Join me as I address the charge that a vegan diet is accessible only to the privileged, wealthy elite who have enough money to buy overpriced produce and expensive vegan products. It’s not as clear-cut as all that.
Lydia was my first turkey hug — and she was proof that you don’t need arms to do so.
She pressed her body so close against mine, I couldn’t tell where my heartbeat ended and hers began. I had been vegetarian for several years by then but vegan only a couple. I had had my share of kitty snuggles, cow kisses, and goat nuzzles, but I hadn’t been loved by a turkey.
22 years later, Lydia is no longer with us — she died naturally and peacefully, not from the blade of a cold knife — but to me, she will always be the ambassador for all her turkey brethren.
⠀
It was Joseph Stalin who said that we treat one death as a tragedy but one million as a statistic, and of course he would know. And, that’s what we’re facing here.
Over 30 years an animal advocate, and I still can’t wrap my brain around the fact that we bring into this world and kill almost 10 billion land animals every year in the U.S. for human consumption. We can’t fathom that number, but we CAN connect with one. One ambassador.
One individual whose life has been spared, one individual whose body has healed, one individual who represents not only the violence that countless animals endure every moment but also the hope and healing that’s possible when other individuals intervene: the human individuals.
If you can connect people with the value of one individual animal, you can connect them with the value of an entire species. And so I give you Lydia: curious, affectionate, playful, vocal, brave, social, protective, and sassy. Like all her turkey friends. The only difference is…you can see her. ⠀
I hope.
In today’s episode of the 15th year of the Food for Thought Podcast, I provide the optimal numbers experts recommend for your total cholesterol, LDL (“bad cholesterol”), HDL (“good cholesterol”), triglycerides, and a little thing called homocysteine.
Nama Juicer — Use this link and coupon code COLLEEN10 and get 10% off my favorite juicer.
Plaine Products — Use this link and coupon code “compassion” for 15% off my favorite zero waste bath and body products.
Complement — Use this link and coupon code “joyfulvegan” and get 10% off my favorite supplements.
In this episode, I address a few of the typical excuses people have when it comes to becoming vegan — from “I don’t really eat a lot of meat, dairy, and eggs” to “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” See if any of it resonates with you.
Nama Juicer — Use this link and coupon code COLLEEN10 and get 10% off my favorite juicer.
Plaine Products — Use this link and coupon code “compassion” for 15% off my favorite zero waste bath and body products.
Complement — Use this link and coupon code “joyfulvegan” and get 10% off my favorite supplements.
Don’t worry! I don’t recommend films in which animals are the victims of gruesome violence. So, grab some popcorn, get a pen and paper, and settle into this episode where I share my suggestions for films that are perfect for Halloween — for kids and adult alike.
Nama Juicer — Use this link and coupon code COLLEEN10 and get 10% off my favorite juicer.
Plaine Products — Use this link and coupon code “compassion” for 15% off my favorite zero waste bath and body products.
Complement — Use this link and coupon code “joyfulvegan” and get 10% off my favorite supplements.
The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lock-down have added stress and strain to our bodies, hearts, and minds. Listen to this episode for ideas for staying healthy physically, emotionally, and mentally during this time and always.
Nama Juicer — Use this link and coupon code COLLEEN10 and get 10% off my favorite juicer.
Plaine Products — Use this link and coupon code “compassion” for 15% off my favorite zero waste bath and body products.
Complement — Use this link and coupon code “joyfulvegan” and get 10% off my favorite supplements.
I’m no “survivalist,” but I do know how to whip up a number of staples from scratch, and for that I am grateful.
Tortillas are something I make from scratch fairly regularly since becoming zero waste, but mostly corn tortillas made from masa flour. However, at my recent visit to the Food Mill for my dried bulk pantry items (beans, grains, flour, sunflower seeds — for the squirrels!), I forgot to get masa.
We make a LOT of beans in our house, and after making a beautiful pressure-cooker pot of chipotle pinto beans, I was jonesing to pair them with tortillas.
No masa? No problem.
It was time to perfect my flour tortilla skills, and I think I nailed it.
RECIPE FOR HOMEMADE FLOUR TORTILLAS
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup HOT water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use olive)
Directions
Yes, you can freeze these beauties in a sealed package, but I think you’ll find you’ll eat them up before you have a chance!
ENJOY, and let me know what you think! (Also, don’t forget to check out the Quick and Easy Meals recipes for my famous No Queso Quesadillas. Now you can do so with these homemade tortillas!
With the Coronavirus (or Covid-19) wreaking havoc on our society, we thought it was timely to rebroadcast this episode. Coronavirus is one of many zoonotic diseases — diseases that jump from non-human animals to human animals.
A “wet market” in Wuhan, China, is most likely where this strain of the coronavirus started. At many “wet markets,” meat, poultry, and seafood are sold alongside live animals for consumption. It is our very consumption of animals and their products that has bestowed upon us what Guns, Germs, and Steel author Jared Diamond calls the “lethal gifts of livestock.” Our abuse of nature comes full-circle and at a heavy price for both the consumer and the consumed.
Being animals ourselves, it makes sense that we share many of the same diseases as our non-human cousins. We aren’t – after all – plants. We aren’t at risk for catching aphids or sooty mold or downy mildew.
In fact, many of the major killer pandemics we’ve been plagued with were acquired from non-human animals. Here are just a few:
we got tuberculosis from cattle, influenza from pigs and birds, whooping cough from pigs and dogs, smallpox from cattle, and of course cowpox from cows. Even HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is believed to have been first transmitted to humans through the butchering and consumption of infected chimpanzees.
This year, I’m celebrating 20 years being vegan, and to celebrate, I’m publishing my 7th book: The Joyful Vegan: How to Stay Vegan in a World That Wants You to Eat Meat, Dairy, and Eggs. It comes out in November 2019 and is available for preorder!
People who support me at $20/month and above have received special recognition in the book, and I want to thank them here. I’m so grateful to the special individuals below who generously support my work as monthly patrons. On behalf of the animals, thank you for helping me help people manifest their values of compassion and wellness in their everyday lives.
Alexander Gray and David Cabrera
Anke Keilich
Ann Merrill
Bailey Manlosa
Becky Peters
Belen Melendrez
Boni Lamson
Brece Clark
Brooke Bussard
Brooke Hueper
Caroline Dyar
Cheri Brown
Cini Bretzlaff-Holstein
Cristina Fisher
Debra Knutson
Delfina Lopez
Geneviève Okuma
Gina Carr
Heather Elise Goodwin
Janet Ratliff
Janette Gilmour
Jayson Biggins
Jennifer Guerra
Jennifer Watkins
Jerilynn Hilmar
Johanna Veth
Jonathan Brant
Joseph Sailor
Kari Parker
Katariina Forsberg
Kenda English
Korshi Dosoo and Davide Galli
Kristin Beecraft
Laura Lichterman
Leana Lovejoy
Liv Larsen
Liz Dee
Lydia Ruth Huston
Lyndall Sargent
Marie-Eve Bedard
Matthew and Nina King
Max Goodman
Megan Lindeman
Melissa Amarello
Michael Rooney
Michal Stone
Michelle Mabe
Mike McNeeley
Morgan Hall
Nikki DeSarno
Nina Bircher
Paul Zhang
Patricia Hagmann
Patrick Reilly
Ranjini Mohan
Rassmus Peterson
Roland Reid
Rosalie Black
Sandy Kraus Smith
Sara Dee
Sheri Mersola
Sue Ellis Dyar
Susan Kiger
Tammy Robertson
Thomas J Baechle
Tim Anderson
Tina Strasheim
Todd Hilson
Got your attention, didn’t I? Put it this way: the majority of people who become vegan stop being vegan, and I want to end that. HENCE, my new book, The Joyful Vegan: How to Stay Vegan in a World That Wants You to Eat Meat, Dairy, and Eggs. It comes out in November, but it’s available for pre-order TODAY!
As a 20-year vegan and long-time animal advocate and after hearing from thousands of people who’ve become vegan, stopped being vegan, or struggled with staying vegan, I’ve come to identify common threads within all of these stories—threads that provide insight into why some people stay vegan and others don’t. SPOILER: it’s not because there’s nothing to eat. It’s not because of lack of protein.
In fact, I believe that the food is the easy part of being vegan. What is most challenging is dealing with the social, cultural, and emotional aspects:
In The Joyful Vegan, I share what I’ve learned about navigating and overcoming these challenges and arm readers with solutions and strategies for staying confident with family and friends, creating healthy relationships, communicating effectively, sharing enthusiasm without evangelizing, finding a community of people who share your values, and experiencing peace of mind as a vegan in a non-vegan world.
By implementing the tools provided in this book, you will find you can live ethically, eat healthfully, engage socially—and remain a joyful vegan.
Please let me know below what your challenges are! I want to make sure I’ve covered everything in the book. In the meantime, while the book will be available everywhere books are sold, it’s currently available at Amazon.com and other book vendors!
P.S. You might want to look at my Events page to see if I’m speaking in a city near you while on my book tour!