Welcome to Tasting to Thrive!
My name is Lauren McNeill and I’m a Registered Dietitian and cookbook author of The Simple Vegan Kitchen based in Canada.
My goal with Tasting to Thrive is to share easy, approachable vegan recipes that anyone can enjoy, whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or simply incorporating more plant-based foods into your eating pattern. My focus is on healthy recipes that actually taste good and don’t take forever to make, using simple ingredients you can find at most grocery stores.
I’m a huge advocate that what we do eat is so much more important than what we don’t eat, so focusing on what we can add to our plate is always going to be more beneficial than what we take away, whether that’s plant-based protein, fiber, fat, fruit or veggies.
As a Dietitian, I work with clients one-on-one through virtual nutrition counseling primarily focused on nutrition for women and families, and through my online program, Thriving on Plant-Based Fundamentals. I also regularly work in media with brands that I love and use regularly myself.
On my blog, you’ll find delicious, healthy vegan recipes, nutrition information and cooking tips and tricks so you can feel confident creating vegan recipes that taste amazing and are nourishing.
More about Lauren
- Lauren received her Bachelors of Applied Science in Nutrition from the University of Guelph prior to her Dietetic Internship at Nova Scotia Health Authority in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was one of four dietetic interns selected for the competitive internship.
- She then went on to complete a Masters of Public Health in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Toronto with a collaborative specialization in Women’s Health. During her Master’s degree, Lauren worked with Dr. David Jenkins to research the recent changes made to Canada’s Food Guide regarding promotion of plant-based options for Canadians.
- Lauren went vegetarian when she was 17 years old, and vegan five years later. It was during her Master’s degree that she saw a need for plant-based nutrition experts on social media to help with the misinformation she was seeing online. She decided to start her Instagram page to debunk common myths about plant-based eating and inspire others with her recipes.
- Lauren has since amassed a following of over 150 thousand across social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest, where she continues to share easy vegan recipes and debunk myths about plant-based eating.
- Lauren has created online programs for Vegetarian Times, as well as been interviewed for several news outlets and magazines such as CBC News, Well + Good, Toronto Star and Global News.
- Lauren is regularly interviewed for podcasts and has been a speaker at many events, including the first ever Canadian Plant-Based Nutrition Conference.
- Lauren wrote a cookbook called The Simple Vegan Kitchen which aims to serve as both an educational tool as well as providing 60 easy, healthy and delicious vegan recipes, along with a 4-week meal plan.
- Lauren is a content creator for brands she loves and uses daily.
- At home, Lauren loves whipping up new creations in the kitchen, enjoying a delicious cup of coffee while reading, or going for a beautiful park run in her hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Connect with Lauren
- Follow Lauren on Instagram
- Follow Lauren on TikTok
- Follow Lauren on Pinterest
- Work with Lauren through one-on-one nutrition counseling
- Work with Lauren through her self-paced, online program, Thriving on Plant-Based Fundamentals