Vegan's Daily Companion: 365 Days of Inspiration for Cooking, Eating, and Living Compassionately

by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Live a joyful, compassionate life, every day of the year with Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's guide, Vegan's Daily Companion ! Mondays : For the Love of Food – A celebration of familiar and not-so-familiar foods to spark enthusiasm for eating healthfully. Tuesdays : Effective Communication – Techniques and tactics for speaking on behalf of veganism effectively and compassionately. Wednesdays : Optimum Health for Body, Mind, and Spirit – Care and maintenance for becoming and remaining a joyful vegan. Thursdays : Animals in the Literature, Film, Painting – Inspiration across the ages that reflects our consciousness of and relationship to non-human animals. Fridays : Stories of Hope, Rescue, and Transformation – Heartening stories of people who have become awakened and animals have found sanctuary. Saturdays + Sundays : Healthful Recipes – Favorite recipes to use as activism and nourishment.
 

Genres: Vegan, Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Cooking, Food, Health, Unfinished

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s compassionate living philosophy is propelling plant-based eating into the mainstream and forever changing how we regard animals.

A recognized expert and thought leader on the culinary, social, ethical, and practical aspects of living compassionately and healthfully, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is a speaker, cultural commentator, podcaster, and award-winning author of seven books, including the bestselling

*The Joy of Vegan Baking
*The Vegan Table
*Color Me Vegan
*Vegan’s Daily Companion
*On Being Vegan
*The 30-Day Vegan Challenge
*The Joyful Vegan

She is an acclaimed speaker and beloved host of the inspiring podcast, “Food for Thought,” which was voted Favorite Podcast by VegNews magazine readers several years in a row. She launched a spin-off podcast called Animalogy in 2017. Along with fellow advocates, she recently formed a political action committee called East Bay Animal PAC to work with government officials on animal issues in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Colleen shares her message of compassion and wellness on national and regional TV and radio programs, including on monthly segment on Good Day Sacramento and as a monthly contributor on National Public Radio (KQED). She has appeared on the Food Network, CBS, PBS, and FOX; interviews with her have been featured on NPR, Huffington Post, U.S. News and World Report; and her recipes have been featured on Epicurious.com and Oprah.com.

Colleen lives in Oakland, CA with her husband David and two cats, Charlie and Michiko.

Reviews

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fact that this passage a day book didn’t annoy me to death, even when I was actually reading one entry per day, goes a long way toward making the book a 5 star book for me. But, it’s also informative, smart, touching, useful, and inspiring.

I did do the "read a passage a day" for a while, but that just isn't how I enjoy books, so I finished it way, way "early" and did not take a full year to read it; I got up to/on page 83 of 310 reading it that way: and then it turned out I'm really, really not a passage a day kind of person and so I stopped doing that and I just read through the rest of this book. I got tired of feeling depressed every Thursday, and some Fridays too, with the entries that were included. The whole book was more fun for me reading it straight through cover to cover, more quickly, even though many passages were worth taking time to reflect about before moving on to the next entry. Many readers will appreciate the daily “food for thought” and will revel in savoring this book very slowly. For me, it was hard to put down: I wanted to keep reading. And, I don’t need a daily companion. But, I like the book and the idea of it for those who like reading daily passages out of books. I really appreciate that the author from the start tells readers to use the book any way they please; she’s very nurturing in all she does, in my experience with this particular instruction too.

This is an excellent book, especially for new vegans and those who are curious about veganism, but it’s also a supportive book for long-term vegans and vegan activists.

Lovely and interesting photos of food, animals, etc. and the whole book has an attractive layout and appearance, down to the attached purple ribbon bookmark.

Contents:

Introduction
How To Use This Book

A Year in the Life of a Joyful Vegan

Monday/For the Love of Food
Tuesday/Compassionate Communication
Wednesday/Optimum Health for Body, Mind, and Spirit
Thursday/Animals in the Arts: Literature and Film
Friday/Stories of Hope, Rescue, and Transformation
Saturday + Sunday/Healthful Recipes

Resources and Recommendations
index
Photography Credits
Acknowledgements
About the Author

Each Monday highlights one particular plant food, each Tuesday gives tips on being careful how language is used when communicating in general and advocating for animals more specifically, each Wednesday has various testimonials from those who have gone vegan and various tips for being healthy, being kind to the environment, etc, each Thursday has excerpts from literature/books, films, etc. and I found many of them depressing, but some were uplifting and fun, each Friday has wonderful short stories, most by everyday people, many relating their transformations to veganism, and Saturday-Sunday has one recipe for both days, almost all of which have appeared previously in this author’s published cookbooks, some of which make use of a Monday covered ingredient. I was going to give some examples of Monday through Sunday, but decided not to as I got enjoyment as I turned each page and found what was there. (Feel free to post a message and if you want some examples I’ll gladly provide them.) I feel perfectly content as a dedicated vegan, but for some I can see this book fulfilling the function of rejuvenating them in their commitment or inspiring them to become committed.

For those who want to read a passage a day for a year, they can easily start on any Monday; they don’t have to start at the beginning of a calendar year.

This is the fourth book I’ve enjoyed by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. The other three are her cookbooks: The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Recipes for Sweets and Traditional Treats, The Vegan Table: 200 Unforgettable Recipes for Entertaining Every Guest for Every Occasion, and Color Me Vegan: Maximize Your Nutrient Intake and Optimize Your Health by Eating Antioxidant-Rich, Fiber-Packed, Color-Intense Meals.

[Skye · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has some nice ideas, and the recipes were great. But some of the "chapters" of the book had me rolling my eyes. At one point the author says that the phrase "kill two birds with one stone" is out-dated and promotes a violent life-style. She suggests replacing the saying with "cut two carrots with one knife." Ugggghhhh. This is the stuff that gives vegans a bad reputation. As a dedicated and passionate vegan, ancient sayings like this one are the LEAST of my concerns. I want to write the author and tell her to RELAX. A surefire way to alienate non-vegans is to be super uptight. The author also paraphrased some stories pertaining to animal rights and condensed them into one-two pages, doing a great disservice to the original writers- such as Mark Twain, Susan Glaspell, and Roald Dahl. Why not use her own words instead to talk about activism, and point readers to those stories written by others in an appendix at the end? The pictures are nice, the book is pretty to look at, but I was really disappointed by the content.

[Bunnyhugger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely buy books but decided to buy this as a gift to myself. It arrived this week and is a delight to hold in my hands - a gorgeous hardback with a purple ribbon as a placeholder, and thick pages filled with beautiful color photos. The book is organized as a day minder. Monday is a celebration of food, either familiar or new (like blueberries one week or tempeh the next); Tuesday is compassionate communication (techniques and tactics for speaking on behalf of veganism in a compassionate way); Wednesday is mind, body and spirit; Thursday is about our relationship with animals in literature and film; Friday is about hope and rescue; and Saturday/Sunday (weekend is one entry) has recipes. I am really looking forward to spending time with this. I need inspiration in my life.

[Kellan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this as a gift. Figured I’d finally take a look at it. All I can say is I’m glad I didn’t actually spend money on it.

This book is FILLED with the kind of stuff that gives vegans a bad rep. I’m not going to go into all of the issues I had with it because honestly I don’t have that kind of time. But the tone-deafness of many of the passages made my eyes roll too many times to count.

The author seems to contradict herself in many passages; she seems unable to balance wanting to live in quiet confidence (and living “authentically” and honestly with herself) with the desire to bring up her veganism - and I quote - “every chance” that she gets. She uses the same vernacular as religious converts who have been “awakened” (again, her words here!), wanting to spread their gospel to everyone around them and save them from their own sinful behaviour.

I have been gifted with a family that contains both ardent vegans *and* religious fundamentalists. They both use the same kind of language and argument structure, and both think about those around them in the same holier-than-thou manner. Many of the passages in this book reminded me of conversations I’ve had with my church-going side of the family.

To be perfectly clear: not all vegans are like this!! But the ones that are? They probably own this book.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am trying NOT to read this in one big gluttonous session, because it's designed to be a daily reader. But it's hard, because everything about this book is beautiful. I knew I would love it when I opened it to the first entry, and it's about kale. Awesome.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've wanted this since it came out. I'm now a dedicated vegan and had bonus cash back rewards :) so treated myself to it. Its beautiful, inspiring, uplifting, helpful, peaceful ruminations and recipes encourage me on my vegan journey.

[mad mags · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...vegan is what I was meant to be."

"My hope is that we can navigate through this world and our lives with the grace and integrity of those who need our protection. May we have the sense of humor and liveliness of the goats; may we have the maternal instincts and protective nature of the hens and the sassiness of the roosters. May we have the gentleness and strength of the cattle, and the wisdom, humility, and serenity of the donkeys. May we appreciate the need for community as do the sheep and choose our companions as carefully as do the rabbits. May we have the faithfulness and commitment to family as the geese, and adaptability and affability of the ducks. May we have the intelligence, loyalty, and affection of the pigs and the inquisitiveness, sensitivity, and playfulness of the turkeys.

"My hope is that we learn from the animals what it is we need to become better people."

With no fewer than four cookbooks under her belt - The 30-Day Vegan Challenge, The Vegan Table, Color Me Vegan, and The Joy of Vegan Baking, which is destined to become a classic - many of you may know Colleen Patrick-Goudreau as an accomplished vegan chef. But she's also got a master's degree in English Literature, which she puts to use as a writer and public speaker, educating the public about compassionate living and animal rights. Her exploration of the intersections between human and animal exploitation, both on the Food for Thought podcast and various short videos released on YouTube, are among my favorites.

In Vegan's Daily Companion, the self-described Joyful Vegan brings all her talents and avenues of interest together to create a book as unique as it is informative. Part cookbook, part self-help book, part pop culture guide, Vegan's Daily Companion offers 365 days of inspiration, knowledge, and celebration to vegans, both new and experienced. From Monday through Sunday (with the weekends sharing a recipe), each day you'll find a short discussion or series of tips, each tailored to a specific theme:

Monday / For the Love of Food - "A celebration of familiar as well as new foods to spark enthusiasm for eating healthfully."

Each Monday, Patrick-Goudreau delves deep to reveal things you may not know about your favorite foods - and introduce you to some foods you might have written off completely. For example, Day 99 includes some handy tips for cooking beans from scratch (salt and acidic ingredients should be added last, since they hinder the cooking of the beans). And Day 57 gives you a handy chart for cooking grains.

Also, arugula is another name for rocket! All these years tagging rocket pizzas on fuck yeah vegan pizza, and I had no idea!

[Insert the more you know and shooting star gif here.]

Sometimes the featured food ties into a recipe featured on an adjacent weekend; more often times not. Either way, this intermediate cook found many of the tips quite handy.

Tuesday / Compassionate Communication - "Techniques and tactics for speaking on behalf of veganism effectively and compassionately."

Similar to Joan Dunayer's Animal Equality: Language and Liberation (call it the Cliff's Notes), Compassionate Communication explores the roots of popular terminology, offering alternatives to those promote animal exploitation, whether intentionally or not. While it's time to ditch animal-unfriendly phrases like "don't look a gift horse in the mouth," "let the cat out of the bag," and "fat pig" (in what is perhaps my favorite quote in the book, Patrick-Goudreau counters this insult thusly: "They’re not fat pigs; we’re mad scientists."), you might be surprised, as was I, at the seemingly harmful sayings that are either sympathetic to animal suffering ("an albatross around one's neck"), or have nothing at all to do with nonhuman animals ("more than one way to skin a cat").

Compassionate Communication also offers answers to the many inane questions vegans will inevitably face (If we stop eating animals, won't cows take over the world?; What about the bugs killed in crop production?; Why do you want plants to suffer?), as well as tips for responding to them honestly, with grace and humor.

Wednesday / Optimum Health for Body, Mind, and Spirit - "Care and maintenance for becoming and remaining a joyful vegan."

Wednesday is a bit of a mixed bag, spanning nutrition, burnout, and self-care. I especially love Patrick-Goudreau's tips for creating a gratitude list, finding peace in nature and solitude, and visiting animal sanctuaries as a sort of holy place.

Thursday / Animals in the Arts: Literature and Film - "Inspiration across the ages that reflects our consciousness of and relationship with nonhuman animals."

Here you'll find a remarkably diverse and extensive look at animal-friendly films, novels, poetry, and art. While I recognized a few titles (Plague Dogs chief among them), Patrick-Goudreau grew my reading list and Netflix queue in leaps and bounds. Books and films run the gamut, from poets William Cowper and Walt Whitman, to author-activist (and mother of Mary Shelley, also featured here) Mary Wollstonecraft Goodwin, to the 1977 student film Killer of Sheep - and of course that one episode of The Twilight Zone ("To Serve Man").

Items high up on my radar include: Shad Clark's short story "Little Boy Pig," currently free for download on Amazon; a 1973 French science fiction film called The Savage Planet; James Agee's "A Mother's Tale"; the Italian film Umberto D.; and Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke.

However, be warned: since many of these works address cruelty towards animals, things can get rather depressing at times.

Friday / Stories of Hope, Rescue, and Transformation - "Heartening stories of people who have become awakened and animals who have found sanctuary."

Stories celebrates the deliverance of animals - both humans and non. Regular folks - like Itai in Tel Aviv, or Linda in San Fracisco - share their journeys to veganism in short essay format. Likewise, those who have cared for rescued animals - turkeys, burros, pigs, and chimpanzees - give voice to their exploitation, liberation, and (hopefully) eventual transformation. No doubt you'll recognize many of the sanctuaries and rescue groups that helped with this project: Animal Place, Rolling Dog Ranch, Farm Sanctuary, Animals Asia, Cleveland Armory Black Beauty Ranch, Performing Animal Welfare Society, and the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center, to name a few.

The personal submissions introduce an interesting element to Vegan's Daily Companion, since the authors are occasionally guilty of partaking in behaviors that the author herself warns against. For instance, one contributor uses the word "nag" as a pejorative; a nag, of course, is one who complains a lot or makes excessive demands. A nag is also "an old, inferior, or worthless horse."

So, yeah. Perhaps the personal essays could have been vetted a little better? Or maybe I'm just biased, since I'd rather read about a cow over a person any day of the week. (I kid, but not really.)

Saturday + Sunday / Healthful Recipes - "Favorite recipes to use as activism and nourishment."

Saturday and Sunday share an entry, which is a recipe. Many are reprints from Patrick-Goudreau's previous cookbooks - The Vegan Table, Color Me Vegan, and The Joy of Vegan Baking - so if you already own one or all three, you might be a little disappointed. But there are also a few friend/follower contributions in the mix, including a Lentil Bolognese dish I just loved.

So far I've also tried the Cream of Mushroom Soup, courtesy of Compassionate Cooks member Melissa Phillips.

This was my first time drinking mushrooms in a semi-liquid form, and I was not entirely fond of the experience. My husband was a big fan though.

The recipes are all over the place: salads, entrees, desserts, snacks, and breakfasts - all get a little face time.

I kind of like that Saturday and Sunday share a recipe; if you read this book chronologically and in time, two days should give you plenty of time to shop for and master a recipe. And if you commit to working through the entirety of Vegan's Daily Companion - recipes included, no matter what they may be - the project just might challenge you to try new foods and dishes that you might not otherwise.

(Me? I'm too impatient to read a page a day. I usually read a week or two per sitting.)

On the downside, I kind of wish there was a dedicated recipe index for easy skimming. Recipes are listed by title and ingredients in the main index, but one big, separate list would be even handier.

Overall, I quite enjoyed Vegan's Daily Companion. While I could do without some of the New Age woo-woo (manifesting - that's similar to The Secret, right?), Patrick-Goudreau thankfully keeps it to a minimum. As a longtime vegan, I still learned quite a bit - especially when it comes to tips and tricks for preparing various foods. I especially enjoyed Patrick-Goudreau's knowledge of popular culture, and the many lovely animal rescue stories.

I'd say that Vegan's Daily Companion would make the perfect gift for a vegan friend who's feeling down or at risk of experiencing burnout, except that it's not entirely free of scenes of animal cruelty and abuse. The "Animals in the Arts" section in particular comes with a trigger warning. That said, it's still a wonderful inspirational/how-to guide for newbie and old timer vegans alike.

Buy it with: The Daily Vegan: A Guided Journal , adapted from Vegan’s Daily Companion, and/or one of the author's vegan cookbooks, for a shiny little gift set.

http://www.easyvegan.info/2015/05/08/...

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I put this in a lot of different shelves. That's because this book transcends being a single thing. I tend to really get into books about veganism that aren't JUST cookbooks. I mean, I LOVE cookbooks...hell, I just read them like any other book (a trait my Mother-in-Law and I share!), but I REALLY like it when there is something else going on. This book has that. First, it is beautiful. Well put together, easy to read, BEAUTIFUL photos...everything I've come to expect from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's work! I love that this book includes references to popular films and books, as well as Animal Rights stuff...AND recipies, and general ideas for using various ingredients! You can read this book straight through, or use it like a day-to-day reference, or "companion." Really excellent stuff!

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to a vegan lifestyle, with encouragement to move in that direction. Patrick-Goudreau includes good, simple recipes, health tips, education on food and eating healthily. She also gives many examples of real-life animals who were mistreated and ultimately, saved—I found those too difficult to read (and since I haven’t eaten animals for almost 40 years, felt I could be excused from putting myself through the sadness of reading them), and also summarizes books, poems, and movies that deal with animals. It’s an interesting assortment of readings for a year of learning, enlightenment and change.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a visually beautiful book - the photography is truly stunning. It's sprinkled with many nice tips and I truly enjoyed many of the Animals in the Arts entries. However, put in to practice all her compassionate communication recommendations and you'll need this book as your daily companion because you will have alienated all your human ones. But if that is your goal, you would be cutting two carrots with one knife.

[Jilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is stupendous! I try to keep it by my bedside, but I find I am so often toting it around the house to find a reference, a recipe, share a story with someone, etc., that it almost never sits still for too long. Colleen is an inspiration, and her positive approach to vegan living shines in this exemplary volume of daily essays!

[Rift Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow. This is a wonderful book, and I can't wait to read it again. And again!

Actually, this is the book that I've been meaning to write. Of course, I would do it differently since I have different interests than Colleen (I don't cook). But, I am so happy and thrilled that Colleen had the same idea and ran with it. Vegan's Daily Companion is amazing and I highly recommend it!

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helps keep me on track.

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adored this book!
Practical solutions and advice - new perspectives on cruel analogies etc. Love it!

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Actually, it's more of a companion, than a book, so the title is dead on. As a Vegan, it's not always easy to find a sense of community, and that is why this daily read will be my daily read for a very long time, if not forever. Colleen Patrick-Goudreau did an amazing job at reminding me, and any Vegan who is lucky enough to own this book, that there are other like-minded people out there in the world. That, in itself, is worth everything. This book is meant to be read daily, one passage at a time for a year, which is what I did. Different days serve different purposes. Some days share stories and poems related to animal rights and veganism, while other days give insight on how to stand up for yourself, and for animals, as you navigate life as a Vegan. There are also days that share information about different ingredients that are often found in a Vegan diet, and other days share full recipes for Vegan meals. Stories of rescued farm animals pop up here and there, as well. In general, it's a lovely daily companion to read, but there were 2 days (one closer to the beginning of the book and one towards the end) that I cannot and will not read again. They were stories telling of the abuse of an animal and/or killing of an animal that literally made me cry. That was my experience, it may not be another reader's experience, but for me those were truly the only 2 days in this book that I found difficult to read. To really understand why someone chooses to become a Vegan and/or an animal right's activist and supporter, stories like these must be told, and I applaud the author for doing so. For someone as sensitive as I am to the plight of animals, though, they may be too difficult to get through, and one time was enough for me. Other than that, I loved this book and will keep it on my bed stand to read, again and again, every night before I go to bed. Thank you, Ms. Patrick-Goudreau, for putting together such an eloquent book for those of us who live the Vegan lifestyle, to have as a part of their community.

[Nikki T · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

Really cute idea I was looking forward to reading, but it fell short for me

The "animals in the arts" sections were often really sad - and I was looking at this book for "inspiration" - not the sad kind of guilt-trip stuff - I wouldn't be reading this book if I wasn't already here for the veganism, I want to see positive change and ways to make more positive changes, not more of the abuse or sadness (especially in a book I would be reading every single day for a year...)

It often felt like that throughout the book, some parts of it were just a potential turn-off
The changing of the idioms was interesting, but definitely unnecessary in the big scheme of things - even though I know that it was indeed coming from a good place, I worry about turning people off by coming on a little too wild or strong all at once

I don't really recommend because of the sad stories, but I'm sure that some people with lots of grit may indeed like the book even with them in there

[Jen Maybe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've had this book for years, but I'm getting back into veganism so I decided to actually crack it open and really take in what's here. I echo what many other reviewers have said - the recipes are nice, but the rest is mediocre to bad. The author summarizes some famous animal-centric stories and literary works, and in the interest of saving space manages to make most of them frustratingly shallow and empty. The sections where she suggests replacing common phrases with stilted, humorless, alienating garbage (instead of "why buy a cow when you can have the milk for free", she suggests "why pay for something that you can get for free otherwise" which is a tautology that completely misses the implication of the original comparison) are particularly eye-rolling. Normally I would give more points for sincerity and kindness, but other than the recipes I found little of the other content in the book very deep or meaningful, so 2 stars it is. Veganism, as a concept, remains a 5 star idea.

[Laura Leaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed bag here. To be up front, I didn’t read one page a day. I’d read 5 or so days worth of “inspiration” at a time.

Included in the book are some very sad tales of animal abuse, poems, happy endings, recipes, ingredient info, and essays. I learned a few things and the recipes look great. (No recipe index for finding them later though).

This book was published in 2011, but even then I would have expected more on how animal agriculture accelerates the destruction of the earth. There were few mentions of the topic in this volume. I’m not saying that the foul abuse of sentient animals is not enough to inspire me toward compassion, it’s just I would have liked more hard science to keep the vegan fire burning.

The book is a bit sentimental, which is not my style, but I still liked it.

[stephaniemand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I read after becoming vegan, it really helped me go through the difficult times when dealing with family, friends or the questions I was asking myself about some basic nutrition, cooking ideas etc. It's an easy read, varied in information and is ideal for people who struggle with many vegan issues. I would recommend this to every (beginning) veganist as a read to find a peaceful living within a carnistic world. After reading her book, I also got into listening to her podcasts on soundcloud and they also brought me some comfort and inspiration on how to deal with things. This book and writer is beautiful!

[Magali · Rating 3 out of 5]

With different types of entries, that daily guide to veganism is pretty thorough. I could not just read one page at a day so I've finished it way faster than in a year. But I will be returning to it, even if it's only to try some of the recipes. I also learned a lot about some of the vegetables the author wrote about... The vegan part (like how to talk about veganism, how to have a non-violent way of speaking...) was not new to me but pretty good too.

I was a little surprised by the choice of the authors whose texts were quoted, some of them were very problematic and it was not talked about, the only thing said was that they were animal rights advocates.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, inspirational, educational. Expands one's thinking on animals' place in the world. Provides some answers for those vegan questions we are always being asked. A kind and gentle voice on a very sad, cruel topic.

[Crissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, friend loved!

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

A year in the reading, this book has given me a lot to think about.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grabbed this book from the library in order to look for healthy recipe ideas for my grandmother-in-law who is trying to fend off diabetes through dietary changes. I also thought it might help me with my vegetarian diet -- making sure I'm covering all of my vitamin needs, etc. and maybe even teach me a little more about what it means to be vegan.

This book is organized by "weeks". Each day of the week has a different kind of article.

Monday = Exposure to a vegan-friendly food (kale, quinoa, tempeh, etc.) Good reminders, although many were obvious to me as a vegetarian.

Tuesday = Compassionate Communication (usually an alternative to a non-compassionate saying, such as "can't swing a dead cat". She likes to suggest things like "can't swing a chair". Tuesday was a "meh" kind of day for me. Also tells you how to communicate with non-vegans...Mostly, I felt like this day was her venting about having to answer The Protein Question...although couched very politely.

Wednesday = Mind/Body/Spirit stuff. Totally unrelated to veganism. Mostly the author's tidbits about what she likes to do in other aspects of her life to be compassionate and maintain peace in her own existence. Talks about volunteering, having silent days, etc. Another section I started to skim.

Thursday = Literature/Films that feature animal rights (warning: sometimes graphic.) Interesting, but sometimes a little too "PETA" for me.

Friday = Inspirational stories about people who converted to veganism or about animal-rescue stories. This ended up being my favorite part of the book.

Saturday & Sunday = Vegan recipe (often featuring Monday's ingredient). Recipes looked pretty bangin' overall. I just skimmed these -- many come from the author's "The Joy of Vegan" book, but there are also collected favorites from other vegans.

I could do without the Tues/Wed/Thursday sections in this book, and I'd probably have rated it higher. With that said, by the end of reading this book, I decided to try going vegan.

So, here I am...Day 2 into veganism as a result of this book. Enjoyable, but I'd still hesitate to hand this over to someone I'm trying to give a gentle push toward veganism because of some of the subtle preachiness.

Oh yeah -- GORGEOUS pictures throughout the entire book! Inspired me to do some photography as an added bonus.

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got turned on to Colleen Patrick Goudreau (CPG) - through her podcasts, "Food for Thought," a little over a year ago. CPG, who is sometimes called the "Martha Stewart of Veganism," is something of a philosopher on veganims and conscious living, offering thoughtful commentary and recipes alike. She does so with much wit and humor. There are tons of vegan books out there, but CPG is unique because - unlike many vegan writers - Goudreau doesn't push her readers to "go vegan," but instead offers them guidance from her own experiences about how people can live according to their own values of compassion and love for animals. She also is a big tent sort of person, who isn't into telling people who aren't vegan that they're awful and evil. She advocates for thoughtful, conscious decisions, and often repeats, "Just because you can't do everything doesn't mean you shouldn't do anything. Do something. Anything."

"A Vegan's Daily Companion" (VDC) follows this mantra of letting people live according to their own values and doing "something" even if you can't do it all. It is also part of CPG's general attitude about being a "joyful vegan." This approach helpful for people like me, who are vegans but who still wear theater shoes, drive cars with rubber tires, and live with non-vegans and is part of what makes CPG's work more accessible. VDC isn't just a few recipes or a bit of her philosophy, but a mishmash of everything that CPG covers on her shows with added depth. VDC offers up a great guide for living as a vegan, by offering terrific recipes, stories of hope and transition in a nonjudgmental, positive and highly accessible format.

The photos in VDC are absolutely stunning - particularly of food and animals. The book is divided into days, and the messages for each day help me to remain a joyful vegan.

[Cydni Perkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I loved: the recipes. They all look heavenly. I want to make all of them. Also, there are pages that discuss how we can make our speech patterns less violent and removing phrases like killing two birds with one stone, and possibilities of what to say instead. I thought this advise was silly at first, but after reflecting on it for a couple of weeks I decided I agreed with Colleen and I didn't want to casually talk about killing birds.

What I hated: This book is a huge cryfest. I'm sensitive to the suffering of animals, and that makes me this book's target audience. But Colleen doesn't ease up on telling the saddest stories she can think of about loving animals who were abused and neglected and abandoned and killed. This is an aspect of many books on veganism that wears me down. I started to dread reading it after awhile. I found something to cry about nearly every time I opened it. I dogeared the recipes as I went so I couldn't have to search through pages and pages of animal suffering to find them again.

still, there are joyful things in this book too, and many vegans are able to focus on that positive. I find that I'm weighed down by all that sadness and it affects my opinion of the book. So this book will break your heart, but it will also give you some good recipes to try to calm yourself down.

[Kimmay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book at Border's close-out sale & was thrilled to see a book by an author I had read another one of her books. I bought it thinking it was a cookbook. Most of the cookbooks were pretty picked over at that point in the sale.

Upon reading it at first I wasn't sure if i was happy or disappointed that it really is NOT 'just a cookbook', although it does have recipes in it. It is so much more.

I did not read it one day for each day as the author has it laid out, I read it maybe 6 or 7 'day-chapters' sometimes more at a time. I loved most of it, but it did have some quirky nit-picky stuff that i just didn't agree with, aka kill two birds with one stone stuff. Lol

I know speech is a powerful thing in our culture but SOME sayings I really didn't see harm in. Again, not a big deal, & someday I may change my mind on that one item, but for now, it just wasn't my thing.

The rest of the book I REALLY liked. It had several other literature books mentioned , one of which I ran out & read as soon as I could, another is still on my TBR list.

This book is definately a 'keeper' for me. I also listened to a few of the authors pod-casts & liked them.

It is a book I think I will refer to & certainly worthy to be on my keeper shelf of cookbooks.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great for insight, anecdote, and recipes for a newbie vegetarian or vegan. I absolutely loved this excerpt from the introduction. It's so beautifully said, and now I use it as my own mantra and go back and read it to feel newly inspired when I feel tired of not just being "normal". Plus, it's a great general philosophy and can be applied to all areas of life.

"Being vegan is about living my life with integrity and compassion, knowing that every decision I make is done so with the intention of not contributing to violence toward and exploitation of human and nonhuman animals where I have the power to do so. This intention guides my every action and shaped the content for this book.

The problem isn’t that we wake up in the morning wanting to contribute to cruelty or violence. The problem is we don’t wake up in the morning wanting to create more compassion, peace, and nonviolence. If that were on our to-do list every day, imagine what we could accomplish. Imagine what our world would be like.

May our daily choices be a reflection of our deepest values, and may we use our voices to speak for those who have no choice. It’s up to each one of us to create the world we want to live in; if not you, then who? If not now, then when?"

[Andrea Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book that aside the recipes, has got some important content about natural life style, eating healthier and living a happier life. Would certainly recommend to everyone, and not necessarily to vegans!

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been sitting on my bedside table for a couple of months now since I got it at the Borders close-out sale. In addition to going through and reading the daily pages, (each day is based on a different aspect from food, to health, to communication, recipes, etc.), I have skipped ahead and read through most of it--especially the recipes. (The Carrot-Ginger-Tahini Soup was great).

Although I am not a full-fledged vegan, I lean towards a plant-strong diet and lifestyle and this is a good resource and inspiration. My only real complaint is that it would have been nice to have a separate recipe index in the back of the book in addition to the general index--just to make it easier to go back and cook certain recipes.

Here's a link to the soup recipe: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...