Vegan diets are followed for a number of reasons, but mostly because of personal choice. They have also been followed as a way to maintain a healthy weight. There are, however, numerous benefits to eating vegan.
We have the perfect recipe to show you just how delicious vegan meals can be and a host of benefits you can look forward to.
Vegan Stuffed Potato Cakes
Ingredients:
Dough:
2 pounds potatoes
½ cup white rice flour
⅓ cup cornstarch or tapioca flour
Salt, pepper, nutmeg (to taste)
Filling:
3 cups mushrooms, sliced
½ of a zucchini, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt & pepper to taste
Spice mix: 1 teaspoon Italian spice blend, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, ¼ red pepper flakes
Additional Ingredients: Oil for frying and vegan cheese to taste
Directions:
Make the dough first. Peel the potatoes, cut into small pieces, and cook in salted water for about 20 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and mash them with a potato masher. (Do not use a food processor because it makes the mashed potatoes too sticky). Allow the mashed potatoes to cool while you make the filling, and then add flour and cornstarch and mix well with a spoon or your hands.
For the filling, chop the veggies first. Fry the onion in a pan with a little oil for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, diced peppers, and zucchini. Sauté everything for a couple of minutes, season with salt, pepper, and the spice mix.
Split the dough into 8 parts and form into balls. Make a well in the middle and add about one and a half tablespoons of the filling. You can also add some vegan cheese if you want. Carefully "seal" the balls with a little bit more dough and flatten them slightly to make them look like thick pancakes.
Heat approximately 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and fry the potato cakes at medium heat until golden brown on both sides. They will be crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. If you want them to be a little crunchier, you can bake them additionally for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees in the oven.
Benefits of Eating Vegan
One way to make cutting down on meat easier is to have delicious meals ready to go. On top of that, it helps to know about the numerous health benefits you gain from a vegan diet.
More Nutrients
Vegan diets are typically richer in nutrients. By eliminating animal products, you naturally consume more plant products full of essential vitamins and minerals.
Studies have shown that vegan diets consist of more fiber and antioxidants as well. It is important to remember to still avoid fast-food options. They may be vegan, but they are still lacking in nutrients.
Blood Sugar Management
Eating vegan has benefits for diabetes and kidney health. Vegans have been found to have lower blood glucose levels and a lower risk for developing type-2 diabetes.
By switching protein sources from animals to plants, vegans also show a reduced risk for poor kidney function and disease, especially among people with diabetes.
Weight Management
One of the main reasons people opt for a vegan diet outside of ethical reasons is to lose weight. Vegans, on average, tend to be thinner and have lower body mass indexes than non-vegans.
This is likely as a result of cutting fatty meat and dairy products as well as the fat-burning antioxidants found in plant-based foods. Of course, sugar is vegan, so it is still important to be careful what you eat, even when it is all plant-based.
Better Heart Health
Consuming legumes, fruits, and vegetables are all linked to reduced risk for heart disease, which means vegans are already ahead of the game. In general, vegans have a 75% lower risk for developing high blood pressure, likely caused by the removal of unhealthy fats from the diet.
In addition to this, vegan diets result in lower cholesterol and better blood glucose management, both of which protect you from heart disease. The consumption of whole grains and nuts common in vegan diets also provides support for heart health.
Reduce Joint Pain
A diet high in plant-based products naturally offers extra polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. By reducing inflammation, these foods can help with conditions such as arthritis.
Several studies have shown improved mobility and reduced pain when individuals with arthritis switched to a vegan diet. After switching diets, the natural elimination of inflammatory foods leads to less joint pain, less swelling, and improved mobility and flexibility.
The Bottom Line
You may think that eating vegan is not healthy because some fundamental foods are restricted from your diet. While there are food limitations, there are certainly benefits to eating the vegan way.
The benefits are easy to see, and recipes like this prove that vegan meals are not bland. So what’s stopping you from digging into a delicious vegan dinner now and then?
