An Interview With Cookbook Author and Vegan Influencer, @ElaVegan
Some of the most influential people in the food industry are those who are true to their ideals and pursue their passion with admirable lust and energy. That's exactly how one can categorize the infamous food blogger, @ElaVegan.
An ideal role model in the vegan community, Ela (a.k.a. Michaela Vais) is an advocate for plant-based diets. She regularly shares delicious recipes on her social media pages and her website, ElaVegan.com. We at The Edge can confidently say that Ela whips up not only the most innovative recipes, but the most aesthetically pleasing dishes, including appetizers, entrees and desserts (while still, of course, being mindful of sugar and fat content).
The Edge had the privilege of interviewing Ela via email to gain some insight into her new vegan cookbook, “Simple and Delicious Vegan.” After our conversation, even the most avid carnivores can begin to support her logic.
The Edge: Can you tell us a little bit of what your cookbook is about? Where do you get your recipe inspiration?
Michaela: My cookbook, “Simple and Delicious Vegan,” contains 100 vegan and gluten-free recipes that are also refined sugar-free. Many are (or can be made) soy-free, oil-free, and a lot of recipes also offer substitutes for certain ingredients. My focus was to make recipes that everyone can enjoy, even if they have allergies (e.g. gluten, soy, etc.).
I love to experiment a lot in my kitchen! I make my own creams, lotions, soaps (I have a pharmaceutical background), and I really enjoy creating new recipes. First, I test the recipe once, but if it’s not perfect, I will change one or two ingredients and try it again and again. Of course, it's helpful to have a lot of experience in vegan cooking (it's been over 11 years since I became vegan). I also get some inspiration online, but I will always add my own “ElaVegan stamp” to my vegan recipes by making them allergy-friendly.
The Edge: Who would you say is the target audience for your cookbook? Does this include college students?
Michaela: The target audience is basically everyone interested in trying out plant-based recipes. Many of my readers are actually not vegan, but they still enjoy my recipes. Yes, this definitely also includes college students.
The Edge: Are these recipes a starting point for college students to start eating healthier? How do you encourage healthy eating habits through ingredients, etc.?
Michaela: Absolutely! I use simple and easily accessible ingredients in my recipes and make all my recipes as healthy as possible by choosing mainly whole-food plant-based ingredients with as little processed ingredients as possible.
The Edge: What distinguishes your cookbook from other vegan cookbooks on the market?
Michaela: I would say that my cookbook is unique because:
- Every single recipe has a full page picture of the finished recipe and...
- ...also a small picture of the ingredients that are needed for the recipe
- I offer substitutes for many ingredients
- My recipes are allergy-friendly (gluten-free, can be made soy-free, etc.).
- I mainly use whole-food ingredients
- My recipes don't lack spices
- I use simple and accessible ingredients
The Edge: Are you a firm believer in the saying that eating right improves your mental well-being?
Michaela: Definitely! Food is so much more than just pleasure. A whole-food, plant-based diet is very beneficial for the gut, and gut health is super important for mental well-being.
The Edge: Do you have any other exciting projects in the works you can give us a preview of?
Michaela: I am working on creating new recipes and love sharing them with the world on my blog, ElaVegan, on my Instagram account, YouTube, etc.. I also have my own Meal Planner app that offers so much more than just recipes (e.g. 1:1 coaching).
The Edge: Anything else you want to tell readers of The Edge?
Michaela: If you are interested in veganism, don't be too hard on yourself. Nobody is perfect, and you don’t have to be 100 percent vegan from day one. Start to incorporate more fruits, vegetables, greens, root vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts and healthy bread into your diet. Add some new plant-based meals each week and go from there, e.g. try my Three-Ingredient Pancakes for breakfast, a yummy Pasta Salad for lunch and this 1-Pot Lentil Dal for dinner, and get inspired to try out more plant-based meals.
Whether you're looking to become more health-conscious, lead a vegan lifestyle or just recreate fun and delicious recipes, Ela's cookbook has something for everyone. You certainly don't want to be the last to check it out.