I think a great way to eat your veggies is by pickling/fermenting them (I’ve really enjoyed your posts about that!), maybe your friend can include some of that in her book? I’d buy it! Here’s the things I’m thankful for:
1. Taking my final exam today and being done for the year!!!
2. Winter hikes through the woods with a four year old and a snow-loving dog
3. Finding chestnuts at Trader Joe’s and roasting them over….yup, an open fire!

I’ve been wanting to say this for a while and I hope you realize the reason for it is because I enjoy reading the blog. It becomes unreadable when you say things like this: “We don’t always have the foresight to bake our own bread, (where you link to a page where you’ve baked your own bread) or the time to make our own soup stock (where you’ve linked to a page where you’ve made your own soup stock). I’ll admit it, I occasionally consume canned beans, or even *gasp horror* store-bought soup.”

It would be 10x more enjoyable to read if you wrote a bit more humbly. This is just one example; I find them every so often and it obscures my enjoyment. I find myself looking to be annoyed which is a terrible way to go through something that you enjoy. My delivery might be off because I’m not great at putting words to emotional thought but I hope you understand what I’m saying. I don’t know if you necessarily think you’re better than all your readers, but it comes off that way.

1. My husband coming home after being out of the country for two weeks.
2. My kids playing so well together and telling me that they are best friends.
3. Cleaning out the garage and donating it to a local charity.

@K There is nothing not humble about the way that Sayward writes. She is very sarcastic which I find hilarious! If you are interrupting her sarcasm as lack of humility then you should find another blog to read. And also consider that in your posting about Saywards lack of showing humbleness that you, yourself assumed that what you had to say was so correct and so on point, that Sayward would read it and change her way of writing. The fact that you posted a critique about Sayward’s lack of humility and in the same breath are assuming that what you have to say is so important that you should share it with all of us, is a true testament in how to show that you think you’re better than everyone else. Maybe you should turn your finger around and then find another blog to read if you find it so annoying. There are PLENTY of us who LOVE this blog and are eager to open it up everyday to see what Miz Sayward has come up with next!

:) I would love to see vegan baked goods. I am an avid baker and have really enjoyed it while being vegetarian for the last 3 years, but now that we are vegan I’m overwhelmed with all the egg substitutes, when to use earth balance and when not to, etc. I want foolproof vegan cookies that I can make with ingredients I have on hand but it gets difficult when one recipe uses arrowroot or cornstarch and the next uses Ener-G ER. I just wanna use one, you know? I’m totally still enjoying baking as a vegan but I want some easy, go-to recipes :)

I also agree with erosan ^^- more vegan recipes that are enjoyable in their own right, not because they mimic a meat and potatoes kind of dish. I don’t want to trick people into eating vegan, I want to show them that vegan is AWESOME on it’s own. Let’s put vegan cooking in the upper echelons of gourmet food. Amen.

@vegan cookbook
I am not vegan, but I can’t eat dairy and I avoid meat as much as I can, so I’m usually looking for vegan recipies. What I love about this situation is that it forced me to discover SO many new things I’ve never tried before! But what I’d really like to read is a short and to-the-point guide what should vegan eat to stay healthy. I mean, it took me a long, long time before I realised that I don’t really have to worry about fats now that i don’t eat meat – I actually should add this extra spoon of olive oil to the dressing. It was something I never thought about before. I was used to avoiding fats.
Also, as Jeni already said, it would be great if there were some substitutes suggestions. Not everyone in the kitchen feels comfortable enough to try and substitute one thing with another. Some people follow recipies to the letter and doesn’t realize that it’s not always necessary.

Only seeds I saved this year are a few sunflower ones, but not many…It was my first time planting them and I didn’t know only one flower grew on each stalk. Yes, I do feel stupid. >.<

1. My parents who have been especially awesome lately.
2. My love (of course).
3. Peanutbutter cookies. Now I'll go have one.

For the vegan cookbook, I’d like there to be no talk of the vegan diet being perfect in every way, particularly nutrition-wise. I think being vegan can be a very healthful choice in many ways but there are some pitfalls. You know this from some correspondance we’ve had but I never, ever, ever want to hear a vegan cookbook or book say, “It takes years to develop a b12 deficiency!” Uh, no, it doesn’t. And a multivitamin might not be enough. And yes, it is important because B12 is needed for every cell in the human body. Other supplements for micronutrients need to be discussed as well but this is the big one for me.

I’d like there to be a direct link to veganhealth.org and b12awareness.org in any vegan book, too!

And since this would be for new vegans, I’d advise anyone contemplating veganism to go to their primary healthcare provider and get lab results BEFORE going vegan that includes a basic chem panel (red blood cell counts, etc), serum B12, methylmalonic acid (MMA), homocysteine (H), cholesterol, and vitamin D. They should then get yearly blood work done to see if any deficiencies are developing. MMA and H might be expensive to do yearly but at least do it every few years and definitely if B12 levels drastically drop. Serum B12 is easy and cheap to check–can be done with the regualar yearly panel. Since many people go vegan while they are adolescents, the importance of going for regular healthcare visits should really be presented in an age-appropriate way. I hated going to the doctor when I was growing up. But it’s important.

I’d also advise that anyone wanting to go vegan stay away from low-fat vegan diets. Many of the nutrients in plants need fat to for optimal absorption in the body. And since veganism in and of itself isn’t a ticket to weight loss (uh, I GAINED weight going veg), this is something to consider if you are vegan and also want to lost weight.

Just my two cents as an almost 3-year long vegan!

Love list:
1. Yoga and lunch today with a new friend going through a hard time and trusted me enough to open up.
2. A warm, lit-up home to come to in the cold winter.
3. Planning all the Christmas gifts I’m going to make! Cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar and The Joy of Vegan Baking and limoncello and pomegranate vodka from The Urban Vegan and Nigella Christmas. So fun!

Hello… I found your blog via livejournal (vegancooking, I think) and I’ve been following it pretty closely ever since! I love it, and that’s saying a lot because blogs usually don’t hold my interest long (bread and honey is really the only other one I follow closely). You, your husband and your little one are beautiful! I am trying live in the same manner as you… close to the Earth. It can be tough at times, but the rewards are amazing! I grew up in Portland, but live in the Ozarks of Arkansas now (very different!) trying to homestead with my loved one. Thank you for all you have to offer!

1. Homemade pizza
2. Red wine
3. Sharing both of these with my Mom and 93 year old Grandma.

I reeeeaaaaalllly don’t like the suggestion that vegans need annual bloodwork. My diet/nutrient intake is significantly better than probably MOST omnis I know because I’m actually aware of nutrition.

For some people it MUST take years to be B-12 deficient… at least for me! I’ve been SUPER spotty about taking multis and B-12 supplements (I’m trying now, but I’m sure I’ve gone yearlong stretches without ‘em) and I’ve been vegan since I was 13… which is 14 years, and my latest bloodwork shows fine B-12 levels! I am sure that isn’t true for everyone, but I also imagine that the majority of B-12 issues in vegans and non-vegans alike is probably more likely a problem of absorption rather than intake.

Lest I be too much of a cranky-vegan… my love list!

1. CHRISTMAS TREEEEEEEEE
2. Vegan cupcakes! Made pumpkin chocolate chip for a party tonight!
3. My new sneaky-back-way to school. It makes me feel like I don’t live in the vast sprawling DC/Baltimore metropolis!

I fear I may be too far removed from new-veganitude to offer much as far as the cookbook goes, but I do agree with the suggestion about easy to get ingredients. I love my freaky-weird vegan crap, but it can be intimidating at first! I also agree with erosan about veggie dishes trying to be meat… but it really depends on the audience. Like, from what I hear, Skinny Bitch is full of fake meat, but a lot of people really like it, I guess. But whatever, it isn’t like you need a recipe to buy some boca burgers or notdogs, so if you want fake meat you can have that without a cookbook. :-)

Love list:
1. Motley Crue
2. Guns ‘N Roses
3. I’m getting married in 9 days.

#fuckyeah

Seed exchange: I have some dried cayennes from my hugely prolific pepper plant that I could contribute if there was interest, but they’re easy enough to come by elsewhere. Otherwise, I don’t have much of a seed yield this year either!

Vegan cookbook: I’d love to see some everyday basic meal plans that don’t involve hours of prep. A lot of my friends think becoming vegan requires the making of weekly seitan. Even just a basic plan like- beans, rice/etc., whatever that can be built on for a set of meals. Did I mention I wasn’t a foodie? Give me *simple* any day. :)

Love list:
1. Broken water pipes in the *yard* and not in the foundation. OMG.
2. Not having to move in freezing weather with a 2yo and 2mo. (See #1)
3. Spending hours playing on spreadsheets with various ways to make money with my many interests just to amuse myself.
Bonus love: Running water!

About humble writing: I actually took the post that K quoted as being pretty humble. It’s actually something I remember reading and thinking how it was nice that you weren’t one of *those* foodies. Like, hey look, I made bread and soup, but it’s not like I’ve never bought canned goods. Everyone interprets things differently, I guess! For me, I hardly ever do the cooking (hooray for my husband), so if I’m going to follow a foodie-leaning blog, I’d better pretty tolerant. :)

Meghan, I have to respectfully disagree with some of your points. I certainly don’t think ONLY vegans should get annual bloodwork and mind their nutrition. Everyone should. But B12 isn’t reliably found in plant-based foods and I became deficient in B12 after only 8 months of practicing veganism (I have now been vegan close to 3 years). I do not think it was not a matter of malabsorption for me because I had high levels of B12 prior to going vegan. Since going vegan, I’ve always supplemented with a vegan multivitamin that had relatively high levels of B12–but not high enough for me.

In older nonvegans, B12 deficiency is usually linked to malabsorption, specifically atrophic gastritis, which leads to, among other things, decreased stomach acid secretion and therefore, malabsorption of B12. All people over age 50 should definitely get their serum B12 levels checked, as serious B12 deficiencies are linked with a host of health problems that plague the elderly, including falls and dementia.

I’ve spent the last year studying and taking courses in chemistry, anatomy and physiology, microbiology and nutrition in preparation for nursing school next year. I’ve learned a lot about how the human body works and specifically about my own issues about B12. I am still vegan and, yes, not all vegans have the issues with B12 that I’ve had but many do and may not realize it. B12 deficiency is very serious and its effects sometimes irreversible but it is also very easy to fix with proper supplementation. You can’t, however, address it if you don’t know your levels. And vegans are one of the groups at risk for this deficiency, so why not run a simple blood serum along with all the other run-of-the-mill bloodwork you get at an annual?

And with that, I’ve said my peace and I will no longer discuss B12 in this thread! :)

Vegan Cookbook = AWESOME!!!!
Suggestions/requests: The idea of having a list of pantry essentials as mentioned in earlier comments would be a huge plus! But one more thing that sooo many cookbooks in general lack is the photos for each step. While it is great to see the end product (that most cookbooks at least show), having a photo with each step/point of process with vegan cooking and baking would greatly help those of us who are brand new to the world of veg*n and think something looks a little weird as we’re going (but later find out that it was fine or in fact horribly wrong). So PHOTOS PHOTOS PHOTOS! These are my two cents at least. Lots of love all around!

Cookbook: I love the idea of pantry musts. Vegan staples that can be made into many different lovely vegan meals or snacks would be REALLY helpful. Something I’d like would be good vegan recipes that don’t require too many specialized or hard to find ingredients. Some experimentation is fun, but it’s not a practical lifestyle if you’ve got to go to the farmers market, co-op, grocery store, and international market to get all the ingredients you need for one recipe, which has happened to me in the past. Also, veganism being heavily dependent on the plant foods, it would be great to have seasonal recipes so you don’t have to count on always having, for instance, fresh lettuce or tomatoes available. (One of the reasons I love your blog!)

As far as the bloodwork/vitamins discussion goes, there are many differing opinions on how exactly to manage our health and diet, but let’s remember too that food is a wonderful thing to be enjoyed, not just a vessel for delivering nutrients into our bodies.

My love list:
1. Sarcasm is awesome!
2. Just passed my VRS test and am now a fire fighter!
3. I’ve got a date with a purty girl this week!

For the cookbook, I’d love to see some EASY stuff to make. Quick stuff with minimal ingredients.

Book wishes, how exciting!:

- recipes that don’t depend exclusively on expensive vegan “replacement” foods.
-simple recipes, not necessarily quick ones but ones with smaller ingredient lists are nice

for example, I love simple spiced bean and rice recipes over tofu dishes that feature too many ingredients and would love to expand my repertoire!