About Liesl

By day, I call myself a social worker, but by night, my title changes as the mood strikes. I often like to think of myself as vegan inventor extraordinaire. I have a passion for food, which drives my passion for cooking. I also have a passion for pursuing the least amount of harm and the most amount of love. I was compelled to carry this attitude over to my eating habits when I found that our carnivorous inclinations are slowy dismantling all the components living beings need to survive and thrive on this planet. I was already avoiding dairy due to lactose intolerance, so adopting vegan foods was just an egg away after I strayed from meat.

I decided to title this blog Imperfectly Unrefined Vegan for many reasons. To start, I don't fit the mold of a typical vegan in that I didn't decide to start pursuing a vegan diet because I have a problem with eating animals. That being said, I don't condone animal cruelty, I just happen to think that sparing animals harm is a nice bonus of eating vegan to maintain the planet's ability to sustain any life whatsoever. I also am in no way shape or form a strict vegan. You may run into me on the street and find me chowing down on some animal flesh, or product thereof. For me, the vegan diet is a journey, not a destination, and I won't pretend that I have "arrived". I don't want to buy into the shaming that often permiates vegan circles around not being a "perfect" vegan, whatever that is. I allow myself grace and freedom, while I also grapple with doing what I know is best for myself and others.

In pursuing vegan eating, I've also come to learn a lot about whole, unrefined foods, and the health benefits they offer, not to mention the harful side effects of the alternative. This too, is a journey for me, as I explore the world of whole foods while enjoying what I eat and ensuring the other people I cook for also enjoy it. I am newer on the path of exploring whole, unrefined, and raw ingredients, and my recipies may reflect that for a while.

So, I'm not a perfect vegan, and I'm far from putting only perfect foods into my body, but I am on a journey towards that end. Please visit my resources page if you would like to explore the resources that compelled me to try out being vegan.