Here are some of my favorite moments from the last two weeks of our trip.

In Berkeley with an amazing view of the San Francisco Bay. We stopped off to visit my just-back-in-the-States cousin and his wonderful family.

We saw some beautiful elk near Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park

I often refer to my darling husband as "my giant". He looks downright puny next to that redwood. That's no small feat.

Here I am, crouching inside a fallen redwood trunk.

With my dear friend, Melinda (of www.ICookWithWine.com), in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Wine tasting with our San Francisco hosts Melinda and Kevin, the ever-gracious oenophiles.

Michael took this great shot of one of the vineyards.

Doing my requisite yoga in the tasting room. Normal, right? No?

The green roof at the California Academy of Sciences made me feel like I was living in Dr. Seuss book.

This was my first visit to Alcatraz, and I was mesmerized by the decrepit buildings.

Our friends' dog, Grey, who happens to be awesome.

This rhino, in the San Diego Safari Park, is one of only SEVEN of its kind left in the world. Seeing it was at once awesome and heartbreaking.

I have so many thoughts about this trip–from what I learned about how to stay healthy while doing extended traveling to trying to sort out my feelings about zoos–but I’m still reflecting on much of the last four weeks. I can’t wait to see how the next adventure, which is less than a week away, is going to boggle my mind.

When I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease five-and-a-half years ago, I didn’t spend too much time finding gluten-free versions of many of the foods I’d relied on until then. Rather than hunting down the perfect gluten-free cereal or bagel or bread, I just moved beyond those things, a decision that I believe made me much healthier overall. [That said, I now indulge in gluten-free pizza and pancakes on a semi-regular basis.]

Now that I’m trying to eat a high-vegan (though still pescatarian) diet, I find myself in a similar situation. Fake meat weirds me out, and soy cheese just can’t be nearly as creamy as the real thing. Nevertheless, there have been a few substitutions from vegan pantries that have made my taste buds very happy while keeping my eats (largely) cruelty-free.  Here are some of my favorites.

Purely Decadent Soy Ice Cream

As someone with Hashimoto’s Hypothyroiditis (that’s a mouthful), I feel it’s pretty important to limit my soy intake. That said, sometimes a girl needs some ice cream, and Purely Decadent Soy Ice Cream doesn’t give me an upset stomach, so I mark it a win. (It’s also available with coconut milk instead of soy, but I haven’t tried that…yet.)

Hemp Dream Hemp Drink

I always hated milk. Hated. My parents quickly gave up on trying to make me drink milk with meals (what’s with that, anyway???) as it became clear that my stubborn streak would win every time. But when I make my smoothies or want the rare bowl of cereal, hemp milk is my liquid of choice. Rice milk seems a little thin on the nutrients, and while almond milk can be a nice change of pace, I prefer the texture, taste, and health benefits of hemp milk. When I make my own nut milk, however, I go cashew; the hubs loves it, but we haven’t found it available commercially.

Nutritional Yeast

Sometimes I joke about being a cheegan. (I know, I know—but I’m a work in progress.) I’m pretty sure I could do the vegan thing without too much trouble if I could still nosh on a good goat Camembert or sheep Gouda. I dream of the day I can cut my ties with cheese with the level of success Jen has achieved. Until then, I have found one occasion when I can swap out cheese for a vegan alternative without sacrifice: nutritional yeast on tacos. It’s creamy and has just the right tang. If you’re looking for a place to start, tacos are it.

Black Beans & Mushrooms

Speaking of tacos, try this meat replacement: sauté some diced onion, then add a can of (rinsed and drained) black beans, a diced red pepper, and a whole ton of diced mushrooms. Sprinkle in taco seasoning to taste and let it cook down. Bomb. You could also puree this combo for a creamy nacho dip.

Hummus

I don’t eat sandwiches (pesky gluten), but if I did…I’d use hummus in place of mayo. And I used to love mayo. I just love hummus more. When I’m trying to prove to family how delicious gluten-free/vegan life can be, I often whip up some hummus and smear it on some romaine leaves for an easy and tasty wrap. Or plop some in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and paprika, and serve with carrots and celery. At our family reunion, the hummus lettuce wraps disappeared, and there were potato chips left over. I’m just sayin’.

And here’s the ever-wonderful Jen’s take:

Having swapped countless tales of our health and food ventures, we knew we had to share with our readers a few of our favorite things.  We call them The Incredibles.

Daiya Cheese – I had been sending sad vibes to the Universe that my favorite pizzeria (ok, any pizzeria) wasn’t making vegan pizza.  I was ready to write a request when I learned they had recently discovered a great-tasting faux mozzarella.  It was love at first bite.  Within a day’s time I found that Whole Foods carried it as well in both mozzarella and cheddar.  Best news yet: it was free of soy and casein.  Score!  I use Daiya on homemade pizzas, in pastas and on my killer grilled cheesus sandwich.  While I don’t miss cheese anymore (a “food” I ate with every meal of every day), a little substitute every now and then is heavenly.

Brown Rice Pasta – I was introduced to this tasty treat while doing an elimination diet with Olivia.  Among the culprits that trigger food sensitivities, we eliminated all foods with gluten.  I had no idea there was a pasta so yummy and easy on the digestive system…and gluten-free!  My only caveat with this product is it’s best to eat fresh…leftovers are a little tough (literally) unless you have it as a pasta salad with some sort of dressing for it to soak in.

Yogi Tea – When you’re a holistic health junkie cutting back or removing caffeine entirely from your diet, you’ll likely fair better to replace it with a new liquid love.  Herbal tea is a great way to go.  Thai Delight and Chai Rooibos are new favorites.  Another little perk?  Yogi teas come with quotes to contemplate while you sip and unwind.  Om so good.

Chia Seeds – These little wonders certainly found ways to entertain (remember those chia pets?) but who knew they could be good for your health?  They can hold 10 times their weight in water (hello hydration!) and provide you with fiber, protein, calcium and omega-3.  They are a staple of the Tarahumara tribe, who take a chia fresca before their 100-mile runs.  They work great before and after workouts.  You can also use them in baking and puddings!

Don’t Mock This Mayo! – While I don’t use this often (the vegan label does not equal healthy/eat it on a regular basis), it’s mighty handy (and delicious) with potato and pasta salads and my grilled cheesus.

No Need to Fake It – I was never a huge fan of animal flesh to begin with and never really understood the appeal of fake meats.  I get that they can help with the transition to a vegetarian or vegan diet but why would anyone want something that reminded them of cow tush or chicken breast?  I love that there are burgers on the market that don’t taste like cow.  Sunshine Burgers makes a kick-ass medley of veggies (without loads of mushrooms – a common “replacement” to beef and a fungus I’m just not fond of) and mom turned me on to Trader Joe’s Masala burgers.  You won’t need any condiments…comes perfectly flavored and seasoned.

Remember the Lentils – Last but not least, I make sure to have a couple of Amy’s soups in my pantry…for days when I’m lagging with home-cooked meals.  Her lentil soup is my favorite for taste and for the nutritional punch I get from the lentils (protein and iron, baby!).

While my diet consists of veggies, fruits, nut butters and milks, brown rice, and lentils/beans and many of the products listed are “sometimes” foods (with exception to the chia and tea) they are worth the shout out for giving the vegan life that much more pizazz.

Hope you enjoyed this return to T2C! What tops your list of Incredible vegan food finds?

Tools

The Hurom Slow Juicer ($359) ain’t cheap, but if you’re looking to wow someone who wants one juicer for veggies, fruits, and wheatgrass, this is the way to go. Once I have a fixed address, I’m going to follow Kristen Suzanne’s advice and splurge on one of these.

If the Hurom is the Cadillac of juicers, the VitaMix5200 ($498.95) is, hands down, the best blender out there. If the sticker shock doesn’t kill you (half a grand for a blender?!), you’ll be awed by the creamy smoothies, nut mylks, even doughs, this puppy can whip up.

Of course, if you don’t want to wipe out your IRA buying gifts for loved ones (seriously–don’t do that), you can treat people to ingredients from Navitas Naturals (from $4.98). These organic, often raw, ingredients are still a bit of a splurge when it comes to regular cooking, so they make a much appreciated–and reasonable–present. Shop through iHerb and save some moolah.

Any accomplished chef knows that presentation matters, so surprise your foodie with a Liz Kinder original (the pieces above range from $34 to $146). Liz is an incredibly talented Philadelphia-based artist who makes dishwasher- and microwave-safe hand-crafted pottery. It’s awesome. Buy some.

Knowledge

The following links are Amazon Affiliate links. The cost to you is the same, but I get a small percentage of the sales so I can keep traveling, juicing, etc.

CrazySexyDiet by Kris Carr ($14.97)

The China Study by T. Colin Campbell ($9.89)

500 Healthiest Foods by George Mateljan ($26.37)

Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry ($12.89)

Food Revolution by John Robbins ($13.57)

Food, Inc. DVD ($13.99)

Food Matters DVD ($19.99)

Our pantry is teeming with lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, beans…you name it. We have oodles of healthy vegan protein, but 1) almost no time to cook and 2) a dearth of recipes. So I’m asking you: what are your favorite healthy, gluten-free, vegan recipes that will help me use up all this good stuff. (Pardon the mess…and summertime stash of Country Time Lemonade for Arnold Palmers.)

Here’s our pantry-cum-shoe-closet:

Oatmeal, chia seeds, chickpeas, adzuki beans, oh boy!

And one of our cupboards:

Quinoa, cornmeal, and oodles of spices.

Project numero uno:

Chickpeas galore simmering for a giant batch of delicious hummus.

And per the brilliant Voracious Vegan‘s suggestion, this will be happening soon, too:

Mediterranean Black Bean Quinoa Burgers with Red Onion Basil Aioli by the Voracious Vegan

(Of course, no bread for me.)

So, what say you? What recipes should make my must-cook list for these next seven weeks? I’m looking for healthy eats that will keep me going for these 75+ hour weeks, and can easily be made ahead in big batches as Sundays are the only time I really have to cook.

Can’t wait to see what you come up with!

This summer will be different. First of all, I know what to expect. Yes, I have the stress of working 70+ hour weeks for the three months of summer. But this time I feel comfortable with the subject matter and my relationship with the students, which makes all the difference. Second, I now have a great local support system with people I have grown close to over the past year. Third, and of critical importance, I have developed a deeper understanding of the physical manifestations of stress, and spent the last nine months researching and practicing so my body can best accommodate this draining schedule. I’m still tweaking now that we’re in the thick of it, but I wanted to share my strategy.

A few weeks ago, Jen sent me a copy of Brendan Brazier’s Thrive, which addresses how to feed your body with whole, plant-based food to best fuel different degrees of athletic intensity. Much to my surprise, Brazier also spends a nice bit of ink addressing the different types of stress–positive and negative–and what we can control to improve our situation.

This has been pivotal in my approach to the summer.

As I’ve mentioned before, I have quite a skill for being a little stress ball. This proclivity for stress has led to countless days of tummy troubles, endless nights of insomnia, and more than a few panic attacks. You’d think that after that much practice, I’d have the whole managing stress thing figured out; I don’t, but I’m getting there. And Thrive is playing an integral part.

I know that yoga and meditation do wonders for my well-being, and I know that life with green smoothies is infinitely better than life without. But somehow, I had never made the connection (don’t laugh) that everything I put in my mouth either feeds or alleviates my physical stress. This doesn’t mean I’m being perfect (I have a delicious glass of Chianti next to me as I type), but I’m making much better choices, and making them more easily and without the feeling of deprivation now that I have this new filter on.

The perfect match.

[Image source]

Brazier also talked about when he increased his training regimen to such intensity that it was counter-productive. He wasn’t getting enough sleep and pushed his body too hard, so it rebelled. Instead of improving muscle tone and endurance, he saw a backslide. I’m not a triathlete, but I was just falling in love with my running and lifting regimen when work picked up. When I’m finally done with classes, and there are hours more of prep (not to mention laundry, a few emails, and maybe even some fresh food to prepare), it can be tough to decide whether or not to go to the gym. Now I ask myself: what will most give my body what it needs? So far, the answer has been sleep. When I’m barely managing six hours a night (if that) before adding the gym routine, it just doesn’t make sense to add something else to my plate.

All this means I’ve fit in exactly two workouts in the last two and a half weeks. I’d like to increase that number, but instead of punishing myself on the treadmill, I’m trying to arrange my life to be more efficient so I do have time for a stop at the gym a few times a week.

Michael picking green tea in May.

In the meantime, I’m passing over all caffeine except green tea, and limiting my sugar to a glass or two of wine, and maybe a small piece of chocolate. I’ve said bye-bye Starbucks, bye-bye fries. And you know what? With this new understanding, it’s the easiest part of my day.

How do you deal with stress? What gets you through those periods when you feel like you just don’t have anything left? Or, better yet, what do you do to keep from getting there?

Olivia ~ Seoul

For a long while, I attempted perfection. I would pledge myself to weeks or months of…whatever I thought I should focus on next. Yoga every day. No sugar. Not surprisingly, this approach almost always backfired as I burned myself out and went clamoring to the cupboards or the couch.

So now I’m learning to balance virtue and temptation. Oh middle path, you’d make Buddha proud. Treats are awesome and perfection is boring, but it all needs to be balanced. This means that a treat must truly be a treat; I have to enjoy it, savoring every moment.

When virtue and indulgence meet: a pause during a long bike ride to enjoy some wine (and yes, it’s wine in a can).

Caption: When virtue and indulgence meet: a pause during a long bike ride to enjoy some wine (and yes, it’s wine in a can).

Curious as it may sound, this means planning.  How many times have we been tempted by Starbucks/a Snickers bar/insert-craving-of-choice because we were exhausted or hungry or just having a snack attack? I don’t want to waste my treats on situations on like this. I want my indulgences to be about pure pleasure, not a lack of preparedness.

To help make this happen, I try to set up my life to make the healthiest options the easiest ones.

• At work: I keep healthy snacks that are likely to satisfy cravings at my desk: packets of toasted & salted seaweed sub in for potato chips, a bag of apples helps me combat a sugar slump, and a container of homemade trail mix gives me a protein boost when I need it.
• At home: Our fridge is (almost) always organized with the good-for-you stuff easy to grab. A salad lives on the top shelf with a freshly made bottle of dressing. Everything I need to make my green smoothies is corralled into one part of the fridge door so I can whip it together when I’m still half-asleep.
• For fitness: Running shoes are left out, and I try to do a load of laundry when I’m down to my last sports bra or pair of running shorts. The yoga mats stand at the ready against the wall of the living room. If I’m on the fence about going to the gym during a break at work, I bring the sneakers.

Shot of my smoothie shelf

Does this mean I always make the healthful choices? NO! In fact, the last 24 hours have been particularly indulgent. But when I splurge, it’s because I want to, not because I’ve left myself without any other option. So today when I left my hummus-topped salad in the fridge at work and headed to Kraze Burger with my fella, it’s because I really wanted to split some damn cheese fries (and drink a Coke, a very rare occurrence), not because I scampered out empty-handed this morning. And I did still get a salad.

I’m not perfect. But I am pretty darn healthy while still leaving wiggle room for some of the less virtuous parts of life.

How do you handle temptation? Do you plan for it? Are you able to resist cravings?

Jen ~ Philadelphia

Although I’ve gotten used to going without coffee (for the most part), processed foods, alcohol, dairy (for the most part), and meat, I still feel tempted on a daily basis.  Perhaps it’s the fact that for many people, these elements are commonplace in their diet…and I’m surrounded by subsequent opportunities to cave.  It starts the minute I get out of bed when I’m visiting the folks and smell the coffee brewing (and see the non-dairy creamer in their fridge).  On a workday, it starts when I reach the office waiting area.  Co-workers can be found mingling around the coffee maker while I find myself sometimes pining for joe.  If I’ve made it to 10:00 a.m. without succumbing, it’s just a matter of hours before the next hurdle approaches.  Lunch is only hard when I haven’t prepared food in advance.  There are a few options (emphasis on few) otherwise; my university has great vegetarian options but most are laden with cheese.  3:00 rolls around, the hunger hits, and the bad snacks at work call my name.  Dinner is good if I have the energy to make food or if I’m not tired of take-out burritos, salads, or tomato pie (and that’s if the pizzeria has made any that day).

So far I’m not really doing a good job of selling this vegan lifestyle thing, huh?

Thankfully times have changed (since last week).  I’ve gotten a buddy on board with food shopping and prepping on a weekly basis.  We now meet up with vegan and balanced recipes to vote on, money to split the grocery bill, and sculpted biceps to whip up batches of food to get us through the week.  Why didn’t we think of this before?!!*

Jen's health-enabling fridge. I want to go to there!

The temptations for coffee and dairy still continue and occasionally I partake.  But with support of a fellow health junkie, I’ve got plenty of scrumptious meals on hand that are not only meat and dairy-free but my antidote to gratuitous indulging as well.  Once you start eating whole plant-based foods on a regular basis (even in just a few days), you’ll notice your tastebuds and body wanting more!

**Olivia’s note: We’ve started doing a comparable “food share” with some health-minded friends here in Seoul. Now we just go ahead and make extra big batches with our friends’ tastes/restrictions in mind (which, let’s be honest, usually means my dear girls leave out the gluten, tomatoes, and fruit so the Bowquist household can enjoy), and meet up once a week to deliver leftovers. Reheated lentils always taste so much more delicious when Paloma makes them; I give 3/4 credit to her mad kitchen skills, 1/4 to the fact that I didn’t have to cook or do the dishes.

For starters, I bribed the fella by offering to do all the cooking and cleanup for our meals for two weeks. (Of course, because he’s awesome, he will absolutely chip in, but he didn’t want to feel obligated to come up with meals for this new lifestyle.) He’s a great cook in his own right, and has gotten mighty skilled in the gluten-free pescatarian realm, but vegan meals certainly take it to a realm in which I’m definitely the more comfortable cook.

I don’t have photos, unfortunately, but to give you a sample of the absolute deliciousness we’ll be eating for the next weeks, here’s a recap of today’s meals:

Breakfast: green smoothie for me, Honey Nut Cheerios with cow’s milk for MB. (We’re still finishing up some non-challenge foods and decided not to waste it.) I’m making almond milk tonight, so that’ll bring us closer to the vegan goal.

Lunch: a post-run meal of mushroom quinoa and swiss chard sauteed with garlic, olive oil, and red pepper powder.

Dinner: greens, sprouts, and carrots salad (need to go food shopping!) with homemade dressing; baked blackened tofu, inspired by Bryant Terry; zucchini medallions sauteed with garlic and olive oil.

Snacks: carrot and pear slices with homemade peanut butter.

This is the food that I whipped up in minimal time using what we have on hand to clean out the fridge before I do a big shop for oodles of fresh, colorful produce. Also, as a fun little twist on our food restrictions, MB’s body gets mad when he eats tomatoes or fruit, so this will be a veg-dense two weeks, with fruit for me as snacks and in smoothies.

I’ll be posting food recaps fairly regularly over these next two weeks (and I’ll try to get some foodie shots in there, too, guys) to prove just how delicious fresh, sugar-free, gluten-free, unprocessed vegan food can be.

After some thought and reading responses to my name change post, the current leader for a new URL is GreenJunkieLiving.com. Any last suggestions/affirmations? I’ll likely begin the transition next week.

I also wanted to make sure everyone’s seen the most recent healing bookshelf update. My dear Melinda kindly pointed out that I’d misspelled Bryant Terry’s name when I listed Vegan Soul Kitchen, which is a truly awesome cookbook.

I am also happy to report that Becoming Vegan and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World have just been upgraded from my wish list to my ownership. The former because I needed a bit of a recharge, and the latter because I bought it in error for the Holistic Health Junkie as inspiration for a very special project, only to realize…she already has it. Which means: I get it! Yay!

What I really want to talk about here, though, is that little recharge I need. Around New Year’s, after my information binge regarding all things animal product, I made the switch to pescatarian. (By the way–is that the right spelling? Every source I check doesn’t recognize the word.) Vegan is the ultimate goal, but I have to say, I’m having a really tough time with the idea of no cheese. (That said, my body has a tough time when I eat cheese, so some day my tastebuds and the entire rest of my body are going to have it out; I have an inkling who might win.)

I decided I would begin my transition by giving up land meat. Given my three major reasons for thinking about a vegan diet–my health, the planet’s health, and the desire to reduce animal suffering–this seemed like a solid first step. I admit: lobster and sushi were also considered when making this choice. And I’m happy to say, I really don’t miss bacon. I don’t miss burgers. I wasn’t bummed to miss out on rack of lamb when I visited my parents.

I. miss. ham. This is extra sick considering that pigs are my favorite animal. How could I want to eat Wilbur?! Well, after a few too many drinks the other night, I was making some quesadillas for the fella and me. Mine was just cheese (which has its own problems, believe me, I know), and his had some ham in the middle. When it was time to dig in, though, I wanted just one of those ham-filled quesadilla triangles. I accidentally ate two.

(Seriously. I didn’t realize it until after. Please see previous reference to alcohol.)

In the morning, I woke up more than a little surprised at myself. Five months with scarcely a hiccup or craving, and then I went and shoved some pig in my mouth. What was I thinking? And why have I been craving the sweet, salty taste since then? I want to be moving away from animal products, not adding more to my diet.

Fortunately, I know my information junkie self. What I need now is a little booster shot of reality. Using my dwindling Amazon.com gift card money, I downloaded a copy of Becoming Vegan to my Kindle to read while Michael and I go out of town for a few days. I honestly can’t wait to remind myself of why this journey is so important to me. It’s one thing for me to be able to rattle off a quick list of motivations, but it’s another to (re)read the details of why this is so important.

Are you omnivore/pescatarian/vegetarian/vegan/raw? Why have you decided to eat that way? Is it ever a struggle for you? How do you stay on track when you’re tempted?

I am just over halfway through this Spent program, and I couldn’t be happier that I did this. I mean–WOW! But that’s for another post. One thing I’ve really been surprised by is how much delicious food I can still eat. At the moment, I’m sugar-free, booze-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, corn-free, fake-food-free. So it’s oodles of fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, and seeds for me. I think these mushroom-quinoa stuffed bell peppers are one of the most satisfying and tasty meals I’ve had while doing this program. Because I live for leftovers, the recipe below yields about 10 servings. We ate them over the course of a week, and sometimes I just ate the stuffing by itself. As always, I don’t measure, so measurements are best guesses/general guidelines.

Ingredients

• 1.5 c. dry quinoa, cooked according to package directions
• 3 c. water (for quinoa)
• 1 pint mushrooms (I used baby king oyster, among others), diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• bell peppers, halved lengthwise, deveined and seeded*
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil

Procedure

1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cool water. Combine 1 part quinoa with 2 parts water in a saucepan. Bring to boil, cover and simmer until water is absorbed. (Essentially, if you can cook rice, you can cook quinoa.) Set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet, then sautee onion until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms to skillet over low heat, stirring frequently until they start to release some juices.
4. Fold onion and mushroom mix into the quinoa.
5. Stuff mixture into bell peppers and bake at 350F until the top browns slightly and the peppers begin to soften, approximately 25 minutes. (Please note–my oven is wonky, so cooking times tend to be off. Sorry guys!)

As always, these are gluten-free and vegan. If you have cheese-eating friends and family, I admit they taste delicious with some muenster melted on top, but I’m afraid that’s no longer an option for me. I’m eager to make my own nutritional yeast cheeze sauce for these sometime. If you try it, let me know what you think, and please put any suggestions in the comments.

*When I made the stuffing, I think it yielded about 10 servings, or 5 bell peppers’ worth. Again, if you run out of peppers, this is awesome on its own or as a side.

• Finish reading all the books I’m “currently reading.” If it weren’t for GoodReads, I don’t know how I’d even keep track.
• Do yoga five days a week for 6 months. “Doing yoga” can mean as little as 15 minutes of quality time with my mat. It’s habit and practice that count most. If I do this, then I can start actually thinking about looking into teacher training programs, something that’s interested me for a very long time.
• Stay off sugar, and give up the friggin’ dairy already. I had cheese today. Delicious, creamy Brie cheese that is almost impossible to find in Korea. As a consequence, I have had a nasty headache and grumpy stomach for the past few hours.
• Spend time every day with poems. This can mean thoughtfully reading one author (or one theme), or, ideally, spending time on some work of my own.
• Get cracking on my grad school time line. I have my list of schools. I need to draft my personal statement and develop a reading list for my sample scholarship.
• Learn more about how to live a high vegan lifestyle. Clearly, the cheese is a struggle, but I’m also just not ready to give up sushi and shrimp. I’ve made so many big changes to my diet for the better in the last year, I’m content to hang out in this funny pescatarian stage for quite a while, but the closer to vegan I can get, the better. Any tips from my vegan readers about how to break the cheese habit?

There you have it. As always, I’d love any advice on how to make these goals a reality, and would be curious to hear what you’re working to these days.