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Friday January 11, 2008

Parve for the course

‘Skinny Bitch’ authors cook up new book of vegan recipes

by dan pine
staff writer

Rory Freedman calls herself a skinny bitch — and proudly so.

Freedman and writing partner Kim Barnouin struck gold with their 2005 best-seller “Skinny Bitch,” a profanity-laced tract attacking the fast food nation and promoting a vegan diet.

Consider it vegetarian-plus. Or maybe vegetarian-minus. Vegans consume no fish, no eggs, no dairy — no animal products whatsoever.

In their deliriously funny book, Freedman (who is Jewish) and Barnouin blast the factory-style farming industry and the adverse health effects of a meat-based diet, sparing few four-letter words in the process. “Skinny Bitch” caused a sensation, persuading celebs such as Victoria Beckham and Jessica Alba to give up meat.

Now the two have written a vegan cookbook, “Skinny Bitch in the Kitch,” which takes the same kiss-my-tofu attitude to the kitchen. “We’re not professional cooks,” Freedman says. “We’re professional eaters. It was the foundation for our relationship.”

Freedman and Barnouin will be signing books at San Francisco’s Books Inc. on Jan. 18.

Though off meat for more than a decade, Freedman remembers all too well those lost weekends at Burger King.

“We treated ourselves like garbage cans,” the L.A.-based author says of her one-time Whopper addiction. “Once I learned what’s happening with animals, I said I want nothing to do with this. That’s what got me to pay attention.”

The former modeling agency rep became an animal rights activist, drawing her friend, former model Barnouin, into changing both diet and lifestyle. But it was a slow process, one that altered not just what went into their mouths, but what came out of them as well.

“We did not care about anyone but ourselves,” she recalls. “We were mean, spiteful, ugly human beings. I don’t know why. It wasn’t overnight, but changing the way we ate changed us, made us kinder and more compassionate.”

Though she doesn’t practice Judaism, Freedman honors her roots and links her drive to Jewish ethics. Family legend has it that her great-grandfather, early Zionist Israel Maltin, designed the first Hebrew-character typewriter keyboard.

“Religion at its best is meant to inspire people to be their highest selves,” Freedman said. “More than anything, that means being compassionate. As much as I’m always going to be Jewish by cultural heritage, veganism has linked me to God in a way that is so gratifying. I can see where religion is. I didn’t have that standpoint before.”

Although they both admit they are no Julia Child reincarnated, Freedman and Barnouin personally tested all the recipes in the new book. All passed the taste test, though even veggie lover Freedman has her limits.

“I personally can’t stand cilantro,” she says with a sigh. “It’s the bane of my existence.”

Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin will appear 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18 at Books Inc., 2251 Chestnut St., S.F. “Skinny Bitch in the Kitch” by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (192 pages, Running Press, $14.95)

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