Read The VEC Winning Entries!
Stephanie Hall from Blackburn, Victoria - 1st Prize of $1000 Cash!
Although I've been vegetarian for five years, and have always deeply
admired my vegan friends and the lifestyle, I had never quite felt
ready to make the switch to veganism... Until I found out about the 30
Day Vegan Easy Challenge.In high school, my switch to vegetarianism was gradual. After I had made the choice to no longer eat meat, it still took me a few months to whole-heartedly identify as vegetarian. I've always loved animals, but like so many, found it challenging to wake up to the cruelty and suffering that really goes into much of the food we're raised to eat, and often taught to include on a weekly (even daily) basis.
However, half a decade later, my thinking and understanding of what goes on away from our dinner tables had progressed enough for me to feel compelled to give up drinking dairy milk--- yet I had not brought myself to move away from other dairy products, or my typical breakfast of poached eggs on toast. I managed to stay blinkered and removed enough to the horrendous practices behind the production of these-- to be so caught up in my then enjoyment of the taste that I just couldn't own up to the unjust and unkind treatment and abuse that was going on before delivering the foods to my table.
After a series of wake-up calls and conversations with vegan friends, I stumbled upon a link to the 30 Day Vegan Easy Challenge on Facebook. I was excited by the prospect of really giving vegan a go-- and of having genuine support and guidance in how to do it. After signing up, I eagerly awaited the start of November.
Three days before the challenge began, I made some time to browse through the fantastic resources that were on the website. It was then that I read the words that broke through my previous denial; whilst reading the inspiring profile of Philip Wollen-- his story, and his hard-hitting truths about True compassion through the vegan lifestyle-- I realised that I could and would to it-- I knew that from that point on, I would be vegan for life.
I felt liberated from that moment-- I knew I had moved beyond whatever previous barrier had existed within me. The vegan shopping list on the site also helped me in this-- I was delighted to find that so many vegan products could be readily sourced, including a few I already used, such as Massel's chicken-style stock (it took me a while to get over the excitement of being able to indulge in awesome cruelty-free "chicken" noodle soup!). The list was truly an invaluable resource to me, and inspired me to really investigate the amazing vegan products out there. I was also intrigued to discover on the second night of my vegan adventure that Sweet William's dairy free chocolate provides an excellent fix when craving boiled eggs...!
Once I had made the solid decision to be vegan, I did not sway from it. I knew it was the right time, and that I was ready, and would not turn back. I felt truly enlightened not just by Philip Wollen's story, but also by how well my experience was treating me so far, and how much easier it already felt to look animals in the eye, knowing I could now truly appreciate them as companions, and not need them to satiate my appetite in any way, shape of form.
Suffice it to say, the experience has been truly amazing... and only keeps getting better! I now have the resources and knowledge to explain to curious friends and acquaintances why choosing vegan is not only a completely viable, but also delicious and relatively easy choice to make! I feel healthier, happier, and a better friend to the animals and our earth... So thankyou, to all who have inspired and assisted me on this journey, especially those who created and promoted this amazing challenge--- you kept your promise; it WAS easy!!
Patrick Ivers from Hawthorn, Victoria - 2nd Prize $380 of Prizes!
During the month of November 2009 I went from being omnivorous to being completely vegan. In fact, most of this occurred on the very first day of November when I began the Vegan Easy Challenge. At first I thought I’d give it a go to try something new. I had no idea that by the end of the month I would make the decision to keep going.
One of my supervisors at work got me onto it. Each day I would bring him a new argument and, with indestructible logic, he would shoot them down one by one. I threw at him every issue I could think of: Historical… BANG!!! Environmental… BANG!!! Economical… BANG!!! Ethical… BANG BANG BANG!!! There was nothing that I could say to him to justify my [then] omnivorous opinion that wouldn’t be destroyed within minutes. I realised then, and especially after seeing the documentary “Earthlings”, that I had no choice but to become vegan. I also decided early on in November that I would keep a record of, what I soon realised was, my transition. I posted my progress on facebook which was met with mixed reviews. You can read an account of my experience below.
So I'm officially a vegan for the month of November. :P
Day 3: Had the usual cereal with chocolate soymilk for breakfast. Caught up with Tom for lunch at Nando's where I salivated over Tom's chicken as I ate peri-peri chips and a bowl of couscous. I think I must be missing something important from my diet now as my head is spinning. Had an all-vegan boost juice, and am planning vegetable soup again for dinner... maybe with rice this time.
Day 4: Woke up at 3:30am starving!!! Same ol' shit for breakfast. Paul (my vegan boss) was nice enough to bring in some vegan spaghetti bolognese his girlfriend had cooked for me to eat. Complemented with crackers and hommus, lunch wasn't too bad. My head has stopped spinning; I think it may have been the meat withdrawal.
Day 5: WOW!!! Just finished eating the most amazing vegan pizza. Just an assortment of ingredients I thought would work well: Olives, Mushrooms, Red & Green Capsicum, Grilled Eggplant, Baby Spinach, on a base of Vegan Cream Cheese and Tomato Paste. Awesome! Best thing I've ever cooked. And the Lasagne for lunch wasn't bad either.
Day 6: Had another nightmare last night where I accidentally ate a sausage. I'm serious! Anyway, missed breakfast this morning as I was running late for work. Nibbled on bananas and dark chocolate until I had Okonomiyaki for lunch. Decided to spoil myself with Lord Of The Fries and a vegan burger for dinner. C'mon... it's Friday.
Day 7: Had a bit of a lazy day today... Nando's for breakfast and cereal for lunch. :P Mainly due to the distraction of hay fever (the plants are getting back at me for changing to an all-vegetable diet. It's not fair on them!!!) Anyway... Had that pizza thing again for dinner. It gave me a chance to savour the soy cream cheese. I'm amazed at how versatile soy is. It really can taste like cheese.
Days 8 & 9: Figured I'd take a look at veganeasy.org for some recipe ideas, instead of trying to make stuff up. Put together a spaghetti bolognese (similar to Paul's) without too much effort. I did use a little too much soy mince, but it was delicious all the same. Also tried some soy chocolate ice-cream, which is actually pretty good once you get past the nutty soy flavour! :P
Day 10: OKAY! So I'm now 1/3 of the way through the Vegan Easy Challenge. It was a little tough at first, but is progressively getting much easier, and I've managed to stay true (except for the tzatziki on my falafel roll on day 2... goddamn it!). Anyway, I whipped up an experimental enchilada and rice dish for dinner with what I had left in the fridge. It was su-poib!
Day 11: I've been thinking a lot about this veganism thing; Weighing up the arguments for and against it; Trying to work out whether or not it is something I should continue with. I would like to start up a friendly discussion by asking anyone out there who is vegan or vegetarian... "Why are you vegan/vegetarian?". All input is welcome.
Days 12 & 13: Perseverance. Went back to Kamil's Kebabs for my second attempt at a vegan falafel roll. The trick is to tell the guy you don't want tzatziki *before* he puts it on. Anyway... I'm on holidays for the next week so I'm gonna hit the vegan cooking hard. Got chilli non-carne, shepherd’s pie, and soy cheesecake planned！
Days 14 & 15: So I'm now officially half-way through the Vegan Easy Challenge. 15 days of anguish... just joking! :P Seriously though, this experience has so far been a real eye-opener. Even if I don't end up becoming a vegan (which I might), I have at least learned how to cook up a few dishes. But more importantly... Can someone please stir up some debate here about veganism!
Days 16 & 17: OH NOOOO!!! I have a confession to make... I screwed up! Without even THINKING, I bought myself a pint of Carlton Draught and took a gulp, only realising what I’d done when it was too late (thanks for the tip-off Helen). In case anyone is wondering what the hell I’m talking about, Carlton Draught is not vegan. Well, not according to this list... http://www.vnv.org.au/site/
Day 18: I went to Spud Bar for a feed this evening. $9 for a bowl of vegies! Can you believe that?! I mean it was a very delicious bowl of vegies, but massively overpriced. I decided I'd jot down the ingredients: Avocado, Corn, Peas, Hommus, Tomato, and Potato. I then proceeded to Coles, where I bought these ingredients, and the following day put together the *exact* same thing for less than $3. ;D
Day 19: Chicken Kiev was on the menu at Gran's house tonight. Well, for everyone *else* that is. I had roasted vegetables and salad, followed by stewed apples for dessert. Not too bad considering I failed to forewarn my Gran before I came over that I was vegan for a month.
Day 20: Only 10 days to go!!! I had another nightmare about meat last night. This time it was a steak. There was this gigantic steak sitting on top of a pile of vegetables just begging to be eaten. So I ate it and then felt really guilty. Hrmm... What would Freud say about all this?!
Days 21 & 22: I decided to go for an old favourite with a vegan twist. So instead of steak, mash and veggies, I went for fried lentil patties and mushrooms, covered in gravy, and of course mash and veggies. It was VERY delicious.
Days 23 & 24: Has anyone ever seen that movie "Hook"? You know the part where they're all sitting around those tables with empty plates and bowls, and they tell Peter Pan they have to use their imaginations to make the food real, and then when it appears it looks like sloppy multi-coloured paint or something?!! Well... here is a photo of a baked potato dish I made today... It was actually really yummy.
Day 25: When thee cannot be bothered preparing thy daily bread, the Lord [Of The Fries] is thy saviour, enough said.
Days 26 & 27: Took a stab at a vegan fried rice. Terrible... absolutely terrible. I rushed it and forgot half the ingredients. Burnt the onion and left the rice on too long. But it was 9pm and I was starving!!! I'll give it another shot tomorrow. In other news, I'm seriously considering this veganism thing long-term. I still have to see "Earthlings", but that might be all it takes. :|
Day 28: I had another go at making that fried rice. This time it was a complete success. And I made enough for me to take to work tomorrow. I also put together a bowl of custard (made from custard powder and soy milk), bananas, and chocolate soy ice-cream.
Day 29: So I saw "Earthlings". It was one of the most horrific, stomach-churning documentaries I've ever seen. I was on the verge of vomiting for most of the film. I think I may have even shed a tear towards the end. I'm going to find it extremely difficult to continue eating meat after this. What to do, what to do! Hrmmm.
Day 30: That's it! It's over! Or is it? Well, I have successfully completed the "Vegan Easy Challenge". It was tough at times, but for the most part it was a piece of non-dairy cake. I suppose I'd better compile my thoughts into a succinct piece of literature for a shot at the cash prize. On the other hand, maybe THIS is the prize. A glimpse at the hidden truth. A chance at a more compassionate life.
So it's now the 5th of December and I am still vegan. What does that mean?
My name is Patrick Ivers and I am a vegan.
Michele Hayres from Gordon, NSW - 3rd Prize $230 of Prizes!
“As long as there is vegan cake and chocolate in the house, I’ll do it!”. These were the words I uttered to my vegan daughter when she asked me to take the 30 day Vegan Easy Challenge. Don’t get me wrong, I love eating healthy food, but these need to be dispersed with cake or chocolate. I couldn’t think of life without them. As an omnivore I often wondered how she does it ( no animal products), so I guess I also thought this was a good opportunity to find out first hand. I now found myself in a tricky position however, as I have often verbally expressed my concern with my daughters’ choices in eating. I now found that I had to not only eliminate animal products, but have a diet that was nutritionally sound as well.
I guess I had a head start in some respects. I had a vague knowledge of what one could and couldn’t eat and knew somewhat where to find these items on the supermarket shelves. The preparation and cooking of vegan fare to this date however, was largely left to my daughter. So after some research on your website for recipes and ideas and after scouring the various cookbooks on my daughters shelves I decided that maybe this challenge wasn’t going to be as hard as it first sounded – or was it? Breakfast seemed easy - cereal with fruit and soy milk. The tricky bit was reading the miniscule print on the packets looking for ‘honey’. Toast with Nuttelex and maybe vegemite, peanut butter or jam. Lunch could be sushi, salads – no cheese of course – cruskits or crackers with avocado, tomato, lettuce or any number of salad veges or even the simple and much overlooked salad sandwich. Dinner, however was the real challenge for me. Not only did it have to be easy and quick but I had to find something that my other 21 year old daughter would eat as well – and I had to try that dreaded tofu!
Well, I have now discovered a whole range of new and surprisingly tasty ingredients and recipes! Lentil bolognaise and lentil shepherds pie – a new twist on the old; crumbed and fried tempeh – what a surprise was that! Then there was the pre-marinated tofu used in stir-fries and salads and even the boring plain tofu loses its ‘sponginess’ when marinated and baked! So many different salads – but the best bits are the ‘extras’ i.e. sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, nuts of all kinds, mustards, pickles, herbs and spices – the list just goes on. The more I look, the more I find!
The chocolate part was quite easy as I love dark chocolate and I have found all manner of vegan chocolate. Best of all however, are the cakes. They are all so moist and everyone who has a piece seems amazed they are vegan! It is so hard to choose a favourite – I love the flourless orange, the chocolate cake using silken tofu no less, moist coconut, and banana and chocolate with peanut butter frosting. I have found the vegan chocolate brownie to die for – better than any ‘normal’ one I have ever tried! I have become quite efficient in using egg replacer (or sometimes banana) and substituting for butter and honey in regular recipes as well.
What surprised me most however, was the realisation that there is a lot of unnecessary killing of animals all in the name of health and nutrition. This thought sat at the back of my mind. Then whilst in the country I overhead someone bragging that their cooked chickens are the best as they are ‘killed to order’. I had to walk away. There is so many alternatives that people don’t realize until they look – and once you do look and try I don’t think you can ever feel the same way about food – I know I don’t.
Ultimately I think everyone in our household has benefited from this experience. I now have a better understanding of my daughters eating habits which has given me peace of mind, I also have some great new recipes and healthy options for the family and I was left feeling terrific at the end! To date I am still mainly vegan. My 21 year old daughter was so impressed with the meals that she has put herself on her own 30 day vegan challenge for this month so remaining vegan is currently an easier option for me anyway. Who knows what the future holds, however at present I have no desire or cravings for meat, fish etc. and am enjoying trying all the ‘new’ foods that are available for me. Who knows, maybe I’m a convert after all!
Fran Takita from Ryde, NSW - 4th Prize $150 of Prizes!
Wow, what an awesome journey the Vegan Challenge has been! I have heard about Animal Liberation Victoria and its causes over the past few years and I’ve always really wanted to find out more. I grew up in a meat-eating household and it was always just the staple food. You never really think about where the animals are or how they’re treated prior to being on your plate. The Vegan Challenge came up just at the right time and has been an amazing eye-opener to the wonderful world of veggies, grains, legumes, and more. While doing the Challenge, I wanted to raise my awareness of the reasons for being Vegan and about the treatment of animals, so I read something on the Animal Liberation websites everyday. This was a really great resource for finding out more about meat production industries, animal testing and animals being used cruelly for entertainment. I think this really helped me to understand the philosophy behind the choice of being a Vegan, it’s not just to be healthier, but to be thoughtful of and protect our fellow inhabitants of this planet and trying to do something for them, give them a better life, clean up food production and be more informed about food practices and animal treatment practices.
I love cooking so it was really fun to get into the kitchen and try out a whole new array of recipes and look out for Vegan products in the supermarket. The Vegan Easy site was really helpful for finding out brands and for great recipes. Veganyumyum.com was also a lovely site for recipes. I bought a Veg*n Shopper guide, which was invaluable when making sure products were vegan. I recommend it for anyone, vegan or not. Who knew so many animal products were used in so many foods and beverages! I was shocked!
My friends and family thought that a month was far too long to go without animal products and that I was a bit crazy. Realistically a month is not that long in the grand scheme of things, and though the challenge has officially ended, I can’t find a really unselfish, ethical reason to put some pork on my fork. So, I’ve decided to keep it up because I feel really positive about the information and awareness I gained through doing the challenge and feel confident about contributing to the Vegan cause and I’ve set myself a new Vegan Challenge – looking into living as a Vegan through clothes, cosmetics, moisturisers, bathroom cleaners and everything else you use in life. Thanks VeganEasy and ALV for broadening my horizons, it’s been and will keep being amazing.