The last few weeks of 2023 were dedicated to my nutrition. I am now living a plant based lifestyle and have been enjoying the ride.

“I’ll probably stop eating meat altogether”, is something I have said more than once throughout my life. My relationship with eating meat has been unique. Meat is something that I just didn’t eat when I was younger. My poor mom. She went through it with how picky I was. Imagine raising a child that didn’t like/want to eat meat, and was also a very picky eater. Maybe this is why when I made that decision, it wasn’t as difficult. I think I’ve been ready for this change but didn’t know it until I made the decision.

One of the reasons why I made the change is because I don’t trust a lot of the food products out there. I also have a medical history and I know and feel that I can benefit from this change. So far I’ve noticed a difference in my energy levels (higher), which I am pleased about as this had been a complaint of mine. I will let you know what else I notice as time passes.

I was aware that the transition had potential of becoming overwhelming for a newbie like myself. Which is why I started off small by removing one meat item at a time. The first meat product that I eliminated was pork. And then beef and then everything all together. This took me less than a month to do. Just pulled the bandaid and dove in.

Another way that I kept myself from getting overwhelmed was that Id plan and cook meals that would feed me for up to three days. I’d make two different meals at a time to switch things up. I am able to make more than one meal with the ingredients used. It helps prevent me from getting bored. *Apps like Pinterest, Tasty, and Note have been great during this transition.

I’ve been taking a hard look at my pantry and have been researching online and in books for proper substitutes and where I can make my purchases. Everything from what I consume to what skin care products and toothpaste I use have been and will continue to be changed. I will share more on this in future posts.

Let me share some of my favorite finds so far:

These cookies are very good. A teeny dry but they’re delicious! I found these at my local Walmart but they can be ordered via Amazon as well. They’re “limited edition” and I hope that changes.

First pancake mix that I have tried since making the change and I really enjoy it. The boxes are small and I had to order a few boxes (thanks to Amazon for their bulk deals). The recipe calls for milk but I substituted it with almond milk. I can see myself in the very near future opting out of purchasing this and just making it from scratch at home. I find that the mix becomes thicker if you let it sit. I prefer it less on the thick side to get more pancakes out of it. I eat it with a small amount of 100% Maple syrup and I add some…

Vegan version of Nutella. I won’t even lie, I had to get used to it lol. Nothing like good ol’ Nutella. But this does the trick. There’s another brand that I want to try. But until then, this one will suffice. I got it from my local Walmart.

Here are some pancakes that I had yesterday. A little burnt haha but they were delicious!

Let me tell you… I’ve been enjoying preparing my meals, and one of the things that I love and brings me joy the most is how colorful my meals are! I am also happier and more confident about what I am putting into my body. I’ll try to be more mindful and take pictures of my meals as I go along to share what I’ve been eating.

Thanks for reading!

Love, light, the shadow too—-Cin.

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