Bridget and I have enjoyed many adventures over the years, but this one is definitely different. If you had told me that my child who never ate vegetables would suggest that we follow a vegan eating plan for 4 weeks, I would have thought you were crazy, but here we are finishing our journey to improved gut health. Talk about a new step in our dance!
Last spring, Bridget and I listened to a podcast with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz and then I got Bridget his book, Fiber Fueled, for her birthday. The book explains terms like microbiome, short-chain fatty acids and FODMAPS; he references lots of research to support the role of fiber in improved gut health. It also includes a 4-week eating plan, so we decided to give it a try.
Over the past couple of years we have both experimented with more meatless meals, and we looked at this as an opportunity to try some new recipes and learn more about plant based cooking.
So what have we learned? Our meals and snacks have been so delicious and we are both feeling better when we follow the meal plan. (We did veer off course a couple of times and suffered some consequences.)
We have prepared meals with lentils and chickpeas, tempeh and tofu. I think I have used more spices in the past 4 weeks than in the whole year before. The recipes include spices like turmeric, cumin, curry, cayenne pepper and paprika – every recipe has so much flavour! And tofu is so versatile – we have learned to love that stuff!
Breakfasts have been smoothie bowls, tofu eggs and different kinds of oatmeal. I have never liked oatmeal before but we have had one with lots of seeds, one that includes chai tea and another that tastes like banana bread. Add some berries and this is a real treat!
Oddly enough, one thing I have eaten less of over the past 4 weeks is salad. Prior to this, I would typically have a salad for lunch and another as part of our dinner, but this meal plan only calls for salad a couple of times a week. There are soups and stews and chili and pasta…and lots of sourdough bread.
There are a few things preventing me from being 100% vegan – the first is my love of cheese and milk. I also LOVE coffee. A couple of years ago my kids bought me a Breville Barista coffee maker and I really enjoy a coffee with frothed milk. I have tried every milk substitute from almond to soy to coconut to oat, and have not found anything that compares to good old 2% cow milk. I can use the substitutes in everything else, but I need real milk in my coffee!
Then we have cheese. We have tried some vegan cheese and cheese sauces, but again, they don’t really compare to an extra old cheddar or feta or brie. I think I need some real cheese in my life once in awhile!
Over the past couple of years, I have been meal planning for the week and doing meal prep on Sundays. Fiber Fueled also recommends this practice. Maybe it’s because the recipes are different from what I’m used to, but I am finding that the meal prep has taken longer over the past four weeks.
I also have to admit that I am missing some of my staple meals with chicken and seafood. Again, I have trouble imagining life without chicken, salmon or shrimp.
So, at the end of the experiment, we have decided that we will flip things around and eat a plant based diet 80-90% of the time and enjoy some of the other delicious foods life has to offer the rest of the time.
This adventure involved less travel than usual, but it looks like the results will be very long-lasting!
