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What Going Vegan Has Taught Me - People Have Questions!

When people find out I follow a plant based diet, there are usually questions. I'm sure I get the same questions any plant based eater gets about protein and calcium among other ones! I thought I'd list some of the questions I've gotten to help dispel the myths!


Many of these topics are complex and I don't want to give you a nutrition class here on my blog so I encourage everyone to research and seek out the knowledge on any topic you'd like additional information on.


Q: How do you get your protein?


A: This is the most common question I get besides the calcium question. The meat and dairy industries have very successfully gotten people to believe that the only way to get protein is to eat animal products. The truth is that protein is actually in almost ALL whole food we have available. Things like oils, vinegars, and sugars do not have protein. Fruit has some but not a lot. Veggies, beans, nuts, grains and seeds all have protein and their protein is good protein. Animal protein has saturated fat, cholesterol, hormones and disease causing agents. You need to ask yourself - how do cows get their protein? From plants!

Also, as humans we don't need as much protein as you may think and meat eaters eat three times as much protein as they need and almost all of it it the bad protein from animal sources. If you are following a plant based diet and you are eating enough calories and have a varied diet, it's nearly impossible to not meet your protein requirements.

I need about 45 grams a day. Here are some ways I get mine:

3 oz of Seitan - 31 grams

1/2 cup Tempeh - 20 grams

Veggie burger - 13 grams

4 oz Tofu - 11 grams

1/2 cup of lentils 9 grams

1/2 cup black beans - 7.5 grams

1/2 cup pinto beans - 6 grams

2 slices Whole wheat bread - 5 grams

1/2 cup Brown rice - 5 grams

1 cup cooked spinach - 5 grams

2 TBSP almond butter - 5 grams

1 cup cooked broccoli - 4 grams

6 oz potato - 4 grams



Q: How do you get your calcium?

A: Again, the dairy industry has done a great job and making you think that you need dairy products in order to get calcium. Not true. In fact, eating animal protein actually increases your osteoporosis risk because animal protein causes calcium to leech from your bones. Studies show that countries with the highest consumption of dairy products also have the highest incidence of osteoporosis. You need to ask yourself - how do cows get their calcium? From plants!

The average adult needs 1000 mg of calcium a day. Calcium is found in dark leafy veggies, beans, nuts & seeds. I also take a supplement because it can't hurt!

Here are some plant ways to get calcium in.. amounts are for one cup:

Dark Leafy Greens
Cooked turnip greens (450 mg)
Cooked bok choy (330 mg)
Cooked collards (300)
Cooked kale (200 mg)

Cooked Beans
Navy beans (140 mg)
Soybeans (130 mg)
Pinto beans (100 mg)
Garbanzo beans (95 mg)
Lima and black beans (60 mg)

Sea vegetables
Nori (1200 mg)
Kombu (2100 mg)
Wakame (3500 mg)

Nuts and Seeds
Almonds (750 mg)
Hazelnuts (450 mg)
Walnuts (280 mg)
Sesame seeds, whole, unhulled (2100 mg)
Sunflower seeds (260 mg)

Fortified foods
Fortified Cereals (up to 1000 mg)
Tofu made with calicum sulfate (1721 mg)
Calcium-fortified soy milk (approx 200 mg)
Orange juice fortified with calcium citrate, which has been found to be a BETTER source of calcium than cow milk! (up to 500 mg)



Q: How can you eat that weird and gross vegan food like tofu?

A: First of all, nothing I eat is weird or gross. The food I eat is all whole and amazing. Many people who think my food is weird or gross haven't even tried it so I can't really take them seriously. I love food and I love to eat. The food I eat is delicious and nourishing. I am not deprived and I am not missing anything.

I also wonder how meat eaters can think my diet of veggies, fruit, grains, beans and nuts is gross when they are the ones that eat muscle, veins, blood, pus, hormones, secretions, sea creatures and stuff that comes out of a chicken's vent (which is an opening for both egg laying and waste elimination in case you didn't know). I think that is pretty gross.


Secondly, I'm not sure people realize that tofu is simply soybeans. It is not some strange substance from another planet. I don't eat a ton of tofu but I like it. I don't live on tofu. I eat a varied diet of wonderful goodness!


Q: How can you bake without butter, eggs and milk?


A: I use things in place of those animal products. I use oils, vegan margarine, and nut milks. For eggs, it depends on what the egg function is in a recipe. You can sub in applesauce, pumpkin, bananas or beans, oils, Ener-G egg replacement, flax seed mixed into water.. there are a ton of things to do!


Q: Don't you need to eat meat and dairy to be healthy?

A: Absolutely not! More propaganda from the government and the meat and dairy industries. There is no medical or health reason to eat animal proteins of any kind. You can get everything you need from plant sources except B12.


Q: What about this B 12 thing I've heard about?

A: Neither plants nor animals make vitamin B12. Bacteria are responsible for producing vitamin B12. Animals become a source of B12 from eating contaminated foods. Humans need a daily amount of 2.4 mcg.. that is micrograms.. not even grams. It's a very small requirement. You can get it from a multi vitamin, 1 tsp of spirulina has 4 times the amount you need or by eating fortified foods like nutritional yeast (just 2 tsp is all if takes), cereals or nut milks. No big thing.


Q: How can you live without cheese?

A: I'm not addicted to it like you are. It's very easy for me to not eat cheese now that I know how bad it is for my health and now that I know what is actually IN cheese. It's pretty gross. Plus, I still have cheese-like foods. There are vegan cheese products that are good. I prefer to not eat them very often since they are processed and I consider them junk food but they are great for those in transition. I make cashew cheese and delicious cheesy quesos for nachos and I make mac & cheese! Nutritional yeast is great for creating a cheesy flavor in recipes.


Q: How can you live without pizza and ice cream?

A: I don't live without pizza! I love pizza. I just have it without cheese. When we go out I will order it cheeseless with extra sauce and lots of veggies! I like to sprinkle my vegan parmesan on top too! That recipe is here on my blog. As far as ice cream, I was never a huge ice cream eater but when I do want something like that, I enjoy sorbet most often. I also like a few of the nut milk and coconut milk ice creams on the market from Almond Dream and So Delicious. I just don't eat them that often. I also make banana ice cream or fresh fruit sorbet in my Vita Mix here at home.


Q: Are there any foods you miss eating?

A: Nope! I've been able to find a vegan version of anything I've ever wanted to eat.

Q: Isn't it more expensive to eat a plant based diet?

A: No. In fact, I have an entire blog entry about this topic. Click here.


Q: Don't you ever crave meat and dairy?

A: No. The best way for me to answer this is to use some wisdom I heard in a lecture by vegan author, Colleen Patrick- Goudreau. She says that no one actually craves meat or dairy products.. you crave the fat or the salt or the sugar or the texture. You crave a feeling certain food gives you - like comfort. That is true of any craving or desire you have where food is involved. If you truly craved meat you'd salivate at the sight of a cow in a field or a dead raccoon in the road.


Q: Why don't you eat dairy products and eggs? Animals aren't killed for eggs and milk.


A: Actually, they are. In many ways, the animals used in the egg and dairy industries are treated even worse than animals bred for slaughter alone. Dairy cows are forcibly raped to remain constantly pregnant because a cow doesn't produce milk unless it's pregnant (just like a human) and then its baby is stolen away because it can't be allowed to have its mothers milk if you want to drink it instead. Females are placed into the dairy industry while the males are tossed into a tiny crate to become veal. Cows cry for their stolen babies much like you would if your baby was stolen from you. Dairy products are full of fat, cholesterol, hormones, pus and blood so why would you even want to eat that?


Egg producing 'battery' chickens are forced to live in tiny cages no bigger than a piece of paper and often have to share that cage with one of more other chickens. Chickens are debeaked (yes, their beaks are actually sliced off) so that can't peck other chickens under the stress they are in. They are pumped full of hormones to increase their egg laying. Male chicks are useless so they are thrown away at birth. Most are ground up alive into feed used in the pet industry and very often fed back to the chickens in their feed. Wild chickens have a life span of 12 years, battery hens live 2 years before they are 'spent' and sent to slaughter to be eaten by you. Nice retirement.


The so called 'free range' and 'cage free' chickens are not what you think they are. They are not housed outdoors with grass and sunshine. They aren't roosting in nests and pecking lazily all day. They have free range in a very large pole barn. Some have access to a small outside area that they must share with thousands of other chickens. 'Free range' is no less cruel.


Even if you were to raise chickens for their eggs or for slaughter and you took exceptional care of them, the truth of the matter is that eggs and chicken flesh is not healthy for you. They contain lots of cholesterol and saturated fat. Plus, think about what an egg actually is - it's basically a chicken menstrual cycle.


Tofu isn't sounding so gross now, huh?

Tips for Going Plant Based - Don't Believe the 'It's Too Expensive' Hype

Yes.. that is almond milk in the bag! (wink)

I'm sort of incredulous when it comes to someone telling me they can't eat healthy because it's 'too expensive'. I'm guessing it's because they think they need to shop at Whole Foods or something.

The truth is that you can save money by eating whole, plant based foods. Dead animal flesh and secretions are expensive. You'll pay $2 to $20 a pound or more for that. Rice, beans, fruit and veggies are considerably lower in cost per pound.


What are your bad habits costing you?


When you look at whether something is affordable or not you need to look at the long term as well as the right here and now. If you start following a plant based diet, the odds are good that you can prevent or reverse any disease that may be in your future. Isn't it better to invest in your health now so you aren't paying for medication, surgery and health care later? Why wait until your doctor tells you that you HAVE to change your eating or lifestyle habits? Why wait until you suffer a medical crisis?  Why wait until you are obese, have diabetes, have heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol? It's gonna happen. Seriously.

Why not start making the change now so you can decrease the chance that you'll fall over dead from a heart attack. Think about your family, your friends, your future. Go into your retirement able to do the things you've worked so hard to enjoy like vacations, golf, family gatherings, weddings, new babies or simply sitting outside on the porch. Don't let your life be doctor appointments and surgeries, 9 medications a day, glucose monitoring and insulin injections, having to use oxygen and a walker, needing a handicapped placard, being out of breath when you walk around the store, scraping to find a way to pay what Medicare doesn't cover on your meds. Stop yourself from being a burden to your children. Start NOW. It's never too late.


Grocery Basics

Here are some local prices for a few items I buy on a very regular basis. The great thing about most of these foods is that they are very versatile and you can make many meals by combining these foods in different ways.  You can make tacos, burritos, wraps, enchilada casseroles and quesadillas from veggies, beans and tortillas. A salad and a baked potato makes a hearty dinner. You can use rice and beans together, hot cereal and fruit, soups, chili and burgers can be made with the veggies, rice and beans. A baked sweet potato or warm brown rice with a little cinnamon and maple syrup can be desserts! Pasta with marinara and veggies is also a delicious option. You can make your own corn chips with corn tortillas too!

10 pack of whole wheat flour tortillas - $1.89 (corn are even less expensive and you get more!)
28 oz Brown rice - $1.09 (11 cups per bag cooked = 22 ½ cup cooked servings)

Standard 42 oz tub of oatmeal  - $1.99 (30 ½ cup servings .. just 7 cents a bowl!)

Malt  O Meal Hot Cereal  - $4.00 (23 single servings per box)

Whole wheat fettuccine (12 oz) – 1.79

Whole wheat sandwich buns (8) - $1.79

15 oz canned beans are .50 to .75 per can depending on type (4 servings per can)

29 oz can of pinto beans - .99

1 lb bag of dry beans, lentils or split peas  - .75 to .99 per lb bag (6 cups cooked per bag)

Red gold salsa (16 oz) - .99

Diced tomatoes –  .67 per 15 oz can (plain) 

27 oz can spinach – 1.59

Box of frozen spinach - .89

Bananas .25 to .45 cents a lb. (At Sam’s they are $1.47 for 8 bananas)

Celery - .99 pkg

Cauliflower - .99 per head

Sweet potatoes  - .59 lb

Russet potatoes  - $3.00 for a 10 lb bag

Green onions  - 2 or 3 bunches for $1

Kiwi – 10 to 50 cents each

Cucumbers  - 2 for $1 or less

Red grapefruit  - $2.50 for a bag of 8

Broccoli - .99 lb

Zucchini – 1.49 lb

Grapes – 2.49 lb (lower on sale)

Apples - $1.39 lb (these can vary greatly based on variety and size. An apple will average .30 to .80 cents ea)

These prices are from a regular grocery store. I can find even cheaper prices at Aldi or a local produce store or you can look at sales at regular grocery stores each week. You can also check local warehouse stores for bulk deals. You can get great prices on grains and beans from stores that offer them from bulk bins. Buy store brand canned, bagged and frozen goods like beans, rice, veggies and grains. Did you know that you can often save money by getting certain products in the ethnic/international aisles? I find that beans and tortillas are cheaper in the Mexican food section!


If you sit down and take a look at all the processed foods, soda, alcohol, milk, eggs, meat, ice cream and pre-packaged convenience foods you've been buying, you'd have a TON of money to use towards whole, plant based foods.

Specialty Foods

There are some specialty foods you may want to buy and those may seem more expensive at first glance but you don't buy those every week or even every month. You can go a few months before you need to buy some of these things so in reality, the price isn't that high when you look at cost per use. Those foods for me are Veganaise, miso, nutritional yeast, sweeteners, flours, vinegars and condiments.

Organics

What about organic, you say?

Yes, organics can cost more but you don't have to buy organics and if you want to, you really only need to buy certain fruits and veggies organic. The rest you can buy non-organic. I've also gotten some great deals in the organic section. They tend to mark things down low so it pays to walk thru and take a look!

Dirty Dozen

These are the ones you should buy organic.

They are most heavily sprayed and they don't have any natural protection like a thick skin. 

Apples

Celery

Strawberries

Peaches

Spinach

Nectarines (imported)

Grapes  (imported)

Sweet bell peppers

Potatoes

Blueberries (domestic)

Lettuce

Kale/collard greens

The Clean 15

These are lowest in pesticide and/or have an outer skin that we do not consume.  Feel confident in buying non-organic in these.

Onions

Sweet Corn

Pineapples

Avocado

Asparagus

Sweet peas

Mangoes

Eggplant

Cantaloupe (domestic)

Kiwi

Cabbage

Watermelon

Sweet potatoes

Grapefruit

Mushrooms

Convenience Foods 

There may be things you like that are more of a convenience to you .. like nut milks and veggie burgers or plant meats like Tofurky, Gardein, Tofutti, and the like. Those can be pricey. You can actually make many of those things yourself easily. For example, I make my own almond milk. It's delicious, has no weird ingredients and it lots less expensive than buying it.

Retail almond milk costs about .66 to .75 per cup (depending on flavor and brand)

My almond milk (sweetened) – .32 per cup

My almond milk (unsweetened) - .24 per cup

I also make my own black bean burgers, soups, specialty breads like foccacia, refried beans, almond butter, pasta sauce, cashew cheese, kale chips,salad dressings, croutons and seitan. It isn't difficult and homemade is so much better! You can even freeze foods to heat up quickly later on!

Bottom line - it only has to be expensive it you WANT it to be. Sure, you can go to Whole Foods and buy their overpriced produce, give in to the vegan junk food or be seduced by the exotic nut butters. You can load up your cart with frozen vegan dinners, fancy veggie burgers and plant meats because you're too damn lazy to cook OR you can shop smart and start cooking!

NO MORE EXCUSES!

Show Your Vegan Pride!

I design and make jewelry and I sell it thru my Etsy shop called, Lavoro Designs.

All of my designs are vegan. I do not use leather, silk, wool, bone, shell or coral in my designs.

My best selling necklace is the Vegan/Raw necklace wardrobe shown here.It is your choice of VEGAN or RAW hand stamped on one metal disc and then LOVE or your choice of a YEAR on the other. It also comes with a bead in your choice of color. Beads will vary.

You can wear all three charms at once or they can be worn on their own or mixed and matched with one another.

This necklace is available for just $20 and comes on an 18 inch stainless steel chain that is suitable for men and women.

BLOG SPECIAL : Mention my blog, Plant Hungry, at checkout in the comment section and I'll include one extra bead for FREE with your necklace purchase! Just mention what color beads you want and what words you want on your discs.

What Going Vegan Has Taught Me - People Choose To Be Ignorant.

Ignorant:

1. Lacking knowledge or awareness in general; uneducated.

2. A state of being uniformed.

Being called ignorant isn't being called stupid. You can change ignorance but you can't change stupid. Ignorance is when you don't know something but you are capable of knowing it if you choose to.

The saying 'Ignorance is Bliss' is really true. People would rather wallow in their delusions than take the time to learn the truth about things they don't want to change. I've had more people say 'I don't want to know' when faced with the horrors of a slaughterhouse. They'd rather not have that truth in their head when they chomp down on a cow burger. They'd rather live in the ignorant delusion where cows live in pastures and eat grass.

I spend a lot of time searching the internet because if I am reading an article and I come across a person, place, ingredient, word, or idea that I am unfamiliar with, I Google it! We have a universe of knowledge at our fingertips and too many people are choosing to live in an ignorant state. It needs to stop!

I've read comments by people in forums, websites, blogs and social networking sites that are completely ignorant. People would rather argue about facts they know nothing about than go and get the information in order to be able to debate their opinion with facts.

The internet is also full of things that are untrue, of course. It's full of misinformation and outright lies but you can work through it in order to find the true facts of any topic. With a combination of experts, research and your own personal experiences, you can find your truths.

If you come across an article with an idea in it that you disagree with, go research it. I've done it many times and sometimes I stick with my original opinion and sometimes I am moved to the other side, even when I don't want to be! One example, I hate that sugar is probably the worst thing you can eat. I love sugar and it saddens me that in the interest of my health, I can't eat it like I want to eat it! 

Learn The Basics

Whatever topic it is that you are interested in will have a basic set of truths. For example, the vegan lifestyle. The basic set of facts for being vegan are that you do not eat any animal products. No meat, no fish, no dairy, no eggs, nothing made from any ingredient that is or was a living being. 

Allow Yourself To Change

The biggest obstacle to learning new truths is our inability to embrace change. It's difficult to learn that what you've always thought was true, isn't actually true. You have to allow yourself to be open to new ideas. That is how we grow and mature. 

Find Your Experts

You need to have access to the experts on the topics you are learning about. For example, I went vegetarian in 2003 and I read almost every book I could find on the subject and I did the same thing when I went vegan in 2010. I read books and articles, watched lectures online, followed blogs and joined e-mail lists of the companies and people I trusted to give me factual information on being vegan and following a whole food lifestyle. 

Through the course of this research I found a group of people that I trusted. I believed their research and their advice. Most are doctors and it made sense to me that if one of the top heart surgeons in the country says that you shouldn't consume dairy then you shouldn't consume dairy. Of course, I don't take one persons ideas as the end all be all but if enough of the people I trust are saying the same thing then I'm going to have it be my truth. You have to let the experts guide you but you still need to learn as much as you can so you can sort through misinformation. 

Think about it .. if a CPA tells you that you need a new transmission but a mechanic says you don't, who are you most likely to believe? 

My experts are doctors, surgeons, researchers, nutritionists and people I respect and admire that follow a vegan or raw path. 

Know The Difference Between Absolutes and Opinions

There are some truths that are absolute. An absolute truth is an unalterable and permanent fact like the earth revolves around the sun, grass is green, and Wal-Mart is evil.

Personally, we all have our own absolutes like religious beliefs and fitness beliefs where we have chosen to believe certain ideas that usually can't be proven one way or the other. I believe that green peppers are the most disgusting food in all the world but that is only MY absolute truth.

Let's use oil as an example here. There are 3 camps in the oil debate. One camp says eat all the oil you want, one camp says certain processed oils are good for your heart while the other camp says you shouldn't consume any processed oils at all. So, who do you believe? First you need to look at the absolute truth of oil. 

Oil is 100% fat. There is no debate there. We know that oils are processed. There is no debate there.

The 'no oil' camp thinks your diet should contain no processed oils, only natural oils from whole foods like nuts, avocado and olives. The 'some oils are ok' camp think you should use certain oils in your diet but usually this camp says to limit their use to a small amount each day (way less than anyone actually eats, I'll tell you!) and the 'eat as much as you want' camp would have to pouring it all over everything.

I happen to like oil in a few things so my decision on this particular matter is to cut oil where I can (I try to use no oil salad dressings, I never put oil on bread or pancakes, I try to cook without oil) and only consume it when absolutely necessary to me as it isn't actually necessary at all! 

I feel the same way about sugar, although in all actuality there isn't anyone saying sugar is good for you, just the sugar companies saying it isn't THAT bad. (it is that bad) 

If you find a topic to research in order to find your answer then you need to weigh the various opinions with research and look for facts. Anyone can write an article stating an opinion but you need to find out what research there is to back their opinion and the research that debunks their opinion.

Luckily, the benefits of following a whole, plant based food lifestyle has a lot of research behind it. In my opinion there are some absolute truths in eating plant based foods but that is just my opinion and until you 'take the red pill' and open your eyes to those truths, you won't believe them.

Trust Yourself and Be The Research

You also have to place importance on your own experiences and create your own experiments. It's one thing for me to tell you that going vegan will make you feel better, lose weight and help you get healthier but until you put the lifestyle into practice and see for yourself, you won't believe it. You also won't believe you can do it until you choose to do it.

I was a vegetarian for 7 years before I went vegan. I knew that eating dairy and eggs was bad for my health. I had read it a thousand times but I had it in my head that I couldn't live without cheese and that not eating dairy probably wouldn't make a whole lot of difference so I decided to go off dairy for a week to see if I noticed anything. I had every intention of eating dairy again or maybe choosing to eat it a few times a month.

I never went back!

Had I not gone dairy free for that week I wouldn't have learned first hand how much better I felt and how clearer my thinking was. The weight lifted off my heart, knowing I was no longer contributing to the horrors of the egg and dairy industries!

So... get rid of your ignorance. Don't be a dumb ass. (wink)

What Going Vegan Has Taught Me.... Tastebuds Change

It's a brand new year and many people will have made resolutions to eat better, get healthy and reach their fitness goals. 

So, today's blog post is about taste. We all have five areas of taste - sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami.

Our tongues have specific areas on it with certain flavor receptors. As babies, we have taste buds all over our mouths, even on the cheeks and roof which is why our tastes change as we get older. The foods that were too strong for you as a child, often become favorite foods as you age and your taste buds change.

I'm certain everyone knows what sweet, salty, bitter and sour are but you may not be familiar with umami. Umami is pleasant savory taste imparted by glutamate, an amino acid that occurs naturally in many foods. The umami taste sensation is when 'ingredients mixed together surpasses the taste of each one alone.' The umami experience is most often associated with Japanese foods.

When you move toward a plant based diet, you will need to allow for your tastes to change. It will take about a month for your tastes to make the gradual movement towards what tastes good to you once you give up refined sugar and carbs, processed foods, fatty dairy and animal proteins.

One example that most people can understand and have experienced is the change from whole milk to skim milk. The first time you had skim milk it probably had the consistency and taste of water. If you went back to drinking whole milk it would be like drinking a thick and heavy cream. Why? Your taste buds and flavor receptors changed.

Of course, texture, aroma, color, shape, the sound a food makes, sight, frequency and temperature can all play a part in whether food is pleasant or unpleasant to each individual. Think about some foods you like and some food you dislike and think about why you like or dislike them specifically.

I happen to really hate green peppers. I find them to be very bitter and the flavor is overwhelming to me in any food it comes into contact with. I can't even pick them out and still eat the food. The taste completely ruins it for me. Cranberries are the same way. I find them overly bitter and tart.

When you switch to a plant based whole foods diet, your taste buds need to adjust to that change. You will be used to overly sweetened, overly salted, overly fat foods and fresh whole foods may taste bland or bitter at first. Please give it a month before you decide you don't like something. Start making a list of things that you don't like and revisit them a couple months later.

When I decided to cut out certain things, I had to meet this test head on!  I'll give you some examples:

1. When I first gave up refined sugar I had to learn to love oatmeal without a couple tablespoons of brown sugar! The first few weeks were sheer hell for me. I was eating it almost everyday and I was not enjoying it until I figured out that a dollop of nut butter or a diced banana mixed into my oatmeal made it naturally sweet. Now I enjoy my oatmeal that way instead of adding any type of sweetener.

2. Like everyone, I used to slather my pancakes with 'butter' and when I started eating plant foods I still used an oil based spread like a margarine on my pancakes and then I decided to refine my eating habits and that was one area where I could eliminate the unnecessary oil. I use fresh fruit, nuts and a little maple syrup on my pancakes and I don't miss the 'butter' at all.

3. Since going vegan I try and stick to high quality dark chocolate but a few times a year I'll treat myself to some Godiva truffles that are coated in milk chocolate. A few weeks after going vegan I decided to eat a little mini size Kit Kat bar. I took one bite of that, with it's low quality, sugary milk chocolate and I spit it out! It was so gross tasting. My taste buds had become used to the rich and quality flavor of dark chocolate and they couldn't handle the cheap stuff.

4. Not long after going vegetarian back in 2003, I tried the Tofurky deli slices and I thought they were quite possibly the most vile food ever. Now, I love them and I eat them a few times a week. I realize now that I shouldn't have tried to go from animal lunch meat to soy slices immediately. My palate needed time to adjust itself and to get the animal proteins out of my body. The same thing can happen to people that try to go from animal based dairy products to vegan non-dairy products.

After a month of not eating (or cutting back on) things like sugar, fat, dairy, and animal proteins, you will find that your taste buds will reject the flavors you had come to crave. The truth is 'whatever you ate yesterday is what you'll crave today' and I don't mean specific foods... I mean the things like fat, sugar, alcohol and crappy foods.

If you have a day where you eat anything and everything then the next day you should concentrate hard on eating really healthy and quality foods or you could end up in a downward spiral that you can't get out of.

This is so true because I've experienced it myself. If I have a few of my husbands french fries then I will want french fries for days afterwards. If I have a few cookies at Christmas then I crave sugar for a week. Those foods are addicting and that is why you need to be aware of what you're putting into your body and start putting better quality things into it. I also crave veggies and beans and those are cravings I love to indulge!

You'll start craving good foods if you eat them and you will come to enjoy being able to eat and eat and eat when you are eating whole foods that are nothing but good for you. Eating without guilt is an amazing feeling. Even tho I'd like to lose another 10 pounds,  I've maintained the same weight for over a year by simply not eating crap. I don't think much about it.

You'll also discover that once you start eating good foods the bad foods will effect you when you do eat them. Too much sugar will cloud your thinking and make you head for a nap, animal proteins and dairy foods will lead to intestinal and stomach upset, and fast or overly processed foods will just make you feel like crap!

Orignal Recipe - Shelly's Lentil & Carrot Soup

I love soup and I especially love soup when I wake up to snow on the ground like I did this morning!

I had been looking for a good dal type soup recipe but none of them were exactly what I wanted so I decided to make my own and I'm pretty happy with the results the first time out!

This is a thick and hearty pureed soup that has the texture of a nice tomato soup. Mild in flavor and really comforting.

Lentils are full of protein! Serve this with a side salad and a hunk of crusty bread and you can kick the cold to the curb! I hope you enjoy it!


Shelly's Lentil & Carrot Soup

Note: add in a little cayenne or chipotle pepper if you'd like it to have a bit of a kick!

1 medium red onion, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
2 tbsp Earth Balance sticks
1 cup carrots, chopped or shredded
1 cup yellow lentils (yellow split peas) - Do not use green lentils or green split peas! (they won't break down enough for a smooth soup)
5 cups hot water
3 tsp Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Flavor
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tbsp parsley (I used dried)
4 whole sun dried tomatoes (you could sub in 2 tbsp of tomato paste)

Dissolve the bouillon in the hot water and set aside.

Melt Earth Balance in a large sauce pan and saute the garlic and onions until translucent.

Add in carrots, salt, turmeric, cumin and paprika and mix well.

Add bouillon water, lentils, sun dried tomatoes and parsley. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for about 40 minutes until most of the water is absorbed and the lentils are soft.

Pour the mixture into a blender (or use an immersion blender) and puree. Add in 2 to 3 cups of water (one cup at a time) until the consistency you prefer is reached.