Week 2 of the Whole Foods, Plant Based Diet

Leigh decided we should give up meat and dairy for 3 weeks to see how it effects our habits, our weight, and just generally see how we like it. Generally it's been a really nice experience. We've been eating at home most of the time and I've discovered that I prefer soy milk in my coffee to cow's milk (soy milk has a little hint of vanilla that makes the coffee oh so rich!). A few nights ago after skiing in some very cold weather we gave in to our craving for Pho soup, but got vegetarian with tofu instead of beef. It was delicious!

We're revamped our fridge so it only has non-animal products in it to make the transition smoother. We're eating tons of veggies and grains and experimenting with tofu in things like Thai style curry. The no animal products thing is still problematic though, particularly when we crave convenience or comfort foods (pizza! burgers!) or just want to grab a simple meal out somewhere (sandwiches, soups, etc are generally NOT vegan-friendly).

But we're doing really well and avoiding temptations, sticking to our guns. Until today. I got these texts from Leigh over the period of about an hour:

"Someone just brought in 3 giant trays of meats and cheeses. Quality stuff too."

"It's from last night's soiree" (her office had a party last night that she didn't attend).

"Oh man, lemon bars."

"Well, I'm done not eating meat."

At so it goes, folks. 2 weeks of dedication and a fridge full of healthy vegan food rendered useless. The experiment is a flop due to contamination. Oh well, c'est la vie. It's not like we were going vegan for political or moral reasons. We just wanted to cleanse our bodies of heavy, difficult to metabolize, foods before the holiday season. I'm sure there's plenty more vegetarian friendly meals in our very near futures. But for today Leigh's body is wrought with the flesh of dead creatures. Of course tomorrow I'm going to want a chorizo pizza from our favorite theatre pub or, at the very least, a salmon burger made at home.

What's the lesson in this experiment/failure? First of all, vegan food is pretty awesome. Though we've been getting into healthy food for about 2 years now, this was our first time diving headfirst into the world of soy and various protein replacements. It worked out well. I think I'll continue using soy powder in my baking, taking spirulina most days, and incorporating tofu into our meals. Also, meat isn't necessary to have a good, hearty meal. In fact, it should be eaten sparingly. We will probably eat a lot of vegetarian dishes from now on and only eat meat when we have a particular craving. Ultimately, that's better for my health anyway, considering my chronically high cholesterol.

With this strange turn of events, I wonder what we're having for dinner???