One Plant At A Time A Guide to a Healthier Lifestyle

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Contents
Prelude............................................................................................................pg 3 Reality Check..................................................................................................pg 5 Biometric Values Explained.............................................................................pg 6 Change............................................................................................................pg 8 Recipes............................................................................................................pg 13 Food Journal....................................................................................................pg 24 Farmers Market & You.....................................................................................pg 29 Seasonal Chart................................................................................................pg 31 Nutritional Values.............................................................................................pg 33 Additives for Additional Nutrients.....................................................................pg 34 Ingredients in Food..........................................................................................pg 36 Dining Out/Camping Guide..............................................................................pg 37 Conclusions......................................................................................................pg 40

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Prelude
It was 2009. 325. That's my triglycerides score...and a normal score is below 150. Reality had set in. It was time for change before my physician placed me on medication to lower and control this elevated biometric. It was a tough blow when I got my test results back because I thought I was eating a healthy diet (i.e., baked chicken, fish, rarely anything fried, veggies and fruit) but apparently that health conscious approach didn't matter and wasn't enough. At 5' 10 and 162lbs, I've never considered myself an overweight person so the news just didn't make any sense to me. I remember calling my mom that afternoon and telling her that the doctor office must have gotten my test results mixed up with another person's because there is no way I have a triglyceride score of 325, right?! Her response wasn't exactly what I was hoping for as she replied with, high triglycerides run in the family so you'll probably need to take the medicine too. Ouch. I hated the thought of having to rely on pills the rest of my life and I wasn't a fitness buff so I began researching some possibilities of permanently lowering my score and live a healthier lifestyle. I strongly believe the key to being successful on this type of life change is a spouse/partner thats willing to dedicate 100% in supporting your efforts. It made all the difference in the world that Neva wanted to make that journey with me and see this conversion through til the end. Her and I had numerous discussions about different approaches, about various diets, should we start walking, or get a gym membership but nothing really stuckUNTIL we watched a couple of popular food documentaries. Those documentaries changed everything. It changed how we thought about food, how to use food as medicine and it was difficult to argue the hard cold facts that was presented about eating meat and animal products. It just clicked, it made sense and we were motivated. But how do we start? We really didnt have anything to guide us, tell us what to do, what to buy, how to cook it, etc, etc, etc. We created our own plan and spent a lot of hours researching EVERYTHING. Our conversion to a healthier diet and lifestyle began with a detailed scan of the food closet in our home, reading nutrition labels and donating of a lot of boxed, processed food. Shortly after that, we began discarding the animal products from the fridge and freezer. It felt good and really stoked our motivational fire to forge on! Within a couple of days, we converted about 90% of our diet to raw with the rare exception of baked chicken and fish. We spent several months on a raw diet and loved it, even bought a couple of recipe books that we still use but we found difficulties www.betterforks.com 3

with preparing raw food on enough of a consistent basis where we felt we could continue to be successful on this diet. We really began to flourish with creativity and greatly expanded our palate when we transitioned to a plantbased/vegan diet though and have combined the best from raw, plant-based and vegan in our every day meals. This eBook represents our story. Its our guide to assist in your conversion to a healthier lifestyle. Its entirely up to you how your story is written. Good luck & enjoy,

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Reality Check.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2010 FastStats:

35.9% of adults are obese Another 33.3% are overweight And 17% of our youth are obese
If you're counting, that's a combined total of 69.2% of Americans are considered overweight and obese. If the trend continues, 43.5% of adults in the US will be considered obese, by 2019. Reality. Another reality check: Based on 2010 CDC data, leading causes of death were:

796,960 deaths due to heart disease, stroke & diabetes 567,628 deaths due to cancer
The next closest cause of death was chronic lower respiratory disease at 137,353. Reality. In addition, 61%+ of Americans take at least 1 pill daily to treat a chronic disease AND 25%+ of Seniors pop 5 or more pills every day! Is that really what you look forward to as you age?! According to those stats, it's clear that health and obesity are in dire straits but there is hope and it doesn't come in the form of a pill or the next lose weight quick diet fad. It's what you eat and staying active.

References: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/overwt.htm http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db82.htm http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm

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BioMetrics Explained
BioMetricssounds like something out of a high-tech movie, right? Simply defined as your basic health scorecard that provides indicators where you should improve your health. Its easy for us to say, eat right and exercise so weve opted for the more detailed approach to get you started in the right direction to a much improved scorecard and better lifestyle. Hopefully youll find the guide below provides information on what your score means and methods of improving each category.

Factoid: Americans spend an average of 56 hours a week...sitting, according to a study by Womens

Health magazine!

Metric

Description

Recommendations

The Good Cholesterol. HDL Cholesterol Get off the couch! Increase your weekly The higher the number, the Men: >40 mg/dl aerobic activities. TIP: Walk in place while lower your heart disease Women: >50 mg/dl watching TV and during commercials. risk.

LDL Cholesterol <130 mg/dl

The Bad Cholesterol. Increases the buildup of plaque on the artery walls and your risk of heart disease.

Eliminate or reduce your intake of red meats, eggs, and dairy. Ohand, get off the couch! TIP: Take a trip around the neighborhood. Substitute your meats with other meat alternatives, such as, tofu & seitan or beans & legumes, if on a plantbased diet.

Total Cholesterol <200 mg/dl

Too much cholesterol in the Regular exercise and an increase in your blood stream causes fiber intake have shown to improve total hardening of the arteries;

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thus increasing your chance of heart disease.

cholesterol.

Triglycerides <150 mg/dl

Fat in the blood that give cells their energy but too much is harmful to your arteries and heart.

Enemies in this category are sugar, saturated fats and alcohol. Limit your daily consumption of these three spoilers.

Glucose Fasting: <100 mb/dl

Simple sugar. Any sugar that isnt consumed by the Yep, you guessed it reduce the sugar! body for energy is stored as fat.

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Change.
Changing a habit can be difficult, especially if youve formed a bad one for an extended amount of time. Change takes time. Suggested amounts of time on the Internet to form a habit or change one, range from 21 90 days and, in some instances, longer - so patience is key when modifying a significant lifestyle, such as diet. Changing what a person eats probably ranks as one of the most difficult habits to change. A lot of our views toward food is derived from how food manufacturers or restaurants market their food to consumers. Its easy, fast and cheap all of which are critical in our busy society. Along the way, weve also come to the conclusion that every lunch/dinner should have some type of meat on the plate. But there can be severe consequences to that theory and lifestyle obesity, diabetes, heart disease, frequent doctor visits, on and on and on. Im guessing, youre reading this eBook because you are looking to make a change from a Western diet to a healthier one, but you may not have any idea how to start. Weve been there. Hopefully, the guide below will provide you with steps (which doesnt have to be done in order) so that youre successful in accomplishing good health.

Change at your own pace to ensure success. Most people dont wake up one morning and say, Im going to be a vegan!. Fifteen years ago I quit smoking cold turkey. Some can do that, most cant. The same applies to changing your eating habits so take steps at the pace youre comfortable at.

Change your soda for water. Water is pure. Sodas contain tons of sugar, high fructose corn syrup and chemicals that formulate the artificial sweetener (see article below).

Soda vs Water

Round 1 Water: Helps to maintain healthy body weight. Mild dehydration can reduce metabolism as much as 3%! Soda: Act as dehydrating agents. Both caffeine and sugar cause dehydration.

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Winner: Water

Round 2 Water: Water assists in hunger management. 1 glass of water eliminates midnight hunger in over 90% of dieters. Soda: Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center monitored 475 adults in 10 years and found those who drank more than two diet sodas per day saw a 500% waist expansion! Winner: Water

Round 3 Water: Love headaches? Didnt think sowater can prevent and alleviate headaches. Sodas: Large quantities of soda can lead to kidney stones. Winner: Water

FACTOID: 2/3 of your body is water, blood is 82% water, lungs are 90% and your brain is 95% water. Round 4 Water: #1 cause of daytime fatigue is lack of water (mild dehydration). 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Sodas: The acidity level in sodas can be a contributing factor for osteoporosis, according to some scientists. Winner: Water

Round 5 Water: 5 glasses of water daily can decrease the risk of certain cancers by 45%. Sodas: Sodas have no nutritional value. Winner: Water

Round 6 Water: Just a 2% drop in the bodys water level can trigger short-term memory loss, including basic math skills. Sodas: Sodas are responsible for tripling tooth decay.

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FACTOID: Americans drink nearly 57 gallons of soda per year!

Round 7 Water: Water is the primary mode of transportation for all nutrients in the body. 1/2 of the hospital beds in the world, on any given day, are occupied by people suffering from water related diseases. Sodas: Drink diet sodas? Think about this: over 92 health side effects associated with aspartame! Winner: Water

Round 8 Water: Tasteless. Sodas: Flavor variety. Winner: A win for soda. [ we didn't want to seem biased! ] Conclusion While sodas come in a variety of tantalizing flavors that are sure to tingle the taste buds, we recommend providing the benefits of water to the other 99% of the body.

Change the first meal of your day. Instead of sugary cereals, eggs or the drivethru sandwich, grab some original oatmeal and add nuts & berries. On the run? Try a delicious and nutritious smoothie for breakfast.

Change your boxed, processed foods for fruit/veggies. Have you seen some of the ingredients (chemicals and preservatives) that are in some of those foods in your pantry? My guess, you probably cant even pronounce some of them. Swap boxed food for vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein that is naturally present in vegs.

Change your milk. There are plenty of non-dairy options on the market that taste great and provide the same or more calcium, less calories and no cholesterol. Some options include: soy, almond, hemp and rice milks. If you really want to experiment, you can make your own almond milk with soaked almonds and a cheese cloth.

Change your snacks. Choose fruit, granola, veggies & hummus and nuts instead of chips and candy bars.

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Change how you plan for meals by creating a 1 or 2-week meal plan. This is also beneficial in making your grocery list. If you know exactly whats on the meal plan, youre not just grabbing items off the shelf or in the produce section because its on sale or you think youll eat it in the next couple of days.

Change your oil/butter. If youre eating a plant-based diet, youll need to swap the oils/butter for other options, such as, veggie broth.

Change or eliminate your cheese. This and the next change are going to be tough for some of you, but dont give up! As with non-dairy milk, you have the same options for cheese: soy, almond, hemp and rice cheese. Some brands also have different forms of cheese blocks, slices, shreds and balls. Youll use non-dairy cheese the same as you would dairy cheese.

Change your meat. Another tough change, but stick with it because once youve conquered this one, the rest is a breeze. Its easy to use the cliche, If it poops, dont eat it!, but you can accomplish success in smaller phases and at your own pace, if you prefer. If you want to take baby steps, heres a suggested plan:

Phase 1: eliminate red meat. Phase 2: eliminate pork. Phase 3: eliminate chicken. Phase 4: eliminate seafood & fish. You can also start by going to our recipe page or Meatless Mondays website for meal ideas that dont involve meat.

Other ideas:

Spices provide veggies and fruits with that extra kick and flavor. Some of the ones we use frequently are: ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, curry, chipotle, basil, oregano and parsley.

Protein sources: vegans can select tofu, tempeh, seitan or TVP. Those on a plantbased diet can add beans, legumes, chickpeas, soybeans, quinoa and other grains that are rich in protein to your meal. You can also add vegan protein powder to your smoothies or non-dairy milk for additional protein.

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Alternative sweeteners to sugar include: agave syrup, molasses, stevia. Vegan and plant-based substitutes for salad dressing: squeezing a lemon, grapefruit or orange over the salad.

Looking for even smaller steps to get started? Below is a 7-day challenge thats manageable and certainly points you in the right direction for positive change. Schedule a physical and biometrics with your Dr. Get to know your health scores.

Day 1

Day 2

Take a brisk walk on your breaks and/or lunch today. Get Moving!

Day 3

Eat a healthy breakfast this morning. NO cereal! Choose original oats, add fresh berries & nuts.

Day 4

Drop the sodas, grab water for the whole day!

Day 5

Dont eat red meat today. Big challenge, but you can do it!

Day 6

Eat fruit or veggies instead of candy/chips for snacks today.

Day 7

Dont drive-thru for dinner tonight. Find a quick & easy vegan/vegetarian recipe online.

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Recipes
Key Lime Smoothie Ingredients
1/2 cup of water 1/3 cup of raw cashews 1 tsp of key lime juice concentrate 1 Bartlett pear 1 kiwi 2 tblsp of agave syrup 1 cup of ice

Instructions
In a blender, add the water, key lime juice, raw cashews, agave syrup & ice. Peel the kiwi and add to blender. Cut the pear and add to blender. Blend until creamy, pour & enjoy!

Citrus Love Smoothie Ingredients

1 seedless orange 1 banana 1/4 cup non-dairy milk 1/3 cup of raw cashews 1 tsp of vanilla flavor 1 cup of ice 1 tblsp of agave syrup (opt)

Instructions

Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy.

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Blueberry Bliss Smoothie Ingredients

1 cup of almond milk 1 banana 1/3 cup of almond meal or almond slivers 1/3 cup of frozen blueberries 1 tblsp of agave syrup (opt)

Instructions
Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy.

Pumpkin Spiced Smoothie Ingredients

1/2 can of pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix) 1 banana 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice 2 tblsp of agave syrup 1/4 cup of ice 3/4 cup of almond milk

Instructions
Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy.

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Whole Wheat Pancakes Ingredients

1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour 1 cup of non-dairy milk 1 tsp of baking powder

Instructions

Add all ingredients in a large bowl, mix well. Let stand for approximately 5 minutes. Pour onto griddle until done. options: add 2 tblsp of pure maple syrup to mix 1/8 cup of vegan choco chips 1/2 1 tsp of cinnamon 1/2 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice 1/2 cup of thawed blueberries

Other

3-Minute Breakfast Bowl Ingredients

1 2 2 1 1 2 large apple (diced) tblsp of peanut butter tblsp of raisins tblsp of shredded coconut tblsp of chia seeds tblsp of goji berries

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.

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Breakfast Mash Ingredients

1/2 sweet potato (baked and warm) 1 banana 2 tblsp of raisins 1/4 cup of walnuts (crushed) 1 tblsp of chia seeds 1/2 tsp of cinnamon 2 tblsp of coconut shreds

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mash and warm the sweet potato in a microwave. Add the banana, mash and mix with sweet potato Add remaining ingredients, mix and enjoy!

Southwest Bowl Ingredients

1 can of diced tomatoes 1 can of black beans (rinsed) 1 cup of frozen corn kernels 1/2 red onion (diced) 1 cup of veggie broth 1 cup of brown rice 2 tsp chili powder 2 tsp of sea salts 3 tblsp of agave syrup

Instructions

Cook brown rice according to package. Dice the red onion and rinse the black beans. In a medium sauce pan, add the can of diced tomatoes, black beans, veggie broth, corn, onion and spices. Mix all ingredients in sauce pan well. Simmer ingredients in sauce pan until brown rice is done. Once brown rice has cooked, combine rice and sauce pan mixture in a bowl & serve.

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Spicy Sweet Potato Soup Ingredients

1 medium sweet potato (baked) 1/2 cup of non-dairy milk 1/2 cup of sweet onion (diced) 1 tsp of curry spice 1/2 tsp of ginger spice 1/2 cup of quinoa 1/2 jalapeno (diced) 1 cup of veggie broth Raisins (desired amt)

Instructions
In a medium pot, cook quinoa as instructed on package. In a medium sauce pan, add the veggie broth, curry, ginger, onion and diced jalapeno. Cook on medium for 5 mins. In a blender, add the sweet potato & non-dairy milk. Don't blend yet. After cooking the onion mixture, allow it to cool before adding to the blender. Once cooled, combine the onion mixture with sweet potato in blender. After blending, add the soup base back to the sauce pan and heat on low. Serve in a bowl and add desired quinoa in center of soup bowl.

Veggie Hummus Wrap Ingredients

Hummus (desired amt) 1 carrot 1 tomato 1 avocado 1 slice of red onion 1/2 cucumber 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar Roti/Pita wrap

Instructions
Cut the cucumber into thin slices, diced the tomato, shred the carrot, remove the pit, skin and slice the avocado, slice the red onion. Add the desired amount of hummus into the center of your roti or pita wrap. Add all the fresh veggies on top of the hummus. Drain the vinegar from the

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cucumber's prior to adding to wrap.

Butternut Squash Soup Ingredients

2-3lb butternut squash (peeled, cleaned & cubed) 2 cups of non-dairy milk 4 cups of water 3/4 cup of apple juice 2 tblsp of maple syrup 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp of nutmeg 1/2 tsp of cinnamon

Instructions

Peel skin and clean inside of butternut squash. Cut into 1 cubes. Add 4 cups of water to a medium pot. Add squash to pot and boil for 30 mins. In a blender, add non-dairy milk, apple juice, maple syrup and all of the spices. Once the squash has finished cooking, drain and let cool. After squash has cooled, add to blender. Blend ingredients to a liquid. Pour blender ingredients back into medium pot and heat on low.

Loaded Sweet Potato Ingredients

1 baked sweet potato (warm) Dashes of cinnamon Raw oats desired amt Walnuts desired amt 2 tblsp of agave syrup

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

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Poor Man's Chili Ingredients

1 cup of brown rice 1 can of black beans (rinsed) 1/2 cup of corn kernels 1 (15oz) can of diced tomatoes 1 (15oz) can of tomato sauce 1/2 green pepper (diced) 1/2 red onion (diced) 1 can of green chilis 2 tsp of chili seasoning 1/2 tsp of coriander 1/2 tsp of paprika 1/2 tsp of garlic powder

Instructions

Cook brown rice according to package. In a medium sauce pan, saute red onion and green pepper in a small amount of water or veggie broth for 5 mins. Add rest of ingredients and cook on lowmedium until brown rice has finished cooking. Serve tomato based sauce over rice in a bowl.

Kale & Avocado Salad Ingredients

5 oz container of kale Lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon 1 avocado 1/8 cup of water (approx 2-3 tblsp) 2 tblsp of agave syrup Desired amt of broccoli, cauliflower and red pepper

Instructions

In a large bowl, add kale, broccoli, cauliflower and red pepper (cut in bite size portions). In a blender, add avocado (seed & skin removed), lemon juice, water and agave syrup (opt) blend until it's a creamy consistency. Add avocado dressing to bowl of kale and other veggies. Mix all ingredients well and serve.

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Easy Cauliflower Mash Ingredients

1 2 2 3 2 2 head of cauliflower tblsp vegan butter tblsp of non-dairy milk tblsp vegan mayonnaise tsp sea salt tsp black pepper

Instructions

Cut cauliflower florets and place in pot of water. Boil until tender and drain. Place cauliflower florets and rest of ingredients in a medium-large bowl. Blend until there is a creamy texture.

Italian Pasta Salad Ingredients

1/3 cup of olive oil 1/2 cup of water 2 tblsp of apple cider vinegar 1 packet of Italian seasoning 12 oz pack of bowtie pasta (2) 2.25oz cans of black olives 1/2 red pepper 1/3 red onion 3-4 small to med tomatoes

Instructions

Cook bowtie noodles to directions on package. Dice red onion, tomatoes (remove seeds), red pepper. Drain black olives. In a medium bowl, add olive oil, water, vinegar, packet of Italian seasoning and mix thorougly. Drain pasta once it's finished cooking. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients well. Serve chilled.

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Stuffed Peppers Ingredients

4 Peppers 1 cup of spinach (densely packed) 1/2 can (7.5oz) of black beans (rinsed) 1/2 cup of brown rice 1/4 sweet onion 1 can (15oz) of diced tomatoes (we use the can that is seasoned with garlic/basil) 8-10 asparagus Veggie broth 1 tsp of sea salt 2 tblsp of Italian spice mix 2 tsp of nutritional yeast

Instructions
Add Italian spices to the brown rice and cook according to the package. Since the brown rice will take approx 40 mins to cook, dice onion and cut asparagus into 1 long pieces after the rice has cooked 30 mins. Only use the portions from the asparagus tip to approx 1/2 way down the stalk. Add onion, asparagus, nutritional yeast and enough veggie broth to cover the bottom of the pan and ingredients. Cook on medium for appprox 5 mins until onion is translucent or until asparagus is tender. Add spinach to the pan during the last minute of cooking. Cut off the tops of the peppers, discard core and rinse thoroughly. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once the brown rice has finished cooking, add all ingredients, including rice, in a large bowl. Do not include any of the remaining veggie broth from the onion/asparagus pan. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Stuff each pepper with your mixture, packing tightly. Bake on 350 degrees for approx 40 mins.

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Veggies & Grains/Pasta This is our staple dish in our home because it can be different and have a new flavor every time we cook it. It's simple, nutritious and exciting because of the variety of combinations. This should be the first dish you prepare for lunch/dinner because it's easy. This recipe serves 2 people. Ingredients
6-8 cups of frozen and/or fresh mixed veggies. We like the frozen combo bag that includes broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, but there are many different frozen combinations in your grocer. We use frozen veggies often for this dish instead of fresh because you don't have to spend time cutting and prepping the fresh veggies. 1 cup of your favorite grain or 1 package of wheat/brown rice pasta. Some options include: orzo, wheat couscous, brown rice pasta, quinoa, brown rice Veggie broth

Pictured above: Frozen broccoli and mixed veggies with almond slivers, fresh asparagus and red cabbage with nutritional yeast and adobo seasoning on top of brown rice.

Instructions
If you're cooking brown rice, start cooking it first since it can take approx 40-50 mins. If you're choosing quinoa, pasta, orzo or wheat couscous, you can start cooking it the same time you start the veggies. In a large skillet, add enough veggie broth to cover the bottom of the pan. Add frozen veggies & spices to skillet & cook on medium until they are thawed and hot (approx 20 mins). You don't want to overcook them. In a serving bowl, add cooked grains or pasta. Add veggies on top. Options to add to veggies while cooking:

Nutritional yeast Almond slivers Flax meal

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Chia seeds Black beans or other beans, rinsed Spices: curry, adobo, garlic powder, ginger, Italian mix Sunflower seeds Pumpkin seeds Like the heat? Add some chopped jalapenos Braggs liquid aminos (soy sauce) 2 tblsp of peanut butter. Mix thoroughly. Combine with Braggs aminos & ginger spice for an Asian style dish. Our favorite dish!

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Food Journal
Were often asked - What in the world do you eat on a plant-based diet? Well, simply put...plants! Ok, so its a little more creative than that but thats the foundation of our diet as we strive towards excellent health. So you have an idea of what a person on a plant-based or vegan diet might eat during any given day and to help stir up some meal ideas for your own lifestyle change, weve created a 2-week food journal below. This food journal will document everything we eat & drink during each day to give you a better understanding of how easy and tasty our daily menus are on this diet. Any food with a line underneath it will be a link to that recipe so you can enjoy it too. 11/8

Breakfast: Plain organic oatmeal from www.betteroats.com with strawberries, walnuts and raisins. Cup of organic coffee. Snack: Homemade trail mix with walnuts, almonds, cranberries, coconut shreds, sunflower seeds Lunch: Veggie sandwich with cucumber, red pepper, onion, lettuce, tomato Snack: Broccoli and hummus. Dinner: Homemade veggie soup with quinoa noodles (leftovers from the other night). Snack: Nuts Water, water and more water.

11/7

Breakfast: Sweet potato mash with walnuts, chia seeds, raisins and coconut shreds. Cup of organic coffee. Snack: Organic oatmeal from www.betteroats.com Lunch: Spaghetti squash pasta (leftover from last night) and cranberry ginger wild rice Snack: Green smoothie with spinach, apple, banana, agave and Vega protein powder Dinner: Spicy curry steamed veggies over wheat pasta Water and a glass of red wine at night.

11/6

Breakfast: Organic oatmeal with almonds, chia seeds and cherries. Cup of organic coffee. Snack: Organic apple with organic peanut butter.

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Lunch: Steamed broccoli, cauliflower, carrots with nutritional yeast and almonds over quinoa. Snack: Broccoli and hummus. Dinner: Spaghetti squash pasta with homemade tomato sauce that includes zucchini, mushrooms, garlic, basil, oregano with a side spinach salad topped with raspberry dressing, almonds, etc. Snack: Vegan chocolate peanut butter treats! H2O all day!

11/5

Breakfast: Blueberry, banana, almonds, chia seeds and almond milk smoothie. Cup of organic coffee. Snack: Organic apple with organic peanut butter. Lunch: Avocado & artichoke heart burrito over spinach and salsa with a mango, carrot and red cabbage salad. Snack: Banana Dinner: Leftover homemade veggie soup with quinoa noodles and roti bread. It was even better than last night! Nothing but water all day.

11/4 - Time falls back today! Breakfast: Homemade fluffy wheat pancakes with strawberry syrup & cashew cream. Cup of organic coffee.

Lunch: Veggie burger wrap topped with avocado, red onion, spinach, tomato, yellow pepper and mustard, wrapped in roti pita bread. We very rarely choose to eat processed foods but this burger had the least ingredients of any of the name brands and it was a lazy day for us. Snack: Banana Dinner: Homemade vegan soup with quinoa noodles. Made with celery, diced tomatoes, red onion, carrots, green beans, green peas, corn, veggie broth, red beans and quinoa noodles. YUM! Water and plenty of it!

11/3 - Today is Veg Fest 2012 Breakfast: Sweet potato mash with chia seeds, granola, cherries and coconut shreds (similar to this recipe). Cup of organic coffee.

Snack: This! Lunch: Ate lunch at the Veg Fest, specifically from the Loving Hut booth: spaghetti squash noodles with cabbage and carrots, veggie roll with Asian pear (and other yummy stuff) and had a veggie burrito with salsa over the top. Whoa! Great food, do it again in 2013!

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Dinner: Broccoli, mixed veggies over brown rice noodles topped with a homemade spicy peanut sauce.

11/2

Breakfast: Smoothie made from banana, blueberries, walnuts, chia seeds and almond milk. Cup of organic coffee. Snack: Organic banana & strawberries. Lunch: Mixed veggies in ginger sauce over brown rice. Snack: Apple slices & organic peanut butter Dinner: Hummus & veggie wrap Snack: Its outdoor movie night: air-popped popcorn and peanuts Water, water and more water!

11/1 Its world vegan day! Breakfast: Bowl of homemade granola & almond milk. Cup of organic coffee.

Snack: Veggies and hummus. Lunch: Steamed veggies and brown rice. Dinner: Got lazy tonight and had organic oatmeal with walnuts, cherries, quinoa, barley and chia seeds. Snack: Organic gala apple with organic peanut butter (nothing but roasted peanuts!) Water during the day, glass of wine at night.

10/31 - Happy Halloween! Breakfast: Loaded sweet potato similar to this recipe but with homemade granola (cinnamon, chia seeds, almonds, wheat germ, wheat bran), coconut shreds and raisins. Cup of organic coffee.

Snack: Broccoli and hummus. Lunch: Veggie soup and wheat toast. Snack: Peanuts. (I think I need new snacks!) Dinner: Vegan pizza! Plenty of water and a glass of wine after dinner.

10/30 Breakfast: Organic oatmeal (from betteroats.com) with almonds, cherries and chia seeds. Cup of organic coffee with agave to sweeten.

Snack: Carrots, broccoli & hummus Lunch: Spaghetti with homemade sauce and zucchini noodles. Sauce: tomato sauce, mushrooms, onion, orange pepper and zucchini with herbs and spices.

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Snack: Peanuts Dinner: Sweet potato soup with a heaping of homemade granola in the bowl. Tasty! Water all day & a glass of red wine after dinner.

10/29 Breakfast: Organic oatmeal with walnuts, raisins, chia seeds and cinnamon. Cup of organic coffee with agave to sweeten.

Snack: Banana Lunch: Steamed broccoli, mixed veggies, flax meal and nutritional yeast over orzo. Snack: Broccoli and hummus. Organic gala apple a couple of hours later. Dinner: Leftovers tonight - breakfast burritos on homemade roti with some hot sauce. Water, water & more water throughout the day.

10/28 Breakfast: Homemade granola with almond milk and a banana. Granola mix: oats, almonds, raisins, chia seeds, wheat germ, wheat bran, cherries, cinnamon. Cup of organic coffee with agave to sweeten.

Snack: Bowl of strawberries, raw oatmeal, coconut shreds and agave Lunch: Breakfast burrito for lunch! Our fave! Consists of potatoes, onion, red pepper, nutritional yeast and hot sauce on homemade roti bread. Banana for dessert. Snack: Peanuts Dinner: Asian dinner made with brown rice noodles, broccoli, onion, carrots and peanuts Snack: Homemade granola Plenty of water during the day

10/27 Todays a college football game day so youll probably see more tailgating snacks eaten than other meals but well keep them healthy, of course! Hail State! Breakfast: Starting the morning with some tasty whole wheat pancakes, banana slices and a cup of organic coffee with a hint of agave syrup for sweetness.

Snack: Mixed veggies (bell pepper, cauliflower, broccoli) & hummus Snack: Organic oats (from Better Oats) with almonds and raisins Lunch: Veggie sandwich on homemade wheat pita (red pepper, avocado, sprouts, carrots, onion, tomato, lettuce) and apple slices Snack: Walnuts, air-popped popcorn

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Dinner: Well, we had leftovers last night - butternut squash soup but we added homemade vegan granola and brown rice to it. Soooo gooood! Water all day and a glass of red wine

10/26 Breakfast: Blueberry / Banana smoothie with chia seeds, almond milk & a scoop of Vegan Proteins+ powder

Snack: Broccoli and hummus. I love hummus, so youre going to see this combo for snacks often Lunch: Salad with apple, walnuts, cranberries and grapes with vinaigrette dressing Snack: Nuts Dinner: Butternut squash soup, brown rice Snack: Apple slices with peanut butter (no oils, preservatives...just plain old peanuts) Water all day and a glass of red wine at night

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Farmers Market & You

A farmers market is an assembly of farmers in your local area who sell produce directly to the general public and there are many advantages of supporting them. Recently, there have been an increase in the number of markets that have opened so search the Internet for one near you. Some of the benefits of a farmers market include: Locally Grown. The veggies and fruit offered at the farmers market have traveled less distance than your grocer produce which results in greater savings on the non-renewable resources. Some experts estimate that most produce being offered at the grocery store can travel up to 3500 miles, have sat in shipping warehouses, and spent time in various shipping containers before you actually purchase it. Selection Variety. Most farmers market try to accommodate all consumers by offering organic, pesticide free and conventionally grown produce. The produce selection is also dependent upon the location of the farmer so you'll find fresh produce that is considered local to your region. Locally grown produce is considered to be much fresher and more nutrient dense because of it traveling far less shortly after being picked. Often, if the produce is picked a couple of days prior to being sold, it's likely to stay fresher longer. Support Local Farmers. On average, farmers only profit approximately 20-25 cents of every dollar spent by consumers on produce due to packaging, shipping and marketing of their product to stores nationwide. When consumers purchase produce from local farmers market, the farmer is able to retain more of the earnings of each sale. Their revenue is spent in the local commercial market on fertilizer, machinery, supplies and farming jobs are created. Another advantage is the opportunity for a direct relationship with the farmer and their employees. Meet, greet and learn from your grower and it can be a very rewarding experience. Savings. Due to money that is saved on marketing, packaging and travel of the produce, expect to pay much less than you would in your grocery store. For example, Neva and I purchased pesticide free bell peppers during season at the farmers market for .25 cents each compared to $3.99/lb at the grocery store. Savings like that add up very quickly when you're grocery bill is considered a major monthly expense. Our local farmers market offers organic, pesticide free and conventionally grown produce so depending on your budget, there's something for everyone's wallet. To save even more on your monthly produce expenses, find out if any of the growers offer a co-op program. Ours offers a bag full of the veggies and fruit that is currently in season once or twice per month for very reasonable rates even less than purchasing in

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person at the farmers market. The only downfall to this approach is the consumer has no control over what's being delivered or how much of each product, but it's still a great idea.

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Seasonal Veg/Fruit Chart

Shaded areas indicate in season

Name Almonds Apples Apricots Artichokes Arugula Asparagus Avocados Beans Beets Blackberries Blueberries Bok Choy Broccoli Brussel Sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chard Cherries Chestnuts Collards Corn Cucumbers Dates Eggplant Fava Beans Figs Garlic Grapefruit Grapes Kale Kiwi Lemons Lettuces Limes Mandarins Melons

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

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Mushrooms Nectarines Okra Onions Oranges Parsnips Peaches Pears Peas Peppers, Bell Peppers, Chili Pistachios Plums Pluots Pomegranates Potatoes, Red Potatoes, Sweet Radish Raspberries Rhubarb Rutabaga Scallions Shallots Spinach Squash, Summer Squash, Winter Strawberries Tangerines Tomatoes Turnips Walnuts

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Nutritional Values

Based on 1 cup serving size

Veggies
Spinach Kale Brussel Sprouts Carrots Sweet Potato Red Cabbage Zucchini Broccoli Cauliflower Tomato Soybeans Black Beans Onion Calories 7 33 38 30 114 28 20 20 25 32 376 227 64

Fiber g 1 1 3 2 4 2 1 1 3 2 11 15 3

Protein g 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 33 15 2

Vit. A % 60 206 13 234 377 20 5 43 30 9 20 -

Vit. C % 15 134 125 4 5 85 35 110 77 38 124 20

Iron % 5 6 7 4 5 4 2 3 2 3 50 20 2

Calcium % 3 9 4 3 4 4 2 3 2 2 50 5 4

Vit. K % 181 684 195 10 3 42 7 20 18 -

Folate % 15 5 13 6 4 4 9 13 14 7 106 64 8

Manganese % 13 6 15 6 17 11 11 8 10 70 38 10

Fruit
Blueberries Strawberries Apple Banana Grapes Calories 84 49 65 200 104

Fiber g 4 3 3 6 1

Protein g 1 1 0 2 1

Vit. A % 2 1 3 2

Vit. C % 24 149 10 33 27

Iron % 2 3 1 3 3

Calcium % 1 2 1 1 2

Vit. K % 36 4 3 28

Folate % 9 1 11 -

Manganese % 25 29 2 2 -

Grains
Oats Quinoa Brown Rice Calories 607 222 216

Fiber g 17 5 4

Protein g 26 8 5

Iron % 41 15 5

Calcium % 8 3 2

Thiamin % 79 -

Folate % 22 19 2

Vit. B6 % 14

Vit. E % 6 -

Manganese % 383 58 88

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Additives to Food
We often add the items listed below to our food dishes for additional vitamins, minerals and nutrients. All of them provide different textures and flavors that can make a boring dish, one that's bursting with flavor. Chia Seeds: - a tablespoon of chia seeds has approx 70 calories, 2g fiber and 2.5g of protein and 18% of calcium along with iron and thiamin. Chia seeds also provide more heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids than any other plant food. They can also absorb many times their weight in liquid and this assists in curbing the hunger cravings. Its a gluten free food and has more protein than other grains. Chia seeds are great on oatmeal, non-dairy yogurt and adds a crunch when sprinkled over veggies. Flax Meal: - if youre wanting to add a slightly nutty flavor to your meal, spread a tablespoon of flax meal onto your finished dish, add it to your green or morning smoothie or include it during the cooking of your meal. Flax contains 37 calories, 2g fiber, 1g protein and a whopping 1600mg of omega-3 fatty acids, 400mg of omega-6 fatty acids for heart health. Because of the omega content in flax, you can substitute flax oil for your fish oil supplements. Nuts: nuts bring the crunch, texture, flavor and much needed nutrients to your diet. Nuts pack omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin E, zinc, iron, fiber and other important nutrients that assist in fighting heart disease, some cancers and have been linked to lower cholesterol. Easy and tasty ways to ensure youre getting your daily intake of nuts can be to sprinkle almond slivers over steamed veggies, add walnuts to oatmeal or just grab a handful and eat as a snack. Nutritional Yeast: - this is one our newly found favorite additives to foods we prepare. Yellowish in color, its often added as a cheese substitute to foods and its even available in some theatres across the US to add to popcorn. This stuff packs a vitamin and mineral punch including B12, thiamin, riboflavin, B6, zinc and folate. Due to being a yeast, it tends to thicken the sauce you use to cook your dish so start with a tablespoon and add more according to your liking.

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Sunflower/Pumpkin Seeds: like nuts, seeds give your dish a crunchy texture while providing you with vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium and folate. Its easy to incorporate seeds into your diet add to salads, steamed veggies, include in your fruit salads and more!

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Ingredients in Food
Food manufacturers are clever in naming and listing ingredients on their packaging and you may not even realize that youre consuming any animal products. But information is power! Below is a table of ingredients to be on the lookout for when reading nutritional labels on foods, marinades, sauces and other products in the grocer.

Ingredient
Albumin Anchovies Calcium Stearate Decanoic or Capric Acid Casein Gelatin Glucose Glycerides: di-, mono-, triLactic Acid Lactose Lanolin Lard Lutein Natural Flavor Oleic Acid Pancreatin Pepsin Rennet or Rennin Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate Stearic Acid Suet Tallow Whey

What it really is
Egg white protein Silver fish (found in Worcestershire sauce) Mineral from hogs, cows Fat from animals Milk protein Animal by-product (bones, blood, tendons, etc) Sometimes derived from animal tissues Can be from animal fats Milk acid Sugar from milk Fat from sheep Pork fat Yellow color from egg yolks Can be from animal products Animal tallow Animal by-product Enzyme from a pig stomach Enzyme from a pig stomach Can be from animal products Animal fat and/or oil Fat from animals Fat from cattle and sheep Milk

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Dining Out/Camping Guide

One of our fears of converting to vegan was not able to enjoy a relaxing dinner away from home, traveling and what food to prepare for during our camping trips. We learned that the limitations with enjoying a vegan meal away from home really depended on our geographical location and planning ahead was critical. For instance, there are plenty of vegan options at restaurants where we reside in Jacksonville, FL; however, when we travel to Mississippi to visit my family, theres not much being served outside of fried chicken and hamburgers. Since they live in a very rural area, planning a night out would mean a 45-minute one-way drive to a city that would offer menu items that are vegan friendly so its not very convenient. If you have a smartphone, some apps that have been beneficial to us and have saved us in times of food crisis are: Urbanspoon free iVegetarian - free Yelp - free Foodspotting - free HappyCow ($2.99, popular vegan travel app) VegOut ($2.99 locates vegetarian and vegan restaurants)

A loaded salad, veggie plate, or Chinese/Thai dishes have been frequent meal selections during our travels due to our location. And if youre traveling by car to a city youve never visited before, I suggest having enough healthy snacks to satisfy your hunger cravings until you locate a restaurant to eat at. Do you have a love for the great outdoors but intimidated by having to plan vegan meals to eat while youre sitting around the campfire? No fret dear reader.

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Every time we prepare to go camping we have the same strugglesfood. Below is a quick guide for a relaxing camping experience and still enjoy great vegan meals.

1. 2.

Cool it! Spend the extra money on a good cooler. Rugged or Domesticated? Either invest in a solid propane grill/stove or reserve a camp spot with electric and water hookup for your cooking appliances.

3. A.
B. C. D. E. F.

KISS. Keep meals simple and with few ingredients. Organic quick oatmeal pouches (www.betteroats.com) for breakfast. Super convenient. Fruits Nuts for snacks Granola (snack or breakfast) Hummus for veggie dip Bottled water Veggies or beans and brown rice (see below if you want to cook veggies over the fire)

G. 4.

Boyscouts = Be Prepared. Prepare your meals the day prior to leaving so you dont stress with having to combine all ingredients during your camping trip. For example, we love to have veggie hummus wraps so well make roti pitas (whole wheat flour and water) and chop all the veggies the night before and have in containers ready to go in the cooler the next day.

5.

SmoresPlease! Whats camping without a fire pit & smores?! Find a good vegan bannock recipe and youll forget about the traditional smores. Veg Web has a great recipe for blueberry bannock ( http://vegweb.com/recipes/blueberry-

bannock) but your options are unlimited. Try with cranberries, cacao nibs, or almond
slivers. Wrap the dough around your smores stick and place over the fire to cook. YUM.

6.

Pouches to the rescue. For infants/toddlers, weve found small fruit/veggies (grape, strawberries, apple pieces, broccoli, etc) and food pouches seem to keep them satisfied during the camping weekend. Plum Organics (www.plumorganics.com) and Earths Best (www.earthsbest.com) are a couple of options for organic veggie/fruit combo pouches.

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7.

Veggie foils. If you want to cook your veggies over the fire, its pretty simple. Use heavy aluminum foil, add your chopped veggies, spices, wrap the foil and either sit on the ground touching the firewood or over open flames.

8.

Kitchen tools. Dont forget your kitchen supplies. Typical items: spatula, tongs, knives, zip lock bags, cutting board (if not prepping food the night before).

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Conclusions
So...I've tried to build a launch pad for you to convert to a healthier lifestyle and a more nutritious diet, but it's entirely up to you now. After 15+ years of management and entrepreneurial experience, the same rule and reasons of why someone doesn't complete a task applies to this life change also: Ability and Willingness. Unless there is some supernatural phenomenon causing you the inability to make a change, then it boils down to your dedication and willingness. How much do you want it? You've already taken the first step by downloading and reading this guide but you can't stop there go clean out your fridge, toss out the processed foods in your cabinet, choose water over your daily soda whatever your next step is...take it and don't look back! Don't listen to the naysayers because the proof will be in how you feel, your increased energy and in your biometric scores. Remember, you can't expect to change a lifestyle that you've been so entrenched in for years over night so be patient and know that you are providing your body great ammunition to fight chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. You can do it, you can be successful in this journey and we're here to assist, motivate, brainstorm a recipe idea whatever it takes to keep you on the right path. So if you feel the need to reach out to me, please contact me at scott@betterforks.com and I'll certainly respond to your question(s). Good luck on your journey, it begins...NOW! Regards, The betterforks.com Team

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