Are you ready to start your vegan journey?
New Leaf was created for YOU!
The program begins October 3rd and runs for four weeks. We’ve taken all the things that are important for your vegan journey and packed them into one exciting and transformative experience.
Going vegan is an important and significant decision. It’s a decision you want to feel good about making and confident about keeping. New Leaf can help you eliminate the overwhelm and help you make–and stick to–the changes you’ve been thinking about.
New Leaf is not like all the other vegan programs. Some vegan challenges come at you through your inbox. Well-intentioned emails and guidance get buried–along with your good intentions–and you’re left feeling more alone and overwhelmed than you were before.
With New Leaf, we’re in this together! The program includes both live experiences and self-paced learning. When you join, you’ll be part of a group that’s on the same journey as you. You’ll take part in online mentoring sessions on Tuesday evenings and virtual cooking classes on Wednesday evenings–all from the comfort of your own home.
Skilled and compassionate instructors will lead you through a 4-week journey, creating opportunities to stop along the way to connect with other participants and the animals who are motivating you to make this change.
We’ll guide you through virtual, hands-on experiences so that when you’re done, you’ll feel confident and knowledgeable about how to live your best vegan life. In four weeks you’ll learn how to:
- Make flavorful vegan dishes for you and your family with confidence
- Stock your vegan kitchen
- Make simple vegan swaps in your favorite recipes
- Use everyday ingredients in new ways
- Feel more confident dining with non-vegans
And you’ll be part of a growing community that believes that living vegan is the best way to help animals, heal the planet, and feel great!
What more do you need? If you’ve been thinking about making changes, there’s never been a better time to do it!
Got questions about the program? Check out the FAQs below or email newleafprogram@casanctuary.org
The program begins on Monday, October 3rd and runs for 4 weeks
This is an online program and you’ll be participating from the comfort of your own home–and kitchen!
Group mentoring sessions will take place on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. ET
Virtual cooking classes will take place on Wednesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. The classes are designed for you to cook along and enjoy the delicious food you made in class.
- 4 virtual cooking classes designed to show you how to deliciously replace meat, chicken, eggs, and dairy using simple plant-based ingredients. You’ll cook from the comfort of your own kitchen and enjoy delicious food when you’re done. Shopping lists and recipes are yours to download and keep.
- Weekly live group sessions that provide an opportunity to connect with others and dive deeper into topics like: stocking your vegan kitchen, nutrition, tips for transitioning, and how to navigate holidays and social gatherings.
- Videos created just for you featuring animal stories from Founder and Director, Kathy Stevens, which will help you learn more about farmed animals and why your choice to go vegan is so important.
- Exclusive access to our vegan chef and humane educators so you can ask questions and gain confidence.
- Access to downloadable resources, substitution charts, kitchen tips & tricks, and recipes.
- A private New Leaf Facebook group where you can connect, ask questions, post photos of your recipes, and feel part of a community.
- Signed copy of our cookbook, “Compassionate Cuisine: 125 Plant-Based Recipes From Our Vegan Kitchen”, which contains creative, approachable, and delicious recipes and stories that you’ll turn to again and again.
Once you register, you’ll get access to the program syllabus, schedule, and materials. The program runs from October 3 through October 28, 2022.
Everything happens online so you’ll need a computer or tablet and internet access. While you can use a smartphone, we recommend a larger device for the cooking classes. We use Zoom technology through a program called RingCentral. You can click on the links to attend the cooking classes and group sessions right from your browser or you can download Ring Central to your computer. https://www.ringcentral.com/download.html
A Facebook account is recommended in order to participate in the New Leaf private community discussions. We understand that some people may not use social media, but it will help you to maximize your participation and help you to benefit from the community experience. The Facebook group for this program is private and only participants in the New Leaf program are allowed access. We require participants to agree to and adhere to our guidelines and protocols in order to maintain membership in the group.
For the cooking classes, you will need basic cooking tools and equipment like; measuring cups/spoons, bowls, pots, pans, oven/stove, a good sharp knife, cutting board, etc. There are several recipes that require a blender and food processor.
The program is for anyone who has basic cooking skills and wants to learn how to make delicious vegan food. Most of the prep work for the cooking classes is done prior to the class, which means you’ll need to know how to chop, measure, and get set up to cook. If you are unsure of whether or not you have the cooking skills to participate, please reach out to us at NewPeafProgram@casanctuary.org!
You must be at least 16 years old to participate (with parents’ consent).
Recipes are available prior to the cooking classes with common allergens noted at the top. Many of the recipes are free from gluten, nuts, peanuts, and soy. Some recipes offer substitution options. If you have specific questions or concerns, reach out to us at NewLeafProgram@casanctuary.org.
Our goal is to demonstrate how easy it is to cook with everyday ingredients that are available in most well-stocked grocery stores. There are a few ingredients that are unfamiliar to you or unavailable locally and these can be ordered online. They are called out in each recipe and in the shopping lists.
The live cooking classes will not be recorded. Clearing your calendar for the 4 nights of cooking classes is an important part of your success. The group mentoring sessions will be recorded and made available to you.
Chef Linda Soper-Kolton is the instructor and guide for the program. She graduated from the chef’s training program at Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC (now part of the Institute for Culinary Education. Chef Linda received her health coach certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and she’s certified through the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies in plant-based nutrition. Chef Linda has led our award-winning vegan culinary program, Compassionate Cuisine, for over 10 years.
We understand that sometimes unexpected circumstances arise causing plans to change. We offer a full refund up to one week prior to the program start date. After that, we cannot offer refunds as we would be unable to fill the slot.
