It’s been a few years since I’ve done a recap like this, and I’m excited for this one! Reminds me of blogging for fun, like I used to do. And while it would be damn-near impossible to choose these top ten vegan recipes and posts for 2020 myself, I’ve picked those with the highest traffic/pageviews from the past year.
This year I put a lot of work into the blog and creating new recipes, plus incorporating video content, like the video below (which is a monster in itself). With the ever-changing situation of the pandemic, plus the fact that I didn’t shoot or write a cookbook after January, I was able to dedicate more time to this platform. And I loved it!
I’m still thankful for my freelance work, because without it this year would have been much worse than it ended up being; even though there were still disappointments to be had. Canceled work trips, sponsored collaborations, and opportunities were one after another come March, April and May. (My forecasts for the year definitely took a hit!)
But, overall, I’m grateful to have been blogging for nearly 10 years now, sharing vegan recipes with you that inspire me or are just downright comforting. Seeing your posts of my recipes made for holidays or even just a weekday dinner truly is the best (so please never stop, lol). Especially those of you that have supported me through buying my cookbooks – how are there THREE?!
A bright little light in our 2020 was our cat Misu adopting us. Yes, she adopted US. You may have seen her in my IG stories, and some day I’ll record a lil’ video of how she came to be our companion animal. Either way, without her (and anxiety meds) this year would have been much harder to handle!
Speaking of anxiety meds, after 6 or so years of wrestling with anxiety disorder, I finally took another step to better my mental health and am grateful to be able to do so. Sometimes CBD and supplements just can’t do it all, ya know? If it wasn’t for that step, there’s no WAY I would have been any sort of productive this year (and it still comes in waves, truly).
That all being said, I put out the most posts this year than I have in some time. So, out of the 43 posts I’ve published this year, here are the top 10!
Top VYA Posts of 2020
My first ever meal prep blog post is #1! This plan covers 5 days of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, for 2 people. And, I made sure there’s diverse fresh ingredients, to get allll the good stuff in. And it seems many of you have loved it so far.
This recipe was published when we were all focusing on eating just from our pantries. It has many fans now and is a dump-and-bake style casserole that is not only super-easy, but also made with simple ingredients!
Put those dried lentils to delicious use with an easy, one-pot lentil mushroom pasta! This recipe is savory, satiating, and perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Even though this got posted later on in the year, my recipe for Slow Cooker Seitan Roast came in at #4 on the list! This recipe is actually from my second cookbook, Vegan Yack Attack on the Go!, and it graced many of your holiday tables!
I'm SO happy to see that this round up of recipes from Black Creators made this list! In June I was more than happy to use my blog to promote other blogs and people that I absolutely adore. If you've not checked it out, you must! (Also, all ad money from that page goes to the ACLU!)
This apple turnover recipe is the epitome of keeping it simple. You end up with a delicious breakfast pastry in about 30 minutes, and without much hassle at all!
Even though it's at #7, this sheet pan tofu scramble is probably top three for me this year. Making a scramble this way is a freakin' revelation!
Of course, another dump-and-bake style casserole made the list, they're just so good and easy! Hearty wild rice with some of my favorite Fall vegetables makes for an hearty, delicious dinner in the form of an Autumn Squash Wild Rice Bake.
Pierogi will always be near and dear to my heart (given my Polish family), so I'm glad that recipe resonated with so many of you this year!
Another heritage-inspired dish, I've actually made this super-easy Cabbage Roll Soup several times since I first posted it here! It's so great for freezing for later, too.
Honorable Mentions
These recipes didn't make the top ten but they were sooo close and definitely worth mentioning anyway. Especially because I'm a huge fan of desserts. 😉
These nut-free, one-bowl cookies were made quite a few times in my kitchen, let alone all of yours! Easily customized with what you have on-hand, and so, so good. (even better to gift to friends as well!)
This pie from the Plant-Based On A Budget cookbook was popular on my YouTube channel during the summer! So rich and honestly, damn near anyone can make it.
I hope that you all have a wonderful New Year, stay safe, and do your best. <3 (Below is a lil’ image I took for funsies after shooting pasta for a client this week!)
