The Reluctant Vegan, Day 2

New day, same vegan.  Today I don't work.  This is easier in that I have my whole kitchen at my disposal, but harder in that I have kids to cook for.  They are not sharing my vegan experiment, and their leftovers constantly call my name.  I successfully navigate away from the frozen buttered waffles and mac and cheese, and search for other fare.

What I learned today:

• Oatmeal for breakfast was tasty, but still didn't sustain me long.  Neither did my chunky salad at 10 a.m.  The only thing that held me over today was - surprise! - my husband's white beans.  He prepared them with garlic, tarragon, and a warm vinaigrette with a sweet vinegar, and they were awesome.  THIS is the right kind of eating.  It doesn't feel deprived in the least, and was completely satisfying.
• It is still unwise to exercise on a full stomach, even if that stomach is full of vegan food.
• I find myself successfully resisting cheese and cold cuts as snacks.  I turn instead to nuts and toast with peanut butter.
• Always the student, I want to get more creative.  I order a few vegan cookbooks from the library.  I want to see what we can do without using soy-based meat mimics.  I think I can feel satisfied without the taste or texture of meat.  The possibilities are already almost endless.
• For dinner we have pizza.  My homemade sauce is meat-based only in that the meatballs that cook in it give it flavor.  I find myself wondering whether I can make a good sauce without the meat.  Mushrooms are probably my best bet.  I'll look into it.

Today was better than yesterday.  Looking forward to the challenge ahead, which isn't that much of a challenge, because I am an equal opportunity eater.