Why Vegan?

This is the MOST asked question that I have been getting...Why vegan and why not vegetarian? Well, I guess there is no real easy answer. I have never given up all meat before, I just don't feel the need to have to have it. All of my life, I've struggled with digestion issues and I've always felt that dairy has something to do with it. As a foodie with a dear love of all things cheese, I honestly didn't feel that I COULD give up cheese. However, after eating it I always found myself feeling bad not only for a couple hours but until the next day. The main culprits were bloating and headaches.

Then there's meat. Good old meat. Oh how I love fish and seafood. But as a distance runner, I found that beef and pork wrecked havoc on my stomach during runs, even if I've had them a couple of days before. So throw poultry in the mix, which I could do with or without and meat has been eliminated too. I will miss fish for this 6 week adventure though. Who knows what will happen after Lent, but for right now I will dream about grilled salmon, seared scallops or fish tacos.

OK, now I've given up dairy and meat and after doing much research it was only obvious that the vegan diet was the way to go. This means no meats or animal products (dairy and eggs, etc). So, this in a nutshell (he, he) is why I've decided to go the vegan route.

Like I mentioned earlier, I feel better than I ever have before. Maybe it's the lack of dairy or the lack of meat, or both but I have not had a headache or stomachache for 6 days now. I feel clean too. I'm craving fruits and vegetables I've never craved before...plantains, mangos, avocados, kale, swiss chard...WHAT? I didn't think a foodie could actually BE vegan, but I am learning that this is quite the contrary. I look forward to planning our weekly meals, learning to cook things that I can add meat to at the last minute for my family. It's quite interesting.

So, what am I eating? I'll give you an example of what I'm eating today:
Breakfast:
Pure Organic Bar (chocolate brownie) *available at Whole Foods
Banana
Coffee with coconut milk creamer (hazelnut)-This stuff is yummy!

Snack:
1 oz (approx) 24 raw almonds

Lunch:
mango, blueberry, almond milk smoothie
whole wheat pita with hummus, red onion, cucumber, lettuce, tomato, avocado
1 mini coconut milk ice cream sandwich (once again, YUMMY!)

Dinner:
orecchiette pasta with mushrooms, diced tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and toasted pinenuts
arugula salad with red onions, olives, and red pepper with basalmic vinegarette dressing

In the evening: a cup of Madagasgar Vanilla Red tea...my fave!!
and 8 cups of water throughout the day.

Live life to the fullest, it's the only one you've got!