Meet our Herbie of the Week: Erik B!Erik was nominated as Herbie of the Week by his wife, Kristen, who emailed me earlier this year telling me how he lost 75lbs since going plant-based after Father’s Day of last year.As soon as I read her touching emai…

I’m home (I think I mentioned that?) from my summer in France 🙂

I’m also finishing up my vegan Europe travel book!!! It should be here in the next week 🙂 🙂 I’m really excited about this book! (You can read more about it below)

To say good-bye to my summer blog travel series (and whet your appetite for the new book!) I give you today’s post!

I spent the bulk of my summer in the French countryside and South of France. It’s not that I don’t like Paris (I do, though not as much as most Americans) but I also knew I couldn’t do Paris all day, every day for a month. It’s a bustling city, which is exciting, but my retreat to France was to get away from my city life in America 🙂

I need quiet. I needed sleep. I needed to read and eat baguettes!

But still no trip to France is complete without a rendezvous in Paris…

Scott was hungry for “American” food, so we went to Hank, an all-vegan burger joint. I’m not usually one for faux meat, or burgers, but I have to say Hank delivered!

I was also delighted to see our hotel had a vegetarian menu at their bistro.

There’s a chef’s vegetarian special each day from whatever seasonal veggies happen to be in the kitchen (this is common in French cuisine — daily menus or luck of the draw-type options). The chef explained he could prepare it vegan if I ordered the green beans without butter. He also accommodated my oil-free request for the veggies and did a steam and dry-saute.

P.S. That’s polenta fries in the back. Basically polenta cut into strips and pan-fried. Since it was fried I didn’t give it a go, but everyone else in the restaurant seemed to really love them.

The house-made burger was also vegan, which Scott ordered. The bun they normally served contained cheese, so the chef created some kind of chickpea flour-based pancake for Scott to use in lieu of a bun. It wasn’t exactly a crepe, but I think it was some distant relative to socca. He liked it!

Here’s a menu I saw posted outside a restaurant near the Eiffel Tour. We didn’t eat there, but I wanted to share the menu as sort of proof that Paris does understand vegan and vegetarian.

I saw a lot of menus with this icon, both in and outside the tourist bubble.

Paris does cater to vegetarian and vegan diets — if you know where to look.

Here’s a short paragraph from my Vegan in Europe book that applies to all of Europe, but most especially Paris:

[…] I’m delighted to say my first month-long trip across 13 countries was a breeze and places where people swore I would starve (like Germany and Ireland) were, and still are, some of the most vegan-friendly places I’ve ever visited…

[…] Having traveled extensively over my home continent as well (46 states and counting!) I can say I find Europe only slightly more challenging (because I don’t always speak the language) but (and this is a big but!) I have also found an array of “vegan things” (like vegan yogurt) at even the tiniest stores, in the tiniest of European towns, when I can’t same the same for America (though it IS getting better).

Point is, like in America, some places are more veg-friendly (or veg-aware) than others, and patience is always key. And also like in America, there are some Europeans who can’t be bothered to help you out (and think vegans are just plain lame—or whatever cool, trendy word there is for “lame” in European lingo) but there are oodles more that are respectful if not inspired by your gumption!

Likewise, while there are thousands of restaurants you’d never want to eat at, there are thousands more that you would (and will!) […]

[…] To avoid frustration, you need some semblance of a plan. Otherwise you’ll walk around the city mad and frustrated that all the places you pop into don’t appear have a vegan option. (This is where I think the reputation for Europe being veg-unfriendly comes in, even though American restaurants are no different in this respect. You can walk around New York City or Chicago and have this same experience). […]

MORE PROOF: Grill Courtepaille is a French “steakhouse” chain. Just like in America, steakhouses are often surprisingly veg-friendly. Grill Courtepaille has two vegan dishes on their regular menu (woot!) — see below! AND unlimited baked potato refills!!

YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT. UNLIMITED baked potatoes! (They also have 20+ locations in France, many right off their highways).

I stopped at 3…the shame! I am not a petite eater 😛

Speaking of potatoes, I also found this baked potato stand at Versailles. I sort of want to bring that to America. Can’t you just see me standing on a street corner in Midtown Manhattan selling potatoes instead of hotdogs?!

I also ate 37 baguettes in France and lost 0.5lb. Scott lost 3lbs. I guess this is our anecdotal evidence that carbs don’t make you fat 🙂

Now for another glimpse into my upcoming book!

About this Book (Vegan in Europe)

This book contains all the information you’ll need to eat, drink, and live la dolce vida as a vegan in Europe.

I’ve included specific restaurant recommendations (including “locals best” restaurants that aren’t listed on HappyCow), plus general information about what to expect food-wise in each country (or city), including “accidentally vegan” traditional fare you should try whenever possible. You’ll also find suggestions for what to eat at any restaurant in any city or country, plus what to pack for your trip and what to buy.

Lists of local vegan brands for soy milk, almond milk, vegan ice cream, vegan yogurt, snacks, and other specialty vegan foods (plus where to find them in the grocery store) are also included, along with language tips (including phrases), and cautionary warnings for the all the hidden foods and cultural quirks you need to look out for.

Many chapters also have additional resources such as links to vegan societies, lists of all-vegan stores, or vegan-friendly accommodations.

By the end of this book you’ll be one well-educated traveling Herbie! (And very full, too!)

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I love living and traveling in Europe and can’t wait to help you make your travels easy as kale pie. (Wait… is that a real thing?)

One of the big features to the book is showing vegan food in supermarkets since I know most travelers (and especially backpackers) can’t afford to “eat out” three times a day AND considering most French dining experiences take 3 hours 😉 I can’t muster up the patience to do them daily even if I had the cash!

Almost every item in these pics is vegan. (French grocery stores put even the biggest WFM to shame when it comes to vegan-friendly stuffs).

p.s. I’ll be selling this book directly via the blog for a week at a discount before it publishes on Amazon and iBooks at a higher price.

To make sure you don’t miss out (and to get a free sample!) make sure you’re signed up for the FREE Happy Herbivore Insiders newsletter.

(Note: This is not the same as the meal plan newsletter)

Meet our Herbies of the Week: Cat & Shelton!

Even though they came to the idea of going plant-based separately, this brother and sister team have been each other’s cheerleader the entire time.

When they started their plant-based journey, Shelton weighed nearly 500lbs, but has lost over 130lbs and Cat is down more than 55lbs!!!

Amazing! Read on for their inspirational story!

I can’t relay my plant-based journey without including my brother, Shelton. We have always been very close. We are 7½ years apart, with a younger sister (who has NEVER had weight issues!) As children, Shelton and I sought comfort in food. Between the two of us, we never met a food we didn’t like! Our weight issues followed us into adulthood, although we each sporadically managed to lose (and regain!) significant amounts of weight.

Fast forward to about 2011: Shelton lived and worked with our dad, who has severe arthritis and needs a walker or scooter chair to get around. I lived about an hour away with my husband and young daughter. We came to the idea of plant-based eating separately, but around the same time. We both watched “Forks Over Knives,” we read “The Engine 2 Diet,” we both read “Eat To Live.” I had already given up eating meat (but made up for it with LOTS of sugar, so – no weight loss, and ever-increasing health problems.) Shelton was struggling with adult-onset diabetes, but began incorporating healthy changes slowly.

In 2012, I moved 500 miles away when my husband took a job in Florida. Working from home, without the support of friends or family, my weight hit an all-time high of 249 pounds. Even though I knew all about plant-based living, I wasn’t putting those principles into practice. One day, I made a special trip to the grocery store just to buy a box of Little Debbie cakes for a snack (I could eat an entire box of them in one sitting). I knew it was time to make a serious change. I cracked open my Happy Herbivore Cookbook, found HH online, and got to work. Lindsay’s practical, real-life information helped us move from knowledge to action.

Shelton had already started implementing healthy changes, and we started to regularly share tips (Like HH’s “5 ingredient rule”); recipes (HH Mushroom Burgers!) and revelations (I can carry around baked potatoes as snacks? That’s life-changing!) These days, Shelton and I regularly share information on substitutions, recipes we’ve tried, and vegan products: what tastes good, and what doesn’t. (One text from Shelton showed a container of vegan yogurt with the message: “Tastes like cough syrup. Avoid!”)

In the last year, we have both made a serious commitment to living the plant-based lifestyle. We talk or text almost every day, and we frequently text each other pictures of what we’re eating for lunch or dinner. Are we perfect? NO! Looking through our text messages, I found one from me: “A pretty good day – HH Scramble for breakfast, HH Hippie Loaf for lunch, but then: pizza for dinner. And cinnamon sticks. Tomorrow is another day!” The concept of “progress, not perfection” has really resonated with us. If I get stuck somewhere and cheese pizza is my only option, I now know that I won’t die if I eat it, nor will I be kicked out of the HH group. We do our best and keep trying!

Our family has been, for the most part, supportive. They have not offered to get on board with us, though. Shelton lives with my dad, who is NOT plant-based – Shelton plans, shops, and cooks two different sets of meals – I do, too, because my husband and daughter are not (yet!) on the Herbie plan. This is where the pre-prep really comes in handy for me. When I have cooked and frozen something like Hippie Loaf or have the menu plan components assembled or otherwise ready, it takes me 5 minutes to prep and plate my meal, so we can all sit down and eat together.

When we began our respective journeys, Shelton weighed in at 495 pounds. To date, he has lost 138 pounds. I weighed 249, and now weigh 192. So – 195 pounds between the two of us!

The biggest components of our journey: The meal plans, the cookbooks, the blog posts and support – all of these things set us up for success. We plan, we shop (once I was loading frozen vegetables into my cart with such zeal that a woman ran up to the freezer case and said “Are they on SALE?” My daughter said “Nope! My mom’s a HERBIVORE!”) we cook (and freeze). I cook for a couple of hours one Sunday each month to load the freezer with chili, soup, and HH Hippie Loaf. That way, there is always something on hand. We keep healthy snacks or bowl components on hand so we’re never at a loss for what we can eat. We have been inspired to whip up our own creations and share the recipes with each other.

We have learned how to plug in what we know when functioning in the “real world.” Shelton and his friends participate in pirate fests, singing sea shanties and enjoying the festival atmosphere. (Shelton’s before and after pics are in his pirate garb. The vest now buttons all the way up!) Shelton has learned how to make wise choices on these trips, and that it’s okay to let go sometimes and indulge. My daughter takes karate and frequently travels to tournaments. I keep HH-approved snacks in the travel bag for those days when she’s at the tournament all day and the only food choices are “snack bar” choices like hot dogs and potato chips.

If we were to give one bit of advice to someone struggling to make the plant-based leap, there are two important things:

1. BE PREPARED – set yourself up for success by keeping healthy foods on hand. Learn to make bowls, salads, wraps, and make them your “go-to” meals when you don’t have time or energy to be in the kitchen.

2. DON’T QUIT! As human beings, we strive for perfection and think our efforts don’t count when we don’t hit all our goals. But every effort to go plant-based counts. It really does get easier! You can eat satisfying, complete meals and get healthy. YOU CAN DO THIS!

Thanks so much for sharing your plant-based journey with us Cat & Shelton!

Last week we left for our summer abroad… stopping in one of our all-time favorite cities, Boston, along the way (Fun fact: Scott and I lived in Boston for about four years when I attended law school). Boston is a beautiful city with a spirit and prid…

Spend more time enjoying your 4th of July weekend than thinking about what to make with this week’s star-spangled meal plan!

The Carrot Hot Dogs (NEW!), BBQ Sloppy Joes (NEW!), Grilled Corn & Quinoa Salad (NEW!), and “Beef” Stroganoff (NEW!) will set off fireworks in your mouth — they’re that good!

You’ll also enjoy patriotic plant-based recipes like the Red, White & Blue Pancakes (fam.), Patriotic Smoothie, Red, White & Blue Parfait (indi) and much more!

Carrot Hot Dogs

Individual Highlights

• BBQ Sloppy Joes (NEW!)
• Carrot Hot Dogs (NEW!)
• Portobello Strip Dinner
• Eggless Egg Salad
• Grilled Corn & Quinoa Salad (NEW!)
• Portobello Steak Tacos
• “Beef” Stroganoff (NEW!)

Get this meal plan now.

BBQ Sloppy Joes

Family Highlights

• Grilled Corn & Quinoa Salad (NEW!)
• Portobello Steak Tacos
• Carrot Hot Dogs (NEW!)
• Mango Gazpacho
• “Beef” Stroganoff (NEW!)
• BBQ Sloppy Joes (NEW!)
• Vegetarian Delight

Get this meal plan now.

Red, White & Blue Parfait

Testimonials

“I’ve been on your meal plans for almost two years, maybe longer, and really appreciate how the prep list has been created to make the meals ahead. It has really saved me a lot of time and has kept me from eating out. You have also saved me money and taught me a lot about cooking and new foods. Thanks for everything. I plan on continuing these plans for the foreseeable future.” – Katie C

“I just started the meal plans last week and I’ve already dropped 2 lbs!” – Nicole S

Get the current meal plan now.