Going Vegan Days 4,5,6

Thursday – lost weight and feeling a bit bloated.

I have lost a couple of unintentional pounds which is a benefit of the diet for those looking to drop some weight.

Breakfast – Peanut Butter Burrito. Its getting to be a habit but i can’t have my usual yogurt.

Lunch – Morrocan Soup, awesome hearty soup with Artichoke hearts, cou sous, zuccini, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, cinnamon(a natural anti-inflammatory) and herbs. My wife made it and it was a nice change from the other beans that we have been eating.

Dinner – Veggie Potstickers and Broccoli Slaw w/sesame ginger dressing. The potstickers were found in the freezer section sauteed in a little oild and then steamed in the same pan for a few minutes serve with a little low sodium soy sauce and they are delicious and filling. The broccoli slaw is prepackaged in the produce section and a couple of tablespoons of any good sesame ginger dressing makes it a very flavorful, crunchy side dish. 

Friday

Breakfast – Peanut Butter Bagel. No surprise I’m sure.

Lunch – Amy’s Enchiladas. Actually really good although i was thinking that some sour cream on top would have made it great.

Afternoon snack – Pretzels, yes these are actually vegan. No egg or dairy.

Dinner – Ethiopian Yellow lentils (kik wat) w/Flatbread (vegan) – These are cooked and mixed with an ethiopian spice called berbere, the result is a mixture that is similar to hummus in texture with a little kick to it. You use the bread to dip and eat.

Saturday-Last day

Breakfast – Peanut Butter Burrito

Lunch – Leftover Lentils mixed with saffron rice and tomatoes. This is my own mixture that I came up with based on what was available.

Dinner – Chinese Take Out – To finish out the week we decided to get something good. We ordered Vegetable lo mein(noodles), Vegetable combo (broccoli, onions, etc. in a non-dairy whie sauce), and vegetable rolls (yes, they were fried so not entirely healthy but still vegan).

What Have I Learned?

Well, there you have it. One week with no meat, pork, fish, or dairy. I learned that eating a lot of beans can make you pretty gassy and uncomfortable. My body did seem to start to accomodate the new diet in the last days. I learned that even though there are many choices out there for vegans today, you need to really plan meals and have snack foods available. Breakfast was not an issue since i obviously like peanut butter but someone who doesn’t would have to plan ahead a little better. if i had more time in the morning i might incorporate a hot cereal into the mix.

Am I going to “turn” vegan? Probably not. On Sunday I woke up and had a breakfast burrito with egg, cheese and bacon and it was great. For dinner we had steak and baked potato with grilled asparagus. Again, it was wonderful.

What foods did i miss most? I found I have a much greater fondness for cheese than I had previously thought. Love sour cream and yogurt. My love for Bacon is unhealthy and something that needs to be addressed. I don’t drink milk and meat is something I eat 2-3 times per month. 

What Now? 

I have a new found appreciation for the vegan diet, the environmental benefits, the ethical choice, and the many health benefits that come with it. For now I will commit to having meatless meals at least a couple of times per week to give my body and digestive system a chance to “clean house” and rest.

If you would like to try any of the recipes I mentioned here send me an email with the subject “vegan recipes” and i will be happy to send you any that you are interested in.