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Thanksgiving … the scariest time of year if you are a turkey or if you’re like me and getting married in December and have a very form-fitting dress that won’t accommodate overindulgence in holiday fare. Fortunately, we can help turkeys and our waistlines by having a vegan holiday feast!

Vegans are approximately one-ninth as likely to be obese as meat-eaters. Researchers have found that overweight people consume about the same number of calories as slim people—but they don’t consume the same kinds of food. Animal products contain much more fat than plant-based foods.

There are many delicious vegan creations to tempt your taste buds this holiday season. Green bean casserole, sweet potato biscuits, Tofurky, and Orange-Cranberry Upside-Down Cake, anyone? For a festive centerpiece that is certainly more appealing than a stuffed avian body cavity, why not try stuffing and baking a pumpkin with your favorite vegetarian stuffing? You can even use your fancy carving tools to carve it and wow your guests.

Click here for more vegan Thanksgiving cooking ideas.

Sarah and Theresa model matching pink thermal
underwear featuring a convenient opening in just
the right spot! I bet they’ll stay toasty this winter!

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, November 12, 2007.

In our area of Virginia, the temperatures have started to dip into the 40s and even the 30s. This means that some dogs will already have started shivering. And when it comes to resisting the cold weather, size does not matter at all. The biggest, strongest, toughest-looking pit bull or Doberman can be seen looking hunched over and miserable outside because their short, thin coats are not doing it for them. This is one reason why it’s so tragic that Dobermans are often used as guard dogs. They have to endure loneliness and freezing-cold temperatures. My late Doberman, Shandy, was always a chilly dog in winter, so I bought him a sporty blue cape-like jacket from a greyhound catalog that made him look like Superdog. He loved it and seemed to walk taller in it too.

Many people don’t realize that some dogs need winterwear because they assume that a dog’s coat is sufficient protection against the cold. But look at it this way: Don’t you sometimes feel cold when you’re outside with a coat on? And it gets worse if you’re not given the opportunity to move around much, such as in the sad case of dogs who are chained or penned outside.

A good rule of thumb is this: If you feel comfortable in a light jacket and your dog has a medium-thick coat, everything should be fine. If you feel the need to put on a heavier coat and mittens, then start thinking about buying outerwear for your dog too. Don’t worry about it if you have a husky, collie, chow-chow, or other dog with a thick undercoat, but do worry about it if your dog has a thin, short haircoat or is old or infirm. Worry less if you’re going for a brisk walk or run that will warm you both up quickly, and worry more if you’re going to be standing around outside for any length of time.

Or you could just observe your dog and see if he or she shivers. Then get your dog some outerwear pronto!

You can knit or crochet your own dog sweaters—there are lots of patterns on the Internet. Teresa, the guardian of Joey and Chandler, whose picture accompanies this post, whips out dog sweaters like nobody’s business. And choosing your own colors can be a lot of fun. If you’d rather go with something store-bought, there’s a lot to choose from both online and at your local pet supply store: sweaters, coats, thermal underwear, sweatshirts—even boots to fend off snow and ice.

Boots are particularly good for dogs with furry feet who are going to be walking around in the snow. I remember my cocker spaniel Rogan accumulating little icy snowballs all over his fluffy feet when we walked in the snow the first time. Not too pleasant—in fact, he stopped walking altogether and made me carry him!

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Mice. Oh so cute. If only they didn’t leave their little evidence everywhere. Last year, a little mouse got into my apartment. I heard some chewing in the walls at night for quite a while but couldn’t figure out exactly where it was coming from. I went out of town for a weekend, and when I came home I saw little pieces of cat food on the kitchen floor. This was very curious, considering that I do not have a cat.

What had happened was that this little mouse had chewed through the wall in my pantry while I was gone and went straight for the emergency bag of cat food I keep on hand for when I find strays. I quickly cleaned up the little mess that he had made, and I searched for the point of entry. I found his little escape route and I plugged up the hole with some steel wool. I then proceeded to clean my whole kitchen with peppermint-scented soap and essential peppermint oil (mice are not fans of peppermint!).

Thinking that I had dealt with this issue, I went to sleep right after baking some vegan apple-raisin muffins—leaving the muffins out on the counter to cool. I woke up in the morning, ready to have a muffin for breakfast, and—all the muffin tops had been eaten! This was so cute and so frustrating all at the same time―all I could think of were his tiny little hands holding the crumbs and chewing incessantly on the treasure that he had discovered as I slept.

If you build it, they will come, and things can get a bit exasperating if you don’t solve the problem completely. Over the next couple of days, I did a thorough check of my whole apartment and found two more holes that he was using to go in and out. I sealed those up, and things have been mouse-free ever since.

In the event that a little mouse or several mice find their way inside your home, check out our humane tips for making your house mouse-proof.

Cruel methods are never necessary―please also take a moment to ask Lowe’s to stop selling glue traps.

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This past weekend, I was doing a bit of holiday shopping, and to my surprise I stumbled upon some amazing cruelty-free body care product deals in the most unlikely of places.

Maybe everyone else has known this for eons, but while shopping at TJ Maxx and Marshalls, I saw some fantastic bargains on products from companies like Nature’s Gate, Jason Natural, EO Products, Mrs. Meyers, and more. You just have to look in their special health and beauty care sections.

Furthermore, both stores had a lot of great nonwool sweaters and scarves and even a few synthetic-down jackets. There were also lots of nonleather shoes at a fraction of the price that they would cost in most department stores.

Another store where I have recently spotted some over-the-top deals on cruelty-free products is Big Lots. Big and bright orange on the outside—a virtual treasure chest of cruelty-free finds on the inside. On recent trips, I have seen everything from cheap tubes of Tom’s of Maine toothpaste to highly discounted bottles of Method laundry detergent. Last time, I even scored some Freeman face wash for $1.50.

So, if you’re looking to stretch your holiday budget by buying cheaper personal-care products for yourself so that you can spend more on gifts for others, you might want to give TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Big Lots a try. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find the perfect gift for that hard-to-shop-for person on your list in the process.

Kaiser never dwells on the neglect that
he suffered in the past when he was
nearly starved to death―for him,
it’s all about today!

Well, for starters, we don’t see many dogs or wolves climbing trees or walking around on their hind legs. But how about what’s on the inside? Specifically, what’s going on inside that canine brain that might be different from what’s inside our primate noggins?

Many dog guardians want to treat their dogs just as they would a human best friend. That does sound warm and fuzzy and appealing to us, but unfortunately, our dogs don’t always enjoy that role because of the way their canine brains are wired. Of course, each dog is different, but in general, dog psychology dictates that every dog pack, which can also include humans, has to have a leader (even a pack of two). A dog without a leader feels anxious and unprotected and thus takes steps to try to become the leader in order to fill that void. This can take the form of aggression, obsessive barking, inappropriate urination, and domination, among other things. Now, I don’t know about you, but as much as I dearly love my dogs, I don’t want them to be the boss of me anyway. So that means that I have to be the one to step up and fill the role of pack leader in order to fulfill my dogs’ psychological needs.

The appealing thing about having a pack leader, from Fido’s point of view, is that the leader provides protection as well as structure, boundaries, and rules―all of which make dogs feel secure. Does that sound familiar? That’s because children crave the exact same things.

A second big difference between canine and primate psychology is that whenever anyone gets scared or hurt, we primates jump in to comfort and console and make a fuss―that makes us all feel better, whether child or adult. However, with dogs it’s different. If Fifi gets frightened or hurt and you freak out, showering her with comfort and caresses, it will have the effect of highlighting and bookmarking the trauma, thus validating her fear, so that she will end up becoming even more fearful.

Instead, whenever there’s a mishap, even a serious one, the best way to react is to be calm and upbeat and confident. Say cheerful things, like, “You’re doing great, Fifi!” This will help her feel calm and confident too. Of course, get her to the vet if needed, but even then, do her a favor and avoid giving in to sobbing or hysterical exclamations of “My poor little BABY!!!”

Another thing that distinguishes canine thinking from primate (or at least human) thought―and one that makes dogs so endlessly appealing to us―is that they really know how to live in the moment. They are true Zen masters. But too many dog guardians, especially those who have rescued a dog from a terrible situation, inadvertently force their dogs to live in the past by not ever letting go of Bowser’s tragic beginnings. If, every time we gaze upon him, we think, “My poor sweet angel―you’ve been through so much in your life!” it will inevitably lead to permissiveness (lack of boundaries, rules, and structure―see above), way too many treats (can you say “obesity”?), and a general atmosphere of sadness and uneasiness.

We need to let go of the past and be here now―for our dogs as well as for ourselves! Regret has the effect of stealing our present moment away from us. Dogs don’t go there. They don’t dwell on the past and they certainly don’t worry about the future. They just take the present moment and make the most of it. So let’s learn from Bowser and forget about his awful past experiences. Just see him for who he is right now and treat him accordingly. He will be thrilled!

Wishbones have always been pretty bizarre. I mean, how exactly are your heartfelt wishes all supposed to come true by splitting a greasy bone that you pulled out of the dead animal lying on your table? And, after all, wouldn’t the turkey have wished not to be eaten?

Well, the folks over at Lucky Break Wishbone seem to realize that there are a lot of vegan wishes out there waiting to come true. Thus, they have created a wishbone that is most definitely vegan-friendly—the wishbones are completely synthetic.

So, now there is a cruelty-free option for all of you who still want to take part in this tradition. Just think—by using these wishbones, you can make all sorts of wishes about better treatment for animals.

You could even stick one in the middle of your Tofurky (just make sure no one tries to eat it!). Both the packaging and the wishbones themselves are recyclable and made in the USA.

Enter to Win!
We’re giving five “lucky” people the chance to win a pack of 10 of the wishbones. To win, post a comment below with a wish that you have for animals! (Don’t worry―the whole saying it out loud thing doesn’t really apply, since you are typing it.)

This contest ends on November 18, 2008, and the winners will be chosen and notified the same day. You should also be sure to read the contest terms and conditions and PETA’s privacy policy before you comment—you’re acknowledging that you have read and agreed to both by leaving a comment.

Good luck!

The holidays are upon us, and to many of us, that means not just piling the Tofurky and vegan pumpkin pie on our plates, but also piling an extra couple of pounds on the bathroom scale.

Fortunately, there is a new program that can help you and animals this holiday season: The PETA Pack.

By participating in the PETA Pack, you can raise money to help animals and keep your weight in check so that the holidays don’t leave you with something like the “Freshman 15″ around your waist.

By joining the PETA Pack, you will gain access to 13 fun weeks of professional coaching from Coach Darren, the “pack leader.” He will help you learn how to run if you’re just starting or help you achieve new goals if you’re already a runner. You’ll also get great vegan diet tips and helpful exercise training information.

At the conclusion of the 13 weeks, on February 1, 2009, a race will be held in San Francisco. If you can’t make it to the race, you can still join in spirit and run a race in your own hometown.

So, what are you waiting for—join the PETA Pack today!

Amy’s vegan wedding cake!

This past weekend, my good friend and coworker Amy, who writes the Veg Cooking Blog, got married in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.

The early evening ceremony was beautiful—illuminated by countless white candles and the fading end-of-day sunlight that was fleeting from the large vintage windows above. When Amy appeared, locked arm-in-arm with her dad, looking all stunning in her gown and birdcage veil, I was happy to have the small pack of tissues emblazoned with my hotel’s logo in my bag.

For all you Veg Cooking Blog fans, it will come as no surprise that the food was also stunning. I will post the menu and more food photos soon, but in the meantime I wanted to talk about the cake.

The cake was a luscious three-tier vegan chocolate cake with amaretto frosting made by Southern Sweets Bakery of Decatur, Georgia. The cake was so intensely decedent that it essentially melted in your mouth.

I really hope Amy won’t be too disappointed on her one-year anniversary when she goes to get the cake top out of her freezer and instead finds a box weighted with about 10,000 “I Am Not a Nugget” stickers that Joel and I left as a decoy while we stole the top of the cake to eat on the way home…

Congratulations Amy!

Dexter’s appetite is back to normal―no thanks to
synthetic chemicals.

As a person who has never had any trouble whatsoever questioning authority, it often shocks me to hear friends and acquaintances tell me that they just went along with whatever treatment their vet recommended for their dog without even questioning it. Often they’ll give their dog a medication without even knowing what it is or they won’t even know the name of the condition or illness that their dog has. They just leave the dog’s health and treatment in the hands of the almighty veterinarian. I think this blind obedience stems from the fact that a veterinarian is considered an authority figure, with lots of educational qualifications and experience. But many people fail to realize that vets are just people too. They can have their biases (veterinary surgeons like to do surgery, for example!), and they didn’t all graduate at the top of their class, either.

The importance of questioning authority cannot be overstated. Blind obedience to authority can lead to horrifying consequences, as was clearly demonstrated in the Milgram experiments of the 1960s, in which between 61 and 66 percent of people were willing to administer fatal shocks (450 volts) to another human being just because the authority figure told them that they must do it.

This is frightening on many levels, but for my purposes, I would like to focus on the implications of this mentality for our dogs’ health and well-being. Recently, my rambunctious, fun-loving, 5-year-old dog Dexter’s appetite started to go wonky. I would call him to come for his dinner, and he wouldn’t come! This continued and became worrisome, so I had blood work done, and the results showed a low thyroid reading. The vet recommended an “add-on” thyroid test, which also showed a low thyroid reading. She then strongly recommended that I go ahead and just put Dexter on synthetic thyroid hormone (thyroxine) for the rest of his life, based on the results of those two tests. So I consulted two other vets, including one whom I considered holistic because she does acupuncture and chiropractic, and all three of them agreed.

Because they all sounded so sure of themselves, I did it, but I was very uncomfortable doing it. Dexter didn’t have any other symptoms of a dog with low thyroid levels, and the thought of keeping him on synthetic thyroxine his whole life seemed rather drastic. Actually, it bothered me so much that I decided to seek out a fourth opinion from a holistic vet whom I knew I could really trust―Dr. Monique Maniet at Veterinary Holistic Care in Bethesda, Maryland. She used to be my vet when I lived in Maryland prior to 1996, and I know her to be a perfectionist with a thorough and up-to-date knowledge of all kinds of holistic treatments.

Well, that was the turning point. Dr. Maniet examined Dexter’s record and said, “He doesn’t have hypothyroidism.” She pointed out several reasons why it didn’t make sense and explained that a low thyroid reading could point to many different problems unrelated to hypothyroidism. And as a matter of fact, Dexter was experiencing some other health problems that could have contributed to this low thyroid reading, notably a chronic limp (which is another whole story for later). Dr. Maniet said to take him off the thyroxine, and she gave me a thyroid-stimulating herbal supplement to use for a little while instead. Now, three weeks later, Dexter is back to normal, eating like a champ―no hesitation whatsoever!

I just wonder what percentage of people would have simply acquiesced under pressure, as I initially did, and just put their dog on a lifetime of medication, which would have effectively shut down his thyroid, rendering him totally dependent on synthetic hormones. I’m guessing around 61 to 65 percent.

The moral of the story is this: Take everything your vet says with a grain of salt. You alone are responsible for your dog’s well-being, so if something in a treatment plan seems off, speak up! Ask for alternatives. Get a second opinion and a third and a fourth, if you have to, and by all means, check out the holistic alternatives and approaches. Go online and do some research on your own. You’ll be amazed at how much you can learn that way. Take charge of your dog’s health yourself. You, and not your vet, are your dog’s best advocate.

And in case any vets are reading this―I have nothing against vets per se. In fact, I appreciate vets very much. But I just think we need to view them in the proper perspective―as people, not gods.

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month is just about to come to a close, but it’s not too late to ask the Susan G. Komen Foundation to cut out animal research! Every 12 minutes, a woman in America succumbs to breast cancer, but the Susan G. Komen Foundation continues to waste funds on cruel, outdated, and unreliable animal tests as the clock ticks on cancer patients’ lives.

Please support humane breast cancer charities, such as the Avon Foundation, which channels its funds into prevention, community-based organizations, and cutting-edge clinical research.

Searching for a cure shouldn’t cost animals their lives. Please take a moment to urge Susan G. Komen Foundation officials to immediately end all support for animal tests!

Click here to send them a letter.