THE MAN WHO INSPIRED JON STEWART / Vance Lehmkuhl
Q:
Is the spread of vegan eating going to encourage people to think in a big-picture vegan way?
A:
Yes. There’s a movement now to provide upscale and incredibly satisfying vegan cuisine. I think that’s a big development. And then the vegan cheeses coming out. Miyoko Schinner’s come up with some great ones, and other companies, as well.
We like to think in a high-minded way about how people are going to behave according to their aspirations and values, and people want to do that. But realistically, the role of tasty, satisfying food is pretty important.
Q: A:
What’s your favorite food? I have one of my recipes in the book, a special thing I do on weekends when I don’t have to rush to be anywhere. I make scrambled tofu. Also, when I’m training - I’ve been doing marathons, and I did an Ironman Triathlon recently - I’m very focused on high-quality nutrition, so lots of greens, green smoothies.
I’ve been eating more fruits and vegetables - I really try to follow the “Forks Over Knives” recommendation.
Q: A:
Your first book was a memoir. This one combines memoir, recipes and lifestyle how-to. Was that an intentional mix? I think the new book reflects an evolution in our movement, actually. The first book was largely the history of Farm Sanctuary, a discussion of going into factory farms and more of a description of the problems with the animal-agriculture system.
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THE MAN WHO INSPIRED JON STEWART / Vance Lehmkuhl This new book is for a broader audience and it’s more of a how-to. It sort of assumes that people already have some general awareness of the problems of factory farming. It focuses more on what you, the reader, can do. It’s really for everybody interested in living more mindfully, more healthfully and living in alignment with their own values.
Q:
You were living in Wilmington when you started rescuing animals. Hilda, the famous first sheep, was found at a stockyard in Lancaster. Any particular memories from your time here?
A:
The way we funded the organization in the early days was by selling veggie dogs at Grateful Dead shows out of our Volkswagen van. We spent a lot of time in the Spectrum parking lot, and I remember one time Pierre Robert, the [WMMR-FM] radio guy, came by and had a veggie dog.
Q:
Establishing a farm sanctuary was a big step that others have followed. Did you see that as a way to change attitudes about food and animals, or just a way to help those that needed it?
A:
A little of both. When we started in 1986, we didn’t have a long-term vision of what the organization would be; we just responded to different needs in the moment. You find a [live] animal on a pile of dead animals, you take it home, you know, pretty soon you need more space so you get a farm. People want to visit, they want to hear about the animals, so you create a visitor program. So, it’s really been an evolution, and part of that is other people setting up sanctuaries, as well. I think that’s a very positive sign. It shows people are re-evaluating our relationship with farm animals. This all boils down to our relationship with other animals: Is it based on respect or exploitation? One thing that we have done, and others are doing it, too, is we model a different kind of relationship, one where the animals are our friends, not our food. Human beings like animals, and we tend to do what we see other people do. So, just doing this, I think, helped set an example that’s now spreading.
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JUICE GURU / Steve and Julie Prussack
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Heirloom Tomatoes Our number one pick for summer fruits and veggies is the outstanding heirloom tomato. In case you’ve never heard of one, an heirloom tomato is a variety that has been passed down for generations and is open pollinated (i.e., not a hybrid). They have flavor that is far superior to any other tomato you’ve ever tried and are mostly only available in the summer months. Our favorite is the Brandywine for juiciness and flavor. If you’ve never enjoyed an heirloom before, don’t let their appearances fool you. They are often misshapen and not traditionally the red color of other tomatoes (often even partly green and/or mottled in color). Pick heavy ones that aren’t too soft, hard or musty-smelling and store them at room temperature.
Try the following Juice Guru recipe for Italian Heirloom Tomato Basil Juice and be prepared to be blown away.
ITALIAN HEIRLOOM TOMATO BASIL JUICE Organic Ingredients: Directions:
• 8 large heirloom tomatoes
1. Clean all produce and cut in chunks. 2. In a low-rpm juicer, alternate pressing ingredients.
• 6 stalks celery • 2 cucumbers • 1 bunch of basil • 1 large lemon (outer peel cut off, pith intact)
3. Stir and serve immediately.
Enjoy your “juicy” summer! About the Authors Steve Prussack is the author of Amazon Bestselling book “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Juice Fasting.” He is CEO of Juice Guru, a brand dedicated to spreading the message about juicing for healthy living. He is the host of “Juice Guru Radio” which airs on i heart radio. In addition, Steve is the founder and publisher of the #1 health-related magazine in Apple’s Newsstand on juicing and veggie living, “VegWorld Magazine.” Julie Prussack received a crash course in juicing when she reconnected with her first love, Steven, after nearly 25 years apart. Julie is Associate Editor of VegWorld Magazine, and became the first certified Juice Guru Practitioner in her forties.
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LAVASH WRAPS
LAVASH WRAPS WITH MOCK CHICKEN SALAD AND CREAMY CUCUMBER DRESSING by Chef Babette Davis
When asked to provide a summer recipe for this issue of VegWorld, I thought of these wraps. Not necessarily because they feature summer fruits or veggies, but because they are the perfect picnic food for a warm summer day or concert in the park. The wrap is delicious anytime – with or without the mock chicken. Kick back and enjoy!
Organic Ingredients for Cucumber Dressing: • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 2 tablespoons walnut oil • 1 teaspoons urfa pepper • 1 tablespoon no salt seasoning • 1 teaspoon sea salt • 1/2 cup almond milk • 1 cup spinach • 1 medium cucumber (peeled) • 2-3 garlic cloves • 1 tablespoon raw agave nectar
Procedure: Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy.
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VEGGIE TRAVEL Dogs always add to the fun.
Cloud-level on the volcano’s rim At cloud forest level, the volcano’s rim rewards hikers with spectacular views in every direction. Tipped off about a secret overlook, I climb to the base of the aptly named Devil’s Tooth rock formation to gaze upon shimmering sea, pure skies and cottony clouds. Mist-ringed St. Eustatius rises in the distance like a mystic vision. A rocky perch faces the mile-wide crater. Soil from lava flows enriches a patchwork quilt of greenery rolling down to the crater floor, which is why it’s called the Giant’s Salad Bowl. We sit on the perch and eat our veggie sandwiches. “The last verified eruptions from the volcano were 1,600 years ago,” says Pereira.
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VEGGIE TRAVEL
After descending to the volcano’s base, Pereira pulls celebratory drinks from his Land Rover: freshsqueezed guava juice. Sunbeams cross picturebook blue skies to dance on ocean waves further downhill. I raise my juice cup in a toast to limin’.
Visitor information: St. Kitts Tourism Authority: www.stkittstourism.kn Lodging: St. Kitts Marriott Resort on Frigate Bay. Arrange activities such as guided volcano hikes, rainforest zip lining, and tours of Brimstone Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. www.stkittsmarriott.com
Dining: Kalabash. Volcano Safari leader Greg Pereira’s favorite cafe is vegan, serving soursop and other fresh-squeezed juices, falafels, cashew-cheese pizza and coconut tarts. Cayon Street, Basseterre (no website) 869-466-2398 Volcano hiking tours: www.gregsafaris.com
About the Author
Robin Tierney is a travel, outdoors and food writer who gets her energy from an all plant-based diet. Her whole household is made up of vegan athletes, including their adopted American Pit Bull Terriers. Reach Robin at travelveg@live.com. Photos also by Robin Tierney.
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