I Want to Show What Real Vegans Eat

Mes coups de cœur vegan à Montréal

MY VEGAN FAVORITES IN MONTREAL – @VEGGIE_SANDY

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Meatless Movement recently had a chance to chat with Sandy, a vegan advocate from Canada. Sandy shares her mix of restaurants, recipes and products recommendations in Instagram. She’s always willing to go the extra mile in promoting vegetarianism and veganism.

It is not easy to know where to start. If you are a meat eater and you want to become more plant-based, here’s her advice for someone who wants to make the transition.

Tell us more about yourself

My name is Sandy and I’m a law student from Montreal, Canada. I decided to create my vegan Instagram account, veggie_sandy, during the pandemic as a little side hobby.

My non-vegan friends who are trying to reduce their animal product consumption kept asking me for vegan food ideas, so this seemed like the best way to share some with them. My Instagram page aims to show people what real vegans eat, whether through home-made recipes, products I buy or delicious vegan restaurants.  

There is no such thing as cruelty-free meat

@veggie_sandy

I was lucky enough to have been raised vegetarian by my mother, who stopped eating meat when she was seventeen years old. I never understood why people would want to eat dead animal bodies : every being’s life is just as valuable as mine, and there is no such thing as cruelty-free meat.

However, when I was fifteen years old, I started realising that cows and chickens are tortured just as much as animals raised for meat. I strongly believe in the french expression “acheter c’est voter”, which means buying is voting. I just couldn’t give money to people who would exploit animals like that, and thus I decided to cut my dairy and egg consumption. It was the best decision I ever made! 

How would you tell someone who’s not yet vegan trying a plant-based diet for the first time?

Instead of just not buying animal products, try looking up some vegan recipes that look good and cook them.

@veggie_sandy

I understand that it’s hard to change dietary habits. The number one thing I would recommend is to add new items to your diet instead of cutting them, even if it sounds counter-intuitive. Instead of just not buying animal products, try looking up some vegan recipes that look good and cook them.

Buy some plant-based milk and add it to your coffee (my favorite is the barista oat milk). Learn how to cook tofu, beans, lentils, etc. You’ll find yourself discovering so many delicious vegetarian and vegan food, and you won’t even notice that you’re buying less and less animal products! Also, try some vegan food in restaurants and if you like it, make your own version at home. 

I’m quite lucky to live in Montreal, a city with so many vegan restaurants and vegan alternatives.

@veggie_sandy

I also recommend challenging yourself to be vegetarian or vegan one day a week, like meat-free Mondays, or one week every month. You’ll see how easy and delicious it is, and you can continue making those plant-based meals you discovered on other days. I started by challenging myself to vegan Tuesdays. It was so easy that after a few weeks, I decided to try being vegan for a week. That week turned into two weeks, then a month, and now more than 6 years!

First of all, I’m quite lucky to live in Montreal, a city with so many vegan restaurants and vegan alternatives. There are so many more options today than when I first became vegan a few years ago. When you’re planning on eating out, do your research beforehand.

There are apps like HappyCow that show you which restaurants are vegan or have vegan alternatives. If you’re unsure if a restaurant has vegan options, call them beforehand. Chances are they’ll be able to modify something on the menu to make it vegan. Also, remember that the more people ask for vegan options, the more restaurants are likely to offer some in the future!

At its core, vegan food is less expensive

than animal-based food

@veggie_sandy

Some people think that vegan food is expensive and not accessible. It’s true that certain vegan alternatives, especially processed food that make a vegan version of a traditionally animal-based item, can be more expensive. However, at its core, vegan food is less expensive than animal-based food. Rice, quinoa, legumes, nuts, tofu, tempeh, regular soy milk, fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, all of these items cost way less than meat. You’ll discover so many delicious dishes once you explore things other than the plethora choices of plant-based meat out there (no shade towards them, just don’t limit yourself)!

Share with us a meatless recipe simple enough for beginners

I Love Cooking With Black Beans

@veggie_sandy

I love cooking with black beans. I eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner! It’s the easiest, quickest, cheapest protein-filled meal. Here’s how I make them :

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1) Put a small pot over medium heat and add approximately a tablespoon of olive oil.
2) Open a can of pre-cooked black beans and rinse them with a strainer. Pour the beans in the pot.
3) Season your beans according to your personal preferences : salt, garlic powder, ground cumin, chili powder or red pepper flakes, coriander, oregano, hot sauce, etc. Don't be afraid to taste your beans to adjust accordingly! 
4) Once the beans are properly warm and seasoned, add them to the meal of your choice. 

You can eat the beans in a bowl with tortilla chips, in a burrito, over rice or quinoa, on nachos or in a quesadilla. I’ll also add salsa, guacamole, vegan shredded cheese, corn, roasted peppers or fresh coriander, depending on what’s in my fridge and how much time I have.

For other simple recipe ideas, you can check out my Instagram page veggie_sandy!

All images courtesy of @veggie_sandy

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