Welcome to the veggie yaya, a blog celebrating rustic vegan food.
Hey, I’m Erika.
Or, according to my niece and nephew, I’m Yaya. I live in rural Canada with my family, and I run this food blog, where I put my whole heart into posting my best vegan and vegetarian recipes.
The Veggie Yaya in Photos
how i got here
Over a decade ago, I chose to stop eating meat. As a kid, I loved (and still love) animals, and eating meat felt wrong. I decided to become a vegetarian at 12 years old! My mom says I never really liked meat anyway. I remember picking through my plate of Sunday roast and just eating the potato and carrot (sorry mom).
My mom supported me, made me veggie burgers, and taught me how to cook and bake at a young age. I loved kneading dough, making cookies, and helping get dinner on the table.
Years later, I started to learn more about the dairy and egg industry and its impact on the environment. I also started learning more about my health and wanting to live as long and happy a life as possible.
Now, I remain a vegetarian with elements of a vegan lifestyle, for ethical and health reasons.
working in professional kitchens
I began working in professional kitchens at a young age. Some experiences were amazing, and some were stressful. If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant, I’m sure you can relate!
Working as a line cook, my passion for cooking only grew, and I discovered my love for feeding people good food. One of my favourite things in the whole world is cooking someone a dish that they enjoy! I aim to provide readers with good quality, reliable, and easy-to-follow recipes to enjoy in their own homes.
my approach to food and cooking
I believe that food is a celebration, not a sacrifice. I live by the phrase “no food is bad food“. Indulging in foods that you love and that make you feel good, should be the norm. Food is so personal to people. It is culture and tradition.
That’s why I aim to show that plant based eating, in any capacity, can be satisfying, and far from boring. I aim to provide recipes and how-to’s for vegan and vegetarian home cooks who want to enjoy cooking and eating.
And you certainly don’t have to buy organic kale and a 10 lb bag of raw cashews to achieve a plant-based lifestyle, unless you want to. Plant-based eating can be affordable, realistic, and still taste damn good.
With plant-powered love,
Erika
Follow along with Me
Never miss a delicious recipe
Subscribe to get all the latest & get a FREE ebook of our readers top rated recipes!
As well as cooking and baking, I love traveling, history, and being out in nature. And my fluffy white dog, Sadie. When I’m not working, I’m probably researching some period in history, planning a future vacation, or reading.
Family is everything to me. I grew up in Winnipeg, a city rich in history and culture, and now I live in rural Manitoba right next door to my grandparents. I spend a lot of my time by the campfire with family and friends, dreaming up recipes to share.
