>No meat. No dairy. No guilt.
Vegan diets are on the rise, and for good reason. Whether it’s for health, the planet, or simply for ethical reasons, consuming an all plant-based diet can reap numerous benefits, as studies have shown. Despite its reputation of being bland, boring and expensive, when done right, vegan diets can actually be good: good for you, good for the Earth, and even good for your wallet. If you’re thinking of going vegan and need tips on different foods to eat and restaurants to try, or simply don’t know where to begin, this guide has you covered.
Izzy Perez
Meet Izzy Perez, an NYU student and proud vegan. After doing a week-long juice cleanse, Perez realized that veganism started to look not only easy, but desirable — especially considering that she was already vegetarian. She loves taking trips to the Union Square Farmer’s Market for local, organic produce, and looks out for street vendors who sell ripe fruit at a fraction of the cost at other stores. Still, she also shops at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s for other vegan finds. Watch the video to learn more about her life as a vegan.
What Should I Even Include In My Diet?
People can be hesitant to go vegan due to worries about a lack of flavor and a lack of nutrients. American diets have grown so meat-centric that this concern is somewhat understandable — but by incorporating these foods into your diet, you’ll have nothing to worry about.
Non-Vegan Food: Transformed
The transition isn’t always so easy and quick for everyone. Think you love your animal-centric meals too much to give up? In a way, you don’t have to. Most non-vegan meals can be transformed into 100% plant-based versions. Here are a few of them.
Burgers:
With brands like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, vegan burgers taste almost exactly like their cow-meat rivals — sans cruelty. The Impossible Burger even emits 87% less greenhouse gases than cows, according to their website. Many restaurants are starting to incorporate Impossible burgers in their menus, like BareBurger, but you can make your own with this veggie burger recipe.
Spaghetti Bolognese:
Arrabbiata, alla vodka, pomodoro — the meatless pasta options are almost endless, but if you’re a bolognese fanatic, you’re not out of luck. Ground veggies, like mushrooms, are excellent substitutes to ground beef; this recipe from Delicious Everyday is a testament to that. Worried about not packing in enough protein? Pastas from Eat Banza, made from chickpeas, come in at around 20 grams per serving, and can be found in most major grocery stores, like Whole Foods, Morton Williams or Trader Joe’s.
Sushi:
Seafood may be nutritious, but with all the pollutants destroying our oceans, along with their high mercury levels, sushi can be a hazard. Eliminate the risk while still savoring the taste with vegan sushi. The possibilities are endless, and it’s also super easy to make. Craving a spicy vegan scallop roll? Or want to embrace, not mask, the veggie lifestyle and go for a tempura sweet potato roll? Have one then — and with equal amounts of satisfaction.
Chicken Caesar Salad:
Salads are certainly not uncommon in vegan diets, but caesar salads, with their mayo-based dressing and common pairing with chicken, may be. Savor the flavor, but ditch the animal products with vegan caesar salad! Dressings are usually made with ground nuts, mustard, lemon and other ingredients, like this recipe. Substitute chicken with tempeh or tofu for added protein.
Nachos
Some find that abandoning meat can be harder than abandoning dairy, but for others it can be the exact opposite. Cheese, especially when melted, may be flavorful, but it’s oftentimes packed with saturated fat, which, in high amounts, can seriously harm your health. Thankfully, for all the cheese-lovers out there, vegan cheese does exist, and it’s just as tasty. Load it atop of chips and let it melt, just as this recipe from Serious Eats does, for a plant-based spin on a classic, fatty, junk-food dish.
NYC’s Best Vegan Eats
If you’re not much of a chef, New York City’s restaurant scene will always have your back — even when you’re vegan. These restaurants are guaranteed to satisfy and nourish.
Link to my site: https://celinakhorma.wixsite.com/my-website/vegan-portfolio
For the “Non-Vegan Food: Transformed” and “NYC’s Best Vegan Eats” section, I intended to include interactive media as shown on my website. However, due to a security issue/error, the codes do not embed on this post, so I was advised to just include a link to my website. Thanks!