How to start a Vegan or vegetarian diet? I have been vegetarian since I was 17 years old and few years ago I started a vegan diet. The benefits of both are amazing and for me the vegan option was a decision base on animal welfare and environmental support. I must say that keeping dairy products in the low consumption side if you choose to be vegetarian instead of vegan, will definitely help you feel light and healthier.
As I have seen many people failing to become vegans or vegetarians because they claim to feel tired, with lack of energy, etc. I must say that’s the result of an imbalanced diet. It doesn't matter if you are a meat eater or not, a balanced diet is key for good digestion, good elimination and keeping awesome levels of energy.
To keep a good plant based diet, in my opinion, you must commit to cooking. Here are some tips to make cooking more hassle free. You can sure make delicious and nutritious meals without spending hours in the kitchen or becoming a slave to it.
Prepare easy meals that you can cook in big quantities and save for another day.
Try to prepare simple key ingredients (like beans, chickpeas to prepare different dishes with it.
In the case of green veggies like a whole cauliflower of broccoli try to store them chopped and washed, ready to throw in the steamer or pan as the need comes.
Don't look for food that can imitates animal products since they all are full of bad ingredients and are extremely processed. Even if they claim to be organic, all natural, etc. They will just leave you with a few pounds over and feeling lethargic and tired. Food must be fresh! Avoid processed ingredients as much as you can :)
Here I’ll be sharing two easy to prepare super healthy vegan recipes. Cauliflower mashed with lentil patties and avocado slices. All super easy and full of protein and vitamins.
Cauliflower mash:
Ingredients:
1 cauliflower (medium size).
1/2 small onion.
Pinch of Sea salt
2 spoonfuls of vegan butter
To make the Cauliflower mash you will need a steamer. You want to make sure all the goodies stays on your food. Wash throughly the cauliflower and cut the florets in small pieces, add half of the onion sliced in big pieces and put it all in the steamer until soft. Take it out and let it cool. Put it on the food processor until you have a mash potato kinda consistency. Add two spoonfuls of melted vegan butter, sea salt and pulse some more until you get the creamy consistency. No need to add milk of any kind :).
Lentil patties:
Ingredients:
1 pound of organic lentils. (Half of the quantity for the patties, the rest for another day).
1 tbsp of Coconut oil
1/2 small onion.
1 small red pepper.
4 garlic cloves
Salt to taste
To make the lentils, put them in a regular pot where the water covers the lentils . Don’t add anything to the water. Cook for about 30 mins or until they get soft at low temperature.
Dice the onion, garlic cloves and small red pepper. Put them in a pan with some coconut oil at medium heat and add some sea salt to your taste. When the onions start looking transparent. Turn off the heat. The lentils should be nice and soft. Add to the lentils the spices and taste it in case you may need to add more salt. Let it cool down. Now that you have the lentils ready you can save some to eat it alone and half of it to make the patties.
To make the patties you will need oats flour, its my favourite. Put in the food processor the lentils, a squirt of olive oil and add the oats flour slowly until you can get the consistency that is firm enough to form the patties.
In a pan heat the coconut oil and add the patties. Cook them until they are golden brown. Sliced some avocados and food is ready :)