By Molly Patrick
Dec 18, 2021,
Eating a plant fueled diet is powerful, but it can’t help you unless you’re putting that plant powdered food in your beautiful mouth on the regular. Here are three super simple steps to start a plant-based diet.
Reading the books, following the Instagram accounts, watching the documentaries, and signing up for our Meal Plans are a fantastic start! But you’re going to have to start cooking plant based food if you want to enjoy all the benefits of starting a plant-based diet.
Here’s a simple, highly effective method for ensuring you get your booty in the kitchen every week to cook nourishing plants for your fabulous body. If you’ve been wanting to eat more plants and you keep putting it off, this will help.
Starting a plant-based diet begins with answering these three questions:
- 🥦 What are you going to cook?
- 🗓️ When are you going to go grocery shopping?
- 🥣 When are you going to cook?
First, decide what you’re going to cook
This cuts right to the chase and eliminates any overthinking or doubt that may try to foil your plans for taking care of yourself like a BOSS. If you subscribe to our Meal Plans, you can pick from the hundreds of plans in the classroom. If you don’t, choose a few recipes from our blog.
Then, choose when you are going to go grocery shopping
Give yourself enough time at the store so you’re not rushing. Maybe plan to shop when you have other errands to make it convenient. Once you’ve picked out the day and time to go grocery shopping, write it on your calendar. This is the most important part. Do not skip this step.
Next, commit to when you’re going to cook
I don’t love to shop and cook on the same day because I usually do other errands when I’m out. By the time I get home and put everything away, all I want is a cup of tea and my couch. Since you’re cooking and eating super fresh food when you start a plant-based diet, I suggest cooking within two days of getting your groceries. Once you’ve picked out what day and time you’re going to cook, write it on your calendar. Again, do not skip this step.
Now, it’s just a matter of following through and sticking to your schedule
Yes, starting a plant-based diet can be as simple as that. Whether you’re overhauling your diet completely or just want to incorporate more plants into your meals, start with making commitments on your calendar.
Everything on your calendar is sacred. That is your time and how you spend it determines your reality. One of the most valuable assets we have is time. There are 24 hours in a day, no more, no less.
Thoughtfully choosing how you are going to use those hours to support your health and wellbeing is a worthy and important task.
Every Sunday, I plan my whole week, including grocery shopping and batch cooking, and I add everything to my Google calendar. As a side note, I follow our plant based Meal Plans so I don’t have to think about what to cook or what’s for dinner each night. Having a tool that plans those things for you is a HUGE help.
Once something is on my calendar, I do it. It doesn’t matter if my brain tells me there’s something more important I should be doing. Unless it’s a true emergency, I know that’s a lie. For example, as I’m writing this, my brain is generously suggesting I should definitely get up, grab a snack, and join Luanne to watch Netflix on the couch. Lie! That is not what I should do. It’s what I could do, but I choose to keep my ass in my office and finish writing this piece because that is what’s on my calendar.
When I take the time to plan out my schedule each week, I have my best interest in mind. I choose how to spend my time by deciding what I want in my life.
One of the most effective ways to get what you want from life is learning how to be accountable to yourself by honoring your commitments.
Good intentions can turn into commitments when you write them down on your calendar. This is especially helpful when starting a plant-based diet.
Once you set your schedule and write it down, honor it like you would a dinner date with Oprah. Could you imagine standing up Oprah? Helllll no!
If someone asks you to do something during that time, tell them no.
If thoughts come up telling you something else is more important, don’t listen.
If you really don’t want to do what you’ve scheduled, buck up and get the job done.
Don’t give in to instant gratification, it’s not helping you.
Be accountable to yourself by honoring your commitments and, in doing so, create the life you want.
Start applying this skill on your journey to a plant-based diet and see how badass you are. Then, you can try it in other areas of life.
How to start a plant-based diet… your homework:
- Choose what you want to eat next week. We have hundreds of Meal Plans to choose from, but our #GetCozy plant based Meal Plan is an amazing option
- Look at your calendar and pick when to go grocery shopping. Write down “Go Grocery Shopping” on that date and block off the time you’ll need.
- Decide when it works best for you to do some batch cooking. Write that shit down on your calendar!
- Be accountable to yourself by honoring your commitments and following through.
- Repeat.
- Watch your life change.
- For extra support, join our Facebook Group, check out these plant based resources for newbies, and reach out for help and we’ll happily be there for you!
You got this. I’m cheering you on! Starting a plant-based diet is much simpler than our minds make it out to be.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (160 ml)
- ¼ cup 100% pure maple syrup (60 ml)
- 2 tablespoons date sugar
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (AKA arrowroot starch)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (about 10 turns)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 6 cups carrots, sliced (¼" thick / cut on the diagonal) (650 g)
For Serving (optional)
- Pomegranate seeds
- Raw pistachios, shelled and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the orange juice, maple syrup, date sugar, arrowroot powder, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the sliced carrots and toss until the carrots are evenly coated.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the carrot slices (but not the orange juice mixture in the bottom of the bowl) to the baking sheets and spread them out in a single layer. Set aside the remaining orange juice mixture for now.
- Place the carrots into the oven and roast for 15 minutes, until tender.
- While the carrots are roasting, transfer the remaining orange juice mixture to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring often, until it thickens, about 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Set aside until you plate up your dinner.
- When the carrots are done, remove them from the oven and stir, then transfer to a serving bowl.
- To serve, place a generous serving of carrots onto your plate and top with some pomegranate seeds and a sprinkle of pistachios. Drizzle the orange glaze over your carrots and dive in!
Wishing you a happy week. May it be filled with following through and creating the life you want.
Xo
Molly
4 Comments
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I miss my previous favorite SAD holiday recipe for carrots. This one might fit the bill. Thanks.
Donna
Hi Donna!
We hope you and your loved ones enjoy! Let us know how it goes.
Happy holidays,
Stephanie
I have some carrots in my fridge I want to eat before going out of town, and noticed the maple syrup in there too and thought, “I should make some maple-glazed carrots.” I literally just got on my computer to look up a recipe, then thought I would clear my unread emails first – saw your weekly email and there’s a flippin’ maple-glazed carrot recipe!?!! Going to make this this weekend, thank you! Leaving out some ingredients I don’t have but I’m sure it will be delicious.
It must be kismet, Ashley!
We hope you enjoy the recipe,
Stephanie