Help us Eat More Plant Based Meals

Been vegetarian for 30+ years and it’s never been easier because of the variety of foods now available in most grocery stores, but it takes a mental shift for sure to begin the transition. You asked for protein beyond legumes and tofu: try using quinoa and quinoa blends (blended with buckwheat and millet, for example) as a ground beef substitute in things like taco filling, sloppy Joe’s, chili, spaghetti, etc. Cook the quinoa according to directions, then add to seasonings, sauces, whatever. Great texture and takes up flavors nicely. Quinoa/buckwheat blends can substitute on their own, or, if preferred, be blended with another meat analog, or even blended with ground beef, to reduce the amount of meat consumed.

I’ve been plant-based for 5 years. It’s definitely challenging in the beginning. Hang in there, it gets easier. My go-to for recipes is www.noracooks.com. PETA has a starter guide it mails through a request on their site. Veganuary also has tons of resources available. The plant-based meat substitutes (Impossible, Beyond, Daring, etc) are really helpful for initial transitioning away from animal protein. Soy curls are a good meat sub which soak up whatever they’re rehydrated in and have a meaty texture (www.sweetsimplevegan.com has an amazing carne asada recipe using soy curls!). For snacks we like something as simple as sliced apple with peanut butter. You could also roast drained chickpeas with a bit of oil and some spices. So many great options it’s hard to list them all.

Here are some of my favorite places for yummy & healthy recipes. The Roasted Root (also an app), Kirbie’s Cravings, and Holy Cow Vegan. Yummy and quick ideas from beautiful people who share their creations.

Hi! I look for vegan recipes on Pinterest!

Just started using Crisper Kits in the GTA region (the new newest additions to the delivery zone: Oakville, Brampton, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, and Markham.) zero waste dinner plans of plants based meals. It’s been a game changer. Crisperkits.ca

My husband and I have been trying to eat less meat for about a year now. Our go to recipes come from Jessica Seinfeld’s book Vegan At Times, Dan Buettner’s Blue Zone cookbooks, and Dr. Michael Greger’s How Not to Die. As long as we have recipes and we plan ahead each week it’s not too hard to eliminate meat. Good Luck!

If you include cheese and eggs as protein sources, make quiche using smoked gouda. It tastes as if you have added bacon. I make mushroom burgers with two or three kinds of mushrooms, eggs and smoked gouda. It also works for other veggie burgers like cabbage or zucchini.Use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika in vegetable and bean chili. Add cocoa, coffee or nutritional yeast to soups and stews. More flavors add depth.

I watched a series on Netflix that was a good watch and a real life experiment laying out the pros for a vegan diet vs healthy omnivore diet. It’s called”You are What you Eat: A twin experiment “. Made me realize how impactful it was for the environment in addition to health. As for sites to find recipes, I’m still working on it, but for a Frozen delivery of delicious vegan meals/snacks/smoothies, I’ve used Daily Harvest for years and really like it. I’ve found that Miyoko’s creamery has some tasty choices to replace cheese. As for meat alternatives I’m trying to avoid soy and found Abbots butcher uses pea protein, and their chorizo crumbles are amazing. Good luck in your journey, it’s a worthy change.