Introducing Scarves for Justice by Louzilla Lovegood

When America elected Trump as president, I knew I had to take action to protect the marginalized groups he’s repeatedly promised to disenfranchise.

I also have a yarn stash that’s accumulated over the years from gifts, unfinished projects, and unstarted projects.

So I’m crocheting my way through my yarn stash for a good cause. I spent a large part of November making scarves that I’m now selling on Etsy. 100% of the proceeds from every scarf I sell will go to an organization that fights to protect our civil liberties. I am not making any profit off this.

9 Gift Ideas for the Vegan in your Life

Are you gift shopping for a vegan friend or relative this year, and have no idea what to get them? Do you want to support small, vegan businesses no matter who you’re shopping for this holiday season? Check out these ideas for gifts that won’t get returned because you forgot to check if it had wool in it. Oh, and they’re all under $30, so you don’t have to break the bank.

MoFo Break: Take Action Now to Protect Civil Liberties under Trump

I took a mini break from Vegan MoFo this week to focus protecting my civil liberties as a bisexual woman, as well as organizing against the bigotry many people—including those close to me—are encountering in the face of a Trump/Pence presidency. I’ll be back to MoFo shortly—I’ve got a lot of cool stuff planned for you—but in the meantime, here’s an excerpt from a piece I wrote for Raging Chicken Press on specific actions you can take now to protect civil liberties under Trump and support those around you.

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Taco Trucks and Trumpkin Pie

This election, I’m voting for taco trucks on every corner. Because America was built by immigrants (well, after they stole the land from the Native Americans). Because everyone deserves the opportunity to see what our nation has to offer. And because why else would Election Day fall on Taco Tuesday? (PS: Hell yeah, there’s hot sauce on those tacos.)

Pittsburgh: where vegans get not one, but THREE festivals

Pittsburgh’s 8th Vegan Festival was yesterday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the North Hills.

When I first moved to Pittsburgh a few months ago, I assumed they didn’t have any VegFests. After all, Philadelphia is a larger (and more veg-friendly) city, and it just held its first VegFest 2 years ago.

But as it turns out, we get 3 festivals a year!

How to Make a (Not Gross) Smoothie with Chia Seeds

You heard that chia seeds are a superfood full of protein, omega-3s, fiber, and other important nutrients. And you’ve seen countless people put them into smoothies. So you decide to give it a try, and throw a spoonful into the blender with your normal smoothie ingredients.

It tastes good at first, but within a few minutes it starts congealing into a thick blob that’s impossible to sip. You try to finish it because you hate wasting food and your stomach’s rumbling, but each slimy chunk sliding down your throat makes you want to vomit. So you throw it out (does this go down the drain or in the trash??) and vow never to put chia seeds in a smoothie again.

Not so fast! Follow these tricks and never have a chia smoothie fail again.

RECIPE: Pesto Pasta with Brussels Sprouts & Smoky Lentils

This recipe is perfect for that pesto you made with your end-of-summer basil crop and threw in the freezer—only to forget about it until fall. Or does that only happen to me?

If you make the pesto & lentils ahead of time, everything else comes together pretty quickly. Plus, you’ll have plenty of leftover lentils to use in other recipes throughout the week. I made mine on Sunday and added some to my stuffed acorn squash. Then, yesterday, I made this pasta. Today, I added some of the lentils to marinara sauce (along with some veggies and Tofurky sausage). And I plan on using them to top a salad for lunch tomorrow.

Not into lentils? I usually make this with Sweet Earth bacon or Tofurky Italian sausage. In fact, when I made it with the lentils I was worried I was losing out on flavor. But my boyfriend, who is not usually a fan of lentils, said he didn’t even think about missing the sausage, and he liked the texture the lentils provided.

Love Fresh, Local Food? Love Your Farmers.

Food doesn’t get more local than your backyard. Just ask Matt and Jess Salvaterra, who got into gardening to become more self-sufficient — and got so good at it, they started selling their surplus as Salvaterra’s Gardens. Or Dax and Robin Funderburk, who have been growing their own food since they moved to Mertztown 12 years ago. 5 years ago, they decided to make it a business called Beets Workin’ Farm so Dax could retire from his corporate job and spend more time with his four daughters.

I met with both these farmers, whose organically grown produce I’ve gotten at Healthy Alternatives, to learn more about who they were and where my food was coming from. After all, as Funderburk told me, “Everyone knows the first name of their dentist, their doctor, even their plumber. But how many people know the first name of their farmer?”

Dandelion Kombucha

Who you callin’ a weed?

This dandelion kombucha is inspired by a homemade, bright yellow dandelion wine I tried several years ago at a potluck. I had always known the leaves of the plant were edible — my mom often talked about how my grandmother used dandelion greens in salad — but it wasn’t until I tried the dandelion wine that I realized the flowers were edible, too.

In fact, the whole plant is edible, down to the roots, which are often roasted and used as an alternative to coffee.

My good friend Monica inspired me to finally try it out for myself. My yard is full of dandelions and other beautiful flora, especially before the first mow of the season (which is happening as I type). I was able to harvest plenty of the sunny flowers to make two gallons of booch while leaving enough to ensure they’ll come back in full force again next year.

Read on to learn how to make your own dandelion infusion with a touch of citrus to balance the flower’s light, slightly sweet, earthy flavor. You can then add this infusion to flavor kombucha, lemonade, or other drinks.

10 Most Vegan Friendly Restaurants in the Lehigh Valley

Vegan dining is hard if you don’t know where to look. Whether you’re new to the area or new to vegan food, this list is a great place to start if you’re looking for somewhere to eat in the Lehigh Valley. It comprises a variety of eateries throughout the valley. Each one has at least 2-3 solid vegan options that go above and beyond the normal fare of “hummus and veggie burger.”