Hi friends!
I'm Sam Turnbull, vegan recipe blogger, and bestselling cookbook author, writing to you from Toronto, Canada.
Here's my story...
Going vegan
You might be surprised to hear that the moment I decided I was going to go vegan, I was completely and utterly bummed about it.
Let me explain, I NEVER in a million years 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, steaks were cooked rare, and there were even real animal heads decorating the walls (not that I ever liked the heads). Now, doesn’t that just sound like the most vegan household you have ever heard of? Probably not. So, as I’m sure you can imagine, switching to veganism was a BIG change for me.
So what in the world happened?
As a kid I always loved animals. I had dogs, cats, gerbils, turtles, and even a rabbit named Gravy (no, I didn’t realize how incredibly odd that was at the time). 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 silly. They were all dying of protein deficiency for sure. (Insert eye roll here.) 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…
One fine day in 2012, I made (what turned out to be) the best decision ever: to sit down and watch a documentary about being vegan called "Vegucated". And that triggered some uncomfortable questions in my brain.
So the next morning I woke up and decided to try being vegan. I cleaned out my cupboards and fridge of anything that wasn't vegan and started this crazy new adventure. I knew I wanted to try it, but I also knew I wasn't entirely convinced yet, so that night I watched "Forks Over Knives". And then I followed that up with every health, environment, and animal cruelty book and film I could get my hands on.
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 me to be vegan. It was better for my health, the environment, and, of course, the animals. The problem was, I actually hated the idea of adopting a vegan lifestyle. I remember being so frustrated, almost wishing I could unlearn all of the facts I had learned. I loved meat and cheese, and I really 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 had always loved to cook, so I started researching vegan cooking. I stocked my cupboards with what the recipes required: hard-to-find, expensive, and odd ingredients such as arrowroot starch, brown rice syrup, xylitol, guar gum, spelt, hemp, and other things that I still have lingering in some back corner.
All the recipes had names that included the words “energy,” “glow,” “detox,” or “power,” and were mainly for bars, balls, juices, smoothies, and salads. They required hours of prep, dehydrating, and straining, and had a ton of steps.
Cookies were raw, chocolate was frozen, desserts were healthy, dinner was spiralized, grain bowls were a must, and everything had kale, quinoa, chia seeds, sprouts, avocado, and coconut oil in it. This, to me, was indeed boring food
Now, don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with those kinds of recipes. They just weren’t for me. Sometimes I love a smoothie or juice, but for the most part, I just want pancakes and pasta. Why did I have to become all sprouts and kale just because I was vegan?
So, I began playing around in the kitchen...
Not only were my new creations satisfying, hearty, full of flavour, 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 even know that I had been feeling bad until I learned what it felt like to truly feel great! Gone were the days of feeling bloated after eating, of having a sensitive stomach, of getting drowsy mid-afternoon, of unbuttoning my jeans after meals, and of feeling guilty and grossed out when I thought about what my dinner really was. I was now healthier, leaner, more energetic, and just overall happier.
The best and most surprising part of going vegan was that I absolutely loved it!
I started to document my recipes so I could make them again and again. 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 to the greener side by sharing my recipes online. And so this blog, It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken, was born. Hot dang, it worked! Friends, family, vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores from across the world were making my recipes — and raving about them!
As the feedback started rolling in, I fell in love with 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, fast forward 10 years, and I'm proud to be "that weird vegan girl". Haha. I have made it my full-time career to share all of my totally scrumptious, approachable, comfort food favorites, and everyday meals made vegan. No fussing about, just good ol’ food that everyone will love, vegan or not.
This blog now gets millions of visitors every month, I have two bestselling and award-winning cookbooks, I run an online subscription meal planner called The Easy Vegan Meal Plan, I teach online cooking courses at The Ultimate Vegan Kitchen, and you could easily say that going vegan was one of the best decisions I ever made. 🙂
If you are new here...
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Maija says
Hi Sam, Thank you for all of the amazing recipes! Could you post a soy-free tab under your dietary section? There are a lot of breastfeeding mamas out there that have to eliminate dairy and soy (and sometimes eggs) from their diet because their babies have a milk and soy protein intolerance (MSPI). Changing my diet while trying to look after a new baby has been so hard. Having a list of soy-free vegan recipes would be very, very helpful.
Gretchen says
Hi Sam,
I made the seitan turkey roast for Thanksgiving. It was amazingly easy to make and so delicious. I was wondering if you have a recipe, or if you could change that recipe with some beets to make it a seitan ham? I have made a seitan ham before but it took a lot more work and it wasn't as tender and tasty as the seitan turkey breast.
We appreciate your willingness to share your recipes. Also made the pumpkin pie and that was sooo good. The crust, well, that I need to perfect.
Thanks for any help nor ideas for a seitan ham.
Sincerely,
T+G
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tried it but will note the idea for future recipes. I do have a glazed tofu which is quite ham like. 🙂
Mary Grab says
I've tried many of your great recipes. I'm going to make your stuffed acorn squash for Thanksgiving. Sounds delish! I became vegan in a similar way you did and watching Veducated was my tipping point, too! Although I had been vegetarian for 18 years, this vegan thing was not easy at first. But here I still am, committed to this lifestyle ten years later and feeling great, both in health and conscience. Thank you so much for your inspiration and wonderful recipes!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww wonderful! It's 10 years for me too in just a few days 🙂
Sarah says
Hey I love your recipes! They make being vegetarian/vegan a lot easier!
Also could you create a recipe for a Vegan Chick fil a sandwich copycat recipe? Just curious how I would go about making that.
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you!!! I will keep that in mind!
Linda says
Being a newly minted vegan, I sought out sources of vegan recipes. Your site, without a doubt, has the most practical, interesting and delicious recipes. You've really helped me.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you so much Linda! And congrats on your new veganism!!! It can be a bit of a challenge at first, but once you get the hang of it, you will fall in love with vegan food and it will become so easy and natural. I promise!!! 🙂 Let me know if you ever need any help 🙂
Ryan Krueger says
Hi Sam! I made your vegan nacho cheese and then proceeded to make the loaded vegan nachos today. I lost all interest in cooking since I have gone vegan, but your recipes were enticing in the sense that they didn't require a long list of ingredients, and they didn't take an overarching amount of time. For the first time I enjoyed cooking and felt rewarded with what I prepared since I have gone vegan. Past that, it tasted like what I would expect a vegan restaurant to prepare. I looked at the other recipes you have and have ordered approximately $100 worth of cooking supplies (I plan on making a lot of your recipes repeatedly, haha), and I bought your book as well!
I admire your work and your mission. With your background, very few people would be willing to fight the cognitive dissonance surrounding veganism and change their actions to line up with their perceptions. I appreciate your honesty when discussing the challenges that the transition provided for you, as I think that will help others who are hesistant/have the common fears about the lifestyle change.
I will continue to make more of your recipes and eventually be confident enough in my preparation that I can share them with friends. I wish you the best and I am excited to see what recipes your book, "Fuss-Free Vegan" brings.
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much Ryan! So happy you're enjoying my recipes, I hope you enjoy many more and love the book! 🙂
Elektra Harris says
I wanted to say thank you for 4 ingredient macaroons. I have made them a few times for people at work and for family. At work they were finished in a couple of hours. I appreciate the simplicity and that there is no gluten for my non-gluten friends. i add chocolate chips in my last batch and have put chocolate on the bottom of a few macaroons after baking for variety and taste. Also i used both sweetened coconut and unsweetened coconut adding coconut sugar. Both worked. Still working on the texture ,adding sugars was more crumbly.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you love them Elektra! 🙂
Zachary Bragg says
Hi Sam,
Hope you are well. I recently tried your Gingerbread Cookie recipe and received rave reviews from many people I know, including myself. So, I looked to see if you have a vegan pfeffernusse cookie recipe, as it is similar to gingerbread, and you do not. I was hoping you would consider creating one! 🙂
Also.... have you considered creating a desserts only cookbook? I occasionally bake and thought a dessert cookbook would be lovely. I could even gift that cookbook to people I know (my aunt) who bake a lot.
Final suggestion! For dessert icing; thoughts on substituting powdered sugar with something else, say maple syrup? I've always been curious about that; how maple syrup could be used more in baking and for sweets.
Wishing you the best and thanks for your time,
Zach Bragg
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you love my recipes! Unfortunately, you cannot substitute maple syrup for powdered sugar in frosting as it will just be a soupy mess. The powdered sugar not only adds sweetness but it makes the frosting thick and fluffy. And noted on the cookbook! 🙂
Deb says
Hey Sammy,
BIG fan of your 2 cookbooks and recipes online!!
Would LOVE if you put out a vegan meats cookbook for purchase. I use your recipes all the time for nearly everything I make. But need a hardcopy of the vegan meats, of which you have so very many awesome recipes of.
At the moment, I'm writing them down as I find them, not using tech here, I myself find the hardcopies easier to access when needed.
Please consider a Vegan Meats Cookbook, I would so very much appreciate it, as I am sure many others would as well.
Thanks again for your life changing, easy to prepare recipes.
Deb from Down Under 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Thanks for being a fan! Generally publishers do not want to print books where all the recipes are available for free online as most people wouldn't buy them. You could go to a print shop and have the recipes printed.
Hope that helps!! 🙂
Deb says
Thanks for your reply Sammy. A shame, but will see what I can do. Keep those awesome recipes a comin'! 🙂
Pete Burrell says
Hi Sam, I’ve got a big bag of raw peanuts, have you got a recipe for peanut butter.
Michael J. says
Sam,
Love your recipes - particularly the Vegan Tourtiere - thank you.
I had a delicious tofu pecan loaf with a port reduction the other night at a restaurant and wondered if you had a recipe for something like that.
Sam Turnbull says
Not yet! 🙂