#Plant Based Food

[mali-umkin]

Four years of veganism later 🌱

[vegan-nom-noms]

Crispy Oven Fried Vegan Potato Tacos (Tacos De Papa)

[brunchbinch]

Vegan Breakfast Burritos from Egg Tuck in West Hollywood (x)

[rebelwheelssoapbox]

The Influences Of Ableism in Veganism: A Disabled Vegan Perspective

by Michele Sommerstein

I don't know about you, but for me between the multiple genocides, the rise in COVID cases, the massive COVID denial, the related rise in mask bans, the elections, police violence, the rising threat of fascism, climate change, and so many other issues – for fuck's sake! it's a lot. And so lately, I've been feeling like while I am doing what I can to be part of the collective effort for justice, (for another world is possible), I can't only make protest art. My heart also needs lighter projects.

[image description: a collage. background is a field with a blue sky and white clouds and a field of rows of flowers of various colors. standing in the field is a silhouette of a pig that takes up most of the art. their shape is filled with a photo of from the universe (space) there is a human eye on them that slightly blends in with the space pattern. lastly behind them but towards the right is a pink cosmo flower with an orange center. as if the pig is smelling the flower. ] And so recently I've returned to making vegan content. But not some call for intersectionality, articles discussing inner-movement issues, kill counter references, and environmental stats, as I had done in the past. Just lighter. And perhaps because it has been a while since I have made vegan content, I found myself unexpectedly reflecting on the intersections of my disability and vegan identity. Before my disability identity-themed YouTube show (Rebelwheels NYC), I had a short-lived vegan cooking show called My Easily Amused Kitchen.

[image description: video thumbnail. a screenshot from the video taken in my apartment. a white wall and a purple couch behind me. text reads MEAK ep 1 creamy pea soup of vast fantasticness! my easily amused kitchen. there is olive oil being poured onto a bowl of peas. and I am pointing with my finger up sitting next to a penguin stuffed animal. I have glasses, a black shirt, and longer hair with bangs] And looking back on that time, I realize that I really wasn't being fully authentic in the videos. Of course, it was done in my motorized wheelchair and there was some of my quirky humor, but I remember I often downplayed any kind of physical fatigue even though that is part of my disability.

You see, between my animal rights activism at the time and the vegan content that I watched on YouTube, I was very much familiar with the protein myth. The false idea that if you go vegan, that you will by default, be physically weak due to not being able to get enough protein on a vegan diet. Often I saw other (physically able-bodied) vegans whether in person or via YouTube videos who were very intentional about presenting veganism as part of an energetic lifestyle in an attempt to counteract said misinformation.

And there are many professional athletes who are vegan. I personally knew a guy (not professional) who was vegan, who lifted weights and ran marathons with ease.

[image description: The background is a colorful collage of blue, yellow, and pink. The main text reads pity is not compassion! The vibe is artsy and punk. There is smaller text on top that reads spare us your pity we want our rights! And then towards the lower left-hand corner, it reads intersectional disability solidarity. Lastly underneath the word compassion is the phrase unlearn ableism.]

And then there was me, a disabled vegan, and not Paralympic disabled, disabled with low spoons (slang term for energy), disabled with health problems, disabled where muscle weakness is literally part of my disability. And now I can type that and say “represent” with a sense of disability pride, but back then it almost felt like it was a hindrance to the cause. And to be clear, no one ever said to me “hide parts of your disability for the movement.” It was just the way it was presented that made me feel like I should. And it wasn't just the impression I got from a lot of people in the vegan community. I could sneeze and an omnivore would say “Is that because you're vegan?” (as if they themselves never sneezed?)

As a result, I was very aware of how my disability was somewhat being linked to the protein myth. As if I wouldn't be disabled if I wasn't vegan. As if people aren't born with disabilities. As if disability and veganism were somehow incompatible.

[image description: white background. black typewriter font. "Ableism is... (a form of) discrimination. The false idea that disabled people are by default, inferior. When in truth disability is just another way for a mind and/or body to be." ] And so part of me felt that to show my truth was feeding into that weakened stereotype, thus hurting the movement and thus hurting the animals, which obviously as a vegan and animal rights activist, you don't want to do.

Looking back, it was also a lot of internalized ableism on my part, for I had yet to be aware that ableism was even a word, let alone working to unlearn it, and certainly had not yet found my groove and voice in my disability identity.

That said, I now see how essential it is to have a variety of vegan representation in all areas but in this case, ability and health.

And so, in the name of creating something lighter, and because it just so happened that I needed a new vegan cheese (long story), I filmed a taste test where I was un-apologetically me. Full throttle neurodivergent, processing delays, immensely honest, not downplaying when I was physically fatigued or in pain nor the fact that while there are many vegan cheeses out there, I could not try a lot of them, due to dietary intolerances and ingredient sensitivities.

[image description: tumblr has cropped the video thumbnail. the full thumbnail is as follows. Background gold glitter. Over that rainbow stripes. Purple blue green yellow orange red and dark red. To the left a photo of myself wearing a silence equals death with a watermelon pink triangle symbol on it holding up a piece of vegan cheese. I have oversized black cat eye eyeglasses and my rainbow flower crown hair band is pushing back my dark hair. Next to me is a collage of various vegan cheeses. And over that is the text in a bold black font "disabled and neurodivergent vegan taste test vegan cheese." Every line has a white rectangle behind it and behind that is a black rectangle shadow. In white text with a black rectangle behind it. "Not sponsored. Very honest."] And as a result of being authentic and sharing my truth, I'm starting to come across other disabled vegans like me, chronically ill vegans, neurodivergent vegans, etc. and it's lovely Many years ago, I wrote an article entitled Is Veganism Ableist? A Disabled Vegan Perspective. And in regard to the ideas of veganism, the answer remains no. However, I do think in the wanting and sometimes desperation to do all we can to save the animals (and to a certain degree, the planet as animal agriculture is one of the larger contributors to climate change), a lot of us took action to dispel the protein myth, and while in ways it was good, some of our actions had consequences that also caused harm. It is a reminder that when we take action to fight misinformation, we must make sure that we are also not punching down in the process (whether intentionally or not.) This is something that goes far beyond veganism. In the end, us vegans from marginalized communities must represent with as much realness as possible, not only so people know that vegans vary, but so other marginalized people who are perhaps 'vegan-curious', will know that they too are welcomed in the movement. After all, the animals need as many allies as they can get. (Author's Note: In the past, I have written articles using my birth name Michele Kaplan. However, in the past year, I have decided to use my mother's maiden name, and thus why this article is by Michele Sommerstein, while past articles are by Michele Kaplan. Same person. I didn't get married. This just felt right to me for personal reasons)

[j-eatsvegan]

Butterbeans and toast and hummus (three of my favourite foods) 🥰🥰

[gentle-isnt-kind]

"Vegan food is gross", "I could never go vegan I'd miss [x product] too much", "plant based food isn't the same"

Shut up shut up shut up, you just don't know how to cook.

I make a cottage pie out of lentils that my mother loves more than the meat version, she made me make it for Christmas Dinner.

When my family don't know what to cook, they beg me to make this chickpea and sweet potato curry that they love.

My coworkers went crazy for some peanut butter brownies I gave them.

Stop blaming veganism when you just aren't seasoning your food well.

[letstalkbeautyuk]

Vegan themed badges. Mr Koolbadges & I are plant based and we love wearing our Veganism themed badges. Pop over & have a look at all our designs >>

[soyboy145]

Today I'm feeling kinda sad, so I made my sad little oatmeal with some sad cocoa powder and my sad cup of water

[vegandude72]

[zuckarr]

Some of my vegan dishes 💚💚💚 enjoyed by all!

[mactiir]

An unfortunate side effect of going thru consistent character development is sometimes ur perk selections clash. Like yeah I'm into hockey now. Hockey is sick af and sports entertainment is designed to be fun and I love having stuff to talk about with the straight white people my life. Yeah I'm vegetarian now. It slaps actually, my tummy doesn't hurt as much and once you focus on the veggies in a dish you can actually bring out incredible flavors like you've never dreamed of and it's the one consumption choice I've ever made that feels like it has an effect on literally anything.

But being a vegetarian AT a hockey game??? Literally an anxiety dream. A Tantalus roleplaying exercise. It's beefdogs all the way down, bros. Pulled pork sandwiches from wall to wall. What do i EAT bro?? Catch me trying to get drafted as a goalie so I can eat pucks cuz galvanized rubber isn't STRICTLY edible but at least it's not an animal product bro

[hashtagveganproblems]

Vegan Breakfast Sandwich

Check out the 🌱Vegans Be Like🌱 Discord server for more!

[hawthorn-bear]

Today on the menu: vegan Bolognese topped with vegan Parmesan. I bought a whole wedge the other day so that I could grate it, in hopes that it would be good. It didn't disappoint <3 The recipe is from here

[j-eatsvegan]

Home from the hospital with a healthy, happy and not yellow baby! Can't believe it, these past five weeks have been so tough but we are on the otherside! I am so proud of my baby for going through liver failure, a transplant and to come out of it so smiley and chatty. He is awesome.

Trying to get back into the swing of healthy eating so lunch today was a wrap with hummus, falafel, spinach, tomato, cucumber, tomato and coriander with more veggies on the side.

[magazinenerd]

Hello dear readers!

This poll was requested by a reader starting their small business catering to vegan and health conscious people.

The products are gluten-free and plant based.

Currently available products are oat muffins, almond milk, iced tea almond milk.

More description in comment box!

Thank you so much for the support!!

All Rights Reserved @magazinenerd