OYMST Day#18: I think I might be able to do this!

No kidding. This month has been a big ol' learning lesson so far. While I am great at cooking and have adopted a greener lifestyle by going vegan, my inclination to eat dessert for breakfast, lunch, and snacks is not exactly the healthiest move for me. So I embarked on a crazy mission to bypass all traditional desserts this month and lean on eating substantial meals that weren't covered in chocolate or frosting.

I'm learning quite a bit about myself, largely that I'm more focused and less crabby when I eat more whole foods and less baked goods. I'm still looking forward to eating a nice big dessert in February, I just won't be having it every day of the week. I've found a new love--fresh fruit! Dates for the win! Bananas make everything better! (Insert Sir Mix-a-Lot here) I like big nuts and I cannot lie-(((giggle)))

I did this for a few reasons: spiritual, I was starting to feel a disconnect when I ate, and that isn't a good thing for me. Physical, I have a family history of diabetes-(on both sides) and even with a vegan diet I should really be careful about that. Financial- I wanted to increase traffic on my blog to raise a few extra bucks for Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, the mega-awesome food bank that helps me and my family out on a regular basis. There's no way that we would eat the variety of foods we eat without their help, period. Every 1,000 US visits=$3, which doesn't seem like much but each $1= 7lbs of food! I average about $7-$9 a month. That's anywhere from 50-60# of food to families in my local community. During MOFO 2011, I was able to raise $10 for them and $10 to the local animal shelter. Jen's Soapbox Moment: NEVER underestimate the power of giving anything to charity, even a few pennies. I know people get caught up in the amount of money to donate and will hold back because they can't make it work, but that's ego talking. Just give what you have. Chances are it will be bigger than the generous wealth of the 1% in our country, because it came from your heart and not from a tax write off.

Okay, enough of the preachy preach, let's talk about that reuben at the top of the page. I like to skip the vegan cheese and put a big ol' slice of avocado on top instead. I also like to make the dressing with vegan mayo+hot sauce+ bbq sauce+pickle relish. Don't screw your nose up at me kids, it's really good!