Animal Outlook

Q&A: The Sexy Vegan on Hosting a Happy Hour at Home

smcdonald April 25, 2013Interviews Leave a Comment

The jocular Brian Patton is a YouTube cooking sensation with an impressive resume: he’s currently the Executive Chef at food delivery service Vegin’ Out , author of The Sexy Vegan Cookbook: Extraordinary Food from an Ordinary Dude, and if that’s not enough, he’s also releasing a second cookbook—about happy hour.

While Happy Hour at Home: Small Plates, Big Flavors, & Potent Cocktails won’t be out until June, you can and should pre-order it now—with summer on the horizon, you’ll want to get the book as soon as it’s available to begin planning your post-work festivities. With menus entitled Holy Stromboli; Be Still, My Hearts of Palm; Papadilla, Don’t Preach; and Satay-day Night Fever, you know you’re in for a good time.

US VegWeek 2013 Kicks Off Today – Earth Day!

smcdonald April 22, 2013Environment, Events, Outreach Leave a Comment

Today marks the 43rd anniversary of Earth Day, a day intended to encourage individuals to take meaningful actions in their everyday lives that, collectively, contribute to preserving the planet. But in the words of late Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson who founded Earth Day, “Our goal is not just an environment of clean air and water and scenic beauty. The objective is an environment of decency, quality and mutual respect for all other human beings and all other living creatures.”

Native Foods Announces Plans to Open 200 New Restaurants

smcdonald April 18, 2013Outreach, Veg Eating 2 Comments

It’s hard not to notice the increasing popularity of vegan eating. From Good Morning America to Saturday Night Live, everyone’s talking it. The topic of meatless meals has even graced the cover of one of the leading foodservice industry trade publications, Nation’s Restaurant News, which highlighted the increasing popularity and growing success of vegetarian and veg-friendly eateries across the U.S. Almost prophetically, when the question was posed in the article about whether America is ready for a national vegetarian restaurant chain, Aviv Schweitzer, the operations manager for Maoz USA, responded: “It think it’s a fact; it’s not really a question anymore.”

Ag-Gag: Media Blows Whistle on Anti-Whistleblower Bills

smcdonald April 17, 2013Investigations 1 Comment

Animal agribusiness interests are working feverishly to pass state-level anti-whistleblower laws aimed at criminalizing undercover investigations. In 2012, such laws passed in Iowa and Utah, and so far this year, “ag-gag” bills have been introduced in nearly a dozen states. Why?

Celebrate Thai New Year – Veg Dishes Made with Authentic Ingredients

smcdonald April 15, 2013Outreach, Recipes, Veg Eating Leave a Comment

The Songkran Festival, also known as Thai New Year, is celebrated from April 13 – 16, and it’s the perfect opportunity to indulge in delicious Thai cuisine — 100% veganized, of course. While these recipes would traditionally include fish sauce, meat, or chicken stock, they can be easily made without an animal ingredients while maintaining the authentic flavors. For example, in Tom Kha, simply use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock. You’ll still get all the essential aromas and flavors because the key ingredients are lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime.

A Four-Pronged Approach to Protecting the Planet

smcdonald April 12, 2013Environment, Outreach Leave a Comment

For over 40 years, Earth Day—celebrated on April 22—has been inspiring people to take steps to help the environment. Did you know that perhaps the single most important action each of us can take to protect the planet is simply to choose meat-free foods?

Earth Day offers the perfect opportunity to empower others to fight global warming and animal abuse with our forks, and COK’s popular Eating Sustainably brochure is a great way to share this important message.

Newly updated for 2013, this trifold brochure is packed with information (citations included) about the negative environmental impacts of animal agriculture while also highlighting the global calls to action from the United Nations to shift towards a more plant-based diet.

It’s National (Vegan) Grilled Cheese Day!

smcdonald April 12, 2013Outreach, Recipes 1 Comment

Who doesn’t love a good vegan grilled cheese sandwich? That’s why we’re putting a compassionate spin on this food holiday, making it National (Vegan) Grilled Cheese Day. And to celebrate, we’re sharing our award-winning gourmet vegan grilled cheese recipe!

Last year, COK competed in the 10th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational (GCI) at the Pasadena Rose Bowl–and we took home the trophy for 3rd place in the professional chef category!

NBA Star John Salley Kicks off US VegWeek Events

smcdonald April 11, 2013Events, Outreach 1 Comment

The fifth annual US VegWeek kicks off in less than 2 weeks! This nationwide event, which begins on Earth Day (April 22), offers a fun and supportive way to explore the many flavors and benefits of vegetarian eating.

Thousands of people–including scores of lawmakers–have already agreed to take our 7-day pledge, and it’s not too to sign up! Are you up the for challenge?

My Tour of the Field Roast Vegan Sausage Factory

smcdonald April 10, 2013Events, Outreach 1 Comment

Last month, I had the opportunity to live out a vegan dream: touring the Field Roast product factory in Seattle, Washington! It was an honor to see where some of my favorite meatless meat products were made especially since the company is very supportive of Compassion Over Killing. They’re a long-time sponsor of our annual DC VegFest event in the nation’s capital, and they’re also one of the Platinum Sponsors of our US VegWeek campaign (kicking off on April 22) – Be sure to check out Field Roast’s facebook page during US VegWeek for daily updates!