It’s interesting to find myself here, yes, I’m writing about being vegan, to be clear, I’m not. Although, I’m learning a lot about the diet, it’s a bit extreme for me, but I’m all in as far as trying new plant based food. My youngest son became vegan last December, Christmas was interesting, to say the least. Trying to stock a fridge full of produce and vegan options that sort of resemble their protein counterparts, cashew brie? It’s a whole new world of cuisine.

Now that my son is home from school, veganism has become our new normal. I’m embracing his way of eating, and I gotta say, it’s pretty delicious.  I used to love a great steak, (can’t remember the last time I ate one) but I’m making a conscious effort to cut red meat out of my diet. Truth be known, I don’t miss it! I’m not ready to pull the plug entirely on poultry and seafood, it’s a slow process for me, there are no rules. I’m trying new vegan food and awakening those sleepy taste buds of mine and actually enjoying it.

We have nothing but time these days, many of us have taken to spending more time in our kitchens, (based on Instagram posts) our laboratories where we create and experiment. This is a fun time to challenge ourselves and change the way we eat, for the better. This isn’t complicated, cook what you usually would but supplement with delicious plant-based options. Simple! The “meat and potatoes” diet is a thing of the past, well, at least in my past! I think vegan and or vegetarian is a movement for the better. Okay, so I’m not the poster child for “vegan”, yet…baby steps.

I’m not trying to convince anyone that they should become vegan, I’m merely asking you to skip the occasional “animal-based” meal with a “plant-based” alternative.   With so many delicious vegan options on the market, it’s hard not to get excited!  I’m using my old standby recipes but tweaking where I can. Case in point, my usual pizza and caesar salad are now both vegan. It’s easy,  replacing cheese and pepperoni with plant-based options and loading up with delicious veggies that roast in the oven nicely. My salad, which has lemon juice and olive oil, (no egg) garlic and dijon mustard instead of the usual anchovy paste, (this gives it just enough zip and saltiness) lastly, vegan parmesan cheese…anyone eating this will never be the wiser of the changes. Delicious!

The burger featured is vegan too, can you believe? It’s all in the condiments, fresh veggies and vegan cheese, it definitely tasted like more. I challenge you to a tasty new way of eating. Honestly, you’re only limited by your imagination…

LC

xo