Become A Vegan On A Real World Budget

STUDIO CITY (CBS) — Thinking of going vegan?

Author Victoria Moran visited the KCAL9 studios Tuesday to talk about her new book, Main Street Vegan.

Odds are, you already know the 'whys' when it comes to veganism. You've heard about President Clinton's dramatically improved health after adopting a plant-based diet, or Ellen DeGeneres' impassioned case against the horrors of factory farming. You've read headline after headline about studies suggesting a vegan diet is good for your heart, your skin, your mind, not to mention your waistline! There's no shortage of reasons that becoming a vegan is worth exploring.

It's the 'hows' that can seem so daunting, particularly for regular people who have considered or even started the process of becoming vegan, but who have to contend with real world budgets, schedules and families. Victoria Moran knows all about this; when she decided to become vegan almost thirty years ago, she was a new parent in the suburban Midwest, with nary a Whole Foods in sight.

In Main Street Vegan, Victoria and her daughter, Adair, a lifelong vegan, explain the surprising reason she made the transition despite numerous setbacks—and why others can too, no matter how small the budget, or the town. In short: while it is a major change, becoming a vegan isn't nearly as hard as it seems.

For more information on Main Street Vegan, check out the book online.

Cheapish Chili

Ingredients:

1 large onion

2to 3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pkg. Yves veggie ground round

Olive or coconut oil for sautéing

1 28-oz. can tomatoes

1 15-oz. can kidney beans

1 Tbls. cumin

2 tsp. chili powdr

¼ tsp cayenne

1 10-oz bag frozen corn

Salt to taste, optional

In large skillet, sauté onion in oil on medium-low heat until translucent. Then add chopped garlic and sauté one minute more. Remove onion and garlic with slotted spoon and set aside.

Then sauté the veggie ground round in olive oil. Return the onions and garlic to the skillet with the sautéed veggie-meat, and add the tomatoes, beans, and spices, stirring to mix. When they reach the simmering point, add frozen corn and stir to mix. Then cover skillet and let chili simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so and adding water or tomato juice if it needs more moisture. Add salt to taste, if you're using it,  at the end of cooking.