I didn't make any drastic changes or anything, but I did try to get myself in the habit of considering non-meat options for meals and get myself out of the habit of eating meat every day. What happened was I started regularly choosing the vegetarian options at restaurants (and finding out, to my great surprise, that a lot of veggie burgers are actually better than the beef option). Sky and I found a few vegetarian recipes that we liked to include in our rotation. We also tried to choose fish instead of chicken or beef (we already don't really eat pig).
In the end, I still ate a lot of meat, but maybe only like 75% of usual. So I was only responsible for the slaughter of 75% of millions of animals. Which at least gets me on some sort of waiting list for possible afterlife not terrible jobs.
Anyway, while I obviously never got anywhere near vegetarianism, by the end of 2019 I felt like I generally understood it. It was one of those things where I thought, "yeah. I could do that, if I was willing to put in the effort." Like paying taxes or reading books.
I'M JUST KIDDING I READ A BOOK LIKE 18 MONTHS AGO.
But while I understand vegetarianism and how one could make that work, veganism has always been an outrageously confusing mystery to me.
Like, how? I just assume everything I see or touch came from an animal. This keyboard? Did they kill a cow for it? My lamp? Platypus?
It honestly seems so unattainable to me that I feel like vegans must be super human.
I get the appeal of veganism. About once a week I find myself thinking too hard about eggs and then suddenly I have an uncontrollable urge to vomit into a trashcan, which probably used to be a sea turtle.
The other day I was thinking about vegans and how difficult that life must be and I thought to myself, "Eli, one day when you have some extra time on your hands, you should learn to cook some vegan meals to see how hard it actually is. Also, you are really beautiful and you absolutely shouldn't feel bad that one guy went to prison for that thing you did. He probably likes it there anyway."
Then it occurred to me: I sort of have some time right now. I'm spending more time cooking meals for ol' dead-weight in the other room as he studies for his board exams than I ever have before. And I'm starting to get a little bored with it.
So yesterday I researched some vegan recipes full of ingredients I've never heard of and now I've started making them and if, by the end of this, I'm not at least considered for People Magazine's Person of the Year, well, then I guess I'm going to be pretty mad at animals. I'm also working on developing a few of my own recipes. If they work out, I'll share them here, since this is basically a smart-ass food blog now.
Anyway, if there are any vegetarians or Presbyterians or vegans or people who were wrongly convicted of crimes out there who have any advice or recipes to share, now is your chance. You don't get this invitation often from anyone, I'm sure, so please jump at it.
P.S. I found a video produced by BYU in 1965 giving some . . . incredible marriage advice and I wrote a snarky recap about it. Please check it out.
Also, please enjoy this picture of my cuddles with Duncan.
~It Just Gets Stranger
I’ve done this trying to be a vegan thing before. My advice is, don’t use vegan substitutes for animal products: they’re expensive and never come close to being a decent replica. Rather, use regular oil’ butter, eggs, and milk. You can purchase certified humane products at most grocery stores for about double the regular price or, even better, straight from the farmer at a farmers market.
ReplyDeleteI promise you’ll like eating vegan if the food seems normal, aka actual vegetables instead of “nutritional yeast” or some mysterious “egg substitute.”
But...that's not vegan then? And vegans do use actual vegetables. I mean, it's a great point that you can find animal products that are humanely gathered, but still..not vegan.
DeleteButter, eggs and milk are not vegan. And neither am I.
DeleteWelcome to the Light side of the Force! Lots of good sites to help you along. Forks over Knives, Dr. McDougall, Brand New Vegan. I could go on and on, but that's a good start. Lots of great documentaries too. https://www.livekindly.co/vegan-documentaries/
ReplyDeleteYou’re both so cute.
ReplyDeleteI admit I'm not super tight on my theology, but are we sure hell plus is what you're looking for? That sounds extra hot, extra hellish. I'm thinking he'll minus seems less hot, less hellish. Maybe right outside the gates of hell. Or Detroit. (For anyone from Detroit who is offended, just kidding!)
ReplyDeleteNo offense. ;) We have to keep up our rep, or our city will get crowded again!
DeleteMy former neighbor is vegan and she’d make delicious meals with whole foods—I don’t think she used food substitutes at all. We used to get together every couple of weeks for lunch at each other’s homes, and when it was my turn, I usually just brought the lentil soup from Aldi she introduced me to. I really like it and have since found recipes to reproduce it.
ReplyDeleteI too am trying to cut down on my meat consumption since cows are basically big dogs (personality wise). I love Impossible meat. I am still not convinced that it is not actual meat. Good luck to you!
ReplyDeleteI make a pretty rocking thai noodle salad with fresh veggies that is super easy and delicious as we head into summer. I soak rice noodles for about an hour, boil them for three, add julienned peppers, carrot, cucumber, mint, thai basil, cabbage, cilantro, snow peas, anything you like, and then top with a peanut sauce:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.feastingathome.com/thai-noodle-salad-with-peanut-sauce/
This sounds amazing!!
DeleteMay I suggest the Thug Kitchen (https://www.thugkitchen.com/). I have done several of the recipes from a cookbook and they have turned out amazing. We love the Roasted Tomato Soup.
ReplyDeleteI'm not vegan, but this curry recipe is. It's great with basmati rice and naan. Also, really easy and tasty! https://detoxinista.com/vegan-lentil-sweet-potato-curry/
ReplyDeleteYeah- As a Detroiter I can say the city isn’t what most expect it to be. It’s rather gentrified now and pretty safe. Lots of renovations and less “urban wasteland” that was so often portrayed in the early 2000’s. I’d continue to live there if it wasn’t getting so expensive to do so.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry.
Delete17 year vegetarian (with a few vegan years in the middle) here. A good tray of roasted veggies makes a delicious dinner! My favorites are potatoes onions and carrots with the Lipton onion soup mix.
ReplyDeleteBaked potatoes with steamed broccoli, cheese, and sour cream, also delicious!
I try to purchase dairy products that I feel better about, like pasture raised cows milk etc but I'm not perfect.
A great recipe blog (for meat and veggies recipes) is budgetbytes.com. I don't think I've ever had a recipe fail from her!
Beef bullion is one of the ingredients of Lipton onion soup mix.
Delete“I guess I’m going to be pretty mad at animals” 😂
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't already, check out Oh She Glows for some **amazing** vegan recipes. She makes incredible vegan desserts as well.
ReplyDeleteThis is a favorite in our house, even for the carnivores! I like to add olives. Also, many pasta dishes are vegan (and pasta salads. I recommend buying organic, it always tastes better! And I’m not big on substitutes for meat or dairy, if your wanting meat/dairy taste, you will be disappointed! Good luck!
ReplyDeletehttps://pin.it/pp3vunr Haha, here’s the link!
DeleteI've gone mostly vegan in the last 8 months, but with more of a focus on whole-food-plant-based and -gasp- no oil. Highly recommend www.cleanfooddirtygirl.com for delicious WFPBNO recipes. It definitely is a more complex way of cooking but I've found it's worth it.
ReplyDeleteAngelita's Vegan Beans
ReplyDeleteBalance your beans carefully on the grill. Mid-cook, turn them over to get those neat grill marks while taking care not to knock them in. Serve with warm tortillas and pico de gallo. Extra points for serving jamaica.