Lauren is a Plant-based Educator and Speaker. She has developed an online course called ACE Plant-based Eating because she is passionate that everyone deserves to be healthy. She has conducted many talks to share information, recipes and recommendations to incorporate a plant-based diet into one’s lifestyle.
Lauren recently told Meatless Movement that eating a whole-food, plant-based diet is the secret to avoiding or reversing disease, staying young, and easily being at your proper weight.
Tell us more about yourself, please
I was born in New York, moved to Houston when I was 10 years old. Now I live in Austin, TX. I am a speaker and educator about plant-based eating.
I didn’t want to start a life of pills and procedures. I wanted to get to the root of the disease
In 2015 I was diagnosed with coronary artery disease. I was told that I had a 20% chance of having a heart attack within the next five years. I didn’t want to start a life of pills and procedures. I wanted to get to the root of the disease. I started following the Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease book. It worked!
Today, I don’t have any signs of heart disease or any other disease in my body, I’ve lost 20 pounds, and I feel better and younger than ever at 53 years old.
Not only am I vegan, but I’m also whole-food, plant-based
lauren bernick
I’ve been vegan for six and a half years. The most interesting thing is that when I started, everyone around me thought I was a little crazy and that I’d never stick with it. Not only have I stuck with it, but slowly, my entire inner circle of friends and family has become at least vegetarian, if not vegan. I believe watching the positive effects that it has had on my life, plus all the good food that I have cooked for them, has changed their opinion.
There are certainly challenges for me. Not only am I vegan, but I’m also whole-food, plant-based. That means that I don’t eat any processed food or any oil. It makes eating out challenging but not impossible. I have built relationships with restaurants in my area that will cook something vegan and oil-free for me.
If I am out with friends and I’m not sure where we are going, I always have a yummy, homemade oil-free salad dressing in my purse so I can order a salad. I use a good leak-proof container. I also carry around baked tortilla chips with me. It’s Texas so there’s a good chance we will end up at a Mexican restaurant. I can eat my chips (which are organic corn tortillas baked in the oven) with salsa, and hopefully some vegan beans and pico de gallo. I jokingly call my salad dressing and chips my “purse food.” I think if you’re just vegan, and not oil-free, it’s not hard to eat out.
I am Vegan and I LOVE it.
lauren bernick
If you told me tomorrow that I could go back to my old way of eating and still be healthy, I wouldn’t do it. I went vegan for my health, but then my eyes were opened to the other good that it does. It saves animals from the horrific cruelty that they experience as animals bred for consumption and it is the solution for climate change.
Tips for a first-time vegan
I would say to find a vegan restaurant in your area. Most cities have one. They’re the experts, let them cook for you. You can do a Google search or use https://www.happycow.net/ a website that helps you locate vegan food in your area. Everyone has eaten vegan food if you’ve eaten spaghetti or a bean taco. It’s not anything crazy or mysterious.
If you come to Austin there are a million good places to get vegan food. My favorite places are Casa de Luz and ATX Food Co. I love these places because the food is fresh, oil-free, and delicious, but there is also a sense of community at both places. The Beer Plant and Rebel Cheese are fan favorites in Austin. I take out-of-town guests there all the time. They both have excellent food.
I have a list of restaurants on my website that offer vegan, oil-free options in Austin https://wellelephant.com/project/freebies/
You’ll get protein by being a thoughtful vegan
lauren bernick
One of my favorite meals to cook is “fried” rice, which is a bunch of veggies cooked in a little coconut aminos in a non-stick pan. Use your favorite vegetables. Mine are broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, peas, carrots, napa cabbage, bok choy, mushrooms, and green onion. I add a little bit of tofu to this. Then separately I cook brown rice and then stir that in, adding a little more coconut aminos. It’s delicious.
I’m a fan of pad Thai, black bean burgers, and fries. The fries are just cut-up potatoes cooked in my air fryer or oven.
I eat bowls that contain a legume, a whole-grain, vegetables, tofu, sweet potato, and steamed greens. I call this Home Base, my main meal. It’s my go-to meal that I batch cook ahead of time. This way I’m not caught off guard about what to eat. I change up the sauces.
Bowls Green Fried Rice Burger
The biggest misconception is that you won’t get enough protein. That is a tactic that the meat and dairy industries use to scare you. The truth is cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and autoimmune disease are brought on by eating too much meat and dairy. You’ll get protein by being a thoughtful vegan. Fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans, peas, and lentils), and whole grains all contain plenty of protein. You’ll be healthier for eating this way.
Start with familiar foods like spaghetti, bean burritos, veggie stir-fries, and veggie burgers. Think about the animals, the planet, and how you want to age. Everything you put in your mouth affects the outcome. Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up. You don’t have to be perfect. Perfection can stand in the way of progress. Take it one meal at a time. Be proud for doing something positive.
Eating should be a sensual, joy-filled experience
lauren bernick
Going vegan has opened my world up to meeting and connecting with the most amazing people. It’s a shared passion and leads you to places and experiences that you never imagined. I have made so many new friends. My friend Lisa (https://www.instagram.com/kitchen_plantastic/ ), who is vegan and lives in Austin, and I discovered we were born in the same hospital in New York and delivered by the same doctor! We joke that we were separated at birth even though we weren’t born in the same year.
I offer a free 3-Day Meal Plan and Grocery list for anyone who is looking to go whole-food, plant-based. Eating this way improves your health! Even if you don’t think you can do this full-time, it’s great to learn how not to rely on vegan junk food. How far you go is up to you. https://wellelephant.com/project/freebies/ You’ll get added to my email list where I’ll send you fun advice and recipes. I’m proud of you! Baby steps are better than no steps.
lauren bernick
Plant-based Educator and Speaker🍒🍇🍷🥗🐘
Get my free 3-day meal plan and grocery list at wellelephant.com