I have come to an understanding
that I am not going to convince the masses to go vegan by pushing them
to eat solely raw, whole, fresh fruits and vegetables. Most
of you know that a common breakfast for me are seven to ten bananas blended with water. For lunch and snacks I eat other fruit, especially dates, apples, and
mangoes and orange juice as these are inexpensive and convenient foods to eat.
Although I cannot convince others to eat a
fruit-based diet, I can convince people to add fruit to their diet.
Adding fruit instead of other foods will greatly improve digestion and
overall health.
Presenting healthier and cruelty-free alternatives of burgers, pizza, sandwiches, scrambled "eggs", "ice cream" and the like can change people's perspective of the Vegan diet. It can be much more satisfying, filling, and nutritionally advantageous than any other diets.
I have lived
without animal and animal derived foods for nine years as of April 2014, while my partner
has for seven to eight years. I have become acquainted with hundreds of other
people that live without ailments, and have greatly improved their health and even reversed cancers and diseases.
Here, I have compiled a list of recipes/photos that will encourage non vegans to try some cruelty free foods. These meals are inexpensive, filling, nutritious, low fat, and are Vegan boyfriend-approved.
Vegetable Lentil Burgers
Above are Vegetable Lentil burgers I made back in 2012, for my
partner. He loved these with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, and
onion in toast.
To make the burgers, boil lentils for 30 minutes
or more, drain, and mash in a bowl. With the mashed lentils, add
shredded carrots, zucchini, and onion with a little flour (oat or rice
flour, etc). Add as much flour as needed till they form perfectly shaped
patties. Add seasonings if desired.
Cook patties with a little oil, on medium heat until one side of the patty is completely cooked. Then flip to cook other side.
Serve patties with vegetables and condiments of our choice on your bread of choice.
This
meal is a healthier alternative to hamburgers and even some other vegan
burger recipes, because of the high fiber content of the lentils,
carrots, and zucchini.
**I highly recommend limiting fried burgers, even fries, chips, and other foods containing oils because of the high fat content. High amounts of fat, like in meat eaters diets, will clog cells and cause disease in the body. You will find in the list I recommend limiting some of these foods, and I myself do not eat them anymore because I continue to clean up my diet.
Vegetable Spring Rolls with Sauce
As
you may notice in the following recipes, I love Asian cuisines. And
also notice that with this list of recipes provided, you can pick up
large quantities of similar ingredients for every different dish.
This
recipe calls for Spring roll wrappers. Simply julienne your vegetables
(carrots, zucchini, squash, onions) and cook with a little water and
seasonings of your choice.
Boil water for your Spring Roll wrappers.
After water comes to a boil, pour in a large bowl to soak wrappers to make pliable.
Make a sauce of peanut butter and soy sauce for dipping rolls.
After veggies have cooked, add to wrappers and roll like a you would a tortilla.
Dip rolls in the peanut butter sauce.
Vegetables and rice
This next Asian cuisine uses the same ingredients of carrots, zucchini, squash and onion.
Simply boil rice while lightly cooking vegetables.
It
is not best to fry vegetables or cook them in oil. If you're going to
cook vegetables, slowly cook with vegetable broth or vegetable stock.
You could also cook veggies with a little water and spices of your
desire. Garnish with sesame seeds!
Keep in mind, you should use a
ceramic (lead-free) skillet for cooking food. Many pots and pans have
been coated with plastic and contain lead.
Vegetables and Noodles
I have replaced the rice from the previous recipe with rice noodles for this dish.
After I boiled the rice noodles, I cut raw cucumber, carrots, and green onions to garnish the noodles.
I am not sure what I used for the sauce on the noodles, but I may have used soy sauce and garnished with sesame seeds.
Vegetable Spaghetti
Another
great dish everyone loves is spaghetti. Boil spaghetti noodles,
buy a vegan spaghetti sauce from the store (make sure it is dairy, meat-free). Saute peppers, mushrooms,
and onions in small amounts of water. After vegetables are cooked to desired, add spaghetti sauce. Drain noodles and add to your
spaghetti sauce with vegetables.
Burrito Bowl (or burrito wraps)
Here a Mexican cuisine I call the "burrito bowl".
Simply boil rice and black beans, then combine with salsa, lettuce and a little avocado (or guacamole).
Add lime for a little zest~
Canned beans
have absorbed the salt and so usually high in sodium, and preservatives are also added. The better option is to buy dried beans, and if using them soak overnight and boil with water for
30 minutes or more when ready to use.
**If you prefer eating a burrito wrap, use corn tortillas or whole wheat tortillas as healthier alternatives. Tortilla wraps are usually high in fat because they contain oils. Eat less tortilla wraps and increase the rice and beans to feel fuller.
Peanut butter Ramen (Extremely poor person's food)
I understand the position people are put in when they can only afford
Ramen noodles. One pack of ramen noodles is $0.20 cents compared to one
organic red pepper that costs $2.50, or the $1.35 per avocado, or one pound of bananas that equates to $0.57. I
have not personally bought Ramen but I have had to eat ramen noodles in desperate situations (when I was at my Dad's house for the weekend, etc). I DID NOT use the chicken seasonings--just the noodles. I would make my own seasonings
of chili powder, garlic powder, soy sauce (peanut butter
optional), and Add sesame seeds for garnish (or raw green onion, cucumber or carrots).
**I repeat, Ramen noodles are to be eaten when in desperate need, as they are one of the most unhealthy foods. High in fat, using genetically modified wheat, high in sodium. Overall Ramen makes you feel sluggish but in the end makes you feel full.
Carrot and Pea Soup
Soak green split peas overnight. Boil the peas, with desired amount of carrots, celery, and onions.
Use vegetable broth or stock in place of water and seasonings when boiling vegetables.
After you cook the vegetables with the broth or stock, let cool then transfer to a blender to create a creamy soup consistency.
Any variation of vegetable soup or bisque is a great low fat lunch or dinner option.
Vegetable-only Sushi Rolls
Buy seaweed wraps from a safe source (for example, do not get from Japan considering the nuclear waste spill).
Boil rice and let cool.
Transfer
small amounts of rice spread onto a sushi wrap, then add sliced pieces
of cucumbers, carrots, tomato, avocado, spinach (or any vegetable of
your choice). Layer vegetables vertically.
Then roll each wrap into a long burrito shape, and cut small portions of the wrap to create bite-sized pieces.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds, no need to dip in soy sauce. Soy sauce is high in sodium and usually contains genetically modified soy beans. Plus, seaweed as a Vegan food is debatable because it contains much fish contaminants.
**I would limit the amount of sushi intake. Actually, I probably will not eat Sushi any more, as it was a phase for a year, and I cannot separate the idea that Seaweed comes from polluted water.
Butternut Squash Chili
**The combination of food may be eccentric, but I am using ingredients
(peppers and tomatoes, beans and butternut squash) because they come
from my garden.
If using dried beans, soak them overnight. Or you can use canned organic black beans, kidney beans, red beans, or pinto beans (any bean of your choice). Cook butternut squash first, along with onion, peppers, jalapeno pepper, tomato (or salsa). Add canned beans. If using beans that have been soaked overnight, cook beans separately from butternut squash and veggies. Then add veggies to the beans.
Vegetable Pizza
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| Gluten free alternative with oats |
This
is the most common, most loved, and favorite food of America. Most
Americans identify pizza as their number one favorite food. I may have
to agree that it is a very stimulating food, because there's something
about bread, sauce, and toppings that is appealing.
This is a very
easy concept, prepare your dough first using a low fat recipe alternative (without using oil). Use a tomato sauce or a vegan
pizza sauce and Slice vegetables like
mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and olives over top the dough.
Recipe for Low fat dough:
2 cups of flour
1 cup potato flakes
packet of instant yeast + 1/3 cup water
1 cup water
Italian herbs, seasonings
Add 1/3 cup of water and yeast in a cup, stir and let sit for 10 minutes or longer. In a large bowl, Stir dry ingredients first: add flour, potato flakes, Italian herbs (sage, basil, marjoram, thyme, garlic powder). Then add yeast and the additional water. Knead into ball, keep in the bowl and cover with a wet cloth for 30 minutes or longer.
After 30 minutes, Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Grease pizza pan and layout dough into desired shape. Prick holes in the dough and Bake dough for 3-5 minutes. Afterwards, add sauce and toppings, then bake for 15-25 minutes. Daiya Mozzerrella cheese sprinkled over top the pizza is a nice addition, but unnecessary added fat.
Main dish Plain Potatoes
Another
easy recipe is simply boiling 6 potatoes. Sweet potatoes are best. Cut
potatoes into cubes and boil in water for 15 minutes or more. Juice a
lemon over top of potatoes to create a buttery taste. Serve with
lettuce.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To me, there is no meal better than
eating 5 mangoes for lunch, 10 bananas for breakfast, or 30 dates, 3 lb
of strawberries..Eating fruit makes me feel my best and gives me
energy, so a usual grocery week for me is 20-40 lb of bananas, 10-20 lbs
of other fruit, pasteurized juices and smoothies, frozen concentrated
juice, frozen fruit, dehydrated fruit, canned fruit. Because I have
created an importance in my life towards growing fruits and vegetables
working towards self sufficient gardening, I receive free medicinal
health benefits from the fruits and vegetables.
I
explain to others the mis-truths about Protein, Fats, and
Carbohydrates, emphasizing that an increase in Fats and Protein can harm
the body, specifically animal fats and proteins. Instead, a diet rich
in Carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, grains) are healthier options. It
is well documented and heavily studied that a diet emphasized on fruits
and vegetables alone will reverse cancer, heart disease, cholesterol,
blood sugar, allergies, arthritis, tumors, and more. So encourage your
family members and friends to make small changes in this direction as
well, because it could really save their life, or avoid spending
hundreds of thousands of dollars for medical care.
If you are starting out, taking the Vegan diet slowly, purchase small amounts of Fruit you like. Do not eat anything you do not favor the taste of. If you don't like Kale or spinach, do not eat them, eat Lettuce instead. If you do not like Cantaloupe, eat Watermelon, or if you hate bananas, eat Mangoes.
But of course you can buy Convenient, quick and healthy snacks, for example...
Frozen
concentrated Juice. Simply add whole or half of the carton into 2-3
cups of water, mix in a blender. Here I have bought the Pineapple-Orange
Juice Frozen concentrate, which I usually add with frozen raspberries
or strawberries. Although it seems like a lot of calories, juice does
not contain the amount of fiber to feel "full". Consuming a larger
quantity of juice will allow you to feel satisfied for longer.
** Warning: Be aware that some Orange Juices contain Calcium Lactate (animal derived), so watch out for labels that say "Plus calcium" or "Added Calcium" on the covers.
You
may also notice below the cartons of concentrate is a box of frozen
bananas. With a food processor, add almond milk and frozen bananas,
blend to create ice cream consistency.
Banana "nice" cream is a
puss-free, hormone-free, fat-free, cruelty-free dessert that tastes like
a vanilla milkshake.
Canned
fruit and dehydrated fruit are other healthy snack options. Only will I
buy Peaches and pineapples canned. I cannot imagine any other canned
fruit to have the same consistency and taste as if it were fresh as
Pineapples and Peaches do.
I'm not proud of the Del Monte brand Peaches...
Dehydrated
fruit, dates, mango, grapes (raisins), blueberries, papaya, pineapple
are my favorite. Any time I hang out with friends, I always bring a bag
of dates, or my friends and family keeps a bag of dates at their house
for me. Raisins are the next best dehydrated fruit because it is
inexpensive compared to Dates.
Raisins can be added to cereals and
oatmeal. Buy the Old fashioned oats to make oatmeal as they have not
been processed and do not raise blood sugar.
Keep in mind that
dehydrated fruit like dates can aggravate your teeth, much like jerky or
meat wears at your teeth. Eating a fresh raw diet of fruits,
vegetables, and greens will prevent tooth problems.
Bagels can serve as a low fat alternative for breakfast or snacks. Toast or warm in the oven.
Another healthy snack is
applesauce. Actually I made a full meal out of the applesauce jar you see below. It contained nearly 600 calories in total, and I ate every bit of it as a snack. I have always believed that it makes little sense to eat small amounts of unhealthy food when you can eat large quantities of healthy food.
Organic brown Sugar and dates are also seen here which are great ingredients for cereals or oats.
In the next photo I have burrito wraps. Wraps are usually high in fat, and
it may be best to not eat too many wheat products, however 2-3 burrito
wraps with rice, beans, salsa, and avocado will be filling enough to
avoid taking in more bread.
I will say you can make a burrito bowl like I have demonstrated in the above
"Burrito Bowl" recipe.
In
this next photo, I have
"Silk brand Almond Milk" which is fortified
with 50% more Calcium in milk, vitamin D, B12. Actually when cow's milk
is consumed, the acidity leaches Calcium from your bones to neutralize
the pH of your blood. I highly recommend dropping the cruel Cow's milk
and begin purchasing "Silk" because it contains necessary vitamins and
nutrients that most meat eaters are lacking in their diet. I also have
"Naked" brand Blueberry smoothie, mostly because it was on sale and the
Odwalla orange juice was also. When I go to hang with friends, I usually
bring a large bottle of juice that contains a meal's worth of calories.
Don't forget to eat fresh raw salads and smoothies as well.
 |
| Bananas + Spinach + Mint + water |
 |
| Bananas + water + drizzle of blueberry |
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| Soaked dates + water & spices |
A diet of raw fruits and
vegetables will allow your body to
self-heal. There are many different styles of the Vegan diet, the most optimal is a low fat, mostly fresh fruits and vegetables diet, little nuts, seeds, avocado, and no oil.
This diet and lifestyle is not a struggle, however. Many people even body builders go Vegan. Once it becomes revealed to you the
horrors of the meat and dairy industry, this lifestyle is easier than
Familiarize yourself with the literature on Fats, Proteins, Carbohydrates, diet and lifestyle. For example, Read
materials from Vegan doctors, Dr T Colin Campbell of The China Study (one of the most comprehensive nutrition study ever undertaken), Dr
John McDougall of the Starch Solution, Dr Greger, Dr Doug Graham of
80/10/10, Dr Neal Barnard of "Reversing Diabetes", and many more...
In
the photo above are Vegan "fats", for example Avocado, guacamole, vegan
"Nayowhipped", tortilla wraps. There are some over ripe bananas and
vegetables in the picture too. Avocado goes well in salads, sandwiches, over rice, and burritos.
If you live in a house that has been remodeled by hippies and hillbillies over the last 80 years, you may live in a house like mine. Often I find myself covering doors with blankets in the winter; stuffing plastic grocery bags in cracks and crevices; placing rugs in doorways between rooms; in addition to covering my porch in plastic to make a greenhouse which also blocks the cold and wind on the South side which simultaneously traps sun rays/heat. I also use trash bags/sheets of plastic to cover the windows in the winter. I've seen people use bubble wrap for windows as well, which also creates an artsy appeal.
