Who’s behind Learner Vegan?
“Welcome! I’m Katy, the creator of Learner Vegan.
Enjoying a delicious vegan cocktail in Tenerife
My journey into veganism began when I was 12 years old. Before that, like most kids I never thought about where food came from, I just ate what I was given. But challenging thoughts crept in. Why was it fine to eat bacon but not my pet cat? The whole concept of eating animals confused me.
A family member lived on a small farm and allowed me to take care of a lamb. I called her Snowy, bottle fed her, cuddled her. One day I visited and Snowy wasn’t there. She was served up as a meal. I was devastated. Horrified even! Soon after, I saw a documentary at school on slaughterhouses – that finished me off. From then on, I was a vegetarian.
I’d never heard of veganism at this point. Like many, I thought it was an extreme way of living – restrictive and difficult. What was wrong with eggs and milk? It wasn’t until I started a new job at age 24 that I met my first vegan. She was healthy, happy and brought wonderful food into work. I asked many questions around veganism and she explained the concept in a friendly way. She didn’t judge me or tell me to become vegan. I came to that conclusion by myself, thankfully!
Me after a steep climb at the Lake District
I didn’t have a big epiphany. I don’t even have a ‘veganniversary’ like many people. I started the transition slowly. Firstly, switching from cow’s milk to plant milk in meals, drinks and cereal. Then I stopped eating dairy chocolate. The hardest part was cutting out cheese and eggs as there weren’t as many vegan alternatives back then, but after a while it was second nature.
…So as you may have guessed, I was vegan before I had children.
I ate my fruits and veggies, but I also ate a LOT of junk. Call it a ‘balanced’ diet – oops. Unfortunately, even vegans can get their hands on crisps, chocolate and fried foods! To be honest, as a new vegan I didn’t know a lot about nutrition, or how food directly impacted your health and energy levels.
I always struggled with poor complexion, fluctuating mood and energy levels, but when I had my first daughter this was amplified. The more I researched, the more I knew I needed to change the way I ate!
I wanted her to have healthy habits and a good relationship with food.
I wanted to set a positive example.
And I wanted to feel a bit more human.
I did my research, I got support, I put the effort in. But it was also tough as preparing healthy foods was more time-consuming. I had a baby, a job, and a husband who ate meat. I had to learn a lot of hacks along the way!
Now? I’m a pro at making nutritious meals that the whole family loves, but are quick and easy too! No counting calories, no dieting full stop. I’m passionate about helping moms ditch the junk food and embrace a healthy vegan diet, because I know it can make a real difference to their lives.”
Do you want to get started too?”
