Archive for the ‘Vegan/Critters’ Category

Look, I get it: You and your beautiful brood got all hopped-up after going to see the unspeakably adorable movie Hop, (OMG, the scene when E.B. is pretending to be a marching stuffy and clapping his paws? Cuteness explosion…), and now little Johnny or Josie is begging you for a real, live bunny or chick for Easter.

Um, you could do that. But we all know that when the novelty wore off…10, 9, 8, buh-bye novelty…little Johnny or Josie would be nowhere to be found and you’d be the one playing game warden.

I have a better idea. Sponsor a critter from Farm Sanctuary instead.

Like gorgeous Jade, pictured here in all her feathery, ruffly glory. She was rescued from a cockfighting operation. Or maybe Mr. Peepers? He’s a charming goose who had it verrrry rough until Farm Sanctuary stepped in. And then there’s Preston, a duck who was found wandering the streets of New York City after likely having been bought and abandoned during another Easter season.

Oh, there are lots of stories. But they can have a double happy ending if you, in turn, help Farm Sanctuary continue to do its excellent work by sponsoring a needy crowing, chirping or quacking creature.

Or simply become a member, like me. Either way, it’s an easier gig than green-lighting a living, breathing version of E.B.

Though I’m a happy little clam to be hopping on a plane in the morning, I’m sad that I’ll be missing an event that promises to be both yummy and heartwarming: An intimate vegan press lunch at Pure Yoga to celebrate the straight out of the gate success of animal-lover Kathy Freston’s incredible new book.

Faithful Momoverettes know I have a massive girl-crush on Kathy, and her new effort is only making me love her more. I really believe that her truly do-able “lean into change” stance – which gently coaxes rather than clobbers one over the head – will inspire literally millions of people to embrace a bit of veganism here and there.

Would Kathy love all of us to stop eating meat and dairy lock, stock and barrel? Yes. And would she also like to see us bag leather and fur? Totes. But she also gets completely psyched when we take baby steps, and just cut back.

As I sit here blogging in my navy Fuggs, I’m making a pledge in honor of Kathy: I am hereby committing to at least one vegan meal per day, and I will also – drumroll – cook a vegan dish from scratch twice a week. If you’re rolling your eyes about now, know that cooking is so not my wheelhouse I can’t even tell you.

Which is why I’m going to set the DVR tonight for yet another critter-friendly media happening I’m missing tomorrow: Martha Stewart’s first-ever vegan show. My buddies at Farm Sanctuary gave me a heads-up about it, which I’m in turn sharing with you:

Wednesday 3/30, Hallmark Channel, 10 AM ET/9 AM C

Martha, whom my readers know I’m also mighty enamored of, will spend the entire hour on the topic of veganism, including whipping up seitan bourguignon and chit-chatting with Farm Sanctuary president and co-founder Gene Baur.

Okay, signing off to pack for the beach. Viva la veganistas!

Though we need to give props to the jacked-up thyroid meds I’m on, I can unequivocally state that the P90X is already working. I’m on Week 4 -  which is supposed to be about “recovery” but is still hard as shite – and that means that I have two more looooong months to go. Still, both my scale and my mirror are revealing tangible results.

(And small, weird injuries, too, like tiny tummy bruises and a wack rug burn on my right knee that I just discovered this morning. Ouch.)

Imagine what would be going down, inch-loss wise, if I actually followed the P90X diet recommendations, too? Mom-babe Central, I’m guessing. But alas, I’m such a die-hard mono-tasker that I’m choosing to focus on the fitness piece of it for now.

According to one of my all-time fave bloggers and book authors, Leo Babauta of Zen Habits and The Power of Less fame, my decision to hone-in on just one super-challenging life change at a time is the textbook definition of genius. (At least per the imaginary conversation I had with him in my head last night…)

In the past five years, Leo has totally re-jiggered his own bod, by quitting smoking, taking up running and pretty much morphing into an all-around fitness nut. (He also became a vegan, which makes me worship him even more than I already do.)

But as Leo has oft stated, he tackled one big health shift at a time. Not the whole kit and caboodle, which is a recipe for A) misery and B) almost certain failure.

Right now, when I still have my P90X training wheels on and have so much to learn, I’m Team Tony. But mentally, and spiritually, I’m Team Leo too. It takes a village to make a hot mama.

I totes love all my whipsmart Mama Gurus, but sometimes they scare the bejesus out of me. Because they’re experts in their fields – and have often found great ways to just flat-out live better, with more wellness and less stress – they’re sometimes big proponents of zapping giant, ubiquitous, entire categories of stuff from our lives.

Like parabens, say, or dairy.

Well, my latest MG – the lovely and talented mega, mega makeup artist Mally Roncal – has recently parted ways with gluten, and she says she’s never felt better.

Between running her beauty empire, doing positively tons of TV and heaping buckets of love on her three wee lasses, Mally  needed more energy. So she teamed up with a great nutritionist, and, in the process, kicked gluten to the curb.

In all honesty, I don’t really know what gluten even is. I just know that I keep hearing about it c-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-l-y. When I was at Cookie magazine, my gorge assistant Katie was very much on the gluten-free bandwagon, and was forever yapping about Babycakes, the beloved vegan bakery that has a zero-gluten policy.

Of course I would gobble the treats Katie lugged into the office, but I was more into Babycakes’ cruelty-free vegan stance than the whole “no gluten” she-bang.

But I think that’s because I really didn’t know better. Increasingly, I read not-great things about gluten, so I’m slipping on my detective cap. I want to know more about whether – and how – I should at least lower my intake.

Then I’m gonna compare notes with my hot-mama pal Mally Roncal.

Fantastic news: The Wee Lass is embracing Mom’s love of clutter-busting and “out with the old.” Of course there’s an ulterior motive, but that’s okay. “I need to make room for all the new stuff Santa is bringing me,” she said last night, upending her shelves and cubbies in search of “baby toys” to bequeath to our two-year-old neighbor.

As she tossed barked-up boardbooks and chewed-on princess dolls into a shopping bag, I couldn’t have been happier. Why? Because she’s not even 5 and she already has way too many belongings. We all do.

(Well, maybe not Thunder and Lightning, because they’re fat and lazy and not much for jangly cat toys…)

This year, one of my spoiled tot’s gifts is guaranteed to be 100 percent clutter-free: a cuddly critter from Farm Sanctuary. Through the organization’s holiday adoption program, I’m either going to select one of the featured cuties (Elliott the calf, Cliff the sheep, Camilla the chicken or Rachael the duck) or just sponsor another needy animal.

But first, I’ll run some numbers. Adoption ranges from $10 a month for a rabbit or chicken, up to $50 per month for a hunk like Elliott. But no matter which creature I pick, the Wee Lass will receive a bio and photo, which she can tack to her bedroom wall. And we can also visit Farm Sanctuary’s upstate New York headquarters for a “VIP” meet and greet.

My daughter will love this. And I’ll love the fact that we’re helping an animal several zip-codes removed.

Okay, so I like went to Target? On my birthday? With a $200 gift card from Hubby? And I gotta lotta great things? That I wanna share?  With my Momoverettes?

Cue the gum-snapping, hair-twirling and eye-rolling right about here…

Alrighty now, let’s get to what I bought:

1. An A-M-A-Z-I-N-G puffer coat by Converse One that cost a mere $49.99. I’d been on the hunt for a puffer, and considered several far pricier styles. But when I saw this baby it was love at first sight, mostly because of the massive shawly, hoodie bit, which lends an air of chic. Reminds me of those iconic Norma Kamali “Sleeping Bag” coats that clock in at 600 smackers.

2. Super-cute (and cruelty-free!) faux leather lace-up boots by Dolce Vita for Target. I spied these in the November issue of InStyle and immediately coveted them. There’s a gold zipper on the side, which makes them easy on and off and girly too.

3. and 4. Two warm and cozy faux fur accessories by Mossimo Supply Company: A neckwrap that I’ve already gotten about 90 compliments on, and a coordinating trapper hat that is, in all honesty, a bit snug for my fat head. But I’m gonna jam it on anyway, because one must suffer for beauty, no?

5. Another one of those Sonia Kashuk brown nylon bags that I’ve previously blogged about. I realize I’m veering into collector-slash-hoarder territory, but I just had to have the match-matchy Ultimate Weekender Bag. I promise to stop now. Pinkie swear…

6. This lovely “convertible” drawstring cardie, which looks like it cost a hell of a lot more than it actually did. Mine’s in heather gray.

7. Though I rarely wear heels these days, I’m sure I’ll be busting out the spikes for holiday soirées. When I do, I’ll be grateful I have these Dr. Scholl’s for Her Fast Flats tucked in my evening clutch.

Grand total: $198.90. Can’t beat that, right? So much mama-cuteness, for so little dough.

One of the goals I have for this website – which is a carry-over from the book – is that I try crazy-hard not to write about anything I haven’t already bought, used, experienced, etc. That’s super-important to me now, because I’m really sifting through, weeding out and being choosy. Now that I’m a “civilian,” and not on staff at a magazine, what would I spend my own money on? What makes sense for my new mama-life?

As a magazine staffer, you just can’t do that, because you’re cranking out so many pages every issue that it’s impossible. Let’s say you’re writing a round-up of twenty new high-tech miracle creams launching for the fall season. Are you really gonna be able to try each and every one of them in time to get the issue to the printer, and without your skin peeling off? Once in a while maybe, but not all the time.

Ditto for stories on fragrances, foundation, whatever – there’s just too much out there, comin’ at editors fast and furious. Believe me, I know; I spent decades tripping over bags filled with beauty products lining the floor of my office.

So that’s why I’m thrilled to report that those navy faux-everything Fuggs I said I was going to buy are great. Amazon didn’t have my exact size, so I bought the navy ones a size larger and a black pair that fits perfectly. I’ve been wearing the black ones sans socks, the way I figure L.A. mamas do. And I’ll bust out the blue ones when it gets colder and I can wear them with inch-thick tights.

Don’t you just love when you order something online and it arrives and you’re really happy with it? That’s how I feel about my fake-sheepskin Fuggs. In fact, I just might nab the tan and gray numbers…

The fact that I call myself an “aspiring vegan” might give the real ones intense fits. And I totally don’t blame them for maybe wanting to box my ears a little. They’re working really hard at this thing, and I’m just surfing along, dipping in and out as I see fit.

But I’ll tell you what makes it about one thousand percent easier: Delicious, ready-made vegan snacks and treats. The Wee Lass and I recently discovered a food truck called The Cinnamon Snail that parks over by her school and purveys the most heavenly “violence-free” donuts and cupcakes that you could ever, ever imagine. Insane. So, so, so yummy…

And now my mom-friend Nancy – the source of so many great tips my head starts to explode a bit when I’m with her – tells me about Vega Whole Food Energy Bars. They were created by on-the-cusp-of-incredibly-famous fitness guru Brendan Brazier, who wins Ironman titles while eating an entirely plant-based diet. Oh, and he’s also written several “Thrive” books which outline his master plan for taking over the world, one animal byproduct-free meal at a time. (I’ll try not to feel like a slacker in comparison if you do too.)

What’s great about Brendan’s bars is that they make it so easy to just get what you need (tons of fiber, protein and crucial Essential Fatty Acids like Omega 3 and 6), minus any garbage and dairy. And of course no meat, but who’d put meat in an energy bar anyway? Unless Beef Jerky somehow got re-classified when I wasn’t looking…

On my next visit to Whole Foods, I intend to procure several Vega bars, including chocolate and berry. Between Brendan and the Cinnamon Snail, the vegan snicky-snack situation is looking up.

Because of my love for animals, I avoid leather. Which means I also avoid suede. Which means I also, while I’m at it, avoid sheepskin. Which means I’m also, by the way, basically screwed when the winter comes. Steering clear of sheepskin when you live in the Northeast and have to battle the elements to get your tot-let back and forth to school is tricky. Very, very tricky.

But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Even — gasp — stylishly.

As my unofficial vegan fashion mentor, I’ve of course asked Mama Guru Kathy Freston for her tips about this. Because she splits her time between New York and LA, Kathy needs similarly warm, cozy boots. And because Uggs are still, miraculously, the go-to schlepping-around-town footwear “out there,” and it can get downright nippy in Gotham, she opts for a faux version of the boot. Or Fuggs, as I like to call them.

Remembering that Kathy said she’d had good luck on Amazon, I just did a quick scan and found some excellent Fuggs by a brand called Soda. They’re a dead-ringer for the real deal, and at one-third the price. (Another upside to buying cruelty-free – you can really save yourself some cash-money.) I’m totally digging the navy ones, so as soon as I hit “publish” on this blog post, I’ll be plunking down the plastic.

There were some other good vegan bets on Amazon, especially of the Fuggs ilk. But I wanted to dig around and find additional options. I feel it’s my civic duty to help all my like-minded mamas who want cute, critter-less footwear that will keep their tootsies warm this winter.

So here’s what I came up with:

1. Rocking lug-sole lace-ups by Akira that I totally want

2. Shiny, water-proofy Earth boots, if you’re into that Earth weird-sole nonsense

3. Classic black combat boots for all you goth-mamas out there

4. Cute little booties by the peeps who make my favorite vegan slippers

Happy hunting. And may we all stay cozy, warm and dry this winter.

My friend Jane is such a fabulous, confident cook that she freely improvises – subtracting this, adding that – without blinking a lushly mascared eye.

So when she recently forwarded a recipe for Butternut Squash & Sage Lasagna that she nabbed from marthastewart.com, of course she added her improv bit:

“i often substitute or add various other veggies, like onions and portobellos in the mix. either way, it’s yummy.”

Believe me, I’m in no position to tweak anything of a recipe nature. I have such Fear of Kitchen that I usually set foot inside of it just long enough to whip up oatmeal for the Diapered Darling before the nanny arrives to whisk her off to school.

But I’ve decided that I’m OFFICIALLY over this lack-of-kitchen-confidence nonsense. Especially now, as I’m starting to tilt in a decidedly vegetarian / vegan direction. So I’m cracking open a few cookbooks that I just know will help me get over my culinary hurdles. Here’s what I’ve moved to a place of prominence on my countertop:

Quantum Wellness by Kathy Freston

Skinny Bitch In the Kitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

Cooking 1 – 2 – 3 and Recipes 1 – 2 -3 by Rozanne Gold

Now if only I could get Jane to move in…