Day 5: Carrie Goes Vegan

I have to admit that this challenge is going a better than I expected. We're eating very healthy meals, the prep time is definitely manageable on my schedule and we actually feel a bit healthier and "lighter".

Tonight we had this fantastic salad for dinner, My Favorite Summer Salad. The eggplant makes it nice and hearty so it was even filling enough for the hubby.



Maybe a vegan diet isn't for everyone and maybe my husband needs a bit more protein, but this is DEFINITELY a challenge that everyone can do. It's a healthy lifestyle and great for the environment. Give it a whirl and let us know how it works out for you!

Day 4: Carrie Goes Vegan!

I was so excited about making dinner tonight because it's a variation on one of the dishes my mom made all the time as a kid. She always made polish sausage and scalloped potatoes and I remember my brother and I both getting excited when we'd see her beginning to prepare it.

So, I attempted a modern version of Sausage and Smashed Cauliflower - vegan and low carb. Definitely not the same as mom used to make ... it was so much better!!! I used the Tofurky Italian Sausage - which has the perfect amount of heat for me and my family. And I made a vegan variation on the Smashed Cauliflower by using vegan cream cheese and spices instead of the Boursin cheese. It was a truly delicious meal and I think Ellen would've devoured it right along with us!

Day 3: Carrie Goes Vegan (sort-of)...

Um ... screeching halt. The flu is attacking my house. Well, it's beating the crap out of me, but hopefully it'll stop there. I seriously don't want my little ones to get the 24-hour bug I just battled.

Anyway, I didn't eat at all yesterday so there's no fantastic meal or frightening fiasco to blog about. Wait, that's still considered a vegan diet, right? Yay! My challenge hasn't been disrupted! And I didn't even have to chant "What Would Ellen Eat?" yesterday for inspriation.

Wish me better luck for tonight's meal!

Day 2: Carrie Goes Vegan!

So far, so good.

Breakfast and lunch aren't difficult for me since I'm usually on my own for those meals. Today for breakfast I had toast with peanut butter (one of my faves!) and for lunch I had a nice, healthy green salad. It was a little hard not to reach for the ranch dressing, but I happily had the Balsamic Vinegarette.

For dinner we had Summer Mediterranean Pasta and it was fantastic. The hubby didn't miss the meat in the dish because the Barilla Plus Pasta is packed with protein. And again, simple clean-up with a one dish meal like this. Ahh ... everyone is happy! (I sound really lazy and like I hate doing dishes, don't I? Well ... it's true!)

Day 1: Carrie Goes Vegan!

I'm thinking it won't be too hard to do this vegan thing. I mean, I was a strict vegetarian for 10+ years so this should be easy, right? Right. Sure, I'll miss my rich, creamy cheese & dairy products, but I won't miss the meat. I really only eat meat now because a) my husband nags me to eat it ALL THE TIME and b) I really do feel more satisfied salads, pasta, rice and pretzels by the pound.

So, for the first night of my challenge I'm making tacos. Since this isn't an entire household challenge I'm making Tacos Two Ways: Meatless Tacos for me and my 1 year old daughter and Turkey Tacos for my hubby and 3 year old son. Tacos are a favorite around my house for a host of reasons: they're simple, everyone can have them 'their way', I can make them spicy for me and mild for the husband and kids, very minimal clean up. That's a perfect meal in my book. And these vegan tacos were absolutely delicious!



Day 1's a success. Whew!