by Sandra Murphy

Details at the end of this post on how to win a copy of this book, along with a link to purchase it.

Farm animals are the most abused in the country yet they receive only 1% of donated money to improve their lives. Baur calls this book “the ultimate guide to a mindful, compassionate animal-friendly life.”

There are three Farm Sanctuary locations–two in California and one in upstate New York. They provide comfortable homes for about 1,000 pigs, cows, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, sheep and goats. A lot of serious education goes on at the farms too. People come to visit, stay to help and learn a lot as they visit the animals. Sheep love to be petted, pigs adore belly rubs. Once you’ve looked into a cow’s eyes and patted her between the ears, it will be hard to eat hamburger again.

While Baur is vegan, it’s not a lifestyle everyone can embrace. Vegetarian is easier. Still, if you’re not ready to take the plunge, ease into a better eating plan with a varied diet. Here are tips from the book to help.
Started by Sir Paul McCartney, meatless Mondays are now popular around the world, even in school lunches.

Avoid the cruelest animal products like veal, caged eggs and foie gras.

Soy, almond, rice and coconut milk are a good substitute for cow’s milk.

Shop at the farmer’s market for local, humane and sustainable foods.

Substitute veggies for meat where you can, like in spaghetti or stir fries. Ethnic dishes often use a minimal amount of meat.

Learn how many different kinds of beans there are and how to use them.

There’s no need to make a huge change in your life says Baur. Small changes build momentum and show others the possibilities available. There are tips for a greener kind of living too–ride a bike instead of jumping in the car, consider second-hand before new when shopping, borrow or rent what you need, cut back on plastic, recycle, reuse, repurpose.

So, what does a vegan eat? See if any of these foods are familiar. A bean burrito, pasta with tomato sauce, vegetable fried rice, tortilla chips and salsa or guacamole, French fries with catsup, popsicles or sorbet, salted or spiced popcorn, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

For a more adult palate, try lemon blackberry muffins or a dark chocolate granola. How about a wild mushroom crepe with roasted fingerling potatoes? That recipe comes from Jason Stefanko, executive chef at Gardein. It’s gluten-free too. Laura Theodore, from the PBS cooking show, Jazzy Vegetarian, shared her idea, confetti oatmeal, made lively with dried cranberries, raisins and shredded coconut. Emily Deschanel of Bones fame offers her recipe for green juice, a favorite of her two year old son.

Moby, musician and DJ, offers his take on chili. While his official “recipe” is “throw a bunch of stuff in a pot,” there are directions to follow in the book as to what stuff and how much of it to throw. Ellen’s red beans and rice comes from Ellen DeGeneres and Roberto Martin. For dessert, enjoy hazelnut truffles from Chloe Coscarelli, cookbook author and winner of Cupcake Wars with Ann Marie Monteiro. Alicia Silverstone’s coffee-infused brownies are a big hit and people never guess they’re vegan!

In all, there are over 100 recipes included in the book. While some may have unfamiliar ingredients, there’s a glossary to explain what they are and what they do. None are hard to find. Test yourself! Could you eat vegan one day a week, from breakfast until the bedtime snack? With these recipes to fall back on, count on it.

As Baur said, this is the ultimate book for changing eating habits that will help change the lives of animals and the planet. Loaded with photos, stories of animals at the sanctuaries and tips on healthier living, this book is one you’ll refer to time and again.

To enter to win a copy of Living the Farm Sanctuary Life simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Farm,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 25, 2015. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.

Use this link to purchase a copy of the book:

Check out other food related articles here in KRL in our food section, including Healthy Eating in the Valley by Tom Sims.

Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the arch, in the land of blues, booze and shoes—St Louis, Missouri. While writing magazine articles to support her mystery book habit, she secretly polishes two mystery books of her own, hoping, someday, they will see the light of Barnes and Noble. You can also find several of Sandra’s short stories on UnTreed Reads including her new one Bananas Foster. Sandy’s latest short story “The Tater Tot Caper” is one of eleven stories in The Killer Wore Cranberry: Fourths of Mayhem. The annual Thanksgiving anthology has eleven stories and this year, includes recipes. And it’s on sale! Available in all e-versions and in print.