Professional Documents
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The Mindful LIfe by Amelie Tahiti II
The Mindful LIfe by Amelie Tahiti II
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«
Be the change you want to see in
this world.«
Gandhi
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Welcome to The Mindful Life ebook !
All content found in The Mindful Life e-book is for informational and inspirational
purpose only. All information provided is the result of my own life experience,
education & research and is true to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing
(note: this is the 2019 updated version of originally published 2017).
I disclaim all responsibility & liability of potential physical or mental harm or adverse
effects that could occur following the advices given in this e-book. Before trying any
workouts from the e-book, the user should have professional medical clearance. Before
making any recipes from the e-book, the user should ensure all his/her ingredients are
safe to eat & take personal food allergies and intolerances into consideration.
It is the user’s responsibility for all loss and damages to the e-book.
All material found in The Mindful Life is under copyright. None can be shared, passed-
on, copied or re-published without explicit written consent from me, the author,
AMELIE TAHITI (Amélie Balland). All rights reserved, Worldwide.
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Hey you! That’s me!
Hi, as you might already know, I’m Amélie ! Welcome and thank you so much for
purchasing The Mindful Life, it truly means a lot to have you here!
I hope this e-book will be a great companion on your healthy plant-based lifestyle!
The following 143 pages have been designed to inspire you adopting a healthy lifestyle
but also to help you keep a positive outlook on life, delivering you all my personal tips &
knowledge. I chose to name this e-book The Mindful Life as it covers everything I apply
to be more mindful in my daily life. Everyday I strive to live that Mindful Life : mindful
about the food, nature, animals, planet, my body, my relationships and my thoughts &
emotions.. and I’m here to share all that with you now!
Before diving into actual content, since I know some of you don’t necessarily follow
me on social media, I thought it’d be relevant to introduce myself. So, in the next few
pages you’ll learn a little bit about me; you may this way, relate to my story or learn
how I came to this healthier, plant-based lifestyle and why writing this e-book is
something so special to me!
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I was born in 93 (so, I’ll let you guess my age ;)). When I’m being asked where I’m from, I
always hesitate and even adapt my answer to the moment! The truth is, it’s not a
super easy answer. I spent a part of my childhood in a small village near Strasbourg
(Alsace, France) and then moved to Tahiti with my parents and sister. To be honest,
that’s where my heart is. Growing up on a tropical island has truly been a blessing
that I wish everyone to experience. Stifling heat, rain forest waterfalls, turquoise
lagoons, tropical fruits, barefoot walks and dancing, flowers in the hair, are my thing!
Unlike many people (but also, like many), I had no idea what I wanted to do “when I
grow up”, so I thought a business school would be a pretty wise choice of studies: I
graduated high school at 16 and moved to Montreal by myself. I spent the 2 first years
being a “typical uni student”. That involved little-to-no exercise, no balanced diet
(although always homemade), late nights and a lot of partying! I still had great school
results but in terms of health, I was becoming a complete different person!
From that day, I decided to: 1. completely cut unhealthy habits like smoking and
drinking way too much alcohol at way too many parties. and 2. get in a better shape.
Cause in fact, I was out of shape. I wasn’t overweight but I clearly wasn’t slim or fit.
Until that point, I’d never felt self-conscious about my body, except my height, but I
slowly started to realise and hate what I (physically) had become. I felt fat & gross. I
couldn’t fit in my old jeans, I had cellulite - which I never had before (obviously, I just
didn’t see it!) - and had skin problems. I wasn’t attractive, or thought that I wasn’t, and
was obsessed with how big my thighs were. I wasn’t helped by the fact that many
people I considered friends were actually not, and was left down many times. In short,
I had massive self-love and self-trust issues. So, I started doing some hard-core workout
programs like “insanity”, surfing and going for walks across the hills of Lisbon. My
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body started to change, and so did my mindset! Unfortunately, short after, I had a
very bad fall in the old slippery wooden stairs of our building, which stabbed my back
really hard. I couldn’t lift my arms or stand up for days, I couldn’t walk or jump for
weeks. I couldn’t run without pain for months...
During the last year of my study program, I got really dedicated to adopt a healthier
lifestyle. My friends in Montreal were still into that party life but I was quite off-put by
it. So, I chose to drift away from old habits & people that didn’t resonate with me
anymore. That was hard and left me very lonely. Looking back tho, I wouldn’t have
done it differently!
That year, I specialised in financial accounting because I finally had found what I
wanted to do with my life! I wanted to become a financial accountant! I was one of
the best student in accounting from my school with straight A’s and A+, so it had to
be for me, right? Well… not that easy! Audit is a highly competitive field between
students in Canada. Getting a simple mandatory internship in an audit firm is pretty
much like winning the golden ticket. Too many people, too few spots. So, when you’re
insecure & shy like I was, and that you have to go to these “professional socialising” events
to sell yourself, it doesn’t matter how good your grades are, it’s nearly un-achievable.
So, let’s recap the situation: I didn’t get that internship. I had almost no friends. And I
was still not fitting in my jeans! At that time, I saw my future & world collapse.
I got depressed. Really depressive. Life wasn’t enjoyable anymore. I wanted to quit
studying. I hated myself. I hated to wake up in the morning. I lost the sparkle in things
I always loved doing.
I was just a few months away from graduating and honestly felt like giving up on
everything. I also had massive visa issues to top it all off - which were out of my
control. Honestly, too many signs for me to leave. But, I didn’t want to disappoint my
parents and with their help I fought through. I kept going to school, ate healthier, and
went to tahitian dance, zumba and kickboxing classes which helped me socialise and
find a life routine again. I also followed a famous training & nutrition program which
taught me what burpees and squat jumps were, but also, unfortunately (found out
later), misleading information about nutrition and healthy food concepts.
Fast forward to graduation day, massive relief : it was over! In the last weeks I also had
managed to get an internship in an audit firm in Tahiti. So, that was perfect: going
back to Tahiti, and eventually going to have the career I wanted!
I hoped on the plane to Tahiti and started the internship right away. I still was posting
on instagram and somehow got a pretty good following (probably around 3k, which
was a lot for me!). I was so happy that for once in my life, I could inspire people!
Fitness wise, I was working out 2 times a day, for at least an hour each session! Yep, I
was dedicated! Wow, yep, I was (too much!). I’d sleep at 9pm, wake up at 4:30 or 5 am
and directly workout (run, or hill power-walk in the mountains, or have a 45minutes
cross-fit like circuit). Quickly would have breakfast & would go to physio (for an injury)
and then work from 7:30am to sometimes 7pm and go straight to the gym for one or
two classes. I loved Grit, Body Pump, TRX and CX. Sometimes, at lunch break, I’d
even go for power walks. On the weekends, I’d workout as much, added to adventures
like hikes or swimming in the ocean!
Food wise, after the night gym session, I’d have a light dinner and prep my lunch for
next day with leftovers, insuring it had “enough protein, and not too many carbs”.
For breakfast, I’d add protein powder (& sometimes egg whites) to my oatmeal and
make sure not to eat more fruit (sugar) than half a banana! Being honest, I’m pretty
confident I flirted with orthorexia, which is - if you don’t know - an eating disorder
where you’re obsessed to eat clean (very strict and picky about the food you eat).
At that time, I already ate what I called “a healthy” diet; by this, I meant homemade
meals & wholefoods but no particular attention to animal products (if anything, I’d
never eaten as much of them actually!). Physically, I felt & looked really fit and had
lost all the undesired fat too (collateral goodbye boobs!). But training and sharing on social
media were the only enjoyable moments of my day. As much as I had wanted that
dream auditing life, I realised I hated to sit all day and work for someone. It lacked
substance & purpose for me. I was good at it, yet had absolute no enjoyment in doing
any of the tasks. My manager & I had sort of agreed that this internship was my
probationary period before I signed a contract. Yes, that would have been a super
secure & well-paid job for me, but I hated it.. and dared to chose to follow my heart!
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I stayed in Tahiti for a little while, but got «no luck» (mostly, no clue) in finding another
job, so I decided I would visit my parents for Christmas (they had moved to a
Caribbean island in between). Then, the dreaded question popped up again ‘now, what do
I do next?’. Oh God. Every. Single. Time. - I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I
knew that I didn’t want to sit on a chair all day, processing things that were
insignificant to me. I also loved to connect, inspire and help people on instagram by
sharing how a healthy lifestyle was helping me! So, beginning of January 2015, I
decided: “I want to go to Australia”. And then, I just couldn’t get it out of my head,
there was nothing I wanted more at this time than moving there, it was like a little
calling! Not to mention, I was following a few Australian influencers on Instagram,
and Sydney seemed to be the absolute dream to live a healthy lifestyle!
So, literally a few days later, I moved there. And turns out my instinct was right! I’m
not going to go into too much details but that year... it was the best year of my life so far!
It was a fresh start for me. No one knew who I was. I had the best flatmates who
turned out to be my best friends. The best memories. The best workouts. I got to
meet so many inspirational people in such a short amount of time, and I really don’t
want to sound ‘disconnected from reality or ‘too much’ by saying all that, but there’s
truly no other words I could use. I went to solo trips, conferences, fitness challenges,
daily long walks and surf. If someone or something didn’t felt right, I’d simply cut it
out of my life. I was purely doing things and hanging with people that made me
100% happy for ONCE in my life. I was happy with how I looked, with how I treated
people, with the things I did daily, with my relationships; but now that I had healed
my myself mentally, I wanted to start giving back & helping people. It had already
started on social media, but I knew there was something more that could be done..
The only thing that wasn’t as ‘abundant’ in my life was food. I ate a whole food diet
but I wouldn’t allow myself too large portions as I wanted to keep in shape. Magic/
Mystic happened & I slowly figured out what was missing to make me feel ‘complete’:
I came across videos about veganism on Youtube. About how animals were treated,
about the benefits of a plant-based diet on both health and the planet. I then followed
vegan people on social media. I enjoyed (re)learning about nutrition and realised that,
what I knew was actually very little and sometimes not even true (aka, “carbs make
you fat”). I had few lunch & dinner with vegan friends who showed me what they ate.
I could not believe how easy it seemed to be! I decided to give it a try, there was
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nothing to lose! I did slip up a few times but within a few weeks, I had actually
become.... A VEGAN!
That, to me, was kind of ‘the missing piece’. Being compassionate to all. Aligning my actions
with my values. Eating with no restrictions, whole plant-based food. Feeling energised to
push myself harder in workouts and to take my recovery time to a new level!
Short after I left Australia, I started my blog and a Youtube Chanel to share that
lifestyle and help people even more! I have always loved to take pictures, be creative
and play with the camera; have no doubt I have poured every ounce of myself into
this book to provide you with the most informative and helpful content, from fitness
and nutrition, to mental health and recipes.
Today, amelietahiti has become my main job. It might change one day..the truth is, I
still don’t know what I want to do with my life, and I’ll probably never know, but one
sure thing is I absolutely love what I’m doing now. I learnt what’s most important is to
live in the moment and enjoy the ride! Having you along on this journey is a true
blessing and you make my current life possible, so thank you again for your support
and I hope you’ll enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it!
xo Amélie
____
@amelietahiti
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www.amelietahiti.com
Stay connected with our community!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(this is interactive! click on where you want to go!)
Introduction Veganism
3-9 About the ebook and me (the author) 12 - 15 Why Vegan
16 - 17 Veganism (mini) Cheat Sheet
Recipe Index
p. 141
Useful Ressources
p. 142
Thank you
p. 143
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WHY VeGan ?
I know that no matter how popular veganism gets, there are still going to be people
discovering this word, or not really sure about what it really means. If this person is
you, I’m here to help! I like to define veganism as: the decision or conscious choice to stop
directly & indirectly exploiting animals and to stop contributing to animal cruelty of any species, by
changing one’s consumption behaviour. In other terms, it is to stop consuming products that
involved the use of an animal: food (meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey), wool, leather, fur,
cosmetics tested on animals, entertainment parks (zoos, seaworld) etc.
I’ve never met anyone saying “I want to kill that cow” or “I want to eat that pig”
when they see the living being in a field, and I’m pretty sure you haven’t either! When
you’re vegan, you chose to be compassionate to all species, whether that be your
beloved pets, wild animals, or those unfairly labeled as «farm animals»: cow, goats,
pigs, chicken etc. For me, veganism was sort of an awakening that I could actually live
a perfectly healthy life without harming any animals, so if I had the choice not to
contribute to animal exploitation, why would I chose otherwise? Cruelty in farming
doesn’t only concern meat. It’s everywhere. Dairy is one of the cruelest industry.
Cows are artificially inseminated every 9 months after giving birth to their baby calf,
who’s taken away just after a day (either to be given artificial growth food and become
a “milking cow”, either to be killed few month later and to be eaten as a “veal”). This
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vicious cycle goes on and on and on, often leaving the cows sick and purulent (which
is why pus and blood can be found in milk), until eventually cows aren’t strong
enough to handle another pregnancy and are taken to slaughterhouses. The egg
industry isn’t any better. Poor chicken can’t even walk without stepping on each other
and are for 99% of the time, debeaked without pain killers. There isn’t much of a
different treatment for animals that are “consciously killed”, “grass-fed”, “organic”...
they are all being abused and killed in the end. Even if those animals are ‘artificially'
created by the industry for human consumption, they are still sentient beings. Lastly, I
don’t think there is such a thing as “humane slaughter”, which refers to: gas chambers (or
wrapping the animal’s head with a bag till suffocation), stunning & hanging animals
upside down till they bleed out, gun shots etc.
Again, I don’t want you to think veganism forces you to have a healthy lifestyle (but
well, if you bought this ebook, chances are you want to make healthier choices too!).
Here’s another side effect of eating a plant-based diet: Health benefits. Let’s just talk
about fruits and vegetables, and provided they are free of pesticides, I can’t think of
anything wrong in them! They’re full of carbohydrates -our main source of energy-,
fiber, water, and essential vitamins and minerals. They are nutrients bombs and nope,
there isn’t such a thing as “nutriment overdose” from plants. Potassium overdoses can
occur from some medication pills, or from eating 400 bananas in one go (might die of
stomach cramps before that!). Animal products, however, apart from containing
macro elements such as: protein, fat, and little carbohydrates, and a few minerals,
contain many other bad stuff : saturated fat, bad cholesterol, hormones - both artificial
and natural (like the ones naturally found in dairy, to feed baby cow), antibiotics, pus,
blood, bad bacteria and more! Lots of minerals found in animal products essentially
come from plants (either their food, either artificially injected into the animal). I’ll go
into that in more details in the nutrition part. Now, you can of course eat processed
food when you’re vegan, but : 1. it’s still more difficult to find (although getting
better), so you’re less likely to reach for that chocolate bar in the middle of the
afternoon and 2. comparatively to ‘regular’ processed food, in most cases it still will be
healthier as, even if it does contain oils & refined sugars, it doesn’t contain all the
extra stuff animal products contain!
Being vegan lowers stress/conscience issues that you might experience. I remember
before being 100% plant-based, I kept finding so many excuses not to be vegan,
because I didn’t want to admit that I was a hypocrite to myself... loving animals yet
eat/exploit them ? It’s such a nice feeling to know that no animals had to suffer for
your meal (or your clothes & cosmetics!)!
A plant-based diet can also help and even cure some diseases. It’s been proven to cure
type 2 diabetes, and make type 1 more ‘enjoyable’ to live with. Having a healthy
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balanced plant-based is also going to be beneficial for skin, weight regulation, improve
muscle recovery, increase energy level and much more!
The most important thing to remember : Veganism isn’t about perfection, but intention.
I, for a time, didn’t want to label myself vegan because of everything that’s expected
from you when you go vegan. Truth is, it’s not a package deal, there is not one way to be
vegan! It’s not a complete make over of your person. It doesn’t define you. It is just
choosing to consume differently! You don’t need to be an animal activist, ecologist,
minimalist! You don’t need to like broccoli, kale, avocado, if you never liked it & you
certainly don’t need to look or be a certain way because some people assume all
vegans are : glowing, skinny, athletic, hippies, minimalists, activists,…
In fact, you don’t need to prove anything to anyone! It’s really about doing and
making all best choices you can & being confident with your actions. We live in a
predominantly non-vegan world so it’s important to remember that, as much as you
want it, it is impossible to be 100% vegan. Roads, glues, vaccines, orthopaedic shoe
soles all contain animal products. On the journey, if you chose to follow, you will hear
all sorts of things. You will meet people trying to make you feel guilty that you’re
vegan but using a car or phone, keeping your old leather goods, eating processed food
from non-vegan companies and so much more. But remember your intentions and
that often these people actually do nothing! A little is always going to be better than
none! Veganism is not a religion; it’s not about what you can or cannot do, it’s about
what you want or don’t want to do and that’s a massive difference! If you slip up that’s
okay, if you have to take something non vegan for your health that’s okay too. If you
can’t be 100% vegan yet due to certain circumstances, relax! Do not fall into thinking
that because you’re vegan, you suddenly have to do so many things and cure world’s
issues! Just stay true to yourself & have fun!
If you want to learn more about veganism, check out additional helpful resources that
I’ve listed p 142!
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VEGANISM (mini) ChEat SheeT
Here’s a small list of common questions people will ask you many, many, many times
once you chose to live a vegan lifestyle, and how I like to answer. Remember to always
answer questions in a calm way, or you will sound uneducated & it won’t do good for your
cause! :) Have compassion for everyone, even the ill-intentioned, cause you may have
been there one day too! Note: This is an excerpt from my guide «Where’s Your Protein?» which
answers ALL of the questions you could possibly get asked! If this is something important and
interesting for you, have a look at TheShop on amelietahiti.com :)
«WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR PROTEIN FROM ?» AND «I CAN’T BE VEGAN BECAUSE I WANT TO BUILD MUSCLE & LIFT AT
THE GYM SO I NEED PROTEIN.»
I get my protein from whole plants! All plants have protein in some amount, but if
you mean as an animal protein replacement, I eat beans, legumes & grains like
chickpeas, lentils & quinoa, seeds & nuts, soy products like soy milk, tofu and tempeh,
and greens ! World Health Organisation recommends 0.8g protein/bodyweight kilo,
and I would say 1g or 1.3g if you want to build muscle is great, and is so easily
attainable, you’d be surprise! Protein deficiency (most commun name Kwashiorkor) doesn’t
happen unless in case of severe malnutrition or starvation. Tia Blanco (surfer), Carl
Lewis (sprinter), Steph Davis (free climber), Patrik Baboumian (weightlifter), David
Carter (American football), John Joseph (Iron Man), Serena Williams & Novak
Djokovic (Tennis), Nate Diaz (UFC fighter) & many more, are all plant-powered athletes!
«EGGS ARE SUCH A HEALTHY FOOD, I HEARD IT’S GOT A PERFECT COMPLETE PROTEIN!»
Yes you’re right, eggs contain a complete protein since they’ve got all amino acids in a
balanced way. However, eggs also contains : saturated fat, growth hormones,
cholesterol and I’m not sure I’d label this as healthy! Actually, did you know it is
prohibited by law to advertise eggs as “healthy” in the U.S. due to false
advertising ?
«IT’S FINE TO EAT ANIMAL PRODUCTS AS LONG AS ANIMALS ARE HAPPY AND WELL TREATED»
Well, I don’t think any animals is happy to die or be exploited though. We often hear
there are nice ways to kill animals, but honestly, would you rather be strangled, shot
or gazed? Probably none. Gaz chambers are defined as a “humane killing method”.
Like! How? I think this is extremely disrespectful to a famous historical tragedy. I
personally don’t think cows/goats are happy to daily be inseminated, or milked on
automatic machines causing them to bleed and get infections, or to see their baby
taken away after carrying for so long. I don’t think chickens are happy to be
debeaked, crushed alive or have their eggs taken away. I don’t think animals are
happy to be slaughtered alive for meat. I don’t think animals are stocked to be used as
a resources without any consent, and all that happens with organic and grass-fed,
local farming too.
«GOING VEGAN WILL NOT SAVE THE PLANET. BESIDES, YOU STILL USE YOUR CAR & PHONE...»
Veganism isn’t anything more than to stop contributing to animal cruelty. Ecology is a
positive side effect to it, but you definitely don’t have to do anything about it if you
don’t want to! Most vegans are however concerned by environmental issues as it is
part of an overall compassionate and aware lifestyle! No one can be perfect and
between eating animals which contributes to destroy the planet + using a car/
phone AND simply using a car/phone, I chose the second option! It’s always
better a little than none and veganism for me isn’t about perfection but intention!
..find more than 35 other questions answered in «Where’s Your Protein» Guide !
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Healthy Living
In the following pages, you will find information about living a healthy life.
First we’ll start off with the nutrition part. You’ll get all the info you need to get
educated about nutrition & help you adopt a healthy plant-based diet : how/
how much/what to eat; info on essential macro elements and micro elements &
avoiding deficiencies. And lots more fun content like grocery lists, example of
what I eat in a day, natural plant- based substitutes to animal products, tips for
social events and eating outs and few other things!
Second part is all about exercise, getting a sweat, working out! You’ll find general
knowledge about fitness and targeted information. I go into details about my
fitness philosophy, what has “worked” and hasn’t worked for me, my favourite
fitness moves and a little bit more !
Then, you guessed it, I’ve dedicated a whole section to talk about mindfulness and
self-love. What’s mindful living, how I deal with anxiety, depression, life purpose,
boredom and few other topics like meditation.
And finally, I’ve touched on my favourite healthy/eco-friendly things to do, diet and
fitness aside !
Once again, all tips given in the next pages come from my own experience &
research. I would recommend anything from this ebook to my closest friends
and family, so rest assured I wouldn’t take any risk of delivering false or
uncertain information to you! All has helped me a lot, however, you absolutely
don’t need to follow everything super strictly, if at all! I’m here to inspire and
guide you and certainly not to tell you how you should lead your life :) !
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HEALTHY Balanced
DIET
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WHY is a PlaNt-BaseD DiET HEALTHY ?
Carbohydrates, but aren’t they bad for us? Pretty sure you’ve at least once thought or heard
that bread, pasta and pizza make people fat. Well, this is partly true but not because
of the carbs, more by things we put on top! Cheese, butter, cream, meat… are all
calorie-dense foods mostly made out of fats. Fats (lipids) are essential to our body but
shouldn’t be consumed in very high quantities. The issue with a standard diet
including animal products, is that it’s hard to achieve unless you restrict calories or the
amount of food you eat.
As I just mentioned, I once thought (& you may think too) that carbs are evil and that
excess amounts are transformed into fat. Well, good news, they aren’t! At least, not
that easily! Carbohydrates consumed in excess to our daily need can be stored as
glycogen in muscles and liver for up to 900g for adults (amount varies of course).
Carbohydrates consumed in excess to our daily need and to this glycogen storage, are
not easily converted into fat: they are used through a process called thermogenesis. It’s a
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process that I won’t get into details (mostly because it’s complex and also because I
didn’t do enough research on!) but to simplify: it regulates the body’s temperature and
performs other physiological tasks. The process of turning glucose into fat, does
however exist and is called de novo lipogenesis. It is used by some animals like cows, pigs,
bees.. as these animals are able to transform low-calorie food (grass, grains) in calorie-
dense one, ideal for their physiology. Humans can also perform de novo lipogenesis,
although we aren’t designed to use it often: it is an emergency mechanism switched on
in grand starvation or when diet is inappropriate (like low-carb, keto, low-calorie).
So, if you’re wondering, why people eating low-carb, high fat & animal products lose
weight, it roughly goes down to this: When the body is deprived from glucose, it relies
on the 2nd source of energy available : lipids (keton acids), which come from both
food & body fat. Hence why fat loss. It’s a bit like turning the body into eco-mode-
called ketosis state. It is not a normal or healthy state to stay in long term as it can lead
to metabolic damage, cardio-vascular issues, kidney stones, and often gaining all the
weight back on!
Another issue often raised with high carb diets (like plant-based) is diabete. Type 2
Diabete is caused by the accumulation of eating too much sugar (glucose) & fat (lipids)
at the same time (important!). And that is what a standard diet (with lots of animal
product) contains. When too much dietary fat (especially saturated) enters the
bloodstream, it clogs arteries which makes it hard for insulin to function (hormone
who regulates the sugar levels in our body) and for the cells that carry glucose to flow.
Hence, there’s too much glucose staying in the blood and this state is called
hyperglycaemia. To regulate, our pancreas secretes even more insulin, which, in the long
run, creates a hormonal imbalance called insulin resistance: first cause of type 2
diabetes. A plant-based diet is naturally much lower in saturated fats (and fats in
general) & much higher in fibre which helps to regulate sugar levels. It’s been
countless time observed that a vegan diet cured type 2 diabetes, and made type 1 a lot
more “enjoyable” to live with!
If you want to learn more about animal products health effects, have a read at my
‘why vegan’ page on amelietahiti.com or consult additional ressources listed p 142.
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WHAT IS A HeaLtHy DIET ?
I think we can all agree that “healthy” is quite an imprecise word. The same
chocolate cake might be healthy for someone and not for someone else. Why so ?
Because we have to consider the big picture, the diet as a whole. For one person, it
might be eating a cake occasionally, in reasonable amounts without frustration; for
another, it might be eating cake at every-single meal, and for someone else, it might
be binging on cake after restricting for days. We are all so different, different
backgrounds, tastes and behaviours with food, hence why I’ll rephrase the question to:
I have a 100% plant-based diet, organic as much as I can. I don’t follow any trends or
‘so called healthier diet’ rules. I’ve tried a few but it wasn’t sustainable or even making
me happy !
I avoid / keep trans & saturated fats to a minimum. Luckily, if you eat plant-based,
this is easily done. Plant-based trans-fats are found in industrial food & plant-based
saturated fats are especially found in oils and this is why, I usually avoid using them
for cooking when there is no need (except for taste!). That being said, oil when
eating out or once in a while in baking/cooking, is totally fine! I don’t like to build
unhealthy relationship with certain foods!
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and other things I can’t even spell right. Check out grocery list page 41 to see what
processed foods I buy!
I avoid eating too much sodium. That is really easy for me as I don’t buy pre-packed
meals, salads or dressings. For the occasional processed food I buy, I try to keep
sodium lower than 0,3g per 100g (that’s equal to 0,75g of sea salt btw), but since I
rarely buy industrial food, I really don’t obsess over it! I don’t use a lot of salt in
my cooking, but I’m not a NO-SALT person as iode is an extremely important
mineral, and especially since my life is active and I sweat daily!
I prefer the least refined food over the more refined one. Cane, coconut sugar or
maple syrup over white sugar. Wholegrain/spelt/lentil/corn pasta over regular.
Brown rice over white. Wholewheat flour over white. But that’s not a strict rule at
all & I love my plain basmati rice! My saying is, if i’m going to eat (nourish myself) I
avoid empty calories. Foods in their wholesome form have a more interesting nutrition
profile in my opinion! :)
I have a diet rich and varied in whole-foods: I bulk my meals with un-processed
foods. Vegetables, fruits, starches, grains, nuts and seeds. I have different colours on
my plate and try to have at least 5-6 different veggie (or fruit) from different
colours or types in a day, this way I’m sure I get a wide variety of nutrients !
I rarely drink alcohol, when I do it’s 1 glass or 2! I drink 3L water daily. 1L lukewarm
as I wake up, and the rest throughout the day.
I try to balance out macro-elements ... but I don’t overthink it ! That means I have a
rough idea about the protein/fat/carbs I eat & I can easily «eye ball» it. No need
to weight or track down anything. No need to have fats/protein dense food at
every single meal either. I try to have one meal higher in protein with either quinoa,
beans, legumes, tofu per day, as well as a good amount of healthy fats (avocado, nuts,
seeds..).
I eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full. FULL. Not full till the point I’m sick
and not 80% full. 100% full. So most of the time I don’t have dessert as I’m 100%
satisfied with my meal. If I find myself being hungry between meals, I eat
nutritious snacks (smoothies, hummus..). If it’s 5pm and I’m super hungry, I’d
rather have early dinner than snacking and late dinner (note: I don’t have kids yet or
live with anyone, and I work from home, which makes it easier).
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I listen to my cravings: but, no, I don’t eat chocolate all day! It may take some time
but after a couple of weeks of eating lots of wholefoods, the body reconnects and
naturally starts craving healthy foods! Yes, craving green smoothies, avocados &
smoothie bowl for lunch is a thing! But I definitely eat less healthy food like cookies
& croissants or ice-cream (all vegan) whenever I feel like it !
I don’t count calories or macros and I never restrict what I eat. I have however,
tracked what I ate when I first went vegan, and sometimes still like to do it (mostly
for when I make youtube videos) just to ensure I’m eating enough, which is what’s
recommended (2000kcal). I have a pretty active lifestyle and most days I tracked I
ate more than this!
I don’t see food as calories, and calories as enemies but as fuel for my body to
function and thrive !!
Lunch: big salads with a base of rice/quinoa and tempeh or tofu, avocado toasts,
chickpea sandwiches, veggie burgers, rice paper rolls (recipe in the ebook) buddha
bowls, smoothie bowls sometimes
Dinner: curry, soup, pasta, lasagna, dahl, tacos, crêpes, veggies & rice, or any meal
recipe from this ebook!
Snacks (if needed): fruits & nut butter, hummus & carrot dips, smoothies, muffins
(from this ebook), energy balls, dates, banana, granola, lattés…
If you want a better insight about what a day of food looks like for me, check out my
Youtube Channel here !
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DEFICIENCIES ON A PlaNT-BaSed DIET
It is often said and believed that vegans are deficient if they don't take supplements.
Deficiencies are definitely something you want to take seriously, especially when you
transition from a standard diet. Since plants and animal products don't have the same
nutritive profile, it is important to be educated on minerals & vitamins to ensure your
diet is well balanced and sustains your health! Good news: I'm here to help! In this
chapter I discuss the most commun sources of deficiencies that could occur from following
a plant-based diet, while giving you some general information about macro & micro
nutrients. Keep in mind deficiencies aren’t all down to food ingested but come from
different factors. Some minerals being better absorbed when combined with some
vitamins, and everyone having their own physiological strength and weaknesses
(ability to synthesise and absorb nutrients). I recommend getting a blood check after 6
months post-transition, and then every year or so !
MACRO - NUTRIENTS
CARBOHYDRATES - Well, as discussed earlier, there is no way you can be carb
deficient on a plant-based diet! Carbs make up from 60% to 90%+ of most plants :)
FATS (or lipids) - Fat deficiency doesn’t exist. Well, it is not that simple. There are 2
main categories of fat : saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fats are lipid-saturated
triglycerides. The chains can be short or long. Short chain fatty acids are healthy
(anti- inflammatory) for our colon while long ones are used for cell production.
However, dietary saturated fats should remain low as they can cause cardiovascular
disease and our body can actually produce all saturated fat it needs on its own.
Animal products are full of saturated fats, whereas there aren’t easily found in plants
(except coconut, some nuts & oils). Unsaturated fats are either mono-unsatured, poly-
unsatured or trans fats. Trans fats do not occur naturally, they result from processing
foods and should be avoided at all costs (fast-food & industrial food are rich in
transfats). Mono and Poly are often called ‘healthy fats’. They are extremely important
for hormones, brain, eyes and tissues health and required to absorb fat-soluble
vitamins (A, D, E & K). Notable sources of healthy fats are all seeds and nuts, olives &
avocado.
PROTEIN - THE BIG QUESTION that I’m confident all vegans have been asked!
Protein deficiency (also called Kwashiorkor) is very very very rare in developed countries
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because it is due to heavy malnutrition. World Health Organisation recommends an
intake of 0.8 gram of protein per kg of body weight.. but for easy maths, let’s take it
to 1 gram. That means if you weight 60kg, you need 60g of protein daily. That is very
easily attainable! There is a food myth saying animal proteins are of better quality.
Let’s dig into that statement and clear it once & for all! A protein is a molecular chain
of hundreds of amino acids (AA). There are thousands different AA on earth, but
only 20 exist in ALL living species (humans, animals and plants). Dietary proteins,
whether they come from plants or animals, cannot be absorbed as such by our body.
When ingested, the chains can’t go through our intestine and need to be broken down
& digested by 3 enzymes (pepsine, trypsin, chymotrypsin) into separate AA. AA are
organic compounds made from carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen. As you know,
nitrogen’s natural state is gas, but plants have the ability to convert it into solid matter
(this basically means all type of protein - plant based and animals - exist thanks to
plants!). After the protein chain has been digested, our body needs to reassemble it
into a human protein chain. To perform this, our body starts using available amino acids
from the ingested food. But as you may have heard, not all amino acids are available
equally in all type of food. Luckily, our body can synthesise (produce on its own) 12
out of the 20 amino acids. The 8 remaining are called ‘essential amino acids’ and cannot
be synthesise by humans or animals, they are created through the chloroplast of a
plant! In other words, animal protein only contains all amino acids thanks to plants !
While it is true the amino acid profile of an animal protein is more “balanced” than
the one in plants; all plants contain ALL 20 amino acids - just in various quantities.
That’s why it’s also important to eat a variety of food throughout the week to ensure
you get all the right AA into your diet! Don’t forget that plant-proteins are far less
acidic than animal proteins, and contain far less - if none- harmful & unhealthy stuff !
Notable sources of plant-based proteins are kidney beans, chickpeas, soy beans, lentils, tofu,
quinoa, oats, spelt pasta, almonds, chia & sesame seeds, cashews, brown rice, spirulina, hemp
seeds, nut butters…
MICRO - NUTRIENTS
(note this is not an exhaustive list of all micro-elements, just the main ones)
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) - This vitamin is often hold as a reason of why “a vegan
diet isn’t meant for humans”, because nowadays B12 does not occur in sufficient amount
in fruits and veggies. VB12 is not produced by animals or plants, it is the work of
bacterias in soils. Today, those soils are contaminated, pesticided and depleted of
nutriments, hence why natural B12 barely exists anymore (animals & plant-based
products being artificially supplemented in B12). B12 is an extremely important
vitamin for brain and nervous system. Deficiencies in B12 can cause pernicious
anemia, fatigue, weakness, irritability, mental health issues. B12 found in animal
products is artificially injected into livestock, as they need this vitamin to live and
don’t find it in their food anymore - which is why people eating a standard diet don’t
need to supplement. Vitamin B12 is also sometimes added to food like plant-based
milk, nutritional yeast, dulse.. but not sufficient to maintain healthy levels (from my
own research and opinion). Vegans must supplement with injections, tablets or
sublingual sprays. It also comes in various forms, cyanocobalamin and
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methylcobalamin are the best as they are readily absorbed. I personally take a spray 2
or 3 times a week with a 500mcg per dose. To read more about B12, check out this
blog post!
Vitamin K - An essential element in blood clotting. Also helps with mineralising teeth
and bones. Vitamin K found in plants is different to the one found in animal product
but it’s still perfectly absorbed by our body! Deficiencies in vitamin K isn’t that
common. It can cause regular bruising, hematomes, massive bleeding when cuts etc.
Notable sources of vitamin K are all leafy greens (spinach, kale, leak), brocoli, cauliflower,
cabbage, onion, prunes
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salt from your diet! Note that 5g of salt = 2g of sodium (try to not excessed this). Most
known source of sodium is table salt, but it is also present in other vegetables.
Omega 3 - These fatty acids are undoubtedly essential to the body! While it is true
fish contain omega 3, it doesn’t mean it is the best (healthiest) source of it! Fish also
contain harmful compounds (saturated fat, heavy metal, plastic etc). We actually need
both omega 3 & omega 6. The thing is that to have a great absorption of both, they
need to be consumed in a “specific” ratio (of 1:1). With a standard diet, we consume
already way too much omega 6, so instead of supplementing in omega 3, a first start
to reach balance can be to decrease the omega 6 (animal products) intake. However,
without getting super technical, there are few different types of Omega 3, plants are
rich in ALA, animal products rich in EPA/DHA. We need all of the different types,
and most of us are capable of producing our own EPA from plant-source. Some
people don’t have a good ability for this synthesis, which means they have to
supplement in EPA if they chose a vegan diet. Don’t worry, have your blood checked
and supplement if your omega 3 level is under 4%. Notable sources of O3 are : hemp,
flax & chia seeds, spirulina, blueberries, mangoes.
Calcium - As you know, calcium is key in maintaining strong healthy bones! Almost
all our calcium is stored in our bones, but some also in muscles! It is commonly said &
believed that dairy is essential to get calcium! Dairy industry & governments
recommend 900mg per day but the World Health Organisation only recommends
500mg! That is to show how powerful dairy industry is.. there’s so much money
involved! Scientifically speaking, calcium from animal products (essentially dairy) isn’t
well absorbed by the body. When dairy enters our system, the latter kinda freaks out
as its pH suddenly drops to very acid! The acid (sulfuric acid) is buffered by the calcium
we hold in our muscles & food intake! So that means when drinking milk (or dairy),
you are actually consuming a substance containing calcium but because of the acidic
profile of this drink, all the calcium is used to neutralise acids....That is absolutely
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pointless. It’s been also observed that societies having dairy regularly, have more
arthritis. Plant-based calcium is much healthier and beneficial! Notable sources of
calcium are: broccoli, chia seeds, soy, almonds, spinach (and other leafy greens), spirulina,
squash, figs, blackstrap molasses, tahini..
Iron - Iron is a key element of blood, it “helps transport” oxygen in red blood cells.
It’s also important to metabolise some amino acids and vitamin A. It is believed that
iron found in meat is of “better quality”. Actually, there hasn’t been any evidence on
this. They are just 2 different types : heme (animal) and non-heme (plant) iron. Heme
iron is usually more absorbed by the body but it isn’t as simple as the absorption really
dependants on multiple factors. The lower the iron in the body, the more it absorbs.
Also vitamin C helps to absorb iron way better, and since vitamin C is just found in
plants.. you can guess the conclusion ! Green tea reduces iron absorption. Iron
deficiency is common and cause pale skin, hair loss, brittle nails, colds, weakness,
anaemia.
Notable sources of iron are : pumpkin and sunflower seeds, cashews, walnuts, kidney beans,
brown rice, oats, kale, spinach and blackstrap molasses
Selenium - Although not super famous, this mineral is very helpful for our immune
system (white cell synthesis), it will often help you fight virus! It is great for thyroid and
reproducing system health. While deficiency is rare, excessive selenium can be toxic,
so I just wanted to put it out there. Don’t worry too much tho, that would mean you
would consume so many brazil nuts daily (like a kilo), for months! Notable sources of
selenium are : brazilian nuts, mushroom, whole grains and seeds.
Copper - It is used by the body to produce tissues - collagen and melanin. All about
that skin glow! It’s also important for the heart and immune system. Dietary
deficiency in copper leads to anaemia symptoms (as it is required to absorb iron),
uneven skin pigmentation, osteoporosis, hyperthyroidism and abnormal cholesterol
and glucose metabolism. Notable sources of copper are : cashews, hazelnuts, beans, kale,
mushroom & cacao.
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So what do you do with all that information ?
As you hopefully noticed, deficiencies are not always down to the
mineral found in the food itself, but many other factors like co-
absorption and individual general health state and personal condition
(like chronic disease)
You do not need to calculate or track the food you eat in order to have
sufficient level of nutrients. As long as your diet doesn’t consist of just
junk food, just pasta, or just basmati rice with soy sauce, you’ll be fine!
Try to have varied wholefoods (if possible in season and organic).
Many more food that I didn’t listed in the examples above are healthy
too, in fact pretty much all plants are nutrient dense!
A good “rule”, that I’m confident works for everyone, is to have half of
your plate filled with vegetables or fruits, and to eat the rainbow ! Each
color of vegetable has its own set of benefits (I go over that in the
grocery list section) so it is good to swap it up !
Get your blood tested after 6months of transitioning, whenever you feel
very tired without a clear explanation, and every year after turning
vegan (actually, even if you are not vegan, get your blood tested
regularly!)
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33
TIPS TO SUCCESSFULLY TraNsiTIon
TO A PlaNt-BaseD DiET
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Pantry TiPS
• Organise your cupboards by meal type (breakfast/dinner/baking
supply) or type of foods (toppings - nuts, seed, granola, nut butters,
grains & pasta (carbs), legumes & beans (protein)), or a mix of both
worlds!
• Keep your cupboards clean and the things that expire quicker, in
front.
• Keep your grains, nuts & seeds in glass jar over plastic. Not only it is
healthier, more sustainable, but it will look really pretty and will make
you want to cook more!
• Keep it simple. Bulk up on the cheap things like rice, oats, pasta,
potatoes, lentils, beans. Then add one or two type of nuts, seeds and
you’re almost good to go!
• Keep two sorts of rice and pasta to alternate and avoid getting bored.
• Make sure to clean your jars regularly and as you refill them, keep the
oldest food on top (I pour what’s left in a bowl, then fill with new
stuff, then put back the old one!)
• Most seeds & nuts preserves well in cupboards except hemp, flax &
walnuts preferably in the fridge.
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Pantry StapLEs
The food suggested below are simply ideas for each category. You do not need to own all of those at
the same time at all! The grocery checklist will help you figure out and then you can pick from here!
Grains & carbs : oats, rice (basmati, brown, jasmin, thaï, red, black, wild), semolina (corn or
wheat), quinoa, buckwheat, faro, amaranth, millet, pasta (corn, red lentils, normal wheat),
Legumes & beans : chickpeas, red kidney beans, white beans, broad (fava) beans, black beans,
lentils (green, red, beluga..).
Nuts & Seeds & Dried fruit (great toppings): granola, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds,
pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds & flax meal (grounded seeds), chia seeds,
walnuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnut, brazilian nuts, pistachios, peanuts, pine nuts,
cranberries, mulberries, raisin, figs, dried apple.
Nut butters : peanut, almond, hazelnut, tahini (sesame), sunflower & mixed
Baking supply : flours (wheat, buckwheat, spelt, rice, chickpea, coconut..), sugars (coconut,
cane, maple syrup, agave), cacao powder, vanilla, corn starch, almond powder, baking soda &
powder.
Produce out of the fridge: dates, bananas, most fruits (see fridge section), tomatoes, avocados,
milk, cold pressed olive oil, walnut oil, coconut oil & sesame oil, apple cider vinegar and salt,
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Fridge + Freezer TiPS
• Keep everything in air-tight, if possible glass, containers. Which means, if you opened a tin
of beans or coconut milk, pour the leftover content in a jar.
• Avoid cardboards in the fridge: remove those around yoghurts & industrial products
(they’ve been stored everywhere and touched by many people..) and it’s not good with
humidity.
• Keep all vegetable in the produce drawer (they’ll go bad very quickly on shelves).
• Keep enough greens (salads) rinsed & dried in an airtight container, lined with absorbing
paper. It should last around a week.
• Keep discarded greens (like kale stems) in a ziplock in the freezer for green juices or
smoothies.
• Freeze all extra meals you won’t eat before they turn bad!
• Most fruits don’t need to be stored in the fridge (except berries), tomatoes are out, they’ll
taste way better!
• Freeze fruits when they are in season, so you have them on hand (and cheaper) when
they’re not!
• When eating half an avocado, always eat the part without the pit first and don’t discard
the skin: wrap other half with it, it’ll preserve super well!
• Clean/sort your fridge throughout every month at least & maintain minimal cleanness
otherwise.
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Fridge ’+ Freezer StapLEs
The food suggested below is simply ideas for each category. You don’t need to own all of those at once! I like
to sort produce by color as each has different heath benefit & this way I’m sure to eat a good variety of nutrients!
(note: most fruits below & some produce don’t require to be stored in the fridge)
Fridge
Greens (detoxify, fight free radicals, most are high in fiber, protein, magnesium, iron, calcium..): lettuce, kale, collard green,
green cabbage, spinach, arugula, mache, leak, alfalfa, cucumber, brocoli, zucchini, celery, kiwi,
peas, artichoke & aromatic herbs
Orange (good for eyes health, collagen, cancer prevention, high in vitamin C, A, beta-carroten, flavonoids): carrot, sweet
potato, papaya, mango, abricot, all pumpkin & squash, passion fruit..
Red (good for hearth, blood, joints, high in potassium, vitamin C, B1, B6) red bell pepper, beetroot, cherry,
strawberry, raspberry, tomato, red cabbage, radish, rhubarb, red onions..
Purple/Blue (regulate appetite, fight free radicals, cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, mental health, mineral absorption, highest
in anti-oxidants) blueberries, blackberries, grape, eggplant, prune, purple potatoes & carrots, purple
cauliflower..
Yellow: (good for heart, digestion, and skin health, high in vitamin C, A, potassium) banana, corn, bell pepper, golden
kiwi, yellow peach, pineapple, avocado, mango, apple, pear, lemon, nutritional yeast (i keep mine
in the fridge)..
White/Brown (immune boosting, prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, high in vitamin C, B2 (riboflavin), calcium, magnesim, folic
acid, potassium): white potatoes, cauliflower, garlic, onions, white peach/nectarine, turnip,
mushroom, dates, parsnips
Condiments : a small jar of homemade salad dressing or vegan sour cream/hummus for the
week (you’ll find those recipes in my ebook TheMindfulLife), dijon mustard, olives, dried tomatoes..
Plant-based milk + yoghurt of choice (soy, almond, hazelnut, coconut, oat, rice..)
Tamari or soy sauce, curry paste
Protein-dense food: tofu, tempeh, seitan, veggie patties..
Freezer
Big bag of frozen blueberries, frozen mango, frozen raspberries/mixed berries, ice &
coconutmilk/almond milk ice cubes (pour extra milk in trays), frozen bananas, green peas,
curries/soups in big batch, frozen açai if you have extra $ !
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grocery shopping TiPS
• Do not go grocery shopping when you’re hungry as you will tend to buy
unnecessary/unhealthy food that you could save money on.
• Plan roughly the week ahead, with some recipes ideas or a theme for the week (indian,
thai, greek..) so you can make a list of the things you’ll need and flavouring agents.
• Go grocery shopping once/twice a week instead of once a month for fresh produce!
• Know your neighbourhood and roughly where the things are best quality & cheapest!
• Ask your grocer about seasonal ingredients and strive to stick to seasonal produce.
• Do not go through ‘evil’ aisles (candy, chips, chocolate, ice-cream) until you can be
reasonable with that kind of food.
• Foods like greens, apples, bananas, cucumber, soy, potatoes are usually not more
expensive when organic (vs conventional) and are way healthier and taste better !
• Buying in bulk with your own bags is usually cheaper and more eco friendly. You can
then store in glass jars at home.
• If on a budget, avoid buying products like hummus, almond milk, wraps, smoothies,
juices etc that can be done super easily at home, way healthier and cheaper!
• Only buy things once you are out of (avoid provisions leading to food waste).
• Don’t buy the latest superfoods unless you’ve tried & liked it somewhere.
• Splurge in ONE fancier, more expensive, or new product on monthly grocery trip! I
particularly like curry & chili roasted cashews that i add to my salads or vegan cheese/some granola!
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meal prep’ iDEas
breakfast/snack
granola, energy balls with dates, muffins (all recipes in TheMindfulLife), hummus, trail mix,
bircher mix (let me know if you want a recipe for that one!).
food prep
Wash your greens in a water & apple cider vinegar bath. rinse, dry & store in an airtight
container lined with absorbing paper. This way you’ll have them on hand for the week!
If cooking beans yourself, soak them in water 12h+, cook, then freeze.
Soak cashews/nuts 6h+ and keep them, drained, in fridge, or make plant-based milk!
Pour the extra coconut milk you didn’t use in icecube trays & freeze to add to soups & smoothies.
Ground flax seeds into flaxmeal (powder) in your blender and keep in the fridge. Make specific
flours (buckwheat, oats, rice..) from whole grains in a food processor.
Bananas: peel, cut in 2 or 3 and put in tupperware or ziplock (reuse it) in the freezer for some
smoothie and nice cream action!
Cut up fruits/veggies if that helps you to eat more of them!
meal prep
Big batch of 2 different grains/legumes like rice/quinoa/buckwheat/lentils.
Cashew sour cream / houmous / salad dressing for the week
A big soup or curry with the left-over veggies before going grocery shopping.
Roasted veggies with olive oil + herbs
Oven-baked sweet potatoes
Plant-based milk
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Weekly & Monthly
GRoCERY ShoPpinG CHecKliST
Instruction : Fill in + Check Off the blank spaces below :)
Ask the waiter or waitress what “suspicious” things are made of (ex. dressings). Say you’re
vegan, they must tell you what are their vegan options. I sometimes say I’m allergic, this way
I’m sure they will tell me exactly what I can and can’t eat!
If I’m going out, I don’t really care about how much oil/calorie there is in food. I rarely go
out, so for me it’s more of a way to spend a good time with friends & family, I know it’s
occasional so I’m not so picky. But, I know I feel much better with healthy options so I usually
end up picking something pretty healthy, or have a healthy main & not healthy dessert! I
usually swap fries for salads, and get salad dressings on side. Thai & indian food are pretty
easy ‘vegan’ and healthy options, although watch out for fish oil and ghee (made from butter) !!!!
If you’re not sure to have vegan options when you go out pack vegan snacks with you and
eat enough before you go out the door !
At friends
When you’re invited somewhere, make sure they know you’re vegan and that it’s not a
problem! Ask if you can prepare something, a dish, a dessert ? Honestly, if friends have you
over, they usually will make something to make you happy!
I would really suggest you make a big batch of your favourite side salad or vegan treat so
you can share with everyone & they discover how vegan food taste! (make sure it’s good!)
If you’re sure you won’t have any vegan options, it is a good idea to eat before you go !
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43
EGG SUBSTITUTES
Here are a few options you can use instead of eggs for both baking & cooking, all made from
wholefoods. These alternatives have worked well for me when I try to veganise a recipe!
Chia Egg : great to bind things together. In cakes, pancakes, muffins etc. To make 1 Chia Egg:
mix 1 tbsp chia seeds with 4 tbsp warm water (not boiling, not lukewarm) and let sit 5-10
minutes until it thickens.
Flax Egg : great to bind things together. I would probably prefer it over chia in savoury dishes
such as veggie burger, savoury loaf etc. To make 1 Flax Egg : mix 1.5 grounded flax seed
with 3 tbsp warm water and let sit 5 minutes until it thickens. It is really important to ground
flax seeds first into flax meal, as our body can’t digest these seeds if they’re not broken down.
Hence no nutritional value at all, plus the egg won’t work as well.
Apple Sauce : To mimic the “moist” a normal egg brings into things like chocolate cake,
“butter” cake. Plus it’s super healthy & light! Use 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce per egg.
Baking Soda + ACV: To replace egg whites used to bring fluffiness in a cake or muffin. The
apple cider vinegar reacts with bicarbonate of sodium releasing a gas responsible for fluff.
This also works with lemon juice (not as well). Add 8g baking soda and 1 tbsp ACV.
Chickpea Brine (Aquafaba) : To make beaten egg whites for chocolate mousse & meringues.
Whether you use canned chickpeas or cook them from scratch, the water they are in is called
Aquafaba. It’s a thick liquid that looks and smells gross…but does wonders! Use an electric
mixer and beat just like you would for egg whites, except it might be a little longer! Use few
tbsp of sugar too. Look up online for fun recipes !!
Banana : For sweet cakes or pancakes, banana is great as it binds things together and
sweetens at the same time. Although it will taste banan-y.. just letting you know!
Tofu : If you like scrambled egg, try with tofu! It doesn’t taste like it but will definitely trick
you into thinking you’re eating eggs! Use firm tofu & scramble it with your fingers, adding
turmeric or curry (for color) and other spices. Then cook in a pan, serve with avocado,
mushrooms... If you use silken tofu, you can make cheesecakes, sauces or dips !
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BALANCED ExerCise
ROUTine
45
LET’S TALK ABOUT WORKING OUT !
If you’ve read the intro of this e-book or follow me on social media, I think you know
I LOVE to exercise and be active! In this section I’ve gathered all my tips &
experiences that I think are worth a share, regarding exercising & staying/getting fit!
MY EXERCISE PHILOSOPHY
I personally believe that having an active
lifestyle is key to so many good things in
life, but mostly to happiness and longevity
from good health! I wouldn’t imagine my
life being a sedentary type and I’ve
actually always been pretty active, except
for a brief period of student life! Now
that I’m also a yoga teacher, being
physically fit and taking care of my body
is so important. I’m lucky my relationship
with exercice has been pretty ‘healthy’ for
most part… I have, however, tried quite a
lot of activities & sports, and the things I
didn’t enjoy as much were when I felt like I was ‘forced’ (more so ‘forced' myself) into
an activity or a fitness program because it would give me a particular ‘physical
result’ (which it didn’t because I would give up too quickly). My philosophy is just
being active as much as my life allows me to. Sometimes that means I workout
everyday, sometimes that means I work out once a week, or once every second week..
(when I do workout however, I push my limits, I work on being a better version of
myself and I’m very focused on my moves). Even if I don’t workout everyday, I do
aim to be active for at least 45 minutes. Living in Paris this is achieved very easily by
just walking around the city (or sprinting because I’m always late to meetings!), biking,
taking all the subway stairs, caring grocery shopping etc. On top of that, I aim (and
like) to practice yoga daily. I take classes 2-3x per week and the rest is a home
practice, anything from 10minutes to 2hours sometimes. I have learned and still
learning that recovery days are SO important for physical and mental health! If you
want to read more about my exercise philosophy check out my blog post about it!
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WHAT IS THE MOST EFFICIENT WORKOUT ?
I’m unfortunately not able to give you the magic answer to this question..! First reason
being: we all have a different definition of efficiency.. we all expect some ‘results’ but
what are they? fat loss, muscle gain, toning up? run faster, jump higher, lift heavier,
master a yoga pose, improve endurance or injury recovery? Is it to be more fit for day
to day tasks like lifting suitcases, carrying groceries, preventing back injuries? You get
the idea. Second reason being: a workout can “work” for someone (for that specific
goal), while not so well for someone else.. in the end it also goes down to: how much
you push yourself, how focus you are when you work out, how committed you are,
how much you enjoy your workout, how in shape you already are (or not!) & how
your body naturally reacts to it.. and of course, if your diet choices sustain your
workout demand!
That being said, there are still some ‘fitness’ or ‘exercise science’ facts and so here’s a
little miscellaneous list of things I’ve learnt through my journey and research.
•Your max heart beat (MHB) is roughly calculated by subtracting your age to 220.
•Training guides are not sustainable. They might be great at first to give you some
ideas & structure, but you’ll never find enjoyment in following a guide for more than
few months. Make sure you have fun and that you listen to your body.
•Our body needs oxygen to burn fat. The more available oxygen in the body (which
goes down to the ability to breathe), the more fat burned. Fun fact, it takes 2.9 kg of
oxygen to burn 1kg of fat. Bottom line, don’t forget to breathe if you aim for fat loss!
•Lifting weight, if you’re a girl, will not make you bulky. It takes so much time & effort
and proper training and nutrition plan to intensively grow a muscle that you won’t get
massive unless you purposely train for it!
•Cardiovascular exercises are needed to burn fat. When you do cardio you need
energy, and to get it, your body first reaches sugar in bloodstream and glycogen
(excess dietary glucose stored in muscles and liver), and then switch to second source
of available energy: fat. That means theoretically, you need to exercise for a certain
amount of time in order to get into fat storage. But, this all depends to the intensity of
your cardio (and heart rate), there are different types of cardio you can do with
different effects.
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•Low Intensity Steady State Cardio (LISS) is the most efficient for fat loss. Don’t do
extended period of activity if your goal is to put on weight. For a same amount of
calories burnt, it’s the activity that burns the most fat. Your activity is a LISS if you
are reaching 50% to 70% of your Max Heart Beat during the whole time. It can be
power-walking, slow swim, slow jog, hiking.. Anything where you could easily sustain a
conversation for hours. LISS is a great choice for healthy cardiovascular health or
active recovery.
•High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a type of cardio training where you’re in a
high intensity state (85%+ your MHB) for a short period of time followed by a rest/
low intense state for another period of time. For a same amount of time, it’s the
activity that burns the most calories. HIIT doesn’t need to be traditional cardio like
running or biking (although it can!). HIIT workouts can range anywhere from 4 to
30ish minutes, and shouldn’t be completed more than 3x a week, as they put stress on
your neurological system (and joints). If you can go past 40 minutes easily, or are
doing HIIT everyday, you aren’t doing it properly! HIIT workouts are also effective
AFTER working-out. Yes ! Your metabolism can still be higher up to 72h after the
session (depends on the workout). This is due to a phenomenon called “EPOC”
which basically is the fact that your body will intake much more oxygen after the
session in order to compensate from the lack of it during the intense workout. Check
page 51 to see my favourite forms of HIIT ! :)
•Resistance training is amazing to condition and train your body for a certain sport,
to increase strength and target a specific muscle or group, or whole body. Includes
weight training, body weight training, plyometric, TRX, pilates, barre, stability, circuit
training and yoga!
There’re lots of specific terminology often used, here are the most commun ones:
Isometric moves are when muscles are working without shortening: the body is static.
Planks, chairs, holding arm raises and holding yoga poses are all isometric training. It
is especially great for building long, lean muscles and endurance. Isotonic moves are
the opposite : muscles are working by being lengthened & shortened. Examples are
squats, biceps curls, triceps dips, lunges, and all the typical ab exercises like crunches,
sit ups etc. Isotonic are especially great to grow muscle in volume. I personally like
isometric for core, back & quadriceps, and isotonic for biceps, triceps, shoulders,
glutes, hamstrings & back. But again, it really depends what your goals are !
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Plyometric moves is when your muscles shortens and lengthens in a very short
amount of time. Typical plyometric moves are: long jumps, high (box) jumps, squat
jumps, dynamic push ups (where you clap your hands in between). It’s often used to
gain speed/power/explosive strength. It’s also great to run faster or get better at
running and cycling hills. However, plyometric is also hard on the joints so best
performed with good training shoes and definitely just max 2-3x /week.
Isolation exercise is targeting one or a small muscle group : biceps curls, triceps
extension, shoulder raises, leg extension, donkey kicks etc. Compound exercise is
targeting multiple muscle groups and most of the time, entire body: squats, lunges,
burpees, planks, clean & press, push ups.. I like to do a mix of both depending what I
want to work on!
Functional training is doing all sorts of moves designed for the body to function
better in something else (a specific sport or just life in general!). Functional training
often involves lots of stability, mobility and strength exercises without necessarily
lifting heavy. One of my favorites!
If your goal is fat-loss: a mix of HIIT & LISS is great. Also the more muscle you’ll
build (by being active), the higher your basal metabolic rate will be. That basically
means you need more energy (calories) for doing ‘nothing’ (nothing visibly active).
If your goal is toning-up (increase muscle definition but keep long & lean) : do
resistance training but don’t forget stretching, or do yoga for both! Do isometric
moves, compounds and isolations. Body weight or light to medium weight is enough.
Plyo is also so good for quadriceps definition! However, visibly ‘toning-up’ also goes
down to having a low body fat % so cardio could also be needed!
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If your goal is strength increase : do resistance training, with lots of isolation
(targeted) exercises. Focus on fewer repetitions (8-12) with 2-3 sets for each exercise.
Use medium-heavy weight where the last 2-3 repetitions are hard. Although some
body weight exercises are also as perfect if performed correctly (I’m thinking of
pushups, pistol squats, pull-ups…).
If you goal is to become fitter and more athletic (generally speaking) : functional &
mobility moves, stretching & HIIT.
If your goal is having a good cardio vascular health : any type of activity you enjoy
which involves getting your heart rate up and breaking a sweat! :)
If your goal is all of the above: well.. welcome to my squad! Hehe.. I basically do a
little bit of everything when I can… or yoga because it is very complete!
Sprints
I love to do my sprints on a treadmill as I can set the speed and have no other choice
than to keep running at the same pace. I sprint between 16 & 17km/h and carefully
jump in & out of the treadmill. I like to change up my sprints workouts but my
favourites are: 50seconds on/30seconds off x 8; 30seconds on/30seconds off x 15;
20seconds on/ 10seconds off with max incline x 8, this one is a killer !!!!
Tabata training
Tabata is a type of HIIT where you work for 20seconds and rest for 10seconds and
repeat that 8 times (which is a total of 4 minutes). When doing tabata I do the most
exhausting moves, which for me are : burpees, squat & lunge jumps, plyo (box) jumps,
tuck jumps, commandos and fast push-ups. Sometimes I repeat the whole thing 2 or 3
times which is 12 minutes workout and it feels good!
Jump rope
One of my favorite cardio is skipping and I like to do a HIIT version on a 30seconds
intense (fast, cross, double..) and 30 second easy pace from 10 to 20 minutes.
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MY FaVOuriTE TARGETED ExeRCisEs!
Here’s a list of moves I love to incorporate into my workouts for each body part (a lot of those move
also work multiple body-part or even full-body). To know how to perform each exercise, type in the
name of the exercise on web search or watch couple of my youtube workouts videos!
Legs
normal squat - sumo squat - closed feet squat - sumo squat pulse - jump squat - pistol squat -
reverse lunge - curtesy lunge - side lunge - jump lunge - broad jump - side leg raises - in &
out squat jumps - elevated back leg lunge - fast feet (on place and in and out) - 180 jump
squats - drop squats - step ups - walking lunges
Butt
all of the above will work it + glute bridges & hip thrusts (they are not the same, hip thrusts
engage the back more) - donkey kicks - fire hydrants - bent legs pulse on all fours - straight
leg pulses on all fours - side to side straight leg kicks on all fours - cable legs kick-backs -
cable (or resistance band) hip pull through - stability ball hamstring curls - holding chair -
kneeling squat - crab walk with weight or resistance band
Abs
I don’t do any hyperpressive (crunches, sit-ups) exercises. My core exercises are planks
normal, dynamic, leg raises, mountain climber, side planks, superman & hypo-pressive abs.
But I always engage my core throughout all my workouts and yoga practice !
Back
superman - pull-ups - row - single leg deadlift - deadlifts - TRX rows - planks and hip thrusts
Arms
push-ups - pull-ups - shoulder raises - bicep curls - mac raises - shoulder press - reverse fly -
commandos - tricep dips - triceps extensions
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HOW TO KEEP THE MOTIVATION TO BE ACTIVE - TIPS
I’ve been working out, practicing yoga and been physically active daily for years now so that it
is not something I see as a chore. But here are some tips I can think of to help you get through
the first tough weeks & months, or if you just need a little extra motivation to get yourself
moving !
• Find inspiration in others & motivation in yourself. You can follow many fitness people on
social media, but if you stay on your couch scrolling through, nothing’s going to happen!
You need to get started & moving and you can only find that spark within yourself.
• Follow people who motivate you to work out, not those who make you feel like crap!
Mostly, a photo doesn’t say much! You don’t know if & how it was edited, what the person
eats & workout etc. If someone is only bringing you frustration, just unfollow!
• Find an activity you ENJOY ! Because exercise is truly meant to be fun!
• Look up some workout videos online, try the moves and write down the ones that work the
most for you (i.e. you feel good doing)!
• Have a good music playlist ! Often times the rhythm will also make you work harder!
• If you chose to go to a gym, pick one within 15 minutes car drive/walk. If more, you will
most likely give up as the whole thing will take up to 2 hours & let’s be honest, who’s got
time for that ?
• Have a goal or 2 to work on! Maybe it’s fat loss, maybe it’s strength gains, maybe it’s
running 5k under 25minutes, maybe it’s mastering a yoga pose… visible progress always
keeps me motivated and committed.
• Find a workout partner! It’s more fun when you workout with a friend, it can help you to
commit & push yourself harder. However, make sure you keep chit chat for after!
• Be patient. Your goals, whatever they are, won’t happen in a week, yet even a month!
Results don’t always come easy and when they don’t, they’re only more enjoyable !
• Every choice you make to be active, is a good one (except when you really need to rest!)
So, 10minutes movement workout is better than none!
• Book time for exercise in your agenda, and make it normal, as you would do any other
thing during the day! Wake up earlier & get it done if that’s the only moment you have.
• Strive for progress, not perfection!
• Change up the routine every now and then not to get bored and stuck in your progress!
• Take days / weeks off from one activity from time to time. I find this only motivates me
even more when I start again !
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BE & STAY ACTIVE THROUGHOUT THE DAY !
Here are all things I like to do, as stupid as they may sound, to either add in a little
activity or engage muscles throughout the day!
• Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk. Fast. Big steps. Anywhere, anytime! :)
• Get off 1 bus/subway stop before or after your destination. Distract yourself, get off
transport and then you have no other choice than to walk. Great way to get your
lazy body moving ! haha
• Park further when you go to groceries. Yep, walking 5-10 minutes with 5kg+ in each
hand is definitely a workout.
• Leave late but don’t be late. This way you’ll have no other choices than to run.
Story of my life !
• When water is boiling, pasta is cooking, and all these little 10 minutes period of
time where you can, but actually not really, do any other stuff.. Do some squats,
lunges, planks..
• Take the stairs, even if you have an elevator, even if you live on the 5th floor. When
I first moved in my new place, I always took the lift up (4th floor). But then, I
remembered that my sister lives on the 4th floor and doesn’t have any elevator.
When I lived with her, I took the stairs everyday. Now I act as if I have no other
choices than taking the stairs ! Just imagine how many extra steps you make ! I like
to think this: If I worked out that day, how ironic is it to take the lift afterwards ? If I
didn’t worked out that day, well at least I get this done ! So either way, taking the
stairs is always a win-win.
• Keep your core engage as much as you can throughout the day. If you’re reading
this, do it now : suck your stomach in !! YAY!
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TIPS TO KEEP FIT & ACTIVE DURING HOLIDAYS
I know some people prefer to just chill on holidays and I totally get that ! I personally
enjoy to stay fit & active so these are my tips to do so!
• If you can, pick a hotel with a gym! This way you can do whatever activity you like
(fitness, yoga, skipping, running..) without bothering anyone or being bothered!
• I always bring running/gym shoes, elastic bands and jumping rope! These are light
and take no space in a bag!
• Enjoy the outdoors for your workouts, be innovative use bench, hills..
• For workouts, I love to use the Nike Training Club app! It’s a free app with tons of
workouts. I also use an interval training app to get a timer.
• I love to wake up earlier (if I go on holiday with people) to get my workout in. Then
I can have breakfast and go ahead with daily adventures with everyone!
• I know all inclusive are tempting but don’t eat your emotions out of the breakfast
buffet! A croissant or treat is fine but don’t eat 3 croissants, french toasts, scrambled
eggs, jam bagels.. in one meal! Fill a big plate with fresh fruits, have some oats, a
muffin or something you want.. but don’t go too crazy till the point you feel sick !
• To discover a place, walk as much as you can or go for swim/bike rides !
• Keep hydrated all day long, carry a water bottle in your bag!
• You will go to restaurants & eat out way more than you usually do, so try to keep it
balanced : french fries one day, a salad the other day!
• I love to check healthy cafés before going to a place. I love checking on instagram
where vegan bloggers eat. I then use ZeeMaps. It’s a website where you can enter
and pin all the health/vegan restaurants you want on a map before you go to a
place. Then, once you’re there, you always have a healthy option near you !
• And really, just e n j o y ! Even if you don’t improve your fitness game on holidays,
just keep lightly active. The most important is you have a good time and a good
rest!
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30 MINUTES FULL-BODY (HOTEL) ROOM
WORKOUT
Warm-Up
1 minute plank walk-outs
1 minute downward facing dogs to triceps push-ups (chaturanga)
1 minute high knees
1 minute basic squats
1 minute plank
Circuit (2 x 12 minutes)
- PERFORM TWICE -
Perform each move either 40 second on - 20 second off, 45”on/15”off, 50” on/10”off, depending
on your fitness level. I use an app called IntervalTimer which allows me to set beeps at each interval.
plank on elbows
right side plank
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NO-EQUIPMENT LEG WORKOUT
PERFORM THE WHOLE WORKOUT 3 TIMES
WITH LITTLE TO NO REST IN BETWEEN
“OEL” STANDS FOR : ON EACH LEG
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A HEALTHFUL mindset
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MINDFULNESS
In today’s society, pressure is everywhere. Pressure to find a (good) job, pressure to
know what to do in life, pressure to do certain tasks, pressure to look good, pressure to
We’re so caught up in doing things just for the sake of doing them and for other’s
approval, that we often forget to take a step back, look at the big picture and ask
This word ‘mindfulness’ has been around for couple of years now and we often
associate it with meditation & yoga (I agree!), but it goes way beyond that! To me,
mindfulness is shifting my mind back to present when it's stuck in the unpredictable
future or unchanging past. I do accept what has past & am looking forward to the
future, but mostly i'm being fully present in the moment. Basically, mindfulness is taking all
my decisions in full awareness and living life with a curious and conscious spirit.
In this section we enter a touchy matter. Whether you are dealing with mental struggles
or not, I do think everyone can benefit from allowing more gratitude and mindfulness
into their life. I dealt with depression in the past. Today, I still have bad days for sure.
What I’ll talk about here is purely from my perceptions of things. I’m sorry if it’s not
perfectly structured, I’m just letting this naturally flows from my finger tips, I think it
makes it more authentic. I’m not saying I hold the truth. I’m not saying I’m perfect
nor do I apply these tips all the time. But I’m happy to share what has helped me and
still help me to deal with “mind battles”, existential questions and more.
I am not a mental health specialist. Please seek further help and assistance from professionals if you’re dealing with
intense depression, mental health issues, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.
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BODY - IMAGE : BE MORE CONFIDENT
Body image is a very common ‘struggle matter’ as it plays a huge role in a lot of
people’s life. It’s also the essence of fashion industry and brands…it is not news that
physical appearance sells! Industries have created this concept of ‘ideal body
type’ (that is also constantly changing) which leads millions of people insecure about
of that frustration.
If you’ve read the intro of this ebook, you know I once felt really insecure with my
body. That insecurity came right when I started to look up on all those ‘perfect’ girls..
I wished I was like them. It also came from real life, from people I personally knew,
judging and saying mean things about my appearance, behind my back. So here are
my tips on how you can be more confident. (Hint: you don’t need to change your
appearance!).
My foolproof tip is : stop caring about what people think. I know it’s easy said but when
you stop caring about what people think of your looks, you stop seeking validation of
yourself through others, and then there’s nothing left not to be confident about.
A lot of times, we think people (friends & foreigners) expect us to look a certain way.
But that’s made up in our minds! When you think about it, do you expect your best
friend to look any different Probably not. If a friend actually tells you face to face you
‘have fat thighs’ or your ‘stomach isn’t flat enough’ or your face has ‘too much acne &
imperfections’, then let go of these people because they obviously aren’t your friends!
And I think same goes with family. What people say to you is a reflection of who they
are..it often comes from a place of pain so let go with compassion. If you see beauty
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in others, without jealousy, without frustration, then you have this same beauty in
yourself. But you need to come from a place of love not from of a place of lack!
thin lips, flat breast, flat bum... there’s nothing wrong! Nothing to be ashamed of. We
come in all shapes and sizes, what’s beautiful is we’re unique! If you don’t want to
wear make up, don’t. If you don’t want to wear high heels or sneakers, don’t. If you
want to wear short shorts, do this. Do what you want. If people don’t like that, it’s
fine, keep doing you & eventually you will find people who resonate with who you are!
I think it is okay to be willing to “change” your body: lose weight, clear your skin,
even cosmetic surgery if you really don’t like something about yourself (for you, not
others)...that’s really fine! But what is really important is to always accept yourself &
love yourself throughout the whole process. You need to stop thinking that only once
you have these things, you will be happy and confident, because you won’t. Sure it can
help you but the most important switch isn’t physical but mental ! (Not to mention
wishing you looked a certain way, I think it is a good idea to disconnect or unfollow till
your 100% confident with your looks. Remember you always have a choice putting
yourself to see what you see on social media. Remember photos are heavily edited
post and pre. Remember lots of people you follow are models, with personal trainers,
sometimes surgery too and mostly, their body is their work tool!
Make your insecurities your strengths, your personal trademark ! Write down 5
physical things you love about yourself. Write down 5 personality traits you love about
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yourself. Read this as often as you want. We all have things we’d like to be different,
but focus on what you have and love. Everything else is an illusion. Nothing will give
you as much glow and beauty than your own self confidence and smile. If you still
have doubts, I have none : you’re a beautiful human being I’m telling you !
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LIFE PURPOSE: CAREER & HAPPINESS
One of those existential questions.. I see people struggling with it, me included, & I
know some of you will relate to what I’ll write here. Life purpose/career matter has
probably brought me the most anxiety issues. It all starts with ‘what do you want to do
when you ‘grow up’?’. What’s growing up honestly? I know young people way more
mature than older ones. And, is there such a thing as finding a job that’s meant for
you? I believe not for everyone. I find awesome all people that are perfectly fine to
settle for something or people who already know what they want to do as a career at
15 years old; but I think not everyone can. And I think no one should ever be forced
to know. I think you don’t necessarily need to find a specific thing to do for a living.
I am not disconnected from reality, and I’m not here saying materialistic things like
money or belongings don’t matter. My focus here is for you to learn about ways to
I think it’s completely fine to have several passions & to try to see where they can lead
you. I think it’s okay to one day enjoy doing a particular job and another day change
your mind. Experiment. That’s what growing up for me is. If you don’t change you
don’t grow.. but in order to change, you need to let things go. If something doesn’t
feel right for you, as scary as it can be, move on! Your life is going to be filled with
trials. And things you will once see as failures, will probably be some of the biggest
I know how hard it is when you’re struggling and you have this constant ‘society’
pressure around you. Throughout school, we’re often told there’s one way to be
successful. We’re taught success and fulfilment in life = well paid and secured job (and
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the other way around). And we’re taught that for this we need to go to the best
But what is it worth if that comes at the expense of your happiness, authenticity and
creativity? How can you be happy if your daily job lacks purpose and doesn’t align
with your values ? How can you be happy if you’re working for someone to achieve
their dreams, while you could too? If you don’t resonate with those questions,
If you’re struggling with this career/studying/life purpose battle, think about this: no
one will live your life but you ! You’ve got to do what makes you happy, not something
to please anyone’s expectations! Also, remember all things in life are temporary.
Things will be fine one day, and not so much the other day. That’s why I personally
think it’s important not to rely on a job for life fulfilment. You need to find purpose
within yourself first. Do things that bring positivity out of you ! Do things that
stimulate & challenge you to be productive and kind to this world and be patient to
Stop seeking fulfilment through materialistic things such as money, fame, jobs, or
looks. I’m not saying these things don’t matter, but they surely won’t guarantee
happiness. Happiness comes from having a grateful heart for all situations,
opportunities, successes, challenges, people that you will meet. Appreciate simple
things on the daily. Appreciate people in your life. Appreciate values you stand for and
are worth to share ! Nurture your curiosity, creativity, and never give up on your
dreams!
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HOW TO LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT, NOW.
Remember this: you’re always one decision away from a complete different life. You
have the power to chose what you want your life to look like, anytime. You can chose
to study, you can chose to talk to someone, you can chose to go in a certain place, you
can chose to move abroad, you can chose to learn a new language, you can chose to
end a relationship, you can chose to gain weight, you can chose to change your diet,
you can chose to be sad, you can chose to smile.. you can chose to do all that, today.
The only thing you need to do is : start and believe you can.
It is a mindset shift. For sure nothing will ever change if you stay in your comfort
zone, and if you don’t allow opportunities & challenges in your life ! I think, most of
the time, what prevents us from making change is fear of the unknown. But where
uncertainty is, change happens. Yep, future is uncertain. In my opinion, you can work
on getting past fears. Honestly, what could go wrong ? Maybe things won’t turn out as
you expected them to, but at least you’ve tried & you now know & can learn from it !
On another note, I think to live happier you need to get rid of toxicity in your life,
once and for all. Your toxic habits, your toxic thoughts and your toxic relationships.
Toxic habits - all daily things you do that bring you a moment of fulfilment which is
often followed by regrets in doing these things. Typically things you do as substitution
for something lacking in your life. (example : emotional eating, smoking, binge
drinking, sleepless nights, energy shots, scrolling through Instagram wishing you had
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Toxic thoughts - all negative things you think you are, that often refrain you from doing
things! Example : thinking you’re worthless. thinking you’re incapable, ugly etc.
Toxic relationships - all relationships that give you anxiety & worries. Relationships
where you need attention and validation to feel empowered. Relationships were you
You may have heard about ‘Law of Attraction’. It helps you attract things you want in
your life by thinking you already have them. Whether you believe in it or not, I think
the concept is just common sense.. ever heard of “your vibes attract your tribe” ?
To apply : you need to first get rid of undesired things to leave space for new things.
Then, speak affirmations (on paper, in your mind or out- loud). Clearly specify what is
it that you want and say it in present tense (like you already possess these). It can really
situations (you can do that through meditation) and finally act as if you already had
all these things. As a bonus, you can help it with tangible things like displaying
pictures, quotes or posters in your living space. I know it might sound woo woo stuff,
but that thing does work ! You already have everything within you and don’t need
others to get satisfaction. What you seek for yourself is seeking you ! If you want to
feel loved, give love to others. If you want to feel cared for, reach out to someone and
let them know you’re here for them. If you want happiness, pour happiness in
people’s life !
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DEALING WITH FOMO (FEAR OF MISSING OUT)
Have you ever felt stressed or down from looking at someone’s life thinking they are
doing amazing stuff and wondering why you don’t have this “awesome” life. thinking
you’re missing out on yours ? That’s called FOMO. Years ago, you could feel FOMO
with your own friends or people from your school if they did cool stuff without you,
but I think social media has shift FOMO to a whole new level!
I don’t have have the issue that much, but like anyone, it happens.. especially when
the weather here is super cold & gloomy, I’m at work, and I scroll through instagram
1. Unfollow people that bring you this feeling too often. Honestly, you once chose to
follow them for their pretty pictures but if they bring nothing but frustration for
yourself, you clearly don’t need them! You don’t even know these people !
2. Remember by following a blogger on social media you chose to support them, you
chose to support what they do (which may be things bringing you down). Most of us
bloggers are paid to promote things, or we get things for free to promote them. Most
of us wouldn’t be able to do (and own) all the crazy awesome things without a decent
following. While I don’t see an issue in this - because it is a legit job, a new form of
advertisement and it does take a lot of work to put content out there - I think you
need to remind yourself they often haven’t paid for what they do or own. And you
3. Disconnect from social media and do awesome stuff with your friends/ family /by
yourself in real life ! You certainly don’t need to be in Bali, New York or jumping off
As positive or confident with myself I may look or sound on instagram and youtube, I
don’t always have a good day or 100% positive thoughts. That’s normal cause I’m
human and I have emotions, just like you do! Some situations are out of our control,
but we can still control how we deal with them! I think it’s not healthy to try to
suppress emotions like anger, stress, fear, frustration, sadness etc. What we can do still,
is to change our perception and the way we deal with these emotions that are seen as
negative (in fact, they are not negative, they’re just emotions!). Also please note this
will probably help you get over a bad day, if you deal with depression please seek out
for professional assistance.
Here are some tips on how to get over a bad day or just a tough situation in your life,
well at least, they help me :
1. I analyse the situation: why am I feeling this way, what am I feeling exactly ? Am
I sad/upset because of a person, a situation ? Am I feeling frustrated with what I
do (or don’t do) ?
3. Things happen for a reason, always. I always remind myself how I’ve managed to
get out of situations that I once thought were dramatic. If things always turned
out how I wanted, I wouldn’t be here today, doing what I like and writing this e-
book. It takes clouds to let the sun rays through! Things get better naturally, by
keeping a positive mindset. By acknowledging something is “wrong”, but moving
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on. So, you’re left with bad and good situations in your life. But even the bad will
eventually be good, how great is that ?
4. If the sun’s out, I just stand/sit on a chair and soak up all energy from the sun. A
lot of time we can feel slightly “depressed” because we lack vitamin D.
5. I go out for a run. This one has ALWAYS worked to make me feel better ! It’s
crazy ! Working out and yoga releases endorphins too but with running I feel it’s
even more powerful and you get to clear your head outside! Alternatively you can
go out for a walk with your pet (or just you) !
7. I freshen up/clean my whole living space. When it’s a mess outside, it can be a
mess inside your head !
9. SMILE. Smile at strangers, say hi, and smile when you’re at home. At some
point, the conscious mixes up with the unconscious and it will trick your mind
into thinking you’re actually happy, releasing serotonin .. and you WILL actually
be happy ! Can I get you to smile now ? Yes thanks!
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MEDITATION TIPS & HOW TO START
Meditation has been on trend for the past few years now, and i definitely have no
shame to say I started meditating because it was a ‘popular’ thing. Just like yoga, or
anything, I don’t think there is a wrong way or reason to start a new activity, as long as
when you do it it remains a pleasure. Well, meditating wasn’t such a pleasure at first. I
remember starting only 5 minutes sitting still would be impossible. But, I knew if i
wanted to see any sort of ‘change’ or ‘progress’ (i didn’t really know what I was
expecting to be honest), i had to keep at it. So I did, some days were easy, some days
were harder. Until I made it to 20 minutes sessions of complete stillness, striving to
focus on my breath. Here are some ways to get into meditation as well as benefits and
other miscellanious tips :
- why meditate? should you meditate? Meditation is not just for yogis or ‘woowooo’
people. Anyone can meditate, and anyone can benefit from it, really anyone. I
personally never dealt with severe mental issues, anxiety, huge stress, yet I still
started meditating and have noticed improved focus, productivity and mood
when I start my day meditating. It also helps me focus on my breath and notice
tension areas in my body, so it deepens my body awareness.
- when meditate ? I love meditating in the morning either after workout or before
breakfast, I find it’s a good way to ease into the day and enjoy time off my phone
or any other distraction. It’s ok, work and busy life can wait. It also helps me stay
grounded. Some people love meditating at night, experiment! I still have struggles
to stick to it, sometimes I tend to let things get in my way and ‘forget’ to make it a
priority. I think practicing meditation is important whether you feel like you need
it, or whether you don’t !
- How to meditate ? There are multiple meditation techniques, just to name a few :
guided meditation (someone guides you through breathing/focus exercises), sited,
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moving meditation (yoga, running, hiking, make sure to be focusing on your
breath and not your thoughts), painting, even cooking can be a meditation (I love
baking sessions!). It doesn’t really matter what shape your meditation takes, as
long as you are able to do one thing : letting go. Letting go of your worries is the
goal of meditation (at least mine), it’s like a shower for your mind. Of course you
won’t be able to cease thinking because that isn’t possible. The goal of meditation
is to become efficient at focusing back on what matters (your breath, essentially)
when the mind starts to wander elsewhere (your to do list, what you’re going to
eat, grocery shopping, arguments, exams..). In that sense, meditation can become
an incredible tool for when you need to release stress prior to an important event.
- How to start ? I started with 5-10 minutes guided meditation from youtube videos
or apps, and that’s how a lot of people start. From that, I’ve picked my favourite
‘exercises’ and breathing techniques and made it my own. Now, I usually
meditate 15-20 minutes with a soft background music and alternate with
pranayama (yogic breathing) and silence. I also like using my singing bowl some
days. Other days, my meditation is running, it’s yoga, painting, dancing. My tip to
start is to make it a priority in your day and keep at it (you can even start a ‘habit
tracker’) to notice progress and improvement in your daily life! Keep track of how
you feel on days you meditate and days you don’t.
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A LITTLE SELF LOVE ROUTINE..
Hydrate - When I feel an injury coming, bad digestion, or even fatigue, I often
realise I haven’t been drinking enough. (Water that is!). I’m pretty good at keeping a
water bottle with me all day during summer, but in winter it’s harder & I tend to
(over) drink tea and coffee. It’s normal to be willing to warm up (it’s actually a good
thing), but remember coffee’s acidic profile and tea might decrease nutrient
absorption, so still make sure to drink at least 1.5L normal water throughout the day!
Take care of your skin - Give it hydration from inside out! Eat your
healthy fats for a glow (avocado, nuts), and use an organic (preferable) natural
moisturiser on your face, and sunscreen! Please don’t wear make up when you
workout - or at least avoid foundation. If your pores are clogged with make up, it will
prevent the sweat & toxins to get out and may increase break outs!
Give yourself a break - You deserve that full lazy day. Don’t be guilty of
taking a day off work, workout, and anything productive. Please learn to say NO to
others and YES to yourself. It’s important to give love, time and attention to others but
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if you give too much you’ll deplete yourself and feel very empty. There’s nothing
selfish about turning down an invite to just chill and relax at home.
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SUSTAINABLE
wholesome & eco LIVING
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SUSTAINABLE WHOLESOME LIVING
Here are some ideas or starting points for a little extra do to for us and the
planet. I hope it can ignite a little spark of interest in these things and raise
awareness about sustainable living :)
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Recycling and up-cycling- I know this is obvious for many, but
you’d be surprised how many people don’t take it seriously. A lot of flatmates I
lived with never really paid attention to recycling or even had a clue of what
was able to be recycled in the area (not the same everywhere).. a quick search on
internet will give you the answer to that! It’s such an easy thing to implement!
Another tip is when you get ‘rid’ of something, ask yourself it it could be used
on another purpose or given to a friend/people in need. Avoid breaking apart
large pieces of cardboard or paper because too small chunks can’t get recycled
in most cases! Lastly, I think it’s important to keep this habit outside of your
house, although, unfortunately, it is harder to find appropriate trash can in the
streets. Most of the time I keep the item in my bag until I get home to dispose it.
Walk/ride your bike more! - Plus you get some exercise in!
Turn off power & fully-charged devices - Well, turning off
lights and water is pretty obvious, but we often forget to unplug our devices
when they are fully charged. It does use more energy and it also isn’t always the
best for the life of your smartphone and electronic devices. Don’t forget to
completely shut down your computer at night, not just put it on sleep mode.
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Reduce food waste (tips) - 1. Buy things that you like ! It’s great to
experiment but not so much if you end up throwing everything away. If you can
find a buy-in-bulk shop (pretty common nowadays), you can also buy tiny
portions of things just to try, or just for a recipe ! I like to just buy 1 or 2 very
‘exotic’ things per month. 2. It’s better to go for several small trips throughout
the month/week than one big for fresh produce, as things go in bad shape (and
lose nutrients) after a couple of days. 3. Don’t buy multiple similar produce in
one go. For ex, don’t buy all kinds of potatoes, or many different salad types or
aromatic herbs at each trip. Try to stick to one kind and finish it before buying
more! I find sometimes planning a “theme” for the week helps for this (for ex.
mexican, asian, indian..) 4. Don’t go for the big jar items just because they are
cheaper per kilo (if you live on your own), often you won’t get through it before
it has turned bad, ending up throwing away food & money you initially saved
too! 5. Don’t do grocery when you’re hungry, as you tend to buy things you
wouldn’t usually buy. 6. Learn from your mistakes ! If you ended up throwing
away that huge bag of spinach/lettuce dying at the bottom of the fridge, then
maybe next time don’t buy it again !
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Avoid disposable/one-use goods - Living a waste-free lifestyle is
my ultimate goal but as of now it isn’t possible (I’d love to own a house one day
and grow my own produce, compost, make my own cleaning products etc.).
However, I am trying my best to swap disposable goods with more durable
things! Here’s a non-exhaustive list of single-use items that we may use daily
without second-thoughts: Plastic straws (alt: bamboo, metal), cotton pads (alt:
reusable eco-fibre pads), Q-tips, pads & tampons (alt: menstrual cups, menstrual
underwear), disposable razors (alt: good razor and you won’t have to change
blades as much.. or laser treatment!), plastic cutlery (alt: wood/bamboo set of
cutlery in your purse!), plastic tooth brush (alt: bamboo/electric), plastic water
bottles & coffee cups (alt: thermos). Try your best of course !
Use natural hair & skin care - This one is not only good for your
self, but also for the planet! All cosmetic we put on ourselves will be washed off
when we shower, and eventually will end up in the ocean (or traces in tap
water!). Silicon and other chemicals found in most conditioners, sunscreens and
shampoos, even make up, are destroying wild sealife. There are so many
alternate to chemical products nowadays! I keep on switching from brands to
brands and occasionally will make my own shampoo with a base & essential oils.
I am not the best person to ask cosmetic advise from, but you will find plenty of
resources online!
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Here are the ingredients I avoid AT ALL COSTS in cosmetic : sulphate, silicon,
titanium dioxide (often in toothpaste or whitening products), parabens, mineral
oils (clogs the skin!), mercury, phthalates, perfumes, SLS (sodium laurel
sulphate).
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60+ EASY, VEGAN
&HEALTHY
RECIPES
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WHOLESOME PLANT-BASED RECIPES
They require basic ingredients that you should be able to find in most
conventional grocery or organic shops.
If you don’t have/like a particular ingredient, you could try to swap for a
similar ingredient, however I don’t guarantee if it’s going to turn out great!
Don’t forget to take into consideration your own food intolerances.
Preparation time is an indication and may vary from cooking experience & tools.
If you happen to snap a picture for social media, don’t forget to tag me in
@amelietahiti & to add #TheMindfulLife hashtag so I can see, like and share
on my own platforms !
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BREAKFAST
healthy food to kick start your day!
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BREAKFAST
Change it up ! : Another favourite of mine is adding 1/2 to 3/4 cup of frozen mango chunks
during the last cooking minute. It will take you directly to tropical paradise + it’s an awesome way
to eat more fruits and cool down the dish quickly !
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BREAKFAST
VEGAN CRÊPES
Prep time : 5 min - Rest time : 30min+ - Cook time : 15:20min
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BREAKFAST
PANCAKES 2 WAYS
Prep time : 5 min - Cook time : 10min
Here are two recipes that are both ultra easy to prepare and will result in fluffy and nutritious
pancakes. The first one has a bit of magic chemistry in there! Adding vinegar to the prep will react
with the baking powder and ensure the fluffiness. The banana one is slightly denser and will stay a
bit moist in the inside but is definitely a favourite of mine too!
How to:
Step 1 : Start by processing the oats into flour in a
blender or food processor. Or use 1 cup oat flour!
Step 2 : Add remaining ingredients & blend 30 seconds.
Or mix all in a bowl (start mashing banana with a fork).
Step 3 : Grease & heat up a pan and pour a small dollop
of batter for each pancake. Wait till bubbles are poking
and flip for another 30sec or minute.
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BREAKFAST
SMOOTHIE BOWLS
CACAO SMOOTHIE BOWL
Ingredients
1 frozen banana
1 fresh banana
2 dates
1/2 cup (120ml) coconut water (or water)
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp cacao powder
squeeze of lemon juice
+ Toppings you want!
How to:
Step 1 : Put everything into a blender, but start
with the fresh banana and water so that it’s
easier to blend.
Step 2 : Pour into a bowl and add toppings :)
AÇAÍ BOWL
Ingredients
3/4 fresh banana OR 1 fresh mango
2 frozen bananas
2 packets of frozen açaí pulp*
+ favourite toppings (& 1/4 banana!)
On this picture I went fancy and added
blueberries, dark chocolate, hemp seeds and
coconut cream!
How to:
Step 1 : In a blender, start by adding the fresh
banana and then frozen bananas and açaí in
smaller chunks. Blend for a good 2 minutes in a
high speed blender. If you don’t have a good
blender, add a dollop of water!
Step 2 : Pour into a bowl and add toppings :)
* If you don’t have access to frozen acai pulp where you live,
you can make acai ice cubes by blending 4 tbsp acai powder
with a cup of water, then pour into an ice cube tray and freeze!
then use 4-5 cubes for this recipe!
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BREAKFAST
Ingredients Ingredients
3/4 cup (68g) rolled oats 3 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 mashed banana or 1 tbsp maple syrup
1 cup (240ml) almond milk
1.5 tbsp chia seeds 1 tsp coconut sugar or maple syrup
1.25 cup (300ml) almond milk dash of vanilla extract or fresh
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BREAKFAST
Ingredients
(makes several serves):
How to:
Step 1 : Preheat oven to 140-160C. Roughly chop your nuts and dried fruits. Chop fresh
apple in small cubes (2cm approx), removing the core and the skin if not organic.
Step 2 : In a big bowl, add all dry ingredients (with apple). Stir well. Then add oil and
maple syrup and stir again.
Step 3 : Line a baking tray with parchemin paper. Pour the granola over and press it so
it forms a compact dough (1 cm thick is ideal).
Step 4 : Cook in the oven for 30 minutes fan-oven. If you don’t have a fan oven, rotate
halfway through. It should be lightly golden and firm to touch at the end.
Step 5 : Take granola out of oven and let it cool down at least an hour : this is important
as it will firm up and allow the granola to make clusters. Once cooled, break the
granola apart with big and small chunks and keep in an air-tight glass jar, up to 2 weeks
(being honest, this never happened!)
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BREAKFAST
Ingredients
(makes several serves):
How to:
Step 1 : Preheat the oven to 160C. Roughly chop the nuts with a knife or in a mixer. Chop in
smaller pieces dried fruits and apricots.
Step 2 : In a big bowl combine oats, nuts, almond powder, coconut, seeds & dried fruits. Mix well.
Step 3 : In another bowl, mash the banana with a fork till creamy. Add nut butter, vanilla, spices &
salt. Combine everything. If you’re the lazy kind, blender is your friend!
Step 4 : Add that wet mix to the dry mix and stir well so that all mixture is coated.
Step 5 : Line a baking tray with parchment/silicon paper. Pour the mix on and press it well so it
stays firmly together. Try not to do thicker than 1.5cm.
Step 6 : Bake for about 20-25 minutes or till golden at 160°C. If your layer is too thick flip the
whole thing (it should stay together and be easy) and cook other side till golden for 10minutes.
Step 7 : Take out of the oven, allow to cool completely (it will harden a bit). Then break apart, add
the banana chips if using, and store in a glass jar for up to 2 weeks (it has never lasted me this
long..). Enjoy with plant-based milk, fresh fruits, as smoothie bowl topping or as a snack!
Watch the raisins! From my cooking experience, raisins can be a bit tricky! They’ll make a
delicious caramelised candy but if you cook them 1 minute too long, they’ll start to burn! With that
recipe, it should be just fine but as ovens usually have a mind of their own .. i’d rather let you know
first! If you aren’t ready to risk it, add them after the batch has cooked!
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BREAKFAST
Ingredients
(for a small jar):
How to:
Step 1 : In a bowl mash the bananas with a fork till no big lumps remain
Step 2 : In a pot on low-medium heat, add the bananas, water and passion fruits
together. Simmer cover medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 3 : Add the fresh (grated with a knife to get the powder) vanilla bean. Simmer last 5
minutes on high heat (bubbles appear). Should be thick and caramelised.
Step 4 : Turn off the heat. Squeeze lime juice. When completely cooled off, store in an
air-tight glass jar with the remaining vanilla bean (it will still infuse). Store in fridge 1-2
weeks.
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SMOOTHIES
& DRINKS
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SMOOTHIES & DRINKS
Ingredients
(serves 1 big, well deserved glass!):
How to:
Step 1 : Prepare the expresso shot, you don’t need to cool it down as
frozen bananas will do that!
Step 2 : In a blender, add all the ingredients (chopping the dates is
recommended), and blend until really creamy.
Step 3 : This drink is like a thick shake, if you prefer more of a smoothie,
add more almond milk!
Step 4 : Pour into a glass jar and dance around as you sip into this
happiness fluid ! :)
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SMOOTHIES & DRINKS
How to:
Step 1 : Put everything into a blender, but
start with the fresh pineapple and milk so
that it’s easier to blend.
Step 2 : Pour into your glass and top with
dissipated coconut or coconut chips for
that ultimate trip to paradise!
How to:
Simply put everything in a blender and let
pink magic happen!
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SMOOTHIES & DRINKS
How to:
Put everything in a blender, and blend until
smooth for about 90 seconds! Serve in a big
glass! If it’s summer time, of course you
can use fresh berries although I would
highly suggest at least one of the fruit is
frozen (or add ice) so that it’s cold, thick
and creamy!
How to:
Blend chia seeds, baby spinach, basil and
water first. Then add remaining
ingredients and blend till super smooth!
Enjoy !
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SMOOTHIES & DRINKS
How to:
Put everything in a blender, blend until
smooth for about 90 seconds! Serve in a
big glass with crushed ice if you like!
TROPICAL SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
1 cup (120g) of frozen mango or 1 fresh
mango
1/2 cup (120g) frozen pineapple or fresh
1 small fresh banana
half a small red flesh papaya, or 1/4 big
1 lime juice
water or coconut water, a little bit
drop of vanilla essence or fresh if you have!
Toping : coconut flakes + passion fruit
How to:
Don’t forget to remove the seeds of the papaya
as they taste bitter! Add everything to the
blender and pulse for about 90 seconds till
smooth. Serve in a glass, or even a bowl! Add
coconut flakes and fresh passion fruit as toping!
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SMOOTHIES & DRINKS
2,25 cups (500ml) soy milk Step 1 : Pour chosen liquid with spices (except pepper)
or almond milk (or cut 1:1 in a pot and bring to a low boil.
with water for lighter version).
Step 2 : Immediately reduce heat to medium and let
3 cardamom pods that cook 5-7 minutes.
1 cinnamon stick Step 3 : Off heat, add in pepper, sweetener (and if
used, tea), and let it infuse another 5 minutes
3 cloves
Step 4 : Pour in your mugs using a filter, or pour the
pinch black pepper liquid in a tea pot so it strains spices.
1 tablespoon coconut sugar,
agave or maple syrup.
fresh cinnamon to top. Tip: To get the foamy texture I pour the latté, once hot, in my
option: 1 tbsp loose black tea blender and pulse it a few seconds to emulsify soy milk. You can
neutral in taste, or 1 tea bag also emulsify milk using a french coffee press!
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MAIN
DISHES
A collection of my favourite vibrant & healthy
plantbased meals, dips and dressings !
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MAIN DISHES
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MAIN DISHES
Ingredients
(3 serves):
3 ripe tomatoes, cubed
2 medium carrots, shredded
1 medium cucumber, chopped
juice of 5 limes
coconut milk of 1 coconut (or about
a small coconut milk can)
half white onion
green onion as decoration
Basmati rice, to serve
How to:
Step 1 : To make the raw fish, we are using watermelon. I know it sounds crazy but cooking
watermelon results in a raw-fish like texture - mind blown !!! So, out of a 1/4 watermelon,
try to get few thick seedless rectangle blocks (around 3cm or 2cm thick).
Step 2 : In a bowl, mix water, tamari and flaxmeal. You can make flaxmeal by processing
flaxseeds into powder. Place a few absorbing paper on a plate. Dip & coat quickly each
watermelon chunk in the tamari marinade and immediately put on the plate. Place the
plate uncovered in the fridge for 2-3 hours (the more the better).
Step 3 : After few hours, prepare the veggies : cube the tomatoes (put in a bowl with salt to
remove excess water), grate the carrots, cube the cucumber (remove seeds) & thinly dice
white onion. Put all veggies in a big salad bowl with juice of all limes and put in the fridge,
for 10-20 minutes, meanwhile do step 4 !
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MAIN DISHES
Step 4 : Heat up a pan with a tbsp of cooking oil of choice (I use sunflower). Take the
watermelon out of the fridge & squeeze any excess water with an absorbing paper. Cook
each chunk in the pan on low-medium for 20 minutes, flipping side each 5minutes. Then 1
minute on medium-high each side till edges are lightly browned. You can try a chunk (let
cool down), it should really be entirely soft, no “crunchy” watermelon texture. Allow more
cooking if needed. Cut into smaller 3x2cm chunks and allow to cool aside.
Step 5 : If you want to make coconut milk, as we do in Tahiti (I’d recommend it for the
recipe!): get a fresh coconut, crack it open. Scoop out the coconut flesh & grate it. Take a
thin dishcloth and a bowl. Place 2-3 handfuls of grated coconut in the dishcloth and
squeeze it all (with the bowl under). Do this until all coconut flesh is 100% dehydrated
(keep the flesh for other recipes!).
Step 6 : Once the “fish” is cold, take the veggies out of the fridge & simply remove excess
water/lime by tilting the bowl over the sink (be careful not to drop the veggies!)
Step 7 : In the salad bowl, add the coconut milk and the “fish”. Combine well and serve
with basmati rice and spring onions on top!
Don’t forget to take a picture of this dish if you recreate it and tag me on instagram @amelietahiti ! I
would absolutely love to see and know if you enjoyed it ! Poisson cru is something I grew up eating and
being vegan is a little bit hard to give it up, but I’m so pleased with how this turned out !! It takes a little bit
of effort but it’s absolutely mind blowing how watermelon resembles to raw tuna!
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MAIN DISHES
BUDDAH BOWL
Prep time : 10 minutes - Cook Time : 10-15min - Total : 15min
Get creative ! A buddha bowl has endless possibilities ! Add your favourite fresh veggies and I’m pretty
sure it will turn out great all the time ! Add some smoked or grilled tofu for a great post-workout meal!
This recipe is my ideal combination though. But if I’m being lazy I will have cucumber, avocado and
shredded carrots!
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MAIN DISHES
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MAIN DISHES
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MAIN DISHES
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MAIN DISHES
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MAIN DISHES
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MAIN DISHES
HOMEMADE GUACAMOLE !
Prep time : 5-10minutes
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MAIN DISHES
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MAIN DISHES
Ingredients
1 red onion
6 fresh medium
shiitake mushrooms
A handful of edamame
1 tbsp sesame seeds
pepper, to taste
teriyaki sauce
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp low-sodium tamari
or soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp coconut sugar
1 inch cube of fresh
ginger, grated
1 tbsp maizena
(cornstarch)
1 tbsp paprika
How to:
Step 1 : In a pan, start by sautéing the sesame seeds for about a minute till they ‘re all
golden (watch they don’t burn!). Then, set aside.
Step 2 : Finely slice the red onion & shiitake mushrooms (stem & skin removed), and
add them to the pan on medium heat. Add few tablespoons of water and stir
regularly to ensure it doesn’t burn. Both should get softer and brown.
Step 3 : Meanwhile, prep the teriyaki sauce by mixing all the sauce ingredients
together in a bowl. Whisk well.
Step 4 : Add the sauce to the pan on low-medium heat & stir for about 5 more
minutes. In the last 2-3 minutes, add the handful of edamame and sesame seeds.
Step 5 : Adjust with pepper to your liking and you’re done! This pairs so well with
steamed broccoli & rice, or soba noodles!
Good to know tip : Shiitake mushrooms have quite a meaty texture when cooked. I love
their taste, it’s strong but comforting. Shiitake must always be cooked to be safe to eat. If
you can’t find them, feel free to use another kind!
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MAIN DISHES
Ingredients
1 tbsp coconut oil,
optional but
recommended!
2 - 3 medium carrots
1.5 cup (300g) uncooked
red lentils, rinsed
2 cups (470ml) water
1 medium onion
2 - 3 garlic cloves
(optional)
2” fresh ginger, grated
(about 2tbsp)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp curry powder
1 can (400ml) light
coconut milk (or full fat if
you want)
half a lime juice
cayenne pepper, to taste
salt, pepper, to taste
How to:
Step 1 : Chop the onion and mince the garlic if using. Heat coconut oil in a pan on
medium-high and sauté onion, garlic, with salt for couples of minutes till softened.
Step 2 : Meanwhile grate the ginger, peel and dice the carrots. Add them to the pan
and sauté again on medium heat, with all spices ! When fragrant,
Step 3 : Add in the rinsed red lentils, coconut milk, water. Bring to low boil and
immediately reduce to medium- low. Cook with lid on for about 15 minutes, stirring
occasionally. You may need to add splashes of water too.
Step 4 : Turn off the heat (when all seems cooked), add in the pepper, more salt and
lime juice, and cayenne if using. Stir and serve with basmati rice ! Heavenly !
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MAIN DISHES
Ingredients
(serves 3-4, 22x 13 x 7cm loaf pan)
How to:
Step 1 : Preheat the oven to 160-180°C
Step 2 : Start by chopping peppers in thin slices. Add the olive oil to a pan and when hot,
add them. Salt and sauté for about 5 minutes till soft and fragrant.
Step 3 : Partially peel the zucchinis and eggplant. Chop them into small 23 cm cubes
(approx., it doesn’t have to be measured!). And sauté for a couple minutes more. Then add
the diced tomatoes and herbs and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Then, drain excess water.
This step is important as it prevents the veggies to release too much water on the crumble
later on!
Step 4 : Prepare the crumble by mixing all ingredients and ‘work’ them with your hands.
Step 5 : In an oven-proofed dish, add the cooked veggies and top with the crumble. Put in
the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or till golden. Enjoy and be cautious when eating
cause it is super super hot and I might have burnt my tongue a few times!
114
MAIN DISHES
Ingredients
(serves 2-3)
1 onion
1/2 cup (65g) soaked & drained cashews
1 cup (240ml) soy or almond milk
250g pasta (penne, fusilli, fettuccine work
well!)
1/2 tbsp pink salt (or regular)
1 tbsp grounded nutmeg
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp cornstarch
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
Vegan Parmesan:
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
How to:
Step 1 : Start by boiling water and add the pasta to cook according to the instructions.
Meanwhile, roughly chop the onion and brown them in a pan on medium heat till
fragrant. I usually do this using water, not oil.
Step 2 : In a blender, add the cooked onions, cashews, plant-based milk, salt, nutmeg,
pepper and nutritional yeast. Blend this until super smooth and silky. Then add
cornstarch and blend once more.
Step 3 : Drain the pasta when they’re al dente.
Step 4 : Add the blended sauce to a pot and cook on high/medium heat while constantly
stirring, for about 3 minutes. It should thicken and appear cheesy. If too thick, add a dash
of water. Keep half of the sauce in the pot, other half aside.
Step 5 : Prep the parmesan by simply blending all ingredients until powdery. That should
take about 20 seconds if you have a good blender yeeeeh!
Step 6 : Off the heat, add the pasta to the sauce in the pot, and combine. Serve in bowls,
add a dollop of the remaining sauce and sprinkle some vegan parmesan on top.
HURRAY!
115
MAIN DISHES
Ingredients
(serves 2-3)
1 big onion
1 cooked corn or 1 small can corn
1 can diced tomatoes or 4 fresh ones
1.5 cup (170g) cooked kidney beans (1
regular can)
1 red or green capsicum
3 dates
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp to 1/4 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp marjoram, or dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt, optional but brings out
flavour
How to:
Step 1 : In a pan, add spices (except dried herbs) and tomato paste and just heat this up for
1-2 minutes. Chop onion and capsicum in cubes meanwhile!
Step 2 : Add onion, capsicum and beans to the pan with couple tablespoons of water not
to burn. Cook around 5 minutes.
Step 3 : Then add corn, diced tomatoes and chopped up dates. Simmer covered medium-
low heat around 25 minutes. The longer you cook it the better it will taste, so if you have
even 1hour, go for it! Lastly, add the dried herbs for last 2 minutes.
Step 4 : Adjust spices to your liking, enjoy with white or wild rice, quinoa or tortillas,
avocado or even with some vegan sour cream (recipe p. 125). Recipe even better when
reheated the next day !
Make it a soup ! Simply add 1 or 2 cups of water or broth at the end of the cooking,
and this will be more of a soup texture, if you prefer it smooth you can also blend it and
adjust spices as you taste out!
117
MAIN DISHES
Ingredients
(serves 3-4)
How to:
Step 1: Rinse and chop all the veggies (leave skin on): onion in thin slices, garlic into small
bits, eggplant, zucchinis, tomatoes and bell pepper in small cubes. That seems like a lot of
work but it’s pretty relaxing, trust me. Put each veggie in a separate bowl for optimum
efficiency!
Step 2 : In one pan add a dash of olive oil and add onions. In another pan, add the cubed
eggplants. Sauté both for 5 - 7 minutes (onions should be really soft and eggplant slightly
soft, not too soft!). Season both separately. Then, put them aside back in bowls.
Step 3 : In the former onion pan, turn on heat again and then reduce and sauté peppers
for 5 minutes, cover so it doesn’t burn. Add splash of water if needed. Season with salt
and pepper. In the former eggplant pan, process same way with the zucchinis. Set aside.
Step 4 : Lastly, in a large pot, cook the tomatoes with the crushed garlic & salt for 5min.
Step 5 : Add all the veggies to this large pot, and cook covered on medium heat with the
thym and bay leaf, for about 25 minutes. Serve as a side dish with rice or bread, or even
cold with quinoa in salads!
My mom’s tip: The secret to a good ratatouille is pre-cooking each vegetable separately.” I
assure you this makes the biggest difference in taste! It does take a little bit more effort but will be
100% paid off ! If you have 4 different hobs, you can cook in 4 different pans and that will save
you time too!
119
MAIN DISHES
Ingredients
(serves 2-3)
1 big onion
1 - 2 cloves of garlic
2/3 of a big cauliflower head
1 cup (200g) uncooked red lentils
6 cups (1.4L) water (or veg broth)
1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
Half a small can coconut milk
4 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
3-4 cloves, grounded
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt to taste
For the roasted cauliflower (optional topping):
1/3 (remaining) of cauliflower head
1 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp mixed herbs
2 tsp paprika
Ingredients
1 yellow onion
1 cup (200g) dried red lentils
1 can tomatoes (or 3 ripe fresh)
juice of one lime
1 small can (270ml) coconut milk
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric
4.5 cups (1L) of water
A handful of baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste
How to:
Step 1 : Rinse the lentils. In a pan, add the spices, chopped oignon & lentils. Sauté for a
minute with 2 tbsp of water.
Step 2 : Add the water, canned tomatoes (with juice) bring to low boil then reduce the heat
and simmer for 20 minutes till lentils are soft.
Step 3 : Off heat add lime juice, coconut milk and baby spinach. Salt & pepper (+ adjust
seasoning) and let cool and wilt the spinach for 5 minutes.
Step 4 : Enjoy on its own, with rice, bread or anything you want!
Extra-tip: I ADORE this soup! It’s really my go to for a comforting yet super nourishing
and healthy dinner. I love to blend it as well so make sure you try it if you are picky on
textures!
121
MAIN DISHES
Ingredients
Around 10 small/medium red
or white potatoes, or sweet potato work
too
1 tbsp dried oregano or thym
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
cracked salt and pepper
How to:
Step 1 : Preheat oven to 220°C.
Step 2 : Rinse the potatoes well, as skin is left on. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, then
each half in 3, as if you were joining the middle of the potato, to make wedges.
Step 3 : Quickly rinse again potatoes just to have them wet. Do not dry them. Then put in
a bowl and add desired amount of seasoning. My proportions are the ones I like but feel
free to add more or less. Toss through so all potatoes are coated.
Step 4 : Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and spread the wedges evenly so ideally
they don’t touch.
Step 5 : Bake in the oven at 220°C for around 30-35 minutes. If it starts to burn, allow to
cook at a lower temperature for the last 10 minutes. They should appear “puffed” and
crisp when they are ready!
122
MAIN DISHES
Ingredients
3/4 cup (180g) cashew pulp*
1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp water/cashew milk*
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pinch pink salt
2 leaves fresh basil
option : dried fruits, nuts (extra)
How to:
Step 1 : I think it is pretty hard to find cashew meal/pulp in grocery stores, but if you can,
that’s great! I like to make this recipe when I do cashew mylk. Simply blend 2cups (260g)
of soaked cashews with 7 or 8 cups (2L) of water in a high speed blender. Then drain the
liquid out (mylk). The remaining pulp is what you will need for this recipe!
Step 2 : Simply mix all ingredients together and store in an air tight jar.
Step 3 : Keep it in the fridge at least 2 hours so the flavour develops ! I mean, the more the
better it will taste!
Does it tastes like cheese? Huh, I wish I could say “yes”, but I’m not going to lie, it
doesn’t really. It’s more like a store-bought flavoured cheese spread/ricotta that you could
find! the texture is very likely, so it’s great on toasts, blinis, savoury pancakes..
123
MAIN DISHES
124
MAIN DISHES
Ingredients
(for a good jar)
1 cup (130g) raw cashews
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt or 1/2 tsp if you like salt
1/4 cup (60ml) water
2 tbsp lemon juice
How to:
Step 1 : Pour boiling water over the cashews and let soak for an hour.
Step 2 : Drain the water out and soak again overnight (or 6h++). This is optional but will
result in the creamiest sour cream!
Step 3 : Discard the water and put in the blender with remaining ingredients. Blend till
super smooth (like super, super smooth..) Might take few minutes depending on your
blender!
Step 4 : Put in a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks!
How to eat: This goes so well with any savoury dish ! Try on my stuffed sweet potato
recipe from the page before, in soups, in salads, on toast, on pasta. Add flavours into it for
a change, like mint or cilantro or paprika... this makes mad salad dressings or dips!
125
VEGAN OIL FREE DRESSINGS
SWEET MANGO
This one will be super awesome if the mango is ripe and sweet. If the mango is a bit
“blaaaah”, then the dressing’s gonna be a bit “blaaaah” haha! I tried this with good quality
frozen mango and it worked well! Blend all ingredients together (in blender or food
processor) till creamy. Adjust with water to your liking :
126
VEGAN OIL FREE DRESSINGS
TANGY TAHINI
For a change from the regular tahini - lime one ! Goes well with salads and try it also in a
rice stir-fry with asian things, carrots, capsicum, cashews and other yummy ingredients ..
delish! Whisk all ingredients in a bowl, adjust consistence with water if needed !
OIL-FREE VINAIGRETTE
Adapted from the traditional “Apple cider vinegar, mustard, and olive-oil’ vinaigrette from
my house, I simply swapped oil with ingredient that has binding properties, that is, maple
syrup. It’s sweeter that your usual vinaigrette, so add more vinegar if you want! Ps : don’t go
for cheap mustard, Dijon is the real thing !!!
OIL-FREE CEASAR
Simply wish all those ingredients together & enjoy in salad, dips, with potatoes or even in a
sandwish!
1/4 cup (60g) oil-free hummus (check next page for a recipe)
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp capers, smashed
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
127
HUMMUS
HUMMUS 4 WAYS
Prep time : 10 min
Hummus is one of these things I always have in my fridge! Not only it tastes bomb but it’s a
very healthy snack with raw veggies! Always a crowd-pleaser at parties, as a toast spread,
sandwich, wrap or salad dressing! Try the roasted pepper one in your wraps and you’ll never
go back to mayo !! Feel free to cook your own chickpeas which is even better but if you’ve
got no time, a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas will definitely do the job!
128
HUMMUS
129
DESSERTS
& TREATS
Because healthy eating also means treating yourself!!
130
DESSERTS
Ingredients
(makes 4 individuals)
Base layer
2/3 cup (95g) almonds (soaked best)
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp peanut butter
pinch of salt
Caramel layer
1 cup (175g) dates, soaked if too dried
4 tsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp tahini
1 tbsp water (optional, see instructions)
pinch salt
Top layer
1/3 cup (35g) cacao powder
1/3 cup (67g) coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
How to:
Step 1 : Start by doing the base layer. In a food processor or blender process almonds into chopped
pieces. Then add other ingredients and process until it forms a dough. You may need to add water.
Step 2 : Line a small loaf cake mould with parchment paper (or coconut oil), or 4 individuals. Press
the base dough, so it’s really sticks together and it’s flat. Set in the fridge while you do step 3.
Step 3 : Mix all caramel ingredients in food processor or blender. If you see the mix is a bit too dry,
add few tbsp of water. That just depends on how moist your dates are! When no big lumps
remain, pour on top of the base layer. Set back in the fridge or freezer.
Step 4 : In a bowl, whisk cacao, melted oil and vanilla. Then add maple syrup & whisk until glossy.
Step 5 : Take cakes out and pour chocolate on top. Keep some of the choc mix for final decoration
later. Put back in the freezer this time, for almost an hour, until top layer has harden up.
Step 6 : The remaining chocolate mix is now hard so gently reheat it in a double boiler or
microwave (but keep an eye because it can burn quickly). In a sleeve pocket (or a ziplock), put the
chocolate mix, and decorate the cakes. Add additional nuts and seeds if you want. Keep in the
freezer if you want to eat days later, otherwise keep in the fridge and allow to thaw before you eat!
133
DESSERTS
Ingredients
(makes 4 individuals)
How to:
Step 1 : Preheat oven to 180°C. Melt the chocolate and almond butter slowly in a double boiler.
Then, add sugar, applesauce and flour. Stirring well in between each ingredients. Make sure no
flour patches remain.
Step 2 : You can grease/line individual moulds if you want to put on a plate later, or just eat it in as
I usually do - no greasing required then.
Step 3 : Pour forth of the batter in each mould and insert 2 chocolate squares (or one!)
Step 4 : Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes at 180C. Top should appear cooked. Allow to cool
down before eating ! That cake is out of this world !!!
134
DESSERTS
BLISS BALLS
Total Prep time : 15 minutes
Although I’ve put these in the treat section, they are actually a really healthy snack alternative to regular
chocolate/sweet bars. Roll into balls, press into bars, crumble on top of smoothie bowls for a rawnola
taste ...the recipe stays the same! These are 3 delicious recipes I like to make and they all have a taste on
their own. The brownie is definitely the most “naughty” of all 4 so I wouldn’t eat the whole batch in one
sitting but still perfect to satisfy cravings! Enjoy!
Ingredients
About 15 dates
1/2 cup (45g) oats
1/2 cup (30g) shredded
coconut
optional taste extra : vanilla..
cinnamon.. cacao powder..
How to:
1. Simply put all the ingredients in a food processor and wait till it gets chewy !
2. Roll into balls and roll into desiccated coconut!
BROWNIE BITES
Ingredients
3/4 cup (94g) walnuts
1 cup (175g) dates (rehydrate in
water if too dry)
1/4 cup (25g) cacao powder
1/2 cup (45g) oats
2 tsp cacao nibs
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tsp vanilla pinch of salt
How to:
1. Add 1/2 cup of walnuts with all other ingredients in a food processor or blender and
pulse till goey (might take a lil while). Crush the remaining 1/4 cup walnuts into smaller
chunks.
2. Pour the mix + crushed walnuts into a bowl and with your hands, roll into balls ! They
may feel really oily but that’s because you have heated them with your hands! Allow to cool
down in the fridge this will re-absorb the excess oil. Then devour!
136
DESSERTS
2 cups (500g) uncooked Step 1 : Steam the sweet potatoes (cut them so it goes faster).
sweet potatoes (that’s Alternatively you can steam in the microwave it takes under
about 2 medium sweet 10 minutes. Allow to cool down before step 2.
potatoes) Step 2 : Preheat oven to 180C. In a blender, mix cooked sweet
3/4 cup (about 10) dried potatoes with 1/2 cup (6) prunes till no lumps remain.
prunes
Step 3 : Chop 1/4 cup (4) prunes in smaller bits, chop walnuts,
1/2 cup (62g) walnuts
and chocolate.
2/3 cup (85g) flour
Step 4 : In a bowl, pour the sweet potato mixture and add the
1/3 cup (35g) cacao
flour, little by little, mixing well. Add cacao, stir well. Finish
powder BIG Handful of
with other ingredients and stir well.
high quality dark
Step 5 : Line baking dish with parchment paper. Pour the
chocolate chunks
batter in and gently tap against the counter so any air bubbles
1.5 tbsp coconut oil,
optional but makes it go away. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes.
feel less “healthy” :)
Step 6 : Allow to cool down completely before removing from
2 tbsp maple syrup dish as this is when it firms up and kind of stays together !
Then enjoy!
137
DESSERTS
500g (4cups) fresh or Step 1 : Chop the dates and put all ingredients in a pot.
frozen rhubarb
Simmer for 120 minutes, covered on low/medium heat,
300g (2.5cups) stirring occasionally. Allow to compote. Meanwhile do
strawberries step 2
10 pitted dates
Step 2 : Prepare crumble : mix flour and sugar, and slowly
incorporate softened coconut oil with your fingers.
Crumble:
1/2 cup (65g) flour Quantity may vary, just make it crumbl-y.
1/4 cup (45g) coconut Step 3 : Remove excess water from the compote, if any.
oil, softened
Step 4 : Take small ramequins (or oven-proved dish) and
1/3 cup (65g) cane pour the compote, then spread the crumble on top.
sugar Step 5 : Bake in the oven at 180C for 15 minutes till
crumble is golden!
138
DESSERTS
Ingredients
(makes 6 mini or 3 big) How to:
Step 1 : Preheat the oven to 180C.
1/2 cup (120ml) almond
milk
Step 2 : In a bowl, mix sugar, melted oil, vinegar and
1/3 cup (67g) cane milk. In a separate bowl, mix flour, berries, baking
sugar
powder, vanilla, salt.
1/2 cup (70g) berries of Step 3 : Slowly incorporate wet mix to dry mix till creamy
choice (frozen or fresh -
batter. Pour in muffin tins (lined, siliconed or greased)
raspberries or
and bake for about 25 minutes at 180C. They’ll turn
blueberries)
1/6 cup (=8 tsp or 34g) lightly golden!
coconut oil Step 4 : Take out of the oven and allow to cool down
3/4 cup (96g) flour
before taking out of tins.
1 tsp apple cider vinegar Step 5 : Enjoy as desert, snack or occasionally breaky !
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
139
DESSERTS
Coconut whipped cream is now a very popular thing, so it almost feels like this recipe is not really mine. I
did experience a lot of trouble getting the perfect whipped cream though, so I thought it was worth sharing
my do’s and don’ts tips with you. This is more of a “how-to” than an actual recipe !
Ingredients
1 or 2 cans of coconut
milk, full fat. See tips
1 tbsp coconut sugar
vanilla, optional
How to:
Step 1 : Chill your can(s) of coconut in the fridge (standing) for at least 4 hours.
Step 2 : 30 minutes before whipping the cream, chill your mixing bowl in the freezer (if you can!).
Step 3 : Open your can. The milk should have separate into liquid at the bottom, and the hard, fat
part at the top. Scoop out the hard part and put it in the bowl. Discard/Keep the liquid for
coconut water (for example in smoothies!)
Step 4 : With electric hand mixer (I tried by hand, and wasn’t a success), start whipping on medium
for a minute. Add sugar, and continue whip for a few minutes on high. The duration honestly will
really depend on the brand you have! Everytime has been different for me! Don’t over beat it as it
can transform into coconut butter. When ready, should form pikes and stay in the bowl if you put
it upside down!
Step 5 : Don’t get discourage if it doesn’t work the first time! I had to try 4 different brands to
make it work !!
Tips:
Using 2 cans is easier as you will have more product to work with. But 1 can still does the job!
Use a full fat coconut milk, other wise it really doesn’t work.
Ideally, use a milk that doesn’t contain guar gum or xanthun gum. I tried couple of times and it worked once but
all the other trials failed!
When in the shop, I like to hold and gently shake the coconut can to see if it’s solid inside or if I hear any “fluid”
sound. Get the one that feels the most “solid”.
140
RECIPE INDEX
Breakfast Potatoes
My foolproof creamy oatmeal p.86 Oil-free Potato Wedges p.122
Vegan Crêpes p. 87 Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with SourCream p.124
Fluffy Pancakes Dreams p. 88 Pasta
Cacao Smoothie Bowl p. 89 Creamy Pasta with Vegan Parmesan p.115
Acai Bowl p. 89 Sun-Dried Tomato Lasagna (oil-free) p.116
Overnight Oats p.90 Soups
Chia Pudding p.90 Cheezy Comforting Cauliflower Soup p.120
All time fav granola p.91 Soothing Spiced Lentil Soup p.121
Easy Banana Pancakes p. 88 Vegan Oil Free Dressings
Oil & Refined Sugar-Free Granola p.92 Tahini-Lime p.126
Banana - Passion fruit & Vanilla Jam p.93 Creamy mint-avocado p.126
141
USEFUL RESOURCES TO CHECK OUT
Documentaries & Videos about Veganism & Plant-Based Diet
Cowspiracy (environmental impact)
What The Health (health impact)
Earthlings (warning, graphics)
Forks Over Knife TED Talk : Veganism
101 Reasons To Go Vegan
Vegan Youtube Channels (including mine hehehe :-) )
Extra video: The True Cost (if you want to stretch mindfulness to your fashion,
has nothing to do with veganism but I love it !)
Peta’s List : Peta’s website that tells you if a product/brand is cruelty free
App Happy-Cow & VegOResto (in France) : to find out vegan and vegan-
friendly restaurants around you !
E App : gives info about additive (E-XXX) : danger, name, & if it’s vegan !
142
THANK YOU.
I hope you have found many answers and inspiration, and that you are
able to make a good use of this ebook! Whether you are now
considering going vegan or whether I managed to tease your curiosity
about plant-based eating: it’s a success!
If you’ve enjoyed this ebook, i would really appreciate you spread the
word around you! It’s thanks to people like you that I’m able to
continually provide more content & help both in my guides and on
social media & my blog for free! :-)
If you are able to give a few more minutes of your time and send me
feedback, I’ll be more than happy to give you a little discount on my
other ebooks available on my website!
Just send me an email or DM with ‘TheMindfulLife Review + your
name’ as subject line :-)
Don’t forget to share recipes, workouts, or any other things from this
ebook with the hashtag #TheMindfulLife so we all stay connected!
Lots of Love,
Amélie143