// by Phoebe Lapine // 17 comments
I purposefully chose not to try out any specific diets for The Wellness Project. The idea of restriction and rules in any form is so contrary to what I preach on this site. But I made an exception for Vegan Before 6 this month. And that’s because Mark Bittman, the “diet’s” champion and creator, has vehemently made the distinction that this is a new way of eating, not a fad food craze.
According to a study by the Humane Research Council, 10 percent of the population has tried to going vegetarian at some point. That’s a huge number.
But they also report that 84 percent of vegetarians and vegans eventually go back to eating meat. More than half of these folks gave up on their veggie ways within the first year; a third went back to meat within three months.
If these numbers don’t prove that all restrictive diets are hard to sustain, then they at least make a case that eliminating animal products in one fell swoop is not a long-term solution for eating healthier.
I love Bittman’s approach because it allows you to set some rules for yourself, but then ultimately reward your good choices by eating whatever you want. In doing so, it ensures that you get more of the good–fruits and vegetables–and less of the bad processed foods and factory-farmed meat during the day. But after 6pm, you are free as a bird to freebase bacon fat if that’s what makes you happy.
Despite the freedom to submit to night time edible wanderlust, Bittman reported that his new system actually had an interesting halo effect on his overall habits. After he got used to the diet, he realized how great veg-centric food tasted and how good it made him feel. The epiphany gradually caused any sort of pig out at night to lose some of its luster. The main reward at the end of the day became the flexibility to embrace his cravings, even if those urges pointed him towards fennel instead of fois gras.
Can I get a healthy hedonism Amen?
In dealing with my Hashimoto’s diagnosis, I’ve already been forced to find my way to a more balanced diet. As a result, I eat a lot less meat at home–especially during the day when Charlie’s not around to scream MAAAA THE MEATLOAF!! But I wanted to give myself some checks and balances this month to see exactly how dependent I am on animal products.
Trying VB6 in conjunction with the Farmer’s Market Challenge made things a little easier. Down in Sewanee, Tennessee, where I was holed up writing for a lot of this month, there were hardly any organic meat options to be had, so my homemade meals ended up being primarily vegetarian. And I found myself turning to the FMP archives for ideas!
Here are some of the vegan recipes I’ve been making for myself these past few weeks. If you’re giving VB6 a test drive, I highly recommend incorporating some of the below into your routine.
Stay tuned for the full VB6 verdict when I report back on Gut Guilt month next week!
Xo
Phoebe
1. Vegan Curried Cauliflower Soup
2. Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
3. Mushroom Tacos with Mexican Green Rice
4. Red Lentil and Spinach Masala
5. Curried Veggie Burgers
6. Chickpea Ratatouille
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Comments
Helen @ Scrummy Lane says Hello, Phoebe! That’s a really interesting statistic about vegetarians jumping ship. My sis did that after 7 years – it was the smell of bacon that did it!
A great collection of recipes here – I like the look of the curried cauliflower soup!Reply
- Phoebe Lapine says
haha I hear that the bacon did it over and over! My mom was a veg for many years and it was the smell of hotdogs at a BBQ when she was preggers with me that got her. Hope you enjoy the soup and thanks for reading!
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- Alessandra // the foodie teen says
Loved that article! I’m a former veggie, but I really do feel that being vegetarian has helped me appreciate sustainable biodynamics and the whole industry a lot more. Loving those recipes – everything looks delicious!
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- Phoebe Lapine says
That’s awesome Alessandra! Why did you switch back to meat? Do you have any food rules now that you abide by in terms of animal products? Always curious to hear other people’s stories! xo
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- Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness says
Ohh, yum! I wish I saw all of these back in the day when I was a vegetarian. All my meals were so BORING!
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- Phoebe Lapine says
haha – is that one of the reasons you went back?? hopefully you’ll still try some! xo
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- Leah says
I always need new vegan dish ideas!
I’ve been dabbling with VB6 for over a year now — I’m not strict about it, but it’s definitely changed my outlook and habits while giving me the freedom to do what I want, which satisfies my rebellious side.Reply
- Phoebe Lapine says
that’s so great to hear Leah! Glad you like the framework too. I think it’s a good approach to tweak your habits. xo
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- Millie | Add A Little says
These all look so delicious Phoebe! I’m so glad I’ve found your blog – gorgeous recipes and photos! 🙂
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- Phoebe Lapine says
aww thanks Millie!! I owe you an email 🙂 sorry!
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- Rosanna says
Being vegan is not only a choice for better health but also a choice of helping the environment and of course the animals.. You are telling me that if you saw how animals are treated you are still able to eat “bacon”, chicken, etc?
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- Phoebe Lapine says
Hi Rosanna, all those reasons are exactly why I’ve been trying to reduce my animal intake and investing in higher quality protein that’s more humanely raised. As the statistics show, going permanently full-time vegan is not sustainable for a lot of people. I think this approach is a really great way of luring the masses into a less-meat-centric lifestyle. Thanks for stopping by!
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- Jillian says
Phoebe, I never cook but this looked so easy!! It came out AMAZING, thank you!! eating it for lunch today 🙂
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- Phoebe Lapine says
OMF Jill!! Which recipe did you try?? I’m so thrilled!
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