Transition to Veganism

I have often wondered if veganism was something that would spread. Now I have been vegan for some time and I have always wanted to know how it was to go vegan. One of my friends has over the years been asking me to email him information on veganism. Then I would see post on his facebook that would say that chicken was good and I would think he hasn't started his transition to veganism. At the same time I did try my best to be open to the idea that it might happen some day and whenever I did post anything on my facebook wall about veganism he would comment with wanting more information and I would always send him information.

Now that we are in a New Year I have had the chance to chat with George and he has been going strong with his veganism and I could not be happier. When it comes to going vegan for people of color it can be heard. We are us to having "traditional" dishes to our culture like for Latinos meat is a very big thing as well in the Black community we do eat tons of eat from my personal experience. But when one of my friends of color decides to go vegan I want to be there to support them through this journey because it can be very hard at the beginning and I know all I needed was support to start off with veganism.

I emailed George yesterday to ask him a few questions. He was kind enough respond back to my email with some amazing response. I hope to meet up with George for a meal and do a in person check in. Here is the interview :


George Cruz gives me a personal understand of his vegan journey!!!!


1) Why did you go vegan ?

Me my brother and a couple of friends were talking about body fat and bmi, it just so happened I have an app that calculates it..I checked mine and it was horrible the exact words were " you are in obesity stage 1, a major lifestyle is needed because you are headed in the direction that can give you gall bladder disease, diabetes and a couple of more major health problems"...right then and there I started researching lifestyle changes and the #1 thing I kept noticing was "vegan" I read a couple of books the major one that stood out to me was "the beauty detox" I read the book in 2 days and changed my life around in a week.


2) Are you and your family ( Lisa and daughter) eating vegan together ?

Sadly no..I try talking them into it and bring up all the benefits that being a vegan can bring but being skinny all her life she feels its no point to even try being vegan, my daughter has some of the smoothies I make but when it comes to the solid veggies the only thing she likes is carrots.


3) What are some of your favorite foods?

I make smoothies every morning that consists of romaine lettuce head, 8 cups of spinich, celery, apple, pear banana and juice from 1/2 a lemon..for lunch I usually just make my own salads or have an advocado sandwich on millet bread those are my main meals that I focus on, of course I eat my fruit as well but I'm still a beginner looking for recipes and other ways to enjoy my vegetables

4) How do you feel now that you are vegan ?
The first thing I noticed was a boost of energy, and the more and more I ate healthy I felt the bloated feeling leave and in about two weeks I started noticing my skin clearing up, I also seen this documentary on animals and the way they are treated for food it was just so sad and disgusting , all the antibiotics they use and growth hormones all form toxins in our bodies that stop us from living truly happy and healthy lives, being vegan feels awesome I have no guilt when I eat :)


5) What do you miss ?
I really miss sweet's that is my thing ,skittles,juices , and all of those refined sugars. I really do not crave any products that contains anything that had a face, that documentary scared me straight


6) Tell me anything else that you would like to tell me.

Just that I've been trying to head in this direction for about 6 months and just kept putting it off, I did it and I feel so good and happy about my decision I just wish I can get my daughter and Lisa to join me.

Dun-Well Doughnuts

I'm sitting here in my Brooklyn kitchen just thinking about much time has gone by since I decided to become a vegan. I remember that day like it was yesterday when I was sitting in my dorm room at Northfield Mount Hermon and just thinking that I needed to make a decision about the way that I was eating and living my life. On the cold and rainy day I decided that I would try out veganism for 7 days and I never looked back. I called my friend Jennifer who has been vegan for 20+ years to get some advice and support in making this decision. But the one thing that I remember telling myself was that I have to be able to eat yummy sweets.

Veganism is now one of the most talked about things it seems. People are writing more books and more vegan dining options are popping up on the menus of great places to eat in New York City and around the world. But I have to say nothing excites me more than when a new Vegan place opens that is dedicated vegan treats. I have had doughnuts and the first doughnut that I recall having was the Babycakes NYC doughnut it was so yummy and I knew right away that it was super healthy. I thought that would be the end of my doughnut days because I knew that was the only vegan doughnut for me at the time.


Something magical happen and that's when I started hearing people speak about this Dun- Well Doughnuts and I was like okay I have to try it. When I was visiting my family when I was on break I remember going to a place that had the doughnuts and they informed me that they had sold out. That made me more and more excited to one day have one of these doughnuts that all of my other vegan counterparts in NYC had only tasted. I was so far behind and I was very sad about that because I was the one who would rush out and try that new vegan dish or dessert if it interest me.

Finally on a cold winter day in December 2011 I took the train from my Brooklyn apartment to a changing neighborhood now called East Williamsburg and all the real NEw Yorkers know it as Bushwick to try out these vegan doughnuts. I was heading to Indiana and I decided that it was time to get one of these doughnuts in my tummy. I have to say that Dun-Well is amazing and they have some of the best doughnuts I have ever had in my life. I love Chris because he is always so nice to me and was willing to explain to me what so special about the doughnuts.

I could not imagine not having Dun-Well in my life. But at the same time I feel that the message that they are sending is amazing and it just shows people that it's not necessary to use animal products to have a good tasting treat. I encourage all vegans and non- vegans to stop by Dun-Well Doughnuts and make sure to take a dozen home with you. It's worth ever penny and I hope that you enjoy them as much as I do when I'm biting into them.




Dun-Well Doughnuts
222 Montrose Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11206

New Year and a New Vegan

It feels like I always start a blog post the same way because I never blog. I hope to start doing this more often since people actually read what I have to say. Because it's a New Year I have finally made some resolutions or better yet decided to start something and see how that all goes.

Since the last time I have blogged I have graduated from College. Travel on the road for many days with some of my college friends. Went to graduate school and decided that Public School teaching was not for me. Then moved back to New York and work at a great non profit and been enjoying the city. I have a boyfriend and being in a relationship has been a good thing for me. But most of all I have been eating out and not doing much cooking in the year 2011 and hope that will change in 2012. So far so good.

I have decided that right now I want to work out more and eat healthier than I have been doing in the past. I have been vegan for over 5 years and I think that it's time that I take more time to understand what I'm putting into my body. I have decided that I will be eating more fruits instead of unhealthy snacks. I will be cooking more vegetables instead of eating tons of processed meat alternatives. We need to think about the things that we put into our body so our body in the end can help us heal.

For the past two days I have been going to gym and cooking my dinner. Tonight I will be having collard greens, spinach, and organic carrots. Tofu will be my other addition with some yummy yams with Earth Balance. This is a yummy meal and I will see how this all goes in the end. Food is suppose to do many things for us and I want to make sure that I use food to help me and not harm my body.

It would be great to hear from friends about the new foods they will be cooking and the things that you have decided to change with this 2012 year just starting. Eat well and be well.