Question: What happens when one of the world’s greatest vegan chefs teams up with one of the country’s most renowned vegan restaurants? Answer: Absolute magic!

Last night, I had the honor of attending a mouth-watering four-course meal at Candle 79, prepared by The Conscious Cook author Tal Ronnen.

In the spring of 2008, Ronnen became known nationwide when he served as Oprah Winfrey’s private chef during her 21-day vegan cleanse. He is also famous for catering Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s vegan wedding, Arianna Huffington’s party at the Democratic National Convention, and the first vegan dinner at the U.S. Senate. Long story short: we KNEW we were in for a treat!

The meal began with a light celery root soup with granny smith apples and a chive oil that was just perfect for the chilly winter evening. Up next, a lovely quinoa dish with Belgian Endive, orange and garnished with an elegant champagne vinaigrette. For my entree, I chose the scaloppini, which featured the most insane piece of Gardein chick’n you’ve ever tasted. This product is a GAME-CHANGER — you MUST try it! The meal closed with a decadent piece of banana cheesecake that was sure to make even the most finicky dessert-eater grin with utter delight.

Click here to keep reading on Ecorazzi!

The Humane Society of the United States is giving a big thumbs up to the Compass Group — the world’s largest food service company — for it’s brand new “Be a Flexitarian” initiative.

The animal organization worked closely with Compass on the campaign, which will immediately expand the variety and supply of meat-free options for its customers in over 8,500 U.S. corporate and academic food service cafeterias.

About the decision, President and CEO of The HSUS Wayne Pacelle said:

“It doesn’t take an all-or-nothing approach to make a major impact, and giving customers more meat-free meal choices will improve health, reduce the impact of global warming, and help animals.”

Here at VEGdaily, we salute the Compass Group for taking action on this important issue. Keep the good work, you guys!

I have to say it didn’t completely surprise me to read in a recent Newsweek article (”No More Sacred Cows” by Jennie Yabroff) that Molly Katzen, author of the Moosewood Cookbook and other vegetarian classics, has now included a recipe for beef stew in her latest cookbook. Anyone who could be a vegetarian for that long, with obvious access to loads of information about the way animals are raised, without going vegan, obviously was on the wrong road.

A lot of people worry that the development of “humane” meat is going to make a lot of vegans turn back to flesh. I think there is something to be said in that, but not much to be done about it. It’s not like the people out selling “humane” meat are going to stop. Obviously, the vegetarians to whom they appeal were never really committed to non-violence in the first place. They were just against factory farming, I guess. Or just following a fad. Who knows?

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2010 is upon us and it’s time to start setting some serious goals. Our buddy old pal Marisa Miller Wolfson is helping everyone discover balance this week with her Vegan at Heart Weekly Mission. Are you someone prone to overwork? Maybe already feeling a little overwhelmed? Well, put down the Xanax and take a deep breath — Marisa has some friendly words of support for you!

Weekly Mission: The Ever-Elusive Search for Balance

Today your mission is to set your intentions to create a healthier, more balanced you this month. Something tells me that I may not be the only one who has returned from the holidays cringing at the thought of diving into the cold pool that is my regular work-a-day life that’s filled with “must-do’s” instead of “wanna-do’s.”

I desperately cling to memories of quieter holiday moments when I felt at peace, whether reading a fun book, admiring a beautiful tree, or playing board games by firelight. But then I remember that those things haven’t gone anywhere. I can recreate them in smaller measures in my everyday life.

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Edward Everett Hale once said, “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something I can do.”

I spend a lot of time pondering the idea that one can never be 100 percent cruelty-free. Try as we may, we do accidentally cause some extent of suffering on occasion. We step on or breathe in bugs. We buy a product that is labeled “no animal testing” without realizing that its parent company does test on animals. Insects and animals are killed during the gathering of our produce.

But just because we cannot be perfect all the time, does that mean we should do nothing? I say absolutely not, and, apparently, Mr. Hale agreed with me.

I am vegan. Sometimes I make mistakes and don’t read a label as carefully as I should. I, unfortunately, regularly tread on insects. However, my diet spares 100 animals from death and suffering each year. My money does not support animal cruelty. I do the best that I can; I do everything that I can. And isn’t that what counts?

What do you to help reduce cruelty? Did you make any VEG-friendly New Year’s resolutions this year? Chime in and share your thoughts!

I have a pet plant. I walk her, buy her Hanukah gifts, pet her, snuggle with her, and give her treats.

Oh wait, that’s my rescue dog. Her name is Rose. But for the purpose of this discussion, let’s just call her “Sentient.”

Sentient took a walk in the snow yesterday, and the salt on the ground from the NYC post-blizzard clean up made her squeal a little, so now she has little booties to protect her precious perfect paws.

My aloe plant — which I also adopted, incidentally — does not have booties. Nor does it have a central nervous system or a brain.

Perhaps before writing today’s New York Times article, “Sorry, Vegans: Brussels Sprouts Like to Live, Too,” writer Natalie Angier should have come over and met my dog and my plant. Maybe she would have noticed a difference.

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‘Tis the season for giving. And who better to give to than the coolest vegan you’ve ever met?

Even if you haven’t met Greg Straight Edge, trust me here, he’s amazing: thoughtful, talented, inspirational, selfless, and a true hands-down activist (he even won Farm Sanctuary’s Friends of Farm Animals award last summer).And he wants to ride his bike across the country to raise awareness about factory farming, and to inspire people to go vegan.

Along the way, he’ll stop at farm animal sanctuaries, vegan companies, even residences of vegans who are doing their part to make this world a little less crappy. Greg is also a photographer (to say the least – camera magician might be more accurate) and he intends to photograph his journey, further shedding light onto the plight of farmed animals and the lucky rescued few.

He calls his organization Exercise Compassion, which pretty much says it all. Check out the site and learn more about this awesome dude!

Good news, NYC VEG Heads!  We just got word in from our friends at VegNews that New York Chipotle restaurants have begun offering a totally vegan alternative to meat. Like we didn’t love Chipotle enough already!!!

The new product is called “Garden Blend” and it’s a mix of protein, grains and veggies marinated in adobo sauce, then grilled.  Get out of town!

Earlier this year, Chipotle tested this meat-free product in Washington D.C. and now they’re finally sharing it with us! As of right now, it looks like the “Garden Blend” is only available at the Chelsea location, but we’re pretty sure it’s gonna spread like wildfire!

Have you tried the new product yet? Chime in and give us the gossip!

“In our society there are a lot of ways that we showcase animals. Whether it’s in zoos or circuses or even marching around Central Park. We use them for fun. But after the event is over and everybody goes home, that animal is probably suffering somewhere. I don’t think that’s right and I don’t think that people or animals should be subjected to that kind of treatment.”

- New York Governor David Paterson in an exclusive interview with me on our sister site, Ecorazzi.com. Paterson was the guest of honor at a recent New York League of Humane Voters event where he spoke on many animal welfare issues. To read the whole thing, visit Ecorazzi.com!

The holidays are here and it’s time to take out those credit cards and purchase some serious gifts! Of course, you never need to sacrifice your ethics for the perfect present. Marisa Miller Wolfson is counting day the year’s best cruelty-free gifts this week on the Vegan at Heart Weekly Mission. Check it out!

Weekly Mission: 15 Great Vegan at Heart Gift ideas

Today your mission is to check out some great gift ideas that are perfect for a Vegan at Heart.

Throughout the year I’m sure there are times when you see a really great veg cookbook or product, and you think, “Oh, I should get that for my friend/sister/kitchen/closet” but then you forget or you wonder if you should be spending money right now anyway. Well, guess what. The holidays are here, and gifts will be exchanged, so why not ask for/choose gifts that fit your goals and ideals?
Click here to get the list!