About Me — Vegangela

I first decided to become a vegetarian back in the 8th grade. It was 1993 and I was attending a Paul McCartney concert with my mom in Winnipeg, Canada. A video about animal rights played on the big screens before the concert, and various pieces of literature relating to vegetarianism and animal rights had been handed to us on our way in. After seeing all that, it made total sense to me that people shouldn’t eat meat, and as such, I officially went vegetarian that night. After reading Animal Liberation in the 11th grade, I realized that going vegan was the next logical step – not only for the animals, but also for my health, the environment, and the world at large. I’ve been vegan ever since!

My dad was in the army, so we moved around a lot when I was a kid. I went to 9 different schools, including 3 different high schools. I guess you could say that I thrive in chaos and I get itchy when I’m in the same place too long. So I guess it didn’t surprise anyone when I decided to move to Sydney Australia with my partner back in January 2009.

Angela Thompson — Me in Ko Samui Thailand, April 2012

Full disclosure: I haven’t always been a health-focused vegan. In high school and university I probably ate my daily weight in pasta and rice! But my mom was a great cook, and she was always seeking-out fresh recipes for me, such as bean salads and tasty stir-fries. Somewhere along the way, all those great meals ignited a passion in me to cook my own healthy meals. And as I got older, I realised that if I wanted to live a long and healthy life I needed to focus on eating the right things.So when I moved to Sydney, I started posting photos and recipes to Facebook as an easy way of sharing my food and restaurant experiences with friends and family back home. In 2010, I decided to start this blog and share my food experiences and musings with a wider audience.The whole process has been amazing. From being inspired by other food bloggers, to sharing old family recipes with people all around the world, this blog has added a new dimension to food preparation and my outlook on eating. I’m focusing on healthy food choices, and I want to show others that vegan food can be fun, easy, and delicious.

A lot has happened since I started this humble blog! In 2012, my partner and I decided to move back to Toronto by taking the “long way” home with a leave of absence from work and a 3-month backpacking adventure in New Zealand and Southeast Asia. We finally settled in Toronto in the April of 2012, only to decide to move back to Sydney again in 2013. It’s been a crazy ride, and while I’ve thrived in this rather nomadic lifestyle, I’m ready to settle down a bit and commit more time to the things I love, including this blog.

About the Recipes

Angela Thompson - Vegangela — Me in Queenstown NZ, January 2013

The recipes on Vegangela.com are a mixture of my own creations (tagged as original recipes), and existing recipes (either from the web, from magazines, or old family favorites) that I’ve “veganized” and tried to simplify and/or make even healthier. While I’m a sucker for a gourmet vegan meal, I tend to focus on quick and easy recipes that look and taste great. Because while cooking a fancy meal can be quite fulfilling, the reality is everyone needs everyday no-fuss recipes that are nutritious and satisfying!

If you’re curious, I’ve tagged my all-time favorite recipes. That’s because I use this blog as my own personal online cookbook and I make 3-4 recipes from the site each week. My recipe cards have dwindled over the years, because I’ve been sharing my favorite recipes here instead. And the recipes here aren’t stale. I go back and update old recipes if I’ve found a better/easier/healthier way to make them. So you won’t see “new and improved” versions of old recipes. I’m not as concerned about the quantity of recipes posted here as I am about their quality. I hope you’ll try some of them and agree. Having said that, I have so many more recipes to come… so if you want to stay ahead of my latest recipes, please subscribe using the form on the right-hand side of the page, or follow me via:

Facebook: facebook.com/vegangela
Pinterest: pinterest.com/vegangela
Twitter: twitter.com/vegangela
Instagram: instagram.com/vegangela_food
YouTube: youtube.com/user/vegangelaTV
RSS Feed: vegangela.com/feed

I also love receiving your feedback so please don’t be shy – especially if you’ve made one of the recipes that you’ve seen here! Visit my Contact page for information on how to reach me.

Thanks for all your support – and remember to eat food that is good for you… and the world around you!