Here I grow again!

Is there a protocol to follow on the first blog? I really just want to jump in and say that I've been sitting in front of my computer for five hours on a beautiful but chilly summer Sunday morning in Seattle. One Bing search for "Seattle Vegan Cooking Class" took me down a rabbit hole of really interesting sites promoting vegan food, recipes, clothing and accessories, farm sanctuaries, research papers and books. The past five hours ultimately led me to start this blog so I could keep track of all the things I want to go back and read, remember and try as well as the adventures I take as a result.

So why Vegan cooking classes? Well, I've finally come to terms with the fact that while delicious, serving frozen meals from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods doesn't exactly mean I'm cooking. Rather, it means I've been heating things up and is likely one of the reasons why I don't know how to make anything other than stir fry or salad from scratch; neither of which my children will eat.

I've always LOVED going out to eat. What's not love? I don't have to stress out about meal planning, everyone gets to pick out what they want, everyone is happy and there are no dinner dishes to wash. Beautiful! I've abstained from eating meat other than turkey, fish and chicken for the past 25 years and have raised my kids the same way. While my love for culturally diverse and flavorful food has grown over the years, I can't say that my family's sense of adventure has followed. Another reason why I love to eat out.

Here's the rub... now that I eat a plant based diet it's been a challenge for me to order off of a menu without feeling like I'm being high maintenance. (no judgement) Innocent questions such as "is there butter on the grilled asparagus?" "do you know if the vegetarian soup is made with chicken stock?", "are the beans vegetarian?" "can I have olive oil and balsamic vinegar instead of butter for the bread?" send my table partners over the edge, evidenced by their exasperation, sighs and eye rolling.

The more I explore vegan recipes and restaurants, the more I become awake and alive. It's evoked a passion in me that's been dormant for years. My life is really great and while I love taking care of the needs of others, I've found that I have more to give when "my own cup is full". (Only very recently did I understand why on earth a parent on an airplane should secure their own oxygen mask before securing the oxygen mask on their child) While my intention isn't necessarily to convert my family to the vegan way of eating overnight (they are 43, 21, 16 and 12 years old after all), my intention is to provide them with healthy, cruelty free options that help them, and the planet, thrive.

So, the new path in my journey of life includes learning how to cook healthy food that's congruent with my beliefs and tastes delicious. There are many vegan restaurants I want to visit in Seattle so that I can become fluent in vegan staples such as seitan, tempeh, quinoa and tofu. Once I get a sense for how these new flavors and textures work, I'll be able to look at a long list of ingredients in a recipe without having my eyes glaze over. (right?) Eventually, I'd love to open a cafe of my own here on the Eastside of Seattle. How's that for aspiration and ambition?

Here I grow again!