Welcome to Nature Maven's Healthy Eating Healthy Planet Blog

Welcome! If you're a vegan, you'll find support and suggestions you may be able to use here. If you're a vegetarian as I was when I started this blog in June 2008, reading my archived posts may be of interest to you. If you haven't gotten here already, I hope you'll consider trying the vegan way of life, too.

As I try new recipes, learn to eat in restaurants, entertain non-veg friends and make the changes necessary to bring my life into greater harmony with the planet, I share what I learn. And little joys and other thoughts get thrown into the mix here, too.

In March 2009 after starting to read The Engine 2 Diet by vegan firefighter Rip Esselstyn, I became fully vegan, to the best of my knowledge and ability, and I post entries here as I live and learn in this lifestyle. It's definitely a process of experience and discovery.

Please check out the Vegan News Headlines supplied by Google News Reader down on the right, and see my Blogroll for just a few of the choice blogs and websites I've found useful.



Friday, June 20, 2008

Life is a Bowl of Cherries





I have a bowl of fresh juicy cherries in my office and people have been savoring them along with me. I picked up a bag of California-grown organic cherries this morning to take for the weekend. Looked for grated soy cheese but the best I was able to find was a small block of mozzerella flavored rice cheese I can grate myself. My vegan lasagna, getting a second life this weekend from my freezer, needed more cheesiness. Family are visiting this weekend, so I picked up some maple syrup, creamed honey spread, and fig spread to serve with the whole grain waffles and homemade bread (that I hope I find time to make).

Weight is good. This week I went up 2 pounds on Tuesday but am back to baseline this morning.

One week ago today I posted this diary, "Going Vegetarian", on Daily Kos:

I have made the dramatic decision to go vegetarian, taking in as little dairy as I can and allowing a little fish during the tranisition. It all started with hearing that Oprah is doing a 21-day Cleansing Diet that is vegan, plus caffeine-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free. She is using a plan promoted by author Kathy Freston. I read this on Compassionate Cooks:
Recently, Oprah announced - on her show, on her site, and on her blog - that she is adopting a 21-Day Cleanse outlined in Kathy Freston's new book, Quantum Wellness." Some of you may be familiar with Kathy, whose popular article "Veganism is the New Prius" made its way around the web about a year ago. She is a beautiful and eloquent ambassador for veganism, and I'm thrilled she will be guiding Oprah on her journey. This cleanse includes avoiding gluten, sugar, alcohol, and animal products, but it's not just for health reasons that Oprah is giving this a try.

I went from this site to Oprah's own blog, and then I sought more information. This led me to a vegan site promising a "Free Guide" that when I clicked on it immediately began showing a video on cruelty in the raising and slaughtering of poultry and animals that was so upsetting that I was only able to view it with the sound off. After making myself see it through, I knew I could no longer be a party to this animal cruelty by buying and eating meat. I do not recommend seeing this video because it is raw and terrible, but I will post a link in comments if anyone asks for it. Let me add here that I am aware there are humane persons raising animals for meat and slaughtering them with minimal cruelty, but these are not the norm. Most commercial operations raising poultry and beef employ unspeakable tactics to maximize their profits at the expense of any quality of life for the living creatures in whose flesh they trade.

How we eat is very much a personal choice. I do not seek to convert others to my decision. I am writing this diary to enlist support and to find out about others choosing the vegan or vegetarian way of life and how you did it. So far I have received so much wonderful help. I went to my local Whole Foods and as I was checking out with a basket of new goodies, I asked the tattooed checker if by chance he was a vegan. He hesitated and then he said, "Yes, I am!" and thus began a brief but earnest conversation. He urged me to get quinoa because of its high level of protein, and Bragg's Liquid Aminos to add essential nutrients and flavor to vegetarian recipes. The next day I went back in search of the Bragg's but the store was out of stock, and the guy helping me look for it was so sweet, taking me all over the store to show me packaged and frozen items I'd enjoy as I make the transition. Both guys congratulated me on my decision and welcomed me. I feel wonderful. In my work, I shared this with a couple of clients, one a vegan and the other following a limited plan for health reasons, and both were very encouraging. One loaned me a vegetarian cookbook and box of Vegetarian Times recipe cards.

So this is Day 3, and I have lost 2 pounds without that even being a goal for this change, but the loss is very welcome nonetheless, my having been an Atkins adherent for several years and slowly regaining some of the weight after adding carbs back in. If I can figure out how, I will start a blog.


Well, as you can see, I did start that blog!

1 comment:

Shielagh Hochberg said...

Update: had dinner at Red Robin restaurant where they let you substitute a Boca Burger for the beef in any of their amazing burgers. I had a Banzai Burger Boca "Marinated in teriyaki and topped with grilled pineapple, Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and mayo. Dude, you’ll be like, ready to ride the pipeline on O'ahu’s North Shore after you chomp on this!" as they say on their site: http://www.redrobin.com