I'm Officially Half Vegan...

First I'll deal with the elephant in the room.  I am alive and well.  I'd like to say I was off on a wild adventure so remote that the internet didn't exist there...but alas...the sheer busyness of life, family and work got in the way of any sort of post creation.  Yesterday a good friend, J.A., suggested I start blogging again about my new journey - so thanks for the suggestion!  Happily, I see I've had lots of visitors whilst I have been MIA - which is weird - but great!

So I was having some "issues" with my digestive system.  I didn't feel
right...I wasn't feeling great...and finally decided to go see a Naturopath.  That was a smart decision and I am totally taking a moment to pat myself on my back.....ok.....back to typing.  Turns out, based on a blood test she ordered, I can't eat the following:

Milk (cheese, whey, casein) Peas, Almonds, Cashews, Pistachios, Peanuts, Wheat (thank God not a gluten intolerance - just wheat specifically), Oranges, Eggs, Barley, sunflower seeds and Brewers Yeast (seriously - no wine and beer. OMG - what the heck am I going to label these posts with?!), and a few other things...because you know - if you have an issue - might as well make it as interesting as possible!  So I can eat the actual animal - but not it's "stuff."  Hence, I'm half vegan (think about it this way...I have my salad with no croutons, no cheese and vegan dressing...but sprinkled with bacon!)  Very hard to find healthy food that doesn't have the nuts I can't eat!

So, think fruits, vegetables, meat, seeds and a few nuts.  That's it.  Officially I am the MOST annoying dinner guest to invite over!

Literally my cupboard of food

So...I went for a day of feeling really sorry for myself.  However, I started about 35 days ago with the Whole30 Plan and feel amazing - and I have lost about 13 pounds in 35 days.  So obviously feeling better is more important than a delicious, creamy, France-created Brie topped with a dollop of gourmet Red Pepper Jelly on a wheat cracker...but alas, I digress.

So I have been experimenting with egg replacements, flour replacements and milk replacements.  And, today Peach and I made a really yummy vegan chocolate loaf with vegan chocolate chips (these chocolate chips have Cocoa Mass and Brown sugar....that's it....and they are delicious!).

I am going to post some of these recipes in "Fixin's From Our Kitchen" or "Sassy Sweet..." section - just in case there are any other half-vegans out there.  If there are, I kinda feel like we need a secret handshake...

I can't believe it but...I think I can do this.  And do it well!