I've been thinking a lot lately about what it really means to cultivate contentment. Today, I heard song lyrics that said something to the effect of "happiness isn't getting what you want, it's wanting what you've got".
So often we get trapped in the idea of "I'll be happy when I have/am/do xyz". We make this thing or that thing a condition of contentment, of happiness.
Why is advertising so effective? Because they tell us that this product or that thing will make our lives complete, full, perfect, that what's being advertised is the thing we've been looking for all along. But, out of the very nature of human beings, after we've bought it and taken it home, it begins to lose the "shiny newness", the thrill of that purchase subsides, and we're searching for the next thing to fulfill us.
What we have to realize is that contentment will NEVER come from stuff. Stress, debt, consumption of our free time, clutter in our homes, even depression and extra weight come from stuff. Contentment can only be found when we're satisfied with what we already have and shift our focus from acquiring more to living more.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Sunday, January 5, 2014
It's my Veganniversary!
Yes! It is! Today is one year since I made the commitment and went vegan. Happy veggiversary to me! :D The first four months or so, I effortlessly lost 20 lbs. I don't look different, I don't think, but I can chalk that up to being something of a junk food vegan. My goal this year is to cut back on soda (vanilla Coke, I'm looking at you!) and highly processed foods (Tofurkey Italian sausages... Daiya cheese... Boca burgers...) and incorporate a deliberate, fresh food approach.
And to learn to cook. I'm almost 30. I should know how to cook by now. lol
And to learn to cook. I'm almost 30. I should know how to cook by now. lol
Sunday, December 29, 2013
On Being a Slack-tastic Blogger
Okay, when I said this was going to be a minimalist blog, I didn't intend for it to be a blog in which I wrote only a handful of posts in a year. LOL My apologies for that. I'm sorry this blog was covered in a layer of dust several months thick. I hope to have more to post in the upcoming year. Given that I have downsized a great deal of my possessions, that I'm unemployed at the moment so even my bank account is a minimalist, LOL (though I have an interview on Tuesday, please keep me in your du'a/prayers/cross your fingers for me), there's not a lot for me to say.
I have a lot coming up in this next year, inshAllah, and hope to have lots more to blog about. I'll be moving into my camper trailer (still VERY much a work in progress at this point), moving to a new city, getting a new job, and going back to college. All inshAllah, of course, but that's a lot of change coming down the pipe. I'm excited for it. If I thought the last couple of years were a stagnating time for me, the last six months were really a monotonous blaaaaah of sameness.
In other news, I've discovered Book Mooch. This could be a bad thing, considering my addiction to books - but I have to give some away to get some, so I think it will balance out.
Also, I've been vegan for nearly a year now. No problems. No cravings or desire to eat meat or dairy. (Except during Ramadan, when I'm hungry and would, in theory, eat just about anything, lol)
How have all of you been?
I have a lot coming up in this next year, inshAllah, and hope to have lots more to blog about. I'll be moving into my camper trailer (still VERY much a work in progress at this point), moving to a new city, getting a new job, and going back to college. All inshAllah, of course, but that's a lot of change coming down the pipe. I'm excited for it. If I thought the last couple of years were a stagnating time for me, the last six months were really a monotonous blaaaaah of sameness.
In other news, I've discovered Book Mooch. This could be a bad thing, considering my addiction to books - but I have to give some away to get some, so I think it will balance out.
Also, I've been vegan for nearly a year now. No problems. No cravings or desire to eat meat or dairy. (Except during Ramadan, when I'm hungry and would, in theory, eat just about anything, lol)
How have all of you been?
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
New Project!
So, if anyone still reads this blog, remember that little project I mentioned a few days ago? Well, I'll be starting it soon. Here it is:
This is where I plan to live when I return to school: in a 1970 Yellowstone camper. It needs some work, but it's gonna be amazing -- and once school is done, it'll be the truly mobile home I've always wanted! It'll be travel time, inshAllah!
This is where I plan to live when I return to school: in a 1970 Yellowstone camper. It needs some work, but it's gonna be amazing -- and once school is done, it'll be the truly mobile home I've always wanted! It'll be travel time, inshAllah!
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
ARGHHHHHH!
The stuff, it's taking over!
That's what happens when pretty much everything you own is in one small room. LOL
Keep your eyes peeling for an exciting new project I'll be undertaking in the near future, inshAllah!
That's what happens when pretty much everything you own is in one small room. LOL
Keep your eyes peeling for an exciting new project I'll be undertaking in the near future, inshAllah!
Sunday, August 4, 2013
More Living, Less Collecting.
I saw a lovely photo on Facebook today, courtesy of www.becomingminimalist.com.
This is what I've been trying to do all along, but my recent move halfway across the country really pushed me to get rid of more. Moving is a pain, and the more stuff you have, the bigger of a pain it is.
My standard is something that I once read. It goes something like "If you were offered a great job/opportunity and had three days to move across the country, could you do it?"
If the answer is "yes", then I'm in my ideal place.
If the answer is "no", then I have more work to do.
I was able to box everything up, get it loaded, and ready to go in 3 days. I still, however, feel like I have too much.
Time to reevaluate again. :)
This is what I've been trying to do all along, but my recent move halfway across the country really pushed me to get rid of more. Moving is a pain, and the more stuff you have, the bigger of a pain it is.
My standard is something that I once read. It goes something like "If you were offered a great job/opportunity and had three days to move across the country, could you do it?"
If the answer is "yes", then I'm in my ideal place.
If the answer is "no", then I have more work to do.
I was able to box everything up, get it loaded, and ready to go in 3 days. I still, however, feel like I have too much.
Time to reevaluate again. :)
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Moving.
About three weeks ago I packed up my life and moved halfway across the country, from Texas to the East Coast.
In the process, I got rid of more and more stuff.
In the end, I had 9 boxes, a mattress, two chairs, two small tables, and a two-shelf bookshelf in the U-Haul.
My current situation is temporary - only a year, then it's time to move again. I plan to reduce what I own by at least a third again before then.
I'm already considering tossing out one of the chairs.
My goal in the next year? To purchase a 16 foot Scamp trailer to live in for the next 4-5 years, maybe longer.
Which means more simplifying. I'm good with that. :)Nothing is worth more than freedom.
In the process, I got rid of more and more stuff.
In the end, I had 9 boxes, a mattress, two chairs, two small tables, and a two-shelf bookshelf in the U-Haul.
My current situation is temporary - only a year, then it's time to move again. I plan to reduce what I own by at least a third again before then.
I'm already considering tossing out one of the chairs.
My goal in the next year? To purchase a 16 foot Scamp trailer to live in for the next 4-5 years, maybe longer.
Which means more simplifying. I'm good with that. :)Nothing is worth more than freedom.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Vegan in 30 Days: Update
Okay, I know I totally dropped the ball (because I have the attention span of a goldfish) and just disappeared without finishing my "Vegan in 30 Days" series.
Well, I will tell you all: I've been a full-fledged vegan since 1 January. I didn't even need to go through the whole process outlined in the book, because I'd eliminated so many things almost immediately after learning about the nastiness of the meat, dairy, and egg/poultry industries.
I've lost 16 lbs with zero effort. We're gonna start an "Ultimate Slim Down Challenge" at work in a couple of weeks and I know I'll lose even more.
I feel great, but I find Taco Bell to be the hardest thing to resist. I know it's just me wanting certain things out of habit -- after all, I ate there almost every day for about a year and a half.
Going vegan wasn't really that hard, and I will remain vegan for the rest of my life, inshAllah.
Well, I will tell you all: I've been a full-fledged vegan since 1 January. I didn't even need to go through the whole process outlined in the book, because I'd eliminated so many things almost immediately after learning about the nastiness of the meat, dairy, and egg/poultry industries.
I've lost 16 lbs with zero effort. We're gonna start an "Ultimate Slim Down Challenge" at work in a couple of weeks and I know I'll lose even more.
I feel great, but I find Taco Bell to be the hardest thing to resist. I know it's just me wanting certain things out of habit -- after all, I ate there almost every day for about a year and a half.
Going vegan wasn't really that hard, and I will remain vegan for the rest of my life, inshAllah.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Day Fourteen: Gather Vegan Recipes
Task:
"Go to your local library or bookstore and browse their vegan cookbook selection. Borrow or buy a book that looks good to you. Also, go online and research vegan recipes."
I actually did this step a few days ago. I have three cookbooks I've checked out from the library, as well as my own copies of "Veganomicon" and "Vegan With A Vengance", which I purchased about 3 years ago when I found them to be the most commonly recommended vegan cookbooks on there.
I do want to get a tofu cookbook, though. There's more to tofu than "toss on pan with salt and pepper" or "serve chilled with soy sauce and green onion and rice as hiyayako". My skills, they need expanding.
Had sweet-and-sour tofu over microwave Asian rice. I actually didn't eat it all, and grabbed four Cuties oranges out of the fruit bowl for the bulk of my dinner last night. The white rice just didn't taste as good as it used to, and the tofu... well, we've established my tofu cooking skils need help.
My taste buds far preferred those little oranges to the white rice, and that came as a bit of a shock to me.
Gotta go to the store and buy some more bananas and frozen fruit and resume my smoothies. I haven't had one in about 3 days because I ran out of bananas. I miss them!
Oh, and casein. Sneaky, sneaky casein. Bought two packages of non-dairy cheeze, only to get home and find that it contains casein, which, if I recall correctly, is the thing in milk and cheese that makes it actually addictive to us. Note to self: do a better job of reading labels. Taking that stuff back and getting the Daiya.
"Go to your local library or bookstore and browse their vegan cookbook selection. Borrow or buy a book that looks good to you. Also, go online and research vegan recipes."
I actually did this step a few days ago. I have three cookbooks I've checked out from the library, as well as my own copies of "Veganomicon" and "Vegan With A Vengance", which I purchased about 3 years ago when I found them to be the most commonly recommended vegan cookbooks on there.
I do want to get a tofu cookbook, though. There's more to tofu than "toss on pan with salt and pepper" or "serve chilled with soy sauce and green onion and rice as hiyayako". My skills, they need expanding.
Had sweet-and-sour tofu over microwave Asian rice. I actually didn't eat it all, and grabbed four Cuties oranges out of the fruit bowl for the bulk of my dinner last night. The white rice just didn't taste as good as it used to, and the tofu... well, we've established my tofu cooking skils need help.
My taste buds far preferred those little oranges to the white rice, and that came as a bit of a shock to me.
Gotta go to the store and buy some more bananas and frozen fruit and resume my smoothies. I haven't had one in about 3 days because I ran out of bananas. I miss them!
Oh, and casein. Sneaky, sneaky casein. Bought two packages of non-dairy cheeze, only to get home and find that it contains casein, which, if I recall correctly, is the thing in milk and cheese that makes it actually addictive to us. Note to self: do a better job of reading labels. Taking that stuff back and getting the Daiya.
Day Thirteen: Health Food Store Tour
Task:
"Call your local health food store and sign up for a tour. After your tour, buy one new product that you've never tried before."
I'll have to ask about this. I generally just wander the aisles in a mind-boggled state from all of the foods I've never heard of and wouldn't even begin to know what to do with.
I did try a new product yesterday: vegan Italian sausages, cooked on my knock-off George Foreman grill. They were very good, but I decided about halfway through the second sausage that I will limit myself to one per meal. I was completely stuffed after eating two of them on buns with yellow mustard.
Also, found that Sprouts' store brand tofu (made with non-GMO soybeans) is 99 cents (versus $3 for non-GMO, $2 for possibly-GMO at Target). I love to toss a slice of tofu on the pan with salt and pepper. It's like a fried egg. Minus the icky yolk. And the cholesterol.
"Call your local health food store and sign up for a tour. After your tour, buy one new product that you've never tried before."
I'll have to ask about this. I generally just wander the aisles in a mind-boggled state from all of the foods I've never heard of and wouldn't even begin to know what to do with.
I did try a new product yesterday: vegan Italian sausages, cooked on my knock-off George Foreman grill. They were very good, but I decided about halfway through the second sausage that I will limit myself to one per meal. I was completely stuffed after eating two of them on buns with yellow mustard.
Also, found that Sprouts' store brand tofu (made with non-GMO soybeans) is 99 cents (versus $3 for non-GMO, $2 for possibly-GMO at Target). I love to toss a slice of tofu on the pan with salt and pepper. It's like a fried egg. Minus the icky yolk. And the cholesterol.
Day Twelve: Eliminate Cheese
Task: Eliminate cheese from your diet and your kitchen.
I didn't have much, just a few boxes of mac 'n cheese I'm going to donate to the food bank, and a little container of parmesan cheese that I used on my rare spaghetti night.
With the delicious melty-ness of Daiya, I don't think I'll miss cheese, though I might miss sharp chedar from time to time. Still, I'll just remind myself of the suffering cows go through for that cheddar to be made. That will curb the craving quickly enough.
And then I'll nom on Daiya cheddar shreds. :)
I didn't have much, just a few boxes of mac 'n cheese I'm going to donate to the food bank, and a little container of parmesan cheese that I used on my rare spaghetti night.
With the delicious melty-ness of Daiya, I don't think I'll miss cheese, though I might miss sharp chedar from time to time. Still, I'll just remind myself of the suffering cows go through for that cheddar to be made. That will curb the craving quickly enough.
And then I'll nom on Daiya cheddar shreds. :)
Friday, January 11, 2013
Day Eleven: Fruit and Veg Cleanse
Today is supposed to be the second of two all-fruit-and-veg-cleanse days. I must confess to a sense of utter rebellion on being told when to eat nothing but fruits and veggies, so it's likely I'll pick another day at random on my own and not feel the petulant "I don't wanna!" temper tantrum of a 5-year-old coming on at the thought.
I'm gonna admit: I'm gonna cheat today. I finally got paid, and I want to hit up my favorite local veg restaurant for the first time in close to two weeks. They have a phenomenal vegan sesame chik'n entree with coconut cilantro rice and a sublime kale salad. It's run by Seventh Day Adventists, so they're closed on Saturdays.
Sooo... yeah. I'm gonna cheat for lunch. (Sorry, Sarah!) I'm gonna nosh on Cuties oranges tonight, though. Bought a bag of them today to fill that fruit bowl with, and I have no problem eating 3 or 4 of them in a row.
Actually, I cheated at my mid-morning snack: pretzel crisps, hummus, and dark chocolate from Starbucks. (I gave the salted caramel piece of it to my friend.) But dark chocolate with pistachio or orange peel or ginger and peppercorn counts as veg, right?
I'm gonna admit: I'm gonna cheat today. I finally got paid, and I want to hit up my favorite local veg restaurant for the first time in close to two weeks. They have a phenomenal vegan sesame chik'n entree with coconut cilantro rice and a sublime kale salad. It's run by Seventh Day Adventists, so they're closed on Saturdays.
Sooo... yeah. I'm gonna cheat for lunch. (Sorry, Sarah!) I'm gonna nosh on Cuties oranges tonight, though. Bought a bag of them today to fill that fruit bowl with, and I have no problem eating 3 or 4 of them in a row.
Actually, I cheated at my mid-morning snack: pretzel crisps, hummus, and dark chocolate from Starbucks. (I gave the salted caramel piece of it to my friend.) But dark chocolate with pistachio or orange peel or ginger and peppercorn counts as veg, right?
Day Ten: Read "Diet for a New America"
Day Ten:
"Read 'Diet for a New America' by John Robbins."
Evidently this is one of the most popular and influential books in the vegan reading repetoire. I don't have a copy, but I'm going to be near the library, so I'll swing by there and see if they have one.
I *am* reading "Main Street Vegan" by Patricia Moran, though. I'm really enjoying it. Her style is not hoity-toity and she doesn't have that Vegan Police snotty attitude towards vegetarians that too many vegan authors do. She provides a lot of information, from nutrition to cosmetic and household cleaners that do animal testing, and a bit (but still shocking in cruelty)on animal farming and slaughter practices.
I find that the horror inflicted upon "food animals" unconscionable, and I can no longer see myself eating dairy or meat. As a Muslim, my faith urges me to compassion, and I am seeing more and more that there is no compassion in eating meat.
The things that "food animals" suffer would carry jail sentences for an individual who inflicted even a quarter of this upon a dog or cat, but because it's big companies, with government sanction, because, hey, these are "only" food animals... they get away with torture. All in the name of making a buck. It makes me feel ill. If more people would educate themselves on the meat and dairy industry, we wouldn't fall for the "Happy Cow" commercials that show cows grazing peacefully in an open field, one of them talking and eager to give over her milk for drinking, butter, and cheese.
Today's smoothie was a truly fabulous banana-blueberry-spinach-vanilla soymilk combo. I think it's my favorite flavor so far.
"Read 'Diet for a New America' by John Robbins."
Evidently this is one of the most popular and influential books in the vegan reading repetoire. I don't have a copy, but I'm going to be near the library, so I'll swing by there and see if they have one.
I *am* reading "Main Street Vegan" by Patricia Moran, though. I'm really enjoying it. Her style is not hoity-toity and she doesn't have that Vegan Police snotty attitude towards vegetarians that too many vegan authors do. She provides a lot of information, from nutrition to cosmetic and household cleaners that do animal testing, and a bit (but still shocking in cruelty)on animal farming and slaughter practices.
I find that the horror inflicted upon "food animals" unconscionable, and I can no longer see myself eating dairy or meat. As a Muslim, my faith urges me to compassion, and I am seeing more and more that there is no compassion in eating meat.
The things that "food animals" suffer would carry jail sentences for an individual who inflicted even a quarter of this upon a dog or cat, but because it's big companies, with government sanction, because, hey, these are "only" food animals... they get away with torture. All in the name of making a buck. It makes me feel ill. If more people would educate themselves on the meat and dairy industry, we wouldn't fall for the "Happy Cow" commercials that show cows grazing peacefully in an open field, one of them talking and eager to give over her milk for drinking, butter, and cheese.
Today's smoothie was a truly fabulous banana-blueberry-spinach-vanilla soymilk combo. I think it's my favorite flavor so far.
Day Nine: Salad
Day Nine's task:
"From now on, eat one large salad every day. Start by getting yourself a large bowl that you love, if you don't already have one. Then, make a new salad every day for the next 7 days. Discover salads as if for the first time, and make them different each day."
Well, I don't have a big bowl, but I do have a large plastic food container. I took it to work filled with spinach. I would've added other veggies, but I didn't have any other veggies. Took a little low-fat raspberry vinnaigrette to top it off, and a banana. I chowed down and still wasn't able to finish it. Think it'll be better when I can add some carrots and bell pepper or something to give it some crunch, but it was still good.
Smoothie of the day: strawberry-blueberry-banana-spinach-soymilk
"From now on, eat one large salad every day. Start by getting yourself a large bowl that you love, if you don't already have one. Then, make a new salad every day for the next 7 days. Discover salads as if for the first time, and make them different each day."
Well, I don't have a big bowl, but I do have a large plastic food container. I took it to work filled with spinach. I would've added other veggies, but I didn't have any other veggies. Took a little low-fat raspberry vinnaigrette to top it off, and a banana. I chowed down and still wasn't able to finish it. Think it'll be better when I can add some carrots and bell pepper or something to give it some crunch, but it was still good.
Smoothie of the day: strawberry-blueberry-banana-spinach-soymilk
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Day Eight: Eliminate Poultry
Today's task: eliminate poultry.
No problem. I don't have any in the house, and I quit eating chicken a while back when Taco Bell changed their chicken from the old variety to the Cantina Bell stuff. It's gross on a quesadilla, so.... no chicken.
My smoothie today was a strawberry-banana-spinach-vanilla soymilk combo. Very yummy. :)
No problem. I don't have any in the house, and I quit eating chicken a while back when Taco Bell changed their chicken from the old variety to the Cantina Bell stuff. It's gross on a quesadilla, so.... no chicken.
My smoothie today was a strawberry-banana-spinach-vanilla soymilk combo. Very yummy. :)
Day Seven: Green Smoothies
Day Seven's task:
"Make a green smoothie for breakfast, lunch, or a snack today. Commit to having a green smoothie every day for the next seven days. It will become a habit you won't ever want to give up!"
Green smoothie... never had one. I went to HEB and got some frozen fruit (blueberries and strawberries) and a bag of ice - because, yeah, I'm that one person in the world who doesn't have an ice maker or even ice trays in her freezer.
I have a little blender that is actually made for smoothies - the blender container is measured in ounces and the lid has a slid-back tab so you can drink straight from the blender cup. Neat, huh?
Sarah did say that some blenders can't take blending frozen stuff, so I found a way around that: I put the fruit in plastic containers and leave them in the fridge for the next day. By the time I need to use it, it's cold but not frozen. Problem solved.
My smoothie of the day was a strawberry-blueberry-spinach combo. Yum. I'm going to put a bit less spinach in next time, though, because I could taste it.
"Make a green smoothie for breakfast, lunch, or a snack today. Commit to having a green smoothie every day for the next seven days. It will become a habit you won't ever want to give up!"
Green smoothie... never had one. I went to HEB and got some frozen fruit (blueberries and strawberries) and a bag of ice - because, yeah, I'm that one person in the world who doesn't have an ice maker or even ice trays in her freezer.
I have a little blender that is actually made for smoothies - the blender container is measured in ounces and the lid has a slid-back tab so you can drink straight from the blender cup. Neat, huh?
Sarah did say that some blenders can't take blending frozen stuff, so I found a way around that: I put the fruit in plastic containers and leave them in the fridge for the next day. By the time I need to use it, it's cold but not frozen. Problem solved.
My smoothie of the day was a strawberry-blueberry-spinach combo. Yum. I'm going to put a bit less spinach in next time, though, because I could taste it.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
A Teensy, Tiny Detour
Gonna take a brief detour from the "Vegan in 30 Days" project to update you guys on my progress in pursuing a minimalist lifestyle. If anyone is still reading or gives two hoots, let me know, okay?
Last night I ditched the box spring. That leaves me with just my lovely, cushy mattress on the floor. My cats like it. I like it.
I'm also cursing vaccum cleaners. Mine has been in the repair shop for about a month now - they haven't called me to let me know it's fixed (though it certainly should be by now), and I have no funds until Friday to pay for it, anyway. My apartment is in horrific need of a vaccuming. Also cursing (yet again) the fact that people think carpet is a good choice for rental flooring. It's all about the wood floors, people. Real or faux, doesn't matter. It will save a crapton of money in the long run.
This underemployment thing? I hope none of you are in a similar situation, because it, quite frankly, SUCKS. People call, wanting money, but I don't even have money for kitty litter. Forget paying credit card or phone bills or electric bills or phone bills. I'm selling off stuff right and left to pay for the basic necessities until I get another paycheck - and then the cycle will begin again, except I'll have less to sell off next month than this month.
I'm comtemplating standing at the intersection with a sign, like I see peole doing all the time. My sign would say "Army vet - Afghanistan 10-11. Not unemployed - badly UNDERemployed. Please help. 4 Cats to feed. Allah bless you."
Those people probably make more begging than I do working.
Last night I ditched the box spring. That leaves me with just my lovely, cushy mattress on the floor. My cats like it. I like it.
I'm also cursing vaccum cleaners. Mine has been in the repair shop for about a month now - they haven't called me to let me know it's fixed (though it certainly should be by now), and I have no funds until Friday to pay for it, anyway. My apartment is in horrific need of a vaccuming. Also cursing (yet again) the fact that people think carpet is a good choice for rental flooring. It's all about the wood floors, people. Real or faux, doesn't matter. It will save a crapton of money in the long run.
This underemployment thing? I hope none of you are in a similar situation, because it, quite frankly, SUCKS. People call, wanting money, but I don't even have money for kitty litter. Forget paying credit card or phone bills or electric bills or phone bills. I'm selling off stuff right and left to pay for the basic necessities until I get another paycheck - and then the cycle will begin again, except I'll have less to sell off next month than this month.
I'm comtemplating standing at the intersection with a sign, like I see peole doing all the time. My sign would say "Army vet - Afghanistan 10-11. Not unemployed - badly UNDERemployed. Please help. 4 Cats to feed. Allah bless you."
Those people probably make more begging than I do working.
Day Six: The Fruit Bowl
So, the task for Day Six is to get a "big, beautiful fruit bowl and fill it with your favorite fruits". This is a not-so-subtle ploy to get me to eat more fruit when I'm hungry and/or in a hurry and running out the door, rather than stuff like bagels or doughnuts. Mmm...doughnuts... *shakes self* This is EXACTLY what we're trying to AVOID here!
Okay, snagged a cheapo bowl at the thrift store. It's clear glass. My thought process? I can eat the fruit I put in it before it spoils, as nothing will be hiding on the bottom. It's not a large bowl, but since I'm only one person and I'm generally not home and awake many hours out of the day (not to mentioned possessed of little means at the moment), it's likely just gonna have a little bunch of bananas. Bananas are cheap. Cheap is good.
For the price of a bunch of bananas, task is done. :)
Okay, snagged a cheapo bowl at the thrift store. It's clear glass. My thought process? I can eat the fruit I put in it before it spoils, as nothing will be hiding on the bottom. It's not a large bowl, but since I'm only one person and I'm generally not home and awake many hours out of the day (not to mentioned possessed of little means at the moment), it's likely just gonna have a little bunch of bananas. Bananas are cheap. Cheap is good.
For the price of a bunch of bananas, task is done. :)
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Day Five: Find Substitutes
The task for day five is to find substitutes for meat, cheese, and dairy products.
This one is super-easy for me. I already love Silk vanilla soy milk, Daiya cheese, Smart Bacon (veggie bacon), and Morningstar Farms Chik'n Patties. All of these things are currently in my fridge/freezer.
Sarah rightly points out that these should be "transition foods", not a permanent staple of a vegan diet. Vegans who eat this stuff (plus all the vegan junk food out there), but don't eat much by way of fresh veggies, fruits, etc, end up becoming unhealthy "junk food vegans". The key to success with this is to use transition foods wisely, sparingly, and to really get to know your nutrition needs.
Done (and I didn't have to go anywhere or spend any money)!
This one is super-easy for me. I already love Silk vanilla soy milk, Daiya cheese, Smart Bacon (veggie bacon), and Morningstar Farms Chik'n Patties. All of these things are currently in my fridge/freezer.
Sarah rightly points out that these should be "transition foods", not a permanent staple of a vegan diet. Vegans who eat this stuff (plus all the vegan junk food out there), but don't eat much by way of fresh veggies, fruits, etc, end up becoming unhealthy "junk food vegans". The key to success with this is to use transition foods wisely, sparingly, and to really get to know your nutrition needs.
Done (and I didn't have to go anywhere or spend any money)!
Day Four: Eliminate Red Meat
Day Four's task, per Sarah's Words of Wisdom:
"Eliminate all red meat from your diet and your kitchen. Remove meat from your refrigerator, freezer, and cupboards. If there are other people in your household who are not going vegan, make specific areas in your fridge, freezer, and cupboards for their meat products, and keep your food separate. Donate any of your remaining meat to a local food bank - they will be thrilled for the unusual windfall!"
Okay, this is alternately very easy and very hard for me. On the one hand, I have no red meat in my house. This meat-free state has been my choice for quite some time prior to finding Sarah's book and choosing to tackle this challenge. On the other, I have a truly vicious, life-consuming, waistline-expanding addiction to Taco Bell. Specifically their crunchy tacos and their cheesy potato burrito. Both of which contain beef.
*braces herself* Well, that's just gonna have to change. Maybe it'll help if I get one of those tapes you listen to while you sleep to program my mind to "Taco Bell is Evil... Taco Bell is Evil..."
"Eliminate all red meat from your diet and your kitchen. Remove meat from your refrigerator, freezer, and cupboards. If there are other people in your household who are not going vegan, make specific areas in your fridge, freezer, and cupboards for their meat products, and keep your food separate. Donate any of your remaining meat to a local food bank - they will be thrilled for the unusual windfall!"
Okay, this is alternately very easy and very hard for me. On the one hand, I have no red meat in my house. This meat-free state has been my choice for quite some time prior to finding Sarah's book and choosing to tackle this challenge. On the other, I have a truly vicious, life-consuming, waistline-expanding addiction to Taco Bell. Specifically their crunchy tacos and their cheesy potato burrito. Both of which contain beef.
*braces herself* Well, that's just gonna have to change. Maybe it'll help if I get one of those tapes you listen to while you sleep to program my mind to "Taco Bell is Evil... Taco Bell is Evil..."
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