Table of Contents

Introduction 1

About This Book 2

Conventions Used in This Book 2

What You’re Not to Read 3

Foolish Assumptions 3

How This Book is Organized 4

Part I: “Ve-gan” at the Beginning 4

Part II: Building a Healthy Vegan Diet 4

Part III: Sticking to Your Guns: Staying Vegan 4

Part IV: Tasting is Believing: Vegan Recipes 5

Part V: Living Vegan in the Real World 5

Part VI: Veganism for All Walks of Life 5

Part VII: The Part of Tens 5

Icons Used in This Book 6

Where to Go from Here 6

Part I: “Ve-gan” at the Beginning 7

Chapter 1: The Lowdown on Vegan Eating and Living 9

You are What You Eat: The Health and Food Connection 9

Heart-healthy, low-fat, cholesterol-free foods 10

Feeling fine with fiber 11

The power of proper protein12

The healing power of plant foods 12

Living Vegan Beyond Your Diet 13

Fierce, fabulous, fur-free fashion 13

Keepin’ it real at home 14

Staying vegan in a nonvegan world 14

Energetically Speaking: The Spiritual Side of Veganism 14

Tackling Common Questions about Veganism 16

Why on earth would you live like that? 16

What can a vegan eat? 17

Is it a balanced diet? 17

Chapter 2: Understanding the Impact of Vegan Living 19

Straight Talk about the Ecological Impact of Animal Protein 19

Water pollution and water scarcity 20

Toxic odor and air pollution 22

Mountains of manure 22

Having Reverence for All Life 23

Taking action against food injustice and malnutrition around the world 23

Standing up for animals 24

Chapter 3: Transforming to Veganism 27

Going Cold Tofurky 27

The pros of converting quickly 28

The cons of going too fast 28

Taking a Slow, Systematic Approach 29

Advantages of taking your time 29

Problems with pacing yourself 30

The Nuts and Bolts of Changing Over 30

Choosing your timing wisely 31

Educating yourself and enrolling your comrades 31

Making healthier decisions by planning your meals ahead of time 32

Purging nonvegan products from your life 33

Getting to know your new community 33

Focusing on the fun and adventure of being a vegan 34

Part II: Building a Healthy Vegan Diet 35

Chapter 4: Essential Nutrients for Healthy Success 37

“B”-ing Healthy with B12 and B2 37

Finding B12 and B2 in vegan foods 38

Getting enough of the right kind 39

Counting on Calcium for Strong Bones 39

Boning up on calcium requirements 40

Seeking out calcium in vegan foods 41

Avoiding foods that leach calcium 43

Pumping Up Your Iron Intake 44

Understanding how much you need 44

Obtaining your iron in vegan foods 45

Using iron to the best of your body’s ability 45

Staying away from iron blockers 47

Vitamin D: The Sunlight Vitamin 48

Elevating your vitamin D intake naturally 48

Adding food or supplements to get your Vitamin D49

Don’t Forget Zinc! 49

Picking up zinc from vegan foods 50

Making sure your body absorbs it 51

A Little Help from Our Friends: Giving Supplements a Try 51

Chapter 5: Protein Protocols 53

What You Need to Know about Protein 53

How Much Protein Do You Need? 54

Protein needs for all ages and stages 54

Protein problems: Why too much of a good thing is a bad thing 56

Not enough protein? Symptoms to look out for 56

Why Vegan Protein is Better Than Animal Protein 58

Finding Protein in Vegan Foods 59

Protein-rich vegan favorites 59

Including fermented foods for easy protein digestion 60

Soy, oh boy! The controversy and confusion 62

Chapter 6: Transforming Food into Health-Supportive Meals 65

Focusing on Quality over Quantity 66

The proportions of your portions 66

Quality is key 66

Picking and Choosing: Healthy Vegan Food Groups 67

Complex carbohydrates 67

Seasonal veggies 68

Sea vegetables 69

Finding good fruits 71

Proper proteins: Beans and legumes 72

Aw, nuts! (And seeds) 73

Healthy fats 74

Supportive sweets 75

Part III: Sticking to Your Guns: Staying Vegan 77

Chapter 7: Cooking and Shopping Like a Vegan 79

Gearing Up with Basic Cooking Equipment 79

Pots, pans, and bakeware 80

Cooking utensils 81

Knives 82

Special equipment to consider 84

Filling Your Kitchen with Wholesome Whole Foods 85

Great grains 85

Luscious legumes 87

Fruits and veggies 88

Spices, seasonings, and handy condiments 90

Storing Your Goods to Ensure Freshness 91

Shopping Savvy 92

Vegan-friendly places to shop for food 93

Decoding food label lingo 94

Eco-vegan shopping tips 97

Chapter 8: Coexisting with the Meat Eaters in Your Home 99

Kitchen Etiquette for Mixed Households 100

Who’s in a mixed household? 100

Staying sane in a mixed household 101

Keeping Everyone Healthy and Happy 102

Variety for vegans and nonvegans alike 103

Vegan meals everyone can love 104

Supporting the family vegan nutritionally and emotionally 105

Getting Your Kids Involved in Making Healthy Meals (Vegan or Otherwise) 106

Chapter 9: Planning Your Meals to Stay on Track 109

Building a Plan for Vegan-rific Success 109

Gathering easy and appealing recipes for meal planning 110

Shopping smarter with vegan shopping lists 111

Starting Your Meal Planning with the Best Breakfast for You 114

Exploring Some Menu Ideas to Get You Started 115

Easy breakfast options 116

Quick lunch list 116

Seven days of dinner 117

Using menu charts 117

Making Sure You Have Healthy Snacks On Hand 119

Sweet treats 119

Salty and savory snacks 120

Crunchy morsels 121

Chapter 10: Comfort Foods: Veganizing Meat, Dairy, and Other Old Favorites 123

Taking Comfort in Your Vegan Food: Why Veganizing is Helpful and Fun 123

Taking Advantage of Mock Meats 125

Soybeans as protein 126

Wheat meat (a.k.a. seitan) 128

Mushrooms 128

Textured vegetable protein (TVP) 129

Bean and grain mash-ups 130

Egg-cellent Egg-Free Cooking and Baking 130

Tofu as ovo 131

Binding without eggs 132

The New Dairy: Substituting with Vegan Milks, Butters, and Cheeses 133

Got other milks? 133

Baking with “butter” 134

Cheese options: Nutritional yeast, miso, and mochi 135

Chapter 11: Beyond Food: Embracing the Whole Vegan Lifestyle 137

Fashionably Compassionate: Animal-Free Clothing and Footwear 138

Where to buy the latest looks 138

What about wearing those old, nonvegan items? 140

Vegan Beauty Aids and Health Products 141

Waking up to your makeup 141

Checking labels and seals of approval 142

Scrutinizing ingredient lists 144

Being careful with medicines and flu shots 145

Keeping a Truly Vegan Home 146

Spotting and replacing hidden nonvegan home items 146

Cleaning up your cleaning products 149

Keeping pests away in a gentle way 150

Part IV: Tasting is Believing: Vegan Recipes 151

Chapter 12: Breakfasts of Vegan Champions 153

Quick Fixes for Vegan Breakfasts 153

Savory Starters Vegan Style 157

Quick Breads for a Fast Breakfast 162

Chapter 13: Sides and Lighter Meals 167

Concocting Your Own Condiments 168

Filling Up with Some Sensational Sides 171

Whipping Up Soup and Salad Sensations 178

Chapter 14: Main Course Recipes 181

Oh Boy! Burgers and Burritos 182

Comforting Noodles and Pasta 186

World Cuisine: Trying Some Ethnic Staples 190

Beans and Rice are Nice 193

Chapter 15: Just Desserts 197

Whipping Up Some Vegan Cookies, Brownies, and Bars 198

Tasting the Vegan Fruit 201

Everything Old is New Again 204

Part V: Living Vegan in the Real World 209

Chapter 16: Walking the Vegan Walk (without Being Preachy!) 211

Encouraging and Enjoying Variety in Your Diet 212

Displaying Kindness and Understanding with Your Nonvegan Friends and Family 214

Defending yourself without hurting others’ feelings 215

Avoiding the temptation to encourage others to follow your path 215

Determining your way of being compassionate 216

The Whole Enchilada: Yoking Your Mind, Body, and Spirit with the Earth 216

Chapter 17: Vegans on the Move: Travel and Hotel Issues 219

Mapping Your Meals on the Road 220

Flying with Skill: Vegans in the Air and at the Airport 222

Requesting a vegan meal (and making sure you get it) 223

Carrying on your own food 223

Finding vegan food in any airport 224

Traveling Together: Cruises and Group Trips 226

Culture-Clash: Staying Vegan in Other Countries 227

Chapter 18: Dining Out 229

Ask and Ye Shall Receive: Finding Vegan-Friendly Restaurants 229

Doing your research 230

Discovering vegan-friendly ethnic eateries 230

Making the Most of Nonvegan Menus 231

Getting what you need wherever you are 231

Helping vegan kids find yummy choices 232

Cafeteria conundrums: School and work lunches 233

Incredible Ideas for Eating Anywhere 234

Fast-food chains 235

Sandwich shops 235

Pizza parlors and Mexican joints 235

Beware of These Hidden Animal Ingredients 236

Chapter 19: Navigating Tricky Social Situations 237

Hosting Parties, Traditional Meals, and Celebrations 238

Planning your event 238

Figuring out your menu 239

Sample party plans and menus 241

Being a Guest at an Omnivorous Table 243

Graciously accepting dinner party invitations 243

Fancy functions: Weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, and galas 245

Dating a Nonvegan: Does True Love Really Conquer All? 248

Carrying Your Vegan Lifestyle to the Workplace 249

Part VI: Veganism for All Walks of Life 251

Chapter 20: Pea in a Pod: The Healthy Vegan Pregnancy and Postpartum Period 253

Early Education and Proper Planning 254

Educating your loved ones about your dietary choices 254

Eating well before you’re even pregnant 255

Get moving, vegan mama! Exercise and pregnancy 256

Eating for Two 257

Nutritional know-how: Getting enough of what you need 258

Awesome snack list for amazing mamas 263

Discussing the Weighty Issue of Weight Gain 264

Understanding healthy weight gain 264

Fighting media images of “skinny” mamas 264

Easy Meal Prep and Sanity-Saving Ideas 265

Smart Tips for Common Pregnancy Problems 266

Staving off pregnancy woes with fresh foods 266

Taking in plenty of water and electrolytes 267

Dealing with food cravings 267

Managing “morning” sickness 268

Caring for Yourself Postpartum 270

Choosing certain vegan foods for strength 270

Supplying yourself with foods that encourage good milk production 271

Meeting calorie and other nutrient requirements 271

Chapter 21: Bouncing Baby Vegans 273

Nourishing Your Newborn 273

Breastfeeding: So perfectly vegan! 274

Thinking about formula as a last resort 276

Starting Older Babies on Solid Foods 277

Slow and steady wins the race 278

Deciding what and how to feed your growing baby 278

Watch Them as They Grow: Food for Toddlers 279

Choosing nutrient-dense foods over fiber 280

Outsmarting finicky eaters 281

Satisfying your little snacker 281

Chapter 22: Vegan Diets for Kids, Tweens, and Teens 283

Is a Vegan Diet Safe? The Experts Weigh In 284

Understanding normal growth rates 284

Looking at a new kind of growth chart 286

Discovering a Bounty of Choices for Your Little Vegan 286

Offering kid-friendly vegan fare 287

Dealing with kids’ snack attacks 288

Making Sure Your Growing Vegans are Getting the Nutrition They Need 289

Including the four vegan food groups in your kid’s diet 290

Getting kids to think about calci-yum! 291

Iron’s in it: Fitting iron into kids’ menus 292

Emphasizing the power of protein 293

Gaining essential vitamins and minerals from food 293

Encouraging Kids to Eat Healthily 294

Easing kids into enjoying a vegan diet 295

Keeping a well-planned and well-stocked pantry and fridge 296

Promoting equal participation when feeding the family 297

Cooking in the kitchen with the kids 298

Media Watch: Teaching Your Kids to Decode the Messages 298

Deflating kids’ commercial interests (or at least explaining what they see) 299

Eliminating the pressure of the press 300

Coming up with responsible responses to media-induced panic 300

Taking Care of Your Children When They’re Away 301

Planning ahead 301

Touching base with chaperones 301

Chapter 23: The Vegan Athlete 303

Macronutrients for Strength and Stamina 303

Powerful vegan protein for performance 304

Fueling your muscles with fat 305

Taking in carbohydrates for endurance and brain power 306

Pumping Iron and Calcium and Other Minerals 307

Maintaining healthy blood with vegan iron sources 308

Protecting your bones by staying on track with your calcium 309

Remembering your vitamins and minerals 309

Eating for Excellence in Your Sport of Choice 311

Preparing your diet before an athletic event 311

Looking at long-term nutrition goals 312

Chapter 24: Aging Gracefully and Veganly 313

Boomer Bottom Line: Nutritional Needs after 40 314

Sun + greens = healthy bones 314

B healthy — get your B12 315

The right fats are fabulous 316

Keeping your iron in check 317

Metabolic Mayhem for the Mature 317

Healing Disease with a Vegan Diet 318

Improving cardiovascular health as you age 319

Easing digestion and elimination 320

My sign’s not Cancer: Using a vegan diet to reverse cancer 322

Planning for Success with Easy Food Choices 323

Part VII: The Part of Tens 325

Chapter 25: Ten Reasons for Eating a Vegan Diet 327

It’s Heart Healthy and Cancer Protective 327

It Keeps You Slim 328

It Has a Lower Carbon Footprint 328

It’s Kind to All Living Creatures 328

It Provides Excellent Nutrition 329

It Protects Our Natural Resources 329

It Protects the Food Supply for All Humans 329

It Has Fewer Pesticides, Drugs, and Toxins 330

It Can Save You Money! 331

Vegans are Cool! (Famous Vegan List) 331

Chapter 26: Top Ten Questions (and Answers) about Going Vegan 333

Why Would You Do Something Like That? 333

Where Do You Get Your Calcium? 334

Where Do You Get Your Protein? 334

What Can You Eat? 335

Isn’t That a Difficult Lifestyle to Get Used to? 335

Do You Eat Fish or Dairy Products? 336

Where Can You Go Out to Eat? 336

Can You Be Healthy on a Vegan Diet? 336

What Do the Experts Think of Veganism? 337

Where Can I Learn More? 338

Chapter 27: Ten Ways to Make Vegan Living Extraordinary 339

Join a Local Vegan Group 339

Join a Few Online Vegan Groups 340

Throw a Totally Vegan Birthday Party 340

Write About Veganism 341

Hold a Fundraiser for Your Local No-Kill Animal Shelter 341

Meditate and Set Intentions at Mealtime 341

Vote Your Truth: Compassion in Action 342

Become a Pro in the Kitchen 342

Start a Vegan Victory Garden 343

Be More Free-Gan with Used Goods 344

Index 345