Glenn is a retired luthier. Up until his retirement, Glenn has been the owner and operator at Coastal Guitarworks. Both Glenn and his wife, Viki, became vegan and adopted a plant-based diet at age 65 in September 2017.
What motivated you to move towards a plant-based diet?
Initially, the primary motivation came after watching a documentary called What the Health. As a result, my wife and I both resolved on the spot to never eat animal meat of any kind again. Secondarily, our motivation has been to promote better health. So it remains a two-fold objective with us. On the one hand, we observe a plant-based diet because being aware of the animal cruelty and exploitation prevalent in the livestock, dairy, poultry, and fishery industries, we can’t with good conscience keep supporting those industries by what we eat. Eating meat that comes from animals and livestock is an environmentally unsustainable paradigm for feeding humans. So on the one hand, we have a conscientious objection to eating meat and food produced from animals. On the other hand, we want to take better care of our bodies and minds, especially as we are aging. The nutritional value of plant protein far surpasses that of animal protein; the latter having been irrefutably linked to chronic disease in the Standard American Diet (SAD) and Western diet in general. While both of these objectives continue to motivate, the fact is we enjoy the taste of our food now more than when we ate animals, and we have no desire for the taste of meat, seafood, poultry, or dairy anymore.
What experiences did you encounter during and after you transitioned to a plant-based diet?
Going vegan and plant-based with our diet at our age was a pretty radical move. We had been meat eaters all of of lives, and we were diving into this new way of eating headfirst and fairly clueless. As far as challenges and things we had to figure out — grocery shopping became a challenge immediately. It also proved to be an opportunity to expand our thinking about food and supply chains. Prior to going vegan/plant-based not much thought was given to what we shopped for when buying groceries. We always shopped at Kroger – racking up those fuel points. Pretty much anything on the aisles and in the frozen foods, meat and dairy, and produce sections were going to end up in our cart. Always there were meat, milk, eggs, and cheeses. Looking back on it now, the way we used to eat was fairly mindless. As consumers we were not very “label conscious” or selective concerning what we bought, or how and with what ingredients it was made or where it came from in terms of provenance. The terms “certified Organic” and “non-GMO” on labeled products translated as “more expensive” and “unaffordable” vs commercial (conventional) products. Being newly retired and on a fixed income now we were still more committed to the bottom line than any other reason when it came to buying food. So the cost versus the actual quality of that food being put in our bodies usually determined what we bought. Going vegan changed all that. We weren’t just human garbage cans anymore. We had a cause and an objective now, so we resolved to be smarter about food – all food, not just the stuff we would now be eating on a plant-based diet.
We found many vegan and plant-based support groups on Facebook, and signed up for a few. Most were supportive, but a few have been off-putting. Through these groups we discovered plant-based recipes to try and share, as well as informative films and books to check out. Our grocery shopping experience became more like a field trip. We committed to be smarter, more selective about what we bought. We changed our maxim. The new rule now was: Organic and non-GMO certified foods first and if available, and plant-based only. The price is the price. We figured out right away that we needed to expand our tent pegs. Kroger alone was not going to provide a source for what we wanted to eat now. We now routinely shop at three different stores, Kroger being one of them, and we also acquire produce from the local farmer’s market near our home when it is open for the season. Grocery shopping is anything but mindless now, and I actually look forward to it.
We learned from our Facebook groups how a lot of people struggle initially with the transitioning process of going from a meat and dairy diet to one consisting of only plants and whole food. A lot of the struggle for newbies like us was just coming to terms with terminologies and labels — what is “vegetarian”, what is “vegan”, what is “WFPB”? Looking back on that period, I believe it is important to understand the differences between those terms and what their application in practice. But in my view it becomes more important to correctly understand what your body truly needs in order to promote and maintain optimum health, and to resolve to learn about that and apply that. What “label” I identify as is not really that important to me, and it is not solely why I am doing this. Neither my wife nor I had much of a transitioning phase. We jumped into this feet first and cold turkey. Once we saw the Holocaust scenario of the meat producing industries, meat was off the menu for good for both of us and for the rest of our days. So we didn’t really “transition” from the SAD diet to anything. We stopped eating food made from animals and started eating food made only from plants. Our bodies adjusted to the change without much drama, and since we were generally healthy to begin with and for our ages we don’t have any specific testimonials to offer about radical health improvements. That said, we are continually learning more as we go, and tweaking our diet in ways that we believe will help us maintain optimum health and hopefully a long life. Going plant-based has in no small way changed for the better our entire perspective on our lives and lifestyle, and our place in the kind of world we wish to live. The old saying, “You are what you eat” runs long and deep; our food being the common denominator that connects us with everything and everyone in our experience. What I am is “alive”. What I eat, I eat to live and to promote health and sustainable living everywhere.
As far as pleasant surprises or benefits, I actually enjoy grocery shopping now. That’s a surprise!
We prepare almost everything we eat now at home from organically grown whole food – and it costs less to feed us now than it did eating a SAD diet. That’s a surprise, and a benefit. It’s like getting a “bonus” for eating healthy food. Why wouldn’t you?
Plant-based food is delicious! What has surprised and amazed me is learning how many ways plant-based foods can be prepared — with full flavor and nutritional value. We don’t miss meat and dairy in our diet at all, and we eat everything we like to eat. In fact we eat like Royals, and our food tastes delicious.
(Left: Pasta Alfredo with vegan chick’n strips | Right: Hummus Pasta plate)
What are your favorite plant-based meals to prepare?
I’m an old Italian boy. My mom was “first generation”, so my brother and I grew up eating various Italian and Sicilian dishes from mom’s kitchen on a regular basis. She made her own sauce (“gravy”), and she made it from scratch, never used a written recipe, only what her grandmother – her “nonna” – taught her as a little girl. She often made her own pasta and Italian sausages, too. Mom’s recipe, like all Italian red sauces, started with a saute of chopped onion and garlic. She used fresh, whole, peeled tomatoes, tomato paste and sauce, with spices, to which she also added pork neck bones, meatballs and Italian sausage for flavor.
Though I have left meat-based dishes behind now, I really haven’t “given up” any of the food I like to eat. One of my favorite meals I like to prepare at home is still an authentic baked lasagna similar to my mom’s original recipe for sauce. Mine, however, is completely meat- and dairy-free while retaining the authentic great taste of mom’s original recipe. For the ricotta cheese, I prepare a cashew base mixed with garlic, lemon juice, spices, spinach, kale, sliced button mushrooms, and firm tofu. I’m not going to lie – it tastes delicious, and I think mom would be proud! There are many links available for making tofu ricotta. I have tried several and modified them along the way (check out Glenn’s favorite tofu ricotta recipe at the end of this blog).
Glenn’s plant-based lasagna with his favorite tofu ricotta cheese
I always make a family size portion of the lasagna. My wife and I eat our fill, pinch a little off for leftovers, then send the rest of it (about half the dish) to our meat-eating friends and family in Tupperware containers. They send the empty containers back and say, “More of this please!” This happens on a monthly basis now, and it is always rewarding to see them eating food they enjoy that is healthier for them than the meat-based counterpart they would usually have.
Another tofu dish we often make is tofu scramble, using black beans, fresh colorful veggies, and spices with firm tofu. This usually provides an ample portion for a breakfast scramble with plenty left over to have the next day for lunch or dinner as a wrap, with salad or greens.
My wife, Viki, found the following recipe for Lentil “Jambalaya.” It is easy to prepare, tastes great, and is super nutritious. If you are from Louisiana you may take exception to the word “Jambalaya”, but no matter. Call it what you like, it’s still a great dish to prepare, and one of our frequent favorites to serve and share with guests.
Viki also gets the credit for finding and preparing these two delicious recipes for Mock Tuna Salad and Hummus Spinach Pasta. Both of these dishes are filling and nutritious, and take less than 30 minutes to prepare. The Mock Tuna Salad is great for sandwiches and as a topper on leafy greens and chopped salads. We sometimes add Gardein brand meatless grilled “chicken” strips to the Hummus Spinach Pasta, too.
Glenn’s Favorite Tofu Ricotta Recipe:
TOFU RICOTTA CHEESE
For all pasta dishes made with ricotta. Many are asking for the recipe so I am posting that information here. The ricotta is made with firm tofu and a cashew base. If you have an allergy to certain nuts you can nix the cashews and double up the tofu. The cashews do not provide any flavor. They’re used only to provide a creamy texture for a cheese-like base. The marinara is “baker’s choice”. I generally use organically certified house brands from Whole Foods or Sprouts. I like to tweak the marinara with spices and a starter sauté. The sauté is always open for experimentation, but in general I’ll use minced garlic, chopped kale, chives, and mushrooms for a pasta dish with red sauce. I used to make make my own sauce (aka “gravy”) from scratch using a meat based family recipe. Since moving to a meatless “vegan” diet in 2017 I’ve just used high quality organically certified shelf brands for my sauces. I’m working on dialing in the flavors for my mom’s homemade sauce without using the meat. Stay tuned for that. This recipe works for any pasta dish requiring ricotta, such as: stuffed shells, lasagna, manicotti, ravioli, etc. I do not make my pasta. Too much fuss for me! I use only organic dairy-free pasta imported from Italy. I will not use American pasta. The original ricotta recipe was provided by Billie C. Watz with additions and revisions of my own.*
Veggie ricotta ingredients
1 1/2 cups soaked cashews
1/2 cup firm tofu
4 Tablespoons of lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup finely chopped spinach
handful chopped chives
handful fresh parsley finely chopped
* 1 tsp nutritional yeast
salt and pepper
Marinara of choice
Preparation
- Blend cashews, garlic, and lemon juice in blender with 1/4 cup water. Transfer to bowl then add remaining ingredients.
- Cook pasta al dente
- If making Stuffed Shells, fill the shells with ricotta and top with marinara. (For lasagna, do it how you normally do the layering for that dish.)
- Bake in oven 25 minutes uncovered at 350, *or until marinara is bubbling
- Add fresh basil and *Parmesan or *Romano when plated. (*Or use nondairy cheeses if going veg, vegan, or plant-based).
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RECIPE FOOTNOTE:
If you follow the strict recipe for the ricotta you will get a great result, but you may find the yield is too small for a large pasta dish like lasagna. Simply double the proportions for twice the yield. You can freeze the tofu ricotta that you don’t use. The lemon juice provides a natural preservative, so it will also keep in the refrigerator for several days.