What? Why won't you believe me?
One of the most frustrating things I have faced in becoming vegan has not been finding things to eat. I have actually grown more adventurous and developed a love of trying new things. There are so many flavors and great foods out there that are good for you and fully lacking animal products.
No, the most frustrating thing has been trying to eat in non-vegan friendly places with omnivores. I went to T.G.I.Friday's with my parents on Saturday, and the only quasi-healthy option that appealed to me was chips and salsa (with a gigantic margarita, and I say "quasi-healthy" because the only other thing was deep fried green beans which I decided are less healthy). Tomorrow at work they are offering up a Thanksgiving pot-luck lunch and there may be be salad, but even that is not always safe what with cheese, creamy dressings, eggs, or things that people put in salad now. Even this, inherently, is not what really bothers me about having to eat like this. What really bothers me is that I end up looking like a vegan martyr.
It's not that I can't eat anything, people. It's that you just hone in on those few foods that I find entirely inedible and decide those are the only foods in the world that belong on your menu, promptly forgetting that there are other options out there. I don't think I'm suffering from being vegan, stop looking at me like that.
Tomorrow I will take a pumpkin cheese pie that I found the recipe for in Eat, Drink, and be Vegan (awesome cookbook, get it and you won't be disappointed). I'm pretty excited about it, even though I just took it out of the oven and the very edges of the crust look a little dark. I'm excited because it will probably taste good, and people will see that I don't have to miss out on really good food. And this pie didn't even take a whole lot of effort or crazy ingredients.
Oh, and protein? Well, I take it intravenously from needles that all the vegans share. We tried snorting it but it just didn't work out as well. No, seriously, that's why we're all so thin and shaky, we're malnourished and hopped up on protein injections.
Just needed a somewhat sarcastic and venting-type post, it's been awhile. I now encourage you to go out and hug a vegan, or someone different if you are, in fact, a vegan.
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"I am a deeply superficial person."
--Andy Warhol
8 comments:
Hahaha - a good rant, and you make a pretty valid point about the menus. Restaurants seem to think that "going the extra mile to provide diversity on the menu" stops with vegetarian, and even then its only a couple of dishes. When did you decide to go vegan?
While I am not a vegan by any means, I have always been able to appreciate the willingness and dedication of anyone that lives such a lifestyle. Also, it's nice to see that you are able to back up your beliefs and lifestyle without sounding superior like some tend to do. Well said!
Was there any pie left? Are you bringing it home?
Haha, you're hilarious.
Are you familiar with this site: http://vegweb.com/ ? You probably are, but if not, I love it! And I'm not vegan or vegetarian.
Anni-Thanks, I have noticed that the popular idea of "tasty" veggies is frying them somehow. I officially became a vegan on the twelfth of October, but had been vegetarian since January and cut dairy out around March. I've been loving it. :)
From Mars-Thank you, I just really think to each his own, vegan's right for me but I know it's not a popular choice (especially because I'm the only one among the people I spend the most time with).
Mom-Yeah, you're eating some right now and you love it.
Nicole-Thanks! Yeah, I've been there it's a great one!
:)
Mmmmmm.....pie.
I love vegweb!
I love this post!
I really couldn't agree anymore. I've only been Vegan for about half a year, but I can honestly say its changed who I am as a person (how welcoming I am of others) I guess before I was even Vegetarian, I was a little curious and guarded about Veganism. I suppose as a child I was always taught that Vegan's were extremist hippies who lived in trees and set fire to Universities (all of the time), though that couldn't be any further from the truth!
I get really frustrated when people say very that "So what CAN you eat/do?!" ... "Um, well, I can eat organic, healthy foods. I can mix everything up and make substituions for what you eat. Since I can't eat animal meat, I can make SOY or mushroom verions, and the same goes for dairy - you just need to be creative. Everything, really. Just tell me what you fancy eating and I'll come up with something"
"... Uh okay, so basically we're eating rice and lettuce for dinner?"
It is as if I didn't just describe that I can eat anything and pretty much everything.
And to conclude, no dear non Vegan/Vegetarians, I do not set fire to buildings in rage and I do not do drastic, non human like things. I go out, I go to gigs, I have friends, I have a long term boyfriend (who FYI, is not Vegan, he is merely respectful of my choice, so there you have it) and I still have the desire for food, yes, the same as you do!
Also, I love my (pet) cat just as much as you love yours. Maybe more, I guess it depends whether or not you see them to be an object or a living, breathing and intelligent creature - like you and I. But, point is, being Vegan does not mean I put my cat up on a moral pedestal, simply for being an animal! I do not want to marry her, simply for being an animal. We don't all tuck our pets up in their own personal pajamas, like Mr Bean's classic 'Teddy.' Though, that would be pretty awesome!
Again, for the second time around, to conclude: We are normal people with normal emotions. All that is different is that we either respect all living creatures (therefore see no need to eat them purely because we 'can'), don't like the taste of meat or dairy or quite simply want to be healthy.
For me, it is respect for all living things and the desire to be healthy. I should also probably meantion that I spent 15 years of my life being a Carnivore and I once did enjoy the taste of meat, so yes, I guess in a way, I did sacrafise that over night - and it really isn't as hard as you think, especially when you believe in your reasons for doing.
Anyway, I ramble. Toodle pips for now. :-)
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