It's Easy Being Green!

By Heather Moore

When I tell people that I'm vegan, that I don't eat meat, eggs, cheese, or other animal products, and that I haven't for more than 16 years, the first question many of them ask is, "What do you eat?" This question always leaves me tongue tied, not because I don't know what to say, but because there is so much to say. I eat the same types of food everyone else does--burgers, pastas, pizza, stews, soups, salads, sandwiches, casseroles, chili, tacos, lasagna, and more--plus marinated tofu, tempeh, seitan, hummus, falafel, and an assortment of other delicious ethnic dishes.

You can find vegetarian and vegan options in most supermarkets, health food stores, and restaurants; even Burger King has a veggie burger and Starbucks offers Silk soy milk.

These days, more and more people are switching to a healthy vegan diet. Plant-based foods are cholesterol free and generally low in fat and high in fiber, complex carbohydrates, and other vital nutrients. Researchers have found that a vegan diet rich in soy and soluble fiber can dramatically reduce cholesterol levels. According to David Jenkins, professor of nutrition and metabolism at the University of Toronto, "the evidence is pretty strong that vegans, who eat no animal products, have the best cardiovascular health profile and the lowest cholesterol levels." Vegans are also less likely to develop diabetes and certain cancers.

If you follow these simple tips, you'll soon be telling your friends, family, and co-workers how easy it is to be green: 

-Base your diet around whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, whole soy foods and all the nutritious foods made from them.

-Use vegetables and/or Morningstar Farms Burger Style Recipe Crumbles instead of beef in chili, tacos, sloppy Joes, shepherd's pie, and spaghetti sauce, and try Morningstar Farms vegetarian chik'n strips and steak strips in stir fries, stews, and casseroles. Most supermarkets and health food stores sell a variety of healthy, great-tasting mock meats. You may want to sample several different brands so you can decide which one is your favorite.

-Stuff burritos with beans, mock meats, or grilled vegetables. Make a meatball sub with Nate's meatless meatballs, marinara sauce, peppers, and onions. Top pizza with soy cheese, Smart Deli faux pepperoni slices, and vegetables. Fill manicotti and lasagna with seasoned and crumbled tofu, and mushrooms, onions, and other veggies. Toss grape tomatoes in marinara sauce and add frozen or fresh broccoli and peas to pasta

-Make a mock chicken-salad sandwich with Worthington's Chic-ketts and Veganaise eggless mayonnaise or a tuna-free tuna sandwich with Worthington's Tuno. Or pack pita bread with hummus, falafel, chopped tomatoes, green leafy lettuce, sprouts, carrots, and onions. Prepare an easy pasta salad by combining cooked whole-wheat pasta with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, celery, green onions, and chunks of baked tofu.

-Pour soy, rice, or almond milk on your cereal (don't forget to add berries and banana) or in your coffee. Substitute Ener-G Egg Replacer for eggs when baking cakes and cookies or snack on So Delicious non-dairy ice cream, dairy-free dark chocolate, or other vegan goodies.

See www.VegCooking.com to learn more. It's a good resource for recipes and product suggestions.

Heather Moore writes from Norfolk, Va.