I did it - I kept vegan for well over forty days (56 to be exact, as I started early, and Lent is actually longer than 40 days).
There were only two slip-ups:
1. A taste of some dip at a party that I was told was okay for my diet needs, but had a tiny amount of bacon in the mix
2. A spoonful of peanut butter that was a special honey infused peanut butter.In both cases I did not know, and neither had a measurable amount non-vegan ingredients. Thus, they were not really slip-ups.... but instead just part of living in the real world.
So how does one break the "Vegan for Lent" adventure? Duh, ..... BACON!!!
And waffles (there are eggs in my waffle recipe) with real butter!
It has been a great experience, and I expect to continue as a pseudo-vegan going forward. I will be making mostly plant-based choices, but will not remain 100% vegan. I think I will make a fairly good effort Monday-Friday, but then have more options on the weekends.
Last night we attended a 50th Birthday Party for two friends. It was quite an event. There were vegetarian / vegan food options, but the birthday cake and the surrounding "cake balls" looked amazing. I almost rationalized at 10 PM that we were only two hours from Easter.... and thus could eat the dessert (it was already Easter in some parts of the world). But alas, I stayed strong (knowing that bacon was awaiting me this morning!).
Thank you to everyone who shared in my adventure, read this blog, sent me recipes, gave moral support / encouragement, and even those who mocked me for my "Vegan for Lent" decision. It was a difficult Lent commitment.... but well worth the experience.
And special "THANKS" to my wife, who supported me through the whole process. She is a great cook, and her vegan meals were among the best food I had during Lent.
Sorry for the tangent, but reading about your adventure and the "unintentional slips" made me think about the implications of "living life" for those with severe food allergies. Imagine having to be constantly vigilant to avoid nuts, shellfish, wheat, etc., and being given what was claimed to be sufficiently safe food that wasn't actually safe. In such a case it's not a matter of unintentional slips against a free-will vow of abstinence but a true mortal crisis. All I can say is I'm thankful that I don't have such a problem and have a new appreciation for the struggle of those that do.
ReplyDeleteRobert....
ReplyDeleteYES, that is a HUGE lesson I learned by going vegan for Lent. I wrote about how hard it must be to have food allergies in this post:
http://fortydaysvegan.blogspot.com/2011/04/eating-gluten-free-in-restaurants-and.html
Needing to be gluten free or avoiding nuts or dairy for allergy reasons must make life very difficult. I saw it hard when I was doing this by choice, but a "slip-up" for me was not a medical emergency!
thanks for your comment!
thom
Impressed that you tried a very consistent, vegan diet, Thom. Perhaps we'll share some carrot sticks someday. :)
ReplyDeletebtw theres is NO such thing as a parttime vegan because its not vegan!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - While being vegan part-time may not be "pure"... those who are believers in a plant based diet have told me that eating "Less meat and dairy" also is a step in the right direction for health. One year later I now eat about 50% less meat and 70% less dairy than I did before. I feel better, and am happy with the choices I am making. Thus, I think it best to embrace the effort rather than criticize the one who is not 100%.
ReplyDeleteJust my thoughts, but I am also the one who is not 100% so it is a self-serving point of view ;-)