VegInspired Living [vegan, plant-based]

Let’s kick off the New Year! 

As a kickoff to the new year, we wanted to explore how we define VegInspired living and how that has evolved.  The term VegInspired was a Pinterest board of mine as we started adding more plants into our meals, some kale here, a big salad there, more veggies mixed into our pasta, etc.  As we made the transition to reducing animal products, I wanted a space to collect recipes, ideas, tips, tricks, and inspiration. Voila! VegInspired was born.  During this transition, we used vegetables and whole grains as the main part of our meals.  As we created new recipes and modified existing recipes, we used whole foods as the inspiration for the meals.

VegInspired Defined

So defining VegInspired is about living your life successfully, extraordinarily, and aligned while focusing what you eat!  Adding more vegetables and whole plant foods and using those as the main component of your meal.

For example, rice bowls with lots of veggies, vegetable burgers with baked potato wedges, and salads topped with loads of veggies, hummus, and/or a scoop of cooked quinoa.  Whatever you enjoy eating, make vegetables and whole plant foods the focal point.  Try something new by incorporating a whole food or vegetable in place of your typical animal product!

Here are some of the creations we’ve been testing and enjoying in the VegInspired style.   (top left to right: BBQ Jackfruit Nachos, Baked Sweet Potato with Spicy black beans and avocado, Beet Burger atop greens and veggies, Quinoa bowl with veggies and tahini sauce, and some holiday cookies).

A SHIFT in thinking

After looking at my lunch or testing a dish we’ve made, we often hear, “well, I could be vegan, but I’d miss XYZ.”  We felt the same way before we started exploring this plant based, VegInspired way of living – truly living and eating in alignment with our best versions of ourselves.  I remember asking a friend to meet for lunch so could have a cheeseburger or douse my baked potato with butter and sour cream, but the more I ate VegInspired meals, the more of a variety of foods I was introduced to, and now I love.  From beans to beets, to farro to brown rice, I am in LOVE with this way of eating.

Are we perfect? Is it that we “can’t” eat something? No, we are doing the best we can to live a life that is healthy and happy.  We know that the reduction of animal products has helped our health because of the research and the way our bodies feel.  We are happy because we know we are making a kind impact on the world.  From animals to the earth, by not eating animal products, we are voting for more plant-based options.  I hope as you continue on your journey to a VegInspired Life, you incorporate more veggies into your meals and reduce the number of animal products you eat.  

Follow us on Facebook or Instagram (@veginspired) for daily VegInspirations!!!

Live VegInspired!
XO, Kathy