My Failed Plant-Based Challenge

By Alicia Joseph 

My plan to eat completely plant-based food for thirty days lasted about seventeen days. Though I failed to eat one hundred percent plant-based, doesn’t mean I completely gorged myself on junk vegan processed foods, although I did overindulge a little. A while back Buona Beef, a local Chicago based fast food restaurant that specializes in Italian beef, debuted its Italian “beefless” sandwich. 

It tasted just as I remembered how an Italian beef should. Even my omnivore neighbor couldn’t taste a difference. Italian beef sandwiches were one of my favorites once upon a time. They were more “Chicago” than hotdogs and deep-dish pizza. But vegan wise. There was nothing comparable to the real thing…until now. 

In just weeks I had three of them.  Don’t judge! I’m making up for lost time. At least I found the will to steer clear of my favorite vegan ice creams – and there are many. Still, despite my affinity for all things Beyond Burgers and Daiya pizzas, I do have my limits to the amount of delicious vegan processed junk I consume on a regular basis. I enjoy many simple vegan meals that are based around foods that were grown in the ground and not in a lab. Now if those labs grown foods replace animals from being torturously slaughtered, then I’m all for it…with some consumption limitations. 

Here are some of the good foods I discovered. My non vegan friends like them, too.

Avocado on toast with giardiniera relish makes a yummy veggie sandwich. 

Toasted bread with avocado, sautéed mushrooms, and sliced grape tomatoes. 

Pasta seasoned with olive oil, black olives, cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkling of basil. 

Although I failed the challenge, I made to myself, one habit that is now permanent is not filling my freezer with all my favorite vegan junk foods – pizzas. Burger, sausages, corn dogs, and ice cream. If it’s not in my house, I can’t eat it. 

Here is a glimpse into one of my books. I hope you enjoy it. 

“When a train runs over a penny, the penny changes form, but it can still be a penny if I want it to be. Or, I can make it be something else.”

Lyssa and her best friend Abbey discover a hideout near the train tracks and spend the summer before sixth grade hanging out and finding freedom from issues at home. Their childhood innocence shatters when the hideout becomes the scene of a tragic death.

As they’re about to graduate from high school, Abbey’s family life spirals out of control while Lyssa is feeling guilty for deceiving Abbey about her sexuality.

After another tragic loss, Lyssa finds out that a penny on the track is sometimes a huge price to pay for the truth.

AMAZON BUY LINKS

KINDLE - PAPERBACK

Alicia Joseph grew up in Westchester, Illinois. She has many works-in-progress that she hopes to finish soon. Life permitting.

When she is not writing, Alicia enjoys volunteering with animals, rooting for her favorite sports teams, and playing “awesome aunt” to her nine nieces and nephews.

Learn more about Alicia Joseph on her blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

Plant-Based Living

by Alicia Joseph

I’ve followed my plan to eat healthier for about eleven days as part of my thirty days of plant-based eating. I decided I’d been consuming too much processed vegan junk food. My body needed a break from the manufactured foods, and instead fill up with whole foods as close to their natural state as possible.

Most of the recipes I made came from a cookbook written by Dr. John McDougall. He preached a low fat/high carb vegan plant-based diet consisting mostly of potatoes, rice, pasta, beans, and multigrain breads. Although my previous diet consisted of plenty of fruits and vegetables, my snack choices of chips, ice cream, and pastries were counterproductive. To stick with the new diet, my snacks consisted of raw nuts and sliced veggies with hummus. To satisfy my sweet tooth cravings, I turned to fruit, smoothies, or fruit in yogurt. Okay, so I cheated one night with a piece of vegan dark chocolate, but I didn’t eat nearly as much chocolate as I usually did. That’s progress, right? Please say yes. 😊 

The recipes I’ve made have been easy, convenient, and healthy, but there hasn’t been much change in how I look or feel, except that my face broke out in acne I haven’t seen since I was thirteen! I hope it’s a result of all those toxins exiting my body. Maybe? Could be? 

It was unfair for me to judge the impact this plant-based diet had on me because I was experiencing a Myasthenia Gravis flare-up that began before I started the new diet. In fact, it was the flare-up that inspired me to clean up my eating to give my immune system a boost. I was sure the muscle weakness that limited my physical abilities would pass and I would be able to exercise again. And of course, see a more physical change in me. 

I had over two weeks left to go when I decided I wouldn’t abandon eating plant-based. It will always be the majority of my diet with just a splash of the vegan processed junk food I love so much.

Here is a glimpse into one of my books. I hope you enjoy it. 

“When a train runs over a penny, the penny changes form, but it can still be a penny if I want it to be. Or, I can make it be something else.”

Lyssa and her best friend Abbey discover a hideout near the train tracks and spend the summer before sixth grade hanging out and finding freedom from issues at home. Their childhood innocence shatters when the hideout becomes the scene of a tragic death.

As they’re about to graduate from high school, Abbey’s family life spirals out of control while Lyssa is feeling guilty for deceiving Abbey about her sexuality.

After another tragic loss, Lyssa finds out that a penny on the track is sometimes a huge price to pay for the truth.

AMAZON BUY LINKS

KINDLE - PAPERBACK

Alicia Joseph grew up in Westchester, Illinois. She has many works-in-progress that she hopes to finish soon. Life permitting.

When she is not writing, Alicia enjoys volunteering with animals, rooting for her favorite sports teams, and playing “awesome aunt” to her nine nieces and nephews.

Learn more about Alicia Joseph on her blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

Seeking the Healthy Life

 By Alicia Joseph

Day One of a Plant-Based Diet

Today is the first day of eating nothing but plant-based food for thirty days. I’ve been a vegetarian for about eight years, and then turned to veganism not too long ago. So, although I eat a lot of fruit and veggies, I am sure that I indulged way too much in my favorite vegan junk food. I’m looking straight at you Beyond Meat! Though I had always tried to balance the number of processed foods I ate with more healthy foods, I no doubt overdid it with the delicious brands of everything vegan – ice cream, pizzas, burgers, sausages, corndogs, chicken nuggets…I think you get the idea.

In 2006, I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, a neuromuscular disorder that leads to weakness of the skeletal muscles. The first seven years were pretty hard, but the last eight years have been quite bearable without any serious flareups, until recently. I believe food is the medicine that keeps our bodies in optimal health. I hope the negative effects I feel from my disease will motivate me to stay on course and eat strictly 1 plant-based diet. I didn’t weigh myself before I started. This change is more about feeling better than losing weight, but yeah, I’m hoping for that too.

I have a pre-planned list of recipes I jotted down from a plant-based cookbook written by Dr. John McDougall, The McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook, that should cover me for a couple of weeks. My fridge is stocked with all the healthy deliciousness of natural and unprocessed foods. The key is staying organized and having a meal plan.

Today’s meal was a simple carrot, celery, kale, and noodle soup followed by black bean sloppy joes over roasted potatoes.

One day down. Twenty-nine to go. Easy peasy.

Here is a glimpse into one of my books. I hope you enjoy it. 

“When a train runs over a penny, the penny changes form, but it can still be a penny if I want it to be. Or, I can make it be something else.”

Lyssa and her best friend Abbey discover a hideout near the train tracks and spend the summer before sixth grade hanging out and finding freedom from issues at home. Their childhood innocence shatters when the hideout becomes the scene of a tragic death.

As they’re about to graduate from high school, Abbey’s family life spirals out of control while Lyssa is feeling guilty for deceiving Abbey about her sexuality.

After another tragic loss, Lyssa finds out that a penny on the track is sometimes a huge price to pay for the truth.

AMAZON BUY LINKS

KINDLE - PAPERBACK

Alicia Joseph grew up in Westchester, Illinois. She has many works-in-progress that she hopes to finish soon. Life permitting.

When she is not writing, Alicia enjoys volunteering with animals, rooting for her favorite sports teams, and playing “awesome aunt” to her nine nieces and nephews.

Learn more about Alicia Joseph on her blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.