Introduction

As you may notice, I have deleted my previous posts and have decided to revamp my blog.  Originally, I just wanted to share recipes with my family.  Then, last year, I made the very sudden and huge decision to go vegetarian (if you don't think that's a big decision, you're obviously not from Texas!).  Recently, I have chosen to continue my journey and go completely vegan.  This has been a huge change for me and my family, but it has been one of the best decisions I've ever made!  I am healthier, happier, and living a more compassionate lifestyle than ever.

This journey has been so important to me and has shaped my life in countless ways.  Not one to shove my lifestyle down other people's throats, I have tried to lead by example.  My husband and I love food.  I mean, LOVE food.  So when we changed our diet, living on rice, beans, and salad just wasn't an option.  Unfortunately, we couldn't imagine a single meal without meat or cheese, much less abandoning them completely.  We had to start over.  If we were going to make this work, we had to do more than eat the same food without meat.  We had to find new foods that satisfied us in the same way that meat did.  The past year has been a food adventure.  We have scoured cookbooks, magazines, and the Internet looking for new and delicious recipes.  We have sampled tons of meat and dairy alternatives.  We continue to try new restaurants and to visit vegan food festivals.  In this time we have been able to find tasty, satisfying food that is every bit as good as the food we ate before our transition and, even better, it's much healthier and a million times more compassionate!

I hope that others can gain something from my experience.  As such, here is my new blog.  Enjoy!