Introduction

I tend to have a hard time with self-editing.  Keeping my little bio short enough that people might read it was tough.  So, to compromise with myself, I am making a short(ish) introductory post, so I can get everything about me out there!  

I have been a vegetarian since May 2007.  I like to say it was the 24th.  My ventures in veganism are only a few months old.  

I didn't cook at all until after I got married, which was in 2006.  My husband is great, he will eat anything, never complains.  He is in the Army, and we are actually stationed out of Hawaii right now.  We lived there together for about a year, but when he deployed, I came home to live with my parents to save money.  Its a lot more difficult to make 4 people happy than it is 2.  My mom doesn't like anything remotely spicy, and doesn't like when her vegetables taste like vegetables.  My brother is 15, also anti-spicy, and hates sweet potatoes (random).  My dad is pretty open to new things, but likes really strong flavors so....we have competing palates in this house.  Regardless, I am welcome to cook whenever I please because my mom hates it.  I'm not exactly the most creative cook, its something I need to work on.  My hopes for this blog are to showcase what I do make, and hopefully someday start posting my own recipes.   

I also like to take pictures.  I'm no photographer, I just use a little point and shoot digital, but I love taking pictures, and I plan on posting them often.  Here is a couple from this summer:  

Onto the title of my blog though, Vegan Strong.  Okay, so it sounds a little silly, but my other passion besides cooking is working out; weight lifting specifically.  For some reason, it is pretty widely believed that vegans don't get enough protein to function, let alone enough protein to be active and build muscle.  Well, I shall prove them wrong.  I will try to post about my gym life every now and again, but I plan on this being very food focused.  I try to keep my meals high in protein,  moderate in calories, and just healthy in general.  I bake from time to time, but it usually doesn't come out too well because I try to "healthify" it too much.  Oh, and I chose the pictures of the bamboo for the heading (also one of my pictures, from St Lucia) because I thought it perfectly exemplified Vegan Strong.    

Completely un-blog related, I am a secondary education graduate student.  I got my BS in Chemistry, so you'd think maybe I'd have some drive of experimentation in me, but I am totally wary.  I feel like I can't experiment because I don't have all my cooking facts yet.  I am hoping to be a middle school science teacher, and although I am getting my certification now in New York, my husband and I are planning on moving to Baltimore when he done with the military in May of 2009.  I am already counting down the days.  

I also love music, and I always have it on while I'm cooking.  Today there is no cooking song of the day, but hopefully tomorrow!  My music taste is pretty diverse, but I am a huge Ben Folds fan.  

Alright, so that is a little about me.  I doubt anyone will get to read this for awhile, but if and when you do, welcome, and I hope you enjoy something about my blog!