Living well

Enjoying veganism: How to eat more plants

Written by LiLi Kathleen Bright on . 1 Comment

For new vegans, vegan curious people and anyone who wants to eat a healthier diet and enjoy veganism.

I’ve been vegan for around 10 years and so people tend to ask me for recipes, recommendations and so on. I thought I would collect together some of my experiences with veganism and share what I’ve found useful.

LiLi Kathleen posed under a pink polka dot umbrella, wearing a pink and black scarf, holding a commuter cup beverage LiLi Kathleen posing about to eat a plate of mango, a tall glass of smoothie awaits devouring too, clearly all about the veganism LiLi Kathleen posing IN THE SUNSHINE with a hot drink in a takeaway cup

My experience of going, and staying, vegan

When I joined The London Vegan Meetup Group on 8th January 2008, there were 100 or 200 members. 9 years later, there are 6700 members. It’s getting easier to become vegan all the time. However, being healthy is becoming more of a challenge if you like cakes, chocolates or ice-cream, because more products are coming out all the time. Just because you’re vegan, doesn’t mean you’re healthy, but… here are some of my tips for how to achieve that. 🙂
High-powered blender piled how with berries, blood oranges, beetroot, linseed,romaine and bananas, the resulting smoothie is also shown, it is a deep reddish hue Close up photo of indulgent overnight oats, including goji berries, nuts and seeds, blueberries, cherries, pear... oh, and oats 😂 Green smoothie, next to a high powered blender piled high with the ingredients that led to the smoothie, including nectarines, kale, chia seed, linseed, mango and ginger

Left and right: Smoothies make it so quick and easy to get lots more fruits into my diet

Middle: Bircher muesli or overnight oats mean breakfast is always sorted with minimum fuss, and ensure I’m getting berries, nuts and seeds, oats and spices every day

Where to start with veganism

It's breakfast time! Under the cascade of berries is porridge and cooked apple Basil and nutritional yeast tops a plate of baked beans and mushrooms Upping the antioxidants with my second and third servings of berries today. Probably best porridge I've made: Oats, water, mixed spice, goji berries (soaked first), blueberries, couple of stray soaked nuts too. The gojis made it super sweet with no added sugar, result!

How to continue with plant-based nutrition

Made salsa fresca / pico de gallo / fresh salsa Yeah, so the brunch I made myself is incredible 😍 Potato, spinach, sliced wholemeal bread, peppers, mushrooms, courgettes all piled attractively in a large chocolate brown dish All the greens in my delicious lunch. Fancy wholemeal pasta in a light tomato sauce with lots and lots of kale.

What to stop eating for a healthier life

Transitioning to a whole-food plant-based diet

 

I like to focus on healthier things to eat, rather than trying to avoid less healthier things. However, I do find it helpful to think about this sometimes, and you might too.

Foods to eat, foods to avoid: Summary of Dr Michael Greger’s food list
This is a really good summary sheet on plant-based nutrition that is a good introduction to using the Daily Dozen app I mentioned in How to Continue above.

If this inspires you to become a plant-based nutrition geek like I am, you might be interested to check out How Not to Die and other reputable sources of plant-based nutrition, make sure anything you’re reading cites sources of double-blind research studies and any conflicts of interest or funding sources. (Nutrition Facts always does.)

Black beans in a tomato gravy, mushroom & leek & spinach sorotto (buckwheat risotto) and brussel sprouts on a bed of baby leaves A copy of the book How Not to Die by Dr Michael Greger with Gene Stone Achievement unlocked: Made a buckwheat risotto with chard and spinach. It's red onion, leek, mushrooms and greens - if a pearl barley risotto is orzotto, maybe this is sarotto???

I’d love to know your thoughts, please leave comments on Instagram. Thank you ❤

And now, check out Part 2: Getting healthier: Eating even MORE plants

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  1. Pingback: Getting healthier: Eating even MORE plants - Kathleen Bright

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