While Kris cites expense and constant trips to the grocery for fresh produce among her biggest challenges in maintaining her diet, she credits her veganism and other food choices for making her body healthier.
Kristi Arnold, of VeggieConverter.com, has been vegetarian since 1991, and “trying to be vegan” since 2009. Initially, Kristi stopped eating meat because she simply didn’t like it. Even as a baby, she rejected baby food with meat in it. When she became a nursing mother, Kristi “began to understand how odd it is that we should eat and drink animal milk.”
Kristi’s family remains omnivorous, and meal preparation is a challenge. Sometimes, it’s a matter of doing things buffet-style—meat toppings for some, not for others. Regarding her dietary choices, she says, “It’s really pretty simple. If you don’t like meat or don’t want to use animal products, just don’t. It’s not hard, once you put your mind to it. It just takes planning… you feel a lot better about yourself, and can be a lot healthier!”
Kyle Domer, who blogs at VeganVagrant.com, has been vegan since 2002. To explain what led him to a vegan diet, Kyle says, “I was overweight, tired, sluggish, lazy and without clear focus. I tried vegetarianism and found that it was not helpful in the least the way I did it, because I was just overloading on carbs and dairy. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I switched to veganism and lost 45 pound in four months. My mind felt clearer, I had bursting energy and required less sleep, but somehow always felt more rested and energized. I started for selfish reasons, but since then have come to also embrace and appreciate the positive impact on animals and the environment.”
After nearly a decade of veganism, Kyle finds absolutely no challenges to maintaining and constantly expanding his diet. “There are so many amazing products and recipes available to vegans it’s impossible to say that it’s ‘hard’ to be vegan, especially in Southern California,” he says. That’s one of the main objectives of his blog—to show that everywhere one goes, vegan options are not only easy and accessible, but also downright delicious.
What does Kyle want the world to know about veganism? “It’s easy, healthy if done correctly, fun, creative and all around the single best decision a person can make for the benefit of themselves, animals and the environment.”
Robbie Gleeson, on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itsjustrobbieok, has been raw vegan since Boxing Day 2010. That is, Robbie only eats vegan foods, and he doesn’t eat them heated above 104°F (40° C). According to Wikipedia’s article on Raw Foodism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_foodism):
Raw vegans such as Dr. Douglas Graham believe that foods cooked above this temperature have lost much of their nutritional value and are less healthy or even harmful to the body. Raw or living foods have natural enzymes, which are critical in building proteins and rebuilding the body. Heating these foods kills the natural enzymes, and can leave toxins behind. Typical foods include fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains and legumes.
Robbie read The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and Thomas M. Campbell II, a book on how nutrition and diet are linked to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. He continued to research on his own, and found reports of people feeling amazing and healthier after becoming vegan. As an athlete, Robbie hoped to feel better and achieve better performance in his sports. After going raw, he admits the smell of cooked foods still causes his mouth to water, but he finds his raw vegan diet makes him feel great, and powers his body “pretty damn well,” and tastes good, too!
Tracye Mayolo has been vegan since Thanksgiving 2010. After reading a great article in a natural health magazine citing three majors reasons for becoming vegan—humane treatment of animals, environmental benefits and personal health—Tracye was relieved to learn veganism didn’t have to be a “cold turkey” decision, but could be made through good choices, one meal at a time. A comment by her ten-year-old daughter, Maggie, at Thanksgiving dinner, “Why do the cute animals have to taste so good?” contributed to her decision to go vegan.
Tracye likes experimenting, trying new things, and making choices that are better for her health and the environment. She doesn’t like the thought of how inhumanely animals are treated as meat is mass-produced. While her vegan diet sometimes causes her to feel “on her own” and segregated during social mealtimes, she sticks to her beliefs, and respects those of others. As Tracye says, “It’s just like religion. Be sensitive to, and respect, diversity. We all have our beliefs. Give people the room to believe in and eat what they want—even if it’s not traditional.”
Catherine Burt, a.k.a. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vegan, blogs at http://blogs.standard.net/in-a-gadda-da-vegan. Like many others, Catherine’s first step toward veganism was adopting an ovo-lacto vegetarian diet. “…After a few years of waffling,” she says, “I knew it wasn’t the best I could do, either for myself, the environment, or the animals.”
With a rich social life that includes many vegan friends and a vegan mate, Catherine says family members tend to eat a bit healthier when they’re around her, and they see she’s healthier, herself, due to sticking to her plant-based diet.
“Veganism is a big party,” says Catherine, “and you’re ALL invited!”
CHAPTER FOUR: YES, VIRGINIA, THERE REALLY IS A VEGAN CREAM CHEESE
Vegan Ingredients, and How to Get Them
When Christina-Marie adopted a vegan diet more than fifteen years ago, vegan alternatives to her favorite foods were scarce. Or, if they did exist, they tasted… well, “vegan.” Dairy-free cheeses had the flavor quotient and consistency of cardboard, didn’t melt, and were proportionately expensive. Vegan cream cheese substitutes had a plastic-like quality, and soy yogurt had a decidedly “tofu” taste. The same could be said about her early experiences with soy-based “ice creams.”
We’re happy to report that’s all changed, and vegan equivalents for traditionally animal-derived standards are getting better every day.
Today, companies are producing game-changing products that look, taste and behave like “the real thing.” Pizza is no longer a fond memory with dairy-free “cheese” shreds like Daiya Deliciously Dairy-Free®, grilled cheese sandwiches make a comeback with products like Galaxy Nutritional Foods Vegan Slices®, and Vegan Gourmet® makes block cheeses that can be sliced, grated or melted for use in a wide variety of dishes.
In creating desserts, we use many vegan alternatives to butter, cream cheese, marshmallows, sour cream, milk, sugar and more. (More on vegan sugars in Chapter 7.) These products aren’t difficult to find, if you’re in a major metropolitan area. If you’re lucky enough to live within hollerin’ distance of a Whole Foods Market or similar natural foods-friendly chain grocer, vegan alternatives are already waiting for you to scoop them into your organic cotton shopping bag.
So, what about the folks like Christina-Marie, who live in rural America, opting for open spaces and beauty over convenience and mass-transit?
Don’t lose hope. Getting your nimble vegan hands on these fine products may require a bit of ingenuity and planning, but it’s not impossible. In fact, it’s even easier if you have a network of vegan friends who can split large-quantity orders with you, so don’t be shy about connecting with other vegans in your area.
For the purposes of this book, we’ll be discussing three different venues through which to obtain your vegan treasures:
Small, independent natural foods stores or grocers.
Larger chain grocers who may not regularly cater to vegan clientele.
Shopping online through vegan websites.
Your Local Indie Natural Foods Store or
Grocer: Support Your Community
Just because your local indie foods stores are small doesn’t mean they don’t have