Since I've been on my vegetarian exploratory journey, I've been trying to figure out if my path would lead to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Turns out that I have a hard time ignoring the origins of dairy products.
I just finished Jonathan Safran Foer's book Eating Animals and it pretty much sealed the deal that I was going to take the full leap to veganism. His book had many of the same facts and stories as Melanie Joy's Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows, which I read a month or so ago right after I watched my first documentaries. What Eating Animals did for me though was push me to reflect more about exactly which parts about the industry bothered me, why I wasn't eating animal products anymore, and how I would feel knowing that I had stopped endorsing one area but still endorsed another which is just as bad, if not worse. His book is much more personal as he narrates his own journey learning about factory farming but for me, this was a good thing, not a drag. Some reviewers don't love it but it worked for me. I then check out Skinny Bitch which I only skimmed through most of it because many of the stories and facts are the same. It was funny though and hopefully will help other people realize that there are lots of benefits to eating vegan besides not harming animals.
The truth is that I have enjoyed eating a vegan diet so far. I like whole grains, I love fruits and veggies, and avocados are just about my favorite thing ever. I feel good knowing that I'm not harming any beings to get food.
I'm not going to lie though...no matter how many veggie sushi rolls I eat, I will always miss the taste of salmon avocado rolls! I won't, however, miss being a part of killing thousands of extra animals every year just to eat salmon. :-/
That's it for now...have any of you out there read any of these and felt like they helped or not?
PS - I rediscovered public libraries and feel stupid for ignoring them for two years. They're so wonderful and I can read so much for freeeee!! Thank you, libraries!!!!!
Monday, October 14, 2013
Friday, October 4, 2013
New Food, New Recipes
It's been a little over five weeks since I stopped eating meat. That part was easy because I was so sad after watching documentaries that I just didn't have any interest in eating meat for the last month.
I really loved meat before 5 weeks ago. Bacon was one of my favorite things ever and canadian bacon was the best friend to my morning eggs. I drank a little milk once in a while (mostly just chocolate milk) and loved a good brie or gouda before a delectable meal. Cutting out cheese and milk has been okay but eggs...oh eggs, I love you so. I miss my eggs in the morning.
I am not fully vegan yet and honestly, don't think that I will ever classify myself as such. I'm trying out a "whole foods, plant based diet" touted by Scott Jurek and other mighty marathoners and health food junkies. It was difficult at first and I'm still having chocolate cravings all the time but hey. Also, I am having a difficult time stomaching the insane amounts of "I'm a vegan because x" or "You're NOT a vegan because y" stuff. I'm eating consciously and trying to be healthy. I'll call my dietary preference "healthy conscious eating" and make my own label!
I have found, like many others state on their "How/When I Became Vegan/Super Healthy Eater" post or blog, I have been forced to learn to cook new things with new ingredients since I cut out most dairy and meat. In the last two weeks, we made meatless stuffed peppers (with coconut forbidden rice and black beans), portobello mushroom sandwiches with a homemade horseradish sauce, veggie sushi, vegan challah, tofu scrambles, butternut squash and tofu curry, and miso soup. And those are only the highlights!
I made veggie sushi last night because I was craving it. I have never made brown rice sushi before but gave it a go. I went fairly simple with avocado, cucumber and scallion. It hit the spot!
Then, my new favorite breakfast dish was born...morning sushi breakfast bowl!
I took the leftover sushi ingredients, threw them in a bowl and topped it off with my new favorite carrot ginger dressing from the lovely cook at Smitten Kitchen. It was full of whole grains, some yummy fatty avocado and fresh delicious cucumbers. When I say that the ginger dressing is my new favorite, I mean it's my new "I want to lick the bowl after I eat the rest of the food" recipes. It's that good, ask my mom.
I really loved meat before 5 weeks ago. Bacon was one of my favorite things ever and canadian bacon was the best friend to my morning eggs. I drank a little milk once in a while (mostly just chocolate milk) and loved a good brie or gouda before a delectable meal. Cutting out cheese and milk has been okay but eggs...oh eggs, I love you so. I miss my eggs in the morning.
I am not fully vegan yet and honestly, don't think that I will ever classify myself as such. I'm trying out a "whole foods, plant based diet" touted by Scott Jurek and other mighty marathoners and health food junkies. It was difficult at first and I'm still having chocolate cravings all the time but hey. Also, I am having a difficult time stomaching the insane amounts of "I'm a vegan because x" or "You're NOT a vegan because y" stuff. I'm eating consciously and trying to be healthy. I'll call my dietary preference "healthy conscious eating" and make my own label!
I have found, like many others state on their "How/When I Became Vegan/Super Healthy Eater" post or blog, I have been forced to learn to cook new things with new ingredients since I cut out most dairy and meat. In the last two weeks, we made meatless stuffed peppers (with coconut forbidden rice and black beans), portobello mushroom sandwiches with a homemade horseradish sauce, veggie sushi, vegan challah, tofu scrambles, butternut squash and tofu curry, and miso soup. And those are only the highlights!
I made veggie sushi last night because I was craving it. I have never made brown rice sushi before but gave it a go. I went fairly simple with avocado, cucumber and scallion. It hit the spot!
Then, my new favorite breakfast dish was born...morning sushi breakfast bowl!
I took the leftover sushi ingredients, threw them in a bowl and topped it off with my new favorite carrot ginger dressing from the lovely cook at Smitten Kitchen. It was full of whole grains, some yummy fatty avocado and fresh delicious cucumbers. When I say that the ginger dressing is my new favorite, I mean it's my new "I want to lick the bowl after I eat the rest of the food" recipes. It's that good, ask my mom.
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