When you decide to make the switch to a vegan diet, it can feel like stepping into a whole new world. The ingredients may be unfamiliar and it’s common to face unexpected challenges. It’s also common to face way more chickpeas, greens, whole grains, and nuts than you ever thought you would. 

It can be tough to go vegan, especially if you are going it alone. That is especially true if you are the primary cook in the family and have to prepare other non-vegan foods for others. It’s possible for your family to react with confusion or even resentment, but it’s a commendable dietary change. That’s especially true if you make the shift for health reasons. Going vegan is not always about taking the moral high ground. 

All of that said, there are some common mistakes that people make when switching to the vegan diet. Continue reading to understand what to watch out for when you go vegan. We hope the information helps you during this major transition. 

Lacking Strong Motivation

Approaching the vegan diet like a new diet is actually a mistake. The reason that many people stick with their vegan diets for so long is because their motivation is rooted in values and ethics. Some people make the switch because they no longer want to support mass animal farming, which is perfectly understandable. Perhaps your motivation is to avoid certain illnesses that run in your family. Be it climate crisis, personal health, or the mistreatment of animals, find your reason and let that be your guiding light. 

Buying Foods Without Reading Ingredient Lists

There are many foods that seem vegan, but are actually not. For example, it’s possible for chips to have chicken powder or salad dressing to have milk powder or eggs. Some sugar may even be processed with bone char, which manufacturers use during the refining process to whiten sugar. Even non-dairy creamers can contain small amounts (less than 2%) of sodium caseinate, a milk-derived product. Do your research and always read ingredient labels to avoid slipping up on your new diet. 

Believing Food Is Healthy Just Because It’s Vegan

There are many unhealthy foods that are technically vegan, such as French fries, Oreos, some sour candies, faux meats, pasta, bread and more. Just because it is vegan doesn’t mean it is healthy. You could consider yourself a vegan if you only eat fries, pasta, and Beyond burgers. If you made the shift to veganism for health reasons, focus your efforts on balancing those unhealthy vegan foods with an abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Don’t let a food’s vegan label make you think that it is healthy!

Relying On Faux Meats

It is true that many fast food restaurants and other establishments have vegan burgers or options on their menus. If you are used to eating chicken and rice or meat and potatoes for dinner, it can be tricky to have veggie-centric meals all the time. Faux meats qualify as vegan, but they are lab-generated and full of processed ingredients. Sure, they can fill you up, but there are many problems with those foods. There is an abundance of incredibly delicious meal options that a vegan diet offers. Don’t be afraid to look at mealtime through a different lens. Get inspiration from social media or different websites and experiment!

Not Having Fun With Food

Do not fall into a rut of making the same thing over and over again just because you know it is vegan. You have to keep your taste buds interested, so treat cooking as a creative exercise. Experiment with different spices, explore different cuisines, and try new recipes. Going vegan is not about deprivation, but about discovery. If you avoid the common mistakes in this article, then you will find that your new lifestyle can be as joyful as it is nourishing. 

And if you need a little assistance with your dietary transition, consider our Going Vegan 20-day Challenge (click here for more information). It has nutrients that support your transition into veganism. It may be more helpful than you realize!

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If you are new to our recipe section, please allow us to introduce you to the culinary marvel that is raw zucchini noodles. Commonly known as zoodles, zucchini noodles are a great low-carb pasta alternative that are easily digestible and friendly to your waistline. They are vibrantly green and curly beyond belief. One could say that they are a refreshing canvas for almost any pasta sauce. But we aren’t about to throw some processed, sodium-rich jarred sauce on these health bombs! These raw, nutrient-dense zucchini noodles call for a homemade arugula pesto!

The real talk star of the show is the raw vegan arugula pesto. This is not your average Italian grandmother’s pesto. No offense to all the nonnas out there, but we can’t be using the classic pesto recipe because it contains cheese. We hope this raw vegan, zesty, herbaceous, and peppery pesto is just as bold and flavorful as the classic pesto you know and love. Not only does arugula offer a peppery flavor, but it also provides lots of magnesium, potassium, iron, fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K.

Now, pine nuts, especially raw pine nuts, can be a little pricey. If you do not have pine nuts, you can use raw cashews instead. The flavor will be slightly different, but not too much to really notice a vast difference. Add in the lemon zest and juice, garlic, sea salt, and rich olive oil and this pesto becomes exactly what you want it to be: delicious, luscious, and creamy. Toss the zoodles and slightly sweet and bright cherry tomatoes in the pesto to create a nutritionally dense raw entree that is full of flavor.

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The great thing about this pasta is that you only need one pot. You don’t need a separate pot for cooking the pasta, one for the sauce, and a colander to strain the pasta. Just. One. Pot. That is the beauty of a one pot pasta recipe!

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It’s safe to say that almost every single person adores pasta. There are countless pasta recipes in existence, but most people tend to stick to simple marinara or Alfredo sauce recipes. In fact, most people purchase jarred versions of these classic sauces. You are better than jarred sauce, people! We understand the convenience of jarred sauce, but convenience doesn’t equal health. Jarred sauce contains an excessive amount of sodium, processed ingredients, and other things that have no place in your pasta sauce.

This recipe calls for unsalted tomato sauce from a jar, but it is simply pureed tomatoes. There are no added flavorings or anything else! Additionally, this recipe takes your taste buds down to the south to enjoy some classic cajun flavors. Cajun seasoning is yet another ingredient that contains copious amounts of sodium. One serving of cajun seasoning (about 1/4 teaspoon) contains 130 to 170 milligrams of sodium, depending on the variety. Why put your body at risk when you can easily make your own with spices you probably have in your spice rack?

That was a lot of information, and we apologize, but it was necessary. The great thing about this pasta is that you only need one pot. You don’t need a separate pot for cooking the pasta, one for the sauce, and a colander to strain the pasta. Just. One. Pot. That is the beauty of a one pot pasta recipe! You have minimal cleanup and the dried pasta noodles get to cook in the sauce, so they absorb all of the flavors as they cook. We hope you like this vegan cajun pasta!

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Get ready to spiral into a world of flavor! Before you do that, you have to spiralize some zucchini because you are transforming these plain old vegetables into noodles. If you are cleansing and have not had zucchini noodles yet, you don’t know what you are missing. Tossed in a rich sun-dried tomato walnut pesto, this zoodle dish gives you a break from salads and smoothies. It’s a flavorful dish that boasts impressive health benefits as well!

Imagine twirling your fork around emerald-green zucchini noodles coated in a rich, savory sun-dried tomato sauce. This is not your average meal, folks, it is a flavorful experience that have you questioning your desire to eat real pasta again. Zucchini contains essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, all of which are not in boxed pasta. When you eat raw zucchini, you absorb all of the nutrients that get lost during the cooking process. And let’s not forget about all the fiber in zucchini. Instead of feeling bloated like you would after eating a big bowl of pasta, you’ll feel like you just drank a green smoothie after eating this dish!

This recipe isn’t just about the zooodles; rather, the pesto also packs a nutritional punch. The basil is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, while the garlic contains compounds that help to boost immune function and reduce blood pressure. So what are you waiting for? Dive into the world of raw vegan zucchini noodles with a sun-dried tomato pesto. Experience the power of ultimate flavor and nutrition!

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“When the moon hits your eye like a big…” bowl of zoodles tossed in a savory tomato sauce, you know that’s amore, right? Sometimes you just have to improvise the lyrics to a classic song in order to fit your raw vegan lifestyle. Even more important than the lyrics are the ingredients you use. Forget the store bought jar of sauce and packaged pasta because you won’t need them for this recipe. In fact, you don’t ever need to use jarred sauce because it is filled with sodium and preservatives.

This raw vegan entree is not only filling, but also a pleasant break from salads and smoothies. The first task is to spiralize the zucchini, which is quite an easy process. We recommend that you use a spiralizer that is not handheld, i.e. it has feet and a hand crank so that you can secure it to your countertop. This type of spiralizer is great for zucchini, sweet potatoes, carrots, and more! Once you have your zoodles, you need to make the sauce. Before you do that, we recommend that you pat the zoodles dry with some paper towels.

The great thing about a savory, raw vegan tomato sauce is that you can achieve great depth of flavor without cooking. When you use the proper seasonings and ingredients, you can achieve greatness. Nutritional yeast gives your sauce a cheesy flavor, which would come from parmesan cheese. The sun-dried tomatoes (make sure they are packaged and not the ones that are jarred in oil) offer a lovely acidity and richness. To help thicken the sauce, you have one date and some raw sunflower seeds. Those may seem like odd additions to your sauce, but trust us…they work!

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A nutritional survey found that about 95% Americans do not meet their recommended daily intake (RDI) of fiber. The RDI of fiber ranges from 21-38 grams, depending on your age and gender. Most people have a lot of room for improvement on this nutrient, which plays an essential role in regulating bowel movements, nurturing the gut, and filling you up. In this article, we detail easy ways to add more fiber to your diet. 

Try Chickpea Pasta

It’s hard not to love pasta, especially because you can usually throw a recipe together in 30 minutes or less. The unfortunate reality is that most people use jarred sauce (full of sodium) and boxed pasta enriched with poor quality ingredients. Instead of feeling tired and bloated, consider switching to chickpea pasta to increase your fiber intake. Two ounces of chickpea pasta (about one cup of noodles) offers eight grams of fiber, which is a major increase from two grams of fiber from regular pasta. Chickpea pasta also has twice the protein content as regular pasta and it’s gluten-free!

Add Lentils To Grain Bowls

You can easily customize grain bowls, but a lot of people like to use rice as the base. Rice, even brown rice, is not the best source of fiber. One cup of brown rice offers 1.6 grams of fiber, while a mere half-cup of lentils offers eight grams of fiber. If you enjoy rice, consider a lentil-rice mixture to enhance the fiber content of your grain bowl. Plus, a half-cup of lentils offers nine grams of protein, and a good portion of the fiber in lentils comes from prebiotics, which feed the probiotics in your gut. 

Blend Kiwis Into Your Smoothies

Kiwis have an incredible vitamin C content and they are bursting with antioxidants. They also contain fiber, with two kiwis offering four to five grams, depending on the size. Half of that fiber content, however, is concentrated in the skin. Most people do not enjoy snacking on fuzzy kiwi skin, though. In order to reap all the fiber benefits of kiwis, toss a couple whole kiwis into your smoothie. You won’t even taste the skin!

Eat Chia Pudding With Berries

Most dietitians agree that breakfast is the best meal of the day to load up on fiber-rich foods. In doing so, you will be full and energized until lunch, avoiding unnecessary snacking. Both chia seeds and berries contain a lot of fiber, despite their small size. A half-cup of raspberries and one tablespoon of chia seeds provide four grams of fiber, each. We have many chia pudding recipes available in our recipe section (click here) if you need some inspiration. 

Snack On Nuts And Figs

Each fig, depending on the size, generally provides one gram of fiber, and one serving of figs is roughly between three to five fruits. Pair those figs with a quarter-cup of almonds for four more grams of fiber and six grams of protein. That makes almonds and figs an ideal snack to give you a natural pick-me-up and fill you up between meals. 

Add Pears To Your Salads

Pears are sneaky fiber superstars, with one medium pear offering five to six grams of fiber. Can you enjoy pears as healthy snacks from time to time? Sure, but adding them to salads can give you a better fiber bang for your buck. Pair your pears with kale (one gram of fiber per cup) and other fiber-rich ingredients for a filling, lunchtime salad!

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Spiralized zucchini noodles with raw vegan pesto is a refreshing, light, flavorful entree for all of our cleansers. For this dish, you abandon regular pasta and transform nutrient-dense zucchini into noodles, or zoodles. If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can always use a peeler to make zucchini ribbons, which are reminiscent of papparadelle noodles

You can’t have zucchini pasta without zucchini, but the true star of this recipe is the raw vegan pesto. Made with fresh basil, garlic, raw pine nuts, raw walnuts, and raw hemp seeds, this pesto is replete with healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals. If you don’t use parmesan cheese, how do you achieve that cheesy flavor in raw vegan pesto? The hemp seeds provide slightly nutty and salty flavor that is akin to parmesan cheese. If you feel that your pesto lacks that cheesy flavor you know and love, feel free to add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast.

To liven up this entree, you toss in halved cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes bring a sweetly tart flavor to the dish that pairs beautifully with pesto and provides a balance to herby basil flavor. Tomatoes and basil just work like magic together! The result is a light and refreshing zucchini pasta entree that is bursts with vibrant flavors from the combination of fresh ingredients. It is a fantastic option for those following a raw vegan, as it filling, nutrient-dense, and a departure from salads and smoothies.

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Most people are suckers for pasta, or Italian food in general. It is comforting and very easy to eat too much of it. What happens after scarfing down bread, pasta, cheese and meat? Typically, you feel like a as bloated as a balloon that is on the brink of popping. The body tends to crash after a meal like that because of all the carbs, which is why we love zoodle recipes. You can feel full after eating zucchini noodles and not experience that bloated pasta belly!

Zucchini is very low in calories, but offers a decent amount of protein and fiber, both of which help you feel full. Food data indicates that zucchini exhibits high antioxidant activity, offering carotenoids like zeaxanthin, lutein, and beta-carotene. These antioxidants may benefit the skin, heart, and eyes, and even offer protection against certain types of cancer. Although yellow zucchini may contain slightly higher levels of antioxidants than the green variety, you can still absorb a lot of nutrients from green zucchini.

As with all zoodle dishes, the sauce is what brings it home. You’ve seen the raw marinara, Alfredo, and pesto sauces on our website, but we don’t think you’ve seen a sauce like this. The creamy dill sauce offers a rich, thick consistency and slightly tangy, slightly sweet flavor profile. Dill is a powerful herb, but it doesn’t overtake the entire dish. The rest of the ingredients in the sauce create a pleasant balance that makes it something you just can’t get enough of!

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Pasta is undeniably delicious, but you can just keep eating and eating until you reach a full state of bloating. Most pasta that you buy in the store is made with enriched wheat or flour, in addition to other preservatives, or the wheat is not high quality. If you eat the same pasta dish in Italy, though, you will not feel bloated after finishing your dish. Higher quality ingredients are more easily digestible. Plus, the sauce in Italy is most likely fresher.

This recipe doesn’t have flour and it will not remind you of Italy. It does, however, offer impressive depth of flavor for being a raw vegan entree. Zucchini noodles do not taste like cooked pasta noodles, but they are much healthier for you. Additionally, eating a bowl of zucchini noodles when the weather is hot is much more refreshing, and you don’t feel as weighed down. A great trick to make your zucchini noodles less watery is to put them in a strainer, sprinkle a bit of sea salt on them, and then let them sit for 10 minutes. Pat them dry and then set aside while you make the sauce.

Speaking of the sauce, this is one that you’ll want to save for the books. It is wonderfully creamy and packed with flavor. Not only does this avocado lime creation work as a sauce for the zoodles, but it also works as a dressing or vegetable dip. The possibilities with this sauce are endless! Maybe just don’t put in on desserts, though. Happy eating!

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