Welcome to Open Minded Diet!
My name is Brooke, and I created Open Minded Diet to share how easy, fun, and impactful plant-based eating can be. I am most certainly not a professional chef but I have a serious passion for sharing real-life ways to eat real food on a daily basis (yes, even on busy weeknights!). I hope my recipes and kitchen tips will help you and your family switch up your routine with something new and nutritious.
My Food Journey
I have always been interested in nutrition. I had tried several different ways of eating to try to see what would work best for me before stumbling upon “The Game Changers” documentary on Netflix. After watching I immediately decided to try a vegan diet to see if it could improve my half marathon training.
I was so laser focused on athletic performance that I wasn’t even really paying attention to how much my new way of eating was improving my day-to-day. Pretty soon I realized that I felt better than I had in years. Over time I have learned that my body does best eating mostly plant-based, including seafood and eggs occasionally.
By nature I am a creature of habit. I was that person who knew what dish (usually some type of chicken) I ordered at each restaurant in town. When I began my plant-based journey I decided to have an open mind and try all new things. I learned there were some incredible foods I had never even tasted before but actually enjoyed way more than what I was currently eating! I could not believe what I had been missing out on.
My Food Philosophy
I am a firm believer that there is no one-size-fits-all way of eating. Everyone has their own unique bodies, backgrounds, beliefs, and goals. Open Minded Diet not only embodies having an open mind to try new things, but also not limiting how you’re eating by creating unnecessarily strict guidelines. A diet is not a quick fix way to change our bodies through deprivation. Your diet is the way you nourish your body every day.
While most of the recipes I share will be vegan-friendly, you certainly do not have to be vegan to try and love them! Sometimes my meat-eating husband likes my plant-based recipe better than the original. Other times, he will add his meat of choice to my otherwise vegan dish to create the perfect meal for him. If your kids won’t eat anything that doesn’t involve cheese, sprinkle some on top! Forget about perfection and do what works for you.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions and let me know what you think of my recipes. I would love to hear how you and your family are including more plants in your diet!