As of today, I have successfully been a vegan since March 11. That’s about 5 weeks, people! I have been diligent and faithful with minor unintentional slip-ups. And guess what? I survived! It IS possible to go vegan without starving yourself or depleting your body of the vitamins and minerals it … [Read more…]
Well that’s it. It’s over. I officially give up on this vegan challenge and lifestyle. Sayonara veganness, welcome back meat and dairy! APRIL FOOLS! I just couldn’t help myself. *Chuckle* All joking aside, week 3 has probably been the toughest week so far in this challenge. Not due to a … [Read more…]
Zero calories. Zero relinquishing of taste. Zero hesitation. Sugar substitutes and alternative sweeteners abound! They line supermarket shelves, are packed in to chewing gum, are in your favorite diet soda, and can replace regular sugar in virtually any form. How well do you know your … [Read more…]
There are 3 kinds of people I’ve discovered in the past week: those who do NOT like their views to be challenged and will most certainly let you know, including what and how they eat; those who will entertain the idea of a change – they will listen, smile and nod, and maybe in some back corner of … [Read more…]
Hello, my name is Melissa and I’m a vegan. Friends, family, strangers: “You’re crazy!” “Are you out of your mind?” “Why would you EVER want to do something like that?!” Me: No argument. Possibly. Why not? I sincerely believe that you can’t knock something until you’ve tried it (within … [Read more…]
“WHAT?!” I exclaimed. I’d been thinking it would be fun to do, but never said anything aloud. Never in a million years did I think he’d want to do it, too. My boyfriend, Aaron, and I were watching a documentary about 3 random people in New York who were challenged to become vegans for 6 weeks. A … [Read more…]
People, you are SO in luck this Meatless Monday! I’m going to share with you not one, but TWO, fantabulous dairy-free, egg-free cookie recipes! These are cookies filled with healthy, wholesome ingredients that you – and your kids! – will love. Usually in my Meatless Monday posts I aim to provide … [Read more…]
Whether you love them, hate them, or are indifferent to them, you’re probably not getting enough of them. We’re talking vegetables here. The average American diet should include at least 2 ½ cups of vegetables per day. Easy, right? Maybe not so much. With the hustle and bustle of day-to-day … [Read more…]
Happy Meatless Monday! Have you ever had a cuisine that you loved, but that you didn’t dare try making yourself, for fear of royally screwing up? That’s me with Indian food. I love it, but find all the spices and various daals intimidating. So until very recently I only indulged in my … [Read more…]
Who’s one? Well, it’s actually a WHAT. It’s our sister site, Shrinking Kitchen’s, first birthday today! Over at Shrinking Kitchen, we’re celebrating our ‘cookiversary’ with some fun giveaways – one for each week of February. If you’ve never visited Shrinking Kitchen before, you’re in for a treat … [Read more…]
In my last Meatless Monday post, I spoke about building a better salad. Today, I want to chat about dressing that better salad. Dressings. They can make or break your salad. That healthy bowl of green goodness can be negated in an instant with a too liberal portion of high-calorie, high-fat … [Read more…]
Hey, ladies and gentlefolk! We are now two weeks into our annual extravaganza, our New Year’s Weight Loss Challenge! How are you holding up? Are you losing pounds like nobody’s business? Are you struggling a bit? Are you so sick of that lunchtime salad that you’re ready to throw in the … [Read more…]
We’re starting a new series here at Shrinking Jeans – Meatless Mondays! I won’t be coming at you every Monday – there are too many other great writers here for me to hog all the attention – but I hope you’ll take in what I say, let it ruminate, and make ALL your Mondays meatless! If I can do it … [Read more…]
Are you afraid of tofu? Hate it? Never tried it? Lost as to what to do with it? One of the main responses I get when people learn we’re a primarily vegan family (aside from “but the kids drink milk, right?” and “I could never give up cheese” and “where do you get your protein/iron?” and and and … [Read more…]
In the summer, when it gets hot, we practically live on salads. Yes, we, as in all of us! From the nearly five year old to the nearly fifty year old. How do I come up with things that please a range of tastes, are healthy, and are hearty enough to be the main course? I experiment. A lot. I use the … [Read more…]