Twice-Baked Potatoes

DAMN GOOD FOOD

Brazilian Chili
Potato Chip Truffles

Read this. Now.

VeganNEWSFOODPLANETTRAVELBUZZ
WHY
WE’RE

Vegan
The
RIPPING
OFF

Meta joke of the day: This is a “cover” cover.

Esquire v

MA N
p.14, in
case
you’re
wondering

One

Issue
guy.
True
story.
This guy can run up
Husband. Father. the Empire State
Building faster than
Entertainment lawyer.
Ultraman triathlete. you can run a mile. p.50
ible hair model. p.8
6

The Next Great

Poss Vegan

Eating meat
White
Russians.

is turning the Vegan City where aka

So, bonus.
ur
you should book yo
environment to
next flight. p.56
s#*t. Literally. p.34
$5.99 US
$6.99 Canada
going veg p.106
April 2012

ho saved his life by

The trucker w
Must-see:
The Hunger
Games Ozzy, Woody, Bill.
Yeah, they’re
vegan.
 VegFamily

1 Ryan Howard

Vegan
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Kid: 6-year-old Jude
Day job: Founder of Chicago Soydairy

Dads!
Three vegan Why did you decide to have kids?
It’s pretty damned natural to want to have
fathers share children. I’ve always wanted to pass down my
their tips for knowledge. Also, sharing the idea of veganism
raising amazing, from person to person is much easier at a young
compassionate age in school, I feel. I believe Jude will help to
educate lots of people in his lifetime.
children. What has been the biggest challenge in raising
a vegan kid?
3 Not much. He’s well-educated about veganism
and what happens inside a slaughterhouse. It
may seem unfair to show animal-agriculture
pictures to a child, but it is reality and I believe
that has made it easier for him to say “no” to
non-vegan food. Further, it has developed the
fire inside him to speak with other children
about animal issues. One issue has been
explaining to him why everyone is not vegan—
it seems to him that everyone would be, and
rightly so—and why some people can remain

Jesse and Ace Miner photo by Emily Payne, www.emilypayne.com; Richard Roll photo courtesy of Richard Roll; Ryan Howard photo courtesy of Ryan Howard
meat eaters after being exposed to the truth. 
What’s the most rewarding thing about raising
a vegan kid?
2 He will be able to effect change after I am dead
and gone. He keeps the movement alive and
running and has been vegan since birth. 
1 How does your extended family react to your
kid’s veganism?
Grandma and Grandpa are vegan now, and
Great-Grandpa is eating way more natural
foods. They would have thought something was
wrong if he wasn’t vegan!
What’s the single most important thing your
own father taught you?
Work hard and mind the details. I never thought
I’d be remotely as detail-oriented as he was ...
but wow, was I wrong. But, it got me here.
What are your family’s favorite dishes to
make together?
Padres. Daderinos. Pops. Daddy-Os. No matter what name you give While he’s not making much food on his own
them, dads are having their day. Justin Halpern’s widely popular Twitter beyond mac ‘n’ cheese, we make bread and
feed, @sh*tmydadsays, turned into a book in 2010 that instantly shot onto desserts together. You always need someone
The New York Times best-seller list, then became a short-lived sitcom starring to test the cake batter, you know? And we make
William Shatner. Dads have fatherly wisdom to impart, and the public is about 500,000 marshmallows a day when he’s
listening. A progenitor renaissance is in full effect, and there’s a bumper crop in the Dandies plant with me!
of fantastic vegan dads to go along with it. From business owners to athletes,
these proud papas are sharing their most cherished values with their
children—and shaping the future of veganism in the process.

86 VegNews Think. Eat. Thrive.™ March+April 2012

 2 Jesse Miner
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Kid: 2-year-old Ace
Day job: Personal vegan chef and
VN columnist
Why did you decide to have kids?  
Family is incredibly important to me. It creates
order in the often-chaotic world we live in,
focusing my priorities. It is also exciting for
my wife and I to share our joie de vivre with a
new generation.
What’s been the biggest challenge in raising
a vegan kid?  that desire.
The biggest challenge is getting others to
understand, respect, and remember his dietary
guidelines. At this age, it helps to communicate
vegan dietary guidelines like you would a
food allergy.
What’s the most rewarding thing about raising
a vegan kid?  Stand in the light. Walk your walk. Exercise
I am thrilled to be raising a 2-year-old who eats
everything, including all kinds of vegetables. I
am excited to watch him explore a wide variety
of brand-new flavors—he loves avocado maki
with soy sauce and wasabi!
What resources do you turn to for parenting?  been a direct result of our own transformation
Our son is adopted, so my wife and I attended
many parenting classes through our adoption
agency. We also utilized online parenting
resources related to adoption, veganism, and
child care in general. I currently refer to the book
Vegan for Life as a great nutritional resource.
Was it a given that your child would be raised
vegan, or was there some debate?
My wife and I discussed it and decided that
raising our son vegan would be the best
decision, both for his health and for fostering a
core value of compassion.
Aside from veganism, what are the values you
most want to impart on your kids?
The values I want to impart are the same ones
that brought me to veganism: a passionate
sense of responsibility to take care of oneself, to
take care of others—people and animals—and
to take care of the world around us.
What are your family’s favorite dishes to
make together?
Our morning ritual involves making breakfast
smoothies. Ace can identify the different fruits,
is familiar with flax seeds, almond butter,
and coconut water, and he helps me with
the Vitamix! 
Look for Roll’s first book on his transformation
from couch potato to Ultraman triathlete this year.
3 Richard Roll
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Kids: 16-year-old Tyler, 15-year-old Trapper,
8-year-old Mathis, 4-year-old Jaya
Day job: Entertainment attorney and
elite triathlete Free shipping in Canada
on orders over $100
 
Why did you decide to have kids?
Tyler and Trapper are my wife Julie’s boys from
a previous marriage, so kids have always been
part of my relationship equation. But I have
always wanted a family. Our two little girls
are just a natural and mutual extension of
What resources did you turn to for parenting?
We have a very yogic perspective on parenting.
Trying to change someone who doesn’t want
to change, or bend another to your will, is
rarely effective. It’s far more effective to lead Nice shoes for nice people
by example. Change through attraction.
Vegan shoes and accessories for men & women
compassion. The kids will follow. Shop online at
gotniceshoes.com
Was it a given that your children would be
raised vegan, or was there some debate?
We never had an agenda. Our children’s
Visit us at 3568 Fraser Street, Vancouver BC, Canada
gravitation towards the vegan lifestyle has
as parents. The older boys watched me
change my body and my life. They have seen
what I have been able to accomplish as an
athlete on a vegan diet, and it attracted them
to the lifestyle. The little girls have simply
every bunny
never known different.
Aside from veganism, what are the values you
deserves a treat!
most want to impart on your kids?
To be strong-minded, independent thinkers. To
have a secure and confident sense of self. To Visit our site for sweet ideas for your Easter basket.
know who they are, and have the confidence
and support to pursue their dreams, no matter
how crazy.
What’s the single most important thing your
own father taught you?
Dreams are possible if you are willing to put
in the hard work.
What are your family’s favorite dishes to
make together?
Involving our kids in the preparation of
our meals is an essential aspect of our
parenting. Making chia seed pudding is their
favorite. And they love to experiment with the
Vitamix—always coming up with new vegan Bakery & Confectionary Boutique
dessert blends. Always Vegan, Organic & Fair Trade.
AllisonsGourmet.com
THE MAN ISSUE vegnews.com VegNews 87