From my friend, Donna!

Donna from out in the rainy NW here. I've been a "convenient vegetarian" for about 12 years now. It was the movie "Babe" that convinced me that I didn't feel right eating animals anymore, but I use the term "convenient" because I usually go along with the crowd when invited out to dinner, and will eat the occasional turkey for Thanksgiving, etc. But recently I saw the movie, "Forks Over Knives," through Netflix, and am now working on becoming vegan. (Man, that ice cream is hard to give up, tho!) The movie is great—and definitely thought-provoking, especially when they show how adapting a vegan diet can help with not just diabetes and heart disease, but cancer, too. And I thought this Huffington Post article, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-freston/shattering-the-meat-myth_b_214390.html was interesting, as well, with its title, "Shattering The Meat Myth: Humans Are Natural Vegetarians."

But I know what you mean about the high cost of fresh fruits and vegetables--I can't get over paying $2 to $3 for ONE green pepper. Thought this article had some good ideas on healthy, low-cost meals: http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/vegetarian-eating-on-a-budget.aspx .

But I think you have two great things going for you in adapting a new diet. 1)It seems like you LIKE to cook! This is great, as you don't mind spending time in the kitchen and trying new recipes. (I, on the other hand, think that spending any more than 10 minutes fixing a meal is a waste of my time and I'd rather be doing something--anything! else.) 2) You live alone and don't have to fix, or be around other meals, that don't go along with your diet. A friend of mine signed up with a CSA--getting different fresh veggies every other week--hoping her veg-hating husband might also enjoy the new tastes, but it was a disaster, as she ended up with way too much fresh (and ultimately rotting) produce and having to fix two different meals every night.

Lastly, and speaking from experience, I would encourage you to consider getting another dog or walking your friends' or family's dogs on a regular basis. Knowing my dog has been inside all day is the biggest impetus to get me outside with her on an invigorating, calorie-busting walk. And I invariably feel better afterward!

Didn’t mean for this to get so long, but wanted to say that I'm sorry your health situation has forced you into this change in diet, but I hope/believe that you will definitely benefit from a new way of eating! Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go buy a mango and some pepitas and start massaging that head of kale in my fridge! Thanks for the new recipes!

Best wishes and happy eating, Mary!
~Donna
Ps. Morningstar “bacon” isn’t the real thing, but it’s not a bad substitute. Had it this morning…and my dog Lacey definitely approves!

Shattering The Meat Myth: Humans Are Natural Vegetarians

www.huffingtonpost.com

Going through the comments of some of my recent posts, I noticed the frequently stated notion that eating meat was an essential step in human evolution. While this notion may comfort the meat industry, it's simply not true, scientifically.