Good morning!
I enjoyed a delicious bowl of vegan overnight oats this morning. I made this batch heavier on the chia seeds and lighter on the oats just for a fun change.
Mango Blueberry Vegan Overnight Oats
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup oats
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1/2-1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup mango
- 1/4 cup blueberries
- Seeds/nuts for sprinkling (I used roasted sunflower seeds)
Directions: In a small bowl mix together the oats, chia seeds, almond milk, chopped mango, blueberries and maple syrup. Place in fridge overnight or for at least 1 hour to allow for the seeds and oats to soak up the milk. When you are ready to eat, top with any other desired toppings and serve.
Mango in the oats = awesome.
A Vegan In Paris
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Last week, I told you about my upcoming trip to Paris during the 3rd week of September with OSGMOM and my sister Kristi. I said I would talk about how I will eat while in Paris, especially considering that French cuisine is far from vegan.
I actually laughed as I typed this last sentence because French cuisine is pretty much the antithesis of vegan eating. It is quite funny to think about.
You know what though, I’m cool with that. Just because I eat a vegan diet doesn’t mean that I think everyone should eat like I do. I understand that all cuisines are different and have certain characteristics that define them, and it just so happens that French cuisine has a lot of cheese, cream, butter, pastries, and meat!
My plan is to have fun like I always do with food and to not worry about it. I want to soak up the culture while in Paris and if that means I have to occasionally soak up some melted chocolate on my croissant then so be it. ;)
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Technically speaking, I will have no ‘plan’ going to Paris. I think it’s more fun that way.
Long gone are the days when I used to worry, stress, or obsess about what I eat. Food is fun in my life and I plan on keeping it that way while in Paris. I will roll with the punches and have a good time with it.
Obviously there will be occasions when it is not possible to eat vegan, and I am not going to worry about it. I ate non-vegan for 25 years of my life after all. As far as eating meat-free goes, I don’t think that will be a problem. It’s pretty easy to find or ask for meat-free dishes at restaurants. I just need to learn how to say that in French. ;)
My plan is to have fun…AND bring you along for the journey!
Like I said, I could come home a coffee-drinking, croissant lovin, bon-bon eating non-vegan.
I can’t be sure.
Or I may not come home at all.
Do you have any special diet preferences or needs (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, wheat-free, nut-free, etc) and have you had to accommodate them while on vacation or away from home? Have you ever had to ‘go hungry’ because of an allergy like gluten or nuts, when there were no options available for you?
Luckily I do not have any food allergies (I have been tested for everything), just sensitivities. My doctor thinks I have IBS. Foods like dairy, nuts, and high-fat foods can be problematic for my stomach in large quantities, so I try to be mindful of this when eating.
That sounds like a very healthy attitude to have about eating in Paris. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and being flexible will help you to make the most of it. :)
Hi Angela! I am a life-long vegetarian and lived in Paris for six months. Luckily vegetarianism is becoming slightly more common in France, but you can still expect a few irritated waiters. I’m not sure if anyone recommended this restaurant yet, but Le Grenier de Notre Dame (right near the Cathedral) is amazing, with lots of vegetarian and vegan options.
Enjoy your trip! Je suis jalouse :)
I am so excited for you ~ France will be awesome! I leave in 4 weeks for Marseille and am beyond pumped ;)
2 summers ago I traveled to Israel for 2 weeks and was a strict vegetarian at the time. You’d think this wouldn’t be that hard in the land of hummus, pits, falafel, cucumber salad and so on, But I was with a group where meals were provided most of the time and a bowl of hummus with cucumber salad, everyday, 2-3 times a day can get very old very fast. I went most days just eating cucumber on bread….not good. I always have emergency protein bars with me now no matter what.
I don’t have any food allergies, thank goodness (me and gluten=buddies), but early on in my weight loss I’d lose my mind worrying about other people cooking for me, especially if I was there longer than one meal! My husband’s family eats eggs (with butter), bacon, and biscuits (with crisco) every morning, and they eat some sort of red meat for lunch and dinner. We might get a vegetable with dinner (and it will probably be fried), but rarely for lunch. And there is no fruit in the house. There is no variation, and they don’t do special orders. So when I visited them one weekend about a month after I began Weight Watchers, I definitely felt like I had to starve, because all my points for the day disappeared with breakfast!
Thankfully, now I don’t worry about a change in eating when I’m out of town, because I always come home and correct any damage without too much effort.
Hi,
I am one of your new readers. I am French born and raised in Paris but I live in Washington DC. Anyway, I was reading your post this morning and I had a thought about a place I used to love when I was younger that would be perfect for a vegan. It is called Le Paradis du Fruit (the paradise of Fruit http://www.leparadisdufruit.fr/. It is delicious!!! The cool thing is they have different locations so you should not have to get out of your way to find one.
There is one next to Notre Dame de Paris, another one next To the Champs Elysees , another one next to La gare de Montparnasse at the metro Edgar Quinet and the last one I remember is outside the Halles, next to the rue de Rivoli. It is not a restaurant intended for vegan I believe, but I think it would fit perfectly your vegan diet.
PS/
I don’t eat meat : Je ne mange pas de viande
I am a vegan : Je suis végétalienne.
I love your attitude to eating. It really does show how far you’ve come from disordered eating! I’m so excited to read about your trip. :)
Wei-Wei
I;m a vegetarian, but I am pretty good at accommodating for myself when I go places. People always worry about me finding something to eat and I just tell them that when you don’t eat everything, you become really good at finding something anywhere.
I traveled Europe as a vegetarian and did find myself feeling a bit restricted at times–stocked up on free croissants and french bread from the hotel breakfast just in case I didn’t have any luck finding vegetarian options. Not speaking the language was a major setback. I accidentally ordered tortellini–made with meat–in Italy and my best friend knew what a problem it was for me so she traded me her favorite food–gnocchi–for it. That’s what best friends are for! <3
I am so jealous you are going to Paris! Do you drink wine? I can only imagine how wonderful the wine is over there. As I am French, I’m sure I would have no problems adapting to the cuisine there, but like you, I have a mild case od IBS. I would definitely have to cut back on the dairy and what not, which is tough in a country like France. It is doable though!
I have never actually experiences major limitations in foods while travelling. I am open to trying new things, and am not vegan. However, I do make a strong effort to eat as healthy as I can, and travelling makes that a challenge, especially when I was in Italy! Oh she pasta, bruschetta, bread, and gelatto! I just make sure to fill up on as many fruit and veggies before eating the main course so that I don’t pig out. Afterall, the joys of travelling include celebrating the culinary differences and uniqueness. :)
I eat mostly vegan (off and on lately) but when I travel it is always vegetarian. I haven’t eaten meat since I was 9 or 10 so I don’t plan on adding it back, but I’m way more flexible with my options when I travel. If I can’t find something vegan no big deal (I do look first and see if it appeals to me), there is generally something vegetarian to have. I believe vacations shouldn’t be stressful and I too like to have fun with my food. My husband is VERY accomodating and will go anywhere to keep his wifey happy. He’s a big meat eater but has learned over the years a happy wife is one who is easier to live with ;)
Luckily, I don’t have any allergies to food but my 5 year old is slightly lactose intolerant and does better with lactose free milk….we drink raw milk here at home from our dairy and he’s great with that, so his slight allergy sometimes poses a problem on vacation, especially when we’re speaking of ice cream.
I really love that you’re not stressing out about what you’ll eat. Part of experiencing Paris and France and Europe and other cultures in general is trying their food. I think if I restricted myself during vacations I wouldn’t get the full experience and that’d make me sad. I eat healthy and a certain way all the time at home, which frees me up to just enjoy vacations for the week I’m there.
When I left to study abroad in Spain I was a vegetarian, but I didn’t have the vocabulary to tell my host parents this on the first day so I ended up eating meat the entire time I was there! The first few days were tough, especially because their diet was so heavy on the pork (they had a leg of Serrano ham sitting on their kitchen table at all times!), but I’m so glad I went with the flow. My boyfriend stuck to his vegetarianism while studying in France and now regrets it.
Still, good luck finding food options you’re comfortable with! It can be tough.
I hate to leave two comments, but I was reading other comments and realized something. It seems that it’s all about your attitude. If you’re up for being creative, stepping out of your comfort zone and going down the less-beaten path, traveling as a vegan is easy and fun. But if you’re scared, unwilling to go out of your way, or maybe make a fool of yourself in front of a waiter or at a farmer’s market, it will be difficult and stressful. Just be positive and open-minded. But I suppose that goes for traveling in general if you want to actually explore a place and its culture and not get stuck doing the traditional – read boring – tourist thing.
some ares I visit don’t have the food I’m used to….so I just have to adapt as close as I can.
i don’t have any special dietary needs, but i try to eat a fairly low-fat diet because of health issues my family has concerning blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. HOWEVER, that being said, i think you have an amazing opportunity and i say do whatever you can to enjoy it. sounds like you have it planned perfectly!
Hey Angela, believe it or not vegan-ism is becoming more popular in Paris, well according to Veg News. Anyway here is a list of vegetarian restaurants in Paris. http://veganparis.com/2008/12/13/list-of-vegetarian-restaurants-in-paris/ The blog is also about a vegan who happens to live in Paris. Thought it might help! Have FUN!!!!
VOO with mango sounds like such a great idea. I like the idea of putting in extra chia seeds to change things up a bit as well. I have yet to try making my own VOO, but I will be soon!
I can’t wait to hear about how everything goes in Paris!
I travel a lot and my number one rule is: Go with the flow. That doesn’t mean eating meat if you’re a vegetarian or dairy if you’re a vegan, but it means taking a more laid-back approach. Trying something new. Not bringing your own snacks from home but finding new treats in the new country. Finding out what and where the locals eat, then following suit.
This is such a positive attitude to have! I have no dietary restrictions or allergies, but in general, my diet is healthy. Sometimes on vacation, the people I’m with want to stop at diners or fast food joints. Usually they are off-limits (I just don’t like their food), but I find a way to compromise and get something relatively healthy. It’s about ignoring that little demon in your head saying, “You can’t eat it”, lettting go and just enjoying yourself. Very excited about your trip!