My childhood years consisted of a ‘meat-based’ diet. I was born and raised in Jamaica by Indian parents who enjoyed eating tandoori chicken, beef vindaloo, escovitch fish, ackee and salt fish, and the occasional cow cod soup (you should Google that one!). One of my most remembered moments growing up was Hurricane Gilbert, a 185-miles-per-hour storm that wiped out much of the island. After the hurricane, the only food my family had to eat for two weeks was canned corned beef. Having come from a culture that prizes meat, transitioning to a vegan diet wasn’t natural or easy for me. I had to relearn what food meant to me. I also had to learn how to make plants taste delicious. I’ve grown to love eating plants in their natural state and appreciate their simplicity and flavor, but this wasn’t always the case. At the start of my journey, I needed to embellish them with sweet and salty sauces, deep fried breadcrumbs, melted cheese…anything that would drown out their natural flavor.