November is almost over and that means it’s time for another Featured Foodie! This month, I’m happy to share with you someone who I’ve admired from afar for sometime, and only recent had the opportunity to meet, Schanen Smith of The Kale Whale, which she runs with her BFF, Erin. Enjoy learning more about this awesome foodie!
What inspired you and your partner to create The Kale Whale?
Erin and I have been best friends since we met at AC’s (holla!) in 2007 and have always felt that we were soul sisters because of our likeminded-ness and optimism. After college our lives took different directions, but we were reunited on a backpacking trip through Europe and decided we’d never let each other go again. We knew we’d work together in some capacity in the future. After two months in Europe together, Erin continued on to Hawaii to pursue her Masters degree in Dance Education and Wellness Management, while I mastered my social media and marketing skills in a corporate setting (and edited Erin’s thesis papers on the side). Throughout our years apart our values continued aligning in the aspects of health, wellness, and a positive mindset.
Friends who change the game together, stay together.
We reunited in Charleston in 2015 and created the Kale Whale brand to promote the power of plant-based eating in preventing and reversing disease. We do this through e-books, our social media platforms, our blog, and most recently YouTube videos (The Kale Whale Show!). Our approach to a healthy lifestyle (“detox to retox”) isn’t represented in the mainstream. So many people in the wellness industry come across as perfect and unattainable but we want to show people how easy and delicious it is to eat more veggies for your health, while also throwing back a martini or plate full of fries once in a while! It’s all about giving people the knowledge and empowerment to take control of their lifestyle choices, and making good choices way more than you make bad choices! Balance, baby.
What’s one thing you wish people knew more about their food?
I wish people knew that EVERYTHING you eat becomes part of you, and that by controlling the types of food you eat, you can take control of whatever ails ya! Once people understand this, they’ll be open to feeding their body what it needs to function at its highest potential, and they’ll realize that certain conditions (gas, bloating, acne, heartburn) are not “normal.” That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to how your food was grown (whether plant or animal) and to really be aware of what your body reacts negatively to. We talk about “anti-inflammatory” foods all the time and even created a free e-book as an introductory guide to eating more alkaline. (People get that e-book for free by joining our email list at www.thekalewhale.com)
Idk what this is made of, but I want to eat it right meow.
What’s one of your biggest “Wins” you’ve accomplished in your blogging career?
Every time someone tells me that something we’ve shared has helped them, that is a huge WIN! My goal is to get to the point where I’m pumping out content full-time that reaches people all over the world, and that we’ll be feeling those “wins” a lot more often!
What’s one of your favorite go-to healthy recipes or places to eat in Charleston?
I’m personally a big fan of bowls/casseroles (I’m not a pretty food plater, ha!), and I’d use the term “recipe” loosely since I never write any of these things down, but I love a zucchini lasagna or a cauliflower quinoa enchilada casserole. Something that makes a lot of leftovers! One of my favorite health-conscious places to eat in CHS is Verde because I love a big ass salad!
If this is “bad” plating, then I really have to step my game up.
What are you really craving right now?
I’m always craving Taco Boy nachos. Remember, balance 🙂
I’m craving nachos approximately 98.9% of the time that I’m awake.
