I deal with cravings in a lot of different ways.

1) In some instances, I give it up altogether! For instance, I gave up all caffeine, including chocolate (which was very hard!), four years ago, and now I can be around it and not go crazy! Sometimes I think it truly takes a good two years to lose cravings, so it's a question of really waiting out those intense cravings. It helps that I gave up meat, fish, and chicken as a teenager and stuck with it all these years. It makes me know that it is possible to give up something one loves and to eventually be completely content without it! I did the same thing with "movie theater popcorn." It trains the brain to not say, "Should I? Shouldn't I" I like knowing certain things are off limits for me. I know this doesn't work for everybody but for me it makes life less complicated.

2) Imitations sometimes satisfy cravings for me. Since I live in a big city, there are a lot of vegan diners that do all kinds of impressive imitations of the stuff we miss, including seafood. There's even an old-fashioned ice cream parlor that's all vegan. If you want to make your own meat imitations at home, seitan and tempeh are great to use. You can even make your own seitan. The web is full of great recipes to satisfy cravings (e.g. google vegan seafood alternatives).

3) Think about the meaning a certain food has for you, like whether it's associated with family memories or vacations or a certain time in your life or a way one comforted one's self. Mindfulness helps me to redirect my cravings to considering my feelings related to their origins. Then I can focus on satisfying the craving in another way or sit with the uncomfortable feeling and accept it with better understanding.

4) I notice that I crave certain things when I'm sleep deprived or hungry or sick or before my period. Sometimes just realizing this helps me get through the craving because I know it is likely to diminish once I get through whatever is particularly activating it. Remember that every time you make it through a craving you train your brain to make it through the next time. It also builds confidence that you have the power to make your own decisions.

5) When possible I try to stay away from situations that are going to increase a craving. For instance, if I'm out at a restaurant that is not veg friendly and all there is is a basic salad, I bring a tupperware container with all the ingredients to turn it into a "wow" salad. On vacations I try to stay in places with kitchens so that I am able to make sure I have good veg meals whether in or dining out.

I hope some of this is helpful :). Just give it time :bunchflowers:

oyster memories
 

nycfembbw,

I appreciate you sharing your experience with cravings and your process of
decision making. Number 3 really resonated with me. Memories of fun times
with great seafood, and family, hit the nail on the head for me.

My decision to be vegan came not so suddenly, but poignantly after I watched the "Earthlings" video. I have found it easy because I am adamant
about not participating in a way of eating that no longer feels right to me, and only me, no judgement about anyone else.

But this craving for oysters the last two days or so came from left field. This evening its getting less so I must be getting over it.

I'll take your response and absorb its meaning for me these next few days.

Again, thanks for your response and support.

Have a good week, Greco

I very much hear you on this. That's actually another thing that helps me. If I watch videos and read articles about the ethics of using/eating animals in the way that our society usually does so, it puts these important issues in the front of my mind. And the longer I go without taking into my body something that doesn't feel right to me, the more wonderfully foreign it feels to me. So much of going veg is "unlearning" what we've been indoctrinated into within our society.

juicy juice
 

green juice with ginger lemon last of the chard
celery cucumber and apple all day and tonight
I love green juice yes I do feel lighter clearer

And No Craving Oysters Today finally

waking before the clock I wake it up

today I sound like I'm rambling for some
reason still working tonight until who knows

nycfembbw, yes about the fact of un-learning
societal norms, and cultural ones as well there
is a difference for me as I'm not of the dominant
culture here

One important goal I have is to learn about how to
cook my traditional foods vegan

have found a site on youtube, and I want to create
my own tasty vegan dishes lots to learn and think
about always a good thing

so hope you all have a good dinner and evening

Greco

Question for all:

What do you like to add to your food to increase the nutritional value?

On a daily basis I add nutritional yeast to a lot of things as well as ground flax seed. Those are my two main stapes but I'd like to add more.

additions
 

nycfembbw,

I add flax oil to my smoothies, and aloe vera every other day
with Vit C, berry powder as well.

Greco

experiment day
 

Today I got up wanting to experiment so juice dinner and dressing
were things I have on hand and wanted to combine

This morning I wanted to juice attempt something different, no banana.

cucumber

celery

apple

lemon

The juice was cool and energizing and lasted the whole day
It was different, I did miss the bananas but the apple was
sweet. Very hydrating juice that I'll continue to juice during
the heat of Summer.

And I was very hungry by the time I got home.
For dinner had:

sauteed in sesame oil

pineapple

roasted red peppers

spinach

capers

cilantro

over Jasmine rice

with celery cucumber salad

Dressing - experimental
blended pineapple
garlic
basil
lemon

I wasn't using a recipe, and was curious how pineapple
would saute turned out very comforting with the spinach
and capers red peppers

The sesame oil brought a nutty and again comforting flavor
will use this again a lot

One thing I find interesting is that I'm not missing meat, except
for the oyster craving I haven't had the urge for any other meat
thankfully.

And I feel full even with the juices.

I thought that it would be expensive eating organic veggies
and fruit but its actually been cheaper a surprise for sure.

Enjoying feeling clearer, lighter, running with no struggle

So is it perfect? No. I have a concern about what I will do
when I visit with family over the weekend. A lot of thoughts
about relationships and being vegan.

Enjoy your evening, Greco

I want to make quinoa
for some reason I have in my head that it's tricky to make
has anyone made it?
it's supposed to be an amazingly nutritious food...

any thoughts, suggestions, much appreciated :)

thanks

Sometimes I feel like when I'm not on my own turf (e.g. not staying in my own home for a weekend or out with people or at some event), it's so much harder to be veg. When I'm at home and in my normal routine, being veg feels beyond easy and satisfying! It feels divine! But suddenly when out of that situation, especially for prolonged periods, suddenly it feels so hard! It helps me to keep with me snacks that don't need refrigeration (nuts, fruit, dried edamame, PB packets, whole grain crackers, etc.). Eating every few hours helps not to compound the frustration of being out of one's element with gnawing hunger. If I am going to be somewhere new geographically, I look up on the net (e.g. happy cow, I think it's called) where the veg/health groceries are and the restaurants. I make a plan if I can. For instance, at the Reunion in Arkansas I set up a plan beforehand for going to a veg dim sum restaurant which ended up being fabulous. It can also be hard in situations of being away with with people who don't understand it or feel hostile towards it. You kind of have to prepare yourself for how you are going to deal with questions, ignorance, stupid jokes, aggressive jokes, forceful comments, etc. In a wonderful book, The Politics of Meat, Carol Adams smartly, I think, advises that it is not a good idea to discuss veg issues at the table- that people are more defensive, and that it's better to deflect and change the subject and if you choose to engage someone who is trying to do so, wait until they are not sitting with a plate of meat and you with veggies. I also find that it is most helpful to let people know ahead of time so that I get a sense of how friendly and veg accommodating they are or not. Also, sometimes people like to do little things to make their space more veg friendly for you. They might ask how they can be of help and I think it's good to say and not to say, "Oh, don't worry about me." If they are asking, then they care. Also, if you tell them ahead, then if the people tend to be boundary breakers (for instance, family often falls into this category for me), then I can tell them ahead that I don't want to discuss the issue and that jokes about my beliefs are not acceptable to me.

It's super easy, as simple as making rice. Just use a rice maker if you have one :)

Also, quinoa can taste bitter if not washed. It is so small that an extra fine strainer helps.

when my son was 12, or 13 he came home from his dad's (we did 50/50) and I told him I was making 'grandma helen's chicken' for dinner...he looked at me and said "I am a vegetarian'...and that. was. that....they were studying the rain forests in school and he put together the amount of land and resources it took to feel cattle (or some kind of thing) and, since we didn't eat much meat anyway, he decided not to eat it any more...and he hasn't...to this day...this december he will be (G_D willing) 34 years old...he had, and does, travel all over the world, and he sticks to it...he researches ahead of time, and does what he needs to do to eat what he needs to eat...he did say that, if he'd stayed in the east coast he might have re-thought things since he found the eating out options to be pretty limited...now that he's back in san francisco he doesn't have any complaints...

I am sorry, and surprised to read Jen, that people have been snitty to you about being a vegetarian...I hope that as time has passed you run into less and less folks who have negative things to say...

quinoa
 

Quinoa is such a great tasting grain too

I put it in boiling water, washed of course, for 15-20mins
This is the time I cook it for so it comes out a little crunchy
and fluffy

More raw, less processed/cooked. I did some research and was surprised to see how much nutrition is lost by that simple act of cooking! That's where the smoothie idea came in (and if you do pursue that, drink them within a day or two of making)

Very good point, Linus. Do you have a favorite smoothie recipe that you like to have a lot?

Yup. Very simple:

A handful of baby spinach
A handful or two of chard
A mango (without skin/seed)
An apple (whole, seeds and all)
A banana (without peel)
8-10 strawberries (including top)
2-3 cups of water, depending on how liquidy you want it.

I've used frozen for some fruit when not in season. Blend the crap out of it (this is where spending on a decent blender can go a long way -- we got a Vitamix Blender for this and it's worth every penny).

Enjoy. :)

Thanks, Linus! That looks delicious, and I like simple!

I'll give credit that I wasn't that creative to make it out of my own noggin'. The recipe comes from Victoria Boutenko's Green Smoothie Revolution (you can find her books here) She's a huge green smoothie advocate. Although I found some of her writing style odd (I don't how to explain it but it felt "preachy" I found the recipes worthwhile). The more I learn about raw vegan, the more it makes sense.

Now that said, I don't think I could do 100% raw vegan largely because of travel and such (I end up in some of the oddest places and plain salad non-stop in the winter can be a downer for me -- sometimes a good veggie soup does wonders). But aiming for any kind of raw vegan in one's diet is better than none IMO. I'm trying to get to 60-80% when at home and possibly, even on the road (especially in North America in the larger cities -- when I go overseas and such, it'll depend on the area).

The more raw vegan the better. I couldn't agree more, and your information is very helpful. This thread helps me get out of my usual routine and learn new ways to live veg! Thanks!

green juice
 

I also posted this on my other fav thread "What are you having for dinner tonight?"

spinach

parsley

cilantro

ginger

celery

apple

lemon

delicious refreshing

This way of nourishing my body is compelling me to make other
changes as well. Coffee may be a thing of the past, it doesn't
taste as good anymore cigar smoking?

This weekend will be having green juices only no cooked food
I want to see and feel where this takes me not only physically
but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually as well.

So many changes within myself already
the green juices are enhancing my running
with my mind clearer my body lighter
I at times feel like I'm not running at all.

That's it for me this evening.

Have a great weekend everyone, Greco

smiles & waves to everyone
 

Green juicy juices
 

Blue,

I've made the decision to eat vegan very recently; your postings and
recipes, your enthusiasm has been immensely helpful in learning about
ingredients, cooking vegan etc thank you.

An idea for your daughter, a blender and /or juicer, combined w/tofu and
whatever other ingredients she enjoys. There are concentrated, organic,
vegan, freeze dried green veggie powders she can also add and nuts, and seeds.

Yes, the green juices are very powerful and I've found that my energy level
has increased tremendously.

This morning I'm having a smoothie of banana, spinach, pineapple, raspberries,
flax oil, and almonds. It is delicious and filling with a bit of crunch from the almonds.

Green juice for today: fennel just three stalks as its pretty intense in flavor,
green chard, celery, apple, and a bit of dill. Added some filtered H2O, froze half, will
have the rest today all day.

Blue, I find that these green juices especially have un-fogged my head, thing is I had
not been aware that I was fogged over to begin with as I do physical exercise, and
some intense processes for my work. Green juice is clearing my head, body, and heart.
Yes, don't mind being dramatic because it is dramatic, having fun with it.

Two babies, yes, green juice! kidding, really this is my experience and glad to
share it with you.

Have a great holiday, Greco (newbie vegan)

blender - green juice weekend
 

nycfembbw,

Well interestingly my blender gave out this am, thankfully after I made my
morning smoothie. It was a cheapie anyway and I knew I would have to
get a new one soon, same with juicer, but that one is still working.

So, will go out later and see what I can find for a new blender. I know it
must be a good one so it doesn't give out too soon.

Juice weekend is going fine. Hope you and yours have a good holiday
weekend.

Greco

I made quiona in my newly arrived fuzzy logic rice cooker...

I soaked it for 15 mins.

it cooked...But, I think I put in too much water as it is kind of gloppy..I'll do better next time...the Main Thing is that it's kind of bitter...I think I will/need to soak it longer...it's organic bulk multi colored from Rainbow...

I am happy the machine works...I think I can get it right...I just like getting it right the First Time...I tend to be unforgiving of My own human frailties :)

quinoa
 

this is your basic in cooking quinoa youtube has recipes
for other ways to enjoy it

Greco

That is very sweet & you are most welcome, Greco.

*nods* If only they would allow her to have appliances in her dorm. :( I will be on the lookout for portable healthy veggie snacks over the next couple months....but there are only so many dried fruits, soynuts & granola bars a girl can eat. (Maybe I will just have to trust that she can look after her own needs...hmmm....) :thinking:

I believe you & trust me, you're not kidding...Two babies, yes, green juice!

I have to get off of this caffeine/sugar cycle... (excuse me while I panic at that thought...). I will definitely keep thinking about this...I might even dig out a blender & try a recipe or two.

In the meantime, I may have found some tidbits you & others might appreciate...see later posts.

-Blue
:blueheels:

Vegan Recipe Conversion...
 

DIY
 

Wow...I didn't even know I had these...
 

recipes
 

Blue,

Again, thanks for posting these recipes, they sound so delicious, especially
the sun-dried pesto.

I will replace the sugar with a bit of raw honey and we'll see how it works
out.

Well, I found a blender a little more expensive then my previous one, but
it crushes ice as well. Ice crushing is always a plus for this Spring/Summer
season. So, I'm ready to go for my breakfast smoothie.

A couple of my family members came over unexpectedly today, of course I
was working and stopped and they wanted to order Chinese food.

They ordered and I shared with them that I was not eating meat or
processed food and I invited them to have some sauteed spinach.

I made it for them, and they had some of it with their food. They loved
the flavor, I sauteed with sesame oil basil oregano.

I had my green juice, and they didn't say anything negative at all.
I don't know what I was expecting.

Anyway, we had a relaxing visit. And I left to hunt down my new blender.

Happy Camper Greco

I soaked the quiona for two hours this morning...changing the water 4 or 5 times...and the bitter taste of yesterday's batch is gone...

I can't tell the texture, yet, it's still pretty hot, but I think I got the water measurements better than yesterday as well...good enough to concoct a salad with it...

I do like the flrc...it seems to know what it's doing...next I think I'll try some barley or pink rice :)

I've made, and am eating, and enjoying a salad with:

the Good quoina
chick-peas made from dried
carrots
blanched green beans and zucchini
dry roasted, unsalted slivered almonds

with a dressing I made of:

lots of garlic I shaved on a plain grater
a minced shallot
a good dollop of whole grain mustard
lime zest
juice of said lime
olive oil ( not too much)
pinch 'o salt...

all mixed together...and, not to brag or nuttin' it's really Good !! :)

(lucky for me since I can never cook in small batches so there is a lot...more than enough for me to share with a friend, which I will, and still
have more than enough left for into the week)...

Hi Nina,

I eat Quiona, I swear, every day.....somehow, some way. It's loaded wwith protein and magnesium. Besides that, it will absorb any flavor of anything you cook it with. I stuff peppers with it, I use it in chili, Have tossed it in pasta sauce, I make cold salads with it, I eat it plain.....it's use is endless once you learn to cook it. It's very simple.

I run it through a strainer with running water, what falls out, I don't want. Then, I cook it just like rice. One part Quiona, two parts H20. I wait until the water is boiling, dump in the Quiona and get it back up to a boil, then I reduce the heat half way and fluff/stir with a fork until all of the water is absorbed. This is also a great way to use up any extra veggies you have in fridge, just dice them up and toss them into that water as the water is reducing. It really is that simple. Piece of advice. I buy from the bulk bins too. Put your quiona into the freezer for over night, since it is a grain, it may attract mill worms (sorry it's just part of life) frezzer will kill off any potential for that happening. Enjoy!!!

Oh, if you suffer from migraines, this is a must for your diet....it's better than fever few.

Do anyone have any particularly favourite authors when it comes to vegan lifestyle and raw vegan lifestyle in particular? Victoria Boutenko isn't bad but comes across a little preachy. K has been reading Frederick Patenaude but I find him to a few mangos short of a bunch at times. I don't trust some of his claims and his website feels "oily" to me.

Anyone have other suggestions?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isa_Chandra_Moskowitz

Adding (same author, direct link to her books): http://www.theppk.com/books/

I'm not Vegan/ but do like raw diets and juicing
 

i thought this was pretty informative

brain dead, link wouldn't work...tried three times.

Vegetarian is enough for me.

5 days
 

5 days of green juices some "healing crisis"

but not unbearable unexpected releasing
of emotions long locked away

today am having

green smoothie

soft tofu

spinach

broccoli

pineapple

Vit C

berry powder

transitioning to more
solid food with this
smoothie

weight is not the issue
kindness is love and
gratitude

Greco