Vegan Log, no. 2.

I'm four days into my Vegan Adventure. I thought I might go over exactly what my perimeters are. I'm following "The Kind Diet" plan for the most part, but have chosen to look at this as a chance for exploration. For the record, that means whole grains, beans, greens, and fruits. I'm not just using recipes from that book exclusively or anything like that.

*No animal products of any sort. That includes meat, milk, cheese, dairy of any sort, gelatin, and honey.

*I'm avoiding sugars and white flour. I'm using products sweetened by fruit juice and whole wheat flour, when necessary. I've switched over to agave syrup.

*Prior to my dedication to the Vegan Adventure: I've weened myself off coffee and soda and haven't had them in about a month. That was more of a battle than the vegan thing is, at least so far. I wanted to get that out of the way before I made this attempt (I was a 3-soda a day kinda gal), and I'm relieved that this hasn't kicked up any cravings.

My husband is not actively doing this with me, but he's eating what I've prepared each evening when he comes home from work, and being supportive. My best friend, Kim, has decided to give the Vegan Adventure a try as well. We are on the phone via text and voice checking in with one another and swapping food ideas.

Today I'm on a hunt for a small white board for the fridge--Kim had the brilliant idea of making a food plan for the week and essentially listing everything out. Since I live so close to health food stores, it hadn't hit me how much this could help! With deadlines looming, I need all the extra time I can get!

On Monday, my friend Michelle took me to Studio City to try Kind Kreme, a raw vegan ice cream shop. Michelle isn't vegan, but she's totally into trying new things and knew that I'd be into this. I had a scoop of Fresh (Cucumber, Kale, Lemon, Himalayan Crystal Salt) on a gluten free cone and loved it! Shoulda got a double scoop. I can see this being a regular spot for me.

I haven't had any vegan cheese since starting on Monday--and I'm trying to prolong the amount of time between starting the Vegan Adventure and actually working with it. My friend Jessica said to wait about a month before delving in because it's so different from regular cheese. I am heeding her advice because she's a genius.

I feel noticeably lighter, with more focus and energy, and a bit more alert. I'm hoping the alertness gets more pronounced as I continue with this. Shopping has been easy, and I live in a neighborhood where it's easy to comparison shop, so it's not breaking the bank. Since Kim is living in Fresno, I know this might take more effort to make happen. She has also had to deal with people asking what the heck vegan means, and then looks of disgust or laughter (seriously?! Seriously. So lame.). None of that in L.A. so far, and I don't expect it. People have too much on their own plates. Whaa wha.

Dispatch, over. Live long and prosper, I'll see you soon!