A plant-based diet doesn’t have to be boring or limited. In fact, it can be an opportunity to get creative in the kitchen and try new recipes and ingredients. There are countless resources available to help you come up with new and exciting meal ideas.

•          Use cookbooks and magazines: Cookbooks and magazines specifically dedicated to plant-based cooking, such as the Flourish Way magazine, and the Flourish My Healing Kitchen cookbook, both are great resources for recipes and meal ideas.
•          Explore online resources: There are countless websites and blogs dedicated to plant-based cooking, including Minimalist Baker, Oh She Glows, and The Vegan 8.
•          Try new ingredients: A plant-based diet opens up a world of new ingredients, such as tempeh, jackfruit, and lentils, that can be used to create delicious and healthy meals. Try incorporating new ingredients into your cooking to keep things exciting.
•          Get inspired by international cuisines: Plant-based diets are common in many cultures around the world and incorporating flavours and techniques from other cuisines can add variety to your meals. Try making Indian-style lentil dahl or explore the flavours of Thai cuisine with a vegan green curry.
•          Make it fun: Cooking should be a fun and enjoyable experience, so don’t be afraid to get creative in the kitchen. Try making fun, plant-based versions of your favourite meals, such as vegan mac and cheese or a plant-based “chicken” parmesan using eggplants. 

By getting creative with your cooking, you can keep your meals exciting and ensure that you’re never bored with your plant-based diet.

With so many resources available, there’s no shortage of inspiration for new and delicious plant-based meals.

Cheers

Kathy

While there’s a lot of excitement around plant-based cooking and experimenting with new ingredients, it’s important to remember that sometimes simple is best.

Keeping your food plans simple is crucial when transitioning into a new eating plan, such as a plant-based diet. This is because making big changes all at once can be overwhelming and lead to feelings of anxiety, frustration, and eventually, defeat. However, by keeping things simple, you can make the transition to a new diet much easier and more enjoyable.

Simplicity has a psychological benefit in that it reduces stress and anxiety. When you’re making a major dietary change, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed by all the information and advice that’s available. However, by keeping your food plans simple, you can focus on one or two key changes at a time, rather than trying to tackle everything all at once. This can help to reduce stress and anxiety, as you’ll feel more in control and less overwhelmed.

Another benefit is that it helps to build momentum and confidence. When you’re successful in making simple changes, you’ll feel more confident and motivated to continue. This can lead to a positive feedback loop, where each small success builds upon the last, and you become more confident in your ability to make the change.

Moreover, a simple food plan can also help you stick to your new eating plan. When you have a lot of complicated recipes, it can be easy to give up when things don’t go as planned. However, when you keep things simple, you’re less likely to get discouraged and more likely to stick with your new eating plan.

Here are some tips for keeping it simple:

•          Stick to whole foods: Focus on ingredients that are minimally processed, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts and seeds.
•          Use pantry staples: Keep a well-stocked pantry with items like canned beans, tomato sauce, and quinoa that can be quickly transformed into a meal.
•          Use herbs and spices: Adding herbs and spices to dishes can add a lot of flavour without the need for added salt or sugar.
•          Make big batches: Cooking larger portions and storing leftovers in the fridge or freezer can save time and make meal prep easier.
•          Embrace leftovers: Don’t be afraid to use leftovers in new ways. For example, roasted vegetables can be used in a salad or wrap, or leftover quinoa can be turned into veggie burgers.
•          Mix and match: Find a few staple recipes that you love, and then mix and match ingredients to keep things interesting. For example, try different combinations of grains, legumes, and vegetables to create a variety of bowls and salads.
•          Experiment with plant-based meat alternatives: Plant-based meat alternatives can be a quick and easy way to replace meat in your favourite dishes. Try using plant-based ground beef in tacos, plant-based chicken in stir-fries, and plant-based burgers on the grill.

Remember, the key to a successful and sustainable plant-based diet is finding what works for you and making it a part of your routine.

By keeping things simple, you can still enjoy delicious and nutritious meals while reducing stress and saving time.

In conclusion, when transitioning into a new eating plan, it’s important to keep your food plans simple. This will reduce stress and anxiety, build momentum and confidence, and help you stick to your new eating plan. Your mental and physical health will thank you!

Meal planning is an essential aspect of maintaining a healthy diet and sticking to a plant-based diet regime. The process involves mapping out and organizing meals in advance, ensuring that you have access to nutritious and balanced food options throughout the day.

In this email, we will explore the reasons why meal planning is crucial for a successful plant-based diet, and the benefits it can bring.

The importance of habit formation:

One of the most significant obstacles to changing dietary habits is the lack of planning and preparation. The average person has developed a set of dietary habits over time, and breaking these habits can be challenging. It takes approximately 21 days to form a new habit, and meal planning can help to make this transition easier by providing structure and routine to your eating habits. When you plan your meals in advance, you’re less likely to fall back into unhealthy eating patterns, and more likely to stick to your plant-based diet.

Access to healthy and nutritious options:

Meal planning helps to ensure that you have access to healthy and nutritious food options, even when you’re on the go. A common challenge when transitioning to a plant-based diet is finding convenient and nutritious food options, especially when eating out. When you plan your meals, you can take into account the ingredients you need to have on hand and the types of meals you would like to prepare. This way, you’ll always have access to healthy plant-based options, no matter where you are.

Reduces food waste:

Meal planning helps to reduce food waste by ensuring that you only purchase the ingredients you need for the meals you have planned. This not only saves money but also helps to reduce your carbon footprint by reducing the amount of food waste that ends up in landfills.

Saves time and stress:

Meal planning can help to save time and reduce stress, especially on busy days when you don’t have time to prepare a meal from scratch. When you have a plan in place, you can quickly prepare meals and snacks, and avoid the stress of making last-minute decisions about what to eat. This can be especially useful for those who are transitioning to a plant-based diet, as they may not have a lot of experience with preparing plant-based meals.

In conclusion, meal planning is an essential tool for anyone who is looking to change to a plant-based diet. It provides structure and routine, ensures access to healthy and nutritious food options, reduces food waste, and saves time and stress. With the help of meal planning, you can make the transition to a plant-based diet with ease, and enjoy all the benefits that come with this lifestyle change.

Meal planning is a crucial component of staying on track with a plant-based diet.

Start by making a weekly menu and grocery list, taking into account your schedule and any meals you may be eating out.

Here’s a simple meal plan for a week on a plant-based diet:

Day 1:

Breakfast: Peanut butter and banana smoothie
Lunch: Chickpea salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber
Dinner: Spaghetti squash with marinara sauce and roasted vegetables

Day 2:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with mixed berries and almond milk
Lunch: Grilled portobello mushrooms with roasted sweet potatoes and a mixed greens salad
Dinner: Lentil soup with crusty bread

Day 3:

Breakfast: Chia seed pudding with fresh fruit
Lunch: Vegetable stir-fry with tofu, brown rice, and a variety of colorful veggies
Dinner: Quinoa and black bean tacos with avocado salsa

Day 4:

Breakfast: Sweet potato hash with scrambled eggs and avocado
Lunch: Grilled vegetable sandwich with hummus and greens
Dinner: Eggplant parmesan with a side salad

Day 5:

Breakfast: Vegan protein shake with frozen berries and almond milk
Lunch: Chickpea and avocado sandwich with mixed greens
Dinner: Sweet potato and black bean chili with a side of cornbread

Day 6:

Breakfast: Toast with almond butter and sliced banana
Lunch: Mixed greens salad with roasted beets, walnuts, and a balsamic vinaigrette
Dinner: Stuffed bell peppers with quinoa, black beans, and tomato sauce

Day 7:

Breakfast: Vegan protein pancakes with mixed berries and maple syrup
Lunch: Grilled vegetable and hummus wrap
Dinner: Vegetable lasagne with a side salad

This meal plan is just a starting point and can be adapted to your personal preferences and dietary needs.

Don’t be afraid to get creative and try new recipes, or to swap meals or ingredients as needed.

The goal is to find a plant-based diet that works for you and makes you feel happy and healthy!

Cheers

Kathy

Gradual change can help make the transition to a plant-based diet less overwhelming and easier to stick to.

If you have done the 21-Day Cleanse, then you are already on your way to being fully plant-based.  If you have not, but are wanting to change to a plant-based regime, try this – start by making small swaps in your regular meals. Remember, small changes make big differences.

For example, you can start by having one meatless meal a week, such as a vegetable stir-fry or a salad with tofu, and gradually increase the frequency over time. Over time, you will  find that you enjoy the taste and benefits of plant-based eating so much that you naturally shift towards a fully plant-based diet.

Alternative to meat

Here’s a recipe that shows how easy it is to replace a favourite meat dish with a plant-based alternative
Plant-based Tacos: Ingredients:
•          8 corn tortillas
•          1 block of extra-firm tofu
•          1 tsp chili powder
•          1 tsp cumin
•          1 tsp garlic powder
•          1 tsp paprika
•          1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
•          1 cup of chopped lettuce
•          1 cup of diced tomatoes
•          1 avocado, diced
•          1 lime, juiced
•          Salt and pepper, to taste
•          Optional toppings: shredded cheese, salsa, hot sauce, etc.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Drain and crumble the block of tofu into small pieces.
In a bowl, mix together the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and a splash of water.

Add the crumbled tofu to the bowl and mix until well coated with the spices.
Spread the tofu mixture onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, until crispy.
While the tofu is baking, heat the black beans in a saucepan over medium heat.
Warm the tortillas in the oven for a few minutes.

To assemble the tacos, place a few spoonful of black beans on a tortilla, followed by the crispy tofu mixture.
Top with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, a squeeze of lime juice, and any other desired toppings.

Enjoy!

This recipe is a great way to enjoy the familiar flavours and texture of tacos while getting the benefits of a plant-based diet. You can also use this recipe as a starting point and get creative by trying different spices or adding other plant-based ingredients like salsa or guacamole.

IBS is a common problem suffered by at least 1 in 10 people worldwide. It is the term given to undiagnosed troublesome gut issues. It varies in symptoms from person to person, with most people reporting some degree of bloating, pain, cramping, excessive gas, irregular bowel habits, constipation and/or diarrhea.

IBS and for that matter, all irritable bowel diseases, are linked to many chronic illnesses such as anxiety, autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer’s, obesity and arthritis. As Hippocrates was quoted as saying, “All dis-ease begins in the gut”.

Many doctors and scientists believe that IBS is caused by a reaction to many food sugars or proteins, however, we are not really 100% certain what causes it.  It is definitely due to a loss of tolerance to something, causing a heightened immune response, but to exactly what, we are not sure.  Leaky gut (intestinal hyper-permeability) is also most probably involved to some degree or other, and this needs to be addressed for healing to occur.

Our gut healing protocol is about resting and repairing the gut lining, down regulating the immune response and rebuilding the way your body reacts to food sugars and proteins.   It is designed to take the load off the digestive system and allow it to heal.

It is a simple but powerful protocol that provides the gateway to a new you.

The protocol is based around the regeneration cycle of your intestinal system, which according to Harvard University is every 5 to 7 days.

For this reason, the program starts with an initial 5-day period, followed by another 5 days; and then 4 more to take you to a total of 14 days, just in case your intestinal system regenerates on a 7-day cycle rather than 5.

Breaking the 14 days down into shorter time periods enables you to initially focus on simply doing 5 days, after which you should be feeling significantly better.  This gives you the impetus to do another 5 days and when that is finished you reward yourself with the final 4 days to ensure you have covered 2 full intestinal regeneration cycles.

Around day 3 expect your resolve to complete the protocol to be tested as you cope with your past food habits, addictions and beliefs.  This is normal.  It is a mental challenge, not a physical one, although you may feel like it is a physical challenge.  There is only one way to cope with this and that is to continue so that you break through the window of change and start to feel the benefits.

Another reason for breaking the timeframe up into shorter time periods is it allows you to embark on the protocol and if, after 5 days, life gets in the way and you find you cannot do another 5 or 9 days, then you can stop at a logical break point. At least during your first 5 days your gut lining, or the epithelial cells that line the gut, have had a chance to regenerate without insult.  A great start.  But don’t rest on that.  Look at your calendar and reschedule in the 14 days required to get you through 2 complete regenerations of your intestinal system.  This is very important.

Know that once you have purchased the protocol, you have it for life.  So going forward, make it one of your annual rituals.

Remember, the goal is to reduce the workload imposed on the intestinal system whilst it goes through regenerating itself.  This is a wonderful thing to do regularly throughout your life.