Going plant based tastes good!

Ever felt like you wanted to take a food break?

Not a break from eating food, but a break from eating the same, regular stuff that you normally consume.

The white rice, fried chicken and other meals that are a staple of modern Jamaican cuisine can eventually become blah.

I felt this way earlier this year.

Fact is, I was eating so many different stuff, particularly meat. I LOVE to cook when I get the chance, and for this year, I have spent a lot of time experimenting. Most of this experimentation involved marinades with different meats and poultry, in the oven.

I opened up my palette to so many new flavours by incorporating different spices and herbs into these dishes. But alas, I got fatigued and I felt that my diet was taking a heavy toll on my physical well being.

So I gave myself a personal challenge.

I would spend two weeks during the summer to detox but not in the new age way of juice cleanses and smoothies.

For me, this detox was a literal break from the foods that I felt had suddenly taken over my diet – meat and animal products.

Plant based as opposed to labelling myself vegetarian or even vegan (hate the politics of those labels) was what I intended to do for two weeks.

Eat What you Cook

Whenever I want to ensure that I eat consistently wholesome food, I do what bodybuilders do, I meal prep, usually on the weekend, for the week ahead.

For this challenge, that meant going stocking up on some ground provisions like yams and coco (I love coco) and greens, LOTS of greens primarily, callaloo.

I chose to make the basis of my diet legumes because not only were they accessible but they were also cheap and added vital nutrients in many ways.

Fruits were also a staple for those times when I needed to snack, especially those that were in season.

There were some standout foods that I identified from the go that would form part of my diet for this activity. I will tell you more about each below.

Split peas

I love split peas because they are high in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. For my own purposes they made the basis for good, filling no-meat soup! On the weekend I made a big batch, portioned them out and stored them in the fridge, ensuring that I had soup all week long.

Chickpeas

Garbanzo beans or Chickpeas were my saviour throughout the entire exercise and the most pleasant surprise of all! Using a variation of this recipe I made a big batch of chickpea curry that lasted me the entire week. I infused it with coconut milk and seasonings and a nice curry mix. I used the canned variety to save on time, but drained and rinsed them in water to remove any excess salt. While doing research I read up on chickpeas and it is basically a superfood. It is an excellent source of protein and fiber. The best part of chickpeas was the mouth feel because that curry tasted like chicken. The texture was incredible and the peas fused so well with the curry.

Hummus

Because so much of my main foods during the period fiber rich, I didn’t really get hungry, however if ever I wanted to snack, hummus saved me. Hummus is made from chickpeas and you can buy them flavoured or just plain.

I chose to buy the plain stuff and flavoured with a bit of cumin to give it an nice Mediterranean flavour. I paired the hummus with cucumbers!

This was something I picked up from instagram, and it was described as a low calorie snack. Work for me. The quickest way to have me finishing a package of hummus is to give me cucumbers or any other veg to eat it with.

Red Peas

I couldn’t have done this without planning a meatless stew peas, flavoured of course with coconut milk and a dash of cumin to add some mystique. I also added carrots to the mix to add some colour and texture. Bean stews will always be a Yes for me, because they are easy to make, nutrient filled, and are just a degree of separation from soups, which I love!

Callaloo and Cabbage

I love callaloo and cabbage for the same reasons. They are easy to make, easy to digest, and are a good way to get my veggies in outside of a salad, but not in a smoothie. Callaloo was a mainstay throughout my no-meat campaign, followed by cabbage, which I consume a lot of.

Brown Rice

I love brown rice and cook it under normal circumstances. For this activity it was the main staple, non-vegetable carb that I consumed, in measured portions. It gave me energy and was filling so, win win.

Plant based outcomes

The week went by swimmingly. I can’t say I missed or craved meat, or milk or cheese. It helped that I never allowed myself to be hungry for too long and always had foods that I wanted with me.

After seven days of enjoying animal-product-free meals, I officially dropped out of my quest. I attended an event and they had no meatless options, so I indulged.

I didn’t do this for weight loss, just to give my digestive tract a break. For what it’s worth, I got that. But I also recorded a 7 pound drop in my weight on the scale. That was quite dramatic, especially as it was unexpected.

This is by no means prescriptive. It was something I had to do for myself at that time. It has given me a fuller appreciation non-meat food and now I know that I could realistically live without meat.

Be inspired, Be informed, Be Glorious!

Kevin

How do you feel about a plant based diet? Is it something you would consider? Let me know in the comments.

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