Beating out such gloriously romantic and famed cities as Paris and Vienna, Florence and Rome, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico was recently named the number one city in the world by the supreme travel guide Conde Nast. San Miguel deserves the acclaim with its unspoiled colonial architecture, cobblestone streets, sequestered courtyards dripping with fountains and flowers, friendly atmosphere, lovely weather and its many, many restaurants. My husband and I began…
Merriam Webster defines a condiment as “Something used to enhance the flavor of food.” That’s why most people have a favorite condiment that they keep on hand, to add some punch to their favorite dishes…whether it’s a sauce, salsa, chutney or seasoning. I happen to have three favorites that I always keep on hand in the refrigerator. All three are delicious and super easy to make. The three condiments that…
Summer is here. If you haven’t already, like so many others by now, made your summer holiday travel plans it’s high time to do so now. I’ve gathered my well tested advice for smooth vegan traveling for you to enjoy. I share what I do to get the most out of my travel experience, cut back on costs if I can, avoid stress and find vegan food on foreign ground.…
On a hot summer night years ago, I was around 9 years old, sitting in the back seat of my parents’ car with my feet up on the seat and my forehead resting on my knees, my eyes shut tight with my long strawberry blond hair draping over my legs, and both hands covering both ears very tightly to block out the noise that sounded like bombs dropping on the…
This Fourth of July, declare your independence from artery-clogging cheeseburgers, inhumane hot dogs, and carcinogenic chicken and have a healthy, humane vegan cookout. Charred meats can form cancer-causing chemicals called heterocyclic amines, or HCAs, and undercooked meats can cause food poisoning—and both cause animal suffering—so it’s better to cook up something kind and healthy, such as marinated vegetable kabobs, veggie burgers, or vegan barbecued chicken. Vegetables and mock meats, such as Gardein’s The Ultimate Beefless Burger, Beyond…
I’ve often wondered if meat eating animals smell differently than plant eating animals. And if so, can meat eating animals tell if other animals are plant eaters or vegan? A 2006 study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institute of Health examined the effect of meat consumption on body odor attractiveness in humans. Male participants were on “meat” and “non meat” diets for two weeks during…
Suppose that you are vegan and you live in a house with non-vegans. And suppose that these omnivores are your family, your children and/or spouse. Oftentimes families have mixed dietary preferences and approaches. But families still want to eat together—eating together as a family provides communication, an opportunity to listen, eye contact, and of course, time to remember gratitude. It’s good and it feels good to herd everyone together for…
Being vegan in Paris doesn’t sound like an easy thing. What with the legendary cheese, croissants, and steak frites. But don’t despair, there is plenty to eat in Paris on a vegan diet. Here are tips for being vegan in Paris, France. Luckily one of the symbols of French food, and the god of bread worldwide is the baguette. This masterpiece is crusty yet chewy, simple yet complex, and basically…
Walk, drive, run, or bike past a bakery and the aroma of something sweet and freshly baked is looming in the air that will cause a sudden turn into the parking lot. Once lured in through the door, the smells are intense, with a combination of decadent chocolates, breads, and sweet fruits that enter the nose activating the dopamine in the pleasure center of the brain, down to the tips…
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about one of my best friends who had passed (my vegan dog, Buddy). Now I want to introduce you to my vegan dog (Cassy) and her favorite vegan dog food recipe. We adopted Cassy from a sanctuary in 2004. She was almost three years old. Cassy is a mix of white shepherd and (we think) bull terrier. When we adopted her, one of her…
Purple toe nails—and I’m not talking about the pretty polished kind. I’m talking about the kind that most runners experience. The ugly side effect we experience from miles of pounding on pavement. As athletes, we don’t exactly have pretty, manicured and polished feet. That is one of the prices we pay. Why do they turn purple? Is it dangerous? How can we prevent this? According to articles from various websites…
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine recently released this short animated video that discusses improving chemical safety without the use of animals. Take a look, tell us what you think in the comments below, and make sure to share this video!…
Before I started my year-long journey, which was originally to include all of Central and South America, I wondered what challenges my dietary restrictions would create and whether or not I would have to resort to surviving on bread and crackers or consider breaking my diet along the way. Luckily I haven’t had to do either and have been pleasantly surprised at just how easy it has been to keep…