I am a on flesh-free diet for sixty days. The approach was rather gradual – and it works best this way: gave up beef several years ago, having occasionally a piece of chicken. As I have been talking for some time already about a need for a change in the way I approach my nutrition, inspired by my blood tests results and a growing compassion for living beings. A first milestone reached – sixty days meat-free – upon successfully surfing numerous and amazingly generous vegan cooking and baking sites, have finally moved from words to deeds.

My first diet change was to replace yogurt with home make almond milk. Followed these simple steps for a great result: http://lovelymorning.com/index.php/2012/01/how-to-make-homemade-almond-milk/. Thank you, lovelymorning.com! I pour almond milk into my cereals, soy flakes and flax-seeds combined with  fresh or frozen fruits. And enjoy every bit of it, up to the last drop, every morning now!

My first successful attempt were these oatmeal cookies, inspired by http://www.cookiemadness.net/2008/06/chewy-vegan-oatmeal-raisin-cookies/. My small imprint were to add walnuts on one occasion and almonds on another occasion for a variety of taste and flavour. I use the almond meat from the above almond milk recipe. Goes well with raisins, pineapple, cranberries and any other dry fruit.  I also reduced by half the sugar from the original recipe. They are delicious, especially with a mint tea from my kitchen garden. Thank you, cookiemadness.net !

Cant’ really tell the difference, visually, between vegan oatmeal cookies and oatmeal cookies, which my child loves, fully inspired by www. joyofbaking.com http://www.joyofbaking.com/OatmealCookies.html 

And my other vegan achievement was to adapt this Easter Swirl Lamb cake recipe http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2010/03/easter-swirl-lamb-cake-veganized-family.html , to a Easter Vegan Bunny, to my family’s delight. Thank you, Kathy!

One item I can not give up is chocolate. I am a certified chocolate –addict with no chance of cure. So I thought, until these: http://veggienook.com/2012/03/16/homemade-raw-vegan-chocolate-in-only-3-or-4-ingredients/ . I adjusted it a bit to: 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted; 2/3 cup cacao powder;  3 instead of 4 tbsp agave nectar/maple syrup for my animal farm molds. So I can enjoy now remorse-free chocolate pork, beef and chicken :).  They are heavenly and a long lasting taste for a brightened mood whatever the weather outside and inside. A bit too bitter for loved ones, which works well for me, for obvious reasons :). Thank you, veggienook.com!

These successful attempts were  such a confidence boost! I’ll certainly persevere with more good for body, good for soul, good for planet food.

Enjoy and please share your first vegan experiences