I have had a lot of people asking me how the vegan “thing” is going, so I thought it was time for an update. I started this animal-free journey back in February at the suggestion of my doctor and a friend of mine named, High Cholesterol. I have not had any animal products since Valentine’s Day when we went out for seafood!

Well, that’s not exactly true.

I did have some egg whites on Mother’s Day when my kids made my breakfast, and there was a nibble of beef at that Mexican restaurant when my husband said, “Just take one bite” which I did, and then he said, “Don’t you think it tastes funny?”

But, other than that, unless I mistakenly ate something of which I was not aware (I’m talking to you, Ambien), I haven’t strayed. Why? Because my doctor said so, and you know what? My doctor was right.

In three months, my cholesterol dropped close to 170 points. For you people who are young enough to not understand that, I will just say that’s like, totally, a lot.

That covers the question I get most often; which is, “Is it working?” Yes. Yes, it is.

The next most frequent question is, “What the heck do you eat?” It may surprise you, but you can actually eat a lot. If it comes from the ground, it’s fair game (so to speak).

Of course, while you’re eating, some people will tell you that you are crazy and that what you’re doing isn’t normal, but I suppose that’s based on perception. It has NEVER been normal to me that we drink breastmilk from an animal and said breastmilk was designed for the health and growth OF A CALF. So, vegan isn’t abnormal in my mind. Just sayin’. Man, I love italics.

Without further ado, here is a peek into the mysterious diet of a vegan:

Breakfast: Cereal w/ soy, almond or coconut milk, oatmeal, fresh fruit, or (GASP!) pancakes or waffles that are made vegan-style with REAL maple syrup. YUM.

Lunch: Tortilla with brown-rice and beans, salad loaded with veggies, or (GASP!) a PB&J. Yes, I said it. If I really, really want to, I can even stuff it with potato chips like I did when I was a kid. On the go? A banana or Larabar (buy these for your kids instead of granola bars, the kind I get have four ingredients; cashews, dates, chocolate chips and sea salt) (Hint: Target sells ’em cheap.)

Dinner: I am downright addicted to these noodles (I make them with whole-wheat spaghetti, throw in onions and mushrooms and then steak for my husband…yes, steak…I’m not anti-meat, my blood is), baked potato or sweet potato, my neighbor’s fabulous pot-pie, pizza with whole-wheat crust, lots of sauce, covered with artichokes, mushrooms, olives and peppers (just no cheese), stir-fry with brown rice, veggies and bean curd, or spaghetti with tomato sauce. I also have an amazing recipe for chili-mac that tastes just like chili. JUST LIKE CHILI, I SAID.

Dessert: My daughter makes amazing vegan pumpkin bread, and I can eat fresh fruit or sorbetto (in which I like to toss a handful of dairy-free chocolate chips). And, there may or may not be a vegan bakery down the street from me that makes chocolate chip cookies that are DEE-LIGHT-FUL. Also, OREOs. They are vegan. Yes, they are.

Also, and this is a big deal, I can still drink beer and eat peanuts. Take that, Major League Baseball.

Overall, I am less tired and bloated and my heart is a lot less angry with me. I have heard that vegans lose weight, but before you go expecting it of me, please see that beer and peanuts thing. I have lost 13 pounds, but this is not nearly enough. *steps away from the hummus*

So, there you have it. Changing my diet hasn’t been a big deal and it has resulted in excellent health benefits. Have I wanted a cheeseburger? Yes, but only for a minute.

And, if veggie burgers were readily available at Wendy’s I wouldn’t have craved one at all.

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