Moving on from 'Earthlings" movie to the simplest recipe I will ever share

I am doing a 2nd post, in the hope of taking my mind away from the trauma of watching 'Earthlings'.

If I think about the animals I get overwhelmed, distressed and so angry! If I think about what producing meat & dairy does to the planet the same thing happens.

So I try to be focused on the benefits to my body, my mind, your body & your mind, our emotional & spiritual well being & the way a whole plant food way of eating will make anyone feel better & be healthier. This does not mean I don't care about the animals, the planet etc. It means I keep my sanity & don't go round doing crazy things.... and I know that eating this way has positive effects for the animals & planet so I can rest easier.

However, to be honest, being a vegan, who is committed to a whole-plant food diet is not easy at times.

The reason is addiction.

Just like a smoker or drug addict the cravings for something that will kill you is sometimes overwhelming. I do well when I eat alone or with like-minded people. But when with others I can get weak-willed. The weird thing is each time I give in, I am so disappointed. The flavour & texture are not what I think they will be, the satisfaction is missing. The side effects of consuming the poisons of animal products are awful, pain in joints, head, foggy brain, upset digestion etc.

So I spend a lot of time & energy in creating recipes, adapting other peoples recipes, researching the effect of food on our bodies.

I love that with a few ingredients I can make something that is delicious, takes away the cravings, satisfies the taste, texture and dietary needs of my body & makes me feel good after I eat it.

Dr John McDougall has looked at what our human diet looked like in the past. He has found that "starches" are the common thread. Potatoes, rice, wheat, sweet potatoes etc. Most cultures then add other locally gathered  vegetables & fruit. As societies became more commercial, affluent etc more meat, fish, dairy was added & the more disease increased.

I was born in the mid 50's so I can remember meals that had potatoes had the biggest part of the plate, then veg fill most of the rest of the plate & a bit of meat taking up a small space. My husband's grandmother & my paternal grandfather were Irish & they grew up on mashed potatoes & gravy with some veg like cabbages or peas added. Meat was for Sunday, fish was for Friday & a slice of bacon was a treat for Saturday.

Somewhere, we got duped & put meat & dairy as the star & were told that was healthy, balanced eating. But with rising occurences of affluent diseases like heart disease, diabetes, glaucoma, arthritis it is obviously not the case.

So here is the simplest recipe you will ever get from me
Colcannon
Left over mashed potatoes
Left over veg - what ever you have
1 onion, sliced
Salt & pepper

Optional:
non dairy milk
nutritional yeast
Herbs
Steam-fried mushrooms

In a large frying pan put a tablespoon of water. Add sliced onion & steam-fry till translucent & just starting to brown. Add potatoes, add veg;  mix & stir. Heat through. Add salt & pepper .

You decide if you want smooth & creamy by adding non-dairy milk.
You can add nutritional yeast for a cheesy umami savouriness.
Add herbs for a different take.
I add steam-fried musrooms if I need a meatier texture. I like them piled on top
You can also continue cooking so parts of mix get brown & crispy more like bubble & squeak.

Simple. Filling. Tasty. Versatile.
Enjoy