I’m so excited to have the veg girl RD, Kristine Duncan, MS, RDN, CDE, on my blog today. Kristine is a vegetarian dietitian, freelance writer, community college instructor, dog lady, cat lady, and nutrition blogger at www.veggirlrd.com. Her work has appeared in Vegetarian Times and Today’s Dietitian. She lives in Washington State but has dreams of moving to Italy someday and getting paid to eat pasta and cheese for a living. Until then, you can find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.
What made you become interested in a plant-based lifestyle?
Like many before me, I read Diet for a New America by John Robbins, which planted the seed that perhaps reducing our intake of animal foods was better for living creatures and the planet. I was conflicted though, as I was studying nutrition in college at the time and assumed, incorrectly, that I would soon learn how unhealthy vegetarian diets were and that I’d have quite a moral dilemma on my hands. Happily, the opposite happened. As each quarter passed, I became more and more convinced that I could have the best of both worlds: quick, delicious, filling food without the subsequent health problems typical in the US. I realized that a diet without meat could exist simultaneously with good health! In fact, a diet without meat promotes good health. I stopped eating meat in 1993 and haven’t looked back.
How does your work as a dietitian fit into your diet philosophy?
Quite well, actually. My primary job is teaching and my audiences vary from employees at worksites to students at community colleges. A very small percentage of them are actually vegetarians. But the primary nutrition messages that I teach from the Dietary Guidelines, MyPlate, and the American Institute for Cancer Research really do align with my personal philosophy: eat more whole grains, make half your plate fruit and vegetables, incorporate more plant proteins like legumes and nuts, etc. Sharing messages of plant-based eating can benefit everyone. And the science continues to show this to be the case. If I’m teaching from the latest nutrition research, I’m promoting plants!
What are your best tips for those who want to start eating a more plant-based diet, but don’t know how to get going?
One of my best tips is to start with slight modifications to familiar dishes to ease your transition. Lasagna, tacos, chili, and stir-fry are usually family favorites and they can be easily modified to use less meat and more plants. Take the beef or sausage out of a lasagna and put in extra mushrooms or other veggies and most people will barely notice the difference. Use half the normal amount of ground beef in your chili, up the beans, and see what you think. All the ingredients you use to make it flavorful and familiar will still be there, with one small change. Also, I think it makes sense to let the professionals cook unfamiliar foods for you at first. I’ve had lots of students and clients tell me they bought tofu with the best intentions, only to let it sit in their refrigerator and go bad. They had no idea what to do with it. Why not try tofu for the first time at your favorite Thai restaurant? They cook it every day, so they’ve got the technique (and the flavor and texture) mastered. Or if you’re not sure how to cook lentils, try ordering dal at your favorite Indian restaurant to see how they season it. And then, of course, ask questions so you have a starting point for doing it yourself at home.
What are your five favorite foods you can’t leave without?
Pasta, lentils, green beans, olive oil, and dark chocolate.
What are your favorite plant-based restaurants in your area?
We have a fantastic local restaurant that serves southwestern cuisine called Pepper Sisters; lots of beans, hominy, potatoes, and tortillas. They do not disappoint. For breakfast I adore Mount Bakery for crepes and vegetarian sausage, and for lunch my favorite is Ciao Thyme Café for elegant and creative salads and their freshly baked flatbread. Also I’m very close to Seattle, so I have easy access to Café Flora, St. Dames, Plum Bistro, and Chaco Canyon. All terrific.
A convenient and vegetarian twist on the traditional taco salad, I built this recipe around Trader Joe’s Black Bean and Cheese Taquitos. I only used sour cream as my “dressing” because I like my salads a little on the dry side, but salsa would be a natural addition, too.
Ingredients
Scale
2 black bean and cheese taquitos
2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 carrot peeled and grated (about ⅓ cup)
1 roma tomato, deseeded and chopped (about ⅓ cup)
¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
5 black olives, sliced
2 tablespoons light sour cream
Salsa – optional
Instructions
Cook the taquitos according to the package directions. (I like to use my toaster oven.)
Place romaine in a large salad bowl and top with carrot, tomato, cheese, olives and sour cream.
Once taquitos are cooked, cut into small bite-sized rounds and add to salad. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition per Serving: 310 calories, 15 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 33 g carbohydrates, 8 g sugar, 390 mg sodium, 8 g fiber, 15 g protein, 30 mg cholesterol
