In the Spotlight

Kate McGuire

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Kate grew up in central Maine and became a vegetarian as a teenager due to a love of animals and to reduce animal suffering. Kate has eaten plant-based in more than 10 different countries during her travels. She lives in Philadelphia, PA and has completed two marathons powered through eating a plant-base lifestyle. Her work involves international partnership and licensing for Quirk Books. She organizes a vegetarian lunch with her publishing colleagues from around the world when they meet twice a year for annual book fairs.

1. How Long have you been eating plant-based? I was vegetarian for 18 years and I have been eating plant-based for 2 years.

2. What made you decide to go plant-based? I joined a running group, The Humane League and learned the reality of what the animals go through with large animal agriculture. I also learned another level of health benefits by eliminating all animal products from my diet. Also I have a lot of community support which makes it easier.

3. What are your go to foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner? For breakfast I will have toast with peanut butter, bread with olive oil and nutritional yeast sprinkled on top or oatmeal with nut butter. Sometimes I will make a smoothie with a banana, peanut butter and soy milk. For lunch I will have pita bread with hummus and vegetables, tofu with pickled vegetables or tempeh and sun-dried tomatoes. For dinner I make pasta with walnuts and dark leafy greens, or Fuschia Dunlop-Tofu and chinese rice based dishes with fresh vegetables and fermented beans. I also like foods from Morocco and Northern Africa and will use those spices in my dishes.

4. What did you find to be the biggest challenge to becoming plant-based? How to be gracious when I am a guest at a gathering and there are no options for me to eat. It is sometimes hard to be socially gracious when I don’t want to eat what is being served and not hurt anyone for not eating what they are serving.

5. What are the benefits that going plant-based have done for you? I feel better and eating animal free foods is easy on my conscience and I have a sense of peace. I am also more aware and conscience of what is on my plate. I make sure I eat more foods of the rainbow colors.

6. Do you have a favorite recipe, cookbook, tip or recipe to share? I like the Afro-Vegan cookbook by Bryant Terry. There is a good recipe in there for citrus collards. I also like It’s Never Too Late to Go Vegan by Carol Adams. For one of my favorite recipes is Mujaddara which is cooking brown rice and lentils with water, oil and cumin. You caramelized onions in oil until really dark. It takes a while for them to get a caramel brown, up to 45 minutes. Then mixed together with vegetables on the side.

WEBSITE: The Humane League
VIDEO: Bryant Terry’s Citrus Collards

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