The most common question I get about plant-based diets is "but where can I get my protein?" When ditching meat or animal products all-together, it is important to get aquatinted with the array of plant-based proteins out there. While I dabbled with tofu and veggie burgers in my pre-vegan days, it wasn't until going fully plant-based that I discovered seitan, and so glad I did! Seitan is pretty abundant in the vegan culinary world, but is lesser known to the general public. So

This Mediterranean salad has become my go to. With the heat wave in Los Angeles, I've been craving cooler foods. This salad is refreshing yet satisfying. You can find all the ingredients at Trader Joe's. To build the salad, combine TJ's herb salad mix+Persian cucumbers+beets+kalamata olives+avocado+grape tomatoes+garbanzo beans+tahini sauce. I LOVE using TJ's tahini sauce as salad dressing. It is so rich and creamy and is a healthy choice since it has no added oil.

There are many reasons to go plant-based, from health promotion/disease prevention, to environmental protection, to animal welfare. Listed below are some great resources detailing the various benefits of adopting a plant-centered diet, including tools to support you on your journey. http://www.vrg.org/ The Vegetarian Resource Group hosts a fabulous site offering nutrition information from some of my RD colleagues, recipes, and a guide to veg friendly restaurants. http://www.c