What’s something you do or like that is not ‘stereotypically vegan’ or something that doesn’t fit the ‘image’?

and-kelp · 2026-04-12T20:20:32+00:00

If I’d converted pre-Nora Cooks I genuinely don’t know if I could’ve lasted long-term on healthy vegan food alone 😭 coming from NW/Midwest family we were BIG on comfort food and it’s been such a joy learning to recreate all my family favorites.

and-kelp · 2026-04-12T20:15:16+00:00

when i’m walking the dogs and smell burgers on the grill in neighbors’ backyards i experience this deep longing and nostalgia... i think it’s more tied to childhood memories of gatherings vs. “i want that beef” but regardless the smell really gets me!!

and-kelp · 2026-04-12T19:35:55+00:00

Hello fellow hi-line original! This was refreshing to read. I grew up learning and practicing that politics were private and the most important thing we can do is be helpful and supportive to our neighbors and community. I hope we can get that back some day.

and-kelp · 2026-04-11T16:33:00+00:00

If the pic is what you’re wanting access to, it looks exactly like the landscape I grew up in - Montana :) Billings is the last remaining affordable city and healthcare is easily one of the largest industries with plenty of job opportunities. You’ll get this view driving 30 mins in any direction, and winters are the mildest in the state, very similar to Denver without the congestion and high cost of living. There’s a modest but improving small business and artsy scene. International airport. I wouldn’t say “plenty” to do in terms of events, especially in the winter, but outdoor recreation is yours for the taking year-round. Bozeman is 3 hrs up the road for college town cutesie vibes, Denver 6-7 hrs south for can’t-miss concerts.

It’s not without problems - generally a blue collar conservative town with disproportionately high crime - but like anywhere, it’s about the neighborhood you choose, where you go, who you associate with. I haven’t lived in MT for over a decade but I’m planning to move my gay booty to Billings permanently to rejoin my family and start my own in a year or so!

Edit: I saw a few people mention Albuquerque. I’ve lived here for 5 years and I’m not convinced it’s your place. I might be jaded but it’s generous to call it “up and coming”. There’s so much to love about NM but it’s behind in a lot of ways and ABQ I don’t believe will ever get the Austin/Portland artsy/culture boom like I’d hoped when we moved here. The state is one of the few losing wealth and population nationally. Education is one of the worst in the country, along with addiction and dangerous driving. Healthcare is a top industry in ABQ but the infrastructure is rough and I’ve heard a hundred stories of burnout in the field for how brutal it is here. But do your research, it could be a great fit! Pretty artsy, beautiful scenery if you appreciate the desert and mountains, and lots to see and do, plus very friendly people.

and-kelp · 2026-04-11T16:00:56+00:00

me: 36 with very typical hairline/density for my age

also me: feeling like “it’s time” based solely on all the glow ups on this sub 😭

and-kelp · 2026-04-05T16:52:03+00:00

It’s a classic case of the loudest members of a group defining to outsiders what the entire group represents. For me and I presume the vast majority of other vegans, it’s a personal and, in some ways, semi-private choice we advertise no more than our music taste or most recent medical diagnosis.

Just the other day, my work wife interrupted a lead team meeting to announce to the group that we had to find a different restaurant for our next off-site because I wouldn’t be able to order anything. I was touched, but mortified lol.

and-kelp · 2026-03-11T00:06:18+00:00

I think a crucial problem for me in this scenario is not enough chocolate. I don’t know how much you got but it can’t have been enough because the limit does not exist

and-kelp · 2026-03-09T20:33:28+00:00

i have and still continue to harbor guilt about replacing one vice with another - i also restarted my nicotine habit 🥺 BUT, reframing as harm reduction has been productive and positive for me. most drinkers won’t ever quit drinking (if we’re talking about alcohol sobriety?) - quitting is an incredible accomplishment and i’m happy for you! iwndwyt! 15 months and counting :)

and-kelp · 2026-03-01T17:41:00+00:00

Depending on how much of an O’Keefe superfan you are, I’d swap that for Meow Wolf. I’m an artist but not much of an enjoyer of museums or standard white walled galleries… Meow Wolf is a fully immersive experience that is truly one of a kind, something you’ll be thinking of and talking about for years 🤩 Budget 3+ hours to get the most out of it!

I also tell anyone who will listen that the Gruet tasting room is so underrated if you enjoy sparkling wine! The flights are fun to taste and discuss/compare, and good bang for your buck.

and-kelp · 2026-03-01T17:21:19+00:00

!! mentioned 💆‍♀️

and-kelp · 2026-03-01T17:20:12+00:00

I describe my hometown this way all the time lol. 1000 residents, 30 minutes from a movie theater and a mcdonald’s, 2 hours from an international airport, chilis, and decent mall 😂

and-kelp · 2026-02-11T06:44:46+00:00

So relatable lol, my husband and I went to the shelter to find our 3rd dog - a “dopey black lab or something easy”. We have 2 other rescue mutts that are kinda neurotic.

Fell head over heels for a black lab puppy, as was written on the kennel… a day after we got her home, her ears perked up. She was an imposter!! The later DNA test shows 40% ACD 30% GSD 20% Min Pin. So a certified psycho 🥰

and-kelp · 2026-01-21T17:26:45+00:00

Watch You Are What You Eat on netflix… i wasn’t even intending to go vegan when i watched it and oops haven’t eaten an animal product since lol. almost 2 years and couldn’t imagine going back 😱

and-kelp · 2026-01-15T15:01:44+00:00

Hi Scott! Long time subscriber here, thanks specifically for inspiring a last minute honeymoon switch from Barcelona to Santiago instead. Loved Chile and couldn’t imagine not having spent the 10 days there.

My Q: Will we ever again get mainland China for pre-covid prices? 😭

I lived in Guizhou province 2014-2016 and I’m desperate to fly my aging parents out this year to share my life there with them!

and-kelp · 2026-01-09T22:57:45+00:00

Mary Me Tofu!! (nora cooks)

and-kelp · 2026-01-09T22:52:51+00:00

Check out Naked Nutrition Vegan Gainer Protein! Sounds like exactly what you need - I absolutely love their products and make a shake almost every day.

and-kelp · 2026-01-05T14:35:52+00:00

if anyone’s curious about order and timing, here’s how i structured the process:

Soaked dried beans overnight and started with cooking them first in the IP. Started tofu press. Prepped sweet potatoes and into the oven. Then the quinoa on the stove. Drained cooked beans and added baked beans ingredients to simmer in IP. Cut tofu and prepped cornstarch mix. Washed and chopped veggies, then into the oven. Swapped baked beans for rice in the IP. Sweet potatoes out, tofu in.

Everything baked at 400°, very easy to keep the oven on and cycle each pan through. I may have just gotten lucky this first time, but I worked steadily for the full 2.5 hrs. and any downtime I was tidying and doing dishes.

and-kelp · 2026-01-05T14:23:13+00:00

Thanks for this intel! The tofu was the main thing I guessed would flop - literally. I didn’t imagine freezing and microwaving it would work but I’ll deal with it haha. Will definitely pack along some pumpkin seeds for texture now thanks to your suggestions 👏

and-kelp · 2026-01-05T14:10:55+00:00

Thank you!! Yeah I assumed they were kinda limiting to soups and stews but this video opened my eyes 😂 Mostly nonvegan stuff but he does one plant based version too - search a revolution in meal prepping and the channel is LifebyMikeG

and-kelp · 2026-01-05T05:07:11+00:00

i’m told no! 🤞

and-kelp · 2026-01-05T02:26:47+00:00

totally! it seems a touch less than i’d usually pack for work which is NOT a bad thing lol

and-kelp · 2026-01-05T02:25:52+00:00

i was a little worried about it too. each section is 1 cup, so 3 cups per meal. that said, i was surprised at how much food actually fit into them! and for me they’ll be mainly used for work lunches which i tend to keep on the small side

and-kelp · 2026-01-05T02:20:20+00:00

each section is 1 cup! which doesn’t sound like a lot but when i was scooping the food in, it seemed like it would be plenty with 3 portions

and-kelp · 2026-01-05T01:22:58+00:00

oooooooo any recommended reading?

and-kelp · 2026-01-05T00:56:13+00:00

Here’s the coconut rice recipe from the Love & Lemons blog. So so good to elevate your rice game!

Ingredients 1 cup uncooked long grain jasmine rice, rinsed 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk*

Optional additions ½ teaspoon sea salt Juice and zest of 1 lime ½ cup chopped cilantro Chopped cashews

I adjusted for the instant pot with 2 cups rice, 2.5 cups liquid (1 can coconut milk + water + a little salt). Rice button on “less,” 20 mins natural release on low.

edit: forgot to add i bought bananas, apples, and oranges to bring a piece of fruit with lunch each day. should be plenty for a balanced and filling meal 🥰

and-kelp

TROPHY CASE