Banana heaven! + No Soy?

What could be better than starting the day with a cup of coffee and a hot banana muffin?

The aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg and banana lingered throughout the house all morning long. It was heavenly.

I had a dab of Earth Balance on mine – the salty and sweet is one of the most comforting flavor combinations.

So what does a mom do when she finds her son on the kitchen cabinets? Take a picture, of course!

 

How he went from a little, helpless infant to an exploring, daredevil toddler still amazes me! I love you, my son!

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Hi Tasha, I love reading your blog. I am trying to eat better but I don’t know what to eat. I would love to become vegetarian but I can’t do soy products. Do you have any ideas? Linda

Hi Linda! Great question, I would love to be of some help with this.

Soy is in everything these days. Because it is such an abundant and cheap additive, it is being used just as much as corn is. Research also shows danger from large amounts of soy consumption in small children.

But soy does give us a lot of health benefits – protein, amino acids, calcium and shows it can lower the risk of heart disease. When consumed in moderation it provides vegetarians and non-vegetarians a great source of plant based protein.

Many people choose not to eat soy, or they simply cannot eat it due to reactions. I told myself I wasn’t going to consume too much soy based products when I made the initial decision to be vegetarian. Although, I do love incorporating a small amount of tofu in my meals, I don’t make it a habit. There are plenty of other protein sources for vegetarians and vegans.

Beans are amazing in every way. Lentils, black beans, chickpeas, pinto beans… I love them all! I eat a lot of beans. I mix them in my salads, heat them up as a side dish and use them as you would with meat. Quinoa is also a great protein source.

I think a lot of people think once they  choose a vegetarian lifestyle they have to eat tofu and other soy products. This is not true. I eat so many fresh vegetables, wholesome grains, nuts, seeds and fruit, that I don’t really make room in my diet for soy. I have been using a lot of raw food recipes – I love cooking, or shall I say NON cooking, with soaked nuts and beans. it is amazing what you can create with raw foods!

Linda, if you are serious about adapting a vegetarian lifestyle, I would start gathering recipes and looking at cook books. This is what I did before I went vegetarian. There is a few reasons why I suggest this:

• You always have inspiration. No one likes to look in the fridge or in the pantry and see nothing to eat. Most likely you are starving, frustrated and feel like throwing in the towel.
• Recipes are adaptable. You can easily take a recipe and make it your own; adding or deleting ingredients to please your palate.
• It helps you think outside the vegetarian box. You will be surprised to see that many recipes do not use soy products.
• And have fun! Browse your local farmer’s market, picking out freshly picked produce and create something wonderful! Remember: simple is best!

Linda, I hopes this helps your quest to becoming a soy-free vegetarian! Thank you for reading and I wish you the best!