NewMexicoVegan January/February 2022 For Vegans, Vegetarians, and the Veg Curious Enjoy your FREE complimentary copy
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The views and opinions, expressed by contributing-authors, in the New Mexico Vegan Magazine; may, or may not, represent the views and opinions, of New Mexico Vegan.
Happy Vegan New Year
IC
Contributor
Inside
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Nancy Arenas
Editor’s Note
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Tammy Fiebelkorn
If You Desire to Make a Difference…
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People Have a…
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New Mexico Facts & Trivia
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Fur Ban Victories
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The Only Ethical….
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Resources
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Make Compassion Your Passion
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Veganism – Climate Change
11-12
Plant Based Milk…
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First Vegan Animal Rights Activist to Serve on Albuquerque City Council
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Veganuary
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Sprouting Compassion
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Vegan Pulse
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Meet Our Extended Family
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Fireworks
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Photo Collage
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If You Could Choose To Avoid…
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The Day Will Come
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Big Pharma & Animal Agriculture
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A Spiritual….
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Universal Consciousness
26-33
Respect Peace Justice
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We’re Talking About Food Security All Wrong
35-37
Save The Date – Red & Green VegFest Albuquerque, Shine On
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Recipes
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Veganism is Not…
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An Activist is…
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We Are All The Same…
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Advertising With NM Vegan
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Veganism isn’t…
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The Future For Me
BIC
Arturo Jose “AJ” Garcia Pat LaStrapes
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New Mexico Vegan Volume 8 – Issue 1 January/February 2022 Editor: Nancy Arenas NMV Photographer: N. Arenas
a HeartnSole, LLC publication
heartnsole3@yahoo.com
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Happy New Year!!! 2022, is finally here!!! I’m excited, hopeful, and ready to keep the vegan movement…….. going forward. These days, more people ‘than ever before’ are associating carnivorous-customs with “troubles.” So, recruiting new passengers aboard the vegan-train, should be easier, now. Does that sound……………… judge-y…?...……..glib? ……….Well, I am being positive …that is all. The train is coming. Will you board? Or not? Of course, you will board The Train Of Purity-- “Naturally Delicious; Naturally Life-giving; & Naturally Free From The Pain Of Bloodshed. Pure…..… …pure, pure, pure… veganism.” The …eerie …creepy …circumstances, of this harrowing global pandemic, have created a momentous opportunity, for awakening the masses to the importance of veganism …and the dire need, for long-overdue changes. Everything biological, on this planet, needs veganism. Bio-logical? The “dreaded virus” itself, …is biological, yes. But I am referring to the high-calling of… purity. Biology… is a come-&-go species, yes? But…who is living inside this biology…?.... The soul…THE SOUL IS… …destined to become intelligent and happy. Cleanliness is next to …enlightenment. Veganism is the pure-path that will lead humanity out of …this menacing mire of misfortune… that threatens to drown us. The heightened catastrophic properties, of major weather events, continue to cause havoc, worldwide. These weather events are displacing or destroying …entire communities of humans and animals. Perhaps it is difficult to see the vegan-connection, here; but I know that a simple change in global-diet, would end: these natural tragedies. When the world of humans, moves to …veganism… the natural-balance of ‘pure-living-conditions’ will return. Overall human health, is in decline; and continues to spiral further ……WOW.!!!.…why? Because humanity is consuming the dead-flesh of sentient beings who were cruelly slaughtered. Those innocent animal souls………….. their physical-and-emotional-lives, …are “propped-up” …through force-feeding, on antibiotics and hormones, …they live in unfathomable filth… ALL of which… is ingested by you …if you eat …those circumstances. Do the above statements, sound a bit gloomy, for a New Year’s Edition of …the new year? Well… will we continue down the path of destruction; or will we –finally- come to our senses, and transition the world, to veganism? I am, clearly, stating –rhetorically- the positive feelings I have, for… “life” itself. Certainly, the vegan-world… is dawning. Earth… is weaning humans ‘away from’ …the blood-diet; and moving us to a sunlight-diet… “the sun” in plant-food. I am encouraging, those who do not see …the fork in the road …to observe the alternatives ahead of us. Choose… the Vegan-Fork …in the road… of your future… and the future of your children’s children. Change is difficult, but –obviously- necessary. Collectively, this generation, is being “the hero” the world needs. Because our generation, is… the generation -presently- ushering in… the positive changes, that will endure… forever --this is the ideal-- good changes… that are lasting. May the vegan force be with you… (with all of us). Vegans are on the good-side of history …………for …History, itself. Shine On…Vegans!
Cook With Compassion & Eat Without Violence!!! Livegan, Nancy
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As always, if you want to contact me, I’m here to help. ((heartnsole3@yahoo.com))
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Rockhound State Park is located on the flanks of the Little Florida Mountains near which Deming. The principal color of New Mexico's original flag was blue. New Mexico is famous for their Hatch Green Chile. One of the world's best preserved volcanic calderas is the Valles Caldera which is located in Jemez. Lots of dinosaur fossils are found in the Bisti wilderness area. New Mexico's first United States senator was Thomas Catron. White Sands National Monument encompasses 275 miles and miles of pure white gypsum sand dunes. The first area in the world to be designated a wilderness area was the Gila mountains in New Mexico. The first Indians to occupy the land which is now New Mexico were, Folsom Paleo-Indians. The state animal of New Mexico is the Black Bear. W.C. Kruger designed the present New Mexico State capitol (a.k.a. The Roundhouse). Cultures of New Mexico used turquoise as currency through the 16th century. The state gem is turquoise. The Crash landing of a UFO was reported to have occurred in Roswell in 1947. Uranium mining in north-west New Mexico surged in the 1950's, with diesel-powered machinery becoming available and the federal government entering the picture as a buyer. "Red lung disease" (coughing up blood) quickly became a problem for the underground miners, and radiation poisoning (cancer, etc.) remains a problem families contend with in the predominantly Navajo area.
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ABQ Vegan: http://www.meetup.com/ABQVEG/ Albuquerque Vegan and Vegetarian Parents: https://www.facebook.com/groups/323534174705753/ Cooking with Compassion https://www.facebook.com/groups/1702731393294024/ Food Not Bombs ABQ https://www.facebook.com/fnbABQ/ HeartnSole Spiritual Community: https://heartnsolerevna.wordpress.com/ Leaf: Taos Vegan Society: http://www.meetup.com/Taos-Vegan/ New Mexico Vegan: https://newmexicovegan.wordpress.com/ Plant-Based Eating New Mexico: https://www.facebook.com/PBENM/?rc=p Plant Powered Events www.facebook.com/plantpoweredeventsnm Positive Links http://www.thelinknm.com/ Red & Green VegFest Albuquerque: https://redandgreenvegfestabq.wordpress.com/ Santa Fe Vegan: http://www.meetup.com/Santa-Fe-Veg/photos/4704212/445478790/ Santuario de Karuna: https://www.santuariodekaruna.org/
Sprouting Compassion https://www.sproutingcompassion.org/ https://www.facebook.com/sproutingcompassion Vegan Pulse www.sproutingcompassion.org www.facebook.com/veganpulse
If you are vegan and offer cruelty-free services and products please let us know for possible inclusion in upcoming NM Vegan Magazines, please email us at welcome22day@gmail.com, on the subject line please write NMV Vegan Products & Services.
VIP (Vegans in the Park): https://www.facebook.com/events/363650444507091/ If you have an article that deals with veganism and would like to submit it for possible inclusion in an upcoming NM Vegan Magazine, please email us at welcome22day@gmail.com, on the subject line please write NMV Article.
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In the news, daily …there are reports of “so many” notorious climate-events, happening in our present-day; ...climate-events that are causing terrible suffering, worldwide. So, sympathetically, go beyond ‘feeling bad’ for those who are pained, during these events, and then… do that thing that will help them…… .......once, and for-all time. Become vegan. “Relief-funds, donations, sponsors,” …..…are a thing… they are going to happen. Personally, I think ----one-day---we’ll keep our money in our pockets & sufficiently live-alike…the vegan-lifestyle. ----Turn the world vegan; once, and for-all time.---Not vegan, yet? This is the beginning of a new year and what better time to pledge …to make a worthy change. One of the most important things you can do is to… choose to leave animals off your plates. Join millions around the world who are choosing to heal the world by going vegan. When the world becomes vegan: we will have all the water, we need; We will clear the world’s pollution; Countless… of animals will survive -their- own lifetimes… for countless ages to come; No one… will go hungry for lack of food; Humanity will live …health-full-y. What better goals than these could we aspire to, for 2022. Let’s make this a worldwide initiative. Scientists worldwide are saying “a great food-transformation” is urgently needed by 2050, to manage humanpreservation. Switching to …a plant diet, a vegan-diet, …can overcome this future climate-catastrophe. “Meat and dairy industries” are causing disastrous climate changes… that are threatening the nextgeneration’s-extinction… as well as …your next meal. Transitioning to Veganism? It might be quite a daunting task to, conceive-how: we can get the world to go vegan. The solution? You…, yes you, …that’s how. Then the next person, and the next after that. Changing all the people… real flesh & blood people, walking around right-now… to become vegans… IS crucial to humanity’s survival. There are many organizations working to help transition the world. One of those organizations is the “Plant Based Treaty,” (Factsheets - Plant Based Treaty). The Plant Based Treaty, launched …August 31, 2021. They are asking 10 million individuals, 10,000 organizations, 10,000 businesses and 50 cities to endorse the Plant Based Treaty …by 2023. The aim is to create “bottom-up pressure” on national-governments, to ratify a legally-binding-commitment to their three R’s: Relinquish, Redirect and Restore. They are working on a justified and equitable transition, worldwide …towards a healthy sustainable plant-based food system for all. You can endorse the Treaty on their website: www.PlantBasedTreaty.org. Already vegan? What else can you do? Well, everyone can make out a list a mile-long; but I’ll pitchin “…serve vegan food at your personal\social\private events… especially… if they are not vegan-events. You can ask-for (and\or, petition-for) the offering of vegan-food on school-menus\& at events run by people who advocate\claim “saving the planet.” Request vegan-options, on the menu of ‘society’s popular nonvegan-restaurants.’ Let everyone know… the real threat of climate-change… as it refers to Animal-agriculture and Veganism. Many people are contacting government-officials and, letting them know that it is important for USA-government …to promote veganism; (…and serve only vegan food at events; etc.).” Ta-da!!!!!!!!! There’s my… ‘to-do.’
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Also… Climate Healers (Home - Climate Healers). “Climate Healers” is working to transform the world, as so: They propose that, science can bring about positive change, with no negative impact, when it is pursued in a holistic-spirit, and with a clear-goal. They envisage a new kind of science that cares for the planet, its people and its flora and fauna. A science on, the path to permanent-change, for the benefit of all, …they call it: “Compassionate Science.” ______________________________ Some facts to ponder: 1. At current rates of decline, 100% of wild vertebrates, will die-off, by year zero: 2026. 2. Human-biomass, now, is more than double the biomass of all wild megafauna from 10,000 years ago. 3. Humans extract five times as much food from the earth for farmed animals than for themselves. 4. Humans use 31% of the land area of the planet for grazing farmed animals. 5. Humans pour 250 billion tons of toxic chemicals into the environment each year. 6. Humans slaughtered 70 (74) billion land animals, in 2014 (2016). More information can be found at: https://climatehealers.org/the-science/the-facts/
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I’m honored to be the first vegan animal rights activist to serve on Albuquerque City Council. I take office on January 1, 2022, and I am anxious to get to work for the residents of District 7, the planet and the animals. I haven’t taken office yet, but I’m already advocating for all animals. My first official act as City Councilor-Elect was to insist on having vegan food available at the swearing in ceremony on the 1st. My second act was meeting with the Director of the Animal Welfare Department to discuss needed improvements to the city shelter system and animal care & control, as well as inform them of my intention to push for all shelter events to be 100% vegan. My third act was to inform the City that District 7 City Council offices will be 100% vegan during my term on Council. There will be many, many more opportunities to elevate animals in our society via City Council operations, events and legislation. Animals need a voice on City Council to help them live lives free from violence by humans. We can do a lot to elevate animals in our society and provide them respect and protection, and I’ll advocate for them every day. The animals deserve no less. I’ll be calling on animal advocates in the coming years to assist as we work on various animal-related issues here in Albuquerque. Here are just a few examples of the types of pro-animal policies that I hope to implement: 1. Update the HEART (Humane and Ethical Animals Rules and Treatment) Ordinance to better protect all animals. Specific areas that should be updated include the animal cruelty, exotic animal display, and “nuisance” animal sections of the code. This was a groundbreaking ordinance when it was introduced back in 2006, but it’s been 15+ years with no updates. 2. Include the benefits of plant-based foods in policy discussions at the city level. These benefits include the wellbeing of animals, better health for humans, and reduction in greenhouse gases that cause climate change. I will focus on policies to provide plant-based food at city functions, city buildings, city-run farmers markets, and more. 3. Raise awareness of The Link between animal abuse and human violence. I will propose a training program on The Link for all City staff working with the public. This training would teach them about The Link and how to spot signs of family violence: child abuse, animal abuse, domestic violence, or elder abuse. The training will also emphasize the importance of reporting any suspected family violence to the proper authorities. These changes will not be easy, and some may take a long time to finalize. But, together, we can elevate animals in our society, improve the well-being of animals in Albuquerque and raise awareness of animal rights city wide. To follow my work and receive updates as we move forward, please follow my FB page @Tammy4abq or send me your email address to add to our District 7 email listserv.
Tammy Fiebelkorn is a longtime vegan animal rights activist who was just elected to Albuquerque City Council, District 7. She’s an environmental economist and energy efficiency advocate. She’s also the founder and board president of Positive Links, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing all forms of family violence – animal abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse. Tammy lives with her partner, Paul; three senior and special needs mutts, Frida, Cinderella, and Frijolito; and a 68-year-old paralyzed Amazon parrot, Mr. T. Tammy Fiebelkorn Albuquerque City Councilor-Elect tammyforabq@gmail.com tammyforalbuquerque.com NM Vegan | 14
TACKLING THE CLIMATE CRISIS ISN’T ROCKET SCIENCE! POLITICIANS MUST PRIORITIZE DIET CHANGE TO PROTECT OUR PLANET. “Tackling the climate crisis isn’t rocket science! We already have a solution that can drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions – moving to a plant-based diet. What we need now is for politicians and policymakers to prioritize diet change to protect our planet.
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veganuary.com/en-us/try-vegan/
Sprouting Compassion, a 501C3 Non-Profit organization, dedicated to raising awareness about the connection of veganism and its link to social justice issues. Sprouting Compassion offers cooking demos (Eat Without Violence); vegan mentorship; school humane education for kids (EducateDuCare); Vegan Swap Meet; Red and Green VegFest Albuquerque; weekly mini podcast, Vegan Pulse. We also do live and virtual presentations, tabling, and so forth. If you know of an event we should be at, please email us at nancy@sproutingcompassion.org. We look forward to meeting, engaging, and connecting with all individuals who are seeking to improve their health, fight climate change, stand up for animals, and end oppression for all. Visit our website for more informtation, www.sproutingcompassion.org. Together let’s Plant Seeds of Compassion for all.
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Vegan Pulse
Like us on FB www.facebook.com/veganpulse Subscribe to our YouTube Channel NM Vegan | 17
Animals can feel empathy just like humans do. Empathy for each other, for us, and even for other species.
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Zebras are herbivores, which means they eat plants, grasses, and roots. Zebras are one of the few mammals that can see in color. Zebras are social animals and can often be found in large groups. Zebra herds vary in size, usually with 5 to 20 families traveling together. When a mother zebra gives birth, she will usually keep her foal away from all other zebras for two or three days until the foal can recognize her scent, voice, and appearance. Other than using their ears, zebras communicate with facial expressions and sounds. Zebras are constantly moving, looking for delicious fresh green grass to eat and water to drink. They have excellent eyesight, hearing and a keen sense of smell. All zebra are close to their mother; however, the males also form very strong bonds with their fathers. Zebras belong to the Equidae family along with horses and donkeys. Every zebra has a unique pattern of black and white stripes. There are 3 kinds of zebras: plains zebra, Grevy’s zebra, and mountain zebra. The social species of zebra will protect their members from predators. They have been seen forming defensive circles around injured members of their families, often biting and kicking approaching predators. Zebras are actually black with white stripes. A group of zebras is called a zeal or dazzle.
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The connection between antibiotics and animal agriculture is known. Maybe not as well known as it should be, but it hasn't remained hidden for the most part. An entire page on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) website is dedicated to just such a topic. For a large part, what remains hidden is just how powerful the combined pharmaceutical and animal agriculture industries have become. In turn, this influences government policy, human and animal health, along with heavily swaying our approaches to addressing the climate crisis. What We Need To Know About The Connection Between Pharmaceuticals and Animal Agriculture In our quest for bigger, faster, better, and cheaper, we shouldn't be shocked that in 1950 a New York laboratory found that adding antibiotics to livestock feed accomplished two things: accelerated the animals' growth and was more cost-effective than traditional additives. The news was met with celebration. It meant farmers could now attempt to meet the growing demand for meat not just in the United States but around the world. The post-WWII boom and later introduction of the modern grocery store resulted in a growing population hungry to consume — everything and anything, including animal products. At the same time, as farmland became more expensive due to urbanization, costs were lowered for farmers who could produce more poultry, pork, and/or beef in a shorter amount of time. From the beginning, pharmaceutical companies Merck, Pfizer, and American Cyanamid (which is no longer in business) worked hand in hand with the agricultural sector to provide medicated feeds and water additives, specifically in concentrated animal operations. Far from being isolated to what we think of in terms of livestock, Merck, in particular, created an antibiotic, sulfaquinoxaline, to be used in commercial beehives to curb infections in farmed fish and prevent mastitis in the dairy industry. Heralded as a solution for one and for all, it was and to this day remains hard to take off the rose-colored glasses. Following The Money Downstream As early as the 1970's some lobbied against the use of antibiotics in animal feed, citing the fact that it was creating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in individuals consuming said meat. Since then, this connection has become better understood, and countless papers tackle this very subject in scientific detail. But change has been hard to come by. From the beginning, the animal agricultural and pharmaceutical industries have walked hand in hand, forming powerful lobbying blocks that can sway legislation. In 2013 and 2014, when three bills were presented, all of which would tighten restrictions on the use of antibiotics, they were met with fierce opposition. "Pharmaceutical companies…spent at least $14.3 million lobbying Congress." Adding to the mounting opposition, the agricultural sector chipped in an additional $9.2 million. It was further reported that Health Committee members (House Energy and Commerce) had received a total of $73,500 in contributions from several leading agricultural groups. Unsurprisingly, the bills went nowhere.
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Working Against Public Health A 2018 paper Antibiotic Use in Agriculture and Its Consequential Resistance in Environmental Sources: Potential Public Health Implications (Manyi-Loh, Mamphweli, Meye & Okoh) lay bare the fact that the growing antibiotic resistance is of "great public health concern because the antibiotic-resistant bacteria associated with the animals may be pathogenic to humans, easily transmitted to humans via food chains, and widely disseminated in the environment via animal wastes." But this fact alone is not enough to upend a multibillion-dollar industry. That same year Animal Pharm reported that pharmaceutical companies were earning an estimated $5 billion a year from antibiotics specifically for farm animals. This totaled about 70% of all antibiotic use in the United States. So, while the adverse side effects are very much understood, time and time again, concerned scientists, industry experts, politicians, and individuals are met with resistance from the powerful lobby interests of the industry. Eighteen-month-old Noah Craten was hospitalized after becoming infected with Salmonella. While usually, this wouldn't be headline-worthy, an estimated 1.3 million people in the United States are infected with Salmonella annually. Noah had been exposed to an antibiotic-resistant strain that originated from a concentrated animal feed operation (CAFO), specifically a poultry operation. He underwent several treatments that ultimately left him with permanent damage. Due to the high use of antibiotics on CAFOs, there has been a direct link to antibiotic resistance in human populations. "Transfer occurs in multiple different ways including through meat (consumptions) and the environment." Continued use of antibiotics in animal feed and waters will inevitably lead to modern antibiotics becoming ineffective. Additionally, the problem will only compound. By 2050 some researchers have estimated that AMR could lead to the death of 10 million people annually. Detangling the Web It is a well-known fact that the animal agricultural industry needs a major overhaul, specifically in the face of climate change. A significant contributor to emissions, it still remains a complex subject to broach, never mind overhaul. But as deforestation continues in the name of beef production, as waterways are continuously polluted with animal waste, and air quality suffers due to desertification from large animal operations we need to realize that the resulting illnesses cannot be effectively treated if we are ingesting the very thing that makes us resistant to it. We are propping up both the problem and the solution. Only the problems are becoming too big to solve unless immediate and severe action is taken. It's easy to understand why these two industries have so much influence. We rely on medications and food to survive. The unfettered quest for growth has gone unchecked, putting company profits above human, animal, and environmental health. Knowing that 70% of antibiotic use in the United States goes to farm animals, it's not hard to realize it would never be in a pharmaceutical company's interest to decrease their usage. At least not under how our current economic system operates. The unfortunate story here is that farmers were struggling to meet demand. They struggled to pay their bills while providing for their communities. They struggled against the rapid urbanization post-WWII. But as time marched on and as the family farm disappeared and corporate contracts popped up in their place, we could not disentangle the two industries. What once were two industries supporting one another — both looking for solutions has now become a monstrosity which plays with the very lives of the people they purport to help. NM Vegan | 24
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Some religions find their answers in a creator God, scientists in the Unified Field, or Theory of Everything, with a view to unifying quantum mechanics and general relativity, and many spiritual philosophers in the Universal Consciousness. Carl Jung was obsessed with the notion of the Collective Unconscious. Albert Einstein posited that everything is energy. Not surprisingly, he was echoing the most ancient of spiritual and philosophical teachings that align with today’s scientific awakening. Others point to Monism, some to Gestalt, some to perennial philosophy, or universalism, and still others to the unity of all forms with emphasis given to the universe of mutually interdependent relationships established by an innate (inner, or organic) order as opposed to the assemblage of separate and distinct/discrete objects by an omnipotent external intelligence to arrive mechanically at something we'd call a universe. Followers of the Tao look to an invisible pattern which exists both within and without the manifested universe of forms that we experience as consensus reality. Existentialists render a canvas that conveys a sense of disorientation in the face of a meaningless, absurd world. Buddhists, Jains and Hindus, for example, leave us with the notion of karma, in lieu of judgment by an almighty creator God. Let’s consider the notion that there is but one intelligent Universal Consciousness – call it the Universal Mind, or God Principle. I arrived at the simple notion some time ago that there is but one intelligent Universal Consciousness – the “I am” – a principle that is not only present in each of us but IS us. The God Principle might also be called the Principle of Reflection. Natural and spiritual phenomena are but reflections of one another. In other words, matter, or the natural world, is a pool of reflection for spirit. Nature reflects all spiritual and scientific truth – i.e., “... on earth as it is in Heaven ...” Western thinkers would argue that we’re surrounded by evidence of a pitched battle between good and evil in the material world. Yet, good cannot exist but for evil. One cannot choose the head of a coin without the tail. One cannot know darkness without the contrasting light. Yin and yang. Were it not for hatred and suffering, one could not know love and bliss. Notwithstanding, the food chain, for example, gives me reason for pause. Why must creatures devour other creatures in order to survive? Why do innocents suffer from starvation in the third world? Why are children abducted into slavery? Why are innocents victimized by greed and war? Why are innocent dogs boiled alive by callous humans with a hankering for an animal protein fix? Why are humans allowed to rape, torture, kill and enslave others? By the design of an all powerful, omniscient, loving God? An object lesson in free will, perhaps? I think not. A bit too western of a notion for me. I lean to the east, to the Tao. I also happen to be vegan. How can a loving God allow a mudslide to kill a busload of school children or allow a terrified child to be eaten by a lion? Why must hawks kill doves? Einstein had obviously considered this paradox when he said, “I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings.” Is a “personal relationship” with such a God even possible? According to Einstein, the answer is no. While he rejected the self-conscious notion of a personal God, he agreed with Buddha, Jesus, Gandhi, Alan Watts, Will Tuttle, the Dalai Lama and the Beatles that love, the definition of which is beyond the scope of this writing, is a very powerful spiritual and natural force that pervades the universe. He would agree that we are not distinctly separate “selfs” but, rather, we are One with all “... Heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen ...” In other words, we are not discrete units bounded by our skins, but rather, we are all conjoined in relationship with all other aspects of the "I am”. In contrast to the exacting metrics of western concepts, the haunting beauty of Chinese art rests in its vagueness of boundaries, where surfaces, where object and space meet, are only suggestions, and a sharing of reality across those suggested surfaces and the principle of oneness is quite prominent. NM Vegan | 26
While Santa Claus is not inclined to read all the mail received at the North Pole, goodwill, harmony, love and peace are unitive, while, on the other hand, disharmony, hatred and war are disunitive. Moreover, in love, we are all One. John Lennon touched on this in Imagine, “You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as One.” “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.” 1 John 4:16 My notion is that Jesus, through teachings, parables and example, attempted to illuminate his disciples. In many ways, he hinted at the notion that the individual mind is but a part of the one Universal Mind, or Spirit, and that there is one consciousness of which an individual’s consciousness is a part, yet the individual mind may not be in complete harmony with the Universal Mind. Some, connecting the dots, have associated Carl Jung's notion of the Collective Unconscious with the Holy Spirit. Moreover, one’s consciousness is of the same kind and quality as the whole, despite palpable differences between oneself and, say, a tree or an elephant. Suffice it to say that one is tapped into an infinite power. Recognizing this, one is capable of great things. The inscription on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi says, “Know thyself.” At the same time, one creates ripples in the reflection pool. Eastern thought refers to this as karma. Relying on the principle of reflection, one might say that ripples in the spiritual world are manifested (reflected) in the reflection pool of the natural world, and vice versa. In Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha, the young protagonist found that enlightenment, or spiritual illumination, came not from teachers because wisdom could not be taught, but rather that it came from within. Siddhartha first sought wisdom from spiritual teachers. Dissatisfied that he couldn’t find what he was seeking, he turned to Kamala, the courtesan, and Kamaswami, the merchant, again to his disappointment. His attainment of wisdom (enlightenment) came not from someone imparting that wisdom to him through teaching but, rather, through an internal connection to the river, under the guidance (but not teaching) of the ferryman, Vasudeva, who never instructed Siddhartha on the meaning of life, but instead directed him to listen to the river and search within himself for understanding. Listening to the river with Vasudeva and meditating upon its revelations, Siddhartha came to the understanding that time is an illusion and that all experiences, even suffering, were but a part of the great and jubilant fellowship of all things. Most importantly, we’re all manifestations, incarnations of this single Universal Consciousness, and we are all connected to all of Nature, i.e., to everything in the Universe. Call it the Law of One. Westerners would say that the battle being waged between good, and evil is a battle between forces drawing the cosmos toward order and those tending toward disorder. It is a compelling notion. Opposing forces that are somewhat balanced, perhaps? Who knows? A cosmic dance, ever in flux, evolving, perhaps, between dualistic opposites in the natural world. In such a scenario, again relying on the notion of reflection, the forces of good would unify, organize and harmonize the cosmos, and the opposing forces would disorganize, break apart, de-harmonize it and render improbable, if not impossible, a return to a higher, more harmonious state of order in the spiritual realm, or Universal Mind, and nature – its reflection pool. The second law of thermodynamics calls this deharmonization, or de-ordering, entropy. In other words, the second law of thermodynamics captures nature’s tendency toward disorder (evil). However, the universal pattern - the Tao, the source of all - can be "pointed to" by the Chinese word "Pu" which, in turn, can be translated as "the uncarved block" and refers to a state of pure potential which is the primordial condition of the mind before the arising of experience. The Taoist concept of Pu points to perception without prejudice, i.e., beyond dualistic distinctions such as right/wrong, good/bad, black/white, beautiful/ugly. It is a state of mental unity which places the Taoist practitioner into alignment with the Tao. NM Vegan | 27
When Jesus was asked by his disciples what the greatest commandment was, he replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is that you shall love others as yourself.” One might easily take away from such a response the notion that the way one treats all other things in nature is actually the way in which one IS treating oneself. We are, in fact, all one, and separateness is an illusion strengthened by the “I” – i.e., the ego. While things may appear distinct, they are not separate, yet, at the same time, one creates ripples in the pool of nature. One must bring oneself into harmony with all of nature of which one is inextricably a part. For example, by killing the rainforests, one kills oneself. Jesus was describing the need to harmonize each individual point of consciousness with the Universal Consciousness aimed at a highest state of good, or order (again, a dualistic notion that seems unavoidable). In more scientific terms, some would argue that the Universal Consciousness is the Unified Field of intelligent energy that comprises everything, and consciousness is a knowing, or a feeling, rather than knowledge of measurable phenomena acquired by and commented on, or judged, by the intellect. Universal Consciousness is infinite and eternal – not to be understood intellectually. Infinity is a limitless quantity. Eternity is not limitless time, but rather it is existence that extends beyond the limiting, dualistic time-space coordinate system. One cannot intellectualize eternity but knowing it and feeling it gives rise to something akin to an aha moment. I call these occurrences glimpses. Take for example, the feelings invoked by the sights of seeds germinating and trees burgeoning in the spring, or the warmth of holding an animal. Universal Consciousness is intelligent, creative and omnipresent across all dimensions of the universe. It’s not only present in each and every thing, it IS each and every thing. There is no separation between beings, or constituents, of the Universal Mind. Universal Consciousness is an infinite, eternal ocean of intelligent energy. Each one of us – each soul, each individual point of consciousness – is but a drop in that ocean. Where one drop ends, and another begins is impossible to determine because there IS no separation in the Unified Field of energy. Digressing for the moment, take non-human animals, say, dogs, for example. Dogs exhibit affection, curiosity, playfulness, anxiety, aggression, anger, shame and fear – just as we do. Schooled as a Catholic, I was taught that, while animals should be treated well, they don’t possess an immortal (eternal) soul. Only humans do. Even as a child, I was aware that this teaching was misguided. It shouldn’t be hard to understand why Pope Francis has so much appeal, as he has openly challenged this traditional notion, which made no sense to me, and it obviously made no sense to our good Pope. Getting back on thread, eastern thought places primary emphasis on the universal nature of mind and, of course, the ripples in the pond (karma) that I’ve already discussed. The Dalai Lama often talks about the need to reduce the suffering of all living beings. In philosophy, the notion of “panpsychism” is the view that Mind, or Spirit (psyche), is found everywhere (pan). Panpsychism is one of the oldest of all ideas in speculative philosophy extant today and was put forth by the ancient Greeks, notably, Thales of Miletus and Plato. These ideas were embraced by other westerners that followed, including, for example, William James, Baruch Spinoza, Teilhard de Chardin, Arthur Schopenhauer and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.
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The self-serving western belief that man is superior to, has dominion over, and is anointed by God to impose his will on all of nature is neither divine nor sustainable. One might say that man must be a good steward, not a tyrant. But, looking deeper, one must also understand that we are in a relationship - a dance, say - with nature. Except by virtue of the "might is right" rationale, we are not self-anointed to control nature, to dominate it. Even stewardship implies a superior claim. What we come to is the notion that we must flow with nature, go with it, dance with it, speak with it and experience a mutual dialog, one that brings up a deep feeling of love - one that brings consciousness into the natural world by degrees. We must celebrate the dance, the movement of yin and yang, understanding that all distinctions imply movement in this cosmic dance while, at the same time, also understanding that we are all one. The analog of the Aspen forest comes to mind. The Aspen tree is but an outcropping of one root system - the entire forest! One facet of a diamond is not a separate form, but rather it is an aspect of one diamond. Each of us is both the facet and the diamond. Atman and Brahman. Consider how man is recklessly destroying the planet, extincting the elephant and rhino populations and deforesting the Amazon – killing the planet’s natural ecosystems. One enlightened, guided by spirit - or love seeks harmony in the cosmic dance, not the acquisition of power for its own sake or purely as a matter selfinterest – with, of course, the notion that the self is not part of the all – the One. I must, however, take pause to point out parenthetically that the violent food chain inherent in our natural ecosystems is a manifestation of the entropy (disharmony) of the universe set in motion in (rippling through) the natural world, antithetical to harmony within the realm of matter, reflecting, again, a dualistic conflict between good and evil, i.e., the forces of order and disorder. How can one separate good from evil? How can we have the head of the coin without the tail? How can one even contemplate everlasting bliss without its antithesis as a reference? It's quite difficult, you see, to escape the paradox. It's a vicious circle.
Notwithstanding the nagging paradox, all sentient beings, regardless of intelligence, experience suffering and cherish life. All sentient beings exhibit a will to live. Injured dogs, just like people, experience an elevated heart rate and blood pressure and release stress hormones into their bloodstreams. Like us, they not only react to noxious stimuli, but they also consciously experience pain. This disharmony (suffering) on the level of the individual consciousness is but a manifestation of the disharmony of the Universal Spirit as reflected in the natural world ("… on earth as it is in Heaven ..."). So, the question I ask is this: Is the natural world a perfect reflection of Spirit? Perhaps not. If spirit is nondualistic, corresponding to the uncarved block, or pure potential, then do enlightened individuals serve, perhaps, as portals for bringing consciousness into the natural - or, manifested - world from the unmanifested? Going further, is consciousness a purely human trait? Are nonhuman animals and trees rocks, even - conscious? Let's take a deeper look at the last question. All species are capable of sophisticated, learned behaviors commonly associated with consciousness. Moreover, evidence of behaviors thought to be unique to humans is found in many species. For instance, bees can relate the location and attributes of food sources to their comrades and can navigate several miles using information stored in short term memory. A particular scent can induce bees to return to the location where it was originally detected. Most amazing is the fact that bees are capable of recognizing individual faces from two dimensional photographs.
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Some have pointed to language as the defining attribute of consciousness. Conveniently, this self-serving viewpoint rules out all but one species, Homo Sapiens, as having consciousness based on the most common definition of language – that being human in form. Charles Darwin observed that earthworms acted consciously and intelligently. Studying their behaviors for decades, he concluded that there was no determining threshold between lower and higher animals, including humans, that would enable the attribution of consciousness to one but not to the other. The importance of this recognition cannot possibly be overstated. The nervous systems of all multi-cellular organisms found in nature are complex. Their neural networks, processes and biochemistries are as sophisticated and specialized as anything observed in the human brain. Given the lack of a convincing rationale separating simple from complex animals (and simple from complex behaviors), the belief that only humans are capable of experiencing anything consciously is preposterous. Many, if not all, multi-cellular organisms experience both pain and pleasure. Even a worm has a sense of being alive. Not every creature has ears to hear and eyes to see. Yet, all are sentient and capable of some level of consciousness. Panpsychism argues that everything is endowed with a manifestation of the presence of the Universal Mind. This enmindedness applies equally to a brain, a tree, a rock and an electron. All nature is a manifestation of the Universal Mind. Consider the wetness of water, i.e., its ability to maintain contact with surfaces and itself. It’s a consequence of intermolecular interactions. One or two molecules of water are not wet but put many molecules together at the right conditions of temperature and pressure, and wetness emerges as a property. Of course, the functioning of the complex brains of vertebrates is more easily associated with the notion of enmindedness than the merely physical properties or processes involving “inanimate” matter. But, what Universal Mind, or enmindedness, instructs billions of water molecules to organize in a way to create wetness? Looking at this another way, if a small brain cannot “consciously” experience pain, what special ingredient enables a larger brain to be sufficiently conscious to experience suffering from, say, banging a thumb with a framing hammer? Why should adding a little more and slightly different neural hardware give rise to what we’d refer to as sentience in higher species but not in the lower species. All sentient beings are capable of suffering … an ant, a fish, a lobster, an earthworm, a man, an elephant, a whale, a Carolina jasmine, a red bud tree. Ever notice how Ruellia and potato vines become limp and wilt in the hot sun? Photosynthesis stops at 95 degrees F, and the stomata of leaves close, preventing the exchange of CO2, O2 and water. Is this process the result of enmindedness? A micro example of Universal Mind? The God Principle? We've come to this present vista at which we humans find that we have no choice but to reexamine our ethical values, priorities, choices and attitudes toward all sentient life, our ecosystems, conservation and sustainability – not to mention our notions of God in the midst of undeserved suffering – not only the suffering of homo sapiens, but of all species, known and, as yet, unknown, both here, under our noses, and beyond. By far, what is most deeply troubling about our institutional way of thinking is the notion that other species have less entitlement to exist than do humans, justified by the argument that other beings (non-humans) do not “consciously” suffer. Moreover, cruelty perpetrated by humans on other species is still considered by many, if not most humans, as less heinous than cruelty perpetrated by humans on other humans.
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Some time ago, the civilized world recognized the depravity of the institution of slavery. Abraham Lincoln set in motion ripples in the reflection pool that over many years culminated in a black man becoming President of the United States. Lincoln initiated one of the greatest social revolutions of our time. Our next great social revolution is underway and is clothed in the welfare of non-humans. “Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures.” -- The Dalai Lama “People speak sometimes about the "bestial" cruelty of man, but that is terribly unjust and offensive to beasts, no animal could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so artistically cruel.” -- Fyodor Dostoyevsky “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.” -Mahatma Gandhi
“A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. The true value of a human being is determined by the measure and the sense in which they have obtained liberation from the self. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive.” -- Albert Einstein “It is just like man's vanity and impertinence to call an animal dumb because it is dumb to his dull perceptions.” -- Mark Twain
It seems I’ve developed over time a vehicle and a mantra suited for one with my predilections. For example, I have no purely logical way of encapsulating the over-the-top love and concern I have for non-humans. That has been a defining attribute since my early childhood. Universal suffering. I’ve wept over the plight of animals in a way that I struggle to understand, much less explain to others. I’d like to think that, perhaps, I might have been either a whale or an elephant in a past life, but that would be a little too glam. More likely, my current incarnation is the fruit of the karma, now ripening, that I created - either in an earlier life, or this one. Actually, this one, if I'm to be completely transparent and forthright. Wow, that felt good! An act of contrition, eh? Of course, there’s much to be said about the ideas of westerners Kierkegaard, Dostoyevsky, Nietzsche and Sartre, taking as a starting point a general sense of disorientation in the face of an apparently meaningless, absurd world and imposing onto that backdrop the notion that thinking begins with the acting, feeling, living being. I appreciate Kierkegaard’s idea that each individual – acting “responsibly” and individually rather than in accordance with generally accepted labels, roles, stereotypes, definitions, or categories into which society and the prevailing wisdom suggests one must fit – is solely responsible for giving meaning to what the author calls an “authentic” life. Anyway, when we were picking teams for sandlot, I found myself making a gut choice and gravitating over to the Bodhisattvas and a more eastern framework for grappling with an understanding of and relationship with the cosmos. You know the expression, right as rain? Eh? OṂ MAŅI PADME HǕṂ
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As to an “authentic” life, the only thing that comes to mind is the experience each morning as the five members of my animal family, Mollie, Lily, Ollie, Jed and Othello, begin to stir, and there’s this coming to a shared life and this ineffable sharing of joy and spontaneity as we play on my well-worn bed without regard to either future or past or the pulled threads. We speak in a ritual tongue that would seem entirely odd to anyone else, but this lingua franca, this mantra, is integral to our dialogue of brute affection that embraces us and unites us in this daily celebration of love. Beyond that, it’s hard to find an example of authenticity in my life, except that which exists solely within the realm of thought. Does life imitate art? Gotta appreciate Oscar Wilde’s piercing insight into that unsuspecting subject. "... Histories of ages past Unenlightened shadows cast Down through all eternity The crying of humanity 'Tis then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man Comes singing songs of love ..." -- Donovan
Pat LaStrapes is a naturalist, ethical vegan, devout animal advocate, climate activist, proponent of plant-based and stem cell-derived meats, amateur de vin, full-time ahimsic gardener and a dear friend of squirrels, possums, racoons, birds of all feathers, Norway rats, spiders, beetles, snakes, earthworms, snails, etc. Pat was formerly, in the energy sector, served on boards, worked in C-suites, advised governments and project stakeholders and led cross-functional and multicultural teams in the development of integrated energy projects.
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As COVID-19 swept across the globe, hospitals were pushed to their breaking points, unemployment rose, uncertainty gripped millions, and food insecurity in the United States climbed to its highest rate since the Great Depression. Where were the safety nets to prevent millions from going hungry? Where were the widespread programs that ensured children out of school would receive adequate nutritious meals? While organizations scrambled to fill some of the gaps and the government handed out relief packages, we have to ask ourselves why does it require a pandemic to realize just how fragile our food systems have become? Hundreds of Millions Face Food Uncertainty Food insecurity is nothing new for the estimated 35 million people, of which included 11 million children, in the United States in 2019 who wondered where their next meal would come from. For years, the number of people requiring food assistance was declining, but COVID-19 changed the landscape. Today there are an estimated 42 million people (13 million children) who likely faced food uncertainty in 2021 in the United States. Worldwide the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) approximates that number sits between 720 and 811 million people. That’s more than twice the population of the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food insecurity is defined as “the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.” Contributors include transportation, income, unemployment, poverty, disability, age, ethnicity, distance, and quality of food available, among many others. Globally, contributors also include food shortages, war, and conflict, climate change, and the economy. Arguably a common thread is poor public policy which is all too often viewed through the lens of individual responsibility.
Public Policy Over Individual Responsibility In 1997, after attempting to break into a church because he was in search of food, Gregory Taylor was sentenced to 25 years to life under California’s three-strike rule. In 2010 the sentence was amended by a Superior Court judge to time served, and Taylor was set free. Taylor’s story isn’t unique. Documented arrests and sentences exist throughout the world and highlight the inadequate public policies in place to ensure individuals can feed their families, opting instead to punish the individual. The uncomfortable truth is that we think enough is being done. The narrative often goes — individuals who find themselves food insecure either do so because they have fallen on “temporary” bad times which they should have planned for or because they just weren’t making good decisions. But if you want to be able to make better food choices, to have food and nutrient security, then social safety nets need to address the root problems, not the symptoms. In April and May 2020, more than 1 million Texans lost their jobs due to COVID-19 shutdowns. One of the larger food banks, San Antonio, was accustomed to providing food for 60,000 people but almost overnight as thousands lost their jobs they had to adjust and started to provide food for some 120,000 people. Individuals would line up in their cars the day before the food bank opened, afraid there wouldn’t be enough food. Their stories are harrowing but yet again begs the question why weren’t any policies put in place to prevent this outcome?
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Food Security & Climate Change By taking a more globalized look at the issues at play, we see just how complex and fragile our food systems truly are. Globally, a very large proportion of the population produces food on small plots of land, and they rely on rainfall for crops and animals. These are the same populations that are most impacted by food insecurity but will also feel some of the harshest effects of climate change — mostly in Africa and South Asia. According to the “United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), at least 80 percent of the world’s hungry people live in places prone to natural disasters and environmental degradation, including many of the world’s poorest places.” In countries where agriculture makes up a large portion of the gross domestic product, and agricultural employment can reach as high as 80%, the problems compound. Food insecurity worsens with each degree of warming, but agriculture itself is a major contributor.
The IPCC report on climate change and land estimates 21–37% of total greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to global food systems. This includes land use, deforestation, packaging, processing, crop and livestock activities, consumption, and transport, among others. Transitioning to a mostly plant-based diet might sound like an obvious step, but for subsistence farmers without major systems, change is insurmountably difficult. In wealthier countries, such as the United States, where a majority of the country is not involved in agricultural production, and technological advancements are widely implemented, it appears we aren’t fairing all that much better even though the symptoms look different. With 42 million facing food insecurity and millions more likely with the changing environment, access and price are important. Around 19 million Americans live in a food desert where their only source of food may be fast food. And while plant-based alternatives are becoming more readily available at such places, it’s still not a healthy choice. This, in turn, leads to worsening health conditions such as obesity and diabetes. Obesity alone led to around $147 billion related medical care costs in 2008, according to the CDC. Frustrations continue to mount as animal rights organizations, concerned scientists, and individuals understand a shift towards a plant-based diet is important for cutting emissions. Many have called for a severe reduction, if not the elimination of subsidies to the animal agriculture producers. Shifting them instead to farmers actively working on providing fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains with regenerative practices in mind. According to Sentient Media, “As of April 2021, you can walk into a McDonald’s anywhere in the U.S. and buy a burger for $1. If buying wholesale, you can purchase chicken at $0.78 per pound and eggs at $0.80. The vegan alternatives to these products are far more expensive: Boca chicken patties come in at $4 a pound, and Just Eggs come in at $8.” The price disparity for healthier options comes at the cost of personal and planetary health. Towards Better Food Systems “If anything, this is a conspiracy of good intentions, convincing ourselves in circles that we are doing just enough not to require any uncomfortable action, replacing the terror of a gargantuan world with a feeling of control.” ― Benjamin Lorr, The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket To combat food insecurity, we must look towards a broken system, no matter how uncomfortable or inconvenient. Minimum wage needs to rise, green spaces installed, public transportation abundant, education on nutrition and agriculture mandatory in school, affordable childcare accessible, food sovereignty encouraged not legislated against, and food systems decentralized. NM Vegan |36
If we want individuals to make the correct decisions, then they must be equipped with the proper tools. No one should be made to choose between rent payment or nutritious food. Doing so only creates a negative feedback loop that often prevents that individual from ever bringing about lasting change in their own lives. When we look at the images of thousands of cars lined up at the San Antonio Food Bank, we are saddened but also thankful such organizations exist. But would they need to if we made system changes? There will always be a need for emergency food services, but emergencies shouldn’t last months or even years. Studies show us time and time again that food security leads to a net benefit for all — economic growth and job creation, improved health, increased security, and poverty reduction. Now more than ever, we need to change the narrative from individual responsibility and charity to a public policy necessary for the benefit of all. It’s time we stop talking about food security as something that affects just the individual and not the entire global community. As global temperatures continue to rise, we will need to come to this realization sooner rather than later and work towards creating a system that treats the problems, not the symptoms.
Arturo Jose (AJ) has fifteen years of international experience and ten years in senior management, public awareness campaigns, public relations, and undercover investigations. He has been a leader in the non-profit realm for the last decade, working with animal protection organizations such as CARE (동물권단체케 어 ), Mercy for Animals, and Animal Recovery Mission. Currently, he is 50by40’s Head of Operations and serves on several advisory boards. In addition to his efforts in the non-profit realm, Arturo was head chef and general manager of Huggers, a plant-based restaurant in Seoul, South Korea. He is also a podcast enthusiast, which led him to create and host the Woke Stutter Podcast to chat with leaders and change-makers about animal protection, social justice, food justice, and how we can do better internally, as a movement.
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Prep:10 mins Cook:10 mins Total:20 mins Servings:3 servings
Ingredients •1 16-ounce block tofu, well-pressed •1/4 cup cornstarch •1/2 tsp. garlic salt •1/2 tsp. mustard powder •1/4 tsp. black pepper •1 to 2 tbsp. oil for pan-frying •1/4 cup vegan margarine or vegan butter substitute •1/3 cup hot wing sauce, or any kind of hot sauce you like
Steps to Make It 1. Once your tofu has been well-pressed, you can slice it into thin "finger" shapes, slabs, cubes, or whatever shape you like best. 2. In a shallow pan or a zip-closing plastic bag, combine the cornstarch, garlic salt, mustard powder and black pepper. Carefully add the tofu, gently tossing to make sure that all sides of the tofu are well coated with the cornstarch mixture. 3. Heat the oil in a sauté pan or skillet over medium heat, using a non-stick pan if you have it to reduce the amount of oil needed. Add tofu and pan-fry on all sides just until it is just lightly golden brown. Once the tofu has cooked, remove it from the pan and set it aside. 4. Using the same pan (or a different one, your choice), heat the vegan margarine or butter substitute over very low heat. Once it is melted, add in the wing sauce, stirring just until combined well. Add the cooked tofu, gently turning to coat well on all sides with the wing sauce mixture. 5. Once that is completely heated, you can take the tofu off of the stovetop heat and serve it while it is warm. 6. Serve with some vegan ranch dressing if you'd like.
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Prep:15 mins Cook:20 mins Total: 35 mins Servings:4 servings
Ingredients •1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed •⅓ cup chopped sweet onion •1 tablespoon minced garlic •3 baby carrots, grated (Optional) •¼ cup minced green bell pepper (Optional) •1 tablespoon cornstarch •1 tablespoon warm water •3 tablespoons chile-garlic sauce (such as Sriracha®), or to taste •1 teaspoon chili powder •1 teaspoon ground cumin •1 teaspoon seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay®) •¼ teaspoon salt •¼ teaspoon ground black pepper •2 slices whole-wheat bread, torn into small crumbs •¾ cup unbleached flour, or as needed
Directions 1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet. 2.Mash black beans in a bowl; add onion, garlic, carrots, and green bell pepper. Mix. 3.Whisk cornstarch, water, chile-garlic sauce, chili powder, cumin, seafood seasoning, salt, and black pepper together in a separate small bowl. Stir cornstarch mixture into black bean mixture. 4.Mix whole-wheat bread into bean mixture. Stir flour, 1/4 cup at a time, into bean mixture until a sticky batter forms. 5.Spoon 'burger-sized' mounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheet, about a 3/4-inch thickness per mound. Shape into burgers. 6.Bake in the preheated oven until cooked in the center and crisp in the outside, about 10 minutes on each side.
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NM Vegan | 42
They protect their young.
They have families.
They have friends.
NM Vegan | 43
heartnsole3@yahoo.com
NM Vegan | 44
NM Vegan | 45
NM Vegan | 17
New MexicoVegan
