About Mandy Applegate
Hi, I’m Mandy, the recipe developer and writer behind Two City Vegans.
I’ve been cooking meat-free for more than 40 years, ever since I became vegetarian at 15. Back then, it was much harder to find good meat-free food, which meant learning how to cook in a way that made meals feel satisfying, generous, and full of flavor rather than like a lesser version of something else. That experience still shapes everything I do here, and it’s a big part of why I care so much about recipes people will genuinely want to cook again.
Two City Vegans is for anyone who wants to bring more plant-based food into their kitchen, whether you’re curious, cutting back on meat, exploring plant-based eating more seriously, or fully vegan already. You don’t need to know everything before you start, and you don’t need to fit neatly into one camp to feel welcome here. What matters is that you want food that tastes good, works in a real home kitchen, and earns a place in your regular rotation.
My Food Background
Food has been at the center of my professional life for years. I’m a food writer and recipe developer, and I’m also the co-founder of Food Drink Life, a digital food and lifestyle magazine with millions of monthly readers. My work has been syndicated through the Associated Press Wire and published by outlets including Parade, Reader’s Digest, the Seattle Times, and the Baltimore Sun, which has given me a strong grounding in writing for large audiences while maintaining accuracy, clarity, and trust.
I also hold a BA (Hons) in Communication Studies and a Certificate in Teaching English to Adults, and that background has shaped the way I write recipes just as much as my time in the kitchen. Good recipe writing isn’t only about knowing how to cook. It’s also about explaining clearly, anticipating what a reader needs, and making each step easy to follow with confidence.
Why Readers Trust My Work
What I bring to Two City Vegans isn’t a passing interest in plant-based food or a recent decision to follow a trend. My perspective comes from decades of meat-free cooking, years of recipe development, and a professional career built around publishing food content people can rely on. That matters, because readers need more than pretty photos or big promises. They need recipes written by someone who understands both the cooking itself and the responsibility of guiding other people through it.
Travel has also had a lasting influence on the way I cook. Visiting more than 50 countries has deepened my understanding of ingredients, techniques, and the small details that make food memorable, and those experiences continue to shape the recipes I share here. They’ve also reinforced something I’ve believed for a long time: the best food doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to be thoughtfully made.
What You’ll Find on Two City Vegans
You’ll find vegan recipes for everyday meals, dinners to share, sides, desserts, and the kind of dishes that make plant-based cooking feel generous rather than limiting. Some are quick enough for a weeknight, while others are made for slower evenings, weekends, and tables with other people around them. Across everything I publish, the aim is the same: food that feels satisfying enough to make again, whether you’ve been eating plant-based for years or you’re just starting to see how good it can be.
My goal is to make vegan cooking feel inviting rather than rigid, and to offer recipes readers can return to with confidence. I want this site to be a place where people find dependable recipes, clear guidance, and food that stands on its own because it tastes good, not because it happens to fit a category.
Thanks for being here. I’m glad you found Two City Vegans.
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