Hi friends!
I'm Sam Turnbull - vegan recipe creator, bestselling cookbook author, and the voice behind It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken. Here's my story...
Going vegan
You might be surprised to hear that the moment I decided I was going vegan, I was super bummed about it.
Let me explain, I NEVER thought I would become vegan.
I grew up in a family of foodies, chefs, butchers, and hunters (yes, it's true). My household had a flock of chickens (both for eggs and for eating), the freezers were stocked full of meat, and there were even real animal heads decorating the walls (not that I ever liked the heads). So, going vegan was a BIG change for me.
So what in the world happened?
As a kid I always loved animals. I had pet dogs, cats, gerbils, rabbits, turtles, and fish. But even though I loved animals, I was still an avid meat eater. It made sense to me: animals were killed because we "needed" to eat meat and that seemed a-ok to me.
I thought vegetarians, and especially vegans, were so extreme and were all dying of protein deficiency (haha). So, that's how I was coasting along through life. Loving my pets, being creeped out by fur and taxidermy, all while wearing leather and eating meat, eggs, and dairy.
Then…
In 2012, everything changed. I watched a documentary about being vegan called Vegucated, and it raised uncomfortable questions I couldn't ignore.
The next day, I decided to give a plant-based diet a shot. I cleaned out my cupboards and fridge, removing anything that wasn't vegan, and began this exciting new adventure. While I was eager to try it, I wasn't fully convinced yet. So, that night, I watched Forks Over Knives, a documentary about how animal products negatively impact our health. From there, I dove into every book and film about health, the environment, and animal cruelty that I could find.
The result? You guessed it, here I am today, dun dun duuuuun! A vegan. (Hi!) 👋
By the end of my documentary and book binge-fest, two things were absolutely clear to me:
- I was officially going vegan.
- I didn't want to be vegan.
After all of my research, it made 100% logical sense to be vegan. It was better for my health, the environment, and, of course, the animals. The problem was, I hated the idea of adopting a vegan lifestyle. I remember being so frustrated, almost wishing I could unlearn all the facts I had learned. I loved meat and cheese, and I didn't want to be "that weird vegan girl." Well, I couldn't unlearn, so I had to come up with a new plan of attack: be the best damn vegan I could be!
Becoming the best damn vegan I could be...
I'd always loved to cook, so I dove into vegan recipes. My cupboards quickly filled with expensive, hard-to-find ingredients like arrowroot starch, brown rice syrup, and xylitol (!?)-some of which are still gathering dust in the back. The recipes were all called things like "energy," "glow," and "detox," and focused on bars, balls, juices, smoothies, and salads.
Everything seemed to require hours of prep, dehydrating, or straining. Cookies were raw, chocolate was frozen, and dinner was spiralized. And of course, every recipe had kale, quinoa, chia seeds, and coconut oil.
Now, don't get me wrong-those recipes have their place. But they just weren't me. I wanted pancakes, pasta, burgers, and cookies. Why did cooking plant-based have to mean living on sprouts and kale?
So, I began playing around in the kitchen...
I stopped the costly trips to the health food stores, and instead of using the weird recipes I had found online, I was inspired by my old favorite recipes. I soon discovered that any meal could be made vegan, and with a few clever tweaks, a large spice cabinet, and a dash of creativity, I began loving my recipes. In fact, I loved them more than the original animal product-based recipes.
Not only were my new dishes satisfying, hearty, full of flavor, and straight-up DELICIOUS, but they were just as easy to make as any other meal. With limitation came inspiration, and before I knew it, going vegan had become one of the best decisions I'd ever made!
As a sweet bonus, I saw my health improve. I didn't realize how bad I'd been feeling until I experienced how great plant-based eating made me feel. No more bloating, sluggish afternoons, or post-meal guilt - I felt healthier, leaner, and more energetic than ever!
The best, and most surprising part of going vegan was that I absolutely loved it!
I started to document my recipe ideas. At first, I was just taking quick snaps on my phone and jotted down the ingredients, but I decided a better plan was to (not so subtly) woo my friends, family, and anyone who would listen by sharing my recipes online. And so this blog, It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken, was born. Friends, family, vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores from across the world were making my recipes - and raving about them!
I fell in love with vegan recipe writing. It was so fun, creative, and tasty! Not only that, but I was helping to show people that a plant-based diet can be totally delicious, easy, doable, and good for you!
Now, I'm proud to be "that weird vegan girl". Haha. I have made it my full-time career to share all of my approachable, comfort food recipes, and everyday meals made vegan. No fussing about, just good ol' food that everyone will love, vegan or not.
A Family Run Website
What began as a personal little space to jot down and save my recipe ideas has blossomed into something truly incredible-a full-time, bustling business! I'm the voice and recipe creator, while my husband Adam (who's also vegan) joined the team in 2020. He brings his technical expertise and handles all the backend magic that keeps everything running smoothly. We run the business from our home in Toronto, Canada, with our rescue pup, Chickpea, stepping up as Head of HR (she's a very paws-on manager).
Fast forward to today, and this cozy corner of the internet has grown into a thriving community. It's home to hundreds of delicious recipes enjoyed by millions of visitors every month. Along the way, I've written three bestselling, award-winning cookbooks, launched an online meal planner called The Easy Vegan Meal Plan, and created online cooking courses through The Ultimate Vegan Kitchen.
Looking back, it's amazing to see how far we've come-all thanks to the love and support of this wonderful community!
If you are new here...
If you're like me, a reluctant vegan, or just looking to incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet, I'm here for you! This is a no-judgment space, and I promise to help you fall in love with plant-based cooking.
Join hundreds of thousands of fans in discovering just how easy and delicious plant-based cooking can be! Sign up below to get my free eCookbook, featuring 30 fan-favorite recipes to kickstart your vegan journey.
I'm so glad you're here! Whether you're a seasoned vegan or just curious, dive into the recipes on my blog. There's something for everyone, and I can't wait to see what you cook up.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
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