The summer I turned vegan
I went vegan this summer.
I tried to do it right, and got help from a professional dietician who made sure I’m getting all the right nutrients and emphasized the importance of protein at every meal. Did you know that there are protein-enriched breakfast cereals? And protein-enriched non-dairy milk? And protein-enriched pasta?? There’s a whole world of protein-related ingredients out there.
The transition to fully veganism was less difficult than I anticipated. I miss chicken and milk chocolate, but not red meat. I haven’t had to sit out any social engagements due to dietary requirements. My digestive system took some time to acclimatize, but overall I feel more energized and less lethargic after meals.
One of the best parts of going vegan is seeing others make more plant-based choices. My mom is having more vegan meals. We hosted Thanksgiving and my mom-in-law was supportive and enthusiastic—she even brought delicious vegan desserts. My beautiful and talented sister already eats a largely vegetarian diet. I think the biggest challenge will be my dad, who usually BBQs the same kind of meat every meal.
In case you want vegan meal ideas, here are my go-to’s these days:
Breakfast:
- Protein-enriched cereal with non-dairy milk
- Overnight oats (oats, ground flax, hemp seeds, chia seeds, raisins, and non-dairy milk)
- Smoothie with kale and protein powder
Lunch:
- Protein-enriched pasta with sauce and tempeh, chickpeas, lentils, or edamame
- Sandwich with smashed chickpeas, dill, and vegan mayo
Dinner:
- Korean Tofu Rice bowls (this is my favourite recipe)
- Vegan wellington (a lot of work but worth it)
- Chilled tofu with sushi rice (easy and delicious)
- Anything from Rainbow Plant Life
Snacks:
- Peanut butter and jam sandwich
- Nuts
- Go Macro bars
- Tony’s Chocolonely
If you try any of these recipes or products, I hope you enjoy them!
I’ve saved this part for last, because it felt odd to start the post with something that is often controversial: I went vegan for ethical reasons. I don’t want to support the meat and dairy industries, which are often, if not always, cruel. Is it possible to love animals and still eat them? The older I get, the more I think that no, it isn’t.
There are many things that society has taught us are ‘okay’ or ‘fine’, but that you realize later are anything but. To me, eating animals is one of those many things.
I don’t expect anyone else to make the same decision as me—I’m sharing my thoughts.