Connecting with vegan simplicity

Highly complex vegan salad. LOL (public domain photo)

Why does everyone seem to think going vegan has to be so complicated? Is it complicated to eat only veggies, fruits, legumes, nuts and whole grains? Is it complicated to be compassionate? Is it really so complicated to toss a salad and eat it or refuse to buy leather shoes? Heck no. Going vegan is only complicated if you make it so.

Sure, you have to get your protein and your B-12. So what? You need those things as an omnivore or vegetarian too. You just get them in different ways. It's no harder to get them as a vegan than it is to get them otherwise.

They make plenty of shoes and clothes that don't support the suffering and death of other animals. Really they do. And you don't have to go to special stores to avoid wearing fur, leather (skin) or feathers. My cheap flip flops are vegan. I checked. They cost a whole big 5.99.

It's not rocket science. I'm pretty sure most omnivores or vegetarians don't go around measuring every little ounce of protein or other nutrients they consume. Vegans don't have to either. We just toss a little nutritional yeast in, add a serving of beans or a handful of nuts here and there and call it good.

Totally tasteless vegan Mexican food. NOT! (copyright Jaipi Sixbear 2014)

We don't waste away or lack for anything. As a matter of fact, this vegan is trying to lose weight, not gain it. I get all the nutrition I need and then some. I'm so full of vitamins and minerals, I could start a nutritional store.

Vegan desserts are easy. Just use a vegan egg substitute, almond or coconut milk, a vegan butter substitute and you're golden. Nothing else really changes with baked goods. Plus, there are many, many vegan chocolates out there. There's even vegan cheese-cake. Oh my!

Some vegans miss the cheese. There are vegan cheeses for those who like them, too. As for me, I find them too fatty, just like the “real” cheese I used to love. My appetite for it waned once I found out about the cruel, corrupt, dairy industry and realized what it was doing to my health.

If you miss the meat, you wouldn't believe how much vegan meat has changed over the years. We buy a vegan bacon that tastes so good! There's also other healthy vegan meats made from beans, quinoa and even spinach, apple and more. They're incredible! And nobody dies to fill your plate!

It's not hard to give up meat after you see the suffering you cause by buying it. I know more than a few die hard hunters and omnivores who watched Earthlings and instantly went vegan. For compassionate people, veganism is not a struggle or a hardship. It's a pleasure.

There is a whole new realm of palette pleasure for vegans. We eat the rainbow, revel in the freshness and gulp down the goodness. We have food adventure binges. Every morsel is full of flavor. Every bite is a new experience. Vegans are natural goodness explorers. Our food isn't complex. It's awesome!

Going vegan is as simple as whipping up a stir fry, grabbing a piece of fruit or subbing tofu or vegan sausage in your spaghetti. So, stop going on about how hard it is to be vegan, please. It's much harder to not be vegan for those of us who know the truth and have connected all the dots. Plus, think how hard it is for the animals, the planet and the starving children if you're not vegan!