I just learned two things. First, October is National Vegetarian Awareness Month. Second, November 1st is World Vegan Day. I know, I'm a bad vegan.
I should have known that. Actually, I'm a bad vegan because I only follow a plant-based diet five days a week. For me, eating plant-based isn't about being cruelty-free, it's about health. Although I do love animals — and cringe at the idea of their maltreatment — I also acknowledge that I'm just one person and the livestock industry will remain unscathed regardless of my lifestyle.
So I won't pretend like I didn't stress-eat half of a pizza and an entire bag of Halloween candy last night.
However, when I'm not eating like a trash can, I'm eating like a deer. When I tell people that I eat plant-based most of the time, I often hear "I don't know how you do that!" Honestly, it's not much more difficult than just eating well, which I already did before I minimized my intake of animal products.
It's a common misconception that vegetarian and vegan diets are severely limiting, but this isn't true.
Yes, restaurants that accommodate the lifestyle are few and far between, and as students, it's easy to find ourselves eating out quite a bit for sake of convenience. The beauty of eating plants is that they usually don't need to be cooked, and the ones that do require very little attention. Being too busy to cook isn't an excuse for that Chick-fil-A run (trust me, I'm talking to myself).
That said, we're so conditioned to eat animal products—which (admittedly) proliferate our options—that it's easy to wonder, "won't this become monotonous?"
I won't lie—sometimes it requires a little creativity. But really, food isn't supposed to be fun; it's supposed to fuel our bodies, and plants accomplish that. Following are ten plant-based foods that I couldn't live without.
1. Almond Butter
Okay, I'm obsessed with almond butter. I'd eat it out of the jar with a spoon if calories weren't a thing (not that calories always stop me). Almond butter opens up a world of options for vegans, and it's a great source of protein. I start almost every morning either with almond-butter toast topped with fruit, or granola topped with almond butter, fruit, and almond milk—which brings me to...
2. Almond Milk
I'll admit that almond milk is an acquired taste. Long before I made the switch to a plant-based diet, I decided to transition from dairy milk to almond milk. I couldn't do it cold-turkey. I grew up on skim milk, so almond milk seemed disturbingly thick. I started out using it in smoothies and cereal, and—long story short—now I'm this guy:
Unsweetened vanilla is the best flavor. Don't @ me.
3. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potato bowls; sweet potato smoothies; sweet potato muffins; sweet potato fries; sweet potato pies. That was lame. But I love sweet potatoes. They can be used for meals both sweet and savory; they can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner; and they are delicious. What's not to love?
If you're not familiar with sweet potato bowls, start with a baked sweet potato and top it with whatever you like (hint: refer to item one). It's a super quick and easy meal for plant-based people. Search Pinterest for some inspiration.
4. Hummus
Hummus is delicious, healthy, and full of protein and unsaturated fats. My favorite way to use hummus is on a whole wheat wrap with veggies.
5. Black Bean Burgers
No, they don't replace fatty, juicy, beefy burgers, but they're amazing in their own way—and guilt free.
Need I say more?
6. Peppers
Peppers are delicious and extremely light in calories. Plus they make an adorable home for the rest of your veggies. I like to do a corn and bean blend with onions and tomatoes.
7. Smoothies
Smoothies are a great way to get your veggies in, especially if you're hesitant with some of the most nutrient-rich ones like spinach and kale. I get it—it might make you a little queazy blending all that stuff up yourself. Luckily, cafes that specialize in fresh juices and smoothies are becoming more and more popular (shout out to I Love Juice Bar).
8. So Delicious Dairy-Free
When I want to have a treat and still avoid animal products, dairy-free ice cream sundaes are my go-to. Dairy-free ice cream is hard to do right—but So Delicious does it perfectly. They make coconut milk, soy milk, almond milk, and cashew milk "ice cream". Each come in a variety of flavors.
9. Enjoy Life Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips
What’s an ice cream sundae without toppings? These are great melted or just sprinkled on. And, no, you can’t tell that these aren’t regular chocolate chips. I bet if I blindfolded you and fed you one Enjoy Life chocolate chip and one regular chocolate chip, you couldn’t tell me which was which.
Enjoy Life also makes many other dairy-free sweets.
10. Ezekiel Bread
Food For Life makes a delicious bread that's dairy-free and full of whole grains. Whole grains are important for vegetarians and vegans because they help us feel satiated without eating meat.
The moral of the story is that vegetarians and vegans aren't as limited as most people think. Plants are innumerable and they're all around us. Even if—like me—you can't say goodbye to the occasional pizza, burger, or cake, it never hurts to substitute more fruits, veggies, nuts, and whole grains into your diet. After all, "if you don't take care of your body, where else are you going to live?"
