“There are no perfect men in this world, only perfect intentions.”
Pen Densham
Week Four - 20 days down and 8 to go. . .
Satisfaction: I am approaching my intention and I have to say it isn’t the struggle I thought it would be; having this blog is great impetus.
Vegan Myth #2:
Making sure you get all the proper nutrient combinations to be healthy is highly complicated and very difficult.
TRUTH: It is not difficult or complicated. No special combining is needed to be certain that you are getting the nutrients you need. Just eat a wide variety of foods, like whole grains, vegetables, and beans. However, vitamin B-12 must be supplemented because there is no reliable plant source.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
insight
Vegan Myth #1: A vegan diet lacks essential nutrients like protein, calcium and iron.
TRUTH: You may assume that protein and iron must come from meat and calcium from dairy products; the truth is that whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds and vegetables will provide us with all the proteins we need. Broccoli has more protein, ounce for ounce, than any meat. Iron can come in many veggie forms, including dark leafy greens, lentils and other beans. For calcium, look to dark leafy greens, almonds and black beans.
Source: This Crazy Vegan Life
I can attest to the truthfulness of this statement. I try to donate blood at least two times a year, and I have never been turned away for having low a iron level. Good nutrition gives the body the fuel it needs to use. It takes a fair amount of discipline and imagination to succeed at eating vegan/vegetarian in our culture. The key is to remain informed, organized, and resolute.
TRUTH: You may assume that protein and iron must come from meat and calcium from dairy products; the truth is that whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds and vegetables will provide us with all the proteins we need. Broccoli has more protein, ounce for ounce, than any meat. Iron can come in many veggie forms, including dark leafy greens, lentils and other beans. For calcium, look to dark leafy greens, almonds and black beans.
Source: This Crazy Vegan Life
I can attest to the truthfulness of this statement. I try to donate blood at least two times a year, and I have never been turned away for having low a iron level. Good nutrition gives the body the fuel it needs to use. It takes a fair amount of discipline and imagination to succeed at eating vegan/vegetarian in our culture. The key is to remain informed, organized, and resolute.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
“There is no chance, no destiny, no fate that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Week Two - 10 days down and 18 to go. . .
Satisfaction: I've consumed no dairy and no eggs.
Frustration: No butter, no butter (oh brother), no butter.
No French toast (made with brioche). If you like eating French toast, you may feel, just as I do, that the most important ingredient is the bread. I could easily eat a loaf of brioche (a light/fluffy French bread that tastes like a croissant), but using it to make French toast yields a culinary delight that is indescribable. To the non-vegans/vegetarians: If you have not done so already, consider using brioche in your favorite French toast recipe. Joy will abound!
I intend to find a butter. . . I mean, a better recipe.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Week Two - 10 days down and 18 to go. . .
Satisfaction: I've consumed no dairy and no eggs.
Frustration: No butter, no butter (oh brother), no butter.
No French toast (made with brioche). If you like eating French toast, you may feel, just as I do, that the most important ingredient is the bread. I could easily eat a loaf of brioche (a light/fluffy French bread that tastes like a croissant), but using it to make French toast yields a culinary delight that is indescribable. To the non-vegans/vegetarians: If you have not done so already, consider using brioche in your favorite French toast recipe. Joy will abound!
I intend to find a butter. . . I mean, a better recipe.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Food habits are indeed strong, but they can be changed.
The Philosopher’s Diet
Week One – 7 days down and 21 to go. . .
Satisfaction: I consumed no dairy this week.
Not having dairy products in the refrigerator is the best strategy.
Frustration: I could not prepare the energy mix (see recipe below) I usually eat at least three times a week because I forgot to buy soy yogurt.
I became a strict vegetarian over a span of two years. First, I stopped eating meat (cold) but ate fish for two years. During this time (early 1980’s) there weren't a lot of convenience foods for non meat eaters. They are readily available now and it would have made the transition easier. However, as a result, I consumed a balanced, whole-food diet that was free of processed foods. It was great to learn what foods to eat and how to prepare well-balanced meals.
Being a grad student has made preparing well-balanced meals (or even a proper meal) tricky. So you may wonder is it safe to become vegan at this time. Will I get the full range of nutrients without dairy? Will I be able to maintain a high level of energy? It is my intention to do so.
E’s Energy Mix: This is a high fiber mixture that I usually eat in the morning or mid-day. You may use any fruit of your choice to balance the tartness of the yogurt; raisins are optional.
1 apple
1 banana
Handful of raisins (optional)
¼ cup of walnuts
8 oz soy yogurt (plain)
Slice the fruit and mix it with the yogurt, grind the walnuts finely, and top with raisins. Enjoy!
The Philosopher’s Diet
Week One – 7 days down and 21 to go. . .
Satisfaction: I consumed no dairy this week.
Not having dairy products in the refrigerator is the best strategy.
Frustration: I could not prepare the energy mix (see recipe below) I usually eat at least three times a week because I forgot to buy soy yogurt.
I became a strict vegetarian over a span of two years. First, I stopped eating meat (cold) but ate fish for two years. During this time (early 1980’s) there weren't a lot of convenience foods for non meat eaters. They are readily available now and it would have made the transition easier. However, as a result, I consumed a balanced, whole-food diet that was free of processed foods. It was great to learn what foods to eat and how to prepare well-balanced meals.
Being a grad student has made preparing well-balanced meals (or even a proper meal) tricky. So you may wonder is it safe to become vegan at this time. Will I get the full range of nutrients without dairy? Will I be able to maintain a high level of energy? It is my intention to do so.
E’s Energy Mix: This is a high fiber mixture that I usually eat in the morning or mid-day. You may use any fruit of your choice to balance the tartness of the yogurt; raisins are optional.
1 apple
1 banana
Handful of raisins (optional)
¼ cup of walnuts
8 oz soy yogurt (plain)
Slice the fruit and mix it with the yogurt, grind the walnuts finely, and top with raisins. Enjoy!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
This Blog is About:
My passage to veganism; I intend to chronicle the foods eaten (and not eaten). This blog will offer recipes, meal planning tips and information regarding the benefits of this way of eating. I will not get up on my soapbox regarding this lifestyle; however, I may serve a petite course of vegan/vegetarian philosophy every now and then. But don’t worry; I don’t dictate my individual preference to anyone (although I’m not above gentle persuasion) and I’m not a talkative person. I just hope I don’t bore you and that you enjoy reading my [first] blog.
Becoming Vegan
I have been a vegetarian for 28 years; I consume no meat, fish, or poultry, gelatin, honey, cheese with rennet; I eat eggs and milk only in the form of baked goods. For at least 15 of years I’ve been vegetarian, my eating habits have ping-ponged between vegetarian and vegan. It is my intention (during the course of this assignment), to give up all animal-related food products. It is generally believed that it takes 28 days to create a new habit, so please stay tuned.
Why Vegetarian?
I was eight years old the first time I met someone who didn’t consume meat - a neighbor who refrained for religious reasons. I asked her the one question I’m sure she’d heard many times before: Then what do you eat? She explained to me that there was plenty, and I became witness to this fact whenever I saw her prepare dinner for her husband. But it wasn’t until my senior year as an undergraduate that I began to consider giving up the beast, not for religious, ethical or even health reasons. Initially, I stopped eating meat out of curiosity; I simply wanted the experience. So, before starting, I read everything I could find on the subject. The research paid off in a big way by cementing my resolve to give up meat mainly for health and environmental reasons. Never once, during the 28 years I have been vegetarian, have I regretted my choice not to eat meat.
Why Vegan?
I would like to say that I intend to be vegan for ethical reasons. I spent many summers on the farm of my grandparents, who slaughtered their own meat. While I am aware of the truth about how eggs, milk, and that slab of ribs arrive at the local grocer-- the operation of mass production—I intend to become vegan for health reason. I have chronic pain in my shoulder (shoulder impingement syndrome) and relief from this pain only comes when I do not eat inflammation-causing foods. Dairy products are a major source of inflammation. So it is for health reasons that milk and eggs must exit my life; I shall say bye-bye to butter and cast out cheese, forever. After at least 28 days, I intend to say, “I am vegan.”
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