Blog Bites

Published September 7, 2011 08:33AM

Portland, Ore., is the place to be for vegan bloggers come August 26, when the first-ever Vida Vegan Con, a conference devoted to this growing community, will begin. To mark the occasion, we asked four participants to give VT readers a taste of the delicious vegan goodness out there in the blogosphere.

With creations ranging from filling entrées to luscious baked goods, these chroniclers turned authors and organizers show why they deserve the buzz building around them.

THE MOM BLOGGER: Sarah Mathenypeasandthankyou.com “Ironically, I used to be a ‘blood-sucking’ attorney, but now I’m a stay-at-home mom/blogger who doesn’t eat meat,” laughs Sarah Matheny. “Peas and Thank You is all about a mainstream family making their way through the world with a nonmainstream diet.” Matheny’s first book, Peas and Thank You: Simple Meatless Meals the Whole Family Will Love, hits bookstores in July.

THE URBAN VEGAN: Dynise Balcavageurbanvegan.net “Like it or not, the stereotype of vegan food is still one of bland, healthy food. Even though vegan restaurants have improved over the years, part of that stereotype is still based in reality. Vegan food needs to be held to a higher standard,” declares Dynise Balcavage, who created her blog when she went vegan in 2006. Her second cookbook comes out in October.

THE SWEET TOOTH: Hannah Kaminskybittersweetblog.wordpress.com What started as a craft blog morphed into a vegan cooking blog after Hannah Kaminsky began experimenting in the kitchen. “It’s a fun combination of photos, recipes, cooking tips, and—every now and then—crafts and stories,” she says of the 5-year-old blog. Kaminsky’s latest book is Vegan Desserts: Sumptuous Sweets for Every Season.

THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZER: Jess Sconegetsconedpdx.com “Writing my blog has given me the opportunity to help create some amazing, meaningful, and fun events,” says Jess Scone, who is cofounder of Vida Vegan Con. “Get Sconed! is one girl’s everyday vegan culinary adventure in Portland and beyond. It’s all done with a sense of humor and a focus on local, seasonal ingredients.”