Vegan cooking class shines

By Sana Sohel

It’s not hard being a vegan, and as Kari Michaels and Lauren LeClair proved last Friday, amidst chopping vegetables and joyfully conducting a cooking class, it can be quite an experience.

It is a trend that is slowly developing as more and more people adopt a vegan lifestyle. But does everyone know why being a vegan is not just a healthy lifestyle choice but also a moral one?

Michaels dutifully explains, “First and foremost being vegan doesn’t mean my love and compassion for animals overshadows my interest in furthering human rights. On the contrary, my circle of compassion is expanded from human suffering to include animal suffering. One of the values I love the most is the community that vegans develop. We can be community activists, stay at home moms, corporate CEO’s but we can all come together and relate to each other through our compassionate lifestyles.”

As she and LeClair cooked up some appetizing falafel and fluffy tofu scramble, they explained how cost effective being a vegan is.

“Life as a vegan was a struggle at first. I grew up eating microwave dinners and other types of prepackaged meals so when I became vegan I didn’t exactly have excellent cooking skills. I had to learn how to buy ripe fruits and vegetables and make meals from scratch,” Michaels informs us. “When I finally acquired cooking-baking skills it got a lot cheaper because I built up a good pantry and cut down on the expensive pre-made meals. Vegetables aren’t that expensive when you know what is in season and where to shop.”

She asserts that in order to get proper nutrition, “it’s important to remember to include at least two to three servings of beans, lentils and nuts” along with a healthy bowl of fruits and vegetables.

She mentions her favorite dish, “Macaroni Hates Cheese,” and while sympathizing with mac and cheese lovers, Michaels clarifies that the “nutritional yeast which is a seasoning packed with vitamins and minerals,” which is an excellent choice for vegans.

As people become more aware of other food choices, there has been an increase in restaurants accommodating a vegan menu to satisfy the customers.

Some places you can frequent are: Naam, East is East, The Templeton, Urban Masala, and Grass Roots Café.

Furthermore, Michaels mentions “Meatless Mondays is a growing trend across North America. More and more people are starting to realize that meat is contributing to the degradation our planet through water consumption and pollution. There is plenty of information out there that isn’t espousing radical, militant animal rights ideologies that normally turn people off of the whole idea.”