VEGWORLD 64 - The Strength Issue

ISSUE 64 | MAY/JUNE 2021

The Strength Issue VEGWORLD's Own, Courtney Garza's Vegan Fitness journey Plant-Based Pioneer T. Colin Campbell Talks About The Future Of Nutrition Actors Gianna Simone & Andrea Logan Pave Their Own Paths

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This

IS IN

P O O R TA S T E. No one will enjoy being advised that by purchasing products with palm oil in them they are supporting widespread human trafficking, slavery, child labor, and mass destruction of tropical forests, will they?

What can you do?

READ & SHARE APNews articles on palm oil.

CHOOSE products with no palm oil.

C’mon.We’re better than that.

#SayNoToPalmOil Made with a great deal of care and flair. © Jindilli Beverages, LLC

contents

TABLE OF

14

A Vegan Exploration Through Houston, TX

20 GoodDot CEO, Abhishek Sinha 26 Two-Time Everest Summiteer Kuntal Joisher LIFESTYLE

FOOD

30 Tips For A Happy, Healthy Plant-Based Pregnancy 34

Go-To Products To Elevate Your Summer Fun

38

Top Picks

64

Chickpea Avocado Salad

66 Spring Salad With Charred Asparagus & Creamy Homemade Dressing 68 Spring Parathas 70 Kale Pesto & Tomato Tartines 72

Heavenly Pineapple Tofu Thai Fried Rice Recipe

Features 42 Vegan Strength VEGWORLD Editor-In-Chief Courtney Garza's Fitness Journey With Vegan Fitness Coach Jasmine

46 Exercise Snacking How Bite-Sized Exercise Breaks Can Help You Stay Active

48 Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s Prescriptions For Nutrition Can Save Us All The Whole Foods Pioneer Talks About The Future of Nutrition

54 Be Unapologetically You The Resilience Of Actors and Activists Gianna Simone & Andrea Logan

CONTRIBUTORS

SHRIYA SWAMINATHAN Shriya is an animal rights warrior in training at PETA’s International Science Consortium. She is also a certified Vegan Hospitality Consultant and founder of Nourish by Shriya- her new consulting service that helps restaurants attract vegan clients. A proud travel foodie, she enjoys exploring local vegan cuisines! In her free time, you can find her hanging out with the residents at the Gentle Barn Sanctuary, while educating folks about the abundance of a vegan lifestyle. Her precious companion pooch Halley joins her activism on the #adoptdontshop message!

KARIN OLSEN

TERRI EDWARDS

Vegan for nine years and vegetarian for many years before, Karin Olsen is passionate about living and sharing the plant-based lifestyle.

Born in Dallas and raised in Tulsa, she grew up in the cattle country, knowing from a young age that she didn’t like eating meat and didn’t understand why some animals are pets and others are food. Karin believes food is medicine and has a passion for helping people heal themselves through plants-notpills. She is a certified (but amateur) health coach and Bikram Yoga instructor. After many years of working in PR and marketing in Los Angeles and New York, she moved to Dallas where she recently launched Plant Power Productions. The company offers consulting services in PR, marketing, communications, content creation, business development, and sales. She has a special interest in whole-food / plant-based / vegan lifestyle, holistic health and healing, sustainable living, and animal welfare.

Terri Edwards is the blogger behind EatPlant-Based.com, a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and a plant-based writer and speaker.

After recovering from medical issues by switching to a plant-based lifestyle back in 2013, Terri took on a personal mission to promote the power of food for restored health and see lives changed, just like hers was.

Terri's blog, EatPlant-Based, is an oasis for those seeking wellness and restored health through scientificallyproven plant-based nutrition. It offers healthy plant-based recipes, success stories, and the latest information on nutritional scientific research.

PlantPowerProductions.com plantpowerproductions Plant Power Productions plantpowerprod karin@plantpowerproductions.com plantpowerproductions.com

eatplant-based.com EatPlantBased eatplantbased.com14 EatPlantBasedTE

CATHY MCLELLAN Cathy McLellan, Rouxbe certified plant-based chef, vegan recipe developer, consultant and writer.

She is the creator of veganonthego. net; an online resource for those interested in exploring a plant-based lifestyle. Her mission is to encourage a sustainable lifestyle through food that is vegan, accessible, healthy and delicious. Passions include time in the kitchen, family, the outdoors, gardening, people and travel. www.veganonthego.net veganonthego

ROBIN ASBELL Robin Asbell is a popular author, educator, and plant-based chef who creates luscious, feel-good food.

She is the author of 12 cookbooks, Including Big Vegan; Vegan Meal Prep; Plant-Based Meats; and most recently, Eat Meat Less; Good For Animals, the Earth and All, for the Jane Goodall Foundation. Check out all her books on Amazon.

You may have seen her approachable, tasty food demos on her YouTube channel (Robin Asbell Plant-Based Chef), on KARE 11, Twin Cities Live, or WCCO TV, or taken one of her popular cooking classes, in person or online.

Robin is an official Meatless Mondays blogger. Find her mouthwatering posts and inspiring images and recipe links on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

SAFURA & UBAID OSMANI Safura and Ubaid Osmani are a vegan couple who strive to make a plant-based lifestyle more attainable for everyone. They have been featured on WJXT TV News and featured in several Florida Influencer publications. When they are not busy cooking traditional Indian food in the kitchen, they are busy in their corporate day jobs in marketing and IT industries. Their popular blog JaxVeganCouple.com focuses on healthy tips, recipes and plantbased resources. They have an active social media presence with over 20K on Instagram and Facebook @ jaxvegancouple. jaxvegancouple.com jaxvegancouple

robinasbell.com robinasbell robin.asbell1

BRANDY EDWARDS Brandy Edwards is an attorney turned Empowerment Speaker and Coach in Dallas, TX. She is the Founder of The Self-Love Challenge and emphasizes the importance of self-love, confidence, and courage. Her selfdiscovery journey led her to be strong and courageous, to take action despite fear, and to follow her happiness to create a life she loves. Her magnetic energy captures the attention of both youth and adult audiences, and her inspiring vulnerability empowers listeners to bridge the gap between fears that hold them back and bravery that can propel them forward. Speaking, coaching, and collaboration inquiries may be sent to TheSelfLoveChallenge@gmail.com.

SelfLoveChallenge.com

WENDIE PETT

BETH WILLIAMS Beth Williams is a content consultant, freelance writer and plant-based recipe developer. Born and raised near Paris, France, she is obsessed with travel and good food, and has a photographic memory for outstanding meals. She lives in Barcelona, Spain with her family. enlwilliams

Wendie Pett is a full-time business owner of Visibly Fit as well as a naturopathic doctor, wife, mother, fitness expert, author, speaker, TV host, and part-time volunteer. Her business consists of whole-food plant-based wellness coaching, emotional healing, personal online training, educational and motivational speaking, and creating new products/ tools to assist clients along their wellness journey. www.wendiepett.com

MEET OUR TEAM

the dream team

Editor-in-Chief

COURTNEY GARZA Courtney Garza is a passionate vegan who brings her love for journalism, creativity, helping local businesses, and animals together with her compassionate social media agency, Sprinkles Creative, which she co-founded with her business partner Christina Bluford to aid businesses with their branding strategy. Courtney also owns and operates VEGWORLD Magazine, an international vegan lifestyle publication, as the Editor-in-Chief to curate and promote plant-based stories about vegan products, services, and individuals from all walks of life.

Art Director

CLAY GARRETT

V e g W o r l d M a g a z i n e i s p a s s i o n at e a b o u t s tay i n g a h e a d o f t h e r a p i d ly g r o w i n g t r e n d of plant-based/vegan. Because of this p a s s i o n , w e h a v e c r e at e d a c o m m u n i t y o f r e a d e r s w h o s e l o ya lt y i s s e c o n d t o n o n e .

Clay Garrett is a husband, father, marketer, graphic designer, and vegan from Texas. After a lifetime on the standard American diet, Clay dealt with gallbladder, sinus, and gastrointestinal issues. In his early thirties, Clay transitioned to a vegan diet, curing his health ailments and his cognitive dissonance. Listen to his story on the Plant Yourself Podcast, https://plantyourself. com/190. Now, Clay spends his time working on projects more aligned with his values. https://claygarrett.com

Photo by product-school-unsplash

Marketing Director LYDIA PALMERI

Senior Editor

JULIANNE BAMBRICK MCCULLAGH

Business Writer

Editorial Assistant

ALORA MIDDLETON HALE Alora Middleton Hale is a former educator turned Social Media Manager, writer, and the Editorial Assistant at VEGWORLD Magazine.

Vegetarian for a majority of her life, Alora went vegan five years ago.

She is passionate about spreading awareness about veganism and lowwaste living. Other loves include the arts, vintage fashion, travel, and eating nachos with extra guac. Alora lives in Southern California with her husband and an imaginary corgi named Fenton. alora.naturally

Style Editor

CARISSA DANIELLE

TESS CHAVEZ

Carissa Danielle is the founder and director of North Texas Vegans. She is an intersectional vegan entrepreneur with a passion for educating others on the topic of living a vegan lifestyle.

Carissa resides in Dallas, TX, with her partner and rescue dogs, where she works as a vegan business consultant and educator. In her spare time, Carissa enjoys hiking, camping, and traveling, as well as practicing yoga, meditation, and mindfulness.

Quintessa “Tess” Chavez is VEGWORLD Magazine’s Style Editor and a lover of all things beauty and fashion — of course, vegan and cruelty-free! She is also the owner and founder of Vegan Bites Guide, a dine-out vegan options guide.

Her vegan journey started with her love of animals; soon the health benefits came along, and then the environmental welfare, and it was a done deal. Based in Dallas, TX, Tess continues to carry out her vegan mission of spreading awareness.

nooch.bunny

Food Editor

CATHY KATIN-GRAZZINI Cathy Katin-Grazzini, Food Editor at VEGWORLD Magazine, is a plantbased personal chef, nutritional coach, cooking instructor, and owner of Cathy’s Kitchen Prescription LLC.​ Certified in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at Cornell, Cathy is also a graduate of Rouxbe Cooking School’s Professional PlantBased Program. She has a B.A. from the University of Chicago, attended graduate school at Harvard University and received a M.A. from Johns Hopkins University.

Cathy lives with her husband Giordano in Ridgefield, Connecticut.​ When she’s not inventing and fermenting, she loves to run, hike, and adventure travel atop their trusty Ducati​. cathyskitchenprescription.com cathyskitchenprescription

Editor’s Note A message from VEGWORLD Magazine Editor-in-Chief, Courtney Garza

@ColorMeCourtney_

W

e all have our own strength within us. Whether you’ve tapped into it yet or not, there is always an opportunity to flex your muscles, mental and physical.

I’m thankful to have the opportunity to be aligned with such a strong plant-based community here among you VEGWORLD readers. Without this strength and support, I don’t know where we would be today.

So no matter where you are in your strength journey, both mental and physical, I hope the words in this issue will help guide you closer to your inner strength.

As I’ve grown in my own physical and mental capacity in this last year, there’s no doubt that being vegan has allowed me to thrive beyond any goal I’ve set for myself.

Sincerely,

My hope is that through plants and compassion, we can all constantly become stronger to help make this world a better place for all of us.

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KATHMANDU, NEPAL

APRIL15 -17 th

th

THIMPHU, BHUTAN

Organized by

APRIL18 -20 th

th

The biggest PLANT-BASED EVENT ever in the HIMALAYA !

Media Partner Worldwide

Sponsored by

World Vegan Organisation Nepal

Organizing Partner

& The World Vegan Organisation’s 7th Annual International Conference

www.himalayanveganfestival.org

Highlights of The Event l Over 100 International Vegan Speakers, Delegates & Celebrities and 75+ Exhibitors l l Vegan Food & Product Bazaar l Live Bands, Music & Dance l International/Local Vegan Chefs l Free Film Screenings l l Free Cooking Classes l Free Vegan Health l Fitness & Fashion Workshops l 5k Mini-marathon l Vegan Challenge l Learn to Make Vegan Milk l l Vegan Mock-Meats & Dairy l Vegan Sweets l Kids Activities Corner l Animal Education by Local Organisations & Much More.. l

www.vegvoyages.com

“The food was, hands-down the best I’ve ever had in my life !”

“For anyone with curiosity and adventure in their souls.”

"Mouth-watering, Heart-expanding, Soul-enriching"

NEPAL I INDIA I MALAYSIA I LAOS I THAILAND I BALI I SUMATRA (INDONESIA) I BHUTAN

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LIFESTYLE

Photo by Charles Roth from Pexels

H-TOWN VEGAN

EXPLORATION

BY COURTNEY GARZA

Despite the flack that Houston gets for being humid, they make it up for it with their abundant vegan scene! In a short weekend trip to the world capital of space exploration, we only scratched the surface of all the vegan spots in HTX!

DESTINATION SPOTLIGHT AWESOME BITES CO. All vegan/allergy free bakery + ice cream shop WISDOM BAKERY CAFE All vegan coffee/kava shop + bakery + cafe HOW?! DESSERTS Vegan baker popup that makes incredible veganized cosmic brownies!

VEEGOS All vegan Mexican Chipotle setup!

ANDALUZ Authentic all-vegan Mexican popup CASCABEL Houston’s First Full Service Mexican 100000% Vegan Restaurant w/full bar VEGSIDE MARKET Black Owned Vegan Grocery Store DUMPLINGHAUS Authentic dumpling made steamed or pan-fried with extremely unique vegan options with a variety of vegetables, woodear mushrooms, and vermicelli noodles.

CHEFKENNYHTX Asian vegan cuisine serving up vegan soup, salad, bento box, sushi roll, rice and noodles.

VERDINE All-vegan fine-dining Named “Best Vegan Restaurant” by @houstonpress FLOWER AND CREAM Rotating vegan options, like chocolate cookie, pina colada, and peanut butter cup, even served with flavored vegan ice cream cones made by Brooklyn’s The Konery.

So the next time you’re traveling through Texas’ “space town”, rest assured that you’ll not only find delicious vegan options, but you’ll surely be well-fed with sweet and savory treats you’ll be raving about!

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DESTINATION SPOTLIGHT

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HIMALAYAN VEGAN FESTIVAL SPEAKER SERIES PROFILE

LIFESTYLE

ABHISHEK

SINHA CEO of GoodDot

BY KARIN OLSEN / PLANT POWER PRODUCTIONS

The entrepreneur talks about making the world a more humane place for animals by creating ethical, healthier, and environmentally sustainable alternative to animal meat

I

n 2003 Abhishek Sinha was in his final year of engineering when he unknowingly planted the seed for GoodDot, India’s leading homegrown mock meat brand. It all started when he came across a tissue culture study that fascinated him personally and from a business perspective. Sinha thought if he could get something similar product-wise into the market, it would appeal to millions of people who, like him, enjoy the taste of meat but don’t want to exploit animals. He partnered with Deepak Parihar to grow the idea, and by 2013 they assembled their team; in 2016, they

founded the company and, in 2017, launched their first product – a plant-based version of mutton, laying the groundwork to add vegan chicken, beef and fish.

Inspired by some of the leading companies like the Beyond meats of the world, the partners had early confidence that mock meats were the real deal. Sinha said, “We realized from the start that if you have the right product and the right strategy, you can really disrupt the meat sector, so that was our initial inspiration point.”

However, instead of copying business models,

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LIFESTYLE than downstream products like burgers, sausages, etc. We plan to roll out downstream products like curries, tikkas, biryanis, burgers, nuggets, etc.”

One popular modification was the company’s Proteiz product, developed at the request of vegetarians. Sinha said the dehydrated product boiled to rehydrate is popular with that sector because it’s not as “meaty” as some of GoodDot’s other core products. “It’s versatile. It makes an excellent alternative to chicken and can also be used to make a very good egg scramble.”

GoodDot has also developed a plant-based tuna that he said will soon launch in the Western markets, bypassing India. “Tuna is not a major meat or fish consumed in India, so it doesn’t make much sense to launch here. However, outside India, there is a big market, and we expect our tuna product to have tremendous appeal. We did blind tastes with five-star chefs and others who have said the products were indistinguishable from actual tuna.”

The company just launched three products in North America, starting in Canada,

they created their own, employing three key differentiators. In contrast to pricing products as a premium to meat, the founders considered price a significant barrier to transition for people in India and other developing countries. “We had to develop solutions that would be at least price parity and even better if products were more affordable than meat to help further the transition away from meat.” Secondly, he said, “Since the cold storage logistics and transportation supply are not that great in most parts of the world, we developed products which are shelf-stable at room temperature with a long shelf-life.”

Thirdly he said, “We wanted to go for a larger addressable market by focusing on the core textured “upstream” products like chunks of meat like chicken, mutton, beef, fish, tuna rather

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LIFESTYLE with four more planned in the coming months. The company plans to launch a vegan butter chicken through AMAZON in the U.S. market as the first of many products once they finalize distribution in the next month. He said they expect GoodDot’s extensive offerings and uniquely differentiated product lines will be well-received in the U.S. “For instance, uniquely, we can go an exotic route like Indian dishes with plant-based meat that is shelf-stable, reasonably affordable, and easy to cook and eat.

And that is just the start.”

consumer in a much faster manner and make it prohibitive to go for a meat option. Our goal is to also offer pricing at such a steep discount below meat and chicken it will be difficult for someone to pass it up.”

To prepare for the expansive international growth, Sinha said the company is currently in talks with venture capitalists. However, to date, he emphasized GoodDot has been bootstrapped and cash-positive, having broken even due to the early foundation. “All of this happened because we hustled and didn’t have much noise at the onset.

We focused razor-sharp on the product, what does and does not work and what could work from the start. Throughout the last four years since our first product launch, we developed several strengths, including understanding what works in India, the variables of different models, and how we can cut down on the cost while increasing the taste profile.”

In India, GoodDot has a sister company named GoodDo, a series of vegan fast-food outlets currently in India and Nepal named after a rescue group called GoodDo. The company is also developing a smaller footprint model of GoodDo that will launch across India in the coming months.

“With this smaller concept, we feel we can go to the

As a result, he said the company is primed for a strong move this year. “Even outside of India, we could implement the models we are developing here. For example, there are no Indian restaurant chains across the world because it is so chef-dependent. The spice mix alone would be difficult to standardize. Consider this – even if we have a strong formula with so much chili, tomatoes, and spices, the taste profile of those raw materials changes even in countries and states. In some places, tomatoes would be sour and other places much milder, so it’s very difficult to standardize.

In a new concept, what we have done is take the kitchen part into the factory side where no skill is needed on the front end. Anyone can learn it in a day and start working in the shop.” He offered the example of a recently launched curry with vegan meat. “In 10 minutes, you can have a fresh curry made in front of you. It’s very easy, scalable, and standardized.”

While riding high on GoodDot’s popularity and global expansion, Sinha emphasized true success for him is inextricably linked to the company’s larger mission to reduce animal suffering.

“The GoodDot team and I are driven by the ethical aspects of plant-based meat. On a personal level, I have much more than I ever needed, but from an

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organizational-goal perspective, much more needs to be done to make the world a more compassionate place for animals. I visualize aggregating the needs of billions of animals for a more compassionate world. The fact our sales metrics are linked to reducing the number of animals killed for meat really drives us. We feed 60-70 stray animals every day, and, as we scale up, I intend to contribute more on a personal level for animal welfare.”

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HIMALAYAN VEGAN FESTIVAL SPEAKER SERIES PROFILE

LIFESTYLE

Vegan Mountaineer and Two-Time Everest Summiteer

KUNTAL JOISHER

BY KARIN OLSEN / PLANT POWER PRODUCTIONS

The Everest veteran talks about overcoming his fear of heights and becoming a vegan activist by shattering stereotypes

V

Joisher, vegan mountaineer and two-time Mt. Everest Summitter -- appear in this issue and on vegworldmag.com. In conjunction, VEGWORLD is also launching a Facebook/IG live interview series. Dates and times to be announced. Also, be on the lookout for ways to win passes to the event.

VEGWORLD will give away two pairs of all-inclusive Patron’s Passes and Packages for the festival that include three days/three nights in Kathmandu and the same package in Thimpu, courtesy of VegVoyages Foundation.

EGWORLD is thrilled to be the worldwide media sponsor of the inaugural Himalayan Vegan Festival and The World Vegan Organisation’s 7th Annual International Conference in Kathmandu, Nepal April 15-17, and in Thimpu, Bhutan April 18-20.

As part of the countdown to next year’s events, VegWorld launched a profile series showcasing event speakers, sponsors and organizers. The first two -- Abhishek Sinha, CEO of GoodDot, India’s leading homegrown mock meat brand, and Kuntal

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LIFESTYLE Celebrated vegan mountaineer Kuntal Joisher made a name for himself as the first vegan to climb to the top of Mt. Everest, not once, but twice. At the Himalayan Vegan Festival, he will share his journey and how his vegan lifestyle set the foundation for his achievements, providing the inspiration, physical strength, and mental stamina to reach the top.

Surprisingly (or maybe not), the mental factor has weighed the heaviest as he has had a fear of heights since he was a teen. He said it all started in 9th grade during his first climbing attempt. He lost control and was free-falling head-first down a cliff when his fast-acting instructor locked his rope and saved his life. While Joisher walked away with relatively minor physical injuries, the psychic scars have haunted him since.

The early trauma, which not only prompted the fear of heights but adventure as well, makes it all the more awe-inspiring that Joisher not only makes a living climbing but centers his life around the skill, debunking vegan athlete stereotypes and inspiring others to follow. Ultimately, he said, climbing is how he pursues his vegan activism.

“The way I give back is to go do the crazy things, and it gets people to come and ask ‘how do you do these things?’ That’s my inspiration.”

He adopted a vegan lifestyle 18 years ago for the animals and said veganism is the first step he took to stand up for social justice in a cause he believes in. “I was always apathetic in not having a view on the issue, or I was as complicit as non-vegetarians eating animals. I didn’t consider how the choices of eating dairy and wearing leather impacted animals. There was no connection between my actions and my thoughts.”

Becoming aware, he said, opened a flood gate of change. “I could look back at myself and fix things -- racism, sexism, casteism, discrimination against the LGBTQ community. I thought I was apathetic to these issues – I’m not apathetic – I was full of toxic beliefs. As soon as I made the connection with animals in that sense, I made a connection with all of these other issues and topics. I read and educated myself. Rather than being apathetic, I became empathetic when I became vegan, and it changed my life.”

His quest to climb Mt. Everest started seven years later, in 2010. He had been working in the safe confines of a software engineering career when he decided it was time to get out of his comfort zone. “I wanted to confront my fear. I never tried anything since 9th grade, so I signed up for a course to climb a 200-foot wall.” And, he said, just as he had done as a kid, he panicked while climbing. “My expedition leader said, if you don’t focus, you’re are going to die. I knew in that moment he was right. Everything became still, and panic gave way to calm. I got down safely by following instructions. I learned that if I focus enough, it will give way to calm where I can make rational choices. Now, every time I go up the mountain, I face the fear, but through relentless practice of going and doing the same thing more than a thousand times, I can overcome.”

Teaming up with one of the event sponsors, Zac Lovas, of VegVoyages, he hopes to interest those attending the Himalayan Vegan Festival in taking a fresh look at the mountain experience. “I want to shine a light on the Sherpa people as they are the heart of the Valley. Many of the larger, commercial villages are already rich, so we want to take people into the deeper villages where the Sherpas come from. They eat a lot of vegan food, and we want to bring those food experiences as well as their culture, hospitality, and history.” He added that people are always interested in how to pack, work, and live on the mountain as a vegan. “They feel if this guy can be a vegan and climb a mountain, then I can do anything.”

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LITTLE SPROUTS Tips for a happy and healthy plant-based pregnancy

BY BETH WILLIAMS

P

eeking at your pregnancy test and seeing a positive result is an unforgettable moment. Then, if you’re anything like me, your thoughts started racing. What should I eat or drink now? What should I NOT eat or drink now? Is it safe to eat plant-based during pregnancy?

HEALTH day. I became hooked on plain cornflakes with icecold calcium-fortified oat milk. Crackers and plain hummus also helped. Try and find what works for you. Do what you can to navigate this tough patch and add in more foods as you start to feel better.

Don’t stress if you lose a little weight, the baby will be fine. However, speak to a health professional if you’re suffering from extreme and prolonged nausea and vomiting as it could a sign of a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum.

What not to eat or drink (this may surprise you!)

Being plant-based, I was sure to avoid most forbidden foods like undercooked meat, runny eggs or raw fish. Nevertheless, I encountered a few surprises along the way:

Kombucha I’ll start by addressing that last question. Yes, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics a well-planned vegan diet is “appropriate for all stages of the life cycle including pregnancy… [and] lactation.” Eating a balanced plantiful diet may even help you sidestep common pregnancy issues such as constipation (thank you fiber!) and excessive weight gain.

Many kombuchas are unpasteurized and may therefore present a risk of food poisoning. The fermentation process also creates trace amounts of alcohol, probably not enough to be an issue (about 0.5%), but now you know.

Sprouts The FDA says raw sprouts are unsafe for pregnant women due to a risk of bacterial contamination by Salmonella, Listeria or E.Coli through cracks in the shells.

There is a ton of information out there on how to plan your diet and make sure you get all the nutrition you need during this special time (see below for resources) so I won’t get into it here. Rather, I’ll focus on some of the unexpected things that came up as I was navigating pregnancy and offer information I wish I’d known.

Raw fruits, vegetables and juices Only consume these from trusted sources. All fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly washed and rinsed to avoid the risk of toxoplasma, a parasite that can endanger the baby. If you are preparing them, make sure to carefully wash your hands afterwards.

Plant-based remedies for morning sickness Morning sickness is awful. Everyone is different but I felt sick 24 hours a day for six weeks straight. The much-touted natural remedy is ginger, which you can slice and throw in some hot water, drink as tea or ingest in some other form. I’m including it here because it works for many women. Me? It just made me nauseous. The only thing that worked was bland food, consumed in micro-meals throughout the

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Herbal teas Just because something is natural doesn’t mean it can’t be harmful. It was hard finding straight answers from reliable sources on which herbal teas were safe during pregnancy so I avoided them unless they were specifically recommended by my

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HEALTH midwife or doula (e.g. Ginger tea in first trimester and raspberry leaf tea at end of pregnancy). I mostly drank rooibos tea, which is anti-oxidant-rich and naturally caffeine-free.

sashimi or drink raw eggs blended with vodka, I seriously encourage you to abstain. Pining over a cheeseburger with all the toppings? That might be easier to satisfy. Start by treating yourself to the closest vegan alternative, for example a Beyond Meat

Junk food Vegan doesn’t always equal healthy, so try to limit your intake of hyper-processed foods, especially high-fat, high-calorie, low-nutrition foods. Having said that, a little treat here and there never hurt anyone!

How to deal with well-intentioned questions from friends and family But isn’t meat important for pregnant women? Where are you getting your iron? Aren’t you worried about calcium deficiency? These are just a few of the questions you might encounter during your pregnancy. The best way to deal with them is to smile and be reassuring. Remember that these questions come from a place of caring and concern. Congratulations, you’re loved! Providing reliable information from authoritative sources can help put anxious minds at ease (see resources below). Let your loved ones know that you take your and the baby’s health very seriously and that you’ve done your research.

However, if their concern becomes overbearing, you are well within your right to end the conversation.

Just try and do it gently.

How to deal with non-vegan cravings Well, what are you craving? Is it a pregnancy no-no?

If you’re dying to tear into a platter of raw salmon

burger with melty vegan cheese, and see if that hits the spot. If it doesn’t, consider just going for what you’re actually craving. Yes, I just said that. As long as it isn’t dangerous for you or the baby, you may want to give yourself a break. Pregnancy is a time to be kind and forgiving, not aim for perfection.

Reach out and surround yourself Being supported during your pregnancy is crucial for your health and mental well-being. It goes without saying that you should be followed by competent medical professionals and be able to lean on your partner, but don’t stop there.

My doula and yoga teacher were essential throughout my pregnancy. I joined a Facebook group for Barcelona moms and dads that proved to be an invaluable source of information and support. On that same group I reached out to other pregnant women, started a prenatal yoga class and made friends along the way. Online groups can be a fantastic way to meet people locally. Start by searching for groups near you that are focused on pregnancy, family and plant-based lifestyles. This can help you find recommendations for vegan-friendly healthcare professionals near you too.

RESOURCES There is a wealth of information out there. Here are a few sources I found particularly useful: Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian diets (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/27886704/)

The Everything Vegan Pregnancy Book: All You Need to Know for a Healthy Pregnancy Lifestyle Healthy Pregnancy Lifestyle by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD`

U.S. Food & Drug Administration: People at Risk of Foodborn Illness (https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/ people-risk-foodborne-illness)

Expecting Better: Why the conventional pregnancy wisdom is wrong and what you really need to know by Emily Oster

Your Complete Vegan Pregnancy: Your All-in-One Guide to a Healthy, Holistic, Plant-Based Pregnancy by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin Nutritionfacts.org (https://nutritionfacts.org)

GO-TO PRODUCTS TO ELEVATE YOUR SUMMER FUN Enjoy the sunshine and discover these great products from White Elm, Leaf People & LOLI B Y B R A N DY E D WA R D S

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am definitely enjoying getting out of the house more often, especially as the weather changes and the sun stays out longer. Whether you are on the go and meeting more people in person these days, or you are simply enjoying being outdoors more, I have the perfect bag recommendation for you to carry everything you need to take with you on your adventures!

WHITE ELM is a female owned business that has what we all want, vegan leather bags!! The Founder, Laura Woellner, created her company by designing bags with features she desired that other bags and totes lacked. If you are in the market for a fringe crossbody bag, weekender tote bag or even a diaper bag backpack, White Elm has a unique bag to fit your personality that is also functional. My favorite is the Gemini Convertible Backpack, an oversized tote that is available in pink, black, taupe and almond.

This Gemini Convertible Backpack will hold everything you want to take with you when you leave the house or office, and you can change up how you carry the bag based on how you want to style it. For example, you can add the long adjustable strap to wear the

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STYLE & BEAUTY

bag as a backpack or crossbody, or you can put the handles of the bag over your shoulder or hold them in your hand. There are so many pockets, interior and exterior, that will help you stay organized while carrying everything you need, including a padded sleeve that fits a laptop up to 17.3” inches. Whether you are having a casual day or a glamorous day, this bag will give you a polished look regardless of your outfit. The metal detailing on the bottom of the bag helps keep the bottom clean, and the tassel keychain on the front zipper adds a fun touch. The bag also has gold tone hardware with gold water-resistant lining.

If you have been looking for a premium vegan leather bag, consider investing in the Gemini Convertible Backpack. Good luck on choosing just one color, they are all so beautiful!

This bag will give you a polished look regardless of your outfit.

Now, a few fun beauty products you can try from companies that are mindful of both people and the planet, all of which fit into the Gemini Convertible Backpack when you are on the go, are: Green Tea Sandalwood Balancing Face Cream and Sandalwood Chamomile Calming Mist by LEAF PEOPLE. Both products smell amazing and Leaf People has an entire collection dedicated to urban living and anti-pollution to combat city living.

The face cream tightens pores and detoxifies skin, and it has burdock root, green tea and reishi to balance and strengthen skin. The calming mist increases skin resilience for a clear complexion and has a blend of chamomile and aloe vera to balance skin and boost hydration. I like to apply the mist throughout the day when I want to feel refreshed, and Leaf People describes the mist as “...a weighted blanket for the skin and the mind...with

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Every product sold LOLI Beauty cleans up to 2 pounds of plastic from the universe!

a few therapeutic spritzes.” Leaf People has earth friendly manufacturing, is made in the USA, avoids using synthetically manufactured ingredients and integrates cutting edge botanical science with western medical herbalism to create unique skincare products.

Leaf People also donates 5% of its sales to charity!

Arnica Elderberry Jelly and Tea Seed Elixir by LOLI Beauty. The Arnica Elderberry Jelly is a zero waste, 8+ hour, “all day maskne + spot rescue”. This lightweight, hydrating potion dries to an invisible film, which you can use as a spot treatment or to protect skin from irritation and keep bacteria on your face under control, which people who are wearing masks can certainly appreciate. Interestly, you can apply the product to your face or to the inside of your mask!

The Tea Seed Elixir, a balancing beauty oil, is a multi-purpose product that can be applied to clean, damp skin or to dry hair. The Tea Seed Elixir smells incredible and is a mixture of sweet orange, pink grapefruit and nourishing oils from tea seed, flaxseed and apricot.

I like to apply the elixir to the ends of my hair, and to my face for a dewy glow on the days I do not wear makeup, or as a light moisturizer before makeup. The packaging of the LOLI Beauty products is really unique, as the packaging is plastic free and paper pulp free, and the labels, bags and boxes are compostable. Also, for every product sold LOLI Beauty cleans up to 2 pounds of plastic from the universe!

Change can feel so good, especially when you have control over it.

Consider changing up your bag this season and try some new beauty products while you are at it, all while supporting some amazing companies who decided to change the world by sharing their products.

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PICKS We love getting to try all of the latest and greatest vegan, cruelty-free items on the market! It’s often hard to narrow it down to our favorites with so many great sweets, eats, and every day products to choose from! Here are just a few we carefully selected that we’ve been especially impressed with and can’t wait to share with you!

Vevan Plant-Based Cheese Giving up dairy doesn’t have to mean giving up your favorite foods.

Vevan – a new line of plant-based, dairy free cheese – gives you a chance to rediscover what you’ve been missing.

Crafted by world-class cheesemakers, plant-based Vevan is all about the traditional cheese experience – minus the dairy, of course. Vevan’s cheesemakers have won hundreds of awards crafting traditional cheese, and they know what it takes to create perfection, whether the ingredients come from cows or from plants.

The result is a series of flavors and textures that are incredibly authentic.

And best of all, Vevan melts to perfection. It’s delicious for classics like pizza or grilled cheese, and Vevan’s great gooey melt makes it really easy to make a creamy cheese sauce. If you’re looking for a quick snack, Vevan tastes great on it’s own, too.

Vevan plant-based cheeses are available in familiar flavors like Ched, Mozza and P’Jack. You can find them in Shred (shredded) and Melts (sliced) formats, and earlier this year, Vevan introduced Snax – portable cheese, fruit and nut snack packs created specifically for dairy-free and plant-based eaters.

All Vevan products are vegan, allergen-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, lactose-free and non-GMO. You can find Vevan at Sprouts Farmers Market nationwide, in addition to well-known regional grocers like Central Market, Grocery Outlet, Ingles Markets and Stew Leonard’s. www.vevanfoods.com

Mindalt.

The mood-enhancing deodorant that is made for our current times.

This is not just another natural deodorant. This is aromatherapy at it’s best, making it easy for you to achieve YOUR best, day or night.

This innovative brand blends 22 specific essential oils that are scientifically proven to impact your brain’s nervous system and positively alter your mood, boosting your overall well-being. Yes, the smell is divine, but more importantly, each blend uses a high-volume mix of oils known to enhance moods naturally.

Set an intention when you wake with the offerings:

More Mindful Deodorant • Packed with mood-boosting essential oils proven to help you stay present and odor-free • With lemongrass, basil, and cedarwood to clear the mind and promote awareness Price: $15

Less Anxiety Deodorant • Combining essential oils and active naturals proven to reduce stress while stopping odor so you can get ahead of your day • With lavender, clary sage, and vetiver to promote a calm and balance mood Price: $15

More Energy Deodorant • Stops odor and combines mood-boosting essential oils proven to activate your natural energy when you need it most • With lemon, bergamot, and sage to promote positivity and

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stimulate metabolism

products

focused

specifically

on health and wellness with

Price: $15

their

new

HelloWellness™

More Focus Deodorant

line - a product line of blend-

• Full of mood-boosting essential oils to help focus your mind while stopping odor

strengthen their mind and body

• With cedarwood, eucalyptus, and geranium to increase concentration and alertness Price: $15

er-free smoothies to help people and take charge of their health in the new year.

The three products, “You’ve Got Guts,”-Coco Cinnamon Banana“It’s a No Brainer,”- Raspberry

Product sets are also available to cater to all your mood-boosting needs!

Blackberry, and “Spring in your

Self-care is more important today than it ever has been and the simple act of applying deodorant has turned into an invigorating ritual that lasts all day. Non-toxic naturally-occurring ingredients blend to create non-toxic mindsets while eliminating odor. Allnatural, aluminum-free, paraben-free, cruelty-free.

and energy respectively and will

Hello Wellness

smoothie! Try it for yourself and

Vega released a new line of

favorite smoothie!

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Step,”- Vanilla Cappuccino- to focus on gut health, brain health, be available exclusively at Whole Foods and MyVega.com, and Amazon.com.

Our favorite of the three is the “It’s a No Brainer” for that Raspberry

Blackberry

flavor

that compliments peanut butter in your smoothies for a pb&j you just might find your new

May/June 2021

DOSHI.SHOP

SOMEONE ONCE ASKED ME, 'HOW CAN YOU GET AS STRONG AS AN OX WITHOUT EATING ANY MEAT?' MY ANSWER WAS, 'HAVE YOU EVER SEEN AN OX EATING MEAT?' Patrik Baboumian German Strongman

FEATURE

VEGAN

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STRENGTH

BY COURTNEY GARZA

We all deal with stress in our own way. For me, overworking myself both in my business and fitness has been my way of “just getting through it”.

What often results from this, for me, is extreme weight loss.

Just like everyone else last year, my life was rocked with the many stresses that the coronavirus brought to my business and personal life. So my weight and overall health took a big hit.

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Despite the many “foodie posts” I often share, I was constantly working out, not eating or sleeping much at all.

By the time 2021 came around, I knew things needed to change. So I called up my good friend/a strong woman I have admired for years, La Femme Vegan aka Vegan Fitness Coach Jasmine, to help me get my fitness/overall wellness back in check.

Jasmine is a fitness coach who helps women look and feel their best, from wherever they are in their fitness journey, with customized workouts and plant-based nutrition mapping.

She created a fitness and nutrition program for me tailored to my needs and now VEGWORLD

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FEATURE I look at where we started to how it’s going and I couldn’t be more proud of my growth- both physically and mentally.

I started training with Jasmine in January 2021, weighing 92 pounds.

Fast forward to 90 days later, March 2021, and I was able to get to 107 pounds simply by following Jasmine’s fitness and nutrition plan.

I feel stronger than ever. My clothes fit me better. My nails aren’t breaking constantly. My hands aren’t shaking anymore. I can lift heavier. I’m eating more. I have more energy AND my fiancé can’t keep his hands off of me.

For someone who has struggled with eating/weight gain her whole life, this is HUGE and I certainly don’t plan to stop here and I have Jasmine to thank. She has helped not only me but countless women over her many years of coaching and training her own body to thrive in bodybuilding competitions, completely on a plantbased diet.

“I think any good coach, no matter what their craft, is really in the business of building confidence”, Jasmine shares. “I don’t strive to retain clients, but to support them so they can pass along their success. I am truly grateful for every opportunity this work brings me”.

Not only did I know that working with Jasmine would be beneficial for me because of her plant-based background, but also when I saw her state that she helps women build resilience overall in their lives. I can without a doubt attest to how much it’s truly enhanced my life in the time that I worked with her and beyond.

Follow her journey on her instagram @veganfitnesscoach.jasmine.

FE AT U RE

EXERCISE SNACKING The Best Time to Exercise is Any Time How bite-sized exercise breaks can help you stay active

BY WENDIE PETT

S

tudies show that only 22% of adults in the U.S. meet necessary physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes weekly (30 minutes, 5 days a week) of moderate to intense aerobic activity. For example, exercises such as biking, swimming, walking, and running along with at least 2 days weekly of muscle-building for all major muscle groups would be ideal.

This may sound like a lot, but it’s not as much as you might think. Especially, if you look at exercising throughout the day instead of a designating half hour or hour. Consider “exercise snacking,” which can be five-to-ten-minute cardio bursts inserted multiple times into your day. This can be incredibly beneficial for your heart health and it will allow you to accomplish a workout by inserting exercise within your busy schedule.

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FEATURE

Now, here’s another statistic: 82 million people over the age of six in the U.S. don’t exercise at all.

Can you believe that?

It’s a known fact that daily exercise and movement decreases the risk of disease and increases the quality and longevity of life.

Knowing the benefits of exercise, those numbers should be different.

So, why aren’t they?

The biggest excuses are busyness and lack of motivation. While that might be true, a deeper explanation is that the pain of not exercising isn’t greater than the pain (or pain threshold) that the non-exerciser has become

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The biggest excuses are busyness and lack of motivation. accustomed to experiencing.

Also, the average non-exerciser hasn’t found the right exercise and movement for them personally. It needs to be fun and engaging. Something that will excite them off the couch. Eventually, once the “fun exercise” is established, then the harder exercises move into their lifestyle due to the understanding and appreciation of knowing how it feels to feel good. There’s a greater sense of confidence and gratitude around exercise and the abundance of energy it provides.

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Movement gives energy.

Sedentary living offers lethargy.

Of course, exercise is only one part of the equation to best health. As people begin to exercise more, most people will insist that they need greater amounts of protein and that the protein needs to come from animal products.

People tell me, “You don’t understand, I NEED to eat meat. My body needs extra protein with all the workouts and training I do daily.” I cannot tell you how often I hear this as people

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FEATURE inquire about transitioning to a whole-food plant-based or vegan lifestyle. What most don’t realize is that 70% of people are getting more protein than they need daily. This excess protein can be hard on the kidneys and can be a culprit to early aging.

required to build muscle. Aminos

Or I hear, “Don’t worry, I don’t eat meat, just chicken.” Well, I have news, chicken is meat, it’s just not red meat. Chicken and beef remain a major culprit to the increase of inflammation in the body. The same is true with dairy in the form of milk, cheese, yogurts, ice cream and more.

How you fuel your body will

Athletic people that workout often and with more intensity do indeed require a bit more protein, but it doesn’t need to come from animals. Protein is found in vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

And contrary to popular belief, essential amino acids are available in abundance as well on a

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acids are vital for a healthy, functioning body and are known as the building blocks of life. A few great complete protein sources that are plant-based are quinoa, chia seeds, soy, and buckwheat.

make a distinct difference in the way in which it recovers from a workout.

The

phytochemicals

and phytonutrients found in the plenteous varieties of whole-food plant-based options feed the muscles the nutrients needed for a rapid recovery and to maintain and build great strength. You’ve probably heard it before but think of the animals in the wild that whole-food plant-based or vegan lifestyle. Your body is highly intuitive and will grab aminos from the different variety of plant-based foods consumed to create the essential aminos

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are herbivores and how massive and strong they are compared to omnivores. Picture the gorillas.

Think they get enough protein?

Then you, too, shall be nourished in a great way by eating plants.

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Photo courtesy of The T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies

Nutrition is a collection of countless nutrients in plant-based foods acting in harmony, as in Nature.

DR. T. COLIN CAMPBELL

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FEATURE

DR. T. COLIN CAMPBELL’S

PRESCRIPTIONS FOR NUTRITION CAN SAVE US ALL The Whole Foods Pioneer Talks About The Future of Nutrition

BY C AT H Y K AT I N- G R A Z Z I N I

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n his new book, written with Nelson Disla, The Future of Nutrition. An Insider’s Look at the Science, How We Keep Getting It Wrong and How To Start Getting It Right, Dr. Campbell challenges medical dogma regarding the roots of chronic illness and the practice of nutrition and offers solutions. He sat down for a few questions.

What sparked your initial interest in nutrition and disease?

It began in 1956 with my graduate studies at Cornell, doing research projects that promoted consumption of more protein from animal-based foods. It continued as a faculty member at Virginia Tech in the 1960s coordinating a project in the Philippines to improve the health of malnourished children by increasing consumption of protein. Evidence arose, however, from experimental animal studies and childhood

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FEATURE dietaries that animal-based protein might cause liver cancer.

And what happened then?

With three decades of funding from NIH for experimental research studies on rats and mice, my research group convincingly showed that animal protein promotes cancer. That research, extensively published, also challenged many profound but questionable diet and human health truisms, later supported by an unusually comprehensive survey of diet and disease mortality in rural China, jointly funded by the United States, China and England.

That’s what you wrote about in your famous The China Study, right? What did you find?

Multiple truisms of nutrition are fundamentally challenged. Cancer is a nutritional, not genetic, disease.

Individual nutrients primarily function by a symphony of mechanisms, not by independent, targeted mechanisms. In doing so, nutrition, not drugs or independent nutrients, promotes health and prevents, even treats, a broad variety of health and disease conditions.

So, to be healthy then, how should we all be eating?

Optimum human health can be achieved by two simple dietary goals.

Consume (1) whole foods with intact nutrient contents and (2) foods from the plant kingdom. Based on rigorous science and history, there is no requirement for animal-based protein. Plants have all the protein and other nutrients needed for optimum health.

If the world chose the right food, what effects would it have?

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Multiple truisms of nutrition are fundamentally challenged. Cancer is a nutritional, not genetic, disease.

Individual nutrients primarily function by a symphony of mechanisms, not by independent, targeted mechanisms.

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FEATURE Although too little is known, our preference for, and production of, food is the main problem facing the world today. Choosing the right food could forestall incomprehensible catastrophe. Limiting diets to plants (1) minimizes environmental degradation (deforestation, soil loss, global warming, oceanic degradation, air pollution), (2) substantially reduces health care costs and optimizes human health, (3) rebalances human civility within and between societies and (5) respects the welfare for all living beings. The concept of vegetarianism and veganism needs to embrace a far more inclusive goal. I elaborate the evidence for these concepts in much greater detail in my new book (with Nelson Disla), The Future of Nutrition.

An Insider’s Look at the Science, How We Keep Getting It Wrong and How To Start Getting It Right.

Why is nutrition so confusing and misunderstood?

Whether in research laboratories, in doctors’ offices, in grocery stores or in kitchens, we have wrongly assumed that nutrition is the biological activities of individual nutrients acting independently.

This is a pharmacological concept that invites and creates confusion and marketplace manipulation. Rather, nutrition is a collection of countless nutrients in plant-based foods acting in harmony, as in Nature.

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T. COLIN CAMPBELL, PHD T. Colin Campbell, PhD, is Jacob Gould Schurman Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University and the founder of the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies. He has been dedicated to the science of human health for more than 65 years. His primary focus is on the association between diet and disease, particularly cancer.

Dr. Campbell co-wrote The China Study: Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health, which has sold more than three million copies and translated into at least 48 languages worldwide. He is also the author of The New York Times bestseller Whole and The Low-Carb Fraud. Several documentary films feature Dr. Campbell and his research, including Forks Over Knives, Eating You Alive, Food Matters, and PlantPure Nation. He continues to share evidence-based information on health and nutrition whenever given the opportunity. He has delivered hundreds of lectures around the world and he is the founder of the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and the online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate (https://nutritionstudies. org/courses/plant-based-nutrition/) in partnership with the online course program of Cornell University.

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Be Unapologetically You

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On Finding Your Strength, Paving Your Own Path, and Planting Love B Y S H R I YA S WA M I N AT H A N

“Evolved from hardships and grew into love.”

This accurately describes the resilience of actors and activists Gianna Simone and Andrea Logan as they navigate through life’s challenges.

Gianna spent most of her impressionable childhood in the Boston foster care system. Taken out of her home by the Department of Social Services, she wound up at a girls’ home where she experienced fear, and hopelessness. From the tender age of 13, she was passed from family to family in Boston’s inner-city foster care system.

Gianna did not let these rough beginnings define her future. Owing to her unwavering grit, and steadfast faith, she has made a successful name for herself in Hollywood, while never failing to give back to those in need.

For Andrea, growing up in an unsupportive household, entering the spotlight in Hollywood, healing from a recent divorce, homeschooling 3 children during the COVID-19 pandemic, and juggling the responsibilities of being a working, single mother was not without its emotional toll. However, none of life’s curveballs could match up to her inner strength. Andrea remains undeterred when it comes to showing up for herself, her children, and staying true to her faith.

FEATURE

From Hollywood acquaintances to soul sisters, this power duo found healing in their friendship, connection to God, and an everlasting drive to serve. The product of this dedication is a whole-foods, plant-based cookbook “Plant Love” that seeks to bring quick, easy, and healthy meals to our tables. Gianna and Andrea believe that true healing begins with ourselves. Only then are we able to motivate others to recognize the joys of veganism and live in accordance with their purpose.

Epitomes of strength and grace, Gianna and Andrea’s interview with VEGWORLD is nothing short of awe inspiring.

VEGWORLD

Both your life stories are remarkable examples of never failing to pursue the light at the end of the tunnel. We’d love to know how veganism found its way into your lives.

Gianna: I went vegan 8 years ago- when I was 23. So, I’ve lived this lifestyle for quite some time.

I didn’t cannonball into the vegan pool by any means! Rather, it was a gradual learning journey. Like almost every other kid, I grew up on a standard American diet, loving chicken fingers and fries, and was blissfully unaware of where my food came from and how it landed on my plate. As I grew older and began my career in acting and modeling in LA, dealing with even the mildest of acne was a significant hassle.

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My issue with acne- though not severe, was consistent to the point that my dermatologist prescribed steroids and antibiotics. I was on antibiotics for a year and it did not help one bit; rather, it was causing more harm. My thick, long hair started to fall out and my gut flora was disrupted.

At the time, I was also experiencing disordered eating and body-image insecurities.

Our bodies are astonishingly beautiful and are able to alert us when something is not right.

Acknowledging the cues from my body, I empowered myself to take my health into my own hands.

I went down the documentary rabbit hole- the famous favorites like “What the Health” and “Forks

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FEATURE over Knives,” and was amazed by what I was learning. I gradually began to phase out animal products from my diet and along with all the saturated fats, cholesterol, and carcinogens, I bid adieu to my acne and developed a new, healthy relationship with food. The learning never ends and I’m working on centering more whole plant foods and less processed ingredients in my meals. Veganism has taught me to be in tune with what my mind and body need to thrive! I eat what I want, when I want, I love my workouts, and I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been- physically, mentally, and spiritually.

spun into bulimia when I entered Hollywood. I was so exhausted from being addicted to food the way I was. I didn’t want to be addicted to anything. Embracing veganism was an eye-opening process, and Gianna has been a wonderful inspiration throughout. Eventually, I went plantbased and have been fully vegan for a year. It’s truly liberating to have a positive relationship with something as beautiful and nourishing as food.

Andrea: I used food to cope with a dysfunctional family situation growing up. My mom left when I was a teenager, my parents were divorced, so I pretty much raised myself. At the time, I was living in a farm town outside of Chicago and was also an athlete. Fast food was more or less the norm for me. Thankfully, my grandparents grew fresh produce in their garden; I still remember the taste of the juicy, ripe tomatoes!

As a 12-year old girl, food was my drug- Cheetos, Pop-Tarts, it was a processed food galore. When my mom- whom I always thought was supposed to love me most, left, I felt unworthy of receiving love.

Gianna: I love that question as it’s something so near and dear to my heart! I feel that God intended for us to eat specific foods. In the Garden of Eden, we had fruits and vegetables; in Genesis, it’s mentioned that He intended for us to eat that food. When we eat the food grown from the Earth presented to us, we thrive, heal, and feel spiritually connected to God, our fellow humans, and animals. Personally, I felt more aligned and sensitive to my surroundings. I don’t know the science behind it or honestly if anybody does, but this has been my experience and it’s a humbling gift.

When we go through pain, we either tend to hurt others or ourselves, and in order to cope with my pain, I chose the latter with self-sabotage. I became overly controlling with food, which translated into anorexia. It was a scary time of self-hatred and food was my comfort. My behaviors

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Faith is clearly a grounding presence in your lives. What was it like to reconcile veganism with your spiritual practice?

Andrea: I believe that God created us to live on Earth with love

and not fear. That is exactly what the vegan philosophy reflects- to respect all life, show compassion, and walk in love. God did not intend for us to kill and fry animals for our food, which has unfortunately become the glutinous culture we are seeing on the rise. Sure a fast food burger can make one feel great for a few moments, but imagine the poor quality of life of folks dying from heart disease in their 40s! When we eat the way we are designed to, I feel that strengthens our spiritual connection with all life forms, our purpose, and God. We all experience hardships and heartbreaks. Given how beautifully you both have navigated your individual experiences, we’d love to know if veganism played a role in your healing.

Gianna: I view healing as a holistic experience, and food definitely played its part in process.

I grew up in the foster system and experienced abuse during my young years. That would be a traumatic experience for anyone and the pain doesn’t just go away. You learn to carry that trauma with you and cope with it in the healthiest way possible.

Eventually, you overcome that and can choose to channel that energy into gratitude and service. Of course there are days when I still struggle but I find

Our bodies are astonishingly beautiful and are able to alert us when something is not right.

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FEATURE strength in my faith in God, my incredible friendships, my companion animals, therapy, and of course nourishing my body, which incorporates veganism.

Andrea: Experiencing a divorce naturally brought immense pain, but I was determined to handle that heartache with love for myself and my children. Being a mother is the most challenging, yet rewarding experience of my life and I am motivated to be a better person for my kids. That requires taking care of myself, nourishing my mind, body, and spirit, which is exactly what veganism has empowered me to do. I believe that veganism is the ultimate form of self love, compassion, and empathy for ourselves and others.

The dedication to service is admirable! How did the idea of starting your own support and rescue organization- The Gianna Simone Foundation, enter the picture?

Gianna: I believe it’s an honor and privilege to be able to give back to society and create the change we want to see in the world. Ever since I entered this career, it was important to me that a set percentage of my income went to organizations bringing about this change. At the time, I was helping a friend’s foundation working on girl’s education in Rwanda. After having the opportunity to meet the young women in person, I felt a calling to do more for them.

Of course, I have a place in my heart for children in the foster system and mentor youth at a facility in LA. Animal issues are

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also of critical importance to me. I wanted to figure out how to unite the healing of abused and neglected children and animals alike. We’d bring the young girls to farm sanctuaries, where they’d form beautiful bonds with the animals, feast on a plantbased meal, and we’d all watch a vegan documentary together. It’s

I believe it’s an honor and privilege to be able to give back to society and create the change we want to see in the world. a collective healing experience for everyone involved- the children and the animals!

When two dedicated, inspiring women with a pure friendship like yours come together, the result is a delightful cookbook!

Tell us what motivated you to create the Plant Love cookbook?

Both: Our idea to create this book stemmed from a strong friendship that developed between us as we were separating from our significant others at the time. We wanted to channel the emotions

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into something productive and healing for ourselves while also serving the community. The intention was to help people plant love in themselves and in others, and since veganism is an ultimate form of love and compassion to all, what better way to spread that spirit than with delicious, nourishing food? We decided to focus on delivering simple, whole-food, plant-based recipes intended for anybody and everybody! It’s the diet humans are meant to thrive on and we’re sure that there is something in there for all to enjoy!

What are your favorite recipes from your cookbook that you’d recommend as an absolute must?

Andrea: I love the Cesar salad!

It’s exactly like the non-vegan version that we’re so familiar with. Another huge favorite of ours is the black bean brownies.

They are fudgy and decadent so one can enjoy the brownie experience without the sugar slag that often follows! Our super simple 3- ingredient oat cookies are also perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner and all occasions in between!

Gianna: Our goal is to make vegan cooking easy and time efficient. Most of our recipes are 10 ingredients or less, and require minimal effort. Andrea is a busy working mom, and I’m not a fan of spending several hours in the kitchen or seeking out specialty ingredients for my meals. Ultimately, we want healthy, delicious vegan cooking to be accessible to a host of different lifestyles!

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FEATURE Gianna, did your personal journey with health reflect on your commitment to educate the masses with your successful Amazon Prime show Love Gianna?

Gianna: For me, it was all about spreading truth and encouraging folks to educate themselves about their food choices. As a society we rely on our doctors to provide us the information for us to take care of our health. While I’m immensely grateful for the incredible work that doctors do, we fail to recognize that doctors receive barely any- if at all, nutritional education. We have been led to believe that we need animal products to survive and thrive but the science and data clearly begs to differ. I wanted to create content that was easy to grasp, engaging, and featuring knowledgeable experts in the field whom we can trust. The theme for Season 1 was “Educate” wherein I chat with leading medical professionals about the health benefits of a plant-powered plate. We are also renewed for Season 2, where we will feature prominent athletes of different ages and backgrounds with the intent to “Inspire.” Overall, I want the public to know that a plant-based diet does not solely serve one purpose. One can gain weight, lose weight, treat disease, get jacked, win marathons, and achieve whatever one’s health goals might be.

As vegans in the film industry, do you feel it’s important to use your platforms to advocate

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for animal rights and advocacy issues?

Andrea: Definitely! Gianna is doing a brilliant job with her show bringing this important information to mainstream platforms. Being a part of this town, we all have our sets of conditions. I think it’s important to stick to our conditions and stay true to our core values while on

There is plenty of love, compassion, and opportunities in the world for everyone! the job. Of course, I’ve been made fun of with the usual vegan jokes but it’s vital that we use these instances as an opportunity to lead by example and plant seeds.

We can’t lose sight of the fact that every individual is on their own journey, and we welcome anyone to reach out to us for support. I want to do everything I can with this platform that God has gifted me with to inspire people to live a life of love and compassion towards all animals- human and non-human.

It’s safe to say that you both are exemplary role models that the world could use more of! On that note, what advice would you

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give to youngsters experiencing hardships in their lives that you wish you received?

Andrea: Surround yourselves with people you look up to and if you can, seek a mentor who inspires you. Having a support system of individuals who share the same passions and visions as you is immensely valuable especially during the young, formative years. Having a solid group of friends who cheer you on and raise the bar for you without ever judging you is a beautiful thing.

Gianna and I are always honored to be a resource and guide youth to walk in love so please, feel free to reach out to us!

Gianna: I echo everything that Andrea said. My addition to that would be- there is so much worry and fear in the world. Just know that everything will be okay and everything will work out. There is plenty of love, compassion, and opportunities in the world for everyone!

You can follow Gianna and Andrea on Instagram@gsimone & @happilyeverandy.

To learn more about and support the Gianna Simone Foundation, go to https://giannasimone.com/ foundation/ Build your plant-powered knowledge and be inspired by Gianna’s guests on “Love Gianna” on Amazon Prime or YouTube!

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Food is really and truly the most effective medicine.

- Dr. Joel Fuhrman

Photo by Edgar Castrejon on Unsplash

RECIPES

Photo by Edgar Castrejon - unsplash

CHICKPEA AVOCADO SALAD

RECIPE

RECIPE B Y T E R R I E D WA R D S This Chickpea Avocado Salad is by far my favorite vegan sandwich of all time.

Something about the flavors of lime, avocado, and cilantro just thrill my taste buds. Serve as a sandwich spread or as a dip with cut-up veggies, crackers, or pita chips. It’s also perfect for picnics!

5-MINUTE VEGAN MAYONNAISE B Y T E R R I E D WA R D S

Photos by Terri Edwards

Prep time 10 minutes Servings 4

INGREDIENTS •

1.5 cups cooked chickpeas (1 can)

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1 ripe avocado

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1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

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2 Tablespoon green onion, chopped

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1 juice from one lime (2-3 Tbsp)

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salt and pepper to taste

This easy low-fat vegan mayonnaise recipe requires only 5-minutes, 5-ingredients, and a blender to make! It is completely egg-free and dairy-free and oil-free.

Prep Time 5 minutes Servings 32 Tbsp (1 pint)

INGREDIENTS •

1 package silken tofu

INSTRUCTIONS

•

1 Tablespoon sweetener (I use sucanat or less refined sugar)

1. In a medium bowl, using a fork or potato masher, smash the chickpeas

•

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice

2. Slice the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop out with a spoon.

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1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

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¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

3. Add avocado to the bowl and mash in with the chickpeas.

4. Chop up the cilantro, green onion. Add them plus the lime juice to the bowl with chickpeas and avocado mixture.

5. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

6. Spread chickpea avocado salad on bread and top with your favorite sandwich toppings. My homemade Vegan Mayonnaise goes perfectly with this.

7. I like to add fresh spinach leaves. Or you can stuff the spread into endive or other lettuce leaf and serve for a beautiful and delicious appetizer!

8. Note: This salad also makes a great dip. Serve with cut-up veggies, crackers, or pita chips.

Best eaten the day it is made because it will turn brown due to the avocado.

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Open the container and drain water. I do this by setting it on paper towels for about 10-15 minutes. I’ve used a couple of different sizes–one 12 oz (340 grams) and the other 15 oz (425 grams)–with success. The small size difference didn’t cause any issues with flavor or taste.

2. Place the tofu into a blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth and creamy.

This recipe will keep in the refrigerator for about 10 days. This makes approximately 1 pint of mayo.

Spring Salad

WITH CHARRED ASPARAGUS AND CREAMY HOMEMADE DRESSING

BY C AT H Y M C L E L L A N Spring has sprung with fresh asparagus starting to appear in the local markets. This salad is super simple, and you can customize it to meet your tastes and what local ingredients are available to you. Everything is raw, including the dressing, except for the charred asparagus. A meal by itself or a side for any occasion.

The dressing is oil free, dairy free and enjoys the natural sweetness of dates. The taste and texture? Luscious, smooth and decadent, a perfect dressing to enhance a beautiful salad.

Photo by Cathy McLellan

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RECIPE Serves 2-4 Prep Time 30 minutes Cooking time 5-10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

There are two parts to this dish, the salad and the dressing. Both include options, make it your own.

We will make the salad base, then the dressing and finally saute the asparagus to perfection. Before we get going, grab your favourite bowl or plate or plate for this beautiful salad and a nice container for your dressing.

Spring Salad with Charred Asparagus

Prepping the salad base

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1 large bowl of fresh mixed salad greens

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10 ruby red baby tomatoes, sliced or whole

1. Start with handfuls of the salad greens on the bottom of your chosen dish. Be generous.

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4 rings of red onion, diced

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4 tablespoons of fresh pomegranate seeds

2. Add in the diced red onion, rinsed raisins and baby tomatoes.

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2 teaspoons organic raisins (rinsed and drained) or 3 tablespoons fresh apple, diced

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7-9 whole asparagus stalks, ends removed

3. Finally, add the pomegranate seeds, spreading liberally throughout the salad.

4. Set aside your dish Prepare the dressing

Salad Options: Add in fresh fruit, seeds, nuts, other veggies, edible flowers available to you as desired

5. Gather all your ingredients for the dressing and place in the blender. Blend slow and then up to high speed to get a super creamy texture. A high speed blender is optional, regular will do.

Creamy Dressing

6. Add salt and pepper to taste, after the dressing is blended.

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¾ cup plain unflavoured yogurt (Options include subbing yogurt with soaked cashews or white beans)

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¼ cup combined - apple cider vinegar and fresh lemon juice

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¼ cup raw hulled sunflower seeds

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3 pitted and presoaked Medjool dates, drained

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1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

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½ teaspoon miso past

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1 clove garlic, peeled

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Salt and Pepper to taste (optional)

Dressing Options: Feel free to reduce and increase any of the ingredients. Fresh herbs such as tarragon, dill or squeeze on a bit more lemon.

TIPS: •

Choose organic ingredients whenever possible

•

Consider some of the options provided to personalize your dish

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Time to saute the asparagus 7. Wash asparagus and break off the bottom of each stalk (they can be woody) 8. Place a saute pan on the stove and heat it up to medium high.

9. Add in the asparagus. Turn the asparagus often.

10. Occasionally add a few drops of water to the pan before you get the asparagus too charred. You can add a lid a for a minute or so with the water to help cook the asparagus.

Do not overcook. Saute, add water, the lid, saute again to char.

11. Continue to turn and slowly char each side of the asparagus, cook to your desired texture. My preference is el dente (helps to maintain a bit of crunch and the bright green colour).

Putting it all together 12. When the asparagus is cooked to your liking and has a bit of char on each side, remove the stalks from the pan and place on top of the prepared salad. I like to stack mine for a bit of show.

13. Serve with dressing on the side.

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Spring Parathas Photo by Giordano Katin-Grazzini

BY C AT H Y K AT I N- G R A Z Z I N I North Indian savory flatbreads stuffed with flavorful lentils or veggies, parathas are widely enjoyed for breakfast, lunch and snacks. Stuffed here with baby greens but lentils, split peas and veggie fillings are also delicious.

To bump up their nutritional benefits these parathas are made with whole wheat chappati flour, with no oil or ghee. Serve with a vegan yogurt raita, a lively chutney or a fruit pickle for a fun meal.

Servings 3-4

INGREDIENTS Dough

Filling

•

•

4-5 cups of baby greens

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½ teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly roasted and ground

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¼ teaspoon ajwain (carom) seeds, lightly roasted and ground

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1-2 green chilis, chopped

2 cups atta (whole wheat chappati) flour

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1/3 cup soft or silken tofu

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½ teaspoon ground turmeric

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1 teaspoon shiro (white) miso paste

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2 Tablespoons cilantro, roughly cut

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1/8 teaspoon asafoetida (hing) resin, freshly ground

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½ cup unsweetened low-fat plant milk

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Season with miso powder and cayenne powder to your tastes

DIRECTIONS Make the Dough Combine dry ingredients in a food processor. Add tofu. Pulse to combine. Heat the plant milk in a microwave or on the stove top until very hot but before it boils. Add it little by little, pulsing until the dough forms and gathers together. Look for a pliant dough, moist but not wet.

Transfer to a bowl and knead the dough in the bowl for 10 minutes or until it is supple, soft and smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.

Make the Filling In a heated skillet dry roast the seeds for under a minute until they are fragrant. Remove from heat immediately. Cool and grind.

With the skillet over medium-low heat add the greens, chilis, asafoetida, ground spices.

Add a drop of water if needed to prevent sticking. Sauté only until the greens have wilted. Remove from heat, stir in the cilantro. Taste to correct seasonings, adding the miso powder and cayenne if you like heat.

With your hands roll the dough on a board into a log. Cut it into 12 pieces for appetizer-sized parathas or 6 pieces, for full-sized. Keeping the other pieces covered with a tea towel, flatten the first piece into a disc and round it with your hands into a cup. Spoon some filling into the cavity, then pull the dough over the opening from every side to close and seal it over the filling. Pat it into a patty about 3/4” thick, flour it lightly with atta, and set it aside, covered, as you prepare the rest.

Heat a non-stick pan on medium-low for 3 minutes.

With a dowel or rolling pin, gently roll out a patty in all directions to distribute the filling, taking care not to tear the dough. Brush off the surface flour and place on the skillet. Using a dampened cloth, blot the paratha and cover pan. Cook for a minute until dough begins to puff up and the bottom surface has formed golden blisters. Press down with a spatula to cook interior thoroughly. Flip, blot, repeat.

Transfer the paratha to a basket lined with a clean tea towel and cover to keep warm.

Cook the rest and move them to the basket, alternating their positions to allow their hot steam to tenderize and warm them all.

Serve immediately with your preferred accompaniments.

Kale Pesto

and Tomato Tartines

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May/June 2021

RECIPE

BY ROBIN ASBELL If chewing your way through big kale salads tires you out, try this easy kale pesto recipe. The processor makes quick work of all that green leafy goodness, and makes it into a creamy puree to spread in a sandwich.

Photos by Robin Asbell

Prep time 15 minutes Cooking time 20 minutes Serves 2

INGREDIENTS •

6 small Tuscan Kale leaves about 1 cup, packed

•

½ cup fresh basil leaves packed

•

2 cloves garlic peeled

•

5 Tablespoons pine nuts divided

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2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

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½ teaspoon salt

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2 large slices of whole-grain bread

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2 large heirloom tomatoes or several small ones

Red pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS Put a quart of water in a pot and salt it generously, use it to blanch the kale. Strip the stems and drop it in boiling water for a minute, drain, rinse with cold water, and squeeze out until dry.

Put the kale, basil, garlic, and 3 tablespoons pine nuts in the processor bowl and process. Scrape down and process until finely minced.

Gradually add olive oil, scraping, and pureeing until smooth. Add salt and process. Scrape out into a small bowl. If not serving right away, cover the surface with olive oil and cover tightly.

Toast the bread, spread with pesto, then top with tomatoes.

Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and remaining pine nuts.

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RECIPE

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May/June 2021

Heavenly Pineapple

Tofu Thai Fried Rice Recipe

BY UBAID AND SAFURA OSMANI This classic Thai pineapple fried rice with golden grains of rice jeweled with chunks of juicy pineapple, cashews, and raisins create a taste that will make your mouth water!

Make it as the main course or as a beautiful side dish to any meal. You can serve it in a carved-out pineapple like they do in Thailand, which is quite easy and fun.

Photos by Safura & Ubaid Osmani

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

•

4 cups cooked organic brown basmati rice

•

2 Tablespoon light soy sauce

1. Mix 1 tablespoon water with the cooked brown rice, using your fingers to separate any chunks into grains. Set the rice aside.

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2 teaspoon curry powder

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1 red onion finely chopped

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1 cup crumbled tofu

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4 cloves garlic finely chopped

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2 teaspoon dried crushed chili flakes

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1 cup frozen peas and carrots

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1 small fresh pineapple chunks

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¼ cup raisins

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¼ cup roasted whole cashews

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3 spring onions finely sliced

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½ cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves

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2. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons water in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add tofu, onion, garlic, and chili, stir-frying until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add the carrots and peas. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Now add the rice, pineapple chunks, raisins, and cashews and mix together.

5. Drizzle the soy sauce mixture over and gently stirfry to combine over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.

6. To serve, scoop rice onto a serving platter or in a carved-out pineapple. Garnish with spring onions and cilantro. Enjoy!

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