I started this blog in 2015 because I was at a point in my life where I was actually healthy, and I had maintained that health for a few years in a row – something that I didn’t truly think was possible.
I wanted to see if there were others like me out there – who had battled weight loss and then one day finally got it. It finally clicked. All the yoga, all the readings, all the meditation, they all finally paid off. I lost the weight – 70 pounds, to be exact – and got really, really into healthy food.
If you’ve read this blog regularly since then, you know that I lose and gain and lose and gain, and I no longer care. I fluctuate about 10 pounds up and down throughout the year. No biggie. As long as I am healthy, I don’t care if I’m drinking too much wine one week or eating all the cake the next or consuming too many cashews the next. As long as I am mostly healthy, it all balances itself out. I’m a little heavier than I want to be right at this very moment, and yet I know in a few months I’ll even back out to a size that I’m comfortable in. I no longer fret, or really pay attention.
This is a nice place to be in. I hope you are there, too.
The timing of this blog also came about as I was completing my yoga teacher training journey, so a lot of yoga – probably too much for many of you – entered into these pages. My love affair with yoga is simply that – it is all hot and then all cold. I hope to get it back to a normal state, and maybe I will someday. For now, I’m listening and watching.
I also have a very hard time following rules. I don’t want to give up wine or sugar unless it’s a decision I’ve made on my own. As much as I want to love lifestyles like the Ayurveda science, I simply can’t deal with all the rules of eat this/not that for your body type and then I have to do something totally different for my husband, and what if we had kids? Good lord, that stresses me out. So I dropped all my Ayurveda teachings, too. I only follow this rule:
I love animals. And so I don’t eat them.
I don’t eat the products that come from them, either.
That’s all.
Otherwise, we get one life. So I like to think that at the end of it what I’ll remember is making incredible foods for my family and friends. I hope I don’t ever, ever think – I ate too much cake. Who cares? Enjoy the cake.
When I started this blog, it was only my parents who read it, and my husband, and my bestie. Then a few other friends started reading it, and a few of them sent it to other friends. A few of my yoga students read it. And now, people I have never met before read it. And for that, I am so, so grateful.
I get comments and I get emails and people fill out the contact form on my website and I simply cannot believe that. It fills me with so much joy. Thank you all for being here, for reading these words and for trying these recipes. This is what I love doing, and I truly appreciate the support.
Here’s your chosen recipes of 2018 – these are the top 10 recipes you made the most of this year. Next post will be my top 10 of 2018. 🙂
Thank you for reading!
Love, Jen
YOUR PICKS FOR THE TOP 10 WAYFARING VEGAN RECIPES OF 2018
Hands down this is still my most popular recipe year after year! I love it, too. This is the perfect summer birthday cake recipe!
So apparently my desserts are still a hit. Close behind the strawberry cake is this lemon cake. This one is actually the one I prefer – lemon plus strawberry! You can’t go wrong.
These are the most popular of my New Mexican dishes! I am so excited about a few new inspired dishes I’m working on to post in 2019. For now, we’ll have to make due with these. Also, y’all are really into vegan desserts! I was not expecting that. 🙂
4. NEW MEXICAN GREEN CHILE STEW
I’m with you guys! This is one of my faves. So filling and the spices are incredible! Perfect this time of year to curl up by the fire with a big ole bowl of stew, and cornbread.
I am shocked by this one! I looove hummus and falafel and all Mediterranean foods. This is making me realize I need to work on my falafel recipe – so plan for a great side to go along with this in 2019!
Everything about these makes me swoon. I seriously hope y’all who have not tried these give them a try. I got this incredibly sweet surprise comment from a friend last week about these cupcakes, and I’ll include her note here: “I finally got around to making the lemon lavender cupcakes after I had my bestie bring me home culinary lavender from ABQ. THEY ARE SO GOOD. omg. You are a badass.” That’s the sweetest compliment EVER. Thank you!!!
I totally forgot about this salad! This cashew-tahini dressing is sooo creamy and delicious. It’s a great balance to how light and airy this salad is. Thank you guys for reminding me about this one! 🙂
Avocado topped with creamy avocado? Yes, please. Avocado has to be one of the sexiest fruits. And pomegranate. So many my next recipe must combine the two…
It must be time to add some more stir-fry dishes to the blog! The balance of the soy sauce and olive oil and the addition of shallots really make this dish stand out.
I loooove that this one made the top 10! Isn’t this cake divine? So simple and so delicious. OK, you guys are digging the desserts! More to come then. And I’m glad the chair yoga part of this got a little attention too – that is truly my heart’s offering!
What do y’all think about the top 10? Did any of your favorite recipes not make the list? My faves will be coming soon (and you can guarantee the lemon-lavender cupcake will be on it!)