Hi! I’m Deborah, a vegan chef and an eclectic pagan. My day job is running the vegan and gluten free company I founded, Freely Vegan, and developing all of our awesome products. In my free time, I love to blog, bake, cook, read, watch movies, and go for walks out in the country! I also spend time with my local Druid Grove which is part of Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship.
If you are not familiar with modern paganism, there are eight high days that most pagans celebrate throughout the year. The annual cycle is called the wheel of the year, and the picture below shows the dates for each festival. The year starts with Yule (the winter solstice) which celebrates the longest day/shortest night of the year. Next is Imbolc, which is when we look for the earliest signs of spring. Then comes Ostara (the spring equinox) when we see the return of spring and the day and night being equal. Beltane celebrates the fertility of the earth and we look forward to the growth of the crops that we are beginning to plant. Litha (the summer solstice or midsummer) celebrates the power of the sun with the longest day/shortest night of the year. At Lughnasadh, the first of our three harvest festivals, we enjoy the early rewards of our labors. At Mabon (the autumn equinox), we celebrate the second of the three harvest festivals, and give thanks for the bounty of our crops while noting that again the day and night are equal. Finally, we celebrate Samhain, the final harvest festival, where we honor our ancestors and look forward to resting during the cold, dark months ahead.
Everyone is welcome here, and you don’t have to be vegan or pagan to make and enjoy my recipes! Because I don’t use eggs, dairy, or gluten, those with food sensitivities will find lots of great ideas, and people of all faiths can make my holiday dishes. For example, Ostara recipes are perfect for Passover and Easter, Mabon recipes are great for Thanksgiving, and Yule recipes are ideal for Hanukkah or Christmas!
All of my recipes are strictly vegan, and I will never knowingly use any animal-derived ingredients. I am vegan for many reasons, all of which are illustrated in this poster:
My recipes are also gluten free because I have celiac disease. If you use wheat flour, you can substitute all-purpose flour for the gluten free flour in most of my recipes. I include wheat flour directions in the recipe itself or in the recipe notes.
I use an iPhone for my photos and videos, and only do minimal editing. I use natural lighting unless I am taking photos at night, and I rarely use props. My focus is on showing all the essential steps in a recipe, so you can see exactly what to do.
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoy my recipes and come back to visit me often!