Greenhero

Today on the Greenhero Podcast, we’re talking with London-based plant-based health coach, Vanessa Sturman. She’s an educator and speaker who helps people get high energy and healthy weight with delicious plant-based food. She is also a co-founder of the recipe website The Vegan Larder.

Throughout her career, Vanessa has been involved with plant-based foods. Though her personal journey began nearly a decade ago, she realized early on that many people simply weren’t sure how to build a balanced meal and how to do that without being in the kitchen, doing loads of prep, and cooking three or four times a day. 

Vanessa’s mentality when it comes to working with her clients is to meet them where they are. Some are just starting their own plant-based journey and aren’t sure where to begin, while others have been plant-based for years, but simply don’t know how to cook a plant-based diet efficiently. In any case, these people have an understanding that something needs to change. Either they are feeling the effects physically and mentally, or they are looking to build a foundation for a healthy rest of their lives. Some people aren’t starting 100% plant-based, while others do it overnight. It’s often not about a lack of willpower, it’s a lack of understanding and education on what delicious plant-based food can be. She works with people at their own pace, eventually graduating them into more complex dishes once a fundamental understanding of what variety and nutrients are needed for a healthy diet. By the time they’re comfortable with their diet, experimenting happens, and shortcuts for more efficient prep become easier to achieve. 

The biggest realization Vanessa’s clients have is just how filling a plant-based diet can be. There’s a common misconception that “plant-based” means you’ll be left wanting more. This isn’t the case, and it is often pointed to the perception that “plant-based” means lettuce, tomato, and cucumber in a bowl. Once there’s a breakdown of everything that is included in this diet, the opportunities open up. 

The words “Vegan” and “plant-based” are similar in some cases, but the distinction is that “plant-based” is referring to (mostly) food. In addition, it’s a bit of a softer, more approachable word describing food, while “veganism” is rooted in activism. 

For some folks, the barrier to a plant-based diet is the food preparation. The truth is that we already know how to prepare and cook many plant-based dishes without knowing we do. You don’t need new tools (a sharp knife helps) or techniques, but your ingredients will have more variety and more nutrients. Starting out with a dish that is already mostly plant-based and playing on the recipe is a great way to introduce a plant-based meal to your day. 

In the UK where Vanessa coaches, the awareness that a plant-based diet is an incredible way to improve your health is starting to surface. But still, it could go further. There are small shifts, like ordering a vegan option at a restaurant, that can introduce people to the idea that plant-based food really is good, and will leave you satisfied. 

Things you’ll learn

Plant-based foods really can be filling, satisfying, and healthy (all at the same time).

Cooking plant-based meals doesn’t mean re-learning how to cook, it’s applying what you know to different ingredients.

You can transition to a plant-based diet preventatively or to help with existing challenges. 

Links and Socials

@energiseandthriveplantbased

https://www.subscribepage.com/energiseandthriveplantbased

https://theveganlarder.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/howtogoplantbased

On today’s episode of the Greenhero podcast, Rikard is sitting down with Timo Kramp. a Dutch designer and founder of kindly made studio, a design agency focused solely on plant-based brands. After bouncing around as a freelance designer at major design firms in Amsterdam, Timo felt that he wanted to use his skill for a purpose that he aligned with. After he and his family transitioned to veganism, kindly made studio was born. Now, Timo has created branding visual identities packaging advertising for plant-based brands like Willie Croft and others.

Timo’s journey through veganism was sparked by his father, who introduced him to the film “Cowspiracy.” The movie, while disturbing and deeply horrifying in its elucidation of the meat industry, brought motivation for Timo and his family. The same shock caused by the movie introduced him, his father, mother, and sister to veganism. 

The process of transitioning for Timo and his family was certainly eased by their support of each other. But mentally, they were already vegan. So even as they worked their way through learning what veganism was, their minds, hearts, and actions all pointed towards the same goal: making the world a better place. By changing their environment, they were able to make it fun. 

Timo’s creative agency, where he helps vegan brands find their voice, was born from the conviction Timo had to align his work with his values. Simply put, it didn’t feel right to not share and amplify what meant most to him. So, he changed the people he worked with. Now with his extensive knowledge of both marketing, branding, and veganism, he can work at the intersection of his passions. By doing so, he is helping accelerate the market to challenge the comparatively large meat and dairy brands. 

The strategy Timo implements is based on the product, the target goals, and the audience. By understanding who it is the brand needs to speak to, where they are, and what they’re buying, Timo brings new brands into the game. Right now, things are trendy, bright, bold, and feel fun. Timo mentions that a huge part of this marketing is capturing those who aren’t yet vegan but are looking to transition. 

Whereas in the US, branding for vegan options has to tackle awareness, education, plus marketing, Europe is slightly ahead of the curve. There, the environment plays a big part in why folks are transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle. In the US, it’s about the taste and understanding that it can replace meat and still give the customer what they are looking for from a meat product, but plant-based. 

Links and Socials:

https://kindlymade.studio/

@kindlymade.studio

LinkedIn: Timo Kramp

This week on the Greenhero Podcast, Rikard is with Jessica Taccone, founder of The Complete Burger and private chef to Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, and other stars. Jess has created a locally produced vegan and gluten-free burger that has taken the East End by storm. Through her work, she’s supporting her community while feeding them delicious, organic food.

We hear a lot about the big players in the vegan and gluten-free food industry; Beyond Meat, Oatly, and more. But Jess is doing what many people have no idea exists: locally produced, organic plant-based products. 

She got her start working on an organic mushroom farm in Bridgehampton, New York, called Open Minded Organics. When they found themselves with a bumper crop of Shiitake Mushrooms, Jess developed a burger recipe as a way to creatively utilize the product during its shelf-life. After some tweaks, her burger gained a cult following in the Hamptons, as it provided a local plant-based option outside of large name brands. When she left the farm, she opened a pop-up restaurant, where her burger found a natural home on the menu. Since then, her burger is found in local retailers and restaurants. 

The biggest difference between Jessica’s burger and Beyond Meat (and other large brands) is that her recipe isn’t trying to replicate a meat burger. When she began the process of creating her burger, she wanted to provide the same satisfaction a traditional burger would give through mouthfeel, texture, and savoriness. On top of that, it’s called “The Complete Burger” because it’s a complete protein with the addition of quinoa and lentils to the mushrooms.

The community response to her burger has been overwhelmingly positive. The definitive authority, Jess says, is kids. They’re 100% honest, so when they’re happy, she knows she’s hit the mark (spoiler: they’re very happy). While many mass-produced veggie burgers fall just short of a hockey puck, her community feels that The Complete Burger retains that “juiciness” that is so closely tied to a great patty.

Through her community engagement and work as a private chef, Jess has seen firsthand the transition many people are making toward plant-based diets. People are looking for fresh, seasonal ingredients, organically grown by local farmers. 

On the business side of things, all brands grow, but Jess is careful to remain true to her mission. She and her company don’t want to source their product from one location and ship nationally. In doing so, it becomes harder to replicate and retain the original, local feel of the burger. Right now, all their products are sourced locally and backed by a strong connection to their community. 

The evolution of plant-based eating and the nation’s transition to it is helped by education, Jess says. Learning the reasons for eating plant-based diets can start at an early or any age. However, it’s important to remember that everyone will ultimately make their own decision. No one likes to be told what to do, but if you can equip people with information, you can keep it neutral. 

In the end, Jess has built a Long Island Empire through authentic community building, good food, and an even better goal: helping those around her. 

Links and Socials

https://thecompleteburger.com/

https://www.facebook.com/thecompleteburger

@thecompleteburger

@completeburger

Locations:

https://thecompleteburger.com/find-us

[email protected]

https://www.southforkbakery.org/

Welcome back to the Greenhero podcast with your host, Rikard Björkdahl! Joining the show today is Erik Admundson, co-founder and managing director of Vevolution, a global network and investment marketplace with a mission to accelerate the growth of the plant-based and the cell-based economy. After years of managing networks in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, Erik's passion for entrepreneurship and the future of food led him to Vevolution.

Vevolution was founded after the collapse of the in-person event industry due to COVID-19. With the fundamental goal to cultivate and accelerate the plant-based economy, the company shifted to become the first and only plant-based-ag investment marketplace. They make it easy for start-ups to find mission-aligned investors, and investors to find those start-ups. 

Erik is seeing a lot of growth and movement in western Europe and the US regarding plant-based investments. Some serious up-and-coming places like Singapore, Tel Aviv, and parts of Australia have put themselves on the map. There are always the usual suspects, he says, but it’s incredible and surprising how and where innovation happens. 

The drivers of the innovation depend on where you are. In Europe, sustainability is a primary motivator for many people and companies to go plant-based. In some places, the government has made it part of their long-term plan, whereas individuals and companies take on the responsibility in other places. At the same time, there needs to be support at all levels.

Erik’s passion for change and his own plant-based journey when he became more and more involved with sustainability while in college. As he is from the midwest US, there weren’t many plant-based options. But, when he traveled to Australia, he really committed himself to being an environmentalist and became a vegetarian. When he began working in the nonprofit space, he would see these prominent figures in the plant-based economy downing burgers, and it felt like a misalignment of mission. And so began his journey.

The problem, he feels, is that the effort has to come from the individual. When typical problems are presented with a solution from the top-down (a mayor, leader, etc.) change happens much more easily. Things like subsidization, capital projects and investments, and other ways can have a big impact on the growth of Ag. On the grassroots side of things, it’s about the action to take when you buy plant-based. 

Perfection is the enemy of good, Erik says when it comes to transitioning to plant-based. A huge stopper on many people going plant-based is the shaming that happens when they have meat. It can be graduation and circumstantial at first. But when you’re alone shopping for yourself, that’s where the action happens. It won’t happen overnight, especially because of locational challenges, but when chains like Chipotle start offering plant-based options, it suddenly becomes more accessible and approachable. 

Things you’ll learn

• The drivers of the innovation depend on where you are. In some places, the government has made it part of their long-term plan, whereas individuals and companies take on the responsibility in other places. At the same time, there needs to be support at all levels.
• Things like subsidization, capital projects and investments, and other ways can have a big impact on the growth of Ag.
• Perfection is the enemy of good, when it comes to transitioning to plant-based. A huge stopper on many people going plant-based is the shaming that happens when they have meat. 

Links

https://www.vevolution.com/

@vevolution

Thanks for tuning into the GreenHero Podcast with your host, Rikard Björkdahl! We’re sitting down with Therese Elgquist, Swedish cookbook creator, three-time cookbook author, and TV chef.

Her plant-based journey started when she realized her love of food and pickiness intersected at her creative spirit. It happened suddenly—she woke up one day and just felt that she wanted all the vegetables in the world. And what she found in the plant-based world was opportunity. The ingredients and aspects of every dish could be shaped and formed into completely different dishes. Then, when she made the transition to communications in the plant-based space, she realized how many opportunities there really were. Just like there are chefs who specialize in beef recipes, fish recipes, and others. Why not plant-based? She found her niche early and ran with it. 

The cultural shift has been monumental, with dozens of brands for different plant-based products—quite the shift from only a few years ago. Large companies have realized this movement is real and they have to keep up. Now, they know how to communicate the products and avoid outdated terms. 

This shift to plant-based is global but certainly varies by culture. Northern Europe, they discuss, has fewer cultural ties to its foods than southern countries like Spain and France. In many places, words like “plant-based” don’t even exist, and the meaning of “vegan” gets convoluted in other practices. There are other challenges, like the barrier between access to tools to cook plant-based foods and access to the ingredients, but regardless, in Sweden where Therese is from, folks seem to be proud when they eat less meat. 

The solution, Thess mentions, could lie in how plant-based food is presented. It doesn’t have to be an every-meal-7-days-a-week change. Even for Thess, the change came by eliminating meat every so often. It can be about liking good food and wanting to cook delicious dishes. Even changing an ingredient or two can bring a whole new experience to the plate. 

Things You’ll Learn

-Transitioning to Plant-based doesn’t have to be an every-meal-7-days-a-week change.

-This shift to plant-based is global but certainly varies by culture.

-It doesn’t have to be about the transition itself. It can be about liking good food and wanting to cook delicious dishes. 

Links

@plantbasedbythess on Instagram

https://plantbasedbythess.com/

Thanks for tuning into the GreenHero Podcast with your host, Rikard Björkdahl. Today’s guest is Yannis Kavounis, a marketer, health coach, and activist. 

Yannis has spent his career between New York and London advising some of the world's biggest corporations. His highest-paid career eventually led to struggles with stress, depression, IBS, and unhealthy eating. To turn his life around, he spent several years researching plant-based eating and mindfulness, slowly implementing his findings into his own life. The journey was transformational and completely changed his life for the better. Now, he uses his experience to help others as a health coach, supporting leaders at work and in life to realize long-lasting lifestyle changes. 

It wasn’t an overnight change, Yannis points out. It was a gradual shift away from meat and processed products and a transition into bolstering his diet with plant-based products. That can be tough in a world of instant gratification, but putting goals into small, reachable moments can help give that boost to keep going towards your bigger perspective. By focusing only on the massive benefits–I want to lose XX pounds, I want to be 100% plant-based—it creates stress and more obstacles. 

Failing is certainly part of the process, but just like any other fall, it isn’t the fall itself, it’s how you pick yourself back up. There comes a moment of self-realization where that failure becomes part of the progress. Yannis treats it almost as a game–when he fails, it turns into how he can approach the challenge differently. 

Awareness and mindfulness are a big part of this journey. You have to be aware of the changes you’re making, how you’re implementing them, your goals, and your ‘why’. That reason can be buried deeper than the surface. Often, these shifts are rooted in a more emotion-based place. Repetition doesn’t create habit, emotion does. Accepting the emotions that come with each step of the way are part of what creates the change. 

The way you track your progress impacts these moments as well. For some, it’s motivational to see the steps forward. For others, it’s a good reminder to push forward. Using an app like GreenHero helps keep the momentum going that can help make fundamental behavioral changes. 

Things you’ll learn

-Fundamental behavioral changes come from emotion.

-Awareness and mindfulness are key aspects of any transition.

-Failing is part of the journey through progress. 

Links

https://macro-wellness.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanniskavounis/

Thanks for tuning into the Greenhero Podcast with your host, Rikard Björkdahl. Each week we'll be digging into the inspiring journeys of people who live a plant-based lifestyle to tease out the most effective and fun ways to add more plants to your life. 

Today, we’re sitting down with Dotsie Bausch, seven-time track cycling US national champion, former world record holder, Pan American Gold medal winner, and silver medalist in Team Pursuit at the 2012 London Olympics. Dotsie founded the non-profit Switch4Good in early 2018 with a television commercial featuring six Olympians from four different countries and proves that cow’s milk is not part of a high-performance diet. 

Dotsie’s transition to eating green seemed to happen overnight. She started a deep dive into the foods she was eating, and what she found left her shocked, horrified, and sad. After seeing behind the curtain and witnessing some of the terrible things that happen, she made the choice to not be a part of it. Mind you, this is coming from the context as a Kentucky native only months away from Olympic qualifiers. Ultimately, though, she recognized that what she was doing was for the good of other beings—anything short of that felt selfish. 

The transition was fast, but it wasn’t always easy. Replacing eggs and cream was the most difficult step, but with the advancement in technology, plant-based milk is just as great and a tofu scramble is a wonderful way to start your day. 

As an athlete, Dotsie is very aware of how her body started to feel after transitioning to a plant-based diet. At her age, recovery is crucial. After switching to eating green, she felt like she woke up feeling better, her joints were less enflamed, and she was ready to go sooner. Additionally, while she was concerned that she wouldn’t be able to build muscle mass on her diet, she actually found it easier and faster, in that because her recovery time was so low, she was able to train harder, more often, and feel better doing it. 

The content of her diet was important, in that she needs to make sure she’s supporting an Olympic athlete-level lifestyle. Finding high-protein plant-based sources like rice, hemp, or soy, and including them in shakes with legumes and high-calorie foods like cashew butter sustain her through her training. 

Now that she’s retired, Dotsie has shifted to helping others transition into a green diet. At heart, she says, she’s an activist. And as a vegan Olympic athlete, the fact that Milk is a title sponsor simply wasn’t okay. So, she presented the facts: cow’s milk is not a health food. 

Beyond that, Dotsie helps push policy change on the corporate and governmental levels, directing Starbucks to drop their plant-based milk upcharge, and bringing forth the idea of dietary racism, as BIPOCs are more frequently affected by lactose intolerance. Part of being a Green Hero, for Dotsie, is championing food injustice. 

Things You’ll Learn

-You can sustain an Olympic level of training with a green diet

-Transitioning to a green diet can be at your own pace. It can be overnight or gradually over time. 

-Being a Green Hero means looking at the impact of food on society, not just our individual bodies. 

Websites

https://switch4good.org/

https://dotsiebauschusa.com/

Social Tags

@Switch4Good

The Greenhero podcast empowers people to switch into and maintain a plant-based lifestyle. Each week we will be digging into the inspiring journeys of people who live a plant-based lifestyle to tease out ways to make plant-based living easy, fun and welcoming to everyone.