How to Start

For a while I was under the impression that living a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle was more expensive than a “normal” meat-eating one.  I guess I just assumed that hard to find substitutes and organic produce would break the bank.  Not so.  When you initially re-stock your cabinets with vegan alternatives, you will spend a chunk of money.  After that, though, I would argue that it’s not terribly expensive to be vegan, especially if you know where to shop and what to buy.  Making the transition to a vegan way of life doesn’t have to be difficult.

If you’re going vegan, I would recommend eating all of the food you already have or giving it away as you make the transition, rather than just throwing it in the trash.  After all, a big part of this lifestyle is lessening one’s impact on the environment.  Also, slowly making changes is easier than going cold turkey- at least I thought so.  I found that by the time I got to my last few non-vegan items, it felt kind of gross even eating the stuff.  Frozen cheese pizza instead of a fresh vegetable stir-fry?  No bueno. 

The next issue will be to sort through the variety of options you now have to replace the former food staples in your kitchen.  Here are the products I would initially buy to re-stock my refrigerator and cabinets:

-          Soy Milk or Almond Milk – plain or vanilla-flavored

-          If you are a fan of sandwiches, vegan bread (no milk or eggs) or whole wheat wraps

-          Olive oil

-          Earth Balance vegan alternative to butter

-          Several cans of your favorite varieties of beans

-          If you’re like me and you like to snack, yummy vegan snack foods: tortilla chips, vegetable chips, hummus, granola bars, trail mix, etc.

-          3 or 4 items you can use to throw together a salad: spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, red bell peppers, avocados, and a vegan salad dressing, like olive oil and vinegar

-          Vegan cereal or breakfast food (most cereals are vegan, so this really isn’t too tricky)

-          Vitamin B12 and Omega-3 Supplements – Vitamin B12 is not found in plant-based diet, and Omega-3 fatty acids exist, but not in large enough quantities

-          Pasta

-          Rice

If you like to bake, you will have to pick up different items here and there, depending on the recipe and the cook books/websites you use.  Some recipes call for xanthan gum, arrowroot powder, or different kinds of flour.  Since these items can be rather pricey, I would advise waiting to purchase them until you are sure they will be of use to you.  It is a good idea to have the following items available, though: 

-          Agave sweetener

-          Applesauce

-          Vegan chocolate chips

With these items in your pantry, you will be at a good starting place to start whipping up some vegan dishes.  Remember to use seasonal produce, which is cheaper, more flavorful, and contributes less to globalization and global warming.  Try shopping at farmers markets.  For busy nights, try out soups and frozen dishes from Amy’s Kitchen, sold at lots of mainstream grocery stores these days.   You don’t have to buy and try every vegan product all at once.  Becoming vegan is a process and a daily adventure.  You can do as little or as much as you want to start out.  Sure, there are lots of expensive products out on the market, but if you are a smart consumer, I think you will find that your grocery bill will be reasonable.  Just try not become a smug vegan as you walk out of the store with your healthy vegan groceries in your canvas tote bags.  

A Toast

One year ago I took the first steps down a path that would affect each of the next 365 days in new and interesting ways. I did something that my past self never would have predicted… I went vegan, otherwise known as “crazy” in the eyes of my meat-eating, German/Italian, lasagna-loving, New York-has-the-only-real-pizza believing family. I had spent the past four years as a red-meat vegetarian, the last three months of which I had been completely meat-free. The evolution into veganism came as my roommate started the adventure herself. I wanted to know more about what she was doing, so I picked up Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Diet. To make a long story short, after reading this book, I had to go vegan. A vegan does not consume anything that comes from an animal, including meat, milk, and eggs. Going vegan is an individual and personal decision. Everyone has his or her own reason(s): to reduce one’s impact on the environment; to prevent participation in animal cruelty; to reap the glorious health benefits; an unshakable gag response to animal products; aspirations to greater hippie-dom (or hipster-dom), etc. I have always had a great love and respect for animals, and after the information I now had, I could no longer continue a way of life that participated in the torture, abuse, and murder of animals. The added environmental and health advantages were great, too, but not my key reasons.

You don’t realize how big a part of your societal and cultural interactions food is until you make a decision which alters what you eat. There are so many situations in which food is a central component, from get-togethers with family and friends, to holidays, staff potlucks, birthday parties, and going out to dinner on a date. Being vegan means a lot of reading labels, explaining, cooking, explaining, searching for recipes, and explaining… which you get used to. Best of all, being vegan means expanding your horizons. This past year, I have learned how to cook. I have tried so many different dishes. Ironically, I eat many more foods now than I did before. I have been to new restaurants and done a great deal of research on the subject of where our food actually comes from. Changing the way I eat has changed the way I live. I am healthier-- I have lost weight, cleared up my skin, and feel more energized when I work out. Everything I eat is fresh these days, rather than relying on frozen dinners like in the past. I am happier-- I know that every day I am taking my own personal stand against injustice. And obviously, being both healthier and happier means that I am hotter! Just saying.

I am starting this blog to convey some of what I have learned this year on the start of my vegan adventure. I have read a lot, done many Google searches, and taken trips to a variety of stores just to find that elusive ingredient for my latest recipe. I started out knowing how to do very little in the kitchen and now I am beginning to create my own dishes. Even if you do not take yoga, wear tie-dye, listen to Ani DiFranco, or have dreads, you can still be vegan (although I do enjoy yoga and Ani DiFranco)! You can also still enjoy aspects of the vegan lifestyle, even if going all-out vegan is not for you. After all, who would not like to be healthier, happier, and hotter? I am going to post simple recipes and tips for the kitchen, along with other small tips for vegan shopping and living. I often get questions from people about what products to use and where to shop, in addition to requests for specific recipes. I will also try to respond to these requests, so just leave a comment! One thing I will not be doing is ranting, I promise you that right now. Also, the next entries will not be this long! So here’s to starting a second year of vegan adventures!