What's for Dinner???!!!

This question has finally gone from being filled with pressure to being a fun challenge.  When I was considering all the things I thought about before becoming a parent, one of them definitely was not the fact that I was going to have to feed people everyday.  Gone were the days of having a bowl of cereal for dinner when I didn't feel like cooking.  (Although now that my kids are older, this may have to be introduced as a healthful way of having a quick meal and saving our sanity when necessary...hummm, let me give that some thought...)

The evolution of the dinner conundrum to being a fun challenge has everything to do with my new way of eating. I think the reason it was easier cooking BV (before vegan) is that I was used to it, even pretty good at it.  I had my go to recipes, didn't need to look up anything.  I often ran out of ideas or got sick of my cooking the usual fare, but it was easier to get by on the fly because it was so familiar to me.  Since going vegan, I have had to completely reorganize my thinking about food and cooking, which has taken some time to do.   Now that I have been doing this for many months, the time I spend preparing is lessening.  I have a small repertoire of go to recipes and my time in the kitchen is finally going down.  I think it is even safe to say that I am a better cook now too.

The question remains, what is for dinner?  

I find inspiration in all kinds of places.  I have found great websites with free access to recipes and ideas.  I have started a list on this blog and constantly update it as I find new treasures.  I read cookbook reviews on Amazon and then check out those that are available at the library to vet the recipes.  The ones that I like I buy.  My favorites are listed on this blog. I don't read books much right now, I read cookbooks.  I mark the recipes that look interesting for quick reference later.  I used to make the mistake of making a market list as I was reading a new cookbook, only to then purchase the items and not know what recipe I had intended to use them for.  Doh!

Another new favorite resource is Chowhound.  This is a culinary website that has EVERYTHING related to cooking and eating that you could possibly imagine.  It was my go to source for discussion/reviews when I was contemplating my new cookware.  I enjoy this discussion thread that is all about Vegan meal ideas and resources: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/887213  Check it out and see what you think.  Cut and paste the address into your browser.  Spend a moment or two looking around the site.  I am constantly finding new things to like about it.

The website NutritionMD.com has free meal planning resources and recipes to simplify things a bit.  Engine2diet.com has a free 28 day meal plan with some of their recipes online.  Happy Herbivore has a paid service for those looking for a weekly meal plan with all the recipes included.  These are just a few of the possibilities out there to simplify things.

Making this transition has been time consuming in a good way (most of the time.)  I really enjoy the investigating, the shopping and the experimenting in the kitchen. I enjoy cooking (and eating) so much more now. Dare I say, I am even having fun! It has been a challenge, for sure. And there are definitely frustrating moments, like spending over an hour on a new recipe only to have it received with an "ew, this is BAD!"

I have found the physical and emotional benefits of our culinary and dietary changes well worth the time investment.  I see the positive changes in my family.  This is all the fuel that I need to keep doing what I need to do to answer that perpetual question, "WHAT'S FOR DINNER?"  And to do so with joy.