Kiss Me, I'm Vegan!

The Sticking Point.

2012-01-29T20:01:00.000-08:00

So, I'm on day 20 of the Crazy Sexy Cleanse, a 21-day culinary and well-being adventure that has completely - and lovingly - turned my world upside down. For 21 days, Kris Carr - creator of the Crazy Sexy Cleanse, as well as the acclaimed author of Crazy Sexy Diet, AND acclaimed filmmaker of Crazy Sexy Cancer - has gotten this vegan blogger to cut out all coffee, alcohol, gluten, sugar, processed crap, negative thinking, and stress, and add in tons of raw produce, green smoothies, self-love,and meditation. I've been following it as loyally as humanly possible, with one exception: making smoothies over juice (juice is a mainstay of the CSD Cleanse, but with no juicer on hand, I opted for smoothies).

And it's been life changing. 

And really, really difficult. 

Here's what I've learned: change is hard. Insanely, endlessly, almost ridiculously hard. The practices that up until this point I've loyally adhered to - cozying up with a cup o' joe in the morning, settling down with a Blue Moon at the end of the day, going weeks without as much as a walk around the block, over scheduling what seems to be every single moment, and eating mindlessly at most meals - are the same practices that have been causing overwhelming distress within my body. And as much as I know these vices aren't serving me when enjoyed on a daily basis, I've been - you guessed it! - enjoying them on a daily basis. Why would a perfectly rational vegan lady choose to engage in activities that are seemingly fine, but deep down destructive? Because they provide a sense of comfiness in my life. What they don't provide, however, is much more detrimental, because by sticking with them, I've kept myself from being a completely healthy, present, whole Lindsay.

All of this cleansing has got me thinking about going vegan three years ago. For me, I didn't ever - and will never - waiver at the act of abstaining from animal products in my life. To be honest, the change of going vegan in all areas of my life wasn't difficult or annoying or painful - it was something I happily took on, because I was doing it for a cause larger than me. Fast forward to now - I'm making changes that I should be feeling over the moon about, and instead, I find myself feeling like a five-year old girl whose just lost her favorite doll. Don't get me wrong - most of the new habits I've formed are keepers. I've loved the affirmations, neti pot, and abundant amounts of produce in my diet now. But the rest? It's been a rocky road. 

But, here's the thing - it's been almost 21 days, and I haven't fallen off the Crazy Sexy wagon yet. I've been in countless situations these past few weeks where caffeine and alcohol and limited thinking have abounded, and yet, I've lovingly reminded myself of how important it is to me to finish this adventure. While it hasn't been perfect (no one said it would or should), I've remained strong. And it has taught me this simple treasure: 

I can do anything. 

Seriously. I can. 

And since this epiphany, I've realized - anybody can live vegan. It just takes the realization that you can do it, even when it's hard, even when you want to go back to your old ways, even when people pressure you to conform. You can live vegan. 

Also, if Kris Carr has taught me anything (and BOY, has she), it's that there is a whole life to be lived if I would just stop pushing. Making the time for self-care has been hands down the HARDEST part of this whole shebang. Because I'd much rather  make lists, run errands, and "be productive" than sit my tush down on a meditation blanket and say "OM" for twenty minutes. But with Kris's help, I am slowly learning that when space is created in one's life, it opens up the door to so many gifts of abundance. As a natural born pusher, this is nearly impossible to master at first. And after 20 days, it's still tough. But I'm getting there.

So how does this apply to living vegan? Well, the minute you stop pushing to make this lifestyle feel like work is the minute it becomes blissfully easy. What if we woke up each morning, excited to make living vegan a priority in our lives rather than bogged down by the "limitations" or "inconvenience" it causes us?  What if we broke it down to the simple truth that living vegan is a joy to behold, not a burden or life sentence. All of a sudden, those "limitations" become boundary-less, and that "inconvenience" seems almost silly in comparison to the precious gift that a vegan lifestyle is for us. 

And what if I woke up excited to give myself over to a present and calm existence instead of push, push, pushing? I might just find that I am enough. And that this life is such a precious gift. And that when I make room for new, I make room for love. Because of Kris Carr, I will never look at change the same way 
again. 

Little me as Princess of Power - Halloween '86.
I will end with the affirmation from the first day of the cleanse. Please, my lovely, kiss-worthy readers - buy yourself this book. Dive deep into this cleanse. Have fun with it, challenge yourself, and see how far you can go. You just may surprise yourself in the most delicious way.  At the very least, you will learn to open your life up to a whole new you. And what could be better than that?
  
"I am capable, confident, intelligent, resilient, and in charge. Health and happiness are my birthrights and I accept with gratitude."

To learn more about Kris Carr and her amazing book, check out www.crazysexydiet.com. 

Reasons to Smile.

2012-01-22T10:36:00.000-08:00

My breakfast this morning, courtesy of the Crazy Sexy Cleanse I'm doing this month. 

Have no freakin' idea what I'm talking about? Then get your tushy over to www.crazysexylife.com to learn about Kris Carr, the dis-ease, CanSer fighting wellness goddess, and her awe-inspiring book, Crazy Sexy Diet! She rocks my socks, and I know she'll do the same for you.   

A. Day. Off. 

Dining on vegan goodies with friends at Cafe Gratitude. I can never NOT smile at a place like that.   

Beans about to be soaked, then cooked in the crockpot, then transferred into my belly.  

Alicia Silverstone kicking off PCRM's 21-Day Vegan Kickstart. Check out the article about it here!  

This blog. Each week, I get to share with you guys the joy I experience in living vegan. It might be my biggest reason to smile right now.

Lucky - our new foster and rescued kitty extraordinaire. We found him under the highway in LA, and he has touched our hearts ever since. 

Lucky still needs a loving forever home, so if you're in or near Los Angeles, please spread the word and email me if interested in helping.

Time out in nature. Even if it means sitting out on my balcony and looking up at the sky.

Gardein's new "Cheat on Meat" ads and billboards around the city. Have you guys seen these? They are FABULOUS!  

Celebrating nine years of love tomorrow with my soul-mate, vegan partner in compassionate crime, and best friend, the outstanding (and handsome!) Steven Todd Smith of Ahimsa Life Coaching.  
  
Today's daily affirmation from my cleanse:

"My life is abundant now; rivers of joy and health flood my inner ashram and fill me with stamina, strength, and amen."

What are YOUR reasons to smile today?

2012 LogoQuestions - The Year Of Meaning

2012-01-17T10:56:00.000-08:00

Below, enjoy a guest post by my hubby and health coach at large, Steven Todd Smith, AADP CHC. Steve is the founder of Ahimsa Life Coaching, an awe-some wellness coaching practice that works with the individual to find the food and lifestyle choices that best support you. Steve also help his clients make gradual, lifelong changes that enable them to reach their current and future health and happiness goals and sustain them on their own. Bottom line: if you're in need of a wellness boost, Steve's your man. To learn more about Steve's work, check him out at www.ahimsalifecoaching.com.

Happy New Year! Happy 2012!

You did it! You made it!....Now what are you going to do?
We face a whole new year, a leap year this year, which means 366 days this time around! Still thinking about last year? Glad or sad it's gone? Are you excited for these next 12 months? Everyone has their own take on time when the New Year swings around. So often, you'll hear, "I'm sooo glad we're done with 2011. It sucked." or "Ugh. Now we have to do it allll over again." Or you might hear "I'm gonna do everything I wanted to do last year, and didn't do, this year!" only to fast forward those 365 days and hear the exact same thing repeated.

What makes a year different? What makes what you get out of a year different? There are many different answers to that question, but, ultimately, it all comes down to one facet of life: meaning. What does/will this year mean to you? What will be the meaning of your thoughts and decisions? What will your actions, your choices mean to you this year?

Without meaning, can you truly have appreciation, experience fulfillment, revel in acheivement, etc? Sometimes we go through our year with more focus on the "what to do" and the "how to do" than the "Why." And without the Why, it's very easy to get lost. Why do we so often go through the year and, upon reaching the end, feel: we've let ourselves down, left a calendar year unfulfilled, can't wait to escape the "hell" we consider the past 52 weeks? It most likely is because we focused on the wrong questions primarily and didn't allow our fueling "Why?" lead us through the magical journey of our lives.

In Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl, a psychiatrist who labored in four different concentration camps during WWII, he quotes Nietzsche: "He who has a Why to live for can bear almost any How." While that statement, of course, can apply to one's state of extreme suffering, as in a prisoner of a concentration camp, it can apply to all levels of life: those who go through the year with "mild suffering;" those who waltz through life unconsciously and unnoticing; those who strive hard in their work and play but still feel unrequited in their efforts, feel lost, even just feel "fine."

So this year, 2012, shall be The Year of Meaning, the year we ask "Why?" This shall be the year upon which we dig deeper into ourselves to gain a better understanding of who we are, what drives us, where do we want to go - and attached to each of those questions, a big, fat "WHY?" Some of the questions we will be able to honestly and, without judgment, answer ourselves. Others shall be left out in the open until that light bulb turns on. If we put out the questions into the universe, though, then an answer will return to us...we just have to wait patiently and accept.

To help you along your journey (as myself and ALC begin a 2012 Journey of our own), I've decided to ask 366 questions of meaning, one meaningful question a day, to jump start your search for Why and sustain you throughout the year on your exploration (inspired by Man's Search for Meaning, a book I definitely recommend reading). How do you get involved? Well, first you have to ask yourself, "Why do I want to get involved? Why would I want to get involved?" If you come up with an answer to that, or if an answer comes to you, then this is how you do it:

Every day on my Ahimsa Life Coaching facebook page you will find a LogoQuestion and the day of the year to which it corresponds. Please post your answer under the post. Simple as that. Or, check out my ALC Twitter page and answer there! As you go, I will be tracking your answers and, of course, you should track your answers too - be it in a notebook or Word Doc, etc. You can take down just the questions, just the answers, or both, as each may bring about a different meaning to and within you. Come the end of 2012, you will have 366 questions and 366 answers that, by that point, will have brought about great discovery, insight, and meaning to your life.

And that's not all! If inspiring and uncovering and inheriting meaning in your life wasn't enough, I'm going to add some more spice and incentive for you to take the plunge in your own life journey this year: Each month, anyone who has answered each of the month's (30-31) LogoQuestions will be entered into a raffle to win prizes, including books, DVDs, free coaching sessions, and other valuable materials for your 2012.

So jump into your life this year with ALC's LogoQuestions. I hope you have the most meaningful journey this year. Enjoy.

All the best and yummiest,

Steve

Love what you just read? Visit www.ahimsalifecoaching.com to learn more! We're halfway through the first month of LogoQuestions, so you still have plenty of time to go back, dive into discovering your own meaning, and answer the first 17 LogoQuestions for a chance to win some of the excellent prizes Steve is offering (keep an eye out in the next few days for what this month's rewards are)!

You can also follow Steve on Twitter @ahimsalifecoach.

Let's Get Vegucated: Part 2

2012-01-12T11:20:00.000-08:00

And now for Part 2 of our Vegucated review extravaganza: our exclusive interview with Marisa Miller Wolfson, writer, director, and editor of Vegucated! 

As we wrote before in Part 1, you can learn more about this extraordinary film and purchase yourself a DVD copy at www.getvegucated.com.

So what are you waiting for? Go get yourself (or someone you love) VEGUCATED!!!

Let's Get Vegucated: Part 1

2012-01-09T12:07:00.000-08:00

We start off with nursery school, head into kindergarten, before we make our big jump to elementary school.  We move our way to middle school, graduate to high school, and take a leap into adulthood with college.  Grad school.  Doctorate program.  And then... what?  What's our next step on the education ladder?  We're technically always students of life, learning from our many experiences, searching for other sources of knowledge to soak in through "Certification in This" and a "Degree in That."  During all of this, there's been one form of education that has been present, through books and courses and lectures and films; however, it hasn't been until this moment that we can officially get the one degree we don't have yet.  Finally, we can say that we've been Vegucated.

Marisa with another hero of mine - Nathan Runkle!

 A true labor of love, as any documentary must be, our heroine, writer/director/narrator/dutchess of all trades, Marisa Miller Wolfson of Vegan at Heart, finally premiered her first documentary, Vegucated, in Los Angeles back in October.  Over six years in the making, Vegucated tells the tale of  three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks, under watch and guidance from Marisa and wellness professionals. How did they come to agree to this challenge? They found out about it on an NYC Craigslist ad. An ad Wolfson put up herself. 

We don't want to give too much away, just know this: Vegucated is a must-see. For anyone. Anywhere. Anytime. For the vegans looking to deepen their activism, it reminds us why we must continue our fight to protect the most vulnerable beings of our society. For the curious non-vegans, it gives three very different examples of people who embark on a cruelty-free path that will open their hearts to this beautiful, compassionate lifestyle, and, in doing so, will open the heart of anyone who views it. Bottom line - Vegucated is a film we will be sharing with anyone who will listen. 

 

Vegucated trailer

We had the pleasure of capturing Marissa's big, kiss-worthy LA premiere with our lovely KMIV flipcam. In addition to checking out the film, we enjoyed seeing the likes of best selling author and THE Skinny Bitch Rory Freedman, as well as stars like former Price is Right host Bob Barker. I also happened to be seated next to a very handsome Mexican game show host. Magical stuff! 

Below, enjoy interviews with the cast, and a fun-filled wrap up of the evening. Also, keep those peepers open for our NEXT blog post, when we will be featuring an exclusive interview with Marisa!

And that's not all! Drum roll please... 

TODAY is the day when the Vegucated DVD is being released! That means you are one step closer to your own Vegucation. So - get those digits on the keyboard, type in http://www.getvegucated.com/store/, purchase a copy, and start yourself (or someone you love) on a journey I promise will change your life for the better!

We had so much fun making this video, so enjoy!

 For more info about Vegucated and Marisa Miller Wolfson, visit www.getvegucated.com.

How Do You Deal With This Stuff?

2012-01-06T11:38:00.000-08:00

The old image above - so dear to my heart! (Photo © Joanna Wilson)

First of all, check out the new and improved design for the blog! From all of the beautiful transitioning I'm experiencing this month, I am really starting to live by the notion that change is good. Really, really, really good. I hope you like it! 

Alrighty - below is an interaction I had with a KMIV supporter, friend, and fellow blogger, Britt Losacco of Gluten-Free in the City. I want to share it on here because I've answered this question (or a versions of this question) many times before, but each time, it reminds me how important all of these words bear repeating. 

Enjoy! 

Britt wrote:

I just wanted to share that my plant-based x-mas dinner was a massive success.  Everyone loved every bit of it and felt full and completely satisfied.  They couldn't stop raving!

I also wanted to ask your advice, though...or maybe I just need to vent....  (Forewarning: this got long.)

I got into a conversation with my dad and brother on the day we left and it got into protein combining.  I KNOW that you can get more than enough protein on a vegan diet...I just didn't have enough knowledge handy to argue the protein combining thing effectively at that point in time.  A little research after the conversation told me that, as I thought, if you're eating a varied, whole-foods, plant-based diet, you're going to get enough protein and that complementary proteins don't need to be eaten at the same time (or even in the same day) to be synthesized properly.  Not to mention how over-hyped our need for protein is, and that, with the rate at which my hair and nails have been growing since going plant-based, I'm clearly getting enough of the stuff!

My dad also said that he saw an episode of The Dr. Oz Show where Dr. Oz was sort of skeptical about veganism and had people on who were arguing whether it was good or not.  It struck me as odd because he's always promoted veganism positively and has asked people to eat that way to reverse major health conditions.  Now, the only episode on eating vegan I can find (aside from Rocco the cowboy -an obvious major success) is the episode he did with the guys from Forks Over Knives where he's saying repeatedly through the entire show that eating vegan can "save your life."

I'm extraordinarily frustrated.  My instinct is to turn around and send an e-mail with links to everything I found and say "See?!"  I know that's not the right thing to do, though, and it will ultimately be counterproductive.  I don't want to beat my family over the head with this stuff and scare them away from it altogether.  I know the best way to make them curious and help them learn is to show them how amazing this way of living is by being a positive example.  My dad feels terrible and is eating 1-lb burgers and massive t-bone steaks... and I feel better than I have in my life.

It's just hard.  I know I'm fighting against a regional culture where the main food groups are beef, cheese, & beer, where people drink "pop" with every meal, and think nothing of cruising through a drive-thru multiple times a day... and I also know that, even feeling somewhere inside like I've been a closet vegan my whole life and not wanting to admit it, it took me a couple years and starts and stops and trials before really owning that this is what makes me feel best.  If it was hard for me, I can only imagine how impossible (and even wrong) that way of life would seem to them.

So, I guess my question, if there's a question in any of this, is how have you dealt with this stuff?  How do you resist the temptation to INFORM EVERYONE!!!! because you know how good and right it feels, and the way it impacts one's health is just so amazing--reverse/prevent cancer and heart disease!  (Maybe talking through it with someone who understands is enough?  I already feel better after writing this....)  And the animal rights/enivronmental/political aspects of everything haven't even been touched on with my family...so there's that can of worms as well.  How do you let people know how incredible this is without scaring them away?  Without arguing when you know that what you're saying is right?

I wrote back:

I totally hear you girl. When I first officially went vegan three years ago, I wanted to shout it to the hilltops! I was so excited by the discoveries I had made and so humbled by all of the information I'd learned about the horrors of what we do to animals that I felt every person needed to know what I had learned. And in the process of learning how to live vegan completely, I lost a few fans, ruffled some family feathers, and alienated my husband a bit. All par for the course, though. Because even though things started a bit rocky, many of those fans came back and told me that they're vegan now, nearly all of my family is vegan or vegetarian, and my hubby is vegan as well. So, with time and practice, living vegan has been a shining example to others of a life well lived.

In terms of your journey, here's what I think - the first thing I'd suggest you purchase is a beautiful book by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau called the Vegan's Daily Companion. It touches on so many points you made here in your email and gives beautiful suggestions of how to live in a world where others are often offended or just plain shut down by witnessing your compassionate, healthy choices. 

The second thing I think you should do is visit a great website - www.pcrm.org - which stands for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. There you'll find everything you need about the benefits of a plant-based diet, and all sourced by doctors. 

Finally, I'm almost finished a phenomenal book that answers nearly every question about healthy plant-based living, and I highly recommend it - Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr. From reading CSD, I learned that if I'm eating a well-balanced, plant-based diet, I don't need to worry about protein combining or even how much protein I'm getting. Cool stuff! 

If finances allow, a great gift to send the naysayers in your family would be the DVD of Forks Over Knives - you could wrap it in pretty paper with a card that says how much this documentary moved you and just keep the message as positive as possible. 

Oftentimes, the people who ask you the questions and get defensive are those who are deep down the most curious. Again, Colleen's book is a lifesaver for learning how to handle them. 

At the very least (especially in finances are tight), do as much internet research as you can. Education is power, and by informing yourself of every answer you can think of, you won't be left stumped when someone asks you about living vegan. A lot of times, the questions are very similar - how do you get your protein? what about calcium? aren't we supposed to eat animals? if we stopped eating animals, what would we do with all of them? etc, etc, etc... 

For me, the longer I've been doing this, the more it has become my faith. I live my life by three pillars: love, kindness, and compassion. Since going vegan is all about compassion (towards ourselves and our fellow beings), it should definitely extend to the human beings in our lives. So patience, openness, and a positive outlook are key. 

Just know that your light - your positive, vegan lifestyle burning bright for all to see - will be enough to create positive change in others. Just keep living in the way that pleases you, keep informing yourself of new information, find as many ways to celebrate living vegan as possible, and if you need to, use your beautiful blog as an outlet for all of this, if you haven't already. You already have a captive audience who love your journey. Keep educating them as you go, and you'll be happily surprised by how many will support your changes and growth.

And most importantly, connect with other vegans if you haven't already! You're in NYC, yes? If so, there is an amazing group of activists you should look into meeting - Farm Sanctuary's Activist Team. Just go to their website and look up info about it. They have monthly meetings, parties, volunteer sessions, all kinds of wonderful stuff. Meetup.org is also a FABULOUS place to find vegan-friendly social events like the famous Vegan Drinks in NYC.  

I hope that you'll continue to celebrate your lifestyle choice and pay it forward by helping those who want to know more about living vegan. And of course, I am always here if you need anything. Just remember - you are doing something AMAZING with your life by living vegan every day - celebrate and honor that!

I hope you had a fabulous New Year! Here's to a compassionate, beautiful, growth-filled 2012!

Have a question for this vegan blogger? Feel free to email me at kissmyvegan@gmail.com.

An Ode to a Vegan New Year: From a Modern-Day Lorax

2011-12-31T20:01:00.000-08:00

Hello beautiful KMIV-ers!

As I'm sitting next to Steve, about to enjoy our New Year with a lovely vegan dinner and time at home with our kitties, I am also hoping you are all celebrating the beginning of a fabulous, delicious, compassionate, KISS-WORTHY 2012!

Steve wrote this poem for an upcoming article in a vegan-friendly magazine, and I would love to share it with you all. I think it really encompasses our purpose and passion here at Kiss Me, I'm Vegan, especially at the dawn of a very special year!

Here's to a 2012 filled with yummy vegan food, cruelty-free choices, stepping it up a notch with our activism, and realizing how very blessed we all are to live in freedom. Let us allow change and transition to be a natural part of our everyday experience, so we can really begin living our best lives. Let us remember how important it is to be the voice of so many animals in need, and let us speak up for them at every turn. Most importantly, let us speak from a deep place of truth and love this year and allow each action to reflect that truth and love. Speaking of love, I love you all, and am so thankful to have YOUR love and support. Cheers!

An Ode to a Vegan New Year:
From a Modern-Day Lorax

By Steven Todd Smith | Ahimsa Life Coaching

Steve and Lila at Animal Acres.

I am a vegan

I speak for all beings

I speak for all beings for all beings don’t have a voice

Yet each of us humans each day has a choice

Unfortunately, usually one choice is had

A choice that, inevitably, is horrid and sad

For when any choice leaves one without life

There’s suffering, pain, there’s cruelty and strife

And, in the end, when one’s gone, one’s gone

A choice leading to that cannot be withdrawn

Each year in our country 10 billion land animals perish

For food which we eat and say that we cherish

That’s still leaving out about 50 billion more

That come from the sea and are stolen to shore

There are so many ways to help make a change

And none of them involve an unfair exchange

The first change to make is right with your diet

Vegan? That’s restrictive. Oh, really? Just try it!

In fact, there’s quite the multitude of food

With all the best tastes to put you in the best mood

There’s all veggies, all fruits, all nuts, and all seeds

Legumes and whole grains for all nutritional needs

You still can have pizza and nuggets you can make

Indulge in your ice cream and cookies and cake!

Just from different sources, from sources more pure

And from these alternatives comes life, that’s for sure!

So without any worry, you can ditch the meat,

The eggs and the dairy, and still have everything you eat

There are plenty of cookbooks and resources where

You can stay master chef in a kitchen with flair

You have everything to gain and nothing to lose

You just have to think, commit, and then choose!

The second change comes with your inner compassion

Opening your heart in dramatic fashion

For a person who cares, why a person who cares

Provides so many benefits than someone unawares

For your health, sure; but to keep others alive

In one year, each person saves ninety-five

Now think even deeper, about all that you’ve ate

Did you intend to control some animal’s fate?

Or was it natural and normal, necessity too?

In this day and age, though, none of those three are true

Do you truly condone what happens to these innocent creatures?

Of different dispositions but with similar features

For they walk and they breathe, they eat and they sleep

They can’t quite speak English, but they can snort and can peep

Also moo, neigh, winny, baa, and cock-a-doodle-do

They communicate and have families, not unlike me and you

Sure, we can’t understand exactly what they say

Do you think they’d give permission to steal babies away?

Or to confine them, or beat them?

Or maim them, or eat them?

We wouldn’t condone these things toward any others

So while non-human, let’s think of them as our sisters and brothers

To co-exist peacefully, as we progress

Living life to the fullest and to never oppress

The third change involves looking out for our Earth

Creating a powerful, beneficial rebirth

The effect on our planet would be quite dramatic

Since our current eating and farming is problematic

What sort of world do we want to create

For our children and grandchildren, when we’re ninety-eight?

Looking back down the line, we’d hope to get that far

But nothing’s for certain, if we’ve dug too deep a scar

I am a vegan

That’s something you can say

You can speak for all beings starting today!

You can have your best health, watch others have it too

Make strides for our home, and save lives while you chew

Connect with the consciousness of all that exists

For that’s of which a true Green Planet consists!

You have everything to gain and nothing to lose

You just have to think, commit, and then choose!

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot

Nothing’s going to get better, it’s not.” ~ The Lorax

Steven Todd Smith, AADP CHC, runs a holistic health coaching practice, Ahimsa Life Coaching, www.ahimsalifecoaching.com, and is ready to create happy, healthy, balanced, and green lives for those in search of their best self!

The Christmas Blog

2011-12-17T08:28:00.000-08:00

I’m flying high over the country right now in a big airplane, Steve asleep next to me. We’re embarking on our 10-day trip back East for the holidays. The next 10 days will be filled with family, celebration, and, of course, delicious food. Fortunately, this year, the food will be mostly vegan. Because nearly everyone in my family is either vegetarian or vegan as of today.

With a new friend at Farm Sanctuary (Orland, CA)

This has been a long journey for me – one of many ups and downs. Having lived vegan purposefully and joyfully for the past three years, I have learned what it truly means to believe in something and stand by it, no matter what. I’ve gone through every awkward conversation, every confession from a friend trying to eat vegan who later “cheated,” every bit of sadness as I watch videos and read stories about animal cruelty that have broken my heart, every bit of peace I’ve found visiting each beautiful sanctuary I‘ve come across. I’ve failed more times than I can count in the kitchen with a dish I tried to perfect, I’ve learned my lesson every time I watch myself make excuses or laugh off living this way around a group of peers, and with each mistake or challenge, I’ve come out realizing how important it is to remain strong and loyal to what I know is right – that no animal, human or otherwise, should experience unnecessary pain. More importantly, I’ve learned that I do not want to be the kind of person who ever inflicts that pain by making an easy choice over a hard one at the grocery store, dinner table, or out with friends. As I’ve written many times before on this blog, I will, without a shadow of a doubt, honor the animals of this world, and this beautiful Earth, by living a vegan lifestyle. No matter what.

I’ve been in the Christmas spirit for some time now, holiday tunes ringing through my apartment, and my very kind (and very Jewish) husband smiling and lovingly allowing me this little luxury. I am a Christmas baby, after all. So after nearly nine years together, he’s used to it by now. For me, the holidays and New Year are a time of deep reflection, celebration, and acknowledgment of the year past and the year to come. Tonight, my heart is focused on remaining present the entire time I’m home. And part of that includes consciously celebrating with lots of vegan food shared and received.

Lindsay, sister Whitney, Mom Myra, and Brother Jon. All vegetarian!

I pinch myself thinking about how lucky a girl I am – I’ve held onto to my compassion these 3+ years, kept sharing all I learned with my family, and they have responded in kind with compassion. I had a feeling it would happen, but never at this level. So, to all of my readers who are struggling just to maintain your vegan lifestyle amongst your family and/or friends, I say to you: please keep going. It will get easier – I promise you. The best things in life always do. To be honest with you, this world, at this very moment, needs you to live vegan – we just plain need more vegans in this world setting a joyful, positive example for others. We need more compassion, more awareness, and more respect when we sit down for dinner with family, especially at the holidays. Your loving example will change lives – please continue reminding yourself that when times get tough.

Take my dad, the “least-likely-to-go-vegan family member,” for example. My dad has been a blissfully unaware carnist his entire life. When my stepmom went vegetarian, he remained unshaken in his meat-eating ways. When my brother, mom, and sister all leaned towards vegan, he started perking up a little during our conversations, but held onto what comforted him. And then I took him to the Woodstock Animal Sanctuary in New York. And then he adopted a pig named Cromwell. No more eating pigs for my dad. And with every new rescued animal he’s adopted, he’s taken that animal off of his plate. And this past Thanksgiving, there wasn’t a single piece of a turkey on my dad’s plate. Does this mean he’ll change completely? I don’t know. But it’s a very, very good start.

At this time of year, it’s so easy to eat animals and their by-products. At every holiday gathering (unless it’s completely vegan, which is rare), there are countless party foods screaming out to us to enjoy. And, without too much thinking or effort on our parts, we grab. We say, “Oh, it’s the holidays,” or “I’m enjoying myself tonight,” or “I’ll start tomorrow.” Like trying out a fad diet, we give as much focus and willpower to eating vegan as we feel like – which, for most people on fad diets, is not that much. I wonder what our world would be like if we chose to value the human and animal connections we share in this world over a holiday snack food. I wonder what we would be like if we remained strong in our resolve to live compassionately (and healthily) while under the pressure of the holiday season. I wonder what would happen if everyone just brought one vegan dish to a party, instead of taking chances with what’s there. I wonder.

This holiday season, I ask you, my beautiful, kiss-worthy readers: please remember the animals. Please remember that while you are enjoying yourself at a party, there are so many in this world in desperate need of our help. The least we can do is remember them, and honor them, by abstaining from the cruelty inflicted upon them. It’s easier now than ever to do just that.

It’s almost stupid how many vegan holiday resources there are at this given moment. I’ll share a few below just in case you haven’t found them yet. I invite you – get your butt on google and find a vegan recipe for that holiday dish mom makes that you love. Veganize those cookies for Santa (and get the almond milk ready!). Pass some cruelty-free latkes at the next Hanukkah party. Give the gift of information to your sibling and place a copy of Forks Over Knives under the tree. Give your boyfriend a vegan restaurant gift certificate. Or adopt a rescued animal from a farm sanctuary in your child’s honor! Be willing to be reflective and present while you celebrate with those you love. Be grateful that you have a family to share your life with and the freedom to enjoy them, and that family can include whomever you choose – human or animal.

Eating a delicious vegan dinner in Italy.

At the very least, please take some time to look back on this year and really evaluate the times where your actions reflected your values. And make a promise to yourself – and this world - to reflect them 100% next year. I can’t emphasize it enough – if you just say, “Yes – I will commit to living vegan” and choose it consciously, life will fall into place. You will get better at it, people will eventually either leave you alone and stop pushing their opinions about your lifestyle on you, or they will change for the better!

This holiday, I promise to maintain my compassionate lifestyle, even if it means that I have to patiently answer the protein question another time at my Dad’s Hanukkah party. I will, with a big, fun smile on my face, inform the waiter that I’m vegan when I’m out with family. I will remain blissfully aware, committed, and present.

Whatever holiday you celebrate, have a beautiful, compassionate, kiss-worthy one! And a very Happy New Year too!

A Few Compassionate Holiday Links:

http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/Celebrate-a-Vegan-Holiday.aspx

http://vegancuts.com/vegan-gift-ideas

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/everyday-cooking/vegetarian/vegan/holiday/

http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2010/12/vegan-holiday-recipes-2010.html

A Reason to Smile Today.

2011-12-06T18:31:00.000-08:00

Cafe Gratitude's FREE Thanksgiving Menu in LA last Thursday...

"Each moment is a chance for us to make peace with the world, to make peace possible for the world, to make happiness possible for the world.”

- Thich Nhat Hanh, Teachings on Love

"Tofurky in one's belly is the seed of compassion planted." -me

Vegan on the Cheap: Meal Ideas for the Holidays

2011-12-01T18:30:00.000-08:00

Enjoy this guest post by vegan blogger Melissa Corenne. A 25-year old vegan with a passion for cooking, Melissa has been blogging for three years. You can find her articles about food at the Blog Content Guild.

Vegan on the Cheap: Meal Ideas for the Holidays

Most vegans will tell you that holiday meals can be tough. Holidays usually mean time with family, but there’s always the possibility that some people won’t understand your vegan lifestyle and diet. The easy solution for those situations is to bring along your own delicious alternatives. But what about the times when you’re looking for cheap meals with a holiday theme for yourself? Read on for some tips about how to make vegan meals fit for royalty on a pauper’s budget.

Freshen Up Your Spread

Vegan food can be expensive. Most of the time, however, the cost goes up when there’s an analogue involved. You know what we’re talking about: The dishes that look like “regular” food but are made with vegan friendly substitutes like soy or some other plant-based material. There’s nothing wrong with these foods, and many of them are absolutely delicious.

Unfortunately, they can be more expensive than other options because of the extra work that goes into creating them and making them look like something else. You can avoid paying more for your vegan diet if you stick to fresh foods, which are cheap to begin with. If you buy fruits and vegetables that are in season, you’ll save even more money. Keep fresh food in mind and your wallet will thank you.

Be Adventurous!

If the most important aspect of holidays is family, then second is probably tradition. It seems like everyone cooks the same thing, year after year, because it’s welcoming and comforting. You remember all the great times and associate them with the food, so of course you want to eat the same thing every year! This year, you can start a new tradition of branching out instead of sticking to the old standbys. This holiday, why not replace turkey with Indian food? There are tons of vegan dishes to choose from, and you can bet it will be a meal to remember. If you’re not ready for that yet, at least choose a different centerpiece dish for your holiday meals. For inspiration, see the recipe below.

Pumpkin Centerpiece

Ingredients:
- 1 pumpkin, around 10 pounds
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt (divided)
- 1/2 cup buckwheat
- 1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
- 4 stalks celery, sliced
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 slices of your favorite bread
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bell pepper (red or orange), chopped
- 1/4 cup toasted and chopped hazelnuts
- 1/3 cup hazelnut meal
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- Ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Cut the top off the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and insides. Set the pumpkin in a large baking pan. Mix water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the buckwheat, turn heat to low and cook the buckwheat, covered, for 15 minutes. Transfer the buckwheat to another container. Put the celery, mushrooms, onions, and olive oil in a skillet and cook over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the mixture to the buckwheat. Mix in the garlic, toasted bread, hazelnuts, carrot, bell pepper, raisins, hazelnut meal, cranberries, sage, pomegranate syrup, pepper, and the remaining salt. Put the mixture in the pumpkin and stick the lid back on top. Bake for an hour to an hour and a half, or until the sides of the pumpkin are soft to the touch.

Happy Holidays!

The 2nd Annual Terrific Thanksgiving Turkey Pledge!

2011-11-18T08:58:00.000-08:00

Hello beauties -   Well, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and with that, the hustle and bustle of finding just the right food to display on the table for everyone to munch on. Stuffing! Mashed Potatoes! Cranberry sauce out of a can! Hey, you can take the girl out of New Jersey, but you can't take the New Jersey out of the girl...  

This year, I am challenging you - YES YOU! - to a

TERRIFIC THANKSGIVING

TURKEY PLEDGE!!!

We did it last year with fabulous success - nearly 100 pledges on the blog!

Here's how it goes:

First: Watch this amazing video below my friend and fellow activist Ciddy Fonteboa made last year that rocked right into our hearts:

Second: In the comment section below, I want you to make a firm commitment NOT to eat turkeys this Thanksgiving. You can say something as simple as "No turkey for me!" or as long as "I would never dream of consuming turkeys because their too cute to eat, pass the tofurky please!"

I would love to see if we can get around 100 pledges by Thanksgiving this year. And don't worry - you can be a vegan, vegetarian, or meat-eater-slowly-transitioning-to-kiss-worthy-vegan and still post a comment below!

Here’s to a delicious, compassionate

holiday season!

For vegan Thanksgiving recipe ideas, check out last year's holiday post.

Happy World Vegan Day!

2011-11-01T09:03:00.000-07:00

Steve and one of the many rescued turkeys at Farm Sanctuary.

From my little Los Angeles family to yours, a very Happy World Vegan Day to YOU!

Celebrate this day, my friends, with delicious plant-based food and compassionate choices. Enjoy it, and allow it to remind you that the animals of this world need each and every one of you, yes YOU!, to be strong, kind, positive voices for them. More so now than ever.

“Be passionate and follow your heart, which will encourage and empower yourself and others. And listen to your gut. It is shocking what happens on factory farms; it is not wrong to feel that people should know about it and want it to stop.”

- Gene Baur, co-founder and president of Farm Sanctuary

A Reason to Smile Today.

2011-10-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

Last night, I saw a vegan documentary that completely blew me away, melted my heart, and pumped me back into compassionate action. It’s called Vegucated, and it is the vegan baby of activist (and former blog interviewee!) Marisa Miller Wolfson. I will have more on this film soon, since we were VIP guests at the LA premiere last night (fancy I know!), but for now, this is an excerpt from Vegucated’s website. More importantly to note, these are Marisa’s words about the film, and they my biggest reason to smile today.

To me, Vegucated is about the shift that happens when you sit at one side of the dinner table, looking at the vegan on the other side with amusement, envy, or perhaps, slight horror. Then you receive some information or inspiration and suddenly find yourself on the vegan’s side of the table, seeing the dinner in a whole new light...

What we’ve ended up with is a watchable, accessible, honest, and, I believe, universal story about the challenges and the joys that come along with consciously putting one’s actions in alignment with one’s beliefs. It’s also a timely story as we stand on the brink of an “alternative lifestyle” becoming solidly mainstream as more and more people choose plant-based living and more and more media outlets position it as a viable, common sense, and enjoyable solution to some of the greatest challenges of our time...

My hope is that this film will further the conversation about our culture and our relationship to animals, our planet, and our bodies through our food. I hope people who have started down a plant-based path will share it with friends and family and create more peace and understanding at the dinner table. And, of course, I hope that people who are curious about vegan living will embark on their own delicious and fulfilling adventures.

To learn more about Vegucated, check out www.getvegucated.com.

Three Years.

2011-10-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

Three years ago this month, I decided to take a leap and try living vegan. And life has been a daring, beautiful adventure every single day since. In three long and short years,

Photo © Joanna Wilson Photography

I've learned how to love new foods,

I've fallen head over heels in love with animals,

I've found peace in knowing that my daily choices honor the Earth and all of its inhabitants,

I've found a deeper sense of faith,

I've learned to be more compassionate towards people,

Photo © Joanna Wilson Photography

I've felt my heart grow bigger,

I've smiled more,

I've breathed more easily,

I've celebrated the knowledge that I am doing my part in this world,

I've witnessed countless other beautiful vegan journeys,

I've given pigs belly rubs,

I've been given cow kisses,

I've snuggled with turkeys,

I've learned how gentle chickens are,

I've learned how grave the situation is for the animals and humans of this world,

I've learned that there is much to be worried about,

I've learned that there is much to be grateful for,

I've looked at the world with new eyes,

I've held my cats closer to me and loved them a little more,

I've failed more times than I can count in the kitchen,

I've succeeded even more times,

I've watched this blog grow like a beautiful flower,

Photo © Ciddy Fonteboa

I've realized what I'm on this Earth to do,

I've realized that I will continue to live vegan for the rest of my life. No matter what.

Next month will mark three years of Kiss Me, I'm Vegan!, and I couldn't be more excited or more ready for it. I will continue to share my journey with you guys and gals, and it is my sincere hope that this blog helps you on your own vegan journeys. Here's to three more years of compassionate living!

Risk! Care! Dream! Expect!

2011-10-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

“Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion.”

- Jack Kerouac

"If enough people are determined to stand up to an issue, you know what? It's gonna get solved. "

- Chris DeRose

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

"'When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,' said Piglet at last, 'what's the first thing you say to yourself?'

'What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?'

'I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?' said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

'It's the same thing,' he said."

- Winnie the Pooh

During breaks at acting class, I’m often asked questions about living vegan. It usually stems from an actor friend spotting the meal I’m eating or a vegan-friendly pin on my bag. Sometimes I get a little verbal poke about living this way - usually from those most curious about my lifestyle, but most afraid to ask about it genuinely. I play along to a degree, but in the end, I tell them honestly about my choice, because I know that more significant than my pride or my feelings is speaking up for the animals most in need of our defending and protection.

And sometimes I get that look - that uncomfortable look from someone whose heart isn’t completely open to compassionate living yet. I get the person who says, “Oh, your story’s nice, but I could never eat vegan.” To them I say, “Never say never!” with a big smile on my face, risking that they may feel even more uncomfortable by my gentle nudging. Why do I do this? Because I’ve seen too many people in my life go vegan a year or two after they declared the same thing.

And then there was that time when I was doing a film shoot a few years ago, and, upon learning that I live vegan, my scene partner said to me, “Man, vegans scare me - it’s like you’re trying to take over the world or something!” To which I playfully said, “Oh yeah - deep down, we all have this evil notion of trying to brainwash the world into living with compassion and - wait for it - caring about people and animals! We’re awful, I know...” And saying this held the huge risk of turning this guy off to vegan living forever. But I said all of it with a smile on my face, with love in my heart, and with a sense of humor. And it made him laugh, instead of shut down.

By the way, I added the Winnie the Pooh quote into the mix up there for two reasons. One - I couldn’t agree more with Pooh about breakfast, and two - I believe if we start living our lives with more purpose, compassion, and respect to every living being, even if it means we'll be unpopular, we can eat and live lovingly and with great excitement.

Photo © Connie Pugh.

Remember grade school? Remember having that moment when one of your friends was being made fun of, and you had the choice - stand up for your friend and possibly get made fun of too, or just stay quiet? Today, I’m asking you, my lovely readers, to choose to be the kind of friend who doesn’t care about being made fun of. I’m asking you to not stay quiet. When the opportunity to be honest about living vegan presents itself, I’m asking you to jump in with both feet, throwing away that pesky fear of being disliked. Be bold, share your story, and risk being looked at funny. Rinse and repeat.

Of course, all of this should be done with as much positivity, kindness, and openness as possible. If Colleen Patrick-Goudreau has taught me anything (and boy, has she!), it's that we need to care as much about the person we’re talking to as the animals we’re talking about. But I think to be effective activists, vegans, and vegans-to-be, we need to stop caring so much about what others think of us. I think we need to keep the conversation about animal cruelty going, even if it means we may be looked at as weird, extreme, or crazy. I think the combination of living this way out loud and doing so with love and empathy for every being affected by our lifestyle (from the billions of animals being slaughtered for food each year to that friend/family member/domestic partner who doesn’t like you eating vegan, because it scares them) can lead to real change in this world.

Protesting Foie Gras cruelty in LA with APRL.

At the end of the day, you live with your own personal choices - the choices you make each day can either embrace compassion, or reject it. Why not end your day knowing that you did everything you could to live with more purpose, compassion, and respect to every living being? I’m asking you to take a leap and be bold for the animals, and in the long run, for yourself as well. Stop playing it safe. Playfully challenge that friend who keeps mocking your vegan lifestyle. Joyfully risk having one more conversation with your mom about why you gave up meat. Respectfully stand up for animals whenever possible. And know that, as difficult as it may seem to be that awesome friend who speaks up, you are paving the way for a better world. You are becoming the change you wish to see. You are the answer.

And what could be more kiss-worthy than that?

With Winnie the Goose at Animal Acres.

"Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible."

- Cadet Maxim

A Reason to Smile Today.

2011-10-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

Last night a rainbow beamed across the night sky, just asI was sipping a coffee with almond milk from Café Gratitude in Los Angeles. Itwas absolutely stunning. It’s colors were brighter than a kid’s smile onChristmas morning, and more beautiful than quite possibly any other thing innature I’ve seen before. One older lady next to me said, “I’ve never seen oneof these!” I felt so special to have witnessed something so magical. Itreminded me that we are all connected, that nature is beautiful, epic, andmysterious, and we must have a deep respect for every single part of it.

“Compassionis the keen awareness of the interdependence of all things.” ~ ThomasMerton

What areYOUR reasons to smile today?

Are YOU Ready For A Compassionate Holiday?

2011-09-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

I am missing my family like crazy right now.

And when I'm missing my family like crazy, the only thing that seems to help is blasting my Carpenters Christmas Pandora station (which is playing as I type!) and pretending it's Christmastime for a few hours. Right now, every single member of the immediate family is on the East Coast, far, far away from this vegan blogger, so I can use all the holiday spirit I can conjure up.

Ma and I before our holiday baking session

Three years ago, when I went vegan (about to celebrate the official V-birthday next month!), my family was wary of my choice, but only because they just didn't know how healthy, compassionate, and delicious vegan eating and living could be. But what makes my family so kiss-worthy is that they were open to my change and growth, and that openness led my sister and step-mom to go vegetarian and my mom, husband, mother-in-law, and brother to go vegan. Now, holidays are a breeze, because my brother, who never used to get involved with the cooking, is the one who bastes the Tofurky at the holidays! What was once a bit of a process - like showing my should-be-a-chef-she's-so-talented-at-cooking mama that vegan Christmas cookies were just as yummy as non-vegan ones - is now a beautiful, joy-filled tradition of making plant-based versions of the comfort and holiday foods we as kids grew up loving.

If you're a longtime supporter and reader of this blog, you know I'm big on traditions - especially the kind that lovingly evolve and shift as the years go by. For me, vegan living has redefined my traditions - since there is so much love, compassion, and kindness surrounding my every day, the traditions I create and celebrate also reflect that. More so than ever before.

Our first vegan - and married - Thanksgiving in Brooklyn

I've decided to get the holiday conversations going early. I challenge each and every one of you in the KMIV family to begin thinking of ways to cultivate vegan versions of the holiday traditions you've always loved celebrating. Whether it's removing the turkey from your table this Thanksgiving and making a veggie loaf or Tofurky instead, adorning your coffee table with vegan cookies and almondmilk for Santa on Christmas Eve, or making vegan latkes at your upcoming Hanukkah celebration, there are countless ways to appeal to your family with vegan goodies and still be a part of the holiday magic.

Which brings me to a holiday closer to us than the winter ones - Halloween. Creating vegan Halloween traditions can be so much fun for little ones! For our last Halloween in Brooklyn, Steve and I handed out Newman-O's and vegan candies on our stoop, and the kids loved them. Easy peasy!

What kind of traditions will you be veganizing this year? How will you add compassion to your holiday celebrations? Maybe this is your first holiday season living vegan, or maybe it's your tenth. Either way, it can't hurt to remind yourself of why it's so important to make cruelty-free traditions at this time of the year, and really any other time of the year too.

Let's share our kiss-worthy holiday ideas in the comments section below and get that compassionate ball rolling!

Today, I Ate Yogurt...

2011-09-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

Amande with fresh berries, agave, and cinnamon...

And there wasn't a DROP of dairy in it!

Okay, this is a huge reason to smile today, folks.

Amande yogurt - made from Almondmilk. Comes in plain or flavored, big containers or single serving. Tastes just like your favorite childhood yogurt, except no baby or mama cows are harmed in the making of it.

And the taste? I don't want to give it away... you're just gonna have to try it yourself!

I just cleaned my bowl... and the possibility of another serving is being considered as I type this post.

Now you have NO excuse to keep eating dairy yogurt (seriously!). What are you waiting for? Go out and get yourself some! Vote for a compassionate - and delicious - world with that spoon of yours!

Still not sure why you should dump dairy? Or meat? Or fish? Or eggs? Check out www.chooseveg.org to learn more.

I Am Vegan...

2011-09-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

Because of this beautiful article from This Vegan Life.

Because cashew/soy/rice/hemp/almond/oat/hazelnut milks do not come from a mommy cow. And they taste amazing.

Speaking of non-dairy milk, because I stopped drinking breast milk when I was a baby. I do not need to consume the breast milk of another mom, and I definitely do not need to be drinking the milk of another species. Gross.

Because we don't NEED to consume, wear, or exploit a single animal for our food/clothing/entertainment. We just don't.

Oreo at Animal Acres. (Photo © Cameron O'Steen)

Because of Farm Sanctuary. And Animal Acres. And Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. And The Gentle Barn. And Catskills Animal Sanctuary. Basically, every single farmed animal sanctuary around. Period.

Because of animal protection organizations like Mercy For Animals, who spend their days giving farmed animals a voice by sharing undercover investigation videos with the public. And because it finally hit me - every single time I try to educate myself about the plight of farmed animals, I come across a video like the one below. And every time I watch one, every single fiber of my being points me in the direction of vegan living.

Warning: this video contains graphic imagery. Please be prepared - both emotionally and physically - before you watch this. I watched this myself when it first debuted, and it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. But if you haven't seen an animal abuse video before, it is essential to knowing why we continue to fight for these animals.

Because ice cream, cheese, steak, lobster, shrimp, ham, scrambled eggs, a glass of cow’s milk, and a bowl of chicken noodle soup are not essential for my health or well being. They just taste good. And that is not enough of a reason to continue eating them, when there are compassionate alternatives that taste just as good and do no harm to any living thing.

Photo © Connie Pugh

Because of nutritionally packed, belly-satisfying plant protein like tempeh, tofu, seitan, chickpeas, black beans, navy beans, any beans!, cashews, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, and broccoli. Yes, broccoli! (for those who didn’t know, broccoli has, ounce for ounce, more protein than steak!)

Speaking of delicious vegan food, Gardein. Daiya. Purely Decadent. Field Roast. Tofurky. The list just keeps growing...

Because I will live longer, climb higher, run faster, and be stronger as a vegan.

Because our bodies do not need more cholesterol than we produce. And it just so happens to be that not a single plant-based food has even a drop of cholesterol. Hmm....

Because they need us to care.

Because living vegan allows me to be a kinder person to human beings.

Because there are just too many awesome vegan restaurants out there to not be vegan.

Because even president Bill Clinton is trying it!

Because the UN implores us to switch to a plant-based diet.

Because living vegetarian is not enough:

After one or two years of producing eggs at an unnaturally high rate, female fowl are classified as "spent hens.” No longer financially profitable for factory farmers, they are slaughtered. (Source: www.dosomething.org)

A cow's natural lifespan is about 25 years, but cows used by the dairy industry are killed after only four or five years. An industry study reports that by the time they are killed, nearly 40 percent of dairy cows are lame because of the intensive confinement, the filth, and the strain of being almost constantly pregnant and giving milk. Dairy cows' bodies are turned into soup, companion animal food, or low-grade hamburger meat because their bodies are too "spent" to be used for anything else (Source: www.peta.org)

Because this kind of stuff shouldn’t happen. Ever:

Huge open-air waste lagoons, often as big as several football fields, are prone to leaks and spills. In 1995 an eight-acre hog-waste lagoon in North Carolina burst, spilling 25 million gallons of manure into the New River. The spill killed about 10 million fish and closed 364,000 acres of coastal wetlands to shellfishing. (Source: www.ndrc.org)

Because of what the Lorax said:

Unless someone like YOU

Cares a whole awful lot,

Nothing is going to get better.

It’s not.

What are YOUR reasons for living (or choosing today to start living) vegan? Add them to the comment section below. Have a fabulous, fun, compassionate

An Oldie, But a Goodie: The Top Fifteen Kiss-Worthy Reasons To Put The Mozzarella Cheese Stick Down And Finally Kick Your Dairy Habit!

2011-08-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

Okay, this may be hands down one of my FAVORITE blog posts. Mostly because cows are extremely close to my heart. I hope you'll enjoy this as much as I enjoyed crafting it back in January. Give that cashew cheese recipe a try too - it's enough to make you smile for the rest of the week!

The Top Fifteen Kiss-Worthy Reasons To Put The Mozzarella Cheese Stick Down And Finally Kick Your Dairy Habit! (January 29, 2011)

Okay - if you're a regular reader of this blog, you probably know the truth about dairy and have happily adopted a vegan lifestyle. For everyone else out there, here are some reasons to make your new resolution this year to cut dairy out of your life like it's a bad boyfriend!

1. Daiya vegan cheese.

2. This recipe I came up with - and it's raw to boot!

Lindsay's Cashew Cheesy Cheese

Great on top of crackers, added to a sauce to make it creamy, or enjoyed plainly with a very large spoon!

1 1/2 c. raw cashews
1/4 c. water
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 c. nutritional yeast (or more if you like!)
2-3 garlic cloves
Splash of salt

Start with 1 c. of cashews and place all of the ingredients in a Vitamix or Food Processor and mix until completely smooth. Add more water if it's too thick, and add more cashews if it's too thin.

Photo © Lead With Your Heart

3. This kiss-worthy fact (from PetaKiDS.com):

"Cows are excellent mothers who are very loving and protective of their calves—they even take turns babysitting for each other! And despite their size, cows have been known to jump fences to search for lost calves."

4. This not-so-kiss-worthy fact: Female cows on dairy farms are continuously made pregnant so that they can produce milk for us, even though their babies are the ones who need their mama's milk. So if you think about it, we are stealing milk from a baby. There's something so wrong about that picture...

5. Loving your cheese or ice cream is actually an addiction, folks, much like being addicted to caffeine or alcohol. Don't believe me? Pick up a copy of Skinny Bitch (or Skinny Bastard) and learn more for yourself.

6. Coconut Bliss, Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Ice Cream, and all the other deeeeelicious vegan ice creams out there on the market.

7. Speaking of coconuts, homemade coconut milk whipped cream with a little vanilla extract mixed in. On top of vegan pumpkin pie. Pure joy.

8. Dairy, like all animal-based foods, is filled with heart-clogging cholesterol. Yuck!

9. You know what's not filled with heart-clogging cholesterol? Soy Milk, Almond Milk, Rice Milk, Hemp Milk. Even Hazelnut Milk!

Photo courtesy of Compassionate Cooks

10. “The very saddest sound in all my memory was burned into my awareness at age five on my uncle’s dairy farm in Wisconsin. A cow had given birth to a beautiful male calf… On the second day after birth, my uncle took the calf from the mother and placed him in the veal pen in the barn—only ten yards away, in plain view of his mother. The mother cow could see her infant, smell him, hear him, but could not touch him, comfort him, or nurse him. The heartrending bellows that she poured forth—minute after minute, hour after hour, for five long days—were excruciating to listen to. They are the most poignant and painful auditory memories I carry in my brain.” - Michael Klaper M.D

11. We're the only species on Earth who continues consuming milk past being a baby and from another species. Crazy, but true - and definitely not necessary!

12. You CAN live a life of joy without cow's - or goat's, or any other animal's - milk! This blog is living proof of that.

13. This kick-butt list of plant foods that contain mucho amounts of calcium:

Almonds!

Collard Greens!

Rhubarb!

Spinach!

Figs!

Sesame Seeds!

Tofu!

Kale!

Fortified non-dairy milk!

The list goes on and on...

Need more convincing? Click here to check out more calcium-dense plant foods.

14. Once you kick dairy to the curb, your taste buds will come alive. Which means even brussel sprouts will taste yummy!

Photo courtesy of Moo Pig Blog

15. When you tell people you love animals, you can really mean it now.

Okay friends - I know how difficult a process eliminating dairy from your diet can be. But it is possible. I've done it, many of my friends and family have done it, celebrities have done it, doctors have done it, athletes too - the list goes on. So you - yes, YOU! - can do it too. Chooseveg.com is a great place to start your journey. And of course, you can always email me if you feel really stuck. Now, get going on your dairy-free journey, and celebrate this awesome, empowering change!

A Reason to Smile Today.

2011-08-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

“If the world is to be healed through human efforts, I am convinced it will be by ordinary people, people whose love for this life is even greater than their fear.”

- Joanna Macy,

Author and Environmental Activist

What are YOUR reasons to smile today?

Forks Over Knives Now Available to Buy!

2011-08-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

Forks Over Knives - a movie that can and will change the way you think about food's connection to disease - is now available for purchase and immediate shipping. This is a HUGE reason to smile today folks!

FOK's website provides a kiss-worthy synopsis of the film:

What has happened to us? Despite the most advanced medical technology in the world, we are sicker than ever by nearly every measure.

Two out of every three of us are overweight. Cases of diabetes are exploding, especially amongst our younger population. About half of us are taking at least one prescription drug. Major medical operations have become routine, helping to drive health care costs to astronomical levels. Heart disease, cancer and stroke are the country’s three leading causes of death, even though billions are spent each year to "battle" these very conditions. Millions suffer from a host of other degenerative diseases.

Could it be there’s a single solution to all of these problems? A solution so comprehensive but so straightforward, that it’s mind-boggling that more of us haven’t taken it seriously?

FORKS OVER KNIVES examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods. The major storyline in the film traces the personal journeys of a pair of pioneering researchers, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.

Here’s the trailer, in case you’ve never seen it. Please watch, then immediately head to the FOK’s store to purchase this film. This is the perfect holiday gift too, so make sure to get copies for loved ones! This movie definitely altered my view of how to take control of my own health, and I know it has helped countless others. To those who have already seen and supported, let's share the love with our family and friends, and for newcomers to the movie, enjoy!

To learn more, visit www.forksoverknives.com.

My All Natural Medicine. And Yes, It's Vegan!

2011-08-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hello beautiful KMIV-ers! Happiest of Fridays to you lovelies!

Below, enjoy two photographs from my hike this morning (thank you, iPhone!). Clouds were hanging low in Los Angeles around 6AM, so much so that it looked like we were at the top of the tallest mountain in the world... but we were really just halfway up Runyon Canyon in Hollywood.

This photograph nearly took my breath away as I snapped it, as the beauty of nature often does. It really gave me pause - I felt so full of gratitude and hope as I looked off the edge and into the mass of clouds in front of me.

It also made me realize that every person should have, at the very least, the time, space, and resources to enjoy nature on a daily basis. Nature has proved to be a strong medicine when my activist's bones are sore from speaking up so much for animals. It reminds me of how small I really am - that I'm a mere speck of dust in the entire universe's makeup. It reminds me to take a long, deep breath and think joyful, abundant thoughts, as the work I do for and with animals is so much larger than myself. It restores me.

What restores you?

A sunrise?

Quiet cuddle time with your companion animals?

A hot mug of your favorite tea or coffee with nondairy milk?

A walk around your block?

A hug?

A day at your local animal sanctuary?

I would love to know, so please feel free to share in the comments below!

One more thing:

AVAAZ.org has a wonderful petition online that's being sent to The United Nations Security Council demanding immediate aid in Somalia. As I'm sure many of you know, Somalia has been hit with a terrible drought and famine, resulting in 2000+ human deaths a day. I always look to action when I'm feeling overwhelmed by the world's tragedies, so I encourage you to do the same and take a moment today to sign their petition. You can find it here:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/somalia_stop_the_famine_unsc/?rc=fb&pv=58

A Reason to Smile Today.

2011-07-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

The Dalai Lama has reasons to smile too!

Well, actually, there are FOUR. His Holiness The Dalai Lama has done it again - he has spoken words so beautiful that I just can't choose between the gems I found. So, I'm sharing all of them!

Have a beautiful, fun, adventurous, relaxing, and compassionate weekend. Honor the animals and your kiss-worthy selves with vegan living, lots of hugs, and abundant thinking! I'm going to jot a few things down in my gratitude journal today. How about you?

(If you don't already have a gratitude journal, I highly recommend it. Just pick up a notebook, and write down at least five things you are grateful for every day. The long-term results of this practice may happily surprise you!)

And now, onto the Dalai Lama, my biggest reason to smile today:

Photo © Joanna Wilson Photography

“Compassion is most important for happiness. We must treat fellow human beings as equal, that is very important, but also all beings who have capacity for feeling. So the innate desire for happiness that is the basis of human rights extends to all sentient beings, including animals and insects. There are now some individuals and organizations who care about animal rights and are showing concern about the suffering or torture of animals. I have noticed among ordinary people, out of their love and compassion, growing efforts for promotion of vegetarianism. These are the right kinds of expression of compassion, very positive and encouraging signs.”

“Life is as dear to the mute creature as it is to a man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not to die, so do other creatures."

“Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal Responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life.”

One of Steve's biggest reasons to smile.

“Never give up. No matter what is going on, never give up. Develop the heart. Too much energy in your country is spent developing the mind instead of the heart. Be compassionate not just to your friends but to everyone. Be compassionate. Work for peace in your heart and in the world. Work for peace and I say again, never give up. No matter what is happening, no matter what is going on around you. Never give up.”

What are YOUR reasons to smile today?

What's YOUR Mission Statement?

2011-07-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

There are so many beautiful changes and opportunities popping up in my life right now that it's difficult to carve out a mere thirty minutes to write this post. But I love KMIV so much that I'm willing to - because all of you bring clarity, peace, and positivity to my heart each and every time I share my stories, and the stories of so many other awesome activists, on here. When things get too tough, too busy, too much to handle, I always come back to this blog and remind myself of what is really important - the simple things. Love. Family. Kindness. Compassion. And, of course, yummy, vegan food.

There's something I've been crafting for the past several months that I'd love to share with you - it's called my "Declaration of Independence." A former acting teacher sat down with me and shared the template for it, and I've been piecing it together bit by bit ever since. Included in it is nearly every thing you can imagine to help accomplish one's dreams - affirmations, goals, daily policies, celebrations, assets and liabilities, and most importantly (especially because of today's title), my life's mission statement. Mine reads:

I inspire and empower people around me to live a life filled with love, to go vegan, and to be more connected to each other and our Earth. People look to me for guidance and inspiration, and they share their successes with me when they’ve connected to their own inner empathy and compassion. Through my acting, my storytelling, and my activism, I create widely seen art, writing, and projects that uplift people to think bigger and live more than for only themselves. I also live a life of adventure, never settling for what is only comfortable and safe. I take beautiful risks in love, in my career, and in the steps I take every day to make my dreams a reality. I live a life filled to the brim with love and positivity, and that love and positivity has a far -reaching ripple effect on my world.

Taking a nap with Steve and Lila at Animal Acres.

Ever since I wrote this, life has started becoming more focused, more precise, and more fulfilling, because I’ve found that I’ve begun living my mission statement with every new experience I encounter. For instance, in my statement I talk about taking risks and never settling for what is safe, and this past month, I was given a wonderful opportunity to do exactly that in acting class with an actor I admire so much. We went deep in our exploration, took some chances, and I ended up finding a whole new level to my acting and living as a result. I lived part of my mission statement.

Notice that in my statement, I interweave my vegan journey as a way of helping me live a life I love. Even though I’ve been spending a significant amount of time each week focusing on my acting, living vegan is still at the core of what I do, and now that I’m learning to balance the two, I’ve become a more joyful, well-rounded vegan as a result.

I should note that it took me a good two months to find a place within me to write this statement - to clear the clutter of my mind, the judgments, and the mental limitations, and to just write. But once I got there, the words flowed out of me, almost as if they've been inside of me all this time, and by me finally allowing for them to be there, they appeared. Pretty awesome stuff.

With my human bff, Steve.

So, here is your first ever Kiss Me, I’m Vegan! homework assignment: I invite you - yes, YOU! - to write out your own life’s mission statement. If it includes living vegan in some way, all the better, but don’t force it in there if it doesn’t feel right. Just write from your heart. Write from a place of love, openness, and complete freedom. Don’t judge your words, don’t limit them, and certainly don’t edit them because of how you think someone else may view them. Just write! And don’t feel like you have to write a long paragraph to get to the heart of your statement - if one sentence, or one word, will do, let that speak for you. Shine is the word I came up for from my statement. What’s yours?

Once you’ve written it, I encourage you to print it up and get it on a wall where you can see it every day - maybe right by your bed, on your fridge next to your favorite magnet, or by the fruit bowl on your kitchen table. Just get it out and up somewhere to be seen and shared.

And of course, there’s an extra credit assignment! Once you’re totally done your mission statement, why not share it with the KMIV community? You can include in the comment section below. Let’s see how many mission statements we can share!

And who knows? Maybe the collective statements of so many compassionate, positive people across the world will embolden us even more to live our mission statements every day. At the very least, we will be putting out into the universe our greatest joys and dreams - and that way, they will be one step closer to being real.

So hold this feeling like a newborn

Of freedom surging through your veins

You have opened up a new door

So bring on the wind, fire and rain

It was always simple, not hidden hard

You've been played at a game called remembering your name

And you stuffed it up

But the search ends here

Where the night is totally clear

And your heart is fierce

So now you finally know that you control where you go

You can steer

(Missy Higgins, "Steer")

Love and joy to each and every one of you today. And don’t forget the animals - let’s live for them too today!

Shooting a scene for my upcoming reel!

A Kiss-Worthy PS:

Since we're talking about our passions, dreams, and mission statements, I would love to also share my new website, www.lindsaywolf.com. On there, you'll find out about another side of this vegan blogger - the actress! And of course, I have a link on my homepage that will lead you right back to Kiss Me, I'm Vegan!. Because all roads in my life lead there. You are my heart, my home, and one of my biggest reasons to smile - thank you for all of your support and love!

Interview #20: Lindsay Nixon of Happy Herbivore

2011-07-15T08:44:00.000-07:00

Lindsay S. Nixon is a rising star in the culinary world, praised for her ability to use everyday ingredients to create healthy, low fat recipes that taste just as delicious as they are nutritious. Lindsay's recipes have been featured in Vegetarian Times, Women's Health Magazine and on The Huffington Post. Lindsay is also a consulting chef at La Samanna, a luxury resort and four-star restaurant in the French West Indies. You can learn more about Lindsay and sample some of her recipes at happyherbivore.com.

Kiss Me, I’m Vegan: What was the turning point in your life that led you to veganism? Was it one huge moment, or a collective group of small moments that changed you?
Lindsay: I grew up largely a vegetarian, but caved to peer pressure in my teens. Then, after a serious health scare in my early 20s, I went back to vegetarianism thinking it would help me make better choices. About a year later, I went vegan as an experiment - I wanted to see if all the alleged health benefits were true. In the process, I learned about all the factory farming horrors (with respect to dairy and eggs) and what eating these animal products did to my body and that was it for me. Vegan for life.
KMIV: What have been the greatest rewards of your vegan lifestyle? What have been the greatest challenges?
Lindsay: Good health is the greatest reward; but I also like a sense of knowing I'm living consciously, compassionately.
The biggest "challenge" is the convenience factor. It's not always convenient to be vegan, but the world is definitely changing to make it less burdensome.
KMIV: Tell me a little bit about The Happy Herbivore. Have you always wanted to write a cookbook? What do you hope to accomplish with it?

Lindsay: The Happy Herbivore is my new cookbook; it's a collection of popular blog recipes (where the book gets its name from) and new recipes. My mission with happyherbivore.com was always to prove that healthy vegan can be just as delicious as it is nutritious, and with the book, I wanted to also demonstrate how easy, affordable and approachable vegan food is.
KMIV: A lot of my readers are either activists or activists-in-the-making, which is why I love them! In terms of what you do, how do you feel about the ever growing "food activism" world, and what steps can we take in promoting compassion through our meals with ourselves and others?

Lindsay: I think the best thing we can do is educate others, make them aware of what is on their plate and what it took to get there (the resources, the cruelty, etc) -- but in a nonjudgmental, friendly way. I found that when I led by example, and didn't preach, most of my friends (whom had previously shut me down) came around to veganism and vegetarianism. I'm very fortunate that almost all my friends and family members are veg now, and I believe that it's because I'm honest, but not aggressive about it. I think its important to remember to practice compassion with other humans too.
KMIV: What advice would you give someone who is interested in veganism, but afraid of taking the leap?
Lindsay: Jump in. Give it a try today. I avoided being vegan for months because in my head it seemed so impossible, so extreme but I was -- and am continued to be --- surprised at how easy it's been for me. Whatever's been holding you back, ignore it. Cross that bridge when you come to it.
KMIV: As it says at the top of the blog, Kiss Me, I'm Vegan! is a blog "for the happy vegan in all of us.". What are the most positive aspects of the vegan movement for you, and what do you feel are the biggest reason to smile when doing this work?

Lindsay: A vegan lifestyle is the single best thing we can do for our environment, our health, the animals, humanity--- it's a terrific, warm fuzzy feeling to know I'm making such a positive impact with my fork. I've always been a starry eyed idealist wanting to change the world... and with veganism, I feel like I really am.
KMIV: Okay - here's a silly one! You're stuck on a deserted island with three vegan food items - what are they?
Lindsay: You know I actually live on a tropical island in the middle of the ocean, right? (LOL!). If I'm being practical, I guess I'd want tofu, rice and peanut butter (because I'm assuming fruit would be a plenty!) but if we're living in fantasy, bring on the dandies. and coconut ice cream. and nutritional yeast.
To learn more about Lindsay and her delicious recipes, check out www.happyherbivore.com.

A Reason to Smile Today.

2011-07-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

"Look deep into the eyes of any animal, and then for a moment, trade places. Their life becomes as precious as yours, and you become as vulnerable as them...

Now smile if you believe all animals deserve our respect and our protection, for in a way, they are us, and we are them."
- Philip Ochoa, Board Member, All For Animals

What are YOUR reasons to smile today?

Seeing Animals For the First Time

2011-07-02T12:44:00.000-07:00

Below, enjoy a beautiful excerpt from Vegan’s Daily Companion by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, who just so happens to be one of my personal activist heroes. I am in love with this book, and the passage below clearly shows why. One of my favorite parts in Vegan’s Daily Companion is when Colleen shares stories about people all over the world who have gone vegan for a variety of reasons. Below is the story of a man named Ian from Dubbo, Australia. If you haven’t already, please pick up this or any of Colleen’s kiss-worthy books about vegan living and cooking.

Seeing Animals for the First Time

"I had been a meat-eater most of the my life, but for the last ten years, I had been really into fitness and a healthy lifestyle. This has made me look at vegetarian options and the benefits of being a vegetarian from a purely nutritional standpoint.

Recently, a vegan friend from college asked me why, if I believe "compassion" was so important, I ate "innocent animals." Something clicked. Just a few days earlier one of our dogs, Gidget, had passed away having been bitten by a black snake. I'm sure this, combined with my friend's question, somehow awakened my mind. Now I had both health and ethics to consider. That night, I typed "compassion" and "vegetarian" into Google and found the Food for Thought podcast, and I watched a video on slaughter. I literally "woke up."

I do not handle blood and gore very well, but I forced myself to watch the whole video. I had, and still have, that horrible feeling I think all vegans can identify with - where you just see the enormity of the problem and feel brain-washed by the media and the food lobbyists. I felt helpless but absolutely compelled to act.

The problem was telling my wife. She grew up with her family breeding "stud cattle." About six months ago, I told her I wanted to go vegetarian and was met with firm protests about how restrictive it would be. I did not follow through with it as a result, but this time I told her I was going vegetarian and that I was going to try and not have dairy. I then broke it to her the next day that I was adopting a vegan lifestyle. Because of my joy and conviction this time around, it went surprisingly well.

In addition to our remaining dogs and cats, we have horses, chickens, sheep, and a steer, whom we love as our companions. Wearing my new vegan cap, I feel like I am seeing these animals for the first time. The joy I now feel as a vegan is amazing. It is easily the best decision I have ever made."

To learn more about The Vegan's Daily Companion, visit

www.vegansdailycompanion.com.

A Sunday at Animal Acres

2011-06-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

With our sponsored goose, Winston.

Most Sundays are good, but not outstanding.

This Sunday was outstanding.

Steve and I started our day with coffee, a Badass Vegan Breakfast Sandwich, and bagel from Locali on Franklin Ave - if you haven't tried the badass (which it most definitely is!) sandwich there, please go now, and take a non-vegan friend with you! With food and drink in hand (or rather lap and cup holder), we then made the 45-minute trip up to Animal Acres. We were intending to only stay for a couple of hours. Nearly six hours later, as the sun was getting lower in the sky, we forced ourselves to say goodbye to the human and animal residents at Animal Acres and return home to Los Angeles.

A very happy Steve and a very happy Turkey Lurkey.

Included in this post are some of the photos from our experience, and a hilarious reason to smile at the end. But I should note that while I have many reasons to smile at Animal Acres that include the animals there, my biggest reasons to smile yesterday were activists and sanctuary helpers Cameron O'Steen, Ciddy Fonteboa, and Morgan Fey. They are inspiring, hardworking, and generous people, and being around them replenishes and reinvigorates my animal lovin' spirit.

If you haven't already noticed from my regular posts about Animal Acres on KMIV, I am head over heels in love with this sanctuary. Please consider donating, becoming a member, sponsoring an animal, or, if you live near Acton, giving this beautiful place a visit. You can learn more at www.animalacres.org.

Ciddy Fonteboa and Cocoa.

Sharing a moment with Cocoa before heading to the turkeys.

Winston - isn't he so regal?

Turkey Lurkey at rest.

Turkey Lurkey at play.

Sweet, beautiful Lila takes a nap.

"Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty."
- Albert Einstein

And now for our biggest, and FUNNIEST, reason to smile:

Today, You Could...

2011-06-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

Start that vegan blog you've been meaning to.

Make your first (or hundredth!) vegan meal for you and a friend to share.

Tackle that Isa Chandra Moskowitz or Sarah Kramer recipe you've been dying to try.

Sign a few petitions for animals.

Make a petition of your own.

Choose to forgive yourself and start again, if you've been trying to go vegan and have been slipping.

Spend fifteen minutes researching reasons to go vegan if you haven't found enough yet.

Congratulations!
Today is your day.

You’re off to Great Places!

You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself

Any direction you choose!

- Dr. Seuss

Plant a veggie garden if you have a backyard, a patch of grass to call your own, or even a windowsill.

Listen to a vegan podcast.

Become a member of Animal Acres.

Become a member of Farm Sanctuary.

Become a member of Mercy for Animals.

Become a member of PETA.

Put down that glass of cow's milk and never look back - here's why.

Give a friend a hug, tell them you love them, and treat them to a soy latte at your favorite veggie friendly coffee joint.

Carve out time in your schedule to finally make that trip out to your local farmed animal sanctuary.

Spend ten minutes meditating, praying, or just sitting and listening to that still, small voice inside for ways to help animals this year.

Plan a vegan potluck.

Better yet, plan a 4th of July "No Meat and Mingle" vegan BBQ.

Swap out your scrambled eggs for tofu scramble - here's how.

Hug, kiss, and cuddle with each and every one of your companion animals.

Hold the door open for the person behind you, smile at them, and tell them to have a beautiful day.

Start your vegan pledge and commit to it.

Buy and stick a vegan-friendly bumper sticker on the back of your car.

Start penning your own vegan cookbook.

Take a deep breath, and make a promise today to honor the animals - and yourself - with every choice you make. Choose compassion. Choose kindness. Choose love.

When you make loving others the story of your life, there's never a final chapter, because the legacy continues. You lend your light to one being, and he or she shines it on another and another and another.

- Oprah Winfrey

All photos above @ Connie Pugh.

Happy Summer Solstice!

2011-06-21T15:38:00.000-07:00

Wishes for a hot, wet, fun, driven, relaxing, purposeful, abundant, prosperous, exciting, adventurous, rewarding, cool, amazing, gratifying, delicious, compassionate, and kiss-worthy summer!

KMIV gets a tan from the roof of our Los Angeles abode

Please feel free to share any and all of your summer plans! Let's live vicariously though each other's travels, meals, vacations, roof tannings, celebrations, R&R - better yet, if you can, go out and do everything you want to do (or take that much needed break)!

The Unraveling, or Why I Love My Sister

2011-06-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

I am deeply missing my little sister right now.

As I write to you all, I am listening to " Letting Go," an original song written by the talented, beautiful, kind, and hilarious young lady I call my sis. Whitney, or Whit or Whitchkin, as I like to call her, was born about five years after me, but you would never know it. Because when we are together, our ages melt into one and the same - because my sister is my best friend. Always has been, always will.

Whit and I have been through a lot in the nearly twenty-three years we've existed together, and besides my going off to college in NYC, one of the biggest life changes we steered our way through was my transition to a vegan lifestyle two and a half years ago. Always supportive, and never one to judge, my sister has cheered me on as I navigate the waters of life as an animal activist - during the tough times, like when I was trying to balance two animal advocacy jobs at the same time, or the fun times, like when I went to my very first “Veggie Prom” and got nominated for Prom Court. She’s been an avid reader of the blog, a constant fan of any new plant-based dishes I create, and an insanely awesome listener and cheerleader when I begin to feel overwhelmed by all of the abuse out there that exists for animals. She has even gone so far as to go vegetarian herself as a result of my efforts, and she’s recently been dipping her toes into the world of vegan eating as well. Basically, she’s the kind of sister you hope for, wish for, want so badly. And I get to have her.

At Woodstock Sanctuary in 2009.

Funny enough, hoping, wishing, and wanting a baby sister was something I did like it was my job as a little girl. I would beg and plead on long car rides to my mom, saying in a stretched, desperate plea, “Mommy, please bring me a baby sister - please!!” All of this was much to the chagrin and annoyance of my little brother, who usually accompanied me in the backseat of the car during these moments.

(Sorry Jon.)

So, on this day, I am missing my sister terribly. And missing always leads to listening - specifically, listening to her gorgeous, haunting, moving, and colorful songs. Because my sister is a tremendous singer/songwriter. It’s her passion, her dream, her hobby, her love, and her favorite thing to do. My sister has been belting out tunes since she was in diapers, and it makes perfect sense, since my mom named her the very name that would lead to a life of performing. My awesome sister is named after another singer you may know - Whitney freakin’ Houston.

The Unraveling is Whitney Wolf’s new EP. It’s filled with five beautiful, unique, and personal songs that celebrate and challenge life and loves, old and new. Her vocals are a splash of smooth, a dash of jazz, and a heaping spoonful of folk, and she balances all of this seamlessly with imaginative lyrics that leap off of the computer and into your heart. From bubbly, poppy hits like “The Park” and “Like You Like That” to the mellow, soulful ballad “Letting Go,” Whitney has earned her spot as a gifted, provocative, and intelligent new voice to emerge in the world of music. Basically, The Unraveling is my biggest reason to smile right now. Besides my sister, of course.

And you - yes, YOU, my amazing, kiss-worthy blog readers - have the opportunity to listen to The Unraveling and learn more about Whitney Wolf, the amazing songstress who I affectionately call sis. Just go to www.whitneywolfmusic.com to check her out. I promise, you will become as enchanted with Whit as I have alway been.

Love you, Whitchkin.

Who is your biggest reason to smile today? I encourage you to find them, hug them, and tell them you love them. If you are separated between miles, a Skype hug will do! Of course, cooking them a vegan meal won’t hurt.

Speaking of vegan meals, here is Whitney's favorite vegan recipe. Enjoy!

Veggie Chili

WestSoy Seitan Strips, ripped into smaller chunks, or Gimme Lean soy crumbles

2 cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 clove of garlic, smashed and chopped

Packet (or 1/2 packet) of your favorite Taco Seasoning

1-2 tomatoes, diced

Water (according to taco seasoning directions)

Olive oil for cooking

Brown seitan or soy crumbles in a little olive oil on medium heat in a pan. Place aside on a plate. In the same pan, cook garlic until aromatic. Add onion and cook through until a little soft. Add peppers and cook through until a little soft. Add tomatoes and heat through. Add beans, and add back in your veggie meat, and mix around. Add taco seasoning and water according to seasoning's directions. Keep cooking on low heat until everything reached a "chili" like texture. Eat in a big bowl with some toasted bread or tortillas.

Reason to Smile: Steve's Reasons

2011-06-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

This is my first “Reasons to Smile” yet not my first time smiling nor my last time sharing my reasons for doing so with you lovely KMIVers. Enjoy!

Okay, not the best smile, but it's my first time writing my reasons! Better smiles to come!

1. A good night’s sleep. There’s nothing better than waking up feeling fresh and alert. The day automatically starts off on a good note – it’s as if anything is possible and the world is waiting for you to take it. There’s no trying to overcome fatigue with sugar or caffeine, sluggishness is not beckoning at your heels, and the moments of clarity that come from being fully rested…well, it’s a huge reason to smile.

2. Veggie Grill. There’s no escaping it…and why would I or anyone else want to? Now, in addition to the Sunset Blvd Center location right by the Crunch fitness center we go to (which translates to a VG meal after a workout), there’s a new VG that opened up in the Grove, about a 4-5 minute drive (or 10 minute run) from us. And, for those days I’m jonesing some Mac ‘N Cheese, All Hail Kale, or Santa Fe Chicken, it’s right there for me. My safety net, looking after my taste buds with some mean cuisine.

3. The Fire Escape Bar. Catchy name? Sorry, it’s a private bar/club to myself and Lindsay. And it’s right outside our 4^th floor hallway. For those days when going out is not an option, or when we don’t feel like dropping a bunch of money on pricey drinks: a blanket and a few pillows on the fire escape (think Duvet, NYC – Sex and the City – the place with the beds….) and some Steve mixology with whatever fun spirits and juices are in the apartment make for an romantic getaway from the hubbub of life. Except for the honking and helicopters and neighbors who yell “Hi!” to us when they see us through the window. But, besides that, it’s nice and simple and fun. Our getaway from home not too far from home.

Lila and Steve. What a cute couple.

4. Rescued farmed animals. It’s a miracle. These animals that were borne, grown, and destined to end up on someone’s plate or body, or to be used as an experiment for the latest pill or shampoo, now get to live their lives freely, in peace. Animal Acres, our nearest LA animal haven, and Farm Sanctuary, our latest shelter road trip upstate, are amazing places. Everyone involved with these two sanctuaries does such selfless work. Thank you for being there for the animals. They need a voice, a hand, and a lot of love. Thank you for giving it to them.

5. My new iPhone 4. Amazing creature, it is. It’s been so long since I’ve worked out while listening to my own music. I’ve gotten so frustrated trying to talk on the phone in the car, knowing I shouldn’t, trying to figure out a way to hold the phone and get good volume without placing it up to my ear. After losing my ability to text successfully because the buttons wouldn’t work as well, or running out of memory space and deleting constantly, it was time. It was time to have an awesome phone that could do everything and more. I’m building up my apps, taking my beautiful HD pics and videos, and checking my internet away from the apartment now. I’m up to date with the world now.

6. Guster mounting Jumper. Yes, one of our male cats, Guster, (almost four years old, neutered three years ago) mounted our restless kitten, Jumper, (nine months, neutered, and still a kitten, yeah?) and started humping him. Jumper didn’t flinch for a while. It was…interesting. Oh, boys. They’ll never learn.

7. The newest books to my collection: Colleen Patrick Goudreau’s Vegan’s Daily Companion, Will Tuttle’s The World Peace Diet, and Maya Tawari’s Living Ahimsa Diet. Can’t wait to read them!


Here Kale Comes to Save the Day!!!

8. Josh Hooten & Herbivore Clothing Company, for my new favorite shirt (made out of bamboo, hemp, and cotton). I smell some superhero webisodes coming from this…KaleMan, anyone?

9. My new surge toward the happiest, most successful life that I want, through positive, productive thought and action, fueled by many motivational and inspirational resources, including Tony Robbins’ CDs & DVDs, Richard Bandler’s Get the Life You Want, Vegan bodybuilder Robert Cheeke and his words of wisdom (check out his bestselling book), and my Holistic Health Coach certification course through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (let me know if you'd like to learn more about this school!).

If you talk about something, it’s a dream.

If you envision it, it gets exciting – but still doesn’t happen.

When you begin to plan it, it’s possible.

When you schedule it – it’s real.

~Tony Robbins

10. Food + Contests = It’s on. But now I need help. I was so excited to find out that my BST Burgers made it into the finals of Farm Sanctuary/Gene Baur’s Just Eats Tour Recipe Contest. It was casual at first, a small yay!, and voting a little here, a little there. But, in recent developments, it’s gotten serious – of course, it’s a contest! My BST Burgers currently trail the also tasty looking (but enemy recipe, for now) Choco Candy (Granola) Bars. In the spirit of my smiling, and keeping us smiling over here at KMIV, I ask that everyone band together as KMIVers and use your vegan power to help me back into first place. You can vote once a day (possibly a couple of times, I’m still not sure) and the contest ends Friday, June 17^th @ 1 PM EST. I ask for your support and your votes, as often as possible (takes only 20-30 second to click, click, click). I appreciate it with all of my heart and stomach (in honor of the food, you know) and, upon winning, will try to find a way to get all of the KMIVers together for a BST Burger BBQ! (If I can come back from this contest deficit, then anything’s possible, right?)

http://www.justeatstour.org/vegan-recipes/


An early batch of my BST Burgers. Loaded with lots of goodies on top!

Oh, and since I love contests, here’s a contest of my own: If I win I will buy a KMIV Apron for one loyal KMIVer or friend who’s really put an outstanding effort in to help me out – by voting daily, and sharing it with friends and family and everyone else! Let me know through KMIV comments, Facebook comments, etc. The apron will look perfect on you when you make a batch of BST Burgers!

THANK YOU EVERYONE! KEEP SMILING!

We Are Friends of Farm Animals: Our Trip to Orland's Farm Sanctuary

2011-06-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

Below, enjoy a guest post by Steve about our trip to Farm Sanctuary last weekend for their annual Hoe Down Celebration.

As we drive north on 5, our ride is both sobering and ironic. We pass by herds of cows grazing out on the open land and rolling hills, seemingly content in their daily practice. Relaxed, munching grass, and barely drawing their eyes up to the cars passing them on the highway, they remain undisturbed – they are doing as they wish. Of course, this is just the façade to the whole picture which reveals itself a little more clearly further down the road. A darker portrait of cows, lined up side by side, fenced into small compartments, standing on the brown dirt and feces-laden ground. Maybe feeding on some grain or corn in a trough in front of them. Waiting. Just standing and waiting.

A veal calf in a transport truck, much like the one we saw.

We pass several transport trucks on our right, metallic and concealing their contents, an almost impenetrable presence. The calves inside these small steel boxes make themselves seen by pressing up against the tiny holds – their eyes peek out, deep and sullen, tragically speaking to us. Asking the question we constantly face as we pass by each feedlot, dairy, or open pasture of the grass-fed, seemingly “happy cows.” These cows may spend their first six months in this disguised paradise, but they will inevitably spend the rest of their lives in quite the opposite – the dark and dirty feedlot, the enclosed, disempowering dairy, and, eventually, show up on someone’s plate in the form of a steak or burger (many of whom will have provided their motherly milk for those three unnecessary glasses a day). The rest of these cows’ lives will consist of pain, torment, abuse, and death. And, if they are not cut short already, they may wish for a shorter existence in place of the tragedy that’s to come. The question is: Why? Just why.

What makes this eight hour drive from Los Angeles to Orland, CA so sobering and ironic? Well, because Lindsay and I are heading to the true paradise for these bovine beauties. We are heading to Farm Sanctuary for their Hoe-Down, a two-day festival of fun, food, dance, and the exchange of stories and presentations by and to a like-minded crowd of compassionately-oriented people. And, of course, time to spend and play with the turkeys, chickens, goats, sheep, pigs, ducks, and, our aforementioned friends, the cows. These cows, and other farmed folks, live their lives out naturally, freely, and without the potential future of becoming a steak, hot dog, coat, foie gras, nugget, or Thanksgiving feast. This is that true paradise – this is that place of rescue – this is the full life retirement home from the antiquated, unwritten law that these animals are meant to become the food on our plate or are ours to do with what we wish. When we arrive at Farm Sanctuary for this amazing event: to celebrate their 25th anniversary and receive the “Friend of Farm Animals” award with which Lindsay and KMIV are being presented, we, like the animals, know there’s no “why?” here. There just is. We’re all where we’re meant to be. Home.

Steve sharing a moment with Farm Sanctuary resident Madeleine.

This is the home to hundreds of farmed animals that have found rescue from an early and tragic life and end that unfortunately is the status quo, just the way things are. We pull into the grassy parking lot, welcomed by a smiling volunteer who directs us to “The People Barn.” All of the living creatures, both human and non-human, are equals here. We all have space to live, breathe, eat – we all have room to walk, run, play, dance, and sleep. There are already tents set up in the knoll by the entrance; these visitors cross their fingers for the opening of the nighttime clouds that settle above us at the moment, a chance to see the bright stars after a day filled with love, connection, and hope.

Food is awaiting our hungry bellies – eight hours is a long time and snacks can only hold us over so much – so we fill our plates and join the crowd under the great gazebo where Leanne Cronquist, the CA Shelter Director, shows slides of the furry, feathered, snouted, horned and gentle giant friends that live at the Sanctuary. She tells stories of a few, something silly they recently did or a delicate bond between a pair. We hook up with Sarah Lux, the Donor Relations Manager, and a group of generous donors/sponsors to go on a special VIP tour. Giddily, we begin our first (and not our last) journey through the Orland Farm Sanctuary. Last year, Lindsay and I organized two special events called “Rock It Out!: A Night for Farm Animals,” featuring musicians, food, bake sales, raffles, artists, speakers and a loving crowd – ready to have fun and learn more about both the plight of farm animals and what can be done to help them. We had a truly inspiring turnout and were able to raise a good chunk of money which we donated to our two favorite east coast sanctuaries: the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary and Farm Sanctuary, located in Watkins Glen, NY, and the original sanctuary created by Gene Baur and Lorrie Houston. Months later, and along with a new home on the other side of the country, Lindsay was contacted to receive this humbling award.

Our "Friend of Farm Animals" Award Plaque.

As “Friends to the Farm Animals,” this tour joins the ranks of our favorite times spent with animals: we’re introduced to Cupid, Harrison, Edward, and other loveable beastly bovines; we enjoy cuddle time with sleepy piggies Blossom, Lucas, and watch Fergus bury himself under a mound of hay for a midday siesta; we play in the romper room with new toddler Madeleine the goat, the cutest kid since…well, just the cutest kid, period; we connect intimately with the five gentlest male turkeys, as they call and answer to our dialogue with a unison of gobbles here and there, as if responding to what we’re saying; we say hi to the rest of our friends, some of which include Melvin the goat and Clementine the chicken, and walk the 300 acre grounds happily, knowing they are happy.

We meet other new friends and engage in lengthy conversation about their experiences volunteering or visiting the sanctuary, our jobs, where we live, passions and goals and dreams. Afternoon brings us inspiring and educational talks by social psychologist Melanie Joy (Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows, The Carnism Network), vegan bodybuilding pioneer Robert Cheeke (Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness), and Rae Sikora (Plant Peace Daily, VegFund), animal activist and spokesperson extraordinaire. Feeling all revved up and ready to make a difference, Gene Baur then presents Lindsay with an award that means the world to her. Already emotional from the up close and personal time with the animals, the uplifting and enlightening speeches, this is the most delicious icing on the cake. It is truly affirming of the positive spirit and work dedicated to the animals who deserve as happy and healthy of a life as we do.

Gene's "Just Eats" Tour Bus

Gene shares his experience of traveling around the country with the Just Eats tour, sharing compassionate and cruelty-free eating and dining with others state-to-state, while we enjoy our compassionate and cruelty-free feast. We finishing gorging ourselves with tasty vegan cuisine and ready ourselves for some fun, lively square dancing. This is a Hoe-Down, remember! The night winds down, and we head back to the Orland Inn to rest our weary, but fulfilled, heads and bodies on the three hours of sleep, eight hours of driving, and almost twelve hours of fun we had at the sanctuary. Day two brings us back for a yummy breakfast, speakers’ Q&A, and an activism discussion and group breakout – focusing on everything and anything we can do to make a difference for the animals. The volleying and spreading of ideas is infectious, grounding, and motivating – the almost 200 people at the sanctuary for this event are here for the same reasons and excited to get back to their respective homes to educate and connect others to the common mission.

After a final mini-photoshoot with Gene, Melanie, Rae and the cows, we gather our things to head out, before heading back into the crowd for pow-wows with photographer Connie Pugh, Robert Cheeke, and one final photo op with Josh Hooten, of Herbivore Clothing, wife Michelle, daughter Ruby and numerous animal friends. (Note: If you’ve been to a sanctuary before, you know the hardest part is leaving. Too much adorability, too much love. If you’ve never been before, go. You’ll see.)

We do have to leave though (do we though…do we?), as do the almost 200 people who came from all over the country to celebrate life and compassion at this beautiful shelter. One more look at the picturesque landscape, the brown barns, the cows roaming and resting on the high hills. These are the lucky ones, unlike the many we passed on the way here and will inevitably pass again on our return home. These are the lucky ones, who, like us and any other living creature should, get to live our the remainder of their long, long lives in peace.

Good-bye Farm Sanctuary. For now. We’ll see you again soon. And, in the meantime, whenever thoughts of despair arise or hope seems weakened, we’ll think of you and all that you do, all that you provide, and the bright future.

To learn more about Farm Sanctuary's kiss-worthy work to help farmed animals everywhere, or to donate to this amazing organization, visit www.farmsanctuary.org.

_____________________________________

KMIV Family:

Steve is currently in the running for Gene Baur/Farm Sanctuary's "Just Eats" Vegan Recipe Contest, but he has some stiff competition!

Please take a few moments to vote for his original recipe,
BST (BlackBeanSweetPotatoTempeh) Burgers,
by going here:

http://www.justeatstour.org/vegan-recipes/

Thank you for all that you do for the animals!