Hi, my name is Jill and I have been a vegan for more than 22 years, and a vegetarian for about 8 years before that.
To be honest, I did have a year out in 2017 when I went back to being a vegetarian. But felt so disloyal to animals, and myself, that I knew I had to go back to following my true beliefs. And, for me, it is following a vegan diet.
However, I not only follow a vegan diet, but I also follow a vegan lifestyle. Don’t get me wrong, I am just a normal person. I like, actually, love a drink and gossip with my friends and family, but I do use vegan-friendly footwear, clothing, make-up, toiletries, and cleaning products.
But the really funny thing is, before I became a vegan, I had no idea how to cook. I was always the girl in the home economics class that had smoke billowing out of the oven. Yet for many years now it has been a great passion in my life that I have been able to share with friends and family and they have taken my preferences into their lives too and cooked delicious meals for me and my husband.
Having said all that, I still respect the choices of the people in my life. Also, I have always worked in a social care environment, with both adults and children with learning disabilities and it would have been extremely unprofessional of me to impose my beliefs on people who may be unable to make informed choices.
As passionate as I am about my choice to be a vegan, I have also learned, over the years, it is important to allow the people you love and care about to have their own passions, even if I don’t like them ????!
So, that brings me to what I hope to achieve for you in my blog. Having worked full-time for all of my vegan years, I know what it’s like to get home at the end of the day and have to stand and cook a wholesome meal. I am often tired and sometimes stressed and, even with my passion for cooking, I don’t want to spend hours preparing a meal. Therefore, I am concentrating on quick, easy, healthy, and tasty recipes for everyday life that you can also mix, match, and put together to create 3-course meals for family and friends without spending hours in the kitchen. And I do love a good dinner party!!
I absolutely love travelling, and along with some good old-fashioned English dishes, I will share with you some of the dishes I have enjoyed in other parts of the world, Greek mezze and Spanish tapas amongst my favourites! I also love the fiery heat of Indian cooking (although I have yet to travel to India), and the warmth of African casseroles. Not to mention a good old Aussie BBQ with mouthwatering salads and sides and Italy’s wonderful pizzas and pastas, Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (garlic and oil) being a favourite of mine and my husband. Did you know, the first pizzas of Naples did not have cheese on! Next time you are in an Italian restaurant, ask for Pizza Marinara.
But above all, I want to share my vegan life with you and you share yours with me. I want to hear your stories, what made you become a vegan, and what you are passionate about. I have given you an insight into ME and will continue to build on that through my recipe and lifestyle pages, so tell me about YOU!
You can do this by leaving a message on the contact Contact page.
If you would like to be kept up to date with the latest recipes and tips Subscribe here.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
