Welcome to my garden! A forum for my experiments and recipes from my vegan kitchen here at the Lodge. Since I recognize that not everyone is following a vegan diet, I will say, that all of my recipes are easily converted to a vegetarian preference, with the substitution of dairy. The idea is that fruits and vegetables are the stars of the dish, and that protein comes from a myriad of sources, not just animal byproducts. I love to cook, but now, since a majority of what I eat and prepare is raw, I say, that I love to create delicious flavor combinations.The key to any dietary evolution is in the flavor profiles. If you love Indian food, Italian cuisine, or perhaps a Mediterranean flair, then keep those spices and flavors at the ready for your newer healthier versions. For me, finding foods and flavors that I enjoyed eating just as much as the ones I used to eat, was the reason I never felt deprived going forward.

After a medical wake up call, and a right and proper scare, I began a daunting weight loss journey in October of 2012. I was an insulin dependent diabetic. I took upwards of 13 pills a day for everything from high cholesterol to elevated blood pressure. I used a CPAP machine to treat my sleep apnea, and I barely had enough energy to walk upstairs to my bedroom. It was the avalanche of my declining health that compelled me at age 42 to finally make my first dietary changes. So, I joined Weight Watchers, and started counting points, and believe me when I say, it was quite a rude awakening. The Weight Watchers program was, and is, an amazing tool and support system for me. It taught me to eat consciously, and purposefully, with the emphasis on choices. And after losing over 150 pounds, and getting rid of every single health issue that I previously suffered from, I can’t say enough about the positive effects that program has had on my life. It took me a couple of years however, to evolve my diet to where it is now, to a completely plant based endeavor. For a year, when I was first with Weight Watchers, I was a Pescetarian (only seafood, no other meat) ,then I became a Vegetarian when I noticed that I was rarely consuming the seafood any more. Once I hit my goal weight and was into the maintenance phase of my journey, I wanted to find a balance between my happy places with taste, potion and nutrition. I was craving different things than I used to, and being a (former)diabetic, I wanted to address my intake of refined white sugar, and chemically laden processed foods. I started eating an organic diet and limiting my consumption of processed pre packaged foods. Eventually, the dairy was causing some digestive issues, and after a 30 day Vegan challenge experiment last year, I finally committed to a Vegan lifestyle when I found that it agreed with me quite well. I felt amazing. My energy was through the roof, and after a fair amount of research, I knew I was on the right path for me. I started creating my own recipes out of necessity,when I noticed I was having to modify and put my own spin on almost every recipe that I tried to follow, to be not only Vegan friendly, but Weight Watchers friendly as well. Now,with that said, I do not feel that it is right for everyone in every situation. We all have different dietary needs and preferences, and with this blog, I hope to dispel some common misconceptions, as well as to shed some light on the world of Vegan cuisine for everyone who has asked, and for the Vegan curious. I am so happy to have a place to share my creations, and if there is any dish or cuisine you all would like to see here, send me a suggestion and I will do what I can to put it into the mix. Let’s have some fun with the menu here, and although I tend to create my recipes seasonally, and according to what looks good at the market, I am always up for a challenge, and I will include a shopping list with each of the recipes I post, along with pictures as we go along.I hope you enjoy what is to come as much as I will enjoy sharing it. 

So, Viva La Veggies!!!! The garden is open!