Veggie Bits.

Comedy Central has provided a $75,000 research grant to UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center to study how most effectively humor can be used to reduce pain and prevent and treat disease. The 5-year study, dubbed "Rx-Laughter[TM]," will include participants of all ages, cultural backgrounds, and socioeconomic groups, although it will focus in on seriously ill children and adolescents.

Comedy Central is also known in the medical world for its program "Comedy-Rx," which serves to heighten awareness of the positive effects of laughter. The program has three levels of participation for the affiliates: Heavy Dose (creating a comedy event with the proceeds benefiting a hospital, hospice, or other care facility), Medium Dose (sending a comedian to perform at a care facility), and Light Dose (selling sponsorships or running Comedy-Rx Public Service Announcements).

Did Somebody Say "Pate?"

Scenario International has introduced three flavorful pates to its product line: Mushroom, Carrot, and Olives Provence. In addition to being organic, they are vegan, gluten- and cholesterol-free, and are lower in fat than most pates. For more information about these or Scenario International's other products, please visit <www.organicgourmet.com>. You can also write to Scenario International Co., 4092 Deervale Drive, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403.

Blissfully Good Salsa Burgers

New vegan salsa burgers from Bliss' San Francisco combine multiple grains, nuts, and vegetables with herbs, spices, and jalapeno pepper for kick. According to Bliss, they are dairy- and cholesterol-free, but unlike many veggie burgers, they are very low in sodium. For more information, contact Bliss' San Francisco at PO Box 884531, San Francisco, CA 94188-4531, or call [phone].

and to top them ...

Muir Glen Organic Tomato Products has introduced two new spicy salsas: Fire Roasted Tomato and Habanero Hot. Use them in place of ketchup, or marinate your tofu or vegetables in these spicy salsas to kick up the heat of a stir-fry. Habanero Hot is only for serious heat lovers--the Habanero pepper hits 100,000-300,000 on Scoville charts!

For more information about these salsas or other tomato products, write to Muir Glen Organics, 1250 North McDowell Boulevard, Petaluma, CA 94954. You can also call [phone].

Beantown Veggie Festival

The Fifth Annual Boston Vegetarian Food Festival will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2000, 10 am to 6 pm at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center, 1350 Tremont Street in Boston. The Festival will bring together exhibitors of vegetarian natural foods from across the country offering FREE FOOD SAMPLING and special discounts. Top speakers, cooking demos, restaurants, educational exhibits, children's activities, and exhibitors of products and services which support a vegetarian way of life will be featured. There will be free parking, and there is a T-stop right across the street. Visit <www.bostonveg.org>, write to [e-mail], or call [phone].

Rice Dreaming

For those of you who don't do soy, Rice Dream now comes in refrigerated cartons, just like its sister product, Soy Dream. Rice Dream is made from non-GMO brown rice and is free of dairy, lactose, cholesterol, and soy. It is fortified with calcium and vitamins A & D. Both sizes of Rice Dream come in two flavors: Organic Original Enriched and Vanilla Enriched.

For more information, contact Imagine Foods Inc., 350 Cambridge Avenue, Suite 350, Palo Alto, CA 94036, call [phone], or check their website at <www.imaginefoods.com>

Diet for a New Millenium--Factors Influencing Modern Food Choices

On October 6, 2000, in Seattle, Washington, the annual Taste of Health Healthcare Conference will take place. There will also be a vegetarian food festival on October 7th and 8th. For more information, contact EarthSave Seattle, PO Box 9422, Seattle, WA 98109, check the website <www.tasteofhealth.org/seattle/2000/hcc/htp>, or call [phone].

WonderSoys!

As you may have noticed, soy has been getting a lot of press lately because of its high concentration of cancer-fighting isoflavones. The following two companies feature soy entrees:

* Quong Hop & Co.: now offers selections from its new division, the Soy Deli. The entrees, which contain tofu chunks, vegetables, and spices, come in four flavors: Tex-Mex, Sweet & Sour, Italian, and Homestyle. The products are vegan and they use non-GMO soybeans.

For more information, write to Quong Hop & Co., 171 Beacon Street, South San Francisco, CA 94080, or call them at [phone].

* Seapoint Farms: offers Edamame Rice Bowls in four flavors: vegetable fried rice, Kung Pao vegetable, Teriyaki vegetable, and Szechwan vegetable. The products are vegan and the soybeans are also non-GMO.

For more information, call Seapoint Farms at [phone], or check them out on the internet at <www.seapointfarms.com>.

Rising Moon Ravioli

Rising Moon Organics has introduced a new vegan ravioli: Vegan Italian Garden Style. The product contains tofu, spinach, mushrooms, squash, tomatoes, potato flakes, and herbs. For more information, please write to Rising Moon Organics, 1695 Elkay Drive, Eugene, OR 97404, or call [phone].

The VRG is on the Combined Federal Campaign List

The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is the charitable workplace campaign conducted by the US government for all federal employees--military, civilian, and postal. The Vegetarian Resource Group is included among the organizations to which you can donate. Please don't pass up this simple opportunity to support vegetarianism and the work VRG does year round. For other workers, please remember to name The Vegetarian Resource Group in your matching gifts at work or write in VRG for your United Way campaign.

Super Soups

Natural Choice certified organic vegan soups are now available in the following flavors: Split Pea, Country Corn, Classic Tomato, Vegetable Curry, Southern Greens, Kabocha Squash, Classic Mushroom, and Three Bean Chili. These soups are as hearty and heartwarming as they are mouthwatering, and they are all cholesterol-free and lowfat. For more information, please write to Natural Choice Foods, Inc., PO Box 1029, Oxnard, CA 93032, or call [phone] ext. 214. For more information about these soups or Natural Choice's other products, visit their website: <www.ncf-inc.com>.

A Gorgeous and Gracious Garden for Kids to Explore

Earthbound Farm in Carmel Valley, California, offers a living experience for children to explore organic gardening and farming at its most kid-friendly. Mark Marino, designer of the children's garden, created the space by "thinking like a kid." The garden is a burst of colors and aromas: bean-pole teepees, giant sunflowers, bright pumpkins, and figs that dangle near garden sculptures are some of the eye-catching sights you encounter. Children are encouraged to touch the plants and even nibble on them--herbs to sweet green beans. There is a compost demonstration pile in the garden and strips of lawn for resting when too much exploration tires out little bodies.

To remind kids about what they learned at the farm, they can take home a beautiful coloring book called The Organic Superheroes, which teaches about organic farming, different types of plants and insects, and organic produce.

The Earthbound Farm Stand and Kids' Garden are both open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm and Sundays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The farm is open through October 31. For more information, please visit the farm at 7250 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley, CA, or visit their website, <www.ebfarm.com>. To arrange for a group tour, please call (888) EAT-ORGANIC.