Vicki's Secret to Weight Loss!

As I finished last week’s blog, it immediately gave me the idea about what to write for this week.  I have a friend named Vicki that I have played tennis with for ages, and a few years ago, she surprised us all by dropping about 60 pounds very quickly.  Furthermore, she’s kept every ounce of it off since!  No, she didn’t go vegan, but her advice can help vegans and non-vegans alike. 

What is Vicki’s simple secret to permanent weight loss?  She continually asks herself two questions before she chooses to eat something:

1.        Would I be just as happy (or sufficiently happy) with a healthier choice?  If not…

2.        Would I be okay eating a smaller portion of this less healthy food?

Here’s how it might look:  You’re dying for a piece of your old favorite pizza, which is definitely not vegan.  Ask yourself:

1.     Would I be happy with a vegan Tofurkey pizza (which tastes just like my childhood favorite Jeno’s pizza, if you ask me!)  This is still not a particularly healthy option, but it will be leaps and bounds healthier than regular pizza, as it won’t contain nearly as much saturated fat, no cholesterol and will have much fewer calories.

2.    If your answer is “Yes” then ask yourself if, instead of the Tofurkey pizza, you could have a pizza without cheese?  I love pizza without cheese – I put sundried tomatoes, capers, roasted red peppers, corn and all kinds of delicious toppings on it.  If you can add in a whole wheat crust, then you’re done.  This is a fully healthy meal!  If not, then ask yourself if you can have a bit less of the Tofurky pizza, and add a large salad to it instead?

3.    If your answer is “No” then see if you can just have one piece of your old favorite, instead of having the whole pizza.

Do you see how this works?  All it requires is that you are conscious before you eat.  You must be conscious enough to stop, ask yourself these questions, and answer them honestly.  If you are the type of person who eats half a bag of chips before you realize you’ve even opened the bag, then this requires some practice.

Once you begin asking these questions you will likely start dropping pounds and gain much better health.  How?  Because every time you eat, you will be conscious of what and how much you eat – you will be making decisions on what you will and won’t eat, and this will allow you to feel like you’re in control – not the food.  Even if you consciously choose to eat something unhealthy, you will feel like it was your choice.  This feeling of being in control – and undoubtedly making some (perhaps many) better food choices every day – will give you a greater sense of self confidence.  Your weight will start dropping, and you will feel good about it – not like you had to starve yourself to drop those few pounds.

I know many of you follow my blog as you go vegan to try to lose weight.  Although this tip is not relevant only for vegans, it’s one of the best tips I’ve ever seen when put successfully into action.  Let me know how it goes!

All You Can Eat!

Last night I went to one of my all-time favorite veggie restaurants.  I ordered two entrees.  One for me, and the other for … me!  This is not uncommon – in fact, my manager once told me that I’m only to expense my own meals when I'm traveling for business – not my friends’ meals … and I had to fess up – they’re both MINE!!!

However, this is one of the things I love most about being vegan:  You can eat a lot of food and still not get fat.  If I ate normal-sized portions, I’d be one of those skinny vegans like Kathy Freston, showing off my Size 2 butt on Oprah.  But I love food and like to eat a lot of it, and since I sometimes order two entrees, I have a Size 6 butt.  Size 8 on a bad day.  I figure that’s not too bad for someone who eats like she's eating for two.

So, here’s what I’d like to tell you if you are new to veganism: 

The vegan diet is not a calorie-restriction diet!

When you are hungry, simple eat...

Just make sure it’s vegan.  The more you eat healthy vegan foods (like fruit, salads and beans) and the less you eat unhealthy vegan foods (like vegan cookies, cakes and ice cream) the more you can eat and the thinner you will be. 

Furthermore, the more you eat healthy vegan foods, the more you will crave healthy foods.  We are a nation addicted to sugar, salt and fat – even vegans – so before you pick up that bag of vegan cookies, ask yourself, “Would I be happy if I had a (whole!) cantaloupe for dessert instead?”  If not, how about some whole grain toast with some almond butter on it?  The more you can make those swaps, the healthier – and thinner – you will be … and you can eat like a horse along the way!

What's Your Number?

Many people who ask me with interest about the vegan diet, ultimately give me that wistful look of having a dream they think is unlikely to ever come true, saying, “I wish I could be vegan, but I just can’t seem to give up eating ________.”  They feel that the idea of being 100% vegan is something that is just too hard, and that they’ll never be able to succeed.

But herein lies the question: Do you have to be 100% vegan to make a difference in your health, the lives of animals, and the environment?  The answer is, “absolutely not!” 

While I do believe that being 100% vegan is one of the best things you can do for your health and one of the most compassionate acts you can make toward our fellow earthlings and our planet, you don’t have to be 100% vegan to make a big difference.

Every meal you choose to eat that has no meat and no dairy will most likely be better for your health, will help to save a life, will help avoid further suffering of animals, and will make our environment cleaner.  (For details on how, read John Robbin’s epic book, The Food Revolution.)  Like a smoker that can’t quit seem to quit, he will benefit by cutting back on smoking, even if quitting altogether is what’s ideal.

The more you can have meatless meals, the more you can choose fruits and veggies over fast food and processed foods, the more you choose to cut back half (or all) the cheese on your pizza or the butter on your bread, the more you will make a difference in your health, the lives of animals and the environment.

So, if the idea of being a vegan sounds great but you’re overwhelmed by the thought of it, don’t think that you can only benefit by going 100% vegan.  Try going vegan on Mondays.  Try going vegan on weekends.  Try going 20% vegan, then 40%, then 60%...  My husband is about 80-90% vegan, yet enjoys superb health and is still making a huge impact on the lives of animals and on our environment by making it this far.  It’s something to be very proud of!

One of my biggest motivations in teaching others to go vegan is a statistic that PETA has on their website:

Every vegetarian saves 100 lives each year by not eating meat.

If this is true, you can save 10 lives every single year just by going 10% vegetarian or vegan!  20 lives each year by going 20% veg!  50 lives by going 50% vegan! Multiply your veggie percentage number by the number of years you expect to live, and you can see what an amazing impact you can have! Imagine how high your number could get!  Imagine how much healthier you’ll become along the way!

And then, if you find yourself thinking wistfully about all the lives you’re saving, but wish you could save even more … teach it to others.  

Weight: Be Kind to Yourself

Many people assume that once you adopt the vegan diet, you’ll never overeat or have to worry about your weight again.  This isn’t necessarily true, although I will say that it is incredibly hard to be a fat vegan.  Having said that, overeating is an addiction just like smoking or alcohol can be, and many addicts will simply switch out Oreos for vegan cookies.  I know I did!

Here’s the good news:  Vegan junk food generally has fewer calories and saturated fat than standard junk food, and certainly won’t contain any cancer-causing animal proteins.  So, even if you are addicted to sugar, salt, fat and thus, overeating, you’ll probably still lose weight as a vegan junk foodist.

However, here is something else I have learned in all my studies in Plant-Based Nutrition and putting it to use in my own life:  If you cut out most salt, sugar and fat from your vegan diet, you will naturally begin to crave healthy foods.  Grapes will explode on your tongue and corn will cause your taste buds to dance!  Then, when you get stressed out and go on a binge, you’ll want to reach for healthy foods, and I’ve never known anyone to get fat from binging on apples or spinach.

But here is what I’d really like to say today about weight:  Be kind to yourself.  If you are in the middle of a very stressful time and have put on some weight, that’s okay.  It will come off when it’s ready, and quite frankly, I believe in the phrase, “The more you resist, the more it persists.”  So, instead of resisting the new pounds and trying to bludgeon yourself into a miserable starvation routine to get them off (which will just induce even more stress), sit quietly in meditation for a few minutes, and know that all is good, just as it is.  The pounds will come off eventually.  Go to the issue that is causing you stress, and work on resolving that issue so that you can move forward, back into your most healthful body.

All is good, just as it is, right here, right now.

Vegan Work Travel

I have a job where I’m on the road almost every week for work – sometimes flying around my territory seeing customers, but often for large corporate meetings or medical meetings that involve business dinners in a banquet room.  My diet always seems to end up as a topic of conversation at the table.  Why?  Because when the waiters come out to the tables with rubbery chicken or overcooked steak for everyone else, they inevitably come out with some colorful array of veggies, beans and whole grains for me, drawing everyone’s eyes to my plate!

Last night, at The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, I had this gorgeous mix of roasted veggies over couscous with a thick, bright orange slab of butternut squash, cooked just perfectly.  The night before I got a veggie tart with perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes on the side. 

How to make sure you’re served not just a vegan meal, but also a good vegan meal?  The answer is simple:  Call ahead to the hotel (or meeting planner), tell them exactly what you won’t eat as a vegan that they might not be aware of (butter, cream, milk products, etc) and then tell them what you do want.  I often politely ask for a whole grain with beans and/or veggies and not too much oil.  If you don’t want white rice with steamed veggies, tell them that as well!  Many a great conversation has started around the table based on people’s envy over my vegan dinner!  I’ve even had two customers go vegan after reading books that I recommended in those conversations!  

Veggie Ceviche

I’m not a huge fan of cooking, but I am a huge fan of eating!  However, because I really care about my health, I am forever looking for whole, vegan recipes that don’t use oil, margarine, or other added fats that aren’t whole foods by themselves.  Do you have any original, great recipes that fit these criteria?  If so, let me know so I can post them!

Here is my absolute favorite recipe, taken from my book, Vegan in 30 Days.  Even non-vegans beg for the recipe and claim it’s a hit at home!  I like it best cold, but if you want it warm for the winter, just heat it up (and add the avocado and cilantro afterward.)

incredible Veggie Ceviche

Ingredients:

½ Red Onion, diced

3 Tomatoes, diced

1 Red Pepper, diced

1 Green Pepper, diced

1 C Corn

2 Cans Black Beans (or pinto, or a mix)

1 Avocado, diced

8 Sprigs Cilantro, diced

3 T Red Wine Vinegar

Dash of Cayenne Pepper or Chipotle Powder

Juice of one Lemon

Dash of Tabasco Sauce

Prepare:

Mix first 8 ingredients in a big bowl.  Mix last 4 ingredients in a cup.  Combine and serve!

Vegan Restaurants - What's YOUR Favorite?

I adore eating out at restaurants.  I’ll eat at fancy places and at dives, by myself or with other people … as long as the food is vegan and delicious, I’m in! 

I travel around the country constantly for work, and one of the best perks is the ability to try out vegan and vegetarian restaurants in different cities.  Here are some of my favorites … but I haven’t tried them all!  If you have a favorite that’s not on this list, let me know and we’ll post your recommendations too!

SUTRA, Seattle:  This place is so good, my husband and I become investors.  Good thing – Chef Colin impressed the producer of the Food Network so much (without even knowing who he was until dinner was over!) that the Food Network spent 14 hours in the restaurant video taping Colin at work.  He is a true master!  Dinner only, prix fix, nearly all local, organic and vegan.  Dinner is always different, and I have had some of the best meals of my life there

MILLENIUM, San Francisco:  Millenium is famous.  The food is incredible – you just want to stop and close your eyes and savor each bite!  Yet, even as a 100% vegan restaurant, it’s so good that you can take work clients there for a “fancy” dinner, and they will absolutely love their dinner and feel completely satisfied.

SUBLIME, Fort Lauderdale:  Another 100% vegan recipe on the high-end of the restaurant scale, Sublime has been written up as one of the best vegan restaurants in the country, and for good reason.  If you miss the taste of real macaroni and cheese, veal piccatta and sushi, Sublime will give them back to you … and you won’t be disappointed!  When I go to Ft. Lauderdale for a week every May for work, I will eat there 3 or 4 times!

WATERCOURSE, Denver:  I go to Denver more frequently than anywhere else, and I pick my hotel based on its proximity to Watercourse!  I’ve found their menu to be a little hit or miss, but when you hit it right, the food is amazing.  I have eaten their vegan Caesar Salad and Portobello Cap three times in the last three days!  If you want vegan “hot wings with ranch” – by god, you’ll never know you’re not having the real thing.

CARMELITA, Seattle:  Carmelita isn’t 100% vegan, but most items on the menu can be made that way.  They focus on in-season, organic food, and it absolutely shows in the taste.  I ate there a few weeks ago by myself, and was actually “Mmmming” and “Ahhhing” out loud!

NATIVE FOODS, Los Angeles:  If you like fast food, this is your heaven.  The Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger is astounding, as are the Scorpion Burger and Pizzas.  The do have healthy options – brown rice bowls with variations of veggies and sauces and some great salads – which are also delicious, so if you like “healthy food that’s fast,” you’ll love it here too!

CAFÉ GRATITUDE, San Francisco:  Nearly 100% raw, what you’ll like about Café Gratitude even more than the food is the vibe.  The raw lasagna is called something like “I am Adorable” and one of the brown rice and veggie bowls is called something like “I am Abundant.”  Although it sounds hokey, you can’t help but feel that all is right when the world when the waiter puts your plates down in front of you and your dining partner, saying, “You are abundant … and you are adorable!”

HERBIVORE, San Francisco:  A great diner-style restaurant, with delicious, fresh, inexpensive healthy vegan food.  The menu is 100% vegan and stretches for miles, giving us vegans more options than we usually get all year.  A great place to try!

ARAYA, Seattle:  Speaking of menus that stretch for miles, Araya also complies.  If you miss really good Thai, Araya is a Thai restaurant with very conscious and compassionate owners, dedicating to serving cruelty-free food.  If you know Seattle and like Wild Ginger, I think Aray’s food compares!  Perhaps not as high-end, but drop-dead delicious Thai.  Make sure you try the Pumpkin Curry and the Drunken Mushrooms.

FRESH MINT, Pa’ia, Maui:  Even on Maui and even in Pa’ia, known for it’s vegetarian community, it’s still hard to find a 100% vegan restaurant.  Fresh Mint, a Vietnamese restaurant fits the bill nicely.  It’s not fancy, but the food is good, and you’ll love how all the diners know each other, showing you the community side of Maui that the tourists haven’t found yet.  If you reach out and are friendly, you’ll likely get invited to multiple parties and potlucks while you’re on vacation!

Farm Sanctuaries

Do you have a charity that you just love, and want everyone to know about? Two of my favorites are farm sanctuaries.  What, exactly, is a farm sanctuary, you may ask?  A farm sanctuary is an animal rescue specifically for farmed animals.  Just like there are dog rescues and cat rescues, farm sanctuaries are rescues for farm animals.

Many farm sanctuaries, like Animal Acres in LA, situate themselves close to slaughterhouses and dairies; consequently, many of the animals they rescue were left for dead at the slaughterhouses.  For example, one sheep that I sponsor at Animal Acres, named Oliver, was found emaciated due to malnutrition and dehydration, with signs of typical slaughterhouse abuse from a California slaughterhouse.  Today, though his scars are very apparent, he is thriving, and has learned to love humans again – the species who tortured him so terribly earlier in life.

Leilani Farm Sanctuary is on Maui where there are not as many slaughterhouses, yet farmed animals still need rescuing.  Cockfighting is a common pastime among some people on the island, and general abuse abounds.  For example, Ned, a gentle goat, was tethered to a pole for 10 years before being rescued and brought to Leilani.  The star of the farm (for her cuddly nature) is Veronica, a deer who was rescued after her mother was shot in front of her by hunters when she was just a fawn.

But the best thing about farm sanctuaries, in my opinion, is that in addition to saving the precious lives that come to their farm, they save thousands more by educating their visitors on the vegetarian and vegan diets.  They explain how the animals are treated in factory farms, and how a vegetarian/vegan diet is not only the most compassionate diet for our fellow animals, but also one of the healthiest diets for humans. 

Learn more by googling “Farm Sanctuaries,” and make sure you stop at the websites of Leilani Farm Sanctuary and Animal Acres!  Most importantly, remember to schedule a tour when you are in town!

www.AnimalAcres.org

www.LeilaniFarmSanctuary.org

Motivation

Motivational experts know that for anything to change, you must take action.  Just knowing something, or just believing in it, doesn’t make anything happen.  If you really want to go vegan, you actually have to take action and make it happen.

One of the best ways to motivate yourself is find something that has extreme leverage over your current habits.  What does this mean?  Well, here’s my personal example:  Before I went vegan, I was an absolute cheese addict.  I always say in my lectures that the day before I went vegan, my four food groups were Swiss, Havarti, Cheddar and Chocolate!  If you had told me that I would be going vegan, I never, ever, would have believed I could do it.  However, after reading Diet for a New America, in just 24 hours things changed overnight.  What I learned in that book about how food affects our health, how the animals are treated in the factory farms, and how food production methods are affecting the environment, literally shocked me into giving up meat and dairy products instantaneously.  The knowledge was so compelling that it had leverage (or priority) over my current habits. 

This is not uncommon when people tell you how they went vegan.  It is very much like when my neighbor, who smoked for 54 years, was told he had a mass on his lungs.  Until that day, he always laughed and said he didn’t mind dying of lung cancer because he was 72 and was going to die soon anyway.  When that mass showed itself on his lungs, boy, did he change his mind quickly!  Just like I quit eating all animal products overnight, he also quit smoking overnight.  This is the power of leverage. 

So if you notice that I often encourage people to read books like Diet for a New America, The Food Revolution, The China Study, and watch videos like Earthlings, this is why: these resources have been known to provide people with so much leverage over their current habits that they don’t need motivation or willpower anymore!  If you’re still struggling to commit fully to the vegan diet, go pick up one (or all!) of the resources I just mentioned.  My book, Vegan in 30 Days, also helps to break the diet down into manageable chunks.  Good luck!

How the Planet Can Survive

According to the United Nations, agriculture (particularly meat and dairy products) accounts for:

·     70% of global freshwater consumption

·     38% of the total land use, and

·     19% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions

Many people have been converted to a vegan diet after seeing how horrifically cruel the meat and dairy industry is to the animals we eat.  More recently, thousands of people have been converting to veganism as reams of data are coming in showing how healthful it is as well.  But few people really understand just how large of an impact the meat and dairy industry has on our environment.

Did you know that it takes about 17 gallons of water to produce one pound of lettuce, but it takes somewhere between 2,500 – 6,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef? 

Did you know that the pork farms in North Carolina have polluted some of the rivers so badly that all fish have died in those parts of the rivers? 

Did you know that the methane and other gasses given off by the cows and pigs that you eat has more of an impact on global warming than the difference from switching out your car from a Hummer to a Prius?

The UN says that we’ll need to increase our food production by 70% to meet population demands by 2050.  But we simply can’t – not using current farming methods, and not eating a diet high in meat and dairy.  A vegan diet can stop much of this calamity from ever progressing.  Learn more about this, and spread the word.  E-mail me at Sarah@TheVeganNextDoor.com and I will send you a copy of the UN report.  

Activism

I just finished watching the movie Earthlings.  It got me thinking.  A lot.  For years, I wanted to be the cool vegan – the neighbor next door who looked great while eating like a horse, thus enticing people to ask about my secret.  I certainly never wanted to be portrayed as the angry, militant vegan, pushing her views on others.  So when others did ask about my “secret,” I just mentioned how much better I felt, talked about all the nutritional benefits of being vegan, and would eventually throw in the line, “… and it’s also so much nicer for the animals and better for the environment.”  I didn’t want to rock the boat by getting into the atrocities of factory farming or the environment.

However, after watching Earthlings, I realize that I simply cannot be quiet about what’s happening in the factory farms anymore.  This doesn’t mean that I have to be angry, militant or otherwise horrible to be around.  Here is my plan:  First, instead of focusing almost solely on nutrition – which is indeed a great benefit but not the real reason I went vegan – I can also tell them that when I read about what is happening in the factory farms, I simply couldn’t eat another bite of animal products.  It’s that simple.  And it also happens to be my truth.  If people want to know, I can tell them more, but since most don’t usually ask more about the “unpleasantries” of the factory farms, I will encourage them to watch Earthlings or read The Food Revolution by John Robbins.  For people who show a true interest (and quite a few do), I may even offer to buy them a copy.  I plan to contact the producer or a wholesaler of Earthlings, and see if I can buy them on the cheap, and keep a box of them at home for exactly this reason.  No need for me to be the militant vegan and start an argument – just give them the DVD and tell them to have a box of Kleenex nearby.  I also plan to send copies to all of my legislatures:  They are the ones who have huge power to elicit change.  

So I ask you – how do you tell people why you are vegan?  Are you speaking your truth in a respectful way – or are you avoiding conflict or causing conflict with your answer?  It may be time to revamp your “Why I am a Vegan” speech, and perhaps lead people to DVDs, books or websites that can help you make your case.  When you learn to speak your truth in a kind and compassionate way, people will follow.  Not everyone, but some.  And others will follow them, and so on and so on.  

Eating Healthfully Over the Holidays

Many people I meet assume that I must have the healthiest diet since I only eat vegan foods.  It’s true that I eat, on average, much healthier than the average American, simply because I am eating a lot more fruits and vegetables, and no meat or dairy.  However!  There are many vegan treats that are packed with sugar, salt margarine, oil and other unhealthy but vegan ingredients, and just like the average person has to make an effort to go easy on chips and ice cream, so do many of us vegans. 

The holidays are a special challenge because – for non-vegans and vegans alike – there is a universally accepted excuse that “Oh, it’s the holidays … this is when I get to splurge and not feel guilty!”  So, just like everyone else, I find myself having to be aware when I am using that excuse to make unhealthy choices that will make me feel sick, sluggish and fat in the morning. 

But what do you do if you know you are making that excuse, yet can’t seem to stop yourself anyway?  I have found that, if I do one little thing, it keeps me from eating thousands of calories over the season that would otherwise cause me grief in the New Year.  In fact, this one little thing that I do is something that you can do all year long to help yourself from making food decisions you’ll later regret.  Here it is:

When you are craving something and are about to reach for it or buy it, simply:  Stop, breathe and be mindful. 

Here is what it looks like in action:  Last night, my husband and I went out for our Friday night Date Night.  We ate Thai food, which is saltier and oilier than I regularly eat, but oh so yummy!  When we were done, I was quite full, yet found myself asking my husband to stop at the store so I could get some Coconut Bliss vegan ice cream.  (Notice how when you eat something very salty, you immediately crave something sugary, and vice versa.  This is why we like to drink sugary Coke with our salty Doritos.)  As we were driving to the store, I mentally stopped and I breathed, two or three deep breaths.  These deep breaths helped me to calm down, and focus on my breath, rather than on racing to the store to get food.  Then, when I was calmer, I asked myself (mindfully), “Sarah, are you hungry?”  The answer was an obvious “no.”  But that didn’t stop me from wanting my Coconut Bliss!  So I then asked, “What do you really want?  What is it about Coconut Bliss that you feel you must have?”  I had to think about that.  My answer was, “Well, I really want something sweet!  And I don’t mean an apple!”  So I realized that, if I just wanted something sweet, many other things would do.  Some days an apple might work, but not last night.  I ended up drinking two sips of a Stevia soda, and felt absolutely fine!  No need for Coconut Bliss, and approximately 1,800 calories saved.  (Yes, I would have eaten the whole pint!) 

I know this won’t always work in every situation; sometimes you may decide to splurge anyway.  But by stopping, breathing and being mindful, you’re far more likely to back away from eating food you’ll wish you’d never eaten, and if you do eat it, you’ll be eating it more mindfully, and therefore much more likely to eat less of it.

So, go!  Enjoy the holidays!  But be mindful of what you’re eating along the way, and you’ll start the New Year in a much happier – and healthier – state of mind.

The Secret to Succeeding as a Vegan

As a vegan motivational speaker, the number one question I get is, “How do you stick with the vegan diet?  I inevitably reach for something vegetarian – usually cheese or chocolate - whenever I get weak!”  The answer, surprisingly, does not lie in your weakness for cheese or chocolate!  The answer lies in your ability to be prepared. 

Over the years, I have found with my clients that when I dig into the circumstances surrounding their foray away from their vegan commitment, it always had to do with not being prepared.  Here are examples of what I mean:

You are really hungry on Friday afternoon, looking forward to going home and making something yummy and vegan.  Your friend calls to ask about getting a ride to the Mexican Bar for Lisa’s birthday that night.  AGH!  You forgot about Lisa’s birthday!  You race to store to get a card and a gift, and show up late to the bar.  Everyone’s gathered around the table, they have a margarita waiting for you, and two huge appetizers with cheese nachos and jalepeno poppers.  Knowing that it won’t be easy to get vegan food, and you’re starving hungry, you capitulate and dig in.

Your family members or roommates regularly bring non-vegan food into the house.  You didn’t plan for dinner, and hungrily open the refrigerator door, only to find birthday cake left over from last night.  You tell yourself, “Ooooooo!!  Left over birthday cake!  I love birthday cake!  Just this once!” and dig into their non-vegan food.

You’re going to Cancun for vacation.  The flight is late, you’re getting hungry, and you can’t find anything but a salad with creamy dressing at the airport.  You finally just order it, and throw in some bread that you know probably has egg and/or butter in it, because you figure you can’t really let yourself starve.

Each of these examples has the same common denominator:  You simply weren’t prepared.  You might think that it’s your weakness for birthday cake or cheese nachos, but in fact, there are amazing vegan cakes and (finally) amazing vegan cheese on the market as well.  If it was really just a question of you getting over your craving, you could go to the store or a vegan restaurant and get whatever it is that you’re craving.

So what is the answer?  Be prepared.  Every night you should look at your calendar and know what the following day holds for you, and prepare yourself for it.  Do you need to bring your own snack for the plane?  Call ahead to the restaurant to tell them a vegan is coming in tonight?  Ask your friends to switch restaurants so you’ll have options?  Stock your kitchen regularly with your favorite foods so you don’t run out of them and get tempted by roommates’ or family members’ non-vegan food? 

The answer – being prepared – is actually very simple … it just requires a tiny bit of planning on your part each day.  Commit to being prepared, and you’ll likely find it easy to be vegan!

VegNews

I love discovering a great new vegan restaurant, but I love it even more when I can share it with someone fun!  This past Friday I was taken to Herbivore in San Francisco’s eclectic Mission District by the publisher of VegNews Magazine, Joe Connelly.  VegNews is the leading vegetarian/vegan magazine in the country, and is packed full of useful information about the vegetarian and vegan diets.  I know it’s odd to say this, but I actually really enjoy the advertisements!  As a vegan, it can be hard to find things like vegan cheese, vegan shoes or vegan clothes.  I find great ads for companies I wouldn’t have otherwise known about amongst the pages of VegNews.  I have even found things I didn’t know I was looking for – like ads for vegan Bed & Breakfasts!

Anyway, I digress.  Joe took me to a great lunch, where we shared the raw beet and spinach salad, and the quinoa salad, in an effort to make Joel Fuhrman proud.  (We are not telling Joel what we ordered for dessert, but it was my birthday week!)  If you live in or find yourself visiting the San Francisco Bay area, I highly recommend checking out Herbivore.  In addition to amazing salads, they had a 100% vegan menu, full of delicious items that you may not find vegan in many other places, like shwarma and phad kee mao.  And of course, german chocolate cake and carrot cake.  Not that I would know anything about those…

Sarah Taylor and Joe Connelly at the trendy new office of VegNews Magazine.

60,000 A Day

I was recently at a fundraiser for Animal Acres, and the producer/director/someone-important from the movie Earthlings was there.  I had not seen the movie, and made the public faux pas of admitting that I had not seen it at one of the biggest vegan gatherings in California of the year!  So, I rented it.  I have not got past the first section (of five) due to not being able to see through my tears, but I will force myself to watch them all, just to remind me of why I do what I do.  But this movie goes far beyond how food gets to our table. 

The first section – what I’ll focus on for this blog posting – focuses on pets.  I know this is graphic and sad, but I think it’s important to know:  60,000 (generally) perfectly healthy pets are put down every single day in this country, for the simple lack of a home.  To see footage of a happy dog, wagging its tail as it’s getting cuddled - only to be dead seconds later by lethal injection - is horrifying.  To see a group of excited dogs, tails a-wagging, go racing into a gas chamber to scope it out, only to come out dead 20 minutes later and thrown in the back of a truck … it’s put me on a mission. 

When we got beautiful Maggie Moon, I was unaware of how big this problem is.  We bought her from a lovely breeder who we adore, so I recognize that breeders are not always horrible puppy-mill types.  Many of them are lovely people who want to bring sweet dogs into the world to add happiness to our homes.  However, it must also be realized (and I get this now) that the bumper sticker “Breeders kill shelter dogs chances” is true:  For every dog or cat you choose to buy from a breeder instead of rescue from a shelter, one of the shelter animals will be seeing its very last day here on earth.  It’s simple math.

So, for my birthday (which is today) my husband finally capitulated into getting another cat.  I picked him out at the local shelter, and he purrs like a freight train when you pick him up.  He’s absolutely adorable!  We named him Shanti Moon (Shanti being Sanskrit for “peace,” and Moon in honor of Maggie Moon) and when we look in his eyes, we see that we have saved a life; if not his, then some other cat’s, who go to stay alive one more day because we opened a spot by taking Shanti.  That extra day could be the difference between having a loving new home and being dead.

So, I ask you:  Have you spayed/neutered all of your animals?  Do you have room for one or two more, to save an extra life or two that may be gone tomorrow without your help?  Can you commit to getting the rest of your animals from a shelter instead of a breeder?  The reward for these small decisions is … life!

Sarah & Shanti Moon