IMO you can never go off track with bread... lol .... unless it isn't vegan - love me some bread!!! I just leave off the butter...
Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
Whatcha eating WFPB?
- Thread starter silva
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IMO you can never go off track with bread... lol .... unless it isn't vegan - love me some bread!!! I just leave off the butter...
Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
Thanks Emma- what I meant was that I was going off track the ‘whole-food’ side of the equation (off track the ‘WF’ of the ‘WFPB equation’) with simple white bread- rather than whole-grain bread; I prefer to opt for whole-grain versions whenever I can -they have more fiber, lower glycemic index, etc. But I agree with you that most white bread as such can be vegan/plant-based (OK on the ‘PB’ side of the equation) it is just not as ‘whole food’ as other bread options. I should have specified I meant white bread. I sometimes make my own oat flatbreads, lentil flatbreads, whole-wheat bread, etc. - which are healthier options compared to store-bought white bread.
Not everything vegan is necessarily healthy - case in point: French fries and white sugar…Better to opt for foods that are both vegan and healthy…
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Yesterday was another ‘WFPB-off track’ day, as I was offered a packed lunch in a meeting; it was all vegan (OK on the ‘PB-side’ of the equation) but with very processed foods- particularly because of the white bread, lots of oil - with fried eggplants, fried onions, etc. (not so OK on the ‘WF’ side of the equation).
I sometimes face a couple of dilemmas:
1) I prefer to go for WFPB options whenever I can, but I do not at all like food waste- that is why, when I am out, I often prefer buffets, as I can ensure I only take what I would like to eat, in the amount I would like to eat, without throwing away food. Pre-packed meals, on the other hand, create such dilemma: to eat something that is not so healthy (even though it is vegan) or to waste food?
2) we are all social beings- and in yesterday’s example, there were about 15 or so people around the table. I was the only one who asked for a vegetarian option (I was not offered a vegan option, but as it turned out, the meal was also vegan, although not so healthy as it was very oily and salty). With hindsight, to solve personal dilemma No. 1, I could have simply said ‘no’ - do not bring me lunch, even though it might be vegan, as I know from experience, it is most likely far from being ‘WF’ - with lots of oil, white flour, salt, etc. But I would have been the only one sitting there, not partaking in the meal, as a social event…
After yesterday’s experience, and some reflection, these are the conclusions I am reaching:
(a) one should simply accept the fact that, unfortunately, whenever you are outside your own home, given standard diets and predominant practices in food preparation at present, on occasions, it is OK to let food be wasted in the short-term (rather than consume such foods at the cost of one’s health); at the same time, one should advocate, longer term, for more and healthier options (including more WFPB options), so that healthy meals outside your own home become more common, rather than - as they are now in some places - exceptional- therefore reducing food waste over time.
(b) one should be more willing to simply say ‘no’, even in highly social settings - yesterday, at the lunch meeting, I could have simply opted to fast and said “I am fasting- thank you for the offer, but I will skip this one’ (normally, in fact, I try to have only one meal a day). This would have prevented personal dilemma No. 1. I could have simply asked for some tea instead, for example, to still partake, in a small way, in the meal as a social event (sipping tea rather than eating food).
Today I will experiment: I will be joining a couple of get-togethers (social and work-related). In one of the get-togethers I know that relatively healthy options are available; in the other one, I am not so sure. Will post tomorrow how they both went.
If you are reading this line now- thanks for reaching this far! If any of these reflections resonate with you in some way, do let me know!
I sometimes face a couple of dilemmas:
1) I prefer to go for WFPB options whenever I can, but I do not at all like food waste- that is why, when I am out, I often prefer buffets, as I can ensure I only take what I would like to eat, in the amount I would like to eat, without throwing away food. Pre-packed meals, on the other hand, create such dilemma: to eat something that is not so healthy (even though it is vegan) or to waste food?
2) we are all social beings- and in yesterday’s example, there were about 15 or so people around the table. I was the only one who asked for a vegetarian option (I was not offered a vegan option, but as it turned out, the meal was also vegan, although not so healthy as it was very oily and salty). With hindsight, to solve personal dilemma No. 1, I could have simply said ‘no’ - do not bring me lunch, even though it might be vegan, as I know from experience, it is most likely far from being ‘WF’ - with lots of oil, white flour, salt, etc. But I would have been the only one sitting there, not partaking in the meal, as a social event…
After yesterday’s experience, and some reflection, these are the conclusions I am reaching:
(a) one should simply accept the fact that, unfortunately, whenever you are outside your own home, given standard diets and predominant practices in food preparation at present, on occasions, it is OK to let food be wasted in the short-term (rather than consume such foods at the cost of one’s health); at the same time, one should advocate, longer term, for more and healthier options (including more WFPB options), so that healthy meals outside your own home become more common, rather than - as they are now in some places - exceptional- therefore reducing food waste over time.
(b) one should be more willing to simply say ‘no’, even in highly social settings - yesterday, at the lunch meeting, I could have simply opted to fast and said “I am fasting- thank you for the offer, but I will skip this one’ (normally, in fact, I try to have only one meal a day). This would have prevented personal dilemma No. 1. I could have simply asked for some tea instead, for example, to still partake, in a small way, in the meal as a social event (sipping tea rather than eating food).
Today I will experiment: I will be joining a couple of get-togethers (social and work-related). In one of the get-togethers I know that relatively healthy options are available; in the other one, I am not so sure. Will post tomorrow how they both went.
If you are reading this line now- thanks for reaching this far! If any of these reflections resonate with you in some way, do let me know!
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I do agree that taking a balanced approach is very good. Standing out by asking for a vegan/vegetarian option is a good quiet way to stay true to yourself without refusing to eat at all as that could seem, I don't know, "elitist"? Maybe I am wrong however I grew up in a family where religion ruled and we were all "right" about everything and everyone else was "wrong" and that is so destructive and yes, elitist without merit.
It is very easy, though, for me to sit here and say that as I don't have to deal with this on a regular basis as we both work from home and most of our family and friends are out of town.
I do understand about the bread and it not being WFPB and yet it is better than so many other options, like fries.
Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
It is very easy, though, for me to sit here and say that as I don't have to deal with this on a regular basis as we both work from home and most of our family and friends are out of town.
I do understand about the bread and it not being WFPB and yet it is better than so many other options, like fries.
Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
Thanks Emma- interesting reflections. I agree that, unless handled well, the perception of being ‘elitist’ can be inadvertently created by simply refusing to partake in a social event, like a meal. Asking for vegetarian or vegan option is a good way to stay true to oneself, as you say, without creating that “I am right, you are wrong’ perception in one’s friends, colleagues and acquaintances, or even family members.. . I agree with you on that.
Lately, I find that I can compromise on the ‘WF’ front, but I avoid compromising on the ‘PB’ front, particularly by avoiding meats, even when hosts insist. If one politely says ‘no, thank you - I am trying to avoid meats but I will try this other dish’ - it tends to work well, from my experience: as long as one does it from a sincere place of respect and appreciation for the host and his genuine intention to make one’s visit pleasant. Over time, I also feel non-vegetarians are becoming more understanding towards vegan and vegetarians: providing options to them, and genuinely respecting their choices. A trend in the right direction, I believe.
Yesterday, it was a rare day as I had three separate gatherings, centered around meals- breakfast (with a friend); lunch work meeting, and birthday party. On all three - I did relatively well on the ‘plant-based’ front - no meats at all, of course (although I probably had to make mild compromises on the cake, at the party, for instance- presumably the flour of the cake was prepared with eggs; and possibly some dairy/cream ingredients were in the icing) - being a true vegetarian is much easier than being a vegan, when one is ‘out there’. I also compromised on the ‘whole food’ side of the equation - croissant for breakfast; and at the birthday party I had crisps, pastries and cake (lunch was OK - I had a very nice beetroot salad).
The only question that remains to myself: as one tries to make the WFPB lifestyle more of the ‘norm’ (which I find extremely easy when I am at home; harder when I step out of home) does it mean I should become ‘stricter’ - particularly on the “WF’ and dairy fronts -(finding better alternatives, or polite ways of refusing/avoiding well-intended offers), or keep compromising in the way I have been doing lately…if one opts for being ‘stricter’ - I think there will be more work to be done to avoid inadvertently generating the perception of being ‘elitist’ , as Emma says. No need to decide now- will make a decision later…
Lately, I find that I can compromise on the ‘WF’ front, but I avoid compromising on the ‘PB’ front, particularly by avoiding meats, even when hosts insist. If one politely says ‘no, thank you - I am trying to avoid meats but I will try this other dish’ - it tends to work well, from my experience: as long as one does it from a sincere place of respect and appreciation for the host and his genuine intention to make one’s visit pleasant. Over time, I also feel non-vegetarians are becoming more understanding towards vegan and vegetarians: providing options to them, and genuinely respecting their choices. A trend in the right direction, I believe.
Yesterday, it was a rare day as I had three separate gatherings, centered around meals- breakfast (with a friend); lunch work meeting, and birthday party. On all three - I did relatively well on the ‘plant-based’ front - no meats at all, of course (although I probably had to make mild compromises on the cake, at the party, for instance- presumably the flour of the cake was prepared with eggs; and possibly some dairy/cream ingredients were in the icing) - being a true vegetarian is much easier than being a vegan, when one is ‘out there’. I also compromised on the ‘whole food’ side of the equation - croissant for breakfast; and at the birthday party I had crisps, pastries and cake (lunch was OK - I had a very nice beetroot salad).
The only question that remains to myself: as one tries to make the WFPB lifestyle more of the ‘norm’ (which I find extremely easy when I am at home; harder when I step out of home) does it mean I should become ‘stricter’ - particularly on the “WF’ and dairy fronts -(finding better alternatives, or polite ways of refusing/avoiding well-intended offers), or keep compromising in the way I have been doing lately…if one opts for being ‘stricter’ - I think there will be more work to be done to avoid inadvertently generating the perception of being ‘elitist’ , as Emma says. No need to decide now- will make a decision later…
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If food is going to make you feel bad and not really needed, eating it as just as wasteful as leaving it--and I find leftover work lunches get snatched up by others anyway.
Using religion as an excuse for how you eat has always angered me as people will accept that as reasonable but be critical if it's just because of ethics or health
Sounds like you'd rather decline-is it possible to pack a wrap sandwich you've made?
yes, I try to eat mostly WFPB and do compromise a fair amount on the WF and I do not compromise on the PB - I just don't eat the cake unless I made it myself and know the contents - if was going to cause a huge kerfluffle then I may have a one inch square of cake, likely not though
(btw @silva I was referring to the religious beliefs themselves as the reason for "being right" - my family was not even remotely vegan)
Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
(btw @silva I was referring to the religious beliefs themselves as the reason for "being right" - my family was not even remotely vegan)
Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
I understood, it just made me think how religion seems to get a pass while simply ethics or health gets questioned
If a vegan complains about getting meat in an order that was vegan they're dismissed while someone avoiding pig the same mistake is taken seriously to the point of harassment
Thanks Silva- on many ocassions I indeed rather respectfully decline; alternatively I can be deliberately selective (I can decline some things, accept others- which is easy in a buffet setting), bring my own lunch or bring a dish that can be shared with others; or simply fast (I often go for intermittent fasting anyway). I am also getting more inclined to accept the fact that, (a) sometimes, food waste is inevitable or difficult to avoid in today’s society (in future, I believe, things will be different as more options are going to be more readily available ); (b) as long as one does her or his best to minimize food waste -with whatever one can control- without compromising on health or ethics, one should not feel bad about it, even if some food waste does indeed happen.If food is going to make you feel bad and not really needed, eating it as just as wasteful as leaving it--and I find leftover work lunches get snatched up by others anyway.
Using religion as an excuse for how you eat has always angered me as people will accept that as reasonable but be critical if it's just because of ethics or health
Sounds like you'd rather decline-is it possible to pack a wrap sandwich you've made?
One can be offered a dish that is 70% OK, 30% not so OK- rather than declining 100% (possibly leading to 100% being wasted, sometimes), it is OK, I believe, to take the 70%, and let the 30% go to waste - without feeling guilty about it; in parallel, one advocates for a future in which that 30% becomes smaller and smaller every time- so food waste is progressively reduced or, in an ideal scenario, eliminated. I think one should constantly work to be a small part of the long-term solution (to enormous food waste), rather than the long-term problem; while accepting the fact that, in the short term, there are still problems that cannot be solved overnight -but personal health and other values should take priority.
Good point on the cake- will need to be more deliberate on that, for future birthday-parties…
Oatmeat with flaxseeds and blueberries
large orange
srouted pumpkin seeds (from costco)
spring greens with chickpeas and balsamic vinegar
cracked wheat simmered with chickpeas, seasoned with za'tar and sumac, topped with soy yogurt
rooibos tea
checked 21 of 24 of the Daily Dozen
large orange
srouted pumpkin seeds (from costco)
spring greens with chickpeas and balsamic vinegar
cracked wheat simmered with chickpeas, seasoned with za'tar and sumac, topped with soy yogurt
rooibos tea
checked 21 of 24 of the Daily Dozen
My breakfast was not all whole foods, but I did have an orange as part of it.
For lunch I had a spinach salad with carrots, onions, celery, olives, dill pickles and peanuts with homemade dressing.
Dinner was soy curls with homemade gravy, roasted potatoes and steamed peas.
For lunch I had a spinach salad with carrots, onions, celery, olives, dill pickles and peanuts with homemade dressing.
Dinner was soy curls with homemade gravy, roasted potatoes and steamed peas.
I had some cashew nuts, a clementine and a apple as snacks.
Dinner is a jacket potato with salad. Mixed leaves, tomato, cucumber, avocado with lemon juice, vinegar and sea salt and a few pickled onions on the side.
Dinner is a jacket potato with salad. Mixed leaves, tomato, cucumber, avocado with lemon juice, vinegar and sea salt and a few pickled onions on the side.
A slice of rye bread, and an apple
A mix greens salad with chickpeas and balsamic
roasted cauliflower with Penzeys Revolution seasoning and soy yogurt
enchiladas
A mix greens salad with chickpeas and balsamic
roasted cauliflower with Penzeys Revolution seasoning and soy yogurt
enchiladas
I have eaten very healthily today to start off the New Year.
Chickpea dip and salad in a wholemeal roll.
Avocado toast with cherry tomatoes and pickles.
Cereal with soya milk.
I made "nice cream" with frozen strawberries and banana just now. It was really lovely.
I have had cherry tea, green tea and sparkling water with lime to drink.
Chickpea dip and salad in a wholemeal roll.
Avocado toast with cherry tomatoes and pickles.
Cereal with soya milk.
I made "nice cream" with frozen strawberries and banana just now. It was really lovely.
I have had cherry tea, green tea and sparkling water with lime to drink.
rye toast with pinto beans and salsa (yuck)
orange
cruciferous salad with a yogurt based ranch dressing. olives and pinto beans
enchiladas
couple snack balls-dates, walnuts, flaxseeds, spices, oats and cocoa
Limiting coffee, adding green tea and rooibos tea
orange
cruciferous salad with a yogurt based ranch dressing. olives and pinto beans
enchiladas
couple snack balls-dates, walnuts, flaxseeds, spices, oats and cocoa
Limiting coffee, adding green tea and rooibos tea
I'm cutting out coffee too, I read black tea is okay so I had a cup just now.
I find it hard not to have vegan butter on toast as that is what I have almost every day for breakfast.
This link says avo, banana, berries and yoghurt, pure nut butter or chia jam are good for lowering cholesterol. 5 healthy toast toppings - Heart Matters magazine - BHF I only have pure cashew butter at home at the moment as I have the shopping coming tomorrow. I do have normal jam (not chia) too.
I might just have a smoothie and some unsalted cashew nuts instead of toast.
I find it hard not to have vegan butter on toast as that is what I have almost every day for breakfast.
This link says avo, banana, berries and yoghurt, pure nut butter or chia jam are good for lowering cholesterol. 5 healthy toast toppings - Heart Matters magazine - BHF I only have pure cashew butter at home at the moment as I have the shopping coming tomorrow. I do have normal jam (not chia) too.
I might just have a smoothie and some unsalted cashew nuts instead of toast.
I found two cans of chickpeas so I'm going to make a dip instead and have it on toast.
Today's WFPB food will be a smoothie made of almond milk, a banana, blueberries, unsweetened cocoa, spinach and peanut butter; a buffalo nuggets salad (thought the PB dressing won't be WF); and homemade seitan roast with veggies and mashed potatoes (mashed with a little veggie broth instead of the vegan butter).
oatmeal, flax, blueberries and green tea
couple date nuts and stuff snacky balls
cruciferous salad w/ pumpkin seeds, cranberries, olives and pita chips
green tea
bean dip and some tortilla chips*
cracked wheat, spinach and chickpeas & za'tar, w/ soy yogurt and sumac
rooibos
couple date nuts and stuff snacky balls
cruciferous salad w/ pumpkin seeds, cranberries, olives and pita chips
green tea
bean dip and some tortilla chips*
cracked wheat, spinach and chickpeas & za'tar, w/ soy yogurt and sumac
rooibos
