Now, I know you think you've tried everything and some it is a big ol' YUCK in you're mind, but just ACTUALLY try it! My hubby and children were adamant that they would not eat chili, tacos, burgers, pizza, sandwiches, etc. without some type of Meat on it. Naturally, I made all these Wonderfully Yummy dishes that they ate up
completely with NO leftovers and didn't even realize they were NOT eating any meat!
(Sometimes you just have to JUST DO IT and let the food do the talking! Score One for Mom!)
SUBSTITUTIONS
Salt: Instead of salt, season with lime juice, lemon juice, low sodium tamari, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, vinegars, tomato juice, soy sauce, and vegetarian Worcestershire sauce.
Sweeteners: Replace ordinary sugar with pure maple syrup, Sucanat, turbinado sugar, blackstrap molasses, unrefined dark brown sugar, xylitol, fruit juice, mashed bananas, or applesauce.
Dairy and butter: Try sliced bananas and fruit and no-oil-added nut butters on toast in place of butter. Use blended Silken Lite soft tofu in recipes in place of sour cream and milk.
Spinach = chard = kale = cabbage = collards = mustard greens = arugula = bok choy = beet greens = romaine lettuce if you’re desperate
Potatoes = turnips = parsnips = beets = kohlrabi
Cabbage = broccoli = cauliflower = brussel sprouts = kohlrabi = bok choy
Winter squash = sweet potatoes = carrots
Leeks = onions = shallots = green onions = garlic
Celery = fennel = tart apple
Pears = apples
Broccoli = asparagus = peas = green beans = zucchini
Tofu, made from soybeans, is a hearty and very malleable food. Tofu packed in water should be drained before using. Tofu can be either soft or hard. Soft, or silken, tofu blends into a smooth cream and is excellent in desserts. Hard, or firm, tofu retains its shape, and can be sliced or crumbled. All tofu is about 40 percent fat (except for low-fat versions). Firm or extra-firm tofu can be drained and then pressed firmly with a cloth to remove excess water. Crumble, slice, or dice it, and add it to the skillet for a spin
with your favorite vegetables and seasonings. Marinate tofu the way you would chicken or fish—with herbs, citrus juice, cracked black pepper, vinegar, tamari, soy sauce, or wine. Cook marinated tofu in a sprayed skillet, under the broiler, or on a sprayed grill until it is nicely browned on both sides. Try freezing a drained block of tofu in the freezer. After it thaws, frozen tofu soaks up marinades easily since it becomes more porous in the freezing process. It also changes slightly in consistency, becoming chewier.
Seitan is a wonderful substitute for chicken or beef, and comes in both flavors. Derived from wheat in a process that extracts the gluten or wheat protein, it slices and dices easily without falling apart, and is delicious plain.
Tempeh is a form of fermented, unprocessed tofu; it is remarkably nutritious. It usually comes in hard bricks that can be sliced or chopped, then added to stir-fries or chilies.
A couple months ago, I delved into juicing and trying a plant based diet and that really went well. I felt healthy, lost some weight, and had better than ever before energy. I hadn't been able to give up the dairy, but after about 6 weeks and Christmas, my family sabotagers worked my will power down to nothing and I was back to not feeling good, let alone being healthy, and I started gaining weight again. I started looking again at how I could get off the roller coaster and get on the straight and narrow track. I had to find something to get me motivated again. I went back to my netflix and tried watching one of the movies that helped get me headed in the right direction in the first place - Forks Over Knives.
