How Veganism Affects My Parenting

I’m a vegan. I’m a mom. Sometimes this can make things challenging.

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I believe in being honest and open with my children. I believe in speaking to them as intelligent fellow-humans who can process properly phrased answers to their questions, even if I find answering those questions uncomfortable. However my veganism can complicate this.

How? Animal welfare and food-related questions happen. Heck, in our minivan ALL kinds of questions happen! And I answer those questions but I must try to do so in a truthful, informative way that doesn’t force my vegan views on my children but allows them to make their own informed decisions for themselves. Because the best I can do as a parent is provide my children with unconditional love, honest answers, digestible information, unwavering support, solid structure, clear moral guidance, and an accepting environment that fosters their ability to be autonomous individuals.

You see, I view my veganism to be my personal choice for myself. And just as I do not believe I have the right to alter my children’s bodies because it is not my body therefore not my choice, I feel I cannot in full moral and ethical standing force them to follow my personal lifestyle path (ex: diet, religion, hobbies, sexual orientation, political beliefs, etc.) What is right for me is not right for all, even if I’d love to think it was.

When my daughter initially began asking where certain foods came from she felt conflicted between enjoying meat and feeling sad for the animals. That was a struggle I, myself, had faced for decades. So, I offered her a solution. I told her that if she felt eating meat was the right choice for her, she could eat the meat but say a prayer to the animal saying that she was sorry that it suffered and died but thanking it for filling her belly. Then she’d have to eat her entire animal-based serving so as not to have had the animal die unnecessarily. This worked for her quite well for a while.

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Now, my house is a dietary smorgasbord. My husband is a lacto-pescatarian, my daughter is a dairy-allergic pescatarian, my middle son is a peanut- and dairy-allergic omnivore, and my youngest is technically an omnivore but is naturally more of a lacto-vegetarian as he dislikes the texture of any meat beyond hot dogs and chicken nuggets (and let’s be honest, nothing in nature is the texture of a hot dog or chicken nugget.) Then there’s dairy-allergic, gluten-intolerant vegan me. We’re all doing what’s right for us as individuals.

Some vegans may have a problem with my parenting style. They may claim I am not a vegan because I am not forcing my children and husband to eat a vegan diet all of the time. That judgment is inconsequential to me. Their problem with my parenting is just that: their problem, and not my own.

Veganism is right for me, but it’s not right for everyone (even if I wish it was.) My kids have the right to choose as much as I did. Meanwhile, they’ll learn the deliciousness that veganism can offer through our meals at home.

 

Broiled Salmon with Zucchini Pomodoro

Ok, this was a hit! I threw it together in 30 minutes flat while putting away groceries and refereeing playroom mischief.

First, while preheating the broiler, I drizzled a filet of wild caught Alaskan salmon with olive oil and sprinkled it with salt and pepper. I created a tin foil pouch around the salmon and broiled the fish until cooked through. Then I let it rest uncovered.

After removing the salmon from the oven, I placed two pints of rinsed, whole fresh cherry tomatoes in a greased baking dish. I popped the tomatoes under the broiler for a few minutes until they began to blister and burst.

Meanwhile, I used my spiralizer to create zucchini “noodles” from 5 fresh zucchini. I drizzled a large pan with olive oil, then cooked the zucchini for a few minutes, gently stirring with tongs, to release the water. Next, I drained the zucchini in a mesh strainer before returning it to the pan.

I started boiling a handful of angel hair pasta until al dente. As the pasta cooked, I took the tomatoes from the oven and poured them right into the zucchini pan, juices and all. Next, I tore leaves of fresh, washed basil and tossed them straight into the zucchini pan.

I stirred in salt, pepper, nutrional yeast, brewer’s yeast, garlic powder, and onion powder. Then, I used tongs to pick up and move the al dente pasta from the boiling water to the zucchini pan. This way, a bit of the startchy pasta water made it into the zucchini pan. Finally, I lowered the heat and cracked two eggs into the pan, mixing well. Once the egg evenly coated the zucchini mixture, I turned off the heat and served.

Broiled Salmon with Zucchini Pomodoro

Broiled Salmon with Zucchini Pomodoro

BROILED SALMON WITH ZUCCHINI POMODORO 

Ingredients:

SALMON-

1 salmon filet

Olive oil (drizzled)

Salt & pepper, to taste

ZUCCHINI POMODORO-

5 zucchini

2 pints cherry tomatoes

1 small handful uncooked angel hair pasta

4Tbl nutritional yeast

3Tbl brewer’s yeast

3 handfuls of fresh basil leaves

Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, to taste

2 eggs

Directions:

Place the salmon in a foil pouch and position in a baking pan.

Place the salmon under the broiler on high until cooked through.

Spiralize the zucchini into a fine noodle shape.

Drizzle olive oil in a pan, then add zucchini and cook on medium heat — turning gently with tongs — to remove the excess water.

Remove the zucchini from the pan once heated and place in a mesh strainer.

Remove the salmon from the broiler once cooked through.

Uncover the salmon and allow to rest.

Place cherry tomatoes in a greased baking pan and put under the broiler.

Put the spiralized, strained, and cooked zucchini back into the pan.

Drizzle the zucchini with olive oil, then tear fresh basil directly into the pan.

Boil water and cook angel hair pasta until al dente.

While the pasta cooks, stir the yeasts, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper into the zucchini.

Once the tomatoes are blistered and bursting, remove them from the broiler and put the tomatoes and their juices directly into the zucchini pan.

Use tongs to move the al dente pasta from the boiling water to the zucchini pan, allowing a bit of the startchy pasta water to enter the zucchini pan as you transfer the pasta.

Crack two eggs directly into the zucchini pan.

Reduce the heat to low and stir the eggs in thoroughly.

Serve and enjoy!