In the Kitchen

She cooks only vegan at home, but when her husband and daughter go out, they eat what they want. Emma frequently chooses vegan options, but her dad is still a meat eater."Switching to vegan was hard at first because I had to change my mindset and use a cookbook more often than I did in the past," said Finney. "I have to admit that you have to persevere and want to do it. But now it's fun because it's quicker and easier than using meat and dairy." She puts a rice cooker with a steam basket for vegetables to work on a daily basis.Adjusting to a lack of dairy didn't happen overnight but was partially accomplished by using soy milk in savory dishes and almond milk in sweet dishes. She even has an answer for potato salad. She finds hummus a good alternative to mayonnaise.

"I still eat sugar sometimes, although I try not to go for it. As a substitute I use agave nectar or Stevia," she said. "I buy coconut milk ice cream and sandwiches as a treat." Her father hasn't given up all guilty pleasures. He still eats crackers. Unsalted. With a little almond butter on top.Neither Finney nor her father aggressively push their diets on other people, but think it's interesting to introduce vegan without a lot of fanfare. "When I take something to a pitch-in at work, I never announce it's vegan," Finney said. "Now people are figuring it out, but they're eating it and liking it."Herron said his wife, Karen, made vegan chili for him to take to a Masonic Lodge meeting chili contest. He says her chili came in third, adding, "That's pretty cool."

Prepare rice noodles according to package directions. Mix ? cup of warm water, soy sauce, peanut butter, chili sauce, garlic powder, ginger and hot sauce in a small bowl until combined. Let stand for a few minutes to intensify the flavor. Taste, adding more hot sauce if desired. Toss with noodles until evenly coated. Stir in vegetables. Garnish with peanuts and green onions. Serve with a lime wedge, squeezing juice over the top if desired. Serves 4.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin pan and set aside. If using paper liners, lightly spray inside of liners with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together. In another bowl, cream together mashed banana with applesauce and sugar. Add almond milk, vanilla and sugar. Stir until evenly combined. Add flour mixture to wet mixture in 3 or 4 batches. Stir until just combined. Spoon batter into muffin pan. Bake 18 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.