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VEGAN RECIPES &
PLANT-BASED LIVING 

How to Go Plant-Based With Ease: 7 Tips to Get You Started

12/27/2018

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Now more than ever, a plant-based diet is not just a trend or a fad. For a growing number of people around the globe, it’s a serious health, lifestyle and environmental decision. More and more people are going plant-based because of the proven benefits for health and wellness, and the difference it makes to their environmental footprint. The results are in, including lasting weight loss, improved digestion, lowered cholesterol, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes prevention and increased energy. 

Here are 7 tips to get you started on your plant-based journey with ease.
1. Transition sensibly.
For some beginners, taking the plunge and going ‘cold turkey’ works, though cravings and binging may be present if you make these changes to drastically. If you're used to consuming dairy, meats and fish a few times a day, perhaps designing a transition schedule will help, e.g. 3 days a week, just dinners, etc. Taking the support of a health coach is also helpful. You want your switch to be positive and healthy. Many people start experiencing the benefits of going plant-based right away, reporting their energy increases, digestion improves, and cholesterol and bloodpressure go down. During the transition period you may feel a difference in your energy, hunger, and cravings. Don’t worry - it’s just a matter of making the proper adjustments to fuel yourself properly. If you have any specific medical conditions or concerns, it's always good to run your new dietary path by a trusted health care practitioner and get support from a health coach..
2. Identify your motivation.
Change can be unnerving, so identifying your motivation and letting it be your anchor will keep your intention and vision alive. Perhaps you are going plant-based because you want to have more energy and focus so you can give your best to all that you do, to your work, your family and friends. Keep that inspiration alive! And there is also getting in the right mindset. Rather than thinking it’s about what you can’t eat and feeling deprived because you have to cut out foods, think of it as what you can eat. It's about entering into the diverse world of plant-based nutrition and feeling abundant in this world. You are probably already eating many plant-based choices, but you will learn to reframe them, e.g. they are not just the sides! 
3. Keep it real.
Once you have made the decision to be plant-based, keep the majority of your meals as whole-food plant-based, meaning unprocessed. Processed and packaged vegan products have grown at a rapid pace and grocery stores are filled with choices - many very delicious. However, products that replace animal foods, like fake meats and cheeses, often contain excess oils, sodium, and fillers. If you are choosing a packaged vegan food, look for the least processed ingredients on the label, and check the fat and sodium. And keep these at a minimum - as sometimes foods. Remember just because you go plant-based, doesn’t mean you are instantly healthy. You still have to work at it! Vegans can easily live on junk food and frequent fast-food joints. Oreos are vegan! Many people contact me for support, saying they’ve gone vegan but they're still filling up on junk food, and want to do it right.


4. Explore new foods and recipes.
Become an explorer and get to know the plant=based landscape. Try veganizing some of your favorite recipes. Perhaps you have a favorite chili recipe. Make it without the meat! Or a stir-fry with veggies and shrimp? Try it with tofu or tempeh, or just add more veggies and serve over a grain with a fabulous sauce. You will start to notice that a lot of satisfaction from meals comes from the seasonings and condiments, rather than the actual food item itself. The tongue wants diverse interesting flavors to register satiety, so keep a well-stocked spice and condiment rack in your kitchen. Start building your own plant-based recipe library and soon you will discover the endless possibilities. Invest in some plant-based cookbooks or collect online recipes.

 
5. Figure out restaurants.
Once you go plant-based, you may be timid to ask for what you want when eating out at a non-veg restaurant. Don’t hesitate to ask the server what is available for vegans if you don’t see anything on the menu. Most restaurants will come up with something for you. You can design a plant-based meal from almost any menu. Look at all the side dishes, soups, and salads on the menu. Look at the menu online ahead, so you have it figured out when you get there. If there is nothing for you to eat, don’t be shy in suggesting another restaurant to your friends or family. You’ll be surprised at how many of your non-veg friends will be wanting what you’re eating!

 
6. Understand you are being nourished.
You may be worried that once you leave animal foods behind, you’ll be depriving your body of nutrients. Truly, you will be well provided for on a plant-based diet. One of the first things your friends or family members, will ask you is Are you getting enough protein? It's just something you have to put up with! Truly, very few of us are ever protein deficient. In fact, the average American diet often provides too much protein, which can be harmful to one’s health. Rest assured that balanced meals made from vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds, and nuts offer ample protein.
 
7. Don’t rely on supplements and nutrient replacers.
So you've taken the plant-based plunge, but you're nervous that about getting specific vitamins and minerals. You stock up on lots of supplements, power bars, and protein powders. It’s really not necessary! As you build a well-rounded, whole-food, plant-based diet, you'll be well provided for. We've all been deterred by the supplement industry from eating and chewing real food. Of course, if your health practitioner finds a deficiency, it should be addressed. That said, Vitamin D3 and B12 are key supplements for vegans. You can also check levels of these with your health care practitioner. If you do include bars and protein powders in your plant-based diet, look for the least processed brands.
Your dietary path is meant to bring you vibrant health, balance, and energy. And happiness! Choosing a plant-based diet brings lots of fresh foods into your life. It brings diversity and creativity into your culinary life. And you'll lighten your carbon footprint. It's a great investment in your self-care, which is priceless.
Copyright © 2019 Green Beat Life, LLC. All rights reserved.
Would you like support on your wellness path?
Click here to schedule an initial Discovery Call or email info@greenbeatlife.com
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5 Places to Eat Vegan Before a Broadway Show

12/12/2018

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Headed to Broadway to catch a show? As a vegan and theater lover in NYC, I'm always strategizing where I can eat before a show. Vegans can indeed give their regards to Broadway...with a little effort. Here are 5 places I found for a vegan meal within a 30-minute or less walking distance from the Great White Way.

1. If you head over to Restaurant Row on west 46th street, you'll find Pure Ktchn, a real pre-theatre gem for vegans. Frequented by performers and theater goers alike seeking a `health food eatery’, the menu offers a robust selection of bowls and smoothies, sides, mains and sweets. Among the Superfood Bowl options are the Blue Mermaid Bowl, a blend of banana, pineapple, coconut cream and E3Live Blue Majik powder. This might be just what you need to get your mind into that complex drama you are about to see! For a main, The Rainbow Burger is a paddy made of sweet potato, black beans and quinoa served on a sesame seed bun with kale pesto, beetroot hummus, cashew cream and carrot `bacon.' The Tartine selection includes Pesto with Portobello `bacon’ and almond parmesan on gluten-free seed bread with a side salad of arugula and tomatoes. Their signature Pink Dragon Cheesecake is heavenly, layered with a base of walnuts and dates, almond cheese, and a topping of raw pink dragon fruit. With only a few non-veg options on the menu, this a great place to invite your non-vegan friends into your world.

2. The midtown west Blossom du Jour location is just off Restaurant Row and a good stop for a fast vegan meal before the theatre. In the Big Apple, good things come in small spaces! There is limited counter seating at this location, but lots of 100% vegan choices on the menu to grab and go. You can build your own bowl with 4 items like greens, spicy beans and corn, lemon un-chicken and rice, and choose a tahini, chipotle or lemon rosemary dressing. Blossom Bowls include the Southern Bowl with marinated kale, mac and cheese, barbequed jackfruit and roasted veggies. You are in midtown, so why not choose their Midtown Melt burger with cajun seitan, avocado and mixed greens, topped with a  vegan cheese sauce, chipotle aioli on rosemary focaccia bread. If you want to keep it light yet spicy and flavorful with a side dish, the Cauliflowers Bites do the trick.

3. If you're coming up from the lower regions of the east side for a show, Franchia is your best stop. Franchia offers 100% vegan Korean fare. The menu offers Bibimbap, a rice bowl served with a variety of choices for toppings and sauces like their Mediterranean Bibimbap with crispy eggplant, tomato, avocado and basil with vegan 'chicken' sticks. Entrees include the Crispy Korean Chili Tofu, a plate of pan-fried tofu with chili sauce topped with oats and served with sliced cucumbers and tomato. If you were not alert already, you will be theatre ready upon consuming - it’s spicy hot...very hot! Their dumplings are the ultimate comfort food and come steamed or fried with their signature tomato-ginger sauce. Treat yourself to one of their many tea options too. The regional, Schisandra Chinesis Tea, is an exotic herbal, fruit tea with chopped almonds.

4. Blue Dog Kitchen Bar is just a 15-minute walk from the Great White Way. It’s an ideal choice if you are dining with non-vegans. There are only a few vegan items on the menu, but what they do have it well worth it. Their signature vegan burger, the Goddess Aphrodite, is a paddy made of blended beets, mixed vegetables and flour, topped with shiitake bacon, Brussels sprouts, pepper mustarda and served on a toasted bagel with a salad or French Fries. Additional vegan sides are Charred Cauliflower and Fried Pickles. After 4 pm, the Vegan Meatballs, made from the same burger blend and served with a coconut tomato sauce, are available too. Reservations are a MUST at this midtown hotspot. Sit at the communal table and you might get talking all things vegan!

5. Mamasita Bar and Grill in Hell’s Kitchen is a lard free Mexican restaurant. Vegans can enjoy the beans, rice and chips worry free. Committed to accommodating health conscious eating and using the finest, freshest ingredients, the signage in the window assures that no animal fat or MSG is used in the food preparation. A 20-minute walk from the theatre district, this is also a good choice for a melange of vegans and flexitarians. Entrees from their extensive vegetarian menu are easily veganized including the Vegetables Chilaquiles, a plate of steamed veggies topped with fresh tomatoes and garlic, served on a bed of tortilla chips, served with beans and rice. The Vegetable Suizas are garden fresh vegetables rolled in soft corn tortillas with tomatillo sauce. The servers happily accommodate vegans by holding the cheese and sour cream. Mushroom lovers can enjoy the Mushroom Chili, a blend of mushrooms sautéed with peppers, cilantro, onions and pinto beans in chili sauce. Don’t forget that Margaritas are plant-based too and they use REAL tequila!
Copyright © 2019 Green Beat Life, LLC. All rights reserved.
Would you like support on your wellness path?
Click here to schedule an initial Discovery Call or email info@greenbeatlife.com
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    Author

    Susan Tucker
    Practical Plant-Based Nutrition & Holistic Health Coaching

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