Whole Food/Plant Based Diet in Process...

Okay you can stop rolling your eyes right now!! :) Hear me out- not that I really have to explain our own personal conviction but I'd like too.

Soooo Ben and I have been tossing and turning lately about switching our family to a whole food/plant based diet. Which is pretty much a Vegan diet but without anything processed. No meat, no animal products (including eggs and dairy), no oils, and low sodium. All whole grains, all veggies, and all fruit.

A while back Ben and I watched Food Inc.- a documentary about where our food comes from. What effected us the most was the way our farmers are being treated like slaves to a master in terms of producing meat and veggies for us all to eat. It really bothered me and hit home, my Mom's side of the family are farmers- terrific ones too that don't have their cattle on hormones, all corn based diet, and are treated properly. We sat down and looked at our grocery budget to see how we could afford to buy more organic things and try to buy as much local that we could.

A few days later, (we were on a documentary kick) we watched Forks over Knives. It was a great watch and I highly recommend it, both really. It was about how Amercians have really their health go by eating massive amount of meat, processed food, high amounts of dairy and eggs,  and little vegetables/fruits. And how things like Heart Disease, Coronary Artery Disease, Diabetes could be managed if not reversed with switching to an all plant based diet. It wasn't just a bunch of nobodies with letter missing behind their names either. Look into it, read the case studies both doctors have put out.

Ben and I are not, and will not, condem anyone who doesn't follow a plant diet or try and convert you- like I said, this is a total personal conviction. We're going to try it for awhile and see how it fits. The number one reason it really for Judah. Judah's heart condition has only been able to be fixed for 20yrs. So the kids that were the first ones to have the surgery are only 20yrs old, so we have no idea what kind, if any, types of heart issues my face him down the road. So, we are going to do everything in our power to make sure his heart is as healthy as possible. I feel we can do that by taking away meat and eliminating the cholesterol in his diet, keeping his transplanted coronary arteries healthy as well as the rest of his sweet little pluming. I know what your thinking, what about protein and minerals and all that jazz he won't get from meat. Well, we eat a ton of beans, lentils that you get more protein from than meat. The only vitamin you can't get in an all plant diet is B12, due the way farming has evolved. That's easily solved by a tablespoon of nutritional yeast or a supplement. We also want to do this for our own health. One thing Ben and I both are set on though is not incorporating soy. A little bit of soy flour here and there is okay but we're choosing not to do soy milk, tofu, or anything like that.

We are not going to be crazy people who are snobs about not eating meat. Yes I'm going to have a piece of Thanksgiving turkey and ham on Christmas and allow my kiddos to do the same. If we are asked to a meal at someones house, we will not be rude or demand they accommodate us. We just won't have it in our house or eat on a regular basis.

We're actually excited about this and looking forward to it. Audrey is a fantastic eater, praise God, and is super happy with beans, fruit, veggies, and whole grains. She didn't eat meat until she was about 18months old anyways so this isn't really a big deal.

We are currently trying to get rid of the meat we have in the freezer and ease into an all plant based diet. It's been neat trying so many different recipes and try substitutions.

One of my favorite so far has been the Red Bean and Rice Soup from Emeril with a few adjustments. Isn't it pretty???

Jaimie's Red Bean and Rice Soup

• 1 medium white onion, diced small
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, diced small
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, plus more for serving
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 3 cans (15.5 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 
  

1. In a large pot, over medium high heat add onion and bell pepper and saute until softened, 5 minutes (it's best to use a non-stick pot so the pepers and onions can cook in their own juices so you don't have to add oil). Add garlic and Cajun seasoning and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add broth and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and season with salt. Simmer until broth is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes, skimming any foam that rises to top.
2. Stir in rice and cook, stirring occasionally, add scallions and cook on low until rice has cooked. You can add more broth to your liking- we liked it a little thicker so I didn't add additional broth. Remove from heat and season with additional Cajun seasoning, if desired. (Refrigerate cooled soup in an airtight container, up to 3 days.)

I'm going to try and put some blogs up about how its going from time to time!! Once I get real good, I get back to posting menus, I might have to just keep rotating 10 meals until I get this diet down! :)