Kate and Doc suggested I revisit this piece, which is essentially about VB6 (Eat Vegan Before 6:00). Which made me laugh, because I hadn’t thought about it in a while. That happens. You write something, say something, maybe even build a life around it for a few years, and then—at least in my case—you move on. There’s always something new, another idea, another project.
I stuck with VB6—eating vegan until dinnertime—for six or seven years. It worked. I ate more plants, felt better, maintained a healthy weight. Then, like so many of us, I drifted. The rules got fuzzy. I traveled more, spent longer stretches in Italy, ate more pasta. I didn’t abandon plant-based eating, but I didn’t adhere to the VB6 structure either. I gained weight, of course. Not an uncommon experience.
So I decided to do something about it. Only I fell into the current trap and began eating more protein.
I’d wake up, skip breakfast (well, a cappuccino)—though I love eating in the morning (anytime, really), my metabolism has slowed so much I can’t sit around munching toast and butter. Then for lunch: a can of sardines, or some grilled fish, maybe a small piece of meat. No bread. No pasta. And not much else. Certainly not vegetables. It worked, kind of. I lost a little weight—mostly because I was barely eating—and I got to feel virtuous about my protein intake.
But at some point, I thought: This is nuts. I live in America. I’m not protein-deficient. No one here is. Plus there are about a hundred reasons not to eat animal products—and I knew that also. (That’s one of the reasons I wrote VB6 in the first place.)
But also, if we’re lacking anything, it’s not protein. It’s fiber. That’s the thing almost none of us is getting enough of.
Then it hit me: I already invented this wheel.
Beans. Lentils. Chickpeas. Split peas. Black-eyed peas. You name it—legumes are packed with fiber and protein, and they don’t have the baggage of much fat. So, once again, I started eating a bowl of well-seasoned beans for lunch. Olive oil, lemon, chiles, curry, cumin, sometimes butter, pimentón —it’s easy to make beans taste good. Sometimes I toss in some brown rice, sometimes greens. This is good, simple, real food, and for some reason the kind of food I momentarily forgot I know how to make and like to eat.
Kitchen Tip 💡
Keep it low and slow—a gentle simmer lets beans do their thing over low heat until they’re creamy inside and holding their shape.
It’s working. I feel full (well, full-ish, anyway). I’m getting plenty of fiber and plenty of protein, and I’m losing weight. And, again, at dinner I eat like a madman.
So yeah—we’re back to VB6. Not because it’s trendy or strict or prescriptive. Because it’s sensible, and it works, and because I wrote the damn thing almost 20 years ago, and apparently I needed to read it again myself.
Beans and Greens
While it may seem suspect to call this dish a crowd-pleaser, I can assure you there is a legion of fans. Whether you like it with escarole or spinach; chickpeas, cannellini, or gigante beans; brothy or on the dry side; served simply or topped with sausage, banana peppers, an egg, or whatever you like, it’s a wildly versatile dish that’s sure to please just about any adult in the room.
White Beans and Fresh Tomatoes with Parmesan Toast
A bright summertime stew, perfect for under- or overripe seasonal tomatoes. Thick slices of Parmesan-topped toast answer the call for something crusty and crunchy to dip into it. And when fresh tomatoes aren’t happening, see the last variation.
Toasted Shell Beans with Cherry Tomatoes
First choice here in the frozen shell bean department are green favas, which are sort of bumpy and hooked into a pronounced kidney shape. They split lengthwise easily, and their interiors veer toward a pleasant grittiness. They’re perfect lightly browned this way—almost like nuts. Finding them, however, can be a fickle endeavor. Lima beans, edamame, and even black-eyed peas are good substitutes. Serve this over rice or thick slices of bread, or toss with pasta or torn salad greens.
Lentil Salad with Dried Limes
The dried lime flavor is rather subtle in this salad. If you want it to be more pronounced, just add another lime.
José Andrés’s Santorini Lentils (Yellow Split Peas)
Easy to make, and even José acknowledges that this is good when made with ordinary lentils or split peas; of course, if you can find Santorini split peas, use them. They may be labeled Santorini fava, but you can substitute Indian yellow dal or ordinary yellow or green split peas.
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