It always seems like the first conversation with
someone, after they find out you are vegan, always goes the same. First they
want to know what a vegan is. Then they want to know why. Finally they want to
know how. These conversations usually end with an "I could never live with
out cheese" or an "I could totally be vegan, as long as I could still
eat chicken". The focus always seems to be on the short list of things
that vegans don't eat, instead of the huge variety of foods that we can eat.
Just to insure that we all start off on the same
foot, I want to answer the what, the why, and the how.
What does it mean to be vegan?
To put it quite simply, being vegan simply means
abstaining from animal products (meat) and their bi-products (milk, eggs, leather,
etc..).
Why do people go vegan?
There are two main reasons why people choose to be
vegan:
1. Ethical Veganism
People who are vegan for ethical reasons object to
the treatment of animals who are raised for food and other products, therefore
they choose to abstain or boycott animal products and bi-products.
2. Veganism for Heath
People who recognize the heath benefits of cutting
out animal products and therefore they abstain from animal products and
bi-products.
How do people go vegan?
What this question really means is: What can vegans
eat?
When people think about a vegan diet they think
about the few thinks that you have to cut out, instead of thinking about the
huge variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, etc... that are available.
I want to use this blog as a way to show people
that eating vegan is easy, fast, convenient, and affordable. Therefore, I plan
on posting recipes that are easy to understand with ingredients that would be
found in the average household. Cooking doesn’t have to be a challenge, in fact
I believe it only has to be as complicated as YOU chose to make it.
To compliment these recipes, I also want to provide
my proven methods of label reading. One of the biggest struggles for me
personally when I made the switch to a vegetarian diet and then later to a
vegan one was figuring out what I could eat. Several years later, I have
learned ingredients and I can look at a label and know almost instantly whether
or not something is vegan.
I also realize that everyone wants the freedom to
go out with their friends and family to a restaurant and be able to sit down
and enjoy a meal prepared by someone else; because of this I plan on including
a guide to vegan eating out. This will be featured in two parts. The first will
include reviews of restaurants both in the Richmond area and national chains
that have vegan options. Lastly, it will include a guide to eating out at other
restaurants including what questions you should be asking your server to ensure
your meal is vegan.
I hope to make this an exciting venture for both of
us, whether you are currently making the switch Vegetarianism or Veganism or
whether you too are an old pro. Therefore, I welcome your feedback as well as
any questions or concerns that you may have.
I’m looking forward to our journey together!
Catherine-Melissa
