This is a first for me! I’m sharing all the deets about what I ate this particularly snowy Monday.
When I first started transitioning to a whole foods, plant-based diet, I had no idea how many options there were or how delicious plant foods could be (really delicious!). All I saw was restriction. But that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Sure, I had to learn to cook more and I had to spend a bit more time chopping veggies, but my relationship with food started changing.
I was able to eat all of the foods I loved in abundance… aka carbs <3
But it really wasn’t until my honeymoon in Sri Lanka that I realized a plant-centered diet might actually be sustainable and beneficial.
Sri Lanka was the second time that I ate vegetarian for an extended period of time. By the end of the week my stomach was 100x better than upon arrival and the following week, my period arrived without a peep. At this point in time, my period was barely even showing up, so this was a huge win.
So I decided to give a plant-based diet a much deserved try.
But with most big changes, it was a slow transition. And the more predominantly plant-based I became, the less I wanted to go back to any other way of living.
So here I am I hope that sharing what I ate today gives you an idea of how simple and effortless eating more plants can be.
A.M. ROUTINE.
I started my morning with a cup of green tea and lemon. I have recently started weaning myself off of caffeine, and coffee in particular, and wrote a blog post detailing why and how here.
I also take a B12 supplement daily. These are the two brands that I use: VeganSafe and Vimergy.
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BREAKFAST.
For breakfast I had oatmeal made with
gluten free rolled oats
almond milk
wild blueberries
banana
raisins
drizzle of maple syrup
dash of cinnamon
This is a super filling meal for me. In the winter I tend to gravitate towards more warming breakfasts like oatmeal, as opposed to smoothies. I cooked a 1/2 cup of rolled oats, which fills my 18 oz. hydroflask for breakfast on-the-go.
LUNCH.
For lunch I had a big salad.
Salads are my typical go-to for weekday meals. This particular occasion was a clean-out-the-fridge meal slash “I need to go grocery shopping”, so I must admit that there is usually more substance to my salads. Todays salad included,
Romaine lettuce
Red pepper
Red onion
Carrot
Sea veggie dulse
Avocado
Hemp seeds
*Usually there are also tomatoes, cucumbers and pumpkin seeds.
The salad dressing was made with maple syrup, dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar.
Salads don’t have to be boring or skimpy. With an abundance of veggies, salads can be filling and provide a wide variety of nutrients. I aim to eat a large, popcorn bowl salad for lunch each day, as I tend to feel my best when I have some raw foods incorporated into my daily diet. Since raw foods are typically lower in calories than cooked, in order to be calorically satisfied, I eat larger portion sizes.
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DINNER.
For dinner we had rice and bean tacos with and a side of baked gold + sweet potatoes. The taco recipe was from Ellen Fishers e-book, my absolute favorite.
For the oil-free potatoes:
– Chop the gold potatoes like fries and sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper.
– For the sweet potatoes, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, pepper and smoked paprika.
– Cook at 375F until golden.
NIGHTTIME ROUTINE.
Lately I have been ending the rush of the day with herbal tea and lemon. Raspberry leaf + nettle leaf is my drink of choice. Both of these herbal teas work wonders for the hormonal and endocrine system.
They support reproductive health, provide relief to menstrual cramps and heavy bleeding, and also work in preventing chronic headaches.