confessions

I am often asked two questions about being vegan.  The first is the obvious, "What do you eat?  Do you eat eggs?  Cheese?  Milk?  CHICKEN???"  The second is, "Why?"

I have both of these questions in mind as I begin this blog.  First, I want to share delicious, simple vegan recipes that can be incorporated into anyone's diet.  Of course, vegan cooking tend to require lots of random and strange foods.  I will do my best to avoid those which are difficult to find or hard to handle.  Believe me, I get it...we are all busy and don't have hours to devote to meal preparation.

With each recipe, I will do my best to include information regarding the nutritional value of certain foods.  When we are educated about the foods we eat, wise and healthy options are more enticing.

I am a vegan (I use this term loosely, of course) for many reasons.  It is a lifestyle that reduces negative impact on the world around us.  It is a small (but quite effective) way of consuming less and freeing up resources for others to have.  I will talk more about that it later blogs.

However, I have persisted in eating vegan foods primarily because it has, without a doubt, made me healthier.  I rarely talk about my struggles with weight with anyone.  Of course, many of you have been witnesses, but it is a topic I prefer to avoid as it is a source of deep shame for me.  I am still not comfortable sharing numbers, but I will tell you that since (about three years ago) I committed to eating vegan (and for quite a while, I was very strict), I have lost in the neighborhood of 75 pounds.

Yep.  Its true.  I have lost the equivalent of an average nine year old.  (Its ok, I shudder too.)

Look, I have a family history of high blood pressure, obesity, cancer, and depression.  I have a ridiculously low tolerance for stress.  In my mid teens, I had already developed a cholesterol level that was well above what it should have been, despite having been a life-long vegetarian.  The doctors attributed this, in large part, to stress.  There came a point when I realized that I needed to change my lifestyle and to care for myself as if I was actually worth something.

I have struggled with self-worth for as long as I can remember, especially in the body image department. Losing weight has not been the cure, but the process has been one of healing.  I have (until recently, perhaps) worked hard to eat as healthfully as possible.  I have intentionally cared for myself.

Vegan food is totally free of cholesterol, typically very low in saturated fats, and rich in nutrients.  Although it is possible to be a vegan and eat unhealthfully (Oreos are vegan...), it is a much more difficult task.

My hope is not to convince anyone who reads this blog to convert to veganism.  Because I am a big proponent of community and sharing, I often cheat and consume food laden with dairy products.  When it comes to food, "everything in moderation" is a pretty good rule of thumb.  However, I do hope that some of you might try some of these foods in your homes, not simply because their vegan, but because they are healthy and wholesome.  And, of course, delicious.

The questions I began with provoke an ongoing discussion, one I intend to continue in coming posts.

Until later,  Shalom.