Texan Vegan

 

 

Think you can’t go vegan in The Lone Star State? Think again. While it may seem doubtful in a state that has some of the largest cattle ranches in the world and prides themselves for their BBQ, Tex-Mex food and chicken fried steak, the number of vegans in Texas is growing. In fact Austin, TX is a veritable veg-head center. 

Although I am not a Texan by birth (my parents were temporarily out of state when I was born), I consider myself a Texan because of my heritage. Virtually everyone else in my family was born in Texas and I lived there while I was growing up. I remember many happy family reunions in San Antonio and other places in Texas and I go back as often as I can.

The following video tells the story of the major of Marshall, Texas who began eating a whole foods plant-based diet after being diagnosed with prostate cancer and his remarkable recovery. He shared his story with the people in his town and now many of them are also turning to a plant-based lifestyle.

http://gethealthymarshall.com/

http://www.ksla.com/story/25967181/texas-town-goes-vegan-promotes-healthier-eating


Here is a link to a great blog called "Lone Star Plate" by a Texas vegan.

http://www.lonestarplate.com

There are some great recipes, including many Texas inspired dishes on the Engine2 website, hosted by former Texas firefighter, Rip Esselstyn.

http://engine2diet.com/

As you can see, going vegan in Texas or anywhere else is possible if you just make up your mind to do it.

















 

Supplements: Are They Neccessary?

If you are eating a nutritious diet, why do you need supplements? Although humans have made great strides in treating heart disease, cancer and other diseases, we still don't live in a perfect world. There are many good reasons for eating a low fat plant-based diet. It provides many nutrients without the added fats that are not heart healthy. And yet it lacks one essential nutrient--Vitamin B-12 which is essential to health. Vitamin B-12 is important for cardiovascular health and helps prevent dementia. Even omnivores who consume meat can be deficient in vitamin B-12, especially as they grow older. This is one supplement that vegans cannot do without as it is only found in usable form in animal foods or dietary supplements. It is a mistake to give up meat and then not supplement with Vitamin B-12.

Another essential nutrient is Vitamin D. It is important for brain health and other bodily functions. It is made on the skin when it is exposed to sunlight. An exposure of 15 minutes a day minimum is required to get enough Vitamin D. In this day and age many people do not get that much sun exposure on a daily basis, especially in northern latitudes. Vitamin D is added to dairy milk and some non-dairy milk. If you don't drink any type of milk, you need to take Vitamin D supplement.

 

 



In the last few years the importance of DHA for brain health has been in the news. Pregnant women are encouraged to take DHA supplements to help in the development of their baby's brain.You can get it from eating fatty fish at least three times a week or taking a DHA supplement (either fish oil or a vegan source).



In a perfect world our rivers and oceans would be clean, animals would not be raised in filthy conditions, our air would not be polluted and we would always know where our food  comes from. However we do not live in a perfect world. That is why we need to try harder to eat healthy, which not only includes eating nutritious food, but also supplementing our diet.

A Month of Bean Dishes

For persons who eat a plant-based diet, beans are an essential nutrient, providing proteins which help build and repair cells. While other foods may contain protein, you get more bang for your buck with beans. They are low fat and inexpensive, which helps your waistline and your wallet. Many people don't think they can eat beans every day because they cause gas and bloating, however I have found that the more you eat them on a regular basis, the more your body adjusts and the gas and bloating is minimized and many times disappears altogether. At least it did for me.

Beans are versatile and you can use them in soups, ethnic dishes or all by themselves. Even before I began eating a plant-based diet my family enjoyed a weekly bean night. I lived in the South most of my life and grew up eating black-eyed peas with turnip greens and cornbread. I also love Mexican food and beans are an integral part of most Mexican or Tex-Mex meals. Tofu and tempeh are made from soybeans and are used in many Asian dishes. They contain more fat than regular beans, but also are high in protein.

Below are 30 days of bean meals you can have for breakfast, lunch or supper. The first six are simply boiled beans you can have with greens and cornbread and after that are ideas for other bean dishes. I usually cook a big batch of pinto beans at the beginning of the week and then use the leftovers for bean burritos, refried beans, etc. You can use either dry beans or canned beans for most of these bean meals. You can google many of the recipes.

1. Pinto beans
2. Navy beans
3. Kidney beans
4. Butter beans
5. Black-eyed peas
6. Fava beans
7. Louisiana red beans and rice
8. Green bean casserole
9. Refried beans
10. Garbanzo bean stew
11. Minestrone soup with white beans
12. Refried bean burritos
13. Lima bean casserole
14. Lentil soup
15 Stir "fry" veggies with tofu
16. Bean chili (use as many different types of beans as you like)
17. Rice and bean enchiladas
18. Chickpea hummus with pita bread
19. Scrambled tofu
20. Bean burgers (use any type of beans)
21. Tempeh Rueben sandwiches
22. Chili bean casserole (canned chili beans and low-fat taco chips)
23. Bean and rice stuffed bell peppers
24. Vegetarian baked beans
25. Hoppin' John (made with black-eyed peas, tomatoes and rice)
26. Bean tacos
27. Baked tofu with mushroom gravy
28. Kale with onions and tempeh
29. Three Bean soup
30. Southwestern sautéed beans, corn, peppers and onions
31. Bean dip with pita, fat-free crackers or taco chips