— Two things I am certain of that I am not good at: cooking and still-life photography. Both are as foreign to me as eating seafood. So, why am I posting a story about inspiration in the kitchen? Read on, if you please.
Ever since I discovered the Lens-Artists challenges, I have been enjoying those weekly challenges. Generally, the themes are varied and allow for a lot of freedom for the participants. Just as recent examples, these were my six entries so far: #250 (Waiting for Dinner) #251 (Austin’s Ever-Changing Skyline), #252 (White-Mouth Dayflower & Evening Primrose), #253 (Life Fragments), #254 (Pueblo Bonito), and #255 (The Cycle of Life). As you can see, I was able to pull examples from my catalog to fulfill the challenges. Now comes Lens-Artists Challenge #256. Ritva Sillanmäki really pushed the challenges to another level — at least for me. I could have tried to use kitchen photos from my catalog, but that would not have gone very far. So, I decided to shoot brand new photos and incorporate the idea behind the previous challenge of telling a story through photography.
Background history
Two years ago, at about this time, a doctor I was referred to came up with a big revelation regarding my health. Believing I had non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), she told me I had to go to a ninety percent plant-based diet. The list of restrictions was huge. A three-page document detailed what I could eat and couldn’t eat. Now, mind you, I am not obese, I don’t smoke, I seldom drink, I exercise fairly regularly, and I do not eat a lot of fatty foods. My gastro doctor believes the diagnosis was incorrect. The various scans I had also supported that notion. However, as a result of the big scare, I changed my diet radically from one day to the next literally. In a nutshell, for three months, I went almost 100% vegan. I lost 17 pounds because of the diet and intermittent fasting. FibroScan and ultrasound showed the changes paid off. There were no signs of fatty liver. Well, I love vegetables and continue eating a mostly plant-based diet. At home, I continue being 100% vegan. When I eat out, however, I have more flexibility now. I do not mind if beans are cooked with bacon or if there is any animal product in my food, such as chicken stock. I simply will not order a steak or chicken breast as my main meal. So, I thought that as part of this kitchen challenge, I would share with you a delicious, fat-free, sugar-free, 100% vegan breakfast I do on Sundays. The ingredients may look like real meat, but they are all plant-based. These photos were made this morning, as I was preparing the food.
Vegan scrambled eggs with bacon, toast, and avocado
The first photo above is a macro shot of the stove top getting warm to fry the facon (that’s plant-based bacon) in extra virgin olive oil. While waiting for the facon to get ready, I began chopping the vegetables I would use in the scrambled eggs (actually, it is a plant-based product called Just Egg). I love tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Some days I also add black olives. With the facon ready, I take it aside to cool off a bit before crumbling it. Using the same olive oil I had for the facon, I add the vegetables to the frying pan to saute them a little. Then it is time to add the crumbled facon and also plant-based pepperoni. You can see these stages in the next photos including the steam rising from the mixture as it gets ready.
As I get the sourdough bread in the toaster oven, I also warm up half a pita bread at the same time. The scrambled “eggs” will go in the pita bread along with a slice of plant-based cheese. I like cheddar, gouda, or any other kind — as long as it is fat-free and dairy-free. Instead of jelly, as it often contains added sugars, I prefer to use freshly ground peanuts with no additives or sugars added. I may add organic maple syrup to the toast (no added sugar and only the natural maple sweetness). For good fat, I have half an avocado sliced on my plate, too. Voilà! Breakfast is served. All you see below is plant-based and 100% vegan. No dairy products were used. and all ingredients are fat-free and plant-based. I confess I am hungry again after writing this and seeing the photos. The good thing is that I made a large portion and can have it again for breakfast.
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prmckee1
My friend, you never cease to amaze me. Thanks for sharing your photo challenges and your dietary journey.
Egídio Leitão
Thank you. Nothing like grabbing the bull by the horns…
Anne Sandler
That breakfast looks good enough to eat. Mission accomplished!
JohnRH
Great great GREAT closeups. Love that stovetop shot. Innovative. ?
Egídio Leitão
Thanks so much, Anne. I can attest that it was good indeed.
Egídio Leitão
Thanks for the enthusiastic feedback, John. I tried to make the task around the kitchen a bit more interesting by making macro shots of the process I described in the post.
margaret21
That looks wonderful. I’m not vegetarian but rarely eat meat. But nor have I taken to plant- based ‘meat’. It always seems a bit of a hotch-potch of unlikely foods when you look at the ingredients. But this is an interesting post with great shots.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
That stove top was a great abstract, out of the box shot, I like it and the cut vegetable look great. Thanks for participating 🙂
Tina Schell
Well my goodness Egidio, an amazing post from start to finish. I agree the stovetop shot is really inventive as is your approach to finding flavor without many of the ingredients most of us use! Interesting that your dietary changes came about from a mis-diagnosis. My husband and I very rarely eat red meat but we eat fish, chicken and eggs regularly. I fear I would starve to death if I had to follow such a rigid protocol LOL. Terrific response!
Egídio Leitão
Thanks for your feedback, Margaret.
Egídio Leitão
Thanks for the compliment, Ritva. This was a great challenge.
Egídio Leitão
Tina, your feedback is so much appreciated. Thank you. Of all the meats I used to have, the only one I really miss is lamb. So, occasionally, I get me a gyro salad or wrap. As I like to tell my friends, I am a flexitarian.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Wind Kisses
Egidio, You always bring it! I love how you explained the way you came to formulate the challenge and the photos are great. I too love the abstract of the stove, and your food looks delicious. Nothing like fresh vegetable based dishes.
Egídio Leitão
Donna, it was so thoughtful of you to drop this note. Thanks for the compliment and feedback.
philosophy through photography
Love your, Vegan scrambled eggs with bacon, toast, and avocado
Very tempting!
When you mentioned vegan and egg, initially I was confused about this combination.
When you mentioned about the plant based product called ‘egg’ it cleared my confusion.
I wonder why this particular plant is called egg!
Thank you Egídio Leitão.
Amy
stove top images were creative, Egidio! Delicious veggie dish. My husband and I cook and enjoy various viggies.
Egídio Leitão
Thanks for the compliment and feedback, Amy.
Egídio Leitão
Thanks for the compliment and kind words. The plant-based egg substitute is called “Just Egg.” One of its main ingredients is mung beans.
philosophy through photography
Thank you, my friend.
You clarified my doubt.
Nice to know about ‘ Just Egg’.
???