Alright, so October encapsulates a lot of things for me – it’s my birthday month, the beginning of my favorite season, the time of year when schoolwork intensifies and becomes more and more important to stay on top of, and, of course, the month for delicious pumpkin recipes and fun fall desserts. 
A.K.A: this is the time of year that begs people to throw their healthy diets out the window. And if you’re anything like me, “oh, it’s my birthday weekend, I can eat whatever I want,” turns into “it’s the holidays, I am not going to hold myself back,” which slowly but surely turns into a new daily habit. Fun and satisfying in the beginning… not so fun by the time January rolls around and you feel allll of that holiday goodness rolling around in your tummy. 
^ Having fun with my mama and best friend before my birthday dinner at Buddakan – talk about a delicious meal and super creative and yummy cocktails. You can be a plant-based vegan and still enjoy nights out at totally regular non-vegan restaurants. We had tons of vegan and non-vegan food on the table… and I enjoyed so many awesome veggie dishes they basically had to roll me out of there. And, sure, I ate enough to feed an army but it was my BIRTHDAY. You have to be fine with letting loose on special occasions and knowing that the daily lifestyle you enjoy is still there waiting for you. It’s all about balance! 
Before I go on, let’s get something straight. I’m not saying you should hold yourself back from enjoying holiday food, and I’m definitely not saying you should be on a diet. (Please! Who do you think I am?!) What I am saying is: don’t lose sight of your awareness. You know what type of eating works for your body and what makes you feel good, so don’t let go of that just because there are a few extra treats lying around this time of year. (Or because that bikini is safely tucked away in the corner of your closet.) 
The awesome thing about plant-based veganism is that you truly CAN eat whatever you want, enjoy every minute of it and not feel bad about yourself later. You are fueling your body with energy, goodness and vitamins and minerals galore. Don’t let this be another year of making excuses around the holidays – be the exception to the excuses. Waiting until your New Years resolution list simply does not make sense. Also, let’s face it. Nobody is perfect. You are not going to eat 100% healthy 100% of the time. And if you do, I commend you. But you might as well eat well where you can so that when you happen to slip for one delicious reason or another, it doesn’t make a difference in the way that you feel. Find the balance that works for you, because the extreme juice cleanse you are planning to fast yourself on after the holidays probbbably isn’t going to make you feel your healthiest/most balanced. 
And because I know I’m not alone in feeling this way about this time of year, this week on TBV is going to be dedicated to bringing the plant-based back to plant-based veganism. But wait – before you get bummed out and click over to a decadent dessert blog… let me remind you what my philosophy is – food should never be boring. This going to be a fun and delicious week of plant-based recipes. Think veggie stir-fries, nutrient-packed green juices, fruity super-food smoothies and even a yummy plant-based dessert or two (think baked banana or apple crumble… yum!) Annnndd, as usual, I am open to suggestions. I love hearing from you guys, and I try to incorporate as many recipe ideas as I can. And at the end of this week I will announce something VERY exciting that is happening on TBV in the near future… (I am terrible at keeping secrets, so it’s hard not to spill now!!!) 
^ Having fun post-birthday dinner with the most awesome and hugest birthday card ever! Are you ready to put the PLANT back in plant-based vegan?! Oooooh yeah. Happy Sunday!!! P.S. Don’t forget… 