Meatless May in Mallorca! Who is in?!
There is definitely a growing interest in plant-based eating. A great way to get your feet wet with plant-based eating is to try “Meatless May!”
Whole-food, Plant-Based
Meatless May will give you a taste of how easy it is to incorporate more plant-based meals into your life. My advice would be to make sure you take a whole food, plant-based approach, as it is so easy to fall into the trap of eating “plant-based” junk foods. Eating whole foods, plant-based means preparing and assembling meals from scratch using plant foods that are unrefined, unprocessed and as close to their natural state as possible.
Meatless May in Mallorca
Mallorca has so much to offer plant-based eaters. Meatless May enables you to learn more about the island in terms of where you can purchase your foods from, meet more likeminded people, and eat out easily with “planty” of options!
Plant-based eating in Mallorca also gives us the opportunity to make the most of the seasonal produce and bountiful locally produced ingredients we can use to make new meals. From trying new greens, fresh peas from the pod or fava beans to incorporating dandelion greens, fresh spinach, local watermelon, strawberries, or almonds, there’s so much to discover.
Here on Mallorca there are lots of great small farms that are supplying organic foods to the local organic markets. By buying from the local farmers we are supporting them and the island, rather than just using the large supermarkets that have such small organic sections. Plant-based eating also encourages us to eat seasonally, enjoying the fruits and vegetables that are sun ripened, in season and full of good nutrition rather than those that are shipped in from the other side of the world with no flavour having been picked unripe and shipped in refrigerated containers just to supply the supermarkets.
Conscious Living
Incorporating more plant-based meals is not a diet, it is a lifestyle. It’s a lifestyle that helps us become more in tune with our bodies and our surroundings and more aware of what we are feeding our bodies and where our food comes from. By becoming more conscious eaters, we can gain more knowledge of how our food is grown and where. We can become aware of what ‘organic’ means in terms of how European Governments rule on organic farming as opposed to what ‘organic’ means in America or Australia.
By eating plant-based, I believe we are aiming to give our bodies what they need to be as healthy as possible, to gain longevity and vitality. We are able to eat clean, nutrient-dense foods, that enable us to have more energy for life, give us quick recovery after exercising and in general give us a chance to be healthier overall.
Food for Thought
Coupled with incorporating more plant-strong meals into your life, I recommend drinking enough fluids and exercising, being mindful and thoughtful to not only yourself by engaging in meditation but also by being thoughtful of those around you.
Being more aware of our food makes us more conscious of the impact of our choices not only on our bodies and our health but also on this beautiful island we call home, on the environment and our planet.
You’re Not Alone!
As a plant based chef, I am available to help anyone out if you so wish to take on the challenge, if you would just like some help in transitioning to plant-based eating or if you would like some plant-based recipes or ideas to make at home or onboard.
Written by Polly Baptist
 |
About the authorWorking as a private yacht chef on racer cruiser sailing yachts for the past 25 plus years, Polly has seen a massive change in the industry and in the health of the crew on board! She has been a vegetarian chef since she started cooking and is now a plant based chef. She feels very strongly about food and its immense importance in our lives, and how our lifestyles dictate our health. Trained in plant based cuisine, nutrition and sports nutrition and she continues to study in these fields. Her training and experiences is as a private chef and she now also works counseling and teaching people how to have healthier lifestyles to gain health and longevity. |