Low Carb Vegan Diet-What Foods To Eat?
Low carb way of eating is an easy task for anyone who is a non vegetarian but for vegetarians and vegans it is a very very difficult task. I have tried all kinds of ways of eating and realised that most of the foods on a vegan diet are composed of carbs. Foods like fruits, grains are the only thing that vegan eaters can eat and unfortunately all are very very carby foods. But then we need to think what can Vegan way of eaters can eat!
Start with grains…
I think it would be better to minimize those foods which are super carbohydrate-rich, such as whole grains. Now I am sure you will ask if not grains then what?? well don’t eliminate grains totally but reduce the intake. Like if you eat three chappatis , reduce to one and half ar may be one because one standard size roti is approximately 23 – 30 gm carbs which are way too much. Or there is another way to handle your love for number of rotis… reduce the size of your roti peda… cut it into half , make a very thin roti so that despite of eating your regular three rotis you actually end up eating half the quantity of carbs. Will it work? What say?
Although, the Vegan Food Pyramid recommends 6-11 servings of whole grains per day, but then we need to remember that thos 10 – 11 servings are meant for very active people or those who are trying to gain weight. Then what to do?? Simple; stay as low as 3-6 servings per day. Another thing to keep in mind is have whole grains as the whole and not the processed whole grains. For example, it is advised to consume oats in place of processed whole grain bread or pasta. Its very interesting to note that half a cup of cooked whole grains equals to a single slice of bread. No prizes for guessing which serving will be more filling as a breakfast. Thus consuming 3-6 servings of grains in a day will be healthier than any processed grains.
Coming to vegetables…
On a Vegan diet the other way to get nutrition is through dark green leafy vegetables. So the trick is to eat lots of vegetables, green salads and beans which are protein-rich. Hummus is a wonderful nutritious food on a Vegan diet. Here are some ideas for helping reduce carbs and lose weight on a vegan diet. These are the ways to boost protein intake also:
- Eat more beans than grains as they are better nutrient-rich especially in proteins.
- Opt for high-protein grains like quinoa.
- Include nuts like peanuts and almonds in your meals as they are higher-protein foods.
- Including foods made of soy is a great idea. They are great protein power house in vegan diets.
- Emphasize vegetables over fruits and choose higher-protein veggies like spinach and broccoli most often.
- Mushrooms and chick peas with broccoli are a super source of proteins in a Vegan diet.
Easy Vegan Salad Recipe
Simple Cucumber Peanut Salad
Ingredients
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3 cucumbers, peeled, sliced into medium pieces
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salt to taste
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1 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed or some stevia if you are on a lowest possible carb Vegan diet (Can do without this if you can handle tangy taste)
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2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
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1 Tbsp. white vinegar
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1 Tbsp. olive oil
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2 tsp. fennel seeds (Saunf)
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1 to 2 tsp. seeded, minced fresh chili pepper (optional)
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1/2 cup crushed roasted peanuts (or more, to taste)
Recipe
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Stir together the cucumbers and salt and place in a colander.
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In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar / Stevia, lemon juice, and vinegar well.Heat the oil in a small saucepan.
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Once hot, add the fennel seeds and chili.
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Remove from the heat to avoid burnt taste.
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Then continue to cook over low heat for 1 minute, stirring continuously. When done remove from the heat and set aside.
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Transfer the cucumbers to a large, shallow serving bowl and pour the hot seasoned oil on top, tossing well.
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Stir in the vinegar mixture.
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Top with the crushed peanuts just before serving. Set aside at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving. (If serving some guests, otherwise if you lack patience like me ,… start eating)
Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Enough for 4.
So are you ready to eat low carb on a vegan diet?
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