SoulVeggie

Mad Cowboy Newsletter, Official Pizza, & Free Cookbook Giveaway

The latest Mad Cowboy Newsletter was posted shortly before Memorial Day weekend.  You can read the entire issue at this address:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/message/96

Note:  I've posted the Official Mad Cowboy Pizza recipes (& photos) and there's a free giveway of my cookbook, "Heart Healthy Pizza" detailed in this edition of the newsletter.

Here's the Intro & Table of Contents:

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Howdy! Welcome to the 73rd issue of the Mad Cowboy Newsletter!

In this special issue, we have two contests! The periodic Vegan Mind-Bender Contest (for a year's subscription of VegNews), and today, a free giveaway of the very 1st vegan pizza cookbook: "Heart Healthy Pizza." There's also a link to where you can view the Official Mad Cowboy Pizza recipe, obtain more information about this book, and order an autographed copy of same.

Reading further, learn about some new and very large studies indicating that consumption of red meat not only increases mortality from degenerative diseases, but from strokes as well. There's information on a unique court case where the judge is assessing liability for potential damage to the Earth's atmosphere for future generations, the environmental impact of eating shrimp vs. beef, the brewing eco-storm, continued warnings about too much salt, and take action against the collective evils of Monsanto.

Moving onward, among other matters, you can contact the FDA about animal testing, see the difference between PR spending between the Meat Industry and Veg-related Organizations, know about the controversial "Vegan is Love" book, how to be vegan inexpensively, FARM's mobile activism, and how to be a hero by what you eat.

And don't miss our "Vegan Digital Media Theater" featuring video of Dr. Esselstyn, President Clinton, vegan ultra-marathoner Scott Jurek, and others of note.

... as always, a tip of the hat to our new subscribers: y'all can browse/search through past issues at the Mad Cowboy Newsletter Archives at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/

Best regards, Mark   MC editor/webmaster

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
00: Quote(s) from Howard
01: The Vegan Mind-Bender Contest Winner/Challenge!
02: Mad Cowboy Pizza Recipe & Heart Healthy Pizza Book Giveaway Contest
03: Mad Cow Info Round-Up
04: Red Meat=Mortality=Strokes, Hold the Salt
05: Judging the Atmosphere, Shrimp vs. Beef, Eco-Storm, Evil Monsanto
06: Vegan Digital Media Theater
07: Tell FDA No Testing, Meat vs Veg Ad$$, Mobile Activist Video
08: "Vegan is Love," Cheaply Vegan, Be a Hero by What You Eat
09: Quick Bytes
10: Closing Thoughts

Olives in Olive Oil & Iron Chef vs. Vegan Chef - Pt. 1 of 2

Recently, I've been wondering how many olives are in a tablespoon of olive oil.  Having followed a no-added oil plant-based lifestyle (more accurate than "diet") for over 5 years now (since interviewing Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn), it's something I hadn't considered until I happened to see Ms. "Lean into Everything Veganish Quantumly" on Charlie Rose talk about all the "surrounding fiber" lost with refined sugar and carbohydrates.  Normally, I take anything she says somewhat skeptically (in her most recent book, she's still pushing the "8 glasses of water a day" myth, despite it having been debunked many times).

Whatever.  I remember something I'd read about all the minerals, fibers, etc., being stripped away when producing free oils (processed vegetable oils):

"Chemically speaking, free oils are chains of carbon found in a purified state.  Extraction processes have removed all of the other ingredients of the whole food.  Thus, free oils are no longer intermixed with the naturally-designed and balanced environment of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and ten thousand other chemicals found originally in the plants.  Free-oils are not food..." (Dr. McDougall, (Source).

Ironic that Ms. Leanfully advocates the use of free oils in her recipes (and recommended pantry).  But, moving onward, the question of how many olives are in a tablespoon of olive oil intrigued me.  I found an answer than I think is reasonable, being as olives come in many sizes.  The following website has guessed around 44 olives per tablespoon of olive oil (Source).  I'll go with 40 olives as my working number.

So, what does this mean?  Well, when you put a tablespoon of olive oil into your skillet, you are putting the equivalent of 40 olives "stripped" of accompany minerals and other chemicals designed to help you absorb and properly metabolize the oil from those 40 olives.  Can you imagine 40 olives in your stir-fry?

Wow.  No room for veggies!  Continuing with the math: 2 TBL of olive oil (80 olives), 4 TBL. of olive oil in 1/4 cup (160 olives), 8 TBL. of olive oil in 1/2 cup (320 olives), and 16 TBL. of olive oil in 1 cup (a whopping 640 olives).

I saw a recipe the other day for a vegan pizza that called for a bag of Daiya cheese (8 oz.).  That amounts to 48 grams of fat (2 to 3 times the daily limit Esselstyn recommends, almost 3/4 the daily fat recommended by the Feds, and 80% the daily saturated fat).

But wait, there's more. The fat in Daiya comes from oil (safflower, and/or coconut (high in trans-fat), and/or canola), and these free oils have about the same amount of fat per tablespoon: around 14 grams each.  Let's extrapolate what that would mean in terms of olives, if olive oil was used:  the equivalent of 160 olives on that pizza (someone else can work out how many seeds for safflower or canola oil... start with 50 lbs. of rapeseed to make 2.65 gal. canola oil).

Would anyone put 160 olives on a pizza?  How about 80 olives (2 TBL of olive oil) for a single serving of salad dressing?  Yet, I see both vegan and non-vegans use apply olive oil with complete abandon in all kinds of food preparations.

Actually, using the olives might be healthier than using just the oil!  But seriously, this oil issue is one of the primary reasons I wrote: "Heart Healthy Pizza."  There had to be a better way of enjoying pizza other than adding pure fat in the guise of faux cheese.  Whenever you see a tablespoon of oil, think:  40 olives (or the equivalent).

Anyway, this pontification went on longer than expected, so it's now Part 1 of 2 posts on this topic.  In the next post I'll relate it all to a short exchange I had online recently with a well-known Iron Chef as well as from seeing a nouveaux Vegan Chef on the Today Show last week and reading the recipe he demonstrated (Chef Tal will also be mentioned).  Stay tuned!

MC Newsletter: Msg. from Howard, Heart Healthy Pizza, Pink Slime

The Intro and TOC:

"Howdy!  Welcome to the 72nd issue of the Mad Cowboy Newsletter.

Today we've got a special end-of-the-year letter from Howard, and an announcement about the new "Heart Healthy Pizza" cookbook (with a Foreward by Howard).

In this edition of the newsletter, you'll learn about the prolific and knowledgeable Dr. Greger's new website, "NutritionFacts" with superb short videos on scores of topics.  There's also information in this issue about which food companies are spending the most on lobbying Congress, a new report on the state of America's Heart Health, and how a very large study indicates that vegetables and fruits significantly lower your risk of strokes.

Reading further, find out about the world's "toughest woman" (hint: she's vegan), see a video of former President Clinton discussing his vegan diet, find out what vegan Ellen Degeneres is up to, and  the stats in a recent survey by the Vegetarian Resource Group on the number of vegans in the United States.  Monsanto has some serious problems, cows contribute much more to Global Climate Change than previously thought, the movie "Farmageddon" is screened on Capitol Hill, crows have a "danger" tool, and the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act is being legally challenged.

As usual, there's an abundance of new items in the Mad Cow Info Round-Up ("Pink Slime?") and lots to see and hear in the Vegan Digital Media Theater.

... as always, a tip of the hat to our new subscribers:  y'all can browse/search through past issues at the Mad Cowboy Newsletter Archives at:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/
Wishing all readers a bountiful, exciting, and rewarding New Year!

Best regards, Mark    MC editor/webmaster
[Note: have posted draft Table of Contents and Recipe Index for "Heart Healthy Pizza" at:

http://www.hearthealthypizza.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• 00: A Special Holiday Message from Howard
• 01: The Vegan Mind-Bender Contest Winner/Challenge!
• 02: Announcing the "Heart Healthy Pizza" Cookbook
• 03: Mad Cow Info Round-Up
• 04: NutritionFacts, Food Lobbying, US Heart Health, Lower Strokes
• 05: Toughest Woman, Vegan Clinton, Ellen's Site, No. of US Vegans
• 06: Vegan Digital Media Theater
• 07: Monsanto Bugged, New Cow Gas Stats, Food/2011, Farmageddon
• 08: Corp./Animal Rights, Swine Case, Crow Tools, AETA Challenged
• 09: Quick Bytes
• 10: Closing Thoughts

Direct Link to the New Issue:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/message/95

Vegan Bloggers Reviewing Quorn

Fascinating to see many vegan bloggers doing blog posts reviewing Quorn's new "vegan" product.  They contacted me a few days ago and offered to send me a bunch of their product for my review.

I did a little research first, something most of the aforementioned bloggers didn't do.  The basis for Quorn is a mud fungus that they grow in huge vats and add nutrients/chemicals to, later "spinning" or "shaping" the final product into meat-like shapes.  More importantly, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (http://www.cspinet.org) has had a long battle with the manufacturers of Quorn concerning it's negative impact on many people who've ingested it.  Some have had digestive issues and are allergic to it.

The company making Quorn has also misleadingly promoted it as a "mushroom-related" product:

http://www.cspinet.org/quorn/

Did any of the vegan bloggers giving Quorn a "positive" review mention these things?  Unfortunately, no. Not even as an "FYI" or advisory.

John Robbins ("Food Revolution," "Diet for a New America") has weighed in on this issue:

http://www.foodrevolution.org/askjohn/35.htm

After having done my homework, I wrote back to the Quorn rep and told her, thanks, but that I'd rather eat mud, and please don't send me any of their product.

Vegan bloggers need to stop being so dazzled by the bright lights of some company offering to send them free products and instead, take a little time to do some research into the product first.  I saw the same thing with the intense POM campaign the other year.

http://soulveggie.blogs.com/my_weblog/2010/06/more-dubious-pom-wonderful-marketing-attempts.html

As veganism grows in popularity, more and more corporations will try to use us to promote their products, and we should be responsible for doing a little research in determining whether or not their products are actually worthy, minimally, health-wise in promoting BEFORE we post glittering reviews.

Or, at least, point out any controversies regarding the food product as part of their review.

"Use the Goggle Luke."

Announcing new cookbook: "Heart Healthy Pizza"

"Heart Healthy Pizza:  Over 100 Recipes for the Most Nutritious Pizza in the World."

So excited to finally be able to announce my new cookbook.  You can read the Forward by Howard Lyman ("The Mad Cowboy"), learn more about the no-added oil plant-based recipes, sign-up to be notified on when the book is available, and see an animation sequence flow of photos from some of the testing at:

http://www.hearthealthypizza.com

Best to all, Mark  (and no "Daiya" or other faux dairy cheeses are involved!)

Twitter @solveggie

Twitter @hhealthypizza

Article: "The Yoga of Cooking and Eating"

I remember a transcendent moment, many years ago, when I was stirring millet in a pan to roast it, thinking about how monk’s “compete” for the honor of cooking for their order.  The individual grains of millet became “stars” in my mind, and the pan held within it a wonderful spiral galaxy of life, hope, & spirit.

The idea of communicating love to others through cooking has been a consistent theme in my life.  Indeed, it was when I no longer desired to cook for a significant other, that I often realized, definitively, that the relationship was over.  The giving of food, of sustenance, is a powerful process in human community, and in many societies over time, something that has often transcended bigotry, hate, racism, and a host of negative emotions.  The “giving” of food is fundamental, unselfish action, and comes from our core.  In some cultures, if someone shows up hungry at your doorstep, you are duty-bound to feed them whatever you might have available.  It is a recognition of the “I am/We are” aspects inside.

I remember, too, being awed by the cooks at “Kalachandji’s” in Dallas, Texas (a Krishna temple), whose practice of bhakti yoga (yoga of service) mandated that they were blessing the food they were making and would never dream of tasting it before delivering to anxious customers.  From a spiritual standpoint, they were “raising the vibrational level” of the food (or so I believe, unscientifically).  Spreading the love (pun intended).

This line of thinking also led to a little story I’d run across years later:  Great-grandma was in the kitchen after a huge multi-descendent dinner party, and engaged in dealing with a huge mound of dishes needed cleaning.  She was singing and happy.  Her great-grandchildren were puzzled.  “Why are you so happy?” They’d asked her. “It’s simple,” she responded.  “All these dishes means we had all this food, plentiful times, and everyone is full.  We should be thankful and feel blessed.”

It was delightful to run across the following article recently (here’s an excerpt followed by the full link).  It encapsulated very well some things I’ve learned over the years and sometimes forget during longer periods of emotional or situational stress:

“I had always thought that cooking was something you did to feed yourself and your family. However, monastic life has continued to teach me that cooking, if done with the right consciousness, can be a kind of yoga practice. I'm not referring to the yoga practice where you try to turn yourself into a pretzel. I am sticking to the original meaning of the term, which arises from the Sanskrit root yuj, which means to harness or bind back. Yoga means you are trying to reconnect with the divine.

Whether or not that reconnect actually takes place depends on one's consciousness. During my vegetarian cooking demonstrations at Columbia University, I tell my students that our consciousness during our cooking should be that we are "cooking for the pleasure of God and that we want to share our food with others."

Knowing that we're cooking for someone else can help remove some of the selfishness we harbor in our hearts and can increase the quality of selflessness. Since the process of yoga is meant to purify the heart and mind of negative tendencies, cooking with the right consciousness can be transformed into a yoga practice.”

I’ve studied Hatha Yoga (basic asanas) and for a couple of decades Raja & Agni Yoga (mind, fire/soul), and it’s humbling to remember that the simplest actions can be the most transformative, that we can also have “walking meditations” as some teachers put it, that don’t require immobility and solitude.  Mindfulness in cutting our fruits/vegetables. Thoughtful as we heat our grains and water, and thankful that we choose not to eat meat or dairy.  In this process, we are truly one with nature, and manifest gratitude in being alive.  Life persists, and we appreciate the bounty presented, transmuted, and provided.  To share this with another is to share a deep love for all that is.  Giving, without expectation of reward or reciprocation.  Acknowledging mutual divinity.

Enjoy this fine essay:  “On Yoga and Cooking.”  I think the author really nails it all and perhaps his words will provide a new perspective worth pondering.

Namaste!  Mark  (Twitter: @solveggie)

Rant: "Dietary Myths, Incompetenceish, & Self-Proclaimed Experts"

[In contemplative retrospect, I wasn't really happy with the tone of this post, and possibly some of the reasons for posting it.  I've decided to remove the post, move on.  I still believe and stand by the essence of what I wanted to communicate (that so-called experts often are not, and that we need to be vigilant), but think I should have found a better way of presenting my opinion.

Lotta stress the past several months, lotta deep discomfort over things going on involving caged farm animals, myself, and various people's actions/inactions/immaturities..  I now realize that the clues to understanding I'd ignored.  Transition continues.  I hope to announce the cookbook's concept/title in a few weeks.  Best to all, Mark]

Twitter:  @solveggie

Re-post: "The Compassionate Vegan"

This was originally posted in 2005, one of my first posts.  One of my favorite stories & lessons about being vegan.  Am still working on cookbook, adjusting to new, unexpected circumstances, & enjoying periodic tweeting.  Mtg. some neat people.

Best to all, Mark (Twitter: @solveggie)

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She was 92 years old when I recently visited Leisure World (a retirement community in Seal Beach,CA) to see my "Baba" (a throwback to her Slavic upbringings - "Grandma").  I was in Los Angeles to do a "head photographer" gig at AR2003, and in the process, had an experience eating dinner with Baba that caused a bit of a moralistic "dust-up" with some of the harder core animal rights activists at the conference.  Here's what happened and why:

Baba had adjusted to my being vegetarian decades ago (indeed, after once cooking vegetarian for her for two weeks... she proclaimed I wasn't a "poor vegetarian" as she'd once believed).  I'd told her before flying out, that I was now vegan, and wouldn't be eating any dairy or egg products.  She said she understood.

It had been a lousy flight and cab ride to Leisure World.  I'd been told that Grandma was showing signs of dementia (one of the reasons for my visit).  I arrived, famished and exhausted, noting the carefully laid out dinner table in the kitchen.  She proudly pulled out a casserole from the oven, one of my pre-vegan favorites:  zucchini, yellow squash, cottage cheese, eggs, cheddar cheese, onions, butter....  She beamed, telling me that she had to walk to the grocery store to get all the ingredients, and that it took her most of the day to pull this all together just for me.

I gulped.  What to do? I thought, as she placed the steaming hot casserole on the kitchen table.  She was so proud and so happy to be feeding her eldest grandson...

I thought about it as she finished putting stuff on the table. I watched her labor to walk around in the kitchen (back problems), yet smiling and chatting away all the while as she finished dinner preparations.

What did I do?  It was a no-brainer.  I ate two big helpings, and told her it was "the best damn casserole I'd ever had."  She beamed with joy and pride.

Okay, I felt the internal discomfort all night as I slept that night, and the next day I told her that I didn't eat dairy products.  She was puzzled: "but you did last night?"

"That's because you made it, Baba, but no more," I responded, kissing her forehead.

Days later, at Animal Rights 2003, I told this story in the inevitable late-night bar meet-ups and was surprised by some of the indignent agitated comments from many around me.  "No compromise! You should have "stood" your ground."  "You didn't have to eat the casserole, you could have told her you were full."  "What about the animals?" were some of the negative responses.

I stood my ground, and explained my position politely: Why should I emotionally devastate this 92 year old woman and not accept her love offering?  Who was harmed by my eating her food?  The milk (for cheese and butter), and eggs, were a done thing. My refusing to eat this meal would have saved no animal, caused no less suffering, and made no important point or significant statement that would have changed anything at all (for anyone or anything).

I appeased a woman in the twilight of her long long life.  As so many animal rights activists fight for compassion for animals, I was compassionate for her.  I have no regrets, and I hope that those who might read this and think in absolutes might take note.  I believe we must learn to be aware of any situation in its entirety, and not act on principles that may not take into consideration the full reality of who we are as living beings ourselves.  Shades of grey do exist, and I'd make the case that it is, in today's society, impossible to be 100% vegan (that's for another blog another time).

So, for the day I visited Baba, I wasn't vegan in the physical, but I was in the metaphysical... I showed compassion to another living being, enabling a treasured memory to someone I love dearly and giving her an emotional blessing she rarely had these days.  Her beautiful and thoughtful gift of love was reciprocated with the same compassion she'd demonstrated herself.

I be vegan, not cruel.

[2011 Addendum: I went back to see her after the conference, last time I saw her before she died. Once again, the same casserole in the oven.  So glad I ate two big helpings, told her it was the "best damn casserole I'd ever eaten").  The memory of her glowing with pride remains to this day]

Butterfly Effects & Animal Rights

A friend is going through a major transition in life, from intense animal rights activist, to a full-time job with an organization devoted to helping mentoring children.  Not an easy change in personal lifestyle, but no less worthy than the prior work.

Let me explain.  As activists, we can get involved in pretty intense, physically demanding, and emotionally involving work.  By our very nature, we throw ourselves into these efforts in the faith and belief that we can help make a change.  It can be all-consuming in process and alienate ourselves from both friends and family.  This can also precipitate internal self doubt: "what the hell am I doing??"

What we sometimes miss, in the final attempted analysis, is that we can't always know the results of our efforts.  Correspondingly, we can't always know if it's the subtle or quiet act we make or do in life that has a significant impact versus that which involves a lot of fire, smoke, and action.

Several years ago I met a man with "Turban" & my interaction with him (blogged about here) taught me an important lesson in life.  Has to do with the concept of "faith."

You canNOT know, in advance, what impact any action you take or make will have, ultimately.  The ripples of impact through space/time are not predictable.  At best, you can have the highest moral and spiritual motivation behind EVERY action or motion you make, take, or think.  No other conclusion makes any sense.  Butterfly-effect in full force.  We move energy, by thought & action, and this is an inescapable reality.

To my new friend regarding working with an organization helping children: who knows what impact the seeds you'll help plant will grow? These children deserve, at minimum, as much attention as AR groups give poor Factory Farmed Animals. In a real sense, are not these kids being "factory farmed" by a negligent & mentally/emotionally inept political system as well?  Who knows what wonderful accomplishments will be effectived by even one child helped?

There is nothing wrong with helping humans survive and thrive, and in fact, I wish more animal rights "activists" remembered this. They sometimes seems so focused on "animal" issues as to forget "human health" issues. I sometimes weary of them providing ridiculously unhealthy recipes ("Oh, but they ARE vegan") with the cavlier attitude that the "ends justifies the means, and it's for the animals." They are helping contribute to salt, fat, & sugar taste addictions.  My particular issue: heart healthy humans.  Does this make me an animal rights activist?  On some cognitive levels, yes.

We are ALL activists to some degree.  It's just that some of us recognize it consciously, and focus that flow.  But in effect, we are activists whether we want to be or not.  Every interaction, action, motion, thought, affects (activates) the system.  Humans are animals, or rather, animals include humans. In a real sense, any efforts towards helping "humans" and "animals" (sometimes it's absurd to assume a distinction between the two) is an animal rights effort (sorry, won't go into the silly "welfare" issue here).

What I do know is that we have to live our lives at the highest standards we can, and trust/have faith that we are doing the greatest good for the greatest number of people we can.  We pick and choose our causes as vegan activists, and all should be respected.  More importantly, we may never know the ultimate results of our efforts, but at least we strive towards a better world for all animals.

Including us.

 

Twitter: @solveggie

 

On Giving Unsolicited Dietary Advice: Fat, Salt, & Sugar

The issue of "giving people unsolicited advice" is very much on my mind recently.  Although I'm quite busy trying to get this cookbook done, dealing with personal tragedy, and deflecting naysayers, I thought it an interesting issue worth addressing on my blog.

I've been blogging less these days and spending more time in "Twitter-verse (@solveggie)," which, admittedly, is a mixed blessing.  Kinda like a humongous international cocktail party at times, and very addictive.  But, the issue of my pointing out the outrageous sugar and fat content of recipes posted as "healthy" has come up a few times.  People suggesting that it's best to not offer advice unless asked to.  "Keep the Peace."

Yup, that's my normal mode of operation, but regarding fat, sugar, and salt, I throw away that rule.  Let's look at an analogy:  if someone were about to jump off a cliff, "I can fly!!," would I voice a loud concern that, "Hey, that's not a great idea, let's discuss this before you execute?"  You might not be aware of new discoveries regarding the newly proven concept of "gravity."

Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in this country.  Modern medical science can't CURE heart disease.  At most, through drugs, invasive surgery ("let's attach a leg vein to the heart, yeah, that'll work"), and other ridiculous (expensive) approaches, at most, they can delay death.  But, they have NOT reversed heart disease.

How many vegetarians or vegans believe that because they eschew meat, dairy, or eggs, exercise a lot, makes them immune to getting heart disease?  It's an illusion.  They may be "less" likely, but, with the added useless oil, sugar, and salt, they are not immune.  That's the problem. They don't know about the new "nutritional gravity" that has been proved.

When two doctors, separated by 2,000 miles (Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and Dr. Dean Ornish) both, independently REVERSE heart disease through a no-added fat vegan diet, with 20 years of peer-reviewed research, it's hard not to pay attention.  Add to that Dr. Neal Barnard reversing Type II Diabetes with a no-added fat vegan diet, and Dr. T. Colin Campbell supporting the no-added fat concept (oh, and he was the head of history's largest study on diet, "The China Study.").

Then, if you factor in that Dr. Esselstyn points out that it's the added fat/oil that fuels plaque development that causes 90%+ of strokes, and that the constriction of one's blood vessels for several hours from eating one high-fat meal has been measured (yup, measured), one gets a better sense of the real issue.

Oil is NOT a food (neither is "Daiya, Follow Your Heart, or Teese").  It is a nutritionally vapid and useless highly processed bunch of fat calories that has severe negative effects on the human circulatory system, especially over a long period of time.  Those saying it's "healthy" are thinking in narrow studies targeted for specific effects, but NOT taking into account the totally of the biological impact of eating this non-food.

I try to be polite.  I try to be nice.  But when I see a single entree (and this one was "raw") promoted as "heart healthy" and it well exceeded the total day's worth of fat recommended by Esselstyn or Ornish (or 1/3 a day's worth of fat by the American Health Association), I sometimes feel obligated to point out the nutritional reality:  it ain't healthy.

Going vegan or vegetarian certainly reduces the probability of degenerative diseases in your life, but going no-added fat vegan pretty much eliminates the possibilities (5% genetics not withstanding).  It's the ADDED OIL that is the real killer, and that's hard to argue against.

Sure, people make their own choices, but there are far too few bloggers, twitters, Facebookers, journalists, vegan "pundits," veg cookbook authors, either aware of or communicating this NEW reality.

"Moderation kills" (McDougall, Campbell, Barnard, Esselstyn).  And the sooner we rid ourselves of the taste addiction to fat (let alone, sugar and salt), the healthier we will truly be.  I've been off added-oil for four years now, and I have no desire at all to use oil in anything.  It can be done.  You can re-calibrate (as Dr. Esselstyn puts it) your taste receptors.  You just need the desire and discipline to try.  Takes about 14 weeks.  Your mileage may vary.

Anyway, if you're about to jump off a cliff and I see you, I will say something.  If you are using "gawd awful" amounts of sugar, fat, and/or salt in a recipe posted online, I might call you out.  "Nutritional gravity."

It's not personal in a confrontational mode, but it's personal in a "life saving" mode.  Life is important.  Life persists.  People need to know the nutritional truth, not the urban myths.  We need to rid ourselves of our taste addictions, and truly embrace "real food. Living, loving, and relishing a long and healthy life depends upon it.