Big News…..a COOKBOOK!!

The time has finally come to reveal the big news that I’ve been dropping hints about here and there for awhile! I’ve been keeping this secret for months, but I can finally reveal that I’ve been working on The Vegan 8 Cookbook!! Yay! *Cheesy Happy Dance* So many of you all have been asking me for so long and I’m so happy I can now share the details, haha. I will now have this post to refer to anybody who asks. 🙂

Sorry for the cheesy phone picture. I had just printed out my contract and was too excited to share that I’m holding that baby in my hands.

This post doesn’t have a recipe and for that, I’m sorry, but I figured since I promised to tell so many of you all that when I was working on a cookbook, I’d reveal it, I thought this would be the best way since social media is a bit unreliable sometimes and may not see my social media posts about it.

I am beyond excited to reveal that I have signed with Oxmoor House. Signing with them is a dream come true. Oxmoor is the publisher for all of Southern Living Books, Cooking Light, Sports Illustrated, Time Books, etc. I kid you not, I have Southern Living Cookbooks and Cooking Light magazines in my home and have admired their beauty for years, so to have my first book published by them is very humbling.

I have to admit, this decision didn’t come easily to me. I’m super duper selective and I put it off for quite awhile. I’ve had a few different publishers contact me over the past few years and about a year or so ago I decided I better hire an agent to guide me into unsure waters. I knew that I was naive about the business and when another wonderful blogger recommend getting an agent to me, and she herself has published several books, I listened. Oh boy, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. My agent is one of the most hardworking and dedicated people I’ve met and without her, I wouldn’t have the wonderful book deal that I now have today. She has been such a blessing. So, if you are interested in doing a book someday, I can’t recommend enough to get an agent! I also read an article from David Lebovitz on the importance of one too, which just further convinced me. I share this because it helped me immensely and hopefully it can help others, regardless of what type of book.

So, what type of book will it be?? I’m glad you asked! It will be a full-on 100 recipe book featuring a traditional layout. Breakfast, Lunch, Entrees, Sides and Dips, Sauces and Dressings, Soups and Stews and of course, DESSERT. Lastly, a chapter on My Vegan 8 Staple Recipes. This is the only way I wanted to do my first book.

The book will feature almost all NEW recipes while including around 10 of my most popular from the blog and some staple recipes like spice blends and nut butters. I have received many messages about this and feel that my super popular ones, like the Alfredo, need to be in the book.

And of course, the whole book will feature all recipes 8 Ingredients or Less, not including salt/pepper or water or optional garnishes. In other words, just like my blog, lol! So, yes, an entire book where every recipe is no more than 8 main ingredients!! Does that make veganism easy or what?? I’ve already written several recipes but still have a way to go, haha.

Know what else?? EVERY recipe will have a photo, woohoo! So important when wanting to make a recipe to actually see it first, am I right?

Now, let’s make something clear here. Let’s talk dessert! You all know, well most of you who’ve read my blog awhile, know my greatest passion is desserts. The dessert chapter will be AMAZING. It will not be just 8 little recipes. Nope. I’m talking 15-20 desserts. Cakes, brownies, several cookie recipes, ice cream, muffins…the works. Basically, the same thing I do here on my blog. I realize that many people may not love that, but this is what I do and so many of you love that about this blog, so I’m following in the path of my blog for this book. I’ve also seen many readers leave comments on book reviews wishing dessert chapters were bigger or more substantial, so I think it’s important for people to have some great vegan desserts to break out for guests and parties. Simple, easy, comfort food with desserts that always please a crowd, NOT just vegans.

I will be sharing pics of recipes I’m writing on social media to get you all dribbling with drool, so I’m warning ya now. 😉 I also will have a new hashtag on Instagram, #thevegan8cookbook. So be sure to check that out for sneak peaks!

Please let me know below in the comments any questions or comments you have about the book. I’m so excited that I’m sure I have forgotten to mention so many details! The book is set to come out next Fall, so you will all have to be patient. It takes awhile to write a cookbook and produce it, so please be patient with me. Thank you to everybody who has supported me from the beginning and so long and to all of you who make my recipes each day,  THANK YOU. This book is for you guys!

P.S. I will be calling on some taste testers as well, so stay tuned for info on that!

So, to recap, all the recipes will be:

• 100 NEW RECIPES, with the exception of around 10 of my most popular recipes and some staples I always use from this blog.
• ALL 8 INGREDIENTS OR LESS, not including salt/pepper/water or optional garnishes. Just like I already do here on this blog.
• VEGAN
• GLUTEN-FREE, except for maybe less than 5 and even with those, I’m hoping to have gluten-free options. And the ones that are gluten-free, I plan to list a sub version on how to make with regular flour since some like to use regular flour. Trying to make it as universal for everybody as possible.
• OIL-FREE, which means, oil is NOT a listed ingredient. This does not refer to the natural oils that are in nuts or seeds, so please understand that is a difference. I only use whole food fats like nuts, seeds or avocados in my recipes. The ONLY exception to that in just a few recipes for baking where I may use nonstick spray for the pan and for pancakes, nonstick spray for the pan. But that’s it!
• COMFORT FOODS, yet healthy. This will not be a book of salads and smoothies. Sorry, that is not my thing. This will be recipes just like I do here on the blog. Pastas, Comforting and satisfying soups and stews, Filling Entrees, Breakfasts that wow your kids and impress your guests. In other words, don’t expect to see green smoothies and fruit smoothie bowls in the breakfast chapter. Nope, there will be Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins, Fluffy to the moon pancakes. Your guests won’t want to leave, lol. And the dessert chapter, forget-about-it. Just reference to my blog desserts for any hint of how this chapter will be, hahaha! Although, I probably can’t technically call the desserts healthy, since they are desserts, but they ARE oil-free and made without any butters or processed oils.

UPDATE: So many of you have asked about pre-ordering, wow, thank you so much! But, we are VERY early and in the beginning stages. I won’t know any of that until next year I’m sure. I’m in the early stages of writing the book, so it will be awhile. Please be patient with me!!