The Vegan and the Easter Egg

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Happy Monday!

Today I’m at Marriage, Motherhood and Missions as a contributor.  I typically share a recipe that I make for my family . . . but not this time.  I mean it started out that way but it all went wrong once I started the “project”.  I tried to use natural dyes on eggs.  It was a disaster–so of course I documented the entire FAIL in pictures!  You can read about it here.

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As a vegan–I don’t eat animal flesh, dairy products or eggs.  I feel the need to say this because this past weekend my husband and I attended a function that had cute little finger foods!  I was offered little tuna sandwiches in these tiny little bread bowl things.  (I’m sure there is a fancy name for them but . . . I’m not fancy and can’t spell so . . . insert fancy correctly spelled word here! )  I politely declined, saying “I don’t eat meat”.  Then I was asked, “Do you not eat fish?” I had to think fast–usually I don’t really defend my eating habits–because I’m the one always doing the cooking!  

I’m a Vegan!

The words jumped out of my mouth.  It isn’t like I haven’t said it before but not in public and not at a function where I would be asked over and over again to try the quiche, mini turkey croissants, roast beef roll ups and chicken wraps.  I explained that fish is meat.  I politely offered that if something has a mother or eyes–I won’t eat it.   I choose not to eat it.  I didn’t want to come across like I’m something I’m not–I reserve the right to eat bacon or have a pint of Ben and Jerry’s!  I will probably have a Boston Cooler this summer . . . my reasons for being a vegan . . . I’ll write about it another time.

What was really funny is that they looked at my husband asking “but you eat meat don’t you?!?”  Sort of made me feel like if he ate meat then . . . it would cancel out my not eating meat.  Then, sounding slightly alarmed, the second question was “but your kids eat meat don’t they?!?”  Hubs informed him that he does eat meat when he buys his lunch at work (they have a wonderful cafeteria), he doesn’t miss eating meat at home because I’m such a awesome chef and finally he said the kids can choose to eat meat or not.  

I am sort of surprised no one ever asks me why.  The conversation never goes past the shock that I don’t eat meat.  I am curious if this will ever change.  To be honest, I don’t mind not going deeper–I’m still working out the details on why at this point in my life I am consumed with compassion.  I thought it was menopause . . . now I’m not sure.

Don’t forget to check out my Easter Egg fail post at MMM!

L.O.V.E.,

Renee

Mushrooms!

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“Mom, Can I have sautéed mushrooms and onions as my vegetable?”

Ahh, this is music to my Polish heritage!  I really like mushrooms, I grew up “hunting” them with my dad, Hundred Acre Joe, Stan, Hugh and Ed–a crew of Polish men.  To me they were as big as giants and I followed them over streams, through the woods, down the lane and on trails the deer and my brothers created.  We were forging for morels.  If I closed my eyes right now–I could go back to the misty morning, wearing boots that are too big for my feet, the smell of cigarette smoke and laughing–lots and lots of laughing.  

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Naturally, I have transferred all those happy memories into eating mushrooms!  I “hunt” at the store vs. the side of the lane and I still wear boots–but now they fit me.  Each week I buy mushrooms and I used them in:

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As a vegan I use mushrooms to add a more “meaty” texture to some of my dinners because I just like them.  I had no idea that they are packed with Vitamin D and the international research journal Appetite a study showed that people had more energy and lost an average of 7 pounds on a “mushroom diet”.

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My #1 trick to using mushrooms when you live with non-mushroom lovers is in this video!  I hope that you will check it out!

L.O.V.E.,

Renee

Is your mother a cow? Then why drink milk?

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I don’t like milk.  I never have.  I do like French Toast Bake–but I don’t eat it anymore.  I love ice cream–but I don’t eat it anymore.  Why?  I have watched several documentaries . . . now, I see milk and I think about rape.  I don’t see cream in my coffee–I imagine a man’s arm, shoulder deep inside cow privates.  I know.  Gross isn’t it.  I just can’t get the image out of my mind.  For me, consuming dairy products perpetuates abuse and violence.  I haven’t always felt this way and I may change again.  But for now my idea of living in harmony and living with compassion, excludes me from enjoying ice cream.   

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My family still drinks milk.  My kids love ice cream (just as much as I do!).  The whole dairy thing is what I call being a compassionate vegan.  It is something that weighs heavy on my soul.  It is my choice, my soul, my decision.  I ask that my family honor and respect my decision as I honor and respect their decision.  So far it is working.  I eat what works for me and they eat what works for them–no judgement, no high and mighty moral attitudes, just gentle, loving, kind and respectful acceptance.  I extend this acceptance to everyone–not just my family.  

Let’s take a look at a cow’s life cycle and some myths about milk.  These are facts–not hyperbole.  I’m sharing with you a snippet of the information that I have gathered on my vegan journey.  

A cow’s life cycle:

  • artificial insemination
  • forced pregnancy
  • having your baby taken away
  • extreme sadness over the lost of a baby (that will no doubt be killed in a few days or weeks for veal)
  • the milk supply dried up due to depression
  • hormones and antibiotics are given to increase milk production and heal mastitis 
  • never see the light of day
  • never touch grass
  • never eat grass
  • die at 5 years vs the normal life span of 20 years

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If you aren’t a cow–don’t drink milk!

Don’t butter your bread, have your Greek yogurt or eat ice cream.  Why?  Because you aren’t a cow.  A cow doesn’t produce milk for you–she produces it for her own calf.  Dr. Hyman is much more eloquent–you can read a very informative article about milk here.

I was very naive.  I thought that cows just “gave milk” (no doubt from signs like the one above).  Sadly, I never stopped long enough to think about the entire process.  Now that I have, it seems reasonable for me not to consume dairy products.  I will say that I didn’t just stop.  It took about 2 years for me to stop.  Ice cream was the last to go.  I even thought that if I made my own ice cream with organic milk–I wouldn’t be part of the abuse.  

I know now.  I can’t change the harm that I have caused by my own consumption but I can change what I do moving forward.  I can offer recipes that are dairy free.  I can educate by sharing what I have learned shedding light on the issue.  I can be at peace with my soul.  

Be Blessed.  Eat L.O.V.E.

Renee