Vegan Family Kitchen (Vegan Family Kitchen / Brigitte Gemme)

Cooking really good food for myself and my loved ones isn't a sprint. It's an ultra-endurance event. It has to be attended at least 3 times per day (more like 6 when counting snacks for growing and/or active people). It's not like I can deal it once for the year or a few months and be satisfied. It's one of those cyclical things that repeats every day. And having some weekly routines for it also helps a great deal. Here are my top 5. 

--

Do you need a bit of help with meal planning? Download one of my free templates or subscribe to the Vegan Meal Plans. It's like a 1-year cooking course that is directly useful to your daily life! With access to the teacher by text message anytime, too.

If you are inspired to learn more about Flow in the Kitchen, consider pre-ordering my upcoming book.

Anne-Marie Bonneau has been living plastic-free since 2011 and you'll find her story and tips inspiring and empowering. In this episode, we discuss what motivated her and her daughters to say goodbye to plastic and reduce their food and packaging waste and Anne-Marie shares her zero-waste shopping routines. We discuss the mindset shifts that make it easier to reduce our environmental footprint without decreasing our enjoyment of life. 

Check out Anne-Marie's book The Zero-Waste Chef which contains plant-forward recipes with lots of vegan options. 

You can connect with her on her web site, Zero-waste Chef, and I recommend you follow her on Instagram.

--

Did you know that planning plant-based meals and batch cooking on weekends is a great way to decrease you food waste? I have assembled a 5-day plant-based meal plan to help you get started. Check it out here: Planned & Plant-based.

Is cooking more of a chore and less of a joy? That's understandable, and you're not alone. There may be underlying issues to address to improve your situation, but right now - when it's time to cook - focusing on gratitude might make you feel better. Here are my grateful thoughts.

Visit the original post to comment with your reasons to feel grateful when cooking: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/cooking-gratitude/ 

In this episode of the Vegan Family Kitchen podcast, I sit down with Dr. Jules Cormier, a family physician, plant-based nutrition advocate, and ninja sports athlete who shares his inspiring story of transformation, healing, and performance. 

In his 20s, Dr. Cormier suffered from cholinergic angioedema, a severe condition that caused anaphylactic-like symptoms and swelling when exercising. After a flare-up that sent him to the hospital (as a patient!), he was encouraged to try cutting out dairy to manage his symptoms... and it worked! Soon, he adopted a fully plant-based diet and hasn't had an episode since. 

With over a decade of experience as a plant-based doctor, Dr. Cormier shares his journey and the benefits of plant-based nutrition in treating and preventing various health conditions. His approach has caught on among his colleagues. In the interview, we discuss how he integrates plant-based nutrition in his practice when appropriate, and the power of small changes to make a big difference. 

We also chatted about his passion for fitness and his discovery of ninja sports. Last year, he even qualified for the World Ninja Championships in Las Vegas, where he was pleased to compete without fear of an adverse reaction. 

Listen in and be inspired! Then make sure to connect with Dr. Jules Cormier on his website: https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/

--

Need a better plan for healthy vegan dinners? Download the free 5-day "Planned & Plant-Based" guide: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned-plant-based/ 

Overwhelmed, frustrated, or resenteful in the kitchen? It's time for a mindset shift. Check out Brigitte's book Flow in the Kitchen: Practices for Healthy Stress-Free Vegan Cooking: http://veganfamilykitchen.com/books

The Instant Pot craze - and extremely effective marketing campaign - has cast a shadow on that simple hero, the slow cooker. Despite being the simplest appliance there is - with exactly zero moving parts! - slow cookers can still save the day, and in fact I recommend you use them at least once or twice per week to make comforting soups and stews. Listen on to find out the benefits and downsides of slow cooker, how to work around the latter, learn about some of my favorite plant-based slow cooker recipes, and find out why I don't think using Instant Pots for slow cooking is great. I also discuss which models are best to buy. I hope this helps. Keep on cooking! 

-- 

Need a meal plan for next week? Be prepared for the amazing feeling you'll get from being Planned & Plant-based. Download your 5-night dinner plan today, get your groceries tomorrow, prep a few building blocks, then enjoy a week of delicious healthy plant-based dinners. Get it here: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned 

Eating animal products, aside from being horribly polluting and terribly cruel, is shamefully inefficient. Thankfully, we can do better thanks to technology today, and the future looks bright. 

I was thrilled to interview Karthik Sekar, Ph.D., a data analyst in the "alt-meat" industry and author of the book "After Meat: The Case for an Amazing, Meat-free Future." He clearly explains what makes animals a technology of the past, how we can do better, and what it means for human nutrition. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!

You can get his book from all online book retailers including Smashwords. For more information, visit the book's website: aftermeatbook.com. You can also connect with Karthik on Twitter.

A third of the resources we extract from the Earth feed our insatiable appetites. What changes can you make to your way of eating and drinking today to seriously decrease your environmental impact? I have 5 suggestions for you. 

Original blog post with links to other resources here: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/eco-friendly-eating-habits/

Free vegan meal plan: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned/

Babita Shresta thought she had landed on another planet when she first visited a grocery store in Minnesota. Coming from rural Nepal, where as a child she learned to cook fresh vegetables and simmer lentils alongside her grandfather, she had never seen packaged processed food. Pre-cooked tortillas and roti sold in plastic bags blew her mind. She could not have imagined that frozen meat would one day become part of her diet, yet it did. As a busy college student, she was too busy to think it all through. After some time, she realized that those convenience foods were neither good for her health nor for the planet, and she committed to sharing her deep love of traditional plant-based Nepalese cooking with the world.

Join me in listening to Babita tell the story of her food upbringing and of how travel transformed her perspective, leading her to become a advocate for the kind of food that's loving our bodies and the planet. 

I encourage you to order her book Plant-based Himalaya: Vegan Recipes from Nepal from your local bookstore. 

--

Would you benefit from a bit of guidance and structure to adopt or sustain a healthy plant-based lifestyle? Download my free 5-day Planned & Plant-based meal plan or be in touch with me anytime at hello@veganfamilykitchen.com.

This is a can't-miss episode! Join me in conversation with Elaine Perlman, Executive Director of Waitlist Zero, an advocacy group committed to ending the kidney shortage in the United States. In this episode of the Vegan Family Kitchen Podcast, Elaine shares her deeply personal journey from embracing veganism and healthy plant-based living to becoming a kidney donor, gifting an organ to a stranger. Her transition to a plant-based lifestyle not only transformed her health but also fueled her passion for saving lives through organ donation.

Elaine aims to pass critical federal laws in the United States, the End Kidney Deaths Act and the Honor Our Living Donors Act, to save lives and support donors across the nation. With over 90,000 people waiting for a lifesaving transplant, Elaine's advocacy work is more urgent than ever - and she needs your support.

She also shares her experience in education, from teaching young students in New York City about healthy eating to mentoring adults transitioning to a healthier, plant-based diet. I love her approach to teaching about plant-based eating and kidney health, and anyone who is trying to nudge others towards doing the right thing will find lots to learn from Elaine.

This episode is not just a talk; it's a call to action. Whether you're curious about plant-based living, concerned about kidney health, or intrigued by the idea of donating an organ to a stranger, Elaine's story offers valuable lessons and inspiring actions.

Here is how one person's choices can ripple out to affect thousands of lives - we can all make a difference.

Learn more: WaitlistZero.org Connect with Elaine: elaineperlman.com More about the campaign: EndKidneyDeaths.org

Veganic gardening is an approach to growing plants organically without any animal inputs. In other words: plant-based gardening!

If you already have a garden, listen in to learn from Meg Kelly how to transition to a kinder and safer approach. If you don't already grow your own veggies, be prepared to get inspired by her hot tips to get started!

Meg Kelly has been gardening veganically for 15 years in backyards, on balconies, and in the countryside. She co-founded the Veganic Agriculture Network in 2008 to increase awareness about veganic gardening and farming in North America. She now teaches the Learn Veganic online gardening course to help people around the world grow their own thriving gardens that are animal-friendly and sustainable.

You can learn more about the online veganic gardening course here: https://learnveganic.com/ (use coupon code VEGANFAMILYKITCHEN for $20 off - not an affiliate! just happy to spread the veganic gardening love)

Connect with Meg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learnveganic/

#vegan #plantbased #gardening #veganic #veganicgardening #veganicagriculture #agriculture

--

Need help with meal planning and batch cooking? Try my free Planned & Plant-Based 5-day dinner plan. Download it here: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/ 

Grace hasn't been a ritual in my life thus far... but I think it should from now on. What do you think?

I always love to hear from you. Drop me an email at hello@veganfamilykitchen.com.

If you need help deciding what's for dinner, I can do that for you. Try the Planned & Plant-based 5-dinner plan and see if it helps out: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned-plant-based/

 

What's the link between health and wealth? Among other things, both require us to invest in them - and both yield fabulous benefits and freedom if we are committed to growing them steadily. Join me in the Vegan Family Kitchen as I engage in conversation about health and wealth with my neighbor and long-time Vegan Meal Plan subscriber, the financial educator Alison Setton. 

Connect with Alison Setton on Instagram https://instagram.com/alisonsetton  or via her web sites https://alisonsetton.ca (for Canadian residents) or https://alisonsetton.com (for US residents)

If you'd like to try the meal plans Alison uses to feed her family really good food (without the stress), visit https://veganfamilykitchen.com/ and get your free 5-day "Planned & Plant-based" plan. It includes tasty and healthy plant-based recipes everyone can enjoy, along with a shopping list, prep steps to take on the weekend so weeknights are less stressful, direct access to Brigitte if you have questions, and motivation emails to keep your feet in the kitchen when it counts. Try it today: Vegan Family Kitchen.

How difficult is vegan and sustainable eating, travel, and living in Japan? Come in and listen as Brigitte discusses the topic with sustainable travel expert and Hiroshima tour guide Joy Jarman-Walsh, one of the forces behind Japan's sustainable travel improvements.

In this episode, we cover: - Joy's journey in discovering that it was possible to be vegan and thrive in Japan - Sustainability in Japanese tourism: What are positive trends in the industry? - Cultural insights on eating habits: Why is it so hard to modify items on the menu in Japan?! 

Curious to learn how you can adopt more sustainable travel practices and enjoy plant-based eating while exploring Japan? Tune in to gain valuable insights from Joy's extensive experience and innovative approaches to promoting sustainability and health through her work and daily life. 

Don't forget to subscribe for more discussions on healthy living, sustainability, and mindful travel.

CONNECT WITH JOY Catch her show : https://youtube.com/@seeksustainablejapan and on your favorite podcast platform Medium blog: https://medium.com/@jjwalsh   Tours of Hiroshima - feel free to book directly via Socials, Google Biz page, or book on Tours By Locals: https://www.toursbylocals.com/hiroshima-tour-guide-joy-j Consulting work - Inbound Ambassador: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9Kjcc2Z4ta2CRU9t5 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjwalsh-inbound-ambassador/ Twitter: https://x.com/jjwalsh FB/Insta/Threads @inboundambassador

Jump to sections that interest you most! [00:00:00] Introduction to Joy Jarman-Walsh [00:02:00] Joy’s Early Influence and Transition to Vegetarianism [00:06:00] The Shift from Vegetarian to Vegan in a Family Context [00:10:00] Challenges of Finding Vegan Food in Japan [00:18:00] Navigating Cultural Sensitivities in Japanese Dining [00:25:00] Sustainability in Everyday Japanese Life [00:30:00] Impact of Domestic and International Tourism on Local Cuisine [00:35:00] Vision for a More Sustainable Japanese Food Culture

----------------- Need a healthy stress-free vegan meal plan when eating at home? Download Planned & Plant-Based today, eat better next week: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned-plant-based/

This is a goosebumps episode! You're going to LOVE this conversation with Victoria Moran, a vegan icon for over 41 years, author of 13 books, and a recent inductee into the Vegan Hall of Fame. It's an honor to have Victoria in my kitchen to share her fascinating journey from being a solitary vegetarian in the 1960s Midwest to leading the Vegan Main Street Academy.

We go deep into her connections within the vegan movement, her upcoming 14th book 'Age Like a Yogi: A Heavenly Path to a Dazzling Third Act', and her feature film project 'Miss Liberty'. Whether you’re interested in the health benefits of a plant-based diet, in the spiritual roots of yoga, or in the history of vegan activism, you're going to wish this episode was twice as long! 

👉 Pre-order Victoria's new book Age Like a Yogi: A Heavenly Path to a Dazzling Third Act from your favorite bookstore, then send your receipt to assist@victoriamoran.com to unlock the cool pre-order bonuses, including a day-long workshop with her in January. 

Learn more about the Main Street Vegan Academy and connect with Victoria on her website.

Watch the trailer to Miss Liberty: The Movie!

 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction to Victoria Moran 01:30 Early Vegan Journey in the 1980s 03:24 Influential Figures in Veganism 04:16 Challenges and Innovations in Early Veganism 07:39 Historical Events and Influencers 08:55 Personal Reflections on Vegan History 12:10 Yoga and Veganism: A Personal Journey 16:27 Aging Like a Yogi: The New Book 25:48 The Intersection of Yoga and Veganism 28:15 Yoga and Dietary Choices 28:57 Western Yoga and Secular Influence 29:53 The Importance of Ahimsa 30:13 Personal Stories and Veganism 31:57 Health Benefits of Veganism for Older Adults 33:04 Secrets to Vibrant Aging 35:29 The Role of Exercise 38:27 Miss Liberty: A Film Project 43:25 Encouragement for New Vegans 49:55 Pre-ordering 'Aging Like a Yogi'

Warning: miscarriage and child loss are mentioned in this recording. If you are only here to learn how to cook, I suggest you skip this episode. 

This podcast episode is a personal one where I tell the story of a dream - actually a nightmare - that woke me up in horror recently. It's also a reflection on motherly loss and how it made me transform my most ingrained habits. 

Are you struggling to feed picky eaters who have a very narrow idea of what constitutes "good food"? I get you: my kids are quite specific in their preferences. It can be tempting to cook a separate dinner just for them. Or, when we're particularly exhausted, to tell them: "Take it or leave it, there is no other dinner." Please consider my third way: gentle meal planning.

Resources linked here: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/meal-planning-around-picky-eaters/

When one partner decides to quit eating meat, fish, dairy, and eggs, it can feel like a Big Deal in the relationship. It sure created friction between my husband and I when I decided to go vegan back in 2015. Yet, we survived... and thrived! Six years later, I'm still vegan and he's wholeheartedly embracing plant-based eating as a lifestyle. Here's his side of the story: Christopher Conklin speaking about his - and our - plant-based journey as a couple. 

How can the principles of mindfulness and compassion support a transition away from overeating and food addiction? I had the pleasure of exploring this topic with Karen Steiner in conversation for the Vegan Family Kitchen Podcast.   Karen Steiner is a Weight Loss Coach, Food Activist and Meditation Teacher. Professionally, she has Master’s degree in Counseling and Educational Psychology, has trained as a Life Coach through The Co-Active Training Institute and the eCornell Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies.   After nearly 40 years of contemplative practice and study with teachers Buddhist, Christian, and Jewish she finally learned how to take her mindfulness practice off the cushion and into the kitchen. Through mindful eating Karen discovered that dairy was playing havoc with her body and that she was seriously addicted to a number of foods, including cheese. Giving up dairy and becoming fully vegan was a major game changer. Food cravings disappeared, weight came off and a life-long depression lifted.   In this conversation, Karen tells me about:

• The start of her vegetarian journey in 1984 with Diet for a Small Planet
• The distinction between casual overeating and food addiction
• Why moderation isn't useful for everyone and why she has to keep her home "clean"
• What makes her so angry about the food industry
• How a trip to New Zealand served as an epiphany that led her to make big changes
• How she decided to quit cheese and the successes and struggles that ensued
• Her new way of eating, which includes a lot of vegetables
• The role for patience when it comes to transforming one's habits

To connect with Karen, visit her website and download her free e-book Six Strategies for Permanent Weight Loss. She will run her program Breaking the Food Seduction One Mindful Bite at a Time in December and early in the New Year. Visit Karen's YouTube channel and read more about her journey in Forks Over Knives magazine.

 

Do you hate cooking? You are not alone. My guest today, Gemma McFall, used to feel just like you, but then she found a way to leverage her strengths to improve her kitchen reality. Listen on to find out what she did.

Gemma McFall is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach and also a Vegan Meal Plan subscriber. Her work is to help women reduce stress and heal chronic pain so they can get back to enjoying life. After struggling for years with back pain herself and trying everything, she discovered that she had neuroplastic pain, which meant that her pain could be cured. As she healed, she decided to share her discovery with others. You will love learning about her experience feeding her family of four as expatriates in various countries, following her process healing from chronic pain, and finding out more about how you too can leverage your strengths to find more joy in cooking. Let's chat! 

You can connect with Gemma via her web site: https://gemmamcfall.com

To see if the Vegan Meal Plans might be the right tool for you, check out my Planned & Plant-based 5-day healthy vegan meal plan: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned or download one of my free templates.

Going vegan as a 30-something mom with kids and a foodie husband was challenging for me. If you are also transitioning to a vegan lifestyle or plant-based eating with a family in tow, you'll love these 10 tips to ease your journey forward.

How to deal with having to go down to the air raid shelter in the midst of cooking dinner? Is there even something that's good to eat when you are under threat of bombing? And how can we make cooking and eating a more meaningful experience, even under a prolonged state of emergency such as war? In this can't-miss episode of the Vegan Family Kitchen podcast, I am honored to talk about all this - and more - with Oksana Spoliak, a Ukrainian food blogger who lives in Lviv.

Oksana Spoliak is a Ukrainian who rediscovered her love of food, bringing together efficiency and creativity in preparing healthy meals. She values mindFOODness and, despite the invasion, continues to share her love to cooking in her food blog as well as within her community. Even in hard times of disastrous war in her home country, cooking is the activity that helps her feel grounded and enjoy the present moment as well as help others eat healthy.

Those who speak (or are curious about) Ukrainian will love her videos on YouTube and want to connect with her on Instagram. Don't miss her upcoming program and events! Oksana also invites everyone to support her Ukrainian charity of choice, Come Back Alive, and keeps this list of resources up to date: What you can do to help Ukraine now.

Thank you for listening and for your support. 

Today on the Vegan Family Kitchen Podcast I meet with Crystal Bonnet, raw vegan chef and author of the just-published beautiful book The Art of Raw Desserts. 

Crystal is a graduate of the Matthew Kenney Culinary Academy and of the Pure Joy Academy. She develops unique and delicious all-vegan raw recipes and now teaches everything she knows to home cooks and professionals chefs alike. You can find her courses on her website https://crystaldawnculinary.com and connect with her on Instagram.

In this interview, Crystal shares what got her started on her vegan and raw journey, describes her lifestyle today, and shares her best tips for beginners to get started in adding a bit more raw food into their diet. 

 

Batch cook this weekend and make your life SO MUCH BETTER next week! Get inspired with 20+ awesome all-vegan plant-based recipes that I selected because they are great for batch cooking: blog post and recipes.

More meal planning and batch cooking resources.

Most people could cook faster, waste less money and time, and be less stressed if they handle their grocery haul differently. In this podcast episode, Brigitte shares strategies for reducing food waste and cooking faster by properly storing groceries. Listen to the episode and try Brigitte's tips to get more organized in the kitchen, cook more efficiently, waste less food, time, and money, and find joy in cooking. 

LINKS TO RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  Book: Flow in the Kitchen: Practices for Healthy Stress-Free Vegan Cooking (link to Amazon but you can order from any bookstore):  https://www.amazon.com/Flow-Kitchen-Practices-Healthy-Stress-free-ebook/dp/B0BF83KQ1W/

The 10 vegetables I make sure to always have on hand: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/vegan-grocery-list-vegetables/

My 75 healthy vegan pantry staples: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/vegan-pantry-staples/

5-day dinner plan to cook nutritious and delicious meals faster: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned-plant-based

Buy your kale and eat it too: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/cut-food-waste-vegan-meal-planning-habits/

Original version of this article:  https://veganfamilykitchen.com/how-to-store-groceries/

The food we eat isn't neutral: every bite has the potential to nourish and heal us, or harm us. So says Leah Cooper, my friend Down Under who teaches yoga and whole food cooking in the macrobiotic tradition. 

In our conversation, we talk about:

• Why the connection between yoga and food isn't always made in conventional yoga classes
• What therapeutic yoga can be a better choice for those of us whose bodies aren't in perfect shape
• How we can eat according to the seasons
• And how to make veggie-rich miso soup for breakfast! 

My guest Leah Cooper is a yoga teacher, whole food cook, and health and wellbeing enthusiast. She started her business, The Centre of Ki (pronounced 'key') in 2013 and has been teaching weekly yoga classes, hosting yoga retreats, and leading seasonal cooking workshops in the Barossa Valley of South Australia for 10 years. She also has a YouTube channel that enables her to share her passions for health and wellbeing to a wider audience, and in 2021 she began her podcast - The Wellbeing Room.

 

I am sick and tired of seeing meat, dairy, and egg recipes in mainstream newspapers and magazines, as well as featured in TV shows. And don't get me started on famous previously-plant-based bloggers who start posting meat recipes because it increases their advertising revenue. The world does NOT need another meat recipe. We all have to start doing our jobs as if the climate matters - because it does. Food editors, do your part, take a stand. 

 

How do you get into shape after having kids without spending hours in the gym? Amy Kakebeeke is the queen of squeezing short yet effective workouts in-between the many commitments of her busy life as a working mom. Get ready to be inspired to hop off the couch and start moving!

In the podcast, we:

- talk about Amy's work with busy women who want to lose weight and get in shape without spending hours at the gym - tell Amy's journey to veganism _and_ fitness, coming from a meat & couch potato lifestyle - tease out Amy's best tips to get in the best shape of your life.

You can connect with Amy on Instagram at https://instagram.com/plantstrong_ak

Need to get organized to eat better plant-based meals? Download your free 5-day dinner strategy: Planned & Plant-based from the Vegan Family Kitchen: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned-plant-based/ 

Think cooking is a chore? Time to give your head a shake and turn things around. Cooking CAN be fun... if you make it so. I interviewed Siobhan Coates, the fun coach, to talk about it. You're going to love her amazing tips to bring the joy into your kitchen. Watch this, then go put it into practice right away!

Connect with Siobhan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sparkupyourlifewithlaughter

 

In this episode of the Vegan Family Kitchen podcast, host Brigitte Gemme talks with her guest, Deborah McNamara - a Vancouver-based counselor who is fascinated by the relationship between food and our connections with each other. Deborah discusses her experiences with helping adults make sense of their relationships with food and children, giving insights on treating food issues through the lens of relationships. As the author of the book 'Nourished: Connection, Food and Caring for Our Kids (and everyone else we love),' Deborah McNamara emphasizes the importance of nurturing relationships through food, with adults taking the lead in caretaking to foster secure and healthy connections.

Connect with Deborah MacNamara

Get your copy of Nourished from your local bookstore, bookshop.org, or Amazon.

Learn more about Deborah MacNamara's upcoming course: Gather to Eat

--

Need to get organized to feed yourself and your loved ones really good food? Download Brigitte's healthy vegan 5-night dinner plan: Planned & Plant-Based.

Find your own Flow in the Kitchen: Practices for Healthy Stress-Free Vegan Cooking

There aren't many aspects of your life that won't be improved by joining a plant-based cooking club. It's a great way to ensure that you show up in the kitchen on weekends to do your batch cooking for the week. When Wednesday night comes and you open the fridge, you'll find the building blocks of dinner ready to assemble to create a fresh-tasting, delicious, healthy vegan meal. It's the perfect companion for the Vegan Meal Plans and that's why a lifetime subscription of the plans is bundled up with the cooking club membership. Learn more here: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/register/batch-cooking-club/ 

Keep on cooking! 

Can fertility improve with a plant-based diet? Research certainly seems to be on the side of a reduction in meat intake having a positive effect, while health plant-based diets focused on whole foods have the potential to improve many of the factors that influence fertility. To talk about it, I invited Dr. Jenny Lee on the podcast. 

Dr. Jenny Lee is a board-certified physician in both Internal Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine, in addition to serving as a wellness coach. Through her work as a physician, she has seen many people developing and suffering from chronic disease caused by lifestyle. This is why she was drawn to lifestyle medicine where the focus is on nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, and relationships to prevent or reverse chronic disease. She also loves coaching, as it is more of a partnership between two people, where she works together with her clients toward their goals. Her passion is helping women with fertility issues. Through her own fertility struggles years ago, she learned the importance of lifestyle and diet. Against the odds, she became pregnant naturally twice with her miracle babies, who are now 3 and 1 year old.

In this episode she shares:

• her professional and personal journey as an independent perfectionist who learned to accept help,
• how she transitioned her diet to plant-based, removed toxic products from her routines, and improved her life and health,
• her struggles with fertility treatments and how she hit "pause" on that stressful process,
• her passion for supporting women through their own fertility journeys,
• what she recommends her clients do first when they want to improve their lifestyle and fertility.

You can connect with her on her web site and on Instagram. 

--

If you like the idea of eating more plants (and fewer animal products), but feel overwhelmed by the options or just tired of deciding what's for dinner, I can help. Try out my one-week free sample Vegan Meal Plan and see how much peace of mind can arise from knowing you're organized to eat tasty, healthy plant-based dinners: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned-plant-based/. Keep on cooking! 

Project management works for big construction site... and for family cooking, too! Take a moment to reflect with me on your priorities, decide what matters most to you, and let go of what's not serving you right now. Help yourself to my meal planning resources: https://veganfamilykitchen.com

Learn about plant-based baking from the professionals! In this episode of the Vegan Family Kitchen Podcast, Brigitte Gemme interviews Natasha and Ed Tatton, owners of Whistler's BReD Bakery and authors of the newly published book BReD: Sourdough Loaves, Small Breads and Other Plant-Based Baking.

We talk about:

• Replacing dairy and eggs with whole plant ingredients (no need for the middle bird!)
• Natasha and Ed's separate journeys toward veganism
• How the sourdough business grew organically
• Learn to sprout grains
• Hear business tips from seasoned bakery owners!

Learn more and buy the book (includes links to shop local!): BReD: Sourdough Loaves, Small Breads and Other Plant-Based Baking

Visit the Whistler (Canada) bakery: BReD Made by Ed

**

Need to get organized to cook plant-based dinners at home on weeknights? Download Brigitte's 5-day healthy vegan dinner plan: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/

Brigitte explores the idea of cooking as a form of spiritual nourishment and shares her current five rituals for a deeper and more meaningful cooking experience. These include expressing gratitude before cooking, deeply understanding the origins of ingredients, staying fully present during the cooking process, cooking with a community, and sharing the food with love. Brigitte also shares how these practices help her manage stress and appreciate the process of meal preparation. 

If you'd like to join Brigitte and her group every other Sunday in the kitchen, email her to introduce yourself at hello@veganfamilykitchen.com. You can also download useful templates and meal plan samples here: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/templates-and-printables/ 

00:02 Introduction to Spiritual Cooking 01:07 The Power of Gratitude in Cooking 02:41 Understanding the Origins of Our Ingredients 04:38 The Importance of Being Present While Cooking 06:38 Cooking as a Community Activity 08:20 Sharing the Food We Cook 09:58 Invitation to Join the Cooking Club 

Do you want to avoid suffering from swollen, achy, hot joints, feeling fatigue, or struggling with mobility? Or decrease your risk of cardio-vascular events? Those issues often associated with aging are not inevitable! Join Brigitte in conversation with Linda Tyler, author of The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook and creator of GraciousVegan.com. Linda explains everything you need to know about what inflammation is, how it's related to the food we eat, and how a different way of cooking can bring big improvements into your life today and in the long term. Linda also shares her favorite recipes and practical advice for making anti-inflammatory cooking a part of your everyday life. Whether you're a seasoned vegan chef or just curious about plant-based eating, there's something in this episode for everyone interested in the health benefits of an anti-inflammatory plant-based diet.

Connect with Linda on her website at https://graciousvegan.com on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracious_vegan/ and buy her cookbook: https://www.graciousvegan.com/cookbook-details-and-ordering 

Most people believe that they'd cook better if they had a bigger kitchen... but is that so? Kathy Davis, who runs the Eat More Plants Academy and published three cookbooks, lives in a RV and her story challenges conventional views. It's all about intention. 

Kathy Davis is the CEO of VegInspired and a plant-based lifestyle and mindset coach for female entrepreneurs. I was surprised to hear that, eight years ago, she came to plant-based eating kicking and screaming after her husband read an article about the health benefits. Later, a farm visit led her to become vegan. She enjoyed exploring all the amazing plant-based food options that were becoming available at restaurants, documenting it all on her YouTube channel. Unfortunately, her health suffered. 

Almost three years ago, she made the decision to shift her daily habits to follow a whole food plant-based lifestyle. She experienced amazing results: not only she lost weight but, more importantly, she found herself with renewed energy and a newfound sense of joy. She and her husband John have taken their life on the road and they slowly make their way across the United States with the goal of visiting all national parks, making the most of her increased fitness and stamina. 

You can connect with Kathy on Instagram and get a free whole food plant-based meal plan on her website, VegInspired.

--

You too can enjoy healthy stress-free vegan dinners next week. Download the 5-day Planned & Plant-based guide: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned-plant-based/

A zen-inspired guide to better meals by podcast host Brigitte Gemme: Flow in the Kitchen: Practices for Healthy Stress-Free Vegan Cooking.

Nic Bathurst, a dietitian and nutritionist, and mom of four kids, thought of herself as a healthy and fit person with good habits. Then, at age 48 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent a mastectomy and started digging into the literature about breast cancer. What she found out was not what she had learned in school. 

That was 10 years ago, and she has turned her life around since, in addition to changing the way she works with her clients. I had the pleasure of sitting with her for a conversation about:

• How menopause doesn't have to make us victims of our hormones 
• Whether or not we should worry about protein 
• The place of alcohol in a healthy lifestyle
• How industry finds the right "bliss point" to hook us to foods we'd probably be better off without
• Small experiments we can try to see if our life improves
• And more!

Nic is a dietitian and nutritionist of over 30 years. She has been a passionate plant advocate since she got breast cancer in 2013 and discovered the health and weight loss benefits of a diet powered by plants. She now specializes in helping women navigate their mid-life hormones, release unwanted weight, and optimize their health by eating more plants.

I encourage you to connect with Nic Bathurst on her website Naturally Nic and to watch her videos on YouTube. 

When you cook, cook. (Or wash the dishes.) If you think you need your phone in the kitchen, listen to this episode to find you need to leave it out. It might just improve everything about your meals! 

-- 

Need help figuring out how to feed yourself and loved ones really good plant-based food? Come and visit me at veganfamilykitchen.com. I have a free 5-day dinner plan you can download to get Planned & Plant-based next week.

Get inspired to cook more healthy vegan Italian food with Antonia Ricciardi! Antonia trained in physics and worked in the publishing industry, but her roots in the family restaurant in Southern Italy stayed strong. In our podcast conversation, you'll learn more about: 

• Antonia's inspiring shift from the sciences to the culinary world, ingeniously weaving Italian flavors into her vegan dishes.
• Her favorite substitute for meat in vegan Bolognese sauce - and how the people of Bologna actually make it!
• The powerful wellness benefits of raw food, with a special spotlight on Antonia's delectable raw cakes from her Cambridge, UK shop.
• Antonia's practical guidance for anyone embarking on a plant-based diet or a career in vegan cuisine.
• And her clients' favorite dishes! 

Links:

• Antonia's Cambridge UK private chef services 
• Her raw cake shop
• Antonia on Instagram
• Her frittata recipe is on my website: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/italian-cooking-with-antonia-ricciardi

Tune in with Vegan Family Kitchen Podcast host, Brigitte Gemme, and Antonia Ricciardi to explore the fascinating world of Italian plant-based cooking, where tradition meets healthy innovation. Savor this episode and ignite your culinary passion!

--

Need a meal plan? Visit Vegan Family Kitchen and share your email at the top of the page to receive my free 5-day healthy vegan dinner plan featuring all-time client favorites: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/

Charlyn Black trained as a family doctor more than forty years ago, but most of her career has been as a scholar dedicated to understanding the social determinants of health for over three decades. She is now a Professor at the UBC School of Population and Public Health, and an enthusiastic advocate for the power of predominantly plant-based diets for prevention and vitality. I am grateful that she is also a Vegan Meal Plan subscribers, using them in her own way as she'll explain in the interview.

In this conversation, we talk about:

• Charlyn's journey from teaching yoga at age 16 to family medicine and finally a public health professorship,
• Her transition to vegetarian in the 80s and what it finally took to make her go toward a whole food plant-based diet,
• The intersections between her personal and professional journeys,
• Initiatives that give her hope when it comes to the use of plant-based diet to improve individual and public health,
• How she practices batch cooking,
• And the advice she gives to people who might be thinking about plant-based diets but fearing that it's not for them.

Thank you Charlyn for this inspiring conversation, I admire your vitality and enthusiasm! I look forward to cooking with you again soon.

The episode is also available on YouTube.

--

Would you like to give batch cooking a try? Download my Planned & Plant-based 5-day dinner plan to give Brigitte's "building blocks" approach a try: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned-plant-based/ 

 

Why not try something different, pay attention to the results, and take it from there? This Vegan Family Kitchen Podcast episode's guest, Helen C. Giles, is a colleague, cooking friend, and meal plan subscriber whose stories will encourage you to embrace experimentation and give thanks for the life and body you have now.

In this conversation, we explore:

• The beginnings of Helen's journey into vegetarianism, which started in a high school Animal Science class, and how she took her parents along for the ride;
• Her self-guided path to healing from a mental health crisis when conventional medicine's failed to help;
• How listening to her body led her to quit dairy and experiment with laying off gluten, and how she makes the meal plans work for her;
• Her non-conventional career path following a graduate degree in Public Health;
• The joy of embracing our freedom, beauty, and worth today.

Stay inspired by connecting with Helen:

• Her lovely newsletter is available for subscription on her website: Helen C. Giles
• She write on Medium and plans to start sharing videos on YouTube.

-- 

Meal planning and weekend batch cooking make healthy plant-based living stress-free and so much more interesting! Download my free Planned & Plant-based guide for 5 recipes, including a shopping list and meal prep instructions. https://veganfamilykitchen.com/

CSA box programs have you pay upfront for your summer's veggies. Is it worth it? For us, I think so, but it really depends on your circumstances. Make sure to listen to this podcast episode before you sign up for a CSA box program for the first time! 

See the original post: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/are-csa-boxes-worth-it

Do you need a healthy vegan, plant-based meal plan? You can download the plan from the Planned & Plant-based 5-day challenge or subscribe to the Vegan Meal Plans.

With the charismatic Jean-Philippe Cyr, delicious and comforting vegan dishes are served with a side of self-deprecating humor... or is it the other way around?

Jean-Philippe, a.k.a. The Buddhist Chef, just published his most recent English-language cookbook, The Buddhist Chef's Homestyle Cooking, and we chatted about:

• How being from a big Quebec family influenced his cooking journey
• What triggered his transition from restaurant chef specializing in meat to vegan YouTuber
• How to make tofu and tempeh delicious
• How he collaborates with large supermarket chains to create ready-to-eat vegan dishes
• And the social struggles of vegans!

--

Struggling to decide what's for dinner? Download Brigitte's free Planned & Plant-Based one-week healthy vegan meal plan to get started with batch cooking and stress-free weeknights: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned-plant-based/ 

Earth Day is a timely moment to reflect on how we are connected to our natural environment and to all the other beings who share this planet with us. I am humbled to be joined by Reverend Ian White Maher, a Unitarian Universalist minister and also the founder of The Seekers’ Table, an online contemplative community. Ian is also vegan, a lifestyle change he sees as deeply embedded in a process of spiritual transformation.

Connect with Ian and read his "Spirituality as if People Mattered" guide at The Seekers' Table.

Looking to make it easier to eat more plant-based dinners? Download your 5-dinner meal plan, including convenient prep steps to take on the weekend to make weeknights less stressful: Planned & Plant-based.

I *loved* the taste, culture, and ritual of coffee. It took some tragic personal events to make me reconsider my consumption. I have now been coffee-free for 10 years. What happened to me, and what might it mean for you? 

My first book Flow in the Kitchen: Practices for Healthy Stress-Free Vegan Cooking is available for pre-order in ebook format from Amazon (compatible with all mobile devices)! (Paperback and Kobo coming soon.) It's not a cookbook! Instead of feeding you recipes, I offer you the seeds you can plant to grow your own versions of standard vegan dishes based on your preferences, ingredients you have at hand, and seasonal produce. Listen on to find out what's in the book and head over to Amazon.com to order. (Also available on Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, and everywhere in Amazonland.) 

Send your comments and invitation to chat about Flow in the Kitchen for your podcast, blog, or magazine, email me at hello@veganfamilykitchen.com.

About a third of American and Canadian households have a dog, and the numbers have grown since the beginning of the pandemic. My own household does not include tail-wagging friends, but I know dogs are part of the family for many. So what do they all eat? Can dogs be plant-based?

This question becomes increasingly urgent as companion animal numbers increase and the climate emergency looms. On average, a third of dogs’ calories come from meat, and American dogs collectively eat as much as the entire population of France. By some estimates, adding a medium-sized dog to a family is about the same as adding a large SUV. What’s a compassionate and earth-loving dog guardian to do? Can they change their canine companions’ eating habits along the same line of theirs?

The good news is, yes, apparently, dogs can be plant-based! I say “apparently” because, although I know of many healthy and happy plant-based dogs, there still isn’t an authoritative body of scientific literature answering the question: can dogs be plant-based? What one does find on the Internet is a lot of opinion based in the false identity between wolves and dogs. In reality, dogs have co-evolved with humans (eating our leftovers!) and although they are very similar, genetically speaking, to wolves, they differ in their ability to digest starches.

But progress is in the works thanks to the work of pioneers of really good food for dogs such as Laura Simonson.

Laura is a Vancouver-based long-time vegan who was originally in the fitness industry. With her team, she is developing plant-based food for dogs and is working with dog families and veterinarians to assess its impact on the pooches in real-life conditions. Such an inspiration! I am sure you will enjoy listening to our conversation. You can watch the video or listen to the podcast (below).

Learn more about Virchew's food for dogs on their web site and follow them on Instagram.

Wondering what the humans will have for dinner? Download your free 5-day "Planned and Plant-based" meal plan: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned

Do you hate cooking? Are you resentful about having to make dinner every night? Let's take a deep (but quick!) dive together into this question that is truly a matter of life and death. What are the forces that stack the odds against home cooking in our culture? And what can we do about it as individuals? 

If you're willing to go from "I hate cooking" to "I'm learning to love it," connect with me over at Vegan Family Kitchen. 

Have you been subscribing to meal kits and getting boxes of ready-to-cook food delivered to your door? I bet you are ready to step onto the next level by upgrading to a plant-based meal planning service instead.

I hope you enjoy the Vegan Family Kitchen podcast. If you'd like help getting started with plant-based meal plans, hit me up at hello@veganfamilykitchen.com. Also make sure to check out the Vegan Meal Plans subscription service. Use coupon code MEDIUM for 10% off meal plan subscriptions and a free 20-minute consultation. 

Keep on cooking! 

This question has been settled scientifically for a number of years but it still keeps on coming up, so I thought I would review the recent scientific evidence about the link (or rather, the lack of link) between soy and cancer risk for your convenience. Spoiler: soy certainly does not cause cancer and in fact may be preventive. 

You will find the reference and links to the publications discussed herein on my web site here.

I make sure to include tofu or some other soy food once per week in my Vegan Meal Plans. If you'd like to experience the peace of mind of not having to decide what's for dinner for a week (yet knowing that you're going to cook and eat simple yet delicious and nutritious meals), you are welcome to get my plant-based meal planning starter kit here: Planned & Plant-based.

Thanks for listening and keep on cooking!

How do traditionally-trained doctors become advocates for lifestyle medicine and plant-based eating? Dr. Nina Hourmouzis and Dr. Jimisha Patel share their plant-based journeys. 

Connect with the Columbus Prevent and Reverse Health Clinic https://cprhealthclinic.com and https://instagram.com/cprhealthclinic

Download a 1-week healthy vegan dinner plan https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned

Dreena Burton is launching her sixth solo book, Dreena's Kind Kitchen, in August 2021. She joined me to chat about the evolution of her life as a vegan, mom, and cookbook author over the past 20 years. Order her new book now.

-- 

Download your free 1-week healthy vegan meal plan.

"When we uncover who we are, and we are willing to show up as that person, a lot of barriers just fall away." 

Those are the wise and inspiring words of my guest, Kimberly Winters. Kimberly is the host of the Did You Bring the Hummus? podcast, where she gently guides those who wish to adopt a vegan lifestyle through their transition. In addition to coaching, she supports others - vegan or not - as an energy guide and reiki practitioner. 

I wanted to bring Kimberly on the show to talk about the spiritual energy of food. What difference does it make, in our bodies, hearts, and souls, to eat plants as opposed to animals? 

In this episode, I also bring Kimberly to share her journey with us, including early signs that she should probably go vegan (though she ignored them) and a long stint as a vegetarian who didn't like vegetables or know how to cook. 

You can connect with Kimberly Winters for guidance, or to join her healing circles, on her podcast's page: Did You Bring the Hummus? (Did you?!) http://didyoubringthehummus.com/ 

--

Do you need a bit of help deciding what's for dinner now that you want to eat more plants (and fewer animals)? Let me help you with a 5-night healthy vegan dinner plan. Learn more at http://veganfamilykitchen.com/

Overwhelmed, frustrated, or resentful in the kitchen? It's time for a mindset shift. Check out Brigitte's book Flow in the Kitchen: Practices for Healthy Stress-Free Vegan Cooking.

Iron is a common concern of well-meaning friends and relatives, upon learning that a loved one is going vegan or committing to eating more plants (and fewer animals). Since most people still think of meat as the source of the most abundant and easiest to absorb iron, isn’t forgoing animal products putting you at risk for iron deficiency? Unfortunately, many medical professionals contribute to spreading this outdated belief, despite ample scientific evidence to the contrary.

As someone who decides what’s for dinner for other people, I see it as my responsibility to stay informed on the topic of iron for vegans, and share my views and sources of information. Spoiler alert: it’s not a big deal for most people, which doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be paying attention to this critical mineral when planning our meals.

To access the resources discussed in this podcast episode, visit the full blog post: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/iron-for-vegans/

To experience the Vegan Meal Plans for one week, try going Planned & Plant-based: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned-plant-based/ 

If you also deal with picky eaters, you know how frustrating, discouraging, and worrisome it can be. I hope this story about my children's food journeys will make you feel less alone and more hopeful. 

If you're interested in my Feed picky eaters with love workshop, check out the details here: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/register/feed-picky-eaters-with-love-workshop/.

Download your 5-day dinner plan that includes prep steps to make weeknights less stressful: Planned and Plant-based.

Learn more about the Vegan Meal Plans.

How to stay connected with our culinary heritage without sacrificing health? Let's talk about it with Karla Salinari, a.k.a. The Latina Health Coach and author of the recently published cookbook Abuela's Plant-Based Kitchen: Vegan Cuisine Inspired by Latin & Caribbean Family Recipes.

Diving into Karla Salinari's inspiring journey, we learn about her Puerto Rican roots, growing up with a strictly vegan father at a time when plant-based diets were practically unheard of. As Karla navigated between Miami and Puerto Rico, her eating habits varied. It wasn't until university in NYC that she truly embraced a plant-based lifestyle. Connecting back to her roots, Karla adapted traditional Puerto Rican dishes with healthier, vegan ingredients.

Today, Karla's mission is to help others reconnect with their culinary heritage without sacrificing health. She champions flavorful, aromatic Puerto Rican cooking that's naturally plant-forward. From rice dishes infused with fresh greens to using vegan alternatives, she proves food can be nourishing and rooted in tradition.

You can connect with Karla Salinari on her website at https://www.KarlaSalinari.com and on Instagram https://instagram.com/thelatinahealthcoach/ 

Her book, Abuela's Plant-Based Kitchen, is available everywhere. Enjoy!

------------

Would you like to enjoy healthy stress-free vegan dinners next week? Download Brigitte's free Planned & Plant-Based one-week meal plan to get started: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned-plant-based/ 

Can there be such a thing as a blissful menopause? Every woman's experience will be different, but certain lifestyle and mindset shifts will make it a smoother ride. Brigitte's guest on the Vegan Family Kitchen podcast today is Anna Pelzer, a vegan menopause coach. She has some gentle guidance to help.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Anna shares:

• Her journey from food photography to menopause coaching
• What she means when she suggests menopause can be a time of opportunity
• Actionable physical and mental health tips you can practice today
• Her own routine and stress-reduction strategies

Based on Anna's past experience as a renowned vegan food photographer, we also touched on some behind-the-scene insight about the stress of social media for online creators.

Struggling with menopause symptoms? Approaching menopause? You can connect with her for a free 30-minute consultation via her website Blissful Menopause, or connect on Instagram. Also tune in to her new podcast: The Vegan Menopause.

** 

Need a bit of help to eat more plants? Download Brigitte's 5-day healthy vegan dinner plan: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned-plant-based/

**

JUMP AHEAD:  01:20 Anna's Journey to Menopause Coaching 02:36 The Impact of Stress on Menopause 02:59 The Importance of Lifestyle Medicine 03:34 Understanding Menopause Symptoms 04:45 Menopause as a New Beginning 05:59 Setting Health Goals During Menopause 06:55 The Role of Plant-Based Eating in Menopause 08:04 Transitioning to a Healthier Diet 10:03 Stress Reduction Techniques 10:46 The Power of Mindfulness 12:43 The Importance of Body Connection 14:07 Embracing Menopause with a Positive Mindset 21:26 Personal Routine and Habits 26:47 Dealing with Hot Flashes 30:19 The Role of a Menopause Doula

Pull yourself a chair in the Vegan Family Kitchen and join the conversation with my guest, Marian Erikson. She is the host of the Plant-based Briefing podcast and a cherished Vegan Meal Plan subscriber. 

Get a meal plan to be Planned & Plant-based next week

Listen to the Plant-based Briefing podcast

Individual action is a great place to start when it comes to climate change, but a terrible place to stop. Beyond plant-based cooking, we also have to consider the policies that have led us to the current crisis. As western Canada's industrial animal farming infrastructure is walloped by unprecedented storms and hundreds of thousands of animals drown senselessly, we have to ask ourselves: why would we be stupid enough to rebuild the same way? This episode was recorded shortly after COP 26.