Vegan Posse

Chrissy Benson

As a vegan, do you ever feel like you're living in a parallel universe? If so, you're not alone! We interview vegans from around the globe who, like you, are living lives of integrity and compassion, with an eye toward justice. Through their personal stories, you'll come to that you're not an outlier; in fact, you're part of an entire posse of individuals who aren't just keeping the peace, they're creating it through their food choices and beyond. You won't be saddling up, but you're in for the ride of your life! Welcome to the Vegan Posse.

  1. VP#138: Saving Darling, the Beagle! Activist Amanda Olejarz tells the story of the Ridlgan Rescue & more.

    MAR 27

    VP#138: Saving Darling, the Beagle! Activist Amanda Olejarz tells the story of the Ridlgan Rescue & more.

    Announcements: Stay tuned for Posse Time, a group to educate, cheerlead, support you on the vegan path. It’s a time for us to come together, ask questions of me and/or the group regarding nutrition and vegan living, and anything else no your mind. Iam a certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator, World Peace Diet Facilitator, and a clinical mental health counselor, and supporting vegans or vegan-leaning people on their path is simply in my blood. I’ll be letting you know all the detailssoon, so stay tuned, or email ⁠veganposse.email@gmail.com ⁠for more info. Looking for individual one-on-one coaching? Contact me personally at ⁠chistinembenson@gmail.com⁠ Help normalize veganism through the arts! Make vegan women's fiction classic, Marrying Myself, by me, Christine Melanie Benosn, and international bestseller - grab your copy on Amazon or through my website, ⁠https://christinemelaniebenson.com/⁠ Amazon: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Marrying-Myself-Christine-Melanie-Benson/dp/1685130763/⁠ This week's episode: On March 15, 2026, a coalition of activists rescued 22 beagle puppies from Ridglan Farms, a notorious beagle factory farm near Madison, Wisconsin, that breeds beagle dogs to sell tolaboratories for a lifetime of experimentation. I got to talk to activist Amanda Olejarz, one of the courageous humans who walked into that facility and came out holding a sweet beagle puppy. As you’’ll hear, Amanda’s got a fascinating and inspiring personal story, which you’ll get to hear in addition to her own personal account of the Ridglan rescue. Enjoy this convo with Amanda Olejarz! About Amanda: Amanda Olejarz (oh-la-jars) has never eaten animals, and became consciously aware of who she was eating after her father told her she was eating Flounder, the fish from the Little Mermaid at age 6. After 2 decades as a massage therapist, she overcame chronic back pain and diseases she thought she was stuck with through raw nutrition, not massage therapy. Now, she helps people break free from conditioning and achieve self-liberation through her SAVAGE System. She became a vegan activist in 2024 with the Animal Rights Collective of Chicago, and eats well with ChicagoVeg, and makes vegan music you can download for free at ⁠https://greenpillmusic.com⁠ She’s also a fur mom to 2 Bengals, Kitty & Kat. Amanda’s social medias were just deactivated or disabled this AM, so to connect with her, join her FREE community on Skool or follow her YouTube or LinkedIn. ⁠https://www.skool.com/self-care-savages-6694/about⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@SelfCareSavagesShorts⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandaolejarz/⁠ Shout out to PlanetBased Clothing for the shirt Amanda is wearing. Amanda feels it perfectly fits the Ridglan Rescue and is grateful to Scott at PlanetBased Clothing for this design.

    1h 6m
  2. VP#136: Laser-focused from age 12! Chef/Restaurateur Tara Punzone, founder of vegan Italian restaurant Pura Vita, with bestselling author Gene Stone on their FAB new cookbook Vegana Italiana

    FEB 13

    VP#136: Laser-focused from age 12! Chef/Restaurateur Tara Punzone, founder of vegan Italian restaurant Pura Vita, with bestselling author Gene Stone on their FAB new cookbook Vegana Italiana

    Help make vegan novel Marrying Myself an Amazon bestseller! ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Marrying-Myself-Christine-Melanie-Benson/dp/1685130763/⁠ Chrissy Benson's author website: ⁠https://christinemelaniebenson.com/⁠ For coaching - email christinembenson@gmail.co Tara Punzone: Vegana Italiana: Traditional Italian the Plant-Based Way; A Vegan Cookbook  by Tara Punzone & Gene Stone https://puravitalosangeles.com/vegana-italiana-cookbook Ever wish you could whip up vegan versions of fresh cheese ravioli or meatballs? As the owner and chef behind the first 100% plant-based Italian restaurant in the United States, Tara Punzone knows how to transform classic Italian staples into delicious vegan dishes without sacrificing any flavor. Growing up in a big Italian family in New York, food was always at the heart of Punzone's community and gatherings. Her debut cookbook, Vegana Italiana, offers more than 100 vegan Italian recipes inspired by her family’s meals and fan-favorites from her Los Angeles-based restaurant Pura Vita.  When Punzone decided to go vegan when she was twelve years old, she learned how to follow a vegan lifestyle without compromising her traditions, heritage, or love of bold flavors, and this cookbook shares her tips to help you do the same, while also embracing new techniques and flavors along the way. She also shares her personal stories and memories from growing up in New York and moving to California as well as the culinary inspiration she received from her family.  With tips for stocking your pantry and strategies to replicate Italian essentials like mozzarella and ricotta cheese, Vegana Italiana includes delicious recipes like: • The Basics: Macadamia Parmigiano, Alfredo Sauce, and Roasted Garlic Aioli • Antipasti: Bruschetta, Garlic Parmigiano Potato Wedges, and Strawberry Almond Ricotta Crostini • Insalata e Verdure: Caprese, Peppas, and Stuffed Artichokes • Soups and Stews: Minestrone, Sicilian Red Lentil, and Roasted Garlic Creamy Tomato Soup • Pasta: Ravioli Pomodoro, Pesto Calabrese, and Cacio e Pepe • Secondi: Eggplant Parmigiana, Meatball Parmigiano Hero, and Heartbeet Risotto • Dolci: Tiramisu, Panna Cotta, and Lemon Mint Granita BIO: Chef Tara Punzone is an Italian American from New York, who has thrived on a vegan diet for over 35 years. Her passion for healthy southern Italian food has been evolving since her childhood when she made the decision to adopt a vegan lifestyle. It was then Tara began converting all her family’s traditional dishes to vegan versions of the same, without compromise.  Chef Tara opened Pura Vita in West Hollywood, California in 2018. Pura Vita is the first 100% Plant-Based Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar in the USA! Now everyone can also enjoy her recipes from home with her new book, Vegana Italiana. Gene Stone: BIO: A graduate of Stanford and Harvard, Gene Stone (www.genestone.com) is a former Peace Corps volunteer and newspaper editor for such companies as the Los Angeles Times, Esquire, and Simon & Schuster. He has written more than a dozen books under his own name on a wide variety of subjects, and has also ghostwritten or co-written another thirty-five books for a very diverse lot of people, many of which have been national bestsellers. However, for the past fifteen years he has concentrated mainly on writing or ghostwriting books about plant-based diets and their relationship to animal protection, health, and the environment. Among these books are such titles as Forks Over Knives, 72 Reasons to Be Vegan, How Not to Die, Living the Farm Sanctuary Life, Eat for the Planet, The Engine 2 Diet, and Animalkind.

    1h 15m
  3. VP#135: No More Dopey Things! Ultra-Endurance Athlete and "Living Intentionally" Author Joe Gagnon on the Bold and Humble Path to Vegan Impact

    FEB 6

    VP#135: No More Dopey Things! Ultra-Endurance Athlete and "Living Intentionally" Author Joe Gagnon on the Bold and Humble Path to Vegan Impact

    This week, the Vegan Posse welcomes ultra-endurance athlete, six-time CEO, and author Joe Gagnon! Who is this "regular guy " from the Bronx? In his own words... Joe Gagnon sees his life as shaped by pivotal moments, from growing up in the Bronx to burning out in my thirties, then rebuilding through ultra-endurance sports and leadership. I’ve run six marathons on six continents in six days, completed the Badwater 135 through Death Valley, and led companies through major transformations. These are not stunts; they are experiments in resilience, energy, and focus, living proof of what intentional living demands and offers. Professionally, I’ve served as a six-time CEO, guiding early-stage companies through disruption while maintaining health, performance, and purpose. Personally, I’ve developed daily disciplines around nutrition, movement, and reflection that enable me to sustain impact over decades. I began my plant-based journey 20 years ago and became fully plant-based five years ago. I wrote my second book, published in August 2025, titled "Living Intentionally," to unify my life lessons into a framework for others: purpose as the foundation, intentional choices as the path, and integrity as the guiding compass. For me, intentional living is not just a theory. It’s the practice that has carried me across finish lines, into boardrooms, and through life’s inevitable setbacks. It’s the practice I now teach and share so others can do the same. Resources: www.linkedin.com/in/joegagnon/ substack.com/@joecurious www.instagram.com/thehighperformancelife Help make vegan novel Marrying Myself an Amazon bestseller! https://www.amazon.com/Marrying-Myself-Christine-Melanie-Benson/dp/1685130763/ Chrissy Benson's author website: https://christinemelaniebenson.com/ For coaching - email christinembenson@gmail.com

    1h 5m
  4. VP#131: Danny O'Malley, Founder of Before the Butcher, the Meat You Want to Meet!

    05/23/2025

    VP#131: Danny O'Malley, Founder of Before the Butcher, the Meat You Want to Meet!

    General Announcements: Make the vegan women's fiction classic Marrying Myself an international bestseller! Get your copies now: https://www.amazon.com/Marrying-Myself-Christine-Melanie-Benson/dp/1685130763/ https://christinemelaniebenson.com/ Join Chrissy at Vegan Summerfest July 9-13, 2025, in Johnstown, PA: https://summerfest.navs-online.org/ Want to change your life? Chrissy is accepting new coaching clients: christinembenson@gmail.com We love to hear from you! Email veganposse.email@gmail.com YOU are the Posse! Support what we do via Venmo or Paypal - make your contribution to @veganposse This week's episode with Danny O'Malley, founder of Before the Butcher: Danny O'Malley turned his passion for healthy and sustainable food and his background in plant-based lifestyles into one of the top plant-based meat companies in the U.S., Danny is the founder and CEO of Before the Butcher, a pioneering plant-based meat company redefining how Americans eat. A former executive at Beyond Meat with over 25 years of experience in the food industry, Danny launched Before the Butcher in 2017 to create a more diverse, accessible, and sustainable lineup of meat alternatives. Under his leadership, the company introduced the first full family of plant-based proteins—ranging from burgers and chicken to turkey and sausage—that look, cook, and taste like their animal-based counterparts. Recognized as a thought leader and international speaker on plant-based innovation, Danny has earned widespread acclaim, including multiple FABI Awards and features in The New York Times, TODAY, Forbes, and CNN Business. He also broke new ground with Mainstream by Before the Butcher, the first plant-based meat priced competitively with traditional meats. With a growing social media following and a deep commitment to sustainability, Danny continues to champion plant-forward lifestyles through product innovation, advocacy, and storytelling.” Resources: Before the Butcher: https://beforethebutcher.com/

    1h 3m
4.9
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

As a vegan, do you ever feel like you're living in a parallel universe? If so, you're not alone! We interview vegans from around the globe who, like you, are living lives of integrity and compassion, with an eye toward justice. Through their personal stories, you'll come to that you're not an outlier; in fact, you're part of an entire posse of individuals who aren't just keeping the peace, they're creating it through their food choices and beyond. You won't be saddling up, but you're in for the ride of your life! Welcome to the Vegan Posse.

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