THE VEGAN TABLE INTERVIEW
Compassionate Cook Colleen Patrick-Goudreau interviewed by Claudette Vaughan

Who is the real Compassionate Cook?

I was raised on a typical American diet of meat, dairy, and eggs. At nineteen I was shocked by what I learned when I read Diet for a New America. No longer able to justify eating animals and their "products," I began a journey of discovery that continues to this day. Determined to raise awareness about animal suffering, I founded Compassionate Cooks to be a voice for the over 45 billion land and sea animals killed every year in the U.S. for human consumption. My work is dedicated to them.

Having earned a master’s degree in English Literature, I use my writing and communication skills to raise awareness of the animal issues about which so many people are unaware. I am a sought-after and inspiring public speaker on the spiritual, social, and practical aspects of a vegan lifestyle. I am the author of two cookbooks (The Joy of Vegan Baking and The Vegan Table). I am also the host of the popular and award-winning podcast Vegetarian Food for Thought, have appeared on the Food Network, am a columnist for VegNews Magazine, and also a contributor to National Public Radio. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to witness transformations taking place in people as they gain the tools and resources they need to re?ect their values in their daily choices. Currently I am working on my third cookbook, Color Me Vegan, along with a fourth book, The Vegan's Daily Companion.

The Vegan Table 200 Unforgettable Recipes for Entertaining Every Guest at Every Occasion is just out. Tell us about it Colleen.

It's a very special book to me, as it's full of over 200 recipes that I've been teaching and making and sharing for 10 years. Many of the recipes are permanent fixtures in my own cooking repertoire, and so many have been made over the years with my cooking class students. More than that, it's organized as an entertaining cookbook, as there weren't any vegan cookbooks that focused on gatherings, special occasions, holidays; in making it an entertaining cookbook, it gave me the opportunity to talk about the challenges not only for vegans in these circumstances but also for the families of vegans who may feel overwhelmed by what to feed them.

The layout is uniquely based around menus for special occasions - which special occasions?

Well, the cookbook is organised by the number of people you host, so it starts with Cozy Coupling for Two, then Casual Dinners for Four to Six, Formal Dinners for Six to Ten, then moves into more general entertaining: Celebrations and Occasions, Holidays, and Excuses to Party. One of the challenges I've noticed people have is how to create menus based on plant foods. We're all so used to "meat" being the centrepiece/the focal point, so when you remove the meat, people don't know how to craft a plate: what to pair with what, etc. So, each section is also broken down by menu (and by season) to help people create full meals based on the recipes.

How did you come about the recipes and how did you choose what recipe went where?

Well, as I said, I've been creating, perfecting, and sharing these particular recipes for years, so in many ways it was a matter of deciding which recipes fit into which section - Is it something a little fancier for a formal dinner? Etc.  Is it perfect for various seasonal holidays? e.g., stuffed squash at Thanksgiving, tea sandwiches for a spring brunch, etc. Choosing the recipes for the Cozy Coupling: Romantic Dinners for Two chapter was fun, because each recipe includes ingredients that have aphrodisiac qualities.

Have you found in your vegan travels an abundance of questions being asked by vegans on entertaining that are just not being adequately addressed?

I think people don't think deeply enough about what "vegan" food is. If you look at the recipes, many of them are old standards (like Haroset for the Passover dinner or Potato Latkes for Hanukkah or Chocolate Truffles for winter holidays or Pineapple Upside Down Cake for summer, etc.). My intention in everything I do is to take veganism out of the box and help people realise that is that what we call “vegan food” is food they are already familiar with: vegetables, fruits, beans, grains, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices. When we take it “out of the vegan box,” it is demystified and becomes less daunting. When you craft it that way, people immediately recognise that "vegan food" is familiar and something they already eat.

Name your favourites recipes from 'A Vegan Table' and tell us why.

Goodness...it's so hard to pick! OK - Favourites include Garlic and Greens Soup (you can even see a video of me demonstrating it on my website at www.compassionatecooks.com), No-Queso Quesadillas, Swiss Chard and Caramelised Onions, Muhammara, Pan-Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Herb-Infused Marinade, Polenta Hearts, and African Peanut and Sweet Potato Stew. I could go on, but then I'll wind up naming every recipe.

What demographic were you aiming at?

Well, I wrote about this in my introduction. I was really adamant about not calling the book “vegan entertaining,” because it implies that “vegans” do something different when they entertain, when in truth they just want to gather with loved ones like everyone else. So, the book is aimed at everyone who wants to base their meals around healthful, compassionate food. However, it would be disingenuous to suggest that there isn’t something special about a gathering where no animals were harmed for the sake of our pleasure. When our intentions and behaviour reflect kindness and nonviolence, when we think of someone else rather than our own desires, there’s no denying that something profound takes place. That’s “vegan entertaining:" the peace and joy that come with living a life of compassion and consciousness. I talk about this also in the introduction for Romantic Dinners. I can’t think of anything more intimate and romantic than basing a meal on life-giving rather than life-taking foods. We want food to nourish and nurture our loved ones, and plant-based foods - not animal-based products - make this possible.

Your first vegan cookbook 'The Joy of Vegan Baking' has won an award -- what was it for?

It won VegNews Magazine's Cookbook of the Year. The response has been amazing. People come up to me almost in tears telling me how this book has become their bible. They love that the recipes are simple and made with familiar ingredients and literally "wow" their non-vegan friends and family members every time. It's such a thrill for me, because my cookbooks are advocacy, and people are using them just that way. Once you demonstrate that "vegan food" is - of course! - delicious and satisfying, people start to think differently about it.

What tips can you share with other compassionate cooks Colleen?

My motto is "if it tastes good, they will eat it." Preparing delicious, nutritious, compassionate food for people - friends, family, co-workers - goes a long way in demystifying "vegan cuisine." Make it fun, make it casual, but make it! "Food is the great converter," I always say, so bring muffins to work, offer to make dinner for friends. The trick is not calling it "vegan." Once we do that, people's own blocks emerge and make it impossible for them to judge the food on its own merit. So just make the food as familiar as possible for people, and profound changes take place. You'll often hear them conclude: "If this is vegan food, I could eat this all the time."

To contact Colleen:  colleen@compassionatecooks.com

www.compassionatecooks.com

Compassionate Cooks is dedicated to empowering people to make informed food choices and to debunking myths about vegetarianism through cookbooks, podcasts, cooking classes, lectures & workshops, articles and essays, an inspirational CD, and a cooking DVD.