Thanksgiving Alternative: Adopt a Turkey

The Adopt a Turkey Project, which gives people the opportunity to sponsor one of the rescued birds who reside at the group’s shelters in New York and California, has provided care for more than 1,000 rescued turkeys over the last 25 years. For a one-time donation of just $30, adopters receive a special adoption certificate complete with color photo and fun details about their new adopted turkey friend.

Turkeys are, in fact, intelligent and social animals, who form lifelong bonds and possess unique abilities to communicate with one another. Just as “Free Birds” brings to life the personalities of each of its animal characters, caretakers at Farm Sanctuary know that real-life turkeys possess distinct personalities and exhibit a joy for life. Among the adoptable turkeys are:

Tulip, who lives at Farm Sanctuary’s New York Shelter; she is sensitive and kind to her flockmates and loves grapes and cranberries, 

Minerva, an attention-loving turkey with a passion for sunflower seeds, who resides at the rescue group’s shelter near Los Angeles, and

Tibbott, an outgoing guy who resides at Farm Sanctuary’s Northern California Shelter; he loves to meet new people and snack on lettuce and grapes.

“After more than 25 years of caring for rescued turkeys through our Adopt a Turkey Project, we’re delighted to team up with Reggie and Jake this Thanksgiving,” says Farm Sanctuary President and Co-founder Gene Baur. “We hope their amazing adventure will inspire even more people to adopt a turkey as part of their holiday tradition.”

To learn more about the Adopt a Turkey Project, visit adoptaturkey.org or call the Turkey Adoption Hotline at 1-888-SPONSOR.

This is a guest post from Farm Sanctuary which operates three shelters in New York and California that provide lifelong care for nearly 1,000 rescued farm animals, works to change laws to decrease abuse of farm animals, and promotes compassionate vegan living.

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Thanksgiving: 3 Reasons to Hold the Turkey

Are you going vegetarian or vegan this Thanksgiving?  A fabulous delicious thanksgiving feast is completely doable without the turkey, I enjoy one every year.  More and more, people are rethinking the need for turkey on the table and switching to vegetarian options.  There are many reasons for this, but the top three are probably the desire to have a cruelty free meal, to be healthier, and to make less impact environmentally.

Ethics:  Every year over 300 million turkeys are killed for Thanksgiving.  This is after they have endured a torturous life in outrageously cruel conditions in factory farms.  They are kept in tiny cages crammed with other birds, they're shot full of antibiotics (which the consumer later ingests), they're beaks and toes are cut off, and on it goes until they are loaded on a conveyor belt, their throats are slit and then they are dipped into boiling water to remove their feathers often while they are still alive.  Not very appetizing.

Health:  Turkey meat is not healthy!  It's high in saturated fat and cholesterol which is implicated in various diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.  During processing, fecal matter routinely spills into the cavities of the birds via eviscerating equipment which leads to Salmonella and Campylobacter.

Environment:  There are over 7000 turkey farms in the US.  Much of the billions of pounds of manure generated by these factory farms ends up in our water supply.  Grain consumed by turkeys could go to the millions of people starving in the world.  As stated by the UN, factory farming is responsible for more co2 emissions than all forms of transport combined.  So globally, it's not a wise use of resources.

And as a final note, I think vegan and vegetarian food is more delicious and would choose it regardless of any other reason.   It's not a sacrifice, and additionally, it's often cheaper and faster, and it's more nutritious.  For more information, check out PETA's guide to Vegan Holidays, there are tabs detailing the points above as well, if you would like more information on that.  Also, a quick google search will yield hundreds of free vegetarian and vegan recipes appropriate for Thanksgiving.

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Beef up your Vegan Holiday Repertoire with these new cookbooks

Need some ideas for meals to serve during the holidays?  If you're cooking vegan or vegetarian for yourself, it's no big deal.  You already know how hearty and satisfying the food is.  But if you are having veg-resistant guests (sometimes that can happen inadvertently), it's nice to have a few tricks up your sleeve.  A lot of people still think that a meal is not complete without that centerpiece meat-dish, particularly on special occasions.  Sometimes you have company for  a few days and want to come up with some dishes that will wow those omnivores.

Here are some new vegan cookbooks for some fresh inspiration.   I have not had time to try many recipes, but I'm always interested in the latest vegan cookbook and I'm so happy to see that genre growing.  VIVA VEGAN comes from Terry Hope Romera, co-author of the classic and reliable Veganomicon,  Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World, as well as the holiday essential, Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.  Viva Vegan is for those who like a little spice.  Romero has veganized traditional Latin cuisine by drawing from her own Venezuelan background and her experience working in the Latin NYC restaurant, Bachue. There is a color photo spread in the center and the book contains a good 200 recipes.  Would make a great holiday gift for that person who likes Latin American cuisine.

THE MEAT LOVERS MEATLESS COOKBOOK, Vegetarian Recipes Carnivores Will Devour is perfect for those who feel like they need more hearty fare.  I think the title will also appeal to people adopting the "Meatless Mondays" tradition or who are transitioning.  I am not a fan of anything resembling meat and thought at first glance this might be bogged down with meat substitutes and faux meat, but it's not. I also prefer lighter fare and this book has that as well. I appreciate dishes like  the twice baked sweet potato, the kale chips, and the heavier polenta with Puttanesca.  The center color pictures look wonderful.  This would make a great gift and perhaps a little nudge to those who would like to eat healthier without sacrificing a thing.

Finally, you've been out showing your guests around town all day and come home hungry and need something quick to whip up.  FRESH AND FAST VEGAN will give you some new ideas for quickie meals that are not stingy on nutrition.  This book does not contain pictures--something I really feel are important in a cookbook.  But the recipes are straight forward, the layout is easy and the book is accessible to someone who might feel intimidated by vegan food prep (as hard as it is to believe that vegan food could be intimidating, I hear it all the time).  I think it's a nice book for anyone that doesn't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but still wants variety and flavor.  

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I Am Grateful

With Thanksgiving around the corner, I couldn't resist this apt title. I AM GRATEFUL: Recipes and Lifestyle of Cafe Gratitude is a collection of recipes (and philosophy) from San Fransisco's raw foods restaurant, Cafe Gratitude.

Author Terces Engelhart takes you through her journey to a healthier lifestyle and ultimately into the world of raw foods and opening her own restaurant with her partner Matthew. She is very open about her struggles with disordered eating, and it's inspiring to hear about her transformation.

The recipes require the basic equipment; food processor blender, and dehydrator, and the only food I'm not familiar with is Irish Moss, which is a seaweed used for thickening and texture. I'm not put off by unusual ingredients at all, but it might be hard to find for some. There are color photos throughout the book and positive affirmations are the titles of each recipe, such as I Am Energetic, I Am Grateful, etc.

I'm particularly excited to try the flat bread and cracker recipes, and the Strawberry Shortcake looks amazing--as soon as strawberries are in season again, I'm all over it. There is also a pumpkin pie recipe that might find its way into my Thanksgiving feast. I love the inclusion of juice pulp on many of the recipes--what a great way to minimize waste while maximizing nutrition.

I think this would make a refreshing hostess gift if you are going to someone's house for the Thanksgiving.

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