Vegan Bake-Off 2013

This post isn't about just Vegan Bake-Off, it's also comprised of my random thoughts and ramblings. 

So today I was thinking about signing up for the Vegan Bake-Off that’s happening on February 2^nd in Toronto. I didn’t get to go last year (found out about it a few days after it had already passed), and was really looking forward to it this year.

I had even perfected a tasty little peanut butter and chocolate raw brownie bar recipe that I can now make with my eyes closed. (Maybe I’ll share the recipe on here instead! Or save it for next year…)

As I sat on my break today, counting down the hours until the deadline to enter this vegan bake-off – and even posting on my FaceBook and Twitter pages the question of whether or not I should sign up – I realized that it’s just not in my best interest to do so.

I love sweets. I love baking. I love vegan food. I love social events. I love the chance of even the smallest of recognition for something delicious. But what I don’t love is allowing myself to slip back into the cycle of eating one-too-many treats, which is a cycle that happens very easily for me if I surround myself with these types of things.

In the past few weeks since the Christmas holidays, I’ve been eating almost 100% raw (with VERY few exceptions), and have kept to my goals of avoiding soy and sugar (except for dates and small amounts of agave). If you’re wondering why I avoid soy, I won’t go into too many details, but I’ll just say that my body reacts really poorly to soy. Rashes, acne, stomach and head-aches; soy is no friend of Nikki.

Anyways, with this past few weeks, I’ve also been doing yoga *almost* every day (missed 2 days, but I’m not kicking myself for it), and started running again (at the gym, too cold outside!), so that I can get my body back in pre-junk-food form. I was on a really good path last year, funnily enough shortly after buying my juicer I was at my healthiest, and I’m determined to get back on that track. (Hello! Tough Mudder 2013 is coming up fast!)

So after hours of thinking about the pros and cons of signing up for the Vegan Bake-Off, and even taking a very brisk walk to clear my mind, I had to close the browser with the registration form, and tell myself “maybe next year”.

I know it may seem like it’s not a big deal to many of you – I mean, heck, it’s only a bake-off. It lasts a couple of hours, and then it’s done. There’s going to be a ton of vegans from Toronto and surrounding areas Tweeting/FaceBooking about it, and everyone will have happy fun stories to tell about it. There will be pictures, prizes, and a grand time had by all. But then the day will be over, and life will go on.

I do want to participate in more of these vegan events, but I find it really hard to when there’s unhealthy elements to it. Being vegan doesn’t always mean being healthy, and this is where I’m faced with a big problem in my involvement. I need to find where I fit in with this whole vegan community aspect, because I love being surrounded by like-minded people. Maybe I’m just feeling a little lost right now.

That’s enough of my rambling for now. I’ll be posting recipes and stuff soon, hopefully… If I have time.

On a happy note, I’m moving on March 1^st with my lovely boyfriend, so after that I will definitely be posting in here more often. He’s vegan too, so I have a good feeling that we’ll enjoy sharing a kitchen, and there will be some great creations that will make it into this blog! Maybe some videos as well!

Now it’s time for me to go. If anyone wants to check out the Vegan Bake-Off, go give it a look! I may still grab a ticket and join in all the fun for the social aspect (and limited sweets).