I do believe that we all thrive differently and by eating or eliminating different foods.
Some people thrive and are their healthiest and best selves when avoiding dairy and gluten.
Some people thrive and are their healthiest and best selves when they eat protein, dairy and fat.
Some people thrive and are their healthiest and best selves by eating only plants.
You are probably reading this because you would love some ideas about how to eat less meat and how to enjoy a more WHOLE FOOD, PLANT-BASED lifestyle.
There are tons of amazing resources out there that help support eating a plant-based lifestyle. I’m not here to recreate that wheel. Forks over Knives is an amazing resource that offers recipes, meal planning, shopping lists- all of it. Check it out! And watch the documentary, too. It’s a good one.
Just a little background… for my whole adult life people have always thought I was vegetarian. I’m not sure why, as nobody ever asks how I eat, they just know I’m a plant fan and make assumptions based on that. I LOVE VEGETABLES. Yup. I said it and in bold! I also know my body and if I eat too many carbohydrates (whether it be quinoa or sweet potatoes or watermelon or a processed snickeree bar) I have to balance it with protein and fat. Every time we eat we should eat a balanced plate. However, my body is really sensitive to a lot of plant-based foods, and so in order to keep feeling my best self, both physically, energetically and mindfully, I do eat foods that are not plants.
I LOVE EGGS. Organic and Pasture raised. I LOVE BUTTER. Grass fed. I am very gluten intolerant, the only dairy I eat is grass fed butter and from time to time, parmesan cheese. I regularly eat wild caught fish which is usually salmon but often times as sardines, salmon and tuna in a “convenience” can. I do eat clean-organic-free-range-all-the-things-meat, but not very frequently. I EAT A LOT OF PLANTS. I don’t eat much fruit, but I’m working on getting in a cup of berries and an apple in my day. I find that helps my want for something sweet, but fruit has fiber, antioxidants and hydration that a junky sweet snack does not have. And fruit is a whole food. REAL FOOD. So if I need to label myself, I eat a whole food, plant-based diet. I won’t preach that you should stop eating meat or stop eating kale. You’re an adult and you can do what you want. But I will ask you… do you feel amazing in your body? Is it possible that you don’t feel as great as you could? Where is the inflammation? Be curious and do your research and experiment with yourself.
As a Chef, I do have a few tips for supporting people that would like to eat more plants.
The following information is my opinion based on my own research, experience with nutrition and health, and culinary experience. I have fed a LOT of people over the past 15 years and a lot of them come to me because they want to eat more plants and less meat. I will share with you what I have found, but by all means, do you own experimenting and be curious and open-minded. And if you don’t the new food the first time, simply try it again or find a new recipe.
1. TASTE AND APPEARANCE
Grill your vegetables. If you have a charcoal grill that’s even better, but any type of outdoor grill works. It’s the smoke and the grill lines that I find helpful. Does an inside grill work? Not really. It’s the smoke that you want, not steam, as steam just makes vegetables soft. We want them to stay firm-ish and have some dark grill marks. Don’t walk away from the leaves (collards, kale, romaine) they will burn quickly and disappear into the grates of your grill.
There is something fantastic about the taste of grilled zucchini, grilled carrots, grilled collard greens… I’ve grilled it all. Wash whole carrots and toss them on the grill. Rinse some giant collards and toss them on the grill. Let them cool and chop them up for a salad. Ever had grilled romaine? Look it up and do it. DO IT.
When I grill vegetables I sometimes use a little oil and lots of seasonings- garlic, onion, coriander, fenugreek… black pepper. Just experiment! I grill them on high heat for very little time, as I don’t like mushy vegetables, but I do enjoy them warm.
2. SEASONINGS AND SPICES
There are a few seasonings that I find delicious and they also happen to make plants taste like meat. Most spices are plant-based, so if you season vegetables like you would meat, they inherently taste more like meat. Smoked paprika can mimic a smokey bacon flavor. Jerk seasoning, poultry seasoning, cajun seasoning. Make your own spice blends! Here’s a suggestion for a Chorizo sausage spice blend- salt, pepper, onion, garlic, cinnamon, ancho chili powder, coriander and clove.
Umami flavors are a combination of sour, salty, sweet, savory and bitter and are often described as meaty, brothy, salty and rich. It is essentially a fifth taste after sweet, sour, salty and bitter. It is hard to describe, but if I tell you a few plant-based umami foods, you may understand. Some of them, with the highest umami taste are garlic, olives, sun dried tomatoes, shitake mushrooms, almonds, walnuts, seaweed, miso, tamari/soy sauce and nutritional yeast. THIS IS MY FAVORITE FLAVOR CATEGORY.
3. PLANT ALTERNATIVES TO MEAT
I am not a fan of processed foods and “fake meat” products fall into that category. I do enjoy a Beyond burger from time to time, but I do not think we should replace all of our meat with processed foods. Pretending that something is bacon when it’s soy and wheat gluten just doesn’t work for me, so you won’t find me making bacon out of carrots and rice paper. I do find it entertaining to experiment with those things, but I would much rather create plant based dishes that taste amazing on their own and aren’t pretending to be something else.
What I am a fan of is using whole, real, plant based foods. Here are a few ideas:
Extra Firm Extra Protein Tofu. It’s not gushy, it’s not like jello. It’s firm and it grills and holds up well to marinades. YOU MUST MARINATE or it tastes like nothing.
Portobello Mushrooms. Season these babies with garlic, onion, smoked paprika, Italian seasonings and toss them on the grill and make a burger like sandwich out of it. They have a meaty texture and sort of look like meat?
4. LENTILS
Lentils are amazing little friends. They are really high in protein and fiber, they come in a variety of colors and each color is good for a different type of recipe. Green and black lentils hold their shape and texture well, while red and yellow (especially yellow) cook down into a soft, porridge like consistency.
Try making a Lentil Bolognese sauce! I use green lentils. They hold their shape and texture and the texture is so much like beef that my meat-eater clients have decided that the lentil bolognese is better than beef bolognese!!! It can be done! YOU CAN DO IT.
5. BEANS
Beans are loaded with fiber and protein. Ever had a black bean burger? They are super easy to make and if you put it on a bun with lettuce, tomato, pickles and smoked paprika, it will feel like you are eating a burger, but with a lot more flavor and a lot less saturated fat. Baked Beans? Who doesn’t like baked beans? Make your own, leave out the bacon and add in… you guessed it… SMOKED PAPRIKA!!
6. GRAINS
Grains are also plants, but I’m going to keep this for another blog post. I have a lot to share about rice, quinoa, farro, etc. Stay tuned.
I hope you give some of these ideas a try and if I can continue to support your culinary journey in any way, please email me. sue(at)leafandloaf.com