Get full on a vegan diet sans salads & carbs
Have you ever seen your vegan friend chow down on potato chips, Oreos and sour patch kids and wondered— aren’t vegans supposed to be healthy?? But guess what, all of the food listed above are vegan along with many other fatty and processed foods. Its hard when you are first navigating vegetarianism and especially veganism to know what to cook. There are so many mock meats and vegan cheddar chips out there that are easy to grab and seemingly “healthy”.
I like the term plant based because its very clear that plants are your main source of food— like actual plants in their natural form. It implies a whole foods lifestyle rather than a packaged foods diet. "So, am I supposed to eat only raw salads?", you ask. Heck to the NO! There are plenty of options if you are following a whole foods, plant-based lifestyle that are Delicious and FILLING! You do not need to go starving to be a healthy eater.
Let’s quickly talk about calorie density. Those first foods I mentioned- potato chips, oreos and sour patch kids are all very calorie dense. Meaning that a small amount is filled with lots of calories- and calories with little nutrients. You could fill a whole table with fruits, veggies, grains and legumes that add up to the same amount of calories as a plate of those processed, nasty foods. In short- you can fill up on plant based foods at the expense of wayyyyyy less calories. Not that I want you to count calories by any means- but you get my drift. Eat more healthy foods, waste less calories. PLUS they are calories filled with nutrients you need!
Don’t get me wrong— I loooveeee salads and I fill my salad bowls with sooo much yummy shit, but I’m here to give you non-salad options. Here are some easy non-salad, without refined carbs that will fill you up tummy and soul!
Whole grains: brown rice, bulgar, quinoa (this is a seed but is often clumped with grains) Complex unrefined carbs keep you full longer and provide many nutrients for vegan diets. Try this stuffed pepper recipe.
2. Sweet, starchy vegetables: sweet potatoes, carrots, beets etc, especially when cooked can fill you up, provide amazing nutrients and curb your sweet tooth! I'm allll about the sweet potato! Try this sweet potato toast recipe for breaky/lunch and Mexican style stuffed sweet potatoes for dinner (guac recipe below)!
3. Vegan protein options: beans, tofu, tempeh oh my! I love a good homemade hummus to dip veggies in, slather on sweet potato toasts or collard green wraps! Tofu is also an amazing protein option and you can get pretty creative with it since it soaks up flavors so well. This tofu scramble recipe can be enjoyed breakfast, lunch & dinner. You can even add a scoop of this simple homemade hummus!
4. Healthy fats: nuts, healthy oils and avocados are a great source of fat and keep your belly happy and full! I'm terrified of going hungry so I usually carry a nut mix in my bag! Add avocado to everything obviously, or even eat it with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. But in case you want to spice up your avocado game here is my fave guac recipe.
There you have it friends! There is such a huge spectrum of vegan foods that don't have to always be salads or refined carbs. Stay full and be happy!
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