A Complete Daily Dozen

As I've said several times, my health focus for 2024 is to eat more vegetables. I've been really interested in Dr. David Greger's research and I *love* his books: "How Not To Die", "How Not To Diet", and now I'm listening to the audiobook of "How Not To Age". If I was a faster reader, I'd love to read them and take notes--but they are *very* long books. "How Not To Age" is over 24 hours on audiobook! They are fascinating, though, and loaded with research.

Dr. Greger has a list called the "Daily Dozen", which is a list of the ideal things to include in your diet each day. I love that he says it's an aspirational list and not to overthink it. (You know I'm a total overthinker.) I use it as a guide to push me in the right direction, but I don't expect to check off the entire list every day. Also, the list is meant to be the minimum intake. It doesn't mean that you shouldn't eat beyond what's on the list.

(The app is free and there aren't any ads or subscriptions or anything. Dr. Greger's work is non-profit because he doesn't have a hidden agenda--just a desire to learn and share facts from tons of research.)

On Saturday, I was so ready to get out of the house. Jerry and I went to Ann Arbor for Salvation Army, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods. We don't have TJ's or WF near us, so it's kind of an event to go, hahaha. We bought the produce we'd need for the week as well as some odd and hard-to-find or unique ingredients.

Yesterday, I realized that I got in the whole Daily Dozen! I took pictures (sometimes I post pictures of memorable food in a private Instagram account) so I thought I'd share the day's eats on this post. First, here is the checklist (when you tap on each item in the app, it gives more specific info). I didn't log this into a calorie counting app, but a quick guesstimate for the day is about 1600 calories.

Breakfast was rolled oats (uncooked, because they just sounded better that way), blueberries, banana, flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and soy milk. I usually eat Grape Nuts instead of oats, but since the oats are healthier, I'm going to try to have them more often. [As far as the list, this counted as whole grains, berries, another fruit, and flaxseed]

My latest obsession has been cucumbers with hummus--I cannot get enough! This counted as an "other" vegetable and two servings of beans.

Jerry bought me a few Asian pears that he'd found and this was the last one. Usually I eat fruit like apples and pears with the skin, but Asian pears have a tougher skin so I peel them. This counted as an "other" fruit.

Dinner was SO good! Ethiopian Collard Greens & Beans, from the "How Not To Diet" cookbook, served over red quinoa. Jerry and I both loved this. On the Daily Dozen, this checked off beans, whole grains, cruciferous vegetables, one "other" vegetable, and a ton of spices. I also had a small salad with it, which counted for my leafy greens.

These are all the spices that were in the dish above.

In the evening, I still needed one more fruit and nuts. Usually I have pistachios and an apple, but I was kind of full from dinner, so I had a few dates with almond butter.

My B12 supplement

I got in lots of water (recommended is six 12-oz glasses and I definitely reached that). This is the tumbler that Ava, Eli's girlfriend, gave me for Christmas. It makes me feel good <3

As far as exercise, I didn't count minutes (because that would be overthinking for me)--I just did my run in the morning and went for a walk later.

I really like the Daily Dozen app; it definitely helps me to think about my choices before I eat. And I've loved adding more vegetables where I can. Jerry has been enjoying it, too. He started a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) class yesterday. He loves HIIT and likes the structure of going to a class rather than doing it on his own. When he got home, he said that it was extremely humbling and it made him really want to be healthier, especially with his diet. Having him on board helps a lot!

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Meal Compromises to Please Everybody

I just posted a ton of food ideas last week (you can find that post here), but I don't think this is redundant. When I started working on a questions and answers post about my recent weight loss (I promise to get it done soon), there were several responses I wrote that referred to meal prepping and planning and executing--I realized it could probably be a post of its own.

When I became vegan in January, I was kind of clueless how I was going to be able to do it while still making meals for my (meat- and dairy-eating) family. I didn't want to force my lifestyle on them, so I tried to find compromises that would make cooking dinner more convenient.

As time went on, I tweaked things here and there to make it simpler and more stream-lined. I feel like we have a pretty good system down now, so I thought I'd share some ideas that have really helped us.

First, a little background on why I hate meal planning so much:

Eli (meat-eating) - Extremely picky and wants to live on practically nothing but junk food. Also eats at work frequently (he works at Qdoba). A lot of his shifts are last-minute, so it's hard to count on whether he'll be here for dinner.

Jerry (meat-eating until August, now entirely plant-based) - Will eat anything I make and even if he's not crazy about it, he never complains. He's honest about his thoughts on a new recipe, which is helpful. He'll eat vegetables, but only if they are there in front of him; he never requests them and I know he doesn't love them. He takes leftovers to work for his lunch, so I try to plan meals based on his schedule as well.

Noah (meat-eating, but very open to plant-based meals) - Willing to try anything I make, but rarely cooks for himself. He doesn't like cereal or sandwiches or other no-cook things for breakfast and lunch, so he makes a lot of ramen. He likes junk food, but is very good about eating only a little at a time. The big issues? He doesn't like Mexican or Indian spices and he is grossed out at the thought of reheating leftovers. (There are a couple of Mexican-inspired things he will eat, though)

My first time experimenting with making vegan cheese. My nachos with vegan nacho cheese versus Noah's very, very sad nachos with cheddar. I think vegan wins on this one, haha.

Me (vegan) - Willing to try anything and everything that doesn't contain animal products. Even if I tried it before, I'll try it over and over again to see if I like it. There are foods I love and foods that are just "eh". I'm definitely not a salad eater, though! I'm not anti-salad, and I'm always willing to try it, but I really don't like it.

My kids are 16 and 18, and Jerry is obviously an adult, so I don't really *have* to try to please the whole family. But I want to! I want to make meals that everybody will like. And unfortunately, I overthink everything--which just causes me to get frustrated when trying to plan dinner.

Here are some go-to meals that are easy to please a wide variety of tastes. These are things I make frequently because all four of us can tailor them how we want. And they are so versatile! 

Personal Homemade Pizzas

Whole wheat crust, tomato paste, vegan mozzarella, peppers, broccoli, olives

This is the most convenient, easiest-to-please dinner ever! I make a batch of whole wheat pizza dough (my recipe is here). It takes next to zero times. I divide it into four portions (we like thin crust, but if you like thicker crust or you're making more than four, I'd multiply the recipe). You could even just use pita bread if you don't want to make crust.

I have some mini pizza pans, so I just spray those with some non-stick spray and dust with flour, then press the dough out to the edges of each one. I pre-bake the crusts at 450 F for about 6-8 minutes and then I can put them in the fridge for each of us to prep our own pizzas when we want to eat (if we're not eating together).

We each use whatever toppings we like (vegan or meat-eating): Italian-style tomato paste (I like this much better than pizza sauce), mozzarella or homemade vegan mozzarella, pepperoni, Bac'n Buds (the Kroger brand is vegan, and I think several other brands are, too; Jerry loves them), whatever vegetables I have on hand, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, etc.

Then we just bake them until they are done--at 450 F for about another 10 minutes. This is super easy to prep ahead of time (keeping a bunch of crusts in the fridge or freezer) and easy for "kids"--even if they are grown--to make whenever they want.

Burritos/Burrito Bowls

This is my go-to when I want to please a crowd of people. It takes quite a bit of prep work, but it's easy to do a little at a time rather than cooking everything at once. I prepare all of the ingredients/items/toppings and put them into separate bowls, then everyone can simply make up a bowl with what they like.

My usual set-up (when serving a crowd; I cut back when it's just my family):

-cilantro-lime rice (I just cook rice, then add salt, lime juice, and chopped cilantro to taste after it's cooked)
-black beans (from a can, drained and rinsed)
-pinto beans (same)
-corn (from a can, drained)
-chipotle chicken (I make the marinade and freeze it, then take it out when I'm ready to marinate the chicken--about 24 hours ahead of time. You could also make the chipotle chicken and freeze it, as well.)
-taco-seasoned ground meat
-vegan taco "meat"
-shredded lettuce
-salsa or fresh pico de gallo
-sour cream
-guacamole
-tortilla chips and/or tortillas if making burritos
-pickled jalapeño slices
-cheese

For my vegan bowl, I love the rice, black beans, pinto beans, corn, lettuce, pico de gallo, crushed tortilla chips, guacamole, and pickled jalapeño slices. Yum!

This is a great meal when cooking for a crowd of people, too. Who doesn't love a burrito bowl? Here are my recipes for the chicken marinade and pico de gallo:

Chipotle Chicken Marinade

2 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. flavorless oil
2 Tbsp. adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Add all ingredients to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and seal it. Then mash it around with your fingers to combine (it saves having to use a bowl to mix it, haha). The marinade will be thick, like a paste. Pound out about 1.5-2 pounds of chicken breasts very thin, and then put them in the bag with the marinade. You'll have to use your hands to mix it all together and make sure the chicken is coated well. I marinate them for about 24 hours. To cook, I like to grill them on the stove top (they cook quickly), then chop into strips or bite-sized pieces.

Pico de Gallo

1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup roma tomatoes, diced (the roma tomatoes are perfect for this because it's easy to remove the seeds and the tomatoes hold their shape well)
1 bunch cilantro (just the tops), chopped
1 jalapeño, minced
juice of one lime
salt and pepper to taste

Just mix together in a bowl! (I make this right before serving, because if it sits too long, it gets very watery.)

Here is a document with the burrito bowl recipes and ideas.

Stir-Fry, General Tso's Chicken/Tofu, Sweet & Sour Chicken/Tofu, and other Asian-inspired dishes

Asian food is so versatile! Thankfully, everybody in my family likes the basic flavor profile. I make a lot of dishes that consist of a protein (chicken for meat, tofu for vegan), vegetables, and a sauce (basic stir-fry sauce, peanut sauce, orange sauce, sweet and sour sauce, General Tso's, etc.). All of the sauces can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until cooking the stir-fry. I like to put the sauce ingredients in a mason jar with a lid, shake it up, and put it in the fridge for that evening's dinner. The sauces that I make are all vegan (not on purpose--they just happen to be vegan).

When making stir-fry, I cook the meat (usually chicken), as well as the tofu, separately. Eli likes chicken, Jerry and I like tofu, and Noah can go either way. The sauces that I make are super fast to throw together. I just put the ingredients into a mason jar with a lid, then shake it until I'm ready to pour it in. I like to make the sauce early in the day so I don't have to measure things out while cooking, since stir-fry cooks so quickly.

I put some basmati rice in the rice cooker and while that's cooking, I heat a little oil on the stove. I add whatever veggies we like (sometimes I just use frozen medleys) and cook until the desired texture. Then I pour in the sauce and cook another minute or so until the sauce thickens and coats the vegetables. I separate the stir-fry into two batches, then add the tofu to one and chicken to the other.

When the rice (or any other grain) is done, we just help ourselves to rice, then top with the tofu or chicken variations. 

Since I was the only one eating vegan at first and I was kind of clueless how to do it with my family still eating meat, I made a bunch of sauces and poured them into these cupcake molds--then put them in the freezer.

When I made dinner for the family and I didn't want to adapt it to a vegan version for me, I could simply take one of these out of the freezer and put it in a small pot on the stove, add half a can of chickpeas and some broccoli, and cook until thickened. Then pour it all over barley or rice or other grain. So easy! It took a few hours to do all of the sauces, but I was able to use them for a long time out of the freezer. It's just as convenient as a frozen dinner.

Here are my go-to sauce recipes (you may want to double the recipe, depending on how saucy you want it):

General Tso's

1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 Tbsp. corn starch
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (use less if you don't want it to be as spicy)

Spicy Peanut Sauce

4 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
3 Tbsp. peanut butter
1-1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup
2-4 tsp. sriracha (less if you don't like it spicy)
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/8-1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (less if you don't like it spicy)
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Sesame Sauce

2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1-1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1-1/2 Tbsp. corn starch

Simple Stir-Fry Sauce

2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sriracha
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch


Sweet & Sour Sauce

1 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 can (about 15 oz.) pineapple tidbits, with juice
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp cold water

Here is a printable document with the sauce recipes!

Chili

While making an entirely plant-based chili to please everyone is definitely feasible, I've made it several times for feeding a group of people who are vegetarian/vegan as well as meat-eating. I basically make a big batch of vegan chili, and then separate it into separate pots. To the vegan chili, I usually add a couple of extra cans of beans or textured vegetable protein (like in the photo below).

And for the meat-eaters chili, I can cook up some ground meat to add to it. Toppings are always helpful when making food to please everybody, too--for the chili, I like to offer cheese, chopped onions, sour cream, jalapeño slices). That way, I'm not cooking entirely separate dishes but everybody is happy!

I've used lots of different chili recipes, but a very simple starter recipe (that is easy to adjust and add things) is here on my blog. This makes four servings, so you'll want to double it if making a larger batch.

Vegan on the left, and meat on the right:

Spaghetti Sauce

I do the same for spaghetti sauce as I do for the chili. I prepare one sauce, then divide into two pots. To one pot, I add ground meat; and to the other, I will either leave it as a marinara or add TVP (textured vegetable protein). The TVP requires no prep--just a little extra liquid to rehydrate it. Since I'm the only one in my family that likes mushrooms, I usually pan fry some mushrooms on the side to top my sauce.

I don't have a particular recipe for spaghetti sauce. If I come across San Marzano tomatoes--the "real" ones, that are DOP certified--I'll buy 3-4 cans and save them for a good marinara (just onions, garlic, tomatoes, salt, and a little sugar if needed). Otherwise, I use any canned crushed tomatoes + diced tomatoes, or even a vegan jarred spaghetti sauce.

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Well, those are some of our favorites! I hate all things having to do with cooking (except tasting, of course) so I always try to keep prep work minimal or something I can do in stages (like prepping the sauce or cutting the vegetables in the morning, marinating overnight, etc.). I've also found that meals where people can put together their own (like the burrito bowls and pizza) are perfect for when everybody has different tastes or has to eat at different times.

It took a little while to get the hang of being vegan in a meat-eating family, but once Jerry started trying all of the vegan recipes I made, he decided to eat challenge himself to eat entirely plant-based for a month. At the end of the month, he liked it so much and said it was much easier than he ever thought, so he's continued the lifestyle as well! I'm not going to push my kids (or anyone else) to make the switch, but of course I would love it if they even started eating less meat and more veggies--they don't have to go all in.

If you have ideas for eating with dietary restrictions in a family who doesn't have those restrictions, please share!

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What I've Been Eating Since Becoming Vegan

(Ugh, I spent so much time on this yesterday and I forgot to click "publish"! This is yesterday's post.)

This post has been a long time coming. I've been asked several times about what I eat since becoming vegan, and the answer was kind of boring. I eat the same breakfast and lunch almost every day (which I'll explain below) so there wasn't much to share, especially in the beginning. However, I started taking photos a few months ago to collect for a post about what I've been eating since becoming vegan in January.

I'm going to save the weight loss questions for a later post (I've been putting it off because I feel like it's going to be very long--but I'll work on it this weekend). I became vegan for ethical reasons, but I saw it as a good opportunity to clean up my diet as well; I had chronic pain and after a bajillion tests last year, still didn't have answers. My rheumatologist finally diagnosed fibromyalgia and said two of the major things that have shown good results for fibromyalgia are 1) getting enough sleep; and 2) a plant-based diet.

Side note: I didn't really understand the difference between 'vegan' and 'plant-based' at first, because they both eliminate animal products. Vegan is more for ethical reasons (animals and the environment) while plant-based is more for health reasons. Lots of vegans (but certainly not all) still eat junk food (french fries, Oreos, chips, etc) where eating plant-based is more about whole foods. I haven't eliminated junk food from my diet completely, but I very rarely eat it anymore. My cravings for it stopped! But I'll get into that in my weight loss post.

And I have to say, that I was completely SHOCKED that my chronic pain was gone after a couple of months of switching my diet. I never really believed it could work that way; my pain was so severe and had been going on for years. Even though I became vegan for ethical reasons, the health benefits have been amazing.

I originally started eating this daily breakfast and lunch because I was trying to get in a lot of fiber. Even though I was losing weight last year, I wasn't getting much fiber and I decided to concentrate on that this year. I wasn't anticipating becoming vegan (I literally gave up animal products cold-turkey with no forward thought after watching a documentary called Dominion late one night on YouTube) but eating the high-fiber diet was very helpful when I made the switch.

I really love my breakfast and lunch and haven't gotten sick of them (yet), so I continue to eat them daily:

Breakfast: Grape-Nuts with frozen blueberries and unsweetened soy milk (I started with almond milk but after trying soy milk, I liked it much better). I recently started adding flaxseed to this as well when I wanted to add more calories.

Lunch: Cold oats. I vary what I put in them based on what sounds good, but I generally make about 5-6 mason jars at a time. I add the soy milk to 2-3 and put them in the fridge, then put the others (without the milk) in the pantry. It makes a super easy, ready-to-eat-whenever lunch.

Currently, what I've been making: steel cut oats (raw--if I add the milk and put them in the fridge for 24 hours or so, they get chewy and I like that texture better than the rolled oats), cocoa powder, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, vegan chocolate chips, chia seeds, unsweetened soy milk, and a few drops of almond and/or coconut extract. When I'm ready for lunch, I can grab a jar from the fridge. I also eat a piece of fruit (usually a pear or banana).

Cold oats (steel cut oats, cocoa powder, vegan chocolate chips, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, soy milk, and peanut butter)

Like I said--boring! I've really enjoyed experimenting with and discovering new foods for dinner, so that's where it gets a little more creative. At first, I started out eating a lot of chickpeas with some sort of sauce (General Tso's is a favorite); with a high-fiber grain (like barley); and vegetables (like broccoli). I loved this combination! I ate it frequently for dinner.

When I started to experiment with other foods, this whole world of possibilities opened up and I started to enjoy cooking again. Tofu was a total game changer for me; I love it now and eat it a few times a week. I also started making sauces and "cheese" with raw cashews, which sounded completely weird--until I tried it. The thought of nutritional yeast grossed me out--mainly because of the name of it--but I've come to really like that as well.

I started using spices that I never used before, combinations of foods that sounded wacky but turned out really good, and exploring ingredients I'd never tried or even heard of. I make a couple of new recipes each week because I have loved getting familiar with the unfamiliar.

I still don't eat a ton of vegetables, but I eat much more than I used to and I've been adding them over time. I love looking for ways to add them in foods I eat regularly and I rarely throw out veggies anymore! They used to sit in my fridge with good intentions until they went bad; now I look for opportunities to add them to meals.

As far as snacks, I only eat them if I'm hungry. Lately, I've been having peanut butter with vegan chocolate chips for a treat at night (trying to maintain my weight instead of continue losing). In the mid-afternoon, a lot of times I make dinner early and eat a small portion before going to cross country practice, then an actual dinner-sized portion when I get home. Or I'll have a piece of fruit. I've been eating a lot of bananas lately, too.

Anyway, here is a collection of a lot of the foods I've made and enjoyed (there are some things I haven't liked, but I'm only including the things I have):

Tofu stir-fry with fresh green beans, carrots, peas, and green peppers

Asian pear (this was a treat from my mom last week; I hadn't had an Asian pear in SO long because I can't find them anywhere, and I miss them! She found this small one and it was $2.50! My favorite fruit.

Banana bread

Quesadilla with black beans, corn, Impossible burger, jalapeños, and nacho "cheese"

Whole wheat pizza crust with tomato paste, mozzarella "cheese", broccoli, and vegan parmesan.

Creamy gnocchi with garlic and spinach

Dried passion fruit (another favorite fruit that I can't find)

Lentil tortilla soup with avocado and tortilla chips

Mexican quinoa skillet

Vegan mac and "cheese" with roasted Brussels sprouts

Current favorite treat: 2 oz. peanut butter with vegan chocolate chips

Roasted purple cauliflower

Dave's Killer Bread with hummus, avocado, cucumber, tomatoes, and sprouts

Tofu scramble on toasted Dave's Killer Bread

Pizza with mozzarella "cheese", broccoli, peppers, and olives

Avocado toast (Dave's Killer Bread, avocado, salt, and pepper flakes

My new favorite comfort food: Jerry's beans and greens

Black bean soup

Curried cauliflower over basmati rice

Peanut butter oatmeal cookies

Creamy tomato pasta with fresh basil

Garlic noodles

Korean BBQ Lentils over brown basmati rice

Lemon Pepper Tofu over mac and "cheese" (The texture of the tofu was not as it looks--like croutons! Haha)

Minestrone soup with vegan parmesan

A peach from The Peach Truck(!)

Indian-spiced potatoes (I make these a lot--they are so good!) with broccoli

Rice paper "bacon"

Whole wheat pizza crust, tomato paste, mozzarella "cheese", pan fried tofu, caramelized onions, and vegan parmesan

Tofu scramble with Yukon gold potatoes, bell peppers, and toasted Dave's Killer Bread with vegan butter

Panera Bagel with a sad avocado slice (I wrote this whole story on my blog)

Beans and greens with quinoa

Roasted broccoli and Brussels sprouts with vegan parmesan

Silken tofu chocolate pudding with vegan chocolate chips

Spicy Corn Chowder 

General Tso's tofu with rice noodles

Truffle Mac & "Cheese" (we love this!)

Margherita pizza: whole wheat pizza crust, tomato paste, mozzarella "cheese", fresh basil, and black pepper

Firecracker tofu with basmati rice

Peanut butter and jelly on Dave's Killer Bread and applesauce

Salad with cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, and lemon pepper tofu with tahini dressing

Indian-spiced potatoes with hummus

Tofu scramble with (very over-roasted) purple potatoes and ketchup

Macaroni and "cheese"

This is actually a relatively small sampling of everything I've eaten since becoming vegan! Remember, I'm not a food photographer so the photos make some of these things look not-very-appetizing--but I only included foods I've really enjoyed.

It would take forever to look up recipes for everything I've shown, but if there is one that you're particularly interested in, just let me know and I'll be happy to share (if it's available). The top five foods we really love and make most frequently:

1) Lemon Pepper Tofu Cutlets
2) Truffle Mac & "Cheese"
3) Indian-Spiced Potatoes (I use the dry ingredients listed next to the original)
4) Pizza with my favorite vegan mozzarella recipe (it's from It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken, but it's not online--it's from her cookbook, Fuss-Free Vegan) and whatever toppings we have on hand
5) Lentil Tortilla Soup (the whole family--including Eli--loves this!)

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