Go vegan or go home!
I see this a lot on the internet and social media. Now, whenever I hear this phrase, I imagine all of my friends going vegan together… All eating meat-free meals together while standing in the kitchen making jokes about lentils. But this isn’t the case.
A lot of people either aren’t ready to change, don’t take their health seriously, or just don’t know where to start.
We all have to start somewhere and not everyone starts at the same point. In fact, most people I come across start off hating having to eat plants but by the time I’ve shown them plants can taste just as nice, be way more interesting, and have 10 x as much nutritional value than your average meat/dairy/processed meals they change their minds.
All of us plant-eaters have a different story to tell about how we came to choose a plant-based diet.
Some people have been plant-based since birth, some people are plant-based for religious or philosophical and ethical reasons, and others just wanted to try something new for health reasons.
Are you plant-curious?
Plant-based food can be very yummy! It isn’t just tofu and salad you know… Plant-based food is pizza, chili cheese fries, curry, burritos, quesadillas, brownies – you name it and we’ve got it.
The key though is in keeping it healthy. Not all plant-based food is healthy. Some of the meat substitutes can be loaded with sugar, fat, and additives just like meat products.
So the best thing to do is to eat home-cooked food from whole foods and try to avoid processed food or food that is covered or cooked in oil.
Here are some plant-based food ideas to get you started:
Breakfast
A plant-based breakfast can be easy.
Some plant-based breakfast staples are whole grain cereals, oatmeal with fruit, plant milk on cereal or in smoothies, toast with plant milk or plant butter, plant yogurt parfaits with fruit, plant yogurt, and granola. oh my goodness the list goes on.
For an added plant-based protein power boost you could add protein powder to your smoothie – just pop the powder into the blender with the fruit, then blend!
If you find that you are craving eggs try tofu scramble or porridge. For porridge just boil water and pour over rolled oats then add plant milk and plant butter or jam.
Lunch
A plant-based lunch can be very interesting and less bland than normal lunches. Some plant-based lunch staples to consider are sandwiches on whole-grain bread, soups, salads with plant cheese or plant yogurt, wraps with hummus or plant cream cheese, and vegetables. Again, there is a large list of plant-based lunch options available.
If you are one of those people that still needs a ham sandwich at lunchtime, no problem. There are plant-based hams that have the same texture and taste as the real thing.
Your favourite is tuna mayo? No problem!
You can make tuna mayo from crushed chickpeas, vegan mayo, salt, pepper, mustard and garlic powder, and some chopped red onion. To be honest, this tastes better than the real thing.
For an added plant-based protein power boost add some crushed nuts to your salad – just pop them into the blender with your oil and vinegar dressing then ligh! y blend.
If you find that you are craving meat try vegetable stew or lentils with a serving of homemade potato fries.
Dinner
Plant-based dinners can be tastier than normal.
However, plant-based diets which are mainly processed often don’t include enough nutrients such as zinc and iron, which can lead to anemia. This can be remedied by adding more green vegetables, nutritional yeast, whole grains, and plant milk to your diet to ensure that you get all the nutrients you need from plant sources!
You should also eat foods high in natural calcium so try adding beans, bok choy, spinach, and kale to your diet daily because these are all great sources of natural calcium.
What was the last tasty meal that you ate?
Follow Us On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/createthatbody
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isabella.hawke/
