I'm confused. I read a commentary in the NY Times Op-Ed section tonight and I really don't get what side the author is supposedly arguing. Nicholas Kristof starts off by saying:

In a world in which animal rights are gaining ground, barbecue season should make me feel guilty. My hunch is that in a century or two, our descendants will look back on our factory farms with uncomprehending revulsion. But in the meantime, I love a good burger.

Then Kirstof briefly mentions the animal rights referendum on the slate this November here in California, Proposition 2 (which would prohibit confining farm animals in such a manner that they are unable to turn around or extend their limbs). After which he waxes poetic about the geese his family raised when he was a child.

Perhaps it seems like soggy sentimentality as well as hypocrisy to stand up for animal rights, particularly when I enjoy dining on these same animals. But my view was shaped by those days in the barn as a kid, scrambling after geese I gradually came to admire.

So I’ll enjoy the barbecues this summer, but I’ll also know that every hamburger patty has a back story, and that every tin of goose liver pâté could tell its own rich tale of love and loyalty.

I'm sorry, is he claiming to argue for animal rights? Apparently his geese didn't have that much of an effect if he's eating goose liver pate. (Foie Gras is considered to be one of the most inhumanely processed foods.)

At least he acknowledges his hypocrisy. But I don't understand where in the article Kristoff actually stands up for animal rights. He doesn't go into any detail on Proposition 2 -- the closest he comes is this:

So, yes, I eat meat (even, hesitantly, goose). But I draw the line at animals being raised in cruel conditions. The law punishes teenage boys who tie up and abuse a stray cat. So why allow industrialists to run factory farms that keep pigs almost all their lives in tiny pens that are barely bigger than they are?

Defining what is cruel is, of course, extraordinarily difficult. But penning pigs or veal calves so tightly that they cannot turn around seems to cross that line.

So where, exactly, does Kristof think his meat is coming from? When he goes out, does he dine exclusively on grass-fed beef that is humanely slaughtered by the farmer, and not shipped off to a slaughterhouse? Or does he think that because "Burger King announced last year that it would give preference to suppliers that treat animals better," that means that all hamburgers are produced in a humane manner?

As for defining cruelty, I don't think it's too difficult to define the production of foie gras as cruel. I'm not alone either. According to Wikipedia:

The force feeding of animals for non-medical purposes, essential to current foie gras production practices, is explicitly prohibited by specific laws in six of nine Austrian provinces, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, or following interpretation of general animal protection laws in Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

But I did learn one interesting tidbit. Apparently Harvard Law is offering a course on animal rights. That bodes well for the future of animal rights.

Recently, we saw a brief blurb on ABC news that indicated that obesity rates in America, as well as globally, are continuing to rise. It looks like we're on track to have 86% of all adults in America categorized as overweight or obese by 2030 - with related health care costs very close to $1 TRILLION! Well, if you look around you, this is really no surprise. As our lifestyles become even more sedentary, and cheap, high calorie (and often tasty) foods are omnipresent, what else can we expect? Or perhaps it's the 3,747 average calories we're consuming per person (according to New Scientist) -- that will pack on the pounds quickly!

The American mentality of instant gratification is also a huge factor. (And here I get on my soapbox.) We are taught from day one, that if we want something "we deserve it" (thanks to the marketing folks at L'oreal), and have to have it NOW (thanks Target). Whatever happened to saving up for something? Whatever happened to working for things? Whatever happened to anticipation? Why do we need so much stuff? And this goes for food too. Last year, when we were travelling through Sedona, we stopped at Taco Bell for a bean burrito, no cheese (vegan). Their new add campaign was something about a "fourth meal." Sheesh!

But I have an easy weight-loss suggestion for the general population; eat vegan a few meals per week. Notice, I said vegan, not vegetarian. That's because vegetarian often means "a non-meat based dish slathered in cheese." And as good as "real" cheese tastes, it's not likely to be part of a "reducing" diet, at least not in the quantities we typically consume. But overall, vegetables have fewer calories than meat.

Now, I'm not saying that simply eating vegan is the solution. We've found plenty of vegan junk food items out there. It's also fairly easy to eat a "bad" vegan diet. Our personal experience -- we notice we tend to gain a pound or three when Jane is baking more often, or when we're eating a lot of vegan ice cream or snacks. But as we move away from processed foods and eat more plant based whole foods, we consume fewer calories, and that's when the pounds come off, and it feels effortless.

Resources:

• Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health - Newsletter
• Obesity Research Journal
• BMI Calculator - Adult; Child/Teen
• Veganism: A Weapon to Fight The Obesity Epidemic — John Livesey PhD, Scientific Officer, Department of Endocrinology, Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand

I stumbled across this article on the perception of taste recently and thought it accurately illustrated how the mind "sees" what it wants to see.

While a big, juicy steak may indeed be culinary nirvana for many, your taste for beef could be based in part on expectation rather than reality.

Well, steak is not culinary nirvana, at least in my opinion. But it is interesting how our perceptions can influence our opinions. Once upon a time, a boss of mine used to walk around saying "Perception is Reality." Apparently she knew what she was talking about.

A study was conducted by the Journal of Consumer Research to determine the participants cultural perceptions and preferences for eating meat. The participants were told they would get a beef sausage roll or vegetarian roll to taste. Some participants were told what they were eating, and some were not. They were then asked to fill out a questionnaire describing how they liked the food.

"Participants who ate the vegetarian alternative did not rate the taste and aroma less favorably than those who ate the beef product," the researchers report in August issue of the Journal of Consumer Research. "Instead, what influenced taste evaluation was what they thought they had eaten and whether that food symbolized values that they personally supported."

Now, I don't advocate lying to your family and friends, but perhaps, if we share this information with them, they'll be more willing to try that "weird vegan food" we're trying to feed them.

We occasionally get mail from people new to veganism, asking for meal suggestions. We'll often have a tofu and veggie stir fry, especially during the summer months, when the farmers market is overflowing with fresh, ripe offerings.

Now okra is something we hadn't tried until about two years ago. We had seen it at the farmers markets, but didn't have any experience with it. Then one weekend we were at Big Mama's Rib Shack in Pasadena (we were omni's then). One of the sides they offered was fried okra, so we tried that. And that was that... we were hooked.

Over time, Jane concocted this recipe. It's so easy, we are a bit reluctant to call it a recipe. But it's definitely one of our favorites. So here goes:

1 package firm tofu, drained and cubed
1 Tbs sesame oil
Olive Oil as needed
1 large onion, diced
2 pounds okra, washed and cut into ¼" pieces
3 medium tomatoes diced
½ t salt
½ t oregano
¼ t basil
two or three dashes of Braggs liquid aminos, optional

Heat sesame oil in skillet, when heated add tofu. Sautée the tofu until lightly browned, remove from pan. Add additional olive oil to pan if needed. Add diced onions and cook until onions are translucent. Add okra and cook for about five minutes, until bright green. Add tomatoes and spices, cook for two-five minutes, the okra will begin to brown and the tomatoes will cook down, then add the tofu. Stir and heat through. If using, add Braggs to taste

Makes 2-4 servings, depending how hungry you are.

It's just that easy. And we really love this dish.

If you haven't cooked with okra before, you should know that it's a little "slimy" when you cut it up. The "slime" cooks out, but if you overcook, it becomes a gelatinous mess. When you're choosing the pods, you should look for the slightly smaller pods as the larger ones tend to be tough and fibrous.