"Rhymes with Vegan" – created and hosted by Minneapolis resident and chef Meagan Holtgrewe – debuted in Minneapolis on November 21 and is now available online at www.rhymeswithvegan.com and at www.animalrightscoalition.com. The Animal Rights Coalition is sponsoring the show, which features homestyle and hearty vegan recipes.
With "Rhymes with Vegan," Holtgrewe set out to do something that was grassroots and local, utilizing a Minneapolis-based film crew and musicians to help put the premiere episode together. The show has visual style, and a hip, edgy flair.
One of the most important things Holtgrewe hopes to accomplish with "Rhymes with Vegan" is to diminish the myths about vegan eating, and provide a resource that is informative, fun and visually appealing.
"I don’t want to tell people why they should eat this or that," Holtgrewe says. "I want to break down those barriers that lead people to believe that as a vegan you are being deprived. In reality, it’s absolutely not true. In fact, it opens up your palate to so many more flavors, because meat and dairy are no longer the center of your meal. I want to make vegan cooking accessible to anyone, regardless of background and age. I’m not out making fancy meals. I’m making the simple, comfort foods we all grew up with."
The tagline for "Rhymes with Vegan" is "grubbin’ food," and will feature such recipes as shepherd’s pie, chili, stroganoff and burgers.