Hey there — I’m Marissa Lane, and I’m really glad you’re here.

I live just outside Asheville, North Carolina, where the mountains meet the mist and my kitchen smells like garlic most days. I’m 38 now, but I still remember my Midwest childhood — casseroles, meatloaf, buttery mashed potatoes — comfort food with no plants in sight unless they were smothered in cheese.

I didn’t grow up vegan. Actually, I didn’t even know what tofu was until I was in my twenties. But a health scare jolted me awake in my mid-20s, and I started asking hard questions about what I was putting into my body. I tried a 30-day plant-based challenge just to see what would happen. I thought I’d miss everything. Instead, I felt lighter. Clearer. More me. And somehow, I never went back.

The early days were… let’s call them “educational.” I burned tofu like it owed me money. Beet juice stained my favorite counters. I made one muffin batch that could’ve doubled as doorstops. But with every fail, I got better. Cooking went from something I did out of necessity to something I actually looked forward to. Somewhere in that mess, I started to feel proud of what I was making — and how I was living.

I created VeganRecipesGuide.com for anyone standing where I once stood: curious, a little overwhelmed, and maybe wondering if vegan food can ever feel like home. Spoiler: it can. You just need the right kind of guidance — not fussy, not preachy — just real food you can actually make on a Tuesday night.

Now, my kitchen is my happy place. There’s usually a loaf of sourdough proofing on the counter, garlic sizzling on the stove, and my rescue pup Juniper curled up nearby, snoring like she pays rent. When I’m not cooking, I’m out hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains, roaming local farmers markets, or catching up with friends over oat milk lattes.

This site isn’t about being perfect or pure. It’s about making food that feels good — in every sense of the word. I hope you find something here that makes your kitchen a little warmer, your meals a little cozier, and your journey a bit more delicious.

Let’s cook something wonderful together.

— Marissa

Thanks for stopping by.