I recently watched Game Changers - a documentary exploring the benefits of veganism. At first I was skeptical. But then I decided to put it to the test.

I’m going temporarily vegan for one whole month to see how my body reacts to eating more plants. Science says that eating the source instead of the intermediaries like animals, eggs, milk, etc. can reduce inflammatory markers in your body by up to 90%. If these statistic are true then my psoriasis should not flare at, all in, the next three weeks. I’m also looking forward to seeing how my training will improve.

I’ve listed what I think are some of the best benefits of being a vegan below, and I’m hoping this Meat Loaf recipe will inspire you to eat healthier on days when you feel like you need to eat more plants.

• Better digestion

• Can totally reverse pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes, and regulate blood sugar to avoid hypoglycemia

• Your skin will improve because of the healing properties of all the plant food you’ll be consuming

• More energy and less inflammation

• Quicker muscle recovery period

• Better sleep

• Lose weight

• Lower cholesterol

• Reduce pain if you suffer from arthritis

• Lower risk of heart disease

Ingredients

3 cups sliced mushrooms

1 1/2 cup of boiled black beans

1/2 cup of chickpeas

1/2 cup of lentils

1/2 cup of cooked quinoa

4 tabelspoons of Aquafaba (chickpea liquid from the can)

1/2 cup of oat flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp dry thyme

2 garlic cloves diced (optional)

4 tablespoons of spelt flour/flaxseed flour

1 tbsp soy sauce

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees

2. Spray a small loaf pan with spray and cook

3. Using parchment paper, line the baking tin so it’s easy to pull the loaf out of the pan when it’s baked. Spray the parchment with spray and cook as well.

4. Using a blender, blitz the mushrooms into a roughly chopped fine size

5. Transfer to a large bowl

6. Using the blender again, mix beans, chickpeas, lentils, salt, thyme and garlic. Blend until it’s just about fine.

7. Add to the mushrooms.

8. Add soy sauce and flours and mix everything together well with your hands.

9. Spoon the mixture into the loaf pan on top of the parchment and make sure to pat the mixture into all four corners.

10. Bake for 50 minutes and prick the middle with a knife. If the mixture is too wet, leave it in he oven for another 10 minutes. If the top is burning, cover it with a foil and then bake.

11. Let the loaf rest for little bit in the pan before you transfer it to a plate.

Gravy Ingredients

2 cups vegetable stock

1 cup of red wine

1 tsp olive oil

1 small onion

3 stalks celery

2 carrots

2 tbsp fresh thyme

2 tbsp fresh rosemary

3-4 whole mushrooms

1 tbsp Spelt flour

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp garlic

1 tbsp sugar-free strawberry jam/normal strawberry jam

Method

1. Fry carrots, onion, celery, and herbs in the oil for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

2. Add ginger and garlic and fry for 1 minute.

3. Add wine and strawberry jam and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Add vegetable broth and reduce the temperature. Let the gravy simmer until it thickens slightly.

5. Add the spelt flour and let the gravy reduce some more. When it starts getting a little thicker, take it off the heat and sieve it into another bowl. Push down on the vegetables to get all the flavor to seep through.

6. Pour into a gravy boat and serve.