Real Vegan Momma Interview: Dreena Burton

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D: Yeah, I’m definitely busy! Before being a mom, I never would have imagined life could be so busy – every day! Especially now with a third child, I’ve joked that having three children is like having five. My mother had six, so I guess she felt like she had a dozen! Still, it’s a “good” kind of busy, and largely due to my efforts incorporating my cooking career into my life as a stay-at-home mom. Doing both doesn’t leave much room for spare time or a social life, but I love mothering and I love developing recipes, so I squeeze as much into every day as I can.

J: Most important question: why’d you go vegan?

D: I became vegan soon after becoming vegetarian. I had read Fit For Life and Diet For a New America and the references to the health implications of the standard diet really resonated with me. I was quite unsure about removing dairy and eggs from our diet for some time. I did more reading and research, and then my husband and I gave it a try.

After a few weeks, we felt much better and after a few months were quite content with our new lifestyle. I think we had the odd bit of cheese or dairy in a casserole or cake at parties/family events in the first couple of years, but soon after we decided to simply draw the line and not eat that way anywhere else if we weren’t going to eat it at home.

It’s been such a long time now (over 12 years) that it’s almost hard to remember that transition of going vegan and working through the changes. We didn’t have much in the way of convenience vegan foods at that time either. Things like Earth Balance, rice and hemp milks, and Luna bars simply didn’t exist. There were very few vegan cookbooks, and no vegan blogs or forums. I don’t think the argument “it’s hard to be vegan” flies anymore… for most folks it is not difficult to eat vegan. The awareness is there, the support (online) is there, and the foods are widely available (either in stores or online).

J: Do you exercise (I have to ask this, don’t be shy if you don’t!)? If so, what’s your favorite thing to do to stay active?

D: I do exercise, most days of the week, but for a short duration each time. I use the “Caribbean Workout” program. It sounds hokey, but it is a terrific workout series that has been on TV for about 12 years I think. I’ve probably been with them from the beginning, and am still a dedicated fan.

They have a mix of 1/2 hour workouts, including things like step, yoga, cardio-boxing, Pilates, weight-training, ball & chi ball, Bosu, and rebounder (mini-trampoline). I love the variety, so that days that I have more energy I’ll do some cardio or muscle conditioning, but mornings when I need to simply stretch and breathe I’ll do yoga. It fits into my schedule, and allows me to exercise early in the morning before getting out the door.

J: I understand your husband is also vegan. Does he participate much in the cooking, or is that mostly your domain?

D: Yes, he’s vegan, but I’m afraid I’ve monopolized the kitchen… to my own detriment! Now, if he needs to make a meal, he is a bit lost looking for things. His specialties are home fries, pancakes, grilled ‘cheese’, and his famous “toast with pb & j” (rumor has it that dad makes it better than mom)! The girls get excited when they see him working up something in the kitchen, probably because there’s a comforting carb theme involved!

J: You recently had a baby. Congratulations. Any thoughts on your vegan pregnancy?

D: My pregnancies were all very healthy and without complications. Except for the fact that I was badly nauseous, and I think it worsened with each pregnancy. My mother was always very sick with her pregnancies, and my sisters with theirs. It was really difficult to get through the days, and just about every food was unappealing or repulsive. I am just so grateful to have that behind me!

J: Let’s talk about life as vegan mother. Do you have other vegan mom friends, or are you pretty isolated in terms of having other women (mothers) who share your values? How do you deal with differences with other women (non-vegan moms)?

D: One of my very best friends eats vegan, and has three children that also eat a vegan diet. I’m thankful to have her friendship, and am even more fortunate that we can connect on vegan matters. My good friends understand our diet, and are respectful and accepting of it. Even with non-vegan moms, I haven’t had too many negative comments (at least not directly).

Most people are curious, and I really haven’t had anyone become challenging with questions or accusations or anything of that nature. Now that there is more awareness of food allergies and different diets, it’s not that unusual to eliminate certain foods from one’s diet. With that awareness comes more acceptance, even if the removal of these foods is by choice rather than by necessity.

J: I understand all your children are vegan. Have they been vegan from birth (I love the toddler section in your 2nd cookbook!)? What’s your best advice, especially as kids get older with dealing with situations with teachers, peers, and other well-meaning individuals?

D: Thanks, I have just been referring back to Vive myself to get reacquainted with the various stages of food introduction now that our babe has started solids! While a vegan diet provides more nutrition in more areas than the standard North American diet, parents need to be aware of those nutritional requirements that are harder to get through vegan sources. Vitamin B12 is one of these obvious areas, which is easily addressed with a simple vitamin supplement. But there are other areas like DHA and mammalian milk which might, depending on your ability to access vegan alternatives, cause you to make minor temporary exceptions to your child’s vegan diet. If you have to make some exceptions, don’t sweat it, and don’t let anyone tell you that you are not a vegan because you decided to err on the side of caution to ensure your child met a certain nutritional need.

Because vegan parents are always getting a bad rap from the mainstream media, I think it is more important for parents raising vegan kids to be extra certain their children are getting the nutrition they need to grow and develop. For instance, our first daughter ceased breastfeeding at 14 months. It is recommended that babies breastfeed for 2 years to receive the best form of mammalian milk – mother’s milk. On the advice of my trusted friend and naturopath, we supplemented with an organic goat’s milk for a short period. My next child breastfed for two years from birth, so this was never a consideration.

Another point is DHA. Vegan sources (algae) of DHA supplements are more readily available these days but depending on your area, you may not be able to get them (I get mine imported to Canada from the U.K.) or your child might not acquire a taste for them until a later age. So, if you have to use a fish oil supplement for a period of time (like I had to for my kids for a few months) because your vegan brand is on back order, or because your child hasn’t yet acquired a taste for the vegan option, again cut yourself some slack.

As for as their peers and teachers, so far I have found most teachers to be very cooperative and understanding, and some even quite encouraging. The biggest thing is for children to feel included and part of the fun with activities and social times. For birthday parties, for instance, I always find out what food is being served (ex: pizza or hot dogs), and I bring the vegan equivalent to parties for our daughters, as well as a piece of vegan cake or a cupcake. They are always completely happy with it. For school functions, I often offer to bring in some snacks or sweets, and then other children can share the goodies and see that it’s not all ‘weird’ or boring.

J: What’s the funniest, or most surprising comment/question you’ve received over the years regarding being a vegan mom?

D: The funniest might have been from our eldest daughter, actually. One day she asked about some of her friends (boys), and whether they were vegan. I explained how certain friends didn’t eat meat, but ate some dairy and eggs, and how another friend was vegan like she is. I thought she was simply curious about differences in diets with her friends. Nope, she said, “okay, I’ll marry him, because he is vegan”! There are two brothers in this family, and so now both our daughters have chosen one of the boys to marry when they are older! It’s very funny, though now that we have another daughter, I’m thinking my girlfriend needs to have another baby boy… 😉

J: I am of course a big fan of yours, my husband bought me Eat, Drink & Be Vegan as a Christmas present shortly after I decided to go vegan and I was at first intimidated by your recipes, but as I began to try them out, I was delighted and wowed by the repertoire and depth of flavors that your recipes impart. Did you grow up cooking? If so, who was your greatest cooking influence? When did your knack for cooking begin to really flourish?

D: That’s lovely, thank you! 🙂

I didn’t grow up cooking, but I did grow up loving food! My mother cooked for our family of eight, and so I did see her cook and bake, and sometimes got involved. But, I didn’t enjoy cooking myself until I became vegetarian. I remember working with things like chicken and being disturbed by the food safety issues, and then rather disgusted by the smells of cooking fish and cleaning up after cooking with animal flesh.

There was a freedom to cooking without animal flesh, but I came to rely too much on cheeses and other dairy while vegetarian. My health improved and I felt so much livelier after taking dairy out of my diet. That’s when I started creating recipes, and I have been learning and developing my skills ever since. There’s always more to learn and ways to improve.

J: When your first cookbook came out (Everyday Vegan), there were very few cookbooks and resources for vegans, or those wishing to convert to vegan lifestyle, now there are dozens and dozens to choose from. What’s your take on the surge in popularity? Do you think veganism is becoming more mainstream? What do you think has contributed to this?

D: I think it’s more from a backlash against the crappy food North Americans have been eating for years more than about animal rights. Most of the cookbooks and rise in vegan cookery seem to focus on whole foods and working with the simplicity, yet abundance and beauty of plant-based foods. Not that the awareness of animal agriculture hasn’t contributed to the popularity of eating vegan, but I think more people have ‘tuned in’ after realizing that they can’t continue to pour junk into their bodies without consequences to their health.

J: What other chefs or cookbook authors inspire you? When you’re not cooking your recipes, whose recipes do you like?

D: I first started cooking after getting married, and I learned a great deal from a couple of cooking shows. One was “Bonnie Stern” and another “What’s For Dinner.” These were Canadian shows, and before the explosion of the Food Network. They were very instructional, and both included a lot of vegetable dishes and talked about cooking techniques. I learned a lot from those shows, and later from cooking shows with chefs like Emeril, Bobby Flay (he introduced me to “chipotle”!) and Jamie Oliver. I still really love Jamie Oliver, and I also enjoy watching chefs like Rachel Ray, Giada De Laurentiis, and Anna Olson.

I’ve always taken to the shows more than the cookbooks, because I can learn a technique or tip so quickly, and while puttering around the house doing other things. Though, The Moosewood Cookbook was a favorite when I first became vegetarian, and I still love its handwritten, warm and friendly charm even though it not a vegan cookbook.

J: I love Jaime Oliver too! He has a great style and presence in the kitchen, I wish he was vegan. Nevertheless, he has some fantastic recipes, especially for being English, as traditional British food is generally not my cup of tea. I also like Giada De Laurentiis. The Italian bent on cooking is something that very much resonates with me (big family gatherings, good food, artistic approach and presentation of food). And The Moosewood Cookbook is so inviting, it’s as if a good friend has handwritten all of their favorite and most cherished recipes just for you. So any new cooking shows you enjoy?

D: One of my new favorite shows is “Chopped”. It’s very interesting to see how the chefs interpret the ingredients differently. Even though there’s always dairy, meat, and/or eggs in the mystery basket, there’s also usually some obscure ingredient, and so I may learn something new.
J: Do you envision coming out with another cookbook in the future (all of your fans patiently await and cross their fingers!)?

D: Definitely. I have quite a stack of recipes finished and still in the works for another book. I need to figure out when I can realistically apply myself fully to the project and then commit to a date with my publisher. With our new babe still so young, I’m not ready to set a date, but a fourth book is absolutely ‘in the works’.

J: How long does it typically take to put together a cookbook? Can you describe the process a bit more in detail?

D: For me, a cookbook takes about two to three years from the time that I start dabbling with recipes to the time that I get my manuscript finished. The first two cookbooks took about two years, but it’s taking longer now with having more children and more mom duties. For me, the process is working through recipes first (sometimes I ‘plan’ them, type them out and test them, but more often I’m in the kitchen and an idea comes to me so I start scribbling notes on scrap paper. Once I have enough recipes to begin putting a book together, I start hashing out ideas with my publisher for title, theme, etc. I figure that the process is probably a little more organized for other cooks and chefs!

J: I have to ask this, and because I’m sure I’m not the only one dying to know–do you cook gourmet for most meals? What does a typical week look like?

D: I don’t think I cook gourmet. Maybe others think I do, but I think I cook very much everyday, with perhaps a few extra special twists thrown in once or twice a week. I do cook from scratch pretty much every day, and we rarely dine out. We order pizza once a month or so, and there’s not much else in our area in terms of take-out or vegan dining, so I have little choice but to cook all the time.

I rely on soups a lot, especially this time of year. They can stretch to more than one meal, freeze/thaw beautifully, and are the perfect vessel for nutritionally dense ingredients like beans. Most of my soups include beans, and many of my entrees… I’m somewhat of a ‘bean queen’! We eat them every day in some form I think. Whether in soups, casseroles, pureed into sauces, roasted chickpeas, spreads, bean patties – I’m always finding a way to incorporate them into meals. Our kids really love them too, which is terrific.

Our eldest daughter eats “tamari roasted chickpeas (from ed&bv)” like they’re popcorn! And, our middle daughter says “black hummus” (chipotle-lime two bean hummus, also from ed&bv, but with less chipotle) is her favorite lunch. And, because hubby and I became vegan before all the vegan meat substitutes came onto the market, we never developed much interest in them. We enjoy eating other meals made with nuts, grains, or beans more than using the substitutes or even tofu. Which, of course, means even more cooking from scratch!

J: I know you love sweets, as do I, and you’ve done wonders to dispel the myth that vegan treats taste like cardboard. What’s your favorite treat?

D: When I wrote Vive, I was determined to show people that vegan cookies could taste incredible. I devoted many tests and retests to come up with my “Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookie” recipe, which has now received over 100,000 views on YouTube – so the work was well worth it! For a long time vegan desserts got a bad rap, but I don’t think that anyone now coming into the vegan diet would ever get that impression with all the beautiful vegan dessert cookbooks available, and even the vegan confections available in stores and online. Vegans have it easy these days, I tell you! 🙂 (I’ll be the vegan that’s like your grandmother saying “when I was a young vegan, there wasn’t even soy milk in stores”… actually, that was true when I first became vegan!).

My very favorite sweet is ice cream, with chocolate and caramel treats a close second – or tied for first if those extras are mingled with the ice cream. I’ve heard Bobby Flay mention several times that his favorite dessert is ice cream, and I couldn’t agree more. And for me, every dessert is better with ice cream as a mate – whether pie, cake, cookies – you name it, a little scoop of ice cream makes it that much better!

J: Ice cream is hands down my favorite treat as well. And I couldn’t agree more, dessert without ice cream is hardly dessert! When you’re not cooking up something tasty or taking care of your children what do you like to do in your “spare” time (other hobbies, interests)?

D: I’d like to have “spare” time. Right now I don’t know what that is. Years ago I dabbled in making jewelery, and I’ve enjoyed playing tennis and piano over the years. But, for now, it’s pretty much all about keeping the household afloat. When I do have time here and there, I find myself coming back to my cookery work either making recipes or catching up with online articles, etc.

J: You have 3 cookbooks, a blog, and write T/S articles. Any other things I missed that you do that your fans should know about so that we can learn more about your delicious recipes?

D: That is the bulk of my work right now, except that I also write articles for alive magazine occasionally. The current (December) issue includes my article on wheat-free sweets for the holidays. The magazine is available through health food stores in Canada, though I don’t think it’s circulated in the US. Sometime soon I would like to get a few cooking videos up on YouTube… you know, in my spare time. 🙂