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It’s time to cast your vote for the 2008 Veggie Awards and this year, Asheville’s Laughing Seed Cafe has been nominated for “Favorite Vegetarian Restaurant”! VegNews Magazine will publish the winners in its 2008 Holiday edition.

I’ve eaten at about half of the restaurants on the list of nominees and I can honestly say that Laughing Seed is the best of the bunch. The only one that makes it competitive is Millenium, in San Francisco. The food at Millenium is absolutely amazing but it costs about 3 times as much to eat there and the food definitely isn’t 3 times as good as Laughing Seed. If you agree that Laughing Seed is the best vegetarian restaurant around, make sure you vote!

While you’re there, I’d like to plug some absolute favorites of mine, also up for awards:

• Pigs Peace Sanctuary – “Favorite Animal Sanctuary”
• Sidecar for Pigs Peace – “Favorite Vegan Storefront”
• Flying Apron Bakery – “Favorite Bakery”

Sidecar is a volunteer-run store and all its profits are used to support Pigs Peace Sanctuary. They need the publicity and deserve all the support you can give them. Their prices also tend to be lower than the nearby Whole Foods and PCC natural foods stores.

This video is rare in that it approaches veganism from a positive and hopeful perspective. I’m not going to knock the disturbing factory farming videos with their naked violence, and ominous music since that is what brought me to live a more compassionate lifestyle.

At this point, 15 years later, I can’t bear to watch those movies anymore. It’s too painful and I don’t feel that it helps me. My life is no longer about being angry at the awfulness of the world. It’s about what I can do, as just one person, to make things better. Maybe it isn’t enough to end all suffering everywhere, but it is all I can do. Being pissed off doesn’t help anyone but myself – it’s entirely self-indulgent. Meanwhile the animals, the planet, and the people of the world go right on suffering.

It seems to me that a lot of people are reaching a similar conclusion in their own lives. I am posting this video because I believe it is more in line with this new way of living and thinking than any other video on veganism that I have seen. I hope you will watch it with an open heart and an open mind.

You know if Oprah is doing it, then half the soccer moms in the Western world are soon to follow. Oprah Winfrey is several days into a 21-day vegan cleanse. She will eat no meat, dairy, eggs, sugar, gluten, or caffeine. Good for Oprah!

Read the full story on People

This is the same woman who went to court with Howard Lyman, the “Mad Cowboy,” over her comments that information about cows being fed to other cows “stopped me cold from ever eating another burger.” Does anyone know if she stuck with that promise?

You go, Oprah!

If you’ve spent any time reading my blog, you probably noticed that I’m a bit of a health fanatic. I love learning about new ways of healthy living and healthy eating. It’s been something of a hobby for me for the past few years.

About a year ago, I was reading a health food book and started feeling overwhelmed by all the information I was taking in. It was all fascinating. I was learning so much that I wanted to apply to my diet. But how would I possibly remember it all for long enough to benefit from it?

And so, foodscout.org was born.

I started to create a database for all the foods I was reading about along with their nutritional value and the health benefits they provide. It was becoming so handy that friends would often ask me for advice and information from my food database.

It finally occurred to me to put this information out on the internet and share it with the world. I hope it helps you on your path to better health!

Check it out at http://www.foodscout.org.

When I was more involved with animal activism and outreach, the issue of lobster tanks in restaurants and grocery stores would periodically come up. Some activists took particular offense to the idea of consumers picking out a lobster while it is alive, and then eating it. I could never understand why this was a greater crime than choosing from a whole slew of dead animal parts that had been slaughtered out of site.

This New York Times article asks this same question, albeit in a much more gruesome way. In this case, a chef slaughtered a chicken on British television. Another chef performed cruel factory farm practices on animals in order to educate viewers about the true cost of cheap meat and eggs.

Some people are outraged about these chefs’ participation in the killing or torturing of animals. But is this really worse than the chefs who participate indirectly by purchasing meat and dressing it up as culinary artwork and shielding their customers from the cold reality of what they are eating?

I believe that the more people who know about and are reminded of where meat comes from, the fewer of them will participate. At the very least, more of them will insist on supporting only those farms that at least give animals a quality natural life before their much-too-early deaths. This alone would decrease meat consumption, because it would be more expensive and less convenient.

Perhaps those who oppose this more open approach to animal slaughter are afraid that people will see this cruelty first-hand and will still not care. For those of us who have shown friends the horror of factory farming only to see them continue to support it, we know this is a real possibility. I have faith that enough people are genuinely compassionate toward all animals that society would shift in the animals’ favor if people could no longer escape the reality of what they are eating.

In the 13 years that I’ve followed a vegan diet, the question most commonly asked of me has been, “where do you get your protein?” Meat-eaters, vegans, and aspiring raw foodists alike, all seem to ask that question. There is a lot of disagreement and controversy surrounding what kinds of proteins are best and how much protein individuals require. For an interesting discussion on protein and the benefits of eating essential amino acids from plant sources versus whole proteins from animal sources, I highly recommend the book Green for Life, by Victoria Boutenko. This is a list of protein sources that have worked well for me. I usually include 2 or 3 of these foods in my diet every day.

• Green smoothies: Not only are leafy greens very high in all the essential amino acids that form complete proteins, but they are also excellent sources of other nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, K, calcium, and fiber. They are also very cleansing to the body. It helps to have a high power blender like a Vita-Mix or K-Tec, but even a regular cheap blender will do the job if you chop the greens and fruit well before blending.
• Cooked whole grains: Quinoa and amaranth are great protein sources and are alkaline-forming grains. Acidic diets promote disease, while alkaline diets promote health. Just 1 cup (after cooking) of quinoa has 8 grams of protein. Amaranth is even higher. I enjoy amaranth for breakfast, cooked with banana slices. Wild rice is also a good source of protein, but not quite as good as quinoa.
• Sprouted grains: I haven’t quite gotten into a regular habit of sprouting grains, but I have tried some sprouted grain breads such as Manna Bread, which makes for a tasty, filling, nutrient-dense treat that is high in protein and fiber. Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain products, including breads and pastas, can be found in most natural food stores. I often make porridge out of soaked oat groats, which have 6 grams of protein per 1/4 cup (before soaking).
• Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds provide significant amounts of protein, but since they are also high in fat, they can weigh you down if you rely on them for protein. Pumpkin seeds are a better choice because they are also high in iron, copper, magnesium, and some other minerals. About 1/5 cup has more protein than a serving of wild rice. Almonds are a good protein source as well.

Before becoming more health conscious, most of my protein came from processed fake meats and soy products. Beans are another common vegan protein source, but most are difficult to digest and contain a lot of toxins. It’s not hard to find adequate vegan protein sources, but if you’re trying to improve your health, steer away from the processed foods and beans and give some of these ideas a try.

When I went vegan in 1995, it was pretty easy to find tasty and healthy vegan food, but there wasn’t a lot of variety. Now, the market is full of vegan versions of everything you can possibly imagine. It’s easier than ever to satisfy all your food cravings, while maintaining a cruelty-free diet.

Even if you live in the middle of nowhere, chances are there is a little health food store tucked away somewhere that has some vegan options. If not, the internet is your friend. I now eat almost entirely raw vegan food, but before then, here are the online stores where I found all the vegan food I needed:

• Vegan Essentials – They are constantly getting in all the latest tasty snacks and treats and their prices are usually pretty good.
• May Wah Healthy Vegetarian Food – They have the most incredible selection of fake meat. Check the ingredients because not everything here is vegan. Shipping is very expensive so buy in bulk or order with friends to share the shipping cost.

I can’t go anywhere without checking out as many vegan restaurants as I can find. So many are popping up in all corners of the world, that I will never hit them all. But here are my reviews of those that I have been lucky enough to try so far. I only list restaurants with a vegan menu. No half-assed vegetarian restaurants find their way onto this particular list.

Washington D.C. | Los Angeles, CA | San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA | Concord, NH | New York, NY | Asheville, NC | Charlotte, NC | Austin, TX | Dallas, TX | Houston, TX | Salt Lake City, UT | Seattle, WA | Canada

Vegan restaurants in the U.S.

• Washington D.C.
  • The Vegetable Garden
    11618 Rockville Pike
    Rockville, MD 20852
    (301)468-9301
    This is the first vegan restaurant I ever ate at. I was so blown away by the food, I almost cried. Several pages of options, including several desserts. Lots of fake meats of various types. I had the veggie duck. It was amazing.

• Los Angeles, CA
  • BabyCakes NYC
    130 E. 6th St.
    Los Angeles, CA
    (213)623-5555
    This all vegan bakery, started in NYC and expanded to LA, features many gluten-free and sugar-free options. Their other items are made with spelt, which is healthier and tends to be easier on the digestive tract than regular flour. The cupcakes, breads, and cookies were absolutely delicious. The donuts were OK, but not awesome. Items are quite expensive, but maybe that’s the way it ought to be for such indulgences.
  • Better Life Cuisine
    717 Broadway Ave.
    Santa Monica, CA 90401
    (310)458-7620
    For raw, organic, vegan food, the prices here were fairly reasonable. Especially for L.A. which I found generally to be very expensive. I tried the egg salad, which used young coconut as it’s egg substitute, and the manicotti rolls. Both were really good. I also took home 3 desserts: cinnamon rolls and pumpkin pie. Both had amazing flavor and texture but were way way way too sweet. Perhaps there was a time in the past when I would have enjoyed that. But the true disappointment of this restaurant was the smoothies. I tried 2 and they were both unforgivably bad, especially for $10. Possibly the worst food I have ever purchased in a restaurant ever.
  • Native Foods Cafe
    1110-1/2 Gayley Ave. (multiple locations available)
    Los Angeles, CA 90024
    (310)209-1055
    Definitely the place to go if you’re trying to satisfy some cravings for comfort food. I was able to try the Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger (amazing), and the quinoa mac-n-cheese and chicken nuggets from the kids menu (also amazing). It does have some healthy options but it’s not the place to go if you’re trying to be on the straight and narrow. Too many very unhealthy (albeit delicious) temptations.
  • Real Food Daily
    414 N. La Cienega Blvd. (multiple locations available)
    West Hollywood, CA 90048
    (310) 289-9910
    Probably my favorite all-vegan restaurant in LA. The menu has all the old favorites but tends ever so slightly toward the healthier side and has a nice atmosphere. I was happy to find a gluten-free option that also sounded really good – Pizza You Can Eat-za. It fell apart too easily to pick up like regular pizza, but otherwise was the best vegan pizza I’ve ever had. Loved it. I wish I’d had a chance to try them out for brunch.
  • Seed
    1604 Pacific Ave.
    Venice, CA 90291
    (310)396-1604
    Surrounded by the touristy atmosphere of Venice Beach, I felt really lucky to find this place. Seed is a vegan, organic, macrobiotic restaurant. According to the sign that was hanging up, their blackened tempeh burger is award-winning. My traveling companion was smart enough to try that – it was delicious. I had the Japanese curry bowl which was lacking – too many carrots and almost no shiitake mushrooms. And it was much too expensive. The Madonna’s coconut mousse was also too expensive for what it was – very small and very little flavor. At least it wasn’t too sweet. Seed is good in a pinch but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it.
• San Diego, CA
  • Evolution Fast Food
    2949 5th Ave.
    San Diego, CA
    (619) 550-1818
    Drive through or order take-out at the counter inside. They have a few chairs inside. The menu is reminiscent of traditional fast food – burgers, fries, shakes, and sandwiches, but way way healthier. They have several gluten-free options as well as a nice selection of raw food. The gluten-free version of the mushroom swiss burger was very flavorful and satisfying. I also grabbed a banana bread cookie to eat the next morning for breakfast, which was delicious. I came back another night for a smoothie, since they seem to have some of the more interesting smoothies in San Diego. I’m afraid I can’t remember what I got but it definitely hit the spot.
  • The Greenery Raw Food Cafe
    133 Daphne St.
    Encinitas, CA
    (760)479-0996
    Not quite as good as Peace Pies (see below) but similar concept. I think I caught them at a time when they were out of most of their options, which is why it didn’t seem as good. Greenery does have a made-to-order menu for dinner, but I ate there during lunch, which is pre-made raw food items. I had a pretty good pizza and one of the best seaweed salad’s I’ve ever had.
  • Peace Pies
    4230 Voltaire St.
    San Diego, CA
    (619)223-2880
    “I’ll have one of everything!” OK, it wasn’t exactly like that but pretty close. This 100% raw cafe didn’t look too promising when I first walked in. Most of the lunch options were pre-made in a fridge, not made-to-order. But When I looked up close, everything looked like something I had to try. I had some spaghetti with pesto, a slice of pizza, veggie sandwich, vanilla ice cream, and a slice of coconut cream pie with chocolate on top. I also got some cinnamon rolls to take for breakfast the next day. Everything I tried was outstanding. Truly delicious.
  • Stephanie’s Bakery
    4879 Voltaire St.
    San Diego, CA
    Their website proclaims that they have the “best vegan pizza ever!” so that definitely seemed worth trying. Unfortunately, they were out of the gluten-free crust, but I decided to suffer through the gluten in order to get to try out their pizza. I don’t know if it lived up to the hype, but it was pretty good pizza. Definitely no complaints. I had the “Supreme” pizza which includes vegan pepperoni and several vegetables. They also use Follow Your Heart cheese. I also grabbed a gluten-free brownie, which was very tasty. Their other cakes looked absolutely incredible, but I didn’t want to eat any more gluten than I already had.
• San Francisco, CA
  • Cafe Gratitude
    3 locations. See website for locations in
    San Francisco and Berkeley, CA.
    (415)824-4652
    I was in San Francisco for about 48 hours and I tried all 3 of the Cafe Gratitudes in the area. This is definitely, without a doubt, my favorite restaurant of all time. It’s almost entirely raw, which I’m all about now. The prices are very cheap considering how amazing the food is. I could eat there every day and never get tired of it. I even bought the recipe book they sell.
  • Millenium
    580 Geary Street
    San Francisco, CA
    (415)345-3900
    If you want to get seated, make a reservation. This place is pretty swanky. Very expensive but worth it for an occassional great meal. Their entrees look like artistic sculptures. Delicious too.
  • Herbivore
    983 Valencia
    San Francisco, CA
    (415)826-5657
    This was a nice casual, inexpensive restaurant. I have no complaints. The menu was varied and the food was good. Not overly memorable to me, but a lot of people love it.
  • RAW Living Food Restaurant
    1224 9th Avenue
    San Francisco CA 94122
    (415)OMJ-JAYA
    If you like raw food, you’ll probably love this place. It’s the only raw restaurant I’ve ever been to, so I don’t have much to compare it to. I was very surprised at how much flavor the food had. It was so intense, I could barely eat it. I didn’t love it, but I am very very glad I tried it.
• Concord, NH
  • Cafe Indigo
    128H Hall Street
    Concord, NH
    (603)224-1770
    Cafe Indigo isn’t easy to find, tucked away in the back of a business park, but it is definitely worth going out of the way for. The menu offers fairly standard items, such as eggless egg salad, lentil soup, veggie burger, and faux meat wraps, as well as a nice selection of baked goods and desserts, but the flavor and texture make this some of the best vegan comfort food I’ve ever had. They offer several gluten-free choices. I highly recommend the blueberry cheesecake, which has an unbelievable taste and texture (the crust is not gluten-free). See also my full review of Cafe Indigo.
• New York, NY
  • Angelica Kitchen
    300 E 12th St (1st Avenue)
    New York, NY
    (212)228-2909
    I haven’t spent that much time in Manhattan as a vegan, but I must have eaten at Angelica at least four times. It seemed expensive, but for New York I think it was fairly cheap. Especially when you consider that everything on the menu is organic. This is one of my favorite restaurants. The menu is full of vegan versions of old favorites. Everything I ever ordered was amazing, especially the desserts. But don’t keep pointing to items, asking the staff if it is vegan. They hate that.
  • Vegetarian Paradise 2 (VP2)
    144 W 4th St
    New York, NY
    (212)260-7130
    Chinese food with convincing fake meat. Not necessarilly what I would want to eat all the time, but if you don’t mind greasy fattening food, it’s great. They have healthier items as well.
• Asheville, NC
  
  • Plant
    165 Merrimon Ave.
    Asheville, NC
    (828)258-7500
    Asheville’s only vegan restaurant. Several gluten-free options. Brunch on Sundays. The owners are always present and very interested in ensuring that their customers are happy. The kitchen is open so you can watch the chef prepare meals. Plant is more upscale than most of Asheville’s restaurants and a little more pricey than average, but well worth it. Every dish is a falvorful work of art, more unique than the standard vegan restaurant meal.
• Charlotte, NC
  
  • Bean Vegan Cuisine
    3001 E Independence Blvd.
    Charlotte, NC
    (980)939-1234
    Vegan comfort food but with unique ingredients. Jackfruit tacos, for instance. Plenty of gluten-free options. If you don’t mind gluten, the bacon cheeseburger is delicious. The gluten-free Jackfruit Carnitas Tacos are a very popular dish, although I wasn’t wild about it. All our side dishes were excellent – mashed potatoes and gravy, mac and cheese, and sweet potato fries. Their desserts are amazing. Service was excellent. I highly recomment Bean Vegan Cuisine if you’re anywhere near Charlotte.
  • Luna’s Living Kitchen
    2102 South Blvd.
    Charlotte, NC
    (704)333-0008
    Raw, vegan, open only for breakfast and lunch. Many gluten-free options. They have an extensive breakfast menu, but I was hoping to order something off the lunch menu. Unfortunately it was too early, and I didn’t end up making it back there again later. I ordered the Bombin’ Buckwheat Blaster, which was tasty and full of fresh fruit. For me though, it was way too sweet, which means most people would probably love it. Even so, I could tell the quality of the food was top notch, and I hope to try their lunch menu next time I’m in Charlotte.
• Austin, TX
  • Casa de Luz
    1701 Toomey Rd
    Austin, TX
    (512)476-2535
    Even without the food, Casa de Luz is a great place. You can’t spend time there without feeling calm and pleasant. You can’t eat the food and leave feeling unhealthy. It is mostly macrobiotic and organic. Much of the food comes from their own garden. There is no menu, you just get a plate of whatever they are serving that night with soup and salad. The difference in meals from day to day is subtle, but I never got tired of eating there.
• Dallas, TX
  • Spiral Diner
    1401 Jones St
    Fort Worth, TX
    (817)3-Eat-Veg
    Spiral Diner is your basic burger and sandwich shop and offers other old favorites, like spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, and baked potatoes. I didn’t love the carrot cake, but the meatballs were just how they should have been. I highly recommend trying anything with their hummus in it. I know, you can get hummus anywhere, but trust me, theirs is special. They also sell vegan cat food.
• Houston, TX
  • Wonderful Vegetarian Restaurant (now Tien Ren)
    7549 Westheimer, Houston, TX 77063
    (713)977-3137
    Wonderful Vegetarian was a favorite place to eat after animal rights protests. By that time we were starving and tired so the food tasted great. But it was a fairly typical chinese buffet. A decent selection and some good desserts. A bit on the greasy side. If you’re stuck in Houston, try it. Don’t go out of your way.
    I am told that this restaurant closed and reopened as Tien Ren, also completely vegan. The buffet, menu, baked goods, and atmosphere received high marks from at least one family so it might be worth checking out.
  • Green Planet Vegetarian Cafe
    9013 Westheimer Road
    Houston, TX
    (713)783-6622
    This one is another Chinese buffet, but they also have a dinner menu. I didn’t care for it. It wasn’t interesting at all. It’s possible that I am getting these two places mixed up, but it almost doesn’t matter.
• Salt Lake City, UT
  • Sage’s Cafe
    473 E 300 S
    Salt Lake City, UT
    (801)322-3790
    Not only does Sage’s Cafe have great food, but it is run by the nicest people in the restaurant industry. During the long road trip from Austin to Seattle, we were heading toward Salt Lake City, trying desperately to arrive in time to try Sage’s. They were about to close when we were still twenty minutes away. Hungry, we called them to ask if they could recommend a place where we could get some vegan food late at night. Rather than directing us to some grocery store, they read the menu to us over the phone, took our orders, and stayed open an extra half hour just so we could eat. Unbelievable. And so was the food. I had the Mushroom Stroganoff for dinner, then went back for breakfast and had French Toast. Some day, I would like to go back to Salt Lake City long enough to try everything on the menu. If you go anywhere near Utah, find a way to make it to Sage’s.
• Seattle, WA
• Araya’s Vegetarian Place
  4730 University Way NE
  Seattle, WA
  (206)524-4332
  Araya’s is great Thai food. Unfortunately, I don’t care for Thai food. I don’t hate it, it just doesn’t excite me at all. But if you like Thai, I highly recommend trying it.
• Bamboo Garden
  364 Roy St
  Seattle, WA
  (206)282-6616
  Everyone raves about the Bamboo Garden and it always wins in the polls. I think it’s mediocre at best. In a town with no other options, I would be glad to have it. In Seattle, I won’t waste my money on it again. Their balls of fake meat are pretty good, but every dish on the menu is the same, and not very interesting.
• Cafe Ambrosia (Closed)
  2501 Fairview Ave E
  Seattle, WA
  (206)325-7111
  Ambrosia’s menu is pretty small, but I haven’t ever tried anything there that didn’t impress me. From appetizers to desserts, the food is amazing. Their brunch is even better. Everything, including the beer and wine, is organic.
• The Globe
  1531 14th Ave
  Seattle, WA
  (206)324-8815
  The Globe is a great cheap place to eat a filling breakfast. Their grits are fantastic. I’m not a huge fan of their lunch menu, but I eat breakfast there all the time.
• Good Morning Healing Earth (Closed – now Rainy Day Vegan Cafe)
  901 NE 55th St
  Seattle, WA
  This is another favorite. Best gravy in town. He makes his own tofu and seitan and it is delicious. Great for lunch and breakfast. Prices are reasonable. But don’t skimp on the tip or there will be hell to pay.
• Hillside Quickies
  4106 Brooklyn Ave NE
  Seattle, WA
  (206)632-3037
  I love Quickies! Good, cheap, greasy sandwich shop. If they happen to have the tofu pot pie, order it. Otherwise, any sandwich on the menu will satisfy.
• In The Bowl
  1554 E. Olive Way
  Seattle, WA
  (206)568-2343
  In the Bowl has a huge menu, and as far as I can tell, everything on it is tasty. Almost all dishes come with a choice of tofu, fish, prawn, duck, or beef – the faux kind, of course. The food is fairly cheap.
• Rainy Day Vegan Cafe
  901 NE 55th St
  Seattle, WA
  (206)524-0204
  This is quickly turning into one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. Their menu is interesting and almost everything I try is fantastic. What’s even better is they are always experimenting with new dishes. Specials have included grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken parmesan. Prices are reasonable, service is great. My only complaint is that the portions are sometimes inconsitent.
• Mighty-O Donuts
  2110 N 55th St
  Seattle, WA
  (206)547-0335
  A vegan donut shop? I never thought I would see the day. The donuts are a lot more like cake than donuts though. They are great desserts, but don’t expect them to be anything like Dunkin.
• Pizza Pi
  5500 University Way NE
  Seattle, WA
  (206)343-1415
  I couldn’t stay away from Pizza Pi if I tried. I don’t know how he makes the vegan cheese, but it makes me wonder why all the vegan cheeses you find in stores taste like vomit. Ordering at Pizza Pi is just like ordering at any other Pizzaria, except when you ask for sausage, bacon, or other meat, no animals suffer as a result. The calzones are great too. I highly recommend trying the white garlic sauce in place of the regular red sauce. But don’t ask for both. He hates that. “No, I can’t make pink sauce!”
• Teapot Vegetarian House
  125 15th Ave E
  Seattle, WA
  (206)325-1010
  I may be the only vegan in Seattle who doesn’t like this place. Aside from the rose chicken, which is just like the real thing, I have never had an entree I liked. Their mango cheesecake is the best vegan cheesecake I’ve ever had though.
• Vegan Garden
  1228 S Jackson St
  Seattle, WA
  (206)726-8669
  There are so many items on the menu that it’s really difficult to choose. It’s mostly faux meat, Asian style. If you’re feeling like having delicious but greasy fried food, this is the place for you.

Vegan restaurants in Canada

• Montreal, QC
  • Aux Vivres
    4631 boulevard Saint-Laurent
    Montreal, QC
    (514)842-3479
    Gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free options are all labeled on the menu, and there are a number of items available for each category. They have comfort food and decadent desserts as well as healthy, satisfying meals. A meat-eater friend of mine tried the chocolate apple cake and was impressed. They have some brunch items on Saturday and Sunday that are worth trying as well. This was definitely a favorite restaurant of mine.
  • Panthere Verte (Green Panther)
    2153 MacKay St.
    Montreal, QC
    (514)903-4744
    Not much in the way of gluten-free since their entrees come on pita bread. They also have soups and many raw desserts and snacks. They also have fresh juices. The cashier recommended the falafel pita, so I followed her advice. It was really really good. They must make their pita bread fresh daily because I’ve never before known it to be so soft. Not the kind of food I happen to prefer, but it’s worth checking out. They compost and recycle almost everything, which is nice.

• Toronto, ON
  • Live
    264 Dupont St.
    Toronto, ON
    (416)515-2002
    It is too bad that I was only able to visit this restaurant once during my trip to Toronto. It features raw, organic, vegan food, but offers cooked options as well. Gluten-free and nut-free items are clearly labeled. Whatever you get will probably be out of this world. But make sure to leave room for dessert. I had the most incredible raw vegan tiramisu. If you go to Toronto, you must visit Live.

• Victoria, BC
  • Green Cuisine
    #5 – 560 Johnson St.
    Victoria, BC V8W 3C6
    (250)385-1809
    Buffet style dining. Pay by the gram in Canadian dollars. If you’re an American, you probably won’t have any clue how to estimate how much you’re spending for a meal in American dollars. I sure didn’t, but I’m pretty sure it was cheap. And if it wasn’t, that’s ok because the food is worth the price. Good variety and everything I tried was satisfying and tasty.
  • Lotus Pond Vegetarian Restaurant
    617 Johnson St.
    Victoria, BC V8W 1M5
    (250)380-9293
    If you show up right before 3pm when they are no longer refilling the buffet, you can get lunch for super cheap, as long as you don’t mind eating the dregs of the buffet. I also tried Lotus Pond for dinner. It is more or less your standard Asian-style vegan restaurant, but the menu is extensive. Lots of fake meat dishes. Good portion sizes. The water chestnut cake is definitely not cake, and it isn’t very good. Enjoy your entree at Lotus Pond, but get your dessert down the street at Green Cuisine.

Plenty. Leather isn’t just leftovers that will be thrown away if they don’t make shoes out of it – they’ve got special cows suffering just for that purpose. Leather isn’t natural or environmentally friendly – the tanning process is extremely toxic to the earth. The cows suffer greatly, regardless of your rationalizations, so don’t buy leather.

• Cows Are Cool – A Peta site dedicated to the topic of leather.
• India’s Cruel Leather Trade – This is another Peta site. Apparently cows aren’t all that sacred anymore in India. And a huge portion of western leather comes from India.
• Earthlings (the movie) – This movie touches on a whole lot of animal cruelty issues. The leather segment is particularly good.

No, I don’t wear leather shoes. No, I don’t wear cheap plastic shoes that fall apart after 2 months. It just isn’t that hard anymore to find high quality non-leather shoes. The best outdoor shoe companies routinely carry several synthetic shoes that are durable, comfortable, and stylish. But there are plenty of cheap vegan shoes out there too. You don’t have to throw away all your perfectly good leather shoes. But if you’re going to buy new ones, buy something cruelty-free next time. Here are some suggestions that have worked well for me:

• Crocs – Best shoes ever. I bought my Crocs over a year ago and I’ve barely worn anything else since. It’s like wearing slippers all day long. If it rains, I just wear them without socks. They go with everything and last a long time.
• Keen Footwear – They have many many vegan options and are even more versatile than Crocs. You can find them online or at REI. Great for hiking or walking around town. They go with everything.
• Vegan Essentials – Chances are they’ve got the shoes you’re looking for. Vegan Essentials has a great selection and updates it often. If you don’t like buying shoes without trying them on, try them on in a local corporate store before buying online. I just bought a pair of Garmont winter boots that I am very happy with.
• Payless ShoeSource – I remember what it was like to be a broke vegan college student. If you need non-leather shoes but you can’t spend a fortune, Payless is full of cheap vegan shoes.