Side Survival

“I skip to the ‘sides’ section of the menu and order three to six sides depending on whether I’m with my wife. We’ll get whatever is plant-based and healthy–carrots, potatoes, broccoli–and look for hidden sides on the menu, too. For example, we recently went to a restaurant and noticed that mushrooms accompanied the steak entree, so we asked the server to bring us a side of mushrooms. They were delicious!” —Shivam Joshi, MD, board-certified internal medicine physician at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and clinical assistant profession of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Ask the Chef

“I’ve found that chefs welcome the chance to be creative in the kitchen to accommodate my palate and dietary preferences. I simply ask the chef to come up with something that features whole plant foods, skips added oil or incorporates it sparingly, and doesn’t have any added salt. Across every cuisine, an absolutely delicious dish can be created with whole grains, gorgeous vegetables, plump beans or hearty legumes, and herbs and spices. I’m rarely disappointed.” —Michael Greger, MD, author of How Not to Die and The How Not to Die Cookbook

Call Ahead

“Calling ahead makes your evening more enjoyable. You won’t have to worry about trying to explain your preferences to the waiter and holding things up for the others you are dining with. When there are limited options, I order a salad with as many toppings as possible – avocado, nuts, seeds, quinoa, chickpeas, sweet potato. I aim to add a starch and a protein to make the salad a complete meal. If I know that the add-ons will be very limited, I bring my own nuts and seeds to sprinkle on.” —Brenda Davis, registered dietitian and nutritionist, speaker, and co-author of Plant-Powered Protein

Go Global

“Try dining at restaurants with global flavors. Mexican, Thai, Indian, and Chinese restaurants tend to have plant-forward menus with lots of interesting flavors. Before going, it’s always helpful to look at the menu to give you a sense of what’s available so that you can be comfortable asking for special requests–like asking for veggies steamed with water instead of oil and brown rice instead of white. You don’t want to be in panic mode when the server is taking orders!” —Chef Katie Simmons, plant-based personal chef and creator of Plants-Rule

Customize Items and BYO

“I look at the menu and see if I can find something to satisfy my hunger, then I’ll ask to customize it. For example, I’ll order a side of corn tortillas to dip into salsa instead of fried chips, or a burrito—hold the chicken, cheese, and sour cream, and instead prepare it with black beans, rice, pico de gallo, steamed kale, guacamole, and caramelized onion. Sometimes I bring what I want, like a side of finely diced kale and homemade 3-2-1 salad dressing (3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar + 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard + 1 Tbsp. maple syrup).” —Rip Esselstyn, host of PLANTSTRONG podcast and author of The Engine 2 Diet and Plant-Strong

Know Your Go-To’s in Every Cuisine

“If I go to an Asian restaurant, steamed vegetables and brown rice with a little soy or hot sauce is enough for a flavorful meal–and often you can find steamed tofu, edamame, vegetable sushi or fresh vegetable rolls wrapped in rice paper. New York-style delis usually have vegan soups like lentil or pasta fagioli. Steakhouses always have baked potatoes, steamed vegetables, and salads, ordering the dressing on the side. Even many Wendy’s carry baked potatoes and steamed broccoli.” —Chef Darshana Thacker Wendel, author of Forks Over Knives: Flavor! and lead recipe contributor to the New York Times bestseller The Forks Over Knives Plan

Keep It Simple

“My go-to order is salad, sweet potato fries, or rice and beans.” —Torre Washington, all-natural vegan bodybuilder and coach

Pros Share Their Favorite WFPB-Friendly Restaurants

Check out these restaurants and vegan dishes that have won over the hearts of even the most refined WFPB palates.

Handlebar in Chicago

“Handlebar in Chicago blew my mind when I first went vegan. I love their Black Bean Tostadas, Green Meanie Sandwich, and the Black Bean Maduro is out of this world. Plus, when you’re craving vegan cake or oatmeal cookie, their desserts are the perfect treat. It’s still one of the places I’ll take my non-vegan friends for an awesome meal.” —Chef Katie Simmons, plant-based personal chef and creator of Plants-Rule

Love.life in Los Angeles

“Love.life is a new Culver City restaurant with tons of delicious oil-free vegan dishes, including some salt-free, refined-sugar-free, and gluten-free options. It’s a must-visit for any WFPB eaters in the greater Los Angeles area.” —Courtney Davison, managing editor for Forks Over Knives

Star of Siam in Los Angeles

“Star of Siam in Los Angeles. They make vegan pho and we ask that they not put fried onions in it so that it is oil-free.” —Chef Darshana Thacker Wendel, author of Forks Over Knives: Flavor! and lead recipe contributor to the New York Times bestseller The Forks Over Knives Plan

Luanne’s Wild Ginger in New York City

“One of my favorite places to go after work in Manhattan is Luanne’s Wild Ginger on Broome Street in Little Italy. My favorite dish is the Malaysian Curry. It’s hearty, delicious, and healthy!” —Shivam Joshi, MD, board-certified internal medicine physician at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and clinical assistant profession of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Casa de Luz in Austin

“My favorite dining-out spot is Casa De Luz, a local macrobiotic community in Austin. I’ve been going to it since 1991. It has the cleanest SOS (sugar, oil, salt)-free plant-based food in the country, it’s affordable, and the ambience is second to none. Every meal starts with the soup of the day, followed by a salad plate and the main course, a combination of grains, beans, and vegetables, with fermented veggies and a spectacular array of sauces.”

—Rip Esselstyn, host of PLANTSTRONG podcast and author of The Engine 2 Diet and Plant-Strong

Araya’s Place in Seattle

“My all-time favorite is Araya’s Place in Seattle with its all-you-care-to-eat Thai buffet that is—are you ready?—all plant-based! What do I eat there? Everything. A favorite is tom yum soup packed with steamed broccoli.” —Michael Greger, MD, author of How Not to Die and The How Not to Die Cookbook

The post What WFPB Pros Order When Dining Out, Plus Restaurant Recs appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Pro Picks

Whole-food, plant-based pros share which products make their Costco memberships worth the spend.

Unsweetened Dried Cherries

“Costco has a great price for Cherry Bay Orchards No-Added-Sugar Dried Montmorency Cherries. They’re tasty in oatmeal, pancakes, and cookies or savory dishes like rice pilaf, rice salad, and whole grain bread stuffing. Or sprinkle them over some banana nice cream!” —Katie Simmons, Chicago-based personal chef and founder of Plants Rule

Salt-Free Seasoning

“Kirkland Signature Organic No-Salt 21 Spice Blend Seasoning is my go-to sodium-free seasoning. I like that it has strong aromatics, such as onion and garlic flakes. It has just a hint of Italian herbs, so I find that I can use it in many different cuisines without it making a dish taste distinctly Italian.” —Darshana Thacker Wendel, whole-food, plant-based chef and author of Forks Over Knives: Flavor!

Vitamin B12

“Costco has a few vegetarian-friendly B12 options, including Kirkland Signature B12 and Nature’s Bounty B12, and at least one is typically on sale.” —Cleodia Martinez, author of Ay Sus! Whole Food Plant-Based Global Filipino Cuisine

Guacamole

“Costco has individual containers of oil-free Kirkland Signature Organic Chunky Guacamole that they sell in bulk, so you can have a serving or two and then the rest doesn’t get brown. These are great with carrot sticks, baked chips, corn cakes, or rice cakes for a snack on the go.” —Matthew Lederman, MD, co-author of The Forks Over Knives Plan and co-founder of kinectin.com

Heat-and-Eat Rice Cups

“The Minsley Cooked Brown Rice microwavable cups are super expensive on Amazon and hard to find elsewhere, but they’re always cheap at Costco in LA. This one-ingredient wonder is great to keep at the office or take on a trip if you know you’ll have access to a microwave.” —Elizabeth Turner, editor in chief, Forks Over Knives

Salad Greens

“Costco is the only place to shop! It’s worth the price of a membership just for the Earthbound Farm Organic Power Greens, a blend of baby chard, baby spinach, and baby kale, which these days costs about $7 for 1.5 pounds. Baby greens are the most delicious, and I eat them in my daily huge salads.” —Chef AJ, culinary instructor and author of Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight and The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss

Dry Quinoa

“Costco sells quinoa for significantly cheaper than I’ve seen at other grocery stores, with 4.5-lb. bags of Kirkland Organic Quinoa for around $12.” —Del Sroufe, plant-based chef and author of Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook and The China Study Family Cookbook

Crackers

“I enjoy the whole grain and seed texture of Mary’s Gone Crackers Super Seed Crackers. They’re satisfying plain or with hummus or avocado.” —Melissa Mondala, MD, co-founder of Dr. Lifestyle

Pitted Dates

“The Made in Nature Organic Dates are a go-to. We use these plus walnuts to make delicious dessert truffles!” —Alona Pulde, MD, co-author of The Forks Over Knives Plan and co-founder of kinectin.com

More Vegan Costco Favorites

We also polled Forks Over Knives Facebook followers on their must-have vegan Costco products. These are the products that came up again and again.

Frozen Foods

• Flav-R-Pac Broccoli Florets
• Imperial Garden Organic Edamame
• Kirkland Signature Stir-Fry Vegetable Blend
• Kirkland Signature Three Berry Blend

Refrigerator

• Del Monte Organic Cubed Fresh Butternut Squash
• Earthbound Farm Organic Power Greens
• HouseFoods Organic Tofu
• Josie’s Organics Organic Baby Spinach
• Kirkland Signature Organic Chunky Guacamole

Nuts & Seeds

• Carrington Farms Organic Milled Flax Seeds
• Kirkland Signature Supreme Whole Almonds
• Kirkland Signature Whole Fancy Unsalted Cashews
• Nutiva Organic Black Chia Seeds
• Rodelle Toasted Sesame Seeds
• Yupik Organic Hulled Hemp Hearts

Whole Grains

• Bob’s Red Mill Quick-Cooking Steel-Cut Oats
• Dave’s Killer Bread
• Guerrero Corn Tortillas
• Lundberg Organic Short-Grain Brown Rice
• Minsley Cooked Brown Rice

Pantry Basics

• Heartland Dry Black Beans
• Kirkland Signature Creamy Almond Butter
• Kirkland Signature Organic No-Salt 21 Spice Blend Seasoning
• Kirkland Signature Organic Peanut Butter
• Kirkland Signature Organic Pure Maple Syrup (Grade A)
• Kirkland Signature Organic Quinoa
• Made in Nature Organic Dates
• Mary’s Gone Crackers Super Seed Crackers
• Organic Imagine Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth
• Volupta Organic Unsweetened Cacao Powder

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post Healthy Vegan Costco Finds: What Plant-Based Pros Buy at the Big Box Store appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Hash Browns

“My two favorite breakfasts are easy: oatmeal and hash browns. The great thing about both of these breakfasts is their versatility—by changing the toppings, I can have a completely different meal. Bananas, blueberries, a little brown sugar, and plant milk are my favorite toppings for my morning oatmeal. For hash browns, I cook them on a nonstick pan (no oil, of course) and enjoy them with fresh salsa I make with tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, and lime.” —Heather McDougall, CEO, The McDougall Program

Breakfast Beans

“I love breakfast beans. Chop half of a yellow onion and sauté it in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 strips of tempeh bacon and cook until brown, breaking them up a bit. Add ¾ cup vegetable broth, ½ cup tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and a 15-ounce can of beans (black, pinto, or kidney), rinsed and drained. Stir occasionally for 10 minutes and season to taste. Turn off the heat and let the beans thicken in the pot for about 15 minutes. Enjoy over toast or rice.” —Cleodia Martinez, author of Ay Sus!: Whole Food Plant-Based Global Filipino Cuisine.

Fruits & Applesauce

“If it’s just another day working from home, I usually eat fruit for breakfast, which is typically a couple of bananas; handfuls of raspberries, blueberries, or grapes; and some applesauce. Being vitamin-, mineral-, and antioxidant-rich, as well as energy- producing and hydrating, fruit is my preferred breakfast food to eat on its own or to add to another meal, like oats, potatoes, or cereal.” —Robert Cheeke, bodybuilder, founder of Vegan Bodybuilding, and coauthor of The Plant-Based Athlete

Overnight Oats

“I simply mix together a 1:2 ratio of oats to dairy-free milk with about a tablespoon of ground flaxseed (per serving) and let it sit overnight. In the morning, I add fresh, seasonal fruit.” —Ashley Madden, CHNC, B(Sc)Pharm, ACPR, author of The Plant-Based Cookbook

Avocado Toast

“You can never go wrong with avocado toast, in my opinion. An avocado has 5 grams of fiber, not to mention healthy fats, protein, and vitamins. Toast up some whole grain sourdough and put a drizzle of balsamic vinegar on it. Scoop some avocado onto the toast and mash it down. Add the toppings of your choice. For me, that’s garlic, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, a little sea salt, and black pepper. Many times, I’ll add a few slices of fresh heirloom tomato or a little mound of home-grown broccoli sprouts.” —Will Bulsiewicz, MD, MSCI, board-certified gastroenterologist and author of Fiber Fueled

Giant Smoothie

“My typical breakfast when I’m trying to maintain weight or during periods of normal training is a giant smoothie: 2 ripe bananas, 1 cup frozen mixed berries, 1 cup frozen mango, a big handful or two of baby kale, 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed, 2 tablespoons raw walnuts, and 2 to 3 cups water, depending on desired consistency. Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. This makes enough for one giant smoothie to sip all morning long, or two normal-size smoothies.” —Matt Frazier, ultrarunner, founder of No-Meat Athlete, and coauthor of The Plant-Based Athlete

The post Plant-Based Pros Share Their Favorite Quick Breakfasts appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Dr. Shivam Joshi: Classic Fruit and Nut Combo

“I keep it simple. My favorite go-to snacks are fruits or nuts. They’re nature’s prepackaged snacks—ready to go! I love berries, mandarin oranges, and bananas. I may eat two or three bananas for a single snack. I buy nuts, like cashews, walnuts, and almonds, that are roasted and unsalted, and I sometimes make my own trail mix.” —Shivam Joshi, MD, board-certified internal medicine physician at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and clinical assistant professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Chef Darshana Thacker: Plant-Based Bhel

“One of my favorite snacks is an adaptation of bhel, a crunchy-savory snack from my childhood in India. First you chop up or coarsely mash a steamed russet potato—it can be warm or cold, and I always keep some on hand. Chop up 1 medium tomato, 1 Persian cucumber, and 2 tablespoons onion or scallions. Crumble three brown rice cakes over the top. Add ¼ cup chopped cilantro, 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and a dash of your favorite hot sauce. Toss it like a salad and eat it right away, before the puffed rice gets soggy.” —Darshana Thacker, Forks Over Knives culinary projects manager and author of Forks Over Knives: Flavor! 

Cathy Fisher: Crunchy Roasted Garbanzo Beans

“Crunchy roasted garbanzo beans remind me of the Corn Nuts that I loved as a kid. Drain 3 cups canned or home-cooked garbanzo beans, and gently pat dry with a paper towel. Place in a bowl, add 2 teaspoons each of paprika and granulated onion and garlic, and lightly toss. Or flavor any way you like. (I sometimes use curry powder for a change of pace.) Roast on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 40 minutes at 375°F. Turn the oven off and leave garbanzos inside for an hour to fully crisp. Store in an airtight container.” —Cathy Fisher, author of the Straight Up Food cookbook and creator of straightupfood.com

Ashley Madden: Almond Butter and Fruit

“My easiest go-to snack is a tablespoon of almond butter smeared on a banana or an apple— nutritious, no cleanup, and great after a workout.” —Ashley Madden, BSc(Pharm), CHN, ACPR, author of The Plant-Based Cookbook and creator of riseshinecook.ca

Chef Katie Simmons: Cucumber Boats

“Perfect for picnics or entertaining guests, Cucumber Boats come together super quickly and have a great crunch. I’ll grab a pack of Persian cucumbers, cut them in half long-ways, and use a spoon to scoop out the center. Then fill with oil-free baba ghanoush (the Oasis brand is really good), or you can use oil-free hummus or guacamole. Top with some crunchy radish slices and a dash of smoked salt—so good! And if you don’t like the spicy bite of radish, you can substitute sliced mushrooms, sliced celery, or halved grape tomatoes.” —Katie Simmons, personal chef and creator of plants-rule.com

Heather McDougall: Baby Potatoes with Dipping Sauce

“I’ve been eating cooked baby potatoes as a healthy go-to snack since I was a little girl when my mom always had them in the fridge. When I was little, I preferred ketchup for dipping, but my favorites now are hummus, salsa, or Dijon mustard. I make dozens of potatoes at a time so I always have them available to snack on. Season with salt and pepper, a spice blend, or nothing at all. Boil 10 minutes, or roast or air-fry at 400ºF for about 20 minutes. They are delicious warm, room temperature, or cold.” —Heather McDougall, CEO of The McDougall Program in Santa Rosa, California

Chef Del Sroufe: Sweet Potato Hummus Pockets 

“Sweet potato hummus is filling and full of flavor, and if you keep baked sweet potatoes on hand, then the recipe comes together in less than 10 minutes. Serve in a whole grain pita with sprouts and cucumber or as a dip for carrots, celery, cucumber, and red bell pepper. In a food processor, puree until creamy 4 cups peeled cooked sweet potatoes, 4 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ cup tahini, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and, if desired, 1½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper. The sweetness of the potatoes makes you think you’re eating a dessert!” —Del Sroufe, plant-based chef and author of Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook and The China Study Family Cookbook

Dr. Columbus Batiste: Roasted Edamame

“I still have those moments of mindless snacking, but I’ve learned to replace chips and candy with healthier options. Apples and pears provide not only the crunch, but also the sweetness I received from candy. Roasted edamame provide the crunch and flavor I’m used to but are power-packed with nutrients: Mix edamame pods with ¼ cup nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon each paprika, onion powder, and chili powder. Bake at 375°F for 20 to 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.” —Columbus Batiste, MD, FACC, FSCAI, interventional cardiologist and medical director of Southern California Permanente Medical Group Regional Home Based Cardiac Rehab Program

Dreena Burton: Popcorn Trail Mix

“I developed this Popcorn Trail Mix for our girls to bring to school as a snack, so it doesn’t include nuts, but you can easily substitute nuts for the seeds if you like. In a large container (with an airtight lid), add 10 to 12 cups of air-popped popcorn and 2 cups of whole-grain cereal, such as oat-based O’s or wheat squares. Add ⅓ cup raw or roasted pumpkin seeds, ⅓ cup dried apple slices, ⅓ cup roasted garbanzo beans (Editor’s Note: see instructions below for roasting), ⅓ cup raisins, 2 tablespoons goji berries or dried cranberries, and 3 tablespoons dairy-free chocolate chips. Portion into baggies for lunches, and enjoy!”—From Plant-Powered Snacks by Dreena Burton, author of award-winning cookbook Dreena’s Kind Kitchen

Chef AJ: Air-Fried French Fries

“My favorite snack is air fries. Since I am a big fan of batch-cooking, I always have precooked potatoes and sweet potatoes on hand. I simply take one out from the fridge, cut it into wedges, and air-fry it at 400°F for 20 minutes. Super crunchy, filling, and satisfying!” —Chef AJ, culinary instructor, chef, professional speaker, and author of Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight 

Robby Barbaro: Lots of Fresh Fruits

“Growing up as a kid I used to love what I call ‘candy fruits’—strawberries covered in powdered sugar, mandarin oranges soaked in high fructose corn syrup. But now I’ve simplified my diet and discovered that natural, whole foods (like fruits) taste amazing all on their own! My go-to snack is portable fruit such as bananas, figs, grapes, cherries, blueberries, apples, raspberries, tangerines, blackberries, and strawberries—the list goes on! These are easy to find in just about any supermarket and don’t require preparation other than a quick wash and peel—not to mention they’re packed with water, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals to improve your metabolic health.” —Robby Barbaro, MPH, New York Times bestselling co-author of Mastering Diabetes

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post What Plant-Based Pros Like to Eat for Snacks appeared first on Forks Over Knives.