1. When did you start sharing vegan food content on your blog (and why)?
I began sharing vegan food content around three and a half years ago. I began My Goodness Kitchen for two reasons – firstly, I was home with my daughter and blogging gave me an opportunity to create something that wasn’t about diapers and teething. Secondly, I felt there was a need for
a plant-based resource that provided simple, family-friendly recipes that weren’t too complicated or too ‘vegan’. By that I mean more traditional recipes that were approachable to the average person – not recipes filled with strange and expensive ingredients. I am the only vegan in my family, and I for one only want to make one meal for everyone. Not one traditional dish and a bowl of mung beans for myself.
2. What do you enjoy the most about photographing food?
I love the challenge of trying to capture an image that makes the reader want to reach into the page and grab the food. I have collected cookbooks and food magazines for years, and am so inspired by how a good food photographer and stylist can create and play with light to create food stories that affect and inspire. Every shoot I do I try to create that for my readers.
3. Which recipe has been your favourite to share on your blog (and why)?
I have two favourite recipes for two different reasons. I love my Walk-Away Chickpea Tomato and Spinach Curry recipe because I have had such great feedback from my readers that it is a dish that makes their dinner time a little simpler. It is super easy to make and the whole family loves it. That just makes me so happy. My personal favourite dish is my Vegan Shawarma with Roasted Jackfruit. It is so simple and just so good – my husband LOVES it.
4. Which food trends do you think we will see on social media over the next year?
In the vegan community, I think oyster mushrooms and banana blossom are the new jackfruit. Overall, I think we will see more fusion cooking as creators strive to produce fresh and interesting content. I think we’ll see more Japanese-style burgers, fruity kimchi recipes and Middle Eastern- inspired loaded fries… things like that. It’s exciting.
5. What advice would you give to aspiring food bloggers?
Don’t compare. Blogging is a long game and while some bloggers do attain quick growth for most it takes a while. I have felt disheartened when comparing my blog’s growth to others but, when I take a step back, I remember that. I’ve had my own wins. I published a cookbook within three years of starting my blog, I’ve been published in some great magazines, and I have a lovely dialogue with my readers. I may not have the biggest readership, not even close, but I have engaged readers and that’s what’s important. Learn from others but play your own long game.