Hello, my friends
I am more than delighted to introduce you to an amazing vegan chef and mama of 4 children Maria Matthews.Maria has the magic touch and passion and turns every dish into a delicious and beautiful experience. Having owned an award winning vegetarian/vegan restaurant for 6 years she now cooks for private dinner parties and shares some of her amazing recipes on her blog.
During the time she owned the restaurant called “The Coven” in Wigan , Maria achieved Healthy Food Award for providing the most healthy delicious food,Restaurant of the Year Award 2012,Trip advisor 5* Award for maintains a 5.00 score and top position against over 1,500 other restaurants across the Greater Manchester Region.
Maria lives in the north west of England on a 80 year old canal barge with her husband, two of her four children, and her dog Zimba.
Maria’s style of cooking and presenting the food is nothing short of outstanding and full of goodness. Maria has also run hundreds of cooking workshops, sharing her food design principles with many others.
Her mission is to “To add excitement to vegan wheat/GF free food and to help non-vegans enjoy the ethical and health benefits of cruelty-free food.”
I am so inspired by Maria’s cooking creations and I am very happy to share with you the interview with her.
1.How long have you been vegan for? Maria “.I have been vegan for 2 years….went straight from meat eater to vegan. I also don’t eat wheat, because of an intolerance.”
2.What made you go vegan? Maria “In the end it was for the health benefits, and the fear of what was being pumped into the meat and dairy……..now it is also to do with animal rights, but I am now ashamed to say that this was not what brought me here:( x……I was always a fan of veggie cooking though….and have a real love of vegetables…..I think most chefs are lazy, and put no real effort into cooking them, and that was why I opened a veggie restaurant 6 years ago, even though I was a meat eater at the time!
3.Do you take any supplements?Maria ” I take no supplements….my body now craves what it needs…..last month it was rocket, this week it’s avocado.
4.What are your favourite vegan dishes? Maria OMG ! That’s like asking me which is my favourite child out of the 4 I have given birth to!…..I love all my dishes…for lots of different reasons.
5.What is your advice to new vegans? Maria “ Don’t get too reliant on vegan processed food…learn to cook and just use fresh vegetables, pluses, fruit,nuts and seeds.”
6. What books would you recommend to new vegans?Maria “This is really bad, but to be honest, I haven’t got any vegan books I have read…..I read all the time, but I read novels….I get my vegan education from,talking to others and the Internet.
7.If you had a magic wand what would be the one thing, that you would change in the world?Maria “That all junk and processed food disappeared…..and everyone had to learn to cook with lovely natural ingredients again!
I highly recommend you to visit Maria’s blog , where you will find amazing recipes and inspiration . Just go to http://mariamatthewsnaturalfood.blogspot.co.uk/
Visit and Like Maria’s Facebook Fan Page Here!
You can also see some of Maria’s recent amazing creations on the event’s page here.
You can also connect with Maria on Facebook!
P.S On a personal level I admire Maria’s work and her cooking inspires me . She has completely transformed the page on Facebook, where the Vegan Blogging Challenge is happening. I am so happy and grateful to know Maria and be able to learn from her outstanding experience and passion. Everything , that she touches turns into vegan magic on a plate.
Thank you once again for your support and love .
If you have any questions please leave them in the comment box below .I would love to hear from you .
Lots of Love ,
Ivelina
