+Ronja Räubertochter thank you Ronja. I wish I had done it when I was younger, it's so enlightening, and I am thoroughly enjoying cooking healthy recipe's knowing no animals have been sacrificed !!!
Debbieanne Marsden yeah right?? I feel like food taste so much better knowing that no animal had to suffer for it, plus its a lot better for our bodies!
I'm so happy that I found your account. I've been vegan for about a month now and it's changed my life. I've lost around 10 pounds. When I told my family that I wanted to try it out they laughed at me and said I wasn't going to be able to keep up with it. When I told them that going vegan has made my life way better they wanted to try it out. So thank you so much for inspiring me:))
I started as a vegetarian and i was a vegetarian for 2 years because i didnt know how cruel the dairy and egg industry was. I went vegetarian over night but with veganism i had to slowly back off because i was overly addicted to cheese. ive been vegan for a month and i still eat honey but im slowly backing off that as well and soon wont eat it. ive honestly never felt better
+JoansStyleMusic I was pretty heavily addicted too, I remember just sitting down with a bag of shredded cheese and just eating it straight O_o. As for honey, once you give it up and then try it again you will wonder why you even liked it. I don't even like the taste anymore.
+JoansStyleMusic omg, so true! I remember buying a loaf of bread one time and then finding it had milk in it and I was like, who the hell puts milk in bread!?? it's bread!!
I've been vegetarian cold turkey for about 13 years and just went vegan cold turkey 3 weeks ago. I don't miss dairy so far and handling really well. I just need support learning about recipes and replacements. thank you for providing that support
+Sylvia Moya I got some tips for you as an ex-cheese lover! If you need a quick ASAP cheese replacement for a recipe, try hummus! Mac and cheese? Hummus works really well, seriously! Need a queso dip? Mix some nooch with pureed potatoes (plus some non-dairy milk) along with spices (e.g. chipotle peppers). Missing spanakopita? Try a cashew or almond feta: www.theveganversion.com/2013/12/baked-almond-feta-spanakopita.html There's also of course the vegan cheeses, like Daiya and Chao, but those will help you out too! I don't like cheese anymore (not even a big fan of vegan cheese, personally), but those will help you out considerably! And I can verify that the almond feta from the spanakopita is *fantastic*. Even from an omni's perspective (my dad's). You'll love it! For replacements for egg (like baking purposes), I recommend "flax eggs" made from ground flaxseed and water. For omlettes and such, go for scrambled tofu with turmeric and either "kala namak salt" or shaved brusselsprouts (gives a nice sulfuric kick too!). For cupcakes and such, you can also go for apple sauce or pureed bananas. Although both will have a relatively strong apple/banana flavour, depending on which you go for (the bananas moreso than applesauce). Hope it helps!
thank you so much for making this video. I'm transitioning and it has been so hard. I don't know any vegans in my life and my husband is very against it. which makes it even more difficult for me. and any time I bring up a post about what I believe in, I get attacked and shamed and called stupid. one person actually said that all people (like us) need to be shot. it is easy to get discouraged everyone around you is fighting you with no one in your corner. I'm so glad I found this channel.
+Cheyenne Wright Cheyenne, I am so sorry to hear that your journey has been so negative. I hope those around you see the greatness you are pursuing. Many get angry out of frustration that they themselves do not have the discipline or empathy to do such a selfless act. You are amazing and I am always here to support you guys! All my love and thoughts are with you during this time of hardship. I hope your husband starts to see how incredible you are for doing this. xo
+Edgy Veg Thank you! your channel has helped me so much already and I've only just found it. I love that you have passion but not preaching. which I feel when you are passionate about something, its easy to do. (speaking from experience) And you food looks sooo good. I'm a foodie and it has been difficult not to have any recipes that actually taste good.
+Cheyenne Wright Hi! I just wanted to say that I read your comment and I am so sorry that everyone around you isn't being supportive. I don't have much support either and I am also trying to transition to full vegan. I don't have any words of advice or anything, just wanted to say hi, and I feel the same, and I hope it gets better for both of us ❤️
OMG!!! This guy said the same thing to me! I was cutting his hair and at the end when I mentioned in passing I didn't eat meat or dairy he said "all you people should be shot, before you die of lack of nutrition." Like what assholes do that?! You're amazing stay strong.(:
My husband and I have Been vegan for about a month now and I'm pregnant so its been quite an adventure! I love your videos😊 You're an amazing person and glad to know I have another Vegan friend❤
My new favorite channel! I just recently decided to be vegan and it's a struggle right now. The first week I got rid of meat then I just stopped eating anything that came from animals.
First day as a new no- lable Vegan! I don't know if i'd ever do this without the youtube community with their (your) ideas, inspirations, recipes, reasons, facts...etc. I really am thankful for all of you brave souls who make these videos and risk so much to help other's in this community. So thank you! I'm so happy I found you. You've been my favorite inspiration
Thank you for this video! I have been vegan for about a year now. When I first decided to stop eating animal products, it was after watching Earthlings. I quit cold turkey with all foods containing animal products. It wasn't too difficult for me though, but I think everyone is different. After a couple months of being vegan I started to look at my beauty products to start replacing those, but literally everything I used was already vegan and cruelty free! There are so many vegan beauty product options nowadays! I supplement with a vegan multivitamin, omega-3 and b12. I love hearing about other people's transition to this lifestyle! Thanks again for sharing!
I'm vegetarian, planning on going vegan when I'm older. Before I went vegetarian I educated myself a whole lot and I felt disgusted when I ate any meat, so after 6 months being scared of telling anyone I didn't want to eat meat, I just did it overnight, and surprisingly it worked. My family was really not supportive in the beginning and it was hard, but now they have gotten used to it and is curious about my lifestyle and finally support it. This channel has really opened my eyes to what I still can eat, thanks for this community
So glad I found this channel! I've cut down my meat consumption pretty much completely and I'm considering turning vegan. Thus I've turned to youtube and tried finding inspiring vegans and the only thing I've found so far are people like Freelee and the likes, who yes share the view of saving animals and not contributing to the dairy and meat market, but they're judgemental, fatshaming and so many things that are completely against my views. So yes, so happy to find this fun, positive and non-judgemental channel!
I've watched this video about twice a month since it came out..... I've been trying to work up the courage to become vegan. You have made it a lot more accessible and easy for me to transition. You and Laura Miller (Raw. Vegan. Not Gross.) are my two biggest inspirations. Y'all are supportive and just soooooo much less negative towards non-vegans. I have started first with replacing my treats with vegan recipes and cutting out all meats but chicken. I'm slowly getting there and 2017 will be the year I go all the way. So thanks for being so awesome and inspiring.
Lonely vegan island is hard! I got so excited that one of my friends is doing a February veg challenge with her boyfriend. I told her that even if it was only for a month that I'm so overly creepily excited just to have somone to cook with! My husband and I only have each other 99% of the time. Keep up the positive vibes Candice!!
When I started cutting out animal products from my diet, I did it in a very similar way to what you recommend here, and I was incredibly successful. I only started with cutting out red meat first, then all meat. I worked on that for years, then I became a vegetarian for about 7 months, then I went vegan. It's weird, but I don't even feel like I made a big change. I'm still eating all the foods I'd like to eat, and I'm not really missing anything! So this method definitely works! 😊
Your channel is SO refreshing. This is such a practical video. I've been a vegetarian for six years now, and am going vegan the past couple of months. This was such a nice, non preachy approach on to how to transition into being vegan. I also love that you spoke about the resistance and "coming out." It's so so true. I related so hard because my boyfriend is a heavy meat eater, and my new mission is to just become really good at making vegan alternatives so that he's more open to it. It was a little daunting telling him, but I think he's coming around because he's seeing all the different foods I've been making. He knows now that I'm not just eating salad all day! Love your channel and can't wait to try your recipes!
No like seriously- you are one of my favorite vegan youtubers. You are so positive and honestly? You just do you, this is your lifestyle and no one else's. As a SoCal vegan, since I'm not in LA, it IS a little bit lonely and not a lot of vegan restaurants. But but but...in my head you're my one vegan friend and I love it.
Great video! I'm not vegan but my daughter is considering trying to go vegan (she has been veggie for about 6 months). I am always happy to cook stuff that she wants, even though it often means that I have to cook two slightly separate meals due to the rest of my family, including myself, eating meat. However, since she has decided to try vegan, it has opened up a whole new world to me, cooking wise, and I love it!
My new year's resolution was to try veganism, and since then I've learned a lot more about how important it is for the environment and animal welfare, as well as the health benefits. I'm currently having trouble cutting out the "hidden" animal products that you talked about in your vegan transition video, but I'm having a pretty easy time cutting out direct dairy, eggs and meat! I'm so happy I found your videos through the Hot for Food channel. This was so helpful and I'm excited to continue my journey!!
i have been vegan for almost 3 years now and I just came across your channel, i am really happy i got to discover you this late in the game because i have been feeling really disconnected from the vegan community lately. your channel is inspiring me to renew my pallete and get creative again!
People like you and a few others I've found on UA-cam have made becoming vegan so much more approachable. I can't even tell you how grateful I am for you to help people in such a nonjudgmental way. It really does make a difference so thank you. ❤️
Hey everyone, great video with really good points. Personally I never really enjoyed meat, so since September I have not been eating that any more. I also cook vegan at home, which is not hard for me since I love trying out new things. I am from the Netherlands but live in the South of Italy, where there are not a lot of vegan meat and cheese substitutes, but so far I haven't really missed those. When going out for dinner I try eating vegan as well, but I do not stress out if a dish has some eggs or cheese. As you say in your video: step by step and every effort is great. Good luck to everyone and enjoy the process!
Thank you for this! I have been reducing my and my family's animal product consumption and have been feeling guilty about not making it "cold turkey". This post helped remind me that every time I chose a vegan option, that I am saving lives and helping the environment. 2016 will be the year that I hope to go all the way! Thanks for your support and for your super fun videos! Keep up the good work. :-)
I love this video so much! I think it is so important to have this kind of positive reinforcement out there! I just recently went vegetarian last month and its insanely easy. This gives me hope and encouragement to keep pushing on to my vegan goal. I love when people educate instead of belittle.
I absolutely love the way you present this material. I have been transitioning to a meatless lifestyle and you just validated for me that I am moving in the right way. Some of your recipes are sending me to the store after this post!! Thank you for your channel and playlists, you are now at the top of my people to watch!!!
I really am interested in going vegan. I was vegetarian for a year. I failed when i started college, and I've noticed a big drop in energy/skin/general wellbeing. I'm so glad there such an active community! Thank you for being so positive and helpful!
Great advice! I went vegan gradually (I was a vegetarian for 8 months before making the official switch) and it made the process fun rather than overwhelming. I was eating almost entirely vegan for my last 4 months as a vegetarian and having that flexible period of eating allowed me to try out lots of vegan recipes without any pressure. My transition time was definitely longer than some people's but it worked for me and I'm so glad I didn't rush in and get discouraged.
Really helpful guide! A lot of people talk about gradually transitioning, but don't really offer a suggestion for what exactly that means but, whether or not you do it the exactly the same way, tried and tested guides are always helpful. It sounds backwards, but I actually think cutting out indirect dairy and animal product related clothing, cosmetics, etc is way easier than getting rid of direct dairy for me.
Thank you for this. I'm really trying. And being in a house full of people who don't want to understand is intense but I stand my ground. And I'm going to make them love my vegan brownies lol
Thank you, so happy I found your channel. I'm trying to go vegetarian first then eventually vegan. As of right now I eat Vegan 2 times a week and Vegetarian 3.. I am giving myself 2 days of "freebies" but being very aware of what I am eating and trying to keep it as animal free as possible. I find it helps me stay on track the other 5 days, and the more I do it, the less I want to eat meat. Your videos give me such great ideas and make me excited about cooking and trying new and delicious vegan foods.
Really enjoyed this: Sound and sensible advice for people wanting to go vegan, but also really emphatically delivered. You're pretty much an expert at this stuff, so it's great to hear you don't expect perfection, and that the transition is survivable! "Lead with the fork" Love it! Thanks for posting. : )
Thank you for this conversation. You have covered every aspect of my life for the past 6 months especially the negative reactions from my loved ones. This has really helped me on the emotional journey especially the importance of self education. You are now my second Vegan friend.
I have been thinking about going vegan for a while now and was just super overwhelmed with the process that I was slightly hesitant. I really appreciate this video because, like you said, you don't have to completely change everything over night, I can slowly work the vegan lifestyle in. I felt so much pressure to dramatically change everything that I was letting it hold me back from actually kick starting the process. Thank you for encouraging me to start the change in my diet. I can't wait to start this journey, even if it's not perfect I'm the beginning or it doesn't fit into other people's ideas of the vegan mold.
This is an AMAZING channel. I've been veg for 8 years but I've flirted with veganism for several years on and off, this makes so much more sense... Slow progress and education, it makes sense and it makes it seem more manageable. Thanks for such a great video.
So glad I found this video, I have been vegan for 6 weeks now and have struggled at points but have embraced it as well. My energy levels have been so much better. I have found eating out surprisingly easy and most places are very nice about it. My husband last night decided to join me and I was so happy I practically cried lol. So we went shopping today, lots of places and got really excited about what meals we were going to have in the next week. You and unnatural vegan are my favs and look forward to seeing more videos!
I started as a 6 month challenge, I was really a meat lover, and no one thought I was going to be able to do it! And to prove them wrong I did, and I have learned so much, with cooking, animals, nutrients. I still don't know if I want to go back. I've postponed this challenge for a year :)
So informative! I'm researching becoming vegan before I jump into it and my biggest concern was what am I gonna do with all my animal products, clothes all that and how can I afford to replace all that at once. But when you said do it one step at a time and replace one product at a time that made me feel not so overwhelmed. Very helpful, thank you!!
i am a huge meat eater! I was placed on a diet by a dietician which was so high in animal protein, infact it almost completely removed all veg and fruit. sure I've lost a ton of weight , I'm still obese and not feeling great about all of this "dead meat" I'm eating. I have been watching your videos for a few months now and really have been thinking of going vegetarian to begin with and ultimately progressing to be full on vegan. Today i decided to start a water fast. i really want to 'cleanse' myself of all the animal products i have been consuming and then start a vegetarian lifestyle. Your videos are extremely helpful. i watched some freeleethebananagirl videos and she is extremely rude! your videos are awesome and so inspiring! i think the transition is going to be tough but I've been watching your videos and put my shopping list together based on your vids! Thank you for inspiring me!
Amazing tips! I've been vegan for about a year and a half and love your channel for food inspiration! Another great tip you have to learn how to cook if you want to be successful. The good thing is anybody can learn how to cook just get in the kitchen and experiment :) You don't have to become a gourmet chef but basic cooking skills are a must. Plus like you mentioned the better the food tastes the easier it is to sway friends and family!
i know what really helped/helps me is having found replacement foods that i really love. i did this before going vegan, because i knew i wanted to be vegan long before i actually went vegan, i've only been vegan since the first of january. this way when i am craving cheese or yogurt or chocolate i grab those cheese replacement foods rather than real cheese which does the same thing for me.
For my boyfriend, the idea of not eating meat was such a scary concept. "How will I build muscle? How will I get my protein? I don't like tofu". Etc. then, this amazing thing happened. A ton of bodybuilders on UA-cam started switching to a vegan diet/lifestyle. He saw this, saw they they were still making gains and loving their food and being creative. Then we found local restaurants that had vegan and veg options and he slowly started realizing he could get full off of veggies!! (Another thing he thought impossible) we then watched films like forks over knives and everything fell into place. We approached it slow just like suggested and now we are happily living a vegan life. Love it!!!!!
Hello! I just subscribed. Great video, im on my way to 100% veganese and i constantly looking for new information and recipes. One thing that has helped me on this transition, is "pre-planning my meals" Making a list of weekly meal plans and shopping as well as food preping over the weekend to have easy access to meals. I also make a big batch of rice and beans which never fail. And i make sure to have plenty of frozen fruits for smoothies as well as oatmeal, fruits and easy veggies. Thanks for spreading the tips and sharing the knowledge!
This is an amazing video, especially the steps with slowly cutting out foods. I've tried again and again trying to be vegetarian, first time I was horrible and uneducated and tried to cut cold turkey, second time I actually moved to Toronto from the U.S. and had no idea where to go or what to do, I felt getting quality products were hard to find and much more expensive than where I lived in the U.S. plus it was hard being surrounded by meat (I live with my aunt who cooks amazing food and i ate so much of it). But I think this time around (Third times the charm as they say) with the help of this channel and others, pinterest and with what I've learned over the years, I think can slowly ease my way into a more plant-based lifestyle. So thank you for this video!
+Robin B. I love hearing this type of story. The fact that you keep trying show your determination, and will transform into willpower. I also live in Toronto, and we are slowly getting a lot of really great products! I do all my shopping in Kensington market. Essence of Life has the most amazing selection of vegan products and so does 4Life just one street over. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey, and please use the comment section to ask me any questions you have.
Also, I LOVE HOW YOU'RE CANADIAN!!!! I've watched so many vegans who live in Australia etc where they can find plenty of vegan restaurants around the corner, go to produce markets every week and hang out with tons of vegan friends... it made going vegan a little hard knowing I did not have as much as a support system as they did but now I do!!!!!! Subscribed :):):)
Thank you! I agree, when I first started watching vegans on youtube I felt they aren't relatable to me. I am so happy to have you! welcome to the Edgy Veg fam!!! xoxo
Thanks for the video ! Some great tips and they work. I am in the process of going vegan and yes, it helps to take steps. I have a teenage son who does not like the idea and this makes it makes it difficult and this is why I have to take steps. I buy in the same produce for him but with healthier, and some vegan options in there. It's vegan for the rest of the family. He always enjoys what I make so perhaps one day ;) I've also always been a foodie and this is why it has taken me longer to act, even though I've been drawn to have this lifestyle for a long time. When I was recently diagnosed with IBS and lactose intolerant, I was pushed to remove dairy completely, so this was easy. I then had to follow the low fodmap diet for 6 wks. Then I started to seeking out vege/vegan meal inspiration and people like yourselves. This has motivated me so much. I now have decided to train as a vegan chef and run my own business spreading the word on optimum health from a vegan diet. I hope to publish my own cookbook one day to help others too. Perhaps my own you tube channel too !Thank you again and much love x
Thank you so much for writing back to my comment. It was so thoughtful. And it made me feel special. l'm not giving up on going vegan! I know it won't be easy at first and I'll fall back but I'll keep going. Everyday a new opportunity to make good food choices. I love cooking and can't wait to try your recipes. I'm thankful for people like you.
This was a FANTASTIC video! I loved it so much!!! I wish someone had told me this when I began vegan but I figured it out somehow haha. My best tip to anyone newly vegan would be don't feel bad if you accidentally eat something you didn't know had animal products in it. I've been vegan for 6 months and just last week I ate refried beans that had animal fat in them and didn't even find out until a few days later. It happens sometimes and know that it is unintentional and doesn't mess up your journey!
Great video as always! I quit animal food products cold a couple months ago and no doubt, education was and is key. I basically watched a documentary and then just couldn't get the images out of my head; couldn't unsee what I saw. What really helped me was Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's 30 vegan challenge. Having those educational messages waiting for me in my inbox every morning was a great motivator.
You are so great, kind person. And my veganism is so much happier experience since I find your channel, because I started experimenting with flavours and meals. First time i did try to go vegan I failed - just because I wanted to reduce salt to minimum, eat mostly raw, very clean etc. & I was unhappy really. It reached boiling point when winter came (I live in Poland) so fruits and veggies become much more expensive and to be honest... when it's cold outside the smoothie (even very tasty one) is not so great & fullfilling. This time I tried the approach "I can it all the stuff I like... but vegan" and it works for me perfectly. Only 4 months vegan for now - but I feel great and I am very proud for myself! So thank you for your efforts! I really like You and your channel.
Thank you for making this video, having a rough time transitioning and finding fresh produce. I live in Cape Breton Nova Scotia I can't find many vegan products at the grocer store so I have been taking regular recipes that I love and make them vegan.
I've been vegan for a week now. I'm so happy I made this decision. All people find It hard to give up cheese and milk but that was the easiest thing for me since I hated dairy products since I was a kid. But fish for me is the hardest part. I just love fish I used to eat It like every single day. But I'm doing my best :). Good luck for all of you new vegans!!
I love how you are explaining everything without screaming at the camera :D I've been reducing the meat i ate over the past 3 months. I am satisfied at where I am now and ready to start cutting the dairy products I consume. I believe that if i want to make this change for good it has to be over a longer period of time rather than drastic. I am looking for advice on where to find recipes and how to supplement. I will be grateful for any suggestions.
Can I just say this was one of the most approachable ways veganism is presented like ever. a lot of vegans actually seem mean and scream at others. I love this kind approach. it makes so much sense. also going gradually is key. I jumped in head first and failed a lot of times. the way you outline going slowly for transition is important. thank you for this. also hello eh from one Canadian to another! I had no idea.
+Rhona G That is exactly what I was going for. I hate when vegans are mean and hateful to each other!!!!! One step in the right direction is better than nothing in my opinion!!!!! xoxoxoox
So so happy that I found you channel!!! This video is just what I needed. I began going vegan the beginning of this year seriously I tried the end of last year but really been focusing more on it now. In this video is exactly what I needed today I was starving for dinner and didn't know what to do because I was sick of salad and pasta and I just couldn't find anything to eat and I ate cheese and I just felt so guilty. So far it's been pretty good I've cut out everything it's just the cheese that is been my problem.
i can't remember if you mentioned it in another video but could you do a video on your personal vegan story? what happened that inspired you to go vegan and your journey? (ie learning what to eat/do, family members, etc)
Thank you so much for being real about the whole progress of becoming vegan. I am a vegetarian for a year now and little by little I am eliminating dairyproducts and eggs out of my diet. Actually I do not drink anything that contains milk anymore, but I know there are still a lot of products that contain dairy and eggs. In Holland it is a little bit harder to find replacements, which frustrates me actually. If anyone has some suggestions on websites that provide the basics for beginners, please share. Thanks for being positive instead of judgemental! :-)
Thank you!!! I've been struggling and feeling very guilty about straying away after being vegan for 4 years. Even as someone who is fairly educated about vegan issues, this really was a great refresh! :)
Immediately subscribed after this video! I've been trying to slowly transition to veganism, and have been having trouble with inspiration. I checked youtube out but one of the first people I found was Freelee. I hate how her community attacks other youtuber's comment sections, it's really discouraging. Your channel on the other hand is awesome! Thank you for the encouragement and inspiration, I was really looking for it : )
I loved this so much! I ended up going cold turkey vegan. It wasn't hard since i know how to cook and i love watching vegan cooking channels. You're great and so sweet. Keep up the awesome work!
So glad I found your channel. I've been binge-watching all your videos over the past week and just...LOVE. I'm transitioning to vegan and your videos have been so helpful, non-judgemental, and not crazy-possesed-entitled-vegan-douchebagish. Thanks, girlfriend!
I love love love love this video!!! I am vegan now for 9 months after 2 months of being a vegetarian. and I wish I saw this video 9 months ago. I kinda went cold turkey on everything. the only thing I struggle(d) with are my clothes and shoes. I have a huge collection of sneakers and 3 pair of leather boots. and it makes me feel so guilty when I wear them but I can't throw or sell them because they costed me a lot of money. and a lot of vegans on UA-cam are so negative and judgemental that they make me feel like a fake vegan. eventhough all my new purchasing is all vegan clothes and shoes. so watching this video I realised again why you and raw Kristina are my favorite vegans. you 2 educate you don't judge and that is what veganism is about. I love you Candice!! and a huge fan of your recipes!!!!
Excellent tips Edgy Veg, really appreciate the advice. Its good to see that I'm on the right path to becoming a full-fledged vegan. So much of becoming is just educating yourself. So I'm getting healthier and smarter. Think I'll just direct inquiring friends to your videos. Thanks again and keep it going!
Thanks for this video!! Really appreciate the helpful tips. I've been experimenting with a vegan lifestyle for a couple months now, and love how I've been feeling. Now I need to get up to speed on the social issues. Thanks again!!
Great video. I loved it. I am starting my transition now so this was right up my alley. I would love to see more videos like this for vegan beginners. I feel like I can learn so much!!!
I really loved this video! I love the fork first and caring approach you take to omnivores in your life. I think its both the nicest and most effective way to get people to empathize.
Thank you for this video! I decided to become vegan 10 days ago and I was already feeling overwhelmed. I agree with you on the vegan police! They make it seem like becoming vegan means you have to be mean and superior to everyone. I am so glad I found your channel. I appreciate your positivity and your kindness really shines through your videos. This is the kind of vegan I want to be. Choose kindness.
thank u. I really appreciate your attitude regarding doing it whatever way works best for the individual. everyone is different. I have had a hard time in the past with vegan shaming and being told the right and wrong way to be vegan. ultimately it is about compassion for other beings, so it would be nice if some other vegetarians and vegans remembered to have compassion for each other :)
+terry rosemore I agree 100% I get shamed on a regular basis for not preaching and not being militant enough on my channel. I think we need to talk about this topic and lifestyle openly with compassion and support. :) Thank you so much for watching. xo
I love your channel, it helps so much. I haven't gone completely vegan just have mostly just started by replacing my sweets with vegan ones since I mostly bake things a lot and so that's the hardest for me. My goal is to at least be pollo-vegetarian by the end of this year. I'm pretty bad at trying to do something quickly so for me, this will take a while. Luckily, your videos help a lot
Thank you for this video! It's nice to hear--"just do you" I've only been vegan for 2 months & some days it IS a struggle. Especially when I haven't prepped any quick grab foods : like bean burgers & when I can happily eat the same food for 5 days in a row & your hubs wants a different meal at least 4 out of 7 days a weeks. Thanks again.. Keep the videos coming!!
Your point about spending time with animals is a GREAT addition to the other pieces of advice you gave. City people do need to gain an understanding by experiencing relationships with what we are aiming to save. That would certainly help. I like what you say and the way you share it :) Subbed!
How did it take me so long to find your channel? I have been watching your cooking videos most of today! I'm almost afraid to ask, but have you stopped doing videos?? I enjoy them so much. Most of what I see is so very processed vegan dishes, I really appreciate your plant based dishes. ( the carrot replacement for hot dogs was amazing!!) 😉. Thank you for your time and expertise!! You are helping so many people be successful as vegans, therefore helping even more animals!
Starting my vegan journey today, after watching a few documentaries and educating myself on everything I can about essential nutrition. I've been wanting to do this for a while although I was too scared to as I come from a traditional family (meat everyday), I've met ridiculous responses such as "YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT MEAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO EAT MEAT" "IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE" "YOU'RE A WANNABE STINKY HIPPY DIPPY PSYCOMANIAC" so I've decided to stop caring about what they think and start doing what I can for my planet, other beings and myself. I love my fruits, veggies and grains so it'd be stupid for me to not do this in my eyes. I'm going to take baby steps. Tomorrow is my last day consuming meat/egg products, after that dairy etc... I mean, how horrid does it sound that were eating a living beings decaying flesh, a living beings ovum, a living beings milk that they use to feed their young, a living beings skin. imagine if this was the inverse and it was the cows/chickens eating and wearing us?? I cannot even look at meat anymore without thinking what the process the living being had to undertake to become just that "piece of steak" or "chicken wing". We have a whole plethora of fruits, veggies, grains, pulses, nuts and seeds we could otherwise be consuming and furfilling our dietary needs with. Utter madness. Time to get vegucated :)!
Hey good luck to you! I have been a vegan now for 3 months (vegetarian for 1.5 years before) and I absolutely love it. If you need any motivation (I come from a traditional african household so I understand your pain) or resources feel free to contact me or ask people in this comment thread. I would also suggest that you look into the r/vegan subreddit. There is a lot of information and support there as well.
Thank you so much for this video because I was so overwhelmed with trying to buy vegan type foods, beauty products , and clothing !! I've been on my vegan journey for 3 months and I'm still trying to find my way through the vegan lifestyle . I really needed this video thank you !! thank you!!!😊😊
this video is soooooo important and actualy educated me so much. im one of those how is gonna start a vegan chalange in about a week and im so happy that i saw your channel. i wanna go vegan in a healthy way and the tips that you gave, like i said , really important for me , because of the change im going to do in my life. so thank you!
I just have to say that a love your way of cooking and the way of talk about it the vegan lifestyles. Have been vegan for 8 years now and that one of the best decisions I have make. Thanks for you been you and sharing you wisdom :)
I love you lol you make it fun and healthy .. I failed going vegan 2 years ago .. and we'll here I am again I'm happy I found your channel .. tell me you'll always be around .. and you'll never leave me 😂😂😂 you have the best advice and recipes
This was so extremely helpful. I've been toying with the idea of trying to go vegan but I wasn't sure how to go about it at first and this has given me at least a few ideas
Thank YOU so much!!!! I Love your energy!! I became vegan this week, didn't want to do transition, prefer cold turkey and it's nice to see people out there helping others!! 💞💞🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕😍😍😍🐢🐢🐢
THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS! I do feel alone sometimes and misunderstood but you just brightened up my day and reasserted my convictions. Now I'm going to go bake my vegan bacon that I made from the recipe that you shared!!
so glad i have found this channel. so became veggie only a month ago. couldnt see the issue with eating eggs or milk. then i saw the baby chicken grinder video.. well... just the thumb nail.. i worked out what was going to happen... and the what happens to male baby cows on a dairy farm..... now im looking to go vegan. so plan of action for me is to drop the direct daryr tomorrow.... taking it one step at a time. thanks :o)
I am not a vegan yet but my transition looks something like this: first i stopped eating meat (that was about 4 years ago) then i did a 4 week vegan challenge last year around easter which worked quite well, then because my parents were pretty concerned, i started eating vegan during the week, whilst on the weekends i am "just" a vegetarian. I still cant resist the temptation to eat something non-vegan sometimes however i NEVER eat meat. I am slowly introducing my parents to vegan options like using coconut cream instead of normal cream and I only buy cruelty free make up all the time even though some things might not be vegan because of the ingredients.
been vegan for 4 months at 56.
I made the connection through social media!
+Debbieanne Marsden Thats really awesome! keep it up!
+Ronja Räubertochter thank you Ronja. I wish I had done it when I was younger, it's so enlightening, and I am thoroughly enjoying cooking healthy recipe's knowing no animals have been sacrificed !!!
Debbieanne Marsden
yeah right?? I feel like food taste so much better knowing that no animal had to suffer for it, plus its a lot better for our bodies!
woohoo1 :)
Are you still vegan?
I'm so happy that I found your account. I've been vegan for about a month now and it's changed my life. I've lost around 10 pounds. When I told my family that I wanted to try it out they laughed at me and said I wasn't going to be able to keep up with it. When I told them that going vegan has made my life way better they wanted to try it out. So thank you so much for inspiring me:))
I started as a vegetarian and i was a vegetarian for 2 years because i didnt know how cruel the dairy and egg industry was. I went vegetarian over night but with veganism i had to slowly back off because i was overly addicted to cheese. ive been vegan for a month and i still eat honey but im slowly backing off that as well and soon wont eat it. ive honestly never felt better
+JoansStyleMusic Good on you!! Try rice malt syrup tho it tastes really similar to honey and isn't so bad as honey is for your body!!
Christy Lovasz i hardly ever have honey but u know people sneak non vegan things into everything for no damn reason. lol
JoansStyleMusic yah true you just gotta check the ingredients!!
+JoansStyleMusic I was pretty heavily addicted too, I remember just sitting down with a bag of shredded cheese and just eating it straight O_o. As for honey, once you give it up and then try it again you will wonder why you even liked it. I don't even like the taste anymore.
+JoansStyleMusic omg, so true! I remember buying a loaf of bread one time and then finding it had milk in it and I was like, who the hell puts milk in bread!?? it's bread!!
I've been vegetarian cold turkey for about 13 years and just went vegan cold turkey 3 weeks ago. I don't miss dairy so far and handling really well. I just need support learning about recipes and replacements. thank you for providing that support
+Sylvia Moya I got some tips for you as an ex-cheese lover! If you need a quick ASAP cheese replacement for a recipe, try hummus! Mac and cheese? Hummus works really well, seriously! Need a queso dip? Mix some nooch with pureed potatoes (plus some non-dairy milk) along with spices (e.g. chipotle peppers). Missing spanakopita? Try a cashew or almond feta: www.theveganversion.com/2013/12/baked-almond-feta-spanakopita.html
There's also of course the vegan cheeses, like Daiya and Chao, but those will help you out too! I don't like cheese anymore (not even a big fan of vegan cheese, personally), but those will help you out considerably! And I can verify that the almond feta from the spanakopita is *fantastic*. Even from an omni's perspective (my dad's). You'll love it!
For replacements for egg (like baking purposes), I recommend "flax eggs" made from ground flaxseed and water. For omlettes and such, go for scrambled tofu with turmeric and either "kala namak salt" or shaved brusselsprouts (gives a nice sulfuric kick too!). For cupcakes and such, you can also go for apple sauce or pureed bananas. Although both will have a relatively strong apple/banana flavour, depending on which you go for (the bananas moreso than applesauce).
Hope it helps!
+John B awwww. thank you so much for taking time to give me suggestions. I REALLY appreciate it
awesome i went cold turkey vegan 4 months ago!
Wow, thank you so much! I'm having a very hard time with cheese, and many stuff I tried don't work. Never heard of your hacks before, will try them :)
thank you so much for making this video. I'm transitioning and it has been so hard. I don't know any vegans in my life and my husband is very against it. which makes it even more difficult for me. and any time I bring up a post about what I believe in, I get attacked and shamed and called stupid. one person actually said that all people (like us) need to be shot. it is easy to get discouraged everyone around you is fighting you with no one in your corner. I'm so glad I found this channel.
+Cheyenne Wright Cheyenne, I am so sorry to hear that your journey has been so negative. I hope those around you see the greatness you are pursuing. Many get angry out of frustration that they themselves do not have the discipline or empathy to do such a selfless act. You are amazing and I am always here to support you guys! All my love and thoughts are with you during this time of hardship. I hope your husband starts to see how incredible you are for doing this. xo
+Edgy Veg Thank you! your channel has helped me so much already and I've only just found it. I love that you have passion but not preaching. which I feel when you are passionate about something, its easy to do. (speaking from experience) And you food looks sooo good. I'm a foodie and it has been difficult not to have any recipes that actually taste good.
+Cheyenne Wright Hi! I just wanted to say that I read your comment and I am so sorry that everyone around you isn't being supportive. I don't have much support either and I am also trying to transition to full vegan. I don't have any words of advice or anything, just wanted to say hi, and I feel the same, and I hope it gets better for both of us ❤️
+Cady Elizabeth thank you. it has been difficult and I hope it gets better for Both of us. :)
OMG!!! This guy said the same thing to me! I was cutting his hair and at the end when I mentioned in passing I didn't eat meat or dairy he said "all you people should be shot, before you die of lack of nutrition." Like what assholes do that?! You're amazing stay strong.(:
My husband and I have Been vegan for about a month now and I'm pregnant so its been quite an adventure! I love your videos😊 You're an amazing person and glad to know I have another Vegan friend❤
My new favorite channel! I just recently decided to be vegan and it's a struggle right now. The first week I got rid of meat then I just stopped eating anything that came from animals.
Thanks so much for watching! Congrats on your journey!
First day as a new no- lable Vegan! I don't know if i'd ever do this without the youtube community with their (your) ideas, inspirations, recipes, reasons, facts...etc. I really am thankful for all of you brave souls who make these videos and risk so much to help other's in this community. So thank you! I'm so happy I found you. You've been my favorite inspiration
Thank you for this video! I have been vegan for about a year now. When I first decided to stop eating animal products, it was after watching Earthlings. I quit cold turkey with all foods containing animal products. It wasn't too difficult for me though, but I think everyone is different. After a couple months of being vegan I started to look at my beauty products to start replacing those, but literally everything I used was already vegan and cruelty free! There are so many vegan beauty product options nowadays! I supplement with a vegan multivitamin, omega-3 and b12. I love hearing about other people's transition to this lifestyle! Thanks again for sharing!
I'm vegetarian, planning on going vegan when I'm older. Before I went vegetarian I educated myself a whole lot and I felt disgusted when I ate any meat, so after 6 months being scared of telling anyone I didn't want to eat meat, I just did it overnight, and surprisingly it worked. My family was really not supportive in the beginning and it was hard, but now they have gotten used to it and is curious about my lifestyle and finally support it. This channel has really opened my eyes to what I still can eat, thanks for this community
So glad I found this channel! I've cut down my meat consumption pretty much completely and I'm considering turning vegan. Thus I've turned to youtube and tried finding inspiring vegans and the only thing I've found so far are people like Freelee and the likes, who yes share the view of saving animals and not contributing to the dairy and meat market, but they're judgemental, fatshaming and so many things that are completely against my views. So yes, so happy to find this fun, positive and non-judgemental channel!
I've watched this video about twice a month since it came out..... I've been trying to work up the courage to become vegan. You have made it a lot more accessible and easy for me to transition. You and Laura Miller (Raw. Vegan. Not Gross.) are my two biggest inspirations. Y'all are supportive and just soooooo much less negative towards non-vegans. I have started first with replacing my treats with vegan recipes and cutting out all meats but chicken. I'm slowly getting there and 2017 will be the year I go all the way. So thanks for being so awesome and inspiring.
Love the positivity
Seriously!
Lonely vegan island is hard! I got so excited that one of my friends is doing a February veg challenge with her boyfriend. I told her that even if it was only for a month that I'm so overly creepily excited just to have somone to cook with! My husband and I only have each other 99% of the time. Keep up the positive vibes Candice!!
+Ruby Wiszowaty Thanks so much for watching! I'm really excited for your friend too!
When I started cutting out animal products from my diet, I did it in a very similar way to what you recommend here, and I was incredibly successful. I only started with cutting out red meat first, then all meat. I worked on that for years, then I became a vegetarian for about 7 months, then I went vegan. It's weird, but I don't even feel like I made a big change. I'm still eating all the foods I'd like to eat, and I'm not really missing anything! So this method definitely works! 😊
Your channel is SO refreshing. This is such a practical video. I've been a vegetarian for six years now, and am going vegan the past couple of months. This was such a nice, non preachy approach on to how to transition into being vegan. I also love that you spoke about the resistance and "coming out." It's so so true. I related so hard because my boyfriend is a heavy meat eater, and my new mission is to just become really good at making vegan alternatives so that he's more open to it. It was a little daunting telling him, but I think he's coming around because he's seeing all the different foods I've been making. He knows now that I'm not just eating salad all day! Love your channel and can't wait to try your recipes!
No like seriously- you are one of my favorite vegan youtubers. You are so positive and honestly? You just do you, this is your lifestyle and no one else's. As a SoCal vegan, since I'm not in LA, it IS a little bit lonely and not a lot of vegan restaurants. But but but...in my head you're my one vegan friend and I love it.
Great video! I'm not vegan but my daughter is considering trying to go vegan (she has been veggie for about 6 months). I am always happy to cook stuff that she wants, even though it often means that I have to cook two slightly separate meals due to the rest of my family, including myself, eating meat. However, since she has decided to try vegan, it has opened up a whole new world to me, cooking wise, and I love it!
My new year's resolution was to try veganism, and since then I've learned a lot more about how important it is for the environment and animal welfare, as well as the health benefits. I'm currently having trouble cutting out the "hidden" animal products that you talked about in your vegan transition video, but I'm having a pretty easy time cutting out direct dairy, eggs and meat! I'm so happy I found your videos through the Hot for Food channel. This was so helpful and I'm excited to continue my journey!!
+Taylor Nienhuis I am so happy I could help!!!! I still spend a lot of my time reading ingredients lists looking for hidden dairy.
+Taylor Nienhuis Try making copycat recipes of foods your addicted to :)
i have been vegan for almost 3 years now and I just came across your channel, i am really happy i got to discover you this late in the game because i have been feeling really disconnected from the vegan community lately. your channel is inspiring me to renew my pallete and get creative again!
People like you and a few others I've found on UA-cam have made becoming vegan so much more approachable. I can't even tell you how grateful I am for you to help people in such a nonjudgmental way. It really does make a difference so thank you. ❤️
Hey everyone, great video with really good points. Personally I never really enjoyed meat, so since September I have not been eating that any more. I also cook vegan at home, which is not hard for me since I love trying out new things. I am from the Netherlands but live in the South of Italy, where there are not a lot of vegan meat and cheese substitutes, but so far I haven't really missed those. When going out for dinner I try eating vegan as well, but I do not stress out if a dish has some eggs or cheese. As you say in your video: step by step and every effort is great. Good luck to everyone and enjoy the process!
You are amazing! I LOVED this video and your steps are so doable. Thank you for being you... Supportive, fun, creative you!
Thank you for this! I have been reducing my and my family's animal product consumption and have been feeling guilty about not making it "cold turkey". This post helped remind me that every time I chose a vegan option, that I am saving lives and helping the environment. 2016 will be the year that I hope to go all the way! Thanks for your support and for your super fun videos! Keep up the good work. :-)
I love this video so much! I think it is so important to have this kind of positive reinforcement out there! I just recently went vegetarian last month and its insanely easy. This gives me hope and encouragement to keep pushing on to my vegan goal. I love when people educate instead of belittle.
I absolutely love the way you present this material. I have been transitioning to a meatless lifestyle and you just validated for me that I am moving in the right way. Some of your recipes are sending me to the store after this post!! Thank you for your channel and playlists, you are now at the top of my people to watch!!!
I really am interested in going vegan. I was vegetarian for a year. I failed when i started college, and I've noticed a big drop in energy/skin/general wellbeing. I'm so glad there such an active community! Thank you for being so positive and helpful!
Great advice! I went vegan gradually (I was a vegetarian for 8 months before making the official switch) and it made the process fun rather than overwhelming. I was eating almost entirely vegan for my last 4 months as a vegetarian and having that flexible period of eating allowed me to try out lots of vegan recipes without any pressure. My transition time was definitely longer than some people's but it worked for me and I'm so glad I didn't rush in and get discouraged.
+Megan Kazakoff That's an amazing story! Doing it at your own pace really is the key! Thanks so much for sharing your journey with us!
Really helpful guide! A lot of people talk about gradually transitioning, but don't really offer a suggestion for what exactly that means but, whether or not you do it the exactly the same way, tried and tested guides are always helpful. It sounds backwards, but I actually think cutting out indirect dairy and animal product related clothing, cosmetics, etc is way easier than getting rid of direct dairy for me.
Thank you for this. I'm really trying. And being in a house full of people who don't want to understand is intense but I stand my ground. And I'm going to make them love my vegan brownies lol
You go girl! xo
***** Edgy Veg thanks a bunch guys. lead by example.
Dominique Espinosa u
Thank you, so happy I found your channel. I'm trying to go vegetarian first then eventually vegan. As of right now I eat Vegan 2 times a week and Vegetarian 3.. I am giving myself 2 days of "freebies" but being very aware of what I am eating and trying to keep it as animal free as possible. I find it helps me stay on track the other 5 days, and the more I do it, the less I want to eat meat. Your videos give me such great ideas and make me excited about cooking and trying new and delicious vegan foods.
Really enjoyed this: Sound and sensible advice for people wanting to go vegan, but also really emphatically delivered. You're pretty much an expert at this stuff, so it's great to hear you don't expect perfection, and that the transition is survivable! "Lead with the fork" Love it! Thanks for posting. : )
Thank you for this conversation. You have covered every aspect of my life for the past 6 months especially the negative reactions from my loved ones. This has really helped me on the emotional journey especially the importance of self education. You are now my second Vegan friend.
Thank you for the great tips
I have been thinking about going vegan for a while now and was just super overwhelmed with the process that I was slightly hesitant. I really appreciate this video because, like you said, you don't have to completely change everything over night, I can slowly work the vegan lifestyle in. I felt so much pressure to dramatically change everything that I was letting it hold me back from actually kick starting the process. Thank you for encouraging me to start the change in my diet. I can't wait to start this journey, even if it's not perfect I'm the beginning or it doesn't fit into other people's ideas of the vegan mold.
This is an AMAZING channel. I've been veg for 8 years but I've flirted with veganism for several years on and off, this makes so much more sense... Slow progress and education, it makes sense and it makes it seem more manageable. Thanks for such a great video.
So glad I found this video, I have been vegan for 6 weeks now and have struggled at points but have embraced it as well. My energy levels have been so much better. I have found eating out surprisingly easy and most places are very nice about it. My husband last night decided to join me and I was so happy I practically cried lol. So we went shopping today, lots of places and got really excited about what meals we were going to have in the next week. You and unnatural vegan are my favs and look forward to seeing more videos!
I started as a 6 month challenge, I was really a meat lover, and no one thought I was going to be able to do it! And to prove them wrong I did, and I have learned so much, with cooking, animals, nutrients. I still don't know if I want to go back. I've postponed this challenge for a year :)
I just discovered your channel so I'm bingewatching all yo videos! Holla from another Canadian vegan =) Keep up the great work!
So informative! I'm researching becoming vegan before I jump into it and my biggest concern was what am I gonna do with all my animal products, clothes all that and how can I afford to replace all that at once. But when you said do it one step at a time and replace one product at a time that made me feel not so overwhelmed. Very helpful, thank you!!
i am a huge meat eater! I was placed on a diet by a dietician which was so high in animal protein, infact it almost completely removed all veg and fruit. sure I've lost a ton of weight , I'm still obese and not feeling great about all of this "dead meat" I'm eating. I have been watching your videos for a few months now and really have been thinking of going vegetarian to begin with and ultimately progressing to be full on vegan. Today i decided to start a water fast. i really want to 'cleanse' myself of all the animal products i have been consuming and then start a vegetarian lifestyle. Your videos are extremely helpful. i watched some freeleethebananagirl videos and she is extremely rude! your videos are awesome and so inspiring! i think the transition is going to be tough but I've been watching your videos and put my shopping list together based on your vids! Thank you for inspiring me!
Amazing tips! I've been vegan for about a year and a half and love your channel for food inspiration! Another great tip you have to learn how to cook if you want to be successful. The good thing is anybody can learn how to cook just get in the kitchen and experiment :) You don't have to become a gourmet chef but basic cooking skills are a must. Plus like you mentioned the better the food tastes the easier it is to sway friends and family!
i know what really helped/helps me is having found replacement foods that i really love. i did this before going vegan, because i knew i wanted to be vegan long before i actually went vegan, i've only been vegan since the first of january. this way when i am craving cheese or yogurt or chocolate i grab those cheese replacement foods rather than real cheese which does the same thing for me.
For my boyfriend, the idea of not eating meat was such a scary concept. "How will I build muscle? How will I get my protein? I don't like tofu". Etc. then, this amazing thing happened. A ton of bodybuilders on UA-cam started switching to a vegan diet/lifestyle. He saw this, saw they they were still making gains and loving their food and being creative. Then we found local restaurants that had vegan and veg options and he slowly started realizing he could get full off of veggies!! (Another thing he thought impossible) we then watched films like forks over knives and everything fell into place. We approached it slow just like suggested and now we are happily living a vegan life. Love it!!!!!
Hello! I just subscribed. Great video, im on my way to 100% veganese and i constantly looking for new information and recipes. One thing that has helped me on this transition, is "pre-planning my meals" Making a list of weekly meal plans and shopping as well as food preping over the weekend to have easy access to meals. I also make a big batch of rice and beans which never fail. And i make sure to have plenty of frozen fruits for smoothies as well as oatmeal, fruits and easy veggies.
Thanks for spreading the tips and sharing the knowledge!
This is an amazing video, especially the steps with slowly cutting out foods. I've tried again and again trying to be vegetarian, first time I was horrible and uneducated and tried to cut cold turkey, second time I actually moved to Toronto from the U.S. and had no idea where to go or what to do, I felt getting quality products were hard to find and much more expensive than where I lived in the U.S. plus it was hard being surrounded by meat (I live with my aunt who cooks amazing food and i ate so much of it). But I think this time around (Third times the charm as they say) with the help of this channel and others, pinterest and with what I've learned over the years, I think can slowly ease my way into a more plant-based lifestyle. So thank you for this video!
+Robin B. I love hearing this type of story. The fact that you keep trying show your determination, and will transform into willpower. I also live in Toronto, and we are slowly getting a lot of really great products! I do all my shopping in Kensington market. Essence of Life has the most amazing selection of vegan products and so does 4Life just one street over. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey, and please use the comment section to ask me any questions you have.
NEW FAVORITE CHANNEL. I'm so glad I found you!
Also, I LOVE HOW YOU'RE CANADIAN!!!! I've watched so many vegans who live in Australia etc where they can find plenty of vegan restaurants around the corner, go to produce markets every week and hang out with tons of vegan friends... it made going vegan a little hard knowing I did not have as much as a support system as they did but now I do!!!!!! Subscribed :):):)
Thank you! I agree, when I first started watching vegans on youtube I felt they aren't relatable to me. I am so happy to have you! welcome to the Edgy Veg fam!!! xoxo
Thanks for the video ! Some great tips and they work. I am in the process of going vegan and yes, it helps to take steps. I have a teenage son who does not like the idea and this makes it makes it difficult and this is why I have to take steps. I buy in the same produce for him but with healthier, and some vegan options in there. It's vegan for the rest of the family. He always enjoys what I make so perhaps one day ;) I've also always been a foodie and this is why it has taken me longer to act, even though I've been drawn to have this lifestyle for a long time. When I was recently diagnosed with IBS and lactose intolerant, I was pushed to remove dairy completely, so this was easy. I then had to follow the low fodmap diet for 6 wks. Then I started to seeking out vege/vegan meal inspiration and people like yourselves. This has motivated me so much. I now have decided to train as a vegan chef and run my own business spreading the word on optimum health from a vegan diet. I hope to publish my own cookbook one day to help others too. Perhaps my own you tube channel too !Thank you again and much love x
Thank you so much for writing back to my comment. It was so thoughtful. And it made me feel special. l'm not giving up on going vegan! I know it won't be easy at first and I'll fall back but I'll keep going. Everyday a new opportunity to make good food choices. I love cooking and can't wait to try your recipes. I'm thankful for people like you.
I'm 8 months vegan now and it's all because of your videos, I really can't thank you enough...I feel great!!!!!
This was a FANTASTIC video! I loved it so much!!! I wish someone had told me this when I began vegan but I figured it out somehow haha. My best tip to anyone newly vegan would be don't feel bad if you accidentally eat something you didn't know had animal products in it. I've been vegan for 6 months and just last week I ate refried beans that had animal fat in them and didn't even find out until a few days later. It happens sometimes and know that it is unintentional and doesn't mess up your journey!
Love this video! I've been vegan for a month now and it's the best thing I've ever done! Thanks for your videos! Inspiring as always
+Dani Ash (HealthyActiveDani) yay!!!! That excites me!
these videos make me so happy, I found your channel this morning and ive been watching you for hours. I am so happy.
Great video as always! I quit animal food products cold a couple months ago and no doubt, education was and is key. I basically watched a documentary and then just couldn't get the images out of my head; couldn't unsee what I saw. What really helped me was Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's 30 vegan challenge. Having those educational messages waiting for me in my inbox every morning was a great motivator.
You are so great, kind person. And my veganism is so much happier experience since I find your channel, because I started experimenting with flavours and meals. First time i did try to go vegan I failed - just because I wanted to reduce salt to minimum, eat mostly raw, very clean etc. & I was unhappy really. It reached boiling point when winter came (I live in Poland) so fruits and veggies become much more expensive and to be honest... when it's cold outside the smoothie (even very tasty one) is not so great & fullfilling. This time I tried the approach "I can it all the stuff I like... but vegan" and it works for me perfectly. Only 4 months vegan for now - but I feel great and I am very proud for myself! So thank you for your efforts! I really like You and your channel.
I wanna see your "What i eat in a day " i really loveeee your channel ! thankyou so much for making this video, you are so inspiring ;)
+Dwinanda Eryantie I have one coming out very soon!
Thank you for making this video, having a rough time transitioning and finding fresh produce. I live in Cape Breton Nova Scotia I can't find many vegan products at the grocer store so I have been taking regular recipes that I love and make them vegan.
+alida hughes That is a great strategy and I often do the same thing with recipes that James loves. Thanks so much for watching :)
I've been vegan for a week now. I'm so happy I made this decision. All people find It hard to give up cheese and milk but that was the easiest thing for me since I hated dairy products since I was a kid. But fish for me is the hardest part. I just love fish I used to eat It like every single day. But I'm doing my best :). Good luck for all of you new vegans!!
I love how you are explaining everything without screaming at the camera :D
I've been reducing the meat i ate over the past 3 months. I am satisfied at where I am now and ready to start cutting the dairy products I consume. I believe that if i want to make this change for good it has to be over a longer period of time rather than drastic. I am looking for advice on where to find recipes and how to supplement. I will be grateful for any suggestions.
Can I just say this was one of the most approachable ways veganism is presented like ever. a lot of vegans actually seem mean and scream at others. I love this kind approach. it makes so much sense. also going gradually is key. I jumped in head first and failed a lot of times. the way you outline going slowly for transition is important. thank you for this. also hello eh from one Canadian to another! I had no idea.
+Rhona G That is exactly what I was going for. I hate when vegans are mean and hateful to each other!!!!! One step in the right direction is better than nothing in my opinion!!!!! xoxoxoox
So so happy that I found you channel!!! This video is just what I needed. I began going vegan the beginning of this year seriously I tried the end of last year but really been focusing more on it now. In this video is exactly what I needed today I was starving for dinner and didn't know what to do because I was sick of salad and pasta and I just couldn't find anything to eat and I ate cheese and I just felt so guilty. So far it's been pretty good I've cut out everything it's just the cheese that is been my problem.
i can't remember if you mentioned it in another video but could you do a video on your personal vegan story? what happened that inspired you to go vegan and your journey? (ie learning what to eat/do, family members, etc)
Thank you so much for being real about the whole progress of becoming vegan. I am a vegetarian for a year now and little by little I am eliminating dairyproducts and eggs out of my diet. Actually I do not drink anything that contains milk anymore, but I know there are still a lot of products that contain dairy and eggs. In Holland it is a little bit harder to find replacements, which frustrates me actually. If anyone has some suggestions on websites that provide the basics for beginners, please share. Thanks for being positive instead of judgemental! :-)
Thank you!!!
I've been struggling and feeling very guilty about straying away after being vegan for 4 years. Even as someone who is fairly educated about vegan issues, this really was a great refresh! :)
Immediately subscribed after this video! I've been trying to slowly transition to veganism, and have been having trouble with inspiration. I checked youtube out but one of the first people I found was Freelee. I hate how her community attacks other youtuber's comment sections, it's really discouraging. Your channel on the other hand is awesome! Thank you for the encouragement and inspiration, I was really looking for it : )
+Michell Martinez I am so happy that you found me!!!! There will be no attacking here!
Me too! That's great to hear! :D
I loved this so much! I ended up going cold turkey vegan. It wasn't hard since i know how to cook and i love watching vegan cooking channels. You're great and so sweet. Keep up the awesome work!
So glad I found your channel. I've been binge-watching all your videos over the past week and just...LOVE. I'm transitioning to vegan and your videos have been so helpful, non-judgemental, and not crazy-possesed-entitled-vegan-douchebagish. Thanks, girlfriend!
I love love love love this video!!! I am vegan now for 9 months after 2 months of being a vegetarian. and I wish I saw this video 9 months ago. I kinda went cold turkey on everything. the only thing I struggle(d) with are my clothes and shoes. I have a huge collection of sneakers and 3 pair of leather boots. and it makes me feel so guilty when I wear them but I can't throw or sell them because they costed me a lot of money. and a lot of vegans on UA-cam are so negative and judgemental that they make me feel like a fake vegan. eventhough all my new purchasing is all vegan clothes and shoes. so watching this video I realised again why you and raw Kristina are my favorite vegans. you 2 educate you don't judge and that is what veganism is about. I love you Candice!! and a huge fan of your recipes!!!!
This is exactly how I transitioned and ended up not missing anything! Thank you for recommending such a rational approach =)
Excellent tips Edgy Veg, really appreciate the advice. Its good to see that I'm on the right path to becoming a full-fledged vegan. So much of becoming is just educating yourself. So I'm getting healthier and smarter. Think I'll just direct inquiring friends to your videos. Thanks again and keep it going!
Thanks for this video!! Really appreciate the helpful tips. I've been experimenting with a vegan lifestyle for a couple months now, and love how I've been feeling. Now I need to get up to speed on the social issues. Thanks again!!
Love this and I posted it to my FB. I really enjoy your channel and just your approach to veganism. It's balanced and kind.
+Lara P Thanks so much for posting the video, and for the kind words. xo
Great video. I loved it. I am starting my transition now so this was right up my alley. I would love to see more videos like this for vegan beginners. I feel like I can learn so much!!!
I really loved this video! I love the fork first and caring approach you take to omnivores in your life. I think its both the nicest and most effective way to get people to empathize.
Thank you for this video! I decided to become vegan 10 days ago and I was already feeling overwhelmed. I agree with you on the vegan police! They make it seem like becoming vegan means you have to be mean and superior to everyone. I am so glad I found your channel. I appreciate your positivity and your kindness really shines through your videos. This is the kind of vegan I want to be. Choose kindness.
thank u. I really appreciate your attitude regarding doing it whatever way works best for the individual. everyone is different. I have had a hard time in the past with vegan shaming and being told the right and wrong way to be vegan. ultimately it is about compassion for other beings, so it would be nice if some other vegetarians and vegans remembered to have compassion for each other :)
+terry rosemore I agree 100% I get shamed on a regular basis for not preaching and not being militant enough on my channel. I think we need to talk about this topic and lifestyle openly with compassion and support. :) Thank you so much for watching. xo
I love your channel, it helps so much. I haven't gone completely vegan just have mostly just started by replacing my sweets with vegan ones since I mostly bake things a lot and so that's the hardest for me. My goal is to at least be pollo-vegetarian by the end of this year. I'm pretty bad at trying to do something quickly so for me, this will take a while. Luckily, your videos help a lot
When I hear you talk I ask myself: "what world does freelee come from". You make me feel I can do this
Thank you for this video! It's nice to hear--"just do you" I've only been vegan for 2 months & some days it IS a struggle. Especially when I haven't prepped any quick grab foods : like bean burgers & when I can happily eat the same food for 5 days in a row & your hubs wants a different meal at least 4 out of 7 days a weeks. Thanks again.. Keep the videos coming!!
+Jacbean10 I agree, it can be tough, I still find it is hard to make time for so much prep. But practice makes perfect, right? xo
Your point about spending time with animals is a GREAT addition to the other pieces of advice you gave. City people do need to gain an understanding by experiencing relationships with what we are aiming to save. That would certainly help. I like what you say and the way you share it :) Subbed!
I'm genuinely surprised that you still don't have 1 million subscribers. I mean your great :D
How did it take me so long to find your channel? I have been watching your cooking videos most of today! I'm almost afraid to ask, but have you stopped doing videos?? I enjoy them so much. Most of what I see is so very processed vegan dishes, I really appreciate your plant based dishes. ( the carrot replacement for hot dogs was amazing!!) 😉. Thank you for your time and expertise!! You are helping so many people be successful as vegans, therefore helping even more animals!
Starting my vegan journey today, after watching a few documentaries and educating myself on everything I can about essential nutrition. I've been wanting to do this for a while although I was too scared to as I come from a traditional family (meat everyday), I've met ridiculous responses such as "YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT MEAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO EAT MEAT" "IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE" "YOU'RE A WANNABE STINKY HIPPY DIPPY PSYCOMANIAC" so I've decided to stop caring about what they think and start doing what I can for my planet, other beings and myself. I love my fruits, veggies and grains so it'd be stupid for me to not do this in my eyes.
I'm going to take baby steps. Tomorrow is my last day consuming meat/egg products, after that dairy etc... I mean, how horrid does it sound that were eating a living beings decaying flesh, a living beings ovum, a living beings milk that they use to feed their young, a living beings skin. imagine if this was the inverse and it was the cows/chickens eating and wearing us?? I cannot even look at meat anymore without thinking what the process the living being had to undertake to become just that "piece of steak" or "chicken wing". We have a whole plethora of fruits, veggies, grains, pulses, nuts and seeds we could otherwise be consuming and furfilling our dietary needs with. Utter madness.
Time to get vegucated :)!
I think ovum is an incorrect term... maybe a chickens menstrual cycle??
Hey good luck to you! I have been a vegan now for 3 months (vegetarian for 1.5 years before) and I absolutely love it. If you need any motivation (I come from a traditional african household so I understand your pain) or resources feel free to contact me or ask people in this comment thread. I would also suggest that you look into the r/vegan subreddit. There is a lot of information and support there as well.
Thank you so much for this video because I was so overwhelmed with trying to buy vegan type foods, beauty products , and clothing !! I've been on my vegan journey for 3 months and I'm still trying to find my way through the vegan lifestyle . I really needed this video thank you !! thank you!!!😊😊
Thank you for being so awesome and supportive!! I'm so happy I found your channel
the struggle is real girl! you are so funny and happy! love your personality
this video is soooooo important and actualy educated me so much. im one of those how is gonna start a vegan chalange in about a week and im so happy that i saw your channel. i wanna go vegan in a healthy way and the tips that you gave, like i said , really important for me , because of the change im going to do in my life. so thank you!
I just have to say that a love your way of cooking and the way of talk about it the vegan lifestyles. Have been vegan for 8 years now and that one of the best decisions I have make. Thanks for you been you and sharing you wisdom :)
I love you lol you make it fun and healthy .. I failed going vegan 2 years ago .. and we'll here I am again I'm happy I found your channel .. tell me you'll always be around .. and you'll never leave me 😂😂😂 you have the best advice and recipes
This was so extremely helpful. I've been toying with the idea of trying to go vegan but I wasn't sure how to go about it at first and this has given me at least a few ideas
Thank YOU so much!!!! I Love your energy!! I became vegan this week, didn't want to do transition, prefer cold turkey and it's nice to see people out there helping others!! 💞💞🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕😍😍😍🐢🐢🐢
+Awa Congratulations and good luck on your journey!
You are such a beautiful, compassionate, funny and wise human being...thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you so much for this. This is exactly what I've needed.
THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS! I do feel alone sometimes and misunderstood but you just brightened up my day and reasserted my convictions. Now I'm going to go bake my vegan bacon that I made from the recipe that you shared!!
Im not vegan but im slowly making changes to go vegan and doing lots of research for food alternatives! your channel is so good, its realistic!
so glad i have found this channel. so became veggie only a month ago. couldnt see the issue with eating eggs or milk. then i saw the baby chicken grinder video.. well... just the thumb nail.. i worked out what was going to happen... and the what happens to male baby cows on a dairy farm..... now im looking to go vegan. so plan of action for me is to drop the direct daryr tomorrow.... taking it one step at a time. thanks :o)
Just watched this after deciding to transition to a PB lifestyle. Feeling grateful for your tips and added motivation!
holy sh*t i'm in love with your channel, tnxs for the great advice!!!!
I am not a vegan yet but my transition looks something like this: first i stopped eating meat (that was about 4 years ago) then i did a 4 week vegan challenge last year around easter which worked quite well, then because my parents were pretty concerned, i started eating vegan during the week, whilst on the weekends i am "just" a vegetarian. I still cant resist the temptation to eat something non-vegan sometimes however i NEVER eat meat. I am slowly introducing my parents to vegan options like using coconut cream instead of normal cream and I only buy cruelty free make up all the time even though some things might not be vegan because of the ingredients.