One year ago this month I made the commitment to go vegan.

I’ve been a vegetarian on and off for most of my life, so it didn’t seem like too big of a stretch to go vegan. I’ll admit at first, I had to be more conscious of my choices especially eating out and especially trying to avoid cheese – I swear it seems like cheese is EVERYWHERE!

In the beginning, there was many a time I ordered a veggie or grain burger and forgot to say “no cheese”. Following Alicia’s Silverstone concept of being “Kind” to myself, I would just let it go and say I’d make more of an effort to remember to ask it be left off my burger the next time.

I would say I’ve been 94% successful in this endeavor. That’s still an grade, right? I’m all about getting the A’s!

Now, there’s just no going back for me. It’s not a chore at all, and I feel I’m more of a participant in my life now than ever. More conscious I guess you could say. Pops has noticed it too.

We’ve enjoyed the commitment of caring what we put in our bodies together. We’ve tried new foods and found new fabulous restaurants. Without this commitment we may have been too lazy to vary outside our “norm” and extend the effort to try what are now our new favorites. You know how you just get caught up in your routine day-in-and-day-out? Well I feel like my “routine” now is much more inventive and fun.

In addition to this commitment to go vegan, I made the commitment to create a greener and more eco-friendly home, garden and overall lifestyle. Really, all these choices seemed to go hand in hand.

I’ve learned about so many new products and recipes this past year. It’s like my eyes have been opened to a whole new world. As a result, I’ve had a lot of fun and, I’d like to share with you more of the inspirations (magazines, blogs, cookbooks, apps, etc.) that have kept me going on this path.

Magazines

I’ve already admitted I’m a magazine addict . I have been making the commitment to switch over to digital subscriptions when available. Here’s a list of ones I CANNOT live without

VegNews– hands down this is the magazine I look forward to receiving more than any other!! There is so much information inside. Not only do they share product information, but they have amazing recipes, info on events coming to your area, information on vegan fashion, blogs, cookbooks, vacations, restaurants, etc. I carry this magazine around with me all month and constantly refer back to it.

Natural Home – another magazine I literally consume from cover to cover when it arrives. Just reading this magazine, I feel inspired to continue on a greener path.

Mary Janes Farm -this magazine has all the things I love in it – healthy recipes, craft ideas, gardening tips, green home ideas. It’s another one of my “loves”. I even joined Mary Jane’s Farmgirl Sisterhood – oh the fun!

Vegetarian Times – I don’t think a month goes by where I don’t make at least 3-4 recipes from this magazine. There’s just tons of them in there and they’re all so very tasty!

Blogs & Sites

FOOD

The food on these blogs keeps me crazy with motivation. Everything looks so beautiful and delish that it’s hard to keep yourself from wanting to try them all.

• VegWeb – I literally visit this site daily…just to dream..oh, and be inspired too. It’s a great site to look up recipes that include ingredients I already have on hand.
• Bittersweet – I love Hannah…and I Love, LOve, LOVE her cookbook “My Sweet Vegan”
• Gluten Free Goddess – don’t visit this site if you’re hungry…I’m not responsible if you do…
• The Happy Home – Emily is just a doll!! She makes you feel just like a good ol’ friend – and her Friday cocktail recipes are “to die for”
• Chef Chloe – Chloe is the “VEGAN” who became a chef and after only 3 months won the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars! She has fabulous recipes on her blog. Right now there’s a whole series of vegan Thanksgiving ideas.
• Fat Free Vegan Kitchen – beautiful photos, delicious recipes..FAT FREE & VEGAN need I say more?!
• Vegan Yum Yum – excellent name…which again, says it all. Plus Lolo’s written a fabulous cookbook (see Amazon links to the right). Her photos are amazing and the recipes easy to follow. If you check out her site and still don’t think going vegan is cool…well, I just don’t know what else to say?!?!
• Vegan Dad – a cookbook writer, blogger, dad and VEGAN!! oh yeah, he’s AWESOME!!!!!

GREEN

The following green and eco-friendly blogs seem to come through with simple, easy to follow directions and ideas for creating a greener life while also saving some $$$.

• Crunchy Betty – Leslie is simply “the Guru”. She motivated me to join her “pit-sniffer” club and her “no poo” movement. I am constantly making facial products from her recipes and putting “food on my face” and am thrilled that they all work so well. Somehow reading her posts keeps me grounded and, trust me, I can use all the help I can get in that area!
• Toxic Beauty – if you’re interested in “going green with your beauty routine”, sign up here for free e-books and a free newsletter.
• Eco-Friendly & Frugal – you can spend all day and then some reading all the wonderful information on this blog. BONUS – there’s always a giveaway or two to enter!
• All Natural Annie – This site could also be placed above in the “food” category. Lots of information on natural beauty, natural health, recipes and information on creating a more natural home.

Cookbooks

• My Sweet Vegan by Hannah Kaminsky
  
• 1000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson
• The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone
• Are you Sure that’s Vegan? by Claire Gosse

If you’re interested in adding any of these cookbooks to your holiday “wish list” on Amazon, I’ve provided links to them in the menu on the right of this page.

Other

Even if the recipes are not all vegan, I love the inspiration I get from these beautiful sites – and I can always adjust the ingredients.

• Miri Leigh – Miri is simply a doll. She’s working on her own cooking show for television and I simply can’t wait to be a dedicated watcher!
• Baked Bree – “YUM” that’s just the word that comes to mind whenever I visit this site. Everything..and I mean EVERYTHING looks so delicious.
• What Katie Ate – Katie is a professional food photographer, so, needless to say this site is gorgeous. I mean it, even if you don’t ever plan on cooking go to this site just to see the beautiful photography. It will brighten your day – you’ll thank me I promise.

Vegan Apps:

• Vegan Yum Yum – FREE! search, view, and organize all your favorite recipes from the award-winning food blog, VeganYumYum.com.
• Vegan Recipe Finder – $2.99 by VegWeb more than 13,000 user-submitted and tested recipes – the world’s most comprehensive collection of meat-free recipes.
• VegEZ HD – $4.99 from Delicious TV Toni Fiore’s tastiest recipes
• SimplyOrganic – FREE! collection of hundreds of recipes to find an irresistible new dish, or a simple recipe for an old favorite.
• Everyday Vegan – $4.99 excellent vegan cookbook.

Overall Support:

• First, there’s Pops! He really went along on this ride with me…and I’ve never once heard him complain. If anything, he’s really gotten in to finding new restaurants and dishes for us to try – especially when we travel. Thanks honey…can I get 3 CHEERS for POPS? We just found out his cholesterol dropped 20 points…yes 20! I’d say that deserves at least 3 more CHEERS!
• Next, there’s my good friend Nia Peeples. I cannot tell you how much just being around her inspires me. If you haven’t done so yet,  please check out her site Nia’s and Elements of Life. So many topics are covered ranging from health, beauty, fitness to simple every day words of inspiration. 3 CHEERS for Nia!!
• And then there’s everyone else…why, because though my blog is not quite a year old, I have already learned to cherish every reader, commenter, blogger, friend and family member all, who just accept me for who I am and appreciate what I’m trying to share here. I’m blessed with the support I’ve received, so, I’m sticking to it.
  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

So, now you say, “what’s next”?

Well, I’m only at a 94% grade you see, so the learning and experimenting continues.

Please join me and absolutely continue to share your ideas and inspirations too!

AND
Celebrate the Blessings,
~ Lita