Meet Emily
Hi there, I’m Emily—the recipe developer, photographer and creative behind Thank You Berry Much. I’m a longtime vegan who loves turning classic comfort foods into flavor-forward vegan recipes that pull on the nostalgic heartstrings of my readers.
Before moving into full-time recipe development and food blogging, I spent much of my career as a physical product designer. I designed and developed kitchen appliances like espresso makers, air fryers, blenders, toaster ovens… you name it. (Many of which I now use everyday in my own kitchen!)
My background in product design taught me to approach every recipe with strategy and attention to detail. And now I use the tools I helped bring to market to craft delicious, reliable vegan dishes.
The Recipes
Specializing in plant-based comfort food, Thank You Berry Much shows that anything that isn’t vegan can be veganized! I focus on creating omnivore-approved recipes that can easily replace your childhood favorites, from Vegan Steak to Vegan Chocolate Cake.
This blog is all about recreating nostalgic dishes with flavors and textures you remember, all while keeping things 100% plant-based and accessible.
The recipes on the blog are designed to satisfy any palate, vegan or not. All eaters are welcome here.
Over a Decade of Vegan Baking & Cooking
Like many others, I grew up watching chefs like Ina Garten and Rachael Ray on Food Network. I was so into cooking that I even attended culinary camp, where I learned how to properly chop and craft delicious dishes just like my favorite TV chefs.
But when I went vegetarian in 2009—and then fully vegan in 2011—I suddenly found myself without a guide. Vegan resources and recipes were sparse back then. And unfortunately, I could no longer rely on the recipes I’d grown up learning from.
Over the years, and especially since starting this blog, my love of food science has really taken off. Vegan baking and cooking often requires rethinking traditional ratios. And I’ve spent over 12 years testing different egg substitutes, vegan butter brands, and dairy alternatives to find what works best in different situations.
Ultimately, I hope to create the vegan resource I wish I had when I transitioned to a plant-based diet over a decade ago.
Recipe Development Process
In vegan cooking—especially baking—there’s a whole extra layer of science involved. Plant-based ingredients often work differently than their traditional counterparts. Every recipe on Thank You Berry Much goes through multiple rounds of testing to make sure it works for you, no matter your experience level. (Some have been tested dozens and dozens of times like my vegan brownies.)
I experiment with different ratios, ingredients, and techniques to get the best flavor, texture, and appearance. And my lovely taste-testing team (a.k.a. my husband Chris, family, and friends) gives every recipe a final thumbs-up so you can be sure it’s a hit.
Fun fact, my most tested recipe to date (a vegan angel food cake) isn’t even on the blog yet since I have yet to perfect it. Maybe one day soon it will be published.
The Ingredients
The recipes here shine with the use of seasonal ingredients, chosen for their peak flavor and accessibility. And most recipes are crafted using simple, easily available ingredients from your local grocery store. While some dishes are refined sugar-free, most are designed around cost-effective pantry staples, from granulated cane sugar to versatile all-purpose flour.
I typically only use specialty ingredients for more unique dishes like vegan meats and seitan. For these, you may need to order items such as vital wheat gluten online if you don’t have a specialty grocery near you.
Favorite Vegan Products
Over the years, I’ve gathered a few go-to vegan products that help create consistent, delicious results. You’ll often see these in my recipes:
Violife Vegan Butter: This brand works amazing in cookies, cake, buttercream, or just spread on toast.
King Arthur All-Purpose Flour: This brand gives consistent results in both sweet and savory dishes.
King Arthur 1:1 Gluten Free All Purpose Flour: If I’m taking one of my baking recipes and making it gluten free, 9 times out of 10, this is the flour I’ll use!
Silk Soy Milk or Extra Creamy Oat Milk: Works great in coffee, cream sauces, smoothies, baking and more.
Violife Vegan Cream Cheese & Vegan Parmesan: These are the best I’ve tried…and I’ve tried a lot!
Forager Unsweetened Vanilla Bean Yogurt: I use this brand as an egg replacer in many cake recipes.
You can shop more of my favorite kitchen utensils and ingredients here:
If you’re looking for comforting vegan recipes that bring back familiar flavors and textures, I’m so glad you’re here. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you find something delicious to try.