My Meatless Everyday
Name: Rebecca
Hometown: Oakland, CA
My dietary leanings: vegan (except honey), raw (as close to 100% as possible), gluten free, basically all whole foods, many of which come from the farmer’s market
My favorite vegetable: too hard to choose one, kale and beets are all-time faves, lately heirloom tomatoes (the fruit that eats like a veg!)
Breakfast: My typical breakfast is a smoothie with homemade raw almond milk, topped with ground flax and acai powder. Today the smoothie had banana, blueberry, ginger, chia seeds, maca, cinnamon, vanilla, and cardamom. My smoothies are generally eat-with-a-spoon thick. I always have tea, and today it was Ancient Forest from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Morning Snack: Once I’m at work I sip kombucha. On breaks I drink almond milk mixed with juice (orange, today) to keep me energized through 4 hours of lecturing.
Lunch: Lunch is my biggest meal if I’m at home, but today was a work day. I had almond milk mixed with pomegranate and cherry juices (all my juices are unpasteurized, by the way), a big, fantastic plum, and Lulu’s raw chocolate.
Dinner: A salad of beets and Pippen apple with mixed greens, dressed with blood-orange-infused olive oil, coconut vinegar, Bragg’s aminos, black lava salt, plain black pepper and smoked black pepper. I drank a Rishi Chocolate Chai with raw honey and almond milk. Can you tell I love my almond milk? Just to make the point, if you have never had freshly made nut milk, you have no freakin’ idea what you are missing. Also, if you have never had a Pippen apple, go to the farmer’s market, find one, and eat it. You’re welcome.
Later: My final cup of tea was Gunpowder Green, again from Mountain Rose Herbs.
This was plenty of food for me on a teaching day. On more physically active days (like, more than just my usual daily yoga) I eat more. Or when I have an opportunity to eat at an awesome vegan restaurant I can really pack the food in – but on an average day this is enough. Also, no one else in my family eats the way I do, so I don’t want to do anything more elaborate than chopping up veggies and making weekly batches of almond milk and smoothies.
Great post! Everything you eat sounds so delicious!!! I would love to make my own raw nut milk, but I feel like you have to use so many nuts and they are expensive! I see so many people say that making your own is less than buying in the store, but I don’t see how that’s possible. I haven’t seen nuts for less than $6.99 per lb and that’s bulk! Any tips on where I could get nuts, even if I have to order them, would be great!!! =)
Hey Rebecca, I’d love to make my own almond milk — how do you do it exactly? :)
I also make my own nut milk at home and I absolutely love it. At first, I also thought it was too difficult, but then I saw this video on My New Roots, thanks to a former MM menu here.
http://mynewroots.blogspot.ca/2011/08/my-new-roots-cooking-show-how-to-make.html
Another fab post from Ms. Bailey! Oh and I’d love to eat like you do everyday…how exactly do I get you to come to my house and prepare my meals for me, or should I just move to Oakland instead? ;)
Okay, you’ve sold me, I am going to try making my own nut milk. I’m thinking cashew, since my partner looooves cashews with all his heart and soul.
These posts really inspire me (especially yours, Rebecca). Sometimes eating healthy and being good to your body seems like such a chore – hard work and expensive in a world where boxed food is just easier. I have terrible problems with my skin (acne and scalp psoriasis), and it is in much better condition when I eat gluten-free, dairy-free, heavy on the veggies. My skin has been especially bad of late and I’ve been struggling with getting back into a healthy diet. Reading these posts reminds me it can be done, it can be joyful, and tons of people do it!
So thanks :)
I eat quite clean but your diet is an inspiration and I am upping my game. Right away. Thank you.
Oh! To be in California. There is no way I could get a Pippen apple up here in the Yukon. The farmers market is done for the year. Heck, it’s -5 Celsius outside. During my long potato ridden winter, I will dream of this post.
Wow! This is full of fantastic inspiration- thanks for sharing! That dressing combination sounds delicious.
Also, Happy World Vegetarian Day, everyone!
I drink a LOT of almond milk (almost a quart per day), so I’ve got quite the production going. But my weekly routine for getting something like 6-7 quarts takes only an hour, including clean up. So just a small batch is super easy.
The recipe is simple. You need:
1. Almonds – get the best almonds you can (untreated, organic if possible). The better the starting product, the better the milk. @Christy, they are expensive, but I feel the nutritional bang is worth the buck. I get mine from local farmer’s markets, so I don’t have an ordering suggestion. If you get really into making the milk and you buy a lot, sometimes the farmer will make a deal. I’ve gotten nuts (not organic) as low as $5/pound, organic as low as $7/pound, but generally more like $9-10.
2. Nut milk bags – you can do this through a regular strainer, but it takes a long time this way. If you plan to make more than a couple cups of milk, it is worth buying the bags. I get mine at Whole Foods or online.
3. Powerful blender – I use a Vitamix. You can try any blender, but it needs to be pretty hard core to get the best milk.
4. Glassware – I store in mason jars and old-fashioned glass milk bottles, for one week at least. I squeeze the milk into large pyrex measuring cups then pour into my storage jars. I soak the nuts in pyrex sealable bowls on the counter, but if the weather is hot put it in the fridge. Keep everything super clean if you want your milk to last!
5. Filtered water – the water quality is important for taste as well as making sure your milk will store longer.
Soak the almonds at least 12 hours in filtered water, then rinse well. Different sources of almonds puff up differently, but my basic recipe is 3 cups soaked almonds to 5 cups filtered water. This makes about a quart and a half of a very thick milk, which I love. You can experiment to get what you want – most recipes I’ve seen are a much thinner consistency. Blend the nuts + water for a minute or so, then pour into the nut milk bag inside a large container (the larger the opening, the easier it is to avoid a mess). Squeeze the bag to get the milk out. This can be fun when the bags get worn and you squirt milk across the room. Enjoy on its own, over granola, in coffee/tea, in smoothies, salad dressings, etc. I never end up using the ground almond leftovers, but you can save it and use in a variety of more complex raw food recipes (crackers and cakes and such).
@Alexandra, let me know how it goes!
@Beth, I weep for your lack of Pippens. I know I’m lucky to live in CA.
@Mimi, move to Oakland! I would love to have someone to shop the markets with, prepare food with and maybe get inspired to break out my juicer and dehydrator. The Vitamix was worth the expense but I don’t use the other equipment enough.
@Alyssa, you are worth the effort it takes to feel your best : ) Good luck with the cashew milk! I think cashews are the one nut that doesn’t need to be soaked first, but double check that.
Um… wow. I can’t lie, I just ate Oreos for dinner… But I do make my own almond milk!! Does that get me some points?! :)
Rebecca (or anyone else!),
Can you recommend an inspiring vegan (maybe slightly biased towards raw foods) that would be good for a beginner? I’m a grad student, don’t have a lot of money or time to spend on food or food prep but reading your post has me thinking to myself that I’m ready to make some changes. I want to eat healthier because I know its going to make a big difference in my life. I read NMDL religiously and slowly but surely I’ve been making changes and seeing amazing results in regards to my well- being and my skin overall. I would love to know of a vegan food blog, if you have a recommendation, that I could start following as well (and trying to incorporate slowly positive changes into my diet!).
Thanks in advance!
A quick almond milk recipe that I love is: one cup of water for one tablespoon of raw almond butter- so I usually blend up 4 c of water with 4 T raw almond butter, one banana (I like mine sweet. You could use a date or two in addition or instead of a banana) and a little vanilla. Blend and keeps in the fridge a few days. SO GOOD!!
I’m sorry to say, but I really don’t think this is a healthy diet. There is no way your body can get the full range of nutrients it needs just by eating raw fruits, nuts, and veggies all day. You might take supplements, but these do not absorb into your body like the nutrients from food. Iron and B vitamins are of particular concern.
Don’t get me wrong- raw fruits and veggies are absolutely fantastic for you and should probably make up the bulk of your diet anyway, but to rely on them all day, every day is dangerous.
See, for example, this lady’s story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFnlxh5Rf1w&feature=plcp
Sarah C.- Fellow grad student here, and while my diet isn’t totally vegan or raw, I really appreciate a lot of the recipes on Choosing Raw. All vegan, often raw, and she’s a student too so while there are some complicated recipes on there, you can also find simple ones.
Large smoothies and salads are probably the simplest of the raw recipes- don’t think tiny, weak smoothies/salads like you can find in a store or coffee shop. Think big, loaded with different veggies and fruits, maybe some nuts on top for satiety.
Not raw options: Stir-fried veggies or roast veggies on top of rice/quinoa/another grain is generally easy to vegan-ify. If all else fails, there’s always beans or lentil stew on top of rice.
Rebecca, I think you’re just the person to ask about this (although a lot of you probably know): what is the deal with Bragg’s Aminos? Is it basically the same thing as gluten-free soy sauce (so, basically, tamari)? Or is there an appreciable taste difference? I am always tempted to buy it (and I use Bragg’s apple cider in ev-ery-thing), but then I figure I don’t need yet another bottle of soy sauce-like stuff and leave it alone…
@Silvy–the one thing I’ve learned in all of my research is that everyone’s body is different. I’ve known people who absolutely thrive on this type of diet, while others feel bloated and have no energy (like moi… :).
@Alexandra- I agree that everybody’s body is different, and different foods irritate some people while others thrive. But, it’s not a matter of energy here. It’s a matter of proper nutrition. Everyone’s body needs a certain amount of certain nutrients to stay healthy, and this type of diet falls short.
If you follow my link above, she describes (in other videos as well) the subtlety of her B12 deficiency, how well she felt for years on the raw vegan diet, etc.
Word of caution: Really do get your blood work done often if you eat this type of diet so that you can modify accordingly.
Late jumping in the conversation..
Thank ou for the ideas and on the detailed explanation on how to get the best DIY almond milk possible.
I lack a robust blender but may try a small batch on mine to see how it goes..
@Sarah C. – I really like ohsheglows.com – she has tons of options that vary from super easy to somewhat complicated, but what I really like is that I find it easy to substitute ingredients in her recipes if I’m a little extra broke or don’t have everything. Definitely dig into her past recipes, she has several ideas for quick easy to-go lunches, prepping meals for the week ahead of time, etc. Also buying things like rice, beans, flours, etc. in bulk is a great way to save on money but still get healthy whole ingredients.
I have to agree with Silvy. Every time I read these meatless Monday meals, it leaves me starving. I am a petite woman, and most of my days are meatless, but I like to eat and I don’t deny myself any food. It really bothers me to think that people with body-image issues or eating disorders would read these Mondays posts and think they are healthy.
@ Lolly- Braggs is unfermented and it has a slightly different taste. Maybe lighter? Like soy sauce yet somehow less distinctly soy sausey? Better if you want to add flavour to something without having it taste too strong.
I have to agree with Silvy as well. When I read this menu I became really concerned about the nutrition aspect of it. The menu seems to be lacking in protein, carbohydrates and calories and, to me at least, appears dangerous in this respect. I am a vegetarian who enjoys almond milk, smoothies, etc, (along with the rest of my food) but from a nutrition standpoint, I was concerned with the major foods that are lacking here.
I think that we should remember that this post is about eating mindfully and that Monday is only a seventh of the week. We are not seeing the big picture of what these people do throughout the course of a week to stay healthy or their supplement routine.
@ poo- I am not an expert on eating disorders however I do have my own body image demons in addition to having danced with a couple of true anorexics when I was younger. I have also done quite a bit of reading on the subject. In the case of a person in the throes of a full blown case of anorexia most of the meatless Monday posts would be an improvement assuming that the person in question wasn’t using exercise to control their weight. Eating disorders are complicated psychological problems that go very deep. I think that the majority of the NMDL readership are informed adults who will take what they like about the posts and leave behind what is not for them.
@Sarah C, http://www.rawmazing.com is my favorite. There’s some info about transitioning to raw and everything is vegan. I know when I started out I looked at other blogs but that’s the one I always go back to, the only one I have bookmarked. Good luck : )
@Lolly, I find Braggs more flavorful than soy sauce. It’s stronger and saltier, in my opinion. I think it’s worth buying a small bottle to try it. I also love coconut aminos best, which is more mellow in flavor.
I think this is a great, inspirational post! GREETINGS FROM LOS ANGELES B! I just had to throw that in there :) Even though I am not a raw vegan or even a vegan, I am a vegetarian and would just like to say that at this point in my life, I feel like I am thriving. I tried the raw vegan stance for a while and realized that I really miss my yams, etc. I think it’s great to incorporate raw vegan dishes in the summer/spring in about 75% raw to 25% cooked ratio. Regardless, I don’t miss meat or fish or fast food at all, I don’t miss dairy (minus the once a month I have some Mexican food) and I feel like my life has opened up to new ways of cooking, new styles and ultimately new produce. If you haven’t checked out Dirt Candy yet, please do. And for the missus who wanted great vegan resources, please check out: Kathy’s blog. Healthy. Happy. Life. Do a good search for that and prepare to have your mind blown!
Each individual needs to figure out how to eat so they feel their best. I posted this to give an example of how to eat delicious healthy food that doesn’t incorporate meat – that’s what Meatless Monday is all about. At different phases of my life, I ate meat (and other stuff) and felt it was good for me at that time. Right now, this is the healthiest way for me to eat. I have more energy, my skin is better, etc. This type of diet has erased or reduced several health problems for me – notably allergies and autoimmune issues. But, this post is only a snapshot of what my diet is really like. I listen to my body and eat what feels right. Sometimes I’m crazy for black beans or other foods that must be cooked. There’s certainly no deprivation in my diet – I eat what I want, just the healthiest version of what I want.
I’m confident I’m not missing anything I need. I “eat my colors” which is a great way to make sure you get what you need, and there are plenty of healthy fats. I’m sure I get enough protein, because I’m pretty muscular and it’s easy for me to build more. I do take an iron supplement and B complex vitamins. There are some basics that I think are true for humans generally – like having a plant-based diet – but beyond that everyone must assess for themselves what the details should be.
@Beth–Actually I am an informed expert on eating disorders. I’m a therapist who works with teen and adults.
Why do you assume this: “I think that the majority of the NMDL readership are informed adults who will take what they like about the posts and leave behind what is not for them.” Do you assume people with eating disorders are not “informed adults”?
@ poo- I’m sorry. I guess that I’m basing my assumption on the comments and forgetting about the lurkers out there, and no, I do not think that people with eating disorders are uninformed. I was just trying to find a way of saying what I meant without revealing too much about myself and that is that no amount of information can quite seem to erase the feeling that I was brought up with (that my worth as a person is directly related to my waistline) and what I read here is in no way going to going to either unseat that Idea or push me over the brink. I know (in a profound way) that it is completely possible to be both informed and disordered. I am currently living in a city that I really don’t like, I recently lost my job (that is a simplification of the situation but it cripples me in terms of my career here) and I feel out of control right now. It was just a bad time for someone to bring up eating disorders and for me right now it just reminded me of the things that I am trying to cope with. Anyway I feel horribly embarrassed but your comment just got my back up at a bad time. I’m sorry.
@Beth, I don’t think you have anything to be embarrassed about. I think your original point makes sense. One day’s meatless menu is not indicative of that person having an eating disorder, nor is it facilitating disordered eating by anyone else. It’s not like I said I ate one almond and a breath mint all day! It’s complicated, and we all have our hot-button issues. This is (hopefully) a safe place to talk about things. I sincerely wish you all you need to come through your current difficulties.
Eating disorders are definitely a hot button issue for me too. I used to be close to 100 pounds heavier than I am currently. Any disordered eating in my life has been in the way of eating too much, and I will always struggle with emotional eating. With my current way of eating I’m healthier than I’ve ever been. By any measure (height/weight, BMI, body fat %) I am in the healthy range. I’m active, and my skin looks good and my digestive system work well. My immune system is startlingly functional. My hormonal issues, while still around, are drastically better since I’ve been eating this way (I’m just old!). I am not suggesting that everyone else should eat this way (and, by the way, this is not how I was eating when I lost the majority of the weight). I am confident that the way I eat is healthy for me, at this point in my life. People may have strong reactions to it, whether good or bad. I hope that the positive reactions and any changes people make as a result of reading the post bring people joy and health.
Thank you Rebecca.
@Beth–thanks for your comments and explanation, and I hope things turn around for the better for you very soon. I am very aware of the prevalence of body image issues and eating disorders, which is why I spoke out. I gave my teenage niece the NMDL book and she loved it. Her and her mom are together exploring safe beauty products. But I would not want her to read this blog and think that a juice or a smoothie is a healthy replacement for a meal. She is an active, growing teenager. While this blog gives expert advice on natural beauty products, it does not give expert advice on food and nutrition. But when you post both on the same blog, what are readers to think?
I am not trying to pick on this post in particular, as in general all of the Meatless Monday posts seem to be stingy on food. Since others commented that this post seemed to be particularly concerning, I chimed in. The point of Meatless Mondays is to not eat meat. I’m still waiting to read the post of someone digging into a big bowl of pasta or cheese ravioli. Or chowing down on a veggie burrito.
@ poo-Thanks
I agree with the people who say that many of the Meatless Monday posts showcase menus which are woefully lacking in actual food. Some people have brought up the fact that Monday is just one day out of seven, but I am left unconvinced that our MM adherents actually eat more during the rest of the week. I don’t quite see how one can eat normally for six days and then restrict their caloric intake in such a drastic way on the seventh. Even so, almost-fasting one day per week = losing +/- 1,000 cal, that’s quite a chunk!
This week’s MMer ate almost nothing on Monday. I’m sorry, but fruit, veggies, and homemade almond milk (almond milk is low in protein and calories, and if it is homemade, it has none of the added vitamins and minerals that the storebought one has) is not enough no matter how you look at it. There is no way that she is getting enough of anything (except fruit and veggie vitamins) with this diet, never mind iron and B12. The fact that someone promotes this menu as healthy is deeply concerning, especially in our age of eating disorders. *note: I just read that she does take supplements, but it makes me a bit sad to see someone pop pills when they could just eat.
Which brings me to my next point: this is prime “thinspo” material. Yes, it is more food than a severe anorexic might consume (though barely), but it is less than what a normal person consumes, and with its emphasis on “healthiness,” I can easily see how it could motivate an already troubled young girl in her descent to the depths of anorexia.
NMDL, please, use your common sense (and perhaps the advice of a nutritionist) before posting such material which is clearly meant to inspire people to alter their eating habits. This lady may believe that this is the perfect diet for her (I’d strongly advise a visit to a registered nutritionist to confirm this…), but the fact is that it is definitely not a diet that would fit a typical person, though you make it seem as it may be.
I’m actually so happy to hear some women address the lack of food on these meatless monday posts. I know we all have different tastes and needs – i personally do not believe there’s one way fits all with diet- but i am really sad instead of energized when I read these posts week after week. These posts are meant to excite me to eat healthy but the meager menus presented leave me starving. Starving for food and starving for a good read.
It’s easy to eyeball the daily food diary and realize that most women in the post have been consuming less than calories that their basal metabolic rate. I’m not saying starving lightly …. these menus would starve my body.
What I find alarming is that week after week we are presented with diminishing menus. A piece of fruit, a juice, a smoothie have become meal replacements: a salad here and there is the big meal. I hope the attention brought to this will encourage NMDL to post more robust menus in the future. I for one think that these posts are far from healthy and would love to see NMDL bring in an expert in food and nutrition to comment (heck, bring in a chef!).
Let’s hear it for gorgeous, sexy vegan food, vegetarian food, raw food, cooked food, whole food… let’s just hear it for some dang food!!
I don’t want to get involved in all this diet-bashing drama, but I will say this: nobody here is in a position to judge the quantity of another person’s meals based on these posts. Portion sizes make a huge difference in the number of calories that one consumes, and since they aren’t stated here, you can’t tell if this is a 1,000 calorie menu or a 3,000 calorie menu.
Nor are we in a position to say that this diet isn’t healthy for her. In fact, it is entirely possible to get all of your vitamins and minerals (including calcium, iron, etc.) from produce and nuts alone. Our food industry wants us to think we need grains and dairy and all that stuff, but it isn’t strictly necessary. Generally one will have to eat very large portions of produce to meet their dietary needs without other foods or supplements, but it can be done. I’ve seen raw vegans sit down and eat 10 cups of greens with assorted veggies and fruit on top, and they’re some of the healthiest people I know- and FAR healthier than anyone eating an average American diet. Since, once again, we don’t know portion sizes, we can’t know if this poster is doing this or not. No one here has enough information to be judging.
I agree that many of the menus posted here seem light, but that’s my impression based on the fact that I have a really robust appetite and happen to like “hearty” food. We all have different needs, what works for one person isn’t going to be a prescription for what other people should eat, and people reading these posts need to realize that. Food-judgmentalism isn’t going to help anyone here.
As a side note: Is there a specific way to submit these Meatless Monday posts? Perhaps some of the more critical folks here would like to submit their own menu as an example of what works for them, to balance out the lighter menus.
A lot of the Meatless Monday posts are incredibly hearty!! I think some folks may just be reading them too critically. When mine was posted I had a veggie wrap, a beet and brown rice burger and a big smoothie and someone still commented on it that it wasn’t enough food. To me, all those things are SO filling. And I’m a small lady and at 112 pounds (because I’m built that way, not because of my food intake) I don’t consume a ton of calories.
Rebecca, I think your day sounds DELICIOUS! I personally can’t make it through the day without little snacks or some carbs but I’m not you, and I’m not gluten-free. I very much want to make my own milk, I’m just too lazy. Question about maca. Even the smell of it makes me want to hurl. I know it’s good for you but even a drop of it in a smoothie just tastes so funky to me. Any tips?
@Amanda, I agree with what you are saying, especially about portion size.
While I don’t want this post to be about drama, I feel like there are some points I must make (I really have a hard time shutting up about anything)…
I understand that some of the comments are about people expressing concern. I believe it’s coming from a good place. I also wonder when the pendulum swung so far the other way. I imagine people would agree that if someone posted a hearty day’s menu and in the comments people assumed, “that’s too many calories, this person is eating too much and they must be unhealthy, they are promoting an unhealthy way of eating,” that would not be considered acceptable. Why would it be okay for people to assume anyone who has posted MM is eating too little, not getting enough calories/nutrients? The concept is the same.
Most people around me think I’m a very healthy person. Some years back, though, I was accused (I use that word purposefully) of having an eating disorder. I thought to myself at the time, “Wow, if I actually had an eating disorder this would make me feel more isolated and send me into a shame spiral.” It’s good to express concern when we think it’s warranted, but take care with how we say things.
While I wouldn’t call myself an expert in nutrition, I have been teaching human biology for 20 years, so I know one or two things about keeping the body healthy. My students are aiming for careers in health care, and I spend a good deal of time promoting eating fresh, whole foods, mostly plants, and animal products from healthy animals if they choose to. You should be getting what you need from your food, I always say, but high quality supplements may be added if there’s something missing. I emphasize that different people have different nutritional needs, and that if we eat in a way that is healthy for our own body, we prevent many diseases that are common today. I expect my students are going to pass this on to their future patients, and I hope I’m making my contribution to the health of our population this way.
People can criticize my personal menu if they want, I realize I open myself up to criticism by posting on the internet (although I would put the nutritional value of my smoothies up against any meal). However, I have not promoted an unhealthy way of eating to other people, here or anywhere else.
@Pepper, I remember reading your post and thinking that burger sounded fantastic, I’ll have to look back at it! Re: the maca, I didn’t like maca the first time I tried it. It’s bitter. Now I like it. If it really grosses you out, I think you should just not worry about it and eat other healthy stuff. But, if you really want to give it another go, mix it into a smoothie with about 2-3x as much cacao, and other spices like ginger/cinnamon/cardamom. That’s how I learned to love it.
@ X and mercedes—Thank you for articulating your thoughts so much clearer than me! I’m so glad other people are speaking up about this. And I really hope for some more inspiring, filling Meatless Monday posts in the future…
I love the NMDL book and blog for advice on clean products. This is what I think about Meatless Monday posts.
Does anyone watch Portlandia? God I love that show. There is an episode where the two main characters go out to eat. They are looking at the menu and ask about the chicken. The waitress gives a two minute rundown on the life of the chicken. Name, where it was raised, what it ate. It’s hilarious. The two characters decide they need to know more about the chicken, and go the farm where it was raised. The farm turns out to be a crazy commune lost in time, and the rest of the episode spins out of control. The point is that it’s funny, but also points to the absurd lengths we are going with the food craze.
Now let me say that I eat organic and healthy, have a little veggie garden, eat no junk food. But these posts, week by week, have gotten more and more absurd and pretentious. Making your own almond milk, and then acting like the rest of us have not truly lived until we tried it? I’m sorry but I’m busy, I work. What’s next, growing our own wheat to make pasta? I think another title of these posts could be “Problems Rich White People Have”. Please NMDL, come back to planet earth with the rest of us.
@lynnem, you can be busy, middle class, (I work full time plus another half a job, plus raise a kid) and still have time to make nut milk and some DIY products. I used to roll my eyes at people who did that kind of stuff, and think they must have more time than I do.
Wow Rebecca, you have a defensive response to every post. When did this become the Rebecca Blog? Other people have opinions too, and you may not always be right. C’est la vie.
Just adding my two cents..
I see these MMM as an inspiration for ideas on how to cook/prepare/consume veggies that I haven’t thought of before.. nothing more,nothing less.
I never looked at it as a guide of any kind and don’t see why anyone would think that is the purpose of it.
@Lynnem: I so totally agree (and lol at the chicken story!). There is physically not enough time for me to make dinner every night, and I know I’m not the only one who has to resort to prepared or partially-prepared food in order to actually eat something. The idea of making my own milk-ketchup-mayo-insert-whatever-you-want-in-here is ludicrous in my eyes and I’m darn glad that the cows-Heinz-Hellmans’-insert-whatever-brand-or-animal-you-want-in-here is doing it for me. I am beyond frustrated that whenever I turn to the Internet to find healthy eating options, all I see is people talking about how they never, ever eat anything from the grocery store/with more than five (or four or three…) ingredients/processed, etc, etc. Sorry folks, but that’s not for the 99%.
I like NMDL a lot, but I wish they talked about things that regular people can actually relate to… The healthy living movement clearly remains one that can only appeal to certain lucky people.
*steps off soapbox*
@poo: *blush* Thanks:)
I would like to thank Rebecca for sharing her menu because I did find it inspiring.
In my opinion making your own nut milk is no more extreme than baking a pie. Do I often buy these at the grocery store because I’m too busy? Yes, of course. Do they taste better when I make them myself? Absolutely.
That being said, I do agree that healthy eating goes too far at times.
In fact, there is a hilarious rant about it on this blog: http://www.nwedible.com/2012/08/tragedy-healthy-eater.html
@Emma, good points, and thanks for sharing that link! Hilarious is right : )
@Emma, along those lines, here’s a clip of the episode from Portlandia, Is it Local?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2LBICPEK6w
This is a very interesting post and set of comments! I love that it encouraged such open conversations about food and eating!! That shows this post inspired people to care and question and these contributions will lead us all (I hope!) to more conscious, healthier eating. I also write a blog that is meatless and am a big eater! Go to http://www.ourgreentable.com
You are welcome to check out any of my recipes. They are all pretty hearty and always healthy. I will be trying that almond milk for sure!