vegan columbus: vegan living in central ohio

Current area: Downtown Columbus
Hometown: Gahanna
Occupation: Bike Messenger
Other interests: Bicycle touring and racing, hiking and backpacking, cooking/ baking, reading.

How long have you been vegan?
I've been vegan for 9 years. I had been vegetarian for five years before that. I went vegan for the same reasons I originally became a vegetarian: ethical concerns regarding cruelty and the killing of animals, as well as environmental/ ecological considerations. A vegan diet is more sustainable than a vegetarian diet, which in turn is more sustainable than an omnivorous diet.

What are some of your favorite vegan places on the internet?
I love to read vegan blogs, especially ones that post recipes. Some of my favorites are:
Vegan Dad http://vegandad.blogspot.com/
Vegan Feast http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/
Manjula's Kitchen
http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/category/vegan/
Fatfree Vegan Kitchen (the recipes are not all fat-free)
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/

What are some of your favorite vegan books?
My favorite books on veganism are all cookbooks: The Voluptuous Vegan, Vegan with a Vengeance, and Veganomicon.

What are some of your favorite dishes at area restaurants?
My favorite dishes at some columbus restaurants are:
Tofu Pad Thai at Lemongrass. They now have a separate vegetarian menu with several vegan options (you have to ask for it).
The buffet at Banana Leaf. It is a vegetarian Indian restaurant, and they are very accommodating to vegans. The buffet comes with mango juice and several appetizers.
The Falafel at On the Fly.
And if you go to Cincinnati, the Sunday brunch and the Vegan Philly Cheese-Steak at Melt are both fantastic.

What are your top three favorite dishes to cook at home?
Top three dishes to cook at home are miso soup with tofu and veggies, breaded pan-fried tofu with aioli, and pasta with marinara sauce and tofurkey italian sausage.

What's the most difficult thing about being vegan?
The most difficult thing about being vegan is eating out with omnivores.

And the best?
The best part about being vegan is knowing that my diet is in-line with my values.

Any vegan pet peeves?
People who tell me it's not possible to be healthy with a vegan diet. "Where will you get your protein?!" I'm sure they are genuinely concerned about my health, but people often say this as if they are an authority on nutrition.

What advice would you give to an aspiring vegan?
My advice to aspiring vegans is to make connections with other vegans. You can share recipes, have potlucks, etc. Also, especially if you are switching from being an omnivore, take it a step at a time. It's great if you can cut out all animal products all at once, but if that's too overwhelming, don't give up. Becoming vegan is a learning process. Start by cutting out as many animal products as you comfortably can, and then work on learning how to do without those that remain. I think you're more likely to be successful in the long run this way.