Tag Archives: beginner

Vegan Like Me No. 9

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Vegan Like Me aims to profile fellow vegans, from all walks of life from everywhere in the world!  We’ve all been beginners and I think its important for folks to hear people’s stories in order to motivate themselves to keep going. This feature is intended to do just that.  If you are vegan and would like to participate, get in touch with me and I’ll be sure to send our questionnaire along to you.

Name:  Melissa Bastian

Melissa B., Vegan 6 years

Where do you live?  New Orleans

How long have you been vegan?  since March 17, 2006

What inspired you to take on a plant-based (vegan/vegetarian) diet?   ”My journey began like many do, in a search for health.  I began to research nutrition in the hopes that food would succeed where thus far “”modern medicine”" had failed.  I barely had to scratch the surface to reveal a deeply dysfunctional food system.  I realized that my food was literally poisoning me.

I went through all the phases: the only organic, the local, the vegetarian.  But the more I dug, the clearer it became that boycotting all animal products was the best way both to “”clean”" my diet and to conform my consumption with my ethics.  It hit me like lightning one day on the way to the grocery that I could simply opt out, and I have never looked back.”

What do you love most about being vegan?  ”I love so many things about being vegan that it’s difficult to narrow down a “favorite.”  I love not feeling guilty about the food or products that I buy, I love experimenting with an endless array of vegetables and grains, and I love the passionate people I have gotten to meet over the years.  But sharing delicious vegan food with the curious / skeptical might just take the cake.”

What three items do you always have in your pantry?  “Quinoa pasta (yes, it’s a thing!), brown rice, and canned beans.  I love beans!”

What is your favorite vegan comfort food?  ”Again with the favorites – I love so many foods!  I truly enjoy a good mac n cheeze or my mom’s pasta with red sauce.  But at my heart I’m a sweets girl.  I bake a killer cupcake and crave fair trade dark chocolate.  And I can’t resist a really ripe mango or peach.  But I’ve gotta say, since childhood my happiness dwells in a good ripe orange!”

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about taking on a plant-based (vegan) diet?  ”I try to provide encouragement to those considering a vegan lifestyle, and I believe the best thing people can do is seek out the vegan community.  Even those who feel most isolated can find a wealth of knowledge and camaraderie online, though boards such as Post Punk Kitchen.  Veganism wasn’t an overnight journey for me – in fact it took over five years.  I, like most people, hit some bumps along the road.  It can feel difficult at first, and is a shift in worldview.  Surrounding one’s self with like-minded people can provide a much-needed support network during the time of adjustment.”

Do you find anything difficult about being vegan?  ”Since acclimating to my vegan diet and lifestyle, I find that I live it with ease even when traveling or around non-vegan friends and family.  It is difficult only when non-vegans are affronted by my mere existence – the “anti-vegans.”  I believe that people become offended by the simple existence of vegans because deep down, they know there is something truly wrong – something they actively support.  As with most difficult instances, I try to use these as learning experiences: either to teach the offended parties something about veganism and vegans, or at least to improve my own tolerance.”

Any other comments or words of wisdom you would like to add?  I find the vegan lifestyle hugely fulfilling, largely because I have fully engaged myself in both local and global vegan communities.  I am the proud captain of the Vegan Etsy Team {VeganEtsy.blogspot.com}, allowing me to connect with amazing, creative vegans literally all over the world.  I also host New Orleans’ monthly Vegan Drinks event {https://www.facebook.com/nolavegandrinks}, write a blog about vegan options in New Orleans {NewOrleansinGreen.blogspot.com}, and am the New Orleans Vegan Examiner {http://www.examiner.com/vegan-in-new-orleans/melissa-bastian}.  There is no aspect of my life left untouched by being vegan, and I know that I am happier and healthier for it!

I love Melissa’s perspective when it comes to being faced with “anti-vegans”.  Her advice is fantastic and something I try to do myself.  Thanks so much, Melissa, for the inspiration.

Vegan Like Me No. 8

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Vegan Like Me aims to profile fellow vegans, from all walks of life from everywhere in the world!  We’ve all been beginners and I think its important for folks to hear people’s stories in order to motivate themselves to keep going. This feature is intended to do just that.  If you are vegan and would like to participate, get in touch with me and I’ll be sure to send our questionnaire along to you.

Name:  Allyson

Allyson, vegan for 3 months

Where do you live?  Piscataway, NJ

How long have you been vegan?  3 Months

What inspired you to take on a plant-based (vegan/vegetarian) diet?   In May of 2008 I decided that I wanted to be vegan for health reasons, but starting from being omni to vegan was very quick and hard for me! I eventually just became entirely vegetarian. Soon, I began to learn not only about the health benefits of being vegetarian, but environmental and ethical factors. The ethical issues that come with eating meat became my biggest reason, as I learned and read and saw more. After visiting a farm sanctuary, and getting wise advice from a long-term vegan, this year I decided I could no longer justify eating any animal products and became vegan! I think part of me knew I always would, but I am glad I did. 

What do you love most about being vegan?  Being vegan means learning all the time – about animals, about new healthful things to eat, about the planet, and about yourself. I feel a very personal spirituality from my own learning, as I find out about things and grow. Also, you get to share your new findings with people you love!

What three items do you always have in your pantry?  This is a hard question! In my kitchen I always have avocado, chickpeas to make hummus, and potatoes!

What is your favorite vegan comfort food?  I have two – the vegan bean chili I make with my boyfriend every week, and roasted potatoes.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about taking on a plant-based (vegan) diet?  The first thing is to go at your own pace – do not pressure yourself to get it 100% right! The second is to be caring, even to people who disagree with you, because they’re still someone in your life and you can’t make them think the way you do right away. The final and most important (to me) is to keep learning, especially about animals – all kinds, even the ones you think are weird or gross or scary. You should find time to volunteer at a shelter or visit a sanctuary, and read, and read, and read some more!

Do you find anything difficult about being vegan?  The hardest part (as most people will say) is going out, because everyone but you eats meat or cheese, so you can’t really ask everyone to go somewhere vegan just for you. I find that as you compromise with people they will do the same for you when you really need it! The only other hard thing is the location of certain items. You’d be surprised where you will find vegan friendly items (Target especially) but some things can only be found at Whole Foods, and they’re not very close to where I live, sadly!

Any other comments or words of wisdom you would like to share?  My three favorite animals are fireflies, dogs (especially Pekes and Pugs!) and black bears, and my favorite Pokemon (because this is so important) is Flareon!

 

Allyson, thank you so much and congratulations on your new journey into veganism.  I hope that someone who is thinking about taking on a vegan lifestyle will see this and take some inspiration from you!  Stay tuned… we may be hearing more from Allyson!

 

Vegan Like Me No. 7

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Vegan Like Me aims to profile fellow vegans, from all walks of life from everywhere in the world!  We’ve all been beginners and I think its important for folks to hear people’s stories in order to motivate themselves to keep going. This feature is intended to do just that.  If you are vegan and would like to participate, get in touch with me and I’ll be sure to send our questionnaire along to you.

Name:  Sabrina E.

Sabrina, vegan for 9 years

Where do you live?  Brooklyn, NY

How long have you been vegan?  9 years

What inspired you to take on a plant-based (vegan/vegetarian) diet?   When I was 12 or so, I went on a family trip to a bed and breakfast/farm in Amish country. I brought along some books for the car ride, and somehow checked out a book from the library called something like 100 Ways Kids Can Save The Earth, published by PETA. Up until that point, I had never thought about how my everyday actions affect animals. I became vegetarian then, and became vegan several years later.

For me, it’s a sacrifice that’s easy to make. I don’t think all vegan foods taste as delicious as their non-vegan counterparts. Boston cream donuts are delicious, and yes, I miss them. However, I think of veganism as something I consciously do everyday that causes less suffering in the world. It’s not a great sacrifice, and sometimes I hardly think about it. I like that I’m healthy and getting the nutrients I need without contributing to the suffering of animals.

What do you love most about being vegan?  It may seem petty, but I love being able to eat whatever I want and I don’t have to worry about going on a diet. Almost everything I eat is healthy, and being vegan I’m able to eat as much as I want!

I also feel that the world of foods vegans can eat is much smaller than most people’s options, so it encourages us to think creatively. I’m always looking for new ingredients, new textures, and perusing supermarkets far and wide trying to decipher labels. It’s fun to keep looking for new things that you haven’t tried, and I’m not sure if I would be on so much of a scavenger hunt all the time if I wasn’t vegan.

What three items do you always have in your pantry?  Nutritional yeast, dark chocolate, Earth Balance (vegan butter)

What is your favorite vegan comfort food?  Peanut Butter Bomb cake from Vegan Treats.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about taking on a plant-based (vegan) diet?  Have fun with food, get inspired by blogs and cookbooks, try new things, and don’t be too hard on yourself if you accidentally eat something with a wrong ingredient. Stay rooted in the reasons to become vegan, and the temptations will go away. I now think of my veganism as something like a dietary restriction. For example, I can recognize when non-vegan foods look delicious but I’ve trained myself to avoid them as if I were allergic. When it becomes clear which foods you can and can’t eat, it becomes much easier to feel comfortable and get excited about being vegan.

Do you find anything difficult about being vegan?  I’ve had to switch to being vegetarian when living abroad in South Korea and Morocco. If you don’t speak the language and can’t read it, it’s pretty tough to stay vegan. Additionally, going over for dinner at someone’s house (whether in the US or abroad) can be challenging if they’re not used to veganism. I try to bring my own food whenever possible, or sometimes I try to appreciate the host’s graciousness and pick around or give certain foods the benefit of the doubt (ie- this could maybe be made with oil instead of butter?)… Regardless, it can be a challenge when you’re out of your comfort zone and don’t have access to a health food store.

See!  Sabrina knows the delight of Vegan Treats, too!  Thanks so much for playing, Sabrina.