I have decided that the trace of animal products in the vitamins, although concentrated, is minor and not to be obsessed about. I'm continuing the count as it stands but, as you may have noticed, I have extended the experiment another 60 days.
What this means is that instead of having the circulation tests done at the end of 180 days of herbivorous diet, I will wait until I have reached the 240th day.
I meant to cook lamacun last night, but things got bollixed up and I settled for a mujaddarah. I wasn't paying attention and cooked it with too little water (brown rice takes a little more water than white) and it came out a bit nubbly but tasted okay.
I should have the ingredients on-hand for the lamacun and I'll try to get to it tonight. It's a great recipe and kids seem to like it.
Nov 30, 2011
Nov 29, 2011
Day 52?/180: Do I need to reboot?
Don't worry about answering, it's a rhetorical question.
I'm cursing in equal parts my ADD and my stupidity. I was portioning out my pills for the week today when it suddenly occurred to me to reread the label on my vitamins. As I thought, they seemed to be beast-free. Then, on another part of the label, in tiny print, I saw another set of ingredients informing me that the product "Contains fish (cod, pollock, haddock, hake, cusk, redfish, sole, flounder) ingredients." Why this information was broken out to be listed separately is a question for which I have no answer other than the perverse joy some companies seem to take in making things confusing.
What this means, of course, is that the last 51 days have NOT been entirely free of animal-product nutrition. DAMMIT! I can rescue the situation slightly by persuading myself that it was just trace amounts and there was unlikely to be much, if any, protein since the additive was probably fish oil.
As I've said before, my dietary choice was not based on ethics but health, so I'm not feeling spiritually diminished. I am, however, a bit pissed off at the tricky labeling, and angry at myself for not being able to concentrate long enough to figure it out. The question now is; has the trace amounts of fish compromised the experiment to the extent that I need to start from Day 1/180 again?
It certainly wouldn't hurt me to do so, and it wasn't as if I was going to end my herbivorous diet on the 180th day ... but that's a decision I'll have to make for myself sometime today. You'll be able to see my decision when tomorrow's number is posted.
I'm cursing in equal parts my ADD and my stupidity. I was portioning out my pills for the week today when it suddenly occurred to me to reread the label on my vitamins. As I thought, they seemed to be beast-free. Then, on another part of the label, in tiny print, I saw another set of ingredients informing me that the product "Contains fish (cod, pollock, haddock, hake, cusk, redfish, sole, flounder) ingredients." Why this information was broken out to be listed separately is a question for which I have no answer other than the perverse joy some companies seem to take in making things confusing.
What this means, of course, is that the last 51 days have NOT been entirely free of animal-product nutrition. DAMMIT! I can rescue the situation slightly by persuading myself that it was just trace amounts and there was unlikely to be much, if any, protein since the additive was probably fish oil.
As I've said before, my dietary choice was not based on ethics but health, so I'm not feeling spiritually diminished. I am, however, a bit pissed off at the tricky labeling, and angry at myself for not being able to concentrate long enough to figure it out. The question now is; has the trace amounts of fish compromised the experiment to the extent that I need to start from Day 1/180 again?
It certainly wouldn't hurt me to do so, and it wasn't as if I was going to end my herbivorous diet on the 180th day ... but that's a decision I'll have to make for myself sometime today. You'll be able to see my decision when tomorrow's number is posted.
Nov 28, 2011
TMI Alert! Digestive Problems Discussed
Here's a curious thing I found out a few weeks ago.
I knew that some cheeses seemed to create ... umm ... let's call it a digestive mobility problem, one that required copious amounts of prune juice to solve.
I was surprised to find that vegan cheese substitutes triggered the same problem. It was surprising but, ultimately it's no great loss since the cheese analogs I tried neither tasted nor felt like cheese.
It does make me wonder, though, what the similarity is that would cause them both to affect my system the same way.
I knew that some cheeses seemed to create ... umm ... let's call it a digestive mobility problem, one that required copious amounts of prune juice to solve.
I was surprised to find that vegan cheese substitutes triggered the same problem. It was surprising but, ultimately it's no great loss since the cheese analogs I tried neither tasted nor felt like cheese.
It does make me wonder, though, what the similarity is that would cause them both to affect my system the same way.
Day 51/180: Today's dinner ...
... isn't even worth talking about. It was a difficult day full of worry for my wife who went in for oral surgery this morning. She slept all afternoon while I fretted about her, but she woke up cheerful and without pain, so that's a relief. I settled for a couple of cups of miso soup, a few celery sticks, and two slices of multi-grain toast with tahini spread.
Tomorrow, however, will be fine. I'll be going to the gym in the early afternoon, then shop on the way home for the few extra ingredients I'll need to make vegetarian lamacun (or lamajoun). It's such an easy recipe and a real treat.
Tomorrow, however, will be fine. I'll be going to the gym in the early afternoon, then shop on the way home for the few extra ingredients I'll need to make vegetarian lamacun (or lamajoun). It's such an easy recipe and a real treat.
Day 50/180: Chickpeas and Tomato Curry AGAIN‽
Two fall-back dinners in a row. I guess I should make some kind of a plan as to how to keep things fresh and interesting without spending all day obsessing about dinner.
I did, however, make an excellent hummus for snacking. I flavored it with garam masala and a little mustard oil in addition to the traditional ingredients.
I did, however, make an excellent hummus for snacking. I flavored it with garam masala and a little mustard oil in addition to the traditional ingredients.
Day 49/180: A delayed post
Not to get overly repetitious, but I had mixed roasted vegetables for dinner again.
Part of the problem is having to use things up before you go on to new ingredients. The nice thing about roasted vegetables is that it just takes a modification of the mix and of the spices to give you a new dinner.
Part of the problem is having to use things up before you go on to new ingredients. The nice thing about roasted vegetables is that it just takes a modification of the mix and of the spices to give you a new dinner.
Nov 25, 2011
Day 48/180: Thanksgiving Aftermath
In a way Thanksgiving turned out as I expected. There was good conversation, a bit of family storytelling and a pleasant time was had by all.
On the other hand, it was, and still is, a test of my willpower.
The Thanksgiving spread was in my wife's family tradition: a 12-pound turkey stuffed with off-the-shelf bread stuffing, pearl onions in butter sauce, mashed potatoes made with milk and butter, turnips with butter, squash with butter and sugar, pumpkin pie made with cream and served with cream cheese, apple pie with butter served with cheddar. About the only thing served that I could eat were the pickles, olives, peanut butter-stuffed dates, and the mixed nuts (containing hazelnuts which, predictably, I am allergic to).
It was good that I brought my own dinner: mock turkey (seitan), stuffing muffins, potatoes roasted with olive oil and rosemary, corn with a touch of black sesame oil and garlic. On the whole, my dinner was probably tastier and certainly better for me than theirs was for them. And, thankfully, no-one felt inclined to point out that I wasn't sharing everyone else's food.
Then something happened that I hadn't anticipated. Due to Uncle Bob's failing eyesight and everyone else's lack of knife skills it fell to me to carve the turkey. I did. I did it without complaint. I sliced the white meat neatly and apportioned it to the plates. I scooped out the stuffing. I served seconds. I spent the meal with the turkey platter six inches from my plate. All of my favorite parts were still there: the wings, the "pope's nose", the pouchy part of the skin where the extra stuffing goes. Right in front of me for the entire meal.
And I made it! No slips, no quick licks of fat-slicked fingers, no snatching up of stray crumbs of stuffing. I survived and triumphed.
Late last night was harder. The leftovers came home with us, and every time I walked out to the kitchen I could see the untouched wings and drumsticks, the carcass with fully half the meat of the bird still on it, and I knew that it would all be wasted. It will sit in the refrigerator until it dries out or goes bad. No-one will ever eat any more from it because they are so used to me being their disposal unit, and I can not, I will not perform that function any more, even though the waste breaks my heart.
Just now I walked out to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. The turkey is gone! I wonder what happened to it. I wonder if I really want to know.
On the other hand, it was, and still is, a test of my willpower.
The Thanksgiving spread was in my wife's family tradition: a 12-pound turkey stuffed with off-the-shelf bread stuffing, pearl onions in butter sauce, mashed potatoes made with milk and butter, turnips with butter, squash with butter and sugar, pumpkin pie made with cream and served with cream cheese, apple pie with butter served with cheddar. About the only thing served that I could eat were the pickles, olives, peanut butter-stuffed dates, and the mixed nuts (containing hazelnuts which, predictably, I am allergic to).
It was good that I brought my own dinner: mock turkey (seitan), stuffing muffins, potatoes roasted with olive oil and rosemary, corn with a touch of black sesame oil and garlic. On the whole, my dinner was probably tastier and certainly better for me than theirs was for them. And, thankfully, no-one felt inclined to point out that I wasn't sharing everyone else's food.
Then something happened that I hadn't anticipated. Due to Uncle Bob's failing eyesight and everyone else's lack of knife skills it fell to me to carve the turkey. I did. I did it without complaint. I sliced the white meat neatly and apportioned it to the plates. I scooped out the stuffing. I served seconds. I spent the meal with the turkey platter six inches from my plate. All of my favorite parts were still there: the wings, the "pope's nose", the pouchy part of the skin where the extra stuffing goes. Right in front of me for the entire meal.
And I made it! No slips, no quick licks of fat-slicked fingers, no snatching up of stray crumbs of stuffing. I survived and triumphed.
Late last night was harder. The leftovers came home with us, and every time I walked out to the kitchen I could see the untouched wings and drumsticks, the carcass with fully half the meat of the bird still on it, and I knew that it would all be wasted. It will sit in the refrigerator until it dries out or goes bad. No-one will ever eat any more from it because they are so used to me being their disposal unit, and I can not, I will not perform that function any more, even though the waste breaks my heart.
Just now I walked out to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. The turkey is gone! I wonder what happened to it. I wonder if I really want to know.
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