Simple and Delicious Vegan

Why Am I Vegan

I went vegan in September 2011 after suffering from severe acne in adulthood. At the time, I was a vegetarian.

Before I went vegan, I was looking for all possible remedies to cure my skin condition, because it was clear to me, at that time, that I could NEVER go vegan! I loved cheese and dairy products way too much! But my despair was so strong that I finally took the plunge and went vegan. And lo and behold, the acne disappeared after a couple of weeks!

I have always loved animals very much, and therefore, stopped eating meat at the age of six, together with my sister.

The documentaries I saw many years later about animal suffering (and the impact on the environment) broke my heart, and since then I am 100 percent convinced that going vegan was the best decision in my life. I am proudly an ethical vegan, and I enjoy helping people embrace veganism by sharing my delicious plant-based recipes with them.

I can't imagine eating any other way anymore. Veganism isn't a diet for me, it is a complete life transition that has changed me in many positive ways. I feel a much greater connection to nature and spirituality and am very grateful for that.

I know and completely understand that not every person can or wants to eat 100 percent plant-based. But I hope to inspire you to try out more plant-based meals and maybe even add them to your rotation.

Ela is a passionate food blogger, recipe writer, food photographer, and the creator of ElaVegan.com. She loves to cook healthy, vegan food that is also gluten-free. She currently resides in Costa Rica.

In 2015, her creativity led her to Instagram, where she began spreading her passion for healthy plant-based dishes. She has helped many people transition to veganism with her recipes, which is something that is truly near and dear to her heart. At first, she started posting her recipes in Instagram captions, but once her Instagram family grew, people asked for a food blog, where all her recipes could be bundled in one easily searchable place. At the end of 2016, the ElaVegan blog went live, and it turned out to be more successful than she could ever have imagined.

In 2019/2020, Ela started getting more and more messages, comments, and emails from her Instagram community, asking if she could turn her recipes into a cookbook. And it's finally here... her first cookbook!

"Vais has produced a cookbook that will please foodies and have even the most skeptical omnivores coming back for seconds."
-Elizabeth Majka, Library Journal

"Ela is the queen of vegan cooking: her recipes always work and are delicious, so I am so excited for her first cookbook! This book has so many flavorful dishes that are unique and use simple ingredients. I am also very impressed with the user-friendly layout of Simple and Delicious Vegan, and I love that she included a substitutions section. Impressively, this cookbook provides vegan and gluten-free recipes for every meal from sauces, salads, dinners, soups, snacks, and even desserts. Even if you own other vegan cookbooks, this book is going to be the bible of vegan cooking you'll turn to time and again."
-Dee Dine, creator of the Green Smoothie Gourmet blog and author of two Crazy Healthy with 4 Ingredients vegan cookbooks

"Ela is known for her creative, foolproof, and delicious vegan recipes.Simple and Delicious Vegan are her best recipes yet. From gluten-free pizza crust to coffee chocolate pudding, this book has it all. Both beginner and experienced cooks will get a lot out of it."
-Nisha Melvani, registered dietitian nutritionist and author of Practically Vegan (@cookingforpeanuts)

"I have been following Ela for years and love everything she creates. Her recipes and photography are just beautiful. I love the visual imagery in this book, it is a must-have for anyone looking to incorporate more vegan meals!"
-Francesca Bonadonna, author of Plantiful

"What an incredible book to have in your kitchen! Filled to the brim with tasty and easy recipes like sauces, cheese and bread this is a must have for every one-vegan and not! The photos are stunning and bring her recipes to life. It will give anyone the motivation and incentive to cook from scratch to make tasty and delicious meals!"
-Sarah Kermalli, food photographer, stylist, and recipe developer

"All of these amazing recipes are also