Let’s get to know each other!
My name is Jenna. I’m a thirty-something-year-old living in Ontario, Canada and love all things that help me enjoy this wild ride called life. I’ve been plant-based for many years now and it remains one of the best decisions I have ever made. Join me as I share about my vegan journey and tools that I found helpful.
An active lifestyle: being in tune with your body
Growing up, I was always very active. I found my love of dance at the age of 3. During my childhood, I spent many hours in the studio – almost 6 days a week! I loved every second of being a dancer. As I got older, I continued my passion for dance by becoming a professional CFL cheerleader for 3 years. You could say I have an “upbeat” personality.
Those formative years in the dance studio certainly shaped the person I am today. I’m so grateful to have had that privilege. I learned discipline, time management, cooperation, and emotional regulation. It also gave me the ability to understand my body and its needs. That said, I wasn’t a healthy athletic person by any means. On the drive home from 3-hour rehearsals, a group of hungry cheerleaders would often stop for food, our hands replacing our poms for greasy Big Macs and fries. I would have never thought that I’d be eating vegan Big Macs years later.
The big switch: journey from a house of hunters to a vegan advocate
My vegan journey began in 2017 and it was unexpected to say the least. I grew up in a house of hunters. Although I was never keen on the idea of hunting, or what it entails, it never seemed to sit right with me. However, I didn’t consider that when I bought groceries, I was paying for others to do the dirty work for me.
One night, my partner and I sat down to watch a documentary. A switch flipped. I felt like I could no longer be blissfully unaware of my actions. The wheels of motion began turning. The more education I consumed, the more I realized how impactful veganism can be. From personal health, animal well-being, and environmental consciousness, the decision made sense. I immediately started ridding the fridge of any animal products. I didn’t want the food to go to waste – that seemed sinful. So our neighbours happily accepted our grocery rejects and alas we began our vegan journey.
Shattering Misconceptions: Veganism Beyond Salads
I think there is this common misconception that you must love salads and healthy food to become vegan and that’s certainly not the case for many of us. In fact, pre-vegan, my favourite food was steak and just the idea of tofu grossed me out. So, I wouldn’t say transitioning to veganism was easy – there was certainly a learning curve. But I didn’t come out of the gate eating kale chips and quinoa salads. I started by re-creating dishes I already loved but with vegan ingredients. I am very fortunate to have started my vegan journey when vegan cheeses had been significantly improved. Many grilled cheeses have been consumed upon that discovery. My palette eventually expanded and I’m eating foods I never would have imagined liking all those years ago.
Culinary Evolution: journey from reluctant cook to vegan foodie
I will say, veganism has taught me to be a better cook. I wasn’t horrible at cooking prior, but I wouldn’t say I was good either. In 2017, the vegan industry was just on the cusp of booming but still, options were limited locally. The lack of tasty substitutes forced me to get more creative and comfortable with new ways of cooking. As soon as I got deeper into plant-based food, my love for cooking grew and with that, I became more connected with the food I was eating. I never considered myself a recipe creator before this blog, but over the years I accidentally stumbled into the role. That said, I also like to try the vegan recipes of other vegan foodies out there and learn all the different ways I can elevate my own cooking.
One thing I want to share is, that pretty much everything can be veganized. It is a beautiful time to be plant-based because there are so many great resources and tasty recipes out there! So please tag along and enjoy the ride and hopefully, you’ll enjoy what I share.
Let’s connect!
Thanks for taking the time to learn a little about me. I’m eager to connect with you, so feel free to reach out and say hello. You can also find me on Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok!
Here are some resources that helped guide me through my plant-based journey.
- Before the Flood
- What the Health
- Forks Over Knives
- Game Changers
- Cowspiracy
- You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment
- How Not to Die
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