A Plant-Based Journey – Incredible Health Farms, LLC

When deciding to go in the direction of a plant-based diet, there are many obstacles that come to mind:
How am I going to make the transition out of convenience foods?
It’s going to be so much more expensive!
How am I going to get my family to eat better?
What am I going to do when I’m around friends and family?
How do I answer all their questions?
How can I live without my favorite __________?

Now, we have already transitioned to a plant based lifestyle and we have already conquered all of these obstacles. We are on the other side and it is no longer a struggle to not eat certain foods. What we can bring to the table is 8 years of experience – experience that started out as a bitter and reluctant step in this direction. You can read our blog that we started back in 2012 where we lasted a pitiful 3 months. Afterwards we just kept watching the documentaries, we kept doing the research, we went to the conferences that taught us more and fed plant-based meals (as long as Cliff was able to get continuing education credit). Eventually it got easier. We found a local vegan pot luck and found a community of like minded people who were willing to share their goodies with us. As someone who did not really like vegetables, I quickly learned to try everything and if I didn’t like it, I would roast it. Everything was better roasted. Then I took a culinary course with Forks over Knives and learned many tools that I can still use today to impress people and help them see that we are not depriving ourselves. I have never been so excited about food. I LOVE food and what I love about eating this way is that I FEEL GREAT when I eat delicious food! Over time my tastes changed and eating a box of Kraft mac and cheese right now would not taste like food. It would not satisfy. I have no desire to go back.

So today, we eat simply. I love steaming up some veggies in a steamer pot while air frying a Japanese sweet potato that I mashed down into a patty. I throw some fruit on top and viola! A meal that fills me up and keeps me satisfied for hours. Dinners are as simple as beans and rice or quinoa with a sauce I blended up in the Vitamix. Maybe a veggie soup that I make to last most of the week filled with beans and serve it over a healthy grain. It doesn’t have to be hard. At first it usually is because you are trying to feel good about your new direction. And it’s fun trying out cool recipes from Minimalist Baker or Chocolate Covered Katie and they are my “go-to” when I’m trying to fix something specific or for a special occasion but simplicity is where the magic is at. Being satisfied with a meal you threw together in 10 minutes that fills you up, adds minimal fat and calories and is FULL OF NUTRIENTS! Nutrients that make you feel ALIVE and INCREDIBLE! I started a blog back in 2014, that I still post on, that is called Journey to Incredible Health. At the time this is what I was searching for:

“That “oneness” with your body that has nothing to do with body image disorder or a number on the scale. It’s a relationship of mutual respect where you commit to feeding your body what it needs and it, in turn gives you the power to do whatever you set your mind to. A healthy mind, a healthy body in sync and committed to each other. That’s what Incredible Health sounds like to me. I would like to see if I’m right.”

A plant-based diet gave me that. When I focused on my micronutrients (the vitamins and minerals in my food) the macronutrients (fat, protein and carbs) worked themselves out. We want to help others on their journey, however that looks. One on one counseling, cooking classes, meal preps, 21 day jumpstarts! Oh the fun we can have getting to incredible health!