This whole vegan thing is getting much, much easier. In fact, I'm thinking at the end of this whole 60-day stint, I'm going to give up meat permanently (with the exception of salmon, for reasons I will explain below). I haven't actually written about the veganism thing in a while, so here's a brief catch up:
1. Eating out when you're a vegan SUCKS. So cheese is on everything. Literally everything. Every salad, every side dish, every entre has cheese. And if there isn't cheese, there is some form of meat. And if it's not meat, it's butter. And if it's not butter, it's another form of dairy. You get the idea. My diet has consisted of basically salads. And sometimes bread, though you have to be careful with bread because you never know what sort of dairy product may be lurking in there.
So that blows. I'm pretty sure Vickie is ready to beat the shit out of me because I sound like one of those high-maintenance southern California bitches when I order.
2. Cooking on my own has become much simpler. For the first week, I basically didn't eat because I didn't have time to cook. That's something I would put out there for all you would-be vegans: you have to actually have time to prepare a meal that is vegan. Many salads were consumed in my kitchen these past 16-days. And if not salads, I would throw a boca burger on the stove and heat that...with a salad. Tonight I'm attempting this BBQ-ed tofu thing with this pepper salad my mom used to make (minus the feta cheese). After I go to the gym, of course.
3. Tofurkey tastes like, well, what I would imagine fake turkey rolled in cardboard and sprinkled with death would taste like. But tofurkey on a sandwich is FANTASTIC. Particularly with "veganese" (vegans answer to mayo) and vegan cheese. I put some BBQ sauce on mine for a little added kick, and so I don't have to taste the tofurkey. Also, loading up on spinache lettuce is good, too. Ah, I love lunches.
4. My friend Tiffany introduced me to Sunshine vegan burgers, which are also gluten-free. They are quite tasty, though I would like to point out that the big warning label on the box that says "don't burn" isn't there for decorative purposes. If you're considering painting your nails while the burger is cooking, I would highly advise against it.
5. It's time for me to disclose areas where I've cheated in the past 16 days:
--I had salmon ravioli (I'm not entirely sure if there was cheese in it or not) yesterday. We went to Grape Escape, normally known for their amazing salads, and they were out of everything. Literally, everything. I felt sick after I ate it, which may be my body's way of telling me no.
--I ate Guidos on 4/20. I hope this is self-explanatory. I also ate about a pound of strawberries, some edamame, chips and salsa, graham crackers, rice milk ice cream and possibly a salad.
So on a completely different note, I went to the doc today to get the results of my blood work (I have insurance so I might as well get a physical, right?). Apparently, in addition to losing 20 lbs since January, I am extraordinarily healthy with the exception of a few minor details:
1. I have a low HDL cholesterol count. While my "bad" cholesterol level is very low, having a low HDL level can lead to heart disease. So this is why I have to eat salmon, which is fine, because I love salmon. I also need to exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Okay, will do as soon as my knee quits killing me.
2. For whatever reason, I had a higher than acceptable white blood cell count, which is why I had blood drawn again today so they can see if it has gone down. Fun, fun.
So that's my update! Stay tuned!
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