Hi, my name is Daphne and boy, do I have some information regarding no-fat vegan diets to share with you! Well, actually even more misinformation than on eating no-fat vegan alone. My health’s downward spiral and seeking answers covers a variety of propaganda regarding healthy eating whether you are a vegan, vegetarian or an omnivore.

I had heard so many stories about problems with so many different foods while watching the news, that I decided I probably should eat healthier and leaner. I randomly selected to incorporate a no-fat vegan diet, not vegan for weight loss, nor low fat vegan, but no-fat vegan, thinking why not go all the way. I believed the healthier the diet sounded, the better it must be. Unfortunately, I couldn’t have been further from the truth!

It wasn’t long after I started my no-fat diet that subtle changes began to take place within my body. There was nothing glaringly obvious, just an overall feeling that things weren’t right with occasional abdominal pain, fatigue, muscle weakness, headaches and to top it off, I was gaining weight. Since I couldn’t put a finger on anything in particular, I didn’t want to go to my doctor and just tell him that I didn’t feel well, so I opted to go see a nutritionist because the one thing I was positive about was the changes started after altering my eating habits to fat free.

What my nutritionist informed me of blew my mind!

She explained to me that my biggest problem was eliminating fat from my diet because our bodies need fat to function correctly. Vegan for weight loss, low fat vegan and no-fat vegan were nothing but dangerous fad diets and should be avoided at all costs. She said eating vegan can be an extremely healthy if the proper foods and ingredients were included in the meal planning but so can eating meat sensibly and both preferences should contain fats!

Cell membranes in our body are essentially composed of fats and need them to function properly. Fat is needed to aid the absorption of vitamins and nutrients and aid in enzyme regulation, mineral processing, and even energy production. Fat is also necessary for hormone production and balance. They are needed for the muscle building and fat burning process to operate correctly.

It is not fat itself that is the offender. It is the types of fat we are ingesting that are ravaging our health. Many of our foods contain man-made processed fats which are chemically altered and are seriously dangerous because they actually become part of our cells. But because they are altered and do not operate as natural fats do, they force our body to work harder to merely function normally and create conditions from which degenerative diseases develop.

We should be eating saturated fats derived from plants and animals. Unfortunately, these fats were targeted by low fat propaganda, but it’s not that these fats themselves are bad for us. It is the way our stock animals are raised and how our food is now processed that have caused them to become unhealthy. Livestock are now being fed unnatural grain foods which produce meat deficient of regular totals of linoleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids that are vital for our health. These unnatural grains and antibiotics fed to these animals also affect their milk and all products made from it. If we choose to eat meat or dairy we should opt for grass fed stock.

Fish and seafood are magnificent sources of omega 3 fatty acids and are also available in types that have not been processed. Nuts and seeds are also a great source of saturated fats, being high in omega 3 fatty acids and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which are necessary for good nutrition and weight control.

What we actually need to avoid are refined oils which encompass hydrogenated, unsaturated and trans-fatty, as they equate to nothing more than poison to our bodies. They are found in cooking oils, vegetable oils and any processed oils for that matter. These are concealed in so many processed foods like cookies, pastries and frozen dinners. They also hide in shortenings and bottled cooking oils.

Trans-fats are formed during the processing hydrogenated oils and refined oils. They simply do not contain nutritional benefits however, do include all the dangerous elements of refined fats that are created in the refining process producing free radicals all the while. The only refined oils that are safe from the dangerous heat processes are those labeled virgin, cold pressed or cold expeller.

Olive and canola oils are the best selection of cold pressed or virgin. If choosing soy cold pressed or virgin oil you must supplement your iodine because soybean does block iodine resulting in a sluggish thyroid that induces weight gain and other problems. Avocados and dark chocolate are also great sources of healthy fat.

So please, whether you decide to be a vegetarian, vegan or continue to include meats, make sure you include healthy fats and pay close attention to the labels of the groceries you purchase looking out for the above hidden dangers. If you choose to eat vegan, avoid the low fat and no-fat vegan recipes and find yourself feeling healthier and looking fantastic like me.

A low fat vegan diet left me covered in sweat caused from the excruciating pain emanating from immediately below the ribcage on the right side. Did I grab your attention? Good, I’m glad because this is nothing you would expect from beginning a low fat vegan diet, but it is exactly what happened to me!

I had been considering changing my diet for health reasons and have known of the many benefits of eating vegetables and some dangers associated with eating too much fatty meat for years. However, I was also of the mindset that if I watched what I ate, I would be okay. But as I started getting older, my metabolism started to wane as it usually does with the aging process and I began to slowly gain weight.

I decided it was time to become even more health conscious and so embarked on a low fat vegan diet. I didn’t choose a vegan for weight loss plan even though I was putting on a few pounds, because my ultimate goal was to become more healthy. However, I was amazed those extra pounds were melting away. I even personally complimented myself for choosing a low fat vegan meal plan while admiring my new figure in the mirror.

Shortly thereafter, I noticed some bloating and belching following meals but just figured it was because of eating more gas producing vegetables, that is until the stabbing pain struck! It nearly bowed me over it was so intense. After that, I would experience occasional aching pain from time to time after eating. Then came the night when I woke up bathed in sweat as I first shared with you. I knew I had better make an appointment with my primary care physician and have it checked out.

After a brief consultation and examination, he referred me to a gastroenterologist as he suspected I was having gall bladder problems. I was shocked because I thought the gall bladder was affected by ingesting too much fat, but I was following a low fat vegan diet. However, I knew this was too serious to doubt or ignore, so I made my appointment as soon as I returned home.

After discussing my eating habits and giving details of my low fat vegan diet, some tests were ordered. When the results were in, I again met with my doctor and what he revealed to me was a shock! He explained my gall bladder was not functioning properly due switching to a low fat vegan diet. He clarified that my gall bladder was not secreting enough bile to properly digest my food and most likely the pain was spawned from that. He told me I was lucky that I didn’t develop a gall stone.

I was enlightened concerning proper amounts of healthy fats being required to make my gall bladder function properly, that no-fat and low fat diets can be a cause for gallbladder problems as well as too much of the wrong fats. The body needs fats to allow the gallbladder to contract enough to empty its bile as well as other important functions of our bodies.

He then handed me a pamphlet on the dangers of vegan for weight loss, no-fat and low fat vegan diets and told me there were other health concerns to be aware of and healthy solutions were included in the pamphlet. He must have saw the surprised look on my face, because he chuckled and told me he recently had an influx of patients coming in suffering from improper vegan diets, so had them prepared.

I was elated with the information provided and because of it am on track again eating and feeling healthier. My menus now include avocado and olive oils for proper healthy fat intake. They include protein from nuts, legumes, soy milk, peanut butter, grains and seeds for healthy skin, bones, muscles and organs. My menus also contain iron from beans, broccoli, raisins and wheat for the production of red blood cells that help carry oxygen throughout the body. These are just a few important vitamins and minerals lacking in vegan diets if one is not careful.

The bottom line is that low fat vegan diets are included in the category of unhealthy fad diets, however you can indeed be healthy as long as you include vegetarian and vegan recipes containing the proper essentials your body requires.

Attention, all of my wonderful readers: I’ve discovered vital information regarding low fat vegan, no-fat vegan and vegan for weight loss. But rather than give you the info straight up, for your reading pleasure, I wanted present it in story form.

Hi, my name is Emily and I would like to share my experience with you in making an uninformed decision to plunge right into a vegan for weight loss diet without having done my due diligence. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, and hope that by sharing my mishaps, I could save others from going vegetarian or vegan with the purpose of losing weight without a proper road map, thereby heaping unnecessary health issues upon themselves.

The best place to start would be at the beginning, so please grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and relax as my self inflicted bumble unfolds. I began to occasionally put on a few pounds here and there until one day, they totaled weigh too much! Yes, pun intended.

I wanted to stay away from fad diets as I know they aren’t that effective. The buzz going around the office was that going vegetarian or vegan for health had the added benefit of losing weight. I overheard snippets of conversations that some were vegans for animal rights purposes and ate nothing even remotely associated with omnivores. Some considered themselves vegetarians but they didn’t mind eggs, milk or cheese. I just desired to be healthier and became a vegan for weight loss purposes.

I also overheard some conversations about low fat vegan and no-fat vegan but I wasn’t interested because my mind was already made up. I left work that same day and immediately headed off to the supermarket. Not knowing where to find vegan ingredients, I asked a grocer for some assistance.

The isle he led me to not only dazzled and excited me, but I think I heard the heavens open up with a chorus of Hallelujah! Before me were dozens of packaged prepared meals just waiting for me to load into my cart. There were countless vegan snacks to choose from additionally like vegan cookies, chips, and ice cream! I was extremely thankful for not selecting a no-fat vegan or low fat vegan diet.

So, what happened next? Can you say backfire? Rather than losing weight, I experienced weight gain. I certainly wasn’t feeling healthier either. I felt sluggish at times; tired and run down. I experienced pounding migraine headaches where I could actually hear my heartbeat inside my head! I concluded that I had better investigate this vegan for weight loss diet more carefully and went into detective mode. I discovered that there are hidden dangers involved in eating vegan.

You need to vigilantly read the labels before purchasing. What I found within the labels of my selections was mind boggling. There was an overabundance of sugar causing my weight gain and an artificial sweetener named aspartame which is linked with not only migraine headaches, but fibromyalgia, brain tumors, memory loss, lymphoma, leukemia, and peripheral nerve cancer! I additionally discovered large amounts of salt. High intake of salt leads to high blood pressure which can lead to stroke.

The lack of the vital nutrients iron, calcium, zinc, vitamins D and B-12 are common if you don’t arrange your vegan diet properly. Then there were ingredients that just evoke the gross factor. In the fine print I found carmine/cochineal, a food coloring prepared from crushed beetles. If I were a vegan eating rabbit in the wild, that would be acceptable. However, no vegan for weight loss diet can entice me to eat dead bug parts in order to shed some pounds!

When choosing to eat a vegan diet of any sort, do your research and seek out healthy ingredients and recipes because at the end of the day, calories consumed versus calories burned, determines weight gain or loss, period. Make sure every calorie you ingest is a healthy, nutritional one because as I discovered, eating vegan for weight loss does not equate to a guarantee of losing weight or of becoming healthier.

Who remembers that scene from Lady and the Tramp? The one where the lady and the tramp are sharing a bowl of spaghetti and they end up with the same string, pulling closer together until they end up kissing? Or the scenes where diamond rings get lost amongst delectable treats?

While we all love the idea of using romantic dinner for two recipes to create culinary masterpieces that delights and amazes the senses, the reality is quite different. To make a romantic dinner that is memorable for all the right reasons, you need to work on four essential elements;

1 – Keep it Simple.
When choosing your romantic dinner for two recipes, try to steer clear of anything which will stretch you beyond your skill level. If you are a master chef, then that flambé pavlova may be an easy but spectacular end to your dinner. But for those of us who are mere mortals it could end in the house catching fire! Hint: make the recipe at least once before trying it on your suitor.

2 – Timing is Everything
There is nothing worse than trying to have a romantic dinner with someone who is always rushing back to the kitchen to prepare the next course. Choose simple romantic dinner recipes that can be pre-cooked, and deserts that can be chilled, so that all you have to do is serve them up.

3 – Don’t Overdo it
We all know that there are many foods that are said to be more romantically persuasive than others, and for some reason Italian pastas are a great favorite. However, the reality is by using romantic dinner for two recipes that involve a lot of starchy fatty foods and rich sauces, you will both end up feeling very full very quickly. This is great for a memorable meal, but not so great for the prospect of romance at the end of the evening!

4 – Create an Atmosphere
When you make a romantic dinner, choosing romantic dinner for two recipes is only a small part of the equation. Just as important as the food is the atmosphere that it is served in. Turn down the lights, put on some smooth grooves and create a scene that is intimate with romantic undertones.

5 – Be a Guest as well
I know that that sounds weird, but romantic dinner for two recipes are designed for just that, romantic dinners for two. It is really hard if one of you isn’t there, or is determined to get that last scrap of food off the plate before it dries like cement, or is too exhausted from the planning and creation stage to actually partake in a romantic evening. With a little forethought and preparation, all you will need to do is serve up the food.

So make sure that you keep it easy, choose simple romantic dinner for two recipes and above all else have fun! This way you both get to experience the sizzle and spice that comes with every romantic dinner. Remember, the cleaning up can always wait until morning!

If something is fat-free or low fat, tons of sugar is added to make it palatable, so you are defeating the purpose. Plus, many people believe that if it is fat-free or low fat then they can eat twice as much. Also, if you feel deprived, then when you break and eat what you have been craving, you end up eating way more than you would have if you had just given into it when the craving first started.

Become a label reader. If you can’t pronounce it, then you probably shouldn’t be putting it in your body.

Use this handy chart to when you shop:

Fat: 4 grams or less

Sodium: 480 mgs or less

Sugar: 4 grams or less

Fiber: 2 grams or more

Don’t be fooled by the “heart healthy” labels. Unless it has “The American Heart Association” seal on it, then it’s probably not very heart healthy. Canned soups are bad for this. They put that label on their lower sodium products, but in those lower sodium alternatives the sodium levels are still through the roof.

100 sit-ups a day will not firm your abs unless you’ve already lost that fat roll. Measure your waist at your belly button and it should be no more than 1/2 your height. Fiber is a good way to help flatten that stubborn fat roll. One day a week, try to have a dinner with all veggies and no meat. Mushrooms seem to be the forgotten food. Crab-stuffed portabellas are oh so good, and I promise you won’t miss the red meat.

*Bonus tip: If you are reading this article because you would like to drop a few pounds, that probably means your cholesterol could stand to drop a few points. For healthy cholesterol numbers, your LDL should be under 100 and HDL should be above 50. Ask your doctor to check your numbers.

Here is a list of foods that help lower cholesterol: lentils, peas, pears, berries, flax seeds, walnuts, cauliflower and sesame seeds.

Food For Thought

The number 1 mistake that many many people make is, trying to make too many changes at one time. The trick is to make small changes, and every time you make one, ask yourself, “Is this something I can and want to do for the rest of my life?” Because if you don’t answer “yes”, you won’t do it for long. You don’t need to go on a diet, you just need to make healthier decisions. After a new change becomes second nature, adopt another small change.

In a pinch, here is a method you could use if you’re in a restaurant or at a dinner party: Look at your hand, make a fist, that’s the serving size of carbs. Look at your hand, not including your fingers. That the size of meat or protein that’s a serving. Look at your hand, including your fingers; that’s how many servings of fruits and vegetables you need per day.

Otherwise, never assume a serving size, measure every time. Even three months from now, you should measure. We start getting in trouble when we start eyeballing and wonder why we’re gaining weight. Many serving sizes have pleasantly surprised me. One of those surprises was a potato, a serving of which is 5.5 oz. If you buy 1 lb. of potatoes, that would be enough to serve 3 people. However, sweet potatoes are a better option for the nutrients, so much better that we should eat them every day. Here are a few tips to keep in mind that will help you to eat less. Eat at the table, don’t set the serving bowls on the table, take a sip of water between bites, and lay your fork down between each bite.

Nuts, seeds, berries, fruit and vegetables are our BFF’s. It’s getting easier and easier to find low sodium nuts and seeds. Walnuts, pecans and pistachios are the top 3 that contain the most Omega-3. Eating a palm full of nuts while you prepare dinner is one of the easiest ways to avoid overeating. Another great way is to eat as little as a tablespoon of sunflower seeds before you sit down to eat. Yes, you should sit down to eat. Even if it’s just for 15 minutes. Otherwise you are teaching your little ones that it’s ok, and you wouldn’t want them running around with food in their mouth.

Frozen berries and fruit are easy to keep on hand to make smoothies, etc. Just put the berries or fruit (no need for thawing) in a blender and add enough milk or ice cubes to drink it with a straw. Or, you can add less liquid to eat it with a spoon. Greek yogurt has twice the protein of regular yogurt, so adding it instead of milk is an extremely healthy and filling snack for any time of the day. A good alternative to milk is Almond or Rice milk.

Most vegetables steam in just a couple of minutes, steam some broccoli and drizzle on some low sodium soy sauce. Few things are less appealing than mushy vegetables, and overcooking them cooks out most of the nutrients. A huge time saver is separating out baby carrots into serving sizes. That way, when your stomach is growling and you open the fridge, you’ll already have a healthy snack prepared. You can eat vegetables at breakfast in an omelet. Mushrooms are a wonderful alternative to meat; They have the texture of a really tender steak.

If it’s 7 am, eat. Skipping meals is never a good idea. It brings your metabolism to a halt. The optimal breakfast is high in protein and fiber. If you are a bread lover or just carbs in general, then breakfast is the best time to eat carbs. The reason being, it keeps us full longer and if eaten later in the day, it will very likely not be burned off. We should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a peasant and dinner like a pauper.

The quickest way to speed up your metabolism is strength training. The leaner your muscles, the faster your metabolism. To start, do 10 wall push-ups, every other day (always check with your doctor). You don’t have to change clothes or touch the floor, all you need is a wall and you’re ready to go.

Another great way to speed up your metabolism is to eat cayenne, chili pepper sauce, etc., anything spicy. You could even sprinkle a little cinnamon on your coffee grounds before you brew them.

If it’s 7 pm, do whatever it takes to not consume anything, even juice. Most people are not active enough after 7 pm to burn enough fat to amount to anything. Plus, a bonus is that you are less likely to have heartburn, etc. if you abstain from eating after 7 pm.

Eat everything you eat right now, (over the period of the day) but eat a little bit of it every 3 hours. If you eat once a day, your body thinks it’s starving to death and holds on to all of that fat. The more often we eat, the better. It turns our body into a fat burning machine. On the same note, are you drinking enough water? If our body thinks we are dying of thirst, it holds onto the the liquid we consume, causing bloating.

Also, dehydration is one of the main causes of headaches. How much salt do you eat? Salt dehydrates us so eating too much salt makes us bloated. Tear up your “clean plate club” membership, always try to leave something on your plate, cover it and eat it later, even if it’s just a couple of bites. Always remember, restaurants always serve 2, sometimes 3 times the amount of food you should eat at one sitting.
It is beneficial to know when you have had enough to eat.

How do you know?

After breaking free from cigarettes, I put on the pounds! I’m talking tubby!  So, I’m going to share with you how I have dropped nearly 20 pounds and have kept it off.

(By the way, if you would like to hear how I became smoke free, just drop me an e-mail at askdonnacox@yahoo.com with “Smoke Free Action Plan” in the subject and I’ll happily share it with you.)

Many people think they have to count calories or go on a “diet”, meaning, eat horrible tasting, pre-packaged, overly salted “diet” food. Or just stop eating altogether. Those are the best ways to lose a lot of weight really fast and gain it back just as quickly. “Diet” is a 4 letter word, unless you are using it as a noun like, “My diet is healthy.”  You want to aim for losing about 1 pound per week.  Losing it slowly is the most healthy way and is the best way to keep it off.

Losing the weight is one of the easiest things I’ve ever done. I didn’t start losing until I stopped trying so hard and feeling so desperate to lose it. Tweaking my lifestyle is really all it took. Mindful eating is also key. Really taste what you’re eating. Instead of sitting in front of the computer or T.V., sit in front of a window and watch the outdoors while enjoying your food.

If cheese is what you love, do not, I repeat, do not deprive yourself, have some cheese, just make sure it’s a serving size and not a whole bag. Having some dark chocolate covered pecans instead of a doughnut is another example of mindful eating.

Focus on what you can have, not what you can’t have. There are foods we should never eat, for example, foods that have the words “fat-free” on them. Fat-free doesn’t mean calorie-free, and a ton of sugar is added to make them taste good. Or worse, artificial sweeteners are added instead. Hint: they usually end in “-ose”. For example, sucrose. And there are foods that we should eat in moderation like red meat, and foods that there is no limit, like fruits and veggies.

The whole month of January, I’ll be writing an article series, sharing with you how I lost the weight and how you can too. I’ll share what foods you should be eating and tiny tweaks you can make to your life style that bring enormous benefit.

So, stay tuned for that and don’t forget, as usual I’ll be holding another giveaway for the month of January!

The first article in the series will be posted Thursday, January 5.

If you’re one of my subscribers, you’re automatically entered in all my giveaways.
If you’re not a subscriber, simply fill out the form to the right.

For March, I’m doing my part to help you eat more healthy. I’m giving away fish & chips. No, not really, but I am giving away a handy fish spatula and clips from Pampered Chef. These are a set of 10 in three different sizes. If you’re like me, and you can’t get the built-in zippers to work on bags, then these clips are invaluable. 10 years ago, I bought three sets for myself, and I use them for everything. So my idea for the clips is to help you get organized, because after all, it is Spring time!

The drawing will be held March 27th.

Contest is now closed. Karen from NC won the spatula and clips. I hope they serve her well for many years.

We all need to eat fish more often, 3 times a week is optimum. If it’s the fishy taste that’s keeping you from eating it, then soak it in some milk for about 30 minutes. No need to rinse, then just brush it with olive oil and sprinkle it with Old Bay. And bake it on 350 for about 20 minutes.

The reason I chose measuring cups and spoons for February’s giveaway is in honor of Valentine’s Day. My thoughts are, you should love yourself enough to measure your portions.

You will never need another set of cups and spoons. These are heavy-duty, the numbers are not painted on, so they can’t rub off. The black on the handles is a softer material, making them easy to grip. Every set of spoons and cups I’ve seen are not a complete set, usually 5-piece, with the 2/3 cup missing and the 1/8 teaspoon missing. This is a complete set, 6 pieces each. You will love these. The drawing will be held on Valentine’s Day, February 14th.

The grand prize winner will also receive a copy of my cookbooks.

Contest is now closed. Erin from Illinois won the measuring utensils. She says she never wins anything, hopefully I’ve started a winning streak for her!

The reason I chose this book for January’s giveaway is because it was so helpful in my journey to lose the weight.

Trust me, after reading this book, you will never ever ever beat yourself up again over not being able to lose weight or control your portions.

The drawing will be held January 22nd.
The grand prize winner and two runners-up will also receive a set of my cookbooks.

Contest is now closed. Heather from North Carolina won the book, and she’s excited to apply what she learns inside.

This month, I’m giving away a Lodge 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet. This pan weighs in at over 5 pounds.

To make it easier to use, they’ve added a small handle.

The drawing will be held December 8th. The grand prize winner and two runners-up will also receive a set of my cookbooks.
I hope you win!

Contest is now closed. Stacey from Connecticut won the Iron Skillet, and she’s excited to use it for the holidays! This giveaway is over, but keep watching, because I’ll be giving away something new every month!

1966 was the year that a young man, with a guitar strapped across his back, drifted through our dinky little town. My mom caught his eye and for about 3 months they stole every minute alone they could. And just as he drifted in, he drifted right back out, unaware that his daughter would be born the summer of 1967.

In less than 2 years, my mom was introduced to a man who wanted her to marry him and move about 1000 miles away, but I wasn’t invited. So she left me in the care of my grandparents, whom I adored. But, there was just 1 huge problem, my grandparents were exhausted because they has just finished raising 11 children. So, I was pretty much left to my own devices.

Fortunately, it was the mountains and not the city, so I was not in any real danger. Plus, I had my cousin, who was born the same year, to hang out with. I stayed pretty busy. I was very resourceful, I had to be. I stayed outside all day most of the time. I loved wading in the creek. I loved pretending big bushes were club houses. I didn’t really think about my mom being gone. She didn’t send birthday or Christmas gifts. She didn’t call. I pretty much just put her out of my mind. Plus, my aunt always called me her girl.

I could walk to her house in less than 5 minutes. It was a one lane gravel road with very few houses. Her house was completely different from where I lived. They had an indoor bathroom. They had plenty of food. They had a bedtime. They had dressers and chests to keep their clothes in. They had clothes that fit and weren’t stained. They had toothbrushes and toothpaste. They also had structure, a daddy that went to work every day and a mommy that was paying attention to the needs of her family.

When my uncle would leave for work, my aunt would kiss him at the door, hand him his lunch box that she had placed his lunch in that she had prepared for him. One of the highlights of my week was when my aunt would agree to let me spend the night at her house. Because if I spent the night at her house, she would insure that I got my hair and face washed and breakfast. She would let me stay about 1 night a week.

Very often, she would fix my uncle a scrambled egg sandwich for his lunch. She had a 5 inch iron skillet and an aluminum grease pot that looked like a miniature tea pot. When she would fry bacon she would pour the bacon grease in the grease pot and the top part would catch the bacon bits and the grease would strain into the pot. When she wanted use the bacon grease, she would just sit the grease pot on a burner for a minute to melt the grease enough to make it so she could pour it.

I was 5 or 6 years old, just tall enough to see in the pan. It fascinated me to watch her process of scrambling that egg for my uncle’s lunch. So every time I would stand and watch in amazement how beautiful that finished egg looked every single time. No wonder my uncle was so happy to receive a kiss and his lunch box at the door every morning. I decided, in my little 6 year old brain, that that was exactly what I was going to do when I got married. I was going to have an iron skillet and a grease pot and I was going to make my husband a scrambled egg sandwich every day for his lunch and if I did that, he would kiss me at the door as he left for work and my life would be perfect.

But first, I had to learn how to scramble an egg. I told my aunt to let me know when she was going to make his lunch so I could watch. And she did. She would always tell me and I would come in the kitchen and watch intently. And every single time, I would say, “how do you get it to look the same every time?” and she would always have the same reply, “ya just never know.” Well, that didn’t help me any, but it still didn’t stop me from asking.

The Brain is a Curious Thing

Fast forward to 1997. I was married. I had a iron skillet. And my husband loves scrambled eggs. But I didn’t have a grease pot, so one of my neighbors and I spent one day looking in thrift stores so I could find one. Amazingly, like the 3rd store we went to, I found one! I was so happy! I was so happy that, I called my aunt as soon as I got home and told her. I also told her what an impact it had on me to see her use hers and what I was thinking while watching her. She had no idea. I also told her how much I appreciated her doing all she did for me, she made sure I had ice cream money for school, she would pay for me to go on the school field trips. She is a wonderful aunt.

One of the things I told her was, how much I resented my mom for disappearing for nearly 10 years and not writing or anything. She said, “Honey, what are you talking about? Your mom wrote you every week and I would read the letters to you when they came.” I was floored, to say the least. I had so much resentment for my mom for leaving me, that I had completely blocked out all the letters she had written and 95% of the phone calls. I couldn’t believe it, I simply could not believe it.

So, I hung up with my aunt and called my mom and apologized to her for the resentment and the negative feelings I had bottled up toward her. I had never even told her about my resentment for her leaving. When I was small, I was too busy wading in creek to even think about her much at all. I didn’t even start thinking about what an awful thing it was to voluntarily leave a child, until I became a mother. We had a very long tearful conversation.

The next morning, my husband wakes me up and I say, “I don’t want to get up.” I was still very upset. My eyes were nearly swollen shut from crying half the night. He says, “Just get up, it’s ok.” So, I roll out, make my way to the bathroom, and looked worse than I thought. Anyway, I made it on into the kitchen where my dear sweet wonderful husband was holding a scrambled egg sandwich that he had prepared for me. I just started crying all over again. And I looked at him and I said, “you get me, you totally get me.”

So, what my aunt told me when I was just a tiny little thing holds true in many ways. I had no idea my mom had written all those letters to me. Never assume anything. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to follow a dream. Because ya just never know.

And in case you’re wondering, I found my dad in 1996. That’s when I finally learned where I got my cooking gene.

Thank goodness for globalization and global media. In the past, vegan meal ideas consisted of nothing more than eating endless amounts of lettuce and raw vegetables. Don’t get me started on how much tofu we we’re supposed to go through in a week!

Thankfully, the world has woken up to the fact that there is a cost to everything that we eat. Whether it’s in the pollution created, the environmental footprint left behind by factory farming, or the cruelty that many factory farmed animals have to go through just so we can get that fresh milk or cheese.

Globalization has also meant that we are now more aware of different cultures and religious sects. Also, our societies are now more diversified, meaning that we are more accepting of people whose lifestyles may differ from ours.

When all of this comes together, we find that the world as a whole is now starting to recognize veganism as a valid option and lifestyle choice. With that in mind, the range of vegan meal ideas has now improved dramatically over the last few years. Even those who are not vegans will love these vegan cuisine ideas.

Here are some good examples of substitutions you can use in your vegan meal ideas!

Using an Indonesian ingredient called tempeh in your meals is a great way to get the texture and taste similar to meat without actually having to eat meat. Traditionally made from cultured and fermented soy, it has become so popular so quickly that there are even tempeh products made from oats and barley rather than soy, for those conscious of the effects of soy on the body.

One of the great things about using tempeh for vegan meal ideas is that unlike many meat substitutes, it is high in protein and calcium. And for vegan meal ideas like vegan bolognaise or Sloppy Joes, tempeh holds your defining sauce really well, making it a great substitute.

One of the most simple and cost effective vegan meal ideas is to use chickpeas and lentils in place of meat in your favorite recipe. They make great meals whether you use them in curries, soups, or casseroles. They are full of protein, nutrition, and flavor. You would be hard pressed to notice the lack of meat in these dishes.

Soba noodles are another crowd favorite when it comes to looking for vegan meal ideas. Originally from Japan, these buckwheat and wheat flour noodles resemble spaghetti, but have a thick texture and slightly nutty taste. Use them by themselves dipped in soy sauce or as the base for a variety of dishes and soups. Yum!

Ever heard of a paella? It is a current favorite with many chefs and restaurants, and is usually made with seafood, but guess what? You can easily substitute the seafood with vegetables and have a great tasting vegan paella. For extra oomph, you can also drizzle an oil like truffle oil over the top.

Or how about spring rolls with a Thai vegetable twist?

Possible vegan meal ideas are endless!

Apart from substituting foods, there are plenty of vegan recipes that involve normal foods too. What better excuse to eat chocolate and strawberries, or guacamole and chips?

Use your imagination and look for substitutes to favorite recipes, and you’ll find that your meal ideas will not stop flowing. Have fun!

For the great taste of Vegan Meal Ideas check out my Easy Recipes Cookbooks.