Vegan for Her!

So I'm reading Vegan for Her, the new vegan nutrition book for ladies by Virginia Messina and JL Fields. I ordered a signed copy from JL's blog, JL Goes Vegan. To be honest, I just ordered a copy to support JL. We're long-time blogger friends, and I was so excited to have a cookbook with her recipes. I've read a ton of vegan health books, and I thought, "I'm sure the recipes will be cool, but do I really need to read more about vegan nutrition?"

Oh my god, yes. I did! When the book arrived a few weeks ago, I just casually flipped through the nutrition section, which is most of the book. JL's recipes comprise the last chapter. And I saw a vegan "food pyramid" illustration called "The Plate Plate." I've long wondered exactly how many servings of each food group I really needed as a vegan, and I even use an app to track my servings. And this Plant Plate illustration was EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED.

Plus, there's all kinds of info about nutrition for vegan female athletes, which I try to be when I don't have a stupid stress fracture. And there's info on exactly how much omega-3 rich foods a vegan needs to eat to meet the daily needs (5 walnut halves, 1 Tbsp. flaxseed, etc.). It's very specific information, and I feel like that's exactly what is missing from most vegan health books.

Oh, and the best part? Ginny Messina doesn't say you should never have processed foods or plant meat or wine or beer. She says you can have those things in moderation. She recognizes the importance fats play in our diet (no oil-free diets here!). And most importantly, she debunks the soy myth. If I hear one more person say they don't eat soy because it gives you man boobs, I swear to god ... anyway, I knew that stuff wasn't true. But Ginny provides science and studies to back that up. Soy (especially in whole forms) is not bad for you. That is a lie. And those studies that claim soy is bad? Guess who funds them? Yep, the meat/dairy industry.

Vegan for Her is the best vegan health book out there. Sorry dudes. Maybe someone will write a Vegan for Him.

As for those recipes, JL did an outstanding job of compiling plant-based recipes that are simple and approachable for new vegans and seasoned pros. The first thing I've tried is her Oat-Amaranth-Carrot Porridge.

This is a breakfast dish, and it's really everything I need in a breakfast — savory, whole grain-y, and full of veggies (carrots and onions). Plus, it's helping me use up some of my amaranth stash. I love that stuff, but I never know what to do with it.

And there are plenty more recipes that look awesome — the Vegan Seven-Layer Salad (sounds like the one my mama used to make!), the Quinoa Daiya Burger, Soy Curl Cacciatore, and Tempeh Tostadas to name a few.