Day Twenty-Eight - All's well that ends well...

So I got sick. Or more correctly, I am ill. Supposedly being vegan gives you superpowers and makes you immune to illness. This is not true. There are several suspects, but no convictions as of yet. Maybe my body is finally starting to rebel from my vegan diet. Or maybe I just ate some bad mushrooms. I'm not going to blame it on the ve-ee-ee-eeetables (Thank you, Jamie Foxx and Glee, for destroying my mental soundtrack), but they are not above suspicion. I guess we'll see in a few days.

I went into this month with several expectations and for the most part they were met. I didn't miss meat. Like I said before, that wasn't a big deal to begin with. I only missed eggs and milk if they were in baked goods. You don't think about it until you are staring at a beautiful dessert table and nothing to eat. I really missed cheese, especially on pizza. All the cheese flavored snacks actually contain milk and some kind of "cheese" which I guess is a good thing. Honest advertising and all that. I didn't lose any weight, but I do feel healthier. I also feel more confident about my physical appearance. Odd, right? Other events have contributed to this, but there is something nice about being able to say "no" to something tasty, but probably bad for you, when you really want to eat the whole plate. Something empowering about having self control over what you eat. Sadly, that was the only powers I got. No telekinesis, no psychic abilities. Without all that extra curds and whey in my brain, I was looking forward to some superpower fun. What a let down.

As this experiment has approached the end, there is one question people keep asking, "Will you keep being vegan?" Good, question. I really only intended to eat vegan for a month, then go back to my meat eatin' ways. And I really hate sitting around while other people eat and there is nothing vegan for me. It's lame. But I have seriously considered sticking with a veganish diet. I can see myself eating vegan, when possible, and then not worrying about it when I can't. I appreciate the philosophy behind veganism, but it isn't something that is so important to me. I want to eat the cupcakes that someone bakes/buys for me. I want to partake in social eating events (ie. every church activity I've been to). I don't think eating turkey at Thanksgiving is bad. Especially since it's raised by my adorable cousins and probably had a very good life for a bird. But I could stand to eat more veggies. I do need to eat less take-out. Perhaps, moderation has it's place.

In the end, no, I won't be vegan. We'll call it omnivore with vegan tenancies. OVT. Yeah, that sounds trendy.
"Hey man, what do you eat?"
"Awww, don't you know? I'm OVT, dude!"
"No way man! Me too! Let's go eat a salad and then have some ice cream!"
"Sounds good! Maybe get some grilled tofu on top."
Yep, it happens just like that every day. And it could happen to YOU!

Day Twenty-Three - Time to Shop!

So after 23 days, I have finally gotten around to a second shopping trip. I was really surprised how long the first go lasted. Maybe I can't count the last week, because I have eaten out a few times... Anywho, I went shopping again. It was a little easier than the first time. Less labels to read, which saved oodles of time. I didn't really have any recipes in mind, so it was basic stuff like peanut butter (on sale), bread (on sale),  and apples (on sale). Seeing a pattern? Sadly, the produce section had very little in season/on the cheap. As in, nothing. I think I might need to hit up a farmers market or something and "be inspired" by the plant stuff. Are there rules or something for farmers markets? Haggling strategies? Comments and Advice needed, yo.

Day Twenty-Two - MAIL!

So I got an exciting package in the mail. My favorite t-shirt site had this AWESOME tofu shirt and I had to have one. BEHOLD!

 

 

Tofu, Master of Disguise!

It is tofu and adorable. I had to buy it! So I did, and it came in the mail today. No regrets. Totally worth it :)

Day Twenty-one - Cafe Rrrrrrrrio

Today was a delightful surprise. One of my favorite places, Cafe Rio, has great vegan options. Well, great as long as you like rice and beans. Which I DO!

I got the salad with out cheese (not on the tortilla nor on the top), with black beans, rice, guac, salsa, and the lime cilantro vinaigrette. I didn't really miss the meat. I did miss the creamy house dressing, but the vinaigrette is really good too. What a find!

Day Twenty - Veggie Soup Surprise

I haven't gone shopping for a while. Since the beginning of the month actually. So, now I have a bunch of random stuff left over from the last few recipes. What do you do with random food stuff? Make soup of course! My grandma taught me about "Hobo Soup" on a road trip. You take what you have, throw it in a pot, add water, and eat! So simple. Also, a bit of a gamble. I like to call it Soup Surprise because you never really know what you will get. Luckily with vegetables it's hard to mess up.

Soup Surprise - Vegan Edition
1 can veg stock
1 can red beans
some water
carrots
1 potatoe
frozen peas
celery
onion
chili pepper
salt
garlic powder

cut. mix. simmer for 20 min. Voila!

Surprise! It rocks! (Cue fist pump)

Day Nineteen - Talking food

So I've totally been MIA the past few days. Two reasons. One: I haven't been doing anything very exciting in the vegan category. Lots of potatoes and oatmeal. Not together. Two: I have misplaced my camera and can't show you what the food looks like anyway. Thus, nothing really to write or post.

Today I experienced the worst part of veganism. Social eating events. Example one: That very nice coworker brings in homemade cookies. You want to show her that you think she's great and accept her offering of food, but you KNOW those cookies ain't vegan. Example two: You go to a church activity. If you are Mormon, like I am, then there will be food. And most of the event is centered around eating the food. And the food? A big ball of meat and dairy. So what do you do? Stick to your vegan guns, or partake in the group bonding that is eating?

That's right. Bonding. It's not just a matter of being polite. Sharing food is a big deal. It expresses trust and a general liking for someone. "Breaking bread", sharing of peace pipes, and first date dinners are all about using food to tell someone, "Hey, you are okay. You probably won't poison me. I trust you." For real! It's a ceremony that is seen all through history and across all cultures. So when someone offers you food, they aren't just giving you a cookie, they are giving a bit of their self and asking, "Do you trust me? Do you think I'm okay?"

And that's the problem. Eat the food or shun the giver. Granted you can always say, "thanks, but I can't. I...." (use your excuse of your choice) ...just ate ...on a diet ...vegan. And it probably won't be a big deal. It won't be rude or make them hate you, but you did just pass up on an opportunity to be closer to another person. I don't have the answer. It was hard for be in both situations to say "no." I guess what is comes down to is what is more important to you, the vegan philosophy or using every opportunity to bond with your fellow man. Both sides have their points and flaws. However, it's something to think about.

Day Fifteen - Californian Vegan

So I must be time for me to go shopping again, because I don't want to eat any of the food I have. I have some potatoes, and vegetarian chili and lots of Ramen, but what I really want is something like....take out. Yup, I just don't want to cook. Lucky for me, Los Angeles is full of vegan delivery options. Yay!

Californian Vegan was fast, and the food was good. It was better than most, but no RFD. I got Pad thai and wontons. I don't know what was in the wantons. But it was good. Some kind of veggie paste stuff. Meh, no complaints here. Overall, good food that didn't taste "vegan." So much for less than $20. I'll be eating this for a few more meals.

Pad thai, egg roll (sans egg) and fried rice

Funky Green Wontons...mmmm

Soup and Salad. I'll eventually get to those.