I seem to have started eating for the holidays sometime back in September. Though I had spent much of the early part of the year watching what I ate, exercising regularly, and losing around 25 pounds, a sinus infection in late August coupled with a quick trip to Portland (vegan Mecca) threw me off balance. Maybe I thought I needed comfort food, maybe I was just looking for an excuse. Whatever. Today I sit here having regained 5 of those hard-lost pounds and, even more troubling, a couple of food addictions I thought I’d put behind me–sugar and its partner in crime, flour. Both drive me crazy with cravings but make me feel bloated, lethargic, and queasy when I give in to them; of course, by the time the cravings hit again, I’ve managed to forget the effects indulging will have on me, so the cycle repeats.
I know from experience that the only way for me to get control over my eating is the tough love approach. Like any addiction, a compulsive desire to eat sugar and starch won’t go away if I string it along with small doses. For me it’s all or nothing. But just as important as getting rid of the anti-nutrients (which is what I consider sugar and flour to be) is filling my body with nutritious plant foods. I’m talking vegetables, beans, and fruit. A few raw nuts. A couple servings of whole grains. Simple whole foods.
Changing What You Crave
I know that at this time of year, a lot of people are taking stock of their health and committing (or recommitting) to healthy eating plans. Some are doing cleanses or detoxes, which, for the record, I don’t believe in. I think that you should start in the way you hope to continue, and short-term, stringent detoxes, which often are downright dangerous, don’t do the body any long-term good or lead to healthy eating practices. My goals are to make vegetables the center of my diet, loosen the grip that sugary foods have on me, and change my habits so that I’m not reaching for a gooey granola bar or bowl of vegan ice cream every night after dinner. I know from experience that with time and effort I can change what I crave. It’s been a long time since I’ve really craved a big honkin’ salad, but I will get back there!
This is not about weight loss, though I could stand to lose quite a few pounds and expect that I will. It’s about eating the way I know is healthiest for me. It’s about feeling better, more energetic, more focused, more alive.
I would love for you to join me on this journey, even if you just try it for a week or two. But I have to point out that I have absolutely no nutritional training (B.A. in English, M.A. in English, and 1/2 of a Ph.D. in–you guessed it–English). If you have health issues and decide to follow my plan, please okay it with your doctor or at least let her know so she can monitor your need for medication. If you’re coming to this from the Standard American Diet and are taking medication for blood pressure, cholesterol, or high blood sugar, your need for it may decrease after you start eating this way, so get check-ups at regular intervals.
Keep It Simple, Soups and Salads
I have a tendency to make things overly complex, so while I was figuring out exactly what my healthy meal plan would be and what I wanted to say to you about it, I kept telling myself, “Keep It Simple, Soups and Salads.” Abbreviated, that’s KISSAS, which I shortened to KISSS because, well, think about it.
My plan looks a lot like Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Eat to Live 6-Week plan, and I’ve adopted his mantra, “The salad is the Main Dish,” though I often stretch my definition of salads to include cooked ones. I’m a little less rigid about amounts and tend to eat more grains and starchy vegetables and fewer nuts and seeds than he advocates, but overall, if you’re strictly following the 6-week plan, you’re basically doing what I’m doing. I also tend to view salt as a necessary evil–a little bit helps me enjoy my meals so much more than without it, helping me stick to my vegetable-centric diet–though hard-core ETLers would tell me (and you) to cut it out.
I concentrate on soups and stews, in addition to the salads, because it’s possible to pack a lot of vegetables into a soup, eliminating the need for vegetable side dishes. When the soup contains plenty of veggies, all I need to add is a starter salad and perhaps a serving of whole grain or potato to have a filling dinner.
So Here are the Details
(Click “Print” to print this section.)
Do Eat
- at least 4 fruits per day
- At least 1 huge and 1 regular salad per day (containing fresh greens such as lettuce, spinach, kale, cabbage)
- As many cooked, non-starchy vegetables as you can (broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, onions, carrots, kale, peppers, zucchini, etc.)
- At least one cup of cooked beans/legumes/lentils
- 1-2 tablespoons of raw nuts or seeds (try to have walnuts and ground flax seeds daily—good sprinkled on salad)
- About 1 cup of cooked whole grains or potato
Don’t Eat
- Meat (including poultry or fish), dairy, or eggs, of course!
- Oil, including olive and coconut oil and margarine
- Sugar, including agave nectar, maple syrup, Sucanat, date syrup, dried fruits (including dates)
- Flour or flour products (bread, pasta, etc.)
- Alcohol
Meal Plan
I find that getting into the habit of eating the same basic breakfast and lunch every day helps me stay on-track. Where I shake it up is at dinner because I’m one of those people who don’t like to eat the same thing two nights in a row. I tend to eat fruit for breakfast, but not everyone feels satisfied with that, so I’m including some other options.
Breakfast
- Fruit
- Or 1 bowl bean/veg soup plus fruit
- Or 1 cup cooked oatmeal plus fruit
- Or 1 serving Chickpea Omelets
- Or fruit or green smoothie
Lunch
- Mega-huge salad with beans and dressing (plus 1 tablespoon nuts if dressing is fat-free). Consider Taco Salad or Hummus Salad.
- Or bean and vegetable soup
- Or soup and salad
Dinner
- Starter salad
- Vegetable and bean soup or stew
- Whole grain, potato, sweet potato, or winter squash, if desired
Snacks
I try to stick to fruit for snacks, but I’ve listed some other options to include only if you don’t feel satisfied after eating your fruit. Eat your fruit first! After that, if you’re still hungry, have more of anything on the “Do Eat” list.
- Fruit, including frozen all-fruit desserts.
- Raw vegetables and fat-free or nut-based dressing, hummus, or baba ganoush
- Air-popped popcorn with nutritional yeast
- Roasted chickpeas, homemade potato chips, or kale chips
Soups and Stews for the Week
Having a nutritious meal already made can mean the difference between staying on-track and reaching for some processed junk. I usually start every week by making a big pot of my “Dirty Little Secret Soup,” which I keep on-hand for lunch when I don’t feel like a salad or for dinner when my family is eating something else. I always plan for at least 4 different dinners during the week and count on a combination of leftovers and the secret soup to feed us the other nights.
Here are my dinner soups and stews for this week:
- Spicy Collards and Black-eyed Pea Soup (for New Year’s Day) served over brown rice
- Eat the Rainbow Black Bean Soup with a sweet potato
- Ridiculously Easy Lentil Stew
- Curried Split-Pea Soup with Cauliflower (delicious served over a baked sweet potato)
For lots of choices for soups and stews, check my recipe index pages.
Eat a bigger lunch salad than the one in this photo!
About the Salads
Eating a big enough salad is essential to both feeling full and taking in enough nutrients on this plan. When I talk about Mega-Huge, ginormous, or big honkin’salads, I mean a salad that fills a serving bowl. Start with greens–lettuce and spinach are my base–and add tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli slaw (basically shredded broccoli stems, which you can make or buy), and any other vegetables you like. Toss it with an oil-free dressing (I have a new ranch dressing that I will be sharing soon), add a heaping serving of beans (hot or cold) or hummus and, if your dressing doesn’t contain nuts, a tablespoon of raw walnuts or other nuts. (Walnuts have the most Omega 3’s, so I tend to stick with them.) Add some ground flax seeds if your dressing doesn’t contain any. Even this small amount of nuts and seeds helps the absorption of nutrients, provides essential fatty acids, and makes us feel full longer.
My two favorite salads are Taco Salad (made with canned chili beans for the sake of time) and Hummus Salad. Other times I top my salad with my vegan buttermilk dressing along with chickpeas and slices of apple or pear. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your salads and your salad dressings. See this post for some tips on removing the oil from your favorite dressing recipes.
More Resources
If you decide to join me, I’m happy to answer any questions in the comments below. Feel free to post here or on my Facebook wall and tell me how you’re doing.
If you need more support, please join my Facebook Group or Eat-2-Live Yahoogroup, two great groups of people who love to share their knowledge and enthusiasm.
For much more nutritional information than I can supply, be sure to read Eat to Live.
For more recipes, be sure to check out my Eat to Live archives both here and on the website.
A few other sites that support this way of eating (though possibly more or less strict in some of the details) are
- The Engine 2 Diet
- Healthy Girl’s Kitchen
- Happy Healthy Long Life
- Chef AJ UNPROCESSED
- Dr. Fuhrman’s Holiday Challenge
- Dr. McDougall
- Forks Over Knives
- Vegan Hope
- 21-Day Vegan Kickstart
Happy, Healthy New Year!
Alexandra
I am in too; The last week of uncontrolled cookies and chocolate, is evidence that I must make amends. I like your listing of your weekly plan, and hope to try it too. Your other tips are also much appreciated.
Cindy
Happy New Year 🙂 I have been a fan & vegan for over a year now — my doc recommended your site to me. At dinner last night I was sharing with my sister and husband – I need to cut out the fat, sugar & starch and load up on my salads and veggies. My goal is to loose the 10 pounds I gained these last months. Reading your post confirms exactly what I need to do. Many thanks!
lea
This is perfect! I was just reading about sugar and flour addictions and it describes me exactly. No more baking for a while ~ count me in!
Mari
Perfect! I’m going for this diet in the forthcoming months! Thanks for sharing great recipes and inspiration 🙂
Gena
Susan, in spite of the fact that this is a resolution post, I want to personally thank you for discouraging “cleanses” and “detoxes,” and encouraging volume eating. The prevailing theme at this time of year is restriction, and it is so defeatist and so counter-productive. I wish you great luck as you battle your sugar and flour adversaries, but I also wish you heaps and loads of good food!
Susan Voisin
Thanks, Gena! You make a good point about restrictions. As I wrote this, I concentrated on minimum amounts rather than maximums because i want to encourage eating an abundance of good foods without setting limits. I probably should include a note that if you are hungry, eat more of any of the foods on the Do Eat list. I don’t want people to feel they are depriving themselves, rather filling themselves with good, nutritious food.
Gena
Agreed! The nice thing about the ETL style of weight loss/maintenance (or simple health improvement) is that it does tell you to eat as much of certain things as you can; no other plan to get fitter gives advice like that. Again, I appreciate that that is the message you’re sharing with readers!
Liz Ellis
How do you feel about using spray oils in VERY controlled quantities?
I also follow a plant-based diet and am always looking for ways to make it healthier. Right now I use a little coconut oil spray in pans when I stir fry veggies. What do you think? Good? Bad? Neutral?
P.S. I LOVE your blog. I have been vegan for over a year now because of you! Thanks for your posts. I am always excited for the next one. May you have a blessed 2012 and may all your diet dreams and wishes come true 🙂
Susan Voisin
Liz, when I do use oil on a pan, I use a quick spray of pure olive or canola oil and then I wipe it off with a paper towel. That way the oil gets in the pores of the pan but doesn’t get into me. 🙂 I’m not a fan of coconut oil and have never used it.
Angela
Thanks, Susan, for these inspiring tips and suggestions!! I did want to say that for me, these meal plans would not include enough protein to keep me satisfied. Don’t get me wrong–I think the average American consumes way more protein than needed, and I have been a vegan for 15+ years. But especially when trying to cut down on what I am eating, I need to include more protein in my vegan menus in order to feel satisfied. For example, if you just ate some oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, that would give you at most 10 grams of protein for the meal, depending on the serving size. I eat oatmeal every morning, but add 1-2 tablespoons of rice protein powder to boost the protein. I love the Ridiculously Easy Lentil and Vegetable Recipe, but a single serving of that just gives you (by your calculations) about 10 grams of protein. I think if you total up the total grams of protein in the menus you outline, the protein might come out to be 30-40 grams of protein. IMHO, that is just too little to keep your appetite under control and keep cravings at bay.
I’d be interested to hear if people have a different experience. I also find I need to add a potato or rice to a meal to feel full only when it contains a smaller (10-15 grams) amount of protein. I know when President Clinton was recently inteviewed about his new vegan eating, he said he started his day with a protein shake made from almond milk and 30+ grams of rice protein. Is it wrong to be relying on protein powder to boost protein? How to get more protein without eating too many servings then?
Thanks again for a great, blog, Susan, and Happy New Year also!
danielle
I found this extremely helpful – thank you for this. I am really trying to change up my eating habits this year.
Jane
I love this, and thank you for sharing your plan!
Lani Muelrath
Michele, great timing on your reference to the ‘debate’ video clip between Drs. Fuhrman and McDougall. In February at the McDougall Advanced Study Weekend, these 2 are slated for an ‘official’ debate with none other than John Mackey (CEO WFM) moderating! I’ll be reporting in on same for those who can’t make it, so you can watch for that.
I think – and I also think they would agree – these guys are on the same page. Eliminate so many of the poisons and fat-promoting foods from our diets that are so unnecessary. Find the balance of green and yellow vegetables and starches, fruits and seeds that match your own health and body composition goals. 99% of the way there’s a match.
Congratulations on your progress and fresh starts for the new year!
Lani Muelrath
Ginger
I agree. They are on the same page. It’s apples and oranges or maybe beans and rice.
Michèle
Hi Lani,
I can’t wait to read your report on “The Debate” since unfortunately I live too far to attend.
You are right in pointing out that they both agree on the main tenets of a plant-food diet. What I wanted to point out is that based on the research presented by Drs McDougall and Esselstyn I was convinced that starch (and no added fat) needs to be part of our daily diets so that after a meal we don’t feel hungry or deprived. Susan’s plan is great because it stresses that to be successful we need to be vigilant with the processed or high fat foods which find a way back on our plates and cause us to gain weight back. I also joined a Pilates studio 3 times a week and jogging twice a week. I hope this website and the readers’ comments will keep me motivated and that 2012 will be my healthiest….Michèle
janet @ the taste space
Hey Susan, I really think it is important that everyone figures out what works for them.. and obviously to keep those changes long-term! Kudos for talking about your struggles and sharing how you plan to tackle them.
Btw, I found the recent NY Times article really interesting when they talk about post-diet metabolism changes. Maintenance can be just as challenging as the initial weight loss.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
Marilou Garon
Yes, love this post! As everything else on this blog 🙂 I do have a hard time with oil-free salads myself, and that is for me the biggest challenge. So I would personally love to have good fat-free salad dressings recipes, if anyone wants to share! Happy New Year to all.
Lani Muelrath
Marilou, what I’ve found to be a great salad dressing is either a really good balsamic vinegar or one that is infused with some ‘extras’. For example, I just picked up a good balsamic at a winery that is infused with fig concentrate, so it adds a little sweet.
You can also take lemon or lime juice and blend it up with a little bit of soaked dates which makes it very sweet. I find that I don’t get around to making more complex ‘fat free’ dressings so these are my go-tos! I’ve also got a fat-free viniagrette from Trader Joe’s that I use in a pinch.
You’ll also find that you can de-flavor yourself from oil on salads. I agree with you that that was one of the more challenging taste switches to make! But once you do it, and give it some time, when on some occasion you end up with some bites of salad with oil on it, it tastes greasy and you will have a special appreciation for the change that you’ve made.
Another trick is to roast a tiny amount of sunflower seeds to sprinkle on top. Honestly, a little goes a long way and gives you a deeeluxe flavor!
Your question is a good one – I may just utilize it as a quick blog post if you don’t mind!
Cheers,
Lani Muelrath
janet @ the taste space
I personally don’t like oily dressings, and this is my go-to fat-free dressing: http://tastespace.wordpress.com/2011/08/21/3-2-1-super-simple-salad-dressing/
Susan Voisin
Marilou, check my salad dressings archives both here and at my website for some good oil-free dressings. Right now, I prefer dressings with either cashews or tahini in them, so they’re not really fat-free, but I use the least amount possible to flavor and thicken the dressing. But over on my main site, there are some good truly fat-free dressings. Please check them out!
Marilou Garon
Thank you, everyone! I now have lots of inspiring recipes that I will definitely try, although I still fear foregoing the fat! 🙂
Marilou
The Healthy Librarian
Fantastic post, Susan!
The plan you’ve laid out works! Looking forward to your updates.
Thank you so much for included my blog as a resource in your post–I’m beyond flattered! You are the Fat-Free Diva/Maven!!
Best snack tip: as the popcorn comes out of the Hot-Air Popper, spray it with a fine mist of water & then sprinkle on the nutritional yeast, or whatever spice you like. That way it sticks & doesn’t get soggy.
My personal favorite is Bone-Sucking Sauce Seasoning & Rub–like eating Barbecue Potato Chips.
I swear I lose weight after a bowl of this stuff.
For more inspiration, follow the link to Dr. Esselstyn’s Medina, Ohio lecture (fabulous) & other interesting links in my New Year’s post:
The Sunday New York Times “Fat Trap” & “Why Lost Pounds Come Back”- It Misses the Mark! Forget the Genetic, Hormone, & Metabolic Excuses – Just Give Esselstyn Plant-Perfect a Try!
http://www.happyhealthylonglife.com/happy_healthy_long_life/2011/12/fat-trap.html
You rock, Susan!!!
Susan Voisin
Wow, what a great post, HL! Thanks for sharing it. I think you hit the nail on the head about the 500-calorie Optifast study that the article cited. That’s clearly unsustainable and a recipe for what I call “rebound weight”–you lose it only to regain it and more.
About the popcorn, this may sound weird but I like to spray mine with balsamic vinegar before sprinkling it with nutritional yeast. It makes it tangy and slightly salty and would probably go well with that bone-sucking seasoning.
The Healthy Librarian
Not weird at all! I’m going to try the balsamic spray–plus you get the extra anti-oxidant kick! You’re so smart, lady!!
Emily Soleil
I was just going to post and ask how you get your nooch to stick to the popcorn, as that has been the one food that I have had trouble giving up the fat on (earth balance and salt) but the misting sounds like it’s worth a try. Do you mist and sprinkle as it pops out of the air popper, or wait until it’s all popped and spray and sprinkle?
Susan Voisin
Yes, though I have to admit that I have a microwave popper, not an actual air popper. I pour it into a bowl, misting and sprinkling a bit at a time so it all gets covered.
janey
I just checked out your post on the hummus salad (which I’m going to make right away, well after I make the Spicy Collards and Black-eyed Pea Soup) and was delighted to see you used a Corelle 2 qt. serving bowl. I’ve been using one for a few months now and find it’s the perfect size for a big main dish salad, the big honkin’ kind! I’m always on the lookout for a prettier dish just for a change of scenery, but they’re all either too heavy or too small or just not shaped right for a salad, but the Corelle is perfect. By the way, I’ve been following Dr. Fuhrman’s eating plan since his Holiday Challenge in Nov. 2010 and I’ve never felt better in my life (and lost a ‘ton’ of weight so far). It’s literally given me my life back. I’ve never been more satisfied with the food I eat, and I actually crave salads now which is amazing to me. I hope many of your readers give it a try and get to experience the benefits of a high nutrient diet for themselves.
Susan Voisin
I still use that Corelle bowl! Like you said, it’s just the right size, shape, and weight. Congrats on regaining your health on Dr. Fuhrman’s plan. I remember that craving for salad and look forward to getting back to it!
Ginger
Funny…I use that size for my salads, too.
ermom
Thank you, Susan, for the inspiration! My husband and I are 60 and 57, and followed Dr. Ornish’s diet for the week after Thanksgiving to help us eliminate some of our blood pressure and cholesterol medications. If I hadn’t stumbled upon your site, we would certainly have given up and headed back into our old eating habits. You make this new lifestyle a fun and interesting change, without feeling isolated and deprived! I love reading your posts and those of your readers. Keep experimenting for those of us new to it all!!
Izzy
To some people, I know that Salads seem so basic… but to me, they’re so difficult to figure out.
People say, “add whatever vegetables you’d like,” but I’d love more salad “recipes.” I’d also love to see more “meal” ideas. You’ve got breakfast recipes, but most of them include grains and I’m trying to move away from them as much as possible. 🙂
Jennifer
What a great way to start off the new year, bright & healthy! I’d definitely like to use your plan as a base, because I think it’s a very good summary of how we should be eating. I have ~35 lbs I’d like to lose (have lost 13 already) and I think this will be great! Looking forward to your upcoming posts.
Diane
Yes I can and will join you in the 6 week plan. I can do it except my downfall in the salad dressing…..I dislike most all tofu dressings. Can I use the dressing you have listed on your salad dressing site like the tahini and the others since tahini is considered fat, or is the idea just to drop the oil like evoo and canole and such? If so, I can probably do that but I do love oil dressings. Please come up with great tasting salad dressings that aren’t made with fruit as I dislike fruity dressings….I like the kind that clings to the leaves and has FLAVOR or am I just kidding myself with that? Thanks so much. Diane
Susan Voisin
Diane, you can definitely use the tahini and cashew dressings–I do! I’m going to be posting a recipe in a few days for my thick, creamy ranch-like dressing made with cashews (not too many) and non-dairy milk. In the meantime, check out my Low-Fat Tahini and Chickpea Dressing which contains no tofu.
Ann
I had devised this exact plan in my mind as my approach for the new year. I have done well on the ETL program in the past, but wanted to tweak it some to reduce the nuts a bit and increase the whole grains just a little. I thank you for summarizing it so well and I am thankful to have some support on this journey.
Ann
Paula
I loved this post. I want to eat healthy, but need really simple one pot dinners. I’ve borrowed a few recipes from the McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook. I would love to see more simple recipes that are super short on time since I seem to have less and less of that. I am looking to kick the sugar/flour habit too as I share the exact issues you have with them. With my all or nothing attitude I’ve got to handle it accordingly. My husband will often ask how can I consume something that will make be over-indulge and ill over and over again? I have no answer. Please keep us posted on how this KISSS challenge goes.
Hannah
Susan,
I first found your blog when I became vegan on the Eat-to-Live diet, going cold-turkey (soon to be Tofurkey) from a sickly omni diet. Your blog saved me in a lot of ways; through it, you’ve taught me not only how to cook but also how to enjoy being vegan and healthy. That was nearly four years ago, and I’m still a healthy veg, and you’re still my all-time favorite blogger.
I just want you to know how much you’ve influenced my life; though I rarely comment on posts, I check your blog almost daily, and have cooked (and been inspired by) more of your recipes than anyone else’s. You might not know it, but you’ve really supported me over these years, and I can’t express enough appreciation for that.
Good luck with your whole food renewal–I’ll be reading and cooking along with you!
Happy 2012, and cheers.
Susan Voisin
Hannah, your comment brought tears to my eyes. Thank you! I’m so happy to have been a help to you! I wish you continued health and success in the new year.
Anna
I’m trying to figure out a better and healthier way to eat as well. The trouble I have with salads is that I believe in seasonal and local eating and living in England that means that traditional salad ingredients are only available about 3 months of the year. I could use cabbage (I get a ton of it in the organic vegetable box we get) but I think it would be incredibly boring and besides cabbage and kale every few weeks we don’t see a lot of other greens all winter as they don’t grow here (our vegetables are grown about 10 miles from where we live!).
I tried ETL years ago and it did work for me but I am now feeding an 8 year old and a 4 year old and they won’t get enough calories eating that way (or be willing to eat that way for long!) so I am trying to figure out how to make nutritious meals that give them all the calories they need, less calories for me and the nutrition we all need, I feel a headache coming on!
I’m looking forward to seeing how you get on and the ideas you post, best of luck!
Renee HN
I’m in, all in. Perfect timing and I won’t be a silent partner.
Beth
Thanks for putting this up. We all can use more help to get healthy. I know for me I blew it over the holidays. And I did so well last holiday season. I guess you can never let your guard down. It helps me to stay on track of my own vegan diet. I only started 1 year ago. I have messed up a few times but I keep on picking myself up and starting all over again. I love your site and it helps me to eat vegan when I didn’t even have a clue how to do this a year ago – Thank you!
sandy
Sounds like you’ve been reading up on Dr Fuhrman! EAT TO LIVE!!!! 🙂
Erin
What a great post! I have also decided to eat healthier after a several-month-long Holiday indulgence. Although I plan on eating more starch and less nuts and seeds (a la McDougall), I love your idea of eating more, bigger salads. For me, I think this will be a chopped up head of romaine every day, along with lots of veggies and balsamic vinegar! I like that your plan also has a healthy balance of raw and cooked foods! Excellent. This is going to be a great year!
Carrie (Carrie on Vegan)
So glad you’ve re-committed to health, Susan, and you’re doing it the right way! I’m a fellow “Fuhrmanite” and I’m also on a journey to take charge of my health, one day, one salad, one bean at a time. 🙂 I’ve already made a lot of progress and now I’m in the fine-tuning stages. I’m also a former English major with an MBA but now I’m pursuing a graduate degree in public health nutrition and finishing up the coursework to be an RD. I love nutrition that much. Good luck and best wishes for a healthy, happy new year!
Meridith
Awesome post Susan! I’m looking forward to following you on your journey. I eat my salads out of a medium mixing bowl. 🙂 I like to eat heated beans and brown rice on my salad – so filling and delicious with a simple salsa for dressing. I must say, though, I’m REALLY looking forward to your ranch dressing recipe! Thank you, as always, for everything you do. It is very much appreciated.
Teresa
I am a recovering compulsive eater, recovering in Overeaters Anonymous. I have been abstinent from compulsive eating since 7/19/1990. I am also vegan since 4/9/2007. I enjoy everything I eat, but don’t eat everything I like. I abstain from those foods that I can’t or don’t want to eat in moderation. But as a result, I am free from the physical craving for and mental obsession with those foods. That freedom is priceless. I encourage people to check out OA’s website at oa.org. I am always happy to share my experience, strength and hope with anyone who would like to find that same freedom.
Lay
Hi Teresa,
I know this comment is very old, yet I have been vegan for four years and recently became a member of OA.. my Higher Power definitely guided me to this comment and would love to get in contact with you!!!
Tamara
Thank-you for this post. Exactly what I was looking for.
Audrey Q
Susan, what a great post for the start of a new year! I love your soup and salad suggestions and I’ll be joining you in KISSS this winter. I’m also sure that I can adapt a lot of these recipes for the slow cooker, which will take the stress out of meal prep in the evening/afternoon when the little guy is home from school.
Your website is my favorite resource to give out.
Audrey
moonwatcher
Bravo for keeping it whole and simple, Susan, and spelling it out here the way you do, and for all the great references, which I mine regularly. I’m on the same general page. I support you all the way!!
Happy New Year!!
xoxo
moonwatcher
Elizabeth @ RunWithSneakers.com
I’m with you on this but one question about oils. I love the taste of roasted veggies and I’m used to drizzling a little olive oil on them before roasting in my oven. Do you roast veggies without oil? Just plain? Or do you use something else?
Susan Voisin
I give vegetables a quick spray of olive oil when I roast them because I think it helps them cook. But I know others who roast them completely oil-free, which is what I would do if I had heart disease or some other medical reason not to eat any oil.
Lori
I’m right there with you, Susan. I’ll join the yahoo group. I use your recipes routinely to help me stay plant strong. I fell off track in Oct., and sugar and flour have crept back into my diet. Now, I’m back to basis, using Fuhrman’s plan and your recipes:)
Janel
I’m totally with you on the KISSS plan for 2012! When I get away from the dirty duo (sugar and flour), I just feel cleaner inside and out. My goals this year are to get totally off sugar including my recent relapse into cola, and get moving again.
Happy, Healthy 2012!
Francesca
I am in. 🙂
Robyn
Thank you so much for posting this to remind me of my own goals. I have very similar issues with flour and sugar and recently decided to to recommit to ETL. I have successfully used it in the past along with the great recipes from your blog to eat well. I’m looking forward to getting back on track! Thanks again!
VeganFaery
Hey Susan! Glad to see you’re ready to improve your health and not just the health of your many readers.
I’ll join you!
Jared
Hi Susan, these are some really great tips. I am excited about taking control over my eating habits and embracing more green choices for the future. I love the idea of bulking up a salad with beans and seeds as well as a great dressing — it makes a salad truly versatile and enjoyable!