Getting Started

Plant-Based Nutritional Guide from Bend Osteopathic Care, PC

Getting Started

Simple Starter Plant-Based Meals

(This is basically what I eat most days as it is quick, simple, and incredible healthy)

Breakfast

“Plant-Strong Oatmeal”

Steel cut oats (I prefer to soak them overnight, so I don’t have to cook them in the AM)
2 tablespoons of fresh ground flaxseed
Add frozen or fresh berries or other fruit of choice
Add nut or seed milk (optional)
Add cinnamon to taste (optional)

If you have a high-powered blender, you can make your own hempseed milk fresh in the AM:

1/4 cup raw shelled hemp seeds
2 cups water
blend at highest speed for 30 seconds and serve.
Can add raw dates to sweeten.

Lunch/Dinner

“Burrito Bowl”

1-part lentils or chickpeas or other bean of choice or tempeh
1-part short grain brown rice or quinoa
Add 1-part dark leafy greens like spinach or kale, onion, carrot or other vegetable of choice.
Can add fresh cut apple
Can add favorite hot sauce or other spices to taste.
Can add handful of raw nuts like walnuts, sunflower, or pumpkin seeds.

When in doubt, just eat dark leafy greens as they are the most nutrient dense.

About oils

Oils are not a whole food; they are just processed fats. It takes 44 olives to make a tablespoon of olive oil. Oils are the most caloric dense processed foods on the planet and often prevent us from achieving our optimal weight and health. So, ditch the oils and processed dressings and just use balsamic vinegar or raw apple cider vinegar. Avoid cooking with oils. Can use water to stir fry. Google no oil stir-fry cooking for instruction on this.

Keep it Simple

I make big batches of beans and whole grains, so I always have these ‘staples’ which provide all the essential amino acids for your body to make the necessary proteins for optimal health. These staples also provide the necessary carbohydrates to give the energy you will need to conquer the day as well as fiber, so you are not always feeling hungry.

About Protein

Too much protein in the diet is toxic to our liver, kidneys, bones and increases our risk of heart disease and cancer. We are at our greatest need for protein when we are most rapidly growing which occurs in infancy. We all agree the most optimal food for babies is mother’s breast milk which contains only 5-8% protein. In contrast, cow’s milk otherwise known as ‘baby cow growth formula’ or ‘liquid meat’ has up to 40% protein and increases childhood risk for asthma, allergies, and obesity. In childhood and adulthood our body only needs 5-10% of its total caloric intake from protein. So, you can stop worrying about getting enough protein, just eat whole plant foods, applying the 1/4 plate method mentioned above and you will get all that is necessary and not too much! There is absolutely no need to waste money of protein supplements, bars, etc.

MORE PROTEIN THEN NECESSARY IS NOT BETTER FOR YOU! IT IS ACTUALLY QUITE DANGEROUS IF DONE MEAL AFTER MEAL!!

Snacks:

Fruit, handful of nuts, raw veggies, leftovers of prior meal.

Hydration:

Drink 64 ounces of water a day. Avoid cow’s milk, soda, sports or energy drinks and any other beverages with artificial sweeteners, colorings, or additives.

Avoid adding sugar to coffee if you drink coffee. Adding sugar or artificial sugar or dairy products cancels out any of the health benefits of coffee. Can add nut or seed milk to taste. The sooner you ditch the sweeteners the better. For an alternative source of caffeine that is less acidic than coffee, choose green tea or Pu-erh tea. For an ideal non caffeinated tea, try hibiscus tea. I have green or Pu-erh tea in the AM and then switch to hibiscus after that.

About Supplements:

If you follow a whole food plant-based diet and roughly stick with the 1/4 plate method, you will get all the necessary nutrients you need other than Vitamin B12 which is made from a bacterium in the soil and it not often in ample amounts on our produce so if you are strictly following the whole food plant-based diet, I advise supplementation. There is no reason to take a multiple vitamin or extra calcium. Some people in transition may benefit from certain nutrients in supplement form and this can be discussed further. Get your Vitamin D from the sun but take care to avoid sunburns. In the winter months in Oregon, especially if you suffer from depression or seasonal affective disorder it is advisable to take 1000 IU of vegan Vitamin D3 several times a week with food.

Bieler’s Broth

For optimal health, acid-alkaline balance of vital importance. Most Western diets are too acidic, with less plants in favor of more refined sugars and meats. So, a good way to cheat on the go is to make this broth and keep in fridge for daily intake.

1 lb. of green beans
2 lb. of zucchini
1 bunch/handful of parsley
enough water to cover your veggies

Dice, boil until soft, then puree in blender. You can flavor with lemon juice. It makes a very mild, super-green mixture that alkalinizes your system.

Getting started nutrition education resources:

Simon Hill, The Proof Is In The Plants

Meal Suggestions

Breakfast

Oatmeal breakfast muffin (banana sweetened)

Almond butter and sweet potato toast

Soaked oats

Smoothie bowls

Cooked oats

Chia pudding

Banana oat pancakes

Snack

Roasted Chickpeas

Raw veggies and hummus

Banana

Cultured veggies

Carrots

Chia pudding

Granola

Lunch

Raw beet salad

Chickpea tuna or chickpea chicken salad

Roasted Veggie salad

Veg and fruit smoothie

White chili

Golden beet coleslaw salad

Kale and white bean soup

Dinner

Lentil burger

Pinto bean tostadas with avocado

Burrito bowl

Roasted veggies over quinoa

Sweet potato coconut Curry over rice

Potato carrot latkes

Pasta?

Deserts

Chia pudding

Berry Sorbet

Avocado pudding

Carrot cake energy bites

Smoothie

Banana based ice cream

Protein nut muffins

Pantry Staples

Whole grains: Whole grains are packed with fiber, protein, B vitamins, and zinc. Excellent options for the pantry include oats, pasta, rice, breads, and tortillas.

Legumes: Legumes are rich in fiber, protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and B vitamins. Options include dry or canned beans, dry or frozen peas, lentils, tofu, soy milk, and tempeh.

Fruits: Fruit contains high amounts of fiber, beta-carotene, and vitamin C—which can boost the immune system! Fresh fruit such as oranges, apples, and pears can last for several weeks. Stocking your freezer with frozen berries, frozen cherries, and other frozen fruits is another great way to up your fruit intake!

Vegetables: Vegetables provide vitamin C, beta-carotene, riboflavin, iron, calcium, fiber, and other nutrients. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, turnips, eggplant, and squash are nutritious vegetables that do not spoil quickly. You can also opt for frozen vegetables—such as frozen peas, peppers, broccoli, spinach, and more—which are just as nutritious as fresh vegetables.

Nuts, seeds, and dried fruit

Every meal can benefit from a sprinkle of nuts and seeds. They impart a contrast in texture and color, in addition to their many nutrients. Dried fruit add sweetness (and iron!) to bowls and even to some stews without having to chop anything.

Almonds
Walnuts
Cashews
Sesame seeds (and tahini, which is sesame seed butter)
Sunflower seeds
Hemp seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Flax seeds (whole, plus a small, separate jar with a week’s worth of ground flax seeds to make it easy to sprinkle it everywhere)
Raisins, currants, and cranberries
Dates (added to blended sauces instead of a sweetener)
peanuts
hemp seeds
chia seeds
prunes
Goji berries
Brazil nuts

Spices

Peppercorns
Salt
Cumin (I keep them both whole and ground)
Turmeric (ground)
Oregano
Thyme
Garlic powder
Red chili flakes and chili powder
Coriander (whole and ground)
Smoked paprika
Cinnamon
Mustard powder
Rosemary
Black salt
Bay leaves

Other flavorings that make a world of difference.

Vegetable broth powder
Balsamic vinegar
Nutritional yeast flakes
Soy sauce and/or tamari
Apple cider vinegar
Vegan Worcestershire sauce
Various hot sauces
Rice vinegar
Truffle oil (a few drops suffice!)
Liquid smoke
Dried mushrooms

Canned goods: useful shortcuts

Tomatoes in 28-ounce cans (crushed or diced)
Tomato paste
Tomato sauce for pizza
Jackfruit in water or brine (NOT in syrup)
Coconut milk: a once-in-a-while indulgence
Roasted red peppers
Sundried tomatoes
Kalamata olives

Miscellaneous pantry ingredients

Some ingredients just have a hard time fitting into categories:

Kombu: added to the cooking water of beans to cover our iodine needs, since we don’t use iodized salt.
Wakame: for miso soup and snacking.
Arrowroot powder: as a thickener instead of cornstarch (just to avoid corn products, but really, it’s not a big deal).

Refrigerated ingredients

These ingredients are always in my fridge:

Lemon and lime juices:
Miso paste: adds umami and saltiness to sauces and of course is essential to make miso soup.
Tofu (firm and extra-firm!
Basic condiments like ketchup, Dijon mustard, and vegan mayo: we use very small amounts of those, perhaps one jar of each per year for our family of four, but they are good to have on hand and never go bad.
Kimchi (check that it has no anchovies or shrimp): enlivens any Asian dish with just a forkful.
Active dry yeast: for monthly pizza night.
Baking powder: used quite rarely for dinners but keeps for a very long time in the fridge.
Maple syrup

Whenever possible, I pick fresh produce. But if using frozen veggies saves us from ordering take-out, I go for it without hesitation.

Edamame (with and without shells)
Green peas
Corn kernels
Mixed veggies
Potato wedges (for oven fries)

Nuts, seeds, and dried fruit

Almonds
Walnuts
Cashews
Sesame seeds (and tahini, which is sesame seed butter)
Sunflower seeds
Hemp seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Flax seeds (whole, plus a small, separate jar with a week’s worth of ground flax seeds to make it easy to sprinkle it everywhere)
Raisins, currants, and cranberries
Dates (added to blended sauces instead of a sweetener)
peanuts
hemp seeds
chia seeds
prunes
Goji berries
Brazil nuts