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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · 13d

A tireless advocate for animals and the planet -- Jane Goodall's life was a gift to us all.

Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · 29d

Long before vegan baking was popular, home cooks figured out egg-free cakes out of necessity. Crazy Cake is one of those genius recipes—rich, fudgy, and totally cruelty-free. 🌱🍫 Recipe here in the attached article.
#VeganBaking #FoodHistory #AnimalLiberation

A Cake that Changes Minds and Helps Chickens

Long before test kitchens and vegan blogs, resourceful home cooks figured out how to bake without eggs.

theresistancekitchen.substack.com

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Aug 28

Plant-based meat alternatives are labelled as "ultra-processed." That doesn't mean they are bad for you. The research on these foods is reassuring. I wrote about it here.

Ultra-Processed Plant-based Meat in Healthy Vegan Diets

My dinner last night was an amazing salad with lots of greens and chopped vegetables, almonds, quinoa, chickpeas, and strips of plant-based chicken. Plus a splash of red wine vinegar and a drizzle of...

www.theveganrd.com

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Aug 22

Thank you!

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Aug 22

Eleven Madison Park is adding meat back to their currently #vegan menu in order to be more "inclusive." Their rationale doesn't make sense to me. And I think it represents a narrow view of what it means to be welcoming. I wrote about it here:

In the Name of “Inclusivity,” Animals and the Planet Lose Again

Why Retreating to Meat Undermines Ethical Fine Dining

theresistancekitchen.substack.com

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Aug 18

Small changes add up to produce real impact. Shifting towards a vegan lifestyle just means looking for better options whenever you can.

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Aug 15

When we try to control other creatures for our own purposes, we always do harm. Breeding monarchs for schools, weddings, and “conservation” can spread disease and kill more butterflies than it saves. #PlantNative #Milkweed #butterflies #PollinatorGarden #MonarchButterflies

“Saving” Monarch Butterflies Can End Up Hurting Them

Why farming butterflies is just another way we try—and fail—to control nature.

theresistancekitchen.substack.com

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Reposted by Ginny Messina

Friends of Animals @foaorg.bsky.social · Aug 12

another hot week... you know the drill:
- fill your bird baths
- ensure pets have a cooled space and access to water
- leave water out in any areas wildlife may be present (don't forget to place a rock or stick in the bowl so smaller creatures don't drown)
pls&ty

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Aug 12

The next best thing to a vegan restaurant is a restaurant that takes the trouble to offer vegans more than a hummus wrap. This is the Misquamicut Sandwich Company in Westerly, Rhode Island. If you’re in the area, they deserve your business! (I had the Tempeh Lettuce & Tomato and it was excellent.)

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Aug 11

Switching one sugar for another isn’t a win for public health. It’s a distraction from this admin's failure around policies that actually help people access healthy food. Say no to fear-based nutrition and focus instead on what really matters -- which is eating more plants, less animal food.

Making Food Choices That Matter

Coca-Cola drinkers can now choose beverages sweetened with “natural” cane sugar in place of high-fructose corn syrup.

theresistancekitchen.substack.com

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Aug 7

Yes, plant-based meats fit in a healthy diet! In our paper in Frontiers in Nutrition we concluded that these foods “have health and environmental advantages over comparable animal-derived foods. For most individuals a daily serving of a PBMA fits well within the context of an overall healthy diet.”

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jul 31

Do you need a vitamin B12 supplement? The answer is yes if you are eating any type of plant-based diet or are over the age of 50. And no, it doesn't mean a vegan diet is “unnatural.” Taking a B12 supplement allows you to choose a diet that supports health and aligns with your values.

Who Needs a Vitamin B12 Supplement? (Chances Are, It’s You)

All the vitamin B12 in the world is made by bacteria.

theresistancekitchen.substack.com

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jul 30

If your garden needs water, so do your wild neighbors. Put out bowls of water for the four-legged animals, birdbaths for the feathered ones, and pebble-filled bowls for the pollinators during the dry days of summer.

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jul 29

I’m off to picnic at Tanglewood (outdoor music venue) and to see Graham Nash and Emmylou Harris. I made pasta with plant-based chicken & pesto. Bought broccoli salad (made with Vegenaise), chips & guac, chocolate cake, strawberries, whipped coconut topping. And wine. Easy, breezy vegan dinner.

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jul 28

We need to advocate for animals w/ integrity. That means not over-hyping the health impact of a vegan diet. Here is what I can promise about veganism: It's more sustainable, reduces contributions to animal cruelty, and ends discomfort around choices that conflict with a commitment to compassion.

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jul 25

Animals enrich our lives in so many ways and they make us better people, too. I wrote about how our choices can reflect a deeper sense of respect and fairness towards them.

Beyond Kindness: What We Owe Animals

Years ago, while hiking in Olympic National Park, my husband and I came upon a small group of people standing quietly on a ridgetop, binoculars in hand.

theresistancekitchen.substack.com

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jul 21

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jul 19

Remembering my beloved Tater Tot on this #caturday. Here he is in the catio just about a year ago, watching over the native plants.

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jul 17

Lobster rolls are everywhere in New England. But the truth is that boiling lobsters alive is a form of cruelty we’ve normalized.
Here are my thoughts on tradition, sentience, & why we need to give all creatures the benefit of the doubt.
#ConsiderTheLobster #LobsterRoll #NewEngland #Vegan #Seafood

Giving Lobsters the Benefit of the Doubt

Last year, in an effort to cut ties with Jeff Bezos, I swapped the Washington Post for the Boston Globe. I miss the Post, but I’ve enjoyed the Globe’s focus on New England, where I love living—and whe...

open.substack.com

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jul 15

I have beautiful basil from the garden which means amazing vegan pesto for the freezer. So easy and healthy. (Recipe is flexible. For 2 cups packed basil I use about 3 tbsp nooch, ½ cup pine nuts or walnuts, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp miso, ¼ cup olive oil.)

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jul 10

Just days after the devastating floods in Texas, the Trump admin is hiring climate science deniers. No wonder so many of us suffer from climate-anxiety. But the best antidote is action.
For me, it’s:
• Peaceful protests
• Emails to lawmakers
• Plant-based cooking
• Planting trees

Coping with Climate Anxiety

Just days after the devastating floods in Texas, we learned that the Trump administration’s Energy Department has hired three researchers who question the science of human-caused climate change. That ...

theresistancekitchen.substack.com

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jun 26

A single food choice may seem too small to matter.
But small shifts—oat milk over cow’s milk or beans over beef—can shift mindsets and challenge speciesism. Compassionate choices aren’t just personal; they’re political.
🌱✊ #Vegan #Speciesism #FoodPolitics

Every Food Choice is An Opportunity to Challenge Oppression

Does it really matter if you choose oat milk over cow’s milk—or skip the beef in your chili and use beans instead?

theresistancekitchen.substack.com

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jun 23

So lovely! I haven't seen those before but they look very hummingbird friendly.

Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jun 23

Yes -- I have it! It's growing on our catio, and it's been a hummingbird magnet for years with lots of early blooms. For some reason it hasn't done well this year at all -- so disappointing. I just planted a new one.

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Ginny Messina @theveganrd.bsky.social · Jun 23

I'm in western Massachusetts and I haven't been successful in planting natives that bloom much before the end of June. I'm working on it, though! And I do have native honeysuckle and lots of penstemon.