Today I am participating in a blog swap with a friend of mine from high school, Jean Ciemniecki Mead. We were in art classes together, our first class of the day, if I remember correctly. I always marveled at how perfectly her black liquid eyeliner was applied each morning.
Nowadays, Jean lives in Georgia and has a blog called "Eat Your Beans, A Vegan Mom Challenge," which she began in June 2011. Jean documents her process of going vegan and has some great recipes posted, as well as inspiring quotes and photos. Make sure to check out the Beer Battered Tofu or the Vegan Lasagne. Jean and I are both fans of the Red Lentil Thai Chili, which I created art work for on my post on her blog today. Links and photos for recipes are throughout the post.
Hi, Jean,
What is your blog about? How did you start writing it?
I
started my blog this past June, I was challenging myself to go vegan
and decided that by blogging about it, I would not only be held
accountable but I might help others too. I include vegan recipes, music
and book info and I rant every now and again about how difficult (but
rewarding) being vegan in an omnivorous household is.
What else aside from blogging and searching out new vegan recipes do you do most days?
I
work part time at the local library. I really love my job; I am
surrounded by books and have a blast with the kids during story time. I
am also a wife and mother of two kids, so I spend a lot of time
refereeing, driving, cooking and cleaning.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Reading.
On the couch, with wine and no interruptions….it doesn’t happen often
(the interruption part anyway). I love stupid horror movies, blasting
music and dancing around like an idiot with my kids (or alone), and
thrift store shopping.
Do you have any pets?I
have two dogs, a Belgian Malinois (German Shepard type dog) who is a 2
year old crazy toddler and a Husky mix that is 12 years old but still
wrestles with the “puppy” when she gets the notion. It usually sounds
like Chewbacca and the Hamburgler at a WWF smack down.
Do you have any favorites out of all of the recipes you have posted on the blog?
Yes,
the Red Lentil Thai Chili. I make it every week and freeze it. Everyone
I know is sick to death about hearing about it. I am also enjoying
homemade miso soup.
Any recipes that turned out to be disasters?
Yup,
plenty! I have murdered quite a lot of perfectly good food. In my
house, they are called “epic fails” and it usually includes a baked
good. My current disaster has been vegan Yorkshire pudding. Not. Going.
To. Happen.
Has your life become more creative since you began your blog? If yes, in what way(s)?
Yes!
Back in High School and College, I was creative in a totally different
way, very much into art and a little writing. But now, I have discovered
how much I love writing and do so every chance I get.
Is there anything in particular that inspires you? (a color? a place? a person? a time of year?, etc.)
Music
is my muse. I love it and listen to all types any chance I get. I would
rather listen to my online radio station than watch TV at any given
time.
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| Vegan Lasagne |
Since Thanksgiving is only one week away, what are you thankful for?
I am thankful for my friend's and family's unwavering
support in everything I try.... I am also thankful for spell check.
Do you have any advice for others who would like to go vegan?
Yes,
do it! Try it! Inform yourself, read, read, read about it and try out
recipes. Make small changes if you have to and eliminate one animal
product at a time. If you feel that going vegan is the right thing to do
for yourself, whether it is because of health reasons or animal cruelty
reasons-do it and don’t let others talk you out of it. I have a list of
books on my site that help and recipes on there that will get you
through your cravings.
Anything else you'd like to add?
Thank you for letting me share my blog with you and your readers! I always end my blog posts with a quote of the day, this one is a favorite of mine…
“Live life fully while you’re here. Experience everything.
Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go
out and screw up! You’re going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy
the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the
cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don’t try to be perfect; just be
an excellent example of being human.”
—Anthony Robbins
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| Jean in her kitchen, as she massacres fresh beets! |
