So, I don't know if I could ever go completely vegan, but I think a lot of the principles that were presented on the vegan lifestyle have great merit. Vegans certainly don't seem to be depriving themselves nutrionally in any way and there are so many vegan products out there nowaday that makes the lifestyle much more appealing. I was surprised by the Harpo employees saying that they had lost weight (one guy lost 11 pounds in one week!) and were feeling SO much better. I felt this was worth looking into, so here it goes...
What does it mean to be "vegan"?
Living the vegan lifestyle means that you get your nutrition without eating any animal products. No meats, fish, eggs, dairy - no animal anything! The diet is comprised of plant based foods such as vegetables, legumes and whole grains.
So, where do they get their protein from if they don't eat any meat?
Vegans get their protein from legumes, vegetables, fruits and protein rich grains.
What about iron and other things our bodies need?
Great sources of iron come from leafy greens and any type of bean.
"These foods also bring you calcium and other important minerals. Vegetables, beans and other foods provide all the iron you need. In fact, studies show that vegetarians and vegans tend to get more iron than meat eaters. Vitamin C increases iron absorption." Kathy Freston, excerpt from "The Veganist"
As for calcium, the greens and beans also provide the body with the necessary calcium for bone health. Kathy also recommends; getting plenty of exercise, getting enough vitamin D, eliminating animal based proteins, limiting salt intake, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and not smoking to help keep your bones healthy.
As for Omega 3's that we get from fish oil, Kathy says, "ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) is a basic omega-3 fat that can be converted in the body to the other omega-3s the body needs. ALA occurs in small amounts in beans, vegetables and fruits, and this should be all the body needs. If more is desired, it is also found in walnuts, soy products and, in high concentration, flax seeds and flax oil. If these are used, there is no need for more than minimal amounts. If you are looking for more, for whatever reason, health food stores sell vegan omega-3 supplements."
Click here for a Vegan Shopping List.
from Oprah.com
Click below for Vegan Menus from Kathy's Book, Veganist: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, Change the World
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Click here for Kathy's Vegan Substitutes so you can go vegan without giving up some of your favorite meals!
If you really love meat but are willing to try some meat substitutes, try the following...
Tofu is also called "bean curd" and is made from the curdled liquid extracted from soybeans. It's sold in various forms from very soft (or silken) to firm. The firm version resembles cream cheese and is often cut into cubes or strips. By itself, it has virtually no flavor. It works well when cooked with sauces because the Tofu acts like a sponge, soaking in the flavor. You can also cut tofu into thin strips and saute them until they crisp up, marinate the strips in soy sauce and bake them or even deep fry them!
Seitan is wheat gluten or "wheat meat" and is made by extracting the gluten from wheat. It's prepared texture can be compared to that of chicken or pork. It can be purchased prepared or as a powder that you simply mix with water - it becomes elastic and stays together and you have seitan. Seitan becomes surprisingly similar to the look and texture of meat when cooked, making it a popular meat substitute. It has more texture than tofu. Seitan is also high in protein. It is also the base for several commercially available products such as Tofurky deli slices.
Tempeh is made by fermenting soybeans, then pressing the result into cakes. Other forms of tempeh can be made from grains or rice. Tempeh has a nuttier flavor and more of a "meatier" texture than tofu. It's great for making kebabs or to use in a stir-fry. Tempeh is the richest vegetarian source of vitamin B12 and it is cholesterol free. Even if you don't care for tofu, give tempeh a try - its is completely different!
TVP or Textured Vegetable Protein is derived from soy flour, then cooked and dried. You can buy it dehydrated. In its dehydrated form, it has a shelf life of longer than a year, but will spoil within several days after being hydrated. In its flaked form TVP can be used similar to ground meat. It is protein rich, quick cooking and contains no fat unlike its "meat" counterpart. TVP can be used to make "meat" sauce for spaghetti, chili, sloppy joes, burgers and much more! (Morning Star Farms has a great rehydrated TVP product)
SO...are you ready to try some of these meat substitutes? Here is my recipe for stuffed peppers using TVP as a substitute for ground beef...I promise you, they'll be delicious and you won't even miss the meat!
Dawn's Vegan Stuffed Peppers
serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 large bell peppers, top cut off, seeds and ribs removed (Suggested: red bell pepper)
- 1 small zucchini squash, shredded
- 4 small ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 TBSP unsalted sunflower seeds
- 1-12oz bag Morning Star Farms Grillers Recipe Crumbles (TVP), frozen (see bag to the right)
- 1 and 1/2 cups cooked organic brown rice (still hot)
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2tsp Mrs. Dash, original
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1-29oz. Can organic tomato sauce (or 2-14oz. Cans)
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place cleaned bell peppers into a deep baking dish that can be covered with a lid or foil.
3. In a mixing bowl combine the rest of the ingredients (rice last) except the tomato sauce.
4. Add 3 Tbsp of the tomato sauce to the bowl and mix well with a large spoon.
5. Spoon mixture evenly into the four peppers.
6. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the stuffed peppers.
7. Cover the baking dish/pan with a lid or foil.
8. Bake for 1 hour or until peppers are soft.
*If you require more than 4 servings, simply cut the peppers in half, lengthwise, and remove the seeds and ribs, then stuff each pepper half. Reduce the cooking time by 20 minutes - check peppers - bake longer if necessary.
**Another variation to try: for a Mexican Stuffed pepper add 1/2 cup black beans, 1/2 cup corn, 1/2 minced jalapeño pepper (seeds and ribs removed) , and replace dried thyme with dried oregano.
NOW...what are some of your vegan ideas for using these meat substitutes? Please share in the comments below and feel free to share your recipes too!
No comments:
Post a Comment