If we can nourish ourselves, be healthy and enjoy food without killing animals why would people keep killing them

Maria is a vegetarian and she shares recipes and restaurant reviews in France and Spain on her IG account. Meatless Movement recently had a chat with her.

Tell us about yourself, please

I’m from Malaga (Spain) but I have been living in Paris for more than 6 years and I have also lived in the US and in Martinique (a French Caribbean island).

“Stop eating animals”
María AD

I stopped eating animals for health reasons and then I started to watch documentaries about how animals are treated by the food industry and I could never go back.

I started the process 8 years ago I think, but it was a slow transition. I did it at my own pace and I have been fully vegetarian for more than 4 years now. Hopefully I will become vegan in 2022 (I’m almost there).

Plant-based food is here to stay even though we still have a long way to go
María AD

One big challenge for me is having a partner that isn’t vegetarian but over the years we have found some balance. Also, finding plant based food in small towns while travelling (or even in my hometown) can be very challenging but fortunately things are changing (or I’m getting smarter :p)

It can get very tiring listening to people saying “you’re missing out” because you don’t eat a dish/product they enjoy a lot. Also, I try to correct the wording when they say you “can’t” eat something but you “don’t want” to eat something with animals.

How can we encourage people to eat less meat?

I think the best way to make someone try plant-based food is showing what you eat and offering if they want to try. That is why I created my Instagram page, so I can show what an average plant-based person can eat and lead by example. When I first started to eat plantbased, my family was not super on board but they started trying my meals and little by little they added plantbased dished a few times a week.

I would also recommend to ask for help if they need it so that it goes well and they don’t get disappointed. Cooking tofu for the first time can be challenging if you don’t know how to do it.

The best vegetarian and vegan restaurants

Paris : favorite restaurants : Aujourd’hui Demain (which is also a concept store), MâyBay, Chérie Coco, Tien Hiang (Asian vegan food to die for),

Spain restaurants : Superchulo (Madrid), Carlota la tia (Madrid), La Vegana Taperia (Malaga), Recyclo Café in Malaga has the best vegan chorizo I’ve ever tried.

I also love to cook and try new combinations mixing different techniques and spices from Spain, the Caribbean, Asia or France.

My make great hummus (it is requested in every gathering), swiss chard with chickpeas and pasta. I’m still perfecting the vegan Spanish tortilla 😀

Becoming vegetarian is one of the best choices I’ve ever made. If we can nourish ourselves, be healthy and enjoy food without killing animals why would people keep killing them?