1. Pressure cooker. There is no better tool out there for the vegan who values convenience! Pressure cookers are the perfect “set it and forget it” gadget to cook up huge (and freezable) batches of beans and grains. Stir fry and chili for DAYS, you guys. If you own a pressure cooker (or will soon), I cannot recommend JL Field’s cookbook Vegan Pressure Cooking highly enough. Risottos, soups, pilafs, tender vegetables… it’s a must-have for healthy, winter comfort foods.

2. Garlic press. This one is a life-changer. When it comes to peeling, mincing, and cleaning up after garlic cloves… just no, thanks. With a garlic press, all you have to do is whack the clove with the side of a knife, peel away most of the papery layer, and plop ’em in the press. Boom. You are cooking with fresh garlic without putting your fingertips at risk of being sliced off. This one from Pampered Chef is a dream, and it even includes a plastic piece to push through the pulp for easy cleaning.

3. Extra-large cutting board. I have to admit, I wasn’t sold on the extra-large cutting board, at first… When my significant other and I moved in together I had mentally tagged his giant kitchen tool for eventual donation. Yet, as time went on, I found it was perfect for slicing up homemade pizzas, kneading seitan, and chopping up copious amounts of vegetables for roasting or throwing into a soup. Needless to say, the cutting board has a permanent spot in our pantry.

4. Salad spinner. Cooking with greens is something I needed some serious catch-up on as I branched out into independent living. The process of cleaning, chopping, and drying them, though… jeez. It’s exhausting just thinking about it. When I lucked into a salad spinner, that all changed. Just clean the greens, give them a good shake, and plop them into the spinner. This tool was especially helpful during the summer, when we had our CSA and were overflowing with fresh spinach, chard, and kale.

5. Stock pot. Reflecting back on my early apartment days… I’m not sure how I did as much cooking as I did. With one pan and one tiny pot, I managed to cook up some decent meals. But, it wasn’t until I invested in a large stock pot that delicious, homemade soups made their way into my rotation. The tool is great for both creamy and chunky stews, soups, and bisques, but also was perfect for brewing a big enough batch of black tea for home-brewed kombucha!

6. Espresso maker. Oh, man, what a game-changer. Lattes > regular brewed coffee, always. A tiny, stove-top percolator costs only $15 and produces wonderfully fresh, strong shots of espresso for your morning fix. We use this thing nearly every day. It’s easy to use, assemble, and clean and saves a crap-ton of money, when compared to how much it would cost to purchase a latte at a coffee shop (why do they still charge extra for soy milk, anyway?!).

What are your favorite kitchen essentials?

Reposted with permission from The Offbeat Herbivore. Images via Amazon, Pampered Chef, Pexels (1,2,3), Wikimedia

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Luckily, with a heaping scoop of creativity and some patience for learning something new, we can greatly reduce this waste. Here are just a few ideas for decorating your gifts to family and friends that are more ethical, eco-friendly, and even reusable.

5 Ethical and Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping Ideas:

1. Old maps or newspaper as gift wrap. Who says you need smiling snowmen or red and green polka dots on your gifts? You can create a totally unique and intriguing piece of art by wrapping presents in colorful maps or lines of text from your neighbor’s old newspaper pages. A map of your local parks can even be unfolded and pinned on a bulletin board afterward for recording hiking excursions!

2. Reusable boxes. Shoe boxes and jewelry boxes destined for the recycling bin make wonderful vessels for your holiday gifts. There are countless ways to customize these boxes – especially those that have a separate lid – with paint, paper, stamps, and any other medium to make your gifts turn heads.

3. Cloth. There is no rule that says wrapping gifts must be done with paper. Reusable tea towels, scarves, handkerchiefs, and fabric remnants from the discount bin can serve as beautifully decorative wraps for gifts of all shapes and sizes. If you have a knack for sewing, you can even create your own cloth bags.

4. Glass containers. Everyone loves a mason jar nowadays, right? Package up homemade gifts (like a brownie or hot chocolate mix, soup ingredients and spices, or some of your famous homemade jam) or layer stocking stuffers in a glass jar that your loved one can reuse as a smoothie glass, pickling receptacle, or flower vase. It’s a double gift!

5. Natural embellishments. Don’t waste your money on bows that will end up in the trash. On the day before you give out your gifts, take a walk in your backyard or a park to collect pinecones, twigs, flowers, or leaves to give your presents a rustic touch. These materials will decompose naturally, leaving you and your gift recipients guilt-free.

What other eco-friendly techniques do you use to decorate your gifts?

Images (1,2,3,4,5,6)

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5 Warming Vegan Lattes for a Chilly Fall Day

1. Pumpkin Spice Lattè
Kathy from Happy Healthy Life has the answers to all our #basic prayers: a vegan PSL. The revered, autumnal Starbucks treat, sadly, contains dairy and is not suitable for ethical vegans (or dairy cows), leaving us in the dust. Luckily, plenty of bloggers have taken the task up on themselves to recreate the favorite at home. Kathy’s version even includes a delectable pumpkin foam to top your beverage.

2. Cinnamon Dolce Lattè
When given the option, would you rather have one delicious cup of caffeinated cinnamon dolce goodness, or an entire supply of your own cinnamon dolce syrup for endless lattè-filled mornings? That’s what I thought. Cinnamon and brown sugar do not disappoint in this sweet and spicy recipe – just add your favorite non-dairy milk.

3. Apple Pie Spice Lattè
Another recipe just begging to be veganized with dairy-free butter and milk, this beverage captures the very essence of a fall apple harvest. You know you want to give it a try!

4. Maple Cardamom Lattè
Maple + cardamom is the best kept secret in the lattè biz. Syrupy sweet meets a hint of deep spice in an absolutely perfect union. Warm your belly with this drink on the next drizzly fall morning.

5. Salted Caramel Lattè
For a super-special treat, try this toasty cup of espresso, frothed vegan milk, and a homemade caramel sauce made from dates, vanilla extract, and coconut milk. It’s like dessert at breakfast – brilliant!

Images via Unsplash (1,2,3,4)

Reposted with permission from The Offbeat Herbivore.

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My Top 5 Vegan Pet Peeves

1. There is milk in everything.

You think soy is the most ubiquitous ingredient out there? Explain to me how milk ends up in a bag of BBQ chips, egg whites in a Payday peanut bar, and animal cartilage (gelatin) in Frosted Mini Wheats! Whenever vegans feel confident or safe picking up an innocuous-looking treat without scrutinizing the label, that is when we discover the stomach-churning truth that animal products are sneaked into so many products, unnecessarily. Save your receipts, veg-heads, and brush up on your mad nutrition label-reading skills.

2. The Protein Question.

Seriously. SERIOUSLY. The general public has been so saturated by commercials and product packaging that you would think we each needed 90 percent of our dietary nutrients to be protein. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, nor could the accusation that plant-based foods are low or devoid in protein. A balanced vegan diet gives people all the protein they need. Annoyingly, however, the general public does not want to face how the Standard American Diet’s reliance on animal protein is killing us. But we’re the crazy, unhealthy ones.

3. Not having enough space for 30 rescue chickens, 5 rescue goats, 3 rescue calves, and 100 rescue piglets.

I mean, come on. Every time I watch a video of a pig frolicking through a farm sanctuary, there’s my bank account mocking me with its lack of funds to afford multiple sprawling acres of farmland to house my new friends. It’s just cruel. My dream of being a mama to rescued animals must wait.

4. Being served animal products after ordering a vegan dish.

This is a pain on many levels. Firstly, vegans are held to a different standard than omnivores when it comes to handling an incorrect food order. If a meat-eater is brought the wrong sandwich by his server and he throws a tantrum, no one is going to generalize all omnivores as foolish, loudmouthed crybabies, but there’s a chance they could paint a broad brush across all vegans if we act this way.

Secondly, the inconvenience of sending our food back, and even creating unnecessary food waste, is at the bottom of our list of concerns if we are unexpectedly served animal flesh or their secretions. Ethical vegans choose plant-based foods because paying for, eating, or otherwise creating a demand for products of cruelty is something we fiercely oppose. Every time our Chipotle staffer throws out an entire burrito because she didn’t hear us say “no” to sour cream we feel pangs of the bottomless despair that cow went through so humans could exploit her – all to end up in the trash.

5. Most of your vegan friends living super-far away.

One of the most incredible benefits of living a vegan lifestyle is connecting with other, like-minded individuals – sometimes from all over the world! Social media has allowed friends and acquaintances on opposite sides of the globe stay connected, yet only feeling the camaraderie and validation from your vegan friends when you sign onto Facebook can be a drag. Until more of the population goes cruelty-free, our veggie pals may continue to be spaced far apart. We’ll get there, though. We’ll get there.

What are some of your biggest eye-rolling parts of being vegan?

Reposted with permission from The Offbeat Herbivore. Images via Unsplash, (1,2), Pixabay, Pexels (1,2)

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“But aren’t all these new veggie burgers heavily processed? Isn’t it pretty miserable being vegan if companies have to make so many fake meat, egg, and dairy products? If you miss the taste of meat so much, why not just eat the real thing?”

The reasons veggie burgers exist in the first place is often quite misunderstood by the omnivore crowd. So, I’m here to clear some things up:

No, being vegan isn’t a life of bland, tasteless, misery

To the salt, sugar, and fat-trained palate, the sound of eating primarily whole, plant-based foods might sound like a nightmare. If someone chooses to eat plain tofu and celery until the end of days, then yeah, being that kind of vegan would be gross and unfulfilling.

But, vegans eat a variety of foods with a variety of textures and flavors. Those of us who ate omnivorously for a period of time often miss the salty taste of bacon, creamy texture of yogurt, and sweet fluffiness of buttercream frosting, so we recreate these experiences with cruelty-free ingredients. Being vegan only becomes a “sacrifice” if someone chooses to see it that way.

And, yes, sometimes the food vegans eat is heavily processed. Though, this isn’t different than the Standard American Diet. Gluten-free folks also have processed crackers, cakes, and cereals – everything in moderation, right? Have your vegan cupcake and eat it, too!

We don’t eat the “real thing” because we dislike where it comes from, not the taste

Never was there a more clear case of misunderstanding ethical veganism than someone asking why vegans don’t just choose a beef burger if they miss burgers so much. It’s not about the taste or the convenience – it’s about having seen behind he curtain and not enjoying the view.

This reaction is likely a way to simplify and minimize the reasons people become vegans. If you can dismiss someone by calling them illogical or crazy, their mission and motivations become moot.

Vegan alternatives to animal-based foods exist to bring people over to our side

Plain and simple. There may be some who can be swayed by seeing the devastating environmental impact of factory farming or some who toss out their cheese and sausages the moment they see footage of what goes on inside dairy farms and slaughter houses.

Then there are the hardcore meatheads, for lack of a better term, who would rather die than give up their grill aprons and steak sauce. Those are the people companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are trying to reach with their authentic, “bleeding”, raw-meat-imitating patties.

The folks who see no difference in choosing Hampton Creek’s Just Ranch off the shelf over a diary-based dressing probably value convenience and taste over long-term health and the welfare of veal calves – at least while their momentarily in the grocery store. This isn’t to say their priorities are wrong, but rather their priorities are based on what is most immediate in their lives. To get omnivores to start eating more ethically, companies have to advertise familiar foods.

If a vegan brings a pack of plant-based hot dogs to a cookout and the host remembers how tasty they were, sees them at the supermarket the next week, and buys them in lieu of the “real thing,” then I say mission: accomplished. A seed has been planted and all we can do is encourage it to grow.

Reposted with permission from The Offbeat Herbivore. Images via Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods.

The post The Real Reason Vegan Companies Imitate Meaty, Eggy, and Cheesy Foods appeared first on Chic Vegan.

I’m all about bright and colorful salads, homemade bean burgers, and pure and simple hummus. Giant green smoothies have been my favorite breakfast for the better part of a year. This year I joined a CSA and have been loving the fresh, local, and organic produce in my weekly share. And then there are times I need me some prepackaged tempeh bacon or a quick, microwavable veggie burger.

Here are my favorite convenient, go-to vegan meats that satisfy each and every time:

Field Roast Apple Maple Breakfast Sausages
Lazy weekend brunches do not feel complete without these delicious morsels. I was never a sausage fan in my omnivorous days, but there is something about these sweet and savory links that is pure heaven (perhaps it’s the fact they are cruelty free!). I enjoy these bad boys as a side to a big tofu scramble.

Lightlife Smokey Tempeh Strips
My longstanding love affair with tempeh bacon began the first time I tried these smokey, savory strips. Whether stuffed into a BLT, chopped into a tofu omelette, or crumbled on a salad, the spot-on flavor cannot be beat. Any time I try and replicate these at home it always falls short. These strips take the cake.

Five Star Foodies Artichoke Burgers
Just recently these locally-made patties have made it into a wider market, so more people can enjoy them. These are the only veggie burgers that have excitedly ended up in my shopping cart in multiples of 3, accompanied by a squeal of joy, because they are that good. A slather of vegan mayo, sprinkling of vegan mozzarella, and a crunchy leaf of romaine are all these babies need to reach peak perfection.

Gardein Chipotle Lime Crispy Fingers
Food nostalgia soars whenever these crispy strips are on the menu. With an added, sophisticated kick of chipotle lime flavor, the perfectly breaded vegan chick’n is the definition of comfort food. Dip them into a chipotle mayo or garlic aioli and let your taste buds revel.

Tofurky Spinach Pesto Sausages
Tofurky’s recent rebranding has brought with it plenty of new and exciting products to try. These spinach pesto sausages made me re-examine the ingredient list upon the first bite. Even though I have faith in the company’s plant-based mission, I was overwhelmed by just how cheesy they taste! These are absolutely perfect for throwing into pasta with red sauce.

What are your favorite, go-to vegan meats?

Reposted with permission from The Offbeat Herbivore. Image via Pexels.

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Finding ourselves in a rut and buying the same veggies over and over again, week after week, my partner and I decided to try purchasing a CSA summer share this year.

When I arrived to pick up our first share I was greeted by a friendly staff member and pointed to the beautiful chalkboard outlining the week’s haul. I was immediately thankful we opted for the half share, because who can eat a pound of garlic scapes in one week?! The selection was neatly organized on tabletops, with tiny chalkboards labeling all the greenery. Staff was available to answer any questions, such as “What is mizuna?” (The answer? A tender, slightly spicy Asian green).

Speaking of greens, the color palette of our share was brightly, and exclusively, verdant – handfuls of fresh herbs, kale, onions, and a generous bag of lettuce mix have recharged our healthy eating and sparked inspiration for new dishes. Garlic scapes have become a strong, flavorful pesto and the herbs have seasoned a creamy and delicious cashew ranch dressing. As summer unfolds, more colors will pop up in our shares, but this first pick-up showcased the best, most simple and vibrant samples of nature’s late spring bounty.

Photos reposted with permission from The Offbeat Herbivore

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We have seen such a dramatic shift in the last few years toward veganism and plant-based eating. Most people know what the v-word means now (thankfully, including restaurant servers!) and the amount of heavily-shared digital information about the reasons to make the switch is becoming harder and harder to ignore. Right now is a tender, delicate period in time when the movement is gaining momentum and people everywhere are having to face the reasons why they do what they do.

I saw a friend post on social media the other day about people having no excuse not to face these things, anymore. And I tend to agree with her. Of course I understand the sensation of being inundated with information and choosing to look past things that are hard to see. But, when it comes down to our choices – ones we make multiple times a day – seriously affecting the environment, the animals, and our own health… how much space or time do we give people before we expect them to change their ways?

The hardest part of this tender time is knowing how to respond to the dreaded “why” questions. Sometimes I want to respond with snark, asking “Oh, you eat meat, eggs, and dairy? Why do you make that choice?” or, even better, “You’re not vegan? Is that for unhealthy, unenvironmental, or unethical reasons?” Why should I have to be the one shifting awkwardly, trying to defend my deeply personal position while simultaneously trying to protect your precious, defensive feelings? Why don’t you have to explain yourself?

Once we cross that politeness boundary, however, we become the angry vegan. The militant vegan. The crazy vegan. Walking that delicate line is an exercise in patience, restraint, anger, and a healthy dash of hope that we might somehow plant some seeds within the listener. But, I’m here to say that it is actually okay to pose these kinds of questions, when it is appropriate.

“Oh, you stopped being vegetarian? What inspired you to give it a try before that?”

“Oh, you’re cutting back on red meat? Why is that important to you? What is working for you so far?”

“Oh, you saw Cowspiracy? What were your thoughts on how no one is talking about animal agriculture and climate change?”

These subtle responses place the responsibility of explanation – and hopefully growth and change – back on the person asking the question. It’s a way of telling them that you’re not going to play along while they dig for holes in your reasoning so they can remain complacent and comfortable with their own choices. It’s time we put the onus of explanation on omnivores.

Reposted with permission from The Offbeat Herbivore.

Photo credits: Pexels, Unsplash

The post At What Point Do We Ask “Why Aren’t You Vegan?” appeared first on Chic Vegan.

“C’mon, Katie’s not around. You can eat that [non-vegan product].”

There is so much going on underneath this statement, I barely know where to start. This not-so-innocuous comment can only mean one of two things, as far as I can tell. One: there is an assumption that my partner is only doing the vegan thing to pacify me or because I’ve nagged him nearly to death to do it. His diet is something he puts up with, but secretly he rolls his eyes and sighs “women…” under his breath. It’s like being dragged along to the flower show or endless hours of shoe shopping; he does it to keep the peace instead of because it’s something he actually enjoys.

Two: There’s an assumption he’s acting vegan to trick me. If not because I’m forcing him or because he actually wants to, then it must be to portray some facade of a compassionate “nice guy” to lure me into – or keep me in – a relationship. And how unbearably creepy and predatory – serial killery, even – is that?! That other men don’t bat an eye at the thought that a guy might be lying about his core beliefs to create a false sense of security for an unsuspecting woman? Uh uh, no, and NOPE.

Finally, let me point out an obvious option that these comments blatantly ignore: that my partner has autonomy and has decided for himself to be a vegan. Toxic masculinity runs rampant when a male chooses any endeavor that even hints at being compassionate toward others (that’s “girl stuff,” if you weren’t aware). The only way for men brainwashed by toxic masculinity to understand another man being vegan is to make up some kind of macho ulterior motive. Pause and consider that. That is a very sad state of affairs.

But, for men and male-identified people everywhere, there is hope. You DO have autonomy. You DO have the choice to express your compassion, rather than burying it under bravado and bacon culture. You CAN challenge these ridiculous comments and start a dialogue with men who are more than likely knee-jerk reacting to a system that has told them being empathic is “bad” since they were first able to talk.

All hail autonomous vegan dudes everywhere!

Reposted with permission from The Offbeat Herbivore.

Photo credits: Scott Webb (1,2)

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If I were to overhear the same conversation today, I would probably cringe. Especially because the young woman in the story was me. I became vegan at age 21, following about a month of vegetarianism – rather, pescetarianism. The process was both slow and rapid as I assimilated what I was learning during night after late night of researching animal agriculture and what in the world a vegetarian is supposed to eat.

I made commitments and concessions about the food I was willing to eliminate and the new foods I was willing to try. Justifications, uncertainty, and disappointment (especially the first time trying vegan mayo) dropped in from time to time, but it was still a part of my journey. If I hadn’t gone through that tumultuous identity development period I would not be the person I am happy to be today. So why does that story make me want to cringe?

Established or seasoned vegans are all guilty of acting like the “vegan police” from time to time, even if it’s in their own minds and not out loud. We judge the people who aren’t quite vegan enough and may roll our eyes at the omnipresent Protein Question from the veg-curious. But what we forget is that we have all been there at one point or another. If we pictured ourselves – or remembered ourselves – in those inquisitive beginning days, would we have more compassion?

If we want to see a world where ethical veganism is seen as an inclusive and inviting lifestyle, we must emulate those qualities to people just getting started. Meet people wherever they are on their journey, provide support and guidance, and avoid casting judgment and condescension. If compassion is what we preach, it must also be what we practice – in every setting.

So, to the “pregan” me from years back – and, for that matter, the me of today: you go, girl. Keep on learning and striving to be the most empathic version of yourself you can be.

Reposted with permission from The Offbeat Herbivore.

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