Meet Megan Sadd of Carrots & Flowers in Lincoln Heights

Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Sadd.

Megan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve wanted to be vegan for as long as I can remember. The idea that a person can eat only plant was always fascinating to me. After years of trying to go vegan but not really knowing what to eat, I gave up for a long time. I was working in TV, as a producer and development executive, but I knew I wanted to use my voice and talents for a cause beyond entertainment.

I ended up starting my blog Carrots & Flowers as a way to experiment with plant-based food in a fun, creative way, so when I was ready to go vegan, I would know how to feed myself. I was determined to make the permanent lifestyle switch.

After six months of being a vegetarian first and casually posting recipes, I fell in love with plant-based food. I decided I wanted to be a full-time blogger so I could share my passion for the vegan lifestyle. My husband and I started making Facebook videos for my recipes to reach a larger audience. They started going viral, and we grew to over 320k followers and 21 Million views in about three years.

This year, I fulfilled a lifelong dream of writing and photographing a vegan cookbook, 30 Minute Vegan Dinners! It comes out in February, and I couldn’t be more excited. The chapters are all restaurant inspired- think Homestyle Italian, American Food Truck, Southern Comfort, and the meals can be all made in 30 minutes- including prep.

I haven’t really seen this concept before, and I think it will be beneficial for the community. A lot of people are scared to try vegan food because they think it’s boring to eat or that it will take a long time to make. So I’m out to change their minds.

Carrots & Flowers is a plant-based food and wellness blog created by Megan Sadd, women on a mission to help the world cook, eat, and feel better- one mouth-watering, recipe at a time. Formerly a TV producer and development executive, Megan launched Carrots & Flowers in 2015 to help transitioning vegans make the switch.

With a passion for creating fast, easy, delicious vegan versions of classic favorites, Megan grew her blog reach to over 320k followers in just three years. Her debut cookbook, 30 Minute Vegan Dinners: 75 Fast Plant-Based Meals You’re Going To Crave, is being published in Feb 2019.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
With any new venture, there are growing pains. Learning to shoot and style food took me far out of my comfort zone, but I really love it now. I majored in photography in high school and college, so it’s been fun marrying those two passions.

I also work with my husband on the videos and overall trajectory of the project. We’re both super creative, and we care so much about it- so that can lead to tension at times.

One thing I wasn’t expecting is to feel so nervous about the release of my book! I’ve never put myself out there so far creatively. I’ve always worked behind the scenes of big shows for networks and production companies. To have such a massive project come to life with just my name on it has been kind of surreal- but in a good way!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Carrots & Flowers – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Carrots & Flowers is a plant-based food and lifestyle blog. Our tagline is- Make art. Have fun. Eat plants. So that’s pretty much what we’re about. Although we’re mostly known for our amazing, easy vegan recipes, we also put a strong focus on wellness through radical self-care and self-expression.

In the foodie world, we’re known for our Facebook videos and making whole food plant based comfort food! I love to vegan-ize versions of really popular foods. I want people who are just beginning their vegan journey to know that they don’t have to sacrifice anything- not flavor, satisfaction, OR time.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
After such an intense period of creative writing and photographing my book (with a brand new baby) I had to slow down for a couple of months. I’ve been focusing on getting my mindset right. I’m slowly gearing up now for my cookbook launch in February!

For 2019, I’m setting the intention to share my plant-based food at wellness retreats and filming a pilot for a cooking show with my husband. We’ve had a fun idea for a couple of years that we’re ready to bring to life!

Pricing:

• My cookbook is available for pre-order! It comes out Feb 5th

Contact Info:

• Website: carrotsandflowers.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/carrotsandflowers
• Facebook: facebook.com/carrotsandflowers

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.