Meet our woman crush Wednesday Shantelle: mother, herbalist, food blogger, plant-based chef and cooking instructor. Shantelle is also the president of Let’s Be Vegan LLC. and the creator of the popular vegan website Letsbevegan.com which is the home of her rapidly growing online herb shop which features her handcrafted organic medicinal herbal blends. It is also the home to her many cookbooks, tips and her popular vegan recipe food blog. Her creative twist and easy to follow recipes have helped her aid thousands of people and families in transitioning to a healthy plant-based diet.

Shantelle’s journey started many years ago when she realized how unethical and unhealthy the meat and dairy industry was.

“I knew that I could no longer continue eating meat but I had no clue where to start. It was a struggle for me. It took me a few years to get the hang of it but once I made the transition I knew it was my responsibility to share what I learned with others and that is how Letsbevegan.com was born. I knew so many people were afraid to make the transition to a plant-based diet because they simply did not know what to eat or they were under the impression that the food will be bland and boring and I wanted to change that.”

Prior to creating Letsbevegan.com Shantelle owned and operated restaurants which is where she developed her skills in the kitchen and fell in love with cooking. Currently, Shantelle spends most of her time traveling and teaching plant-based cooking workshops and events as well as teaching people how to incorporate herbal medicine into their everyday lives.

Shantelle shares 3 ways she practices self-love

1.   I stay connected to nature. I collect beautiful healing crystals and make elaborate crystal grids. They help me work through my thoughts and align my energy and intentions. I also go on long hikes and forage for wild food and herbs for medicine. Most importantly I meditate daily and practice yoga.

2.   I listen to music all the time. It is an essential in my life. Good music has a way of keeping your spirit lifted and feeling good. I listen to it while I cook, write and create. I love everything from Rock, Jazz, Soul, Alternative and Trap.

3.   I talk to my mom. Being a busy entrepreneur and mom can be overwhelming. It’s good to have someone that you can talk to that understands what you’re going through. She is also an entrepreneur and she just gets it. We call each other when we need a pep talk. I always feel regenerated and refocused after we talk.