It took Laila El Ayadi about two weeks to cut out meat from her diet entirely, and another few weeks to cut back on animal products like honey and eggs. That was six years ago, and she’s been vegan ever since.
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Now, Laila and her husband are raising their 10-month-old daughter as a vegan.
"She’s thriving, she couldn’t be healthier. All her checks are above average," Laila said.
"We’ve done plenty of research and we’ve had a plant based doctor who I’ve been seeing since we were pregnant."
Laila, 26, said being vegan in Canberra was easy. There were more than 85 restaurants and cafes offering vegan options - some with entirely vegan menus. She said it was an affordable option, too, and her grocery bills had dropped significantly since she started shopping vegan.
It’s more than just a diet though, she said.
"It’s a lifestyle being vegan. Changing what you eat is a huge part of it, but it’s the reasons we make these moral choices that make it a lifestyle. It’s the decisions we make when we purchase products; are we supporting cruelty and suffering and the industries that support this or are we choosing not to," she said.
Laila said she still cooked the meals she used to eat, like spaghetti bolognese, just with lentils now instead of mince.
"It’s very easy. You can still enjoy the same foods you love and enjoy the same tastes just without using animal products, without causing harm."
While it’s possible to cook regular meals without animal products, the goal of celebrity US chef Matthew Kenney, who will be in Canberra to present an eight-course vegan menu at Monster restaurant on Friday night, is to showcase vegan food at its very best.
Mr Kenney is visiting the national capital for the first time, and said he was excited to showcase his menu to a new audience. He said veganism was a growing trend worldwide, as education and awareness were showing people new possibilities.
"Veganism is growing due to its alignment with nature," Mr Kenney said.
"It is natural to choose a path that is healthy, sustainable and still enjoyable."
That lifestyle will also be on show as part of a new initiative from the Living Green team, a semi-regular vegan market to be held at Albert Hall. After eight years running the Living Green Festival, Tracey Lofthouse and Tara Ward are introducing the markets to Canberra.
"Veganism has come a long way in Canberra, we’ve got shops and cafes dedicated to veganism," Ms Lofthouse said.
"There is a thriving community in Canberra, it’s hard to know exactly how many vegans there are, but there are a lot, and there are a lot of people interested in veganism."
Ms Lofthouse said the markets were open to everyone, and would feature delicious food, and community and market stalls.
She promised people wouldn’t be pushed to convert to veganism, but that information would be available to seek out.
"We’re not pushing that at all, it’s a day for people to come and learn and eat delicious food," she said. "We want to make it a nice, friendly, enjoyable day out for Canberrans."
The Living Green markets will be held on Sunday October 7 at Albert Hall from 10am to 2pm, and again on December 1.
