Welcome to the veggie yaya, a blog celebrating rustic vegan food.
Hey, I’m Erika.
Or, according to my niece and nephews, I’m Yaya. I live in the Canadaian prairies, 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. I have loved animals for as long as I can remember, and as a kid, I didn’t like eating meat. I remember picking through my plate of Sunday roast and just eating the potato and carrot (sorry mom).
I decided to become a vegetarian at just 12 years old, and it’s been a long jouney of experimenting and learning.
My mom supported me going vegetarian, 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 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 my 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 saying “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. It is culuture, tradition, and history all in one.
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.
Eating plant based does not mean you have to forfeit the burgers, cheesecake, or baked goods. Just change and substitute.
With plant-powered love,
Erika
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As well as cooking and baking, I love traveling, hanging with my family and friends, and being out in nature. And my fluffy white dog, Sadie. When I’m not working, I’m probably playing cards or reading in the porch, and definitely listening to music.
Family is everything to me. I grew up in Winnipeg, a city rich in history and culture, and now I live in rural Manitoba, surrounded by family. I spend a lot of my time by the campfire with family and friends, dreaming up recipes to share.
