Interviews: Ashley Chafin: Don't Try to Out-Veg The Veg*ns

CYoFC: Describe your current diet/lifestyle (vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, pescetarian, freegan, flexitarian, omnivore with vegan tendencies...etc.).

Ashley: I'm a strict vegetarian but not quite vegan. There is no cheese or dairy in my house, but I will have pizza or mac and cheese occasionally when I'm out. I try to stick to goat cheese.

CYoFC: For how long have you been a strict vegetarian?

Ashley: I've been vegetarian since I was 16, so 18 years.

CYoFC: What prompted you?

Ashley: The scene in The Silence of the Lambs where Hannibal is asking Clarice how she felt when she heard the lambs screaming. For real.

CYoFC: I hear you, that scene is enough to convince anyone. What were the challenges to becoming this sort of vegetarian? What about current challenges, or aspects of being an almost-vegan, vegetarian that you don't like?

Ashley: It's never been hard for me to not eat meat. There were things I didn't consider, like broth in soups, etc. So there were some accidents. In college, I would have to walk back into the kitchen to look at the soup ingredients. I was a horrible vegan in college, just eating fries and bagels, it's easy to carb overload. What I don't like now is so much vegan food is soy based. Also asking if rice, etc has broth in it, I never know whether to believe the cooks!

CYoFC: There are a lot of soy-based vegan products out there, and there's such controversy over it. I've yet to determine what to believe myself. And with regard to hidden meat, it is always a leap of faith to trust that cooks and wait staff have your dietary interests in mind. Good for you for checking the kitchen's labels yourself! Do you plan on remaining vegetarian? If so, what motivates you?

Ashley: Yes, forever. It never even crosses my mind to eat animals. Sometimes I have nightmares I have eaten a cheeseburger and I wake up in a cold sweat. I get nauseous when I see people eating chicken, it just freaks me out.

CYoFC: Why should other people strive for a vegan diet?

Ashley: There are so many reasons to list. For your health, for animals, for the environment.

CYoFC: Do you have any tips or advice for people who are just starting out with a vegetarian-type lifesytle?

Ashley: Don't forget hidden ingredients. Also, try not to be judgemental. I have met vegetarians who eat gelatin, or who eat bacon in ice cream, and I want to scream "then you aren't vegetarian!" But try to remember that every little thing helps. Don't try to out-veg someone.

CYoFC: I completely agree - every little bit DOES make a difference. What are your favorite foods?

Ashley: Hummus, Broccoli, Spinach, Curry, Sunshine Burgers. Guac, Kettle Chips.

CYoFC: Describe what the giving-up-cheese process was like for you.

Ashley: I've been vegan twice, cheese wasn't so hard, but giving up regular cupcakes, foods that had milk in them was hard.

CYoFC: Now for the age-old question: Are you getting enough protein?

Ashley: Probably too much, like most Americans.

CYoFC: Thanks, Ashley!!!

For more information about the misconceptions about protein in America, check out this article written by Monique Gilbert, a certified personal trainer/fitness counselor. (I warn you, though, she's says mostly good things about soy. ;)) You can also check out this article at The Cancer Project, which is a part of The Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine.


You can read more about Ashley here.  Please commission her for pet portraits or buy some paintings!

day 1 raw: The Feeling of "Full" & A New Curiosity

So, yesterday I wasn't sure when I'd start, but then I thought, why not now? I ended last night with Yogi brand "detox" tea (which technically isn't "raw" because obviously I had to brew it) and a snack of 100% raw, store-bought granola mix, and began today with a mostly-raw smoothie (images and ingredients below).

Notably, I've already had a dream about (vegan) deep-dish pizza, which is totally bizarre because a) I haven't actually tried the deep-dish variety of vegan pizza yet, and b) I'm not completely disallowing myself from having non-raw foods during this five-day jaunt!

Speaking of non-raw foods and such, does anyone know the impact of boiling water on the phytochemicals in tea leaves? I'm not "giving up" tea during this experiment, but I would be interested to know if there are better ways of extracting the benefits from the leaves. I've thought about cold-pressing my coffee beans and tea leaves. I'd be interested to hear of others' experiences with that method.

Onto my morning smoothie ingredients:

-fresh, organic strawberries (I've read that strawberries are one of the worst when it comes to pesticide residue, so I always buy them organic)
-frozen, chopped banana
-frozen mango pieces, thawed in a bowl of warm water for easier blending
-1 TB flaxseed
-blue agave nectar
-vanilla soy milk <--not raw

(Mostly) Raw Smoothie Ingredients (Blue agave nectar not pictured.)

Viola. Delicious smoothie.

Update:

For lunch, I stuck with a tried-and-true salad. Ingredients were:
-baby greens

-chopped red bell pepper (organic, as I've also read that pesticides cling well to red pepper)

-onion sprouts

-chopped fennel

-shaved carrot

-1/2 sliced avocado

-dressed with: flaxseed oil, balsalmic vinegar, fresh ground black pepper, & himalayan sea salt

Always loved flaxseed oil, by the way. It's like the butter of oils, but waaaay healthier. 

This afternoon, I began the process of making raw hummus and raw cashew cheese by stopping by my local bulk bin store and buying raw, dry garbanzo beans and raw cashews. To prep the raw cashews, I followed a recipe in a cookbook: blend 2 cups of cashews and 1 cup water in a food processor until very creamy. Cover tightly and store for 6 hours in a warm, dry spot. The cashews are currently ready to be made into nut cheese, which I will do tomorrow. The garbanzo beans must soak in a jar of water in the fridge for 48 hours before I can do anything further with them. 

While I'm waiting to use my raw, high-protein sources, I am opting to use non-raw, high-protein sources. So, for dinner tonight, I put canned (non-raw) black beans in an Ezekiel tortilla, spread with (non-raw) tahini and stuffed with fresh veggies. Another salad, this time a side.

In between meals, I snacked on organic lemon-ginger-echinacea juice (not sure if it's raw, to tell the truth), store-bought raw granola, fresh fruit, and broccoli dipped in (non-raw) tahini. 

Okay, so three things I learned today:

1. I get full on raw food, but it's a different kind of full. It's a less dense, less long-lasting full. My blogger friend at Simply Vegan told me that she experienced this sensation, too. I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. My first impulse was disappointment because I thought that my short-lived satiety meant that I was hungry again and would therefore have to go through the hassle of preparing more food. However, now that I look back on my day, I think that perhaps this is actually a good thing - it means I won't be bothered by that fuzzy, sleepy feeling I sometimes get after a good, big meal, and it probably means that my metabolism is healthy. I don't know. I'm not a medical doctor or nutritionist, so take my words with a grain of...salt.

2. Okay, so I guess this isn't something "new," but as with any lifestyle change, one must plan ahead in order to thrive. Hence, I began the process of soaking beans and nuts. This is something that most veteran raw foodies do on a regular basis, but something I didn't realize until I was in the thick of this raw food experiment, despite my preparatory research.

3. I've been a vegan for five years now, which has forced me to learn a LOT about where my food comes from, what's in it, etc. However, there is still SO MUCH to learn! That was one of my motivators to challenging myself to do this, to learn even more about cooking, food, and health. I have so many questions about how some of my favorite foods are prepared, whether or not they are raw, how to make them myself... One such example is balsalmic vinegar, which is a condimental (yes, not a word) staple of my diet. It's not something I've ever really stopped to think about before, and I could make some educated guesses, but I don't know exactly how balsalmic vinegar is formed. More research to do. 

Salad from lunch

Tortilla and salad from dinner

Other than the short-lived fullness, I haven't noticed any physical or mental changes. I'm feeling a little impatient about it - I want to experience the raw food magic I've heard so much about! My rational side knows, of course, that it's only Day 1 of my self-inflicted challenge, and so any changes are probably a ways off. One thing's for sure: I'm still glad I'm doing this!

Interviews: Dana: How She Met Her Meat and Went Veg

CYoFC:  Describe your current diet/lifestyle (vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, pescetarian, freegan, flexitarian, omnivore with vegan tendencies...etc.).

Dana:  I currently follow a pescetarian diet, as I eat fish about once per week. My diet consists mostly of grains, fruits/vegetables, eggs, dairy, tempeh, seitan, and some meat substitues.

CYoFC:  For how long have you been a pescetarian?

Dana:  I stopped eating meat five years ago. I followed a vegan diet for the first six months and then a strict vegetarian diet for the next year. I then incorporated fish into my diet and have done so for the past 3.5 years.

CYoFC:  What prompted you, originally, to change your diet?

Dana:  I read an editorial in my university's newspaper about animal cruelty. The writer mentioned a video called "Meet Your Meat," which is produced by PETA. I ordered a free copy of the DVD; while it was incredibly painful and disturbing to watch, it solidified my decision to give up meat. I have always loved animals, and truthfully, never cared too much for meat, so the decision was a no-brainer at that point.

CYoFC:  It takes a lot of courage to watch something so painful, but you did it and it changed your whole outlook. Were there any challenges along the way to changing your diet? What about current challenges, or aspects about pescetarianism that you don't like?

Dana:  When I first started learning about the mistreatment of animals in the food industry, I was incredibly passionate about spreading the word. I believed that if people really knew what went on, they would not want to eat meat either. Unfortunately, this initially translated into a lot of frustration with friends and family members who did not feel so inclined to change their eating behavior. Over time, I learned to focus only on myself, and this has made it much easier to be around others that eat meat.

I am able to find something that accommodates my diet on nearly every menu, so I don't think it interferes with my lifestyle in any significant way. The biggest challenges, however, are the "hidden" animal products. For example, gelatin is in many yogurts, and chicken broth is frequently in restaurant foods such as Mexican rice or broccoli cheese soup.

The primary thing I don't like about my current diet and lifestyle choice is that it is difficult to decide where to draw the line. I don't eat cows, but I do wear leather... I won't eat chicken, but I will eat fish... And so on... This creates some moral conflict, but I have found it helpful to think of my dietary choices in the way environmentalists conceptualize a "carbon footprint," where every little bit helps.

CYoFC:  This moral conflict you raise is often used by opposers to argue against vegetarianism in any form. "Animals are killed, so are plants," etc., etc. But at the end of the day, an individual choice must be made, and people must choose what works for them, mentally and physically. Do you plan on remaining pescetarian? If so, what motivates you? If not, what motivates you to change?

Dana:  I plan to maintain a pescetarian diet indefinitely.

CYoFC:  Why should others go vegetarian or pescetarian?

Dana:  I think this is a very personal decision, and I have moved away from trying to persuade others to give up meat. However, I think EVERYONE should make an effort to avoid meat that comes from factory farms. Small, organic farms (which don't use growth hormones) tend to raise animals in pastures and sometimes use more "humane" methods of killing the animal.

CYoFC:  Do you have any tips or advice for people who want to do this?

Dana:  Experiment with lots of new foods. Make a big effort to get protein. Soy-based products are great, but beware that some are high in fat. The best options are typically seitan or wheat-gluten based substitues, which are high in protein and have no more than 2-3 grams of fat per serving.

CYoFC:  What are your favorite foods?

Dana:  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a new brand of meat-substitute foods by Gardein. The pulled pork and beef burgandy are especiallly good and simple to prepare. It is sold at Whole Foods and stores that have a health/organic section. I also like Tofurkey deli-slices. Quinoa is one of my favorite, high-protein grains.

CYoFC:  Are you getting enough protein?

Dana:  This is something I struggle with, which is why I added fish into my diet and have begun to make more of an effort to consume eggs and fake-meat products. I also try to eat a lot of nuts and protein bars (I added protein shakes while training for a marathon).

Want to go vegan but worried about protein? Finding enough protein is completely possible with a vegan diet. A great example of a high-protein source is kamut noodles, or any kamut product. Kamut is a type of grain originating from ancient Egypt. One serving of a popular brand of Kamut spiral pasta noodles has about 10g of protein and only 1.5g of fat (0g saturated). I like these, myself. 

Dana mentioned that she watched the documentary, Meet Your Meat before becoming meat-free herself. For those interested, you can watch it by clicking here. If you are just beginning to learn about the meat and dairy industries, I highly suggest you watch it. I warn you, though, this video is shocking and disturbing.

Dana, 29, is a clinical psychologist in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In addition to vegetarianism, her interests include running, golf, sporting events, reading, relaxing, and shopping.

Interviews: Jason: Hardcore, Punk, & Conscious Eating

CYoFC:  Describe your current diet/lifestyle (vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, pescetarian, freegan, flexitarian, omnivore with vegan tendencies...etc.).

Jason:  I would describe myself as a flexitarian.  The reality of the situation is that 90% of the time, I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian (I'll eat dairy and eggs).  The other 5-10% of the time exists because, well, sometimes I just kind of feel like a burger.  I can't say I'm entirely okay with my "flex," but, at least in my mind, that 10 % flexibility is better than a full on omnivorousness lifestyle or the bitterness that might result from perpetually denying my body food that it (ostensibly) wants.

CYoFC:  For how long have you been flexitarian?

Jason:  I've been on and off vegetarian since I was about 16 years old.  The 100% vegetarian times have been punctuated with periods of either full blown omnivorousness or situations akin to the above-mentioned "flex."  I have never tried being vegan, though many of the meals I eat are entirely vegan.

CYoFC:  What prompted you to become flexitarian?

Jason:  When I was younger, the ethics of food production didn't come into play vis-a-vis my diet all that much.  Mostly it happened because I was a teenager who was really into hardcore, punk, and indie rock.  I read a lot of fanzines, went to a lot of DIY shows at places like bowling alleys and YMCAs, and generally gravitated toward anything that seemed more pure, ethical, or "punk rock."  In its earliest incarnation, I think I tried it out for the first time because my girlfriend was vegetarian (albeit a very unhealthy one!  I think her diet consisted entirely of Kraft Mac n' Cheese).  To my surprise, it wasn't very difficult to not eat meat and, for reasons that would later become more clear and explicable, it just seemed like "the right thing to do."

These days, the reasons behind my own form of vegetarian range from the ethical to being conscious about my health and the things I put into my body to my increased knowledge of behind-the-scenes food production... as an adult you have much greater degree of control over your consumption habits.  My adult desire to minimize my impact on the world's resources leads to me to ask myself a lot more questions about the things I consume.  Where did this come from?  How did it get here?  Who had to make this?  Was it sprayed with poison?  If so, how does that affect the local environment or me now that I'm eating it?  Etc. Etc. Etc.

It goes on and on and on.  It can be very stifling.  And paralyzing.   Yet it's a goal of mine to keep on striving toward being as conscious as I can about these things.  I believe it's part of being a good citizen of the world.

CYoFC:  Those certainly are very difficult questions. Were there any challenges to becoming flexitarian? What about current challenges of being flexitarian, or aspects of it that you don't like?

Jason:  Not really.  My flexiness kind of nips those challenges in the bud I think.  I suspect that if I were more strict about my diet, there would be times that could be frustrating.  I've experienced that in the past with pure vegetarianism.   I think for many vegetarians, vegans, etc. this manifests itself most fully when a veggie type person finds themselves having to dine in a less than veggie-friendly establishment with family, friends, or what-have-you.  It might lead to that person resenting the choice of restaurant or the resentment of others who (if they're conscientious friends) are forced into acknowledging your dietary needs and are thereby de facto limiting their own dining options should they decide to partner with you for a meal.

In my experience, though, most vegetarians and vegans are very gracious and seldom try to alter people's dining choices or options (i.e. they're generally willing to bite the bullet and take one for team when the team decides to dine out at a less than ideal choice).

Or it might be a situation like you're at a wedding and the entree choices are fish and chicken and steak which means that you're just going to have to eat green beans and red potatoes.  Which kind of sucks for you, but isn't the end of the world or anything.

I travelled in South America for quite awhile as a vegetarian and that was somewhat hard on me.  Mostly because I found myself in many places where there weren't very many vegetables to be had and so I was concerned that I was lacking many vital nutrients.  Not only was I probably not getting as much protein as I should of, but I was also missing out on all the great stuff that different colored veggies can give you.

But on the whole, I've never found vegetarianism to be all that challenging.  Especially since I've always lived in or near big cities. 

CYoFC:  Do you plan on remaining flexitarian? If so, what motivates you? If not, what motivates you to change?

Jason:  I do plan on staying pretty flex for the time being.  I would like to segue into pure vegetarianism again, but I'm reluctant for reasons I mentioned earlier.  More than anything, I want to become more savvy and conscious about the who, what, where, when, why of the things I eat.  It's always a struggle.  Especially when financial concerns come into play.  For example, I live in southern California.  There is an abundance of avocados here.  Yet everywhere you go (Trader Joe's in particular), avocados are being imported from Chile.  And I can buy them (Chilean avocados) for less.  And I do.  This is something that I REALLY want to change.  To me, it's unacceptable.  On the other hand, it gets complicated because avocados are a water-intensive crop (an issue in SoCal) which is not only a drain on water resources but also makes them more expensive to cultivate and thus more expensive to buy at the market. 

Every potential to solution to a problem has a domino-esque ripple effect.  For example, if I (and others) were to stop buying Chilean avocados because I take issue with heavy fruit (fruit that's available here) being imported across great distances, it would impact the Chilean economy, Chilean workers, Chilean consumption habits.  This line of thought doesn't even consider the fact that Mexico is the world's largest exporter of avocados (and is way closer to California than Chile), and so why aren't more of the cheap avocados I'm seeing at the store from Mexico rather than Chile?  And if they were from Mexico, would that be acceptable?  Or could a Mexican avocado possibly be less resource intensive than a Californian one?  It might be if I live in Los Angeles or San Diego and I factor water consumption into the mix.

The point is, these are difficult questions to try to answer.  People with degrees analyze these things and write papers about them, but the average person standing in the aisle at Ralph's with a crying kid in the cart and a dog that needs to be taken out back at home has other, more pressing issues to contend with. 

It's hard stuff to think about.  Thinking about it too much might make you go crazy.  But I think it's important that people do think about these things.  At least try to think about them a little bit.

Did I answer your question?

CYoFC:  Absolutely. I suspect many others have similar concerns about the avocado issue, by the way, and yet it's not something you hear much debate about. Tell me, why should other people go flexitarian?

Jason:  Sort of branching off my answer to that last question, I believe people should be more responsible about the consumption decisions they make.  That means making an effort to be better informed about the things they consume.  I think that once people have their facts straight -- once they know what commercial beef production or  a slaughterhouse is actually like for example (perhaps even after a visit to one!) -- then (I believe) they have every right to live whatever kind of lifestyle they choose. 

Ignorance can be very nice, but it (generally speaking) is at best irresponsible and at worst very dangerous.

CYoFC:  Do you have any tips or advice for new flexitarians?

Jason:  I would highly recommend trying out flexitarianism.  If my own personal 9:1 veggie-to-omnivore ratio is too high for you, start out smaller.  Ease into it.  Hopefully you'll find that not eating meat is easy and not a very big deal to you.  You might even realize that after a short time of adjustment, you never have any desire to eat meat, at which point you might consider full-fledged vegetarianism.  Or even veganism might be A-OK for you.

Many people have the tendency to have an all-or-nothing approach.  I say, do what you can, see if it works, and, if it does, then try to do a little bit more.

And if any vegetarians or vegans disdain you for not being able to commit 100% (this is very unlikely, but it could happen with someone less mature or misguided), don't let it get you down.  Your trying to consume less meat and dairy is better, much better, than not trying at all.  For realz.

CYoFC:  Good advice. All this talk about food...what are your favorite foods?

Jason:  Pho, Drunken Noodles, Mac N' Cheese, Ethiopian, ummmm.... this is too hard.  I have many favorite foods.  Having to decide on a few is stressing me out.  Next question.

CYoFC:  One last question. Are you getting enough protein?

Jason:  I hope so. 

But seriously, this brings up a good point to make:  I think that most people, both meat-eaters and non-meat-eaters alike, have little idea of how much protein they actually need.  And our dearth of knowledge re: nutritional needs (in terms of quantity adequate or necessary for good health) is not limited to just protein. 

That said, I think need is probably different for every person and I imagine someone's size, body chemistry, metabolism, etc. all play roles in the sort of thing.

I think, though, what your questions is about really, is whether or not it's difficult to find sources of protein that aren't meat.  The answer, at least if you live in America, is an emphatic NO.  It's easy. 

Speaking of protein, there's an article about protein (https://www.msu.edu/~corcora5/food/vegan/calcium+protein.html) that this girl who has this vegan blog recently sent me that I still haven't read.  I should probably get on that. 

CYoFC:  Right on. 


Jason, 30, of Lost Angeles CA, is a music lover and a self-described armchair intellectual. Some of his other loves are books, dogs, and world affairs. He is in the band, Little Stranger.

Interviews: AJ: "I Think, Therefore I'm Vegan"

CYoFC:  Describe your current diet/lifestyle (vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, pescetarian, freegan, flexitarian, omnivore with vegan tendencies...etc.).

AJ:  Vegan. A no-honey, no exceptions vegan.

CYoCF:  For how long have you been vegan?

AJ:  I was a pescetarian for 10 years and February 3, 2010 will be my 3 year veganniversary. Typically celebrated with a feast of delicious vegan food. Oh wait, that's every day.

CYoCF:  Veganniversary, I love that! What prompted you to become vegan?

AJ:  After 10 years of being a fish-eating vegetarian, I started dating my partner, who, at the time, was a real vegetarian. We had both lived in vegetarian/vegan co-ops as undergraduates and knew that being a vegetarian (especially me as a not real vegetarian) was basically pussy-footing around what was basically an issue of oppression and equal rights. We're lesbians so we are perhaps more sensitive than average to these issues and it seemed hypocritical to want an end to oppression of sexual minorities while ignoring other oppressed populations. So we decided to go vegan, postponed it for a bit, gorged ourselves on non-vegan food, then took the plunge. As we started to concurrently educate ourselves about the food industry, we were confirmed in our initial reasons to move towards a compassionate lifestyle.

CYoCF:  Right on. Were there any challenges to becoming vegan? What about current challenges or aspects about veganism that you don't like?

AJ:  Yes, naturally. I miss being able to get a slice of gooey cheese pizza at Rays Original when I'm home in NYC, I miss bagels and lox with a schmear, and spicy tuna sushi. However, these "sacrifices" are nothing compared to animals unwillingly sacrificing their lives. And in actuality on a day-to-day basis I hardly miss these foods because (and this leads me to my more pressing challenges) there is a great variety of delicious indulgent vegan foods, which people who are not vegan do not realize. I dislike that restaurants are unwilling to provide vegan options on a regular basis (I can cook delectable vegan treats, surely professional chefs can do the same).

I absolutely HATE that when I tell people I'm vegan they tell me all the reasons they are not vegan. An inability to consume sufficient calories to support whatever crazy metabolism you believe you have is a bogus excuse. So is not being able to get enough protein - there are successful vegan body builders, if they can get enough protein, so can you. Additionally, not being able to give up (insert food here) is a similarly bullshit excuse.

You are asking other living beings to be tortured and killed for your lifestyle. That is a fact. You have choices about what you eat and you can make the choice to give up whatever you say you cannot live without. That is another fact. Don't argue with me about it. Don't tell me about it. This is about oppression, this is about power inequality, this is about torture and cruelty. If you support these things and are hell-bent on continuing to support these things, keep it to yourself around me. If you have an open mind and are serious about learning more about farming practices and the food industry, I'm happy to discuss it with you.

CYoCF:  You're so clearly passionate about this issue, and it's admirable. Do you plan on remaining vegan? If so, what would you say is the crucial motivating factor for you?

AJ:  I have the symbol for "therefore" and the word "vegan" tattooed on my arm (as in "I think, therefore I'm vegan") so yeah I do plan on remaining vegan. I remain vegan because it's the only choice for me in my dedication to a compassionate, cruelty-free, green lifestyle. I cannot ask for an end to my oppression as a lesbian, and a woman, and continue to oppress other living beings. Animals feel fear and pain. The argument that animals are lesser beings or somehow less deserving of equal rights is the same argument that has been used to justify inequality (racial, sexual, gender, ethnic, religious) throughout history.

CYoCF:  As a fiercely committed vegan yourself, tell me, why should other people go vegan?

AJ:  If you care about the environment, it is the single most important contribution you can make towards protecting the planet. If you care about equal rights among humans, extend that caring to all living beings. Educate yourself, there are plenty of printed and electronic resources. Skinny Bitch is a really accessible (if somewhat blunt) resource.

CYoCF:  Do you have any tips or advice for new vegans?

AJ:  Keep going! You have made a really important decision for your own health (I haven't even touched on that, but yeah being vegan is much healthier than any other way of eating) and for the health of those around you. Surround yourself with others who support your decision - other vegans! They will cook for you, take you out to other restaurants and continue to affirm your decision and provide you with even more reasons to continue this lifestyle. And continue to educate yourself - the more you know about how animal products are derived the more you will be affirmed that your decision is the best one, really, the only one.

CYoCF:  What are your favorite foods?

AJ:  PASTA!!! I've always loved pasta, noodles of any kind, and of course it's a good basic for any vegan. Thai noodles, veggie lo mein with tofu, Italian style spaghetti & meatless balls, and Mac n' Cheeze (I'm on a quest to find the best.... Chicago Diner and Soul Veg in Chicago are tied for lead). My partner's vegan nachos are also up there! Veggies of all kind. Anyone who thinks vegan cooking is boring, doesn't know how many crazy veggies are out there and the billion different ways to prepare them all (and add them to noodles).

CYoCF:  So much goodness and yet none of these contain cheese, which is commonly a favorite food. Describe what the giving-up-cheese process was like for you.

AJ:  The toughest part were two foods that are important to my background as a New York Jew... NY Style Pizza and Bagels and Cream Cheese. I did enjoy cheese before going vegan and I won't lie and say it wasn't hard, but after I learned more about the dairy industry, my decision was affirmed to me. And I found amazing substitutes... avocado and/or hummus on a sandwich can be great instead of a creamy cheese, loading up pizza with veggies and a good soy cheese (Vegan Gourmet is the best I've found) is great and much healthier! and bagels with hummus with tomatoes, onion, capers and some tapenade is a great brunch! These days, I really don't miss it. Yes, I walk past Ray's Original in NYC and it smells gooooood, but then I remember the cute little kosher/vegan place a few blocks away from my parents' in NYC and give my business to them. And honestly, their pizza place smells just as good, if not better!

CYoCF:  One last question. Are you getting enough protein?

AJ:  More than enough!!! non-animal derived protein is not only more efficient to produce (the same amount of land that produces 1 lb of beef can produce 13 lbs of soy protein), easier to digest and more rich and varied, but it's incredibly easy to get in a diet without thinking too hard. I eat beans in a lot of varieties, tofu in all its incarnations, seitan, tempeh.... the list could go on. This question is my pet peeve and indicates to me that someone knows very very very little about nutrition.

CYoFC:  "You need a lot of protein" is a message most Americans hear from early childhood. But what is "a lot?" (Not to mention, how much is actually too much?) And where are the "best" protein sources found? We are often told the answer is meat, but you bring up evidence to the contrary. These are important but rarely discussed points.


Thanks, AJ.


AJ is a pro-choice, atheist, vegan, tattooed, lesbian. As she puts it, she is "everything your mother warned you about." She's also the edgy-yet-eloquent author of Queer Vegan Runner.