Another crazy idea.
Posted on Apr 20th, 2008
by 
jtaylor
jtaylor
So, I'm thinking of going *nearly* vegan/vegetarian this summer. Okay, before someone rushes in and screams, " But aren't you just trying to isolate yourself from people? Vegans can't go out to eat anywhere! They ruin family gatherings and insert so much dogmatic tripe!" :P Ok, more than likely, folks reading this won't be saying that.
However, here's my logic- as the weather gets more and more intolerable for me to take, (Yes, I live in the Northwest... it's still friggin' hot for someone raised in Alaska!) I think my body would benefit from additional vegetables and fruit, which are filled with *water* and lots of vitamins and ready-to-burn sugars. I'm assuming that cutting meat, dairy (maybe not kefir/yogurt), and heavy carbohydrates would do my body some good. I'm hoping that along with kicking those heavy foods, that I can minimize my intake of white flour, white sugar, and other processed crap.
What inspired me? I found this super-neat vegan recipe book at Costco for $17 CAN (+13% GST and PST) called V Cuisine by a lovely Canadian woman named, Angeline Linardis. http://www.amazon.ca/V-Cuisine-Art-Vegan-Cooking/dp/1552859037/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208740960&sr=8-1
I have to say that I was inspired by her story, because she used to be much like me. Since changing to a vegan diet her weight dropped (nice!), asthma cleared up (wow, I'd love that), acid reflux disappeared (I don't get that often...), and gained amazing energy (what's that like?) Angeline is a mother of 3, a loving wife, and seems to do it all. WOW. That's the role model that I need.
Best part, I have been selecting out recipes and most of the are simple, affordable, and pretty normal, like you could bring them to a party with non-vegans and not turn them off. I was excited about all the salad dressing recipes, and the different ways of using nuts (delicious!) and mushrooms (also fabulous).
So, once I get all my school work done (the final essay on slash/yaoi, grading a ton of undergrad finals, a Japanese final for myself, and a presentation in Victoria), I'm going to get cooking. Woot!
P.S. The squirrel kiss pic is from cuteoverload.com :D I love red squirrels!
However, here's my logic- as the weather gets more and more intolerable for me to take, (Yes, I live in the Northwest... it's still friggin' hot for someone raised in Alaska!) I think my body would benefit from additional vegetables and fruit, which are filled with *water* and lots of vitamins and ready-to-burn sugars. I'm assuming that cutting meat, dairy (maybe not kefir/yogurt), and heavy carbohydrates would do my body some good. I'm hoping that along with kicking those heavy foods, that I can minimize my intake of white flour, white sugar, and other processed crap.
What inspired me? I found this super-neat vegan recipe book at Costco for $17 CAN (+13% GST and PST) called V Cuisine by a lovely Canadian woman named, Angeline Linardis. http://www.amazon.ca/V-Cuisine-Art-Vegan-Cooking/dp/1552859037/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208740960&sr=8-1
I have to say that I was inspired by her story, because she used to be much like me. Since changing to a vegan diet her weight dropped (nice!), asthma cleared up (wow, I'd love that), acid reflux disappeared (I don't get that often...), and gained amazing energy (what's that like?) Angeline is a mother of 3, a loving wife, and seems to do it all. WOW. That's the role model that I need.
Best part, I have been selecting out recipes and most of the are simple, affordable, and pretty normal, like you could bring them to a party with non-vegans and not turn them off. I was excited about all the salad dressing recipes, and the different ways of using nuts (delicious!) and mushrooms (also fabulous).
So, once I get all my school work done (the final essay on slash/yaoi, grading a ton of undergrad finals, a Japanese final for myself, and a presentation in Victoria), I'm going to get cooking. Woot!
P.S. The squirrel kiss pic is from cuteoverload.com :D I love red squirrels!
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random mail
August 2008 
GL with going vegan! I've tried so many times…may actually try again when I get to Canada.
Anyway, check out Skinny Bitch in the Kitch. Good vegan cookbook with a nice variety of recipes. It's a followup to Skinny Bitch, which may be good to pick up as well if you're new to the vegan life.
Also, remember it may be in your best interest to tailor veganism to your own health. Going full vegan, right away, may be really really hard to do – and in some cases impossible. Remember that each person is unique, and has a unique health to keep.
Which I'm sure you know. ;)
But for example, when I try to go vegan again it's going to be a partial vegan, or 80% vegan or something – I know my body likes meat, for one, but I don't want to eat so much of it.
Oh, my friend has been vegan for years – her bible is How It All Vegan!, so you may want to check that one out too. I've used it for vegan cheesecake for my friend Annie's bday, which our moms loved. Annie and I didn't, but we both hate tofu regardless how it's cooked, so there ya go.
Also, I notice that when I went semi-vegetarian for about a decade, I didn't become a vegetarian – I became a carbatarian. Now I'm addicted to wheat and gluten, which is what I need to cut out of my diet to be healthy. So make sure you're very strict with yourself, and that cutting out meat and dairy doesn't mean taking in more bread. :)
Again, good luck! I'm sure you'll do great. :D
Thanks for the cookbooks recommendations and the support- you're the best! :D I also think chuckle to myself a bit because you have really buffered my seed score… which doesn't really matter, but it's kind of funny.
Well, here's my plan: I want to lose weight, because I'm sick of being big and miserable during the summer. It doesn't help that I was raised in sub-arctic climate, but having that “permanent winter coat” is not helping my survival in the summers here in Canada, without a/c. So, 1) I'm hoping to *finally* make a true effort to cut white sugar and white flours. 2) Eat cooler foods that help deal with the heat- fruits, veggies, naturally. ;) and 3) Slowly integrate more vegetarian/vegan meals with alternative sources of protein.
I'm still tempted to keep fish, seafood, eggs, and fermented dairy which makes me not vegetarian nor vegan, but I'm hoping to slowly cut off cheese, red meat, and the crappy carbs.
I do think that being veggie/vegan tends to make folks carboholics- I have a g/f that when we were roommates in college, that's all she would eat! Vegetarian curries with tons of rice and macaroni & cheese.
Well, any conscious effort towards better health is good, right?
-How are things?
you have really buffered my seed score… which doesn't really matter, but it's kind of funny.
Lol. That is pretty funny. I don't really notice the seed thing that much, but I try to not let the internets become srs bsns in my life.
“permanent winter coat” is not helping my survival in the summers here in Canada, without a/c.
See, I have the same problem, except further south – I was born and raised where you are now, and have lived in Hawaii for almost half of my life. With an amazing winter coat. ;) (My mom once wrote a poem called Bear Child…about me, disposition and physical body -wise. Lol.)
Well, any conscious effort towards better health is good, right?
Of course! And just being marginally healthy is better than being unhealthy, I've found.
-How are things?
Ugh. The answer to this question deserves a huge blog entry from me on it, but I try to keep my Gaia blog positive and save the pain for friendslocked LJ posts. ^_^
Things stay interesting, though, which is good I suppose. I had a good Earth Day and got to see some old friends; today is another friend's birthday, so tonight will probably be spent drinking profusely as it's his 21st. That should be good. :)
lol… I inject a bit of angst in Gaia, mostly because it's my space (borrowed, but mine) and my life isn't all happy sunshine. ;D LJ gets the worst of it, of course.
Hang in there!