Firstly, can I get a big YAY! for me? This week marks my 2-year veganniversary and I couldn’t be happier about it! Oh, what’s that? You want to hear my vegan story? Okay!
I had been vegetarian for almost 2 years (and approximately 80% vegetarian for another year before that, if you’re counting) but I knew I wanted more. I wanted to do more for animals, I wanted to be healthier, and mostly I wanted to live a life that was truer to my values. I had a couple of vegan friends who were great role models, and I was already using plant-based substitutes for most dairy products, but for some reason I was still hesitant.
It was right around that time that I joined our local Vegetarian/Vegan Meetup group and attended my first event- a book club meeting to discuss Skinny Bitch. That evening was a huge turning point in my life. I had read the book and it pushed me right up to the edge, but it was spending time with all those amazing vegans who were so happy and open and self-confident in their decision to be vegan- it gave me that extra bit of oomph that I needed! I went home and re-read the book, then went on Facebook to announce that I was going to go the long holiday weekend without eating dairy (because, obvs, nothing is real until you post it on FB, right?). My plan was to give it a shot, do my best, and see what happened. It was much easier than I thought it would be, probably due in part to the fact that I wasn’t placing a lot of stress on myself. So then I changed my goal to 2 weeks, then a month. Once those short-term milestones had passed w/out incident dairy, I went ahead and pronounced myself VEGAN, and the rest is history!
Can I get another YAY! for me? Thanks 🙂
According to PETA, vegans save an average of 198 animals per year which means that I’ve saved almost 400 lives in my two years of eating delicious meals without ever feeling as though I was sacrificing. And the added bonus? I haven’t been sick A SINGLE DAY in the past 2 years! I had a headache once, but I drank some water and it went away so I think I was just dehydrated 😉 If you knew me pre-vegan you’d realize just how amazing this is. I used to get 2-3 colds a winter, one of which would often leave me with a bad bronchial infection- you know the kind that makes you cough like a donkey braying? Yah, I don’t miss those. The craziest part is that I didn’t realize just how often I was getting sick, I (like so many Americans) just accepted it as “normal”. Now I look around me at the non-vegans in my life and I’m in shock at how often they (and their kids) are ill. It’s mind boggling, really.
Coincidentally, we have another milestone to celebrate this week at TWV?… 100,000 all-time views! That’s right, in the less than 7 months this little blog has been around, a whole lotta peepers have been checking out my recipes, and for that I have a big YAY! for you all! Thank you so much for all the support and comments and ideas you’ve shared with me. You guys rock!
In case you’re curious, my most popular post ever (so far, anyway!) has been Cauliflower & Cheese:
Cauliflower n’ Cheese
It’s not hard to see why that one was so popular. I might go whip up another batch of it myself 🙂
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Welldone!!!! I’ve nearly been vegetarian for a year and I was amazed that I went the whole winter without even a sniffle when usually I’d have had a good few days off with flu. Then whilst on holiday I didn’t eat meat obviously but I did eat alot of processed veggie burgers and cheese which I wouldn’t eat at home and I have a cough and a cold!!!! Now I’m home I’m back on the veggies and grains etc and feeling better already (although my husband also pointed out that we were using a lot of public transport which I don’t usually do either). Congrats on two years vegan, I love your recipes and your sense of humour! x
Thank you so much, you’re too sweet! I’m also glad to hear you’re feeling better- that public transportation can really get you sick. I used to end up with a cold each time I flew, I swear!
Congratulations!!!
Thanks!
Woo Hoo! Congratulations and Happy Veganniversary! I went vegan in March of this year after being (mostly) vegetarian for many years. I feel great and I’ve lost 17 of the 100+ pounds that I need to lose, my blood pressure is down as well. Thank you for your wonderful blog, It has been a great help!
That is wonderful news!! Isn’t it amazing how a change in your diet can have such a huge effect on your health? Keep up the great work, and I’m so honored that my little blog has helped you! 🙂
That’s just awesome Barb! I wish I could remember the exact date I went vegetarian and then vegan! It was more of a gradual process and I never paid attention. Totally regret it now!
I love you blog so your 100,000 hits is so deserved! I look forward to many more posts and recipe inspriations from you 🙂
Congrats!
Thanks, love your blog too!
Congrats Barb, what a great story!
Wasn’t Skinny Bitch awesome, I still refer to it and reread it- I love the straight forward approach 🙂
GREAT book! It should be required reading in high school! (you know, once the kids are old enough for swearing, and to make their own food choices, ha)
Congratulations! I hope one day I’ll be in your shoes. And I’m totally trying that cheesey cauliflower. I have some that I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with.
Stick with it, and you will be for sure! And I highly recommend that cauliflower, it’s ridiculously good!
I would like to congratulate you for hitting two years of eating Vegan! Great Job! I’ve been a vegan since 2006. Six years and counting! And a first-generation Taiwanese vegan while my parents still have difficulty accepting me as a Vegan! 🙁
6 years, that’s awesome!!! I know it can be hard not being accepted by the fam… But keep up the awesome work!
Happy Veganniversary, Barb! We love your blog, and your recipe for Cauliflower n’ Cheese is one of our favorites! We raise our glasses of coconut milk to you with wishes for many more years of delicious vegan eating and recipes to come!
Thank you sooo much!
Congratulations on your Veganniversary Barb!!!
Thanks 🙂
Congrats! Isn’t it funny how we both have our vegetarian/vegan anniversaries right around the 4th of July?
100,000 hits…I hope I get there one day; only 97,531 to go! 🙂
That is funny… and cool!
Congratulations on your 2nd year Veganniversary and 100,000 views! Here’s to many more of both 🙂
Thanks so much!
So awesome! Congrats! 🙂
Yay, thanks!
Lots of big YAYS! for you. Congratulations on the hits and on your veganniverary!
Thanks for all the YAYS! I sure do appreciate them 🙂
Lots and lots of big YAYS!!!!! Congrats, Barb. I will have to make that cauliflower & cheese….although, I’m still a huge fan of the b-nut mac-n-cheese!!!