There is something to be said for the convenience we Americans have when were on the go or traveling. Having spent the last 12 years of my life traveling for work I know how busy and fast paced the lifestyle is. It is also a big contributor to eating unhealthy, high calorie and fat laden foods. That coupled with poor choices is a perfect recipe for health and weight disasters for countless Americans.
It is not an easy task to find convenient healthy food on the go. There is light at the end of the tunnel though. Vegan "friendly" restaurants are popping out of the wood work in every major city across the US. With a little homework combined with the ease of todays technology you should be able to find a place suitable to your veggie/vegan palate right from your phone.
Probably the most overlooked thing about travel is what you can bring with you. Nuts travel really well and are a super food. Some fruits and veggies are awesome travel companions too. If your traveling by car my favorite stops are fresh fruit and vegetable stands or road side farms. Everything is usually super fresh and it also offers a great opportunity to get out of the car and stretch. Granted it depends on what parts of the country your in and what time of the year it is.
More often then not if your entertaining clients or hitting a restaurant a little more upscale, you can call ahead and ask if they have veggie/vegan fare or if the chef would be up for the challenge and many would be delighted to accomodate! When checking out a menu simply ask how dishes are prepared. You can ask the dish be prepared by omitting certain ingredients. Because there are so many people with food allergies this is usually not a big deal at all. Almost always you can add items to a dish too. Skip the meat and ask to have more or different veggies to something that strikes your fancy on the menu.
If your at a loss on where to go or want to eat in (this usually consists of hanging around your hotel room with a microwave) you can normally find what you need at the local grocery store to make yourself a decent veggie/vegan meal. I have worked numerous shows and events over the years and seen everything imaginable come to the buffet tables however I have also seen many healthy choices on the buffet stations as well. When it comes to those type events you have to use your ability to choose right. if there is nothing that works for you on the buffet station simply asking a server if they have something else available. Don't be afraid to ask. Most of these type events will include a pasta station. You can create your own magic right there. Just tell the pasta chef to use a new pan without butter and go from there.
Now more then ever it is becoming much easier to satisfy a veggie/vegan diet on the road. Remember the decision is yours and the options are endless. Good luck, eat well and happy travels!
Thanks for visiting the blog! Until next time,
Kel
Friday, August 5, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Recipe - Grilled Portobello Caps With Balsamic Tomato & Onion and Garlic Mashed Califlower
The title says it all! Everything in this dish compliments each other, is pretty low cal and just simply it ROCKS!
What we need:
2 - large portobello mushroom caps
1/2 cup light fat free italian dressing
1/2 medium red onion
2 roma tomatoes
1/4 cup or less balsamic vinegar
1/2 head large cauliflower
salt & pepper
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon Smart Balance buttery spread (more or less to taste and texture)
1/8 cup Soy milk (more or less to taste and texture)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (less or more to taste)
Whole grain thin rounds or whole grain bread of your choice (2 slices per cap)
Separate stems from caps of mushrooms if yours came with stems. In a small bowl pour italian dressing enough to cover the bottom. Add one cleaned mushroom cap down. Add italian dressing to the first cap, not too much. Set second cap the same way on top of the first again pour dressing in to cap, not too much. Marinate in fridge until ready to use. (6-8 hours-ish) When ready to prepare entire meal begin by boiling cauliflower in water until fork tender. Dice tomato and onion and add to a mixing bowl. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar mix well. Refrigerate until rest is ready. On grill pan lightly coat with olive oil and heat pan med / high. Place mushroom caps on pan for 5 minutes per side rotating once. If pan is too hot turn heat to medium. What your really looking for is grille marks. At the 4 minute mark press down on mushroom cap to flatten slightly. Flip and repeat on other side of cap pressing down at the four minute mark. While caps grille mash cauliflower an add Smart Balance, soy milk, garlic and salt & pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly. Toast rounds or bread. Plate toast, top with mushroom cap down. Spoon in some of the tomato, onion, balsamic mixture. Top with other slice of toast. Plate cauliflower. Enjoy!
Theres no picture of this because we couldn't wait to eat it! Portobellos make an awesome sandwich, they are meaty and delicious. The balsamic - tomato - onion topping is stellar on these! The toasted bun/bread make it easy to handle and keeps it all together and the garlic mashed cauliflower - simply amazing!
Truly great eats!
What we need:
2 - large portobello mushroom caps
1/2 cup light fat free italian dressing
1/2 medium red onion
2 roma tomatoes
1/4 cup or less balsamic vinegar
1/2 head large cauliflower
salt & pepper
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon Smart Balance buttery spread (more or less to taste and texture)
1/8 cup Soy milk (more or less to taste and texture)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (less or more to taste)
Whole grain thin rounds or whole grain bread of your choice (2 slices per cap)
Separate stems from caps of mushrooms if yours came with stems. In a small bowl pour italian dressing enough to cover the bottom. Add one cleaned mushroom cap down. Add italian dressing to the first cap, not too much. Set second cap the same way on top of the first again pour dressing in to cap, not too much. Marinate in fridge until ready to use. (6-8 hours-ish) When ready to prepare entire meal begin by boiling cauliflower in water until fork tender. Dice tomato and onion and add to a mixing bowl. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar mix well. Refrigerate until rest is ready. On grill pan lightly coat with olive oil and heat pan med / high. Place mushroom caps on pan for 5 minutes per side rotating once. If pan is too hot turn heat to medium. What your really looking for is grille marks. At the 4 minute mark press down on mushroom cap to flatten slightly. Flip and repeat on other side of cap pressing down at the four minute mark. While caps grille mash cauliflower an add Smart Balance, soy milk, garlic and salt & pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly. Toast rounds or bread. Plate toast, top with mushroom cap down. Spoon in some of the tomato, onion, balsamic mixture. Top with other slice of toast. Plate cauliflower. Enjoy!
Theres no picture of this because we couldn't wait to eat it! Portobellos make an awesome sandwich, they are meaty and delicious. The balsamic - tomato - onion topping is stellar on these! The toasted bun/bread make it easy to handle and keeps it all together and the garlic mashed cauliflower - simply amazing!
Truly great eats!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Recipe - Black Bean Croquettes With Fresh Salsa
This is a great recipe that will leave you refreshed and satisfied! The salsa we made our own and I tweaked the seasoning to pack a little more flavor. Anytime you find something new to do with beans it is a welcome addition to any recipe box!
What we need:
2 - 15oz cans of black beans - rinsed
1 1/2 - teaspoon cumin powder
1 cup corn kernels - fresh, canned or frozen (thawed)
1/4 cup bread crumbs (for bean mixture)
1/3 cup bread crumbs (for coating)
2 - cups diced tomatoes
1/2 onion diced
1 - diced avocado
1/4 cup finely chopped italian parsley (divided in 2 piles, 3/4 in one pile, 1/4 in another)
1 - teaspoon chili powder (bean mixture)
1/2 - teaspoon chili powder (coating)
1/2 - teaspoon italian seasoning (bean mixture)
1 - tablespoon olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Add beans and cumin to mixing bowl. Mash and mix until no whole beans are left. Mix in corn kernels and 1/4 cup of bread crumbs, salt, pepper and italian seasoning.
In a separate bowl combine tomatoes, onion, the larger pile of italian parsley and 1 teaspoon chili powder. Stir in one cup of tomato mixture to the bean mixture.
In another bowl combine 1/3 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, smaller pile of italian parsley and olive oil. Stir until all of the mixture and bread crumbs are coated with the oil.
Make 8-10 balls out of the bean mixture. Coat each ball lightly with the bread crumb mixture. Place on baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes or until coating is golden brown color. Add avocado to the remaining tomato salsa mixture. Top and serve with salsa mixture. Enjoy!
The original recipe for these can be found here
The differences you will find are in using cilantro instead of italian parsley, no italian seasoning, and differences in spice ratios.
These babies are hearty, delicious and a nice new use of black beans.
Thanks for visiting the blog! Until next time,
Kel
What we need:
2 - 15oz cans of black beans - rinsed
1 1/2 - teaspoon cumin powder
1 cup corn kernels - fresh, canned or frozen (thawed)
1/4 cup bread crumbs (for bean mixture)
1/3 cup bread crumbs (for coating)
2 - cups diced tomatoes
1/2 onion diced
1 - diced avocado
1/4 cup finely chopped italian parsley (divided in 2 piles, 3/4 in one pile, 1/4 in another)
1 - teaspoon chili powder (bean mixture)
1/2 - teaspoon chili powder (coating)
1/2 - teaspoon italian seasoning (bean mixture)
1 - tablespoon olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Add beans and cumin to mixing bowl. Mash and mix until no whole beans are left. Mix in corn kernels and 1/4 cup of bread crumbs, salt, pepper and italian seasoning.
In a separate bowl combine tomatoes, onion, the larger pile of italian parsley and 1 teaspoon chili powder. Stir in one cup of tomato mixture to the bean mixture.
In another bowl combine 1/3 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, smaller pile of italian parsley and olive oil. Stir until all of the mixture and bread crumbs are coated with the oil.
Make 8-10 balls out of the bean mixture. Coat each ball lightly with the bread crumb mixture. Place on baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes or until coating is golden brown color. Add avocado to the remaining tomato salsa mixture. Top and serve with salsa mixture. Enjoy!
The original recipe for these can be found here
The differences you will find are in using cilantro instead of italian parsley, no italian seasoning, and differences in spice ratios.
These babies are hearty, delicious and a nice new use of black beans.
Thanks for visiting the blog! Until next time,
Kel
Friday, July 29, 2011
Poppa don't preach
You know there is something I think is amuck in this country other then the politicians! Every time I see it, read it, hear it or experience it I cringe. People have a way of assuming just because something is right in their eyes, everyone else should be seeing the world through their glasses.
I can understand standing up for what you believe in but what about the people who don't believe the same way as you? It is right for you or justified for you to look down upon them and their beliefs and positions?
I personally don't think it is, nor do I condone that behavior. This is why I try to use a little more tact and an informational approach then preaching my beliefs! Whats right for me isn't right for everybody.
I believe I have made the right choices, (and this is where I think it gets sticky sometimes) FOR ME and my life. That is not to say it is right for any other Joe out there and conversely its not to say it isn't right either. I still see some in the veggie/vegan community who are adamant and very vocal about their personal beliefs. Like I said it is ok to stand for what you believe in but chastising another for their personal decisions may not be the best approach to use to get your point across!
I believe the world will be much more sustainable for a longer period of time should more people adopt a plant based diet however if you choose to eat meat then so be it. Its your decision, your still entitled to it and who am I to tell you your wrong for doing it? I did it for 40+ years!
This is probably more of a rant then anything else on my part but some things I just like to get off my chest and then move on to the next project! All I ask from anyone is respect my decision to live a plant based lifestyle and I will respect your decision in kind!
I still think there is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding out there about the veggie/vegan lifestyle. The other day I am picking up some leeks in the grocery store for another batch of my famous potato leek soup. A very nice woman was in the same section I was and politely asked me "Now, what do you do with leeks?" I began by telling her I make potato leek soup with them and started to give her more information on how to do it. I told her I was vegetarian so I didn't use butter or milk in the recipe but instead used soy milk and butter substitute. I did get a somewhat strange look from her but just kept telling her how easy it was and how delicious it comes out! I certainly do not hide behind my choices and I am not afraid to converse about them or promote them when the issue arises. She was super nice and thanked me for the information.
There is something to be said for good old fashioned politeness and niceness. I really think this has been lost in todays current society. To that point it is hard to even find good customer service anymore and that is another blog all in itself!
Just remember our lives are based upon our individuality and each persons decisions. Just because we don't agree with something isn't grounds for war. Maybe if we took more time to understand each other with kindess and niceness we might just learn something we don't know!
Thanks for visiting my blog! Until next time,
Kel
Check out my other blog and follow my journeys as I transform and old overweight, unhealthy body into slimmer, stronger, lean mean machine! Weight Loss HQ
I can understand standing up for what you believe in but what about the people who don't believe the same way as you? It is right for you or justified for you to look down upon them and their beliefs and positions?
I personally don't think it is, nor do I condone that behavior. This is why I try to use a little more tact and an informational approach then preaching my beliefs! Whats right for me isn't right for everybody.
I believe I have made the right choices, (and this is where I think it gets sticky sometimes) FOR ME and my life. That is not to say it is right for any other Joe out there and conversely its not to say it isn't right either. I still see some in the veggie/vegan community who are adamant and very vocal about their personal beliefs. Like I said it is ok to stand for what you believe in but chastising another for their personal decisions may not be the best approach to use to get your point across!
I believe the world will be much more sustainable for a longer period of time should more people adopt a plant based diet however if you choose to eat meat then so be it. Its your decision, your still entitled to it and who am I to tell you your wrong for doing it? I did it for 40+ years!
This is probably more of a rant then anything else on my part but some things I just like to get off my chest and then move on to the next project! All I ask from anyone is respect my decision to live a plant based lifestyle and I will respect your decision in kind!
I still think there is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding out there about the veggie/vegan lifestyle. The other day I am picking up some leeks in the grocery store for another batch of my famous potato leek soup. A very nice woman was in the same section I was and politely asked me "Now, what do you do with leeks?" I began by telling her I make potato leek soup with them and started to give her more information on how to do it. I told her I was vegetarian so I didn't use butter or milk in the recipe but instead used soy milk and butter substitute. I did get a somewhat strange look from her but just kept telling her how easy it was and how delicious it comes out! I certainly do not hide behind my choices and I am not afraid to converse about them or promote them when the issue arises. She was super nice and thanked me for the information.
There is something to be said for good old fashioned politeness and niceness. I really think this has been lost in todays current society. To that point it is hard to even find good customer service anymore and that is another blog all in itself!
Just remember our lives are based upon our individuality and each persons decisions. Just because we don't agree with something isn't grounds for war. Maybe if we took more time to understand each other with kindess and niceness we might just learn something we don't know!
Thanks for visiting my blog! Until next time,
Kel
Check out my other blog and follow my journeys as I transform and old overweight, unhealthy body into slimmer, stronger, lean mean machine! Weight Loss HQ
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Living Veganetarian (Veggie-Vegan)
Adopting the lifestyle of vegan I thought was going to be just another "phase" of trials and errors that my wife and I would go through. I was convinced it was going to be too tough, expensive, not doable and we wouldn't have any clue how to go about transitioning in to the lifestyle. Turns out that wasn't the case at all!
I find it easier being veggie-vegan everyday that passes. I realized that instead of spending more money on groceries we are spending less overall. I found the conversion very easy and it gets easier everyday however the first couple weeks were a little rough figuring out what to eat. I honestly can not imagine going back to a non plant based diet now.
Having said that I was a strict carnivore for 40 years. I never dreamed I would not eat meat in my meals a minimum of once a day. There isn't anything I didn't like, I loved steaks, fish, pork and chicken and personally make killer burgers, my family will attest to that! Having now made this transition and having eliminated all animal products from my diet I have to tell you what I have found.
Energy - my energy level has easily doubled and some days I would say it has tripled. I haven't had this kind of energy in twenty years. I literally feel stronger and after going to the gym for the past several weeks I can tell you I am performing activities and exercises that I haven't been able to complete before switching to a non meat diet.
Weight - I have lost considerable weight since switching to a non animal diet. Yes I have added exercise but there is no way I would have dropped the same amount of weight by just going to the gym. I know this because I have done it before ( a few times) on an animal based diet. By eliminating the fats and chemicals found in animal based food I am naturally slimming down.
Eating habits - I eat more now then I have in years. Maybe not in the calorie sense of eating but in sheer quantity yeah, I eat! I find myself eating every few hours, and rarely do I find myself actually "hungry" anymore. I'm a food lover. I love to eat and I love food. Eating this way has definitely helped to keep me from continuing down the road as a prime diabetes candidate.
My thoughts - now this is a slow process but my thoughts, mind and thinking has changed. I find myself much more positive about the day to day cycle of life then when I was eating meat all the time. I can't say this is due to my diet changes but it sure is a welcome change!
Lethargy - When I was a heavy meat eater I was pretty lazy especially right after a meal. My stomach always felt heavy, I was tired, I didn't feel like doing anything after eating! Now when I eat I want to go do something, anything! I never feel that uncomfortable overfull brick in the stomach sensation anymore even when I eat more then I should!
I feel really, really healthy. I felt healthy before making the switch but now I feel so much better. Some of that comes from losing weight, some comes from fueling my body correctly and some comes from my diet changes. I can tell you it is awesome to feel healthy everyday!
The above are what I experienced. It doesn't mean everyone will experience the same but by reading about what others who have made the switch to a non animal based diet have written there are a lot of similarities.
If you thinking of switching up your routine I suggest adopting a minimum of once a week committing to a veggie-vegan day where you eat no animal products. There are so many resources for incredible meatless recipes and the food is amazingly good! Try it on for size, you'll be helping yourself, your family and the environment!
Thanks for visiting the blog! Until next time,
Kel
Check out my other blog tracking my progress on my personal journeys of weight loss Weight Loss HQ
I find it easier being veggie-vegan everyday that passes. I realized that instead of spending more money on groceries we are spending less overall. I found the conversion very easy and it gets easier everyday however the first couple weeks were a little rough figuring out what to eat. I honestly can not imagine going back to a non plant based diet now.
Having said that I was a strict carnivore for 40 years. I never dreamed I would not eat meat in my meals a minimum of once a day. There isn't anything I didn't like, I loved steaks, fish, pork and chicken and personally make killer burgers, my family will attest to that! Having now made this transition and having eliminated all animal products from my diet I have to tell you what I have found.
Energy - my energy level has easily doubled and some days I would say it has tripled. I haven't had this kind of energy in twenty years. I literally feel stronger and after going to the gym for the past several weeks I can tell you I am performing activities and exercises that I haven't been able to complete before switching to a non meat diet.
Weight - I have lost considerable weight since switching to a non animal diet. Yes I have added exercise but there is no way I would have dropped the same amount of weight by just going to the gym. I know this because I have done it before ( a few times) on an animal based diet. By eliminating the fats and chemicals found in animal based food I am naturally slimming down.
Eating habits - I eat more now then I have in years. Maybe not in the calorie sense of eating but in sheer quantity yeah, I eat! I find myself eating every few hours, and rarely do I find myself actually "hungry" anymore. I'm a food lover. I love to eat and I love food. Eating this way has definitely helped to keep me from continuing down the road as a prime diabetes candidate.
My thoughts - now this is a slow process but my thoughts, mind and thinking has changed. I find myself much more positive about the day to day cycle of life then when I was eating meat all the time. I can't say this is due to my diet changes but it sure is a welcome change!
Lethargy - When I was a heavy meat eater I was pretty lazy especially right after a meal. My stomach always felt heavy, I was tired, I didn't feel like doing anything after eating! Now when I eat I want to go do something, anything! I never feel that uncomfortable overfull brick in the stomach sensation anymore even when I eat more then I should!
I feel really, really healthy. I felt healthy before making the switch but now I feel so much better. Some of that comes from losing weight, some comes from fueling my body correctly and some comes from my diet changes. I can tell you it is awesome to feel healthy everyday!
The above are what I experienced. It doesn't mean everyone will experience the same but by reading about what others who have made the switch to a non animal based diet have written there are a lot of similarities.
If you thinking of switching up your routine I suggest adopting a minimum of once a week committing to a veggie-vegan day where you eat no animal products. There are so many resources for incredible meatless recipes and the food is amazingly good! Try it on for size, you'll be helping yourself, your family and the environment!
Thanks for visiting the blog! Until next time,
Kel
Check out my other blog tracking my progress on my personal journeys of weight loss Weight Loss HQ
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Carbs Are The Enemy - Or Are They?
Low carb diets never worked for me and after learning more about the body and carbs I have to disagree with the overall philosophy of low carb diets. Being an individual who rode the roller coaster of weight loss and gain for many years I have tried it all. High protein (thought I needed to do that to gain muscle), Low fat (made me literally unhealthy), high carb (made me fatter because my carb choices were poor) etc, etc. The quick fix "diet" crazes just do not work long term, plain and simple.
Heres a tiny overview to how carbs work in your body. Complex carbs, which are grains, oatmeal, brown rice, pasta, potatoes, dark breads etc, take longer to digest which also leave you feeling fuller longer.
The body breaks down carbs in to glucose which is used for energy. Understand that carbs are needed to promote muscle growth as well. Here is the skinny, in the past few years carbs have taken a bad wrap and I am not immune to this train of thought but I know better now. Carbs are needed for the energy to exercise and are your muscles first choice for energy fuel. When you eat carbs the body releases insulin which transports amino acids and glucose to the muscles. Glucose is what your body breaks carbs down to. So in a nutshell if your not ingesting enough carbs your essentially asking your body to utilize other sources (protein, muscle & fat) for energy. That is the basis behind low carb diets. The premis is to utilize the body as a fat burning machine by limiting its carb intake. The problem is its not very efficient for the body to do so and the human body was designed to burn muscle and fats in a state of emergency or famine NOT as a weight loss fix. Here is the trick (there is a trick for everything!) A well balanced diet should include complex carbs, proteins and fats in the right ratios. The trick is to give your body enough of these three nutrients to function as it was designed. Eating too much or the wrong kinds of any of the three of them is going to contribute to weight gain.
The fact of the matter is your body wants to utilize carbs for energy and for muscle growth so why would you deny your body what it needs? If your looking to gain muscle, have energy, exercise harder, perform better and / or lose weight enlist the bodies help by feeding it correctly!
It took me a long while to truly understand that if you want maximum results out of your body you have to feed it and you have to feed it correctly!
Thanks for visiting my blog - Until next time,
Kel
Vegan Fitness & Bodybuilding is my daily Twitter driven news post - check it out! http://bit.ly/oVhN0q ▸
Heres a tiny overview to how carbs work in your body. Complex carbs, which are grains, oatmeal, brown rice, pasta, potatoes, dark breads etc, take longer to digest which also leave you feeling fuller longer.
The body breaks down carbs in to glucose which is used for energy. Understand that carbs are needed to promote muscle growth as well. Here is the skinny, in the past few years carbs have taken a bad wrap and I am not immune to this train of thought but I know better now. Carbs are needed for the energy to exercise and are your muscles first choice for energy fuel. When you eat carbs the body releases insulin which transports amino acids and glucose to the muscles. Glucose is what your body breaks carbs down to. So in a nutshell if your not ingesting enough carbs your essentially asking your body to utilize other sources (protein, muscle & fat) for energy. That is the basis behind low carb diets. The premis is to utilize the body as a fat burning machine by limiting its carb intake. The problem is its not very efficient for the body to do so and the human body was designed to burn muscle and fats in a state of emergency or famine NOT as a weight loss fix. Here is the trick (there is a trick for everything!) A well balanced diet should include complex carbs, proteins and fats in the right ratios. The trick is to give your body enough of these three nutrients to function as it was designed. Eating too much or the wrong kinds of any of the three of them is going to contribute to weight gain.
The fact of the matter is your body wants to utilize carbs for energy and for muscle growth so why would you deny your body what it needs? If your looking to gain muscle, have energy, exercise harder, perform better and / or lose weight enlist the bodies help by feeding it correctly!
It took me a long while to truly understand that if you want maximum results out of your body you have to feed it and you have to feed it correctly!
Thanks for visiting my blog - Until next time,
Kel
Vegan Fitness & Bodybuilding is my daily Twitter driven news post - check it out! http://bit.ly/oVhN0q ▸
Monday, July 25, 2011
Simple Steps To A Healthier Approach
There is a wealth of information about the vegetarian and vegan lifestyles on the web but if your looking for simple steps to tweak your day to day routine its sometimes hard to find what you looking for.
There are plenty of things to try if your thinking about the lifestyle or just testing the waters.
The easiest would be to plan to make one or two meals a week meat free. When you really put your mind to work its not as hard as you think. Something simple and delicious would be a veggie lasagne. Load that bad boy up with cauliflower, broccoli, tomatos, green and yellow squash, peppers - just about any vegetable works and trust me lasagne does not need meat to be delicious! If your using real cheese the recipe wouldn't work so well if you wanted a vegan meal but its a step in the right direction.
On the BBQ grill up your favorite veggies for a special treat, make them the focus of the meal and the meat secondary. For breakfast dice together a fruit salad, try some oatmeal or better yet banana nut pancakes or whole grain toast with peanut butter and banana!
Don't underestimate the power of beans. Kidney, black, pinto, garbanzo, great northern etc are all excellent sources of protein, energy and are seriously filling treats! Try a half can of beans and add some chili powder, a little cumin, salt and pepper and make some chili beans. Way good!
If your looking for a nice refreshing lunch, how about a CLT? Cucumber, Lettuce & Tomato with hummus spread on whole grain bread. Guacamole is a great treat as well, loaded with healthy fats and very satisfying. Have it with your favorite blue corn tortilla chips. Make a lunch out of it instead of an appetizer!
Veggie pizza is another winner. My blog has a recipe for rosemary garlic pizza crust and top it with your favorite veggies and sprinkle Daiya cheese replacement shreds on top. Very, very good!
Pasta is always a winner. There are many brands that are whole wheat or multigrain now. Just make your favorite sauce minus the meat or meatballs. The flavor is definitely still there! Substitute vegetable broth instead of chicken or beef broth and try using soy milk instead of cows milk in your recipes. Instead of real butter try Smart Balance, for someone who loves the flavor of real butter I have found a very respectable replacement with Smart Balance.
Once you start tackling the basics and putting more emphasis on the fruits and veggies in your diet the transition to less meat becomes easier. You become more creative when cooking and the possibilities are really endless.
Make sure you become a label reader. Know what is added to your foods. I read every label now, its actually kind of fun, there are so many additives that really have no place or use in the human body so check your labels. Your may be alarmed to find animal products in the craziest places!
Jumping head first in to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle is a daunting task but if you do some research, gather up some recipes to try and wade in to the veggie pool it becomes easier. Your body will thank you! Why do you think Mom always told you to eat your vegetables!
Thanks for visiting! Until next time,
Kel
Check out my other blog Weight Loss HQ to track my progress on my total body transformation and doing it naturally!
There are plenty of things to try if your thinking about the lifestyle or just testing the waters.
The easiest would be to plan to make one or two meals a week meat free. When you really put your mind to work its not as hard as you think. Something simple and delicious would be a veggie lasagne. Load that bad boy up with cauliflower, broccoli, tomatos, green and yellow squash, peppers - just about any vegetable works and trust me lasagne does not need meat to be delicious! If your using real cheese the recipe wouldn't work so well if you wanted a vegan meal but its a step in the right direction.
On the BBQ grill up your favorite veggies for a special treat, make them the focus of the meal and the meat secondary. For breakfast dice together a fruit salad, try some oatmeal or better yet banana nut pancakes or whole grain toast with peanut butter and banana!
Don't underestimate the power of beans. Kidney, black, pinto, garbanzo, great northern etc are all excellent sources of protein, energy and are seriously filling treats! Try a half can of beans and add some chili powder, a little cumin, salt and pepper and make some chili beans. Way good!
If your looking for a nice refreshing lunch, how about a CLT? Cucumber, Lettuce & Tomato with hummus spread on whole grain bread. Guacamole is a great treat as well, loaded with healthy fats and very satisfying. Have it with your favorite blue corn tortilla chips. Make a lunch out of it instead of an appetizer!
Veggie pizza is another winner. My blog has a recipe for rosemary garlic pizza crust and top it with your favorite veggies and sprinkle Daiya cheese replacement shreds on top. Very, very good!
Pasta is always a winner. There are many brands that are whole wheat or multigrain now. Just make your favorite sauce minus the meat or meatballs. The flavor is definitely still there! Substitute vegetable broth instead of chicken or beef broth and try using soy milk instead of cows milk in your recipes. Instead of real butter try Smart Balance, for someone who loves the flavor of real butter I have found a very respectable replacement with Smart Balance.
Once you start tackling the basics and putting more emphasis on the fruits and veggies in your diet the transition to less meat becomes easier. You become more creative when cooking and the possibilities are really endless.
Make sure you become a label reader. Know what is added to your foods. I read every label now, its actually kind of fun, there are so many additives that really have no place or use in the human body so check your labels. Your may be alarmed to find animal products in the craziest places!
Jumping head first in to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle is a daunting task but if you do some research, gather up some recipes to try and wade in to the veggie pool it becomes easier. Your body will thank you! Why do you think Mom always told you to eat your vegetables!
Thanks for visiting! Until next time,
Kel
Check out my other blog Weight Loss HQ to track my progress on my total body transformation and doing it naturally!
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