Welcome.

The Full Helping is an empowering and welcoming resource for vegan recipes, created by registered dietitian Gena Hamshaw. Gena champions evidence-based nutrition while celebrating the pleasure food. 

Gena began writing The Full Helping in 2009 to demystify plant-based nutrition and share her blossoming interest in vegan cooking. Fifteen years later, she remains committed to celebrating the rich, flavorful landscape of vegan cuisine.

Gena’s food writing and dietetics career are driven by the desire to help people cultivate compassionate relationships with food. She periodically shares reflective posts that touch on her experiences in healthcare and in life. These posts, published on Sunday, celebrate the fullness of human experience, with all of its ups and downs.

The Full Helping isn’t only a recipe site. It’s also a space for community and connection.

Recipes and Resources

The Full Helping recipes range from hearty entrees to simple vegan proteins and pantry staples. For busy home cooks looking to make the most of limited time in the kitchen, the site offers realistic, approachable ideas for vegan meal prep.

Readers of The Full Helping can expect meals that deliver on good nutrition and speak to our desire to be comforted and satisfied by what we eat. 

If you’re new to the site, the easiest way to keep on top of new content is to subscribe to the newsletter. You’ll have recipes and new posts delivered directly to your inbox, and you’ll receive a plant-based starter kit with easy meal ideas and vegan nutrition tips. 

In the meantime, you can explore the site’s recipe library according to dietary preference, meal type, or primary ingredients.

learn more & explore

  •

    Weekend Reading

    These Sunday posts contain personal musings and articles on medicine, science, and the human experience.
  •

    Nutrition Counselling

    I’m a registered dietitian with nearly ten years of experience in nutrition counseling. Explore my areas of expertise and how I can support you.
  •

    Vegan recipes

    For many, it can open the doors to greater well-being. For me, it was my introduction to the joys of cooking.
  •

    books I've written

    Explore my published works surrounding plant-based eating and learning how to embrace eating as a form of pleasure.