#i used to follow a vegan food blogger who then stopped being vegan and the atrocities that unfolded in their comment sections were wild

[heich0e]

have u ever seen something so unnecessarily hateful on the internet that u just picture a little translator's note pop up in ur mind like

[piratewithvigor]

I Have To Bake A Cake?

A small fic based on the above gif and the following recipe.

Assorted delishiousness and panic below

Kane couldn’t deny he was a little nervous. His experience with food had been sorely limited in the past. Hell, he still sometimes found himself eating like there were rats lurking in the shadows to steal what was his. But this wasn’t a case like that.

This was a cake. As ordered by Vince himself. Or at least through a couple dozen people who couldn’t give him a lot more details than the fact that he was supposed to bake a cake for Monday.

Okay, a cake. How hard could it be?

According to the recipes he dug up, very hard.

He was starting to get overwhelmed just by looking over the plethora of options. Every flavour under the sun, and that was just the cake itself. When combined with frostings and fillings and decorations, there were probably more kinds of cake than he’d had tiny pointless arguments with Daniel.

And that didn’t even change the fact that he hadn’t been told what the cake was for. All these recipes online seemed to indicate specific cakes for specific occasions, but what about when he had no occasion? No hints of any kind? What then, Pinterest mommy bloggers??

Even when he did find a recipe that seemed like it would work, it wasn’t like he had the ingredients for it. He and Daniel had made compromises when they moved in together. Kane could eat all the meat he wanted so he could get enough protein in his diet without having to resort to powders that made him gag, but in exchange, he’d put up with Daniel’s vegan substitutes for pretty much anything else. No animal milk and no eggs.

Which seemed to be the two staples for pretty much every recipe.

He was half tempted to just give up, retire and run away to parts unknown to escape the hellish task when a recipe offered itself. A plain chocolate cake. Nothing fancy about it whatsoever. Except for the fact that it offered substitutions. No animal based ingredients of any kind. And even shit he had. If he wasn’t so loyal to Daniel, Kane felt like he could have kissed the mommy blogger in question.

With Kane’s penchant for burning things, he usually left the more delicate cooking to Daniel. Baking was especially out of his wheelhouse, but he wasn’t one to let down whoever needed this cake. Nor whoever was supposed to eat it. It would just take a little remembering where Daniel kept everything in the kitchen and a little learning on the fly. No problem at all.

Step one was to preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Kane liked this recipe already. The little extra heat in the kitchen set him at ease. It was like a nice hug.

The stand mixer, on the other hand, was like a chihuahua on cocaine. It was loud, it was fast, and it made every ingredient he added to the bowl explode in a tiny cloud. Explosions were for the ring; not for a tiny machine that Julia fucking Child could use.

3 cups flour? Poof. 3 cups sugar? Poof. 1 ½ cups cocoa powder? 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and salt? 1 tablespoon baking soda? Poof, poof and a relatively underwhelming lesser poof (he later read the recipe more closely and noted that it said a ‘low speed’. Go figure.)

The 1 ½ cups of warm water (warmed literally by hand), ½ cup vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons of vanilla were much less exciting. It was starting to look more like cake batter and less like a slightly murky pile of powder, which set Kane a little more at ease.

But then came the chemistry.

Kane liked chemistry, usually. Liked reading about how different chemicals went together and caused what. The only difference was that he was usually in the wheelhouse of combustions. Making things explode. Making dairy-free buttermilk was not a combustion. And if it was, it wasn’t supposed to be.

He had the choice of 1 ½ cups of almond or soy milk as a substitution to be combined with 2 far-too-delicately added tablespoons of vinegar. The funk coming from the measuring cup within the next few minutes was… interesting to say the least. Not quite “Daniel’s casserole that was basically all sprouts” or “the time Taker wouldn’t say what he had barbecued” funky, but not something pleasant. How it wasn’t going to ruin the cake, Kane wasn’t sure, but the picture in the recipe looked delicious, so he’d have to trust the crazy mommy blogger for the time being.

The egg substitute made a little more sense. Eggs were gooey and yellow and so was the cup of applesauce he added. Plus it smelled a lot better than the buttermilk.

The second beating was a lot less exciting. No added mess onto himself and almost none onto the counter. Once the batter was smooth, all that was left was somehow getting it all into the pans he’d dug out of the cabinet.

Somehow, the sticky, gooey batter was going to have to make the seamless transition between stand mixer (fuck that thing) and pans that would move just out of the incoming dollop of batter like there was some kind of spirit just hanging around to fuck with him. He wouldn’t put it past the spirit. Wasn’t much to do in the afterlife besides fuck with the living.

A quick lighting of the incense stick Taker had given him seemed to do the trick. Or maybe it calmed his nerves and he stopped jostling the pan. Whatever the case, he made the successful transition from bowl to the three 9” pans and only lost a little batter in the process. They might end up a little wonky, but he planned to fix it with some of the vegan frosting Daniel kept in the back of the fridge where he thought Kane wouldn’t know about it (the man would buy and eat frosting for no reason other than to eat it and pretend immediately after that he’d never eaten frosting in his life, regardless of how much was still in his beard).

35 minutes later, the toothpick he stuck into the middle of each pan was coming out completely clean. Hardly even any crumbs.

He was pulling out the pans as he heard the front door open and Daniel walk in.

“Kane, you here?”

“In the kitchen,” he called back, kicking the oven door shut.

“Kitchen? Isn’t it a little early for dinn- what the fuck are you doing?” Daniel asked, blinking a few times as he paused in the doorway.

“Cake?” He’d been feeling certain about it thus far, but hearing Daniel’s confusion led him to wonder if the cake was supposed to be common knowledge.

“What’s the occasion for cake?”

“Dunno. Vince told me to bake it.”

“A cake?”

“Well… yeah, obviously a cake.”

“He told you to bake a cake?”

“He told John, who told Sheamus, who told Kofi, who told Big Show, who told-”

“Yeah, yeah, I get that, but what were the actual words?”

“‘On Monday, bake a cake.’”

“This Monday?”

“I think so.”

Daniel took a pause and inhaled deeply. “This Monday, when Raw begins at eight? As in, 8pm?”

It was Kane’s turn to pause and look towards his lover with a furrowed brow. “Are you telling me I spent the afternoon baking a cake that wasn’t actually needed?”

“Looking like it.”

Kane wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or drop kick the cakes. He settled for a scream into one of the throw pillows they kept on the kitchen chairs. One so eerie and heartbreaking that Daniel wasn’t sure if he should even touch Kane or what exactly was going to happen after he lifted his face from the pillow. Whatever he was waiting for, it certainly wasn’t laughter. Or a grin from underneath his mask with his eyes dancing.

“Break out the frosting, Danny boy, we’re eating good tonight.”

[doyouever-daydream]

Since we’re alone

A/N Hello lovely humans, this is my attempt to write what I wish would have happened in s13ep12, I’ve had this idea in my mind for a while and at the end it turned out to be more, uhm, cheesier? intense? Something like that, and I blame this song because I was in the middle of writing it when it came on my Spotify and boy, did it change the direction of this fic lmao. But seriously tho, I love the song and it’s beautiful and if any of you already know it, I love you too. Anywho, let me know what you think and enjoy! GIF is not mine.

This is another oneshot for my BAU does blind dates series for the blind date prompt for my @cmbingo​ card

Summary: When blind dates go wrong and the universe conspires Penelope and Luke end up spending their evening together, bonding over french fries and burgers.

Pairing: Penelope Garcia x Luke Alvez 

Warnings: Language (Luke says fuck once lmao)

Word count: 2801

Masterlist

“Since we’re alone, show me all that you are and if you get lost in the light, it’s ok, I can see in the dark”

“Everything happens for a reason”

Penelope stood outside the restaurant repeating those words to herself and feeling different things at once: disappointment, annoyment, sadness and hunger. She never even got to have dinner. She took a deep breath and started walking towards Esther, thanking God she had decided to meet her date here and not having him to pick her up. 

Despite what everyone might think, she had other friendships at work, not only the BAU, and one of those friends, Betty,  had offered to set her up in a blind date. Penelope was unsure if she wanted to be set up but her friend insisted she could find someone good for her but oh, what a mistake that had been. The guy was not only super late but incredibly rude to her. She held back the tears, but with her blurry vision she bumped into someone.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying atten- “ She couldn’t finish her sentence when she saw who was standing in front of her.

“Penelope? Hi, uh, what are you doing here?” Luke asked surprised but glad to see her.

“Uh, I was supposed to have dinner, what are you doing here?” For a moment she forgot the date gone wrong and was having mixed feelings about Luke Alvez being there wearing a black sweater and looking extremely handsome.

“I had a blind date” He replied with a blank expression on his face.

“Funny coincidence so did I” She looked less excited than him and he wasn’t that much excited.

“Was it bad?” He asked with a sympathetic look.

“Bad is an understatement, he was almost an hour late for starters” Her voice was full with frustration, she reminded herself to keep calm or she would end up crying in front of Luke and that wasn’t what she needed right now “Then when he arrived, he made it clear I wasn’t what he expected, he criticized my outfit, I won’t go in to many details but he made me feel like crap, now here I am, having wasted my Friday night with a guy who was not worth not even a minute of my time” Penelope closed her eyes and sighed, feeling less frustrated now that she had said everything out loud, maybe Luke wasn’t the ideal person to vent, but she was glad he was there.

“What the fuck is wrong with him? You should’ve left before he even arrived, he kept you waiting” He felt angry at the man who had done that to Penelope, she was so sweet to everyone she, out of all the people, didn’t deserve that kind of treatment.

“I know, I sat there longer being alone than with him and I am so mad at myself for not leaving before he got here it’s just…” She suddenly stopped, Penelope didn’t want to vent her insecurities in front of him.

“Just what?” He placed a hand in her shoulder, while searching for her eyes. “You need someone to talk and I happen to be here, please, tell me”

“It’s just I don’t date much, I’m not like, well other people, who have dates every weekend, I don’t get asked out a lot and I foolishly set my expectations too high and this clown, he was awful, he made fun of the way I dressed and…” She couldn’t keep the tears inside anymore and they silently fell on her cheeks, the whole scene had Luke feeling like finding the asshole and telling him off, but also he wanted to reassure Penelope that she was beautiful and deserved the world.

Suddenly Luke’s mind went somewhere he had been trying to avoid. Ever since he met Penelope, he knew she was special. As much as she tried to give him a hard time about being the new guy, she was really sweet. She cared so much for her friends, tried to see the silver lining in every situation and did anything she could to help others. Not to mention she was incredibly beautiful, more than once he had to force himself to stop staring at her, her eyes, her smile, her curves, her lips. Her lips were always a huge distraction for him whenever she was close, the times she presented a case, he focused on the casefiles rather than her.

But he was almost certain Penelope couldn’t see him in that way. She only saw him as a friend and he wanted to treasure that, it was the most he would have. 

“Penelope, don’t pay attention to whatever he said about you, none of what he could have said is true, I’m sure” He wanted to lift her chin so she could see in his eyes he meant it.

“How could you know? You weren’t there” She tried to smirk, while dried her cheeks.

“It doesn’t matter, I just know, now, you said you left, did you have dinner?” Penelope looked at him with soft eyes and Luke just wanted to take her in his arms and wash away the sadness.

“No, but it’s ok, I have food in my apartment” Penelope held her bag and started to feel self conscious about being too sensitive in front of Luke.

“I’m not about to leave you like that, what would you like to have for dinner? We’re gonna get it” He stood in front of her with both of his hands in her shoulders.

“I honestly don’t know” She said in a small voice.

“Come on, there’s something you must want to eat right now” Luke was trying to cheer her up.

“I don’t know, you choose” Knowing Penelope was willing to spend some time with him made his smile grow bigger.

“French fries? I love french fries” Luke had already eaten but he was always willing to make space for french fries.

“Sounds good, yeah, comfort food to makeup for the awful date, I’m in” The mood was lighter between them now.

Penelope agreed to follow Luke so he could take her to the “best diner in town” according to him. When she got there, she was unsure if the feeling in her stomach was because she was hungry or she was about to spend one on one time with Luke Alvez and his brown eyes and killer smile.

“Here we are” He opened the door for her and guided her to his favorite booth, close the window and far from the people, not that there were many people but he wanted to have a nice conversation and didn’t want the fuzz to get in the way of it.

“There’s a burger I think you should try” Penelope cut him off.

“I’m vegetarian, Luke”

“I know, this is a vegan burger, I’ve tried it before, it’s really good” His expression made him look like an excited kid, she was unsure why he seemed to be that happy but she brushed it off.

“Ok, I’ll try it”

The waiter took their orders and he went off to tell her how he knew this place and why he liked it so much.

“You sound like a food blogger, Alvez, are you sure you’re not one?” She asked while taking a french frie into her mouth.

“No, I’m not, but I really love it here, besides it’s open 24 hours so sometimes after a case, this place saves me from starving to death” He took a sip of his soda.

“So dramatic, Luke, now tell me how was your date?” She was genuinely curious to listen about her friend’s night.

“Phil set us up, she’s really nice and beautiful but there wasn’t a spark, you know?” He stared at Penelope thinking how this felt more right than the date he just had.

“Maybe you should give it another try, have a second date” There it was again, her kind heart, Luke thought.

“I don’t think I’ll do it, I mean I wouldn’t mind hanging out with her and Phil but just that, nothing else” He spoke as if he was trying not to get into trouble.

“Ok, but don’t miss out on someone just because you’re afraid or something”

“What are you trying to say, Penelope?” 

“It’s just, sometimes people prefer to run away before trying to see if there’s a future there, you know? You said she is really nice and beautiful, that sounds like a catch” He almost fell as if she was scolding him, which put a playful smirk on his face.

“Oh, come on, now I have to marry her just because of what I said?” He joked.

“No, listen what I’m saying, I say it out of experience, don’t give up on something that could be good just because you’re feel unsure at first”

“I’m not gonna argue with you, I’ll try to call her and see if she wants to go out some other day, alright?” He lied just so she would stop insisting.

“Alright, if you end up marrying her and having children, I want to be godmother” She winked.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, now let me show you how french fries should be eaten” Her eyebrows shot up in amusement at the sudden change of subject.

“What are you gonna do? You have a reputation that precedes you, you know?

Luke gasped feigning hurt. While he put barbecue sauce and caesar salad dressing on the side of the plate of fries they were sharing.

“That doesn’t look good” She admitted while scrunching her nose.

“Maybe, but it tastes really good, come on, try one” He put up the plate with one hand and with the other he took some fries dipped them in the mix and the ate them.

“Ok, just because you’ve been a great company tonight” She tried them and was pleasantly surprised it tasted good.

“See? I was right” He had a cocky smirk and Penelope rolled her eyes.

They ate the rest of their food in a comfortable silence, that was until Luke noticed Penelope was too deep in thought and the look on her eyes gave away she was still thinking about the earlier encounter she had.

“Watcha thinking about, chica?” He carefully watched her getting out of her thoughts.

“Should I be less… Uh, colorful? Wear less patterns?” She said in a serious voice.

“Not if you don’t want to” He replied with the same tone.

“I know I say I’m eternally young but does the way I dress or talk makes me look or sound, I don’t know, ridiculous?” She looked at him pleading honesty.

“No, no” He replied within a second she had finished speaking “Penelope, you are… I don’t even know how to describe it, you’re you, and that’s beautiful, you are beautiful and whoever doesn’t see that or tries to change the way you see yourself is an absolute moron, I cannot begin to explain how wrong they are” He licked his lips, knowing he was about to come out and say much more than he intended to.

“I am not lying when I say you are everything that is good in this world, and in my world, you are the light at the end of the tunnel, the color that brings my days to life, and I know I sound incredibly cheesy but it’s true, the whole reason why Phil set me up tonight was because I told him I had feelings for you and I needed to get over them because I know you won’t feel the same way, and seeing you beat yourself up over what some dickhead said is not ok with me, you are your own person, with your clothes and the way you talk and you’re million different glasses and your optimism, your way of loving people, your intelligence, I could go on and on if you wanted me to just so I can prove to you, how incredible you are, Penelope Garcia.”

Penelope was speechless and very touched by what Luke had said, never in a million years she would’ve thought he thought that much of her. He felt that way towards her.

Luke was also surprised that he had said all of that out loud, after trying to lock it in the back of his head for the past few months. He held her hand across the table and squeezed it.

“I-I-I don’t know what to- what…” Penelope was unable to speak coherent sentences. She wasn’t sure if she was dreaming, so she just stared at him wide eyed and open mouthed. Luke had a feeling that maybe he wasn’t going to be turned down so he continued pouring his heart out now that he had finally dared to do so.

“Ok, since you’re not going to talk just yet, would it be crazy of me to ask you for a chance? A chance to see if something can go from here? Please” He pleaded with his eyes, not letting go of her hand.

She swore he could feel her heart beating faster and faster, for the second time in her life, she felt it was going to come out of her chest.

“Luke, it’s me you’re talking about” He looked at her trying to make sense of her words “I can be me, with all my quirks and my-” He cut her off.

“Didn’t you listen to me? That’s what I want, you, all of you, if you feel the slightest willing to try, let’s do it, I’ll do everything I can to not break your heart” She was still at loss of words and Luke’s confidence was wearing off but he had one more thing to say “A friend told me I shouldn’t give up on something that could be good just because I’m afraid” 

“I told you I said it out of experience and that’s because I’m good at running, running away from relationships and commitment”

“It’s ok, I like the chase” And with that he leaned over the table and kissed her. If any of them needed proof that there was electricity between them, that was it. The feeling that went down their spines when their lips touched could not be compared to anything they’ve ever felt before.

When they pulled apart, it was Penelope’s turn to squeeze his hand.

“Alright, let’s try it then” Her smile and her eyes made him almost feel dizzy.

A month later, Penelope and Luke were feeling more than happy with the way things were, it had been a month of getting to know each other even more over date nights whenever they weren’t on a case. The team was ecstatic learning.they were together, everyone had a feeling they were good for each other.

“Penelope!” Betty, her work friend, called out to her and Penelope regretted coming down at that time.

“Hey Betty” She tried to be nice, it wasn’t her fault that her friend was an asshole.

“How are you, little liar?” Betty said with furrowed eyebrows.

“What do you mean?” She was surprised at the accusation.

“You stood up my friend, that wasn’t very nice, Pen” Her friend’s face softened.

“I didn’t stood him up, he was an idiot, I’m sorry but he was” She felt bad saying that about Betty’s friend but it was true.

“How could you know that if you never showed up?” Betty’s confused look mirrored Penelope’s. 

“I did show up and your friend Ben was not only late but rude to me”

“He told me you didn’t show up, that he waited almost an hour for you” Betty knew something wasn’t right, neither of them lied “Are you sure it was Ben? The Ben I sent you the picture of?” Penelope hadn’t seen any picture.

“What? I didn’t see a picture, you told me his name was Ben” Penelope unlocked her phone and there it was, below the text that read Remember his name is Ben, was a picture of a man that wasn’t the one she had the misfortune to meet.

“Oh, Penelope, who the hell did you have dinner then?” Betty was now laughing, unaware that the first date she had that night went terribly wrong.

In that moment Luke walked  by and saw Penelope, she also looked at him and smiled.

“It doesn’t matter, say sorry to Ben for me, ok? I have to go” She never took her eyes off Luke while he looked curious as to what she was saying.

She approached him and her smile grew bigger.

“What is making you smile so big this morning, Penelope?” He asked with his own smile adorning his face.

“Everything happens for a reason, Luke, everything happens for a reason”

[nottooldforthisship]

*CHEF fics*

- Learning to Eat by @mbpgku : Celebrity chef Louis Tomlinson has a problem. He’s opening his first restaurant in 9 weeks, and he has yet to hire a pastry chef- apparently people think he’s ‘standoffish’ and ‘rude’ and ‘quick to temper’. Whatever. He ends up saddled with an annoying, happy-go lucky rookie who also happens to be obnoxiously good looking. His tv presenter and pop star best friends only add to the drama, and for fucks sake would everyone please stop quoting Julia Child?! Kitchen AU where Harry helps Louis re-learn how to eat.  (METAPHORICALLY) (38k, M)

- Every Good Boy Deserves Cookies , by @stunning-stylinson​ : “Y-yeah?” Louis asks breathlessly, “And then?“Harry giggles and moves his bum back to meet Louis. “Add the vanilla and crack the eggs, beating it all in with salt,” Harry says.Or where Harry is a chef who teaches a class and Louis swears it’s only Harry’s bossiness that turns him on, not the recipe for cookies and Harry likes being praised. (8.5k, E)

- Feels Like Coming Home , by @phd-mama: The last thing Harry Styles expects when he’s hanging out at the Someday Cafe in Somerville one rainy October day is for his ex, Louis Tomlinson to walk through the door, but that’s exactly what happens. After a spectacularly ugly break-up three years prior, Harry hasn’t heard one word from Louis, and he’s moved on. Gotten over him. But having Louis back in his life, not to mention working at the restaurant where he’s a chef, isn’t easy, and the feelings that Harry thought he’d left turn out to be not so easily forgotten. This is a story about love and the power of forgiveness, and how the hard choices we make define us, and change our lives. (60k, E)

- Before We Evaporate ,  by  crimsontheory  : Louis Tomlinson; executive chef and owner of his own five star restaurant, been voted one of the top chefs in London, and has won several awards for his work in the kitchen. He’s always dreamed of being on Chopped, but never believed it would actually happen. Until it does. Now that he’s officially made it onto the show, there’s one tall, curly haired distraction that might just ruin everything for him.Or the kinda sorta enemies to lovers Chopped AU with far more smut than necessary. (37k, E)  

- Fool's Gold , by @freetheankles : Or the Arnacoeur AU in which Harry is scheduled to be married to Liam in 10 days and Harry’s mother hires Louis and his team to break them up. (55k, E)

- Check Please      by  zedi   :      Louis has a shit date. Harry offers to cover the bill. They maybe fall in love. (2k, NR)

*BAKER fics*

- Relief next to me , by @haydolce : AU. What happens when a baker and a graphic designer meet via a very specific Craigslist post? Fate, friendship, food, and maybe more. (333k, E)

- leave it to the breeze , by @hattalove :  or a great british bake off au in which louis cares about winning and winning only, harry is made of sunshine and rainbow sprinkles, and niall sticks his nose into other people’s business. also featuring liam as louis’s best friend-slash-concerned mother, and zayn as a macaron connoisseur. (81k, E)

- shine by @lourrynavy​ ; Louis is an actor who needs to get away from the real world. He does the only thing that he can and runs away, finding himself in a small town where he happens upon Harry. What Louis doesn’t expect is to somehow fall in love and end up having to face what he was running from all along. (40k, M)

- Tis the Season for…Love?   ,    by @afangirlfantasy:   Prompt: Harry seems to have it all: A successful career as a pastry chef, a Victorian home in London, and a dedicated boyfriend who he's been with for years.   One day he stops by his boyfriend's apartment to surprise him and finds out that he's not so dedicated to Harry after all. Shocked and too depressed to celebrate, he decides to skip Christmas and on a whim leaves on a plane to New York. In New York he meets Louis… Or...Louis might just be what Harry's needed all along. (27k, M)

-  Flour and Chocolate      by   teaandtumblr : Then he approached the display cabinet. And the foreboding slammed into him. Because every product had letters next to it. Letters. GF, DF, V, O, VGN. What. The. Fuck? Lifting his eyes to the chalkboard menu spread across the back wall Louis felt physically ill. ‘Gluten-free’, ‘organic’, ‘vegan’, ‘paleo’, ‘dair-…’ Wait, what the fuck was a paleo? He had entered some hipster-trash establishment and it was more than time to get out.  OR Louis is a single dad and Harry works at the newly opened bakery down the street.(145k, M)

- Float Down Like Autumn Leaves (Stay Now) , by @getmesometacos  : The AU in which Louis has a 6 year old daughter with a costume emergency that puts her school’s annual Halloween party at risk, Halloween decorated cupcakes are hard to find and tall men look absolutely ridiculously cute in giant vegetables costumes. Co-starring Harry, who makes really good food for the kids. Featuring Niall, who works in a bakery but has a part time job as a babysitter. And as much as he doesn’t believe in love at first (or second) sight, Louis is really infatuated and really wouldn’t mind seeing Harry again.(16k, M)

- we’re still going, eight in the morning , by @nooelgallagher​  and @yoursongonmyheart​ : Harry washes his hands quickly before grabbing his phone. His screen lights up to 3 notifications.DJTommo is now following you!@DJTommo mentioned you in a tweet!Direct Message from @DJTommo!Harry yelps, throwing his phone to Niall who just barely catches it.Niall looks down at the phone, seeing first the tweet, then the DM. He tosses the phone back to Harry, who nearly drops it. “What are ya doing, mate! Answer him!”Harry thinks for a moment about what he wants to say. This is his chance to actually talk to Louis Tomlinson. Louis Tomlinson messaged him directly. He can say anything he wants. He begins typing, his fingers shaky.Niall comes over to stand next to Harry and peers down, looking to see what he wrote. When he does, he lets out a groan….Or, the one where Harry owns a bakery, Louis is a radio DJ, and Niall and Liam roll their eyes at their incessant flirting. (31k, E)

- taste on my tongue , by @bethaboolou : Louis Tomlinson, second place winner on TXF four years ago, is looking to reinvent his career. Harry Styles is a baker who is desperate for a bakery of his own.Louis doesn’t bake. Or cook. Or know how to use an oven.Take Louis. Take Harry. Add in a heaping cup of sexual tension. Another cup of delicious (and not so delicious) food. A smidgen of competitive spirit. A dash of hopes and dreams. And you get Kitchen Wars, a TV show that promises to be the must-watch event of the fall. (77k, E)

- come away with me , by @suspendrs: Or, Louis has to pick up the pieces of his and his daughter’s life after his wife dies, and Harry is a beautiful stranger that just wants to help. (80k, NR)

- Whether Clouds or Clear Skies , by @onewasturning :   “You, young Harold, are a baker among curry houses and vintage clothing stores,” Louis says, and it forces a bark of surprised laughter out of Harry.  “I’m a— sorry, what?”  “Harry,” Louis says, “last night I had an experience bordering on profound.”  “You’re making it sound like you did something sexual with my muffin,” Harry says. Or, Louis gets into the habit of stealing baked goods while Harry’s busy keeping tabs on the weather. (25k, E)

- Every Story Ever Told , by @all-these-larrythings : Becoming a best-selling author isn’t as difficult as Louis would have guessed. It seems all you need these days is the perfect blend of alcohol induced philosophy, complete disregard for one’s dignity, a live blog about how fucked love is, and a bored publisher interested enough to offer him a deal. (54k, NR)

- Skin New, Hands True, My Hands All Over You , by PearlyDewdrops   : Harry designs wedding cakes, so of course meeting blissfully happy couples every day is part of his job description. Unfortunately, it’s caused Harry to perpetually hope each new day is the one he’ll find love, too. That is, until Harry realises everything he’s ever wanted is right under his nose in the shape of his best friend, Louis. But predictably, Harry only comes to this epiphany when Louis starts seeing someone else. And this is not a John Hughes movie as far as Harry is aware. Everyone else is pretty sure, though. Featuring a heavy dose of pining, copious amounts of alcohol, drunk dialing that results in a situation reminiscent of Rachel Green’s, a ginger cat that likes to interrupt intimate moments, and a Halloween party that changes everything. (44k, E)

* RESTAURANT OWNER fics*

- all the lights are full of colour, by @infinitelymint : So, fast-forwarding eight years from the day Harry met Louis, he is now a twenty-seven year old owner of one of the most up-and-coming eating establishments on the London restaurant scene, father of two wonderful boys and… separated from his husband. Now, that last part definitely was never a part of the original plan.  Or, Harry and Louis are separated, but for the sake of their two sons, they choose to spend Christmas together. It may just lead to a Christmas miracle. (26k, E)

- You'll Hear Me Calling for You , by  pinky_heaven19  : OR the one where Harry is an Alpha and Louis has a problem with it - until he doesn't. (42k, E)

- Let's Go Get Away , by @letsjustsee : Or, a fluffy AU in which Louis owns a restaurant that's next door to Harry's shop, and Louis is completely unaware how smitten he really is. (7k, NR)

* FOOD BLOGGING fics*

- 'Til I Tasted You  , by @icanhazzalou : Louis is Harry Styles' biggest fan. It doesn't matter that Harry is famous for being a food blogger and Louis can't cook to save his life.At least, until Harry offers to give Louis a cooking lesson. Then it matters just a teensy bit. (14k, E)

[irisplate9-blog]

Feed Your Feed: Teen Vegan Haile Thomas’s Top 5 Instagrammers to Follow

Haile Thomas is an 18-year-old health activist, vegan food & lifestyle influencer, and the founder/CEO of the nonprofit HAPPY (aka, Healthy Active Positive Purposeful Youth). Here, she shares her favorite Instagram influencers, ranging from fellow vegan bloggers to self-love advocates. 

Hey there! I am so incredibly grateful to have found a beautiful and loving community on Instagram where I can explore food + everything and anything. And I’m so excited to share that love by spotlighting five Instagram accounts that I’m absolutely obsessed with right now! They all inspire me to be my most creative, authentic and flavorful self (pun 100% intended).

@kimjuliehansen

View this post on Instagram

Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Pasta with Balsamic Grilled Tomatoes I made for a project on my other page @bestofvegan (get the printable version via the link in @bestofvegan’s bio) ❤️ . Serves 4 Ingredients: 10oz egg-free fettuccine (dry weight)  1 1/4 cup cashews, soaked  2 cups vegetable broth  2 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast  2 tsp cornstarch or all-purpose flour 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 yellow onion, medium to large, chopped 12-14oz mushrooms of choice, sliced  2 tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil 8oz cherry tomatoes  1 tsp balsamic reduction or balsamic vinegar 1 handful fresh basil leaves  sea salt to taste  1 pinch freshly ground pepper  3 cups baby spinach  2 tsp soy or tamari sauce  2 tsp liquid smoke (optional) Directions:  1.In a large pot, bring lightly salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook al dente, which should take about 12-13 minutes depending on the brand you’re using. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and return it to the pot, mixing in 1 tbsp olive oil, fresh basil and ground pepper. Add the lid to keep the pasta warm until you’re ready to serve.  2.While the pasta is cooking, start sautéeing the chopped onion and 2 garlic cloves in 1 tbsp of olive oil in your frypan. Add the mushrooms about a minute later and then sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes, then add the soy sauce and liquid smoke and mix well.  3.Reduce heat to low and start making the cashew sauce. For the sauce, blend the soaked and drained cashews with the cornstarch, 1 1/4 cup vegetable broth, sea salt and nutritional yeast on high until you get a smooth consistency.  4.Add the sauce and spinach to the pan, mix well and let simmer for 5 more minutes mixing in the rest of the vegetable broth little by little (add more if the sauce is too thick). 5.For the balsamic tomatoes, add 2 tsp olive oil and the cherry tomatoes to a grill pan and grill over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the balsamic reduction or vinegar and 1 minced garlic clove and grill for 3 additional minutes over low-medium heat.  6.Serve the pasta with the sauce and tomatoes and enjoy. #bestofvegan #lunchinspo

A post shared by Kim-Julie Hansen (@kimjuliehansen) on Dec 12, 2018 at 8:12am PST

Kim-Julie is the author of The Vegan Reset and the founder of the very popular and drool-inducing Instagram account @bestofvegan. Not only has her entrepreneurial spirit and animal activism inspired me immensely but also she is truly a brilliant soul who contributes so much light and wisdom to the world. I am always learning something new from her accounts.

@sophia_roe

View this post on Instagram

on dopamine . . Dopamine is one of our body’s neurotransmitters. It has a variety of functions, and is key in behavior, cognition, motivation and reward. When we receive a reward of any kind, dopamine is released in our brains. Over time, this release of dopamine can lead to learning. As we get "rewarded" over and over again for something, our bodies learn that we should keep doing whatever that is A LOT, constantly even. It can be hard to unlearn those kinds of behaviors. . . The exact conditions when we receive our “reward” stimulus are imprinted on our brains. Research has shown that rats that are given chocolate in a given situation learn to expect it, and the same situation triggers reward centers in the brain even without the chocolate being present. So once our brains connect processed sugar with a particular mood or state of mind, it’s hard to reverse it. For example, for some eating dinner is a time when family gets together, giving you a warm feeling. So later in life you’re feeling lonely, you might try eating to make yourself feel better. . . This is especially true for those who were conditioned as kids to associate sweets with a good deed, get an A=have candy. Later, when they want the same feeling of accomplishment, they often turn to the food stimulus to create that feeling. Hence, "comfort food" . . There are things you can do to train your yourself to eat healthier. Obviously, do your damnedest to avoid calorie-packed, super sugary, and generally “bad for you” foods. If you stop eating them, your brain never gets the chance to associate them with the dopamine reward, making it so you don’t crave them. Resisting the initial temptation will help to resist in the future, + instead of getting dopamine boosts from sugar, you’ll get them when you eat healthy meals. Soon, your brain associates “good for you food” with dopamine rewards, + you’ll find yourself wanting to eat healthy when you want a rewarding brain boost. . . But, my biggest tip, will power! It's not easy guys, fighting urges is hard. But, I promise, if you stick to your guns and fight the urge..in just 10 days..you'll be like "sugar what?!? girl bye, Pass me the salad!”

A post shared by Soph (@sophia_roe) on Sep 24, 2018 at 9:26am PDT

Sophia is someone I truly admire and look up to. Her account is nourishment for your senses. Your eyes get to enjoy stunning images of food, DIY beauty recipes, her curls, or all three! And your mind gets to dive into her expressive and beautiful writing that encompasses the stunning and not so stunning parts of life and how she’s grown through it all — with a vulnerability that allows others to blossom too.

@jessicainthekitchen

Jessica is like sunshine on your phone. Not only does her smile and kindness shine brightly but also her food turns on hunger pangs in an instant. Her love and talent for creating comforting, simple and delicious vegan food is truly amazing. We also share Jamaican roots and that makes it 100% more enjoyable to follow her.

@lulusdreamtown

I am in love with all that Lulu has created and is now shifting into with her platform! From food to self-love to interesting conversations, following her is a true joy. I also love that she is a peer within my generation, using Instagram for good by being her true self and bringing up really important topics.

@the.korean.vegan

Joanne’s moody, rich, soulful food and life feed is complemented by her truly incredible writing. She shares beautiful stories from her life with such vivid and expressive detail that you feel as though you were transported into her story. And the Korean food she makes? To live for. From kimchi fried rice, Japchae, dumplings and more — I’ve even had the honor of tasting her masterful creations on a few occasions!

Source: https://blog.williams-sonoma.com/feed-your-feed-teen-vegan-haile-thomass-top-5-instagrammers-to-follow/

[healthbolt-blog]

New Post has been published on Health bolt

New Post has been published on http://www.healthbolt.net/cooking/simple-healthy-meals-to-cook/

Simple Healthy Meals To Cook

Contents

Fitness blogger kevin

Plan healthy meals

Cold side dish

Healthy chicken recipes

Food and fitness blogger kevin Curry is stopping by the TODAY kitchen to share two of his go-to healthy recipes from his new cookbook "Fit … It doesn’t work for every recipe, but it did for this one …

Get the recipe here. Snackers, rejoice! Grazing tables are one of the newest food trends taking Pinterest by storm, and they’ …

How To Cook Fish In The Oven Healthy How To Cook Mushrooms For Breakfast Healthy The team looked at how different cooking methods — like grilling, frying, boiling, and microwaving — impacted the nutritional profile of these types of mushrooms. The scientists found boiling and frying to be a poor choice, as boiling resulted in a loss of vitamins while frying resulted in a loss of protein and spiked the fat content of mushrooms. Portobello Mushrooms Breakfast Recipes 556 Recipes. How much time do you have? < 30 Minutes < 45 Minutes No Restrictions. Skip. Last updated Jan 04, 2019. 556 suggested recipes. Cheesy Portobello Mushroom And spinach breakfast skillet afrovitalityeats. 85. … Hake Healthy Recipes. But I maintained a healthy … on bottom of pot. Cook, without moving, until well browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken … Cooking For A Healthy Life healthy asian cooking vegan indian cooking: 140 simple and Healthy Vegan Recipes [Anupy Singla] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. This beautiful follow-up to Anupy Singla’s widely praised first cookbook, the Indian Slow Cooker Owner Anna Su showed viewers how she prepares Shabu-shabu, also known as Asian … is a fresh, healthy choice for dining with … The healthy butcher cooking classes Oops! This Cooking Lesson is available only for Web Cooking classes members week 9 or higher. This is an excerpt. You do not have sufficient rights to view the full … They are also rich in B vitamins, which promote a healthy metabolism. Along with protein, carbohydrates help your body make n… Meal Prep Classes. Each month, we offer new menus – Paleo and Traditional. The ingredients are fresh and delicious – no junk here! Every meal features premium Southern Steer Butcher meats and … Kimball launched the healthy eating initiative in 2013 … For those who still want the comfort of Southern and Creole cookin… Healthy Indian Cooking With Alamelu Healthy Meals To Pre Cook For The Week Being healthy is not and all or nothing viewpoint. A good rule is to choose healthy options 80 percent of your week and eat … to make gourmet meals to be successful in eating healthy. Many times peo… “I’m a busy mom, just like Toby, and I adore the Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook.This is more than a cookbook―it’s a vital tool for every hardworking home cook.”-robin miller, author, nutritionist, TV host, and founder of Robin Miller Cooks App-RobinMillerCooks.com ”The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook is guaranteed to make it easy to put a good, homemade meal on the table even when you have … The first book in the On My Own series. Let’s Cook! can help you plan healthy meals, create nutritious dishes, and respect food and kitchen safety. This book promotes self-reliance and reinforces life skills for independent living. <P>Let’s Cook! is a how-to-cook cookbook designed for anyone wanting to, or needing to know how to prepare healthy meals for themselves or for others. After a weekend blow out, there’s nothing better then getting back on track and starting fresh for a

Introducing five brand-new recipes to add to your recipe files. Ready in 45 minutes or less, these dishes use everything from …

Once you start cooking with butternut squash, it’s pretty tough to stop. The rich flesh is wildly easy to cook, it’s naturall…

To enter, children must submit an original recipe for a hot or cold side dish, include at least one fruit or vegetable, and c…

Whether they offer prepped, premade, or just simple recipes to follow, check out a few of our favorite healthy meal delivery …

Healthy Dinner Recipes Cooking Light For some, "cooking" means boiling water for instant ramen. For others, the mere thought of turning on a stove sends them running to the phone to order takeout. If you fall into either group, you … If you like having a healthy meal plan but want something customized to your dietary or caloric needs, check out The Cooking Light Diet. It’s a calorie-driven weekly meal plan—breakfast, lunch, snacks … Find quick and healthy recipes, nutrition tips, entertaining menus, and fitness guides to help you make smart choices for a healthy lifestyle from Cooking Light magazine. No more boring bird! A fast and family-friendly weeknight staple, chicken is a go-to protein choice for busy family cooks. americans love chicken and healthy chicken recipes. How To Cook Mushrooms For Breakfast Healthy The team looked at how different cooking methods — like grilling, frying, boiling, and microwaving — impacted the nutritional profile of these types of mushrooms. The scientists found boiling and frying to be a poor choice, as boiling resulted in a loss of vitamins while frying resulted in a loss of protein and spiked the fat content of mushrooms. Portobello Mushrooms Breakfast Recipes 556 Recipes. How much time do you have? < 30 Minutes < 45 Minutes No Restrictions. Skip. Last updated Jan 04, 2019. 556 suggested recipes. Cheesy Portobello Mushroom And Spinach Breakfast Skillet Afrovitalityeats. 85. … Hake Healthy Recipes. But I maintained a healthy … on bottom of pot. Cook, without moving, until well browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken … Cooking For A Healthy Life Healthy Asian Cooking vegan indian cooking: 140 simple and Healthy Vegan Recipes [Anupy Singla] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. This beautiful follow-up to Anupy Singla’s widely praised first cookbook, the indian slow cooker Owner Anna Su showed viewers how she prepares Shabu-shabu, also known as Asian … is a fresh, healthy choice for dining with … The Healthy Butcher Cooking Classes Oops! This Cooking Lesson is available only for web cooking classes members week 9 or higher. This is an excerpt. You do not have sufficient rights to view the full … They are also rich in B vitamins, which promote a healthy metabolism. Along with protein, carbohydrates help your body make n… Meal Prep Classes. Each month, we offer new menus – Paleo and Traditional. The ingredients are fresh and delicious – no junk here! Every meal features premium Southern Steer Butcher meats and … Kimball launched the healthy eating initiative in 2013 … For those who still want the comfort of Southern and Creole cookin… Healthy Indian Cooking With alamelu healthy meals To Pre Cook For The Week Being healthy is not and all or nothing viewpoint. A good rule is to choose healthy options 80 percent of your week and eat … to make gourmet meals to be successful in eating healthy. Many times peo… “I’m a busy mom, just like Toby, and I adore the Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook.This is more than a cookbook―it’s a vital tool How To Cook Mushrooms For Breakfast Healthy The team looked at how different cooking methods — like grilling, frying, boiling, and microwaving — impacted the nutritional profile of these types of mushrooms. The scientists found boiling and frying to be a poor choice, as boiling resulted in a loss of vitamins while frying resulted in a loss of protein and spiked the fat content of mushrooms. Portobello Mushrooms Breakfast Recipes 556 Recipes. How much time do you have? < 30 Minutes < 45 Minutes No Restrictions. Skip. Last updated Jan 04, 2019. 556 suggested recipes. Cheesy Portobello Mushroom And Spinach Breakfast Skillet Afrovitalityeats. 85. … Hake Healthy Recipes. But I maintained a healthy … on bottom of pot. Cook, without moving, until well browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken … Cooking For A Healthy Life Healthy Asian Cooking vegan indian cooking: 140 simple and Healthy Vegan Recipes [Anupy Singla] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. This beautiful follow-up to Anupy Singla’s widely praised first cookbook, the Indian Slow Cooker Owner Anna Su showed viewers how she prepares Shabu-shabu, also known as Asian … is a fresh, healthy choice for dining with … The Healthy Butcher Cooking Classes Oops! This Cooking Lesson is available only for Web Cooking classes members week 9 or higher. This is an excerpt. You do not have sufficient rights to view the full … They are also rich in B vitamins, which promote a healthy metabolism. Along with protein, carbohydrates help your body make n… Meal Prep Classes. Each month, we offer new menus – Paleo and Traditional. The ingredients are fresh and delicious – no junk here! Every meal features premium Southern Steer Butcher meats and … Kimball launched the healthy eating initiative in 2013 … For those who still want the comfort of Southern and Creole cookin… Healthy Indian Cooking With Alamelu Healthy Meals To Pre Cook For The Week Being healthy is not and all or nothing viewpoint. A good rule is to choose healthy options 80 percent of your week and eat … to make gourmet meals to be successful in eating healthy. Many times peo… “I’m a busy mom, just like Toby, and I adore the Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook.This is more than a cookbook―it’s a vital tool for every hardworking home cook.”-robin miller, author, nutritionist, TV host, and founder of Robin Miller Cooks App-RobinMillerCooks.com ”The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook is guaranteed to make it easy to put a good, homemade meal on the table even when you have … The first book in the On My Own series. Let’s Cook! can help you plan healthy meals, create nutritious dishes, and respect food and kitchen safety. This book promotes self-reliance and reinforces life skills for independent living. <P>Let’s Cook! is a how-to-cook cookbook designed for anyone wanting to, or needing to know how to prepare healthy meals for themselves or for others. After a weekend blow out, there’s nothing better then getting back on track and starting fresh for a new week. With the help of these

[celestinatakenbydreams-blog]

The One Night Friend: On My Experience Couchsurfing with Men

The author, pictured with a Couchsurfing host and his friend in Ghent, 2016

“My consuming desire to mingle with road crews, sailors and soldiers, bar room regulars--to be a part of a scene, anonymous, listening, recording--all is spoiled by the fact that I am a girl, a female always in danger of assault. (...) I want to be able to sleep in an open field, to travel west, to walk freely at night.” --Journal of Sylvia Plath, 1960s

It’s been almost seventy years since Sylvia Plath's writing on travel as a woman. Since then much has changed on the perspective of women’s travel--with notable cultural shifts expressed in the popularity of books like Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love and Cheryl Strayed’s Wild. And statistics show that the majority of solo travelers are now middle aged women. But even with these advancements, there are still a lot of misconceptions about women’s safety when solo traveling, especially if they’re on a budget. Most people seem to believe that, if you’re a woman traveling alone, you have to stay in either in a hotel, or in religious housing (such as in ashrams or convents). So it’s not really surprising to me that the majority of women travel bloggers are heiresses and Yoginis. The final “acceptable” option is staying in a dorm, which, like hotels, are expensive. Certainly there are scholarships like the Fulbright, but those are limited and extremely competitive. 

So it’s not really surprising that when I decided to go Couchsurfing across Northern Europe, the response I got from most people was basically, “Please don’t die.” Over the course of my trip I stayed in the homes of seven different men I’d never met. Having been raised in ass-backwards Texas, this went against everything I’d ever been taught on women’s safety.

I was young, attractive, alone, and a newcomer in many of the countries I visited. I know, this actually does sound like the premise of a Dateline episode. Fortunately, my experience was anything but. In part, because of the precautions I took, but also because human beings are actually freaking awesome. For the majority of my stays, I used Couchsurfing.com. This website is a free service which connects globetrotters from around the world with one another. You create a profile, and are immediately able to contact other members for hosting. You may host in your home, and you can also seek potential hosts to welcome you into their home on your next trip--also for free. With continuous meet-ups across cities, and members all over the world, it is an amazing innovation.

However, I also stayed with men I met in a bar. That last part probably sounds a little insane too. But, before embarking on my trip, I devised a plan to better guarantee my safety as a Couchsurfer. While I had planned to stay with mostly women, I knew it was possible that I might have to “settle” on a male host. After arriving in Europe, I realized that all of my hosts were going to be men. It honestly was a little scary at first, but I felt reassured by the fact that I was fastidiously following the Seven Safety Steps I devised, and which I continue to use. Here they are:

The Seven Safety Steps (for Couchsurfing)

Ask the host to friend me on social media first, preferably Facebook. A social media account is a great way to garner a persons interests and interpersonal traits. I can spot a lot of red flags in peoples posts; do they make rape jokes, post photos of nude women, seem hyper-masculine? Another red flag of course is someone who has little friends and few or no photographs–they could be a Catphish.   

Some hosts will have social media accounts that are rather barren, but which still seem realistic. In these situations, I stick with those who have multiple roommates, at least two of whom are women.

So, their account is looking good. Now it’s time to establish a rapport over messenger. To save time, I tell the guys I’m thinking of staying with up front that I am not Couchsurfing for hook ups. Obviously, I skip guys who then stop responding, angrily demand an explanation, or comment with some “joking” flirtatious remark. The good guys always respect my need to set boundaries, and are understanding of my desire for safety.

 I always meet my hosts in a public place before heading to their apartment. I’ve met most of them at their local Starbucks, since the cafés are always crowded, and offer free wifi.

I never fully unpack my bags, even on longer stays. I am always ready to get up and go if I need to. I would rather sleep on a park bench or church stoop than be close to someone who I feel threatened by. 

I listen to my gut. A guy could seem really great, but if I get a tightened feeling in the pit of my stomach, goosebumps, or other warning physical hints from my body’s intuition, then I do not stay with that person.

I dress conservatively when traveling alone. I’m sure many of my feminist friends will misguidedly shit on me for saying that, but the truth is that it is safer to dress conservatively abroad. I have always have a better time with male hosts when I’m in long, loose clothes. Otherwise they inevitably wax poetic about all the great Couchsurfing hook-ups they’ve had in the past; “Yeah, I know you don’t want to hook up. I’m just saying! I’m just telling you a story!” (So if you’re ever with a male host and you’re trying to decide between your jeans and a mini-skirt, please, save yourself from the modern Homer performance and go with the jeans.) 

Don’t stay with a guy who makes posts like this

And that’s everything! I know it might seem like a lot, but it was a worthy two hour investment of my time. Plus, it isn’t only about safety. Taking the time to get to know your potential hosts also reveals common interests. As the conversation progresses, they’ll give tips on the local area, and swap adventure stories and jokes. Some hosts feel like close friends before even meeting them face to face! 

It is thanks to these safety guidelines that I created for myself that I was able to have a great experience Couchsurfing while in Europe.

A brief summation of my stay with each of the hosts:

Glasgow: After missing the curfew at the convent I was staying in, I struck up a conversation at the nearby bar with a band that was celebrating a tour they’d just finished. One of the members left with a fan halfway through our conversation, and I explained my situation to them. They gave me the spare bed of the guy who’d gone off. I wound up eating all their snacks, and they still invited me for a “real Scottish breakfast” the next day. 

Glasgow 2: Having also made friends with the bartender the night before, he offered me a place to stay the following night, (the band members were heading home post-tour) and gave me my first tattoo. 

My host creating a sketch of the tattoo. His instagram: @dadam0audek  

Dublin: After leaving my WWOOF assignment a week early, I scrambled to look for a host in Dublin. A Kurdish artist who was getting his PhD in “Art and Trauma” hosted me for two nights. I got a huge room to myself, full use of the shower, and was able to wash my clothes. He even made pasta! 

Brussels: An engineer let me crash on his couch, eat his food, and even took me to the most popular bars in the area.   

Antwerp: A guy let me use his AirBnb after some guests cancelled on him. We ate out at a vegan restaurant and talked about life in Belgium.

Ghent: My host was a new immigrant, and said he was having a hard time making friends with the locals. He’d decided to host people on Couchsurfing, and we went out with one of his peers and hung out on the canals.

London: This was my longest stay, and one of the best. My host was a musician from Rome who had rented an apartment in London for the summer. He let me use the spare room and introduced me to his roommate. We went to a party under a bridge, shopped in Brick Lane, and jammed out on the pianos in several chapels.  

Host, me, and his roommate drinking champagne at the bridge party  

All of this which is to say: don’t let anything stop you from seeing the world. If you take the precautions I did, you will be ready for safe travels. Have the courage to create your experience of a lifetime. The truth is that life can be dangerous, no matter where you go or who you’re with. There are no guarantees. So take an informed risk. When you open yourself up to new possibilities, the world has so much more in store for you than you could have ever imagined.  

[charllieeldridge]

How Much Money Can You Make From a Travel Blog?

If you’re thinking about learning how to start a travel blog then one of the first questions you probably have is “How much money can I make from travel blogging?”

Your second question will probably be “Is there still room for new blogs to earn money, or is the market too saturated?” And lastly you’re probably thinking “How do I start a travel blog from scratch?”

In this article I’m going to answer these questions and many more so that aspiring bloggers can get a good idea of what’s involved!

How Much Money Can a Travel Blog Make?

Let’s get right into it. The sky is the limit when it comes to blog earnings, but the bloggers who make the most typically have a very diversified set of income streams.

Once established, your travel blog itself may earn $3,000 – $10,000 / month, but if you’ve broadened your horizons and started working on other income streams like freelance writing, content creation, social media management and consulting services, you can double or triple this figure.

It’s probably not fair for me to just say “you can make ____” without having any real examples.

Caz & Craig earn over 6 figures/year from their amazing family travel blog yTravelBlog.com.

Tim Leffel earns more than 6 figures/year from his diverse set of income streams including excellent books, 5 websites and a successful marketing company.

Johnny Ward of OneStep4Ward.com earns upwards of $30,000 / month from his websites.

This blog that you’re reading makes over $100,000 / year and is growing every year.

Of course, I’m not just giving up these bloggers’ income after they told me in confidence, each of these bloggers have been honest and transparent enough to publish their earnings online at some point during their career.

They did that for the same reason that I’m writing this post. To show people that blogging really is a reliable source of income, and to inspire you to start a blog of your own.

There are probably thousands of travel blogs online earning at least $3,000 / month. I believe that anyone who sticks with it and works at it for a year or two, can make this amount.

How Long Does it Take To Start Earning Money From Blogging?

This is a very hard question to answer. We started earning an income after about a year of blogging, but we weren’t going at it very hard for the first 6 months.

We would go on the blog every month or so, add an article and a few pictures and that was about it.

If you were to start a travel blog today and work really hard at it (around 5 focused hours/day), then there’s no reason that you couldn’t start earning around $500 / month from it after 6 months. For travellers, that’s a pretty good chunk of change!

After a year you could be earning $1000 – $1500 / month and after two or three years, if you kept at it and constantly marketed yourself, you could earn $5,000 / month or more.

Of course these numbers would completely vary depending on your individual hustle, your focus on on-page and off-page SEO, and your overall strategy, but they should give you a rough idea of income.

Luckily, if you use our free 10-minute guide to start your blog today, you’ll get our epic Beginner Blogger Course and 200-page blogging eBook for free.

We didn’t have a resource like this when we started blogging, but if we did I think we could have earned more money a lot sooner. Check it out and see what you think.

Read More: From Hobby to Career – The Complete Evolution of Our Blog

Is The Market Too Saturated To Start a Blog Today?

Absolutely not.

Yes, there are way more blogs online today than there were 5 years ago when we started, but there were also fewer people reading travel blogs and fewer companies willing to work with us.

The market is saturated with travel blogs, but it is also saturated with opportunity.

These days though, you need to be a niche website. You can’t simply be a “travel blog”.

You’ll need to be more than that, such as a “couple living in a van, travelling around the USA”, or “a travel blog all about Slovenia”, or “a vegan female traveller who hikes around the world”. 

You get the point!

Pick a niche, become an authority, and stand out from the crowd. If you aren’t sure about a travel blog name yet, it doesn’t matter. You can still start your blog today and come up with a name later on.

Don’t let competition in the industry stop you from starting a blog. It’s the best thing we ever did and we honestly believe that there is enough money and brand partnerships available to go around.

In order to attract your potential partners, your travel blog posts need to be perfectly polished in terms of grammar, spelling, and overall writing style.

The best place to seek professional content editors and creators are essay writing services. Besides, such platforms like EssayPro essay writing services can detect and remove plagiarism, which is not a merely university issue. Another option is Copyscape.

Other than that, don’t forget to add nice photos to your posts. We use and recommend Shutterstock for royalty-free media.  

How Do Blogs Earn Money?

I’ve written about this extensively in my post: How & When To Monetize Your Travel Blog, but I’ll quickly run over the basics again here:

Sponsored Content: Most blogs start this way. A company basically contacts you via email (or you reach out to them) and ask you to write a review about their product or brand. They pay for this review and the link to their site (between $200 – $750 USD / article).

Affiliate Sales: Instead of getting paid for the link, a better way to arrange payment is via commission. Affiliate marketing is when you link to a product or service from your blog and when one of your readers makes a purchase through your link, the company tracks it and sends you a percentage of the sale.

eBooks & Product Sales: Pretty self-explanatory. You write a book or create a product and sell it to your blog readers.

Social Media & Blog Management: You run a company’s social media (Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram) or blog (creating content) and get paid for it.

In content advertising: Relevant ads are placed around your blog, when someone clicks or purchases, you get paid. Mediavine is a popular company to go through for travel bloggers. Click here to learn more about in-content ads.

Twitter Chats: Once you have a lot of Twitter followers, brands will contact you to host their Twitter chat. These typically pay around $300 each and last 1 hour.

Sponsored Social Sharing: A brand will contact you and ask you to share their brand or product on your social media. Depending on your numbers, these can be charged at around $200 / share.

Brand Ambassadorships: A brand asks you to continuously use their product/service and write about it, and they pay you a monthly salary.

Press Trips: A tourism board or tour company invites you to their country to write about your experiences. They do this because your blog has large numbers and they want to introduce your readers to their tour or destination. The press trip typically includes flights, all transport, food, travel, and entertainment for the duration of the trip and you can charge for your services on top of this (upwards of $10,000).

Instagram Takeovers: This is where you take over the Instagram account and Instagram stories of a tourism board or brand and document your day or your use of the product (whatever is agreed to). You’ll be paid for your time, and it’s also a good way to get your name out there.

Something that hasn’t been thought of yet: The key to being a successful blogger is to be creative. There are a ton of bloggers coming up with new income streams every day. Step out of the box and try something new.

Now You Know How Much Travel Bloggers Make 

So, what are you waiting for?

Blogging can be a great source of income. The only regret we have about starting this travel blog is not doing it earlier. We love the job. We love sharing our travel experiences and knowledge with hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

We love helping new companies and up-and-coming destinations promote themselves. We enjoy connecting with our readers and bringing travel into our working life.

It’s truly the ultimate job, and now that you know that you can earn as much as $30,000 / month from it, it’s time to learn how to start a travel blog today.

CLICK HERE TO START A BLOG IN 10 MINUTES

When you click that blue button you’ll be taken to our guide to starting a blog.

Once you buy your domain name (example: www.yourblogname.com), we’ll give you our Beginner Blogging Course to help you get your website started correctly and efficiently ($70 value).

Plus, you’ll receive our $20 Pro Blogging ebook and access to our VIP Facebook group. All for free.

Happy travels and happy blogging.

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  The post How Much Money Can You Make From a Travel Blog? appeared first on Goats On The Road.

How Much Money Can You Make From a Travel Blog? published first on https://travelaspire.weebly.com/

[mariajustinteriordesigns]

Why We Love Formland: Holly Becker + Stefan Nilsson

Stefan and I (at a fair, of course).

Today I am talking to my fair partner (not to be confused with an affair partner, ha ha!) Stefan Nilsson, also known as “trendstefan”, the most famous trend hunting Swede from Stockholm who attends about 20 fairs and design events each year. I would say about six of those fairs are with me – Milan, Hannover, Herning, Frankfurt, Eindhoven and Cologne. Sometimes Helsinki. And maybe next year, I’ll add Paris and Stockholm so I can see him even more.

But for now, you can find Stefan and I at six fairs where we spend time together, sometimes on stage, sometimes just sipping wine in a canteen dishing about stuff we saw, what inspired us, what didn’t, what was missing, what we needed to see more of, blah blah blah. We are bit like the two men in the balcony on The Muppets Show – uncensored, unapologetic, opinionated, total know-it-alls when we chat alone together. But this is for a reason: we are both young enough to still be curious enough to spend hours and days covering fairs, but old enough to know we’ve seen it all, so we have a lot of opinions on our favorite topics: Interiors and trends.

For this blog post, I want to present both a conversation between Stefan and I AND a fair that I have attended at least 4 times already, Formland in Herning, Denmark.

Formland happens twice a year, but my favorite is the Spring edition that kicks off soon, in the dead of the gray, horrible northern European winter (next one is January 30 – February 2). Why go to a fair in winter? Why not?!! It’s when I crave inspiration, color, warm coffee, and good conversation the most. Formland is my big hug and re-entry back to the land of the living after a long pause.

It’s also where I seek out Stefan to join forces on stage to present a trend talk, hunt for interesting stuff, take a ton of photos, create videos, and when we go for steak and wine in the evening to gossip and laugh and mostly, to just enjoy catching up because it’s the only fair where we really get to spend dinner alone.

OK so with that mega-long intro, I don’t think I need to add much more because our conversation about Formland and WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND is the focus here so let’s get on with it…

Holly: So Mr. Trendstefan, you attend many fairs each year, why Formland?

Stefan: I love fairs. I know it sounds strange, but I do. To me fairs are about seeing things, falling in love with objects and talking to people. I talk about the industry, the sign of our times and of course challenges. In January, I’ll attend seven fairs and each has its own theme and vibe. Formland is wonderful to attend. I see a lot of my beloved Scandinavian brands there. I get a perfect overview of where the Scandinavian design scene is moving in terms of colors, materials and actual objects. 

There are a handful of fairs with a focus on Scandinavian design in the Nordic region, and everyone wants to be bigger and better. In my hometown of Stockholm, you have Formex with approximately 700 exhibitors and Formland in Denmark has about 470 brands. So Formland is indeed smaller, but also it’s honestly more inspiring. I love the installations, cafés and beautiful settings. 

Formland also always manages to find brands that surprise me. Brands that make me fall in love in design all over again. Like Dutch brand Dessert for Birds. And the whole sustainability angle. Remember Holly, when we talked to the vegan candy producer Wally and Whiz Nordic Winegums? So much fun.

Holly: Oh yes, I remember. He was really generous giving you all of that candy! I agree with you about Formland, I like it for the same reasons. It’s cozy and charming yet big enough to give me an excellent overview of what to expect from interiors in the new year and a great jump start during gray, cold weather when inspiration is needed most.

I also don’t feel rushed at Formland and I rarely have to queue for anything because it’s not overtaken by bloggers, press, and influencers (like Milan in recent years) so I find value in being there personally. It seems most fairs have a million other bloggers and members of the press already seeing and covering everything at break-neck speed so I don’t see the value in attending many of them anymore – I can just stay home and follow hashtags on Instagram instead and save the time, energy and money.

Formland feels like a fair I must go to for that reason -- it’s niche and special and not crowded and stressful. I love finding things first and delivering value to the brands by engaging with them on a personal level and helping to promote them on social media. I’m a busy person so I prefer to attend only the fairs where I can use my time wisely and deliver the most value. I love Formland for this reason, I know the brands and the fair overall really value my participation -- I’m a real friend of the fair.

Stefan, what are three things about Formland that you like the most?

Stefan: First, finding new, small-scale Scandinavian brands like Lars Rank or Novoform. Also, some pretty nice German brands too. Next, The friendliness. It’s important. It’s so easy to just grab someone and get a coffee or drink. At the end of the day, everyone gathers around one of the bars for an after-work drink. So casual, so friendly. 

And finally, I love how Formland focuses on sustainability. Not just last year (like everyone else) but for a long time. I love talking to brands like Lübech Living to find out about the new materials they’re using and other clever solutions they find in their research with a goal to create even better products than they have already. 

Holly: Yes, I agree - friendliness. Based on that, I get to easily start quality conversations and also meet up with people in the industry for good chats at the lovely trendy cafes and restaurants. Meeting the face behind each product is also extremely important to me, I love learning about the stories and inspiration behind what I’m seeing. For me, the next thing that I find inspiring at Formland is that it’s very inspiring visually, I always feel like I gained something to be their creatively-speaking (and I’m very hard to impress!) and I love the overall colors – this fair is by far the most inspiring when it comes to how color is shown and used. The third thing I absolutely love is to see the creative vision of STUDIE FLYHELSTED in their trend zone in both the Spring and Fall Formland shows. This time, I’m excited to see their latest concept, “The Art of Living”. When I read this, I knew it would click with me personally, “The Art of Living is divided into three different themes; 'A Sense of Your Inner Self' focusing on balance and wellbeing, 'A Feeling of Seduction' featuring personal expressions and 'A Touch of Togetherness' embracing the community.”

I love the pace of the fair too. I have to add this as a fourth thing I love. And okay, there is more… The flowers and candles everywhere – it’s so cozy – but also, I love that it’s in this lovely, small city of Herning so I don’t feel distracted like I do in other cities like Paris and Milan.

Herning is small, special and cozy – and once you are there you just want to be a Formland, eat a good dinner at a local stylish spot, and go to sleep so you can focus solely on the fair. I like the vibe – it makes me feel very at ease and in this way, I can get down to business and enjoy what I came there for – FORMLAND and only FORMLAND!

Stefan: Yes, I would agree on the pace. It is airy, not overcrowded and you can basically do Formland in two days so you don't have to rush things. Walk a bit, stop and look at something, enjoy one of the installations, see a lecture, have a drink, talk to someone, go for an after-work cocktail... It's a dream...

Holly Becker’s Trend Presentation at Formland Spring 2019

Holly: And food! What do you think about the food compared to other fairs?

Stefan: I know it's a big focus for the fair. And they do it well. The quality of the food is great. I am not fussy. I can eat basically anything but the look of these pop-up restaurants is just great. Formland invites a stylist or firm to make a whole new setting and installation where you eat. In August, I had lunch among marble statues or a coffee in a barn. It is all part of the "food for thought" part that I like. Coming up next is “The Villa” by Atelier Cph.

Holly: Well with fairs, I have come to expect the usual overpriced and mostly horrible fair food. Currywurst, boring lettuce salads, pizza, coke, bad sushi, and yucky coffee. At Formland, it’s entirely different. There are lovely trend-cafes to eat where the design and concept were just as well-planned as the food – so you eat fresh, delicious food that is affordable and it’s in a beautifully designed space so you are immersed in this mini-world of food and beauty. I just love eating at Formland, it’s the one fair where I know I can also find healthy, fresh food and great coffee, too. Plus, I have to mention they have an entire food HALL where you can see the latest sweets, wines, savory foods and so much more and of course, plenty of free samples!

Okay so let’s talk about size again. Size matters sometimes right?! ha ha! What do you like about the layout and size of the fair?

Stefan: It's nice. I mean, I am a fair-pro... I’ve seen it all. The air is good, lighting is nice and the overall structure is absolutely good. Again, this is a relatively compact fair so everything is within reach. You can focus on meeting people instead of constantly looking at a map trying to find places, getting lost, feeling frustrated…

Holly: Yes, I agree – the scale is great for me too. But I must comment on how each hall feels very distinct and different from the last, and it’s well-organized. Food is in one hall, new talent in another, very stylish brands are grouped together curated in the ONE hall, then you have the big leading brands in another hall, then flowers/plants, the food hall, etc. There is definitely something for everyone. You don’t leave Formland feeling exhausted and drained. The size is just perfect for me personally.

Do you have a favorite hall? I love the ONE concept in Hall F, I would own something from every seller in that space – it’s so well curated – Mads Arlien-Søborg is genius with his concept.

Stefan: Yes, of course, ONE is the star in this concept. And of course, this is where you find all the fancy and trendy brands (regardless if they focus on craft or something more luxurious). But I love to be surprised. I would say I like Hall H where my sustainable friends of Lübech Living are. But also, mass-market brands like Au Maison. So Hall J is my favorite.

[peacekaleandyoga1]

A damning new report from the World Resources Institute reveals just how seriously human beings need to address our current eating habits if we’re to have any hope of stopping climate change In 2010, the global population was seven billion Projections for the year 2050 show a population of 9

8 billion.

. The world will require 56 per cent more food production than in 2010, with demand for animal-based foods expected to soar by almost 70 per cent Such figures are deeply concerning There are currently already over 800 million hungry or malnourished people on Planet Earth, an issue which will only become more severe in the decades to come PA Already, agriculture uses nearly half of Earth’s vegetated land

According to the UN backed Creating a Sustainable Food Future report , our current food system is dangerously unsustainable, accounting for between 25 and 30 per cent of the earth’s greenhouse gases.

If consumption continues to rise in conjunction with current food habits, six million square kilometres of forest will need to be converted to agricultural land, adding up to an area twice the size of India

This vast area would reportedly be made up of two-thirds pasture land, and one third crops.

. Experts are now looking towards the momentous task of feeding a rising global population in a way which won’t lead to the complete destruction of our planet It’s a delicate balance, and one which requires tackling the evils of starvation and global warming simultaneously PA According to the World Resources Institute, radical changes are required within the agricultural industry as a matter of urgency This new report has recommended a 22 item ‘menu for a sustainable food future’, divided into five distinct ‘courses’ These ‘courses’ focus on reducing growth in demand for food and agricultural products, increasing food production without expanding agricultural land and exploiting reduced demand on agricultural land in order to both protect and restore forests, savannas, and peatlands The ‘menu’ also focuses on increasing fish supply through enhanced wild fisheries management and aquaculture, as well as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural production emazecom A variety of important areas for improvement were noted within this report, including the need to ‘moderate ruminant meat consumption’ (red meat) According to suggestions made within the report, high ruminant-meat consumers should aim to reduce their consumption by a full 40 per cent: Ruminant livestock (cattle, sheep, and goats) use two-thirds of global agricultural land and contribute roughly half of agriculture’s production-related emissions Ruminant meat demand is projected to grow by 88 percent between 2010 and 2050 Yet, even in the United States, ruminant meats (mostly beef) provide only 3 percent of calories

Closing the land and GHG mitigation gaps requires that, by 2050, the 20 percent of the world’s population who would otherwise be high ruminant-meat consumers reduce their average consumption by 40 per cent relative to their consumption in 2010.

Pixabay UNILAD spoke with Mark from Eating Better, an alliance of over 60 civil society organisations pushing for changes in meat and dairy consumption Mark told UNILAD how Eating Better hopes to reduce the UK’s meat intake by 50 per cent by 2030 , a goal he believes is both achievable and crucial: If we don’t make changes across a whole host of things, including food– and meat and dairy is a big one of them – you’ll reach a tipping point in terms of climate change Scientists who are too often sidelined, by the view that; ‘we don’t like being told what to do by experts’ are trying to get governments to pay attention That’s why at this point in time we need to speed up action And agriculture and what we eat is one big thing we can control Wikimedia Commons According to Mark, public awareness of the environmental impact of animal agriculture is growing, with YouGov surveys from 2017 and 2019 revealing a 23 percentage increase among those who understand the impact Interestingly, although younger people are becoming more aware of the harmful environmental effects of their meat consumption, this isn’t deterring them from consuming animal products on a regular basis Mark spoke with UNILAD about these ‘disappointing’ statistics: Younger people – 18 to 24-year-olds – have a better understanding of this than older people But the problem is that it’s not reflected in their actions So they have an understanding, but it’s not following through to what they’re actually doing 33 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds are still eating meat everyday, whereas just 15 per cent of 65 pluses are eating meat everyday So although their understanding is lower, they’re actually doing a better job of taking action Max Pixel According to Mark, disparities in nutritional needs means there is no one size fits all approach when reducing your meat and dairy intake: The 50 per cent by 2030 is a UK wide figure, we’re not saying everyone should reduce their meat intake by 50 per cent by 2030 Different people have different needs

Pregnant women have different needs.

Older people have different needs So the big meat eaters – the people who eat an awful lot – have the ability to reduce their meat intake perhaps by more than 50 per cent People who aren’t eating very much and have a nutrient need to have more meat in their diet For example pregnant women or people who may be anaemic, red meat can be a more important part of their diet They have a different ability to reduce their intake of meat and dairy But as a whole UK wide population, we have a responsibility to eat less meat and dairy Geograph Mark told UNILAD how the amount of plants needed to feed livestock means crops required for animal feed are encroaching on agricultural land, land which could be better used to feed the burgeoning global population

According to Mark, 1 kg of meat needs 2.

8 kg of human-edible feed for ruminants (eg cows, goats and sheep) and 32 kg for monogastrics (eg chickens and pigs) There appears to be a widespread public opinion that eating chicken is better for the environment that eating beef However, this isn’t entirely accurate, and Mark believes more awareness is needed about the environmental footprint of monogastrics Despite not releasing the same amount of greenhouse gases, Mark explained how chicken and pigs actually create ‘huge amounts of water and air pollution’: Swapping from red meat to chicken or pigs works for greenhouse gases, but it doesn’t work for air and water pollution

Because chicken and pigs cause a huge amount of nitrogen and ammonia pollution which pollutes our waterways and pollutes our air.

There’s been the health argument, but there’s lots of other things to take into the equation I think there’s a growing understanding there about the impact on water and air pollution, as well as other things Particularly in Northern Ireland, where the Northern Irish authorities have been very, very open to pig farming And the amount of environmental damage is just incredible Of course, it’s created employment for people, but waterways take years to get back to how they should be Geograph I know how difficult it can be when you come home from work and just want to shove something – anything – into the oven But these figures should really make us pause and consider what can still be done to preserve and restore Earth’s precious resources We are all thinking human beings capable of making significant changes through our dinner plates, and we should absolutely feel a commitment to future generations whose lives will be shaped for better ir worse by our everyday choices With plenty of perfectly delicious vegan and vegetarian dishes to try, many of us can make the effort to ensure our mealtimes leave less of a mark on our beautiful, irreplaceable planet If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via [email protected] Julia Banim Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!) She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications from https://ift.tt/2YQlaqV

[foodtrails25-blog]

Rava Pongal is a staple South Indian dish originating from the state of Tamil Nadu.

A special dish that is cooked during the auspicious occasion of Pongal  and also consumed for breakfast with dollop of ghee served with sambhar or coconut chutney.

  Being from the Northern part of India, I didn’t know much about pongal dishes apart from the festival Pongal which coincides with Makar Sankranti in North. The sweet version of Pongal (Sakkarai Pongal) is made with rice, milk and jaggery. The savoury version made with lentils and rice (Vel Pongal) and other variations with rava or whole cracked wheat.

What is Pongal

Rava Pongal, is such an easy to make dish and is commonly had for breakfast. It is a no-onion no-garlic dish that is very light on stomach. A spoonful of ghee on hot Pongal makes it so divine.

It is a protein packed dish that is ideal for light meals also. Ghee adds on to the flavour of it, but for a vegan version use any plant based oil or butter.

This tastes best when hot and fresh and thickens once it starts to cool. You can always add some water to adjust the consistency  and some ghee to it when having the leftovers.

This is the first time I am trying a Pongal recipe. I made it two days back to try it and then made it again for Sunday light dinner as we has quite late lunch of our staple Rajma(Masala) Chawal.

We like many South Indian dishes which are regular in my house like Upma, Idlis(Rava and Ragi), Dosa. I recently tried this Moong Dal Kheer(Paitham Paruppu Payasam or Paramannam) that was loved by my family.

Celebration time at Foodie Monday Bloghop

Foodie Monday bloghop my facebook food group completes its 200th week. I joined the group in Nov’18, where my first post for the group was Kale and Spinach Saag With Paneer Koftas . After that I have hardly  missed any week except one.. Do visit the group page to see some of the wonderful work done by other fellow bloggers.

For the 200th theme, it was decided to do a #200 Round Robin theme,  where we were partnered with a fellow blogger whose name comes after our name in alphabetical order. I am paired with multi-talented Veena who has a years of blogging experience and has a wonderful vegetarian blog!!!

Veenas Vegenation, her blog is a treasure of recipes from traditional South Indian vegetarian dishes and meals to the recipes from all over the world. Rice is a staple in many South Indian kitchens but recently she has given up rice in her meals and cooks with with healthy grains like millets, quinoa and many more. If you are looking for recipes on that lines do head to her blog. Chutneys, salads, dips, breads and cake you will find everything on her blog with a healthy take on the recipe.

I decided to make Rava Pongal from here blog, as it is a dish that I wanted to try for quite some time, and it is an authentic South Indian dish made on auspicious occasions, also it is celebration time in group.

To make Rava Pongal, we need coarse Rava or Sooji or Semolina. Moong Dal, you can take Split Moong Lentils (yellow) or Green Gram dal. I used Split Green Moong Lentils here.

Other ingredients are.. ghee, fresh curry leaves, black pepper powder, cumin seeds and fresh ginger(fresh ginger is not visible in pics as I forgot to keep it while taking pics).

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How to cook Rava Pongal..

Pongal means to overflow. Traditionally it is cooked in open pans where the pot full of the milk overflows and people consider it as an auspicious sign, signifying the harvest.

I cooked Dal in pressure cooker, rest cooking I did in another pan.

Let’s see how I made this simple and comforting Rava Pongal…

Recipe adapted from here..Veenas Vegenation

Rava Pongal

Rava Pongal is a staple South Indian dish originating from the state of Tamil Nadu. It is special dish that is cooked during the auspicious occasion of Pongal.

1/2 Cup Rava/Semolina

1/4 Cup Split Moong Beans(Green)

6-8 Fresh Curry Leaves

6-8 Cashew Nuts

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

1/2 tsp Black Pepper Crushed

2 tbsp Ghee

1" Fresh Ginger

In pressure cooker. take green moong dal and roast till it gives nutty aroma.

Add around 1 cup water and finely chopped/crushed ginger to it and pressure cook it for 2-3 whistles

Once the pressure goes down from the pressure cooker, check for the doneness of dal.

In another pan, take semolina and dry roast it till it starts giving the aroma. Do not roast till it gets brown.

Transfer to another pan and keep aside.

In the same pan, add ghee, cumin seeds, curry leaves, crushed black pepper and cashew nuts.

Roast till the cashew nuts start turning light brown.

Take out cashews from pan. You can roast cashews first and then make the tempering.

Add cooked dal in the pan then add semolina and add water,mix nicely taking care no lumps are formed.

Add water to adjust the consistency. Many people like it thick, but I kept the consistency just like I make Sooji Halwa, as it starts getting thick after sometime.

Cook till the desired consistency.

Transfer to serving bowl, garnish with roasted cashew nuts and serve hot with additional dollop of desi ghee.

I cooked dal with ginger. You can add while making the tempering.

Use any Moong Lentil available with you.

We relished hot pongal  as it is without any chutney or sambar, just with spoonful of ghee and licked our bowls clean. It was such a comforting and filling meal. Kids too loved it.

If you haven’t tried Rava Pongal yet, do try it. Trust me you will love this simple and yet so rich in flavours from curry leaves, cumin, black pepper and ginger.

Do visit my social media accounts.. FB, Pinterest and Instagram. Whenever you make these, do post on my FB page or tag me on Instagram(#foodtrails25). Pin the recipes for later reference.

If you like my work, then do hit the follow button and subscribe to the blog to get notifications on new posts and share the blog with your loved ones. I promise won’t spam your mailbox 🙂.

Thanks for stopping by!!

      Rava Pongal Rava Pongal is a staple South Indian dish originating from the state of Tamil Nadu. A special dish that is cooked during the auspicious occasion of Pongal  and also consumed for breakfast with dollop of ghee served with sambhar or coconut chutney.

[singledigger35-blog]

Feed Your Feed: Teen Vegan Haile Thomas’s Top 5 Instagrammers to Follow

Haile Thomas is an 18-year-old health activist, vegan food & lifestyle influencer, and the founder/CEO of the nonprofit HAPPY (aka, Healthy Active Positive Purposeful Youth). Here, she shares her favorite Instagram influencers, ranging from fellow vegan bloggers to self-love advocates. 

Hey there! I am so incredibly grateful to have found a beautiful and loving community on Instagram where I can explore food + everything and anything. And I’m so excited to share that love by spotlighting five Instagram accounts that I’m absolutely obsessed with right now! They all inspire me to be my most creative, authentic and flavorful self (pun 100% intended).

@kimjuliehansen

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Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Pasta with Balsamic Grilled Tomatoes I made for a project on my other page @bestofvegan (get the printable version via the link in @bestofvegan’s bio) ❤️ . Serves 4 Ingredients: 10oz egg-free fettuccine (dry weight)  1 1/4 cup cashews, soaked  2 cups vegetable broth  2 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast  2 tsp cornstarch or all-purpose flour 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 yellow onion, medium to large, chopped 12-14oz mushrooms of choice, sliced  2 tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil 8oz cherry tomatoes  1 tsp balsamic reduction or balsamic vinegar 1 handful fresh basil leaves  sea salt to taste  1 pinch freshly ground pepper  3 cups baby spinach  2 tsp soy or tamari sauce  2 tsp liquid smoke (optional) Directions:  1.In a large pot, bring lightly salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook al dente, which should take about 12-13 minutes depending on the brand you’re using. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and return it to the pot, mixing in 1 tbsp olive oil, fresh basil and ground pepper. Add the lid to keep the pasta warm until you’re ready to serve.  2.While the pasta is cooking, start sautéeing the chopped onion and 2 garlic cloves in 1 tbsp of olive oil in your frypan. Add the mushrooms about a minute later and then sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes, then add the soy sauce and liquid smoke and mix well.  3.Reduce heat to low and start making the cashew sauce. For the sauce, blend the soaked and drained cashews with the cornstarch, 1 1/4 cup vegetable broth, sea salt and nutritional yeast on high until you get a smooth consistency.  4.Add the sauce and spinach to the pan, mix well and let simmer for 5 more minutes mixing in the rest of the vegetable broth little by little (add more if the sauce is too thick). 5.For the balsamic tomatoes, add 2 tsp olive oil and the cherry tomatoes to a grill pan and grill over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the balsamic reduction or vinegar and 1 minced garlic clove and grill for 3 additional minutes over low-medium heat.  6.Serve the pasta with the sauce and tomatoes and enjoy. #bestofvegan #lunchinspo

A post shared by Kim-Julie Hansen (@kimjuliehansen) on Dec 12, 2018 at 8:12am PST

Kim-Julie is the author of The Vegan Reset and the founder of the very popular and drool-inducing Instagram account @bestofvegan. Not only has her entrepreneurial spirit and animal activism inspired me immensely but also she is truly a brilliant soul who contributes so much light and wisdom to the world. I am always learning something new from her accounts.

@sophia_roe

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on dopamine . . Dopamine is one of our body’s neurotransmitters. It has a variety of functions, and is key in behavior, cognition, motivation and reward. When we receive a reward of any kind, dopamine is released in our brains. Over time, this release of dopamine can lead to learning. As we get "rewarded" over and over again for something, our bodies learn that we should keep doing whatever that is A LOT, constantly even. It can be hard to unlearn those kinds of behaviors. . . The exact conditions when we receive our “reward” stimulus are imprinted on our brains. Research has shown that rats that are given chocolate in a given situation learn to expect it, and the same situation triggers reward centers in the brain even without the chocolate being present. So once our brains connect processed sugar with a particular mood or state of mind, it’s hard to reverse it. For example, for some eating dinner is a time when family gets together, giving you a warm feeling. So later in life you’re feeling lonely, you might try eating to make yourself feel better. . . This is especially true for those who were conditioned as kids to associate sweets with a good deed, get an A=have candy. Later, when they want the same feeling of accomplishment, they often turn to the food stimulus to create that feeling. Hence, "comfort food" . . There are things you can do to train your yourself to eat healthier. Obviously, do your damnedest to avoid calorie-packed, super sugary, and generally “bad for you” foods. If you stop eating them, your brain never gets the chance to associate them with the dopamine reward, making it so you don’t crave them. Resisting the initial temptation will help to resist in the future, + instead of getting dopamine boosts from sugar, you’ll get them when you eat healthy meals. Soon, your brain associates “good for you food” with dopamine rewards, + you’ll find yourself wanting to eat healthy when you want a rewarding brain boost. . . But, my biggest tip, will power! It's not easy guys, fighting urges is hard. But, I promise, if you stick to your guns and fight the urge..in just 10 days..you'll be like "sugar what?!? girl bye, Pass me the salad!”

A post shared by Soph (@sophia_roe) on Sep 24, 2018 at 9:26am PDT

Sophia is someone I truly admire and look up to. Her account is nourishment for your senses. Your eyes get to enjoy stunning images of food, DIY beauty recipes, her curls, or all three! And your mind gets to dive into her expressive and beautiful writing that encompasses the stunning and not so stunning parts of life and how she’s grown through it all — with a vulnerability that allows others to blossom too.

@jessicainthekitchen

Jessica is like sunshine on your phone. Not only does her smile and kindness shine brightly but also her food turns on hunger pangs in an instant. Her love and talent for creating comforting, simple and delicious vegan food is truly amazing. We also share Jamaican roots and that makes it 100% more enjoyable to follow her.

@lulusdreamtown

I am in love with all that Lulu has created and is now shifting into with her platform! From food to self-love to interesting conversations, following her is a true joy. I also love that she is a peer within my generation, using Instagram for good by being her true self and bringing up really important topics.

@the.korean.vegan

Joanne’s moody, rich, soulful food and life feed is complemented by her truly incredible writing. She shares beautiful stories from her life with such vivid and expressive detail that you feel as though you were transported into her story. And the Korean food she makes? To live for. From kimchi fried rice, Japchae, dumplings and more — I’ve even had the honor of tasting her masterful creations on a few occasions!

Source: https://blog.williams-sonoma.com/feed-your-feed-teen-vegan-haile-thomass-top-5-instagrammers-to-follow/

[almajonesnjna]

How to Eat a Plant-Based Diet: A Scientific Look at Going Vegan Safely

So you’re interested in eating only plants, eh?

Well, you’ve come to the right place to learn all about it. I’ve seen many people over the years have success with a Plant-Based Diet.

Truth be told though, I’ve seen many people also struggle with it too.

(After all, donuts are “plant-based” and pizza just got declared “a vegetable”).

There is definitely a right way and a wrong way to embark on eliminating animal products from your diet.

Today, I’ll share with you how to safely and correctly follow a plant-based menu and still hit your goals.

Now, although I’ve been running this site for 10 years, I may be drawing a large target on my back by diving headfirst into a topic I’ve thus far avoided.

As a blogger, if you want to tenfold your hate mail, take a stance on a Plant-Based Diet.

And saying ANYTHING about veganism – for OR against – is an easy way to get virtual produce tossed at you.

Although most people discover Nerd Fitness through our guides on Paleo or Keto, we get SO many questions on how to eat a Plant-Based Diet that I figured I’d give my two cents.

With pop stars and famous directors advising folks to try veganism, these inquiries are only going to increase.[1]

So today, we are going to talk about how to eat a Plant-Based Diet safely.

The right way, and the wrong way, to go vegan or vegetarian.

BIG ASS CAVEAT: I’m not going to try to convince you to give up meat. If you’re reading this, I’ll assume you’re here because you’re interested in doing so, and want to know the best path through it.

The politics, controversy (yes, I’ve read the China Study[2]), and geopolitical impact of veganism are beyond the scope of this article. I’m just a nerd who studies the hell outta health and wellness and sometimes wears pants.[3]

So setting all the controversy aside, I want to explore the science and the “how to” for people who are heading down this path.

If you are going to eat a plant-based or vegan diet, what’s the best way to do it?

What are tips and tricks to make it sustainable?

Is it as easy as “stop eating meat?”

Is there any unsafe way to eat only plants?

Let’s goooooo!

WHAT EXACTLY IS A PLANT-BASED DIET?

There are quite a few different versions of a Plant-Based Diet.

It’ll be good to start with some definitions so we land on the same page.

According to the Vegetarian Society, a vegetarian is someone who “does not eat foods that consist of, or have been produced with the aid of products consisting of or created from, any part of the body of a living or dead animal.”[4]

So NO eating:  

Meat

Poultry

Fish

Shellfish

Insects

Instead, vegetarians DO eat:

Grains

Legumes

Nuts

Seeds

Vegetables (duh)

Fruits

Fungi

Plants, more or less.

“Vegetarian” can be a broader term for more specific examples of plant-based eating. Some examples would be:

Lacto-ovo-vegetarians is someone who doesn’t eat animal flesh but does eat dairy and eggs. This is the most common type of vegetarian.

Lacto vegetarians don’t eat eggs but do eat dairy.

Ovo vegetarians avoid all animals products, with the exception of eggs.

Vegans avoid all animal products, including dairy and eggs and even things like honey. If it came from an animal, it’s not a part of a vegan diet. Some even take it one step further and eat only a “raw vegan” diet, where the plants consumed are not cooked prior to consumption.

The above are the most common forms of Plant-Based Diets, but there are others!

A pescatarian is someone who consumes no animal products except fish and shellfish.

A flexitarian is someone who follows a vegetarian diet a majority of the time, but who will occasionally eat meat.

Now granted, neither pescatarians nor flexitarians are technically vegetarians because both contain animal products on the menu.

However, they are mostly plant-based, so worth mentioning – especially if somebody is doing this in an attempt to be healthier.  

There are many more considerations and labels, which can tackle a lot of the ethical stances around being vegan: not wearing animal products, the treatment of animals, etc.

To be blunt, this is outside the scope of this article.

I’m only interested in “If you are going to eat only plants, how do you do it?” So we’ll politely ignore clothing, testing, and captivity for this article.

Which brings us to…

WHAT DO YOU EAT ON A PLANT-BASED DIET? WHAT’S ON A VEGAN MENU?

What you can or cannot eat on a Plant-Based Diet depends a lot on what kind of vegetarianism you follow.

Eggs and dairy, for example, may or may not be included. It really comes down to what path you are choosing.

There are some general food groups we can consider as universal no matter what form of vegetarianism you follow.

A Plant-Based Diet will include the following foods:

Whole grains. Rice, oats, barley, and buckwheat would all be examples of whole grains. Most vegetarian diets include a sizable amount of whole grains as their base.

Vegetables. Of course, a vegetarian diet is going to include vegetables! And it should because vegetables are great for you! They’re packed full of nutrients, fiber, and generally low in calories. Most people could stand to eat more veggies. If you find yourself not being able to stomach greens, I got you. Check out this post for tips on how to turn around any vegetable hater.

Legumes. Beans, lentils, and soy make up the legume family. If you’re following a plant-based or vegan diet, legumes would be a great way to get protein (more on this to follow).

Fruit. Bananas, apples, and oranges all come from plants, so all are vegetarian-friendly. While high in fructose (sugar), they are also nutrient dense. Our general stance on fruit around these parts is to eat “in moderation.”

Nuts and seeds. Again, they come from plants, so almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds are good to go on any vegetarian plan you pick. So is quinoa, which although is often thought of as a grain, is actually a seed. Mind=blown.

Nuts and seeds, although high in fat and calories, are another great way to get protein on a Plant-Based Diet.

No matter what type of vegetarian diet you pick, you’d be free to eat the above (provided they fit into your current nutrition goals – but I’ll get to that shortly).

The below will depend on what kind of vegetarianism you are trying. We may be stepping into controversial waters (remember, don’t shoot the messenger) with the following:

Eggs. Eggs are a great source of vitamin B12 and protein, which will become important in a section further down.

Dairy. Whether or not you consume dairy will be determined by your specific strain of plant-based nutrition. On the one hand, it’s from an animal (moo). On the other hand, dairy can be full of nutrients that might be harder to source from only plants, like omega-3s and calcium.

Fish. Look, I get it. Fish are animals, so technically not allowed on a vegetarian diet. However, if you eat a mostly-Plant-Based Diet that includes a little fish, it wouldn’t be too different from a Mediterranean Diet. There are a lot worse ways to eat than like the Mediterraneans. And as mentioned earlier, depending on who you talk to, being pescatarian could be a form of a Plant-Based Diet.

That’s a lot of the major food groups when it comes to plant-based eating.

So here’s all you need to remember:

Whatever form of vegetarianism you may pick, stick to REAL food whenever possible.

Pinto beans, asparagus, apples, and quinoa would all be examples of real food. These are nutrient-dense foods that will keep you full and energized throughout your day. Deep fried cheese balls, donuts, and candy bars are examples of “plant-based, but not real” food.

And I’ll give out a warning on processed vegan junk food in a moment.

For now, there may be a question you are thinking.

It’s one of the most common ones we get when it comes to eating a vegetarian or vegan diet.

WILL A VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN DIET HELP ME LOSE WEIGHT?

…MAYBE!

There are plenty of examples of people losing weight on a Plant-Based Diet.[5]

However, there are also stories of the opposite where people gained body fat when going vegan.[6]

However, anecdotal evidence isn’t science.

What does the research say?

If you look at studies on the subject, there’s nothing here that will surprise us: plant-based calories count just as much as animal-based calories.[7]

There are some studies which show the success of veganism compared to omnivore diets for weight loss.[8] Then there are others showing that a diet including meat outperforms vegan diets for trimming body fat.[9]

Depending on who you’re trying to impress, you can find six studies that say vegans will lose more weight than meat eaters, or half a dozen studies that show vegans will lose less weight.

It honestly doesn’t matter, because when it comes to weight loss, it comes down to calories, calories, calories.

Oh and calories. Did I mention calories?  

Put bluntly, if you’re not losing weight, you’re consuming too many calories.

It doesn’t matter if they’re vegan or vegetarian or Paleo or certified organic. Check out our “Why can’t I lose weight?” article to learn the science behind why!

Let’s get to the point: You’re here, you’re eating plants, and you want to lose weight. So here’s how to do it.

If you typically ate a standard American diet filled with burgers and french fries, and then moved to salads? Yeah, I’d imagine that you would lose weight – simply because you’re now eating fewer calories than you were eating in the past.

However, if you go from scarfing down normal burgers to scarfing down an Impossible Burger or a vegan burger? Maybe not.[10]

Let’s take a look:

An Impossible Burger’s three-ounce patty has 220 calories.

A three-ounce regular beef patty has about 205 calories.

The Impossible Burger is made with wheat protein, coconut oil, potato protein and heme (a molecule found in plants and animals). So it’s very calorically dense.

Moral of the story: don’t assume that food without any meat in it will have fewer calories in it.

While there are plenty of nuances, when it comes to weight loss, calories in and calories out plays a major role in whether or not you are successful.

Just because something is vegan doesn’t mean it’s necessarily healthy. As someone pointed out in our private Facebook Academy group, “Oreos are vegan.”

If you don’t plan properly, you could be deluding yourself into thinking veganism will be a weight loss strategy.

I know that adopting a new lifestyle can be challenging, especially if you’re really busy. Whether it’s veganism, a low-carb diet, or trying to build muscle, embarking on a new habit can be tough if you don’t know what to do.

Weight-loss, no matter which strategy you pick, can be a hard road to follow.

I want you to know that you’re not alone, we’re here to help. We offer a 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program to help busy people like you embark on complete life overhauls. We can help you with dietary changes, exercise, and accountability so you can create new healthy habits that fit into your chaotic day-to-day life!

If you’re thinking about a Plant-Based Diet for weight loss, we can help you switch to a less restrictive diet over time. Slow and steady is our preferred approach.

If you’d like to learn more, click on the big image below:

DO I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN WHEN EATING A PLANT-BASED DIET?

Contrary to popular belief, you CAN get enough protein when following a Plant-Based  Diet.

However, protein consumption SHOULD be something that’s prioritized if you’re trying to lose weight, build muscle, and be healthier. What we call “protein” is actually a combination of different amino acids. There are 20 or so amino acids that we use to build muscle and keep our organs functioning.

Nine of these amino acids our body can’t produce itself, so we need to get them through food.

Getting all nine is important, because these amino acids do everything from build and repair muscle tissue (which is HUGE for strength training), run our metabolism, and even help our genes function correctly.[11]

All nine are found together in all forms of meat. When you eat a piece of chicken, you are getting all nine.

When it comes to non-animal sources, most plants will generally be missing one or two of these nine essential amino acids.[12]

Soy might be the best way to get all nine together in one plant; however, soy doesn’t seem to provide the same biological functionality as dairy or eggs.[13]

You can overcome this small challenge easily by varying your dietary choices.

Let’s look at the most common example:  

Beans are low in the amino acid methionine, while high in the amino acid lysine.

Conversely, rice is low in lysine but high in methionine.

Eat them together, and you’ve covered any amino acid deficiency![14]

To recap: if you eat some kind of unprocessed starch (rice, corn, potatoes, beans), combined with some fruits and vegetables during the day, you’ll be covered.[15] The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics explains “Protein from a variety of plant foods, eaten during the course of a day, supplies enough of all indispensable (essential) amino acids when caloric requirements are met.[16]

Did you catch that caveat?

As long as you are meeting your calorie requirements from “plant foods,” you’ll get all your necessary amino acids. But this only works if your calories are coming from plants, not cookies.

I’ll say it again: EAT REAL FOOD.

Eating a variety of foods will help build up a diversified nutrient profile, including amino acids. Oats with one meal, lentils with the next, and rice with dinner, for example.

This would be a better strategy than just living off soy.

And DEFINITELY better off than living off of Soylent Green…

To recap this section: vegetarians can get plenty of protein. It just really depends on what they are eating.

So why are we focusing so much on protein?

Because, muscles.

CAN I BUILD MUSCLE ON A PLANT-BASED DIET?

Look in the right places and have the right conversations, and you’ll be able to find uber successful plant-based athletes that have built plenty of muscle.

For example, Danielle Sidell is a CrossFit athlete who follows a 100% Plant-Based Diet:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Danielle Sidell M.S. (@dani_sidell) on Jan 14, 2019 at 10:26am PST

David Carter, a defensive lineman in the NFL, calls himself “The 300-Pound Vegan.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Carter (@iamdavidhcarter) on Apr 30, 2018 at 7:22pm PDT

Let’s not forget about Jeremy Reijnders, another CrossFit athlete and vegan proponent:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jeremy Reijnders (@jeremyreijnders) on Jan 29, 2018 at 11:08am PST

And one last example to round things out: Joe Venus, a vegan bodybuilder who gets anywhere from 80-180 grams of protein daily through big meals.[17]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jon Venus (@jonvenus) on Jan 31, 2019 at 12:40pm..

http://bit.ly/2Sz95DY

[albertcaldwellne]

How to Eat a Plant-Based Diet: A Scientific Look at Going Vegan Safely

So you’re interested in eating only plants, eh?

Well, you’ve come to the right place to learn all about it. I’ve seen many people over the years have success with a Plant-Based Diet.

Truth be told though, I’ve seen many people also struggle with it too.

(After all, donuts are “plant-based” and pizza just got declared “a vegetable”).

There is definitely a right way and a wrong way to embark on eliminating animal products from your diet.

Today, I’ll share with you how to safely and correctly follow a plant-based menu and still hit your goals.

Now, although I’ve been running this site for 10 years, I may be drawing a large target on my back by diving headfirst into a topic I’ve thus far avoided.

As a blogger, if you want to tenfold your hate mail, take a stance on a Plant-Based Diet.

And saying ANYTHING about veganism – for OR against – is an easy way to get virtual produce tossed at you.

Although most people discover Nerd Fitness through our guides on Paleo or Keto, we get SO many questions on how to eat a Plant-Based Diet that I figured I’d give my two cents.

With pop stars and famous directors advising folks to try veganism, these inquiries are only going to increase.[1]

So today, we are going to talk about how to eat a Plant-Based Diet safely.

The right way, and the wrong way, to go vegan or vegetarian.

BIG ASS CAVEAT: I’m not going to try to convince you to give up meat. If you’re reading this, I’ll assume you’re here because you’re interested in doing so, and want to know the best path through it.

The politics, controversy (yes, I’ve read the China Study[2]), and geopolitical impact of veganism are beyond the scope of this article. I’m just a nerd who studies the hell outta health and wellness and sometimes wears pants.[3]

So setting all the controversy aside, I want to explore the science and the “how to” for people who are heading down this path.

If you are going to eat a plant-based or vegan diet, what’s the best way to do it?

What are tips and tricks to make it sustainable?

Is it as easy as “stop eating meat?”

Is there any unsafe way to eat only plants?

Let’s goooooo!

WHAT EXACTLY IS A PLANT-BASED DIET?

There are quite a few different versions of a Plant-Based Diet.

It’ll be good to start with some definitions so we land on the same page.

According to the Vegetarian Society, a vegetarian is someone who “does not eat foods that consist of, or have been produced with the aid of products consisting of or created from, any part of the body of a living or dead animal.”[4]

So NO eating:  

Meat

Poultry

Fish

Shellfish

Insects

Instead, vegetarians DO eat:

Grains

Legumes

Nuts

Seeds

Vegetables (duh)

Fruits

Fungi

Plants, more or less.

“Vegetarian” can be a broader term for more specific examples of plant-based eating. Some examples would be:

Lacto-ovo-vegetarians is someone who doesn’t eat animal flesh but does eat dairy and eggs. This is the most common type of vegetarian.

Lacto vegetarians don’t eat eggs but do eat dairy.

Ovo vegetarians avoid all animals products, with the exception of eggs.

Vegans avoid all animal products, including dairy and eggs and even things like honey. If it came from an animal, it’s not a part of a vegan diet. Some even take it one step further and eat only a “raw vegan” diet, where the plants consumed are not cooked prior to consumption.

The above are the most common forms of Plant-Based Diets, but there are others!

A pescatarian is someone who consumes no animal products except fish and shellfish.

A flexitarian is someone who follows a vegetarian diet a majority of the time, but who will occasionally eat meat.

Now granted, neither pescatarians nor flexitarians are technically vegetarians because both contain animal products on the menu.

However, they are mostly plant-based, so worth mentioning – especially if somebody is doing this in an attempt to be healthier.  

There are many more considerations and labels, which can tackle a lot of the ethical stances around being vegan: not wearing animal products, the treatment of animals, etc.

To be blunt, this is outside the scope of this article.

I’m only interested in “If you are going to eat only plants, how do you do it?” So we’ll politely ignore clothing, testing, and captivity for this article.

Which brings us to…

WHAT DO YOU EAT ON A PLANT-BASED DIET? WHAT’S ON A VEGAN MENU?

What you can or cannot eat on a Plant-Based Diet depends a lot on what kind of vegetarianism you follow.

Eggs and dairy, for example, may or may not be included. It really comes down to what path you are choosing.

There are some general food groups we can consider as universal no matter what form of vegetarianism you follow.

A Plant-Based Diet will include the following foods:

Whole grains. Rice, oats, barley, and buckwheat would all be examples of whole grains. Most vegetarian diets include a sizable amount of whole grains as their base.

Vegetables. Of course, a vegetarian diet is going to include vegetables! And it should because vegetables are great for you! They’re packed full of nutrients, fiber, and generally low in calories. Most people could stand to eat more veggies. If you find yourself not being able to stomach greens, I got you. Check out this post for tips on how to turn around any vegetable hater.

Legumes. Beans, lentils, and soy make up the legume family. If you’re following a plant-based or vegan diet, legumes would be a great way to get protein (more on this to follow).

Fruit. Bananas, apples, and oranges all come from plants, so all are vegetarian-friendly. While high in fructose (sugar), they are also nutrient dense. Our general stance on fruit around these parts is to eat “in moderation.”

Nuts and seeds. Again, they come from plants, so almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds are good to go on any vegetarian plan you pick. So is quinoa, which although is often thought of as a grain, is actually a seed. Mind=blown.

Nuts and seeds, although high in fat and calories, are another great way to get protein on a Plant-Based Diet.

No matter what type of vegetarian diet you pick, you’d be free to eat the above (provided they fit into your current nutrition goals – but I’ll get to that shortly).

The below will depend on what kind of vegetarianism you are trying. We may be stepping into controversial waters (remember, don’t shoot the messenger) with the following:

Eggs. Eggs are a great source of vitamin B12 and protein, which will become important in a section further down.

Dairy. Whether or not you consume dairy will be determined by your specific strain of plant-based nutrition. On the one hand, it’s from an animal (moo). On the other hand, dairy can be full of nutrients that might be harder to source from only plants, like omega-3s and calcium.

Fish. Look, I get it. Fish are animals, so technically not allowed on a vegetarian diet. However, if you eat a mostly-Plant-Based Diet that includes a little fish, it wouldn’t be too different from a Mediterranean Diet. There are a lot worse ways to eat than like the Mediterraneans. And as mentioned earlier, depending on who you talk to, being pescatarian could be a form of a Plant-Based Diet.

That’s a lot of the major food groups when it comes to plant-based eating.

So here’s all you need to remember:

Whatever form of vegetarianism you may pick, stick to REAL food whenever possible.

Pinto beans, asparagus, apples, and quinoa would all be examples of real food. These are nutrient-dense foods that will keep you full and energized throughout your day. Deep fried cheese balls, donuts, and candy bars are examples of “plant-based, but not real” food.

And I’ll give out a warning on processed vegan junk food in a moment.

For now, there may be a question you are thinking.

It’s one of the most common ones we get when it comes to eating a vegetarian or vegan diet.

WILL A VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN DIET HELP ME LOSE WEIGHT?

…MAYBE!

There are plenty of examples of people losing weight on a Plant-Based Diet.[5]

However, there are also stories of the opposite where people gained body fat when going vegan.[6]

However, anecdotal evidence isn’t science.

What does the research say?

If you look at studies on the subject, there’s nothing here that will surprise us: plant-based calories count just as much as animal-based calories.[7]

There are some studies which show the success of veganism compared to omnivore diets for weight loss.[8] Then there are others showing that a diet including meat outperforms vegan diets for trimming body fat.[9]

Depending on who you’re trying to impress, you can find six studies that say vegans will lose more weight than meat eaters, or half a dozen studies that show vegans will lose less weight.

It honestly doesn’t matter, because when it comes to weight loss, it comes down to calories, calories, calories.

Oh and calories. Did I mention calories?  

Put bluntly, if you’re not losing weight, you’re consuming too many calories.

It doesn’t matter if they’re vegan or vegetarian or Paleo or certified organic. Check out our “Why can’t I lose weight?” article to learn the science behind why!

Let’s get to the point: You’re here, you’re eating plants, and you want to lose weight. So here’s how to do it.

If you typically ate a standard American diet filled with burgers and french fries, and then moved to salads? Yeah, I’d imagine that you would lose weight – simply because you’re now eating fewer calories than you were eating in the past.

However, if you go from scarfing down normal burgers to scarfing down an Impossible Burger or a vegan burger? Maybe not.[10]

Let’s take a look:

An Impossible Burger’s three-ounce patty has 220 calories.

A three-ounce regular beef patty has about 205 calories.

The Impossible Burger is made with wheat protein, coconut oil, potato protein and heme (a molecule found in plants and animals). So it’s very calorically dense.

Moral of the story: don’t assume that food without any meat in it will have fewer calories in it.

While there are plenty of nuances, when it comes to weight loss, calories in and calories out plays a major role in whether or not you are successful.

Just because something is vegan doesn’t mean it’s necessarily healthy. As someone pointed out in our private Facebook Academy group, “Oreos are vegan.”

If you don’t plan properly, you could be deluding yourself into thinking veganism will be a weight loss strategy.

I know that adopting a new lifestyle can be challenging, especially if you’re really busy. Whether it’s veganism, a low-carb diet, or trying to build muscle, embarking on a new habit can be tough if you don’t know what to do.

Weight-loss, no matter which strategy you pick, can be a hard road to follow.

I want you to know that you’re not alone, we’re here to help. We offer a 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program to help busy people like you embark on complete life overhauls. We can help you with dietary changes, exercise, and accountability so you can create new healthy habits that fit into your chaotic day-to-day life!

If you’re thinking about a Plant-Based Diet for weight loss, we can help you switch to a less restrictive diet over time. Slow and steady is our preferred approach.

If you’d like to learn more, click on the big image below:

DO I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN WHEN EATING A PLANT-BASED DIET?

Contrary to popular belief, you CAN get enough protein when following a Plant-Based  Diet.

However, protein consumption SHOULD be something that’s prioritized if you’re trying to lose weight, build muscle, and be healthier. What we call “protein” is actually a combination of different amino acids. There are 20 or so amino acids that we use to build muscle and keep our organs functioning.

Nine of these amino acids our body can’t produce itself, so we need to get them through food.

Getting all nine is important, because these amino acids do everything from build and repair muscle tissue (which is HUGE for strength training), run our metabolism, and even help our genes function correctly.[11]

All nine are found together in all forms of meat. When you eat a piece of chicken, you are getting all nine.

When it comes to non-animal sources, most plants will generally be missing one or two of these nine essential amino acids.[12]

Soy might be the best way to get all nine together in one plant; however, soy doesn’t seem to provide the same biological functionality as dairy or eggs.[13]

You can overcome this small challenge easily by varying your dietary choices.

Let’s look at the most common example:  

Beans are low in the amino acid methionine, while high in the amino acid lysine.

Conversely, rice is low in lysine but high in methionine.

Eat them together, and you’ve covered any amino acid deficiency![14]

To recap: if you eat some kind of unprocessed starch (rice, corn, potatoes, beans), combined with some fruits and vegetables during the day, you’ll be covered.[15] The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics explains “Protein from a variety of plant foods, eaten during the course of a day, supplies enough of all indispensable (essential) amino acids when caloric requirements are met.[16]

Did you catch that caveat?

As long as you are meeting your calorie requirements from “plant foods,” you’ll get all your necessary amino acids. But this only works if your calories are coming from plants, not cookies.

I’ll say it again: EAT REAL FOOD.

Eating a variety of foods will help build up a diversified nutrient profile, including amino acids. Oats with one meal, lentils with the next, and rice with dinner, for example.

This would be a better strategy than just living off soy.

And DEFINITELY better off than living off of Soylent Green…

To recap this section: vegetarians can get plenty of protein. It just really depends on what they are eating.

So why are we focusing so much on protein?

Because, muscles.

CAN I BUILD MUSCLE ON A PLANT-BASED DIET?

Look in the right places and have the right conversations, and you’ll be able to find uber successful plant-based athletes that have built plenty of muscle.

For example, Danielle Sidell is a CrossFit athlete who follows a 100% Plant-Based Diet:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Danielle Sidell M.S. (@dani_sidell) on Jan 14, 2019 at 10:26am PST

David Carter, a defensive lineman in the NFL, calls himself “The 300-Pound Vegan.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Carter (@iamdavidhcarter) on Apr 30, 2018 at 7:22pm PDT

Let’s not forget about Jeremy Reijnders, another CrossFit athlete and vegan proponent:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jeremy Reijnders (@jeremyreijnders) on Jan 29, 2018 at 11:08am PST

And one last example to round things out: Joe Venus, a vegan bodybuilder who gets anywhere from 80-180 grams of protein daily through big meals.[17]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jon Venus (@jonvenus) on Jan 31, 2019 at 12:40pm..

http://bit.ly/2Sz95DY

[johnclapperne]

How to Eat a Plant-Based Diet: A Scientific Look at Going Vegan Safely

So you’re interested in eating only plants, eh?

Well, you’ve come to the right place to learn all about it. I’ve seen many people over the years have success with a Plant-Based Diet.

Truth be told though, I’ve seen many people also struggle with it too.

(After all, donuts are “plant-based” and pizza just got declared “a vegetable”).

There is definitely a right way and a wrong way to embark on eliminating animal products from your diet.

Today, I’ll share with you how to safely and correctly follow a plant-based menu and still hit your goals.

Now, although I’ve been running this site for 10 years, I may be drawing a large target on my back by diving headfirst into a topic I’ve thus far avoided.

As a blogger, if you want to tenfold your hate mail, take a stance on a Plant-Based Diet.

And saying ANYTHING about veganism – for OR against – is an easy way to get virtual produce tossed at you.

Although most people discover Nerd Fitness through our guides on Paleo or Keto, we get SO many questions on how to eat a Plant-Based Diet that I figured I’d give my two cents.

With pop stars and famous directors advising folks to try veganism, these inquiries are only going to increase.[1]

So today, we are going to talk about how to eat a Plant-Based Diet safely.

The right way, and the wrong way, to go vegan or vegetarian.

BIG ASS CAVEAT: I’m not going to try to convince you to give up meat. If you’re reading this, I’ll assume you’re here because you’re interested in doing so, and want to know the best path through it.

The politics, controversy (yes, I’ve read the China Study[2]), and geopolitical impact of veganism are beyond the scope of this article. I’m just a nerd who studies the hell outta health and wellness and sometimes wears pants.[3]

So setting all the controversy aside, I want to explore the science and the “how to” for people who are heading down this path.

If you are going to eat a plant-based or vegan diet, what’s the best way to do it?

What are tips and tricks to make it sustainable?

Is it as easy as “stop eating meat?”

Is there any unsafe way to eat only plants?

Let’s goooooo!

WHAT EXACTLY IS A PLANT-BASED DIET?

There are quite a few different versions of a Plant-Based Diet.

It’ll be good to start with some definitions so we land on the same page.

According to the Vegetarian Society, a vegetarian is someone who “does not eat foods that consist of, or have been produced with the aid of products consisting of or created from, any part of the body of a living or dead animal.”[4]

So NO eating:  

Meat

Poultry

Fish

Shellfish

Insects

Instead, vegetarians DO eat:

Grains

Legumes

Nuts

Seeds

Vegetables (duh)

Fruits

Fungi

Plants, more or less.

“Vegetarian” can be a broader term for more specific examples of plant-based eating. Some examples would be:

Lacto-ovo-vegetarians is someone who doesn’t eat animal flesh but does eat dairy and eggs. This is the most common type of vegetarian.

Lacto vegetarians don’t eat eggs but do eat dairy.

Ovo vegetarians avoid all animals products, with the exception of eggs.

Vegans avoid all animal products, including dairy and eggs and even things like honey. If it came from an animal, it’s not a part of a vegan diet. Some even take it one step further and eat only a “raw vegan” diet, where the plants consumed are not cooked prior to consumption.

The above are the most common forms of Plant-Based Diets, but there are others!

A pescatarian is someone who consumes no animal products except fish and shellfish.

A flexitarian is someone who follows a vegetarian diet a majority of the time, but who will occasionally eat meat.

Now granted, neither pescatarians nor flexitarians are technically vegetarians because both contain animal products on the menu.

However, they are mostly plant-based, so worth mentioning – especially if somebody is doing this in an attempt to be healthier.  

There are many more considerations and labels, which can tackle a lot of the ethical stances around being vegan: not wearing animal products, the treatment of animals, etc.

To be blunt, this is outside the scope of this article.

I’m only interested in “If you are going to eat only plants, how do you do it?” So we’ll politely ignore clothing, testing, and captivity for this article.

Which brings us to…

WHAT DO YOU EAT ON A PLANT-BASED DIET? WHAT’S ON A VEGAN MENU?

What you can or cannot eat on a Plant-Based Diet depends a lot on what kind of vegetarianism you follow.

Eggs and dairy, for example, may or may not be included. It really comes down to what path you are choosing.

There are some general food groups we can consider as universal no matter what form of vegetarianism you follow.

A Plant-Based Diet will include the following foods:

Whole grains. Rice, oats, barley, and buckwheat would all be examples of whole grains. Most vegetarian diets include a sizable amount of whole grains as their base.

Vegetables. Of course, a vegetarian diet is going to include vegetables! And it should because vegetables are great for you! They’re packed full of nutrients, fiber, and generally low in calories. Most people could stand to eat more veggies. If you find yourself not being able to stomach greens, I got you. Check out this post for tips on how to turn around any vegetable hater.

Legumes. Beans, lentils, and soy make up the legume family. If you’re following a plant-based or vegan diet, legumes would be a great way to get protein (more on this to follow).

Fruit. Bananas, apples, and oranges all come from plants, so all are vegetarian-friendly. While high in fructose (sugar), they are also nutrient dense. Our general stance on fruit around these parts is to eat “in moderation.”

Nuts and seeds. Again, they come from plants, so almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds are good to go on any vegetarian plan you pick. So is quinoa, which although is often thought of as a grain, is actually a seed. Mind=blown.

Nuts and seeds, although high in fat and calories, are another great way to get protein on a Plant-Based Diet.

No matter what type of vegetarian diet you pick, you’d be free to eat the above (provided they fit into your current nutrition goals – but I’ll get to that shortly).

The below will depend on what kind of vegetarianism you are trying. We may be stepping into controversial waters (remember, don’t shoot the messenger) with the following:

Eggs. Eggs are a great source of vitamin B12 and protein, which will become important in a section further down.

Dairy. Whether or not you consume dairy will be determined by your specific strain of plant-based nutrition. On the one hand, it’s from an animal (moo). On the other hand, dairy can be full of nutrients that might be harder to source from only plants, like omega-3s and calcium.

Fish. Look, I get it. Fish are animals, so technically not allowed on a vegetarian diet. However, if you eat a mostly-Plant-Based Diet that includes a little fish, it wouldn’t be too different from a Mediterranean Diet. There are a lot worse ways to eat than like the Mediterraneans. And as mentioned earlier, depending on who you talk to, being pescatarian could be a form of a Plant-Based Diet.

That’s a lot of the major food groups when it comes to plant-based eating.

So here’s all you need to remember:

Whatever form of vegetarianism you may pick, stick to REAL food whenever possible.

Pinto beans, asparagus, apples, and quinoa would all be examples of real food. These are nutrient-dense foods that will keep you full and energized throughout your day. Deep fried cheese balls, donuts, and candy bars are examples of “plant-based, but not real” food.

And I’ll give out a warning on processed vegan junk food in a moment.

For now, there may be a question you are thinking.

It’s one of the most common ones we get when it comes to eating a vegetarian or vegan diet.

WILL A VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN DIET HELP ME LOSE WEIGHT?

…MAYBE!

There are plenty of examples of people losing weight on a Plant-Based Diet.[5]

However, there are also stories of the opposite where people gained body fat when going vegan.[6]

However, anecdotal evidence isn’t science.

What does the research say?

If you look at studies on the subject, there’s nothing here that will surprise us: plant-based calories count just as much as animal-based calories.[7]

There are some studies which show the success of veganism compared to omnivore diets for weight loss.[8] Then there are others showing that a diet including meat outperforms vegan diets for trimming body fat.[9]

Depending on who you’re trying to impress, you can find six studies that say vegans will lose more weight than meat eaters, or half a dozen studies that show vegans will lose less weight.

It honestly doesn’t matter, because when it comes to weight loss, it comes down to calories, calories, calories.

Oh and calories. Did I mention calories?  

Put bluntly, if you’re not losing weight, you’re consuming too many calories.

It doesn’t matter if they’re vegan or vegetarian or Paleo or certified organic. Check out our “Why can’t I lose weight?” article to learn the science behind why!

Let’s get to the point: You’re here, you’re eating plants, and you want to lose weight. So here’s how to do it.

If you typically ate a standard American diet filled with burgers and french fries, and then moved to salads? Yeah, I’d imagine that you would lose weight – simply because you’re now eating fewer calories than you were eating in the past.

However, if you go from scarfing down normal burgers to scarfing down an Impossible Burger or a vegan burger? Maybe not.[10]

Let’s take a look:

An Impossible Burger’s three-ounce patty has 220 calories.

A three-ounce regular beef patty has about 205 calories.

The Impossible Burger is made with wheat protein, coconut oil, potato protein and heme (a molecule found in plants and animals). So it’s very calorically dense.

Moral of the story: don’t assume that food without any meat in it will have fewer calories in it.

While there are plenty of nuances, when it comes to weight loss, calories in and calories out plays a major role in whether or not you are successful.

Just because something is vegan doesn’t mean it’s necessarily healthy. As someone pointed out in our private Facebook Academy group, “Oreos are vegan.”

If you don’t plan properly, you could be deluding yourself into thinking veganism will be a weight loss strategy.

I know that adopting a new lifestyle can be challenging, especially if you’re really busy. Whether it’s veganism, a low-carb diet, or trying to build muscle, embarking on a new habit can be tough if you don’t know what to do.

Weight-loss, no matter which strategy you pick, can be a hard road to follow.

I want you to know that you’re not alone, we’re here to help. We offer a 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program to help busy people like you embark on complete life overhauls. We can help you with dietary changes, exercise, and accountability so you can create new healthy habits that fit into your chaotic day-to-day life!

If you’re thinking about a Plant-Based Diet for weight loss, we can help you switch to a less restrictive diet over time. Slow and steady is our preferred approach.

If you’d like to learn more, click on the big image below:

DO I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN WHEN EATING A PLANT-BASED DIET?

Contrary to popular belief, you CAN get enough protein when following a Plant-Based  Diet.

However, protein consumption SHOULD be something that’s prioritized if you’re trying to lose weight, build muscle, and be healthier. What we call “protein” is actually a combination of different amino acids. There are 20 or so amino acids that we use to build muscle and keep our organs functioning.

Nine of these amino acids our body can’t produce itself, so we need to get them through food.

Getting all nine is important, because these amino acids do everything from build and repair muscle tissue (which is HUGE for strength training), run our metabolism, and even help our genes function correctly.[11]

All nine are found together in all forms of meat. When you eat a piece of chicken, you are getting all nine.

When it comes to non-animal sources, most plants will generally be missing one or two of these nine essential amino acids.[12]

Soy might be the best way to get all nine together in one plant; however, soy doesn’t seem to provide the same biological functionality as dairy or eggs.[13]

You can overcome this small challenge easily by varying your dietary choices.

Let’s look at the most common example:  

Beans are low in the amino acid methionine, while high in the amino acid lysine.

Conversely, rice is low in lysine but high in methionine.

Eat them together, and you’ve covered any amino acid deficiency![14]

To recap: if you eat some kind of unprocessed starch (rice, corn, potatoes, beans), combined with some fruits and vegetables during the day, you’ll be covered.[15] The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics explains “Protein from a variety of plant foods, eaten during the course of a day, supplies enough of all indispensable (essential) amino acids when caloric requirements are met.[16]

Did you catch that caveat?

As long as you are meeting your calorie requirements from “plant foods,” you’ll get all your necessary amino acids. But this only works if your calories are coming from plants, not cookies.

I’ll say it again: EAT REAL FOOD.

Eating a variety of foods will help build up a diversified nutrient profile, including amino acids. Oats with one meal, lentils with the next, and rice with dinner, for example.

This would be a better strategy than just living off soy.

And DEFINITELY better off than living off of Soylent Green…

To recap this section: vegetarians can get plenty of protein. It just really depends on what they are eating.

So why are we focusing so much on protein?

Because, muscles.

CAN I BUILD MUSCLE ON A PLANT-BASED DIET?

Look in the right places and have the right conversations, and you’ll be able to find uber successful plant-based athletes that have built plenty of muscle.

For example, Danielle Sidell is a CrossFit athlete who follows a 100% Plant-Based Diet:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Danielle Sidell M.S. (@dani_sidell) on Jan 14, 2019 at 10:26am PST

David Carter, a defensive lineman in the NFL, calls himself “The 300-Pound Vegan.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Carter (@iamdavidhcarter) on Apr 30, 2018 at 7:22pm PDT

Let’s not forget about Jeremy Reijnders, another CrossFit athlete and vegan proponent:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jeremy Reijnders (@jeremyreijnders) on Jan 29, 2018 at 11:08am PST

And one last example to round things out: Joe Venus, a vegan bodybuilder who gets anywhere from 80-180 grams of protein daily through big meals.[17]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jon Venus (@jonvenus) on Jan 31, 2019 at 12:40pm..

http://bit.ly/2Sz95DY

[neilmillerne]

How to Eat a Plant-Based Diet: A Scientific Look at Going Vegan Safely

So you’re interested in eating only plants, eh?

Well, you’ve come to the right place to learn all about it. I’ve seen many people over the years have success with a Plant-Based Diet.

Truth be told though, I’ve seen many people also struggle with it too.

(After all, donuts are “plant-based” and pizza just got declared “a vegetable”).

There is definitely a right way and a wrong way to embark on eliminating animal products from your diet.

Today, I’ll share with you how to safely and correctly follow a plant-based menu and still hit your goals.

Now, although I’ve been running this site for 10 years, I may be drawing a large target on my back by diving headfirst into a topic I’ve thus far avoided.

As a blogger, if you want to tenfold your hate mail, take a stance on a Plant-Based Diet.

And saying ANYTHING about veganism – for OR against – is an easy way to get virtual produce tossed at you.

Although most people discover Nerd Fitness through our guides on Paleo or Keto, we get SO many questions on how to eat a Plant-Based Diet that I figured I’d give my two cents.

With pop stars and famous directors advising folks to try veganism, these inquiries are only going to increase.[1]

So today, we are going to talk about how to eat a Plant-Based Diet safely.

The right way, and the wrong way, to go vegan or vegetarian.

BIG ASS CAVEAT: I’m not going to try to convince you to give up meat. If you’re reading this, I’ll assume you’re here because you’re interested in doing so, and want to know the best path through it.

The politics, controversy (yes, I’ve read the China Study[2]), and geopolitical impact of veganism are beyond the scope of this article. I’m just a nerd who studies the hell outta health and wellness and sometimes wears pants.[3]

So setting all the controversy aside, I want to explore the science and the “how to” for people who are heading down this path.

If you are going to eat a plant-based or vegan diet, what’s the best way to do it?

What are tips and tricks to make it sustainable?

Is it as easy as “stop eating meat?”

Is there any unsafe way to eat only plants?

Let’s goooooo!

WHAT EXACTLY IS A PLANT-BASED DIET?

There are quite a few different versions of a Plant-Based Diet.

It’ll be good to start with some definitions so we land on the same page.

According to the Vegetarian Society, a vegetarian is someone who “does not eat foods that consist of, or have been produced with the aid of products consisting of or created from, any part of the body of a living or dead animal.”[4]

So NO eating:  

Meat

Poultry

Fish

Shellfish

Insects

Instead, vegetarians DO eat:

Grains

Legumes

Nuts

Seeds

Vegetables (duh)

Fruits

Fungi

Plants, more or less.

“Vegetarian” can be a broader term for more specific examples of plant-based eating. Some examples would be:

Lacto-ovo-vegetarians is someone who doesn’t eat animal flesh but does eat dairy and eggs. This is the most common type of vegetarian.

Lacto vegetarians don’t eat eggs but do eat dairy.

Ovo vegetarians avoid all animals products, with the exception of eggs.

Vegans avoid all animal products, including dairy and eggs and even things like honey. If it came from an animal, it’s not a part of a vegan diet. Some even take it one step further and eat only a “raw vegan” diet, where the plants consumed are not cooked prior to consumption.

The above are the most common forms of Plant-Based Diets, but there are others!

A pescatarian is someone who consumes no animal products except fish and shellfish.

A flexitarian is someone who follows a vegetarian diet a majority of the time, but who will occasionally eat meat.

Now granted, neither pescatarians nor flexitarians are technically vegetarians because both contain animal products on the menu.

However, they are mostly plant-based, so worth mentioning – especially if somebody is doing this in an attempt to be healthier.  

There are many more considerations and labels, which can tackle a lot of the ethical stances around being vegan: not wearing animal products, the treatment of animals, etc.

To be blunt, this is outside the scope of this article.

I’m only interested in “If you are going to eat only plants, how do you do it?” So we’ll politely ignore clothing, testing, and captivity for this article.

Which brings us to…

WHAT DO YOU EAT ON A PLANT-BASED DIET? WHAT’S ON A VEGAN MENU?

What you can or cannot eat on a Plant-Based Diet depends a lot on what kind of vegetarianism you follow.

Eggs and dairy, for example, may or may not be included. It really comes down to what path you are choosing.

There are some general food groups we can consider as universal no matter what form of vegetarianism you follow.

A Plant-Based Diet will include the following foods:

Whole grains. Rice, oats, barley, and buckwheat would all be examples of whole grains. Most vegetarian diets include a sizable amount of whole grains as their base.

Vegetables. Of course, a vegetarian diet is going to include vegetables! And it should because vegetables are great for you! They’re packed full of nutrients, fiber, and generally low in calories. Most people could stand to eat more veggies. If you find yourself not being able to stomach greens, I got you. Check out this post for tips on how to turn around any vegetable hater.

Legumes. Beans, lentils, and soy make up the legume family. If you’re following a plant-based or vegan diet, legumes would be a great way to get protein (more on this to follow).

Fruit. Bananas, apples, and oranges all come from plants, so all are vegetarian-friendly. While high in fructose (sugar), they are also nutrient dense. Our general stance on fruit around these parts is to eat “in moderation.”

Nuts and seeds. Again, they come from plants, so almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds are good to go on any vegetarian plan you pick. So is quinoa, which although is often thought of as a grain, is actually a seed. Mind=blown.

Nuts and seeds, although high in fat and calories, are another great way to get protein on a Plant-Based Diet.

No matter what type of vegetarian diet you pick, you’d be free to eat the above (provided they fit into your current nutrition goals – but I’ll get to that shortly).

The below will depend on what kind of vegetarianism you are trying. We may be stepping into controversial waters (remember, don’t shoot the messenger) with the following:

Eggs. Eggs are a great source of vitamin B12 and protein, which will become important in a section further down.

Dairy. Whether or not you consume dairy will be determined by your specific strain of plant-based nutrition. On the one hand, it’s from an animal (moo). On the other hand, dairy can be full of nutrients that might be harder to source from only plants, like omega-3s and calcium.

Fish. Look, I get it. Fish are animals, so technically not allowed on a vegetarian diet. However, if you eat a mostly-Plant-Based Diet that includes a little fish, it wouldn’t be too different from a Mediterranean Diet. There are a lot worse ways to eat than like the Mediterraneans. And as mentioned earlier, depending on who you talk to, being pescatarian could be a form of a Plant-Based Diet.

That’s a lot of the major food groups when it comes to plant-based eating.

So here’s all you need to remember:

Whatever form of vegetarianism you may pick, stick to REAL food whenever possible.

Pinto beans, asparagus, apples, and quinoa would all be examples of real food. These are nutrient-dense foods that will keep you full and energized throughout your day. Deep fried cheese balls, donuts, and candy bars are examples of “plant-based, but not real” food.

And I’ll give out a warning on processed vegan junk food in a moment.

For now, there may be a question you are thinking.

It’s one of the most common ones we get when it comes to eating a vegetarian or vegan diet.

WILL A VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN DIET HELP ME LOSE WEIGHT?

…MAYBE!

There are plenty of examples of people losing weight on a Plant-Based Diet.[5]

However, there are also stories of the opposite where people gained body fat when going vegan.[6]

However, anecdotal evidence isn’t science.

What does the research say?

If you look at studies on the subject, there’s nothing here that will surprise us: plant-based calories count just as much as animal-based calories.[7]

There are some studies which show the success of veganism compared to omnivore diets for weight loss.[8] Then there are others showing that a diet including meat outperforms vegan diets for trimming body fat.[9]

Depending on who you’re trying to impress, you can find six studies that say vegans will lose more weight than meat eaters, or half a dozen studies that show vegans will lose less weight.

It honestly doesn’t matter, because when it comes to weight loss, it comes down to calories, calories, calories.

Oh and calories. Did I mention calories?  

Put bluntly, if you’re not losing weight, you’re consuming too many calories.

It doesn’t matter if they’re vegan or vegetarian or Paleo or certified organic. Check out our “Why can’t I lose weight?” article to learn the science behind why!

Let’s get to the point: You’re here, you’re eating plants, and you want to lose weight. So here’s how to do it.

If you typically ate a standard American diet filled with burgers and french fries, and then moved to salads? Yeah, I’d imagine that you would lose weight – simply because you’re now eating fewer calories than you were eating in the past.

However, if you go from scarfing down normal burgers to scarfing down an Impossible Burger or a vegan burger? Maybe not.[10]

Let’s take a look:

An Impossible Burger’s three-ounce patty has 220 calories.

A three-ounce regular beef patty has about 205 calories.

The Impossible Burger is made with wheat protein, coconut oil, potato protein and heme (a molecule found in plants and animals). So it’s very calorically dense.

Moral of the story: don’t assume that food without any meat in it will have fewer calories in it.

While there are plenty of nuances, when it comes to weight loss, calories in and calories out plays a major role in whether or not you are successful.

Just because something is vegan doesn’t mean it’s necessarily healthy. As someone pointed out in our private Facebook Academy group, “Oreos are vegan.”

If you don’t plan properly, you could be deluding yourself into thinking veganism will be a weight loss strategy.

I know that adopting a new lifestyle can be challenging, especially if you’re really busy. Whether it’s veganism, a low-carb diet, or trying to build muscle, embarking on a new habit can be tough if you don’t know what to do.

Weight-loss, no matter which strategy you pick, can be a hard road to follow.

I want you to know that you’re not alone, we’re here to help. We offer a 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program to help busy people like you embark on complete life overhauls. We can help you with dietary changes, exercise, and accountability so you can create new healthy habits that fit into your chaotic day-to-day life!

If you’re thinking about a Plant-Based Diet for weight loss, we can help you switch to a less restrictive diet over time. Slow and steady is our preferred approach.

If you’d like to learn more, click on the big image below:

DO I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN WHEN EATING A PLANT-BASED DIET?

Contrary to popular belief, you CAN get enough protein when following a Plant-Based  Diet.

However, protein consumption SHOULD be something that’s prioritized if you’re trying to lose weight, build muscle, and be healthier. What we call “protein” is actually a combination of different amino acids. There are 20 or so amino acids that we use to build muscle and keep our organs functioning.

Nine of these amino acids our body can’t produce itself, so we need to get them through food.

Getting all nine is important, because these amino acids do everything from build and repair muscle tissue (which is HUGE for strength training), run our metabolism, and even help our genes function correctly.[11]

All nine are found together in all forms of meat. When you eat a piece of chicken, you are getting all nine.

When it comes to non-animal sources, most plants will generally be missing one or two of these nine essential amino acids.[12]

Soy might be the best way to get all nine together in one plant; however, soy doesn’t seem to provide the same biological functionality as dairy or eggs.[13]

You can overcome this small challenge easily by varying your dietary choices.

Let’s look at the most common example:  

Beans are low in the amino acid methionine, while high in the amino acid lysine.

Conversely, rice is low in lysine but high in methionine.

Eat them together, and you’ve covered any amino acid deficiency![14]

To recap: if you eat some kind of unprocessed starch (rice, corn, potatoes, beans), combined with some fruits and vegetables during the day, you’ll be covered.[15] The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics explains “Protein from a variety of plant foods, eaten during the course of a day, supplies enough of all indispensable (essential) amino acids when caloric requirements are met.[16]

Did you catch that caveat?

As long as you are meeting your calorie requirements from “plant foods,” you’ll get all your necessary amino acids. But this only works if your calories are coming from plants, not cookies.

I’ll say it again: EAT REAL FOOD.

Eating a variety of foods will help build up a diversified nutrient profile, including amino acids. Oats with one meal, lentils with the next, and rice with dinner, for example.

This would be a better strategy than just living off soy.

And DEFINITELY better off than living off of Soylent Green…

To recap this section: vegetarians can get plenty of protein. It just really depends on what they are eating.

So why are we focusing so much on protein?

Because, muscles.

CAN I BUILD MUSCLE ON A PLANT-BASED DIET?

Look in the right places and have the right conversations, and you’ll be able to find uber successful plant-based athletes that have built plenty of muscle.

For example, Danielle Sidell is a CrossFit athlete who follows a 100% Plant-Based Diet:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Danielle Sidell M.S. (@dani_sidell) on Jan 14, 2019 at 10:26am PST

David Carter, a defensive lineman in the NFL, calls himself “The 300-Pound Vegan.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Carter (@iamdavidhcarter) on Apr 30, 2018 at 7:22pm PDT

Let’s not forget about Jeremy Reijnders, another CrossFit athlete and vegan proponent:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jeremy Reijnders (@jeremyreijnders) on Jan 29, 2018 at 11:08am PST

And one last example to round things out: Joe Venus, a vegan bodybuilder who gets anywhere from 80-180 grams of protein daily through big meals.[17]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jon Venus (@jonvenus) on Jan 31, 2019 at 12:40pm..

http://bit.ly/2Sz95DY