Recently the gentlemen of ESM had a special Food & Fellowship (the themed fortnightly gathering) dedicated to Creation Care (what happens when the Gospel overtakes a hippie). I feel that one of the clearest calls we have from God throughout the Bible is to be stewards of that with which He has blessed us, and this includes caring for His creation rather than living as functional hedonistic parasites that slowly erode the resources with which we have been blessed and must rely for survival, and as such I have made various life choices to reflect that conviction of the Holy Spirit.
One of the fastest, most effective, and easiest ways to curtail our negative impact on the planet (as well as the "least of these" for whom Christ calls us to care!) is by adjusting our diet.
I began my vegan journey early in 2009 when I was challenged by some statistics regarding the consumption of meat and the impact that eating it has on the environment and the poorest nations and people groups. Around the same time my conscience was being pricked about this area of selfishness in my life, I received an email from Meat Free Monday which encourages people to voluntarily give up meat one day a week. This can have a huge impact on CO2 and methane emissions, as well as a myriad of other benefits to the planet and its peoples!
After a little while I realized that meat free Mondays were turning into meat free Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, and... well, you get the idea. This eventually turned into a meat free lifestyle.
After about three years as a ovo-lacto vegetarian (one who does not eat meat but will eat eggs and dairy products; the most common type of vegetarian) I was challenged yet again, this time by the practices of the dairy industry. I had originally dismissed veganism (and for a while vegetarianism) because of the unfortunate pagan connotations of earth worship and a misunderstood anthropology (the nature/purpose of humanity) where the argument is "animals are people too", something clearly contrary to the special place in creation to which humanity has been assigned. We are the only creature to bear God's image (the Imago Dei) and have clearly been given dominion over plants and animals (Genesis 1:26). That does not, however, mean that we are to abuse that power by taking advantage of God's creation. You have dominion over your children as a parent, but this is not a license for abuse, rather a call to serve and sacrifice and focus outside of your own interests.
One of the hardest parts about going vegetarian or vegan is the learning curve requisite to overcome a lifetime of meat and dairy eating. Most of our meals center around some meat dish and there is a lot of learning that has to be done to figure out a new way to cook. The good news is that, once you get going, you realize that you actually will have MORE options and dishes from which to choose. I have expanded my horizons and discovered all sorts of foods that I now count among my favorites that I would not have even tried were I not a vegetarian/vegan!
As such, since I have climbed this learning curve, I want to share my experiences and knowledge that I have learned so that it might be easier for you to explore this option and maybe try giving up meat for at least one day a week!
As far as recipes go, I use online resources to find them and never underestimate the power and importance of experimentation!
If you have an iOS device (iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad) then there are some GREAT apps that can help out. My favorite one is the Wholefoods app that has tons of recipes and the option to search based on the ingredients you have on hand. It also will keep your shopping list for you when you find a recipe you like (it will add the ingredients to your list for you so you don't forget it!).
Eating out is going to be tough. Italian is not your friend; almost all of it has egg (pasta), butter (pasta, bread, even sauce), cheese, meat, etc. Mediterranean, Indian, and "hold-the-sour-cream-and-cheese" Mexican are good options to consider. I also enjoy Thai and other Asian foods that use tofu for stir-fry options.
One of the most helpful books for me when I started was (I'm almost too chagrined to admit it!) The Kind Life by Alicia Silverstone. It has great recipes, easy to follow logic for why to go/stay vegan, and it really helped me get up and running.
Here is a list of resources I find helpful for vegan living. Keep in mind that not all of them are espousing the lifestyle for the same reasons I do, but I try to chew the meat and spit out the bone (if you'll pardon the ironic idiom). I love PETA for their recipes, but not their "animals are people too" stance. There are some good films out there as well that can be very helpful, as well as articles from various non-profits and news organizations.
Eating out is going to be tough. Italian is not your friend; almost all of it has egg (pasta), butter (pasta, bread, even sauce), cheese, meat, etc. Mediterranean, Indian, and "hold-the-sour-cream-and-cheese" Mexican are good options to consider. I also enjoy Thai and other Asian foods that use tofu for stir-fry options.
One of the most helpful books for me when I started was (I'm almost too chagrined to admit it!) The Kind Life by Alicia Silverstone. It has great recipes, easy to follow logic for why to go/stay vegan, and it really helped me get up and running.
Here is a list of resources I find helpful for vegan living. Keep in mind that not all of them are espousing the lifestyle for the same reasons I do, but I try to chew the meat and spit out the bone (if you'll pardon the ironic idiom). I love PETA for their recipes, but not their "animals are people too" stance. There are some good films out there as well that can be very helpful, as well as articles from various non-profits and news organizations.
http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/two-week-vegetarian-menu.aspx
http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/recipes/default.aspx
http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/making-the-transition-vegetarian.aspx
http://www.vegetariantimes.com
http://www.creationcareforpastors.com/
http://www.veganoutreach.org/whyvegan/environment.html
http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.htm
http://www.all-creatures.org/articles/env-sobering.html
http://www.vegansa.com/veganism-and-the-environment.php
http://www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-issues.php
http://www.beautiful-vegan.com/2010/04/documentaries-and-videos_9347.html
http://www.trianglevegsociety.org/resources/index.html
http://vegraleigh.blogspot.com/
http://www.happycow.net/north_america/usa/north_carolina/raleigh/
http://www.meetup.com/Triangle-Christian-Vegetarian-Supper-Club/profile/
If you have questions, comments, or just want some more advice, please don't hesitate to contact me and I'll be more than happy to help you out in whatever way I am able!
Be blessed,
Daniel
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