Blog

Just after the election last year, I wrote about veganism as a source of empowerment. That is, every time you choose a vegan meal, you take a stand against injustice. It might feel like a small thing, but it’s a daily reminder that change is possible.

I hope you’ll take a peek at my new substack newsletter Resistance Kitchen. It’s a place where I hope to explore the ways in which food choices can be one way we push back against assaults on science, public health, the future of the planet, and even the concept of compassion. And more importantly, I want to give guidance on how to make these choices.   

Although I expect that there will be some overlap with this ... Read More >

Advocates for animal agriculture and for the meat, egg, and dairy industries are eager to disparage plant-based alternatives of all kinds. They do it by focusing on ingredient lists and the fact that these foods, particularly veggie meats, are “ultra-processed.”

We vegans should be careful that we don’t help them. Too often, people advocating for a plant-based diet support the idea that healthy eating relies on foods made with “clean” ingredients. I see it in the comments on social media when I post about the role of plant-based meats in vegan diets. I see it in the push for a vegan diet that incorporates only “whole foods” and that shuns anything made with oils or isolated proteins.

And I’ve even seen vegan food companies ... Read More >

My husband and I are scheduling a short trip to visit friends this month. I’m a planner, which means I’ve been busy reading restaurant menus online and compiling a list of any that look promising for vegan dining. I wasn’t surprised to see that several restaurants boast that none of their dishes contain seed oils.

It’s not my first personal run-in with the anti-seed oil crowd. At a recent gathering, a family member recoiled in absolute horror when I handed her a bottle of canola oil for a dish she was making. I couldn’t convince her that it was safe to use. Instead, she waited until she could get to the store to buy olive oil.

Some evidence suggests that ... Read More >

Seven years ago, Carol Adams and I wrote Protest Kitchen to explore the impacts of plant-based diets on injustice and oppression. We wrote it in response to the election of Donald Trump and wanted to call it The Anti-Trump Diet. The editors thought it would become outdated too quickly with that title.

If only it were so.

I spent most of yesterday, the day after the 2024 election, talking to friends and taking walks. It was all I could manage and that was okay. I know I wasn’t alone in my feelings of despair and my need to take time to grieve and cry. Over the coming days, though, I expect to be getting a little more energized and organized for whatever ... Read More >

No matter how often it happens it’s always big news when a vegan celebrity starts eating meat. I’m not sure I even knew that Lizzo was eating a vegan diet until she stopped eating a vegan diet. She says she needed to add more protein to her diet and that adding animal foods cured her brain fog. (This is according to People magazine, so take it for what it’s worth.)

I don’t know Lizzo’s situation– maybe she really did need more protein than she was consuming. Or maybe, she suffers from disordered eating. Or maybe, like scores of vegans, she just suffers from too much online misinformation about diet and health.

Whatever the reason, there are lessons here for us animal activists.

... Read More >

When I first moved to western Massachusetts, a new acquaintance invited my husband and me to dinner with a couple she wanted us to meet. She said we had a lot in common with them because of the “food thing.” I wasn’t entirely surprised to learn that this meant that one half of the couple avoids GMOs and gluten and is interested in juice fasting. She ordered chicken meat for dinner, so we clearly didn’t have a lot in common over the “food thing.”

Still, we bonded over a shared appreciation for classic rock music, and I enjoyed talking with her. We were not destined for friendship with this couple, though. That became abundantly clear towards the end of the evening (thankfully towards the ... Read More >

Earlier this year, I spent a weekend with family members who my husband and I don’t see often but with whom we remain close. We had organized the weekend, helping with travel arrangements and costs, and — as more or less the family elders–we were looking forward to hosting everyone for dinner on our arrival evening. But when I suggested a vegan restaurant –an especially lovely one—I was told that we needed to find a place that was more “inclusive.” Apparently one family member was eating only meat.

For those of us who hold the suffering of animals, and especially farmed animals, in our hearts, breaking bread with meat-eaters is always painful. It is hard, and especially so because we’re expected to ... Read More >

Here in western Massachusetts, there is a blanket of snow on the ground, but I’m dreaming about my garden. It’s what gardeners do. If we’re not out and about among the flowers, we’re planning and reading and dreaming about them.

One of the most consequential books I read last year about gardening is A New Garden Ethic by Benjamin Vogt. It advocates for gardening with native plants but is much more than a gardening book. It’s a plea for justice and fairness in the way we view our landscapes and those who share them with us. Unintentionally, it’s also a compelling argument in favor of a vegan ethic.

First, a couple of things about native plants and how they relate to veganism. Native plants have ... Read More >

Whether you’re diving headfirst into a vegan diet or making a gradual transition to more plant-based eating, you’ll maximize your chances of success by learning a little bit about nutrition, finding foods you enjoy, and having realistic expectations. Most of the information here comes from the Keys to Success section of Vegan for Life.

Be Smart About Nutrition

It’s easy to meet nutrient needs on a vegan diet but it’s not enough to simply eat a variety of whole plant foods. If you’ve always depended on cow’s milk for calcium and meat for protein, you need to learn new ways to get these and other nutrients. The Vegan for Life Food Guide will get you started and you’ll find more information in my nutrition primers ... Read More >

It’s been quiet on this website for a long time while I’ve had my attention on several all-consuming projects. One was the new edition of Vegan for Life. By the time that book was published last May, I was already immersed in an even bigger endeavor which was a 10-year update to The Dietitian’s Guide to Vegetarian Diets, scheduled for publication in October 2021. Co-authored with Dr. Reed Mangels and Dr. Mark Messina, this is a textbook and a comprehensive overview of all aspects of vegan and vegetarian nutrition.

One subject that both books cover is the use of vegan diets for reducing risk for chronic disease, losing weight, or managing heart disease or diabetes. Defining the “best” vegan diet for these purposes ... Read More >