The Lazy Vegan: Day 13

Well, I almost didn’t post today after the day I have had. I regret to admit that I am throwing in the towel. Right now, it is just too expensive and really difficult for me to try and live this way. I feel so isolated, if that makes sense, when I am making up chicken or soup or something for my family, and I am off eating something completely different. I love the recipes I have found and this experiment has shown me that it is possible to eat healthy on a budget, but instead of just focusing on my health, I am involving my whole family. We are all making change.

I am not going to try and make my kids vegan. My husband, I haven’t a prayer for. Instead, we are going to focus on little changes here and there. Such as snack packs. Pre-sliced fruits and vegetables. With a picky eater who is three and a picky eater who is twenty-three, I am trying to come up with ways to keep them both on their toes snack-wise, without overstepping the boundaries into the strange and alien. The trick is to take their favorites and put new twists on them while hiding new ingredients or preparation techniques.

A favorite of ours is carrots. We can go through an entire bag of baby carrots as a family in one sitting. Do this to often and the favorite gets over used and is no longer a favorite. To fight this, I use carrots in a lot of different ways. I have thrown them in everything from soups to stir fry to smoothies. They are a huge hit every time.

Greens? Not so much. I have gotten Matt to eat a few salads here and there, but getting him and Connor to eat them without drowning them in dressing and toppings… That is going to be a feat for supermom.

In any case, I hope that making these changes as a family will help us to grow closer, all learn new things about old favorites, and teach my kids safe techniques in the kitchen as well as promote a broad palate for flavor.

Until tomorrow, Bon Appetit!