Going Vegan "Meatless May"

Okay, I decided I would try eating vegan from May 8 to May 26, 2023. I have eaten vegan meals and for awhile back in 1997-1998 I was eating vegetarian for a time in an attempt to work on my health issues. This time, it was again for health issues. I have done so many different kinds of diets or eating plans in an attempt to feel better in my body and reduce inflammation. One of my 23 in 23 was to ADD IN VEGGIES and what better way to do that than try going all out vegan. 

Week 1 - felt pretty good. Some of my meals included 

 - pasta with tomatoes, basil, olives, and spinach

 - broccoli with rice and coconut aminos

 - Fruit salad

 - baked oatmeal with nut butter on top

 - kale, sweet potato, mushroom saute over rice

 - Impossible whopper (but I forgot to ask for no mayo - rookie mistake)

Week 2 - felt pretty good but my body was a little more cantankerous. My meals included

 - Butternut squash and cauliflower blended soup

 - we went camping and had beyond burger salads and fruit salad with potato chips

 - vegan pizza from one of our local pizzerias

 - chicken salad without chicken using chickpeas instead (DELICIOUS)

 - BBQ jackfruit sandwich (tastes like pulled BBQ pork)

 - Avocado toast

Week 3 - Feeling like I've got this! More meals...

 - I made a vegan ranch dressing then spent the week trying to drown everything in it

 - Tried a vegan cheese (Violife - Colby Jack) for the first time to make some nachos with beyond burger meat it was YUMMY

 - Impossible Whopper because YUM!

 - Sourdough toast with Earth Balance Butter and nutritional yeast

 -  homemade lentil patties (so good)

At the end of the experiment I wondered, what to do next? I was feeling pretty good and wanted that to continue but I do miss BUTTER, STEAK, and PARMESAN CHEESE. I thought about it and decided I would continue to eat vegan most of the time. I would try to reintroduce foods SLOWLY (not my strongest trait) and see how I felt after eating them.

This weekend we put stuff in the smoker. I tried the BBQ pork ribs (I ate 3). I also made vegan baked beans and a vegan meatloaf in the smoker that is REALLY quite good. I am going to wait a few days or until next weekend to add in something else and go from there. Ideally I would eat vegan Monday through Friday and then try something over the weekend. 

I will check back in and let you know how it is going. Already I can feel the heat from the pork, though it could be the spice in the beans or the BBQ sauce. We will see.

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