I celebrate Earth Day every day in some way, and it feels great. The more people join forces together, will make it even easier. From saving water to battling climate change, making your diet “greener” is something everyone can do! Click on the graphic below to learn 7 ways your food choices can help the planet for people and animals.
For garnish:
1. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Slice potatoes in half the long way and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Rub potatoes to coat, and place cut-side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
3. In the meantime, drain the nuts and place them in the blender with water, turmeric, salt, lemon juice and pepper. Blend until completely smooth, scraping the sides of the food processor with a spatula occasionally to make sure you get everything. This could take 1 to 5 minutes depending on the strength of your blender.
4. When potatoes are tender, remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, but still hot, scoop the centers out with a melon baller or rounded teaspoon, leaving about 1/4-inch lining of potato inside.
5. Place the scooped out potato into a mixing bowl and mash until smooth. It’s important that they’re still warm so that they mash well. Add the “yolk” cream mixture, and continue to mash until well incorporated. Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes so that the mixture stiffens up.
6. Once cool, scoop back into potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika.
The special salt, and the paprika garnish really added to this. Everyone really liked it, and it was much more delicious than my photo represents! Would be fun to bring to a party, or serve as an appetizer. We ate them as a side course.
I want to be a friendly resource for those who may not have considered a plant-based lifestyle.
There are so many logical and strong arguments to change; from huge environmental impact, to animal cruelty, to health reasons, that we simply cannot continue our current path as our population grows and lifestyles of Western consumption spread. It is not illogical, just unpopular. I believe we just need to make it as easy as possible for people to adopt.
The frustrating part is that although I believe in my message and passion, I haven’t grown my readership past my own personal friends- or just slightly beyond that. I am extremely grateful to these people, but those who know me, probably won’t tell me the hard truth. I want to talk to non-vegans, from “carnivore” to vegetarians, so that is pretty much 99% of the people out there- I need to know what will make them interested in this subject. I’m not here to preach to the choir of those who already agree!
At first I hoped to simply raise awareness in a fun way by using art: illustrating veg food on instagram and the blog, making info graphics that would make the data easier to visualize.
Then I tried posting about articles that I felt consumers would want to know– like how some chicken is shipped to China. Or, environmental issues.
I added resources on HOW to make changes, to make small steps, or have a trial period.
Still not gaining more interest, I just posted my own personal lifestyle posts about our family, hoping to just be somewhat interesting enough to engage.
And now, I am feeling that the bigger obstacle is just the newness of people learning how to eat and cook without animal products. To that end, I think recipes and meal planning are the most important hurdles.
I want to use my time wisely… how can I best help you?
Four years ago I started down a path that has changed my life. It has given me a way to align my heart and my actions. It opened my eyes to another way of viewing the world and our relationship to other species that I had previously ignored. It made a huge impact to our family.
I stopped eating meat, fish, dairy and eggs or buying any products made from animals. In February 2012, I took a one month vegan challenge.
More than just the physical act of eating a different diet, it was very difficult for me to go against the flow of how I grew up, traditions, social gatherings. In fact for many years I tread a line where I was mostly vegan, but would not necessarily call myself one.
Because many people get a very negative association from the word “vegan”. There are some stereotypes of radical, judgmental and angry vegans that have turned many people away from the word, including myself.
Then, I realized that I have to stand for what I believe in. I am proud of being compassionate, peaceful, and not wanting to cause harm. I’m okay with extending the acceptable love of animals to include ALL animals.
I vote proudly with how I spend my money.
I’m proud that I have never written anything on the internet that I am ashamed of, that I regret. I do not criticize, mock or am rude to others who do not share my beliefs. I hope to be a positive example, and a friendly and pragmatic vegan.
If I don’t stand up as a positive, non-radical, business owner, designer, mother, it won’t help the word vegan to become more mainstream and accepted.
The more you open your heart and your mind to the health, environmental, and animal issues… it really just makes a lot of sense.
I want to change the world to be kinder, less violent, and sustainable for all. I am very proud to no longer contribute to the horrific factory farms, and on that point I definitely feel there is common ground we can all find. The cruelty, pollution, disease, and destruction does not make sense. Let’s start there and move forward together. We have strength in numbers. Even if you would not call yourself a vegan… vote with your money and your choices. You can make a difference in the world, and for the future.
This post is part of the Live Your Legend blogging challenge.
Is it easy or hard to become vegan? A lot of people talk about the transition from eating meat to plant-based diet as a journey. Within the vegan community there may be dispute about the concept of baby steps.
It is possible that some people went from watching a video or talking to a friend, directly to embracing a vegan life. For many others, there are different paths, and some stop in different places, often for years.
I made this scale to show that there are easy steps to take no matter where you are.
For my personal path I went from watching a documentary to taking a 30 day vegan challenge to 90% plant-based and now extending to ethical (C to M to N to O).
Many people stay at vegetarian level forever or for years. I am always surprised at what triggers someone to take further action. It is very individual. One long-term pescetarian told me she was considering going vegan after seeing a beautiful live salmon is a stream while on a hike. Other omnivores may make a connection between their pet companion and be struck by the similarity to intelligence and sensitivity to farm animals.
If you aren’t ready to go vegetarian or vegan, there are other steps you can take from Reducetarian, to Meatless Mondays to Vegan before 6.
Where are you on the scale? What order did you take? Any other major steps along the way you think should be added?
We have a new winner for cookies! Although I still love my Lunchbox cookies, I don’t have almond butter on hand usually, and the recipe only makes a very small amount. Also, my daughter can’t take anything with nuts to her school. In my ongoing quest for cookie recipes, there were two miserable fails on other recipes I tried. Think I am kidding? Making it to the blog requires that it works for non-technical, bumbling cooks like myself!
This recipe can make 3 1/2 dozen, and is more of a basic cookie recipe. I used this recipe as the base and made a few changes.
Everyone liked them a lot, and even though they made more cookies, they still didn’t last 24 hours!
I have been searching for a specific Indian black salt called kala namak for awhile. Not so hard that I would actually drive to Beaverton, or even NW Portland, but I do look in all the spice areas of stores. I’ve been looking for so long, I forgot which recipe I needed it for! Finally, a spice store from the coast opened a brand new location in our neighborhood and they had it in stock.
It is a very interesting salt with it’s sulfuric smell and taste.
I decided to start my experiments with this quiche from the One Green Planet’s list, simply because I had all the ingredients.
Or, what would I be happy and excited to do even if I weren’t paid?
Funny enough, I have had almost a year to experience this. Although I have retained my design firm, I am also doing a lot of work that only pays in feeling good.
I’m not sure I can answer this question completely at this point. I have always thought design, art and illustration are what I love and where my skills lie. Sometimes I wonder if this is just the default thought pattern, and where I have spent my 10,000+ hours. It is definitely what people thank me for, but I don’t know if it what makes me happy and excited. The creative process has always been stressful, but I think that is a common issue with artists, writers, and others.
If I truly could name one thing that makes me happy and excited- it is travel, new experiences, exploring foreign countries. I love it.
What I have learned is that integrating my life with what I care about is great.
I’ve learned that I don’t have a community.
I’ve learned that now that I have space and time, I have to let go of excuses that running on the work treadmill gave me. If I don’t cook, clean, exercise or parent well, I no longer can think it is because I am just too busy and working too hard.
I’m most happy and excited when I am productive creating things. I’m excited when I am not just making promises, but actually delivering them. When people appreciate and thank me for helping with a worthwhile project, that feels really good.
This post is part of the Live Your Legend blogging challenge.
This post is part of the Live Your Legend blog challenge. I want to be more involved in the LYL community (and hopefully win a ticket to WDS).
What really makes me angry in the world is that wealth and “wants” are the priority. I’ve spent a lot of time in the last four years researching climate change, factory farm cruelty, droughts, health issues, environmental devastation and more. I’m surrounded by good people with families who I’m sure care about the future… yet, they are not fully informed or motivated to make any changes.
Are we just hearing “blah, blah, blah” when climate scientists talk about rising ocean levels destroying large coastal cities? Or, do we think these events all over the world are not connected? Although 97% of climate scientists agree that we are headed for calamity… we ignore these signs for the most part, maybe thinking there is nothing we can do.
We know population growth is on the rise, and that now China and India are now using more fossil fuels and resources than ever before, but we continue to do things the same way we have done in the past, and expect that everything will just work out. We are going into uncharted territory here with the amount of resources available for more people than ever, within my kids’ lifetimes.
For those just meeting me, I write and draw about eating for the future. Eating is something we do at least 3 times a day, and we vote for our future with every choice and purchase. It is estimated that our dependence on livestock, and their grain and water requirements constitutes more than all transportation combined. It is connected and affects all the major issues I mentioned.
Pretty big deal. So why are Americans eating an average of 200 lbs of meat/year over twice the 75 lb/year world average? Look to who is profiting from the sale of meat, dairy and eggs. 99% of our meat comes from Factory Farms. Factory Farms were designed to squeeze every bit of productivity from animals by making them grow faster, have less space, and die sooner for as much profit as possible. Over 80% of the meat production in the US are owned by just a few giant agribusinesses who buy up smaller brands to look more organic…. Tyson, Foster Farms and Perdue. They will do everything in their power to protect their own interests.
Until we start caring about what these billion-dollar companies are doing, they will continue to hide the truth from us with politics, ag-gag laws, pollute our water without penalties, send chicken to China for processing and back to sell without even labeling it, subsidize their products with our money, and waste water, rain forests and land. We will have to eat less meat to change the world.
I’m not touching on the antibiotics being overused to keep these animals alive in close, unhealthy conditions or the known health and safety issues to people. I’m also not talking about the over-fishing, destroying the oceans. So many reasons to avoid an inefficient and cruel system.
I’m angry because we can make a difference, yet we choose our desire to eat bacon, or convenience of using cow’s milk, over the most important issues which will affect ALL people and animals. The worst consequences you can imagine.
In order to be effective in making change, I have to keep this anger in control. I choose not to rant about these issues or put people in such a defensive position they won’t listen. The anger does keep me motivated, but I direct that towards the factory farms, not those who have not yet understood. We can find a common ground there. I will use the skills and talents I have been developing over the last 20+ years, and use design, art and illustration to catch the attention of people numbed to the graphic photos and bored or immune to statistics, articles and numbers. I will help people and organizations who are making a difference in the world.
This is a personal post about my perspective. I’ll be back to my normally-scheduled news, recipes and illustrations shortly…
The more I have been involved in vegan advocacy and activism, the less connected I have felt with my “community” of friends. It could be several things… I tend to be introverted so I really need to make more of an effort just to invite people over. I am sometimes concerned that I am putting myself in a place where friends or family might feel my veganism is an issue. I really worry about making things difficult in social situations by asking for food without animal products, while at the same time realizing that making a big social change is pretty much impossible to do easily.
Recently there was a situation where a very nice invitation came into my inbox about a special dinner for my son’s school extended beyond an initial paid group to include auction volunteers and sponsors. I played a very small role in even my volunteer efforts, just helping for one day. It was not a dinner that I would have signed up for as I knew it would probably not be vegetarian, definitely not vegan. There were at least a couple of options- don’t say anything and don’t go, or ask if there will be a vegan option available and go. Since I knew that there was at least one other vegan volunteer, I thought I would just ask. Just not showing up to things does not help make veganism more mainstream.
The person in charge of food kindly offered to look into it, but since egg is a major ingredient, wasn’t sure what to do. Being a pain in the ass is just not something I enjoy. I used to be the person that when asked by hosts if there were any food requirements, would say, “I eat anything” and felt good about being so easy.
There is a line between concern for others’ comfort, or the greater concern of the planet, the animals, and the future population. I can’t/won’t apologize for wanting a more peaceful, compassionate and healthy world especially as the stakes are raised. I think most people would want that, it is just hidden from easy view behind those who profit, traditions, habits and status quo.
I have tended to stay involved but on the outskirts of our wonderful vegan community in town, just because I felt that it was more important for me to socialize and be part of my non-vegan circle. While it is comforting to go to parties and groups where the food is all vegan and everyone is more or less on the same page about the same animal issues, I don’t need to preach to the choir. I’m also a little concerned about being even more immersed in vegan culture than I already am. I am at a point, 4 years into this journey, that I remember clearly what it was like not to notice or care about the things I am aware and care about now. I understand and have compassion about how it is not an easy transition to make. I don’t want to forget these things by surrounding myself only with like-minded people. I honestly want to have open conversations with people, meet where we can, not to make judgments.
Lately, I have felt like I really need the Vegan communities support. That I don’t want to feel alone all the time. I’ll make an effort to balance the two groups moving forward. And also, to try to not be overly sensitive (something which I have struggled with all my life). I want to have deep friendships with a variety of people, but I can’t ignore what has been uncovered, which is at the core of my being.
I’m excited to seeing changes happening in the world which will draw everyone closer together. Research and studies proving that eating less meat is beneficial for everyone. In the next 5-10 years I hope that having a vegan option for the many people who would pick that, will be something that is just accepted and part of life. It will no longer be the difficult guest situation, or even radical. Our future is moving towards that in any case. You know we’re mainstream when even Fox news is saying it!
