The Sexy Vegan ~ March & April 2014

For March and April of 2014, the cookbook I have chosen to cook from is The Sexy Vegan: Extraordinary Food from an Ordinary Dude by Brian L. Patton.

I first heard of his work while listening to a podcast. I can't recall if it was Our Hen House or Red Radio...mmmm...Red Radio! It came out just in 2012, and I bought it right away.
I'm embarrassed to say I cooked from it only once, and it wasn't long ago. About a month ago, we had "Food Day" where I work. People were encouraged to bring food to share. A bunch of people were on a diet (after Christmas tradition), so I thought I'd bring something (absolutely vegan) that wasn't cupcakes or doughnuts. I wanted something without gluten (co-workers are gluten-sensitive), and without soy because I don't like how non-vegans often assume that all vegans eat is sprouts and soy.

I perused my cookbook collection. I wanted to see what The Sexy Vegan had to offer. All sorts of dishes I wanted to make! I decided on the Marinated Eggplant Pasta Salad. I've never cooked with eggplant before, and I was excited to try something new! In my pre-vegan days I never ate eggplant. But it's really good! Now, as a vegan,  I've eaten it in a few dishes offered in restaurants in Regina, but never cooked it on my own.

Everyone at work loved the salad! One woman even remarked that she normally doesn't care for eggplant, but she really loved it in this dish. I was so happy. In fact, my container of salad went 'missing' when I came to work the next day. I still don't really know what happened to it, but the container was empty and clean on my desk the following week. I won't ask questions.

Brian L. Patton, the author, has a YouTube cooking show. It's hilariously awesome. My understanding is that he started with the cooking videos, then got a book deal. He named the YouTube videos, "The Sexy Vegan" so that people (namely men) would click on his videos. Well, it worked. His cooking show has loads of episodes, and he now has two cookbooks published.
Nicely done Brian!

Thee Erin Red Gives A Shout Out To My Dad

Walking to work in the morning.

I regularly listen to my chosen vegan podcasts while walking to and from work(it's about a twenty-three minute walk). Yes, even in the winter. I wear layers.
Monday morning wasn't much different. The biggest difference was that Erin Red gave a shout out to my Dad on Red Radio Episode 53.
He had posted on her Facebook page, thanking her for recognizing my greatness.

I don't think I'm 

really 

all that great, I'm just doing what I need to.

It was the Friday before that my parents had come over. We had a huge amount of snow dump on us all day and night Thursday, so they came to help, with their snow-blower, clear the snow from my walk, driveway, deck, and steps. He mentioned that he had posted on Erin's page.

Recent Posts By Others

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  Darryl Millham

  Hi Erin! This is Alyx's Dad. Just wanted to say thanks for recognizing our Daughters extraordinary dedication and drive.

  Unlike ·  · January 8 at 12:38pm
  

  • You and Erin Red like this.
  • 

    Erin Red Oh my goodness, what an absolute honor! It is absolutely my pleasure - she is a gem, and you should be so proud! Love to you and the family 

    January 9 at 10:44pm · Unlike · 

I saw my Dad on Monday after I was done work and I told him about the episode.
I told him that Erin said he "raised himself a gem". He responded with, "oh, she knows Mallory too?"

Har Har, Dad, Har Har

Meeting Thee Erin Red

I know I should post pictures of the food we ate(they're coming!), review the talks and inspiring speakers, and celebrate the variety of great people we met. But no, I need to talk about meeting Erin Red.

Yes folks. It was a magical moment.
Abigail and I were sitting, waiting for Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's first talk, From Excuse-itarian to Vegan: Addressing the Blocks and Excuses that Keep Us from Making Changes on Saturday, September 8th.
In the front row, I might add, cause we're super nerds.

What Would Colleen Patrick-Goudreau Do?

"I Can't Even Look At You In That Fur"

Sitting and waiting. I recognized a female's voice just behind me. She excused herself as she tried to get past someone. Before I had even turned around fully, and before the thought had truly registered in my brain, I heard myself exclaiming, "Erin Red?!"
Then I saw her. Red hair and all. She saw me and exclaimed herself, "Alyx Millham?!"
We both grinned widely, and immediately moved from where we were.
I stood from my seat, and she somehow shimmied her way out of the isle.

Seriously. It was magical.
I felt like we were two lovers in an open field, running toward one another, with open arms, about to embrace.
Okay, not exactly...I wrote 'like'...so similarly. And I'm sure we didn't look that way to bystanders.
But we did hug, and took our seats again. She introduced me to her father. He was very kind. And awesome!

After the talk, Colleen was signing books, so Abi and I waited our turn in line. While we waited, Erin talked with us, and showed us her new tattoo! Colleen hadn't even seen it yet! Pretty incredible stuff, I must say(mighty tempted to copy her).
Colleen signed my Vegan's Daily Companion, and Abi's The Vegan Table.
Yes, Abigail and I lugged them from home in Regina, Saskatchewan. Don't judge.
I got Erin to sign Vegan's Daily Companion on the page where her story is(pg 292-From Skeptic To Vegan).
She wrote,
"Remember to always ask yourself-WWCPGD? You're awesome. Don't forget it. Erin Red xoxo"

I brought the tattoo magazine, Skin & Ink(April/May 2012) with her tattooed self, gracing the pages. She signed that, too.
"You are the reason I do what I do, thank you for your powerful activism! Much love! Erin Red xoxo"

We got photographs with Colleen Patrick-Goudreau and Erin Red. I felt like the luckiest woman alive.

Erin Red Read My Letter on Red Radio!!

Yes, I haven't blogged specifically about this great, informative, and entertaining podcast as of yet. But I will! Seriously.
Okay, I'll do right now. Geez Louise Vegan Cheese.

I was listening to Citizen Radio. 

Erin Red was on the show as a guest and talking about veganism. I was enthralled by what she had to say. Enthralled.
Then I heard the announcement that she would be starting her own podcast. I was very excited.
I've been listening devoutly since her first episode, a little more than a year ago. Her first guest was my absolute favourite vegan, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.
She releases a new episode every Monday(save for when she's supporting her boyfriends pro fights, at Festivals, or doing something else amazing).
The podcast is broken into several different topics, all related to veganism. She has interviews with Fresh Veggies(people that have been vegan for less than a year), and interviews with Seasoned Veggies(vegans for several years). There's a section that she rants about whatever is making her mad, Steamed Veggies. She reviews products and events, gives some vegan news, and she has a new segment called Dirty Birds, with Melisser Elliot(she wrote The Vegan Girl's Guide To Life).
During Dirty Birds, the two gab about sex and being vegan. She ends each episode with a Compassionate Clip of the Week.
Erin Red is from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She's living in Brooklyn, New York, USA. She's pretty amazing. She does Muay Thai, bikram yoga, has tattoos, runs, works a lot, hosts a weekly podcast, has rescued cats and a dog, and is generally a stellar person.

Onto why I'm posting!
I listened to the one-year anniversary episode(EP49) on my walk to work on November 27, 2012. (The day after my birthday!!)
I just left my house, was walking down the back alley to the street, Erin was talking about the email I sent to her. She said my name!!!
My heart started racing, I got a huge grin on my face, and all I wanted to do was shout with glee and do cart wheels. And I would have, if it wasn't 7:20am, I wasn't bundled up and trudging through the snow.
I felt(and feel) so honoured to have been the sponsor for the anniversary show of this special podcast. Especially because she interviewed Colleen Patrick-Goudreau again! I loved it.
My roommate, Abi, listened to the intro with me later that night because I was so excited! She got a little teary-eyed. Abi said she knew my story, but it was like hearing it for the first time again because I always just sound so happy when I tell it.
The truth is I am happy when I tell it. It seems unbelievable that I'm the same person that went through that trauma. I'm happy I lived and can help others(human or non) when they need it.