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Mission
Vanilla And Bean is committed to bringing readers inspiring, seasonal, and delicious real food recipes you can make at home through step-by-step photography and detailed recipes. I create vegetarian recipes using fresh, minimally processed ingredients that rely on seasonal inspiration, paying attention to ingredients that can be found at local grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and co-ops when in season.
Recipe Development and Testing
Each recipe on Vanilla And Bean has been rigorously tested by me, Traci York, in my home kitchen at least three times, but often many more. With each test comes carefully teasing out flavors and cooking methods and monitoring the time it takes to prepare and cook a recipe.
Sometimes, testing will span over a year or more due to sourcing seasonal ingredients like tomatoes, for example, or because a technique requires repeated trials so that it can be clearly communicated in a recipe.
I rely on feedback from family and friends, but ultimately, each recipe has to meet my quality and flavor requirements before it’s published.
Once posted on the blog, recipes are often remade to further ensure quality, update photography with visual instruction, create a video, or include newly discovered tips/ingredient substitutions. Feedback/tips from the community are incorporated where appropriate.
Sustainability
Living lighter on the planet is top of mind in the Vanilla And Bean kitchen. I hand-select fresh ingredients and source them as locally as possible from surrounding farms, farmers’ markets, and our local co-op. When in season, I pick veggies and herbs from my small raised bed organic garden steps from my front door.
Organic produce and dry goods are sourced over conventional to keep pesticides off our plates and out of the environment.
To reduce waste, I purchase dry goods from bulk bins whenever possible and rely on reusable bags and jars as much as possible when shopping.
All food made in the Vanilla And Bean is enjoyed by me, my family, and friends. No food is wasted for the purposes of testing or photographing unless it’s overcooked (!!).
Recyclable materials, including glass, paper, cans, cardboard, and limited plastics, are hand-delivered to our community recycling collection point.
85% of Vanilla And Bean’s electricity comes from carbon-free, non-emitting hydro-electric and solar photovoltaic power sources.
Content Creation
Written content, both recipes and blog posts, and photography you see on Vanilla And Bean is created and curated by me, Traci York. Because I make and test every recipe, I’m familiar with details that will help you have success in your kitchen. In addition to the recipe, you’ll find supporting details including:
- Ingredient substitutions
- How to adapt a recipe to specific dietary needs when possible
- Why I use a specific ingredient or method
- Ingredient brands I use, where to source them
- Specific type(s) of cooking equipment used
- Serving suggestions and recipe accompaniments
- How to store the finished recipe
- How/If to freeze a recipe
- Reheating tips
- Meal prep tips
Many recipes have video available for recipe support. Some videos are created by me, others by videographers who specialize in food. Our goal in producing video content is to share how to make a recipe in a condensed, inspiring, and streamlined way.
Comment Policy
The comment section on Vanilla And Bean is a place for people who love food to share their enthusiasm for a recipe that they may or may not have made, reminisce, ask questions, relate, share tips, and how they adapted a recipe. I welcome comments that foster a sense of community.
Comments on this site are subject to moderation, review, and removal. Vanilla And Bean rejects unkind, disrespectful, offensive, or irrelevant comments and reserves the right not to publish or remove comments where necessary.
Contact Vanilla And Bean
While I work hard to ensure the accuracy of my content and recipes, I am human and do make mistakes. Please let me know if you find an error or problem with any of my recipes or website in general. I appreciate your help and support!
Do you have something to share or a question to ask? Please feel free to contact me on my contact page. I read every email!
You can also engage with me on my social channels: Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
