The Gluttonous Vegan

Business Week: "The Rise of the Power Vegans"

2012-01-30T17:54:00.001-10:00

Bill Clinton, Bill Ford, Russell Simmons, Steve Wynn . . .

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_46/b4203103862097.htm

Are we taking over? :)

Oh, and there's Maui's own Woody Harrelson:

http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do;jsessionid=C1E3C13DB746D083DEFA0CB2B798245F?pageId=4146&catId=8

Viral video - "Sh*t Vegans Say"

2011-12-27T11:04:00.000-10:00

A rare vegan-friendly Thanksgiving story

2011-11-23T20:37:00.001-10:00

Happy Tofurkey Day & mahalo to NPR for this story about happy turkeys:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/11/23/142594442/here-turkey-is-the-guest-not-the-entree

What happened to Mocha Java Cafe?

2011-11-12T00:00:00.001-10:00

Friends used to chide me for going to Honolulu's Mocha Java Cafe whenever I got the chance. It's overpriced and has spotty service, they'd say. But it's recognized as one of the most vegan-friendly places in O'ahu, I'd counter. They even have a special vegan menu! Alas, I think I'm now done with the place. The vegan menu has been nowhere to be seen in my last couple of visits. To make matters worse (much worse), I was served an obviously non-vegan dish after being assured it was vegan. I don't know why tofu scramble - an obvious selection for people who don't want eggs or meat (i.e., likely vegans) - would be made with cheese. But it is at this place. It's probably time for the Vegetarian Society of Hawai'i to stop touting Mocha Java as a vegan's haven. Next time I'm in the area I'll probably eat at Kaka'ako Kitchen.

I love The Loving Hut

2011-11-11T23:28:00.001-10:00

On a recent visit to Honolulu, I ate at a Loving Hut restaurant for the first time. What a joy to know that everything on the menu is vegan! No need to ask questions or give special instructions. The food was tasty, prices reasonable, and service fast and friendly. I'll be back.

Great that Bill Clinton & Al Gore are extolling plant-based diets nowadays

2011-09-02T17:02:00.003-10:00

But just imagine what the world would be like if they had touted veganism while in office!

For the visting (or local) vegan: Where to volunteer (or donate money) on Maui

2011-06-19T10:39:00.002-10:00

East Maui Animal Refuge
http://www.booboozoo.org/Volunteer.htm

Hawaiian Islands Land Trust
http://hawaiianislandslandtrust.org/read-our-blog/

Leilani Farm Sanctuary
http://www.leilanifarmsanctuary.org/

9th Life
http://9thlifehawaii.org/help.shtml

Feline Foundation of Maui
http://www.mauicats.com/

Haku Baldwin Center
http://www.facebook.com/hakubaldwincenter

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary
http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/involved/volunteer_maui.html

For the visiting vegan: Where to eat on Maui

2011-06-19T10:23:00.000-10:00

Ono Gelato (multiple locations)

Fresh local fruit makes for vibrant vegan gelato.

Whole Foods Market (Kahului)

The Wednesday salad bar ($5.99/lb. instead of $7.99) is a must.

Fresh Mint (Pa`ia)

Our only all-vegan restaurant (primarily Vietnamese) is open 5-9 p.m.

Veg Out (Ha`iku)

The setting is ultra-casual; the food is ultra-tasty.

Hawaiian Moons (Kihei)

They have the cheapest brown rice on the island and usually have great chili or soup to go with it.

Alive & Well (Kahului)

This place also has great soup, plus some decadent desserts.

Maui Tacos (multiple locations)

Come for the famous salsa bar; return for the cheap prices.

Mana Foods (Pa`ia)

Maui's best grocery store also has a great deli and dessert case.

Cafe Des Amis (Pa`ia)

The veggy curry wrap comes with mango chutney.

Cafe Mambo (Pa`ia)

They have the best selection of vegan appetizers and small dishes of any sitdown restaurant

Stella Blues (Kihei)

This is one of the few places that offers a hearty vegan breakfast.

Maui Coffee Roasters (Kahului)

If you're into almond-milk lattes and whole-wheat bagels, this is your place.

Down to Earth (Kahului)

The prices have gone up a lot over the years, but there's no doubt this all-vegetarian place has a good deli and salad bar.

Mala (Wailea)

This high-end place offers great ocean views, occasional celebrity sightings, and multiple vegan entrees.

Simply Healthy Cafe (Wailuku)

Open for weekday lunch only, this place offers the best vegan bargains on the planet, including a veggie plate lunch with sweet potatoes, taro, brown rice, and a salad for $5.50.

Let's get moving: Alternatives to commuting by car

2011-05-11T18:49:00.000-10:00

Let's get moving: Alternatives to commuting by car

". . . automobile use is a major contributor to global warming. Perhaps only the meat industry ranks as high as the transportation sector among the components of the economy that cause climate change."

Las Vegas is the place to be in May

2011-03-29T13:11:00.000-10:00

May 7:

Wynn Las Vegas to Host Viva Las Vegan

May 19-22:

VegNews Presents Vegans In Vegas

Sweet Avenger: New vegan reality show!

2011-03-29T13:07:00.000-10:00

Happiest media news of the day:

The Discovery Communications network orders 12 episodes of "Sweet Avenger," about a vegan baker and animal lover (Danielle Konya).

Tell Discovery how happy you are about this news:

http://twitter.com/#!/DiscoveryComm

And follow Vegan Treats:

http://twitter.com/#!/VeganTreats

Great Chicago-style vegan pizza at Lahaina Pizza Co.

2010-09-06T10:31:00.000-10:00

Lahaina Pizza Co. (fka known as BJ's Pizzeria) is located on Front Street in the heart of Lahaina Town, Maui, Hawai`i. Last night I ordered the vegetarian pizza without cheese - which the waitress quickly and accurately dubbed the vegan pizza - and was rewarded with the tastiest deep-dish pizza I've had in a long time (maybe ever). The abundant toppings were black olives, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, and mushrooms. It's always a great sign when a restaurant employee uses the word "vegan" without prompting. And sure enough, the pizza was great. I recommend Lahaina Pizza Co.'s vegan pizza, especially for people who like Chicago-style pizza.

Maui Culinary Academy offers specialty sugars at Ono Gelato Company

2010-09-06T09:39:00.000-10:00

The Maui Culinary Academy is offering locally produced Vanilla Mac Nut Sugar, Cane Sugar, and Mango Sugar at Ono Gelato Company in Lahaina, Hawai`i.

O`ahu optimism

2010-09-01T19:57:00.000-10:00

For such a large, multicultural city, Honolulu has been shockingly lacking in vegetarian and vegan dining options.

There is now some reason for optimism, as reported by Nadine Kam today:

New restaurants offer promising vegetarian options

I've long bemoaned the dearth of vegetarian restaurants in Honolulu. All of a sudden we have two new options, both opened over summer.

Impressively, the two restaurants - Peace Cafe and Loving Hut - are both entirely vegan.

Hurray for Honolulu!

Vegan party coming up in Tokyo

2010-08-31T15:07:00.000-10:00

Wish I could attend!

Sat Sep 11 @ 6:30 PM

Let's enjoy a nice vegan dinner at a restaurant called "Your Big Family." This restaurant was recommended by one of our members Ai-san. The restaurant 10 minutes from the West exit of Higashi kurume station on the Seibu Ikebukuro line.

This will be a set menu at 2000 yen per person (drinks separate). Coffee/tea and sweets set is available for an extra 500 yen.

Please plan to meet at Higashi Kurume station West exit at 6pm. Then everyone can head to the restaurant together at 6:15.

Wynn and Encore Las Vegas Unveil New Vegan Menu Items

2010-08-30T11:07:00.000-10:00

Wynn and Encore Las Vegas Unveil New Vegan Menu Items

I just found an old e-mail in which I told a friend that I became a vegetarian on March 1, 2000

2010-07-29T16:40:00.000-10:00

I've been wondering about that date.

So, I was a vegetarian for four years before I became a vegan.

Veg Out

2010-03-10T07:57:00.010-10:00

The town of Ha'iku on the Hawaiian Island of Maui exudes peace, tranquility, and natural beauty. Ha'iku stretches from Maui's North Shore to the slopes of Haleakala Crater. Residents and visitors are afforded panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, are kept cool by the shade from a variety of majestic trees, and are treated to beautiful sights and scents provided by lush tropical flora and fauna (many of which exist nowhere else in the world). Residents include many "locals" who trace their Maui roots to the days when Ha'iku first became a thriving plantation town - supporting the island's dominant pineapple and sugarcane industries - more than 100 years ago. Many of the agricultural workers in the 19th and 20th centuries were Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Portuguese, and Puerto Rican immigrants and their often mixed-race children and grandchildren. Those industries are now nearly defunct, and Ha'iku is largely a bedroom community. A few vacation rentals are open for visitors who want an alternative to Maui's glitzy mega-hotels, providing in-town employment for some Ha'iku people. But most residents commute to the resort areas of Lahaina and Wailea, the county seat of Wailuku, and the industrial and commercial center of Kahului. In addition to local families, Mainland transplants are common in Ha'iku. Some of them are environmental and peace activists who moved to Hawai'i in the '60s and '70s and contribute to the widely held view that Maui's North Shore is a haven for aging hippies. Native Hawaiians are also represented, as are descendants of the Christian missionary families who dominated Hawai'is political and economic life for decades, until after World War II. Ha'iku is a diverse, casual, beautiful town.

It's against this backdrop that we encounter Veg Out, one of only three 100% vegetarian restaurants on Maui. Veg Out embodies Ha'iku sensibilities. The restaurant and its staff seem genuinely committed to the cause of serving tasty, healthy, ethically produced food representing many cultural traditions, while they lack almost sll pretense and offer a welcoming, casual atmosphere of Aloha. How welcoming? On any given day, French, German, and the dialect known as pidgin English may all be heard in the dining area. How casual? All of the staff and 90% of the customers wear T-shirts and shorts, and the food is served on paper plates.

Ah, yes, the food. Diversity is the trademark, with Asian, Italian, Mexican, and Middle Eastern food all featured on Veg Out's large menu (unpretentiously presented on a white sheet of paper). Most of Veg Out's entrees are vegan; the few with dairy products can be easily converted to vegan.

I probably partake in the Middle Eastern offerings more than any of the other genres simply because that kind of food is so rare on the island.

Affordable "Starters Sides" are the first items listed on the menu. Two large scoops of brown rice are available for $1.50 (cheaper than a cup of coffee anywhere on Maui). The most expensive item in this category is Breaded Tofu Chunks ($4.25). For between $2 and $4 you can get orders of Soybeans, Steamed Veggies, Garlic Bread, or the always-vegan Soup of the Day. These items are all tasty. But I rarely order them because I've learned that all the main courses are so large.

Salads is the next menu category. Each large salad could be an entire meal, with prices ranging from $5.75 for the Veg-Out Salad (Romaine, tomato, cucumber, red onion, carrots, mushrooms, sprouts) to $6.95 for the Greek Salad or Ensalada Salad. The latter is an exquisite, highly recommended Mexican salad featuring seasoned tofu, freshly made salsa, and guacamole - zesty and satisfying.

Next comes the Keiki Menu for children, which includes veggie dogs, burritos, and tofu nuggets - each selection comprising a full meal for only $3.75.

Veg Out's most expensive items are in the Pizza category. The menu lists five types of pizzas (available in 6- or 12-inch sizes), with the price peaking at $16.95. Because the pizza types can be combined or substituted and toppings mixed and matched, there's actually an endless variety of pizzas that could be prepared. The restaurant's signature pizza is the vegan Freedom pizza, with red sauce, garlic, peppers, onion, tomato, mushroom, tofu, and zucchini, topped with pesto and nutritional yeast.

Sandwiches & Wraps are available for between $5 and $7 each, including the Boca Burger and Taro Burger (both served on Foccacia bread), the Cajun-style Muffalata Sandwich, the Avocado Wrap and Falafel Wrap (each in a whole wheat tortilla), and the Hot Italian Seitan Sandwich. Incidentally, taro (also known as kalo) is a staple of the Hawaiian diet and is a starchy vegetable similar to potato.

Traditional Mexican entrees - tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and fajitas - are offered for between $6 and $8. Each Mexican plate comes with beans, salsa, and guacamole, making for tasty and hearty meals.

The menu category Far East Entrees includes food based on Indian, Thai, and Japanese cultural traditions. The Yellow Curry ($8.95) is nixed seasonal veggies simmered with tofu in a coconut curry sauce served on brown rice. The Pad Thai Noodles ($8.95) are rice noodles, with mixed veggies, peanuts, and tofu, in a spicy sauce. The Oriental Stirfry With Seitan ($8.95) is mixed seasonal veggies and housemade seitan cooked in a sesame ginger sauce served on brown rice. I've had each of these entrees multiple times. Although Asian-themed food is common throughout Hawai'i, Veg Out's interpretation is unique, partly because all of the ingredients are so fresh and partly because the Far East Entrees are always 100% vegan (they're devised, prepared, and *intended* as vegan items),

The Pasta category features Baked Lasagne ($8.95) and Linguine ($7.95). Both dishes are good. But I rarely order them, partly because similar entrees are widely available elsewhere and partly because the dishes will include dairy products unless the customer asks to exclude them (meaning they're not truly conceived as vegan items).

My favorite menu item is the huge Middle Eastern Plate ($9.95). This entree is made up of housemade baked falafels, humus, and spelt flatbread, served with spring mix greens, tomato, cucumber, and a tahini cilantro sauce. Nothing that tastes quite like it is available at any other restaurant on the island. That makes it feel a little exotic. But the taste isn't so exotic as to be strange or completely unfamiliar.

Fresh-made juices and vegan smoothies are available for $3.25 to $4.50. The menu offers a few suggestions, but the customer is free to choose ingredients from among the many fresh fruits that are always on hand.

My only complaints about Veg Out are minor. Local residents are apparently not being sufficiently marketed to. Whenever I visit, most of the other customers are tourists. I think it promotes greater economic sustainability - and more Aloha - for residents and visitors to mingle. in addition, the menu includes a quote from His Holiness The Dalai Lama on animal rights and vegetarianism. That provides the only hint of pretense at Veg Out. And The Dalai Lama isn't vegetarian or vegan! So he's not the best role model on eating habits. (Indeed, the local newspaper reported on his enjoyment of a gourmet filet mignon dinner when he was on Maui.)

Overall, I think Veg Out is amazingly good in almost respects - as long as you're not looking for fancy decor or service.

Oh, finally, don't forget to finish your meal with Veg Out's decadent vegan chocolate cake.

Veg Out is located at 810 Kokomo Road, Ha'iku, Maui, Hawai'i USA. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekends.

Maui's vegan Vietnamese restaurant, Fresh Mint, now open for lunch

2010-02-22T17:47:00.003-10:00

Maui's vegan Vietnamese restaurant, Fresh Mint, is now open for lunch, Wednesday through Sunday, in addition to being open for dinner seven nights a week.

Fresh Mint is right across the street from the Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office on Baldwin Avenue in Pa`ia.

"Dishing out more veggies" at the University of Southern California

2009-11-25T20:21:00.002-10:00

From the Daily Trojan:

Trying to address concerns raised by vegan and vegetarian students last semester, USC Hospitality has begun an initiative to increase the presence and awareness of alternative food options on campus.

The project, called V2O — which stands for vegan, vegetarian and organic — has three goals: expanding healthy eating options, labeling food more accurately and giving free weekly cooking demonstrations for students.

The idea for V2O came about after a number of students ate tamales labeled “vegan” at Everybody’s Kitchen in April, later discovering that the tamales had been made with chicken. The incident highlighted the need for accurate marking of food in the dining halls.

Nice interview of Maui vegan Woody Harrelson

2009-11-11T20:36:00.001-10:00

http://www.salon.com/entertainment/the_messenger/index.html?story=/ent/movies/btm/feature/2009/11/11/harrelson

I don't feel like a movie has to have a message, necessarily. If a movie's fun and funny and just great entertainment, that's enough. But it's nice to do a movie like "The Messenger" where you feel like people watch it and it's initiating conversations that are important. What more could you hope for?

Vegan Recipe Blogs

2009-09-26T22:23:00.004-10:00

A friend asked for vegan recipes. So, I put together a short list of blogs that have recipes I've referred people to recently:

http://viveleveganrecipes.blogspot.com/

http://jennshaggy.blogspot.com/

http://veganmenu.blogspot.com/

http://www.thegluttonousvegan.com/

A thread in the awesome quarrygirl.com forum lists a bunch more:

http://forums.quarrygirl.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=87

Enjoy!

20-year HIV survivor credits vegan diet

2009-09-23T19:04:00.002-10:00

I don't recommend the medical decisions made by State Rep. Joe Bertram, but they seem to work for him:

Bertram is . . . opposed to pharmaceuticals. He refuses to take medicines designed to boost his weakened immune system. Instead, he eats a vegan diet and hopes for the best because he says the drugs are worse than the disease.

Incidentally, Bertram introduced resolutions this year to support vegan and vegetarian entrees in public schools.

Celebratory dinner for organic farm serves meat; controversy ensues

2009-09-23T18:52:00.003-10:00

Dr. Joel Fischer was horrified to learn that a celebratory dinner for an organic farm featured meat. The Star-Bulletin published his op-ed on the situation earlier this week:

"We are judged by how we treat our anmials"

I posted links to the piece on two of my favorite blogs, and interesting discussion threads followed:

La Vida Locavore

Daily Kos

Three great Maui animal-welfare organizations that can use your help

2009-08-05T17:32:00.002-10:00

East Maui Animal Refuge
http://www.booboozoo.org/

Leilani Farm Sanctuary
http://www.leilanifarmsanctuary.org/

9th Life Hawaii
http://9thlifehawaii.org/

Firedoglake highlights "Food, Inc."

2009-06-15T14:48:00.001-10:00

FDL Movie Night: Food Inc.

If what we eat is produced in inhumane, unethical ways that strip the food of its nutrition, how does it then nourish our bodies and souls?

Food Inc. rends the veil of secrecy that hides the ugly part of America's food supply from consumers. It's like that cliche, "You don't want to see how sausages are made.." Or your chicken sandwiches, or beef. Or anything made

The Gluttonous Vegan's Guide to Pa`ia, Maui, Hawai`i

2009-05-27T19:25:00.005-10:00

Pa`ia is an old sugar plantation town on Maui's North Shore, about 8 miles east of Kahului (site of the island's main airport). It's now regarded as a haven for windsurfers, artists, guitarists, peace activists, and other free spirits - and tourists looking for a good meal before or after venturing to Hana.

Pa`ia is also a vegan's delight, offering an array of great food choices. It's also a real town, - a walkable town - an increasingly rare and wonderful thing in Hawai`i and the rest of America.

Parking is a problem. I recommend not even trying to find parking on the street or in a store parking lot. Rather, I recommend using the free municipal parking lot on Hana Highway at the entrance to the town (coming from Kahului). Or, you could just take the Maui Bus.

Walking from the parking lot toward Baldwin Avenue, the first place I recommend visiting is Anthony's Coffee. My regular meal at Anthony's is a combination of brown rice, salsa, and avocado. Simple goodness! And the highly efficient kitchen staff often has it ready for me even before I've finished paying.

But, as the name suggests, it's the coffee that makes Anthony's famous. I almost always have the ultra-strong organic French roast. It's pricey ($2+). But refills are offered at a discount. And, if you can handle strong coffee, you'll want a refill. The soy lattes are terrific too.

Anthony's amenities including a flat-screen TV and free wi-fi (although there are no electrical outlets). There are a lot of cool little gifts available.

World-class athletes Gabby Reece and Laird Hamilton and their two impossibly cute (and presumably future Olympian) kids are Anthony's regulars when they're on the island.

Proceeding down Hana Highway, you can take a right and walk up Baldwin Avenue to Cafe Mambo. This Mediterranean-themed hotspot features free movies on Thursday nights at 9 and a plentiful selection of vegan appetizers, entrees, and side dishes. There's a wide price range. Combine some of the inexpensive side orders, and you can end up with a full meal that's much more affordable than some of the entrees.

Friendly service from an international staff, hearty stews, and lots of couscous are among Cafe Mambo's guarantees.

Cafe Des Amis - Mambo's sister restaurant - is just a little farther up the avenue. Cafe Des Amis also has a largely Mediterranean orientation, but Indian cuisine is also represented. I recommend the vegetable curry with mango chutney on the side. The coffee is also strong and tasty and will be refilled frequently, without charge. The service can be a little languid, but the wait staff is friendly and doesn't mind gentle reminders.

There's a crosswalk between Des Amis and Mambo that you can use to get to the other side of Baldwin Avenue and visit Pa`ia's unofficial vegan headquarters, Mana Foods.

Although Mana's isn't completely vegetarian, it offers Maui's best selection of vegan food. The prices are reasonable, and the quantity and quality of items are impressive.

Immediately after entering the store, you'll find a plentiful supply of vegan chocolate bars on your left. Proceed up that first aisle a few feet, and you'll find a big collection of pasta sauces on the left and healthy candy bars on the right.

At the first aisle intersection in the store, you can go left into Mana's specialty section for vitamins, supplements, ointments, beauty supplies, and a few clothing items.

Emerging from the specialty section, hang a left to find yourself in Maui's deli. On the right is a diverse salad bar. On the left, you can get pre-made or made-to-order sandwiches, entrees, or desert items. I recommend the sesame seed sandwich, baked tofu, and vegan chocolate cake.

Continuing past the deli area, you'll find yourself in the store's spice, grain, nut, and coffee section. Dozens of bins contain healthy snack items, cereals, and cooking tools. I recommend stepping into this section just for the rich, pleasant aromas, if nothing else.

Leaving that area, go left to check out Mana's refrigerated juices, sodas, and waters at the back of the store.

Take a right down the second aisle. On your left, you'll find hundreds of teas. On your right are dozens of bags of chips, popcorn, and other snacks.

Continue past the next aisle intersection toward the front of the store to find more snacks (on your right) and an array of boxed cereals (left). General Mills and Kellogg's brands and cereals with high fructose corn syrup won't be found. Whole-grain cereals, however, are plentiful.

Make a left turn around the end of the case (pausing to view the bread and pastries there) to proceed up the third aisle and view small containers of soups and other items that, with the addition of hot water, will provide quick, nutritious snacks.

Continue up the third aisle for Mana's modest collection of paper goods and other household supplies.

Wrap around the end of the case and make a right to see huge collections of bottled juices (your right) and frozen desserts (left). I recommend the espresso ice cream (Soy Delicious) and the Kula strawberry sorbet (Ono Gelato).

Proceed past the aisle intersection. On the left are more frozen goods - breakfast, lunch, and dinner entrees. On the right are bottled water, bread, and a mishmash of a few other items.

Curl around the end of the case, and go left to enter the refrigerated section. You'll discover, on the right, soy yogurt, soy milk, soy cheese, and a massive variety of tofu, seitan, and other meat substitutes, while on on your left are tortillas, wraps, and the like.

Past the aisle intersection are shelves filled with cartons of soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, and hemp milk. Proceed around the end of the aisle and turn to the right to enter Mana's produce section - a locavore's nirvana displaying countlegss fresh fruits and vegetables from throughout Maui.

At checkout, get a five-cent credit for using your own bag(s).

After exiting Mana's, go left and walk up Baldwin Avenue until you find yourself at Fresh Mint restaurant, across from the Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office.

Fresh Mint is Maui's best Vietnamese restaurant and only all-vegan restaurant (it's at the site of a similar prior restaurant called The Vegan).

Fresh Mint's appetizers, soups, entrees, and desserts are all affordably priced and delicious. It's a wonderful place to bring someone who's not yet a vegan because several entrees are mock meat dishes.

Head back down Baldwin Avenue and cross Hana Highway to reach Ono Gelato, home to several excellent sorbets featuring local, organic fruits and vegetables. I love them all.

After enjoying a sorbet, walk toward Hana a few hundred feet to find the Green Banana Cafe, an ecologically friendly coffeehouse and Internet cafe. Green Banana has several vegan smoothies (all recommended).

Proceed a bit farther toward Hana to enjoy healthy Mexican food by trying the bean burrito at Fiesta Time.

Across the street is Charley's, a Pa`ia landmark known for big breakfasts in the morning and live rock 'n roll at night. Willie Nelson is a regular. There aren't always a large number of vegan menu items. But Charley's is happy to whip up some roasted potatoes, salsa, and avocado.

Next door is Jacques North Shore Bistro, a trendy spot for the younger generation, which usually features a couple of vegan entrees on its dinner menu.

Cross the street again and go back down Hana Highway toward Kahului, past Paia Inn (a cozy little hotel), to visit the final entry among this list of recommended Pa`ia eateries: Flatbread Company. It's refreshing to see vegan pizzas listed on the menu; no special requests are needed! And the wood-fired pizzas at Flatbread are excellent (as are the salads). I recommend going on a Tuesday night, when profits are partly allocated to a local charitable organization.

I love Pa`ia. I think you will too!

Aloha and mahalo.

Vegan condoms & vegetarian "bacon" personal lubricant

2009-04-13T12:06:00.001-10:00

Just passin' along some knowledge:

Vegan condoms
http://animalblawg.wordpress.com/2009/04/11/for-all-your-vegan-needs/

Vegetarian "bacon" personal lubricant
http://feministlawprofessors.com/?p=9935

Tweet of the Day - Put an end to shark finning

2009-04-08T11:15:00.001-10:00

@meganfinley RT @oceansentry Put an end to shark finning - Not on our menu! http://tinyurl.com/d3m6sy

Kal Penn joins White House staff!

2009-04-07T12:38:00.002-10:00

This makes up for the Jon Favreau disappointment

I actually thought the guy from "Swingers" was going to be a White House speech writer. Oops.

Kal Penn is awesome. I love that the star of "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" is a vegetarian! (Michelle better watch out; he's going to be raiding her organic garden for all the freshest fruits & veggies.)

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2009/4/7/10959/50897/76#c76

Save the Hawaiian monk seals!

2009-04-07T07:03:00.003-10:00

That's exactly what Hawai`i's Congressional delegation is trying to do, as I recently reported:

Earmarks are good for Hawaiian monk seals (and other living things)

This morning's Honolulu Advertiser advances the story:

Congress allocates $5.7 million to help save Hawaiian monk seals; Federal funds will also provide jobs for ocean scientists

Hippy Gourmet on Maui

2009-04-06T10:45:00.000-10:00

Vegan sushi with Renee Loux:

http://vegetarianculinary.co.cc/hippy-gourmet-on-maui-hawaii-vegan-sushi-with-renee-loux/

Tweet of the Day - more evidence that veggies prevent cancer

2009-04-05T23:50:00.002-10:00

@RosePena Baby brocolli may help prevent stomach cancer-study http://ff.im/-1WOxu

Great U.K-based blog

2009-04-05T23:39:00.001-10:00

The gluttonous vegan - Recipes for those of the Vegan persuasion who aren't content to stick with lentils and dried fruit forever.
http://www.thegluttonousvegan.blogspot.com/

Tweet of the Day - D.C. recommendation

2009-04-05T12:51:00.001-10:00

@danastibolt Le Pain Quotidien near Eastern Market in DC has a great vegan curry tofu salad tartine http://lepainquotidien.com #vegan #dc

Something Tina Fey & Sarah Palin agree on

2009-04-04T22:19:00.002-10:00

They both have disdain for vegans.

I was sort of enjoying Tina Fey's movie "Baby Mama" on HBO - until the gratuitous (and unfunny) scene in which she went out of her way to attack vegans.

Click.

Luckily, I switched to CNN right at the time President Obama's speech in Prague began. While he's not a vegan, he doesn't mock vegans, and he and his wife are seeking more progressive food policies.

Tweet of the Day - vegans of the South Pacific

2009-04-04T16:44:00.003-10:00

@ebonyofessence Guam Vegan: Healthy Hearts April Specials http://bit.ly/FjXJf

Tweet of the Day - Enjoying being vegan in Cardiff (U.K., not Calif.)

2009-04-02T22:32:00.001-10:00

@carlawaslike "anything that's not changing is dead" -my girl lauryn. transitioning to vegan & natural.. feels good. in cardiff for the day! : )

Upcoming report on Pa`ia, Maui . . .

2009-04-02T22:25:00.001-10:00

I'll be posting a mini-guide to the great little town of Pa`ia within the next week or two. Please send me your tips or other comments by this weekend if there's anything special you want me to cover. Mahalo.

Tweet of the Day for April 1 - a little late because of first fever in months

2009-04-02T02:17:00.002-10:00

@iloomis @raatz Feel better! Hope someone makes you some non-chicken soup, or whatever heals the ailing vegan!

Tweet of the Day - Luxor luv

2009-03-31T21:19:00.003-10:00

@LuxorLV Have you read @raatz's fantastic series The Gluttonous Vegan’s Guide to Las Vegas? Check it out here: http://cli.gs/sa5JH4

Tweet of the Day - And so I write to Demi Moore . . .

2009-03-30T22:20:00.003-10:00

One of the weirdest things I've ever seen online (and that's saying something) is the hype generated by right-wing anti-government forces in a bizarre coalition with liberal-leaning organic farmers to hype concerns about the Food Safety and Modernization Act of 2009 (H.R. 875), a bill sponsored by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and co-sponsored by many of the best Democrats in Congress.

This is the bill through which (the hypesters would have us believe) the most progressive Members of Congress are conspiring to imprison backyard gardeners! Yes, tops on Barbara Lee's agenda is the closing of farmers markets and family farms!

After debunking by people like food-policy expert Jill Richardson, the mania from the liberal side of the blogosphere appeared to be waning, with the hysteria relegated to the ranks of Glenn Beck, Ron Paul, Michael Savage, and their followers.

Alas, Demi Moore has taken to Twitter to re-ignite the fear. So, I sent her a tweet:

@raatz @mrskutcher The #hr875 hype is off base. Please see http://is.gd/pbqB (expand) (Dr. Marion Nestle) & http://is.gd/pOog (expand) (Congressman Bart Gordon). Thx

And for the first (and last) time, I award myself Tweet of the Day :)

Tweet of the Day - Vegan Nurse discovers the Flour City

2009-03-29T23:02:00.003-10:00

@green_globe Minneapolis Fun « Vegan Nurse: For breakfast this morning I was able to find another vegan goodie! Lemon Poppyse.. http://tinyurl.com/c8h7lt

Tweet of the Day - San Francisco restaurant recommendation

2009-03-28T22:45:00.001-10:00

@headhntr @KaiLoi changed your diet? Or just sometimes enjoying vegan food? Went here in SF, was fab. - http://www.millenniumrestaurant.com/

Alicia Silverstone: "I love being vegan ... the best thing I ever did."

2009-03-27T21:18:00.002-10:00

Tweet of the Day - too much of a good thing ... can be wonderful!

2009-03-27T21:03:00.001-10:00

@lavagal @LenaHanson there is no such thing as too many veggies!

Tweet of the Day - and we transition from burritos to tacos . . .

2009-03-26T17:23:00.001-10:00

@veganfusion Recipe: Smokin’ Sesame Tacos with Cashew Coconut Sour Cream: This recipe is part of the wonderful collecti.. http://tinyurl.com/cqj25e

Tweet of the Day - burrito mania continues!

2009-03-25T12:41:00.000-10:00

@Veganism I might have mentioned this already, but this weekend I made 24 burritos for about $5! First time making refried beans from "scratch," too.

Tweet of the Day - in praise of vegan burritos!

2009-03-24T17:41:00.002-10:00

@jbruin mmm being vegan doesn't mean having to live w/o burritos - thank God for veggies, black beans, & rice

Some vegan-friendly national chains on Twitter

2009-03-24T11:20:00.001-10:00

PF Chang's China Bistro
http://twitter.com/PFChangs

Trader Joe's
http://twitter.com/traderjoes

Whole Foods
http://twitter.com/wholefoods

Encinitas (Calif.) City Councilmembers to reduce their meat consumption, celebrate "Earth Month"

2009-03-23T13:55:00.000-10:00

From today's North County (Calif). Times:

Hoping to encourage people to permanently change their lifestyles, a city committee has decided to make this year's Earth Day celebration a month-long event.

. . .

Among other things, special speakers will discuss environmental issues ranging from statewide water shortages to floating plastic trash piles in the Pacific Ocean. Tree-planting events, creek cleanup activities and drought-tolerant garden advice also will be offered. Plus, residents who cut their water usage during the month may be eligible for cash and other prizes, (Encinitas resident Elizabeth) Taylor said.

City officials will have their own contest ---- they will be asked to go on a "low-carbon diet" modeled on a national effort by the Empowerment Institute, Taylor said. Council members, committee members and city staff members will compete to see who can cut their carbon emissions the most in April. They'll be given tips, including suggestions that they hang their clothes outside to dry, walk rather than drive to events and eat less meat.

I'm proud of the town where I went to junior high and high school.

I'm glad to have discovered tbe Bryant Terry blog

2009-03-22T01:07:00.000-10:00

Vegan soul food and more:

http://www.bryant-terry.com/site/

The Gluttonous Vegan's Guide to Las Vegas

2009-03-21T23:10:00.001-10:00

At the Luxor Insider blog:

The Gluttonous Vegan's Guide to Las Vegas