There are many reasons people go vegan, from wanting to be healthier, to reducing their environmental footprint, to concerns about animal welfare. No matter what the reason, many people find it difficult to meet the nutrient intake targets for specific vitamins and minerals while on a vegan diet. Here's how to make sure you’re getting enough.

Cabbage gets no respect, which is a shame — it could be the most versatile vegetable on earth. From the delicate leaves to the sweet, crunchy core, I love every part of every variety of cabbage and have made it my mission to make others feel the same.

The biggest highlight from my trip to Copenhagen was getting to shoot a video on the farm and in the kitchen of Restaurant Relae, an establishment that is more than a little focused on sustainability. I learned many things (that you will also learn in the forthcoming video), including how to make a silky, crazy flavorful, incidentally vegan sauce out of root vegetables and vinegar.

Throughout my efforts to turn scraps into treats I have encountered some challenges, but none have been as challenging as the dreaded banana peel. Though the fruit portion of the banana is delicious, its natural wrapper is just plain unap-peeling.

Certain foods are more sustainable than others and, over at Earther, our friend Brian Kahn has been trying to save the world by adhering to a fairly strict, mostly plant-based diet. I have been helping him with a few recipes, because I am nice like that.

When it comes to raising a healthy vegan kid, the challenges often aren’t so much nutritional as they are social. Raise your kid vegan, and you’ll hear everyone’s opinions and advice about it, whether you ask for them or not.

And even within your own family unit, you’ll need to consider how to talk to your kids about why they’re vegan — whether it be for their health, the environment, animals, or all of the above — and how to properly approach their nutrition.

My fellow vegans, it is time we address something that is keeping droves of would-be converts from joining our ranks — and tempts even the most dedicated of us into illicit animal-based infidelity. No, it’s not, animal-based cheeses or America’s fetishistic love for bacon. It’s saying no to free stuff.

Since they do not consume giant, whole birds, vegetarians are often robbed that special, visually arresting main course the meat-eaters enjoy, because meat-eaters can be selfish (apparently).

My love for eggplant is fierce, pure, and, according to a lot of people, not normal. I don’t get it. At its best, this gorgeous nightshade nothing short of edible silk — what’s not to love about that?

Watermelon sprinkled with a little sea salt is one of my favourite summery flavour combinations -- and I thought I was super fancy when I paired it with feta - but this watermelon "pokeacute" from Bon Appetit takes the sweet + savoury factor to a whole new place.

I have always thought that black-eyed peas were bigger than New Year’s. In fact, until I moved out of Mississippi, I didn’t even know they were a New Year’s “thing.” (My family eats them pretty much all year round, usually as a simple side cooked with a little ham.)

The saddest meal of the year is always the one you eat right after visiting family for the holidays. Mine is usually more of a free-range fridge scrounge than an actual meal, and I always have a lot of questions: Are those leftovers too old to eat, or am I just a coward? Who ate all my cheese? Why didn’t I stuff my suitcase with fruit cake?

Buying a vegan roast is very much like playing tofu roulette. Your options ping-pong between "legitimately tasty" and "old boots with a whiff of sage". If you're sick of the usual faux-meat options, I have great news: You can totally make your own.

Food is fuel, but that fuel is only effective if one consumes it. While it's all fine and good to suggest you eat a thick piece of cauliflower instead of a steak, that suggestion is devoid of joy, and I happen to think joy is pretty important part of eating (and life). However, there are some healthy swaps out there that aren't as dismal, and I bet you all know some good ones. As always, I have some questions.

In my book, no food is truly ugly. The difference between gorgeous, magazine-spread ready food photography and Martha Stewart’s forays into the genre is a food stylist and professional lighting. Still, even I have to admit that some dishes are natural lookers.

A video recently doing the rounds on Facebook included a segment from the BBC comedy quiz show QI. The video asks which of avocados, almonds, melon, kiwi or butternut squash are suitable for vegans. The answer, at least according to QI, is none of them.

As a carnivore whose foodie philosophy is "make things as delicious as possible, whatever it takes," I used to see vegan dinner guests as something I had to work around, and for that, I apologise. Vegan foodies can go on about how delicious soy bacon is, but as a cook who eats meat, I tended to think they were using a different measurement stick for "delicious."

I was selfishly aggravated at having to "dumb down" dishes and sacrifice taste for accommodation.

Chicken nuggets are just plain fun to consume, but some people (mostly vegetarians) miss out on this dippable delicacy because of all the pesky animal protein. These chickenless nuggets — which are made with texturized vegetable protein and chickpeas — are savoury and tasty while being completely vegan.

Grill'd is offering their new vegan cheeseburger for free. Here's how you can get one.