The Vegetarian Zen Podcast Archives

Celebrating Human Imperfection with Molly Patrick of Clean Food Dirty Girl (VZ 376)

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we’re pleased to welcome Molly Patrick. Molly is the co-founder of Clean Food Dirty Girl, whose mission it is to help people eat more plants while finding joy in doing so. Disclaimer: Information on this site is presented for educational purposes only. Always speak to your doctor …

Quantum Shift with Creator, Producer, Director Kiko Ellsworth (VZ 375)

In this episode of The Vegetarian Zen podcast, we are pleased to welcome Kiko Ellsworth. Kiko is an Emmy award-winning actor, producer, and director who has appeared in hundreds of television shows, films, and commercials. The story of how he became the person he is today is inspiring. Kiko is very passionate about veganism and …

Conscious Consumerism with Adriane Marie of HEALabel (VZ 374)

Conscious Consumerism Is On The Rise! Conscious consumerism is something that Larissa and I are very passionate about. We believe that we, as consumers, have a right to full transparency about the products we buy. We’ve done a couple of podcast episodes on this topic, including Don’t Be Fooled by Deceptive Labels and How …

Good Food Gratitude with Hollan Hawaii (VZ 373)

In today’s episode, we are pleased to welcome Hollan Hawaii. Hollan is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, health advocate, former restaurant owner, mom of three, plant-based cookbook author, and expert in vegan plant-based food. We talk to Hollan about her cookbook, Good Food Gratitude, and the positive impacts she’s experienced since transitioning to a plant-based …

Is Splendid Spoon Right For You? Here’s Our Review! (VZ 372)

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we’ll be reviewing Splendid Spoon. Splendid Spoon is a meal subscription service that specializes in clean ingredients. You can listen to us discuss our Splendid Spoon experience here or read on for a quick summary. Splendid Spoon is a plant-based meal delivery service that serves up …

The Upcycled Art World of Cheery Bird Vintage (VZ 371)

In this episode of our podcast, we talk about “upcycling” versus “recycling” and share some ways people and businesses are using upcycling. We talk about how our business, Cheery Bird Vintage, uses upcycled art as a way to repurpose materials that would otherwise be discarded. You can listen to us discuss upcycling and upcycled …

8 Energy-Boosting Wellness Shots (VZ 370)

While I’ve always been a big fan of making juices and smoothies I’ve never tried making my own wellness shots, so I decided to do some experimenting! Not familiar with wellness shots? No problem! You can listen to our discussion here… …or read on for a quick summary of what we discuss. We would greatly …

Oncology Dietitian Alison Tierney on Battling Chronic Illness (VZ 369)

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast we are pleased to welcome Alison Tierney. Alison is an outpatient oncology dietitian working with patients undergoing cancer treatment to ensure they receive adequate nutrition and symptom relief. This episode was one that was very personal since Larissa battles lupus, an autoimmune disease. While her symptoms …

Let’s Ask Marion: An Interview with Marion Nestle (VZ 368)

In this episode of The Vegetarian Zen podcast we welcome Marion Nestle, PhD. to discuss her book, Let’s Ask Marion. You can listen to our interview here… or read on for a quick summary of what we discuss. If you love the podcast, we’d GREATLY appreciate a quick review! Who is Marion Nestle? Marion …

The Secrets of Successful Batch Cooking With Stephanie Dreyer (VZ 367)

Batch cooking can be challenging to get started, and even harder to stick with. Larissa and I have had an on-again-off-again relationship with batch cooking. When we’re “on,” we can definitely tell a positive difference in how we stick to our goals of eating healthier (i.e., less processed food). When we’re “off,” we tend to …

7 of the Best Reef-Safe, Vegan, and Cruelty-Free Sunscreens in 2020 (VZ 366)

Even just a few years ago, finding a good cruelty-free sunscreen wasn’t that easy. Luckily, more companies these days are launching sun protection products that are not only good for us but also good for the planet and for our animal friends. You can listen to us discuss cruelty-free sunscreens in this episode of the …

What Exactly Are Lentils and What The Heck Can I Do With Them? (VZ 365)

I’m a little embarrassed to admit this, but before becoming plant-based in 2013 I didn’t know what a lentil was. Sure, I’d probably eaten lentils at some point in my life, but not on purpose. And I certainly didn’t know how healthy they are! You can listen to our podcast to learn more …

10 Vegetarian & Vegan Pantry Staples (VZ 364)

When we wanted to create a list of vegetarian and vegan pantry staples recently, we knew just the group to ask! If you’ve listened to our podcast or followed us for any length of time, you’ve probably heard us talk about our amazing friends in our closed Facebook Group, The Peas and Carrots Society. …

Let’s Go On a Vegan Picnic! (VZ 363)

Summertime…and the living is easy — except that, down here in the blazing heat of south Texas, going outdoors can be rough. Sounds like the perfect time for a virtual vegan picnic! We asked our friends in our closed Facebook group, The Peas and Carrots Society, to let us know what they’d be bringing. …

The Ultimate Intentional Living Road Map with Jen Rao (VZ 362)

What Does “Intentional Living” Mean? Do you ever have days when you feel like a pinball bouncing around, unfocused? I know I can feel like that sometimes. That’s where understanding what it means to “live intentionally” can really help you create the focus you need. In this episode of the podcast we welcome Jen …

Spice Up Your Life with these Vegan and Vegetarian Seasonings! (VZ 361)

Yes, it’s true. Vegetarian and vegan food is often thought of as tasteless, bland, and generally “no-fun” by people who might not know any better. But we know differently! That’s why we’ve put together this guide to vegan and vegetarian seasonings to help you add some spice to your dishes…and your life! You can listen to …

Zero Waste Stores with Callee Ackland of Hippie Haven (VZ 360)

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we’re pleased to welcome Callee Ackland of Hippie Haven, the first zero-waste store in South Dakota. We’re going to talk to Callee about what a “zero-waste” store is and about the mission at Hippie Haven, whose vendors are 70% women-owned. Who Is Callee Ackland? …

Vegan for Everyone with Laura Theodore (aka The Jazzy Vegetarian) (VZ 359)

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we are pleased to welcome Laura Theodore, a.k.a., The Jazzy Vegetarian. We’re EXTRA excited about having Laura on the show because she was one of our inspirations for creating The Vegetarian Zen podcast. Many of you know that we started Vegetarian Zen as a place …

Traveling and Supporting Local Businesses with Bree and Ben (VZ 358)

Travel is very limited these days, but there are certainly still opportunities for us to support our local businesses. In this episode of the podcast, we welcome Benjamin Hagerty and Brianne Nemiroff of the blog It’s Bree and Ben; Live and Travel Kindly. Ben and Bree discuss their travels, which focus on learning …

7 Things You Should Know About a Plant-Based Diet and Diabetes (VZ 357)

A plant-based diet can be a POWERFUL tool to help you manage your diabetes. But did you know that it can even help you reverse it? In this episode of our podcast, we share 7 things you need to know about a plant-based diet and diabetes. Disclaimer: We aren’t medical professionals or licensed …

Why Being a Part-Time Vegan is Better Than Nothing with Siovonne Smith (VZ 356)

If you’ve struggled with the idea of going vegan because you can’t imagine life without some of your favorite foods, perhaps trying out part-time veganism is the thing for you! In this episode of the podcast, we interview Siovonne Smith, author of The 3-Day Vegan. In our interview, Siovonne discusses how an experiment …

The Best Sources for Vegan Probiotics (VZ 355)

As we deal with the global COVID-19 pandemic, staying healthy is essential. One of the ways to do this is to keep our digestive systems healthy. Enter probiotics; more specifically, VEGAN probiotics! You can check out our discussion of vegan probiotics here… …or read on for a quick summary. The human digestive system …

10 Healthy Coping Mechanisms To Help You Through Uncertain Times (VZ 354)

These are definitely uncertain times. As I write this, the world is dealing with a major pandemic which has left people feeling isolated, scared, angry, and anxious. Many are having trouble coping with this stress. In this episode of the podcast, we provide you with 10 healthy coping mechanisms for navigating difficult periods. You …

What is Miso? Plus 5 AWESOME Miso Recipes (VZ 353)

So what is miso? Back in episode 176 we talked about the amazing benefits of fermented foods. One of the foods we discussed was miso. To be honest, I had no clue what it was until I became a vegetarian; I didn’t even know it existed! This is a great example of how becoming a …

On Being a Joyful Vegan with Colleen Patrick-Goudreau (VZ 352)

In this episode of the Vegetarian Zen podcast, we welcome Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, a recognized expert and thought leader in the culinary, social, ethical, and practical aspects of living vegan. Who is Colleen Patrick-Goudreau? Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is an award-winning author of seven books, including the bestselling The Joy of Vegan Baking, The Vegan Table, Color Me …