Help: My Daughter Went Vegan!

An interesting coincidence occurred recently.  Two parents I know from my children's school approached me about their children's decision to go vegan/vegetarian.  These parents were supportive, but overwhelmed with what to cook for them since their families were very much carnivores.  One parent expressed concern that her daughter was going to starve because she was only eating side dishes.  The other parent was worried about dining out because there was nothing for her to eat except French fries.  They were eager for guidance and help to support their children on their new diets.  

I felt such compassion for these parents, knowing first-hand how daunting a switch to a plant-based diet can be.  Apply the additional worry of a parent trying to do the best for their child, and it would be even more overwhelming.  

Here are some ideas to help:

1. Make meatless Monday a new tradition in your family's home.  Click here for a previous post with information on The Humane Society's campaign for this cause.  Meatless Monday couldn't be easier. Need some ideas?  How about spaghetti with marina sauce and a green salad; tofu stir fry with rice; bean and corn burritos with rice; or vegetarian chili and cornbread?

2. Add a mixed meal or two to your dinner menus.  Tacos, sushi, soba noodle bowls, and lettuce wraps are all great ways to please a family with a mix of carnivores and herbivores. Click here for some meal ideas and recipes.

3. Try some meat alternatives.  In order to be a healthy vegetarian/vegan, I recommend eating a diet high in vegetables, limiting processed meat alternatives. However, there are some very good products available that I encourage you to try out like you would their animal-based counterparts.  Field Roast, Gardein, and Lightlife offer some great products (available at Whole Foods).  In a previous post, I share some great recipes using some of these products.  And remember, you don't have to have "meat" to get protein.  Click here for a great infographic from Kris Carr on plant based proteins.

4. Switch out milk and cheese for a non-dairy version.  There are several varieties of non-dairy milk, (rice, almond, coconut, hemp), all available at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods.  Taste a variety until you find one that your family likes and replace your dairy milk.  Daiya and Go Veggie! have some great cheese alternatives you can try switching out for dairy cheese.

5. Do a little prep before you eat out.  The next time your family eats out, check out their menu online and discuss some meal options.  Call ahead to the restaurant to see how they can accommodate a vegetarian/vegan diner.  With your child, create a list of veg friendly restaurants for the family. Here are some of my favorite: Fresh Brothers, Chipotle, California Pizza Kitchen, Lemonade, and Ruby's.

6. Create a recipe file.  Check out VegNews, Vegetarian Times and other veg food blogs for recipe ideas.  Once you have a stack of go-to's, you'll have more confidence to whip up a meal that pleases the whole family.  Check out my Pinterest boards for tons of recipes.

7. Build a community.  One of the hardest parts of changing to a plant-based lifestyle can be the isolation and loneliness.  Make sure your child has resources to help her answer questions and reply to people who may be curious about her diet.  PetaKids is a fabulous website for parents and children.

8. Try a vegetarian/vegan restaurant the next time your family eats out.  Demonstrate your support for your child by introducing them to a vegetarian restaurant.  Oh what a liberating feeling it is to go to a restaurant and not have to worry about finding something on the menu to eat!  Some of my local LA favorites are Sage Bistro, Cafe Gratitude, Rice, and Veggie Grill.

Keep in mind that it's a process.  Work together with your child to make sure she is educated about her food choices so that she is getting what she needs nutritionally.  It will be a learning a curve for the whole family, but the effort will be worth it for the change she is making for her body, the animals, and our planet.

Please let me know if this post was helpful and if I can answer any other questions.  

Sugar Free Valentines

My kids and I love to make Valentines together for their classmates.  This year, the schools are coming down harder than ever on their "no candy" policy.  I poured through Pinterest and rounded up these great sugar free alternatives:

Friendship bracelets - With the rainbow loom craze going around right now, I think these would be a hit with the kids!

Bookmarks - This is my go-to classroom "favor" for birthdays because it encourages kids to read. These owl designs are super cute.  My daughter and I hole punched the top and tied some colorful ribbon through for a little extra touch.

Rulers - These are so clever and are also useful for the classroom.

Jokes - My kids love to tell jokes, so I thought these would be popular with their friends.  You can print these free download and have your kids color and decorate them, or just cut and paste to colorful cardstock.  Simple and cute!

Have a handmade valentine to share?  I'd love to see it.  Please comment below or send me a pic at veegmama@gmail.com.  Happy valentines making!!

Meet Christie Havey Smith, Author of From Feet Off The Ground

Christie Havey Smith is a fellow writer and friend of mine.  We both are on similar journeys in our lives, raising young children and sharing our voices through our writing. She recently published her new book, From Three Feet Off The Ground.  Her story is so inspiring and important, that I wanted to share it with all of you.  Get to know Christie and her latest project in today's interview!

VM: Tell us about your new book, From Three Free Off the Ground.

CHS: From Three Feet Off the Ground is the story of how I spent a year of my life letting my toddlers teach me about being whole and at peace. I was a multitasking mom, spit up in my hair, my children giggling at my feet, and suddenly I realized that I’d rather explore the possibility of being instead of trying to be everything. I wanted to remember what it felt like to really be amazed, to be present, how to let go and love with out limits… like my kids. So I became the student mother; I followed my children in a humbling yearlong lesson on how to see the world and made life-changing discoveries with a view from three feet off the ground.

VM: Can you briefly summarize what made you take a year to study your children's view of the world?  Was this a deliberate journey or did it happen organically?

CHS: When my oldest child, Adeline, wasn’t quite one-year-old, I realized that she (and all children) appeared to be more fully connected to life than any experienced and informed elder I’d ever met. She was able to take in beautiful details, knowing how she felt from one minute to the next, reaching out to anyone she met with compassion and love, no judgments yet in place. At the time I was counseling people going through difficult life transitions like death, divorce or a crisis of dreams, and these adults were struggling (as we all do at times) to understand where they belonged, how they felt, what they needed in order to move forward. It was then that I began to wonder if life wasn’t just a journey toward knowing or wisdom, but a journey toward remembering. What if we all come into the world with everything we need to feel at peace? The challenge then is holding onto that connection through the windstorms of life. By the time I’d had my second child, I found myself in a bit of a windstorm myself. I was a busy mama with a traveling husband, trying to balance a dozen things, including my sense of self worth. At the end of every day I’d stop and think, I don’t just want to get through the days, I want to enjoy them! After one horribly stressful day that resulted in me emptied out in tears, I got to my feet and made a commitment to myself: I would spend a year letting my children help me remember just who I am—the peace I too once had, the ability to let go and follow my heart! And so the student-mother project began. I journaled for a year and by the time I’d finished, I could see how I’d grown through the pages. That’s when I decided to share my story and I began the book!

VM: What is most important lesson you learned during this year?

CHS: Happiness is not something we have to work for; it doesn’t come with goals achieved, rather it is experienced by living through our own innate joy. It comes from our understanding of the world—simple, beautiful perceptions. And though life can be hard and at times even ugly, there is always something beautiful to see, something amazing to find that is truly good.

VM: What advice do you have for those who would like to do something similar and want to observe their children from their perspective?  How can we best bring ourselves to their level to really listen and be present in the way that they are?

CHS: Play. Just play. Even when you have ten chores to do, play while you do them. When we play with our kids, we begin to see things differently—we see through their innocence, their joy, their wonder, their hopes. And these moments are unarguably some of the best moments in a day for all those involved.

VM: How do you stay connected with your kids on busy days, as you balance responsibilities and commitments?

CHS: This can be such a challenge. Some days I feel like I never stop moving. But I invite them into my commitments whenever I can (especially commitments at home) and I consciously make myself available to listen. I look them in they eye when I talk to them, and often I see something there I didn’t see the day before. A hesitation, a curiosity. I try to stay aware of how everyone is feeling, and at the end of every day I reflect on where each child is in their life, their growth, and think of how I can better support them the next day.

VM: What is your favorite activity to do with your kids?

CHS: Each of my kids is so very different and I find that I enjoy different one-on-one activities with each kiddo. But my favorite thing to do with all three of them is go to the beach—dig in the sand, jump in the waves! I am able to completely let go and be present to their joy, finding that it further fuels my own.

VM: I am on a quest to live the "good" life in every meaning of the word.  What does the "good" life mean to you?

CHS: This is such a great question! When I see the pictures of my family above our fireplace every day, I have a sense that I am living the good life. The good life to me is celebrating life with people I love. Whether it’s just a walk through the park, sharing an amazing meal, traveling, or dancing in the kitchen, it’s about really showing up, taking in the beauty of it all, and feeling gratitude for each opportunity to connect with another. The good life is about enjoying the details, not just racing through. And if those details involve good friends, the beautiful outdoors, great music or amazing food… well, then I’m in heaven!

VM: Can you share a favorite quote?

CHS: “Like water, be gentle and strong. Be gentle enough to follow the natural paths of the earth, and strong enough to rise up and reshape the world.”  - Author Brenda Peterson

Thank you, Christie!  To learn more about Christie, read below and to learn more about her book, click here.

Christie Havey Smith is a Los Angeles-based author who specializes in narrative non-fiction literature. She teaches writing workshops throughout the L.A. area, empowering both adults and children to find their true voices and write themselves further into their own lives. Since Christie was a child she has been fascinated with books and films that inspire change and celebrate life. Christie studied television and film writing at Ohio University, and her first manuscripts were screenplays. But her interest in character struggle did not stay tied to the screen. Christie brought her passion for the human condition back to academia where she studied spirituality and earned a Masters of Arts in Theology from Loyola Marymount University. Christie and her husband live in a community on the outskirts of L.A. with their three children. Christie is a writer, a teacher and a storyteller with a passion for the health and happiness of the human spirit. But above all, she is a mom. It is within this role that she has truly found herself.

Free Birds!

I finally had the chance to see Free Birds last week with my kiddos.  As you can imagine, it was the perfect movie to watch during Thanksgiving week.  Owen Wilson plays "Reggie" and Woody Harrelson plays "Jake" (the fact that Woody is a huge animal rights activist and long -time vegan was not lost on me.)  Jake pulls Reggie into a time-travelling mission that takes them back to the first Thanksgiving, where if successful, they will clear turkeys from the holiday menu forever.  No spoiler alert here.  You'll have to go and see the movie in theaters if you want to know if they succeed.

The movie was fun and entertaining, and a hit with my kids.  The writing was witty, appealing to both kids and adults.  The all-star cast, also featuring Amy Poehler, (one of my favorites), brought the characters to life in dynamic color.  I really enjoyed it and recommend it for families this holiday season.

As I sat throughout the movie, watching Jake and Reggie's plight to free the "flock," I couldn't help but think about how unfortunate that real turkeys don't have a Jake and Reggie fighting for their freedom.  It made me realize more than ever that we, (animal lovers/activists/saviors), have to be their heroes.  We have to stand up for injustice - senseless cruelty to animals and their needless suffering at humans' expense. Four years into being a vegan, I still do not understand people's desire to eat animals when delicious, healthier food is available meat and dairy free.  I have a hard time understanding how people, knowing the damage and negative effects that animal products have on our bodies and our planet, still continue to purchase and eat them.  There is no kind way to raise animals for food - cage-free and free range included.  

If a healthier, kinder option is available, why not give it a try?  When sustaining oneself without animal products is not only readily available, but also feasible and healthier for all, why not choose animal free?

I am hoping Jake and Reggie inspire a few to make that choice this holiday season.  Free Birds is a movie that celebrates the spirit of freedom.  It is a movie about survival against all odds.  It is about not giving up, no matter how overwhelming the task (I mean, these birds had to travel in time!).  Enjoy the movie and let me know if it influences you to go animal-free in any way.

A Turkey You Can Eat This Thanksgiving

Originally published in FamilyFun magazine (11/2013).  Photograph by Raymond Hom.

I love, love, love this idea for making turkey the star at your table this Thanksgiving!  Not only is it animal free, but it's full of veggies and fun!  Family Fun magazine is the creative mind behind this genius veggie platter.  I am definitely making this as an appetizer for my mom's Thanksgiving table this year.

To make it, line a plate with lettuce leaves.  Layer on broccoli, bell peppers, and baby carrots.  Include a bowl of your favorite dip (hummus for me!), plus mushrooms around the bottom.  Add a mushroom cap with peppercorn eyes and bell pepper wings, feet, and facial features.

How To Celebrate Thanksgivukkah

Photo via http://thanksgivukkahboston.com

There is something special happening this Thanksgiving that won't happen again for another 70,000+ years.  The first day of Hannukah falls on Thanksgiving, creating what many are calling "Thanksgivukkah."  Since we are celebrating Thanksgiving at my mom's house this year, who is not Jewish (I am a convert), I have been thinking about how I will incorporate some Hannukah traditions into the day for my kids, while still honoring the Thanksgiving holiday that is so special to my mom.  

The simplest way to do this is through food.  My family associates specific foods with Thanskgiving (grandma's sweet potatoes, stuffing, mashed potatoes) and Hannukah (potato latkes, gelt, jelly doughnuts).  My kids asked me last week if they could have latkes on Thanksgiving (they are not fans of mashed potatoes), and I thought "Why not?"  After thinking about what I will contribute to our Thankgiving table, I realize it is going to be a mash up of flavors from both holidays.  Sweet potato latkes and Grandma's sweet potatoes will fill the spread.  How about pumpkin pie and my daughter's and my new creation of "jelly" cupcakes (our take on sufganiyot)?  At Thanksgiving, when we are all stuffing ourselves to the brim, why not add a few more dishes to the mix?  This article from The New York Daily News shares some fantastic inspiration for your menu if you are celebrating both holidays this year.

Beyond food, there is a great opportunity with the junction of these two holidays to talk about freedom. The Pilgrims were seeking religious freedom, and the Maccabees were also fighting for theirs.  Just as I always ensure gratitude never gets lost in between the stuffing and mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving, I will add in some new activities this year to incorporate the theme of freedom, and encourage my family to express their gratitude for it.  Here are a few that I have in mind:

• Light it up: When we light the second Hanukkah candle on Thanksgiving evening, I will ask everyone to share what they are thankful for (a new twist on an annual tradition I do during Thanksgiving).

• Freedom placemats: I will give everyone a blank paper placemat to express what freedom means to them.  Then, everyone can hold up their placemats and share as we go around the table.

• Read and discuss: I have a great book called Maccabee!: The Story of Hannukah.  This year, when I read it, I will ask my kids what the Pilgrims and Maccabees have in common and use it as a starting point for discussion about the fusion of Thanksgiving and Hannukah this year.

Jewish or not, consider reflecting on the themes of gratitude and freedom this Thanksgiving and how you might express it at your holiday table.  Happy Thanksgivukkah!  

Meet Kitchen Kid Founder and Culinary Coach, Samantha Barnes!

I was first introduced to Kitchen Kid two summers ago, when my budding chef and daughter attended a cooking camp with them.  She loved it so much that we signed her up again last year.  I am excited to have founder, Samantha Barnes, featured on the blog today to talk about her newest culinary adventure,  Raddish.  

VM: Tell us about Raddish.  What is it and who is it for?

SB: Raddish is a monthly subscription box that makes cooking with kids easy, enriching, and fun!  Raddish delivers illustrated recipe guides, culinary adventures, and family fun right to your door.  The box is perfect for families who are looking to connect in a meaningful way - in the kitchen preparing meals, and at the table enjoying them.

VM: How did you come up with the idea for Raddish? 

SB: I founded Kitchen Kid, LA's premier mobile cooking school for kids, seven years ago, and since then my mission has been to bring families together around food, through birthday parties, summer camp, and enrichment classes.  We've wanted to spread our mission to families outside of Los Angeles, and Raddish takes our proven techniques, engaging lessons, and delightful recipes, and packages them up for families across the nation. 

VM: Will there be vegan and vegetarian options in the service?  Are the recipes adaptable, if not, for those who want to subscribe and don't eat meat?

SB: We do plan to create uniquely themed boxes for vegans, vegetarians, and those with other dietary restrictions.  Until then, our recipes are definitely adaptable, and there will always be multiple vegetarian recipes in each box.  In fact, the first box, "The Family Table" does not use any meat.  

VM: For those interested in getting their kids more involved in the kitchen, what 3 things do you suggest parents do to get started?

SB: 

a.) Start tonight.  The kids don't have to make a full complicated meal with you; just get them involved doing something.  Give kids small tasks like washing veggies, measuring dry ingredients, or tearing lettuce.  

b.)  Go to the grocery store together and enlist your kids' help finding the ingredients. 

c) Cook something special for someone else. Food is a beautiful gift, and kids feel the love and generosity that comes out of gifting something homemade. 

VM: Can you share a favorite recipe?

Enjoy this tasty vegetarian recipe for Ratatouille, that we developed for the Master Chef Junior Collection!

Ratatouille

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large eggplant, diced into ½ inch cubes
3-4 small zucchini, diced into ½ inch rounds
1 red pepper, sliced
2-3 diced tomatoes, with juices
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup chopped basil leaves
Grated cheese, optional

Steps:

1.    In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil until just shimmering and add the onion and garlic.  Cook until the onion is soft and translucent.

2.    Add the eggplant and cook about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the zucchini and red pepper, and continue to cook and stir another 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

3.    Stir in the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, oregano, and thyme. Continue to cook the mixture until it thickens and all vegetables are tender, about 6 more minutes. 

4.    Add salt, pepper, and basil leaves to taste.  

5.    Serve hot or at room temperature with grated cheese. 

VM: What are your top 3 tools you recommend keeping in the kitchen when cooking with kids?

SB: 

a) Kids love zesting lemons.  With careful parent supervision, a microplane is really fun.  

b) A scale and a map.  At Raddish, we think the kitchen is the tastiest place to learn, and love making real life connections as we cook.  A kitchen scale and world map really help make this happen! 

c) Craft scissors.  Kids as young as 3 can cut everything from basil to bacon with kids' craft scissors! 

VM: What 3 ingredients are your favorites to cook with?

SB: Right now I'm into butternut squash, ricotta, French lentils, and polenta. 

VM: I am on a quest to live the "good" life in all aspects of the word.  What does the "good" life represent/mean to you?
SB: I achieve the "good life" when I find the balance necessary to be a successful working mom.  It's hard to juggle owning and operating Kitchen Kid, starting Raddish, and spending quality time with my kids.  In my family, the "good life" is enjoying breakfast or dinner together as a family at our table. 

VM: Do you have a favorite quote you can share?
SB: "One cannot think well, love well, or sleep well if one has not dined well." (Virginia Woolf) 

Thank you, Samantha!  You can read more about Samantha below and order a subscription to Raddish here.

Samantha Barnes is committed to changing the way kids and families eat. As a middle school teacher, Samantha realized many of her students were young foodies, yet they lacked kitchen experience and made unhealthy lunch choices. Samantha launched Kitchen Kid, LLC in 2006 with the hope of empowering young people to jump into the kitchen and get cooking! 

Since then, Samantha has grown Kitchen Kid to be the premier mobile culinary school for kids and families in the Los Angeles area. Offerings include in-home lessons and birthday parties, after-school enrichment classes in 30 schools, and deliciously fun summer camps. 

Her new product, Raddish, is a monthly subscription box that connects families in the kitchen and at the table.  Through illustrated recipe guides, culinary activities, and family fun, it makes it easy and enriching for parents and kids to cook together! 

Samantha and Kitchen Kid have been featured in Daily Candy, the Los Angeles Times, Sunset Magazine, and on NPR. Recently she served as a consultant on the new Fox hit show, MasterChef Junior, and her summer camps received the 2013 Red Tricycle Totally Awesome Award for Best Camp in Los Angeles.

Samantha was destined for a career in food and teaching: her first word was “olive,” and she has taught kids in the classroom, on stage, and on the ski slopes. She has vivid memories of making meatloaf and gingersnap cookies alongside her mom.

Samantha knows all about multi-tasking: she juggles running a business while being the mom of a 3 ½ year old daughter and a 1 1/2 year old son. She believes the kitchen and the table are some of the best places to connect with her kids in a meaningful way. She cooks with her daughter regularly, and her family eats dinner together nightly. She loves entertaining friends – when the kids run around the yard barefoot, and everyone enjoys good food, good company, and lots of laughter.

Samantha is passionate about teaching kids to cook, and encouraging families to eat together.