I’m Tomi Makanjuola, a Nigerian-born writer, food blogger and chef who currently resides in the bustling city of London. To find out more about what prompted me to embrace the vegan lifestyle, you can read my story here. My decision to go vegan three years ago while at university has had a remarkable impact on how I live my life today and what I choose to do for a living.
As well as working in a dream job as a chef in a vegan restaurant in Central London, I also develop and share recipes on my website The Vegan Nigerian. When I’m not lost in the world of food, I’m usually scribbling works of fiction. For me, both forms – writing and cooking – allow me to express myself creatively. By allowing these hobbies to inform my career and personal projects, I am able to design a life for myself that overflows with a sense of joy and fulfillment due to doing the things I love every single day.
As the name suggests, The Vegan Nigerian is a space where readers will discover a range of vegan dishes that are inspired by my culture and background. This could be in the form of ‘veganising’ traditional meals or using well-known Nigerian ingredients in new and innovative ways. From time to time, I also like to share product or restaurant reviews in order to introduce readers to new brands or show them what exciting vegan places/things are out there to try. Thanks to the power of the internet and social media, my website has been able to attract a mixed crowd of people who are either fully vegan themselves, looking to reduce their meat consumption, or simply looking to add healthier, plant-based options into their diet.
Growing up in Nigeria, I was constantly surrounded by boldness, fearlessness, colours, and most relevant in this context: flavours! My hope is that the recipes I share are full of this same kind of life, which in turn can show people that vegan food is appealing, fun and worth giving a go. Simultaneously, I want to bring Nigerian cuisine to the fore and give people the chance to discover what I consider to be one of the greatest cuisines in the world (of course!). If people are inspired to go vegan because they see how easy it can be to put flavourful meals together, then my blog would have served its purpose.
Lastly, there are so many wonderful reasons why I would passionately encourage everyone to go vegan. Not only will you see an improvement in your health and energy levels, but you will also be taking a stand against animal cruelty and exploitation. On a larger scale, you would be eating in a way that is sustainable for the environment. It is quite simply a kind and compassionate lifestyle which, far from benefitting only you, benefits the many other lives that dwell on this planet. Look it up; carry out some research; have fun along the way and discover the many, many delicious recipes that prove you do not have to feel deprived by making this decision!
Links
Facebook: www.facebook.com/VeganNigerian
Twitter: www.twitter.com/vegannigerian
Instagram: www.instagram.com/vegannigerian
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/VeganNigerian
Recipe Book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nice-Cream-delicious-dairy-free-recipes-ebook/dp/B00MH868RM
