Infusiast Spotlight: TriDereka, My Black Girl Roots

Meet TriDereka, a vibrant plant-based lifestyle advocate and entrepreneur, welcoming us into her world of holistic parenting and vegan living in this enlightening Q+A. With over 500,000 followers, she's not just influencing; she's setting a new standard for health-conscious family living. From using the LĒVO Oil Infusion Machine for everything from food to natural body care to sharing her unique plant-based recipes, TriDereka embodies a lifestyle that many aspire to achieve. Learn how her journey began, her motivations, and how she creatively incorporates healthy choices into her family’s life.

Can you share a little about your journey into plant-based living and what inspired you to embrace this lifestyle, especially as a mom?

I was first introduced to this lifestyle by my uncle in 2015. He is vegan and told me a lot about transitioning to this lifestyle and the health benefits. I definitely wanted to be healthier, so I took a chance and tried! Once I met my fiancé, he had experience with being vegan, as well, so we decided to be more whole food plant-based together. He actually introduced me to the power of herbs and that began my healing journey with herbal remedies and infusions. Naturally, once our daughter was born, we raised her to have a plant-based diet. We’ve had a lot of positive experience and health benefits from raising our daughter this way! I now share my family’s lifestyle with the world and have gained over 500,000 followers across my social media accounts!

You’ve built a community around plant-based living for moms. What do you think resonates most with your audience about your approach to health and wellness?

I think my approach is unique because not only do I advocate for veganism, but specifically for a clean, plant-based lifestyle. Many people have different approaches to veganism and the foods that they eat. Many who follow a vegan-friendly diet just want to eat food that does not have animal products. I have always felt it’s more than that. I want to be plant-based not only for animals, but for my health, as well. There are a lot of plant-based substitutes that have toxic additives, preservatives, and more that can affect the body, so I like to make whole food plant-based meals in my home for my family.

You’ve mentioned that the LĒVO Oil Infusion Machine is a game-changer for your family’s natural body care and food. Can you describe some of the ways you’ve incorporated it into your daily routine?

I use the LĒVO Oil Infusion Machine to infuse multiple herbal oils for my family that I can use not only in food, but in my body butter, hair oil, and more. I use products like my body butter every single day. The infusion machine helps to take the mess out of infusing oils that I originally would infuse on the stove in a glass jar and water. I don’t mind doing it the traditional way, but it’s always nice to have an easier and cleaner method.

Your Vegan Strawberry Lavender Bread is a unique creation. How did you come up with this recipe, and what makes it special for you and your family?

As we all know, LĒVO is widely known for infusing recipes with flower, but I like to infuse recipes with a lot more! I’m always looking for ways to infuse food that my whole family can enjoy. I came up with this recipe from my daughter’s strawberry birthday cake that I made for her. I thought it would be a perfect pairing with the floral notes from the lavender.

The infusion of lavender into coconut simple syrup sounds intriguing. Can you walk us through how you use the LĒVO to create this and why you chose lavender for this recipe?

In trying to find ways to make infused recipes that my whole family can enjoy, including my toddler, I wanted to use an herb that would be safe for her to consume. Lavender has a lot of health benefits, and I knew it would pair well with fruits and other herbs. I saw many recipes that use regular sugar like cane sugar for a simple syrup, but I wanted to use coconut sugar to make simple syrup because it’s a healthier alternative. Using the LĒVO, I simply added three tablespoons of my lavender to the reservoir with two cups of my coconut simple syrup that I made on the stove, and infused the lavender into the simple syrup with the LĒVO.

Lavender not only adds flavor but also offers calming effects. How do you balance flavor and health benefits when choosing ingredients for your recipes?

I honestly just like to experiment because there are a lot of recipes online, but I never know if they’re going to be made with clean ingredients like I would prefer. I enjoy using herbs that my family is familiar with, like lavender, peppermint, and chamomile, so I find ways to use them in recipes. The easiest way to incorporate them into recipes with the LĒVO machine seems to be baked goods or raw vegan recipes.

Beyond food, you utilize your LĒVO for natural body care. Can you share an example of how you’ve used LĒVO in your body care products?

I’ve used the LĒVO Oil Infusion Machine to infuse body butter, handmade soaps, and hair oil. You can use herbs, such as lavender, chamomile, peppermint, and others to make homemade body care for your family. They are great alternatives to products in the store that can harm your family’s health immediately or long-term.

What advice would you give to someone new to using the LĒVO machine, particularly those interested in both culinary and wellness applications?

The best advice I could give to anyone is don’t be afraid to experiment! I love trying new recipes with my family, especially ones that are kid friendly. There are endless possibilities with herbs and food, body care, and more. You never know what the outcome will be until you try!

As a content creator focused on healthy, plant-based living, what inspires your content and recipes?

As a plant-based content creator, I like to think about creative ways I can use plants for cooking, whether it be from traditional recipes or my own. Making some of my childhood favorite recipes or ones that I have grown to love that aren’t vegan, and transforming them to be plant-based is an amazing experience! I find a new love for them because I know it’s good for my body. There’s always a new and creative way to use plants. I also love experimenting with herbs and natural colorants for my toddler that will catch her eye!

What message do you hope to impart to other parents who might be considering a shift towards a more plant-based, health-conscious lifestyle?

Above all, I hope that I inspire other parents to incorporate more plants into their diet, whether they are vegan or not. The more plants that parents include in their child’s diet, the more their pallet will be open to new flavors, textures, and more. I hope that I’m able to show parents that kids can enjoy herbs, greens, and veggies, without having to force them onto them each day. It can be so fun and rewarding to see your kid love healthier options!

Any upcoming projects or new recipes you’re excited about and can share with us?

Of course! I have recently launched my membership community called the Natural Nurturers Community, in which I help other moms and women transition their families to a vegan or plant-based diet. I've just launched it and it’s in the beginning phases. We have our first online meeting soon, including a weekly grocery list that I’m providing, as well as cooking classes. I’m so excited to grow this community and the plant-based community!

Where can our readers follow your adventures and learn more about your plant-based journey and tips?

I would love for everyone to follow me on all of my social media platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube by searching @myblackgirlroots or TriDereka. I also have a vegan toddler eBook, my membership community, and a very special announcement soon for my followers to have even more vegan kid-friendly recipes for the whole family to enjoy, so stay connected to my social media accounts!