Carleigh Bodrug grew up eating meat and potatoes, just like so many of us, with a diet she laughingly describes as “devoid of vegetables in general.” But in 2015, when she learned about the benefits of a plant-based diet and the link between eating red and <a href="https://healthylife7.com/can-you-slow-the-aging-process-study-reveals-which-interventions-might-help/” title=”Can you slow the aging process? Study reveals which interventions might help”>processed meat and cancer, she decided to give it a whirl—and she’s never looked back. Today, the mother of one is whipping up plant-forward recipes in her Ontario kitchen and sharing them with nearly 11 million followers on social media (@PlantYou) and in her cookbooks, including her latest, PlantYou Quickies (more on that later).
“I don’t expect anybody to go vegan or live that lifestyle,” Carleigh, our Woman’s World cover girl (get your copy here!), assures. “But I think we can all agree that we can all benefit from getting more plants on the plate.” For her, the shift has led to a radiant complexion, a flatter, less-bloated belly, a healthy weight she’s easily maintained for years and a happy gut after battling constipation for years. But it’s her delicious recipes that make eating more plants extra appealing. Vibrant, veggie-packed and downright mouthwatering, Carleigh’s dishes are quick, easy and affordable. Here, she shares her top tips for making healthy, flavorful meals—so good you’ll never miss the meat!
Look beyond protein
“Right now we hear so much about protein, and it’s important, but 95% of Americans don’t eat enough fiber,” says Carleigh. “And where is fiber? In plants.” Still, for those worried about getting enough protein, she says, “There are so many incredible sources of plant-based protein, like tofu, beans and lentils. There’s even protein in vegetables.” Need proof? Check out her Kale Caesar Pasta Salad with a whopping 21 grams of protein and packed with flavor! Her advice: “For a week, try shifting your focus from protein to fiber, then calculate how much protein you got.” Chances are, you’ll meet the recommended protein intake, she says.
Save money with pen and paper
“The average American tosses up to 40% of the food they buy,” says Carleigh. “If you think about reducing food waste, you could slash your grocery bill by 40%.” To do that, she suggests making an old-fashioned list. Think about what you’re actually going to want to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and make a grocery list from there. Then shop your fridge and pantry. What’s more, Carleigh says, “Plant-based food is far cheaper than animal products these days. So even if you’re doing Meatless Monday with lentil sloppy joes instead of pulled pork one day, you’ll save so much money.”
Take shortcuts
Don’t forget about store-bought time-savers! “As a society, we demonize pre-made foods when they can make things so much easier.” If the thought of making your own salad dressing feels like too much work, “Don’t make the homemade dressing!” says Carleigh. “Go buy a dressing with minimal ingredients if that’s going to help you get your vegetables in. I use store-bought sauces all the time. I love a good pre-made curry sauce.”
Get scrappy
Carleigh wrote a whole book (PlantYou Scrappy Cooking) on how to cook from food scraps, like radish tops, beet leaves, wilting greens and more, which you can use in salads, soups peso sauces and more. It’s a no-brainer way to save money and get more veggies in. “If you’re paying for broccoli by weight, you’re paying for the stem (the heaviest part) and throwing it out. But you can do so much with the stem, she says: Slice it into fries, blend it into a sauce, throw it in a stir-fry. Her top tip? When cooking, take your scraps—onion peels, garlic peels, the ends of a carrot—save them in a reusable plastic bag and pop it in your freezer. When it’s full, make her Scrappy Broth: “Add that full bag to a big pot, fill it up with water and add some spices: turmeric, salt, pepper, garlic… and let that simmer on the stove covered for a couple of hours, and you will have created a really great broth and given new life to your vegetable scraps.” And you can pickle anything, says Carleigh: broccoli stems, asparagus, carrots, onions, cucumbers. “Pickling is an awesome way to save veggies and give them new life.”
Don’t miss Carleigh’s new cookbook!
PlantYou Quickies, available September 29, is packed with plant-based versions of comfort-food classics like mac & cheese, butter chicken, pot roast and more. “If you’re somebody who is too busy or tired to spend an hour in the kitchen, I wrote this for you,” says Carleigh. “The recipes are whole-food, plant-based and healthy—but quick.”
Our favorite part (other than the mouthwatering recipes)? Each recipe, like the Bruschetta Summer Pasta she’s showcasing above (recipe in this week’s print issue), has a gorgeous photo and a “Plant Points” number, noting how many different plants it contains, making it easy to track your intake. And eating 30 plants a week has been shown to be optimal for your gut—advice Will Bulsiewicz, MD, has given to Woman’s World and to women looking to lose weight and get healthy.
