Emma possesses a deep passion for veganism, a lifestyle she wholeheartedly embraced nine years ago. Her journey into veganism was not a mere whim but a well-thought-out choice rooted in her curiosity and a strong desire to make a positive impact on the world. Her exploration of veganism began when she discovered a few of her favorite YouTube creators who were advocates of this lifestyle. Intrigued by their choices, she embarked on a quest for knowledge.
With dedication and an open mind, Emma delved into extensive research, watching influential documentaries like “Forks over Knives” and “Cowspiracy.” Through these documentaries and her own self-education, she gained a profound understanding of the ethical, environmental, and health implications of her dietary choices. It was during this process that she realized the undeniable harm that often accompanies conventional food production practices.
Meatless Movement had the opportunity to chat with her recently.
Emma’s journey is a testament to her evolving consciousness and unwavering commitment to making ethical choices in her life. Her love for exploring vegan restaurants worldwide and recreating her favorite dishes at home showcases her culinary creativity and dedication to her chosen lifestyle. Emma’s story is one of personal growth, compassion, and the pursuit of a better world, one vegan meal at a time.
Tell us more about yourself, please
My name is cand I was born and raised in Vancouver and moved to Toronto when I was 18. I have lived in Toronto for the past 5 years and love exploring vegan restaurants all over the world and recreating my favourite dishes at home. I have a bachelors degree in Sociology and criminology and currently work in the sales industry.
I have been vegan for 9 years now. A few of my favourite youtube creators at the time where vegan and I was curious why. I began researching, watching documentaries (Forks over Knives, Cowspiracy) and educating myself on what it meant to be vegan and why people made this choice.
Once I realized the harm that went into the food I was eating, I no longer felt comfortable eating that way. It did not sit right with me that someones life should have to end just for me to eat a meal.
Growing up in Vancouver I was fortunate to have many vegan options available at restaurants. However, at the time there were not almost no vegan substitutes. I had to get very creative in the kitchen and being vegan has made me become a great cook.
A tip for eating out at a non vegan place would be to always look at the menu prior and plan some options. If nothing is specifically marked vegan you can always phone the restaurent and ask. I have always found staff extremely helpful in recommending options on and off the menu.
When eating out with friends I would often pick a place that had specifically labeled vegan options, as well as non veg options for my friends so that we could all get what we wanted.
When I first went vegan I struggled with people eating meat around me, it made me emotional and I couldn’t understand why people would choose to do that. Overtime I have realized you can’t force people not to eat meat, the best thing to do is educate with understanding and show people how declious food is without animals or animal products.
If someone is not ready to be vegan I would suggest realistic substitates to them, so that they can find comfort in the similar flavours and textures without being completely outside of their comfort zone. At the end of the day, veganism is not about being perfect, it is about harm reduction.
Living in Toronto now I am spoiled for choice when eating out! My all time favourite would have the be Avelo. Avelo is a fine dining vegan restaurant that offers a 5 or 8 fixed course menu. The food is always season, delicious and very creative! It is the perfect place to celebrate a special event.
For everyday eating, I love the variety that Kensington Market has to offer. Eat Nabati, Gus Tacos, Green’s Vegetarian are all delicious and cost effective staples for me. Dessert has the be Honeys Ice Cream, hands down the best vegan ice cream to exist. Brunch I would recommend Revelstoke for the best vegan Benedict.
For all my Vancouver people, I would recommend Meet (ultimate comfort food destination). I crave this all the time and it is always my first stop when I visit. My go to is the Mac & Cheese Burger!
The biggest misconception about not eating meat is protein. The first questions everyone asks is “where do you get your protein?”. There are so many sources of plant protein, tofu, beans, protein pasta, hemp seeds, etc.
As someone who works out a lot, I eat around 80 grams of protein a day and it is not hard to hit my goal. Another misconception is that vegans have a limited choice of food. Rather than eating the same 5 animals, there are 1000s of plants, legumes, seeds and nuts to eat and cook with!
To someone trying to cut out meat I would say focus on what you can eat vs what you can’t. If you love chicken wings, try making buffalo cauliflower. If you love burgers, try out a beyond meat burger.
You can still eat all your favourite dishes and similar favours, just without the meat. If you like to eat pizza and burgers everyday, you don’t suddenly have to only eat salad!
Being vegan is extremely important to me. Not only is it impactful to the planet and the animals but it also has had a huge effect on my health. I get sick less often, my asthma went away and my skin cleared up. I would recommend it to everyone!
Toronto Vegan
Vegan foodie based in Toronto sharing the best local spots, meal prep, recipes, and vegan travel content 💓
all images courtesy of Toronto Vegan