Almost exactly 8 years ago, I took a leap of faith and quit my job.

It was December 2012, and I had decided to dedicate 100% of my time to Food Babe. 

My blog was pretty new. And it wasn’t making any money. So, quitting my full time job certainly seemed crazy.

But I did it, because I started to see the impact I was having on the food industry and knew it was more important than what I was doing at my banking job. 

Around this time I launched my first petition, asking Kraft to remove the artificial colors from their famous Mac n’ Cheese.

I was beginning to fight a battle that was bigger than anything I’ve ever taken on in my life. And many doors started opening up to me. 

I was approached to film a pilot for a TV show where I would visit a busy family in need of a major pantry makeover and show them how to remake their favorite go-to dinner without harmful ingredients. 

That family was the Fehlings. Jake and Page Fehling graciously invited me into their home and let me raid their pantry. 

Lo and behold, I found a box of Kraft Mac & Cheese. Gasp! I showed them how the artificial colors Kraft was using at the time are contaminated with carcinogens and linked to hyperactivity in children. 

They said their 2 young children loved to eat this, and it broke my heart. To help them ditch Kraft, we made my homemade mac n’ cheese together (and this recipe is inside Food Babe Kitchen now!)

It seems like a million years ago, and a lot has happened since we filmed that pilot episode! 

To catch up, Jake & Page invited me on their podcast this week: Date Night with Jake and Page.

We had a blast reminiscing about filming all those years ago, what we've uncovered about our food since then, why I hate diets, and how I’ve changed since becoming a mother (with another one on the way any day now!) 

And just like old times, I took a peek inside their freezer. You’ll never guess what I found! We had a little chat about this too. 

Listen to our fun discussion here.

To see where it all began, watch the pilot episode that we shot all those years ago on the blog here. It includes my recipe for Cauliflower Mac n’ Cheese, which is now inside the Food Babe Kitchen cookbook. I hope you try this recipe with your family soon! 

Xo,

Vani

P.S. There’s still time to get my Healthy Holiday Guide in time for holiday baking. This 100-page guide includes treats, edible gift ideas, and menus for every upcoming holiday occasion. I’ll send a copy to your email when you order a copy of Food Babe Kitchen today. After you order, simply fill out the form here and check your email for the holiday guide. This is my gift to you.

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