Gone Shopping

Today was my first time visiting our local natural food co-op (as a member).  This is our first vegetable share!

Local organic fruits and vegetables including lettuce mix, purple potatoes, brussel sprouts, green beans, portabella mushroom, black beet, onion, zucchini, tomato, carrots, cauliflower, kale, valencia oranges, pears, and peaches!  I also stocked up on red quinoa, hemp seeds, chia seeds, garbanzo beans, and flax seed.  

I'm so thrilled that I became a member.  I look forward to finding creative ways to cook all these delicious organic local veggies!

Humble Beginnings

During my first two years of college I lived in the heart of my home state, Seattle.   I learned so much from my good friends Kacie and Damien about nutrition and health and eventually changed my own eating habits when I realized how delicious healthy food could be.  The choices for healthy cuisine in Seattle are endless.  The Asian fare is abundant as are entire vegan and vegetarian restaurants.  As a vegan in the city, I took the easy route…I shopped at Whole Foods where I bought most of my food premade and frequented the vegan pizza place and Thai restaurants all the time.  I also had many Vegan friends who DID love to cook and shared their yummy concoctions with me.

As I was always a vegan of convenience, once I moved to Texas it became nearly impossible for me to continue my healthy eating habits.  I fell deep into the world of deep-fried, BBQ, and good southern cooking.  Needless to say, my body accurately represented what I was putting into my mouth.  I gained 45 lbs and felt tired all the time.  I struggle to get this weight off, even with a diet and exercise.

So here I am, getting ready to conquer the whole foods plant based lifestyle for a second time – and this time I will not be a ‘Vegan of Convenience’ but will lead a WFPB lifestyle that will require new cooking skills, smarter shopping, and certainly determination.