Being a Vegan..

I get this question alot..."why are u a vegan?"..." what is a vegan?"

A Vegan is a person who eats purely non-animal-based food and also chooses not to not to use any kind of products that are tested on animals or originated from animals.

I have Been a vegan since last year November 2010 after watching a documentary on how animals are slaughtered, it has really changed my life. (if you can handle it..check out the one above..shocking)

i was a  peskaterian for 11 years prior and now being a vegan has transformed my awareness...my eating has stepped up a notch & now i have completely cut out dairy, milk, cheese, egg, butter, fish etc...

I chose to be a vegetarian because eating animals psychological felt like i was biting and chewing my own arm. The idea of eating veins, skin cells, blood, stringy tendons and hairy crispy flesh just wouldn't sit right, the idea of eating an animal which didn't want to die and was in shock also freaked me out.

in regards to what i eat, what i wear, my awareness and consciousness of all things- nature, animals, growing foods..., vegan lifestyle and this new community has changed my perspective in a positive way.

i am still new to what it means to be a vegan (8 mths), i'm still wearing vintage leather and some new leather shoes which causes my own personal inner war & debates but however (i have a great awareness/understanding and gratefulness to the animal..and realization that i too- am undoing the conditioning like most people do on this journey.)
There will be a time when all my leather possessions fade into oblivion including my high top trainers lol!! even the Nike tick wont stand a chance....! and i have made a vow to myself to not buy anymore leather products recently....so slow sincere steps make for great action..

i thought it would be nice to add some vegan inspiring pics and info to inspire you today xx

Carbohydrates - You need between 180 - 230 grams of carbohydrates per day (20-70 if you want to lose weight). Most people think you can only get carbs from grains - not true! Click to find out more.
Protein - 40 - 70 grams per day. Vegans have many options when it comes to protein including, legumes, quinoa, and the vegan protein superstar, hemp!
Fiber - 25 -35 grams per day. Vegans have an edge when it comes to getting enough fiber. Click to find out more.
Fat - 44 grams per day, unsaturated - up to 22 grams per day saturated. Good fats are essential for good health and vegan sources of fat are the best!
Calcium and Other Minerals - Calcium is always of great concern to people who are condisering becoming vegan. There are many delcious plant-based foods that are better sources of calcium than any dairy product.
Vitamins (B12 and D) - Eating a variety of plant-based foods will get you all the vitamins you need, but B12 and D can be a concern for vegans. Click to find out more.

What is a vegan diet? A vegan's diet includes whole grains, legumes, nuts, leafy green vegetables, and rice or soy milk, oatmeal, cereal, fruit juices, lentil soup, pasta, fruits, popcorn, chili, guacamole, tofu lasagna, peanut butter, yogurt, chickpeas, cookies without eggs, vegetable burgers, fruit desserts, fruit smoothies, rice pudding, and hummus.

There are two types of veganism. These two types are:

• Fruitarian- A fruitarian is a vegan who only eats seeds and raw fruits. Aside from that, nothing else.
• Raw Foodist- A raw foodist is a vegan who has a whole live foods diet. This means that the foods they eat haven't been cooked. In order to be a raw foodist, your diet's raw portion should be seventy five to one hundred percent of your diet everyday.

a vegan's diet is rich in fresh foods, it is high in fiber and low in saturated fats. A vegan's diet includes potassium, magnesium, antioxidants, Folate, vitamin E, vitamin C, proteins, and Phytochemicals.

Some tasty food below

 

Yummy Protein /amino acids

fermented Soy products

hemp

tofu

soy milk
Nuts
Legumes
Grains such as amaranth and quinoa

 

vitamin D

vitamin B12

calcium

some glorious treats below..

Vegan Brownies

delicious recipe

Many Brownie recipes require applesauce as a binding agent, but I always find them to be rather grotesque after a few days.

Ingredients:
1 cup organic sugar
1 cup organic unbleached flour
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Mix wet ingredients, then pour in all the dry, but don't over mix

Bake at 350' for about 20-25 minutes

Simple! They're supposed to look gooey, and you can even add your favorite
vegan chocolate chips, add coconut, or nuts