Any plant based vegans? My steamer just died.

[leftyladyfrommo]

I steam everything I eat in it.

Any suggestions on what kind of new one to buy?

I don't think I want an Instant Pot. Too expensive and I don't need anything that fancy.

I do steam a lot if brown rice and all kinds of veggies

[htuttle]

1. Have you tried one of these?

They don't tend to break, and water takes about the same time to boil to steam no matter how you do it.

[leftyladyfrommo]

3. My stove died so all I have is a steamer. nt

[hlthe2b]

2. Lots of cheaper options, but I love my Instant Pot DUO-6in1 which Amazon offers frequently for

pretty amazing prices on their big events (I know I only paid about $65 for mine and I use it all the time). It let me sell my premium slow cooker too since I no longer needed it. I find it surprising how easy things are to cook in it. I make 2 gallons yogurt weekly. (I use dairy, but you can make yogurt out of nut or soy milks). I make all kinds of bean soups without having to soak them overnight and it is just the easiest way to hard boil eggs and have them almost shell themselves. (Guessing that isn't of interest to you, though, LOL) So steaming veggies in it would be a no brainer.

Of course, I have steamer inserts I use in the microwave. That works well too, but sometimes it is nice to have multiple things cooking at once.

[leftyladyfrommo]

5. I had an Aroma cooler that is kind of like an

Instant Pot but it isn't a pressure cooker. I used it all the time because I could also cook steel cut oatmeal. But it only lasted about a year and then just quit one day. Just up and died. I keep apples in it now.

I have been using a small Oster rice cooker. It worked amazingly well for such an inexpensive little gizmo. I used 2 or 3 times a day for at least a year.

But I want something that makes good brown rice that you can keep warm without it drying out. Tge rice was ok but it always stuck and if I tried to keep it warm it got really dry.

[hlthe2b]

7. well, admittedly I have had a lot of past purchase of appliances though I've tried to wean them down

I still have, still love, and still use my zojirushi rice cooker. They have a lot of models, different sizes, with different features (and prices, obviously). They all will do a nice job at steaming veggies too.

Mine I've had a long time, but it does GABA rice. That's a program that automatically long soaks rice (I use Brown Basmati) to partially germinate it which not only amplifies the rich nutty flavor but increases GABA which is a neurochemical that is naturally calming and overall healthy. And yes, it has a great stay warm feature that you can safely maintain for hours (at least)

Bed Bath & Beyond sells several models online, I think (20% off coupon?)

[leftyladyfrommo]

10. I saw some of those on Amazon. I think.

As long as I can do rice and veggies I will be fine. I eat starch based so I steam yams and sweet potatoes and white potatoes and brown rice. That's lunch along with fruit. Then dinner is a great big bowl of steamed veggies and fruit.

I am an awful cook. And I don't like to cook.

[hlthe2b]

12. Very healthy, but are you getting enough protein?

If you are unsure and want to analyze your diet (including recipes you can input), I highly recommend the (free) https://www.myfitnesspal.com.

. I've been using it for several years now because I keep pretty close track of protein, fiber, saturated fat and some of the micronutrients.

Protein is a challenge though as I really don't eat meat or poultry often at all and beans are not always enough. As you age, it becomes more important as we naturally lose muscle mass. Just a thought for you.

[leftyladyfrommo]

15. That is one if the big myths.

Veggies have lots of protein in them. Way more than you would ever need.

Check out Dr. Michael Klapper on YouTube. He is marvelous and he explains all of that way better than I ever could.

What you do have to watch out for is Vit. B12 and getting enough Omega 3. I use walnuts, chia seeds and flax seeds for that. But there is no plant source for B12. And you have to be careful to get enough zinc but there are good plant sources for that.

That's the reason I eat a scrambled egg once in a while.

[hlthe2b]

16. That is what I thought until I analzyed using this tool.

Do yourself a favor and analyze for yourself--you might be right, but it can't hurt to check, right?

Certainly, some vegetables and grains have more protein than others. But, I, sadly was losing muscle mass and before initiating a preventive light weight training program I was advised to verify that my protein intake was adequate. Even though I was eating more high protein foods at the time (or so I thought), I was not. It was eye-opening.

[leftyladyfrommo]

18. I am not a nutritionist.

I listened to hours of lectures by mds and nutritionists.

And they have differences of opinions but they all agreed that a plant based diet was the healthiest and the best for the planet. And I am so grossed out by the idea of slaughtering animals that I just can't eat any kind if meat any more.

My blood pressure us normal again. I am off all meds except for my PPI.

I accidentally took too much acetaminophen. Not too much in a day but I was taking it almost every day for arthritis. My liver almost failed. Doctors wanted to do prednisone. Long term effects of that are awful. So I started studying.

My liver symptoms are completely gone.

I feel like this is right for me. It might not be right for you.

[hlthe2b]

19. Not trying to supplant advice you are following and I certainly applaud the plant based diet.

I only mentioned the analytic tool because acquiring these metrics is amazingly easy and gives you the means to discuss with your physicians/health care providers. Just a little extra precaution and means to easily monitor yourself if you so choose.

To your good health!

[leftyladyfrommo]

20. You might ck out Joel Fuhrman on YouTube.

He is a board certified family practitioner. He is very strict. He was a skater on the World Skating team so he really know about what athletes need.

I can't stay as strict as he us. I hate leafy greens. I can't get them down. He is big on that.

[hlthe2b]

21. I love fresh greens--hate that they get recalled so much.

I will take a look.

[leftyladyfrommo]

22. I should add that I have no faith in the standard

Meducal machine. I only go in an emergency.

[in2herbs]

23. There's a product called Equinity which is only amino acids, which convert to protein.

Have been including this in my diet, my horses' diet, and my dogs' diet. The same amount of product for everyone and every animal. Have been observing any changes since starting and the "collie nose" that a lot of dogs get has disappeared on my dog. My long-term toe fungus disappeared. Takes about 90 days to really see changes. Available on Amazon or directly from mfgr.

[leftyladyfrommo]

24. Thank you. I will ck it out. nt

[leftyladyfrommo]

34. Ordered the DUO 7 in1. It was cheaper than the 6 in 1.

Looks like it might be just what I need.Thank you

[Harker]

4. You might be pleased

by a multi-level bamboo steamer.

Inexpensive at many Asian markets.

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. I don't have a stove.

I have been thinking about getting one if those hotplate that are fir sale now. They are a lot fancier than the old ones.

I live pretty simply. And I cook pretty simply.

[Harker]

8. Ah.

I should follow more closely.

A fifth burner might well get you by.

[UniteFightBack]

28. Can't live w/out my burners and extra wide toaster oven. nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. I don't mean to be a smart-ass, but aren't all vegans plant-based by definition?

[OriginalGeek]

11. I wondered that very same thing

but I did mean to be a smart-ass.

[leftyladyfrommo]

13. No. There is a lot of vegan junk food out there.

I don't eat any processed food if I can help it. But there is lots of processed food that qualifies as vegan.

I don't use any kind of oil. Lots if vegans cook with vegetable oil.

Plant based is a lot stricter. No processed food or sugar or oil.

Now, I do have a scrambled egg once on a while and maybe a splash if milk for my cereal. And that isn't vegan

You can eat pretty badly and still be vegan.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. OK, thanks for the info.

I'd always assumed that the only alternative to a plant-based diet (vegan) is meat-based (not vegan), or plastic-based or metal-based, which isn't food-based. I understand avoiding processed food and sugar, but I've always heard that we need some oil in our diets.

[leftyladyfrommo]

17. You need fat from good sources. But not oil.

Most oil us processed and it's saturated. That's what isn't good for you. But you can get plenty of good fats from nuts and seeds. I use a vegan butter called Miyokos Cultured Vegan Butter. It only has 8 grams if saturated fat and I just use it to flavor food. It is my one extravagance because it us expensive. The other vegan butter has 18 grams if saturated fat but it is much cheaper.

[mitch96]

25. "You need fat from good sources. But not oil."

don't forget avocado!!
As for the steamer, could you use a rice cooker?? Do you have a microwave? I "steam" my veggies in a microwave proof glass container and use good quality plastic wrap over the top..Works for me!!
I like being Whole Food plant based.. Tofurkey or any of that stuff tastes weird to me.. yuk..
Too much science to prove it's the most healthy way to eat. SOS will kill you.. Salt Oil Sugar.
m

[leftyladyfrommo]

26. I am allergic to avocado so I don't eat it.

But but is always listed as good fats and lots of good vitamins and stuff.

I don't have a microwave.

I do have a small crockpot so I can cook beans for hours. They are so good that way.

[mitch96]

27. Bummer, allergic to avocado

Love them little green bombs. I use them in a lot of different dishes where I need fats. I also use whole olives when I want some fat in a dish for mouth feel. I like to use the source of the fat to get the fiber into the meal like nuts not nut oil
You could pick up an inexpensive hot plate and a pot to use one of those aluminum steamers or the Chinese bamboo steamers. Just so long as the hot plate can boil water, your set..
m

[UTUSN]

29. This is probably too amateurish for you & you say no-micro - but it amazed me

I'm certainly not a vegan, but went on one of my periodic fads, this one triggered by a need to address cholesterol/triglicerides problems - the "fads" amounting to going shopping for a pretend seriousness about doing something.

So I only used it once. And I was seriously AMAZED: Only a couple of tablespoons of water in the bottom, and this plastic thing in the micro for a couple or four minutes and the vege things were COOKED!1 The brand is "Good Cook" and google shows it at Walmart and Amazon and such. I don't see how it could do rice, but did I say I was *AMAZED*!?1

[mitch96]

30. I just got this thing also.. pretty neat and works well.........nt

[UTUSN]

31. (Not talking steamer, here: ) Avocados, olives, nuts - you & I sound like mates!1

But I'm *way* not consistent, am only fringe healthy-eating. Red meat!1

[mitch96]

32. Anything that increases the veg to meat ratio is better for your health

That whole Mediterranean diet thing is a good place to start..
m

[lillypaddle]

33. Veggies do great in the microwave

don't add water beyond the water that's left after washing them.