#146.5: Yes! You CAN be Vegan and Eat Great Cuban Food!
“If you commit to it at some point your body naturally is going to reject the food that you were eating before.” -Raydel Hernandez
Raydel lost both of his grandparents to chronic disease by the time he was a teenager. Although he had heard that diet may impact health, it wasn’t until he encountered his own health conditions that he really started to think about it. He undertook a personal journey of exploration and transformation when he decided to adopt a plant-based diet. However, he was adamant about preserving the traditional food of his family. Over many years he has tested and perfected the cuban recipes of his childhood with a plant-based spin so that he could experience both flavor and health.
In this episode of Veggie Doctor Radio, I interview Raydel Hernandez, a home chef who learned how to veganize his family’s authentic cuban recipes.
We discuss:
The influence that his grandmother (and her cooking) had on him
How his grandmother’s illness impacted his thinking about food and health
The sudden health problem that sent him to urgent care to receive some unexpected advice
What he did when he received contradictory advice from his PCP
His journey toward a plant-based diet
How his friends and family reacted to his diet change
What the hardest part of his transition was
Why cuban food is unique and how different cultures have influenced the cuisine
His favorite cuban recipes
What tip he has for someone that thinks they could never be vegan
What he wishes more people knew
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Raydel Hernandez
More about my honored guest:
Raydel Hernandez is a first generation Cuban American, home cook and culinary author. His dishes are authentic, delicious and distinctly Cuban. Heavily influenced by traditional Cuban cooking, Raydel's culinary sensibilities were shape by his family experience, primarily his grandmother Pilar Mejido. After learning how to cook Cuban food using traditional ingredients, Raydel became a strict vegetarian, and spent 10 years experimenting with plant based ingredients to achieve a Cuban/Vegan fusion which maintains the integrity, and delicious flavors of the original recipes, all with the goal of promoting a long and healthy life through the foods we eat. Vegancubano.com
The information on this blog, website and podcast is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to replace careful evaluation and treatment. If you have concerns about your or your child’s eating, nutrition or growth, consult a doctor.
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