10 Reasons I'll Never Be Vegan

Thank you so much to all of you who took the time to express yourself and your feelings about Michelle Obama’s Shake Shack visit.  I was reading and replying to your comments as we made our way up to the Berkshires for the weekend.  We went to see my boys who are at sleep away camp there. Saturday after visiting the boys, we went to friends in the area for dinner.  My friend S. and her friends who were there all leaned a little (or a lot) in the healthy direction and it wasn’t long before food and nutrition came up.

One of the women mentioned that she had experimented with veganism for a few months after reading The China Study.  I have to say that this book and Earthlings have a fairly high conversion rate for people considering going vegan.  I don’t eat a lot of animal protein and the bulk of my intake is fruits and vegetables. I’ve even done vegan cleanses and feel fantastic when I do. However, for me there are some foods I couldn’t part with or am not willing to give up. 

Eggs

Eggs are one of my favorite foods. I get my eggs from a company called New York Milk. This morning I had poached omega 3 eggs over artichoke hearts at a lovely restaurant called Haven. I love making frittatas and often make them in mini muffin trays to for a few days. A weird dinner I often make is scrambled eggs with peas and pesto.

Sushi

I love sushi. I love hand rolls, maki rolls and sashimi. I love uni and tobiko and octopus. I don’t want cucumber rolls or veggie hand rolls. I often seek out brown rice sushi but I’m hearing more about quinoa sushi too, have you tried them?

Cheese

When I think of food indulgences I think of cheese. If I have a choice between a cheese course and dessert, cheese wins. I have a few friends who feel as strongly (no pun intended) about cheese as I do and wonder if this is the basis of our friendship. I don’t keep a lot of cheese around but usually have a crumbled feta or this outstanding lavender goat’s cheese I get at the Union Square Farmer’s market.

Lamb Chops

I don’t crave steak, I used to love a good burger and use Hardwick’s grass-fed beef for meatloaf and burgers at home but my burger cravings aren’t that intense. If I had to pick one meat meal to have here and there it would be lamb chops. I make lamb chops for my kids as my mother did for me growing up. I use rosemary, garlic and olive oil grill them and then finish them in the oven. My mom used to call the crunchy part on the bone the “candy” and I’d have to agree with her. I realize I just repulsed any vegan reading this post.

Poached Salmon

Another favorite dinner is poached wild salmon. If you’re not a salmon lover there’s something about chilling the salmon that makes it much more mild. I poach in lemon, white wine, water and bay leaves and chill it a few hours before eating. It’s fantastic summer meal and great for lunch the next day too.

Ronnybrook and Siggis

Many mornings I have a splash of almond breeze in my coffee. Here and there I use Ronnybrook half and half and it’s so delicious. Siggi’s makes delicious dairy too. I love their skyr and also the probiotic shots.

Zoe Tuna

I have written about Zoe so many times, I now see it in all my friend’s pantries. It also makes a great hostess gift for friends who will not think you’ve lost it giving them tuna, maybe throw in your favorite olive oil just in case. Zoe is a staple item in my lunch routine. Half a jar with avocado and your favorite greens and life is good (unless you’re vegan).

Soy

In addition to foods I can’t live without there are foods I’m not wild about. I am not a huge soy fan. I don’t like to eat anything with TVP. While not all vegetarians and vegans and soyholics, without soy, a vegan diet is a little more difficult.

Vanity

As we talked about veganism and our personal pros and cons, the woman I was talking to admitted she felt she ate more while vegan. “It was so hard to satiate myself, I ended up gaining weight.” I can’t lie; I find eggs and fish very satisfying. While there are more important factors when deciding whether or not to be vegan,  I fear I too would overeat and “pork up” on a vegan diet. This was not the first I've heard about the weight gain and veganism.

After Friday’s post, many commenters felt strongly that any food plan should include treats. In writing this I see each of these foods treats in their own way. You’ll let me know if you agree.

Have you ever considered going vegan? Any animal foods you couldn’t give up? If you are vegan, any foods you miss? Any books or movies that changed the way you eat?

Let's Do Lunch Challenge

In our February Foodtrainers’ newsletter we issued a challenge. We suggested readers pick a week and make their lunch for that entire week. Making your lunch saves money, calories and we find usually tastes better than salad-bar salads and salty soups.

Foodtrainers’ favorite lunches:

1. Zoe tuna is this amazing tuna that comes in a jar. Try ½ jar, ½ avocado and beets  over greens. Other great jarred tuna brands are ortiz and callipo.

2. Nori Wraps-I was reminded of this great idea reading The Kind Diet. You can use sheets of Nori and wrap your favorite sandwich filling. Another calorie-saving option is to use large lettuce leaves. Try this with Zoe tuna or curry chicken salad below.
3. Muffin Frittatas- these are a go-to recipe of mine for breakfast or lunch. I make a batch and freeze or refrigerate the leftovers. Recipe below
4. Curry Chicken Salad- Ellie Krieger has some of the tastiest, healthy recipes around. I love her curry chicken recipe.
5. The Easiest Soup in the World- I hosted a cooking class with Jenna Helwig of Rosaberry  a couple of months ago for family friendly recipes. This soup was a hit, takes very little time to prepare and is a staple in my lunch repertoire. Recipe Below

Recipes:

Mini Muffin Veggie Frittatas

2 mini muffin trays

Cooking Spray (I like Spectrum brand Canola spray)

Veggies (experiment with any veggies!) 1 red bell pepper, mushrooms, spinach, onions, broccoli whatever you have.

6 omega 3 eggs, 4 additional egg whites (can use 8 whole eggs, 16 whites, 2 whites=1 whole)

½ tsp each salt and black pepper

1 tsp chopped herbs (parsley or chives)

½ cup grated reduced fat cheddar or any cheese (OPTIONAL)



Spray 2 mini muffin trays with cooking spray. Preheat oven 375. Chop 1 red pepper, handful of spinach and couple of mushrooms (you can use any veggies). Mix together eggs/whites, herbs, salt and pepper. Add veggies to muffin trays. Spoon egg mixture over veggies almost to top. Scatter cheese on top if using or wait until halfway through cooking. Cook about 15 min or until frittatas rise up and slightly brown. These can be reheated in toaster oven at 300 degrees or nuked in a pinch.

The Easiest Soup in the World (White bean and tomato soup)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 can (14-15 oz.) organic diced tomatoes with juices

2 cups chicken broth (I like Pacific regular or low sodium)

2 cans Eden cannellini (white) beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 pound ham, cut into strips or cubes (we used Rosemary ham, delish)

Baby greens, like arugula or romaine (1 bag or 5 oz.)

1/2 tsp. salt.

 Heat oil over medium heat on stove. Add garlic and stir until golden for one or two minutes.
Add tomatoes and juices to garlic. Stir in broth, beans, and ham and bring liquid to a simmer
Simmer soup for five minutes. Stir in greens and cook until wilted, 3-5 minutes. Add salt and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Store in refrigerator or freezer.


What are your favorite healthy lunches? Are you ready to accept the Foodtrainers “let’s do lunch” challenge?