Playing with my food & a Vegan Beer & Food Festival

I don’t exactly shout “I am a vegetarian” from the rooftops but I am definitely not in the closet about it. Last week I wrote a first person on finding veg friendly food at the Westerner Days in Red Deer. It was an outing of sorts in Red Deer. 
I am the type of vegetarian who doesn’t believe in giving lectures on morality. I went through that phase in my 20s. 
The reactions to my article were the typical I didn’t know you were vegetarian! to what do you eat? Being vegetarian is such a part of me that I don’t even think about it anymore. I’ve eaten a plant-based diet since I was 20 (save for a few years in Korea). I’ve written about my reasons so many times that I have lost track and you’re probably bored. So I won’t get into it. 
Anyway I have some food-related news for you. (Because who doesn’t love reading about food?)

In September I am heading to a Vegan Beer & Food Festival in Portland. It was a totally random and spontaneous decision.  I’ve been to vegetarian and raw food festivals when I lived in Ottawa and Toronto. It’s been a few years so I am super excited.

In order take in the full experience I am going to “go vegan” for the next two months leading up to the festival on Sept. 26. I start on Sunday. Truth be told it’s not going to be much of a stretch for me. I don’t eat eggs nor do I buy dairy milk. I do not eat anything with gelatin or honey brown beers.

I always struggled with the question โ€“ “Can you truly be vegan and wear leather?” Some people believe it’s okay to keep the crap that you bought before you went vegan and use it until it reaches its lifespan. I don’t buy “leather” or “fur” clothing. But I am sure there’s something in my closet that has leather in it.

In a perfect world no one would wear garmets that exploit animals. A vegan diet is more than just the food you eat. It’s about taking a stance against the treatment of animals. It’s about respect for animals. I believe you take that same stance as a vegetarian. All life is precious.

Thankfully there’s tons of mobile Apps today that will help with label reading. Memorizing the long/confusing names of animal byproducts was never my strong point.

I am not going to be boring with my food. Because I am taking a short break from running, I have all the time in the world to experiment in the kitchen. I am going to crack open and dust off the vegan cookbooks that are lining my shelves.

I can’t wait to play with my food.

4 Comments

  1. I'm interested to read your article from Westerner. Too bad I can't access online.

    Portland is suppose to have an amazing food scene. I'd love to visit some day.

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