Tag: vegan

Vegan Dad Cooks Again

by leeman11111, posted in Food, Recommendations

The key to a healthy, plant based, delicious ,and active life is knowledge, desire,

and being prepared. Here are some meals and snacks to carry me through the next few days.

Be on the look out for some exciting news from

Vegan Dad. You too will be able to learn ,

The Why, The How, The What, The Where

of creating a plant based lifestyle for you, the planet,

and the people you love.

Good Health , healthy meals, being active are all choices within your reach. You can do it and I can help.

Always :

Be Kind

Breathe

Eat Healthy

Move Your Body

Just Do It

Montys Good Burger..Plant Based Deliciousness.

by leeman11111, posted in Recommendations

So Awesome, I Highly recommend them .

Post LA Marathon Plant Based Deliciousness. Feels like a different time…a different place….in reality less than 2 months ago.

Wow….

Post LA Marathon Plant Based Burger and Shake

Monty’sw Good Burger

Virtual Cinco de Mayo

by leeman11111, posted in Food

Sharing time with family and friends, the only way we can.

Let’s see…we had some habanero and ginger grilled tempeh and pineapple, some roasted purple cauliflower with mesquite flavor, some sautéed zucchini, black and red kidney beans, Sazon flavored rice, peppers and onions fajita style, guacamole…and of course Pacifico, Modelo, and margaritas.

It was fun…not quite like a physical party, but the setup and cleanup are a lot easier.

The pandemic, all this isolation, everything closed, future plans unsure, it feels like time is standing still, but it’s not: lives, loves, everything is changing…a palpable anxiety overtaking the planet 

It just feels like we have more time to contemplate what’s going on in the world and our own lives. Not always a bad thing, but sometimes the truth hurts. However, it is what you need to find your true self. As Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” While it did not end well for him, it’s good to look inside and do your best to be true to who you are. Keep working until one day you can find that peace.

It all feels very real. Reach out, help out, check in, be there.

We are all truly in this together.

An Object in Motion

by leeman11111, posted in Thoughts

An object in motion stays in motion, an object at rest stays at rest. We have all heard that, it’s Sir Isaac Newton’s first law. It’s true about a lot of things I have come to think about in the context of my training for this (Los Angeles) Marathon.

The race is in the early spring, which means living here in New England I have to train in the winter, getting up early in the cold, dark mornings. Often I don’t want to get out of bed and do it. However, I have found that when I commit myself to do it, I get up, I get out there, I start moving…and it starts to feel good. It does not take long, boom, I’m into it, my mind is there, my body is there, I’m into the groove. The inertia of my actions take over and keep me going. My mind initially focused on just getting out the door, not anything about the elements, or the distance, or the time. Just get out there and start.

And when I am done, it’s “Wow, I can’t believe I just did that.” I try to take the time to thank myself–I did it! You really need to have gratitude for yourself. We all beat ourselves up over things we do or don’t do, so make sure to catch yourself doing something good.

I started thinking how this whole concept of body in motion stays in motion can affect other parts of our lives. When there is something I want to do in my life, or in my work, but it is too much, I can’t do it…if I could just get started…

Beginning is the hardest part…if you can start then the momentum of what you’re doing takes over to help you get done whatever you have to get done. It starts to feel better: you just had to breathe and jump in. You innately know how to take care of the rest.

No matter what you want to do, whether it’s lose weight, start exercising, start saving money, learn pottery, go to yoga, anything…put your energy into that initial step and let that great feeling of starting and doing what YOU want to do keep you moving toward your dreams.

It makes me think of another concept related to facing problems and overcoming obstacles that are so big, we just can’t fathom being able to overcome them. You put up your hands–I give up!

Just remember the old adage–and this is kind of funny coming from Vegan Dad–“How do you eat an elephant? (I’m certainly not condoning eating elephants, but “how do you eat a tree” does not sound the same). The answer is that you eat an elephant one bite at a time. You don’t have to tackle everything at once, just get started! Finish a piece and move on to the next one.

Those two things I believe are key to getting you and me motivated and going to where we want to be. Get in motion, get it started, one step at time. Give it a shot, you have nothing to lose. That’s what I’m doing!

Have a beautiful day.
Peace
Lee

Love the Memphis Blues

by leeman11111, posted in Adventures

Southern BBQ Vegan Heading South today…Time Away with Jodi and her daughters Daria and Hayley and my daughter Jessica…the rest of of my kids had other plans. Memphis and Nashville, then on to Asheville. A vegan in the land of BBQ should be fun. Looking forward to Music, Mountains, Food, Distilleries, Elvis and whatever comes our way! Should be interesting Plant-Based eating Below the Mason Dixon Line.

Farm to Stove to Table

by leeman11111, posted in Food

Went to a really great Farmers Market in Irvington, New York (http://irvmkt.org/), a small town outside of the city on the banks of the Hudson River.  A beautiful day it was, with several tents filled with Farmers, Bakers, Coffee Roasters, Specialty Food Creators, live music and more. So important to Buy Local, Better for you, your health, and your community.

I stopped to talk to Rashaun from Dan Madura Farms. He was knowledgeable, nice, and full of enthusiasm about his wares.

It is his father’s farm and he sold me some fresh shallots, oyster mushrooms, and beets with the greens.

One of my favorite things to do in the whole world is to cook, especially for people I love. It truly relaxes me, and sparks a creativity in me that just flows naturally. Admittedly I am not good at keeping track of what I am doing but I am working on it. Usually I’m in a rush putting together large, fast, healthy meals for my kids…but today was a nice relaxing Sunday at Jodi’s house. I made us roasted beets, sautéed beet greens, shallots, and oyster mushrooms. Paired them with some pan roasted quinoa and marinated grilled tempeh. Healthy, Vegan, and Delicious.

I do intend to put up recipes for all of the food…just not ready yet. I will and you will be the first to know!

It was pretty exciting to put it all together, and Jodi and I worked a long time on the pictures…..(baby boomers that we are).

We did get to eat it though…finally! She loved it…An empty plate tells the story

Dreamy

by leeman11111, posted in Thoughts

Looking around, there were signs everywhere. People in bibs, pictures of cattle on the wall, A-1 sauce on the table, and even men in cowboy hats having lunch.

Gazing at the menu, my fears were realized: steak, burgers, chicken, even lobster…wait a Salad! with eggs, cheese, and bacon…

Hmm…what to do…I was having lunch with some colleagues, not feeling like a fuss. Let’s see…World’s Greatest Philly Steak and Cheese—with peppers and onions! Veggies! Yes!

It came, wow, so hot, tasty and delicious. I’m about to dive in, take a huge bite… Mmmm….brinnnnggggggggg! Damn alarm clock! Awake I am now. I still dream in meat 🥩

Temptations are always there. You have to speak up: more and more restaurants have options, or will do something special for you. Like anything, the more people who adopt this plant-based diet, the more restaurants and grocery stores are going to change and embrace this healthy trend for people and the planet. Let me hear your stories of wanting to eat vegan, but feeling uncomfortable, not wanting to make a fuss. It’s worth it, you’re worth it. Healthy eating is a habit like anything else—be prepared at home or eating out.

Why?

Featured by leeman11111, posted in Thoughts

Sitting at the Local Burger, across from my brother, he and everyone else enjoying some sloppy, tasty, aesthetically pleasing, 100% real beef burgers. Me, I’m eating a not-so-sloppy or -tasty, poor imitation veggie burger (there are better options now!).

“Why,” the chorus asks again, beef juice running down their collective chins, my brother’s being saved in his flavorful bushy beard, “did you become VEGAN?”

Interesting question, about a pursuit that is out of the ordinary, especially in my meat ‘n’ potatoes, third generation Jewish bakery and deli owners. I have many clear memories of my Dad walking behind the deli counter with a hot fresh bagel and slicing what looked like a pound of hot, amazing pastrami as a snack before going back to the ovens to bake! Yes, he did have a history of heart problems…

I had watched Forks Over Knives and thought it was pretty cool that diet could have such a profound impact on health and especially the medicine prescribed to us. I knew about marketers at Got Milk, coercing generations to drink that bovine concoction meant for baby cows. I had read many articles and books about sustainability and the deleterious environmental effects of raising cattle. I had once before, years ago, stopped eating meat for a short period after reading The Face on Your Plate. The guilt and deniability did not last.

All of this swirled in my head. I opened my mouth, ate my bowl of quinoa and said the truth, the answer any red blooded man (or woman) in love would say: I guess I was just trying to impress my girlfriend! She stopped being a vegan after month. I, on the other hand, am still going. We are still together, and my heart is healthy in so many ways.

 

                  -Vegan Dad 2019