Sophia's interview

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Interview by Laura

We interviewed Sophia!

"My goal is to make delicious food that just happens to be vegan, mostly gluten free, and free of refined sugar. I want to help others take those small steps towards being a healthier and happier person."

Hello Sophia, so tell us...

When and why did you start your blog? Why do you think it has become so popular?

My blog has been a work in progress since October, 2012 when my husband and I decided to make some changes in our lifestyle. I struggled with infertility to have our first son, and even though I thought of myself as a healthy person, I soon found out that it wasn't enough. Through the help of both modern medicine and natural healing, I was able to conceive after many struggles. I truly saw how powerful food, and what you put into your body, can be. With my husband battling high-blood pressure his whole life, we decided that we should take the advice of his cardiologist and try a little diet change. After only a few months, his high-blood pressure no longer existed and we both felt better than ever before. I dove in head first on research, experimentation, and learning to cook in a whole new way. Friends and family began asking for tips and recipes, and after a year of self-education and practice I decided it was time to share my knowledge and success with the world.

I blush to even think that the term "so popular" applies to me! That's my dream, to become popular enough to reach people everywhere. I especially want to reach mums and dads because it's this next generation that we need to teach. Our world is a scary place and we can no longer just trust our food. It takes time and effort to feed your family healthy, and if I can make that process easier for just one person, I am thrilled!

Where do you hope to take your blog and cooking into the future?

My ultimate goal is to write a cookbook. I was never much of a writer growing up, but I guess I just never found something to write that I was so passionate about. Health, cooking and helping others is my passion. I love it. I am a teacher by trade and spent 14 years educating a wide range of children. I now want to educate the world that being healthy isn't as hard and daunting as it seems. I want to create recipes that can be used with all types of eaters. A "build your own burger," if you will. Start with the vegan, gluten free, refined sugar-free base and add on it as you go to fit your needs. It isn't about being perfect, it's about being happy with where you are and always having a goal to strive for.

When did you make the choice to become a vegan and why do you say that you're 90% vegan?

As I mentioned, we ultimately decided to try the vegan diet because of my husband's high-blood pressure. His cardiologist is one of those rare amazing doctors that believes in diet changes to help cardiovascular health. He suggested we watch a few documentaries and just give it a try. We did and never looked back. We felt so good and his blood pressure issues disappeared. It really was amazing to see. Years of thinking this was just a hereditary issue that he would have to live with, and in two months of changing his diet...poof, gone!

The 90% vegan tagline came from our belief that no one is perfect. I think that putting the pressure on yourself to be perfect can do more damage, stress is a health killer, and I would know because in all the years of battling fertility stress was a big piece of the puzzle. In today's world especially, there is so much pressure on us, especially in my mum world and social media. People portray themselves as this perfect human with a perfect life, when in reality it isn't that way. No one is perfect and I wanted to be real about it. So 90% vegan began. Also, 90% gluten-free, and free of refined sugar. We don't eat meat, but when we go out we stick to the vegetarian rule of thumb. We are so much more relaxed and enjoy ourselves this way. We decided that in our house we can control what we buy and make, but we don't want the stress of having to control things out of the home. It's even harder when you have kids. I don't want my kids to be stressed about it either. Again, no meat, but at school and parties, for example, I want them to be able to eat the cupcake or cookie and be a kid. We are so healthy most of the time, and so are they, so I don't believe that letting go from time to time is a big deal.

What is your secret weapon in the kitchen?

Right now, it's my Cashew Walnut Cream Sauce! When I first started down this path of alternative cooking I saw cashew sauce over and over. Of course I tried it and although I enjoyed it, it was just a tad too sweet for me. So I played around in the kitchen (what I do best) and experimented with making it a little more savoury. Adding walnuts was the winner! I just love the taste of walnuts in food. I use walnuts in my pesto too instead of pine nuts. It's a trick my mum taught me. I have a lot of ideas on dishes using my Cashew Walnut Cream, but the most recent hit with it was my Creamy Mushroom Alfredo. I had so many people telling me how much they loved it and how they couldn't believe there was no dairy in it. I even had my authentic Italian friend, who believes Alfredo is made with cream and butter, tell me that it was one of the best things she has had and it was a new staple in her cooking. I was honoured to hear her say that!

What dish or menu could you not live without?

My favorite dish is my veggie burgers, hands down. I love them! They are a result of a TON of trial and error. I am sort of a veggie burger snob and was never pleased with the ones I had tried at the store or in restaurants. I wasn't looking for that "meat alternative," and in fact I don't eat a ton of that. I wanted something healthier tasting and I worked on this recipe for a long time trying different things. When I finally found the consistency we liked and matched it up with the spices and seasonings that worked for us I was thrilled! I always make a huge batch and freeze them for quick meals. They are fairly easy to put together and so flavourful. I can always change up the toppings depending on what I'm craving, whether it is the traditional all American or a Mexican twist, I always devour the burger! Add a side of my oven fries and I'm in heaven. My whole family loves them too so it makes meal time easy! Plus I have made them in "mini" style for parties as appetizers and they've been a hit!

What is your earliest memory involving food?

I have always been a food lover. I am 100% full-blooded Greek and in Greece you eat. Have you ever seen the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding?" Well, it pretty much covers it. My mum is an amazing cook and even though she worked full-time while raising us, she always had home made food and taught us to be healthy. Fast food was a rarity, store bought cookies were few and far between, I have never had a TV dinner and I was the only kid who was only allowed to get Slurpees at the local 7-11 when they had the Pina Colada flavour because there was no artificial colouring in it. We had homemade popsicles, all natural fruit juice and I didn't try a Twinkie until I was in my teens. By that time, I was so used to amazing healthy homemade food that junk tasted gross. This is what I hope to instill with my own kids. Ultimately, they will do what they want but I hope if I raise them a certain way, they will want to continue that way just like I did.

What chefs or other influences do you admire most and why?

Well, other than my mom that instilled this healthy lifestyle in me from a young age, I really love Angela Liddon from "Oh She Glows." I love her story and how she taught herself so much of what she does. When I first explored vegan cooking I read her blog all the time. I love her photography, her style and of course her recipes. A lot of my recipes at the beginning were inspired by her. I can't wait to get her new cookbook!

If you could be a contestant or guest on any cooking show, what show would you choose?

I don't watch much TV (with a blog and a 2 and 3 year old who has the time? Ha) but from the little I have seen, I like 'The Chew' a lot because they talk about so many aspects and issues regarding food. Even though I love cooking and my blog is mostly recipes, I hope that I can do more with it and educate people about how important it is to be an active learner when it comes to what you put in your body.

Another show that I think looks really fun is Anthony Bourdain's 'No Reservations'. I love finding new places to try and wish I had a guide whenever I visited new places!

One last show that I'd love to be a part of is 'Cupcake Wars'. Vegan baking is so amazing, and something that I really want to master one day. If we could create a 'Vegan Cupcake Wars', then that is something I would watch!

Which Gourmandize recipe would you recommend?

I haven't had time to try any of the recipes on the site yet, there are so many good looking ones! I would love to take a stab at making some of those cupcakes vegan. I will definitely work on adding some recipes on the site!

Any last words or message for our readers?

I think my final words to anyone looking at my blog would be that I don't want to be categorized as just a "vegan blog," but instead I would like to be a place any type of eater can go to get a delicious and healthy recipe. My goal is to make delicious food that just happens to be vegan, mostly gluten free, and free of refined sugar. I want to help others take those small steps towards being a healthier and happier person. If I can share all the work I have done to help me get to where I am, and help just one person, I will feel good. You only have one body, take care of it!

Thank you Sophia for answering our questions and see you soon!
Published by Laura - 28/02/2014

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