We’re going vegan.
I know.
We’ve dumped sugar, I’ve been gluten-free for 5 years, and I’ve given up on dairy (it doesn’t agree with me). And now we’re going vegan. Yes, I’m still eating food. :p
Before you think I’m crazy, hear me out. I was vegan and then vegetarian for nearly 7 years prior to getting pregnant with my 2nd child. (some 13 years ago) I’ve long been a fan of being meatless. It’s a way of life that started when I was about 10 or 11 and I first wanted to go veggie. I just don’t really love meat and feel much better when I don’t eat it. I was off and on for awhile, but when I got sick in my senior year of high school I drastically changed my diet. I went from sodas and meat and sugar and dairy to being vegan and sugar free and it truly helped me heal during that time.
During the next 7 years I continued to eat that way, but eventually added meat into my diet due to pregnancy cravings. I still rarely ate meat, and it took a LONG time for me to learn to like chicken, but my diet became more animal focused over the years. Over those same years I gained weight, felt bad, and started to suffer some serious problems from a poor diet. It wasn’t that I wasn’t eating healthy-ish, but it was that my body (and everyone’s is different) couldn’t deal with it.
Over a year of working on our diets we came to the conclusion that it was time to go vegan. My husband and I have both dropped weight and are healthier. We had already dropped a lot of meat from our diet anyway only eating it occasionally or at dinnertime. The more we read about it, and the more I remember what it felt like to be vegan, the more motivated we got.
I know it sounds crazy, but it’s really not that out there. There’s growing evidence that by going meatless we can not only feel better, but prevent diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and a host of other issues through our diets. It’s better for our wallets and the environment, too.
It’s also easier than ever now. In the years since I first became a vegan it’s become more mainstream. There are also a ton of great resources out there like Thug Kitchen’s blog and book (affiliate link or not), the Eat to Live books (affiliate link, or not), and so many more. I can get fresh produce delivered to my door. There are a plethora of farmer’s markets and farms in the area. I can pull up recipes on the computer and on my phone. It’s a great time to go vegan.
We’re in transition now. We already have our menus planned for 2015, but we will be adjusting them and trying new recipes throughout the rest of the year.
While we’re in this new phase of in between I’ll continue to share the meal plans I have already prepped, but will hopefully be adding new recipes, sharing new links, and more with you to help you eat healthier, too.
I would love to hear what you think, and if you’d be up for a challenge (like we did with going sugar free). If you’re vegan or vegetarian or cook a favorite meatless dish I’d love if you could share!
Kelly
I’m up for a challenge, Kelly! I’ve been plant-based for a couple of years, and have started slipping up the past few weeks. I never liked meat, but I’ve been eating things here and there that were made with dairy. I don’t handle dairy well, so I want to clean up my diet again.
I love Thug Kitchen, but I’ve never done too well with the Eat to Live recipes, mostly because of my son’s nut allergy. Other sites with great recipes are the Vegan 8, Potato Strong, Fo Reals Life, Vedged Out, Keepin’ it Kind, and the Protective Diet. Then there’s all of McDougall’s recipes and cookbooks, the Forks Over Knives cookbook, Isa Does It, and Esselstyn’s cookbooks (My Beef with Meat and Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease are good). For desserts, Oh She Glows and Chocolate Covered Kate both have good recipes.
Oh, and you can get lost in all of the vegan recipes on Pinterest! It’s just so much easier than it used to be, and I think that more and more people are making the change!
Looking forward to seeing some vegan recipes! Ive been veg for about five years, but I’m trying to move towards vegan. The environmental impacts are just too great.