Veggie Teen: Elyse May
Elyse May, the 15 year-old author of Veggie Teens: A Cookbook and Guide for Teenage Vegetarians, became a vegetarian when she was 12 years old. She'd always been an animal lover but seeing pictures of dozens of pigs crammed into a small pen was the final straw.
No one else in Elyse's immediate family is vegetarian but they supported her decision fully. Her mom, Michelle May MD, a family doctor and mindful eating expert, helped her figure out how to eat to stay healthy. Her dad Owen, a chef, taught her how to make vegetarian foods that her whole family loves, including her older brother Tyler. Together they developed Veggie Teens to help other teenagers learn how to cook delicious, nutritious vegetarian foods too.
According to Elyse, it isn't always easy to be a vegetarian in high school--but it's worth it. Many of her friends are curious; some have even decided to become vegetarians too. She feels healthy and happy knowing that no animals lost their lives to feed her.
Elyse shares more life-lessons in an inspiring article and 10-minute interview with InspireMeToday.
Elyse's Co-Authors
Elyse had a lot of help from her parents in putting this book together:
Michelle May M.D.: Elyse's mom is a Family Physician and expert in
mindful eating. She is the author of Am I Hungry? and the founder of Am I Hungry? Mindful Eating and Weight Management Program. Michelle believes that being healthy doesn't mean that you have to eat perfectly. She helped with the nutrition and health information included in Veggie Teens.
Chef Owen May: Elyse's dad is a professional spa chef. He knows how to make food that is both nutritious and delicious. He and Elyse spent many hours in the kitchen testing and tweaking these recipes until they were perfect. Owen believes that everyone should know how to cook so he and Elyse teach you many basic culinary techniques throughout Veggie Teens.
