The September Reboot

Everyone knows that New Year’s Day is the start of all the resolutions to do better, do more, do less or just plain do. But there is another time of year when many people take stock of what’s going on and dedicate time and effort to positive change. That time is now. It’s the end of the lazy days of summer and we’re all heading back to the routine of routine life. By now your New Year’s resolutions are either firmly entrenched in your daily life or they’re ready for a reboot. If you’ve mastered them - congratulations! If not, second time’s a charm!

Small changes make a big difference

Often the key to making lasting change is to make small changes and build on them over time. Sure, some people can go cold tofurkey and succeed, but that’s not usually how things work. Consider starting with a few small things and seeing how it goes from there. Everyone is going to have their own list of what they want to change but here’s one super easy way to help you get started.

Meatless Monday…or any day

This one has been around for a while and it’s really easy to do. Pick one day a week and make that whole day plant based.

Breakfast is easy! There are so many things to choose from – cereal with plant-based milk, plant-based yogurt and fruit smoothies, toast and peanut butter, Just Egg or tofu scramble, bake up a batch of plant-based muffins and freeze them for a quick on-the-go breakfast or snack. Don't forget make-ahead and take-along healthy breakfasts like overnight oats. Got time?...pancakes it is!

Lunch can be any combination of salad ingredients – don’t forget to add plant-based cheese like Plant Ahead Feta, or tinned fysh like Tunah. There are a lot of excellent vegan cold cuts to make a delicious sandwich, too. My favourite is Gusta and I particularly love their turkey slices. Add some lettuce, tomato, mustard, vegan mayo, and a slice of cheddar cheeze and you have a sandwich that will be the envy of the lunchroom!

For dinner…have fun making your favourite meals with plant-based ingredients. If you need some inspiration, check out my What’s for Dinner page or simply Google “plant-based recipe for…” and you’ll get lots of options with plenty of reviews so you can find one that appeals to you and works with the ingredients you have on hand.

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Don’t forget snacks and treats!

Along with the obvious fresh fruit…there’s popcorn, nuts, chips, Oreos, plant-based ice cream like my favourite, So Delicious - the salted caramel hits new heights of ridiculous! (You can thank me later.) If you live in a city that has a kosher grocery store or bakery, or a store with a kosher section, that’s a great “cheat” for plant-based snacks, prepared foods and baked goods since many of them will be accidently vegan. A lot of prepared kosher foods aim to be “parve” which means they have no meat or dairy products in them, and gelatin is not kosher so you’ll never find that ingredient in any kosher gummy treats.

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Once you have gone through a few meatless days, you’ll have built up a bit of a collection of go-to plant-based meals that you really enjoy. This is the time to add another plant-based day to your week. You might never get all the way to a full seven days, and that’s OK. Simply being open to trying new foods, preparing your favourite meals with plant-based ingredients, and doing your best to meet your personal goals is success…any way you serve it up!

Need inspiration?

Along with What's for Dinner, you'll find meal inspirations along with links to my favourite plant-based recipes and products in many of the blog posts right here at vegcurious.ca.

I hope this blog has helped you find your way to plant-based eating. Remember…the goal is not to be perfect. Do the best you can and enjoy the journey! Sign up for vegcurious to be delivered right to your inbox at vegcurious.ca.

Note: It is strongly recommended that you consult with your primary care physician before making any changes to your diet. This blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended to recommend or endorse any particular product, diet or eating plan.