The Non-Vegan World

Being a vegan has been difficult at times, but after more than a year, I have survived a lot. Family get-togethers, cook-outs, restaurants, and the holidays. Restaurants are particularly miserable. Grace and I recently went out to eat with my grandma, my mom, and my aunt at a chain Mexican restaurant that I would NOT have chosen, but it was my grandma's birthday and she wanted to go there. Most Mexican restaurants (heck, most restaurants) have a vegetarian section. I thought I would be able to get some sort of vegetable fajita or something, and some good guacamole. But not really. I had to be a pain in the ass and order a spinach mushroom enchilada with some major changes. I don't want any of the garlic butter sauce, and no sour cream. And all that's inside is the spinach, mushrooms and onions, right? Right. Great. Then all our food came and my enchiladas had melted cheese all over the top of them. Sigh. I checked it out quickly; could I scrape it off? No, it was baked right on. Do I just keep my mouth shut and eat it? Hell no. I had her take it back and bring me a new one. While I ate it, it tasted good, but I was very suspicious. I wouldn't doubt it if the rice had been cooked in chicken broth, the beans had lard in them, and the inside of my enchiladas had been cooked with butter. I couldn't really enjoy it. And the guacamole SUCKED. My own guac I make at home is ten thousand times better.

Tomorrow we are taking the kids on our little mini-vacation for the summer. We are going to the Mall of America to play all day, then back to a hotel with a sweet water park. They also have a restaurant and the kids eat free. I don't have any idea what I will be eating. I think I should pack my own food, or at least some soy milk for my coffee in the morning. At the breakfast buffet, I will be eating the fruit. I think I will bring the homemade granola I made because it was really good.

I certainly won't starve to death, that's for sure. All of these little bumps in the road are totally worth it to me. There's no way I'm going to give in just because it's easier. I just really wish the world was more vegan-friendly.