I was sitting down, working on my next big project (info coming soon!) and enjoying my lunch—a gorgeous, colorful salad of fresh greens, juicy tomatoes, crisp red cabbage, and perfectly roasted tofu, all drizzled with a tangy tahini sauce. Every bite was just so good, and I caught myself thinking, I could eat this every day!

And then it hit me—why do people think going vegan is so hard?

It’s not the food itself. It’s not that plant-based meals are boring or that they don’t taste amazing (because, trust me, they do). It’s not even about missing certain flavors or textures, because there’s literally a vegan version of everything now.

What I realized was that it’s all psychological.

I was this person who thought I could never go plant-based or vegan.

If you also think going vegan is impossible, I did too. I was right in your shoes thinking I could never do it. I was afraid of missing out, afraid of change, afraid of the struggle of eating in general – which is so crazy because it all comes down to me being ignorant and I shut my door before I even knew what was on the other side.

Spoiler Alert: I Didn’t Plan to Go Plant-Based

It all started when my husband had to go plant-based years ago to heal himself. He stuck with it because it was the only way of eating that helped him manage his condition (dysautonomia). To this day, we joke and say to each other, “Can you imagine what would’ve happened if you continued to eat like normal?” Because honestly, the difference was that life-changing.

Now, my husband has always been an avid researcher into anything from health to technology. And when I say into researching, I mean deep diving, obsessive research mode—the kind where if he wants to know something, he won’t stop until he’s uncovered every last detail. If he’s interested in a topic, if he needs to understand a condition, or if he’s working toward a goal, he will go all in. Books, studies, podcasts, forums—you name it, he’s consumed it.

I always joke with him, “You’ve got a PhD in herbalism now, ey?” because, at this point, he probably knows more about holistic health than most professionals.

A few years later, we had five kids under our belt—a wild, beautiful, exhausting journey in itself. But it was my fourth pregnancy that really threw me under the bus.

That’s when I got hit with gestational diabetes, in other words: pregnancy diabetes because it only happens when you’re pregnant.

I wasn’t expecting it, and honestly, it blindsided me. Up until then, I thought I was doing okay—eating “normal,” balancing life with a growing family. But this? This forced me to look at my health in a way I hadn’t before.

Naturally, my husband went into full research mode—because of course he did. He wanted to make sure my numbers were on point the next time we saw the doctor, so he started digging into every possible way to help me manage pregnancy diabetes without complications.

And that’s when our fermentation journey began.

Now, my YouTube friends, you don’t know much about this part of our story because our channel didn’t really take off until we went fully plant-based. But if you’ve been around since the early days on Instagram, you probably remember—we were all in on fermentation. We were making kombucha, sauerkraut, raw goat’s milk kefir and sourdough. It was a huge part of our diet, and we saw firsthand how powerful it was in supporting gut health and stabilizing blood sugar.

Fast forward a few more years, and we had stopped fermentation for a while. Life got busy, and though we still valued gut health, we weren’t fermenting everything like before. But then, my husband—always the researcher, always looking out for our health—encouraged me to go on a reset diet.

He suggested a 30-day raw fruit fast to help me reset my whole body. The idea was to flood my system with nutrients, give my digestion a break, and allow my body to heal and rebalance itself naturally.

At first, I was skeptical. Thirty days? Of just fruit? It sounded extreme. I wasn’t sure if I could do it, especially while managing five kids, homeschooling, and running a business. But I was also curious—and honestly, a little desperate to feel better.

*Sigh* I very reluctantly agreed to do this crazy reset.

The First Few Days of the Reset: A Mental Battle

The first few days of the raw fruit fast were brutal.

I was hungry, cranky, and absolutely convinced I was suffering. All I could think about was real food. I missed warm meals, crunchy textures, and the satisfaction of eating something substantial. The idea of just eating fruit—for 30 days—felt like pure torture.

But at the same time, something unexpected happened.

In between my moments of dramatic self-pity (because let’s be honest, I was being dramatic), I found tiny pockets of joy. I started making fruit salads—simple bowls of juicy blueberries, sweet strawberries, and perfectly ripe mangoes—and for a brief moment, I actually enjoyed what I was eating.

It was refreshing. It was vibrant. It was delicious.

Still, my mind kept telling me, This isn’t sustainable. You can’t just eat fruit forever. But my body? It wasn’t complaining. Maybe… just maybe… food wasn’t just about cravings and habits.

A Whole New World of Plant-Based Eating

When the 30 days ended, I had a choice:

👉 Go back to “normal” eating habits.
👉 Keep going and see where this plant-based thing could take me.

And honestly? I wasn’t mad at it. The reset wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought. In fact, I felt good—and that intrigued me. So, I started exploring more plant-based foods.

At first, it was baby steps.

We incorporated Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers into our meals. I wasn’t ready to let go of the taste and textures I was familiar with, and these alternatives were an easy way to transition without feeling like I was missing out. My kids also loved them, which made the switch even easier.

Then, something interesting happened:

The more I cooked plant-based meals, the more I realized I didn’t need the processed substitutes. I started using whole, natural ingredients—lentils, mushrooms, tofu, chickpeas—and found that when cooked properly, they were just as delicious (if not more!).

I had spent so much time believing vegan food was bland, boring, or difficult to make, but the truth? It was all psychology.

The only reason people think plant-based eating is hard is because they don’t know how to cook it. And once I figured that out? Everything changed.

I also started watching more plant-based content on YouTube, scrolling through Pinterest for meal ideas, and stumbling upon a goldmine of inspiration.

It felt like I had unlocked a secret club of delicious, plant-based meals that no one had ever told me about. And just like that, cue Jasmine from Aladdin—I was stepping into a Whole New WOOOORLD!

(And yes, I may or may not have dramatically sung that to myself in the kitchen while blending up a cashew cream sauce.)

I started seeing food differently. Instead of thinking about what I couldn’t eat, I started focusing on all the possibilities.

🌱 Creamy pastas? Yep, cashews and nutritional yeast got me.
🍛 Comforting stews and curries? Lentils and chickpeas were magic.
🍔 Burgers that hit the spot? Hello, black bean and mushroom patties.
🍩 Desserts? Oh, I quickly learned there’s nothing that can’t be made plant-based.

This wasn’t just about health anymore. It was exciting—like discovering an entirely new way of cooking that I never even considered before.

Why I Started Sharing on YouTube

That’s when I had my aha moment:

✨ If I had these misconceptions, other people did too.

I knew that if I could show how easy and flavorful plant-based cooking could be, I could help people get past their own mental blocks. That’s why I started sharing our meals on YouTube—not to preach about being vegan, but to show that plant-based food is:

✔ Not bland
✔ Not expensive
✔ Not complicated

But instead, it’s fun, satisfying, and actually pretty easy once you know what you’re doing.

Three Years Vegan: No Regrets

Now, three years in, I look back and laugh at my old self—the one who thought this was impossible, the one who dreaded that fruit fast, the one who was convinced she needed animal products to be satisfied.

Because now? I can’t imagine eating any other way.

Going plant-based wasn’t just a “diet change.” It was a mindset shift. It showed me that food is more than just what we’ve been taught to believe—it’s about learning, experimenting, and breaking past old habits.

So, if you’ve ever thought “I could never go vegan”, just know that I was exactly where you are now.

And trust me—it’s not hard. You just have to be willing to try.

Your Thoughts?

💬 If you’re vegan, how did you start?
💬 If you’re curious about plant-based eating, what’s stopping you?

Let’s chat in the comments! I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

✨ Want practical tips on how to transition to a plant-based lifestyle? I’ve been exactly where you are, and I put together a guide to help! Check out Tips from an Ex-Meat Lover: How to Turn into a Thriving Vegan for easy, realistic ways to make the switch without feeling overwhelmed.