Weight Watchers: A Vegan Journey

It's definitely been a while since my last post, which I shall attribute to the crazy amount of wedding planning I've been doing with Steve. So far, we are well ahead of the game (we even put a deposit down on a vegan wedding cake!). Which allows me to talk about my new topic- being on Weight Watchers as a vegan.

Why am I on Weight Watchers, you might be wondering? Well, it seems eating vegetarian and vegan does not always equal a skinny butt, like most would assume. This past year, I have been introduced to so many new foods and flavors, and my mom gave me a HUGE food processor for Christmas, which has led to countless vegan baking sessions. The result of all this yummy food goodness? I've gained seven pounds. Yep.

So, after the tears and laughter and disbelief- have I really gained this weight? Seriously??- I got real and did what any 25 year-old Vegan with no money for a gym would do- I joined Weight Watchers Online, of course. :)

Well, it's been a little over a week, and I've already shed 2 pounds on the plan! I haven't felt deprived or hungry from it- in fact, it's caused me to eat more than before. The trick is that most vegetables on the plan are only a "zero point" food, which means you can basically eat unlimited amounts of them and be okay. So, the food I've been filling myself up with more are veggies, fruits, and smaller portions of the things I love.

(By the way, The WW system is based on a point system, where you find out the point of each food by calculating it's calories, fat, and fiber. At my current weight, I'm allotted 22 points each day, with 35 "flex points" to use at any time during the week. Also, if I exercise, I can exchange "activity points" for food points. It's all a bit complex at first, but once you get a hang of it, it's a breeze.)

My favorite discovery has been that I was cooking with wayyyyy too much oil when I made dinners. Every meal began with either frying up tofu or tempeh in a pan with a lot of oil. It's definitely tasty that way, but on Weight Watchers, it equals many, many points. As a result, I've been having to get creative with how I cook. Instead of just layering the bottom of the pan with oil, I measure out a small amount. The food has tasted just as yummy, and since I'm not deprived, I have no desire to overeat. It's great.

The extra nice thing is the vegetarian message board on the WW website. While there is no vegan message board (yet), I've discovered many vegans on the boards talking- it's allowed me to feel relaxed in knowing that even someone with a vegan lifestyle can commit to a weight loss plan that's universal. I love it.

So, we shall see where this leads me (hopefully a few pounds lighter and a bit more toned from doing my awesome pilates video each week). For now, I've just finished a lovely breakfast of toast with jam, apple slices, and tea with soymilk (5 points).

Oh, and as a fun P.S.- kissing, dancing, laughing, walking, thinking, typing a new blog, bubble baths, hugging, and reading really interesting articles about veganism? All zero points. Awesome.

An Overwhelming Notion

On Wednesday, I was in the middle of my day, when a sense of sadness came upon me.

I couldn't remember how it began, but it permeated my day, so much so that I was having trouble relating to my work or anything else for that matter. I know that at some point in the morning, I was in deep thought about veganism and the world, and that over time, I began to obsess over the notion that while some people are changing, there are so many more who either don't know or don't care to change their habits in support of a better world for animals and the environment. What started out as a seed of thought ("I wish more people considered vegetarianism and veganism") spiraled into something much more time-consuming: the idea that I could not be the one to make all the people in the world change. So much suffering is going on at this very moment, and I am sometimes powerless to stop it. I cannot control the fact that animals are severely abused every minute of every day and killed for purposes I no longer understand. I began to feel so helpless and even hopeless about the whole situation.

I talked to my brother about this later in the evening, and he totally understood my predicament. He said that it's very normal to occassionally have overwhelming thoughts like I was having, and that a sense of not being able to control the situation can be very scary.

My brother's words comforted me immensely, and I was able to at least get through the rest of my day. But these thoughts have not completely left me. They may never leave me- as with anything one is truly passionate about, a worldly injustice is a never-ending thing. You can try to do what you can with what you have, but at some point, you have to let go and realize you cannot control it all. You can try to sign petitions, talk to friends, and put videos up on your website, but some people will still turn a blind eye to the horrors of this world. I did for a long time before I was forced to realize that if I love animals (and I do), I could no longer continue to pretend they weren't suffering just so I could have a full belly.

I feel like two years ago I woke up to a new world when I decided to become vegetarian. And in the past nearly 5 months since going vegan, my world has opened up even more. The toughest part about opening yourself up is that you let in both the good and the bad in this world. You have to, or otherwise nothing will change. That doesn't mean you can't continue to fight for good with a sense of positivity and hope- believe me, I'm usually a poster-child for positivity. It simply means that it's okay to have moments where you just feel overwhelmed, and even wiped out by it all.

In the recent VegNews March/April issue, a person sends in a concern to columnist Rory Freedman (co-writer of Skinny Bitch). After listing every single effort they've made to make this world a better place, they add: "This is going to sound terrible, but I am tired of being such a good person all the time. When I first went vegetarian, I did not know it was going to lead to all this. I feel like walking away from it all."

I love how Rory answers this person's concern- here's what she writes in response:

Can I get an amen? I imagine that everyone reading your gripe will be nodding his or her head in agreement. I remember when life was simple: I ate fast food (meat and all), threw the garbage out of the window of my car (literally), and thought nothing of driving three blocks when I could have (and should have) walked. I had no clue, no conscience, no aspirations- I was perfectly happy taking without thinking and stomping all over the planet. So, I know that I get it when I say that living consciously on this planet can be exhausting- both physically and mentally. And I know that I understand that the last thing you want to hear is how "it's the right thing to do," or that "it's people like you who have do to it or no one will," or "it's not so bad doing all of those things." Eff that- being a good person can suck! But at the very least, you can take solace in knowing that you're not alone in your occasional resentment.

Rory goes on to talk about a friend of hers who used to be like Rory- wasteful and self-centered about her actions toward this planet. She goes on to say that after holding in the desire to speak to her friend about her behavior, she finally tells her how wasteful she's really being. And once she talks to her friend, her friend begins to understand and wants to make changes. Rory ends her column with this:

Yeah, being a good person can be a pain in the ass at times. But fortunately- for yourself, for the animals, and for the environment- it's not something you will likely be able to turn off any time soon.

I like to think that my desire to help the animals of this world will never turn off, but I also hope against all else that I will eventually live in a world that cares more about this issue. I really and truly do have hope that people will begin to open their eyes and realize that they have so much power just by picking up their fork to eat. It's that simple- and yet, it is quite an overhwelming notion.

Reasons to Smile Today

1. After lots of talks and a few months of trying it out, my sister has finally decided to go completely vegetarian.

2. I just received my March/April issue of VegNews. :) (http://www.vegnews.com/- check it out- it's an amazing magazine.)

3. It just hit me- Steve, the always compassionate omnivore, eats meals with me 4-5 times a week. That means, he eats vegan at least 3-4 times a week. And that's a very good thing.

4. My best friend just bought her first half-gallon of soymilk.

5. Tonight, I've decided to create a delicious new dinner- pasta with tempeh, asparagus, and peas in a lemon basil garlic sauce. Mmmm....

6. My wedding site has agreed to give Steve and me a vegetarian wedding.

7. My kitties were all waiting at home for me, purring and ready to give and receive some serious love.

8. Not only do I have my basic food needs met, but I have the freedom and opportunity to really get creative with cooking vegan.

9. I just cheered up my babysitting kids (who also happen to be very picky eaters) by telling them the story of how I grew to love tofu.

10. I'm beginning to see change all around me that gives me hope that someday, not too far away from now, we will have a more compassionate world when it comes to animals.

Peanut Butter Tofu

I have finally made an original dish that has become a staple in the Lindsay/Steve household, simply because it's a tasty winner all around: Peanut Butter Tofu. I made up this dish last week when I was in the mood to make two different kinds of tofu: tofu terryaki and... something else. But where to start? I opened my fridge, and there it was- a peanut butter jar calling out my name. So, I experimented with it, and both Steve and I were super pleased with the results, so much so that I decided to make it again last night. It has a total comfort food feel, and anyone who is new to tofu should give this recipe a whirl, especially if you happen to love peanut butter as much as I do. Here's what I did:

With a single package of "Extra Firm" tofu, I press it (You can press your own tofu by taking it out of it's water and packaging, slicing the block widthwise into 3 or 4 smaller blocks and spreading them out on a flat surface, and then placing either a clean dish towel or a few layers of paper towels on top, and then placing something really heavy over the whole thing- like a big cast iron skillet or something. This process helps press the water out of the tofu, so that your tofu doesn't become a sloppy mess in the pan. You can do this for anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes.), then chop it up into really tiny bite sized cubes. I then cook the cubes in a medium sized, oiled up pan (I use Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil), until the the tofu is browned lightly all around. I then add about two or three heaping spoonfuls of Vegan margarine (I use the Earth Balance Brand- it's Non-hydrogenated), two or three heaping spoonfuls of peanut butter (I prefer All Natural Creamy, but use whatever kind you like), and then a splash of soy sauce and a sprinkle of salt. If I'm feeling fancy, I'll add a teaspoonful or two of terryaki or ginger sauce to it. Once I've added all the ingredients to the pan of tofu cubes, I stir, stir, stir. It'll take a little while, so I keep it over medium heat, and after a while, the peanut butter will melt into the tofu, as well as everything else. Once distributed and mixed well, I let the tofu stay in the pan on medium heat for a few more minutes, to allow the sauce to really thicken and stick to the tofu.

I wish I had a picture of this fun dish (no digital camera= a very sad Vegan), but I've attached a picture of peanut butter and a picture of tofu, just because it goes with the whole theme... yeah, I already know I'm a dork. It's cool.

Enjoy!!

Greatest Hits

I'm kinda bored and want to post on here, but I couldn't think of something profound... so, instead, I'm making a list of the top 10 new foods in my life that I love deeply. Some of them I picked up from my cleanse, others I've picked up along the way from eating vegan. All of them are simply amazing. Check 'em out:

1) Sunflower Butter- I love this more than peanut butter!

2) Hazelnut Milk- I love this more than milk! (duh)

3) Agave Nectar on pancakes- tastes just like maple syrup, but better for you!

4) Vegan Indian food- I've been buying a lot of pre-made home-style cans of chickpeas and potatoes in sauce, as well as a sauce for cooking tofu in- all are delicious and not too spicy!

5) Avocados- these I've obviously eaten before, but had no idea how much I could fall back in love with them during my week-long cleanse.

6) Gluten-free and buckwheat pancake mixes- I enjoy these better than the wheat version. I usually substitute the egg with a well-mashed banana and then throw some fruit in. Delicious with agave nectar on top.

7) Tempeh bacon- the first time I tried this, I ate almost the entire package. Now, that's a clear sign that I've found a food worth falling in love with.

8) Fingerling potatoes- Steve and I made mashed fingerling potatoes for a party, and they turned out tan colored, which I thought was kind of awesome. Plus, they have an earthy and delicious taste, and a wonderfully thick texture when mashed.

8) Stuffed Grape leaves- Oh. My. Stuffed Grape leaves. I can't say enough about this food. Pure bliss.

9) Coconut Milk Ice Cream- when I'm in the mood for something creamy and cold and sweet, Pure Decadance Coconut Milk Ice Cream calls out to me from the frozen foods section. Mmmm....

and the 10th food on my list that has changed my life for the better:

10) Yogi brand teas (decaffeinated). I'm in love. It's been months since my last straight week of coffee, and I have never been happier to wake up with a hot cup of decaf tea. I especially love their Ginkgo-IQ and Breathe Deeply tea. If I am in need a small caffeine fix though, I love their Black Chai. Amazing.

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you are inspired to try something new this weekend. I certainly am!

A Vegan Italian Honeymoon- Ambitious? Yes. Limiting? I don't think so.

Just as a quick follow up to the last post- the cleanse was great. I lasted the entire time and really feel quite rejuvenated. I highly recommend this cleanse to anyone whose body is in need of some deep TLC.

And on to the current post:

Last night my best friend and I were discussing all the lovely details of my wedding in November. We gushed about the wedding location, my color ideas for dresses, and tons of other stuff. We then got to the point of the conversation which became quite intriguing for me- the talk about our honeymoon. Steve and I are wanting to honeymoon in Italy sometime early next year. When I told my best friend (who has traveled through much of Italy) this fact, she said, "But wait... are you going to eat vegan in Italy?" To which I laughed and said, "Of course- I don't just stop every now and then." My best friend's heart sank as she said, "But what about the desserts, the pizza, the cheeses? My heart is breaking just thinking about it!" I love my best friend deeply, and I did not want to disappoint, but in this moment, I did not have a concrete answer to her concern.

And thus begins my new challenge: to prove that honeymooning in Italy as a vegan is not a limiting task. Is there a bit more effort involved? Of course- but there is always effort involved in living vegan. That's what I love about it- with a little extra effort, I have found new ways to celebrate food and have discovered food cultures I would have never even considered prior to this change. So, what should make a honeymoon in Italy any different?

I began my search this morning, and I've already found plenty of places to begin. All you have to do is google "Eating Vegan in Italy" or "Vegan Food in Italy", and do some research. My favorite link is http://www.compassionatecooks.com/blog/2007/05/vegan-in-italy-mostly-florence-and.html, which is an article by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, a food writer and self-taught vegan cook. She really lays out for you a clear path to dining in Italy as a vegan. It got me so excited! I also include a quote of hers I used in a previous post:

"I've heard people say that eating vegan is "limiting" and "restrictive," and I couldn't disagree more. In fact, I find that it's quite the opposite. Your awareness is expanded. You try foods and cuisines you never even noticed before. The compassion you knew as a child is restored- and fully manifested. But even more than that, I find that living in such a way that we cut ourselves off from the truth, from our truth, is what's truly limiting."

So, for now- I am pumped and ready to explore and research my new challenge, and to celebrate the fact that eating vegan (in any country) can be a quite liberating experience.