Going Vegan....

My husband and I were watching the documentary last night "Forks Over Knives" (knives meaning surgical knives). Right when they were showing the surgeon pull plague out of the artery, my husband pressed the pause button and just sat there. He decided right then and there that he was done. He wanted to go vegan. I was so excited! I have been wanting to go vegan for some time now and haven't because I do the cooking for him as well. Which also made me feel bad, why wasn't I pushing it as a healthy choice for him. I also felt that as a cook I would "bring shame to the family". What would Escoffier, Childs, and Keller think?

But it's not just about being vegan. Potato chips are vegan. It's about eating whole foods (minimally processed), not substituting with vegan cheese, mayo, and tofu. It's about consuming much less sugar, salts, and oils. It's about looking at our sleeping pup Flynn and think "How could anyone kill this creature?".

It's not about losing weight or jumping on a bandwagon. I am hoping that this is something we can stick to. I do not want this to be a phase. I want myself and my husband to be around with each other as long as possible. I want to run races with him, continue hiking, and challenge by culinary skills. Cancer, heart disease, and diabetes are all present in one of our families or both. The last thing either one of us wants is to be medication dependent-especially if it is a disease that it completely preventable.

I know I am on my high horse now, but I don't expect it to be easy. I like cheese. It will take some major meal planning. Here is what I have planned for this week so far:

My favorite savory sweet potatoes for lunches.
Haitian Red Beans & Rice (recipe to come)
Tempeh Stir Fry
Curried chickpeas and quinoa
Lemony Kale and Orzo Soup (recipe to come)
Snacks of hummus, celery with nut butter and raisins (his request)
Breakfasts of oatmeal and smoothies.

We will see how it goes!