Going Vegan 101! (Tips, tricks, and how to begin!) by Victoria McSwain

GOING VEGAN 101

So, you are going vegan? Where do you even begin? No worries, I'm here to help!

First thing is first... FOOD! Now you're vegan, what are you gonna eat? Aside from the always delicious bananas, apples, rice, beans, and greens any vegan loves I created a list of stapes I enjoy on a daily basis.

Vegan Meal Ideas:

Breakfast-

-Overnight oats (The most basic meal ever! If you want to take it up a notch you can try Zoats. Here's a my zoat recipe. They are filling, sweet, and veggie packed)

-Toast with banana and peanut butter (or any other nut spread-- I use PB2)

-Tofu scramble ( Don't get creeped out about tofu... I always tell people eating plain chicken unseasoned is bland and boring, so is tofu. You have to jazz it up just like anything else! It's sooo easy! It takes about 10 minutes to cook. Just put in peppers, onions, mushrooms, and tofu into a pan. You break the tofu with a fork to give it the appearance of scrambled eggs. I add national yeast, liquid aminos, garlic, turmeric, and pepper. Sounds like a lot, but it's really quick!)



Lunch-

-Greens loaded up with veggies (I have salads hot or cold. You can make a cool berry salad with nuts and an awesome creamy tahini dressing, or you can make a warm salad with peas mushrooms and baked tofu. There's literally endless options.)

-Buddha bowls (This is a bowl with anything you like! It's a colorful bowl filled with veggies, grains, and proteins-- basically a balanced meal in a bowl.)

-Wraps with hummus and veggies (One of my got to meals! They are easy to make ahead as well!)

-Veggie sushi rolls (They are easy to get on the go, or to make at home!)



Dinner-

-Tofu stir fry (Use marinated tofu, tempeh, seitan, TVP, any vegan protein, mix with veggies, and sauces or seasonings of your choice! You can make this Mexican, Italian, Ethiopian, or Asian. It can really be anything you're craving.)

-Veggie burger and baked potato wedges (Veggie burgers are easy to find out on the town. There are loads of veggie burgers, so it never gets old. At the risk of sounding like Forest Gump there's black bean burgers, portobello burgers, Beyond burgers, SO MANY OPTIONS!)

-Baked potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes (I make baked potatoes and baked fries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!)

-Veggie chili or soups (Easy to make in advance, and they freeze well!)

*PRO TIP: try to add greens, rice, or beans to meals so you stay satiated!

Eating Out Vegan:

My first recommendation is get the app, or go to the website, HAPPYCOW to find restaurants in the area (The app cost a few buck, but the website is free!).

When you are in doubt, and don't know where to go...



- Subway has great vegan options. You can get a sub pilled high with veggies, chip, and a drink! Make sure to check ingredients at your local Subway to know which breads are plant based.



- Go to a sushi place! They will more than likely have veggie rolls on the menu, or be willing to make you veggie rolls.



- If you're in a panic go to a Mexican, Asian, or a Middle Eastern restaurant. Try for rice, beans, or veggies if you don't know what to order. They are always your best bet!



- Grocery stores most often have salad bars that you can get to-go, or sometimes they have a sit down area for you to eat.



- Don't be scared to just ask a restaurant if they have any vegan options. People think there needs to be some fancy vegan meal, but if they have fruits and veggies they can make a vegan meal (anyone can steam broccoli).



-Pizza crust is nearly always vegan (salt, yeast, flour, water)!!! Even if they don't have some fancy vegan cheese you can still pile on the vegetables and get the pizza without cheese. Pro tip: you can take your pizza home and add your own vegan cheese.

If you enjoy a good cocktail or afternoon beer make sure to use BARNIVORE to look up alcohol. Most beer and liquor is vegan, aside from honey or milk listed in the name. Wine is the hardest, but you can certainly find some options on barnivore (Trader Joes has a list in their stores of their vegan options).



When you are shopping in grocery stores, and you don't know if your favorite cereal is vegan there's an app for that! Download this app, IS IT VEGAN. It will tell you if things are vegan just by scanning them.

*PRO TIP: Don't show up to parties or family events empty handed. Always bring a a dish to share with everyone!

If you don't remember everything you read just know remember these three things... Here's 3 tips on how to make going vegan simple!

1. Don't freak out or over complicate it!

Being vegan isn't some crazy expensive, new aged, scientific diet that only few individuals can master. It's extremely simple, so don't overwhelm yourself.

2. Eat a verity of foods!

Make sure you are eating the rainbow! There are different kinds of vegans (raw till four, high carb/low fat, keto, etc.), but the best rule of thumb is eating whole foods as much as possible. That means whole food plant based nutrients! Your body will be able to use these foods more easily, and there's about 100 other positives associated with whole foods (I don't think I need to explain an apple is healthier than chips). When in doubt make sure your plate is colorful!

3. Don't be intimidated to be vegan EVERYWHERE!

Go to dinners with friends, travel the world, go to weddings, and college reunions. Don't be scared to go to these places vegan. Just plan a head, bring snacks (more than you think you'll need!), go online to read menus or call ahead, or ask a friend! There are 1,000,001 ways to get through any life experience easily and VEGAN.

Documentaries can be a great resource for beginners. Here's a chart of some videos to watch!

For other recipes, tips, or other vegan inspiration make sure to watch my YouTube channel--> Vegan Victoria YouTube