“Intuitive Eating” and Other Lies the Internet Tells

January 26, 2022January 26, 2022 Plant Based KellyLeave a comment

The internet is filled with people who want to tell you good news about your bad habits. 🧁 People who have never experienced obesity think that their 25 pound weight loss (if that!) gives them the authority to tell overweight and obese people that eating the foods that made them fat in the first place will result in weight loss, if they just listen to their bodies. 🤡 Here is the problem with that logic:

🍎 Obesity is caused by insulin resistance and overeating. If people could control their overeating, they wouldn’t be obese in the first place. What’s the solution? Eat the right foods that cure insulin resistance, such as those advocated by @masteringdiabets ! Whole food plant based low fat foods for the win!
🍎 Obese people often have stretched out stomachs from years of overeating. Is a 100 calorie pack of Oreos going to help them reach their a healthy weight? No- but a low fat whole food plant based diet allows for individuals to eat higher food volume since veggies, fruit, whole grains, potatoes, and legumes are so calorie dilute versus all of the processed crap in the grocery store.
🍎 Obese people have disregulation of their grehlin and leptin systems- which may actually be a genetic issue. Telling obese people to “just stop eating when you are full” is absolutely fat shaming. But filling up on high water content and fiber foods that stretches the stomach lining and effectively signals to the brain that the meal can end is the solution. Not oily foods or processed protein powders, but real whole plant based food filled with micronutrients.

I’m not afraid to use the word “obese” because I’ve been there. And when I studied neuroscience in my undergrad, my professors were involved in research equating the effects of high sugar and high fat foods on the brains of obese people to that of cocaine on the brains of addicts or alcohol on the brains of alcoholics.

I’m definitely not saying you can’t enjoy a slice of birthday cake or some vegan pizza on your date night, but if your goal is weight loss, the name of the game is discipline in eating whole food plant based to create a consistent calorie deficit. The caloric deficit is the only way, and it’s a lot easier to accomplish long term by focusing on whole foods!

I can help you clean up your diet for weight loss!

https://weightogovegan.com/weight-loss-accountability-coaching/

Mindset and Motivation

A Guide to the New Healthier You!

December 8, 2021December 8, 2021 Plant Based KellyLeave a comment

If you are overweight, you have an overweight mindset. As much as we want to feel like victims to a cruel world that made us fat, ultimately it was our decisions that made our bodies overly fat. Recovery starts by realizing that we have a problem with our current behaviors and taking responsibility for the changes we want to see.

If you are eating junky processed foods, it’s no surprise that you “can’t lose weight”. If your day is largely sedentary, it’s no surprise that you “can’t lose weight”. If you eat clean all week and then go buckwild on the weekends, it’s no surprise that you “can’t lose weight”. In contrast, how would your weight look if you walked at least 5 days a week for 45 minutes, if you did strength training at least 2 days a week for 30 minutes, if you broke up long periods of sitting with a quick Zumba workout, if your everyday breakfasts and lunches were predictably healthy yet satisfying, if dinnertime prep consisted of chopping loads of fresh veggies and whole plant foods?

Perhaps you overeat when you are stressed out. Perhaps you can’t say no when your favorite snack foods are on sale. Perhaps you drink alcohol when you are bored or frustrated. Perhaps your alcohol consumption leads to decreased inhibitions when it comes to food choices. How do we get to be the people we want to be? How can we reprogram ourselves so that our baseline behaviors are healthy ones, perhaps with the exception of special occasions?

Highly successful people know that change comes from within ourselves. The change you seek is seeking you. The person you want to be is always one decision away. Each day, we must choose to be the healthier version of ourselves with our thoughts and behaviors. Would the healthier version of you finish off the tray of Oreos? Would the healthier version of you snack on processed foods while watching Real Housewives reruns? Or do those behaviors belong the the old you- the one that is long gone at this moment, because you decide it is so.

One of the first vegan resources I ever came across was a book series called “Skinny Bitch”. Her attitude, while controversial, was that if you wanted to lose weight, you had to stop acting like a fat person. You had to stop eating what fat people eat. And you needed to start behaving more like a skinny person. This approach received some pushback because there is thin line between this type of reasoning and the flawed reasoning associated with addictive eating disorders. However, I think that overweight folks do need to understand that they are never going to be like that one friend who can eat burgers and fries at the drive through and never gain a pound. If your life experiences have taught you that your genes are programed to accumulate adipose, then behaviors must be changed. And that all starts in the mind.

There is incredible research into manifestation and multiple universe theories that assert that we truly design our future with each thought, behavior, and action. However, this all begins with our thoughts- what we think is possible, what we think we are capable of… You are capable of living a healthier life. You are capable of sticking with it. You are capable of turning your life around and being an inspiration to others. But it begins with your decision to be the new you! More to come on mindset and motivation, but please reach out at weightogovegan@outlook.com or comment below if you are ready for the new you!

Fat Loss Strategies · Mindset and Motivation · Uncategorized

6 Unexpected Benefits of Switching to a WFPB Vegan Diet!

November 24, 2021November 24, 2021 Plant Based KellyLeave a comment

I have tried eating a balanced diet of some healthy options and some vegan junk food vegan for 8 years, but switching to a Whole Food Plant Based (WFPB diet) consisting of whole grains, root veggies, legumes, vegetables, fruits (and nuts and seeds sparingly) has had a host of unexpected benefits!

I can finally eat three square meals a day!
- I was never able to eat three meals per day in the past, and always had to pack snacks or plan for four (or five) smaller meals per day. This was due to intense hunger that made me hangry and unable to complete my work until I ate a sugar and fat laden vegan protein bar, an apple, and a handful (or seven) of nuts. Healthy right? Wrong. Switching to real foods has made it so I can enjoy heaping servings of veggies and starches with minimal-to-no added plant fats to satiation. This keeps me full for 4-5 hours after each meal for the first time in my life! The fiber and water content of the vegetables truly holds me over until my next meal. Healthy habits when I’m preparing my next meal while hungry include drinking lemon water and snacking on raw veggies.
I feel satiated for longer between meals.
- I felt so betrayed when I would pay dieticians and nutritionists to help me lose weight, and they would say, “Just eat when you are hungry. Eat intuitively.” Ugh. After hearing this for the upteenth time, I finally laughed in one of their faces. (I swear I’m generally a very polite person) This woman was skinny, always had been skinny, and clearly thought that it was my fault for stuffing myself beyond satiety. I replied, “I have to laugh when I hear people say that. I have two modes- hungry and overstuffed. There is rarely a time I won’t eat something when I won’t eat something. If I ate when I felt hungry, I’d be eating times per day.” Needless to say, we discontinued our relationship due to her inability to help me. What I’ve found is that switching to whole foods has taught me what it’s like to feel full after meals, stay satiated for several hours, and listen to my hunger gently starting to return after four hours. This hunger I feel now is not the ravenous hunger I felt when I was on a blood sugar and insulin rollercoaster of overeating sweet, salty, fatty vegan junk food. The fiber, nutrients, and water-content of vegetables and starches has been my food cure, and makes me feel like a “normal” eater after dysfunctional eating since I was a pre-teen!
I no longer feel the urge to binge eat after work.
- I worked for 10 years as a teacher, and started my career in low-income schools (Title I) in urban environments. Interestingly, it wasn’t until I started working in more suburban environments that I really started hating my job. I switched careers to find work life balance and worked in medical education in a hospital system. (Enter pandemic) Work has always consisted of long hours, a great deal of physical/emotional/social distress, and ending the day feeling completely exhausted, drained, and defeated. Over many years, I developed the unsavory addiction of walking through the door after work before my husband was home, switching on Real Housewives, and grabbing any snack or leftovers (or sometimes just a jar of peanut butter). I would always tell myself I’d stop at a few bites, but watching women on TV yell at each other and the constant hand to mouth movement was soothing to me in some weird way. When the pounds started to accumulate, I told myself that this dirty little habit, which resulted in 1000+ calorie intake on some occasions, had to end. Funny thing was, I couldn’t stop. I tried switching only to healthy snacks. That’s didn’t fix it. I changed the TV program. That didn’t fix it. The junk food vegan snacks and lunches I was serving myself was not providing the satiation and nourishment I needed. When I started eating Whole Food Plant Based, I slowly started to lose the ravenous feeling I felt when I got home from work. I started to feel the way I imagine people should naturally feel.
My energy levels are stabilized throughout the day.
- Good Lord. Stay out of my way if my blood sugar was crashing in the late morning after breakfast or early afternoon after lunch. I used to eat a full breakfast at 7:30a, a full lunch at 10:30, another full lunch at 1:30-2:30p and then my scheduled Bravo binge at 6:00. Oh, and don’t forget about dinner at 7:00! My attempts to lose weight consisted of limiting the caloric intake of all of those meals, because it was so difficult for me to work while starved. Years and years of my life went by feeling starved yet obsessed with food and feverishly anticipating my next meal. Now I eat three meals, feeling stable energy in between eat meal. I have the energy to complete all of my goals for the day.
I sleep soundly throughout the night.
- This is going to make some of your jealous, but I sleep like a freakin’ baby throughout the night. Sure, keeping tortured animals off your plate helps keep your conscious clean. But that high fat, high sugar junk food (and the booze I washed it down with at night) was causing me to wake up at 3:00am and struggle to fall back asleep. Worse than that, my brain would autoplay all the anxieties of yesterday, today, and tomorrow in an endless loop. This terrible routine is caused by a dip in blood sugar, and a resulting surge in cortisol in the 2-4am time frame. It is absolutely treatable by reducing processed foods and booze at dinner. Please reach out to me at weightogovegan@outlook.com or via IG DMs if you need help with this, because I suffered for years and am finally free of this awful burden!
I am losing weight!
- I am now losing about one pound of weight per week by eating according to Dr. John McDougall’s book The Starch Solution. In that book, he details a plan for “Maximum Weight Loss” which is based on the concept of filling half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables and the other half with starches such as whole grains, root vegetables, and/or legumes. Losing weight is truly REVOLUTIONARY to me, because I struggled so greatly in the past to do this despite extremely conscientious efforts. I reverted to disordered eating, every kind of diet, and fasting to try to lose weight, but nothing worked. When I learned that I had lipedema, which results in the accumulation of diet- and exercise- resistant fat, I all but gave up on the hope of ever achieving my goal. But I am finally am losing and feeling great about myself. I started this blog and my IG channel to inspire others to eat this way, the way humans were intended to eat! Please reach out if you need support!

Satiating Plant Based Meals · Uncategorized

Whole Food Plant Based Nachos? Yes, Please!

November 22, 2021 Plant Based KellyLeave a comment

What if I told you nachos could fit on your weight loss eating plan? This dish is perfect as comforting weekend dish (or for Super Bowl Sunday)! This recipe is designed for 3-4 people and is served on a full cookie sheet, so feel free to scale up and down based on the number of eaters!

Ingredients:

10-15 Corn tortillas
Lime juice
Sea salt
1 can of refried/pinto/black beans
Cumin
2 bell peppers (or 1 bell and 3-4 jalapenos), diced into centimeter sized pieces
1 medium sized onion, diced into centimeter sized pieces
2 zucchini/yellow squash, diced into centimeter sized pieces
Taco seasoning blend
2-4 cups of chopped salad mix or microgreens on top
salsa
low fat vegan cheese sauce (like this one from Plantiful Kiki- recipe and video!)
hot sauce and/or lite drizzle of BBQ sauce (optional)

Instructions:

-Preheat your oven to 450 degrees! If you haven’t already made the fat free cheese sauce (recipe above), now is the time to start your boiling water!

-Chop the peppers, onion, and squash into small pieces and sauté on the stovetop with a little bit of your favorite taco seasoning blend! This will take about 20-30 minutes on medium heat- simply taste test your veggies and remove from heat at desired doneness!

-Prepare the corn tortillas by cutting into quarters, laying on a baking dish lined with silicone or foil, sprinkling lime juice and sea salt. Pop them in the oven for 5-10 minutes, and check every 2 minutes thereafter for doneness. The best chips have browned edges!

-Warm the beans in a pot on the stovetop or in a microwave safe container. Add 1/2 tsp of cumin for a slow cooked, savory taste or other seasonings if you so choose!

-Warm your fat free vegan cheese sauce.

-When the chips are done, place them on the large serving dish with mimimal overlapping!

-First top the chips with your beans, spreading evenly over the chips. Leave no chip untouched! 🙂

-Then, spread your veggies. They are the star of the show, after all!

-Drizzle your colorful creation with the vegan cheese sauce.

-Top it off with chopped salad mix or microgreens!

-Serve with mini plates, forks, and hot sauce. We like to do a tiny drizzle of BBQ sauce for extra boldness! Enjoy!

Fat Loss Strategies · Mindset and Motivation · Practical self-care strategies · Uncategorized

5 Sneaky Ways Stress Prevents You From Achieving Your Weight Loss Goals

November 21, 2021November 21, 2021 Plant Based KellyLeave a comment

Americans are some of the most stressed people in the world. 55 % of American adults reported that they had experienced significant stress throughout the day BEFORE the start of the pandemic. Now, stress for many is at an all time high due to COVID-related concerns, dissatisfaction at work/unemployment, childcare concerns for parents, inflation effecting everyone’s checking account, and uncertainty for the future. Unfortunately, many people report having gained “The COVID 19”- accumulating pounds since the start of the pandemic. As pandemic conditions rage on, our stress levels do too. Stress often leads to unhealthy habits that prevent us from reaching weight loss goals. Let’s look at behaviors associated with stress, anxiety, and depression that may be keeping those pounds on your frame!

Stress can cause you to keep reaching for caffeine. Coffee is a natural anti-depressant. If you have to drag yourself out of bed, sometimes coffee is the motivating factor in the morning. If you opt drive-thru or coffee shop, you can be sure that the dose of caffeine in that Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte with Oat Milk will temporarily make you feel like a million bucks. But become aware of the fact that there is always a wall that you hit when you rely on caffeine for the dopamine rush. There is often an intense hunger that follows this crash when you need a quick fix to bring your energy levels back to normal. High amounts of caffeine can feel like a blood sugar rollercoaster! If you choose to enjoy caffeine, find ways to moderate your use of it. It’s wise to stop drinking alcohol after noon. Consider switching to tea which has a lower caffeine content than coffee. Or try this hack that I have used for years- I fill my coffee maker with 50% organic decaf coffee and 50% organic regular coffee. This allows me to enjoy the flavor of coffee (which I love) and have a few cups throughout the morning without overdoing the caffeine!
Stress may tell you that you need alcohol to relax. The fact of the matter is, alcohol is a sneaky liar. Alcohol may temporarily give you a feeling of not giving a f*ck but it will make you feel worse that that night and the next day. If you imbibe- start paying attention to the 24-48 hours of depression that follows those few minutes or hours of buzzy pleasure. If you find that you can’t stop after 1-2 drinks, you need to absolutely take a step back and make a plan for drying out. Alcohol destroys your chances of reaching your weight loss goals by creating blood sugar dysregulation, decreases inhibitions which results in poor snack/dinner/hangover breakfast choices, and packs a load of calories in if you can’t imbibe moderately (100+ calories per beverage). Also, alcohol is a major contributing factor of insomnia and those dreaded 3:00 AM cortisol rushes that wake you up and make you feel like you can’t fall back asleep!
Stress makes it hard to get good quality sleep. In addition to the sleep interruptions caused by alcohol (as detailed above), anxiety and stress can cause you to lay in bed with eyes wide open reliving the days events and trying to predict the future. Try these tips for falling back asleep when insomnia sets in. Definitely avoid alcohol if you are suffering. Instead of worrying, ponder the best outcome. Imagine how good it will feel when things work out. Feel the way you would feel if things worked out. Smile and experience the warm and fuzzy emotion. This is called manifesting and can be done anywhere, any time. Worrying is like praying for the outcome you dread to occur. Stop those thoughts and think positive. Sounds trite, but it YOU can create habits of positivity. Reach out to me for support with this!
Stress leads you to choose convenience food and snacks between meals. In general, convenience food (i.e. packaged food, protein bars, freezer meals, fast food, to-go meals, etc.) is less healthy than meals you would prepare for yourself with your vast knowledge of the health benefits of the vegan diet. After a long day juggling work stresses with relationship strains, you may just want to sit on the couch and do a little hand to mouth with a snack food, instead of standing in the kitchen and washing and prepping your veggies and starches for a whole food plant based meal. Reaching for processed food results in higher caloric intake (due to the high caloric density of these food) and low satiation (because the sugar, salt, and fat in these foods tricks your brain into wanting MORE AND MORE!). Change your routine if you find yourself instantly on the couch with a bag of snacks. Go for a quick walk after work. Make an herbal cup of decaf tea and soak your feet in relaxing Epsom salt in another room of the house- anything to break the cycle. Give yourself a break, then get in the kitchen and prepare those veggies! Loading 50% of your plant with non-starchy veg is the first step to vegan weight loss!
Stress makes you procrastinate on your personal goals. “I’ll start my diet on Monday, I just need a weekend of comfort food and drinks and then I’ll be ready to rock my goals.” Have you said something similar to yourself in the past? I want to say this gingerly, but there’s no easy way for me to break it to you. YOU ARE CHEATING YOURSELF. You are only hurting yourself by procrastinating. You must acknowledge your triggers. You must change your habits. You must stick to your plan. You must see it through. You must not procrastinate. If your brain is telling you that comfort food and booze and treats will cheer you up, guess what? You are an addict trapped in a vicious cycle that will make you fatter and more depressed. Healthy people take walks, visit the gym, eat vegetables, and take care of themselves. Fat and sick people eat junk food, sit on the couch all night, drink booze, and lie to themselves after when they will turn their lives around.

Fat Loss Strategies · Mindset and Motivation · Satiating Plant Based Meals · Uncategorized

Never Run Out of Dinner Ideas AGAIN!

November 17, 2021 Plant Based KellyLeave a comment

There are three little words that strike anxiety in the hearts of busy people everywhere. After a long day of working and organizing the chaos, the last thing you want to hear or think is, “What’s for dinner?” As you open up the kitchen cabinets and observe the odds and ends, you might end up deciding on calling to place an order for delivery pizza or hit the drive through. Or just go with those freezer chick’n nuggets and fries that aren’t really on your healthy eating plan, but hey, they are quick and easy and you are exhausted! Trust me, I’ve been there.

I was a junior high teacher for 10 years, and then I decided to start working in medical education is a large local healthcare system pre-pandemic. After my emotionally draining and challenging days, was I ready to decide on a healthful meal and spend 45 minutes chopping veggies and prepping the feast? The answer is “no”. I was burned out, and I could rarely even make a decision about what to prepare, so I’d just grad a bag of whatever and take a seat on the couch to watch the Real Housewives of wherever.

However, over time I realized that I was never going to reach my personal health goals in this way. If I was going to eat healthy, feel healthy, and lose fat, I would need to organize the way I eat in the same way that I organize the chaos of my demanding life. I’d need a plan that was simple to stick to. I needed a way to prepare meals on autopilot instead of waiting until 6pm to start ingredient analysis. And guess what? I found an amazing system that I want to share with you!

Over the past decade, vegan versions of allllll of your favorite junk food items have been crafted and released in America. It is not hard to find convincing vegan buffalo wings to enjoy before your vegan Philly cheesesteak (wit the whiz, of course) and wash it down with a vegan chocolate malt milkshake. And don’t forget to finish it off with some vegan key lime cheesecake! Yikes- there are a lot of nuts, coconut, and oil required to make that meal happen. But the point is, the only thing I’ve not seen a vegan version of (yet) is rare T-bone steak (insert barf emoji).

If you have cholesterol, blood sugar, cancer prevention, or fat loss goals, you are going to need to make strategic efforts to avoid falling into the vegan processed junk food trap, and prepare some REAL food for dinner. So how do you do that? Think INTERNATIONAL. America, we love ya. But all of those fun vegan options available in the western world are loaded with saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar, and salt, AND too many calories for someone with any sort of healthy weight goal. So when it comes to meal times, start thinking global to get back to the basics of healthy plant based eating.

I am releasing an e-book that is NOT to be confused with a recipe book. Vegan recipes are a dime a dozen and can be found online for free with ease. What this e-book and accompanying planner contain are a way to organize your weekly meals to ensure a huge variety of whole plant foods in your diet! The package is called Your Intercontinental Vegan Kitchen and contains a 10 page e-book detailing how you can incorporate quick and easy Mediterranean, Latin American, Asian, Indian, Italian, and comfort food favorites into your cooking repertoire. The book details a new way to think about meal preparation (which does NOT involve spending your weekend in the kitchen). It also comes with a one page meal planner that you can use to implement. You can spice up your kitchen and fall in love with vegan cooking again with Your International Vegan Kitchen!

Although the e-book does make mention of faux meat/cheese options and how they might fit in your meal plans, it has a section on each page dedicated to helping you reach your weight loss goals. It is heavily focused on whole food plant based eating and quick and easy meals for busy people! If you are ready to add some excitement to your meals, check out how I deconstruct global vegan cuisine in Your Intercontinental Vegan Kitchen by clicking “E-books” above or here!

Satiating Plant Based Meals · Uncategorized

5 Super Easy WFPB Lunch Ideas

November 9, 2021 Plant Based KellyLeave a comment

Once again, ain’t no body got time to whip up a gourmet meal for lunch. Some of us have jobs to do, humans to care for, and activities that take place outside of the kitchen! These super simple meals ideas do not require any chopping, and can be made at home or work. I was a junior high teacher for 10 years, so I know a little something about whipping up quick meals in 7 minutes! These ideas are designed to work with a Whole Food Plant Based diet, those following Dr. John McDougall’s Starch Solution Maximum Weight Loss, or HighCarbHannah and PlantifulKiki’s #eatyourvegchallenge. If you are looking to decrease your calorie intake for weight loss, then check out these easy 50% nonstarchy vegetables and 50% starch lunch ideas!

Rice and steamed vegetables: Full disclosure, I eat this most days of the week for lunch! I make an Instapot of rice (5 cups rice, 6 cups water, 5 minutes) at the start of the week, then package it up with some steamed vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, green beans, snow peas, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, etc. I top it with a low/no fat teriyaki sauce or make my own sauce with liquid aminos/soy sauce, ginger powder, garlic powder, a stevia packet, and sriracha! So yum!
Leftover roasted vegetables: When shooting for 50/50 meals, it is so simply to roast a tray of non-starchy vegetables such as asparagus, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, peppers, and/or Brussels sprouts AND a whole other tray of starch such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, and/or winter squash. Portion these up and consider topping with maple mustard dressing (1 part maple syrup and 2 parts mustard of choice).
Salad with cold beans: I learned this one by working in a hospital system with a salad bar. Cold/room temperature garbanzos, pintos, kidney beans, black beans, lentils, etc. are excellent atop a salad with diced vegetables! You can easily achieve a 50/50 ratio with this filling meal. Select a low fat dressing (less than 3 grams of fat per serving) or go with balsamic or red wine vinegar only!
Baked potato and steamed vegetables: There is a great contraption called the Potato Express which is a fabric bag for microwaving potatoes in 8 minutes or less. Consider microwave-baking potatoes and serving with some steamed vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower! If you work outside of the home and put frozen broccoli in a Tupperware first thing in the morning, it will be defrosted and easy to repeat at lunch!
Mixed vegetable bag: Hang with me here. Those bags of mixed vegetables consisting of corn, carrot, lima beans, peas, and green beans are an excellent basis for a WFPB meal. The first four items listed are considered starch, so you can add in a few more green beans from another freezer bag to dilute the calories or serve it over salad if you are trying to stick with the 50/50 ratio. I would eat this at my work desk, since it is so easy to grab a bag on the way out of the door, let it defrost all morning, pop in the microwave, and top with liquid amions, sriracha, and salt and pepper!

Fat Loss Strategies · Satiating Plant Based Meals · Uncategorized

Top 9 Plant Based Proteins to Include in Your Meal Plans

October 7, 2021October 7, 2021 Plant Based KellyLeave a comment

OVERVIEW: Increasing the protein content of your meals is the key to satiation! Especially if you are lifting weights or wanting to conserve your muscle mass, you are going to want to shoot for at least 20 grams of protein per meal. Experts recommend roughly 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day! Enter your daily energy intake in a calorie counter, and I can almost guarantee that unless you are paying close attention to your protein intake, you are missing that mark! Read below for top sources of vegan protein and suggestions of how to make a meal around these plant powered superfoods!

Tofu– you guessed it! If you don’t like tofu, you probably aren’t preparing it well. It’s not supposed to be wet and squishy, unless of course you prefer it that way. If you have previously eaten white chicken meat, you can make your tofu resemble that consistency, savory flavor, and level of proteininess (spelling?) with the right preparation! Any upcoming article will focus on tofu preparation! But for now, opt for extra firm, a delicious marinade, and baking for at least 30 minutes until golden and chewy! Tofu is excellent in stirfry with brown rice and veggies! Each 6 oz serving of extra firm tofu has:
- 22.6 grams of protein
- 11.9 g fat
- 188 calories
Silken tofu makes a wonderful mousse but you can see it has a higher water content, diluting the macronutrients. A 6 oz serving of silken tofu contains:
- 11.7 grams of protein
- 4.6 g fat
- 105 calories
Tempeh is a less common form of soy. My favorite way to eat it is in “bac’n strips” with smoky marinade. A 6 oz serving of those strips features slightly more calories than the plain tofu above, with 4 extra grams of protein:
- 26.9 grams of protein
- 11.2 g of fat
- 313 calories
Beyond meat is a highly controversial topic. It’s that fat content that is the kicker here. Although the product is non-GMO, it falls in the processed foods category. I happily consume it from time to time, in burger and sausage form mostly. However, it is the highest calorie form of protein on this list, so proceed with caution, and opt for natural and whole foods that have lower caloric density whenever possible! But check out these statistics before we continue. A 6 oz portion of Beyond beef features:
- 30.5 grams of protein
- 27.5 g of fat!!!
- 368 calories
Protein Powder- My favorite protein powder, Orgain, comes in a variety of flavors and features of blend of pea, brown rice, and chia seed protein. It’s also fully organic! My favorite ways to consume protein powder are in smoothies and in oatmeal! Also, try adding protein powder to baked goods like pancakes, etc. Two scoops contains:
- 21.0 grams of protein
- 4 g of fat
- 150 calories
Edamame– Raw soybeans get their own special category in this list because they have 33% more protein than their legume counterparts. 6 oz of shelled edamame contains:
- 20.3 grams of protein
- 8.8 g of fat
- 206 calories
Legumes– Some people consider legumes more of a carbohydrate source than a protein source, but it is so important to get that resistant starch and fiber in for your gut health! And, if you are sensitive to beans, try making your own to decrease that digestive distress. I soak dried beans for 1-2 days, then strain and cook in a crockpot with water and a big pinch of sea salt on low for 8-12 hours. If you are new to being a vegan, your gut flora will adjust to legume consumption over time. Other legumes such as garbanzo, black beans, pintos, and lentils feature the following levels per 6 oz servings:
- 15 grams of protein
- 1-4 g of fat
- 220-280 calories
Nuts are a great source of protein and healthy fats. In general, nuts are not an excellent weight loss food because of their high caloric density. They can be used as a garnish, but should never be a main food group in your meal planning. (However, check out number 8 for a great alternative!) A 2 oz serving of nuts contains:
- 10 grams of protein
- 25 g of fat
- 300-320 calories
PB Fit peanut powder is a low fat and low calorie alternative! Try it with an apple, in oatmeal or baked goods, or in salad and stir-fry dressings! A 4 tablespoon serving of this powder consists of:
- 16 grams of protein
- 4 g fat
- 140 calories

Satiating Plant Based Meals

Customizable Baked Pasta (for busy people)

September 14, 2021September 28, 2021 Plant Based KellyLeave a comment

Listen here- ain’t no body got time for making meals from scratch every night. I’ve mastered how to combine just a few ingredients to make healthful plant based meals that contain a variety of vegetables to ensure you are getting allll the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals! In addition to being healthy, these meals are quick, convenient, and so so satisfying! Let’s begin with baked pastas.

By definition, baked pastas are superior to traditional pasta in every possible way! Cook the noodles, add the sauce and other fillings to a casserole dish, and smother with cheese? Yes, please. My husband and I have been vegan since 2013 and find these types of pasta dishes to be so easy while also providing a slow cooked and savory feel. Also, I love loading these dishes up with vegetables for extra nutrition!

You can make this sort of dish with whatever pasta variety, whichever sauce, and whatever fun additions you have on hand! We went with rigatoni (my absolutely fave pasta shape!!), fat free marinara, a mix of frozen vegetables, plant based “beef” crumbles, and dairy-free mozzarella cheese on top!

Follow the picture and video instructions below, followed by the written instructions!

Ingredients: plant based crumble, pasta, and pasta sauce

Ingredients: dairy-free cheese and 12-16 oz of frozen vegetables

Noodles + veggies + vegan crumbles + sauce + vegan cheese! Then bake at 450 for 30-45 minutes!

Ingredients:
🌱1 box of pasta (I chose Whole Foods brand organic rigatoni- $1.99)
🌱1 bag of vegan meatless crumbles (I chose Safeway brand- $3.99)
-optional: olive oil for sauteing; seasonings such as Italian seasoning, onion, garlic, and cumin
🌱1 bag of frozen vegetables of your choice (I chose Sam’s Club brand green beans and peppers- $0.99)
🌱1 quart of tomato sauce (I chose Whole Foods brand organic and fat free marinara- $1.99)
🌱1 bag of dairy free cheese (I chose So brand- $3.99)

Step 1: Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Step 2: Cook the pasta according the box. Select the lower end of the range of minutes, since the noodles will continue to soften in the baked dish.

Step 3: Sautee the meatless crumble according to instructions. Add seasonings such as Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, etc. to taste!

Step 4: Microwave or steam the veggies according to instructions on the bag. May require some chopping after cooked- I did so since the green beans in this frozen bag were whole!

Step 5: Microwave the jar of tomato sauce for 2-3 minutes, simply to warm it up!

Step 6: Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray, then fill 3/4 with cooked pasta noodles. Continue to add the other ingredients- vegetables, meatless crumble, and sauce.

Step 7: Top with a bag of dairy-free mozzarella and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melty and starting to brown!

As you’ll soon learn, we add microgreens to EVERYTHING! (chef’s kiss)

How do you baked pasta?