Vegan Crispy Stir-Fried Tofu With Broccoli, Nutella Filled Hand Pies, and More…Really?

“Vegan Crispy Stir-Fried Tofu With Broccoli, Nutella Filled Hand Pies, and More” was the heading of an email I received today from a foodie-related email newsletter I seem to have inadvertently subscribed to.

Is it me, or is this beyond ridiculous?

I’m not making this up, even though the title may lead you to believe otherwise.

Why not throw in a little of several not-so-healthy (to say the least) things in order to create something obscene that will suit every possible craving someone might have- salty, sweet, crunchy, crispy- but not use any animal-based products in order to throw in that ‘Vegan’ preface to appeal to anyone who can then try to convince themselves that it ‘must be healthy if it’s vegan’.

Drives me completely nuts!  It’s hard to just shrug my shoulders and laugh it off because it’s really doing a huge disservice to anyone who might not be that familiar with how food works in the body and the reality of what is truly a good option to eat.

Of course, hopefully the references to ‘fried’ and ‘Nutella’ will alert everyone to the fact that this is not exactly food intended to nourish, but it’s offensive nonetheless.

While I am obviously a fan of True Paleo, and while my two years of being a die-hard vegan proved not to be the best fit for me, I know the lifestyle well enough to comment that when done properly, the vegan diet is rich in plant based foods and healthy fats from avocado, coconut and olive oil.

Just like with Paleo.

And also just like with Paleo, along with the use of each word, tagging it to highly refined, processed former-foods completely devoid of anything remotely healthy does not suddenly make something a good thing to put in your body.

Remember to always read between the lines (or the lines themselves, in this case) and stick to fresh, unprocessed as much as you can.

As far as those cravings are concerned, make sure you’re eating enough healthy fat and protein, and enough calories balanced out in terms of macro nutrients, all of which will lead to balanced blood sugar levels and a greatly reduced propensity to  reach for sugar, salt and junk  in general.

As I always say, a brownie is still a brownie even if it is gluten free, vegan and doesn’t contain grains!