Doing Something versus Doing Nothing
I am not a perfect wife, mom, friend, etc. however I strive to be the best that I can and I am applying this same mindset to my family's diet and wellness. I am not using this idea as a license to pick up a hamburger from time to time (ew) but as a reminder that if we mess up, it is OK. I think so many people view behavior as all or nothing in regard to exercise, healthy eating or other aspects of their lives.
There is a Fish Bladder in my Beer??!!
We are now familiar with most animal products that are not obvious to spot; gelatin and casein to name a couple however I came across one the other day that was most bizarre. Isinglass is in beer and wine and it is made from dried fish bladders! Luckily, this odd animal product is not in all beer and wine. My favorite, Bells Oberon is vegan however tonight I filled up my growler with Great Crescent Golden Ale without even thinking. At least, I am using a refillable growler. I checked their website when I came home however there is no mention of Isinglass, fish or vegan. I emailed the Brew Master, we will see (fingers crossed).
My Lotion and Couch Aren't Vegan...Nor My Shoes
Elena was sitting on our beautiful, espresso brown, IKEA leather couch one day and it hit her...leather is not vegan. She jumped up and refuses to sit on it. She asked us to place it back on Craiglist where we found it. I love my kid and she is an inspiration to our family however she is not the boss nor a decision maker. We informed her that we probably had more products, clothing, etc. in the house made of animal products and that we were not immediately replacing all of them. We agreed to replace as needed with cruelty free and earth friendly counterparts.
What the Heck Did the Thierbachs Consume Today if Not Meat and Dairy?
Breakfast- Granola, soy yogurt, coconut and almond milk blend (YUM) and mixed berries
Lunch - Peanut butter and jelly, salad, soup and assorted raw veggies
Dinner -Chickpea burgers and tahini cucumber sauce , the recipe was from the 30 Day Vegan Challenge , roasted sweet potatoes, peppers and rice
I would write more and post pictures however it is time to drink more beer (hopefully fish bladderless).
Healthfully,
Christy
Monday, April 30, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Big Decision
Our Life Changing Decision
My family made the decision to no longer consume animal products a few weeks ago. I don't remember the exact day however I will try to figure this out (we will need to celebrate our vegaversary). The switch to a plant based diet has been one of the easiest and important decisions that we have made. We have much to figure out with our new lifestyle so I thought it might be helpful to record this journey as it unfolds.
Who Are the Thierbachs and Why the Heck Did They Choose to Become Vegan?
The Thierbach family consists of Jason, Christy (that's me) and our daughter, Elena. Elena is an extremely compassionate child who cares for all animals and nature. She would be the catalyst for this change. My BFF, Sheri is a vegan and shares a love of animals with Elena. Elena has inquired of Sheri's diet often and has assisted with Sheri's blog, Rainbows Of Vegan Love. I received a new phone for Valentine's Day, an iPhone which would ignite a vegan spark that I could never has realized at the time. When filling up my new phone with pod casts from iTunes, I found the perfect podcast to help with the discussions my daughter wanted to have regarding Sheri's veganism, Food for Thought by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. A specific podcast caught my eye regarding raising a child vegan, I mean would Elena get all the protein she needed, what about calcium?? I needed to know because I could see my child moving in that direction on her own. After listening to that podcast, I downloaded several more. I was hooked and after a few family discussions around dinner, meat was gone. This change was not drastic as we really only ate fish at home already. We had gradually removed meat from our diets the past few years eating it only in social situations (this is a whole other blog topic).The more pod casts I listened to, and the more Jason read, we agreed that it made sense to consider veganism. We also watched the movie Forks Over Knives and knew we had further change to make in our diets, mindsets and actions.
So What Did the Thierbachs Eat Today?
Breakfast - Christy had a packet of almond butter and an apple while Jason and Elena had homemade breakfast biscuits; one with cornmeal and organic preserves and other with granola and walnuts.
Lunch - Everyone had leftovers from Myra's Dionysus and assorted raw veggies with hummus.
Dinner -Everyone had spinach spaghetti, salad and garlic bread
Future Blog Topics?
Health benefits
Nutrients
The environmental impacts of an animal based diet
Local vegan friendly restaturants and stores
Cooking with soy, tempeh, liquid smoke
Anything and everything else related to eating heathfully and mindfully
Suggested books and resources
I will add more pictures, resources, recipes and info as I learn this new blogging skill.
Healthfully,
Christy Thierbach
My family made the decision to no longer consume animal products a few weeks ago. I don't remember the exact day however I will try to figure this out (we will need to celebrate our vegaversary). The switch to a plant based diet has been one of the easiest and important decisions that we have made. We have much to figure out with our new lifestyle so I thought it might be helpful to record this journey as it unfolds.
Who Are the Thierbachs and Why the Heck Did They Choose to Become Vegan?
The Thierbach family consists of Jason, Christy (that's me) and our daughter, Elena. Elena is an extremely compassionate child who cares for all animals and nature. She would be the catalyst for this change. My BFF, Sheri is a vegan and shares a love of animals with Elena. Elena has inquired of Sheri's diet often and has assisted with Sheri's blog, Rainbows Of Vegan Love. I received a new phone for Valentine's Day, an iPhone which would ignite a vegan spark that I could never has realized at the time. When filling up my new phone with pod casts from iTunes, I found the perfect podcast to help with the discussions my daughter wanted to have regarding Sheri's veganism, Food for Thought by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. A specific podcast caught my eye regarding raising a child vegan, I mean would Elena get all the protein she needed, what about calcium?? I needed to know because I could see my child moving in that direction on her own. After listening to that podcast, I downloaded several more. I was hooked and after a few family discussions around dinner, meat was gone. This change was not drastic as we really only ate fish at home already. We had gradually removed meat from our diets the past few years eating it only in social situations (this is a whole other blog topic).The more pod casts I listened to, and the more Jason read, we agreed that it made sense to consider veganism. We also watched the movie Forks Over Knives and knew we had further change to make in our diets, mindsets and actions.
So What Did the Thierbachs Eat Today?
Breakfast - Christy had a packet of almond butter and an apple while Jason and Elena had homemade breakfast biscuits; one with cornmeal and organic preserves and other with granola and walnuts.
Lunch - Everyone had leftovers from Myra's Dionysus and assorted raw veggies with hummus.
Dinner -Everyone had spinach spaghetti, salad and garlic bread
Future Blog Topics?
Health benefits
Nutrients
The environmental impacts of an animal based diet
Local vegan friendly restaturants and stores
Cooking with soy, tempeh, liquid smoke
Anything and everything else related to eating heathfully and mindfully
Suggested books and resources
I will add more pictures, resources, recipes and info as I learn this new blogging skill.
Healthfully,
Christy Thierbach
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