Stop everything—Nana is back! She brings so much energy and warmth. Even if she doesn’t remember it, she introduced me to hummus, Ezekiel bread, pancakes, and organic food. She encouraged me to pursue dance and supported my switch to acting. When I became passionate about healthy eating, she urged me to follow that path as a career. Her encouragement shaped much of my life and my love for wholesome food.
This post is really about vegan grocery shopping. While Nana isn’t strictly vegan, she knows a lot about plant-based eating and has made many thoughtful changes. She replaced dairy butter with Earth Balance or coconut oil, swaps turkey sausage for Field Roast, and now enjoys meals like teriyaki tempeh with fresh vegetables. Fried chicken is a thing of the past. Nana cooks with confidence and curiosity, and in this video we walk through Sprouts to pick up some of our favorite vegan staples.
My Nana
Nana is proof that you can change your lifestyle at any age. You wouldn’t guess it by looking at her, but she’s 80 years young. By cutting out most dairy and giving up chicken, she has lost weight and reduced the need for high blood pressure medication. Sweets remain her one indulgence, but overall she’s energetic, radiant, and vibrant. Beyond her health improvements, she’s a model of love and support—no one has championed my dreams more than she and my parents, and I’m deeply grateful for that.
Now, here’s the video where we shop together.
If you have questions for me or Nana, leave them in the comments. We’ll answer them together and share more tips and favorite finds from the store.
On another note, I’m honored to have won a VegNews Bloggy Award for 2016. Thank you to everyone who voted for Sweet Potato Soul. I’m featured in the July/August issue of VegNews, and I’m excited for what’s ahead. xo