Somewhere in the middle of February I realized that I need to focus on my successes with eating plant-based and not stress about every infraction.

For example, I do really well with breakfast and lunch. I eat at work – my day is predictable when I’m in the office. I routinely have a mashed banana with raw oats mixed in for breatkfast. That’s my go to favorite. Lunch is almost always some kind of salad with tons of greens and fresh veggies, sometimes chick peas or whole wheat pita. When I sit back and think about it – that’s two thirds of my daily eating! I am happy with myself for consistently making good choices for breakfast and lunch.

My challenge is eating well at dinner and during the weekend. I usually arrive home later than I intend, and am in a hurry to eat and spend time with the kids.  My Mom typically fixes dinner. Thank you Mom! Sometimes I adapt what’s for supper to my own desires. I use the whole wheat pasta and veggies but skip the meat. But some nights, My Mom has obviously gone to some trouble to make dinner. On those nights, I tend to take a small portion of whatever she has prepared. I was beating myself up about it and feeling like I need to put my foot down. But honestly, it’s not the end of the world. And I’m moving out of my Mom’s in the near future. Dinner will be my priority once I’m back on my own with the boys. Maybe a realistic goal is four out of seven nights animal free!

Another big success for me is finding Almond Dream “ice cream”! It really does make my night brighter if I can have a scoop of ice cream once the kids are asleep. And it replaces the glass of wine I was in the habit of having, as a reward for getting my beautiful rascals to sleep. I think a scoop of Almond Dream is a better end-of-day vice than a glass of pinot!

My top three successes this month:

• Getting through the worst of the Winter with lots of roasted veggies, beans, greens and whole grains as staples
• Using nutritional yeast and Bragg’s aminos to season food
• Bringing fruit to work for snacks

For March I need to focus on:

• Holding myself to one small cup of coffee on the drive to work (It’s a public safety concern — I can’t drive Rt. 128 without it!). But I can do without the second cup once I get to the office.
• Pass by the jar of Tootsie Rolls in my boss’ office – darn you delicious, bite-sized devils
• Find more fun restaurants with great vegan options (I ate at a great organic cafe in Beverly, MA this month but need to find more!)