Seth's First Week Vegan
With the juice cleanse complete, Seth began his vegan diet with gusto. His first bite of an apple was incredibly delicious and he was able to appreciate the intense flavors of raw fruits and vegetables for the first time. Even though he was eager to indulge, he enjoyed smoothies, soups, and salads the first two days so as not to shock his digestive system. I made him one of my favorite vegan soups, carrot ginger (recipe below), which he gulped down graciously. It is amazing to see Seth enjoy meal after vegan meal, appreciating vegetables I never thought he would ever eat. Just look at the delicious things he had this past week.
Carrot and ginger soup; spinach, kale, beet, and carrot salad; watermelon with passion fruit
Roasted root vegetables, garlicky sautéed kale, brown rice with lentils and flaxseed.
Vegan chili with Daiya cheddar style shreds and cilantro.
Saag curry with kale and whole wheat garlic naan, kachumber, and quick cucumber pickle.
Stuffed spaghetti squash.
All these delicious nutrient dense meals are naturally helping Seth's body to nourish itself from the inside out. Just after a few days of being on a whole foods plants-based Seth noticed that his skin looked clearer, indeed, he had a lovely glow. His jiggly muffin top wasn't so jiggly anymore. And then there was the added benefit of our weekly food bill going down.
Most people think that going on a vegan diet is expensive, but it actually saves you a lot of money. It's cheaper to buy whole grains, beans, and produce than to buy meat, eggs, and cheese. This was actually the first time that our food bill was under budget in a long time. But the best part of Seth going vegan is that I don't have to cook meat anymore. It really grosses me out to have pieces of dead animals in our fridge, and even worse, smelling it as it cooks. Bleh.
What do you think about all the delicious meals Seth has been eating? Comment on what recipes you would like me to post.
Carrot Ginger Soup
Ingredients:
8 carrots roughly chopped
1 zucchini roughly chopped
2 thumb sized pieces of ginger peeled and minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 onion diced
1 tsp salt,
1/4 tsp pepper
herbs and spices of choice.
Directions
Sautée onions, garlic, and ginger in a pot until they are soft and begin to caramelize. I added 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp each of curry powder, cumin, and turmeric to the pot and let the spices cook out for a minute or two. Add carrots and zucchini and cover with water. (Now is the time to add any dried herbs you want to use such as thyme, tarragon, or oregano.) Boil until carrots are fork tender. Save about two cups of the water used to boil vegetables. Either add the vegetables to a blender, or use a stick blender to blitz the vegetables and add water until you reach your desired consistency. Garnish with nuts, seeds, or oils of your choice. Enjoy.
