The First Posting--Who, What, & Why

It all started for me with a cupcake.

My wife purchased a book by a doctor who offered proof that you can overcome Type II diabetes by following a vegan diet. (Yes, I have diabetes) I laughed at first. I always looked at vegans as a semi-crazed small group of people on the outer fringes of the eating world. Why wouldn't I? I am Executive Chef of a large catering company. I work on menus with lots of beef, chicken, sea foods, cream sauces, desserts, etc. I work with chefs who LOVE food. I LOVE food! (you get the picture?) I still do that job every day, but my wife and I switched to a vegan diet about 10 weeks ago. I had to do something. All my numbers were on the rise; weight, blood sugar; blood pressure. Not a pretty prognosis at age 49. My wife had problems breathing and sleeping through the night, and a twisted ankle in February was not getting any better. Her weight was going the wrong way too.
Getting back to the book. After a stressful day where nothing seemed to go right, I came home one Sunday, and my wife, Donna, had decided to begin following some of the recipes in this book. I don't remember the dinner in particular, but I remember feeling that I had just eaten the most healthy meal I had had in a while, but I was a little unsatisfied. I was too used to following dinners with ice cream or cake or pies. Fruit wasn't doing it for me. Especially New England fruit in April ! But we quietly carried on. We went to Whole Foods and spent $225 dollars buying stuff I had never purchased before: dried chick peas, flax seeds, arrowroot powder, vegan pop corn and snacks. Vegan "deli meats" and tons of organic produce, rices, grains, mixes. There was almost no end to what we were buying. Going through the bakery, we noticed a small selection of 4 or 5 vegan baked items, alongside organic cheesecakes and $30 dollar fruit tarts. Donna spotted a blackberry frosted vegan cup cake. It was simple, but it called out to us! It was the last thing we threw in our carriage. We rushed out of the store and raced home. We wanted to try everything (I wanted the cupcake!). When we finished emptying our groceries, we split the cup cake. It was not as good as a cupcake made with eggs, it was a little drier, but the frosting was sublime. Lightly flavored with blackberry, I savored every bite. I knew I was beginning a new journey when I shook the container crumbs into my mouth. Some things would not be as they were. Some dishes we were going to create would resemble "normal" food, but would be free of cheese, and meat, and poultry. I would struggle to continue to be a "normal" chef by day and a VEGAN chef by night. This is the beginning of the journey for Donna and I. Where it ends? Who knows. For right now, I want to perfect that damn Blackberry Cupcake!
Recipes and pictures to follow soon!
Peace