But what do you eat???

This is a question I get all the time when I mention I am following a plant-based diet... with no added oil and very little process food!

Usually goes something like that...

x:  so you can't have eggs?
me:  nope... no eggs, no dairy, no meat, no poultry, no fish or seafood...
x: ...
me: and I also do not do oil and pretty much no process food that comes in a package...  with a list of ingredients longer then 5 items...
Oh... and I try to do local as much as possible!
x: ...
me:  are you OK?
x:  but... what DO you eat?
me:  everything else!!!  And there are LOTS!!!  A lot more then you can think of!

So, I thought I would do this post to "explain" what DO I eat?!?

I have studied in many details the ways of Dr. McDougall and Dr. Greger and came up with an eating plan that actually works best for me at this point in my life... I am not going to go into details about each of their respective plans as you have the link to their website...  but basically, they both advocate a whole food plant-based diet with no refined oil...  They pretty much agree that starch (although they named them differently) should be the center of your diet:  potatoes, squash, whole grains, brown rice, legumes... etc. They also each have some specifics and technicalities but I have come up with what is an nice, convenient, affordable in-between-both-plans way of eating that can work with me to provide me with vibrant health, lots of energy and a great body... because who are we kidding?  It does matter what we look like...

First of, here's a short list of things I do not do:

Eat out more than once a week - and if I do, it is most likely in Asian places to get either some sushi or a bowl of noodles with veggies!

Eat prepared food form the grocery store - I buy ingredients, produce, real food and come up with my own meals so I am in total control of what is in it! Exceptions are low-fat Italian dressing, condiments like mustard, whole wheat pasta and occasionally some "vegan" cookies

Now all that said...  what do I eat?  Well here is a 2 days meal plan that  I will stick to mostly all summer!  Now, this may seem like boring as it looks like I am always eating the same thing but each meal has so much variety and a few twist you can bring them that you don't get bored!!!

Day 1:

Breakfast
Oatmeal (1/2) with 1/4 cup berries, 1 tsp ground flax seeds, 1/8 cup mash white navy beans*, and a splash of soy milk.  Every now and then, I will add 1/8 cup chopped nuts
* the goal is to include legumes in ALL your meals in one way or another!

Snack:  Homemade banana muffins:  1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce and 1/2 cup pure cane sugar creamed together.  To which, you add 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup oats, 1 tbsp ground flax seeds, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder. 1/2 tsp baking soda, 2-3 ripe bananas mashed, 1/2 cup non-dairy milk, least process possible, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup vegan choco chip for a treat (I don't always put them as they add fat and process food) Bake at 350F for roughly 20min

Lunch: sweet potatoes baked with garlic and cayenne, 1/4 cup hummus* on half a multigrain bagel and veggies (red cabbage, carrots, green bell pepper, corn...)
*You have to make your own hummus as store bought versions all have oils in them...  I make mine using chick peas, tahini, lemon juice, water (instead of oil), salt, garlic powder and sometimes cayenne for a spicy version

Supper:  Big salad with brown rice, cooked beans, green leaves, bunch of assorted veggies, cooked mushrooms, ground flax seeds with an fat-free Italian dressing or homemade tahini dressing or homemade peanut butte dressing - but they have more fat so not too much! For an extra special supper, I would add a few olives and perhaps some roasted red bell peppers! You you think this will not be enough, you can have a side of baked diced potatoes with mustard!

Snack:  air popped popcorn with nacho flavoring: 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne powder - sprinkle over popcorn and bake at 275F for about 30 minutes! LOVELY!  After the popcorn, I usually have an apple!

If you need an afternoon snack, do not hesitate and you can pick between those lovely options:
Veggies with hummus
10 almonds and a fruit
Pretzel stick
Brown rice rice crackers- caramel is my personal favorite
Baked potatoes whether they are purple, regular or sweet at room temperature they are great too!

Day 2:

Breakfast: 2 slice of rye bread with pinto bean dip (pinto bean, water and little salt) and a banana of grapefruit

Snack:  same muffin as above with a fruit

Lunch:  barley, mushroom and tomato soup with a side of red cabbage and/or broccoli on some greens with shredded carrots/beets, cucumber and celery...  you can sprinkle with ground flax seeds and some fat free Italian dressing.  Another great side would be a corn of the cob... since I can no longer dip it in vegan margarine, I cut it up, add a minute amount of vegan margarine (1/8 tsp for 3-4 cobs) as a treat and sprinkle some of that nacho stuff I use on my popcorn!  This is even great the next day at room temperature as a snack!

Supper: multigrain tortilla with beans, greens, cooked mushrooms, purple potatoes, hummus and other available veggies... you can add avocado if you wish too and some sort of dressing (the permitted ones only)...  had a long day.. add olives and roasted red bell peppers... or why not sun dried tomatoes??? If one is not enough, have a second...  as long as you stay with whole food, plant-based and low fat stuff, you can eat as long as you are hungry!!!

Now...  this is my way to eat...  it is simple, cheap and effective!  You get all your body needs and you never feel hungry!  Craving will also go away in time! Trust me!

I had already shared my barley, mushroom, tomato soup recipe here.  Look it up if you missed it...

As for my in-the-kitchen routine...  I try and stick to Sunday late afternoon and Monday morning...  during those times I make the soup (this one or another one for the week).  I make one batch of muffin and while to oven is already at 350F, I crank it up at 420F to bake all my potatoes  (40 min) for the week at the same time to save on electricity!  All my potatoes are diced, and sprinkle with a little salt, garlic power and either Italian herbs or paprika (for white potatoes), cayenne (sweet potatoes) or nothing else for purple potatoes.
While all the baking is happening I typically cook a huge batch of brown rice and mushrooms in a little water and a lot of Italian herbs... On the Monday, I can do 1 or 2 batches of beans/lentils and perhaps another batch of muffin.  I will keep what ever beans I need for the week and freeze the rest - by cooking a different type each week I always have some frozen ready to use! I will also bake some tofu cubes that marinated in soy sauce (350F for 30 min).  If need be, I will also make another meal that I can reheat during the week for a warm supper - something like a tomato pasta sauce or sweet potato Tunisian stew... This goes to show that with a little organization you need to spend very little time in the kitchen during the nice summer days! And all year long for that matter!

See???  who needs oil???  I never use any in my cooking, baking, roasting...  and everything is just lovely! For all I know, I never really liked eating before I started eating this way and now, for the first time in years, I am looking forward to my next meal or snack... I am never let myself go hungry cuz I'm afraid I'll gain weight (I know... I know.. slightly anorexic some would say... hahaha)...  I eat all I want until I am full... and I feel great and look pretty much OK for my age!

I eat plenty of food and I did not even list everything here... there are many more options...

If you have ANY questions or comment do not hesitate...I will be happy to answer you!!!

Be who you are... DREAM your life... LIVE your dream...
namaste

love&peace,

chloe

xox