Dear Erika,
What is your favorite bean and why?
–Kyle, Grand Rapids, MI
Hi Kyle,
Hands down, edamame! It is so versatile and kids love it! It can be eaten as a snack, a dish, used in soups, and even processed into crackers or sweets! I keep edamame in the shell as a stock item in my freezer. As a great mid afternoon snack for the kids, boil a few handfuls for about six minutes and serve warm. You can add salt if you like. My three-year-olds love practicing their dexterity by popping them out of the shell themselves, which is half the fun!
And, did you know that just a 1/2 cup of these green soybean superstars packs in 11 grams of protein and nine grams of fiber? I believe that’s called vegan dreamfood!
Thanks!
Erika

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Dear Erika,
My son ONLY eats pasta. Help!
–Rowen, Jackson, MS
Hi Rowen,
I think I have been faced with an ultimate picky eater. My husband doesn’t like spicy foods or “white foods” (huh??). This rules out rice, pasta, potatoes, and most Mexican or Asian foods. AND he is a die-hard meat and cheese fan, gone vegetarian and working on vegan. Whew! I have my work cut out on finding tasty foods for him besides eating peanut butter and jelly (which I can’t do either because my son is allergic to peanuts). So, if you have a picky eater, I completely empathize!
My best advice to get your child interested in expanding their palate is to get them involved in the kitchen. When a child gets to participate, the tactile interaction uses all the senses rather than just simply tasting the end result. You are teaching your child what is involved—from where the food comes from, to how flavors work together. Grow a garden, prepare the salad, or even have them create their own recipe! Any of these will hopefully expand their appreciation for the food and then more likely to eat it!
Thanks!
Erika

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Dear Erika,
I just lost my job and trying to find places in my budget to trim back. I find organic foods to be super expensive. Any tips for shortcuts? 
–Jeannine, Chicago, IL
Hi Jeannine,
If in doubt, buy organic. But, being on a budget can force one to make a decision on which organic foods are more priority. When you are in the produce department, an easy tip to remember is this: the thicker the skin, the harder it is for the pesticide to penetrate. So, apples, cherries, pears, grapes? Thin skin, probably should buy organic. Pineapple, oranges, bananas? Thicker skin—pesticides can still penetrate, but these are better to opt out of organic if necessary.
Also, remember—if it’s grown in the ground, buy organic. Pesticides really penetrate soil, and these foods also absorb all the chemicals in the ground. So, foods like carrots and potatoes should probably be purchased organic. Better yet, if possible, grow your own organic foods!! This is the best for your budget and the environment!
Thanks!
Erika

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Dear Erika,
I’m headed out of town for a girl’s weekend getaway. I am so excited, but I’m afraid of what my husband will feed my daughter. He doesn’t cook and eats meat. Any suggestions?
—Susan, Louisville, KY


Dear Susan,
I COMPLETELY understand! My husband is newly vegetarian and runs from the kitchen like it’s a disease. I was in your situation recently when I went away for the weekend. I wasn’t sure if I should cry about missing my babies or scream with excitement. I went with the latter. I was so excited about not having to hold a baby on my lap on the plane that I didn’t even mind that it was a red eye. I even—gasp!—had a cocktail on the plane!
What this meant, is that my husband was in charge. Don’t get me wrong, Mike is an amazing father. We just have, let’s call it, different parenting techniques. I’ll pack in as many educational field trips in as possible. I’m sure it’s borderline neurotic.  Mike, on the other hand, is all for the “stay at home” tactic. My A.D.D. won’t let that happen on my watch. But, this is probably why we balance each other so well. My kids might actually play with the 50 bins of toys they have. I appreciate that Mike has a different approach. However, I will still maintain control of their diet. My husband has been known to eat Domino’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for days in a row.  
My solution was to prepare three days’ worth of finger foods that don’t require an oven or microwave. Before we were married, my husband didn’t use his oven for five years. Seriously. To keep my kids from eating pizza for three days straight (not that they would argue), I prepared the easiest menu possible. I have a muffin pan that holds six muffins. My husband had to fill each with anything from the following list: almonds, prunes, pistachios, hummus, seeded whole wheat bread, almond butter, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherry tomatoes, carrots, grapes, avocado, bananas, homemade raisin walnut muffins, homemade spinach muffins, homemade trail mix, or squeeze pouches filled with homemade dal puree.
The most difficult item on the list was to spread almond butter on a piece of bread. That’s it. Everything else is finger food. He had to fill all six muffin cups for a meal and 2-3 for a snack. Honestly, I didn’t even care if all six were filled with grapes; that just meant no more grapes later. I picked my battles. All the options provided were healthy choices—and I made sure to provide options from all food groups!
Guess what? My kids loved the idea, and so did my husband, and now we do this often. You can pick and choose any items you wish, but the key is to focus on easy finger foods so your husband doesn’t have to resort to fast food every day.  Good luck, and I hope this works for you!
Thanks!
Erika Lee Krebs

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Dear Erika,
I’m 35 weeks pregnant, and I have an amazing support system of friends and family. Many of them have asked if they can prepare me a meal after the baby arrives, so I don’t have to cook, but most of my friends are omnivores and don’t know what to make me. It’s really sweet that they want to help, but I don’t know what to tell them.
–Sherrie, Portsmouth, Maine
Dear Sherrie,
Congratulations! I get baby giddy just hearing that someone is pregnant! You’re lucky to be surrounded by so many people who are willing to help—you are already one step ahead of the game! I’m also thoroughly impressed that these same people have volunteered to make food. Do they know you’re vegan? That is usually a challenge that most meat-eating friends don’t accept!
If you’re not too sure about their vegan culinary skills, you might consider asking them come over and cuddle with your newborn baby while you cook dinner. For those who really want to cook for you, start by providing them with a few recipes that you have made successfully and know you enjoy. Make sure to keep the recipes simple and based on ingredients that are easy to find. I’m always looking for ways to win my friends over with vegan foods, so it’s even better if you can pick a dish that they will like, too. Why not make it a win-win?
If you want to keep it extra easy, ask them for a gift card. You can never go wrong with gift cards! Give your loved ones a short list of your favorite restaurants, and explain that you’d be happy to save them the trouble of having to cook. Or, you can buy the restaurant meals and they can help by handling pick-up and drop-off.
Congratulations again!      Erika Lee Krebs

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Dear Erika,
I have a mother-in-law who brings a meat dish to our Sunday get-together dinners. I find this quite offensive since she knows that we are all vegan. Should I ask her to stop?
—Taylor, Ann Arbor, MI
Dear Taylor,
This has been a tough one for me to answer on a vegan family website. I think that my answer should be to tell the mom that you are vegan family, and you are offended that she would even consider undermining your core beliefs by bringing a dead animal into your home. However, with that being said, I think it depends on the person and the family. Since you already stated that it offends you, you should definitely tell her how you feel and find the most polite way of asking her to stop. For example, maybe you could let her know that you appreciate her bringing more food to the dinner, but you really want her to be a guest in your home, and you would prefer for her to sit back, relax, and enjoy not having to cook. Or, depending on how comfortable you feel with your mother-in-law, you and your husband (don’t take all the heat my friend!), could take it as an opportunity to let her know that you are an animal-loving home, and if she has any questions about your beliefs, you’d love to discuss why it’s so important to you.
When someone asks me if they can bring a meat dish, I usually let them. If I were invited to a party that served only meat or dairy, I would certainly ask if I could bring my own food. So, I try to be objective and understand that not everyone has my same beliefs. However, when someone brings a meat dish, I take that opportunity to ensure that it is out-shined by the other vegan options. Many times people are willing to eat more cruelty-free only due to taste. Maybe focus your energy on making your food so out of this world that your mother-in-law will forget about bringing meat next time!
I wish you all the best and hope that if your mother-in-law is allowed to continue bringing meat dishes to your home, you can at least use it as an opportunity to have an honest open discussion about your ethics.
Thanks!
Erika 

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