It's Easy Being Green!

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 14 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, Alzheimer's disease, and breast, stomach, esophageal, colon, prostate, and pancreatic cancers.

If you've been thinking about going vegan--or at least cutting back on the amount of animal products you eat--the following tips should help start you on your way to a healthier lifestyle:

Base your diet on whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and all the healthful foods made from them. Don't be afraid to try new things.

Use Morningstar Farms Burger Style Recipe Crumbles instead of meat in chili, tacos, sloppy Joes, shepherd's pie, and spaghetti sauce, and Morningstar Farms vegetarian chik-n strips and steak strips in place of chicken or steak in stir fries, stews, and casseroles.

Stuff burritos with beans, mock meats, or grilled vegetables. Make a meatball sub with Nate's meatless meatballs. Prepare pizza with soy cheese and fill manicotti and lasagna with seasoned and crumbled tofu.

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.

Substitute Ener-G Egg Replacer for eggs when baking cakes and cookies or snack on Soy Delicious non-dairy ice cream, dairy-free dark chocolate, or other vegan goodies.

Make a habit of reading labels to be sure you're buying products that are healthy and humane. Seemingly safe items like crackers may contain lard, rice mixes may contain chicken fat, and other products may include honey or other animal ingredients you'll want to avoid. Skip products with dairy-derived ingredients like casein, whey, and lactose. It won't take long before choosing vegan products will be second-nature and you'll be telling your friends, family, and co-workers how easy it is to be green! For more tips and recipes, visit www.VegCooking.com.

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