Vegan Brunch & Making Decisions

I'm not a shy person, but I have a hard time putting myself out there to meet new people...especially in a group setting.  My palms get sweaty, my heart starts to pound, and I talk faster than normal (is that even possible? lol).

Anilia, Tambira,  Rosetta, Wilma, Me

A couple of weeks ago, Rosetta invited me to her place for brunch with her and three other ladies. Instead of talking myself out of the invite (like I usually do when invited anywhere) I pushed passed my anxiety and accepted.

We had an amazing time! Lots of food, music, wine, and discussions about business and life. I'm sooo glad I didn't miss out on this opportunity to hang with Rosetta again and meet some other amazing women.

Let's talk about the food! I never expect people to cater to my vegan diet but it warms my heart when they do.

We started off with a cheese platter, but Rosetta made sure to put almonds, grapes and  dates on it for me.  

Then we cooked (mostly Rosetta lol) fried potatoes, greens and grits. Yummers! The other ladies also had salmon and Rosetta added cheese to their grits after serving mine.

We had a vegan apple pie from Whole Foods and So Delicious ice cream for dessert. OMG!

No one thought it was vegan! :-) 

It's funny how making the decision to get uncomfortable is helping me come out of this self-imposed anxiety bubble. I've been saying I want to change for a long time, but making the decision is what led me to actually stepping out there and doing it.

I know we're talking about anxiety in this post, but this same decision principle applies to everything else in life, too. With food, if you really want to be a vegan make the decision.  Then spend some time researching vegansim, cooking and experimenting. :-)

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to subscribe below to get more updates about our family's vegan journey, recipes, videos and tips. 

What Do Vegans Eat Anyway?

Since I don't usually talk about my vegan lifestyle (outside of the blog and YouTube), most people don't know how I eat unless we have a meal together.

The following is the conversation that usually happens:

Person: "You have a lot of rabbit food on your plate. You don't eat meat." 

Me:  *smiling* "No." 

Person: "So you're a vegetarian?" 

Me: "No, I'm a vegan." 

Person: "I think I've heard of that. You don't eat eggs, right?"

Me: "Right. Or any meat, eggs, dairy, and any other animal byproducts." 

Person: "No fish?" 

Me: "Nope." 

Person: "No chicken?"  

Me: "No." 

Person: "Wait...so what do you eat?" 

                                                                Pic Source

I came across this chart and wanted to share it. Basically, I eat a lot of fruit, tacos, vegetables (especially broccoli, spinach & kale), rice, beans (especially black and kidney beans), flour tortillas, and sugary vegan snacks. lol  

"I Hated Vegetables" Food Talk with Elijah

Heeey!

I had a great time recording this video with my son, Elijah. We talked about some of his favorite foods, how he feels about this vegan lifestyle now (3 years later), and he also offered tips for families interested in eating more vegan meals.

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Elijah's tips:
*Don't tell your family the food is vegan
*Don't bring the kids to the grocery store... for a while
*No lecturing or forcing kids to eat the food
*Find a compromise that works for the family-our compromise is vegan meals at home and you can eat whatever you want elsewhere

Check out these posts from the archives on how we're navigating this vegan life as a family.

"Are Your Kids Vegan, Too?"
"My Struggle with Transitioning My Kids to Vegan Eating"
"Letting it Go...For Now"

Eating Vegan at Cookouts

It's that time of year again! Fourth of July officially kicks off the season of sticky weather, beaches, coolers and firing up the grill.  I don't know about other vegans, but after 3 years, I still feel awkward at cookouts. I've accepted that I will probably never be 100% comfortable being vegan in social settings.

Picture from non-vegan cookout I went to last year

With that said, it does get a little easier to navigate. Here are a few tips to help you at the next cookout... 

*Eat before you go-This is a must if you're just starting out in a vegan lifestyle.  Your aunt's macaroni and cheese & grandmother's potato salad will be too tempting on an empty stomach.

*Eat after you leave-I'm the queen of hitting up Chipotle on the way home from any social event. You can also stash nuts, fruit, and seeds in your car to hold you over until you get home.

*Attack the fruit & vegetable tray-The potato salad, collard greens, pasta salad (usually has meat & cheese) and all the desserts at the cookout are likely not vegan. Fortunately, every cookout I've ever been to has a fruit and/or vegetable tray. I don't consider this a meal but it will likely hold you over until you leave...especially if you ate before getting there. Also, snacking on fruit and vegetables helps with the uncomfortable feeling of not eating while everyone is.

*Bring a side dish or two -I've done this a few times and it usually goes pretty well. It's also a great conversation starter.  Bring a vegetable dish or make a fruit platter. You can also bring vegan hotdogs or hamburgers and ask the host to toss them on the grill for you. Don't forget to bring a few to share because some may be curious about how they taste.  Check back in tomorrow for a post with some summer vegan side dish ideas.

*Don't be shy-If you bring a dish, use this as an opportunity to educate your family on why you made the shift to a vegan diet.  Don't preach! Just chat with those who want to know more (and people will) in the most loving way possible. Try not to get defensive when someone has a sly comment. It happens! *Sigh* Smile and enjoy your day.

*Try to see social events as an opportunity to connect...NOT eat-This is one that I'm working on right now.  For most of us, cookouts are just as much about the food than spending time with family and friends.  Try to see these occasions as being more about connecting with family and friends and less about the food.  I know this is easier said than done but with practice is should become a little better.

I had a vegan cookout with one of my friends last year. Check out the post and video here.

Will Ditching the Microwave Help You Eat Better?

Like a lot of people, I grew up with a massive microwave on the kitchen counter. I even remember my parents having a cookbook designed to make complete meals (from scratch) in the microwave. No lie!

When we moved to the apartment about 6 months ago, we decided not to get a microwave.  At the house, I used the microwave a lot because it was built in and convenient.  I wasn't sure we would be able to live without a microwave until I talked to one of my friends (who has been without one for at least 2 years) and she said it wasn't hard.

She was right. 

                   Heating leftover lentils on the stove top for lunch

So far I haven't had a problem reheating anything on the stove top (or oven) and I find that we eat better without the microwave.

Here's why...

*No more prepackaged microwave vegan meals-These entrees take waay too long in the oven. I could make a whole meal (likely with less sodium and preservatives) in those 50 minutes.  

*Microwaves zap all the nutrients from our food anyway. Read about that here and here. I know this one is controversial.

*Our steam basket is pretty darn convenient. I use it to steam tempeh and frozen vegetables. I liked using the microwave for frozen veggies.

Picture Source

Could you live without a microwave or have you already ditched it?