Hi friends,

I am finding hope in neighborly ties. Our current push towards hyper-individualism has kept us from meaningful connected care. Whether it be a ride to the airport, feeding a friend’s pet, or an impromptu dinner together, we’ve come to rely on routines that silo us from mutual support.

This cycle of isolation is gratefully seeing moments of fracture–we’re looking more and more towards our closest circles and loose connections to find unexpected systems of support. In my most recent broken noodle lasagna, I’m reminded that community is a patchwork of kind pieces. Seemingly mismatched, but quilted together in a layered effort, it works. (And still tastes pretty dang good–my lasagna that is.)

To be in community is to share and receive. Reciprocity in all things. And how beautiful it is to care for each other, even if it’s just indulging in a quilted slice of noodle casserole.

And this week, who better to talk about founding community spaces than our friend, Ashley at Vegan Ventures. Scroll for more inspiration!

How could community show up for you this week?

Stay hungry,
Hawnuh Lee | Founder, Closed Loop Cooking

We’re on a new platform! You may need to add this email to your “contacts”, just in case.

Oat pulp + rosemary choco chip cookies.

The dish >>

Continuing with support for the most comprehensive resource list I’ve found to help alleviate the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Read through and if you’re able to donate, provide material support, coordinate efforts, or just share, please do. Mutual aid work is more vital than ever.

• Appreciated the latest episode of Bad with Money exploring frugality and redefining community action.

• California passed the Responsible Textile Recovery Act to divert textile waste from landfills!

• I need to start crocheting alliums.

• Fantastic article on the importance of digitizing culture + cookbooks, from Internet Archives.

• Ok, I’m sharing my super (not-so-secret) oat pulp + rosemary chocolate chip cookie recipe! Quite possibly one of my fav treats. You’ll want to keep this one in your back pocket for your Halloween party, Friendsgiving, or just the next time you make package-free oat milk.

• These rice paper ghosts are giving me the best spooks.

• Prime day has passed but here’s why we should detox Amazon this month.

Memorable meals and more with Vegan Ventures

Interview by Hawnuh Lee

I’m so excited to share more from my friend and pal in all things plant-based, the incredible Ashley Castellanos of Vegan Ventures. A well-seasoned traveler, Ashley brings her knack for cultivating community into every new endeavor and has made finding the best vegan food and experiences the touch point of her work.

For those who may not know, can you introduce yourself and Vegan Ventures?

I'm a Mexican American who was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. I studied merchandising management at Oregon State and I worked in my field as an assistant buyer for 2 years. But while working there, I was craving something else, I wanted to travel and see the world and I knew my two weeks a year of paid time off wasn't going to cut it for me. So in September 2014, I quit my job and left the U.S. to move overseas. I lived in 6 different countries in a span of 5 years. I taught English and I traveled as much as I could. I just wanted to experience and explore. I returned to Portland in 2019 and I honestly didn't know what to do in life. I came back to Portland as a vegan so I enjoyed exploring the food scene through a vegan lens. I was sharing about it on social media, so much so that a friend suggested I should start a vegan food Instagram. Vegan Ventures was born in January 2020 and has become a platform as a trusted resource and guide for the best vegan eats. Providing guides, maps, and recommendations through content and digital marketing to not only share about places and experiences but also share stories. Vegan Ventures has grown to not just a media platform but a space of curating events by partnering with businesses and hosting group trips. It's a place where foodies and travelers meet.

You are incredibly well-traveled! (25 countries and counting?) Was there a particular trip or travel moment that sparked your love of plant-based eating?

While I was living in Hanoi, Vietnam I made the decision to go vegan for health reasons after reflecting on my time being a vegetarian years prior. It just felt right to me. Making the 6 month transition in Hanoi was very eye opening. It was 2017 and there were many vegan options at the time. Not just with Vietnamese restaurants but also with international cuisines. I remember there was a Latino chef from Austin, Texas who opened a Tex Mex restaurant near my home in Hanoi and had the best vegan options when it came to their tacos, enchiladas. I found it fascinating seeing all the different cuisines making plant-based options. Because I was eating out twice a day almost every day, since eating out was very affordable, I really got to explore Hanoi's food scene through a vegan lens. After leaving Hanoi in December 2017, I moved to 4 other countries in 2018 and living in these places as a vegan also made me enjoy plant-based eating as I felt like I was learning more and more about food.

So much of your work in Portland promotes cultural exchange over food, can you talk about your process in curating custom vegan experiences?

I've always been interested in food and culture. It's what I enjoyed watching growing up on shows such as No Reservations and Parts Unknown by Anthony Bourdain. I loved watching not just the food aspect of the show but also the conversations he would have with people about where he was. I enjoyed listening about the past of these places and how it has evolved into today. I want to spark those types of conversations and experiences with people, so I use that as inspiration when putting together experiences. Ensuring that people get to learn something new while also connecting with each other through an experience and enjoying something we all like, food.

Do you have any tips for plant-based eaters looking for resources while traveling?

Use the internet as much as you can to find vegan options where you're traveling prior to your trip. Some places have lots of vegan places/options and it's no issue to find them but other places might be a bit harder to find. I did a Euro Trip last summer and some of the cities we went to in Denmark, Germany, and France had vegan options but it was tricky to find if you're just walking around. So prior to the trip, I did a lot of Google Maps research, I used Instagram/TikTok and typed in vegan and name of the city to find what people were posting about. That's honestly how I found most of my go to spots. I've shared my findings for these cities on my blog if you're interested. I like to be as prepared as possible knowing that there will be places I can eat in the areas that I'll be in when sightseeing.

Your top 3 - 5 vegan travel destinations?

This is hard because I love so many places. But for some great food with lots of vegan options: Barcelona, which was the first place I moved to outside the U.S. in 2014 and at the time had almost no vegan options. When I moved back in 2018, it had completely changed and had so many vegan options. I returned again last year for a short visit and it's incredible to see how it has become a vegan haven. Bali, another place I lived in, has so many vegan restaurants and vegan options. Lastly, Mexico City (which I'm hosting a vegan group trip in February 2025!) has an abundance of incredible restaurants, taquerias, food stands. The options there are incredible!

Do you encounter much skepticism about veganism? If so, how do you engage with that feedback?

Surprisingly, not as often as one might think but it does happen. Depending on the skepticism and comments, I'll make it a point to share key information such as how it was a personal choice that I'm happy with. If it's skepticism around "what do I eat", I aim to educate (not a lot, but a bit) but most of the time, I just try to disengage. I'm not always in the mood to push back. I understand why people are skeptical but unless they're open to having an open conversation and are open-minded to learning, then to me there is no point in really responding. I'm happy with my decision and that's what matters to me most.

What makes a plant-based meal truly memorable?

For me, it's two things. What makes a meal memorable is that element of surprise. The surprise of certain flavors and textures coming together and they create a bite that makes you say "wow". Secondly and most importantly, meals that are shared with the best company is what makes it even more memorable.

Do you have a favorite cookbook right now?

I have a few books but I've yet to really cook from them though I will have to mention, I have a recipe blogger whom I've been loving their recipes. It's Catherine Perez and her blog is Plant-Based RD. She does have a cookbook now but I just follow her recipes on her blog and socials. They're all super tasty and easy to make. I probably make a recipe of hers at least once and up to three times a week!

As someone who enjoys some amazing meals out, what's your go-to comfort food at home?

It really depends on my mood but a favorite that I enjoy is a good stew. Again, I have to shout out Plant-based RD but her soup/stew recipes are the best and are always a go to for a good comfort food meal.

Can't miss Portland experience?

If you're coming to Portland, you can't miss out on going to Mirisata for vegan Sri Lankan Food (most of Sri Lankan cuisine is vegan), Tokyo Sando for their tofu miso katsu Japanese sandwich and Obon Shokudo for the best Japanese vegan comfort food. There's so many more but those were the ones that first popped into my mind.

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Thank you so much Ashley! Your work is making vegan food the new norm. If you’d like to connect more, check out Vegan Ventures. For Portland based folks, Ashley and I are hosting our next plant-based baking class October 20th! Apple cider donuts, pumpkin fudge, and more!

Obsessing over croissant-scapes.

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