Going Vegan, and i have no clue where to start!

Fighting4Healthy

Hey everyone! In an attempt to make myself healthier i have decided to lead a vegan lifestyle for 31 days starting today. The thing is that I have no clue where to start! I wake up late in the day so I haven't started eating yet, but i figured I'd be safe with fresh fruit and veggies our quía cereal and almond milk for my first meal but what about the rest of the day? Week? Month? I need recipes! Not just for me but my kids too! And they have to be healthy, not to much oil or anything fatty. Rumor has it that vegan "meats" are high in fat. Any recipes or advice? If we can do this for a month, we may just stay vegan!

mathandcats

You should definitely do your research about getting adequate protein and all your essential amino acids as a vegan. It takes some planning.

xcalygrl

Vegan diets aren't inherently healthy. They can be with some planning, but they can also be unhealthy (hello, Oreos are vegan!!). It takes a good bit of planning to make sure you hit your macros and micros.

Also, fat isn't bad for you. Dietary fat is actually a macronutrient and is needed in your diet (unless you have a medical condition that dictates otherwise).

Zinka61

You'll probably want to eat beans, lentils, peas, tofu, seitan or tempeh. Make sure to eat a lot of leafy greens, for calcium, iron, and everything else they give you. Plant milk or cereal should be fortified with vitamin B12, or you can add Red Star nutritional yeast for that as well as added protein and nutrients. Make sure to include some whole grains in your diet--whole wheat, oats, whatever. Add some fruit, other vegetables, and you're all set. I start most days with a can of butter beans mixed with 2 c. of frozen spinach and 2T. of nutritional yeast, salt, pepper and a little turmeric. I microwave it a few minutes. Hummus is a great sandwich spread--made from chickpeas and sesame seed paste, very nutritious. Falafel is a good, vegan staple, as is vegan marinara on pasta or spiralized veggies. You can use tofu in everything from stir fries to sandwiches to puddings. And you can make lovely "ice cream" out of a frozen banana pureed with frozen fruit or cocoa or nut butter and a little plant milk or even water.
Your public library will have loads of vegan cookbooks, or check out Oh She Glows, Fat Free Vegan or Forks over Knives websites (There are many others, including the Vegetarian Resoucrce Group, Vegweb, just google vegan recipes). Have fun. I know many folks will argue with the idea that a vegan diet is necessarily any healthier than an omnivorous one, but there is certainly nothing wrong with trying vegan eating, if you do it in a healthy way. I've been a vegan-leaning vegetarian for over 24 years and raised 2 kids vegetarian. One is now ovo-lacto- and one is vegan.

jgnatca

How about doing 31 days of planning, followed by a month of vegan in June? You're not going to get educated, planned, and all your shopping done in 24 hours. Meantime, you'll be weak as a baby wandering through your shelves wondering what you can eat.

I'm not a vegan by the way. I typically have one vegan meal a week. I just like food and creativity.

http://vegaprocity.com/2014/10/tips-vegan-newbie/

ScottJTyler

I'm vegan and my diary is public, feel free to have a look for ideas.

2snakeswoman

I've been working on a more plant-based diet also. I've been making two or three of what used to be my favorite side dishes as a meal - example rice with black beans and salad. I also have a vegetarian cookbook and randomly pick things from it to try. Last night was leek, onion, potato soup with whole grain crackers or toast. so good! My husband added sausage to his.

datguy2011

You prob want to do a bit of research before "going" vegan... lots to consider including your on health and nutrition. Good luck.

AgentOrangeJuice

I'd probably start with not eating animals, eat more plant based stuff too.

Check out the McDougal Diet.

Fighting4Healthy

I know this is going to be difficult. The goal is to stay away from processed foods to. I didn't say it was going to be easy