- Traditionally healthy cultures eat a plant-based diet, with small amounts of animal foods only (like traditional Chinese, Japanese, and Mediterranean diets)
- To lower consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol, which are abundant in animal foods
- A strong dislike for the current factory farm system and the cruelty that is inherent to it
- Lowers your risk of heart disease and cancer
- To reduce your carbon footprint
- To feel more energetic and alert, instead of heavy and bogged down
Is a plant-based diet nutritionally adequate?
It certainly can be! Some extra education might be necessary to be sure you're covering your bases, but learning nutrition basics is a good idea no matter what kind of diet you have. Nutritional deficiencies are common among the general population, so it's not only beneficial for vegans and vegetarians to brush up on their knowledge.
There are plenty of delicious protein and iron rich foods in the plant kingdom, including beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh and seitan. Dark leafy green vegetables, oranges, fortified non-dairy beverages and almonds are excellent sources of calcium. Plant-based diets are by definition abundant in fruits and vegetables. Whole grains such as rice, millet, corn and wheat have sustained populations for thousands of years. Omega 3s have become common table talk in the last few years, and can be found in flax, chia and hemp seeds, walnuts, and the oil extracted from all of these.
Don't take my word for it, though - there are plenty of excellent books written on the subject of plant-based health that will steer you in the right direction. Some of my favorites are books written by Jack Norris, RD, and Virginia Messina, RD, including "Vegan For Life" and "Vegan For Her". Jack Norris runs an excellent website, veganhealth.org, which he continually adds to and keeps up to date. There are literally hundreds of books out there (and websites), ranging from subjects like controlling and eliminating heart disease (Pritikins, Esselstyn, Ornish, etc) to the benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet. Happy learning!
Do I need to be vegan to employ your personal chef services?
Definitely not! Plenty of people enjoy a plant-based diet while still consuming animal products occasionally, I'm just here to provide you with more wholesome alternatives. Though I don't cook and prepare animal foods (I'm not trained to do so), I can prepare you delicious side dishes and the occasional meatless entree if you would still like to eat meat for dinner - we can customize something to suit your lifestyle.
Of course, if you are vegan or would like to go vegan, you'll be happy to know that we don't just prepare hippy health food - we cook satisfying and filling food, and love to make good ol' comfort food (balanced by lots of veggies). Many personal chefs who prepare vegan food tend to focus on light and healthy meals, which serve a wonderful purpose, but not everyone who goes vegan wants to eat lots of salad (which can be delicious, but I digress).
By eating a plant-based meal twice a week, or five times a week, you're still making a significant contribution to your health and the well-being of animals and the planet. We're not here to judge or police. It's fantastic if you decide to eat several vegan meals each week while keeping other meals flexible. It's also fantastic if you want to dive in head-first into a plant-based diet. Check out our personal chef services for more information on what we offer - and we'd be happy to customize something to suit your lifestyle. Also make sure to have a look at our constantly-changing menu, and feel free to email us if you have any comments or questions.
There are plenty of delicious protein and iron rich foods in the plant kingdom, including beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh and seitan. Dark leafy green vegetables, oranges, fortified non-dairy beverages and almonds are excellent sources of calcium. Plant-based diets are by definition abundant in fruits and vegetables. Whole grains such as rice, millet, corn and wheat have sustained populations for thousands of years. Omega 3s have become common table talk in the last few years, and can be found in flax, chia and hemp seeds, walnuts, and the oil extracted from all of these.
Don't take my word for it, though - there are plenty of excellent books written on the subject of plant-based health that will steer you in the right direction. Some of my favorites are books written by Jack Norris, RD, and Virginia Messina, RD, including "Vegan For Life" and "Vegan For Her". Jack Norris runs an excellent website, veganhealth.org, which he continually adds to and keeps up to date. There are literally hundreds of books out there (and websites), ranging from subjects like controlling and eliminating heart disease (Pritikins, Esselstyn, Ornish, etc) to the benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet. Happy learning!
Do I need to be vegan to employ your personal chef services?
Definitely not! Plenty of people enjoy a plant-based diet while still consuming animal products occasionally, I'm just here to provide you with more wholesome alternatives. Though I don't cook and prepare animal foods (I'm not trained to do so), I can prepare you delicious side dishes and the occasional meatless entree if you would still like to eat meat for dinner - we can customize something to suit your lifestyle.
Of course, if you are vegan or would like to go vegan, you'll be happy to know that we don't just prepare hippy health food - we cook satisfying and filling food, and love to make good ol' comfort food (balanced by lots of veggies). Many personal chefs who prepare vegan food tend to focus on light and healthy meals, which serve a wonderful purpose, but not everyone who goes vegan wants to eat lots of salad (which can be delicious, but I digress).
By eating a plant-based meal twice a week, or five times a week, you're still making a significant contribution to your health and the well-being of animals and the planet. We're not here to judge or police. It's fantastic if you decide to eat several vegan meals each week while keeping other meals flexible. It's also fantastic if you want to dive in head-first into a plant-based diet. Check out our personal chef services for more information on what we offer - and we'd be happy to customize something to suit your lifestyle. Also make sure to have a look at our constantly-changing menu, and feel free to email us if you have any comments or questions.