31 Days, AKA OMG

31 days. THIRTY-ONE DAYS.

I'm really proud of myself. I haven't wanted it, haven't looked at it, haven't even thought about the possibility of missing it. Dairy simply has no place in my life anymore. Thanks to the help of some clever dairy-free items (soy/rice milk, ice cream, yogurt, veggie cheese, etc) I haven't craved the real stuff in a long time.

I've lost 10 lbs. I feel great.

The other day I finally figured out how to make good tofu for stir fry. In the past my tofu has been too mushy and really sogged up the stir fry. I learned how to "dry fry" the tofu first, to toughen it up and cook all of the moisture out, then soak it in marinade and toss it in with the stir fry veggies. It was heavenly! I can't wait to make it again! I feel like a whole new world of meal possibilities has been handed to me.

Some days I am more interested in eating pasta and bread than fresh fruits and veggies, so I just need to keep focused and remember to keep mixing my meals up so I don't get bored and lazy. Here is a list of some of my favorite healthy vegan meals and snacks:

Breakfast:

Muesli w/ frozen blueberries & soy/rice milk

English muffin w/ pb&j

Multi-grain bagel w/ pb

Glass of "green drink" from Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or Odwalla

Lunch/Dinners:

Pasta w/ sauce & Smart Ground "meat" crumbles (aka TVP)

Giantass salad w/ various veggies & oil+vinegar

Tofu dogs w/ veggie cheese, ketchup & mustard (yes, it does taste the same! well, almost)

Sandwich w/ hummus and various veggies like lettuce, cucumber, tomato, red onion, etc

Stir fry w/ tofu + quinoa or brown rice

Quinoa + anything - I LOVE quinoa. I even love to type quinoa. ;)

Homemade burritos/tacos with TVP, veggie refried beans, lettuce, tomato, vegan cheese and taco sauce

PB&J sandwiches

Subway veggie delight sandwiches

SUSHI. OMG I love me some veggie sushi. Our local grocer makes it fresh daily, and I would seriously eat it every day if I could. Love love love love love.

Roasted veggies - asparagus, artichokes, potatoes, etc. The other day I made a bunch of veggies and threw it all together on one plate. It was yummo.

Snacks:

Homemade guacamole made with fresh avocado and salsa (that's it. If you haven't ever made your own, try it. It's easy and delish!)

Chips & salsa

Fresh fruit - strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, bananas, grapes, etc.

Fresh veggies w/ hummus

What is your favorite reliable vegan meal?

So delicious! Wait...Does This Have Dairy??

Last night J and I took her mom out for Mother's Day dinner. We delayed a couple of days to give ourselves time to spend with each other on Sunday, which as I mentioned in the previous post was a very emotionally difficult day for both of us. Her mom ended up choosing a local Lebanese restaurant that J's sister and husband had visited a few times, and we were excited to try it out. Both J and I loooooove Middle Eastern cuisine and were excited about getting to have some.

We got to the restaurant and almost immediately were served a bowl of delicious garlic spread. I should have known by the whiteness of the spread that it had milk in it, but I tried a few bites anyway. Then I had a few more bits. Next thing I know, I'm dragging my pita right down the middle of the bowl and shoveling it in my mouth. It was only after the waitress came back to take our order that I asked if there was any dairy in it, and of course she said yes. My heart sank. I know I didn't eat dairy intentionally, but my gut was telling me the whole time that it was probably milk-based and I should stop eating it until I can ask them how it was made.

I ordered a vegetarian sandwich, which comes on a rolled and pan-fried pita (almost like a burrito) with rice and vegetables - and garlic sauce spread all over the inside of the bread. Son of a b. I resigned that I was going to end up eating more of it and bit the bullet. Next time we go I'll remember to ask them to take the garlic sauce off.

By the time we had gotten back in the car to leave, my stomach was in complete knots. J told me it was probably psychosomatic, but I knew what I was feeling. The grumbling, the familiar gurgling sound coming from my gut...it was undeniable. I felt like things were quickly going to come out one end or the other. It wasn't until I woke up this morning that I started to feel normal again.

Just a TINY little bit of dairy made me feel so nauseous and sick! Vegan gods - I've learned my lesson.

Three Weeks: Still Holding On

Mother's Day was really hard on us, and I really wanted to toss the whole vegan thing down the crapper and eat a box of brownie mix with a soup spoon. But I didn't. I held on and made us a yummy dinner of quinoa (pronounced "keen-wa") with steamed artichokes and roasted asparagus. It doesn't sound like much, but quinoa is packed with loads of protein, fiber and nutrients which filled us right up. The green veggies were the perfect side and I only wish I had made more. Even if I had I'm not sure if we would have had the room to eat it all -- we were both stuffed!

I've also found a couple new blogs that I've been following regularly. One of them is Two Vegan Boys written by the mom of two young sons. Recently she's been posting a lot about the book Vegan on the Cheap which has been a really enjoyable read. Plus she has two adorable kiddos and it's great to see how she is able to feed them healthy, kid-friendly meals that are in line with her standards. I can't wait to try it out on our kiddos!

Another blog I've been kind of obsessed with is Vegan Planet. She posts the most delish-looking recipes. Although I have yet to conquer any, once we have a working printer (and we move to the new place) I intend to print up her creations and attempt a few. My mouth waters every time she posts something new.

I am so proud to have made it 3 weeks on this diet. My coworkers have finally stopped teasing me and seem to have resigned to the fact that I will not be eating meat or dairy anymore. While learning how to make drinks in our store's coffee shop this morning, they even practiced making soy-based drinks just so that I'd be able to try something too. It was very sweet.

Day 17

I can't believe I'm still a vegan. I RULE.

I have had no desire to eat anything with dairy at all, which still kind of surprises me. I used to be so addicted to cheese and even thinking about a fast food cheeseburger was enough to get me in the car to the drive thru. Now thinking about it grosses me out. I can't not think of animals when I think of meat and dairy now. I hope I never lose that sensitivity, because it has been probably the most important element to staying on this diet.

Today I had a boring lunch/dinner (late shift at work) of PB&J on whole grain bread with carrot sticks and soy yogurt w/ granola mixed in, but it was still delish. Breakfast was the usual: a bowl of high-fiber cereal with soy milk and frozen blueberries and a cup of coffee. I might have a little snack of hummus and pita later if I get hungry, but I'm still pretty full from dinner.

I got a little further into Vegan Freak and I'm a little disappointed. The authors have been going on a rant for about 10 pages and I really want to get back to topics like the vegan stigma, how to handle repetitive, arrogant questions from non-vegans, etc. Not really finding that so far, but maybe I'm just in the "activist" part and the good stuff doesn't come until later. Don't get me wrong, I get the activist stuff but like I said before I'm just not there yet. Right now I just want to know how to help my friends and co-workers understand what I'm doing and why, not beat them over the head with animal cruelty facts or tell them why eating meat is wrong. I don't want to change the world; I want to change me. I want to be an example for how vegan living can be fun and tasty. I want to be a healthier person.

Maybe that makes me a selfish vegan, but oh well.

Day 15

It's Day 15 and I'm still doing it!

The past couple of days have been pretty emotional and stressful for us, so I haven't been eating as much fresh fruits and veggies as I should be. I'm still getting plenty of them though. My main go-to foods have been veggie sushi from the local grocer (my favorite!) hummus, granola, pb&j sandwiches and big salads with vinagrete (sp?). I've also been trying out a new brand of soy yogurt, but since I found out after the fact that they use a milk derivative I won't be getting it anymore.

I've been keeping track of my weight on WiiFit and slowly but surely things are coming down. I don't feel heavy and bloated after my meals anymore, and I've also noticed how much easier it's been to stop eating once I'm full. I guess I have a better overall awareness of how food affects me. It's fantastic!

My co-workers are very curious and have been asking me a lot of questions. A couple of them are die-hard meat eaters and cannot fathom a world without steak (shudder) so they like to tease me rather than ask about it. I love that I make them so uncomfortable, lol.

I tried a vegan-friendly box of brownie mix the other day. I saved the label in case things worked well so I would remember to get the same brand again. They were a.maz.ing and I cannot wait to make them again.

Also I bought the books Veganomicon and Vegan Freak and so far have enjoyed both. Veganomicon is more a cookbook than an instructional manual for how to become vegan, but I love the simple layout and user-friendly recipes. Vegan Freak is pretty politically charged, but it's helping to remind me of why I decided to start down this road in the first place. And it's funny, so bonus.

I'm sorry for the short, disjointed post today. As I mentioned earlier things have been a little down in our house (Mother's Day...ugh) so I haven't really felt like saying much. Once the holiday passes and we get going on the next cycle I'm sure I'll be here more often.

Toodles!

Day 9 - BFN and Vegan Politics

Today has been a rough day. Not because of my diet or health, but because we found out that our umpteenth try to get pregnant has not been successful. As the pending other mother, it is heartbreaking to watch the person you share your life with pour her entire being into this one thing and not have it work out month after month. It's a helpless feeling too, even though I support her emotionally I can't do a damn thing about the biology. Why can't we just have babies like other couples do? Why can't we just leave the condom off one night and wind up with an "oops" pregnancy a few weeks later? Ugh.

Anyhoo, today was tough and of course it was busy at work (which is my usual luck). When I finally got a chance to take a break, I grabbed an issue of a popular vegetarian magazine and was startled at how politically charged it was. A letter to the editor denouncing Ellen for an award she received for her vegan activism because she's also a Cover Girl spokesperson. A self-proclaimed feminist vegan arguing that we should not be using certain sexist terms when complaining about the meat industry or meat heads in general.

I guess I'm just not there yet. I chose to stop eating meat with J at the beginning of lent because it was something to give up and I knew I'd be eating a healthier diet. I continued that practice because at the heart of my decision to be vegan is the treatment of animals. If meat weren't made from animals, I'd probably eat it. I'd love a meat tree, actually. But knowing that meat used to be a living, breathing, feeling creature, I can't bring myself to eat it. That's pretty much the extent of my agenda when it comes to being vegan. But...I've only been doing this for a little over a week. Maybe as time goes by I'll have a change of heart and keep a spare can of red paint in my purse to toss at someone wearing leather shoes.

What about you guys? Has anyone else felt overwhelmed by vegan politics/activism in the early stages?

Cost & Effect

J and I found out the hard way that the only time one should do shopping at Whole Foods is when one has a million dollars sitting in the bank. Which we do not.

We went a little crazy yesterday and got some things we had been needing and some other things we were excited to try (soy yogurt, almond milk ice cream bites, homemade granola from a local vendor, a new scent of incense to really drive home the "hippy granola lesbian" stereotype). We decided that next time we were going armed with a strict list of things that can only be bought at the specialty store and to save the rest of it for our regular grocer.

So far the food has been mostly delish and I haven't eaten anything that I've regretted later. I am loving that my food is FRESH and whole and that I'm not eating as much out of boxes, cans, or the drive thru lane anymore. Also in the interest of a complete body cleanse I discontinued taking my happy pill which has left my head less than happy. Mostly dizzy and lightheaded, which is no fun at all. I was hoping that I'd tapered off enough that I could get away without any withdrawal symptoms but it seems I'm not so lucky. So I continue to drink tons of water to help flush it out and stay on top of my Omega 3s (not necessarily vegan but for now I need to take the supplement -- if anyone has suggestions for a vegan-friendly omega supplement I'm all ears). I was only taking it to keep me afloat during a very tumultuous year and realized that I probably don't need it anymore. I am pretty good at judging my mental state and if I start to see that I need chemical assistance I'll just go back on it again.

For now it's time to curl up with my girl and a few episodes of Weeds, our new addiction (no pun intended) and a welcome distraction from this ridiculously agonizing TWW.

Doubts

Today is the first day that I've had any sort of doubts about this vegan thing. Why, you ask?

Dairy Queen, those cow-hating bitches* and their Buy 1, Get 1 for 25 cent blizzards.

J and I used to live in a college town, where DQ was never more than a few blocks away. We spent many nights quietly lounging around the apartment, when all of a sudden one of us would whisper softly "deeeeee cuuuueeee" and we'd be in the car on our way to blizzard town.

I miss blizzards tonight. Ice cream in general, actually. I'd like to look into soy ice cream the next time we're at the grocery store. Hopefully I find one that I will like and/or tolerate enough to get me through my craving.

When we heard Rory Freedman speak last week she mentioned a certain substance in dairy that was addictive, which is why we crave it so much. Cheese has the highest concentration of this substance (casein, the main dairy protein) which act like opiates when digested in the human body. I wonder how much casein is in ice cream...it sure would explain why I want it so bad tonight!

*DQ, I love you. Even if you do sell dairy.

Day 5

It's Day 5 kids, and I'm lovin' it. (Take that, McD's!) I do have a slight cold, however, which I am not lovin.

Right now I am trying not to overwhelm myself with too much information. I made the mistake of looking up cruelty-free cosmetics companies and was horrified to find that nearly NONE of the cosmetics I use are on the list. I'm not about to toss what I have, but I will have to be a little careful when I go purchase new things to make sure they are on the safe list.

Also, I have no intention of tossing my leather purses or shoes. I just want to do little things here and there that will make a bit of difference.

I have already had a few friends tell me to make sure I am eating enough protein, vitamins and minerals. I assure you all that I have been watching my intake of all 3 very carefully since I've started and will continue to do so over the course of this journey.

That being said, one of my good friends commented on my last post how surprised she was that I could eat regular, brand-name foods and still eat a vegan dinner. I have no plans of making everything from scratch (hell, I am definitely not that talented in the kitchen). I am all about convenience foods, so as long as the product is vegan-friendly I'm going to use it. Unless of course I find out that Ragu tortures its tomatoes before jarring them. Then I'm screwed...

Day 3 - I Kinda Like It

Yay for followers already! You guys have more faith in this project than I do. ;)

It's Day 3 and I am feeling fantastic. I don't think I've felt this good in months, actually. Here's what I've been eating:

Day 2, cont.:

- homemade guacamole w/ fresh avocado + salsa (which ended up turning miss J into a convert guacamole-eater -- she LOVED it!)

- tortilla chips

- PB&J in a flat bread roll-up

Day 3:

Breakfast: bowl of Cheerios with soymilk and frozen blueberries

Snack: Venti soy latte w/ 2 pumps vanilla syrup

Lunch: PB + banana on flat bread roll-up, fresh cantaloupe, baby carrots w/ hummus, mini box of soymilk (I didn't realize how much soymilk I'd had until I swallowed the last sip from my box. I think tomorrow I'll try to scale back a bit.)

Snack: More homemade guacamole & a few tortilla chips

Dinner: Rotini pasta, Ragu Garden Fresh pasta sauce cooked with 1 pkg Smart Ground, nutritional yeast flakes sprinkled on top

I have determined through trial and error that I prefer Soydream milk to Silk or other brands, although I do use Silk soy creamer for my coffee b/c they are the only ones who make it. I know I need to eat more green, leafy veggies. We have baby spinach in the fridge but unfortunately forgot to pick up things to put on it. I like my salads piled high with veggies, and right now all we have are baby carrots. We'll probably go to the store tomorrow after work methinks.

So far, this vegan thing is not so bad. I was incredibly satisfied by the pasta dinner tonight, and even my love agreed she would eat this way all the time if all meals came out tasting like tonight's. I can't wait to try out more things on her. ::cue sinister "mwhahahaha" laughter::

...unless of course she ends up pregnant, than I'll be gentle. ;)

I also took a peek at the book Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook today and was really impressed with the recipes and how everything was laid out. I love that the authors teach people like me (meaning, people with little to no kitchen know-how) how to cook potatoes and artichokes in a friendly, non-pretentious way. Do any of you own this book or care to recommend your favorite cookbook for vegan beginners?

Vegan?!

This is B from "Just a Pair of Moms in Training". I've decided recently, after J and I spent all of March and most of April as vegetarians, to take the plunge and try a vegan diet for a few days. I'm not expecting too much for now but I wanted to create a space where I could talk about the experience being a new, possibly temporary, vegan.

Why do I say "possibly temporary"? Because I loves me some cheese and dairy. And when I say loves I mean I want to roll around with parmesan, bathe in Moose Tracks ice cream and slather up with strawberry Dan.non yogurt all day.

The thing is, I'm a big animal lover. And after hearing Rory Freedman (of "Skinny Bitch" fame) speak over the weekend at VegFest in Michigan, I am having *gasp* second thoughts about dairy. I've done a little research on dairy cows (even organic ones) and it doesn't sit well with me. Currently I am struggling with similar feelings that Rory had when she first took the plunge into vegetarianism. If I'm such an animal lover, how can I possibly decide to pet one and eat another? It doesn't seem right to me.

So for now, as of yesterday, I'm on a vegan trial run. Yesterday I ate at a vegan restaurant near my work and was really impressed and satisfied afterward. For dinner we ate veggie subs at that big sub chain restaurant. Breakfast this morning is chee.rios with some soymilk and frozen blueberries, plus coffee with soy creamer. All in all, I am feeling okay about my choices and so far do not miss much except for the habit of pulling whatever I want out of the fridge without having to check labels. It's going to be a process for me to get used to I think.