See, if I had written “vegan,” half of you would probably think, “What a preacher!” But now that I’ve got your attention… I am vegan.
According to Wikipedia’s definition, “Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals.”
Veganism is (in my opinion) a lifestyle that one can choose and adapt in many ways. My veganism has roots in my family and upbringing.
My mom barely ate meat when I was born and slowly turned away from it. When my older sister Tatiana became all 100% plant based, my mom followed. Not long after, my little sister Kat became vegan (she was only 13 at that time; she’s so freaking bad ass!). Although half of my family wasn’t eating meat, including my mom, she’d always make two dishes for dinner. We’d have a choice between one with meat and one without. Can we just take a minute to praise that lady?! I know how time-consuming it can be to cook for only two, and she cooked two meals every night for 5-10 people…!
Vicki the Meat Eater
As a picky and stubborn kid, I’d always go with the “easy” option: the meat dish. If you ask my siblings or parents today, they’ll tell you I was the one who consumed the most meat (and just food in general!). So, what happens when someone tells you something a countless number of times? You start to believe it.
I saw myself as this kid who could, and would, eat the most. At restaurants, I’d go out of my way to pick the plate that sounded most extreme. Combo plate with chicken, meatballs, and steaks? It’s mine! There was this strange pressure to maintain the image that my surroundings created. And I’m just now realizing how unhealthy this relationship with food was. I never knew how it felt to be simply full because I kept eating past that.
I’ll bet a dairy-free pint of Ben & Jerry’s you’re imagining a very fat kiddo–but that’s not completely true. Yes, I was a little chubby, but all my dance classes helped me stay within the normal weight class.
During boarding school in 9th grade, my parents were no longer paying for dance classes. I gained a few pounds and topped 165 lbs (75kg), but in another post I can tell you how I lost 33 lbs (15kg) in a couple years.
How and why did I become vegan?
Let’s just say my family was pretty surprised. I mean, I was working at an American-themed restaurant called BONES.
One night my older sister of two years, Josephine, and I talked about how we felt like we were vegans “in the closet.” We admired our sisters and mom for making the change, and we knew that it was (in our opinion) the best thing to do. But we also agreed that we couldn’t take the step; it was just too much of a sacrifice.
Something changed in me during the summer of 2018, however. I was 19 and had just returned from a dance competition with my four best friends in the world, my dance crew Selection. After that trip I was feeling super motivated and confident. That was when I travelled to London (solo) to take dance classes.
My parents will often joke how it took an amazing boy to finally convert me to veganism. And I can’t argue there.
Devin had been plant-based for 2 years when he met me. He took me to Wild Life Cafe on our second night together. At that point in my life, I was completely open to letting everything in. People, ideas, inspiration. I was ready to eat up the world.
Coming home from London, I continued to eat meat when it was served, but I stopped buying it. Ditto milk, eggs and cheese. When I found out Devin was going to fly in just two weeks later, I started experimenting with veggie-packed meals (and bombing my vegan family members with questions).
I went from thinking explicitly “vegan food” to just cooking creative dishes that happened to have no animal products. Way easier than expected, surprisingly!
November 4th, 2018 was the day Devin arrived in Denmark and the last day for me as Vicki the Meat Eater.
My whys might be different from other vegans you know. It took a boy and my health to go cold turkey (from, well, turkey). Is that selfish? I sometimes think so, but my motivation has since expanded. I’m much more aware of the profound impact it has on animal cruelty and the environment.
Lately I’ve followed the new Danish political parti Veganer Partiet and they’ve opened my eyes to the brutal reality of how animals are treated (even when the farmers are following the law).
I’ll leave you with this link in case you wanna look more into the amazing (and much needed!) work lead by Henrik Vindfeldt.
My relationship with food now
No more chunky monkey (as Dev would have called me, out of love of course). Food is way more interesting now, to be honest. Freestyling (Click here, to check out my favorite recipe) in the kitchen is a newfound passion, and I’m in love with the challenge of working from scratch. When you can’t just pull a ready-made meal off the supermarket shelf, you get creative! I’m not picky anymore (besides pickles, remoulade–a Danish thing, made out of pickles, so don’t bother to look it up–and olives. Oh and artichokes actually).
Some might think “vegan food” will make you either super skinny (because it’s all veggies) or terribly unhealthy (because a lot of alternatives are processed). It’s a fine balance between veggies providing all your necessary protein/vitamins and substituting meat alternatives in your favourite dishes. I’m sure some (me!) would worry about saying goodbye to pizza forever. I have to tell you, though… damn do I love my vegan pizzas loaded with greens and Daiya cheese.
topped with home grown cilantro!
In the beginning, I told myself that I could start eating roast and drinking cow’s milk whenever I wanted, and that the switch to veganism was just to challenge myself. Being vegan, I feel far from restricted. Instead I would say enlightened, just probably not in the half-religious way you think. It’s not about giving up a big part of your plate. I found out that a dinner can be so much more than the basic 3-part meal: potatoes with sauce (we Danes really love our potatoes…), rosa steak, and a side salad.
Do I miss eating meat? No! Do I miss the social traditions and freedom to order everything on the menu? A little. But I’ve enjoyed so many amazing meals (with surprising ingredients and new spices) all because I’ve opened my mind to other options (PLUS restaurants are proving that plant-based is kinda trendy).
I will continue to encourage everyone to be open-minded when it comes to food, to discover new recipes and to accept lifestyles different from their own. We’re out here doing something that we know is right for us, for nature and for the future.
Still, I’m in no way saying this is what you need to do. Truthfully, I’m sick and tired of “meat eaters” sticking an equal sign between “vegan” and “preacher.”
I remember how my mom would try to convince me (often!) to pick whatever meat-free option she made for dinner, and I would feel like she was coming across as pushy or a know-it-all. It didn’t feel good. But she wasn’t wrong. Her food was and still is delicious, more varied, and for a lot of reasons more ethically right. Now I see my resentment: she was trying to change my perspective before I was ready to.
Veganism is at its core about compassion–for animals, yes, but also fellow human beings.
Would I love for you to join me on this vegan journey and experience all the wonders of tofu scrambles and black bean burgers? Of course! It’s awesome and it has made me happier! But I also fully respect that these journeys take time, that our positive memories are intertwined with our meat, and maybe even part of our identity.
Any questions, comments, or delicious vegan recipes (yes, please!) are very welcome down below.
I’ll give you three of my favorite recipes:
Thai Peanut Lettuce Wraps, but with rice noodles and less oil (with the peanut butter and that amount of oil it can be a little too greasy).
Tira Misu, takes a little more time, but worth the extra effort. I promise!
Mac and Cheese, I usually boil and blend a carrot together with the potatos and the cashews sinse it’ll give the cheese more of that caracteristic cheese color.
ENJOY!
Kys og kram, Vicki the Plant Eater,
Victoria Liv