Heading into the end of the year is a time that people like to re-focus on their health. They start looking into plant-based diets (vegetarian or vegan), cleanses, or even consider tackling the Whole 30.
Shifting from a meat-based diet to a plant-based one is an admirable challenge, but it is a challenge none the less. Here are some tips and tricks that may help you in this undertaking.
The two main issues that I see almost every time a life-long meat eater attempts to go vegetarian are: (1) their mentality and (2) their approach to food.
First up – Don’t think of this as an exercise in deprivation. If you keep saying “I can’t live without bacon” or telling yourself/other people that you’re not going to be able to do it, you won’t be able to do it. It’s that simple. So really think about shifting your perspective. You’re not cutting yourself off, you’re opening yourself up to a whole new way of looking at food and nourishing yourself. You’ll find new foods, new recipes, and new meals that you never knew existed, and that’s a wonderful thing. Even if you’re counting down every day to returning to your previous habits, try to give a little attention to what you’re gaining. New knowledge, new foods, new perspective. That in itself is worth celebrating.
Second – Don’t try to eat exactly the same way that you used to and just cut out the meat. I see that A LOT with people in fitness, they try to cut out meat but don’t actually add anything new to their meals. You’ll be bored and hungry in hours if you’re just eating vegetables and eggs.
The keys to a sustainable plant-based diet are feeling satiated and fully nourishing yourself. Some people eat soy with every meal, others supplement with powders and bars, and some eat entirely whole foods with no processed products. It’s up to you to decide which path to take, but I recommend being mindful and opening yourself up to trying new things, so you can discover what works best for your body.
Bulking up your meals is important. You will starve to death and hate every minute if you eat the same thing for every meal or try to sustain yourself with broccoli three times a day. So, for bulking, I recommend loading up on whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. Don’t be boring and basic, ask yourself “what can I add to this?” at each meal. It’ll help keep you full and satisfied.
Not that my diet is perfect, but here’s examples of two days of eating for me. One is during the week when I’m in an office and need easy foods, and one is when I’m at home and can be more creative. Also, one thing to note, is that I workout twice a day, so I have high protein needs.
Week day:
– Lemon water + tea
– Smoothie: mixed berries, spinach, protein powder, cinnamon, ginger, maca powder + chia seeds (add chia at the end, don’t blend the seeds)
– Protein bar (I like lower sugar bars, minimally processed, and usually brown rice or pea protein vs soy protein isolate)
– Roasted sweet potatoes, stir fried zucchini + Summer squash with shallots, garlic + coconut aminos, and a veggie burger with salsa
Lots of big meals. Protein, healthy fat and carbs with every meal. And lots of variety – Raw + cooked vegetables, fruit, beans, grains, seeds, nut butter…
Weekend:
– Scramble: Green onions, garlic + shallots with peppers, zucchini + cherry tomatoes and eggs. Topped with salsa and avocado, and served with fruit salad + Greek yogurt
– Nourish bowl: Quinoa, roasted cauliflower, black beans, sauteed asparagus and greens topped with hummus, hemp seeds, and balsamic
– Snack: Celery, carrots, cucumber with babaganoosh
– Pasta: Zucchini + sweet potato noodles sauteed with tomatoes, vegan sausage, carrots, peppers, onions, garlic, and spices.
Recipes and Links:
While I love recipes and food blogs, I tend to go off script. I use them as a starting point and then do whatever I feel like. I use whatever I have on hand and like to get creative, so most of my “recipes” are different every time I make them. My advice is to read some of these links and find out what appeals to you, then get creative. 🙂
Even if you eat a very healthy diet, going vegetarian means more fiber. You can get gassy or bloated or experience some GI distress when you’re getting started. Try easing into it slowly, and drink LOTS of water. I drink a full water bottle as soon as I get up, before I even leave my bedroom. I put it on my bedside table when I go to bed and drink it when I wake up. It’s a good way to start flushing your system.
Some other things that may help during your transition or if you’re having stomach issues are pre/probiotics and fermented foods/drinks. Kombucha, sauerkraut, gut shots, and kimchi are all great ways to promote a healthy, happy gut. I also turn to ginger lemon tea whenever I get an upset or angry tummy, calms it right down.
Good luck to those considering a transition towards a plant-based diet and let me know if you have any questions!
Any other tips from my plant-based friends out there?
Thanksgiving, more so in my mind than any other holiday, is really food-centric. Family is the best part of any holiday, but when I think of Thanksgiving, I think of food! For my plant-based folks out there, here’s a round-up of delicious, healthy recipes to meet all of your needs – Vegan/vegetarian and gluten-free. Enjoy!
Appetizers:
Roasted Apple Pumpkin Soup – Nothing beats a hearty soup on a cold day. Check out this colorful and delicious recipe from As Easy As Apple Pie.
Stuffed Acorn Squash – These amazing little squash bites are the perfect combo of ingredients. So head over to Abbey’s Kitchen to see more!
Sweet Potato Unstuffing – Because The Real Food Dietitians know that you don’t need bread for an amazing stuffing recipe!
Crispy Garlic Smashed Baby Potatoes – I’m a big fan of including as many potato recipes as possible in any meal. 🙂 Clearly Yay for Food agrees.
Maple Glazed Heirloom Carrots – These carrots from Eye Candy Popper, with an amazing lemon cashew cream, are the perfect accompaniment to any Thanksgiving dinner.
Entrees:
Lentil Loaf with Classic Brown Onion Gravy– Lentils, veggies, and gravy. Oh my!! This dish from the Mostly Vegan looks like a winner. May need to try it out before the holiday!
Vegan Pot Pies – I have to confess that I’ve never had a pot pie, so I’m very, very tempted by this recipe from Jessica in the Kitchen.
Stuffed Roasted Butternut Squash – Butternut squash, veggies, rice… What could be better? It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken is here to save the day.
While trying to come up with some fun new ways to enjoy my oats, I stumbled on the idea of baked oatmeal! It’s a healthy dish that you can add any toppings you want to, plus you can make it in advance and eat all week. I do love my meal prepping. Also – It’s so delicious and decadent tasting that you could definitely make it into a dessert.
Welcome to a new What I Eat In a Day post! It’s been a while since I walked you through my day so I thought a Summery, vegetarian take on a traditional What I Eat In a Day would be fun. I’ll include my workout times as well so you can see how I handful pre-and-post workout nutrition, and supplements.
{Roasted broccoli, cauliflower and purple sweet potato with hummus, guacamole, and a veggie burger}
5am – Water {My trick for getting in some water first thing is to keep a water bottle on my bedside table, I drink the whole thing before I leave for work}
5:30am – Lemon water, Irish Breakfast tea, and more water
9am – Breakfast time! I really enjoyed my Intermittent Fastingearlier this year and have read really interesting and thought-provoking pieces on the benefits of fasting and the longevity associated with cultures that practice fasting, I try to make it a part of my daily routine when I can. My breakfasts can vary, though I’ll go through phases where I eat the same thing every day. 🙂 Right now my go-to breakfast is Udi’s gluten-free bread with 1/4 avocado and Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning plus a smoothie.
9:30am – On Tuesdays and Thursdays I take a Vitamin B and a Calcium supplement. I alternate the detox shot above and the supplements so I’m doing something different from the day before.
11am – Workout: Bodyweight circuit or cardio session
12pm – Lunch: Giant salad beast. I’ve been loading up on tons of water-rich veggies and healthy fats in my salads lately, and occasionally tossing in some marinated Hodo Soy tofu. I vary my topping often though, and like to mix things up so that I ensure I’m getting all of my micronutrients.
2pm – Afternoon snack/pre-workout: Coconut yogurt + peanut butter or almond butter + cinnamon. This is my current favorite, I’ve been having this 3-4 times a week lately. If I’m out of yogurt or not in the mood, I’ll make a little dish of oatmeal with chia seeds and protein powder. {Note: I use Orgain protein powder in my smoothies and oats, it’s my absolute go-to}
4:30pm – Workout: Training session at The Bay Club, cardio session, or a class
6pm – I’ll usually munch on a No Cow bar while I’m walking home from the gym or while I’m starting dinner.
6:30pm – Dinner! Yes, we eat early. 😉 I like my food to be digested before bed anyway, so eating early works well for me. Since I’ve been eating big salads for lunch the last few months, I’ve eaten fewer for dinner. Lately I’ve been craving roasted veggies instead – So a typical meal will be roasted veggies with EVOO + spices with a veggie burger and maybe some sautéed zucchini and squash with garlic and shallots. I like to mix up my veggies so one night it could be sweet potatoes, cauliflower the next, and broccoli the day after. And if I’m craving everything, I’ll throw whatever veggies I have prepped into a bowl with quinoa or brown rice – a la nourish bowl.
7:30pm – The newest addition to my daily routine is doing a 10-20 minute yoga flow session before bed. I’ve been having trouble sleeping so it’s a great way to de-stress and relax before climbing into bed. Completely obsessed with the Boho Beautiful YouTube page.
{Carrot + cabbage salad with honey mustard dressing, roasted cauliflower + sweet potatoes, and a veggie burger}
Hope you enjoyed this little peek into my daily routine!
Just a quick reminder – Everyone’s nutrition and activity needs are different, so what works for me, may not necessarily work for you. The best approach to building a healthy, sustainable lifestyle is trial and error – Try different routines and foods and see how your body responds. And if you’re coming back from an injury or disordered eating habits, I highly recommend chatting with a doctor before making any big shifts.
I’m not sure what the technical definition of a nourish bowl is these days. Or if there is in fact a hard and fast definition. But for me, a nourish bowl is similar to a kitchen sink salad – It’s throwing some healthy, delicious foods into a bowl and enjoying the shmorgishborg.
My favorite way to enjoy this meal is a mixture of raw and cooked vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and/or grains. There are an endless number of combinations to try out and an endless number of ways to top your bowl. Plus, if you’re not veggie inclined, you could easily add a non-plant based protein of your choice.
Rather than go through the countless variations, I’ll just tell you what I ate in the bowl below. Enjoy!
{Vegan // Vegetarian // Gluten-Free // Paleo}
Nourish Bowl:
Ingredients:
Roasted veggies – Here I went with broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes
Spread vegetables on a lined baking sheet and put into the oven at 450 for 10-13 minutes per side, mixing them at the halfway point. Here I roasted broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes. Spray/coat with olive oil or coconut oil and add your favorite spices and herbs. I tossed these with olive oil, chopped garlic and shallots, cumin, and sea salt.
Once your veggies are roasted, throw them over a bed of greens, add in any other raw veggies you’d like, and decide how to top. I like to keep my bowls simple and healthy, so I usually add hummus, avocado and balsamic, then sprinkle with some red pepper flakes and Go Raw sunflower seeds.
Other options? Add tofu or simply top with your favorite salad dressing. Simple can be delicious!
Stay tuned for the next MCLV Mange installment and check out the previous posts from this series here to see what you’ve missed so far.