Michelle Cristiani's Blog, page 3
August 20, 2012
The Reluctant Vegan: Rules of Engagement
Oh, you thought I gave up vegan-by-day, did you? Well, not exactly. I have been tinkering with it, but just not writing about it. Veganism and I have come to an understanding.
What I've found is that when I choose to eat vegan by day, I choose healthier foods with hardly any exceptions. A salad is always better for you than a leftover slice of pizza. Rice is usually better than lasagna, etc. But I didn't begin this journey to cut out animal products; I began to start thinking about what foods I prioritize throughout the day. Eating vegan has helped me do that in ways that a food diary never could. I am paying attention to what I eat. For me at least, that's more than half the battle.
But. There are some exceptions I've come to understand, that make life easier for myself than others. I have come to the conclusion that I will eat vegan until dinner, with the following exceptions:
Milk in my coffee. I make a light-and-sweet decaf every morning, and most afternoons. (Sometimes if I'm feeling weary, I make a half-caf. Yeah, I know, I'm a party animal.) I've mentioned the soymilk curdling, and almond milk does the same thing, and the rice milk, well, it's ok but it is full of carbs. Again, I am cutting out animal products to help me make healthy choices. The qualities of fat-free cow's milk are more in line with what I want out of food right now, so I will stick to it. Yogurt. I hear the jury is once again out on whether yogurt is actually good for you. For my part, I make my own granola, and it's a daytime staple for me. It's chock full of healthy seeds and nuts, low in sugar, and I don't like to eat it dry. If I eat it with milk, it's not as filling, so I choose plain yogurt. It travels well when I work, is convenient to buy, and keeps me eating granola, which is the best part.Costco samples. I do like to occasionally taste their brie around 2 pm when I shop. When vegan isn't the healthier choice. Have you ever compared the nutritional content of peanut butter vs. butter? PB doesn't fare all that well. Our spreadable butter is partly canola oil anyway. It is probably better for my arteries if I spread the little bit required to make toast tastier, than the even-more PB it takes to make toast yummy. PB is the vegan choice, but it doesn't always make sense in the context of my diet. Politeness. Recently I was at a family reunion where the picnic food was sandwich fare. Had I stuck to my vegan, I would have had white bread and potato chips for lunch, which wouldn't be healthy at all. It is against every fiber of my being to request special food unless it is an allergy. So throwing a slice of cheese and/or turkey on the white bread did more good than harm. There are other situations - like having guests in town and eating out at lunch - when I could be a real buzzkill. I would rather not do this. Though it hasn't happened yet, I reserve the right to consume regional specialties while traveling, even if they are offered before dinnertime. So after reading this list, you might be thinking: what the HELL? You're not vegan at all! Well, actually, wait a minute. As I have said before, I am choosing this diet based not on a revulsion of animal product or political stance against their consumption. I am choosing a healthy road, which I am finding more and more connects with, if not runs parallel to, vegan living. Let me tell you about what IS working well, also.
Snacks. If you kept a food diary, you'd probably be surprised at how much snacking contributes to your daily intake. My snacking habits have changed completely since I started eating vegan. My old snacks were leftovers of any kind, or pieces of cheese. Now that that's out of the picture, I choose fruit or veg, like banana or celery with PB. I choose nuts, triscuits, or sunflower seeds if I want something salty. Lunch. Lunch has always been hard for me because I'm also cooking for 3 little ones, and their leftover chicken dinos tempt me. This is strange - they actually don't tempt me anymore. On the rare occasion I take a bite, they taste kind-of gross now. Salads, rice, lentils and all that healthy shit you walk past because you don't know how to cook it - that stuff actually tastes good, if done right. It takes more time to prepare, yes it does. But I now wouldn't have it any other way.Baking. I bake a lot, and though I don't think the occasional egg or buttermilk is going to hurt my long-term diet, figuring out the vegan has been a puzzle I like to crack. I can whip up chocolate chip cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar and I have stopped counting the number of people whose mouths drop open when told they are vegan. Bob's Red Mill makes a mean egg substitute - that if you're reading nutritional facts, is far better for you than egg. More on the rest later. What do you think of this list? Anything you would add or subtract?
What I've found is that when I choose to eat vegan by day, I choose healthier foods with hardly any exceptions. A salad is always better for you than a leftover slice of pizza. Rice is usually better than lasagna, etc. But I didn't begin this journey to cut out animal products; I began to start thinking about what foods I prioritize throughout the day. Eating vegan has helped me do that in ways that a food diary never could. I am paying attention to what I eat. For me at least, that's more than half the battle.
But. There are some exceptions I've come to understand, that make life easier for myself than others. I have come to the conclusion that I will eat vegan until dinner, with the following exceptions:
Milk in my coffee. I make a light-and-sweet decaf every morning, and most afternoons. (Sometimes if I'm feeling weary, I make a half-caf. Yeah, I know, I'm a party animal.) I've mentioned the soymilk curdling, and almond milk does the same thing, and the rice milk, well, it's ok but it is full of carbs. Again, I am cutting out animal products to help me make healthy choices. The qualities of fat-free cow's milk are more in line with what I want out of food right now, so I will stick to it. Yogurt. I hear the jury is once again out on whether yogurt is actually good for you. For my part, I make my own granola, and it's a daytime staple for me. It's chock full of healthy seeds and nuts, low in sugar, and I don't like to eat it dry. If I eat it with milk, it's not as filling, so I choose plain yogurt. It travels well when I work, is convenient to buy, and keeps me eating granola, which is the best part.Costco samples. I do like to occasionally taste their brie around 2 pm when I shop. When vegan isn't the healthier choice. Have you ever compared the nutritional content of peanut butter vs. butter? PB doesn't fare all that well. Our spreadable butter is partly canola oil anyway. It is probably better for my arteries if I spread the little bit required to make toast tastier, than the even-more PB it takes to make toast yummy. PB is the vegan choice, but it doesn't always make sense in the context of my diet. Politeness. Recently I was at a family reunion where the picnic food was sandwich fare. Had I stuck to my vegan, I would have had white bread and potato chips for lunch, which wouldn't be healthy at all. It is against every fiber of my being to request special food unless it is an allergy. So throwing a slice of cheese and/or turkey on the white bread did more good than harm. There are other situations - like having guests in town and eating out at lunch - when I could be a real buzzkill. I would rather not do this. Though it hasn't happened yet, I reserve the right to consume regional specialties while traveling, even if they are offered before dinnertime. So after reading this list, you might be thinking: what the HELL? You're not vegan at all! Well, actually, wait a minute. As I have said before, I am choosing this diet based not on a revulsion of animal product or political stance against their consumption. I am choosing a healthy road, which I am finding more and more connects with, if not runs parallel to, vegan living. Let me tell you about what IS working well, also.
Snacks. If you kept a food diary, you'd probably be surprised at how much snacking contributes to your daily intake. My snacking habits have changed completely since I started eating vegan. My old snacks were leftovers of any kind, or pieces of cheese. Now that that's out of the picture, I choose fruit or veg, like banana or celery with PB. I choose nuts, triscuits, or sunflower seeds if I want something salty. Lunch. Lunch has always been hard for me because I'm also cooking for 3 little ones, and their leftover chicken dinos tempt me. This is strange - they actually don't tempt me anymore. On the rare occasion I take a bite, they taste kind-of gross now. Salads, rice, lentils and all that healthy shit you walk past because you don't know how to cook it - that stuff actually tastes good, if done right. It takes more time to prepare, yes it does. But I now wouldn't have it any other way.Baking. I bake a lot, and though I don't think the occasional egg or buttermilk is going to hurt my long-term diet, figuring out the vegan has been a puzzle I like to crack. I can whip up chocolate chip cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar and I have stopped counting the number of people whose mouths drop open when told they are vegan. Bob's Red Mill makes a mean egg substitute - that if you're reading nutritional facts, is far better for you than egg. More on the rest later. What do you think of this list? Anything you would add or subtract?
August 4, 2012
Cinderella's Raincoat
From about 2000, because everything old is new again:
Cinderella's Raincoat
It rained on Cinderella, you know:
an hour before the pumpkin turned
she got wet
after the ball
And her hair came down
And her make-up ran
She slipped into his puddle
and her slipper slipped off
Cinderella had a raincoat, you see:
sometime before riches fell to rags
Prince Charming
at the ball
Didn't offer his coat
because he wanted to know
if she would put hers on
She kept heart through his puddles
and kept her own heart dry
Cinderella's raincoat wasn't yellow, after all;
at 11:00 on that magical night
She shivered
from the fall
Her coat dropped to the floor
And her hair came down
And her make-up rain
The slipper didn't even need to fit
because Cinderella's raincoat
was
her
skin.
Cinderella's Raincoat
It rained on Cinderella, you know:
an hour before the pumpkin turned
she got wet
after the ball
And her hair came down
And her make-up ran
She slipped into his puddle
and her slipper slipped off
Cinderella had a raincoat, you see:
sometime before riches fell to rags
Prince Charming
at the ball
Didn't offer his coat
because he wanted to know
if she would put hers on
She kept heart through his puddles
and kept her own heart dry
Cinderella's raincoat wasn't yellow, after all;
at 11:00 on that magical night
She shivered
from the fall
Her coat dropped to the floor
And her hair came down
And her make-up rain
The slipper didn't even need to fit
because Cinderella's raincoat
was
her
skin.
May 21, 2012
Vegan leftovers....or not...
I am the only person in my household who eats leftovers. The children barely like their dinners the first time (unelss pizza or pasta, of course), and my husband just doesn't care for heavier lunches...so that privilege/responsibility falls to me. I love it. I always have something to bring to work, and I never have to answer the question, "what's for lunch?"
Since becoming vegan by day, leftovers have been an issue. For dinners, I always make enough food in case everyone wants 2 servings - so sue me, it's the Italian in me. The kids are wild cards, loving pork chops one day and hating the next. And I feel physical pain when someone is digging in the pan for the last sausage and there aren't any left. As a consequence, there are almost always leftovers. And now, where do they go?
Some of them get fed to others. Otherwise, I have to get creative. One of my favorite things to cook is a big roast-like meal on a Sunday. But now I know that roasted meat will sit there unless I use it, so I have to plan two meals for the meat, not just one. I'm a planner, and this is ok. In a way, better, because we have less waste. Reworking one meal into another has been a fun creative challenge, a real positive side-effect of the Vegan Experiment.
Overall, though, this month I think we've wasted more food than we've saved. I need to figure out what to do with that second-day food. Not all meats are as easy to rework as roasted chicken - sometimes it's chicken already doused in cream sauce, or pork with a distinctive Mexican blend of spices. How many quesadillas can this family eat? I guess the first step would be to prepare less for dinner, but that is going to be hard for me.
What do you do with your leftovers? How do we reduce this waste?
Since becoming vegan by day, leftovers have been an issue. For dinners, I always make enough food in case everyone wants 2 servings - so sue me, it's the Italian in me. The kids are wild cards, loving pork chops one day and hating the next. And I feel physical pain when someone is digging in the pan for the last sausage and there aren't any left. As a consequence, there are almost always leftovers. And now, where do they go?
Some of them get fed to others. Otherwise, I have to get creative. One of my favorite things to cook is a big roast-like meal on a Sunday. But now I know that roasted meat will sit there unless I use it, so I have to plan two meals for the meat, not just one. I'm a planner, and this is ok. In a way, better, because we have less waste. Reworking one meal into another has been a fun creative challenge, a real positive side-effect of the Vegan Experiment.
Overall, though, this month I think we've wasted more food than we've saved. I need to figure out what to do with that second-day food. Not all meats are as easy to rework as roasted chicken - sometimes it's chicken already doused in cream sauce, or pork with a distinctive Mexican blend of spices. How many quesadillas can this family eat? I guess the first step would be to prepare less for dinner, but that is going to be hard for me.
What do you do with your leftovers? How do we reduce this waste?
April 30, 2012
The Death of the Mommy Tax
I know I'm not the only mother who does this: eat my kids' leftovers. Those buttery frozen waffle crusts are pretty awesome. Now, I know some people are grossed out by this - some mothers, even (I think of you, Jill Smokler!). I wish I could be more like you, Jill. I wish I weren't tempted by those little crusts.
I used to always joke that those leftovers had no calories. But sadly, that's not true. And now, with my vegan-until-6 routine, many of these tempting leftovers are off-limits for another reason. Those buttery crusts don't fit the mold. Neither does the crispy chicken nugget, the half of cheese taquito, or the small scoop of mac 'n cheese left in the pot.
This morning, I pb-ed my toast and buttered theirs. I composted the little crusts, and enjoyed eating the ends of their bananas (sorry, Jill). On the way home from our walk, I stopped in the mini-mart to get some milk. Of course they asked for little chocolate milks, and I did buy them.
Here is where I have to explain the 'Mama tax.' Often when I open a treat for the kids, I take some before giving it to them. I call it the Mama Tax. They tolerate it grudgingly, like people tolerate all taxes grudgingly. When I open special milks, for example, I often take a chug first. The bottles are very full and spill-prone, so I'm helping us all out. Plus, Jill Smokler would be proud - no backwash.
Except this morning, I couldn't do that. Because, vegan. I love that creamy chocolate milk, but the Mama tax is no more.
They left some in their bottles, and those bottles are in the fridge. When 6 pm comes, I am digging in.
Which leads me to think that either 1)I need to get used to this diet, so that it doesn't feel like a deprivation, or 2) it's not working for me. I have never been a binge eater, but suddenly I feel like cramming my face at dinner, when I know I can. And it's only been 4 days. Is this something I have to get used to, or is it simply a model that doesn't fit me? Time will tell; I'm not giving up yet.
I used to always joke that those leftovers had no calories. But sadly, that's not true. And now, with my vegan-until-6 routine, many of these tempting leftovers are off-limits for another reason. Those buttery crusts don't fit the mold. Neither does the crispy chicken nugget, the half of cheese taquito, or the small scoop of mac 'n cheese left in the pot.
This morning, I pb-ed my toast and buttered theirs. I composted the little crusts, and enjoyed eating the ends of their bananas (sorry, Jill). On the way home from our walk, I stopped in the mini-mart to get some milk. Of course they asked for little chocolate milks, and I did buy them.
Here is where I have to explain the 'Mama tax.' Often when I open a treat for the kids, I take some before giving it to them. I call it the Mama Tax. They tolerate it grudgingly, like people tolerate all taxes grudgingly. When I open special milks, for example, I often take a chug first. The bottles are very full and spill-prone, so I'm helping us all out. Plus, Jill Smokler would be proud - no backwash.
Except this morning, I couldn't do that. Because, vegan. I love that creamy chocolate milk, but the Mama tax is no more.
They left some in their bottles, and those bottles are in the fridge. When 6 pm comes, I am digging in.
Which leads me to think that either 1)I need to get used to this diet, so that it doesn't feel like a deprivation, or 2) it's not working for me. I have never been a binge eater, but suddenly I feel like cramming my face at dinner, when I know I can. And it's only been 4 days. Is this something I have to get used to, or is it simply a model that doesn't fit me? Time will tell; I'm not giving up yet.
April 25, 2012
The Reluctant Vegan, moving along
Today was the easiest yet, simplicity-wise.
For breakfast, I tried chestnut butter on toast. It didn't move me. This is partly because a) I used rye bread. Not sure what I was thinking, but it was leftover and I thought it would be ok. It wasn't. b) I prefer savory breakfasts to sweet. How can I make for a savory breakfast that I can take with me to work?I had another of my husband's great meals, which was a mystery until I opened the container. It was rice, tuna (I know, not strictly vegan), olives, roasted peppers, herbs and dressing. It was awesome. Again, so fulfilling, and reminding me that with a little effort, this is no problem.I had to get a few groceries and stopped at a more upscale store than my usual. They have lots of vegan treats, so I scored myself a very good brownie. It was delicious, but tasted like...a vegan brownie. It really did taste like something was missing. But honestly, after a few bites, I didn't really notice. And it was very filling, and I didn't even finish it. I gave the rest to my son and he didn't seem to notice any difference, either. Anyway this brings up an interesting point, that I'm sure most people already know: going vegan doesn't at ALL equate to losing weight. The reason Bittman did it half-way was for overall healthy eating, and that's my reasoning too. Paying more attention to what's in my food is the goal here. Losing weight will be nice, and probably will come along for the ride. But hey, giant bowls of spaghetti with olive oil or sauce is vegan. Vegan brownies are vegan. Peanut butter is vegan. You could gain a lot of weight on this diet. Variety is the key here.For dinner we had pancakes and sausage. The pancakes themselves were vegan, and the sausages were fresh and tasted better than ever. I rushed out to a meeting, and here's the bad part: when I came home around 9, I stuffed down another sausage, cold from the fridge. I knew I wouldn't be able to eat the leftovers tomorrow like I used to, and I just wanted to savor the taste of sausage a little more. Who knew I was that attached to meat?
For breakfast, I tried chestnut butter on toast. It didn't move me. This is partly because a) I used rye bread. Not sure what I was thinking, but it was leftover and I thought it would be ok. It wasn't. b) I prefer savory breakfasts to sweet. How can I make for a savory breakfast that I can take with me to work?I had another of my husband's great meals, which was a mystery until I opened the container. It was rice, tuna (I know, not strictly vegan), olives, roasted peppers, herbs and dressing. It was awesome. Again, so fulfilling, and reminding me that with a little effort, this is no problem.I had to get a few groceries and stopped at a more upscale store than my usual. They have lots of vegan treats, so I scored myself a very good brownie. It was delicious, but tasted like...a vegan brownie. It really did taste like something was missing. But honestly, after a few bites, I didn't really notice. And it was very filling, and I didn't even finish it. I gave the rest to my son and he didn't seem to notice any difference, either. Anyway this brings up an interesting point, that I'm sure most people already know: going vegan doesn't at ALL equate to losing weight. The reason Bittman did it half-way was for overall healthy eating, and that's my reasoning too. Paying more attention to what's in my food is the goal here. Losing weight will be nice, and probably will come along for the ride. But hey, giant bowls of spaghetti with olive oil or sauce is vegan. Vegan brownies are vegan. Peanut butter is vegan. You could gain a lot of weight on this diet. Variety is the key here.For dinner we had pancakes and sausage. The pancakes themselves were vegan, and the sausages were fresh and tasted better than ever. I rushed out to a meeting, and here's the bad part: when I came home around 9, I stuffed down another sausage, cold from the fridge. I knew I wouldn't be able to eat the leftovers tomorrow like I used to, and I just wanted to savor the taste of sausage a little more. Who knew I was that attached to meat?
April 24, 2012
The Reluctant Vegan, weekend edition
Ah, the weekend. That lazy, cozy time when many people are up frying bacon and eggs. Not I! Partly because with three little kids, that lazy cozy time consists of rubbing your eyes while little hands are banging on your bedroom door at 6 a.m., telling you it's time to wake up. I'd gladly give up the bacon anyway, for another hour's sleep.
Saturday the kids and I were going out to lunch, which posed a challenge. I could take them where they wanted to go (always read: McDonalds) and either bring something to eat, or order an unfulfilling iceberg salad. Eventually I decided on subway. I had a nice veggie sandwich...and I think I actually felt physical pain when I said the words "no cheese." I have to admit though, that I didn't miss it that much on the sandwich. I already think cheetos are kind of gross so my kids' meals didn't tempt me all that much. I DID dunk my crusty end into my son's meatball sauce, so technically I crossed the line. So, bite me. The sauce was pretty good.
Saturday was a cranky vegan day. We were out of soy milk so I drank my coffee black, and that is NOT a good way to start the day. Why didn't I just use regular milk? Discipline, man. It's a slippery slope.
Sunday was a bit better. As I type this, it's Sunday morning, and there are exactly 1.5 buttered blueberry waffles and .7 muffin left on the dining room table. Had it been last Sunday I would have eaten them, though I'm not particularly hungry. Do I need to go all the way to vegan to stop eating my kids' leftovers? Perhaps. But the dunking in meaty tomato sauce will never stop. It's hard-wired, friends. HARD-WIRED.
Saturday the kids and I were going out to lunch, which posed a challenge. I could take them where they wanted to go (always read: McDonalds) and either bring something to eat, or order an unfulfilling iceberg salad. Eventually I decided on subway. I had a nice veggie sandwich...and I think I actually felt physical pain when I said the words "no cheese." I have to admit though, that I didn't miss it that much on the sandwich. I already think cheetos are kind of gross so my kids' meals didn't tempt me all that much. I DID dunk my crusty end into my son's meatball sauce, so technically I crossed the line. So, bite me. The sauce was pretty good.
Saturday was a cranky vegan day. We were out of soy milk so I drank my coffee black, and that is NOT a good way to start the day. Why didn't I just use regular milk? Discipline, man. It's a slippery slope.
Sunday was a bit better. As I type this, it's Sunday morning, and there are exactly 1.5 buttered blueberry waffles and .7 muffin left on the dining room table. Had it been last Sunday I would have eaten them, though I'm not particularly hungry. Do I need to go all the way to vegan to stop eating my kids' leftovers? Perhaps. But the dunking in meaty tomato sauce will never stop. It's hard-wired, friends. HARD-WIRED.
April 23, 2012
The Reluctant Vegan, day 4
This day was a tricky one: I'm having a friend over for lunch. I am fine with making exceptions for going out to lunch, but this friend comes weekly, and we eat leftovers from the night before for lunch. I love planning meals for the night before her visit that will create yummy leftovers - it's a fun challenge. And I don't want to be a poor hostess and eat something different than my guest. So I wanted to plan a meal for last night's dinner that would make for vegan leftovers today. Thus, the pumpkin pancakes. Instead of the sausage I bought vegan sausages at the fancy grocery store yesterday.
Lunch was good except that the soy sausages were...in a word...gross. So gross that my friend and I dumped them into the compost bin with relish. We agreed that if we truly couldn't eat any meat, and hadn't for a while, maybe they'd be good, but since we're still basically meat-eaters, there was no comparison. Maybe there isn't supposed to be. Either way, pass.
I also make cookies most of the time when my friend is here, so I attempted vegan cookies. They were actually very good except that the carob tasted more unlike chocolate than ever before. Maybe the eggs and butter mask its tepid flavor when I use it elsewhere. Note to self: hunt for dairy-free chocolate. Like shangri-la, I believe it exists but eludes me.
This brings up all kinds of issues of being a good host or friend by day, while sticking to a new regime. Food is such a social, central part of our lives. How do you walk this line?
Lunch was good except that the soy sausages were...in a word...gross. So gross that my friend and I dumped them into the compost bin with relish. We agreed that if we truly couldn't eat any meat, and hadn't for a while, maybe they'd be good, but since we're still basically meat-eaters, there was no comparison. Maybe there isn't supposed to be. Either way, pass.
I also make cookies most of the time when my friend is here, so I attempted vegan cookies. They were actually very good except that the carob tasted more unlike chocolate than ever before. Maybe the eggs and butter mask its tepid flavor when I use it elsewhere. Note to self: hunt for dairy-free chocolate. Like shangri-la, I believe it exists but eludes me.
This brings up all kinds of issues of being a good host or friend by day, while sticking to a new regime. Food is such a social, central part of our lives. How do you walk this line?
April 22, 2012
The Reluctant Vegan, Day 2
New day, same vegan. Today I don't work. This is easier in that I have my whole kitchen at my disposal, but harder in that I have kids to cook for. They are not sharing my vegan experiment, and their leftovers constantly call my name. I successfully navigate away from the frozen buttered waffles and mac and cheese, and search for other fare.
What I learned today:
Oatmeal for breakfast was tasty, but still didn't sustain me long. Neither did my chunky salad at 10 a.m. The only thing that held me over today was - surprise! - my husband's white beans. He prepared them with garlic, tarragon, and a warm vinaigrette with a sweet vinegar, and they were awesome. THIS is the right kind of eating. It doesn't feel deprived in the least, and was completely satisfying.It is still unwise to exercise on a full stomach, even if that stomach is full of vegan food.I find myself successfully resisting cheese and cold cuts as snacks. I turn instead to nuts and toast with peanut butter. Always the student, I want to get more creative. I order a few vegan cookbooks from the library. I want to see what we can do without using soy-based meat mimics. I think I can feel satisfied without the taste or texture of meat. The possibilities are already almost endless. For dinner we have pizza. My homemade sauce is meat-based only in that the meatballs that cook in it give it flavor. I find myself wondering whether I can make a good sauce without the meat. Mushrooms are probably my best bet. I'll look into it. Today was better than yesterday. Looking forward to the challenge ahead, which isn't that much of a challenge, because I am an equal opportunity eater.
What I learned today:
Oatmeal for breakfast was tasty, but still didn't sustain me long. Neither did my chunky salad at 10 a.m. The only thing that held me over today was - surprise! - my husband's white beans. He prepared them with garlic, tarragon, and a warm vinaigrette with a sweet vinegar, and they were awesome. THIS is the right kind of eating. It doesn't feel deprived in the least, and was completely satisfying.It is still unwise to exercise on a full stomach, even if that stomach is full of vegan food.I find myself successfully resisting cheese and cold cuts as snacks. I turn instead to nuts and toast with peanut butter. Always the student, I want to get more creative. I order a few vegan cookbooks from the library. I want to see what we can do without using soy-based meat mimics. I think I can feel satisfied without the taste or texture of meat. The possibilities are already almost endless. For dinner we have pizza. My homemade sauce is meat-based only in that the meatballs that cook in it give it flavor. I find myself wondering whether I can make a good sauce without the meat. Mushrooms are probably my best bet. I'll look into it. Today was better than yesterday. Looking forward to the challenge ahead, which isn't that much of a challenge, because I am an equal opportunity eater.
April 20, 2012
The Reluctant Vegan, Day 1
The night before my Vegan-until-6 experiment... I feel unsettled. I can't figure out what to pack for lunch the next day. Usually I take leftovers, which are decidedly not vegan (and won't be, either, if I continue to stop the vegan by 6). My husband steps in, and starts whipping up concoctions. In no time at all he has white beans in the slow cooker, and tupperware containers lined up.
I'm nervous about the 'rules.' Do vegans eat fish, and can I eat fish even if vegans don't? Am I allowed to lick the cheese off my fingers when I serve burritos to my kids for lunch? I pack up a littany of random foods (because the beans aren't done yet) and sleep on it.
For day 1, my answers become clear. Yes, I am going to allow myself some fish, at least this week (even though I've learned that strictly speaking, vegans don't). And no, I am not going to lick the cheese off my fingers. Here is what I learned my first day of vegan-until-six:
Soy milk is a fine replacement for cow milk, except that it does break down in my coffee. This tastes the same but is unpleasant to look at. If I wanted tofu in my coffee I would have chunked it in there myself. Solution: change coffees, shake the milk really hard, or use a covered travel mug so I don't have to look at it. Still tastes great.Avocados are so awesome as to be their own reward. Score one for the vegans.Most of what I ate today was snacks, and not full meals. I never really felt satisfied. I need to come up with meals that are sustaining, and not piecemeal fruits and veg. There is more out there. For breakfast, I will consider oatmeal and toast with peanut butter.Bananas and walnuts go great together as a snack.No matter how many cucumber and carrot sticks I pack, I will eat none of them. I might as well be on the "starve until dinner" diet if I do that. I do enjoy a good celery stick with pb. Is this going to become the pb diet?It so happens that we were going for burgers tonight, so the change in daily diet didn't seem so big when I knew I could eat something meaty and special later. Mind you, we don't eat a huge amount of meat to begin with; beef is a treat. This is a metaphor, I think, for the whole idea. It's a paradigm shift: if I think of meat as a sometimes-thing, it opens up new ideas for other meals. But, by the time I got to that burger, I was ravenous. This isn't how it should be. It's going to take a while to strike this balance. I'm really looking forward to those beans. What's in store for tomorrow?
I'm nervous about the 'rules.' Do vegans eat fish, and can I eat fish even if vegans don't? Am I allowed to lick the cheese off my fingers when I serve burritos to my kids for lunch? I pack up a littany of random foods (because the beans aren't done yet) and sleep on it.
For day 1, my answers become clear. Yes, I am going to allow myself some fish, at least this week (even though I've learned that strictly speaking, vegans don't). And no, I am not going to lick the cheese off my fingers. Here is what I learned my first day of vegan-until-six:
Soy milk is a fine replacement for cow milk, except that it does break down in my coffee. This tastes the same but is unpleasant to look at. If I wanted tofu in my coffee I would have chunked it in there myself. Solution: change coffees, shake the milk really hard, or use a covered travel mug so I don't have to look at it. Still tastes great.Avocados are so awesome as to be their own reward. Score one for the vegans.Most of what I ate today was snacks, and not full meals. I never really felt satisfied. I need to come up with meals that are sustaining, and not piecemeal fruits and veg. There is more out there. For breakfast, I will consider oatmeal and toast with peanut butter.Bananas and walnuts go great together as a snack.No matter how many cucumber and carrot sticks I pack, I will eat none of them. I might as well be on the "starve until dinner" diet if I do that. I do enjoy a good celery stick with pb. Is this going to become the pb diet?It so happens that we were going for burgers tonight, so the change in daily diet didn't seem so big when I knew I could eat something meaty and special later. Mind you, we don't eat a huge amount of meat to begin with; beef is a treat. This is a metaphor, I think, for the whole idea. It's a paradigm shift: if I think of meat as a sometimes-thing, it opens up new ideas for other meals. But, by the time I got to that burger, I was ravenous. This isn't how it should be. It's going to take a while to strike this balance. I'm really looking forward to those beans. What's in store for tomorrow?
April 19, 2012
The Relcuctant Vegan
For a long time, I've been fascinated by Mark Bittman's idea of being Vegan until 6 pm. It was a matter of health, but as a food writer and meat-enjoyer, Bittman didn't want to cut out meat altogether. This guideline seems to work well for him, and I think it would work for me too. I don't have Bittman's health profile; but I'm interested in lowering my blood pressure, dropping some pounds, and eating a healthy and sustainable diet. I also like being creative with food. So it's time.
Here's what hasn't worked for me:
Saying, "I'm trying to cut back on meat." For me, the guideline has to be specific and rigid, like the 6 pm cut-off. It's easy to do every day, instead of trying to define daily what 'less meat' actually means.Dieting by deprivation. I, like many of my generation, have tried more soup diets than I can name. I've tried the milk-and-bananas, the cabbage, the slim-fast. They work, for a time, but they're not fun. I already do a lot of things that aren't fun. So food deprivation is out.Giving up any food completely (unless I don't like it). If I want to eat something, I'm going to eat it. The question here, is when. Can I wait until 6 pm to eat meat/dairy/eggs? Let's find out!
Here's what hasn't worked for me:
Saying, "I'm trying to cut back on meat." For me, the guideline has to be specific and rigid, like the 6 pm cut-off. It's easy to do every day, instead of trying to define daily what 'less meat' actually means.Dieting by deprivation. I, like many of my generation, have tried more soup diets than I can name. I've tried the milk-and-bananas, the cabbage, the slim-fast. They work, for a time, but they're not fun. I already do a lot of things that aren't fun. So food deprivation is out.Giving up any food completely (unless I don't like it). If I want to eat something, I'm going to eat it. The question here, is when. Can I wait until 6 pm to eat meat/dairy/eggs? Let's find out!
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