We have this big misconception of a plant-based diet that I really want to fight. A vegan diet is a beautiful gift to your body, mind and soul, not to mention the positive impact that it has on animals, the planet and your health in general. I get often asked what do I eat, where do I get my proteins, if I am always hungry, if I don’t feel weak etc… The answer to all of this question is “try it yourself”! During our lives, we women in particular, follow an incredible amount of diets, to lose weight, to tone up, for health issues, to get tanned easily, to improve our skins and so on… Why don’t you give THIS diet, this lifestyle a shot!? This doesn’t mean that you have to become vegan in 24 hours, sometimes it takes years, most of the times the overall feeling of physical and mental well-being pushes people to start going vegetarian and then realising that they don’t really need animal products at all in just a few days. It doesn’t matter. What really matters is that you stop procrastinating and take action, try it, you can always go back, but at least this time you will be aware of the feeling you get being 100% cruelty free and one with nature, yes, even if you live in Rome, NY, London or whatever big busy complicated city and related lifestyle. I have been vegan in London and Brussels and the point is: if you believe in it you can make it happen no matter what. So stop testing, stop killing, start loving. This is my motto and it keeps me going everyday.
Now, this post is addressed to everyone that really wants to try at least to go 50% vegetarian or vegan, which means including at least one completely plant-based dish in your daily meals. I collected some recipes or meal examples that include prepacked foods and 100% home made foods, I usually go for the latter option, but sometimes there’s just not enough time. Just to be clear, there is no vegan police that is going to blame you and make you feel guilty if you rely a bit on packed foods or fake-meat options, or if you want to enjoy a beer with your friends here and there, just try your best and you will not regret it. 🙂
CHAPTER ONE – The cooked carbohydrates aka grains and baked products
Some simple pasta dishes
Simple pasta salad with fresh chopped tomatoes and oregano
Wholegrain pasta with courgettes and mushrooms
Sardinian pasta with tomato sauceÂ
Pasta with mushrooms, white wine and soy cream
pasta “primavera”, mushrooms, carrots, turmeric and rocket salad
Pink pasta: courgettes, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, cayenne pepper, turmeric, sunflower seeds and soy cream
Other grains (rice, quinoa, millet, bulgur, cous cous etc…)
Boiled jasmine rice, spinach and red cabbage with cumin seeds
Cous cous with felafel and veggies
Quinoa and tomatoes salad
Turmeric and tomato rice with salad
Artichokes boiled in water and apple cider vinegar with some black pepper and boiled basmati rice
Green asparagus risotto
Boiled rice with courgettes and rocket salad
Bread, sandwiches, paninis, toasts
Slightly grilled courgettes with spinach and 100% black olives tapenade
Avocado, courgettes, tomatoes, half a lemon squeezed and black pepper on toasted bread
Toasted bread, green peas, tomatoes and grilled mushrooms
Simple spinach and grilled courgettes tortilla
So, this first post aims at showing you that you can eat delicious everyday vegan food with simple ingredients that you already have in the fridge! Vegan food is easy and stress-free, do not get fooled by all those gourmet blogs, books and YouTube channels, those are there for your special occasions, for dinners with your friends. And there’s nothing wrong with trying to impress someone to eventually get them closer to this lifestyle, but don’t over-complicate YOUR life. Hope you enjoyed this post and if you want more info about everyday meal solutions keep reading the incoming Chapter two 😉
Namasté
Once Upon a Translation 