Coffee and Food — Blog — The Greenest Blue

My Three Favorite Plant-Based Food Blogs in 2020

I know I’m not the only one with a family that’s been spending way more time in the kitchen than normal, courtesy of the current ‘ronacoaster. I’ve been whipping up homemade granola bars, getting creative with the toppings on my freshly popped popcorn for movie nights, and trying out most of the recipes from a vegan cookbook I was gifted for my birthday (written by one of the gals I’m about to mention in this post). Kitchen time = quality time.

I’m not going to lie, though; I did go on a bit of a hiatus from cooking for a while this past year. I was finding it incredibly draining to cook for myself all the time, especially when I was around others that didn’t want to eat vegan, and eventually, I found my love for being in the kitchen draining out of me faster than my girls and I drain a bottle of wine.

A Vegan Party-Goer's Survival Guide for the Holiday Shindig Season

So, how the heck do we survive the holiday season while being good to ourselves? This is especially challenging if you also consider yourself a vegan, vegetarian, or another classification of plant-based eater. Now, willpower is not everyone’s strong suit. It definitely wasn’t mine for a very long time. I love food. I really love food, in fact. And the idea that someone decided the holidays should be all about eating used to make for a very big internal struggle. It became a lot easier when I decided to start eating vegan for a purpose bigger than myself, a.k.a reducing my carbon footprint. I did it because I wanted to be able to walk the conservation walk if I was going to talk the conservation talk. Going vegan or vegetarian is one of the most straightforward and impactful choices you can make to significantly reduce your carbon footprint and spread some sanity and love to this crazy world. This post isn’t about preaching the vegan word, though (this one is!). This is a survival guide for a vegan party-goer (or anyone trying to eat healthy) as we dive headfirst into holiday party festive season. HERE WE GO.

The Best Vegan Dining Options in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

I was hesitant to think too favorably about my luck with vegan dining options in my hometown of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. As much as this dear little mountain/lake town means to me, I will say the plant-based food scene hasn’t exactly caught up quite as much here as the (also important) local farm-to-table, sustainably raised meat and seafood industry. It’s encouraging that people here are starting to ask where their food is coming from instead of just nomming down on whatever is set in front of them, but there is really not much of a demand for the green-growing-things-centric meals. So it’s a move for the better, but as with my ability to pan-fry tofu, there is room for improvement.

A Guide to the Best Vegan Food Spots in Hervey Bay, Australia

This is a straightforward summary of my explorations of plant-based dining options in this beautiful coastal town. Ok, let’s make sure we’re on the same page. I love Hervey Bay. It’s cute, quiet, and the weather is pretty much mint year-round. The ocean’s in your backyard, and the whales come to play from July to October (that’s why I was here!). But, I won’t lie - the food scene leaves something to be desired, especially for the vegans. Since I was living there for three months, I wasn’t about to sit at home and cook the same ole same ole every night - I wanted to eat out, too! I was able to do a fair bit of exploring in my quest to both satiate my stomach and stay committed to my environmental morals. This post is meant to save any vegan or omnivorous veggie-lovers some grief the next time they visit the Fraser Coast!

Week 3: 8 Weeks to a Greener Life & a Bluer Sea - Eat Like You Give a F*** (One Vegan Meal)

If someone were to ask me one critical thing they could do right now to help the environment, apart from dropping single-use plastics, I would suggest to them to be more aware of the food on their plates. You know, to eat like you give a f***. Like, where the heck did your food come from? Who grew it? How did they grow it? And...how does its production impact the environment?

Week 1: 8 Weeks to a Greener Life and a Bluer Sea - 5 Reasons to shop at your local Farmer's Market

So a little while ago I made a promise to start posting some simple, easy steps you can take to living a more eco-friendly lifestyle. I'm calling this blog series 8 Weeks to a Greener Life and a Bluer Sea, and I'm excited to kick it off with one of my favorite summertime activities: farmer's market shopping! I'm going to keep these posts brief, so you can read them over your morning coffee, absorb what you want from them, and hopefully feel inspired to get out and implement these strategies in your own life.

Christchurch Farmer's Market - A Saturday Morning Well Spent

Located in Riccarton, a leafy green district in west Christchurch, this Saturday market is a hub for foodies, music lovers, caffeine addicts, organic produce enthusiasts, families, young couples, and wanderlusting travelers alike. You'll be able to chat with producers of artisan cheeses, breads, and nut butters, as well as the farmers who grow the most incredible array of fresh fruits and vegetables. You'll see happy market goers sprawled out under leafy trees nomming on their gourmet local burgers or posh breakfast porridge, listening to talented musical acts from around the city. You'll hear a stream babble alongside the market path, adding to the pleasant hum of noise that resonates throughout the air. And the smells! My nose couldn't stop investigating each and every one. Fresh Irish soda bread. Bacon being fried. Crepes getting stuffed full of fruits and savory delights.