Hi All,

My husband and I ventured down to Washington, DC, this weekend for many reasons. The first, was to visit our daughter who just moved to DC to start her new job as a curator for the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and to see a Burning Man art exhibit at the Renwick Gallery. The second was to celebrate my cousin and nephew’s birthdays, and the third was to visit with my 92 year old, great aunt. What I wasn’t expecting to do, but what ended up being a highlight of the weekend, was to attend the festivities at the One Journey Festival up at the Washington National Cathedral, with a live cooking show with Chef José Andrés! One Journey is working hard to shift the narrative about refugees, by celebrating their courage, stories, talents, and remarkable contributions. They’re creating awareness about the global refugee crisis, and sharing  stories that add value to our communities, both socially and economically. Chef José Andrés brought his talents and humanitarian efforts to work in Haiti after the earthquake and to Puerto Rico after last years hurricane, and he was named 2018 Humanitarian of the Year by the James Beard Foundation.  Needless to say, I am a big fan, so I was so happy that the timing worked out, and I was able to attend!!

My guests this week on the Progressive Radio Network are Sara Boan and Linda Soper-Kolton, the chefs in charge of the Compassionate Cuisine Program at the Catskill Animal Sanctuary. Sara has been a vegan chef and culinary instructor at Catskill Animal Sanctuary since 2016. Born and raised in the Appalachian foothills of southeastern Ohio, Sara learned to cook in the kitchens of her mother and grandmothers, where she learned the importance of home-grown ingredients, time around the table with family and friends, and infusing every dish with love. She continues this legacy in her sold-out cooking classes and popular food demonstrations, where she showcases delicious vegan recipes with a side of compassion and kindness. Sara holds degrees and certificates from Ohio University, The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts, and the Academy of Culinary Nutrition. Sharing her passion for delicious plant-based foods and living a compassionate vegan lifestyle are the great joys in her life. When she’s not cooking, you can find her knitting and spinning with vegan fibers, snuggling with her cats, and spending time with her partner.

Linda Soper-Kolton came to the Catskill Animal Sanctuary in 2012 as a guest chef, intending to teach Compassionate Cuisine cooking classes for a season and then return to operating her vegan café in Fairfield, Connecticut. Lured by the magic of the sanctuary, Linda stayed to lead and grow the culinary program, inspiring and educating with love, patience, and delicious food. Six years later, she continues to strategize, teach, blog, and kiss pigs. Unlike many chefs, Linda did not grow up at the knee of a family matriarch in the kitchen. Instead, early family memories of potatoes boiled without water, Friday’s clean-out-the-fridge “spaghetti surprise,” and holiday mashed potatoes, made with milk powder and potato flakes, inspired Linda to learn how to cook out of sheer necessity. (Sounds a little like my family meals growing up!) In the humble kitchen of her first apartment, Linda spent nights baking, roasting, and simmering. She eagerly shared these meals and treats with roommates and co-workers. With “food is love” as her mantra, cooking and feeding became her way of nurturing and connecting with others. In midlife, she fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a chef when she graduated from the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts. Combining a certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, as a holistic health coach and a lifelong love of nature and all its beings, Linda is driven to love and influence others through compassionate, plant-based eating. Please join me on Thursday for what promises to be a wonderful discussion and a delicious conversation about the joys of plant based cooking!

Remember, my show is recorded live, every Thursday, from 10-11 am, EST.  To tune in, navigate to PRN.fm and click the “Listen Live” button on the left.

PRN has a new app! Just download the app from your phone app store, and take the station with you wherever you go! You’ll be able to listen live or access the archives, all from the app! If you want to call in during the show with any questions for me or my guest, the call in number is 888-874-4888.

If you missed the show, you can listen to it in the PRN archives, or through the PRN app. Of course you can also access the shows through my website.

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With love and gratitude,

Bhavani