Slainte! (To Your Health!)

I have recently come into a new lifestyle - of the Vegan persuasion. I actually am not Vegan, and don't plan to be for the rest of my life, but for now it is a really nice, healthy way to eat! It has been 27 days now, and I have 13 more to go, in which I eat no meat products, no dairy products, no refined sugars, no white flour-type breads or anything processed nor with lots of preservatives.

I must say I was quite concerned when our church announced these 40 days of consecration, during which we were to do a "Daniel Fast" (originally only vegetables and water, but slightly modified by our church to what is basically a Vegan diet, but can include some fish). I didn't know if I could do it, much less if I WANTED to do it, and had no idea just how many awesome recipes are out there in such a "diet," if you will. But there are TONS of great things to eat here! And I feel so much healthier - I've probably dropped a whole pants' size by now, but I have no idea what kind of weight I've lost (we do not own a scale). The first week of this fast I noticed that all the usual lethargy I experience after a day at work was GONE. I would come home and, instead of flopping down on the couch, I would figure out what new yummy recipe to cook for dinner, and have found the new culinary delights to be delectable!

My recent favorite is Butternut Squash Mash - who knew?!? This recipe is in lieu of mashed potatoes (not that potatoes are bad) and I must say that it is QUITE a treat! I've never cooked any kind of squash before, and I'm pretty sure that the last time I even carved a pumpkin was in like the 5th grade. Even then, though, I highly doubt I did any of the actual carving. Just took a permanent marker and drew a crude face on the thing...

Anyhow, if you're interested in the B-nut squash, take a gander at the recipe, which I have pasted below:

Butternut Squash Mash 4 servings (Serve instead of mashed potatoes.)
(original source: http://www.greatfood.ie/item_display.asp?cde=2&id=450)
Slightly modified by: Me! :)

Ingredients
1 butternut squash
soy butter and/or vegetable broth (non-vegan use: creme frâiche, butter or cream)
Directions
1. Peel the butternut squash with a vegetable peeler.
2. Cut in half, and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits with a large spoon.
3. Cut into chunks and simmer in salted boiling water for 10-14 minutes until you can pierce the pieces easily with a fork.
4. Drain well, mash and add creme frâiche, butter or cream and beat with a wooden spoon until creamy. (Start with a little, then taste, add more if you want more. It's your food, you can do what you want with it. There is no right way or wrong way!). Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook's note
If you wish, you can press the mash through a conical sieve or a mouli for a finer 'restaurant' texture.