Volume 8 Number 2 FALL 2008 - American Vegan Society

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made for Michael was an unusual concoction of bulgur, red cabbage, Red Delicious apples, and red onions. Some of the other dishes he fondly remembers are zucchini fritters with spearmint, vegetarian chili with cornbread, mixed vegetable quiche, openface sandwiches made with shredded vegetables and cauliflower piled high on toasted English muffins and drizzled with a creamy Dijon-dill mayonnaise sauce, split pea soup, Hungarian mushroom soup, spaghetti-squash casserole, stuffed eggplant, and always, always brownies. We also had a favorite restaurant that we frequented regularly because the atmosphere was romantic and they had a fabulous salad bar. Although our courtship was so long ago, one of the main difficulties with remembering what I cooked in the early days is that I rarely made the same thing twice. I loved experimenting in the kitchen and trying out new recipes and techniques. Michael was the primary tester of my recipes from the get-go and during all the development of the recipes for my cookbooks. Anne: When and how did he become vegetarian? Jo: When we decided to get married, which was just three months after we met, I told Michael that I would not allow any meat in “my” kitchen. It was “mine” because, although Michael was involved with everything around the house from car care to cleaning to laundry, he was not yet willing to prepare food. He told me that he could live with not having meat in the house, but he didn’t want me strong-arming him into becoming vegetarian. He told me that if he was ever going to be vegetarian, it would have to be his own decision, on his own terms, for his own reasons, and in 26 American Vegan 8—2, FALL 2008 his own time. I am very grateful that by the time we did get married (which was three months later, a total of six months after we met), he had made the choice on his own, with no coercion from me. Anne: When and why did you both become vegan? Jo: When I met Michael, I had been considering eliminating eggs and dairy products from my diet. Although I’m not sure of the exact reasons why, I am confident there was both a health and ethical motivation. However, since he was so new to vegetarianism, I didn’t want to rock the boat with something that might seem so extreme. So, I waited until we were married two years and he was well settled into the vegetarian way. When I brought up the idea of going vegan, Michael was very receptive to it, especially because the ethical component of being vegetarian was always his primary incentive. He felt that as long as I could continue to make tasty dishes, he was perfectly happy to become vegan, both in diet and lifestyle. Anne: What is a simple or favorite menu you might prepare for dinner these days? Jo: Nearly all of the dishes I currently prepare are simple, because we both have very busy work schedules and minimal time. We often just have a giant salad, what I refer to as Monster Salads, in enormous bowls. I am very much into fresh leafy greens, so our salads typically contain plenty of leaf lettuce, romaine, mesclun, baby spinach, baby arugula, and fresh herbs, as well as chopped or shredded raw veggies such as radish (red or daikon), carrots, and red, orange, or yellow bell peppers. We also might add cooked greens or broccoli, asparagus, green beans, or artichoke hearts, and usually include cooked beans or raw nuts or seeds. We both like red and green onions and garlic, so as long as we both are eating the same dish, it doesn’t put a damper on our being close. I still grow a variety of sprouts, so they find their way into our salads occasionally, and English cucumbers and homegrown tomatoes have a royal place as well. Two of our favorite dressings to top our salads are my Bestof-the-House Dressing and Sea-Sar Dressing, both from my book Vegan Vittles: Second Helpings. We also often eat meals as described in my book The Saucy Vegetarian. Basically, these are layered, one-bowl meals that might start with a whole grain, such as brown rice or polenta, followed by raw and cooked veggies of all kinds. Perhaps beans, tofu, tempeh, or nuts or seeds will be added. Then the whole mixture is topped off with a delectable sauce, such as Spicy Peanut Sauce or Warm Miso-Almond Gravy. Other quick meals we like are wraps with hummus (I’ve got several hummus recipes in my book, Vegan Deli, that are outstanding), olives, and tender raw greens like mesclun, or pasta with beans and greens. One pasta dish we never grow tired of is Noodles and Greens from Vegan Vittles: Second Helpings. Both of us adore kale and collard greens, so one or the other tends to make its way into almost all of our main meals. Anne: What might he pick to make for you? Jo: It took several years to get Michael to spend some time in the kitchen, but once he donned an apron, there was no stopping him! I taught him three basic “recipes,” and he’s since taken them into never-anticipated new territories. First, I taught him how
to make a salad. Give a man tools (a knife and a cutting board) and tell him he can use his hands (to toss the greens) and he’s good to go. What Michael loves most about making salads is that he can be creative, and there’s really nothing “wrong” that he can do. He doesn’t have to worry about precise timing or burning anything, and salads are just plain fun to construct. The next thing I taught him how to make was marinara sauce. Using fresh or canned ingredients, he can go as wild as he pleases with it. Michael really gets into chopping and sautéing onions and then adding tomatoes and whatever else he likes to the sauce. He’s big on hot chiles, hot sauce, black pepper, cayenne, and capers, so I know that whenever he’s making pasta sauce, it’s going to be spicy and have plenty of flavor and zip. The last dish I taught him how to prepare was soup. Again, since there’s no wrong way to make soup, it was easy for him to feel confident about his creations. Granted, he doesn’t always come up with flavor combinations that are common (and sometimes this is with good reason!), but his soups are always original and inspired. I would advise anyone (man or woman) starting off in the kitchen to begin with these three dishes. They can be made without any hard and fast rules to follow, so novice cooks can be creative, have fun, and let go of their fear of cooking. That’s what happened to Michael, and now he loves it whenever I ask him to prepare dinner. Anne: What is the secret to a successful relationship? Jo: Michael and I believe there are several components to a successful relationship, each weighted the same: respect (for yourself and each other), trust, shared values, listening well, willingness to compromise, appreciation, kindness, gratitude, letting go of having to always be right, and picking your battles carefully. We also firmly believe that there are three essential parts to every relationship that must be given equal consideration and care: the two individuals themselves, and the bond they form together. Anne: What do the two of you enjoy doing together on a “date” now? Jo: Our favorite “dates” usually entail a long walk or bike ride, lunch at a restaurant, or watching a movie together at home. It doesn’t take much to please us— we’re happy just sharing each other’s company. Anne: How would you describe your job? His? Jo: I have two jobs, each quite demanding in its own right. I am a senior editor with Book Publishing Company and primarily edit vegan and vegetarian recipe books, books on natural and alternative health, and occasionally books on Native American culture, history, and spirituality. I love being able to mentor new authors as well as work with seasoned ones. My job is the ideal extension of my own skills in recipe development and writing, and it is wonderful to be able to pass on what I’ve learned. My other job is in alternative dispute resolution. I work for a privately held company as an online mediator for international business conflicts. It can be very stressful work, but it is also rewarding to know I am playing some small role in contributing to a more peaceful world. Michael works for a grassroots environmental organization where he coordinates programs involving household hazardous waste, recycling and waste minimization, and environmentally preferable purchasing. Although we have had some rocky times over the years, we both are very proud that we have stuck by our ideals and continued to do what we feel is “right work,” even to this day. Just as we won’t compromise on our diet and lifestyle, we feel equally as strong when it comes to our livelihoods. Anne: What are your hobbies? His? Jo: My work envelops a lot of my personal interests—writing, reading, editing, and conflict resolution. When time permits, I write advice columns for my website, and occasionally poetry and haiku. Of course, I also enjoy preparing food. I do artwork (pen and ink, colored pencil, and needle art) and enjoy doing Sudoku and playing Scrabble. We both like walking and biking and getting outdoors whenever we can. Michael also enjoys car and bike maintenance, home repair, taking care of plants, landscaping, and playing the “bones” (a percussion instrument—the vegan version, of course). He is also an avid reader and music aficionado. Anne: What are the psychological aspects of being vegan that you would like to share with vegan and non-vegan readers? Jo: We’ve been vegan for so many years now that it is no longer what we do, it is simply who we are. We do not respond to someone challenging our veganism any more than we respond to someone challenging our being left-handed or having brown eyes. When veganism infiltrates every part of your being, there is no way to separate it from any other part. To us, being vegan seems like the most natural thing in the world. American Vegan 8—2, FALL 2008 27
Page 1 and 2: Ahimsa Lights The Way Second Series
Page 3 and 4: (Continued from page 1) The Greates
Page 5 and 6: CARROT DRESSING 1 cup carrots—cho
Page 7 and 8: Health is the first wealth. Invest
Page 9 and 10: Since the acorn squash is a long wa
Page 11 and 12: “Best Cookbook of the Year” —
Page 13 and 14: T-SHIRTS Typestyle and text as abov
Page 15 and 16: HEALTH DR. NEAL BARNARD’S PROGRAM
Page 17 and 18: countries and were there for differ
Page 19 and 20: Cherie’s Recipes Here are some re
Page 21 and 22: Employees at Pig Farm Charged Octob
Page 23 and 24: PlanYour 2009 Celebration Now! For
Page 25: Anne: When and how did you become v
Page 29 and 30: ies made with avocado, cucumber, ra
Page 31 and 32: Your Address Label Above your name

Volume 8 Number 2 FALL 2008 - American Vegan Society

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