Over the summer, smack dab in the middle of morning sickness, I revisited an old conviction and decided I wanted to return to plant-based lifestyle. For about 6 months in college I ate a vegan diet and the benefits were awesome! Unfortunately, it was short-lived because being vegan while living on a college campus proved almost impossible.
Plant-Based & Not Totally Vegan
Now that I run my own home, it’s infinitely easier to create the menu I want and my family needs–I’m not bound by some campus meal plan. However, living with a man who loves meat makes the strict vegan diet rather challenging (as if it weren’t challenging enough already). I’m also responsible for making sure the toddler of the house doesn’t wither up into nothing. Not that a vegan diet would do that in and of itself, but some days I’m overwhelmed by how finicky his eating habits are. On days like that, if I can get him to eat a grilled cheese: by all means. Plus, what sort of vegan food are you even able to order out for kids? Tsk tsk.
Plant-based to me means that my diet is usually about 90-95% vegan while my husband and son eat about 75% vegan. I eat no meat, but sometimes dairy and eggs are unavoidable. I just can’t be the type of vegan to rudely refuse something that was cooked for me that may contain cheese or a baked good made with eggs. Especially since my choice to be vegan isn’t based on strong ethical convictions, but simply for health reasons.
My husband and I were able to reach an agreement that I can cook all (or as much as possible) vegan at home and he can have his meat fix when we go out. Win-win!
No Meat & Dairy at a Minimum
We no longer keep meat or dairy in the house as nutritional staples, but I do buy about one bag of shredded cheese per week to sprinkle at eater’s discretion. (Read: if putting cheese on the quinoa or beans will make Jonas eat it, sprinkle away!)
I was so excited to get started on the vegan diet right away but had to wait for the morning sickness to subside. Hate to say it, but healthy food was almost totally out the window. For some reason plant food just turns me off during the first trimester. Took three months, but I’m in the clear and we’ve been chowing on some awesome plant-based food since mid-September!
Here’s a handful of the vegan recipes we’ve been enjoying over the last month. Enjoy!
Strawberries & Cream Overnight Oats
Vegan BBQ Hawaiian Pizza with sweet potato fries
Vegan Jambalaya
Roasted Cajun Cauliflower over Creamy Garlic Sauce Pasta
Raspberry Breakfast Quinoa
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
Lentil Walnut Taco Salad in a Crispy Tortilla Bowl
Guys, I’m so stoked to be living a more plant-based lifestyle! We are eating more fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, and legumes than ever! Not only is it healthier, but we are saving money and eating more seasonal and local produce. Bonus: I don’t have to suffer anxiety about whether or not the meat is fully cooked.
I’m even thinking about incorporating some self-made vegan recipes into Huntress At Home. Leave a comment if you’d like to see food and recipes become a bigger part of the blog! I always love your feedback!
In the mean time, be sure to visit my Pinterest page Huntress At Home for more vegan and plant-based recipes!
I have tried some of these recipes myself and they are AWESOME! I would love to see more of what you are making at home. Being vegan is so hard sometimes but so totally worth it in how you feel. My husband and I arent totally vegan but eat plant-based meals at home 95% of the time. Keep up the good work!
If you’re going to be totally vegan, the hard part is having to work around outings or friend and family gatherings! But it’s really not bad at home. 🙂 It seems like once you step out of the house, EVERYTHING is made with milk and cheese!