Interview with a Vegan #2: Ryan

Ryan is a wonderfully informative and very passionate vegan I met through Animal Rights Coalition. She is someone I have already learned so much from in the short time I have known her and she also shares the same love for Daiya vegan cheese that I do! I am very happy to know her and very fortunate to have her as an interviewee in my blog.

Without further delay, here's the interview, coming atcha:

1. How many years have you been vegan?
I have been Vegan almost two years

2. What made you choose veganism and why?
I'm not proud to admit this but I was trying to lose a little vanity weight and bought Skinny Bitch having no idea that this unassuming diet book punches you in the face halfway thru by detailing what gruesomely happens to animals for our palates and how bad animal products are for our bodies. The reason I don't talk about that much is because in hindsight, that book is full of speciesist language that ultimately enforces our notions that animals are less than us (like saying if you eat too much you're a "fat pig"). I hadn't even finished the book before I decided to be Vegan and I didn't even have a "last meal". I've been Vegan since. And I lost THIRTY pounds. I was aiming for ten.

3. What keeps you vegan every day?
My morals and ethics keep me Vegan every day. I can't live out of line with my values of compassion for non-human animals. This is made markedly easier because I like to get active about things I'm passionate about. I got involved by volunteering immediately and have made a lot of great friends. The first few months are definitely the hardest if you don't have any support, thankfully I did but I had to seek it out.

4. What's your favorite vegan item from the grocery store and why?
I'm a little bit of a junk food nut. I like Veganaise (mayo) and Daiya (Cheese) and I put them on almost everything. I'd say the biggest must have would probably be "nutch" (nutritional yeast). It's got a great cheesy, nutty flavor and is perfect to sprinkle on pastas and salads and just about anything. I like spinach a lot too. Oooh, and avocados. And cilantro. Oh yeah, Tofu (after I freeze it, of course). Thanks, now I'm starving.

5. If you wanted to eat good vegan food, where in the world would you want to be and what would you get?
I would love to be Vegan in Oregon or New York or California. Minneapolis is really veg friendly though, it's hard to say what I'd seek out elsewhere. I guess I'd like to try something from Loving Hut but I don't know where the closest one is, definitely not in MN. I'd also love to go to a really swanky restaurant that's all Vegan. The closest thing here is Ecopolitan, not swanky, raw, but at least you can eat everything there.

6. If you were in Minneapolis and you wanted to go out for vegan food, where would you go and what would you get?
There may be no better place on earth for Vegan food besides Evergreen on Nicolette near "Eat Street". The greatest thing in the world is their Pepper Fried Mock Pork. I just die every time I have it.

7. What's your favorite vegan meal consist of in full detail and where can we find this meal?
Same as number 6. It's pepper fried battered mock pork. There's peppers and it's fried. What more do you need to know!?

8. What's your favorite place ever to get vegan desserts?
I love that Minneapolis is now blessed with Vegan Donuts thanks to the Donut Cooperative. :) Those are delivered though... I really like Namaste in Uptown on Hennepin. The have a Vegan coconut carrot creme brulee that will blow your mind.

9. Do you think that you'll stay vegan for the rest of your life?
I have no choice. I have a tattoo on my wrist that says Vegan and there's few things I dislike more than contradicting myself. Even if I didn't have it, yes, I would always be Vegan. I don't think there is any other way to live. And it's too easy. Veganism is becoming so mainstream that anyone could do it.

10. What would would you yell (if you had to yell something) if you were at the top of Mount Everest alone?
Probably something unbelievably stupid like "Riiiicooollllaaa!"

Thank you again Ryan! You never fail to make me laugh until I freaking piss myself. Ryan can be seen volunteering with the best of the bunch at Animal Rights Coalition (Ethique Nouveau in Minneapolis). You all should get to know her and I believe her blog is featured in my blog role as Vegan Minneapolis on the side of my page so make sure you follow that shit, people.

MN Vegan