If there is one question I get asked the most it’s “how do you do it” [eat plant-based]. It’s quite simple really…you have to prepare; or prepare to fail. You have to physically, mentally, and emotionally prepare yourself. Most people think that a vegan or plant-based lifestyle is not sustainable and it takes “too much work” or “you can’t eat anything.” In reality, it’s quite opposite.
Giving up meat and dairy is the most sustainable thing you could do for both your health and the environment. Animal agriculture contributes to 51% of the worldwide greenhouse gas emissions and if you think eating meat, dairy, or eggs plays a part in a healthy diet – I encourage you to do some research. Me simply telling you that these products can & do lead to heart disease, obesity, type II diabetes, and other diseases is not going to convince you; do the research. It is well known in the plant-based & vegan communities that most, if not all, scientific studies that back the meat, dairy, and egg industries are funded by their own companies (as in: The National Dairy councils hires & pays their own scientists to support their products) — seems slightly bias right? And that’s because it is!…and it happens more often than you think. If we halted the production of feed (grain) for our livestock, we could actually feed the entire world. Seriously. 805 million people struggle with hunger everyday, yet we slaughter over 56 billion animals a year and raise them on food that could actually be fed to PEOPLE, people who need it the most….So I notion, why not feed the world instead? These are real numbers, and if your interested in learning more click here.
The second most common question is “what in the World do you eat? I eat just about anything I can get my hands on!… I love to eat. This world provides us with everything we need… in plant based foods alone; fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, & seeds. Humans became omnivores when we moved farther North in latitude; fruits and vegetables were scarce and harder to grow…so yes, I will agree that we evolved. However, we have also evolved in technology and logistics and we can now easily obtain fruits & vegetables in Northern latitudes, year round! The problem with fad diets such as the Paleo diet, Atkins diets, and the high protein diets is that it is founded on the concept of “eating like our ancestors” aka “caveman”. Not only does this diet not work in the long run (it eventually slows your metabolism & starves the body) it is also based on controversial and minuscule research. So I say this again, do the research yourself (an un-biased research assessment), and you’ll probably find that in ancient times – the Chinese, Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks (some of the oldest living cultures in the World) thrived on a diet that consisted of mostly starch (potatoes, rice, and other root vegetables), green vegetables, and an array of fresh fruits. Their diet consisted of very little seafood or wild game…this typically occurred when crops failed or they were hunted for the rich (who typically died early of disease; go figure). These early civilizations thrived on potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, rice, fruits, olives, green vegetables and legumes. They were lean, athletic, and strong without meat on a daily basis. So at the end of the day the Paleo diet is not that much different than the Standard American Diet; eat game, beef & eggs and cut out all the things that are actually good for you!…Potatoes, legumes, whole grains, brown rice, and tofu. Eating too much protein – more that 30g for woman and 40g for men – can lead to bone loss, osteoporosis, kidney damage, kidney stones, immune dysfunction, arthritis, cancer promotion, low-energy, and overall poorer health. Meat & dairy is acidic and could be the number one cause of osteoporosis & bone loss. For more information, click here. So… please don’t get your health information from the media or the latest and greatest talk show host, or even from celebrity personal trainers; they are not doctors… It blows my mind when people say “Jullian Michaels said….” Just. Stop. It.
Build a plant-based {vegan} & gluten-free pantry
Note: Get a Costco or Sam’s Club card to buy produce and dry/canned goods in bulk.
Visit http://www.vitacost.com for specialty items, supplements, and heavy items like rice milk, canned goods, etc… (sorry UPS driver…haha)
DRY GOODS.
brown rice pasta (I love Jovial Organic Brown Rice Capellini
legumes – black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, lentils
gluten-free baking flour (I love Bob’s Red Mill
sesame rice crackers
brown rice cakes
no-oil sun-dried tomatoes
corn tortillas or corn masa to make your own
nutritional yeast (this a must for vitamin b12 & acts as a natural “cheese” like flavoring agent)
dry herbs – as many as you want, I love the Bragg Organic Sprinkle Seasoning
CANNED GOODS.
artichoke hearts, in water only
re-fried black beans or pinto beans (low fat and vegetarian such as Amy’s
vegetable soups, low sodium
vegetable stock, low sodium
salsas & hot sauces
no-oil hummus (such as Wild Garden Hummus
pasta sauce
chopped or stewed tomatoes
tomato paste
kalamata olives
green olives
pickled ginger
capers
FROZEN GOODS.
gluten-free, vegan pizza skins (crusts)
vegetables
brown rice (pre-cooked)
spinach
non-gmo corn
green beans
peas
edamame
vegan, gluten-free “burger” patties
FRESH GOODS.
lacinato kale
baby spinach
baby arugula
tomatoes; vine-ripened and cherry
celery
avocados
oranges
bananas
papayas
berries
apples
pears
russet potatoes
sweet potatoes
yams
purple potatoes
romaine
lemons
limes
bell peppers
zucchini
jalapeno or red chili peppers
SPREAD. DIPS. DRESSINGS
hummus
balsamic
salsa
sriracha
mexican hot sauces
veganaise
harissa
balsamic glaze (different than a dressing)
apple cider vinegar
tahini,
san-J tamari
san-J teriyaki
san-J peanut sauce
plum sauce
ADDED FATS (use sparingly*)
avocado oil
cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil.
*I rarely, if ever use oil when I cook – added fats are not necessary when eating a wholesome, well-rounded plant-based diet. You can get plenty of fats from foods like olives, avocados, nuts, and seeds. There is research and evidence out there stating that the best plant-based diet is one that is lower in fat. However, let me be real with you – I will say that some things in life do need a dash oil – especially if you are trying to achieve a certain texture, but in most cases I cook my vegetables in stock or just a little bit of water – learn how to poach, steam, and roast your vegetables – it’s extremely easy & it can be very flavorful if you season it right! The number one complaint I hear about steaming vegetables is that they are so bland and boring – this is why we have dried herbs & lemons people! Use em’
SUPPLEMENTS
Vitamin B12
There is one nutrient that you cannot get from fruits and vegetables alone. In order to maintain good B12 status you will need to incorporate some fortified foods in your diet; non-dairy milks, breakfast cereals, or my personal favorite – nutritional yeast. If none of these options work for you, my husband takes a raw Vitamin B12 supplement (and his blood levels are perfect). If you are interested in learning more on why Vitamin B12 is no longer obtained through plant sources, I suggest reading up on it. Interesting stuff.
Vitamin D & Calcium
Another thing you’ll want to remember is to get an adequate amount of Vitamin D and Calcium. Sit outside – yes – without sunscreen (!) for 15 minutes a day if possible. Eat enough calcium as well – bok choy, kale, collard greens, oranges, and spinach! You need Vitamin D in order to properly absorb calcium… These two go together like peas and carrots. And you don’t need an astronomical amount of calcium either (if your taking over 800 mg a day, you are over doing it. Misinformation Is Promoted for Profits. In developing countries, they rarely ever see osteoporosis and bone loss, and they are thriving on 300-500 mg/day. The notion that we need to overdue it on calcium is bogus.. Have you ever heard of someone getting rickets in the US? No. We do not have a calcium deficiency problem. Consuming large amounts of calcium can have a adverse effects like constipation and inhibition of iron absorption.
FAQ:
Q. Will I gain weight eating pasta?
A. No. If you are eating a whole-grain pasta (like brown rice pasta) and not forcing yourself to overeat, then you won’t gain weight. Eat until your full – whole grains will fill you up quicker than standard “white” pasta. You can always opt for zucchini or carrot noodles too. Just get yourself a Spiral Vegetable Slicer
Bottom line: Excess starch (complex carbs) will not make you fat. Read more here.
Q. What kind of starches are good for you?
A. Sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, yams, butternut squash, acorn squash, purple potatoes, red potatoes, but I would steer away from “white” potatoes or “creamier” potatoes… these offer little to no nutritional value. Whole grain breads, pastas, brown rice and legumes.
Q. How often do you work out?
A. I aim for 3-5x p/week, 45 minutes each
Q. Do you drink alcohol?
A. I typically only drink once or twice a week, depending on the occasion or circumstance. I typically stick to red wine but on a rare occasion I’ll sip on potato vodka and soda water, with lime.
Q. How much water do you drink?
A. I aim for 90 ounces a day; some days it happens, some days it doesn’t.
Q. Do you ever eat fish/seafood?
A. Since I live a plant-based life & don’t call myself a vegan, I eat fish on very rare occasions. Some people think of their cheat meals as a burger, french fries, or cookies, I think of sushi as my cheat meal. I too understand that the seafood industry is not much better than the meat industry — especially when it comes to catching excess marine life and disposing of them… I hope that in the not so distant future I can eliminate seafood entirely, but for now, I am still in that transitional period & I am doing my best at picking fish/seafood that is local, wild, and sustainable to the Pacific Northwest. I do not cook seafood in our home, I only eat it out.
Q. Should everyone be gluten free?
A. Absolutely not. I would love to eat gluten if I could – but I am very sensitive to it. There is something to be said about the process of wheat in the United States though. A lot of folks that are gluten sensitive in the US can tolerate wheat in other parts of the world; such as Italy. I think the US over-processes their wheat and by-products and perhaps it’s more genetically modified these days, causing more folks to become gluten sensitive? I am not too sure, as I haven’t done too much research on this topic.
vegan, sushi nigiri
In closing, I hope this post energizes you to learn more about the foods your eating now and the foods that you should be eating tomorrow. I also want folks to know that I do not judge you – I understand that eating meat and dairy is ingrained in our Western society, and it takes time… a lot of time, to develop new and healthier eating habits (it’s taken me 3 years to get to this point in my life)…. But I know if I can do it, you can do it too.
Love & light from a former cheese-lover,
Cristine
P.S. I realize that everyone has their own opinions and sources of facts – these are mine – and I respect you and yours to live any way that makes you happy & healthy. <3
simplycleancooking 