Is it hard to be vegan?

While we haven’t made any big announcements, people are starting to catch on that Nick and I eat a nearly vegan diet. When I explain what we eat (nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, and nuts/seeds) we’re often confronted with the same question: “Is it hard?” We also hear that people admire how we eat, but don’t think they could ever do it themselves.

The answer to the first question is complicated. Eating a nutritarian diet at home is relatively straight-forward because you control what you cook. There are so many wonderful fruits and vegetables, that after nine months of eating this way we’ve yet to become bored with our choices.

My biggest challenge has been overcoming addictions to one or two foods that I don’t want to eat. Cheese tastes so darn good! But it is one of the worst substances (I’m not going to call it food) you could choose to eat, because it is made almost entirely of saturated fat (linked to heart disease) and animal protein (linked to cancer and osteoporosis, among other things). Instead of beating myself up about wanting to eat it, though, I limit my consumption to once a week, and then only a tiny amount as a garnish. Maybe someday it will simply become unappealing.

Eating a nutritarian diet away from home is more complicated. If I’m eating at a friend or relative’s house, I don’t feel it is polite to turn down food that someone has worked hard to prepare. I always volunteer to bring vegetable dishes and have found that many people almost always appreciate this. Often people really like to eat vegetables, but don’t like preparing them. I sample small portions of the foods that are not vegan, and try to focus what I eat on things that are compatible with my way of eating.

Eating at restaurants can be more difficult. I’m headed to Le Pichet tonight for dinner, for example. A quick look at their menu and you’ll see there isn’t one vegetarian entree, let alone a vegan one. Restaurants are getting better with their salads, though, and there is usually one awesome looking one that the chef can make into an entree-sized meal. Tonight I’ll probably ask the server if I can get a super-sized version of their salad with white runner beans, apples, dandelion greens and a cider-chestnut vinaigrette (on the side). I could choose to let my diet choices go for the night. I’ve tried this approach in the past and found it doesn’t serve me very well. The meal admittedly tastes wonderful, but I feel just horrible about a half-hour afterward. I wake up in a fog the next day and can’t seem to find any physical or mental energy without resorting to caffeine.

For those that don’t think they could ever do it, I’d like to offer you a five-day menu to try it out. You can do anything for five days, right? If you try this menu, let me know how it goes. Did you like the food? How did your body feel as you detoxed? What was challenging? What came easily?

Monday
Breakfast: Pumpkin-Spice Oatmeal and orange juice
Lunch: Apple Edamame Salad, bowl of tomato soup, and a roll
Snack: piece of fruit and a handful of raw nuts
Dinner: Pepita pasta with spinach and dried cranberries

Tuesday
Breakfast: Green smoothie (Combine 3/4 cup of juice and two big handfuls of spinach in a blender and blend until well combined. Add 1 banana, 1 pear, a handful of frozen berries, and 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed. Blend and serve.)
Lunch: Quinoa Pilaf Salad and a piece of fruit
Snack: veggies and hummus
Dinner: Clouds in the Sunset (aka Roasted Butternut and Cauliflower Soup), roll, roasted green beans

Wednesday
Breakfast: Quick Banana Breakfast to Go (one banana, chopped + 1 cup blueberries + 2 tablespoons walnuts chopped + 1/4 cup rolled oats + 1/3 cup cranberry or pomegranate juice)
Lunch: leftover soup from yesterday + green salad (lettuce with leftover green beans, chopped almonds, white beans, and cherry tomatoes topped with balsamic vinegar and a dash of olive oil) + a piece of fruit
Snack: Fruit & raw nuts
Dinner: Creamy red pepper polenta with roasted mushrooms

Thursday
Breakfast: leftover pumpkin oatmeal
Lunch: Mixed green salad (something light to tide you over until Thanksgiving dinner)
Dinner: Is it possible to enjoy a vegan Thanksgiving? Here are three menu suggestions:
Recipe Collection 1
Recipe Collection 2
Recipe Collection 3

Friday
Breakfast: Golden Spice Pancakes with maple syrup
Lunch: Leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner (yay!)
Snack: Veggie sticks and hummus
Dinner: Celery Root Soup with Granny Smith Apples

Bon apetit!

The trackback URL for this entry is: Trackbacks are disabled for this entry

Trackbacks:

Comments:

Name:

Email:

Location:

URL:

Smileys

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?

Please enter the word you see in the image below:

<< Back to main