“Full disclosure, I’m not a true vegan. Sure, I came of age as a young adult in Portland, around tons of friends who were veggies and strict vegans, but the plant-based lifestyle has been an acquired taste for me over the years.
Although I’ve always loved anything made with chickpeas, I fell accidentally into becoming a pescatarian about three years ago when the doctor wanted to put me on Lipitor to manage creeping cholesterol. I didn’t want to depend on a pill for the rest of my life, so I embarked on a health journey focused around plants in my diet — and it worked.
Let’s start by mentioning that virtually any decent restaurant in and around Seattle will offer vegan options — especially with the growing popularity of “beyond” and “impossible” meat. For example, Homegrown’s smashed chickpea sandwich, Rocket Taco’s sweet potato and black bean burrito and Bamboo Sushi’s Vegan Pho are outstanding options that I scarf down very regularly (these are not billed as vegan/vegetarian places). Even in more remote areas, like Lake Crescent Lodge at Olympic National Park, I’ve enjoyed vegan meatloaf that was delicious.”