Welcome to Veggie on a Penny.  We want this blog to give you exactly what our name says: healthy vegan recipes that won’t break the bank.  We created this blog to share the knowledge we’ve learned about being vegan through trial and error.  Most of our recipes use ingredients that you already have in your kitchen, and each dish will cost just a few dollars or less to make. If we use any ingredients that may be less common, we will always try to add a link to a place where you can purchase them.  

Hi, my name is Kristi. I love food. I love experimenting in the kitchen. I’ve been vegetarian since I was five. My parents decided it would be good for our family’s health.  On top of that, the animal cruelty in the meat industry is appalling. When I was fourteen, I decided to go a step further and become vegan. I was happy to shed a few pounds that had been hanging around for a while that didn’t need to be there. Then in my twenties, I decided to give whole foods plant based (wfpb) eating a try. Basically, this diet emphasizes using strictly whole grains and whole grain products, not using oil, no refined sugars, and in general no refined foods. Another emphasis is adding in as much fruits, veggies, and especially green leafies as possible. More than ever I felt optimal energy, slept better, and lost more weight.

I found it so much easier to stay at a good weight since I wasn’t eating so much fat from dairy. For me, becoming vegan was a little overwhelming. Most recipes I found had stuff I had never heard of, most of which were pretty expensive and kind of hard to find. A lot of recipes would cost in the $10-$20 range!  It’s hard to change the way you eat when it’s expensive and complicated. I want to share the simple, inexpensive recipes that I’ve learned over time with you.

By profession I’m a nurse, but now I spend my days chasing after two energetic children. My husband, Ryan, is a huge support to me in the technical elements of running this blog and can also enjoy his time dabbling in the kitchen as well.

We hope that you enjoy our homemade vegan recipes. Our hope is that our simple and inexpensive recipes will help you enjoy a life full of the health and energy you’ve been looking for.