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.
Love love love. All your recipes. I matter how many ingredients are listed.
I was never drawn to your recipes because of 8 ingredients. It was solely due to the taste and having my guys love the recipes I was able to bring to the table because of YOU. I could care less how many ingredients there are..especially spice combos and if they’re easy to find ingredients, who cares. I will admit there are recipes I never asked for because I knew there was no way to get them to 8 ingredients. I’m glad to see you expand your brand and look forward to your creations. 😘
Good for you, Brandi! Follow your heart, because we’ll all still be following you <3
I hope this comes across as supportive, but I feel like this is long overdue! We absolutely love your recipes but don’t always see them as 8 ingredients. Often the “optional” ingredients don’t really feel optional. Your baked ziti has quickly become a family favorite, but it is suggested to make 3 other recipes (although not absolutely necessary) and each recipe is counted as one ingredient. It feels more like the “letter of the law” as opposed to the intent of 8 ingredients. I am super excited to see you expand your recipes to include more ingredients and hopefully not feel so caged in by the arbitrary limit of 8.
Hi,
It takes courage to make that next step. I am a anxious to see what delicious, healthy dishes I will be preparing.
A new cookbook, that is wonderful.
RitA
My husband and I love your recipies. I’d be happy to try your recipies no matter the amount of ingredients. It’s the healthy ingredients you use that we love too!
So sorry that some people are so rude and lame! I have to say am your recipes from your book and blog are the first place we go to to make something plant based. Our non plant based friends love the meals we make from your recipes. They are delish! Keep up the great work and I’m looking forward to your Boston cream donut recipe. 😉
This is great for you! I make a lot of your recipes and many of them have become favorites. I’ve thought about asking you before if the 8 ingredient limit sometimes stifles your creativity and recipe development and if had a backlog of other great recipes that were more than 8 ingredients but felt you couldn’t share. I’m here for all of it, lol. I’d make any of your recipes even if they had 20 ingredients!
You have been exceptionally generous with the recipes that you have created. I think we are all lucky just to have them available to us. People who leave poor reviews bring everybody down. If they don’t like your recipes they don’t have to make them. Thank you for the heads up. Enjoy your creativity from my perspective you can create a recipe with 20 ingredients if that’s what pleases you.
Thank you so much Katherine! That is so kind. Yes, most are wonderful reviews and it’s impossible to please every person, and I know and don’t expect that. It’s the ones about the number of ingredients when they were counting the salt/pepper water or optional because they didn’t read the book’s concept. That hurts my rating, but I also know I can’t control others but at least in the next book I won’t be following that criteria.
Brandi, I’m guilty of making many of your recipes and failing to go back and comment on how great they turned out. I’m made many, many and almost all have been a favorite! I prefer using oil so those are the exception. Thanks so much for all your encouragement to eat healthier! I applaud you for going forward and attacking recipes that might lean towards those of us who love to cook and like more spices and ingredients than the basics. You go girl!
I love your recipes, your creations; you are incredibly talented. So whether your recipes have 8, 10 or 12 ingredients, I will always be so grateful that you share these with us.
The recipes I have tried out from your blog and your recipe book have been delicious 😋
I am happy to support you going forward with some new more than 8 ingredient recipes and look forward to many more years of the tempting vegan glorious food recipes you so generously share with all of us !
Love it! Looking forward to more!!
Great news!! Can’t wait for more fantastic recipes!!
Great looking forward to seeing what you share with us and what the next cookbook will have
I’m so excited for you! I have loved the 8 Ingredient rule for the fact that, I’m visually impaired and have trouble reading pages of print or long stretches of text. I do appreciate the long notes and always like options but I have to read over and over to get it all. Your concept has really made it enjoyable cooking/baking vegan and it became more so when I started putting the recipes on a tablet where I can enlarge the print and see everything well. I now take what I need from the notes and options and go at it! I love the limited list of ingredients but, I’m thrilled that you are going a step further. With experience comes growth. I, for one, am ready to take this step with you. Thanks so much for all you do.
Congratulations!! My family abs enjoyed every recipe tried! Looking forward to the Gumbo☺️
Fantastic!!!! Excited for more terrific recipes!!!
You had me at tiramisu
I am so excited for your new venture. I, like several others, did not know that the “8” was for 8 ingredients …lol. I love your recipes and have really learned from you that vegan eating can truly be delicious. You have a loyal follower in me whether you use 4 or 20 ingredients in a recipe. I asked for and received a copy of your book for Christmas. I will make sure I give your a 5 star review and I am looking forward to your new book. Wishing you the very best and cant wait for more of you delicious recipes.
Great decision! Can’t wait for your next book to come out. Your recipes are delicious, as simple as possible and just amazing….thank you for all you do Brandi!
Brandi, I fully support your plan going forward. We’ve made so many of your recipes since going primarily plant-based in the past 5-6 years, and your cookbook has so many marked pages. I can’t even imagine anyone taking the time to count the number of ingredients, just for the sake of wanting to write a negative review. Sorry you’ve had that to endure. Thank you for the time and effort you take with everyone.
I make recipes from several different whole food vegan websites. What I appreciate most is not the number of ingredients, but the simplicity of putting the recipes together. I don’t usually have time for recipes that require multiple steps (making several different components before putting them together) and long ingredient list (20+). So I say let your creativity flow and keep coming up with delicious and nourishing food for us to enjoy, whether 8 ingredients or more.
Go gor it girl! Rooting for you here in Israel! Love your posts, don’t put any importance to the no. 8 (it’s just your name that’s easy to identify. ♥️ and welcome to 2021
Brandi, yours was the first website I came across when my husband and I went plant based about 7 years ago. We had no clue what we were doing. He had heart problems and we changed our way of eating to reverse his heart disease (he’s doing great BTW). We would have never survived such a drastic change in our diet if it wasn’t for your delicious recipes. I also love your cookbook! As long as you keep things simple with simple ingredients, I don’t care how many there are. I appreciate all your hard work!