Sunday, February 9, 2014

Life of a Vegan

“Veganism is not about giving anything up or losing anything; it is about gaining the peace within yourself that comes from embracing nonviolence and refusing to participate in the exploitation of the vulnerable." ― Gary L. Francione

Dear friends,

Long time no see. Long time no blogs. How have you been? If you were away during J-term, whether you were cross-country skiing in the mountains or dealing with annoying kids at home, hope you had a fabulous break!

I became a vegan (not consuming animal products) this January and decided to vote with dollars to battle with this world of meat and industry cruelty. But I won't go in depth to talk about the flaws in American food industry or the loss of humanity in exchange for profits. Food Inc. is a good introductory movie for those who are interested. Anyway

Though I started having all these worry bubbles in my head: Would I get enough to eat? Would I be hungry all the time? Would my body despise the stupid decision I made? Whether or not I could stick to my decision seemed kinda questionable to some of my friends because they all knew how much I enjoyed eating. I LOVE food. You have no idea how much I LOVE TO EAT. I get a l.i.t.t.l.e crazy about it sometimes as you can tell.

But being a vegan in the past 30 days has been fun. They say that it takes about 28 days to form a habit. I do think that my eating habit has already be adjusted and I am confident to give the world a big shout out that I will now be able to live without meat! One benefit about not being a meat eater is that you have to eat all kinds of other foods to satisfy your body's needs for nutrients. I believe that the key to any diets is to explore a variety of foods to get adequate nutrition. Oh on that note, I have to thank my little helper assisting me along this journey, Pinterest- a social medium that allows you to pin and collect new ideas and etc. I found all my healthy, hearty recipes from there. If you haven't heard, it is time buddy! Go explore, dream, and discover! This site will show you the magic.

Now I am going to share with you a couple of my favorite recipes, hoping that you will enjoy them as well. (Click on each title to get the recipes)
  • Kale and Wild Rice Casserole: Made out of super food Kale, which contains excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K. Consuming Kale on a daily basis will bring many anti-cancer health benefits.


 
Pictures borrowed from Half Baked Harvest
  • Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips: Another way to make kale delicious is to bake them into chips. Make sure you have enough oil coating on each kale piece, so that it will be crispy. 
  • Avocado on Toast: Well, this is just as simple as it sounds. Spread avocado on your toast instead of butter. It tastes just like butter but it is WAY more healthier with avocado. Eating healthly basically means substituting natural foods for artificial, industrial-processed foods.

Be creative. This is the only suggestion I have for the anti animal products population. It might not be easy to begin, but the result is rewarding. It helps me avoid the guilt I get after consuming meat from unknown sources. In a way, I think showing care to all creatures on earth contributes to making this world a better place to live. O.K. enough manipulative comments. I will leave you all alone.

Have a great semester ahead people :)

Love always,

Shunying

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