The next time you consider your next meal (whether you are eating out or cooking at home), try substituting chicken for tofu chicken or beef for a tofu-based beef alternative. Why? There are lots of reasons--smaller carbon footprint, compassion for animals, but most importantly for your health and longevity. 

This is likely not the first time you've heard this suggestion. But it's hard to ignore the suggestion particularly when the results from two new studies spanning 30 years and more than 130,000 participants deliver stark results. "Substitution of plant protein for animal protein, especially that from processed red meat, was associated with lower mortality, suggesting the importance of protein source," the studies published in the JAMA Internal Medicine said. 

Researchers found that high animal protein intake was positively associated with cardiovascular mortality while high plant protein intake was inversely associated with cardiovascular mortality. Check out this two minute video for highlights of the studies. 

I'm not saying you should become a vegetarian or vegan overnight, but try to be more mindful about what you put into your body. Maybe it's time to make a lifestyle and diet shift. You can still get the appropriate amount of protein intake each day without consuming animal-based protein. You just need to be creative about it. I provide some ideas in this short post about where to get protein if you aren't consuming animals.

​I'm not the only individual who has been replacing animal protein with plant protein. Sales of meat substitutes have increased 42 percent in the last six years to an estimated $4 billion annually, according to a recent survey. That's incredible! The consumer demand for meat substitutes is growing and slowly edging into more grocery store aisles and onto menus. I continue to be impressed at the amount of vegan food options available in restaurants that don't market themselves as vegan-friendly. But better still, I continue to be impressed with the variety of plant-based food options on menus--moving beyond the microwaved veggie patties for the most part. 

It should come as no surprise that earlier this month Tyson Foods, one of the country's leading meat producers, has taken a five percent ownership stake in plant-based protein producer Beyond Meat. A smart move in my opinion. Plant-based protein is the way to a healthier and longer life. So for your next meal, think about switching it up. 

One of my favorite things about fall (and there are many) is the plethora of soups to sample! And I only discovered within the last two years how easy it is to make soups at home. This was made particularly easy with the purchase of what I consider one of the best kitchen tools--the immersion blender! This must-have kitchen tool will be your best friend for making the creamiest, smoothies soups and other dishes like mashed potatoes. The best news is that immersion blenders will only cost you about $30. 

But let's dive into this easy, relatively cheap, and hearty butternut squash sweet potato soup. It was so delicious that I've made it two weeks in a row now. 

Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

3 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 sweet potatoes, chopped
1 medium butternut squash
2 tablespoons Earth Balance vegan butter
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tablespoons organic coconut sugar
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Dash of oregano 
Dash of cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut the butternut squash in half and place on a cookie sheet with some water, so the squash can absorb it. Bake for 30 minutes or until you can easily stick a fork in it. 
2. While the squash is baking, saute garlic, ginger, onion, carrots, and celery in a large pot with the Earth Balance vegan butter for 5 - 10 minutes, stirring constantly or until brown. 
3. Add the sweet potatoes, almond milk, vegetable broth, and coconut sugar. Simmer for 30 - 40 minutes until all of the vegetables are soft. 
4. Add the squash, salt, pepper, and oregano to the soup. Cook for a few more minutes. 
5. Turn heat off and set the soup aside. Use an immersion blender to mix all of the ingredients together until creamy and smooth. Add a dash of cinnamon to each serving. 
Bon Appetit! 

OK, I realize it's been six months since I last posted to this blog. I'm rather embarrassed. BUT, there are a handful of factors that kept me from finally writing this long overdue update.

This past Spring I was working towards finishing my plant-based nutrition certificate through Cornell University. I successfully completed it but whatever time I had leftover after work/commute/exercise went to going through those lectures. I couldn't cook as much as I had hoped. But it was a fabulous course and I would strongly recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about a wholistic plant-based lifestyle. 

Second, just as I completed my certificate, I was traveling for work for a week when I was offered a new job in communications with Ernst & Young (EY). Not only would I be leaving journalism, but my husband and I would be packing everything we had and shipping up to Boston. This all happened in May.

Once I accepted the new position, it was full speed ahead in packing, cleaning, and going through everything we owned in our one bedroom condo in Arlington, Virginia. You may not think two people can really have that much in a tiny 632 sq. foot condo, but it's amazing what you can accumulate over the years. Just arranging for how we would relocate, pack all of our furniture and belongings proved to be time consuming. Actually, what was most time consuming was giving away and selling our stuff on craigslist. I don't recommend that and will never do that again. Next time we move, we are just donating to the Good Will.

So we packed a U-Haul and drove up to New Hampshire over Memorial Day weekend to my parent's house. Jon drove the U-Haul while I drove the pickup truck all while fighting off a cold. We unloaded all of our belongings with my parents and then drove down to Massachusetts where we would stay with my Aunt and Uncle for a few weeks until we found our own apartment. 

We finally signed a lease for our own apartment on the South Shore of Massachusetts. But the moving never seemed to end all summer. We had stuff in various locations. (And as I write this, we still have the majority of stuff in boxes.) 

We attended three weddings over the summer (our last and 5th wedding this year is in a few weeks) and got into our new daily routines, learning the public transit system here and the highways. Jon still has his job and can work remotely but he goes into his company's Cambridge office and I go into my office almost everyday. We often commute into the city together along the Red Line from Quincy. 

On top of adjusting to a new city, new job, new career, and new living situation, our family grew by one. We adopted a kitten who we named Harmony and she is absolutely the light of our lives. We spend our evenings playing with her and cuddling. 

In between all of this, I have been eating fairly healthy, maintained my plant-based diet and cooked some pretty damn tasty dishes. I displayed my vegan creations and new food discoveries with pictures and short blurbs on Instagram. 

So that brings us to today. We are finally in Fall. I used to not appreciate Fall as much as I do now. I love fall and I'm obsessed with pumpkin flavored everything. Maybe it took living away from New England for six years in Washington, D.C. and Virginia for me to appreciate it. 

I added a splash of Trader Joe's pumpkin spice almond milk into my black tea this morning with breakfast and immediately fell into a warm and cozy place. I'm told it is a delicious addition to coffee as well. 

Enough non-food discussion, I will post again soon with a mouth watering recipe for a vegan butternut squash sweet potato soup that the whole family is guaranteed to love. It's easy, budget friendly, and will keep you warm as the days are getting cooler. 

​Thanks for reading!