From Lawyer to Vegan Chef and Author: Q&A With Lindsay Nixon
By Courtney Lochner | January 26, 2012 at 8:55 am
Sure a lot of people change jobs. Gen X and Gen Y love to hop from one place to another with the same ease of switching outfits. But to go from lawyer to vegan cookbook author is definitely not the average career change. But that’s just what Lindsay Nixon did. Slipping into a whole new world, she discovered how living a healthy lifestyle positively changed her life and found her calling. Her love of writing and the newfound lifestyle created the perfect opportunity. Everyday Happy Herbivore, a colorful cookbook with 175 quick and easy low-fat vegan recipes, is her new project. We caught up with the author and chef to learn more about what sparked the career change and what places on the globe she calls her muse.
How did you get into health and cooking?
I had a serious health scare in my early 20s and decided to adopt a vegetarian diet, thinking it would help me make better food choices. About a year later, I switched to a low-fat, whole-foods plant-based (vegan) diet, for health, though I was also motivated by other factors such as the plight of farm animals and the environmental benefits of leaving meat and dairy off my plate.
Back then, most people didn’t really know what a vegan was, it wasn’t as mainstream as it is now, so eating out wasn’t really an option, and there weren’t really any specialty vegan foods at the supermarket, either – faux meat and cheese were limited, or non-existent. The reality was, if I was going to eat, I had to make it myself so in to the kitchen I went.
To my surprise, I really enjoyed cooking and baking; it felt very natural to me and I looked forward to making my meals, something I previously loathed and had anxiety about. Going “vegan” turned me into a foodie.
Where should America begin when it comes to changing their declining health?
Change what is on your plate. What you eat makes all the difference in both directions: good health or bad health. Eat whole plant foods (beans, whole grains, fruits, vegetables) as often as possible. Your body will thank you.
What’s your favorite recipe?
Asking a chef to pick their favorite recipe is like asking a parent to pick their favorite child.
What culture or place has inspired you the most?
I have lived and traveled all over the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, etc. I spent the last year as an ex-pat, actually. All the places I’ve lived and traveled to have shaped my cooking in one way or another. I find more inspired when I’m abroad, or at home in New York City, because they have so many fruit and vegetable carts on the street. Often I’ll buy something and run home to the kitchen to find a way to use it.
Best advice for Halogen TV readers?
Take it one meal at a time and every time you can eat a vegan meal, do it.
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