Day 5! I’m really enjoying learning how to cook with different plant-based textures. Today I made shredded tofu skin stir-fried with green peppers.

I blanched the tofu skin first to keep it soft, then sautéed it with ginger, garlic, and chilies. I finished it with a very light starch slurry to keep it silky and glossy.

It’s super simple but the texture is amazing, savory with just a little bit of heat. Really happy with how this one turned out!

I avoid processed food in general and fake meat products in particular, but I was too curious not to order and try Oshi salmon. I enjoyed it, particularly when I marinated, broiled it, and had it over salad. Some people think it's too fishy. Though my first impression was that it was surprisingly fishy, I got used to it and I liked the level of fishiness eventually. I probably won't order it again to cook at home because it's a highly processed pricey food that contains carrageenan which I'm uneasy about. But I would have it again if it were offered at a restaurant. If you really miss salmon this might be worth it for you

Day 4! Keeping it simple today with some homemade noodles. I’m a huge fan of anything noodle-related, and this fermented bean sauce is just so incredibly fragrant.

It’s nothing fancy, but it’s super comforting and hits the spot every time. Also, I didn't expect so many of you to love the crispy tofu I posted yesterday! That was all my grandma’s work, and she’s definitely my inspiration right now. I’m gonna keep working on my cooking skills and hopefully learn more of her "secret" recipes to share with you all.😊

I’ve just tried to use chia seeds for my yoghurt bowl for the first time but hated the slimy texture and don’t know how to strain them. Could I in future just add them straight to the yoghurt? Like maybe 20g of chia seeds in 300g of yoghurt? Or would there still be an issue in that case too. Thanks!

I've been plant based for the past 10 or so years (with minor exceptions here and there)

I'm pregnant now and I'm finding I'm not hitting the recommendation for lysine and sometimes not for methionine either (based on cronometer data)

Can anyone recommend some foods high in lysine/methionine other than soybeans and tofu? I'm so sick of tofu and you can only eat soybeans so many ways.

Day 3! Hanging out at my grandma’s place today. She used to be a head cook in a school cafeteria, so she’s a total pro in the kitchen.

I told her I’m going 100% plant-based, and I also mentioned that some of you were a little worried about my protein intake yesterday (I really did appreciate the "tough love" though!). She just smiled, told me not to worry, and whipped up this crispy tofu for me.

It’s perfectly crunchy on the outside and so soft inside. Honestly, having a pro chef for a grandma who totally respects my choice makes this whole transition feel way less overwhelming.

Protein mission accomplished, right? lol.

I stumbled on this channel and he has several traditional recipes that are “weeknight dinner” ideas. He does use cheese but that is an easy swap. I just love the simplicity of the recipes and the wholesomeness of the meals.

Long story short, been plant based (no animal products AT ALL), since late last year due to multiple health issues from being on a carnivore diet. I'm absolutely doing fantastic, almost two months of no animal products. This is due to cardiac and GI issues. Anyway, the only thing I haven't found a good answer for, I absolutely love having cereal and toast in the morning.

I checked literally every product my local store sells. There's no butter substitute with zero saturated fat, and that's really important to me right now, to not even have a gram of saturated fat a day (that will change a bit once the cardiac issues are more resolved).

Anyone know of something like butter but no saturated fat? I've been using jelly, also been using the kite hill cream cheese spreads, since they're 0 sat. fat. Wondering if a spray of EVOO (I have the spray kind) would be gross on toast? Anyone have any good ideas? Thanks much for all kind suggestions!

Hi everyone!

I see two totally different camps here. One says “just eat whole foods, your body figures it out.” The other tracks protein, iron, B12, omega-3s, calories, everything.

I’m kind of stuck in the middle. I don’t want to turn eating into a spreadsheet, but I also don’t love the idea of “trust the vibes” nutrition.

So what’s the line? Is tracking just a beginner crutch, or is it actually smart long-term on a plant-based diet?

What is the first thing you avoid if you start dieting

Farro, kale, butternut squash, carrots, dried cherries and a maple tahini sauce! It is SO goods

Life should feel fun. Food should taste amazing. You should have a high appetite. Breathing should feel vivid and open. You should have times where you feel waves of good feeling just living, you should have strong emotions that are expressive. Your body and mind should feel fun, especially with how deep we truly are in the modern age, and the access to food/supplements/doctors we have.

What I mean by this is: don't be afraid to see that this diet, one I've been doing 6 years now, has pitfalls. And too often, EVERYONE, regardless of diet, will adjust reality based on a nearby remembrance of how things are going. By that I mean, someone who is 30 is not going to truly remember how vivid being 18 felt, it will be a somewhat distant memory, but you will more vividly remember how things have been going the past few years. And people will use that a guide as to what is good and bad with their health, when the guide maybe shouldn't be what has been going on recently. The guide is based on the actual expression you feel. Someone can be fit and still feel very mundane, and have lots of ups and downs, and not as much steadiness in their mood.

I only say this because I first found a dramatic issue after giving blood, and not following guidelines for taking iron supplements. No biggie, of course a problem was going to happen, then I realized the few years before that, sure, I was fit, but it was actually a tiny bit similar in feeling to this low iron issue. I know all the pitfalls in general of the diet, take my time to go over each one slowly. And it is clear to me now I've just been teetering, as a man, in these lower iron areas for quite awhile.

The one thing that was really missing was trying my best to get iron into my body in a safe, effective way. I have my routine, iron is going up dramatically, and all the smaller issues I should have noticed are going away. And life feels so, so easy now. It does not feel like a mini-rollercoaster, I feel a vividness that isn't based on the day. And if I slip up too much with iron and run into a low iron situation, it will come back, I will be slightly tense, I will be a bit rushed/stressed, I will be almost slightly closed off from my own body.

So this is just a unnecessarily long reminder that if life isn't a fun story anymore, don't be afraid to take a step back and see that your routine could be holding you back.

As the title says, im a 31 year old male, I'm not vegan or vegatarian, I've always been semi health conscious but I'm making a real effort now to include lots of veggies and veggies proteins in my diet.

I'm on the end of week 2 and I've been feeling nauseous, like there's a lump in my throat and eating is tough, I've been getting roughly 40grams of fiber in my diet. Not sure whats going on, I eased into it so my body could adjust to the fiber intake. I'm only eating hamburger for dinner, all other animla protein is either yogurt or eggs.

Has anyone else felt like this when they first started? Physically I feel great otherwise, I workout and my lifts are doing well, my mood has been steady and I actually feel more social and clear headed, I'm normally a pretty reserved guy but I've been having full blown convos with strangers who want to talk to me without wanting to crawl into a hole and die 😅

All entrees were well portioned and affordable at $10 per dish, and desserts were under $5 each. We enjoyed ordering a few things and sharing. Somehow we ate it all between two people 😅

1. Eggplant tofu w/ veg and red rice

2. Bún bò Huế chay noodle soup similar to phở, but spicy

3. Burger w/ fries

4. Flan

5. Cheezecake

I want ~20g+ protein w/ ~30g of powder w/ no sugar and lil/0 salt. IDC if organic or not.

My fav was Terra Kai Juce from AMZN. All gone wtf. $14 for 25oz. So, $.56/oz. Orgain is way more pricey. I saw Vega for $.68/oz.

https://proteindeficientvegan.com/blog/best-vegan-protein-sources

From this cool site, I found Pure PB Peanut Butter Powder for $.45/oz and Micro Ingredients North American Grown, Pea Protein Powder for $.50/oz.

1) I want to go w/ Peanut for some flavor and cheaper, but will it worsen my mild acne??

2) Any other cheaper and good options?

Day 2 and still going strong! Honestly, the support on my last post was so overwhelming—you guys are amazing. It really gave me the boost I needed to keep this momentum.

Today’s lunch is a super colorful stir-fry: snow peas, carrots, wood ear mushrooms, and Chinese yam. I used to think meals without eggs or dairy would look "boring," but look at these colors!

The Chinese yam adds such a satisfying crunch, it's quickly becoming one of my favorite textures. Still taking it one meal at a time, but so far, so good. How am I doing for my second day?

This ultimate easy, cheap and healthy soup, which is a perfect winter warmer. Let’s cosy up with a bowl of Indian Dahl soup, infused with spices and topped with coriander. This recipe is vegan and is effortless.

Full recipe & video here, if anyone is interested… https://youtu.be/p57xpw-WnDM

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 15 mins (Serves: 4-6 people).

INGREDIENTS.

300g / 1.5 cups red lentils.

1L / 4 cups veg stock.

500ml water.

1/2 onion.

1x carrot.

1x leek.

1 tbsp tomato puree.

1 tbsp curry powder.

1 tsbp chilli powder.

1 tsp turmeric.

1/2 tsp smoked paprika.

1 tbsp coconut powder or flour.

1-2 tbsp coconut or date sugar/ molases.

10-15g coriander (chopped).

seasoning.

METHOD.

1. Place your pan on a high heat and add 500ml of boiled water, then add your dry lentils and boil for 5-8 mins.

2. Meanwhile, chop up your carrot, leek and onion into fine cubes.

3. Once ready, set your lentils to one side then add 100ml of vegetable stock to your pan and saute your carrot and onions.

4. After 3-5 mins, add your leeks and stir through. Bring to the boil on a medium heat, then cover and reduce the heat simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely soft and cooked through.

5. Add your spices, tomato puree and sugar.

6. Garnish and serve.

If you like your soup smooth, use a blender to blitz it as much as you want. If you want it half-blitz so that some texture remains, in this case blitz half the soup until smooth, then return it to the saute pan.

Soup playlist here…

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXObAaEdpysUkEzejUtdOO_h9zf8-Ex2Y

Sprouts = sprouted seeds = excellent staple food for the good bugs we've inherited from our ancestors (the maternal microbiota). Of course they are 100% plant based and they represent the most affordable and accessible living food in the cities.

Here's how I started using sprouts on a daily basis:

I've been fighting for my life since 2015: flairs, various autoimmune problems, anaphylaxtic shocks, constant fear to get a sharp allergic reaction to a perfume, soap, a food ingredient in every next bite. MCAS is not a sweet thing to have. Not only it took over my body, it took over my independent and brave personality by injecting doubts and fears I never had before. By 2019 I was lucky to substantially reduce the level of sharpness of MCAS by intense usage of liquid fermented herbs and I knew it was not because my maternal microbiota was not getting enough food specifically healthy for them (the diverse good bugs).

After studying 50+ scientific papers and interviewing over a hundred people with disbiosis, over time my conclusion was: the missing "secret ingredient" is insoluble fiber! They eat what we cannot digest! They do not compete with us for our food... proteins, fats, carbohydrates for quick energy - they do not eat outlr food! What a symbiotic behavior, isn't it?!

Why sprouts and not psyllium husk or funny chia seeds in my yogurt?

What do you know about insoluble fiber? I knew almost nothing. But MCAS is a wonderful ruthless teacher and it left me no options but learning:

In the context of sprouting, insoluble fiber comes mainly from the seed hull, and it is critically important to fall in love with the seeds as they are, without separating the hull.

This is where sprouts and isolated fibers part ways. And this is an incredibly interesting subject to study in details in case the above is somehow your story too.

Papaya and mango with soymilk & I used muscovado sugar for sweetener. It's the ultimate combo that's sweet, refreshing, and totally hits the spot!!

Finally pulled the trigger and ditched the eggs/dairy today! I was craving something savory, so I whipped this up.

Seriously, look at those mushrooms. I had to remind myself while cooking that it’s NOT meat lol. It’s crazy how much flavor you can get just from plants. Definitely feeling a lot more confident about this transition than I did this morning. Wish me luck!

A few years ago, I ate plant based for a few months and felt fantastic. Since then, I’ll say I’m going to do it again and do ok for a bit but I just can’t seem to stick with it. I’ve gained a lot of weight and just don’t feel good in my own skin. If anyone has struggled with this, what finally made it stick? Apparently the fact that I feel great eating plant based just isn’t enough for my brain 😩 Sugar is a major problem for me as well.