I’m Gina. I am a stargazing, river-loving veggan girl who lives in San Diego with my hilarious fiancé Mehmet. I love cooking vegan meals, writing poetry, meditating, and wandering aimlessly. By day I am a professional copywriter and by night i’m a professional lucid dreamer.
My Journey from Vegan to Veggan
I was vegan from 2004-2020 and started eating pasture-raised eggs in 2020. Here is the journey, all centered on my love for animals.
2004: The Beginnings
In 2004 after an unexpected epiphany prompted by an unrelated Greek mythology lesson in English class (sup Promotheus?), I vowed to never eat animals again for ethical reasons. After a couple months of being vegetarian, when I learned more about plant nutrition, I gave up my mozzarella sandwiches and said hello to roasted red peppers sandwiches.
2005-2015: Vegan New York Girl
From 2005-2015, I enjoyed the joys of being a vegan growing up in New York (Red Bamboo, 3 Bros. Pizza, Lulus Ice Cream (RIP), Peacefood Cafe, NY Dosas, etc. ILUSM). I also cooked A LOT and experimented with so many vegan recipes and ingredients over the course of 15 years through to today (remember when Tofutti and Boca were like the only vegan brands?)
2015-2020 Vegan Wanderer Girl
From 2015-2020 I was living in Colorado and then Peru, sampling the many delicious plant-based spots and continuing to cook amazing vegan creations just about every night. Watercourse, Native Foods, NOOCH Vegan Market and Piante Pizzeria were some stand-outs in Colorado; and Seitan, Jardin de Jazmin, Feria Ecologica de Barranco and Ems Vegan Sweets were some favorites in Lima, Peru.
2020 Veggan Girl is Born
In all my plant-based, animal-loving bliss — I was really tired. Like all the time. I ate tons of veggies, whole grains and fruits. I tried every vegan b12, d3, iron and zinc vitamin available at the recommended ratios at the recommended times for years at a time but I never felt right. The whites of my eyes were not white and my hair seemed to be losing volume by the day.
In 2020, after some blood work and much research into the most healthy, nutrient-rich foods available that would address my issues, I kept being pointed to eggs. After months and months of hesitation, I said a deep prayer of gratitude, ate my first non-vegan item after 16 years and cried hysterically. Today, in 2021, I no longer cry, but I never fail to say my prayer of thanks.
My prayer when I eat eggs
I want to never lose my gratitude and recognition of every egg I eat. So before I eat an egg I bring it to my heart or forehead, close my eyes and say this prayer:
“To the supreme creator, to the universe, to the mother earth, to the father sun, to the rains and rivers, to the bugs and plants, to the sweet mother hen, to the farmer, and to you this precious egg in my palms: may your flesh become my flesh, may you live through me, please help me be strong and healthy – thank you, I love you, I’m sorry, please forgive me.”
I encourage any other veggans to do the same or similar when eating eggs, or when eating anything really. Practicing gratitude for the food you eat is such an important and sacred practice.
Today
I am veggan, meaning I eat almost completely vegan, besides those 1-2 pasture raised eggs daily or every other day. I still do not eat any dairy, cheese, milk, meat, fish, poultry, honey, etc. I also do not eat or prepare baked good containing eggs, as I think it defeats the purpose of eating eggs for health reasons. I feel so healthy, my hair is fuller, my eyes are whiter and I can get through an entire day without even thinking about taking a nap. I have such deep gratitude to the nutrients that eggs have brought my body.
I condone veganism first and foremost
Let me be clear, this is not to say you can’t be totally healthy on a vegan diet, as countless incredibly healthy vegans can confirm. I still 100% support 100% vegan first and foremost to anyone who can healthfully do so. But for me, adding that 1-2 pasture-raised eggs per day allowed me to feel and look like myself again. For me it was the minimum harm I can do to the animals, for the biggest health benefit possible to myself — allowing self-love to factor in to my ethics.
A space for ethical veggans
I wanted this blog to be a space for the growing population of ethical veggans. These are people who take this decision to eat eggs deeply to heart. Or for people in transition to veganism and want a stopping point along the way of this noble journey. While most of the recipes on here will be totally vegan (baked goods included) there will be some tips about making the ultimate hard-boiled eggs, some Turkish meneman recipes courtesy of my wonderful fiancé, and other whole-egg recipes.