So often I get emails like this one:

" I just need to talk to other Herbies. Some days, I just really struggle with being vegan. I hate that I do. I've been Herbie since July 2011. I know it's better for me, and I do feel great eating this way, but yesterday was just hard and I ate some chicken and I felt disgusted after doing so and like I had failed. I did it at lunch. For …

I love hearing about your personal journeys toward minimalism, and
today I'm thrilled to share Jen's journey and hope you draw some
inspiration from her!

"A little background about me: I have been married for eight years and
my husband Mike and I just purchased a home recently. After three
apartments and too many moves, we started to lighten the load of stuff
that we had before and after marriage.

Time is always crunched for us. I work …

This giveaway is now closed. To enter to win a $50 store credit to Lovenell, comment below with what your favorite article of clothing is. This is open to U.S. residents only.

1. Tell us a little bit about your business.

My husband, Jon, and I recently started an online boutique for Juniors' and Ladies' Clothing called Lovenell. Our mission is that we are an "honest boutique," which means that we sell the same clothing that you …

You've got questions...

Q: I switched to a soy-free, gluten-free, plant-based diet about a month ago, and have gained quite a bit of weight. Do you know why this might be? (Do you have any tips?)

A: It's hard for me to guess without seeing some kind of food journal to know exactly what you are eating — and how much. In most cases, I find people are 1) eating too many calories overall, 2) eating too many high-fat …

Here's an island-flavored twist on the Skillet Frijoles Negros in Everyday Happy Herbivore. 

Black beans & plantains are a common pairing in Caribbean cuisine, but I know how hard plantains are to find — and then they take eons to ripen. Anyway, I'm using bananas as a cheater approach — and trust me, it's good. 

Bananas are one of my favorite "surprise" ingredients — check out the Red Red Stew in EHH too and see what I mean. Nom!