six years ago, i quit eating carne asada, Sonoran hotdogs, In&Out burgers, and lots and lots of fried pork belly and transitioned towards eating a mostly plant-based diet full of colorful veggies, flavorful curries, and delicious quick meals.
this is a list of my ideas on how to transition and sustain a mostly plant-based diet.
- reevaluate your relationship with food. food is fuel. it should satiate you, energize you to allow you to fulfill your daily intentions, and should not be so cumbersome that you cannot sustain the healthy eating habits long-term. key point here is *sustainable. 2020 will start with many “resolutions” but what does that matter if those choices grow stale and don’t fully integrate into a lifestyle?
- breakfast – i try to minimize the decisions i must make in the mornings. breakfast is almost always the same. toast and peanut butter. it used to be toast, PB and jam. yes, i’ve minimized it by taking out the jam. sometimes i feel ambitious and make a bowl of oats with chia seed and almond milk – microwave it for 80-90 seconds, add maple syrup, cinnamon and dark chocolate chips.
- second breakfast – because who eats just one breakfast? this happens 2ish hours after breakfast numero uno. 2nd breakfast is a smoothie. again, minimize decisions – i make the same smoothie every time: spinach, frozen banana, 1/2 scoop protein powder, cinnamon, peanut butter, almond milk, frozen berries (if available). blend. enjoy.
- lunch – prepped on sundays and wednesdays. i double a recipe i find on mimimalistbaker.com (they have THE BEST curry recipes!) and it covers lunch for chris and i until wednesday, when the next meal prep happens. one of my staples: Easy 1-pot Massaman Curry
tofu, veggies, rice 
massaman curry
- dinner – is not an exciting meal time for me, mainly because my days are usually full of activity and by dinner time, i’d rather go out to eat. . typically it’s something quick and easy to throw together. stir fry a ton of broccoli with onion, corn, and carrots and add it to a bowl of ramen. daiya pasta with massaged kale salad (this meal literally takes 10 minutes to put together). breakfast foods.. etc.
ramen and veggies 
ramen and veggies 
daiya pasta and massaged kale salad
tip for a quick meal/meal prep: cook tofu or chickpeas or any canned bean – season with liquid aminos. cook whatever veggies you have on hand (onion, broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, mushrooms, etc.) season with coriander, cumin, and turmeric. serve with whatever grain you have on hand (rice, couscous, quinoa. etc.). bam. i cannot count the number of times i’ve thrown this combination together with difference spices and sauces. it makes an easy, nutritious lunch or dinner. i love it topped with nutritional yeast, sriracha, avocado and fresh cilantro.
roasted veggies on quinoa and kale 
beans, rice, and veggies
my outline may not be suitable for everyone but it’s worked for me for 6+ years because it’s simple, approachable thus allowing consistency, and flexible. i receive positive feedback from my body and mind which is part of the reward process that keeps me motivated to continue making these choices.
i hope that the new year (and new decade!) will bring you new colorful food experiences and especially, very flavorful, homemade curries!
lentils and rice 
roasted okra and broccoli 
veggie sushi 
roasted veggies on quinoa
lilyblooming 