Urgent Action Alert: Vote For Vegan School Lunches TODAY!

President Elect Barack Obama's administration wants to hear your "ideas for change in America." In a Change.org online poll, the new administration is asking Americans to vote on dozens of social and political issues. The top 10 ideas will be presented to the Obama administration just before inauguration day and form the basis of a nationwide advocacy campaign to turn each idea into policy.

An important proposal to have the USDA facilitate daily vegan school lunch options has qualified for the final round of voting, and urgently needs your support! But you must show your support quickly, as voting ends on January 15th.

Every child deserves access to healthy and humane vegan meal options at school. The typical meat-based school lunch menu has been a catalyst for increasing rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, other chronic conditions, and food poisoning in our youth.

Please take a minute to support this important proposal. Simply sign up on the Change.org website, then visit the vegan school lunch proposal to cast your vote.

Join MFA at our 4th Annual Vegetarian Valentine's Party

Enjoy an exciting night out with Mercy For Animals at the 4th Annual Vegetarian Valentine's Party. Held at Enclave, Chicago's premier nightclub, the fun-filled evening is your opportunity to celebrate this Valentine's with other animal sweethearts.

Date: Friday, February 13
Time: 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Place: Enclave Nightclub, 220 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL

Tickets: $25 in advance or $30 at the door

Featuring:

• Complementary spirits
• Vegan treats & sweets
• Music and dancing
• Cruelty-free grab bags
• Best dressed in red contest

Note: This event is restricted to guests 21 years of age and older.

Visit VegValentinesParty.com to order your tickets.

New Online Resource: The Truth About "Free Range," "Humane" and "Organic" Animal Products

An ever growing array of lofty-sounding labels - including "organic," "cage-free" and "free range" – are making their way into the meat, dairy, and egg aisles of grocery stores from coast to coast. And while these labels are an indication of the growing number of consumers concerned about the treatment of farmed animals, many are left wondering: "What do they actually mean?"

A new Mercy For Animals online resource takes a deeper look at the issue of "humane" animal products.

Read the top six reasons why many ethically-minded consumers are choosing veganism over all animal foods –including those labeled "free range."

The eye-opening list exposes the abuse and cruel slaughter free-range animals endure, the actual meaning of various product labels, the environmental damage caused by "humane" animal agriculture, and more.

Click here to read this important new resource.

MFA Launches VegNC.com – Your Veggie Guide to North Carolina

VegNC.com is Mercy For Animals' newly launched site listing over 60 North Carolina restaurants and grocers catering to hungry diners with a taste for cruelty-free cuisine.

Whether you're craving soul food in Asheville or vegan cupcakes in Raleigh, VegNC.com has something for everyone. For the busy traveler, the site even includes listings of vegan menu items found at such chain restaurants as Johnny Rockets and Taco Bell.

Spanning 16 cities, this one-stop site makes veg dining a breeze with listings that include establishments' addresses, phone numbers, descriptions of meatless options, and business hours.

Article: City health chief's food fight targets meat

The Chicago Tribune

January 9, 2009

Excerpt:

Chicago health commissioner Dr. Terry Mason has a message for Chicagoans who enjoy devouring meat in all its fat-dripping, artery-clogging glory: Don't do it.

As part of his campaign to slim down waists and lower blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol citywide, Mason is encouraging everyone to join him in going vegetarian for January.

Click here to read the complete article.

Click here for more information on the health benefits of a vegetarian diet.

In the Vegan Kitchen: Winter Squash and Red Lentil Stew

Beat the winter blues with this delicious and hearty seasonal stew.

• 1 cup red lentils (masoor dal) or yellow split peas
• 4 cups water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon each mustard seeds, turmeric, ginger and cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 cups peeled and diced winter squash (about 2 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Place the lentils and 2 cups water in a pot and bring to a simmer. Cover loosely and cook until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.

Braise the onion in 1/2 cup water until soft and translucent, then add the spices, the remaining 1-1/2 cups water, and the diced squash. Cover and cook over medium heat until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, cooked lentils, and salt to taste.

Click here for hundreds of other vegan recipes.

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