Now that my month of veganism is over, I can finally look back and analyze exactly what happened. To be honest, it really wasn't as bad as I was expecting. There were moments early on where I had cravings for certain foods, like soft drinks, sweets, and dairy products. But that only lasted for about two weeks, and after that, all cravings completely disappeared. Shoot... I'm done with veganism, and I still haven't had the hamburger or milkshake I was predicting I'd be jumping all over.
It was actually a weird experience going to a supermarket today, because now I have an unlimited choice of foods to pick from, and it's frightening. I about couldn't handle it today, so I resorted back to buying the "safe" foods I've been living off of for the past month. I feel like Tom Hanks' character from "Cast Away," where, after being on a deserted island for years, I'm resorting back to my old barbaric ways of eating now that I'm back in civilization. Just looking at a frozen pizza or package of hamburger meat sickens me. I don't think I can go back to that stuff after this experiment I just had.
But there will be some foods I'll go back to, like yogurt, cheese, fish, chicken, and eggs. I'll also buy cow milk again, but probably not as much as I used to. Soy milk wasn't as bad as I had first thought, so I'll be adding that to my diet occasionally. I'll also be eating more rice and bean dishes, and I'll definitely be eating more specialty breads. I've been hooked on dipping French-style breads into olive oil lately and eating it, which is something I never did prior to this experiment. And for snacks, I'll probably be eating more healthy foods than I ever did before. I've become so accustomed to eating dried fruits and nuts this month that it seems normal to me now.
So overall, I'll go back to being an omnivore but dabble in vegetarianism every now and then. It was good to try out veganism because it really forced me to think about what I was eating, which is something I've never done before. It really opened my eyes to other foods that are out there, and it made me more conscious of how other people live. But for my active lifestyle, veganism just isn't a good fit for me. I need to be putting certain nutrients in my body that I can only get through certain animal products. I probably lost a few pounds over the past month while trying this experiment out, which isn't a good thing when I'm already skinny to begin with.
Veganism was also socially difficult for me at times, and I really didn't care for that. As I mentioned before, in my home, I have no problem being a vegetarian or vegan, but when I'm outside of it interacting with others, I'm going to be an omnivore to avoid being the odd-man out. Besides, there are a lot of good foods out there in the world to try, and it'd be a wasted life not to experience some of these due to a strict vegan lifestyle.
Well, I guess that wraps it up for "The Vegan Diaries." For all of you out there who've been following along this month, I hope you enjoyed it and it gave you some new insights into a different way of living. I'll be taking a break from blogging for a while to figure out what my next challenge will be. So until next time, you all take good care of yourselves, enjoy life, and eat healthy!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 30: Mission Accomplished
Holy crap. I can't believe it.
I made it 30 days as a vegan.
At midnight tonight, it all comes to an end, and I can go back to living my life as a happy omnivore if I wish. To be honest, I've almost forgotten what it's like to be an omnivore. All the decadent foods I used to crave have now become distant memories. I've become comfortable living on the scant foods I've survived on this past month. I could literally keep going on with this vegan lifestyle if I really wanted.
So now that this experiment is over, what do I do now? Where do I go from here? Do I continue to be a vegan, or do I go back to my crazy omnivore ways? I think I'll sleep on it tonight and evaluate everything tomorrow. I'll let you know what I figure out.
I made it 30 days as a vegan.
At midnight tonight, it all comes to an end, and I can go back to living my life as a happy omnivore if I wish. To be honest, I've almost forgotten what it's like to be an omnivore. All the decadent foods I used to crave have now become distant memories. I've become comfortable living on the scant foods I've survived on this past month. I could literally keep going on with this vegan lifestyle if I really wanted.
So now that this experiment is over, what do I do now? Where do I go from here? Do I continue to be a vegan, or do I go back to my crazy omnivore ways? I think I'll sleep on it tonight and evaluate everything tomorrow. I'll let you know what I figure out.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 29: Vegan Wear
After making all these posts this month, I forgot to mention one other critical piece of the vegan puzzle: wearing the proper clothing. This is one area where I have gone astray and fallen off the vegan wagon several times. Just like the food you eat, your clothing is not supposed to be made up of any animal products. Hence, all leather and silk is bad. And you can't wear any of those beaver pelts you have stashed away in the closet, either. Sorry.
Clothing was just one of those things I didn't think much of this month. All my brain power was devoted towards the food portion of veganism, and I totally didn't stop to think that it carried over into things that are non-edible. Besides, if I hadn't worn a leather belt all this month, my pants would have fallen off, which would've been a real tragedy for everyone. In a strange way, veganism actually FORCED me to wear a belt and to support the leather industry. I was stuck in a vegan Catch-22.
Today, I honestly tried to make up for my lapses into leatherism. I started out not wearing a belt and went around barefoot throughout the house. But then I received a call from Obama headquarters to get my butt down to the street corner to hold signs and wave at motorists passing by because the local television crew was stopping by to film us (must be a slow news day in Chico). And it was drizzling outside, and I didn't want to get my running shoes wet. So... I went back to wearing my leather boots.
I know, I know. I'm not a worthy vegan. I should be wearing hemp everything and spend my entire existence looking like a bum. There's nothing stylish about being a vegan, which is not a great selling point if you really want to recruit new folks.
This vegan lifestyle is way too complicated. Maybe I'll just give up on clothing altogether and sit around my house naked. Oh, wait now... I just realized that the recliner I'm sitting in is made of leather as well.
Dang it.
Clothing was just one of those things I didn't think much of this month. All my brain power was devoted towards the food portion of veganism, and I totally didn't stop to think that it carried over into things that are non-edible. Besides, if I hadn't worn a leather belt all this month, my pants would have fallen off, which would've been a real tragedy for everyone. In a strange way, veganism actually FORCED me to wear a belt and to support the leather industry. I was stuck in a vegan Catch-22.
Today, I honestly tried to make up for my lapses into leatherism. I started out not wearing a belt and went around barefoot throughout the house. But then I received a call from Obama headquarters to get my butt down to the street corner to hold signs and wave at motorists passing by because the local television crew was stopping by to film us (must be a slow news day in Chico). And it was drizzling outside, and I didn't want to get my running shoes wet. So... I went back to wearing my leather boots.
I know, I know. I'm not a worthy vegan. I should be wearing hemp everything and spend my entire existence looking like a bum. There's nothing stylish about being a vegan, which is not a great selling point if you really want to recruit new folks.
This vegan lifestyle is way too complicated. Maybe I'll just give up on clothing altogether and sit around my house naked. Oh, wait now... I just realized that the recliner I'm sitting in is made of leather as well.
Dang it.
The Vegan Diaries, Day 28: Almost There
Two more days of this experiment and it's over.
Vanilla milkshake, here I come.
I realized tonight that I had a plethora of vegan provisions in my cabinets that needed to be cleared out. I've got lots of rice and beans, and a box of couscous hanging around. So I decided to use it to make some tabouleh for the first time, which turned out pretty good. I also made a pot of rice, but something must have gone awry. It turned into a nasty crunchy paste, perfect for sticking up wallpaper. So I ended up adding the rice to my ever expanding compost pile and resorted to eating pinto beans instead.
Good ol' pinto beans... the gift that keeps on giving.
Vanilla milkshake, here I come.
I realized tonight that I had a plethora of vegan provisions in my cabinets that needed to be cleared out. I've got lots of rice and beans, and a box of couscous hanging around. So I decided to use it to make some tabouleh for the first time, which turned out pretty good. I also made a pot of rice, but something must have gone awry. It turned into a nasty crunchy paste, perfect for sticking up wallpaper. So I ended up adding the rice to my ever expanding compost pile and resorted to eating pinto beans instead.
Good ol' pinto beans... the gift that keeps on giving.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 27: A Big Bunch of Nothing
No vegan news worth commenting upon today, folks. Sorry. I'll try to make up for it tomorrow by eating some twigs and bark outside.
The Vegan Diaries, Day 26: Barack-O-Rama
Saturday was a whirlwind day devoted to all things Obama. From 10 am to 6 pm, I was helping make 100,000 calls to voters throughout all of California. I called 27 people... just a hair shy of the 100,000 mark. But California overall did reach its 100,000 call goal, thus setting a new world record for making the most annoying political calls in one day.
I was concerned that the Seven Deadly Sins of Veganism might be present at the phone banking party: fried chicken, doughnuts, pizza, cheese, more pizza, cake, and ice cream. However, someone must have been looking out for me, because almost every consumable present at the party was vegan-safe. There were tangerines, nuts, chips and salsa, carrots, and V8 juice. I couldn't believe it. I downed two cups of V8 and gorged myself on nuts the entire time, then made a few peanut butter sandwiches from supplies I smuggled in. Another vegan crisis averted.
That evening, I attended an Obama party to celebrate his big win in South Carolina. It had a Mardi Gras theme, which concerned me as well since most food for Mardi Gras contains some sort of animal product in it. I happened to find some circles that had been punched out of the centers of slices of bread... they looked pretty safe. One lady got mad that I wasn't eating more, so I told her my dilemma. She then pointed out a plate of sandwiches that were vegan-friendly, containing hummus, carrots, cabbage, and some other unidentifiable stuff. So I took her word for it and loaded up on several of those along with a few beers.
I don't know how the other candidates' parties fare for vegans, but Obama certainly gets my vegan vote.
I was concerned that the Seven Deadly Sins of Veganism might be present at the phone banking party: fried chicken, doughnuts, pizza, cheese, more pizza, cake, and ice cream. However, someone must have been looking out for me, because almost every consumable present at the party was vegan-safe. There were tangerines, nuts, chips and salsa, carrots, and V8 juice. I couldn't believe it. I downed two cups of V8 and gorged myself on nuts the entire time, then made a few peanut butter sandwiches from supplies I smuggled in. Another vegan crisis averted.
That evening, I attended an Obama party to celebrate his big win in South Carolina. It had a Mardi Gras theme, which concerned me as well since most food for Mardi Gras contains some sort of animal product in it. I happened to find some circles that had been punched out of the centers of slices of bread... they looked pretty safe. One lady got mad that I wasn't eating more, so I told her my dilemma. She then pointed out a plate of sandwiches that were vegan-friendly, containing hummus, carrots, cabbage, and some other unidentifiable stuff. So I took her word for it and loaded up on several of those along with a few beers.
I don't know how the other candidates' parties fare for vegans, but Obama certainly gets my vegan vote.
Friday, January 25, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 25: Corn in the U.S.A.
So my roommate has been raving like a lunatic these past few days about corn. He's been reading "Omnivore's Dilemma" and tells me that corn is present in almost everything we eat. I'll take his word for it, considering I still haven't made it past the introduction of the book (it's been a long wine drinking party).
Anyway, my roommate is reading the labels on everything now and freaking out every time he finds corn: MSG, ascorbic acid, maltodextrin, glucose syrup, and on and on and on. But personally, I don't see what the big deal is.
I'm a vegan (at least I am for the next 5 days). I make my own meals using whole foods. I know exactly what's being put into my food, and it's not corn. Not to say that there's anything wrong with corn... I love corn to death. But as far as hidden ingredients, there aren't any.
For example, tonight I wanted to make a pizza. I went to the store to buy some pizza dough, but they were all sold out. So, I went home and made my own dough using just yeast, flour, water, salt, and olive oil. That's it. Since my house is so cold, I had to be creative and put the dough above a heating vent on the floor so it would rise, and it worked like a charm. I then threw fresh vegetables on top of it, threw it in the oven, and had an all-natural corn-free pizza.
So, if you don't want to turn into a label-reading neurotic, just make everything using whole foods. It may take you more time to prepare food, but at least you know what you're consuming.
Anyway, my roommate is reading the labels on everything now and freaking out every time he finds corn: MSG, ascorbic acid, maltodextrin, glucose syrup, and on and on and on. But personally, I don't see what the big deal is.
I'm a vegan (at least I am for the next 5 days). I make my own meals using whole foods. I know exactly what's being put into my food, and it's not corn. Not to say that there's anything wrong with corn... I love corn to death. But as far as hidden ingredients, there aren't any.
For example, tonight I wanted to make a pizza. I went to the store to buy some pizza dough, but they were all sold out. So, I went home and made my own dough using just yeast, flour, water, salt, and olive oil. That's it. Since my house is so cold, I had to be creative and put the dough above a heating vent on the floor so it would rise, and it worked like a charm. I then threw fresh vegetables on top of it, threw it in the oven, and had an all-natural corn-free pizza.
So, if you don't want to turn into a label-reading neurotic, just make everything using whole foods. It may take you more time to prepare food, but at least you know what you're consuming.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 24: Night at the Movies
Well, this has been a rather depressing evening.
After working out at the gym and nearly passing out after running, I was about ready to throw in the vegan towel. I think the lack of fat and protein-laden foods is screwing with my endurance. I feel like I don't have the energy to do the physical activities I used to, and it's starting to make me spacey in the head. Or it could be the cold I'm recovering from right now... hard to say.
But then I watched a few online videos tonight that vegans/vegetarians have mentioned in the past, and I started to reconsider my thoughts about going back to meat. The first was called Meet Your Meat, and it was produced by the folks at PeTA. It's a propaganda film that shows hidden camera footage of cattle, chickens, pigs and other animals getting abused and slaughtered. I wouldn't recommend it as a date movie. They did a great job at picking Alec Baldwin for the narration. With his intense persuasive voice, you feel like he's going to come and kick your ass if you don't listen to him. Hillary Clinton should use him for some of her attack ads in South Carolina this week.
And as if this evening couldn't get any more depressing, I watched the film Earthlings, which is a 90+ minute documentary on (surprise) more animal torture and murder. Dang... I really must be a glutton for punishment. It drags for the first 10 minutes with excessive exposition and Joaquin Phoenix's lousy narration. It sounds like he just got out of bed and phoned in this performance. But then it starts showing disturbing images similar to the ones in "Meet Your Meat." What affected me the most was the footage of the live dog they throw into the back of a garbage truck, and you see it getting crushed to death. Once again, definitely not a date movie.
So after watching these two depressing videos, I now feel like I'm going to hell if I ever eat meat again. And I want to eat meat again, because I feel like I need it for proper nutrition. What am I supposed to do now? Is it possible to find meat distributors that slaughter animals humanely? Is there such a thing as humane slaughtering?
After such a depressing evening, I had to end it by watching the Simpson's film Meat and You, starring Troy McClure. Definitely a much happier film than the previous selections.
After working out at the gym and nearly passing out after running, I was about ready to throw in the vegan towel. I think the lack of fat and protein-laden foods is screwing with my endurance. I feel like I don't have the energy to do the physical activities I used to, and it's starting to make me spacey in the head. Or it could be the cold I'm recovering from right now... hard to say.
But then I watched a few online videos tonight that vegans/vegetarians have mentioned in the past, and I started to reconsider my thoughts about going back to meat. The first was called Meet Your Meat, and it was produced by the folks at PeTA. It's a propaganda film that shows hidden camera footage of cattle, chickens, pigs and other animals getting abused and slaughtered. I wouldn't recommend it as a date movie. They did a great job at picking Alec Baldwin for the narration. With his intense persuasive voice, you feel like he's going to come and kick your ass if you don't listen to him. Hillary Clinton should use him for some of her attack ads in South Carolina this week.
And as if this evening couldn't get any more depressing, I watched the film Earthlings, which is a 90+ minute documentary on (surprise) more animal torture and murder. Dang... I really must be a glutton for punishment. It drags for the first 10 minutes with excessive exposition and Joaquin Phoenix's lousy narration. It sounds like he just got out of bed and phoned in this performance. But then it starts showing disturbing images similar to the ones in "Meet Your Meat." What affected me the most was the footage of the live dog they throw into the back of a garbage truck, and you see it getting crushed to death. Once again, definitely not a date movie.
So after watching these two depressing videos, I now feel like I'm going to hell if I ever eat meat again. And I want to eat meat again, because I feel like I need it for proper nutrition. What am I supposed to do now? Is it possible to find meat distributors that slaughter animals humanely? Is there such a thing as humane slaughtering?
After such a depressing evening, I had to end it by watching the Simpson's film Meat and You, starring Troy McClure. Definitely a much happier film than the previous selections.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 23: Vegan Omnibus
I came across this video today that sums up my thoughts exactly about veganism. Definitely check it out.
I also came across two subsets of vegan culture that I'd never heard of before: fruitarians and raw foodists. Fruitarians will not eat plants that end up being destroyed if they are consumed. For example, eating an apple is acceptable because the apple tree isn't destroyed, but eating an onion is unacceptable since you have to destroy the entire onion plant to eat it. And then there are raw foodists who (surprise!) only eat raw food. They forbid cooking since it removes many of the natural enzymes.
Personally, I think going vegan is extreme enough. Why make eating even more difficult for yourself? Besides, do you really want to tell people you're a "fruitarian" or "raw foodist?" You might as well hang a big "Kick Me" sign around your neck.
This morning, I tried some Rice Milk on my Weetabix for the first time. It wasn't my favorite, but it's not terrible. It's like drinking slightly sweetened water that has the same cloudy appearance as skim milk. Now I'm starting to wonder if there's anything they CAN'T extract milk from. What's next? Corn milk? (Please don't tell me there IS a corn milk. I think I might die.)
I also cooked raw beets for the first time tonight. I kept thinking my hands were bleeding while cutting them, but it was just the beet juice staining everything. I made a Harvard Beet recipe by adding vinegar, sugar, and some raisins, and they turned out really good. People have warned me that I'll be peeing pink now since I ate some beets. Wow... veganism doesn't get any more exciting than that.
I also came across two subsets of vegan culture that I'd never heard of before: fruitarians and raw foodists. Fruitarians will not eat plants that end up being destroyed if they are consumed. For example, eating an apple is acceptable because the apple tree isn't destroyed, but eating an onion is unacceptable since you have to destroy the entire onion plant to eat it. And then there are raw foodists who (surprise!) only eat raw food. They forbid cooking since it removes many of the natural enzymes.
Personally, I think going vegan is extreme enough. Why make eating even more difficult for yourself? Besides, do you really want to tell people you're a "fruitarian" or "raw foodist?" You might as well hang a big "Kick Me" sign around your neck.
This morning, I tried some Rice Milk on my Weetabix for the first time. It wasn't my favorite, but it's not terrible. It's like drinking slightly sweetened water that has the same cloudy appearance as skim milk. Now I'm starting to wonder if there's anything they CAN'T extract milk from. What's next? Corn milk? (Please don't tell me there IS a corn milk. I think I might die.)
I also cooked raw beets for the first time tonight. I kept thinking my hands were bleeding while cutting them, but it was just the beet juice staining everything. I made a Harvard Beet recipe by adding vinegar, sugar, and some raisins, and they turned out really good. People have warned me that I'll be peeing pink now since I ate some beets. Wow... veganism doesn't get any more exciting than that.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 22: Hungry for Change
I've finally figured out my problem.
Barack Obama is making me skinny.
It seems like anytime I try to help the guy out with his campaign, I end up not eating. Tonight, I had to rush over to Obama Headquarters because there was someone from the local television station filming us making phone calls. I didn't have time to eat a big meal, so I brought some dried fruit and a new item I wanted to try: soy yogurt. I was quite pleased with Trader Joe's strawberry soy yogurt... it tasted very close to regular dairy yogurt. However, it wasn't nearly enough to keep me filled, so when I came home tonight, I force-fed myself beans and spaghetti to stay alive.
I'm OK now. I don't think I'll die.
GRITS UPDATE! Today I had the official "Grits-Off" to see which brand of grits was the hands-down winner. I first tried Trader Joe's Grits, which suspiciously came precooked in a tube, similar to how sausage and hamburger meat are packaged. I squeezed it out into a bowl, but it was so congealed that it wouldn't flatten out, even after chopping it up and heating it in the microwave. Grits should be slightly on the runny side, not solid slabs of white rubbery goo. It affected its taste, which was average at best.
I then tried the generic store brand version of grits that I purchased at WinCo. I made it the traditional way by cooking it over the stove, and boy howdy, it made all the difference. They were spectacular! Which goes to show you that you can't always improve on how some foods are made. Sometimes you just have to do things the old fashioned way.
Barack Obama is making me skinny.
It seems like anytime I try to help the guy out with his campaign, I end up not eating. Tonight, I had to rush over to Obama Headquarters because there was someone from the local television station filming us making phone calls. I didn't have time to eat a big meal, so I brought some dried fruit and a new item I wanted to try: soy yogurt. I was quite pleased with Trader Joe's strawberry soy yogurt... it tasted very close to regular dairy yogurt. However, it wasn't nearly enough to keep me filled, so when I came home tonight, I force-fed myself beans and spaghetti to stay alive.
I'm OK now. I don't think I'll die.
GRITS UPDATE! Today I had the official "Grits-Off" to see which brand of grits was the hands-down winner. I first tried Trader Joe's Grits, which suspiciously came precooked in a tube, similar to how sausage and hamburger meat are packaged. I squeezed it out into a bowl, but it was so congealed that it wouldn't flatten out, even after chopping it up and heating it in the microwave. Grits should be slightly on the runny side, not solid slabs of white rubbery goo. It affected its taste, which was average at best.
I then tried the generic store brand version of grits that I purchased at WinCo. I made it the traditional way by cooking it over the stove, and boy howdy, it made all the difference. They were spectacular! Which goes to show you that you can't always improve on how some foods are made. Sometimes you just have to do things the old fashioned way.
Monday, January 21, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 21: Wardrobe Malfunction
My pants are starting to fall off.
This is not good.
I obviously didn't get enough calories in me these past few days while running around Nevada helping with the Obama campaign. Now I'm starting to look like this guy... minus the banjo, of course. Well, maybe I should look on the bright side... with my pants dragging off of my ass, maybe I'll fit in with all the kids now days.
I better start getting more food in me or I'll fade away like Karen Carpenter. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen with this vegan experiment, and it's happening. I figured with all the carbs I was eating from fruits and breads, I would have actually gained weight. That Dr. Atkins didn't know what he was talking about.
My friend Jennifer felt sorry for me tonight and cooked me a vegan meal consisting of a vegan chicken sandwich and some beans, which were both very delicious. But now I'm hungry again, so I'm going to go forage around in the kitchen and load up on peanut butter. I feel like a cow all the time now, having to graze on food every hour or so. I was not expecting any of this from going vegan.
Well, maybe this "Omnivore's Dilemma" book will shed some light on my situation. I made it through the introduction today, and then skipped straight to the wine drinking. It sounds like it'll be an interesting read, but hopefully it won't scare the crap out of me like that "Fast Food Nation" book did a few years back. I don't like these food paranoia books. When did food become so deadly all of a sudden? I bet it has something to do with 9/11 and the terrorists.
All these books on what I'm supposed to eat remind me of the nutritional programs I had to watch in school as a kid... especially those featuring Slim Goodbody, running around naked in his flesh-colored leotard showing all of his internal body organs to the world. He was quite creepy, and it probably scarred me for life. But he taught me all about the Food Pyramid. If it takes a guy with an afro singing songs about his guts to teach me about proper nutrition, then I guess it was worth it.
This is not good.
I obviously didn't get enough calories in me these past few days while running around Nevada helping with the Obama campaign. Now I'm starting to look like this guy... minus the banjo, of course. Well, maybe I should look on the bright side... with my pants dragging off of my ass, maybe I'll fit in with all the kids now days.
I better start getting more food in me or I'll fade away like Karen Carpenter. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen with this vegan experiment, and it's happening. I figured with all the carbs I was eating from fruits and breads, I would have actually gained weight. That Dr. Atkins didn't know what he was talking about.
My friend Jennifer felt sorry for me tonight and cooked me a vegan meal consisting of a vegan chicken sandwich and some beans, which were both very delicious. But now I'm hungry again, so I'm going to go forage around in the kitchen and load up on peanut butter. I feel like a cow all the time now, having to graze on food every hour or so. I was not expecting any of this from going vegan.
Well, maybe this "Omnivore's Dilemma" book will shed some light on my situation. I made it through the introduction today, and then skipped straight to the wine drinking. It sounds like it'll be an interesting read, but hopefully it won't scare the crap out of me like that "Fast Food Nation" book did a few years back. I don't like these food paranoia books. When did food become so deadly all of a sudden? I bet it has something to do with 9/11 and the terrorists.
All these books on what I'm supposed to eat remind me of the nutritional programs I had to watch in school as a kid... especially those featuring Slim Goodbody, running around naked in his flesh-colored leotard showing all of his internal body organs to the world. He was quite creepy, and it probably scarred me for life. But he taught me all about the Food Pyramid. If it takes a guy with an afro singing songs about his guts to teach me about proper nutrition, then I guess it was worth it.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 20: Missing Food
Now that I'm back at Vegan Headquarters, I can eat well again and not worry about how other people perceive me. The only problem is, anytime I return from a trip, some of my food mysteriously disappears.
The day before I left, I had bought a giant loaf of Focaccia bread. I had cut off a small sliver to taste it, and it was wonderful. I was thinking happy thoughts about Focaccia all the time in Reno, and couldn't wait to get back to it. When I returned home late last night, I went over to the kitchen counter to make myself a tasty sandwich.
But to my horror, the Focaccia was gone!
I asked my roommates today what happened to the Focaccia, and they said they didn't know... they thought I had taken it with me to Reno. I know for a fact that there was no Focaccia in my bag the entire time, which leads me to suspect that someone isn't fessing up to swiping the Focaccia.
I've got a real Focaccia mystery on my hands here, folks. I checked for evidence in the trash cans, and found no sign of a crumpled bread bag. So the Focaccia consumption had to have occurred off of the local premises. I've ruled out that the two cats in this house had anything to do with it, because the cats don't like bread and they don't have opposable thumbs to haul the bread away. Raccoons, however, are a possibility. Every ten days or so, a pack of raccoons comes around with their creepy little paws and stare at me through the plate glass of the back door. One possibly could have crawled through the cat door and swiped the bread, but that's a stretch. Plus, I've checked the scene of the crime, and found no evidence of little paw prints.
Another possible culprit may have been the minor earthquake that occurred here on Saturday. The force could have been strong enough to throw the Focaccia bread out the window, and birds could have pecked it apart. Or, a giant fissure might have opened up on the kitchen counter, sucking the Focaccia bread into it, and then closed up without a trace.
Looks like I better invest in a padlock to protect all my food. We vegans don't have that much food to eat to begin with, and when someone (or something) takes our food, it's a threat to our survival. Oh, I'll get to the bottom of this Focaccia mystery, and when I do, there will be hell to pay.
The day before I left, I had bought a giant loaf of Focaccia bread. I had cut off a small sliver to taste it, and it was wonderful. I was thinking happy thoughts about Focaccia all the time in Reno, and couldn't wait to get back to it. When I returned home late last night, I went over to the kitchen counter to make myself a tasty sandwich.
But to my horror, the Focaccia was gone!
I asked my roommates today what happened to the Focaccia, and they said they didn't know... they thought I had taken it with me to Reno. I know for a fact that there was no Focaccia in my bag the entire time, which leads me to suspect that someone isn't fessing up to swiping the Focaccia.
I've got a real Focaccia mystery on my hands here, folks. I checked for evidence in the trash cans, and found no sign of a crumpled bread bag. So the Focaccia consumption had to have occurred off of the local premises. I've ruled out that the two cats in this house had anything to do with it, because the cats don't like bread and they don't have opposable thumbs to haul the bread away. Raccoons, however, are a possibility. Every ten days or so, a pack of raccoons comes around with their creepy little paws and stare at me through the plate glass of the back door. One possibly could have crawled through the cat door and swiped the bread, but that's a stretch. Plus, I've checked the scene of the crime, and found no evidence of little paw prints.
Another possible culprit may have been the minor earthquake that occurred here on Saturday. The force could have been strong enough to throw the Focaccia bread out the window, and birds could have pecked it apart. Or, a giant fissure might have opened up on the kitchen counter, sucking the Focaccia bread into it, and then closed up without a trace.
Looks like I better invest in a padlock to protect all my food. We vegans don't have that much food to eat to begin with, and when someone (or something) takes our food, it's a threat to our survival. Oh, I'll get to the bottom of this Focaccia mystery, and when I do, there will be hell to pay.
The Vegan Diaries, Days 17, 18 and 19: Reno 911
Well, it was just as I feared.
Reno was a vegan death trap.
After spending these past three days spreading Obama's message to the people of Nevada, I had little time to eat. I was knocking on doors and making phone calls to people non-stop, and my stomach just kept growling louder and louder. Luckily, I had packed an emergency kit containing the following vegan staples: peanut butter, bagels, pita bread, apples, oranges, juice, and dried fruit. This saved my hide the entire time in Reno. Without it, I would have been a goner.
For example, on Thursday evening, my friend and I didn't make it back to our hotel in Reno until 9 pm, and the only place nearby that was open was Mel's Drive-In, which is known for its fine selection of tasty animal products that are gastronomically bad for you. So while my friend gleefully ate his juicy, mouth-watering cheeseburger, I ate a plate of fries, the only food inside that entire place that was safe for vegans.
I used to make fun of fry-chomping vegans and vegetarians. Now I was that very object of my own ridicule.
Ain't irony a bitch.
Friday night didn't go any smoother. After working a long day, the Obama staff wanted to treat us all to some pizzas. Then my friend had to blow my cover and blab to everyone how I was a vegan despite my constant threats for him to shut up, thus making the Obama staff really confused about what to do. So I finally just told them to not worry about me and get whatever they wanted. So while everyone was licking their fingers on Kentucky Fried Chicken, I was huddled in the corner eating an orange. However, the staff felt sorry for my situation and bought some corn on the cob for me. I was quite grateful.
This vegan thing isn't all it's cracked up to be when you have to travel. You're constantly having to carry around picnic supplies with you, and people think you're some big weirdo. Earlier in this blog, I mentioned how there are varying levels or degrees of vegetarianism/veganism. For me, I think I will ultimately become a "Home Vegetarian," where I'll try to be a vegetarian when I'm cooking for myself at home. But when it comes to traveling or eating out...I'm living it up, baby!
Reno was a vegan death trap.
After spending these past three days spreading Obama's message to the people of Nevada, I had little time to eat. I was knocking on doors and making phone calls to people non-stop, and my stomach just kept growling louder and louder. Luckily, I had packed an emergency kit containing the following vegan staples: peanut butter, bagels, pita bread, apples, oranges, juice, and dried fruit. This saved my hide the entire time in Reno. Without it, I would have been a goner.
For example, on Thursday evening, my friend and I didn't make it back to our hotel in Reno until 9 pm, and the only place nearby that was open was Mel's Drive-In, which is known for its fine selection of tasty animal products that are gastronomically bad for you. So while my friend gleefully ate his juicy, mouth-watering cheeseburger, I ate a plate of fries, the only food inside that entire place that was safe for vegans.
I used to make fun of fry-chomping vegans and vegetarians. Now I was that very object of my own ridicule.
Ain't irony a bitch.
Friday night didn't go any smoother. After working a long day, the Obama staff wanted to treat us all to some pizzas. Then my friend had to blow my cover and blab to everyone how I was a vegan despite my constant threats for him to shut up, thus making the Obama staff really confused about what to do. So I finally just told them to not worry about me and get whatever they wanted. So while everyone was licking their fingers on Kentucky Fried Chicken, I was huddled in the corner eating an orange. However, the staff felt sorry for my situation and bought some corn on the cob for me. I was quite grateful.
This vegan thing isn't all it's cracked up to be when you have to travel. You're constantly having to carry around picnic supplies with you, and people think you're some big weirdo. Earlier in this blog, I mentioned how there are varying levels or degrees of vegetarianism/veganism. For me, I think I will ultimately become a "Home Vegetarian," where I'll try to be a vegetarian when I'm cooking for myself at home. But when it comes to traveling or eating out...I'm living it up, baby!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 16: Brian's Book Club
I've noticed a certain book that's been making the rounds lately. I went home for Christmas, and my sister was reading it. Several friends I know have just bought it. And my roommate, who has never cooked a home meal in his life, bought it on Sunday and was rubbing it in my face that he had it. I don't know what is going on lately... maybe aliens are sending subliminal messages to everyone to buy this book, and before they know it, they'll be sculpting the Devil's Tower out of their mashed potatoes.
So what is this book, you ask. It's called "Omnivore's Dilemma" and it's written by a fellow named Michael Pollan. For two weeks now, I've tried to check this book out from the library, but all 10 copies have always been out...until today. Today, I found a copy, so now I can finally see what cryptic message the aliens are trying to tell us. The cover has some nice looking grapes, an egg, a mushroom, and possibly some sugar cane on it. It's making me hungry just looking at it. My dilemma is whether or not I'm supposed to read this thing or just eat it.
So now that I finally have this book in my tight clutches, I'm starting my own book club today. If Oprah can have a book club, then so can I. You see, Oprah and I are alike in a lot of ways. She's from Chicago... so am I. She's got a media empire... so do I. She doesn't read her books... neither do I. For all you who want to join my exclusive book club, all you have to do is buy the book, and I'll send you a special "B" sticker to put on the front to signify that you're a member. It's that easy!
Now for Monday, your assignment is to read the first four chapters. We'll be discussing them in detail, so I want to hear a report back from each of you as I sit here sipping wine pretending that I read the book. I just love book clubs.
GRITS UPDATE!!!! Good news, everyone! Grits were found at WinCo today! Real hominy grits! Last week when I checked, there were no grits. I guess there was a run on grits while all the storms were going through last week. I also found "gourmet" grits at Trader Joe's yesterday... they're precooked. I'll be having a "Grit-Off" next week to determine who makes the best grits.
I also tried some new foods out today. For breakfast, I finally got rid of that nightmare "Soy Dream" gag water and opened a box of Trader Joe's Chocolate Soy Milk. It is very tasty! I poured it on my granola this morning and have been drinking the stuff all night like it's liquid candy.
For dinner, I made a vegetarian pizza without cheese. I added some dried tomatoes for the first time, and it really made the taste jump out. Olives and spinach also gave it a great taste. I wanted to use pesto sauce for this pizza, but every pesto sauce I've seen has parmesan cheese in it, which is off-limits for vegans. So I had to settle for tomato sauce instead, which was still fine.
These next few days I'll be in Reno working for the Barack Obama campaign. They want me to help "Get Out the Caucus," which sounds like a bad slogan for Ex-Lax. Anyway, I'm packing up a lot of food like a prospector about to head off into the wild. I don't know what vegan dangers await me in Reno, so I'm coming prepared this time. I'll keep you posted on how things go.
So what is this book, you ask. It's called "Omnivore's Dilemma" and it's written by a fellow named Michael Pollan. For two weeks now, I've tried to check this book out from the library, but all 10 copies have always been out...until today. Today, I found a copy, so now I can finally see what cryptic message the aliens are trying to tell us. The cover has some nice looking grapes, an egg, a mushroom, and possibly some sugar cane on it. It's making me hungry just looking at it. My dilemma is whether or not I'm supposed to read this thing or just eat it.
So now that I finally have this book in my tight clutches, I'm starting my own book club today. If Oprah can have a book club, then so can I. You see, Oprah and I are alike in a lot of ways. She's from Chicago... so am I. She's got a media empire... so do I. She doesn't read her books... neither do I. For all you who want to join my exclusive book club, all you have to do is buy the book, and I'll send you a special "B" sticker to put on the front to signify that you're a member. It's that easy!
Now for Monday, your assignment is to read the first four chapters. We'll be discussing them in detail, so I want to hear a report back from each of you as I sit here sipping wine pretending that I read the book. I just love book clubs.
GRITS UPDATE!!!! Good news, everyone! Grits were found at WinCo today! Real hominy grits! Last week when I checked, there were no grits. I guess there was a run on grits while all the storms were going through last week. I also found "gourmet" grits at Trader Joe's yesterday... they're precooked. I'll be having a "Grit-Off" next week to determine who makes the best grits.
I also tried some new foods out today. For breakfast, I finally got rid of that nightmare "Soy Dream" gag water and opened a box of Trader Joe's Chocolate Soy Milk. It is very tasty! I poured it on my granola this morning and have been drinking the stuff all night like it's liquid candy.
For dinner, I made a vegetarian pizza without cheese. I added some dried tomatoes for the first time, and it really made the taste jump out. Olives and spinach also gave it a great taste. I wanted to use pesto sauce for this pizza, but every pesto sauce I've seen has parmesan cheese in it, which is off-limits for vegans. So I had to settle for tomato sauce instead, which was still fine.
These next few days I'll be in Reno working for the Barack Obama campaign. They want me to help "Get Out the Caucus," which sounds like a bad slogan for Ex-Lax. Anyway, I'm packing up a lot of food like a prospector about to head off into the wild. I don't know what vegan dangers await me in Reno, so I'm coming prepared this time. I'll keep you posted on how things go.
Monday, January 14, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 14: Vegan Surprise
Today started out on the wrong foot. I tried something new out for breakfast—corn grits. Now, I like my grits like any other Southerner out there. And I was looking forward to eating these grits for over a week now. But the grits I had this morning were very un-grit worthy. I've been to several stores in Chico and was only able to find grits in the bulk foods aisle. And they were YELLOW corn grits and not the white ones which used to. Hoo-boy. It was quite an ordeal eating these gag-inducing grits, even despite the amount of vegan butter I dumped into them. Guess I should've added ketchup.
The rest of the day didn't get any better. It was more leftovers to finish off, and I felt all spacey in the head while running in the park today, which makes me think I'm still not getting enough calories in me. I think I need a bean I.V. hooked up to my arm at all times.
But everything changed tonight at the Grocery Outlet, the last place I would expect a miracle. The Grocery Outlet is the cheapest supermarket in town. Most of their food is questionable and has expiration dates going back a few years, but every now and then you'll find that diamond in the rough that you just can't believe is there. I found my diamond in the frozen food aisle. There it was, right in front of me: soy ice cream! Oh, how I've been craving ice cream for two weeks now! And they actually had a non-ice cream ice cream that I could eat! For dirt cheap! Oh, hallelujah!
I took home a pint of "It's Soy Delicious" (yes, that's the unbelievably gay name of this product) Vanilla Fudge Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert and put it through the rigors of my own personal Consumer Reports testing. For smoothness, it gets an "Excellent." For smell, it receives another "Excellent." But for taste, however, it only gets an "Average." As a soy dessert, it's probably not bad, but it just can't compete with the real thing. You can bet your money that on Day 31 when the experiment is officially over, you'll find me binge eating milkshakes all day.
The rest of the day didn't get any better. It was more leftovers to finish off, and I felt all spacey in the head while running in the park today, which makes me think I'm still not getting enough calories in me. I think I need a bean I.V. hooked up to my arm at all times.
But everything changed tonight at the Grocery Outlet, the last place I would expect a miracle. The Grocery Outlet is the cheapest supermarket in town. Most of their food is questionable and has expiration dates going back a few years, but every now and then you'll find that diamond in the rough that you just can't believe is there. I found my diamond in the frozen food aisle. There it was, right in front of me: soy ice cream! Oh, how I've been craving ice cream for two weeks now! And they actually had a non-ice cream ice cream that I could eat! For dirt cheap! Oh, hallelujah!
I took home a pint of "It's Soy Delicious" (yes, that's the unbelievably gay name of this product) Vanilla Fudge Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert and put it through the rigors of my own personal Consumer Reports testing. For smoothness, it gets an "Excellent." For smell, it receives another "Excellent." But for taste, however, it only gets an "Average." As a soy dessert, it's probably not bad, but it just can't compete with the real thing. You can bet your money that on Day 31 when the experiment is officially over, you'll find me binge eating milkshakes all day.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 13: Vegan Prayer
I went to church today for the first time in who knows how long. I prayed for the Lord to take away all the food that I couldn't eat, and give it to all the starving kids in third-world countries so they could get all nice and fat.
But I don't think God listened to my prayer. While working at the Obama phone bank today, my volunteer leaders went out and bought several pepperoni pizzas for everyone.
And I couldn't eat any of it.
Why, Lord? Why do you like to torture me so much? Is this payback for cracking on your lousy bread recipe from Ezekiel 4:9? Look, I apologize if you were offended, but honestly, have you tasted that stuff? It's blander than a stack of rice cakes. All I'm asking for is a little flavor, Lord. Is that a sin?
But I don't think God listened to my prayer. While working at the Obama phone bank today, my volunteer leaders went out and bought several pepperoni pizzas for everyone.
And I couldn't eat any of it.
Why, Lord? Why do you like to torture me so much? Is this payback for cracking on your lousy bread recipe from Ezekiel 4:9? Look, I apologize if you were offended, but honestly, have you tasted that stuff? It's blander than a stack of rice cakes. All I'm asking for is a little flavor, Lord. Is that a sin?
Saturday, January 12, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 12: Restaurant Paranoia
I was down in Sacramento today to participate in training at Camp Obama. With a name like Camp Obama, I figured there'd be a campfire there where we'd roast marshmallows and tell spooky stories about Hillary Clinton. Nope... it was all about learning how to be a sleazy telemarketer and remind voters to show up to their primaries/caucuses. Suddenly, grass roots campaigning isn't as exciting as I had originally imagined.
I knew I'd be in a sticky situation around lunch time when my group of fellow volunteers would find a place to eat, so I brought a backpack filled with vegan provisions. I figured they'd probably stop at some fast food joint and I could just bring in my food. Wrong again. They wanted to eat at a nice restaurant in Sacramento, so on the walk over to Cafe Bernardo's, I was really starting to panic. Oh dear Lord, please let there be something I can eat so I don't look like a social outcast. Oh please oh please oh please!
When I got inside, I started looking at the overhead menu, and I really started sweating. Everything had cheese in it! Or meat! I couldn't escape them! Even all the salads had cheese on them! Oh no! What was I going to do? But I finally found one item on the list that made me sigh relief: tofu scramble. It didn't sound very appealing, but it was the only choice I had. Tofu scramble it was.
I'm suddenly realizing that no matter what you do with tofu, it still tastes like nothing. My tofu scramble had the appearance of scrambled eggs when it came out to me, and in my brain, I was expecting the taste of some scrumptious eggs. But it was nowhere close to being eggs. It was a plate of scrambled nothing, with onions and bell peppers mixed into it. If it wasn't for the side of browned potatoes, I'd be hurting. But once again, my old friend ketchup came to the rescue. Yes sir. When all else fails, load on the ketchup.
So, happily, my vegan cover wasn't blown at the restaurant, and I didn't become the social outcast that I had feared. Crisis averted! But then during the ride home, one lady kept offering me some string cheese to eat, and I looked at her in horror like she was some coke dealer on the street. Aaaaah! Just say no! Just say no! Where are you, Nancy Reagan, when I need you?
I knew I'd be in a sticky situation around lunch time when my group of fellow volunteers would find a place to eat, so I brought a backpack filled with vegan provisions. I figured they'd probably stop at some fast food joint and I could just bring in my food. Wrong again. They wanted to eat at a nice restaurant in Sacramento, so on the walk over to Cafe Bernardo's, I was really starting to panic. Oh dear Lord, please let there be something I can eat so I don't look like a social outcast. Oh please oh please oh please!
When I got inside, I started looking at the overhead menu, and I really started sweating. Everything had cheese in it! Or meat! I couldn't escape them! Even all the salads had cheese on them! Oh no! What was I going to do? But I finally found one item on the list that made me sigh relief: tofu scramble. It didn't sound very appealing, but it was the only choice I had. Tofu scramble it was.
I'm suddenly realizing that no matter what you do with tofu, it still tastes like nothing. My tofu scramble had the appearance of scrambled eggs when it came out to me, and in my brain, I was expecting the taste of some scrumptious eggs. But it was nowhere close to being eggs. It was a plate of scrambled nothing, with onions and bell peppers mixed into it. If it wasn't for the side of browned potatoes, I'd be hurting. But once again, my old friend ketchup came to the rescue. Yes sir. When all else fails, load on the ketchup.
So, happily, my vegan cover wasn't blown at the restaurant, and I didn't become the social outcast that I had feared. Crisis averted! But then during the ride home, one lady kept offering me some string cheese to eat, and I looked at her in horror like she was some coke dealer on the street. Aaaaah! Just say no! Just say no! Where are you, Nancy Reagan, when I need you?
Friday, January 11, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 11: Leftovers...and Over...and Over
Today I realized that my refrigerator was suddenly filled with too many leftovers from past vegan experiments, so I had to do some house cleaning. So for lunch, it was stir fry and rice, and for dinner it was shepherd's pie. I found out that if I add enough ketchup, this shepherd's pie is actually quite outstanding!
As I've mentioned in previous postings, cooking vegan takes extra time out of your day. But if you cook a whole bunch of food on a Saturday or Sunday, you can have leftovers to last you the entire work week, thus saving you time. Just like working out at the gym, if you want to be successful as a vegan, you need to establish a schedule so you get in the routine of cooking healthy food on a weekly basis. And once you're in the vegan groove, it's really not that hard to maintain.
For breakfast this morning, I did try out a new cereal. This one's made by Kashi, and it has these two multi-ethnic women smiling happily on the front. I mean, they are REALLY smiling, and their teeth are so pearly white that I can only assume that this cereal must contain heavy doses of fluoride. The cereal is called "Good Friends," but with smiles that happy, I'm thinking that these women are a little more than just "good friends," if you know what I mean. I'm surprised one of them isn't smoking away lustfully on a cigarette. They SURELY can't be beaming happy over the fact that this cereal contains "nearly 33% of your daily FIBER needs." If they are, then they truly need to seek some therapy.
I've also started drinking decaffeinated tea right before I go to bed, which is something else I've never done before. I really don't know if this helps health wise, but I always figured it'd be something different to try out. When I was over in Italy, I would have tea in the evenings with some of the British girls I met. They turned it into a social occasion and really talked the trash about people. British girls have some of the filthiest mouths I've ever heard... they could make an entire battleship of sailors blush. But I love 'em for it.
As I've mentioned in previous postings, cooking vegan takes extra time out of your day. But if you cook a whole bunch of food on a Saturday or Sunday, you can have leftovers to last you the entire work week, thus saving you time. Just like working out at the gym, if you want to be successful as a vegan, you need to establish a schedule so you get in the routine of cooking healthy food on a weekly basis. And once you're in the vegan groove, it's really not that hard to maintain.
For breakfast this morning, I did try out a new cereal. This one's made by Kashi, and it has these two multi-ethnic women smiling happily on the front. I mean, they are REALLY smiling, and their teeth are so pearly white that I can only assume that this cereal must contain heavy doses of fluoride. The cereal is called "Good Friends," but with smiles that happy, I'm thinking that these women are a little more than just "good friends," if you know what I mean. I'm surprised one of them isn't smoking away lustfully on a cigarette. They SURELY can't be beaming happy over the fact that this cereal contains "nearly 33% of your daily FIBER needs." If they are, then they truly need to seek some therapy.
I've also started drinking decaffeinated tea right before I go to bed, which is something else I've never done before. I really don't know if this helps health wise, but I always figured it'd be something different to try out. When I was over in Italy, I would have tea in the evenings with some of the British girls I met. They turned it into a social occasion and really talked the trash about people. British girls have some of the filthiest mouths I've ever heard... they could make an entire battleship of sailors blush. But I love 'em for it.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
The Vegan Diaries, Day 10: Hunger Pangs
One thing I didn't anticipate by the switch to veganism is the constant state of hunger I'd be in. Even though I'm eating the same volume of food I always have, I'm noticing that it's not enough to keep me full. I'm having to supplement my meals with more in-between snacks, such as carrots or celery or whatever vegan-friendly food I can find around the house. If I don't eat more, I'm afraid I'll waste away to nothing. When you're someone like me who already has the body type of a string bean, you can't afford to lose weight. Shoot... within a week, I've already had to ratchet up my belt another notch to keep my pants on. I better watch myself or I'll start turning into that kid from "Into the Wild."
Quite frankly, I don't understand how people can be having weight problems. If you want to lose weight, go vegan. I don't know too many fat vegans out there.
Today I tried some new recipes out. For breakfast, I made my own oatmeal using rolled oats I got out of the bulk foods dispenser at the store and then added brown sugar and the infamous raisins to it. Not too shabby for taking out the Quaker Oats middleman. In your face, Quaker Man! Then for dinner, I made shepherd's pie for the first time ever using real potatoes, real vegetables, and real fake meat and gravy. Vegetarian gravy... now that's an oxymoron if I ever saw one. Personally, it didn't taste quite like the shepherd's pies I've had in the past. Maybe if I wore a kilt and played bagpipes it would taste better. It couldn't hurt.
Quite frankly, I don't understand how people can be having weight problems. If you want to lose weight, go vegan. I don't know too many fat vegans out there.
Today I tried some new recipes out. For breakfast, I made my own oatmeal using rolled oats I got out of the bulk foods dispenser at the store and then added brown sugar and the infamous raisins to it. Not too shabby for taking out the Quaker Oats middleman. In your face, Quaker Man! Then for dinner, I made shepherd's pie for the first time ever using real potatoes, real vegetables, and real fake meat and gravy. Vegetarian gravy... now that's an oxymoron if I ever saw one. Personally, it didn't taste quite like the shepherd's pies I've had in the past. Maybe if I wore a kilt and played bagpipes it would taste better. It couldn't hurt.
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