Living A Plant-Based Life

A Quick Guide for the Novice Vegan

Ill be honest, I didnt become a vegan overnight; for me it was a slow progression over the last ten years which all started with giving up red meat. However, if I had known how well I would feel if I had only taken the plant-based plunge all at once, I certainly wouldnt have waited! The beauty of eating a solely plant-based diet is that it naturally encourages the consumption of nutrient dense foods over energy dense foods. As a result, you wont have to decrease your portion sizes and in some cases may even be able to increase your portion sizes to fully satisfy your appetite. Most animal foods are naturally high in saturated fat and cholesterol, but plantbased foods are naturally free of cholesterol and contain little to no saturated fat (with the exception of coconut oil). It is the fat content of animal foods that contributes to much of the calories found in these foods. Unlike animal foods, plant-based foods are full of fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals; the fiber helps you feel fuller and aids in digestion while antioxidants and phytochemicals help to protect your body from many illnesses. If you want to learn more about plant-based vs. animal-based food sources and the benefits of living a plantbased life, I recommend the documentary Forks Over Knives and the books The China Study and Food Over Medicine by Dr. T. Colin Campbell. For tips and guidance on being vegan and great recipe ideas check out The Vegetarian Resource Group and The Vegan Society.

The Basics: Nutrients You May be Lacking on a Vegan Diet

Calcium Sources: fortified almond milk (or other fortified non-dairy milks), almond butter, almonds, kale, broccoli, collard and mustard greens, soybeans, tempeh (a yummy soy based meat substitute) & tahini Vitamin D Sources: the sun, supplements (liquid drops/sprays are best for absorption) & fortified almond milk (or other fortified non-dairy milks) Vitamin B12 Sources: nutritional yeast (also full of many other essential nutrients) Iron Sources: beans, lentils, peas, spinach & other dark greens, chia seeds, brown sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, most other nuts and seeds & spirulina (algae found naturally in the sea-powder form is best absorbed, but capsules are also available) TIP: Consume foods rich in vitamin C (papaya, strawberries, oranges, kale, broccoli & bell peppers) along with iron rich foods in order to increase its absorption

Omega 3 Fatty Acids: DHA & EPA

Sources: microalgae oils (fish eat algae which is why fish and fish oil are so high in DHA & EPA) TIP: you can find several varieties at Vitamin Cottage & Whole Foods they are usually citrus flavored so they taste good!

What About Protein?

Research consistently shows that vegans consume adequate protein without having to intentionally combine various protein sources because a vegan diet naturally contains so much variety. If you eat variety of grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and vegetables each day you will be consuming enough protein. However, if you are an athlete or active person, you may want to include a daily protein shake to your diet (See recipe under breakfast menu). Good vegan protein powders include hemp, pea and rice protein.

A Word of Caution About Soy

You will find many soy-based meat and milk substitutes on the market, but be careful not to use these products on a regular basis. Although I do not encourage eating processed foods (there are plenty of unhealthy, processed vegan foods on the market too), many of these foods as well as restaurant foods are cooked in soybean oil or contain other soy derivatives like soy lecithin. In short, both vegans and meat-eaters already encounter large amounts of soy on a regular basis, so I would not recommend adding significantly more soy to your diet, despite the fact that it can be a rich protein source for vegans. Unfortunately, soy is a common allergen which can cause inflammation inside the body; inflammation is at the root of most diseases. Additionally, soy contains isoflavones which are chemically similar to estrogen. While the research is still inconclusive, it is possible that consuming large amounts these isoflavones may contribute to an increased risk of breast cancer. Check out www.soyfreevegan.com for recipe ideas.

Vegan Staples in my Cupboard/Refrigerator

Quinoa Beans & Lentils Brown Rice Pasta Sandwich Bread & Tortillas Spirulina Nutritional Yeast DHA Algae Oil Almond Milk Dark, Leafy Greens Avocados Hummus Daiya Cheese

Nuts (Almonds, Cashews & Walnuts) Seeds (Chia, Sesame, Pumpkin & Sunflower) Almond Butter Bananas Frozen Berries Low Sodium Vegetable Broth Dark Chocolate Coconut Oil Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Vegetables, Vegetables & MORE VEGETABLES!!!

What NOT to Eat

The basic vegan rule of thumb: If it had a mother, you cannot eat it! This means no meat, poultry, fish, dairy or eggs. Strict vegans also avoid honey because it is created by bees who gather nectar from flowers in order to produce it. I personally use honey in small amounts, but the choice is yours.

What To Eat
You can eat anything and everything that is plant-based. Be aware that many breads, bagels, sandwich wraps, pizza crusts, pasta noodles, etc. contain eggs and a few even contain dairy. There are many brands that do not, but you must read labels. In my case, I am gluten intolerant and finding egg-free, gluten-free breads that taste good is challenging. I do not stress about occasionally consuming a tiny amount of egg in an otherwise high quality bread and neither should you. Following, you will find ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and sweets that are vegan friendly. If you dont recognize some of the foods I mention here, such as Daiya cheese, scroll down to the Vegan Alternatives section for more details. For the most part, I will not be including full recipes because most of the cooking I do is from scratch; I add a little of this and a little of that to suite mine and my familys taste. I recommend that you be adventurous in the kitchen and try the same, but if you are new to cooking, the Internet is an invaluable resource for vegan recipes. For example, if you Google vegan burrito you will literally find hundreds of recipes! One of my favorite sites for vegan recipes is www.ohsheglows.com. If you are interested in making your own soy-free, vegan cheeses and creamy sauces (its fun!) check out: http://www.vegsource.com/talk/beginner/messages/142287.html. TIP: At the beginning of each week I recommend roasting, sauting, grilling, smoking or steaming a large portion of your favorite vegetables seasoned simply with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Throughout the week you will have cooked vegetables on hand to add to sandwiches, pastas, quesadillas, etc. If you chop fresh vegetables in advance for snacks or salads, they tend to spoil faster, so eat them within about 3 days. If you make sweet potato and black bean tacos for dinner one night, make extra sweet

potatoes so you can add them to your breakfast quesadilla the next morning and enough black beans to add to your salad for lunch the following day. I find that reusing the same ingredients for different meals saves a lot of time. If you dont always have time to use fresh vegetables, go for frozen veggies instead, but never canned. Frozen veggies retain most of their nutrients, but canned veggies do not.

Breakfast Ideas
Hemp Protein Shake Blend almond Milk, coconut oil, banana, various frozen berries and other frozen fruits, chia seeds (caution: chia seeds form a gel in liquids when they sit too long so dont use more than 1-2 Tbsp and drink within a few hours), nutritional yeast, & hemp protein Quick Power Drink Water or natural vegetable juice, chia seeds, nutritional yeast & spirulina-mix or shake well Veggie Bagel Sandwich Spread with vegan cream cheese (store bought contains soy), hummus or smashed avocado & add any veggies like tomatoes, cucumbers, onions & sprouts Refried Bean & Sweet Potato Quesadilla TIP: make sure the refried beans are vegetarian and always ask when eating out at Mexican restaurants Layer bottom of tortilla with beans, diced and precooked sweet potatoes and raw greens, add vegetarian green chili or hot sauce as desired and sprinkle cheddar or pepper jack Daiya cheese on top. Fry, toast in a toaster oven or bake for a few minutes and then add the top half of the tortilla and cook a few more minutes until cheese holds it together Potato, Refried Bean & Veggie Casserole Layer casserole dish with sliced & cooked russet or Yukon gold potatoes, refried beans, vegetarian green chile and sauted/steamed veggies (tomatoes, avocado, onion, mushroom, etc.) sprinkle with a little cheddar or pepper jack Daiya cheese and bake until cheese melts TIP: Dont saut/steam the avocados with the other veggies, they are best raw TIP: try making this with homemade vegan cheese instead and/or add a dollop of Tofutti sour cream or your own homemade version Cereal or Oatmeal with Fruit Add whatever fruit youd like or maybe try a dash of cinnamon or maple syrup Coconut or Almond Yogurt with Granola & Fruit

Lunch Ideas
Roasted or Raw Veggie Sandwich, Wrap or Pita

Use avocado, hummus, vegan mayo, mustard or other vegan dressing as a spread and as many veggies as you can fit Quinoa & Black Bean Salad Dress it with olive oil and lime juice or red wine vinegar, add veggies like tomatoes, onions and avocado TIP: Whole Foods makes yummy version of this salad found in the prepared foods section Hearty Vegetable Soup or Chili Make it on a Sunday afternoon and reheat it for lunch If you buy it from the store go for the low sodium version and read the label to ensure its vegan TIP: Whole Foods makes an excellent white bean and kale soup Vegan Tuna Salad Sandwich Grind up any variety of nuts and seeds youd like in a food processor along with kelp granules (for the fishy taste), a pickle or two or fresh dill, ground mustard seed, white vinegar, onion, vegan mayo and salt and pepper TIP: Add a little of each ingredient and taste it as you go so it turns out the way you like it, or find a recipe online Falafel & Hummus Wrap Make your own falafel or buy it from the store, smother a pita or wrap with hummus, add falafel and any other veggies youd like Green Salad with Lentils or Beans & Quinoa Make a tossed salad and add leftover quinoa and lentils or beans TIP: For extra protein add nuts or seeds Leftovers Reheating and/or reusing your leftovers in different ways is perfect for lunch

Dinner Ideas
Veggie Burrito with Black Beans & Spanish Style Quinoa Roast a large variety of veggies and season with lime juice and chili powder or cayenne pepper, stuff in a tortilla with cheddar or pepper jack Daiya cheese, roll up, smother with vegetarian green chili and bake Cook beans and quinoa with veggies like tomatoes, onions and peppers and season with lime juice, chili powder or cayenne pepper to add more flavor TIP: Vitamin Cottage makes a tasty Mexican blend seasoning that I use for these types of dishes TIP: Cook the quinoa in low sodium vegetable broth for more flavor Veggie Burger with Baked Potato & Veggies There are numerous varieties of veggie burgers at almost every grocery store and there are hundreds of homemade recipes for veggie burgers as well Saut a veggie medley and toss in some pumpkin seeds to top off your potato & add a dollop of Tofutti sour cream or your own homemade v ersion Veggie Pasta with Green Salad

This can be made a variety of ways by using a tomato sauce, a pesto sauce, a white wine and olive oil sauce, a balsamic reduction, etc. and adding in a wide array of colorful sauted vegetables (dont forget the garlic and fresh herbs like basil and oregano) TIP: Try to increase your veggie to pasta ratio so there are more veggies than noodles on your plate Hippie Loaf with Mashed Potatoes & Asparagus Check out this simple recipe for hippie loaf which is a vegan meatloaf: http://happyherbivore.com/recipe/hippie-loaf-gluten-free/ Use almond milk and Earth Balance margarine for the potatoes, add Tofutti sour cream or homemade sour cream to make them extra creamy and fluffy TIP: Roast garlic while you are preparing the potatoes for an intense garlic flavor Three Bean Vegetarian Chili There are hundreds of variations with this chili, check out some recipes online, combine your ingredients and let a slow cooker do the rest of the work TIP: Grind up any nuts of your choice and add them when the chili is almost done cooking for a ground beef-like texture Veggie Pizza with Daiya Cheese Pick up a pre-made crust or make your own and load with veggies, sauce and mozzarella Daiya cheese or your own homemade cheese TIP: Make a Mexican pizza variation with vegetarian refried beans for the sauce, cheddar or pepper jack Daiya cheese and top with veggies like green onions, tomatoes, avocado and green chiles, serve with salsa Portobello Mushroom Fajitas Marinate the mushrooms and other fajita veggies in balsamic vinegar and lime juice, serve with beans, quinoa and guacamole Lasagna Layer with thinly sliced eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini and kale and drench in tomato sauce Cheese/Meat Filling: In a food processor, grind your choice of nuts and seeds, nutritional yeast, chia seeds, a little water, basil and oregano, granulated garlic, salt and pepper Sprinkle each layer including the top with a little mozzarella Daiya cheese to hold it all together TIP: Your lasagna will hold together better if you only cook the noodles for 2-3 minutes, they will continue to cook and soften while baking Portobello Mushroom Burger with Rice & Lentils Marinate the mushrooms in balsamic vinegar and top with roasted red peppers and spinach TIP: Whole Foods carries a brown rice, wild rice, red and green lentil mixture that cooks up in less than an hour, cook in low sodium vegetable broth and season it however youd like it Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Pico de Gallo

Marinate the sweet potatoes in lime juice and chili powder or Mexican seasoning blend, cook the beans with lime juice and veggies like onions and peppers Make traditional Pico de Gallo and add avocado, top off your tacos with this Pico Veggie Stir Fry with Miso Soup Use quinoa, brown rice or brown rice noodles and plenty of veggies, try adding eggplant and basil for a Thai flare and top with sesame seeds or ground nuts TIP: Whole Foods carries a miso soup starter broth, just add veggies and heat

Snacks & Sweets

Veggies & Crackers with Hummus, Guacamole or Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip Nuts: Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts Sprinkle with a little olive oil and your favorite seasoning like granulated garlic, Spike seasoning salt or cinnamon Chips & Salsa or Guacamole Granola Bars Dark Chocolate Coconut or Almond Milk Ice Cream Vegan White Cheddar Popcorn by Earth Balance Romaine Lettuce Wraps Fill with veggies, vegan tuna salad or ground nuts and drizzle with your favorite dressing or spread Strawberries & Other Fruit Dipped in Dark Chocolate Coconut or Almond Yogurt

Vegan Alternatives
Milk Almond, coconut, hemp or rice milk Cheese Daiya cheese shreds: great for melting Rawmesan: parmesan cheese substitute, great on soups and salads Hummus & Avocado: great in sandwiches and wraps Make your own: there is a vegan variation for nearly every type of cheese Meat Hearty Veggies like Potatoes & Portobello Mushrooms: great in soups, stews and chili or as a main dish Ground Nuts: Sprinkle on top of stir fried dishes and mix in chili or stew Tempeh: fermented soy-based meat analogue (I promise, it tastes MUCH better than it sounds!) Seitan: Wheat based meat analogue Butter Coconut Oil: Sauting & baking Earth Balance Margarine: Baking

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Dressings & finishing after cooking Avocado Oil: Sauting & roasting Eggs Chia or Flaxseed Meal with Water: 2 or 3 to 1 ratio of seeds to water depending on how thick or runny youd like it, mix and let it sit for several minutes, makes a great binder Egg Replacer: Found in the baking section of most health food stores, good for rising Tofu: Processed soy product, use in place of scrambled eggs (in moderation) Sour Cream & Cream Cheese Tofutti or other commercial brands are soy based Make your own soy-free version out of cashews Yogurt Almond or Coconut yogurt: watch out for added sugars TIP: Buy the plain version and add fruit for sweetness Mayonnaise Vegenaise: there are many varieties including soy-free

Vegan Friendly Restaurants

Before you go out to eat, check menus online and call ahead to see if they can accommodate your needs. In general, nicer restaurants will accommodate your needs by creating a modified/special meal for you. Make sure your server is aware that you cannot have eggs, cheese, milk or butter because these ingredients can hide in soups, sauces and dressings. Due to my gluten sensitivity, all of the following restaurants are also gluten free friendly. There are many more vegan friendly restaurants in town that you can find at:
http://www.urbanspoon.com/t/17/2/Denver/Vegan-Friendly-restaurants

Native Foods Caf Dedicated vegan restaurant in Boulder, Denver location opening this fall near Colorado Blvd. & I-25 Watercourse Foods Dedicated vegetarian restaurant with plenty of amazing vegan choices City O City The sister restaurant to Watercourse Foods True Foods Specializes in healthy, organic foods Pizza Fusion In my opinion, the BEST pizza in town! Fresh, organic, gluten free and vegan options ModMarket Fast, fresh and organic Pho 95 The BEST vegetarian pho I have found so far

Thai Pot Caf Try the drunken noodles, full of veggies Saucy Noodle Ristorante The arrabiata and garlic tomato sauces are incredible Abruscis Italian Restaurant The best gluten free pasta and bread in town with roasted garlic for dipping 730 South Excellent Portobello mushroom dishes Purple Ginger Asian Fusion Tasty veggie noodle and rice dishes Udis Cafes Various locations with different themes throughout the metro Denver area Garbanzos Mediterranean Grill Chipotle Noodles Illegal Petes Mad Greens Subway Yolandas Tacos Smiling Moose Deli Jasons Deli Qudoba

What to do when Eating at a Friend or Familys House

Inform the host/hostess of your new diet before you go and offer to bring a vegan dish or side dish. This is a great opportunity to let others try your new and delicious way of eating. Often times your friends or family members will be willing to make something special for you. In some cases you may need to eat something before you go and carry a granola bar or nuts to snack on. Dont worry that you are being rude by refusing to eat what your host/hostess has offered you; if you have explained to them that you are vegan they should understand.

Best of luck to you on taking the plant-based plunge! If you have any questions or need extra help, feel free to email me at erin.healinghands@gmail.com Erin Young, LMT, Senior Nutrition Major at Metro State