So here I am...

I can't front, I'm well aware that the phrase "Puerto Rican Vegan" is a full on oxymoron. Yet I can't help but think about all the family members I've seen succumb to heart disease, cancer of every sort, high cholesterol, fatty liver, obesity, diabetes, and the list goes on - simply from enjoying the cultural foods we've been raised on. There is no reason for this to continue. Hence the reason for this blog.

I admit, I'm not 100% tied to my cultural way of eating. For me it was a love/hate relationship. Growing up it embarrassed me to eat arroz con pollo when my friends were eating lasagna. I stuck my nose up at the loving homemade meals and opted for Mickey D's or pizza...the American way. I was, afterall, born and raised on Long Island where fast food reigns and diners are a 24hr sport.

It wasn't until experiencing college dorm life that I really came to appreciate all those meals made with love from the hands of the woman who loved me more than anything. Coming home meant REAL FOOD, and I embraced it with joy. Pastelon, pasteles, empanadas, abichuelas guisadas con papas y arroz blanco, arroz con gandules y bistec, pollo asado, pastelillos de guava, alcapurrias, bacalaitos, guanimes con bacalao, mofongo, sopa de leche, tembleque, budin, ponche...Ah, just saying those words makes me all warm inside.

Fast forward several years where I am now a wife and mother, wanting both to raise my family with culture and healthy habits, we find ourselves here. My reasons for becoming vegan range from health to ethical, but really it all comes down to enjoying this life without imposing harm on myself or other individuals.

My goal with this blog is to take you on this journey with me. I plan on recreating my favorite dishes using plant-based foods, while keeping all the flavor and feel of the original recipes. Lofty goal? Perhaps, but it's worth it (see paragraph 1).

So thanks for reading. I hope I can fulfill my own expectations with this. Welcome to Puerto Rican Vegan.

xoxo