THE VEGAN 8 BLOG UPDATE
I have been wrestling with this decision for the past year or so and have finally made one. I’ve been blogging for nearly 9 years (started my first food blog June 2012) and have been running this vegan food blog, The Vegan 8, since October of 2013. I originally created The Vegan 8 because I realized just how many people wanted delicious, but simple and easy recipes that didn’t require a ton of ingredients. I’ve gone over this on my About page. But in short, my concept of 8 ingredients or less recipes (not counting the very basics of salt/pepper/water) began because the recipes that most readers were making were just that, 8 ingredients or less.
I knew that I wanted to reach and help as many people as I could. I knew that my idea was going to help so many, which it has. It has enabled for me to reach hundreds of thousands of people over the years and hear countless testimonies of how my recipes have helped your transition to a vegan lifestyle, get healthier and actually love vegan food.
I’m incredibly grateful to have connected with thousands of you over the years and become friends with several of you. It is a true honor and blessing.
I’ve reached a point now where I feel like my creativity wants to further flourish. A nudging that I can no longer ignore.
My blog has become known as a resource for a few specific niches.
- 8 ingredient concept
- Simple, easy, but incredibly delicious plant-based comfort food
- Oil-free recipes being a big one
- Resource for gluten-free recipes, but them being just as delicious as regular recipes made with traditional flour. This has been one major thing that I’ve heard from thousands-that my gluten-free baked recipes have made you love gluten-free food or helped your kids. Gluten-free baked goods are notoriously known for having awful textures. My years of experience as a baker and commitment to super high standards, has allowed me to create a blog resource for those wanting gluten-free recipes that will wow any eater. I never want people or children to feel like they can’t enjoy a delicious dessert because they cannot have gluten.
- Wholesome plant-based recipes that don’t rely heavily on processed ingredients like fake meats or cheeses. (that you’d buy from the store)
Where I’m at now. I have felt a burning for awhile now to venture out just a bit from my 8 ingredients concept. I receive recipe requests from readers weekly. Some I have to turn down simply because of that. My husband requests recipes as well. Some recipes simply cannot be done at 8 ingredients, without sacrificing my high standards of quality and taste.
For example: Gumbo, Tiramisu, Boston Cream Pie Donuts. These are just examples of requests I’ve received that I have not been able to post due to realizing that they would be impossible to do at 8 ingredients. A true gumbo would need 10-15 ingredients and a Boston cream pie donut has 3 components to it. A Tiramisu is my all-time favorite dessert. That is a multi-layered dessert that would require more than 8.
This doesn’t mean that hundreds of recipes can’t be done at 8, obviously, I’ve been doing it for years, haha. That is the whole reason I started this blog, because I knew I could do it. But this does mean, that certain recipes, cannot. And as I’ve grown over the years as a recipe developer, I want to venture out from time to time.
When I have posted pics of dinners I’ve thrown together, I’ve had requests for the recipe, which I then state it’s more than 8 ingredients, people reply “I don’t care, I want it!” That is a relief to me now.
GOING FORWARD
While I recognize that to many, it was my original 8 ingredient concept that stood out to so many, over the years of building a large reader base, it has been the quality of flavorful recipes that have kept you here. You’ve spread the goodness of your love of my recipes by word of mouth to so many of your friends, family, social media, etc.
So, my plan going forward is to allow myself a little bit extra with some of those recipes that will require a few more, sometimes maybe just 1, maybe 5, who knows, it will depend on the recipe. This way I can share my full creativity with you all. I don’t want to hold back myself any longer.
Plus, one thing that many people have told me over time is that they have followed and made my recipes for a long while and only recently realized the “8” in my blog name meant 8 ingredients and that they were just here for the yummy recipes! Haha.
So, that has made me realize that it is not just my 8 ingredient concept and wholesome ingredients, but the flavors and textures you love about my recipes. Because, let’s be honest, if the recipes were horrible, it wouldn’t matter if they were easy 8 ingredient recipes anyways, right?
DON’T WORRY!
Now, please, I don’t want anybody to panic and think going forward that all my recipes are going to be 10-15 ingredients! No, no, no, no. Most will still be 8 ingredients or less, not counting salt/pepper/water, like always! Because honestly I personally get anxiety over recipes with 10-15 ingredients. Too much work. I like simplicity and ease.
BUT, I have always made an exception to make a recipe with a few more if it’s a great recipe I really want to try. But it’s certainly not a daily thing for me, lol.
This would just be a sometime thing, so I am not changing my blog name or any crazy stuff like that.
I just felt that I wanted to share this with you all and get your thoughts. You readers are the most important thing to me when it comes to blogging.
Additionally, in my next book, I have these exact same thoughts. I will not be advertising my next book as “8 ingredient only” recipes. But rather, many 8 ingredients will be but several will not be. It is so unbelievably frustrating to get reviews on Amazon from people who failed to read the multiple places in the book where I noted that my recipes did not include salt/pepper/water in the 8 ingredients, or obviously anything listed as optional, because, well, it’s optional! Some left me awful reviews hurting my overall rating because they didn’t count properly or read. As an author and a person that works very hard and puts my whole soul into my work, it’s incredibly upsetting. I do not want to go through that again with another book.
MY PROMISE
This small progression of my recipes is simply because of my commitment to not only myself, but also to you because I care so much to give you what you want and ask for. If I didn’t care so much about providing all that I could, I wouldn’t even bother to change anything at all. But I feel sad when I have to turn down a recipe request because it’s not one that could be done at 8 ingredients of high quality.
My recipes will still all be vegan, mostly gluten-free and oil-free, like always. That is not changing. That is who I am and what I love creating. Just some once in a while will have a couple/few of extra ingredients, so I hope you are all okay with that. It will make me happier and feel more free to let my creativity flourish to share with you all. I need to be true to what my heart is tugging at for awhile now.
I feel like change is a must in life if we want to grow, and while this may seem like a small change or a big change to some of you, it has been weighing heavily on my mind since I’ve been writing 8 ingredient only recipes for, well, going into my 8th year now. And they will still almost always have that, but with some extra fancy ones thrown in the mix now!
Love you all so much and thank you for all the support you’ve shown me over the years. I can’t express my gratitude enough.
Can you come up with a vegan meatloaf recipe. I have tried at least 5 recipes and none of them make the cut. LOL
Excited to see your new recipes.
Thank you so much for all your recipes, time and effort. It so appreciated! I made my library director buy your cookbook. It’s wonderful:)
That is so sweet, thank you so much Denise!!
We love your recipes, kindness and generosity to share your recipes. Thank you so much!
Being gluten free and trying to be more mindful about WFPB – your recipes, regardless of the “8” are delicious!! Thank you for sharing your creativity with us!!!
Eight is great, but so is everything else you’ll send our way! Thank you for keeping us inspired by healthy, delicious recipes. Blessings for the journey. xoxo
Brandi, I totally support you. Please go ahead and bring us some more delicious recipes! don’t care how many ingredients, can’t believe some people would take their sweet time to complain about that?!! I have your book and yesterday my daughter made your double fudge chocolate cookies recipe on page 204. It was THE BOMB! Thank you, I appreciate you!
Hi Suzanne! I have listed “See Notes” and that’s where the listed ingredients for the pumpkin spice blend are. It’s 1/4 teaspoon 😊
I just can´t thank you enough for the amazing recipes, of course those with less ingredients are more appealing but really, I just KNOW something WILL be good if it comes from you! I also admire your openness and honesty, you are absolutely lovely! Being able to finally have more time to visit your blog more regularly again fells so good! 🙂
Count me in as another who loves the recipes and the effort you go to make them great. I don’t care about the number of ingredients, I really appreciate your creativity and passion and the fact that the recipes are oil free, mostly gluten-free as well as being plant based.
I love all the creations you make regardless of how many ingredients it requires. I am very grateful that I found your blog because you have raised the bar to the next level on our plantbased lifestyle. We share all your creations and even your cookbook to our non-vegan friends whom we have wowed by all your magical creations! Thank you for all you do! More power and don’t let the name nor number of ingredients hold you back. Now get that wand and make some magical creations!!!!
You go girl!!!!
Do what makes it the most fun and creative for you!
A follower for life!!!
Hi Brandi!
Our family loves your recipes! For us, the vegan AND gluten-free is super important since we don’t eat gluten. Let your creativity soar! We can’t wait to see what new recipes you create. 😍😍😍😍😍
Brandi, I will make your recipes if they’re 8 ingredients or 58. I I think you’re making a wise decision and can’t wait to see what you come up with!
I am so happy to hear the wonderful news. I have followed your blog for years. I have your cookbook. ANYTHING I make of yours has been nothing short of amazing. I look forward to the many new recipes to come! Thank you for doing what you do!!!
Oh my goodness I am SO excited! I made both your tortilla bake and magical cookie bars the last two days and thought to myself, “I wonder what Brandi could do if she used more than 8 ingredients?” You’re about to create some next level magic!! Use as many ingredients as you want, let your creativity run wild— I’m here for it!!
Remember when I was super duper into raw foods? 😜
We change and we grow, our blogs grow with us. Way to evolve, my friend ❤️
I totally understand this! I think you know your readers are in it for the quality of the food/recipe and we will still be here drooling over everything you put out for us to try :). Your concept is one of my favorites, and I really appreciate the no oil recipes so much!! Can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next!!
I use your book more than any other in my vegan library! Am very excited for you to get another book out for us all to enjoy.
Aww I’m flattered, thank you so much Rosemary!
I just found your blog and your recipes look amazing. Easy enough for me and awesome to share with my clients. I’m a board certified health coach and, much unlink many of my peers, I’m too busy with a full time job and kids to come up with recipes in the kitchen for my clients. I will absolutely use and share your 8 and 8+ recipe blog and website with others!
I just started eating WFPB in May of 2020 and I quickly discovered that your versions of things I was making from other websites weren’t as good. Your cookbook was the 1st vegan cookbook I bought and as someone else said, it’s always on my counter. Thank you for all of your hard work to make easy great tasting oil free recipes. Recipes with a few extra ingredients are not an issue, I was more concerned you were going to stop when I first started reading this post so I was pleasantly surprised!
I’m so excited for you, Brandi! You are a creative soul, and if you felt like the limit of 8 was beginning to feel restrictive or holding you back, then you should definitely move ahead with joy, passion, and excitement! We are the grateful and lucky recipients of your generosity and creativity, and I support you wholeheartedly. (BTW, if you can create a GF, vegan tiramisu, I might just lose it, lol! I would swoon and be forever indebted to you. It is also my all time fav dessert and I haven’t had it since my daughters and I had to go GF (Celiac) 14 years ago.) Anyway, I feel like you have SOOOOO many 8 or less ingredient recipes available that there truly is something for everyone. And my gosh….it’s all free to us just because you are so giving! Yes, I have your cookbook and it’s totally fab, but I use so many of your online recipes too. Go get it, girl…And have some BIG fun 😀 !!! HUGS, Tanya
Thank you so much Tanya!! Your support truly means the world to me! Yes, you are so right, I’ve written hundreds and hundreds of recipes for the past almost 9 years on the blog, so I feel it’s time to expand my creativity and not hold myself back and am so grateful everybody understands my vision and is in full support! And YES, that Tiramisu I WILL achieve, hahaha, it’s going to be some work, but I will do it!
Thank you Brandi! Cant wait for more deliciousness from your magic hands!!
So so sweet, Efi, thank yoy!
Brandi! You taught me how to cook when I started my plant-based journey five years ago and I’m excited to expand my knowledge as you share more! Thanks for everything you do.
Aww so honored to hear that, thank you Nancy!
Love your recipes irrespective of how many ingredients they need.
The 8 ingredient thing was never my big draw. It was nice, sure but the main thing was that I knew any recipe you published was going to be meticulously tested and delicious. I never have to pre-make any of your recipes before using them on people who aren’t family because I know they’ll be good. So many of your recipes are go-tos in my house and it’s about taste. Your blog, your rules.
PS: now can you figure out a no oil rugelach for me? 😉
I love it! Can’t wait to try more of your delicious recipes -like the Boston Creme Pie Donut?? Yes please! Thank you for being the go-to for easy and tasty recipes that fill the needs of a household with various dietary restrictions!