Tell me 3 things about yourself
Because I have made such a huge life transition over the last year, the three things that I feel most compelled to share about myself involve my independence, and they are:
1. I’m pursuing a doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy. (I never thought I would go back to school, let alone pursue a doctorate degree.)
2. I am a Vegan and I love cooking Vegan for family and friends. To me, sharing healthy food with other people is one of the most genuine gestures you can do for someone else.
3. I will do anything for the people I love.
Are you for, or against, small appliances on the kitchen counter?
I am a huge supporter of having small appliances on the kitchen counter as long as they are being used. To me, there is nothing worse than having expensive gadgets on display and their only use is to collect dust.
Name 5 things that are on your counter right now
Five things on my counter right now are:
1) Coffee Pot
2) Juicer
3) A bowl with limes and lemons
4) Glass canisters with a variety of grains
5) A spoon rest
What, if anything, would you change about your kitchen counter?
If I could change anything about my kitchen counter, it would be to make it wider. When I cook, I use a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables or herbs that are fresh from the garden; I yearn to have the room to display them all while I am preparing them. To me, seeing all the colors and textures of what I cook with is so pretty and deserves to be shown off.
What is your favourite thing to do on your kitchen counter?
The favorite thing I like to do on my kitchen counter is to juice fresh cut lemons. I acquired an old green-glass hand juicer and I love to take it out, cut up fresh lemons, juice them, and then filter the juice from the pulp so I can store it in the fridge. To me, there is nothing more energizing than the smell of a fresh cut lemons and the action of juicing them the old fashion way.
How long have you been vegan? What led you to veganism? (is that even a word?)
I have been Vegan for almost three years now. What led me to Veganism (yes, that is a word) were some digestive issues I have had most of my adult life. I was seeing a doctor, was heavy on medication and still was in a lot of pain. After doing some research, I decided to try eating Vegan. I have to say the adjustment wasn’t hard for me at all because the week I went Vegan, I was able to take myself off of all my medication and the pain stopped. Since going Vegan I have not looked back, and now I incorporate Veganism into every aspect of my lifestyle. Ultimately, I feel being Vegan as made me a better person because it forced me to look at everything from a different perspective— one of kindness, empathy and tolerance.
Do you find there are many dining out options for vegans?
This is a question that many people ask, and I am happy to say that yes, I am able to dine out. In today’s world, many restaurants are prepared to cater to people with different dietary needs and although they may not understand what Vegan means— they often confuse begin Vegan with being Vegetarian and people who will eat cheese, egg or milk products— there is always at least one or two options for me to choose from. Now with that said, most of the responsibility falls on me to ensure the chef/waitress is aware of what I can/can’t eat. For instance, in most restaurants if I order a salad, I have to stipulate that I do not want croutons, cheese, egg or anything else non-Vegan. Often, I will ask what comes on their salads and then tell them what to omit.
Now, if you were to ask me if I enjoy eating out, the answer would be different. For the most part, the altered meal I get in a restaurant doesn’t compare to the flavorful Vegan meal I can make myself at home. The only exception to this however would be if the restaurant was Vegan— then I would be one happy camper!
Can you recommend a fantastic vegan cookbook? website?
One of my most favorite cookbooks is Veganomicon. It was my first Vegan cookbook and it made me fall is love with the process of preparing Vegan food.
A Vegan website that I love to direct people to is girliegirlarmy.com. It’s a website that offers a little bit of everything Vegan: recipes, advocacy, health, fashion…
Thanks Rebecca! I've had a look at the website she suggested and it's awesome. I find it very inspiring that Rebecca was faced with a challenge that could lead her to live a long, unhealthy and unhappy life, but she empowered herself and took the situation into her own hands. Sometimes seeking out alternatives can totally change your life - for the better.
Hope you have a happy and healthy weekend!
Danielle says
Having been a vegetarian for most of my life, I strangely thought the transition to vegan (my husband can't eat dairy, but does eat eggs...) would be really difficult. But as Rebecca says, when I cook my own healthy, fresh, vegan meals, I would argue that they are even better tasting than anything with cheese egg or meat! And there are so many substitutes available these days that it's easy even if you don't love to cook and/or have a hectic lifestyle and need some convenience foods. That being said, being Vegan doesn't necessarily mean healthier...you still have to make healthy choices as with any diet, and it's not necessarily better for the environment than eg vegetarian unless those choices also take into account food miles and seasonality...but nevertheless, I too feel much better when I follow a vegan diet!
KitchenCounterChronicles says
Thanks Danielle...lots of good food for thought. Jen