Veganit is a growing collection of plant-based, painless and delicious recipes for a better well-being, alongside with simple and straightforward articles that present the upside of plant-based food and the use of brainpower tools, like meditation and mindfulness. Meatless Movement recently had the opportunity to chat with the founder of this project.
Please tell us more about yourself
It is with great pride that I present you the project “Veganit”.
veganit
Hello! I’m the founder of Veganit – a page where I share vegan recipes and articles related to veganism and sustainability. I’m a Portuguese aspiring to be a future biological engineer and committed to encourage and inspire others to eat more fruits and plants and to spread the vegan philosophy of compassionate living.
I felt my heart at peace, my head lighted and my body relaxed
veganit
About two years ago, my family, some friends, and I travelled to Japan. One of the experiences that most impressed me was staying in a Buddhist temple on Mount Koya – a mountain in southern Osaka. Our temple was called Kumagaiji. When we were served our first meal, many of us looked dazed and confused because it didn’t have any “meat” or “fish” on it. Our guide, in a gentle and kind voice just said: “animals are sentient beings, so we don’t eat them”.
After our trip was over, the guide´s words were still stuck in my head and so, I decided to learn more about plant-based food. I read a lot of articles, watched documentaries, talked to nutritionists, doctors and other people who were vegetarians and / or vegan. I was shocked! I had no idea how cruel the agricultural industry is.
After researching a lot, I concluded that opting for plant-based food and adopting a vegan lifestyle was the most logical thing to do. Now I have been vegan for 1,5 years and I couldn’t be happier with my decision.
It would be more sensible to adopt a lifestyle that causes a less negative impact on animals, on the planet and in ourselves
veganit
Honestly, the main challenge I face as a vegan is the rude comments that I receive from anti-vegans like “We have been eating meat for so long, we need meat to survive. Being vegan is just ridiculous” but, the best thing I can do is to continue living accordingly to what I believe is best for me, for the animals and for the planet.
Other challenges that I face are, for example, eating out in traditional Portuguese restaurants. It´s almost impossible to find a traditional restaurant with vegan main meals and desserts.
Fun fact: In former times people, especially monks and nuns, starched their clothes by smearing a substance essentially made with egg whites over these. After that, they combined egg yolks with sugar and milk so they would not go to waste and that’s how the traditional Portuguese deserts (“doces conventuais”) were born.
Just as you can choose what to feed your body, you can choose what you ‘feed’ your mind.
veganit
However, there are lots of completely vegan restaurants! And, if I´m going out to dinner in a non-vegan restaurant, I read the menus online in advance to make sure that vegan dishes are offered and, if there are not, I never hesitate to ask the chef to create a vegan dish for me. I also use certain apps, such as ‘Vanilla Bean’ or ‘Happy Cow’, that help me find vegan restaurants.
I am sure that if you listen and respect your body, you will reach your goals.
veganit
Being vegan has positively impacted my life in multiple ways. I am maintaining my ideal health, my skin is glowing, I have much more energy, and I’m more aware of nutrition. I don’t feel guilty about eating food anymore, as I know that what I am eating isn’t causing harm to animals, is much better for my health and for the environment.
In Lisbon, the best vegan places to eat are:
Botanista
O Botanista was created in 2018 by Catarina Gonçalves, driven by ethics and the conviction that 100% plant-based food is the most creative, sustainable, and healthy way to feed your body and soul. They also produce gluten-free bread, fermented cashew cheeses, and kombucha!
Café Galeria House of Wonders
This café is, in fact, a Vegetarian Food Gallery & Rooftop, Juice Bar and Restaurant, serving daily fresh creative vegetable cuisine & numerous vegan options. The main concept of this café is the Mezze – fresh vegetables and fruits respecting the seasonality of each food. The food is an explosion of constantly changing flavours, always with a great emphasis on spices!
The Green Affair
Plant-based restaurant serving Portuguese and international cuisines, desserts, and cocktails in a chill and modern environment. The staff is super friendly and the food tastes amazing.
And finally, if you are looking for some delicious, comforting homemade meals, I highly recommend checking out my blog: https://www.veganit.org/ and my Instagram page: @_veganit_
Seitan with mushrooms – An awesome main meal recipe if you’re trying vegan meals for the first time because it looks very similar to real beef! This recipe is inspired in one of my grandma recipes (“bifinhos com cogumelos”) and its super rich in protein!
Link: https://www.veganit.org/recipe/steaks-with-mushrooms/
Ceviche – Ceviche is a style of cuisine that comes from coastal areas of Latin America. It combines traditional foods eaten by natives of the region and foods brought by Spanish colonizers in the 1600s. Ceviche is a seafood dish where diced cubes of raw fish are marinated in a lemon or lime juice mixture. However, in my vegan version, the traditional raw fish is replaced with tofu. This vegan ceviche is refreshing, colourful, and super healthy!
Link: https://www.veganit.org/recipe/vegan-ceviche/
Leite de creme – “Leite Creme” is a Portuguese traditional desert similar to the super famous French Crème Brûlée but cooked on the stove top instead of baked. Its rich, creamy texture is perfect as a light and low fat dessert.
Link: https://www.veganit.org/recipe/leite-de-creme-2/
Accompany me on this journey and stay tuned for more!
veganit
If you tried any of these recipes, stay tuned for more content and feel free to tag me on Instagram! 😊
I think a common misconception about vegans is that what we are doing is radical, or extreme. Such an opinion couldn’t be more wrong. What people need to understand is that veganism is not a diet. Veganism is a lifestyle where people choose to live compassionately. With that said, choosing to not eat animals is a consequence of our lifestyle and it’s not a restriction because eating animals is not even an option for us. We don’t see animals as food. Instead, we see animals as compassion beings who deserve to have a happy life.
I try to share this message of veganism without judging, pressuring, or making others feel invalid. Instead, I try my best to lead by example. I share this message with compassion, and I try to educate people by being open and honest in answering questions. I think that this is the best way to encourage people to try meatless meals.
I concluded that opting for plant-based food and avoiding using animal products has immense benefits
veganit
Tips to start eating a meatless diet
If you want to try meatless food, my advice is to:
- Educate yourself. This is helpful to build up the conviction within yourself and to find your “why power”. Why do you want to become meatless? Is it for health reasons? For environmental reasons? For the animals? I know this sounds cliché but if you remember yourself of your “why power” on a regular basis, you’ll be encouraged to stick with it.
- Start slowly and don’t pressure yourself. Enjoy the journey! Start off by finding meatless meals that you like and incorporate those into your diet. Make small switches like using a plant-based mince, rather than beef in a Bolognese. Once you are comfortable with a few changes, keep trying to find cruelty free switches to everything in your current diet 😊 If you put your heart into, everything will become easier
If you are interested in trying this new lifestyle, I would be thrilled to help you. Feel free to follow me or contact me on social media if you have any questions about veganism.
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all images courtesy of veganit