Vegan grub crawl part three-Atlanta

Our last stop on our Atlanta Vegan Grub Crawl was Healthful Essence, a Caribbean vegan/vegetarian restaurant, featuring Jamaican specialties.  As we walked through the door we were greeted by reggae music and the smell of incense and spicy things. They have a rotating menu of raw as well as cooked dishes to choose from.

The specials are written on the black board but they will gladly walk you down the line of today's selections, lifting steamy lids offering you a peek of what is inside. We built our own sampler platter (pick three from the menu) with  Macaroni UnCheese, Jerk UnChicken and Sweet Potato Corn Bread. The plate was then garnished with a few fried sweet plantains to further tease your appetite.

The Jerk UnChicken was shredded and piled high on the plate. It was smoky, sultry and spicy, introducing complex heat before you finished the first bite. Its developed flavor went well beyond anything I have ever tasted, vegan or otherwise. It was spicy in that way that makes you continue  to eat just one more bite  in an effort to put out the fire. But it never ends and it just leaves you wanting, needing more.  It was addictive and I still think about it.

The macaroni looked unlike any mac I had ever had. It was peppered with diced celery and red peppers which made it divine. The sauce was creamy, robust and exactly what I needed to tame the heat  from the Jerk UnChicken. Don't order the jerk dish without I if you want to be kind to yourself.  Paired with a bonafide slab of sweet potato corn bread....we left in agony even though we shared one plate. The portions were generous and the food blew my mind. Thank goodness we hadn't gone there first. I may not have left.

Sherry Duquet | Facebook
Sherry is on a mission to inspire others to join in her journey to change the world, one meal at a time. As a long time vegetarian and vegan newbie, Sherry launched a compassionate living blog Exploits of a Vegan Wannabe where she welcomes meat-a-tarians, vegans and anyone interested in creating change with their choices and voices.

Photo credit: Sherry

Where not to travel as a vegan

 If you’re like my husband and me, you want a no-fuss vacation where you can simply relax on the beach and not worry about a thing. However, this has become much more difficult since becoming vegan, and it shouldn’t be!

My husband and I chose an all-inclusive Puerto Vallarta beach resort in Mexico for our spring vacation, and instead of the no-fuss, no-stress we were expecting; we realized that our problems were far more complicated than staying somewhere outside of the all-inclusive and exploring local restaurants on our own. We would have actually been much safer staying outside of a resort and not wasting all of our money on the resort’s food (or lack of, I should say).

When we were looking into all-inclusive resorts, we were a bit skeptical that there may not be enough vegan food options for us to eat. Because of our concern, I had contacted the resort via email and explained our situation. They kindly sent over their vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menus for us to review. Since it looked like the resort had so many options, we booked our trip and were relieved that we could stay on the resort and wouldn’t have to venture off. We felt much more comfortable staying at the resort and not having to leave for anything.

When we arrived at the resort, we learned that the resort had only two sit-down restaurants for dinner, and everything else was a buffet. So, basically all of our meals would consist of buffets for five days. Since we arrived late the first night, we missed the sit down dinners and had to eat at the buffet. This was our first disappointment, only an hour after arriving.

The next disappointment came when breakfast arrived and we had to eat at another buffet for breakfast, and again at lunch. Breakfast consisted of fruit and a hash brown potato and lunch was French fries and tortilla chips and salsa. Thankfully, we were able to make dinner reservations for our second and third night. We were able to eat vegetable fajitas one night and basil pesto spaghetti the other—both vegan! We were very pleased, but it was a hassle even getting those.

"Caprese Salad"- the vegan version was just 4 tomatoes

It turned out that none of the vegetarian options that had been emailed to me previously were even served at the resort—we were not sure if the menu had recently changed or what the deal was, but the only vegan options were the ones that we had to modify and make sure that they were actually vegan. The servers seemed annoyed that we were asking questions and it didn’t help that they didn’t speak any English, and we knew very little Spanish.

Thankfully, we were able to have two meals during our five-day vacation (four nights, five days), or we would have felt far more terrible than we did. As vegans who are always snacking, we were not used to surviving off of simply fruit for breakfast, raw vegetables, salads, French fries or baked potatoes, and chips and salsa for five consecutive days! We wanted our rice and beans, which you would expect for a Mexican resort! We were so wrong.

Since our last night was on Cinco De Mayo, the resort had a larger Mexican buffet but there were still no beans (or none that looked safe enough to eat, anyway). However, we were finally able to find tortillas so we could put roasted vegetables in them with guacamole. This felt like a lifesaver. We were so hungry and we were so disappointed that we paid for an all-inclusive when it felt like we barely ate anything at all.

Vegetable Fajitas

In conclusion, we learned our lesson to not stay at an all-inclusive resort again. We won’t risk it again, and plus, it was a bit uncomfortable taking food from a buffet that mostly contains non-vegan or non-vegetarian items. It really took a lot away from our vacation experience and we highly recommend that vegans do not stay at an all-inclusive, unless of course, it’s a vegan all-inclusive, or you know for a fact that the resort is vegan-friendly.

We were wise enough to bring a carton of shelf-stable rice milk and some granola bars and crackers with us so we could snack on them during the day. I am sad to report that our best meal was at the Phoenix, Arizona airport on the way home when we were finally able to get our vegetarian bean and rice burrito! After eating the burrito, we felt absolutely revived. It’s amazing how great beans and grains can make a person feel.

On our next vacation, we plan to explore one of the many vegan-friendly cities in the United States, and we plan to eat a lot.

Alexandra Beane | Facebook | Twitter
Minnesota Alexandra is a lover of all animals, but has a soft spot for especially dogs and rabbits. She believes that life is not complete without an animal to love. Alexandra is highly passionate about animals and animal rights, and wants to raise awareness of the cruelty that many animals suffer in the best way she knows how, and this is by written word. Alexandra is a recent graduate of Metropolitan State University in Minnesota, with a degree in Professional Writing and a minor in Creative Writing. She absolutely loves to write news and creative nonfiction, and obsesses over spelling and grammar.

Photo credit:cc:flickr.com/photos/hbarrison

Vegan grub crawl part deux-Atlanta

This is the continuation of my vegan grub crawl across the city of Atlanta. When we left off, I had just been to an all vegan bakery and deli. Next stop, mind eracing doughnuts. 

After we left Dough Bakery and Gutenfleischers we drove east toward Decatur, Georgia, home of Revolution Doughnuts. They are a small batch doughnut shop featuring organic coffee and the most voluptuous doughnuts I have ever seen. They come in yeast style, filled, baked cake and cake style. Standing in front of the case felt like standing in a Tiffany & Co with a Black Amex. I felt limitless and effervescent. Each doughnut had its own sign, the vegans marked with a V for easy spotting.

The day we visited there were at least fifteen  flavors to choose from, most of them vegan. Round puffy pillows  infused with tart lemon curd and dusted with coarse sugar. Dark chocolate enrobed cakes the size of nautical life rings.

We ordered several to go because we were both still so full from Gutenfleischers and Dough Bakery. Sandy went to the ladies room and when she returned she caught me with cheeks the size of a very active squirrel and coarse sugar all over my mouth. "I thought we were waiting," was all she said. "We were," I  replied with unwarranted pride. What happened was as I sitting there waiting for her I realized that it would be much more authentic if I photographed the doughnuts while we were still in the shop. So, I hoisted one out of the bag and set it down on the table. As I snapped a few shots it occurred to me that the photo would look tastier if you could see the lemon curd captured inside, so I broke open the doughnut.  That was it. I had half of it in my mouth before she returned.

I am finding it difficult to verbally elevate these vegan doughnuts to the place they have wedged inside my heart. They were outstanding and I shall never forget them. I bought a t-shirt and have worn it twice.

One bite and it is abundantly clear, they have been baked with care  in ovens of love. If you find yourself within 300 miles of Decatur, Georgia, stop by Revolution Doughnuts and just give in  as your better judgement escapes your body leaving you powerless. Don't fight it...just bite it.

Sherry Duquet | Facebook
Sherry is on a mission to inspire others to join in her journey to change the world, one meal at a time. As a long time vegetarian and vegan newbie, Sherry launched a compassionate living blog Exploits of a Vegan Wannabe where she welcomes meat-a-tarians, vegans and anyone interested in creating change with their choices and voices.

Photo credit: Sherry

Bill Gates new website promotes plant-based options

Bill Gates just gets smarter and smarter. This time, he is thinking about the future of food and encourages people to try eating plant-based.

Bill Gates cares about the world and the environment and he wants people to know that there are plenty of healthy and great-tasting foods that don’t require the large amount of resources that animal products require. You can see for yourself at his new website that promotes the Future of Food.

On the website, Gates talks about how meat consumption has doubled in the last 20 years, and is expected to double again by 2050. He stresses that we cannot produce enough meat to feed 9 billion people, so people should start trying plant-based options for the sake of the environment.

Gates mentions the healthy and delicious plant-based alternatives that are out there and how much he enjoys them. On the website, he wrote that they “taste just like eggs, chicken, and other sources of protein.” He said that he “couldn’t tell the difference” between the Beyond Meat brand chicken alternative, or the Beyond Eggs Hampton Creek egg substitute. He also mentions the health benefits and how the plant-based eggs do not contain the high cholesterol of real eggs.

The website also features several videos so viewers can learn the science behind plant-based proteins. Videos feature “The Science Behind Plant-Based Proteins,” “Reinventing Food,” “Remaking Meat,” “Egging On An Industry,” and “Solving For Sodium.”
 
“If we shift our thinking about what we eat, and how it gets to our plates, we’ll be more open to the food innovations that are out there,”explained Gates.

Hopefully others will follow Gates’ message. After all, we tend to grow up thinking we are supposed to eat animals instead of thinking about the other options. We don’t stop to think about how food gets on our plates.

To learn about the future of food, please visit http://www.thegatesnotes.com/Features/Future-of-Food.

Alexandra Beane | Facebook | Twitter
Minnesota Alexandra is a lover of all animals, but has a soft spot for especially dogs and rabbits. She believes that life is not complete without an animal to love. Alexandra is highly passionate about animals and animal rights, and wants to raise awareness of the cruelty that many animals suffer in the best way she knows how, and this is by written word. Alexandra is a recent graduate of Metropolitan State University in Minnesota, with a degree in Professional Writing and a minor in Creative Writing. She absolutely loves to write news and creative nonfiction, and obsesses over spelling and grammar.

Photo credit:cc:flickr.com/photos/dfid/5093737688 Department for International Development/Russell Watkins

The top ten workout songs for May

 This month's top 10 highlights the return of several workout favorites. Daft Punk released their new material since the Tron: Legacy soundtrack. The Jonas Brothers and Avril Lavigne offered previews from their upcoming albums.

Lastly, Paramore—whose future was uncertain after two founding members left the band—topped the Billboard chart for the first time in their career.

Here's the full list, according to votes placed at Run Hundred--the web's most popular workout music blog.

Ash - Arcadia - 151 BPM
Krewella - Alive - 128 BPM

The Band Perry - Done - 102 BPM

Daft Punk & Pharrell - Get Lucky - 116 BPM

Alex Gaudino & Mario - Beautiful - 128 BPM

Jonas Brothers - Pom Poms - 148 BPM

Will.I.Am & Justin Bieber - #thatPOWER - 129 BPM

Avril Lavigne - Here's to Never Growing Up - 83 BPM

Paramore - Still into You - 137 BPM

Carly Rae Jepsen - Tonight I'm Getting over You - 126 BPM


To find more workout songs, folks can check out the free database at RunHundred.com. Visitors can browse the song selections there by genre, tempo, and era—to find the music that best fits with their particular workout routine.

Posted by Chris Lawhorn from RunHundred.com.

Photo credit:cc:flickr.com/photos/gigijin

Vegan grub crawl-Atlanta

I love sharing  about vegan travel because before I went vegan, I believed that traveling as one would be a challenge. Over the past few years I have come to realize that isn't the case at all. With a bit of planning, it is just as easy to find a compassionate meal while on the road. This will also  make it easier to find the  most unique places in the area you are visiting, which  is always more delicious.

Recently while visiting family in  Atlanta, my partner and I decided to go on a self created, self proclaimed vegan grub crawl. We were on our way to a natural history museum in an area that we were only somewhat familiar.  I did a HappyCow search for a vegan lunch spot so we would know where to go when we were ready to dine. Nothing worse than searching for vegan edibles when you are famished.

The list of vegan friendly and exclusively vegan places blew my mind. I clicked on menus, made a list of addresses and announced,"We are going on a  vegan grub crawl, the heck with the museum." We hopped in the KIA with a credit card,  the camera and an appetite for adventure. I felt like the female, kinder, vegan version of Anthony Bourdain. It was an absolute ball.  I could do this for a living but it would require much larger clothes and a generous travel sponsor.

We had four different dining experiences in only three destinations because two of the places we wanted to try were in the same building.  Bonus. Throughout the week, I will share all four with you in the order that we experienced them, starting with today's post from Dough Bakery and Guteinfleishers Vegan Deli. Now, if you find yourself in the Atlanta area you will have a few new places to check out.

Dough Bakery and Gutenfleischers share the same building. Both are vegan which makes decision making  a welcome challenge. As you walk in. you are welcomed by the Dough bakery case which is adorned with familiar favorites like sticky buns and cinnamon rolls.

There are also epicurean offerings such as Grapefruit Ginger scones and German Chocolate brownies. They also have steaming mugs of coffee and soft serve ice cream cones.  My mind raced as I began to order. "I'll have this for here, two of these to go..." I realized I was on joy and desire overload and had to reel it in, so I walked away to order my sandwich.

Gutenfleischers is the next counter over. They offer soup, sandwiches and deli salads. You may also purchase their meats and salads by the pound to enjoy at your leisure. The day we visited, their special was a Southern icon, the Pimento Cheese sandwich. I ordered mine with tempeh bacon, banana peppers, pickles and lettuce. Sandy ordered the Cajun slices with mozzarella cheese,  spicy brown mustard, mayo and all the veg  fixins. Both sandwiches arrived  on the freshest oat bread with  dill pickle spears.

I savored my sandwich like it was my very last meal. I had mistakenly given Sandy a  half of my sandwich in a well meaning trade for  half of hers. I made her trade it back. It was so outstanding. It was spicy, creamy and salty. The veggies were crisp and the spread was divine.

 
As I was polishing off my entire sandwich, I realized that I had broken the cardinal rule of grub crawling...never, ever finish anything you order. Taste and move on with a buxom doggie bag. Too late.

I left with a belly ache and two more destinations to go. 

Grub crawling is so fun. In part deux and three I will tell you about two more Atlanta veg destinations,  Revolution Doughnuts and Healthful Essence. They are worth the wait and your own visit. 

Sherry Duquet | Facebook
Sherry is on a mission to inspire others to join in her journey to change the world, one meal at a time. As a long time vegetarian and vegan newbie, Sherry launched a compassionate living blog Exploits of a Vegan Wannabe where she welcomes meat-a-tarians, vegans and anyone interested in creating change with their choices and voices.

Photo credit: Sherry

Hip Apotheca launches new vegan category

It can sometimes be tough to find the vegan beauty products you are looking for, but it’s certainly possible. When companies hear that their shoppers are looking for cruelty-free, vegan products, they do listen. Thankfully, the natural and organic beauty retailer Hip Apotheca has recently launched a new vegan category which features over 200 cruelty-free skin, body, nail, and makeup products that are also suitable for vegans. Hip Apotheca has always sold products that are free of animal testing, but now they have extended their line to attract vegans as well.

Vegans know that if someone isn’t meant to be eaten, it shouldn’t be worn either, and this also goes for beauty products. Now that Hip Apotheca has launched a new vegan category, finding the perfect vegan beauty products will never again be a struggle. The line features brands such as One Love Organics, Yarok Organic Hair Products, skinnyskinny, John Masters Organics, LippyGirl Makeup, Scotch Naturals, Alima Pure, and mbeze. With the vegan population on the rise, companies are smart to include vegan products in their stores.

As if we are not already excited about Hip Apotheca’s expanded vegan product category, we are even more excited that so many options are available so that we can purchase everything we need right there on their online beauty retail site. Vegans no longer have to surf the web and purchase items from numerous websites, since Hip Apotheca carries everything from haircare, to bath and body, to cosmetics, skincare, and nails.

The online store even features products for men as well as fragrances and gift packages. This could certainly make things easier for non-vegan family and friends who are questioning what to buy the vegan in their life.

Be sure to check out Hip Apotheca’s vegan products and support a company that truly cares about its consumers, as well as the world as a whole.

Alexandra Beane | Facebook | Twitter
Minnesota Alexandra is a lover of all animals, but has a soft spot for especially dogs and rabbits. She believes that life is not complete without an animal to love. Alexandra is highly passionate about animals and animal rights, and wants to raise awareness of the cruelty that many animals suffer in the best way she knows how, and this is by written word. Alexandra is a recent graduate of Metropolitan State University in Minnesota, with a degree in Professional Writing and a minor in Creative Writing. She absolutely loves to write news and creative nonfiction, and obsesses over spelling and grammar.

Photo credit: Hip Apotheca

Remembering a Vegan Warrior

In loving remembrance of a beautiful soul who has left this earth to continue his journey in another form...

Bud Burdick passed on Saturday, April 27th surrounded by family and friends in his Brooklyn home, after a bravely fought 10 month battle against Leukemia.

The first time I met Bud we were at a vegan potluck garden party at a backyard in NYC. I think we were both new to the city at the time, and so we each met many new faces that day. But his face lit up when we realized we were both from upstate NY, and we quickly shared our 'how did you become vegan?' stories, and bonded immediately. I will never forget the impression he made on me that very first day. Within 10 minutes of talking, I learned that this athletic, charismatic guy from Rochester was so much more than just another face. He was full of love, light, compassion and a beautiful energy that felt so inspiring to be around. I will remember his smile; a smile that radiated through IV lines and hospital walls. A smile that emanated pure joy. A smile that taught me deeper levels of compassion, acceptance, gratitude and love. 

His friends and family have asked that anyone who knows Bud share a 'What Would Bud Do' story, in loving tribute to him. For me, this is a simple question to answer: 

What would Bud do? He would show up everywhere with a smile of pure joy. He would find the good in every situation. He would bring light and love wherever he was. While battling leukemia, he would walk the hospital corridors, using them as a track to stay active. Then when he was isolated to his room due to precautions to protect his compromised immune system, he would do pull ups from the shower rod, bedside Bakasanas with an IV line attached, and keep an ever present smile through it all, even taking the time to post self portrait photos of his hospital workout routine on FB to inspire others. He called it the Roosevelt Hotel, and his room was his gym. When I would go visit him, he would compliment me on my hair, as his hair was falling out. When I left NYC, he would text me from his hospital bed to see how I was settling in to my new home in Miami. At a time when most people would be the epitome of selfish, he remained selfless and giving. That's what Bud would do.

It's very difficult to come to terms with the fact that a soul as beautiful as Bud's had such a limited time on this earth. He had so much more to teach, to give, and to inspire. In tribute to him and his legacy, Bud's family and friends are asking that all who can, will support Bud's favorite cause and go Vegan for the month of May. This will be an annual event in honor of Bud Burdick. In this vein, his legacy and his lessons will continue to live.

Please take the 6 minutes out of your day to watch this tribute to Bud it in its entirety. Let his love, compassion and his amazingly positive energy fuel your day, and your life, with kindness and gratitude...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06pZaF5ULBI

Even when the teacher is gone, the lessons live on....Thank you for lessons Bud Burdick. Rest in peace my friend. The world is a better place for the brief time you spent here with us.

Lori Zito | @LoriZito
Lori is an animal-loving, life-loving vegan who is passionate about spreading the message of better health through a vegan diet. She works as a certified holistic health and nutrition coach, a yoga instructor, and a physical therapist. Learn more at her website Live In The Balance and follow her on Facebook.

The Gentle Chef Cookbook is an experiment in veganizing

If you are the type of person who eschews meat or dairy analogues on principle or has a distaste for them, the The Gentle Chef Cookbook, by Skye Michael Conroy, isn’t for you. But if you, like many of us, love to veganize the meals you grew up with, this may be just what the book you’re looking for!

The focus of The Gentle Chef Cookbook is solidly on faux meat and dairy products. Fifty pages are dedicated to different seitan-based ‘meats’ alone. Other chapters cover soy meats and dairy substitutes. Combined, these analogue recipes account for about 1/3 of the book, and many recipes in the subsequent chapters incorporate them, for example the Seitan Asada Tacos (which uses one of the seitan recipes) or Creme of Mushroom Soup (which incorporates both the butter and the heavy cream substitutes).

As a reformed dairy addict without the patience for labor-intensive vegan cheese-making, I was especially interested to try The Gentle Chef’s reputedly easy cheese recipes.

The cashew-based Creme Cheese was simple, quick, and fairly convincing. The texture was wonderful, though it did have a touch of nutty flavor.

The Fresh Nut Mozzarella uses agar to form a firm block of cheese. While it’s not meant to melt and stretch, it captures the mouth-feel of cheese well. I found it a little flavorless, but sliced with tomato and basil, it made a wonderful vegan caprese appetizer.

If you’re not interested in making your own dairy or meat substitutes but still do use them, you’ll find much to enjoy in this latter part of the book, since the recipes can generally be made with store-bought substitutes as well.

While there are many international recipes, I appreciated that the book covers a great deal of traditional American fare, from Yankee Pot Roast to Chesapeake Bay Seafood Cakes. Party favorites like Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip or Macaroni Picnic Salad get a thoroughly vegan makeover.

The Gentle Chef Cookbook is a fun experiment in veganizing traditionally non-vegan foods. Was the experiment successful? I say yes!

Kasey Minnis | Facebook | @veggiemightee | Blog
Fort Lauderdale, FL That rare and elusive species known as the native Floridian, Kasey is passionate about protecting other endangered creatures. She lives by the principle “compassion and crochet for all,” and enjoys teaching others – including her husband of 20 years and two beautiful children – the benefits of cruelty-free eating by feeding them tasty vegan treats from her kitchen. Contact Kasey at kasey@thisdishisveg.com.

Photo credits: The Gentle Chef /Kasey

Why being vegan rocks

 Being vegan rocks. Not just because I can feel great about everything that ends up on my plate, but because I have never enjoyed food as much as I do now. Maybe that goes along with feeling good about what I am eating and knowing that I am eating compassionately at all times, but going vegan was the best decision of my life, right there with marrying my husband.

When I first went vegetarian, I did it for the animals. When I went vegan, I actually did it more with my own health in mind, rather than the animals. When I started to learn more about the horrors of the dairy industry, my own health slid to the side and I realized that I would be vegan for the rest of my life—not for myself, but for the animals. Whether I liked it or not, I pledged to stay vegan. It just so happened that I loved being vegan from the start, and have never felt a single regret. My only regret goes back to when I wasn’t vegan and how I wish I had gone vegan sooner.

There are so many reasons why being vegan rocks. The first reason is that vegans are doing their best to reduce pain and suffering in the world. It is something that you can feel good about on a daily basis, with every single piece of food that you put in your mouth. Every bite of food shows just how much you care about the animals, the planet, your own health, and the health and well-being of others.

Being vegan is not a diet, and that is another part about being vegan that rocks. Instead of going on a diet, I just eat well all the time. Being vegan means that you eliminate all the most harmful things for a person to ingest, such as animal and their by-products. Even though I am eating many of the same things that I always did, I am using different ingredients in familiar recipes, which happen to be much healthier ingredients. I can eat cookies and cake and not get sick from eating them, and I never feel bloated or heavy after eating vegan desserts. Plus, they are so much more delicious!

Being vegan opens up your eyes to so many things in the world that may have once been hidden. When you go vegan, you are no longer blind to the pain and the suffering in the world. While it might feel good to live in ignorance, when you do open your eyes, you finally feel free to make your own decisions and break away from what’s “normal” or “socially acceptable.” You also start to realize that if what’s “socially acceptable” means murder, abuse, and greed, you no longer want to be a part of it. You start to realize what you are meant to do in the world, and this is a pretty freeing feeling.

Being vegan means you are constantly thinking about ways to improve the world. When you start to try amazing new foods that are completely cruelty-free, you start to wonder why other people won’t bother to do the same. We are given all of this amazing food for a reason, so why are people choosing to not eat it? Why do people choose death over life? Why do they allow animals to be killed when they don’t need to be, and why do people consume animals and their by-products when it’s putting their own health in danger?

Aside from gaining a clean conscience and living a lifetime of activism, being vegan also opens up your eyes to all of the amazing food that we are naturally provided. People tend to think that being vegan would be “boring” or “dull," but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Isn’t it boring or dull to be making the same foods all the time and not trying different ingredients or stepping outside of the box? Omnivores limit themselves far more than vegans do, especially when they say things like “I could never be vegan” or “I could never give up cheese." Omnivores limit themselves to animals and their by-products, while vegans are trying everything from sea vegetables to nutritional yeast, to tempeh and seitan, plus so much more. Vegans have a long list of foods to eat, and the variations never end.

Vegan meal plans are far more interesting than chicken, steak, hamburger or pork chops, but most of all, the knowledge that no animals are being harmed in the making of a meal is the absolute best part about being vegan.

Being a vegan is easy, inexpensive, delicious, exciting, and compassionate. Plus, it’s healthy and it’s green and eco-friendly. There are so many reasons why being a vegan rocks, and I suggest that you try it for yourself. Do it for yourself, the planet, and for the animals. Never rely on somebody else to change the world. Who else will do it if you don’t?

Alexandra Beane | Facebook | Twitter
Minnesota Alexandra is a lover of all animals, but has a soft spot for especially dogs and rabbits. She believes that life is not complete without an animal to love. Alexandra is highly passionate about animals and animal rights, and wants to raise awareness of the cruelty that many animals suffer in the best way she knows how, and this is by written word. Alexandra is a recent graduate of Metropolitan State University in Minnesota, with a degree in Professional Writing and a minor in Creative Writing. She absolutely loves to write news and creative nonfiction, and obsesses over spelling and grammar.

Photo credit:cc:flickr.com/photos/kriztofor/4546416325