I just love that vegan chef Mary Lawrence encourages folks to garden.

What better way could there to be bring fresh food to your table and to your family. I hope my family does more of it this growing season. (Stay tuned! The photo at bottom is a flower outside my home.)
In a recent newsletter, Mary says: "Are you a chef who likes to garden? Me, too! I've combined two of my favorite activities into a demonstration that I hope will be a ton of fun as we discuss 'Planning and Planting a Chef's Garden.'"
"This class will teach you how to choose 'double duty' plants that are not only easy to care for, but will reward you throughout the season."

Her event will be held 6:30-8:00 p.m. April 5 at the Bethel Public Library, 189 Greenwood Ave., Bethel.
"This presentation will show you what to plant, when to get started, and how to prepare for a bountiful harvest. Learn about perennial and annual herbs, alliums, 'cut and come again' greens, seasonal staples, canning and cold storage," Mary's newsletter says. The photo above is from Mary's newsletter.

Mary also is part of the Register's Community Media Lab.

Would you like to join the Community Media Lab? Let me know!

I am probably dating myself by thinking about the old Reese's Peanut Butter Cup commercial.
I really can’t even picture it, but the catch phrase from it clearly stuck in my mind and has become a good example of an issue I am giving thought to.
Yet while the peanut butter - chocolate mess resulted in a popular concoction, my conundrum is not likely to sound so yummy, especially to those who have long eschewed meat and/or all animal products.
The question I am thinking about is whether it is ever OK for a vegan or a vegetarian to eat something that even touched a product they would not normally eat.
For instance: if there were a tray of nachos in front of you, would it be OK to take chips from the bottom of the pile that had not been touched by the cheese piled on top? What if the cheese melted and some it leaked onto the nachos below?
I know when my daughters were younger and adopted a vegetarian lifestyle - and I wholeheartedly supported it because it was a moral choice they made - I never mixed a vegetarian dish with a utensil that I had already used to mix a meat dish. That just would not seem right.
But if you were served a sandwich and someone had accidentally put cheese on it, would it be OK to take the cheese off and eat the sandwich anyway? Should it go to waste if no one else wanted it?
One of my kids - a nearly lifelong vegetarian - now calls herself more of a freegan -not in it truest sense - but for her which means in part that if there is food available and it would otherwise go to waste - she believes it’s OK to eat it, even if it contains meat. An example she used was that after one college apartment roommate moved out, she and her remaining roommate, both longtime vegetarians - ate some leftover chicken breast that had been left in the freezer, rather than throw out.
That’s not a step I would take - I probably would have cooked the chicken and given it to my dog, who is not about to make a choice to be a vegetarian.
I am not about to indulge in a Reese's now, as the vegan trial continues. I have had vegan chocolate, thought and it was darn good.
But this question of how 'tainted' something must be by a non-vegan product before we decide not eat is an interesting one to me. What do you think?

P.S. Veggie peeps, we have something very special coming up on Vegging Out. A small clue: the full name of this blog is Vegging Out in New Haven and we asked a well known Elm city resident to guest blog for us. He did it and it's coming soon! We are very excited and hope you will be too!

By Lauren Garrison

I wish I had some profound thought or funny story to share with you all on the occasion of my first day as a vegan, but it's been surprisingly smooth sailing so far. I think Helen hit the nail on the head in her last post when she said preparation is key.

Thanks to weekend trips to Trader Joe's and Stop & Shop, my cupboards are fuller than they've ever been with vegan-friendly foods. I have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, almond milk, crackers, pasta, tofu, and Oreos to satisfy my sweet tooth.

With my crazy reporter's schedule, I've gotten in the habit of cooking a big batch of soup or stew, or something else that will last a few days, on Sundays. This week, I tried two new vegan recipes: a green lentil and cashew dish from Mark Bittman, and a butternut squash soup made with coconut milk from a vegan cookbook my sister-in-law got me. I also baked some healthy pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, made with whole grain flour. I was happy with the way all three came out.

I feel much more confident now than I did last week that I'll be able to find enough different tasty vegan things to eat that I, 1. won't starve and 2. will be happy. What I'm more concerned about is missing some of my favorite non-vegan foods. I realized that I don't miss meat at all, and never did after becoming a vegetarian. But I have an emotional attachment to certain foods that contain dairy -- ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, English breakfast tea with milk -- that I've felt a sense of loss over them. Is that silly?

I'm also expecting to miss a certain freedom and pleasure that comes from being able to eat food socially. No longer can I reach carefree into the dishes of M&Ms put out for visitors in stores and offices. I'm almost certain I won't be able to eat out at a restaurant that doesn't cater specifically to vegetarians and vegans. When our resident baker here in the Register newsroom brings in cakes and brownies, I won't be able to partake (this one already happened today!). I can't even go to my parents' house for dinner without causing trouble.

That aside, I'm feeling upbeat today about my decision. I'm happy that what I'm doing is good for the environment, farm animals and my body. I like being challenged to try new things. I'm excited for the next three weeks.

Incidentally, when I turned on my favorite NPR station today, the show "Here and Now" featured an interesting segment with social psychologist Melanie Joy, whose new book is called "Why we love dogs, eat pigs, and wear cows." As the show's Web site explains, "She says it's because of carnism, the belief system which makes us disgusted by the thought of eating golden retrievers, but allows us to eat cows and pigs, even when they are just as intelligent as dogs."

You can listen to the segment here.

One more thing -- I've never been one for taking vitamins, but do I need one to supplement a vegan diet?

Turns out Facebook is the place for vegetarians too.

There are a number of groups that allow veggies and vegans to gather and chat and share cooking lore. One has almost 10,000 members.

I am now a fan of one group in which I met I "met" Rich Heiser.

Rich makes it happen.

He has a Web site and a Facebook page devoted to the vegetarian lifestyle and both contain not only recipes, but interviews and other useful information. It's no wonder he calls them both Not-Just-Recipes.

His Not=Just=Recipes Web site is "Your source for great vegetarian recipes. Simple vegetarian recipes - vegetarian dinner ideas, vegetarian lunch ideas - from breakfast to dessert. You'll find tips on cooking that promote a healthful, compassionate lifestyle," it says.

But, "You'll find more than just vegetarian recipes; there are vegan recipes as well as cooking videos and articles and information that will inform you and help you choose a healthier lifestyle."

Choosing a more healthful lifestyle is something everyone should strive for and for vegetarians staying informed is a key to making the right choices.

The Web site, amid a number of features, also offers a place for folks to share their stories and experiences, which I think is a great idea.

Thanks Rich for all you do.

The site is here: Not-Just-Recipes

The Facebook page can be found at the link I pasted here. The caveat, of course, is that to see that site, you have to join Facebook. If you are already a member, or do join, please friend me and let me know Vegging Out sent you!

P.S. For the Twitter family out there, I tweeted this story two. That seems like a full circle. See me @newsgirlct