We turned vegan and our life and health got better and better!

Lorena is Italian. She was raised in Sicily and currently living in Turin, North West Italy. Meatless Movement recently had the opportunity to chat with her.

Please tell us more about yourself

I am Lorena, friends are used to calling me Lory. I was raised in Sicily and currently living in Turin in which I work on my own as a Language Teacher and Translator.

You can find me on Instagram as @loryhealthycurvy in which I share my recipes and my lifestyle.

I love cooking but also eating out and discover new places. My greatest addictions are chickpea hummus and pizza, especially when they are home made by me.

To be honest I have always been in conflict in eating meat all my life. As many people from my generation, I was raised in a family who used to eat meat and dairies, believing it was the best way to grow healthy, but something inside me felt in contradiction with that.

My body always rejected fish, and I used to disguise my meat meals with a lot of spices, or just meat balls and burgers since I never enjoyed its taste fully.

Time after time, I tried to keep informed over unconventional channels about meat and its impacts over human health, environment and one day I was able to discover how animals were treated, and killed with no mercy. I watched some amateur movies on social media and I broke down and cried.

That is why my husband and I decided to turn vegetarian in 2016, eating vegan meals sometimes. But to keep on eating dairy products, even occasionally, still gave us some health problems (bloating, anxiety, weight gain, cholesterol, lack of sleep, etc)and so on.

We got further information about dairy industry all over the world: we were deeply shocked by the truth we never knew until that day, and last summer 2021, we turned vegan and our life and health got better and better!

I HAVE A LOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR
Ho molto di cui essere grata

Well, we had to review our habits and social life someway, but to turn vegetarian, and vegan at last showed who was a real friend to support us beside a different food choice, and we got to know very pleasant places to eat, and we got new lovely friends we share our vegan choice with.

marinara vegan pizza
vegan black forest from the pastry "pasticceria gio Mansi" that offers vegan options

6 years ago, it was hard to find vegetarian/vegan food, since we were coming into a brand new world. But thanks to Internet, or just buying some dedicated books, we were able to recognize food that fit for our exigencies.

To find vegan friendly restaurant is not still that easy: Italy should open its mind more and more, since my country is still bound to food traditions. But in Turin, there are some amazing vegan restaurants, bars and bistros like “Efrem Boutique and Finest Bar” which deal a very delicious vegan food experience. About our friends, they respect our vegan choice and we always try to find a place in which we can join all together without being discriminated.

@efremgboutique_and_finestba – Lory’s Vegan Life

I REALLY SEE A LOT OF HAPPINESS AND SERENITY. I AM TRULY GRATEFUL FOR LIFE. EVERY SINGLE DAY
scorgo davvero tanta felicità e serenità. sono veramente grata alla vita. ogni giorno

I feel the one who really wanted to be in my life. I feel really good and, moreover, I feel in peace with my body and my soul. It’s bliss!

at il Cardo è L’Ortica vegan restaurant – Lory’s Vegan Life

I’d use a famous quote from Oscar Wilde:”Do not judge a book from its cover”! I mean, try all the vegan/vegetarian/plant-based food without judge; just try to taste it with your 5 sense as mindful eating teaches, and you will discover a very original way to eat: full of colours, creativity and amazing flavours that you never felt before!

Imagine, dream, design, create, color and, consequently, feel happy!
Immaginare, sognare, progettare, creare, colorare e, di conseguenza, sentirmi felice!

You can find some interesting vegan recipes in my Instagram profile @loryhealthycurvy for example, what really amazed me at the very 1st time as a vegetarian and vegan was chickpea hummus and how it can be combined with spicy and tasty ingredients.

Or some dessert like avocado mousse, or apple pie.

The heart bowl is my moka porridge with strawberries
vegan blueberry cake
my porridge with cocoa hazelnut paste raspeberries
aperitif with hummus raw veggies salted pastry veggie and tofu
flatbread with vegan stracchino
my lentils vegan balls
energy balls chocolate and oats

Made of love, devotion, creativity, a lot of work and a lot of joy to share
fatto di amore, devozione, creatività, tanto lavoro e tanta gioia di condividere

@efremgboutique_and_finestbar – Lory’s Vegan Life

My beloved place to eat genuine and quality vegan food is the one from my friend Lorena (yes, we have that same name!) “Efrem Boutique and Finest Bar” @efremgboutique_and_finestbar in Turin. It is an amazing pastry, a delicious bistro where you can also eat a very good pizza and burger buns; and you can have the best vegan breakfast ever!

vegan donuts from @efremgboutique_and_finestbar

My friend Lorena is so artistic in creating her meals and sweets, and she also tends to veganise all the typical Italian dishes from the tradition, thing that is very brave from her and that is why she is that successful!

At her place, you can also try amazing vegan cheeses made of dried fruits, soy free like “Hobbs” genuine made by @hobbsalimentivegetali Massimo Fantinati.

Another place My husband and I really adore, is “IceScream” @icescream_torino from Jessica Chabbey in my neighborhood in Turin: it is a lovely artisan ice cream shop, with a lot of vegan ice cream and desserts options. Jessica and Daniele are my friends and always welcome you with a lovely smile and delish treats!

@icescream_torino
Vegan dessert with pistache and chocolate

BEAUTY AND SPIRIT – ABOVE ALL, VALUING OURSELVES WITH KINDNESS TOWARDS OURSELVES
Bellezza e spirito, valorizzandoci soprattutto con la gentilezza nei nostri confronti

Well, there are a lot of misconceptions: Some people think you turn vegan in order to lose weight, or to join fashion tendencies, or just for freak, or that you Wan only vegan friends in your life. I think the basic to keep in our mind is to let people live the life they want to live; to let people choose what is the best for them in order to live happy. I think the best way should be to cut any preconception, to open your mind and to get to know really someone for who he or she is inside out. In Italy we are use dto saying:”Live and let live”. But it is still hard to catch this concept. But we can still get there in my country. I want to be in good vibes.

Listen to your heart: if your heart is telling you it is the right direction, keep on moving. You are going to discover an amazing brand new version of yourself.

I realized I turned more creative and inspired in my kitchen: my meals are more detailed and cured, even if they are very simple in ingredients actually. My friends, especially the ones who are not vegan are quite attracted by what I cook and they often enjoy my food experiments. I developed a better sensitivity towards animals, people, environment; and my relationship with my body became more peaceful, since I was able to defeat an eating disorder like binge eating.

LIFE IS NOW AND IT’S BEAUTIFUL
La vita è adesso ed è bellissima

My greatest dream would be to go back in London some day. I visited this gorgeous city in 2019, and to be back there as a vegan would be really cool, since Uk is said to be the most vegan friendly country in the world. Then I am sure to travel the world and discover vegan places, getting to know vegan people living there ( as I have been doing on instagram for a long time actually) would be very stimulating and would serve as a life enrichiment.