The 30 Day Vegan Challenge

IMG_8085 (520x347)

“Role model” is not an expression I throw around lightly. In a nutrition community full of self-proclaimed “gurus,” I tend to believe that we’re each the best judge of what does and doesn’t work for our bodies; in a community full of “experts,” I don’t believe that any single book or opinion is the final word on nutrition science. The closest thing I have to “role models” are the men and women—cookbook writers, mostly—who made me fall in love with vegan food, and taught me to live compassionately.

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is one of those women. The Vegan Table is one of my favorite cookbooks, and in spite of the fact that it is dog-eared, splattered, and generally worn down by my kitchen, I never cease to make and remake its recipes. Colleen’s food is simple, wholesome, and bursting with flavor. Her recipes are designed to satisfy the tastes of omnivores (or new vegans) without sacrificing health or relying upon a pantry full of faux-meats. Her perspective is balanced: healthy and whole foods oriented, but also appreciative of the sweeter indulgences in life (after all, she did write The Joy of Vegan Baking).

Colleen’s power as a figure in our community, however, goes far beyond her talents as a chef. If you know Colleen’s work, it’s probably because you know her famous podcasts, which have inspired countless men and women to take the vegan plunge. Having seen Colleen speak twice now (once at Vida Vegan Con, and once recently at Poplar Springs), I can tell you that she is simply one of the best public speakers around. She’s passionate, yet even-tempered; humorous, but capable of relaying the importance of animal rights issues. Most of all, Colleen exudes confidence and strength. It’s this confidence, and the fact that Colleen (an English lit major) is a superb writer, that make me admire her so deeply. Veganism tends to demand a little confidence building, and no one sets a better example than Colleen.

image

Colleen’s newest book is the 30-Day Vegan Challenge. When I first received a copy to review, my heart dipped: most “challenges” treat plant based eating like it’s the Zone Diet. This challenge is different. Colleen’s mission is twofold:

  1. To help prove to people that eating and living vegan for 30 days is within reach
  2. To help guide her readers through the challenges and difficulties of being vegan

The word “challenge” was chosen with more care than I initially realized. This is one of the first books that openly addresses the fact that veganism can be hard. There’s nothing more discouraging for new vegans than the slew of books that insist that veganism is “so much easier” than you’d think. Yes, for some people, veganism is surprisingly doable, and I was one of those lucky people. But I hadn’t eaten red meat in a long time, and I didn’t like cheese. For most people, the vegan transition is actually pretty tough, full of speed bumps, backsliding, and little mini-battles with cravings for old favorites.

These difficulties don’t mean that veganism isn’t worth it. It is unbelievably, amazingly worth it. It’s just like most worthwhile things in that it’s not a piece of cake. The best way of dealing with the challenges of a vegan lifestyle is to talk about them openly, so that we can deal with them efficiently; this is exactly where Colleen shines. From dining out to talking to family and friends about your lifestyle, Colleen is a fountain of insight and strength. I can’t recommend her words highly enough to anyone who’s facing this major lifestyle change with a little anxiety.

Of course, the book goes beyond all that, into recipes and lifestyle tips and all sorts of brilliant tutorials (“Tofu: It’s Just a Bean”). The book is worth it for the food alone. But recipes are not what makes this book invaluable: the food and practical guidance draws you in, but it’s the wisdom and strength that will keep you referring back, time and time again, as you embrace a compassionate lifestyle. And if you’re an animal lover, you’ll smile at the acknowledgments:

“My hope is that we can learn from the animals what we need to become better people.”

Do you want to take the 30-Day Vegan Challenge? You’re in luck, because I’m giving one lucky CR reader a free copy. To enter, you can do any of the following things; each will count as a separate entry, but you have to leave a comment letting me know you did it!:

  1. Leave me a comment telling me why you’d like to take OR read the 30-Day Vegan Challenge.
  2. Tweet about this giveaway, using the tweet: “@choosingraw is giving away a copy of @patrickgoudreau ‘s 30 DAY CHALLENGE! https://bit.ly/puqhyAThen leave a comment letting me know you did.
  3. Like Colleen on Facebook.
  4. Follow @PatrickGoudreau on Twitter.
  5. Follow me on Twitter.
  6. Check out one of Colleen’s podcasts and tell me what you learned.

IMG_8089 (520x347)

Winner will be announced next Friday. I hate to do this, but US residents only, please—I’ve had some trouble with shipping copies internationally. Good luck, and get typing!!!

Happy Weekend!

xo

This post may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission. Visit my privacy policy to learn more.

Categories: Uncategorized

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    313 Comments
  1. I would love the book, as I’m trying to learn more about vegan foods and am one of the ones that find it to be a bit hard..

  2. I would love this book, but I will get a copy myself eventually. I’d rather the book be given to a non-vegan who may be able to truly benefit from it in the way it was attended.

    🙂

  3. I’m about to start my own vegan challenge on Monday, and this book sounds like it has all the info I need! I’ve done the vegan thing before (a 21-day kickstart), but I stuck to a very limited diet and would love to learn more. I’ve done all of the above (except the FB thing because I’m not on FB), and I checked out Colleen’s podcasts. What I love most about her podcasts is how educated and informed she is, and how she urges that all of us who start/live a vegan lifestyle get educated so that we can, in turn, educate others, esp. the naysayers.

  4. I plan on going vegan for Lent (I’m a vegetarian right now) and I’d love to have this book to help me through! I think vegan on a college campus may be tough but certainly doable!

  5. I’m so psyched to know about this book and can hardly wait to read it. I like Colleen on fb too. Thanks for sharing about this Gena.

  6. Trying to get my omni spouse to embrace my veganism! Maybe thisvwill help!

    Ditto on all your comments.

  7. I would love to win the 30 day vegan challenge because Colleen is the reason I was brave enough to make the jump from vegetarian to vegan. Her profound wisdom and compassion is apparent in every one of her podcasts. Even though I’ve already technically been taking her vegan “challenge” for the past 10 months, her words are always reassuring that I have made the right choice for my life.

  8. I would like to take and read the 30-Day Vegan Challenge because I want to be healthier, leave a smaller carbon footprint on the environment, and have more energy! As a college student, it is incredibly hard to eat healthily and be healthy, but I think the 30-Day Vegan Challenge will facilitate lifelong changes.

  9. I would love to challenge myself to a 30 day vegan diet. It probably would be easier than I suspect.

  10. I would love to read this book, first and foremost because I’m a fan of The Vegan Table (my family still raves about Colleen’s red velvet cake recipe I made one year), and secondly because I used to find veganism so easy, but lately I’ve been lacking inspiration. Even though I’m not vegan, I still enjoy creating delicious vegan meals occasionally (making one tonight, actually), and I need something to motivate me! Also, my fiancé is a big meat-eater, and I jump at any opportunity to show him how great a meal can be without meat. This book would be wonderful to own!

  11. I would love to read the 30 day vegan cookbook, because I am trying to convert to veganism thorough my cooking. I am only a beginner, so I want to start out with a tasty recipe.

  12. I’ve already been vegan and i’m almost 90% vegan still with the exception of eggs and some cheese! I love new vegan recipe books at any opportunity i can take!

  13. I would love to try the challenge and read the book! I just moved to DC and into an apartment with a lovely vegan roommate. I’ve come close before, but never fully converted. I’d love to make the jump!

  14. After 3.5 yrs as a temporary foster parent I have returned to school, with this New experience, a fresh New me would be a welcomed full circle as I enter a new stage. After all you are only as good as you feel.

  15. I am already vegan, but this would be perfect for my dad, especially while I am at college!

  16. I would love to win the book to give to my friend, who is trying to eat less meat and consume less dairy, but who still doesn’t see veganism as doable.

  17. I would love to read it…I still eat salmon and venison (my husband is a hunter) and I would like to read some of her views;)

  18. my mom asked for this book for christmas! i’d love to be able to give it to her and help her out on her journey to veganism!

  19. Err, I guess that’s her last name. 😛 I also watched a podcast! How to Talk to Hunters, specifically because a few of the students in my English class were discussing hunting the other day and I couldn’t think of a way to involve myself in the conversation without seeming aggressive about my lifestyle. Now I know!

  20. My family doesn’t believe that I can eat well on a vegan diet so I would use this book to prove them wrong.

  21. I have been trying to become vegan since May and … it is not going particularly well! I am determined and will succeed, but maybe this would help me succeed faster. You have been one of my great sources of comfort and compassion during this time; maybe she could be another one.

    Thank you so much for your blog,
    Katie

  22. I’m considering making the transition to veganism (I’m vegetarian but avoid dairy products as much as possible), so would love to have the cookbook to make yummy vegan food 🙂

  23. I would like to have this book because I am curious, have mostly cut out meat (I eat what people serve me, but dont cook meat at home), but I love love love cheese 🙂 SO I guess I would be curious about what she had to say.

    One thing I often wonder–it seems like when you talk about veganism you tie it to “compassionate living”, which I understand from the animal perspective, but lots of other vegan communities that I have observed seem to have lost the “compassion” and just run with “passion”–and it seems to be passion against other human beings who are not “enlightened” (sorry for all the quotation marks). This is mildly disturbing to me and somewhat of a turn off to the whole vegan community. It really isn’t animals vs people, I mean we all share the planet, and ultimately veganism helps not only spare animal cruelty (though honestly I dont know if I am entirely against eating well raised meat) but can help with the problem of feeding our planet with an ever-increasing population. So I guess what I am trying to say is this–is veganism truly a more compassionate choice without the care for human beings as well? It is easy to say “Well, humans look out for themselves, we are responsible to look out for the animals who cannot fight back” or something like that, but I think that the ideal form of veganism should also be tied to humanitarian efforts and an ultimate goal to better the planet–for animals, humans, plants, everything.

    Sorry, I do not mean to be ignorant or frustrating, I just honestly wish that the vegan community focused on helping other people as well, rather than so often making other people the enemies.

    That said, I am curious about this book, veganism, compassionate living, sustainability, and overall improving people and animals quality of life.

    Sorry that was so long.

  24. My 63 year old father is looking into veganism (a la C. Esselstyn) to help him never have another heart attack. (He has no family history, yet has had 2 attacks in ten years. The doctors always say how healthy he is while they prescribe tons of meds and never predict the attacks.) I am vegan already and am trying to help him any way I can; this book appears as though it would be another good tool for my dad to be more comfortable with changing his lifelong eating habits in order to live (hopefully forever, as far as I’m concerned!). Actually, regardless if I win, I will buy it for him anyway. Thanks for the recommendation! 🙂

  25. Am I too late to enter? I’d love to read this one, too! I read your contribution over at jlgoesvegan.com on the ethics of veganism. Loved it and thank you.

  26. Two things appeal to me: the fact that you list Colleen as a ‘role model’ and also that she addresses that being a vegan can be challenging and doesn’t say “oh it’s so easy” based on your review of the book…right there, I’d like to read more!

  27. This would be an excellent resource to read. I admit that while I am dipping my toes in the vegan pool, it’s hard to find recipes or introductory meal plans that don’t use fake meat in their dinner option. I have 2 kids and a meat eating husband I’m trying to win over but I feel as though I’m at a loss!

  28. I would love to make the transition to vegan from vegetarian–I eat small amounts of dairy and eggs–but am leery of doing it for fear of my ED history and current issues. However, this book might serve as a guide to help me take the next healthy step forward!

  29. I love new vegan fare! And this is certainly no except. I’d love to read a book my Goudreau herself. She is a shining example of a true vegan!

  30. I already am vegan but I’d love to read this in order to guide those around me if they have questions about veganism, then donate it to someone who is thinking about going vegan. One of my relatives said he is “transitioning to vegan” so I think this would really help him! Plus it would check him off my Christmas list this year.

  31. This summer I went vegan for a week and loved it, even though it was a challenge to make sure I got enough nutrients and calories. I’d love to read the book and attempt a longer streak!

  32. I am Canadian, so I cannot win, I just wanted to express my support! This is such a wonderful thing, and I wish the very best to the winner! Also, I heard about your banana ice cream comment, to bad we are missing so many nutrients in our vegan diets that we are not incapable of noticing the difference between good and bad food. It is so horrible for us, is it not?

  33. Oh and my family, in laws and future husband don’t get it. I feel alone. My dad compared me to the daughter in the Munster’s and how I don’t fit in! Thankfully my Yogi friends are all supportive!

  34. I attempted Kathy Freston’s Quantum Cleanse in April never expecting to actually give up meat. Since then I have not eaten red meat and very little chicken and fish. (only chicken if it was in something) but lately chicken is grossing me out and I’ve watches countless documentries such as Forks Over Knives and Food Matters that have totally changed my perspective about food. I struggle with veganism b/c of cheese. I’d love to read this book based off what you said about it talking about the struggles with veganism.

  35. Any book that comes with such a glowing recommendation from a well-respected vegan and compassionate voice is worth trying in my book. I think any vegan, new or seasoned, always has something to learn, and I’d love to see what this book has to offer by way of food and opinions on this lifestyle.

  36. I am ready for this challenge! I’m making my way there, one meal at a time, one choice at a time, and it feels good! My heart is happy and burden free and my body is letting go of weight from my previous lifestyle. I’m ready to let go and jump in! The timing couldn’t be better!

  37. I would love to try Veganism for 30 days with a guide that would help me accomplish the challenge with ease! I think it would be a fun learning experience.

  38. I would LOVE to read this book. I just started law school and the stress has me craving old non-vegan favorites, but I have been listening to Colleen’s podcasts on repeat for about a year now, and they help to keep me motivated and informed. I have had this book in my Amazon cart since it came out, but because I’m a poor student, I have yet to purchase it ha 🙂 Winning it would be AMAZING.

  39. My interest in nutrition, particularly raw and vegan diets started when my step-dad was diagnosed with a chronic disease. I started giving him a vegan or raw meal each week to help make his feel better any way possible. Since then I have been dabbling but have not taken the full leap into a vegan lifestyle. I think that this book could really help me out as well as help spread the word about healthy diets can do a lot for many illnesses.

  40. I’m already a proud vegan but I’d love this book to further reaffirm my love for the lifestyle and share the challenge with my meat eating family!

  41. Based on your review, I think that I will really respect this book. I recently made the switch from vegetarian to vegan. While I suspect that I have found the transition easier than most, I still become frustrated hearing people downplay the challenges of eliminating so many things from my diet. I’d appreciate reading a book that took a more sensitive approach to the vegan transition.

  42. I lost my Mom last July out of a heart condition. Something tells me that she could still be around if she took a better care of herself, meaning having a healthy lifestyle. I started to look for healthy recipes and I realized that all the ones I liked came from Vegan blogs. This started the sparkle in me towards becoming one myself. This book would help me understand as well as guide me trough the change 🙂

  43. I could never fill 30 days with healthy and satisfying vegan meals. Would love to get a road map to do that 🙂

  44. I’d read it because I’d actually try the challenge! It sounds like a fun learning experience 🙂

  45. I’d love to read this book … I completely agree that veganism can be difficult. I went vegan for 3 1/2 months a few years ago… out of desperation with my Autoimmune diseases and multiple frustrating symptoms. But part of what made it hard for me was my lack of creativity and diversity in my diet. It was all brown rice and steamed veggies… or salads. I’m sure that having creative and tempting recipes to try would make all the difference. Nutrient rich food inevitably makes you feel more energetic! : )

  46. I’ve been a vegetarian for many years and I’m now transitioning over to a vegan lifestyle and sometimes it really hasn’t been easy! You’re website helps, but I’d like to read this book and then pass it on to some friends who are considering going vegan.

  47. I would love to get this book and use it with my roommates! They’re both open minded eaters (one’s a vegetarian and the other doesn’t eat dairy) and I’d love to have them go vegan for 30 days (or more) with help from this book!

  48. I’ve always wanted to eliminate animal-based products from my diet but it seems so difficult. I’d love to read this book and use it as a guide!