in the body that’s linked to heart disease). And in one study, regularly eating pinto beans reduced cholesterol levels. Vegetarian Voice, the NAVS magazine, did an article on nuts and seeds, pointing out that although they are fatty, these foods are full of good fats as well as protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and such minerals as magnesium, zinc, selenium, and copper that most people need more of. In addition, nuts and seeds provide generous amounts of phytochemicals that help prevent disease, and plant sterols which may help control choleterol levels and reduce cancer risk. Prevention magazine also reported on good plant foods. One item explained that eating the plant fiber inulin can help prevent anemia; it is found in leeks, onions, garlic, and Jerusalem artichokes. Another item reported that eating plenty of vitamin-C containing foods lowers the risk of stroke; besides citrus fruits, think of peppers, broccoli and other cabbage family foods, strawberries, papayas, and kiwifruit. And honey was praised as being more soothing to sore throats than some medications, while also containing infection-fighting antioxidents.Another article explained that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish and fish oil are longer than those in walnuts, hemp and flax seeds, and dark green leafy vegetables, and that these longer-chain omega-3s may have greater cardiovascular benefits than shorter-chain ones – but at least it did add that if you are vegetarian, the shorter-chain ones are still useful. Prevention also ran an article praising undervalued vegetables. Thus potatoes do not make you fat, but are full of vitamins and flavonoids, fiber (in the skin), and even protein. Iceberg lettuce was claimed to provide significant amounts of vitamins A and K. Carrots provide not just some plant sugar but also fiber, beta-carotene, complex carbohydrates, and a phytochemical that can protect against colon cancer. Corn similarly contains fiber, folate, thiamin, and the lutein and zeaxanthin that help protect eye health. And celery is not just water, but contains fiber and plant chemicals that help control blood pressure and protect against cancer. Finally, a NY Times article discussed how best to prepare all this healthful produce, since it seems that plain and raw vegetables are not always the most nutritious. Thus people on a raw foods diet were found to be low in lycopene, a powerful antioxident present in tomatoes and released by cooking. On the other hand, spinach loses much of its vitamin C if it is cooked. Steaming or cooking in water leaches out vitamin C and water-soluble B-vitamins, while microwaveing and pressure-cooking preserve them. Fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E, and K and carotenoids) do not leach into water, but do need to be eaten with a bit of fat or oil to be absorbed. The article’s conclusion was that you should use a variety of preparation methods on a variety of produce. And definitely add avocado and/or oil-containing dressing to your salads.THE VEGGIE TABLEA new restaurant, Ethiopian Cottage, has opened recently on N. Farwell Ave., and since it advertises vegetarian and vegan options on its window Chuck and I went in to try it. We soon found that this eatery offers a truly traditional Ethiopian dining experience: food is served on top of a large round flatbread called injera, along with a basket of additional injeras on the side; the correct way to eat is to break off a bit of injera with one’s fingers, sop up some food with it, eat the bite, and repeat. (The menu does offer to supply fork and knife if requested.)We were most pleased to discover a whole vegetarian section of the menu, with seven different selections, and if you can’t make up your mind you can get one of two combination plates. We chose the latter, and enjoyed every item. There are also a couple of salads, coffee, water, soda, mango drink, and beers and wines including Ethiopian beers and honey wine. I did notice, in the menu’s introductory text, something about clarified butter (ghee), but we assumed that the otherwise vegan items were prepared with some sort of oil instead; call and check if you’re concerned. Ethiopian Cottage is at 1824 N. Farwell Ave., 414-224-5226. Phone them to find out exactly when they’re open and for which meals, since this seems to be in flux at this time. CONNECTIONSAs Spring looks forward to Summer, it’s time again for a listing of local Farmers’ Markets. They are a great way to get produce that is truly fresh and local, and to buy it directly from the people who grew it. This increases profits for farmers while decreasing the price you pay (since there are no middlemen taking their cuts), thus keeping local family farmers in business; and this improves the local economy while reducing the expense and emissions of trucking food across thousands of miles. If you don’t get more produce than you know what to do with from your CSA or garden, get to a farmers’ market. This year’s Milwaukee County Farmers’ Markets are:Bradley Road, N. 43d St. and Bradley Road, Brown Deer, Wed. 9 AM - 6 PM, 5/21-10/29, 414-354-6923 Cudahy, 4700 S. Packard Ave., between Layton and Squires Aves., Fri. 10 AM – 2 PM, 5/9-11/7, 414-483-8907 East Side, Beans and Barley parking lot 1901 E. North Ave., Thurs. 3 PM – 7 PM, 6/12-10/9, 414-226-2113 East Town, Cathedral Sq. Park, corner of Kilbourn Ave. and Jefferson St., Sat. 8 AM – 12:30 PM, 6/7-10/25, 414-271-1416 Fondy Farmers’ Market, 2200 W. Fond du Lac, Sat. 5/10-6/7 9 AM – noon, and 6/14-10/21 Sat. 7 AM – 3 PM, Sun. 7 AM-2 PM, Tues. 8 AM-2 PM, Wed. noon-6 PM, Thurs. 8 AM – 2 PM, Sat., 11/1-22, 7 AM – 3 PM, 414-933-8121 Fox Point, Stormonth School parking lot, 7300 N. Lombardy Rd., Sat. 8 AM - noon, 6/21-10/18, 414-352-0555 Greendale, municipal parking lot just west of Broad St., Sat. 8 AM – noon, on 6/28, 7/12, 7/26, 8/2, 8/16, 8/23, 9/6, 9/20, 10/4, 10/18, 414-423-2790 Hales Corners, Stahl-Conrad Homestead, 9724 W. Forest Home Ave., Sat., 8 AM – noon, on 7/5, 7/19, 8/9, 8/30, 9/13, 9/27, 10/11, 10/25, 414-708-0584 Milwaukee Public Market/Outdoors, St. Paul Ave., between Water and Broadway, Sat. and Sun. 9 AM – 3 PM, 6/14-10/26, 414-336-1111 Riverwest, Garden Park, Bremen and Locust Sts. (2 blocks west of Humboldt), Sun. 10 AM – 4 PM, 6/15-10/26, 414-265-7278 Sherman Park, Sherman Perk Coffee parking lot, 49th and Roosevelt, Sat. & Sun. 8 AM – 2 PM, Memorial Day – Labor Day, 414-875-7375 South Milwaukee, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 13th Ave., one block south of Rawson Ave., Thurs. 10 AM – 2 PM, 5/8-10/30, 262-835-4386 South Shore, South Shore Park, Bay View, 2900 South Shore Drive, Sat. 8 AM – noon, 6/21-10/18 (but not 7/12), 414-727-8744 West Allis, 1559 S. 65th St., corner of W. National Ave. and S. 65th, Tues. & Thurs. noon – 6 PM, Sat. 1 PM – 6 PM, 5/3 – 11/30, 414-302-8600 Westown, Zeidler Union Sq., Michigan St. between 3d and 4th Sts., Wed., 10 AM – 3 PM, 6/4-10/29, 414-276-6696 |