9 years ago

Six-Time Dancing With The Stars Winner Derek Hough is Now Vegan!

Lately, it seems like a lot of people in Hollywood — as well as the rest of the country — are catching on to the fact that plant-based food is the obvious future of food.

One in ten Millennials identifies as vegan or vegetarian these days, and if the news is anything to go by, soon we’ll be able to say one in ten celebrities does as well! There’s Danielle Brooks, Nathalie Emmanuel, Waka Flocka Flame, and DJ Khaled, to name a few, and now another public figure can add his name to the impressive roster — Dancing With the Stars six-time winner and alum, Derek Hough!

The 32-year-old television star and dancer and his girlfriend, Hayley Erbert, have both converted to 100 percent plant-based diets, and are massively enjoying the benefits. As Hough told US Weekly on August 27: “We both are trying the vegan thing right now and it’s actually really easy… Living in LA, it’s actually hard not to be [vegan]. I feel great. I have lots of energy, my skin has cleared up, I feel great.”

While Hough went on to praise his new vegan diet for improving his daily health, he did admit one thing: both he and Erbert have experienced some cravings for past indulgences.

“I have the popcorn and I have the nachos. That’s my vice,” he said. “I go to the movies and I just eat tons of popcorn and stuff like that. And [Erbert] had doughnuts. She loves sugar.”

Don’t Worry, Hough: We Have Your Solution!

Luckily for both Hough and Erbert, it’s actually totally easy to still indulge in popcorn, nachos, and yes, even doughnuts, on a 100 percent plant-based diet. We looked through our Food Monster App and have come up with a few recipe suggestions for Hough and Erbert to try next time they’re craving some of their favorite treats.

This Bourbon Caramel Popcorn recipe by Nikki Haney will turn your movie night into a gourmet feast.

Bourbon adds a unique sweetness to this already rich and decadent popcorn recipe and makes this a fun grown-up take of everyone’s favorite cinematic snack.

This recipe for Loaded Nachos With Lentil Walnut ‘Meat’ and Cheesy Sauce is anything but boring.

The Surznick Common Room has your back! This recipe is perfect for a game day afternoon, a loungy Friday night movie marathon, or even a weeknight dinner. The combination of crunchy tortilla chips, lentil-walnut taco meat, and melty cheese sauce will leave you obsessed! You can use as many or as little add-ons as you want and it’ll be a vegan nacho party for your taste buds!

Doughnut craving, anyone? Satisfy your sweet tooth with these Honeycomb Doughnuts by Trine Rask.

These doughnuts are totally worth your time and effort. The dough is light with a crisp outside filled with a delicious crème pâtissière and homemade honeycomb. You won’t be able to stop eating these once they’re out of the pan.

Do you relate to Erbert and crave loads of plant-based sweets? Check out The Green Monster Vegan Baking Guide so you know how to recreate all your favorites, and then check out These 15 Vegan Cheese Recipes Will Make You Quit Dairy Forever so you know the perfect vegan cheese to use with your nachos. Here are some other helpful guides:

If you’re interested in finding some more vegan doughnut recipes, or just want to look at more delicious plant-based fare, then we highly recommend downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 8,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to ten new recipes per day. Check it out!

Lead image source: Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock