Food for Thought: The Joys and Benefits of Living Vegan and Plant-Based

By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Arts Food

What's Food for Thought: The Joys and Benefits of Living Vegan and Plant-Based about?

Food for Thought is THE resource for living compassionately and healthfully. Listen to insightful, common sense perspectives about food, animals, cooking, eating, health, language, politics, zero waste living, literature, film, advocacy, and so much more from the Joyful Vegan herself, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

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Ex-Vegans — Why People Stop...

06.21.2022

Ex-Vegan celebrities and ex-vegan non-celebrities (friends, family members, co-workers) leave vegans feeling disappointed and perplexed. In this episode I address why people stop being vegan in the first place. Is it because: *they lack willpower? *they lack compassion? *you can't ...

Food for Thought: The Joys and Benefits of Living Vegan and Plant-Based episodes:

06.21.2022 Ex-Vegans — Why People Stop Being Vegan (REBROADCAST) Ex-Vegan celebrities and ex-vegan non-celebrities (friends, family members, co-workers) leave vegans feeling disappointed and perplexed. In this episode I address why people stop being vegan in the first place. Is it because: they lack willpower? they lack compassion? *you can't ...
04.26.2022 Northern Italian Cuisine: Polenta, Focaccia, and Tiramisu We go to the north of Italy for the 4th and last episode in our series on the cusine of the regions of Italy! Learn about the history (and preparation) of some famous Italian dishes in the north, and find ...
04.08.2022 Chickpeas: The Magic Bean Whether you call them by their botanical name cicer arietinum or by their common names — ceci, chickpea, garbanzo, hummus, or chana, I think you'll agree that they are indeed to most magical of all the beans! Join me as ...
03.25.2022 Tuscan Italian Cuisine — Beans, Biscotti, Bread…and Olive Oil (Part Three) Our culinary tour of Italy continues as we finish up central Italy by focusing on its most famous region: Tuscany / Toscana. Famous for its olive oil, wine, beans, bread, and treats like biscotti, this region's cuisine is all about ...
03.19.2022 Are Almonds Suitable for Vegans? (Rebroadcast) Should I eat foie gras because my organic kale was grown in soil amended with chicken manure? Should I eat steak and chicken wings because fruits and nuts are pollinated by insects? The idea that we should do nothing because ...
03.11.2022 Central Italian Cuisine: Forests, Farms, and Funghi (Part Two) Today is part two of our culinary tour of Italy — this time in Central Italy, characterized by rolling hills, agriculture, viticulture, and forests. In this episode, we cover the cuisines of Rome (Lazio), Abruzzo, le Marche, and Umbria. (Tuscany ...
02.25.2022 Animal-Related Expressions: Choosing Compassionate Cliches Over Violent Idioms A culture’s language reflects the values of that society, and our shared use of that language reflects our agreement with those values. Today I examine how our use of common idioms and proverbs denigrates animals and contributes to our violence ...
02.18.2022 Southern Italian Cuisine — Pizza, Pasta, and Produce (Part One) We begin our 4-part culinary tour of Italy in the south — characterized by sunshine, rich soil, and the Mediterranean Sea, all of which influence this region's cuisine. Eat first, take notes, and prepare to be inspired to cook and ...
02.11.2022 We Are Not a Single Movement: In-Fighting in the Vegan, Plant-Based, and Animal Advocacy Communities Being part of a supportive community of people who share the same joys and heartaches, victories and challenges, pleasures and concerns is critical to staying vegan – and to staying a joyful vegan. But what happens when there are divisions ...
02.04.2022 Pet Trusts & Bequests: Planning for the Care of our Animals I know it's hard enough to plan your day to day LIFE without thinking about your eventual DEATH, but putting plans in place for the unexpected and the inevitable will give you peace of mind now and the right care ...
01.27.2022 Vegan Purity: The Problems and the Pitfalls In this follow-up episode to Plant-Based Options at Fast Food Restaurants: Not Suitable for Vegans? I continue our discussion about what makes something or someone vegan. It's a lot simpler than you think! I answer such questions as are plant-based ...
01.20.2022 Plant-Based Options at Fast Food Restaurants: Not Suitable for Vegans? Plant-based options are exploding in such fast food restaurants as Burger King, KFC, Carl's Jr., and White Castle as well as fast casual restaurants like Chipotle, Pizza Hut, and Panda Express. And the research shows it's leading to a reduction ...
01.12.2022 Why Is It So Expensive to Be Vegan? Join me as I address the charge that a vegan diet is accessible only to the privileged, wealthy elite who have enough money to buy overpriced produce and expensive vegan products. It's not as clear-cut as all that. Food for ...
12.31.2021 Looking Backward, Inward, and Forward — Happy New Year! As we cross the threshold from one year to the next and close out the 15th year of Food for Thought Podcast, I wanted to wrap up 2021 with a look back, a look inward, and a look forward to ...
12.19.2021 Animal Monuments Around the World Join me for an exploration of the beautiful monuments that pay tribute to animals for their bravery, loyalty, strength, love, selflessness, endurance, and intelligence. These memorials — in the form of statues, sculptures, and structures — will delight, surprise, and ...
12.06.2021 Animal-Inspired Pasta Names Many types of pasta are named for their resemblance to things we see or interact with every day, and so it should be no surprise several of those names are inspired by animals. Can you guess any of these animalogies ...
12.01.2021 White Elephants and Gift Exchanges: What's the Connection? What do white elephants have to do with the popular holiday swap parties? All is revealed in this episode of Food for Thought. And I throw in a bonus about pink elephants and what they have to do with alcohol-related ...
11.20.2021 A Guide to Wine: Sustainable, Organic, Vegan — Oh My! What does it mean for a wine to be labeled "sustainable," "organic," "natural," "biodynamic," or "vegan"? Can you be one without the other? What are the most important considerations when buying any agricultural product? This and A LOT MORE on ...
11.03.2021 Make a Vow and Renew it Regularly You don’t have to get married or be in a romantic relationship to create intentions for how and who you want to be in relationship. A vow is a promise and a pledge, but more than that, it’s a blueprint ...
10.29.2021 Animal-Themed Halloween Films (Re-Run) It's that time of year for scary films, but don't worry! I don't recommend films in which animals are the victims of gruesome violence. So, grab some popcorn, get a pen and paper, and settle into this episode where I ...
10.19.2021 Breaking Bread: Words from the Staff of Life Let’s talk about words we get from a food staple that has helped shape who we are as humans and how we talk as English-speakers. The Food for Thought podcast is 100% listener-supported. Please become a patron today at Patreon.com/ColleenPatrickGoudreau. ...
09.10.2021 Zero Waste: Only Humans Produce Garbage (and How Not To) Aspiring to live lightly on this planet can be a pain in the butt, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. Listen to this episode about how to take responsibility for the things, the STUFF, we have brought into our ...
09.01.2021 How to Avoid Food Waste — Tips, Tricks, Strategies (REBROADCAST) Americans (vegan and non-vegan) throw away 40% of the food we bring into our homes — leading to greenhouse gas emissions in landfills, wasted money, human / animal conflicts, and squandered resources. Enjoy Part Two of the series on FOOD ...
08.10.2021 Pet Cemeteries and Animal Burials: How We Memorialize Those We Love Listen to this episode about pet cemeteries and animal burials old and new and what they tell us about the human-animal connection. The Food for Thought podcast is 100% listener-supported. Please become a patron today at Patreon.com/ColleenPatrickGoudreau. Thank you for ...
07.01.2021 Plastic-Free July: How to Reduce Your Plastic Use Don't worry if you didn't plan on making some changes this month. I've got you covered.⁠⁠ Whether you're consciously following #plasticfreejuly or just want to reduce (or be aware of) the amount of plastic you use, consume, and buy, you ...
06.25.2021 The Problem with Zoos What is the problem with zoos if they support conservation efforts, save endangered species, educate the public about wildlife, instill a love of animals, and foster appreciation for the natural world? Listen to find out. Food for Thought is a ...
05.28.2021 Keep Flowers Not Bees — How to Save Bees without Eating Honey There are more than 25,000 bee species globally, but when most people think about "saving bees," they tend to think only of the European honeybee — a species not native to the U.S. — that has been domesticated for crop ...
05.05.2021 Zero Waste: What to Do About Catalogs, Junk Mail, and Envelopes with Plastic Windows What is one of the biggest culprits hindering the “zero” part of my zero-waste journey? MAIL! Junk mail, flyers, catalogs, credit card offers, charity solicitations, and just...mail in general. How to reduce it? How to properly discard it? Listen to ...
04.16.2021 A Kindness of Ravens: Words from Our Black-Feathered Friends Ravens, the most intelligent of all birds, live deep in our consciousness and language. Today we explore all the words and expressions with "raven" as their root. GAME OF THRONES FANS: take note! Resources for living compassionately & healthfully at ...
04.02.2021 Time is Passing. How Do You Want to Spend It? "I wish this hadn't happened in my time." "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given ...
03.19.2021 When to Use (and Not Use) the Word Vegan — REBROADCAST One of my goals has always been to take the word "vegan" out of the box called "vegan." My goal is constantly thwarted by the overuse of the word vegan the use of "vegan" to refer to people as well ...
03.12.2021 Foods Easter and Passover — Honoring Tradition AND Our Values (Re-broadcast) Food-related rituals, particularly those involving animals, are likely to be so revered that they supersede consideration for anything or anyone else. Join me today for a discussion of how to honor the traditions of Easter and Passover while staying true ...
03.11.2021 World Vegan Travel (Bonus Episode) Listen to my conversation with World Vegan Travel founder about how joyful and abundant it is to travel when compassion is your compass. Vegan travel to Italy, Rwanda, Vietnam, Cambodia, Botswana, South Africa, France, Japan, and more. Resources for living ...
03.05.2021 Jim Crow and Zip Coon: The Animals in Racial Stereotypes Jim Crow has become such a familiar term — as in Jim Crow Laws or the Jim Crow South or the Jim Crow Era — that it’s easy to miss the animal — in this case...the crow inside the phrase. ...
02.27.2021 Zero Waste — Rain Tanks and Grey Water In today's episode, I share my experience setting up 1,000-gallon rain catchment tanks and diverting the grey water from our sinks and showers to our gardens — instead of the sewer. A must-listen. Resources for living compassionately and healthfully at ...
02.20.2021 To Take or Not to Take Supplements In today's episode, I answer such questions as, "Are vitamin/mineral supplements necessary?" "Are there any risks to taking supplements?" "Are supplements just a waste of money?" "Is it necessary/wise to take a daily multivitamin?" "What zero-waste, vegan supplements do you ...
02.13.2021 Learning By Heart: The Art of Memorizing The act of memorizing something — anything: a poem, a literary passage, a speech, a prayer, a philosophical treatise — is one of the most meaningful things we can do. In this episode, I explain why and how to do ...
02.06.2021 Aphrodisiac Foods and Love Potions Derived from the name of the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, aphrodisiac foods and beverages are said to have qualities that provide amorous inspiration for bewitching and beguiling your beloved. In this episode, I cover them all — for Valentine's Day ...
02.01.2021 Zero-Waste, Eco-Friendly, Cruelty-Free Gifts for Valentine's Day That's a mouthful!! In this episode, I offer some thoughts and suggestions for sustainable, animal-free, zero-waste gifts — whether they're for your romantic partner or platonic pal. Whether we're talking about flowers or chocolate or cards, there are some things ...
01.25.2021 The Gift of Appreciation Letting others know you appreciate and value them is one of the greatest gifts you can give. In today's episode, I recount personal stories of appreciation and the bonuses I experienced as a result. As always, you can find lots ...
01.19.2021 Inauguration: On a Wing and a Prayer On Inauguration Day, not everyone will be talking about the inauguration of the next U.S. president; some (like me) will be talking about the animals hidden within the word itself. Join me for a journey back to ancient Rome to ...
01.18.2021 How to Not Be Cynical About the World WARNING: Life-changing revelation! In this episode, I explain why it's fruitless to be surprised that a fig tree produces figs. Trust me. You'll want to hear this. As always, you can find lots of resources for living compassionately and healthfully ...
01.15.2021 Yes, I Have Hope. No, I'm Not a Mythical Creature I have been an animal advocate for more than 25 years, and I see enough cruelty every day to have a pretty bleak view of the world: And yet, I have hope. No, I’m not a mythical creature. No, I’m ...
01.13.2021 How the Past Can Give Us Hope for the Future In this episode in our 15th year of Food for Thought Podcast, I explain how the hindsight of history can give us the insight of sages. As always, you can find lots of resources for living compassionately and healthfully at ...
01.12.2021 Angry Vegan vs. Joyful Vegan While feeling anger (or sorrow) at the plight of animals is understandable, letting anger define you is detrimental. In this episode, I discuss how to be vegan with passion, purpose, and power rather than anger, outrage, and indignation. You can ...
01.10.2021 Animal-Free Fertilizers for Healthy Gardens When it comes to human nutrition, the bottom line is: the nutrients we need are plant- (and bacteria-) based. Not animal-based. When it comes to healthy soil: the same is true. The nutrients that plants need to grow come from ...
01.09.2021 Mindful Eating In this episode, I explain the benefits of eating with awareness and provide suggestions for mindful eating. You can always find resources for living compassionately and healthfully at joyfulvegan.com and my books wherever books are sold. This podcast is 100% ...
01.08.2021 Know Your Numbers (Cholesterol) In today's episode of the 15th year of the Food for Thought Podcast, I provide the optimal numbers experts recommend for your total cholesterol, LDL ("bad cholesterol"), HDL ("good cholesterol"), triglycerides, and a little thing called homocysteine. As always, find ...
01.07.2021 Vegan Travel & Vegan Trips We're hopeful that we will be traveling again as of September 2021 with incredible vegan trips to France, Italy, Botswana, and South Africa. Here's what you can expect. As always, find resources for living compassionately and healthfully at joyfulvegan.com, find ...
01.06.2021 Eat By Color In this episode I explain why my message for eating healthfully can be narrowed down into three little words: eat by color. As always, you can find resources for living compassionately and healthfully at joyfulvegan.com, you can find my books ...

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