What’s a Redneck Vegetarian and why does this multigen home of ten pick THAT as our family recipe repository? Good question. In our unique household, the name ‘Redneck Vegetarian’ embodies the complexity and diversity of our family’s identity. While the term ‘redneck’ is often associated with negative stereotypes, we aim to redefine it within the context of our family. Monks, a proud and progressive individual, identifies as a redneck and challenges the preconceived notions commonly associated with the term. He brings his down-to-earth charm and hardworking spirit, rooted in his Kentucky upbringing, to our family dynamic. By embracing the name ‘Redneck Vegetarian,’ we aim to dismantle stereotypes and demonstrate that being a redneck does not equate to bigotry or ignorance. Instead, it represents our commitment to authenticity, inclusivity, and celebrating our diverse backgrounds while coming together to help each other live our best lives. In our family it means finding ways to have it your way, when your way may involve all sorts of twists and turns by way of dietary considerations ♥
“Everyone’s healing journey is unique,” says Karma, “And the food we choose can sometimes make a big difference in how we feel and function. Finding ways to work within different people’s preferences, plans or practice so that they feel good inside and out is my main objective. People should have choices. If you don’t like celery in your dressing, then we’ll set some aside without. Not doing dairy today? Then we will find something yummy that’s vegan. And if the meat eaters are having corned beef brisket, by gosh we’ll make a seitan roast that will make your mouth water!”
But creative cooking wasn’t new to Karma, in her first cookbook, The 30 Day Vegetarian, she explored recipes that included gluten free options, minimally sweet alternatives to traditional desserts and non-traditional grains. She had hoped to be able to follow up with more cookbooks but as her own health continued to decline due to her life limiting illness (Dysautonomia, EDS …) Karma realized that simply wasn’t in the cards. Cooking in their multigen home is a group effort with the kitchen a place for laughter and stories.
Call backs are the hallmark of the house. One of the favorite expressions other than “we eat well” is “you can make this again ANYTIME”. With the implication that it should be made exactly as it was prepared THIS time, knowing full well that Karma likely has NO IDEA what she put into it because her creative cooking style simply doesn’t lend itself to rote or recipes.
“I wanted us to have a repository for our family recipes, not so much because they would translate well to the masses — I get not everyone has ten people for a sit down dinner on a nightly basis. But I wanted us to have a place we could go to easily look up how we made those great fluffy pancakes last week, or what is the best way to use left over “meat sauce”, or what was our best potato bar night and why? Having an easy way to trace our steps and archive our notes will help us more easily be able to recreate the magic a second time. With or without me helping in the kitchen ♥” ~ Karma
So what is a /Redneck Vegetarian? It’s good food that’s flexible to meet the needs, wants and desires of a large family. It’s comfort food, that won’t kill you and for many of us is cruelty minimized. Do we cook meat in our house? Yes we do, because not everyone at our table is a vegetarian. Karma admits she enjoys cooking for her redneck husband and she certainly tastes the beef pot roast and checks the seasonings on many of the dishes she prepares. Does that mean she isn’t a vegetarian? Maybe for some people. But few things in life come in neat little packages of perfect and we realized if not a long time ago, that we are different and we celebrate that with pride everyday.
December 2019, Updated July 2023
