Vegan Update

About a month ago I posted about "changing my ways" and moving along a path toward vegan-ism.   In conversation with daughter Vee this evening, she asked what I have been cooking up lately.  So I decided to just tell he what I have eaten today, just to give her an update.

Now rather than filling up my empty stomach with a pot of coffee when I get up, first I have a fruit smoothie. She said, "You mean, with dairy."   I told her that I use coconut water or almond milk.  And I add to that a banana or blueberries or pear, or whatever is on hand.

For lunch, I used a pre-made whole wheat flatbread and added to that some grated cheese, tomatoes, and feta cheese and baked it.  (The tomatoes came out of Vee's garden.  She had roasted them;  I pureed those for sauce).

For dinner I made a dish using a three colored quinoia.   To that I added an assortment of healthy items.  I used green onions, and broccoli, and edamame (soy beans).  It was then tossed with a dressing made from almond butter and a few other ingredients like lemon, honey, garlic, etc..  I also had a green salad.

One of my favorite dishes these days is a quinoia salad that has cashews and feta cheese and dried cranberries.  Yummy!

I always have a craving for something salty and crunchy.   That I satisfy with soy crisps or rice cakes.

I have definitely reached my goal of being 90% vegan.  I never intended to be completely rigid.  I do occasionally deviate and eat poultry (when out at a restaurant) or other foods on other necessary occasions.  I also eat fish at least once a week.

But I do find that I very much enjoy my new eating style.  It is an interesting challenge, and a creative one.  It forces me to look at food differently.   Like right now, I think I will go and dehydrate some apples that need to be used.  I will use my mandolin slicer, slice them very thinly and bake then until they are chips.

It is something of an irony,  that when I have to think about food 10 times more than I used to,  (to make sure I have the right food on hand, to study recipes, in preparation)  I am actually eating ten times more healthily than I did before.

Part of that is about eating with intention, rather than unconsciously grabbing whatever handy, unhealthy,  processed thing that happens to be around.

No unhealthy snacks in this house.   (Well, except for Gerry's apple fritters!!)