Gina Fontana is a self-taught chef, creative artist, and music enthusiast.
As an introvert, Gina finds solace in staying at home and enjoying her favorite movies and TV shows. Although she pursued nursing school, Gina found her true passion in creative work, and has become an accomplished chef, photographer, small business owner, and mom.
Her journey to healthy eating started after suffering from health issues for most of her life, inspiring her to become a self-taught gluten-free, plant-based chef.
In her spare time, Gina loves to write and create music, and even sang in an electro pop group during college. Her Italian roots have instilled a love for pasta, pizza, and cannolis, and her dream is to visit Sicily someday.
Gina’s talents extend beyond cooking and photography, as she is also a skilled fine artist and writer. With her passion for creativity and determination, Gina continues to pursue her dreams of creating music, perfecting her cannoli recipe, and being an extra in a movie.
Meatless Movement recently had a chance to chat with her.
Please tell us more about yourself
I want to share my story because it is not a fad diet, it’s a lifestyle
Healthy Little Vittles | Gina
My name is Gina Fontana and I am from Columbus, Ohio. I am the recipe developer + food photographer + personality behind the health food blog, Healthy Little Vittles.
I was diagnosed with Thyroid Disease in 2013 after searching for answers for my unexplained life-long health ailments. Since then, I have found significant relief from changing my diet to a gluten-free, plant-based, mostly vegan lifestyle and desires to share that with others.
I have made an impact by sharing my story and providing hope to others like me, as well as to others who simply seek healthy alternatives. My drive to help people has fueled me to work hard at perfecting my craft. I want to show my followers that creating delicious, flavorful meals is possible all while still being an advocate for simplicity.
My hope is to inspire people through my story, my recipes, published books, and creative photography to
pursue a healthier lifestyle and show that eating healthy can be fun (and for everyone)!
In order to be the healthiest version of ourselves we need to do more than just “give up the gluten” and eat a variety of whole foods
Healthy Little Vittles | Gina
I have been vegan for the better part of 6 years. I am not 100% locked into the vegan lifestyle, but I would say I consume a 99% vegan diet. I decided to go vegan after giving birth to my son.
He would be super fussy and cry a lot as an infant if I ate meat and then breastfed him. So I cut the meat out to see if it helped and it did! I ended up feeling better as well. I have always been super picky with meat, even when I was growing up, and I felt bad for eating animals. So it made sense to me to not consume animal products.
I did find that sometimes getting certain nutrients found primarily in meat (such as complete protein, heme iron, and b12 for example,) was a bit challenging. So I make sure to supplement with a high quality protein powder, and I take an iron supplement. My family is very supportive and have been willing to try meatless meals that I make, so I am very grateful for that.
I personally love it. I feel better both mentally and physically!
Healthy Little Vittles | Gina
I think I made my recipes look really appealing and my photography helps entice people on their own to try it for themselves. I don’t want to tell anyone there is a right or wrong way to eat, so I try to just lead by example and offer simple, flavorful meals that anyone can make and that everyone will enjoy.
I would keep food journals and take extensive notes about how certain foods would make me feel
Healthy Little Vittles | Gina
We have a handful of local restaurants here in Columbus, Ohio that do a fantastic job! It’s so nice to be able to go out to eat and get a break in the kitchen every once in a while and enjoy a healthy meal that is both gluten-free AND vegan. My favorites are Greenhouse Canteen, Portia’s Café, and Nile Vegan.
Otherwise, I am always developing new vegan and gluten-free recipes for my blog, Healthy Little Vittles, which I think are really delicious, haha! At the very least, my family seems to enjoy my recipes and the way we eat.
Can you explain some common misunderstandings people have about being a vegan or vegetarian?
The go-to one is that vegans don’t get enough protein. Which is not at all true, but we do need to be mindful of the types of protein we are getting. Because plants aren’t a complete protein, it’s important to eat a wide variety of plant-based foods. And like I mentioned earlier, I like to supplement my diet with a high quality plant protein powder.
Don’t go vegan and completely cut everything out all at once. It’s important to take baby steps. Start by participating in one meatless day per week, Meatless Monday for example. I also suggest to not just ditch the meat and continue to eat junk food just because it’s vegan. It’s so important to consume fresh produce and whole fruits and vegetables. Supplement with a protein powder, I like Plant Fusion Complete Protein powders. Do a little research and educate yourself as well.
We can all benefit from eating more plants- regardless of health diagnoses.
Healthy Little Vittles | Gina
If you’re looking to go plant-based or are interested to see what it’s like, try my 7 Day Vegan Challenge! Challenge yourself to a full week of meat-free, dairy-free vegan meals!
This 41-page ebook contains simple and delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes laid out in a menu-
style meal plan to make it simple to stay on track all week so you never have to think about what to make each day. 7-Day Vegan Challenge also includes bonus dessert recipes as well!
Also be sure to check out my blog Healthy Little Vittles and follow along on Instagram @HealthyLittleVittles. Thank you so much for reading just a small part of my story. Read my full health testimony on my blog. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have, so send me an email or message!
Click here for my 7-Day Vegan Challenge eBook
Healthy Little Vittles | Gina
✩ Gluten-Free + Plant-Based + Vegan Recipes
✩ Published Author x2 + Health Coach
✩ vittles = prepared food
✩ †Jesus above all
RECIPES & more!👇🏻
all images courtesy of Healthy Little Vittles | Gina