Foodie Dané Vermeulen recently decided to adopt a plant-based diet for healthy lifestyle reasons. As a meat-lover this was no easy decision, but a sky-high blood pressure reading was all she needed to convince her to make a change. She shares her journey with Food For Mzansi readers.
One of my fears when I decided to embark on this new culinary adventure was that I would have to eat buckets and buckets of salad to feel full after a meal.
It is easy to feel satisfied after a starch-filled meal like, say, yummy potatoes or doughy bread. This would stay inside the boundaries of a plant-based diet, but it will be far from healthy. Over the years I have convinced myself that any meal without animal protein would not provide me with sufficient fuel to make it through the day. Thinking about this now, I realise how absurd it is.
Over the past few weeks, I have noticed my body adapt effortlessly to my new diet. I eat smaller portions because my stomach is fuller quicker. I stay satisfied for longer and my cravings are minimal. You automatically eat less sugar because most sweets and chocolates are not plant-based and that is a massive step in the right direction when it comes to a healthy lifestyle.
Seeing how easily my body and metabolism adapted to a plant-based diet I had yet another big realisation. My body did not get all the necessary nutrients it needed while I was eating animal proteins, therefore it always needed more. And we all know what happens when you eat more than you should.
|
|
When you give your body what it needs, you won’t feel bloated and uncomfortable, you will feel satisfied and healthy.
The no-stress, no-bake brownie
This week I decided to make something sweet, because going plant-based can sometimes be a challenge in this department. These plant-based brownies are easy, simple and it can be fun for the whole family. It can also make a great Christmas gift for your fellow plant-based friends or be a great way to introduce your friends to a plant-based diet.
INGREDIENTS
- Dates
- Tahini or coconut oil
- Cocoa Powder
- Dark chocolate (creative option)
- Any topping you desire
Cook’s note: For every cup of dates, add a tablespoon of tahini, cocoa powder and slab of dark chocolate.
Method:
- Add your dates and tahini into a food processor. For every cup of dates add a tablespoon of tahini. Blend in the food processor until the mixture has a crumbed texture.
- Add a heaped tablespoon of cocoa powder and blend again until the mixture creates a lumpy, dough-like texture.
- Place the mixture in a rectangular dish, lined with wax paper and even out to mould to the shape of the dish.
- Lift the rectangular-shaped brownie slab out of the dish and cut into desired sizes.
- Cover the brownies with melted dark chocolate, add the topping you like and set aside to cool down.
|
|