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Whether you are looking for a simple, 7-DAY RESET or are wanting to transition to the whole-food, plant-based diet and vegan lifestyle, this PLANT-BASED Recipe Guide will help you on your journey.
We are all genetically different and no one “diet plan” is right for all of us, all of the time. And the interesting thing is most diets actually do “work” in the beginning. Meaning, most diets – vegan, keto, vegetarian, paleo, low-fat, low-carb, pescatarian, carnivore, etc, can all help people lose weight. But do they work overtime? That is the real question. The simple act of switching up our diet from time to time is probably a good thing. This creates biodiversity in our gut. I like to think of this as eating with the seasons. I know I feel much better eating a more diverse, plant-rich, nutrient-dense diet.
My Plant-Based Journey
Over the years, I’ve tried many different diets- periods of being vegan or vegetarian, then going low carb for periods of time, or switching to a pescatarian diet, and short periods of a higher protein diet to build muscle, then swinging back down to a low saturated fat diet. Guess what? They all had some benefits. What I learned was to listen to my body.
First, I made a point of noticing what and I was eating and why. I noticed that much of the time I ate when I was not actually hungry. I did a lot of mindless eating… snacking, eating whatever was sitting on the counter as I walked past regardless if I was hungry. Being a restaurant owner, then a caterer, there was always food in front of me, which inevitably ended up in my mouth!
I also started paying attention to how my body felt – simply acknowledging the foods left me feeling energized, satiated and deeply nourished, and noticing which foods left me feeling achy, stiff, or inflamed.
At first, it was so subtle, it was really hard to pinpoint.
On the mornings I woke up feeling stiff or tired, I noted what I ate the night before. I began to see a real pattern. I’m curious if you’ve noticed it too?
Processed Foods!
Whenever I consume ultra-processed foods, inevitably the next day I feel signs of inflammation. My joints feel a little stiff and achy. An interestingly, eating these foods, actually caused me to feel ravenous and crave them even more.
Processed foods, even so-called “healthy” ones are designed to be ridiculously flavorful and addicting, making them incredibly easy to overeat. When you feed the “bad” bacteria in your gut with processed foods, you strengthen them, which amplifies their hunger signals to drive us to consume even more!
Seed oils
Most processed foods contain inflammation-causing “seed” oils (polyunsaturated fats, aka PUFA’s)- canola oil, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, corn oil, and soybean oil- which were introduced to our diet not too long ago. Because of the way they are highly processed with high heat (instead of pressed) they cause inflammation, lower immunity, are near impossible to burn off. When we do burn them off, they can be quite toxic. They can “hijack” our fat cells and actually turn our “satiated signals” off, making us crave even more inflammatory foods. When was the last time you tried to eat just one tortilla chip? It’s impossible.
Some doctors believe that if you just changed this one thing, and eliminated seeds oils, your health would improve greatly.
The problem is, these Polyunsaterated Seed Oils (or PUFAS) are in practically everything. Even “healthy” things! Vegan burger patties, organic, store-bought hummus, nut milk, vegan cheeses, vegan mayo, store-bought salad dressings, sauces, even healthy “organic”, “non-GMO” products. Check the labels friends- it’s concerning!
Glyphosates
Many processed foods also contain glyphosates (herbicides) that damage the good bacteria in our gut which are key to building a strong immune system. Glyphosates are used heavily in non-organic bean, corn, grain and soy crops – so all those delicious chips, crackers, tortillas, non-organic hummus, vegan snacks, etc., not only contain seed oils but contain glyphosates. Double whammy!
White Sugar and White Flour
White flour and processed sugar are also highly processed, cause inflammation, and can create huge glucose spikes. White flour, unless organic, is made with wheat that is often treated with glyphosates- and can be inflammatory.
Now don’t get me wrong- our bodies probably can handle small amounts of any of these– we do have a beautiful built-in detox system (our liver) – but if your diet consists mainly of these, then giving your body a week or month of “clean eating” will feel life-changing!
Free Plant Based Diet Guide
So the Simple 7-Day Reset begins with cutting out all these processed foods (even vegan ones!) and eating real, whole food, made from scratch. AND Don’t worry- we make it simple!
- fresh veggies and fruit
- plant-based proteins (beans, legumes, organic tofu)
- slow metabolizing carbs (whole grains, sweet potatoes, winter squash)
- plant-based fats (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, nuts, seeds)
By consuming nutrient-dense foods, we provide REAL nourishment – while feeding our healthy gut bacteria, and protecting our liver …allowing our body to do what it naturally does… balance and heal itself.
When we truly nourish our bodies with REAL food, we find we don’t overeat on junk foods as much.
In the process, we also help reset our cravings, by feeding our “good” gut bacteria, strengthening THEM, amplifying THEIR hunger signals for more plant-based foods.
So, though I am not technically vegan, I like to do a week or two of plant-based eating every month or so. And on the days that I do eat fish, eggs, or dairy, I always incorporate a diverse range of nutrient-dense, veggies and fruits.
Every January, after ” wine and cookie season”, I love to partake in a whole month of vegan, plant-based eating. It’s a nice practice and I feel the benefits: better sleep, more energy, glowing skin, and weight loss, and a beautiful way to start the new year!
10 Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet:
- lowers cholesterol
- supports healthy gut microbiome
- promotes healthy weight
- helps heal diabetes
- lowers inflammation
- lowers blood pressure
- reduces cancer risk
- lowers heart disease
- Is the least taxing diet on the environment.
There is even research out there that states that eating a plant-based diet for a 3 month period can actually affect our DNA! Studies by Dean Ornish and others show how a plant-based diet affects the length of our telomeres, and ultimately slows down the aging process.
And while we take this “break” our bodies become better able to absorb all the incredible nutrients we are putting into them. I find that in the process, I start to actually crave these whole plant-based foods because I feel better, sleep better and have way more energy.
So this is what I try to do every few months: For 7 days, I’ll cut out all processed foods, meat, dairy, refined sugars, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol. I make all meals from scratch, cooking only a few very simple meals that I eat throughout the week.
I keep it very simple. This is KEY.
(Now, of course, you can transition into the whole food, plant-based vegan diet full time. It need not be a “cleanse”, but rather a lifestyle change if you so choose.)
On an ongoing daily basis, I try to practice intermittent fasting most days, adopting a 14/8 fasting schedule (eating just 2 meals a day within a 10 hour period, with allowing my body to rest for 16 hours). This helps moderate insulin spikes and promotes autophagy.
For more information on the benefits of intermittent fasting, read this recent article from Harvard Medical School and this Wikipedia article. If you struggle with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, I highly recommend that you research this. It is absolutely reversible.
What to Expect
In the free, 7 DAY Plant-Based Guide I lay out a list of things to begin your journey. Please don’t feel like you have to do ALL these things in the first week (unless you really want to jumpstart your body). I’ve found that lasting success comes from gradually and gently incorporating these changes into your lifestyle so they become a more lasting habit. This is key.
Weight will come off a little more slowly, but this is a good thing, and this way it will most likely last. So go ahead and start with just one or two things this week. Then next week add another, and then another the following week so it’s not so overwhelming or dramatic. This is not intended to be a “diet”, but rather a lifestyle change for increased energy, vibrancy and gradual weight loss, with a “jumpstart” option if you are so inclined.
For the record, I am not a dietitian and I can’t say that this PLANT-BASED GUIDE is right for everyone. Please don’t take my word for it, do your own research, listen to your body and make sure this is a good fit for you. We are all so different, and I don’t believe in “one size fits all”. But this is what has worked for me- and I just wanted to share it! (By the way, the guide is totally FREE, just for subscribing to the blog. )
*I’m not here to try to convince you to become vegan, but rather to show you simple ways to include more nutrient-dense, veggie-focused, home-cooked meals into your life, and try to help wean you off of processed foods.
There are many paths to health, and my hope is to inspire and motivate you to find your own. Take inventory of how you feel and start taking responsibility for your health. This is not your doctor’s job- this is your job. We only get one body while we are here… and our food choices absolutely impact our health. We have more power that we are led to believe.
Not only does the guide contain helpful tips and tricks to make the transition easier- it contains delicious Vegan Recipes that will keep you feeling vibrant, energized and satisfied! A week without processed foods does wonders for the body.
Resources that inspired the PLANT-BASED DIET Guide:
Yes, these are affiliate links- feel free to purchase at your local bookstore!
- The Longevity Diet
- Eat Smarter
- The Obesity Code
- Wildatarian Diet
- Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease
- Fat Burn Fix-great info on seed oils
- The Blue Zones
- Delay Don’t Deny
- Eat to Live
- Mastering Diabetes
Subscribe to the blog and get my free 7-DAY, PLANT-BASED RECIPE GUIDE and make some simple changes starting today! Once you sign up you’ll receive the list of things you can start implementing into your daily routine, along with some simple delicious recipes! You’ll also be signed up for our Saturday morning recipes.
Absolutely FREE and no strings attached, ever. 🙂
xoxo
You mentioned no seed oils. What can be used instead? Is olive oil okay. Just found your website. Excited to try some of your recipes. Sent my email to get your menu plan.
Hi Wanda- olive oil, avocado oil and undefined coconut oil are great! Seed oils that are expeller pressed and not refined ( with high heat) are not quite as bad. 😉
Sylvia,
Thanks for the Plant-Based Clean Eating Guide. What a gift! It is packed with helpful information for anyone interested in preventing or correcting many chronic illnesses as well as healthy weight loss. Simple, easy way to start or continue plant based eating.I am a nurse and my husband is a physician. We have been eating this way for years and have seen the benefits. Now I have a guide and a chef with delicious recipes to refer people to. Great resources at the end of guide. And did I mention, I absolutely love your recipes.
Thanks so much Carol!
Hi Sylvia,
I made your Nasi Goreng last night with separate options options of turmeric tofu and egg, chicken for the meat eaters. It was so good! I added a green chilli and chilli oil. Huge success. Love your blog and grateful for the 7 day cleanse. Thank you!
thanks Julie! Glad you enjoyed this!
Wow, just joined and there is a lot of information here for me to digest. There is one more party to go to on New Years and then I will start in earnest this very well thought out guide to healthy eating. Looking forward to more recipes. Great job. Thank you.
Thanks Vicki! Same here- one more party before plant-based January! 😉
I hadn’t made anything yet, more or less reading and taking in your shared knowledge. And I have to say thank you, thank you for speaking from your heart (well writing) thank you for providing so much information beyond the recipes but the wholeness and benefit each meal provides. Truly thank you for inspiring me to dive deeper into conscious eating. I think even though am a mindful eater ever now and again it’s easy to feel a little off. And am sure these recipes well do exactly what’s needed to restore balance.
I hope feasting at home continues to inspire and thrive especially into the new year.
Namaste
Thanks so much Chloe!
We have been big Sylvia fans for quite awhile. We have never been disappointed by a recipe! I am already subscribed, but would like to be able to access the Plant-based recipe guide and do a reset after the holidays. Thanks for all the delicious and nutricious food!
We will be sending it out to everyone before the New Year!
Love your recipes. Look forward to trying for a new way of enjoying food.
Thank You,
Sylvia Dawn
Thanks so much, Sylvia! Happy you are here!
Is there a cost for your recipes ?
No Judie- they are free. 😉
Thank-you for your incredible blog. I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate it. The directions, pictures and recipes are beautifully done. And, most important, the recipes are terrific and I love making them. Your blog is my go to and, every time I cook for friends, they want your recipes.
I really appreciate how you have made plant based eating fun and interesting!
Awww… thanks so much Joan! Really appreciate this!
Can’t wait to get your blog. My husband and I are very excited to change our diet.
Thanks Robin! Happy you are here!
You have so many amazing recipes, so glad I found your blog today. It’s going to be a firm favourite of mine. Many thanks.
thanks Tracy!
This is very comprehensive, with just enough ideas we can try to incorporate into our life. Knowing that sustainable diets are general plant-based definitely help us make decisions that are not only better for our health, but better for the environment as well.
Thanks so much Elizabeth!
I am starting in January 2022 cutting out all the overly processed foods. I have to at least for a year and see how it goes.
Great to hear!
Hey Silvia,
Thank you so much for this with Your and My friendly neighbors named Mark Grace and Steve etc. I am to try cookbooks everyday of the month!😁🧑🍳🧑🍳👨🌾🧑🌾👩🌾
Sincerely your new Bay plant based diet friend
Thanks Oliver!
I do not know what is the problem. I could not download the recipes.
Try to print, then instead save as a pdf?
I’m commenting and rating the free recipe guide I received for subscribing to your blog. I absolutely loved all the wonderful information you had to share. My family did the arbonne cleanse for 30 days. We couldn’t believe how great we felt and lost a little weight. It was a plant based cleanse with recipes. When we finished it we decided we were going plant based lifestyle. It made us feel so good our moods are better we don’t get hungry as we used to be all the time and we have more energy. When we were done we were a little lost because we didn’t have many vegan recipes and had no idea where to get them. My husband and I are so happy we found your website! We have made a few recipe and have loved every single one of them. You have such amazing recipes! I have shared your website with my son and daughter-in-law since raving about how good your recipes are and have so many to choose from. I just want to thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience and most of all your recipes. I think more people want to go plant based but are really not sure how. You ideas and suggestions are such a great way to start this lifestyle change for the better. I truly can tell that your heart is into helping people live a better healthy life. Thank you so much!!
Thanks so much Diana- so happy the guide helped you both and that you are enjoying the plant-based recipes. Appreciate this so much and thank you for sharing- means so much! Yes, my heart is in this- glad you can “feel” this through the screen. All the best to you on your healthy journey and thanks for being here.
Hi Sylvia,
I love the simplicity and wholesomeness of your recipes, we are mainly vegetarian, your website is my preferred resource for recipes And I also refer my patients to your website.love everything you do. Would love to see kids lunch box ideas with vegetarian options.
Thank you
Thanks so much Suneetha. Will start thinking about this!
I am vegetarian on gluten-free diet for my autoimmune disease and esp Rheumatoid arthritis. Already doing intermittent fasting. Would love to learn more in order to enjoy good health
Welcome to the blog! Glad you found your way here. 🙂
Informative blog, lot of key aspects covered. Thank you!