Veganism awareness grows in the Cathedral community

Members of the Vegan Cooking Club, including senior Natalie Knudsen (third from the left)

Members of the Vegan Cooking Club, including senior Natalie Knudsen (third from the left)

Vanessa Green, Staff Writer

Veganism, a topic many people don’t know much about, is gaining attention in the Cathedral Catholic community. Students and faculty members are trying out the “plant-based” diet with the help of our Sodexo food service and the Vegan Cooking Club. Once one tackles the burdens that accompany the vegan lifestyle, the diet has many benefits.

“It’s really difficult to be vegan in high school. I’m trying to buy a car right now, but I can’t buy one that has any leather in it,” said senior Natalie Knudsen, a former model who started her transition into veganism one year ago. Modeling as a vegan was never an issue for Natalie – until she started growing her dreadlocks three months ago. Most of the time, fake leather and fleece were used in fashion shows, but even if they weren’t, she said that the clothing she modeled represented a brand, not her personal views.

Knudsen encourages the Cathedral Catholic community to experiment with veganism, but notes that it can be difficult since plant-based eating can get expensive. The CCHS cafeteria has a few vegan items such as hummus platters, veggie wraps, and quinoa bowls that are crowd pleasers, even for non-vegans. “I understand why the cafeteria doesn’t have more options. There are choices available though! Eating vegan makes you feel so much lighter, and the mental clarity is incredible,” Natalie said.

The Vegan Cooking Club, run by Natalie Knudsen and English teacher Ms. Carolyn Johnson, aims to educate the CCHS community on the plant-based diet and answer any questions people might have. The club meets every other Red 3 in Assisi 210. Most of the club members are vegetarians and are there to learn more about veganism to decide if it is something they want to pursue. Club meetings consist of discussions, question-and-answer sessions, and vegan snacks.

Many people don’t realize how much variety the vegan diet has. The diet encompasses foods from many different cultures and is surprisingly rich in protein. The diet consists of leafy greens, beans, different types of nuts, and high-protein grains like quinoa and chia. “It [veganism] does have a ‘cleansing’ effect, both physically and spiritually,” Ms. Johnson said. The Vegan Cooking Club and Ms. Johnson would love to help our community transition into the vegan diet, and the club membersencourage Dons to approach them with any questions.

“Transitioning” is recommended when starting a plant-based diet, so one can avoid slip-ups. Knudsen suggests going vegetarian first and then cutting out dairy and eggs. Soy protein and tofu help people make the transition, as do ice cream alternatives. The majority of the foods people eat, even California burritos, have vegan alternatives thanks to the wide variety of vegan ingredients. The vegan cafe that Knudsen works at, The Loving Hut in Mira Mesa, is known for their vegan tacos and burritos. The cafe attracts mostly vegans and vegetarians, but also other people who simply enjoy vegan cooking.

“A vegan diet done properly is healthy, fun, and good for the earth!” said Ms. Johnson. Ms. Johnson has been vegan for two years, but has been a vegetarian since she was eighteen. She decided to experiment with veganism when she realized the negative effects that dairy and eggs have on our bodies. Ms. Johnson said that veganism also adds a new dimension to her cooking. “What you will notice about a vegan dinner is how extraordinarily colorful it is,” Ms. Johnson said.

“I would also like to add that thoughtful vegans do not pass judgment on others for their food choices,” Johnson stated. “What we want to see in a privileged society like our own, however, is less reliance on top of the food chain consumption.”