Team Green (BLOG) - Vegan Athletics & Veg. Social Club.

Veganism changed my life. Are you next?

2012-02-03T14:09:00.001-08:00

I never knew veganism would open so many doors in my life. My health is the best it has ever been and my attitude in life is now 100% positive. I went vegan in 2006 because I was 300 lbs., and only in my 20’s, and I was unhappy with the path I was going down. I recommend to anyone who wants to increase their self-esteem and start living a cruelty free & super positive lifestyle, to give it a chance. Maybe you will like it and maybe you won’t, but you won’t know until you try. Don’t be one of those persons who regret missing out on an opportunity to better themselves. It’s very easy to transition to veganism, you can start out slow and there are so many resources now it’s easier than ever. Eat cleaner and cheaper than you ever have. Experience how it feels when your body is totally healthy and running without poison flowing through it. You will have increased energy, lower body fat and magical powers. O.K., I made up the part about magical powers, kind of. Don’t know any other vegans? False, now you know me, and I will answer any questions or help any way I can. I think you will find the more you learn about veganism, the more you will debunk all the silly vegan myths and jokes that are always going around. For the animals, for the planet, most importantly for yourself…think about it.

Ted Trendy is the founder of Team Green, a vegan athletic and social club that specializes training vegan athletes for triathlon, marathon, swimming and athletic events, as well as organizing group outings. Team Green has chapters and members all over the world. Ted has been vegan since 2006 and has firsthand knowledge of how to get healthy through training and a proper vegan diet. Once weighing 300lbs, he decided to shed the weight, become vegan and help others who want to be fit and healthy too. He currently lives in San Diego, CA and is in businesses as well as being a personal chef, trainer and cycling instructor. Ted Trendy competes in Ironman races and Ultra events.

Heart attacks, midwestern meat & potatoes, forks over knives and why its never too late.

2012-01-28T16:17:00.000-08:00

Back story:

For the past 6 years i have been vegan and influenced countless others to go vegan, vegetarian or cut back their meat consumption to improve their overall health. My father had a heart attack 5 weeks ago. His heart stopped 3 times and he had a triple bypass. The doctor said, if he wanted to recover and live, he needed to greatly reduce his consumption of meat, eggs and dairy and eat lots of vegetables, fruits and unprocessed whole foods. They know i have lost 120 pounds and have trained and helped lots of people get in shape and i am knowledgeable with nutrition, so they turned to me for guidance. Even though i have been talking about veganism for over 6 years, like most people who need to change their lifestyle, nothing is done until something dramatic happens. I bought them a netflix subscription, since they are in a super small town (less than a 1000 people) and don't have great video access or internet knowledge. I added some movies to their queue and they received Food Inc. & Forks Over Knives in the mail a few weeks ago. My mom and my dad watched Food Inc. about a week ago and couldn't believe how their food was made and were appalled by factory farming and the GMO (genetically modified organisms) in their food.

Skip to text from my mom last night:

"Just watched forks over knives, that was REALLY good. All the information they have about plant based diets vs. animal based, kind of overwhelming and shocking. Its amazing how simple and healthy we should be eating. Having it laid out like that was really educational. After eating this way for 56 years, its clear we need to change our eating habits and lifestyle. We are going to start slow with cutting out processed foods and meat. Hopefully in time we can transition to 100% plant based diet, and maybe in the future eliminate animal products in other areas of our lives as well. Can you suggest some good cookbooks and vegan resources."

No matter what anyone says: You DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE as a vegan, even if its just one life. Remember that the next time some loser tries to bring you down for being compassionate. Stay positive because you never know when someone is listening or when you will be asked about veganism.

Trendy #4.

2012-01-28T09:58:00.000-08:00

"Raining? No problem! Increase vegan agility by dodging snails."

Trendy #3.

2012-01-18T10:29:00.001-08:00

It's easy to say nothing will change or nothing matters when you, yourself, do nothing to change.

Trendy #2.

2012-01-13T09:22:00.000-08:00

If you make an excuse for something today, you will make an excuse for everything tomorrow!

Trendy #1.

2012-01-13T09:19:00.000-08:00

We are all fleas and the earth is trying to shake us off little by little. The problem is 98% of the population is poking and prodding the earth, mocking and daring her to prove that she* is alive. Polluting, destroying and taunting her by day with promises of love and trust, while sneaking off at night to corrupt, lie and destroy behind her back. It's clear the 98% who go through life destroying her are going to ruin it for the 2% of us who care and try and bandage her, without avail. The earth will go on, we will not, this is a fact. The only factor to be determined is will we die out slowly in a whimper, or be shook of her back violently in one broad stroke?

*I refuse to believe something as complex and diverse as the earth can be anything but a female. Besides, it just has a nice ring to it.

Restaurant Review: Happy Veggie

2011-10-11T14:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Veggie (Vegan Restaurant)

330 W. Felicita Ave. Ste. C7-9

Escondido, CA 92025

Phone: 760-738-1100

E-Mail: escondidovegan@gmail.com

Facebook Page - CLICK HERE.

Lunch : 11:00 am - 2:30 pm

Dinner: 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Saturday: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Closed Sunday

We heard about this place from friends and we were very excited to try it. The vegan options in North County San Diego are almost zero. There was lots of parking and the restaurant was easy to find, it's located in the Felicita Village shopping center. There is no outside seating so no dogs allowed. This part of Escondido can be sketchy at times, but this location is safe. The outside appearance of Happy Veggie is clean and neat. Upon entering it's the same, it's clean, uncluttered and we noticed the air conditioning right away. There are lots of booths and tables and there is seating for 100. The general appearance is clean and the booths were comfortable. We were greeted with smiles and given ice water as soon as we sat down. The menu has a lot of great vegan items to choose from. Numerous appetizers, hot and cold ($3.95 - $4.95). Soups and salads ($6.25 - $6.95). Entrees ($6.95 - $11.95) They also have a lot of sides, desserts and beverages (no alcohol).

We started with the Drumsticks ($4.25) & the Vegetable Dumplings ($4.95).

They were both excellent and a good value. The Drumsticks were crispy on the outside and soft inside and came with a peanut and soy dipping sauce. The Vegetable Dumplings were done well, a lot of times the dumpling falls apart, these held together and were tasty and had a clean, and clear, sweet and sour sauce. Both came with a marinated side salad of cabbage and vegetables and was crisp and refreshing.

For entrees we ordered the Clay Pot Sensation ($6.95) & Pad Thai ($9.95).

I have had clay pot at 3 different vegan restaurants and the clay pot at Happy Veggie was the best i have had. The sauce was thinner than most so it was less sticky and seemed more homemade. It had onions and Asian peppers along with tempura bits for texture.

The Pad Thai was good although the noodles were slightly undercooked so they were hard to bite through and the sauce had a slight sour flavor, that i liked, but Tiffany didn't care for. She mentioned it was good but wouldn't order it again.

For dessert we wanted the Berry Cheese Cake but they were out so we ordered the Chocolate Cake ($3.50).

The chocolate cake was excellent. Super rich, in a good way, and the piece was large enough for 2 people to share.

Overall the lunch experience was great. Prices are extremely reasonable, the restaurant is very clean (including the bathroom) and the service is EXCELLENT!!! They filled our water many times without it going empty and that is a big deal. They also checked several times to make sure everything was good and to see if we needed anything. We look forward to going back and trying out the rest of the menu, which will take time because it is large. One nice thing is there is an ice cream shop next store (not vegan). Because Happy Veggie is next store they have added 1 vegan ice cream or sorbet that rotates everyday. It's nice to see a neighboring local business add a vegan item because of the new Happy Veggie.

Trendy's Ratings.

Price - A-
Cleanliness - A+
Service - A+
Food - A-
Ambiance - A-
Neighborhood & Parking - B-
Overall Experience -A-

Tiffany's Ratings.

Price - A-
Cleanliness - A
Service - A+++
Food - A-
Ambiance - B+
Neighborhood & Parking - N/A
Overall Experience -A

Crocodile Tears...and Ethics.

2011-09-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

“Bob Harper can eat a bag of D's!!! Another celebrity loser decides to start supporting animal abuse. Thanks jerk face! No morals or ethics. YOU ARE NOW THE BIGGEST LOSER!!!”

This was my statement a week ago after reading the story that celebrity trainer and one of the fittest guys in Hollywood, famous for inspiring and teaching people how to lose weight and change their lifestyle on The Biggest Loser, Bob Harper, was giving up his vegan diet. Now that I have had some time to calm down and think about it, I guess I’m not that upset anymore. I used to hold grudges for a long time over these celebrities who came into the light and were finally living cruelty free* (*remember this during closing statement) only to return to the dark side with some pathetic excuse. I put some pride and stock when I found out someone famous was vegan. They were on my team and I could reference them when friends would bring them up and mention how they liked them. “They’re vegan too”, I would say. Over the past few years though it has become clear, in Hollywood, maybe is it a passing fad just like everything else in that city. So, do celebrity vegans who switch back to eating animals help or hurt the cause? Are they at least trying something that most won’t? I’m not sure but it seems we (vegans) can’t win either way. When a celebrity decides to go vegan it seems they are not taken seriously and you can hear comments like, “whatever, it’s just another passing celebrity fad.” Or “he’ll give it up the next time he’s on a movie shoot somewhere he can’t get carrot sticks.” And when they quit, people start saying things like, “See it’s just a fad, she couldn’t do it and you won’t be able to either.”

I have had numerous conversations and passed around the jokes, and sometimes hate, for the celebrities who take up veganism and make it a spectacle only to disregard it later as if it was a fad or passing phase in their life. The list is growing and growing. Bob Harper, Angelina Jolie, Zooey Deschanel, Bryce Dallas Howard, Natalie Portman, Glen Beck, Ginnifer Goodwin, Alyson Hannigan, etc… The list goes on and on and some go back and forth between veg and meat eating.

What I have discovered is it’s not the back and forth and quitting that makes me scratch my head, or shake my fist. It’s the excuses and reasons the celebrities give.

Bob Harper was asked in his interview recently.

Q: You recently stopped being a vegan. Why?

Bob Harper: "I still believe that a plant-based diet has tremendous health benefits but I have incorporated more animal protein into my diet. I found that my body personally got to a point where I needed something more. I used to yell at people who said that, but now all of a sudden, my body just kind of went, 'I need something.'"

I guess I should not be surprised. Bob harper did not use the word vegan that much; he preferred the popular, less abrasive plant-based diet. Besides who needs fly by night vegans when you can have long time vegan athletes and inspirations Robert Cheeke, Rich Roll, Brendan Brazier and Scott Jurek. They actually say vegan and talk about animal rights issues all the time in their books and on social media.

What’s that you say Bobby? Your body just said, “I need something.”? What does that even mean? Last time I listened my body didn’t talk to me. How do I get one of these special talking bodies? I think I saw a movie like this once where there was a sweet talking body. KUATO LIVES!!!

Angelina Jolie stated in an interview that veganism almost killed her! Really? How did it do that? When I am hanging out with veganism we just talk about social issues and make all kinds of nutritious food. Sometimes we get silly and go for a run or a bike ride but even when I sleep and I can’t keep my eye on it, veganism always has my best interest at heart.

The "Salt" star says her guilty pleasure is to eat red meat and that when she restricted her diet to not include any animal products, it had negative effects on her health.

She said: "I joke that a big juicy steak is my beauty secret. But seriously, I love red meat. I was a vegan for a long time, and it nearly killed me. I found I was not getting enough nutrition."

A big juicy steak is your “beauty secret”? Nothing more beautiful and sexy than a huge piece of bloody cow on my plate. Have to love that torture and rape. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder Angie.

“Actress Zooey Deschanel was forced to give up her vegan diet – because it was far too limiting. The ‘Elf’ star gave up meat some years ago but recently turned her back on her vegetarian and non-dairy regimen after discovering she couldn’t eat soy or wheat products. She tells Bust magazine, ‘I gave it a good try, but sometimes you just need a little something, a little meat.’ She added to Health magazine, her food sensitivities made it difficult for her to be healthy as a vegetarian,” AceShowbiz writes.

Yeah sure Zooey, veganism can be very limiting. You can only have beans, rice, pasta, legumes, seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals, bread, etc… I imagine it would be hard to make (or have catered on set) nutritious vegan meals. After all you could only have American, Mexican, Chinese, African, Thai, German, Irish, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, native American, Caribbean, French, Belgian, Dutch, British, South American, Mediterranean, Italian, Russian, Polish, Greek, Indian, etc…Dang you have it rough, good thing you gave up and listed some gluten and soy allergies cause there is no way to work around that.

Ginnifer Goodwin said…“I’m not a vegan anymore… I’m always learning and growing and changing and there were some boring health issues… and so I did actually have to work some animal products back into my diet,” she said. “The first thing I ate was an egg that I found from a humane farm… and I scrambled it up. It was the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten. I felt like a hypocrite and I cried and then I scrambled up another one.”

Yeah those “boring heath issues” can be a pain. Not as much pain as being boiled alive and having your throat slit like a pig. Not as much pain as being crammed into a cage and pumped full of chemicals so you can develop tumors and produce large quantities of meat, like a chicken. Better listen to those doctors who think vegans are unhealthy and suggest you listen to the USDA. Believe me, the meat and dairy industry know what’s best for you, good thing you worked that animal product back in your diet. At least you found a humane farm. Nothing more humane than killing animals and cooking them, Mmmmm. You felt like a hypocrite because you are a hypocrite.

So is the celebrity vegan flip flop a good or a bad thing? I don’t know, on one hand you do reach a lot of people and introduce veganism to thousands that might not know about it. But you also set a horrible example when giving it up so easily and making empty statements about why you did it.

I guess I don’t put too much stock into what celebrities are vegans or which ones gave it up. I don’t see celebrities and think, “man I need to buy that car.” Or “I really need to think about my shaving cream options.” Or “I better not eat cheese because Alicia Silverstone doesn’t, unless I am drunk at a party, then its ok.” Right Alicia!?! So I don’t know why I would do anything different when it come to them being vegan or not. They don’t influence who I vote for, where I shop, how I get there or what I cook when I get home. We also need to remember vegan is a lifestyle not a diet choice. Most celebrities when saying vegan or vegetarian are talking about food alone. It’s not uncommon to see “vegan” celebrities wearing leather or fur. Vegan is the commitment to not supporting animal abuse. Diet is only half of the vegan lifestyle, how you live and the other non-food products you use and purchase are the other half. But that is a different subject all together.

Peace.

Ted Trendy

Recipe: Cooking With Two Vegan Boys.

2011-09-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe we featured on our blog. It was inspired by our summer garden. We used fresh cilantro, chives, spinach, and collard greens from our garden. It is delicious and so full of goodness.

You also can find us on Facebook as well, under "cooking with two vegan boys."

The title of my blog and cooking page is inspired by our two sons. They are our mini vegans. They have been vegan since birth. We are trying to raise our boys to be loving and compassionate human beings. They have protested the circus for the past two years, have never stepped foot in a fast food restaurant and have no clue who Ronald McDonald is.

When we are not cooking up some awesome vegan food, you can find us out in nature or on our bikes. Living in the Southern United States, we are fortunate to have lovely weather most of the year.

I am so grateful to know so many amazing vegans thanks to our blog and Facebook cooking page, I have gained more friends and have lost a few for my views and support of veganism, animal rights, gay rights, and human rights. I dream that one day the world will be vegan, full of love and kindness, ending the cycle of cruelty we see daily in factory farms.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Go Vegan!

Krys

Stuffed Collard Rolls

2T olive oil
1/4c cilantro, chopped
4 chive stalks, chopped
2c cooked rice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1t cumin
1/2t chili powder
1/2 t salt
3T pepitas
1/4c vegetable broth
10 fresh collard green leaves

In a large pot, place the collard greens in and fill with water. Turn the burner on high and gently submerge the leaves being careful not to tear them. Once the leaves wilt, remove them from the burner. (The water does not need to boil, it just needs to be hot enough to wilt the leaves). Set aside.

In a skillet, sauté the cilantro and chives in the olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except the collard leaves. Saute on low and cook until heated through, approximately 5 minutes.

On cutting board gently lay out a collard leaf. Fill with 2-3 tablespoons of the bean and rice mix. Gently roll and place on a plate seam down. Continue until all the collard leaves have been used. If you have leftover filling, it is great in a tortilla topped with salsa.

To serve the stuffed collard rolls, drizzle with sundried tomato pesto and top with a dollop of homemade guacamole. We serve ours with a side of corn.

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

1c sundried tomatoes, packed
4 cloves garlic
1/2c walnuts
1/4c nutritional yeast
3/4c olive oil
1/4t black pepper
1/2t salt
1/2c fresh spinach
1T balsalmic vinegar
1/4c water, optional

Place all the ingredients in a food processor. Puree. Add the water if the pesto seems to thick.

The rise (and eventual fall) of the glutton.

2011-09-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

A husband and wife sit down with their 4 kids for dinner at a local restaurant called Slick Willies. After looking over the menu and much debate they have decided and they choose the “Bad Ass Big Bubba”. Like the name suggests, it’s not to be taken lightly, what comes out of the kitchen next is a 10 pound hamburger. The burger is about 3 inches thick and 1 foot across and loaded with 2 heads of lettuce, 3 tomatoes, 2 onions, 20 slices of cheese, 12 pickles and 2 oversized buns. It’s enough to feed this family of 6 and at $46 it’s quite a hefty feat to attempt. Sadly, this is just one person’s order, the husband has chosen to take on this enormous eating challenge and impress his family and the rest of the restaurant. What’s his prize? He receives everlasting glory and a story that will be passed down from generation to generation. Oh I almost forgot, he gets a t-shirt and his picture on the wall.

This is the scene played out in countless restaurants across the U.S. every day. Huge oversized food challenges that will test your stomach and will. From Maine to Southern California, jumbo meal challenges are popping up more and more. And it’s not just burgers; other challenges include the 4 pound Godzilla sushi roll, the 28 inch mega pizza, 10lbs.of pancakes super breakfast, a 3 foot submarine sandwich, 180 monster oystertower, 2 foot mumbo jumbo hotdog and the list goes on and on.

But are these oversized meal challenges really worth it? When did we become a nation of super gluttons who now are using oversized stomachs to impress? Since when are you “cool” or “inspiring” because you can eat 100 chicken wings in 30 minutes? This growing trend is disturbing and it only seems to be getting more popular. With television shows like “Man vs. Food”, “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” and “Diners, Drive In’s and Dives” promoting overeating and over indulgence is at the forefront and food challenges and contests can be seen regularly. The people undertaking these eating challenges are usually transformed into disgusting forms of human beings who look sick. They sweat, moan and act like someone, who if you didn’t know the circumstance, would need to be taken to the emergency room, and sometimes do. If they are lucky and “true champions”, they are able to keep their meal down, but sometimes you get “lucky” and see them rush to the bathroom to throw up, very glamorous.

Should we not be surprised that these gluttonous TV shows are getting more and more popular? I know people like to watch train wrecks! That’s why shows like jersey shore and bad girls club are so popular; everyone has their guilty pleasure right? But I think there is a difference between watching people behave badly, who are trying to become popular for behaving badly, and watching someone stuff their face with a mega sundae called “thekitchen sink.”

In a nation where 63% of the adult population is overweight or obese, should be we glorifying overeating? Should we be rewarding this behavior with T.V. time and applause? Maybe instead we should be watching videos of heart bypass surgery, after all heart disease is the #1 killer in the U.S., and 34 - 40% of American are at risk, mainly because being overweight and inactive has caused high blood pressure and high cholesterol. We are bombarded with food commercials from the time we are children. They lure us in with toys and tricks, and when we are older with super-size and extra sides. The same bells and whistles are used in eating contests and food challenges. Everything does not need to be a contest. We should be eating to survive not eating to impress.

Next time there is a food challenge show on could we get a scrolling ticker tape over the guy doing the 8lb. burrito challenge? I want nutritional information and a link that would provide a glimpse into his medical future. I want to see how he feels when he leaves the restaurant. Over the next few days what kind of damage does his body go through?

Topics like this hit very close to home for me. As a former obese person, close to 300 lbs., I used to love watching food shows 24/7; there are even a few I still enjoy. This isn’t to say everyone who watches food shows is overweight or unhealthy, or if you enter an eating contest you are overweight or obese, but I bet it leans more that way than to the healthy side. This also goes the other way too, just because you are “skinny” but can eat anything you want without gaining weight, does not mean you are healthy on the inside. Also I am not talking about people with eating disorders, people eat for all kinds of reasons and i would not make fun of that, this is about the glorification of overeating. I wish I would have realized a lot sooner that gluttony is not a laughing matter and food is not a source of comfort or companionship. I see friends online who are in the same position I was in 6 years ago. Always posting about eating, every social event is around food and drinks. Food conquests are seen as proud moments. We need to reverse this thinking. Otherwise the friends and family that we enjoy the company of now will not be around later in life. We need to think about prevention and not wait for something bad to happen.

Me circa 2005?

I love to go out with friends and toast and enjoy some food, we should not stop having fun, but it can be done in a better way at times. The occasional over eating session is bound to happen at parties, family gatherings, potlucks, etc…but we don’t need to make it an every meal thing and we certainly do not need to be glorifying and promoting eating champions and gluttony on TV and in real life. Just remember everyone has to start somewhere, even little changes help.

"There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth...not going all the way, and not starting."

Hindu Prince Gautama Siddhartha, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C

Me 2010

Peace,

Ted Trendy.

Recipe Of The Week #1: Jumbo Curry Wontons.

2011-09-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

We will be putting a great vegan recipe up here every week. We will include step by step instructions with pictures and cooking tips. Please post your versions with pictures on the TEAM GREEN Facebook page. If you want to submit a recipe to be featured here, please contact us.

Ingredients.

1 package of vegan wonton skins or pot stickers
1 package of seitan
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 tbsp. curry powder
1 tbsp. granulated garlic
1 tbsp. dried basil
2 tbsp. sesame seed
1 shredded carrot
1 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional/more or less to taste)
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
oil
salt and pepper

Directions.

Saute the diced onion for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Dice up the seitan and add to onion mixture and cook until warmed through, add all the dried spices and 2 tbls. of water. If you want it spicy add the crushed red pepper flakes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. You should have enough water to make everything come together and not be dry, but it should not be watery or overly saucy because it will not work as a filling if its too wet.

Set mixture aside.
Preheat Oven to 425 degrees.
Spray baking sheet with non stick spray or olive oil.
Lay out wonton wrappers on baking sheet.
Put a tablespoon of filling in the middle of the wonton.

Use your finger and some water and edge the bottom wonton with water so you can seal.
Place another wonton on top of the filling and seal with a fork, make sure to get out excess air.

Spray the tops of the wonton wrapper with non stick spray or olive oil.
Sprinkle with Salt and place in oven, bake until golden brown.

Garnish with shredded carrots, purple cabbage and sesame seeds.

NOM NOM NOM!!!

NOTE 1: The inside is already cooked, watch the wontons because they can burn quickly.

NOTE 2: You can experiment with ingredients, i sub out the curry and add mushrooms and olives, spoon tomato sauce over cooked wontons for an Italian twist.

Across the Universe.

2011-08-31T12:31:00.000-07:00

Few things make me happier than listening to the Beatles on a Sunday morning, or any day off for that matter. John, Paul, George and yes, even Ringo will always have a place in my heart. I was raised on "oldies" and classic rock and i don't think i will ever get tired of the Beatles. Maybe its the memories of sitting in the sun on the weekends listening to the Beatles with my dad, or just the calming and soothing music that puts me at ease, either way it doesn't matter, i love the Beatles. They are pioneers and cover the whole spectrum of rock and roll, to psychedelia to blues and country. One of the things i have always said is "I have a hard time trusting anyone who doesn't like the Beatles, if you can't get behind them, you have a problem with yourself." I say it in jest, but there is some truth to the statement. I never noticed vegan or vegetarian lyrics or themes in music until i became vegan myself in 2006. From "All you need is love" to "In my life", they have numerous songs about peace, love and respect for life. So i found myself thinking, are the Beatles, or their members, vegan or vegetarian. Do i now have an even greater reason to love the Fab Four? I was confused because they sing about peace and love but are often seen in old videos wearing leather and lots of fur. How could you sing about peace and love, but support cruel, unnecessary industries? So began my journey looking into the subject online. There are lots of conflicting stories out there, and who can be sure whats real or not. We all know Paul and Linda McCartney are huge animal rights people, and are always talking about vegetarianism and animal rights, but i wanted to find out how it started and learn about the other members. It seems when they started out, they all went vegetarian one by one, some sticking with it and some not.

John was the first of the Beatles to try out vegetarianism in the Late 1960's when he started to get into Eastern Philosophy and the teaching of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. John then started to pass along his love of Indian culture with George Harrison and the rest of the Beatles. George went vegetarian in the late 1960s as well, because of Johns influence and his love of Hare Krishna and the Maharishi. Paul's first encounter with vegetarianism was also around 1967, when the Beatles all became followers of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. They were all vegetarian for a while at the Maharishi's ashram in India, and there are conflicting stories of them going back and forth with eating meat and vegetarianism. John Lennon for the remainder of the 1960s and throughout the 1970s was mainly vegetarian, although he did occasionally go back to eating meat now and again. Lennon said in an interview, "I don't think animals were meant to be eaten and worn. We have enough resources to do without them. It's common sense to me that you shouldn't eat most of the chemically treated rubbish most people seem to stuff themselves with. The trouble is most vegetarians don't get enough protein. My diet's based on meal, bread which Yoko makes, rice and no sugar. We have honey if things need sweetening." Even with the teaching and influence they had in India, Paul was eating meat again by the time he married Linda in 1968. Linda was diligent though and was a huge influence on Paul and helped convert him to a lifetime vegetarian eventually, although it took some time.

Paul wrote in the Linda McCartney biography ". . . As always, since around 1982, Linda greeted me with, 'Have you gone veggie yet?', and as always I told her that I was a little more veggie than last time we had seen each other and I was getting there gradually. That made her happy."

Mary McCartney, in an interview with The Guardian, July 18, 2010, Mary gave her own version of life at the time: One day Mum and Dad said, "Look, we've decided to be vegetarian. We're not going to have meat at home, but it's your decision [whether you want to be vegetarian, too]." Mum was a good cook and I didn't really notice the difference. They'd been driving behind a lorry that had lots and lots of chickens crammed into it and obviously between the two of them they thought, "That's not right." I even think Mum took a picture of it – I have a vision of it because I've looked through her archive. They said, "Because of that we don't want to eat chicken any more." But they wouldn't scaremonger and they'd discussed it between themselves. Dad was a traditional eater and didn't want vegetarianism to mean missing out. So Mum made a real effort to fill that hole on the plate and make interesting food. ... I was six or seven at this point, still at primary school.

Paul and Lindas vegetarian influence is huge, and can still be felt today ". . . The McCartney's joined in PETA campaigns against General Motors, L'oreal cosmetics, Gilette razors and meat in general. In the midwest the pork lobby learned of the association and 300 pig farmers in Iowa returned their tickets to Paul's concert. . " Paul is a huge voice for the Meatless Mondays campain that is sweeping the UK and has started to take off here in the U.S. as well. From Linda's Biography ". . . Her name in Britain is now synonymous with frozen meatless food; there is even a dog food marketed there that is 'Lin-tested', with a little icon of her face on the package; a cat food is on the way. . . ."

At the time of her death, Linda was one of the richest women in England but it never stopped her love of animals or prevented her from being too busy to protest cruelty. Linda's third cookbook, Linda McCartney on Tour, is another bestseller; she is the most successful author of vegetarian cookbooks in the history of publishing. Paul is still going strong and continues the animal rights campaign in Linda's honor.

John and Yoko Ono went through periods of vegetarianism in the 1970s, going back and forth between meat and veggie. Ono was quoted saying "Intuition tells you what to eat. It's dangerous to try to unify things. Everybody has different needs. We went through vegetarianism and macrobiotic, but now, because we're in the studio, we do eat some junk food. We're trying to stick to macrobiotic: fish and rice, whole grains. You balance foods and eat foods indigenous to the area. Corn is the grain from this area." They became really focused on macrobiotic living and it seems thats what John was into until the time he was Killed. They explained to David Sheff, who interviewed them in 1980 for Playboy magazine:

SHEFF: What does your diet include besides sashimi and sushi, Hershey bars and cappuccinos?

LENNON: We're mostly macrobiotic, but sometimes I take the family out for a pizza.

George Harrison was greatly moved from everything he learned while in India and continued being vegetarian until his death in 2001.

from an interview on krishnatemple.com (1989):
Mukunda: You've been a vegetarian for years, George. Have you had any difficulties maintaining it?
George: No. Actually, I wised up and made sure I had dal bean soup or something every day. Actually, lentils are one of the cheapest things, but they give you A-l protein. People are simply screwing up when they go out and buy beef steak, which is killing them with cancer and heart troubles. The stuff costs a fortune too. You could feed a thousand people with lentil soup for the cost of half a dozen filets. Does that make sense?

George said "The thing that repelled me about eating meat was the idea of killing animals. But the main issue is that it's not healthy and not natural."

Ringo Starr is still going strong today and touring with his all star band. He went back and forth a few times with meat but was mostly vegetarian. Ringo was asked about his diet in December 1973 and replied, "I eat meat twice a year. On Bonfire Night I have a sausage and Christmas I have a turkey with the festivities, because it is exciting. I am getting excited over Christmas. So they are the only two days I have it." [Source: "The Beatles After The Break Up" - Keith Badman]

In a 1995 interview, Paul McCartney said, "We all turned out to be veggie. Ringo's walking around with, like, a bag of seeds, so healthy".

It seems the members of the Beatles had similar conflicts that some of my friends and family do. Going back and forth with veganism and vegetarianism. To eat meat or not? Struggling what to call yourself or what is right. With all the resources and information we have today, there is no excuse not to find out about factory farming and the food industry. Once you know the facts, you can decide for yourself what it right. I can respect someone who knows the facts, has done the research, watched the documentaries and still eats meat, rather than someone who buries their head in the sand. I think in the long run, as we get older we all figure it out what works for each of us. I wish i would have figured it out when i was a kid rather than in my 20's. No matter what you eat or don't eat, next time you listen to the Beatles, really listen to some of the lyrics and try and put them in perspective with what is going on today in the world. Words are just words, you need to put action behind them.

Peace,

Ted Trendy.

What the French Toast?!?!

2011-08-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

We are in the process of updating and revamping all the Team Green online sites. We will finally be using this site to write everything that pops into our heads. Vegan issues, recipes, athletic training, nutrition, workouts, annoying vegan celebrity rants, race reports, restaurant reviews, etc...I will also be linking some of the stories to our other online accounts (listed above/right).

So check back in every day for a new blog about, well, it could be anything?!?!