An Interview with Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Having earned a master’s degree in English literature, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau uses her writing and communication skills to raise awareness of the animal issues about which so many people are unaware. A sought-after and inspiring public speaker on the spiritual, social, and practical aspects of a vegan lifestyle, Colleen has appeared on the Food Network, is a columnist for VegNews Magazine, and she is a contributor to National Public Radio. She is very grateful to have the opportunity to witness transformations taking place in people as they gain the tools and resources they need to reflect their values in their daily choices.
Amy: Hi Colleen. Thanks for joining us! I'd like to start by asking you about Compassionate Cooks. Your stated mission is to empower people to make informed food choices and to debunk myths about vegetarianism and animal rights through cooking classes, recipes and resources. Can you tell us a bit about how you came to this mission?
Colleen:
I was raised on a meat-, dairy-, and egg-centered diet and was comfortably unaware of the conditions under which animals are bred and killed for human consumption until one book changed the course of my life. After reading John Robbins’ Diet for a New America at the age of 19, I was shocked and disturbed by what I learned. Growing up, I had been encouraged to have compassion for certain animals (dogs, cats, birds) but to disregard others (those raised for food). After reading Robbins' book, I began a journey that led me to become fully awake to my compassion and desire to live according to my values of nonviolence and peace.
When I "became vegan," not only did I find that my food choices were more plentiful, I experienced a heightened sense of joy at making lifestyle choices that reflected my values. No longer was the world divided between animals who deserve to be violated and killed and those who deserve our love and affection. Quite naturally, my activism increased, and through outreach and education, I continued to raise awareness about our treatment of animals. I found that people had the same reaction I did; they didn't want to contribute to violence and they wanted to be healthy, but they had all sorts of questions about what to eat, how to cook, where to shop, what to do at the holidays, when traveling, and when people responded with hostility and defensiveness. I realized a huge gap needed to be filled, and so I founded Compassionate Cooks. That was 10 years ago.
Amy: How does Compassionate Cooks fulfill its mission?
Colleen:
Everything I do through Compassionate Cooks is with the intention to give people the tools and resources they need to reflect their values in their daily choices and to eat healthfully and compassionately. I've been teaching cooking classes for 10 years, I produced a cooking DVD as an extension of those classes, I've written two cookbooks (The Joy of Vegan Baking, which won VegNews' Magazine's Cookbook of the Year, and The Vegan Table: 200 Unforgettable Recipes or Entertaining Every Guest at Every Occasion, due out in June), I produce a weekly podcast, called Vegetarian Food for Thought, which is coming up on its 100th episode and 3rd year, and I'm currently building the Compassionate Cooks Academy, through which I can train people to become certified Compassionate Cooks instructors to teach classes and lead workshops all around the world.
Amy: What are some of the myths about veganism you are hoping to debunk?
Colleen: One of the things I encourage people to recognize is that what we call “vegan food” is food they are already familiar with: vegetables, fruits, beans, grains, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices. In the case of baked goods, it's flour, sugar, cocoa, chocolate, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and yeast. I focus on the normalcy of what we call "vegan food" - whether it's cooking or baking. One of the things I emphasize about “vegan baking” is that though we’ve all been taught that it’s about eggs, cow’s milk, and dairy-based butter, the truth is that’s not what it’s about at all. When we bake, we need binding, moisture, fat, and leavening. That’s it, and those elements are abundant in plant foods. The response to the book has been tremendous. People tell me they are baking again after years of being unsatisfied with other recipes. Non-vegans tell me that my cookbook gave them the push they needed to make
the switch, as they lamented they would never be able to bake again. I'm so thrilled.
Amy: Does vegan baking offer health advantages?
Colleen:
Even though I wrote a cookbook for baked goods (The Joy of Vegan Baking), I’ll be the first to tell you that we have no nutritional requirement for sugar. I think it’s important to recognize that by the time we reach for dessert, we’re doing it for the pleasure it will bring – not because we’re trying to fulfill any nutritional need. I believe there’s a time for broccoli and a time for chocolate chip cookies; if you want broccoli, have broccoli. If you want a chocolate chip cookie, have a chocolate chip cookie. If you want a healthful cookie, have broccoli. :) Having said that, vegan desserts, though not “health food” are certainly healthier than their animal-based counterparts, since they are free of unhealthy saturated fat, cholesterol, lactose, and animal protein and, they are prepared with the lowered risk of foodborne illnesses, such as Salmonella, which means you can lick the bowl 'til your heart's content!
Amy: Can you offer some tips for eating healthfully?
Colleen: I always say: If we don’t have time to be sick, then we have to make time to be healthy. Here are some tips for making healthful food choices.
1. We should never decide what to eat for dinner at dinnertime. That will set us up for failure every time. We should know each morning (at the latest) what we’re having for dinner that night. Ideally, we should know the night before so we can prepare.
2. Aim to eat a pound of raw and a pound of fresh vegetables per day. Even if you fall short, you’ll be way ahead of the curve.
3. When you get home from the grocery store, never store all the veggies away in the bin right away. Take a few minutes to chop them up and store them in the fridge before doing so. That way, when it’s time to eat, you’ll actually eat the food instead of complaining that it will take too long to chop up.
4. Let food cook while you’re watching TV or sleeping. Make a big pot of bean chili or vegetable stew or brown rice while you’re watching TV or reading. Now you have dinner all ready for the next day. Or freeze it for the future.
5. Frozen veggies and canned beans are better than none at all. Fresh veggies are best, but frozen is second best and better than none.
Amy: What recommendations do you have for families wishing to move towards a plant-based diet?
Colleen: 1. Identify the craving. I’ve heard people say they tried giving up meat but really started craving it. And I assure them that they were not craving meat. We’re not true carnivores. We don’t get really excited when we see a deer or a cow or a squirrel. We’re not lions. Lions would die without meat. We thrive without it. It’s not the flesh of the animal we crave, but we do tend to crave fat, we crave salt, we crave texture, we crave familiarity, we crave flavor – and all of these things are found in plant foods.
2. Give your palate time to adjust. The more you leave off fatty, salty, processed foods, the less you actually crave them. Your palate definitely changes. Trust this process and give it a little time.
3. Celebrate the flavor of the vegetables themselves. Most of us grew up with vegetables that were overcooked, boiled to death, or drowning in cream sauces, butter, egg-based sauces, and oil, so we have no idea what the vegetables themselves taste like. The flavor in food comes from plants: herbs, spices, vinegars, BBQ sauce, mustard, relish, onions, garlic, worstershire sauce, chili paste, miso, tahini, ad infinitum.
4. Get to know your spices. Most people have adorable spice racks lined with cute jars of spices and dried herbs that they never use. First of all spices and herbs do have a shelf life (about 6 months for dried herbs and 1 year for spices), and though eating stale herbs and spices won’t kill you, but they will have lost their flavor. Don’t be afraid of the herbs and spices. Don't be afraid of experimenting with them. That’s how you learn. Experiment, and have fun.
5. Repeat after me: "There is Life After Cheese." When it comes to cheese, it’s really about the salt, the fat, the texture, and the familiarity. So for instance, when people sprinkle a little parmesan on their pasta, it’s really about the salt and the fat. Instead, toast some pine nuts or walnuts, and mince them up with some salt. This is just one example of identifying the craving and satisfying it through plant foods. I’m not a huge proponent of the non-dairy cheeses. I think they’re great novelty foods or occasional foods but shouldn’t be the foundation of our diet.
Amy: What suggestions do you have for parents wishing to improve the quality of the lunches they pack for their children?
Colleen:
* I definitely recommend choosing whole foods (unprocessed) as much as possible. For instance, a small but effective step a family can make is to buy peanut butter (or any nut butter) that is just nuts and maybe salt - but not laden with oil, sugar, and preservatives. Choose "products" with fewer than 5 ingredients; make treats out of dates (which are nature's candy anyway!); keep in mind that we have no nutritional requirement for any beverage other than water. Eliminating artificial and sugar-laden juices and sodas from our diets has a huge impact on our health.
* I have a podcast episode called Food for the Road: Packed Lunches and Picnics that has a bevy of information about healthful meals to pack for children (and adults!). That includes everything from sandwiches and wraps (nut butter and jelly, eggless egg, better-than-chicken, hummus and favorite veggies, burritos, lettuce wraps, sloppy Joe's, portabello mushroom, and veggie burger); and salads (green, pasta, bread, bean, corn, macaroni, noodle, taco, grain, and fruit!). Chickpeas make a fantastic snack, avocado and hummus are delicious and nutritious spreads for sandwiches, and non-dairy yogurt is a great option.
Amy:
You have a wonderfully informative Web site at www.compassionatecooks.com. Can you offer some highlights?
Colleen: Through our Compassionate Cooks Membership Program, people can become part of the Compassionate Cooks Club. Members receive 50 recipes, a special members-only monthly newsletter with lots of tips and resources, discounts on all Compassionate Cooks items, and discounts for various compassionate companies, products, and services. In addition, we have lots of recipes, resources, cooking tips, health information, articles, essays, and stories. We also have other Web sites: www.vegetarianfoodforthought.com for the podcast, www.joyofveganbaking.com for the baking cookbook, and www.compassionatecookscommunity.com, our message board which is filled with the most wonderful people offering community and support. We hope you can join us there!
Vegan Cookbook
Amy:
And finally, what's your favorite lunch?
Colleen: I know it may sound boring, but my favorite lunch - especially in the warmer months - is a big ol' salad. I vary it each day, changing the dressing, the veggies, and the nuts. When I'm not eating salad, I'm usually eating homemade soup or stew.
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