I may have one of the best husbands in the world.

When we met in college:

He was a red-meat eating hunter, a beer-drinking, no-exercising, study-around-the-clock archicture student. My experiments started back then, when I would try and wean him off of Miracle Whip, switch his coffee to bottled water and introduce fruits and vegetables into his diet.

And he never complained.

Just like he never complained during Vegan Week, even thought it went against everything in his nature!

In fact, when Michelle and I came up with this crazy adventure, I hesitantly asked Lucas if he’d be willing to let me cook vegan dinners through the week.

He shocked me — in an amazing way — when he almost immediately told me he was not only OK with vegan dinners, but he wanted to give the entire Vegan Week a shot! He traded his cereal and milk for oatmeal; bologna sandwiches with cheese for salads and soup and let me run wild when it came to dinner.

So, what are the takeaways from the husband’s perspective? (He wrote me notes!)

• It was not that difficult to go a week, though Katy did a great job of having the proper foods in the house and planning dinners (which often was lunch the next day)
• It would have been much more of a problem if we did not already eat a lot of vegetables
• No dairy was the hardest part for me since I am a ‘cereal for breakfast’ guy. Not having yogurt or cheese options at lunch was rough.
• The worst foods of the week (for me) were the fake meat — “bologna” and yogurt (soy and/or coconut milk). Maybe if it was a long-term change I would learn to like them, but it would take a long time. The texture of both were a bit off-putting to me and the “bologna” had really no flavor on its own, serving as nothing but a filler in a sandwich.
• It was certainly a good exercise to refine label reading skills, knowing what you are putting into your body is important whether vegan, vegetarian or other.

Cute, huh?

I agree with Lucas about the processed foods. To tell you the truth, we don’t eat much processed food at all, whether we’re following a specific diet (vegan) or not. I bought him some vegan “bologna” to see how it compares to the bologna and lunch meats that he normally has. Almost all of our meals through the week were homemade, with fresh fruits, vegetables, grains and more.

We should also note…Lucas had, um, some tummy troubles this week. As he says: “It was a good thing I was home alone a lot.”

So what do you think of his notes? Would your significant other or family members consider changing their diet?

Before Vegan Week was a reality, I became a little obsessed with learning all about Natalie Portman.

via thecinemasource.com

It started when she appeared on Top Chef, and blew the chefs’ minds by telling them they needed to create a delicious meal — that was vegetarian. Of course, this was the moment that made everyone fall over with laughter:

But it got me thinking — why IS it so difficult for people to create dishes that are flavorful, healthy and meat-free? I’m an omnivore, but more often than not, I create meals that just happen to be vegetarian.

Earlier this year, I had a similar reaction when the Top Chef Masters…some of the most accomplished and creative chefs in the world…were thrown for a loop by Zooey Deschanel, who announced that she’s not only vegan, but soy- and gluten-intolerant (sound familiar, Michelle?)

Et tu, love of my life Rick Bayless? (Believe me, the true love of my life understands.)

Listen, whether you’re a vegan or not, it’s time to give veggies a chance! Let’s make them the focus of our foods and let the proteins be on the side.

I know a few celebrities who would agree. Any surprises on the vegan list?

• Alicia Silverstone
• Andre 3000 (Outkast)
• Brandy
• Casey Affleck
• John Salley (former NBA player)
• Emily Deschanel
• Ellen Degeneres
• Joan Jett
• Kevin Nealon
• Alyssa Milano
• Demi Moore
• Portia de Rossi
• Prince
• Woody Harrelson
• Dennis Kucinich
• Alanis Morissette
• Anthony Kiedes
• Casey Kasem
• Elijah Wood
• Fiona Apple
• Erykah Badu
• Jason Mraz
• Jenny McCarthy
• Joaquin Phoenix
• Liv Tyler
• Linda Blair
• Moby
• Steve-O
• Tobey Maguire
• Weird Al

And did you know that Leonardo da Vinci was a vegan?

Obviously, I don’t think anyone should consider a vegan (or vegetarian, or dairy-free, or all-dairy, or chocolate or ANYTHING ELSE!) diet because a celebrity follows it, or that it should even be a concern. But if we cheer for sports teams based on the athletes, and read books because we like the authors, why not at least look at the people who are associated with a given lifestyle?

This Vegan Week adventure has made me even more committed to learning all I can about food, farming, factories and the whole “how’d that get on my plate?” phenomenon.

Has it changed your outlook at all?

I should note, I just finished a tremendous book that I started months ago…yeah, I’m busy. I picked it up on a whim after seeing the movie Food Fight (even better than Food Inc) and can highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in the history of the organic and Slow Food movements.

I heart Alice Waters.

via thomasmcnamee.com

That’s right…I’m about to announce the winners of TWO #VeganWeek giveaways, so be sure to read all the way through!

Did you see all the people that took the Vegan 4 a Day challenge that Michelle and I offered up? You can get the links here. I’m amazed, and am so excited to get to know so many of you through your blogs and tweets!

I actually can’t believe I’m still awake, considering my 4:15am wakeup call. But when you have a chance to run with these rockstars:

That’s Caitlin and Kelly (formerly of Beneath It All Blog, currently of grad school butt-kicking).

Of course, I had some time to kill and decided to play around with my camera’s self-timer…

Ah, such grace. It was a lovely 8-mile run (for me — those nutty girls did 18!), and while it was slow, it was nice to get a longer distance in after three weeks on the bench. I was WHUPPED!

I thought I might have to shower at Starbucks again, but I had time to run home and get cleaned up there. That meant I got to see my sweetie, who greeted me with coffee!

Got to work and ate an apple…although, it’s hard for me to work up hunger after a run. Later in the day, I get famished, but in the first hours after, I have to force myself to eat.

Like the t-shirt? It’s from this race. I dressed down because we’re still moving our offices. The new place gives me much better backdrops for my leftover lunches:

And Vega smoothies (although I ended up taking this home and mixing it with hot water. Got the idea from Angela‘s hot smoothies!)

By the way — dishes always get done twice in my house. Because of this.

Finished off the night with smashed kidney bean and carmelized onion burritos (on Ezekial wraps) and some unpictured soy milk ice cream with vegan chocolate chips.

Now, onto the good stuff…you guys blew me away with your nice comments on Angela’s guest post. Weren’t those amazing vegan baking tips? Note to self: try flax egg.

Okay, by random selection, the winner of the Glo Bakery bars is…

Beth @ DiningAndDishing

I would love to win some bars! I have been dyyying to give them a try :O)

Congratulations, Beth! I hope you’ll come back and give me a review after you get your bars.

And, the winner of the Vega gift pack giveaway is…

Paige from Running Around Normal

I’ll be in touch with both winners…thanks to everyone who entered!

I’ll be picking a Vega giveaway winner later tonight, but wanted to highlight all of the people who took part in the Vegan 4 a Day challenge that Michelle and I put forth:

Jess http://afeteforfood.com
Courtney http://courteatsu.wordpress.com
Ali http://sunshinewellness.wordpress.com

http://lowandbhold.com

Erin http://postcards-from-the-world.blogspot.com
Whit http://whitsgettingfit.com
Morgan http://liveloveeatandplay.wordpress.com
Jaime http://embracingbalance.com (X2)
cbrazas http://cdb3527.wordpress.com
Kara http://karathon.wordpress.com
Micco http://xveganxpart.blogspot.com
Tale of Two Vegans http://taleoftwovegans.wordpress.com
Nicole http://geekturnedathlete.com
Kristen http://inspiredbydooce.blogspot.com
Nathalie http://bedroompantry.tumbler.com
Janessa http://epicuriousvegan.blogspot.com
Kristin http://onespiritualsoul.blogspot.com
Ellen http://keepinthepace.com
Megan http://healthyhoggin.com
Marisa http://trimthefat-marisa.blogspot.com
Sarah http://lostandallalone.blogspot.com
Heather http://heathereatsalmondbutter.com
Lara http://thinspiredblog.com
Angela http://ohsheglows.com
Caitlin http://healthytippingpoint.com
Meghann http://graduatemeghann.com
Ryan http://greensforgood.com
Linsdey http://soundeats.com
Gina http://fitnessista.com
Diana http://thechiclife.com
Sarah http://seesaraheat.wordpress.com
Heather http://hangrypants.com
Paige http://runningaroundnormal.com
Andrea http://caretoeat.net
Cynthia http://itallchanges.wordpress.com
Diana http://soapandchocolate.com
Julie http://savvyeat.com
Marissa http://vegetarianwife.blogspot.com
Michelle and Lori http://pure2raw.com
Rachel http://sheddingit.com
Chris http://twitter.com/cmceachran
Leslie http://thewholeplate.com
Lauren http://twitter.com/lholubec
Joanna http://fitnessandspice.com
Matt http://nomeatathlete.com
Julie http://savvyeats.com
Susan http://thegreatbalancingact.com
Jessie http://veganmindedblog.com
Dori http://dorishinyblog.com
Jennie http://jennieinwonderland.com
Katie http://kceatingontherun.wordpress.com/

Humbled. Humbled is the only word that comes to mind. I hope you all know how much it means to be supported by a community like this!

If you’re not on here and think you should be, please let me know — leave a comment, tweet me or email me. I’ll also be announcing the winner of the Glo Bakery giveaway tonight…you have until 7pm to get your entry in!

(As we speak, I am probably wrapping up a run with Caitlin and Kelly — so I should be more prepared to talk about a vegan diet and fitness later tonight!)

For those who are just getting to know me and my blog, I am a triathlete. That’s why I was so excited to talk to vegan triathlete Brendan Brazier and to see how many athletes took part in Vegan 4 a Day. I’m also a weight loss success story.

Sidenote: I will be announcing the winner of both giveaways later tonight — you have until 7pm TONIGHT to enter the Glo Bakery giveaway, so get to gettin’!

On its face, it would seem like a vegan diet is naturally more healthy than a non-vegan diet. I mean, when you’re forced to rely on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, you probably can’t help but lose weight, right?

(Thanks to this site for the photo and my brother for sharing it)

WRONG. Remember, weight loss is about simple math. It’s calories in; calories out. You want to lose weight? You need to burn more calories than you take in. Now, I’m not a doctor, but these guys are:

Research has shown that, on average, people who follow a vegetarian diet eat fewer calories and less fat than do nonvegetarians. Vegetarians also tend to have lower body weight relative to their height than do nonvegetarians. This makes sense, since a diet that largely consists of fruits and vegetables generally has fewer calories. However, switching to a vegetarian diet doesn’t guarantee weight loss.

The basics of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight are the same for everyone: Eat a healthy diet and balance calories eaten with calories burned. Vegetarians — like nonvegetarians — can make poor food choices that contribute to weight gain, such as large portions of high-fat, high-calorie foods or foods with little or no nutritional value.

For this reason, vegetarian diets should be as carefully planned as nonvegetarian diets to make sure they are nutritionally balanced. Choose a vegetarian eating plan that is low in fat and that provides all of the nutrients your body needs. Be sure to include protein-rich foods — especially if you follow a vegetarian diet that limits fish, eggs and dairy products. Not only is protein an essential nutrient, but also it helps you feel full longer — which can curb your urge to snack. (Source: Mayo Clinic)

Here’s my take, and I encourage you to agree or disagree — let me know how you feel in the comments section.

Calories are like cash. Let’s say I have $100 to spend every day. Carrots are $2; carrot cake is $20. Most days, I’ll eat the carrots, because it leaves me more cash for the rest of the day’s meals. But on special occasions, I will plan for the carrot cake. I’ll “splurge” and I still don’t go over budget.

(Sorry to make anyone hungry!)

That goes for a vegan diet or a non-vegan diet. It’s all about moderation. I’m sorry to sound preachy — I’m just sharing the information that has helped me through weight loss and maintenance. There are unhealthy vegans, just like there are unhealthy carnivores.

So, my thoughts:

• No matter what your lifestyle choice is — I think it’s as important to THINK about what you put in your body as it is WHAT goes in. If you want to eat meat, it’s cool with me. But do you know where it comes from? What the animal was fed? How it was processed and brought from farm to table?
• Don’t adopt a vegan diet just because you think it will make you skinny. I have struggled with my weight MORE since I adopted a “real foods” approach than I ever did when I relied on diet sodas and fat-free foods. Doesn’t mean I was healthier then…just means that it was simpler to stay skinny.
• Healthy foods, whether vegan or not, are better fuel for your body. Better fuel means better performance when you exercise. Better performance means you can do less to achieve more.

I’m officially off the soapbox and will go back to your snarky, silly blogger within hours. Thanks for letting me think out loud.

OH, and remember:

**Follow me and Michelle (my Vegan Week partner in crime) on Twitter, and use #VeganWeek in your tweets to see how people all over the world are taking on the challenge!

I hope you’re not sick of hearing how overwhelmed I am with gratitude to those who have followed the #VeganWeek…hard to believe this started as a random conversation between me and Michelle — miles apart — and became a blogging sensation.

Today, we asked you to consider making one meal or all your meals vegan, to see what it’s like.

Here are just SOME of the people who posted:

• sarahghostworld: I will be participating!! i’m a total omnivore with no plans of putting labels or restrictions on my diet, but i do have have ethical qualms about the environmental and economic impact of meat-eating. so i figured . . . .why not! i linked to both of you in my post today (here) and will be photographing my eats all day to show tomorrow! i have a 20 mile run planned, so . . . there will be a lot of them
• Kristen: I’m participating in vegan for a day: http://inspiredbydooce.blogspot.com/2009/11/blo… So far the hardest part is the pictures…I’m taking pictures of what I eat for the day and it is hard to remember to put all of the ingredients in the shot.
• nutritionista: Yay for Vegan Week/Day!! I just posted my list of 10 Reasons to Go Vegan, and I plan to post a summary of my day’s vegan eats later today. http://yournutritionista.com/post/249757081/10-…
• Megan @ Healthy Hoggin: I just put up my first post about being Vegan 4 A Day: http://wp.me/pB1yI-5q So far so good, although the second I tell myself I “can’t” have something, I seem to want it more than ever!! Isn’t it funny how that works?? I have a feeling some cheese is in my future… but not today.

And on Twitter:

• @vegetarianwife: My vegan eats http://vegetarianwife.blogspot.com/2009/11/vegan-eats.html #veganweek
• @BodyandSoulmag: some friends were doing a #VeganWeek challenge, so here are some delicious vegan recipes to try! http://ow.ly/DQiM
• @pure2raw: Twin’s 20 reasons for being #vegans in honor of #VeganWeek http://bit.ly/3P5LgK
• @dysterious: Back to the gym tomorrow I hope! Been since monday and I’m itching to go but must clean all night. + drink Stickelback vegan wine #veganweek
• @abbynormally: http://twitpic.com/q4wmz – Does this meet the requirements for #VeganWeek?

And on, and on, and on. You guys rock my world.

So does this:

If you follow me on Twitter, you noticed that I talked about moving today. We packed up our current offices, and moved to some swanky new digs that afford me an incredible view. And this hunky husband wasn’t too bad to look at, either — he helped us lug some of the heavy stuff around!

Luckily, I’d fueled up with some Kitchen Sink Granola and oatmeal, served with a splash of almond milk:

Because the moving took all morning and part of the afternoon…while on a key-copying run, I got a caffeine boost with a soy, 4-pump sugar-free hazelnut coffee:

Then finally tucked into these beauties…a salad with veggies and tahini dressing:

And a juicy grapefruit:

Ran around some more, then headed home to catch up on #VeganWeek tweets (and soothe my pacrhed throat):

While my pre-made Yuca Shepherd’s Pie casserole (Veganomicon, again) cooked, along with some Cornmeal-crusted masala brussels sprouts:

So, so good. I stuck it under the broiler for 2 minutes after baking, and the yuca topping got crispy and crunchy. And the sprouts…heaven. By the way, heaven is spicy. Just like me.

I already have plans for cooling my mouth down:

And, since I have some work to catch up on, this guy gets remote control (which is good, because Syracuse is on TV!) This means I’ll be DVR’ing Project Runway, so heaven help the person that spoils it for me.

Evil dog in the background.

So, what can you look forward to when it comes to #VeganWeek?

**The Glo Bakery bar giveaway is open until 7pmET tomorrow. ENTER NOW!

**Tomorrow, I’ll be posting about a vegan diet and weight loss. Check it out and let me know what you think!

**Jess from A Fete For Food just did an amazing post on Michelle’s blog, about the environmental impact a vegan diet has. She taught me so much!

**Catch up on all the #VeganWeek action on my page here and Michelle’s page here.

No, really…I am!

Can you read his shirt? It says I Love Tater Tots. Awww…

We followed Caitlin‘s lead and had a bowling date night! It was supposed to be a double date, but those plans fell through. We decided to go anyway — and it was a blast! It was great to do something different on a weeknight.

But let’s start at the very beginning…a very good place to start. Breakfast was my take on Katie’s fudge babies: banana bread balls. Joke away.

Plus good ol’ yerba maté and pumpkin oats:

If I were a true culinary rockstar, I might have noticed that breakfast and lunch had the same frightening color and texture. But I didn’t, so I packed this carrot ginger soup:

Followed by an orange:

and leftovers…delicious leftovers:

After getting my butt kicked in bowling, we came home for my first #fail meal of Vegan Week. The flavor was great, but the broccoli-millet croquettes fell apart in the pan, and the garlic yams didn’t get as crispy as I wanted.

Tasted good, though:

And who knew peeling potatoes was such a dangerous job?

Don’t worry — I’ve already started to self-medicate, with Dr. Lucas. It’s good to be married to a beer blogger.

And to fully ease the pain, here is my dessert: vegan chocolate chips in peanut butter.

So, when I say I’m bowled over…I mean it. Between the responses on Angela’s guest post (y’all REALLY want those Glo bars, huh?) to the overwhelming tweets about #VeganWeek:

I have to say thank you, thank you, thank you. Together, we bloggers (and beloved readers) can do amazing things!

So let’s keep it up!

On Thursday, November 19, we are asking that you devote one or all of your meals to being vegan. We just kindly ask if you could link back to either my blog or Michelle’s when you make your posts about Vegan Week. We will be compiling a list of all who participate throughout the day, on our blogs under the ‘VeganWeek’ tabs. If you could make sure to either send us the link and/or leave it in the comment section of the ‘Vegan 4-A- Day’ official post on Thursday then we can give you proper accolades.

If you know of any other friends, bloggers or not, who are up for the challenge…spread it around! Everyone who takes part will have a chance at a really cool prize — details of that to come soon!

There will be chances at giveaways for those who take part. AND if you don’t have a blog — don’t worry! You can just leave us a comment telling us you went vegan for a meal or for the day.

AND REMEMBER:

• Tomorrow, I’ll have an interview with vegan triathlete (and super-hottie) Brendan Brazier, who makes the Vega products we all know and love so much.
• Use the hashtag #VeganWeek in your tweets about this adventure, or your own vegan-minded thoughts!
• Check out my page of Vegan Week stories here and Michelle’s here.
• The giveaway of Glo Bakery bars is open until 7pmET on Friday. ENTER HERE!

P.S. For the first time since my injury, I ran 4 miles straight. That’s a big accomplishment for a girl who has been forced to walk and ralk for so long! I missed you, running, but I’m back.

It just took one bite…ONE BITE!…of the amazing Glo Bars, made by the gorgeous and motivational healthy living blogger Angela from Oh She Glows, to realize that vegan baking could not only taste good, it could actually be better than conventional ingredients.

Ange blogs about food, fitness and family (sound familiar?), and she’s particulaly inspirational to me because she quit her job — when others thought she was crazy — to follow her dreams. Since I’m married to one of those dreamers, who is loving his new life as full-time beer blogger, it’s great to see how powerful passion can be.

When Michelle and I first started talking about Vegan Week, we knew we had to reach out to Angela, to get her advice. We got much more. We got her complete support, and a fabulous guest post on vegan baking. Make sure you read all the way through for a special surprise.

****

Vegan Baking How-Tos:
Animal- waistline- and wallet-friendly baking tricks!
By: Angela Liddon

For many of us, the thought of vegan baking seems like an impossible feat. When I decided to remove all animal ingredients from my favourite recipes, I was shaking in my boots! I had no idea whether I would be able to replicate my favourite recipes and ensure that they were just as tasty without products like eggs, butter, honey, and milk. I had many failed attempts along the way; from flatter-than-pancake cookies to crumbly bean brownies. I have chronicled many unsuccessful attempts on ohsheglows.com, just in case you are looking for a good laugh as a stress release.
However, my persistence with vegan baking paid off and over time I was able to fully convert all of my products without the use of animal products. What I also didn’t realize was that vegan baking can also be more cost efficient too! For example, 1 organic brown egg costs about 35 cents, while a natural egg replacer such as ground flax seed and water costs just 2 cents per ‘egg’. This amounts to a hefty savings over time. Now you can have your cake and buy a cute pair of shoes, too!
If you are interested in baking delicious, animal-friendly, and healthy baked goods please read on for my top vegan baking tricks that I have learned along the way.

Best Egg Replacers:
1) Chia seeds
Chia seeds are an extremely nutritious seed with more Omega 3 than salmon, more antioxidants than blueberries, more calcium than milk, and more fibre than bran. You can easily increase the nutrient content of your baked goods by baking with chia. What’s not to like? Whisk 2 tablespoons of chia seeds with ½ cup water to replace 1 egg.

2) Flax seed
Whisk 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed and 3 tablespoons of water to replace 1 egg.
Both the flax and chia mixtures create a gel-like substance which mimics the texture of an egg.

3) Fruit/Vegetables
Bananas are a great egg replacer in baked goods such as bread, muffins, and pancakes. Use ½ of a banana (mashed) to replace 1 egg.

Pumpkin can be another great egg replacer in baked goods like bread and muffins. Use about ¼ cup of pumpkin to replace 1 egg. Be careful of pumpkin because it tends to weigh down the baked good and make it quite dense. You typically need to increase the amount of baking powder when using pumpkin to ensure that the product will rise nicely.

4) Cornstarch
Cornstarch is made from the grains of corn and is often used as a thickening agent in baked goods. Whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water until the mixture thickens. Cornstarch is great in homemade sauces, dressings, and even homemade yogurt.

5) Silken Tofu
Blend ¼ cup of silken tofu until smooth to replace 1 egg. I make vegan pumpkin pie using silken tofu and it kicks any non-vegan pumpkin pie’s booty! Tofu is also delicious in cakes and cream cheese icing. Don’t worry if you are not a tofu lover, it leaves no taste in baked goods. You probably won’t believe me until you try it, so why not try making a vegan pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving this year? Your friends and family won’t know the difference, I promise.

6) Ener-G Egg Replacer:
Made of mostly potato starch and tapioca starch flour, Ener-G Egg Replacer can be used in baked goods like cookies, cakes, muffins, and squares. Whisk 1 teaspoon with two tablespoons of water until bubbly to replace 1 egg.

Best Milk Replacers:
1) Almond, Rice, Soy, or Hemp Milk
Thankfully, cow’s milk is very easy to replace in baked goods. The ratio is 1:1, so when replacing 1 cup of cow’s milk you may use 1 cup of any non-dairy milk of your choice. Easy as pie, right?

Best Butter Replacers:
Canola Oil:
1) Canola oil is very low in saturated fat and is high in monounsaturated fat, making it one of the healthiest oils for baking. I use canola oil in many of my vegan cake recipes and it creates a light, moist, and fluffy texture. It also works well in many cookie recipes.

2) Non-hydrogenated Virgin Coconut Oil:
Antifungal and antimicrobial, recent studies show that coconut oil has a wide range of health benefits from reducing one’s cholesterol levels to aiding weight loss (see here for more info: http://www.coconutoil.com/research.htm). I use coconut oil in my vegan pie crusts and Green Monster smoothies (www.greenmonstermovement.com).

3) Vegan Margarine/Shortening
Earth Balance carries vegan butter and shortening substitutes which I have found to be very effective in my recipes. Earth balance products can be substituted with a 1:1 ratio in most baked goods. I use Earth Balance Shortening and butter in my vegan icing and it turns out absolutely delicious!

4) Applesauce
Applesauce is a classic fat replacer and can work well in pancakes, muffins, cakes, and some cookies. I don’t like substituting all of the butter called for with applesauce though because I find it results in a rubbery baked good. The best substitutions replace 50% of the butter/margarine called for in a recipe with applesauce. I use this technique in my Sweet Wheat Sugar Cookies and it works lovely. Half the fat, but all the taste.

Sweeteners:
I do not use any white sugar in my Glo Bakery products and I never use any artificial sweeteners like sucralose or aspertame. Instead, I prefer to use more natural sweeteners that are less processed. I love baking with Sucanat which ranks the highest in nutritional value out of all sugars derived from the sugar cane (see here for more information: http://www.fitsugar.com/185218). I also enjoy baking with agave nectar, natural cane sugar, turbinado sugar, and brown rice syrup.
I hope you will find these tips useful and have fun experimenting. Happy baking!

Angela
Glo Bakery (www.globakery.com)
Oh She Glows (www.ohsheglows.com)
Green Monster Movement (www.greenmonstermovement.com)

***

Pretty great, huh? As a BIG fan of silken tofu:

and Green Monsters, I love what Ange is doing to spread the movement. And she’s having an impact on vegan baking — I saw the flax egg pop up on MegaNerdRuns‘ blog earlier this week!

So, here’s the exciting news: YOU can win an Empower Me Glo Bars pack from Glo Bakery.

Empower yourself with deliciously energizing organic dark roast coffee and dark chocolate. Coffee Lovers and Non-coffee lovers can enjoy this bar! The coffee flavour is descibed by many customers as ‘very light. subtle, and aromatic’.

Little known fact? This Angela’s favourite new flavour!

Packed with hemp seed, flax seed, coconut, and natural peanut butter. Each bar has 20 mg of caffeine; just enough to give you a kick to your step and a boost during your busy day!

100% Certified Organic Ingredients: Oats, brown rice syrup, gluten-free crisp rice cereal, natural peanut butter, non-dairy dark chocolate, hemp seeds, dark roast coffee, unsweetened coconut, ground flax seed, evaporated cane juice, pure vanilla extract.

If you want a chance to win a pack of these bars, just leave me a comment on this post by 7pmET on Friday night. I’ll randomly select one person to get the goodies!

Want a second chance at winning? Follow me and Michelle on Twitter, then tweet this: I’m supporting #VeganWeek and entering to win an @globakery pack from @kwidrick! http://bit.ly/1AZlaZ

**In order to get your second chance at winning, be sure to leave me another comment telling me about your tweet! I’ll be randomly selecting a winner from those who leave comments on the post.

Want a chance to win a Get Glo-ing Glo Bar Variety Pack from Glo Bakery? Go to Michelle’s post and follow her instructions.

If you do all of this, you’ll have four chances to win two Glo Bakery packs!

But wait, there’s more!

• Use the hashtag #VeganWeek in your tweets about this adventure, or your own vegan-minded thoughts!
• Check out my page of Vegan Week stories here and Michelle’s here.
• The fabulous Ryan of Greens for Good and Lindsey of Sound Eats have a guest post on Michelle‘s blog. Check it out!
• Tomorrow, I’ll have an interview with vegan triathlete (and super-hottie) Brendan Brazier, who makes the Vega products we all know and love so much.

You want to take part? You want to win yet another cool prize? Read on, my friends:

On Thursday, November 19, we are asking that you devote one or all of your meals to being vegan. We just kindly ask if you could link back to either my blog or Michelle’s when you make your posts about Vegan Week. We will be compiling a list of all who participate throughout the day, on our blogs under the ‘VeganWeek’ tabs. If you could make sure to either send us the link and/or leave it in the comment section of the ‘Vegan 4-A- Day’ official post on Thursday then we can give you proper accolades.

If you know of any other friends, bloggers or not, who are up for the challenge…spread it around! Everyone who takes part will have a chance at a really cool prize — details of that to come soon!

I think Lucas is taking this whole “vegan cleanse” a little too far, don’t you? This is how he started his day:

Don’t worry — lifeguards are always on duty.

Ahhh, the life of the unemployed. After I left this sweet family scene, I powered up for Day 2 of #VeganWeek with some yerba maté:

And some oatmeal, mixed in with Kitchen Sink Granola, almond milk, cinnamon and vanilla.

Got to work, then had to start thinking about lunch. I had a business meeting over Indian food (hi, Z!) and had to turn to the experts for advice. I tweeted — what should I get that’s healthy and vegan? I got:

@DietitianJanel so many veg options there! some veg options have cheese. otherwise, enjoy!

@SKDickey You will be surprised how easy it is – good luck!!

@greensforgood U should have a lot of options! Just ask what doesn’t have meat/dairy in it and u should be good. I’ve had luck with chana masala.

I ended up going with baigan bartha, partly because I’ve seen it on Gina’s blog so many times!

It didn’t disappoint…but MAN was it spicy! Lots of running around for work this afternoon, but I actually couldn’t wait to get home because I had two recipes I couldn’t WAIT to try out.

And let me tell you…they might have been the best dishes I’ve ever made. I have to give it up, once again, to Veganomicon for Tempeh Nori Rolls:

And Root Salad with Warm Maple-Fig Dressing:

Ohhhhhhnommmmohhhhhyesssss…can you see that there are three kinds of potatoes and two kinds of beets in there?

I will definitely be going back to these dishes, whether I stick with veganism or not. I wish I could post the recipes, but you’ll just have to go get the book yourself! And my carniverous control specimen — Lucas — loved everything, too.

The dressing had a splash of wine — and so did the cook:

I am stuffed and very happy right now…ready to watch some Biggest Loser and get some chores done!

Thoughts:

**No matter what, I will definitely go back to meal planning when #VeganWeek is done. I have looked forward to cooking every night, and have loved going back to recipes and exploring new flavors. I think I’d gotten in a rut, and gotten a little lazy. This has been a great re-focusing experiment.

**You really do eat with your eyes first. Something about the mix of colors in tonight’s salad, or last night’s lima beans made the food taste even better.

**I love food bloggers. Just click this link and see how many people are jumping into the Vegan Week challenge. I am amazed at how people from all over the world come together for a common cause. I got a great email from The Nutritionista, who happens to be doing a Vegan Week of her own…she’s so supportive, and I think you’ll be hearing from her here on STT soon! Thank you to EVERYONE who is following my journey, along with Michelle!

Housekeeping:

• Maybe the best-known vegan baker is coming to Silly Tater Tot! Come back Wednesday morning for a very special guest post by Angela from Oh She Glows. Aaaaaannnnd, there might just be a delicious giveaway in store for you. Details to come…mwah ha ha ha.
• Did you LOVE Janel’s guest post? If you missed it, check it out here, then give her a shout. She’s awesome!
• Two vegan rockstars — and sweet, sweet girls — just did a guest post for Michelle, and it’s perfectly timed, because it’s all about veganism during the holidays. Click here, then check out Ryan and Lindsey‘s blogs for more.
• Follow me on Twitter here and Michelle here. Also, check out my complete Vegan Week page here and Michelle’s here.

AND remember:

On Thursday, November 19, we are asking that you devote one or all of your meals to being vegan. We just kindly ask if you could link back to either my blog or Michelle’s when you make your posts about Vegan Week. We will be compiling a list of all who participate throughout the day, on our blogs under the ‘VeganWeek’ tabs. If you could make sure to either send us the link and/or leave it in the comment section of the ‘Vegan 4-A- Day’ official post on Thursday then we can give you proper accolades.

If you know of any other friends, bloggers or not, who are up for the challenge…spread it around! Everyone who takes part will have a chance at a really cool prize — details of that to come soon!

(Make sure you read through the entire post for details on how YOU can take part in #VeganWeek and enter to win some awesome prizes!)

It’s amazing the new friends you meet in the healthy living blog world. I never would have connected with Michelle, my #VeganWeek partner in crime, if we didn’t both write about our lives.

And one of the best experiences I’ve had recently was at the Healthy Living Summit in Boston. I flew home to visit with my mom, meet bloggers and learn all about healthy living.

One of the speakers was Janel Ovrut, a registered dietitian, triathlete-in-training (now a REAL one!) and Syracuse grad. Winner, winner, tofu dinner.

Janel and I got to talk a little bit at the summit, and I took lots of notes during her presentation:

And I really appreciated her realistic, down-to-earth approach to food. Like chocolate? “Eat it,” she said. Want some wine? “Drink it!,” she said.

All in moderation.

So, when Michelle and I started brainstorming our must-have list of guest bloggers for #VeganWeek, Janel was the first person I thought of. Who better to speak about the challenges of balanced nutrition while on a vegan diet? So, I present to you, Dietitian Janel from Dine Dish Delish.

*****

Five years ago I switched cold-turkey (pun intended!) from a meat-eating to a vegan diet, literally overnight. I found it opened my palate to so many new foods and flavors and it was a time in my life when I really started learning about food, cooking, flavors, and the health benefits of plant-based meals. Sure I had just spent the last four years studying nutrition and getting my Registered Dietitian credentials, but this new way of eating really opened my eyes…and mouth. I adopted a veg diet primarily for health reasons, and it was an experiment I wound up sticking with. But I actually found it to be a simple swap for me since I already was a big fan of fruits, veggies, beans, and whole grains, and since I was lactose intolerant, I didn’t do dairy anyway!

Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to counsel clients who are also opting to switch to a vegan diet and I make sure to caution them on some veg mistakes to avoid, and clear up some misconceptions. Let me share with you some of my top talked about veggie topics:

But how do you get enough protein?

This is my favorite. Really, most Americans consume WAY too much protein and our excessive portion sizes are partly to blame. A 16 ounce steak at Outback could probably meet the protein needs for you and the bodybuilder next to you (ok maybe not quite). Too much protein does not build bigger muscles, and it’s not necessarily a good thing either as it can be damaging to your kidneys. I make sure to get plenty of protein through foods like beans, lentils, nuts, tofu, and seeds. But most people don’t know that veggies and even grains contain protein too. Look at this breakfast:

• ½ cup oatmeal – 3g
• 1 banana – 0g
• ½ cup soy milk – 4g
• 1 slice wheat bread – 3g
• 1 Tbsp peanut butter – 3g
• Total: 13g protein

That’s nearly 25% of a 150 pound healthy adult’s needs for the day, and you didn’t’ see a single bean, lentil, or block of tofu in there. It surprises a lot of people to see they can get protein from non-meat or dairy foods.

What about athletes? If we’re talking the regular runner or gym-goer, yes they have higher protein needs but not excessively higher (unless you’re an endurance athlete but that’s not what this post is about!). I do half marathons, duathlons, triathlons, and frequent the gym and yoga studio and just make sure all of my meals are balanced. The way I see it, if you’re eating a balanced diet that’s meeting your calorie needs with whole grains, plenty of fruits and veggies, and nuts, beans, seeds, etc. you’re likely meeting your protein needs. However, it’s not a bad idea to meet with a Registered Dietitian if you’re not sure, or need some guidance. And, ahem, if you’re in the Boston area, allow me to plug myself: eatwellwithjanel.com

The Unhealthy Vegan: Whether you go vegan for health or humane reasons, veggies should be an integral part of your diet. I’ve met my fair share of veg who don’t eat or like vegetables but survive on white pasta, fries, bagels, and onion rings alone (all vegan). It is also very easy to get wrapped up in vegan junk food. There is a place, in moderation, for those packaged vegan foods, but remember they’re still processed products and it’s best to focus on whole foods as much as possible. Look at the ingredient list, which tends to be pretty long. Some vegan packaged foods are chemical-containing with lots of additives. Vegans should beware that some meat substitutes or even veggie burgers contain ingredients like egg whites, cheese, and dry milk so read carefully!

When people come to me to tell me they want to go vegan, or even vegetarian, I always ask why. There are some sassy books out there (ahem, Skinny Bitch) as well as some science-y informative ones (China Study) and I just want to get a sense of where my clients are coming from, what they know, and what they don’t. I work with clients to help them plan what they’ll eat. I think if you’re going to jump into a vegan diet, it’s going to take some planning initially to make sure you’re meeting your nutrient needs. Fortunately there is a wide variety of grains, veggies and beans out there just waiting to be eaten that are so good, and so good for you!

When people ask me why I chose to go veg, I tell them it’s because I feel better eating this way, and I love how it has expanded my food and health knowledge. I will never tell them why I don’t eat animal products but rather why I do eat plant-based. As a Dietitian, I counsel meat-eaters, flexitarians and everyone in between, and keep an open mind – personally and professionally – about all ways of eating. So instead of focusing on why one might not eat meat, I focus on the benefits of eating more plant-based foods.

I also try to stay away from using the word vegan as much as possible, for a few reasons. I have nothing against the word, but for starters I really can’t say I’m ever 100% vegan – I will eat birthday cake someone made with eggs and butter (but won’t use either if I make it myself), yes I have had pizza in the past five years, and the boyfriend just loves those soy meatballs that have egg in them so they have a place in our freezer. I cook and bake vegan. But I also don’t think I need to label the way I eat. I eat foods that make me feel good. They just happen to all be plant based and void of animal products for the most part. I just eat. And I love to educate people by telling them what I DO eat, instead of what I don’t. Want to know? Check out my blog Dine Dish Delish to find out what I eat, how I cook, and more!

***

Isn’t she fantastic? I strongly encourage you to check out her blog for great recipes, photos and more. And you can also follow Janel on Twitter.

Speaking of…here’s some exciting information:

• Follow me on Twitter here and Michelle on Twitter here.
• Use the hashtag #VeganWeek in your tweets about this adventure, or your own vegan-minded thoughts!
• Check out my page of Vegan Week stories here and Michelle’s here.
• Healthy Ashley did a great guest post on Michelle’s blog. Check it out – love her!
• Tomorrow, I’ll have a guest post on vegan baking from Angela of Oh She Glows, along with a Glo Bakery giveaway you won’t want to miss!
• On Thursday, I’ll have an interview with vegan triathlete (and super-hottie) Brendan Brazier, who makes the Vega products we all know and love so much.

Those are just some of the things that are rocking my vegan face off. And, what’s that? You want to take part? You want to win a cool prize? Read on, my friends:

On Thursday, November 19, we are asking that you devote one or all of your meals to being vegan. We just kindly ask if you could link back to either my blog or Michelle’s when you make your posts about Vegan Week. We will be compiling a list of all who participate throughout the day, on our blogs under the ‘VeganWeek’ tabs. If you could make sure to either send us the link and/or leave it in the comment section of the ‘Vegan 4-A- Day’ official post on Thursday then we can give you proper accolades.

If you know of any other friends, bloggers or not, who are up for the challenge…spread it around! Everyone who takes part will have a chance at a really cool prize — details of that to come soon!