Dear readers, you know that I have a talent for writing very long blog posts. I thank you for sticking with me through so many of them! Some might say that long posts are not the way to catch and keep readers, but I do not have a succinct writing style and I offer no apologies. I like to meander, to think deeply, to engage myself in a discussion. This week, however, I have decided to write a few short posts about the month of veganism that I’m about to start. Today, I’d like to clarify my intentions for April.
I’ve already listed my reasons for this fling with veganism: compassion, finances, and ambition. To be honest, I’m doing this to see if I can do it. I don’t know if I can because I really, really love dairy. Eggs—eh, I think I can live without them for a month. But giving up dairy is going to be hard, and it’s going to force me to try new things. Dairy is a daily habit for me: milk in my coffee, yogurt in my oatmeal, cheese and crackers with lunch, cheese in my quesadilla at dinner. I know that I eat a lot of dairy. I felt a sense of loss and frustration on Saturday as I stood in front of the refrigerated case of vegan products, trying to decide what to buy. In the end, I bought more dairy milk and cheese. After all, it’s not April yet…and I’m still getting used to the idea of no dairy for 30 days. It’s a weird feeling.
I have no intention to continue a strictly vegan diet after April. Of course I may change my mind—never say never!—but I am not committing to anything. I have no desire to eat meat on a regular basis, so I remain devoted to vegetarianism. But this veganism thing is an experiment, and as with all experiments, I remain open to the data and new possibilities. Just please don’t remind me that I’m giving up my beloved cheese for a month!
5 comments:
You can do it! Everyone has their one thing they don't want to give up -- in my case I really loved half-and-half in my coffee, and the vegan creamers/milks I first found were deeply unsatisfying. Eventually I found a soy milk that I actually liked in my coffee, and all was well. Definitely consider experimenting with different non-dairy products, or try cooking recipes that wouldn't contain dairy anyway (like a coconut milk curry, for example -- how perfect!). Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing how April goes with your vegan experiment. Good luck!
Thanks for the encouragement, Kate! I've had the same problem with soy milk in coffee. Which one do you like? In general, I like all the non-dairy milks I've tried (soy, almond, and coconut), but I need a good match for coffee :-) Coffee seems less forgiving than oatmeal, cereal, or smoothies.
At lunch and dinner, I think the hardest adjustment will be my bread-and-cheese habit, but I've got some plans for homemade vegan cheese. Have you tried homemade cashew cheese? I've had one in a goat's milk cheese-style, and it was totally yummy.
I drink my coffee black, so I've never tried it, but I've heard a a few people rave about coconut milk in coffee.
I really like the Silk Organic -- the full-calorie one that comes in the green carton. It seems to add the most milk-like qualities to the coffee, if that makes sense. Almond milks and lighter soy milks just kind of disappear into the coffee. I can't remember if I've tried coconut before...
Laurie, I think I tried coconut milk before and didn't like it...but maybe I just need to try canned coconut milk the same way I would put cream in my coffee :-) The coconut milk I tried was the boxed stuff they sell now in the refrigerated section, and it's much more dilute than canned coconut milk.
Kate, thanks so much for the recommendation! I will try it soon. It has been a long time since I've had soy milk in coffee.
Post a Comment