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Atlanta based Alkaline vegan, Anne, wishes the world knew about how they can really eat whatever they want in a whole foods, plant based version where the food actually tastes good. This is why she decided to create a plant based cookbook.
I recently caught up with Ms. Anne where she chatted about her inspirations behind her alkaline vegan lifestyle and in starting her cookbook. Check out the interview below:
Growing up and still to this day who are your inspirations? How did they impact your life?
My parents. Both came from Africa to pursue their college degrees and build a foundation for five of us at the time. They were still in their teens when they came to America and made sure to provide us with a home and education and opportunities. My dad stressed the importance of education and how it sets the tone for the quality of life you want. My mom, very domestic. She’s a great cook, hospitable and very clean. The combination of the sternest of my dad and the femininity of my mother is a good description of my character. While I have a certain “sureness” about what I want and how I want it, I love being a woman. I love the docility that comes naturally from being a woman. I love how women and man compliment each other. Make up for each other’s imperfections.
Theres so many people along the way that have inspired me. My high school cosmetology teacher, God rest her soul. Ms. Holland; She inspired me to just be myself. She had the biggest personality that I had ever seen a teacher show and I loved her for it. She was unapologetic.
We got Diddy. His personality, maybe I have a thing for big personalities! But I love how bold he is too. And more-so than ever he’s speaking on love and the power that we have and how we need to own it and control it and essentially scale it, after all it’s our cultural influence that is undeniable shaping the “cool factor” of world and industries.
Ermias “Nipsey Hussle” Asghedom, about a year before his death I started to hear more about what he was about through his interviews. Ownership, “All money in”, but it was immediately after his death that I felt the need to make each day count. Energy is real and his energy is some of the most lucid energy that I have ever felt. After watching probably every interview he’s ever done, I felt the need to hurry up and do more and give more. All of my goals shifted to wanting to give more and leave more behind.
Oprah, I love Oprah because for decades she’s been telling everyone, listen to your inner voice, follow it and give gratitude along the way.
The Obamas. Classy, cool, classy!
What made you get into the health and wellness field and start a website?
Initially, when I was trying to select my major for undergrad, I knew that the healthcare industry was an industry that would always thrive. Post college, I had a family member that experienced some serious health issues that were directly correlated to her diet. The fear of me experiencing the same issues, lead me to health and wellness. I’m on top of loving to cook, when I decided to go plant-based it became a challenge for me that I genuinely enjoyed and wanted to document.
When did you become a vegan and how has it impacted your life?
It’s been almost two years now. And boy have I learned A LOT. For one, if I tell a vegan, that I’m a vegan then they get all tight and explain that vegans are solely about the animal ethics. Meaning animal rights. They don’t eat or use animal products so technically I am a plant based eater* because I still use certain animal products. Still looking for a better noun to close that up. In the beginning, transitioning was not a walk in the park. I lost too much weight and my iron dropped to scary levels. It was after I met with a nutritionist and a dietitian that I learned that I had to pretty much triple/quadruple my food intake to make up for the huge change in my eating habits. After that, things got better. I really know that my thoughts are clearer. I get up smoother and I just have a certain tranquility and peace ness with me.
You’re not just a regular vegan but you’re an alkaline vegan, what’s the difference between the two?
The alkaline diet, better yet, “lifestyle”, is based on a theory that certain foods cause your body to produce acid (meat, fish, hybrid fruits, veggies, GMO’s and processed foods), which is harmful to the body and that by eating only plant based foods with an alkaline PH you help reduce the chance of any disease thriving.
Soon you’re going to be releasing an alkaline cookbook?
Yes! That’s the plan. I currently have a Kickstarter campaign going to generate the funds for the cookbook. I had no clue the amount of money, time, talent and detail it takes to create a quality cookbook but I’m glad I learned. You can find the link over on my Instagram page @alkaline_cookbook. It ends on October 17, 2019! Interesting thing about Kickstarter is the “all or nothing” approach. If the goal is. It met in full, every backer gets their contribution back but when the goal is met, if you back a certain amount, you secured your copy! Would love your support, the cookbook will have over 40 recipes that are ALL plant-based and alkaline and actually taste like the “unhealthy” version of your favorite dishes!
What inspired you to write an alkaline vegan cookbook? Do you offer private diet planning & help for a meal prep plan?
My family and my IG family. My siblings and I have a group chat thread and I would always send them the dishes that I recreated. They would say “you need to create a cookbook”, I definitely dismissed it for a while then my big brother got on me and told me to start the Instagram account. Then the true love for cooking and all of the like minded folks came and i started getting a consistent following with an even more consistent request for recipes. I was selling recipes for $3-$5 per recipe and it started getting a bit overwhelming and felt scattered. I kept getting DMs and comments asking “Where’s the cookbook” and it just made sense to create one.
What great words of wisdom and advice can you offer our readers about living in your purpose?
I pray that every single human being in this life lives a life that makes them happy. Being yourself, honoring yourself and making decisions that obey your soul.
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