Interested? I thought so.

Ble.at is a UK based website created by Matthew Glover and Mike Dean. It only launched a week ago, on May 10, so it’s still in beta (meaning the creators haven’t worked out all the bugs), but the site looks amazing so far. The best way I can describe Ble.at is as a combination of Facebook, Tumblr, and Pinterest. It has the personal profile aspect of Facebook and the “follow” feature of Tumblr, but overall, Ble.at is most like Pinterest because each post resembles a pin. Not only that, but every post can be “rebleated.” The main difference is that Ble.at does not have any boards to separate different types of posts, although all of your rebleats are showcased on your home screen.

Ble.at allows you to  eight types of posts: article, recipe, image, video, event, campaign, group, and organization. (Recipe is my favorite…) Recipe and article posts are where Ble.at resembles Pinterest the most, but the edge that it has over Pinterest (in my mind, at least) is that all of these recipes are vegan. No longer do I have to pass over awesome recipes because they’re not vegan. Recipes is my favorite part of Ble.at, but if you’re less food obsessed, Ble.at has tons of content for you as well.

When you sign up for Ble.at, it assesses your interest in various elements of veganism. After creating your username, you mark your interest (very interested, interested, not interested) in categories like: animal rights, campaigns, charities, events, recipes, health, lifestyle, environment, etc. Even though we’re all vegans, we’re still individuals, and this feature  allows users to tailor content to fit their personal priorities.

Ble.at is great for individual users, but it can also be useful for vegan businesses. Although they haven’t introduced any of the features yet, Ble.at promises that there will be special features for businesses in the future. Right now, vegan businesses can advertise on Ble.at and users can bleat about businesses that they love, so I can’t wait to see what more is to come. Ble.at states that it is more than a vegan directory (and it definitely is), but vegan businesses can definitely gain customers through Ble.at.

You heard it here first: Ble.at is going to be big. Over the next few months, Ble.at is planning on incorporating tons of new features. Although I’m very excited for these small improvements, I’m already in love with the overall concept. Ble.at isn’t just bringing together vegans from all over the world, it’s uniting a movement. Ble.at is all about making veganism more mainstream and accepted, and I believe that there’s no better way to do that than by making resources available to as many people as possible. Ble.at is doing just that, and us grass munchers couldn’t be happier.

Burned

On Tuesday I met up with the cast and crew of Courtesy Flush for a little bonding experience before we all fly out to set. By “bonding” I mean we went to a bar and relied on our favorite social lubricants until we were trading stories about exes and bad one night stands like we were old college friends.

We were at an outdoor bar and at one point I was standing in the smokers section right by the exit with several of the female actors. (I learned “Actresses” is out-dated and makes me look sexist.) As we were chatting, two guys from New Zealand busted up in our conversation. Literally, they just walked up and commented on our topic of choice, while we were mid-sentence. It was obnoxious. Then they asked which one of us wanted to come home with them and I vomited everywhere. Well not literally, but it was pretty awful.

One of our female leads bluntly called them out on their terrible pick-up tactics, and they scampered off into the night.

Okay, we were in the meat packing district, so an abundance of douche-nuggetry should have been expected, but really? You bust up into the convo of four girls–the last group of girls before the exit, mind you–in a last ditch effort to pick someone up before stumbling home? (Alone.)

With that in mind, here are a few tactics you can use to engage strangers when out in public.

Don’t interrupt. The best way to approach someone you want to get to know is just to go up and start an actual conversation with them. However, wait until they aren’t mid sentence, and be sure to have a genuine, non-creepy opener. And make sure your conversation is not riddled with weird, false-sounding compliments that may have them wondering if you’re Jeffrey Dahmer Jr.

Don’t blatantly solo them out. Okay so you are now in conversation with your target! Win! Instincts may tell you to focus your attention solely on them, but this can come off pushy and rude. Instead, talk to their friends, paying your target only moderately more attention. Don’t ignore their company or make them feel like they aren’t included. This will probably bother everyone, or at least piss off the friend enough to make them start tugging sleeves to go home.

Ask some f*cking questions. If they want to know how amazing your trip to Vegas was, they will ask YOU. It’s fine to put out little bits of info about yourself, but if they aren’t biting, don’t blunder forward. Ask them some things about themselves, and if interested, they will most likely return the queries.

My friend Alex Carabano, the hilarious comedian and partial owner of Park Slope’s latin kosher vegan heaven, V Spot, put out this video on hollering at women. It’s called “Yo Ma!” and it went viral on the YouTube. Take a look, have a giggle, and remember never to actually approach a woman this way…

Want more Lusty Vegan? Follow Zoe on Twitter, Instagram, or visit her blog, SexyTofu.com.

NASCAR and veganism go hand in hand. Wait, that’s not right.

An article published on AOL’s NASCAR Sporting News said “[Vegan racecar driver] Munter wants to encourage race fans to give up their barbecue.” That sentence alone is enough to throw many racing fans into a fit of rage, but that isn’t exactly what Leilani Munter is all about. She basically wants to rid vegan stereotypes from the minds of fans of her sport. We all know that a lot of people think that vegans just munch on grass all day, but Munter wants to show fans that vegan food can actually be tasty! Part of her newest campaign is to set up vegan tables at racing events and have chefs give away food, just so people can try it out. She’s not is any way lobbying to have all meat removed from races.

Like many other vegan celebrities and athletes, Munter is using her position to promote and encourage ideas like ‘Meatless Monday.’ She explicitly stated that she isn’t trying to judge people for choosing the ‘wrong diet,’ she just wants to show veganism in a positive light and get people thinking.

From the comments posted on the AOL article, it’s easy to see that some people aren’t reacting favorably to Munter’s campaign (a lot of Bible quotes, a lot of “you can’t tell me what to eat!!!”).

Munter plans to have a “VegNation” car on the track sometime this year. With her car, she wants to promote adopting a more plant-based diet and show its benefits on people, animals, and the planet. More info on her car and her message can be found here!

I’m one of those people that really doesn’t like working out. Of course I feel better when I do it, but the thought of walking to the gym and jumping on the elliptical or treadmill doesn’t really get me excited. I’d much rather just ride my bike to the store and buy snacks (does that count as working out?).

On those rare days that I actually want to go to the gym, I usually end up not being able to find my iPod. Working out without music? Yeah, that’s never going to happen. Of course I could watch TV at the gym, but it’s just not the same. No iPod, no effort.

Never one without the other!

Over the last decade, tons of research has been done on how music effects the body during physical activity. Scientists have found that music takes your mind off of pain and fatigue and helps you to push yourself farther. While listening to music, people exercise faster, harder, and longer, and that makes sense! When I’m stuck at the gym without music, I just end up thinking about how bored I am, but when my favorite songs are playing, I want to keep going! Next time you head to the gym, take a look around and see how many people are cranking up the tunes (probably most of them!)

My favorite type of exercise is definitely biking around the city, but it’s super unsafe to listen to music while you’re dodging crazy Philly drivers. I’m really, really trying to start running now, so I’ve taken the time to put together a playlist that has really been helping me.

Everyone has different tastes in music, but something upbeat and fast is always the best choice. Save the mellow tunes for yoga! I’m not the biggest fan of Top 40, so if you’re looking for something different that is guaranteed to get your heartbeat up, try out my playlist! I came up with the combo a few weeks ago and it really helps keep me going.

1. Sudden Death in Carolina (Brand New)
2. Waking up in the Monroe House (The Dopamines)
3. Holiday (The Get Up Kids)
4. Cheap Shot Youth Anthem (Kid Dynamite)
5. Northbound Breakdown (Lifetime)
6. Shoulder to the Wheel (Save the Day)
7. Protest Song #00 (American Nightmare)
8. Inconsiderate Me (Horror Show)
9. Memorial Day (Paint it Black)
10. The Bourgeois Blues (Last Lights)

If my playlist isn’t your cup of tea, check out these 10 playlists for different exercises or head over to Pinterest!

How do you feel about workout music? If you love it, share some of your favorite songs to sweat to!

This proactive procedure cut her cancer risk from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I am so beyond impressed with her bravery in not only making that hard decision, but in talking about it publicly, encouraging other women to evaluate all of their choices when it comes to cancer prevention.

In her op-ed, she writes that she is stepping forward to talk about her procedure because she hopes that other women can benefit from her experience.

“I choose not to keep my story private because there are many women who do not know that they might be living under the shadow of cancer,” Jolie writes.

It is miraculous that Jolie was able to hide this from the public since her procedure in April. The media attacks celebrities for stepping outside wearing the wrong footwear, let alone the removal of both breasts. So kudos to her on keeping it private, and triple kudos to her on then coming forward and talking about the experience for the benefit of others. Well done, Angelina.

In the last decade, Jolie has done her best to stay out of the spotlight, focusing on humanitarian work and building her brood of 6 children with fiance, super stud Brad Pitt. I think a lot of what she does goes unacknowledged. Jolie is one of the handfuls of celebrities using their success to push forward and do good, instead of snorting it or avoiding their taxes.

Jolie is only 36, which is young for a procedure like this. However, her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, passed away from cancer at the age of 56. In her NYT piece, Jolie writes touching sentiments about her children not getting to know “mommy’s mommy.”

This spoke directly to me, as a preventative mastectomy is something that has crossed my mind before. I have breast and ovarian cancer on both sides of my family. My mother and aunt are breast cancer survivors, my aunt having undergone a mastectomy. I lost another aunt nearly two decades ago to ovarian cancer. As a woman at a high risk for cancer, it’s empowering and reassuring to see a celebrity taking it on.

I especially love Jolie for openly addressing the idea of a “loss of femininity,” which many women feel after having a mastectomy or hysterectomy. The breasts are one of the largest (or for others with ballerina boobs like me, the smallest ) symbols of the feminine, developing at the beginning of that painfully awkward time that signifies the entrance to “womanhood.” I have heard that many women feel to lose their breasts is to lose their feminine identity, and they can suffer emotionally after procedures similar to Jolie’s.

“On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman,” she says. “I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.”

Jolie openly discusses some of the details of the surgery, and what the procedure entails. She also addresses more holistic measures, writing that her own regimen will be posted on the website of her treatment center, the Pink Lotus Breast Center.

“Life comes with many challenges,” she concludes. “The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of.”

My friends in high school could tell you that my bedroom was adorned with every image of Angelina Jolie I could find. I was attracted to her raw sexuality, her individuality, and her take-no-shit attitude.

As she moved from sex symbol to serious humanitarian, my admiration for her only intensified. Ten years later, I am still crushing hard, even if some of the reasons have changed. Thanks Jolie. Good to know you’ve got my back.

Whether this means that your Megabus back to your apartment full of vegan food never arrives or you forgot about an important appointment and don’t have enough time to cook or even if you’re just tired from a long day at work, sometimes vegans need to cut corners. We love to cook dishes filled with fresh ingredients, but sometimes, you just can’t. From my visits home, I’ve learned that frozen vegan foods aren’t bad, and, if you choose wisely, can still be pretty nutritious.

Every grocery has an "alternative" frozen food section. A lot of these frozen meals are vegan, but not all of them are, so the same rules of label reading still apply.

Frozen veggie burgers are probably the most common frozen food on a vegan’s shopping list. I’ve done a bit of homemade veggie burger making, but, let’s be real, most of us don’t have the time to make veggie burgers from scratch. (Much respect to those of you who do.) The best frozen veggie burgers that I’ve found are Gardein‘s Chipotle Black Bean Burgers. Unlike Boca‘s vegan burgers or Morningstar‘s vegan Grillers, you can actually taste and see the vegetables in these burgers. They’re not trying to imitate beef burgers, just excel at being a black bean burger. Because they’re not trying to cover up the taste of soybeans, they are delicious with a hint of spice. Personally, I  like to cook one in a skillet, chop it up, and throw it into a salad with avocado, tomatoes, and a little balsamic. This gives the salad some much needed protein and staying power.

Besides veggie burgers, a pretty common staple of a vegan diet is the stir fry. I love a good tofu and veggie stir-fry, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this. However, I don’t always want to buy all the individual vegetables, tofu, and rice to make this myself. Maybe I don’t have the time or (more likely), maybe I just don’t feel like spending a bunch of money on all these different ingredients. Of course, you can just buy a bag of mixed frozen vegetables, but if you’re really tired/lazy/pressed for time, I would recommend one of Amy’s bowls. Personally, I’ve had the teriyaki one, and it was surprisingly tasty and filling.

Besides being surprisingly nutritious, vegan frozen meals can also be nostalgic. While I was perusing the frozen food section looking for a quick lunch, I noticed a vegan and gluten free french bread pizza.

Even the box reminds me of my childhood...

Oh, the feels. I remembered eating french bread pizza as a kid and loving every bite of it, even the ones that burned my mouth because I couldn’t wait for it to cool down. I couldn’t resist. I bought them and let history repeat itself, burned mouth and all. If you’re ever in need of some quick vegan comfort food, Ian’s french bread pizza is the way to go.

Before- in all its frozen glory

After- in all its gooey goodness

Now that I’ve shared some of my tips about vegan frozen foods, what do you guys do? Do you have a particular go-to meal that you keep in the freezer just in case? Or are you “fresh to death,” avoiding frozen meals altogether? And if you’re type two, how do you do it? I want to know!

I have a lot of stuff on my mind these days. As an entrepreneur, organization is key, and so the only way I can tackle everything on my plate is to put together a day plan for myself. This not only keeps me organized, but also self-motivated.

When working from home it’s super hard to focus because your bed is merely feet away and the interwebs is always a click away… calling me.

I have been slacking a bit, so I have been trying to come up with a recipe for productivity.

The first thing is motivation. Something has to drive you forward. Whether it’s paying the rent on time, or saving up for a new car, a new baby, new house, or trying to get a new girlfriend, it’s gotta be something.

My goals are many of the aforementioned,  primarily transitioning ieatgrassdotcom from blog to sustainable and highly profitable company. From what I can tell and what I’ve researched and what has worked thus far for me, my recipe for productivity is the following:

Ingredients
1. Keep the same schedule as much as possible. (Yes I’m talking to myself. )
2. Build a team and interact with them. We have a cloud office here at ieg but the worst part is we are all in different cities. Google hangouts to the rescue! ( I know right?) I’m a team oriented person and this does wonders.
3. Completion. I have several projects open now and that is causing a lot of anxiety. I can handle it, but the fear of having never-ending projects is real. The solution is partnering up with team members on a project and having goals and deadlines.
4. The future, always plan for the future. Because after these projects wrap, the only thing worse that having too much is not having anything to do.
5. Watch for the parlay. A lot of times in life and business there is an opportunity to parlay, meaning link possible winning opportunities together for one big win. And one big move forward.

All in all, it’s tough out here for an entrepreneur, and I find myself reminiscing about the days of my Manhattan Executive Chef paychecks. However, I know this is temporary and I hope that I can provide some helpful tips for those coming up behind me.

By OneVeganFatty

Here is what I would consider a lazy weekend recipe. Lazy as in your phone is on silent till 3, your Netflix is tuned to season one of Scandal, and the only thing you have to worry about is setting your timer. This minor inconvenience is worth it…for a whole tray of gooey cinnamon rolls! I won’t tell anyone that you ate three in one sitting…

Recipe:

Dough:
3/4 cup non-dairy milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (or butternut squash)
1/4 cup sunflower or vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup self rising flour*
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp yeast

*Can use 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour if you don’t have self rising!

In a large bowl mix together the milk, pumpkin puree, oil, vanilla, and lemon juice.

In a separate bowl – sift together the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast.

Combine with the wet ingredients and mix together until well incorporated.

Roll the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.

Then, place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a towel, place the bowl in a warm location, and allow to rise for 2 hours.
**If you don’t have a kitchen towel, put the dough in a LARGE tupperware bowl with a lid…that’ll do the trick!

While the dough is rising, mix together the filling ingredients.

Filling:
1/3 cup vegan butter
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp agave syrup

Mix together all of the filling ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside until it’s time to spread onto the dough.

When the dough has about doubled in size – roll back out onto a lightly floured surface.

Punch the dough down and then roll out into a 12×16 rectangle.

Spread the filling evenly onto the rectangular dough. Roll up the tightly to form a log, starting with the far edge of the rectangle and rolling towards yourself.

Cut the log into one inch pieces and place in an oiled baking dish.Let the unbaked rolls rest in a warm place while covered with a towel until they have doubled in size again.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake in the 350 degree F oven for 20-22 minutes until the rolls are golden brown. Mix together the icing.

Icing Ingredients:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp non-dairy milk
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

*For a thicker glaze, use more sugar until desired consistency

Sift the powdered sugar and then mix in the remaining ingredients. Once the rolls are done, allow them to cool slightly. Pour the icing over the rolls and serve while warm.

Knowledge, support, willpower… three of the most popular characteristics that people feel they do not possess when attempting the transition to a plant-based diet. After executing our own form of iEG research via the world of social media, we have discovered that these are the words many use to express the roadblocks that people hit when switching to a vegan lifestyle.

Of course, our always-supportive community of grassmunchers is constantly sharing intuitive thoughts and advice… but sometimes this kindhearted guidance is overlooked or taken more lightly than it should.

Mercifully, there are progressive cities out there that society members have come to the same conclusion and are taking action as we speak – er… read.

A program recently launched in the Chicago area geared toward helping people achieve knowledge from seasoned vegans to make their transition to a plant-based lifestyle as simple as possible.

The Chicago Vegan Pledge Program will be held for five weeks. During the program, novices will be paired with a vegan mentor to counsel them through the initial stages.

Peace Advocacy Network and ChicagoVeg Outreach will host the program starting June 16. The free, 30-day vegan pledge program kicks off by distributing goody bags filled with free vegan samples and coupons to local vegan establishments. Weekly information sessions will cover topics such as nutrition, environmentalism and compassion in addition to cooking demos and a field trip to a local farm animal sanctuary. Graduation closes with a potluck; the perfect opportunity to show off what the newbies have learned.

Now, the questions are… what if there was a way to launch this program nationwide? Would it make a difference? Would people be less skeptical and more open-minded if it was on a larger scale?

What would life be like in your town if there was a built-in vegan support group within your own community?

Be sure to leave your thoughts and opinions in a comment!

If you live in the Chicago area or happen to be in the neighborhood and want to get involved check out: ChicagoVeg.com/CVP

Had he entered, Tofu Justin definitely would have gotten my vote. Just saying.

Interestingly, a contest like this isn’t really about winning a title; it’s about raising awareness of the vegan cause. Not many people would expect a contest like “Sexiest Vegan Next Door” so it immediately grabs the attention of both herbivores and omnivores. This is great because the more people who see that a vegan lifestyle yields attractive results and that just about anyone can make the transition into a more compassionate and healthy lifestyle, the more people who are willing to try it. This contest shows that vegans are not some weird breed of sub-human with inactive tastebuds and willpower of steel. The winners of these contests are both normal people living normal lives— minus the animal products. If they can do it, you can too!

PETA has a reputation as an edgy, aggressive activist organization, but contests like this make it more accessible. By showcasing veganism’s benefits and widespread reach, PETA is able to show people that you don’t have to throw paint to make a difference. Changing the world can be as simple as changing your diet. I think that this contest is just one more way to get rid of the “vegan” stigma and help omnivores incorporate aspects of veganism into their lives. I know that some vegans look down on those who participate in Meatless Monday or even vegetarians, but, if you ask me, every little bit helps. Every person who begins to think differently  brings the whole world closer to creating positive change. And isn’t that what veganism is really all about?