I'm a lost veggie

KrystalKayeFisher

Hi everyone!
I'm just starting my journey into what my son calls veggieland. Any tips would be great. I intend on still eating fish occasionally so I know I'm a dirty veggie. I've tried vegan cheese and tofurky and they were not for me. I am lactose intolerant except for some cheeses.
Any good books, blogs, podcast, or Pinterest boards I should look into?
What's your favorite meal?

johnwhitent

Check out the Daily Dozen app from Dr Gregor, available at the App Store and Google Play. It will help insure you're getting the essential variety and nutrients your body needs. He has wonderful videos on YouTube and at his website, nutritionfacts.org. He's not selling anything (although he has authored books one can buy), just offering sound scientific advice for healthy eating. The nerdy rock star of whole food plant based eating!

rheddmobile

Since Thanksgiving is coming up and you’ve mentioned tofurky is not your thing, I thought I would mention, a stuffed pumpkin makes a great center dish at a Thanksgiving celebration. Stuff it with traditional stuffing plus some sort of protein, roast it, and it looks festive, tastes good, and replaces that traditional feeling that vegetarian celebrations tend to lose without a great big bird for everyone to tuck into.

Honestly I clicked on this thread because your title made me think of a cucumber or something wandering the streets looking for an address. But best of luck to you in your new way of eating!

tulips_and_tea

If you are trying to eat mostly vegetarian but still have fish I think that's called a "pescatarian". Never heard of a "dirty veggie" (other than an actual unwashed vegetable).

Take it slow and make small changes. See what you like and what you don't. Strict rules and labels generally aren't a good idea.

I don't care for most meat substitutes so expanding your diet and trying new vegetables and ways to prepare them helps.

LyndaBSS

You're right @BZAH10 . I eat a pescatarian diet which is plant based with seafood, eggs and some dairy. I never get bored with my meals and am very happy with my results so far.

dreamer12151

Welcome!

Im only dipping into podcasts myself, so I'm eager to see any suggestions. I know No Meat Athlete has a podcast I've heard a little bit of that was pretty good.

If you like YouTube, then there are a multitude of people to watch, the trick is to find someone who clicks. A few I like are: Simnett Nutrition, Sweet Potato Soul, Sarah's Vegan Kitchen, Natalie Matthews, Krocks in the Kitchen, John Joseph (he can be a bit abrasive, but he is really inspiring), Happy Healthy Vegan and Minimalist Baker.

I know several of those (plus No Meat Athlete) have websites with recipes as well as instagrams.

AustinRuadhain

Hey there!
I have found the work of Dr. Joel Fuhrman inspiring and helpful. He became well know for the book Eat to Live. His most recent book is The End of Dieting. (There an Eating to Live group here on MFP.)

I too have found the work of Dr Michael Greger useful. The Daily Dozen app is great for a lot of people. His website is nutritionfacts.org (much of the material is also available in podcast format). He has a get-started kit posted there. He has an excellent cookbook.

Other resources that might be of interest:
Rip Esseltyn - Engine2 Diet book and website
Forks Over Knives - website; see also documentary on Netflix, books, magazine
Michael Pollan - Food Rules

Zinka61

Jane Esseltyn has fun plant-based videos on Youtube, and I've enjoyed Krocks in the Kitchen, too. I like Forks over Knives and Ohsheglows and so many more, but I've gotten into a no-cooking rut: I eat red beans mixed with guacamole for breakfast, a veggie dish like salad, soup or riced veggies in tomato sauce for lunch, a giant banana-based nicecream for dinner, and an almond butter on legume bread sandwich for an evening snack. Not too inspiring, but maybe this thread will get me trying out recipes again. Oh, here is a list of plant-based blogs with info about each one. The above posters are correct, you are a pescatarian, not a "dirty" vegetarian, lol. And I think generally, the fake meat foods aren't very healthy anyway, so nothing wrong with avoiding them!

lovejulez03

My husband and i started eating WFPB/Vegan in july. Dairy was VERY hard for me, meat was not. I still crave cheese sometimes. But we are slowly doing better. As far as books or podcasts, idk about podcasts. I just bought the book "the starch solution". I watch numerous YouTube videos by esselstyn, neal barnard, mcdougall... i watch What the Health. Forks over Knives, The Game Changers. Some of our favorite meals are whole wheat mac and cheese with roasted (oil free) brussel sprouts, potato and veggie soup with a veggie side, or a rice bowl or veggie fajita bowl. Make small changes and read and watch plenty. Wish i had better advice but im still trying to get used to it.