Hey there again everyone! Although Halloween is probably much more popular, today is actually another fun holiday for me and some of my pals--World Vegan Day! Apparently November is World Vegan Month, as well, so if one day isn't enough you've got a whole month to jump in and celebrate. As you probably realize, I'm pretty passionate about a healthy vegan diet. Even if you don't go full in, shifting towards a more plant-based lifestyle is healthier not only for your own body but also the planet.

There is nothing that I have lacked since making the shift 5 years ago, in fact I feel that if anything my life is fuller as I continue to connect with wonderful people and try to be more compassionate with my impact on the Earth. As an athlete I continue to perform at a high level and have no problems maintaining the body composition I desire. I still indulge on occasion--have you seen some of the totally dope vegan desserts the folks on here post?? I also feel like a straight up magician in the kitchen sometimes with the beautiful meals I am able to put together from the bounty of the land. I have no doubts that I will continue to reap the benefits of this lifestyle, and can only hope to encourage others to do the same!

Speaking of encouragement, I can't talk about how awesome being vegan is without sharing some delicious food! Perhaps this isn't the most show-stopping, decadent of meals that is guaranteed to make an omnivore salivate. It is however a representation to me of just how nourishing and life-giving plants can be. Props once again to my local farmers as they have given me life in a number of ways this year. With the exception of just a few ingredients, everything in these bowls came right from the sweet Georgia soil.

The mushrooms, cauliflower, onion and garlic for the soup all came from the farmers market. The cabbage for the sauerkraut was also from one of the stands. The salad basically came straight from the farm and into my bowl, as well. The radishes, kohlrabi, red oak lettuce and red kale all were picked just days ago. The main flavor in the soup came out of our own soil--sage from the herb garden!

Though I joked about being a kitchen magician, there really isn't any fancy magic to it. Just honor the local food that you have access to and you will be doing just fine! It has taken me years to get to this point. There have been (and still are) a whole lot of failures along the way to help me figure out my groove in making healthy yet tasty meals. I'm just happy to have such a wonderful group of people to share them with. If only we could finally figure out how to share food across the screen for real...😉

Cauliflower Mushroom Soup

Makes 8 Servings

1 sweet onion, peeled & diced
4-5 cloves fresh garlic, peeled & minced
8-10 ounces button or baby bella mushrooms, roughly sliced
1 head of cauliflower, trimmed & cut into florets
2 cups cooked white beans
2 tablespoons chopped sage plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend (oregano, basil, thyme, etc)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
7 cups water or low sodium vegetable stock
small handful of dried shitake mushrooms (optional--I had them leftover in the pantry to use up)
2 tablespoons white miso

Place the onions in a large stockpot and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent (about 8-10 minutes). Pour in a tablespoon or two of water as needed to prevent sticking and stir occasionally.

Add in the garlic and sliced mushrooms. Continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Once the mushrooms have started to cook through, add in the remainder of the ingredients except for the miso. Bring to a boil, then partially cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat, take out the bay leaves and stir in the miso. Use a handheld stick blender or regular jug blender to puree the soup to your liking. Taste and adjust ingredients to your liking.

The salad was actually really basic. The sauerkraut was so tangy and delicious that I thought it would make for the perfect accompaniment to the fresh chopped radish and kohlrabi over the leafy greens. This was the first time I grabbed the red oak lettuce from the hydroponic stand and it was so tender and sweet. It was a great foil to the more dense and bitter leaves of the kale. I did squeeze a bit of fresh orange to finish it off for a perfect light accompaniment to the soup!