julzeatsvegetables

[julzeatsvegetables]

So It’s Been About a Month and a Half Since My Vegan Challenge Ended.

I didn’t think February would end, honestly. It felt like it was going to run on forever. Even though there were only 29 days (I chose to do my challenge in February specifically for this reason), it still felt like forever.

Well, I was obviously wrong. The laws of time didn’t break itself just so it could watch me not eat animal products for the rest of time. I got through it, and I did a lot better than I expected - and, on top of that, it spurred me to make some permanent lifestyle changes.

So here are four main things that I learned/am currently reflecting on from the month I went vegan.

There are a LOT of hidden animal byproducts in our food. And I mean A LOT. Gelatin is made from bones, skin, and cartilage...did you know that? Marshmallows are made from gelatin. Some candies use a special glaze made from crushed insects. CRUSHED BUGS. ISN’T THAT WILD? I definitely cannot eat certain candies now because of that. Going vegan forced me to really squint at the fine print on labels. It’s a habit that carried over once the challenge ended; grocery shopping takes me twice as long now because I have to read the ingredients before I buy something. It’s crazy how there are so many things we didn’t know we were eating!

Vegan food is nearly everywhere now, but it’s still really expensive. I was surprised to find vegan-friendly stuff at places like Walmart and Loblaws. I thought I’d only have to shop at health food stores to find the things that I needed. There are plenty of restaurants that offer vegan-friendly options as well. It wasn’t this widely available, say, maybe 5 or so years ago. I guess that says a lot about changing trends in food. I still had to pay almost twice as much for stuff, though, which sucks because it really shouldn’t cost so much to eat healthy. What’s the point in telling people that eating healthier is better when so many people can barely afford to?

Meal prep and cooking takes a LOT of time out of your schedule. I cooked before I went vegan, but I didn’t have to do it as often because my mom would help me out. When I went vegan, I had to do all the prep and cooking myself. Since I’m a full-time student and I work part-time, it was hard finding spots in my schedule where I could actually make a decent meal for myself. I stuck to salad most weekdays because it was the only thing I had time for. On a positive note, I learned a bunch of new recipes and managed to try some of them out - and most of them turned out great! The cookbooks I bought were extremely helpful, and the recipes I got from friends were super tasty.

I can go vegan if I really wanted to. It definitely was a learning experience for me. Aside from what I mentioned above, I also learned that I have the ability to start something and finish it. A part of the reason why I wanted to do this vegan challenge was to simply see if I can do it at all. As a former big carnivore who would gag trying to eat one vegetable, a part of me thought I wouldn’t be able to follow through with my plan - but I did, and I’m really proud of myself for that!

Now, here are some things that have happened to me since my challenge ended.

I’m healthier, obviously. I lost some weight, and my skin cleared up. I have more energy than I used to; I no longer need to take naps during the day and I can spend more time at the gym. I don’t feel bloated when I eat, and I feel physically lighter - there isn’t this weird “lag” feeling pushing down on me anymore. It’s kind of hard to describe.

I’m eating differently. My portions have shrunk; I can’t eat as much as I used to anymore. My snacking habits have died down, and when I do snack it’s on healthier things like fruits and nuts. I no longer have cravings for certain foods either.

I can actually eat vegetables now. I was that person who would jump through hoops to avoid eating their veggies, but now I actively seek them out when it’s time to eat. At least half of my plate is green now, and it feels weird without having vegetables with every meal. I guess I just got so used to eating veggies for the entire month of February that it made me develop an appetite for them.

Meat is different to me now. I can’t eat as much meat as I used to. On March 1st my mom wanted to celebrate the end of my vegan challenge by making a nice pot roast for dinner. I was super excited to eat it, but when I actually got around to eating the beef I could only stomach one or two slices (I’d normally eat at least four). It tasted strange to me, and the texture was weird and foreign. I can still stomach beef, chicken, and seafood (I missed seafood the most; seafood is my favourite and no amount of veganism will ever kill my love for it, I guarantee you) but I can no longer eat pork. I was never a big fan of pork to begin with but my vegan challenge removed what little appetite I had left for it. I’m okay with skipping the meat part of meals every now and then; I’d be happy with just a salad. 

This vegan challenge made a bigger impact on me than I thought I would. I don’t regret doing it at all, because it really put things into perspective - the food industry, treatment of animals, and my physical health, to be specific. It made me realize how terribly I was eating before. Now I’m a lot more conscious about the things I eat, and I’m actively trying to eat healthier. 

I guess you can say I’m a “part-time vegan” now; I try to eat vegan at least once or twice a week because I just feel better about myself when I do. I now understand why there are a lot of snobby/obnoxious vegans out there (I’ll never become one, don’t worry) - eating vegan food does do wonders for your mind and body. I would recommend trying it - not for a month, but maybe a week, or even just a couple days. I think it would be a good learning experience for everyone. At the very least, it would teach people to properly read labels so they know exactly what they’re eating. There are a lot of hidden ingredients that are either super gross or incredibly unhealthy, and it’s crazy how companies think it’s okay to let their customers unknowingly consume these ingredients. 

All in all, I had a blast doing this vegan challenge and it ended up changing my life for the better. Important life lessons were learned during the month of February, and I hope I’ll be taking those lessons with me as I move forward in life.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a plate of mapo tofu that I’ve been meaning to destroy.

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 28th - Dinner

Soy patty burger with eggplant, mushroom, Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, and ketchup

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 28th - Lunch

Kale and spinach salad with almond slivers, dried cranberries, and sesame seed vinaigrette 

Leftovers from last night - orzo and roasted vegetables - with almonds

It’s officially my last day of the vegan challenge, so I gotta make it count!

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 27th - Dinner

Orzo

Boil in water and mushroom broth. Drain, then mix in vegan butter, salt, and pepper

Roasted veggies

Cauliflower, eggplant, grape tomatoes, asparagus, zucchini, mushrooms, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, onion

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 27th - Lunch

Spinach and kale salad with dried cranberries, dried seaweed, and almond slivers

Dressing: Sesame seed oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar

Chocolate almond milk

It’s my second last day of my vegan challenge. The past month has gone by so fast! 

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 26th - Dinner

Pasta with veggies

Olive oil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, eggplant, zucchini, grape tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms

Strawberry and banana smoothie with ice, water, and agave syrup

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 25th - Lunch

Veggie potstickers with soy sauce

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 24th - Dinner

Mushroom rice from Longo’s

I’ve been on a carb overload today, but that’s okay because today was leg day at the gym and I pushed myself a bit harder than usual. I probably needed this.

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 24th - Lunch

Assorted salads from Longo’s

Grape flavoured kombucha

It’s takeout night! One of the grocery stores near my house has a salad bar so I just grabbed whatever they had and dumped it into a takeout container.

I actually really hate the taste of kombucha. I first tried it with my friend Chris (He insisted that I try it because it’s supposed to be super healthy or whatever), and I didn’t like it. I bought it again today because I thought that, maybe, my opinion will change the second time around...and I love anything that’s grape-flavoured so this might do the trick.

Well, I was wrong.

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 23rd - Dinner

Spinach and kale salad with stir-fried seasoned oyster mushrooms, almond slivers, and pumpkin seeds

I was still pretty full from the tofu I had earlier, so I opted for something light. I used the usual Montreal steak spice seasoning for the mushrooms.

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 23rd - Lunch

Deep fried tofu with Frank’s Red Hot Sauce

Breading: Flour, cornstarch, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder

My godson came to visit me today. He’s only a year old so I made something simple and soft enough for him to eat (The hot sauce was for me, not him...duh). He loved it!

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 22nd - Dinner

Hummus and pita bread

I ate such a large lunch that I was still pretty full by the time dinner came around, so I went for something light.

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 22nd - Lunch

Vegan pizza from Apiecalypse Now

Pig Destroyer Destroyer (Left): Vegan creamy garlic sauce, hot sauce, hickory barbecue soy “pork” curls, seitan-rizo crumbles, vegan “ground beef”, garlic artichoke, vegan “bacon bits”, vegan “pepperoni”, vegan mozzarella “cheese”, vegan smoked gouda “cheese”

Fat Mac (Right): Vegan “ground beef”, dill pickle, vidalia onion, vegan cheddar “cheese”, iceberg lettuce, sesame seed crust, “Fat Mac Sauce”

Vegan poutine with vegan gravy and “cheese”

Vegan “Simpsons Donut”

My friend Jay has a friend who co-owns a vegan pizza shop downtown, and he took me there during Reading Week. It’s conveniently located across the street from Christie Station. It’s called Apiecalypse Now.

It’s small and really warm inside. The menu, which you can access here, is completely vegan - no animal products, no meat, no dairy. It was surprising to me because the pizzas we ate tasted so much like meat that a part of me was wondering if they were trying to trick me into eating actual meat.

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a huge fan of the TV show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and it just so happens that the owners are too. There are three items on the menu dedicated to the show: The Fat Mac pizza, the Chili-Mac and Charlie pizza, and the Thundergun Supreme poutine.

They didn’t have the Chili-Mac and Charlie when we were there, so we opted for the Fat Mac and the Pig Destroyer Destroyer. They were both really, really, really good. I swore I was eating meat. It was so tasty, and the bacon bits tasted so much like actual bacon bits, and the ground beef tasted so much like ground beef. Like I mentioned before, a part of me thought I was being tricked into eating meat! The poutine was heavenly too. The gravy was rich and tasty, and the cheese they used was Daiya cheese.

Lastly, we finished off with a vegan Simpsons Donut. They call it the Simpsons Donut because it looks similar to Homer’s favourite donuts - the iconic pink frosting with the rainbow sprinkles. It wasn’t overly sweet, but it was sweet enough...if that makes any sense. The icing was so tasty.

It was a bit expensive, but then again most if not all vegan food is so that’s to be expected. I’ll definitely be coming back here even after my vegan challenge ends!

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 21st - Dinner

Veggie udon soup

Veggie broth, shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, nori (Dried seaweed), udon noodles

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 21st - Lunch

Veggie burrito from Mucho Burrito

Brown rice, guacamole, cilantro, black beans

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 20th - Lunch

Leftover mapo tofu and stir-fried veggies with rice noodles

Veggie minestrone soup

I’ll have to ask my mom for the recipe for the soup so I can write them out here later.

The reason why I ate such a big lunch is because we were going to my cousin’s place later that day, and I didn’t know if there would be anything for me to eat.

Turns out, eating a big lunch was the right thing to do because there wasn’t anything there for me to eat except slices of bread and unsalted margarine.

[julzeatsvegetables]

February 18th - Dinner

Fingerling potatoes and brussel sprouts

Coat potatoes and brussel sprouts with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place in a baking tin with onions and rosemary. Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 20 minutes.