Speaker 1: 0:00

Hey there, sunshine. Welcome to the Power On Plants podcast. We're your host, jared and Anita Roussell, and we're absolutely head over heels for whole plant foods and helping you navigate this incredible plant based journey. That's because our lives have been completely changed by plant based goodness. We used to struggle every day with excess pounds and low energy, vascular disease, joint pain and lack of sleep, just to name a few, and even though we're medical professionals, we still weren't getting practical answers that actually worked. So we dug into the research, we started living what we learned, and now we both have our lives back, and that's what we want for you, too. The truth is, you can do this, and it's not hard. You just need a way that will bring real and lasting change, and that path. It has to be simple and enjoyable, and it's got to be delicious too. So are you ready to live your life to the fullest? Then you're in the right place, because living without limits that's what Power On Plants is all about. So pull up your chair, grab a matchelite and let's get started. Sister, I get it. I know that when you're trying to get healthy and eat more fruits and vegetables, and you're clean eating during the week, you just want to be able to go out on the weekends like a normal person and dine out without feeling like the odd one at the table right. I get it, jared gets it. We have been there struggling through trying to figure out how do I eat out at a restaurant and still remain healthy and enjoy myself and not draw a lot of attention to my side of the table right. You don't want your friends rolling their eyes every time going. Here we go again. The truth is, there are some things you can do that are very simple, that will set you up for success, and today we're going to be sharing eight of the top strategies that are going to help you find success and enjoyment when dining out with your friends and family. Jared, do you remember those days?

Speaker 2: 2:01

I do.

Speaker 1: 2:02

What was it like for you?

Speaker 2: 2:05

Well, I mean it was a little difficult, but I'm kind of easy, go with the flow. I don't let too much stuff kind of get me stressed out. However, it was challenging. I will say it was challenging just because. Was it hard? No, it wasn't hard, it was just new, it was different and we had to figure out the ways to just make it easy, make it enjoyable and, like you said, not call attention to yourself because you don't want to be the odd person out, you want to go, you want to enjoy it, you don't want a lot of attention and actually I think if you do it right, you're going to get positive attention. People are going to be curious, thinking wow, that looks really good. I wish I had ordered that.

Speaker 1: 2:40

Yeah, I might try that next time that happens. That's the reality of being able to do this, but you said something there that I found very interesting. You said but you're easy and go with the flow, so it didn't bother you. So in case they don't know me very well yet, I want you to give them the inside scoop. Am I easy and go with the flow? When it comes to situations like that, be careful, tread lightly. He's got this worried. Look on his face like he's not sure. I feel like I'm walking into a trap here.

Speaker 2: 3:08

No, I don't think that you let that unravel you Right, you're not going to get into that mood. And I think when you get into that situation, you want to know ahead of time what you're going to do, because you don't want to sit there and just feel like what do I do? I don't know? I've not encountered this situation before and I really didn't think about it ahead. This has caught me off guard and then it kind of ruins the experience. Not that it completely just wrecks the evening, but you want it to be enjoyable, you want it to be stress free.

Speaker 1: 3:34

So what Jared is saying is if you're like me and you're not as easy and go with the flow laissez-faire as Jared can be, this podcast is going to be a great benefit to you because you're going to have a plan of how to tackle eating out and make it so simple. It doesn't feel like something that you have to tackle or that's difficult or that's a struggle or that you dread or that you just can't do anymore. Uh-oh, I just can't eat anymore because I'm clean eating now and I feel like crap Every time I go out. We're going to show you some ways today to navigate that so that you get the food that is less likely to make you feel bad, while still enjoying yourself and making the main thing, the main thing. What's the main thing? Well, we're going to get to that. So, step number one Please do not limit yourself to vegan only restaurants. Listen, you might find yourself dreading your friends telling you that they wanna go to XYZ restaurant whatever the name is because you know it's not vegan, or they don't have vegan or plant-based or clean eating options at that restaurant. But Jared and I want you to see and understand that you can take most any menu and make something that you can eat that will hold you over until you can get home, and in many cases, you can make something that's even better than the person next to you has. You're gonna enjoy it so much it's gonna blow your mind, and it does not have to be marked vegan on the menu either. I know this is gonna take a bit of a mindset shift because we think, oh, I can't dine out anymore. I'm not able to get this or that thing. They don't have that vegan thing on the menu. Well, it doesn't have to say vegan or vegetarian. These are the tips that are gonna help you navigate most any menu with success. Now there is the rare restaurant out there that may only have lettuce and tomato if you get some little hole in the wall burger joint or something. But I mean most burger places even now will have the grilled or marinated, the grilled or sauteed onions or bell peppers or mushrooms, because they're looking at making gourmet burgers, and so you can take those things and put them on top of a baked potato or rice or even just eat them. On the side. They have potatoes. They're making french fries. If they're not pre-cut, you can ask them can I just have a potato? Sometimes they'll have baked potatoes on the menu. Those are things you can do at a burger joint.

Speaker 2: 6:04

And here's what I want you to think of too. Restaurants are in the business of doing what?

Speaker 1: 6:09

Selling making money.

Speaker 2: 6:11

Feeding you, but making money. Making money because they won't survive if they don't make money.

Speaker 1: 6:14

Right, they want you to walk away happy.

Speaker 2: 6:17

Well, yes, but how do they make money?

Speaker 1: 6:19

By selling you, by selling you something.

Speaker 2: 6:21

So if you go in there and earnestly say, hey, I'm plant-based or vegan, however you wanna choose to tell them, and I'm trying to create something different than what you have on your menu, they would wanna help you out.

Speaker 1: 6:34

Absolutely. That's why they're there. They're there to serve you and make sure you have a good experience at their restaurant. Why? So you'll come back again. But I'm gonna go a step further and say don't make a fuss, sister, be discreet. The more discreet you are, the less attention you call to yourself by announcing hey, I'm vegan, hey, I'm plant-based. Can I get this? Can I get that? Does your server need to know that?

Speaker 2: 6:57

No, they don't, do, not really.

Speaker 1: 6:59

Do they even care?

Speaker 2: 7:00

No, they really don't, and they can figure it out by what you're ordering. Sometimes people have food allergies or they just may have certain things that they don't like An example might be cilantro so they want to make the substitutions to make you happy. So, like you said, that you'll come back and that you will continue to spend money at their restaurant.

Speaker 1: 7:17

So, remember, be discreet. Don't feel like you have to explain yourself or every single thing you can't eat and why you can't have it. So you can say things like you pick a certain meal they already have put together and you can just say I would like to have this meal. Just name whatever it is Like. I'm trying to think like the taco salad, whatever it is, I'd like to have the taco salad. But please hold that. And then say whatever you want them to hold. Please hold the ground beef and cheese and add the black beans and mushrooms instead. Okay, you just pick some things to pull off of it and pick some things to add to it and I'm gonna show you more of how to do that in just a minute. But you can start with just a basic recipe that's really close to something you'd want and don't say I can't have that, it has cheese. I can't have that because it has meat on it. No, you can leave that one or those two ingredients off that don't work well with you, that make you feel bad or that know that aren't just for your best, without making a big pronouncement or announcement about it. You just say I'd like to have this. Whatever the name is Hold the this and add this instead. Thank you, that's it. It really is just that simple. So step number two is don't make a fuss, be discreet. And that actually led us into step number three. Look for meals that you could easily tweak, with just one or two ingredients omitted and one or two added in their place. I'd like to substitute this in its place, since we're leaving that off. That's it. That's all you have to do. And number four I don't want you to feel limited by the menu at all. This is the great news here, sister you don't have to be limited by something that says vegan and only get that, or be limited by something that you see that just needs a two ingredient change. This is where you're gonna whip out your purse weapons Now, I'm not talking about a knife or anything that's gonna get you thrown in jail. All right, we don't want that for you, sister.

Speaker 2: 9:08

We're trying to help you live your best life. That is not your best life behind bars. We don't want that. Weapons might conjure a different imagery than a pen and paper.

Speaker 1: 9:17

These are your safe purse weapons that are gonna help you successfully navigate clean eating at any type of restaurant. So you're gonna have your pen and your paper there and look, don't have your eight by 10 big, whopping notebook that you're gonna pull out A big legal pad, eight and a half by 14. That's not gonna be discreet okay. That doesn't align with step number two here. So a little tiny pad or pen in your purse that you can just pull out and write on in your lap on the table. It doesn't really matter, they won't know what you're doing.

Speaker 2: 9:47

Or if you have limited room in your purse to pin on the situation. Most people have a smartphone with them, so then you could also use whatever note app that you have on your phone whatever your preference is.

Speaker 1: 9:58

Oh, that's genius.

Speaker 2: 10:00

Put that in there or maybe make some plans ahead of time. I love that idea People are just gonna think you're surfing social media, which just like everybody else does, right, which is sad yes, I mean we've got a no phone rule at the table.

Speaker 1: 10:13

Absolutely. Nobody even really brings them out anymore, they just know better. And then, you know, the kids even mentioned sometimes like oh, look, you know they're dining out with their grandparents or their parents, but they're not even talking to them.

Speaker 2: 10:25

It really is hard.

Speaker 1: 10:26

Everybody's just staring at the screen Right but you're not gonna stare at your screen during the meal. You're just going to brilliantly use your note app for a few seconds, or a pen and paper whichever you prefer, right, but I think the note app is more discreet. I like that. Jared, you're bringing it. So what you're gonna do is get whichever of these purse weapons is gonna work for you, okay, and then you can put your phone away when you're done with it, if that's the one you're using Now, I want you to look at the menu. We're gonna look at the menu and I'm gonna teach you how to do this, how to make the menu work for you.

Speaker 2: 10:58

Okay, look outside the menu.

Speaker 1: 11:01

Oh, that's good. Okay, so make the menu work for you, or think outside the menu. I want you to remember one of those things today. That's your big takeaway here, because it can work for you. It does not have to be hard. It really is just as simple. So you are not going to be limited by the menu. My friend, we're gonna quickly look over the menu while you have your note taking devices. Okay, you're gonna look over it and you're gonna see what ingredients they have in the kitchen. You are gonna super-sleuth their kitchen and figure out what is hiding back there. That is the goodness that's gonna bring happiness and joy to your face when you dig in. And then you're gonna simply use those ingredients to create your own delicious bowl or plate of plant-based joy. Remember, you want to add the stick to your ribs items. We're not just looking for lettuce here. I'm gonna walk you through how to easily do this. I'm not going through every item on this menu, but there are a lot of cheesecake factories in the United States, so I'm just gonna use this as an example. You can pull up the menu ahead of time. This is possible to do If you know where you're going.

Speaker 2: 12:12

It's online. Why not, right? I just done that here. That's a great example. It's a great example because they have a pretty extensive menu there. Oh my word, there's all kinds of ingredients that you can super sleuth.

Speaker 1: 12:23

Right. They actually do have two vegan menu items that are really good. I have tried the salad and it's not like the typical salad with just lettuce and tomato. It's so delicious. It's called the vegan cob salad. It's got lettuce and asparagus and avocado. Roasted beets, green beans, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, quinoa, farro. Those are two amazing grains that most restaurants may not have. You've hit the jackpot if you're at the Cheesecake Factory. Okay, almonds, pepitas, toasted. You know what pepitas are. Pumpkin seeds. Let me help you decode that. That's pumpkin seeds. They're delicious for you. They fight parasites. They give you essential vitamins and nutrients that you need.

Speaker 2: 13:02

You should be eating pumpkin seeds, and they're even good for brain health.

Speaker 1: 13:05

And you can make eggs with them too. Oh yeah, you heard me right, sister. You can make blender eggs in about 2.2 seconds when you know how to do it. It is unbelievable. But we're gonna get back to this menu. Let's say I don't want a salad, anita. Why do I always have to get the salad? We're gonna go to the other vegan menu item that they have, but first off, if you're sitting there, you're gonna type in to your Notes app lettuce, grilled asparagus, avocado beets, roasted beets, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, quinoa, farro, almonds, toasted pepitas or pumpkin seeds. Okay Then, oh my word, I just noticed they have tacos on their menu. Listen to this. They swap out too. You've got soft corn tortillas filled with mildly spicy chicken, cheese, tomatoes, avocado, onion, chipotle and cilantro, served with rice and beans. You could be golden here. I would just simply ask, without drawing attention do your beans have meat in them or lard Meat or lard meat or oil? You could ask that and they can find out very easily in the kitchen. You don't have to say I really need to know if your beans have meat or lard, because I have allergies and my joints hurt when I eat that and I don't eat meat. No, you're going to be discreet, right? Just do your beans have oil or meat in them? If they give you that I don't think so Say would you check on that for me please and let me know. Thank you so much, that's it, nothing more, and you go back to the conversation at the table.

Speaker 2: 14:31

It's no big deal. I know what you would say, going with just a little bit of confidence that this is just what you do Like, excuse me, do your beans have any lard or meat in them? No, okay.

Speaker 1: 14:41

Mm-hmm, I like that. That is awesome. We could even have black beans, because I see black beans on the menu. First of all, we're going to write that down on our list, but for the tacos, we can make black bean tacos here. They have black beans, tomatoes, avocado, onion, chipotle, cilantro and you've got rice and beans already on the side. You could add some rice to the taco.

Speaker 2: 15:03

Did I mention any corn?

Speaker 1: 15:04

No, but let me tell you something. Because corn is great on tacos oh let me tell you something Not only do they have fresh corn, they also have fresh corn on their menu, and you can look up anything you want to know online. It's searchable, okay, but you can sit there and peruse the menu and find out what else you could put on there. Sister, what would be good on your tacos in place of that meat? Did they have mushrooms? Well, yeah, because they got stuffed mushrooms on the menu. Could they grill you up some of those and some onions and some bell pepper and you could have, like a fajita on that corn tortilla? Yes, you could. Maybe they have fajitas on the menu already and you could just make a few substitutions. I don't see fajitas, but they do have the tacos, so you don't have to say, hey, can you make me fajitas, I want this and that. Just, I'm going to have the tacos. Please leave off the meat, or please omit the meat and the cheese and have them. Do a stir fry for me with no oil, made with onions and bell pepper and your mushrooms, please. I mean that's it. Or you could say and if they can't do that without oil, just have them grilling for me. That'd be great. I mean, it's that easy. Okay, you've just made yourself fajita. You can get it at the table. What are you going to spice that up with? They have salsa on the menu. They have avocado on the menu. They have no, they have Lime Girl. Get them to bring you. It's one of the best things you can put on a taco or a fajita. Get them to bring you a whole lime or lime wedges, and you just squeeze the lime over it. You will not believe how good this is. This is gonna be better than anything else anybody has at the table. But we're not done.

Speaker 2: 16:36

We're not done, but wait, there's more Right so what if you don't want the tacos?

Speaker 1: 16:41

You just wanna make a bowl? I want you to keep adding to that list that we started. Okay, so, from the tacos, right from this plate, you can add if we don't have it already on there. I can't remember what we have already, but avocado, tomato, onion, cilantro, rice beans, black beans okay, I mentioned that before. Not only do they have black beans, they have green beans. Have we mentioned that yet? I mean, you just keep going through the menu. You're not gonna believe what all they have on here All the fruits, all the vegetables. They've got carrots, cucumbers. There's a lot of stuff they don't even have on that cob salad. But if you want more stuff on it, you can pile that on there. But I'm telling you, I think they've done a pretty good job nailing that one. I'm really happy with the cob salad there. But if you don't like an ingredient, have it left off and put something else on instead. I see that they have pecans too. I mean, more nut choices is always amazing. Not only are they good for you, but did you know that if you add nuts to a meal, you can add calories and still lose weight? That's what the research shows. Okay, so you're not gonna go wrong with that. Do you see what we're doing here? I could keep going through this menu. I could look at the sides. Look at just a steak meal or a chicken meal. What are they serving on the side with it? What ingredients are in that thing? I saw that they had slaw, which probably means they have cabbage back there. Okay, so I could have some cabbage thrown into my salad if I want it crunchy. You won't believe what all you can come up with once you make that complete list. Just keep perusing over it and adding the ingredients to your list. Build yourself a bowl. Could you build a grain bowl, a nourish bowl here, with the quinoa, farro rice, the black beans, the corn, the cilantro, the salsa, the lime. If you don't want to use the salsa because you're scared, it's gonna have oil in it. Don't be scared. Come up with a different thing and remember the dressing that we make at the table. Right, the power dressing. All you have to do is order a side up balsamic and some mustard. Sister, you're in business because you don't have to get their greasy, oily dressings. Now let's say just, for example, we ordered that salad.

Speaker 2: 18:42

I actually even did that very thing last night. It was a little bit later. I hadn't eaten dinner. I was a little hungry, so I got some pre-chopped and washed lettuce ready, these little cherry tomatoes. I put some pine nuts chopped, a few slices of cucumber, put some of the balsamic little squeeze of mustard, mixed it all together. I also did some all-purpose seasoning, because you gotta have your spices.

Speaker 1: 19:04

Oh yeah, they're great for you, and it just tastes good.

Speaker 2: 19:06

Treat yourself, put the spices, put the herbs, make it good.

Speaker 1: 19:10

Even on yourself. It was a fantastic salad.

Speaker 2: 19:12

And it took me two minutes to put together.

Speaker 1: 19:14

I just gotta throw in there. Why don't we make salads and not put the herbs and spices on there? I mean, it just makes it taste amazing and gives you that nutritional boost as well, fresh or dried, both. Okay, now getting back to the topic at hand. Yeah, we do these things at home. We're not just telling you, oh yeah, do this when you're eating out because it's kind of a weird off thing. No, these are the types of things we do here. But we are going to talk about here in step five. One thing I've already started alluding to is that sauce. Okay, so you've ordered this meal, you put it all together, you've created this bowl that's gonna be better than anything else they have. All right, make sure that you put something in there that's gonna stick to your ribs, like avocado, beans, potatoes these are just some of the things. Nuts these are some of the things that we saw in their menu. Right, delicious items. Sprinkle the nuts over the top, put some avocado, put some carrots on there for color Also, think color, because it's gonna make a beautiful, beautiful dish. But number five we're gonna talk about another purse weapon, and that is a purse sauce. Yeah, sister, it's a real thing A purse sauce. I don't ever, ever, want you to forget this. This is a life changer. Okay, you can buy containers like condiment containers that you would have out at a picnic, a little silicone container that you might put your ketchup or mustard in if you were having a picnic or having people over family gathering or something right, well, and they even make little smaller ones that are three or four ounces in size.

Speaker 2: 20:40

So again, extremely discreet.

Speaker 1: 20:43

But let's talk about discrete. Is it going to be super discrete when you pull that sauce out of your purse, set it on the table and it's in a condiment container?

Speaker 2: 20:50

right, it will be if you say, look, is that a fire in the kitchen? Like, put it on there, like, oh no, it must have just been some headlights of a car that passed by.

Speaker 1: 20:59

Never mind, never mind, crazy Look.

Speaker 2: 21:01

You don't have to go to that extreme.

Speaker 1: 21:04

That is not discrete, okay, so let's get back to discrete, because that container you can do it, but it's not going to be super discrete. Whatever container you use, first I want to say please make sure it seals well, because we don't want a floating purse sauce. No, no, because we love our purses, sister, and you've got the one purse or two purses that bring you joy. If you've got a closet full of purses, that's another episode. But if you've got that purse you love, you certainly don't want to reach into your purse, into a pool of sauce. So make sure that container seals well. But here is my secret weapon Just pick a standard drink cap like a thermos type cap, one of the caps that keeps your things cool. What do you call them? What do you call those?

Speaker 2: 21:48

I, we say clean canteen because that's a brand that we have of ours, but there's some others, but they're the ones that are usually insulated and they're sold like a stainless steel, so you don't necessarily see inside of it. It just looks like you have a drink cup with you.

Speaker 1: 22:01

Right, so you're going to lay it on the table when you first get there, or you can pull it out of your purse when the food arrives, because people are going to be so busy with their food. They're not going to pay any attention to what you're doing, but you can lay it on the table like you brought a drink. You're going to order a drink anyway, probably, so they won't think anything about it. Okay, they just want. So when everybody else is busy with their food, you wait, everyone's food's been delivered, now you're all going to dig in. They're digging in, paying no attention to what you're doing. You're going to discreetly open that puppy up and pour across the five minute delicious dressing that you have in your purse. That is going to taste way better than anything they have on their menu, and you will not feel bad because your joints won't be aching tomorrow, you're not going to have low energy and be sluggish, and you will be so much more able to enjoy it, knowing that you're not going to have to pay tomorrow. It is a real thing. Now, this brings me to something that I've just got to talk about for a second, because sometimes our clients have mentioned to us that they feel like now that they're eating clean, that they're eating healthy and plant based and getting all these good foods especially when they go all in and they're feeling so much better, they're scared that somehow, by eating clean, they now feel bad when they go out to eat. So they've been eating well for a while. They eat clean during the week let's just use that for an example and then, on the weekends, you go out to eat a couple of times and you feel so bad. For the first few days of the next week you feel like, oh great, I didn't feel this bad before, when I wasn't eating clean. So somehow the clean eating, or the plant based, is causing me to be more sensitive to the quote regular foods, the standard American diet, which is absolutely not true. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. What's happening to you, sister? This is the end of this episode, but do not worry, we are not going to leave you hanging. You are getting a bonus episode this week. Inside the bonus episode, we're going to give you all the other actionable tips that you need, so you'll know exactly how to navigate, dining out and feel great afterwards while at the same time enjoying yourself at the table during the meal. You do not want to miss this exclusive episode. Keep your eyes out for it this week and we'll see you there.