Happy Thursday! It’s me, LA from Black Girls Eat, stopping by to say hey to my subscriber family. I really appreciate that you are a subscriber. And let me send a huge thank you to everyone who has opted in to pledge your support. That means more to me than you know.
I spent some time looking through my journal last week and found a bunch of notes about mistakes. It was actually the journal I used to write down my thoughts for what would eventually become a free e-book. I created the Plant-Based: 15 Mistakes to Avoid e-book after meeting so many people who seemed to be struggling with making healthier food choices.
Yes, the struggle is real. What’s crazy is that it wasn’t always their fault. It’s not that the decision to choose more fruits, grains and vegetables was their big challenge. It was often the weird reactions they would get from family and friends when they shared that they would be going on a plant-based journey.
I gotta say, trying new things is scary enough without having the people you love and care about making you feel weird about it.
“You are what you eat, so don’t be fast, cheap, easy, or fake.” – Unknown
So what kind of mistakes do I hi-light in the E-Book? Here are a few of my fave things to avoid when leaning into a plant-based lifestyle:
#09
Stressing
No one is going to put pressure on you to change your lifestyle over night so don’t stress. There really is no one right way to lean into a plant-based lifestyle. You have to make the best decision for you. Give yourself mercy and grace. Someone once said that in the end, it all works itself out and if it's not worked out...it ain't really the end.
#04
Buying
The marketing game around food is real. They throw words like organic, grass fed and all natural around so much that it’s hard to tell what’s what. Don’t buy everything that sounds too good to be true. Read the labels and research everything until you are sure that it should go in your shopping cart.
#15
Starving
Please don’t fill your social media feed with homemade plates of vegetables and nothing else. Eating mostly plants doesn’t mean ONLY plants. You will need a well-balanced diet that includes greens, grains, proteins and healthy fats if you are going to have a successful transition to plant-based eating.
Curious about the rest of the list? Perfect…hop on over to the Black Girls Eat website to download your copy.
The Recipe: Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins- An Exclusive
So today I decided to share a recipe that does not live at the Black Girls Eat website. Only newsletter subscribers will see this recipe. Blueberry Oatmeal muffins are easy to make and a great way to add some good fiber and nutrients to your diet. I love to make these because they are a perfect grab and go item.
Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Makes: 12 Muffins
Ingredients
1 cup milk or mylk
1 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (plant-based or traditional-melted but cool)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg (or substitute)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries (If they are frozen, reduce milk to 6 ounces.)
Instructions
Set your oven to 350. Put the oats and milk into a bowl and let sit for 20 minutes. That helps the oats puff up a bit. While you are waiting, add all dry ingredients to a bowl (Bowl A) and whisk the mixture (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt). In another bowl, (Bowl B) whisk the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla together. Pour Bowl B into Bowl A and then add your soaked oats and blueberries. Now that it’s all together, fold it slowly until everything is mixed well.
Line your muffin tin and fill them up. Set your timer for 15 minutes and check them out. If they are not done, put them back in for another few minutes. Remember, everyone’s oven is different! Enjoy!
Thanks so much for hanging out with me for a few minutes. I hope you enjoy your exclusive recipe. Don’t forget to follow me on IG and Tik Tok and if you make the muffins, definitely tag me!