Vegetarian Zen

In Episode 037: Vegetarianism & the Environment, we talked about the effects that eating meat has on the environment.  In this episode we'll share food-related tips that will help with environmental sustainability.   Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please […] The post VZ 081: Eating for Sustainability – How...

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, the last of 2014, we'll reveal our some of our favorite episodes over the past year and a half.     Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving us […] The post VZ 080: Favorite Vegetarian Zen Podcast Episodes Revealed! appeared first on Vegetarian Ze...

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, you'll hear way more than you ever thought you would about nut butters and seed butters.  Move over peanuts…jelly wants to make some new friends!   Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen […] The post VZ 079: Alternatives to the Peanut – A Guide to Nut Butters and Seed Butters app...

  This BONUS episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast was inspired by a question posted by Jeff Jackson in The Peas and Carrots Society: Friends of Vegetarian Zen Facebook group: Does anyone have any suggestions for a vegan side dish, chilled or room-temperature, to bring to a lunchtime holiday party at the office? Needs to […] The post Bonus 02: Bonus Episode – Simple and Delicious Vegetarian Potluc...

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, you'll learn that there is indeed life after dairy milk!  We'll talk about plant milks such as soy, nut, rice and coconut milks.   Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, […] The post VZ 078: The Delicious World of Plant Milks appeared first on Vegetarian Zen .

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast we'll share some of our favorite simple vegetarian recipes for busy weeknights.   Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving us a rating and review. Please note that some […] The post VZ 077: Make Busy Weeknights Easy with These Simple Vegetarian Rec...

If you're like us, you go through food "phases".  You'll find a new food, or remember one you haven't had in a while, and you'll eat it all the time…or at least until you get sick of it!  In this episode of the podcast, we tell you about 7 foods we're loving right now.   […] The post VZ 076: 7 Foods We're Loving Right Now appeared first on Vegetarian Zen .

If you think vegetarianism is just a "hippie" movement from the 1960s then you're way off!  Vegetarianism developed as a philosophy as long ago as the ancient Greeks, as you'll hear in this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast.   We'll discuss the first vegetarian societies, the influence of nineteenth and twentieth century writers and […] The post VZ 075: A Brief History of Vegetarianism appeare...

Get ready for the ultimate gift guide for all the vegans, animal-lovers, and environmentally-conscious people on your list!  Need vegan gifts?  No more talking…here we go!   Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen on iTunes, please consider leaving us a […] The post VZ 074: Finding Vegan & Environmentally-Friendly Gifts appear...

You may want to feed your pet a vegetarian diet (or vegan, even) for a variety of reasons: Ethics — owners who abstain from eating animal products for reasons related to the cruel conditions on factory farms may not want animals to be eaten, even by other animals Pet health — "logic" would dictate that […] The post VZ 073: You Can Feed Your Pet a Vegetarian Diet…But Should You? appeared first on V...

Sometimes I'll get a food craving that is so strong and all-consuming that I can't think straight.  I find myself planning how and when I can go and get that food and eat it.  Eat it all.  Most of the time, of course, my craving is for something that is bad, bad, bad for me, […] The post VZ 072: Don't Let Food Cravings Hold You Hostage! appeared first on Vegetarian Zen .

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we'll be discussing alkaline and acidic foods.  You'll learn what pH is and why it is important plus which foods are acidic and which are alkaline. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Vegetarian Zen Podcast! If you find value in our podcast and listen […] The post VZ 071: Wait…What? Lemons Are Alkaline? appeared first on Vegetarian Zen .

One of the main reasons people give for not eating healthy is the perceived extra expense.  I say "perceived" because the idea that healthy food is more expense isn't necessarily true.  Sure, some organic, natural foods may cost a bit more than their conventional or processed counterparts.  There are things you can do, however, to […] The post VZ 070: Eating Healthy on a Budget appeared first on V...

Have you noticed, over the past few years, a trend in the grocery marketplace toward pushing products that contain "superfoods"?  As in, "Buy this pancake mix containing the superfood flax!".  Or, "XYZ granola is packed with superfood ingredients like blueberries, acai berries, and chia seeds!". So, is there really such a thing as a "superfood"? […] The post VZ 069: Superfoods – Marketing Ploy or...

Before I became a vegetarian I had a lot of misconceptions about vegan baked goods.  I knew nothing about vegan baking, and I figured that vegan cookies and cakes must be filled with really weird ingredients, have a texture like cardboard, and taste, well…funky. Boy was I wrong!! Even though we are not full-time vegans, […] The post VZ 068: The Joy of Vegan Baking appeared first on Vegetarian Zen...

In this episode we'll be discussing all things gluten. You'll learn what gluten is and what health problems can be associated with it. You'll also hear what foods contain gluten and which are naturally gluten free.  We'll also discuss whether or not a gluten free diet is a good choice. Thanks for tuning in to […] The post VZ 067: Gluten Free Made Simple appeared first on Vegetarian Zen .

This episode of the podcast is all about bees! You'll find out why honey isn't considered vegan, and learn about the five main bee products: honey, bee pollen, propolis, royal jelly, and beeswax. We'll discuss the purported benefits of each, plus the risks.  We'll also share a few places you can find cruelty-free bee products. […] The post VZ 066: 5 Byproducts of Busy Bees appeared first on Vegeta...

In Episode 064 of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we discussed what "cruelty free" really means and how to tell if products and their ingredients are truly made without harming animals. We also debunked some myths about cruelty free products. One of those myths is that they are hard to find. With that in mind, in this […] The post VZ 065: Finding Cruelty Free Products Is Easier Than You Think (We've Go...

Using live animals in experiments is not a modern concept.  The ancient Greeks practiced vivisection, the dissection of live animals, in order to understand how living organisms functioned.  Historically, animals have been used to test treatments before applying to humans, and this practice continues to this day.  This cruel, unnecessary practice. In this episode of […] The post VZ 064: Cruelty Fr...

We believe that a plant-based lifestyle should never be an all-or-nothing proposition.  When we became vegetarians, we did it all at once and it was a bit of a struggle.  Some people may be fine with a quick change, however. Same thing goes for transitioning from a vegetarian to vegan lifestyle.  It may be that you're […] The post VZ 063: Tips to Help You Transition From Vegetarian to Vegan appear...

In an ideal, natural-food world, ingredient labels on food would be really, really short.  A label on vegetable soup might read like this: vegetable broth onions potatoes carrots tomatoes green beans Instead of this:               What are "disodium guanylate" and "disodium inosinate"?  And don't even get me started on […] The post VZ 062: How to Read Food Labels – The Bad & Ugly of Processed Food...

I once thought of raw foods as pretty much just wheatgrass shots (thank you, Sex and the City), really big salads, and snacking on carrot sticks.  Truth be told, these things are just the tip of the iceberg (lettuce) when considering the realm of raw foods. In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we […] The post VZ 061: Going Raw – It's More Than Just Wheatgrass Shots and Big Salads appeare...

I love stir fry.  It's fresh, simple, quick, and lends itself so well to a vegetarian lifestyle.  The fact that I love stir fry made the fact that I wasn't very good at making it kind of sad.  I, like many other aspiring stir fry chefs, labored under several common misconceptions about this type of […] The post VZ 060: How to Make Amazing Vegetarian Stir Fry appeared first on Vegetarian Zen .

It is a widely-held misconception that the terms "vegetarian" or "vegan" and "athlete" don't belong together.  Isn't it true that athletes need a lot more protein than other people, and that animal protein is the best (or only) viable source?  And what about calories?  How can a person possibly consume enough calories to support a […] The post VZ 059: Nutrition Secrets of Plant-Based Athletes appe...

As a vegetarian or vegan, attending social events can present a challenge.  What if you're invited to a birthday party…at a steakhouse?  How about a Fourth of July cookout with burgers, hot dogs, ribs, and baked beans full of pork bits?  It really can be enough to make you just want to stay home! Fortunately, […] The post VZ 058: How to Handle Social Events as a Vegetarian – Listener Feedback appe...