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A Virtual Vegan by Melanie McDonald

Satisfy your comfort food cravings with my trusted and delicious vegan recipes. There's a spot waiting in the AVV community just for you and I'll even send you a free e-cookbook!

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Cookies, Cookies, Cookies πŸͺ

Hi there, Reader It’s a good week to make cookies. The universe wants this for us. I can feel it. These naturally gluten-free and oil-free chocolate chip cookies are made with almond flour, which gives them a uniquely soft, chewy texture and a sweet, buttery flavour. You could literally be stuffing one (or three 🀭) of them in your mouth in less than 25 minutes. They are that quick and easy! GET THE RECIPE πŸ“Œ PIN FOR LATER More Healthier Vegan Cookies: Super Seedy Power Cookies Packed full of...

Hi there, Reader Pudding made with quinoa? You bet! This simple, creamy and milky Quinoa Pudding is made with just a handful of ingredients and is so cozy and soothing. Enjoy hot or cold for a delicious high-protein breakfast, dessert or snack. It's great for meal prep! GET THE RECIPE πŸ“Œ PIN FOR LATER More Puddings: Slow Cooker Coconut Milk Rice Pudding "Absolutely perfect! loved it and will definitely make it again. I highly recommend it to others." - Angie GET THE RECIPE Sweet Potato...

Hi there, Reader Today I'm bringing a little taste of sunshine to your life with my Top 10 lemon recipes. The fact that citrus is in season during the cold winter months is definitely one of nature’s more genius moves! β˜€οΈ #1 - Lemon Cheesecake Overnight Oats πŸ† πŸ“Œ PIN FOR LATER My number one most popular lemon recipe! This really surprised me when I checked my analytics! "Goodness me, this was amazing, almost felt too decadent to eat for breakfast, really woke my tastebuds up and kept me full...

Hi there, Reader The sweet/savoury combo you didn't know you needed! With golden, crispity-crisp crusty bread (I like to use sourdough), extra-virgin olive oil, swathes of dairy-free cream cheese, chili flakes, flaky sea salt, a scattering of fresh or dried thyme and drizzles of vegan hunnie (I use Bee-mindful Hunnie Hot) or maple syrup. It's honestly so incredibly delicious, I can't stop eating it! GET THE RECIPE P.S. No persimmon? This also works really well with ripe pears, peaches, or...

Hi there, Reader Thick and creamy Blueberry Banana Smoothie! It's the most beautiful, very on-brand purple colour, naturally sweetened, and packed with nourishing ingredients! GET THE RECIPE πŸ“Œ PIN FOR LATER More Smoothie: Carrot Cake Smoothie Made with 2 whole carrots and many other wholesome ingredients, it contains 17 grams of plant protein & tastes like dessert! GET THE RECIPE Vegan Green Smoothie The best tasting green smoothie! Stuffed full of healthy ingredients, including spinach, but...

Hi there, Reader Creamy, silky carrot soup with slippy rice noodles and golden shredded tofu! 😍 The kind of bright, cheerful, hearty soup we need to make us feel better in the depths of winter! This recipe is deceptively quick, coming together in less than 30 minutes, and the soup and the tofu can be prepped ahead and stored in the fridge. It's great for meal prep! I feel like some chili oil or chili crisp is a must as a garnish here. Those deep red pops of colour and pops of spicy, smoky...

Hi there, Reader Ooof. Coming back to work this week has been a bit of a shock to the system, but I'm more than ready to get some normalcy, routine, and nourishment back in my life. If you're also easing back into the new year and want some recipes that will help you feel nourished and well-fed without any restriction (we don't do diet culture here at AVV), here are some of my most popular healthier recipes! Vegan Potato Soup πŸ“Œ PIN FOR LATER This soup is known as "The Soup" by quite a number...

Hi there, Reader Drumroll, please...It's time to meet the seriously delicious stars of 2025! These 10 recipes, all published in 2025, are the ones that you made and loved the most. The ones you visited over and over again, raved about in the comments on Facebook, shared pictures and videos of on Instagram, or sent me emails about, saying, "OMG this was so good!" If you haven't tried any of these popular recipes yet, now is your time! At the end, I've also included an honourable mention of a...

Hi there, Reader Side dishes are the unsung heroes of the Christmas dinner table, and here are some last-minute, easy-ish crowd-pleasers that can mostly all be made ahead, work with any main, and will keep everyone happy, vegan or not. I hope you have a wonderfully festive holiday week! Quinoa Cranberry Salad πŸ“Œ PIN FOR LATER This fresh, zippy, festive-looking salad is great for cutting through the richness of your holiday feast. You can make much of it ahead of time, but for ultimate...

Hi there, Reader My vegan French toast casserole is a hugely popular recipe, and over the years, I've had so many people ask me for a savoury version. Well, I've finally done it. My new Vegan Strata is here just in time for Christmas and New Year's brunch! I love this because you can assemble it the night before, then bake it in the morning. So convenient and absolutely delicious! GET THE RECIPE πŸ“Œ PIN FOR LATER Note that stale bread is best for this strata, but if you only have fresh, check...