Hello!
I’m Sam. I’m vegan, and an artist, but I’m not starving. Ba dum dum tsk.
I’m writing to you from Toronto, Canada. Yeah, I’m Canadian, eh?
Welcome to It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken! This is the place where I share all of my favourite vegan recipes, quirky thoughts, made up words, and super fun tips with you. Why? Because it’s my absolute most favourite thing to do. That’s why.
Going vegan
Let me be clear, I NEVER in a million and six years, thought I would go vegan.
I grew up in a household where we had a flock of chickens (both for eggs and 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. I’m sure you can imagine, going vegan was a BIG change for me.
So how did a proud meat-eater like me swap overnight to never touching a piece of meat again?
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). 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 December of 2012, I made the mistake… er… best decision ever, to sit down, and watch a movie about being vegan called Vegucated.
Well that set off some uncomfortable questions in my brain, so I then followed that with:
and then read:
The result? You guessed it, here I am today: a vegan. Hi! 👋
By the end of my documentary and book binge fest, I knew 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. The problem was, I actually hated the idea. I remember being so frustrated, almost wishing I could un-learn all of the facts I had learned. Well, I couldn’t un-learn, so I had to come up with a new plan of attack. Be the best damn vegan I knew how to be!
Becoming the best damn vegan I knew how to be
Growing up in a family of chefs, foodies, butchers, and hunters, they were not super excited to hear of my new food direction. There were jokes and teasing. I remember one time when a relative put a carrot on a plate and said, “look it’s Sam’s dinner!” Hardy-har-har.
I wanted to prove them wrong. I started playing around in the kitchen, and 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 was loving my recipes. In fact, I loved them more than the original animal product based recipes.
Not only were they 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 was one of the best decisions I ever made! Gone were the days of feeling bloated after eating, of getting drowsy mid afternoon, of unbuttoning my jeans, and feeling guilty and grossed out when I thought of 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!
My recipes
When I first started cooking vegan, I thought I needed lots of fancy and expensive ingredients, that I would be living off of kale and quinoa, and that I would forever feel like I am limited in my choices. As I began experimenting, I realized that none of that was true at all!
What you WON’T find:
- Fake, mock, or “un” recipes. I don’t eat fake food. I eat real food. I don’t think there is any problem with creating familiar tastes and textures, but I call it what it is, and not what it isn’t.
- Fancy shmancy ingredients. I will introduce to you a few of my favourite ingredients that may seem a little odd, such as nutritional yeast (obsessed!), vegan butter alternatives such as Earth Balance Buttery Spread, and flax seeds, but these ingredients, along with all of the ingredients I use, can usually be found in your local grocery store. No bizarre flours, no things you can’t pronounce, or difficult to find health foods.
- Weird and scary looking food. You will find pastas, burgers, cupcakes, and all things delicious and familiar. While I have no problem with eating weird looking food, that’s isn’t what this blog is about.
What you WILL find:
- Easy, step by step recipes with clear instructions to make cooking a breeze. If you have a question, leave them in the comments, I do my best to answer them within 24 hours and you will receive an email with my response so you don’t even have to check back.
- Trust worthy recipes. I do my best to test my recipes over and over again before posting them, so I know they will turn out correctly for you.
- Vegan meals that will satisfy everyone, whether you are vegan or not.
Starting It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken
I didn’t really know what a blog was at first, I didn’t follow any, I just knew some people shared recipes, and I thought, why not me? I started by taking pictures with my iPhone and posted horribly written (although tasty) recipes. It wasn’t long before I was getting new followers that were complete strangers, and these strangers actually started making my recipes, and then let me know how much they loved them!
I think I’m like a dog. Pat me on the head and tell me I am good and I will love you forever. As the feedback started rolling in, I grew a huge, HUGE passion for blogging. I began putting my heart and soul into my blog. I was given a Canon Rebel T3i for my birthday and I learned how to use it. I figured out how to properly start a blog, and I spent days in the kitchen creating my favourite vegan recipes to share with the world.
It worked! Vegans, vegetarians, veg curious, and even carnivores from across the world were making my recipes and I felt like a million, trillion dollars with every comment, like, and new subscriber that came in. Not only that, but I was helping to show people that a plant based diet can be totally delicious, easy, doable, good for you, and not at all weird!
I Got a Cookbook Deal!
Last year I decided to quit my job as an Art Director to take my blog full-time. Ah! Following my dream is SCARY, but it’s one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have never worked harder, and never been more passionate for a job, and the best part is, I get to eat my work. Omnomnom.
It seems as if following my dream was the right thing to do because in the last year I got a cookbook deal with Appetite by Random House! I am currently working on writing the best damn vegan cookbook there ever was, and you can expect to see it published in 2017! Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the announcement for the early bird special (where you will get exclusive bonuses).
New to It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken? Start here!
Is this your first time visiting my site? First of all, wow, hi! I am so excited you are here.
If you don’t know what to look at first here are my most popular recipes:
- Cucumber Avocado Rolls
- 5 Vegan Sandwiches
- Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Mozzarella
- How to Make Homemade Granola Bars (Just 4 Ingredients!)
Here are a few of my posts on veganism:
- 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Vegans
- How to Eat Vegan at Any Restaurant (and not order salad)
- 8 Things Not to Do When Going Vegan
If you like what you see, subscribe below so you never miss a non-chickeny post again.
I just found your blog by following a Pinterest pin. Looking good.
I was wondering how you desided to give this name to your blog? Did someone say that to you at some point or how did you came up with that?
Greetings from Finland,
Minna
Hi Minna,
Welcome! It might not be a common expression in Finland, but saying something “tastes like chicken” is a common phrase people use when something is bland or doesn’t really taste like anything. So with my blog name, I was making a little joke, saying it doesn’t taste like chicken – it’s the opposite of bland, and also of course that there is no meat involved 🙂
Hello, Sam
I’m in the transition process from vegetarian to vegan, so I’m no strange to vegan recipe sites, blogs and the like.
I came across yours when looking for an easy vegan cheese recipe, and thought it was just another site about veganism.
But my goodness, your site is amazing! It’s beautiful, well written, informative, inspirational…well done, and thank you!
Aww shucks, thanks so much, Simone! Really happy you enjoy my site so much. Congrats on your new transition! Let me know if you ever have any recipe requests, questions, or need any support. Welcome! 🙂
Hi! And wow you are amazing and adorable and I just think what you’ve done here is fab!
I’ve been vegan since 2012 too and I love your story/journey into veganism. I became vegan in Los Angeles, so as you can imagine I’ve been totally spoiled with the million vegan restaurants and amazing things in the supermarkets to choose from I never found it a challenge to find things to eat. Cut to 2017 when I suddenly found myself living in the north of England in the very quaint and quiet English countryside newly married to my English husband and very very very far from anythting close to a vegan restaurant and very spoiled on all things vegan, but now with none in sight.. not a vegan cheese for miles in any super market and definitely no nutritional yeast!!! Dumdumdum!!! I felt like I was going to die. Slowly over the past few months and by turning my husband vegan we have managed to slowly source out the things we need.. lots of long drives and lots of internet shopping, but we are happy to repot that we are alive. I found your blog just in time as I was starting to feel like I’d exhausted all my own ideas and needed a new injection of inspiration and hope! Thank goodness for you!! Your recipes are amazing and you don’t rely on loads of fancy things I can’t get my mits on… so you have saved us in so many ways!
I’m madly planning which things to cook first and want you to know how grateful I am that you work so hard to help feed us all..
I’m no longer a spoiled LA vegan just rolling into cafe after restaurant after cafe to eat till my hearts content.. I’m a clever self catering vegan feeding myself and my husband right out of my own kitchen and loving every minute of it… while only feeling a little homesick once in a while.
Thanks again.. you are the best ❤️
Hi Rebekah,
Thank you so much! Wow! What a great story! So happy you are loving my recipes and thrilled they are easier for you to make in your new home. Thanks so much for lovely compliments. Let me know if you ever have any questions or recipe requests 🙂
Has anyone told you that you are absolutely amazing?! Came here googling vegan donuts and omg, I’m hooked! I love the way you run this blog, so many recipes I want to try (reading blog at work and want to finish asap and cook!!!). I’m your stalker now, follow you everywhere (social media only lol)
With love,
Polish girl in Scotland,
xxx
Hahaha, aww shucks thank you, Marta! Delighted to have a Polish stalker in Scotland, hahaha. I hope you love the recipes when you get a chance to try them! 🙂
Hi Sam!! I am a brand new baby vegan – only on my second week! I don’t know how it took me until I was 30 (or 3 weeks from turning 30) to connect my love and respect for animals to the logical choice of becoming vegan. About 4 years ago I started a journey from 270 pounds down to 150 pounds. Most of my weight loss was assisted by a low carb diet. Practically the opposite of vegan! Well, still lots of veggies, but no fruit and tons of animal protein. I’ve maintained my weight loss for the past 3 years, staying steady around 155. Now, two weeks into my vegan lifestyle, I have lost those 5 pounds that seemed to creep back up on me and I”m feeling WONDERFUL! I wish I had done this years ago! I was always afraid that eating any carbs would make me gain weight – boy was I wrong. I’ve tried a few of your recipes already and they;re delicious, easy and satisfying! Thank you for doing what you do and helping us newbies ease into this fantastic way of life! Oh! And your creamy chipotle lime bean salad converted my fiance and he is joining me as a vegan!! THANK YOU!
Hi Marissa Rose! A big congrats to you on your new veganism!!!!! Don’t worry, it’s never too late to go vegan. I was 28 when I went vegan and felt exactly the same way… why didn’t I figure this out sooner?? Hahha. That’s so wonderful to hear that going vegan not only maintained your weight but helped you even more! You’re right, carbs aren’t evil at all. I highly recommend the book The Starch Solution or this speech from the same doctor. He explains how starches are so so good for you. I’m so very happy my bean salad converted your fiance! Amazing. Thrilled you are enjoying my recipes. Please let me know if you ever have any questions or need any support 🙂
Hi, Sam,
Quick history: my son & his special lady very subtly and lovingly urged me to consider my heart (I, too, love and respect animals) and the inconsistency of how I was living my life (I, too, ate meat, owned leather and, at one time, fur – shudder). So, 3 1/2 years ago I adopted a vegetarian diet and 6 months later transitioned to vegan. At (then) age 61 this was a bit of a change, as you might imagine, but (now) at age 64 I could never, ever go back. My french family was from Brittany so you can imagine the delicious sauces and stews I grew up with as well as the influence from the Italian side of the family (which is why I have Chloe C ‘s cookbook in my collection) (she says with a sly smile). And then I found you… all excited and bubbly and so willing to share and spread the word! I have never been so blessed as I was the day I found your blog and your amazing recipes. Merci beaucoup, ma chere amie! You said phooey, phooey to fake food and blah flavor and have given us recipes that are tres magnifique! I’m so excited you’ve finally written a cookbook! I just pre-ordered one for the two precious people who inspired me in the first place and will give that to them for Christmas. Well, maybe I’ll have to give it to them earlier. Or maybe I’ll keep that one for myself and pre-order another one for them later! Um, now that I wrote that I think I’ll go back and fix my order so I’m ordering two. Ahem. Sorry. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for being you and for graciously sharing your passion with us.
Much love and keep up the fantastic work!
Aww shucks, thanks so much, Desiree!! What a lovely compliment. I’m so happy you love what I am doing, it’s messages like yours that make my job the best job in the whole world! Thanks for adding some extra pep in my step today. I hope you enjoy my book as much as I loved creating it 🙂
I just tried your Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Mozzarella cheese. I did not boil the cashews, I put all ingredients into my Vitamix blender, but omitted the garlic power. The result was a nice thick holds-its-own-shape Mozzarella that reminds me of fresh mozzarella. I put the mixture in a glass container lined with parchment paper. I LOVE this recipe. I have been vegetarian for most of my life, and vegan for almost four years for the same reasons as you – I can’t unknow what I’ve read and I also have Canadian roots! Thank you for the recipe for the one food I missed the most.
Hello Carol, fellow Canadian! 🙂 Woohoo! So happy you loved the recipe so much! Us vegans love the ooey gooey too. 😉 I hope you saw I have a nacho cheese you might like and have a few more vegan cheese recipes coming out in my new cookbook. I look forward to seeing you around the blog 🙂
I love love love your recipes. Your food is amazing. I just the other day I was thinking….hmmm, this woman really needs to put out a cookbook and low and behold, I see you are releasing on this year. Can’t wait for it. I wish you great success. You really do help to eat vegan in fun ways rather than just rice and beans or salad. Thank you! And it’s awfully nice to support and follow a fellow Canadian. Great job ‘ey!
Awwww shucks!!! Thank you so much, Kim! Yes, my cookbook is ready for pre-order this Sunday! Don’t miss it as there is going to be a little gift involved 🙂 So happy you are loving my work, it’s because of comments like this that make my job the best job ever. 🙂
Amazon? Or another venue for the pre-order? Can’t wait!
Lots of options! Check it out here 🙂
I adored hearing about your journey into veganism. My mom grew up on a small chicken farm in Denmark and at age 50 (in america) became vegan and was out there protesting at KFCs and the like. My dad at age 82 (in a nursing home) gave up meat and became vegetarian. (man did they ever try to force the meat on him).
Anyway I enjoy your natural quirky nature and the way you let your light shine. Keep spreading those amazing recipes.
Thank you so much!! So happy you enjoyed my story. I love yours as well, it’s never too late to go veg! 🙂
Hi Sam. Just found your site. I took a similar path to yourself going vegan after years of vegetarianism. It’s the best thing I ever did and wished I had started earlier. I’m a huge fan of eating simple, delicious unprocessed foods and follow McDougall, Greger and Chef AJ to name a few. So pleased to see you are from Toronto. We are almost neighbours… I’m from Kitchener-Waterloo. Looking forward to trying your recipes.
Hi Michele,
Welcome!! I agree, going vegan was the best thing I ever did! I hope you enjoy my recipes, I look forward to seeing you around 🙂
Hi Sam!
I literally JUST found your site and I want to make every single recipe. Like right now! But, I will pace myself.
Of course I will start with this one since it was top of the favorites list!
Thanks for all the great new recipes to try. You’ve got yourself a new fan!
Obviously I’m jumping around the site too much because that was meant to be posted on the cucumber avocado rolls page. Ha! Also seeing that you are (were?) an art director – so we share the same profession! Currently working freelance after doing the agency thing for many, many years. 🙂
Yay! Thanks, Joe 🙂 Welcome to my site, and so happy you are tempted by all the deliciousness! Yes, I was an art director, now a full-time blogger. Woot! I hope you enjoy the rolls and many more recipes 🙂
I am so excited to have found your blog! I have a similar vegan conversion story that only occurred since Christmas; it started with Forks Over Knives and continued with the Alkaline 5 Diet book. Since then, my husband and I are completely on board with the plant-based lifestyle. Our two young children, however, are a tougher sell, so our vegan journey hasn’t been as smooth as I would like. I look forward to trying your recipes with my family and continuing on this path to healthier meals!
Yay! Welcome, Rachel (and family). Forks Over Knives is what hooked me too! Have you seen the new film Eating You Alive? I highly recommend that as well. So happy you found my site, I hope you enjoy my recipes and I look forward to seeing you around 😀
I haven’t heard of that one before. I just followed your link and watched the trailer for it; it looks very interesting! Thanks for the recommendation! I’m hoping in time to get my extended family on board as well. My father has Type II Diabetes and high BP, and I know his diet needs work. Patience, though, as I work on my own journey first. 🙂
Yes, the best way to inspire people is to lead by example 😀
Oh Hello!!! I’ve just stumbled across this blog and I’m loving it!! I only “accidentally” became vegan a month ago when I decided to try Veganuary as a challenge, after seeing the Vegucated et al documentaries! So much of the stuff you say in your biog rings a bell!! After doing Veganuary for a month I realised there was no way I could go back to not being a vegan, even though, like you, I found it frustrating and almost wished sometimes that I could “unlearn” some of the stuff I’d discovered 🙁
Anyway, none of that nonsense, I am so glad I have made this life-changing decision, and I’m so glad I’ve found your blog, it is FAB!! Thanks for all the recipes, inspiration and funny articles, thanks for taking the time to post it all, it is really helping this newbie!!
Much love and happiness,
Antonia
Welcome, Antonia! And welcome to your new veganism! Haha. That’s so awesome, I love that Veganuary was the test run and that you are deciding to stick with it. I promise it only gets easier and more delicious as you go 🙂 So happy you are loving my blog! Let me know if you ever have any questions or need any support 😀
Thank you so much xxx
This the greatest vegan blog I have ever come across and I’ve read a lot of them. Great job with this! And thanks for all that you have put together here.
Aww shucks, thank you so very much, Danielle! I’m so flattered 😀 It’s my absolute pleasure, and I hope you continue to love my blog and everything I put out for a very long time 🙂
Hey Sam! I just read your story and I can relate 100%!! I am pretty sure I went through the exact same steps as you (eating like a carnivore to going vegan). It’s been life changing and I love that you are sharing your story. I am from Toronto too and I am actually starting a blog to share my story and plant-based recipes (should be ready in the next few weeks!!). I’m super nervous but seeing your blog and how successful you’ve been is inspirational!
All the best and I will definitely be back to try more of your delicious recipes!!
Jess
Welcome, Jess! That’s awesome, so fun we have such a similar story! I look forward to seeing you around, and I hope you enjoy many of my recipes. Congrats and good luck on your new blog 🙂
Yeah! I found you, the vegan I was looking for that I didn’t know I needed! Friendly, cheerful and full of life!!
I too WAS a devoted carnivore until Nov. 1 2016 when I stumbled on Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Diet. I turned off the meat and diary switch in one day and haven’t looked back. Food tastes so good now. I am looking forward to trying your recipes and receiving your emails! Big hugs!
Yay!!! You found me! So happy I was just the person you didn’t know you were looking for. Haha. Welcome to your new veganism Sarah! It only gets better an better! I look forward to seeing you around the blog 🙂
Hey, Sarah and Sam! Finishing up Kris Carr’s 21-Day Crazy Sexy You Wellness Program, after reading Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Eat to Live (that a friend recommended to me after losing 33 pounds and getting rid of her Diabetes Type 2 symptoms)! Same story as the two of you–enough information (and issues with arthritis) led me down the vegan path. Another friend led me to your blog, Sarah, and here I am, not only going vegan but happy about it! All the best to both of you!
Congrats on your new veganism!! So happy you found my blog. Let me know if you ever have any questions or need any support 🙂
Hi Sam,
Have just read “about” you. Your story is very uplifting! Have been mulling “going vegan” for several weeks … recognize the benefits .. wonder, could I really do it … what will help is that I have always loved looking at recipes, trying out new recipes & I love to cook. And happy eating pretty much anything. The challenge: my husband is a pickier eater, loves his chicken .. not a very adventurous eater.
Your page is encouraging me to get started! Look forward to your book!
By the way, I’m 60, my husband is 70 … and we’re Canadian! Was thrilled when read that you are Canadian!!
Yay! It’s perfect timing Bernadette as January is known as Veganuary, the month the internet challenges the world to go vegan! Haha. If you love to cook and try new recipes, it’s going to be a breeze for you! It might be more of a challenge for your husband, but if he gives it a solid try, I bet he will feel so much healthier and energized that he will stick to it (that’s what happened to me)! My next post coming out on Tuesday is my Top 10 most popular recipes of the year, so make sure you’re subscribed as that is a great place to start. Looking forward to seeing you around 🙂
Hi Sam let me start off by just saying you are just cuter than a bug in a rug , I found a post of yours someone put up on face book so I looked you up glad I did , I so enjoy your enthusiasm about being vegan and looking at your post , I’m 75 years young and just getting started , I wish I had learned a lot sooner , anyway I enjoyed reading reading about how you became vegan and the fact that you had to face a bunch of meat eaters wow that must of been hard for you , well I better stop rambling and get off of here I guess , I live in Nebraska USA so I’ll keep checking your post . Thank you Milton
Hahaha why thank you Milton 🙂 I think almost every vegan I have spoken with has said the same thing, I wish I went vegan sooner, regardless of how young or old they started! So happy you found my blog, let me know if you ever have any questions or need any support 🙂
I’ve been Vegan for 4 months and LOVE it. Just found your blog…… here is where i shall spend all of my free time from now on. haha, you’re amazing 🙂
Hahahahaha! Aww shucks. Thanks Luigi! Congrats on your new veganism. I look forward to seeing you around 🙂
Sam – I just came across your “How to Make a Vegan Snack Board” and hence your blogsite, and both are amazing! Can’t wait to “wow” my guests with this creation. Your artistic background is evident in the creativity and esthetic appeal of your recipes. Can’t wait to discover more!
Welcome Cynthia! Thank you so much, glad you found me and my blog. I hope you enjoy discovering lots of yumminess 🙂
My wife and I are very excited about going vegan! Love your blog and recipes.
Yay! Congratulations to you and your wife! So happy you found me. Let me know if you ever have any questions or need any support 😀
Hi Sam so happy I came across this blog and recipe site. I’ve been vegan for almost a year and I’m so excited by cooking now. I don’t think I’ve eaten LESS salads since going vegan. Can’t wait to peruse the site and START COOKING!! Thanks again!
Lynn
Welcome Lynn!
So happy to have you here and congrats on your veganniversary! Looking forward to seeing you around 🙂
So relate to your story. We went vegan 8 months ago at the ages of 55 and 57. Never looked back s d are more on live with the food journey than ever before. Great site! Kudos!
Congrats Britta and Mark! That’s so awesome, and so happy you can relate. So happy you enjoy my site, I hope you get a chance to test out a few recipes 🙂
So I baked your Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Cake to make into a Black Forest Cake to bring to an Octoberfest event. NO one is vegan there and last year I brought a non vegan BFC. It was killing. So this year they expect the same. I’m switching out your recipe for this years cake with an attempt to have them not notice any difference 😉 So we taste tested it. It is AMAZING. Hello! You never miss the eggs and milk etc. Bravo! Vegan is so much more tasty than people realize who are not eating vegan. Once you start in with learning to cook this way, your world explodes outward with possibilities. 🙂
YAY! So happy you loved it Britta! Yes, isn’t it funny, I have never ever heard someone say “hmmm… I wished this cake tasted more egg-y” yet often people assume vegan food will be gross. So happy you and everyone else loved it so much. You’re absolutely right, vegan is way more tasty than people realize, that’s what I am here to teach 🙂
First time to your website!! I just finished watching Forks and Knives and Cowspiracy. Between your “about me” article and the movies I have been inspired to become vegan. I enjoyed your approach to life very much and am looking forward to cooking with your recipes! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Hi Pam,
Welcome! That’s such fabulous news, congratulations on your new veganism!!! I really hope you enjoy my recipes, and let me know if you ever have any questions or need any support 🙂
Thank you for all your hard work in creating these delicious recipes! They look terrific. Now I need to get busy and try them.
You are most welcome Charleene! I hope you enjoy them 🙂
hi Sam! Awesome story and so nice to “meet” you! I went vegetarian after 30 years of undiagnosed celiac disease ravaged my insides so that it became impossible to digest meat. Also the best decision I ever made! Love your site! So many amazing recipes. Congrats on the book deal, can’t wait to buy 🙂
Thank you!! That’s so awesome, glad it was the best decision ever for you! Actually my best friend had gluten intolerance, and after several months of being vegan, it seems as though her gut has healed enough that she can no digest it again. So cool! Welcome to my site, nice to meet you too. I look forward to seeing you around 😀
I absolutely LOVED your story. I’m 70 years old and have been vegan for almost 20 years now. When I started, being vegan was a very lonely thing. Most people had not heard of veganism and there were no vegan recipes around and pretty much all there was to buy were some veggie burgers and Tofutti cheese slices. It is thrilling to me to see how different things are now (especially in large cities – I live in Manhattan). The WEB is full of vegan recipes, there are new vegan restaurants popping up constantly and what makes me most happy is seeing how the movement has exploded with the younger generation.
I volunteer at a farmed animal sanctuary and most of the volunteers are late teens or early twenties so I get my fill of inspiration from them. What I loved about your blog is your enthusiasm and clear presentation of how and why you became vegan. I hope that you have many followers and that others will be inspired to follow in your footsteps.
Hi Carol,
Thank you so very much!! WOW! Congrats on being vegan for 20 years. That’s so amazing, you’re such an inspiration. I wish I had discovered veganism much sooner. Even in the 3.5 years that I have been vegan I have seen huge changes, so I can only imagine how different it is for you. Another 10 years and I think veganism will be very common. So happy you like my blog and I look forward to seeing you around 🙂
Hi! I just came across your blog, and I already have 7 tabs open of recipes I want to try hehe! I’ve only transitioned to the vegan lifestyle for about a month now, but it was the best decision I have ever made. I too got interested through the same exact documentaries and the book How Not to Die, but then the hardest part was actually wanting to be a vegan and dealing with all of the scrutiny and such! But I am so so glad I did. I can’t wait to try your yummy recipes 🙂
Hahaha! Yay! That’s awesome 🙂 Congrats on your new veganism!! Yes, I think you are absolutely right, the scrutiny is the hardest part. That should fade a bit amongst friends and family as time goes on, and you will also get better at responding (or not responding) to it. I think as far as eating goes, switching to veganism is just breaking old habits and replacing them with new ones, and it sounds like you are well on your way! So happy you found my blog. Let me know if you have any questions or need any support 🙂
Sam! I really love your blog and I am going nuts over your gooey cheese recipe which I made and used on pizza today and can I say I am in love with it! So delicious and easy – THANK YOU! I can’t wait for your book release in Australia 🙂 x
Aww so happy to have you here!! I can’t wait either 😀
I love being subscribed to Toronto based, Vegan blogs! We need more amazing blogs like this! I am subscribed to a few US and UK based ones. They will mention products or places that sound amazing, but… am sure you know what I mean!
For some reason I didn’t realize you also had a YouTube channel as well. Will be checking that out and binge watching shortly!
Thank you for this amazing blog and your recipes AND your attitude toward being Vegan. I have been Vegan for well over 15 years, (lost track) and was Vegetarian since I was 15. I have heard it all. Every single question and comment. I haven’t died of protein deficiency yet or turned orange from all the carrots.
Cheers!
Lizzie!
Aww thank you Lizzie! Yes, whenever I work with brands I always make sure they are available in Canada as well! I just started my YouTube channel, so not a ton of videos yet, but once I finish writing my cookbook I plan on posting a new video weekly. I hope you like them! 🙂
So glad (although not surprised) that you haven’t died of protein deficiency. Haha!!
Cheers!
Sam,
I have recurred to your blog because I had two options. It was either becoming vegan, or getting an organ extracted out of my body. It would seem like a rational decision to get into surgery, but when I found out in august, I decided I could change my lifestyle and become a happier version of myself. I am just seventeen years old, which is why I am asking for your help. I have read many recipe’s online, none that I really liked (or could eat). With my condition, apart of deciding to become vegan, I cannot eat a bunch of other things, like many vegetables (avocados, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.), many fruits (strawberries, bananas, blackberries, etc.) and cannot eat gluten, wheat, or yeast. I am continuously eating the same things, and even though I like it sometimes, it can get quite boring at many others. Could you recommend me anything at all? I would really appreciate your help, I really love your blog. 🙂
Hi Hillary,
I would love to help! Could you send me a complete list of the things you can eat, or cannot eat, and the kinds of things you have been eating? Without a full list I feel like I would just be taking a stab in the dark. You can send me an email 🙂
Just found your website through Google and youre a real inspiration! Ive been a vegetarian all my life, but my sister was a big chicken eater (she LOVED KFC) before finding veganism and falling in love with it. Ill definitly be making your vegan watermelon jellies for her birthday! 🙂
Yay! Thanks so much Naomi! So happy you’re digging my blog. Let me know if you have any questions 🙂
I just found your blog via Pinterest (orange ginger tofu, woop woop). I just wanted to say that I really liked reading your description of becoming vegan. Over the past few years, I’ve eaten mostly vegetarian, and I plan to make the leap to go fully vegetarian/vegan. Like you, I grew up eating meat, and now have tried to educate myself about factory farming, health, etc. via books & documentaries. Hadn’t heard of Veducated til now, so I’ll be watching that next. Thanks for being a resource!
Aww thanks Kris! So happy you are digging my blog. Let me know if you have an questions, need any support, or want more documentary or book recommendations… I could go on forever! haha. 🙂
I have been following you for a few months and am just now reading how you became vegan. I swear it’s almost my exact story, down to it starting with Vegucated. Though, my boyfriend wanted to go vegan after seeing the footage of the baby chicks (we all know that footage). He didn’t show it to me but just walked into the I was in and said he wanted to go Vegan. First I had to ask what vegan meant. lol Then thought he was crazy! I couldn’t give up pepperoni pizza and cakes and donuts and cheesecake! then a few days later he wanted to watch the documentary, Vegucated so we watched it together. Immediately after watching that doc. We went vegan. even went grocery shopping right after the movie! Never looked back. I can’t wait for your cookbook to come out we will definitely be buying it. Love your recipes and next one I am going to try is the Crispy Breaded Tofu Steaks. Congrats to you from Ryan (the boyfriend- he gets to enjoy all your great recipes) and I!
Oh wow that is a really similar story! It’s so amazing how your life can totally be flipped like that, one moment not even knowing the word vegan, then next living the lifestyle. Congrats!! Thank you so much for the support! It’s because of people like you that I am even able to make this blog into a career 🙂 I hope you both love the tofu steaks!
Hi Sam! I just came across your blog thanks to a friend coming across your blog and mixing up a couple of mac’n sauce recipes. LOVE IT! You’re 20-plus years younger, but your path to becoming a vegan was near the same as mine, yours a year earlier. Love the way you described, once you have the info, you really can’t go back. (Well, some folks do, and I might have too had I not been dissatisfied with several things looming in the future.)
Like you, I’m eager to go vegan all the way, say in cosmetics (not that I use many), and in products. Have you written about any vegan cosmetitcs? Sure wish more hiking boots and shoes could be made in Gore-Tex or some other product. Right now I’m just re-using the heck out of what I’ve got, but that will end.
And your art is amazing.
What a treat!!!
Hi Cindy!
Welcome 🙂
I do have a post on Vegan Things I Adore which mentions a few products, but I haven’t gone into much detail yet. I would love to tho! I still have some non-vegan things (shoes, makeup, etc) lingering in my closet too from before I was vegan. It can be a bit of a pain to find new replacements, but for the most part, everything I found I love way more than what I had before, and it feels so cleansing knowing it is complete vegan. So happy you are loving my blog an my art! Let me know if you have any questions or need any support 🙂
Sam, this blog is amazing – thank you so much! I’ve been vegetarian for a while and started a vegan adventure Jan 1st… I’ve had several failures in the kitchen since then, but I just made your magical gooey mozzarella stuff and it is amazing! The most satisfying cheese-alt I’ve encountered on the web and in the grocery 🙂
Awww thank you kbell! Congrats on your vegan adventure! So happy to have you here 🙂
Hello! So far, I’m LOVING your blog! I came to find it through a search for a potato soup recipe (which is so far my absolute favorite 😉 ) and have now tried a few more recipes and loved them. I’m a little nervous switching to vegan, especially as the main cook of the house (my partner being a meat lover and my toddler being… a toddler 😉 ). Plus I have a tree nut allergy and I’m noticing a lot of vegan recipes use tree nut products. Do you feel the majority of vegan meals use tree nut products or have I just had odd luck happening upon so many that do?
Fingers crossed, either way, that I’ll stick with my decision! I know I’ll feel better when I switch, it’s something that’s meant a lot to me for years. It’s just the plunge that is frightening 😉
Hi Remy! Thank you so much and welcome to you new vegan adventure!! I don’t think it should be a problem having a tree nut allergy. I know some vegans who don’t eat nuts at all. Of course there will be some recipes you cannot make, but there will be more than enough that you can. If you come across any of my recipes that have tree nuts in them, just leave a comment and I will happily help you substitute.
Don’t be scared! Going vegan was one of the best decisions I ever made. I feel so much happier and healthier because of it. The key with feeding “meat eater” types, is just to make them really hearty delicious meals. From my experience, good food is good food. Let me know if you have any questions or need any support. 🙂
viva vegans
animals are my friends and i don’t it my friends 🙂
thanks
Haha yes viva vegans!
It’s really great that people are sharing this information.
Hello! I just wanted to let you know that I’ve used your recipes multiple times a week since going vegan a couple months ago. I don’t think my husband and I could succeed in this huge change without this blog. Thank you!
Awwww that’s the best compliment ever!! Thank you so much Chace 😀
Just found your blog; really nice work! Congratulations on becoming vegan even though you had opposition. I’ve been vegan for 16 years, and it didn’t go over great with a lot of the people in my family, either. Plus, as a strength athlete, I catch a ton of flak for my choices (strong people can’t be vegan!!!! Or healthy!!!! *eyeroll*) and constantly have to sift through general random vegan-shaming posts from my colleagues all over the interwebz (aaah, social media). Anyway, you’re awesome and goofy and ambitious, and that is an awesome combination of things in a person. If you’re ever in SoCal, we should totally have a cooking party. Yay! 😀
Hi Melody! Welcome 🙂
I love that you are a strength athlete! That’s so awesome. I love weight lifting and took a course on body building at one point. Best workout ever! Those bodybuilders can be the worst tho. The “nutritionist” would tell me how I was going to wither away and die, and at the same time would tell me that carbs were going to make me fat… Then I gained 8 pounds of muscle, and proved them all wrong. Vegan win! I can only imagine how much flak you get all the time! Thanks for the invite! Sounds super fun. If I ever make plans to visit SoCal I’ll latcha know 😉
What’s cooking good looking?:) Great site. Stay golden.
Haha, why thank you 🙂
Sam, I’m so glad I found you! I’m the only ethical vegan in my family–that I know of–aside from my plant-based aunt who introduced me to you. She is the only family member I have who is working hard on maintaining a plant-based lifestyle. When I was going vegan, I didn’t exactly have any support from my family. Actually, my upbringing and general transitory experience was VERY similar to yours! (Add in the fact that I was killing animals myself by age 8, something deemed highly praiseworthy by the majority of my family members.) It’s refreshing and comforting to hear such a similar story to my own. 🙂
My aunt and I have made major impacts on our family, thanks in part to your recipes!
Thanks for helping the vegan community change the world. Keep up the great work!
<3,
Rikki
Hi Rikki!
I’m so glad you found me too!! That really goes to show that regardless of where you come from, you can definitely become a vegan. You’re not actually the first story I have heard of people working on farms and slaughtering animals who then become vegan. I imagine it was so freeing for you. That’s how I felt anyways. So happy you have been making some impacts with my recipes. I look forward to seeing you around in the comments! 😀
Sam
I just recently got into the hobby of looking up healthy recipes when I found your website along with others. Your blog was one to catch my eye, due to the name and you amazing and goofy pictures. After reading about your blog I decided to watch the movie Vegucated. I was balling my eyes out over the treatment of the animals. So today I have decided that I want to become a vegan. Although I am scared because I feel that my parents will have a hard time trying to cook meals that benefit me and them. But I was also wondering if you had any food recommendations to help he out.!?
First of all, WOW! Congratulations Meghan!! I am so incredibly flattered that my blog, and the movies I recommend helped you make the switch. You are going to feel amazing and so healthy. Although, warning: you may go through a bit of a detox and feel kind of bad for a bit. If that happens, I promise, it will pass, just make sure you are eating enough calories. If you feel tired, get headaches, or feel weak, it’s usually because you aren’t eating enough. Animal products are some of the most calorie dense foods, so when you cut them out you have to eat more.
Living with your parents, I find that the easiest way would be to pick up some staples, such as Earth Balance, and almond milk, soy milk, or whatever kind of non-dairy milk you prefer. These are easy substitution for you and your family, and can be used just as you would use cows butter or milk. Often when my family prepares meat, they will cook it separately so I can just have the dish without meat (such as leaving the meat out of a pasta sauce). I would also keep some things on hand such as tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers, falafels, and cans of beans. You might find my articles “6 Steps to a Vegan Kitchen“, “10 Things You Didn’t Know About Vegans“, and “8 Things Not To Do When Going Vegan” helpful as well. I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions 😀
I’m in love with your blog, and what it is so crazy is that in late January of 2013 I watched vegucated and became vegan!! I was vegetarian for about 2 years prior but still, that’s so crazy!
I think you’re extremely inspirational and I’m so happy I found your blog!! ❤️
Awww geeze!! Thanks Alyssa, way to make me blush. Haha. We are like vegan twins. I’m so happy you found my blog too! 😀
I decided to become vegan a few months ago, one night, after watching Vegucated 🙂 I love your blog, I need to learn how to cook for a family of four (soon of five!).
Hi Sara!
Congrats on your vegan adventure!
I have lots of recipes on my blog that are kid friendly (so I am told). Congrats on being a such an awesome mom! Let me know if you have any questions. 😀
Sam
Sam, you are so sweet! Nice page and great recipes too. I am so glad I came across your page 🙂
Aww shucks, thanks so much Silvia! I am so glad you came across my page too! 😀
Sam, your blog is the best! I must confess that I’m not vegan, but I refrain from eating cheese, meat, or poultry. I think I’m what you call an ovo-pescatarian. Most of my meals are vegan based, and your recipes are outstanding. The ingredients are easily obtained and the recipes easy to follow. Best of all, it’s super-delish! I hope your readership grows and grows. I’ve recommended your blog to many of my friends. My favorite so far has to be the creamy cashew dressing, which I use almost every day.
Kathryn,
You’re the best!! As I like to say, doing something is a million times better than doing nothing at all. 😀 I am so very happy you love my recipes so much. I too make that dressing constantly!! Your comment totally made my day, I am going to be skipping everywhere where I go today! Haha.
Sam
I am SO glad I found this blog! Thank you for sharing your recipes and beliefs. I love being vegan and I am excited to try your recipes! 🙂
Thank you Candace, I am SO glad you found this blog too! So happy to have you here and looking forward to seeing you around in the comments. Let me know if you have any questions. Welcome!
Dietary Vegan or Ethical Vegan?
Both! I started my journey with more of a focus on the dietary side of things. As I was eating vegan, I began looking into all aspects of veganism, and for the first time I was willing to truly listen and learn about animal cruelty. So it wasn’t long before I became an ethical vegan as well. Now I live my life as cruelty free as I am able. 🙂
Your blog is amazing! I’ve only been vegan for 2 weeks, but been weaning off for awhile – anyway, I LOVE your blog 🙂 Thanks!
Thank you so very much! Wish you left your name so I could thank you properly 🙂
Congrats on your first two weeks!! Making the switch is the hardest part, it will only get easier from here. Please let me know if you have any questions, or need any support.
Best,
Sam
I am in love with your blog! I get the emails and can’t wait to open them. I think my mouth honestly waters reading them! Haha!
Aww shucks, I love you Jenny!! Best comment all week! I’m grinning from ear to ear. 🙂
SAM! I’m yelling because I’m giving you a shout out 🙂 you’re awesome and I love all of the recipes and advice.
I wish you left a name so I could yell how awesome you are!! My day has totally been made for being yelled at. Who knew!?
Hi,
First off I am an art teacher ( I used to make art for myself I swear) and your illustrations are awesome! I was just wondering what you do for fitness!! I love my plant-y diet but I don’t love my bod. I was just wondering if anyone had recommendations. I tried running but hurt my joints, and I do pilates but am too poor to keep up those expensive classes.
I don’t have any vegan friends, let alone girl friends to ask.
… That seems a bit more pathetic then I meant!
Welp Happy Monday
Hi Emily,
Thank you for loving my illustrations, I love drawing them! 🙂
For fitness, I hands down, 100%, swear up and down, as someone who has always tried to get in shape but never did until now, love weight lifting. Now before you get all worried about getting bulky, you have to try really, really, really hard to get bulky as a female, it just doesn’t happen unless you really want it to. That’s why they have whole competitions around it, it’s hard! And if somehow you magically did get bulky arms or something, all you would have to do is stop doing arm exercises until they go back to the way you like. It’s that easy.
I highly recommend getting lessons with a personal trainer so that you learn form first. Form is the MOST important. It doesn’t matter if it means you can only lift very light weights at first, you don’t want to hurt yourself, and doing the exercises properly will ensure results. If hiring a trainer is out, then watch youtube videos by bodybuilders (yes the huge bulky people), because they know what they are doing. Become friends with people at the gym who are big and bulky, and they will be able to watch you and help you with form too. Get that butt out!
If you learn how to do a proper deadlift, squat, and bench press, you could do just those three exercises 2-3 times a week and see big results. You could definitely add in more exercises but those three are the best because they work your whole body. Don’t worry about doing a million ab exercises, as it can build muscle out, which personally I don’t want. Cardio is great, but it takes way more effort to see results. One of the benefits of weight lifting is that because you work your muscles, they have to heal and recharge, so even when you are not working out, you are burning more calories and getting in better shape!
I think it’s really fun that I can see progress so easily with the weight I can lift. Trust me, I didn’t start by doing 130 pound deadlifts!
A warning as a vegan, when I worked with a personal trainer, they basically told me that because I am vegan, I am going to shrivel up and die, and at the same time would say that I was going to get fat from all the carbs I eat. A lot of the weight lifting sites or trainers will say you need a million times the amount of protein you eat. Don’t worry about that. Unless you really are trying to bulk up, then eat a diet based on whole foods and you are set. There are lots of vegan protein powders available if you like though. (I don’t usually bother). Just let it roll off your back, and maybe send them over to http://www.veganbodybuilding.com
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions.
thank you!!! I have heard a lot about lifting, I love the idea of getting strong. I am used to vegan haters they don’t know how good it feels 🙂
Yes, it feels great to get strong! Let me know how it goes for you. It’s awkward at first, but it’s so great once you learn it.
@Emily! If you enjoy pilates/other bodyweight exercises, maybe you should try looking up some routines on the internet? You don’t have to pay for classes, you can just turn on youtube and workout 🙂 I like blogilates, fitnessblender and tara stiles, but there are muuuuch much more!
Nice recommendations!
Thanks juli! I just looked at blogilates how is this free?! I will check the others out I appreciate it!!!!
hi!
I just found your website. I am seriously copiously copying down the recipes. I am 15 years old and going vegan *sneakily*-mother doesn’t know mwahaahaha! keep up the good work
Hi tysana. Welcome! 🙂 haha! Very sneaky indeed! Best of luck. When your mother does find out, hopefully you would have already made her some delicious vegan recipes that she will ask for again and again. Haha. Enjoy!
I *just* discovered the canned jack fruit idea from you and I LOVE it!! Well I really *love* that my veg at home husband enjoyed it so much especially! I’m vegan so am always looking for ideas to feed the DH. I used a copycat chipotle chicken marinade recipe and marinated the jackfruit in that for a few hours and then sautéed, was really tasty. What an awesome idea, thankyou so much!! =)
That’s awesome! Andrew can never get enough of the jackfruit either! It really is one of the best whole food meaty like things. I’ve also fed it to a bodybuilder who couldn’t get enough. Thanks so much for sharing your version of the recipe too!
Nice to meet you. You have some great ideas here. Come over for a visit sometime: http://veganfootprints.blogspot.com/.
Thanks Loretta! You have a cute site too 🙂
Just found you Sam!! I’m almost vegan too and have been for about 18months! Best decision ever..other than marrying my hubby and being a Christian. I eat honey from a lady who gathers it herself and I eat the eggs my hens lay! How good is it to eat so well!! Anyway…thanks for your site..looking forward to looking through it! I’m 53 and feeling soooo healthy and happy! Gradually influencing my family too! All the best
Heather
Hi Hearher!
Congrats on 18 months. It’s crazy how good and energized going vegan makes you feel! So glad you are enjoying it too. I hope your enjoy my recipes and posts. I look forward to reading your comments 🙂
Hi! I can’t believe I just now found your site! Love it! I have been Vegan for almost 20 years now (ok now I feel old haha) and also love to blog about Vegan food etc… ANYWAY, lol, I’m loving your personality and blog. Your recipes look great! Can’t wait to try some of them out soon. 🙂
Hi Shauna!
20 years, that’s awesome! Congratulations.Thanks for the lovely compliment, you totally made my day! Nice to meet you 🙂
Glad to have stumbled across this site. Making a “vegan” Christmas dinner this year and will be using some of these recipes!
Hi Gin! Welcome! Yay for vegan Christmas! I will be making some new scrumptious Christmas-y dishes in the next few posts so stay tuned for more. 🙂
Just came across your blog. Your recipes look and sound amazing and I look forward to trying some!
April
Hi April,
Thanks so much! Let me know which recipes you try and how they turn out for you, or if you have any questions. 🙂
I found your blog from Twitter and look forward to following you! I too am an “imperfect” vegan and appreciate your approach.
Hi Kayla, thanks so much! Yes, I think it’s better to show people how easy and delicious vegan eating is, rather than sweating the small stuff! You don’t have to live off of tofu! Haha
You make vegan fun, and look good!
Aww thanks!!
Interested to follow your blog! You seem like a down to Earth vegan! 🙂
Thanks! I think I am! Or at least I try to be. I just like to eat the food I like to eat! haha
Great blog Sammy! Look fwd to trying your recipes. Rosie
Thanks Rosie!
I could use some of your super secret tips for my photos! 🙂