LovingHut for Extreemly Creepy Vegan Dining

I was excited to learn about a new vegan restaurant a couple weeks back from a blogger (Eat Well. Live Well. Be Well) who shares my frustration about the sad state of vegetarian-friendly dining in Tampa.  I had the chance to check it out today with my husband and kids....I think it's safe to say that it was the weirdest dining experience I've ever had.  Let me explain....

My first introduction to LovingHut came from their website. I was genuinely impressed. It's an international chain with a slick website. The food looks promising. I was expecting something on par with Evos.

Boy was I ever wrong. The first clue was the location. The restaurant is smack in the middle of "suitcase city". It's a seedy little neighborhood, to say the least, but its proximity to the university makes for an eclectic mix of businesses. So, we reluctantly gave it the benefit of the doubt as we pulled in to the nearly empty parking lot.

The atmosphere was actually quite pleasant at first glance - it was clean, bright, open - but something just seemed off. On the way to our table we passed a shelf full of pamphlets and reading material covered in pictures of an Asian woman with long blond hair - the same woman on the rather strange sign out front positioned above the more familiar, professional-looking logo I saw on the website.

Okay, that's weird, but it gets even weirder. Right above our table was one of several large television screens playing a strange news channel at an exceptionally loud volume. The screen was covered in subtitles from a dozen or so languages and the narrator was speaking in this hallow, soothing tone. It certainly wasn't CNN. After closer look, we saw that this channel was called Supreme Master TV.

As I confirmed from a quick Wikipedia search, LovingHut is affiliated with a spiritual organization headed by a lady who calls herself Supreme Master.

Now, I don't know anything about this Supreme Master. Maybe she's the next Ghandi or something. But from where we were sitting, being inundated by the telescreen, it was just plain creepy. It was more funny creepy than scary creepy, so we went ahead and ordered.

I will say the food was okay, but certainly not great. There were very few options on the menu that weren't made from processed soy meat substitutes. Frankly, I was so weirded-out, that I had a hard time being objective about it.

So, do I recommend it? Not unless your looking for some entertainment and can't afford dinner theater. The experience has left me with two lingering thoughts:

1) The best veg cuisine consists of whole-foods - not processed meat substitutes.

2) I hate those moments when trying to adhere to a vegan diet feels like being in a cult.

My Vegan Experiment - Lessons Learned

I completed My Vegan Experiment a couple days ago. In case you missed it, here's a quick recap. After 6 years as a vegetarian, I decided to try going vegan for a week to see how it went. The outcome was good, and I plan to continue adhering to this new diet. Much to my surprise, I hardly missed the eggs and dairy. Overall, I noticed a number of positive physical changes - decreased congestion, weight loss, improved digestion. I had some highs and lows with my energy level. However, the most unexpected outcome was the flood of epiphanies I had about food in general, irrespective of the vegan issue. Here are some of the lessons I learned:

Health drives frugality. Not the other way around. I admit that frugality was not at the top of my mind during my experiment. There were just too many other things to consider. I'm confident that once the dust has settled, I'll be able to refocus and start saving more money. Now more than ever, I will not let my desire to be frugal be the driving force behind my food decisions. Instead, I will be finding ways to save within the framework of the choices I've made based on health and the environment. An interesting side note.... I found that the extra money I spent on certain things was offset nicely by all the junk I was not buying.

The power of accountability. Keeping a food log each day and posting it on my blog had an enormous impact on my ability to stick with it through the hard times. Plus, the encouragement and support I received was priceless. It's scary putting myself out there, but it was worth it!

Eating consciously. Living consciously. The food log also increased my awareness of what I was eating and why I was eating it. I realized just how much I was eating when I wasn't even hungry. I feel like I've brought a new awareness and purpose to the way I eat and the way I live.

Food is meant to sustain. Not entertain. I'm an emotional eater. I've known that for a while. I eat when I'm board, stressed, sad, celebratory - you name it. However, this is the first time I've been ready to tackle this issue on a serious level. The act of keeping a food log naturally led me to follow this guiding principle: food is meant to sustain my physical body, not address my emotions. That's not to say that I haven't enjoyed my food. On the contrary! I have savored every bite of the flavorful, nutritious food that I ate, and felt immense gratitude for the sustenance it provided my body.

Sugar, sugar. Honey, honey. You are my candy girl, and you got me wanting you. I had a gigantic wake-up call that sugar has been like a drug for me. The more I eat it, the more I want it. Once I stop eating it, I stop wanting it. I feel kind of like a junkie in rehab. I'm happy to be clean, and I plan to take one day at a time. By the way, a nice side benefit to avoiding sugar is that it makes it easier to avoid the eggs and dairy that are usually in baked goods. They seem to all go hand and hand.

Treat redefined. I realized that sugary deserts weren't as much of a "treat" as I once thought. I'm trying to redefine what it means to reward myself and love myself (I mean love, the action verb). Instead of chocolates, cookies and ice cream, I'm treating myself with raspberries (even if they cost $5 for a tiny carton) or the most delicious organic salads I've ever eaten from Sweetwater Farm. There are also plenty of ways to reward yourself without food: a trip to the spa, a relaxing bath, music, new clothes, a chat with a good friend, a movie, book or TV show, and a million other things.

Moderation, shmoderation. One might ask, what harm are all these things in moderation? That's a good thought, but unfortunately it doesn't work well for me. Just this once turns into all the time way too easily. I'm better off just saying no. Plus, it helps to have the decision already made before a sticky situation presents itself. I don't plan on being super rigid about eggs, dairy and sugar. For example, I might eat something at a party if it contains a little butter or has an egg baked in it. However, I don't think I'll be eating an omelet or an ice-cream cone anytime soon.

It is about ethics and animal rights for me. When making decisions about my diet, I try to look at the big picture - health, the environment, frugality, and ethics. Animal rights issues have always been a piece of the puzzle for me, but not the single driving force. As much as wish that I could never hurt another living thing ever, it just doesn't seem realistic. Up to now, I felt like eggs and dairy were not a problem because the animal wasn't being killed. After thinking about it more, and reading about what cage-free and free-range really mean, I no longer feel okay about being a dairy and egg consumer. I know this is a sensitive topic, and I am not judging anyone if they don't agree with me. We all have to make these decisions on our own. Implementing them can be even more tricky - we all just have to do the best we can!

Vegan goes beyond food. It's all about small steps for me. Now that I've cut eggs and dairy, I'm thinking a bit more about what it really means to be a vegan. There are so many many ways that humans exploit animals (and people, and the environment) to suit their own purpose. I don't think I'll be getting rid of my leather jacket or my leather chair. However, I do intend to try to increase my awareness of these things and make more conscious decisions in the future.

What's good for the goose is good for the geasling. Or is it? In the midst of all these revelations about myself, I'm seeing how I'm creating the exact same patterns for my children. I reward them with food all the time! I'm not sure if that's something I can stop overnight, but it's something I must tackle. Plus, if I don't feel comfortable eating eggs and dairy, why should it be okay for my children? I don't think it's wise to experiment with their diet like I have with my own, but I do need to think about this.

The power of intention. Call it prayer. Call it meditation. Call it goal setting. Whatever you call it, I think that setting an intention and having a clear vision for what you want for yourself is an incredibly powerful thing. Especially when you take the time to write it down and communicate it to others. I've seen it work in my own life a number of times. My intention related to this experiment was to have a healthier lifestyle so that I will have more energy and be mentally and emotionally stronger. Once I set that intention and contemplated what that means, the path became increasingly clear. As I intended, this week has brought many of the changes I so passionately desired. And I'm ready for more!

If I can do this, I can do anything. The confidence and inspiration that comes from setting a goal and achieving it is priceless! The goals that seemed out of reach a week ago suddenly look more realistic, and I'm ready to continue moving forward.

You are who you want to be. This phrase was on a poster in the video production room at my high school. I saw it many times, and it has stayed with me all these years. What it means to me is this - the person that you want to be, the best version of yourself, the person you envision that you could be if you tried hard enough - that is who you really are. Not the person that you may be at this moment - flawed with lots of qualities that irritate you to no end. I have a vision of myself as I could be, as I want to be. I just need to work towards realizing that vision. That is who I believe I really am, and I love that person. I've always struggled with the concept of "loving yourself", but thinking of it in those terms, it only makes sense that you would love this ideal version of yourself because that person is pretty awesome!

If you have actually read this long post, I thank you with all my heart for indulging me. It was very cathartic for me to write this and send it out into cyberspace. I wish you all the best of luck on your journey to good health. ♥

My Vegan Experiment - Day 7

Yesterday was the last day of My Vegan Experiment. I cut eggs and dairy out of my diet for one week to see if I could hack it, and the verdict is in.... I can! And I intend to continue doing so!

It's still too early to tell if this will be a permanent lifestyle change. However, I'm ready to really dig in, learn, and give it a fair try. I'm so grateful that the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart begins tomorrow (Monday, March 1).

It wasn't nearly as much of a struggle as I thought it would be. I actually learned some profound life lessons this week, which I will share in another blog post.

On Friday I was struggling with low energy and headaches. However, yesterday I started to feel much better. Today I feel fantastic! One major difference is that I've been drinking more water. I also think I may have been experiencing a sort of "detox". A reader told me that the symptoms I was experiencing are common during the transition period, but they should subside within a short time.

Anyway, here is the last food log of my week-long experiment. Aww... I will miss doing this every day!

• coffee with rice milk
• black bean burritto from Chipotle with white rice (not ideal!), green peppers, onions, guacamole, lettuce and tomatoes
  
• dehydrated vegetable chips from the Greenwise section at Publix - green beans, carrots, beets, taro, turnips (they were such a nice snack, and my children loved them too)
• roasted soy nuts with sea salt (also from the Greenwise section at Publix)
  
• organic Tazo Chai tea with rice milk
  
• organic apple with 2 tbsp of peanut butter
• Bolthouse Farms Vedge Juice (tastes like V8, but with better ingredients)
• Alexia Spicy Sweet Potato Fries (they were okay, but not great)
• a couple pieces of pop corn - it may have had butter, but I'm not sure. I ate it without even realizing it!

Thank you so much for your comments and well wishes. It is SUCH an encouragement to me and everyone else who is reading it! ☺☺☺

My Vegan Experiment - Day 6

I'll be honest here. It's day 6 of My Vegan Experiment and I'm not exactly feeling great. Yes, I have dropped a little weight. My congestion has definitely improved. However, my energy is low, my head hurts, and I have a wicked cold sore. There may be some other explanations for these symptoms, but I'm thinking that I may not be getting all the nutrients I need.

Believe it or not, my current state hasn't detracted me from a vegan diet in the least. I actually feel more sure than I ever did that I want to change my diet. I just realized that I still have a lot to learn about the best way to go about it.

How serendipitous that the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart Program would be starting on March 1, just as I am ready to really start learning!

Here's what I ate today. I still did not drink enough water, which could be one of the reasons I feel the way I do. It was one of those days where I couldn't even take the time to get myself a drink. I also wonder if I'm eating enough. I'm not hungry exactly, but I just feel kind of weak and sluggish. Am I just going through some kind of withdrawal period?

I really need to do a nutritional analysis of what I ate.... but I'm too tired right now!!

• coffee with rice milk
• my perfect breakfast - this time with fresh raspberries instead of cranberries
• orange juice
  
• organic raw cashews
• fresh strawberries
• earl grey tea with rice milk
• stir fry vegetables with whole grain noodles: organic bok choy, organic spinach, organic cabbage, mushrooms, red peppers, olive oil and soy sauce
  
• edamame (soy beans) with olive oil and sea salt
  
• cereal and rice milk
  

Want to Kickstart into a New Diet this Monday?

A reader told me about this 21 Day Kickstart program that starts on Monday, March 1. Basically, you enter your email address and receive daily emails that walk you through a three-week introduction to a vegan diet. It's FREE, of course.

This couldn't have come along at a better time for me. I am on day 6 of My Vegan Experiment. I'm definitely psyched about making the change, but I'm realizing that I still have a lot to learn about how to properly implement this diet. I'm hoping this kickstart program will help me hone in on the information I need to learn as well as provide the daily encouragement that helps keep me going.

This program is being offered by the non-profit organization, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), I don't know much about PCRM, so I'm a little skeptical about the credibility of their research related to nutrition. However, I'm keeping a an open mind and taking all the information with a grain of salt, as always.

If nothing else, I hope to get some new vegan recipes. I'd love the company if anyone wants to do the program with me.

Thanks to the reader who told me about this! She did the kickstart in January to get some healthy recipes for her family. She is thinking of becoming a vegetarian. Good luck on your journey to better health!

My Vegan Experiment - Day 5

I almost ate a Samoa today! I was out of my predictable home environment, and I got blindsided with an offer of a Girl Scout cookie. As a former Girl Scout, how could I say no, right? I had it in my hand and was just about to eat it before I remembered that I was in the middle of My Vegan Experiment. Wamp wah. There was a moment of disappointment, but I was mostly embarrassed I had picked up the cookie and then put it back on the plate.

I think I did pretty well today with my food choices. I noticed the less sugar I eat, the less cravings I seem to have. Maybe sugar is really more of an issue for me than eggs and dairy. I also realized I'm not drinking enough water.

• coffee with rice milk
• my perfect breakfast - this time with fresh raspberries instead of cranberries
• whole grain wrap with hummus, lettuce, spinach, carrots, radish, and kohlrabi (it can be hard to find an acceptable tortilla wrap, but La Tortilla Factory offers a nice soft wrap with 13 g of fiber, 8 g of protein, and no hydrogenated oil or high-fructose corn syrup)
• orange juice
  
• organic raw cashews
• fresh strawberries
• earl grey tea with rice milk
• quinoa with sauteed spinach, red peppers and mushrooms

By the way, thanks to a suggestion by a reader, I'm going to give the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart a try. It starts on Monday, March 1. If you think you might be interested in trying the vegan thing, check it out!

My Vegan Experiment - Day 4

I cheated ever-so-slightly today, the fourth day of My Vegan Experiment. I had just a little honey in some honey-mustard dip I made as part of a raw veggie tray for a family get-together. I didn't feel too bad about it because honey is not a reason why I wanted to try a vegan diet. I plan to do a little research about the honey industry and see what the health and ethical issues are. Does anyone have any input?

Anyway, having to eat in a social situation did present a few challenges, as I expected. My sister-in-law's famous chocolate chip cheesecake was alluring, but I stood firm in my resolve. It wasn't too hard. My mantra right now is this:

I will not reward myself with food. Instead, I will reward myself with a healthy body by only eating food that contributes necessary nutrients.

It's hard to imagine maintaining that kind of standard forever. However, I'm not going to think about forever right now. Just this week.

Here's what I ate today. Pretty good. I could easily stand to loose the carbonated juice. I need more fresh fruit. I also read an article today (click HERE) that got me thinking about cutting coffee. I wish they made yerba matte in k-cups.

• coffee with rice milk
• assorted raw vegetables: organic broccoli and cauliflower, red peppers, carrots, and lettuce
• whole grain wrap with hummus, lettuce, spinach, carrots, radish, and kohlrabi (it can be hard to find an acceptable tortilla wrap, but La Tortilla Factory offers a nice soft wrap with 13 g of fiber, 8 g of protein, and no hydrogenated oil or high-fructose corn syrup)
• sparking raspberry juice (no added sugar)
  
• organic raw cashews
• dried cranberries sweetened with cane juice
  
• an organic orange
• earl grey tea with rice milk
• soup made mostly from all the odds and ends in my fridge: white kidney beans, organic whole grain brown rice, organic tomato sauce from a can, a fresh organic tomato, onion, and the green tops from the organic kohlrabi and carrots from my Sweetwater pickup.
• cereal with rice milk
  

I haven't noticed any new side effects today. Everything is pretty much status quo. However, tomorrow is another day, so we'll just have to see what happens!

My Vegan Experiment - Day 3

It's the third day of My Vegan Experiment, and I'm feeling surprisingly at ease with this lifestyle change so far. However, I think the true test will be when I step out of the daily weekday routine and I'm at a restaurant or special occasion.

I was feeling a lot of cravings today. Interestingly enough, the cravings were not for dairy or eggs, but for desserts. So I decided to have a serving of Talenti strawberry sorbet, which is certified vegan, and doesn't contain any undesirable ingredients (other than 21 g of sugar per serving). Yes, it tasted lovely, but I was not satisfied. In fact, I felt a rush of cravings for a bunch of other things I didn't need. Interesting. Instead of trying to satiate some kind of emotional urge with empty calories (and failing), perhaps I'm better off just eating foods that actually add something worthwhile to my diet. Surely I can find more constructive ways to address those emotions.

I am experiencing continuing improvements related to digestion and congestion. In addition, I may have detected a bit more energy today. It's hard to tell just based on a single day, but it was particularly noticeable because I didn't get around to having a cup of tea until about 4PM. On most days, I'd be sleeping on my feet by that time without my afternoon dose of caffeine. However, today, I felt perfectly alert without it. Nice!

In truth, the biggest benefit I'm noticing from this experiment is that I'm becoming a lot more conscious of what I'm eating. I realized just how much I was eating without even thinking about it. It really helps me to read labels carefully, write down what I'm eating, and be accountable to someone. Thanks for keeping me honest and aware you guys!

Here's what I ate today. Pretty good on the veggies. I need more beans and grains tomorrow.

• coffee with rice milk
• whole grain wrap with hummus, lettuce, spinach, carrots, radish, and kohlrabi (it can be hard to find an acceptable tortilla wrap, but La Tortilla Factory offers a nice soft wrap with 13 g of fiber, 8 g of protein, and no hydrogenated oil or high-fructose corn syrup)
• sparking apple juice (no added sugar)
  
• fresh strawberries
  
• organic raw cashews
• half an organic orange
• Talenti strawberry sorbet (on sale at Publix for $4 through Wednesday), which is certified vegan
• earl grey tea with rice milk
• cole slaw with raw sliced almonds
• banana
• whole wheat toast and organic hummus
• orange juice
  

My Vegan Experiment - Day 2

The second full day of My Vegan Experiment went swimmingly! I experienced some noticeable improvements with my digestion and congestion. I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't really have any strong desires for anything that was off limits.

There was one moment when I felt like I needed something, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. This is a feeling that would normally cause me to eat something that doesn't serve me well. I quickly reached for my emergency snack - organic raw cashews (from the freezer) and dried cranberries. Oddly enough, putting the cashews in the freezer and mixing them with cranberries somehow makes them taste like an amazing treat to me.

Here's what I ate today. I did better than yesterday, considering I ate more vegetables. However, at some point I need to do a nutritional analysis to see if I'm getting everything I need. I think I'm doing fine on protein. I'm just not sure if I'm hitting all the vitamins and minerals.

• coffee and rice milk
• quite possibly the perfect breakfast: organic hot high-fiber breakfast cereal - walnuts, bananas, dried cranberries, flax oil
• tabbouleh - couscous, cilantro, tomato, garlic, lemon, olive oil
• whole wheat toast (an improvement over yesterday's pita chips that were not whole grain)
  
• Steaz Peach Ice Tea, which is certified vegan, by the way
  
• organic raw cashews and dried cranberries
• earl grey tea and rice milk
• half of an organic orange
  
• raw organic cabbage with onions and olive oil
• an organic green salad made from my Sweetwater pickup (several types of lettuce, carrots, radish, and kohlrabi). I added white kidney beans for protein.
  

I did have one "oh no" moment when I realized I wasn't going to be able to have my usual homemade honey-mustard dressing. I just made it with mustard and olive oil, sans honey. It was just fine. Less sugar is certainly a good thing.

My Vegan Experiment - Day 1

Well, I made it through the first day of my vegan experiment. It wasn't too hard, although I had a few moments of strong desire for cookies and ice cream. It was actually a good feeling to have a few extra reasons to resist the urges.

One of the main obstacles I knew I would have to face is finding an acceptable milk substitute for my coffee, tea, and cereal. I have tried all sorts of non-dairy beverages over the years, and was not pleased. However, this time I had a more open mind and stronger resolve. I'm not a big fan of the vanilla flavor varieties, which is what was always presented to me in the past. This time I tried plain rice milk. I really like it! It's not too sweet and it's delicious! It actually tastes like rice, which is kind of strange.

If you are thinking about cutting out dairy, but aren't sure about non-dairy beverages, my advice is to just keep trying until you find something that suits you. There are a lot of varieties out there, such as almond milk, soy milk, and coconut milk.

Here's what I ate the first day. I thought I would miss honey in my tea and hot cereal, but I really didn't. I definitely did not get enough vegetables. Luckily, we picked up our harvest at Sweetwater today, so that will be rectified tomorrow! I don't feel like I ate as much as I usually do, but I'm not hungry. The hearty breakfast and raw cashews in the afternoon really filled me up. I can't say I feel any different. We'll see how tomorrow goes....

• coffee and rice milk
• hot high-fiber breakfast cereal - walnuts, bananas, dried cranberries, flax oil
• hummus & pita chips
• ice tea
  
• earl grey tea and rice milk
• tabbouleh - couscous, cilantro, tomato, garlic, lemon, olive oil
• orange juice
  
• raw cashews and dried cranberries
• cereal & rice milk

My Vegan Experiment - Can I Hack It?

I've been toying with the idea of adopting a vegan diet (no meat, fish, dairy, eggs, or honey) for months. I finally decided to give it a fair try for one week starting today. First of all, I'd like to determine exactly how difficult it would be to make the change. Secondly, I'd like to see if it makes me feel better.

I have been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for about 6 years, meaning I don't eat meat but I do eat eggs and dairy. I actually eat a lot of eggs and dairy - especially cheese, butter, yogurt, and ice cream. Perhaps too much. So, this will be a fairly big change for me. I wonder if I can hack it?

Why go from vegetarian to vegan? Here are some of the things I hope to do by cutting out eggs and dairy:

• Improve digestion. Approximately 75% of the world's population loses the ability to digest lactose after infancy (click HERE for some interesting statistics about lactose intolerance among different ethnic groups). Perhaps I am part of that percentage of people who are lactose intolerant, and by cutting out dairy I will have better digestion, which could improve my quality of life in lots of ways.
  
• Reduce excess mucus. Although it's controversial, some people believe that dairy is mucus-producing. I figure it's worth a try to see if cutting dairy might give me some relief from the uncomfortable symptoms that come from excess mucus, such as sinus headaches and nasal congestion.
• Lower my cholesterol. My cholesterol lingers right around 200 despite the fact that I haven't eaten meat in 6 years. Perhaps my excessive consumption of dairy products and eggs are the culprit.
• Make room for healthier choices. When you've cut out meat, dairy, and eggs, what else is left? Fresh vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and whole grains! Yes, there is plenty of vegan junk food, but I'm hoping that by cutting out some of my main pitfalls (high-fat cheese and ice cream), I will end up making better choices overall to fill the void. I might even loose a few pounds in the process!
  
• Reduce exposure to certain chemicals. Dairy products and eggs sometimes contain things such as growth hormones, antibiotics, and coloring agents. Although there are products that claim to be free of these chemicals, they aren't always readily available or affordable.
  
• Support more eco-friendly & humane farming practices. Animal farming is much harder on the environment than produce farming. Plus, the humane treatment of the animals is not exactly ideal, even when "cage-free" and "free-range" practices are used. Click HERE for information about what these labels really mean.
  

I know that my diet will never be perfect. However, I am determined to make little changes each day for better health - not just for me and my family, but for the environment. I am often overwhelmed and confused with all the information and research about nutrition. While it's tempting to give up and just eat whatever, I'm determined to keep trying!

I recognize that we all have to make food choices that are best for us. I am not one to judge or criticize others who don't make the same choices as I do. I just hope, as always, to exchange information with you about my experience with food so that we all might be more healthy, green and frugal. I hope to hear from you about your experiences!