It's only been three days, but I can really feel the 'veganism'. It's not too drastic of a change to what kind of foods I've been eating before, but it is a little bit different.
It hasn't been too bad at all, really! There are inconveniences, but they're all tolerable. I'm just having a little trouble reminding myself that I can't have yogurt for breakfast, or milk in my coffee.
I found out today that soy milk does not sit well in my coffee mug- it begins to separate and then it looks like miso soup! The taste is quite bean-y also, but nothing too terrible. I'm guessing almond milk would be better, but we ran out yesterday! Oh, did I mention that I also get some special treatment at Starbucks? I love all their soy subbed drinks, in fact, if it wasn't for the extra $$ they charged for their soy I'd be getting soy lattes and cappuccinos all the time! Back when I had a steady retail job I could afford to get an order of flavoured steamed soy. I KNOW-it may sound weird and pretentious but if you like soy milk and don't mind spending $3 for hot soy milk....you should try it. Ask for "steamed soy with a shot of ______". My favourite syrup shots were raspberry (this turns your soy milk pink :D), peppermint (weird combo but so tasty), hazelnut (ask for sugar-free), and of course chocolate. Okay okay I'm rambling, but the point is soy milk is amazing but it is usually overpriced to sub. But instead, when I get my Earl Greys or coffees, I just ask for them to put soy 'on the bar' and they automatically know I'm vegan (or maybe lactose intolerant) and they're really nice about it! They just give me the whole carton of soy so I can add however much to my drink. Awesome. :)
Also, when they say veganism is 'cleaner eating', they're not lying. And they're also not just talking about the Earth. Well, so far for myself, I've noticed that the restrictions are really keeping me balanced and aware of what I was eating. I notice that I try to snack less now, and also because I'm eating so healthily with so many veggies, it's given me motivation to maintain a good exercise routine again!
Anyway, about this recipe- I came home Sunday night from work exhausted and my mom had this on the table! I love this ratatouille. She makes it occasionally, and it is just so great to have on a cold night! A steaming bowl of stick-to-your-ribs stewed veggies and a slice of rye bread is the perfect dinner to leave you toasty and full. Ratatouille is very low-fat, and quite versatile. We add chickpeas to our ratatouille for some extra fiber and protein!
It's super simple, so if you're looking to make a quick, healthy, and delicious weeknight dinner for the fam, this is it!
Ratatouille serves 4-6
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 onions, diced
- 1 large eggplant, cubed
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 4 small zucchinis, cubed
- 4-6 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped or 1 can (796 ml) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (594 ml) chickpeas
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4 thyme
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- salt and pepper
Heat oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or medium pot. Add garlic and onions, cook until softened. Add eggplant and peppers. Add tomatoes and herbs, cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Add chickpeas and zucchinis, cooking for another 10 minutes. Finally stir in the fresh basil, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Coming soon! Wonderful recipes with TOFU (seriously there's nothing this magical food can't do...) and also some Vegan Thanksgiving recipes!
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