Second Nature : Journal

Hey everyone, Mosno here,
It has been at least a couple of Weeks since I gradutaed from the Vegan Living Program, and I'm still going strong with regrets.

I'm proud to say that I have become accustom to finding vegan options in places, even thinking on the spot how to veganize certain dishes on any restaurant's menu with ease.

It has become second nature to me to go to Giant to grab lunch instead of a Burger place. I'm fond of snacking on Peanut Butter topped Rice Cakes with a side of fruit or a feeshly made smoothie. It doesn't feel like a "chore", it actually feels good, it feels...right.

Many of my friends know that I'm a vegan now, and they respect my choice, and I love them for that.

I was talking to a friend of mine at an open mic the other night, and when I told him that I'm now vegan, he asked me how difficult it was. I proudly shared the knowledge I've learned, and went the extra step of picking up the menu of where we are and showed him all the vegan options under his nose.
I have to say, I was a bit impressed with my self hahaha.

I'm sure my adventures have only begun, I can't wait.

Much love.
I'll blog you later

Mosno Al-Moseeki

Breakfast Conversation

Hey everyone, Mosno here,
 Last weekend I visited my family, and informed them that I am now a Vegan. It was hilarious, and I got asked a LOT of questions. But one question my Mom asked me was "What do you have for breakfast?", many things were suggested, including Oatmeal, Peanut Butter sandwiches, and cereal.
I never really thought much about it, because I'm not a "breakfast" kind of person. Of course I was brought up with the "knowledge" that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I was also taught that Milk does a body good. I'm learning that NOT everything I've been told has been quite true.

Today however, I woke up, and was a bit hungry, so I wanted "breakfast". In the morning, I'm a very light eater, so I needed to find something light & delicious to go with my morning tea. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at my quick vegan breakfast options at the Giant food store.

I found crunchy granola & seed bars with chocolate chip chia from "Kashi", which are totally Vegan. I read the ingredient AND used the "Is It Vegan" app, and it said "DEFINITELY Vegan". Brilliant.
I know they have other products that contain milk & honey, but I was very happy to find a sweet vegan option. Woho. I'm now having that with my spiced chai tea, with a little bit of vanilla coconut milk.

This is one aspect of Veganism no one told me about, the sheer joy when you unexpectedly find Vegan options for what ever it is you want! it really does brighten your day :)

Have a lovely rest of your day.
I'll blog you later.
[Vegan Musez]

Much Love
Mosno

Graduation : Journal

I am SO excited and feel SO empowered right now. Yesterday (April/19/2014), I officially completed my 6 week pledge of being a Vegan. It was a lovely afternoon, my fellow Pledgers & I got to walk the stage as we were handed out certificates & our coaches cheered for us, it really was a lovely ceremony.

Many of us talked with each other, and spoke of our life transforming experience, and many asked "What now?" which is a very legitimate question.
Lucikly, Brenda has a monthly Meet-Up called the Veganism Support Group, in which each month she would organize a Pot-Lock event, in which Vegans & The Vegan Curious could get together, network, and discuss which ever topic is chosen for that meet up.
I do believe being connected to the community directly is important. My awesome coach Ben, and his lovely wife have extended their support to me, and we are thinking of having a little Vegan Game Night in the near future, sweet.

As for me, I have decided to STAY Vegan. I feel healthier, more energetic, and all the other Vegans I have met have been nothing but amazing, and kind people. In fact, I have already decided that next year, I WILL be a coach with VLP. I'm also going to continue writing the Vegan Musez blog, to document my experience, at least for the 1st year. I'm sure I will eventually find a more direct way to connect my Veganism to Music, and once that happens, watch out world :)

Today I'm going to be visiting my family, who are of course Middle-Eastern, I will be dropping the Vegan Bomb on them. I'm not sure how they will take it, I'm pretty sure I will be getting the "side eye" from everyone, I wouldn't be surprised if I become the central topic of many jokes, but I take comfort in that. I never did do things "normally", my moto for life has always been "Be a prototype, Not a stereotype". If they want to live in their little comfort bubble, that is their choice, but just like they make their own choices, I also make my OWN.

I feel like my experience hasn't ended, from this point on, it will only extend because now my Vegan choices aren't to simply honor the program, but it is to honor my self, and my fellow Earthlings.
From this point on, I am conscious, present, and Vegan.

I can not thank Erin, Brenda, & Alli enough for this life changing experience, you gals & the lovely VLP coaches are truly angels, and be warned, you have created a Vegan Monster!
Thank you Vegan Living Program Team :)

Much Love to you all, and my experience will continue on the Vegan Musez Blog
Sincely, The Plant-Based Sudanese 3rd World Rock Star,
Mosno Al-Moseeki :)

Ut Oh - I sound like a Vegan!

Many found it bizarre or even found a reason to question my intent when I posted last regarding finding my passion.  We've heard time and time again that we've all taken on these 6-weeks for different reasons. 

My "why" was simply, let me see if I can do this for 6-weeks? In the process, I've met some amazing people, learned a priceless amount of information, tried new and interesting alternatives to my previous meat-eating diet AND found my "why!" 

Brenda did a kick-ass presentation last week, no fact particularly more profound than another for the exception of the image of the fried chicken leg, next to an ummmm....CHICKEN! Yuck! 

I've eaten lunch in seafood restaurants, opting for the fried green tomatoes, making certain that there was no dairy and no animal products, no chef, i'm sorry I do not trust your breading, so he brought me a label, no eggs, no milk, wheat/soy product. I'll take TWO! 

At work, they set out donuts for them and Oreo's for "The Vegan." 

Calling animals what they are and not the "label" helps, they are cows, pigs and birds...beef, pork and chicken just sounds better!  I rode by a Popeye's Fried Chicken Restaurant and instead of yum, yum good - I could only think of bloody, dead chickens, why would I want to eat that? 

Something happened last week. Something happened that made eating animal flesh very unattractive and inhumane. My earlier posts compared me to a lion, a lion that eats a gazelle. I am not a savage, flesh eating animal. I am not superior over another living, breathing being. My desire is to share the place we've been given to dwell together in harmony. I work hard to maintain my level of fitness and athleticism, why then would I not want ONLY the best to enter my body, the best being what I was intended to eat since creation fruits, vegetables, grains and beans... ut oh - I sound like a Vegan! 

Tofurkey & Kale Dish : Video

Hey everyone, Mosno here,
 I just wanted to say thank you to all the lovely people at the Vegan Living Program for inspiring me to keep doing this, and to all my fellow pledgers who came up to me and told me how much they enjoyed my videos on my Vegan Musez Blog, I hope you enjoy this one.
Its another simple dish that I think anyone can make.

The Ingredients
-Kale
-Spinach
-Tofurkey
-Spices (mine were: All-Purpose, Soy Sauce, & Lemon Juice)

Here is the video of the dish.
Enjoy :)




I'll blog you later
Much Love

Mosno

Hardest Week EVER!

I'd love to be able to post that all is well and this challenge is going over well, without temptation or desire to revert back to my former pescaterian diet. It's actually been so bad that the thought of eating meat has crossed my mind a time or TEN! The struggle is real.

I attempted to watch Earthlings as any good new vegan should, hoping to be moved, convicted, freed from my evil meat eating ways, instead...

15 minutes in, I texted my coach and asked "Why is it ok, for a lion to kill and eat a gazelle and I not be able to do the same, consume meat, I am an animal, right?" The lion certainly does not kill this gazelle in a "humane" way, neither does the shark to the sea lion, or the fox to the sheep, or any other meat eating carnivore ANIMAL. Earthlings effected me the total opposite way that it was intended, I continued to watch and the room began to clear, no one could tolerate watching but me. Because I am searching and seeking and trying desperatley to find my passion, the passion that I believe is necessary to live this lifestyle to practice this diet to feel convicted in such a way that it disturbs you to participate in anything, any practice, any wrong doing, any activity that would cause harm to an animal. I desperately need my IT.

I am certain that I continue eating tofurky and the likes because of my competitive nature to not be defeated by a challenge more than that passion that tells me that by not participating in any form or fashion, demonstrated by eating animal flesh or the like, that I'm making a difference. Am I really making a difference? Where is my passion? and can it be found, if it genuinely, sincerely does not reside inside of me?

Two weeks to go...