Out to Eat Vegan Style

A short guide to eating out

One thing to remember when going out to eat is that you cannot control the amount of oil that other people use to make your food. This is why going out should be a treat. I do not believe in "cheat meals" when you cheat once its easier and easier to do it again. In the past few months i have found several restaurants around metro detroit which offer mostly vegan entrees. 

This is a stir fry from Inn Season Cafe. Delicious miso-shitake sauce.

General Tso cauliflower from Seva in Detroit. Amazing dish.

You do not have to sacrifice flavor to enjoy healthful foods. Almost all restaurants offer salad of some sort.

Thai or asian cuisine is easy because its mostly vegan. If you crave asian cuisine, Siam Spicy is delicious. 

Seva club with smoked coconut and tofurky. With a side kale salad.

These are just a few examples of what to eat when ordering out. Simple, tasty, and not too expensive. Experiment and go to different places. You never know, the shop around the corner could offer the most delicious vegan cuisine youve ever had.

Recipe: Yossi's Savory Lentil Soup

This lentil soup is great! Even better the next day, poured over rice! 

You will need:

1 bag of lentils

8 cups of water

1 can diced tomatoes 

1tsp evoo

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped carrots

Pepper to taste

1tsp minced garlic

Italian seasoning of your choice- salt free

Heat a large pot and add the oil. Add the   fresh vegetables and sautee for a few minutes

Proceed to add diced tomatoes and water. Throw the whole bag of lentils and bring to a boil. Simmer for 45 minutes.

And thats it! We ate this for days. So good and hearty! Lots of protein and fiber. No salt and since very little oil was used, its super low in fat!! 

Recipe: Yossi's Oatmeal

What you'll need:

1/2 cup whole oats

Handful of any berries

Chopped apple

Walnuts- very few - chopped

Cinnamon

This super simple recipe provides protein and fiber. A great start to your morning. I use quick oats and it turns out great, although steel cut oats are better. 

Green apple, raspberries and blueberries

Strawberries, blackberries, green apple, walnuts

Blackberries, gala apple, and walnuts (cat photobomb too!)

Why I Started

An Introduction

My journey began in February of 2012, visiting my family in Florida. It was a great trip and my first time on an airplane, (i know wtf i was 20) also it was my first time in Florida. During the visit, my Uncle Ben (a name you will hear oh so often) showed me this new book he got: The China Study. I skimmed through it not thinking too much of it. I was never a reader so i didnt care really. A month later a package came in the mail to my dad, he opened it and inside was the book. My uncle sent him the book. I got my hands on it and i was shocked at the information The China Study provided. From then on i was determined to change my life. I was about 180lbs and worked out with some friends a few days a week. I went vegan for 18 days straight and dropped to about 167lbs.. I felt great. Until...

The Worst Outcome

April 4th, 2012 about 4 am: I jolted awake to my mom screaming out, i instantly grabbed my phone to call 911 already fearing the worst.. The yarzheit candle for my grandpa was still lit (he died April 3rd, 2011) and At 5:30 my dad passed away. I was and still in complete shock. The moment keeps repeating itself everyday in my head, my mom telling me how he got up and looked at her "Schar, im having a heart attack and im not gonna make it." She said he fell backwards and hit his head on the side table next to the bed, and started to bleed. The look on his face, even though i didnt see it, i dont want to imagine. He always said he was gonna live to 116.. I believed him. I wanted him to. He died at the age of 69.. He had a quadruple bypass surgery at the age of 50. And his first heart attack at the age of 38. My whole family was devastated, especially me. Im the son, "the last Izraelewicz." At his funeral I said i would eat a lox and an onion bagel.. One of my dads favorite. I began on a downward spiral. Within a year i gained 60+ pounds.

New Beginnings 

I still think about my dad everyday. I dream about him every night. I miss him so much. After proposing to my beautiful girlfriend in late November 2013, i realized i wanted to live a long and healthful life. 

I began researching and reading on the plant based approach. Upon stumbling on the film "Forks over Knives" i knew it was time. January 2nd, 2014 my fiancè, Cassie, and I cleared our entire home of junk. Stocked up on healthy, colorful and nutrient dense foods. 

1 Month Down, Ill never go back

I started at 235lbs, within a month i am down nearly 20lbs. I feel healthy and i have way too much energy haha. Im still learning new recipes and making my own up on the way. 

I thank my soon to be wife, Cassandra, for taking care of me when i was down and depressed. I love you so much. I want our kids to see us live to 100+ years old.

Conclusion

In this blog i will continue to add progress photos of myself. I will also add my own recipes and how-tos (with colorful pictures!) And like i said this will be the best vegan blog on the web! Family style!! I have to send a special thanks to my cousin Rebecca, she created this and is currently adapting to a plant based lifestyle.

Only You Can Change Your Life

Yesterday I spent some great quality time with Yossi to hang out and talk about this blog. We watched the documentary "Forks Over Knives" together (my first time seeing it).  

After a few failed attempts at easing in, Yo went cold turkey vegan at the turn of the new year. Understanding the importance of nutrition and then using the knowledge are two separate processes though. We knew what we should be doing. We just .... weren't.  After watching this documentary (while being served a 3 course plant-based meal that Yossi cooked, so delicious!) and seeing the results of our Uncle Ben, who really kicked off this plant-based quest, I figure it's time to rise up and give this a real try. Heart disease runs in our Eastern European family who raised us on staples of meat and potatoes. I will miss our "string meat" and traditional "luction mit yuch" but I am glad to have them as memories and come up with amazing updated versions of our family favorites and traditional meals. The elders in our family luckily lived a long life by today's standard, but I do have to wonder the "ifs" about what a diet modification could have achieved for them. And I think about my Uncle Garry, Yossi's Dad, gone way too soon. I miss him so much and know that he would encourage these health-conscious lifestyle changes in us. He was always active, hard working.. And he had quadruple bypass surgery. 

I only watched this documentary yesterday, and went shopping for a colorful aray of groceries a few hours ago. 

I don't doubt that there may be a time I break down and indulge. I am still a human being. But I really want to take control of controllable aspects of my life. Personal health should be everyone's priority! I hope Yossi keeps you encouraged, the way he has kept me encouraged, and maybe you can be an example to your family the way he is to us.  Love you, Yo, keep up the good work! 

God is Nature, Nature is Health, and Health is Beautiful

Best vegan blog on the web!