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Summer Grief

Filed Under: Emotional Literacies, Everyday Feminism, Recipes and Why Vegan? By Leave a Comment

My summer memories include June bugsfirefliescicadasbutterfliesbats—all in abundance. I remember visiting the beachfinding sand dollars, picking them up, taking them home.By my teen years, I learned they were alive!I urged others to please — please — help them back into the water. Now, it’s been years since these memories and since I’ve seen one.Where have all the sand dollars gone?On the endangered species list. The summer I turned 18, the radio played ... Read more ...

Oat and Bean Burgers: Quick 5-Ingredient Veggie Burgers

Filed Under: Everyday Feminism, Recipes and Why Vegan? By Leave a Comment

When I started blogging in 2016—wow, that’s a decade ago!—I knew I wanted to share recipes and talk about food, because it’s so central to everyday life. Literally, food is the fuel of everyday living and striving toward justice. Over the years, I’ve pulled back on recipes and “why vegan?” posts not because they’re less important but because life is pulling me in many directions. Over time, I’ve shifted toward more whole food plant based (WFPB) eating, still working on ... Read more ...

Slowing Down to Clarify Commitments

Filed Under: Contemplative Practices, Emotional Literacies, Everyday Feminism, Racial Justice, Recipes and Why Vegan? By Leave a Comment

Earlier this summer, I had covid and slowed to a snail’s pace. Everyday care (like bathing and brushing) took incredible effort. Because I had such little energy, I had to make tough decisions about where to put that energy. In many ways, being sick provided time for review. That review clarified my commitments, helping me consider if where I’m directing energy is truly where I want to be putting it. For the most part, I could answer: yes. I am clear about my deepest ... Read more ...

New Year Reflections: Hanging by a Thread Is Better Than No Thread at All

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In these weeks leading up to the new year—during the holidays and covid surge—I’ve found myself saying, “I’m hanging by a thread.” And friends have reminded me that one thread is better than no threads at all. It’s true. I’ve witnessed spiders suspended in air by a single thread. I’ve seen them descend to the ground gracefully with that same thread and use it as a first step to rebuilding webs. (Spiders teach me a lot!) As we welcome the new year, I’m reminding myself ... Read more ...

Spirulina Shake: Love for This Bright Green Smoothie

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As I’ve shared in the last blog post, the past few months have involved a lot of shifts in my diet: keeping vegan + gluten-free eating as the anchor, but eliminating refined sugars and, at least for the time being, eating only cooked and pureed foods. This shift has me making smoothies every day, and one I’ve particularly enjoyed is this spirulina shake. It’s sweet, so it satisfies cravings.It’s simple, so I don’t have to follow instructions.It’s satisfying, so I feel ... Read more ...

Vegan and Gluten-free Tempeh Sticks

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This spring I’ve been enjoying vegan and gluten-free tempeh sticks regularly, almost daily. Throughout the pandemic, so many things—my health included—have shifted, as I know it has for many people. During the pandemic, I’ve been largely in quarantine mode, so it’s been more than a year since I’ve had acupuncture or gone swimming or had allergy shots (all of which were key to supporting my body). Through the fall and winter, I also managed my emotions through an old ... Read more ...

Reflection, Retreat, and Recommitment: Learning from the Winter Woods

Filed Under: Contemplative Practices, Emotional Literacies, Everyday Feminism, Recipes and Why Vegan? By 2 Comments

In a year that’s cracked me open (like this cracked tree trunk), the week of the winter solstice feels full of possibility: renewing of light, changing of seasons, warming of spirits. I’ve found that sense of possibility most profound in the winter woods, where the natural world has so much to teach—and I have so much to learn—again and again and again. Too often, I focus on disliking winter and the cold, dark, and snow that go along with it. But this year, in the midst ... Read more ...

Interrupting Thanksgiving: Three Responses to Disrupt What’s Normalized on This National Holiday

Filed Under: Emotional Literacies, Everyday Feminism, Racial Justice, Recipes and Why Vegan? By Leave a Comment

Each month, I write a Q&A newsletter for Patreon subscribers based on questions I receive, and this month, it felt important to share these responses as a blog post. Update as of 2024: Since writing this post, I've moved subscriptions from Patreon to Momence. I hope you'll join me there. Learn more via the subscribe page linked here. It felt important because I received three questions all related to the upcoming holiday: How do you interrupt the Thanksgiving ... Read more ...

Flourless Mushroom Gravy (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

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Dedication: This recipe is for you, Mom. For years, my mom has been asking me to share this mushroom gravy recipe: a version of gravy goodness that I came to after trying to simplify and veganize various recipes. It’s been tricky to write up this recipe because I rarely measure ingredients. And this flourless gravy is very forgiving, which rewards me for not taking notes. Whether I add more or less seasoning, more or less broth, more or less additions (like gluten-free ... Read more ...

Mac and Cheese with a Kick: 4-Ingredient Vegan and Gluten-Free Twist on This Favorite Comfort Food

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Mac and cheese is one of my favorite comfort foods, so when I became vegan in 2013, I began adapting familiar recipes. Some ways of making this favorite food are more complicated, but this 4-ingredient recipe is simple, straightforward, and smile-producing. In the pandemic, I’m cooking at home daily, even as my energy fluctuates day-to-day. This means that I sometimes want to stretch myself, try new recipes, and spend hours in the kitchen. On these days, cooking feels ... Read more ...