Anita: 0:00

Hey sister, welcome to the Power on Plants podcast. Are you tired of staring into the fridge wondering what to eat so you can just feel better? Do you want to avoid spending hours in the kitchen making complicated meals in the name of health? Would you love to leave fatigue behind and finally have the energy to do all the things you want to do? Hi, we're Jared and Anita Roussel Christ followers, healthcare professionals, parents of four and big fans of great tasting food. We, too, tried exercising more, eating natural and clean foods, but we still found ourselves struggling with what we thought were changes that come with age or bad genes, and we weren't finding answers the traditional route. So we dug into the research and created our secret nutritional weapon sustainable plant-based living. The truth is, you can eat more whole plant foods and it's not hard. You just need the way. That's realistic and delicious so you never feel deprived. If you're ready to enjoy your meals, no longer be held back by your health struggles and actively live your life, then you're in the right place. So grab your favorite plant-based cup of happy pop in those earbuds and let's get started.

Anita: 1:11

Today, jared and I want to share with you something that we've been talking about a lot lately because it blends into things that we see with our patients and our clients on a regular basis, and it's what I like to call try it before you buy it or maybe even better yet, try it so you don't miss out when you're trying to decide how to get healthy. This is a strategy that can make all the difference for you. Jared, how do you think this applies when you are seeing patients? What do you see? When you bring up whole food, plant-based? Because I know a lot of times they don't even understand that they can eat whole plant foods and get the healing that they need. They don't understand that there's even an option for them.

Anita: 1:52

So the first struggle and hurdle you have to get through with them is saying, hey, yes, you have this disease, yes, you're on this medication, but what if? I know you take them to? What if a lot? But what if you didn't have to have that thing that you've been told you'll have forever, forever? What if you didn't have to have it forever? What if it could actually go away? So the first thing is we have to get in our mind hey, yeah, there are answers. The research is there. I know people who've been through this, who've reversed a ton of things by eating these delicious foods that God's given us.

Jarrod: 2:24

So the experience is there.

Anita: 2:26

Right and Jared and Anita see their clients and their patients reversing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders. I mean, I could just go on and on. So you now have the evidence that maybe his patients haven't seen yet because maybe they're not podcast listeners and they just don't know.

Jarrod: 2:49

Many of them have not surprisingly, ever heard of this, and sometimes it's the patient with an autoimmune disease or it might be a family member with an autoimmune disease. You know, I cannot resist any kind of opening to share this with patients. So if we're going through the family history and like well, you know, I've got an aunt with lupus, like well, let me share something with you. And sometimes I get a deer in a headlight response. Sometimes I hear but what about my protein? But the other one that I hear so much is, I can't do that. And then when I probe them, it's because they have such an animal product heavy diet that they don't see that there is any other way and they don't see that they could even possibly enjoy it. They're just so used to the meat flavor and the greasiness and the texture and the grilling out and just everything that encompasses that they can't conceive a diet of just plants.

Anita: 3:42

And so then, what is that outflow of that? The outflow of that is well, if I can't even conceive in my mind that it's possible, then I'm just not willing to try it, because what would I possibly eat? That's the question. What would I eat? I mean, you hear that, don't you hear that all the time?

Jarrod: 3:59

That and what would I enjoy?

Anita: 4:02

Oh yeah, that's even bigger and that's why we're so big about enjoyment and excitement. And this leads us to this try it before you buy it. Strategy, again, I think I might even like better. That's what I've been calling it up to this point, but I think I might even like better. Try it, so you don't miss out, because the big key is, you may not know how, or you may not think it could work, or you can't see how. You could possibly like a whole food, plant-based Alfredo, like you would like the Alfredo from Olive Garden that you're eating right now. But I promise you, I used to be Olive Garden Alfredo's biggest fan and now I eat our Alfredo and I just I don't miss it at all because it's cheesy and it's creamy and literally it takes me five minutes to make it in a blender. So I'm all about making it quick and easy, because that's what makes it enjoyable and exciting. Plus, you get the flavor and that's what you get to experience when you try it. So you don't miss out.

Anita: 4:55

And all the ingredients you can find at a regular grocery store, or even have them delivered to your front door don't you think part of the problem is that we've had some bad experiences, some bad rennans, like, if you're here, you probably already know that whole food plant-based could be, or actually is the answer for you, and so you get that. But maybe you're just not sure how to make it work, because you can't see how, when you love the tacos and pizza and your favorite pasta dish like my old favorite one from Maggiano's rigatoni D, things like that how do you make that work? Well, I make it now. That's what I do. I haven't come out with that recipe yet, but I'm going to.

Anita: 5:33

For you guys who are inside our alumni and have gone through accelerator, you're going to be getting that recipe in the future because it's one of my favorites. So you learn how do I make these things in a way that's simple, enjoyable, but that I still love the flavor so much so that I never miss out. Well, you're only going to know that and find those new favorites and get the recipe upgrade experiences where now I'm not just eating things I love, they're actually loving me back. You're only going to have that happen when you actually try the things. You have to try them first. This is why they're so big at Costco or at the big box stores on giving you samples. Think about it. You walk around every corner and there's a sample. Hey, you want to try this? Hey, come try this. Some of them now are so good they have a song and dance to get you over to their stand to try their stuff. I haven't seen that one yet.

Anita: 6:26

Oh, I saw it not too long ago.

Jarrod: 6:28

That's funny.

Anita: 6:28

But this is the thing. Why are they so adamant about doing this? Why do companies want you to try it? The same reason, jared and I want you to try a whole food plant-based, because we know once you try it and you like it, you're going to continue in it. And we want this for you because we know that, we know that. We know that you can escape these things that are holding you back from your God-given dreams. God's put these desires in your heart.

Anita: 6:51

Maybe it's a business that you already run, but you can't possibly take it to the next level because you can't think clearly. You can't do the things that you want to do. It's just not physically possible because you're spending all your time at the doctor's office and at the pharmacy line and trying to get the medications paid and covered by your insurance All this insanity and then dealing with the side effects of the things that you're dealing with and then having to take more medications for those side effects, when all along there are foods there that we know, based on research and by our own experience as well, with so many of you who are even listening today, that you can get free. I know a lot of y'all are shouting like try it, just try it, because you're already on this journey with us walking and getting these results simply by listening to the podcast. And then you come into Accelerator and you're one. This is crazy, this is mind blowing. I mean Amanda, just the other day she said Look, this is crazy. She said I was told that I would have these problems with my joints forever, that it was chronic, that it would never reverse, and she's following the accelerator framework, decided to go all in and she said I cannot believe how simple this is. But not only that. I'm actually getting to live life with my family. This is gold.

Anita: 8:02

Within one week, the joint pain went away. One week, the joint pain that she was going to have chronically, according to her health care provider. Wrap your mind around it. And could it be as simple as finding your new favorites, the things that you absolutely love, and having the framework to walk through so that you break the mindsets that are holding you back. That you've got your environment set up for success in the way that's simple, and that you're eating the foods that are delicious, quick and satisfying to you and it works with your schedule. But it all starts with the trying, with the sampling. But I do think a lot of times the major problem is that we've been burned. We've tried that sample, we've gone into some kind of vegan deli and we've tried a hard as a brick brownie. That's supposed to be oh so good.

Jarrod: 8:47

And it was disgusting that, or a well-meaning relative or maybe even a co-worker that had something that they thought was good but their taste equivalent was that of someone who might be tone deaf.

Anita: 9:00

Please don't take offense.

Jarrod: 9:01

Don't take offense, but sometimes people may eat things and think, oh, this is great, but it's lacking flavor and texture. And you've tried that and this person's raving about it. You think, is there something wrong with me, is there something wrong with this other person, or is there just something wrong with the recipe? But we get it.

Anita: 9:18

Yeah, you hit the nail on the head. Sometimes it's just the recipe. You just have a bad recipe. You want to taste and see, you've got to sample it. That's so important.

Anita: 9:27

Sample one of your old favorites, like, if you just love chili, find a new plant-based chili recipe that you absolutely love. Like, in our cookbooks, we share our absolute favorite recipes. You want to get those and just try it. Just think, okay, I'm not so sure, just get one and try it. Just get one and try it and start trying things like the Alfredo sauce and the tomato soup the creamy tomato soup is so good. Or the cheesy veggie chowder it is mind blowing. Or our brownie recipe it is unlike any other. If you like drinks, we have things like the peanut butter shake or the matcha latte. I mean, they will blow your mind. I have literally had people come into me trying these things and going there has to be heavy cream in this. Like, I know you don't eat heavy cream, but what in the world is in this? It tastes like butter and heavy cream and it's just because we've learned over time how to put these things together and what we know is that our ceiling can be your floor when you start tasting and seeing.

Jarrod: 10:27

So, thinking about the Costco example, they have samples for you to try and you taste it and you see, do you like it, do you not? But there have been many times where they've had products that we didn't even know these things existed and then tried it, loved it and bought it. So, like you said, we've used the term try it before you buy it, but really it's try it so you don't miss out. We've had some favorite products that we wouldn't have known they were our favorite if we hadn't just taken a moment, maybe let our defenses down just a little bit, tried it and thought, oh my goodness, this is so amazing. Wait a minute, there's no sugar, there's no added salt, there's none of this in there. Like, yes, I want not one bag, I'll take three bags please.

Anita: 11:10

So where do you start Again? If you like pasta dishes and you like cheesy dishes, try the date night fettuccine alfredo. Now, I don't use a lot of salt and cheese is very salty. So if you really want it to taste more like what you're used to and you think it doesn't taste quite cheesy enough, you can add a little bit of miso, white miso, or a little bit of Himalayan pink salt or sea salt to it. You're going to love it. It will blow your mind. It has blown so many people's minds.

Anita: 11:40

This is in our original cookbook. Another one out of the original cookbook is our banana bread muffins. They are absolutely delicious and so simple to make. Or a sweet potato bowl. We have a whole wheat waffle as well as a gluten-free waffle. These are great things to taste and see, because these are things that you already enjoy eating. If you like carrot cake, you need to try the carrot cake gems. They're mind-blowing. And one of my personal favorites is the peanut butter cup shake. I absolutely love that drink.

Anita: 12:12

And then there are all the sauces. Think about a thousand island dressing or a ranch sauce or a hollandaise yolk sauce that you can put on your tofu scramble, that it won't just be tofu with a little what Jared calls yellow or orange on it, like with the turmeric that you put on there. You're not just going to sprinkle some turmeric onto tofu and make it taste like eggs. So this hollandaise sauce is key. These are great places to start. So those are all in the original cookbook and then in the Thrive cookbook you're going to find things like the family favorite lasagna. That one makes me smile so much it tastes just like my mom's. Actually, I had someone the other day tell me it also tastes just like their mom's lasagna. It is delicious.

Anita: 12:52

The cheesy veggie chowder I mentioned, that's in the Thrive Cookbook. Happy burgers are plant-based burgers that you can throw together in a matter of minutes, have in your oven, and they will just make you smile. They are delicious. Then, if you love sides and you want something that you would take to a barbecue, the classic coleslaw tastes just like my mom's and that's saying a lot because she made the best Southern mayo-y classic coleslaw and that is what this one is modeled after. We also have a cornbread recipe, just some incredible desserts like biscotti or brownies or gingerbread. We have a chocolate vegan frosty in here and the cheesecake pie chocolate cheesecake pie y'all. You have to get this cookbook just for that recipe alone, don't you think?

Jarrod: 13:36

It will challenge what you think about whole food, plant-based. Yeah, this is a taste and see that you have to taste and see.

Anita: 13:43

All of these are so worth picking up these cookbooks.

Jarrod: 13:46

That's a taste, and don't miss out.

Anita: 13:49

Taste and don't miss out, because once you get these and you try them, it is going to blow your mind so much You're going to find yourself thinking you know what? I actually think I can do this, I think I can. So you're getting that little engine that could mentality oh, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. And with everyone that you try, it will turn. I think I can too, I know I can. And before long you're going to find yourself surrounded by this family who loves God, who loves you, is going to show you, step by step, how to make these changes. It all starts with tasting and seeing, because tasting the right thing is going to make all the difference for you.

Anita: 14:29

You can grab the cookbooks at poweronplantscom forward slash cookbook Again, that's poweronplantscom forward slash cookbook Again that's poweronplantscom forward slash cookbook. And as you find your new favorites, we can't wait to hear all about it. Friend, we have loved having you here with us again, sharing these life-changing strategies with you so that you can finally feel your best and live your God-given dreams. Jared and I are dedicated to helping you thrive on a whole food, plant-based diet the enjoyable, exciting way. Know that you are loved, you are prayed for and we will see you very soon, thank you.