All of us, at one time or another, especially if we care about our well-being, will think about what a balanced diet would look like for us.

Simply said, balanced, diet includes a variety of foods from all food groups, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. This provides a wide range of nutrients your body needs for optimal health.

Some of the great thought leaders contemplated what they ate — George Bernard Shaw, Albert Einstein, DiVinci, and Gandhi for example.

Back in 1976, I drove up to Maine to attend the World Vegetarian Congress. At that large convention, was a small and dedicated group of people who referred to themselves as vegans. At that time, they were pretty much at the fringe of the vegetarian movement. There was no way to know then, that over the next 40 to 50 years they would become the dominant force within the vegetarian culture, in the United States.

So what exactly is Veganism? It is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose".

So basically, a vegan won't eat any animal product (no meat, no fish, no eggs, no dairy, no honey). Being vegan also means not buying any leather, fur, silk, wool, down, etc. Beauty products that are tested on animals or that contain animal products (such as beeswax) is avoided.

Vegans also avoid visiting zoos or circuses (when animals are involved), and they choose to adopt or rescue animals instead of buying them from a breeder or a pet store.

Veganism isn't just a diet, it's a whole lifestyle, which excludes animal use or abuse in any shape or form.

Whether you're a part-time vegan or looking to go all the way, just there are so many delicious and easy-to-prepare, vegan recipes you can serve for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are thousands of recipes that offer meat- or dairy-free takes on your favorite comfort foods — lasagna, mock tuna mock chicken salad, and chocolate layer cake, just to name a few. You can create nutrition-rich mains and tons of tempeh and tofu recipes, all of them, plant-based. From your Super Bowl spread to Thanksgiving dinner (year-round!). There is always a mouth-watering, nutritious, and satisfying vegan option for you.

Here is a great vegetarian recipe I created. I was a natural foods chef who specialized in vegetarian and vegan recipes. For many years I owned a B & B and Spa. There I was the resident expert on natural foods, whole foods nutrition, stress management, and personal development.

A Simple Vegan Recipe

Balsamic Tofu with Baby Spinach and Cous Cous

I met Ellie Krieger in NYC many years ago when I had a stress management company and chair massage business. She was modeling and about to go into Dietetic school.

Now she is a star nutritionist at the Food Network and a skilled chef.

I converted her Food Network recipe for a Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach dish and made it vegan. I have also exchanged some of the ingredients but her recipe is the one I experimented with, to come up with my version

Ingredients

· 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

· 3 cloves garlic, chopped

· 1 pound extra-firm tofu cut into quarters

· 8 ounces of baby spinach

· 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

· 1/3 cup low-sodium vegetarian broth or make your own with Vegit low-sodium seasoning

· 1 cup low-sodium canned chopped tomatoes with juice or two fresh spinach steamed

· 2 cups whole wheat couscous, cooked

Directions

Heat a large iron skillet pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tofu and cook for about four minutes and stir in the pan to keep from burning, Remove the tofu and set aside. To the same pan, add the spinach and cook just until wilted about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Lower the heat to medium and add the balsamic vinegar and vegetable broth to the pan and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.

Place the couscous in a serving bowl. Top with the spinach, tofu and balsamic-tomato sauce.

This story is a Module from my online course, Helping Yourself With Natural Healing.

Here is a Medium story on this subject: @naniehurley

Here is one from the archives @LewisCoaches

These newsletters focus on poetry, history, wealth creation, health, politics, culture, science, psychology, humor, and life. These are areas where I have developed a niche expertise. These newsletters have become increasingly valuable in a world where, thanks to much misguided social media, we are being flooded with cheap mental, emotional, spiritual, and informational pabulum.

Connect with me through Social Media below…

Get access to hundreds of self-improvement tips and articles on game theory strategies and wealth building by becoming a subscriber at askLewis.Substack.com

Lewis