One of the reasons Zoe and I decided to give up animal products was that we decided to get serious about our health and working to reverse some of our health issues. Better late than never. What we have quickly learned, however, is that we fell into the trap of eating the same type of foods, just vegan style. Our quickie lunches became “chicken” patties with sweet potato fries and salad. We became quickly aware that our menu choices were become increasingly dependent on faux meats and cheeses. Yes, they were vegan but they were allowing us to be on a plant based diet with minimal eating of plants. I think there is something wrong with that
Even the recipes in the cookbook I had said I was going to cook my way through were vegan, but had minimal use of plants. Now I realize that nuts and grains and beans can be classified as plants. However, for us, we were thinking more about fruits and vegetables. So this week, we made the decision to focus on meals that were 50% fruits and vegetables and the balance could be grains and other proteins. While I may still prepare a dish or two from that cookbook, we have decided we need to make and eat things that are more plant, as we defined it, centered.
It has been a challenge to find our vegan voice and cooking style. It is funny how what we once loved has become something we want to move away from. It seems like our newest favorite are power bowls. In part, because they are easy to make. In part because we have found that they are so packed with everything we need that they keep us fuller and more alert for a longer period of time. I guess ultimately, we are looking for something that is very vegetable based, but also rich in protein. We are getting there and ultimately will find our own personalized voice and style.
Finding what works for us reminds me of when I was looking for the right worship space. I never found it. I found some that were right now spaces, but never found the one that was exactly what we needed. So we did the same thing we are doing now, creating our own space. That too, like our eating style is ever changing. However, as Zoe often times quotes the founder of McDonald’s, “If you’re green your growing, if your ripe, your rotting.” So we keep growing, exploring, and understanding parts of ourselves we did not understand before.