I used to think that I loved cooking before… I had no idea the culinary delights that I was missing out on in the world of vegan eating.  The first thing that many people think when you tell them you’re following a vegan diet is “but you can’t eat anything” or “how do you get your protein/calcium?”, I know this, because I used to think exactly the same way, but when you go a little deeper and decide to make the decision to stop eating foods that are in fact bad for you and embrace a natural diet, you find that it is in fact so easy to ensure that you get all the nutrients you need to keep your body in top condition.

See here for more information on protein for Vegans and here for Calcium for Vegans.

Every day we’re eating something new, mixing flavours and just immersing ourselves in delicious, natural food.

We’re also very aware how it can be hard for family and friends to accept that we have now given up all animal based products and all processed foods as it wasn’t too long ago we believed ourselves that we couldn’t go without eating meat or couldn’t live without eating a certain food, but here we are, reaping the health benefits and feeling in the best shape of our lives.  All we keep doing is sharing the information we find on the health benefits of following a healthy vegan diet, exercise and also the manner in which the meat industry treat the animals they consume.  Like so many others, having watched Forks over Knives and also Earthlings, these documentaries have changed our lives forever.  So many people have compared it to taking the red pill in the Matrix, once you’re exposed to the truth of the food industry and the health threats you expose yourself to, you will find it very hard to go back.

So back to eating like Kings!!

Last night we had Kidney Bean, Strawberry & Avocado Salad which was just beautiful.  It took 20 minutes to do (waiting on bulgur wheat) and was perfect for when I got back from the gym. The original recipe came from the magnificent holycowvegan.net.

Kidney Bean, Strawberry & Avocado Salad served with Bulgur Wheat

Serves 2 – Ready in 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1.5 cup strawberries, quartered

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

2 cups kidney beans, cooked until tender

4-5 spring onions, ends trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

For the dressing:

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

A pinch of red pepper flakes

1 tbsp agave nectar

Mix the ingredients for the dressing together.

For the bulgur wheat, heat 2 cups of water with vegan veg stock, add 1 cup of bulgur wheat, bring to the boil, simmer for 5 minutes then turn off the heat and let sit for 15 minutes and then fluff it up with a fork.

Place all the prepared vegetables and beans in a bowl. Drizzle the dressing over, mix and serve with bulgur wheat.

Serve at room temperature.