Earth Month
Okay, if you’ve been waiting for the right time to dive in, that time is now. We are a full week into Earth Month, a time for more awareness about the planet around us. I talk a lot here about health. I talk less about the harm of animal agriculture on our enrvironment.
As opposed to an omniovore A vegan uses:
1/11th as much fossil fuel
1/13th as much water
1/18th as much land
A plant-eager is responsible for the production of half as much CO2 as a meat-eater.
We could feed the entire world with plenty of food on 3% of the land we currently use, if we elminated animal agriculture altogether. We’d cut methane production dramatically and the amount currently in our atmosphere would dissipate within ten years, and the CO2 in about 100. We could plant forest on much of that now-usable land, and those trees would help to remove greenhouse gasses even faster.
We can save the planet. We can do this. We have far more power to make change than we think.
As opposed to a meat-eater, a person eating whole foods, plant-based saves, every single day:
1100 gallons of water
45 pounds of grain
30 square feet of forest
10 pounds of CO2
1 animal’s life
Think of the good you can do even in just a few weeks of trying!
Have I convinced you now is the time? Then read on and I’ll tell you how.
Step 1: Empty your cupboards and fridge
If you’ve been telling yourself you’ll begin as soon as you use up what’s already there to avoid being wasteful, remember that food is going to end up in your septic tank, or your compost bin. The only difference between those two results is how much harm it will or will not do on its way through your body.
If you feel badly, give all the unopened items to a food bank, shelter, church, or what have you in your town. Ask the internet to find one nearby.
Step 2: Restock with whole, plant foods
Here are some lists. Some categories will overlap.
Stock up on starches. These are the bases around which you will build your meals:
Potatoes
Sweet potatoes/yams
Winter Squash
Sweet Corn
Peas
Carrots
Turnips
Brown Rice
Wild Rice
Quinoa
Whole grain pastas (spaghetti, macaroni, shells, etc.)
Whole grain/oil free bread. I know of two brands that are both fantastic. Heidelberg and Ezekial brands (Ezekial Bread is in the freezer section.) NO OIL, if you want to go in full bore and get the most amazing benefits to your health in the shortest amount of time. Plus it’s like pulling off the bandaid.
The lists below can be fresh or frozen. Frozen are very convenient for lots of things. Limit the canned vegetables to beans (or cook from dry) and tomatoes, and try to use low or reduced sodium in those.
Stock up on high protein veggies
Lentils
Black beans
Cannellinni beans
Pinto beans
Kidney beans
Quinoa
Tofu
Endamame
Green peas
Broccoli
Mushrooms
Chickpeas
Flaxseed meal
Oats
Barley
Natural peanut butter (no oil, no salt, one ingredient: peanuts)
Walnuts
Almonds
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Nutritional Yeast (you’re going to need to have this on hand!)
Stock up on green leafies and cruciferous veggies. These are the vegetables that produce nitric oxide in your blood, which in turn removes the plaque that has formed inside the arteries. No stent, no bypass, and no statin can do that. Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s patients are required to eat 5-6 servings per day.
1 serving = 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw
Kale
Spinach
Arugula
Swiss chard
Mustard greens
Turnip greens
Collard greens
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Bok choy
Stock up on all the other veggies you need:
Celery
Carrots
Onions
Tomatoes
Garlic
Zucchini
Yellow summer squash
Spaghetti squash
Radishes
Bell peppers
Hot peppers
Shallots
Okra
Any and every veggie you see
Stock up on fruits. Fruits are everything! Eat all you want.
Bananas
Apples
Oranges
Nectarines
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Grapes
Cherries
Pineapple
Mango
Peaches
Pears
Melons
Raisins
Any fruits I haven’t named that you want. The only one to be moderate with is coconuts
Stock up on these side items you’ll use:
Unsweetened applesauce with nothing added. I get the single serving size cups because they are the perfect amount for recipes, and the bigger jars tend to go back before I use them up.
Whole grain flour/flours. The best recipe for gluten free whole grain flour uses brown rice flour, oat flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, and finely ground chia seeds.
Maple syrup is my go-to sweetener, in addition to applesauce and ripe bananas. People use date paste too.
Raw sugar, also called Florida crystals. You won’t use much sugar, but you should have some on hand.
Tamari. This is a mild, vegan soy sauce. Look for reduced sodium varieties. It’s used in so many recipes.
Nutritional yeast. I mentioned it above. It’s a cheesy flavorful flake you can put in all sorts of recipes.
Flaxseed meal. Add this to your oat meal every morning.
Multiple types of nuts. I get them from a small local grocer that has big bins of them. My regulars are walnuts, peanuts, cashews, and almonds. I like the slivered almonds to top salads. The walnuts are essential for walnut sauce.
Peanut butter
Almond butter
Chia seeds
Sesame seeds
Balsamic vinegar
Veggie broth (reduced sodium)
Vegan worcestershire
liquid smoke
Apple cider vinegar
You can add more as you go along, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, white vinegar, etc, as needed for recipes.
Step 3: Line up your resources
You’re going to want these two cookbooks:
Click the covers to get them on Amazon. I usually buy the hardcover, paperback, or best of all, spiral bound editons for cookbooks, but ebooks are also available.
Solid gold online resources
Forks Over Knives: The website has hundreds of whole food plant based recipes, and a free downloadable recipe app. I use both constantly. I’ve taken their Ultimate Cooking Course and I recommend it highly. They also have a paid meal-planner app that I’ve heard wonderful things about. And don’t overlook the dozens of inspirational and motivational articles.
The PlantStrong Podcast: This airs every Thursday at its own site, as well as on youtube. It’s probably on all the usual podcast places as well. It’s hosted by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s son, Rip Esselstyn, and it’s amazing. Jon Stewart and wife Traci were guests in a double episode. I didn’t know they were whole food plant-based until I saw them there!
The Documentaries
Watch one a week to get started. I watch them again everytime I recommend one of them. So this week is full already! Most are on Netflix. Forks is on Prime.
What the Health?
Forks Over Knives
Cowspiracy
The Game Changers
Seaspiracy
Foods that Cure Disease
How Not to Die
You Are What You Eat: Twins Study
There are more being done all the time.
Just take a deep breath and dive in
If you wait for the right moment, you’ll never take the plunge. And oh, you are going to be so glad once you do! I can’t tell you how good you’ll feel in no time at all. Come on, what are you waiting for?
PS: You’re not crazy. This week’s post was a day late. In my defense, I had 3 grandsons for an overnight and there was too much fun and too many potato chips. Yes I ate them, and regretted it. 🤢
