Mary Spills The Beans

Are you comparing yourself to The Virgin Mary?

Hell no. Just a play on words. 

You mention Louboutins in one of your posts. Are those vegan?

No, most assuredly they are not. The Vegan Mary is a reference to my vegan diet alone. The rest of my vegan lifestyle is a work in progress! 

Why should I trust The Vegan Mary?                                      

This is me sharing my passion. No motive other than helping explore a world of vegan awesomeness.  The recipes all tried and true; the reviews nothing but honest.  And with the explosion of vegan options out there, wouldn’t it be nice to have a guide.  Hell, I tried eight different vegan yogurts last month!  Why? Because I take sick pleasure in sampling new options!  Let me save you the time and effort (not to mention your grocery bill).

I am not a vegan, why should I read this blog?

Listen, I’m a big believer in the “you do you” philosophy.  If you despise all things green and feel fantastic eating bacon cheeseburgers and milkshakes every day, keep on keeping on.  But if you are open to any of the thoughts below, this blog might be worth your time:

• I have kids and wouldn’t mind modeling a healthier/more sustainable nutrition foundation for them.

• I am a farmer/gardener/landscaper/outdoor person and wouldn’t mind gaining a closer connection to mother earth and her bounty.

• I am not getting any younger and wouldn’t mind feeling a bit more energetic.

• I am an athlete and would sure like to build more endurance. 

• I hate that I have to sit on the pot for thirty minutes every morning.

• I pop Pepto Bismol tablets like Tic Tacs, guessing that isn’t the healthiest habit.  

• I will try anything once!

Are you even a nutritionist?

Nope! And don’t claim to be.  While we are knocking down my credentials, I haven’t graduated from culinary school either. Just a gal with years of trial and error in the kitchen, real life travel experience, and scrappiness to my credit.   Oh and a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from Cornell.

I’ve noticed that you mention honey in some of your recipes. Is honey even vegan?

Ahh, the honey hot topic! There is great debate over honey’s status in the world of vegan diets. If you want to explore this intense debate, I encourage you to Google; there you can read a variety of up-to-date facts and opinions. Ultimately, I think that this is a decision that folks need to make for themselves.  Personally, while I consume honey on occasion, I usually default to maple syrup for recipes. Rest assured, I will always provide non-honey options so you are covered either way!

What are the other names you considered?

The Approachable Vegan, The Unemployed Vegan, Real life Vegan, Bad ass Vegan, Foolproof Vegan, Fat Mary

What is the difference between vegan and plant-based?

First of all, plant-based sounds way cooler. And it doesn’t have the baggage that Vegan does.  More specifically, a plant-based diet generally refers to consuming whole foods (think veggies, fruits, legumes, grains).  Vegan, however, is anything without animal products (including veggies, fruits, legumes, grains, and also vegan cookies, chips, ice cream and candy).  Why am I not the plant-based Mary?  Well firstly, that doesn’t really roll off the tongue. But secondly, I am not a saint.  I enjoy the occasional Impossible Burger. And I do love Oreos. 

Hey Vegan Mary, it seems like a lot of your fav restaurant dishes aren’t the healthiest (Impossible burgers, onion rings).  And some of your recipes include ingredients that aren’t the healthiest. What’s up with that? 

Well rain cloud (I mean, concerned reader), thanks for bringing this up. Here’s the skinny: I love food. I love all vegan food. I cook super healthy at home most of the time (just ask my 15-year-old who gripes about the lack of “fun” food.) I’m super conscientious about nutrition all the time, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying all sorts of splurge-worthy food, especially when I go out… including the aforementioned fried comfort food. I also love sauces, and often use vegetables as a vehicle to get those delectable sauces to my wide-open mouth.  I also love my morning smoothie - chock full of Spirulina and greens and berries and peas. I don’t discriminate but try to enjoy the more nutritious foods in bulk, the others in moderation.

Where do Vegans get their Protein?

I get this question every day that ends in Y.  And no one wants to pull out math less than me, but will to prove this point. 

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is .8 grams of protein per kilogram. For the simplicity sake, that translates to 54 grams of protein for a 150-pound woman.  So let’s take a look at what that vegan protein intake can look like.

Conscientious, vegan meals:  

• Breakfast: Smoothie (berries, banana, chia seeds, peas, soy milk) 22g

• Lunch: Quinoa salad with veggies (avocado, spinach, sweet potatoes) and nutritional yeast 20g

• Snack: Almonds 1/4 cup 7g

• Dinner: Roasted cauliflower with chickpeas, tomatoes and tahini  17g

• Conscientious, vegan meals:   66g total

Now, here’s an outline of a less than conscientious vegan meal outline:

• Breakfast: Toast with vegan butter and banana 4g

• Lunch: Chick’n sandwich and fries 20g

• Snack: Oreos and almond milk 3g

• Dinner: Vegan cheese pizza; iceberg salad with vinaigrette 8g

• Less than conscientious, vegan meals: 35g total 

I know, I know… Enough with the math, Mary! Here’s the deal – you can eat carelessly and have poor protein intake as a vegan.  Just like you can eat carelessly and have poor protein intake as a meat-eater.  Lesson: eat mindfully.