Meal Plan Success Stories

Heather, I have to commend you on your body of work and the contribution you are making to teach others, like me, to navigate through the mass of conflicting and confusing information about eating healthily as a vegan, and just health in general. As a newly minted vegan, your site has been a godsend. What I specifically love about it is that I can get whatever level of support I need – when and whether I need it. There are MEAL PLANS (see the P.S. below) that I can follow precisely, or somewhat. There are WORKOUT PLANS that I can follow – entirely, mostly, or not! There is a volume of INFORMATION that goes from the basic to the in depth that allows me to delve into a topic as my own pace and need. And of-course, there is you ONLINE – and I am amazed at your patience, kindness, and continued enthusiasm that you genuinely exude in your responses. So, what I am saying is WOW and thank you! PS: Your MEAL PLANS are my particular favourite – because they are simply brilliant! They are EASY to follow: the recipes are easy to make – even for kitchen challenged people like myself; they are TASTY with wonderful combinations of food that I would never have thought of putting together ever; and of course the meals are nutritious and NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED. Did I mention tasty? I did? well it stands to be mentioned again – your meals are tasty. Please do more of them!
Jennifer, Richmond BC CANADA

I really enjoyed your meal plan. It helped me stop grazing all day and instead eat only what was on the plan. I found that before using your meal plan I was just eating lots of healthy food thinking that I was ok because it was healthy. My portions of healthy food were big and didn’t think much about calories Your meal plan made me see what a meal should “look like”… even though I’m still struggling with that. I’m continuing to lose weight and finally made it below 200lbs!
Terry, Bardstown KY

You have been such an motivating inspiration for me! I bought your 7 day meal plan 3, maybe even 4 years ago by now and it has been such a helpful resource that has given me more knowledge to be able to innovate and get culinarily creative with cooking like I did as a vegetarian and before that as a meat eater. I am so grateful that you followed your passion, took a big leap into what I know is your purpose in life, supporting people so they can feel amazing by honoring and nourishing their bodies with delicious nutrition.
Love and Light!! Maria, Cincinnati OH

Loving the recipes so far: day 1 down and I’m soooo thinking this way of eating could be a lifestyle for me. 🙂 I have tons of cookbooks (great ones) and mark sites/recipes/etc. But I relate to you and love the ease and recipes on this plan. I also have your cleanse plan………so in short— I love your stuff. So Thank You Thank You Heather!! 🙂
((((Hugs))))) Lisa

I like the approach Heather takes, it is normal, down to earth food, and seeing as she is a sporty lady herself, she knows what an active person needs. Recipes are very tasteful and easy to make, it’s easy to substitute an ingredient if you want to swap something. If you have questions or remarks, you get a reply really soon after emailing Heather, can only recommend!
– Mariz, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

I have made so many of Heather’s recipes and they are delicious and easy to follow! If you keep healthy staples on hand, you can put together so many of her ideas and feel full, satisfied and quite pleased with yourself!
– Jenni in FL

Your meal plans have given me a great deal of different formulas for a balanced menu throughout the week. What I love is that following these is a great way to reboot your nutritional goals and nutritional health when you slip up. Thanks Heather 🙂
– Kerim

Invaluable! Not only the plan covers all nutritional needs and various food sources, but the recipes are so well put together that they are simple to make for the culinary challenged like me, yet they are creative and very delicious. Thank you Heather!
– Hani

I’m a truck driver who’s been unhealthy for the last 20 years! I’ve studied all kinds of healthy foods or programs, raw, vegan, Dr. Furhman just to name a few…I have to say that the 28 days meal plan I purchased from you 2 years ago made me feel the best cause you calculated all the natural daily recommended vitamins and nutrients. However not all the meals were good results cause in the truck trying to bake, using food processor, blender and boiling at the same time was getting frustrated but compared to all the programs, you have the best balanced satisfying healthy meals on a daily basis. Dr. Furhman is great but way too much ingredients & veggies everyday and could drive ourselves insane after a while with these huge 4 gallons salads with weird salad dressings plus eating all kinds of beans everyday. Variety is the key for everyday eating in my opinion. All programs seems to ban certain kind of healthy food just because the owner of the program just don’t like it and sometimes trying to prove that certain food is not a healthy food which isn’t true! Every kind of food have its place for us unless we’re allergic to it and also important not to eat too much of the same cause it always backfires us. I love the fact that you use Maple syrup and peanut butter! Every programs reject peanuts just because it’s dangerous for the ones that are allergic to it but to me it’s a healthy food but moderately and even though it’s not a nut, it’s still the best tasting of all the nuts when it comes on recipes!
JD the 37 year old trucker

When changing the way you eat, it is so hard. It is so important to have a good balanced meal plan to follow. Lots of meal plans are just too complicated though – your meal plans are just what I need and I am very grateful for them. Hopefully some time it will all become second nature – until then the guidance is greatly appreciated.
Janet Leeds UK

I went in wanting to lose weight and after one month on the meal plan I am down 9lbs. Food tastes great and is pretty easy to make, just be sure you prep the night before….makes is so much easier. GREAT PLAN!
Jackie, Tooele, UT

I often am worn out at the end of the day, and cooking balanced, delicious, inspiring meals are out of the question….”Enter Heather!!!!!” I am no longer fearful of planning my own often “un-balanced” meals, and she has taught our entire family so much! We all share in the preparation, depending on who gets home first. All we have to do is follow the pre-planned meals, or adjust to fit our needs. It couldn’t be simpler, and it’s brought us together as a family in a fun, easy, way. Thanks Heather, “We love you!!!!!”
– Kathy

It has helped me to get all the ingredients together I need and to prepare great meals that taste good and a has a variety of different types of food. Without it I was eating haphazardly at random times of the day.
– George

Your meal plans provided me with some new recipes, especially those using squash. We continue to enjoy using it in soups, casseroles & desserts.
– Danielle

The food is so good! Heather has such a great way of putting flavors together. I am really loving the food! Thank you for helping me know how to do this.
– Cara

Heather’s meal plans are great. The food is really good and the menus are super easy to fallow. I’ve completed three of the meal plans over the last year or so and in addition to losing weight, they have helped me maintain a clean vegan diet, without getting overwhelmed.
– Steve

Hey Heather, I think it’s only fair to let you know that your meal plans work. Beside the content which I find very satisfying and nutritionally sound, the way it is put together is what makes it all workable. It’s obvious; Your love and dedication to healthy living is what makes this possible! Thank you!
– George, Ont. Canada.

Heather’s meal plans are wonderful! The recipes are easy to follow with easy to find ingredients, and the plans are reasonably priced, too! I’ve remade many of the recipes (taco salad, chocolate krinkles, guacamole to name a few). I’m very thankful to Heather for showing us how to make healthy food taste good!
– Meilin

My goal was to feel healthier and hopefully loose a little weight. I am normally a meat eater who avoids dairy and gluten. I found the plan worked well for me, as it already was dairy free and had gf options. I lost a kilo a week for the 28 days. I went back to eating meat but did a lot more vegan meals now I have some favourite vegan recipes. I lost a further 6 kilos over the next six months. My cholesterol went down by nearly 2. My doctor was impressed she said whatever you are doing keep doing it. My husband did the plan with me it was great he was included in the plan. He still requests the chilli burgers.
– Kathy, New Plymouth NZ

Non of the recipes are intimidating. You do not need to be a master chef to cook great meals. You never feel that you are on a diet. One is simply making nourishing meals that taste great.
– Ian, New York

Heather, your recipes are very tasty and easy to make after a long day at work. I like the fact that you prepare your meals from scratch so that when I follow your recipes there are no mysterious processed foods involved. Following your meal plans takes the guess work out of vegan cooking, because you plan them in such a way that I know that they are nutritionally well-balanced and at the same time help me stay slim. My all time favorite recipe are still the brownies with kidney beans. They are so moist and delicious while containing nutritionally valuable beans and no “empty calories”. How much more fun can vegan cooking get?
– Barbara

I am 61 years old. I had excellent health until about age 52 when I started feeling bloated and tired and suffered from joint pain to the point that it interfered with my everyday life. I saw many doctors and specialists for years without relief. They just treated my symptoms. The rheumatologist gave me pain pills for joint pain. In 2005 a gastrointestinal specialist diagnosed IBS for which I was told to take Citrucel daily. The endocrinologist found Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis in 2009 and another gastroenterologist found acid reflux (GERD) in 2010. I take Synthroid for my thyroid. I was taking omeprazole for the acid reflux, but I still had much bloating. This summer my cholesterol was flagged at 245. The doctor advised me to go on a low fat diet. I didn’t want to start taking even more pills. I had wanted to change my eating for too many years. I started buying vegan books, but deciding where to start was overwhelming. Because of you, I feel I have successfully changed my eating for the better. After 3 weeks on your meal plan my cholesterol went down from 245 to 196, and after 4 months my cholesterol was 173. I haven’t had to take medication for acid reflux as well, and I feel my digestive system is healed. I certainly don’t need Citrucel anymore. I was recently told my complexion is smoother and I think my eyes have become more blue. My dental technician even commented that my teeth and gums are the healthiest she has ever seen. My sister who is 59 is considering eating healthier now because of the changes she has seen in me. I don’t miss eating animal products. I feel good. I am very grateful for your work. I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
– Sincerely, Jacqueline

Just wanted to write to you to let you know how much I’m loving this plan. The recipes are disarmingly simple and delicious!! I’ve been eating mostly plant-based for almost two years (I went back to cheese in the summer) and was looking for a way to kick start getting back to vegan eating but without having to do much meal planning (or thinking). I’ve got far too many vegan cookbooks and I’m always overwhelmed when it comes to choosing something to make – too many choices!! Also, I really need to lose weight and needed to get away from the pasta default. So thank you thank you thank you!! Keep up the great work!
– Cheers, Fiona, Toronto ON

I just want to tell you how much fun I’m having with all of this! I never knew I could cook, but it appears that I can. And right now I’m madly in love with you! LOL
The food is beautiful and colorful and delicious, and I feel so good to know that I can make something so tasty and healthy. There’s so much food that I just can’t eat it all when I’m “supposed” to. You may (or may not) remember that I originally said I wasn’t planning to become a vegan; that I just wanted some healthy, plant-strong recipes to combine with what I usually ate. Well, I’m only a week in but now I can’t imagine any reason why I wouldn’t keep eating like this!
Thank you for making this so easy. It’s exactly what I needed: a simple recipe, directions on how to put it all together, and a grocery list of what I need to buy in order to cook for the coming week. In other words, I’m buying healthy ingredients and I know that I will be able to use them up because you are going to tell me what to do with them!
Even washing dishes is simpler. I’m always surprised when I return my plate to the sink and get ready to do the dishes because I just ate something that tasted great and then I look around on the kitchen counter and I’m mostly seeing a knife, measuring cups and spoons, and little glass containers that I’ve used to hold the food that I’m chopping up so that when I’m ready to cook, it’s all there ready to use. (Sometimes I feel a little bit as though I’m cooking all day long, but I know that will get better as I get more familiar with what I’m doing. It’s all good!)
Lauren, Vienna ME

This is amazing, just unbelievable, priceless, wow, you have out done yourself!!! We are loving the easy planning and the fact that we can change the calories and stuff. We are getting used to things and really just blown away by the greatness of it all. This is doing our bodies so well and enjoying the numbers on the scale too. Thanks for all your hard work. It is worth it in gold for our family.
– Alesha, Holly Springs NC

I admire you for all the work and thought that you have put into this. What an array of foods that are healthy and what I want and need to eat! This is a wonderful new start for me. Cookbooks just were too much for my mind trying to figure out what to cook when. Your menus seem to be easier. And by the way the Black Bean Taco Salad is to die for!!!! Your meal plan has changed my life. I could never thank you enough.
– Susie

I love your website. Great info (well structured and easy to follow) and great videos, recipes etc. I have been somewhat (not exactly to a “T” with slight modifications – still staying whole and vegan) following your 7-day meal plan I purchased recently. At first I was struggling with my addiction to cheese but now I feel great. I have tons of energy and I don’t feel sluggish any more. Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into this.
– Jitka, Cleveland, Ohio

Please could I begin by saying you are an absolute inspiration! I live in the UK and have recently turned to the vegan diet. I feel much happier on this diet and have felt a sense of well being. My family feel the same and the house is so peaceful. If it was not for your videos which enlightened me, I would not be in this fortunate position today. I will purchase your other ebooks soon, it is absolutely wonderful and very simple to understand.
– Elizabeth deHavillan, Spalding Lincolnshire in England

I haven’t encountered a recipe that I did not like on my eating plan I like the variety a lot! Your website is very user friendly and full of information!! I really like that you can personalize a recipe by simply checking the gluten free/low glycemic etc. The videos are great as well I like being able to get the recipe and watch it being made. Your commentary about the ingredient and why it is good for you is beneficial as well! Keep up the great work Heather!!
– Bernice 🙂

I highly recommend Heather’s meal plan. For me the 7 day grocery list lasted me 2 weeks and only cost $100 in ingredients. It’s an inspiring plan and worth every penny. The meals are so yummy. And I’m taking her advice and using it in other recipes. For example, the flax seed, berry, and oat breakfast cereal is soooo yummy and filling! Thank you Heather! And it’s true, your grocery list and videos of how you make the food have been so inspiring and have saved me sooooo much time!
– Jennifer, Fair Lawn NJ

I must give you an update. I started with your healthy meal plans about 4 months ago. Last week I had blood work done before I saw my doctor for a check up. All the test results were great.I was only low with vitamin D which is not too surprising for living in upstate NY in winter. The recommendations were to take a vitamin D supplement get more aerobic exercises and keep to the healthy eating choices. So a big thank you from someone who never eat junk food but never really figured out how to cook healthy delicious meals.
Best wishes, Ian, NY

To be honest I’ve done the plan at least 5 times, so I feel I should really write something about it. The thing is, I don’t really know what to write about it. Obviously I am happy about it otherwise I wouldn’t keep on doing it. My goal was to lose weight and I must say that I have! Since around Christmas until now I have lost almost 12 kg and this is mainly due to healthy eating thanks to you. I am now back in the healthy BMI range. I’m exercising more now also so that goal should certainly be in reach. Thanks for the wonderful resources Heather!
– Stefan, Belgium

So there we are…. School with a heavy schedule and mountains of marking will start again tomorrow. But thanks to you, my meals will have already been planned…. And these meals will hopefully help take a few pounds off my hips! I have already looked at tomorrow’s meal plan. The ingredients are so “normal” that I either have them in the house already or will be able to get them in the neighborhood grocery store on the way home from work. Perfect for a working mom! Thanks for all your great and inspiring work. I love to see you in your videos resplendent with energy and good health!
– Barbara

The reason I bought the meal plan was to get some quick recipes for the work week that would provide balanced portions of calories and nutrients. I enjoy cooking and I have made some major changes to my diet over the last year. However, I felt that I still wasn’t getting enough nutritional food, mainly vegetables. And, as much as I enjoy being in the kitchen, my time is limited when I’m working. I sincerely feel that the meal plan has provided the information I was seeking. If you can create any recipe with squash that I’ll enjoy, that’s a major accomplishment…and you’ve done that.
– Andrea, Fontana CA

I am using your revised 7 day plan and it makes such sense. I am lucky I live 5 minutes from a food coop/farmers market where local and organic produces and ingredients are always available. So your recipes taste great and are quick to prepare. What I like so much is that I am not intimidated by the preparation. The videos are an immense help to me. Your 1200 cal recipes are very helpful since I want to eat healthily and lose a bit of weight at the same time. All your other helpful hints make good sense .What you bring is not some kind of diet plan but pointers for a healthy lifestyle. Again thank you.
– Ian

I am really enjoying the taste, real taste, of going vegetarian. Thanks for simple ingredients, easy instructions. My husband enjoys the ‘new’ recipes – he’s not difficult to please, mind you, but it is gratifying to find him lingering round the kitchen & sampling without my ‘urging’. Keep well & keep cooking
– Cheers, Ann Sault Ste Marie, ON, Canada

I joined this site because I have tried to go vegetarian multiple times but did not know how to combine nutritious foods to make them taste good. This was especially challenging since I am celiac. I found myself eating plain quinoa and oats and tofu quite often (I hate tofu). Your whole food choice is perfect for me. I barely know how to boil water but I have been able to fix all the recipes so far on week one. I love all the different flavors that I have experienced so far. Everything is very quick and easy to fix. I love the grocery list. I know that if I follow the plan I will save money because I will no longer have rotting veggies in the fridge. The portions are more than I can eat most of the time. I’ve never gone hungry that’s for sure. The nutrition is packed into every delicious bite. The photos of the foods are wonderful. I love it that you give the nutritional info also.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this site!!! Thank you so much for providing so many delicious but easy recipes.
– Sheila, Broken Arrow OK

End of 3rd day and I am quite impressed! I’ve stayed on the diet without even being tempted by SAD food. I’ve been quite intent on learning and following your diet and your advice. My energy level may have increased a bit because, at 67, I find I quite often run out of energy and need to sit and rest. I’ve had the energy to do all that I need to do for this new lifestyle, and I’m even making separate meals for my husband, who refuses to eat a healthy diet. I must tell you, the recipes have totally surprised me! In 3 days I’ve had 9 meals and a few snacks and everything is really tasty! I can’t believe it! You’ve managed to make every recipe palatable and enjoyable. AND the scales were down 1 1/2 lbs this morning – and hopefully it won’t go back up tomorrow – as I do tend to fluctuate a few pounds from day to day. The meals usually fill me up though I do get hungry before it’s time to eat again but nothing I can’t deal with. I didn’t want to send kudos prematurely, but I doubt the quality of the recipes will change – so – thank you and KUDOS!! You’ve managed to figure out exact ingredients to make a meal taste good while including the exact balance of nutrients. Can’t wait to taste the next recipe!
– B.J. Pheonix, AZ

This must of been a ton of work. I have been watching your videos for awhile and this is exactly what I’ve been hoping for. There is nothing else like this. I already have my first question in the forum lol. I absolutely love the site. Thank you so much!!!
– Holly, Sherwood Park, AB, Canada

Initially, I was leery of paying so much for this program. But after reading you FAQ I decided to purchase it. I have not regretted it. I have been on the plan for 2 weeks now and have enjoyed everything! I am looking forward to the next 2 weeks. I love the menu and grocery lists. Usually, I don’t like the eating plans, such as the ones on Eating Well.com. They always contain meals I am not going to eat. I don’t eat soy, so I’m glad you have not used any in your recipes. The ingredient lists are short as well as the directions. I also like the way the recipes and grocery lists can be adjusted for the number of people who will be eating the meals. So far, your plan is far above other plans I have looked at. Thank you. Like you, I don’t like a lot of seasonings and I want more streamlined recipes. And specialty ingredients, Lord knows, I have enough already and every vegan recipe I look at seems to use just one more specialty item, which as you know, can be quite expensive. Thankfully your plan is simple to use and follow. So I am most pleased with your program and look forward to losing weight and getting healthy.
– Kat, Newport News, VA

The main reason why I choose to invest my time and money with you is because I wanted a nutritional sound meal plan. I am a runner, and I need my energy. I have payed $20 a month for meal plans and though I’ve enjoyed the meals, I couldn’t stick with the vegan plan for too much time. I felt weak…I got bored…the meals were too healthy!!! Haha! Your meals so far are exciting and I love the Krinkles recipe! In fact, I’ve given this recipe to my seniors; I’m a school teacher. So far, I feel great…healthy. Thank you for including a sweet treat within the meal plans. I have a sweet tooth and these meal plans are showing me how I can fit something sweet in my diet….that is healthy but delicious!! I hope you continue giving us new ideas and new meal plans…I would be willing to pay for another month of recipes.
I’ve struggled with the vegan lifestyle because I really don’t think I knew how to eat a well rounded diet. Because I run twelve miles a week and lift weights I need to eat a balanced diet. There are so many wonderful vegan cookbooks out there…I’ve bought so many!…but I don’t know how to plan a day’s worth of food. Thank you for being a great teacher. I’m kind of getting a hang of what I should be eating. Your recipes rock!
– Melanie, Warren OH

First of all I want to thank you for your meal plan and all the love and effort you put into it. I am 54, German, married and I’ve got 2 kids (25 and 21). I am a teacher (English and French) and 3 years ago I became a holistic health practitioner. I had been having knee problems since I had an accident during PE in my school days.When I had reached the age of 40, my doctors told me that, after all the operations they had done on my knee, the only possibility left was to replace both knee with loooooooooots of metal.I didn’t want that and so I looked for and found a holistic practitioner who helped me cure myself. In order to spread these fantastic therapies, I went back to study at the ripe old age of 48 and became a practitioner myself. I have been a vegetarian for 8 years now and a few months back I decided to try becoming vegan, for ethical and health reasons.
I chose your plan above all the others out there because to me you seem to be the most “down to earth” nutritionist with recipes that are both delicious and relatively easy to make from ingredients available almost anywhere, even here in Germany. You don’t use any fancy powders or machinery which makes your way of doing things extremely easy to follow and copy. Here in Germany, especially in the small town of Neu-Ulm in the South of Germany, veganism hasn’t really spread. So I am very familiar with the question, “What on earth do you eat?”
I have been following many youtube videos, vlogs an blogs and bought quite a few books. But I feel, your recipes are the ones which are the easiest ones to do in a busy every day schedule. The first of your ideas I tried were your snacks: apple and peanut butter or banana and almond butter. They have become absolute staples in my life, the go-to “recipes” when I am starving. On top of that I really loved the video on how to make 3 lunches in one go – beans, avocado, red pepper … – sharing a can of beans and some other stuff between 3 containers. That’s the sort of recipe that reeeeeeeeeeeally helps me with my everyday food planning because it solves my problem of how to deal with cans or veggies which are way too big for me alone in one meal.
My son (21) refuses to eat anything green or veggie. He is strictly your meat and potato guy. My husband is a little easier to “handle”, he will at least try what I make but he is always wary of new food. Of the meal plan recipes so far, I especially enjoyed the rice, stir fry, peanut sauce meal. It was incredibly delicious and I will be making it very very often.
So thank you once again for helping me out with ideas – what I would love, would be your whole meal plan as a book or even an e-book , for easier accessibility, because our internet connection here can be a little shaky at times. Keep on the good work, you really are an inspiration and contribute to “make the world a better place.” All the best
– Ursula, Neu-Ulm, Germany

Hello Heather! I have been a vegan for about 85% of the time and not really felt that good about it. (almost 2 years) Gaining weight when most say they lose weight – getting a tire around the belly… When you put out an email about your weight loss plan my husband says “maybe you should give this a shot”. At first I was insulted (as you know how hard it is when your husband says something about your weight). But I signed on!
It took me a while to decide to take the time to make a change and try your program. It has only been a week and I feel great! I am NOT hungry at all, and all of your recipes are absolutely delicious. You and I think alike cause you don’t skimp on sweets….. I am sitting here eating delicious oatmeal raisin cookies for breakfast and I can!
So thank you. I look forward to the weeks ahead. Not only are your recipes delicious – they are easy and quick to make! THANK YOU!!! I look forward to eating each day!!! I need to lose about 25 lbs… I feel that I can do this on your program. Not quick results – but it doesn’t feel like dieting!
THANK YOU!
– Julie, Cumberland ME

I really want to send a note telling you how much I appreciate all the information and great recipes you provide. Honestly, it’s only been a week of transitioning and I feel so fantastic. I feel great because of the food I’m eating and the support I am getting from you. You are providing me with the information to do what I have wanted to do for so long, but haven’t been able to successfully achieve. I get the inspiration from the emails and videos. My husband and sons are starting to try on their own to make whole foods vegan choices! So… THANKS 🙂 I think what you offer is unique in its delivery and so helpful for visual learners (like me).
Update:
I love the motivational emails. 🙂 I can’t believe it is the fourth week! I’ve lost 9 pounds since changing my diet to this plan. I allowed myself to indulge one night in a more processed food and was surprised how icky I felt afterward and the next day. I’ve never been more excited to continue on this path. My biggest challenge outside of the meal plan will be learning how to control my portions to stay within the calories my body should consume to lose weight and get to a healthy BMI. I’ve spent some time looking at recipes from vegan and vegan/gluten free cooks; yours are my favorite. You have a lot of recipes available on line but I hope you make a cookbook one day too 🙂
– Bridget, Minneapolis MN

My boyfriend and I think you are awesome :-), every now and then we still follow your old meal plan and we were both super excited when we heard you made a new version for four weeks. I considered it very convenient that this way I can eat good, varied and nice vegan meals for a longer period without having the worry about getting insufficient nutrients into my body.
– Kind regards, Claud, Netherlands

My husband, son (age 21) and I have been eating a (mostly) vegan diet for one year now (prompted by watching Forks Over Knives). We feel great … satisfied and energetic. We all are runners (our son ran his first marathon in November … my husband and I stick with 5k’s). I signed up for this program for two reasons: the promise of meals and grocery lists all planned out for an entire month and I want to make sure we are eating a balanced diet, especially my son since he runs so much.
I really like how you tell me what size portions to serve. I’ve been plating our meals at dinner, and your recommended portions must be accurate, because no one has asked for seconds or been too full to finish. Also, I like the nutritional information. I believe all this will help me in the future regarding keeping our meals balanced.
Everything we’ve had has been delicious. I love the simplicity of the recipes and am amazed at how tasty they are with just basic whole foods. I also like how you don’t use (any, so far) tofu or soy … we like it, but only once in awhile. A big plus: our meat and dairy-loving daughter (age 24) has taken leftovers twice for lunch 🙂
– Anne

The website is beautifully designed and easy to use. The content is phenomenal. I’m a long-time vegetarian but not quite a year into my switch to veganism. I am still learning and your website has been an integral part of my education. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I love your recipes in this meal plan. I started to print the ones I thought I’d make and then realized I was printing them all. : ) The ones I’ve made so far are delicious and easy to prepare. I very much appreciate that the ingredients are easy to find. I’ve read other vegan books and worked with other plant-based nutritionists and they want me to use specialty items that I would never be able to find in my rural, beef/meat-loving location. Amazon.com is only good for dry goods, not fresh macrobiotic-type Japanese items. So thank you Heather. You’ve made my ongoing transition to veganism easier and more exciting. I’ve learned a lot from you. I look forward to trying all your recipes in the coming days.
– Melissa, Ronald, WA

Hi Heather, Thank you kindly…. You have made; “My day – My year- The rest of my life” Sorry about the flattery… I am just so very impressed with your work. I have been speaking to friends and relatives about you and your work and your healthy eating plans and they seem very interested. Hopefully they they will be impressed enough to act on it. You know the old saying “You can only lead the horse to the water……………. !
– George

Hi Heather, Thanks again for putting together a meal plan and for such a wonderful informative website. I do 95% of the cooking/food shopping for my husband and I. I’m a pescatarian while he is a meat eater. Luckily, he also loves vegetables and eating healthy so I have not had too much problems incorporating healthier foods into our diet. I have not made a specific recipe from your meal plan but I do get lots of ideas. For ex., we started eating oatmeal with fruits for breakfast and found that it goes a long way. We do not crave the mid-morning snack like we would if we had a muffin for breakfast. I think the lunch section has been most useful for me so far. Eating out is not the easiest but I have been going to my salad bar to get a salad of greens, quinoa, chickpeas, beets and avocado for lunch and i noticed it fills me up fast and I don’t get sleepy after lunch since it’s not too heavy and I feel great. all of your recipes looks delicious! Thanks for making healthy foods look appetizing. Keep up the great work. I truly appreciate all the info you share with us. A real time saver for someone like me who wants to eat healthier but is overwhelmed by the tons of info out there with the different “diets”. I like how you incorporate different techniques from different methods and not tell us “Never eat this or never eat that!”. Your positive energy definitely shines through your videos and your websites!
– Angie, Staten Island, NY

Hi Heather, I stumbled upon your web site via youtube. I am doing your seven day diet with my husband (dragging him kicking and screaming – his description). I love that you have videos to follow. It makes it more fun and easy to understand. I tried your steamed broccoli recipe and now I can finally eat broccoli and quinoa. We are trying to eat more veggies not just because they are good for us but in these trying times we are growing our vegetables to save money. Also we read the Omnivore’s Dilemma and well if I can pat it and give it a hug then…I’ll keep trying to cook vegetarian dishes. Thanks Heather
– Lyn

Heather: Thank you so much for your prompt reply. I just want you to know that at my age (60) I obviously have been “around the block” and you are such an inspiration. I know that you have had your own share of challenges in the recent past, but you have pushed through it all and continue to amaze me with your strength and persistence. I love the fact that I can find anything I need on your site and never worry about you selling my name, or pushing me to buy more products. Your genuine belief in what you do and your commitment to help others by teaching and mainly “living” your ideals is hard to find these days.
Thank you for all you do, I KNOW I would not have healed so well and so quickly if I had not lived by and with the huge stack of copied recipes I have from your blog, and all the information I have written down from your site. I am certainly not looking forward to having my left knee replaced in the near future, but I feel that with my commitment to my health, and your help, I will be okay. Thank you so much Heather, for being you, and sharing your life, knowledge and love with so many. I am proud to know you.
Much love, Kathy

Hi, Heather – I just want to tell you how much I appreciate you and the wonderful information you have made available to us. I have been bringing vegan cookbooks home from the library and have learned some interesting little tidbits about the beginnings of the vegan movement on this side of the Atlantic, but the reason I’m writing is because I’m seeing so much contrast in what some people consider vegan “cooking” and the strong base that you are giving us in how to create healthy, simple meals using whole foods. Of course there are many ways to eat food that doesn’t contain meat, just like there are many ways to eat food that does, but the “recipe” that really made me sit down to write this was for a cake made with just two ingredients: vegan cake mix in a box, and a can of non-diet soda!
I am consistently pleased by my ability to create a really delicious meal in a short amount of time by using your meal plan. I’ll be starting with Week 1 again on Sunday, for the third time, and I’m finally feeling confident enough to start substituting other recipes for some of the ones in the meal plan.
And I feel so powerful when I go grocery shopping! Walking into the store knowing that at least 95% of the items that are for sale are of absolutely no interest to me any more makes me feel really cocky! I’m not a political person but it pleases me to know that I’m voting with my dollars against Monsanto, their genetically-modified seeds, and their “war” against any farmer who dares to go in a different direction. And it’s all thanks to you, because even though I’ve dabbled with a vegetarian diet in the distant past, it wasn’t until I started with your meal plan that I had the information to know what to do with the food that I was bringing home. Having the meal plan has made all the difference and I’m really eager to see where all of this will take me. I have to remind myself to stop talking to people about food and cooking, which would really be laughable if you knew me!
All is well.
– Lauren, Vienna, ME

I just wanted to say that I love your plan! It’s amazing. I’m feeling really good on it. Partly because the food I’m eating is healthy and fresh and full of variety but also because, armed with your great recipes, I’m actually now in charge of cooking dinner. I’m also more confident in the choices I have been making for the kids’ diet (it’s very confirming). I never learned to cook and it’s always made me feel less of a mum (only slightly). I’ve always been good at healthy snacks and lots of fruit for the kids (who don’t eat junk food) but I’m now packing my husband’s lunch box with snacks and lunch and I’m now in charge of the family dinner (up until now he’s been the cook) and it’s really empowering. We’ve got a 1 year old and a 2 year old and the more I learn about food and nutrition the better I feel about the new life style we’re working so hard at. Your information is spot on, it’s accessible and very easy to follow, it is so healthy and so tasty. I love using all the spices. Having recently become vegan (a few months) I was worried I wasn’t fuelling my body enough and so didn’t dare try it with the kids. I even went to a nutritionist but I didn’t feel anywhere near as confident after her visit as I do with your help (and subsequent research I’ve been doing). I can’t thank you enough. But all the same, thank you 🙂
– Sasha, Brisbane, Australia

I started your meal plan 3 days ago and I am noticing that my skin is starting to clear up! I was in shock this morning when I woke up and saw that I had not gotten any new spots on my face!! I really hope that this continues to improve because lately my acne has been really bad. Yay!! 😀 What I really thought was funny was that even though I am not feeling great today I did not have any cravings! Usually I crave chocolate, salt etc everyday. I am not having any problems following your plan and although it will take some getting used to, it is hands down the best healthy eating program I have looked into. I was so happy that you laid everything out on how to prepare the meals and portion sizes. It made it extremely easy! I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the week! My boyfriend is quitting smoking and I am eating better 🙂 I am also hoping to get him on board with the eating better as well, but I guess he will need to take baby steps. Thanks again!
– Jeanine

Thanks Heather…I bought your 7 day plan and find your meals to be the easiest AND tastiest I have ever had. They taste so complex, the flavors are amazing…I have been blown away!! I followed the 1500 calorie plan and have never been so completely satisfied in my life!! AMAZING!!!!
– Lhamp

Hi Heather, I have been really enjoying the recipes that you have provided me. My only complaint is that my family does not enjoy left overs. But other than that I am really surprised at how well they have responded to all of the veggies and lack of sugar filled snacks. We had already begun to weed out bad snacks but still this plan is quite a change.
Our family consists of me 34, hubby 38, and four kids ages 9, 5, 3, 10 months. We are really excited to continue eating better as my husband and I would like to lose weight and we want to teach the kids good eating habits. I really love your web site. It is easy to navigate and has such great information that is easy to understand. Thanks for all you do!!
– Christina, California

I have now signed up for your 7 day healthy eating plan and can’t wait to start that next week. I viewed a lot of the videos this morning – wow, you have been busy. Awesome job on this program! I know you put a lot of time and effort into this. Keep up the great work, we appreciate you out here.
– Kim, Dade City, Florida

I subscribed to the healthy eating plan and realized that I was feeling so much better after those 7 days.
– Gaelle, Paris, France

I did a lot of your recipes and they are all great especially the veggie burger since it tastes great and takes no time to make. The ready made at the store taste awful are unhealthy and they cost 6$ for 4 quite a shame. Since I am vegan I mostly eat veggie burger when I am invited to bbq.
– Alex

We have tried the pancakes and my daughter and I really enjoyed them. I love the millet and my husband enjoyed it as well. I enjoy your close ups as well. Thanks for helping make the world a healthier place.
– Sharon, Toulon, Illinois

I have started doing the 7 day meal plan. So far I am sticking to it, but I am changing the order of the menu days a bit. Today I made the Peanut-Tempeh Salad….and Love, Love Love it!!! Thank you for the meal plan and for the great recipes.
– Claudette, Niagara Falls, ON

Thanks for everything you do, Heather. And by the way, my family eats the Moroccan Chickpea Stew once a week. It’s really helped move my family away from animal protein.
Well, the solution seems simple to me. I vote that you (Heather) write the much-needed cookbook. I’m sure I’m not the only one out there desperately seeking a trusted vegan cookbook. I’ve purchased the Veganomicon, but I don’t use it. What do I use? You guessed it… Heather’s Youtube videos and the recipes in her 7-day diet plan. So right now, even though I probably own more cookbooks than most people, I don’t feel like I even have a cookbook. But if Heather wrote one, it would stay open on my kitchen counter.
Heather, you have better recipes than anybody else. It’s not flattery, you just do. Have you ever been around someone who is totally gifted or brilliant and they think it’s “just common sense” or “no big deal” or “same as anyone else would do”?? I’ve been around those kinds of people a lot in my life. And I can tell you that it’s “way cool” to see the different “gifts” God has given different people. I call him God, you can call it luck or whatever suits. But I’m telling you something that I’d like you to really hear.
The hardest thing for most women who cook is to get everything done and on the table at the same time before anything gets cold or burns. But, Heather, you put dishes together like this. You’ve got this mastered down to the individual dish level. Each and everything you do accomplishes what most women struggle with at every meal. You’re probably thinking, “well, it’s just common sense to put in the pot, first, the things that take longer to cook.” But sadly, common sense isn’t very common at all. The first time I put your Moroccan Chickpea Stew together, I saw the ease and simplicity of your patterns. I’ve seen that same pattern in other recipes you do.
It’s not “no big deal.” It’s a special gift, Heather. You probably have many, but I’ve been able to isolate this one and I’ve never even met you.
– Jeannie, St. George, Utah

Hi Heather, Just wanted to let you know that I started the meal plan on monday and I’m really enjoying it! The recipes are really easy and the results are so delicious that after each meal or snack I’m already looking forward to the next one hahaha! The thing I really enjoy is that the meal plan allows you to break out of your usual routine. It’s really fun for me to try other kinds of dishes and sometimes even an eye opener. The muffins are really great, although I have to make a lot more of them because my co-workers like to steal them and I’ve got a lot of trouble to resist the urge to eat them all at once 😀 Anyway, just wanted to let you know so far so good! I think I will continue the meal plan next week.
– Stefan

I would like to say that I thoroughly enjoy your program. The guidebook was extremely informative… loaded with very helpful tips. I can tell you spent a lot of time and energy into putting it together and I very much appreciate it. It is written in basic terminology so anyone can understand and learn from. The diet plan provides a simple step-by-step process which makes it easier to follow.

I think it’s fantastic and has helped me begin a new era of health.

You have put so much effort into this project and you made it interesting and fun. Thanks for all your efforts, and all your YUMMY recipes.”

I gave me a lot of insight in making up my own meal plans and creating my own dishes. Wonderful job Heather.

I would like to complement you, you did a great job. It gave us a lot of energy and it was very tasty and good to follow. Thank you!

This is the best information I have come across yet. It is making a huge change in my life in so many ways.

The plan seemed to make great sense from a principles level. I felt like I was getting a lot of nutrients from the meals you had developed.