No New Years Resolutions, Just Life Changes

I am not a fan of the whole "New Years Resolutions" thing. I get that people go in to them with the right ideas. I'll lose weight, I'll quit smoking, I'll get to the gym more..... The lists go on and on. Like most of those people though, I have never really followed through on any of it. I don't think that people fail because they really can't do these things. Rather, I think that the motivation is wrong. You can't change your life simply on the fact that it's a whole new year. It has to come from a deep desire within, one that will stick with you when those goals are challenged over and over again. Sometimes those desires are long planned and grow, and sometimes they come from a wake-up call. My latest life change goal comes from the latter.

I almost feel silly posting this, because it does sound so cliche to have it around the new year. That said, my revelation actually happened over the holidays, and it's taken some time for me to decide to actually run with it. I'm going to make the commitment to myself to become vegan again. I was faced with the reality (over the holidays) that my body seriously hates me when I eat animal products in almost any form. Dairy and I clash hard, and yet when I have even a little bit, it sends me spiraling out of control and I crave more and more despite the physical pain it puts me in. How odd is that? Eggs, well I just find eggs to be gross in theory. So that is a lesser "give-up."

I went to the library last night and found two new-to-me cookbooks Veganomicon and Vegan with a Vengeance, both by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. These books are going to be my guide to day by day vegan eating and living for the next month (that is how long I will have them on loan at least). I spent two hours last night pouring over the introductions, the recipes, the tips. To say that I am excited would be an understatement. My past attempts at veganism ended due to issues with "what to eat?" and boredom of the food. With these two books alone, I feel that I could cook for months on end and never repeat a recipe.

This morning I made tofu scramble. I've made my own versions of this before, something that I actually eat quite regularly. Usually I have to supplement with corn tortillas and a bit of salsa to really enjoy. However, I followed her recipe in Vegan with a Vengeance (the first in the book), and am in love. It needed nothing else, it was absolutely divine!

So, on top of family, school, and knitting posts, I will now also be keeping a little log of my cooking adventures and struggles on this new journey I am undertaking!

Happy 2011 everyone.