Lentilitis

Did you know that 2 cups of cooked lentils have...


 1.5grams of fat? No cholesterol?  35 grams of protein? 31 grams of fiber?


Store those stats for later.


It's been a month since my last post.  Out there in the blogging world they say that if you go more than a few days without blogging, you lose your readers reader (I know you still love me, mom).   


Rest assured though, that I have been quite busy over the last few weeks.  The details of which I intend to bore you with presently.  Not my best writing, technical or otherwise, but you shall endure, or opt to google the Chilean mine disaster.   No hard feelings.


Back at the Bat Cave, where I literally left you last, I had started a post on September 23rd, to update you on Egg Day, as Little B so lovingly dubbed it.  Our little allergy challenge lasted a bit longer than required, but alas - I knew I had to feed the kid an egg at some point...and let's be honest - I didn't want to give her an egg!  I knocked out some seriouly awesome, vegan cinnamon rolls for breakfast that day just to spat in the face of all egg-laden baked goods in the universe.  I would love to brag overtly about this, but my camera lens wouldn't open and hasn't worked since (a strike against the herbivore, perhaps?).  Now all the amazing meals I have concocted can only be defended by Mr.B and Little B and I assure you that their expressive culinary vocabulary is relatively undercooked, so to speak.  You are left to accept or deny my word as truth or fabrication - or possibly as a grossly exaggerated account. 


Back to the eggs...


I had the pleasure of going to the grocery store at 10am on a Saturday morning.  (Like I had any eggs in the house...please)!  You may readily compare such an untimely trip to having shards of glass shoved underneath your fingernails.  Despite my attempt at martyrdom, the girl finally had the scrambled eggs of her dreams for lunch and then a nighmare of a stomach ache for the remainder of the weekend.  I even kept notes on my iTouch of her complaints and bowel movements, because people, it turns out there isn't an app for that.     


So these allergies and sensitivites, which I recently found out qualifies my daughter for a section 504, are easily dealt with by diet.  What I offer my child as sustenance has the ability to make her sick or keep her well.


Hello, McFly?  Isn't this the case for all of us?


Since the dairy-free adventure began three months ago, I've spent a lot of time reading about food allergies.  I've deviated quite a bit from my typical Potter/Twilight/Austen literary cycle, which is a huge deal for me.  I read countless articles, searched many websites, and devoured more nutritional and scientific books than my senior year in college when I crammed in 36 hours of a psychology major for the fun of it.  (Okay, so Skinny Bitch wasn't exactly scientific, but hilarious nonetheless.) Because I wanted to make sure I could provide Little B with the nutrition she needed and the things she loved, I was left to vegan cookbooks and resources.  Veganism, oooooh.  Everything I read said that you would feel better and nothing about requiring a PETA membership, so after awhile, I figured it wouldn't hurt to try.  I'm not an expert by a long shot, but I'm intelligent enough to read with common sense and discernment.  If I planned well, it would definitely be a healthy choice.  I figured 30 days was doable experiment.  I could do anything for thirty days.


Although my intentions were to journal about each day and the bizarro meals on which I feasted, it just didn't happen.  It was too easy.  There were no cravings, no failed recipes, no weird bodily functions or feelings.  


I just felt good. 


My thirty days ended today and I'm not planning on going back to the old ways tomorrow.  People around me are so skeptical and weirded out by it, too. You'd think I have the plague or scalped puppies in front of small children.  I've fielded some of the most hilarious comments along with the expected...


Where do you get calcium?
You'll die without milk.
Do you know that sugar has cow bones in it?
Don't you feel bad for the poor wheat plant that was sliced to death so you could eat it?
Does that mean eggs, too?
You'll never get enough B12.
Vegan isn't biblical.  
Hmmm...look at the healthy girl eating french fries.
Well, you're supposed to eat meat, you know.


I'm not a health nut. I'm 15 pounds over weight. I'm not a hippie.  You can bet I won't be throwing out my leather boots. Although the processing of some meat products makes me ill, my choice isn't about compassionate eating.  (Just please don't ever eat mechanically seperated chicken again, GAH! )  My choice isn't about anything noble or environmental.  I just feel better.  Period.  


Except when I eat 2 cups of lentils, like I did today when I got home from school.
That's 35 grams of fiber, people. 


Looks like the vegan life is going to be a large  exciting one.