I just saw this on Facebook and wanted to pass it along.
Julieanna Hever, R.D. the Plant-Based Dietitian answers some frequently asked questions about a Plant-Based Diet.
Plant Based Diet
Eat the Rainbow
If you try to investigate a plant-based diet you will run across a lot of information. Basically it is eating food from plant sources most of the time. Dr. Pam Popper, of The Wellness Forum, says if you choose to eat meat only have it 2 to 3 times per week, and make sure it is organic.
I think it is easier to think about all of the food I can eat, as opposed to all of the food I can’t eat. I’m a fan of Julieanna Hever MS, RD a.k.a. the Plant-Based Dietitian; she developed her own Food Guide Pyramid that is pictured above. She often says to “eat the rainbow.”
Yesterday morning was a busy day in our house. After lunch I was thinking about what I had eaten that day
- Coffee
- Peanut butter and jelly (all fruit) sandwich on 9 grain bread
- Black bean and brown rice burrito on a whole wheat tortilla.
- A butter bean cookie
None of these foods are bad for me but I’m missing some color here. Almost everything I ate was brown. I’m sure I’m missing some very important antioxidants. I think I’ll dive into that bowl of strawberries I have sitting in the refrigerator. I had already planned broccoli and spinach for dinner. Carrots and red bell peppers dipped in hummus are an easy snack.
This isn’t about perfection and I will not obsess about my food color. “Eating the Rainbow” is just one tool to help add variety to your diet.
If your like me and not always loving eating your greens it is very easy to hide them in a smoothie.
This smoothie has kale, parsley, bananas, blue berries, cherries, mango, pineapple, and orange juice. It was yummy, filling, and full of colors.
Are you eating your colors?
Meal Plan Monday
I have tried menu planning in the past. Typically, I’d do well for a month or two then fall off the wagon. Before eating a plant based diet, I would plan the menu based on what meat was on sale or stocked in my freezer. In my old way of thinking meat made the meal.
Now I have to get much more creative. I buy in bulk and right now I have humongous amounts of spinach and broccoli; OK I usually have lots of spinach and broccoli. I also have a lot of cooked beans and grains. If I waited until Monday night to decide and prepare dinner we would eat cereal. By having some things pre-made I can make a hot, fresh meal; even when my kids are screaming and hanging on to my legs as I move about the kitchen.
This week’s Meal Plan
Breakfast is usually oatmeal, toast, cereal or leftover pancakes.
Snack can be leftovers, fresh fruit, or smoothies. Cookies and muffins also make a regular appearance.
Lunch is typically leftovers or sometimes a sandwich or a wrap. My favorite lunch is throwing together leftover grains, beans, and seasonings or salsa.
Dinner
Monday: Pasta with Broccoli and Spinach, I’ll make a sauce but I never know what kind it will be until I’m done.
Tuesday: Enchilada Soup
Wednesday: Stir Fry
Thursday: Black Bean Burgers, potatoes, and green beans
Friday: Dinner Out!
My menu plan is not set in stone, in fact there is a good chance the the black bean burgers will be cut altogether.
I don’t plan the weekend meals unless we have something special going on. I usually make pancakes on Sunday morning and we eat leftovers all weekend. I like to cook large batches of beans and grains to get ready for the new week.
Have you planned your menu for the week?
Be Encouraged
Soon you will discover that not very recipe you attempt will turn out well. Last night I attempted Black Bean Burgers. They were OK, but not great. We ate them but they were lacking. We have three leftover burgers that will get eaten, but they were not the spicy sensation I had planned. Oh well.
I’ll try them again. Eventually.
Maybe you want to eat healthier but keep finding yourself in the drive thru. Be encouraged. Life style changes take time, it is very hard to change the way you live over night. Maybe you need to start with smaller changes like eating healthier versions of what you already like.
We have a favorite family recipe for Banana Bread. It is very tasty and full of butter, white flour, white sugar, and a splash of milk. Last year I started slowly tweaking the recipe. I’d use honey instead of sugar, or half white flour and half wheat. Monday I made Banana Bread and decided to change everything I could to make them as healthy as possible. Do you know what happened? They were AMAZING. In fact, I almost didn’t get a picture because we were eating it so fast. I had planned to take them to some “regular” people to see if they would like them but I never did. Now there is only a few pieces left and I’m hoarding them.
Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup turbinado sugar or raw sugar
- 3 extra ripe bananas
- 1 Tbsp plant milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup nuts (optional)
Do
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a large mixing bowl add 1 cup applesauce and 1/2 cup turbinado sugar, (you could use honey instead for non-vegan option). Mix with wooden spoon.
- Add the bananas, plant milk and vanilla. I used a hand held mixer to mix but I spoon would do too. Try to smash the bananas as much as possible and mix well.
- Add baking soda, salt, and flour. Mix well.
- Pour into a greased pan, I use a bunt pan for best results.
- Cook for 40 minutes until a tooth pick comes out clean. Using a loaf pan will require a longer baking time. When making muffins with this recipe they are usually done in 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve
For best results to not eat this the same day you bake it. Resist, trust me it is for the best. This banana bread will be super moist if you leave it alone. Once the bread has cooled wrap it up and store until tomorrow. On the second day, enjoy! I’ve also made this with chocolate chips and it is yummy! If you made muffins they will be a little dry bust still tasty.
Is there something you want to hear about? Let me know!
Plan for Success
Last night I didn’t really feel like making dinner. Have you been there? Fortunately I had prepared a number of basic ingredients so dinner was a breeze, a warm, delicious breeze. I reheated cooked quinoa and black beans, while steaming spinach, broccoli and red bell peppers. I added a few seasonings and I had a delightful dinner.
You’ve heard it said, “those who fail to plan, plan to fail.”
If I hadn’t been prepared we would have probably gotten take out. We still get our fair share of take out but it is typically bean burritos or hummus and pitas. I know we are wild!
If your new to this pick one or two things to try. When we began eating a plant based diet I would make a large batch of pinto beans and a large batch of brown rice. If you’ve never made beans it is really easy.
Making Beans: A Quick How To
- Buy dried beans (any variety)
- Look through the beans for debris like sticks and rocks. I like to do this by spreading beans out on the counter. I also discard and gnarly looking beans.
- Rinse the beans. I pour them in a large colander to rinse them.
- Put your beans in a large pot and fill with water. Your beans will likely double in size so make sure you have plenty of room. Let the beans soak overnight.
- The next day rinse your beans again, sometimes I skip this rinse, and add clean water to the beans.
- Cook. It will likely take a few hours, depending on the type of beans. Once the beans start to boil turn the heat down so they simmer. I like to place a wooden spoon on the top of my pan to keep the beans from boiling over.
- You can add spices or veggies now. If your not sure how you will be using they beans you may not want to season them. I always add onion and garlic to my pinto beans, for example, but I do not season my black beans.
- The beans are done when they are soft. You can remove a few beans with a spoon and lightly blow on them, if the skin peels away they are done.
Why I love beans?
- Inexpensive
- High Protein
- High Fiber
- Easy to make
Beans are also versatile. One large pot of beans can be eaten plain, made into chili, burritos, eaten “unfried” as opposed to “refried,” made into veggie burgers, nachos, or into a layered casserole. They also freeze well.
This is the chili I made last week. There were two problems with it. First, the recipe only made enough for two adults with a little bit of leftovers. Second, since I used canned beans and didn’t soak and cook them myself they made us, ahem, gassy. But don’t tell anyone because that would be embarrassing. 😉
I’ve revamped that recipe, you need to try this delicious vegan chili!
You can make beans even faster in the Instant Pot!
21 Day Kickstart…Week 3
Yesterday began the third week of the 21 Day Kickstart. It has been an interesting two weeks so far. I’ve made and ate a lot of new foods, like a homemade veggie burger. I plan to try a new variation this week, perhaps a spicy black bean burger. We tried our first processed soy meat product, I don’t think we will try that again. Yesterday I adapted a favorite family recipe for Banana Bread. We haven’t had any yet but if it is good I’ll share that recipe soon. The most exciting news this week is that we have a birthday in the house. I’m thinking of using my apple muffin recipe for our celebration. I’d really like to top it with a nice messy icing but that will depend on what recipes I come across.
I’ve learned that blogging on the weekend doesn’t work for me. I’d rather spend that time with my husband and kids. We got some long overdue projects done around the house and I got a lot of food preparation done. My fridge is full of fresh batches of cooked lima beans, black beans, black eyed peas, and quinoa. This week I’ll share more about planning for a plant based diet.
I’ve also been able to spread the message of eating a plant based diet. This is very exciting to me. Being healthy and helping others on this journey is my new passion.