The First Day and Just Getting Started

It’s officially the first day of my month of vegan-only eating.  And I’m pumped!  Last night I went out and bought a few items that I would consider staples in the process of converting to an animal-free diet.

Some of these items include:

• agave syrup (as an alternative to honey which is what I usually use, along with maple syrup)
• quinoa (one of my fave grains/seeds for its high nutrient profile, with all the amino acids a new vegan needs)
• WAY TOO MANY types of non-dairy milk – unsweetened almond, unsweetened soy, and a chocolate/mint soy that I have previously tried during the holidays (so good in coffee)
• Bengal Spice tea, which is like chai tea except there’s no caffeine.  It’s so good with a bit of maple syrup and almond milk.
• chocolate chunks for baking (these ones are semi-sweet and non-dairy with no soy either).  Baking is one of my favourite hobbies, so I gotta have chocolate in the chip or chunk form.
• greens – spinach and kale (great for anything from soups and stews to salads or just to eat on the side)

In addition to these I already have:  vegan buttery-spread, lots of fruit, dark chocolate, carrots, potatoes and other vegetable basics, and 3 kinds of mustard (my favourite condiment).

For my first vegan breakfast I decided on a quinoa porridge with vanilla almond milk and some frozen mango chunks cooked-in.  Then I added some sliced bananas, a generous sprinkling of cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup.  I made this with the leftover quinoa I had waiting in the fridge.  Pretty convenient!

Quinoa Porridge with Mango and Banana

I really enjoyed this (with some of that Bengal Spice tea)!  You have to be okay with a quinoa flavour and texture to begin with.  It’s a bit nutty and is high in fibre with a slight grit to it.  That sounds weird, but if you’ve ever had quinoa, you know what I’m saying, right?

Quinoa has been touted for its healthy protein, fibre, and mineral content – and it’s gluten-free and therefore safe for folks who are sensitive to the gluten found in wheat.  Here’s what the Whole Grains Council organization website has to say about it.

Well, how about that?

This weekend I plan on trying out a few more complex vegan meals (more complex than porridge at least).  I can’t wait to discover some alternatives to my usual weekend breakfast of eggs over-easy.  🙂