Forums: September 2011 Kickstart Forum: New vegan Baby
Created on: 09/15/11 02:07 PM Views: 1476 Replies: 13
groomingdales Joined: 09/15/11 Location: Gouldsboro Pa Posts: 8	New vegan Baby Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 2:07 PM Hello everyone, looking forward to meeting everyone and learning eveything I can about this program...I am 58 years young 5 ft tall and 150lbs. I have recently lost my baby sister to inflamatory breast cancer, a silent killer to women. I decided that I need to change my life and start taking care of myself...i always thought that i was eating healthy, but it makes so much sense about eat meat...I like everyone else has been on every diet only to lose 10lbs and gain 15...I hope this will help me to finally lose the 30lbs that no matter what I do have not lost..i will start my 21 day on Monday..I will do my shopping this weekend and cross my fingers that I could do this. My biggest fear is my husband...preparing 2 different meals is not going to be easy...any sugestions? My husband is thin and a meat & potatoes kind of guy. I need help! thanks for listening. www
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Bugsmom Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2068	RE: New vegan Baby Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 2:51 PM groomingdales wrote: I will do my shopping this weekend and cross my fingers that I could do this. My biggest fear is my husband...preparing 2 different meals is not going to be easy...any sugestions? My husband is thin and a meat & potatoes kind of guy. I need help! thanks for listening. You CAN do this. And, the easiest way to start with your hubby is to first sit down and discuss it. Let him know that you don't expect him to radically change but that you need his support to do this for [bols]You[/bold]. You're not going to serve him a plate of tofu and sprouts (unless, of course, he LOVES tofu and sprouts ) He can continue eating as he has in the past, You are the one that will be eating differently. If he'd care to join you occasionally, you'd love sharing some new recipes/meals/foods with him - it's an adventure! And remind him that it's 3 weeks, just 21 days. After that, who knows? You might (likely) continue along vegan eating, you might not, you might be someplace in the middle somewhere. If he has questions, definitely point him at materials from folks like Rip Esselstyn (firefighter) and John Salley (NBA champion) and Brendan Brazier (Ironman Triathlete) - they have "man cred"; they're not "wimpy girls". As far as making two meals: for the most part, you can simply cook up a bunch of ground meat and chicken breast once or twice a week (takes the same time to bake one chicken breast as it does four) - whatever stuff he'd usually eat for the week. Then, where you might have quinoa chickpea pilaf with braised kale as your dinner, he'd have that as a side dish next to his chicken breast (warmed up quickly). And so on. Some things, like pasta with marinara are easy enough to make meatless to start with - then he can add parmesan and some re-heated ground meat to his if he chooses - and you can share a big tossed salad. If he must have an actual potato, it takes maybe 2-3 minutes to microwave a single spud (be sure to poke it so it doesn't explode!) However, be ready for him to pop his nose in the kitchen and say "gee that smells really good - I think I'll join you!" For most people, you get some onions and garlic going in a pan and their tastebuds are ready to go - and you'll notice lots of aromatics and spices all through the kickstart. A really good recipe (not on the kickstart specifically but it fits the criteria) is to make a pot of veggie chili (blacks beans - and other beans too if you want - we've done "Black & white bean chili" that looks really colorful-, bell peppers, corn, tomato, onion, chopped mushrooms maybe - if you like mushrooms - spices, as spicy as you guys like) - I think there's a veggie chili on the menu plan somewhere - then serve it up over whole wheat pasta - it's similar to "Cincinnati chili" and it's so hearty that the meat really isn't missed. It's a great way to use leftover chili the next day in a way that looks a lot different instead of "just leftovers". If you're not being super careful for diabetes reasons (white potato can be hard on diabetics' glucose levels), it's easy to make a shepherd's pie using roughly chopped black beans and onions in place of the ground meat. Top with corn and mashed potatoes (mash the potatoes using a plant-milk like soy or rice or almond as necessary for the texture) and bake as usual. If there's a particular recipe he loves you'd like to adapt, ask away - I'm sure someone here can help out. I'll ask my hubby - he's really good at adapting his old family favorites to new healthier options (his dad was really meat and potatoes; both father in law and grandfather in law died before they hit 65; hubby is aiming to be the first male in his line to actually reach 'retirement age' and our 13 yr old son is learning about nutrition and developing his tastes early so he may go even farther healthier - we get interested looks from friends and family when a 13 yr old does a happy dance because we're having quinoa pilaf and rainbow chard for dinner!) --Deb R
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groomingdales Joined: 09/15/11 Location: Gouldsboro Pa Posts: 8	RE: New vegan Baby Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 3:44 PM Thank you deb for all the great advise...i wish my husband was that easy, when it comes to his food he wants what he want...he old school...He does try to support me, he will work out with me that helps alot...I will be working on him little at a time and sneak things in when he's not looking...again thaks Deb... www
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Bugsmom Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2068	RE: New vegan Baby Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 3:52 PM groomingdales wrote: Thank you deb for all the great advise...i wish my husband was that easy, when it comes to his food he wants what he want...he old school...He does try to support me, he will work out with me that helps alot...I will be working on him little at a time and sneak things in when he's not looking...again thaks Deb... If he's anything like my hubby, do NOT 'sneak' things in. That'll make him distrust what you cook all the more. If you can openly offer one or two new things per week, great. So many options exist between all and nothing - will he eat soups? Get a nice artisan whole grain loaf of bread and make the roasted red pepper carrot soup. Serve with a side salad (which he can eat or not - it's a side dish after all). This is the season for lots of hearty soups. The good thing about offering your 'main dishes' as 'sides' is that he's getting what he wants (the meat and rice, pasta, potato) and he gets to "try" what your eating too. Potatoes nuke in a couple minutes or make a big pot o' mashed that he can reheat. Look for ways to mix'n'match: for instance, pasta with marinara and meatballs - cook the meatballs separately and voila, two meals with very little extra effort; tex-mex like nachos and burritos are great - you can put beans, tomato, salsa, peppers and onions on a whole grain tortilla (and a little avocado if the rest of your day is fairly low/no fat) and he can add the cooked ground meat (which you can pre-cook ahead and just reheat); many Asian inspired dishes can be done the same way - cook the rice and veggies, that's your meal, then dice and heat a cooked chicken breast, that gets added to his plate. Seriously check out Rip Esselstyn's recipes specifically - his recipes are designed for hearty firehouse cooking (and firefighters are known for being very particular when it comes to their meals) --Deb R
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vegangirl65 Joined: 08/31/11 Posts: 110	RE: New vegan Baby Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 4:05 PM My husband does not eat vegan. he's skinny. I normally cook a couple meals some nights. What I do is cook a lot on saturday or Sunday which ever day works better for me. I make stuff for me for the week for my lunches and some quick dinners since we have 2 teens who are busy with sports. My daughter doesn't eat a lot of meat and my son who saw forks over knives is thinking about cutting down a lot on meat and dairy and eating fish more and is probably going to start leaning into eating more veg stuff. So some nights I make a stir fry and lots of times I use one pot and sometimes 2 because it's just easier and throw meat in theirs and none in mine. I do fajita night also where I cook up a bunch of onions and peppers and he throws meat on the grill and I have mine with beans but we do eat some of the same meals together. But for my sanity, I cook on the weekend and try to throw together a few things to get through the week, a big soup/stew, batch of rice, steel cuts oatmeal, and maybe make seitan or something so I have my own "meat". So lots of times I just reheat mine and cook for them. Works for me. Not sure it will for you but that's what I do and so far it's going good. HOpefully over time I will get them more on board with some of the stuff I make. Fingers crossed. Kathy
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groomingdales Joined: 09/15/11 Location: Gouldsboro Pa Posts: 8	RE: New vegan Baby Posted Friday, September 16, 2011 at 2:18 PM thank you Deb & Cathy great advise. I spoke with my husband and he said he will try 2-days no meat which is a start for me. We both are pasta lover any suggestions on brands so far the only one that taste ok for me is barilla whole wheat...can you have white pasta or is that a no no. Are you allow fish at all...or does anyone know what good chinese noodle are good...Thanks again everyone for your help. thanks again Haydee www
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Bugsmom Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2068	RE: New vegan Baby Posted Friday, September 16, 2011 at 2:26 PM groomingdales wrote: thank you Deb & Cathy great advise. I spoke with my husband and he said he will try 2-days no meat which is a start for me. We both are pasta lover any suggestions on brands so far the only one that taste ok for me is barilla whole wheat...can you have white pasta or is that a no no. Are you allow fish at all...or does anyone know what good chinese noodle are good...Thanks again everyone for your help. thanks again Haydee White flour pasta has nothing there - all the good stuff is stripped out. Not worth cooking it. I think Barilla is the one we buy - whole wheat, more than 5 grams of fiber per serving. One thing that is KEY for cooking whole grain pasta is to watch the cooking time - aim for al dente, do not overcook it no matter how much you want to. No help on the Chinese noodles - but you'd want to look for whole grain (brown rice noodles vs. white rice noodles, for example). Sure you can eat fish - but not if you want to stick to vegan. No one is going to say no you can't do that (we're not the food police). It's totally your choice. Vegan, by definition, includes no animal at all - no fish, eggs, dairy, etc. It's plant-based: veggies, fruits, nuts (though they are higher fat, so are limited on the kickstart), grains, beans/legumes. --Deb R
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groomingdales Joined: 09/15/11 Location: Gouldsboro Pa Posts: 8	RE: New vegan Baby Posted Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 2:52 PM Hi Deb...I wanted to thank you again for your help. I started yesterday and so far so good, hubby not saying a word ate everything on his plate...I am having trouble finding lots of speciality items like vegan yogart,cheese,tofo and so on...The closes health food store is 40 miles away..Not good for me since I work grooming dogs all day. Any ideas? Thanks again Haydee www
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groomingdales Joined: 09/15/11 Location: Gouldsboro Pa Posts: 8	RE: New vegan Baby Posted Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 2:52 PM Hi Deb...I wanted to thank you again for your help. I started yesterday and so far so good, hubby not saying a word ate everything on his plate...I am having trouble finding lots of speciality items like vegan yogart,cheese,tofo and so on...The closes health food store is 40 miles away..Not good for me since I work grooming dogs all day. Any ideas? Thanks again Haydee www
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groomingdales Joined: 09/15/11 Location: Gouldsboro Pa Posts: 8	RE: New vegan Baby Posted Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 2:52 PM Hi Deb...I wanted to thank you again for your help. I started yesterday and so far so good, hubby not saying a word ate everything on his plate...I am having trouble finding lots of speciality items like vegan yogart,cheese,tofo and so on...The closes health food store is 40 miles away..Not good for me since I work grooming dogs all day. Any ideas? Thanks again Haydee www
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Bugsmom Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2068	RE: New vegan Baby Posted Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 3:07 PM groomingdales wrote: Hi Deb...I wanted to thank you again for your help. I started yesterday and so far so good, hubby not saying a word ate everything on his plate...I am having trouble finding lots of speciality items like vegan yogart,cheese,tofo and so on...The closes health food store is 40 miles away..Not good for me since I work grooming dogs all day. Any ideas? Thanks again Haydee Yeah, aim for what you can find in the grocery store and don't worry about finding vegan yogurt, tofu, etc. You can be a vegan without eating tofu If you want to try them and you have a chance to go an 'expedition' to that other town, great. But, the bottom line is that healthy vegan eating is as near as the local produce department. Canned and dry beans, frozen and fresh veggies, frozen or fresh fruit, whole grains (like brown rice), etc are pretty readily available in the grocery store chains these days. Look in the ethnic aisles, plan a grocery shopping trip for a big, long, browsing time rather than the usual in and out with just enough time. Give yourself time to explore the store as if you'd never been there before. Bring your reading glasses and check labels. For example, Ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips (in the golden yellow package) contain no milk fat or other animal product (as listed on the label), that makes it vegan even though it doesn't say "Vegan" anywhere on it, it's not in the "Vegan" section, etc. But, if you read the label, bingo. If there's something you find that you really like and will use regularly, like maybe a particular brand of BBQ flavor tempeh, then maybe once a month, go to that other town and buy several packages to freeze. Once a month isn't all that difficult - the fact that you know that store is there means you've probably been to that town on occasion. Another option, for some items, is the internet. It's pretty amazing the food items you can order through Amazon. --Deb R
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groomingdales Joined: 09/15/11 Location: Gouldsboro Pa Posts: 8	RE: New vegan Baby Posted Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 3:30 PM Deb your are wonderful...Thank you for your knowledge and wisdom. I will take your advise..Thanks again have a wonderful day! www
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groomingdales Joined: 09/15/11 Location: Gouldsboro Pa Posts: 8	RE: New vegan Baby Posted Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 3:30 PM Deb your are wonderful...Thank you for your knowledge and wisdom. I will take your advise..Thanks again have a wonderful day! www
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Bugsmom Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2068	RE: New vegan Baby Posted Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 3:31 PM groomingdales wrote: Deb your are wonderful...Thank you for your knowledge and wisdom. I will take your advise..Thanks again have a wonderful day! You're welcome! Just passing along the wisdom I've absorbed over the last year of kickstarts. --Deb R
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