New best buddy

Oh boy.
I just went and did the darndest thing.
The man of the house will not be happy :)
I bought yet another kitchen appliance.

IT'S SMOOTHIE TIME!
(or will be, as soon as I have it delivered!)

In my defense: I bought the smallest one I could find that still enables blending tougher foods like veggies, carrots & ice. Plus it grinds seeds & nuts. I want that. Plus it has a "to-go" lid for drinking on the road. Plus it has a few containers so I can make me a vegan smoothie and he can have a regular milk shake.

p.s.: and I strongly resent my country's prices on the thing. I could get it on Amazon for half the price! Thing is, I really want the 2-year warranty and someone close to blame in case of something going wrong.

update:
and of course, just as I placed my order the e-shop got updated and if I would have waited until tomorrow I would have received a bonus tote shopping bag, a sweet surprise AND 3% discount. How FAIR is that?! And they couldn't inform us 5 minutes ago?!

New companions

Just as I was having lunch, the best surprise! The postman made my day!

Guess who will be cooking even more vegan? :)
Can't wait to go home, pop on the couch with a cup of hot coffee and plan my menu!

Day 7 - Spinach cannelloni

With pancakes to donate, I volunteered myself for yet another pancake dish. Oh well.

From my 0,5 kg chard supply I had nothing left, so for the cannelloni filling, I opted for some frozen spinach that my mom provided me with. Actually, I only guess it was spinach. For what I know (and knowing my mom) it could be anything from spinach to chard, nettle or dandelion leaves. I preferred my chard, though.

These greens are actually great preserved. You can steam a large pot of greens, drain, chop and freeze in ice-cube molds or tiny bags for 1-seize servings, then when you need it, you just open your freezer and take as many servings as you need.

Mind you, my cannelloni was a 1 serving size, so I only needed like a spoon of spinach for the filling.

SPINACH CANNELLONI
serves: 1

Take 1 or 2 leftover pancakes. Take 1 spoon of spinach filling per pancake and spread it abundantly over pancakes. Roll, slice in half and secure with a toothpick.

Prepare your breading. Roll your pancakes first in flour, then in beaten egg and lastly in breadcrumbs.
Heat frying oil. When extra hot, place your cannelloni in the oil and fry on both sides until golden brown.

Serve on a bed of salad, Chinese cabbage & corn.

Note: This recipe includes eggs. I guess you could omit eggs in the breading by using some milk or cream instead.

Day 7 - boring breakfast

I can't believe it's been a week since my decision to go (almost) vegan. So far, no regrets whatsoever. None, zero.

I still have a bit of troubles with breakfasts, mainly because of the so many leftover pancakes. It's ridiculous, really.

My breakfast today:

After eating the one pancake&marmalade and drinking the orange juice I was full and I saved the yogurt for my 10 o'clock snack.

Day 6 - Potatoes with chard

When making chard (and spinach for that matter), keep in mind that you will need a whole lot more fresh produce than the final result will yield.

Today I was making this lunch for myself alone, since the man of the house hates anything too green. It's potatoes & onions, chard and grain burgers (pre-made & frozen). While consuming my lunch I realized, I could have gone potato-less in this dish, because the burgers & chard were quite enough on their own. Noted for next time. Mind you, the lousy tiny pile of green on the photo is actually the result of almost 0,5 kg of fresh chard. If you're making lunch for more than 1, please consider at least doubling the amount, since chard & spinach shrink during cooking.

CHARD / spinach
serves: 1

400 g fresh chard
salt
1 teaspoon vegan margarine
1 spoon breadcrumbs
2 spoons soy milk

In a pot bring salted water to boil. Add the chard, that you pre-washed, and let it cook for about 5 minutes, until the chard turns soft and shrunk. Drain and let it cool. Then, chop the chard.

In a pan, melt the vegan margarine and when hot, add the chart, mixing well. Add breadcrumbs & soy milk, mix well and let it cook on low heath for a minute or two. Serve.


POTATOES & ONIONS

Select a few small potatoes and put in a pot. Cover with cold water and bring it to boil. Cook until the potatoes turn soft and you can insert a fork through them. Drain and while the potatoes are still hot, peel them (use a fork for help) and slice them.

Peel & slike 1 medium onion.

In a pan, heat some olive oil. When hot, add the onions and stir fry for a couple of minutes, adding water if needed for simmering. When the onion turns soft, add the potatoes, press them down firmly, so as to create a tortilla. Cover and let it cook for a couple of minutes, so that a crust developes on the potatoes. Then, turn the tortilla and cook on the other side. Serve.

Day 6 - Pancakes

It's sunday today, which in kitchen language means pancake time. I still have not upgraded my recipe from dairy free to vegan, but I was making pancakes for the household, not just me, so he would probably dislike any more altering than strictly neccessary.

The following recipe makes about 9-10 large pancakes. There are some pancakes left from breakfast, which means I will probably turn them into some kind of caneloni (spinach, possibly) for lunch tomorrow.

DAIRY FREE PANCAKES

250 g flour
2 eggs
0,5 l soy milk
pinch of salt

In a bowl put half of the flour, the salt, half of the milk and 2 eggs. Beat everything until obtaining a smooth texture, then proceed to add the remaining flour and soy milk, watching for any potential lumps in the mixture.
Leave to rest for half an hour. Then proceed to baking pancakes in a pan.

Serve with marmalade or a chocolate spread.

Day 5 - minor slip, but still going

Eventhough it's Saturday today, I got up at my usual 7:15. At least I had some time for waking up in peace and in my own slow time. I am a morning person, but I do need some time to start going. So what better way to start my day than breakfast with coffee and - since it's saturday and I was in no hurry - some Sudoku?

A vegan chocolate / hazelnut spread on bread and a bowl of fresh fruit (strawberries, kiwi & banana).

Then, in full gear, me and my other half of the household went on a day trip to a town that held a carnival parade. Yeah, it's carnival time and what better way to start it than a parade.

Ups, minor slip there. Although I shouldn't - and not because it's not vegan, but due to my allergy - I fell into temptation and indulged into a carnival donut. Not once, but twice! If it's any consolation, I am already paying my due, because I do believe I ate too much today, my stomach hurts, I feel a bit nauseated and I do believe there's some scratching awaiting me tomorrow. And the only comfort I will recieve from my beloved boyfriend will be an "I told you so". I know.

Donut(s) was not my only indulgence today. Being hungry at 3 pm and no food (donut excluded) since morning, we payed a visit to our beloved Chinese restaurant.

Beef  & rice for the omnivore, but I had the lovely vegeterian fried noodles all for myself. I could live on that, really.

Well, no dinner tonight, but lots and lots of water. I call it a day.

Day 4 - Barley Minestrone

Barley minestrone is a dish from my childhood. My mom used to make it all the time, but usually, there would be some pork in there somewhere. I must confess, the idea of a good sausage in my minestrone still sounds mouthwatering, but I try to envision a happy piglet running free instead and the desire to eat meat vanishes.

I just cannot eat a happy piglet.

Anyway, because lentils and barley need some soaking and then some cooking, I decided to cook this last night. It was actually my first attempt at this dish and all I could say when tasting it was "YUM!".

It took some half an hour of soaking, 10 minutes preparation time and 45 - 55 minutes of cooking (I got a bit lost there), but you can cook it ahead and just reheat it the next day.

By the way, this portion serves an army (actually I think 4 people).

BARLEY MINESTRONE

200 g mixed grain & beans (barley, peas, lentils, adzuki beans or other beans)
2 medium onions
half a medium leek
4-6 cloves garlic
1 large carrot
3 medium potatoes
fresh parsley
salt & pepper
spoon of olive oil
water

Wash and drain the barley mix and put it in a bowl filled with water to soak. The longer you soak it, the shorter the cooking time, but just follow instructions on the package.

Meanwhile, peel and slice coarsely the onions, garlic and leek. In a pan, heat some olive oil. When hot, put in the onions and stir fry for a minute or two. Then add the leek, stir fry for a minute, add garlic, stir and then add some water to steam it. Cook the onions until they turn lightly brown and really soft. Remove from heat, if drained, add some water and puree using a mixer or blender.

Wash your barley mix and put in a pot with enough water to cover it a centimeter high. Add the pureed onions and bring to boil. Cook on a low heat for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed.

Meanwhile, peel the carrots & potatoes, wash and dice both, carrots on small slices, potatoes on larger chunks. Add to the minestrone about 20 minutes before it is done. Season with salt, pepper and fresh chopped parsley, add water if needed and cook for the next 15 - 20 minutes until the veggies are soft.

Remove from heat and serve or let it cool down and refrigerate.

Day 4 - Cereals & fresh fruit

Today's breakfast. Cereals & plain soy milk, small bowl of fresh fruit (strawberries& kiwi), coffee & juice.

Still 100% vegan and kicking (and minus -1 kg!) !

Day 3 - Vegan Pizza

I didn't plan for a pizza for dinner, but arriving home I found a hungry omnivore that wanted to feed.

VEGAN PIZZA

Serves: 2

The dough:
250 g flour
200 ml warm water
42 g yeast (+ a sprinkle of sugar + 100 ml warm water)
salt
a spoon of olive oil

In  bowl place the flour and sprinkle lightly with salt. Separately mix the yeast with sugar and water, stir well and let the yeast dissolve, then place a napkin on top of your bowl or glass and let the yeast rise - 5 or 10 minutes. Then pour the yeast onto the flour, add olive oil and the remaining warm water, mix well with a fork and the proceed to kneading by hand. Form a ball, cover your bowl with a napkin and let the dough rise for half an hour.

Meanwhile prepare your pizza toppings.

For a vegan option choose various veggies and slice them. I had on hand
zucchini
red bell pepper
corn
tomato sauce

If you have any decent cheese replacement, place on top of your sliced veggies. I have none that I like, so I make my pizza cheeseless. Eggplants and fresh tomatoes work well too.

For your omnivores, you know what works: ham & cheese, you can add veggies too.

Your dough should have risen to double size by now. Uncover the bowl, remove the dough and place it on the counter, covered with flour. Knead the dough some more, then cut the dough in two, to produce 2 pizzas.

Roll each half of the dough out to form a circle, then place your dough in a baking tray. Repeat with the second half.

Spread the dough with tomato sauce, then place your veggies on top and put the pizza in your preheated (200°C) oven. Bake for 15 minutes and enjoy! If your pizza turns out a bit bland, just add salt & pepper to taste.

Going vegan 101

Many people, myself included, find it hard to consciously change their eating habits, especially if they don't really need to (in case of allergies or other health issues). If you have spent your entire life on a meat & dairy menu, going vegan can be scary. What will I eat? Will I be hungry? Will I get my nutrition?

Truth is, the change doesn't have to be so radical. You can start step by step.

Every vegan cookbook tells you in chapter 1 that you must eliminate all meat and dairy products and stock your pantry with vegan versions instead. Buy quinoa, algae, bulgur, a home flour mill and milk producers, miso, agar agar, commercial egg replacer.... whoa, hold on! 

Before your head starts spinning and you spend hundreds of euros on kitchen appliances and exotic groceries you've never heard of, stop a moment to think about it.

You don't really need all that. Not in the beginning anyway. I don't need that yet and have already cooked quite a few vegan meals the past year. Surely, with time you will probably want to expand your horizons, try new meals and new combinations, but not when you start. Don't make the transition more difficult than it needs to be.

Start slowly.

Remove milk from your fridge. Where not absolutely necessary, try to omit. Buy a small package of vanilla or chocolate soy milk for taste. Your taste buds will slowly get you accustomed to the new flavor. Try a soy latte at Starbucks. I'm not a huge fan of soy milk in my coffee, but I really loved Starbucks (and they buy organic)!

But don't stick to only soy replacements. Try rice drinks, oat milk (esp. good with cereals), almond, coconut milk. The choice is unbelievable, but I find myself working best with oat & soy products.

Replace butter with a dairy free version. Provamel is a popular brand in Europe and has a really good version of soy margarine (as well as some delicious drinks & yogurt). Use olive oil and other natural oils for cold dressing (peanut oil, pumpkin oil, sesame oil,...)

Buy a vegan cookbook that doesn't have exotic combinations, but rather focuses on general meals. You can always expand your collection later on.

Veganize regular meals. Make mashed potatoes using soy milk and vegan butter (I enjoy this even more than regular mashed potatoes). Use soy cream instead of regular cream. Stuff your peppers with veggies, rice and millet, instead of meat. Make meals that you feel comfortable making.
 

Try baking vegan muffins, an apple strudel or some other vegan sweets. Try a vegan ice cream or better - buy an ice cream maker and make your own egg-less creamy ice cream using fresh strawberries (the "don't buy kitchen appliances" doesn't apply to fresh home-made ice cream!).


Slowly remove meat from your menu. If you've always made gnocchi with bolognese sauce, try a cream sauce or tomato sauce for change. You can even try with a soy "bolognese" base. Instead of a meat burger, try a soy, lentil or tofu burger. Make potato or zucchini steaks with a bowl of salad.


Eating vegan can be a challenge especially in a mixed household, when you need to cook for the omnivores as well. Try this trick: instead of focusing your meal around the meat centerpiece (beef steak), plan your meal on a vegan main course (like my gnocchi). Then, add some meat separately on the omnivore's plate (like grilled chicken breasts or a frankfurter). I have been cooking dairy free in a mixed household for the past year. Sometimes the omnivores might make a complaint on texture or flavor, but usually, they don't. I never had a complaint on vegan desserts with one exception - don't touch the regular tiramisu'! Although I managed to find a recipe that makes for a tasteful vegan tiramisu', it's never and never will be like the real deal. But I like it, and I make a regular extra for the omnivore when needed.


If you fail at a recipe, don't blame yourself. Not every dish will be at your taste. If you can, try fixing the recipe, otherwise don't stick to it, there is plenty of other choices.

Day 3 - Large mixed salad with crostini

Today I overslept, again. Being in a hurry my breakfast was yet again bread & marmalade. Somewhere in between making breakfast for the man of the house, combing my hair and getting dressed I managed to put together a rather large bowl of mixed salad, that is to become my lunch. I stored it in a lunch box and brought it to work.

So right now I'm on my lunch break, still sitting behind the damn machine and blogging about it. Ha! But I did pass the regular wiener schnitzel and I even resisted the urge to throw a tuna can in the salad, which is a combination I simply adore. Ah well. But I am on a mission here, so I'll stick to it.

Anyway, I have never had a real relationship with salads, until my trip to New York City in 2010, when for 5 days we basically lived on salads. We actually found ourselves riding the met at lunchtime from uptown to this little Italian-style restaurant close to Macy's. Just for the salad, mind you. And it's been on the menu ever since.

MIXED SALAD WITH CROUTONS

Empty your fridge from all sorts of veggies. Mine includes:

salad (iceberg)
red cabbage
chinese cabbage
carrots
red bell pepper
canned corn
sesame seeds
sunflower seeds
flax seeds
garlic croutons

Just wash the veggies thoroughly, drain, slice, dice, shred at will, mix together in a large bowl, top with various seeds and add croutons. Top with your favorite dressing. I don't like dressings at all, so I usually add just some olive or sesame oil for vitamin absorption (but today I forgot about it, so the salad is rather plain).

If you're out of croutons, you can make your own: just dice some bread and bake it in the oven or toaster until golden brown.

Day 2 - Fruit Salad for Dinner

Day 2 has come and gone so quickly, I didn't even notice.

Anyway, another successful vegan day. After work I headed for the supermarket and got a little carried away. I found myself strolling from one alley to the other and before I knew it, 2 hours have passed and I couldn't even remember the goods I placed in the carrier in the beginning of my "tour". Needless to say, I needed an extra pair of really strong hands to carry the groceries upstairs.

But, I got home with an abundance of various fruit, some aloe drinks that I simply adore, some veggies, too, and some goods I cannot wait to cook, like barley minestrone and asian wok veggies that I will be cooking this week.

Tomorrow is thursday, which in work language means another lunch with the wiener schnitzel (yeah, we do this every thursday!), but this time, I will just pass. I have some really yummy lettuce, carrots and cabbage that I cannot wait to mix in a large salad with crostini! Who needs meat when there is such a variety of other choices available?

Like my dinner today: a simple fruit salad and some dried apple slices.

FRUIT SALAD

serves: 1

2 - 3 strawberries
2 ripe kiwis
seeds from 1/2 pommegranat

Wash, peel, slice, mix & enjoy!

Day 2 - Gnocchi with zucchini in cream sauce

Today's lunch (according to menu):

The meal was rather abundant and is ideal when you are feeling really hungry, are in a rush or you want to feel fed for a longer while (and not find yourself devour the fridge one hour later).


GNOCCHI WITH ZUCCHINI IN CREAM SAUCE

Serves: 2

500 g  potato gnocchi
1 small onion
1 zucchini
2 cloves of garlic
250 ml of soy cream (for cooking)
salt and pepper
1 spoon of olive oil

Bring a pot of salted water to boil, then add the gnocchi, stir well and cook until the gnocchi show swimming on top of the water. Remove and drain.

Meanwhile, peel the onion and slice it thinly. Dice the zucchini and garlic cloves.
In a pan heat a spoon of olive oil. When the pan is really hot, place in the onion slices and fry well, stirring all the time. Then add the garlic, stir and add the zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Fry for a few seconds, then add a sprinkle of water and steam the veggies. Stir occasionally. When done, add the soy cream, mix well and pour over your gnocchi. Season with red paprika on top.

make your own gnocchi:

Peel about 1 kg of potatoes (don't use young potatoes, search for those that have a thick skin), cut to larger chunks and put in a pot filled with salted water. Bring to boil and cook until the potatoes turn really soft. Drain, smash them and let them cool completely in a bowl (I usually cook the potatoes in the morning and by noon or afternoon make my gnocchi). The potatoes need to be really smashed, without any chunks.

When cooled, add 1 or 2 eggs, a pinch of salt and with a fork mix it well together. Then start adding flour and proceed to kneading by hand. You need to do this firmly and quickly, thus avoiding reheating the potatoes with your body warmth (your gnocchi will not be so firm). Add as much flour as needed to get a consistent and firm dough. The firmer, the better. Then, slice the dough in a few chunks and roll each chunk into a long dough roll (about 2 cm thick). Slice the roll into smaller pieces and top with flour to avoid sticking.

You can then cook your gnocchi, fry them, refrigerate for 1 day or freeze them for a later use (which I always do with the extra gnocchi).

Note that this recipe includes eggs (which is still fine by my rules). But I do believe you could actually make a vegan version of the gnocchi, by avoiding eggs and use some other binder like a commercial egg replacer or maybe just a few drops of soy cream / drink to add moisture.

Day 2 - so far so good

Lasting a day on a vegan diet is not a challenge per se'. I have been having vegan days before. I do think day 3 or 4 will be a milestone.

So day 2.
The Apple Strudel amazingly lasted 'till breakfast, so I just went with that and the regular coffee & orange juice.

The really weird thing today was that I woke up with a jump and singing a happy song in my head that still runs in the background of my thoughts now. I haven't had that feeling in a long time. Usually I shut down my alarm clock and sleep an extra half an hour and then slowly drag myself from from bed to bathroom and from bathroom to kitchen and then end up running late for work.

But not today. Maybe it's the food, the new decisions in my life. Maybe it's just spring approaching (or maybe just the fact that I fell asleep at 9.30 pm last night...).

Lunch is already planned and dinner too. I just need to stick with the plan now :)

Day 1 - Apple strudel

Dinner time came and due to some errands I had to run in the afternoon I came home exhausted and hungry. In the general lack of ideas, but with an odd craving for apples, I yet again opened a cookbook (this time it was The Joy of Vegan Baking) at the index page and under "apples" contemplating between apple cobbler and apple crumble and finally, given that I had at hand a package of refrigerated vegan pastry that would ensure a quickly made product, opted for an apple strudel, which hopefully would last for breakfast as well. I also indulged in a snack of pistachios while watching some highly romantic movie I do not even want do name.

QUICK APPLE STRUDEL

1 package (250 g) of vegan pastry

3 large apples

juice of half a lemon

1 spoon of brown sugar

cinnamon

a drizzle of plain soy milk

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Open the package of vegan pastry and spread it out. Usually it already comes with baking paper, so just leave the pastry on the paper. 

Peel the apples and grate them coarsely, leaving chunks. Sprinkle the apples with lemon juice so as to prevent oxidation.

Spread the apples over the pastry, but not on the entire surface, only from one side to the other along the longer side, leaving some pastry on either side blank. Sprinkle the apples with brown sugar (one spoon is more than enough), then add cinnamon for flavor.

Finally roll your pastry over the apples to create a log and close the sides. With your fingers, spread the soy milk on top of the strudel (this replaces the glazing effect of the egg). This whole procedure should not take more than 10 minutes top.

Place your strudel with the baking paper in a baking tray, place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

If you wish, you can then top your baked strudel with powder sugar, but I prefer mine without it.

Day 1 - first lunch

I was in a bit of a hurry, so I opted for a simple pasta with red cabbage and carrots, a recipe I took (and slightly altered) from Color me Vegan.

Pasta is great, because it offers unlimited combinations and takes little time to cook. Plus, if you cook it al dente (which I always do and no exception there, because seriously, it's pasta, not mashed potatoes) it has a lower glycemic index.


NOODLES WITH RED CABBAGE AND CARROTS

serves: 2

200 g noodles (tagliatelle, spaghetti, bavettine, linguine,...)
water + salt
1 red onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 carrot, sliced
1 leaf red cabbage, sliced
some sunflower seeds
salt and pepper to taste
sesame oil and soy sauce for seasoning

Cook your pasta according to instructions until al dente. Drain.

Heat a spoon of olive oil in wok until hot. Fry the onions briefly, then add garlic and carrots. Fry it for a minute or so, add a sprinkle of water for steaming. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You may also add other spices you enjoy, such as ginger, chilly, paprika,...
Finally add the red cabbage and sunflower seeds and fry briefly. Add the cooked pasta and mix together well, frying it briefly. Add sesame oil and soy sauce to taste, mix well, remove from heat and serve.

Day 1 - getting started

I'm afraid I always find breakfasts a challenge. If I want to stay full I cannot eat cereals and thus I always end up eating a cheese-less toast or sandwich or eggs and such.

Well, we're through with that now. And now I need to sit down, take a moment and think about every breakfast idea I can manage - and write it down for future needs (my memory, sadly, resembles that of a golden fish).

Not feeling very inspired today, but determined not to eat a meat-based breakfast yet again, I looked into my fridge and with the abundance of rye bread I voted for a oh-so-simple bread & marmalade (apricot jam, more accurately). Except in hotels I cannot even recall ever choosing such a simple solution for breakfast. I also made the obligatory black espresso (cannot start a day without it) and squeezed a glass of fresh red-orange juice.

Breakfast is served.

The morning snack (we do need to eat 5 times a day, right?), will be a banana & maybe some almonds.

Lunch is still an unknown mystery.
Ah, I do need to plan my weekly menu.

The resources

During my challenge I will need recipes and cooking ideas. I already have quite a few meals veganized from my previous months of searching for dairy free meal versions but I will also dig into vegan cookbooks and web resources.

Two books I already own and adore are:

• Color me Vegan
• The Joy of Vegan Baking

both by the splendid Collen Patrick-Goudreau.

3 more books are on their way from UK and am expecting them any day now.

The few recipes I already tried from the books turned out alright, although I usually need to cut down on the sugar amounts in baked goods. I cannot imagine how anyone could eat such amount of sugar, but then again, the books are targeted at the American market (peanut butter and maple syrup anyone?).

Since I am living in the EU and have been raised on an Italian diet, my menus will consist mostly of local goods, with a few "exotic" exceptions.

The challenge

In order for this adventure to be a challenge, I hereby define the rules of conduct.

1. The challenge starts tomorrow and lasts 10 days. If by the end of 10 days I want to continue, I will prolongue this into another 10 days. And another 10...
2. The title says "The 10 days (Almost) Vegan Challenge", because due to my job I do believe I will not make it 100%, but I will try as much as I can. Eating out & vegan can be quite a mouthful in my town and I will try the best I can although I know sometimes I will not be able to avoid eating meat. In this case I will prolongue the challenge.
3. I will not consume animal meat or meat products nor any kind of dairy. But I will still occasionally eat an egg or two (and therefore the "Almost" in the title), but only because I have access to eggs produced by home raised chicken that live a happy and healthy life and eat organic (yes, organic!). They do produce some of the best eggs and so far I have nothing against such eggs.
4. I will not blame myself or others if I do happen to consume meat. Cravings are also allowed and are not subject to explanation.
5. I will try to eat more greens, that's a challenge within a challenge.
6. I will not eat any mushrooms, so don't even ask.
7. I will try to post every day, documenting my progress. Pictures are desirable, but I make no guarantees.

I may or may not update this rules in future. It's my game anyway :)

Following a special diet I have come to realize that planning the menu is vital in order to succeed. So I will also try to plan my meals as much as possible. Weekly menus are great because they also help you organize your shopping and monitor expenses.

The background

Lately I have been having this urge to cut on my meat consumption. I am not vegan. I am not even vegetarian. For 27 years of my life all I can remember is parents feeding me meat, eggs and dairy and me picking up their eating habits. I never questioned it. Until about 2 years ago when an unexplained itching began. Then the occasional general itching turned into permanent itching spots that wouldn't cease unless I took a really long ice cold shower. After months of research, the reason turned out to be milk.

Milk? So out of the blue?

My doctor asked me if I wanted pills to ease my allergy (more accurate: intolerance). And I chose to cut milk out of my menu instead. When I did so, the itching stopped within days, the spots vanished in a week. Since then, I never had any trouble as long as I stay away from dairy.

But this diet of mine resulted in something even more strange. I started to notice I am no longer attracted to the idea of eating meat. In fact, as time goes by and I dig more and more in vegetarian recipes and reasons to not consume animal products, I find myself more and more convinced that this is the way to go.

If it weren't for milk, I would have gone vegetarian a long time ago. But there's still the doubt: would I make it? Would I miss it? I learnt to live without milk (and it wasn't easy in the beginning) due to the fact that I had no choice. Sometimes I miss it, especially the cheese, but I can't think about me drinking milk anymore. What for?

And if I managed to cut on my dairy and be ok (for almost 2 years now!), why insist on eating animal meat, ... when really, there is no logical reason to do so. Why consume it, when I don't even enjoy it anymore? Why contribute to animal suffering, why must a living creature die in order for me to feed, when there is no need to. I can let them live instead.

I will let them live.

This is my challenge. And it's not starting Monday or next month. But first thing tomorrow, starting with my breakfast.