The Plantwise Podcast with Brigitte Gemme

Leo Babauta on the EMOTIONS behind our HABITS

What if the real reason why we can't change our habits has nothing to do with willpower?

Leo Babauta, creator of Zen Habits and one of the original voices on mindfulness and simplicity on the Internet, joins the Plantwise Book Club crew for a conversation that goes deep. We talk about the emotions hiding underneath our food choices, why "should" never works, and what happens when we stop running from discomfort and just… sit with it.

Plus, Leo shares how he went from overweight, in debt, and smoking to running marathons, going vegan, and building a life aligned with his values. The real shift? Love.

This starts with "pick a tiny habit and go from there" and goes much deeper.

Recorded live as a fireside chat with the Plantwise Book Club during our deep dive into Leo's book Essential Zen Habits.
🔗 Leo's blog: http://zenhabits.net
✍️ Leo's new book-in-progress: http://zenofdoing.substack.com
📖 Leo's book Essential Zen Habits which was the Plantwise book of the month in February 2026: https://bookshop.org/a/114636/9781434105257

💚 Join the Plantwise Book Club: https://skool.com/plantwise/about/

 

Javant Benton's HEALTHY VEGAN recipes come from JOY and empathy

Javant Benton's healthy journey started when a possibly lymphoma diagnosis shook him to his core. Pre-diabetes and high blood pressure ran in his family but he wasn't prepared for cancer. This health scare set him on a path of discovery that led to losing 80 pounds, reversing his chronic disease signs, and falling in love with whole food plant-based cooking.

His Instagram is super inspiring! https://instagram.com/healthyveganeating/
and you can also follow him here on YouTube: http://youtube.com/@healthyveganeating

Everything he does is oil free, refined-sugar free, and wheat free... and it all looks AMAZING! 

Javant's first cookbook, Make Your Own, is just coming out on March 17th, 2026, and it's a MUST HAVE! I hardly ever endorse cookbooks but I love everything about how Javant creates delightful meals from whole plant foods, and I know my Plantwise people are going to love it too. 

📚 Get Javant's first cookbook, Make Your Own, from Bookshop:
https://bookshop.org/a/114636/9780306836695 
Your purchase using this link will support the Plantwise Book Club, at no extra cost to you. 
Also available in all bookstores.

This podcast is brought to you by the Plantwise Book Club: a welcoming community of curious people who want to learn from the top sources about plant-based nutrition *and* put what they learn into practice in their everyday lives. Learn more and join us here: https://skool.com/plantwise/about/

Victoria Moran on vegan aging, spirituality, and the urge to write books

Welcome to the first episode of the Plantwise Podcast! Host Brigitte Gemme sits down with legendary vegan advocate Victoria Moran, a 2024 Vegan Hall of Fame inductee, author of 14 books, and founder of Main Street Vegan Academy.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Victoria shares:

• Why she'd be vegan even if it wasn't good for her health
• What it's like to age publicly as a vegan at 75
• Her perspective on mortality ("We're all holograms passing through")
• The spiritual roots of veganism most people don't know about
• Her Ayurveda-inspired daily routine
• What's next for Main Street Vegan Academy
• The book she hopes to write next

Whether you've followed Victoria for years or you're just discovering her work, this episode is a masterclass in living with purpose, compassion, and good sense.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Plantwise Book Club https://brigittegemme.com/plantwise-book-club/
• Creating a Charmed Life by Victoria Moran https://bookshop.org/a/114636/9780062515803
• Main Street Vegan by Victoria Moran https://amzn.to/4r0yQsf
• Age Like a Yogi by Victoria Moran https://bookshop.org/a/114636/9781958972595
• Main Street Vegan Academy https://mainstreetvegan.com/
• Healthy Vegan Cooking Club https://veganfamilykitchen.com/cooking-club/
• The Compassion Consortium https://www.compassionconsortium.org/

Join the Plantwise Book Club to go deeper and go from knowledge to healthy habits!
Learn more: https://brigittegemme.com/plantwise-book-club/

Welcome to the Plantwise Podcast - A fresh start with Brigitte Gemme

Hi, it's Brigitte! After a year-long hiatus, I am back to the podcast microphone and eager to bring you deep conversations with some of the most inspiring and thought-provoking authors and creators from the plant-based world. 

The Vegan Family Kitchen Podcast is now the Plantwise Podcast, reflecting my channel's shift from vegan cooking education to a broader focus on lifestyle habits that foster healthy, long, and meaningful lives. 

Make sure to subscribe to catch my upcoming conversations with:

• Victoria Moran, vegan Hall of Famer and author of 14 books including Age Like a Yogi
• Javant Benton, creator of Healthy Vegan Eating and author of Make Your Own!
• Leo Babauta, creator of Zen Habits
• Dr. Michael Greger of NutritionFacts.org
• Dr. Michael Klaper
• and more!

The Plantwise Podcast is the companion of the Plantwise Book Club, a welcoming community of plant-based people who want to turn knowledge into healthier daily habits. If you've been meaning to less time scrolling on social media and more time reading books that matters, it's the group for you! 

Learn more about the Plantwise Book Club: https://brigittegemme.com/plantwise-book-club/.

How to age like a yogi and other secrets from Victoria Moran after four decades of veganism

This is a goosebumps episode! You're going to LOVE this conversation with Victoria Moran, a vegan icon for over 41 years, author of 13 books, and a recent inductee into the Vegan Hall of Fame. It's an honor to have Victoria in my kitchen to share her fascinating journey from being a solitary vegetarian in the 1960s Midwest to leading the Vegan Main Street Academy.

We go deep into her connections within the vegan movement, her upcoming 14th book 'Age Like a Yogi: A Heavenly Path to a Dazzling Third Act', and her feature film project 'Miss Liberty'. Whether you’re interested in the health benefits of a plant-based diet, in the spiritual roots of yoga, or in the history of vegan activism, you're going to wish this episode was twice as long! 

👉 Pre-order Victoria's new book Age Like a Yogi: A Heavenly Path to a Dazzling Third Act from your favorite bookstore, then send your receipt to assist@victoriamoran.com to unlock the cool pre-order bonuses, including a day-long workshop with her in January. 

Learn more about the Main Street Vegan Academy and connect with Victoria on her website.

Watch the trailer to Miss Liberty: The Movie!

 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction to Victoria Moran
01:30 Early Vegan Journey in the 1980s
03:24 Influential Figures in Veganism
04:16 Challenges and Innovations in Early Veganism
07:39 Historical Events and Influencers
08:55 Personal Reflections on Vegan History
12:10 Yoga and Veganism: A Personal Journey
16:27 Aging Like a Yogi: The New Book
25:48 The Intersection of Yoga and Veganism
28:15 Yoga and Dietary Choices
28:57 Western Yoga and Secular Influence
29:53 The Importance of Ahimsa
30:13 Personal Stories and Veganism
31:57 Health Benefits of Veganism for Older Adults
33:04 Secrets to Vibrant Aging
35:29 The Role of Exercise
38:27 Miss Liberty: A Film Project
43:25 Encouragement for New Vegans
49:55 Pre-ordering 'Aging Like a Yogi'

Eco-conscious eating, travel, and living in Japan: Conversation with Joy Jarman-Walsh of Seek Sustainable Japan

How difficult is vegan and sustainable eating, travel, and living in Japan? Come in and listen as Brigitte discusses the topic with sustainable travel expert and Hiroshima tour guide Joy Jarman-Walsh, one of the forces behind Japan's sustainable travel improvements.

In this episode, we cover:
- Joy's journey in discovering that it was possible to be vegan and thrive in Japan
- Sustainability in Japanese tourism: What are positive trends in the industry?
- Cultural insights on eating habits: Why is it so hard to modify items on the menu in Japan?! 

Curious to learn how you can adopt more sustainable travel practices and enjoy plant-based eating while exploring Japan? Tune in to gain valuable insights from Joy's extensive experience and innovative approaches to promoting sustainability and health through her work and daily life. 

Don't forget to subscribe for more discussions on healthy living, sustainability, and mindful travel.

CONNECT WITH JOY
Catch her show : https://youtube.com/@seeksustainablejapan and on your favorite podcast platform
Medium blog: https://medium.com/@jjwalsh  
Tours of Hiroshima - feel free to book directly via Socials, Google Biz page, or book on Tours By Locals: https://www.toursbylocals.com/hiroshima-tour-guide-joy-j
Consulting work - Inbound Ambassador: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9Kjcc2Z4ta2CRU9t5
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjwalsh-inbound-ambassador/
Twitter: https://x.com/jjwalsh
FB/Insta/Threads @inboundambassador

Jump to sections that interest you most!
[00:00:00] Introduction to Joy Jarman-Walsh
[00:02:00] Joy’s Early Influence and Transition to Vegetarianism
[00:06:00] The Shift from Vegetarian to Vegan in a Family Context
[00:10:00] Challenges of Finding Vegan Food in Japan
[00:18:00] Navigating Cultural Sensitivities in Japanese Dining
[00:25:00] Sustainability in Everyday Japanese Life
[00:30:00] Impact of Domestic and International Tourism on Local Cuisine
[00:35:00] Vision for a More Sustainable Japanese Food Culture

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Need a healthy stress-free vegan meal plan when eating at home? Download Planned & Plant-Based today, eat better next week: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/planned-plant-based/

Cooking to combat inflammation: A conversation with Linda Tyler, author of The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook

Do you want to avoid suffering from swollen, achy, hot joints, feeling fatigue, or struggling with mobility? Or decrease your risk of cardio-vascular events? Those issues often associated with aging are not inevitable! Join Brigitte in conversation with Linda Tyler, author of The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook and creator of GraciousVegan.com. Linda explains everything you need to know about what inflammation is, how it's related to the food we eat, and how a different way of cooking can bring big improvements into your life today and in the long term. Linda also shares her favorite recipes and practical advice for making anti-inflammatory cooking a part of your everyday life. Whether you're a seasoned vegan chef or just curious about plant-based eating, there's something in this episode for everyone interested in the health benefits of an anti-inflammatory plant-based diet.

Connect with Linda on her website at https://graciousvegan.com
on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracious_vegan/
and buy her cookbook: https://www.graciousvegan.com/cookbook-details-and-ordering 

The Gift of Life: From Plant-Based Advocacy to Kidney Donation - An interview with Elaine Perlman

This is a can't-miss episode! Join me in conversation with Elaine Perlman, Executive Director of Waitlist Zero, an advocacy group committed to ending the kidney shortage in the United States. In this episode of the Vegan Family Kitchen Podcast, Elaine shares her deeply personal journey from embracing veganism and healthy plant-based living to becoming a kidney donor, gifting an organ to a stranger. Her transition to a plant-based lifestyle not only transformed her health but also fueled her passion for saving lives through organ donation.

Elaine aims to pass critical federal laws in the United States, the End Kidney Deaths Act and the Honor Our Living Donors Act, to save lives and support donors across the nation. With over 90,000 people waiting for a lifesaving transplant, Elaine's advocacy work is more urgent than ever - and she needs your support.

She also shares her experience in education, from teaching young students in New York City about healthy eating to mentoring adults transitioning to a healthier, plant-based diet. I love her approach to teaching about plant-based eating and kidney health, and anyone who is trying to nudge others towards doing the right thing will find lots to learn from Elaine.

This episode is not just a talk; it's a call to action. Whether you're curious about plant-based living, concerned about kidney health, or intrigued by the idea of donating an organ to a stranger, Elaine's story offers valuable lessons and inspiring actions.

Here is how one person's choices can ripple out to affect thousands of lives - we can all make a difference.

Learn more: WaitlistZero.org
Connect with Elaine: elaineperlman.com
More about the campaign: EndKidneyDeaths.org

Nourishing Relationships Through Food - A Conversation with Counselor Deborah McNamara

In this episode of the Vegan Family Kitchen podcast, host Brigitte Gemme talks with her guest, Deborah McNamara - a Vancouver-based counselor who is fascinated by the relationship between food and our connections with each other. Deborah discusses her experiences with helping adults make sense of their relationships with food and children, giving insights on treating food issues through the lens of relationships. As the author of the book 'Nourished: Connection, Food and Caring for Our Kids (and everyone else we love),' Deborah McNamara emphasizes the importance of nurturing relationships through food, with adults taking the lead in caretaking to foster secure and healthy connections.

Connect with Deborah MacNamara

Get your copy of Nourished from your local bookstore, bookshop.org, or Amazon.

Learn more about Deborah MacNamara's upcoming course: Gather to Eat

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Need to get organized to feed yourself and your loved ones really good food? Download Brigitte's healthy vegan 5-night dinner plan: Planned & Plant-Based.

Find your own Flow in the Kitchen: Practices for Healthy Stress-Free Vegan Cooking

Plant-based baking for all: An interview with Natasha and Ed Tatton, authors of BReD: Sourdough Loaves, Small Breads and Other Plant-Based Baking

Learn about plant-based baking from the professionals! In this episode of the Vegan Family Kitchen Podcast, Brigitte Gemme interviews Natasha and Ed Tatton, owners of Whistler's BReD Bakery and authors of the newly published book BReD: Sourdough Loaves, Small Breads and Other Plant-Based Baking.

We talk about:

• Replacing dairy and eggs with whole plant ingredients (no need for the middle bird!)
• Natasha and Ed's separate journeys toward veganism
• How the sourdough business grew organically
• Learn to sprout grains
• Hear business tips from seasoned bakery owners!

Learn more and buy the book (includes links to shop local!):
BReD: Sourdough Loaves, Small Breads and Other Plant-Based Baking

Visit the Whistler (Canada) bakery:
BReD Made by Ed

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Need to get organized to cook plant-based dinners at home on weeknights?
Download Brigitte's 5-day healthy vegan dinner plan: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/