2 Friday, January 29, 2021 brooklintowncrier.com Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson From rare meat to oatmeal There was a time when I ate lots of meat: I liked my steaks and roasts very rare with the more blood, the better. My grandparents were cattle farmers so eating beef was a big deal in our family. I would never have imagined that one day I would have a plant-based diet. It wasn't something I ever considered until one day the thought "I should give up meat" popped into my head. It kept recurring which led to me signing up for a 21-day plant-based challenge. While on it, my energy soared and I loved how I felt. When the challenge ended, I decided to continue with the plant- based lifestyle. That was over 10 years ago. At the time, I didn't know a single vegan and so I quickly became an oddity in the family. In those days, I still bought leather and didn't think too much about animal welfare because my personal health was my primary motivator. As time passed, I had more reasons for not eating meat and soon stopped purchasing any products that used animal bi-products or were from the animal industry. Clothing items with leather and wool were the first to go. Today, when I discover something uses animal by-products, I give it up. I share this because my story has been a perfectly imperfect journey of change. If you're considering going plant- based, decide your reason for making the change: animal rights, environmental concerns, or health. Knowing why you've made the choice will keep you motivated when you doubt yourself. Then be comfortable with your decision. There are plenty of great resources both online and in cookbooks. I've found it fun to try new recipes and expand my eating horizons. For me, breakfast is the easiest meal to give up animal products. I generally switch between scrambled tofu, a smoothie, toast with peanut butter, and oatmeal for breakfast. Recently I've had oatmeal for breakfast every day. It may surprise you to know that it's a reasonably high protein breakfast. ½ cup of oatmeal- 2 grams of protein 2 tbsp hemp seeds - 6 grams of protein 1 tbsp ground flax seeds -2 grams of protein If you compare this with a large egg, which has 6.2 grams of protein, you can see how protein will add up in your diet. Don't worry about not getting enough complete protein since if you eat a wide variety of plant- based proteins, you will meet your required needs. If you want to try a super high protein breakfast, try this scrambled tofu recipe, one of my go-to meals. It's from "The Minimalist Baker" which can be found online at: https://minimalistbaker.com/ southwest-tofu-scramble/ Good luck on your journey to increasing your plant-based meals. Sheree's Hack: Double the tofu scramble recipe and use the leftovers for a burrito base. Our Brooklin Kids By Leanne Brown Dealing with it all Is this looking like it's going to be the longest winter ever? With the wonderful distractions of Christmas behind us, the lockdown feels especially difficult. It's like the moment in "Frozen" when Anna sets out to find her sister after she froze everything. We know we're going to be on this journey a while, and even though it hasn't quite been a year yet, the pandemic feels like it's been here much longer. I'm like a kid who's been grounded for a sibling's indiscretion. It's not my fault! But I'm stuck at home while others are out having fun and going to parties. I love to travel and my family usually plans several trips a year. Of course they've all been cancelled. Ironically, after being downsized, I actually now have the time to travel but can't go anywhere. I feel sorry for seniors like my parents who, in the winter of their lives, aren't able to live to the fullest. They can't spend time with children and grandchildren; their friends are getting sick, some dying alone; a trip to the grocery store seems a risk. If they feel ill, they won't go to a doctor out of fear and many just ignore symptoms for too long. Mostly though, I feel for the kids. With graduations, birthdays and activities cancelled, kids are losing huge parts of their childhood, which is so short. They've already missed out on summer camps, where they experience their first tastes of independence and sports, where they learn to win and lose, building lifelong friendships and memories. Our children have had to grow up quickly. Remote learning, normally reserved for specific high school situations, has forced even our youngest to be responsible for their own learning. They've adapted by wearing masks when they go out - without being asked. They see the media reports on infection rates and the death toll. They know it's serious and they ask questions when they notice others disregarding rules. And, while family time is wonderful, it just isn't the same as hanging with friends whom they miss. I wonder how these times will shape them and their future. Perhaps it will make them more resilient and resourceful. When things return to normal, they may appreciate those 7 am hockey practices and noisy birthday parties more. Some, however, may develop anxiety or other issues. Indeed, it's hard to know how they'll remember this period in their lives or the long-term effects on their development. While their mental health is a concern, it's also true that kids of every generation have had to cope with an historic crisis that's impacted them. Ours, too, will prevail. Yes, this is frustrating. Most of us won't see a vaccine until the summer. So we might as well hunker down and get through it. Winter is always long, but summer looms. At some point, like Anna' sister Elsa, we, too, will manage to get things under control. "Proud to be a Brooklinite" Founded in 2000 and published 24 times per year. Editor, Richard Bercuson 613-769-8629 • editorofbtc@gmail.com The Brooklin Town Crier is locally owned and operated and is a publication of Appletree Graphic Design Inc. We accept advertising in good faith but do not endorse advertisers nor advertisements. All editorial submissions are subject to editing. For advertising information, Email: mulcahy42@rogers.com Next Issue: Friday, February 12, 2021 Deadline: Friday, February 5, 2021 Publications dates subject to change during COVID-19 Pandemic