The challenge

What will happen when a regular meat and dairy consuming woman turns vegan? That is the conclusion I am trying to draw from this experiment. What will, if anything, happen to me?

Now, I'm no newbie to being vegetarian. I was vegetarian for a good year during high school, and went through stages as an adult following a vegetarian diet. But having a full-time job, a 2 year old girl and a carnivore boyfriend meant I was making excuses for not taking the time to prepare nutritious and sustaining vegetarian meals for myself. "It's easier for me to just have what they are having".
I've always had a soft spot for the animals that went on to our dinner plate. I recall times when I was preparing Butter Chicken...I could not eat it because I just could not shake the image of the animal being killed to make the meal. What was it doing the day before it was slaughtered?

How ironic that through the animal's death we were given fuel for life.

Since a child I've made moral decisions about the meat I eat. I never ate veal, or lamb. Last year when I found out about the foul treatment of pigs in pig farms(factories) I pledged to eat free range or not at all. And more recently I was made aware of Rennet in cheese, an enzyme taken from the stomach of a newborn (or unborn) calf. I told my family and friends about it, and boycotted any cheeses that were produced with rennet.

But what is the difference between a calf and a cow barely a year old? They both have their lives violently cut short by humans for food. They both eat, drink, breathe and live. They both bleed and feel pain.

If I feel strongly about the animals then why did I give up being vegetarian, you ask? I can't even really answer that. Eating meat made me feel guilty most of the time, and the rest of the time I'd convince myself it was okay using any reason I could think of.

After hearing about the milk and egg industry now, I feel its time to reduce my impact on the animal population and greenhouse emissions. And I can combine this into a 30 day challenge, all while charting my progress on this 'ere blog! Isn't the internet a gem?

Ok. So.
I am allergic to eggs, so that wont be difficult to give up. I already love oat milk and soy milk, and drink it regularly. Butter is easy to replace with a non-dairy spread, and ice cream is solved with sorbets and soy ice creams.

Cheese. This is the hard part. I haven't tried vegan cheese yet, but I hope it is bloody good, because otherwise this challenge will prove very difficult. I love cheese. Live for it. I put cheese on everything! In my salads, on my sandwiches, over my vegetables and pastas...besides hot chips, cheese is my vice.

In any case, I will be sticking to this for a month, like it or not. And I will be telling YOU exactly how I go.
FYI, the chick in the photo is me pre-vegan. Expect more pictures, especially of animal friendly meals and me chowing down on said meals.


The challenge begins tomorrow morning.

Speak soon.