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| Forums: January 2010 Kickstart Forum Archive: Overwhelmed: Day -1 | |||
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| Sota
Joined: 12/30/09 Location: NE Houston Area Posts: 5 |
Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 12:24 PM Hi everyone, I am a single 22 y/o man and am getting anxious over the meal plan. I printed the food list, then looked at the meal plan, then looked back at the food list. I have never cooked and don't understand half of the words being used. Does anyone have any real simple recipies they'd be willing to share? I'm going to try my best at making meals, but it looks like oatmeal for B, L, and D haha. Thanks PS: Is organic food required for the vegan style? |
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daniel
 Posts: 17 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 12:41 PM No, organic is not required to be vegan. I am not much of a cook either. Here are a few of my staples. Uncle Bens Quick Brown Rice. Cooking directions are on the box. Season with soy sauce or salt or vegan margarine. Amy's canned beans. They come in a variety of flavors including chili. The chili is wonderful, organic, and vegan. Heat and eat. Steamed potatoes. Cut up the potatoes. Put them in a steamer. Steam 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how small you cut the pieces. Season with salt and vegan margarine. Steamed frozen veggies. I buy them in bags so I can use just what I need at a meal. Add a cup to the pot with your Uncle Bens Quick brown rice, or add a cup to the steamer when your steaming potatoes. If you are adding them to the potatoes, I add them have way through the cooking cycle so the veggies don't get to soft. Progresso Lentil soup with toast. One of my favorite lunches. Good luck! |
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| serenevannoy
Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 294 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 1:55 PM I say ditch the meal plan. I'm an excellent cook, and it would overwhelm ME to cook all those new foods every day. It's really just to give ideas to those who want them. Maybe you could make a list of foods you already like that are vegan or easily veganized? I'll start: Spaghetti and marinara sauce What things do you like best? I can help you make menus, if you want. Serene Vannoy, Oakland, CA |
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| serenevannoy
Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 294 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 1:59 PM Oh, and to answer your question, here are a couple of super-simple recipes for you: Lazy Bean Soup 1 can (14 oz. or so) beans (any kind -- refried, black, whatever, just Heat through. Eat. I like this with fat-free corn chips crumbled in, too.
4 cups of whatever veggies you like, cut into roughly equal-sized pieces (or use frozen stir-fry veggies) In a hot pan, stir-fry the veggies on high heat in a little water until they're all cooked (I stir-fry them separately so the longer-cooking ones get done without making the other ones overcooked, but you don't have to do this). Add the teriyaki sauce and keep stir-frying until it's all hot. Pour over rice. Serene Vannoy, Oakland, CA |
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Tigerlily
 Location: Canada Posts: 5 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 5:12 PM When I first went vegan a few years ago, I was also very overwhelmed and confused about what to eat. I also didn't know how to cook. Start off really small and simple. Chop up whatever vegetables look appealing to you, stir fry in a large frying pan or wok with some oil, add some soy sauce, and have it over some rice. If you feel adventurous add some tofu or veggie meat. Go to the bakery section of the supermarket and ask for the ingredients for the ready made pizza dough (if it's not listed). Watch out for more than just eggs and milk, but words like whey, casein, albumen, l-cystein... If the dough is vegan, you can make a yummy cheeseless veggie pizza. Hummus (homemade or store bought, almost always vegan but double check) and have it with some pita bread, vegetable sticks, or chips. How about a veggie burger with some baked french fries? Easy foods to buy: Canned beans, breakfast cereals and hot cereals, soy milk/rice milk, crackers, pre-chopped vegetables and supermarket salads if you need quick and convient, frozen vegetables, fresh fruit, frozen fruit (for smoothies), rice, all sorts of pastas, jarred spaghetti sauce, canned vegetarian chili (like Amy's, a speciality brand)....
Stick with it and good luck! ? vegan ? |
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Wild4Stars
 Location: Florida Posts: 832 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 5:35 PM I eat lots of fresh foods, not a lot of cooking involved. Salads, salads and more salads. Fruit for breakfast. Beans on my salads, from a can, salt rinsed off. Steamed veggies, sometimes fresh, sometimes frozen. Huge baked potato with black beans, fresh garlic and salsa, simple but very good. It's amazing the kind of meal you can create around a baked potato and a salad. I do like to cook when I have time, but mostly I eat pretty easy, basic stuff. Check out fatfreevegan.com - there are tons of great recipes there. Many of them are quite simple. Hope that helps! Vikki ~ Wild4Stars@gmail.com |
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| shanna
Joined: 12/30/09 Posts: 287 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 6:50 PM Sota, I hear ya. But it doesn't have to be complicated. Peek at the forum thread called "low-maintenance meals and snacks"--more quick ideas there. One of my favorite dinners takes 10 minutes max: **Sweet Potato with Beans & Greens** 2 medium sweet potatoes Microwave sweet potatoes until tender. (Poke holes and use potato setting on your microwave, usually 8 minutes or less.) While potatoes are cooking, drain and rinse beans. Get other things together. Slice cooked potatoes down the middle, no-salt & pepper the insides to taste, mashing a bit with a fork. Spoon half the beans into each potato. Top each with a big handful of greens (they'll wilt a bit from the steam--that's OK!), salsa or tomatoes, and sprinkle with nutritional yeast, if using. That's it! Huge filling vegan dinner in 10 minutes. You can also do this same thing and put it in a whole wheat tortilla for a great burrito. Good luck! |
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| shanna
Joined: 12/30/09 Posts: 287 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 7:02 PM Also, you might wanna check out Rip Esselstyn's book Engine 2. A buddy of mine just lost 45 lbs following it--and he can't cook! The recipes are pretty simple and very "guy friendly." |
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| Susan Levin
Joined: 12/26/09 Posts: 1191 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 9:57 PM Sota wrote: Hi everyone, I am a single 22 y/o man and am getting anxious over the meal plan. I have never cooked and don't understand half of the words being used. Does anyone have any real simple recipies they'd be willing to share? I'm going to try my best at making meals, but it looks like oatmeal for B, L, and D haha. Don't worry. You are going to be fine. The recipes should plant seeds but you do not have to follow any of them. Or if you are inclined, follow all of them! Personally, I'm not a big cook. But I can whip up some beans and grains, pasta and marinara, oatmeal, toast, stir fries, salads, smoothies, steamed vegies, etc. And there is no prep in fruit! The last thing I want people to do is get overwhelmed by what could be a very simple diet. Most people only eat about 7 different things in a week! Keep that in mind when you see 21 recommendations on a menu plan. Pick what works for you and recycle. Susan Levin, MS, RD |
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| violetta
Joined: 12/31/09 Posts: 1 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 4:04 PM try the already mentioned fatfreevegan.com blog and www.drmcdougall.com for easy recipe ideas. at drmcdougall's discussion board, go to recipes and look at the 3 or 4 ingredient recipes. you can do this! |
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| Sota
Joined: 12/30/09 Location: NE Houston Area Posts: 5 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 6:34 PM Day 0 and I am fmuch happier! Thankyou everyone for the support. Last night I found A food store that wasn't wall****, and I am about to go over. I guess organic is required, but I think I'll try to buy those types of produce. Again, thanks, and happy new years! |
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| bunnymuffin
Joined: 12/31/09 Posts: 2 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 10:49 PM vegan french toast |
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| Aimeeld
Joined: 12/31/09 Posts: 3 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 11:05 PM Sandwiches! Everyone can make a sandwich. |
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| Wild4Stars
Location: Florida Posts: 832 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Friday, January 1, 2010 at 8:29 AM Just a heads up that not all fake meats are vegan. Vegetarian yes, vegan maybe not, need to read ingredients. Vikki ~ Wild4Stars@gmail.com |
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Jackie
 Location: Wallingford, Connecticut Posts: 14 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Friday, January 1, 2010 at 8:47 AM I'm going to ditch the meal plan too. I've tried the RAW food thing and I could cook, uncook just about anything!! I fall off the wagon when there's stress and I fall hard but it's a new year and Bull Doodie isn't allowed this year! Tofu makes really good mock egg salad, I use vegan mayo, yellow curry and dulse flake with a sprinkle of onion powder. yum! Raw Cashew and Almond milk are a great substitute for cows milk! |
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| haeneleh
Joined: 01/01/10 Location: Hudson Valley, New York Posts: 3 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Friday, January 1, 2010 at 9:22 AM I feel you -- got an invite to in-laws for the family holiday party on day 1. I'm glad I looked here, though. Some good advice -- keep it simple. Part of my problem will be just retraining my thinking and remembering not to automatically add dairy to something, take a helping of something, etc. Best of luck and keep on keeping on.... --Susan |
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| mj
Joined: 01/01/10 Location: South Carolina Posts: 16 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Friday, January 1, 2010 at 9:30 AM It's all about simple! I agree, it's so easy to get overwhelmed. Keep this in the fridge, it will help when you can't think of what to eat and it goes with rice or tortillas or potatoes: 2 cans black beans - drained throw all that together and add lime juice and some cumin and black pepper til you like how it tastes! Put in a covered bowl in the fridge. You can make black bean burritos, put it over a baked potato, serve it over some brown rice. You can always add salsa as well. It's good to have around, don't have to think much about it but it's there when you get overwhelmed and just tired of thinking about what to eat next. |
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Sugarcoated
 Location: Maryland Posts: 2 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Friday, January 1, 2010 at 10:39 AM http://vegweb.com/ Lot's of great recipies here. Some are vegetarian, not vegan, so be carefull, but many can be easy and have ingreeidents you've heard of- and step by step directions. Good Luck! |
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| maryel
Joined: 12/31/09 Posts: 3 |
RE: Overwhelmed: Day -1 Posted Friday, January 1, 2010 at 10:46 AM I'm a 90-day follower of the McDougall Program (Dr. McDougall is one of the members on the 21-day panel). It's a really easy program to follow with such simple recipes and even meal plans. Beans, rice, potatoes, veggies etc. Check it out at drmcdougall.com. I joined the kickstart so that I could hold myself accountable and be connected to more people that might be experiencing the same hurdles that I hit. And this has already helped. Just take a breath and do the best you can....sometimes taking baby steps is the best way to make changes. Good luck to you!!!! maryel |
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You're grocery store should have a selection of fake meats,(even Wally World carries it!) put a few slices on some whole grain toast, throw on some mustard, lettuce, tomatoes or whatever veggies you like, and you got yourself most of a meal. Think back to those sack lunches mom used to make. Chop yourself up some celery sticks, and smear on some organic peanut butter, throw in an apple, grab a couple of cookies (I like Fig Newmans) and you got yourself and easy, quick, pretty healthy portable meal! | New Topic Reply Subscription Options |
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