Three Years.

Three years ago this month, I decided to take a leap and try living vegan. And life has been a daring, beautiful adventure every single day since. In three long and short years,

Photo © Joanna Wilson Photography

I've learned how to love new foods,

I've fallen head over heels in love with animals,

I've found peace in knowing that my daily choices honor the Earth and all of its inhabitants,

I've found a deeper sense of faith,

I've learned to be more compassionate towards people,

Photo © Joanna Wilson Photography

I've felt my heart grow bigger,

I've smiled more,

I've breathed more easily,

I've celebrated the knowledge that I am doing my part in this world,

I've witnessed countless other beautiful vegan journeys,

I've given pigs belly rubs,

I've been given cow kisses,

I've snuggled with turkeys,

I've learned how gentle chickens are,

I've learned how grave the situation is for the animals and humans of this world,

I've learned that there is much to be worried about,

I've learned that there is much to be grateful for,

I've looked at the world with new eyes,

I've held my cats closer to me and loved them a little more,

I've failed more times than I can count in the kitchen,

I've succeeded even more times,

I've watched this blog grow like a beautiful flower,

Photo © Ciddy Fonteboa

I've realized what I'm on this Earth to do,

I've realized that I will continue to live vegan for the rest of my life. No matter what.

Next month will mark three years of Kiss Me, I'm Vegan!,  and I couldn't be more excited or more ready for it. I will continue to share my journey with you guys and gals, and it is my sincere hope that this blog helps you on your own vegan journeys. Here's to three more years of compassionate living!

Risk! Care! Dream! Expect!

“Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion.” 

- Jack Kerouac

"If enough people are determined to stand up to an issue, you know what? It's gonna get solved. " 

- Chris DeRose

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” 

 - Martin Luther King, Jr.

"'When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,' said Piglet at last, 'what's the first thing you say to yourself?'

'What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?'

'I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?' said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

'It's the same thing,' he said." 

- Winnie the Pooh

During breaks at acting class, I’m often asked questions about living vegan. It usually stems from an actor friend spotting the meal I’m eating or a vegan-friendly pin on my bag. Sometimes I get a little verbal poke about living this way - usually from those most curious about my lifestyle, but most afraid to ask about it genuinely. I play along to a degree, but in the end, I tell them honestly about my choice, because I know that more significant than my pride or my feelings is speaking up for the animals most in need of our defending and protection. 

And sometimes I get that look - that uncomfortable look from someone whose heart isn’t completely open to compassionate living yet. I get the person who says, “Oh, your story’s nice, but I could never eat vegan.” To them I say, “Never say never!” with a big smile on my face, risking that they may feel even more uncomfortable by my gentle nudging. Why do I do this? Because I’ve seen too many people in my life go vegan a year or two after they declared the same thing.

And then there was that time when I was doing a film shoot a few years ago, and, upon learning that I live vegan, my scene partner said to me, “Man, vegans scare me - it’s like you’re trying to take over the world or something!” To which I playfully said, “Oh yeah - deep down, we all have this evil notion of trying to brainwash the world into living with compassion and - wait for it - caring about people and animals! We’re awful, I know...” And saying this held the huge risk of turning this guy off to vegan living forever. But I said all of it with a smile on my face, with love in my heart, and with a sense of humor. And it made him laugh, instead of shut down. 

By the way, I added the Winnie the Pooh quote into the mix up there for two reasons. One - I couldn’t agree more with Pooh about breakfast, and two - I believe if we start living our lives with more purpose, compassion, and respect to every living being, even if it means we'll be unpopular, we can eat and live lovingly and with great excitement. 

Photo © Connie Pugh.

Remember grade school? Remember having that moment when one of your friends was being made fun of, and you had the choice - stand up for your friend and possibly get made fun of too, or just stay quiet? Today, I’m asking you, my lovely readers, to choose to be the kind of friend who doesn’t care about being made fun of. I’m asking you to not stay quiet. When the opportunity to be honest about living vegan presents itself, I’m asking you to jump in with both feet, throwing away that pesky fear of being disliked. Be bold, share your story, and risk being looked at funny. Rinse and repeat. 

Of course, all of this should be done with as much positivity, kindness, and openness as possible. If Colleen Patrick-Goudreau has taught me anything (and boy, has she!),  it's that we need to care as much about the person we’re talking to as the animals we’re talking about. But I think to be effective activists, vegans, and vegans-to-be, we need to stop caring so much about what others think of us. I think we need to keep the conversation about animal cruelty going, even if it means we may be looked at as weird, extreme, or crazy. I think the combination of living this way out loud and doing so with love and empathy for every being affected by our lifestyle (from the billions of animals being slaughtered for food each year to that friend/family member/domestic partner who doesn’t like you eating vegan, because it scares them) can lead to real change in this world.

Protesting Foie Gras cruelty in LA with APRL.

At the end of the day, you live with your own personal choices - the choices you make each day can either embrace compassion, or reject it. Why not end your day knowing that you did everything you could to live with more purpose, compassion, and respect to every living being? I’m asking you to take a leap and be bold for the animals, and in the long run, for yourself as well. Stop playing it safe. Playfully challenge that friend who keeps mocking your vegan lifestyle. Joyfully risk having one more conversation with your mom about why you gave up meat. Respectfully stand up for animals whenever possible. And know that, as difficult as it may seem to be that awesome friend who speaks up, you are paving the way for a better world. You are becoming the change you wish to see. You are the answer. 

And what could be more kiss-worthy than that?

With Winnie the Goose at Animal Acres.

"Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible." 

- Cadet Maxim

A Reason to Smile Today.

Last night a rainbow beamed across the night sky, just as I was sipping a coffee with almond milk from Café Gratitude in Los Angeles. It was absolutely stunning. It’s colors were brighter than a kid’s smile on Christmas morning, and more beautiful than quite possibly any other thing in nature I’ve seen before. One older lady next to me said, “I’ve never seen one of these!” I felt so special to have witnessed something so magical. It reminded me that we are all connected, that nature is beautiful, epic, and mysterious, and we must have a deep respect for every single part of it.

 “Compassion is the keen awareness of the interdependence of all things.” ~ Thomas Merton

What are YOUR reasons to smile today? 

Are YOU Ready For A Compassionate Holiday?

I am missing my family like crazy right now.  

And when I'm missing my family like crazy,  the only thing that seems to help is blasting my Carpenters Christmas Pandora station (which is playing as I type!) and pretending it's Christmastime for a few hours.  Right now, every single member of the immediate family is on the East Coast, far, far away from this vegan blogger, so I can use all the holiday spirit I can conjure up.

Ma and I before our holiday baking session

Three years ago, when I went vegan (about to celebrate the official V-birthday next month!), my family was wary of my choice, but only because they just didn't know how healthy, compassionate, and delicious vegan eating and living could be. But what makes my family so kiss-worthy is that they were open to my change and growth, and that openness led my sister and step-mom to go vegetarian and my mom, husband, mother-in-law, and brother to go vegan. Now, holidays are a breeze, because my brother, who never used to get involved with the cooking, is the one who bastes the Tofurky at the holidays! What was once a bit of a process - like showing my should-be-a-chef-she's-so-talented-at-cooking mama that vegan Christmas cookies were just as yummy as non-vegan ones - is now a beautiful, joy-filled tradition of making plant-based versions of the comfort and holiday foods we as kids grew up loving. 

If you're a longtime supporter and reader of this blog, you know I'm big on traditions - especially the kind that lovingly evolve and shift as the years go by. For me, vegan living has redefined my traditions - since there is so much love, compassion, and kindness surrounding my every day, the traditions I create and celebrate also reflect that. More so than ever before. 

Our first vegan - and married - Thanksgiving in Brooklyn

I've decided to get the holiday conversations going early. I challenge each and every one of you in the KMIV family to begin thinking of ways to cultivate vegan versions of the holiday traditions you've always loved celebrating.  Whether it's removing the turkey from your table this Thanksgiving and making a veggie loaf or Tofurky instead, adorning your coffee table with vegan cookies and almondmilk for Santa on Christmas Eve, or making vegan latkes at your upcoming Hanukkah celebration, there are countless ways to appeal to your family with vegan goodies and still be a part of the holiday magic. 

Which brings me to a holiday closer to us than the winter ones - Halloween. Creating vegan Halloween traditions can be so much fun for little ones! For our last Halloween in Brooklyn, Steve and I handed out Newman-O's and vegan candies on our stoop, and the kids loved them. Easy peasy!

What kind of traditions will you be veganizing this year? How will you add compassion to your holiday celebrations? Maybe this is your first holiday season living vegan, or maybe it's your tenth. Either way, it can't hurt to remind yourself of why it's so important to make cruelty-free traditions at this time of the year, and really any other time of the year too. 

Let's share our kiss-worthy holiday ideas in the comments section below and get that compassionate ball rolling!

Today, I Ate Yogurt...

Amande with fresh berries, agave, and cinnamon...

And there wasn't a DROP of dairy in it!

Okay, this is a huge reason to smile today, folks. 

Amande yogurt - made from Almondmilk. Comes in plain or flavored, big containers or single serving. Tastes just like your favorite childhood yogurt, except no baby or mama cows are harmed in the making of it. 

And the taste? I don't want to give it away... you're just gonna have to try it yourself!

I just cleaned my bowl... and the possibility of another serving is being considered as I type this post.

Now you have NO excuse to keep eating dairy yogurt (seriously!).  What are you waiting for? Go out and get yourself some! Vote for a compassionate - and delicious - world with that spoon of yours!

Still not sure why you should dump dairy? Or meat? Or fish? Or eggs? Check out www.chooseveg.org to learn more. 

I Am Vegan...

Because of this beautiful article from This Vegan Life.

Because cashew/soy/rice/hemp/almond/oat/hazelnut milks do not come from a mommy cow. And they taste amazing.

Speaking of non-dairy milk, because I stopped drinking breast milk when I was a baby. I do not need to consume the breast milk of another mom, and I definitely do not need to be drinking the milk of another species. Gross.

Because we don't NEED to consume, wear, or exploit a single animal for our food/clothing/entertainment. We just don't.

Oreo at Animal Acres. (Photo © Cameron O'Steen)

Because of Farm Sanctuary. And Animal Acres. And Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. And The Gentle Barn. And Catskills Animal Sanctuary. Basically, every single farmed animal sanctuary around. Period.

Because of animal protection organizations like Mercy For Animals, who spend their days giving farmed animals a voice by sharing undercover investigation videos with the public. And because it finally hit me - every single time I try to educate myself about the plight of farmed animals, I come across a video like the one below. And every time I watch one, every single fiber of my being points me in the direction of vegan living.

Warning: this video contains graphic imagery. Please be prepared - both emotionally and physically - before you watch this. I watched this myself when it first debuted, and it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. But if you haven't seen an animal abuse video before, it is essential to knowing why we continue to fight for these animals. 

Because ice cream, cheese, steak, lobster, shrimp, ham, scrambled eggs, a glass of cow’s milk, and a bowl of chicken noodle soup are not essential for my health or well being. They just taste good. And that is not enough of a reason to continue eating them, when there are compassionate alternatives that taste just as good and do no harm to any living thing. 

Photo © Connie Pugh

Because of nutritionally packed, belly-satisfying plant protein like tempeh, tofu, seitan, chickpeas, black beans, navy beans, any beans!, cashews, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, and broccoli. Yes, broccoli! (for those who didn’t know, broccoli has, ounce for ounce, more protein than steak!)

Speaking of delicious vegan food, Gardein. Daiya. Purely Decadent. Field Roast. Tofurky. The list just keeps growing...

Because I will live longer, climb higher, run faster, and be stronger as a vegan. 

Because our bodies do not need more cholesterol than we produce. And it just so happens to be that not a single plant-based food has even a drop of cholesterol. Hmm....

Because they need us to care. 

Because living vegan allows me to be a kinder person to human beings.

 Because there are just too many awesome vegan restaurants out there to not be vegan. 

Because even president Bill Clinton is trying it! 

 Because the UN implores us to switch to a plant-based diet. 

Because living vegetarian is not enough: 

After one or two years of producing eggs at an unnaturally high rate, female fowl are classified as "spent hens.” No longer financially profitable for factory farmers, they are slaughtered. (Source: www.dosomething.org)

A cow's natural lifespan is about 25 years, but cows used by the dairy industry are killed after only four or five years. An industry study reports that by the time they are killed, nearly 40 percent of dairy cows are lame because of the intensive confinement, the filth, and the strain of being almost constantly pregnant and giving milk. Dairy cows' bodies are turned into soup, companion animal food, or low-grade hamburger meat because their bodies are too "spent" to be used for anything else (Source: www.peta.org)

Because this kind of stuff shouldn’t happen. Ever:

Huge open-air waste lagoons, often as big as several football fields, are prone to leaks and spills. In 1995 an eight-acre hog-waste lagoon in North Carolina burst, spilling 25 million gallons of manure into the New River. The spill killed about 10 million fish and closed 364,000 acres of coastal wetlands to shellfishing.  (Source: www.ndrc.org)

 Because of what the Lorax said:

Unless someone like YOU

Cares a whole awful lot,

Nothing is going to get better.

It’s not.

What are YOUR reasons for living (or choosing today to start living) vegan? Add them to the comment section below. Have a fabulous, fun, compassionate