Resources for new/transitioning vegans!

Hi fellow veg friends!

I was having a lovely chat with a new vegan MFP friend today who has recently made the transition to a plant-based vegan lifestyle - and it occurred to me that perhaps there are some new vegans out there that might benefit from some the information we were sharing with each other. I sure wish I had a list of resources to turn to when I transitioned from vegetarian to vegan! So, here goes!

When I first began transitioning to vegan I checked out every single vegan cookbook at my local library network, ha! It was a great way to try them out before buying.

A few of my favs are:
Appetite for Reduction
30 Minute Vegan
Thug Kitchen
Happy Herbivore light & lean
Veganomicon
Forks Over Knives

I also listen to the Mindful Vegan (podcast) & made a spur of the moment purchase of a new cookbook - the Lusty Vegan - based on a podcast with the authors. I really like the 'talking points' in that book about relationships and how being vegan impacts our interactions with others.

If you ever want more positive, uplifting vegan inspiration I really recommend the Mindful Vegan podcast. I was feeling a lot of negative vibes from those around me about my lifestyle choices (I know, we've all been there! who would've thought mindfulness and compassion for the environment, animals, and my health/wellness would be judged so harshly!) and that podcast really has made a big difference for me.

A couple of other good reads that were really helpful and informational when I began my transition were Vegan For Life (excellent book on vegan nutrition) and the Vegan Sourcebook (good history of veganism and also sums up ethical vegan topics). VegNews is a great periodical to subscribe to - it's a wonderful combination of news/recipes/investigative journalism.

There are tons of great Instagram feeds for recipes/humor/motivation/inspiration that I follow. If anyone's interested, just comment below and I'll make a list and share!

I guess I should just round this out with documentaries, too! Forks over Knives and Vegucated eased me into veg docs... Then Cowspiracy and finally Earthlings which was so, so difficult to watch but very compelling. Those images will forever be embedded in my brain and they certainly remind me that I've made the right decision on how to treat animals, the planet, and myself!

Lastly, we all need a good laugh - right? I follow Darth Vegan and Vegan Humor on Facebook which always are good for a chuckle.

I'm sure you've read/watched a lot of the above but I sure wish I had someone recommending this stuff to me when I was first starting off, so I thought I'd share!

Please share your resources, too! I can't wait to see what your favorites are!

peace + love + plants,
Meg