Simple Tips for Going Vegan

First off let me just say did I end October with a bang or what???? I lost another 4 pounds. I am so excited. And yes I had some Halloween candy and YES I had a cupcake from my daughter's birthday party from her class and YES I had a tiny slice of cake from her real birthday party.

Don't forget just because you are making lifestyle changes doesn't mean that you have to always give up everything ALL the time. I love sweets and once a month will treat myself! Thanksgiving will be a little tricky though because my son is turning 2 and then there is Thanksgiving!!! I know I will be digging into some apple pie! I cannot wait!

Well a lot of people are trying new things, like going vegan. There was recently an article on the Beachbody Blog that gave these awesome tips. Check the article out here.  So do your research and make sure it is the right choice for you to dive into.

Books
Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet by Brenda Davis, R.D. and Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D.
Even if you’re not giving up flesh, this book is incredibly informative. It covers every aspect of vegan nutrition, from the history of veganism to how the macronutrients—protein, carbs, and fat—work for vegans. It also discusses how to get the right vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. The last half of the book is devoted to special diets, including those for the elderly, the overweight, the underweight, and athletes. Becoming Vegan is a road map for anyone adopting this lifestyle.

Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.
Veganomicon takes less of a scientific approach and more of a culinary one. It’s a cookbook, but in a Joy of Cooking sort of way. Not only are there great recipes here, but the first 44 pages introduce the reader to the vegan kitchen—from corn starch to veggie peelers—including information on various cooking methods, ingredients, and tools. There’s a whole chapter devoted to low-fat cooking and another chapter that’ll show every possible variation on preparing a vegetable. Once you get to the recipes, you’ll find a great international selection ranging from spicy tempeh nori rolls to soft poppy-seed polenta.

The recipes in Veganomicon are largely derived from whole, real food sources, unlike another popular vegan cookbook out now called Skinny Bitch in the Kitch. Don’t waste your time with this one. The nutritional information in the introduction isn’t accurate, and the recipes are littered with faddish ingredients like coconut oil (loaded with saturated fat) and meat substitutes, such as vegan bacon and vegan chicken strips. If you’re embracing veganism from a health perspective, these artificial meats are nothing but sodium and chemicals. You might as well pick up a copy of any Betty Crocker cookbook and substitute fake meat for the real deal.

Websites
The Internet holds a vast amount of great information about veganism. Unfortunately, it also holds a vast amount of loony information, so it’s important to be discerning when surfing the web. Here are a few good websites to try.

VegCooking.com
This website isn’t strictly vegan, but it’s an excellent source of practical information. You’ll find articles on vegan and veggie products available at your local grocery store as well as what you can order at various restaurant chains.

FatfreeVegan.com
You’d think that vegan recipes would be uniformly healthy, but oftentimes, meat-free chefs will try to make up for taste with salt and fat. You won’t find that here. There’s also a great section here that divides the recipes by region, which works for those planning their big vegan Ethiopian, Vietnamese, or Caribbean dinner parties.

Vegan.org
This site may be a little too activist for some, but the Vegan Action website is a great resource for people looking to bring their veganism to the next level. The site includes links to vegan clothes and cruelty-free products.

VegWeb.com
VegWeb.com is a vegan community offering recipes, articles, and coupons. As is often the case when the general public contributes to a site, the recipes can be a little dodgy, but you’ll get plenty of variety and some interesting ideas.

VeganChef.com
This site is actually a promotional site for Chef Beverly Lynn Bennett’s vegan cookbooks, but she offers several great free recipes here.

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