Author: Tracy I
-

“Meat-eaters’ fragility” as an obstacle to change
A couple of week’s ago I gave a quick overview of my thoughts on meat-eating and the use of animals and animal products more generally as well-entrenched ideologies of privilege. Using “ideology” to mean not just a set of ideas, but a set of firmly entrenched ideas that solidifies relationships of domination and subordination, I…
-

Vegan chocolate truffles for a luxurious afternoon snack
I wanted to make some vegan treats for the Southwestern Ontario Feminism and Philosophy Workshop that we hosted this week at Western. The event was in the late afternoon and followed by dinner out (shout out to Zen’Za Pizzeria in London, Ontario! I adore their plant-based menu), so I wanted to keep it light but…
-

Another win for plant-based protein
I don’t usually focus on health arguments for plant-based eating here because I think arguments for veganism that focus on harm to animals and the planet land decisively on the side of giving up animal products. That said, as any vegan knows, people often lob the “concern” that plant-based protein is either inferior or impossible…
-

Vegan comfort food: the dilly stew with dumplings edition
I’ve been up in Haliburton for a week and it’s been cold and snowy. And I know we’re not alone in this right now. It’s exactly the kind of winter weather that makes me want hearty comfort foods. I blogged about chili last week. Well last night I made a stew for dinner that was…
-

Meat-eating as an ideology of privilege
I have mentioned before that meat-eating is an ideology. Here “meat-eating” is really a stand-in for the use and consumption of animal products more generally. As for “ideology,” if you just consult the dictionary you’ll come away thinking of ideology neutrally, as a system of ideas, usually associated with political positions. But I like the…
-

Vegan comfort food: the chili edition
When I think of comfort food the first four things that come to mind are mac and cheese, chili, lasagna, and chocolate layer cake. What qualities does comfort food need to have? What makes it comforting? For me it has a nostalgic aspect to it, where it takes me back to moments in my life…
-

Good news for vegan eating at Western University (and we’re not done yet)
My workplace, Western University in London Ontario, has been in the news of late for some positive initiatives to increase the plant-based options on campus. You may remember that way back in May I got invited to the Forward Food Chef Training session at Western. It was a two-day training session for chefs at a…
-

Vegan meal planning three ways
Sometimes the biggest obstacle to eating well (and by “well” I mean “vegan, nutritionally adequate, and tasty”) is not having ingredients on hand to support our efforts. I’m into easy planning. I am not the one who maps it all out in advance and sets Sunday aside for prepping the week’s meals. Instead, I have…
-

Does “vegan for the animals” support moderation as an end-point?
I have blogged a lot about reasons for being vegan. As regular readers are aware, I think “vegan for the animals” is decisive. Given the vast animal suffering and exploitation in factory farming, from which 99% of all animals products originate, and given that the moral balance in causing suffering and death to trillions (yes,…
-

Ten ideas for making 2024 more vegan than 2023
On Wednesday I reviewed some reasons for adopting a vegan lifestyle. Today I’m hoping that those reasons piqued the curiosity of at least a few people who might now be looking for next steps. It’s sometimes tough to know where to start, so today I have some suggestions. These are just ten of many “ways…
