Happy Vegetarian Awareness Month! October 1st marked the kick-off of the North American Vegetarian Society‘s month-long campaign to encourage and educate people about vegetarianism—and we’re very excited to help celebrate! World Vegetarian Day was first celebrated on 1st October in 1977 by NAVS, and in the seventies, the day’s motto was: “To promote the joy, compassion and life-enhancing possibilities of vegetarianism.” The slogan hasn’t changed, and NAVS has become one of the most prominent non-profit, educational organizations creating and supporting networks for vegetarians.

All month, NAVS is encouraging non-vegetarians to pledge going meat-free for a day, a week, or the entire month of October. And each self-sacrificing omnivore who is willing to stay away from meat, fish, and fowl can be entered into a random drawing for cash prizes (as high as $1000, if you undertake abstinence for a month.) Not that anybody needs more of a reason besides considerably reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer, and the environmental benefits of a more plant-based diet, but if you’ve been on the fence about going vegetarian, let that sweeten the pot for you. Continue reading →

September has been an exciting month for Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby, the chef-owners of the acclaimed Philadelphia restaurant Vedge—September 3 marked the release of their long-awaited cookbook Vedge: 100 Plates Large and Small That Redefine Vegetable Cooking. To celebrate the release, Food52 featured the duo as guest editors for a week, including four recipes from the book. Vegetarian Times also hosted Rich and Kate for a Facebook chat on the 10th, giving fans a chance to ask them questions directly, and Rich and Kate were happy to oblige. Continue reading →

This weekend we are excited to make our debut at the Brooklyn Book Festival, which takes place Sunday from 10am until 6pm at Brooklyn Borough Hall and Plaza. Since its inception in 2006 the festival has grown and grown, and … Continue reading →

Despite mankind’s thousands of years of experience, raising a child can still involve a lot of head scratching. With so many studies, articles, and schools of thought—often contradicting each other—it can be challenging to wade through all the information available … Continue reading →

Usually served with a mountain of melted cheese, pizza has made its way onto any vegan’s  foods-to-avoid list, but if the thought of a fresh-baked slice has your stomach growling, have no fear! This Saturday is Vegan Pizza Day, celebrating … Continue reading →

On Tuesday night, Rich Landau, chef and owner of Vedge in Philadelphia, competed against three other accomplished chefs on Food Network’s cooking competition Chopped. If you haven’t seen the show, in each round contestants prepare an appetizer, entrée, and dessert … Continue reading →

Jessica Wapner speaking at Fox Chase Cancer Center | © Fox Chase Cancer Center[/caption]

Last Tuesday, May 14, to celebrate the launch of her new book The Philadelphia Chromosome, Jessica Wapner spoke at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, the location of the discovery of the Philadelphia chromosome, and the setting of the opening chapter of her book (which you can read here on Scientific American). Continue reading →

March marks the start of a new monthly feature on our blog: The Lab Report! In our new podcast we talk with one of our authors about their new book. Up first is Veganissimo A to Z coauthor Reuben Proctor, … Continue reading →

Calling all caninophiles! Tomorrow is National Puppy Day, an unofficial (but adorable) holiday dedicated to those furry little balls of awesomeness. As if we needed an actual day to celebrate them, right? Since its inception in 2006, dog-lovers across the … Continue reading →

Complete avoidance of animal products can sometimes feel well-nigh impossible for even the most conscientious consumer. For those on the vegan-vegetarian-discerning omnivore spectrum, there may still be products in your everyday life you’re unaware contain or whose production involved animal ingredients.

Since anyone can benefit from being more informed about what they’re consuming, in Veganissimo A to Z, Reuben Proctor and Lars Thomsen offer a comprehensive reference guide to identifying and avoiding ingredients of animal origin, including some things not commonly thought of as not vegan. Here are five of those harder-to-pin-down products:

String Instruments

Catgut, gut strings from sheep, has been used in surgical sutures and as strings for musical instruments and tennis rackets. There are now synthetic alternatives widely available.

String instruments like the violin and cello still use horsehair in their bows, but there is such a thing as a vegan violin bow. Continue reading →