Living Whole Food, Plant Based!
I owe all my followers a sincere apology. I had every intention to post twice a week. Unfortunately, life has got in the way and work had been grueling! Fortunately, though, I have adhered religiously to my whole food, plant-based lifestyle! Hopefully, to help make …
I was so blessed to have grown up in Vermont. The Green Mountains and Lake Champlain were the perfect setting for outdoor activities. But as summer is relatively short, most of my memories are of fall and winter activities. What is Vermont if not maple …
The whole food plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle has really challenged my creativity in the kitchen. This is particularly true at breakfast when my head is still foggy while I wait for the coffee to kick in. As much as I love oatmeal, man (or woman…or child) can’t live on oatmeal alone.
I’ll admit, I am one of those people who does not feel compelled to find vegan replacements for the standard American diet (SAD). I know there are vegan sausages, hot dogs, burgers, etc. that are developed to look, feel, and taste like the “real” thing.
I innocently asked on the Forks over Knives Facebook page why people try to replace those “bad” foods with a vegan attempt to replace the foods that caused many of the issues we face today with obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc.? What an extreme and vicious response from the vegan community! I’m serious. This animal and environment loving community attacked me! How dare I ask that question? It may be the gateway towards adopting the WFPB lifestyle and who am I to question how they do it? I am not kidding when I say it was vicious. I issued an apology, though I don’t know why.
The point I was trying to make was if we are changing our dietary and lifestyle habits, is pretending to eat a “hotdog” really changing our internal wiring and responses? I still feel that way, but not as strongly as I did before.
On this wet, cold, and dreary morning, I really wanted some warming comfort food. I reached for the steel cut oats that I was going to make with a drizzle of maple syrup, a Medjool date chopped, and a handful of walnuts. No can do…I had used all the oatmeal. My other options were some form of smoothie, but that was not going to warm my soul.
I opened the fridge and saw my old friend…eggs. Those little bombs of fat and cholesterol were calling out for me! That was until the tofu came in view. Can I transform tofu into something that resembles scrambled eggs? Not only did I, but it was so good, I needed to share it with my community.
I started pulling stuff out of the fridge and pantry. The ingredients came naturally to me.
One 14-ounce package of firm tofu (patted dry)
¾ cup of sliced mushrooms
¾ cup of diced onions
1 handful of baby spinach (it wilts down, so don’t worry if it seems like a lot)
½ can of diced tomatoes with green chilies
½ cup of Nutritional Yeast
1 tablespoon of granulated garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons of turmeric powder
Salt to taste
In a bowl, combine the tofu, nutritional yeast, turmeric, and garlic powder. Use a fork to break up the tofu and incorporate the nutritional yeast, turmeric, and garlic powder. Do not pulverize the ingredients. Rather, break it up into different sizes, leaving some chunks (but not too many). I used the salt grinder to add a couple turns of salt, or about ½ teaspoon. Let this mixture sit while preparing the other ingredients. This helps the tofu soak in the flavors of the nutritional yeast, turmeric, and garlic powder.
I used a wok, but you can use a skillet or frying pan.
As an alternative to oil, I use vegetable broth to sauté the onions and mushrooms on high to medium high heat. During the sautéing process, if the pan gets too dry, feel free to add more broth, but limit it to a tablespoon or two each time as you do not want the vegetables to be too watery. Stir frequently as you cook this for about five minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with green chilies. The tomatoes will have some juice. Allow the juice from the tomatoes to evaporate. Add the handful of spinach and continue to stir. A couple turns of the salt grinder should be enough at this time. The spinach will wilt within 30 seconds.
Now it is time to add the tofu mixture to the pan. Stir the ingredients all together. Continue to cook all the ingredients on high to medium high heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
I laid the scrambled tofu on a bed of fresh spinach and then drizzled Sriracha on top. Served with sprouted grains toasted bread and a fresh cup of coffee. There I had it, my warm breakfast to take the morning chill from my body.
You can really doctor this recipe up to suit your tastes. Diced bell peppers, asparagus, or edamame may add different colors, flavors, and textures. Alternatively, fresh salsa and jalapenos may be preferred over the sriracha. There are so many options!
The nutritional yeast and turmeric give the tofu the color of eggs and the mouth feels really mimics scrambled eggs.
If I had hot pepper jelly, I would have added it to the toast, but I didn’t think what we had paired well with the sriracha.
I was extremely pleased with the results. I hope you try this recipe for Tofu Breakfast Scramble and leave me your comments. I would love to read about the different ingredients you tried with the recipe!
To your health…
Stephen
I have a few recipes that I like to go to frequently. One of my favorites in my Fresh Mango Salsa. The beauty of this recipe is how versatile it is. Whether you are vegan or not, this salsa goes as well on tortilla chips …
On your whole food plant-based (WFPB) journey, you are going to experience many traps and pitfalls. Almost all of these will take place when you have a moment of weakness, when convenience trumps all else. If you are like me, the day begins rushed. The …
There are a ton of meal subscription services out there. Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, and Plated are among the many that popped up when I did a quick Google search. But looking at the options, most of the known names didn’t have a true vegan or whole food plant-based (WFPB) option. In fact, I laughed at recommendations to remove ingredients from their recipes in order to make the dish vegan. I’m sorry, potatoes au gratin without butter, milk, and cheese is just potatoes!
I did another search, focusing on vegan or WFPB meal subscription services. Holy moly! Without much effort, I found at least a dozen such services! Some looked really polished and professional, others not so much so.
Thinking some of you out there may be considering subscribing to one or more of these services, I decided that each month I would try a different meal subscription service and give you my honest review. As I write this in January 2019, there should be more than enough subscription services to allow me 12 to 18 months of reviews (hoping these companies survive!).
The first vegan meal subscription service that I tried was Purple Carrot. How did I choose Purple Carrot to start with? It literally was at the top of the list on the Google search. Very scientific, huh?
So as this is my first product or service review, I focused on what matters most to me. Hopefully, it mirrors what you are concerned about. Here goes…
Vegan Options
The options were excellent! In fact, I do not believe they have anything but vegan, plant-based options.
Price
I ordered three meals, two servings per meal. The normal price is $72, but I had a promotional offer that took $20 off my first order. As shipping was free, my total cost for the six servings was $52, or $8.67 per serving (compared to the regular price of $12 per serving).
Quality
My order came with three meals, an Ancient Grain Bowl, Tofu Chorizo Tacos, and Ginger Lemongrass Noodles. The packaging was very nice and easy to understand. If I had a gripe, the carrot and green onion were a day or two past their prime and the avocado was not yet ripe (and still is not three days later). Otherwise, the food was fresh. Every ingredient needed was included, except for salt & pepper, olive oil, vegetable oil, and non-dairy milk.
This brings me to my first observation. These recipes used what I would consider to be a liberal amount of oil. I followed the recipes as provided, but if I were preparing meals on my own, I have cut my use of oil to the bare amount necessary. I try to use vegetable broth in place of oil where I can.
I followed each recipe to a tee without adding or subtracting anything from the ingredients and spices. I am listing the recipes in the order in which I enjoyed the meal.
Quantity
As I opened the box with all the ingredients, my initial impression was there was not a lot of food, especially if each meal represented two servings. Calories range from 740 per serving to 790 per serving, so it was a little deceiving until I realized the amount of oil the recipes called for, resulting in fat per serving ranging from 21g to 42g per serving.
Once making the meals, quantity was not an issue. In fact, each meal was closer to three servings. I was absolutely stuffed after each meal. Never did I walk away hungry. So if you were to do the cost per serving based on three servings per meal, then the cost at full price would be $8 per serving.
Ease of Ordering
Purple Carrot’s website is wonderfully laid out and easy to navigate. Setting up an account, ordering, and pausing the subscription were incredibly easy. The product descriptions, the way the subscription works, and anything you needed to know was right there and accurate.
Ease of Preparation
The recipe book came with beautiful pictures, instructions, and nutritional values. Also has the estimated cooking time. The instructions were very easy to follow and the preparation time was very accurate. Some items were pre-chopped, others I had to chop myself (so I actually felt like I was cooking). I also liked the recipe book as a future reference for vegan meals.
Value
It hurts me to say this as I really love the well thought out concept, from the recipes, the recipe / menu book, the quality of ingredients, and the packaging. On a per serving basis, this is an expensive subscription service. It is extremely convenient. It is high quality. It is fun to prepare. But it is expensive and there is no getting around that.
At the promotional rate and stretching each meal to three servings, I find Purple Carrot to be a reasonable value. Two servings per meal at regular rates, in my opinion, is too expensive. One comment I hear over and over again is that being WFPB is too expensive, which is truly a myth. However, their cost per serving would validate this falsehood.
Shipping
The shipping was free. Big plus in my book. Shipping was prompt. But the box was a bit heavy as there were 12 or more ice packs weighing it down.
Closing Thoughts
For someone new to veganism or a WFPB lifestyle, I think Purple Carrot opens the world of possibility to new tastes, new twists on old recipes, and how flavorful this lifestyle can be. I think quickly, someone with basis cooking skills could pick up the concepts and recipes and be able to prepare similar meals at home for a fraction of the cost.
Based on my initial order and review, on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being outstanding), I give Purple Carrot a 7.5 out of 10. Price / value, the liberal use of oil, and my experience with the Ginger Lemongrass Noodles were the negatives in an otherwise very positive experience.
If you have any questions about my experience with Purple Carrot, please leave a comment. If there is a subscription service you would like me to review in February, let me know.
I appreciate you checking out my review and blog!
Wishing you the best of health!
Stephen
One comment I hear repeatedly when I talk about living a whole food plant based (WFPB) life is “I could never do that, it would be too hard.” I typically respond with “Why do you think that?” Then I will get a litany of responses …
I have found that simple recipes that are easy to prepare are necessary to maintain and sustain the Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle. If you need to spend your days meal prepping for hours, you’ll quickly lose focus and reach for something that is processed, …
A pine cone? What? No, this isn’t what you eat on a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet. Rather it is symbolic. You need to start somewhere and somehow. You need to plant that seed to allow you to grow into this lifestyle.
I was looking at the Forks over Knives group page on FaceBook and someone asked the question, “when adopting a whole food, plant based lifestyle, did you go cold turkey or did you do it over time”?
Interesting question. It got me thinking. I went all-in. Gave up meat, eggs, and dairy products cold turkey and adhered 100% to a whole food, plant based diet. But just because it was right for me, is that the only way this lifestyle can be adopted?
I think the answer to the question is really based on the person. Cop out answer, right? But hear me out.
Throughout my life, when I felt strong enough about something, I was able to direct my focus and attention to that something. Whether it was an assignment at work, pursuing advanced degrees, or changing my dietary habits, I was able to block out distractions and temptations to achieve the objective. Heck, I quit cigarettes cold turkey.
But my issue has been sustaining the desired result after the objective has been met. This explains my weight going up and down like the stock market. I always have had the ability to achieve the goal I set, but maintaining is my problem. Little distractions and temptations get me off track and I fall back to my habits and patterns.
In other words, I made a temporary change, not a permanent change. I did not change who I was at the core, which is what really needed to change.
So, I reflected on the question posed, I asked myself, “would I have enjoyed permanent change or success had I gradually changed my behavior until I achieved my desired outcome, allowing my new habits and patterns to become part of my being”?
Honestly, knowing my personality, I am not sure I would have. Sure, I could cut back on consuming meat, eggs, and dairy and incorporate more fruits, vegetables, and healthy starches in my diet. But the lure of these forbidden foods possess a strong pull for me. I guess for me, it really is all or nothing. Just like you can’t be a little pregnant (you are or you are not), I can’t be a little WFPB (I am or I am not).
For that reason, I really do think that everyone is different. If you need to ease into something, making small, daily changes until the change is permanent, then I highly encourage you to ease into the WFPB lifestyle. This may be starting with a couple days a week refraining from the forbidden foods or eliminating them from two meals a day. Over time, gradually increasing the frequency of compliant meals until you reach the point where you have fully incorporated a WFPB diet into your life.
Neither path is right or wrong. It really depends on the individual. We are all different and one size does not fit all. But what is critically important is that we start down the path. We need to plant the seed somewhere and let it grow and develop. Some will grow and develop faster than others, but the key is to nurture and foster the growth. Think of WFPB blogs, Netflix documentaries like “What the Health” and “Forks over Knives”, and FaceBook Groups as nourishment for the seed you planted. If you slip up, don’t give up. Start again.
I know this time is different for me. I have too much to live for. Too much I want to experience. Too much of me I want to give my grandchild, wife, and kids. Too much I want to accomplish and leave as a legacy. It is my “Why”.
My advice to you is, adopt this whole food, plant based lifestyle according to the terms that best suits your personality. After starting, feed your mind with information and seek support through blogs, the Netflix documentaries, and the various FaceBook groups supporting the lifestyle. And lastly, figure out your “Why”. Why do you want this lifestyle? Why do you want to enjoy the benefits this lifestyle will bring you? When you connect your “Why” to what it is that you are doing, you will greatly enhance your chances for success. And if you find yourself falling back to the old habits, revisit your “Why” because chances are, your “Why” hasn’t changed and it is stronger than the moment of weakness you experienced.
We are on this journey together. I am here for you and by you reading my blog, I know you are here for me.
Wishing you amazing health!
Stephen
Who am I and how did I get here? Let’s see, where do I begin? It was Christmas 2017 and my Christmas gifts were all Keto related cookbooks. I was convinced Keto was my passage to a healthy life and washboard abs. It was the …