HowtoBeVeganElizabethCastoria

withrecipesbyRobinRobertsona

NEWYORK

Tothecuriousandfortheanimals

CONTENTS

Let’sStart!

1:TheBasics

2:TheFood

3:VeganatHome

4:Travel

5:Manners

6:TheRecipes

Resources

Acknowledgments

Index

AbouttheAuthor

LET’SSTART!

Bravo!You’reconsideringtryingoutthiswholeplant-based-eatingidea.Thatisflat-outwonderful,andthere’ssomegoodnewstostartyouonyourway:it’salittle-knownsecretthatgoingveganistheeasiestself-helpstrategyinthehistoryoftheworld.Tobevegan,youdon’thavetodoanything;youjusthavetonotdoonething.Goingveganisablissfullysimpleone-stepprocess.Ready?Hereitis:stopbuyinganimalproducts.Done.Voilà.Finito.Andkudos,youarenowafreshlymintedvegan,fullyequippedwithanewveganscentandeverything.Though straightforward, this single step can be taken at various paces for

variouspeople.Forsome,itcouldtakeagoodtenyearsofdabblingbeforetheydecide togovegan full throttle.Forothers, it takes about as long as itwill toreadto theendof thissentence.Buthere’s the thing: inmerely thinkingaboutmaybesomeday(possiblytoday,for typeApersonalities) tryingoutveganism,you’vealreadydonesomethinggreat.You’vealreadyentertainedthepossibilitythatthislifestylemighthavemerit,andbeingopentothatconceptisavictoryinitself.Thereasonstogiveveganismashotarelegion—fromhelpingsavetheplanet

tobeingkindtoanimalstoreducingyourchancesofdyingfromaheartattack.Youmightevenhaverolledalltheseloftyandadmirablegoalsintoone,or,asinmycaseaboutamillionyearsago,youmightbetryingtoimpressadevilishlycuteseventeen-year-oldskaterwhois,like,reallydeep.(Note:skaterscomeandgo,buttheycanhavealastingeffect!)Whatever your reasons for ditchingmeat and dairy, fantastic. I hope you’ll

findthatthisbookhelpstodemystify,destigmatize,anduncomplicateveganism.Thisbook isbynomeansanencyclopedia; thereare intricaciesand tangentialissues thatwe simplywon’tgo intohere.Thinkof thebookas a springboard.Vegan101.Maybesomethingwillcatchyoureyeandyou’llwanttodigdeeper(see Resources).Maybe you’re looking for a really great pancake recipe (seeRecipes).Maybeyou’rejustlookingtoimpressthecuteveganyoualwaysseeatthegymandneedsometipsonhowtowooappropriately.Fromgettingallthenutrientsahealthybodyneedstoriddingyourclosetofanimalcruelty,we’llgooverthebasicsofexactlyhowtolivevegan.Herewego!

“Lifeisn’taboutfindingyourself.Lifeisaboutcreatingyourself.”—GEORGEBERNARDSHAW

1TheBasics

HERE’STHE4-1-1

“Theperfectistheenemyofthegood.”—VOLTAIRE

Thereareroughly800zilliongreatreasonstogovegan.Thereisalsoonethingweshouldgetstraightrightaway,justsothereisn’tanyconfusionaboutitlateron. It’soneof theworld’sbest-kept secrets: it is impossible tobe100percentvegan,meaningthatitisimpossibletoliveintheworldandavoidcomingintocontact with animal products altogether. Your precious energy and time are

betterspentmakingthechangesthatwillhavethebiggestimpact.That’sright—whatyoudohasadirecteffectonthestateoftheworld.Wecancreatethekindofworldwewanttoliveinwiththechoiceswemake,which,frankly,ismaybethemostexcitingrealizationofalltime.Doescuttingeggsoutofyourdietconferincrediblehealthbenefits,improve

thestateoftheenvironment,andeliminateagreatdealofanimalsuffering?Yes.Doesinterrogatingtheeighteen-year-oldwaiterwhomakesminimumwageandreallyjustwantstogohomeafterworkingadoubleshiftaboutwhetherthepotsin the kitchen have ever touchedmeat do the same things?No. There are nomeritbadgesforbeingthemostveganpersonintheroom,nosecrethandshakesfor people who’ve been vegan the longest. Trying out this lifestyle is anopportunitytothinkaboutourdailychoicesinanew,excitingway,notaroutetopersonalperfection.

DefiningtheWaysWeEatThere’saprettystraightforwarddefinitionofbeingavegan:someonewhodoesnotconsumeanimalproducts.Butwhatabouttheovo-lacto-pesca-graina-fruita-tarians youhear about these days?With somanydifferent kinds of eaters outthere,wheredovegansfitintothefoodchain?Here’sasimplebreakdown.

VEGANS:Peoplewhodon’teat,wear,oruseanimalproducts.

VEGETARIANS: Peoplewho don’t eatmeat (thatmeans no chicken or fisheither—thosearen’tplants!)butdoeateggsanddairy.

OVO-LACTOVEGETARIANS: This is basically just the 1970s term for avegetarian.Youmighthear thisused incontrast toa“purevegetarian,”whichmeans a vegan. Ovo means “eggs,” and lacto means “milk,” so sometimespeoplewillidentifythemselvesasovovegetarians(meaningtheydoeateggsbutdon’tconsumedairy),orlactovegetarians(viceversa).

PESCATARIANS:Thosewhoeateggs,milk,and fishbutnotchicken,pork,beef,orotherlandanimals.

FLEXITARIANS:Flexitarianseatveganorvegetariansomeof the time,asaconsciouseffort(incomparisonto,say,someonewhohappenstoeatasaladforlunchwithoutconsideringatallthefactthatthesaladwasachoice).

MEATREDUCERS:Muchlikeflexitarians,thesepeoplewanttocutdownontheamountofmeat theyconsumeandmayconscientiouslyoptforplant-basedmeals.

RAW-FOODISTS:Thosewhoeatuncookedfoodandusuallyeatamostly, ifnotwholly,vegandiet.Thereare raw-foodistswhodrink rawmilk (anda fewwhoeatrawmeat),soit’snotsafetoassumethatsomeoneonarawdietisalsoveganorviceversa.

LEVEL-FIVEVEGANS:ThiswasjustareallycleverjokeonTheSimpsons,duringtheepisode“LisatheTreeHugger.”Acharacterquips,“I’malevel-fivevegan—Iwon’teatanythingthatcastsashadow.”

DIETARYDIFFERENCES,ATAGLANCE

HowDoesOneGoAboutBeingVegan?For somepeople,watching five seconds of video footage froma factory farmwill do the trick; others will start by cutting out certain products and thengradually expand that list until they’re fully vegan. There are a few differentapproachestogoingvegan.MarkBittman,acolumnistforTheNewYorkTimes,releasedacookbookcalledVB6,whichstandsfor“veganbefore6:00P.M.”Afterhisdoctorrecommendedthatheadoptaplant-baseddiettoimprovehishealth,Bittmandecidedthathe’dbetotallyveganduringthedayandtheneatwhateverhefeltlikefordinner.KathyFreston,anotedself-helpauthor,pennedTheLean,

whichencouragesreadersto“leanin”toveganismbyincludingmoreplantsintheir diets and gradually filling up until there’s no room for the steak frites.Across the country, schools, hospitals, city governments, and businesses haveadoptedMeatlessMondays,whichisjustwhatitsoundslike:noteatingmeatonMondayinanefforttoeatamoreplant-richdiet.Butfindingamethodofgoingveganthatworksforyouandmakesyoufeelgoodismuchmoreimportantthanadheringtoastrictsetofrules.Mostpeoplewhoareinterestedinaveganlifestyleseemtogetalittletasteat

somepoint,andthengofurtherandfurtherwithitastimegoeson.Maybeyoustopbuyinganimalproductsaltogetheronyournextshoppingtrip,ormaybeyoustartremovingoneanimal-basedfoodandreplacingitwiththreeplantfoodsperweek.Maybeyoueattotallyveganathomeandthenslowlybegintodosowhenyougoout, too.Oneof thebestways togoabout this is toplanyourweeklymenu(moreonthatinChapter6).Liningupanarrayofdeliciousdishesissuretoexciteyourimaginationandtastebuds!

FIVESTART-HEREBOOKS

Theseeasybeginnerbookshelpexplainhowandwhyveganismisfantasticforyou, theplanet,andanimals. (Note that thesearenotcookbooks; findalistofthoseonpage214.)

EatingAnimals,byJonathanSafranFoerTheFaceonYourPlate,byJeffreyMoussaiefMassonFindingUltra,byRichRollTheLean,byKathyFrestonMadCowboy,byHowardF.LymanwithGlenMerzer

AHANDYCHECKLIST

Whydoyouwanttobevegan?(Checkallthatapply.)

Formyhealth

BecauseIlikeanimalsBecauseIwouldn’twanttoworkinaslaughterhouseBecauseIwanttolivemyvaluesTohelptheplanetBecauseeveryoneelseisdoingit

WhyGoVegan?Peoplechoose tomunchplants for lotsof reasons,but therearebasically fourbig, overarching reasons: concern for personal health, concern for theenvironment, concern for animals, and concern for other people. Here’s asnapshotofeachofthose.

PERSONALHEALTHTakethisshortquiztodeterminewhetherhealthisamongthereasonsveganismmightbeimportanttoyou.Pleaseanswerthefollowingquestionsyesorno,tothebestofyourknowledge:1.Doyouenjoygoingtoparties,sprucedupinyourspiffiestduds,revelinginthecompanyofgoodpeople,sippingdelectablepartydrinks,andcominghomeexhaustedafteranightonthedancefloor?

YESNO

2.Doyouenjoyhavingfriendswithwhomtothrowsaidparties?Doyouthinkthose close to youmight continue to enjoy your company for the foreseeablefuture?

YESNO

3. Do you enjoy sunshine, blossoming cherry trees, hugging puppies, reading

books(ifyouranswerhereisno,thanksformakingtheextraeffort!),travelingto new and exciting destinations, celebrating birthdays (yours or others’), ordoing absolutely anything else that someone who is alive might conceivablyenjoy?

YESNO

If you answered yes to any of these questions, good news!Health is likelysomething thatmatters to you.Unequivocally, going vegan is one of the bestthingsyoucandoforyourhealth.TheaveragemanintheUnitedStateshasa50percent chance of having a heart attack. The average for vegan men? Fourpercent. President Bill Clinton, the guy who used to take reporters toMcDonald’s during his morning run, went vegan after his last massive heartattack. Hardly a week goes by that doesn’t see the release of a new studyextollingthehealthbenefitsofeatingplant-basedfoods.Ofthetoptenleadingcausesofdeath in theUnitedStates, stuffingyour facewithanimal-free foodscan cut down your chances of developing four of them (thosewould be heartdisease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes, according to the Centers for DiseaseControl).Everysysteminthebodyisbetteredbyaninfluxoffresh,wholesomenutrients,whichareeasilyandabundantlyfoundinplants.

THEENVIRONMENTThewaysinwhichswitchingtoaplant-baseddietbenefitourblue-greenmarbleareamatterofsimpleefficiency.Itgoessomethinglikethis.

VEGANPERSON:Plantsgrow.Veganeatsplants.Theend.

NONVEGANPERSON:Plantsgrowandare fed toanimals,which requireasignificantamountoflandandwatertolive.Theanimalsconverttheplantsintomuscleandarethensenttoslaughter.Apersoneatspartsoftheanimal,gettingonly a fraction of the original energy input that he or she could have easilygottenfromeatingtheplantsdirectly.Theequationsimplydoesn’tbalanceout,considering howmuchmore input it takes to yield the same amount of foodwhentheplantsarefirstfedtoananimalandthentohumans.

Why bother with the middleman (aka the animals that are converting theplants into only a sliver of the nutrients you’d get from eating the plantsthemselves),especiallyconsideringtheland,water,andeffortrequiredtogrowtheplantsthatbecomeanimalfeed?Eachadditionalstepinthisprocessreducesthe efficiency of food production, costing valuable resources that couldotherwisebeusedtogrowagreatervarietyofplantfoodsorusingthegrainswealready grow to feed people directly. Plus, there are the issues of monocropculture(growingthesamecropyearafteryearonthesamelandwithoutrotation,whichdamagesthesoil,thecrop,andmore)andgeneticallymodifiedorganisms.GMOsareplantsoranimalswithengineeredDNA—thinkFrankenstein,butforthe foodwe eat!Both soy and corn, two of themain crops grown for animalfeed,arealmostcompletelyGMOintheUnitedStates.Also, on factory farms there are such things as manure lagoons, which

routinely leak into and contaminate nearby waterways with their effluent (amuchmoredignifiedtermforwhatcouldeasilybecalled“poopsoup”),nottomentiontheirlovelyhabitofpollutingthesurroundingairwithparticulatefecalmatter. Particulate. Fecal. Matter. (PFM.) We can probably all agree thatdecreasingtheamountofPFMintheworldisagoodthing.

LOVETHEEARTH?DOTHEMATH.

Ittakesmorelandandwatertomakefoodforpeoplewhentheyareeatingmeat.

“Wecanseequiteplainlythatourpresentcivilizationisbuiltontheexploitationofanimals,justaspastcivilizationswerebuiltonthe

exploitationofslaves,andwebelievethespiritualdestinyofmanissuchthatintimehewillviewwithabhorrencetheideathatmenoncefedonthe

productsofanimals’bodies.”

—DONALDWATSON,inthefirstissueofTheVeganNews,hisnewsletter

ANIMALSYouknowhowpeoplespend literallybillionsofdollarsperyearondogfood,dogclothes,dogtags,dogtoys,andotherdogaccoutrements?It’slegit;dogsareadorable.Buthere’salittlelogicproblem.Imaginetheworld’sultimatedog:thenicest,mostloyal,cutest,andbestoveralldogthathaseverbeen.Thisdogletsyou take photos of his embarrassingmoments, cuddles youwhen you’re sick,andspinsaroundafterhistailinlittledogcircleswheneverheremembersthathehas a tail. Now imagine that through no fault of his own, this phenomenalcreature gets thrust into a hot dog costume, one of those horribly awkward,totallyhumiliatingwhole-bodydealsthatcompletelymaskshisincrediblenatureandturnshimintoafast-foodstand-in.It’sstillthesameguyinside,butnowhelookslikeahotdog.Thisisessentiallywhathappenstothemorethan10billionanimalskilledforfoodintheUnitedStateseveryyear.Insidethesteak,hotdog,nugget, and burger costumes that society forces them into, the cows, pigs,chickens, and other animals we raise for food have many of the same basiccharacteristics as our beloved dogs. They have brains, spinal cords, painreceptors,personalities,memories,andemotions.Theyarescaredastheystandinlineattheslaughterhouse.(Foranyonewhohasahandraisedrightnowandwantstocry“anthropomorphism”—first,nicevocabulary!Second,considerthefact that autistic animal scientist and author Temple Grandin, who feels aparticularly strong connection with animals, has made an entire career, oftenbankrolled bymeat producers, ofmitigating animals’ emotions as they are ontheirwayto thekillingfloor.)Animals—including theoneswekill for food—have richemotional lives: theyarehappywhenwith their friends; theymourntheir dead; and they protect their babies. If the idea of a dog going through a

slaughterhouse makes you cringe, consider taking other animals out of theircostumes.

MeetThisVegan:BILLCLINTON

That’sright:thesax-playingformerpresidentistheposterboyforgoing90percentvegan(hecopstoeatinganoccasionalpieceoffish)afterswitchingtoaplant-baseddietin2010.Followingaquadruple-bypass surgery in 2004 and another open-heart procedure in 2010, President Clinton began tocompletelyrevamphiserstwhileburgercentricdietunder theadvisementofDr.DeanOrnishandDr.CaldwellEsselstyn.Ina2011interviewonCNNwithDr.SanjayGupta,Clintonrevealedthatheseeshis former eating habits as “playing Russian roulette” with his health, needlessly risking furtherproceduresandtheveryrealthreatofamajorheartattack.Nowthathe’snearlybacktotheweighthewasinhighschool,Clinton’svitalityisasevidentashissatisfactionwithaplant-baseddiet.

OTHERPEOPLESadly,thelivesoftoday’sslaughterhouseworkersarejustasrifewithhorror—inmanycases,muchmoreso!—aswhenUptonSinclairpennedTheJungle in1906.Theyhavesomeof thehigheston-the-jobinjuryratesofanyprofession,bothphysicallyandpsychologically.Amajorfactorformanypeoplewhoadoptplant-based diets is the desire to decrease suffering, including that of otherhumans

MeetThisVegan:WOODYHARRELSON

Whetherhe’sfightingzombiesoranaturalbornkiller,WoodyHarrelson’spersonal life issomewhatmore peaceful than his fictional one on the screen—the actor is a longtime vegan. While filmingZombieland,inwhichhischaracterisobsessedwithTwinkies,Harrelsonhadveganversionsmade.Apassionateenvironmentalist,headoptedthedietwhiletryingtoimpressagirl.Whenhewasinhisearlytwenties,ayoungladysuggestedtohimthatifheditcheddairy,hisskinwouldclearup,andtherestishistory.HarrelsonwasnamedtheSexiestVegetarianof2012byPETA.

THEPROS

There are a few organizations that do inspiring and momentous work onbehalf of animals.Manyof themoffer veggie starter kits, handy facts, andcurrent news on animal protection, alongwith recipes and other resources.For specific questions, and how to become more involved, these groups

shouldbeyourfirststops(seeResources).

TheHumaneSocietyoftheUnitedStates(HSUS)The country’s biggest animal-protection organization, HSUS works on amultitude of campaigns, including farm animal protection, animal fightingandcruelty,puppymills,andmore.

PeoplefortheEthicalTreatmentofAnimals(PETA)This organization has created some of the most effective advertisingcampaignsofalltime,especiallyaroundtheissueoffur.

PhysiciansCommitteeforResponsibleMedicine(PCRM)BasedinWashington,D.C.,anddedicatedtoraisingawarenessofthehealthbenefits of a plant-based diet, PCRM is a go-to organization for currentresearch,helpfulprograms,andrecipes.

CompassionoverKilling(COK)COKfocusesoninfluencingcorporatepolicies,suchasconvincingproducersof veggie burgers to remove eggs from their recipes, making the productsvegan.

MercyforAnimals(MFA)This powerhouse organization has produced some of the most horrifyingundercover investigations of factory farms, which have resulted in legalprosecutionandfelonyconvictionsforanimalcruelty.

ABriefHistoryofVeganismPlant-basedeatinghasbeenenjoyingamoment in thespotlight inrecentyears(thanks,PresidentClinton!),buttheideasbehinditarefarfrompassingfancies.ThewordveganwascoinedbyDonaldWatson,aBritishteacher,whoadoptedthedietinthe1940sandfoundedtheVeganSociety,asocialclubthatworkedtogethertoendanimalexploitation.Inpart,Watson’sstanceasapacifistcameinto play in launching the veganmovement, as he objected to the violence of

WorldWarIIandsoughttoridhislifeofneedlessviolence,includingthatdonetoanimals.ButevenbeforeWatsongavetheworldanewword, theideaofeliminating

animalproductsfromthedietarosefromreligiousbeliefsinculturesaroundtheglobe.ManyBuddhists, Jains,andSeventh-DayAdventists followvegdiets toachievevariousgoals,suchas lessening theirkarmicdebtormaintaininggoodhealthasanexpressionofgratitudefortheirlives.Inthesixthcentury,Buddhistmonks in Japan created shojin ryori cuisine, a form of completely vegetariancooking that highlights the simple tastes of fresh ingredients, prepared in acareful, thoughtful process, reflective of Buddhist abstinence principles. TheSeventh-Day Adventists who live in Loma Linda, California, have gainednational recognitionforhaving the longest lifeexpectanciesofanycommunityintheUnitedStatesduetotheirlifestylechoices,includingvegetarianism.*

*DanBuettner,TheBlueZones:LessonsforLivingLongerfromthePeopleWho’veLivedtheLongest(Monterey,Calif.:NationalGeographic,2010),117–62.

ADAYINTHELIFEOFAVEGAN,THENANDNOW

1970 2014

BREAKFAST Granolaandpowderedsoymilk Spinach-TomatoFrittataandahazelnut-soylatte

LUNCH Groats,sideofdulse Choppedsaladwithchickpeasandavocado,sideofvegan“chicken”tenders

DINNER Celeryandloneliness Three-layerlasagne,kalesalad,garlicbread,aglassofZinfandel

MeetThisVegan:JESSICACHASTAIN

Not only is basically every single person in Hollywood obsessed with Jessica Chastain, but theredheadedbeautyalsohappenstohaveanothersegmentoffans:animals.Chastainattributesherlithefigure to veganism—although she also attributed hermore buxom form for her role inTheHelp toveganicecreamandmeat-freefried“chicken.”WhileshootingZeroDarkThirty,ChastainanddirectorKathrynBigelowsharedcuteanimalvideostokeepthemselvesfrombeingdrawntoodeeplyintotheirharrowingsubjectmatter.

TheTiming

TheTimingIdeologicallythere’sneverabettertimethannowtodosomethingyou’vebeenwantingtodo,buthistoricallythere’salsoneverbeenabettertimetobevegan.There are now more options for vegans than ever on restaurant menus andgrocerystoreshelves.Therearehorrorstoriesfromvegansinthe1970swhohadtousedehydratedsoymilkpowdertomaketheirmorningbowlofcereal.Today,walkintoanymarketandyou’llfindtenbrandsofalmond-coconutmilkblends,and every Starbucks can pour a hazelnut-soy latte (which is delicious, for therecord); it’s enough for a Bill Cosby–style rambling rant. Even people whoaren’t—and don’t intend to be—vegan consume animal-free products such asnondairycheeseorbeeflessburgers,usuallyoutofconcernfortheirhealthortheenvironment. Hardly a week goes by that doesn’t see the opening of anotherplant-based restaurant or a vegan product launch. Basically, being vegan is apieceofcake.Oh,yes—veganseatcake.

PROTIP

Wanna strut your newly vegan stuff? Dig into a luscious vegan cake onNovember 1, which is World Vegan Day. (And, really, does anyone need anexcuseforcake?)

THESTATS

IntheUnitedStates,roughly1percentofthepopulationidentifiesasvegan,and47percentofthepopulationeatsvegetarianmealsonoccasion,accordingtoa

studyconductedfortheVegetarianResourceGroup.*

*“HowOftenDoAmericansEatVegetarianMeals?AndHowManyAdultsintheU.S.AreVegetarian?,”TheVegetarianResourceGroup(blog),May18,2012,http://www.vrg.org/blog/2012/05/18/how-often-do-americans-eat-vegetarian-meals-and-how-many-adults-in-the-u-s-are-vegetarian.

DoThebestyoucan

Don’tFreakout

2TheFood

WHATTOEAT

“Peoplewholovetoeatarealwaysthebestpeople.”—JULIACHILD

Is there anything so quintessentially human as the enjoyment of a perfectlycookedmeal?We’reuniqueamonganimals in thatwe’re theonlyspecies thatsautés,sears,orsteams itssustenance.Food isabsolutelyoneof life’sgreatestjoys, for those on a plant-based diet as much as for those who eat animalproducts.Savoringaperfectlyflakypiecrustlayeredoverarich,homeypotpie,biting intoa toothsomeburgerdrenched inspecialsauce,anddelighting in thepresentationofamultitieredbirthdaycakearejustasthrillingwhenthosedishesaremade with plants as when they aren’t. Conveniently, eating also gives us

energyandnutrients—it’sawin-win-win.Goingveganoffersanewframeworkinwhichyouchoosewhattomakefordinner,whattoserveatparties,andwhatto reach for at the grocery store. Cooking and eating on a vegan diet areessentially thesameas theyare foreveryoneelse;you’ll justbeusingslightlydifferentcomponents.Learningmoreaboutnew,deliciousingredients,cookingwithavarietyofcolorsand textures,and lookingat food throughanother lenscreateanendlesslyfunexperiment.Fromfiguringoutexactlyhowmuchproteinyouneedandwheretogetyour

irontoforagingthroughnewsectionsoftheproducedepartmentanddecipheringproduct labels, here’s where we get to talk about one of the most infinitelyenjoyablesubjectsontheplanet:food.

Nutrition:AStartingPointFirstandforemost,yes,asaveganyoudoneed toworryaboutyournutrition.But you need toworry about it exactly asmuch as every other human on theplanet—nomore,no less.Goingvegandoesnotmean thatyou’ll immediatelywitherawaytonothingorspontaneouslycombust.EventheAmericanDieteticAssociation has stated that a vegan diet can be healthy for people of any age(yes, that includes infants!),andthosefolksdon’t tendtomessaroundwhenitcomestowackadoodiets.In 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture replaced the long-used food

pyramidwithMyPlate,whichrecommendsmakinghalfofeverymealfruitsandvegetables and the other half whole grains and protein (withmore vegetablesthan fruit and more grains than protein). The switch from pyramid to platemarked a transition for the USDA, since for the first time “protein” did notautomaticallyequatetoanimalproductsbutinsteadincludedplant-basedsourcesof protein such as tofu, lentils, beans, and nuts. The vegan version from thePhysiciansCommitteeforResponsibleMedicine,calledthePowerPlate,breaksthe recommendations for meals into quarters of a plate, one each for fruits,vegetables,grains,andlegumes.A healthy diet supplies a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat (aka

macronutrients) and a variety of vitamins and minerals (micronutrients). The

amountsofeachofthesethateachpersonneedsdependonage,gender,size,andactivitylevel,soitisn’tquitefairtosay“allvegansneed40gramsofproteinperday” or to give similarly general guidelines.However, you can find outwhatpercentage of these nutrients you need. The U.S. Department of Health andHumanServices recommends that adults get 45 to65percent of their caloriesfromcarbohydrates,10to35percentfromproteins,and20to35percentfromfats.*Does thismean that half of everymeal should be pasta?Asmuch of adream come true as that might be, the answer is no. Every food contains abalanceofprotein,carbohydrate,andfat,soit’samatterofbalancingthefoodsyoueatintotal.Theeasiestthingtodoistoeatavarietyoffoodsandkeepabouthalfofyourplatecoveredinvegetables.

PHYSICIANSCOMMITTEEFORRESPONSIBLEMEDICINE’SPOWERPLATE

KNOW-IT-ALLS

When it comes to nutrition, check with a professional. The following areextremelyhelpfulresources.

BecomingVegan,byBrendaDavisandVesantoMelinaWrittenbytwonutritionists,thisbookisthego-toresourceforplanningoutahealthy vegan diet. Davis andMelina plumb the depths of every possiblecombination of factors—including age, gender, body type, and more—incalculatingwhatkindofnutrientsanyonewhowantstogoveganwillneedtostayhealthy.

PhysiciansCommitteeforResponsibleMedicinePCRM not only offers in-depth nutritional FAQs for both vegan andvegetariandietsbutisaleaderincurrentnutritionalresearch.Thegroupalsoworkstoeducatehealthprofessionalsaboutthehealthbenefitsofplant-baseddiets,betteringschoollunches,andhealingcommonmedicalconditionssuchascanceranddiabetesthroughdiet.

NutritionData.Self.comIf you’re wondering about the nutrient breakdown of a certain food(includingmanypackagedfoods),checkthishandysite.You’llfindout thefood’smacronutrientratio,plusamountsofmicronutrients.

TheQuestionsIt turnsout thatmostpeoplereallydon’tknowall thatmuchwhenitcomestonutrition,andtellingthemthatyou’vegonevegancansetofftheiralarms.Thefollowing are questions that many new vegans find themselves asking andsubsequentlyfindthemselvesbeingaskedbyconcernedfamilyandfriends.Getreally comfortablewith the responses to these interrogatories—you’ll beusingthemfrequently!

Q:Wheredoyougetyourprotein?A:Fromplants.Proteindeficiencyisessentiallyunheardofamongpeoplewho

areconsumingenoughfoodtomeettheirdailycalorieneeds.

Q:Whataboutomegasandiron?A:Youguessed it:youcaneasilyget these fromplantsaswell.Spinach isapowerhouseironprovider;omegasareeasilyfoundinflaxandotherseeds.

Q:Okay,here’sareallyhardone.Whataboutcalcium?A:Not tobeabroken record,butcalciumisalsoavailable inplants.Despitethe very clevermarketing job that theNationalDairyCouncil has done (youknow, the one with the mustachioed celebrities and poor grammar), dairyactuallydrainscalciumfromyourbonesasitisdigested.Itwouldbeamusinglyironic if itweren’t for themore than 35millionwomen in theUnitedStatessuffering from osteopenia and osteoporosis. Leafy greens are packed withcalcium,asaresesameseedsandtofu.

NumberstoKnowHerearejustafewofthemany,manyplant-basedsourcesofthenutrientsthatcomeupmostcommonly inconversationsaboutvegannutrition.**Ofcourse,rememberthatvarietyiskey.Justbecausesomethingisatthetopofoneoftheselistsdoesn’tmeanyoushouldrelyonitexclusively.Varyyourvittles!

TOPFIVEPLANT-BASEDSOURCESOFPROTEIN

Wheatgluten 21gramsper1-ounceserving

Spirulina(adriedseaweed) 16gramsper1-ounceserving

Soybeans 10gramsper1-ounceserving

Pumpkinseeds 9gramsper1-ounceserving

Peanuts 8gramsper1-ounceserving

TOPFIVEPLANT-BASEDSOURCESOFCALCIUM

Tofu 683milligramsper100-gramserving

Tahini 426milligramsper100-gramserving

Almondbutter 270milligramsper100-gramserving

Flaxseeds 255milligramsper100-gramserving

Whitebeans 240milligramsper100-gramserving

TOPFIVEPLANT-BASEDSOURCESOFIRON

Soybeans 16milligramsper100-gramserving

Pumpkinseeds 15milligramsper100-gramserving

Sesameseeds 15milligramsper100-gramserving

Whitebeans 10milligramsper100-gramserving

Blackbeans 9milligramsper100-gramserving

WhattoSupplementThere is exactly one nutrient that vegans need to take in supplement form:vitaminB12.PeoplewhoconsumeanimalproductsgetB12 fromthem,andit’snot a nutrient that occurs naturally in plants. Without B12, your brain willbasicallyshrivelanddie.(No,really:B12deficiencyaffectsthecentralnervoussystem, potentially causing severe anemia, confusion,memory loss,weakness,andotherhorriblethings.)It’s insanelyeasytotakeonesimplesupplement,sopleasedo.Yes,manyfoodsarefortifiedwithB12,whichisgreat,buttheeasiestway to be certain that you’re getting enough is to supplement. DoctorsrecommendeveryonetakevitaminD,calcium,oriron,butyourindividualneedswillvary—besttocheckwithyourdoctor.

VITAMINSANDMINERALSYOUCANGETFROMPLANTS

VITAMINSVEGANSMUSTSUPPLEMENT

VitaminA B12(Yup.That’sit.)

VitaminC

VitaminK

VitaminE

Beta-carotene

Iron

Calcium

Zinc

Magnesium

Folate

MeetThisVegan:RUSSELLSIMMONS

Ifanyonedefinesthewordmogul,it’sRussellSimmons.ThefounderofDefJamRecordshashelpedestablishthecareersofcountlessartists.Asadevoutyogi,Simmonscametorealizehisconnectionwithanimalsafterpracticing the Jivamukti styleofyoga,whichwascreatedbypassionateveganactivistsDavidLifeandSharonGannon.SimmonshasworkedwiththeHumaneSocietyoftheUnitedStatestoeducatethepublicaboutthehorrorsofdogfighting,hasbeennamedPETA’sPersonoftheYear,andhasalsobeenhonoredbyMercyforAnimalsforhisefforts.

DoTakeaB12vitaminandoptforB12–fortifiedfoodswheneverpossible.

Don’tForgettohaveyourB12leveltestedduringyouryearlyphysical.

PROTIP

Ifyou’reconcernedaboutgettingsufficientnutrients,getspicy.Driedspicesandherbs(thyme,oregano,dill,curry,cumin,etc.)andchilesareabundantsourcesof nutrients. It’s unlikely that you’ll sit down to eat a full cup of dried basil,despite the2,113gramsofcalciumthat itwouldprovide,butaddingdeliciousbasiltoyourpastadishwillprovidebothflavorandnutrition.

PlanningYourMenuNowweget to the exciting part—thinking aboutwhat to eat!Whether you’replanning for a singlemeal or aweek’sworth of groceries, or just thinking ingeneralabouthowtoapproachfood,thisiswherewe’lllookatwhatshouldandshouldn’tbeinyourshoppingcart.Forrecipes,seepage149.

WHATNOTTOEATLet’s get the easy part out of theway first.What not to eat: animal products.Meat,dairy,andeggs.Yup,threewholethings.

WHATTOEATAndnowthehardpart:choosingfromamongthemultitudinousmouthwateringanimal-freeoptions that await.Toput it very simply, fromhere onout,we’reeatingplantsaplenty.Butincasewhatpopsintoyourmindwhenyouthinkofdiningonveggiesischowingdownononlyalfalfasproutsandrawrutabagasforthe rest of your days, letme stop you right there.Vegans can eat all of theseincredibledishes:

Deep-dishpizzaQuicheBagelsEmpanadasFettuccineAlfredoDouble-stackedburgersVietnamesepho

LasagneDimsumThaicurriesSushiEnchiladasTwice-bakedpotatoesTiramisuSconesBirthdaycakeRootbeerfloatsIcecreamsandwiches

Yougetthepicture.Thereareanimal-freeversionsofjustabouteveryfoodontheplanet.Iseachandeveryoneofthemanexactreplicaofitsmeat-and-dairycounterpart? Nope. Are many of them significantly more delicious than thecholesterol-cloggedoption?Indeed!Sure,therearesomedifferencesbetweenavegan frittata and an egg-based one, but, as we all learned in kindergarten,somethingisnotautomaticallybadsimplybecauseitisdifferent.One thing that most people experience upon going vegan is a newfound

appreciation for food. Even if you were ready to riot when the revered foodmagazineGourmetwasshuttered,evenifZagatisyoursacredtext,evenifyouuse thewordartisanal frequently enough in conversations about food to be acharacteronPortlandia—basically,evenifyouarereally,trulyafoodie—eventhen,discoveringthedizzyingdepthanddelectabilityofplant-basedcuisinewillcurlyourtoes.Thereisnothingquitelikethethrilloftryingoutanewrestaurantand finding, to your surprise, that it has clearlymarked vegan options on themenu.Acoffeeshopthatoffersbothsoyandalmondmilk?It’senoughtomakeagalweakintheknees.

PRODUCEPRIMERIt’seasytothinkthatdiningsansfleshmeansyou’regoingtobeeatingbroccolidayandnight fromhereonout.Whenyouactuallydelve into thediversityofplantfoods,it’llsoonbeclearthateatingyourwaythroughtheproducesectionisnosmallfeat.Oneoftheeasiestwaystomakesureyou’regettingavarieddiet

is to consume at least three different colors at every meal. Check out thesegroupings—bonuspointsforincludingallthecolorsinthesameday!

REDS:Manyredfruitsandvegetablesarerichinlycopene,amongothernutrients,whichhasbeenshowntobenefithearthealth.

ApplesBeetsBellpeppersCabbageCarrotsCherriesCranberriesDragonfruitGrapesGuavaOnionsPassionfruitPearsPlumsPotatoesRadishesRaspberriesRedchardRhubarbStrawberriesTomatoesWatermelon

ORANGES:Feelfreetoloaduponorangefruitsandvegetables—there’sbeta-carotenetobefoundinallofthem,notjustcarrots,andit’sgoodforyoureyesight.

AcornsquashApricots

BellpeppersButternutsquashCantaloupeCarrotsClementinesKabochasquashKumquatsMangoesNectarinesOrangesPapayaPeachesPersimmonsPumpkinsSweetpotatoesTangerines

YELLOWS:VitaminC,whichisgoodforyourimmunesystemhealth,isabundantinyellowvegetablesandfruits.

ApplesBananasBeetsBellpeppersCarrotsCornDelicatasquashGrapefruitLemonsOnionsPearsPineapplePlantainsPotatoesSummersquash

Tomatoes

GREENS:Chlorophyll—thecompoundresponsibleformakinggreens,well,green—mightnotsoundsuperappetizing,butitwillhelpkeepyourcirculatorysystemrunningsmoothly.

ApplesArtichokesArugulaAsparagusAvocadosBasilBellpeppersBokchoyBroccoliBroccolirabeBrusselssproutsButterlettuceCabbageCeleryChardChivesCucumbersFennelFiddleheadsGrapesGreenbeansHoneydewIceberglettuceJalapeñosKaleKiwifruitKohlrabiLeeksLimabeans

LimesOreganoPearsPistachiosPlantainsPoblanochilesPumpkinseedsRedleaflettuceRomaineRosemarySageScallionsSerranochilesSnappeasSnowpeasSoybeansSpinachSunflowerseedsThymeZucchini

BLUESANDPURPLES:Resveratrolisapowerfulantioxidantfoundinmanyoftheseblueandpurplefoods.SoyourRDA(recommendeddailyamount)ofitneedn’tcomeexclusivelyfromredwine.Imean,itcan,butit’snotstrictlynecessary.

AçaíberriesBellpeppersBlackberriesBlackcurrantsBlueberriesBoysenberriesCarrotsConcordgrapesEggplant

FigsMangosteenOlivesPlumsPotatoesRaisinsTaroTurnips

WHITES,TANS,ANDBROWNS:Palerfoodsboasttheirownsecretweapon:lignans,whichhavebeenshowntoreducetheriskofcertainkindsofcancer.

AlmondsBarleyBrazilnutsCashewsCauliflowerCoconutsDatesFarroFlaxseedsGarlicGingerHazelnutsJicamaLentilsMilletMushroomsOatsOnionsParsnipsPeanutsPecansPinenutsPotatoes

QuinoaRiceShallotsWalnuts

GOODGRAINSHere it is: your first vegan joke. Q: What do vegan zombies eat? A:Graiiiiiiiiiiiins. Everyone knows the two most popular grains on the planet,wheatandrice,andtheirmyriadincarnations.Butvaryingthebaseofyourgraindishesiskey.Whetheryouaddgrainstoyourfavoritesouporblendthemintoyourmorningsmoothie, they’reagreatsourceof fiber.Get toknowthese lessfamousoptionsaswell.

BARLEY:Ifyou’vebeenconsumingmostofyourbarleyinitsfermentedform(aka beer), try it out in your next soup. The plump, chewy grains add greattexture.

COUSCOUS:Aformofsemolina,cookedcouscousmixedwithanyvegetablesmakesasatisfyingmeal.

FARRO:Atypeofwheat,farrooffersashortergrainandatoothsometexture.Greatinsoupsandstews,farrocanalsomakeakillerrisotto-styleporridge.

MILLET: Increasingly popular as an ingredient in ready-made foods likeburgers,millet is a smallgrain that’s similar toquinoa in sizeand textureandoffersalight,nonintrusiveflavor.

OATS:Thisbreakfast staplewill alsoaddagooddoseof fiberandprotein toyourbakedgoods.

QUINOA:Technically,quinoaisaseed,butmostpeopletreatitliketheywouldrice,asasideorabaseforstir-friesorvegetables.

LOVELYLEGUMESMaybeyou’veneverutteredthephraseabove.Maybeyoushould.Legumesare

aphenomenalsourceofproteinandsatietyforvegans,andtoknowthemis tolove them. Like grains, legumes offer fiber, with the added bonus of ampleprotein.Peas,lentils,andbeansarethemostcommonlegumes;peanutsfallintothiscategoryaswell.Thinkofthewarmingcomfortofahugepotoflentilsouporthesatisfactionofaperfectlyseasonedbeanburrito—thosedishesreflectthebestoflegumes.

BEANS:Well,Ihatetosayit,butbeansreallyareamagicalfood.Therearesomanyvarietiesthattheycouldfilltheirownbook:black,pinto,pinquito,runner,cranberry, fava, chickpea, kidney, soy, andwhite navy are just the beginning.Buythemcannedordriedwithequallypleasingtaste.

LENTILS:Whetherthey’rered,yellow,green,orblack,lentilsarefulloffiberandprotein.Soups,stews,andcoldsaladsareallamazingwithlentils,andyoucanturntheblackbelugavarietyintoacaviar-styledish.

PEANUTS: Themost common nut is actually a legume, high in fiber and inprotein.Eat as peanut butter or garnish your salads, rice dishes, or even sushiwithpeanuts.

PEAS:Typicallyyoumightnotassociatepeaswithprotein,buttheselittlegreenwondersareactuallypackedwith it—infact,manyvegan-meatcompaniesuseextractedpeaproteinasabasefortheirproducts.

NUTS,ALOVESTORYNutsandveganismliterallygotogetherlikepeanutbutterandjelly.Butbeyondthatubiquitousbrown-baglunch,nutsarenothingshortofmiraculous.Nutsarepacked with calcium, folic acid, magnesium, fiber, and more. Sure, everyoneknows(and,byandlarge,loves)peanutbutter,buthaveyoutriedthedelicacyofalmondorpistachiobutter?Oralmondorhazelnutflour?

ALMONDS: Lightly flavored, almonds make some of the most wonderfulnondairymilks,icecreams,andyogurtsever.

CASHEWS: Maybe the sneakiest of the bunch, cashews turn (almost)

effortlesslyintorich,creamlikesaucesinablender.

PECANS: These dessert stars elevate the richness of everything from pies tooatmeal. Toast them and then grind for the perfect topping on crisps andcrumbles.

WALNUTS:Toss a handful ofwalnuts intoyourmorning smoothie or candythemfora stellar spinachsalad.These treenutsareoneof thebest sourcesofveganomegas.

PROTEINPARTYYes,everyplantfoodcontainssomeofthemacronutrientprotein,butwhenyouthink about replacing animal products in your diet, there are a few items onwhich you can rely. Some of these vegan “meats” might be new to you, soexperimentwithabandonwhentryingthemoutforthefirsttime.

SEITAN:Yes,it’spronouncedthesamewaythatSatanis,butthiswheat-baseditemismoreangelthandevil.Seitanistheextractedproteinfromwheatglutenmade into strips, chunks, or slices. It’s sold on its own and often used as aningredient, including as the base for many ready-made vegan meats such assausages.

TEMPEH: Despite its lackluster name, tempeh is downright delicious. Thisblockoffermentedsoybeansmightnotsoundlikemuch,butwhensteamedandmarinated, it makes a fantastic addition to salads, curries, stir-fries, andsandwiches.

TOFU: Oh, bean curd, where would we be without you? Tofu is anotherincarnationof fermentedsoybeans,and itcomes inavarietyof textures.Fromthesuperfirm(bestforstir-fries)tothesilken(whichworkswondersindesserts),tofuisanincrediblestaple.

COW-FREEDAIRYBack in the day, vegans wouldmake soymilk with a powder that had to bereconstitutedwithwater.Thesedays, theveganselectionsinthedairycaseare

basicallyspot-onreplicasofthecow-derivedoriginals.Milk,yogurt,icecream,butter, mayonnaise, and cheese are made from almonds, rice, soybeans,coconuts,cashews,oats,hemp,andotheringeniousbases.Themainchallengeisdecidingwhichtypeyouenjoymost.

ALMONDMILK:Lighterthansoymilk,almondmilkhasbeenhavingquiteamomentoverthelastfewyears.Therearenowtrulyexcellentyogurts,milks,icecreams,andcheesesmadefromalmonds.

COCONUTMILK:Inmostoftheproductsmadewiththisbase,youcantasteabitofresidualcoconutflavor.Doesthatmakeevenyourbreakfastcerealtastelikeatropicaltreat?Yes,butinaverysubtleway.There’sarichnesstococonutmilk that’s just dreamy in coffee creamers and ice creams.Coconutmilk thatcomesincartonslikedairymilkislighterthanthecannedversions.Thecartonkind is better for cereal and smoothies, while the canned kind is better forcurries,sauces,andsoups.

SOYMILK:Perhapsthemostubiquitousofthenondairymilks,soymilkisascommonthesedaysasdairy,whichiswonderful.It’safavoriteamongproductmakers for its high fat content and richness. There is a light soy taste (thinkunsaltededamame,notsoysauce)tosomeproductsmadewithsoymilk.

DoThinkthateverysinglemealmustincludeoneorboth.

Don’tTryoutveganmeatsandcheeseswhenyouwantvarietyorarecravinga

familiarflavorortexture.

CHEESE,PLEASE

Nondairycheeseshaveexperiencedarenaissanceinthelastfiveyears.Hereareafewofthemostimpressivebrandstohelpyoubeginyourexplorations.

DaiyaFoods

From cream cheese to shreds, this company is largely credited withrevolutionizingvegancheese,becauseitsshredsmeltandstretchinasimilarfashiontodairycheese.Pizzaparlorsalloverthecountryusethisbrandfortheirveganpies.

FollowYourHeartBlocksofmozzarella,Cheddar, and Jack, plus excellent shreddedversions,areavailableundertheVeganGourmetlinefromthisdairy-freestandard.

KiteHillFromfreshsoftcheesestoagedvarietieswithactualrinds,thisupscalebrandoffers cheeses that are nut based and treated with the precision of artisancheeses.

PunkRawkLabsMade frommacadamia nuts and cashews, these aged cheeses are rich anddecadent.Theherbedandsmokedvarietiesarejaw-droppinglydelicious!

STOCKINGYOURPANTRY:SPENDVERSUSSPLURGEA common argument against plant-based eating is that it is prohibitivelyexpensive. But, as our old friend logic would point out, anything can beprohibitivelyexpensiveifyouspendtoomuchmoneyonit.Sure,ifyoueatthefinestmacadamianutcheesesbythemetrictonne,gorgeconstantlyonmealsatfancy restaurants, ply yourself with costly supplements, andwash it all downwithDomPérignon, it’sgoingtocostyou.But infact,gettingthemostoutofyourgroceriesissurprisinglyeasyonceyoumasterafewsimpletricks.

BEFRIENDTHEBULKSECTIONShoparoundtownuntilyoufindagrocerwithanincrediblebulkselection.Gothereforallyourbigrestocking-the-pantrygrocery trips.Buyingstaples (thinkrice, pasta, nuts, spices, snacks, cereal, peanut butter, and, perhaps mostimportant, chocolate) in package-free form cuts down on costs and saves theenvironmentatthesametime.Atwoferisbudget-friendlybydefinition,right?

PLANBEFOREYOUPURCHASE

Anyhumanwhowalksintoagrocerystoreasherstomachrumbleswiththefirsttwingesofhungerandthinks,“Oh,I’lljustruninandgrabwhateverlooksgoodfor dinner” is a person who is about to spend $85 for the makings of half adinner,three-seventhsofalunch,andmoresnacksthananyonepersonneedsinaweek,onlytorealizebackhomethatshedoesn’thavethecanoftomatoesshethoughtwasinthecupboardandhereveningmealwillendupconsistingoftoastanddefeat.(No,thishasdefinitelynothappenedtomeroughly800zilliontimes.Whydoyou ask?)Planningout yourweeklymealswill keep impulsebuys atbayandensurethatyou’rebuyingthingsthatwillactuallygeteaten,ratherthanwiltsadlyinyourcrisper.Planningisespeciallyimportantifyouareresponsibleforfeedingothersaswellasyourself.Youmightbeabletosubsistonoatmealforthreedaysstraight,butfamilymembersarelikelytostageacoupbydaytwo.

SPLURGEWITHSAVVYJust how critical is it to always buy organic, heirloom, local, artisan, or otheradjectives-that-drive-up-prices-but-might-not-actually-enhance-value? Theanswervariesfromfoodstufftofoodstuff,butherearesomeguidelinesthatwillhelpyoumakethebestchoice.Manyfreshfruitsandvegetablesareladenwithpesticides, while others are relatively toxin free, even if you buy theconventionaloptionandnottheorganic;theEnvironmentalWorkingGroup(seeResources)offersalistoftheextremesofboth,calledtheDirtyDozenandtheCleanFifteen.Forabasic ruleof thumb, it’sbetter togoorganic foranythingthatyoueatwiththeskinon(apples,berries,pears,etc.).Itemsthateithercomein their own wrappers (such as bananas) or are grown underground (garlic,potatoes) have lower levels of pesticides, even in their conventionally grownforms.Additionally,doyoureallyneedthesuperfancypistachiobutterforyourPB&J?(Hint:no,moneybags,youdon’t.)

EXPERIENCEETHNICMARKETSEthnic markets are like Choose Your Own Adventure books: they’re full ofsurprises,they’remysteriousthefirsttimethrough,andonceyougetthehangofshoppingatthem,you’lldiscovernewdelightseverytime.

ALTERNATEYOURALTERNATESVeganmeatsandcheesesareyummy,theyoffervariety,andtheycaneasethepath of those new to plant-based eating into the lifestyle. They can also be

pricey,especially if they’reabigpartofyour regulardiet.Remember thatnoteverymealneedstohaveameatreplacementatthecenteroftheplate.

FANCYFEAST

Plant-basedfoodscomeinallshapes,colors,and,mostimportant,prices.Tosaveortosplurge,thatisthequestion!Makesuretokeepyourgrocerybillin

checkbysplurgingoccasionallyinsteadofloadingyourcartwithfancysubstituteseverytimeyoushop.Butevenveganscaneatonthecheap.The

foodsontheleftarethebestvalue.

WHICHGOODIESTOBUYORGANIC*

TheCleanFifteentypicallyhavefewerpesticidesthantheDirtyDozen.AlwaysbuyorganicDirtyDozenswhenyoucan,butgoingconventionalfor

CleanFifteensisokay.

DIRTYDOZEN

1. Apples2. Celery

3. Cherrytomatoes4. Cucumbers5. Grapes6. Hotpeppers7. Nectarines(imported)8. Peaches9. Potatoes10. Spinach11. Strawberries12. Sweetbellpeppers

CLEANFIFTEEN

1. Asparagus2. Avocados3. Cabbage4. Cantaloupe5. Eggplant6. Grapefruit7. Kiwifruit8. Mangos9. Mushrooms10. Onions11. Papayas12. Pineapples13. Sweetcorn14. Sweetpeas(frozen)15. Sweetpotatoes

*Formoreinformation,visitwww.ewg.org.

HowtoMakeVeganFoodatHome

Vegancookingisjustlikeomnivorecooking.You’llneedacuttingboard,somepots and pans, spoons—all the regular stuff. Sure, you can throw in fancyblenders and food processors if you’d like, but cooking vegan food doesn’trequiresomesortofsecretdecoderforcookbooksorhigh-endkitchengadgets.Assumingthatyoualreadyhaveabasickitchensetup,it’stimetodecidewhattomake.Chapter6offers recipes tokeepyou fed throughout theday.Yournextstop?TheInternet.Thereareaboutazillionblogsandwebsitesthatofferrecipesgalore.Anyspecificdishyou’dliketomakehaslikelyalreadybeenveganizedby someone clever, and even just poking around different sites is certain toinspire(hello,Pinterest!).Butforthetimeswhenyouhaveafewthingsonhandbutnoclearpictureofhowtocombine them,see thehandyguideonpage57.Pickonethingfromeachcolumn,andvoilà,youhaveameal.(Okay,fine.Youcanhavemorethanoneveggiepermeal.They’rethatgoodforyou.)Dizziedbytheselection?Hereareafewcombosthatworkreallywell:

Pizzadough+pesto+sautéedspinach+vegan“chicken”+olivesRicenoodles+broccoli+tempeh+miso-ginger+hotsauceFarro+squash+peas+whitebeans+tahini+caramelizedonionsTortillas+bellpeppers+blackbeans+avocado+hotsauceBroth+curry+vegan“chicken”+broccoli+scallions+mushrooms

POPQUIZ!Let’splaya littlegamecalled“FoodorNotFood?”Ineachrow,whichof thetwothingsisfoodonavegandiet?

A B

Adelicioustriple-deckerveggieburgerwithonionrings,avocado,melty“cheese,”mustard,ketchup,pickles,tomato,andonion Acow

Aheartyservingofspaghettiandsoymeatballs,sliceuponsliceofsuper-“buttery”garlicbread,andasaladofgreens,figs,andcrispbalsamicdressing

Asheep

Ahugeburritofilledwithsavorybeans,seasonedrice,guacamole,roasted-tomatosalsa,roastedplantains,andfreshlettuce

Achicken

Answers:Thismightcomeasashock,butcolumnAhasalltherightanswers.

Yes,allofthesedishesareavailableinincrediblygoodveganincarnations(seeTheRecipes).Onceyou’ve flipped through a fewvegan cookbooks and spentmaybe a bit toomuch time looking at recipes on the Internet, it will becomeclearthatveganversionsofwhateverdishyoudesirecanbemade.Andthemoreyou experience and enjoy plant-based cuisine, the more outlandish eatinganimalswillseem.Ifyou’reperfectlyhappywithSoyrizo,whybotherkillingaliving creature for chorizo? The inherent violence of eating animal productsbecomeslessandlesspalatablewhenyourealizethatthere’snoneedforit.

ALITTLEFROMCOLUMNA...

Youcanmakeacompletemealbychoosingoneingredientfromeachcolumn.Mixandmatchtopleaseyourtastebuds.

BASE VEGGIES PROTEIN SAUCE EXTRAS

Greens Rootvegetables Chickpeas Pesto Hotsauce

Pizzadough Tomatoes Tofu Marinara Avocado

Pasta Fennel Tempeh Tahini Choppedherbs

Rice Cauliflower Blackbeans Peanut Sunflowerseeds

Ricenoodles Broccoli Refriedbeans Miso-ginger Olives

Lentils Peas Vegan“beef” Alfredo Pickles

Farroorbarley Sautéedspinach Mushrooms Romesco Choppednuts

Couscous Bellpeppers Whitebeans Hoisin-soy Scallions

Tortillas Squash Vegan“chicken” Curry Caramelizedonions

Broth Artichokes Soyrizo Hollandaise Hempseeds

SHOP,DON’TDROPAlthough any week’s grocery list should be based on the meals you plan toserve,sometimesplanningfallsbythewayside.Inthosecases,thisroundupofstaplescomestotherescue.Theseitemswillkeepyousustained!

Peanutoralmondbutter

BreadLentilsRiceorbarleyChickpeasPastaCannedcrushedtomatoesOnionsJarredroastedbellpeppersCapersBroccoliHerbsTofuortempehAlmondorcoconutmilkFrozenfruitsandvegetablesAnyotherfreshfruitsandvegetablesthatcatchyourfancy!

MeetThisVegan:CARRIEUNDERWOOD

Afterbeingraisedonafarmandhearingcowscalltotheirfamilymemberswho’dbeensoldoff,CarrieUnderwooddecidedtoditchmeat.Thesingerthenwentveganandhasreveledinthehealthbenefitsofthelifestyle.WhenthelegislatureinTennesseeapprovedanag-gagbill(alawthatwouldcriminalizethe recording of images on factory farms), Underwood took to Twitter, calling for Governor BillHaslamtovetothebill.

TOPETHNICGROCERYSTOREFINDSWhen exploring your local ethnic markets, make a beeline for these unique,flavorfulproducts.

CHINESEAlthough youmight never perfect truly authentic hot-and-sour soup at home,Chinesemarketsareconvenience-food-filledwonderlands.

1. Wontonwrappers. Oh yes, you absolutely canmake cheater ravioli (aswell as adultery-freedumplings)usingwontonwrappers,whicharemadeofflourandoil.

2. Vegan meats. Many Chinese groceries offer Taiwanese vegan meats,

which come in flavors not usually found at mainstream super-markets.Cravingveganshrimp,ham,orfishballs?Noproblem.

3. Frozen bao. Rice flour wraps around vegetables, vegan meats, and redbeansinthesedelectablebuns.

INDIANSpicesgalorearewhatIndianstoresarebestknownfor,buttheyalsoofferafewsurprisingtreats.

1. Kalanamak.Alsoknownasblacksalt(thoughincolorthissaltisactuallypink),kalanamakiskeytoaddinganumamiflavortoegg-likedishessuchastofuscramblesandomelets.

2. Packagedsauces.Ifyou’recravingauthenticaloogobibutnotlookingtogoout,Indianmarketsofferabevyofready-madesaucestowhichyoucanaddwhatevervegetablesorotheringredientsyouhaveonhand.

3. Snacks.Fromlentilchips toflavorfulBhujamixes, therearesalty, tangy,and sometimes spicy snacks of all shapes and sizes for those who lovesomethingcrunchytomunchonbetweenmeals.

JAPANESEFar beyond the abundant varieties of rice and ready-made sushi, Japanesemarketsofferphenomenalsweetsandcondiments.

1. Nagaimo.Thisrootvegetableturnsintoaneggymiraclewhengratedandmakes amazing okonomiyaki, which is what would happen if pizza andfrittatahadaJapanesebaby.

2. Furikake.Acondimentmadeofshreddedseaweedandsesameseeds,thissalty-sweetgemshouldtopallsalads,noodlesoups,andricebowls.

3. Daifuku.There is no such thing asbeing able towalkpast a refrigeratorfullofneatlywrappedriceflourbunsstuffedwithredbeanpasteandrolledinblacksesameseeds.

KOREANBarbecuedbeefmightbe the first thing thatcomes tomindwhenyou thinkofKorean cuisine, but there’s so much more to it than that, including manywonderfullyvegangoodies.

1. Rice cakes. No, these are not the puffy,mouth-drying abominations thatyour mother ate in the 1970s to maintain her darling figure. These arechewy little ovals of rice-flourmagic that instantly transform soups, stir-fries, and salads into toothsome, satisfying meals. I’d eat these at everymealifIcould.

2. Rice blends.Usually used tomake bibimbap (the delectable dish of ricetoppedwithatruckloadofsautéedvegetables,pickles,andaspicysauce),Korean rice blends include multiple rices, other grains, and dried beans.Theymakeamazingbasesforgrainbowlsandsoups.

3. Gochujang.ThisKoreanchilipasteoffersapungent,earthyflavorthankstothefermentedsoybeansmixedinwithit.

MEXICANBeyondofferingdriedbeans,aveganstaple,Mexicanmarketsareanabundantsourceforthesemust-getitems.

1. Masaharina.Thiscornflouriswhatmakestamalespossible.It,therefore,ismagical.

2. Plantains.Whetheryoumash thesebig,brusquebananas into tostonesorsauté themwith rum, sugar, and vegan butter, you prettymuch can’t gowrong.

3. Mexicanhotcocoa.Ifitwerepossibletoimbibethistreat—basically,it’shot cocoa preblended with cinnamon and sugar—instead of water, Iabsolutelywould.

MIDDLEEASTERNPita and hummus are great, but they are just the tip of the Middle-Eastern-cuisineicebergwhenitcomestoveganeating.

1. Za’atar. This pungent spice blend adds an amazing herbaceous depth offlavor.Useitwitholiveoilasadipforbread,orcoatvegetablesinitbeforeroasting.

2. Babaghanoush.Eggplant andgarlic areblended tovelvetyperfection inthisfantastichummus-alternate.

3. Halvah. Made of ground sesame seeds, this sweet treat is a crumbly,wonderful dessert popular throughout theMiddle East and North Africa.

Somevarieties contain eggwhites or honey, but you can also find veganversions.

MeetThisVegan:ERYKAHBADU

AgelesssongstressErykahBaducreditsheryouthfulvisagetohervegandiet.Thoughshe’scontinuallyreinventingherselfasanartist,oneaspectofherlifethathasn’tchangedisherdedicationtohealthy,plant-basedeating.Anadvocateforanimalsofbothhumanandnonhumanforms,Baduencouragesaholistic,mindfullifestyle.

PROTIP

Noteveryfoodmanufacturingcompanyhasitsownproductionplant.That’swhyyou’ll often see a little note on labels that says something along the lines of“May contain traces of milk, fish, or egg products.” It’s not that companiesdon’t know what is in their products; it’s that they can’t guarantee that amodicum ofmilk won’t end up in their finished itemswhen the company thatusedtheproductionequipmentrightbeforethemmadeMilkDuds,andtheyneedtoalertconsumerswithsevereallergiesaboutwhatthey’regetting.Mostveganswilleatproductswiththesestatementsonthelabelssincethetraceamountsare(a)tinyand(b)notpurposefullyincluded.

Surprise,It’sVegan!Well-intentionedanimalloversaren’ttheonlyfolksproducingveganfood—it’soften cheaper for food manufacturers to exclude animal-derived ingredients.There are a number of well-known snacks that just so happen to be vegan—whichiseitherablessingoracurse,dependingonhowmuchyoucareaboutthatwhole“health”thing.

TOPTENFAVORITEACCIDENTALLYVEGANPRODUCTS

1. WheatThins2. Oreos3. Cap’nCrunch

4. UnfrostedBrownSugarCinnamonPop-Tarts5. Fritos6. Clubcrackers7. Ore-IdaTaterTots8. DuncanHinesCreamyHome-StyleCaramelFrosting9. GhirardelliChocolatePremiumHotCocoa,ChocolateHazelnutflavor10. NutterButters

READINGLABELS

Most vegans can take a ten-second look at any product label and knowwhetherornottheitemisvegan—it’soneofthesuperpowersweplanteatersdevelop.Here’saquicklookatcommoningredientsandtheiranimal-derivedstatus. For ingredients that can be derived from plants or animals, the bestpolicyistoeitherchecktheproductmaker’swebsitetoseekclarificationorcallthemdirectly.

HOWTOREADALABEL

Yay!It’sVegan

LacticacidMaltodextrin

ComesfromBothPlantandAnimalSources

Mono-anddiglyceridesNaturalflavorsL-cysteineStearicacid

NotVegan,Nohow

WheyCaseinGelatin

BeeswaxCochinealLactose

DrinkUpOf course, great cuisinewould be somewhat less excitingwithout a deliciousbeveragewithwhichtowashitalldown.Theperfectappetite-whettingcocktailorglassofmasterfullypairedwinecantakeanymealfromgoodtogreat,and,frankly,alcohol isprettydangfantastic initsownright.Onesurprisingwayinwhichanimalproductsareused is in the finishingprocess forsomewinesandbeers.Eggwhitesandisinglass(aningredientmadefromfish)areoftenusedtoremove impurities from beer and wine. The egg whites or isinglass is thenremoved as well, but for some, their use is reason to avoid certain types ofalcohol.Callingyourfavoritebrewerdirectlyisagoodwaytofindoutwhetheranimal products are used, as is visitingwww.barnivore.com. (There are othersforwhomthisisanonissue;aswithallaspectsofadoptingaplant-baseddiet,itcomes down to personal choice. Revolutions might not be any good withoutdancing,andIthinkthey’dbesimilarlystymiedwithoutChampagne.)

Let’sGoOut!Diningout is oneof life’s greatest joys.The food ismadeby someonewho’sbeentrained,peoplearepaidtobenicetoyou,andyoudon’tevenhavetodothe dishes. Despite its many enchanting qualities, eating at restaurants mightseemataddauntingtosomeonenewtoveganeating.Nottoworry:justaswitheverysingleotherthinginlife, themoreyoudosomething(inthiscase,enjoydelicious restaurant food), thebetterat ityouget.First, thereare twokindsofplaces: the intentionally vegan-friendly restaurant and the accidentally vegan-friendly restaurant. That’s right: the vast majority of restaurants are happy tocatertovegans,whetheryou’reheadedtoasteakhouseorajuicebar.Herearea

fewgameplansforhavingalovelyexperienceatyournextdinnerout.

IFTHERESTAURANTISVEGAN:WOO-HOO!Baskinthegloryofbeingabletoorderany-andeverythingonthemenu.Iftherestaurantisvegetarian(asineverythingcomescoveredindairycheese), it’s likelythat theserverwillbefamiliarwithveganismandabletosuggesteitheranadjustmenttoamenuitemorsomethingoffthemenu.

IF THERESTAURANTHASCLEARLYMARKEDVEGANOPTIONSONTHEMENU:GREAT.Thismeansthatyoucaneasilychooseoneofthemarked items, but it alsomeans that the restaurant gets the idea of veganism,and, ifyouaskpolitely, thechefmightbewilling tomakesubstitutions.Let’ssay, for instance, that there’s a tofu scrambleon thebrunchmenu,but it’s theonlyveganthing.Ifthereareotheregg-baseddisheslikescramblesoromelets,askifanyofthemcanbemadewithtofuinsteadofeggs.Ninetimesoutoften,therestaurantwillbehappytooblige.

IFTHEREAREDISHESTHATSEEMVEGANBUTAREN’TMARKEDASSUCH:NOPROBLEM.Nicely ask the server to be sure that thewiltedkale salad doesn’t come doused in grated Parmesan and then dig in.When indoubt, ask servers what they recommend for vegans. Most restaurants arefamiliarwiththiswordnowadays,butifyoumanagetofindonethatisn’t,justaskwhatthebestvegetariandishisthatdoesn’tcomewitheggsordairy.Voilà!

IF EVERY SINGLE ITEMON THEMENUMENTIONS SOME SORTOF ANIMAL PRODUCT: DON’T SWEAT IT.Unless the menu is madeentirely of animal products,with not a singlemention of bread or vegetables,you can ask that the kitchen leave the bacon dressing off your salad or tosstogetheraquickpastawithtomatoesandgarlic.Iftheseeasysubstitutionsdon’tseempossible,asktheserverifthechefcouldpreparesomethingveganforyouandtheneagerlyenjoywhateverheorshewhipsup.

IFTHERE’SNOTHINGONTHEMENU,THEKITCHENREFUSESTOMAKE ANYTHING ELSE, AND EVEN THE WATER IS BURGER-FLAVORED: OH WELL. Sometimes going out for dinner isn’t about the

food.Sometimesyou’rethereforaworkmeeting,forafriendwhoreallyneedsagood catch-up, or for some other reason that precludes you from goingsomewheremoreveganfriendly.Noteverymealwillbeamind-blowingfeatofculinaryexcellence,and that’s justas true forpeoplewhoeatmostlyplantsasforpeoplewhowraptheirbirthdaycakesinbacon.Maybeyousticktoeatingadry piece of bread and call it a night. Next time, you’ll know to avoid thisparticularspot(oreatbeforeyougo).

PROTIP

Pregame.YouhavetheInternet—useit.Findthemenuonlinebeforeheadingtoanewrestauranttocheckouttheoptions.Ifnothingobviouslyveganisonoffer,it’sagoodideatocallaheadandaskiftherestaurantwillbeabletomakeyousomethingoff themenu.Thehandycall-ahead trickserves twopurposes.One:you’ll give the kitchen time to prepare, and you’ll likely be served somethingmoredeliciousthanifthechefneedstocooksomethingforyouonthefly.Two:the restaurantwill be aware that there’s amarket for vegan food. If the chefhears enough such requests, the chancesarebetter that veganoptionswill beaddedtothemenuoralready-vegandisheswillbemarkedassuch.Win!

*PercentagesfromDietaryGuidelinesforAmericans,2010,http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2010.asp

**AllamountsfromNutritionData.self.com.

3VeganatHome

CLEANLIVIN’

“Havenothinginyourhousethatyoudonotknowtobeusefulorbelievetobebeautiful.”

—WILLIAMMORRIS

Surprise!Thischapterisnotaboutbeingdrugfree,althoughofcourseit’syourhouse, and if you want to be sober in it, that’s your choice. Eating vegan(whetherit’sallthetimeoronceamonth)isaprettyclearconcept(yes,plants;no,animals),butwhataboutbeingveganintherestofyourlife?Cuttinganimalproducts from your diet can be a gateway activity to ditching them in otherareas,too.WhenIfirsttransitionedfrombeingavegetariantobeingvegan,itwaspartly

becauseIwashavingareallydifficulttimejustifyingusingcertainanimalpartsbut not others. Becoming more educated about the myriad ways in which

animals are (grosslymis)treated for our consumptionmademe want to sparethem at every possible turn. As I mentioned early in the book, living a lifecompletely devoid of animal products is at best impossible and at worstunproductive.But,likemanypeople,Ihadn’tconsideredthatalligator-skinheelsreallydocomefromalligators(havingfigured“alligatorskin”for justaclevermarketingploy, Iwas shocked todiscover the exotic skin trade).This chapterisn’t meant to be a banned substances list but an opportunity to consider theorigins of some items thatmight be in your home.Taking a good look at theproductsyouslatheronyourskinorscrubyourtubwithcanbeeye-opening.

First,FashionLookinggoodmightbethebestrevenge,butmakesureyourretributionreachesits intended target—notahaplesshare.Animals thathavemade theirway intoyour closet come in forms strident and subtle.Thanks toPETA,everyoneandhismotherknowsthatfurcomesfromthefurrybodiesofmammals,butwool—soseeminglyinnocuousinsweatersandsocks—isshornfromsheepinafairlyharrowingprocess.Gettinganimalproductsoutofthehousestartswithknowingwhere to look for them, which animals they come from, and how to replacethem.Does living compassionately mean swearing off designers forever and

swathing yourself only in burlap? No! Living stylishly sans animals is easierthanever.FromtopdesignerssuchasStellaMcCartneyandJohnBartlettdowntobargainlabels(lookingatyou,PaylessShoesource),therearestylesforanytaste.

LATER,LEATHERLeatherisreallyjustskin,soiftheideaofwearingsomeoneelse’sskinmakesyourscrawl,itmightbetimetoconsiderditchingleather.Itlurksinbags,shoes,jackets, and belts, and according to PETA, more than 1 billion animals areslaughtered for their skins every year. One billion beings with brains, painreceptors,andpersonalitiesisquitealotofbeings.Whetheritlookslikeshoesorskirts,youcanfind leather inprettymucheverysinglefacetof fashion,which

canmake it seemhard toavoid.Leather isaby-productof themeatanddairyindustries, since farmers can make a profit on cows’ skin after their muscleshavebecomemeat, theiruddershavestoppedproducingmilk,and their scrapshavebeen turned intodog food.Cows are by far the animalsmost commonlyusedfortheirskins,butthere’salsoaboomingexotic-skintrade.Thisincludesanimals such as alligators, ostriches, and snakes that arekilled specifically fortheir skins, though their meat is often also eaten. The exotic skins usuallybecomebags,shoes,andwalletsbecauseoftheiruniqueappearances.Producingleatherisn’tjustamatterofhangingtheskinsouttodryandthen

sewingthemintopants.Tanningisaprocessthatinvolvesusinglargeamountsofchemicalssuchasformaldehyde,chrome,cyanide,andarsenic,whicharenotonly bad for the environment but also harmful to the people who work withthem.

WHERELEATHERCOMESFROM

WOOLLYBULLYMostpeoplethinkofwoolprocurementassheepgettingafriendlyhaircutatthelocalsalonandthenreturningrefreshedtothevastfieldsofvelvetygrass,wheretheyroamhappilyalldaylong.Unfortunately,therealityofwoolproductionis

verydifferent.For sheep—animals soclever that theycan recognizephotosofother individualsheep—beingbroughtuptobecomewool-producingmachinesmeanstaildocking(havingtheendsoftheirtailssnippedoff)andcastration(forthe boys), both procedures that are typically done without any anesthetic.Shearing,likeslaughtering,isdoneformaximumefficiency,sosheepregularlygetcutbyhastyshearers.Merinosheep,whichproducemerinowool,havenaturallyfoldedskinandare

bredtoincreasethisquality,sincemoreskinmeansmoreareaonwhichtogrowwool.Thisoften leaves sheepwith excess skin,which canbecomeabreedinggroundforflies;thereareveryfewthingsmoredisgustingthantheideaofbeingeaten alivebymaggots that have infested the foldsof your skin, but this verything happens to sheep. The industry calls it “flystrike.” In New Zealand, acountrywheretherearenearly40millionsheep,1.5to2.5millionareaffectedbyflystrikeeachyear.

PROTIP

Wantaneasywaytoknowwhetherornotyou’resportingleather?Checkforthelittle animal-rug-shaped symbol on your shoes. If it’s not there, you’re in theclear!

THEBIGGUNN

ThankheavensforTimGunn.TheProjectRunwaystar,BiggestLoserfairygodfatherofmakeovers, and totalexpertonall things fashion isoneof thestaunchestantifuradvocatesinthebusiness.Gunnleverageshisheavyweightstatus to insist thatLizClaiborne,wherehe’screativedirector, andProjectRunway are fur free and has written and spoken extensively about howfashionneeds tomovepast fur. Ifanyonecanmakea fur-free futurework,it’sGunn!

FURISFRIGHTFULThere’sareasonCruellaDeVilisavillaininDisneydom.IftheideaofskinningDalmatian puppies makes you squirm, so should wearing other animals’ fur.There’snopleasantoreasyway toput this: skinninganimals for their fur isabarbaricprocess.Thedisregard foranimalwelfare isatanall-timehigh in theproductionoffur.Themethodsusedtokillferrets,raccoondogs,sables,rabbits,minks, and chinchillas for their pelts are reprehensible. China is the world’slargestexporteroffur,andtherearenoregulationsagainstanimalcrueltyforthefurproducedthere.Therearealsonorestrictionsonthekindsofanimalsthatcanbecomefur,anddogsandcatsareoftenkilledfortheirfur,too.Sometimestheanimalsaregassed—aprocessthatensuresthattheirlastmomentsarefilledwithterror—or bludgeoned before they are skinned, butmore often they are eithervaginallyoranallyelectrocuted.Noneof theexecutionmethodsis100percentfoolproof,andanimalshavebeenrecordedbyundercoverinvestigatorsstillaliveandstrugglingtoescapeasworkersbegintoremovetheirskin.It’sthestuffofnightmaresandshouldnotbeacceptableinadecentsociety.

FAUX?DON’TBESOSURE

Here’ssomegoodnews:thedemandforfauxfurhasincreasedoverthelastdecadeorsoaspeoplehavemovedawayfromthecrueltiesoffur.However,thishasalsocreatedanoversupplyofactualfur,andmajorretailersincludingNeiman Marcus, Dillard’s, and Barneys have been found selling real furmislabeledas faux. It’sbothablessingandacurse that faux fur isnowsoclose to the real thing that the two are nearly indistinguishable (a blessingbecauseclearlythere’snoreasontobuyanimalfur,butacursebecausejustlookingatagarmentwon’tgiveyouany insightas to itsorigins).To learnmore, check out PETA or the Humane Society’s Fur-Free Campaign (seeResources).

PROTIP

Most vegansavoid silk, as theworms thatproduce it areoftenboiledalive tokeep the silk threads intact. Thankfully, there aremany synthetic alternatives.

Seemorein“WhattoWear”.

MeetThisVegan:BIZSTONE

YoumightnotknowBizStonebynameunlessyou live inNorthernCalifornia,butyou’ve seenhiswork. Stone is a co-founder of Twitter and has literally changed the face of communication, newsbroadcasting, and social interaction with his short-and-(sometimes)-sweet platform. Both he and hiswife,Livia,madetheswitchtoavegandietaftervisitingFarmSanctuary(seeResources)andseeingcowsupcloseandpersonal,andsincethenhehasbecomeanoutspokenadvocateforanimals.

DoThinkaboutwhatthelivesofanimalsusedforclothingarelike.Arethesethe

kindsofpracticesyouwanttosupport?

Don’tFeelobligatedtowatchthegruesomevideosonlineofanimalsbeingskinnedalive.Theyexist,andsomepeoplefindthemveryusefulmotivationaltoolsforadvocatingforanimals,buttheyareincrediblydisturbing,sousethatviewer

discretionwe’veallheardsomuchabout.

WHATTOWEARIfyou’veditchedalltheformerlylivingitemsinyourcloset,what’sleft?Oh,thesoftwonderofcotton,Tencel,bamboo,canvas,andlinen,plusthewholeworldofsyntheticfibers—yes,theorange-plaidpolyestersuityourdadworetopromwascrueltyfree(atleasttothenonhumananimals).

VEGANFABRICOPTIONS

PROTIP

Trytobuyorganiccottonwheneverpossible.AlmostallofthecottongrownintheUnitedStatesisdousedwithpesticidesandothernastychemicals.

TOP FIVE SYNTHETIC FIBERS: These words on your garment labelstranslate to“animal free.”Fromstretchyyogapants (lookingatyou,Lycra) tocozysweater(thanks,acrylic!),theseman-madefibersarefoundinalltypesofgarments.

AcrylicLycraModalSpandexViscose

GUESSWHO’SVEGAN?

Thesedays,animal-freedudsarenearlyindistinguishablefromtheircruellercounterparts.Canyouspotthedifferencesbetweenthesetwodappergents?

THRIFTSHIFT

Lookforanimal-friendlywaresatthesenationwidethrift-shopchains.

BuffaloExchangeCrossroadsTradingCo.Goodwill

WHERETOSHOPSo if the idea of sentient creatures suffering the aforementioned horrors turnsyourstomachfasterthanabadmatchingofprintsandstripes,it’sprobablytimetotakestockofyourcloset.Wonderingwheretobuyyourthreadsfromhereonout?Fearnot:thereareaboutabazillionoptions.Thankfully,mostoftheplaceswhereyoulikelyalreadyshophavevegangoodsaplenty.Hereareafewhandylistsofsources.

NATIONWIDE STORES: If you’re looking for basics, check with the big

guys. Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Dillard’s, Kohl’s, Sears, andJCPenneyarefantasticinthat theyaredepartmentstores,soofferingvarietyiskeyforthem.Ifthegarmenttagonsomethingyouwanttobuydoesn’tsaywool,leather,orsilk,it’scruelty-free.

BARGAINBUYS:Thebigbargainstoresusuallyofferagreatrangeofveganitems, especially shoes, coats, and accessories. H&M, Forever 21, Target,PaylessShoesource,andOldNavyaregoodbetsforcheapershoesandclothes.

HIGH-ENDTHREADS:Ifyou’rethekindofveganwhohiresapersonalcheffor your daily dinner and frequently jets back and forth to NewYork just tosatisfyyourcravingforCandle79(whichwouldbetotallyworthit—Candle79isaflat-outamazing,completelyveganrestaurantinNewYorkCity),therearehigh-endfashionlinesjustforyou!CheckoutStellaMcCartney,JohnBartlett,Imposter,BeyondSkin,LoveIsMighty,andCorneliaGuesthandbags.

THRIFTSHOPS: If there is any greater joy than finding something that fitsyou perfectly, is free of animal products, and costs only $10, it’s unknown tohumankind.Thriftstoresandconsignmentshopsareincredibletreasuretrovesofgentlyusedstuff.Shoppingattheseplacesisamajorboosttotheenvironment—sinceevenanimal-freeclothesobviouslystilltakeagoodnumberofresourcestoproduce—andtheyarealsoawallet-friendlywaytorestockyourcloset.

SPECIFICALLY VEGAN LINES: Don’t miss the following excellent andpurposefullyvegan-by-designclothinglines.Whetheryou’relookingforanall-weathercoat,acozyhoodie,orasuitfitforBond,you’reallset.Herearejustafewfavorites—thereareothers!

BraveGentleMan: JoshuaKatcher,a fashion-blogger-turned-designerandanincredibleactivist,createsextremelyluxuriouscustom-mademen’ssuitsaswellasarangeofmen’sdressshoesandaccessories.Cri de Coeur: This fashion-forward luxury brand produces shoes,handbags, and accessories made of organic cotton, hemp, and evenreclaimedwood.HerbivoreClothing:Herbivore is the first name in adorable,wonderfully

designedmessageTshirts andhoodies.Ownedbyhusband-and-wife teamJoshHootenandMichelleSchwegmann,Herbivoreistheplacetogowhenyouwanttoliterallywearyourvaluesonyoursleeve.Matt & Nat: Founder Inder Bedi is a longtime vegan who began thisexcellentbagandaccessoriescompanytobroadentherangeofhigh-qualityproductsavailabletovegans.Matt&Natoffersbagsfromluggagetotinytotes,allinavarietyofcolorsandstyles.VauteCouture:Startedby thebrilliant,passionateactivistLeanneMai-lyHilgart,thislineofcoats,sweatshirts,tanktops,dresses,andaccessoriesisamazing.Everyonewhoownsone(includingcelebslikeAliciaSilverstoneand Emily Deschanel) is obsessed with the coats, and there is no moreperfectsweatshirt.

ONLINEEMPORIUMS:Ofcourse,youcanfindgreatvegangearonZappos,Amazon,ASOS,ModCloth, and eBay, but if you don’twant to have toweedthrough pages upon pages of leather and wool, check out these totally veganshoppingdestinations.

AlternativeOutfitters.comforAnima.comMooShoes.comVeganEssentials.com

SHOESShoesarenotonlyessentialfor,youknow,keepingthebrokenglassandgeneralfilthofthestreetsfromcomingintocontactwithourpreciousfeet,but,man,aretheyfun.First,let’sseewhatyouknowaboutveganshoeswiththishandyquiz.Whichoneofthesestatementsistrue?

A. Goingveganmeansthatall theshoesinyourclosetimmediatelyturnintoBirkenstocks.

B. Vegansdon’tneedtowearshoes.Wejustweaveourleghairintomatsandpadaroundonthose.

C. Animal-friendlyfootwearcomesinjustaboutthesamesizes,styles,colors,

andpricepointsaseverysingleothertypeofshoe.

You guessed it: C is the correct answer. Really, shopping for shoes is ablissfully simple two-step process: Look for the leather symbol. If you see it,buy something else. Done. Good bets for finding leather-free shoes includeToms, Payless, H&M, Forever 21, Target, Macy’s, Zappos, and Nordstrom.Also,thriftshopsarefantasticsourcesofshoes.

DoConsiderdonatingyournonveganclothestoalocalcharityorconsignmentshop

ifyou’renotcomfortablewearingthemanymore.

Don’tThrowoutalltheanimal-derivedstuffyoucurrentlyown.It’swasteful,andthemoney’salreadyspent.Youcanalwaysmakesureyournextpurchaseiscruelty

free.

BAMBOO

Bambooisoneofthefastest-growing,mostversatile,andmosteco-friendlyplantsontheplanet.Ifyou’relookingforsheetstoreplaceyoursilkones,(a)welcometonolongerlivinginthe1990s,and(b)buybamboo.Asanaddedbonus,bamboosheetsarehypoallergenicandcomfyascanbe.

BAMBOOBENEFITS

Oneplant,bazillionsofuses.Hereareafewofitsmanyincarnations.

FurnishedFairlyTheclosetis,ofcourse,justoneplaceinyourhome.Justasinyourwardrobe,leather, animal skins, and fur for decorating your pad are the result of nastypractices,andmostveganskickthemtothecurb.Leathercouches?No,thanks.Sheepskinrugs?Letthesheepkeeptheirhides.Lookingthroughyourhometofind where animals have become part of the scenery can be an illuminatingprocess.Takingstockof theanimalproducts throughout thehousewill informyournexttriptoBedBath&Beyond.(Intermsofhomefurnishings,theanimal-freeoptionsareusuallydisplayedinstoresorlistedonlinerightalongsidetheirhide-heavy counterparts, so you don’t need to go to Jim’s House of HippieFurnitureandcomeoutwithabagfullofraffiaandwovenbaskets.)Whereyoudecide to shop for home furnishings really depends on your taste and budget,

twothingsfarmorelimitingthanyourchoicetoavoidanimalproducts.Thebigstores,again,aregoodbets.Ofcourse,theywillalsoofferanimal-baseditems,butthatshouldn’tdissuadeyoufromfindingjusttherightstuffforyourhome.

DoCheckoutCraigslistwhenlookingtobuyorsellfurniture.Itistheflat-outmost

efficientwaytoredecorate,andtheenvironmentalfriendlinessofbuyingsomethingusedgetsyouextrabrowniepoints.

Don’tHaveamentalbreakandimmediatelysetfiretoallyouranimal-deriveditems.

That’sjustwastefulanddangerous.

THELIVING(NICELY)ROOMTurnsoutthatthecowhiderugsthatareeverywhereondesignblogsarejustthat—cowhide.Dittogoesforbearskinrugs,sheepskinthrows,andofcourseleathercouches, chairs, and ottomans. Does this mean you must immediatelydefenestrateyourleathercouch?No—thinkaboutthepassersby!Likeallaspectsof transitioning to a vegan lifestyle, redecorating to match your ethics (andpossiblyoneofthoseimpossiblyaspirationalboardsonPinterest)isjustthat—atransition.Takeyourtime.Aswithclothing,there’sabigmarketforgoodsthatlookjustliketheanimal-basedoriginals,sohuntingaroundforaveganversionisn’tterriblydifficult.

ANTLERORANTI?

There’s been an uptick in the use of antlers from deer, moose, and elk indesign in recentyears.Since these animals shed their antlers as theygrow,manyartisanscreatechandeliersandotherdecorationswithfoundantlers—meaning that no animals were harmed in the process. However, since theantlersofanimalsthatwerehuntedarealsoused,it’sbesttomakesurethattheonesinyourfavoritenewdesklampwerefound.(Sidenote:foundantlersalsomakegreatdogchewtoys!)

PROTIP

PROTIP

Yes, the leather couch is an obvious collection of animal parts, but even onfabricsofas,thepillowsareoftenfilledwithdown.Lookfor“syntheticfiller”or“downalternative.”

BEDROOMBLISSThismight be the only use of that title that doesn’t involve some sort of sexadvice—sorry! The bedroom does carry a specific weight when it comes toethics, though. It’s the place where we steal away from the world, wrapourselves in themostcomfortingofgarments,and recharge.Thisplacehasanimportancethatfewothersdo,andit’sessentialtofeelcozy,relaxed,andcalmhere.Restingawearyheadontheproductofcrueltydoesn’ttendtomakeforapeaceful night’s sleep. The down in your comforter and pillows formerlycomfortedagooseoraduck,andconsideringhowunpleasanthangnailsare, itseemsveryunlikelythathavingfeathersrippedoutisawalkinthepark.Aswealreadydiscussed,woolisn’ttheresultofasheepishprocess.Aswithcouches,comforters, pillows, and blankets are available in “down alternative” and incotton,solookforthose.

BathandBeautyAlthoughtheyaren’tusuallyasbold-facedaboutbeinganimalbasedasaleathercouchis, theproductsinyourbathroomcabinetcoulddoanimalsjustasmuchharm. The tests that animals endure for cosmetics aremean and nasty. Someexamples include the lethaldose test (animals are forced to ingest a substancelike shampoo until it kills them to see how much it takes) and droppinghousehold cleaners into rabbits’ eyes to measure the amount of damage thecleaning agents cause. Globally, an encouraging trend has emerged in recentyears: In the European Union and Israel, testing cosmetics on animals hasalreadybeenoutlawed.Plus,pollsconsistentlyshowthatconsumersareagainstthe idea,whichhelpsdrivecompanies tochangetheirmethods.Doubt that?In2008,L’OréallaunchedalineofhaircarecalledEverPure,thebottlesofwhich

proudly proclaim that the products are 100 percent vegan and not tested onanimals. L’Oréal was hardly the first company to offer such products, but itcreatedthelinebasedonconsumerdemand,andit’saddedmoreproductstotheline since its debut. L’Oréal isn’t a completely cruelty-free company, but theadditionofEverPuretoitslineupisextremelyencouraging.Just as switching to nonleather shoes is not a sentence to wear hemp

exclusivelyfortherestofyourlife,usingproductsthataren’ttestedonanimalsisn’tastaxingasitmightfirstappear.Keepingyourhair,skin,andteethlookinggoodwithoutharminganimals shouldn’t turnyouprematurelygray.There aretonsofgreatoptions—fromhigh-endsalonproductstodrugstorefinds.Herearesomebrandstouseasastartingpoint.

PROTIP

Dyingforanewlook?ManicPanicandJohnFriedamakecruelty-freehairdyesineveryimaginableshade.

FEELINGSHEEPISH?

Aslewofbodylotions—evenafewthataren’ttestedonanimals—containaningredientcalled lanolin,which isderived fromsheep’swool.Keepaneyeoutforitorlookforproductsthatproclaimonthelabelthatthey’renottestedonanimalsandcontainnoanimalingredients.

MeetTheseVegans:ELLENDEGENERESANDPORTIADEROSSI

Although it’s usually rude and unfair to lump amarried couple together just because they’re legallybound toeachother, in thecaseof this talkshowhostandactress, itworks.Thepowercouplewentvegantogetheraftereducatingthemselvesaboutanimalsufferingandthehealthbenefitsofveganismby reading Skinny Bitch and watching the documentary Earthlings, among other resources. Theycemented theirdedication to the lifestyle andeachotherwithaveganweddingceremonycateredbytheir longtime collaborator, chef Tal Ronnen. DeGeneres devotes an entire page of her website toresourcesforpeopleinterestedinditchingmeatandoftenchatsupcruelty-freeadvocatesonhershow(includingoneWilliamJeffersonClinton),andthecoupleactivelysupportsanimalnonprofitssuchasTheGentleBarnandtheHumaneSocietyoftheUnitedStates(seeResources).Asabonus,DeGeneresistotallythecloserforveganism.Wheneverpeoplethinkthatvegansareallextremerebels,abandofunruly, self-righteous tyrants, point to EllenDeGeneres. She dances. She’s funny. Everyone and hisgrandmotherlovesher.

HAIRCAREWorking yourself into a lather should be part of the shampooing process, notpart of theprocessofbuying shampoo.Stickwith these cruelty-freebrands toensurethatyourlustrouslocksaren’tachievedwithanimal-derivedproducts.

ABBAAdamaAlbaBotanicaBeautyWithoutCrueltyGiovanniJohnFriedaKissMyFaceL’OréalEverPureNature’sGatePaulMitchellPeterLamas

BODYCAREThe companies below leave the animal fats (and testing) out of their soaps,deodorants,andlotions.

AlbaBotanicaBulldogNaturalSkincareCrystalRockDr.Bronner’sSoapsHerbanCowboyHugoNaturalsKissMyFace100%Pure

PROTIP

Some products are labeled “Finished product not tested on animals,” whichmeans that some of the components of the productmight have been tested onanimalsbywhoeverdevelopedthem(asecondparty)beforetheywereaddedtothefinalproductbythecompanylistedonthelabel.Whenyou’reontheprowlfor cruelty-free cosmetics, look for the Leaping Bunny. This symbol indicatesproductsthatarenottestedonanimals.

MeetThisVegan:EDBEGLEYJR.

Whether you know Ed Begley Jr. best as the follicly challenged Stan Sitwell from ArrestedDevelopmentorfromhishavingbeeninwhatseemslikeeverysingleTVserieseverassomecharacterorother,hismostimportantrolehasbeenthatofapassionateenvironmentalactivist.He’scampaignedagainst theKeystoneXLpipeline, is known for ridinghis bike insteadof driving, and is a longtimevegan. Begley is so devoted to the cause of helping the planet that he developed a line ofenvironmentallyfriendlycleaningproducts,Begley’sEarthResponsibleProducts.

MAKEUPPlant-basedpigmentshavebeenused to adorn the face for eons—someof thefirst rouges were simply ground plants—but along the way, animal productssuchascochineal,aredcoloringmadefromgroundbeetles,werebrought intothecosmeticsgame.Theselinesofferexcellentdolling-upoptions,sansbugs.

EccoBellaE.L.F.Cosmetics100%PurePacificaTarteCosmetics*UrbanDecay*Wet’nWildZuZuLuxe

*Hasgreatveganofferingsbutisnotatotallyveganline.

TOOTHPASTEIf you’re hoping to make sure your pearly whites don’t come at the cost ofanimals’lives,checkoutthesecruelty-freeoptions.

DesertEssenceJāsönNature’sGateTom’sofMaine

NAILPOLISHInthelastfewyears,thenailpolishtrendhasabsolutelyexploded:fromnailartblogstocelebritystylists,nailsarenowamajorforceinfashion.Polishupyourtipswiththesebunny-friendlybrands.

LVXNoMissObsessiveCompulsiveCosmeticsRescueBeautyLoungeScotchNaturalsSpaRitualZoya

CleaningProductsCleaning house—both literally and figuratively—can be one of the mostrewardingaspectsof takingupanewvegan lifestyle.When thepurchasesyoumake(whetherforfood,clothing,orhouseholdstuff)reflectthepersonyouwanttobe,it’ssomucheasiertofeelathome.At thispoint itprobablycomesasnoshock that thehouseholdcleaners that

lurk beneath our sinks are often tested on animals,which, of course, is gross.The good news is that thanks to consumer demand for nontoxic products thathave not been rubbed into rabbits’ eyes, the selection of eco-friendly, cruelty-free cleaners has never been better. Whether you want to go completely au

naturelandscrubeverythinginyourhomewithbakingsodaandlemonjuiceoryoujustneedtorundowntothecornerstoreandgrabsomedetergentsoyoucando laundry before having to resort to your absolute least comfortable pair ofunderpants,you’reinluck.

TOPFIVECRUELTY-FREECLEANINGPRODUCTBRANDSThefollowingcompaniesofferatwofoldbenefit:theirproductsaren’ttestedonanimals,andtheyaresignificantlybetterfortheenvironmentthanthestandardchemicalcleaners.

BonAmiEcoverMethodMrs.Meyer’sCleanDaySeventhGeneration

(PRACTICALLY)PACKAGE-FREEIfwantingtogettheproductstestedonanimalsoutofyourhousesendsyouintoaneco-friendlyfuryandyoudecide tomakedowithoutcleaningproducts thatcomewrappedinplastic,goodforyou!Insteadoflettingyourleather-freeabodeslideintoaslimydecline,tryusingthesenaturalcleansers.

BAKING SODA: Not only do you need this innocuous white powder forperfectlytexturedchocolatechipcookies,butyoucanalsouseit tocleanyourkitchen.Bakingsodaisamultitaskingwonder:mixitwithabitofwatertomakeadynamitescrubforsinkandcounters,leaveaboxopeninyourrefrigeratortoabsorb unpleasant odors, or combine it with a small amount of hydrogenperoxideandwatertomakea(notsuper-tastybuteffective)toothpaste.

LEMONJUICE:There’sareasonsomanycommercialcleaningproductsarelemon scented: lemons are a great cleanser (and, you know, they smell good,too).Youcansubstitutelemonjuicefornearlyallofyourcountertopcleansers.Scrubcuttingboards,tiles,sinks,andtubswithfreshlemonjuiceandthenrinsewithsoapywater.

WHITEVINEGAR:Likebakingsoda,whitevinegarisoneofthosethingsyoualmostalwayshave in thehousebutsometimesaren’texactlysurewhy.Well,goodnews!Dropacupofitintothesinktodestinkthedrainwhenneeded,orwhen the drain gets backed up, and let the vinegar work itsmagic. Use full-strengthvinegar tocleanyourwindowsandcountertops.Mixvinegarwithsalttoshinechromesinkfixtures.Cleanyourrefrigeratorshelveswithasolutionofhalfvinegarandhalfwater.

4Travel

THEWIDEWORLD

“It’samagicalworld,Hobbes,ol’buddy...let’sgoexploring!”—CALVIN(CALVINANDHOBBES)

What’s a worldly vegan to do? Get the fudge out of the house! There’s thiswholehugeworld,andwemightaswell take it in,no?Enjoying theexquisitebreadthanddepthoftravel—theforeignstreetsthatfeelsomehowfamiliar,thestunning vistas from far-off coasts, the food!—can sometimes be daunting tothosewho’verecentlydecidedtocutoutanimalproducts.Thegoodnewsisthatgetting around as a vegan,much like traveling in general, is a snap once you

knowthetricks.Oncetheyeliminateanimalproductsfromtheirdiets,peopleoftendiscovera

whole new world of fruits and vegetables and tend to appreciate themsignificantlymore than they previously did. But there’s also literally a wholenewworldofexcitingplantfoodsthatawaitaroundtheglobe.Gettingtotryoutfunnew things isoneof life’smost importantbonuses.AsRogerEbertput it,“Weareputonthisplanetonlyonce,andtolimitourselvestothefamiliarisacrimeagainstourminds.”Themanhadawaywithwords,butinthisparticularcase, let’s change “minds” to “taste buds.” From a perfectly crispy southernIndiandosatoanarepainVenezuelabrimmingwithbeansandavocado,there’snoshortageofintenselywonderfulvegan-friendlyfoodtoexplore.Oh,and,youknow,somesights toseeandcultures toappreciate, ifyou’re into thatkindofthing.

IntheAirport“All you can eat” takes on a newmeaning at airports. Sometimes you’ll findyourself staringata tinypacketofpeanutbutterand think,“Is this reallyall Ican eat?”Whenyou’re new toveganism, it can seem likemenus (particularlythose at places like airports, where the food doesn’t so much come out ofkitchensasitdoesstationsandaskingforsomethingoffthemenuisn’talwaysanoption)suddenlyshrinkdowntowiltedlettucewithsaltandpepper.Thiswasdefinitelymuchmorethecaseinyearspast,butairports(especiallythebigones)nowtendtobeabitmorecreative-eatingfriendly.Plus,ifyou’relikemeandthethoughtofflyingtotallyterrifiesyou,thehuntforsomethingdelicioustoenjoycandistractyoufromyourimpendingdoom.Totalbonus!

GO-TOAIRPORTMEALSIfyou’restrugglingthroughalonglayoverorforsomeunthinkablereasonfailedtoeatbeforeyou lefthomeanddon’tparticularly feel like survivingonhalfacan of ginger ale, you’ll need to find sufficient food to get you through yourjourney.Gettingsomethingsolidanddeliciousatanairportcanbea tallorder(evenifyoudoeatmeatandcheese),butthereareafewsurefirewaystostave

offstarvation.

1. Abagelwithpeanutbutterandbanana.Thesethreeitemsmightnotallcome from the same airport deli/restaurant, but they almost always areavailable.Take the bagel, slather on peanut butter andbanana slices, andyouhaveyourselfacompletelyrespectablemeal.

2. Soup. It’snot themostexciting thing in theworld,but there’s somethingcomfortingaboutsplitpeasoupwithanicesourdoughroll.Myfavoriteisfrom theSanFranciscoSoupCompanyatSFObecause it’s tasty and thecompanyclearlymarkstheoptionsthatarebothvegetariananddairyfree.

3. The condiment sandwich. Okay, this might not exactly be the mostupscalemeal of your entire life, but itwill certainly subdue the pangs ofhungerthatonlyaddtoanypreflightpanic.Here’swhatyoudo:gotoadeliandaskiftheyhaveavocado.Iftheydon’t,findanotherdeli.Onceyou’vesecured avocado, ask for their best roll or bread loaded with everyvegetable in sight—lettuce, tomato, onion, the aforementioned avocado,sprouts, cucumber slices, red peppers, peperoncini—as well as vegancondimentslikemustard,salt,pepper,and,iftheyhaveit,hummus.Afive-coursetastingmenuthisisnot,butitwillkeepyoufromrobbingthechildintheseatnexttoyouofhisCheerios(whichareinfactvegan,incaseyoufail).

4. Oatmeal.Whentheworldisdarkandcold(asitofteniswhenyouhaveanungodly departure time), a nice big serving of oatmeal is the perfectwarming comfort food. Starbucks offers a really good bowlful,accompaniedbylittlepacketsofbrownsugar,driedfruit,andchoppednuts.You can also pull the fancy PB&B trick here or get an apple (even thenewsstandwillhaveapples),chopit,andtossitinwithsomecinnamonfora new flavor combination. If you’re feeling particularly in need of somecomfort, ask the barista to add a touch of cocoa powder or syrup (whichtheyhaveonhandformochas),soymilk,andsugarintothemix.Ifyougothisroute,offerupfronttopayanextradollarsoasnottobeaneedyjerk.Noonelikesthose.

5. Aburrito.No, you’re not going to find a burrito comparable to those inSan Francisco’s Mission District (where they are phenomenal, for the

record),butyoucanverylikelyfindacollectionofbeans,rice,vegetables,andguacamole,andthat’snosmallthingwhenyou’rehungry!Notseeingwhatyouwantonthemenu?Iftherestaurantoffersfajitas,youcanusuallyaskforthevegetablesfromthosewrappedupwithriceandbeans.

VEGAN-FRIENDLYU.S.AIRPORTS

Ifyouhappentoflyintooroutoforhavea layoveratoneof theseplaces,good news! Abundant delicious food awaits, before you even get to youractualdestination.

JohnF.KennedyInternationalAirportAnymajor hub is going to have some hidden-gem vegan food, but JFK’sgems are right out in the open. Cibo Express Gourmet Market is asmorgasbordofsandwiches,wraps,noodles,juices,andbakedgoods.

NewarkLibertyInternationalAirportIn2012thePhysiciansCommitteeforResponsibleMedicinenamedNewarkthe healthiest U.S. airport for food. Shop the Cibo Express market inTerminalBforvegansnacks.

O’HareInternationalAirportDo you ever have a layover that isn’t in Chicago?O’Hare is an airport atwhichyoucanspendanundueamountoftime,sofindingfoodiskey.Thisplace also boasts Cibo Express markets, and don’t miss Burrito Beach—aMexican restaurant with vegetarian options clearlymarked—for somethingwarmandfilling.

SanFranciscoInternationalEven if you’re not flying out of Terminal 2 here, walk over to it and getyourselfaburgeratthePlantCafe.Thisfantasticlocalmini-chainhasafewlocationsthroughoutthecityandofferstravelerssalads,juices,andcupcakesinadditiontoitsdelicioussignaturebeetburger.

PROTIP

Ask forwhatyouwant.The fact thatamenudoesn’thaveall the thingsyou’dliketoeatlistedtogetherdoesn’tmeanthattheycan’tbeservedtoyoutogether,solongasyou’recourteousasopposedtodemanding.

MeetThisVegan:JOAQUINPHOENIX

Thoughhisenthusiasmforactinghashaditsupsanddowns,onethingthat’sneverwaveredinJoaquinPhoenix’slifeishiscommitmenttolivingcrueltyfree.VeganismwasafamilyaffairforthePhoenixes,andJoaquinwasraisedvegalongwithhisfoursiblings.DuringtheshootingofGladiator,herequesteda leather-free wardrobe for his role as Roman emperor Commodus. Phoenix narrates the seminalanimal-rightsdocumentaryEarthlingsandhasworkedwithPETAonmanycampaigns,includingonesthathighlightthehorrorsoftheexotic-skintradeandwhatfishgothroughwhenthey’repulledoutofthewaterbyfishermen.

TOPFIVEAIRPORTTREATSEnergy bars, all varieties of nuts, and other overpriced-but-reliable goods areavailableatairportstoensurethatyoudon’tstarvetodeathenroute.Butbeyondthebasics,mostairportsofferafewitemsthataremoreliketreatsandlesslikebasicsurvival.Herearefiveveganairportindulgences.

1. Anenormous (like, toanunwieldydegree)vanilla soysteamerorhotcocoa.Most coffee shops in airports now carry soymilk, and the warmcomfortofahuge,sweetbeveragecanbemuchneededduringtravel.(Sidenote:forthosewhodocaffeine,anequallyhugecoffeeisalsosatisfying.)

2. Sushi.It’snotexactlywhatyoumightcallcost-effectivetobuythreetraysofairportcucumberrollsinthehopesoftotallyfillingyourselfup,butonerollwithsoysauceandwasabicangiveyourmouthatemporarythrill.

3. Darkchocolate.Oneofthebestthingsaboutairportsisthattheyarefilledwithitemsthatyou’remeanttogiveasgiftstothepeopleyou’retravelingtosee.Sometimes(especiallywhenflying)youmightjustbeinneedofanawesomegiftforyourself,anddarkchocolatefillsthebill.

4. NutterButters.Well, they’re justdelicious,andvegan,andyoucan findthem in pretty much every Hudson News (the big newsstands in U.S.airports)inthecountry.Plus,clearly,themostfunthingaboutbeingatanairportisperusingthemagazinecovers,tryingtodecidewhichonetobuy,panickingaboutpickingthewrongone, thenbuyingthreetitles insteadof

justoneandsubsequentlyluggingaroundamuchheavierbagthanyouhadwhenyoulefthome.

5. Booze.Who’s kiddingwhomhere? If you’re stuck somewhere, getting adrinkisagreatwaytopassthetime,makenewfriends,andenjoyyourself.(Frankly, this is just as trueat a co-worker’sbirthdaypartyas it is at theairport!)Everymajorairporthasaselectionofbars,sobellyupandquenchyourthirst.

SHOULDIGETABURRITOATTHEAIRPORT?

MeetThisVegan:JOHNSALLEY

Areyoureadyforthepuntocome?VeganismisaslamdunkforformerNBAstarJohnSalley.Thoughhedidn’tcompletelyditchanimalproductsuntilhisdaysonthecourtwereover(in2007),Salleyhasbeenatirelessadvocateforhealthyliving,oftensayingthathadheknowninhisyouthwhathedoestodayaboutthebenefitsveganismhasforphysicalhealth,he’dstillbeplaying.SalleyhasworkedwithPETA and Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and has partnered with a number of

fledglingvegancompanies.

PROTIP

Therearesomerestaurantsthatputdairyinguacamole(sacrilege,Iknow!),soiftheguacinfrontofyouismorethecolorofKermittheFrogthanavocados,itmightbeagoodideatodouble-checkthatit’sdairyfree.

OntheGround,AroundtheWorldBeforeheadingoutintotheworld,checkandseewhattheveg-friendlyregionaldishesofyourdestinationare.(Ifyou’regoingtoAntarctica,bestofluck.Packextra Clif bars.) As always, a quick Internet search is your trusty friend forfinding the best ofwherever you’re headed.Fun fact: even inUlanBator, thecapitalofMongolia,acountrywherethetraditionaldietisyakbased,thereareeightcompletelyveganrestaurants!AsImentionedinChapter2,whatwecall“ethnic cuisine”—in the countries from which it originates, it’s just called“dinner”—canbeasmorgasbordofveganopportunity.Andthere’soneotherlittleconsiderationtokeepinmindwhiletraveling:it’s

notalwaysaboutthefood(seeAntarctica).Sometimesthetripisaboutthetrip:getting to see a new part of the world, visiting an old friend, experiencing aparticularevent,oranyoftheotherhundredsofreasonstogetoffyourcouch.Ifyou’re travelingspecifically toeatyummythings,doyourresearchbeforeyougoandseekoutalltheveganhotspotsatyourdestination.Ifyou’remoreofthethrow-a-dart-at-a-map-and-go-there type of traveler, familiarize yourself withcommonlyfoundvegdishes.

STARTHERE

Thefirststeptoanytrip(whetherintheUnitedStatesorabroad)foraveganshould be to visit the website HappyCow .net, which lists all the vegan,vegetarian,andveg-friendlyrestaurantsineverycityintheworld,alongwithhealth food stores and other local resources. It is an absolute must for

planning.

AFRICAStews, grains, and veggies simmered in pungent spices are the hallmarks ofAfricanveganfood.

BERBERE: An Ethiopian spice mix made of garlic, red pepper, and otherspices,it’susedinrubs,sauces,andcondimentstogiveakickofheattomanyAfricandishes.

POTATO-PEANUTSTEW:Aheartyblendofvegetablesandpeanuts(oneoftheprimarysourcesofveganproteininAfricancuisine),stewslikethisonearefoundthroughoutthecontinent.

INJERA:This spongy teff-based sourdough bread is the foundation of everyEthiopianplatter.Thebreadsoaksuptherichstewedvegetablesthatsitontopofitanddoublesasediblesilverware.

WAT:InEthiopia,watsarethestewedvegetablesandlentilsthatcomeontopofinjera.Collardgreensandyellowsplitpeasarepopularversions.

JOLLOFRICE:Anothertranscontinentalstaple,jollofriceistypicallyflavoredwithtomatoes,onions,andspicesbutcanalsoincludevegetables(andmeat,sobesuretocheckonwhatvarietyyou’regetting).

ASIAThroughoutAsia,riceandvegetablesarestaples,andmeatisoftenusedonlyasa flavoring or topping. Plus, this is the birthplace of tofu,whichmakes it thedefaultveganmotherland.

BUBBLETEA(ORBOBA):IfyouareinTaiwanorKorea,gettheeabubbletea. This luscious drink blends soy milk, an accent flavor, and delightfullychewy tapioca balls together into the perfect cool-down drink. Fun fact:mostbubble teaplaces list “milk”on themenubutofferveganoptions suchas soy

milksincelactoseintoleranceissoprevalentinAsia.

JAPCHAE: Glass noodles meet slivered vegetables and a savory soy-basedsauceinthisfantasticKoreandish.

SPRINGROLLS:Whetheryou’reinThailandorVietnam,there’snothinglikeaselectionof freshvegetablesandherbswrapped inchewy,perfect ricepaperanddippedintoasavorysauce.

SHOJINRYORI:Thisisn’tadishbutastyleofJapanesecuisinethatfocusesonlengthyandintricatecookingtechniquesforvegetables.Lookforamonasterythatoffersmealsinthisstyle.

BIBIMBAP:AKoreanstunnerinwhichablendofricesismixedwithsteamed,sautéed,andpickledvegetablesandtossedtogetherwitharicewinesauce.

MeetThisVegan:ALICIASILVERSTONE

It has to be said: when it comes to protecting animals, actress Alicia Silverstone is anything butclueless.Avegan sinceback in the1900s (1999, tobeexact), shepublishedTheKindLife, her firstbook,in2009andfolloweditupwithacommunitywebsiteofthesamename.Silverstonenevermissesan opportunity to help educate about veganism, having appeared on both Oprah’s and EllenDeGeneres’s shows to advocate for healthy, eco-friendly living.Her next projects include twomoreKindbooks,oneaboutparentingandacookbook.

EASTERNEUROPEOfcourse, there’snoshortageofgoodvodkatobefoundonceyougeteastofAustria, but you might be surprised to find that there’s some highly heartyanimal-freefoodtoenjoyinbetweendrinks.

BORSCHT:Agorgeouscrimsonsoupmadeoffreshbeetsandgarnishedwithdill,borscht is a traditionalRussiandish.Makesure to leaveoff thedollopofsourcreamthatusuallyaccompaniesit.

PIEROGIS: As with all the world’s delicious dumplings, these delightfuldoughypocketscanbefilledwithanything;potatoesareacommonstuffing.

CABBAGEROLLS:These savory treatsmight not have themost glamorousnameever,butthey’llsatisfy.Steamedcabbageisrolledaroundriceandstewedintomatosauceforanice,lightmeal.

WESTERNEUROPEA good number of traditional dishes in Europe consist of freshly pickedvegetables and grains doused in garlic and olive oil, which basically makesEuropeaveganbuffet.

PIADINA: This toasty flatbread is a perfect street food from Italy. Grab onewithfreshvegetablesandpestoandyou’reallset.

SOCCA: Whether you get it in France or Italy, this chickpea-flour-basedpolentaistheperfectpick-me-upafteralongdayofsightseeing.

DOLMAS:Notrip toGreecewouldbecompletewithouta truckloadoffresh,perfectlytartdolmas(grapeleavesstuffedwithrice).

SKORDALIA: Dip into this sumptuous spread with a freshly baked pita.Skordaliacanbemadefrommanythings—theonlyrealconstantsaregarlicandoliveoil—solookforpotato-basedversions.

GAZPACHO: Try this chilled tomato soup at tapas places in Spain.Cucumbers, red peppers, and tomatoes combine beautifullywith olive oil andbreadforalight,refreshingmeal.

PROTIP

Beforeyouheadoutthedoor,checkthewebsiteoftheInternationalVegetarianUnion (see Resources). This organization hasmembers around theworld andrecommendationsthatcaneasilydirectyoutothebestin-countryfinds.

VEG-FRIENDLYFOODAROUNDTHEWORLD

INDIAAn incredible variety of vegetables simmered in themost exquisite blends ofspicesmakesIndiaasmorgasbordforvegans.Somedishesdocontainghee,orclarifiedbutter,soaskaboutthat.

DOSA: This crispy lentil-based pancake stuffed with aromatic potatoes andslatheredincoconutchutneyisalmostasfuntoeatasitisdelicious.

PAPADUMS: These super-thin crackers infused with spices and dipped intochutneysprovidesasavorystarttodinner.

UTTAPAM:Athickerpancakethanthedosa,uttapamissavorywithvegetablesmixedinandcomeswithaselectionofchutneysontheside.

IDLI:Theseroundwhitecakesareusuallyservedaspartofbreakfast,whichisaprettyfantasticwaytostart theday.Theydon’thaveatonofflavorontheirown,buttheypairperfectlywithaspicysambal.

DoTryfunnewregionaldishes!

Tryfunnewregionaldishes!

Don’tFreakoutifitturnsoutyou’veinadvertentlyconsumedatinybitofsomethingnonvegan.Ifyou’redoingyourbest,alittlemishapdoesn’teraseallthe

delightfulplant-basedmealsyouregularlyenjoy.Thisisactuallyjustastrueathomeasitisontheroad.

LATINAMERICACan you totally live happily on rice, beans, and fresh fruits and vegetables?Indeed you can, but there’s much more to Latin cuisine than just the basicstaples.

AREPAS:ThesecorncakesarepopularinLatinAmericaandcanbefilledwithbeans,vegetables,andslicesofavocadoforasatisfyingsandwich.

TOSTONES: Is there anything better than plantains mashed, then fried, andservedwith either guacamole or chimichurri sauce?No, there isn’t, and all ofLatinAmericaknowsit.

PUPUSAS: These thick tortillas from El Salvador are typically stuffed withporkandcheese,butveganversionsfilledwithbeansarealsoavailable.

TALKTHETALK

It’s important to learn a few basic phrases in the language of the countryyou’revisiting. Inaddition to“hello”and“thankyou,” figuringouthow tosay “I don’t eat meat” or “I’m vegan” can be really helpful. One of thehandiestways to figure out how to say key phrases like this is theGoogleTranslate app, which offers just about every language you could hope toneed, as well as a vocal pronunciation for many of them. If you prefer aprintedpagetocarrywithyou,visitMaxLearning.netandclickontheHealthtab.Thereyou’llfindV-Cards,whichhavekeyphrasessuchas“I’mvegan”and“Nomeat,please”insixty-eight languages(thetranslationsaresourcedmostly fromGoogle, butmany are also edited by native speakers). Here’s

what“I’mvegan”lookslikeinafewofthemostcommonlytraveledregions.

Spanish:Soyvegano/aFrench:Jesuisvégétalien/végétalienneItalian:Sonovegano/aJapanese: (Watashiwabīganda)Chinese: (Wǒshìsùshízhǔyìzhě)Arabic: (Ananabati)Thai: (C̄hạnmạngs ̄wirạti)

TOPFIVEINTERNATIONALDININGDESTINATIONSFORVEGANS

Some cities really take it up a notch in terms of delicious vegan dining. Thefollowing fivecities aremore likenever-endingbuffetswith someculture andsightseeingthrowninbetweeneats.

BangkokBerlinLondonParisToronto

USA!USA!DiningStatesideThere’s nary a corner of the United States that doesn’t offer some insanelydelicious foods, but there are also some real standout spots. Here are a fewfavoriteveganeatingdestinations.SeeResourcesformoreinfo.

MUST-EATSINAMERICA’SMOSTVEGAN-FRIENDLYCITIES

LASVEGASSurprise!Though the typical trip toSinCitymightnotbe food focused, someabsolutelyworld-classvegancuisineisservedthere.HotelierSteveWynntaskedrenownedveganchefTalRonnenwithcreatingshowstoppingmenusforallof

his properties’ restaurants, including the room-service menus. From high-endItaliandiningtoinventiveAsiancuisine,thevarietyandqualityofdishesservedmakesLasVegasatruedesertoasis.AndifyouhappentoventureofftheWynngrounds, there’s Ronald’s Donuts, an unassuming strip-mall doughnut shopwheretheyservesomeofthemostphenomenallywonderfulraiseddoughnutsofalltime.

LOSANGELESAsanativeNorthernCalifornian,italmostbreaksmyhearttosaythis,butLosAngeles has some fan-flipping-tastic vegan food. So many nonvegan placestherehaveveganofferingsthatyoualmostforgettolookforexclusivelyveganjoints.Youmust,uponarrivingat theairport,drivestraight toMCaféandgettheMChoppedSaladandabountyofpastries,thenheadtoShojinfordinnerforthemostmind-blowingsushiofalltime.(Sushiisn’tjustlimitedtofishafterall.Shojin makes an incredible array of top-notch rolls filled with things liketempurapumpkinandspicytempeh.Plus,theramenisdelicious.)Thenextday,make a reservation atCrossroadsKitchen, TalRonnen’s incredible restaurant.Donoteatbeforeyougo.Ordereverything,especiallythescaloppini.Behappy.

NEWYORKCITYI know, I know. New York gets all the acclaim for basically everything, butseriously, it’sawonderland forvegans.Therearemorevegan restaurants thanyoucouldhopetovisitevenifyouwerevisitingforamonth.Italsoboastsmyfavoritevegandiner(Champs,inBrooklyn)andthebestveganicecreamshop(BlytheAnn’s). Traveling as a vegan inNewYorkCity is a piece of cake—whichyoushouldgetatAtlasCafe,whereyoucanfindVeganTreatscakes,akathemostamazingvegancakesofalltime.

PORTLAND,OREGONFor your unabashed inner glutton, Portland iswhere to take your loose-fittingpants.Veganmacandcheeseinsideaburrito?Done.Plus,onthesoutheastsideof town there’s a vegan mini-mall, including a bakery, an adorable lifestyleshop, a grocery store, and a tattoo parlor. For fine dining, don’t miss the

phenomenalveganItalianfoodatPortobello.Thegnocchiisworthcommittingafelonyfor,incaseyoufindyourselffacedwiththatchoice.

SANFRANCISCOThough it doesn’t have the density of New York City or the sprawl of LosAngeles, San Francisco is a mighty fine place for yummy vegan food.Millenniumisoneofthebestrestaurantsinthecountry,veganorotherwise.Itishigh-end dining at its best, with a very involved menu, stunningly goodcocktails, andawarm, inviting interior. In a cityknown for itsMexican food,GraciasMadre isastandout,andnotonlybecause it’sveganandorganic.Theplantain tacosareheavenly. Ike’sPlace isamini-chain that isn’t totallyveganbut offers the most decadent sandwiches of all time (the Vegan Pilgrim hasTofurky,cranberrysauce,vegancheese,andhotsauce),allservedonrollswithIke’s signature Dirty Sauce, which sounds gross but tastes like garlickyperfection.

COMPLETELYVEGANGETAWAYSWhere to go if you’re in the States and don’t want to have to bother askingwhether therewillbealmondmilkforyourmorningcoffee?Checkoutoneofthesetotallyveganandverywonderfulplacestostay.

DEERRUNBED&BREAKFAST,BIGPINEKEY,FLORIDAHoping for the tropics but not keen on leaving the country?Good news—wehaveFlorida.ThesandybeachesrightoutthefrontdoorofDeerRunwillcurewhatailsyou.(Andyes,deerhavebeenseenontheproperty—theownersevenputupadeercamforfansoffawns!)

THEGINGERCATBED&BREAKFAST,ROCKSTREAM,NEWYORKIfyoucan’tresistthecalloffallfoliage,thisistheplaceforyou.TheGingerCatisintherollinghillsofupstateNewYorkandoffershomey,casualrooms.

THESTANFORDINN,MENDOCINO,CALIFORNIADoin-roomfireplaces,acresofgardens,andanamazingrestaurantsoundgoodtoyou?(Ifnot,definitelydonotbookastayhere.)TheStanfordInnisoneofthecountry’s most renowned inns, and its restaurant, The Ravens, is equallyimpressive.Thebrunchmenuisthestuffoflegends,andtheviews(theinnsits

snuglyonacoastalhillinNorthernCalifornia)arespectacular.

WhereTo?Aside from just scouting out the best restaurants around the globe and basingyourvacationsonwhereyou’dmostliketoeat(notthatthere’sanythingwrongwith thisapproach,mindyou!),decidingon thekindof tripyou’d like to takewillmakeplanningeasier.WanttospendyoursummerbikingthroughEurope?Surfingatropicalshore?CaravanningthroughIndia?Hereareafewsuggestionsforwaystospendyourpreciousvacationtime.SeeResourcesformoreinfo.

ANIMALSANCTUARIES,AKATHEBESTPLACESONEARTH

There is absolutely nothing like gettingup close to a farmanimal.They’re sosweetandstrange;sovisuallyfamiliarbutphysicallycompletelyunknown.Thefirst timeIvisitedasanctuaryitwasforafund-raisinggala,andweenjoyedalovelydinneralldressedup,walking inheels through thebarns.TherewasanenormousBrahmanbull thatwas all business in anopen arena, and in a cozylittlebarntherewerethespringiestbabygoats.Justlikeyou’dseewithdogsorcats,withinmomentsofbeingaroundthesetrulyodd-lookinganimals(theyjustlook completely different when they’re inches from your face instead of inphotographs—or, grossly, disassembled and wrapped in butcher paper), itbecame obvious that each one was an individual and that each had a distinctpersonality. As with most experiences in life, you can’t know how insanelysweetandsoftahugecowisuntilyou’vegoneupandrubbedherfaceandsilkyshoulders.That’swhere farmanimalsanctuariescome in. Ifyouhaven’tbeen,go.FarmSanctuary,WoodstockFarmAnimalSanctuary,andTheGentleBarnare three of the best known in the country, but there are many smaller onesdottedacross theStates.ManyhaveBandBsattachedornearby,andbecausetheyneedroomfortheanimalstoroam,themajorityarelocatedinthecountry,whichmakesforaperfectexcusetogetsomefreshair.

WHYANIMALSANCTUARIESARETHEBEST

CRUISIN’EachyeartheHolisticHolidayatSeatakesoffonaCaribbeantourfromFloridaandmakes stops in ports usually includingPuertoRico, theBahamas, andSt.Maarten. As the name implies, the cruise has a health focus and serves as aconference-at-sea with presentations from leading nutrition experts, yogaclasses,andhealthyfare.Ifyou’re lookingtoboastaboutbeing“onaboat” tofriends,thismightbetheperfectwaytodoit.

GUIDEDGROUPSSometimesyoujustwantsomeoneelsetodotheplanningsoyoucankickbackand not make decisions while on vacation. A number of organizations offervegan-specifictourpackages.VegVoyagesisthebestknownandtakestouriststhrough India, Indonesia,Laos,Thailand, andMalaysia.VegVoyages arrangesitineraries (sights to see, where to eat and stay, and transportation) for eachdestination and leads groups of travelers through the country. Tierno ToursoffersasimilarexperienceinItaly.

AHHH,SPASDo we need to talk about why spas are great? Because they’re really, reallygreat, especially if you’re into things like a beautiful, peaceful locationwherepeople are super nice to you and do wonderful, scrubby things to your tiredbody.Goingforaspavacation isneverabad idea,andmanyof themcater tovegans, so you can unwind without worrying that your salt scrub has sneakyanimalingredients.Thebestresourceforfindingtheperfectvegan-friendlyspais Google, since there are a ton throughout the States and around the globe,includingTenThousandWavesinSantaFe,NewMexico,andHaramaraRetreat

inSayulita,Mexico.

THREEINCREDIBLEINTERNATIONALSPAS

If you’re going all in for rest, relaxation, and travel, these three places instunninglocationstakerelaxationtoanentirelynewlevel(seeResources).

ElRemansoLodge,PuertoJimenez,CostaRicaTheFarm,LipaCity,PhilippinesFiveElements,Mambal,Bali,Indonesia

5Manners

DON’TBEAJERK

“Whateveryouare,beagoodone.”—ABRAHAMLINCOLN

What’s the first thing that comes tomindwhenyouhear thewordvegan?Goahead, be honest. Is it the ever-delightful Ellen DeGeneres? Or is the imagemoreofthatguyatthepartywhoberatesyouforservingcrackersthataren’t100percentorganic,GMOfree,soyfree,glutenfree,palmoilfree,andlichenfree?

If apersnicketypestereror ameddlesomemisanthrope iswhatyouequate thewordveganwith, Ihavegreatnews.Youtotallyget tochange thewaypeoplethinkaboutvegans.See,whenwe’remeanjerksaboutenjoyingourplant-basedlifestyle,peoplethinkvegansaremeanjerks.Whenwearenice,decenthumanswho happen to forgo animal products, people think vegans are nice, decenthumans.It’snuttyhowthatworks,right?Inthischapter,we’lllookatsomeofthesituationsinwhichournicenessanddecencycanbeputtothetestandhowit’stotallypossibletomaintainyoursanitywhilefieldingallsortsofquestions,jokes,and(onoccasion)downrightinsults.

Manners,MildlyTherearemanyreasonstheSupermanstoryisfantastic,althoughetiquetteisn’tusually the first thing that comes tomindwhen people talk about theMan ofSteel. But the thing is, Clark Kent’s dorky, mild-mannered, genuinely nicepersonaisoneofthethingsthatallowsusnativeEarthresidentstorelatetohimso easily: you get to cheer for the underdog (especiallywhile he’s pining forLoisLane)whilesimultaneouslycelebratingthesuccessesoftheüberhero.Themosteffectiveadvocates foranygroup, lifestyle,orcausearepeople like this:they’re genuine and kind, and their integrity is something that others want toemulate. Where’s all this going? It’s very common for people to be curiousabout your veganism (aka, asking roughly 8.7 zillion questions), and it’s alsocommonforpeopletosaythoughtlesslyinsensitivethings.FiguringouthowtonavigatesocialsituationsasMr.Kentwould(thatis,nicely)isalifelongproject.

SPONTANEOUSCOMBUSTION:THEHIDDENDANGEROFVEGANISM

DEALINGWITHTHEDIFFICULTHereare a fewof the typesofpeopleyouare likely to encounter. (Of course,noneofmyfriendsorfamilymembershaseverdoneanythinglikethis,becausetheyareallperfect.Obviously.)Foreachexample,pick theoption fordealingwiththispersonthatreflectsthebestmanners.

1.TheWell-MeaningbutUninformedParentsWhoThinkYou’reAbouttoDropDeadfromMalnutrition

OPTION1:Everytimeyourdadmentionsthatyou’renotgettingenoughiron,rip open your shirt, stomp through the house, and scream, “HULK SMASH!HULKSMASH!”Thiswillproveyourbrawnandallayhisfears.

OPTION2:Doyourresearch!Getyourbloodtestedtoseewhereyournutrientlevels are, and if there are any that needbolstering, consult yourdoctor abouthowtodosowithouteatingporkrinds.

Theyhoundyoubecausetheycare,right?Evenso,hearingthatyou’reconstantlyonthevergeofwastingawaytonothinganddroppingdeadfromlackofsausagelikelyisn’tgoodforahealthyparent-child

awaytonothinganddroppingdeadfromlackofsausagelikelyisn’tgoodforahealthyparent-childrelationship,nomattertheagesoftheparentsorchildren.Proveyourknowledgeandresponsibility,notyourBruceBanner–likefreak-outability.

2.TheJokeyUncleWhoAsksatEverySingleMealIfYouWantSomeButteronYourBread/SomeCheeseonYourPasta/SomeMeatyGravyonYourMashedPotatoes

OPTION 1: Tell him you’d like all of those things. Put them in a blendertogether,thendrinkthemthroughastraw,justtogrosshimout.

OPTION2:Say,“No,thanks.”

“No,thanks”isoneoftwokeyphrasesforlife(theother,fortherecord,is“Yes,thanks”).

3.TheFlat-OutRudeCo-WorkerWhoStopsbyYourDeskEveryDayatLunchtoEatHisTurkeySandwichandBerateYou,SayingThatVegansAreaLowlierSubsetofHumans

OPTION1:GotoworkonaSaturdayandbringasmuchplasticwrapasyoucancarry.Wrapeverysinglethingonhisdesk,includingthestapler,keyboard,mouse, binder clips, and his coffee mug, then, for the grand finale, wrap hischair tohisdesk.Whileyou’rewrapping, tossafewslicesofTofurkyinto thelayers so that come Monday, he arrives to a cold-cut-covered mess. Makeespeciallysuretowrapthescissorsinafewextralayerssotheyarecompletelyunreachable.

OPTION2:Askhimpolitely tostop.If itkeepsup,reporthimtoHR.That’swhythedepartmentexists.

You’llquicklydevelopasortofsixthsenseforwhensomeonelegitimatelyhasaninterestinyourdietand

You’llquicklydevelopasortofsixthsenseforwhensomeonelegitimatelyhasaninterestinyourdietandmightwanttoadjusthisowneatinghabits,andwhenheisbeingastraight-upjerk.

4.TheOverzealousVeganWhoJudgesYouforNotBeingVeganEnough

OPTION1:Actually,there’sonlyoneoptionhere.Ignorepeoplelikethis.Howyou live is, frankly, not their business, and it makes way more sense toencouragepeopleinwhattheyaredoingtomaketheworldbetterthantohoundthemforwhattheyarenotdoing.Thefact thatwecan’tdoeverythingdoesn’tmeanwe should do nothing. (Oh, you’re not also saving babies inAfrica andvolunteeringat the localanimalshelterandreading to theelderlyandbuildinglatrinesinCambodiaandstaffingasoupkitchenallwhileworkingfull-timeandcaringforyourfamily?Sheesh,youlazypunk,whatdoyoudowithyourtime?)

DoHaveatwo-sentencesummaryofwhyyou’regivingplant-basedeatingatryat

theready.Thiswillsavetonsoftime.

Don’tTrytotransmittosomeoneeverybitofinformationyouhaveaboutveganismandthemultitudinousreasonsit’samazingallatonce.Yes,therereallyare

many,manygreatreasonstoeatplants,butspewingthemallinabiginfodumpdoesn’tmakeforanamazingconversation.

5.The500thPersonWhoAsks“WhereDoYouGetYourProtein?”PlusAllthePeopleWhoAsktheVerySameQuestionThereafter

OPTION1:Smilekindlyandreply,“Plants.”

OPTION2:Don’tsmile.Grufflygrowlout,“Plants,dum-dum.”

SeewhatIdidthere?TherightanswerwasOption2foralloftheotherexamples,butthen,blammo,outofnowhere,fornumberfiveitswitched.Tricky,Iknow.Basically,thethingyouwanttodoanytimeyourchoicesarechallengedisthesame:respondwithunderstandingandkindness.It’sverylikelythatifyou’rereadingthisbookyouhaven’tbeenveganyourentirelife,sohelpingpeopleunderstandwhyyou’vemadethischoice(evenifyoumakeiteverythirdmeal)isagreatopportunitytoshareyourexperience.Plus,really,noonelikesaRudeGusinanysituation,sodon’tbethatguy!

MeetThisVegan:DENNISKUCINICH

RememberthattimewhenaveganalmostbecamepresidentoftheUnitedStates?Well,maybethat’sslightly overstating it, but Dennis Kucinich did run for the highest office in the land twice, not tomention serving an impressive sixteen years as a congressman representing his home state ofOhio.Dennisandhiswife,Elizabeth,are indefatigablecampaigners foranimals,using theirposition in themedia to garner attention for the environmental benefits of living a vegan lifestyle, among otherimportantcauses.

WHENSOMEONEISSUPERRUDEABOUTYOURDIETYup, this is going to happen. No matter how kind, compassionate, andreasonableyouare,there’ssomethingaboutsayingyou’reveganthatbringsouta strange side in others. Some people will be awed and interested, otherscompletely indifferent, and still others will immediately go into the manyreasonstheycouldneverbevegan.Notethatyoudidn’taskthemwhethertheycouldbutsimplystatedthatyouare.Whensomeoneisrude,shakeitoff.Itdoestheanimals,theplanet,andyourhealthlessgoodtohavesomeonethinkthatallvegans are angst-ridden, argumentative misanthropes than to calmly respond,“Ah,well,it’sbeenworkingnicelyforme,”andleaveitatthat.

WHENYOU’VEBEENRUDEApologize. It doesn’t matter whether or not your veganism was part of theoffense. If you’ve been rude, it’s probably best to own up to it and try to setthingsrightthantoberememberedasajerk,right?

Entertaining...andBeingEntertained

Youknow,EmilyPosthadtherightidea.Maybewedon’tallneedtousespoonsin ascending size order, but a good portion of society could use a primer onbeing polite. If you are very lucky, people will invite you to their homes fordinner,theywillwanttocelebrateholidayswithyou,andthey’llcallyouupforcocktailparties.Thebiggestworryaboutgoingtoorhostingsocialfunctionsasaveganshouldbethesamethingitisforeverysingleotherpersonontheplanet:tryingtochatsomeoneupwhilehavingsomethinghugeandgrossstuckinyourteeth—nottheconveniencefactorofyourdietarychoices.

EASYVEGANDINNERPARTYMENU

Totallyunsureofwheretostartwhenplanningaplant-basedfeast?Ifyou’rehavingbetweenfourandtenpeopleover,thesekindsofdishesscaleupanddown easily and go well together. Look online for recipes, using thesesuggestionsasstartingpoints.

Starters:Crackers,whitebeandipwithrosemary,olivesSalad: Fennel, arugula, avocado, and toasted pine nutswith olive oil,crackedpepper,andseasaltSoup:TomatoandriceMain:Pizzawithcaramelizedonions,fennel,andcapersSide:RoastedbroccoliwithgarlicandredpepperflakesDessert:CreamyChocolatePie(page202)

DoLetthehostknowthatalthoughyou’resurehisrecipeforbeeftartareis

fantastic,you’rereallylookingforwardtohisspringrolls.

Don’tGotoapartystarvingwhenyou’renotsurewhatwillbeserved.Chancesareyou’retheretoenjoythecompanyoftheotherguests,andit’sabonusifthe

foodendsupbeinggreat.Ifyougowithoutanythinginyourstomach,you’lljustendupgettingdrunkandsayingsomethingembarrassingbeforeyou’veevenhadachancetoseeifthere’sanyonethereyoumightliketogettoknow.

hadachancetoseeifthere’sanyonethereyoumightliketogettoknow.

HOWTOBEHAVEWHENYOUAREAGUESTSteponehereisthesameasanywhereelse:benice!Callyourhostaheadoftimeandoffer tobringadish.Agoodfriendwill likelyalreadyknowwhatyoudoand don’t eat. For new friends, let them know that you’re super happy tocontribute something to themeal, and if vegan cooking is completely new toyourhostandheorshewantstomakesomethingjustforyou,offerresourcesforrecipes.Nomatterwhatthehostsays,showupwithabottleofwineorbubbly.Ifyou’re servedabowlofoatmealwith soy saucewhile everyoneelseenjoysfiletmignon,genuinelythankthehostformakingyousomethingspecial.Whilepeoplearemillingaroundafterdinnerenjoyingcoffeeandconversation,sneakintothekitchenanddothedishes.

HOWTOBEAGOODVEGANHOSTThatwhole“dountoothers”thingdefinitelyapplieshere.Makesureyouknowabout any allergies or restrictions your guests have and then serve somethingreally deeply, insanely yummy. For groups of mixed preferences, it’s best tosticktodishesthatarenaturallyvegan(ornearlyso)insteadofattemptingtore-createeveryone’sfavoritemeat-baseddisheswithstandinproducts.IsaTofurkysandwichwithavocado,lettuce,andaperfectlyspicymustardadeliciouslunchoption? Yes. Is it going to wow guests and entice them to return to yourgatherings?Probablynot.Trysomethingsimpleandflavorful,suchasaplatterofpestopastawithavibrantsaladorabigpotofspicyredcurrywithtofuandvegetables.Sushi-makingisagreatpartyoptionbecauseguestscanpersonalizerollstotheirtastesandeveryonehasfunintheprocess.

PARTYTIME

Aflowchartforsuccessfulpartyplanning.

HOWTOBEAGOODHOSTTOVEGANSIfyouarenotvegan(andifyou’rereadingthisbook,youmaybeconsideringitbut not yet committed to the idea) and you’re having a couple of plant eatersoverfordinner,thankyou!That’sawfullynice.Aswithmostdinnerparties(or

cocktailparties,orbirthdayparties,oranyotherexcusetogettogetherandhavefun),ifthesepeoplearegoodfriendsofyours,you’lllikelyalreadyknowwhatkindsoffoodstheyenjoymost.Ifyoudon’tknowyourgueststerriblywell,planamenuwithatleastoneoptionthatworksforeveryone.Ifyou’reservingaroastbeefmaincourse,itwouldbeconsideratetomakesurethatthere’savegangraindishorcasseroleforaside,sothattheveganswillstillbefull(seepage140rethe dangers of serving alcohol to people with empty stomachs). Of course, ifyou’remakingthewholemenuveganindeferencetoyourguests,(a)youshouldbeinductedintothehostinghalloffame,and(b)asyouwouldwithanyguests,don’tmake thisdinnerparty the timetogowaybeyondyourculinarycomfortzone.Makesomethingthatyou’vemadeamilliontimesandknowwillbetastytoeveryone’spalate.Ifit’sacasualevening,fajitasaresomeoftheeasiest,mostsuccessful vegan mains on the planet. Warm tortillas, lightly sautéed bellpeppersandonions,savorybeans,rice,salsa,andavocado?Heaven.

DoServedishesthatyouenjoyeating—it’syourparty,afterall.

Don’tVeertoodeeplyintounknownculinaryterritory.Perfectyourdairy-freethree-

cheeselasagnebeforedebutingitatadinnerparty.

MeetThisVegan:MAYIMBIALIK

ItwouldbereallyeasytomakeacrackaboutMayimBialikblossomingintoaveganadvocate,butitfeelsabitcheapconsideringthatthehilariousactressisalsoaneuroscientistandanauthor.Basically,she’s the total package. Funny, smart, and classy, Bialik went vegan after reading Jonathan SafranFoer’sEatingAnimals in2010andhasbeena sprout stumperever since.Shestarred ina retro-stylecampaignforPETAthatencouragedfanstoprotecttheirfamiliesfromfood-borneillnessbytossingoutmeatandpennedavegan family-themedcookbook to followher firstbook,Beyond theSling,aboutattachmentparenting.

PROTIP

Serving pasta but want it to feel fancy and elegant? Switch out your regularshapeforgnocchi—moststore-boughtbrandsarevegan—andtopwithasmoothsauce(chunkysaucessuchasputtanescaworkbetterwithridgedpastasothat

thesaucecansticktothestarch).

NOTEVERYACTIVITYHASTOINVOLVEFOODItcantakeareallylongtimetolearnthefollowinglesson,especiallyifyougrewupinafamilythatenjoyseatingandentertaining,butitiswellworththeeffort:noteverymealhastobeanevent,andnoteveryeventhastobeameal.Sure,ifyou’re eating anyway, sharing that timewith a friend is oftenmore satisfyingthan hunching over your laptop as an endless stream of online shows playsincessantly.Butdoesthatmeantheonlyoptionforseeingthepeopleinyourlifeistoinvitethemforbrunch,lunch,ordinner?Turnsoutit’snot.Anythingyoumightthinktodothatisn’tcenteredonfoodisfairgameforfriendtime.Seeamovie,takeinaplay,hikearoundyourlocalwildernessarea,goforarunorabikeride,exploreamuseum,hitupyourfavoritebookstore,loungeinthesun,peteachandeverylastdogatthedogpark—really,therearesomanywaystosee friends that don’t involve the yes-we-can-go-to-your-favorite-steak-house-for-dinner-and-I’ll-just-order-the-baked-potato-againconundrum.It sometimes, though not always, happens that going vegan makes it

uncomfortabletowatchotherseatingmeat.Ifthisistrueforyou,suggesttoyourpals that you do something fun together, instead of eating something funtogether. If you really need to sit down for a good chat—the kind usuallyconductedoveralongdinnerwithdrinks—meetupatacoffeehouseinstead.

L’AmourWhen a person decides to live by a set of principles, it can affect his or herdating life. Inmatters of theheart, followingyourheartmatters.Whether youdecidethatyou’regoingtowearonlyblueshirtsfromthisdayforwardoryouadjustyourdiettobetterreflectyourvalues,datingsomeonewhoissupportiveofyouandyourpassionsisprettyimperative.

DATINGDELIGHTFULLYOnce you swear off meat on your plate, do you need to limit your potential

datingpooltoonlytheherbivorous?Nah.Doyou—justlikeeveryothersinglepersonontheplanet—wanttogooutwithpeopleyoulikeandwholikeyou?Ifsomeone isa jerkaboutyourveganism(say,every timeyougoout, she jokesabouthowyou’reeatingrabbitfood,makesmeancommentstoyourfriends,orbelittlesthisthingthatyoureally,deeplycareabout),that’saprettybigredflag.Ofcourse,itwouldbejustasbigaredflagifthepersonyouweredatingwasatotaljerkaboutyourhaircolororyourheight.Basically,ifyou’reintoactuallyliking the person you’re dating, it’s probably best not to go out with a jerk.Having shared ethics when it comes to animals isn’t a panacea for allrelationshipills,butitdoesserveasaconnectionpoint.

BOOSTOZOOS

There are a few nonfood activities that youmight want to reconsider: theones at which animals are exploited for humans’ entertainment. Zoos,circuses, and marine mammal parks are unfortunately rife with abuse.Though many people see these places as havens for animals that wouldotherwisebeunabletocopeintheirnaturalhabitats,thisisnotthecasewithanimalparks.Fromcruelhandlersbeatingelephantswithbullhookstoforcethem into performing to dolphins being trapped in tiny tanks until theyliterallygo insane fromnotbeingable toengage in theirnaturalbehaviors,the fates of animals used to entertain humans are grim at best. It’s worthconsideringwhetherthetigerjumpingthroughaflaminghoopwoulddosoifnot for an intense conditioning process. Some zoos have worked to bringspecies on the brink of extinction back to health, and some rescue animalsfrom private collections or animal parks, but then there are also those thatroutinelysell theiranimalsoffforexoticmeats—notexactlyaconservationeffort. As with anything, it’s a good idea to do your research beforesupportingsomething(azoo,arestaurant,anartist)withyourmoney.

Here’sahandyquiz todecidewhethersomeoneisworthdating.Choosetheoption(s)thatmustbemet:Option1:Thepersonisgenuinelynicetoyou,treatsyouwell,andisfunto

bearound.

Option2:Thepersoneatsplants.Option3:Bothoftheabove.

Ifyoupickedeither1or3,bravo!Option2justisn’tenoughonitsown.Plus,it’s very likely that if you start dating someone who usually eats meat, andyou’readecentenoughpartner tocook forheronce inawhile, then she’llbeeatingveganmorefrequentlythanifyouweren’tdating.Win-win!Butiftheideaofseeingmeateateninfrontofyouisoff-putting,thenyouwill

likelywanttosticktodatingfellowveggie-eaters,sincecringingeverytimeyougo out for dinner does not a happy relationshipmake. If you have become asworn plant person but are open to the idea of dating outside that realm, justremember to make sure that both you and your partner are happy with thearrangement.Maybeyoucookforeachotheronceinawhile,andshemakesyouyour favorite vegan lasagne.Maybeyouboth cook for yourselves, but you sitdowntogethertoeatsothatyoucanstillshareinmealtimebonding.Whateverarrangement you come to, when things get serious, it’s important tocommunicate what you are and are not comfortable with so that there aren’tsurprisesalongthewayoryoufeellikeyourvaluesarecompromised.

SHOULDIDATETHISPERSON?

Whenpickingapartner,considerthesecategories.Beingveganisn’ttheonlythingtolookforinapartner.

MARRIAGEMATERIALGettinghitched?Goodforyou!Assumingherethatyou’vefoundsomeonewhobringsmorejoythanstrifetoyourlife,mazeltov.Ifyouwanttohaveaveganwedding, check out Rose Pedals VeganWeddings (see Resources), an onlineresourceforvendors,storiesofveganweddingsuccesses,andetiquettetips.Butwhattodoifthenuptialsarenotyours?Ifyou’reaguestatawedding,treatitthewayyouwouldanyeventthat’sbeyondyourcontrol.Ifthecoupleoffersaveganmealoption,that’sawesome.Ifnot,packacoupleextraClifbarsinyourbagorpocket,andhavefun.

DoMakesuretoeatenoughbreadthatyoudon’taccidentallygetsuperdrunkand

makeatotalmoronoutofyourself.Mostrollsarevegan,sogototown.

Don’tHoundthecoupleincessantlybeforetheweddingtoensurethatthey’llhavefoodforyou.Thedayisaboutthem,notyou,andfranklytheyprobablyhaveenough

todealwithasthedayapproaches.

IFYOUREALLYLOVEDME...

Is thereeveranend to thisphrase thatdoesn’t screwthingsup?Youknowwhether or not the person you’re with really loves you—just don’t kidyourself. Joining you in veganism isn’t ameasure of anyone’s feelings foryou,butitcanbesomethingthatyouintroducethepersontoandthatheorshethendecidestotryout.Tryingtogetsomeonetogovegan“foryou”isflat-out dumb. Imagine any time someone has tried to tell you to dosomethingyouweren’tkeenondoing. Insideusall livesapermanent four-year-oldwhojustwantstoscream,“Youcan’tmakeme!”andrunaway.Andeven if your guy or gal is superhumanly docile and accepting of authority,veganism is a choice that should be made for oneself. Otherwise, thatperson’s commitment to plant-eating is doomed as soon as the relationshipdies (and let’s be honest, out of all the people you’ve dated, howmanyofthemhavebecomeyouroneandonlyforlife?).

OH,BABY!Aswe all know, there’s a prettywell established trajectory of love,marriage,and thenacertaincarriage. Is thiswhateveryonewants?No.However, ifyouareof theprocreationpersuasion, is itpossibleasavegan?Absolutely.Again,theplant-baseddietissafeandhealthyforpeopleofallages,includingpregnantwomen, breast-feeding mothers, and infants. Many pregnant vegan womennoticethat,muchlikewhathappenswhenanywomanbeginstosharethenewsof her baby, her friends and family suddenly become experts in prenatal care.

Thebestdefenseagainstthesometimes-inquisitive,sometimes-downright-pushyinterrogationsof lovedones is toreaduponexactly thekindsofnutrients thatpregnancyrequires.Likeallpregnantwomen,veganmoms-to-bedoneedtopayspecificattentiontotheirdietstomakesurethatthebabygrowsuphealthy,butitisabsolutelydoable.Herearethreebooksyou’llwanttoreadthemomentthepregnancytestturnsblue.

TheEverythingVeganPregnancyBook,byReedMangelsVeganforLife,byJackNorrisandVirginiaMessinaVeganPregnancySurvivalGuide,bySaywardRebhal

Hello,HolidaysNomatterwhatyoureatingpreferencesare,theholidayscanbeamixedbagofexcitement, stress, cocktails, cinnamon rolls, and wrapping paper. Keepingyourself sane when family descends from out of town, every night is packedwith cookie baking and presentwrapping, and there ismore celebrating to bedone than any human is actually capable of can be a bit taxing. Plus, manytraditionalholidayfoodsaren’tnaturallyvegan,soitcantakealittlecreativitytoenjoythesamefoodsyougrewupmakingforspecialoccasions.

KEEPTHEPEACEWhenfamily thatdoesn’tspenda tonof timetogether issuddenlythrownintothe samehouse for somewhatextendedperiodsof time, temperscan runhigh,emotions can come up, and drinkers can get drunk. Instead of reverting to apetulantteenager’smentalitywhenfacedwiththeholidays—andanextralevelofdietaryscrutiny—adoptanattitudeofgratitude.Sure,itsoundsalittlecheesy.But it also is incredibly helpful. Be thankful for the opportunity to see yourfamily,and thankful for thechance tosharedeliciousplant-basedoptionswitheveryoneatthetable;it’sagreatwaytogetthroughtheyearlyinquisitionfromNana about why you don’t eat brisket anymore. Remember, everyone isprobably also asking your sister why she hasn’t gottenmarried yet or askingyourmotherwhy shedecided to servebuffet insteadof family-style this year.

Basically, everyone has something that isworthy of familial scrutiny. So grinandbearit.

HOLIDAYSURVIVALGUIDE

Thekeyelementstomakingtheholidayswork!

MAKINGTHEFOODS

Half the fun of the holidays is turning the kitchen into a sweets factory. Formanyrecipes,substitutingveganbutterisallyouneedtodoforperfectpiesandcookies, butwhat aboutmore complicated dishes?Not surewhere to turn forreliable, just-like-Grandma-made-but-veganized recipes for the holidays?Looknofurther.Thesecookbookscoverall themajorholidays,aswellasaslewoflesser-knownones,andaresuretokeepyourfamilyandguestsfedandfestive.

CelebrateVegan,byDyniseBalcavageGluten-FreeandVeganHolidays,byJenniferKatzingerVeganHolidayKitchen,byNavaAtlas

MeetThisVegan:CASEYAFFLECK

Soft-spoken actorCaseyAffleck has enjoyed the vegan lifestyle formore than a decade. In a videointerviewwith PETA,Affleck says thatwhen he first went vegan he found it difficult to go out torestaurantsandfindcruelty-freeclothingandaccessorieslikebelts,butthelongerhe’slivedthisway,theeasierit’sbecome,inlargepartthankstotheavailabilityofanythingyoucouldwantontheInternet.VeganismispartofAffleck’s family too:he’smarried to lifelongveganSummerPhoenix,Joaquin’ssister.AffleckhasworkedwithPETAon campaigns condemning thedehorningof cows, the abusesanimalssufferonfactoryfarms,andlegholdtraps(usedinhunting).

GRIEF-FREEGIFTSIf someone wants to give you a present, that’s fantastic. It does sometimeshappen thatyou’ll get something for theholidays thatdoesn’tmeshwithyourethics,whichcanpresentabitofanetiquettedilemma.WhenAuntAlexandragives you a lovely cashmere sweater (yep, that’s made from goats!), youbasicallyhavethreeoptions:

RETURNIT:Stepone:saythankyou.That’sthefirstthingtodowithanygift.Ifthere’sagiftreceiptincluded,it’simpliedthatthegiverisleavingthefateofthesweateruptoyou.Ifthere’snogiftreceiptbutyouareveryclosetoAuntieA,askherhowshe’dlikeyoutohandleit.Explain,“I’msotouchedthatyougotthis forme, and Idon’twant that thoughtfulness togo towaste.Since Idon’twearwool,wouldyouliketoreturnit,orshouldIpass italongtosomeoneatworkwho’llloveit?”Thissuggestionleadsustoyournextoption.

REGIFTIT:Steponeisstillsayingthankyou,incasethatwasn’tclear.Ifyoudon’t see this particular aunt very often, and it will likely cause her stress tolearn that her gift doesn’t work with your ethics, you might consider justregiftingit(yes,the“person”yougiveittocouldbeyourlocalhomelessshelterorGoodwill).

WEARIT:Nearlyeveryveganon theplanethassomenonvegan items inhiscloset,whetherthey’refromprevegandaysorsecondhandshopsorgifts.Whatyoudowithnonveganitemsisachoice,justlikealltheothersmallchoiceswemake throughout the day. A situation like this is an opportunity to have aconversation with your aunt about why you don’t buy this kind of thing foryourself,asshemightnotbeawareoftheprocessthatanimalsgothroughwhenthey’reusedforclothing.Justbesureyouractionsalignwithyouractualethics—forinstance,ifyouwouldn’tbuyaleatherbag,doesitmakesensetowearacashmeresweater?

HOWTOBEA(MUCHHAPPIER)VEGAN

THEPERFECTGIFTTherearesomanyincredibleveganproductsonthemarketthesedays;findingsomethingtogivethatisfreeofanimalproductsiseasierthanever.Hereareafewideasforthevegansonyourgiftlist.

ADOPT AN ANIMAL: Most animal sanctuaries offer gift adoptions, whichisn’tthecommitmentitsoundslike.Youdon’tcomehomewithababyturkey,butyourdonationgoes tosupportingaspecificanimalat thesanctuary.CheckoutWoodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, Farm Sanctuary, or the Gentle Barn(seeResources).

DONATE SOME DOLLARS: If there’s an organization that your favorite

vegan loves, give it some money! Groups such as Compassion over Killing,Mercy for Animals, and the Humane Society of the United States (seeResources)doamazingworkforanimalsanddependondonations.

MAKE ITMICRO: There are somany greatmicro-loan and crowd-fundingsites these days, which means that there’s a ton of opportunity to give somemoney to peoplewho are doing creative, interesting projects to help animals.Whetherit’sabakerwho’slookingtobuymoreequipmentonKickstarteroraloantoafledglinganimalsanctuaryonKiva,givingagiftinhonorofsomeoneisasolidoption.Plus,doesanyoneactuallyneedanothertchotchke?

6TheRecipes

GETINTOTHEKITCHEN

“Humorkeepsusalive.Humorandfood.Don’tforgetfood.Youcangoaweekwithoutlaughing.”—JOSSWHEDON

Enoughtalk—it’stimetoeat!Sure,it’sonethingtounderstandhowandwhytobe vegan (which are both great things), but it’s something else entirely to getinto the kitchen and get your hands dirty.Whipping up a deliciousmeal thatsatiatesyou,pleasesyourpalate,andendearsyoutowhomeveryoushareitwithis an experience second to none.Youknowwhat the best part is about vegancooking?It’sjustlikeeveryotherkindofcooking!Whetheryou’rethekindofpersonwhofollowsrecipeswithastopwatchandalwayscompletelylevelsyourteaspoonsoryouliketotakeanideaforsomethingandthenfutzaroundwithittomake ityourown, these recipeswillgiveyouagreatbase repertoire togetstartedwith.Breakfast,lunch,dinner,snacks,anddessertsareallrighthere.Youcanspendalldaycreatingafour-coursefeast(justsaying,theDoubleRedSoup,Rainbow Vegetable Salad, Stovetop Mac and Cheese, and Fabulous FudgyBrownieswouldmake for an excellent dinner party), or just throw together asuper-simplebuttotallysatisfyingmeallikethePastaandGreensTossonabusyweeknight. Share these meals with people you love, adjust them to suit yourtastes,anddigintothewonderful,vast,anddeliciousworldofveganeating.

BreakfastTofuScramble

BreakfastBurritosSpinach-TomatoFrittata

BenedictBreakfastStackswithShortcutHollandaiseTempehBacon

Banana-NutMuffinsSweetPotatoHash

OatmealasYouLikeItCinnamon-RaisinPancakes

EverydaySmoothie

TofuScrambleServes4

Forahearty, savorybreakfast, there’snothing likea tofu scramble. It’s theperfectmixtureofspices,vegetables,andfillingtofu.

1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil½cupchoppedredonion½redbellpepper,seededandchopped1cupslicedwhitemushrooms3scallions,mincedOne14-ouncepackagefirmtofu,drainedandcrumbled¼cupnutritionalyeast(seeNote)½teaspoonsmokedpaprika½teaspoongroundcoriander½teaspoongroundcumin¼teaspoongroundturmericSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet overmedium heat.Add the onion and bellpepperandcookuntilsoftened,about5minutes.Addthemushroomsandscallionsandcookuntilsoftened,about4minutes.

2. Stir in the tofu,nutritionalyeast,paprika, coriander, cumin, turmeric, andsalt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until any remaining liquid hasevaporatedandtheingredientsarehot,about10minutes.Servehot.

NOTE:Available in natural foods stores or online, nutritional yeast is anonactiveyeast—nottobeconfusedwithbrewer’syeastoractivedryyeast.Nutritionalyeastprovidesauniquecheesy,umamiflavortofoodsandisagoodsourceofvitaminB12.

BreakfastBurritosServes4

Morningssometimesneedalittlejolttogetyouonyourfeet,andadelicioustofuscramblewrappedinawarmtortillaandtoppedwithsalsaistheperfectwaytogetgoing.

1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil1largeredonion,chopped1yellowbellpepper,seededandchopped4ouncesfreshmushrooms,chopped1ripetomato,choppedOne14-ouncepackageextra-firmtofu,drainedandcrumbled1teaspoongroundcumin1teaspoongroundcoriander1teaspoonsalt¼teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper½cuptomatosalsa½cupvegansourcream4large(8-to10-inch)flourtortillas,warmed

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet overmedium-high heat.Add the onion andcookuntilsoftened,about4minutes.Addthebellpepperandmushroomsandcookuntilsoftened,about5minuteslonger.

2. Stir in the tomato, tofu, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper and cook,stirring, toheat through andblend the flavors, about 5minutes.Continuecookinguntilanyliquidhasevaporated.Tasteandadjusttheseasoningsifneeded.Keepwarm.

3. Inasmallbowl,combinethesalsaandsourcream.4. Toserve,dividethetofumixtureamongthetortillas,spooningitjustbelow

thecenterofeachtortilla.Spoon¼cupof thesalsamixtureontothe tofumixtureoneachtortilla,thencarefullyrollupthetortillas.Servehot.

Spinach-TomatoFrittataServes4Ifyouthoughteggydisheslikefrittataswereoffthemenuwithouteggs,thinkagain. Tofu is a great substitute for eggs. Use this recipe as a base andcustomizeaccordingtotheseasonsoryourfavoriteveggies.

1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil1mediumyellowonion,chopped2garliccloves,chopped2cupsfrozenchoppedspinach,thawed1teaspoondriedbasilSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepperOne14-ouncepackagefirmtofu,drainedandpressed(seeNote)3tablespoonsnutritionalyeast(seeNote)1tablespooncornstarch1tablespoonfreshlemonjuice⅓cupoil-packedorreconstitutedsun-driedtomatoes,chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.Lightly oil a deep 9-to 10-inch pie plate or ashallowbakingdishandsetaside.

2. Heat theoil ina skilletovermedium-highheat.Add theonionandgarlicandcookuntilsoftened,about5minutes.

3. Add the spinach and basil and cook until the spinach is tender and anyliquidhasevaporated,about4minutes.Seasonwithsaltandpeppertotaste.

4. Transferthespinachmixturetoafoodprocessor.Addthetofu,nutritionalyeast,cornstarch,andlemonjuice.Addsaltandpeppertotasteandprocessuntilsmooth.

5. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pie plate. Mix in the sun-driedtomatoesandspreadthemixtureevenly,smoothingthetop.Bakeforabout45minutes,untilfirmandgoldenbrown.Servehot.

NOTE:Topresstofu,drainitwell,wrapthetofublockinacleankitchentowel, thenplace it ina rimmedbakingpanand topwithanotherbakingpanoracuttingboard,alongwithsomecannedgoodstoaddweight.Set

aside for about 30 minutes, then unwrap the tofu. It will be firmer andreadytouseinrecipes.

BenedictBreakfastStackswithShortcutHollandaiseServes4

Benedictsaresomeofmankind’sall-timegreatestcreations.Making this forsomeonespecialonalazySaturdaymorningisasurewaytoshowyoucare.

12ouncesextra-firmtofu,drainedandpressed(seeNote)2tablespoonsall-purposeflour2tablespoonsnutritionalyeast(seeNote)½teaspoonsalt½teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper½teaspoonsmokedpaprikaPinchofgroundturmeric1tablespoonneutral-flavoredvegetableoil4Englishmuffins1tablespoonveganbutter,suchasEarthBalance1largeripetomato,cutinto8thinslices8to16slicesTempehBaconShortcutHollandaise(recipefollows)2tablespoonsmincedfreshscallionsorchives

1. Cutthetofuhorizontallyinto8slabs.2. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper,

paprika,and turmeric.Mixwell.Dredge the tofu in the flourmixtureandshakeoffanyexcess.

3. Heattheoilinamediumskilletovermedium-highheat.Addthetofuslicesandcookuntilgoldenbrownonbothsides,5 to7minutesperside.Keepwarm.

4. Toast the English muffins and spread with the vegan butter. Place twomuffinhalvesoneachservingplate,butteredsideup.Topeachhalfwithasliceoftomato,followedbyasliceoftofuand1or2baconslices.

5. Spoon thehollandaise sauceon topofeachstack, sprinklewith scallions,andserveimmediately,allowingtwostacksperperson.

NOTE: This recipe can easily be scaled up or down, depending on howmanypeopleyouareserving.Youcancookallof thetofuandbaconandthenjustreheatasmuchasyouneedatatime.

ShortcutHollandaiseMakesabout1cup

Hollandaiseistypicallyanemulsionofeggs,butthisquickversionboastsallthetangyrichnessoftheoriginalwithoutanyanimalprotein.

¾cupveganmayonnaise2tablespoonsfreshlemonjuice1tablespoonnutritionalyeast(seeNote)1½teaspoonsDijonmustard1⁄8teaspoonsaltPinchofcayenne

1. Combinealltheingredientsinabowlorminifoodprocessororblenderandblenduntilsmooth.

2. Serveatonceortransfertoasmallbowl,covertightly,andrefrigerateuntilneeded, up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature or warm gently whenreadytouse.

TempehBaconServes4

You’ll need something to go alongside your scramble or hash, and tempehbaconnailsit.Notascrispyaspig-basedbacon,tempehbaconisallaboutthesmokyseasoning.

One8-ouncepackagetempeh3tablespoonssoysauce3tablespoonspuremaplesyrup1tablespoonwater1teaspoonliquidsmoke(seeNote)½teaspoonsmokedpaprika¼teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper¼teaspoongarlicpowder(optional)1to2tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoil

1. Steamthetempehinasteameroversimmeringwaterfor15minutes,thensetasidetocool.Oncecool,cutthetempehinto12to14verythinslices.Setaside.

2. Inashallow8-inchbakingdish,combinethesoysauce,maplesyrup,water,andliquidsmoke.Stirinthepaprika,pepper,andgarlicpowder.

3. Add the tempeh strips to themarinade, turning to coat. Set aside for 30minutestomarinate,orcoverandrefrigerateforseveralhoursorovernight.

4. Heat theoil inanonstick skilletovermedium-highheat.Add the tempehstripsandcookuntilnicelybrownedandcrispononeside,3to4minutes.Flip thestripsandcook theothersideuntilcrisp,about3minutes longer.Drizzle on the remaining marinade as the tempeh cooks, cooking foranother minute or two, until the liquid is absorbed. Serve hot. Leftoversshouldbetightlycoveredandrefrigeratedforupto5days.

NOTE: Available in small bottles in supermarkets, liquid smoke is aflavoringofconcentratedsmokywaterthataddsagrilled/smokedflavortofoods.

Banana-NutMuffinsMakes12muffins

Easy, filling,and sweet.Makeabatchof thesemuffinson theweekendandyou’resetforaweek’sworthofbreakfast.

2largeor3mediumveryripebananas,peeledandwellmashed¾cupnaturalsugar,suchasSugarintheRaw⅓cupplainunsweetenednondairymilk,suchasalmondmilk2tablespoonsneutral-flavoredvegetableoil2cupsunbleachedall-purposeflourorwholewheatpastryflour1teaspoonbakingsoda½teaspoonbakingpowder1teaspoonsalt1teaspoongroundcinnamon¾cupchoppedwalnutsorpecans

1. Preheattheovento375°F.Lightlyoila12-cupmuffinpanandsetaside.2. In a large bowl, combine the bananas, sugar, nondairymilk, and oil and

blenduntilsmooth.Setaside.3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt,

and cinnamon.Mix the dry ingredients into thewet ingredients just untilblended.(Donotovermixorthemuffinswillbetough.)

4. Foldinthewalnuts,thentransferthebattertothepreparedpan,fillingthecupsabouttwo-thirdsfull.

5. Bake for 25minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in amuffin comes out clean. Set aside to cool. Once completely cool, themuffinscanbestoredtightlycoveredintherefrigeratorforupto1weekorfrozenforupto3weeks.

SweetPotatoHashServes4

Thehomeydeliciousnessofsweetpotatoesandsavoryseasoningsmakeshasha great addition to any brunch menu. For convenience, bake a few sweetpotatoes inadvancesoyouhave themonhand.Otherwiseyoucanpeelanddicerawsweetpotatoesandthensteamorroastthemuntiltender.

1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil1largeredonion,chopped1smallredoryellowbellpepper,seededandchopped1cupfinelychoppedmushrooms1tablespoonsoysauce½teaspoondriedthymeSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper1½poundssweetpotatoes,cooked,peeled,anddiced(about3cups)½cupfrozengreenpeas,thawed

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet overmedium-high heat.Add the onion andbellpepperandcookuntilsoftened,about7minutes.

2. Addthemushrooms,soysauce,thyme,andsaltandpeppertotaste.Cookuntilsoftened,about2minutes,thenaddthesweetpotatoesandpeas.Cook,turning themixture frequently,until thehash ishotandslightlybrowned,about10minutes.Servehot.

OatmealasYouLikeItServes4

Whysettleforplainoldoatswhenthecombinationsofadditionsandtoppingsarenearlyendless?Mixandmatchfromavarietyofadd-instowakeupyourtastebudsandenjoytheclassicbowljustthewayyoulikeit.

4cupswater2cupsold-fashionedrolledoats1teaspoongroundcinnamon¼teaspoonsalt

ADD-INS:RaisinsorsweeteneddriedcranberriesVegangranolaToastedsliveredalmondsorpecansPuremaplesyrup,agavenectar,orfruit-sweetenedjamFreshfruit:slicedbanana,ripeberries,choppedripepeach

1. Bringthewatertoaboilinamediumsaucepanoverhighheat.Reducetheheat to medium-low and stir in the oats, cinnamon, and salt. Cover andsimmerfor5minutes,stirringoccasionally.

2. Removefromtheheatandletstandfor2to3minutes.3. Serveasyoulikeit,stirringyourchoiceofadd-insintothepotorspooning

the unadorned oatmeal into serving bowls and passing the toppings inseparatesmallbowlssoeveryonecancustomizehisorherownserving.

Cinnamon-RaisinPancakesServes4

Notsurewhethertomakecinnamonrollsorpancakes?Theseflapjacksareadelicious,satisfyingcompromise.

1½cupsunbleachedall-purposeflour¼cupnaturalsugar,suchasSugarintheRaw1½teaspoonsgroundcinnamon2teaspoonsbakingpowder½teaspoonsalt2tablespoonsgroundflaxseeds¼cupwarmwater1¼cupsalmondmilk1teaspoonpurevanillaextract½cupgoldenraisinsWarmmaplesyrupforserving

1. In a largebowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon,bakingpowder, andsalt. Set aside. In a blender, combine the flaxseeds and water and blenduntilthickened.Addthealmondmilkandvanillaandblenduntilsmooth.

2. Pourthewetingredientsintothedryingredients,mixingquicklyuntiljustmoist.(Donotovermixorthepancakeswillbetough.)Foldintheraisins.

3. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or large nonstickskilletovermediumheat.

4. Ladleabout¼cupofthebatterontothehotgriddle.Cookononesideuntilsmallbubblesappearontop,about3minutes.Flipthepancakewithametalspatula and cook until the other side is lightly browned, about 2minuteslonger.

5. Keep the cooked pancakes warm in the oven while you prepare theremainingpancakes.Servehotwithwarmmaplesyrup.

EverydaySmoothieServes1

Really, this smoothie is so simple and so satisfying youmightmake it everysingleday.Want toknowasecretaboutsmoothies?Thekey is tousefrozenfruits (and vegetables!) so that you needn’t add ice to get the thick, milk-shakey satisfaction that makes smoothies wonderful. If you use fresh fruitinstead,add1/2cupicetotheblenderforthickness.

1frozenbanana,cutintochunks,or5frozenstrawberries½scoopchocolateproteinpowder,preferablyVegaOne1½cupscoconutmilk(seeNote)¼cupfrozenkale(seeNote)

1. Combinealltheingredientsinablenderandblenduntilsmooth.2. Pourintoalargeglassandserve.

NOTES:Knowyourcoconutmilks.Thekind thatcomes inacarton (likedairymilk) iswhatyouwant tousewith thisrecipe.Thecannedvarietiesaremuchthickerandarereallygoodincurries,soups,andbakingbutareabittoomuchfordrinkingstraight.

Tofreezekale,simplyremoveanddiscardanytoughstems,washthekalewell,andspindry.Putthekaleintoresealableplasticbagsandplaceinthefreezer.

LunchKaleSalad

RainbowVegetableSaladQuinoaandBlackBeanSaladNoodleSaladwithPeanutSauceGardenWrapswithHummusEasyBeanandRiceBurritos

VegetableFajitasCurriedTofuSaladPitas

ChickpeaSaladSandwichesSloppyJanes

KaleSaladServes4

These days it’s sacrilege to be a vegan and not have a favorite kale saladrecipe.This onemakes a great base that you can customizewith add-ins asyoulike.Ieatkaleatleastonceaday—Ithinkit’sinsanelygood.Leftoversofthissaladwillkeepintherefrigeratorovernight,butafterthattheavocadowillbegintoturnbrown.

1bunchkale,washed,stemmed,andtornintobite-sizedpieces1Hassavocado,peeled,pitted,andchopped1teaspoonricewinevinegar1teaspoonfreshlimejuice½teaspoonsalt

1. Combinealltheingredientsinalargebowl.2. Useyour fingers to rub theavocadoonto thekale leavesuntil thekale is

well coated, then toss to combine. Allow the salad to sit for 5 minutesbeforeserving.

NOTE:Tocustomizethisrecipe,addchoppedscallions,gratedcarrots,alittle stone-groundmustard, or artichoke hearts to themix.Make it yourown.Theonlymustistheavocado.

RainbowVegetableSaladServes4

Here’sasaladrecipewithoutkale,buttheabundanceofcolorfulvegetablesinthisoneprettymuchmakesupforit.Thisfillingsaladwillkeepforaboutfourdays in the fridge if you add the avocado later and only dress individualservingsand leave the restundresseduntil you’re ready toeat it. Itmakesagreat,easylunchtopackforwork.

One15-ouncecanchickpeas,drainedandrinsedOne15-ouncecanheartsofpalm,drainedandchopped1headromainelettuce,chopped1redbeet,peeledandgrated1goldenbeet,peeledandgrated1smallfennelbulb,coredandthinlysliced1largeHassavocado,peeled,pitted,andchoppedPoppyseedsaladdressing,suchasBrianna’s

1. Inalargebowl,combinethechickpeas,heartsofpalm,lettuce,beets,andfennel.

2. If serving right away, add the avocado, pour on the dressing, and toss tocombine. Otherwise, cover and refrigerate, then add the avocado anddressingwhenreadytoserve.

QuinoaandBlackBeanSaladServes4

Quinoaisanutritiousstaplefulloffiberandprotein,butonitsownitcanbealittle bland.Mixing it with black beans, veggies, and a blend of seasoningsmakesitreallystandout.

½teaspoonsalt,plussaltforcookingthequinoa1½cupsquinoa,thoroughlyrinsedTwo15-ouncecansblackbeans,drainedandrinsed1ripetomato,chopped1cupcookedfreshorfrozencornkernels⅓cupmincedscallions¼cupchoppedfreshcilantroorparsley3tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoil2tablespoonscidervinegar¼teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper

1. Bring3cupsofwatertoaboilinasaucepan.Addapinchofsalt.Addthequinoa,reducetheheattolow,cover,andsimmerfor15to20minutes,oruntil thewater is absorbedand thequinoa is tender.Drainany remainingwaterandblotthequinoatoremoveexcessmoisture.

2. Place the cookedquinoa in a servingbowl.Add theblackbeans, tomato,corn,scallions,andcilantro.

3. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, andpepper.Pourthedressingoverthesaladandtosswelltocombine.

4. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes before serving or cover tightly andrefrigerateuntil ready toserve.Properly stored, the saladwillkeep in therefrigeratorforupto3days.

NoodleSaladwithPeanutSauceServes4

Thismightbecalledasalad,butit’sreallyamealallonitsown.Chock-fullofcolorfulvegetables,ricenoodles,tofu,andaslightlyspicypeanutsauce,it’sasfillingasanyentrée.

FORTHESALADOne8-ouncepackagericenoodles1redbellpepper,seededandsliced1yellowbellpepper,seededandsliced4cupsshreddedredandgreencabbage1bunchfreshbasil,chopped4scallions,chopped

FORTHEPEANUTSAUCE1cuppeanutbutter½cupsoysauce2garliccloves,crushedOne2-inchpiecefreshginger,peeledandsliced¼cupricewinevinegar½cupwater

1. Cookthericenoodlesaccordingtothepackagedirections.Drainwell,thentransfertoalargebowl.

2. Addthebellpeppers,cabbage,basil,andscallionstothebowl.3. Inablenderorfoodprocessor,combinethepeanutbutter,soysauce,garlic,

ginger,vinegar,andwater.Blenduntilsmooth,about2minutes.4. Pourthesauceoverthenoodlemixtureandtosstocoat.Serveimmediately

orcoverandrefrigerateuntilneeded.Leftoverswillkeepintherefrigeratorforupto4days.

GardenWrapswithHummusServes4

Maybeit’saveganstereotypetolovehummus,butsimple,veggie-filledwrapslikethesearethereasonfortheadmiration.

1cupHere’sMyHummusorpurchasedhummus¼cupmincedredonion¼cupsliced,pittedKalamataolives¼cupchoppedreconstitutedoroil-packedsun-driedtomatoes2tablespoonsmincedfreshparsleyorbasil4large(8-to10-inch)flourtortillasorlavashflatbread2cupsshreddedromainelettuce1largecarrot,grated2ripetomatoes,thinlysliced1Englishcucumber,peeledandcutinto¼-inchstrips1ripeHassavocado,peeled,pitted,andslicedSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepperHotsauce(optional)

1. In a bowl, combine the hummus, onion, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, andparsley,stirringtomixwell.Setaside.

2. Toassemblethewraps,dividethehummusmixtureamongthetortillasandspreadevenlyacrossthesurface.

3. Spreadthelettuceandcarrotoverthehummus,thenarrangeafewslicesoftomato, cucumber, and avocado across the bottom half of each tortilla.Seasontotastewithsalt,pepper,andhotsauce.

4. Rollupthewrapstightly,thensliceinhalfdiagonally.Serveimmediately.

EasyBeanandRiceBurritosServes4

Ifyoudon’thappentoliveinatownwithgreatMexicanfood,steponeistovisit SanFrancisco. Step two is tomake these hearty bean-filled burritos athome.

1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil1yellowonion,chopped1redbellpepper,seededandchoppedOne15-ouncecanpinto,black,orredkidneybeans,drainedandrinsed1cuptomatosalsa1cupcookedbrownrice4large(8-to10-inch)flourtortillas½cupshreddedvegancheese(optional)1Hassavocado,peeled,pitted,andthinlyslicedHotsauce(optional)

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and bellpepper,cover,andcookuntilsoftened,about5minutes.

2. Add the beans and salsa and cook, mashing the beans and stirring tocombine.Cookforafewminutestoheatthrough.

3. Ifneeded,heatthericeinamicrowaveorinasmallsaucepan.4. Towarmthetortillas,wraptheminfoilandplacethemina275°Fovenfor

afewminutes.5. Toserve,spoonabout½cupofthebeanmixturedownthecenterofeach

tortilla.Topwiththerice,followedbythecheese.Topwithavocadoslicesandhotsaucetotaste.Rolluptheburritos,tuckinginthesides,andservehot.

VegetableFajitasServes4

Sizzlingrightfromthestovetop,fajitasareagreatoptionwhenyou’reservingbothvegansandomnivores.Noonecanresistsearedbellpeppersandonionswithauthenticspicesandslicesoffreshavocado.

1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil1largeredonion,halvedlengthwiseandcutintostrips1largebellpepper(anycolor),seededandcutlengthwiseinto¼-inchstrips2largeportobellomushroomcaps,cutinto¼-inchstrips1mediumzucchini,trimmedandcutinto¼-inchstrips½teaspoongroundcumin½teaspoondriedoreganoSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper4large(8-to10-inch)flourtortillas1cuptomatosalsa1ripeHassavocado,peeled,pitted,andthinlysliced

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet overmedium-high heat.Add the onion andbellpepperandcook,stirring,untilsearedontheoutside,about4minutes.

2. Addthemushroomsandzucchini.Seasonwiththecumin,theoregano,andsaltandpeppertotaste.Cook,stirringoccasionally,untilallthevegetablesaretender,about5minuteslonger.

3. Towarmthetortillas,wraptheminfoilandplacethemina275°Fovenforafewminutes.

4. To assemble, spoon the vegetablemixture onto each of the tortillas, justbelow the center, dividing evenly. Spoon some salsa onto the vegetablesandtopeachwithavocadoslices.Rollupthetortillastoenclosethefilling.Serveimmediately.

CurriedTofuSaladPitasServes4

Ifstuffingasoftpitafullofdeliciouscurriedtofusalad(thinkchickensalad,minusourfowl friends) iswrong,whowants toberight?I like tomake thissaladatleasthalfanhouraheadoftime,oreventhedaybefore,toallowtheflavorstomeld.

¼cupplaincoconutmilkyogurt¼cupveganmayonnaise1½teaspoonscurrypowder,ormoretotaste½teaspoonsalt,ormoretotasteOne14-ouncepackageextra-firmtofu,drainedandpatteddry1celeryrib,minced4scallions,minced¼cupraisins¼cupchoppeddry-roastedcashews¼cupfinelychoppedmangoorapple4whole-grainpitas,halvedLettuceleavesoralfalfasproutsforserving

1. Ina largebowl, combine theyogurt,mayonnaise, currypowder, and salt.Stir tomixwell, then taste and adjust the seasonings, addingmore currypowderorsaltifdesired.Setaside.

2. Cut the tofu into½-inchdiceandadd to thecurry sauce.Add thecelery,scallions,raisins,cashews,andmango.Stirtocombinethoroughly.

3. Coverandrefrigeratefor30minutestoallowtheflavorstodevelop.Tasteandadjusttheseasoningsifneeded.

4. Toserve,spoonthetofumixtureinsideeachofthepitahalvesalongwithalettuceleaforalfalfasprouts.

ChickpeaSaladSandwichesServes4

Layered with lettuce and tomato, this salad makes an easy, satisfyingalternativetothosetiredoldeggsaladandtunasaladsandwiches.

One15-ouncecanchickpeas,drainedandrinsed½cupchoppedcelery2scallions,minced2tablespoonsmincedredonion½cupveganmayonnaise,ormoreifneeded2teaspoonsDijonmustard2teaspoonsfreshlemonjuice1teaspooncapers,chopped2teaspoonsmincedfreshdill(optional)SaltandfreshlygroundblackpepperBreadofchoice,toastedLettuceleavesandslicedripetomatoforserving

1. Place the chickpeas in a bowl andmash them.Add the celery, scallions,onion,mayonnaise,mustard, lemon juice,capers,anddill.Season to tastewith salt and pepper, then mix well to combine. Taste and adjust theseasoningsifneeded.Addalittlemoremayoifthemixtureistoodry.Forthebestflavor,coverandrefrigeratefor30minutestoallowtheflavorstoblend.

2. Scoop the chickpea salad onto your choice of toasted bread and topwithlettuceandtomatotomakeeachsandwich.Alternatively,youcanservethechickpea salad in lettuce leaves ormake it into open-face sandwiches bytopping single slices of bread with the chickpea salad as for bruschette.Leftoverchickpeasaladcanbestoredintherefrigeratorinatightlycoveredcontainerforupto3days.

SloppyJanesServes4

Toothsome and flavorful, shiitake mushrooms transform into limitless meatstand-ins.TheseyummyburgersareperfectwithasideofFritos(yes,Fritosarevegan!).

1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil1yellowonion,chopped1greenbellpepper,seededandchopped3garliccloves,minced12ouncesfreshshiitakemushrooms,stemmedandchoppedOne15-ouncecanpintobeans,drained,rinsed,andmashed1cupketchup2tablespoonstomatopaste1tablespoonredwinevinegar1tablespoonmolasses1tablespoonveganWorcestershiresauceorsoysauce1tablespoonDijonmustard2teaspoonsnaturalsugar,suchasSugarintheRaw1teaspoonchilipowder¼teaspooncayenne(optional)Saltandfreshlygroundblackpepper4sandwichrolls,split

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet overmedium heat.Add the onion and bellpepperandcookuntilsoftened,about5minutes.Stirinthegarlicandcookfor 1 minute longer, then add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, untiltender,about4minutes.

2. Stir in the mashed pinto beans, ketchup, tomato paste, vinegar, andmolasses. Add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, sugar, chili powder,cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring.Adjusttheseasonings.Addalittlewaterifthemixturebecomesdry.

3. Spoon theshiitakemixtureontosplit rollsandservehot. Ifyouhaveanyleftover shiitakemixture, it will keepwell in the refrigerator in a tightlycoveredcontainerforupto3days.

DinnerSoyrizoPasta

BlackBeanBurgersDoubleRedSoup

PastaandGreensTossTamari-LemonBakedTofuKaleandWhiteBeanSoupPastawithArtichokeAlfredo

PortobelloandCreminiStroganoffRicewithBeansandGreensBlackandRedBeanChiliStovetopMacandCheeseVegetableFriedRiceAsianNoodleStir-Fry

SoyrizoPastaServes4

Hearty,homey,andboastinga tinykick, thispastacouldn’tbeeasier.You’dneverguessthatithasonlyfiveingredients—it’sjustasdeliciousasitisquicktoprepare,whichmakesitago-toforweeknightdinnerswhenyou’reshortontime.AlittlebitofspicefromtheSoyrizoperksupthetangytomatoes.

One16-ounceboxfarfalle,penne,orotherbite-sizedpastaSalt2teaspoonsextra-virginoliveoil3garliccloves,choppedOne28-ouncecancrushedtomatoesOne12-ouncepackageSoyrizo

1. Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling saltedwater according to the packagedirections.Drainwellandsetaside.

2. Heattheoilinalargeskilletovermediumheat.Addthegarlicandcookfor2minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes andSoyrizo, reduce theheat tomedium-low, andcookfor10moreminutes,stirringoccasionally.

4. Addthecookedpastaandtosstocoat,stirringtoheatthroughforabout2minutes.Servewarm.Leftoverswillkeep,covered,forupto5daysinthefridge.

BlackBeanBurgersServes4

Whatwouldtheweeklymenubewithoutburgernight?Theseburgerscanbemadeaheadandthenwrappedindividuallyandfrozenforfutureuse.

½cupold-fashionedrolledoats,ormoreasneeded½cupwalnutpieces¼cupmincedscallion2tablespoonsmincedfreshparsleyOne15-ouncecanblackbeans,drained,rinsed,andblotteddry2teaspoonscornstarchortapiocastarch,ormoreasneeded½teaspoongarlicpowder½teaspoonsmokedpaprika½teaspoondriedbasil,driedthyme,orgroundcumin(optional)Saltandfreshlygroundblackpepper2tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoil4burgerbuns,splitChoice of accompaniments: lettuce leaves, sliced tomato, avocado, oronion;relish,pickleslices,ketchup,mustard,orveganmayonnaise

1. Inafoodprocessor,combinetheoatsandwalnutsandgrindfinely.Addthescallion,parsley,beans, cornstarch,garlicpowder, paprika, basil, and saltandpeppertotaste.Processuntilwellcombined,leavingsometexture.

2. Pinchthemixturewithyourfingerstoseeifitholdstogether.Ifthemixtureistoodry,addateaspoonortwoofwaterandmixagain.Ifthemixtureistoowet,addmoreoatsorcornstarch.Shapethemixtureinto4burgersandrefrigeratefor30minutes.

3. Heattheoil inalargenonstickskilletovermediumheat.Addtheburgersand cook until browned on both sides, turning once, about 5minutes perside.

4. Servetheburgersonthebuns,withyourchoiceoftoppings.

DoubleRedSoupServes4

Red lentils and roasted red peppers weremade for each other. The peppersgiveheartylentilsalittletanginess.Thiseasy,warmingsoupisespeciallygoodwith rustic bread (like a bâtard or an olive loaf). Serve with a side of KaleSaladtomakeasatisfyingdinner.

2tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoil1largeyellowonion,chopped4garliccloves,chopped4roastedredpeppers,fresh(seeNote)orfromajar,chopped6cupswater2tablespoonsveganbouillonpaste,suchasBetterthanBouillon(seeNote)One28-ouncecanwholeordicedtomatoes,undrained2cupsdriedwholeredlentils,anystonesremoved2teaspoonsricewinevinegarSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper

1. Heattheoilinalargepotovermedium-highheat.Addtheonionandcookuntil nearly translucent, about 3minutes.Add the garlic and peppers andcookfor2minuteslonger.

2. Stirinthewater,bouillon,tomatoes,andlentilsandbringtoaboil.Boilfor3minutes,thenreducetheheattomediumandsimmer,uncovered,untilthelentilsare tenderandbegin tosplitopen,10 to15minutes.Removefromtheheat.

3. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, blend the soup untilsmooth.Addthevinegar,thentasteandaddsaltandpeppertotaste.Servewarm.Store leftovers ina tightlycoveredcontainer in the refrigerator forupto5daysorinthefreezerfor3to4weeks.

NOTES:Roastyourownpeppersbyhalvingthemandplacingthemundera broiler cut side down for 10 minutes, until the skins are completelyblackened. Turn them after a few minutes so all sides brown. Let the

pepperscool inacoveredbowlor inapaperbag.Thencarefullyremovetheskins,andthey’rereadytoeatorcook.

Available in supermarkets and online, Better than Bouillon VegetarianBases are highly concentrated pastes that make a rich broth whencombinedwithwater.

PastaandGreensTossServes4

I love grain bowls (meals that involve a cooked grain, greens, protein, andsauce, all served in a bowl), but this version cuts down on cooking time byreplacing rice with pasta. More of a technique than a recipe, this dish isendlesslycustomizable.Chooseyourfavoritegreenvegetableand toss itwithyourpreferredpastaandatouchofgarlicandcapers.

One16-ounceboxfarfalleorotherbite-sizedpastaSalt¼cupextra-virginoliveoil4garliccloves,minced2teaspoonscapers2cupsbroccoliflorets,freshorfrozen2cupskale,washed,toughstemsremoved,tornintobite-sizedpiecesSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to thepackagedirections.

2. Whilethepastaiscooking,heattheoilinasmallsaucepanorskilletovermedium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2minutes.Remove from theheat before thegarlic begins tobrown.Stir inthecapersandsetaside.

3. Justbeforethepastaisdone,addthebroccolitothepastapotandcookfor2minutes.

4. Placealargecolanderinthesinkandputthekaleinthecolander.Pourthecookedpastaandbroccolioverthekaleanddrain.

5. Returnthesaucepantolowheatfor1or2minutestowarmthegarlic-caperoil.

6. In a large serving bowl, combine the pasta, veggies, and garlic-caper oil.Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss gently to combine. Storeleftoversinatightlysealedcontainerintherefrigeratorforupto3days.

Tamari-LemonBakedTofuServes4

Whether it’s at the center of a grain bowl or served alongside steamed bokchoy,perfectlyseasonedtofulikethismakesanymealcomplete.

One14-ouncepackageextra-firmtofu,drainedandblotteddry¼cuptamari¼cupwater3tablespoonsfreshlemonjuice2tablespoonsagavenectar1tablespoondarksesameoil

1. Cut the tofu into ½-inch-thick slices. Place the slices on a baking sheetlinedwithpaper towels.Coverwithmorepaper towelsandplaceanotherbakingsheetontopalongwithsomecannedgoodstopresstheliquidoutofthetofu.Letitsitfor20minutes.

2. Inasmallbowl,combinethetamari,water,lemonjuice,agavenectar,andsesameoil.Blendwell.Placethepressedtofuslicesina9-by-13-inchglassbakingdishandpourthemarinadeontop.Coverandrefrigeratefor2to3hoursorovernight,turningthetofuonce.

3. Preheattheovento375°F.Removethetofufromthemarinadeandplaceonalightlyoiledbakingsheet.Bake,drizzlingonanyremainingmarinade,forabout 45minutes, until the tofu is browned and firm, turning once abouthalfwaythroughthebakingtime.Servehot.Leftoverscanbestoredintherefrigeratorinatightlysealedcontainerforupto3days.

KaleandWhiteBeanSoupServes4

Soupistheamazinglyversatilebaseforsomanyweeklymenus.Cookupapotofthisrustickaleandwhitebeanversionandenjoyitthroughouttheweekastheflavorscontinuetomeld.

1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil1largeyellowonion,finelychopped3to4garliccloves,minced2or3YukonGoldpotatoes,peeledandcutinto½-inchdiceOne14.5-ouncecandicedfire-roastedtomatoesTwo15-ouncecanscannelliniorotherwhitebeans,drainedandrinsed1teaspoondriedoregano½teaspoonsmokedpaprika¼teaspoonredpepperflakes5cupsvegetablebrothSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper9ounceskale,anyvariety,coarselychopped

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot overmedium heat.Add the onion, cover, andcookuntilsoftened,stirringoccasionally,about5minutes.Removethelid,addthegarlic,andcookfor1minutelonger.

2. Stir in the potatoes, then add the tomatoes and their juice, white beans,oregano,paprika, redpepper flakes,andvegetablebroth.Seasonwithsaltand pepper to taste.Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat tomedium andsimmerfor15minutes.

3. Stirinthekaleandcookforanother10minutesoruntilthevegetablesaretender.Tasteandadjusttheseasoningsifneeded.Servehot.Storeleftoversin a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in thefreezerfor3to4weeks.

PastawithArtichokeAlfredoServes4

Think that cream sauces are verboten for vegans? Not so fast. Once youmaster the techniquehere, youcan riffoff thebase recipe foranydish thatcallsforasavorycreamsauce.

3garliccloves,crushedOne12-ouncejar(ortwo6-ouncejars)marinatedartichokehearts,drainedOne15-ouncecancannelliniorotherwhitebeans,drainedandrinsed½cupvegetablebroth½cupplainunsweetenedalmondmilk2tablespoonsnutritionalyeast(seeNote)2tablespoonsfreshlemonjuice1teaspoondriedbasilSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepperOne12-ounceboxdriedpastaofyourchoice2tablespoonsmincedfreshItalianparsley

1. Finelymincethegarlicinafoodprocessororblender(seeNote).Addtheartichokehearts,whitebeans,andvegetablebrothandprocessuntilsmooth.Add the almond milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, basil, and salt andpepper to taste. Process until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings ifneeded.Setaside.

2. Cookthepastainboilingsaltedwateraccordingtothepackagedirections.Drainwellandreturntothepot.

3. Add the sauce to the pasta and toss gently to combine and heat through.Servehotsprinkledwiththeparsley.Storeleftoversintherefrigeratorinatightlycoveredcontainerforupto5days.

NOTE: For a truly creamy sauce, using a Vitamix or other high-speedblenderworksbest.Thesemachinesarenojoke—theycanblendanything.

PortobelloandCreminiStroganoffServes4

This paprika-infused delight traditionallymadewith beef is just as rich andhearty as the original, thanks to the toothsome mushrooms. VeganWorcestershiresauceaddsextradepthandsavoriness.

2tablespoonstomatopaste1tablespoonveganWorcestershiresauceorsoysauce1½cupsvegetablebroth1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil2yellowonions,chopped4portobellomushrooms,trimmed,gillsscraped,andcutinto¾-inchdice8ouncescreminimushrooms,trimmed,halved,andsliced2tablespoonsunbleachedall-purposeflour1tablespoonsweetHungarianpaprika2teaspoonssmokedpaprikaSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper½cupvegansourcreamFreshlycookednoodlesforserving

1. Inasmallbowl,combinethetomatopasteandWorcestershiresaucewith¼cupofthebroth,blendinguntilsmooth.Setaside.

2. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or saucepan overmedium-high heat.Addtheonions,cover,andcookuntilsoftened,about5minutes.Uncover,addbothkindsofmushrooms,andcook,stirringoccasionally,untillightlybrownedallover,about5minutes.

3. Stir in the flour and both kinds of paprika. Cook, stirring, for about 1minute,thenaddthetomatopastemixture,stirringuntilsmooth.

4. Add the remaining1¼cupsbrothandbring toaboil.Reduce theheat tolowandseasonwithsaltandpepper to taste.Simmeruntil theflavorsareblended and the sauce thickens a little, about 25 minutes. Just beforeserving, slowly stir in the sour cream until well blended. Serve hot over

noodles.Storeleftoversinatightlycoveredcontainerintherefrigeratorforupto3days.

RicewithBeansandGreensServes4

It doesn’t get more straightforward than a plate covered with a beautifulcombination of rice, beans, and greens. These three staples aremade to gotogether;whetherornotyoudousetheminhotsauceisuptoyou.

1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil1yellowonion,chopped3garliccloves,minced1cuplong-grainbrownrice2cupsvegetablebrothSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper9ouncesbabykale,spinach,orchard,coarselychoppedOne15-ouncecancannellinibeans,chickpeas,orblackbeans,drainedandrinsed2tablespoonsmincedfreshparsley,basil,orcilantro1tablespoonfreshlemonjuice(optional)Choiceofadd-ins:choppedripetomato,choppedsun-driedtomatoes,pittedKalamataolives,toastedpinenuts,raisins,hotsauce

1. Heattheoilinalarge,deepskilletorDutchovenovermediumheat.Addtheonionandcookfor5minutesoruntilsoftened.Addthegarlicandcookfor1minutelonger.

2. Stirintherice,thenaddthebrothandsaltandpeppertotaste.(Theamountofsaltneededwilldependonthesaltinessofyourbroth.)Bringtoaboil.Reducetheheattolow,cover,andsimmerfor35minutesoruntilthericeisalmosttender.

3. Stirinthekale,thenaddthebeansandcontinuecookinguntilthericeandvegetablesaretenderandalltheliquidhasbeenabsorbed,5to10minuteslonger.

4. Stir in theparsleyand lemon juiceandyourchoiceofadd-ins.Servehot.Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to5

days.

BlackandRedBeanChiliServes4

Dollopthisspicychiliwithvegansourcream,garnishwithscallions,andservewithyourfavoritecornbreadorbiscuits.Ifyoupreferlessheat,leaveoutthechipotlechileanduseamildchilipowder.

1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil1largeonion,chopped1carrot,chopped1redorgreenbellpepper,seededandchopped3garliccloves,minced2tablespoonstomatopaste1chipotlechileinadobosauce,minced2tablespoonschilipowder1teaspoongroundcuminOne14.5-ouncecanfire-roasteddicedtomatoes,undrainedOne15-ouncecanblackbeans,drainedandrinsedOne15-ouncecandarkredkidneybeans,drainedandrinsed½teaspoonsalt¼teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper¾cupwater,ormoreasneededChoiceof toppings:vegansourcream,dicedavocado,slicedblackolives,choppedscallions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot overmediumheat.Add the onion, carrot, bellpepper, and garlic. Cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.Uncoverandstirinthetomatopasteandchipotlechile.Thenstirinthechilipowder,cumin,tomatoes,blackbeans,kidneybeans,salt,andpepper.

2. Addthewaterandbringtoaboil,thenreducetheheattolowandsimmerfor30minutesoruntilthevegetablesaretenderandtheflavorsareblended.If you prefer a soupier texture, add more water. If you prefer the chilithicker,turnuptheheatforafewminutestoevaporatesomeoftheliquid.

Tasteandadjusttheseasoningsifneeded.3. Servehotwithyourchoiceoftoppings.Storeleftoversinatightlycovered

container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 to 4weeks.

StovetopMacandCheeseServes4

Thismacandcheesehasallthesatisfyingsaltinessoftheboxedoriginal,butit ismade from scratch.Whip this up for your friends and show them howyourtasteshavematuredsincecollege.

8ounceselbowmacaroniorotherbite-sizedpasta1teaspoonsalt,plussaltforcookingthemacaroni¼cuproastedredbellpepper(seeNote)orsolid-packpumpkinpuree2tablespoonsfreshlemonjuice1tablespoontahinioralmondbutter1teaspoonDijonmustard¾cupnutritionalyeast(seeNote)2tablespoonscornstarch1teaspoononionpowder½teaspoongarlicpowder½teaspoonsmokedpaprika¼teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper2cupsplainunsweetenedalmondmilk1cupshreddedveganCheddarcheese

1. Cookthemacaroniinapotofboilingsaltedwateruntilitisaldente.Drainandreturntothepot.Whilethemacaroni iscooking,combinetheroastedred pepper, lemon juice, tahini, mustard, and nutritional yeast in a foodprocessororblender.Addthecornstarch,1teaspoonsalt,theonionpowder,garlicpowder,paprika, andpepper.Add the almondmilkandblenduntilcompletelysmoothandcreamy.

2. Add the sauce mixture to the pot containing the cooked and drainedmacaroni and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the sauce begins tothicken. Mix in the shredded cheese, stirring gently to melt. Taste andadjusttheseasoningsifneeded.Ifthemixturebecomestoothick,stir inalittleextraalmondmilkorsomevegetablebroth.Servehot.Storeleftovers

inatightlysealedcontainerintherefrigeratorforupto5days.

VegetableFriedRiceServes4

Aclevertime-saveristocookabigbatchofriceduringtheweekendandthenuse it inmeals throughout theweek.Fried rice is the traditionalway touseleftoverrice,anditcouldn’tbemoredelicious.

1cupextra-firmtofu,drainedandpressed(seeNote)3tablespoonssoysauce,ormoreasneededSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper1tablespoonneutral-flavoredvegetableoil1largeyellowonion,chopped1carrot,grated2garliccloves,minced3scallions,minced1teaspoonfreshginger,peeledandgrated3cupscoldcookedrice½cupfrozengreenpeas,thawed1teaspoondarksesameoil

1. Crumble the tofu into abowl.Add1 tablespoonof the soy sauce, seasonwithsaltandpepper,andmixwell.Setaside.

2. Heatthevegetableoilinalargeskilletorwokovermedium-highheat.Addtheonionandcarrotandstir-fryfor4minutes.Addthegarlic,scallions,andgingerandstir-fryfor30seconds.

3. Addtherice,peas,sesameoil,andremaining2tablespoonssoysauce.Stir-fry to mix well, then stir in the reserved tofu mixture and stir-fry for 3minutes longer to heat through. Taste and adjust the seasonings, addingmoresoysauceorsaltifneeded.Storeleftoversinatightlysealedcontainerintherefrigeratorforupto5days.

AsianNoodleStir-FryServes4

It’s almost impossible to eat a vegan diet for an extended period of timewithout developing a favorite stir-fry recipe. Chewy noodles, crunchyvegetables,andasavorysaucemakethisdishamust-try.

¼cupsoysauce¼cuphoisinsauce2tablespoonstahiniorpeanutbutter2teaspoonsricevinegar1teaspoonSrirachaorAsianchilipaste⅓cupwater8ouncesricenoodlesorlinguine2teaspoonsdarksesameoil1tablespoonneutral-flavoredvegetableoil1carrot,gratedorthinlyslicedonthediagonal1redbellpepper,seededandcutintothinstrips5scallions,minced2garliccloves,minced2teaspoonsfreshginger,peeledandminced8ouncesextra-firmtofu,drained,blotteddry,andcutinto½-inchdice2ouncessnowpeas,trimmedandcutinto1-inchpieces

1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, tahini, vinegar,Sriracha,andwater.Mixtocombinewell.Setaside.

2. Cook the noodles according to the package directions.Drain the noodlesandreturntothepot.Addthesesameoilandtosstocoat.

3. Heatthevegetableoilinalargeskilletorwokovermedium-highheat.Addthe carrot, bell pepper, scallions, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry untilfragrant, about30seconds.Add the tofuandsnowpeasandstir-fry for3minutes. Add half of the reserved sauce and stir-fry to coat. Add thereservednoodlestotheskilletalongwiththeremainingsauce.Tossgently

tocombineandheat through.Servehot.Storeleftovers ina tightlysealedcontainerintherefrigeratorforupto5days.

SnacksandSidesSweetPotatoFriesSo-GoodGuacamoleRoastedChickpeasHere’sMyHummusCheesyKaleChips

TrailMixSnackBitesSuperSlaw

RoastedTomatoBruschette

SweetPotatoFriesServes4

There are two amazing things about sweet potato fries: they are fries, butthroughthemagicofbeta-carotene(andthefactthatthey’rebaked,notfried),they’re also good for you. Like, whoa. Serve these alongside your favoriteburgersorwraps.

1½poundssweetpotatoesExtra-virginoliveoilSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them in halflengthwise.Placeonecuthalfonaworksurfaceandcutinto¼-inchslices.Repeatwiththeremainingpotatoes.Transfertoalargebowlanddrizzleon1to2tablespoonsofoliveoil.Seasonwithsaltandpepperandtosstocoat.

2. Spreadthesweetpotatoesinasinglelayeronanoiledrimmedbakingsheetand bake for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and lightlybrowned,turningonceabouthalfwaythrough.

3. To serve, transfer the sweet potatoes to a bowl and sprinkle with a fewgrindsofblackpepperandalittlemoresaltifdesired.Servehot.

So-GoodGuacamoleServes4

Avocadosmakeeverythingbetter,but theyarecentral toguacamole.Beyondthechipbowl,trythisdollopedonyourSweetPotatoHashorTofuScramble.Andbesuretoeatitall—guacamoleisbestthedayitismade.

2to3ripeHassavocados1tablespoonfreshlimejuice¼teaspoonsalt¼cupmincedredonionorscallion2tablespoonsmincedfreshcilantro1jalapeñoorserranochile,seededandminced(optional)1garlicclove,minced(optional)1plumtomato,finelychopped(optional)Tortillachipsforserving

1. Halveandpittheavocadosandscoopthefleshintoabowl.2. Add the lime juice and salt and mash well. Add the onion, cilantro,

jalapeño,garlic,andtomato.Mixwelltocombine.3. Tasteandadjust the seasonings,addingmoresaltor lime juice ifneeded.

Servewithtortillachips.

RoastedChickpeasServes4

Whether you like them savory, sweet, or spicy, roasted chickpeas are aversatiletreat.Addthesecrunchybitestoyourfavoritesaladorenjoythemontheirownasahandysnack.

One15-ouncecanchickpeas,drained,rinsed,andblotteddry2tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoilSalt2teaspoonsgarammasalaorotherspiceblend(optional)

1. Preheat theoven to400°F.Lightlyoilashallowbakingdishora rimmedbakingsheet(largeenoughtofitthechickpeasinasinglelayer)orsprayitwithcookingspray.

2. Spread the chickpeas in a single layer in the prepared baking pan anddrizzleontheoliveoil.Tossgentlytocoat.Seasonwithsalttotaste.

3. Roastthechickpeas,stirringoccasionally,forabout30minutes,untiltheybegintoturnbrownandcrispy.Removefromtheovenandsprinkleonthegaram masala and a little more salt if needed. Allow to cool to roomtemperature.Storeleftoversinatightlysealedcontainerinacool,dryplacefor3to5days.

Here’sMyHummusMakesabout2cups

Whetheryoudipvegetablesintoit,slatheritliberallyonsandwichesforextraheartiness,oruseitasabaseformorecomplexdips,there’snowrongwaytoindulgeinhummus.

One15-ouncecanchickpeas,drainedandrinsed2garliccloves,crushed¼cuptahini3tablespoonsfreshlemonjuice½teaspoonsalt¼teaspoonsmokedpaprikaor1tablespoonmincedfreshparsleyPitachipsorcut-uprawvegetablesforserving

1. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas and garlic and process to apaste.Add the tahini, lemon juice, and salt andprocess until smooth andcompletelyblended.

2. Scrapethehummusintoabowl.Coverandrefrigeratefor1hourtoallowtheflavorstodevelop.Servechilledoratroomtemperature,sprinkledwiththe paprika or parsley and accompanied by pita chips or vegetables fordipping.Store leftovers ina tightlysealedcontainer in therefrigerator forupto5days.

CheesyKaleChipsServes4

There’snothingnottoloveaboutkalechips—butyoucanspendafortuneonthe packagedkind.To enjoy the crunchy, cheesy treatswithout bankruptingyourretirementfund,trythisat-homeversion.

1bunchcurlykale,toughstemsremoved(seeNote)¾cuprawcashews,soakedinwaterfor3or4hoursanddrained1garlicclove,crushed½cupnutritionalyeast(seeNote)2tablespoonsfreshlemonjuice1tablespoonsoysauce1teaspoonpreparedyellowmustard¼teaspoonseasaltWater,asneeded

1. Tearorcutthekaleleavesinto2-inchpiecesandtransfertoalargebowl.Setaside.

2. Preheattheovento300°F.Lightlyoilalargebakingsheetorsprayitwithcookingspray.Setaside.

3. Inablender (seeNote), combine thecashewsandgarlicandprocess toapaste.Add thenutritionalyeast, lemon juice, soysauce,mustard,andsaltandprocessuntilwellblended.Addasmuchwaterasneeded,1tablespoonatatime,tomakeathicksauce.

4. Addthesaucetothekale.Useyourfingerstocoatthekalecompletelywiththesauce.

5. Arrangethecoatedkaleinasinglelayeronthepreparedbakingsheet.Donotallowtheleavestooverlap.(Ifyoudon’thaveroomforallofthekale,settheremainingleavesasidetobakeafterthefirstbatchisfinished.)

6. Bakethekaleleavesfor12to15minutes,thenflipthemandbakefor5to10minutes longer, watching closely so the kale doesn’t burn.When thekaleiscrispanddry,removeitfromtheovenandletcoolcompletely.Kale

chipsarebestwheneatenonthesamedaytheyaremade.

NOTE: If you prefer using dinosaur kale (akaLacinato or Tuscan kale),theprocedureisthesamebutwillrequirelessbakingtime—usuallyabout15minutestotal.

TrailMixSnackBitesMakes16

Likekale chips, snackbars are so easy tomakeathome that you’llwonderwhyyoueverboughtthem.

1¼cupsold-fashionedrolledoats1cupchoppedunsaltedroastednuts,anykindoracombination1cupraisins,sweeteneddriedcranberries,choppedpitteddates,otherdriedfruit,oracombination½cupvegansemisweetchocolatechips½cupmaplesyrup2tablespoonsnutbutter,anykind2tablespoonsveganbutter,suchasEarthBalance,melted1teaspoonvanillaextractWaterifneeded

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and setaside.

2. In a food processor, combine the oats, nuts, raisins, and chocolate chips.Processuntilcrumbly.Add themaplesyrup,nutbutter,veganbutter,andvanillaandprocessuntilwellcombined,addingalittlewater,atablespoonat a time, if the mixture is too dry. Press the mixture evenly into thepreparedpan.

3. Bakefor20minutesoruntil lightlybrowned.Removefromtheovenandset aside tocool.Cover and refrigerate to cool completelybeforecutting.Cutinto2-inchsquarestoserve.

SuperSlawServes4

Can you really have a summer barbecuewithout burgers, beans, and slaw?No,youcan’t.Slawistheperfectsidedish.

¾cupveganmayonnaise¼cupplainunsweetenednondairymilk,suchassoyoralmondmilk2tablespoonsfreshlemonjuice1teaspoonDijonmustard1teaspoonnaturalsugar,suchasSugarintheRawSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper1smallheadgreencabbage,coredandshredded(about4cups)2carrots,grated3redradishes,shredded2tablespoonsmincedscallion¼cupraisinsordriedcranberries¼cupsunflowerseeds

1. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, milk, lemon juice, mustard,sugar,andsaltandpeppertotaste.Mixuntilwellblended.Setaside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, radishes, scallion, raisins,andsunflowerseeds.

3. Add thedressingand toss tomixwell.Taste andadjust the seasonings ifnecessary.Coverandrefrigerate.Servechilled.Storeleftoversinatightlysealedcontainerintherefrigeratorforupto3days.

RoastedTomatoBruschetteServes4

These bruschette consistently wow vegans and omnivores alike with theirsimple,potentflavors.

1smallredonion,chopped1smallredbellpepper,seededandchopped1pintcherryorgrapetomatoes,halvedlengthwiseExtra-virginoliveoilfordrizzlingandbrushingSaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper¼cupmincedreconstitutedoroil-packedsun-driedtomatoes¼cupchoppedfreshbasil1baguette,cutinto½-inchslices

1. Preheattheovento425°F.Lightlyoilashallow9-by-13-inchbakingdish.2. Combine the onion, bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes in the baking dish.

Drizzlewithalittleoliveoilandseasonwithsaltandpeppertotaste.Roastfor30minutesoruntilthevegetablesareverysoft.

3. Stirthemixturetobreakupthetomatoes,thenstirinthesun-driedtomatoesandbasil.Tasteandadjusttheseasoningsifnecessary.Setasideandcoverlooselytokeepwarm.Turntheoventobroil.

4. Lightlyoilbothsidesofthebreadandarrangeonabakingsheet.Broilthebread,turningonceuntilbrownedonbothsides.Becarefulnottoburnit.

5. To assemble, spoon thehot tomatomixture onto the toastedbread.Serveimmediately.

DessertsCreamyChocolatePie

Chocolate-AlmondTrufflesOatmealCookies

Old-FashionedAppleCrispCoconutCupcakesPumpkinCheesecakeEasyIceCreamCake

ChocolateChipCookiesFabulousFudgyBrownies

CreamyChocolatePieServes8Thekeytousingtofuindessertsissilkentofu—amorecustardyvarietythanwhatyouwoulduseforastir-fry.Silkentofuisalwaysverysoft,asthenameimplies,butyoucanuseitwithrecipescallingfortofuofanyleveloffirmness.Youcanusuallyfinditintherefrigeratedsectionofthegrocerystoreorontheshelvesinasepticpackaging.

One12-ouncepackagesilkentofuOne10-ouncebagvegansemisweetchocolatechips1teaspoonvanillaextract1premadevegangrahamcrackercrust

1. Inablender(seeNote),blendthetofuuntilsmooth.2. Meltthechocolatechipsinthetopofadoubleboileroverhotwaterorina

microwave,stirringoften.3. Whenthechocolateiscompletelymelted,addit tothetofuintheblender

andprocessuntilsmooth,thenaddthevanillaandprocessagaintoblend.4. Pourthefillingintothecrustandrefrigerateuntilset,about2hours.Serve

chilled.Storeleftoverpieinatightlysealedcontainerintherefrigeratorforupto3days.

NOTE:Thevariationsonthissimplechocolatebaseareendless.Youcanline the piecrustwith sliced bananas or strawberries, top the fillingwithfreshraspberries,oradd1/4cuppeanutbuttertothefilling.Gocrazy!

Chocolate-AlmondTrufflesMakesabout24

If you’ve never made truffles at home before, you’ll be surprised by howsimple they are to turn out. These rich treats make special occasionssignificantlymorespecial.

8ouncesvegansemisweetchocolatechips⅓cupalmondbutter⅓cupconfectioners’sugar2tablespoonsunsweetenedalmondmilk,orasneeded¾cupsliveredalmonds,toasted,thenfinelygroundinafoodprocessor

1. Meltthechocolateinthetopofadoubleboileroverhotwater,stirringuntilsmooth.Removefromtheheat.Stirinthealmondbutteruntilwellblended,thenaddtheconfectioners’sugar,stirringuntilsmoothandwellblended.Ifthe mixture is too dry, stir in the almond milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.Transferthemixturetoabowl.Coverandrefrigerateuntilfirm.

2. Coat thepalmsof your hands in confectioners’ sugar or cocoa.Pinchoffabout1½teaspoonsofthemixtureanduseyourhandstoshapeitintoa1-inchball.Repeatwiththeremainingmixture.

3. Rollthetrufflesinthegroundalmondsandarrangeonaplatterorplaceinsmall foilorpaper candycups.Enjoy right awayor coverand refrigerateforupto1week.

OatmealCookiesMakes24

In the shadow of chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies sometimes playsecond fiddle. But these subtly spiced, perfectly chewy gems will steal thespotlight.

1cupwholewheatpastryflouroryourfavoriteflourforbaking½cupnaturalsugar,suchasSugarintheRaw1teaspoonbakingsoda1teaspoongroundcinnamon½teaspoonsalt½cuppuremaplesyrup¼cupapplesauce1½teaspoonsvanillaextract1¾cupsold-fashionedrolledoats

1. Preheattheovento350°F.Lightlygreaseoneortwobakingsheetsorlinethemwithparchmentpaperandsetaside.

2. Combinetheflour,sugar,bakingsoda,cinnamon,andsaltinalargebowlandsetaside.

3. Inasmallbowl,combinethemaplesyrup,applesauce,andvanillaandmixwell.Combinethewetingredientswiththedryingredients,stirringtomix.Stirintheoatsuntilwellcombined.

4. Dropthedoughbytheheapingtablespoonfulabout2inchesapartontothepreparedbakingsheet.Flattenthecookieswithyourfingersorthebackofthespoon.

5. Bakeonthecenterrackfor12to14minutes,until thecookiesare lightlybrownedonthebottom.(Ifusingtwopans,youcanbakethemoneatatimeorputonepanonthebottomrackandrotatethepanshalfwaythroughthebaking time.) Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack for a fewminutes. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container at roomtemperatureforupto5days.

Old-FashionedAppleCrispServes8

Cinnamon, sugar, and a crumbly topping combine tomake a showstoppingdairy-freedessert.Topwithascoopofveganvanillaicecream.

4to5GrannySmithorothercookingapples,peeled,cored,andsliced¼cupplus1tablespoonunbleachedall-purposeflour¾cupnaturalsugar,suchasSugarintheRaw1tablespoonfreshlemonjuice1½teaspoonsgroundcinnamon1cupold-fashionedrolledoats3tablespoonsveganbutter,suchasEarthBalance,softened

1. Preheattheovento375°F.Lightlygreasean8-inchsquarebakingdishorsprayitwithcookingsprayandsetaside.

2. Inalargebowl,combinetheapples,1tablespoonoftheflour,½cupofthesugar, the lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon. Mix gently,transfertotheprepareddish,andsetaside.

3. Inasmallbowl,combinetheoats,theremaining¼cupflour,theremaining¼cupsugar,theremaining1teaspooncinnamon,andtheveganbutter.Mixwithyourhandstocombinethoroughly.

4. Sprinkle the topping over the applemixture. Bake for about 35minutes,untilthefruitbubblesinthecenterandthetoppingisnicelybrowned.Servewarm.Tightlywrapanyleftovercrispandstoreintherefrigeratorforupto3days.

CoconutCupcakesMakes12

Thesecupcakesareacoconuttriple threat.Coconutmilkisusedinthecakebatter, coconut extract adds flavor to the frosting, and shredded coconutmakesdecoratingthesetropicaltreatsextraeasy.

FORTHECUPCAKES¾cupunsweetenedcoconutmilk(seeNote)1½teaspoonscidervinegar1¼cupsunbleachedall-purposeflourorwholewheatpastryflour½cupunsweetenedshreddeddriedcoconut1teaspoonbakingpowder¼teaspoonbakingsoda¼teaspoonsalt¾cupnaturalsugar,suchasSugarintheRaw⅓cupneutral-flavoredvegetableoil1teaspooncoconutextract

FORTHEFROSTING1cupveganbutter,suchasEarthBalance4cupsconfectioners’sugar2tablespoonsunsweetenedcoconutmilk1teaspooncoconutextract1cupunsweetenedshreddeddriedcoconut

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.Line a 12-cupmuffin tinwith cupcake liners.Setaside.

2. Tomakethecupcakes,combinethe¾cupcoconutmilkandthevinegarinasmallbowl.Setaside.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, ½ cup coconut, baking powder,bakingsoda,andsalt.Mixtocombine.

4. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, and coconut extract. Stir in the

coconutmilkmixture.Add thedry ingredients to thewet ingredients andstiruntilsmooth.

5. Pourthebatterevenlyintothepreparedtin,fillingthecupsabouttwo-thirdsfull,andbakeforabout20minutes,untilatoothpickinsertedinthecenterofacupcakecomesoutclean.Letcoolcompletelybeforefrosting.

6. While thecupcakesarebaking,make the frosting. Ina largebowl,creamtheveganbutterwithanelectricmixeronhighspeeduntillightandfluffy.Addtheconfectioners’sugar,2 tablespoonscoconutmilk,and1 teaspooncoconutextract.Mixuntilthoroughlyblended.Continuemixingforabout2minutesuntilthefrostingissmoothandstiff.

7. Whenthecupcakesarecompletelycool, top themwith thefrosting.Placethe 1 cup shredded coconut on a plate and dip the frosted top of eachcupcakeintoit.Storeleftovercupcakesinatightlysealedcontainerintherefrigeratorforupto5days.

PumpkinCheesecakeServes8

Even the traditionally dairy-rich cheesecake can bemade vegan.A blend oftofu and vegan cream cheese ensures that the cake is fluffy and rich all atonce. The extra spice of gingersnap cookies in the crust elevates this fallfavoriteandmakesitaspectaculardishforanautumndinnerparty.

FORTHECRUST1½cupsvegangrahamcrackercrumbsorgingersnapcrumbs4tablespoonsveganbutter,suchasEarthBalance,melted

FORTHEFILLINGTwo8-ouncepackagesvegancreamcheeseOne12-ouncepackagefirmsilkentofuOne16-ouncecansolid-packpumpkinpuree¾cupnaturalsugar,suchasSugarintheRaw¼cupmaplesyrup2tablespoonscornstarch1¼teaspoonsgroundcinnamon¼teaspoongroundallspice¼teaspoonfreshlygratednutmeg¼teaspoongroundginger

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.Lightly oil a 9-inch springformpanor coat itwithnonstickcookingspray.Place thecrumbs in thepan,add themeltedveganbutter,andtosswithaforktocombine.Pressthecrumbmixtureintothebottomandsidesofthepanandbakefor5minutes.Removefromtheoven,leavingtheovenon,andsetasidetocool.

2. Ina foodprocessor,combine thecreamcheeseand tofuandprocessuntilsmooth and blended. Add the pumpkin, sugar, maple syrup, cornstarch,cinnamon,allspice,nutmeg,andginger.Processuntilthoroughlycombinedand well blended, stopping to scrape down the sides of the processor as

needed.3. Spreadthefillingevenlyintothecooledcrust.Bakefor45minutesoruntil

firm.Turnofftheovenandallowthecheesecaketoremainintheovenfor15minuteslonger.

4. Removefromtheovenandallowtocoolcompletelyatroomtemperature.Refrigerate for several hours before serving. To serve, run a thin knifearoundtheperimeterofthecaketoloosenitfromthespringformpan,thenreleaseand remove the sidesof thepanand slice thecheesecake.Tightlycoveranyleftovercheesecakeandrefrigerateforupto3days.

EasyIceCreamCakeServes8

Adeceptivelyeasydessert,thisicecreamcakelookslikeittakeshourstomakebutcomestogetherinminutes(notincludingfreezingtime).Mixupthesorbetflavorandtoppingstofittherestofyourmenuortastes.Birthdayswillneverbethesameafteryou’vetriedthistreat.

1½cupsveganchocolatecookiecrumbs¼cupveganbutter,suchasEarthBalance,melted1pintveganvanillaicecream,softened1pintraspberrysorbet,softenedChocolatecurlsFreshraspberries

1. Preheat theovento350°F.Lightlyoilan8-inchspringformpanorcoat itwithnonstickcookingspray.Putthecookiecrumbsandmeltedbutterinthepreparedpanandmixwell to combine.Press thecrumbmixtureonto thebottomandsidesofthepan.Bakefor5minutes,thenallowtocool.

2. Placethesoftenedicecreaminalargebowl,stirringuntilsmooth.Addthesoftened sorbet and use a spoon to streak it throughout the ice cream.Scrapetheicecreammixtureevenlyintothepreparedcrust,smoothingthetop.Freezeforseveralhoursorovernight.

3. Before serving, bring the cake to room temperature for 5 minutes, thencarefullyremovethesidesofthepan.Sprinklechocolatecurlsontopofthecakearound theoutsideandpileberries in thecenter.Serve immediately.Tightly wrapped, leftover cake will keep well in the freezer for up to 2weeks.

ChocolateChipCookiesMakesabout36

Baking without eggs is a cinch once you get a few basics down. Theapplesauceintheseindulgentcookiesreplacestheeggandaddsasmallboostofnutrition.Servechocolatechipcookieswith(nondairy)milk,ofcourse.

2cupswholewheatpastryflour½teaspoonbakingpowder½teaspoonbakingsoda¼teaspoonsalt½cupnaturalsugar,suchasSugarintheRaw⅓cupmaplesyrup⅓cupapplesauce3tablespoonsnondairymilk,suchassoyoralmondmilk1teaspoonvanillaextract1½cupsvegansemisweetchocolatechips(seeNote)

1. Preheattheovento350°F.Lightlyoiltwobakingsheets.2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and

salt.Setaside.3. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, maple syrup, applesauce, nondairy

milk,andvanilla.Stiruntilwellblended.Addthedryingredientstothewetingredientsandmixuntiljustcombined.Foldinthechocolatechips.

4. Dropthedoughbythetablespoonfulontothepreparedbakingsheets,about2inchesapart.

5. Bakeonthecenterrackfor15to18minutes,untillightlybrownedonthebottom.(Ifusingtwopans,youcanbakethemoneatatimeorputonepanon the bottom rack and rotate the pans halfway through.) Let coolcompletelybefore storing inanairtight containerat room temperature forupto1week.

NOTE: Look for vegan brand semisweet chocolate chips at stores likeWhole Foods and Trader Joe’s. Some brands are “accidentally” vegan.

Forexample,GhirardellisemisweetchocolatechipsandthosebyGuittardhavenobutterfatandarethusvegan.Besuretocheckthelabels.

FabulousFudgyBrowniesMakes9

Evenvegansneedbrownies.Whetheryoutopthemwithnondairyicecreamorwhippedcreamoreat themstraight fromtheoven, thesebrowniesare fudgyandrichandsatisfying.

½cupapplesauce¼cuppuremaplesyrup¼cupunsweetenedalmondmilk3tablespoonsneutral-flavoredvegetableoil1½teaspoonsvanillaextract1cupall-purposeflour½cupnaturalsugar,suchasSugarintheRaw⅓cupunsweetenedcocoapowder1½teaspoonsbakingpowder1tablespooninstantcoffeeorespressogranules(optional;seeNote)¼teaspoonsalt⅔cupvegansemisweetchocolatechips½cupchoppedwalnutsorpecans(optional)

1. Preheat theoven to350°F.Lightlygreasean8-inchsquarebakingpanorsprayitwithcookingspray.

2. Combine the applesauce,maple syrup, almondmilk, oil, and vanilla in alargebowl.Stirtomixwell.

3. Inaseparatebowl,combinetheflour,sugar,cocoa,bakingpowder,coffee,andsalt.Mixwell.

4. Use a rubber spatula to stir thedry ingredients into thewetmixtureuntiljustcombined.Donotovermix.Foldinthechocolatechipsandwalnuts.

5. Scrapethebatterintothepanandspreaditevenly.Bakefor30minutesoruntil a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let thebrownies cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares. Storetightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for 1 to 2

months.

NOTE: The optional instant coffee or espresso granules deepen thechocolateflavorinthebrownies.

RESOURCES

Magazines

Chickpea(chickpeamagazine.com)Laika(laikamagazine.com)VeganHealth&Fitness(veganhealthandfitnessmag.com)VegNews(vegnews.com)

BOOKSBecomingVegan,BrendaDavisandVesantoMelinaBeg,RoryFreedmanCrazySexyDiet,KrisCarrEatingAnimals,JonathanSafranFoerTheEverythingVeganPregnancyBook,ReedMangelsTheFaceonYourPlate,JeffreyMoussaiefMassonFindingUltra,RichRollTheJungle,UptonSinclairTheKindLife,AliciaSilverstoneTheLean,KathyFrestonMadCowboy,HowardF.LymanwithGlenMerzerThrive,BrendanBrazierVB6,MarkBittmanVeganforLife,JackNorrisandVirginiaMessinaVeganPregnancySurvivalGuide,SaywardRebhal

COOKBOOKSArtisanVeganCheese,MiyokoSchinnerCelebrateVegan,DyniseBalcavageChloe’sKitchen,ChloeCoscarelliTheConsciousCook,TalRonnenCrazySexyKitchen,KrisCarrandChadSarnoGluten-FreeandVeganHolidays,JenniferKatzingerGrillingVeganStyle,JohnSchlimmTheInspiredVegan,BryantTerryIsaDoesIt,IsaChandraMoskowitz1,000VeganRecipes,RobinRobertsonPlum,MakiniHowellQuickFixVegan,RobinRobertsonTheSexyVeganCookbook,BrianPattonSpork-Fed,JennyEngelandHeather

GoldbergVeganCookingforCarnivores,RobertoMartinVeganEatsWorld,TerryHopeRomeroVeganHolidayKitchen,NavaAtlasVeganomicon,TerryHopeRomeroandIsaChandraMoskowitzVeganSandwichesSavetheDay,CelineSteenandTamasinNoyes

ORGANIZATIONSCompassionoverKilling(cok.net)TheEnvironmentalWorkingGroup(ewg.org)TheHumaneSocietyoftheUnitedStates(hsus.org)InternationalVegetarianUnion(ivu.org)MeatlessMonday(meatlessmonday.com)MercyforAnimals(mercyforanimals.org)PeoplefortheEthicalTreatmentofAnimals(peta.org)PhysiciansCommitteeforResponsibleMedicine(pcrm.org)TheVeganSociety(vegansociety.com)VegetarianResourceGroup(vrg.org)

RESTAURANTSBostonGrasshopperRestaurant(grasshoppervegan.com)MyThaiVeganCaféandBubbleTeaBistroRedLentil(theredlentil.com)

ChicagoTheChicagoDiner(veggiediner.com)Karyn’sonGreen(karynsongreen.com)NativeFoodsCafé(nativefoods.com)Upton’sBreakroom(uptonsnaturals.com/breakroom)

LasVegasWynnandEncorerestaurants(wynnlasvegas.com/restaurants)Ronald’sDonuts(yelp.com/biz/ronalds-donuts-las-vegas)

LosAngelesCrossroadsKitchen(crossroadskitchen.com)MCafé(mcafedechaya.com)Shojin(theshojin.com)

NewYorkCityAtlasCafé(atlascafenyc.com)BlytheAnn’sCandle79(candle79.com)Champs(champsdiner.com)’sNice(snicecafe.com)

PhiladelphiaBlackbirdPizzeria(blackbirdpizzeria.com)HipCityVeg(hipcityveg.com)Vedge(facebook.com/pages/Vedge-Restaurant/233351833356847)

Portland,OregonHomegrownSmokerVeganBBQ(homegrownsmoker.wordpress.com)Portobello(portobellopdx.com)

SanFranciscoGraciasMadre(gracias-madre.com)Ike’sPlace(ilikeikesplace.com)Millennium(millenniumrestaurant.com)

Washington,D.C.GreatSage(greatsage.com)StickyFingers(stickyfingersbakery.com)Woodland’sVeganBistro(woodlandsveganbistro.net)

SANCTUARIESFarmSanctuary(farmsanctuary.org)TheGentleBarn(gentlebarn.org)WoodstockFarmAnimalSanctuary(woodstocksanctuary.org)

TRAVELDeerRunBed&BreakfastBigPineKey,Floridadeerrunfloridabb.com

ElRemansoLodgePuertoJimenez,CostaRicaelremanso.com

TheFarmLipaCity,Philippinesthefarm.com.ph

FiveElementsMambal,Bali,Indonesiafivelements.org/en

TheGingerCatBed&Breakfast

RockStream,NewYorkgingercat-bb.com

HaramaraRetreatSayulita,Mexicoharamararetreat.com

HolisticHolidayatSeaatasteofhealth.org

TheStanfordInnMendocino,Californiastanfordinn.com

TenThousandWavesSantaFe,NewMexicotenthousandwaves.comTiernoTourstiernotours.com

Veganmini-mall(HerbivoreClothingCompany,ScapegoatTattoo,FoodFightGrocery,andSweetpeaBakingCompany)Portland,Oregonherbivoreclothing.comscapegoattattoo.comfoodfightgrocery.comsweetpeabaking.com

VegVoyagesvegvoyages.com

WynnandEncoreLasVegas,Nevadawynnlasvegas.com

OTHERRESOURCES

Barnivore(barnivore.com)HappyCow(happycow.net)NutritionData(nutritiondata.self.com)RosePedalsVeganWeddings(rosepedalsveganweddings.com)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Gettingtowritethisbookwasadreamcometrue.I’llbeeternallygratefultoLiaRonnenforgivingmethisincredibleopportunity,toJudyPrayforgivingmetheidea and making it work and answering a zillion inane first-time-authorquestions, and to the entire team at Artisan.Without the phenomenally goodrecipesofRobinRobertson,thebookwouldhaveendedwithashrugandaplateofrawkale.My years as a professional vegan would not have been possible without

Colleen Holland, a friend and mentor. They also brought the utter delight ofknowingmyBBTCBs,SuttonLong, JenniferChen,AnnaPeraino, andHilaryPollack.There are friendswithoutwhomnothing,much less this book,wouldhave been possible. Thank you to Bekah Brunstetter, Arthur Combs, JoelleSchwartz,MargaretWidlund,SantiagoPerry,andPeterRyanforbeing.It’sanhonor to know and work with the likes of Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart, JoshuaKatcher,TalRonnen,ChrisKerr,CorinneBowen,KrisCarr,BenAdams,andPaulShapiro,amongmany,manyothers.Thereisnowaytoproperlythankmyfamilyinwordsforhowwonderfulthey

are.Louie,Susy,Sheila,Kevin,andMasonDangerarethebestfamilymembersanyonecouldaskfor,andI’minconstant,gratefuldisbeliefthatthey’remine.AmiqueridoRicardo,muchísimasgracias.Haydosepocasenmivida:antes

quellegaste,ydespués.Teadoro.

INDEX

Note:Pagenumbersinitalicsrefertoillustrations.

AAffleck,Casey,144Africa,105airport,97–103animaladoption,146animals,considerationfor,20–22,23,76,137animalsanctuaries,118–19,146antlers,86Asia,106–7AsianNoodleStir-Fry,190

BBadu,Erykah,61bakingsoda,93bamboo,84Banana-NutMuffins,159bathandbeautyaids,87–91BeanandRiceBurritos,Easy,170bedroomfurnishings,87Begley,EdJr.,91BenedictBreakfastStackswithShortcutHollandaise,156–57beta-carotene,41beverages,65Bialik,Mayim,135BlackandRedBeanChili,186–87BlackBeanBurgers,177bodycareproducts,90BreakfastBurritos,153

bulkpurchasing,50

Ccalcium,sourcesof,34,35Chastain,Jessica,25cheese,nondairy,49CheesyKaleChips,196–97Chickpeas,Roasted,194ChickpeaSaladSandwiches,173Chinesefood,59chlorophyll,42Chocolate-AlmondTruffles,203ChocolateChipCookies,211Cinnamon-RaisinPancakes,162cleaningproducts,92–93Clinton,Bill,18,21CoconutCupcakes,206–7CreamyChocolatePie,202cruises,120CurriedTofuSaladPitas,172

Ddairyproducts,47–48DeGeneres,Ellen,89deRossi,Portia,89DoubleRedSoup,178–79

EEasternEurope,107eatingout,65–67,104eatingstyles,13–14entertaining,130–36environmentalissues,18–20

ethnicfoods,59–62EverydaySmoothie,163

FFabulousFudgyBrownies,212–13fashion,71–84fur,74–76leather,71–73menswear,78,79silk,75syntheticfibers,77wheretoshop,80–82wool,73–74

flexitarians,13,14foodlabels,64furfashions,74–76furnishings,85–87

GGannon,Sharon,36GardenWrapswithHummus,169gift-giving,145–47grains,43Grandin,Temple,21–22Guacamole,So-Good,193guidedtours,120Gunn,Tim,74

Hhaircareproducts,88Harrelson,Woody,22holidays,142–47homecooking,55

Hummus:Here’sMyHummus,195

IIceCreamCake,Easy,210India,111Indianfood,59–60iron,sourcesof,34,35

JJapanesefood,60

KKaleandWhiteBeanSoup,182KaleSalad,165Koreanfood,60–61

Llanolin,89LasVegas,114LatinAmerica,113leatherfashions,71–73leatherfurnishings,86legumes,44lemonjuice,93Life,David,36lignans,43livingroomfurnishings,86LosAngeles,114lycopene,40

Mmakeup,90

manners,125–47difficultpeople,126–30entertaining,130–36gift-giving,145–47holidays,142–47relationships,136–43

meatreducers,13,14menswear,78,79menuplanning,38–54completemeal,57dairyproducts,47–48dinnerparty,131grains,43legumes,44nuts,46pantry,48–54,58produceprimer,40–43proteins,46–47

Mexicanfood,61–62micro-loans,147MiddleEasternfood,62

Nnailpolish,91NewYorkCity,116NoodleSaladwithPeanutSauce,168nutrition,31–36nuts,46

OOatmealasYouLikeIt,161OatmealCookies,204Old-FashionedAppleCrisp,205

organicfoods,54ovo-lactovegetarians,13,14

PPastaandGreensToss,180PastawithArtichokeAlfredo,183PeanutSauce,168personalhealthissues,17–18pescatarians,13,14pesticides,54Phoenix,Joaquin,100Portland,Oregon,116PortobelloandCreminiStroganoff,184PowerPlate,31,32pregnancy,140–41produce,colorsof,40–43protein,sourcesof,34,35,46–47PumpkinCheesecake,208–9

QQuinoaandBlackBeanSalad,167

RRainbowVegetableSalad,166raw-foodists,14relationships,136–43restaurants,65–67,104resveratrol,43RicewithBeansandGreens,185RoastedTomatoBruschette,200

SSalley,John,103

SanFrancisco,116–17shoes,83ShortcutHollandaise,157silkfashions,75Silverstone,Alicia,106Simmons,Russell,36Sinclair,Upton,22SloppyJanes,174SoyrizoPasta,176spas,120–21spicesandherbs,37Spinach-TomatoFrittata,154–55Stone,Biz,76StovetopMacandCheese,188SuperSlaw,199supplements,36–37SweetPotatoFries,192SweetPotatoHash,160syntheticfibers,77

TTamari-LemonBakedTofu,181tanningleather,73TempehBacon,158thriftshops,80,81tofu,topress,155TofuScramble,152toothpaste,91TrailMixSnackBites,198travel:airport,97–103animalsanctuaries,118–19cruises,120ground,104–13

guidedtours,120spas,120–21topvegandestinations,113USA,114-18;map,115vegangetaways,117–18worldmap,108–9

UUnderwood,Carrie,58

Vveganism,briefhistoryof,24–25veganproducts,popular,63vegans:becoming,15–16definition,13,14demographics,27motivesof,17–23resourcesfor,33

VegetableFajitas,171VegetableFriedRice,189vegetarians,definition,13,14vinegar,93vitaminB12,36vitaminC,41

WWatson,Donald,20WesternEurope,110woolfashions,73–74

Zzoos,137

ABOUTTHEAUTHOR

Elizabeth Castoria is a freelance writer and the former editorial director ofVegNews,whereshesharedthefun,ease,andvarietyoftheveganlifestylewithreadersaroundtheglobe.ShelivesinSanFrancisco.

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