It's been another year! Already! Where does the time go?
I know it has been a rough year for many, the internet keeps saying a gleeful farewell to 2016, but I must say, (not in a braggy way), that 2016 was a really good year for me.
Here's what happened over the last year:
- I wrote, photographed, and ate my way through creating my first cookbook (to be published in October 2017 by Appetite by Random House).
- I started a YouTube channel and learned I'm apparently somewhat ok at being in front of a camera because I was then selected to go film a cooking show with Food Network star Chef Michael Smith in P.E.I.
- There were 3.5 MILLION pageviews on It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken, with almost 1 million of those from the last 2 months alone. My site popularity increased by 73% when compared to last year! Seriously, so much vegan love this year!
- I had the honour of working with many great sponsors who love my vegan recipes, and I love their products right on back. Work relationship love!
- I adopted my new furry (so. much. shedding.) best friend Chickpea.
- I was nominated as one of Toronto's best bloggers by Now Toronto, and even though I didn't win, it was a HUGE honour to be recognized by my own hometown.
- I was interviewed by Bjork from Food Blogger Pro about my new successes as a blogger. At the time I was still freelancing on the side to help support my blog, but I let that go and I'm thrilled that I'm 100% a real full-time blogger now!
- I started a book club, ran obstacle courses, went to reggae fest (and other fun fests), and had regular date nights with my most amazing collection of friends. ❤️
Yes, 2016 treated me very well.
So let's take a trip down memory lane. I think a great way to start the new year is to remember all the deliciousness of last year, (I remember in food). So I collected the top 10 vegan recipes of 2016. You can see the top 10 vegan recipes from 2015, and 2014 (and take a trip back to my bad food photography skills while you're at it).
Honourable Mentions:
While these two recipes were published in 2015, The Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Cake, and my Easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie were both posted in November, and so they didn't really get enough time to shine to make it to my top 2015 list. Over the course of the year, they have both reached the top of the charts becoming some of the most popular recipes on my blog of all time. Desserts for the win!
Along with the recipes, I began posting recipe collections that featured recipes from my blogging friends across the net. Apparently, you guys love these as they were all super duper popular! Check out the top 5 recipe collections:
- 25 Hearty Vegan Salads That Will Fill You Up
- 16 Life Changing Cheese Recipes
- 30 Breakfast Recipes (that aren't smoothies, oatmeal, or energy bars)
- Top 8 Must Have Vegan Apps, 25 Vegan Recipes for the Grill
- 25 Vegan Potluck Recipes
And without further ado, the Top 10 Vegan Recipes of 2016!
10. Lentil Tacos with Avocado Cilantro Sauce
This recipe isn't only delicious, but it also won me a spot in the #LoveLentils competition, where I was flown to Prince Edward Island and got to film a cooking show with celebrity Chef Michael Smith (who raved about my avocado cilantro sauce and kept eating it by the spoonful p.s.).
9. Vegan Potato Pancakes
Sometimes simple is the way to go. These easy peasy simple potato pancakes hit the spot in all the right places.
8. Seriously the Best Lentil Shepherd's Pie
This recipe was cut from my cookbook because there are SO many lentil shepherd's pie recipes floating around in this world. For me, the problem was, that this was THE BEST lentil shepherd's pie recipe I had ever tasted, so I didn't want it to just disappear into my scribbled book of recipes never to be shared. I decided to post it regardless of how many lentil shepherd's pie recipes there already were, and I'm so glad I did because you guys are just loving it! Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks it's the best 🙂
7. Pumpkin Peanut Butter Dog Treats
While I supposed you could eat these treats (some of my friends did... apparently they want to try ALL my vegan recipes!) these treats are actually intended for the pooches of the world. The cutest little mutt that ever lived (also know as Chickpea) is obsessed with this treats, and so are your dogs!
6. 6 Ingredient Pulled Jackfruit
One of my very early recipes on my blog was a pulled jackfruit sandwich. I was still pretty new to vegan cooking at that time, and while my recipe was totally bomb, it also required a million ingredients and a lot more time. I have since learned how to streamline my recipes making them easier, and quicker while keeping all the flavour pow. I revamped this recipe in 2016 and my golly I'm glad I did because it was very much appreciated.
5. Crispy Breaded Tofu Steaks
This recipe was inspired by a breaded chicken recipe, but it doesn't taste like chicken. Ba dum dum tsk! Sorry... that was bad, but I just had to.
I am vegan, I like tofu, I admit it. (Apparently, you guys do as well).
4. Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Another recipe that was booted from my cookbook, not because it wasn't delicious, but because I had way too many recipes and my editor, Bhavna, was worried the book would be 5 inches thick and cost a fortune if we didn't narrow it down. One of the most nerve-racking parts of writing a cookbook is that I have to wait a whole year before I actually start getting feedback about how you guys like the recipes in it. So posting this recipe gave me a big sigh of relief. If you loved this recipe so much, then the rest of my cookbook must be pretty darn good too. Whew!
3. Sweet Potato Toast!?
Cut a slice of sweet potato, put in in the toaster, and presto: sweet potato toast. This isn't really a recipe so much as it was a concept I wanted to try. Hot dang it works! The funny thing is I kept getting messages from readers saying they didn't believe it could work or that it would ruin their toaster. So to prove it, I made a video, which quickly became my most popular YouTube video... who knew a slice of delicious toast would cause such a stir!
2. Vegan Peanut Butter Cups
I can't say that I'm surprised these vegan peanut butter cups came in 2nd place, they really are so insanely good. I used to make them when I was a kid (because it was always easier to make treats than it was to convince my mom to buy me treats). I noticed a lot of the vegan peanut butter cup recipes floating around the internet involved using just plain peanut butter and freezing it. I really don't like frozen chocolate, and the original candy is so much more than just plain peanut butter, so I played around a little with my memory of making them, veganized them, and made the best vegan peanut butter cups there ever were! (In my not so humble opinion).
1. Sweet Korean Lentils
And the winner is, Sweet Korean Lentils!! With Korean BBQ becoming the trendy thing to eat, I wanted to capture those awesome flavours of the dish bulgogi, except without the ground beef. I knew lentils would be PERFECT for this dish. The lentils are cooked in my sauce recipe so each lentil is jam packed with flavour, but the best part is that it only takes 10 minutes to make!!! Flavour packed instant, healthy meal, for the win!
And there it is, the Top 10 Vegan Recipes of 2016 in all their glory. I hope you loved eating them as much as I loved creating them.
Bon Appetgan my friends! I can't wait to share 2017 with you.
Love,
Sam.
vikas says
thanks for sharing super yummy recipes..:)
Sam Turnbull says
You're welcome!
OntarioGirl says
I just found your site and cannot thank you enough - I'm sure you love what you do, but it's so much appreciated by people like myself who are just learning 'how' to eat vegan (which I find so crazy, since it's the way we were created to eat... I guess it's the just the way the world has gone that it seems "weird" to some people. Anyways I digress, lol); I am starting to learn recipes, and it's blogs like yours that are SO incredibly helpful in this journey, so thank you, truly,
PS I just watched your shoot with Michael Smith - how crazy, he used to have a show yearrrrrs ago, called "the Inn Chef" ... have you heard of it? When he was the Chef at the Inn of Bay Fortune, in PEI... anyways, too funny, he always made it look so easy in front of the camera, but I could see how hard it would be, cooking in front of all those people, and with all the attention on you. You did so great!
Anyways I'll stop rambling now, Thank you again, I'm so glad I found this, and can't wait to try son recipes 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Aww shucks, thanks so much OntarioGirl! (I too am an Ontario girl). Haha, yes I do know Michael Smith's show. He's also had a few others since then. Thanks for thinking I did great! 🙂 So happy you found my blog. Let me know if you ever need any support or have any questions 🙂
Amanda Renny says
Awesome recipes!!!!! Thanks a lot....... i always try to use organic grocery in my kitchen it will make food even more healthy.
Sam Turnbull says
Happy you like the recipes!
Amanda Renny says
Really delicious and yummy dishes. Thanks for sharing such a lovely recipes. Please share some more yummy delicious vegan recipes.
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you! I post new recipes every Wednesday and Sunday 🙂
Anne E. McGuigan says
Hi Sam,
I really enjoyed reading this post and looking at all the scrumptious, plant based foods. I am always struck by your humility about your success. Carry on, carrying on and may 2017 bring with it more success in the world of plant based eating and veganism.
Take care.
Anne
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, Anne 🙂 I believe the vegan movement is really happening and I am doing all I can to help! Happy new year to you 🙂
Martha C says
Wow! What a great year for you! I know I just discovered your blog and fantastic recipes in the last few months. And I think I may account for like 10,000 hits to your website Seriously, love love love your Korean BBQ and tell everyone about it. And now you have blown my mind again with Sweet Potatoe Toast!! Whaaaat!? Can .not. Wait!! Hope 2017 is just as good to you as 2016!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahahaha! Well, thank you very much for those 10,000 hits Martha! So happy you are loving what I am doing, I hope I continue to post lost of your new favourite recipes over the year 😀
Delia Fey says
Sounds awesome! Any good books? I need to create a veg friends club here as I don't know that many in my part of CT. A book club would also be fun but I am limited on time at the moment with our 2016 addition to the family, (along with our son both keep us very busy and still sleep deprived...). Our daughter was born April 11, 2016. She's so fun and almost always smiling...
I love your recipes - so many that are doable for people without having to go on a ingredient search all over to various stores with some others that do have more exotic ingredients for fun. I love to cook and I enjoy your recipes. Cheers to a rockin 2017!!
Sam Turnbull says
Have you ever looked for vegan meetups in your area? It can be a great way to meet other vegans! Americanah was pretty good, my fav out of the books so far! Your daughter sounds like me as a baby, my mom said I wouldn't wake up crying, I would wake up smiling. Haha!
Thank you so much for all the recipe love! That's exactly my goals when creating my recipes. I don't think vegan should be difficult, so I do my best to make it easy for everyone 🙂
Srivani says
Yes, a fantastic year for you Sam! And a most amazing 2017 coming up, I just know it. I for one, cannot wait for your cookbook. I think you know this, but I just love your recipes - they are simple, with easy to find ingredients (except that darn jackfruit! I think I'll have to order of Amazon; I'm dying to try that recipe!).
Congrats to a great 2016; and here's to an even better 2017! (Of note, a new vegan boy joined our family on Dec.31 - so our 2016 rounded out pretty amazing too!)
Cheers, Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much! Haha, I absolutely know it, you're one of my biggest fans Srivani! A BIG BIG congratulations on your new baby boy! How exciting!! 😀
Bernadette says
Am trying the shepherd's pie tomorrow!
Have already recommended you to friends aiming to go vegan.
Your link on Pinterest is one of my favorites! So glad I found you!
PS: just read the content of email ... once I got past the pictures of the food!
Bravo on a great 2016!
Here's to a bigger & better 2017!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!! I hope you love it, Bernadette! Thank you so much for your well wishes, 2017 here we come!
Carolyn says
So glad that 2016 was good to you. And that your recipes, blog and book are the successes you envisioned.
I haven't tried the Korean lentils as yet, but I will do it tonight. The cupboard is bursting with lentils.
Sam Turnbull says
Just the way all cupboards should be!! Thank you so much, Mom. Dad Loved the lentils when he tasted them at my house p.s.
Casey the College Celiac says
Congrats on all the accomplishments and growth! All of your recipes always blow me away!
Sam Turnbull says
Shucks, thank you so much, Casey! Thanks for being a reader and recipe tester! 😀