A Plan for More Plants – Flexitarian!

Egg Roll Bowls

If you believe that performance will suffer if you drop meat, eggs and dairy from your diet, check out the stories of vegan Olympic athletes featured in the bon appetit magazine article, “Going Green for the Gold, For These Olympic Athletes, a Plant-Based Diet Makes Them Feel Fitter, Faster and Stronger.” (1)

Despite these high-profile examples, only about four percent of Americans follow a 100% plant-based eating plan (2). Many more want to eat plant-strong with less restriction. One alternative is a Flexitarian diet.

Flexitarian is a combination of the words flexible and vegetarian. This eating style resonates with people who don’t want to give up any food group but seek the health, performance, animal welfare and/or the planet-friendly benefits of a plant-focused plate.

Plants form the bulk of a Flexitarian diet. Meat and poultry are eaten less often, and in smaller portions than typical. Dairy, eggs and seafood can fit. This flexibility means less fretting over what to eat when traveling, in social situations, and among family and friends (3,4,5).

Flexitarian eating is not new. Registered dietitian-nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner brought it into focus with her 2010 book, The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease and Add Years to Your Life (3). 

Research links plant-based eating to positive health outcomes. The Mediterranean diet, similar to Flexitarian, is backed by substantial research supporting its health benefits (6). For seven years it has ranked number one in the U.S. New & World Report evaluation of diets scored for nutritional adequacy, research-based evidence, and sustainability (7).

Flexitarian eating is not easy to study because it is defined differently. One review of 25 studies selected to meet specific health and Flexitarian-type dietary criteria concluded there was “emerging evidence suggestive of benefits for body weight, improved markers of metabolic health, blood pressure, and lower risk of type II diabetes.” (8)

In the 2024 U.S. News and World Report diet rankings (9) the Flexitarian diet ranked # 5 in the category “Best Diets Overall” and in the top 3 for:

• Best Plant-Based Diets
• Best Diabetes Diets
• Best Diets for Bone and Join Health 
• Best Diets for Healthy Eating
• Best Family-Friendly Diets
• Easiest Diets to Follow

If you want to try a Flexitarian diet, the U.S. News site suggests including 2 cups of plants at each meal and replacing animal products with plants for one meal each day. Plant-based proteins to sub for animal proteins include pulses (dry beans, lentils and peas), soy foods, nuts and seeds. To ensure success with this or any new eating plan, it’s wise to set aside time for meal planning when getting started (5).

For a more precise guide to Flexitarian eating, consider the following weekly food group targets (4):

• 13 ounces of meat, poultry, eggs (1 egg is equal to 1 ounce of meat)
• 8 ounces of fish
• 6 ounces of pulses (1/4 cup of lentils, dried beans and peas equals 1 ounce)  
• 8 ounces of soy (such as tofu or tempeh)  
• 7 ounces of nuts and/or seeds

If eating for a sustainable planet motivates you, check out another Flexitarian plan, the Planetary Health Diet (PHD), created by the 2019 EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems. The Commission brought together scientists from around the world to address how to feed 10 billion people a healthy diet by 2050 from a sustainable food system (5,10).

The PHD was designed to support the health of individuals around the globe with food that is environmentally sustainable, affordable, accessible, and culturally acceptable. Like a Flexitarian plan, it includes all food groups, albeit in small, more specific quantities.  

Here’s what one eats on a PHD diet. It is based on a person who needs 2,500 calorie/day so the amounts should be scaled up or down to fit individual calorie requirements.

Protein

• Fish or other sources of omega-3 fats several times per week or no more than 196 grams or about 7 ounces total/week.
• Poultry: 29 grams/ day (about 1 ounce). This equates to two 3 1/2-ounce servings of poultry each week.
• Eggs:13 grams/day. One egg is 50 grams, so this equates to about 2 eggs per week.
• Red Meat:14 grams/day (about ½ ounce). This equates to about one 3 ½ ounce serving per week.

Fruits and Veggies (Excluding Potatoes): 500 grams (about 1 pound) or at least 5 servings per day. (100-300 grams of fruit and 200-600 grams of vegetables.)

Nuts: At least 50 grams per day, about 1 3/4 ounce.

Legumes (dry beans, peas, lentils): 75 grams/day, about 2 ½ ounces.

Carbohydrates: 232 grams/day, about 8 ounces, mostly from whole grains with at least 50 grams, not quite 2 ounces, of tubers or starchy vegetables (including potatoes).

Dairy (optional): 250 to 500 grams/day (A cup of milk or yogurt is 250 grams).

Fats: 20-40 grams of unsaturated oils, mostly from plants and no more than 11.8 grams of saturated oils/day. One tablespoon of oil is about 14 grams.

Sweeteners: Less than 5% of total calories.

To get started with the PHD, check out the recipes and meal plans created by food writers at the Washington Post (11).  

This recipe for Egg Roll Bowls fit perfectly into a Flexitarian eating style. This recipe comes together quickly and most of the ingredients are probably already in your freezer or fridge. Several “protein” options are suggested. I tried a pea-based ground meat substitute, ground turkey, real eggs and a bean-based egg substitute JustEgg.   

Cabbage, an under-appreciate cruciferous vegetable, anchors the dish and mushrooms add an umami boost. It’s flexible – swap the listed veggies for what you have on hand. Don’t omit the addictive crispy strips made from almond tortillas or egg roll wrappers, and your favorite sauce for drizzling.

Egg Roll Bowls

Save time by using a coleslaw mix instead of the shredded cabbage and carrots.

Serves 4

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green part separated)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, grated

4 cups shredded cabbage

2 cups shredded carrots

1 cup frozen peas or shelled edamame

1 tablespoon soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos, more to taste

1 tablespoon dry sherry (optional)

Protein (Suggestions Below)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Ground white pepper, to taste

To Serve:

Warm, cooked brown rice

Crispy Wonton Strips or Almond Strips (Recipe below)

Sauce for Topping (See Sauce Ideas below)

1. Make Crunchy Egg Roll Strips or Almond Strips (Recipes below.)
2. In a wok or large, deep skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add white part of green onions, mushrooms, ginger, and garlic. Stir and cook until onion softens.  Add cabbage, carrots, peas, soy sauce, sherry and a Protein or two as suggested below. Stir until cabbage wilts but stays crunchy.
3. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil and ground white pepper. Add more soy sauce and other seasonings, as you like.
4. To serve, spoon warm rice into bowls. Top with cabbage mixture. Sprinkle with Egg Roll or Almond Strips, and drizzle with your favorite sauce.

Crunchy Egg Roll Strips: Heat oven to 350°F. Brush 4-6 egg roll (or wonton) wrappers into ¼-inch strips. Place in a bowl and toss with 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon vegetable oil. Spread on a baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until light golden and crisp.

Crunchy Almond Strips:  Cut almond tortillas into ¼-inch strips (no need to toss with oil). Spread on a baking sheet and bake as directed above for Egg Roll Strips.

Protein:

Egg: Lightly beat two or three eggs. After adding coleslaw mix in step 3, move vegetables to perimeter of pan and drizzle a little oil in center of pan. Add eggs and scramble. Once cooked, stir into vegetables.

Tofu, Tempeh, Meat or Seafood: Add one of the following proteins: cooked ground turkey or chicken (or plant-based ground “meat”), cubed, sauteed tofu or tempeh, or cooked shrimp along with cabbage.

Sauce Ideas:

• Chili crisp or sweet and sour sauce.
• Mix equal parts Sweet Chili Sauce or sriracha and mayonnaise.
• Mix soy sauce with rice vinegar, a little sugar and sesame oil, to taste.

References

1. bon appétit magazine, August 2024. P. 56-59.

2. Plant-Based Food Statistics. Strategic Market Research. https://www.strategicmarketresearch.com/blogs/plant-based-food-statistics

3. The Flexitarian Diet. The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease, and Add Years to Your Life: Blatner, Dawn Jackson: 9780071745796: Amazon.com: Books

4. Flexitarian Eating: Flexible Eating in Practice. Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND. Today’s Dietitian. Vol. 26 No. 3 P.10.  Flexitarian Eating: Flexible Eating in Practice – Today’s Dietitian Magazine (todaysdietitian.com)

5. Healthy People, Healthy Planet: A Flexitarian Approach to Sustainable Healthy Diets. Christine McCullum-Gomez, PhD, RDN, LD.  Today’s Dietitian Learning Library. https://www.todaysdietitian.com/pdf/courses/McCullumGomezFlexitarianCourse.pdf

6. Health Studies. Mediterranean Diet. Search Results | Oldways (oldwayspt.org)

7. U.S. News Reveals the 2024 Best Diets | Press Room | U.S. News (usnews.com)

8. Flexitarian Diets and Health: A Review of the Evidence-Based Literature. Emma J. Derbyshire. Frontiers in Nutrition. January 6, 2016.Flexitarian Diets and Health: A Review of the Evidence-Based Literature – PMC (nih.gov)

9. Flexitarian Diet: Reviews, Meal Plan, Food List & Tips (2024) (usnews.com)

10. Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. Prof Walter Willett, MDProf Johan Rockström, PhD, Brent Loken, PhD Marco Springmann, PhDProf Tim Lang, PhDSonja Vermeulen, PhD. January 16, 2019.  Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems – The Lancet

11. This new diet could help save the planet and your health. Here’s how it works. The Washington Post. Nicolás Rivero. September 24, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/09/24/health-diet-environment-lentils-legumes/?wpisrc=nl_sb_smartbrief&lrh=8f480cffc0c535a3358453cf68ebc0056f5c4fc0b7ad29bb44b6b8c2d356deeb&utm_campaign=2C5FF2EC-2736-4FC0-9968-00A78AB57148&utm_content=69CD5661-74CE-4AE5-89A9-83D4336DC64B

© 2024 Lorelle Del Matto