Monday we held what we hope will be the first of many plant-based cooking workshops. Right now we are planning to hold the workshop once a month but hopefully we can grow popularity and host the workshop even more frequently. That being said, we are still working on the logistics of the July workshop. Follow me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/thefellowfoodie) or subscribe to the blog (enter your email on the right side of the page) to get updates on recipes and events!
I know several of you regrettably missed the workshop for a number of different reasons and that’s why I wanted to highlight some things we discussed.
Plant-based vs. Vegan
When deciding to host this workshop I decided that the term “plant-based” ultimately describes my goals for this workshop more than the term “vegan”. The term “vegan” has a lot of controversy around it and is often associated more with the animal welfare values over the nutritional benefits. Ultimately my decision to adopt a “vegan” diet had little to nothing to do with the animal welfare. Although I absolutely love that aspect of it, I was instead motivated to improve my overall health. You can read my full story here.
My biggest suggestion to anyone would be do your own research, be conscious of what you’re consuming and set your intention on becoming your best self.
What plant-based means to me
I can’t say I’m 100% plant-based vegan because, I admit, I occasionally cheat. It’s still a goal, but for now I’m not going to pretend I’m something I’m not. I, for the most part, don’t use prepared vegan substitutes like cheese, butter, sour cream, mayo, etc. I will occasionally buy almond milk if I don’t have time to make my own but I’m very particular on which brand I buy since many contain a lot of nasty additives. As a regular Kroger shopper the best brand they offer is Malk, but it is pricey for the amount you get. Now, this is all my personal choice and I think everyone should do their own product research and ultimately decide what is best for their personal/family needs. I am going to start experimenting with my own vegan cheese recipes and I’m super thrilled about Julie Piatt’s new book, This Cheese is Nuts. As for bread, I do occasionally enjoy some avocado toast and I’ll recommend Dave’s Killer Bread, the brand’s story is pretty neat.
I try to use whole food products that are closest to their original form. I could and will most likely do a whole post on the Standard American Diet (SAD) later but for now I will say as a nation we rely too much on fast and processed foods that are incredibly nutrient deficient. Food is not something that needs scientists and marketing firms. My philosophy is eat REAL food. Eat what you want, when you want and until you’re satisfied. I don’t believe in counting anything when it comes to food, not macros, calories, fat, carbs, protein.
But again I’ll reiterate that my biggest suggestion to anyone would be do your own research, be conscious of what you’re consuming and set your intention on becoming your best self.
Dirty Dozen
So you’ll see in my recipes that I specify organic ingredients if it’s on the dirty dozen list. If you don’t know what the dirty dozen is, this is a great post. The 2017 EWG Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides lists the following:
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Peaches
- Pears
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Celery
- Tomatoes
- Sweet bell peppers
- Potatoes
I try my best to buy organic if it’s one of the above. Labeling of products as “organic” is becoming more popular but remember that if it’s a processed food, organic doesn’t really provide any benefit. Stick to whole foods!
Thank you
I want to say it again, thank you to everyone that attended Monday night. Your support and interest means so much to me. I was shocked at how many people messaged and commented that they were interested in the course. I want to also thank Cliff, for allowing us to use CIX Main, as well as Jennifer and Randy, for your support and time.
I’m glad my community holds this interest in learning and I hope to provide as much useful information as possible through my blog and in the workshops. PLEASE if you have any questions, comments leave them below or send me an email. I love feedback!
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