To anyone who thought I might have died, I apologize. It’s been a year since my last post. I suppose I could say I spent a year living rather than writing about living, but it’s not true. I worked on writing a novel. It was my first attempt at fiction and is far from finished.

Now, I want to write about Food. It has become my hobby and only by allowing it to be a hobby have I been able to adhere to any measure to a Plant Based diet.

Our first efforts were lame and we limped along, learning as we went. You see, I only thought I knew anything about food or nutrition, much less Cooking. We’ve started and slipped, cheated and started again. With each beginning, our efforts were more informed by trial and error.

I watch cooking shows for inspiration. I look online for recipes and pour over books on vegetarian and vegan cooking. Alas, there is not much. Even the most committed vegan is often liberal with the olive oil. So many of the low fat and “healthy” recipes I find are laden with butter, Cheese, oil or all three.

Many of the recipes that meet the rigid guidelines I try to follow, are bland at best, mostly just too weird and often awful tasting. I have had some success however. Some meals have come together and as works of art on our plates, dancing a happy dance in our mouths.

I started keeping a food journal, just so I could remember what I’d cooked we liked and what I’d cooked we didn’t. The short term memory challenges apply to the kitchen, of course. I certainly haven’t kept the journal because anyone I knew wanted the recipes. While friends and family might be proud of our efforts, they have no desire to join us.

Maybe, though, there is someone like me who would love to know of someone elses efforts to cook without meat or dairy or any added fat. I love to see pictures of what a dish is supposed to look like.

I’ll do that here.

Of course, the chance that this blog will become strictly a plant based eating recipe site is slim. I am long winded, at least at the keyboard.

So, that is my new plan. At least for now. Lee and I will try once more to stick to it.

We usually slide first by way of cheese. I had no idea that was my real weakness. I always thought it was chocolate. There is no cheese in the house. The frig is packed with produce. Jars are full of bean and grains. I have a fabulous set of cookware that doesn’t require any oil.

I Hope this time is the last time we have to start over eating this way. I hope I can stay away from the cheese!

Even in our spits and starts, our efforts have not been in vain. A stress test a month ago was “normal.” I was able to walk all over Atlanta’s beautiful Piedmont Park a few months ago at the Pride Festival. The wheelchair gathers dust in the basement. I haven’t been in the hospital in almost a year. I am certainly much better. I give all the credit to this way of eating. Even our failings are better than what we use to eat.

If no one reads this, that’s okay. But I hope you do.

Here’s a feel good video,

James Morrison- super sweet

I’ll meet you in the kitchen soon.