The Vegan Challenge
Big Dreams + My Cookbook Challenge + Homemade Chili Oil!
For the last few weeks now I have not been able to cook or share recipes very much because my ever so talented boyfriend has been renovating our kitchen island (pictured above). And if you’re like me, when you are unable to express yourself through your chosen medium, you start to feel imbalanced, self-doubting and a general sense of ‘hmmph’. I begin to question if this is the path I am meant to be on, and whether my efforts are (while enjoyable) ultimately futile.
Final Check Out – Jenny Duffy
It has been 212 days since I took on the challenge of eating vegan. It’s been an interesting journey, and I must admit I am better for it. So, how did I do? How did it all turn out?
Barley Salad with Garlic and Parsley
Barley is so hot right now, or so we’ve heard from our friend, celebrity Chef Jonathan, and it deserves it! The texture of barley is so satisfying, and mixed with crispy radishes, juicy tomatoes and LOTS of garlic and parsley, it really stands up as a filling and hearty main dish. In fact, this salad is so packed full of flavour (cooking the barley in stock really works well), it didn’t need more than a teaspoon of flax oil. Healthy, affordable and delicious-the trifecta of good eating!
Ingredients:
1 cup barley, rinsed
4 cups water
1 mushroom boullion cube
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon flax oil
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 zucchini, finely diced
6 radishes, finely diced
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chives, chopped
lots of fresh cracked pepper
Rock salt and more chopped chives for garnish
Method:
Bring 4 cups of water to boil. Add boullion cube and rinsed barley. Reduce heat to med-low, cover and simmer for about 35-40 minutes.
In the mean time, in a large mixing bowl, add zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, radishes, flax oil, apple cider vinegar, cayenne, salt & pepper and let that marinate till the barley is done. When the barley is fully cooked, rinse it with cool water for a minute and add to bowl. Add pumpkin seeds, chives, parsley and avocado. Dish out and top with more fresh chives and rock salt. Makes 3-4 servings.
C’est ça!
~The Vegan Project
Whole Food Challenge 2011 Wrap Up
Above: Rosemary Butternut Squash Risotto made with quinoa
Two weeks ago, seven Vancouverites participated in a Whole Food Challenge, with shopping lists, recipes, and meal plans provided by Julie Beyer, at For the Love of Food. At the end of the week, Julie asked for some feedback and we gave it to her…We loved it!
What is one thing that you learned from the Challenge that would be most useful for others considering this lifestyle?
“It’s EASY! It doesn’t take much to get your mind off all the other foods that you have been eating. Just make something good, and once you’re hungry, eat it! Huh. Who knew?” ~ Ted Ratcliff
“I learned that eating whole, plant-based foods makes you feel amazing!” ~ Jessica G
“I learned how great I can feel without toxins in my body like sugar, caffeine and processed food. It is a noticeable difference. Also how easy it is to dedicate an afternoon to preparing spreads and sauces for the week, even though at first having a bunch of new recipes to make may seem daunting.” ~ Bridget Burns
“One thing I learned from the challenge that would be most useful for others considering this lifestyle, is that if you plan ahead and invest a little time on a quiet Sunday evening, you can eat nutritious, yummy food and save money because you won’t be buying food on the go”.~ Jenny Duffy
I think it’s important to remember that it’s hardest in the beginning, and to not give up based on the first week. Once the habits are situated, it becomes so much easier, and when your body starts to feel better, you see that it was worth all the work and discipline. The first few days were hard to eat just whole foods, but after that, it got easier every day.I would also tell people to never underestimate having things ready in the fridge to eat. Even just veggies and a nice dip can go a long way when you’re tempted to munch out! ~ Jen Hanover
One of the main things I learned from the challenge was the importance of planning a grocery list with a possible food theme for the week. As well, purchasing all food items at the beginning of the week was very helpful, as I had all the food in my fridge I had to eat..!Basically, giving myself a ‘food direction’ for the week to follow..and actually be excited about it..planning can be empowering ~ Suzanah Lazzaro
Did the challenge help you overcome any obstacles you typically face in integrating whole plant-based everyday?
The food challenge helped me overcome my dis-organization/lack of planning…it forced my to plan and this planning made made my food week go very smoothly! ~ Suzanah Lazzaro
Usually I have a problem eating enough salad, because I get into a dressing rut. I get tired of the oil and vinegar, so I don’t eat as much salad as I’d like. The challenge had a nice recipe for dressing however, so it was really easy for me to eat lots of salad.~ Jenny Duffy
Again, your recommendations to make dips and sauces at the beginning was helpful. One of my obstacles is that I get bored, but the recipes you provided really helped me to mix it up. Accountability is another challenge, and that was met by having your support, as well as the other participants. It felt like I was a part of something bigger, and that helped me stay on track. ~ Jen Hanover
Yes, it changed my perspective on store-bought foods, whether they are from the grocery store, or from 7-11… I am more aware of what I put into my body and why. I started with easy snacks that could be eaten on the fly once I got hungry. I was never hungry on this ‘diet’ and felt great the ‘whole’ time.~ Ted Ratcliff
Making the spreads ahead of time made eating whole foods easier throughout the week. ~ Jessica G
Did you discover new flavour pairings that you love?
The flavor pairings I loved most were the in the Tuscan White Bean dip. I probably would have used basil or oregano, so the rosemary was a nice change! ~ Jenny Duffy
My favorite taste combinations were olive oil and rosemary and basil with sunflower seeds, ( the pesto**). Actually, I really loved the flavors in all of the bases. ~ Suzanah Lazzaro
“I love the combination of flavours in the raw pizza!” ~ Jessica G
My favourite flavour pairing was the Butternut Squash Risotto paired with Rosemary. This dish was excellent! “I had a wonderful time with For the Love of Food’s Whole Food Challenge 2011. The recipes were all so delicious and worth the preparation. Being already vegan, the lack of dairy wasn’t a problem for me, but I did feel a noticeable difference in my body, being absent of toxins such as sugar, caffeine and processed food. ~ Bridget Burns
Thank you to all the participants for testing my new E-Book, ‘Healthy Italian with Your Everyday Pantry Ingredients’. This is a one week menu plan designed to help you integrate whole plant-based into your everyday in a way that is delicious, convenient and affordable. Coming Soon!
For inquiries feel free to e-mail me at julie@loveoffood.ca
~The Vegan Project
Whole Food Challenge 2011 – More Updates
We are so proud of the effort everyone is putting into this Whole Food Challenge. The group is feeling light and refreshed!
Suzanah:
Suzanah is an experienced foodie having worked in raw food restaurants and at Ayurveda clinic in Vancouver. But her challenge she told me is planning planning planning. So the menu plan gave her a good guide and like Ian she has been putting a spin on her own recipes (totally allowed BTW). ~ Julie
Robert (Suzanah’s partner and ownder of Dojan Studios in Vancouver) described dinner as: “surprisingly refreshing!” “It tasted healthy!” and lastly..”boy, you sure know how to cook raw food!”..hee, hee..would have gone well with a nice, dry chianti!
It was a good day in Vegan Challenge Land!
Read the full article on For the Love of Food
Jessica:
A big thank you to Jessica who decided to stick with the challenge, eventhough she was a bit intimated by the challenge. Most people would feel overwhelmed of the thought of making everything your self for one whole week incluing your mylk and “buttah” But, as she is experiencing once you get the hang of it, it’s not so bad 
~ Julie
When I first looked at the instructions, menu plans and shopping lists I admit I was a little intimidated. First, I was not looking forward to having to buy all the groceries. Second, I was worried I wouldn’t have enough time to make all the dips, spreads, soak the nuts and make all the unfamiliar recipes. After my initial reactions, I decided I would commit to doing the challenge, and if I was going to do it, I was going to do it right.
I went out, bought all the groceries, minus a few breakfast things since they were optional, and hunkered down on Sunday night to start making all the spreads, dips, and dressings, while taste testing them along the way. They were all delicious! I started getting excited about all the recipes I’d be using them in throughout the week.
Monday night Jen and Bridget came over and I made the ‘Red Lentildelicious Soup’, which was AMAZING! We all loved it. I’ll definitely make it again.
Everything has been really flavourful and I’ve been feeling light, healthy and energetic over these first two days. I no longer feel intimidated or that I won’t have enough time, especially since I prepared a lot of the base ingredients ahead of time.
Read the full article on For the Love of Food
~The Vegan Project
Whole Food Challenge 2011 – Updates
So the group of seven has been following Julie’s meal plan for three days now, and it seems everyone is adjusting nicely. There has been some trepidation around the work involved to get everything prepared, but no question that everything is very delicious.
Here are some highlights so far…
Ian’s First Day…
“After soaking my sunflower seeds overnight in 2 cups of apple cider vinegar, I woke excited to try my first recipe: Chocolate Sun Mylk. I had wondered about what the taste would be like combining now very sour soaked seeds with carob, dates and stevia. Then I had my answer. Julie had meant to soak them in water, adding only a couple tablespoons full of the sour stuff…”
“For lunch, I ate some millet rice manna bread and my first successful challenge recipe: Lemon thyme, sun-dried tomato spread. mmm…So, I wrap up my first day without a single cooked meal. I am feeling stuffed actually. Tomorrow we’ll revisit the sunflower mylk thingy and try my hand at wheatberry porridge. “”As one of the pioneers for the challenge, he has been been given one of many opportunities to show me where my instructions are unclear which resulted in soaking a whole batch of sunflower seeds in apple cider vinegar. Yikes! (Unfortunately it did not result in a delicious new recipe creation) My apologies Ian. BTW – if you can, pre-soak all your nuts, seeds, grains and legumes with 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar AND water to decrease the amount of phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors.” ~ Julie
Read the full article on For the Love of Food
Bridget’s first day…
“For lunch we had the tomato kreme soup, which was divine, with a wrap loaded with dips and veggies. I went over to Jessica’s house for dinner to prep for BTV the next morning, and she made Jen and I, Julie’s Lentildelicious soup-so yummy!”
“I am really enjoying all of this so far. I do miss my coffee, but am looking forward to kicking the habit so I can ENJOY it once in awhile instead of NEED it to start my day. It took a bit of work in the beginning to make all the dips, spreads, soaking etc., but now I have a fridge packed with homemade goodness! ”
Bridget, is learning Secret #4 for the Quick of Everyday Healthy of making food once and using 2 + times like the Zughetti example above made with 2 versatile spreads of Lemon Thyme Sun Dried sauce and basil sun pesto for quick and delicious. ~ Julie
Read the full article at For the Love of Food
More to come!
~The Vegan Project
Whole Food Challenge 2011-Ian Checks in
“Ian Wenig talks about his first day of the 2011 Whole Foods Challenge. While the Challenge is not raw, I have included many alkaline living food options, and Ian chose to plunge right in and ate raw for one whole day! As one of the pioneers for the challenge, he has been been given one of many opportunities to show me where my instructions are unclear which resulted in soaking a whole batch of sunflower seeds in apple cider vinegar. Yikes! (Unfortunately it did not result in a delicious new recipe creation) My apologies Ian. BTW – if you can, pre-soak all your nuts, seeds, grains and legumes with 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar AND water to decrease the amount of phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors.”
~ Julie Beyer
When Julie had asked me to take the Whole Food Challenge I jumped right in. I love Julie’s recipe’s and wanted to learn her secrets of youth and beauty I had also just been in Mexico where I had too quickly let go of a four month homeopathic liver cleanse. So, I was of prepared for the challenge. And definitely in need of re-alignment.
My first day started like this:
After soaking my sunflower seeds overnight in 2 cups of apple cider vinegar, I woke excited to try my first recipe: Chocolate Sun Mylk. I had wondered about what the taste would be like combining now very sour soaked seeds with carob, dates and stevia. Then I had my answer. Julie had meant to soak them in water, adding only a couple tablespoons full of the sour stuff.
The next step was to strain the mylk in one of those strainer bags. But I only had cheesecloth. I had used it before for making almond milk. It worked but it was a bit messy. This time, the sour seed milk clogged up the cloth immediately and because the cloth was cut too short, it collapsed into my mixing bowel and all the stuff that was supposed to get strained, oozed out into the bowel. Then I tasted it, and it was like uncooked sour dough bread. So I made the executive decision not to waste any more of the ingredients and to start over – tomorrow – stay tuned.
For lunch, I ate some millet rice manna bread and my first successful challenge recipe: Lemon thyme, sun-dried tomato spread. mmm. The semi-sweet cake like bread really absorbed the rich olive oil drenched tomato-y spread and I almost ate the week’s supply in one go. But I rated the recipe a 6.5, tasted a little too sweet for my savory palette.
For dinner, I warmed a couple of Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted whole grain tortillas and had a go at Julie’s pizza recipe. I used some more of my 6.5 sun dried tomato spread as the base and then improvised the rest. I hate pineapple on pizza (as called for in the recipe) – but I used some sliced green pepper, fresh thyme and cilantro, a handful of sprouted alfalfa (store bought), added some dried dulce for some salt and minerals and sprinkled some organic habanero hot sauce to give it some zest.
So, I wrap up my first day without a single cooked meal. I am feeling stuffed actually. Tomorrow we’ll revisit the sunflower mylk thingy and try my hand at wheatberry porridge.
Check out Ian’s Bio
Whole Food Challenge 2011-Meet the Contestants
Ted Radcliffe
Self-Employed Web Designer & Developer
Ted LOVES…His son who lives far away, (and misses him a lot!) Playing in a band as a bass player, and cruising the seawall with his vintage cruiser bikes on a sunny day.
(Pssst…Feel free to check out his band: Wonderful Diving Horses)
Ted is INSPIRED to make conscious foods choices to get healthier in 2011 and has never had a vegan meal plan and is eager to try it out.
Ted’s CHALLENGE? He says he is a pretty basic (boring?) eater, coffee in the AM, sandwich at noon, and maybe rice or pasta and veggies and something to accompany that for dinner. He has started to turn to mixing and matching spices to his every day foods, but has ended up with nightmare dishes and tends to eat the same old stuff when he’s eating at home.
Ted is looking for every day eating choices that are healthy and yet interesting so he doesn’t have to eat out in pubs and restaurants and get fat.
Jennifer Hanover
Owner of Bikram Yoga White Rock, co-founder TheVeganProject.ca
Jennifer LOVES…her best friends Bridget and Jessica, fiancé Kevin, pug Winston, yoga, writing and sharing fantastic vegan food with the world
Jennifer is INSPIRED…to eat whole clean foods to benefit her yoga practice, especially before she is goingt to compete, feel good and avoid allergic reactions she gets when she eats processed foods.
Jennifer’s CHALLENGE? To eat whole clean food more consistently.
Bridget Burn
Actor, Bartender, Co-Founder of TheVeganProject.ca, part-time Yogini & full time vegan.
Bridget LOVES…to cook! She often spends hours in the kitchen developing exciting and delicious recipes for her fabulous site. And her magical cats (she has 4!)
Bridget is INSPIRED… to eat healthier for the planet, animals and her health.
Bridget’s CHALLENGE? To kick the habit of her two guilty pleasures: coffee and store bought dairy replacements.
Ian Wenig
Ian works from his stress-free home office in the software industry
Ian LOVES… Life, Dance, Music, Clean Air, Food, Water, Creatures with more then 2 legs/arms including his cat Nilum; adventure & travel.
Ian is INSPIRED…to eat a whole food plant-based diet because…he just got off the plane from a two week eat and drink anything holiday in Mexico. And his liver and other organs are crying out for some good wholesome, energizing, alkaline-izing foods.
He also recently did a live blood analysis and he results were not impressive. He had thought of himself as a fairly healthy, no meat, semi-vegetarian. He did tend to enjoy wine and a few other slow killers including lots of cheese, sugars and a hefty cup of jabba in the morning.
Ian’s CHALLENGE? He doesn’t have a live in chef and he is” lazy” (his words not mine!), and tends to stick with what he knows best – bread, cheese, pasta, etc. Ian wants to kick the cheese and sugar habit and eat healthy consistently.
Suzanah Lazzaro
Ayurvedic/Thai Massage Therapist, Owner of Metta Touch Massage (She gives amazing massages BTW!)
Suzanaha LOVES…Massage, Yoga, Metta, Adventures, Healthy Living, Snowshoeing!
Suzanah is INSPIRED…to make conscious food choices “To feel good! To do good! For the planet, for myself and for my loved ones. Food is medicine and has a huge capacity to heal, uplift and energize. A fundamental way to nurture and nourish yourself and others is through the preparation and enjoyment of healthy, whole foods.”
Suzanah’s CHALLENGE…Timing & Organization! She is not always prepared.
Jenny Duffy
Full time dance teacher, part time accountant. (Check out info on her dance classes!)
Jenny LOVES… dancing, music, good food, sharing laughter with friends
Jenny is INSPIRED to make concious food choices because it’s the only logical choice: “It’s better for my body, for the earth, for the animals.”
Jenny’s CHALLENGE: The planning required. She needs to do a lot of pre-cooking and preparation of food so that she always has good nutritious food available when she’s on the go.
Jessica Grajczyk
Web copywriter at Webcopyplus, co-founder of TheVeganProject.ca
Jessica LOVES… writing, making crafts, her dog Derick, her best friends Jen, Bridget and Jenny, her family.
Jessica is INSPIRED to make conscious foods choices because….she enjoys life more, respects the environment more, and wants to move toward a healthier general population with less disease.
Jessica’s CHALLENGE: Making healthier and ethical food choices more affordable and avoiding unhealthy foods that tempt her (she love french fries!)
Follow their progress and cheer them on all week!
~The Vegan Project
The Whole Food Challenge 2011-The Intro
Hey Vancouver!!!
I am CHALLENGING you to be the change you want to see in the world and make it really really delicious for your health, the planet and communities around the world…and eat whole plant-based foods for one whole week!
102 Day Check In: Turning a Vegan 30
Today is my 30th birthday. It’s also my 102nd day as a vegan. What a glorious day!
The 65 Day Check In
It’s been 65 days since I’ve been living vegan. I feel really great, and have tremendous energy!
I’ve also lost 8 pounds since deciding to give up animal products, which is pretty remarkable. I became vegan for animal cruelty reasons, not health reasons. I haven’t been intentionally cutting back on calories or eating less. I think the body I’ve got now is simply the product of a vegan lifestyle, rather than the product of a fad diet or weight loss plan.
When I first became vegan, I was paranoid about not getting enough nutrients. I’ve since started a daily vitamin routine which includes an omega 3/flax seed supplement, vitamins C, D, a calcium-magnesium, and B complex.
I was anxious about my health, especially given my recent weight loss, so I went to the doctor and had some blood work done. My tests came back showing that I am very healthy. This news was of particular comfort to my mother, who kept insisting that I should just start eating meat again because “being vegan isn’t a sustainable way of life.” Oh…..mothers.
What I have found most interesting about becoming a vegan, is how other people react to my lifestyle. Being a vegan invites polarization.
Currently I am reading Jonathan Safran Foer’s “Eating Animals” (book review coming soon!) and a passage from his amazing novel paraphrases a few of my experiences perfectly. Jonathan writes:
“….many people fall back on this all-or-nothing framework when discussing their every day food choices. It’s a way of thinking that we would never apply to other ethical realms. (Imagine always or never lying). I can’t count the times that upon telling someone I am vegetarian, he or she responded by pointing out an inconsistency in my lifestyle or trying to find a flaw in an argument I never made. (I have often felt that my vegetarianism matters much more to such people than it does to me.)”
For the first time in my life I am part of a counter culture. I’m not the norm. I’m that person at the table making annoying queries like “Does the curry have ghee? Is the pasta finished with butter?”
I’ve felt at times that I need to be apologetic. Or else I have feigned lactose intolerance. Oddly, people are more forgiving if they think you can’t eat dairy than if they think you are choosing not to eat dairy.
Then again, some restaurants are very accommodating and go out of their way to ask the chef if they can make a vegan version of your entree. Typically, it’s the higher end restaurants that tend to be more open to vegan queries, as they pride themselves on excellent service and customer satisfaction.
So, it’s onto month 3 of living vegan. With the holidays fast approaching, I am sure it’s going to be an interesting December….
*Courtesy of Contributor Jenny Duffy
**Follow Jenny as she searches for an ‘ethical’ turkey this holiday season on her blog: Vegans Eat Pencil Shavings
Smokey Vegan Basil Pesto
I often find myself with fresh herbs leftover in the fridge that are too limp to cook with, but still too good to throw out. My favourite thing to do with them is throw them into a fresh vegan pesto, which I keep on hand for sandwhiches, paninis, pastas etc. A good vegan pesto is truly a must-have staple in any vegan foodie’s pantry!
Smokey Vegan Basil Pesto
I often find myself with fresh herbs leftover in the fridge that are too limp to cook with, but still too good to throw out. My favourite thing to do with them is throw them into a fresh vegan pesto, which I keep on hand for sandwhiches, paninis, pastas etc. A good vegan pesto is truly a must-have staple in any vegan foodies pantry!
Of course, a pesto can be made with assortment of fresh herbs, nuts and vegan cheeses. Be adventurous and use whatever you have on hand!
Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh basil
1 handful fresh parsley
6 cloves peeled fresh garlic
Handful or so of roasted salted cashews
A chunk of Bute Island’s Smoked Cheddar Sheese
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
Method:
Throw all ingredients into food processor. Blend till smooth. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Enjoy!
*Courtesy of Contributor Jenny Duffy
~The Vegan Project
Sabrina ‘Vegan’ Modder – Days 5/6
DAY FIVE
Today, I remembered to drink my lemon water again, but for some reason didn’t do breakfast. Sometime around noon, a friend of mine showed up and we both had some Adam’s peanut butter and jam sandwiches on the yummy Cob’s bread. A bit later, around 3pm I ate some more Chili, the last bit. Thank goodness. Listen, the chili is really good, and actually is truly better each day – in fact, I’d say make it a couple days early, then bring it out and serve to a crowd – but after eating it for like, 3 straight days (4!?), it gets a little tiring…
Sabrina ‘Vegan’ Modder – Days 3 & 4
DAY THREE
Today I remembered to start my morning with a glass of warm lemon water to cleanse my guts. For breakfast I ate my breakfast of oatmeal, this time with some raspberries and brown sugar. I had some leftover creamy lemon pasta for lunch; and then came dinner time…
Sabrina ‘Vegan’ Modder – Day 2
Oatmeal for breakfast again. Then munched on leftover chickpea curry at lunchtime to fuel up for a big shopping trip!
Okay, so time to get serious. I strapped on my backpack and headed to Kin’s Market; spent about $30 on veggies, so that’s a great beginning. I picked up some REALLY yummy bread from Cobb’s – spate bread or something? Then a couple treats; a fit bar and a yummy almond and apple scroll… the girly advised me it was all vegan friendly! Dropped the goods off at home, and headed to Drive Organics to buy some Daiya Vegan Cheese, bulk beans and some artichoke hearts; a bunch of collard greens and a half head of red cabbage. This bill was like $44. Not cool, but still cheaper than buying a bunch of meat and cheese and eggs and milk…
Sabrina ‘Vegan’ Modder – Day 2
Oatmeal for breakfast again. Then munched on leftover chickpea curry at lunchtime to fuel up for a big shopping trip!
Okay, so time to get serious. I strapped on my backpack and headed to Kin’s Market; spent about $30 on veggies, so that’s a great beginning. I picked up some REALLY yummy bread from Cobb’s – spate bread or something? Then a couple treats; a fit bar and a yummy almond and apple scroll… the girly advised me it was all vegan friendly! Dropped the goods off at home, and headed to Drive Organics to buy some Daiya Vegan Cheese, bulk beans and some artichoke hearts; a bunch of collard greens and a half head of red cabbage. This bill was like $44. Not cool, but still cheaper than buying a bunch of meat and cheese and eggs and milk…
On my bus ride home, I was already getting hungry and fantasizing about that weirdo-but-perfect sandwich I had yesterday. An avocado and dijon sandwich, on my new bread with a sprinkle of ‘cheese’ and some cucumber slices this time. Toasted of course. And I don’t know what to say, but it really is just really good.
But nothing, NOTHING, could have prepared me for the magnificence of the dinner I was about to prepare and devour. Up on TheVeganProject.ca website is a wonderful recipe for Creamy Lemony Pasta. Instead of cream or cheese, this recipe claimed to taste good using a creamy blend of cashews, water and lotsa’ lemon flavor. YEAH RIGHT. But I did as I was told, combined the lemony yum (zesting made my kitchen smell divine), with blended cashews in the food processor, seasoned to taste… okay, pretty effin’ good sauce. Fried up some garlic and sliced leek with a couple thai red chillies, then added about 3 cups of chopped spinach until wilted. Added cooked spaghetti and cashew-cream sauce. Served it up in a big bowl, poured myself a glass of OJ, sat down, and braced myself. I took a bite, and I fell in LOVE.
So far, being vegan ain’t bad at all.
*Courtesy of Sabrina Modder at String Creative
~The Vegan Project
Sabrina ‘Vegan’ Modder – Day 1
So there were a few things I was nervous about in beginning this challenge today. But mostly, I was totally unprepared. I had wanted to begin on a Monday, so that I could use the previous weekend as a vegan-groceries-shopping-adventure. Well, my weekend was utilized doing other things; Monday came, work was busy, and I found myself unable to sneak out to grab any food. But I had to start today. I just wanted to.
Vegan in Granville Island Market
One of my favourite things to do in Vancouver has always been to wander through Granville Island Market on a cold fall afternoon, have a coffee on the pier, buy an item or two from Duso’s, and take in the lively throngs of people. After becoming vegan, I worried that I wouldn’t be able to have the same experience. I can’t eat cheese, I can’t eat cured meats. Really, all the foods that held sentimental value to me were now off limits.
The 30 Day Check In
Today marks the 30th day of my vegan adventure. I’m actually surprised at how quickly the time has flown.
I’ve enjoyed exploring the world of vegan cuisine. When you are vegan, you need to cook a lot of your own food and bring it with you during the day. At first I found this tedious and time consuming. But after the first week I found my head was buzzing with vegan recipes and questions. Does blended tofu offer the same stabilization and binding properties eggs? Can I make decent gravy with miso and vegetable stock? Going vegan has reawakened my love of cooking. I am very adventurous in the kitchen, and I feel like I have only begun to explore the possibilities in vegan cuisine.
I have also dropped 4 lbs. without any effort. I exercise the same amount, and I eat the same amount as usual. The only difference is I am eating a lot more fresh fruit and vegetables, and eating no animal proteins.
I told myself before I started to go vegan that if I really wanted to eat something, I could have it. For each unvegan moment I had, I made sure to do it deliberately understand why I was doing it.
Unvegan Moments:
-Two bites of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving: My mother guilt tripped me into eating dessert. Then when I realized the pie was bought from Cosco and not home baked with love, I stopped and chastised my mother for her trickery. This was total mother-induced-guilt eating.
-One bite of stuffing at Thanksgiving: My mother insisted on a taste test between her meat-filled stuffing and my vegan stuffing. I honestly prefer my vegan stuffing better. Again, mother-guilt-eating.
-One bite of steak at Joe Fortes: My partner had ordered the ribeye, one of my favourites. I made a deliberate choice to do this, as a test to see what I was missing. It was good, but not as amazing as I remember meat tasting before going vegan.
-Lobster oil at Joe Fortes: They serve lobster oil with the bread at Joe Fortes. I had this because I wanted to put another notch in my gourmet belt. Inner Gourmet:1 Inner Vegan: 0
-Milk in my coffee: I ordered a coffee and they didn’t have soy milk. So I had normal milk. I admit, this one was pure laziness. I now carry Soygo creamer in my purse.
-Miscellaneous alcohol: I’ve recently become aware that certain alcohol is produced using isinglass, gelatine, egg whites etc. in the filtering process. I haven’t avoided any type of alcohol because of this yet. Instead I give myself a mental high five if I drink from an approved producer, and a swallow of guilt if I’m drinking a potentially unvegan draft.
-Miscellaneous French fries: During the first week or so of eating vegan, I found myself out at a pub where there were no vegan options. So I opted to just have fries. After a while I found out that some restaurants cook their fries in beef tallow or hogfat. EW!
So, it’s onto the second month of what I imagine will be a lifelong lifestyle. I like being vegan. I like how it makes my body feel. And I like what I am doing for the animals. Every time I pet my dog, I think of her being butchered in China for food, I remind myself that it’s no different than slaughtering a pig. And it strengthens my resolve to be a better vegan.
*Courtesy of Jenny Duffy
~The Vegan Project
Cate’s Vegan Challenge-Day 4
Cate on her sailboat. What a babe!
Hello! Well, today I did much better – to start out. I had a great shake again for breaky and made sure I packed enough food to get me through the day at work. I work at a great place that has a terrific health & wellness ethic. They have a workout room in the basement and every morning there is a fresh vat of brewed green tea ready. How great is that?? So, after enjoying some green tea with my Agave nectar I felt ready.
I told you yesterday that I picked up some non-dairy cappucino pudding – well, let me tell you how absoulutely fabulous they are!!! I will continue to buy these on a regular basis – and – they are only 70 cal. each!! Win, win. Snack time was delightful.
Lunch was leftover lentils with hummus, spinach & some tomatoes all wrapped up in a tortilla wrap. Perfect. Lots of water, an apple and another cup of green tea got me through the afternoon very well.
So, here’s where I digress a little. I was invited to dinner at my sister-in-law’s home and she was cooking. I hadn’t had time to tell her about the challenge, but I thought I’d just see what was in store. Well, she had made a great potato salad, with non-dairy mayo!! A fabulous salad, and lucky for me I had taken my Agave nectar so I made us both some yummy dressing. She had also cooked some Salmon. Oops. Well, I tried, but I had to partake in the whole meal. And it was really great. A bit of a set back for my so-far, pretty darn good week. I’m thinking though that Salmon is about the least worst item I could have had. A couple of glasses of my Vegan wine (kidding) was also top notch.
Then for a walk down by the pier, looking at all of the people sitting on the patios slurping their ice creams and desserts. It was a bit difficult and I was really feeling weak about the ice cream, or even frozen yogurt – just a cupful – please!!!!. I know, I know there are Vegan replacements, but not easily accesible at any restaurants. ALERT – Vegan friendly dessert shops needed desperately in Ontario!!!
Well, tomorrow should be interesting. Having a BBQ with friends (I’m taking my own) and not sure what else will be offered…
Cheers!
~Cate Baldwin
Cate’s Vegan Challenge-Day 2
Cate during her visit to beautiful BC.
Day 2 of veganism! Well, doing this challenge has really “challenged” me to stop and think about all of the foods that we consume regularly. It is virtually impossible to find good, healthy, unpreserved, chemical-free everyday food. I usually have always read the labels, but now I’m disecting them! I’m feeling really good about all of the organic, natural foods that I’ve been eating so far and I’m thinking this may be a whole new way of life for me, especially looking at all of the yummy vegan/vegitarian recipes out there.
So, today I enjoyed a wonderful almond milk, mixed-berry & banana smoothie with Vital Greens & flax oil for breakfast. I usually have a protien shake in the mornings, but this time, I eliminated the whey protien powder and it was still really tasty. I must say that I am taking supplements to make sure nothing is missed. After I made my sandwhich for lunch, packed it up and put it in the fridge at work, I couldn’t wait to eat it! It was roasted tofurkey on my “Stonemill Bakehouse” sprouted grains bread with veganaise, spinach, avocado, tomatoes & salt /pepper. It was really great and very filling. Snacks consisted of almonds as well as celery with peanut butter – yum.
Dinner was a real treat – my friend came over and she brought with her a platter of fresh fruit, which was her “vegan dessert” I had asked for – perfect. She also surprised me with a bag of HUGE zuchinni’s, small cucumbers & a few small green peppers – all grown in her own garden and she assured me there were no pesticides used and even the earth was from an organic farm! She gets many gold stars for this, God bless her. We enjoyed our Tofurkey keilbasa dogs, sans buns (watching our weight) and because silly me forgot to buy potatoes, we had brown rice & a great salad. She really enjoyed the whole thing and was saying how her husband is dying to go Vegan, so he may be the next Ontarian challenge!! Oh, I purchased some Agave Nectar from the “Vitamin Store” today & used it in place of honey to make my salad dressing (which I usually put honey in) and now I’m hooked on that stuff. I even used some of it in my tea tonight.
I have also been thinking about how much the world has changed with all of our fast food and “instant gratification” everything. Here in Ontario, we all seem to be doing 100 miles per hour (161 km/hr) and in order to accommodate that we have forgotten the simple things, like growing our own veggies and enjoying a home made meal. Looking at all of the foods I’m eating this week, it reminds me of when I was a kid and these were pretty much all of the items we had to eat, well maybe not the tofu, but certainly none of the pre-packaged, zap-it-in-the-microwave crap that we all eat now. It just makes sense to slow things down and get back to the way it should be. You folks out in beautiful B.C. seem to have grasped this long ago, or maybe you just never sped up to this “mid-coast” speed – nor should you.
Day 3 – here I come!
~Cate Baldwin
Jesse & Janine Day 5…”Are we done yet?”
Saturday. A day we sleep in and relax and do as we please. I get up to walk the dog and prepare a giant feast for breakfast – a pear/banana/nectarine smoothy, hashbrowns, tofu scramble with mushrooms, onions, jalapeños, and tofu breakfast sausages, and toast with vegan butter.
Jesse wakes up and declares, “I’M DONE WITH THIS VEGAN $ #!% !!!” “THROW MY BREAKFAST IN THE GARBAGE!”
I urge him that we only have 3 more days to go, let’s finish it…. Besides I just spent the better part of an hour figuring out how to make tofu taste and feel like scrabbled eggs and making the rest of this bloody breakfast! (no pun intended)
He complains that he’s hungry all the time. I can relate. Not the sense of being hungry, but just not that satisfied feeling when you’re finished eating. That sense of, “Mmm yes, I have just consumed something delicious and I feel full.” Now its more like, “my stomach understands that it contains nutrient with which to process and provide energy for the rest of my body’s operating systems.” It’s a noticeably big difference.
Somehow I convince him to eat my breakfast which he enjoys immensely and I enjoy the compliments much more than the food itself. Something is different this time. That sense of satisfaction and ‘fullness’ has returned. We both feel it while enjoying our breakfast. Maybe we had finally adjusted to this new diet, or maybe it was just the large amounts of fat I introduced into the meal to make it tastier than usual. Either way, something was different about this meal.
I left to go run my errands and didn’t get hungry again for another 4 hours. Incredible. After this monumentous change it is so utterly disappointing what happened next….
I’m not sure who’s idea it was originally but all signs point to Jesse, but we got it in our minds that we couldn’t live without sushi for dinner. Jesse had had enough and I was not able to resist the temptation of cold sashimi with burning wasabi and the tiny explosion of fish-liciousness of fish roe popping in your mouth. I wanted this sin to be worthwhile so I looked up reveiws online for the best sushi money could buy in our neighbourhood and went out to get it. When I arrived home with my Styrofoam prize pack of shame, I wanted to make the experience last so I prepared a homemade miso soup and some edamame so we could have some vegan elements to mask our lies.
I first popped a chopped scallop roll in my mouth. Hmm, its ok. The salmon (I paid extra for the wild stuff) tasted like it had been frozen and thawed more than once and the tuna wasn’t as good as I remember. The California roll (of course with real crab) was nothing much either. What had happened? Why was this sushi not tasting like the best thing in the world? The lust factor of breaking the rules alone should have made it incredible, let alone being deprived of it. I was confused…
Had we somehow magically turned vegan for good? The beloved meat we missed so dearly was actually just a good tasting exaggeration? I couldn’t figure it out. Needless to say, we resumed with the diet after our little indiscretion.The highlight of Sunday was a butternut squash mac and cheese casserole with a friend’s apple and kale side dish.
Janine’s return to her roots…
Born and raised in a small town in Sasktachewan, Janine grew up in a farming family and is no stranger to the production and processing of animals. Her family farmed Herford cattle and pigs for several years and grew 90% off their own produce in their garden. Anything store bought was considered a luxury for the years while they farmed. She was involved in every process of farming from a very young age. From working the land to planting of crops such as grain and hay to feed the animals, to medicating and castration of the cattle, delivering calves, feeding the (sometimes very dangerous) pigs, and of course the slaughter of the animals. Even at the tender age of 6, you can understand who it is that ended up in your casserole for dinner and how they got there. Growing up, meat was not something you just eat – it is a way of life, your livelihood, what buys Christmas presents. Being a vegan was something that was unheard of until Janine left her small town at age 17. She knew she was destined for something greater than becoming a breeder herself, and left to go pursue her dreams in the great beyond and find a place to fit in.
After many years of traveling, exploring & growing she finally found her place in Vancouver. A place where the folks from back home would describe as full of freaks, hippies, various racial slurs, and faggots – she knew she was home at last! This was a place not only diverse in ethnicity, beliefs and lifestyles but also diverse in cuisine! Having an adventurous palate, Janine was delighted to explore things like dim sum, pho, matar paneer, bi bim bap and so much more.
Now Vancouver is home for Janine and she spends her time with her talented and charming boyfriend Jesse, hanging out with her cute-as-ever dog Rambo, and working on her business, Fresh Out, which is a members only pop-up fashion sale. This fashionable business woman now is ironically returning to her roots so to speak and is taking more and more of an interest in where her food comes from and how it was produced. For so long she took her food from her childhood for granted – most people don’t have a freezer full of homegrown organic meat and vegetables. Many cannot afford to buy organic and have to eat commercially produced and processed foods. Being a big believer in ‘you are what you eat’ Janine has decided to get back to basics and have a healthier diet. She and Jesse now have a small garden plot and buy organic whenever possible. And now the ultimate challenge – the Vegan Project….
Jesse & Janine Day 2
Woke up on the second day of the vegan challenge all chipper. We both had the kick-ass scones that BB made us, and they are delicious! I covered mine in some vegan butter which tastes way better then butter. Also had some fresh fruit, skipped the smoothy and had a massive black coffee. All in all breakfasts are pretty much the same around my house.
However i forgot to pack a lunch which made the adventure of finding something vegan to eat challenging. I headed up and down Davie street trying to pick something that was going to work. It’s all the little things that seem to confuse me. I settled on a sandwich from Mr Baguette. I ordered the vegetarian and asked the cook if there was anything on it that is not vegan and he alerted me of the mayo and the cheese and told me i should add avocado and pickles to make it better, which i thought was cool. It’s nice to know that people will actually help you make a better choice based on your diet.
This however was not the case with dinner with my friends who are baffled at this decision. Let’s just say if you’re vegan do not go to Earls-EVER! Super unhelpful. They sent Janine and i out tacos with lettuce and hot sauce, then decided to remove everything off them as per our request as if no cheese meant no avocado salsa or tomato salsa? Janine almost attacked the server because she was so hungry (Janine is usually a joy, so this was weird). We sorted it out with some pasta (which the noodles were probably not vegan) but we had to eat! We just had it with a vegetable sauce with olive oil, which was nice.
All in all i think it’s taking its toll on my energy a bit. But i’m assuming this will change with time. To be a true vegan you really need to know the ingredients in everything, ever, which makes it tough. But i enjoy a challenge!
The Veganization of Jesse James
We are delighted to report that our friend Jesse James Bannister is going to try a vegan diet for 1 week beginning tomorrow! He has been provided with a customized meal plan, corresponding shopping list and all the recipes needed to ensure an easy transition.
Jesse James is 29 and a Graphic Designer/DJ who claims to be “allergic to bad attitudes and ugg boots.” He will be sharing his experience with all of us over the next 7 days which we will be sharing with all of you! So bookmark us and cheer Jesse on as he embarks on his very own Vegan Project.
Vegan Clauss-Week 1 complete!
Vegan Clauss with Biba and Bridget @ Kisha Popo on Davie.
I really appreciate Bridget for inviting me for the “Vegan Experience” for a week. I love new challenges, and I always try to learn new things to grow as a person. I am sure that this diet which I have been doing will help me a lot with my future eating habits.I have been learning a lot with this diet as well as feeling good. I noticed that this diet made me eat less with much more balanced meals than before.
I decided to extend my diet with Bridget from one week to a month, and I am excited to see the changes that I will go through until then. I cannot wait to know how much I will learn at the end of this experience.
Bridget, thank you so much for all the support in my “Vegan Experience” for a week and now for a month.
I Love you!!!
Vegan Clauss-Day 2
The first day I felt hungry but on the second and third day I ate less than what I am used to and I felt well. However, I started to go more often to the bathroom and I noticed an increase of gases in my stomach.
Vegan Clauss-Day 1
February 15th was the ‘first day of vegan’ for Clauss. He is from Brazil, loves meat and women. He is trying this whole vegan thing because of the power of Bridget’s influence. He marvels at her health and happiness and wanted to know her secret. He has decided to utilize the gift of yoga pass from lululemon during this time to fully embrace this new lifestyle. Below is his first blog entry…enjoy!
I Think being vegan is a cool lifestyle. I had never ever thought of giving up meat even for a week. But I am not afraid to try new things and welcome this challenge with open arms.
how am I feeling today?
hungry!!!! Im surprised how tasty vegan food can be.
I hate the fake milk…
I had a falafel plate at Nuba, toast with peanut butter, and for dinner i had two servings of the most wonderful beans i’ve ever eaten.
After work i ate two more pieces of toast with peanut butter. I am excited for the rest of the week!
Clauss
Linda’s reflections-3 weeks vegan!
It’s 3 weeks and I’m still eating a vegan diet with only one serving of meat on November 6th. I did not enjoy it and went immediately back to a strictly vegan way of eating. Jackie and I have enjoyed finding and cooking many new recipes and are still doing well. Jackie is eating much less meat but is back to a few animal products.
I’m working on a special project at work that requires us to work 12 hour days. My employer is buying dinner for about 12 of us each evening. I had vegan pasta the first night, but have been bringing my own food since then so I don’t have to impose my restrictions on the rest of the group. As my colleagues look over my shoulder at my wonderful, fresh, crunchy spinach salads and quinoa with beans and corn stuffed in a whole grain pita they all remark on how good everything looks. I just tell them that a vegan diet does not have to be boring. I think they all had the impression that vegan food was lettuce and little else.
I still feel very good and don’t miss meat at all. My work group ordered in a massive amount of Chinese food the other evening and I was not enticed at all. Even though some of my old favourites were on the table (wonton soup and garlic ribs).
Thank you again to the Vegan Project for introducing me to a new way of living and all the support you have given me since.
Linda
Day 7-The Last Day!
Vegan Diet Day Seven, Nov. 1, 2009
Breakfast: Lemon juice/water shooter, Tofu scramble with peppers, mushrooms, tomato and garlic.
Snack: Smoothie made with soya milk, peanut butter , banana and vegan infusion.
Lunch: Left over quinoa, beans, and corn in a whole wheat tortilla and a pear or apple for dessert.
Snack: Seeds and raisins.
Dinner: Chick Peas Romesco. This dish was fantastic both sweet and spicy. Lots of flavours and a real mouth party. Yum. The last of Bridget’s peanut butter cups for dessert.
Note: Our week long experiment has come to a conclusion, but the lessons we have learned will last us forever. We could not have done it without Bridget and the women of the Vegan Project. I’m not sure where we are going with all this, but I can say that my thoughts on food have been dramatically changed. I now feel my body working more efficiently, and have way more energy. I can honestly say that I have not missed animal products and as an added bonus have lost over 5 lbs.
Jackie views it as a wonderful experiment and looks forward to using a lot of the things she has learned in daily cooking and eating.
Again a huge thank you to the Vegan Project!
Day 6 of the Vegan Diet!
Vegan Diet Day Six, October 31, 2009
Breakfast: Lemon juice, granola & hemp milk, toast, coffee & silk.
Snack: Berry, banana and orange juice with vegan infusion smoothie.
Lunch: Jackie ate Indian food at the mall (dahl and curried cauliflower & potato with rice & naam bread). She even asked the server if the food had any dairy in it! I had leftover quinoa, beans and corn from last night in a whole wheat tortilla followed by a pear.
Snack: Seeds and raisins, vegan chocolate chips.
Dinner: Tofu and bok choy stir-fry with buckwheat soba noodles and sprouts, mushrooms and green pepper accompanied by miso broth. Bridget’s addictive peanut butter cups for dessert.
Note: Jackie and Bridget found some interesting data on line about depression and veganism. This may not be the right eating program for her. I am feeling great and now know what eating healthier can do for me. It’s not really a diet, but a lifestyle and I really am enjoying it. I think that while we may include some dairy and meats in our diet in the future we will always be more conscious of what we are eating.
Day 5 of the Vegan Diet!
Vegan Diet Day Five, Oct. 30
Breakfast: Lemon juice. Toast & granola with hemp milk.
Lunch: Buddha’s Feast which was rice vermicelli with a vegetable spring roll, raw veggies, peanuts, sprouts and basil with soya and chili sauce. Sorbetto for dessert.
Dinner: Quinoa with black beans, corn, salsa avocado, chili powder and tortilla chips on a bed of lettuce. Peanut butter cup for dessert, thanks to Bridget.
Snack: seeds and vegan chocolate chips.
Note: Jackie is feeling some anxiety in the mornings and we discussed with Bridget and think it could be hormones or a blood sugar thing. She will increase the amount of food she eats in the morning and see if it helps.
We had lunch at the Golden Garden (507 Main St. Vancouver) and we were impressed. Very clean and a nice vegetarian section on the menu.
Jackie and I have been talking about how we always thought we ate pretty healthy but we have discovered that what we have learned this week will set a new standard for us. We are truly enjoying the textures, flavours and variety of all the foods we have been experiencing in the past few days.
Vegan Diet-Day 4!
Vegan Diet Day Four, Thursday, Oct. 29
We’re feeling really great!
Breakfast: Lemon juice shooter, course rye toast with peanut butter & jam. Coffee & silk.
Snack: ½ Tomato, olive & herb scone with earth balance spread.
Lunch: Leftover brown rice & French lentils topped with chopped, raw, crunchy veggies (snap peas, broccoli & red onion). A pear for dessert.
Smoothie: Another of our favorite coconut milk, pineapple, banana and vegan infusion.
Dinner: Leftover cauliflower soup (another really satisfying and tasty favorite) and a beautiful salad (loaded with veggies and soya beans) with homemade vegan ranch dressing made with nayonaise, lemon juice and spices, toasted corn bread with humus. We had the salad first and waited about an hour to eat the soup. Dessert: Soya yogurt with frozen berries.
Note: We are both feeling very good. Looking forward to incorporating more of what we are learning into our daily lives after the week-long experiment. What we know is not all there is. My sister and I were really in quite a rut as far as our eating habits and this is the perfect solution to that dilemma. We’ve learned so much and are opening ourselves to all the great vegan foods we’ve yet to try. Snap peas are great for satisfying a sweet tooth. Lentils quash food cravings. Flavor can be enhanced with herbs & spices rather than animal fat. Smoothies don’t require cow’s milk. Some of you hard-core veg heads might think this is silly, but for two old, overweight, 50-something gals, we’re fascinated by all of this. We grew up in the meat & spuds 50s and 60s, and this is all new to us.
Day 3 of the Vegan Diet!
Vegan Diet Day Three Wednesday, Oct. 28
Breakfast: Lemon juice/water shooter, granola with hemp milk and a tasty tomato, olive & herb, whole wheat scone, coffee & silk.
Mid morning: Coconut milk, pineapple, banana, vegan infusion smoothie…..delicious.
Lunch: Miso soup with buckwheat soba noodles, smoked tofu, spinach, bean sprouts, mushrooms, green onions & nori. It was fantastic. Jackie (who NEVER has seconds) finished every drop.
Afternoon snack: snap peas
Dinner: French Lentils spiced with herbs, lemon zest, garlic and onions with Brown Rice and a crunchy salad. A very satisfying meal. Dessert: one of Bridget’s vegan peanut butter cups.
No evening snack, we were full.
Note: Both of us are feeling more energy, and are noticing many subtle changes in our bodies. Jackie finds herself to be more “alert”. Digestion is good…good and gassy. We went for a morning walk with the dog and I rode my stationary cycle for 20 minutes. I have mild eczema on my upper back and it’s gone. I’ve always suspected it was a reaction to dairy or eggs. Also realized I’ve been including fish oil with my vitamins and supplements. Nixed those. Overall we feel GREAT!!
Vegan Diet-Day 2
Vegan Diet Day Two Oct. 27
Again our day started with a shot of lemon juice. Breakfast was squirrelly toast with peanut butter and jam and coffee with silk.
We had a wonderful peanut butter and banana smoothie and despite the hideous colour of it (thanks to the vegan powder enhancer) it was great. Definitely a keeper.
Lunch was cauliflower soup (nicely spiced with the earthy flavours of cinnamon and nutmeg), a veggie sandwich with tomato, cucumber, pea shoots, avocado and homemade humus.
I had a snack of a carrot and a few snap peas in the afternoon.
Dinner was these Gardein (vegetable protein) patties stuffed with God knows what. Jackie didn’t mind hers, but I found mind horrible. This was something not recommended by the Vegan Project, it was something we picked up on our own while shopping for the week’s supplies. We also had brown rice with mushrooms and garlic, steamed asparagus and salad.
We were going to have a bottled oriental dressing on our salad, but our new awareness prompted us to read the label and we discovered it had egg product in it. Who would have thought animal products are hiding everywhere? Back to olive oil, balsamic & lemon juice. Dessert was soy yogurt and frozen berries. We had an evening snack of seeds and chocolate chips.
Note: The Gardein patties that I found so disgusting bother me not only for their gross taste, but on another level; I don’t think a person should pretend they eat meat when they don’t. These things were fashioned to look like chicken I suppose. To me it’s like pretending to drink alcohol or take drugs when you don’t … just to fit in.
Jackie (who is a smoker) is finding much less mucus production due to the omission of dairy. Both of us are experiencing increased efficiency in digestion.
Vegan Diet Day One!
Vegan Diet Day One Oct. 26
We started our day with our shot of lemon juice, Bridget’s homemade granola with hemp milk, and coffee with silk. We had a mid-morning apple snack.
Bridget came over and we had a BIG salad loaded with veggies and topped with kidney beans and a slice of course rye toast.
Jackie and Bridget tweaked the meal plan for the week and prepared some of the foods in advance (humus, scones & cauliflower soup).
We had smoothies in the afternoon had small samples of the things they had been working on.
Dinner was a lovely whole wheat linguine dish with thyme, lemon and mushrooms. We had some steamed chard on the side and one of Bridget’s peanut butter cups for dessert. Later we snacked on seeds and vegan chocolate chips.
During Bridget’s visit we searched the internet for more recipes and talked about our excitement to be involved in such a positive thing for ourselves. We are pretty sure (at this point) that we will carry on beyond the one week experiment. But it is very early.
Both Jackie and I feel more energy while our digestive system deals with the massive amounts of fiber we are consuming.
We look forward to Day Two.
day 30-the best of vegan september!
It has been a long, hard, cheese-less September, and we survived! we laughed, we cried, we lamented, and now we are delighted to share with you our Best of Vegan September list.
Best Vegan Restaurant Overall
Nuba – we love you for your vegan soup of the day, your Najib’s special, and your diversity (we can bring our non-vegan friends to dine on your organic, free range meat)
Best Samosas
Sweet Cherubim
Best Vegan Treat
Sweet Cherubim Chocolate Macaroon
Best Tastes Like Chicken
Campagnolo Crispy Ceci (or as Bridget calls them kentucky fried chickpeas) for having that addictive KFC flavour.
Best Soy Latte Deal
Continental Coffee – we challenge you to beat 160z for less than $4
Best Late Night Drunken Eats
Falafel Town (on Granville near Davie). Close second Fritz veggie poutine (on Davie near Granville), don’t forget to bring your own vegan cheese.
Best Vegan Benny
Bandidas Taqueria (on Commercial near 12th)
Best Yet to Try Restaurant
3G on Cambie – our little vegan cousin Brooke swears by their vegan lobster
Bridget’s Best Vegan Moment
Turned down an audition for a McDonald’s commercial where she would have had to eat a Big Mac.
Jessica’s Best Vegan Moment
Resisting the temptation of 10 pizzas laid out on the counter at Jay’s house, including the BEST VEGGIE PIZZA IN VANCOUVER. ”Maybe I’ll just pick off the cheese. That would be okay right? I can call Martini’s to see if there’s dairy in the dough…”
Jen’s Best Vegan Moment
Dinner at Nuba since living in White Rock does not afford such luxurious vegan options.
Best Baba Moment
Baba: “So for dessert, we’ll have some vegan ice cream. There’s no dairy in it”
Bridget: “Really?”
Baba: ”Yeah, I checked the label, there’s no milk. Only yoghurt.”
Bridget: ”But Baba…”
Best Clueless Server Moment
Jessica: ”Can I get some non-dairy dip with my fries please?”
Server: ”Yeah it comes with garlic mayo.”
Jessica: ”Yeah but mayo is made with eggs.”
Server: “Right.”
Best Vegan Invention
Bridget’s ‘cream’ of cauliflower soup.
Big thanks to all our readers, supporters, and haters alike. For those who do not know, we will be launching a website soon, featuring videos of our vegan exploits. In the meantime we will continue to blog and tweet our little hearts out.
We’re taking bets on who you think will be the first of us to fall off the vegan train. All fingers are pointing to Jessica and her well-known, torrid affair with cheese. Throughout all of this we will continue to maintain a vegan kitchen.
Stay tuned for more exciting developments from the Vegan Project.
Love Bridget, Jessica, and Jen
day 29-blurring the meal lines-by bridget
it’s been a while since i’ve written, i know. been pretty busy with the final touches of our website splash page and helping the boyfriend move. contrary to my vegan counterparts, who have both felt that they’ve lost weight this past month, i feel that i’ve gained a couple pounds, or at least lost some muscle tone. i attribute this to the lack of yoga in my schedule lately (no correlation, just sheer laziness) and a greater devotion to food and eating and consuming more than i normally do. i have never had a huge connection to food and can often times take it, or leave it. i’ve found that this month has brought more focus to what i ingest and i’ve had to be more mindful of my dietary requirements, thus consuming more calories (i think anyways. as jess mentioned, we don’t have a scale so this is all speculation). i have pledged to myself to get back on the yoga train for october to nip this in the bud-though i’m sure the consensus among most would be that i could use a few extra pounds 
ahh, now that that’s out of the way i wanted to share a bit of vegan wisdom that i have picked up along the way, the first being the title of this post…
1) blurring the meal lines-i struggled so much at first with the loss of eggs in the a.m. but never missed them any other time of day. once i let go of the cultural aspects of dining, what to have and at what point in the day, a weight was lifted. i began to have a protein, carb, and lotsa veggies whenever i sat down to eat and eventually breakfast transformed into simply the first meal of the day. nothing more, and free of preconceived notions of what that meal should be. samosas, soups and beans are some of my favourite morning nibbles now.
2)no cream – creamy-dairy has a an indescribable sumptuous texture, flavour and lasting memory. how can a dairy loving vegan duplicate this blessed food group? easy! blend, blend, blend! the food processor is a vegan’s third arm. so many foods, once blended become ‘creamy’. nuts, seeds, artichokes, avocado, a simple marinara put in the blender, tofu, just to name a few.
3) yay falafel!-i’d like to pay homage to that lovely little deep-fried chickpea nugget. falafel is fantastic and has definitely contributed to my vegan success. in fact, i’ve found middle eastern cuisine in general to be quite conducive to the vegan lifestyle. try it and love it today
4) getting some help from supplements-now i don’t take pills, but i do lean on nutritional powder mixes, effervescent vitamin pouches and all natural electrolyte drinks for a boost in energy, vitamins minerals and essential nutrients. some may poo-poo this and prefer to get all their essentials from food, and to them i raise my vitamin water and toast them and their efforts…i need a little help from my friends
5) stay cool-what i mean by this is just that. i have been blessed with incredible support from friends, co-workers and strangers and been able to engage in exciting and thought-provoking discussions regarding vegan food, the vegan lifestyle, animal rights and ethics. i have also been met with ignorant f**** that for some reason or another take my eating choices personally and have an inability or blatant disregard to examine where their food comes from, or at the very least, understand the vegan side of the fence. i’ve remained cool, remembering to pick my battles. i suspect that as we become more aware as a society of the negative effects of the meat industry on the environment and our bodies, that some of them may have a change of heart. and maybe one day they will look at a farm animal as an equal with it’s own intrinsic rights and not an object to be utilized. i give credit of that last sentence to my cousin brooke, innately vegan, defending animal rights every day with a vengeance! xo
day 22 – 8 days and counting – by jen
i want miso soup. i want lime tortilla chips. i want a raspberry white chocolate scone, extra crispy, toasted, with 2 little packets of butter. i want an americano breve, not misto. that means with steamed cream, not milk. i think.
alas, as much as i am going through what i hope are final withdrawals resulting in an absence of craving for the rest of my omnivorous life, i am feeling pretty good.
my muscles are strong. standing series in bikrams class today was so good, i was feeling my muscles contract and they still had more to give. my skin is very clear, and the size 4 dress i tried on in RW today was too big. although the girl was quick to assure me that their sizes do, indeed, fit small. bitch.
i find myself now pitifully snacking on (choking on) plain sundried tomatoes, reading jess’ blog, and wondering what the hell she’s saying about wine and beer?! don’t even go there!
sure would be easier if i lived in vancouver. now to go for a bite to eat, and struggle hard to find something i can ‘eat’ with my smiling happy face.
day 22 – vegan boobs – by jessica
i’m not sure if it’s my new hairdo, or the fact that i’ve stopped eating cheese that has resulted in several independent sources commenting on the fact that I look slimmer. bonus!! i don’t own a scale so I wouldn’t have known otherwise, although my pants are fitting a bit better and my bra is getting a bit looser. all this time I was beginning to wonder whether my increased ingestion of french fries, pasta, bread and beans would have an adverse affect on my vegan muffin top. only gripe about this is the fact that the first place i tend to lose weight is in the chest region, meaning that weight loss is sort of bittersweet for me.
Anyhoo… in honour of the last few days of vegan September, I thought I’d recap all the surprising things we’ve learned along this journey. There are many things we’d assumed were vegan, but were shocked to find are NOT always vegan. Here’s a list:
>veggie burger patties
>soy milk
>rice cheese
>wine
>beer
>sugar
>flour
>veggie flavour instant thai noodles (bridget was pretty pissed about that one)
>lime tostitos
>banana bread
8 days to go…
day 20 – vegan grade 1 – by jen
i’m getting to the point where i don’t mind skipping the cream in my americano (the thought doesn’t even appeal to me at this point) and dodging the obviously buttery muffins and scones. but i am starting to get frustrated at not being able to eat things that aren’t supposed to have dairy in them. for example, jess and i have a particular..well, love for lime tortilla chips. they are just sooo yummy. and as i sit here, on my orange couch, with my loving boyfriend munching loudly beside me, i must say i’m looking forward to october.
jess and i were talking about the theme for october the other day, and she proposed with almost overwhelming enthusiasm “Cheesy October!!”. (woah! Fromo!)
after this month, i think i’m good without the literal application of animal products to my food, but the sneaky milk ingredients that i find at the very end of a long list of ingredients…i think i may make concessions.
the enjoyment i get out of eating those chips on occasion far exceeds the potentially de-moralizing act of eating a trace amount of sour cream. i’m not feeling the guilt at this level of my veganism. perhaps i’m only in vegan grade one.
and as i smell the tangy synthetic lime on my love’s fingers as he caresses my cheek and tells me i’m pretty, i’d have to say i’m ok with that.
day 18-say cheese! by bridget
first and foremost, i am proud to announce that the Vegan Project fooled baba! the other day jessica made some delicious vegan chocolate chip cookies. i had to pop down to baba’s place to give her hair a trim (jess and i live only 4 blocks away from her) and i brought two cookies with me to put to the test. they were still warm from the oven which was a big seller. she took a bite and said “mmm”. she noticed that they were different than her version and that jess uses those mini chips, doesn’t she? i said sheepishly “yes, i guess so”. but she liked them and ate them both and there was no discussion as to the dairy/egg content of these delicious little treats. voila!
yesterday i had a very amusing/hypocritical day on set. i was filming a commercial for some snack crackers(which are vegan by the way) and had a scene that i had to take a bite of said cracker with a big hunk of cheese on it. everyone found this amusing, as the discussion of my vegan month had already come up over breakfast and lunch. i did not actually have to eat the cheese thanks to the spit bucket provided, though i do think a few morsels made their way down the pipes. and my sincere gratitude to the the catering truck that made me a yummy wrap in the morning and provided several vegan salads and side dishes along with a rockin’ chickpea korma! so, at christmas time when this commercial should be gracing your boob tubes, and you see that vegan girl, and think, hey is that her eating cheese? just remember that yes, that may be me, and yes i sold out, but it is in order to fund more ethically sound endeavors, and for now it sits well.
and as jen so eloquently put it, i didn’t swallow! bridget
day 14 – plant based diatribe – by jen
i am amazed by how much energy would be saved if more north americans were to eat a plant based diet.
the energy used in producing and distributing food accounts for roughly 60% of the total energy north americans use. from shipping, production plants and processing to delivery, packaging and selling. of that 60%, over 85% is generated from the burning of fossil fuels.
although there is, of course, energy required to maintain, harvest and distribute plant-based crops, it is far, far less than that what is expended on the production of animals and processed foods.
eating a plant-based diet feeds you primary nutrition, energy straight from the source. there is very little processing and preparation required before consumption. incredibly superior in efficiency as far as the environment goes, eating plant-based foods also requires less energy for our bodies to digest, assimilate and eliminate. we get more nutrients from less food, effectively giving us more energy to live our lives beyond just survival.
veganism is not a trend. it is part of the solution to the sad reality of our environmental state.
oh, meal of the day: nori wraps! breads, vegan or not, slow my digestive system (that’s polite for making me constipated). so i wrapped quinoa, tomato, grated beets, butter lettuce and lots of avocado with some spices and pumpkin seeds in nori and they were terrific. quinoa is awesome, and tomorrow i will have it with some home-brewed lentils. yum.
day 13 – warm muffiny hugs – by jessica
yesterday was a whilrwind of excitement. i got up and decided to whip up some blueberry muffins. there is something so comforting about your house filling up with the smell of fresh baked goodness in the oven. they turned out a bit mushy and not quite as great as they smelled, but i’ve eaten probably 6 of them since then so they can’t be that bad! bridget’s bf gave them the stamp of approval as well, assuring me that he would have thrown it in my face it it weren’t up to par (he’s so funny). if anyone has any wicked vegan baking recipes please send them! i’d love to try them.
spent the rest of the day preparing to host my first radio show on co-op radio. i was pretty nervous about it but my co-host and guest were both amazing and we were well prepared so it went really well.
the topic of our conversation was how we share our stories online. i mentioned this project as an example of how putting your experiences out there on the internet can be quite rewarding. having the vegan project twitter account and this blog have allowed us to be exposed to a small snippet of the vegan community out in cyberspace, and also non-vegans who are curious about what we’re doing. i think it’s a great way to network and learn new things and the support has been really great from friends, family and strangers alike. so thank you to everyone out there who is paying attention to our project! it’s great to get feedback and to know that people are reading.
day 12 – the spice of life? – by jessica
We’re starting to find that you have to get really creative to enjoy variety in your diet as a vegan, or work really hard to find suitable substitutions and alternatives. This applies 100 times over to dining out. We’re lucky to have several options in our neighbourhood for this, but when we venture just a few kilometres away, it gets tough.
Last night, for example, after a little gallery hopping, we went to a downtown lounge to visit a friend working there. Looked at the menu and were excited to order a veggie pizza (which we would request minus cheese). The server told us that unfortunately the pizza dough was loaded with dairy (odd), leaving us with a few underwhelming options – the edamame with rock salt, fries, or the hummus and pita. So basically, when eating out in a non-vegan friendly neighbourhood, you can have beans, potatoes, or of course, salad.
Too many tequila shots later, I had to do everything in my power not to march (ok more like stumble) to our neighbourhood pizza place on the way home. I settled for a big, dry, cracker and some of Bridget’s tapenade, which is really delicious, just not the tummy soothing greasiness someone who has abused their liver all night is looking for.
This morning I would have KILLED for one of Pane Vero’s breakfast sandwiches on a multigrain bun with egg, swiss cheese, pesto mayo and veggies. BUT NO. Off to Bandidas again for a vegan benny.
Actually I’m starting to see a correlation here – alcohol and veganism don’t really like each other. Maybe October should be alcohol product free.
days 10/11/12- vegan shenanigans!-by bridget
lots of vegan shenanigans to report for the last few days. day 10, a couple friends and i rode our bikes the “wrong way” on the stanley park seawall and oh man did we hear about it. our defiant cackles and witty retorts such as, “you don’t know where we’re going!” only fueled their rage. and i thought to myself while enjoying my chocolate & hazelnut soy ice cream (ice soy?), that bike ride was a metaphor for this project. deep shit, i know.
i will now fill you in on my visit with baba which was on friday (day 11). i was running late, not arriving at her house till 11:45 am. she told me it was too late to have dinner (noon meal, remember?), at her place, so we would have to eat at that classic canadian coffee shop/deli which she adores. she then asks “did you remember the photos from smoky lake?”. “oops, no”. ”bridget, you better start eating meat. this isn’t good for you. you’re starting to forget things.” sigh. i was unfortunately unable to have anything on the menu. i had to sit across from baba and watch her eat, shaking her head at the fact that i was not…we did a bit of shopping and then she sent me on my way with four jars of pickled beets (vegan!) and told me to come back when i can eat cheese…
i’m kidding-she may be old and bitter, but not that mean
then it was off for another bike ride along the seawall (the right way), with jay. we finished at a seafood restaurant with a sweet rooftop deck on english bay, and this was my order…”can i please have a glass of tomato juice with tabasco, but no worcestershire sauce, the house salad with no cheese. i’ll have the vinaigrette but only if it doesn’t contain honey, and the yam fries without the aioli, replaced with a side of guacamole”. i can’t say for certain, but i’m sure the term high-maintenance bitch made its way into her thoughts. she pulled through, i tipped her well, and i watched jay scarf down a beef burger in less than five minutes.
i peddled home to meet jess and our friend alicia for an action packed night out on the town…i’ll let jess fill you in on the rest…today is uneventful thus far as a result of last night’s events…i want some refried beans too! bridget
day 11 – what’s velan? – by jen
i love how in vancouver when you ask if something is vegan, they have an answer, and have obviously been asked before. it’s a different story out here in the ‘burbs. some people literally don’t know what i’m talking about. ‘what’s Velan’ i was asked by a sweet older man at the bakery. sure is making things interesting.
at least wine doesn’t have the risk of modified milk ingredients of natural beef flavoring. i have a good, old fashioned hangover from last night, complete with cravings and gut-rot.
off to choices to get myself some refried beans. mmm.
ttfn.
day 10 – muffins and seagulls – by jen
despite the spontaneous rashes that break out on my skin within minutes of being with jess and bridgie’s cats, the ladies and i have all noticed our skin exhibiting a ‘vegan glow’.
i’ve dropped a couple of pounds, and have noticed since taking on this project that a lot of the food i cannot eat is stuff i’d really like to get rid of anyways.
the vegan muffin i had on the drive in the morning was…ok. dry and heavy, it could have likely knocked a seagull out of the sky if aimed properly. not that i would think to harm a bird in this month of harmlessness. i’m just saying.
bridgie said she’s going to make me some homemade muffins. bless her heart.
day 9 – blissful ignorance – by jen
after yet another food-related conversation with a new friend at the aforementioned dinner party sunday night, i was inspired to take my green smoothie to the next level.
yesterday, i put an entire head of green leaf lettuce in a smoothie. my blender broke down only twice ($aving up for a vita mix), and the vega and blueberries i tossed in made it on the verge of enjoyable. i find these smoothies extremely satisfying right after yoga class.
my muffin craving continues. as lovely as ‘vegan-couver’ is for vegans and vegetarians, white rock is equally shitty. (that’s where i live). there is not a vegan muffin to be found, and that’s what i wanted yesterday more than anything. i’ll have to consult bridgie on a recipe and make some myself, because my muffin fix is in need of a…fix. ?
umm, why do hashbrowns want to taste like beef?! i was crestfallen to find suspicious animal-related ingredients in some packaged hashbrowns i was pretty excited to enjoy this morning. modified milk ingredients and butter aside, the third ingredient was ‘natural beef flavoring’. i had to assume that ‘natural’ meant that there were actually traces of cow in said potatoes, so i sadly declined.
after the amount of ingredient reading required to engage in this project with true integrity, i’m not sure i’ll ever be able to eat the same way.
depending on your goals, when it comes to the content of your favorite foods (bridget and jess’ poutine incident comes to mind) i would have to say that ignorance truly is blissful. if you want to continue your love affair with your fave processed foods, don’t read the list.
if only what you didn’t know couldn’t hurt you.
day 9-sorry baba, no syr (cheese) today-by bridget
one of the most difficult people to explain my newly adopted vegan lifestyle to is my little ukrainian baba. it was confusing enough for her when i went vegetarian a couple of years ago. she has worried about my slight frame since i was a little girl, and would surely prefer if i was about 100 pounds heavier. so when she heard i wasn’t eating meat she exclaimed “but bridget, that’s not healthy!”. now to refute this statement is moot. i know nothing and she knows everything, and that is the foundation of our relationship. she asked if she could make me a tuna sandwich, and i said no. she asked if i could eat her meatball soup and pick out the meatballs, i said no. slowly she began to understand and even made me some meat-free cabbage rolls at christmas time.
i spoke to her on the phone today to discuss our weekly get-together and what we would have for dinner (noon meal). she offered a cheesy noodle bake that she invented just for me and i had to pass. ”i’m not eating any dairy right now”. ”you’re so funny”, she chuckled. so we decided on a comforting family favourite that happens to be vegan already (macaroni & tomato juice and a dollop of margarine). baba created this delicacy to feed her five girls as a struggling, divorced ukrainian woman in the 60′s. i know it sounds gross, but don’t knock it till you try it like clockwork, she’ll serve up some jello for dessert which i will have to refuse for its gelatin content (cow marrow). i have two days to figure out how to handle that one…bridget
day 8-blender bender-by bridget
my vegan world was fairly uneventful today, except for an hour of kitchen appliance experimentation this afternoon. i used my blender twice, and food processor once to create a smoothie, caesar dressing and a tapenade (that i kinda just made up myself-well i saw it on a menu last night and played around till it was yum). the caesar dressing was out of a book called refresh, based on a vegan restaurant in Toronto. the smoothie was 2 scoops of vega powder, blueberries (that i got such a great deal on-$1.69/pound!), banana and water. i made the tapenade in the food processor, mixing canned artichokes, black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and walnuts with a pinch of salt, cracked pepper and a titch of olive oil. mmmmmm. really tasty and kinda creamy from the artichokes. sometimes my experiments work and sometimes they suck. the experience is always worth it though. i encourage y’all to throw some shit in a blender or food processor and see what you come up with.
*i recommend starting in small quantities in case it goes awry.
bridget
day 8 – fish, no longer my favourite dish – by jessica
actually it never was, but whatev. thanks to that kitchen goddess who cooks sensually enough to convert a straight girl (aka Nigella Lawson – youtube that if you want to see what i mean) i found an incredibly easy and addictive pasta dish that i usually bust out when it’s my turn to cook or i’ve got dinner guests. basically it’s just a mashup of linguine, crimini mushrooms, the juice and zest of a lemon, olive oil, fresh thyme, parsley, salt and pepper. you don’t even have to cook the mushrooms. man, i could eat that stuff all day. bridget made fun of me because after making this recipe at least 5 times now, i still follow the instructions. i told her that not all of us can be as naturally gifted in the kitchen as she.
unrelated vegan tip: it’s best to monitor your garbanzo bean consumption, unless of course you enjoy excessive bloating and lower intestinal discomfort. ditto for lentils.
tootles… jessica
day 7 – vegan bennies – by bridget & jessica
Hey y’all. Not much to report for holiday Monday, other than we enjoyed some wicked vegan bennies at one of our favourite vegetarian and vegan friendly restaurants in Vancouver – Bandidas Taqueria. Bonus for scoring the table in the front window with the rocking chairs… bridget and jessica
day 7 – visions of celery sticks – by jen
i’m starting to think that perhaps i’ve had a relatively easy time with this vegan september because my lovely bf kevin has been out of town since the 2nd.
i picked him up from the airport today, and the first thing we settled upon, after the hugs and kisses, was that we were both starving.
sigh. we also made this lame agreement that, in the name of saving money, we would refrain from eating out at restaurants for september. balls.
he was craving mac and cheese, and i didn’t give a shit if i ate anything. temper temper. visions of celery sticks danced in my head. i wanted some goddam tom yun goong. a baguette with some goats cheese and a bottle of wine. finished with a cinnamon bun, extra butter.
i settled on amy’s chili, extra spicy, the regular sodium kind. ooo, how naughty.
came home to watch in irritation as he melted butter, added whipped cream and ridiculous amounts of cheese to make an amazing alfredo sauce (apparently nutmeg is the key ingredient. this i never knew) he combined the sauce with (bless his heart) organic rice pasta, and topped with.. yup, you guessed it, more cheese.
i was drawn to the oven like sleeping beauty to the spinning wheel. glazed eyes and everything. i watched the bubbling, crispy cheese with the occasional spurt of alfredo like a sick, perverted weirdo. ‘this is crap!’ i exclaimed. he continued to wrap the cheese and said calmly ‘you will not make me feel guilty about this’. fair enough.
today, i ran into almost everything that i love in dairy form. organic yogurt covered pretzels, an americano with organic cream and honey, the freshly baked scones at the coffee shop, chocolate, chocolate everywhere, free samples of brie on expensive crackers…the list could go on.
and yet, my friends, i remain, sincerely, vegan. guilty only of over-using commas.
phew.
day 6 – i feel ill – by jessica
i have no idea if this has anything to do with my new dairy/fish/meat free diet, but last night, i was suddenly overcome with a feeling of lightheadedness. i felt weak and my face turned pale. jen drove me home and i went to bed, only to wake up sick in the middle of the night after tossing and turning and generally having a bad sleep. i think it may have been food poisoning related, but the only thing i ate that was different than my counterparts (who were all feeling fine) was some raw veggies, fruit and nacho chips at our friend’s daughter’s birthday party. could i be lacking iron? other nutrients? my diet has been pretty varied and full of nutrient rich foods, and i have been taking vega supplements here and there… but i definitely don’t feel 100%.
after this weekend’s two bbq parties i attended, i realized that i will have to be prepared for my food choices to be put on the table for dissection, as was the case when we had to refuse a piece of the beautiful homemade birthday cake at our friend’s daughter’s first birthday party. i heard comments like ‘you just don’t refuse a piece of cake at a birthday party’ and ‘why anyone would place such restrictions on themselves is beyond me’. to which i just smiled and nodded, not really wanting to derail the joyous festivities to get into a discussion on the many different reasons someone might have for placing such restrictions on themselves. bridget and i wondered why people even cared what we were eating, as though it made some kind of difference to them. if anything, there would be more cake for them to enjoy… jessica
day 6-itchin’ and bitchin’-by bridget
yesterday was the first birthday of a dear friend’s little girl. jess and i were in attendance at this memorable event, and knew beforehand that our newly acquired vegan diet may limit our participation in some way or another. we were able to snack on the veggies and dip, chips, and of course, wine. the problem with being vegan at social events where one is unable to eat most of the food is that your belly quickly fills with wine and has little to no buffer. needless to say we were “elegantly wasted” by 4pm. came up against some questions as to why we were vegan and comments as to how sad it was that we couldn’t have a bite of the decadent, score bits and pink fondant, homemade masterpiece birthday cake. chit, chat, vegan this vegan that…
then we went over to the boyfriend jay’s house to make that pot ‘o pasta that jen was gushing about in her post last night (thanks pal!). salad, miso-pesto beans and an asparagus & grapefruit delight accompanied. and of course more conversion centered around being vegan…
by the end of the day i was EXHAUSTED with talking about food! while of course i must enjoy this topic to some degree considering recent endeavors, but i also have a limit as to how i long i am able to discuss it in a group setting, or otherwise. it may be because my reasons for being vegan are not always about the food, it’s more, taking a stance on an industry that i disapprove of. for myself, that is the relevance of this project, and heck, maybe that is what i will discuss. i’m sure that some of you are growing tired of my eating habit updates. approaching the seven day itch i suppose? having thoughts as to whether i can do this for the rest of my life? or even want to? i guess what i am trying to say is, can’t we just BE vegan?
i quit smoking two years ago, and had similar feelings around day seven as to whether this was worth it, and why can’t we just live long and smoke?
i dedicate this post to the poor little skunk that was hit by a car in my hood. my caring and compassionate boyfriend respectfully moved its body and placed him in a bush to rest peacefully. thank you jay…bridget
day 6 – vegan groove – by jen
lying in bed with a belly full of some amazing, cruelty free cuisine after a lovely dinner party with good friends.
when i walked in the door of jay’s apartment (bridget’s man), the smell of garlic and fresh herbs was like a warm, hospitable hug. bridget made yet another AMAZING pasta dish with a homemade tomato sauce and wild rice noodles. there was no fake cheese, no weird meat-resembling matter, just a gourmet vegan dish rich in flavor, substance, and satisfaction.
i am starting to feel a groove. i was put in charge of slicing a lovely gourmet spanish cheese, and although it smelled delightful, it was simply not an option. i sampled a remarkable combination of asparagus and grapefruit slices drizzled in balsamic (shout out to Chad the Incredible), and jess tossed up her classic, all raw salad with homemade dressing in her usual tasty style.
All of us, vegan and non-vegan alike, found ourselves digging into the leftover pasta at the end of the night, it was THAT good. thank you bridget!
i’m a bit too full, but i feel great. my bikram class today was very strong, and very connected. looking forward to another double tomorrow, beginners and advanced.
my eyes are drooping. good night.
jenny
Day 5 – sweet temptation – by jessica
today i think i experienced my first real non-vegan temptation since starting this challenge. when you don’t surround yourself with dairy products it’s easy to forget about them.
i was at a barbecue and seemed to be doing fine with my veggie burger while everyone else was eating their hot dogs and hamburgers, although i felt a slight pang for some melted cheese. someone even brought some veggie sushi and tofu, which was great! and of course good ol nacho chips, guacamole, and salsa are vegan (and my personal ‘junk food’ fav)!
i was surprised to learn that a couple of people at the barbecue had also recently decided to try a meat free diet, one had even tried veganism after reading the book ‘Skinny Bitch’. i keep hearing about this book, but haven’t read it yet.
then… the desserts came out. Dairy Queen ice cream cake (the devil), chocolate chips cookies, mini cupcakes, berry tarts, those one-bite brownies… not a single sweet treat i could have:( need to get me some good vegan chocolate for these occasions. or get bridget to make some of her fabulous vegan pistachio rose water cookies…jessica
day 5 – musical fruit – by jen
saturday is my yoga marathon. i teach two 90 minute bikram classes, take one myself, and then do ‘advanced class’, a series of 84 pretzel-esque asanas that usually takes over 2 hours. it sums up to almost 7 hours straight in a hot room.
i felt fantastic. had tons of energy from my vega smoothie (been taking it every day so far), and was ultra satisfied with my squirrely bread (5 grams of protein per slice!), avocado, tomato, sprout and death ketchup sandwich.
as for pal time, jessica and i have nearly survived the fridge full of gourmet cheese. we sit happily on the couch, watching local singles commercials (my favorite commercials ever), and entertaining each other with the aftershocks of our high fiber diet. oh the delight of enjoying a night on the couch with a best friend of 15 years.
welp, gotta go. nature’s on the other line.
day 4 – a love of fromo – by jen
i’ve been doing lots of reading lately about diet and veganism, and i’m finding so many levels of reasons to be doing what we’re doing.
i thoroughly enjoyed ‘in defense of food’ by Michael Pollan, a non-vegan. He elaborates extensively on the environmental and health benefits of 1.eating food (real, unprocessed food) 2.not too much and 3.mostly plants.
I also got quite a bit from ‘the ultimate ph solution’ by Michelle Schoffro Cook. She is a naturopathic doctor who prescribes an alkaline-based diet as a solution to her patients suffering from various ailments. the highest alkaline foods are vegetables, and some of the highest acidic foods are meat and dairy. basically, an acidic ph level can contribute to tons of nasty afflictions, but disease cannot thrive in an alkaline environment.
i’m currently in ‘the thrive diet’ by a local author (north van) Brendan Brazier. his book appealed to me because he’s a vegan athlete, and i want to make sure i can enjoy a high level of activity even though i’m not eating animal stuff.
so far, my reading has shown that eating a vegan diet will help support my health and assist graceful aging. i’ll prevent diseases , have energy to sustain an active lifestyle, and be contributing (even in a small way) to the sustainability of clean air, land, and oceans.
at this point, 4 days in, i’m considering making this a change for my life. even though i love cheese, muffins, scones and cream in my coffee, the benefits seem to far outweigh the cost.
tonight, jess and i are having pal time at chez phillipe (her parent’s house) where we usually sip wine and taste a wide variety of lovely cheeses. a tradition that has endured the 15 years of our friendship, our love of cheese has actually resulted in the shared nickname ‘fromo’.
i don’t think i’ll bother trying to find a substitute for a sharp aged cheddar, a creamy havarti or brie wheel. some things are better left alone. sniff.
check out those books, especially pollan’s, great learning for anyone who eats any kind of food.
feeling good,
jenny.
day 5-accidents in the workplace-by bridget
aaahhh! i hang my head in shame about what i am about to reveal to you all right now…i will explain the series of events that led to this travesty. let me begin by pointing out that i was so careful at the discotheque last night. had the early shift, brought an avocado and that package of over-priced nutrient powder, declined the vinegarette on my salad because of honey, didn’t have a drop of a certain popular energy drink because of its taurine content (which i found out is an amino acid extracted from the bile of the lower intestine in mammals…ew!) and turned my nose up at the abundance of five cent candies i am so accustomed to munching on throughout the night. it’s the end of the night and we are deciding on what the snack will be and someone suggests falafel. “yes!” i cry, “that’s vegan.” shortly thereafter, my lovely co-worker, who traipsed through the trenches of the clubbing district to acquire this snack, returns with my falafel, i take a bite and swallow. mmm, that was delish…wait…forgot about the yoghourt sauce 
if it was a competition folks, i would lose. and some of you may be thinking that it wasn’t in my control, and that i didn’t finish that falafel, and that it’s ok. that is all true, except that it was in my control. only i can monitor what i put into my body, and i should have been more careful. my diligence in the former part of the evening should have carried through till the end. alas, it is a new day of veganism, and i will continue on, with no regrets, looking only towards the future, and the power that a group of dedicated people can have in changing the world (loosely quoting Margaret Mead) …bridget
Day 4 – fashion faux pas-by jessica
i’m going to a bbq tomorrow out in the suburbs for my friend’s birthday. it is also the celebration welcoming her new baby boy into the world. i decided that since the summer is quickly dwindling, a nice ‘welcome baby’ gift would be a hand knitted toque. then, i realized that the yarn i happen to be knitting with is technically an animal product, and that true vegans do not use ANY kind of animal products, including wool.
this got me thinking about other things in my wardrobe that a vegan wouldn’t be caught dead wearing, such as my knee high leather boots. i also own a beautiful leather bound notebook that bridget brought back from Italy for me. i actually looked at it the other day and thought to myself how bizarre the whole concept of leather is. the skin of a living creature is encasing the paper on which i often write, but why? why is this regarded as beautiful and when did we accept this as the norm? looking at something for what it is, instead of its culturally defined meaning, can inspire new realizations about your beliefs and behaviour, and whether or not you want to continue subscribing to such conditioning.
essentially, wearing leather is just as bad as wearing fur, but there certainly aren’t protesters lined up outside aldo, waiting to dump red paint on your new pumps. and then there’s the whole seal hunt controversy, where people are appalled at the Canadian seal hunt, but why aren’t they equally appalled at the way that chickens, cows and pigs are treated in the meat industry? is it because seals are cuter that they deserve to be defended?
although this particular experiment is focused on diet, veganism truly is an entire way of living, with many different factors to consider. but if i get rid of my leather goods, someone else will likely end up wearing them. will that solve anything? if i destroy them, will the animal have died in vain? is it cruel to shave the wool off a sheep? so many questions, yet i have another toque to knit for another bday on sunday. Perhaps I will use synthetic yarn…. jessica
day 4-the cost of a conscience-by bridget
well folks, i remain vegan after a fun night out with the girls…was a bit more tame than i anticipated. started the night off with some letter writing at a stationary store on main. then went to a couple different bars for some wine and a cocktail or two, and then ended up at my favourite french fry stand. jess and i let them know up front that we were vegan, and asked what that left for us to enjoy. the lovely woman behind the counter suggested that some of her vegan clients bring their own vegan cheese and they sprinkle it over fries and top with veggie gravy, wow! they even showed us the ingredients on the package of the powdered gravy mix (which i wish i was not privy to after the fact). as we did not have our own cheese with us this time, we settled on fries with gravy and some cajun ketchup.
now to cheese, and to addressing the title of this entry. popped over to the store to pick up some cheese in the event that i may like to enjoy a vegan poutine at the end of my shift at the discotheque this evening. i purchased 5 items, and the bill came to $23.65! shit, this mindful eating is for ballers, i exclaimed…in my head. here’s what i purchased:
1 can of low-sodium split pea soup $4.29
1 avocado $2.69
1 clamshell of strawberries $3.89
1 berry flavoured vitamin packet $3.79
1 package of vegan mozzarella $8.99
this weekend will involve re-evaluating my purchasing tactics and looking at more cost efficient options such as whole foods (ie beans, legumes, veggies, not packaged or processed), buying in bulk, etc.
BUT, no animals were maimed or killed, and for that i am grateful and will rest easy.
love to animals big and small xoxo…bridget
day 3 – i didn’t swallow – by jen
had to get up early to drive kev (the boyfriend) to the airport. we stopped in at the coffee shop on the way. i was tired, looking forward to my foamy soy latte, when the girl behind the counter offered me a tray of delicious looking, freshly baked banana bread. i popped the mini delight in my mouth without even thinking about it. “that’s not vegan.” says kev. “shit.” says i, slightly muffled by the dairy containing surprise barely past my lips. i found a napkin and spit it out.
is ‘i didn’t swallow’ the equivalent of ‘i didn’t inhale’ ? i think i’m still pure.
it seems everything i wanted to eat had some form of dairy in it. my crackers and my fave bread have modified milk ingredients (along with a long list of ingredients totally foreign to me) and sugar. kev’s eggo waffles, the freezer temptations, weren’t even a possibility. the cupcakes miss leah brought in to the yoga studio (my place of employment) were assuredly NOT vegan, and i couldn’t even calm my cravings with my usual salty sustenance, miso soup. stupid fish stock.
no more complaining though. i can derive satisfaction from avocado, tomato and hot sauce combinations.
maybe i’ll search out a vegan banana bread recipe.
sincerely vegan,
jenny
Day 3-ethical conflict in the workplace-by bridget
so…i regularly go on auditions (mostly commercials, sometimes tv/film) and sometimes the products that i am involved with are certainly NOT vegan. in fact, i have a commercial on the air right now for baked salmon, ironically launched at the beginning of this month…i had an audition this morning for some crackers, and upon looking up their ingredients online discovered that they ARE vegan, to my relief. though this other side of my life presents an ethical dilemma…i have not found a solution as of yet, and at this point have reconciled with the discrepancies of my choices, though i am open to any feedback that any of you may have (keep in mind that this other side helps substantially with the funding of more ethically sound projects
this evening i am meeting up with some girls from work (i also moonlight at a discotheque on the weekends) and will probably indulge in a few vegan cocktails (which most are!) and be in search of a snack at the end of the night…will my ethics stand strong through beer goggles??? fill you in tomorrow…bridget
Day 2 – Soy OD-by jen
Soy latte + soy cheese + veggie ground round = soy O.D.
I enjoyed the latte immensely (extra foamy), and the vegan nachos (sesame tortillas, green onion, fresh tomato, mexi ground round and veganrella baked in the oven) were delightful, although definitely not the same.
So far so good. The pains in my stomach that I usually get after having any dairy are missing in action, although I have noticed a headache over the past 2 days. Possibly a small detox side effect from the lack of dairy. Or maybe just from the animal-free wine I’ve been enjoying.
Balance is going to be a challenge. Getting protein from natural sources like nuts, seeds and legumes is easier on the digestive system, as well as more nutrient efficient, than their over-processed, over-packaged meat and dairy stand-ins.
Feeling good. I think a meal plan is in order… jen
Day 2-Vegan-couver!-by bridget
so, the day was off to a great start as some of you may have read on our twitter this morn. strolled down to The drive organics (this is a plug cause it’s where we get most of our groceries and my cousin works there, and they rock!) and picked up some vitasoy and ingredients for tomato rosemary scones. scarfed four down and then hopped on my bike for a day of painting and errand running. though i did not pack a lunch, i was fortunate enough to find several vegan options along the way. we happen to live in a very vegan-friendly city! met the boyfriend for lunch at Nuba on hastings and cambie. had a bowl of the daily vegan soup, and a salad, and ordered jay (the boyfriend) a garden falafel (jay is not a vegan but he is having a cholesterol-free september due to a heavy beef injection during a recent stint in alberta) tada!
stumbled across the wednesday farmer’s market at the train station for some snacks along the way…
finished the day of with a bowl of budgie burrito’s tortilla soup (also within minutes of my studio)…i love this city!
lots of love to all the non-humans out there…bridget xo
Day 2 – Reflections and Clarifications-by jessica
into day 2 now of vegan september and i’m realizing that a few things need clarification.
first – i would like to emphasize that we are not trying to sell a particular product or commercial interest, but may talk about products we are trying or information we come across as we learn what veganism is all about. any links to websites belonging to such products are not an endorsement for you to buy them, but merely supplemental information.
second – i would like to reiterate that we have nothing against consumers of meat and other animal products. as a former meat eater, i know how tasty a hot, crispy buffalo wing is, dammit! and some people loooove a juicy steak, or a big plate of cheesy nachos. some get very passionate about defending their right to eat these things, and that is their prerogative. we’re not trying to pick fights with these people. all we want to do is tell people that eating less animal products (try one animal product free meal a week, for example), can improve your health, reduce your impact on the planet, and maybe even affect the plight of animals treated poorly in the various animal product industries. and you might even be surprised to learn that there are recipes out there that don’t use a single ounce of animal product, but are still incredibly tasty (i was once skeptical, too!).
today, Bridget made some delicious tomato rosemary scones that have been one of my favourite vegan recipes we’ve come across so far. if you would like the recipe, i posted it on my other blog, with permission of the author, of course… jessica
Day 1 – Reflections-by jessica & bridget
i feel highly irritable today. not sure if it is because of the shitty cups of sub-par, sans cream coffee this morning, the beginning of the vegan september, or other factors in my life that are unavoidable and biological…being vegan was pretty easy today. jen served up lentils and grilled veggies-the beets were amazing came home and fed my cats a couple of chicken necks…they’re not vegan…we’ll discuss that later…bridget
i haven’t really noticed anything too different about being vegan yet, probably because i was pretty much a vegetarian before this. i would have enjoyed some nice havarti in my sandwich today, but i must say it was pretty tasty. i am fond of the Yves veggie salami, but i realize that eating fake meat is not the best thing to do since soy is one of the most over processed foods you can get. also, Vegenaise is a nice mayo substitute. i also missed cream in my coffee.
one thing i was surprised to find out while setting up The Vegan Project twitter account, is that there are a lot of other people out there in the vegan world, and not the usual hippie stereotypes either.
i would also like to point out that we realize that reading what other people are eating is not the most riveting thing in the world, so we will definitely keep this entertaining, and informative as well… jessica