So today is the day! My book, But I Could Never Go Vegan! is officially published! I haven't felt this accomplished since that one time I made Corbin Bernsen laugh (that's a story for another time).
Let me tell you a little about this book and why it's important to me. Just 5 years ago, I was working in a cheese shop, selling cheese. I was part of the dairy industry. I was very much one of those people who would roll their eyes at vegans behind their backs and I was very quick to say "I could NEVER go vegan!" I was vegetarian at the time but the thought of giving up cheese was preposterous. I had other excuses: "How would I get my protein?" and "But cookies? I need cookies." and "What would I eat in social situations? I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable."
Balsamic Baked Pears with Cashew Blue Cheese
Once my eyes were opened to the truths of the dairy and egg industries and all of the violence and torture involved in animal agriculture, it became very clear to me that I could no longer justify these excuses. I was filled with guilt and I knew I couldn't be involved in this violence in any way any longer. I NEEDED to go vegan.
Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Bars
Sure there were some confusing moments when we first started out, but it wasn't long before I realized how much I'd gained by going vegan, how much better and more delicious my diet had become. It wasn't long before I realized that all of those excuses, all of those doubts, were completely unfounded. But I Could Never Go Vegan! is a testament to that fact.
Seitan Reuben Pizza with Caraway Seed Crust
This book is for all of you who are considering going vegan but aren't sure how you're still going to get your cheese fix.
Tofu Chèvre
It's for all of you new vegans who are still trying to get your footing and learn what the heck you're supposed to do with tofu anyway.
Savory Roasted Corn Cheesecake with Cilantro-Pepita Dressing
It's for all of you long-time vegans who need to shake things up in the kitchen and try some new recipes (Baja Delish Tacos with Mango Salsa, anyone?).
Baja Delish Tacos with Mango Salsa
It's for all of you vegans who have to cook for omnivores and want to get rid of those raised eyebrows and distrusting stares.
Salisbury Seitan Phyllo Pouches with Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
It's for all of you omnivores who want to make something other than an iceberg salad for your vegan friends.
Roasted Broccoli & Apple Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
A few technical things about But I Could Never Go Vegan!: It's paperback, 308 pages long, with 125 recipes. All but two recipes are pictured in the book. That's right- pictures for nearly every recipe! All the recipes are vegan and many are gluten-free or have gluten-free options. It's also written with my classic, clever wit that you've all grown to love and cherish with absolutely no sarcasm.
Eggplant Meatball Subs with Spicy Marinara Sauce
If you buy But I Could Never Go Vegan!, I truly hope you enjoy it. I wrote it for each and every one of you.
Molasses-Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse Tart with Coconut Whipped Cream
Still not convinced? Check out this trailer (My publisher, The Experiment, surprised me with this yesterday! They are just the best! Shout out to Molly, Sarah, and Jennifer- you ladies rock, plain and simple.)
Because I'm so dang excited today (it seriously feels like Christmas morning right now!), I'm giving away 3 COPIES of But I Could Never Go Vegan! right here, right now! That's right- 3 WINNERS! If you already bought it, enter anyways. If you win, I guarantee you that this book will make a good gift. The giveaway will run through 11:59pm PST on December 7th, 2014. It is open to US residents only. Please use the box below to enter.
Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement over the last few years. This book would not have been possible if it weren't for you. If I could, I'd give each of you a big, fat hug.
Photography by Chris Miller
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I simple just didn't know or wasn't around the right information!
Jacky
I didn't bother to spend time cooking or preparing food!
Katie
My excuse? I'm not sure I had one -- I just liked meat and cheese.
Ann Taylor
hard to give up cheese...but I did it!!
Marie
I didn't knew such a lifestyle existed!
Karissa @ Vegan À La Mode
Yay congrats on the book release!!
Before I was vegan, I was a longtime vegetarian who couldn't fathom "giving up" chocolate chip cookies and ice cream! Little did I know there was vegan alternatives that were way MORE delicious!
Angela B
Going out to eat at restaurants is hard to find vegan selections.
michelle
I was vegetarian after watching food inc. It wasn't until my husband said lets go vegan, that I thought about giving up cheese. How could I do that. Now thinking about it, it was a silly excuse.
CONGRATS on the book!!!
Jen
Congrats!! Yay!
My excuse.... Cheese... **sigh** Cheese. Just..... cheese. It really does stand alone. 🙂
Laurie
I was worried about cheese and chocolate, but it's been much easier than I thought!
sue
Meat was easy, cheese and eggs were hard!
Aimee B.
I'd say I'm about 95% of the way there. My biggest issue is when someone goes to a lot of trouble to cook something just for me. Usually they will make me something with cheese. I don't want to hurt their feelings, so just take a small piece because I truly appreciate their efforts. I need to find a better way.
char eats greens
This is amazing!! Congrats on the release. This is definitely on my Christmas list now! I think it seems appropriate seeing as I got Isa Does It last Christmas and she happened to give a testimonial on the cover of your book 😉
Kari
I went vegan after watching Forks Over Knives!
Charlie
I love the video!! So funny and clever 🙂
Shira
I've been vegan almost 22 years. I think before I became vegan my biggest excuse was that my parents would not have approved (I was a teenager when I became vegan). I did it anyway and my parents soon came around and realized I was the healthiest one in the family.
veg4life
I didn't go vegan earlier, because I just didn't know why I should. Now that I am, my only regret is not making the change sooner. Best thing I've ever done on so many levels!
Maeghan
I transitioned from vegetarianism to veganism about a year and a half ago. Before making the transition, I thought it would be too hard to find things to eat! Couldn't have been more wrong!
Devin
I am vegan, but before changing my lifestyle, I thought it would be too difficult to constantly check food labels and ask about the ingredients in food at restaurants and so forth. I was completely wrong, though. I actually think it's fun to do this now and it has just become a natural part of my life.
Sophia
I had to main "reasons" for not going vegan back in the day. First, like so many other, I was intimated by the thought of giving up cheese, not just because I love(d) it, but because it's such a major part of my family's Italian traditions. Second, I'm a terrible procrastinator; I knew for a long time that I would eventually go vegan, but I kept putting it off. It wasn't until my mom asked me "why have you been eating so much vegan food lately?!" that I finally decided to make it official out of pure obstinance.
Congrats on your book! It's going to the top of my wishlist!
Kristina
Cheese was easier than I expected, but my main excuse was eggs. The cravings for eggs for breakfast every day went away after a month though. Now oats satisfy me for the weekdays, and delicious tofu or chickpea scrambles are nice treats on the weekend. My other excuse was money, but not eating ready-made and processed foods keeps the costs really low, definitely lower than my vegetarian diet heavy on cheese.
Shannon
MY biggest excuse before going vegan was ice cream. It was so silly when I think about how many vegan ice cream brands and recipes there are now!
Katie
An Awesome Day Indeed! Congrats Kristy!!!!! I know that it's as delicious and amazing as you say. And a little wit and humour is called for in life 🙂
All the best!
Katie
Katie
Biggest excuse is finding the time to make delicious food. Vegan "convenience" food is expensive. Being vegan isn't costly, but a processed vegan is!
Bianca @ Sweet Dreaming
i really do enjoy the taste of meat!
tim nona
hope this works for an entry, the "box" never shows up
Maria Anne
My biggest excuse was definitely cheese and dairy. But knowing that cheese has addictive substances in it, I no longer feel bad about that...it was the cheese talking, not me!! So excited for this book!
Cadry
Kristy, I am sooooooooo excited!!!!! According to Amazon, my copy is on its way. I can't wait to get my hands on it. From all of the sneak peeks I've seen, it looks amazing!
When I was vegetarian, the one thing standing in the way between me and going vegan was brie. Now there are so many awesome vegan cheeses around (like your chèvre), I never give brie the slightest thought.
Melanie
Congratulations on an amazing looking book!
Shelley
I definitely don't miss cheese, but the only thing keeping me from being vegan is eggs. I have a lot of dietary restrictions, meat and dairy being two of them, so until I have fully adjusted I am keeping my diet the same. However, most days I eat 100% vegan anyways, so I don't think the transition would be hard. Maybe this book is just the kick in the pants I need to do it!
Michele
I could never give up cheese.
Sarah
I eat a mostly-vegan diet currently; before it was just too inconvenient, and I really don't like people asking questions!
Carla
I thought it would be too difficult with only one of us being vegan. I kept talking about it and then my husband finally saw Forks Over Knives and said 'Let's do it.' and we went vegan that week.
stephanie
I loved fish and chicken
Randy Clemens
So many congrats Kristy & Chris! I know I've already told you, but the book looks AMAZING! Those Chickpea Sloppy Joes...
Enjoy the hell out of your launch day! There's NOTHING like it!! Congrats congrats congrats!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
SO excited for you!!! Mine was always cheese, still struggling, but it's getting better!!
EVA
My excuse WAS that my family "wouldn't let me". I was raised on the fact that "everyone eats the same meal NO MATTER WHAT". As a kid, they never would make seperate dinners for my sister and I. They knew we hated fish, but if they had prepared fish that night, we had to eat it or nothing at all. I'm vegan for health reasons; I first had to become gluten-free, which automatically meant preparing different dishes than my family for dinner. I'm currently 19, and while it does make my mom uncomfortable that I won't be partaking in the Christmas ham ever again, she understands and is more than willing to accommodate. And now for this book- I'm a classic Midwestern meat and potatoes gal, I need these hearty vegan dishes!
Sarah H
My big excuse was that it was too difficult in social situations. PSHAW, I say these days 🙂
Alison
Cheese is a biggie for me. I've discovered a lot of the new non-dairy cheeses lately along with books for making them...so that helps. Certain people in my family are also making it difficult...constant sabotage by dangling favorite non-vegan things at me. Very frustrating. I need to stop being flexible even if it means annoying the you-know-what out of my mother and others.
Millie | Add A Little
How exciting! The book looks amazing and I love the video!
Tiffany
I think my biggest excuse was that it would be hard in social situations but it really isn't that hard, I can always modify meals or bring a vegan dish to a party!
Diane
Congrats on the new book - it looks perfect!
My main reasons for not going vegan sooner were:
1) I don't have time and don't really like prep cooking much
2) It's can be difficult to eat out with friends or worse, at their homes (this is still true)
3) I'm gluten free by necessity and adding another layer to my needs was daunting
4) The eye-roll factor -- I hate being the "difficult" one in the group.
Laura markell
Before I went vegan I thought that by only eating chicken I was still making a difference little did I know all the torture these beautiful creatures endured. So happy to be vegan and thankful for being able to help at local sanctuaries in my free time. Now I know I'm making s difference.
Stephanie
It just seems so hard! I keep trying though!
Heather B.
Giving up cheese was the hardest thing for me, and it still tempts me at times! Looking forward to discovering things like the tofu chevre!
Terri Cole
Up until spring of 2012, I was one of those long time "mostly veg" people. My standard line was "I could NEVER go vegan, that's too extreme. And besides, cheese!" A little book called 'Veganist' by Kathy Freston opened my eyes. I dropped the eggs and dairy (and that occasional piece of fish) and I have never looked back!
Sarah S.
Happy day! Congrats!
My excuse was definitely eating in social situations, which of course turned out to be no big deal at all!
PS. I need the reuben pizza in my life!
Blake
It used to be cheese, but not anymore!
Debbie P.
I became vegan 3 years ago, but due to my life and so many things going on and social situations, I've gone to a roughly 85/15 rule on eating vegan/healthy. I have meat on rare occasion and when I can't eat vegan out or choose not to, I'll go the vegetarian route at least. I would SO love to win your cookbook as I have enjoyed SO many foods I've never even heard of or tried since changing my lifestyle!
Emma
Wow Kristy! Huge congratulations! The book looks truly amazing. I could eat ALL of the pictured dishes now (and I've just had dinner!).
Going on the Xmas list 😀
Kara
How exciting! It all looks AMAZING! 🙂
Becca F
My love of cheese and ice cream used to be common excuses
Anna
Honestly, a fear of not being able to enjoy the foods that I am obsessed with now. Plus, my boyfriend is French and good luck finding ANYTHING vegan-friendly at one of their family gatherings...
Faith
I'm a vegetarian, but not vegan. My reason to not go vegan is that I feel it would be difficult to eat vegan outside of the home at restaurant dining.
Heather
I actually did not have an excuse. I didn't know about veganism until I read a book called Skinny Bitch. I have been vegan ever since!
Heather
I actually did not have an excuse. I didn't know about veganism until I read a book called Skinny Bitch. I have been vegan ever since 🙂
Meredith @ Unexpectedly Magnificent
Congratulations on your book launch! I'm so excited for you! 😀
Before I became vegan, I definitely didn't want to give up cheese. Pasta without Parmesan? Blasphemy! Now, I feel much better (physically, emotionally, and mentally) with cashew cheese.
Sara
Vegan can be so yummy....but so many other things are yummy, too! I don't want to miss out on anything!
Emily
I enjoy eating local cheeses and meats, although I do limit my consumption of animal products and love to try vegan recipes!
sarah
Your book looks amazing and so needed!! Congrats congrats:) Before going vegan I would say I could never give up hamburgers haha I don't know why but I had it in my head that that was a big thing..I rarely ate hamburgers even lol. And now give me a beet burger and I am set:)
Katie @ Produce on Parade
Congratulations, Kristy! This is fabulous!!
Tanya Phillips
Just cheese, though I really don't like it as much as I use to. I think I am totally ready to give it up. Congrats on the book!
Elaine
Your book looks amazing .... before I became vegan I did not not think I could "give up" alot of food I love !!
jessica
biggest excuse not to go vegan, ice cream! DUHH;)!
Zoey
My biggest weakness definitely was (and still is) dessert. Luckily, now I know that vegan baking is easy!
Richa @ veganricha.com
Congratulations Kristy! the last thing that lingered for some weeks was the morning chai tea. Once we found the right non dairy milk that worked in the hot tea, it was simple sailing.
Becky
I am vegan. I didn't really have excuses. Once I saw the value, I did it. Just had to be educated!
Moo
I didn't know how to create a meal that was filling and wasn't just a salad…Oh, my have I changed in the last two and half years of being vegan..Once vegan,you NEVER go back!
Lori
cheese is my last food that has been difficult for me to give up. Everything else is a breeze, but I do love pizza every once in a while.
Kristy
My biggest excuse before I went vegan was CHEESE and eggs.
Casey
I was a vegetarian for over a decade, and was worried I would miss cheese, but it has been very easy!
Abigail Swift
I wanted to eat clean and not support the meat packing industry.
Joan
At home, I can control what I eat and cook. When I go to networking events, it can be challenging if the menu is pre-ordered for a group.
Emily
Cheese would have been my excuse, but I don't miss it one bit anymore.
Breanna
I think my only excuse was that I hadn't thought much about it! I had been comfortable as a vegetarian for five years prior to going vegan, but as I gained more knowledge on the subject, I was able to make the transition so easily! 🙂
Jen
My biggest excuse is that I don't want to hurt my family's feelings. It's ridiculous for sure. But I am vegan at home and just not quite when I'm out. Thanks for all you do!!!
Michaela
Before I went vegan, it was mostly learning how to make substitutions in cooking and baking. SO easy now!
Marjolein
My biggest excuse is that when I go to restaurants or friends home I don't want to inconvenience myself or other people.
Robyn B | Modern Day Missus
Woohoooooo that is so exciting! I'll definitely be getting my hands on a copy. Congrats girl!
Sarah
Cheese! Cheese was the hardest thing (I thought) but now it's no big deal!
ryann
My biggest excuse for not having gone vegan yet is being a college student! I am mostly vegan, but being so meticulous about what I eat is tough when on a budget or not being able to make food and only buy from a cafeteria.
erinwyso
My excuse was that I hated to cook and didn't know how! Things change, eh?
Allularpunk
Before I went vegan I swore I could never give up cheese. Been vegan for 6.5 years now and going strong! Really looking forward to your book!
Marilyn
Having meat allergies, vegetarian was easy. But I haven't been exactly healthy. Then finding out I had sensitivities to eggs, wheat & tomatoes makes it feel like I can't eat anything. I'm trying to have a whole food diet but at times it seems overwhelming - like I'm spending all my time thinking about food or trying to cook something new to sub the stuff I can't eat. Sometimes giving in on cheese (which I love) is easy to do. Still trying though! I will get there.
Martha :)
I've been veg for three years now but aside from the cheese thing, I thought it would be too expensive! For some reason, I thought it meant you ate processed grain meats all day. Then I discovered vegan cookbooks.... <3
Stephani Van Dyk
Before becoming a vegan, I was a vegetarian for 21 years. I thought veganism was excessive & unhealthy. Then I watched a few documentaries.... now my family has been vegan for 2 1/2 years and we love it!!!!! We just needed more education : )
Bobbie // the vegan crew
Congratulations! I'm so excited for you! I'd love to win a copy of this book. Before I went vegan, my biggest excuse was that I had too much to learn. I thought I had to have answers to every question that could ever be asked, that I had to have a full arsenal of perfected recipes at my disposal, and so on. Pssh. In the end, I just jumped in and realized an open and willing mind was all I needed. 🙂
Karen
Cheese!!!
msred5 at gmail dot com
Yoojin
i'm not vegan, but my diet is very plant-based. however, i simply love seafood and consume it on rare, special occasions! (love my salmon)
diana @ veggienextdoor
I am mostly vegan but I cheat sometimes 🙁 free cake/pizza at work gets me every time!
Michelle @ Fit. Flexible. Fabulous.
I just e-mailed my hubby with a link to this page...in case he's wondering what the heck to get me for Christmas 😉 I love the trailer your publisher put together...so cute! Take that, beet haters!
Congrats and best wishes for a successful launch! Happy Holidays 🙂
Sarah
I cook 100% vegan at home, but eating out or at friends is stopping me from going all out.
Katie
First, I thought I would have a hard time giving up cheese - but that wasn't a problem when I realized how many calories cheese added to things! Then, I struggled with giving up pastries, but then I found some bakeries and donut shops in my area that sell vegan pastries. Now, I tell my husband, "Anything you can do, I can do vegan!" ...still, I'm pretty sure I need this cookbook!
Marie
Definitely cheese!!
Jim Columbia
ignorance
Jordan
My biggest concern with adapting a vegan diet is protein. I am currently working out a lot with weights and consuming a lot of protein daily to try to gain weight and build muscle. I'd definitely like to cut out or reduce my consumption of animal protein. I don't eat cheese regularly so it's really just chicken and eggs.
Lorena
Ha - my husband!
Jillian T
My excuse for straddling the fence is that I haven't found a good vegan cheese for my homemade pizzas.
jacquie
congratulations on your book! ice cream & cheese are my biggest excuses. it used to be eggs also but i think i might be ready to take that step now but not the ice cream and cheese
Gaby
I think my toughest battle was not with myself but being unable to handle the judgement and criticism from family. I've akways struggled with finding the balance between wanting to please others or not be the strange or inconvenient one, and taking care of my own health and values. I'm still not comfortable with it but much braver about standing up for myself!
Anne
I eat primarily vegan food when I am cooking for myself (I'm already a vegetarian ) but it is so hard to convince my meat eating fiance that vegan food is OK. I have to sneak it in and tell him afterwards that it was vegan!
Jess
I wasn't sure it'd be healthy for me..
It is!! 🙂
stacie
My biggest excuse was I didn't want to give up my over easy eggs in the morning!
Greg Allbee
Been a vegan for about 3 years now I think. My only excuse was not knowing the facts about animal welfare, the harm to the environment, and that yes you can have a complete balanced diet and be vegan!
Jillian
I am not sure about the right information, and I want to make sure I can stay healthy before making the jump to be vegan.
Ember Miller
My biggest excuse was I'm from South Texas, and no way could I do it in BBQ ville USA. Then I joined the military and the bases were very veg unfriendly. Now I'm on 4 years vegan and am influencing my friends and family. My husband has cut out everything but seafood and eats only vegan in the house 🙂
Natalia M
My biggest excuse is that I won't to be able to share my meals with my husband and my family..they're not even vegetarian, never mind vegan, so that makes things more difficult.
Janel M.
My excuse was cheese. And the fact that I didn't cook much and was worried about needing extra kitchen tools (blender, food processor, etc.). Now I wish I'd done it so much sooner.
Gerry
Congratulations, your book and recipes look amazing. Can't wait to get my hands on it!
I'm vegetarian who mostly eats vegan. What stops me being vegan is cheese. I like vegan cheese, but I'm not ready to give it up. Not yet...
Aimee
About four years ago, a friend who lived in Texas mentioned the Engine 2 Diet to me. I looked at the book on Amazon, and poked around the website for a bit, but came to a screeching halt when I read that no dairy was allowed on the diet. "No way, I could never give up cheese and yogurt, and ice cream" and all the other dairy I was using on a daily basis. Giving up meat was not an issue, as I didn't eat a lot of it to begin with, but don't take my cheese! Once I read more about how damaging dairy is to the body and that the dairy industry is no different than the meat industry, however, I had to do it, and went vegan in January, 2012. I have found so many other items and recipes to satisfy any cheese cravings I may have, it's no longer an issue.
Veronique Daoust
I am vegetarian. My biggest reason for not going vegan is that I have so many dietary restrictions (gluten-intolerant, soy-intolerant) that I feel the need to consume dairy and eggs when needed. I am very active and weight train regularly, so I need to consume a high volume of food. I do make sure to only buy egg and dairy products from local small-batch organic farms that treat their animals with respect and love, and let them roam free and eat a natural diet, free of cruelty.
Kim Warren
I have concerns about it being difficult to get proper nutrients from a strictly plant-based diet, but do appreciate the health aspects of it!
Kathryn
My biggest excuse was that I could not give up cheese. When I started eating it again and my face broke out in a horrible rash, I had very obvious evidence that my body did not like this!
These photos are amazing by the way!
Beth Cotler
My family would tell me I had to eat fish or eggs once in a while for portien - and I was too lazuy to do my own research
Jenny
Going vegan removed a load of guilt off of my conscience and I honestly laugh when people suggest that I have given up so much. There is a substitution for everything I ate before that tastes better, is healthier, and doesn't involve the suffering of another being! I feel that I truly learned to cook when I became vegan!
Paige c
I love fish and yogurt! That would be the hardest part I gave up red meat and poultry 4 years ago
Ana Hinz
I always joked that I couldn't be vegan because I'm originally from Wisconsin, and that I'd be disowned if I didn't eat brats or cheese! (I haven't) 🙂
Cloudy
I've been vegan for almost 3 years. Was vegetarian for 16 years before that. I knew there was no way I could give up cheese or eggs. Guess what? It was waaaay easier than I ever thought!
Laura
Giving up meat was easy but dairy presented a challenge...or so I thought!
Now, almost 5 years later, I can honestly say that some of the tastiest meals I've eaten have been vegan.
Rosanna
I had the same excuse.. I love cheese... but until I saw the cruelty that farm animals go thru I couldn't be part of it anymore.. Big Congratulations to you and this wonderful book!! I hope I can win a copy!
Natalie
The biggest hurdle in becoming a vegan has been living in a smallish town without many vegan choices. There are no restaurants I can eat at unless I order a salad with no dressing ( boring!) My supermarkets aren't stocked great either, it's a real struggle to find vegan butter. So I have to cook every night and can't go out to eat with family and sometimes it just stresses me out and I'll have a dish with cheese or eggs.
Carey
The main reason I have not fully become Vegan is because I over-complicate things and can't seem to get out of my own head. For instance, I'm terrified to make modifications with restaurant meals in fear they'll spit in my food, or that I have trouble planning ahead (in every area of my life) and planning is so important when limiting processed foods - I often get overwhelmed and stressed out when trying to batch cook, I also worry about social situations and that I'll be hungry (and I also feel guilty turning down food that someone made). I know I must sound like a basket case, but, in all honestly, this is what runs through my head. It's no wonder I can't seem to get it together, haha!
RBoesch
I had attempted to go vegan last year for 6 months. I really struggled to make meals that my family would enjoy and started to really rely on processed food 🙁 . The vegan foods that I found were complicated and completely foreign to the meals my family were used to ( Burgers, Mac & Cheese, Tacos, Breakfast Sandwiches, etc.) For these reasons I gave up and have felt like I am compromising my beliefs for ease. I think a book like this would help me abridge plant based eating with the foods my family is used to eating making us all a little happier and healthier :).
Melissa
My biggest excuse was definitely the cheese. And frozen yogurt. But I quickly got over those things as soon as I committed to being vegan.
Kim
Here in the south, being vegan is almost like being an alien. I still struggle when going out to eat, but I stay vegan at home and I am much happier and healthier for it!
Amanda
I am plant based except for our favorite local ice cream shop and the occasional family meal where I eat people's home baked things which I'm sure contain dairy and eggs.
Eve-Marie
It was always the cheese! Don't miss it a bit now though 🙂
kimberley
my biggest excuse was cheese. when i went out it was so much easier (i thought at the moment) to order a cheese pizza everywhere i went!
April
I grew up thinking dairy was good for me and that I needed it for strong bones, also thought the same about meat, it was good for me, and I needed my protein! It's amazing how much business interests affect USDA food recommendations, I believed them. When I learned of all this I went from being omni to vegan overnight.
Elisa
This cookbook looks so amazing, I'm super excited to get it!
The biggest issue for me is not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings. When I go to my family or friend's houses I don't want to be rude by not eating the food they've prepared. I don't want to be a difficult guest! But they'd probably understand, especially since this is something I believe in; I love all animals and after watching Food Inc. I couldn't bring myself to eat meat from the animal agriculture industry anymore.
Laura
Cute video! Says it all! I've been vegan for almost 18 years and yes, the cheese was the hardest to give up. Now, I have no idea why I loved cheese so much, there are so many better options! Looking forward to buying (or winning) your new cookbook!
Jess
I agreed with veganism intellectually, but just really hated being the "difficult" dinner guest.
Nancy Sparrow
Congratulations on your book launch, it looks so awesome! I have loved looking through the recipes on your site, and the photos are beautiful..thanks for sharing your recipes with us!
stacey
I am 95% vegan, very hard to give up my egg addiction!
Virginia
I am working my way to veganism. I need to forget about eating Red Snappers for the rest of my life!
Scott
I was a vegetarian for 21 years until I finally gave up cheese three years ago. Cheese was my nemesis!
Fleanette
I'm a vegetarian, and I already drink vegetal milk, and try to use as less butter, eggs and cheese as I can. But I don't know how to give up cheese... Vegan cheese seems tasteless to me 🙁
Brian Ferrin
Cheese is a hard one to give up, still working on it. For the most part I'm off eggs.
jody w
I am vegan, 10 years now. My biggest excuse was probably cheese or ice cream. In reality I eat so much more varied now than I ever did as an omnivore.
Mandy
I've been a vegetarian for 23 years and am raising my child as a vegetarian. I haven't gone vegan because we live in an area where it is hard to find vegetarian items on menus/in grocery stores. I'm not confident in my abilities to be able to prepare all of our vegan meals, should we make the switch.
Cherise
My biggest excuse is cheese. 🙁
Shayna Teicher
So excited! I preordered your book last week, but would love to have a copy to give to a newly vegan(ish) friend. My excuses during my post-vegetarian/pre-vegan life definitely included not being able (not wanting) to give up cheese, the protein of eggs and other since-proven erroneous statements like, but with cheese and eggs, the animals aren't killed and I buy free range and organic so it's not cruel to the animals (tears). Cashew cheese (and cashewfredo) and tofu scrambles have changed my life forever and the lives of friends I share my cooking with. Like you, once I saw first hand the pervasive cruelty throughout ALL of animal agriculture, I had to take a serious look in the mirror and ask myself a) if it was really worth it, and b) did I really think I couldn't find delicious alternatives to these foods. Answers: a) nope, not worth it at all b) OF COURSE! The alternatives are even better!
Dana
I do not have an excuse. We simply love meat and cheese. We do have more vegan nights in my house and less and less meat. But every once in a while...
Meg Hartman
I am vegan now and I never really had a good excuse before. I just was content in my ways and blind to what was really going on with my food and not wanting to change my ways. I guess my excuse would be "ignorance is bliss"
Amy Lucero
I am currently pescatarian, would love to move closer to vegan. My biggest challenge is the fact that my husband does all of the cooking and enjoys it, but really can't fathom meals without cheese. (He is still carnivorous also) We do trade off some and he enjoys my occasional vegan dish so that's progress!
Lindsay
I'm worried that I will miss cheese too much. I am about 95% vegan.
Nicole
I was vegetarian 25 years before becoming vegan a year and a half ago. Once I found out that the dairy industry was just as bad as the meat industry, I had no choice but to become vegan since I couldn't unlearn what I'd discovered. I slowly eliminated eggs and dairy from my diet over the course of about a month and haven't looked back since! I've had the best food of my life since becoming vegan and it has opened up a whole new world of foods to me. The hardest thing to give up was cream cheese and ice cream, but since then I've found some amazing substitutions (homemade and store bought) and also I love making my own vegan ice cream flavors, and they are actually so much better than the dairy versions that it still shocks me!
Michelle
Before I went vegan, I thought I would never be able to give up cheese but now it kind of disgusts me!
Kimberly/TheLittlePlantation
What a journey and what an accomplishment. Congratulations!
Annie M
Excuse? For starters I know that I thought for a long time that 'veganism' was some kind of misguided fringe movement for people with too much time on their hands. That all changed when I saw Forks Over Knives... I feel MUCH. MUCH. MUCH better when I eat vegan... and yucko on the rare occasion that I don't. For me there is a definite difference ...so it is actually an easy decision to choose to eat this way.
Jessica
I grew up eating meat every night and I wasn't raised eating a lot of vegetables. But once I learned about what it was doing to my health and my family history I had no more excuses and dove right in.
Laura
I race competitively in triathlons and I use honey for my race fuel. It took me years to perfect my race nutrition and nothing else works like honey does.
Bridget Meghan
I have been vegan since I was young because I got grossed out about meat, dairy and eggs. It wasn't a hard choice for me and I was never one to say that I could never do it. I actually don't know what eggs, meat, or cheese even taste like. Just nasty to me. I guess the hardest thing was being able to eat places.
Michelle
I love cheese and it's hard to get my kids to eat the same type of food that I am eating
Korie B
I used the classic, "but I won't get enough protein". Then I became educated, went vegetarian and eventually vegan and am never looking back!
Kris
Cheese was easy but seafood, that I missed for a very long time
Cynthia
It would be so hard to give up cheese.
Krista F
I had sworn I could never be vegan because of cheese and chocolate. I'm finding lots of great dairy free chocolate. And I am still eating pizza--but I'm down to once a week and have given up all other cheese. I'm working on giving up the mozzerella.
Colleen
I didn't think there was any point to going vegan - I thought going vegetarian was good enough... But I learned it's NOT enough!
jessica z
My biggest "excuse" My boyfriend doesn't like vegetables and is a meat and potatoes kind of guy!
Chi
I really like eggs 🙁 Once I get past that, it's full steam ahead to veganism!
Ravyn
That was part of my struggle too. Once I learned how insane the egg industry is (ie: I always said, "Eggs are fine, because the chickens don't die!"), I changed my mind. I could no longer eat them, because I knew how many poor (male) chickens were killed to get me my eggs. Best wishes to you!!
Emily
I went vegetarian after watching Food Inc and have been gradually transitioning to a vegan diet! Slowly but surely.
Rachel R.
I'm currently vegetarian, about 95% vegan. I keep a vegan house, so I'm 100% vegan at home - but eating out vegan in my southern town is kind of difficult! But I'm trying!
Mikaela
Yay! I baught the book here in Sweden yesterday!
Lisa
I always thought it'd be too difficult and expensive. I am amazed at the creative recipes i see day after day on your blog and others. Def pushing me towards that lifestyle.
MCGmandy
My biggest excuse before going vegan was that I could not give up seafood....I am a BC girl at heart, you could throw a rock in any direction and hit a fish'N'chips place....but I found my vegan equivalent and have not turned back since.
sarah
I thought I'd never be able to give up cheese but it was easy - and now I like Daiya way better than dairy cheese anyway!
KathyF
I'm one of the vegans who need to jazz up my kitchen output. Getting tired of beans and pasta 🙂 Looks like a great book, and I really appreciate the photos.
Patrick
Knowledge is definitely power. Who knew food could be so fun AND cruelty-free!
Emily
Your books looks beautiful! Cheese was the hardest for me - specifically, pizza (more the convenience of it than anything) and my mom's macaroni and cheese. Now, though, I get along just fine without dairy cheese and feel so much better!
Jenna Cross
Cheese and ice cream! Thank goodness I did give those up, lost 50 pounds by doing so.
Lisa
I eat a mostly vegetarian diet, but I love fish and that is generally the obstacle to full veganism.
Ravyn
I am vegan now, and it was always a goal for me. I think my only excuse was that I thought it would be too time consuming. I'll be honest, if there's a day I've forgotten to soak cashews, I get bummed, but I now know there are tons of other options! I am so happy to have made the evolution.
pk
One of the best thing I ever done .And this book sounds yummy! Hungry Now must go .
Jennifer
I think the thing most people say when they hear I'm vegan is that they could never give up cheese! It used to be a big thing for me too until I finally realized that being vegetarian wasn't enough to support my belief that animals are not products. That is enough motivation for me!
Purnima
I was afraid that vegan lifestyle would be much harder to follow compared with my vegetarian lifestyle. I became vegan two years ago, and it hasn't been that hard at all.
Irene
My only excuse is CHEESE!!!!!
Irene Keeley
My reason is CHEESE!!!! 🙂 I'm veggie already, but have struggled giving up cheese. And eggs.
Gabby @ the veggie nook
Congrats Kristy! I am so excited for you, you deserve all the success in the world!
Nicollette D.
Like so many others, I thought I could never give up cheese. But I did. Last weekend I made your tofu chevre--better than the original and cruelty free!
isa
i had no excuse while going vegan, i changed from one day to the other after reading skinny bitch and figuring out whats all allowed in the usa (for a good cause europe doesnt allow importation of a lot of stuff from here)...well going vegan doesnt make it easier to escape monsanto but...lets hope the last vitamins can boost our bodies and strengthen it to fight the crap 🙂
Danielle
Delicious cheese! Butter is a very close second (for baking). Can't wait to see the finished cookbook!
Lauryn
Giving up cheese was, by far, the hardest thing to do...I'm a total cheese snob, and I never thought it could be replaced by any vegan product. But after not eating it for a long time, and then indulging over the holidays, I realized how sick and yucky I felt afterward...nothing is worth feeling that terrible! And there are so many yummy cheese substitutes out there now!
Robin
I'm almost 100% but needing to eat GF and Vegan is difficult when eating w/ friends and family.
Warren
I still can not give up cheese
Stacey Oswald
I struggle with digestive problems, and they are sometimes aggravated by copious amounts of insoluble fiber. It's hard to be vegan without all of the beans and fiber from fruits and veggies, isn't it? But I love vegan food and animals, and I would ideally be vegan, so it's a struggle for me.
managersam
I really didn't have an excuse for not being vegan before. I wanted to change my diet to get healthier and after reading A LOT I decided vegan was the way to go.
Christina
I didn't have an excuse. I went from omnivore to a plant based diet to improve my health. After that, I watched a documentary that made me decide to make the rest of my life vegan too.
martha
The entry box doesn't work for me, but I'd love to enter.
I've been vegan for 5 years, vegetarian for 11 before that. Working on family though. 🙂
Jennifer
I loved cheese, and travel a lot!
shastina gamble
My biggest reason for becoming vegan was to help control my health issues.
Alex
Cheese. It's always cheese. Funny thing is that now cheese sounds so gross to me! Going vegan was the best thing I ever did for my health, my soul, and the planet. I'm so thankful for other vegans and this community. Good luck on your book, it looks beautiful!
Laurie Douglass
I am vegetarian and I struggle with just the thought of giving up cheese and eggs. I am going to try a vegan diet in the new year. Both my daughters are vegan so I hope that will help.
tiff
never really had any excuse per say, I was just intimidated by the process initially. Once you get started though, it's an exciting journey!
Kristen
Biggest excuse is that by staying flexible (aka not 100% vegan), I'm not inconveniencing anyone else and I can still eat food that isn't vegan if I need to (or if it's free). The funny thing is... slowly but surely my body can no longer digest milk, cheese, meat, etc. So even if I wanted to stay "flexible", it's proving a bit difficult.
Mohammed K
I don't cook... so whatever my GF cooks is what I eat (she eats mostly vegetarian and occasionally seafood).
Claire B
The biggest things holding me back are simple convenience to eat on the go and getting enough protein while not feeling overly stuffed!