Jo grew up in rural Australia in a small country town of Armidale NSW. The idea of being vegetarian or vegan was a foreign concept to her.
Jo was always aware of her aversion to eating meat. From a young age she naturally avoided eating it and was drawn to choosing non-meat options.
Health was always a huge driver for how she viewed food and when the only health food store opened in her small town, she know this felt like a place that sparked her interest the minute she set foot there. It was her favourite place to visit aside from being outside in nature. During school holidays we were a few short hours drive from one of the best national parks in Australia and I would go camping and hiking with cousins surrounded by lush rainforest, great hiking trails and waterfalls.
She studied remedial massage and aromatherapy in Melbourne and has continued to find these modalities useful in everyday life, especially for her family and in her home.
Tell us more about yourself, please
I’m a mum of two sons and a cute Jack Russell dog. I am passionate about veganism and nutrition. I’m currently living in Melbourne, Australia with my family.
I turned vegetarian around 20 years ago and vegan on and off over the last few years. The bouncing between being vegetarian and vegan happened because I had gaps in my knowledge base that cause me to doubt myself.
Once I came across the organisation called www.nutritionfacts.org by Dr Michael Greger, this completely opened up my awareness and now I feel completely empowered and confident with daily food choices and I can fully embrace how I do veganism without a shadow of a doubt. I have finally landed where I feel like I’m truly happy with my decision and will never turn back to anything but veganism.
What are some fascinating stories about the vegan lifestyle?
Not especially, I mostly just do my own thing as everyone I know that I’m close to aren’t vegan and the conversations around veganism are something they don’t feel the need to know about. I just love meeting people when I am out and about who are vegan as there is a special connection that sparks and I look forward to meeting more.
What are the challenges of finding vegan food and dining out with friends, and how can you overcome them?
I’m lucky that living in Melbourne means endless options for shopping for produce and eating out is a breeze. Honestly, I don’t find it difficult at all, everywhere I go with friends has vegan options thank goodness.
What are your thoughts on being vegan?
Best decision ever, that’s where my happiness lies
Firstly, I feel absolutely amazing. Any headaches have gone, sleep peacefully through the night, inflammation has gone, skin is softer, hair and nails grow quicker, nervous system is a lot calmer. All cravings have gone. I have so many recipes that I am excited to make, I love to make my own food at home. I have a real appreciation for food and love knowing that everything I eat is animal free.
I love fashion and can find a vegan alternative for bags and shoes, I even purchased a car that has gone leather free which is amazing. That is the best part of being vegan, it is cruelty free, I just feel so much happier overall.
What’s the best way to encourage non-vegans to try vegan meals?
I find the approach talking about meat free is to go lightly works and gives people something to think about, you know, like planting a seed. Sometimes pointing out that a large percentage of what people consume is accidentally vegan can help the conversation.
Trying meatless Monday is a great way to encourage friends. A lot of people get very guarded about their food choices which is a shame.
What are the best vegan places to eat and home-cooked meal ideas?
There are some real veggie institutions in Melbourne like Vegie Bar, Red Sparrow Pizza, Smith and Daughters, Lona Misa, Patsy’s, Sister of Soul to name a few. When I make food at home, I love to incorporate legumes, wholegrains, loads of veggies and fruit and nuts/seeds pretty much in that order into every meal.
I use this as my basis and find recipes that incorporate these food items. Incorporating healthier options if important for me, for example, switching out white pasta for wholemeal pasta, same with breads, trying to find organic produce, having a freezer with chopped up spinach, kale, berries etc to have on hand is great. I try not to use any oil, salt or sugar but instead use herbs, chilli, white miso paste, date syrup to flavour up foods. Instead of oil, I just replace with water.
I also keep a folder of great recipes so I can create my own recipe book for myself. I make my vegan dishes for my family and they can add any additional protein of their choice on the side if they want.
What are common misconceptions about vegans, and how can you educate others?
Oh, this is a big one. I get comments like, eating vegan isn’t nutritious enough, don’t you feel like some meat, how could you eat that and not have any meat. I just calmly say that I’m perfectly fine with what I eat. Once you are completely happy being vegan, your confidence will shine through and they won’t hassle you about it. I don’t really care what anyone thinks anyway.
What advice would you give to someone who is just beginning to adopt a meatless diet?
Eat well and don’t go hungry. Feeling satiated is the best way to stick with going meatless, as soon as someone isn’t eating enough for their body, they will fall back into old habits. Don’t be afraid to try and don’t overthink your food, just try and choose nutritious choices but make sure your eating enough, especially at the start. Give your microbiome some time to adjust as well. Your body will adjust to your new way of living.
Jo
vegan, mum, nutrition, growing things
melbourne
♈️🌱🍓
all images courtesy of Jo