By now, you've probably realised that Brandon and I are in the process of switching to a plant-based diet. I've tried and failed many times in the past to be a vegetarian. In hindsight, there was a lack of planning, support and conviction behind it, and that was the reason for my failure.

One morning, a few weeks ago, I said to Brandon, "I wish you and I could be vegans, but that will never happen." And Brandon, very surprisingly, replied, "I'm willing to be a vegan, as long as we figure out how to have variety [in our menu]." That was a turning point for us, because Brandon has always been a proud carnivore who could "never" live without meat. 

I have to tell you something. It's been unbelievably easy this time around. With the support of my husband and our shared efforts with meal planning, our diet has become almost completely vegan in the space of a few short weeks. 

A few things to note (aka "Ways we've made veganism more difficult for ourselves"):

- We avoid "fake meats." If you're less fussy than us, you can almost directly switch your menu by replacing meat with these. Our reason for avoiding them is that we are aiming to have a wholefood, healthy diet and we feel that those "meats" are very processed. 

- We avoid canned and bottled foods and sauces, because we are concerned about the leached chemicals from cans, and the high amounts of sodium and sugar in canned and bottled foods and sauces. That being said, it's still better than takeaways, so having a few quick and easy options in the cupboard will help when you're too tired or too busy to cook a meal from scratch. We all need to do what we feel is doable for ourselves.

- We have been aiming for a lower carb, gluten free menu. We're not 100% gluten-free and low carb, but we aim for healthier alternatives to bread, pasta, potatoes and white rice. As far as possible, we use quinoa, long grain brown rice, green pea pasta, oats, and root vegetables like sweet potatoes, butternut and beetroot.

This is what we've done to make the switch:

1. We've stopped buying milk. We use nut and oat milks. We buy unsweetened store bought versions, and also make homemade milks.
2. We've stopped eating and cooking with butter. We rarely eat bread, so we don't really need a spreadable butter, but for the odd occasion (and for some sauces), we use a vegan spread as a butter alternative. For cooking, it was a simple switch to olive oil and coconut oil.
3. We've stopped using honey in tea. We don't even have sugar in our house, but when recipes call for something sweet, we use pure maple syrup.
4. We've obviously stopped buying meat. This has had a huge impact on our health already, because our usual takeaways are a no-no when trying to avoid meat and dairy! No regular pizza, burgers, Indian (lots of cream!) or ice-cream. We've been forced to get creative in the kitchen, and so far we've had so many more delicious and exciting meals!

Our next challenge is to cut out cheese and eggs. We've already started trying out some vegan cheeses, but so far, we haven't found our happy place with that. I strongly believe that in order to make this a full and permanent lifestyle change, we need to actually enjoy what we eat and drink, so I will keep looking for a cheese alternative/replacement that I can get excited about!

Now, I need to tell you something. Vegans can be a bit hectic. I avoid following their pages on social media, because a lot of vegans like to use the shock factor to convince you to stop eating meat. I will never be like that. I cant stomach those images and haven't watched any of those vegan documentaries.

This is a video that has inspired me, and reminded me that we have made the right decision. I promise, it is just informative, and contains no sensitive images. You can even watch it with your children, if you want.

Click here to learn more about how we can save the planet by switching to a plant-based diet.

I have never picked a word of the year before, so the concept is still a bit new to me. The idea is to choose a word that resonates with you, something that perhaps depicts your goal for the new year or the direction that you are planning on taking.

Choosing a word might be really easy for you! Some of my friends picked their words quickly and easily - I suppose they were fully organised with their New Year's Resolutions, too, and the word just tied in perfectly. For those of us who need a bit of help, I've got a free worksheet to help you choose the perfect word, which will be your special reminder throughout 2018 to stay on track and maintain focus on your goals!

My word for 2018 is DREAM. It may seem like a cliche choice, but the word resonates with me on many levels. As you know, I started my home-based business this year so that I could change the direction that my life was heading. I realised that I had dreams and goals, but that my daily actions (including my career) were not taking me on that path.

Soak almonds in filtered water for about 24 hours. I like to leave them in a bowl in the fridge. I also rinse the almonds and replace the water about every 8 hours, just to keep them fresh. You'll notice the almonds swelling as they soak up the water.

Spread the ground almonds out evenly on a lined baking sheet and bake on 100 C for about 20 minutes to dry them out. When they have cooled, whizz them through the blender to separate the chunks, and pour the powder into a freezer bag. Freeze until you need it for smoothies, sauces and baking. 

With the change of season this month, it seems to be prime time for colds and flu! My husband and I have made a concerted effort to avoid antibiotics as far as possible, and in doing so, have strengthened our immune systems. We do still get sick occasionally, though, and like to use our favourite remedies to nip the infection in the bud!

1. Hydrogen peroxide in the ears

This works on the basis that most infections start in the ears. Using a syringe or dropper, put 3% (10 volume) hydrogen peroxide in your ear and allow it to sit in your ear for 10 minutes. It will bubble like crazy and dissolve your earwax. Pour out onto a tissue and repeat in the other ear. Do this 3x per day.

This really helps prevent or shorten colds and flu, and I find that it helps ease symptoms, too.

You can also gargle with hydrogen peroxide for a sore throat, or use hydrogen peroxide in a nasal saline rinse (1 tsp hydrogen peroxide & 1 tsp salt in half a glass of warm, filtered or distilled water).