5 Days Vegan
Sep 1st, 2009 by Meghan Telpner
For those of you who are new to my blog, allow me to introduce myself. The long story is here, and professional information here, but in short, I am a fully certified holistic nutritionist and natural nutrition coach. So basically, I have the education and experience to back up what I’m saying and to professionally coach you through this.
On this page, you will find links to all posts relating to this cleanse as well as the opportunity to sign up as full participant and download the 60+ page e-tutorial.
Just $12 CAD
The Basics
Essentially, only good can from adding more plant-based foods into our diet. There is not a single study out there that could argue that point. The challenge however is that so many people have forgotten (or maybe never knew) how easy and delicious these foods can be. The purpose of this 5 Day Vegan program is not to convert you to being 100% vegan. The idea and intention behind it was simply to ease a transition to healthier way of eating, to introduce you to new foods. I am simply attempting to open your eyes (stomach, taste buds and likely bowels) to a new way of eating, for a short time. You can than take what you like of it, leave what you don’t and still get the benefit. In most cases (I said most) doing something a little bit, is better than not doing it all.
What Does Vegan Mean?
A simple enough question with a great, big complicated answer. The official definition, as coined by The Vegan Society, founded by Donald Watson in 1944, goes like this:
“A way of living which excludes all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, the animal kingdom, and includes a reverence for life. It applies to the practice of living on the products of the plant kingdom to the exclusion of flesh, fish, fowl, eggs, honey, animal milk and its derivatives, and encourages the use of alternatives for all commodities derived wholly or in part from animals.”
So there you have it. We’re going to the pants!
The main difference between vegetarian and vegan is that for the most part, people who proclaim themselves a vegetarian tend to avoid the foods from the flesh of animals, things like beef, chicken, turkey etc. Vegetarians, however, sometimes make allowances for fish and most often will make allowances for non-flesh animal derived foods like dairy and eggs.
Vegan takes it a step further and avoid any and all animal derived foods and products.
Why 5 Days?
I chose five days as the length, because I believe this is highly manageable and doable. We could do anything for five days if we really want to. It’s not as long as a whole week and not as short as a weekend. Five days forces you to integrate some of the practices, some of the recipes and some of the rules into your everyday life. Five days means you have to either integrate a fully plant based diet into your week of work or even better into a few weekdays and the weekend. This means you will likely have to work out what to have for breakfast, how to navigate packing a lunch, and more than likely, at least on one occasion, see the challenges in ordering at a restaurant.
Does It Have To Be All Or Nothing?
No, no, no! Of course not! I am not trying to convert you to a lifetime of veganism. All any of us can ever do when we take on a challenge, and for some this will be more of a challenge than for others, is simply to do our best. But when I say ‘do our best’ I mean it. We have to do our best with integrity, not do our best but let all the excuses that spin through our brain get the better of us. The bottom line is that we always make time for what we put first. For this five days, how about putting this challenge near the top of that list, and maybe, just maybe, you can drag your partner, children, friends, coworkers and lovers along for the ride.
You just have to give it your best go.
Just $12 CAD
e-Tutorial Contents
Before You Begin
- What Does Vegan Mean?
- Why 5 Days?
- Does It Have To Be All Or Nothing?
- The Thing(s) About Meat
- Meat and The Planet
- Health Challenges Associated with High Meat Diets
- Health Benefits of High Veggie Diets
- What About Protein?
- A Moment On Soy
- The B12 Question
The Vegan Diet
- It’s Not All Birdseed
- Doing it gluten, sugar, potato, corn and soy-free
- The Vegan Proteins
- Whole Grains
- Lentils, Legumes, Beans
- Nuts and Seeds
- Vegetables and Fruits
- Sea Vegetables
- What Is Nutritional Yeast?
Time To Eat
- 5- Day Diet Meal Plan
- Recipes
- Shopping List
- Preparation Schedule
- Tips For Creating A Meal Plan / Shopping List
- Additional Recipes
Additional Resources
- Protein Chart
- Cooking Whole Grains
- Cooking Legumes
- Calcium and Dairy
- Sprouting 101
- Food and Mood Journal
- Vegan Whole Foods Shopping List
- Blank Meal Planning Template
Just $12 CAD
I would love to try the vegan cleanse. I have been thinking about becoming a vegan a lot lately so this could not come at a better time.
Hi Megan, I’ve done my first read-through of the e-tutorial, and I have some questions.
The Shopping List on pg. 36. Do I have to purchase every item? What is the significance of the yellow highlighting on some of the words?
With the three day weekend coming up, I was hoping to do some (most?) of the shopping, and some cooking/baking/freezing. The week of the Challenge is going to be busy for me, and although I’m attending your workshop on the 13th, I was hoping for a head start.
Am I overly keen? No, just excited about this new challenge.
Go for it Loren! Preparation is key! (As you will see on Sunday). The highlighted items (with numbers) refers to the items needed if you are going to be following the 5 day menu plan. You will notice in the “Additional Resources” section that there is also a blank shopping list and meal planning document that you can use if you want to plan your own. The shopping list (with the highlights) is really just a recommendation.
Just looking over my copy of the tutorial and I seem to be missing the recipes for thursday. Seems like it goes from wednesday to friday. Everything certainly looks delicious.
You are right!!! Good eye. I missed the recipe for the Kale Chili. Will be sending out a modified tutorial to all registrants. Thanks so much for catching that!
I am interested in trying this challenge, but have this question. I am on a pretty tight grocery budget, and I know my girlfriend or her daughter won’t be eating with me for those 5 days. My question is, approx what is the cost for the necessary items for the 5 day challenge?
That’s a tough question to answer- prices vary from store-to-store, city-to-city and country-to-country. Have a poke around at your local health food store and look at what you normally spend in 5 days- including any snacks and meals you have at restaurants. If you are accustomed to eating sustainable/organically raised meats and prepared foods, restaurants etc. then this will likely be an economical choice. If you are accustomed to eating heavily processed foods that are mostly subsidized by the government, this may cost more. I have found, however, when you learn to prepare your meals using whole ingredients with minimal processing, the added cost is in time, not money and the savings on health are immeasurable.
Hi Meghan!
I remember seeing your blog when HEABs did a book review of yours. I have autoimmune challenges and so your story resonated with me, I think I even commented.
Anyway, I just followed someone’s link to you here…just wanted to say hi
I also have 2 giveaways on my bloggie right now, stevia and chia seeds, just thought I’d letcha know
Hi Meghan,
I purchased the tutorial, but cannot download it. The message I get is “could not be opened, because the associated helper application does not exist” What am I supposed to do?
Cheers,
Andrea
That is very odd- Have emailed you a copy.
[...] vegan eating plan. I don’t normally feel so lost in my kitchen. So I went searching and found Meghan Telpner’s 5 Day Vegan Challenge. This is a complete plan with dietary info, meal plan and recipes. The challenge officially starts [...]
Hi Meghan,
I started the vegan challenge with you on Tuesday, and I’m loving it. Because I am doing this alone, I have TONS of leftovers. I was planning on starting the green cleanse with you tomorrow, but I simply must work through these leftovers before they spoil. So, my 5 days of vegan goodness will easily stretch to 10 or even 15, and then I’ll do the green cleanse.
The food is delicious, I don’t miss meat or dairy, and my body is MUCH happier. THANK YOU.
Barbara
Great to hear Barbara- but don’t forget, a lot of the recipes can easily be frozen and eaten later too. The falafel, buckwheat burgers, soups, dips and sauces even the grains!
I love it!!!! I have no “street smarts” when it comes to cooking. In the sweet potato burger recipe:
1) Kale–cut it? when to add it
2) sesame oil—where do the other 3T listed in the ingredients go?
Thank you for putting out such a great resource.
add the kale to the mix- don’t have the recipe in front of my but I think the rest of the oil gets brushed (dizzled) over the burgers to crisp the outside when baking.