Going Vegan

A little over a year ago I made the switch from a vegetarian lifestyle to a vegan lifestyle. It was sort of a sudden change for me. I'd been secretly vegetarian for several months, but I hadn't discussed it with many people. Only a few co-workers I went to lunch with knew. I finally told Matt I wasn't eating meat, which he had noticed, and that I was planning to go vegan on the first of the year.

So with only a few weeks to go I started researching which kinds of food were vegan and which were not. I thought my research was pretty thorough, but there were many things I overlooked and I'm still eliminating things from my home and from my diet to this day.

Recently Chic Vegan published Ten Tips for New Vegans which I think is pretty good, but I wanted to offer my own perspective.

Take Your Time: I think this is a good idea. You don't have to be perfect. Every new vegan, and even older vegans, will find that foods they thought were completely plant based indeed contained animal products. And without leaving technology completely behind there is no way to avoid animal products all-together. For me it's about what I support monetarily and working to change culture so I have more alternatives whether it be with things I can't avoid animal products like with prescriptions, LCD screens, and batteries, or things where I do avoid animal products like with cheeses, clothing, and restaurant options. Don't stress. Do what makes sense for you and your moral compass.

Use Transitional Foods: This was completely a bust with me. I didn't like non-dairy milk, absolutely hated non-dairy cheeses, and couldn't stand the texture of plant-based "meats". Butter substitutes were my only success. Earth Balance Coconut Spread was almost just like butter to me. Slowly though I added things like coconut oil and soy milk to my diet and they were just fine. After about six months of letting myself forget what milk and cheese tasted like I started to like non-dairy milks and cheeses. I recently went to a wine, cheese, and chocolate tasting at Cafe Gratitude and it was divine. So, if you don't like the substitutes, don't sweat it. Look for recipes that are vegan without the additions. Try out new things and remember the things you like. Look for more recipes that match what you like. And if all else fails there are some good frozen dinners that will fill in the gaps for you for a while, like Amy's Black Bean Tamale Verde.

Eat Your Veggies: I 100% agree! I've never been a big veggie cooker. My repertoire included frozen corn and peas, baked beans from a can, and occasionally grilled peppers and onions. I've branched out so much more since I've gone vegan. I love roasted brussels sprouts and kale, beet, and white bean salad now. I've developed so many more things that I'm comfortable cooking. Also, don't worry so much about getting protein. Vegetables contain a lot of protein already. Think about getting a good variety of vegetables and consider taking a B12 supplement. Talk to your doctor when you plan to change your diet. I had my doctor perform a blood panel on me and then advise me on any supplements or additional foods I should eat.

Learn to Read Labels: This is so important. The first time I bought, or thought I bought vegan Parmesan cheese I bought a Go Veggie kind that included casein, which I later learned is derived from milk. Apps like Animal Free can help. But the good thing about reading labels is not only do you learn to recognize animal based foods, but it can help you weed out other foods you may want to avoid.

Veganize Your Favorites: For me it was easier to find favorites at vegan restaurants that I liked and first, then find recipes online for them. Leaving out the meat from spaghetti or lasagna wasn't hard, but other dishes can be more challenging to get the flavors right. Luckily I have two vegan restaurants right here in KC, Cafe Gratitude and Füd, and there's also a good vegetarian restaurant, Eden Alley, and a vegan bakery, Mud Pie. All of these places are very good, even coming in as a new vegan. Unfortunately I don't work near any of them, so I only go when I have a day off.

Answer the Protein Question: Actually, there are a lot of questions that people will ask again and again. I recommend Sherry Colb's excellent book Do You Mind If I Order the Cheeseburger?: And Other Questions People Ask Vegans.

Don't Get Angry: Sure, when I hear people say that veganism is too expensive, or inconvenient, or extreme, it gives me pause. But then I remember I was in the same place that they were two years ago. A lecture isn't going to open anyone's eyes. And people are going to make decisions you don't like all the time. You can choose to be angry all the time or work more positively towards change.

Arm Yourself with Cookbooks: I don't tend to use cookbooks except as one-offs for a specific recipe. I find recipes online are much more convenient to me. But, for those of you who use cookbooks regularly there are tons of excellent vegan cookbooks out there.

Chocolate is Vegan: One of my first treats to myself was Cocolove's Orange Peel in Dark Chocolate. I love milk chocolate and I really mourned no more Twix bars. But, I have found lots of good vegan chocolate. And, plus, it doesn't hurt to cut out some sugar. Don't fret about giving up your favorite dessert. From Cocomels to Macaroons and Chocolate Sauce, there's plenty out there to love.