Ok so if you're not vegan, what's with the vegan blog? Hypocritical much?
Hmmm. I've struggled with this one a lot. Then I had a revelation:
The sum total of what vegans and omnivores have in common is far greater than marketing executives would have us believe. This isn't meant to redefine or water down veganism, but merely illustrate that a vegan diet is far more inclusive than most of us realize. I find many delicious and decadent things that coexist happily in all camps so that's what you'll find here.
Why be all "sneaky" about it?
Short answer: Psychology 101.
Slightly longer explanation:
A vegan diet is perceived as an all-or-nothing extreme, something very "other" that is unfathomable to those of us, myself included, who grew up on (and thoroughly enjoy) meat, milk, cheese, butter and all that other "good stuff" that we know perfectly well is anything but good for us. Just mentioning the V-word conjures up images of tasteless salads, fake-food substitutes and other universally unappealing stereotypes that tend to make anyone with carnivorous inclinations cling to the nearest bacon-double-cheeseburger like a life raft.
I've been a fitness freak for most of my life so cheese, butter, milk and a bunch of animal fat were never a big part of my menu plans. A lot of us are more "veganish" than we realize, we've just always called it something else: health-conscious.
Recently I came across a bunch of yummy-looking vegan recipes and was prepared to totally overhaul my pantry so I could try a few. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that almost all of the ingredients already reside in my kitchen. And day after day as I've watched my husband (aka "the Bear") devour my little experiments with the same enthusiastic fervor he dedicates to our meatier meals, it's occurred to me that perhaps this isn't so "other" after all.
All my abolitionist friends are pretty psyched that their "omni-friend" started a vegan blog, but still, there's no point in raising any red flags or incurring unnecessary resistance from the Bear, my mom, or anyone else who thinks I've lost my mind. What they don't know won't hurt them...and in this case, it will actually help.
Is it working?
Amazingly, yes! Even my mom is on the program - she's not only down to her ideal weight, she's significantly lowered her cholesterol with less medication in just a couple of months. Now she's lecturing her friends and even her doctors about the benefits of a vegan diet - go Mom! And the Bear? He's busy eating...
As I stage this quiet coup in my kitchen, I smile to myself thinking back on all the futile preaching I used to do about health benefits and horrific food production practices that either started arguments or fell on deaf ears. It's SO much more effective for me to simply shut up and cook everyone some good food.
Buon appetito!
Have a question? Leave a comment (I love comments!) or send me an email at sneakyvegan [at] gmail [dot] com
Interesting blog. What was your inspiration to try vegan food? I see that you are interested in health and you are against typical food production. Do you have any pets?
ReplyDeleteHi - thanks for reading :) Sorry for the delayed reply. Have been away on honeymoon for the past month!
ReplyDeleteFunny, I haven't really thought of it as "trying" vegan food. I guess that's kind of the point of this site: that EVERYONE already eats vegan food, we just don't think of it that way. The only difference is that non-vegans eat a few more things, but it really is only a few and they happen to be the few that even the most mainstream nutrition plans advise cutting out or at least cutting down.
Like most people, I have quite a few friends and family members with health issues ranging from high cholesterol, diabetes, and cancer to basic lactose intolerance as well as moral issues with animal cruelty and other such principles - so, since I cook for all of them I find it easier to cook things that everyone can eat rather than making "special" dishes (or separate dates) for each of them. Believe it or not, it's a lot easier than it sounds, especially when I use "real" food rather than food substitutes.
My main inspiration for the site was to create a space where I can stockpile all the great vegan recipes and other things I come across that straddle the line and have been successfully taste-tested on people in both camps - and of course, to share it with anyone else who is interested on any level for their own reasons.
Hope that answers your questions! Oh, and no, I don't have any pets :)
No problem about the delay. Your recipes make veganism look great and I also come from a family with allergies and health problems (who doesn't?!) It is easier to cook vegan, isn't it! Also, I think that everyone wants to do the right thing and veganism is the right thing to do.
ReplyDeleteRight now, a cat is sleeping next to me. I love this cat. He is full of personality, intelligence, and inherit value (meaning his life is worthwhile because he has one). I would do anything in my power to keep him alive and out of harm's way. I realized last year, I felt this way about all animals. My pleasure, convenience, or comfort is not worth anyone dying or feeling pain. This is why I am vegan. I am a full-time vegan because there is never a good reason for an animal to feel pain or to be killed. Do you feel the same way?
I try not to get into the right vs. wrong debate as I've found that it often ends up cementing people's resistance and closing down the opportunity for a constructive dialogue. People are generally more open and receptive when they're not defending themselves or their points of view. I've had much better luck with the positive reinforcement of gratification and goodness (no matter what the subject) so that's what I try to focus on. In the end, it's a different means to the same end and I strongly believe that small efforts can add up to a collectively significant change.
ReplyDeleteHope that answers your question!
I'm loving your blog! It's so great to see someone out there I can relate to. I've never been one of those all or nothing kind of people. Life is too short to stress about the details, but I think even a little change goes a long way!
ReplyDeleteHi GG - so glad you're enjoying my little blog. It's people like you that make this totally worth doing =) And you're right - ANY change is always better than none!
ReplyDeleteI found your blog through the kind life website and I'm finding it very interesting! I have recently started the vegetarian (health conscious?) lifestyle and enjoy new recipes. Thanks for the blog!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! So glad you're enjoying it. Thanks so much for taking a peek =)
ReplyDeleteDiscovered you on Kind Life and 'liked' you on facebook. Gonna follow your blog, love the way you write and what you write!! Def agree about being 'health conscious', that's where it started with me three years ago and one of the reasons for me to go vegan now. Gonna try vegan banana pancakes tomorrow, when it works out I'll share the receipe and photo's with you! Keep up the good work, you're an inspiration to me, really glad I found you and your blog!! (because I was hoping to find something like this, but not so much approached from the animal perspective, not because I'm stalking you ;))
ReplyDeleteOh yay yay yay Julia! So happy you stopped by and thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Whenever I start wondering whether this is really doing any good, I get a lovely comment like yours from someone who inspires me to keep it up. So thank YOU :)
ReplyDelete