Hello! This is Roseann and I’ve created a blog. Here’s why…

For many of us a daily worry might be, “What am I going to cook for dinner?” As a vegan, I have found creativity in eliminating meat, seafood, and dairy from everyday recipes. Preparing plant-based foods challenged me to rethink the way I looked at mealtime, reinventing rather than replacing meals. The term used for this is “veganizing.” I decided to get the word out that converting to a plant-based lifestyle is much easier than it sounds, and frankly, much healthier. Hence, my blog!

But first, let me tell you about my journey.

In late summer of 2015, after confronting three consecutive, traumatic health issues within my family, I came to the realization that my health was crucial in providing care and support to those I love. It was at that moment I decided to take small steps on my vegan journey. I must admit that, at first, it was scary and incredibly challenging. I found the omission of meat and seafood intimidating because I understood that I also had a family to feed. In no way would my husband, an uncompromising meat eater, consider a plant-based, whole foods diet. 

I started slowly by first eliminating beef and pork from my diet and then eventually poultry and seafood. Even in doing so, there remained the necessity to prepare two meals, one with meat (for my husband) and the other without. Not only did I grapple with this responsibility, but also many questions. What was I going to cook? Would I be eating only salads? How will I get the nutrients, and especially the protein, that my body needs? Even as I recount those moments, I feel the anxiety building. I admit, it was a struggle, which is probably why I continued to use dairy products in the beginning.  Nonetheless, here I am six years later and loving to cook! Happily, to my surprise, even my husband has come around, and although he still enjoys meat, he does eat many of the plant-based meals prepared with love.

On January 1st, 2019, I committed to a whole food, plant-based lifestyle. I began researching the answers to my questions. I searched websites and discovered a plethora of vegan menu plans, recipes, and nutritional articles and information. Having been a vegetarian for the previous four years, I experienced a smoother transition to veganism by eventually eliminating dairy products. The addition of a few good cookbooks helped in the process. 

Some of the recipes in this blog were inspired by my mom who, in 1993, presented each of her six daughters with a small binder entitled Recipes from Home. Thirty delicious, Italian recipes with lots of meat, cheese, eggs, and butter. YIKES! However, the memories attached to these recipes are so vivid. Sunday pasta dinners, the aroma of sauce simmering on the stovetop upon returning from church. The homemade ravioli that my dad would prepare every Christmas. Hand rolling the dough that would cover our entire dining room table. Meticulously placing dollops of ricotta across the width of the flatten dough, folding the dough over and cutting to form tender little pillows. The assortment of Italian cookies, Easter Bread, and Pizza Jane (aka Ham Pie) prepared with love for the holidays. The last thing that I wanted to do was to give up this important part of my culture. 

So, I veganized them.  

I’ve revamped many of these recipes replacing the meat and dairy with alternatives and substitutes, allowing me to maintain many of my cherished family traditions.   

My blog will include weekly postings of veganized recipes, many with a story, a sample of a weekly meal plan, and words of encouragement. It is my hope that this blog provides inspiration as you journey towards a healthier lifestyle.

 Enjoy…

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."   -Hippocrates