Gluten free and Vegan? (WHO scary research?!)

[krystannkaty]

On 6/22/2017 at 6:59 PM, KathleenH said:

Hello everyone! I haven't been on the forum in awhile hope everyone is doing well! After about almost 3 months of being gluten free I'm finally feeling quite a bit better. I have so much more energy and just a better outlook on life. I'd say my good days are finally outweighing the bad!  

So I had  question (I wasn't exactly sure which topic to classify it as though). Is anyone on here a vegan as well as being gluten free? I have been really getting into eating healthy and working out and I've been watching many documentaries on food. Almost all the ones I've watched say a plant based diet is really the best route to go. So I had been thinking about going Vegan since about March I'd say, I for the most part, am almost a vegetarian (meat is like an occasion). After watching another health/food documentary last night called "What the Health?" on netflix it really made me want to go vegan. In the doc. they explain how the WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION did research and actually classifies processed meat as a "GROUP 1 CARCINOGEN" right next to CIGARETTES!!! They also explain all the cancer, diabetes, and heart disease risks that go along with animal products and how genetics only really play a role about 5% of the time. Now believe me I go into these shows open minded but skeptical since I know there's a lot of bias information out there but this documentary really blew me away. I have a decent background in science (having a bs in animal science pre-vet studies) and everything they say makes scientific sense (to me at least). 

How would one go about even being vegan if there is so many grains we cant have? Is there anyone out there thats done this? 

Thanks in advance! 

I am vegan and i love eating vegan! However, I just discovered that I am gluten intolerant.  I was having a hard time dealing with that news as I have  gotten really suited into my vegan diet and a lot of my foods contain gluten.  I was thinking that maybe Id have tp give up my lifestyle and return to eating fish but after researching came back to my original conclusion on fish.  Healthy fish are super healthy for us but given the level of contamination in our waters, as i see it, even fish are no longer healthy.  The reason so many people are becoming gluten intolerant is because the way the agriculture industry has changed the grains.  Our wheat contains 3 times the amount gluten as the original grain.  It saddens me that I can no longer enjoy the comforting foods i have always loved but I am feeling more determined after reading all that I did today and I have found some fabulous lists of what I cannot eat and even what I CAN eat.  The internet is a mighty great tool when used wisely.  Youtube is great at helping with foods, like the "what I eat in a day" videos, people love sharing that stuff and I love watching and getting new ideas.  Best wishes to you!

[emma6]

10 hours ago, krystannkaty said:

I am vegan and i love eating vegan! However, I just discovered that I am gluten intolerant.  I was having a hard time dealing with that news as I have  gotten really suited into my vegan diet and a lot of my foods contain gluten.

hey krstannkaty did you get tested and rule out celiac disease before going gluten free?  if not now is your best opportunity to since you've only been gluten free for a week. most people find it very hard to do a gluten challenge to be tested months or years later.

there definetely alot of great vegan and gluten free options, being vegetarian the hardest part for me would have to be being able to get enough protein, iron, calcium etc especially for people with malabsorbion and vitamin deficencies. if i didn't take supplements and eat cheese and eggs there no way i would be getting enough protein right now. just monitor everything really closely to make sure you are getting enough nutrition and not becoming deficient over time.

have you tried jackfruit? i've been reading alot of of jackfruit vegan/gluten-free recipes of pinterest, i just have to find it first.

[Ennis-TX]

9 minutes ago, emma6 said:

hey krstannkaty did you get tested and rule out celiac disease before going gluten free?  if not now is your best opportunity to since you've only been gluten free for a week. most people find it very hard to do a gluten challenge to be tested months or years later.

there definetely alot of great vegan and gluten free options, being vegetarian the hardest part for me would have to be being able to get enough protein, iron, calcium etc especially for people with malabsorbion and vitamin deficencies. if i didn't take supplements and eat cheese and eggs there no way i would be getting enough protein right now. just monitor everything really closely to make sure you are getting enough nutrition and not becoming deficient over time.

have you tried jackfruit? i've been reading alot of of jackfruit vegan/gluten-free recipes of pinterest, i just have to find it first.

Vegan protein powders are used daily by most vegans for protein supplementation. Pea and pumpkin are high in iron, magnesium, and zinc. Blends works best like Nutra Key-V pro, MRM Veggie Elite, and Jarrow Plant protein blends.

Open Original Shared Link

^ Meat alternative using Pea Protein, I love the beefy crumbles as they have the texture and flavor of ground beef. Low carb and good for ketogenic diets. MUCH easier to digest then actual beef while having the same amount of protein and less fat. Also most of their products are soy free.

Jackfruit as mentioned is good, 2 brands I would suggest sticking to with various textures. Try Uptons, it has a tougher texture and comes preseasoned, giving it a rough chop and cooking improves both. Naked Jack Fruit company has a unsalted plain soft version in bulk 30oz bags. I buy these for under $10 each on lucky vitamin. Chop them up, and mix in a sauce like BBQ, enchilada, barbacoa, etc. and then portion into 1qt freezer bags for later use. Then I have seasoned meat like product with the texture of slow roasted pulled pork. Loved coating some in coconut secret teriyaki sauce, stuff gets thrown into stir fry often. Even have a bunch in a red pepper marinara sauce I throw over noodles sometimes. If you chop it into BBQ sauce.....OMG identical to a pulled pork dish, I serve it to my meat loving friends and family and none notice.

I am a book of food knowledge and a mad scientist in the kitchen lol. I am great at creating dishes to meet all kinds of dietary needs and helps me with side chef jobs.

[Victoria1234]

11 hours ago, krystannkaty said:

I am vegan and i love eating vegan! However, I just discovered that I am gluten intolerant.  I was having a hard time dealing with that news as I have  gotten really suited into my vegan diet and a lot of my foods contain gluten.  I was thinking that maybe Id have tp give up my lifestyle and return to eating fish but after researching came back to my original conclusion on fish.  Healthy fish are super healthy for us but given the level of contamination in our waters, as i see it, even fish are no longer healthy.  The reason so many people are becoming gluten intolerant is because the way the agriculture industry has changed the grains.  Our wheat contains 3 times the amount gluten as the original grain.  It saddens me that I can no longer enjoy the comforting foods i have always loved but I am feeling more determined after reading all that I did today and I have found some fabulous lists of what I cannot eat and even what I CAN eat.  The internet is a mighty great tool when used wisely.  Youtube is great at helping with foods, like the "what I eat in a day" videos, people love sharing that stuff and I love watching and getting new ideas.  Best wishes to you!

I agree with emma6. Did you get the full panel of celiac blood work done? If not, run to the doc and get your blood drawn. 

[krystannkaty]

39 minutes ago, emma6 said:

hey krstannkaty did you get tested and rule out celiac disease before going gluten free?  if not now is your best opportunity to since you've only been gluten free for a week. most people find it very hard to do a gluten challenge to be tested months or years later.

there definetely alot of great vegan and gluten free options, being vegetarian the hardest part for me would have to be being able to get enough protein, iron, calcium etc especially for people with malabsorbion and vitamin deficencies. if i didn't take supplements and eat cheese and eggs there no way i would be getting enough protein right now. just monitor everything really closely to make sure you are getting enough nutrition and not becoming deficient over time.

have you tried jackfruit? i've been reading alot of of jackfruit vegan/gluten-free recipes of pinterest, i just have to find it first.

Good morning y'all!  Thank you all so much for your responses!!!  This is too cool, being able to relate with others and get advice.  However, I do not have insurance, and no more cash to spend on this right now.  I have read that I should have gotten the testing done before quitting gluten but i had stop immediately because I was getting full body rashes, i have nodules running along the muscles in my arms and legs(which is what brought me in to see my dr), had wide spread pain all over my body, and have been in a depression (which i kept myself thinking i was being weak and just needed to keep trying to 'get over' it, though I had no idea what i was depressed over!! I never told the dr that either)  2 different drs told me they thought i may have a gluten intolerance and to cut it out to see what happens and by day 2 i woke up and the pain had drastically decreased.  I am not going to say I am all happy go lucky again but i can say that I feel lighter in some ways and more optimistic, I am looking forward to more positive changes.  On another note, I am quite worried about my daughter who tested positive for a wheat allergy 2 years ago.  She is also allergic to eggs and dairy.  She visits her father every week and he does not take the allergies seriously and that gives me anxiety because i do not want my daughter going through any of this.  The children have insurance so I am thinking I should have more testing done on them.  Also, yes I have tried jackfruit but only pre-made, ill need to give it a shot on mown but unlike you, the kitchen intimidates me!! I wish i had a chef friend to teach me all the wonders of plant based foods!!  I have researched like a mad woman about the best vegan diets and have obsessed over how to feed myself and my family the most well rounded diet possible.  Ironically I am getting what I always wanted which was to be a fresh eating, plant based vegan, I just wasnt ready yet, not sure I would have ever been ready so in some strange way this is helping me get to my ultimate goal.  Also worry about what happens if there are times when i must eat gluten?!  I have consumed it unknowingly twice last week and has itchy rash patches and major stomach discomfort immediately, thats how i came to find out that fast food restaurants often put flour on the fries and I also ate an organic oat cereal that i always eat and had the same reaction.  I welcome any advice for you experienced people!!  Thanks again and have a great day x

[Victoria1234]

1 hour ago, krystannkaty said:

Good morning y'all!  Thank you all so much for your responses!!!  This is too cool, being able to relate with others and get advice.  However, I do not have insurance, and no more cash to spend on this right now.  I have read that I should have gotten the testing done before quitting gluten but i had stop immediately because I was getting full body rashes, i have nodules running along the muscles in my arms and legs(which is what brought me in to see my dr), had wide spread pain all over my body, and have been in a depression (which i kept myself thinking i was being weak and just needed to keep trying to 'get over' it, though I had no idea what i was depressed over!! I never told the dr that either)  2 different drs told me they thought i may have a gluten intolerance and to cut it out to see what happens and by day 2 i woke up and the pain had drastically decreased.  I am not going to say I am all happy go lucky again but i can say that I feel lighter in some ways and more optimistic, I am looking forward to more positive changes.  On another note, I am quite worried about my daughter who tested positive for a wheat allergy 2 years ago.  She is also allergic to eggs and dairy.  She visits her father every week and he does not take the allergies seriously and that gives me anxiety because i do not want my daughter going through any of this.  The children have insurance so I am thinking I should have more testing done on them.  Also, yes I have tried jackfruit but only pre-made, ill need to give it a shot on mown but unlike you, the kitchen intimidates me!! I wish i had a chef friend to teach me all the wonders of plant based foods!!  I have researched like a mad woman about the best vegan diets and have obsessed over how to feed myself and my family the most well rounded diet possible.  Ironically I am getting what I always wanted which was to be a fresh eating, plant based vegan, I just wasnt ready yet, not sure I would have ever been ready so in some strange way this is helping me get to my ultimate goal.  Also worry about what happens if there are times when i must eat gluten?!  I have consumed it unknowingly twice last week and has itchy rash patches and major stomach discomfort immediately, thats how i came to find out that fast food restaurants often put flour on the fries and I also ate an organic oat cereal that i always eat and had the same reaction.  I welcome any advice for you experienced people!!  Thanks again and have a great day x

Stay away from all oats, even gluten-free labeled oats.

[krystannkaty]

2 hours ago, Ennis_TX said:

Vegan protein powders are used daily by most vegans for protein supplementation. Pea and pumpkin are high in iron, magnesium, and zinc. Blends works best like Nutra Key-V pro, MRM Veggie Elite, and Jarrow Plant protein blends.

Open Original Shared Link

^ Meat alternative using Pea Protein, I love the beefy crumbles as they have the texture and flavor of ground beef. Low carb and good for ketogenic diets. MUCH easier to digest then actual beef while having the same amount of protein and less fat. Also most of their products are soy free.

Jackfruit as mentioned is good, 2 brands I would suggest sticking to with various textures. Try Uptons, it has a tougher texture and comes preseasoned, giving it a rough chop and cooking improves both. Naked Jack Fruit company has a unsalted plain soft version in bulk 30oz bags. I buy these for under $10 each on lucky vitamin. Chop them up, and mix in a sauce like BBQ, enchilada, barbacoa, etc. and then portion into 1qt freezer bags for later use. Then I have seasoned meat like product with the texture of slow roasted pulled pork. Loved coating some in coconut secret teriyaki sauce, stuff gets thrown into stir fry often. Even have a bunch in a red pepper marinara sauce I throw over noodles sometimes. If you chop it into BBQ sauce.....OMG identical to a pulled pork dish, I serve it to my meat loving friends and family and none notice.

I am a book of food knowledge and a mad scientist in the kitchen lol. I am great at creating dishes to meet all kinds of dietary needs and helps me with side chef jobs.

I have beyond beef crumbles but was afraid to use them! good to know they are gluten free, i guess i should've checked into it but i was a bit overwhelmed with everything.  I went through my pantry yesterday and separated gluten containing foods from the other foods. 

[Ennis-TX]

45 minutes ago, krystannkaty said:

I have beyond beef crumbles but was afraid to use them! good to know they are gluten free, i guess i should've checked into it but i was a bit overwhelmed with everything.  I went through my pantry yesterday and separated gluten containing foods from the other foods. 

Probably go ahead and throw all gluten foods away, same with used condiment jars, tubaweare containers etc. Make sure clean our your drawers of all crumbs, get utensil organizers or liners in there to "Just Be sure" clean out and wipe down everything, get a new gluten-free dedicated toaster and pots and pans if yours have scratches which could harbor gluten.

Yeah I just made miracle noodle spaghetti with a hemp cheese sauce and homemade pasta sauces combination with beefy crumbles and a bit of my homemade hemp Parmesan and red pepper flakes. Had it it with a side of my vegan cheesy garlic bread. And almond butter cookies for desert.

[emma6]

15 hours ago, Ennis_TX said:

Vegan protein powders are used daily by most vegans for protein supplementation. Pea and pumpkin are high in iron, magnesium, and zinc. Blends works best like Nutra Key-V pro, MRM Veggie Elite, and Jarrow Plant protein blends.

Open Original Shared Link

^ Meat alternative using Pea Protein, I love the beefy crumbles as they have the texture and flavor of ground beef. Low carb and good for ketogenic diets. MUCH easier to digest then actual beef while having the same amount of protein and less fat. Also most of their products are soy free.

Jackfruit as mentioned is good, 2 brands I would suggest sticking to with various textures. Try Uptons, it has a tougher texture and comes preseasoned, giving it a rough chop and cooking improves both. Naked Jack Fruit company has a unsalted plain soft version in bulk 30oz bags. I buy these for under $10 each on lucky vitamin. Chop them up, and mix in a sauce like BBQ, enchilada, barbacoa, etc. and then portion into 1qt freezer bags for later use. Then I have seasoned meat like product with the texture of slow roasted pulled pork. Loved coating some in coconut secret teriyaki sauce, stuff gets thrown into stir fry often. Even have a bunch in a red pepper marinara sauce I throw over noodles sometimes. If you chop it into BBQ sauce.....OMG identical to a pulled pork dish, I serve it to my meat loving friends and family and none notice.

I am a book of food knowledge and a mad scientist in the kitchen lol. I am great at creating dishes to meet all kinds of dietary needs and helps me with side chef jobs.

awesome thank you so much! im not in the us so i can't find those particular brands, are they "young green jackfruit in brine" is that the right type? im asuming the ones in syrup would be too sweet.

those ideas sound great i didn't even think about using it in a stir fry. i actually just bought some bbq sauce as well. freezing it is a really good idea. mad scientist cooking is the best haha i love recipes that are unexpected

[Ennis-TX]

5 hours ago, emma6 said:

awesome thank you so much! im not in the us so i can't find those particular brands, are they "young green jackfruit in brine" is that the right type? im asuming the ones in syrup would be too sweet.

those ideas sound great i didn't even think about using it in a stir fry. i actually just bought some bbq sauce as well. freezing it is a really good idea. mad scientist cooking is the best haha i love recipes that are unexpected

The ones stored in brine in cans are going to be mushy and very very salty. NOT good for cooking. The brands I mentioned can be purchases internationally on Amazon. Luckyvitamin used to ship internationally also.

[emma6]

20 hours ago, krystannkaty said:

Good morning y'all!  Thank you all so much for your responses!!!  This is too cool, being able to relate with others and get advice.  However, I do not have insurance, and no more cash to spend on this right now.  I have read that I should have gotten the testing done before quitting gluten but i had stop immediately because I was getting full body rashes, i have nodules running along the muscles in my arms and legs(which is what brought me in to see my dr), had wide spread pain all over my body, and have been in a depression (which i kept myself thinking i was being weak and just needed to keep trying to 'get over' it, though I had no idea what i was depressed over!! I never told the dr that either)  2 different drs told me they thought i may have a gluten intolerance and to cut it out to see what happens and by day 2 i woke up and the pain had drastically decreased.  I am not going to say I am all happy go lucky again but i can say that I feel lighter in some ways and more optimistic, I am looking forward to more positive changes.  On another note, I am quite worried about my daughter who tested positive for a wheat allergy 2 years ago.  She is also allergic to eggs and dairy.  She visits her father every week and he does not take the allergies seriously and that gives me anxiety because i do not want my daughter going through any of this.  The children have insurance so I am thinking I should have more testing done on them.  Also, yes I have tried jackfruit but only pre-made, ill need to give it a shot on mown but unlike you, the kitchen intimidates me!! I wish i had a chef friend to teach me all the wonders of plant based foods!!  I have researched like a mad woman about the best vegan diets and have obsessed over how to feed myself and my family the most well rounded diet possible.  Ironically I am getting what I always wanted which was to be a fresh eating, plant based vegan, I just wasnt ready yet, not sure I would have ever been ready so in some strange way this is helping me get to my ultimate goal.  Also worry about what happens if there are times when i must eat gluten?!  I have consumed it unknowingly twice last week and has itchy rash patches and major stomach discomfort immediately, thats how i came to find out that fast food restaurants often put flour on the fries and I also ate an organic oat cereal that i always eat and had the same reaction.  I welcome any advice for you experienced people!!  Thanks again and have a great day x

im sorry you havn't been able to access the blood tests but im really glad your rash has made such a great improvement in just a week thats amazing hopefully you will continue to improve even more

i believe there are home testing kits if you really want to pursue it but i dont know how accurate that would be and getting a negative results wouldn't rule out celiac.

 i dont understand how some people think allergies are a joke. thats so annoying, i guess it depends how servere her allergic reactions are whether you need to take further steps to avoid them completely.

most of us have to be extremely careful if we choose to eat out to avoid cross contamination, there shouldn't be any situations where you have to eat gluten, it can be avoided, make sure you check all ingredients even on foods you think would be safe.

[Gemini]

On 7/3/2017 at 10:40 AM, Victoria1234 said:

Stay away from all oats, even gluten-free labeled oats.

Certified gluten-free oats are safe, Victoria!  If you are diagnosed with Celiac and try them for the first time and have problems, then wait and re-try in a few months. But many people can tolerate them just fine, including me.  It is so different with everyone.  I did not wait a year to try them, either, and my gut was totally trashed at diagnosis. Funny enough, I never had any problems with them from the beginning but I ate a lot of oats before diagnosis.

[Victoria1234]

31 minutes ago, Gemini said:

Certified gluten-free oats are safe, Victoria!  If you are diagnosed with Celiac and try them for the first time and have problems, then wait and re-try in a few months. But many people can tolerate them just fine, including me.  It is so different with everyone.  I did not wait a year to try them, either, and my gut was totally trashed at diagnosis. Funny enough, I never had any problems with them from the beginning but I ate a lot of oats before diagnosis.

Oh, ok. I tried them when I first found them about 2 years after being gluten-free and they brought back the dh. I had read here it also bothers a lot of people when they are first diagnosed. Maybe I misunderstood? Sorry. Was just trying to help a noob.

[cyclinglady]

14 minutes ago, Victoria1234 said:

Oh, ok. I tried them when I first found them about 2 years after being gluten-free and they brought back the dh. I had read here it also bothers a lot of people when they are first diagnosed. Maybe I misunderstood? Sorry. Was just trying to help a noob.

Victoria, I think your advice is sound.  It is much easier for Newbies to avoid oats until they experience some symptom improvement and then test (and that could be months or a year).      Oats are still controversial.  Sure, "gluten free" oats that have been grown and manufactured under a purity protocol system may be fine for most celiacs (but not all), but  many manufacturers of gluten-free products (e.g. Cereal bars, granola) are using mechanically sorted oats.  There have been many complaints about mechanically  sorted  oats from celiacs.  You can learn more about this here:

Open Original Shared Link

Oats that should be safe are listed here.  

Open Original Shared Link

My advice is that if you are going to test oats (you might be one of the unlucky celiacs who can NEVER eat oats), test using the purest oats that are not mechanically sorted.  If I had DH, I would err on the side of caution.  

Folks with celiac disease or NCGI, each have their own sets of intolerances and other issues.  One may be more sensitive than the other.  We each have to find our own way.

Gemini is lucky!  She avoids glutenings.  Man, I need to take her to Las Vegas or buy lottery tickets with her!  ?

[Victoria1234]

3 minutes ago, cyclinglady said:

Victoria, I think your advice is sound.  It is much easier for Newbies to avoid oats until they experience some symptom improvement and then test (and that could be months or a year).      Oats are still controversial.  Sure, "gluten free" oats that have been grown and manufactured under a purity protocol system may be fine for most celiacs (but not all), but  many manufacturers of gluten-free products (e.g. Cereal bars, granola) are using mechanically sorted oats.  There have been many complaints about mechanically  sorted  oats from celiacs.  You can learn more about this here:

Open Original Shared Link

Oats that should be safe are listed here.  

Open Original Shared Link

My advice is that if you are going to test oats (you might be one of the unlucky celiacs who can NEVER eat oats), test using the purest oats that are not mechanically sorted.  If I had DH, I would err on the side of caution.  

Folks with celiac disease or NCGI, each have their own sets of intolerances and other issues.  One may be more sensitive than the other.  We each have to find our own way.

Gemini is lucky!  She avoids glutenings.  Man, I need to take her to Las Vegas or buy lottery tickets with her!  ?

Thanks. I still can't look at oats without itching my elbows....

[Gemini]

47 minutes ago, Victoria1234 said:

Oh, ok. I tried them when I first found them about 2 years after being gluten-free and they brought back the dh. I had read here it also bothers a lot of people when they are first diagnosed. Maybe I misunderstood? Sorry. Was just trying to help a noob.

If you have skin issues with Celiac like DH, then they may not work for you at all.  It doesn't take much to make DH come back...people seem to be very sensitive to many things when they have DH.  You had a negative reaction so I can't blame you for staying away from oats.

I just wanted to point out that certified oats work for many and not everyone needs to wait forever to try them, either. I was about 6 months into the diet and was healing well so decided to try them out and thankfully, they agree with me because I love them.

[Gemini]

18 minutes ago, cyclinglady said:

Gemini is lucky!  She avoids glutenings.  Man, I need to take her to Las Vegas or buy lottery tickets with her!  ?

Oh, no.......oats are what I am lucky with, not lottery tickets. Never get more than 1 number.

You know, after 12 years gluten free, most people should not be getting glutened even occasionally, if you are strict and don't take chances. I can't be the only one. I generally don't eat out much at all but when I indulge, I frequent the same 2-3 places that are owned by people with Celiac or have it in their family. I never eat at fast food places, ever.  When I buy baked goods or carbs, it is always from dedicated places. I never use a shared bakery. A few simple steps I stick with and it has worked really well for me. But the only other food intolerance I have is with dairy. I can do dairy lite but not big hits.  That has never gotten better but I can live with that. I'd rather have the oats than dairy.

I live with the fact that some people think I am crazy. I get weird looks because I turn food down most of the time even though people think it is safe, I don't eat food at weddings and bring my own, even though I have other people in my family who have Celiac, I don't eat what they eat because they are careless and that is what makes it hard for me. People don't understand how small amounts of gluten make us all so sick. I have started to liken it to a peanut allergy without the anaplylaxis. They get that but not the gluten thing. I am a thin Celiac too so I am pretty sure they all think I have anorexia. Maybe if they were as sick as I was when diagnosed, they would get it but the other family members are the regular sized to overweight Celiacs. It's so annoying when they eat stuff they shouldn't and then look at me like I'm the weirdo, food obsessed one because I don't take chances.  Celiac Disease just doesn't get the respect that other diseases get! 

[Rhotitar]

At first I thought it would be hard if not impossible to be vegan while also having to abstain from eating gluten due to celiac, but when I looked at online at my options I wasn't worried. If you can't/won't eat grains and legumes though I wouldn't recommend it. Right now my diet consists of

Breakfast - Bob's Mill Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats mixed with a little Peanut Butter (unsalted, unsweetened, no oils), some cinnamon and some finely ground flaxseed.

Lunch - Some fruits usually organic strawberries and organic red grapes with organic blackberries or raspberries depending on which one is on sale.

Snacks - Almost always a banana at work or peanuts at home or cashews or pistachios if I want to change it up. Sometimes I may buy a vegan protein bar or a coconut chocolate drink that I like. 

Dinner - I alternate days eating stir fry vegetables one day and fresh salad the next. On stir fry day which I use avocado oil with I eat quinoa/teff/amaranth with a variety of veggies (red onions, broccoli, green beans, peppers, zucchini/summer squash, carrots, celery, ginger, (was using green peas and mushrooms but I stopped because of a cross-contamination issue; I will resume the peas when I buy them from the company  that I get my beans from). On fresh salad day I load a huge plate with spring mix and fresh red onions, sliced cucumbers, and some olives. I don't use dressings instead I use avocados and make guacamole get more fiber that way. I often finish the day (a few hours after the main dinner) with a small serving of beans unless I ate too late and it's time to sleep.

I don't drink alternative milks as I feel they don't contribute anything of nutritional value (I don't like/won't drink soy milk either) and I have cut out whatever little added sugar I had in my diet (now I drink my coffee black) I also don't eat any processed foods except for the occasional gluten-free treat and try not to keep any junk food in the house.