Fridays with Friends: Kristin Lajeunesse
It’s Spring, which means that these next few months will see a flurry of Spring and Summer wedding activities all over the country. What better time of year, then, to interview one of my favorite vegan bloggers, Kristin Lajeunesse, who just happens to have a blog dedicated to vegan weddings, and another one about vegan food and travel too! She’s a dazzlingly bright, sweet woman, and just the kind of person you’d want helping to plan your vegan wedding. She’s also an amazing example of how to live exactly the life you want.
Allison Rivers Samson: You have two blogs: Rose Pedals Vegan Weddings and Will Travel for Vegan Food. Great topics! How did these ideas come about and are they connected in some way beyond the vegan theme?
Kristin Lajeunesse: Yes, thank you!
They actually both came about around the same time but are not directly connected outside of the vegan focus. Just before I started them both I had been reading a lot about following dreams, creating passive income, and learning to live a digital nomadic/minimalist lifestyle. I was ready for a change and had put a bit of time into thinking of creative business ideas to help me pursue a new life pattern.
I think the wedding site came to me super early one morning. It woke me up at 3 or 5am and I couldn’t stop thinking about it – a website dedicated to vegan weddings. I was aware of the wedding features that VegNews does yearly, but after some digging I quickly discovered that there was really nothing out there like this. Yet, a few weeks went by and I was still unable to formulate the entire concept. 
One day after work I was waiting for the T in Boston (Boylston stop, to be exact) and seemingly out of nowhere the name “Rose Pedals” popped into my mind. “Yeah, pedals like a bicycle because it’s eco-friendly. And Rose like the flower but also like the person.” I sprung to life, hurried back to my apartment, and began looking for vegan artists to bring my “Rose” to life. Once I had that piece of the puzzle the rest of the website started to come together. I launched Rose Pedals Vegan Weddings on February 14th, 2011.
The Will Travel For Vegan Food blog and life changing adventure came about a bit more organically. I found myself in a place in my life where I would say things like, “I’d love to travel but…” or “I really want to do x,y,z but…” I became tired of being an “excusitarian”
so I settled on the idea of a cross country, vegan food focused road trip, and started to take actionable steps toward making such an adventure possible. This included leaving a wonderful 9-5 job at the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), starting my own mobile social media business, launching a fund-raising campaign, and hitting the road! It took about a year of planning but I’ve been on the road for almost six months now and I’m having the time of my life.
ARS: It sounds like you have a creative and exciting lifestyle! Are vegan weddings on the rise these days? Do you know any stats on how many couples are having vegan weddings?
KL: As far as I can tell, yes. We seem to get more proposal and wedding stories every month. And in addition, I’ve noticed a trend where it’s not just the bride or groom who is vegan, but both typically are. This is notable since most of our early submissions, last year, came from couples of which only one was vegan. Very exciting stuff!
ARS: What advice would you give to vegan couples getting pressured by family to include meat or dairy on their wedding menus?
KL: This is always a tricky question because everyone takes family input into consideration, in various ways. Some couples want to accommodate guests and others just want a celebration that reflects their own values. Personally, I’d say, it’s your day; if you are more comfortable serving only vegan food, then so be it. It doesn’t have to be a huge deal or even the focus of the event. Just be open and honest from the start, making it clear that you’ve made this choice and will stick by it. We’ve also had some couples who choose to not bring up the topic at all. They just promise that the food will be delicious but say nothing more, or make it a point to avoid the food discussion all together.
The bottom line is that, with food and every other aspect of a wedding, it’s up to the couple. Don’t let others pressure you into anything that you’re not 100% comfortable with. Remember, a wedding is a celebration of love. Everyone chooses to express this in different ways and I don’t believe that a wedding should conform to any one pattern. Go crazy with colors, invite only a few or maybe many, have cupcakes instead of cake! Follow your heart, and your friends and family should respect your decision and support you through this beautifully epic event.
ARS: Are there enough resources for a vegan wedding in most towns? By my count there are only a handful of vegan bakeries in the country, and those are in big cities like NY, LA, SF, DC etc. 
What options do you recommend for vegans getting married in the rest of the country?
KL: Honestly, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Some towns have bakeries that are completely accommodating and in other places you’ve got to go digging or simply make the food/sweets yourself. If you’ve looked high and low and seriously can’t find a bakery that will make it happen for you, I’d say gather some close friends, dig up your favorite vegan recipes, and go to town. It can be super fun and result in amazing delicacies that may surprise even you! I know baking your own wedding cake may not seem like an ideal situation, but have fun with it, keep the energy positive, be confident in yourself, and you’ll surely create some amazing goodies!
ARS: I agree. David and I chose to make our own wedding cake and had a ton of fun with it. Because I knew it would be expected, we extravagantly offered four flavors and made sure there were enough servings for everyone to have at least two pieces. Some people even tried one of each flavor! It’s been my experience that with a good recipes, vegan baking isn’t any harder, or even that much different, that conventional baking. Tell us more about your Will Travel for Vegan Food project.
KL: Will Travel For Vegan Food is a year-long, vegan food focused road trip across the US. The goal is to attempt to eat at all of the 100% vegan restaurants in the country. 
I’m documenting the journey every step of the way, writing about every restaurant I go to, sharing my experiences of travel, adventure, mishap, and everything in between. You’ll also find other content on the travel blog including interviews with vegan business owners and entrepreneurs, volunteer opportunities with area veg groups and farm animal sanctuaries. The tentative end date is October 28, 2012 which is my 30th birthday. I’m hoping to have an over-the-top charity party dedicated to raising money for a farm animal sanctuary. This big bash will likely take place in NYC – I have to go back to finish eating through that city! I couldn’t do it in one week. 
On a deeper level, the trip is so much more than food and travel.
I knew that it would be a unique, once-in-a-lifetime, life changing experience from the start, but I had no idea just how much it would make me a different person. I’m about six months in and I’ve learned so much about myself and I’ve grown in so many ways. Simply being open to dealing with obstacles, allowing for new opportunities, and taking time to get to know myself, how I work, and the person I want to be going forward has been an amazing lesson in self-awareness. My passions, my dreams, and my life are all here, in this little trip. I’m in love with this world I’ve created for myself and love even more that I get to share it with others.
ARS: Traveling and eating vegan food, that sounds like a perfect adventure! Why didn’t I think of doing that? 
If you had an Allison’s Gourmet wish list, what would be on it?
KL: Now THIS is a tough question! Everything I’ve ever had from AG has been wonderful. However, if you’re going to twist my arm, I’ll say that my AG wish list includes: chocolate almond toffee, salted chocolate peanut brittle, vegan peanut butter cups, and peppermint crème patties.
Mmmm… great choices! Thanks for chatting with me, Kristin. Happy travels!
If you or someone you know is having a vegan wedding this year, check out Rose Pedals Vegan Weddings to share your story, get help and advice, and connect with other vegan couples. And, even if you do end baking your own cake, AG would be honored to help by making vegan wedding favors customized just for you!
Still Available: Easter Chocolates, Springtime Fudge, and Vegan Cookbook Giveaway!
First things first: Don’t miss your chance to enter our latest Giveaway for a copy of Carolyn Scott-Hamilton’s new cookbook The Healthy Voyager’s Global Kitchen. We’re picking a winner tomorrow morning, so enter now!
I know Easter is over, but just because the holiday has passed doesn’t mean you have to forgo our delicious vegan bunnies and eggs.
Spring is still going on, after all, and they’re just too good not to try, so if you missed them last week, or if you had some and were so blown away that you just have to get some more, you’re in luck! For the next few weeks we’ll keep up our stock of luscious Vanilla Rice Crispy Bunnies and creamy Flavored Solid Chocolate Eggs, just in case there are some chocolate-lovers out there who want an ongoing supply.
Springtime Salted Almond Bark will be available at least through May, in case you’re looking ahead for some Mother’s Day gift ideas. In that same vein, Spring also hails the arrival of wedding season and this year we’re very pleased to offer our new Artisan Chocolates in elegant 2- and 4-piece vegan wedding favor boxes. If, on the other hand, it’s a non-chocolate springtime treat that you seek, I highly recommend our Vanilla Chai Fudge, sweetly spiced in perfect harmony.
Fridays with Friends: Carolyn Scott-Hamilton and The Vegan Voyager’s Cookbook Giveaway!
Carolyn Scott-Hamilton is the brains and beauty of The Healthy Voyager travel blog and cooking show. 
Making the world easier to navigate as a traveling vegan is what Carolyn does best. When we met a few years ago, we discovered that we grew up a few blocks from one another in South Florida. We even went to the same high school, though not at the same time. What are the chances?! (Not to be outdone by our previous several Fridays with Friends interviewees, Carolyn is giving away a copy of her amazing-sounding new book, The Healthy Voyager’s Global Kitchen! See detail below.)
Allison Rivers Samson: You adopted a vegan diet after moving to Los Angeles; was it something in SoCal that prompted the change? How did you make the decision?
Carolyn Scott-Hamilton: Well, it was inadvertently Los Angeles’s fault. As an impressionable 22 year old in a city where image is everything, I wanted to lose a few pounds. I stumbled upon a book written in the 70′s called Fit For Life and the light bulb went off in my head. It wasn’t so much a book about veganism as it was more about food combining and overall health. Knowing no vegans or anything about it, I decided to leave my meat and dairy eating days behind for healthier pastures! Since I went vegan for health, I got my masters in holistic nutrition and went to culinary school to make sure I did it right and could help those around me understand not only why I did it but that I could thrive! It was the best decision of my life, 14 years ago!
ARS: Fit for Life was my first healthy eating book too! Healthy vegan eating is a big part of your message, what are some of the biggest health mistakes vegan makes?
CS-H: Well, I think the biggest myth is that if you go vegan, you will lose weight. That’s not necessarily true. These days especially, there are so many vegan options as far as convenience foods, junk foods and junk food vegan options at restaurants. If you’re just swapping out a carnivorous junky diet for a vegan one, you are more than likely eating a ton of processed foods and not consuming healthy, whole, plant based foods. Sure, an occasional slice of pizza or cupcake is fine, but meal after meal of mock meats and fried carbs isn’t a healthy way of life, vegan or not. I think that no matter the reason for going vegan, the most important thing is to focus on nutrition. Making sure that you are getting the vitamins and nutrients you need in order to sustain a healthy life is most important, and will, in turn, prove the naysayers wrong and add yet another reason to the checklist of why going veg is ideal.
ARS: Your new cookbook, The Healthy Voyager’s Global Kitchen, is available in stores now. Congratulations! How was the writing process for you? Did you enjoy it? How does it compare with making videos?
CS-H: Thanks!! It was a great learning experience along with being quite exhilarating and stressful all at the same time! I’ve always loved experimenting in my kitchen and since this book is part history and cultural lesson, I really enjoyed the research that went into exploring the folklore behind each dish. It’s super different than shooting my show since on the show I’m out and about discovering new places whereas writing the book locked me in my kitchen and office for just under 4 months. Which was fine because both involved food!
ARS: You often report on eating healthy/vegan while traveling (thank you!). What are a few key tips you can recommend for the healthy vegan traveler? Some easy mistakes to avoid?
CS-H: My biggest tip is to always be prepared. From packing snacks for small trips to planning where you will be dining at the airport as well as when you arrive at your destination and finding local markets where you can stock up on basics like fruit, veggies, beans, bread and other accoutrements for in-room cooking and prep. An easy mistake to avoid is loading up on junk foods out of convenience. Be sure to pack protein powders, nuts and healthy foods to keep you sustained as well as a green veggie powder to ensure that you are getting vital nutrients if and when you can’t locate a good salad on the go!
ARS: Be prepared, indeed! What’s one of the most surprisingly healthy places you’ve visited?
CS-H: Kenya stands out because I thought I’d only be served zebra and giraffe. I was totally wrong! They had wide varieties of fresh fruit, veggies and delicious vegan dishes, some of which made it into the cookbook! Stateside I’d have to say Memphis Tennessee! I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of healthy and vegan options I found in the BBQ kingdom!
ARS: Definitely not places I would have suspected. If you could recommend 2 or 3 tips to healthy eating anywhere, what would those be?
CS-H: 1) Don’t be shy to ask for what you want. ALWAYS tell your server right away that you are vegan and have them recommend some items. If they aren’t knowledgeable, have them modify a dish per your specifications and double check with the manager or chef.
2) When in doubt, go ethnic. Ethnic food like Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern and even Latin American can be easily veganized as there are tons of plant based dishes in international cuisine.
3) Snack. Always be prepared and don’t leave home or hotel without some kind of snack. You don’t want to be caught somewhere where nothing is available for you and you’re left to starve.
ARS: If you and I were playing in the kitchen together, what would you want to create?
CS-H: Mmmmm, some kind of savory and sweet concoction! Maybe some pain au chocolat, chocolate covered chipotle pretzels, cocoa mole drenched enchiladas….
ARS: Mmmm… sounds good to me! Do you have a favorite Allison’s Gourmet sweet?
CS-H: YES! Your vegan toffee, vegan peanut butter cups and artisan truffles!
Thanks Carolyn, it’s always great to catch up with you! If you’re feeling adventurous, or even if you’re not, Carolyn’s new book will fill your kitchen with delicious vegan dishes from near and far, and it can be yours! 
To enter, just reply to this post telling us your favorite foodie destination or international dish. Easy as that! You must be a resident of the US or Canada to win. We’ll pick a winner on Thursday, April 12th.
Happy travels!
This giveaway is now closed. See who won and stay tuned for more giveaways coming soon!
Announcing: Easter Giveaway Winner!
We loved hearing about all of your traditional and non-traditional Easter observances for this week’s Giveaway. I especially loved how many of you include eating chocolate as one of your Springtime rituals. Now I know you’re all anxious to find out who’s won our Giveaway of a $25 Allison’s Gourmet gift certificate and Chloe Coscarelli’s new book Chloe’s Kitchen, so I’ll get right to it.
Congratulations to Cat, who is our lucky Easter Giveaway winner!! Happy Easter shopping and vegan baking, Cat!
Several of you included Easter eggs hunts as one of your Easter traditions, and since I know they can be a hard thing to veganize, I’d like to share a new and exciting product that I just discovered with you. They’re called EggNots and they are very realistic-looking dyeable ceramic eggs. (Bonus: they can be saved as keepsakes!) I’m so excited to try dyeing and hiding them with Olivia this weekend!
Shipping deadlines are getting pretty close for delivery before Easter, but you may still be able to order EggNots, and you can definitely still order vegan Easter chocolates today. Our order deadline is usually 9 am, but today we’re making an exception; order before 12 noon and be sure to choose FedEx 2-day air shipping for on-time Easter delivery. Hoppy Spring!
Your Last Chance to Order for Easter!
I’m guessing there were a lot of us who turned over our calendars this weekend and were surprised. Not just because it’s April already, although time does fly when you’re eating vegan chocolate, but also because, yep, that’s right, Easter is this weekend! 
Which means that your orders for delectable vegan Easter chocolates need to be placed before 9am tomorrow!!
Choose from our adorable and melt-in-your-mouth delicious Chocolate Rice Crispy Bunnies, Springtime Salted Almond Bark, or Flavored Solid Chocolate Eggs, or opt for one of our elegant Easter & Springtime Gift Baskets that include all three lovely Easter chocolates plus delectable organic cookies nestled in green “grass.”
If you’re holding out hoping to win our Easter Chocolates and Chloe’s Kitchen Giveaway, place your order now and if you’re the winner tomorrow morning, we’ll give you a $25 refund.
Happy Easter shopping!
