As the loving and gorgeous @heart-to-heart started a new competition to spread the plant-based word among the steemit community and far beyond, I happily join her mission to get more plants into your life too. If you are no stranger to my blog then you already know that I love to create and especially eat plant-based dishes.

Just as my lovely friend pointed out, I'm not here to tell you that you should become a vegan, who am I to take control over your world and life. The choice is entirely up to you. In fact, I still have my very occasionally cheat days too ;), and that's just fine as long as you feel happy about it. I don't like labels and I love our 99 percent plant-based life.

Through this wonderful initiative and my own blog I just want to share what has happened to our little family the moment we decided to eat more plants and steer clear of processed foods. And that brings me to my first point

How a plant-based lifestyle changed our life

A while ago I wrote a post titled: Weekly Shots or Veggies? Preventing and Reversing Autoimmune Disease with Food (Real Life Experience)

Though I'm not gonna repeat myself, I'll quickly give you the short version because it is important. Ever since I did a 4-year after work/weekend course about nutrition and holistic health my hubby and I have been on a mission to improve our health.

Though I have a few minor issues such as an inherited heart rhythm condition and high levels of cholesterol, my husband has an autoimmune disease that attacks its own nerves and brain. For many years he had to inject himself with sick making, super expensive substances to suppress his immune system.

Bite-by-bite I started to incorporate the things I learned and over the years his flare-ups reduced until the moment he decided to quit the medication to see what happens... this has been 3 years now and he hasn't felt better in his entire life. He hasn't had a flare-up for more than 5 years and no meds.... only healthy food and regular exercise.

I have my heart condition and cholesterol under control, something the doctors said I would need meds for... so it seems I just needed more veggies and fruits... just as my hubby.

Though we only recently started to eat a nearly 100% percent plant-based diet (I finally convinced my hubby through showing him 2 documentaries" "Eatlings" and "What The Health" ), before that we only added meat or fish to 2 to 3 meals a week.... and I must say we are thriving on this new type of diet. Not only are we helping planet earth and its beautiful creatures.... our body very much approves what we are doing too.

Today we both feel so good that we made it our mission to spread the vibe and help others to steer clear of their health issues without taking meds that only cure the symptoms and never the root cause.... because that's not profitable, right.

Keeping people sick and dependent on meds generates more money than curing people through the power of food. Sad world... but people like @heart-to-heart and so many other health conscious people in the lovely steemit community are doing a great job in providing true health to the people.

If you want to learn more about our progress and how veggies and fruits improved our health, read the article I shared above.

Is the vegan diet the best diet to protect your health?

I CAN NOT SAY YES to that because that would simply be a lie. I know some vegans and they are actually the most unhealthy people I know. Yes, they eat plants only but instead of eating fresh, whole foods they rely on the processed vegan crap they sell at grocery stores. Which is in essence just the same as the unhealthy tv-dinners or fast-food so many people in the west eat.

Vegan has become a trend... and with that poisonous vegan food entered the market.... but I'll talk more about that in the next edition.

This is what healthy vegan food looks like before it is chopped and/or cooked.... no boxes, cans, or other processed stuff.

But I promised to keep it short. Think I failed again... what can I say... FOOD AND HEALTH ARE ONE OF MY PASSIONS.... AND CATS!

For now I want to leave you with a recipe of one of my favorite vegan comfort dishes.... LASAGNA! Who said plant-based food taste bland? Try this recipe and I'm sure you will reform that statement. Ever since I started to cook plant-based meals the flavor of my dishes has gone up dramatically.... you just have to do some research and don't fall for the processed crap they sell in the supermarkets or fast-food restaurants....

Veggie Lasagna with "Cheesy" Cauliflower Sauce

Ingredients (serves 3)

6-8 lasagna noodle sheets
1/2-1 cup panko

For the veggie sauce

2 cups zucchini, chopped
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
3/4 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups tomatoes, chopped
3 cup shredded kale
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried oregano
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1/4-1/2-cup water

For the "cheesy" cauliflower sauce

1 cups unsalted raw cashews, soaked to reduce phytic acids
3 cups cauliflower florets
2 clove of garlic
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
2 cups vegetable stock
1 small lime, juice only
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

To make the tomato sauce, heat cooking oil over medium heat in a pot. Saute the onion for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly. When the onion starts to soften, add garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in the zucchini and bell pepper and cook for 1 minute more.
Then add the tomatoes, water, and herbs. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. last few minutes add kale and cook until wilted.
Meanwhile, cook the cauliflower, garlic, and cashews to make the cheesy sauce in vegetable stock until the cauliflower is tender. When ready, drain but keep the cooking liquid to make the cheesy sauce. Add the cooked cauliflower, cashews and garlic to a blender with all other cheesy sauce ingredients and blend using cooking liquid as needed to get a cheesy, creamy consistency.
Preheat oven to 200C or 400F.
Layering: 1/3 of the tomato sauce, then add a pasta layer topped with 1/2 of the cheese sauce. Add another 1/3 of the tomato sauce, pasta layer, the remaining tomato sauce followed by the remaining cheese sauce. To finish top with panko breadcrumbs.
Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Last few minutes turn on the grill and cook until nicely browned.