In today's episode I'm telling you all about my obsession with picnics, as they are one of my favorite things to do in the summer. I'm going to explain where that tradition got started, what that has to do with orange smiles, and I'm giving you tons of simple delicious vegan meals you can take on picnics or to the beach, but that are equally as portable, practical and yummy to take to work, school or when you're traveling or going on a road trip. From vegan sandwiches to salads, snacks and even desserts, we're giving you tons of ideas for on the go meals that are vegan and scrumptious.

For all the links, photos and goodies mentioned in today's episode, click here.

Today's episode is another instalment of our Ode to Vegetables series. We're paying tribute to the delicious asparagus, and teaching you how to pick asparagus, prep them, store them and cook them, with some delicious and quick vegan recipes for making asparagus shine, and we're doing it all while sharing stories of scarcity and tribute, cats and Broadway, and all sorts of strange things that will help you appreciate this long stemmed beauty even more.

For the photos and links mentioned in this episode, click here!

We're coming to you before our usual episode on Thursday because we have a HUGE announcement to share with all of you! The moment has finally arrived in which I get to share the mystery project we've been working so hard on for the past year, the biggest project to hit Brownble since our online program, and it's coming to you this fall! To sign up for the early bird special mentioned in this episode, click here.

Today's episode was inspired by a question we received from one of our Sams, and it boils down to this: "What if I'm thinking about going vegan, but from the start I know that my job isn't aligned with the ethics of eating in this new way? Can I still do it?". In this episode we are going to discuss the dilemma some people have when they're facing their transition to being vegan, but they have a career or job that doesn't go hand in hand with their new way of eating, especially when we make this change for our love of animals.

In today's episode we're going to talk about what to do when you're faced with the desire to go vegan but at the same time you're faced with realizing your job or occupation requires you to still produce, cook, serve, or work with animals for food, use animal products, use animals for entertainment purposes, etc. I'll also give you some tips to help you cope with some of the difficulties (especially emotional difficulties) that this might bring about, and much more including some dancing stories.

For the written post, photos and links mentioned in today's episode, click here!

Today's episode is all about the weirdly magical and super cool time we had at the Mad Cool Music Fest this past weekend. Although I'll be sharing lots of personal stories from these last three days and why music and concerts are such a big part of who we are, this episode is much more than just about the music.

We'll be talking about the festival and the bands we saw and of course the amazing vegan food we had, but we'll also talk about the things that connect us all, what happens when 80,000 strangers are together with one shared love that links us together, why I've reached another level of zen and why Carlos is basically Yoda in a human suit (ok, Yoda in a hunky human suit). We'll also talk about the meaning of the word vegan, how the chorizo man turned into the vegan man this year, and how the world is slowly shifting to something new. We discuss community, Eddie Vedder's love song to the Chicago Cubs and so much more. I promise it all comes together in spite of this seeming like the craziest episode we've ever done. It's actually quite a simple one, and it's all about how music is my life, and one of those things that brings us all together.

To check out all the photos of the fest, us, and the food, click here!

In today's episode we're talking about making changes and dealing with the fear that is sometimes attached to this. Fears we ourselves have when it comes to making changes and the two big pink elephants in the room that are usually always present, as well as the fears others might have when we decide to change.

We'll discuss why lots of people got angry at a hot dog recently, why going against the mainstream can be so tough, and why we ourselves sometimes carry judgements that make changes a bit scarier than they should be. We'll also talk about some simple questions you can ask yourself when the road gets tough, to go from "I'm fearful of this change", to, "this little part actually seems doable!", and we'll talk about how sometimes it's the fear of change in our loved ones and the world around us that keeps us from giving things a try. All of this can apply to so many of the things we discuss in this podcast, including eating in a different way and going vegan, saying goodbye to the dieting and weight centric paradigm, practicing body acceptance and so much more. In the podcast version of this post I'll also answer a great listener question from Sam, on being a new vegan in a non-vegan barbecue, and much more.

To check out all the links and photos mentioned in the episode, click here!

In today's episode we'll be talking about two essential steps in making any big change, they have to do with being honest about the challenges we're facing and a practice we've been losing through the years, and that is the practice of patience.

I'll also be sharing what my favorite part of brownble is, and we talk about how that ties into honesty (the type you need to have with yourself), and the importance of embracing steps back. We'll also talk about why society has forgotten to nurture patience and why people aren't practicing it anymore, along with what children can teach us when it comes to this trait, and the one thought a kid has that we can learn a lot from when facing a challenge. Spoiler alert! It has nothing to do with perfection or with being the very best right off the bat.

To check out the links, photos and resources mentioned in the episode, click here!

By popular request, it's time to talk about mindfulness and what that practice is all about. We've discussed mindful eating a ton in our podcast and especially in our online program My Brownble, but mindful eating stems from this wonderful larger practice that can help so many different areas of our lives.

In this episode I'll be sharing lots of personal stories including my struggles with anxiety, how I got started with mindfulness, I tell you all about what mindfulness really is, I bust some myths and misconceptions about the practice, and I tell you all about my practice, how mindfulness has changed me and all of the benefits it has brought into my life. I also talk about how to keep up with the practice, the difference between mindfulness and meditation, whether yoga can count as a mindfulness practice, and how to bring this into your day to day life and why that's the goal, not the practice itself. I'll also be sharing some funny stories about my relationship with time, and much more.

For all the links, videos and recommendations mentioned in the video, click here!

Finally the episode so many of you have asked for! In today's show I talk about what I do for exercise, how my relationship with exercise has changed over the years, and how my philosophy of #nomiles #notime #noapps #justtunes might be just the ticket to finally getting motivated to add regular movement into your life. Exercise is such a great part of self care and well being but we've been looking at it the wrong way for so many years. We've seen it as the means to change our bodies, as a means to achieving weight loss, and even as punishment. I'm here to give you a new perspective today, and to top things off, we're also getting a bit musical today, as I share my running playlist, which is just as weird as I am. I hope you love it and that it inspires you to begin a new relationship to exercise, practicing intuitive movement that comes from a place of joy, not control.

For all the links, pictures and lists mentioned in the episode, click here!

To start tapping your feet to my running playlist, get it here!

With the summer approaching, and countless messages coming our way when it comes to bodies, bikinis and swim trunks, getting "bikini body ready", I thought it was the perfect timing to discuss the topics of body image, how to improve our body image, how to deal with external triggers and find peace with ourselves wherever we are right now, and remembering that we already have all the tools to reach a point of peace and body acceptance. I share a funny story at the top of the show regarding the things that can sometimes happen because of my culinary adventures and more!

For all the links mentioned in the episode, click here!