About Connie Edwards McGaughy

My path toward plant-based living began in 1977, long before vegan food became part of everyday culture. Back then, eating differently often meant figuring things out along the way.

Restaurant options were few - if any. I was often the only person at the table who couldn't find a single thing on the menu to eat. Eating well meant cooking at home. I realized if I wanted to maintain a social life, I had to learn to cook cruelty-free meals that everyone would love.

Over time, what began as a personal shift gradually grew into the vegan lifestyle I live today. It is rooted in compassion for animals, creativity in the kitchen, and the belief that food carries meaning.

That belief became the heart of The Carrot Underground🥕

I created this space to show that comforting, nostalgic recipes can still feel familiar and satisfying without harming animals. The flavors, traditions, and memories we cherish do not have to be left behind.

My Foodie Roots

Food and hospitality have always been woven into my life.

My mom was a wonderful home cook and hostess. Her father (my grandfather) owned several food establishments, including Los Angeles' first drive-in restaurant with carhop service.

The Moderne Drive In was the epitome of the classic American diner, complete with a soda fountain, frosty malts & milkshakes, burgers, and fries, served by wait staff on roller skates. It was exactly the kind of place people picture when they think of vintage drive-ins, and one of the early predecessors to the fast-food restaurants we know today.

My brother Scott later opened Mama Love's natural food drive-thru restaurants in San Diego during the 1970s, introducing wholesome, healthier meals decades before they became mainstream.

Although my family's restaurants may have served different food than I prepare today, they gave me something far more important than recipes. They instilled a love of cooking, hospitality, and bringing people together around good food.

Many of the dishes I grew up with are still part of my repertoire. Over the years, I've lovingly recreated family favorites like the Moderne Drive In's classic Thousand Island dressing. Mama Love's fantastic veggie soup. My Aunt Velma's old-fashioned applesauce cake and great grandma's potato salad. Each as delicious as the originals - using entirely plant-based ingredients.

My goal has never been to erase tradition, but to preserve the flavors, memories, and comfort while aligning them with the compassionate values that guide my life today.

When my daughter Madison veganized my mom's fabulous lemon meringue pie recipe, that was the moment I realized anything was possible. So many beloved recipes can be reimagined plant-based without losing what made them special.

Looking back, it's easy to see that food has always been woven into my family's story. Feeding people well, gathering around a table, and creating warm, welcoming places where people felt at home were simply part of my upbringing.

Comfort food should still comfort. Holiday meals should still bring people together with warmth and tradition. A beautiful pie should still be beautiful - and positively delicious!

Today, I share vegan comfort food recipes, baking, holiday dishes, entertaining ideas, and practical kitchen tips. I also write about compassionate living, travel, creativity, aging well, and everyday life.

Some of the most popular recipes on The Carrot Underground include Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Shells, Mediterranean Lemon Orzo Soup, Spinach Mushroom Quiche, and Gardener's Pie. Readers also return for Lemon Blueberry Bread, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Simple, nostalgic recipes made with familiar ingredients and a vegan twist.

Animal Advocacy

Compassion for animals has always been deeply connected to my work and my life.

I was honored to work alongside the best selling author and animal rights champion, Cleveland Amory, in the rescue of domestic, wild, and exotic animals, including hundreds of feral goats and burros.

I've also helped care for starving and abused captive tigers, lions, and leopards - one of the most rewarding (and terrifying) things I've ever done.

I'm extremely proud to have served on the Board of Directors of the Zambia-based Nsefu Wildlife Conservation Foundation, an anti-poaching organization working to protect elephants, lions, and endangered wildlife from extinction.

I have been a featured guest on the Coexist podcast, where I shared my personal experiences as an animal advocate and vegan recipe blogger.

My Artsy Side

Before focusing full-time on recipe development and food writing, I spent many years working in art and design.

Over the years, I have worked as a commercial and fine artist, interior designer, consultant and instructor. I've managed and owned art galleries and am married to the most gifted artist I've ever known.

My creative background still influences the visual style and atmosphere of everything I create. Like art, I believe food should be beautiful and appealing. I love to share simple tips for creating eye-catching dishes from preparation to plating.

Outside the Kitchen

When I'm not working on new recipes, you'll likely find my husband John and I at the beach or sampling wonderful vegan food in unexpected places. One of the happiest surprises of my life was discovering stand-up paddle boarding in my 50s. Proof that it's never too late to fall in love with something new!