Living Vegan For Dummies - Alexandra Jamieson [48]
An apple with the skin on is a whole food. A peeled apple is not. Whole foods contain more nutrition and health benefits. For instance, an unpeeled apple contains more fiber and heart disease–preventing flavonoids. Similarly, brown rice is a whole grain and a whole food, while white rice is a processed or refined grain (it isn’t in its original state, and it isn’t a whole food). Brown rice still has its outer layers, the germ and bran, attached, which gives it more energy and nutrition. White rice has been processed to remove the germ, bran, and natural fats. This removal extends the shelf life of the rice, but leaves it devoid of its original nutrition and energy.
Whole grains are unpolished, meaning the outer layers haven’t been polished away; the intact outer layers help maintain the foods’ health-supportive fats. But these fats are more likely to oxidize and turn rancid, so proper storage is an important factor. Check out the later “Storing Your Goods to Ensure Freshness” section for more information on proper food storage.
Including a variety of whole foods is necessary to ensure a healthy vegan diet. The best way to start cooking with whole foods is to take it easy on yourself: Master a few whole food recipes and techniques and repeat them until you get really comfortable. Simple menus with fresh, quality ingredients taste great and improve your health. Slowly transitioning your cooking style will ensure your success. After these recipes and techniques become second nature, you can expand your repertoire and get creative. Flip to Part IV for some recipes to get you started.
Whole grains and whole-grain products bring balanced energy and fantastic nutrition to your everyday diet — and using them couldn’t be easier! Consider a variety of grains, such as the following, to ensure good options for taste and texture:
Bulk whole grains like brown rice (short grain, long grain, jasmine, and basmati), millet, quinoa, amaranth, barley, spelt, oat groats, kamut, teff, and rye
Whole-grain pastas in various shapes and flavors
Whole-grain baking and pancake mixes
Cornmeal polenta that’s premade, dry in a box, or in bulk
Frozen whole-grain pancakes, waffles, premade pizza crusts, vegan tortellini, and ravioli in various flavors
Breads (sliced or fresh, locally made whole-grain loaves), pita bread, tortillas, English muffins, bagels, and rolls
Whole-grain breakfast cereals and hot porridges
Luscious legumes
Filling, cheap, nutritious, and delicious — legumes have it all! Useful for meals of any ethnic bent, these versatile bundles of energy are easy to find, store, and prepare. This food group is a large plant family made up of beans, lentils, peanuts, and peas.
Beans are tiny powerhouses of protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, iron, potassium, and B-vitamins. When you get the inevitable question, “Where do you get your protein and iron from?” your answer is simply: “Beans!”
Beans are good for you and easy to find. Even if your local supermarket only carries a few varieties of dry beans and lentils, you can stock up on countless varieties from any ethnic market. Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Hispanic, and even specialty European grocers often carry many kinds of beans whether they’re dried, canned, or frozen.
Common frozen varieties are soybeans (also referred to as edamame), green beans, and peas. Canned beans are convenient because they’re already cooked, and you can choose from countless types. The most common canned beans are chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans), kidney, black, adzuki, navy, and pinto. You also can find cans of soups and chili mixes containing black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, lentils, and peas. The available choices for dried beans are too numerous to list here, and because they’re so cheap, you can feel confident when picking out a few types of beans with exotic-sounding names.
Beans