A modern guide to vegan living

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Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Interview with Bestselling Vegan Author Terry Hope Romero

Terry Hope Romero has been cutting into the mainstream with her unique style of vegan cuisine for years. I will never forget how back in 2010, when I was art directing an issue of the very mainstream and very popular women’s magazine Latina, the editors chose to open the entire Food section with a profile on Terry. The pull-quote they chose from her read, “Latin food has heart, soul and sabor. And vegan food is friendly to your body and the planet, and compassionate towards animals. Philosophically, the two are a great match.” I was floored. Juggling multiple media outlets is nothing new to Terry. In 2003, she co-hosted the lively DIY-style cooking show Post Punk Kitchen with her vegan partner-in-crime Isa Chandra Moskowitz. The 6-episode show led to the now-hugely popular site, and a vibrant cook book co-authoring career between the two women— long-time friends since their punk scene days. Some of their biggest hits include the vegan cooking bible Veganomicon and the baking must-have Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.

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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

New York Fashion Week: Compassion Asserts Itself

Men’s footwear took a step in the right direction during Fashion Week, thanks to the outstanding footwear collection from Brave GentleMan. Worn by the models during VAUTE’s Autumn/Winter ‘13 Presentation, the shoes were immediately eye-catching, tying each look together crisply. There was an impressive range of boots, oxfords and saddle shoes in sophisticated hues, each offering a new take on classic silhouettes. Demonstrating a high degree of craftsmanship, design and versatility, the line of footwear also gave men of style something to feel good about: the collection was entirely vegan, sustainable and made under fair labor conditions. If shoes make the man, these undoubtedly would make you an even better one. “Ecologically, they are far superior to traditional leather in that they were not tanned in a chemical bath, they are naturally water-resistant, and they are not products of the livestock industry which has a staggering effect on water resources, topsoil erosion, GHG emissions, and grain and petrol consumption,” Joshua Katcher, the designer behind the line, explained to us when we visited him in his studio last week.

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Monday, February 11, 2013

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s Common Sense Vegan Advocacy

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is a powerhouse who needs little introduction. She is an animal advocate, chef, writer and speaker. In short, a doer. The author of six books , she regularly lectures around the country, inspiring others to think and act more compassionately. She is the creator of the 30-Day Vegan Challenge, an innovative program that has motivated many people to rethink and change their lifestyles. Her approach to advocacy is pretty straightforward. “My intention really is to take “veganism” out of the box and inspire people to recognize that it’s not some crazy, unfamiliar philosophy of living. It’s just common sense,” she says. We couldn’t agree more. Here, she brings us a one-of-a-kind recipe for a Mexican Chocolate Cake with aphrodisiac qualities— to spoil yourself or the one you love with (…did you know that cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, which raises endorphin levels?) And being the gold mine of information that Colleen is, we also couldn’t resist picking her brain for some food for thought. Read our insightful Q&A with Colleen, immediately following the recipe.

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