resources

There is a wealth of accessible vegan recipes, information, advice and products these days, with more being made available daily! I could not possibly fit a comprehensive list of all the best ones on this wee little resources page, but I will tell you about some of my go-to resources.

general

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, the face and voice of Joyful Vegan, is a writer, podcaster, chef and advocate. Though we have only met once, and oh so briefly, I have long referred to her as my personal vegan guru and I cannot say enough good things about the various materials she creates. Go to her website, listen to her podcast, watch her videos, read her books, support her work and enjoy. In particular, I suggest you check out The 30-Day Vegan Challenge and Vegan's Daily Companion. You can find her work at joyfulvegan.com.

philosophy

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer chronicles the author's journey as he examines our modern day eating habits, and the language, traditions, and moral questions inherent to them. With the same eloquence brought to the novels that made Foer a beloved writer among many, he will make you laugh and cry in this one of a kind look at the way we eat.

Eat Like You Care by Gary L. Francione and Anna Charlton is a concise and thought-provoking examination of the morality of eating animals.

Slaughterhouse by Gale A. Eisnitz is a heart wrenching compilation of stories told by slaughterhouse workers. This first-hand examination of the meatpacking industry is not for the faint of heart, but offers important insight into this little known world.

Melanie Joy, a psychologist, sociologist, professor, writer and speaker has articulated the concept of “carnism”, the word she uses to describe “the invisible belief system that conditions people to eat certain animals”. You can find her work at carnism.org.

nutrition

Becoming Vegan: Comprehensive Edition by Brenda Davis, R.D. and Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D. is an updated version of an old favourite of mine, Becoming Vegan (by the same authors), which offers analysis of research findings, and presents nutrition information in a clear, easily digestible manner. I would argue this might be the most important book for a vegan to read, in order to ensure that in reflecting our ethical values, we maintain a commitment to healthful living.

Vegan for Life by Jack Norris, R.D. and Virginia Messina, MPH, R.D. is another very clear and comprehensive guide to vegan nutrition, written by two registered dietitians.

Vegan for Her by Virginia Messina MPH, R.D. offers a fantastic discussion of vegan nutrition throughout the various stages of a woman's life. For this book, Messina, a registered dietitian, worked with JL Fields, a popular vegan chef and blogger, to offer both nutrition information and recipes to support healthful vegan eating.

cooking

The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon has a wonderful mix of delicious recipes for any time or season, beautiful photos and an incredibly helpful introduction detailing the contents of a vegan pantry and kitchen tools and equipment. Her blog is fantastic as well: ohsheglows.com.

Chef Mary Mattern (aka Nom Yourself) has made a name for herself on Instagram making vegan food look beautiful and scrumptious. She now has a gorgeous vegan cookbook full of fantastic recipes, Nom Yourself: Simple Vegan Cooking.

Pure Vegan by Joseph Shuldiner is an absolutely beautiful cookbook, and one of the very first that I fell in love with.

As noted above, Colleen Patrick Goudreau has numerous great cookbooks as well. Learn more at joyfulvegan.com.