What is a Vegan Diet?

It is interesting that using the word "Vegan" has people showing all sorts of differing emotions.  That subject we'll leave for a later blog for now.


There are ethical vegans - those that don't eat meat or meat products (i.e. eggs, dairy, honey), use animal  products (i.e. leather shoes or furniture), or contain any by product (i.e. jello, some candies, etc.).


Then there are those that eat vegan for health reasons (to ward off or recover from heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure or diabetes) and those with food allergies or intolerance (animal milk, peanuts, gluten).


We happen to fall in the health category.  We are ensuring we get enough protein and vitamins from whole grains and beans and vegetables.  We are opting not to use dairy or eggs  as everything that we read appears to point to links between animal protein and cardiovascular diseases.  We both have family members with heart problems -  my dad died 42 years ago yesterday from a massive heart attack at the age of 37.  


Plant based diets, the newer, more easily accepted term for the vegan diet, are frequently used in the treatment for those recovering from heart attacks, strokes, etc.  It is also been proven to enable many people with type II Diabetes to come off all medications and in doing so have no more side effects from the prescriptions.  


More and more heart surgeons believe that a plant based (vegan) diet can prevent these ailments and diseases from ever happening.  This is why we have decided to pursue a plant based diet.


I hope all of you that are following will do some research and let me know what you find out too.  It is a very interesting subject and potentially a life saving one!


The Vegan Lady 

I'm So Full

Day three and I am so full!  We made Southern Beans and Greens and Couscous Confetti Salad for dinner.  I couldn't finish my salad!  DH added some hot sauce to his beans and really liked the flavor, I added less just cause I usually don't like most hot sauces.  He can't wait to make it again (of course, we have loads of leftovers!) and take it for lunch tomorrow.  I was so impressed at how fast couscous is ready. 1 1/2 cups of couscous, pour 2 Cups boiling water over the top give it a stir and done in about 10-15 minutes.  Now that's a fast dinner trick to have up your sleeve!  You can add anything to couscous!!!

I had my cereal with Pacific organic vanilla flavored unsweetened almond milk and mixed in some banana and fresh organic white peach - very yummy!  I had to finish a cup of tea before I walked the dogs though!

For lunchtime I just had some pita chips with hummus and a ginger ale with stevia.

I cannot believe how full I am and how little I consumed.  Grains and beans sure do fill me up!

DH declared the day a success for us.  Delicious, healthy food and plenty of it.

BTW - anyone can now leave comments - I've reset the buttons!!!

So excited for my SIX followers - recommend to your friends and anyone thinking of trying the vegan diet.

Let me know what you think if you've been following the plan and if you've found any recipes that you want to share.

The Vegan Lady

First Full Day of Veganism

Well, we made it through our first full day of eating vegan!  yeah us!  

We had planned on following the menu plan provided through the 21 Day Kickstart Program, but alas, we were too dang busy today in the kitchen!  DH installed the back splash and grouted and buffed so it is all shiny and new and looks fab.  In other words, we couldn't get near the stove! 

We both had cereal with fruit for breakfast and then some fantabulous smoothies for lunch.  I always add banana to mine plus some oatmeal and peanut butter - super yummy and super filling.  It is now almost nine at night and we haven't had dinner.  We talked about it, but just decided if we get hungry before bed we'll have  a bowl of cereal or the like.

Now that we don't have five acres for the dogs to run, they get walked religiously twice a day for at least 20 minutes, usually closer to 40.  I have yet to see that have any bearing on my weight so we'll see what eating Vegan can do!

Be sure to become a follower - who will be number five???  Thanks to my special followers - I so appreciate your support.

The Vegan Lady

To eat meat or not - That is my question

To eat meat or not - that is my question.  Is it healthier to eat meat and dairy or is it healthier to stay on a plant based diet with no milk or dairy : Vegan.

 We are starting September 5, 2011 with the 21 Day Kickstart Program - Join us!

This blog is to track the Vegan lifestyle as we learn it and as we live it.  Brian (DH) & I have been eating less and less meat mostly due to my daughter's example. She is now Vegan and we were trying many vegan and vegetarian recipes so she could eat with us.   I have been very interested in the vegetarian & vegan diets for health reasons - both what can be avoided in life (i.e cancer, heart attack, etc.) to what can be better maintained physically (both weight and arthritis).

Although I love animals and have three dogs I am not doing this out of moral opposition to eating meat.  Truth be told, though, I couldn't eat lamb after raising goats.  So we'll see where this leads, but just wanted to keep an accurate record for myself and others who are following and/or joining us.


This will be my personal journal  :
our food changes - what we find new and what we miss
links I use via web or Facebook to assist in our journey
weight changes
health benefits
anything else that seems appropriate

I hope you will all enjoy our journey ramblings and laugh along with us as we stumble through the unknown. Leave comments on what you like or would like to see. 

Let's learn together,
Vegan Lady