GlutenfreeSally

It’s amazing how little we know about what’s going on in the world and right under our noses, or is it because we would rather not know. Or is it what ‘they’ would rather us not know?

I have just begun the transition to veganism.  I have to admit I went off red meat a couple of years ago and have just been eating fish or chicken and eggs and dairy and maybe the odd sausage. 

My daughter started her journey to veganism about 18 months ago, at the time I didn’t question her choice, after all she’s a grown up and she didn’t force the whole vegan thing down my throat, she just said I should watch ‘Cowspiracy’ and then make up my own mind.  I knew this would be hard hitting, so I purposely didn’t watch it as I was afraid of what I would learn.  Then I saw advertised a ‘mockumentary’ called ‘Carnage: Swallowing the Past’ by Simon Amstell on BBC iPlayer and I watched it.  It’s set in a future Britain, 2067, where eating meat, eggs and dairy is outlawed and there’s no such thing as veganism only ‘carnism’.  It is a bit tongue in cheek but actually uses real footage from the past and present and almost predicts the future.  It is very cleverly done.  It certainly got me thinking!

Then I watched Cowspiracy and I couldn’t believe what is going on in this world and how come I didn’t know about it.  I then watched Food Choices, which just confirmed what I saw in Cowspiracy.  It’s not just about animal cruelty, it’s about the intensive farming methods and how they are ruining our planet. It’s not sustainable at this rate.  But of course, it’s best we don’t know as it makes a lot of people very rich!

The whole experience has left me full of emotions. I feel that I have been lied to by the system, by the government, by the big fat money making fat cats. I feel so sad that I don’t know what to do.  I told my daughter how I felt and she said she went through the same thing.  In fact, there are vegan societies that offer counselling as it is a lot to take in.  I also feel stupid, stupid because I should have known how animals are treated for our consumption, stupid because I should have known about how they farm all these industries.  But I’m not stupid, I am part of the conspiracy that tells us myths like ‘we are doing cows a favour by milking them’, ‘if we don’t shear sheep they will grow so much wool that they will die’, ‘fish have no feeling so it’s ok to let them gasp for air until they die’! So if this is true, how did they live before we started farming them then?

I am not going to tell you that you should all go vegan, but be informed and then make a choice.

Veganism is the next food revolution. It’s more sustainable, it’s a healthy way of eating (how many obese Vegans do you know?) and above all it will save our planet for our future generations.

So, what’s next for me?  I’ve been told by many that I’m mad as isn’t it difficult enough for me being a coeliac let alone being a vegan too? Really? I cook from scratch so what difference is it going to make cooking veg and meat alternatives? I love a cooking challenge, I’ve just spent the last thirteen years cooking gluten free, so as for vegan gluten free – bring it on!

I shall try my best to put up as many blog posts about my glutenfreevegan food journey as possible.

Pinterest is a great tool for finding glutenfreevegan recipes and inspiration. I’ve already found loads of great recipe ideas that I’m busting to try.  And of course there’s Facebook, my daughter has added me to our local group ‘Southend Vegans’, where new vegan restaurants and events are advertised.

It’s an exciting time where we, the people, can make the difference by making our choices,  after all, it’s all about supply and demand.