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bolognese

Hooked on People: Anna Pippus aka Easy Animal Free + her Lentil Walnut Bolognese

December 6, 2018 By julia

Anna’s instagram stories ( @easyanimalfree ) make the vegan lifestyle as a busy Mom of 2 look like a breeze (by making recipes like her lentil walnut bolognese, shared below!). The way she shares recipes, ideas and tips makes her super approachable, and totally normalizes the plant-based lifestyle.
In a nutshell, Anna is an animal rights activist, and lawyer. Her life’s mission is to minimize animal’s suffering as much as she possibly can… and she’s doing this by specializing in farm animals by serving as director of farmed animal advocacy for Animal Justice, and as a strategic advisor for We Animals.
She is an incredible voice for the voiceless, and does a fantastic job bringing it all back to the mainstream by showing how simple it can be to create easy, breezy, delicious meals for her family.

Let’s get to know Anna a bit more…


Hooked on Plants: Was there a moment in your life that made you go vegan?

Anna Pippus: I went vegetarian as a kid, simply because I was a big animal lover and it didn’t feel right to eat animals. But, I didn’t know anything about farming back then, and I kept eating eggs and dairy, wearing leather, and buying cosmetics by animal testing brands without too much thought. This was the early 90s—there was no internet, and veganism was rare enough that I’d never heard of it.

A little over ten years ago, I first heard about veganism, and on some level I think it occurred to me that this was probably a good thing to do, something that I should and would do. I half-heartedly poured watery rice milk in my tea and tried to avoid cheese made with cow’s milk (which I loved, and in those days vegan cheeses were inedible). But I avoided learning more about farming. I had such empathy for animals that I couldn’t stand seeing them suffering. I told myself that I was already doing my part, that exposing myself to gory photos and videos wouldn’t help.

Then, in Charlotte Montgomery’s book Blood Relations, I read a story about a bull on a truck being taken to slaughter. The bull had a broken hip and couldn’t stand, let alone walk. But bulls are enormous animals and the only way for them to get off a truck is on their own (on farms, tractors are used to move downed cattle). The workers used an electric prod to shock the bull and force him to drag himself—using only his front legs—to the back of the truck, where he slammed several feet into the ground below. Then, he was forced to drag himself into the slaughterhouse. It took hours. By the time he was inside, the slaughterhouse was closing for the day, and he was left— alone and in pain—on the floor to wait for the next day, when workers would kill him.

It was like I’d been splashed with a bucket of cold water. In that moment, I realized with full clarity something I think I’d been growing to understand all along: that when animals are used as commodities, they will suffer. Animal welfare is most often in tension with profits. Workers are desensitized to the suffering of animals, because they have to be in order to be able to do the job. I realized then that farming animals could never be humane. I immediately became not only vegan, but a dedicated activist. And fortunately, plant-based milks and cheeses have come a long way since then—there are lots of delicious options now!

HOP: You have a very in-depth post here about raising vegan children, but could you give a few simple tips here on vegan lunch prepping for families?

AP: In our family, I do most of the kitchen managing and cooking, because it’s something I really enjoy. But I’m definitely not up for making complicated, time-consuming meals, and I only have it in me to cook once a day, at dinner time. (I love my end-of-day ritual of putting on some music and getting absorbed in the creativity of cooking).

So, at dinner, I tend to cook big meals, that will provide us with leftovers for the next day, or extra parts that can be repurposed into something else (e.g. extra rice to make fried rice another day). That way, when I open the fridge at lunch time, there’s always something to work with.

If there isn’t, we have sandwiches or open-faced toast, along with veggies (like peppers or cucumber), fruit, nuts etc.

I’m a big believer in the gospel of hummus. Everyone should have it in the fridge! It’s delicious, ridiculously nutritious, a good source of iron, calcium, and protein, and widely liked even by the world’s least adventurous eaters. It’s perfect on sandwiches, salads, and bowls, and as a dip with crackers or vegetables.

HOP: You use your legal training to do your best to change the farm animal laws (amazing!)… but what are your top tips for people who want to make a difference in the animals lives, but don’t know where to start?

AP: There is so much to be done! Everyone has different skills, lifestyles, and personalities, so I think the first step is to self-reflect and take inventory about how you can best contribute to the movement in a way that will be both impactful for animals and sustainable for you.

Here are a few ways people can get involved to help animals:

  • donate to effective initiatives and organizations.
  • volunteer with established initiatives and organizations, especially if you have skills in bookkeeping, fundraising, graphic design, video production, or anything else that non-profits are chronically in need of.
  • organize or attend impactful protests, demonstrations, and marches.
  • share information and resources that you find impactful or useful on social media.
  • write letters to the editor in response to media pieces about animals, plant-based eating, the environment, health… any hook you can find!
  • write or meet with politicians at all levels of government (municipal, provincial, federal) to ask what they’re doing about animal issues and make suggestions for policies they can back. If there’s a particular piece of legislation being considered, write to let them know you support it.
  • contact restaurants and grocery stores in your neighbourhood to encourage them to add plant-based options. Make suggestions for your favourite products and dishes.
  • sign petitions, if they’re to specific decision-makers with specific, winnable requests.
  • use chalk to write messages on the sidewalks around your neighbourhood, or put up posters on community message boards.
  • host potlucks, meet ups, book clubs or other events to help build community and spread the word.

HOP: What facts might surprise people about grass-fed, free-range and cage free laws?

AP: These terms very often don’t mean what people think they do. Even in best-case scenarios, animals are still genetically manipulated to manifest profitable traits that often compromise their welfare. For example, dairy cows produce up to 10 times more milk these days than they used to, which leads to painful engorgement, physical depletion, and rampant mastitis (a painful infection). Chickens raised for meat are bred to grow very large, very quickly, which can cause cardiovascular problems (their little hearts can’t keep up), and lameness because their bones are too soft and immature to support their relatively massive weight. In all sectors, genetic manipulation has produced a laundry list of grotesque outcomes that directly compromise animals’ quality of life.

As a mother, probably the thing that breaks my heart the most is how on all farms—even the certified humane ones—animals are separated from their families. In the dairy industry, calves are taken from their mothers a few hours after birth, so that the milk can be diverted to humans. The babies are a waste product of the dairy industry. In nature, hens are doting mothers, peeping to their babies through the shell to establish a bond. After hatching, they’d be nearly inseparable, the babies tucked under their mothers’ wings for comfort and safety. But in our agriculture system, chicks are hatched in industrial hatcheries, never knowing their mothers. Chicken meat and egg farms are like giant orphanages with no mature presence to teach or comfort. If you go into a chicken farm and sit down, the babies will come over and fall asleep in your warm lap.

And of course, even in a best case scenario, animals are sent to be killed at a fraction of their natural lifespan. Virtually all animals are babies when we kill them for food: chickens are five to six weeks old, pigs are five to six months, turkeys are three to six months, and beef cattle are 12 to 18 months old. Slaughterhouses are frightening places; the animals can smell blood and they fight for their lives. I would be terrified if I were in their place. All of this for products that are not only unnecessary, they are damaging our health and environment, too.

HOP: Your favourite and simplest dinner recipe!?

AP: I have a LOT of fave dinner recipes, which you probably know if you follow me on Instagram 🙂 Right now, I’m crushing on a hearty lentil-walnut bolognese. Lentils are superfoods that we need to eat more of, and walnuts are a great source of plant-based omega 3 fatty acids.

Another all-time fave pasta dish is pasta with cream sauce. The recipe is here on my site. I’m also a big fan of bowls, which basically follow an endlessly versatile formula: grain, legume, veggies, sauce, nuts/seeds. I have a post on my site all about how to build a bowl, and plenty of bowl ideas on my instagram account.


Easy Animal Free Lentil Walnut Bolognese
 
Save Print
Prep time
5 mins
Cook time
15 mins
Total time
20 mins
 
Anna Pippus of Easy Animal Free shares her favourite easy dinner recipe at the moment! This is hearty, quick, and delicious for the whole family! Serve it up with some of this Smokey Vegan Parm
Author: Jules
Recipe type: dinner, pasta, comforting
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 sweet onion
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 5-8 mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Splash of red wine or balsamic vinegar
  • ½ cup walnuts, finely chopped
  • 3 cups tomato sauce or your favourite marinara
  • ¾ cup brown lentils, pre-cooked
  • Oregano, to taste
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Pasta noodles of your choice, cooked
Instructions
  1. Over medium high heat, sauté an onion until soft (with a splash of water to keep it from sticking).
  2. Add a chopped green pepper, 8 oz or so sliced mushrooms, and a few cloves of minced garlic. Use a splash or two of red wine or balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan.
  3. Add about ½ a cup finely chopped walnuts (a food processor works well but not necessary) and toast for a minute or two.
  4. Then add about 3 cups tomato sauce or marinara, and some cooked brown lentils (I boil half a cup from dry but canned is fine too)
  5. Season with oregano and salt, and simmer for a few minutes to combine the flavours.
  6. Serve with a pound of your favourite pasta.
Notes
* Prep time doesn't included pre-cooking the brown lentils
3.5.3226

Tag me and Anna if you make this! (@hookedonplants @easyanimalfree on instagram)

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Filed Under: Dinner, Hooked On People Interviews, Lifestyle, Uncategorized, Veganism Tagged With: animal love, animal rights, anna pippus, bolognese, easy animal free, easy plant based dinner, easy vegan dinner, hooked on people, hooked on people interview, hooked on plants, lentil bolognese, lentil walnut bolognese, pasta recipe, plant based dinner, vegan interview, vegan pasta, veganism

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Hi, I'm Julia! I like to simplify plant-based eating and make yummy recipes. I'm a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, certified plant-based chef, Olympian, and I make cereal (Jules Fuel). Enjoy! Read more

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Best travel spot? 
Or maybe theres a time & space in your day to day that brings you that feeling?

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Here’s your reminder to make the time to go there.
4 pillars of veganism ⤵️ 1️⃣ Animals 2️ 4 pillars of veganism ⤵️

1️⃣ Animals
2️⃣ Environment 
3️⃣ Health (longevity & disease prevention & microbiome diversity)

and the 4th pillar?

4️⃣ PERFORMANCE: 
Countless athletes use the plant-based diet as their secret sauce for next-level endurance & performance, reduced inflammation, faster recovery, and longer athletic careers 🎉 💪

INSPO:

Have you watched the @gamechangersmovie yet?

A quick list off the top of my head of vegan athletes to follow…
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📖 Have you read the NYTimes bestseller: 
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If you’re a vegan athlete, would love for you to share the benefits you’ve felt! ⬇️
🌱 SKIN LOVING TIPS ⤵️ From a simple is bet 🌱 SKIN LOVING TIPS ⤵️ 
From a simple is better, 30 somethin’, long routine avoiding kinda gal…who wants to support elastin & boost collagen 🤷‍♀️ 

I’ve had an interesting relationship with my skin, especially in high school. 
Did so much to try to manage it…accutane…birth control pills.👎🏼

The biggest skin game-changer for me was going vegan 7 years ago & ditched the dairy especially. 
My skin was NOTICEABLY less inflamed (no more hormones coming from my food). 

I’m not ‘use a million products’ kinda gal, but now at 34, I guess it’s time to start giving a little extra attention to the skin care regime 😆 

🌱 Lifestyle tips + products I’m loving right meow 🌱

#1: nutrition: eat whole plant foods packed with fibre & water content. Minimize the processed foods & sugar. Focus on plant protein from legumes, organic soy, seeds (add a little @Complement Chocolate Protein to your lattes)

#2: support your gut: focus on 🌱 diversity, fermented foods, and add pre-biotics and postbiotics to your life (love @Complement Gut Nurture)

#3: greens: pack your smoothie with as much as possible, top everything with sprouts, add a greens powder to your life (most potent: @complement Daily Greens)

#4: antioxidants! From plants, especially berries. Amp it up with functional mushrooms (hello, @staywyldorganics)

#5: nutrient support: take these 8 skin & hair-supporting essentials (B12, vegan D3, K2, zinc, selenium, magnesium, DHA/EPA omegas, iodine…all in @complement’s daily vegan minty multi) 

#6: creams & things:
I’m a new, huge fan of @puritywoodsinc Dream, Eye,Night Creams, and Elastin Serum. 
Created by vegans at the @art_ofantiaging. 
They use Maple Leaf and other amazing organic plant organic ingredients specifically for skin elasticity and collagen production support. 
And, oh my lawwwrd it smells so fresh & citrusy 👌 My skin is feeling noticeably smoother after a month of this!
Also: algae face mask… slap the ocean on the face with @beauty.botanics made by local, Ahnnabelle 💕

#7: stress less & sweat more: every day

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Surprise yourself with what you’re actually capable of. 

This is just one of many slices of golden quotes from an interview with my incredible Grandma, Joyce. 

‘Constant learning about one self, constant. 
If only I had only known I could do that, if only I had the confidence, I might have made a few difference choices … we really don’t know until it happens. 
You can surprise yourself. 
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Joyce 💕 what a gem. 

Working towards this every day, just a little. 

Maybe you are too? 

What’s the last thing you did that pushed you out of your comfort zone?
Back to School Sneaky Greens Adventure Ballz: 

I’ve relied on these ballz for festivals, 5+ hour mountain bike rides, weekend camping trips, to bash afternoon cravings…and they’d be PERFECT for that back to school lunch box. 

 
🌱These babies are packed with nutrients + they keep their shape and travel like heroes!

Makes: 30 balls

INGREDIENTS:
* 20 medjool dates 
* 1/2 cup oats
* 1/4 cup hemp seeds
* 1/4 cup sneaky greens! (@Complement Daily Greens Powder: broccoli sprouts, moringa, spinach, barley grass and chlorella)
* 1/3 cup Chocolate Protein Powder (@Complement makes the cleanest!) 
* 1/8 cup @staywyldorganics Mushroom powder (5 functional mushrooms)
* 1 tsp vanilla 
* 1/2 cup shredded coconut

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DIRECTIONS:
1. Process oats to a flour in food processor, then blend in your superfood powders (greens, mushrooms, protein).
2. Add dates and vanilla to the dry mix and pulse/blend for 20 seconds, until a large ball forms
3. Spread coconut shreds on a plate
4. Shape date mixture into small balls with wet hands and drop them onto the plate (a few at a time). Shake the plate so the balls get coated with coconut shreds.
5. Once the balls are all shaped and coated, store them in the fridge  or freezer, and they’re ready to pack + go.

TIP: If they’re not staying together just add 1-2 tsp of water to the mix and shape again.

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