Stay the Vegan Course! (The Struggle is Real)

So perhaps you're a new vegan, and you're having a hard time with...(insert reason here) You made a commitment for better health, the environment, or the animals, but you're feeling alone or like you have no vegan community. People don't understand you! *cue teen angst* Other vegans on YouTube are saying how easy it is, and how they SLAYED the transition. It seems like they look down on others who struggle, and are criticizing your slip ups. I'm here to tell you, don't let them get to you!

 In any new endeavor believing that you have to be perfect right away will hinder your success, especially in a big change like veganism. Vegans talking down to other vegans isn't helpful, and it's something I have seen so much of in the online community. So I created this post to build you up and tell you that it is ok to struggle at times. In struggle we find strength, in failure we learn from our mistakes. Veganism is a process, and you will get there! Below I have listed my top 5 tips for success to help you get through that awkward transition faze.

Experimentation Is Ok If It's Food  ;) 

5. Get Community.

If you live in a big city vegfests, and other events are probably happening nearly year round. Get involved! Go to vegan restaurants or shops and TALK to people. Look for vegan meetups online. If there aren't any in your city, start one! Its surprisingly easy to start a meetup group, all you need are interested people. There are multiple websites where you can start a group to come together in real life.  If their are absolutely NO vegans in your area, join a vegan chat or support group online. You could even join a facebook group. You just need to get talking with like minded people and feel yourself being part of something bigger!

Helpful Websites:

Vegan Support Group:Veganuary On Facebook

Meetup Group Finder: meetup.com

4. Educate Yourself

Be ready for the haters. They are out there in big numbers. Go online and learn as much as you can about every aspect of veganism. This includes health, animals, and the environmental impacts on the planet.  You will feel good taking control of your nutrition and education, and no one will be able to put you down about your diet because their is literally no good reason to consume animal products. It also might make you feel good to help educate others! Buy some books, or get online and do the research. There are a wealth of websites, books, and YouTube channels that are good for learning about veganism. Below I have listed some of my favorite YouTube channels.Take charge of your own knowledge empowerment, and get involved in the conversation!

 I Highly Recommend:

The Friendly Activist: The Friendly Activist on YouTube

BiteSizeVegan: BiteSizeVegan Educational Videos

NutritionFacts.Org: Dr. Michael Greger

Me: VeganWonderlust

*I'm not getting anything for promoting these other channels, I just think that they are really great.   ^_^

Educate Yourself On The Reasons To Be Vegan 

3. Make Art:

Include veganism in your hobbies and interests. If you like to write, start a blog about veganism. If you like cooking, experiment with vegan recipes. If you are an athlete, research vegan nutrition for athletes, and participate in events. Get outdoors and connect with nature! If you like to create art, make activist art. t-shirts, paintings, etc. If you knit, use sustainable yarn! You might even be able to make a little extra money selling hats to vegans ;) Integrate veganism into your interests and you will be excited about it everyday.

2. Treat 'Yo Self:

I don't mean spend a lot of money, unless you want to. But make sure that you aren't on a super rigid diet, or you will probably end up binging on stuff you normally wouldn't eat. Make sure that your vegan diet is satisfying you. Its important to be healthy, but its also VERY important to not feel like you are missing out on anything because you are vegan. Veganism isn't about restriction. Don't think about the things you give up, think about all the new things you eat now that you didn't eat before! Eat foods that you like, and every once in a while bake yourself a vegan brownie or put some vegan mayo on your sammy. If you are healthy, happy, and satisfied by what you eat, you will glow from the inside out, like the world's sexiest lightening bug ;) 

 Eat Well

1. Remember!

Always remember to go back to that reason you made a commitment to be vegan. Whatever it was, it was important enough that you changed your whole lifestyle in a dramatic way. Perhaps use the art skills we talked about to write inspirational quotes to surround yourself with. If you have extra money, buy t-shirts and other activist stuff to remind you of the cause. However you remind yourself, get back to the feeling of determination you had at the beginning. Remember your reason(s)!

Documentaries to Rekindle Your Fire (Free on Netflix) 

Earthlings- Animals
Cowspiracy- Environment
Forks Over Knives- Health
Fed Up- USA Food Policy/Advertising
Fat Sick and Nearly Dead- Health/Weight Loss
OMG GMO- Genetic Engineering in Food 
Vedgucated- Normal People Trying Veganism/Health/Animals 


Not everyone is the same, and not everyone's vegan journey will be either. The important thing is that you started, you are aware, and that you are trying. Always keep criticism of yourself and others constructive. It is ok to not be perfect! If you see someone being negative, don't respond in kind. If you see someone struggling, let them know that you support them.  (As well as pointing them in the direction of my blog of course! :D ) Wherever you are at in your transition, remember to do your best today, and do better tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

Love From Peru

Follow me on Instagram: vegananastasiak 

Get more awesome advice on my YouTube channel: Advice And Travel Videos

Tips for an Economically Challenged Vegan

Poor is such a offensive sounding word. I feel that people that use it, do so in poor taste  ;) One can lack money and still be rich in spirit, knowledge, friends, experience, and all the important things in life. 

Anyway, many people believe that you need to have a lot of money to be a vegan. Its easy to see why one might think this when you see the different celebrities eating at gourmet vegan restaurants wearing dresses that cost more than my rent...for a year.  Or when you go shopping and see the heaps of expensive faux meats, and super-fruit, organic, non GMO vitamin powders sprinkled with gold. (Ok, maybe the vitamin and protein powders don't contain with gold dust, but you would think so at those prices!)

Yes, celebrities can make being vegan look really glamours, and trying out different fancy vegan products can be fun, but those things don't make you vegan. Veganism isn't fancy restaurants, elite foods, and fancy clothing. Veganism is eating a compassionate diet, and doing what you can to reduce unnecessary suffering in the world. Can you eat a compassionate plant based diet and be satisfied AND healthy on a budget? Yes you can. Here in this post I share with you my top tips for thriving as a vegan on an 'economically challenged' budget.

Veganism Can Be Cheap! 

1. Keep it Simple:

Faux meats and other things are nice when you are transitioning, but they aren't really necessary.  Neither are the fancy supplements, powders, and vitamins. If you are eating the right combination of foods, you will get everything you need. (Some vegans choose to supplement with a B12 vitamin, but there are mixed reviews on this subject, and I'm not going to get into it in this post. I believe that you can get everything you need from your food, but it never hurts to supplement if you want.) If you eat the rainbow every day, you'll be fine!  :D

2. Buy in Season:

When you buy things that are in season they are less expensive because they haven't been shipped in from somewhere where the weather is more agreeable. Figure out what fruits and vegetables grow in your area in each season, and buy those!

3. Buy in Bulk:

Single serving packets are nice for on the go lunches, but the price can add up. Usually when you purchase produce in bulk the price is more reasonable. The same goes for the pre-cut vegetables. If you buy a head of broccoli vs. pre-chopped florets it will be cheaper. Try talking to the produce manager at your grocery store, he/she might be willing to give you a deal as well!

4. Plan Out Your Recipes:

When you have an idea of what meals you will be making for the week or even the month, you are less likely to buy extraneous items. Make a list of the things you need when you go shopping and stick to it!


5. Shop With a Like-Minded Friend:

Personally I think grocery shopping is fun. Some people might think that's weird, but I get excited when I get to buy new foods and make different recipes. And I think it's even more fun when you get to shop with a like minded person! When you shop with a friend you're more likely to get excited about the healthy foods you buy, and less likely to buy unnecessary junk food for fear of embarrassment in front of your health conscious friend. ;) Prepping meals together afterwards is even more fun!

6. Prep Meals for the Week:

If your like me, you're usually too lazy to cook after work. So I advise you to make several dinners ahead of time, and have them ready to heat up when you get home. This will keep you from being tempted to spend money on take-out on the way back from your job. The same goes for your lunch break. Make your lunch in the morning when you still have energy for the day and bring it with you. You will be way less likely to make a fast-food run partway through the day. Make sure you also have healthy snacks to keep from overeating precious groceries later on!

Keepin it Simple and Healthy! 

If you have been keeping up with this blog, you know that I am living in working in Peru. What you may not know is that Peru is a 'developing' or 'third world' country. I don't many dolla' dolla' bills. At all.  But I'm not in Peru for the money, I'm here for the experience. If I can eat a completely plant based diet on my budget, anyone can! In fact, being vegan is almost necessary for me at this point. Veganism is not a luxury, meat and and dairy are the most expensive things that you can buy at the market. So when you think of veganism, don't think of super organic, vitman water or sunbaked, 6 dollar a box, flax seed crackers. Think of beans and rice, sweet potatoes, peas, spinach, carrots, and bananas. Plan your meals, eat a rainbow, and thrive my vegan travelers!

Love From Peru 

Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: VeganWanderlust on Youtube

Follow Me on Instrigram: vegananastasiak

''Chicken'' Fried Rice

Hey all! It's your favorite vegan traveler checking in. I'm through Veganuary and still vegan! It was actually was pretty easy since I was mostly vegan already.  :) I even had my first vegan breakfast. (Made by someone other than me. I cook in the mornings, but its not always breakfast-type food.) My roommates and I went out for a nice Sunday breakfast together at Green Point Restaurant, a lovely vegan restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week. I'm pretty fortunate to live in one of the only vegan friendly cities in South America! I got a faux chorizo sandwich, as well as some delicious fresh baked olive and rosemary bread. I was never a fan of chorizo when I ate meat, but the the veggie version of it was beyond delightful! It was so spicy and rich, and actually kept me full the rest of the day after. When the server brought it out on the plate it didn't look like a lot of food, but it was filling to the point where I had to bring some of it home. And the whole meal for only 11 soles! All in all, it was a wonderful Sunday.

Sunday Breakfast in San Blas

So now I just want to do a quick recipe piece. If you have been keeping up with my blog, you know that I recently wrote something on curbing cravings, and I mentioned Vegan Chicken Fried Rice. So for anyone that was interested in trying that out, here is the complete recipe.

Vegan Chicken and Broccoli With Rice 

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2 (4 if it's served as a side dish)
Gluten Free 
Contains Soy 

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 veg bullion cube, or vegetable broth
1.5 cups boiled TCP or Soy Meat
2 cups chopped broccoli
1/2 cup onion
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic

Instructions:

1. The night before (or several hours before) you want to make this recipe, cook rice according to package. You will want about 2 cups. You must also prep the chicken. (See step 2)

2. Start pot of boiling water and add vegetable bullion or vegan chicken stalk. Add soy meat or TCP.  Cook until soft (Around 20 minutes. Cooking time may differ according to the brand) Set rice and chicken aside to cool.

3. Put a pan with a little olive oil over medium low heat. Add half of the onions and cook for a couple minutes or until golden brown. Add your rice and soy sauce and cook until hot and soysauce is distributed.

4. In separate pan add the rest of the olive oil and minced garlic. Saute over medium low heat for about 2 minutes until starting to turn brown. Add your chicken and broccoli. Cook for about 7 minutes or until broccoli is starting to look singed, then add the rest of your onions for the last 2-3 minutes. Dump this mixture on top of your rice. (Stir in if you so please.) Serve with a little extra soy sauce as garnish!

Thanks for reading! If you haven't yet, I highly encourage you to check out my corresponding Youtube channel. My next few posts and videos are all going to be about transitioning to, and thriving on a plant based diet! If you're new to this way of living, stayed tuned for a lot of good advice from someone who has been there. Love from Peru!

YouTube Channel: VeganWonderlust on Youtube

Instagram: vegananastasiak

* 3.3 soles equals about 1 USD