Because Sherwin's response went like this: "Janelle, is there any food we can offer you? We have milk, lots of cheese, and eggs! Would you please accept our hospitality?"
What a jerk.
So, we ate pasta (gluten-free, egg-free) with home made sauce. Part of the sauce was leftover from meat sauce my parents gave me the other night when they had me over for dinner. We had that, sauteed some garlic, onions and eggplant to throw in there along with some fresh basil. MMMM. And there was our vegan/hospitalitarian dinner. If you don't understand how it goes, maybe you will begin to after you read the last blog and follow the other ones.
If you do understand, and are a single, attractive, Christ-seeking man, please marry me.
I kid, I kid.
But, really.
They offered me a cherry coke zero. Which I was excited by until Sherwin drank mine. But I realized it may have refined sugar and other stuff in it which isn't vegan. But Sherwin pointed out since it was coke zero, that it wouldn't. Bekah agreed, but noted it would have other stuff. I have decided to be safe, to stay away from soda.
I have discovered from this visit, that I need to set some ground rules. So here goes:
1) It's not what you do first, it's what you do next.
I find that I am truly oblivious to what's vegan and not vegan even though I have considered myself somewhat of a foodie in the past. I am becoming aware of my ignorance all over again.
So what do I do if in my oblivion, I eat something (that I buy) that isn't vegan? I don't cry on the floor kicking. I research it, learn from it and move on.
Yesterday I had an egg roll at lunch. I know what you are thinking- an EGG roll--how obvious. Well truthfully, I wasn't thinking about it's name, but was INSIDE it. Later when I realized my falter, I made my co-worker Ashley laugh harder than ever before
2) Do not be legalistic, especially when people offer me food. Especially dessert.
Friday is National Cheesecake Day. It really is. I knew this yesterday when I decided to do this diet, and still persisted on. Why didn't I wait until this day was over?
Ashley keeps asking me, "What if I made cheesecake? All that time and effort I poured into it? Would you refuse it?"
I love cheesecake. Is this something I should always deny even when offered out of hospitality? Even vegans take their falls sometimes. And you know what, there's nothing wrong with that. As long as you don't break out into hives.
I can choose to eat it, in slow, deliberate moderation. It's not something I will seek after, but if someone makes something that's beautiful and delicious, who am I to reject its intrinsic beauty?
My theory that I am lactose-intolerant could very well be a gross overreaction, to a stomach cramp thing that's going around. Although I do want to cleanse system of dairy foods, for health reasons. But I am not going to die from dairy.
My choice to abstain from dairy is a choice. Not a doctor's mandate. Even so, many doctors also over-react and over-diagnose. We need to be wise sometimes and make our own decisions based on how we know our bodies and with a little bit of careful research.
And here's what I have ate so far yesterday (since my swearing off) and today. If I fell, due to ignorance, please let me know.
Monday
fried rice with black beans and chick peas
zucchini
blackberries and granola
a chocolate peppermint Luna bar
a rice cake
bread and tomato sauce
gluten free, egg free pasta and tomato sauce
Tuesday
coffee with coconut milk as creamer
a rice cake
bread and tomato sauce
green beans (sprayed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar)
black bean salad (black beans, corn, red peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, other veggies)
potatoes
And of course, water has been my beverage of choice (I have also given up on bottled water, but left my re-usable water bottle at Sherwin's house. I don't know how I will work out tonight without it! :( )
More ground rules as I go. This is a work in progress.
I have been craving Ashley's M&Ms alll day.
Here's to holding strong (I think!).
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