GETTING STARTED

Congratulations, [[name]], on taking the Veggie Challenge!

Your body will thank you, the Earth will thank you, and the animals will thank you.

To make this experience easier, we've asked nutritionist Bev Miller, BASc, RD to help us prepare seven e-mails, which you will receive approximately once a day. Each e-mail contains nutritional tips, links to recipes, recommended books, facts, and other useful information we hope will make your Challenge a real success.

TIPS

In a day or so you will start receiving your regular e-mails. Until then, we've included some simple meal ideas below, together with a few other suggestions to get you going. For example:

Explore different world cuisines that feature many vegetarian dishes – such as Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Ethiopian, or Mediterranean.

Plan to eat at a vegetarian restaurant (or two!) during your Veggie Challenge. Visit http://www.veg.ca/directory for an online version of our popular Toronto-area Vegetarian Directory. You'll also find links to several North American and international veg-friendly restaurant guides, plus a handy Fast Food Report: What's vegetarian at the fast food chains?

Stock up on healthy staples, such as:

* whole grain pasta and couscous,
* quick-cooking lentils and split peas,
* whole grain bread,
* canned chickpeas,
* tofu,
* brown rice,
* soy, almond and rice milks, and
* seasonal fruit and vegetables.

If you don't already have these on hand, check your local supermarket or neighbourhood grocer.

Visit your local natural foods store for vegetarian convenience foods, such as frozen meals. Click http://www.veg.ca/directory for links on where to find one in your part of the world.

You can also find convenience foods, such as It’s All Good Veggie Chick’n Breasts, in your local grocery store.

Check the labels of the prepared products you buy for hidden non-vegetarian ingredients such as gelatin or beef tallow.

A FEW THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Some new vegetarians simply replace the meat they're used to eating with lots of eggs and dairy products. We don't recommend this as the healthiest way to go. For more information and suggested alternatives see eggs and dairy.

Some people also believe that fish, and even chicken, can be part of a vegetarian diet. While there are various degrees of "vegetarianism", at the core of each is to not eat the flesh of any animal, on land or in the sea. Check out our information about ocean-friendly eating.

Finally, don't get too hung up on details. The important thing is to do your best to eat a vegetarian or vegan diet, and have fun experimenting with all the delicious veggie options out there.

SAMPLE MENU IDEAS

To get you started, here are some simple menu ideas.
Yes, it can be THAT easy!

MENU #1

Breakfast
• Whole-grain cereal with your choice of milk, sprinkled with dried or fresh fruit.
• Calcium-fortified orange juice.

Lunch
• Avocado slices with sprouts or lettuce on whole-grain bread, grape or cherry tomatoes.
• Cantaloupe chunks drizzled with fresh lime juice.

Dinner
Chinese stir-fry over brown rice: toss in tofu chunks, broccoli, pea pods, and bok choy.

Snack
Dried figs.

Photo: Mike Crooker (tofu666@gmail.com)

MENU #2

Breakfast
• Oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins, topped with a ½ cup of fortified soy milk.
• Slice of toast with almond butter and fruit slices.
• ½ grapefruit.

Lunch
• Whole wheat pita stuffed with hummus, sliced tomatoes, and lettuce, carrot sticks.
• Miso soup.

Dinner
1 cup baked beans.
1 baked sweet potato.
1 cup steamed collard greens drizzled with lemon juice.
1 baked apple.

Snack
Banana soymilk shake.

For more meal plan ideas visit http://veg.ca/content/view/176/112/

QUESTIONS?

GOOD LUCK !

Ask your friends to join the veggie challenge

If you know someone who would be interested in learning more about the Veggie Challenge, please forward them this message and encourage them to visit our website.

What’s happening in your area?

For Toronto and beyond visit www.veg.ca/events for a list of social groups, lectures, workshops, cooking demos and a whole lot more!

If you don't live near Toronto, try visiting www.ivu.org the website of the International Vegetarian Union and search their site for a group near you.

Your privacy

The Toronto Vegetarian Association will not sell or trade your e-mail address. You can choose to stop receiving e-mails from us at any time by following the instructions at the end of this e-mail.

About us

The Veggie Challenge is a project of the Toronto Vegetarian Association, a volunteer-driven, charitable organization. Our mission is to inspire people to choose a healthier, greener, more peaceful lifestyle.

We are committed to educating people about the benefits of a vegetarian diet, supporting those who wish to reduce or eliminate their consumption of animal products, and celebrating the diversity of vegetarian food and culture.

Meet the team

Beverley Edwards- Miller, BASc, RD is lead author of the Challenge e-mails. She has facilitated numerous workshops and presentations on healthy living, as well as hands-on, vegetarian cooking classes. She is a frequent speaker at various community health events and churches. Bev enjoys being the Ontario Regional Coordinator for CHIP -the Coronary Health Improvement Project, a 16-evening, healthy lifestyle education program.

Other members of the team include: Ian, Jenny, Marcella, Peter and Steve.

Help promote the Challenge!

Inspire a family member or friend. Put up a poster. Display our postcards. Write about the Challenge. Blog about it. Discuss it online. Email it. Volunteer with our Challenge team, tabling or editing. If you are a teacher, make it a class project. Full details at veg.ca/content/view/155/

Donations are always welcome to cover program expenses.