7 Fingerlicious lessons

It’s been an finger licking ah-mazing!

I’m proudly waving the vegan banner and what started out as simply a new way of joining in the new year fast at church, seems to have grown legs of its own and is running off in a new direction.

1 January 2016 I quite literally jumped in with both feet and excitedly took up the challenge of removing added sugar, meat, fish, processed food, alcohol, caffeine chocolate, cakes and all white foods from my diet, leaving me with only fruits, nuts, pulses and of course vegetables. And as I don’t actually like vegetables, you can imagine the HUGE challenge. I had to come up with a game plan that would make all those vegetable taste yummy so that I would not crave things from my naughty list. But isn’t that what life is all about, challenges and obstacles to overcome!

I once heard that the most powerful tool is a mind made up, so I made up my mind to see this through. By hook or by crook – I had to look up the meaning. It means by any means necessary, a meaning that reminds me of Malcolm X who used the phrase in a speech at the Organization of Afro-American Unity Founding Rally on June 28, 1964 – I was going to make it to the finish line, (even with a birthday in the middle of it all), on 31 January.

I digress back to the vegetables!

I enlisted the support from the vegan world with the help of ‘friends’ at Google and YouTube. Who knew that vegetables could be so much fun and so tasty and the limitations of what you can do seem to be governed only by the extent of your imagination. I’m clearly in food heaven (never thought I’d utter those words) because I have a great imagination!

It’s been a great adventure. I’ve eaten out, created dishes, cooked in bulk and made full use of my freezer. I have painted colourful plates with food and been asked for recipes to some of my finger licking vegan delights. I am definitely experiencing a whole new way of being; you could say I am Healthy Living Out Loud! (#HLOL2016).

I don’t know if I am going to be a vegan forever or whether chicken will creep back on to the menu, but my time in the kitchen surrounded by vegetables and pulses has taught me a few things and here are seven that I’d like to share with you

1. The most powerful tool really is a mind made up. I made up my mind to really give the vegan road a try and this decision gave me a whole new perspective on things and I was even able to overcome a chocolate comfort moment. I actually substituted chocolate for hummus chips and felt good about it. If there is something you have been thinking about doing make up your mind and go for it!
2. Planning precedes success. Daily planning made my vegan journey so much easier. I actually planned what I was going to eat and when and made the necessary preparation to give me a greater chance of success. What’s your dream for the year ahead. Create a plan and go for it!
3. The impossible is often the untried. I didn’t know that I could do this until I actually tried it. If I’d been asked whether I could happily go vegan, even for a short time, I would have said no way! Whatever you are thinking about, know that it’s possible just go for it!
4. Action is the currency for success. Thinking about it, even planning for it does not make it happen. The magical wheels of success only get into motion when you take decisive action. Time for action, just go for it!
5. You need the right tools to get the job done. My journey into veganism was made that much easier because I had the right equipment at my disposal. All those appliances that were languishing in the back of the cupboard suddenly made sense. What tools do you need to get the job done? If you don’t have what you need how can you get access to them? just go for it!
6. Sharing makes the journey through life more enjoyable. No need to be alone, ever again! Being able to share my journey and recipes with my ‘friends’ made sticking to it even easier and more worthwhile.
7. There is no such thing as failure; it’s simply an opportunity to try again! I made sweet potato loaf with gram flour and I didn’t like the taste but I didn’t give up I simply created a delicious topping to give it a flavour I did like. What flavour do you have to add to the mix?