The Plantwise Podcast with Brigitte Gemme

Can dogs be plant-based? Meeting Laura Simonson, founder of Virchew

About a third of American and Canadian households have a dog, and the numbers have grown since the beginning of the pandemic. My own household does not include tail-wagging friends, but I know dogs are part of the family for many. So what do they all eat? Can dogs be plant-based?

This question becomes increasingly urgent as companion animal numbers increase and the climate emergency looms. On average, a third of dogs’ calories come from meat, and American dogs collectively eat as much as the entire population of France. By some estimates, adding a medium-sized dog to a family is about the same as adding a large SUV. What’s a compassionate and earth-loving dog guardian to do? Can they change their canine companions’ eating habits along the same line of theirs?

The good news is, yes, apparently, dogs can be plant-based! I say “apparently” because, although I know of many healthy and happy plant-based dogs, there still isn’t an authoritative body of scientific literature answering the question: can dogs be plant-based? What one does find on the Internet is a lot of opinion based in the false identity between wolves and dogs. In reality, dogs have co-evolved with humans (eating our leftovers!) and although they are very similar, genetically speaking, to wolves, they differ in their ability to digest starches.

But progress is in the works thanks to the work of pioneers of really good food for dogs such as Laura Simonson.

Laura is a Vancouver-based long-time vegan who was originally in the fitness industry. With her team, she is developing plant-based food for dogs and is working with dog families and veterinarians to assess its impact on the pooches in real-life conditions. Such an inspiration! I am sure you will enjoy listening to our conversation. You can watch the video or listen to the podcast (below).

Learn more about Virchew's food for dogs on their web site and follow them on Instagram.

Wondering what the humans will have for dinner? Download your free 5-day "Planned and Plant-based" meal plan: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned

Invest in your wealth and health today - Interview with Alison Setton financial educator

What's the link between health and wealth? Among other things, both require us to invest in them - and both yield fabulous benefits and freedom if we are committed to growing them steadily. Join me in the Vegan Family Kitchen as I engage in conversation about health and wealth with my neighbor and long-time Vegan Meal Plan subscriber, the financial educator Alison Setton. 

Connect with Alison Setton on Instagram https://instagram.com/alisonsetton 
or via her web sites https://alisonsetton.ca (for Canadian residents) or https://alisonsetton.com (for US residents)

If you'd like to try the meal plans Alison uses to feed her family really good food (without the stress), visit https://veganfamilykitchen.com/ and get your free 5-day "Planned & Plant-based" plan. It includes tasty and healthy plant-based recipes everyone can enjoy, along with a shopping list, prep steps to take on the weekend so weeknights are less stressful, direct access to Brigitte if you have questions, and motivation emails to keep your feet in the kitchen when it counts. Try it today: Vegan Family Kitchen.

The amazing future that comes after meat: an interview with Karthik Sekar

Eating animal products, aside from being horribly polluting and terribly cruel, is shamefully inefficient. Thankfully, we can do better thanks to technology today, and the future looks bright. 

I was thrilled to interview Karthik Sekar, Ph.D., a data analyst in the "alt-meat" industry and author of the book "After Meat: The Case for an Amazing, Meat-free Future." He clearly explains what makes animals a technology of the past, how we can do better, and what it means for human nutrition. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!

You can get his book from all online book retailers including Smashwords. For more information, visit the book's website: aftermeatbook.com. You can also connect with Karthik on Twitter.

Nature smacks Canada behind the head for failure to reconsider industrial agriculture

Individual action is a great place to start when it comes to climate change, but a terrible place to stop. Beyond plant-based cooking, we also have to consider the policies that have led us to the current crisis. As western Canada's industrial animal farming infrastructure is walloped by unprecedented storms and hundreds of thousands of animals drown senselessly, we have to ask ourselves: why would we be stupid enough to rebuild the same way? This episode was recorded shortly after COP 26. 

Use your gifts for good - Interview with Marian Erikson of the Plant-based Briefing podcast

Pull yourself a chair in the Vegan Family Kitchen and join the conversation with my guest, Marian Erikson. She is the host of the Plant-based Briefing podcast and a cherished Vegan Meal Plan subscriber. 

Get a meal plan to be Planned & Plant-based next week

Listen to the Plant-based Briefing podcast

Why you hate cooking (and what to do about it)

Do you hate cooking? Are you resentful about having to make dinner every night? Let's take a deep (but quick!) dive together into this question that is truly a matter of life and death. What are the forces that stack the odds against home cooking in our culture? And what can we do about it as individuals? 

If you're willing to go from "I hate cooking" to "I'm learning to love it," connect with me over at Vegan Family Kitchen. 

How to make cooking fun with Siobhan Coates, the fun coach

Think cooking is a chore? Time to give your head a shake and turn things around. Cooking CAN be fun... if you make it so. I interviewed Siobhan Coates, the fun coach, to talk about it. You're going to love her amazing tips to bring the joy into your kitchen. Watch this, then go put it into practice right away!

Connect with Siobhan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sparkupyourlifewithlaughter

 

My 6 big reasons to feel grateful (not resentful) when cooking dinner

Is cooking more of a chore and less of a joy? That's understandable, and you're not alone. There may be underlying issues to address to improve your situation, but right now - when it's time to cook - focusing on gratitude might make you feel better. Here are my grateful thoughts.

Visit the original post to comment with your reasons to feel grateful when cooking:
https://veganfamilykitchen.com/cooking-gratitude/ 

How to start vegan batch cooking - tips to make weeknight dinners less stressful

Batch cook this weekend and make your life SO MUCH BETTER next week! Get inspired with 20+ awesome all-vegan plant-based recipes that I selected because they are great for batch cooking: blog post and recipes.

More meal planning and batch cooking resources.

Your meal planning priorities: what matters most? what can you let go of?

Project management works for big construction site... and for family cooking, too! Take a moment to reflect with me on your priorities, decide what matters most to you, and let go of what's not serving you right now. Help yourself to my meal planning resources: https://veganfamilykitchen.com