Day 6 of 21-Day Vegan Kickstart/More to being vegan than diet

So much for getting over here and posting each day during the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart…oops! Thankfully I’ve not had that problem staying vegan over the past 5 days. As I’ve said before, my diet was pretty much 95% vegan already, with the only non-vegan items in my diet being the dairy-related items in some items I loved, such as Morningstar veggie bacon and sausage (egg whites in them, although they DO have great vegan options). And I’d have to say that my core, my beliefs, what guides me, has been vegan for far more years than I’ve even been vegetarian (almost 17 years veggie) in regard to sharing my life and our world with our fellow sentient beings. I think most people who aren’t vegan, or veggie for that matter, don’t realize that being vegan isn’t JUST about a diet change, it’s about the choices we make with respect to our environment and those we share it with.

Easy Bean Dip and Oven-Baked Tortilla Chips, from 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, as well as a spinach salad with Trader Joe's Goddess dressing

While I haven’t followed the daily menu from PCRM for the Kickstart, I have been eating foods I either got from their menu last time (when I did the Kickstart in January), most of which are on this Kickstart, too, as well as eating whole wheat pastas, grains, and veggies that I learned to keep stocked in the pantry/fridge via January’s Kickstart. And each workday starts with steel-cut oatmeal with a banana, some almonds, and pure maple syrup or blue agave…YUM!

Here’s today’s message, and oddly enough today’s menu  is pretty much what I’d already been planning on having–especially the Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes, which were an INSTANT classic/fave for me when I first tried them in January. Love, love, LOVE them!

You’re almost a week into the Kickstart! You must be feeling the results of a cholesterol-free low-fat diet. See what today’s message has in store for you.

	Ironman Triathlete Brendan Brazier shares his knowledge about diet and endurance.
	What’s the deal with vitamin D?
	Watch the Cancer Project’s “Veggie Hunter” public service announcement.
	Learn about protein for athletes.
	Today’s Menu: Breakfast: Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes and Facon Bacon Lunch: Easy-Bean Dip with Oven-Baked Tortilla Chips and a side salad Dinner: Easy Stir-Fry with Always Great Brown Rice Dessert: Chocolate raspberry mousse

Easy Vegan Honey Mustard

I’m trying to stick with my goal of posting each day of the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, but I’m sooooo pooped out tonight and just don’t have it in me to spend time and non-existent energy on a lengthy post.  I do have it in me to share with you a really yummy item I ran across while going through vegan cookbooks recently with my 7 year-old nephew. I’m pretty sure it was from Vegan Family Favorites: Tasty And Satisfying Recipes Even Your Kids Will Love, but not absolutely certain since we were looking through many cookbooks. It was for a vegan “honey” mustard and couldn’t have been simpler or tasted better. (Btw, if you’re new to veganism you might not realize that honey is NOT vegan. Read more here.)

• 1/2 C vegan mayonnaise (I used Original Veganaise)
• 1/2 C mustard (I just used what was in the fridge, French’s Mustard, but the mustard options out there are endless)
• 1/2 C blue agave (I used Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Blue Agave)

I put all the ingredients in a Good Seasons cruet I have, shook it up good, then popped it in the fridge along with other condiments.  It’s great on my Tofurky sandwiches, tossed some on quinoa, and used it on my Boca burger tonight.  Gotta love a good quickie that packs such a punch. (Yes, you can read into that WHATEVER you’d like! ;))

PS So much for a quick blog…took about 30 minutes since I included a bunch of links.

21-Day Vegan Kickstart begins TOMORROW/Hoppin’ John Salad

It’s right around the corner, kiddos. Tomorrow begins twenty-one days of better health, tastier food, and surprising yourself with what you can create–I promise! The picture above is actually on your menu for tomorrow: Hoppin’ John Salad. Yup, I made it, uh-huh, you know it, and DARN if it wasn’t delicious! More on that after today’s 21-Day Vegan Kickstart email (you can still sign up):

Grocery prep for 21-Day Vegan Kickstart on 3/1

To start off, check out today’s video message to help you “get started” for your new adventure!

When I did the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart in January, I had wished for a more comprehensive list of food items to have in order to be prepared for the program.  They provide a list of ‘staples’ to stock up on, but quite honestly I didn’t find it very helpful or directly related to the first week of meals. They also don’t give you the next week’s menu until a couple days prior which is sort of short notice for those of us who need to plan our grocery shopping trips further ahead.

Join me on the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart March 1st

It’s baaaaaaaack! Yes indeed, folks, the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart is making its third foray into the refrigerators and lifestyles of anyone interested in improving their health, helping our environment AND fellow sentient beings. As some of you may know, on April 11th I will have been a vegetarian for 17 years! For me it’s ALWAYS been an animal rights issue, and once I finally made the decision to become vegetarian I have not looked back or even ONCE missed being a meat-eater.  There are SO MANY delicious and healthy alternatives, never mind the fact I could never, ever, EVER again bite into something that had once been living.