When walls fall down

Remnants of the Berlin Wall

We were in the lobby of our guest house in Berlin when someone wheeled in a television set on a cart to the center of the room. People began to gather around it with shouts of glee. I looked at the screen and it appeared as if cars and people were streaming through a toll booth. “What’s going on”,  I asked, not knowing the language. “They just opened the Wall!” people shouted. It was November 9th, 1989 and we had just become a part of history.

At the next moment, we were on our way to Check Point Charlie, the main artery connecting West and East Berlin. We stood on the side of the road and joined the throngs of Berliners in the most jubilant celebration ever. Families and friends were welcoming loved ones they have not seen in decades. We laughed, and cried, and drank champagne in the streets. It was clearly a ‘moment’ that we would treasure for ever.

I had just arrived in Berlin a few days earlier, having hitchhiked from Amsterdam to Berlin with Kathy from San Francisco. Just the day before the wall opened, we visited East Berlin and took part in a demonstration where students and other East Berliners – young and old, were marching in demand for democracy. “Freedom of Speech”, “Freedom of Press”, they shouted. It was unbelievable to us that people were living without these basic rights – ones that we took for granted in the West. We saw people throwing flowers at soldiers saying “these are our weapons.”

Returning to West Berlin, I saw someone painting on the wall. It was a fascinating to witness how decorated the wall was on the west side and how utterly empty it was on the east side. The west was filled with artwork, poems, slogans, and graffiti – a colorful canvas for the voice of the people. I asked if I could borrow their paint brush and wrote “Love thy neighbor”.  Who could know that the wall would be no more on the following day.

We never did  get to see  people tearing down the wall. That evening we were on a train to Warsaw. Our path led us through Poland and into Prague, Czechoslovakia, just in time for the Democratic uprising there!

Twenty years later and I can still recapture that excitement and sense of purpose we all felt. There was such a strong sense that something wonderful and historic was occurring. May the walls continue to crumble. The walls that stand between us and our life’s calling. The walls that stand between people of different beliefs. And the walls that stand between us and the other creatures with whom we share this precious planet.

World Vegetarian Day – because Gandhi was right

This article appeared in today’s issue of BasilandSpice.com

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”--Mahatma Gandhi

Today is World Vegetarian Day. A day for us to celebrate the delicious bounty of the plant kingdom. It also happens to be the day before the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. It’s no coincidence that World Vegetarian Day falls close to the birthday of this saintly man, a true symbol of nonviolent resistance. It’s slightly politically incorrect to focus on the topic of nonviolence, especially as it relates to animals. But in honor of Gandhi’s birthday, I am feeling a bit bold.

Generally when discussing the benefits of vegan cuisine, I tend to focus on the health issues. For good reason! This is why most people are inspired to eat more vegan foods. Losing weight, and protection against diseases like heart disease and diabetes definitely top the list of reasons people decide to go meatless.  It’s become common knowledge that our health is a lot better off with the inclusion of these life giving foods and all major health organizations now recommend including more fruits and vegetables to preserve health and prevent disease.

After health reasons, protecting the environment is another main reason people choose to go vegan. It’s cool to be green these days and eating your veggies is about as green as it gets. The environmental impact of a meat-centered diet compared to a plant based one is staggering. For instance, it takes roughly 2500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat, and approximately 30 gallons for a pound of potatoes. As far as carbon emissions, a 2006 UN Report, “Livestock’s Long Shadow” reports that over 18 percent of all green house gases come from the livestock industry!

Dr. R. K. Pachauri, head of the Nobel prize winning intergovernmental panel on climate change actually went so far as to recommend going meatless once a week as the most effective and immediate way we can reduce our carbon footprint.

So where does nonviolence fit into this? It seems to me that it is a noble endeavor to strive to reduce the violence and suffering we see in the world. Who wants to send their children to school where violence is a daily occurrence? How many people are planning their vacation in Afghanistan or Baghdad? Who among us does not feel shocked frequently when we read the newspaper or watch the news?

We have all heard the expression “Love thy neighbor as thy self.” This raises the question “Who is our neighbor?”. To whom should we extend this love? I turn to Albert Einstein for the answer. He said “Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” This to me is the correct response. All of life is our neighbor.

For many of us, peace begins in the kitchen. This means when two choices are before us, in life and regarding our food choices, we take the path that causes the least suffering. It’s something to think about.

Here is a recipe to enjoy while contemplating these vegetarian issues. It’s from our new book, The 30-Minute Vegan.

Zucchini Roll Ups

Makes approximately 18 roll ups2 zucchinis
1 pound extra firm tofu, crumbled
2 tablespoons minced basil
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
1 teaspoon minced rosemary
3 tablespoons creamy tahini

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and well-oil a baking sheet. Slice each
zucchini lengthwise into 9 or more thin strips (about 1/8-inch) using
either a mandoline (careful for those fingers) or a vegetable peeler.
2. Combine the tofu, and the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl
and mix well. If the tahini is not creamy, you may need to add a bit of
olive oil to maintain a creamy consistency. Spread approximately 2
tablespoons of this mixture along each piece of zucchini and roll them up.
3. Place the rolls on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, and remove.
Serve on a platter or 2 to3 rolls per plate. Refrigerate if you are not
serving immediately. The rolls are awesome chilled as well.

Variation
•    Replace zucchini with eggplant, thinly sliced.

Mark Reinfeld has been preparing inspired vegan and live food cuisine for over 15 years. He is the founding chef of The Blossoming Lotus Restaurant and the recipient of a Platinum Carrot Award given to America’s top “trailblazing and innovative chefs.” He is a recognized authority in the field of healthy cuisine. His first book, Vegan Fusion World Cuisine has won 9 international awards including a Gourmand Award for ‘Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the USA.’ He is the coauthor, along with Jennifer Murray of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Raw. His latest book, also coauthored with Murray is The 30 Minute Vegan. Have a question for the natural chef? Please email mark@veganfusion.com

Traveling Vegans – Cinque Terre, Italy

After Villa Lina, we began our trek back to Amsterdam. We stopped off at Cinque Terre, along the magnificent Italian Riviera. Cinque Terre consists of 5 villages (Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, Corniglia, and Riomaggiore) along the Mediterranean coast, that are connected by a walking trail with breathtaking ocean vistas. Its so beautiful, the entire area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre, Italy

Traveling Vegans – Northern Italy

After Venice, we spent a week up at our friend’s place in a little village called Coltura – by the foothills of the Alps. We had a deep sense of history in the small villages we visited in the area. We took a road trip through the Alps that was filled with heart opening beauty at every turn. The Dolomites are mystical – sheer cliffs along side lush green meadows and tiny alpine villages. We were surprised to learn that German is the primary language in much of the area.

Near Coltura, Italy

Chino’s wine vat for homemade wine

Italian Alps

Castelrotto, Italy

Italian Alps

Turquoise lake

Majestic Alps

Breathtaking!

Amsterdam Workshop Students Speak -part 1

Here are a few interviews with students from our Amsterdam Workshops. Its been such a pleasure to meet everyone here in Holland. We have been moved by the warm welcome we are receiving. Stay tuned for part 2!

Keukenhof Gardens Video

Here is a short video from our trip to Keukenhof Gardens, outside of Den Haag, Netherlands. The thousands of varieties of flowers and colors left us speechless. Not to mention the sublime fragrances.

Raw Chocolate Party, Amsterdam – April 4th, 2009

Here are some photos from the book signing we did at the Raw Chocolate Party here in Amsterdam. It was great seeing the vibrant raw food community. The chocolate elixirs were off the chart…not to mention the fresh coconuts – a taste of home!

On the way to the party

Raw Elixir Bar

Mark Reinfeld and Jennifer Murray

Does it get any cuter?

Raw parte’!

The Complete Idiots Guide to Eating Raw

Superfoods Galore!

Jennifer, Polly-Grace and Trudy

Amsterdam Farmers Market, Part 2 – April 2009

Black Rice Pasta

We discovered this cool organic black rice pasta at the market the other day. We made a simple lunch of lightly sauteed organic veggies over the black rice pasta. Sublime in its simplicity and full of flavor. Definitely fits into the quick and easy category!

organic black rice pasta

organic broccoli, red bell pepper, shiitake mushrooms, leek, fresh sage, rosemary and cilantro, with olive oil.

ready for the topping

topped with delicious fresh organic tomatoes

Chocolate Orange Pudding gets a Review

A Good Clean Life tried our Raw Chocolate Orange Pudding recipe.  Here’s part of what they had to say:

I made this pudding last week and was blown away! I find it is more of a chocolate mousse than a pudding. So rich, creamy and smooth it would be a sure hit for vegans and non vegans a like. Vegan Fusion has some great recipes in their cookbook as well as on their website.

~ A Good Clean Life

A Good Clean Life has a good clean blog with tips, recipes, articles and other tidbits pertaining to healthy eating, healthy living and healthy children.  You can also follow them on Twitter ( @agoodcleanlife )

Bloggers and Tweeters!  We love reviews.  Try our recipes and blog and tweet about them.  Let us know and we will help share the love.