Hi, I’m Mandy and I’ve Been Cooking Vegetarian for Over 40 Years
I became vegetarian at 15, and more than 40 years later I’m still cooking this way. It was back when the word itself confused most people, and I’ve never looked back.
Welcome to Splash of Taste, where everything I share comes from a kitchen that has been meat-free for decades. It’s shaped by years of trial and error, creativity, and the joy of making vegetarian food that tastes so good nobody misses a thing.
If you’re a vegetarian, thinking about becoming a vegetarian, or just looking for vegetarian recipes that taste incredible, you are in exactly the right place.
It Started at 15 (And My Mom Thought It Was a Phase)
It was the mid-1980s. I was in my teens, I’d just decided I was done eating meat, and I announced this at the dinner table like it was completely normal. My mom smiled the way moms do, said “okay, honey” and then quietly assumed I’d be over it by Thursday.
She was not right about that.
What she couldn’t have predicted and honestly, what nobody could have predicted back then is how genuinely hard it was to eat vegetarian in the 1980s. There were no plant-based sections at the grocery store. No veggie burgers. No oat milk. No kindly labeled “V” on restaurant menus. If you asked for something without meat at most diners, you got a dinner roll and a suspicious look.
That experience shaped everything about the cook I’ve become. I learned from necessity. I had to get creative. I had to figure out how to build flavor, satisfying texture, and real staying power into meals built entirely from vegetables, grains, legumes, eggs, and dairy. And over 40 years of doing exactly that, I’ve gotten pretty good at it.
What 40 Years in a Vegetarian Kitchen Has Taught Me
Here’s what I can tell you after four decades of cooking without meat:
- Flavor is everything, and vegetables deliver it in spades when you know how to coax it out of them
- Protein is never a problem if you understand how legumes, eggs, nuts, seeds, and dairy work together
- Texture matters as much as taste, and learning to nail it is what separates a meal people love from one they merely tolerate
- Comfort food can be 100% vegetarian and still feel like the most satisfying thing you’ve eaten all week
- The skeptics at the table always come around, especially when there’s something cheesy and bubbling in a skillet
I’ve spent decades cooking vegetarian food in a real home kitchen, and that experience shapes every recipe I share.
What You’ll Find on Splash of Taste
This site is for real life. I know you’re busy. I focus on recipes that feel approachable enough for everyday cooking, but still good enough to put on the table with confidence.
Here’s what I focus on:
- Everyday vegetarian dinners that fit into busy lives and still taste great
- Comfort food classics made meat-free without losing what makes them good
- Straightforward vegetarian recipes the whole table can enjoy
- Seasonal and holiday cooking with meat-free dishes that feel special without being fussy
- Practical guidance on ingredients, substitutions, and building a vegetarian pantry that actually works
Every recipe is triple tested in my home kitchen before it ever lands here. If it doesn’t work well and taste great, it doesn’t make the cut.
The Experience Behind Every Recipe
I’ve been cooking vegetarian for decades. I’m also a trained communicator and a published food writer, and both shape how I create recipes for Splash of Taste.
I have a BA (Hons) in Communication Studies, which gave me a strong grounding in research, writing, and clear communication. I also hold a Certificate in Teaching English to Adults, which helps me explain recipes and techniques clearly for cooks at every level.
My work has appeared in outlets including the Seattle Times, the Baltimore Sun, Reader’s Digest, and Parade, with wider reach through Associated Press Wire syndication and pickup by NBC affiliates nationwide.
I’m also the co-founder of Food Drink Life, a collaborative food and lifestyle publication with millions of monthly readers.
I’ve traveled to more than 50 countries, always seeking out local food and paying attention to the ingredients, techniques, and flavors that make each place distinct. That experience shapes how I cook, how I write, and what I share here on Splash of Taste.
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