Hi! I’m Laura Kaplan. Some of my favorite things are:
- Eating food I make (and sharing it with others)
- Reading nonfiction (and occasionally fiction too)
- Fashion (I especially enjoy do-it-yourself fashion)
- Making art (all kinds, I like to draw and use mixed media)
- Music (I like indie/punk type stuff)
- Comedy (I want to be a comedian)
- Learning (Everything! I’m always doing it.)
- Helping (in as many ways possible)
- Running (I prefer running 5ks, but I ran a half marathon once)
In 2013 I started my vegan food blog, Banana Curl, Vegan Girl.
When I started, I was actually afraid of creating my own original recipes. Since then, I have become well known for them in my local community and on the web. You can see some of the attention my blog has gotten elsewhere here, here, and here.
Here are some of my favorite, most loved creations over the years:
Vegan Cashew Cheese Danish Pastries
Raspberry Lime Rickey Cupcakes
Pizza, Pizza, and more Pizza! (click them all!)
Spinach Butternut Tofu Sage Ravioli
In addition to my blog, I created a zine, which you can find more information on in the products page.
I am also an active volunteer in my community. Most of my volunteerism revolves around education, empowerment for girls and women, food, and fitness. You can read a little more about my role in one community organization, here. I am also a board member and secretary for Rhode Island Vegan Awareness.
I have been interested in animal rights since I was about 13 years old in 1997. Throughout my education I wrote many papers on this topic, including the history of the treatment of circus animals and a persuasive essay against the fur trade. At 13, I first dabbled with the idea of being a vegetarian. I had an interest in becoming vegan for awhile, but didn’t become one until 2008 when I realized what an impact it could make on the environment as well as my health and for animals.
I cannot say it was a smooth transition to being vegan. I gave up a few times. But the important thing is that I came back. And now, I am more committed to it than ever and excited to help others have an easier time with it. We cannot strive for perfection, but we can always move towards progress.
Veganism is important in so many ways. You can read my reasons on the Why Veganism? page.
My goals:
- To contribute to the betterment of the world
- To be a positive example to others
- To educate people about the many benefits of being vegan
- To inspire, support, and assist others in becoming vegan
- To make vegan food more accessible, fun, and delicious
- To have fun doing things I love
In 2015, I also became gluten free for health reasons, which adds another interesting dimension to my lifestyle. I am happy to take on the challenge so that I can better understand different needs and accommodate more people.
Veg-Edu-Ables 