veganism — Blog — The Greenest Blue

Eating Vegan on San Juan Island, WA - Friday Harbor Plant-Based Eats

Ah, the blissful Salish Isles. Home to one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet, this part of the world is a marine lover’s paradise. Therefore, my paradise. San Juan Island is the most populous and second largest of the 172 named islands in this area, and it’s my favorite place on the planet. I feel like I’ve gotten to know this little gem of an island pretty well over the last few years. I’m in no way claiming to be a local or a full-timer, but I've spent three summers here and have sprinkled in numerous other visits over the last five years. And being a gal with a hearty appetite and a love of good planty food, I’ve done my fair share of culinary exploring. The low population means that there isn’t a huge variety of vegan restaurants - or any other type of restaurant, for that matter. But the type of people that are drawn to live here tend to open some top-notch dining establishments with a real farm-to-table flair. Although seafood reigns king on most of the locavore menus, you’ll still find plant-based delights galore - especially during the summer.

Eating Vegan in Leavenworth, WA - Finding the Plants in a City of Bratwursts

My parents and I decided it was safe and within our realm of responsibility as decent human beings to visit Leavonworth, WA last weekend. This is quite a unique little town tucked away in the Cascades near Wenatchee, and the scenery is absolutely astounding. The biggest surprise? The Bavarian theme that runs throughout the entire town! Apparently, back in the ‘60s, the economy was struggling thanks to the complete die-out of the once-booming logging industries. Town leaders decided to focus instead on tourism and came up with the bright idea of changing Leavonworth’s appearance to draw visitors into the mountains. The inspiration? The epic landscape around the Bavarian alps in southern Germany. Thus began the cute Bavarian shops, restaurants and festivals (I’d love to go to Oktoberfest here!).But all those adventures certainly made me hungry, and a vegan girl gotta eat! I was pleasantly surprised with the plant-based options Banff provided. And to make things simple for my fellow vegan travelers, I wanted to let you know where I imbibed:

My Three Favorite Plant-Based Food Blogs in 2020

I know I’m not the only one with a family that’s been spending way more time in the kitchen than normal, courtesy of the current ‘ronacoaster. I’ve been whipping up homemade granola bars, getting creative with the toppings on my freshly popped popcorn for movie nights, and trying out most of the recipes from a vegan cookbook I was gifted for my birthday (written by one of the gals I’m about to mention in this post). Kitchen time = quality time.

I’m not going to lie, though; I did go on a bit of a hiatus from cooking for a while this past year. I was finding it incredibly draining to cook for myself all the time, especially when I was around others that didn’t want to eat vegan, and eventually, I found my love for being in the kitchen draining out of me faster than my girls and I drain a bottle of wine.

WHAT? ALL WINES AREN'T VEGAN? The Truth Behind Animal Products in Wine Production

I remember dabbling around in the Kaikoura New World market in New Zealand, looking for a nice birthday wine for my friend. My attention was immediately drawn to a label that said Vegan Wine. I was dumbfounded. In all of my years as a polite, mindful, wine-sipping twenty-something, I had assumed, no-brainer, that wine was vegan.

It’s GRAPES, people! How much more plant-based can you get?

But seeing this label called to my attention a completely different reality. It is true that, in fact, all wines are not created equal. Yes, they all contain fermented grapes and the bottles that appear on the supermarket shelves are not stuffed full of mysterious animal-byproducts.

Mindful Eating, Plant-Based EatingLauren FritzJanuary 26, 2020environmentalism, wine, vegan, veganism, plant-based, sustainable living

Eating Vegan in Banff, Canada - Where to Get Your Plant Fix While You Get Your Ski Fix

This post is about the magic of Banff, Canada and the vegan food I experienced while I was there! A few weeks back, my parents were headed up to this haven in the Canadian Rockies and invited me along. Naturally, I said, YEAHS! I remember visiting Banff National Park once before when I was much younger and gazing across the most beautiful glacial lake I’ve ever seen (Lake Louise), and this time around, I was excited to see it all winterized. WHEW, I was not disappointed! We maximized our snow time by cross-country skiing over a few days, hitting the slopes at Lake Louise Ski Resort, and simple jolling around the downtown Banff area.

But all those adventures certainly made me hungry, and a vegan girl gotta eat! I was pleasantly surprised with the plant-based options Banff provided. And to make things simple for my fellow vegan travelers, I wanted to let you know where I imbibed:

A Guide to the Best Vegan Food Spots in Hervey Bay, Australia

This is a straightforward summary of my explorations of plant-based dining options in this beautiful coastal town. Ok, let’s make sure we’re on the same page. I love Hervey Bay. It’s cute, quiet, and the weather is pretty much mint year-round. The ocean’s in your backyard, and the whales come to play from July to October (that’s why I was here!). But, I won’t lie - the food scene leaves something to be desired, especially for the vegans. Since I was living there for three months, I wasn’t about to sit at home and cook the same ole same ole every night - I wanted to eat out, too! I was able to do a fair bit of exploring in my quest to both satiate my stomach and stay committed to my environmental morals. This post is meant to save any vegan or omnivorous veggie-lovers some grief the next time they visit the Fraser Coast!

Week 3: 8 Weeks to a Greener Life & a Bluer Sea - Eat Like You Give a F*** (One Vegan Meal)

If someone were to ask me one critical thing they could do right now to help the environment, apart from dropping single-use plastics, I would suggest to them to be more aware of the food on their plates. You know, to eat like you give a f***. Like, where the heck did your food come from? Who grew it? How did they grow it? And...how does its production impact the environment?

Marine mammals inspired me to seek a greener lifestyle. What inspires you?