VEGAN

        This seems like the year of new beginnings for me. A new life without University. A new start with my boyfriend. A new passion with yoga; and now a new lifestyle. Today is the first day of being an Organic Vegan. I have committed my life to the Vegan way. What does being a Vegan mean? Well, it means not eating anything that is derived from animal products. No cheese, no meat, no milk, and no eggs. Also, it means not buying or indulging in anything that is leather, wool, suede, down, or any other fabric produced from animals. The organic part means that whatever food I do eat, which would be delicious vegetables and fruits, have to be ORGANIC. For January, I had practiced being an organic eater. It was hard sometimes, especially going out to eat or when my bro Stefan came to visit, but overall I did fairly well! I spent 40-50 dollars a week on groceries, all organic fruits, vegetables, eggs, and soy milk. Not too expensive at all! 

I decided to go Organic Vegan because of several reasons. For one, whenever I eat meat, I get so bloated and gassy. Graphic, I know, and many of you have felt my meaty gassy wrath. I am also suspicious of the meat industry. I am skeptical of their safety regulations and the fact that there are only 4 major meat packers in North America. I don’t like the idea of these animals being packed into a warehouse never seeing the light of day as they are processed like Twinkies. The fact that I don’t know where the meat is coming from or how it is processed is a little unnerving that I think everyone should stop and think twice about. Also, the whole idea of drinking milk is kind of disgusting anyway. I’ve never really enjoyed drinking milk, and have only indulged while eating cereal. No other animal drinks milk after the weaning stage and especially not that of another animal! Plus, just researching all the preservatives and chemicals that are in milk is enough to make me gag! Eggs have always been gross. Period. No matter how many times I try I just don’t get it. Cheese will be a little harder. Brie and Gouda Cheese are my friends; but, when I think of the bigger picture, its a small sacrifice. 

Watch the documentaries, Super Size Me, No Impact Man, and Food, Inc., to gain a better understanding of your impact on the world. Learn about what you eat before you eat it!

Going vegan is not just some hippy mentality for saving the animals. Although the state and treatment of the animals plays a major part, I am vegan because I believe this chose will decrease my impact on the declining nature of our world today. I do not want to revel in ignorance and do nothing. Cheeseburgers used to be my favourite meal! But after learning that my dinner choice can influence the amount of greenhouse gases, the lives of animals, and the production of GMOs and petroleum usage; I decided to be a little bit more responsible about my actions. By choosing to eat healthy organic meals, I can help save the world one bite at a time! My choices influence what the health food stores carry; therefore directly affect what is sold! 

Today, I’ve had amazing meals! This morning I had an organic banana, apple, and peanut butter smoothie. Delicious! Then for lunch, I had a quinoa, yam, beet salad! Here are my recipes!

The smoothie is pretty self explanatory.

Yam and Beat Salad (use all organic ingredients)

• cup of quinoa
• cup of mixed lettuce
• 1 yam
• 2 red beets
• 9 brussel sprouts
• organic olive oil
• organic balsamic vinegar
• organic honey

Boil the quinoa in a small pot. Chop up the yam in a few pieces so that it will cook faster. In a larger pot, boil the yam and brussel sprouts together. Slice all the skin off the beet and chop up into pieces. Put the beets into a large bowl with the salad. When the yams and sprouts are done, cut the skin off the yams and put into bowl. Also, but each sprout into 4 pieces and put in the salad. Drizzle oil, balsamic vinegar onto. Use a spoon to get a hunk of honey and put in salad. It will melt from the heat from the veggies!

Tonight I go to work and will have a greek salad complete with no feta cheese and maybe a whole wheat pita with some yummy hummus! 

I have to admit, I did have some chocolate covered raisins today. HOWEVER, I stopped eating them once I realized that there is milk in the chocolate. Basically, I thought to myself, “Oh crap, these things have MILK IN THEM!” I looked around guiltily, knowing full well no one was watching, and popped three more into my mouth; “Now I’m done!” Haha, I had to admit my first falter from the vegan path! I reluctantly gave them to Doug and he shoveled them into his face, fistful by fistful. Great, thanks.