Four weeks today!

I officially became vegan on June 1st 2009. But really I started a few days before my goal day which would be four weeks. I've noticed some great things in these four weeks.*

1. I have more energy. I used to go to bed around 10 pm and have to drag myself out of bed at 7:30 am and didnt' feel like I slept well. Now I'm going to bed around 11:30 getting up about 6. I almost always wake up before the alarm, or four year old, wakes me up!
   
2. My skin looks better. The texture, so to speak, looks smoother.
   
3. Did I mention I have more energy?
4. I have a healthier relationship with food!
   

I haven't lost any weight...in fact I've gained a little bit. I think this is because I not only changed my diet I also gave up diet coke! Or it could be my body is getting all this great nutritious food and is holding on to every single piece of it because it's worried I will quit eating so well?

I'm having lots of fun trying new and different things. Like Quinoa. I'd heard Kristie talk about it a bit. It's awesome! My favorite recipe is this one. And eating lots of different veggies I haven't tried. Grey squash anyone? It's awesome. Pattypan squash? Again yummy! And lets talk steel cut oatmeal. Made with some diced apples and apple juice (unsweetened of course), it's a perfect breakfast for my entire family!

I'm also having a blast making my food art. I try each meal to pack as many colors and textures into what I'm eating as possible!

Salad pitas


The other night Kristie informed us all that oreo's are vegan so of course I sped to the store and picked some up. And instead of dunking (yes I'm a dunker) them in milk I poured myself a glass of soy milk and when I finished my snack, 2.3 seconds after starting, I realized how odd it was that I just drank a glass of soy milk. You see before I was vegan (or had kids) I HATED soy milk. I thought it was gross. I don't know if it's because my taste buds have changed or, if it's because I'm determined to make this work?

My two year old daughter has had a runny nose for MONTHS. She was lactose intolerant so while nursing I took all dairy out of my diet. She finally transitioned to milk about 18 months. About that time is when the problems started. When researching to become vegan I saw that it could be milk causing her problems. I took her off milk and literally just hours later her nose was better. The next day no runny nose. The husband didn't think it was the milk so after three weeks were were at breakfast. They didn't have soy milk and the juice bottles were huge so I grabbed two organic milk containers. Guess what? Within HOURS her nose was runny. By the end of the day it was better and the next day it was fine. The husband became a believer after that!

What's the thing you either want to change by becoming vegan or the first thing you noticed was different by being vegan?