VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good

by Mark Bittman

FIVE STRATEGIES FOR EATING MORE PLANT FOODS 1. Buy them. It may sound silly, but the first step is to actually shop. If you’ve got your supplies lined up, you’ll turn to them instead of junk food when you get hungry. And if you load up the fridge with fruits and vegetables—whatever they are—you’ll be far more likely to eat them. If you create a detailed eating plan for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner, you can make sure you have all the necessary ingredients. 2. Prep vegetables so they’re always ready to eat. When you get home from the store—or whenever you’re on the phone, watching TV, or have a few minutes—trim carrots and celery, cut them into sticks, and store them in water in the fridge. Rinse lettuce, tear it into pieces, and stash it in towels in plastic bags or a salad spinner; that way you can make a salad in three minutes. Pre-cook broccoli, cauliflower, or string beans—in boiling water or in the microwave—so they’re ready to add to recipes or snack on when you want them. Wash a bunch of fruit and put it in a bowl. 3. Make big batches of grains and beans every week. Cooking beans and grains requires virtually no effort, and they keep in the fridge for days or in the freezer indefinitely. If you freeze them in 1-cup portions, they’ll hold up well and defrost quickly. (If they don’t last all week, good work! Make some more.) Or you can sock away a few different kinds for variety. Once you have them ready to go, salads, soups, and stir-fries come together in an ...