Vegan Eating-Day 4

Wow, are we really doing this? In case you're just tuning in, my wife and I had this idea of cutting back on meat in our diet after reading all the information out there about cultures that live the longest. They all seem to share certain commonalities, which include spending time with family and friends, exercise, fresh air, and NO MEAT.

Now I'm not promoting some sort of vegan existence, and we still eat meat, but it's interesting to at least give it a go, and at the very least it makes meal planning a challenge. We have some friends that are so hard core in their vegan approach that they don't eat dairy or cheese, either. And they have two kids, so they don't get to eat cake, cookies, or ice cream. What a drag.

Anyway, we've been doing it, and the hardest thing for me has been cutting ice cream out. I went from eating about 1/2 a pint a day (probably not a good habit) to eating none. I have some sort of ice cream addiction, reminiscent of the nicotine (I used to smoke and chew tobacco) craving you get throughout the day. You look forward to, or can't wait, until that moment when you get your fix, and spend your time just thinking about it.

Crazy.

So, last night, we went on day 3 with no meat. For full disclosure, we do still eat meat, and I'll feed the kids turkey or chicken for lunch, but dinner is where the fun really begins. Last night we did the Asian thing, sesame noodles, fried tofu, and scallion pancakes. I got some chickpea flour to make the cakes and I think it was a mistake, because they tasted a little funny, but were healthy as hell, full of protein and fiber. Next time I'll just use whole wheat flour.

The kids have really come around to eating tofu. N loathed the stuff at first, but now he wolfs it down, and we're happy for that because, as everyone on this planet knows, it's a great meat substitute.

This whole vegan eating thing is a challenge, but I've found it a satisfying one that in the end is good for us, so we're going to ride this one out. There are also, if you can believe this one, some really good vegan recipes out there. You have to use some of your own experiences to intuit which ones might taste good or will go over well with children, but we've had some home runs. And if worse comes to worse, there is always spaghetti or pizza, though preferably with whole wheat pasta or crust, respectively.

Not sure what we'll be eating tonight, but I'll be sure to tell you what is was tomorrow. Until then, thanks for reading.