Happy Vegan New Year

I stopped eating animal flesh and anything that comes from an animal in early January 2013.

I can't believe how quickly this year has gone by and how incredibly easy it has been to follow a plant-based diet. There were a few factors that helped me in my journey, including:

• Working from home: I have time throughout the day to experiment with recipes, go grocery shopping, and spend time on the Internet looking for inspiration. 
• I live near NYC: I can find so many wonderful ingredients at local ethnic stores and, of course, Whole Foods. But, I was pleasantly surprised at how my local Indian grocery store carried a lot of the items I need on a routine basis -- black salt (kala namak), jackfruit, spices, lentils, coconut milk and more. The Giant Farmers Market in downtown Hackensack is a haven for low-priced fruits and veggies, as well as the organic tofu that's sold for only $1.99 (the lowest I've seen around). 
• Many people follow a Kosher diet here: Thanks to a wonderful Jewish population in the region, dairy substitutes are plentiful at small shops and large chain stores like Shop-rite (I don't know the exact rules with Kosher, but there's something about not mixing meat and dairy in a meal or during the cooking preparation). So, Tofutti and Daiya and many vegan food items are not difficult to find. Plus, I've seen Tofutti for as low as $1.79 at local markets that cater to a Jewish audience (all are welcome!). What I couldn't find locally I found on Amazon, Vegan Cuts, VeganEssentials, Food Fight Grocery, Pangea, Rabbit Food Grocery, and The Vegetarian Site. 
• I turned to Facebook: I added as many vegan Facebook sites to my interest list as possible. From activist pages to recipe pages, I was constantly surrounded with vegan words of support and information to make me a more educated consumer. 

When I finally opened my eyes to where my milk and eggs and packaged meat products came from, it was easy to go cold-turkey to a cruelty-free lifestyle. I can't believe I used to think that cows just naturally produced milk. Truth is it's easy for today's consumers to be in the dark about where their food comes from or how it's produced. First of all, we never see the animals getting butchered. Also, I'm so tired of all the happy-cow commercials on TV. There's one commercial on TV where a mom and a cow standing next to her are crying as the child goes off to her first day of school. My 6-year-old asked why the cow was crying and I said without hesitation that she's crying because her baby was taken away and her milk is being given to humans. He didn't understand what I was saying, but I'm sure one of these days he will.

Because I handle all the cooking, my husband become plant-based by default. He quickly lost 20 pounds and his fasting blood sugar went from the 160s to between 100-110 (He's diabetic and on medication). Although he's still on medication, his doctor was pleased with his blood work when she saw him six months into our plant-based journey.

My son has autism, so feeding him has always been a challenge. I've seen some children with autism eat better than neurotypical children, but my son isn't one of them. From birth he was a picky and small eater. While other kids were downing 12- to 16-ounce bottles of formula or breast milk in one shot, my son was full at 4 ounces. He was even still eating pureed foods until 3. I have no way to prove this, but I really think my son tastes things differently from those of us who are neurotypical. He only eats a few bites of chocolate, candy or ice cream. He'll tell me something sweet tastes like pickles (I'm not sure if he's just throwing that out or is serious). Food that almost anyone would wolf down, my son nibbles on and then gags. One of his favorite things to eat is a plain flour tortilla -- not toasted or filled with ingredients -- just pulled straight out of the bag. I long for the day when he eats any meal in under 40 minutes. My son isn't completely plant-based, but little by little I'm finding recipes and vegan substitutes that suit his palette. He doesn't drink cow's milk, and he doesn't care for cheese or most meat. I'm happy he at least loves my vegan smoothies with Sunwarrior Warrior Blend protein powder.

As for me, I used to feel heart palpitations at least once a week. They have since disappeared. My last physical was in August of 2012, so when I go later this year, I'll be curious to see the results of my blood work. All my numbers were in range, but I have a feeling my cholesterol is probably down. I've lost about 15 pounds and I'm aiming to lose a lot more this year by just cutting back the calories and exercising more. I didn't reduce my caloric intake this past year, but I will going forward into 2014. I've starting eating more lentils (dal) for dinner and a baked sweet potato for lunch. I'm still a sucker for a few slices of Upton's vegan bacon for breakfast.

I welcome 2014 with a renewed faith and spiritual heart and the peace that comes from living cruelty-free.

Happy New Year everyone.