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Veganise your diet

Veganise your dietOne of our vegan readers asked for easy ways to help her with her vegan diet. We thought we’d oblige, and found these great tips from Shape.

Vegan meals have been linked to a boost in calorie burning. That may be one reason why an Oxford University study of nearly 38,000 adults found that meat-eaters had the highest BMIs for their ages and vegans the lowest, with vegetarians and semi-vegetarians in between.

Weight control aside, there’s a lot of buzz about veganism, but even if you aren’t interested in giving up meat, fish, and dairy completely, eating plant-based meals more often can definitely benefit your health and waistline. Trouble is a lot of people don’t know where to start. Here are three simple tricks for transforming omnivore dishes into veggie delights – without using processed faux meats and cheeses:

Replace meat with beans or lentils


In nearly any dish – from tacos and fajitas to stuffed peppers, pasta dishes, soups and stir-frys – you can simply replace 85g of meat, poultry or seafood with a half-cup of beans or lentils. These hearty replacements provide protein, minerals, and bonus fiber, and that satisfaction factor that keeps you fuller longer and delays the return of hunger. Great options include black bean tacos, veggie chili with kidney beans, veggies sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil tossed with whole-grain pasta and cannellini beans, lentils tossed with pesto served with sautéed veggies and whole grain cous cous, soups made with vegetable or tomato broth, veggies, barley and fava beans, and edamame stir-fry over brown or wild rice.

Swap eggs for tofu


Tofu scramble is one of my favorite weekend breakfast meals, because it’s filling and fast. Just sautée veggies of your choice (I love fresh spinach, onions, red bell peppers and mushrooms) in extra-virgin olive oil with garlic until tender, then add extra-firm organic tofu (cut into 2.5cm cubes or crumbled) to heat through. Serve with whole-grain toast and avocado, or whole corn tortillas, pico de gallo and guacamole. It’s also fantastic with curry seasoning and roasted red potatoes. Sliced extra-firm tofu also makes a terrific replacement for an egg in a breakfast sandwich, and when crumbled it’s a perfect alternative to hard-boiled eggs in egg salad made with mustard-y vegan mayo.

Trade dairy for ‘creamy’ plants


My husband is a huge, huge fan of cheese. I’m sure he’ll never give it up, but since we met, he has expanded his food horizons (and lost 22kgs), and he now truly enjoys dairy-free items such as ice cream made from coconut milk, and creamy dressing made from tahini. In the right combinations, ingredients like roasted and mashed cauliflower, pureed nuts and seeds, avocado, silken tofu, and coconut can mimic the rich flavor and velvety texture of dairy products. I completed a vegan, organic culinary program several years ago, and I was blown away by how just how creative you can get with plant-based foods and how satisfying they can be.

Are you vegan, vegetarian, part-time plant-based eater or hardcore carnivore? Share your thoughts…

Written by Cynthia Sass, this article originally appeared on Shape.com.

Image: Zoon Team/Shutterstock.com

Other articles you may be interested in:
Go green get lean
Should you be drinking non-dairy milk
Warm veggie salad
Eat yourself pretty with these recipes
Detox delusion

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33 Responses

  1. My husband decided a while back to cut out meat from his diet for a few months. He felt healthier and his constant heartburn and indigestion disappeared.

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