I often hear "I wish I could make food like you"or "I can't eat like you do" Guess what? You absolutely can!

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Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Hearts with Coconut Milk❤️

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I often hear comparing, limiting statements like the ones above when it comes to sharing my food but what I say to all of that is: "ya right you guys, don't limit yourself!" I am mostly self self taught and I really only started learning and implementing that knowledge recently.

Trust me, if I can do it, you can do it too!

Let me show you a picture of my food exactly one year ago:

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Look at that presentation you guys- top notch, right? Clearly I have come a long way in that time (and still have much further to go!)

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I posted this on my FB to show my friends and family my progression with my health. I had just been getting into cooking my own healthy food, I bought a couple of vegan cook books and I had settled into a temporary apartment meaning that I had a kitchen to start teaching myself how to make the food I loved into food that loved my body.

Those brownies were delicious don't get me wrong but they certainly weren't the food photo shoot quality we are used to seeing around these here parts. I had no experience with photography, food blogging or even any idea that I would end up here! I was just snapping a picture of what I made to help inspire my friends to take the same/similar steps as I was for their health! It was kind of a "look, I am actually doing it!" post.

As you know if you've been following me, I have been traveling for the better part of the last 4 years with a brief intermission in the states last summer for 4 months which is when this photo was taken. Obviously when I am traveling I have limited resources for cooking and although I try to rent apartments with kitchens whenever I am staying somewhere (I always try to avoid hotels!) they do not always have all the supplies nor do I have all the ingredients I would want/need to make the recipes I am able to share with you now being temporarily settled again.

That being said, being on the road has lead me to be much more intuitive and creative when it comes to concocting recipes with what I have on hand. That can be really challenging in the moment but in hindsight it's basically strength training, propelling me into a more versatile future of creating.

For example, I lived in a van for 3 months and still ended up being able to make this vegan sweet potato burger with portobello bun :

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It might not be the pretty veggie burger you've ever seen but let me tell you- it was impressive to pull that off in the small space of the van and it was quite the show getting them to come out as delicious as they did!

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Here are a few things that help when taking on a change in the way you eat/ learning how to cook for your new diet!

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Willingness/Desire/Passion:

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The driving force for me was an intimately spirited love of food!

I placed so much value in eating, enjoying each satisfactory bite (even though most of what I was used to eating was making me incredibly sick!) I wanted to be able to eat all of the foods I had grown up with, the ingredients I already loved but I had so many new restrictions challenging me which made eating out a nightmare, forcing me to learn if I wanted to have the same food porn experience!

I was looking for my comfort foods, traditional menu items in all of the wrong places. Most of the foods I was so in love with had:

• Gluten
• Dairy
• Processed sugars
• Fillers
• Artificial flavors and colors
• Toxic ingredients (I can't even pronounce!)

But I didn't want those things in my food! (Who does?) So I started learning, reading, researching everything I could so that I could become more informed about my food choices.

When I very first started my changes, I was eating boxes of whole wheat crackers, with melted cheese, salsa, sour cream and a huge glass of milk multiple times a day because I was lazy and I thought that I had found a snack that was good for me and easy to make!

No wonder why I was in so much pain!

I was visiting my doctor I kid you not once a week, complaining of an unrelenting problem that was taking over my life. My doctor suggested giving up all green veggies as she cautioned that they might be too hard to digest and causing intestinal problems for me!

I took that advice and ran with it! Which is where we got to my cracker snacks and so, obviously my problem only progressed!

With all of this going on, coming to this realization and months of these painful attacks, I eventually switched my diet. But nothing came quick. I eased my way into every step, "cheating" constantly as I tried to find a balance of giving up what didn't agree with me and fulfilling my dietary desires!

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Although the photo isn't very high res., this was a successful attempt at one of my favourite meals- sushi! But there's no fish here! I made a delicious pate from nuts to create the texture of salmon and used coconut aminos as a gluten-free sub for soy sauce (which has wheat in it btw!)

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Have you had an experience like this that you can pull from to inspire you to take some steps?

Where there is a will there is a way! We just need to find your will!

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Knowledge/Information/Mentorship/Inspiration:

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Having the desire is one thing but knowing how/what to do is another ball game!

Most every nutritionist will have you monitor what you eat in a food diary. (This is important, don't be like me and refuse to put the effort into doing it because it can fast track your results if you just take notice of how certain foods are affecting you!)

Lucky for us all, the internet is here to save the day! I started off with some Google searches to figure out symptoms associated to what I was eating. I already told you what I was eating so all kinds of information about dairy and gluten intolerance showed up in my searches but that's not what I wanted to hear so I ignored it at first!

Once I was finally willing (part one) to accept that my diet might be the problem, reading information on how to transition my diet really helped me. At the time, I didn't think to look into all of the helpful platforms we have nowadays but today there are tons of people not only here, on Steemit but also Twitter, FB, IG, and countless blogs sharing advice as this becomes more and more common!

I try my best to share my health journey with you but I have also met @lenasveganliving and @amy-goodrich here who continually inspire me as I am sure they will, you too!

I have also found inspiration, encouragement and progression by joining in some of the really fun contests around here like Steemit Culinary Challenge organized by @woman-onthe-wing who I have talked to in lengths about our mutual desire to promote more conscious food choices!

@lenasveganliving hostsFruits and Veggies Monday calling attention to the fruits and veggies-
the powerhouses of nutrients and vitamins that are integral to our health!

Don't forget about my very own addition to the platform, Vegan Wednesday where I encourage community and engagement, promoting and helping each other on our own food journeys, discussing whatever that means to each participant!

These are just some inspirational challenges to explore new possibilities while learning from and getting to know each other!

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Friends and Family- Mutual Benefit/Joint Collaboration:

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So many of us make changes for a loved one and that is a great reason and way to begin!

I get many messages from people saying that someone close to them needs to change or remove something from their diet and so the household undergoes a change to their familiar menu. First of all, let me say that having a buddy system or other people making the same changes with you makes everything so much easier and those people are much more successful!

I would never have been able to make the changes I did on my own. I was living with two people who had committed to changing their diets and as I began cooking for them, we all held each other accountable and therefore were much more effective as none of us wanted to let the others down!

Especially in the case of children, if the whole family is on the same food plan, there is less questioning, confusion and overall anxiety about the meals being offered.

Those that eat consciously together, get healthier together! I have seen it!

I am just going to say it, I was brutal to be around when I was sick. I was miserable, cranky (bitchy) and irritable because I was always in pain but now that I have relieved that pain, I am a whole new me which is why I am so passionate to share my story and help others in any way I can!

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(Eggplant lasagna with homemade cashew ricotta and garlicy tomato sauce from scratch! As you can see, I am pretty dang happy about this meal!)

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Kitchen Reno:

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No, we don't need to knock down walls but cleaning out cupboards, fridges, freezers and pantries is going to make life seriously so much easier!

I am not a fan/advocate of waste so I always suggest donating and/or composting whatever possible!

Out of sight out of mind is my motto for transitioning! I used to cheat almost every time I was confronted with something I was trying not to eat because my cravings were too strong to battle and I have an addictive personality. Whenever I cleaned my kitchen out, I donated everything non perishable and began only stocking a little bit at a time and that was hugely effective for me!

Whenever I was visiting anyone, I would always eat what they were offering but overtime as I got more aggressive with my diet and what I knew I couldn't have, I started preparing for these events and bringing my own food or eating ahead of time when necessary!

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When you only have what you want to eat around, it's harder to end up eating something outside of those boundaries, it takes more effort and that is key!

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Practice Makes Perfect:

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If you've decided to give a little change to your every day menu, it's going to take some time to get used to substitutions and alternatives! The fun thing is that once you get familiar with the new way to make things, it all becomes just as second nature as the original ingredients were before!

For example, if I see "eggs" in a recipe, I never think of adding them. I always sub it in my mind with chia eggs. This is true for milk, butter, flour and anything else I have cut out of my diet.

At first, I had no idea how to make any of the things I make frequently now! I had never used coconut oil, I would have never even dreamed of making my own nut cheeses and I thought ordering pizza was necessary at least 3 times a week.

It's become fun for me to recreate recipes that I used to love, within my new dietary needs. I am still always wanting to get pizza perfect (I don't have an oven here in Bali!) However, I had one extremely successful experience at my parents' house last year with a cauliflower crust. The pizza took me over 3 hours to make but actually turned out to be the best pizza I have ever had, I swear!

My point is that if you have had it before, you can have it again with a twist. In my experience, every recipe I have recreated has been better than the original and I feel so much better after so it's a double win!

Here is some gluten free, dairy free, sweet potato poutine which is a Canadian dish, traditionally made with cheese curds and gravy (cheese/butter/milk/flour)! This was one of my favourite meals growing up but made me feel lethargic, bloated and generally like shit after I ate it. Not this recipe I made without all the fluff!

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So my friends of Steemit! As you can see, it's been a stop and go journey for me getting here. I am sure as heck not perfect and I struggled a lot along the way but the way I see it is if I can do it, anyone can! I was the most unlikely person to change and yet here I am, full circle and still trying to constantly improve!

So go ahead and have your cake! We can make it exactly how to want it and you can feel amazing eating it too!

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Strawberry, chocolate 'mousse' cake= no dairy, no processed sugar, no gluten, delicious!

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My blog is a playground of experimentation and passion for food that promotes healing.

You'll find that I love playing in the kitchen, including making my own chocolate with organic, superfoods and find myself sharing deliciously decadent desserts with you frequently.

If you're interested in knowing more or expanding your dietary horizons, I am always happy to help in any way I can or know how! I like to inspire through experience but always remember that just because it works for me doesn't make it universal.

Honor and trust your own body always!

Don't let yourself think you can't do this! You can! I'm here to help you! I went from the first photo of the brownies to these brownies (ps: they're raw!) ta-da:

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Sending you love through (plant-based/vegan) food, as always! If you are new here, it's great to have you here!
I am obsessed with food as you'll surely see, and I am a strong believer in the power it has within it, and the ability it has to heal us! I aim to inspire through my recipes and posts and hope to connect with you here, through your heart. Some say the way to the heart is through the stomach, I 100% agree with that theory ;)
I believe in sharing what makes the heart happy, if you'd like to see more, come on by @heart-to-heart!😘
PS: I am also running veganwednesday challenge every week! See here for more details on how to participate (and win by sharing some love!)

Until next time,
XO,
🍊🍉🍈🍇🍋🍌🍍🍎

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