episode 268: Angry Vegan to Leading with Love: Kate Galli on Protein, Muscle & Mindset!
Vegan health coach and Healthification host Kate Galli joins Michele to talk about trading outrage for effectiveness—and the practical mindset and protein strategies that keep a plant-strong life doable in midlife. Kate shares her memorable 5-S Protein Strategy, why muscle is metabolism, and the simple mindset shift that neutralizes overwhelm: only focus on what you […]
episode 267: The Mad Libs Method of Turning Overwhelm into Clarity!
Ever felt so overwhelmed that when someone asks what’s wrong, the only answer that comes out is “everything?” In this episode, Michele introduces a simple but powerful tool inspired by the classic game Mad Libs and adapted from education: a “fill-in-the-blank scaffold” that helps transform vague frustration into clear, actionable steps. When we’re vague, we stay stuck. Specificity […]
Episode 260: Permission to Be Bad: Master of None!
What if the most meaningful, exciting, and vibrant years of your life require you to be bad at things—on purpose? In this episode, Michele explores why midlife and beyond might be the perfect time to stop chasing mastery and start embracing messy, awkward beginnings. If you’ve been stuck in “I should already know this,” or […]
Episode 256: Does “Aging Gracefully” Just Mean “Shut Up”?!
What happens when “gratitude” starts to feel like guilt? When “aging gracefully” sounds more like “don’t complain?” This week, Michele shares a reflective episode (aka RANT) on the ways we’re told—directly or indirectly—that our pain, concerns, or values aren’t serious enough to matter. From personal health challenges to compassionate food choices, Michele explores: How toxic […]
Episode 255: The Vegan Blame Game!
Why do we say we want to go vegan—or at least more plant-based—and then we don’t follow through? Why does it sometimes feel so hard to align our actions with what we deeply believe? In this episode, we explore the “Blame Game”—the very human habit of explaining away our inaction by pointing to our personalities, […]
Episode 253: Plant-Based Cooking As An Act of Personal Liberation: Chef Day Radley from The Vegan Chef School
What if your kitchen could be the starting point for personal liberation? This week on Vedge Your Best, Chef Day Radley joins Michele to talk about how cooking plant-based isn’t just about what’s on the plate—it’s about reclaiming agency, aligning with your values, and discovering what’s possible in midlife and beyond. Founder of The Vegan Chef […]
Episode 252: The Vegan We’re Waiting For (Might Be You)
Even small choices create a ripple effect. In fact we probably can’t succeed without your smallest actions. Episode Summary: Feeling overwhelmed by the news? Wondering if your vegan lunch really matters? In this episode, Michele Olender explores the power of shifting from passive observer to active participant — in culture, in climate, in your plant-based […]
Episode 251: Well, Excuuuuuse Me…
This week, we’re talking “excuses”—the kind that hold us back and the kind that might just be trying to help. Whether you’re delaying a plant-based shift, putting off a big change, or repeating the same “I just can’t right now” story… this episode invites you to rethink your excuses with humor, compassion, and curiosity. What […]
Episode 250: Miami Vegan with Ellen Kanner – From the Tropics to Your Table
Purchase Miami Vegan: Plant Based Recipes from the Tropics to Your Table by Ellen Kanner on her website soulfulvegan.com, at bookshop.org, Walmart online, or through her publisher LCIX Award–winning writer, culinary instructor and longtime vegan Ellen Kanner returns to Vedge Your Best to share the inspiration behind her vibrant new cookbook, Miami Vegan: Plant-Based Recipes from the Tropics to […]
Episode 249: Vedge Lit: Quit Lit for Your Plant-Based Practice – It’s Never Too Late to Go Vegan by Carol J Adams
Ready for a summer reading program? In this first installment of the Vedge Lit series, Michele reflects on Never Too Late to Go Vegan by Carol J. Adams, Patti Breitman, and Virginia Messina, RD. The episode dives into the doubts many people face when they consider going vegan later in life—and how this book offered a perspective shift that […]