WIAW #45: Veg*n

Happy Fourth of July, y'all! And happy WIAW!

I've always been a fan of giving nice numbers a significance and this is my 45th WIAW. That's a nice number! 

And I have no plan, a kitchen of my own, and all of NYC's many and varied culinary offerings at my fingertips. There is thus no better time to try what I'm going to try. 

I know what you're thinking: that girl just needs to hurry up and get to the point already.

Okay, okay, okay. 

I've been vegetarian for several years, but I'm going to try to rely less on dairy on eat more vegan foods. I'm not going to be entirely vegan, as I think that's unnecessarily restrictive, but I'm going to try to reduce my carbon footprint with more vegan meals.

But yogurt is the perfect base for everything!!!

I already know that cutting back on yogurt/greek yogurt is going to be the hardest for me, but I'm going to try. After all, there are vegan yogurts. Like soyogurt.

As always, what's right for me isn't necessarily right for you. I know people who love being omnivores, just like I know people who love being vegetarians, just like I know people who love being vegans. Do what works for you! Or, like me, do a mix of them. :)

Anyway, I just thought I'd share that, since y'all are always such a great support system and often have handy suggestions and advice to offer.  

What I'm excited about is adding new foods to my diet. I hope to try lots of new recipes, eateries, products, and food types. For example, I've heard that coconut is big in the vegan world - think coconut yogurt, coconut ice cream, coconut butter, etc. I'll try that.

A little less of this in my life... greek yogurt in a 3/4 empty ice cream pint (mocha) with toasted chocolate lentils and almond butter. Soooooo good.


Anyway, that said, here are some decidedly NOT vegan eats!

The bagel (P28) isn't vegan! Anyone know any good vegan bagels?

But seriously, if you're going to try to veganize your diet, NYC is the place to do it. LA probably, too, but for East Coasters like me? NYC.

Close-up of the super-deelish bagel and my chocolate wonder.

It's really not hard to find vegan cafes (even raw eateries, though I have yet to go to one of those - I need to)!

Chocolate ice cream. Talk about dairy :P

I've heard of an ice cream shop called Lulu's Apothecary, or something like that, that's supposed to have amazing vegan ice cream. Hmmm....

Greek yogurt with more of my chocolate wonder.

And I may be working at a new vegan restaurant in SoHo! Just on the weekends (which is why it's a 'may' - I'm not sure if they'll hire me for weekends).

Chocolate ice cream with almond butter and greek yogurt.

I hope they'll take me, though, because that would be so much fun! And SoHo is so cool!

Greek yogurt with Incan berries, goji berries, cereal, and almond butter.

Seriously, I can't believe it took me so long to venture out to SoHo. Yes, it's a bit of a trip from where I live in waaaaaaay uptown (okay, Harlem) but it's so worth it.

Another P28 bagel with dark chocolate turtle chocolates (gooey caramel and crunchy nuts and pretzels in creamy dark chocolate).

I walked by an open-air restaurant where they were watching football and when one team (I don't know which, but I think Manchester United?) scored, it seemed like everyone in the restaurant went WILD.

On to-do list: find vegan turtle truffles with the same awesome caramel-factor. 

I hadn't seen excitement like that over a soccer game since the last time I was in Europe.

There's greek yogurt (what else?) under all of this.

As I prefer soccer to football and just can't get interested in a football game, try as I might, I was pleased to see it. After all, soccer (either playing it yourself or watching it at the World cup level) is so much fun!

See? You have to look carefully...

Oh, and as to the whole fitness part, during the first few weeks that I was in NYC, I'd like to go on strolls around the neighborhood for sightseeing - unfortunately, it's gotten too hot! I hope it cools off again, I miss my strolls!

What are you doing for Independence Day?


What are your favorite vegan products/brands?


What's your favorite sport to watch? Don't say none - just choose the least boring - and don't pick one of the cool ones like figure skating or dancing. That's too easy! :P