Introducing people to the wonderful world of plant based cooking

Jackie is a 33-year-old vegan from Chicago, IL, and currently residing in TN. Although she was mainly a vegetarian for several years, Jackie never thought about going vegan until her sister decided to try it. Initially, she considered herself an animal lover, but never fully understood the horrors of the dairy industry until she watched some documentaries that changed her perspective.

Since then, she has been vegan for over six years and never looked back. Jackie has discovered that her food tastes better than ever before and she doesn’t even miss cheese, despite being a self-proclaimed cheese lover. With her passion for animal rights and delicious plant-based cuisine, Jackie is an inspiration for anyone looking to adopt a vegan lifestyle.

Meatless Movement recently had a chance to chat with her.

Tell us more about yourself, please

My name is Jackie. I’m 33 years old. I’m originally from Chicago, IL but currently live in TN & I’ve been vegan for 6+ years. I’d been probably 98% vegetarian for several years before that (only eating meat during Thanksgiving/Christmas) & never really thought much about going vegan. Like a lot of people I considered myself a “animal lover,” never worn leather or fur, but I was one of those people who looovveeddd cheese 🤪.

One year my sister decided to try vegan & I chose to go along for the ride too. Watching some documentaries about the horrors of the dairy industry made me never want to contribute to it in any way again. Plus I discovered my food actually tasted better than it ever had before, not to toot my own horn, & I in fact did not really miss cheese that much after all! And I’ve never looked back.

We had a vegan cinnamon roll shop that actually opened up here a few years ago, the only vegan place in the whole area, & I ended up working there for almost 2 years. I started as a baker & was quickly promoted to lead baker, assistant manager, & then took over as store manager for about 9 months. I absolutely loved the job because it combined my passions for baking & veganism into one!

I was actually the only vegan who worked there, but would cater work meetings once a month for the whole staff. My coworkers were obsessed with my food & that made me feel so good to be able to show everyone it’s so much more than “grass” lol. I ended up resigning from the job back in September because of stress/burnout, but it still has been my favorite job i’ve ever had. Be able to sell & share delicious vegan food in such a meat-focused area of the country was very rewarding.

rolled hundreds of thousands of cinnamon rolls in my day 😅

Luckily I love cooking & curating new recipes!
jackie

I live up a mountain with the nearest grocery stores being anywhere from 20 mins-1+ hour away depending on tourist traffic. As far as eating out, the closest to vegan options we have is Mellow Mushroom pizza or basic Olive Garden 😬, so I cook every single meal from home.

I like knowing & controlling what goes in my food. I’m all about balance when it comes to cooking, a good mix between healthy & junky…we do only live once as they say! I’ve been cooking & baking for as long as I can remember.

My sister & I would play restaurant when we were kids & create menus/recipes. It’s always been my dream to write/publish a cookbook & I’m finally pushing myself out of my comfort zone to do it, even if I only end up selling like 5 copies. 🤣

crunchy bbq cauliflower wings with seasoned potato wedges

Swedish neatballs with garlic mashed potatoes & mushroom gravy — Swedish meatballs with garlic mashed potatoes & mushroom gravy

cashew cheeze stuffed chile relleno with seasoned rice & refried beans

What is an effective way to introduce veganism to others without being preachy or expecting perfection?

While the definition of veganism is pretty clear cut, I feel how we present it to people is very important. When it comes to introducing the lifestyle to others who may not be familiar, I think it’s more impactful for 100 people who can do something part of the time or most of the time instead of 1 person who’s “perfect” 100% of the time. In my opinion, it turns a lot of people away when veganism comes across too preachy or expects perfection.

At the end of the day the main goal should always be about the animals, the oppressed, the planet, etc. If we can get people to eliminate meat and/or dairy, etc from their diet for 1 day a week, it can turn to 30 days, 6 months, a year, a lifetime…I believe that can lead to the most lasting change. As cliche as it sounds, everyone has their own journey!

Find me on instagram to follow my journey with food & life! My food page is @jackievegeats & personal page @jackiegeeze. I hope to be releasing my cookbook(s) in the near future 🤞. My first book will be focused on comfort foods & delicious easy meals & dishes for people new to plant-based foods and seasoned vegans alike.

Few things bring me more joy than cooking for people & sharing my food with others so this has been a labor of love to create & I can’t wait to hopefully share it with the world. 💚