Chelsea is a remarkable nurse whose passion for compassionate care extends into all parts of her life. She is a dedicated and loving mother to two beautiful vegan daughters. Her drive, tenacity, and dedication nurture her family with wholesome vegan values and inspire others.
Whether it’s visiting Thailand, New Zealand, and Italy or living in bustling cities such as Chicago, Seattle, and San Diego, she blends diverse outlooks into her approach to parenting.
Her dedication to nurturing conscious and healthy children is unwavering. She owns an exceptional viewpoint on raising vegan kids – a pursuit that she undertakes with limitless affection and commitment.
During her spare time, she dedicates herself to volunteering at an animal sanctuary, which showcases her strong belief in leading a compassionate life. She strives to instill in her children empathy and respect towards all living creatures. She upholds her principles by living a sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle in every aspect of her daily routine.
Please tell us more about yourself
I will do anything and everything for my children and I will always be a voice for the animals 💚
Chelsea
I’m a mother and a wife, and both my husband and I follow a vegan lifestyle, as well as raising our two daughters vegan.
I’m realizing that my happy place is when I surround myself with animals that are living a life of peace. If only all animals were this lucky
Chelsea
I was born in California and moved to Seattle when I was eight, and that’s where I grew up. I come from a big family with six siblings, and I’ve always felt like the odd one out. I’ve always been an independent thinker and have followed my own path, and becoming a vegan was just the natural next step for me.
I used to work as a nurse in the PICU and adult ICU, but now I’m focused on volunteering at an animal sanctuary and pursuing my certification in Pediatric Plant-Based Nutrition.
I can never again support something that causes so much suffering to innocent sentient beings. 😞
Chelsea
In my twenties, I made the decision to go vegetarian because I wanted to reduce the harm done to animals. However, at that time, I had never heard of veganism nor had I ever met someone who followed a vegan lifestyle. Hence, becoming a vegetarian seemed like the only option available to me to minimize animal cruelty.
Unfortunately, during my vegetarian phase, I was unaware of the horrors in the egg and dairy industry. It was only when I joined vegetarian and vegan subreddits that I came across the Dominion film posted by someone on the vegan subreddit. Out of curiosity, I watched the film and was deeply affected by it.
The moment I went vegan I started to see the world through the eyes of the animals and when that happens it’s terrifying
Chelsea
The next day, I became a vegan and have never looked back since.
My husband was very supportive of my decision to switch to a vegan diet, especially since he and our oldest daughter were also vegetarians at the time. As I started to learn more about veganism and its principles, I taught myself how to cook vegan meals.
I’m grateful for my life and my beautiful family!
Chelsea
Gradually, our family meals became entirely vegan, and my husband was impressed with my cooking skills. He too realized the importance of reducing animal cruelty in our food choices and decided to make the switch to a vegan diet.
For the past three years, our family has been following a vegan lifestyle. Since birth, my youngest daughter has also been raised as a vegan. My husband has been feeling much better and credits it all to our vegan lifestyle. We have noticed a significant improvement in our overall health and energy levels, so much so that we no longer rely on coffee as a source of energy. Our girls are rarely sick, and we believe that it’s because of our vegan diet.
As someone who follows a vegan lifestyle, it’s important to always be prepared before leaving the house. As a mother, I’ve learned to always have snacks on hand, but as a vegan, it’s even more crucial to have a plan in place, as some places may not offer any vegan options. To avoid any inconvenience, I always make sure to check restaurant menus beforehand and frequently use the Happy Cow app, especially when traveling.
If we can’t find any vegan-friendly restaurants nearby, we can always visit a supermarket, where we can find something to eat. I usually carry vegan protein bars, dried fruit, and nuts with me, which are great snacks to have on-the-go. Whenever I take my girls to birthday parties, I make sure to bring a vegan treat, such as cupcakes or cookies, so that they do not feel excluded.
Choosing to adopt a vegan lifestyle has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my
Chelsea
life
Looking back, I wish I had made the transition much earlier, but like many of us, I was conditioned to consume animal products and never questioned it.
However, being a vegan has made me realize the selfless act of compassion and kindness that it truly is. It’s not just about us, but also about the wellbeing of every living soul on Earth.
Every sentient being deserves to live and thrive, just like humans do. We have no right to take that away from any animal. They all have unique personalities, families, and friends, and they feel pain and suffer, just like us. As a vegan, I feel proud to be a part of a community that recognizes and respects the rights of all living beings.
One of the biggest challenges of being a vegan is dealing with the fact that the people you care about might not share your values and continue to support practices that involve cruelty toward animals. It can be disheartening to educate them on the harm caused by animal products, only to realize that most individuals are indifferent to things that don’t affect them directly.
However, it’s important to remember that you can only control your own actions and choices. As long as you’re living according to your values, you can take pride in the knowledge that you’re doing the right thing, no matter what others think or do.
When someone asks me about trying vegan food, I usually share the same advice that I give to my daughters – “It’s always good to try something new, and if you don’t like it, that’s okay too. At least you gave it a shot.” In my opinion, involving children in the kitchen can be an effective way to spark their interest in trying out new foods.
For those interested in exploring vegan cuisine, I recommend checking out some vegan cookbooks or following popular vegan chefs on YouTube.
Personally, I find Nisha Vora’s channel, Rainbow Plant Life, to be a great source of inspiration. Her plant-based dishes are not only delicious but also loved by many non-vegans who have tried them.
If you’re considering raising your children vegan, I suggest checking out Plant-Based Juniors as a helpful resource. They offer a comprehensive guide on supplements and meal plans tailored to plant-based children.
I enjoy cooking plant-based meals at home, two that I will share are – the chickpea “tuna” melt and BBQ pulled mushroom sandwiches. These dishes are quite easy to prepare and I have received positive feedback from my non-vegan friends who have tasted them.
For the first dish, I make a chickpea dip that resembles the taste of tuna and melt vegan cheese on crispy sourdough bread to make a delicious “tuna” melt.
The second dish is a BBQ pulled mushroom sandwich, which involves cooking crispy oyster mushrooms in a BBQ sauce and serving them on a hamburger bun.
We had the pleasure of trying out a few vegan restaurants during our travels. Some of our favorites include Mike’s Café located on the San Juan Islands in Washington State, Sushi Samurai in Seattle, Washington, Reverie Café + Bar in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Sweet Journey’s Soft Serve in Kona, Hawaii.
On San Juan Island, we enjoyed some wonderful appetizers at Mike’s Café. Their Cashew Cheese platter with fig jam and crostini was a highlight, as was their Wild Mushroom Tartine, featuring mushrooms sautéed in a delicious cashew cheese sauce and served with warm pita bread, finished with a drizzle of balsamic.
In Minneapolis, MN, we visited Reverie Cafe’ + Bar and tried their Lemongrass tofu
tacos and crispy tempeh bacon sandwich, both served with a side of fresh arugula salad.
The combination of flavors and textures was simply amazing!
We had a chance to explore the food scene in Seattle, WA, and visited Sushi Samurai where we indulged in their wonderful vegan sushi rolls. In Kona, HI, we tried the Dragon fruit soft serve with granola and strawberries at Sweet Journey’s Soft Serve and it was absolutely amazing!
In my opinion, there is a common misconception that vegans are extreme and malnourished individuals who only survive on salads, and struggle to get enough protein.
Another misconception is claiming that veganism is an expensive lifestyle. As someone who follows a vegan lifestyle, I strongly believe that all animals deserve to live peacefully and without fear. Being kind and compassionate towards all sentient beings should not be considered extreme, but rather a basic human value.
Unfortunately, I find that many people do not fully understand what it means to be vegan or how to adopt a vegan lifestyle. Some believe that we only eat lettuce all day and don’t get enough protein, which couldn’t be further from the truth! I always make sure to educate them on the different plant-based proteins available and how a vegan diet can provide all the necessary nutrients for a healthy lifestyle.
I also like to remind people that buying animal products is not only more expensive than buying plant-based alternatives but also more harmful to the environment. Animal agriculture is a significant contributor to climate change, and reducing our consumption of animal products can have a positive impact on the planet.
Teaching compassion to kids gives them the power to change the world 💚🌎🌱💚
Chelsea
Through my Instagram account, vegan.kirby, I aim to show people how easy it is for a vegan family to thrive in a non-vegan world. I hope to inspire others to consider a vegan lifestyle and make small changes that can make a big difference for the animals, the environment, and our health.
If someone is interested in trying meatless food or adopting a vegan lifestyle, I would
suggest that they start by educating themselves about veganism. They can read books or
articles on the topic, and learn about the benefits of a plant-based diet.
If you’re a family wanting to raise vegan children, I highly recommend checking out Eric C. Lindstrom’s book “The Smart Parents Guide to Raising Vegan Kids, Lessons for Littles in Plant-Based Eating and Compassionate Living”.
In addition to reading up on veganism, I recommend exploring vegan cuisine by checking out popular vegan chefs on YouTube or trying out vegan cookbooks. It’s also a good idea to visit fully vegan restaurants to try out a variety of vegan dishes. If someone tries a vegan meal and doesn’t like it, I would encourage them not to give up on veganism as different brands and restaurants can have different tastes.
Joining vegan groups and connecting with like-minded individuals can also help provide support and guidance on the vegan journey. It’s important to stay committed to your values and not let friends or family convince you to give up on veganism.
If you’re a family wanting to raise vegan kids, visiting an animal sanctuary with your children would be a good idea. This way, your kids can see and learn about various animals up close and understand where meat comes from. It’s also a great way to teach them about the importance of treating all animals with kindness and respect.
If you have compassion for animals, watch Dominion it will change your life
Remember, embarking on this vegan journey is a life-changing experience, but it’s important to be patient with yourself. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you accidentally consume animal products along the way. Remember, no vegan is perfect, and we all make mistakes as we learn.
The key is to stay strong and committed to your values. Your main focus should always be to live a happy and healthy life while being a voice for the voiceless. So, keep learning, growing, and spreading awareness about the benefits of a vegan lifestyle.
Chelsea
PNW
Vegan for the animals 🌱
Raising two little vegans❤️
Living on an island & volunteering at an animal sanctuary RN, BSN
all images courtesy of Chelsea