Happy Vegiversary to VT Reader Alessandra Seiter!

Each month, we highlight a different reader’s “vegiversary”—the anniversary of when they went veg. Share yours at vegetariantimes.com/vegiversary.

Reader Name: Alessandra Seiter

Location: Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Vegan Since: June 2010

What motivated you to go veg?
The Kind Diet, by Alicia Silverstone, given to me by a friend.

What’s your favorite veg eatery, and what do you order there?

The Cinnamon Snail food truck in New York City. I order the Maple Mustard Tempeh Sandwich and a Lavender-Pear Turnover.

What fruit or veggie best describes you?
Lacinto kale: it’s dependable and a powerhouse (or nutrition, that is!).

What’s your most treasured piece of cookware?

The wooden cutting board that belonged to my mother in college. She passed it along to me once I enrolled in college.

What’s your best advice for new vegetarians/vegans?

Cook meals that are familiar, just veganized. Find community with like-minded folks. Learn about animal issues.