The Story of Going Vegan...maybe.

For some reason saying "vegan" is so much more intimidating than saying "plant based diet" and I can't figure out why. Maybe because in my mind, I think about all the foods I would be cutting out of my diet when I hear "vegan" whereas "plant based diet" is more about adding more plants into my diet and less processed foods and less meat. I haven't decided if I want to completely cut all animal products out of my diet, or if I just want to go for like 80%. And I know I won't be getting rid of the boots or belt that I already own that have leather in them because let's face it, I am too damn broke for that noise!

Why the new preoccupation with a plant-based diet, you ask? Well. I recently decided to be more open to the signs, symbols and opportunities that the Universe was sending my way, because in the past, that has only been a good thing. And in doing so, I realized I am SURROUNDED by veganism. And more than that, I can SEE the differences it has made for the people around me. I also have been given or lended several books and cookbooks lately about cleaner food sources that are better for us, the animals, the environment. I had this moment yesterday of extreme excitement when I realized that in one cookbook I was looking through, I could count on fingers how many recipes involved nuts. (I am allergic to several different nuts in varying degrees and it has always been a huge barrier to considering going vegan in the past.)

Also, and this is where we enter into the TMI zone, if I am being quite honest with myself, dairy and meat give me terrible gas when I eat them. I am slightly sad to admit that the last time I ate my favorite, terrible "meat eater" food (bacon) it gave me horrendous stomach pain. But! I am consoled by how good I CAN feel by some possible changes.

On top of all that, I am plagued lately by an overall sluggish feeling. Having cut out gluten for the most part, and being able to have gauged amazing results from that experiment, I started wondering if a plant based diet would yield further results. I want to be one of those really energetic, active, and happy people and I just can't find my mojo. So...here we go!

Staring February 8th, I am going to gradually wean myself off of animal products by adding in more and more plant based foods. I have decided that I want to do most of my own cooking, to make it cheaper, to cut down on processed foods, and to provide less temptation. I feel that if I really want to see how I feel I need to give it a fair shot, but I am not going to throw out all the food in my house that no longer meets (meats? get it?) my preferences. Again, too broke for that noise.

Revamp of Operation Eat Better

So since beginning operation eat better, I have also started exercising more, and have taken on a heavier class load, resulting in higher stress levels and less time to prep food. I have also noticed that a lot of old food sensitivities are returning and it is really beginning to irritate me. SO I have decided to do a detox. For three weeks. Starting tomorrow. I will be cutting out dairy, wheat and other gluten, eggs, sugar, chocolate, alcohol and food additives and preservatives. In addition I will be continuing to eat lots of fresh foods, and adding more flax and lemon juice into the mix. We shall see how it goes.....

yum, and oh! my green thumb!

I love food. I love to eat. I love to cook. Operation Eat Better is just so damn fun. This morning I had oatmeal with blueberries, flax, sunflower seeds and cherry yogurt. And mandarin ginseng green tea. Then I got to study with Sara (yay!) and had a honey wheat bagel with cream cheese and a thin mint cookie that Sara gave me.

Then! Joyous day! I got my kiddo back from visiting her dads house and we had Mac and Cheese (not so good but waaaaay good), cucumber and apple slices. And another girl scout cookie, damn them and their tastiness.

And for dinner I made a tasty white bean and bacon soup with leaks and celery, and we had artichokes.

Also, I got my garden started today. Well some of it. Em and I planted some broccoli and mesclun salad mix starts, and planted some decorative sweet peas for flowers on our front porch. In addition to the vegetable garden on the porch, we are doing an herb garden in the kitchen and we started it off today with chamomile and mint starts in cute little pots. Have I mentioned I somehow have acquired an abundance of pots? Its awesome. Next week I will be starting (from seed) peas, beans and chard inside the house to await transplant when the weather makes up it's damn mind about what the hell it is doing. And I cannot wait till it is warm enough to start tomatoes and carrots.

Note to self...

Don't make changes to your diet right before you sponsor a youth overnight at church. This way you don't feel so bad when you shatter for goals so soon after starting. Last night for dinner I had steamed green beans and baked polenta with marinara sauce over it, and an apple. But then I got to church and it was nothing but chips, pop tarts and soda. Blarg. For breakfast I cooked everyone pancakes and scrambled eggs with the help of some awesome youth. And had grapes and an orange. Lunch, well, I am so exhausted that it is 4pm now and I am force feeding myself before I fall asleep. But I am having yogurt with granola and raw green beans. Then....nap time.

Tomorrow, I will be starting my garden! yay! I don't know that I will be repotting the starts I plan on buying as the weather right now is bipolar. Yesterday it was gorgeous flip flop weather and today it is snowing. So, I may wait a few weeks, but I will be getting the pots ready, collecting rocks for the bottom of them, maybe purchasing more planters, and starts! There are some delicious looking broccoli starts at the Down to Earth right now that I am going to acquire. I have seeds for peas, chard, beans, tomotoes and carrots. The tomatoes will have to wait, but I am going to try and get seeds planted and keep them inside for a few weeks until the weather is better. We shall see.

Operation Eat Better

So lately I have put a bigger emphasis on taking care of myself, for real. I have been working out at least four days a week, not just doing yoga. My energy levels are much higher than before and as a side effect, my metabolism (which was that of a hummingbird to begin with) has also stepped it up and I have found myself constantly hungry. This change has truly highlighted my lack of planning in the food department not only for lunch at school, but in general as well, thus affecting my finances quite a bit. So I setting out to change this.

Last week I joined a co-op and yesterday I picked up my first order of produce from them. Holy cow! Keep in mine this is ALL organic food. I got two bunches of broccoli, two bunches of swiss chard, a leek, a half pound of onions, a pound of oranges, 15 apples (so roughly 5 pounds), a pound of green beans, three artichokes, two bunches of celery, a pound of dill harvarti cheese and a box of mac and cheese for guess how much? $35! I was astounded at the amount of good food we got for so little money. This is the perfect opportunity to start eating better.

So my plan? Fresh fruit/vegetables at breakfast and vegetables at lunch and dinner everyday. I will also be preparing snacks to save me money and keep my blood sugar at healthy levels throughout the day. This weekend I will be making some homemade granola (because having allergies to nuts makes it IMPOSSIBLE to buy granola and granola bars in most stores) to mix with yogurt for breakfast/snacks, a white bean leek soup for lunches and then prepping vegetables for salads, and rice and beans to mix together in varying ways for lunches as well. I am also going to try and record what I am eating for a month to track my progress.

Today, I slept in too late for breakfasty food in my mind, so I started with an apple, walked the dog, then upon returning home made lunch. (It is awesome that I get to start this during a stretch where I will have no school.) For lunch I had steamed broccoli with black eyed peas mixed with some chili oil, black sesame oil and garlic. I also had some harvarti cheese on crackers and an orange. I am headed to a youth overnight so will be eating on the go for dinner. I plan on steaming some green beans, maybe mixing them with some black eyed peas with a dressing my mom makes made out of lime juice, olive oil and maple syrup-I know, sounds gross, but is really good. I will take an apple with me as well.

We will see how this goes! I am excited to see how much money I save. And am giddy about the co-op.