Like many other omnivores, New York Times health columnist Tara Parker-Pope was inspired by former US President Bill Clinton’s journey from a deadly, meat-centric, junk-heavy diet to a life-saving vegan one. “After all,” she writes, “if a man with a penchant for fast-food burgers and Southern cooking could go vegan, surely I could too.”

As many new vegans do, Ms. Parker-Pope found that merely modifying her favorite animal-based dishes with processed, plant-based imitations of the meat and dairy products was often unsatisfying. Instead of giving up, though, she dug deeper and struck gold. Speaking with many vegans, including vegan chefs and authors, and trying their suggestions, she discovered the richly rewarding world of creative vegan cuisine and found new dishes she liked even better than her old meat and dairy favorites.

In her new article in the New York Times, she describes her journey and offers some mouth-watering menu ideas with links to recipes that passed her own taste tests. She also provides a list of recommended replacements for animal ingredients such as butter, eggs, and cheese, including a discussion of the uses for nutritional yeast.

Most seasoned vegans will agree with her conclusion that going vegan is a learning process with many rewards along the way. The most successful transitions to a vegan diet are those that embrace the journey as a process of exploration and discovery. We applaud Ms. Parker-Pope for going for it, and for sharing her story with the world.

You can read the full article on the New York Times website here.

Have you written about your own learning on the path to a vegan diet and lifestyle? If so, you can share it on our Facebook page.