Fri Jan 14, 2011 08:00
It seems only yesterday that those who chose to embark on a vegan diet found themselves on the periphery of society. A fringe, more militant version of vegetarianism, they were forced to stay at home and cook every meal with little respite from the kitchen. Not anymore.
Today, thanks to celebrity converts and more restaurant and food choices, veganism has made its way to the mainstream, at least according to a recent article in the Washington Post. My eyes were first opened to the diet in 2005 when I read the Skinny Bitch and it turns out I wasn't the only one. It seems books like this are what turned the tide for the movement.
"It's definitely more diverse. It's not what you would picture 20 years ago, which is kind of hippie, crunchy," said Isa Chandra Moskowitz, author of vegan cookbooks like the new Appetite for Reduction. She says it's easier being a vegan now because there is more local produce available and more interesting ways of cooking.
According to the Washington Post, in a 2009 survey, Vegetarian Resource Group reported about 1 percent of Americans are vegan, roughly a third of the people who reported being vegetarians.
Actress Alicia Silverstone added a dose of star power to the vegan cause more recently with The Kind Diet, a No. 1 best-seller. Planet Green released a list last year of the top Vegan Celebrity Hotties which included Natalie Portman, Cassie Affleck, Singer Fiona Apple, and Ginnifer Goodwin. It's a welcomed foodie trend as far as I'm concerned.
Planet Green's Vegan Starter Kit
