“Unflinchingly honest, achingly relatable, and deeply introspective.”
Those are just a few of the words used to describe Nashville-based singer-songwriter Alyssa Joseph. A rising force in the indie rock scene, Joseph is turning heads with her raw, emotionally charged lyrics—and her latest single, “I wanna feel good,” is already being tipped as a summer hit.
But Joseph’s passion doesn’t stop at music. A longtime vegan, she’s also committed to using her platform to advocate for plant-based living.
Alyssa Joseph
“When I was 25, I watched What the Health and Cowspiracy, and it was really eye-opening for me,” she tells VegNews.
“After a full month of eliminating dairy and eggs, my hormonal acne completely cleared up, my digestion improved, and I just felt better in my body,” she continued. “It’s been six years now. I always like to give myself room to change in the future, but right now, being vegan feels really right. It’s really important to me.”
We caught up with Joseph to learn more about how she stays true to herself and nourishes herself with plant-based food while balancing a busy music career.
Alyssa Joseph’s top plant-based food faves
From the studio to the tour bus, here are the plant-based essentials that keep this rising Nashville star grounded and energized.
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Minimalist Baker
1 Thai food
“When I’m recording, I give it everything I’ve got, and by the end of the studio day, I’m emotionally and physically exhausted. The last thing I ever want to do is cook; there’s just no energy left for it. I’m really lucky to have a partner who makes music with me and is also vegan. So, Thai takeout is normally our go-to after a session—some Massaman curry or pad Thai.”
Find our guide to vegan Thai curry here.
Chipotle
2 Chipotle
“Being vegan on the road can definitely be rough, especially in small towns and cities or on long drive days. Chipotle is pretty much the only safe bet for ‘fast food.’ Which is limiting.”
Find our guide to Chipotle here.
Vegan Every Time
3 Vegan egg salad
“I love the opportunity to explore new vegan spots in other cities, especially NYC, Philly, and Austin. There’s a fake egg salad sammie from ATM Vegan Deli in Brooklyn I’ve been thinking about for a couple of years now.”
Find our guide to vegan egg salad here.
Terry Hope Romero
4 Whole foods
“We plan out a weekly meal list every Sunday, not assigning meals to specific days, but making sure we’ve got our list of options. We’ll plan one with chickpeas, and one with lentils, tofu, and seitan, just to keep things balanced and make sure we’re not relying too much on highly processed substitutes. We’re also on a sustainability journey and are working on growing a lot of the food we consume: fruits, veggies—last year we grew a year’s supply of edamame.”
Find our guide to a plant-based, whole food diet here.
Plant Based RD
5 Catherine Perez’s recipes
“Inspiration-wise, we love plant-based folks online. Catherine Perez [of @plantbasedrd] is our absolute favorite. Every recipe we’ve ever tried of hers has been a total winner.”
Find Catherine Perez’s recipes here.
The Happy Foodie
6 Max La Manna’s Vegan Alfredo
“[This] recipe is divine. My tip is to use Follow Your Heart parmesan shreds and Trader Joe’s cream cheese—that really gives it the creamy texture and flavor. We usually sauté onions, garlic, broccoli, spinach, baby tomatoes, and some vegan chicken, then mix it all together with the sauce and pasta. I also normally bake fresh bread to go with it. It’s my death row meal, for sure.”
Find Max La Manna’s vegan alfredo recipe here.
Desiree Nielsen
7 Big salads
“For me, it’s all about listening to my body, tuning into what I’m craving, and what I might need. If I’m feeling sleepy and sluggish, maybe I’m dehydrated or need some protein. I also try to notice how I feel after I eat something, so I can make better choices moving forward. I notice that my body doesn’t really love vegan fast food, but I do always feel really nourished after a big salad. And I feel good about listening to and taking care of my body.”
Find our best vegan salad recipes here.
Koko’s
8 Non-dairy ice cream
“I have a solid sweet tooth. I am a big fan of Koko’s Ice Cream Scoop Shop, a local non-dairy ice cream shop in Nashville. It’s hands down the best vegan ice cream I’ve ever had.”
Find out more about Koko’s Ice Cream here.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
