Vegan Thoughts of a Non-Vegan

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by Arundhati Basu

A non-sequitur of a start, but a cheery hallo, dear friends. We have been away for a week, hovering around the blue misty mountains y’all know as the Smokies . We had pecan ‘pah’, we were called ‘sugah’, and we soaked in the drawl of the warm Southerners. It was all as heartwarming as the lavish drizzle of maple syrup on a stack of fluffy pancakes.

I am always in serious danger of losing focus as you must know by now, so here let me get to the crux of this post. It is to share my experience of dipping my feet gingerly into the world of a vegan, as a non-vegan.

I am living on the edge, you could say, but then what is life without that side of adventure (be it of the vegan variety). Now don’t you roll your eyes at me, dear non-vegan. Give me a few minutes, okay pet?

A few months ago, through a Pelvic MRI I found out that one of my fallopian tubes have decided to go bonkers on me. It meant that my hormones were all over the place. It also meant that my body was demanding changes in my diet. I set the ball rolling with plant-based milks. Tinkering around with unsweetened almond and cashew milks in my coffee, I found that I could not withstand the taste of cashew milk. The former was acceptable. In the last couple of months, I have arrived at the grudging conclusion that almond milk suits me better than cow’s milk. Coz the bloating I was experiencing earlier has been relieved. I cannot not stress enough on how it has changed my life for the better.

At the same time, I cut out poultry and instead started putting together simple vegan meals. Courgetti in pesto, salads with pearl barley and chickpeas, clear soups, roasted veggies. I also continued with my beloved staple of daal (lentils) and Bengali-style veggies. And I realise that it is not tough to eat vegan. Nor is it too expensive. I just have to plan beforehand and take stock of what’s languishing in the fridge. Plus there’s the summer bounty of fresh fruits — watermelon, cucumber, kiwi, apples and mangoes.

Have you been contemplating veganism too?

Now, because life has been made easier with the option of availing online tests, you can figure out if veganism suits your body through the online lab portal, www.HealthLabs.com. Because our bodies demand bespoke lifestyles. You may opt for the basic ‘Should I be Vegan’ panel if you want to take a first step.

P.S.:

  1. This is a sponsored post. It went with the change in my life so I decided to embrace it. Though I remain a non-vegan, occasionally indulging in fish and seafood platters.
  2. The featured (grainy) photo is a shot from Ella Mills’ book on vegan meals. Red bell peppers stuffed with mushrooms and pine nuts sounds like a delicious side for lunch, so right after posting I shall get started on it.
  3. There is another lovely book I am eyeing right about now. The Green Roasting Tin by my niece-in-law, Rukmini Iyer. It offers plenty of one-dish dinners to go with this busy life of ours. Plus it looks gorgeous.
  4. Lastly, a few months ago, I would have snorted at my own post in disbelief. But I have swallowed all expressions of derision and snorts since. It is this thing called living. It makes you think twice, all the time.

 

 

 

Published by

Arundhati Basu

The great affair in my life is to travel. I count myself immensely fortunate that my partner shares this passion. We are a team that likes to spend time planning and plotting out places to go. Destination check, flights check, accommodation check, cheesy grins check. Off we go.

41 thoughts on “Vegan Thoughts of a Non-Vegan”

  1. I have been flirting with veganism as a non vegan too. I would find it hard to give up fish and cheese completely, but it’s been quite interesting cutting out meat and munching on more veggies. Like you, I can’t decide about almond milk. I love it in smoothies, but I’m not sure about tea…something just tastes a bit wrong…

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    1. Hah, I do not drink milk in tea or I would be gagging with any plant-based milk in it. I tried cappuccino with almond milk. The whole world came crashing down on me and almond milk has not been allowed anywhere near my occasional cappuccino thereafter.

      I forgot to mention cheese. See that is why I maintain that I am a non-vegan. I cannot, or make that, I will not give up cheese.

      Thanks for reading. Have a nice weekend, Josy. xx

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      1. Thanks lovely, yeah, I would find it impossible to get rid of cheese. Although, Marc made a vegan macaroni cheese, and I liked it better than normal mac and cheese. 😀

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      2. I gots to try it out then! I shall give it a go this weekend. Thanks for the tip, Josy.

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  2. Flexitarian is what you are, I believe. And if it is helping your body balance then I have nothing but praise. The only thing that alarms me about Vegans (and personally, I fluctuate between pescatarian, occasional carnivore, veggie and full vegan depending on a number of factors but I’m afraid the eggs never fail to pull me back over the V-line when I stray the vegan way) is their collective insistence on evangelizing. If it suits then it is surely a good thing but not an excuse to start squawking and bellowing at all and sundry on Social Media and demonizing all who are less strictly plant based. Those are my thoughts. And I’m probably a bit immovable on them xx

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    1. Har har har, trust you to get the ball rolling on the preachy aspect of veganism. Yes, I do not get the halo that some vegans wear too. It is a lifestyle decision based on what your body demands, so it is hardly anything to crow about. But I, like you, cannot give up the good things. Eggs, seafood and cheese, along with the occasional poultry, are my lifelines.
      I shall wear the mantle of flexitarian with pride, lovely one!
      How have you been? xx

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      1. Yes, I forgot cheese. What a criminal oversight! Cheese is a huge lure along with eggs, seafood, fish and good free range chook …. so flexitarians we shall be. Non-preachy, serene and basically bloodhounds on the scent of all things we can and want to eat! I’m pretty good, thank you. All good up in Mass and cool enough to run easily rather than needing to get up at stupid o’clock and still feeling like a leaden tomato before I had gone a foot! Xx

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      2. It is so rainy here. I cannot get back to running early though I see that the days are getting shorter. Here’s to running, eating, singing aloud, dancing, and being the eternal hedonist for life. xx

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  3. Have you tried Vanilla Soy Milk? Not sure if that’s Vegan or not. I’m not a big fan of cashew milk either but I will drink and cook with soy. My problem is more of a lactose intolerant kind but I do like the occasional vegan meal and will cook one for Lex and me. Sign us up for the “Flexitarian” team 🙂 – Neek

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    1. Team Flexitarian’s going strong then *grins

      I have not dared to taste vanilla soy milk. That’s because I did try out soy milk, sometime ago, and it was scarring. Maybe I shall be brave one day and give vanilla soy a try. Thanks Neek! 🙂 xx

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  4. I applaud your efforts and I’m so glad you are feeling better. I have made some moves to eating less meat and consuming milk alternatives but I’m afraid that I’m a carnivore at heart (maybe the German upbringing) and cheese is right up there with chocolate for me. Love your intro paragraph.

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    1. Thank you Caroline! Words are frothing in my head. The Great Smoky Mountains were just splendid.

      As for customising eating habits, I hear yah. I think it is this one life we have, so if you can stomach it, you should go for whatever the heart wants. Cheese and chocolate should be a fixture in anyone’s diet 🙂

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  5. I’m with you! And probably this post is what I’ve been waiting for. Thank you for the links! I’ll go visit them soon. I’ll start with looking for more veggie recipes first, eating them and then the almond milk 🙂 Anyway, I do hope your fallopian tube gets better soon.

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    1. Thanks Amor, I am due for another MRI next month. Let’s see what the doc says after that.

      But if you have no bloating problems, or with ingesting extra hormones through milk and meat, then I think you should be okay. xx

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      1. I have a number of friends who eliminated dairy and meat, and even gluten and they all say they feel better. I know how bad it feels when bloated so I hope this new diet will work well for you.

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  6. Glad your new diet is suiting you. A lot of veggie/vegan stuff is really good, but like so many here, I could not give up cheese, chocolate or cake – yes I know you can get vegan cake, but who wants cake without eggs, butter, cream, chocolate….

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    1. I could not and would not dare to differ with you on that! I am yet dipping my toes into this brave new world, partaking of luscious chocolate and cakes along the good ol’ way. 🙂

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  7. Yesss girl, get those sponsored posts! 😉 Since I’m now living with my friends (wow, that felt weird to say!) I’ve actually been more mindful of what food I’m buying and making and it really is quite dare I say easy to cut down on the meat… not sure how easy it would be to go completely dairy free (i like me some chocolate..) but small steps eh xx

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    1. My first, Mia! You are a queen of these I know.

      I am not going completely dairy free either. I mean cheese and chocolate and cakes?! NO way am I sacrificing my lifelines. Hence a non-vegan but small steps as you put it. All the best with settling in with flair like the diva you are. xx

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  8. I joined the vegan club of non vegans as well… Well it was more so for my daughter. She has almond milk instead of cows milk, and I guess I am just more aware of cooking with more vegetables and legumes where possible. I think it comes down to a balanced diet if there are no issues of allergies to wheat, dairy etc..
    Hope all is well with the next scan Arundhati. Thinking of you. Xx

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    1. Thank you Lorelle! Keeping our fingers crossed. The inner workings of the body is mysterious sometimes. All we can do is be mindful of what it demands. That is all. We are a solid club, I would say. Hugs xx

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  9. Vegan food is so good! I’ve been vegetarian for 20 years and I’ve gotten to a point where the only dairy I’m having is eggs. So I’m having the odd day completely vegan and feel so good! Now just to kick the eggs!

    I would however miss a life without proper milk chocolate 🙊

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    1. You must have mastered the art of the vegetarian lifestyle, Kelly. Actually I would rather not sacrifice eggs, chocolate and cheese. I need to cut myself some slack! 🙂 I am not missing cow’s milk too badly. Except for when I indulge in a cappuccino.

      Thank you for dropping by and the comment. Cheers.

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  10. Good to hear that the new changes in diet are working for you Dippy and hope you are better soon. I am not so much a meat fan from the very beginning.. although I do cook for my family and have recently switched to organic wherever possible . I do have it occasionally .However I love my fish and seafood and it seems difficult to give that up .But I still have hopes to be a vegan one day .

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    1. Whatever suits your body, Nisha. Mine is a response really to the problems I was facing and I love experimenting. I do not know if I could become a vegan given the allure of cheese and chocolate and cakes! As for organic, ever since we arrived in the US, so many people warned me about going strictly for organic produce that I listened to them. The bills are hefty but it is a choice after all. Here’s to conscious eating! 🙂 xx

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      1. Yes I agree the three c’s are hard to give up 🙂 .As for me, have been liking the organic stuff ,personally think it tastes better as well but yes it is expensive . Happy experimenting and take care!

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  11. So glad to hear that your new diet is suiting you!! I’m not sure how easy I would find it to become vegan or even veggie but it is something that I’d definitely consider xx

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    1. If your body does not complain, you are good to go girl. It is a pity that I had to switch my regular cow’s milk, for example. Almond milk would not be my first choice. But well I gots to do what I got to I suppose. I am enjoying this phase of trying out a different kind of lifestyle though I am not beyond a sausage once in a while. 😉 Non-vegan being my keywords. xx

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  13. Sometimes I think jumping from a non-vegan to vegan can too big a change, especially if people don’t know enough about vegetarian cooking. It sounds like you are taking a sensible approach and working out all your options. There are so many good blogs and cookbooks out there now that it’s much easier to do it now. http://www.peasoupeats.com/ is good but there so many others. Good luck and don’t worry if you’re not 100% vegan. It all counts with health, reducing animal cruelty, and interesting cooking!

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    1. I checked out the link you sent, Alex. Why it looks lovely! I am always happy to experiment and add to my culinary repertoire. I agree with you that it does not have to be vegan for the sake of being vegan. I am not quite ready to forsake the lifestyle I am used to. I suspect it is my mother’s partiality towards vegetables – she used to always keep three dishes during lunch and dinner — that has been there at the back of my mind and made the transition easier. Cheers!

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