Read Veganist: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, Change the World Online
Authors: Kathy Freston
Tags: #food.cookbooks
Beyond the obvious—that a vegetarian diet is one of the best ways to help the global poor—it’s worth remembering that calls for conscious eating are also calls for human morality and responsible stewardship. This is why Mahatma Gandhi, probably the single individual most responsible for the birth of a modern state, famously argued that the moral progress of nations can be judged by the way they treat their animals. Gandhi spent his life laboring on behalf of poor and oppressed people, but he also advocated plant-based diets and saw that true compassion does not ignore suffering, whether the suffering one is a different color or a different species. Gandhi knew that compassion is indeed a muscle that grows with use. Love of humanity and concern for animal suffering are a part of the same fabric of caring.
Compassion is a muscle that grows with use.
Being a veganist is as much about caring for yourself as it is caring for others, as much about concern for humanity as it is about concern for the earth and its creatures. In the end, a vegan diet lets us sow seeds of peace on many levels. This is what is so inspiring about the veganist challenge. The ultimate promise of a plant-based diet is that it will utterly transform our personal health even as it heals the world around us.
We are a generation that senses something big on the horizon. We have been longing for meaning, hungering for a sense of empowerment, for the ability to be the game changers we know this world needs. And here, right in front of us—on our plates, actually—is the means to make that splendid leap. And when we make that leap within ourselves, overcoming all the little obstacles and attachments, we take the world right along with us. We become the very hope we were looking for.
M
AKING A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE TO YOUR DIET CAN BE OVER
-whelming. And that’s why I so often recommend
leaning in
to a new way of eating and not trying to make too many changes at once. As you might have read in my other books, I’ve been working on improving myself for quite some time. It’s been a long process of pushing myself past my comfort zones and into healthier ways of living, and nothing has come overnight for me. There have been times when I “got” something readily, like an epiphany that felt right in my gut, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the ensuing changes happened easily. There has always been a process of becoming conscious of where I need to change, and then getting there. Think of a bad relationship: You know it’s not right for you anymore. You know it’s damaging your self-esteem, or at the very least, is not in alignment with your soul’s truth. You know there must be a better way of living, but you just don’t know how to get out of what you’ve grown so accustomed to. And the thing is, if you don’t make a move, years can be lost and you lose precious opportunities to really thrive physically, emotionally, and spiritually. You may never know how great your life could have been, how much you could have really shone and made your mark.
It’s the same with eating. We see a better way, but it’s just a matter of getting there. As I outlined in
Quantum Wellness
, there are four simple steps that are quite powerful. By taking these steps, you set the process—any process of growth and self improvement—in motion.
1. Listen and learn. Keep eating what you are eating, all the while educating yourself on the effects of that food. Don’t go to sleep; stay awake and alert. Read books about the nutritional benefits of a plant-based diet; watch videos online of animals being slaughtered. It will clarify things for you, and you will have loads of information to answer what people will inevitably question you about (“Don’t you need to eat meat to get protein?” “Don’t you think animals are meant to be food?”). Informing yourself will create enthusiasm and kick-start the process of change.
2. Set an intention. You may not know exactly how to get there, but you can lean in the direction of how you want to be. Say to yourself, “I want to be a person who lives consciously and eats healthfully. I want to look in the mirror and like what I see. I want to feel full of energy and apply that
energy to a meaningful life.” After I’d read a few books on how animal protein was bad for me and watched some behind-the-scenes video of animals being raised in terrible conditions, I knew I wanted to be vegan. That was my intention. But because it was so radically different from how I currently ate, I couldn’t get there in one leap. I just held on to that vision of myself; I had set an intention.
3. Come up with a plan. Well, as my grandmother always said, “Hell is paved with good intentions!” An intention is only the beginning. Next you need a plan on how to make things happen. In my case, I made a grocery list of new items I wanted to check out—new meat alternatives that looked and tasted like the favorite foods I’d been accustomed to. I went through websites and cookbooks and picked out a few recipes that looked easy and tasty. I searched for restaurants in my area that catered to vegetarians, or that had a vegan entrée on the menu. By coming up with a plan, you solidify your intention. It starts looking doable, and a momentum starts.
4. Make the move. This is when you just jump in. You simply take a step. No pressure, no hurry. Just a step. I began sampling different foods, inviting friends over for tastings. I kept a journal on how I felt and looked (I lost weight, my skin cleared up, and my eyes seemed more clear), and I was further energized by what I was seeing.
I’m not sure exactly how long the whole process was for me—but it was definitely not overnight. It was over the course of a couple of years, but that doesn’t mean it has to take that long for you. I gave up one animal at a time, and found my footing slowly and surely. In that way, I leaned in to the life I wanted for myself, and things even took on a life of their own. (Now I’m an author on the subject; who knew?)
That’s what I suggest to you. Take it one step at a time; stay curious and actively seek out new products and menu ideas, and you will find that there is a whole world of hearty, delicious food out there that does absolutely no harm—not to other living creatures, not to the planet, not to your health.
Some people dread the switch because they’re so afraid of feeling deprived. And if switching over to a plant-based diet meant only
eliminating
animal foods, that’s exactly what you’d feel. Not to mention hungry, dissatisfied, left out, and at a loss. People who try this route often feel like they’re subsisting on side dishes, always longing for something more. Try that, and the white-knuckling willpower it would take would inevitably give way to temptation, and back you’d go to the burgers and fries. That’s where “crowding out” comes in.
“Crowding out” is a term used in nutritional circles to describe how to eat in a healthy way without giving yourself the chance to feel hungry. You literally crowd out junk and bad food by adding in healthy foods throughout the day so that you’re always satisfied. When you eat the veganist way, you eat nutrient-dense and fiber-rich foods, which satisfy your body’s cravings and leave you feeling fulfilled and content. Your body feels nutritionally satisfied, and there’s no room left over for feeling deprived.
Those old bad habits literally get crowded out by better ones.
Tips for Making the Switch
1. Begin by leaving off one animal at a time. I suggest that you start by giving up eating all birds—chicken, turkey, and duck. As Alec Baldwin says in his
Meet Your Meat
video, “Chickens are probably the most abused animals on the face of the planet.” The numbers factor is worth noting, too: In the U.S., we kill 100 times more chickens than pigs, and 200 times more chickens than cattle. If your concern is cruelty, drop poultry first.
So you can get used to not relying on poultry to round out your meals, work in some alternative vegetarian meats. I love Gardein (they have a great product that looks and tastes very much like chicken, while other products in their line are akin to pork and beef), which is found in most supermarket freezers and in the refrigerated section of Whole Foods and other health food stores. You can use their “chick’n” patties or scallopini to make the recipes you’re used to making with animal chicken. For Thanksgiving, Gardein makes a great vegan turkey that can be found in the frozen foods section or ordered ahead of time through your local health food store. There are other vegan versions of turkey which you can find at health food stores, Trader Joe’s, and even some of the bigger supermarkets, just look in the freezer section.
Tip: You may need a few weeks or a few months between each step; you will most likely know when it’s time to push yourself to let go of another animal in your diet.
After you’ve found your footing and gotten used to one fewer animal in your meal plans, take out another. If you decide to give up red meat next, try chili with beans rather than chili con carne; instead of tacos with ground beef, try them with Smart Ground meatless crumbles. Gardein makes a great product called Beefless Tips, in the frozen section, that you can use to make dishes like beef stew and beef stroganoff, and they’re great for stir-frys as well. Trader Joe’s also makes fantastic meatballs that you can put into spaghetti or on a sandwich. They can be found in the freezer section of your local market. There are meat-free cold cuts, which make great sandwiches, and even kids don’t seem to notice the difference. And you can do just about anything with tofu or seitan, too, so experiment with your traditional recipes by simply replacing the meat with a veg protein.
2. Instead of pork bacon or sausage, discover all the wonderful veggie versions. They vary in taste and texture, so keep experimenting with brands until you find the ones you like the most. One of my favorite weekend meals is scrambled tofu with onions and sun-dried tomatoes, with veggie bacon on the side. It fulfills my traditional longing for a
hearty “scramble” on a lazy weekend day without all the fuss.
3. Substitute tempeh, which is cultured soy, for tuna fish. Tempeh is high in protein and fiber, low in fat and can be mixed with vegan mayo and relish, with some nori (seaweed) crumbled in for a great tunalike salad to spread on crackers or fold into a sandwich.
4. Take weekend jaunts to the health food store and farmers’ market so you can pick out new foods to get excited about. Try tamari-roasted almonds or dried apples or hummus; find ripe avocados and mangos and radishes to put in your salad. Pick up a spaghetti squash and see how delicious and easy it is to make (just bake it in the oven with some olive oil, and then shred it for a hearty side dish or add tomato sauce, to make another version of pasta!).
5. And while you’re at it, try eating only natural sugars like stevia or brown rice syrup instead of the ones that will fatigue you and cause you to gain weight. Opt for sparkling water with a squeeze of lime or a bit of pomegranate juice rather than sugary sodas or juices (fruit juices spike your blood sugar and send you on an insulin roller coaster, even though the sugar is natural). Choose healthy treats made with whole grains and good quality sweeteners rather than the stuff that will get the old “addict” in you going. For instance, I switched to flax crackers with almond butter and agave
nectar drizzled on top from cookies or pastries. Making changes like these can inspire you to get healthy all around, and I encourage you to find where your weak spots are and fill them in with healthier alternatives. (My book
The Quantum Wellness Cleanse
is a good way to begin this process.)
6. Let go of eating eggs, too. There are far better (delicious, nutritious, and cruelty-free) alternatives readily available. For baking, use Ener-G egg replacer (a blend of tapioca starch, xanthan gum, and other natural ingredients) or, for each egg called for, just blend 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons water and microwave for 10 seconds. You will discover a whole world of vegan treats once you start looking for them!
7. For soups and sauces, there are wonderful vegetarian broths to replace chicken or beef broth.
8. Discover nondairy milks and cheeses. Dairy was the last thing I gave up, and it was the thing that I loved the most (until I learned all about the dairy cattle industry!). The hardest habit for me to break was my snack of cheese and crackers; I just loved the ritual of sitting down to something that was so familiar. But instead of letting myself feel deprived, I simply chose new snacks, like guacamole and chips, hummus with pita or cucumbers, nuts, nut spreads on flax crackers or rice cakes, or fruit.
Nondairy milks include soy, almond, rice, and hemp; you can get them in different flavors, sweetened or not. For lightening my tea and coffee, my absolute favorite is Silk Soy Creamer, because it’s rich and thick and won’t separate in hot beverages. Westsoy Crème de la Soy is also terrific. And there are wonderful nondairy ice creams that are as tasty as anything you grew up with. Great vegan cheeses can be used to make pizza and grilled cheese sandwiches, or sprinkle them over soups and mix into salads; just look for them next to the regular cheese in health food stores and some supermarkets. I like Daiya, which is made from tapioca. Some people think soy cheeses taste “odd,” but I think they’re terrific, and I’ve made many converts over the years. Nutritional yeast flakes, found at health food stores, are also great sprinkled over pasta instead of Parmesan, and they’re loaded with B
12
and protein.
9. When traveling, bring some dried fruits and nuts for the plane or between meetings. It’s also not a bad idea to pack up leftovers from the night before in a “to go” box (save the ones you get from restaurant takeout) and bring them with you, or make a couple of sandwiches and a thermos of soup to have on hand. Wherever you are, you can always run into a supermarket to grab some fresh fruit, nut butter, or cut up veggies. Nearly every hotel serves oatmeal for breakfast—just ask room service to have the kitchen make it with either water or soy milk rather than regular milk, which is their fallback preparation; you can sprinkle on your nuts and fruits if they don’t have any to accompany the dish. Or you can ask for toast or a bagel with peanut butter and a fruit plate. The nicer hotels offer soy milk, but if you suspect there won’t be any at the one you are going to, and your coffee won’t be the same without cream, you can buy powdered nondairy creamer (not the old-fashioned hydrogenated kind; go to the health food store for it instead, and steer clear of anything with sodium caseinate in it, because that is a milk product). It’s not really that tasty, but it’ll do in a pinch. That said, be sure that the hotelier or airline hears your request for nondairy options, because when they hear enough noise, they will eventually respond.
I travel with small packets of protein powder in case I don’t get enough whole foods to cover my nutritional needs while on the road; I shake it up in a bottle of water and pour in some ground flax seeds for fiber. Sometimes I even go back to the kitchen of the hotel and ask them to put my protein powder in with some water and bananas and blueberries and blend it all up. I tell them they can charge me for it, as it’s worth it to me to eat something healthy rather than gorge on bread if that’s all they have that’s vegan. Another fun snack for the road is vegetarian jerky, which is high in protein.
10. When choosing which restaurants to go to, check out the local ethnic eateries, because they will usually have more interesting and delicious vegetarian and vegan options. Indian, Mexican, Thai, Ethiopian, Lebanese, Chinese, and Japanese cuisines all have a strong plant-based orientation. At fancier restaurants, I often mention that I’m a vegan when making my reservation. Restaurant kitchens get very busy, so if you order something vegan upon arrival the cooks may be too frenzied to whip up anything interesting; but if you give them advance notice, the chef is usually more than happy to have something in store for you when you arrive. If you go to more all-American sorts of restaurants, you can always ask them to put everything vegetable/bean/legume/ potato on a plate for a vegetarian smorgasbord. Most places also have pasta primavera (pasta with veggies), but you don’t want to eat pasta every time you go out. Try to resist filling up on empty carbs like bread. If you take that route rather than eating healthy, nutritious foods, you will only bloat up, gain weight, and lose energy. If they simply don’t offer fresh vegetables, grains, or fruits, do the best you can until you get home and can take control of your menu. Oh, and ask for olive oil rather than butter; it’s delicious on bread or potatoes with a little pinch of salt.
11. If you are invited to a dinner party, let your host know ahead of time that you are vegan and ask if she would like you to bring a dish or two. It will most likely make for interesting dinner conversation, so bring enough to share! If it’s a barbecue, bring over some veggie dogs and burgers and vegan cheese, so that you can join in with everyone else. Don’t worry about offending anyone; as long as you are gracious and don’t preach about what anyone else should eat, everything will be fine. And if it’s not, and your host seems prickly, chalk it up to it being nothing you can change. You can’t make everyone happy, but you can be kind and informative (if asked) and people will eventually come to understand your new way of eating (if not join you!).
12. Try to eat a few servings of veggies every day, whether as side dishes, in salads, or as centers to the meal (like stuffed butternut squash). When you eat a wide variety of colorful, fresh veggies, you guarantee yourself lots of fiber and much of your needed nutrition. Enjoy lentils, chickpeas, beans, tofu, seitan, and tempeh, and meat alternatives like Gardein for your main sources of protein, but remember, protein is in just about everything, so if you are eating a varied plant-based diet, you will most likely be getting plenty. And enjoy your fruit—pears, strawberries, figs—as snacks or condiments; you won’t need sugar to satisfy your sweet tooth when you enjoy fruits regularly.
13. One of my favorite ways of getting in a couple doses of fruits and veggies is to throw them into a smoothie. I start with a base of coconut water or nondairy milk and protein powder—I like Solaray Soytein, Life’s Basics, or Vegn because they are not sweetened with anything that will spike blood sugar—then add in blueberries or raspberries. The kicker is the cup of frozen broccoli; you can’t even taste it when it goes in frozen, so even kids will go for it.
14. Steer clear of junk foods like chips and cookies and sweets (well, at least don’t make a habit of eating them!) so that you keep your energy high and your cravings low (remember: junk begets cravings for more junk). Just getting animal products out of your diet alone won’t make you thrive; you still need to crowd in nutritious foods while saying no to empty calories.
15. Don’t make yourself (or the waiter!) crazy about foods that may have less than 2 percent of something animal in them. For instance, don’t interrogate your server to make sure there is no milk in the bread or insist that your veggie burger is not on the same grill as a steak. You don’t want to give the impression that vegans are hard to please!