Years ago, the popular consensus was that vegans were hacky-sack playing activists who just couldn’t understand the pleasure of food. Now vegans are sexy, and their Instagram accounts are filled with drippy “nice” cream cones, tacos and mocktails served in mason jars. We’ve come a long way, baby. “Influencers” are those creative types who know how to work social media well beyond the use of filters. We fall into their lure because everything they do and post looks so appetizing and appealing. Advertisers follow suit and start paying for product placement. I suggest that high school guidance counselors start recommending this as a viable career direction. These vegan influencers are changemakers and worth following for inspiration:

1. @MinimalistBaker

Most nights in the kitchen, we reach for ten ingredients or less, and Minimalist Baker (or Dana) gets this, with mostly plant-based, gluten free recipes. Garlicky sweet potato noodle pasta. Double chocolate chip pancakes. Poblano and portabello fajitas. Are you drooling yet – even without the photos?

2. @PureVeganFood

Lena Ksanti is a plant-based chef and restaurant consultant who has the glowing skin of someone who walks the walk. From inspirational messages to giant bowls of berries, this is a person to follow to boost your mood for the day.

3. @SweetSimpleVegan

Jasmine has a YouTube channel and fabulous social media channels that use bright colors to invite you down the rabbit hole otherwise known as the Internet. You can watch her channel for her monthly vegan favorites, travel snack recipes or lessons about ethical fashion. Or you can gaze at her overflowing bowls of fruit on her Instagram account, close your computer and haul to the nearest health food store.

4. @TheLittlePlantation

With a blog and active social media channels, nutritional therapist Kimberly also coaches others on getting their Instagram accounts in tip-top shape. She also has some gorgeous travel shots and some of the prettiest vegan food shots on record.

5. @NomYourself

“Veganism is for lovers,” reads a shirt worn by personal chef Mary Mattern, and her Instagram account proves time and time again that she is a lover of animals and a passionate eater of vegetables. Her posts could convince someone inclined to the carnivorous side of life to think again, just due to the sheer creativity behind her vegan creations. Case in point: chicken fried cauliflower subs with lettuce, hot pickles, red onion and BBQ mayo. Sample comment? “OH GAWD MY INSIDES NEED THIS!”

6. @FullyRawKristina

Kristina has over one million followers on Instagram, so she must be doing something right! Fully raw, fruit-loving Kristina takes her viewers and readers on a colorful journey that includes recipes, luxurious travel and inspirational quotes. She is also raw with her emotions, getting underneath the social media smiles. She will inspire you to frequent your local farmer’s market and to start looking into frequent flyer programs.

7. @DeliciouslyElla

Ella Mills has a gorgeous British accent, a cookbook, blog and social media accounts for days. Most of what she eats is vegan and gluten free, but she doesn’t like labels. Still, she has a mission to make vegetables “cool”. With 1.1 million followers, I would say mission completed!

8. @TheMintyAnne

There are lots of shots of people laughing on this Instagram account, and the cheerful shots seem reason enough. “Gonna kombucha so hard next weekend,” Krystle (the real life Minty Anne) writes. This plant-based foodie believes in “compassion through everyday living.” Most of her posts focus on health and food, and when healthy food includes lemon sugared baked donuts - well, count us in.

9. @ImHorngry

And a bonus influencer mashup: I’m Horngry - a combined effort from varying social media accounts around the web, allowing you to follow even more vegan influencers.

Now excuse me while I wile away my day “writing”.

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