I have always eaten healthy and when I chose to become a vegan with seafood exceptions I wanted to be sure I was eating the right things and getting all the important nutrients I needed. This is a list of the most basic things I make sure are happening on a regular basis. (This is NOT a complete list of all that is out there. It’s my list of things I eat to maintain health) These are fresh produce items as well as pantry items. It’s amazing how much you can eat and surprising that you already may eat many of these things. For health reasons and insight from research I have learned that eliminating Gluten and sugar should be a goal. I know this would be hard for many but IF you have health risks, it might be worth investigating how your body responds to GLUTEN and SUGAR free. Thank goodness we live in a time when Gluten free is much easier to find in our grocery stores and the taste just keeps getting better and better. In the old days when box cake mixes came out they were horrible. They have improved to the point it’s hard to make a home made cake any better. Gluten free is on this journey..not perfect but improving daily. Just FYI. coconut sugar is less processed than granulated sugar. It’s lower on the glycemic index, contains small amounts of insulin, it’s a pre-biotic, it’s a soluble fiber, it digest slowly so it helps maintain blood sugar balance and… it’s beneficial for gut health. Hmmmm…maybe something to think about….
VEGETABLES
Tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, zucchini, eggplant, cauliflower, onion, spinach, broccoli , peppers and others
FRUITS
Apples, bananas, oranges, kiwis, mango, papaya, pears, plums, pomegranate, guava and others
NUTS AND SEEDS
Walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds , sunflower seeds and others
LEGUMES
Chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, peanuts, black eyed peas, black beans
ROOTS AND TUBERS
Potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, carrots, yams
WHOLE GRAINS
Brown rice, basmati rice, barley, quinoa, corn, whole grain breads
DAIRY. (If you are not vegan)
Milk, cheese, yogurt, sour cream ghee
HERBS AND SPICES
Black pepper, garlic, ginger cumin, cardamom, coriander, paprika, ,basil, turmeric, garam masala
HEALTHY FATS
COCONUT OIL, coconut milk, olive oil, sesame oil, avocado, ghee
PROTEIN SOURCES
LEGUMES..NUTS AND SEEDS, DAIRY PRODUCTS AND TOFU