There are so many exciting things going on today, I can hardly contain myself.
First, I’m happy to reveal the official Canadian cover of my cookbook at long last!
What do you think? As you may know, I have a long, passionate history with parfaits so I think it’s quite fitting. I love how fresh, healthy, and colourful the cover is. The U.S. cover, while super fresh and colourful too, is completely different. I’ll be showing you that cover in a future post.
Some fun facts about the book:
- More than 100 vegan recipes – including over 95 gluten-free recipes!
- Around 100 full-colour, full-page photos
- 8×10 inch trim size
- Very nice paper quality and thickness
- A huge vegan pantry section detailing all of the main ingredients I use
- 10 recipe chapters: Breakfast; Smoothies, Juices, and Tea; Appetizers; Salads; Soup; Entrees; Sides; Power Snacks, Desserts, and Homemade Staples
For more info on the book and where you can pre-order online, please see this page. I’ll be updating it with other retailers soon!
A little story for you – this cover photo wasn’t the original parfait photo. When my editor told me that they were selecting my parfait photo for the cover, I panicked a little. You see, when I shot the photo I wasn’t planning on it being the actual cover photo and even though I liked the shot, I would’ve spent more time styling it had I been shooting for a cover. It’s like your significant other telling you that you are going out to a nice restaurant and then you find out you are actually going to dine with the Royals. No matter what you had on, you probably still feel underdressed. You feel me? So, I persuaded my editor to let me reshoot the cover, even though I knew they were in a big time crunch. Promising it would be back by the end of the day, I raced around town to assemble my props and ingredients, baked the granola, meticulously styled the parfait, and spent a long time trying to get the perfect angle I needed for the cover.
I had a laptop tethered to my camera so I could see the incoming shots and another laptop next to that one with the original parfait photo on the screen. If it wasn’t the perfect angle with the right amount of space for the title (after being cropped to 8×10” trim), I knew it wouldn’t be accepted. I also took the same shots with about 4 different spoons because I couldn’t decide which one looked best. Some things never change!
Thankfully, we all ended up loving this photo more than the original so it was worth the extra effort.
This concludes my Canadian cover story. :)
As it turned out, I ended up re-shooting tons of recipes in the book, especially the photos that I shot early in 2012. My photos have changed a lot in a year so the ones I shot in 2012 stuck out like a sore thumb and were driving me crazy. If I write another book, I’ll try to shoot the photos as close together as possible (probably near the end since I ended up re-testing many recipes anyway) so my style doesn’t change too much.
5 Years
Today also marks this blog’s 5th birthday! Oh how they grow up so fast. My very first post, Boo, was written on October 31, 2008. Here is the very first thing I said on my blog 5 years ago:
“Am I ever glad it’s FRIDAY!!! What a long and exhausting week.”
and then I talked about the weather. Oh boy. Some things never change.
It’s hard to believe I’ve shared almost 500 vegan recipes since then. I’m often asked by friends and family if I’m ever sick of creating recipes and taking pictures, but if anything, delving into something so much has only increased my interest for it. Sure, some days I want nothing to do with it, but thankfully that’s rare. I can honestly say that I love what I do and you, my lovely readers, are a huge reason why. It’s been really fun to get to know many of you and be a part of this community. Even if we’ve never met, I hope that some day we do.
Each year, I feel like I can trust my instincts in the kitchen more. This is something I rarely did when I started out. Everything felt much more rigid and intimidating, but I’ve noticed a real shift in recent months. I thank the cookbook for really pushing me out of my comfort zone. It’s starting to feel more enjoyable, especially with photography. I’m learning to trust myself (and the food) and this doesn’t just apply to the kitchen, but in many areas of my life. So my advice is not to get discouraged if you are new to cooking (or photography) and feeling overwhelmed, it takes time to feel comfortable!
Eric and I have many fun things planned for the future of this blog, starting with our very first vegan recipe app that will be launching soon. Eric is building it on his own and I am helping with the design work and recipe uploading. It’s going to feature the popular recipes from this site as well as totally new recipes you won’t find on this blog. We’re hoping to release it by the holidays, but I won’t make any promises yet!
Aside from some new projects, I want to keep growing as a writer, recipe developer, and food photographer. The saying, the more you learn, the more you realize how little you know, rings true. And that’s exactly why I don’t get bored with it. Most of all, I want this blog to continue to be a place of inspiration for a compassionate plant-based lifestyle. Every time I hear from a reader who has fallen in love with a recipe or got their meat-and-potatoes dad hooked on veggie burgers, it really makes me feel like I’m on the right path doing what I should be doing. Who knows what I’ll be doing in 10 or 20 years down the road, but for now this feels right and I couldn’t be happier to be here.
I’ll leave you with this…
We decided to go with a cat theme this year. Sadly, I can only take credit for the gut-scooping. Eric is the master carver (and crazy cat man, obviously).
If you are looking for last-minute Halloween recipes, see this page. I have lots of recipes from vegan candy (think homemade Twix, Rolos, etc) to dips, soups, and everything in between!
Happy Haunting!
Awesome! A beautiful cover indeed. Congrats to all your hard work and dedication on this project.
I rarely ever comment- but I don’t know why! I found your blog 3 years ago, and have read it consistently since then. Whenever I want to be inspired for a weekend of cooking, I go to your blog. And I am not even vegan! I hope you don’t mind if I occasionally “unvegan” your recipes! I love the fresh produce, and your pictures always make me want to eat my veggies :)
Congratulations on 5 years. I hope you keep it going for a long time in the future… I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed the consistency of your posts over the past year! Looking forward to owning your cookbook.
Angela, you are awesome. Congratulations. You have earned it. I love this blog and visit it a few times a week for inspiration. You have helped me out of a cooking rut on numerous occasions. Not only that, I appreciate your wit and warm heart and the obvious care you put into creating excellent recipes and presenting them in a way that makes me HAVE to try them. Thank you!
I was just thinking about your book this morning, as I was going through my old recipes and replacing them with print-out recipes from your website. I can’t wait for your book’s release! Your blog has completely transformed the way that I make and bake desserts–and I also have many of your recipes in our rotation of meals. Your blog has made healthy, vegan eating very accessible. Thank you from South Dakota!
Happy Halloween, Your food typology is elusively foreign to so many, but is so dimensionally organized . Thé food you produce has such à beautiful function- Health as a whole. I check your blog daily to keep up. Your work is celestial – good job
Seriously you are such an inspiration!!!! It’s hard to believe you’ve only been at it five years…when you compare your photography skills and they look worlds apart and I mean that in the best way possible! Incredible! I’m always in awe of your beautiful pictures and amazing recipes! Keep up the good work!
Good Job
So excited…can not wait for your recipe book! The blog world is so strange. I have been following your blog for a year now and I feel as if I know you personally :). Thank you for all this hard work. It is helping so many (like myself!).
Have a Happy Halloween :)!
<3 Cristal
So excited, I can hardly wait. You have kept me motivated to stick with vegan for the past year
Congratulations on five years! I love reading your blog because you have such a wonderful positive energy that I can feel right through my computer screen (and I love your recipes, of course). Thank you for all your hard work. I’ve already pre-ordered your cookbook!
Sooooooo excited for March! I just pre-ordered on amazon!
Thanks for your support Jodie!
The Canadian cover is gorgeous and a parfait is perfect for you!
Congrats on the book and on 5 years of blogging. You are truly an inspiration!
The Canadian cover is outstanding–I’m a little sorry I’m American! This is a cover that would leap off a book display with its fresh appeal.
I absolutely love the cover and cannot wait to get the cookbook. Congrats on such a wonderful accomplishment!
Gorgeous cover – I’d say you got the perfect shot! I am so excited for this to come out. Is it next spring yet!? :)
As an American reader, I feel obliged to point out that the American cover will not be colourful. It will be colorful. ;-) Can’t wait!!
Oh I will DEFINITELY be buying your cookbook!!! I can’t wait until it comes out!
It’s beautiful!! Absolutely perfect.
The cover is beautiful and I think you picked the perfect spoon! Congratulations!
Congratulations! It looks great and I cannot wait for the book to come out. I keep sharing with your sister that I feel a wee bit like a stalker and poke around on your blog all the time. Thanks so much for all your yummy and creative healthy recipes!
So awesome! It is absolutely beautiful. What a huge accomplishment — a well deserved one!
Angela, congratulations!! I think you are doing just what you are meant to be doing – you have a special gift! Anyways, I was just signing on to tell you that I made both your homemade Twix bars (after a hugely successful debut last Halloween) and your homemade Rolos this year. OMG, you would think you are actually eating a Rolo, but SO. MUCH. BETTER! I am so glad I’ve found your site. Your recipes are incredible, and your enthusiasm and positive attitude for life really comes through in your posts. Thank-you so much for doing what you do – your wonderful food has really made a difference in my life!
Congratulations. I am pretty sure I have read almost every post of yours (I started a few years late but backtracked) and am sad to say that I only recently started acknowledging how relatable and enjoyable your posts are. I cannot wait to purchase your cookbook and I hope to attend a signing if you do end up having some. You should be so proud, as I am sure you are, of your dedication to your blog and also your cookbook.That’s amazing that you were the photographer of the cover page. I’m ready to dive into reading and that parfait looks scrumptious enough to devour as well.
Happy Anniversary Angela and congrats on the book from Texas!!! I am so excited for you and I’ve put in for my pre-order. I can’t wait to see it in real life. :)
Congratulations!! I can not wait for the release!
Congratulations on 5 years, and I love your book cover :) I’ll have to pick between Canadian and US when I eventually place an order from Australia (presuming shipping eventually comes to Australia, which I really hope it does!).
I’m so happy for you! Can’t wait for your book. Your blog was the one that lead me to finally take the plunge & become a vegetarian. i’m slowly cutting out cheese & eggs and i know your book & blog will help me with that.
Congratulations Angela! I can’t wait to buy the book, and have been waiting eagerly ever since you announced it on your website. Out of all the food blogs I look (read: drool) at, yours is the one I consistently cook from and am inspired by!
Congratulations Angela! You must be very proud :) The cover looks great (and the pumpkins too – I’m a terrible carver: my pumpkins always end up with a goofy grin lol!)
xx
Have followed your blog for over 2 yrs and have many a printed recipe on little pieces of scrap paper, backs of old receipts and gone thru printer ink a few times! Yes, I need this cookbook!
Fantastic, Angela! Can’t wait to have your book in my sticky, powdery, in-the-zone cooking hands! I only have two blogs I refer to with my vegan/raw lifestyle and I have to tell you, I eat WAY MORE VARIETY of foods with all your recipes than I ever did with the same ol’ chicken and fish stuff. Let’s not get into how awesomely healthy I feel not eating animals anymore! You are a blessing to my life. Namaste
Happy Anniversary, Angela! And very well done to you on your gorgeous book! I’ve been blogging for almost one year and whenever I need inspiration I always pop over to your site… your photos ARE by far the best vegan food photos that I’ve seen… anywhere. Good for you for hanging in there over the years and honing the unique craft of vegan food blogging. I know how challenging it can be :)
CONGRATULATIONS and may the future continue to reward you with well-deserved success.
Congratulations on the fifth anniversary of your blog! So many wonderful recipes. I love the Canadian cover choice for your cookbook. Your food photos are amazing. I’ve pre-ordered it and can hardly wait to receive it.
Love the cover – the current berries (they are currents right?) were a great touch – rustic, fun colors, yummy parfait. I do want a copy of your book…..how do I preorder again?
Keep up the lovely recipes and fab blog….just love your style!
Catt in Kentucky
Wow, I must say the cover looks amazing! I am so happy for you and will for sure be pre-ordering your book. I LOVE that you will be haveing over 100 photos. I find photos really make a book and those cookbooks that have lots are usually the only cookbooks I buy.
Side note: I bought Isa Chaundrys new book and like it but the photos are meh, the food styling looks too busy and odd to me. I worked as a food photographer for about 8 years in the 90’s and met many food stylists but I found some of the ones in her new book amauture looking. Note: I love Isa and her new book is great!
Happy Anniversary! I just pre-ordered 4 copies of the book, I want to share your talent with friends too! We’re really looking forward to the release date. As I ordered in the US I have seen the cover, I kinda wish I had the Canadian cover though as I’m also a big fan of parfaits ;-) I have been following your blog for 3 years – without you I know I would not be as healthy as I am…so, THANK YOU!!!!
Hi Julia, Wow thank you so much for the pre-order! I hope you all enjoy it. :)
Today is my 2-year vegan anniversary and some of your recipes have definitely helped make the journey easier for me, so thank you for sticking with this blog! Congrats on your book! The cover looks awesome and I’m definitely jealous of your photography skills (and the fact that you get natural light in your house! ha). I hope one day my blog will be as fabulous as yours :)
Congrats on your 2 year vegan-iversary (did I just type that!?) haha. I’m off to check out your blog :) Thanks for your kind words!
Many Congrats..the book looks gorgeous! I enjoy your blog very much..always inspiring and beautifully done.. and I wish you much success with your book and all that you do!
Victoria
Thank you so much Victoria :)
Congratulations Angela! Your blog is such an inspiration :-) Even if I have never met you, you seem like such a beautiful woman! Keep creating!
Stay well,
With love,
Amelia
Congratulations!!! I cannot wait to buy it. Your blog was the very first one I started following and my introduction to the blog world. Glad to follow along with you on your journey.
Once again really happy for you and cannot wait to try all the recipes.
Have a fantastic weekend.
Oh I cannot wait for your book! I hope I will be able to buy it in the USA very soon too! I honestly hardly eat or cook anybody elses vegan recipes than yours! Your recipes are always good, they always turn out and they ALWAYS taste amazing!
Thank you so much for making my cooking at home so much easier and tastier! <3
I am so beyond excited for this cookbook! I have a “Big Black Book” of recipes at home which I would say is 50% your stuff, printed off the site. Definitely pre-ordering. The cover looks great!:)
I am so excited for your cookbook to come out and I love the cover! I’m sure the U.S. version will be just as brilliant. And also congratulations on five wonderful years of blogging. I cannot imagine how accomplished you must feel right now and can only hope that I will see those numbers sometime.
Congratulations!
I have been following your blog for a couple years now and every recipe I make is always amazing :)
I am very excited to get your cookbook into my kitchen.
Thank you for all your handwork, it is appreciated.
Thank you Kristen! So happy to hear you are enjoying everything.
Angela,
I wrote you a while back about how discovering your blog and recipes has changed my whole perspective and approach to food. I am a very active senior citizen and had tried many times to transition to a mostly vegetarian lifestyle for my health. The food I had to choose from just did not appeal, but when I discovered you and your meticulous approach to your recipes I have been hooked!! Even though you must be driven crazy by just the right spoon for the photo shoot (which cracked me up), believe me, this type of work ethic and commitment shines through in your creative recipes and the hours you spend perfecting them for your followers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I check here every day and everything I have ever made has been 4 stars or above.
Marlene (P.S. I don’t leave many comments, but have to give praise where it is so deserved.)
Congrats fellow Canuck!! I am so proud of you. I totally understand when you share how nervous or excited you are about things. We seem to share the same temperment so I can almost feel your emotions. (I hope that does not come off as creepy–not what I am trying to convey at all-lol). In any case, this blog has literally helped me on my vegan journey and I am excited for all the time you share with us.
Now that cover is so pretty! My friend and I (who both are Brampton-ites) are beyond excited for this cookbook. I am actually heading over to pre-order mine right now. Thank you for sharing!
Felicidades Angela!! I have never looked so forward to a cookbook in my life! Haha I cannot wait to have you in my kitchen and make every recipe in that book. There is something about having a book in your hand rather than an iPad that makes cooking more “homey”…Your recipes are better than any Julia Child wanna-be!
You are the sweetest! Thanks for the smile :)
Ang, that cover is absolutely STUNNING and SO you!
Though I don’t have a blog or cook professionally, I cook A LOT and spend hours in the kitchen almost every day. I started cooking around the same time you started this blog, and, like you, I have recently really started to trust myself and my instincts in the kitch (and other aspects of my life). I’m not taking things as seriously as I used to (I, too, was VERY rigid when cooking, following recipes word for word) and just having so much more fun. I’ve been more successful with my creations than I ever thought I would by just “winging” it and am just enjoying it so much more than ever before. Even when things don’t turn out exactly as planned, I can always turn it into something delicious. It’s amazing how much can fall into place when you listen to and trust in yourself.
I’m so glad you’re heading towards the place you want to be and that things are working out so splendidly for you. You must be so proud of yourself for all the things you’ve accomplished so far, especially your cookbook! Congratulations and good luck with the rest of your journey!
Happy Blogiversary! And congrats on the cover! It is beautiful. I’m so excited for the cookbook, and know it’ll be my main go-to, just like your blog is for me. I’ve been reading Oh She Glows for almost four years now, and don’t know what I’d do without it! Thanks for making food and cooking a genuine joy.
Also, I think it’s so wonderful and sweet how you and Eric collaborate on these projects together. He seems to be a real strong backer for your career, and that’s fantastic. So congrats on your partnership, too!
So exciting!!!! Congratulations miss Angela! I am so happy and very proud of you!! YOU rock!! do ella