Lifestyle Tips for Vegetarians
Recently I seem to have attracted quite a few vegetarian and vegan clients. It can often be overwhelming as a client makes the decision to avoid all or many animal products. Often added work is needed to maintain a vegan diet such as cooking at home, packing meals, and getting enough protein.
Since I myself am not vegan it makes it difficult to advise on recipes, grocery shopping and favorite vegan restaurants. That is the beauty at Rebecca Bitzer & Associates: we have 8 dietitians so we can make sure that each client is placed with the one that is best fit for them.
Even though veganism is not my specialty I decided to write this blog based on the resources from our Registered Dietitians and student interns to become more familiar with cooking 100% without animal products! I would be happy to hear your favorite vegetarian blogs, protein sources, and recipes to further help my clients that eat vegan. See below for resources, recipes, tips, product reviews and more.
Vegetarian Blogs to follow:
The Kind Life Features mostly blog posts with recipes from time to time, but there is a community forum with more recipes
Vegan Stoner The name is more tongue and cheek, it is more about fast recipes without an extensive list of foods
Healthy, happy life
Vegetarian cooking
Washington, DC restaurants. DC is a pretty veg-friendly city
Vegan and Vegetarian restaurants and grocery stores in Washington, DC
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Rebecca Bitzer, RD is a member if you additional information. Furthermore, they recommend the vegan lifestyle
Vegan Recipe Inspiration (tried by RBA staff and loved!)
Tofu tossed in sesame seeds and panko and then pan fried or baked
Black bean quinoa burgers you can also stuff carrots and other veggies into these and they turn out great! Substitute bread crumbs with quinoa.
Sesame Quinoa Bowl recipe
Favorite High Protein Vegetarian Snacks
Enlightened Crisps
Buddha Bites
Green Plate Foods
Chia Seeds
Hummus made from a variety of beans (pulses)
Hemp hearts
Silken tofu in shakes
Tempeh is best in Thai or Asian inspired dished because it is nutty
Broad Beans
Our Favorite Vegetarian Recipes:
Coconut-crusted tofu with peach mango salsa
Vegan Rice Bowl
For more of our vegetarian recipes, click here!
Fun Vegan Resources:
Thanksgiving dishes that are vegan
Ways to add protein to smoothies
Tofu Recipes Blog: Tells you what kind of tofu to use (soft, firm, etc) and also uses lots of different flavors so you don’t feel like you’re eating tofu again
What are your favorite resources and products? Let us know
Blog updated December 2016.
Dana uses her advanced training in functional nutrition and food sensitivities to help her clients love and trust food again as they heal from years of painful symptoms that have dominated their lives. Co-author of Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating and Cooking with Food Sensitivities Survival Guide.
I’ve been vegan for about a year and my inspiration for adopting this lifestyle was Kris Carr (http://kriscarr.com/about/about-kris/) She is great source for advice and recipes. My favorite source for buying vegan things is Vegan Cuts. (http://vegancuts.com/)
My go to recipe: http://chefchloe.com/entrees/mexicali-sliders.html
My favorite restaurant: http://greatsage.com/
My favorite fast food: https://www.nativefoods.com/
Hope this helps!
Hello! I am a vegan dietitian and those resources that you listed are some of my favorites. I did want to share one piece of constructive “criticism” however- there is no shortage of protein in a vegan diet. As I’m sure you know, just about every food has some protein in it and it’s extremely difficult to be protein deficient, vegan or not. I realize that you did not say that protein is lacking in plant-based diets, but it was implied by your statement, “there is often some added work that goes into maintaining a vegan diet such as cooking at home, packing meals, eating out with family, and getting enough protein.” Rest assured if someone is eating whole foods there is likely nothing to worry about 🙂
Thanks for posting about veganism and spreading the plant-based knowledge around, I love reading your blog!
Hi Jen, thank you for reading our blog and starting the conversation! Good point, I want to stress that I was mostly considering those new to veganism and working on making the change. Many times that is the point where I am seeing the client and guiding them to the plant based protein options. Goal in mind being whole foods,of course is a process until it becomes second nature.