In five sentences or less - who are you?
In this life Loretta, a woman, a mother of 5, who likes to do things I've never done before. There are still a lot of first times left, so there will be many more challenges.
Can you define in your own words what kind of challenge you took on and what the rules were?
The challenge was called "cook without eggs". The only rule is not to use them anywhere in the kitchen. Nobody in their family liked eggs, but pancakes, cakes, other sweets - and that's the way it will be???? I couldn't imagine life without sweets!
And why this challenge?
It was dictated by Life itself, or rather the need to do so. Almost at the same time, I learned two things.
First: my young son has been diagnosed with atopic dermatitis and one of the foods to avoid is eggs.
I fed him myself, so I had to keep the forbidden out of my diet. And secondly... When I started looking into Vedic culture at that time, I discovered that... after n years of considering myself a vegetarian, I wasn't, because... I used eggs in my cooking! The double incentive reinforced my desire to live differently.
In general, how did you manage to overcome it?
The first pancake has quite literally turned blue! Well, yes - I've found recipes for biscuits or cakes without eggs, but what about pancakes???? The kids love them so much!
The almighty internet has thrown up ideas on how and with what to replace eggs in products. So I started: ground bran powder, mashed banana, yoghurt with baking powder... I can't remember what else I tried.
But... The pancakes were sweating, sticking, crumbling and otherwise deteriorating badly...
However, I bake them with zucchini, apples, bran and other extras, which has made it difficult to experiment. The children ate them because they still tasted good, but I was not satisfied. Food should not only taste good, it should look good too!
And... It started to look! When the file in my head that you can't bake pancakes without eggs finally cleared. You can! And it really can! And pancakes, cottage cheese, cakes, vegetable or semolina roasts! It's been like this for five years.
What new things did you learn and experience during your challenge?
I've learned to adapt recipes that I like so that the ingredient I've given up disappears. And... Believe that it's really possible. All my friends who have tasted my treats already believe it too. My older children are also successfully cooking with whatever they find in the kitchen and they don't miss the eggs.
Do you have any advice for people who want to repeat or improve your adventure?
For starters, go to my website www.vegetarams.lt, try the recipes I share and will share again. And beyond that, just believe that life without eggs is not only possible - it's very simple.
We just grew up believing that we couldn't do without them.
And indeed, how! If you want to share your discoveries and recipes, please write to me - I'll put them on the website for others to try!
Do you often set yourself such challenges? On a scale from the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz to Batman, where would you place yourself? On a ten-point system.
Life itself sends challenges. I either close my eyes and "don't see", or I go out to meet them. 🙂 I go more often, so I can write 7 for myself here, if you appreciate the ever conscious life. And... I put myself on the scale at the Wizard of Oz himself, because... I am learning to "see the wonder in simple things". 🙂
What did you do when it was difficult and you wanted to throw the challenge away (I believe it was)?
Oh no, I didn't! 🙂 I'm persistent. I encourage myself by saying "if others can do it, so can I!" 😀
And what was the biggest obstacle to achieving your goal? Lack of motivation? The reaction of those around me? Something else that I can't think of right now, but it does exist? :))
The people around me tried to be obstacles to this challenge. Not eating meat or fish was already commonplace, but giving up eggs almost made me an "enemy of the people".
But... When you change yourself, the environment changes too.
There were those who found it both interesting and useful, who started asking for recipes and advice. 🙂 And... When the people around me saw that I was only changing myself, and that I was not interfering with their eating habits, they slowly calmed down. 🙂
How did you feel when you reached your goal? Did you achieve what you had hoped for at the beginning?
There was never a moment when I could exclaim, like the heroes of one of the films, "Valium, we built, we built and we built!" Day after day it got better and better, and there was no joy of achievement. Although... Every time I make something new and delicious, it's fun for me, and it's good to treat others too. 🙂
I have achieved much more than I could have hoped for! I really didn't think I'd be creating and sharing recipes on my own, but I am! 🙂
Taaaaiiiiii... What challenge will you take on now? Do you already have ideas and secret desires?
Let it be a secret, but... The challenge is. It will start with autumn. I'll keep it a secret, as someone taught me 😉 I'll tell you if you ask me in six months. 😉