cheese, how fair thou art

As a knitting aside, I am having a real problem with this whole non-dairy thing.  I have been a vegetarian most of my life.  I remember meaty school lunches in elementary school, and while in college the only green things I ate were pickles or m&m’s.  Other than those short  college years, my diet has been cheese based.  Oh how I love cheese.  I love an artisan soft cheese as it turns from sliceable to spoonable.  I love a blue cheese that is so ripe it will not crumble.  I love a cheddar Panini in the middle of the night.  I love a baked pasta that drips with cheesy goodness.  I love a pizza on the grill topped with spoonfuls of Basil-Ricotta and shredded Fontina.  All of this is dead to me.

Non-dairy cheese SUCKS.  Hard.  Really, hard.  There are non-dairy cream cheese and sour creams out there, but they are simmering pools of MSG and so are off limits to me.  The first few of months of no cheese, I did OK.  Now?  Now I am pissed.  During the course of a day I will find myself hungry and will not eat only because there is nothing to eat that is appealing.  No pizza, no pasta, no cream based soups, no grilled cheese, no nachos, no quesadillas, no omelets, no nothing.  I am sick of green salads.  I am sick of chick pea salad sandwiches.  I am tired of avocados and tofu.  Holy crap!   Feed me!

Last year, when I learned about my MSG issue I stopped eating processed foods.  And really, there were very few processed foods in my house, still I lost 35 pounds.  Now, with this non-dairy thing I can already see more weight coming off.  My face is noticeably thinner, my bra is roomier.   Last week I purchased some capri pants that fit perfectly.  Today, they are too big.  I am not sure I can drink enough martinis to make up for the loss of cheese.  I would not be surprised to find myself back into a size 8 by year’s end.  This does not make me happy.

Comments

[Gwyneth Olson]

As a no cheese person myself try finding other high fat, but good fat foods. I like tapanade and vegan pesto. Nut butters are another idea. Also are you no cheese at all or is it cow's milk that you can't have? I can have goat milk or sheep milk cheese as a once in a while food but that might not work for you.

I feel your pain sister.

[kate]

Geez, and I thought I had it bad with no caffeine and limited fruits. No dairy? Yikes!!