I have just become a member!!  I have been vegan since DEC 07 and like many of you it has been a natural progression.  For me it was when my husband bought me the skinny bitch book. I listened to it everyday on my way to work and felt myself, really for the first time, thinking about food and how it is made and the process by which it comes to us.  After listening to the book, I was a bit changed.  Although I couldn't think of a day that I could not have Brach's Jelly Beans.  I slowly deleted those and have found that most of the candy I did like pre-vegan are vegan.  In that case I was lucky.  I love to cook and am anxious to try some of the recipes on here.