Black Bean Soup - the Bomb!

Here's a product I can recommend for fantastic black bean soup - Bob's Red Mill Black Bean Soup mix. It is a package of just beans (barley, etc.), no spice. There is a great recipe on the back of the package that I mostly followed.  Here are my changes:
1/2 as much canned tomato and I used fire-roasted with green chile kind (Muir Glen)
no squash
2 sliced Jalapeno peppers (I like it spicy)
6 or 7 cloves of garlic (I think the recipe called for 4, but garlic rules in my house)

You use 1/2 the package for one preparation and it makes a lot of soup! I put some on the freezer, but by popular demand, I got it out right away because people said, "more, please!"

Bob's Red Mill is a family company in Milwaukee, OREGON making whole ground, organic flours, beans, etc. I like supporting a company like that.

So make this soup and enjoy hearty, flavorful goodness!

Be a happy herbivore :)

Switching to warm foods as Winter sets in

Been busy lately as well as sick :(

Today was the first day in about 2 weeks that I actually cooked and felt good about it. I'ld say that means I have turned the health corner!

Tonight I made 2 yummy dishes based on recipes I've been reading (including the ever popular Happy Herbivore cook book!).

Mustard Mashed Potatoes and Ginger Mixed Veggies

Mustard Mashed Potatoes
I like to boil my washed potatoes, cut in large chunks or thirds, in a broth of 1/2 water and 1/2 mushroom broth. I leave the skins on just because I like their taste!
I cooked about 5 small and medium sized russet potatoes.

Once boiled, drained, and mashed (I put them back in the warm pot), I add the following:
1-2 tablespoons of spicy mustard
3 cloves of garlic finely minced
pepper to taste (I like a lot!)
celery salt to taste (just for a little extra flavor)

Thin the mashed potatoes using almond milk (or rice milk or soy milk) but don't use the super flavored kind with extra vanilla.

These mashed taters taste a little like warm potato salad and have a great zing!

Ginger Mixed Veggies
What veggies do you have on hand? Make your own mix. I had some frozen peas, frozen brocoli crowns, and fresh baby carrots. I cooked the carrots first in some veggie broth - basically steaming them in the pot by keeping a good lid on the pot. Then I added the peas and brocoli so they didn't turn to mush :)

When the veggies are nearly done, fix the sauce.

Ginger Sauce
minced ginger - 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of finely mashed ginger from the jar or equivalent of fresh ginger finely minced and mashed.
2 TBS or so of Tamari sauce
1/4-1/2 tsp of Siracha sauce
pepper to taste
1/4 tsp of sesame seeds

mix all

add to the sauce as much as you want of a separately mixed combination of 1 TBS cornstarch and 1/2 cup water. For this dish I used about half to 3/4 of what I mixed up.

Put the entire sauce into a saucepan or Corning Ware dish and stir constantly over a medium heat until the sauce thickens. Pour over the veggies and stir to coat.

The two dishes actually complement each other. The mustard zing of the potatoes goes well with the hot sauce infused ginger sauce on the veggies.

Enjoy!!

Eating Herbivore on a Budget

A big perceived barrier to eating herbivore is the cost. I have friends who say - oh, it's too expensive.  When you factor in the spoilage factor it can get really expensive. After all, if I make a box of Mac-N-Cheese for a $1, I will eat it all - because it never goes bad with all the chemicals in it, lol. I may not eat a complete bunch of kale before it goes limp.

I am currently on a budget which is new to me. My employment situation for the year has changed and I have to count my pennies. I'm currently visiting my brother and his family for a couple of weeks in a non-herbivore but herbivore-friendly household. I have prepared a few things for them and they have pulled out some of their meatless recipes. It's all good. But I went to the grocery today with $20. How much could I buy and what can I do with it?  I did not plan this out with any great sophistication or forethought. But I thought I would share what you CAN do with an herbivore grocery run and limited funds.

Here is what I bought:
canned organic black beans (store label) - 1
canned organic chick peas (store label) - 1
canned organic fire-roasted tomatos (Muir Glenn) - 1
canned organic chili bean mix (Westbrae Natural) - 1
bananas - 4
fresh ear corn - 1
large white mushrooms - 5
fresh spinach bunch - 1
fresh kale bunch - 1
fresh cilantro bunch - 1
extra firm tofu pack - 1
organic baby carrots pack - 1

I spent $19.77 and donated .23 cents to Breast Cancer charity (the store was doing a promo).

I'll combine these foods with stuff already on-hand - quinoa, whole wheat burrito wrappers, tomatoes, onions, asparagus, salad greens, condiments, almond milk, fruit juice, and frozen fruit.

I made Chick Pea Tacos for lunch from the Happy Herbivore web site. I love them. I could not convince my brother that chick pea is an adequate substitute for ground beef. He passed. More for me.
I loaded my burrito wrapper (as a soft taco shell) with chopped onion, tomato, cilantro, and topped with fresh spinach leaves (instead of the low nutrient iceberg lettuce).  Delicious.

I'll make chili with the beans and canned tomatos. Quinoa will go with mushrooms and black beans and kale.  Kale can be eaten raw on a sandwich or salad, cooked liked spinach, or in the oven as kale chips.

Corn will go with tofu, mushrooms, and spinach in a breakfast scramble. I'll throw in any leftover beans too :)  Carrots are for munching. Bananas are for smoothies or snacks.

Part of what you have to do as an herbivore is get creative and use good recipes (Happyherbivore.com).  You can eat well, be full, and enjoy your meals - even on a budget.

Happy eating!

I am Herbivore

I am Herbivore.  I am joining the Lindsay Nixon movement of inclusive plant eaters and not restrictive vegans!  I am so tired of having to defend myself - to vegans who are nit-pickers and to non-vegans who see me as the food police.  Over at the Happy Herbivore there is a plant-based kinship being created that fits with exactly why I have adopted the plant-based diet, a great group of people who celebrate what we are doing, and fantastic recipes - as I have noted in my previous post here :)

Here is the HH blog post on vegan to Herbivore.

And I just got the Happy Herbivore cookbook on Kindle! Yeah! and remember- you can get the free software for kindle to read any kindle book on your pc, mac, or smartphone.  No excuses not to be trying these delicious recipes!!

Happy Eating Herbivore :)

Vegan Chickpea Tacos - yep, delish!

I am in love with the recipes at Happy Herbivore!! The cook, Lindsay, is a genius.  Grab some recipes and get cooking :)  I still want to buy the book, but until then, I am trying the online recipes.

Tonight I tried the Chickpea Taco made with chickpeas of course. I was skeptical, but based on the other fabulous dishes that came out of dubious recipes in her book, I knew I needed to try it. The recipe did not disappoint. Here is the link to Chickpea Tacos.  And here are recipes I have not yet tried - a page of recipes for Mexican dishes.

So the secret to this recipe is to bake the chickpeas after having coated them in tamari, lemon juice, and taco seasoning. They bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes and get crispy outside, but soft in the middle. Then make your taco as you wish.

I like whole wheat soft taco shells made in Kansas (which is easy to get since I live in KC MO). I like spicy salsa and I had some leftover brown rice (that I make with mushroom broth) and I used that as well. I topped the tacos with raw kale. These were really, really, good!!  The best part - no grease!

Here is where I let my vegan conscious take a break. I did not look at the ingredient list on the taco shells. Since they are from a local company, I don't know if they are made authentic with lard or just shortening. But they are made with whole wheat and that is worth the having :)

Bon Apetite, mucho gusto, and Enjoy!

Guess I've Been Away Too Long! Kale Chips, Tofu Scramble, and Juicing

A friend reminded me today that I had not been posting on this blog for some time. I have been so wrapped up in working on food access issues here in the urban core of Kansas City, that I have neglected to share my food life of late.

Summer is nearly over and the horrible heat of July/August is behind us. I can't cook in that weather. I got a window A/C unit so I could cool off the kitchen in order to make a salad or smoothie!  But now the oven can come on, the stove can be fired up, and food served warm can be done.  Today I had a food hodgepodge.

I juiced after my morning walk of 2.5 miles. I have a juicer and throw in carrots, cucumber, celery, tomato, and apples. Then I throw the juice in the blender with ice and add my Spirulina powder. I find that I cannot get it to infuse in liquid unless I use the blender. I always add a fruit to the veg juice to give it a little sweetness and to downplay any bitterness of the vegetables.

At lunch I decided to do brunch and create a breakfast meal. I pressed some extra firm tofu and added turmeric for color and pepper for flavor and made "eggs."  I grated some potatoes and made hash "browns." I use air quotes there because I don't like to cook with oil and so something like fried potatoes are not fried and don't become brown and crispy. But they do turn out tasty with some spices or with salsa or ketchup added :)  Finally, I prepared the veggie part of the meal with garlic, onion, fresh pablano chile pepper (mild), mushrooms, red bell pepper, and fresh corn. Served with salsa and it was yummy!

Late in the afternoon I tried a recipe for Kale "chips" that a friend posted on FB. I bought some fresh kale from a local urban garden on Saturday and left it out to dry out some. Then you cut it up as you wish (I think larger pieces including the stem are better). Toss in a ziplok bag with olive oil and seasoning. I used a bit of sea salt and minced some garlic that I had roasted in the oven the other day. Put the kale on a cooky sheet and put in a 425 degree oven for 8-15 minutes. Too much oil leads to burnt kale (my first batch). Watch carefully and at first hint of brown, take them out of the oven.

The texture is almost like ash when it hits your mouth. It practically disintegrates. But the flavor of the Kale is good and the seasoning was great for my taste (great fan of garlic!).  You can't store the chips because if they regain moisture, they get soggy (like a potato chip. So you have to eat them all, lol.

I like kale raw and not cooked to death like a green with ham in a pot. Yuck. Raw is good in salad. Now I have another way to eat it.

An update on my biggest loser gym and fitness quest...

I failed at my gym program and my biggest loser effort. But failed just means I didn't do it in a way that I was able to succeed. So I have restructured my effort. I wasn't strong enough to use the gym equipment and was completely under-confident about using it. So I went to a more structured and monitored style of gym - Curves. This is a circuit exercise program just for women. The "gyms" have a dozen machines and you work on each one in 30 second intervals and then have a 30 second of running in place or other aerobic activity in between each machine. You work out for 30 minutes continuously and then have the option to do stretching or other exercises at the end - which I do. It works every muscle group in your body and I have already seen results!  It is increasing my core strength to the point that I can take up yoga again :)  I also am able to walk in the parks here (now that the 100+ days are gone) and use Runkeeper to take me on a 2.5 mile walk. If you walk or jog or run - try the Runkeeper app on your smart phone. It coaches you as you walk and links to your music playlist. At some point I hope to outgrow Curves and return to a regular gym. But for now, it is just what I need.

Corn Syrup - keeps popping up in my diet

I gave up sodas years ago and dropping diet coke was a challenge. I dropped everything that was an obvious high fructose corn syrup item. I now find that it is in my favorite treats.

I don't eat chocolate since going vegan - yeah, that's a challenge. But I love "Good & Plenty" licorice. But upon reading the label, I find that corn syrup is the #2 ingredient. Dang!

I love icee drinks in the summer - Slushes from Sonic, Freezoni from Quick Trip. No doubt you have something like this at your convenience mart. Corn Syrup is how they make it so sweet. Duh. I also learned that a Freezoni has 110 calories in 8 oz. Have you ever even seen an 8oz cup at the convenience mart? I like the 32oz size myself - 440 calories and 112 grams of carbs - yep, that's your corn syrup. Uh, no wonder my fitness is stymied.

I guess we see what we want to see and ignore the rest. I am bummed. But I would be more bummed if I dropped with a heart attack because I couldn't give up corn syrup.  It's good to remind yourself now and again to pay even closer attention to what you eat. I'll find substitutes without corn syrup and enjoy them. But there really is no obvious substitute for the 79 cent Freezoni. Insidious isn't it?

Need a Reason to Go Organic? Watch this!

A simple science project provides illumination for why we should go organic. Straightforward, not complicated, it just is.

Vegan Macaroni Salad

I looked up recipes for vegan salad dressing or mac salad. Some included "vegan-aise" which I assume is a fake a mayo, some included seitan, miso, and other ingredients not in my pantry. Then I stumbled upon a vegan pesto and it struck me...I use pinenuts for "gravy" with mushrooms and pasta, why not a pine-nut based salad dressing??  I think it turned out well. Here's the recipe for about a cup's worth or more. Adjust to your own size needs. I made it for a large batch of mac salad to feed my group of vegan/veggie volunteers :)

Pine Nut Dressing
I don't cook with oil, so none in the recipe - pine nuts and walnuts give off oil themselves

1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup walnut pieces
juice from 1 small lime
veggie broth
3 small cloves garlic (depending on how garlic-y you like it)
 about a 1/4 cup fresh thai basil or regular basil (again, amount depends on your taste)
salt/pepper to taste


I use a mini food processor - the kind that holds about 2 cups of food and has 2 settings. Mine has chop and grind.

Grind the pine nuts and walnuts. Add a teaspoon or so of veggie broth to keep it moving. It will get to a paste like consistency.

Add garlic, seasonings, basil and grind.

Add lime juice and grind.

Now you have to add veggie broth as needed, scant amounts at a time, to get a nice mayonaise style consistency.

That's it! Enjoy :D

Dishing up a week of vegan meals

I continue my efforts to be a big weight loser...but real life is not like the TV show, now is it? That's why the people on the show stay away from their lives. But I go to the gym, am getting stronger, doing better, and still eating well. I think this will work, though take longer than I expected. I'm only a few pounds down from the original start weight, but with the exception of my 10 days of moving that got me off track, I continue to move in the down direction. I would need to work out daily (still an option) to even approach my weekly goal.

Meanwhile, I have volunteered to cook this week for vegan/vegetarian camp counselors. An annual youth leadership camp is underway here in KC. I have a number of friends who participate as volunteer staff and counselors. It centers on dealing with all types of diversity in human relationships and is an amazing, transformative week for the delegate/campers.

The food is provided by the host campus cafeteria and it is not vegan friendly and only modestly vegetarian friendly. I volunteered to support those staff by bringing in 3 meals a day for them that are healthy and vegan. There are only 5 people to cook for, but it is a challenge!

I served up a hot breakfast this morning of potatoes, mushrooms, green pepper, and onion. I don't use oil, so I cooked in the fry pan as usual but used mushroom broth for the cooking. Seasoned with salt, pepper, and a dash of Provence spice blend, the dish turned out great! Included a side of blueberries and cherries.

Lunch today is a cilantro summer salad - corn, edamame, black beans, red onion, jalapeno, fresh garden garlic, seasoned rice vinegar, veggie broth, salt/pepper, lime juice, and lots of fresh chopped cilantro. I'll add some lettuce leaves so they can serve it up easily.

Yesterday for lunch I made veggie burrito wraps. I used green and red tortilla wraps, spread spicy hummus on them, laid in a leaf of swiss chard, topped with quinoa, sliced tomato, and lightly steamed zucchini, yellow squash, and purple bell peppers (which are a wonderful find at the farmer's market!). I rolled them up and then wrapped them in aluminum foil a la Chipotle :)

I'm tracking protein, carbs, fruit/sugar to get a good balance.  I don't know how to cook tofu very well, so I'm getting protein from quinoa, beans, rice, edamame, almond milk, and soy powder.

Meanwhile, I get to eat well too as I manage to slice off a sample for the cook!

Week 2, Week 3 and coming up on Week 4

I'm still here! I got completely sidetracked as I moved cross country.  However, I have joined a gym in my new location and have actually been there a few times :)

I did a weigh in at Week 3 and had gained back 6 pounds. I'm not too worried about it, as traveling, no exercise, and a lot of stress could have resulted in gaining back all the loss and then some!

I'll do another post after this week's weigh in and talk about how I am getting back on track. The good thing about this type of effort is that it just sits there waiting for you to do something. It doesn't go away on its own.

Week 1 success and struggle

Update - I did begin on June 1 as planned. Here is a chronicle of week 1 and my thoughts about it. 

First - week one exceeded my goal of 5 lbs. Dropped 9! Exercise for the week was walking 2.5 miles on 4 different days. Not bad for a couch potato! I'm pleased I made it happen.

Second - my "it" was hard at work sabotaging me every step of the way. Your "it" is the little voice in your head that says "I can't do that." It also is your automatic response that pretty much guides your day. It gets you dressed, it breathes for you, it gets you to work, it puts you through your routines, it speaks for you. Basically, we are machines that run on autopilot. We think of our bodies as the machine - breathing, heart beating, fingers moving, feet stepping - we don't have to think about those things. But we also are fairly numb to our everyday lives - routine speaking, routine actions, routine reactions.

When we try to make change, our "it" - the keeper of routine - resists. Think about our perception of "change" - it's hard, it takes work, it's different, it is to be RESISTED.  You think you want to change, but your "it" will have none of it because "it" has created a routine that works. Altering it requires effort.

Sometimes we think about how we work against ourselves. Well that is you working against your "it."

This week my brain kept saying "you need to eat that junk food. You need to stay in bed and sleep. You need to be self-conscious about going to the gym. You need to feel awkward about walking on the streets." Yeah, it's like that, isn't it? I did not give in on the activity - I got out there. I did give in on the eating, else I would have gone mad!! LOL.

So, no, I'm not hearing voices. But we all have an inner voice that tries to keep us firmly in our comfort zone of safe routine.

Part of combating the "it" is to believe that change is not some foreign result that will be scary or unknown. Athletes visualize. They see themselves training and reaching goals. They see themselves winning. They visualize change as their norm.

So don't think of change in your routine, change in your habits, and change in your self as some kind of foreign thing. Think of it as your new default position. It IS the normal. The old way of being is to be resisted, not the new way.

We are complex beings and sometimes we need to understand that in order to use our bodies and minds to their full potential. See you next week!

Onward
<3

20 weeks of fitness

I have become a fan of the biggest loser this season. It has provided me with inspiration and enlightenment. I think it is because I have prepared myself to be open and honest about what I want and where I am and why I haven't gotten to where I want to be.

Who goes on a plantstrong eating regimen that is an ultra lean vegan plan and doesn't lose weight like mad? Uh, that would be me. I lost weight in the beginning, but then it stopped. As it stalled, probably because my body went into protection mode, I began to give up on it and slowly but surely the bad foods crept back in. Sweets - cookies, candy; fat - fried food, chips; seafood - rarely; and even cheese - though that was a one time breakdown and only once. No exercise + bad foods = no weight loss and probably weight gain...on a vegan diet. My body needs to burn the calories and I have not stoked the engine. I'm ready.

So I have learned that a vegan regimen is not a diet - you don't necessarily lose weight. But the biggest thing I learned is how to eat well and in a very healthy way. I deviated from that path because I was not getting to where I wanted to be. It wasn't because I couldn't stick to the eating regimen - I could. It was because I felt defeated from my goal. That is what led me astray to where I could not resist those bad foods.

I won't get to my goal unless I move my body and get active. That's the next step and I have to take it.
So I am going to do my own biggest loser effort
20 weeks June 1 to October 20
5 pounds per week for a total of 100

I'll get on the scale June 1 and take it from there.

Between now and June 1 I am going to take the same baby steps I took before I started my vegan change. Practice and build into exercise, workout, and sweat. It's a big change and I can't do it on day one. Same was true for getting on the vegan train. But now I have a head start - I know how to eat healthy! And now I will have a reason to stay on the plantstrong path - I have a goal and I am being proactive.

I'll keep you posted starting June 1. See you then :)

Onward
<3

Urban Food Access

Here is a compilation of information I have put together on Urban Food Access.
http://storify.com/robynet/urban-food-access

Fear - fessing up...Help, please :)

I haven't been blogging as much lately as I did in the early months of my switch to plantstrong. In part, it's because vegan eating has become my norm! But there is a second part...I have been falling off the plantstrong wagon :(

I have not gone back on the vegan, mostly. Oh, boy...but fessing up is good to get you on the right path.

Chips
Fried Rice and Eggrolls
Candy (no chocolate)
Cookies with Sugar and Chocolate Chip (yes, they are made with eggs, maybe butter, milk)
Sugar in Tea and Coffee
Nuts - cashews, peanuts (walnuts are ok)
Salad Dressing
Onion Rings

On one level, you might think - this is not awful. What's a little fried food, a little junk food, some sugar, oil, and some hidden animal product? Well it is a BIG DEAL!

I'm not being true to the plantstrong program - which is designed for my HEALTH.
I'm not succeeding by cutting corners.  I'm only cheating on myself.

On another level, you might ask - well, why would you do this? Is it just a slip or something else?
At first I told myself it was just a slip here and there. But then it clearly became a full-blown breakdown. I didn't want to admit it. I wanted to give into that emotional voice that kept saying - I NEED THIS FOOD to feel good, to feel safe, to feel like me.

And that, dear readers, is the crux of it. I am literally fighting myself - the old familiar me vs. the new me. Any dieter, any person who has faced a lifetime of weight issues, anyone who is trying to change something about themselves knows that it is very tough to do because you must get out of your comfort zone of familiar you.

But you also are breaking old neural patterns. For example...I have stress, I am anxious about work or something else...satisfy with food is my first response...so I go eat something that is comforting.  THAT is a pattern that must be broken and it is not easy.

For me, however, there is one more pattern to be broken - FEAR. I am terrified of succeeding, I am terrified of trying. I am terrified I will do it. I am terrified I won't. Fear = sabotage. I don't know if I want to fail or succeed, but I do know I am afraid. Fear means you resort to the familiar for safety. You eat. Fear means you let all your distractions rule your decision making. I'm stressed, I have a zillion things to do, I'm overloaded - so I eat. But underneath all this is a self-fear that says I should not succeed.

I guarantee that anyone who struggles with their weight struggles with self-sabotage. But for me, it goes beyond that. Because I have a voice that tells me I am not worthy. For all my accomplishments, for all my milestones, for all that I do and stand for, I have an inner voice that says, I am not worthy. And my weight is where that voice lays. And boy, has that voice been yammering at me over the last few months!!

So how do I overcome this and live as I truly want to?
1. admit and be aware of what is going on. check
2. challenge fear every day by recognizing it and facing it. very scary, but doable
3. make decisions, not reactions. Every time I eat I need to question it and decide if what I am about to eat is what I want to eat, what I need to eat for my health, not my emotions.   I know I can do that, because I have.
4. ask for help - that's what this is about.

5. SUCCEED - I'll get there.

So, if you read this post, please offer me a word of encouragement. That will help me. I realize that I cannot face my fears. make good decisions, live my hectic life, and break through my patterns by myself. I need encouragement as help. I need support as help. This is my ask.

Onward and Thanks!
<3

Mixing it Up!

One of the things that people say to me is, "don't you get bored eating the same things?" They say this because they have a very limited view of what vegans eat because they probably have a limited repertoire of their own when it comes to veggies. When I first started the vegetarian route I did have a limited menu. Over time, I broadened my horizons, but often fell back on junk food when I got bored.

Going to vegan and plantstrong was limited in the beginning too. But I promised myself I would try different things and try to cook as a means of actually creating a vegan palate! I continue to have success, although with a lot of trial and error. I see posts on Twitter and other blogs from beginning vegans who feel boxed in with their options, especially for eating out. You have to be patient in the beginning until your palate blossoms and things take on an enhanced flavor for you. I'm enjoying foods now that I never would have liked before because my palette can distinguish subtle flavors. When you are used to a lot of salt and fat, you can't taste the differences in a lot of subtle food preparations.

Today I had a wonderful home-made smoothie with fresh strawberries, banana, oj, and almond milk. There is no need for yogurt or ice cream or sherbert, just use ice. I can taste each flavor in the smoothie making it very enjoyable! Later I made a new dish with whole wheat elbow pasta, fresh tomato, salsa, corn, olive, and red peppers. A dash of apple cider vinegar is great! The dish thickens and the pasta cooks in the tomato and salsa juice as well as almond milk. Totally yummy!

No meat, no oil in these dishes. And the flavors in everything were just great! I learn to savor these flavors making eating very pleasurable - without eating junk, sugar, or oils.

I experiment a lot with whatever I have in the fridge. Trying different veggie combinations, using different ingredients for dressings, seasonings, and methods of cooking. I eat a lot of raw food, which is perfect as the weather changes. In the winter it is a lot of beans and soups. Now it's salads added to the mix.

One of my new favorite seasonings is turmeric, which is in the ginger family. I put it in salad dressing, I add it to chili, and it adds a wonderful new flavor. I can't describe it, so you will have to try it. Turmeric also has great health properties, which is why I tried it in the first place.

So mix it up and try new things, new combos, new spices, new methods. You won't be bored :)

Spring is Coming - Eat Well!!

Finally, the spring thaw is coming. Puts me in the mood for fresh food and cold food. In winter I can barely eat a salad. But as the temps climb, my menu broadens! Here's my celebration of spring today. Enjoy <3

And as food prices rise :(, organic choices may need to be made. I'm noting the items where it is a good use of your organic dollar to spend it. These foods give you the biggest result because they are most susceptible to pesticides. I'm really struggling with organic beans...$2.00 a can vs. 69cents for non-organic. Sigh.

Fresh Smoothie
Banana
fresh organic raspberries (berries are a priority for the limited organic budget)
OJ with pineapple (that's the kind I like)
Almond milk
ice

Puree the banana and raspberries with OJ
Then add ice and almond milk and smoothie it!

Garden Bean Salad (with canned and frozen until the garden bears)
Edamame
Black Beans
Kidney Beans
Sweet Corn
Red Pepper (fresh! and organic - another must on the limited organic budget)

Dressing:
1 Tbs Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tbs Tamari Sauce
1 Tbs (suite to your taste) fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs veggie broth (I don't use oil)
sea salt
pepper
tumeric
sesame seeds

Enjoying a Vegan-Free City...New Orleans

I'm enjoying New Orleans while here at a conference. Great city, great weather, fantastic food - unless you are vegan. This is a challenging city to find vegan options. I am not opposed to eating seafood when that is my only nonplantstrong option and when in great seafood cities. NOLA would qualify as a seafood city!

But the seafood here is fried, covered in sauce, and nary a vegetable in sight. But with a little creativity, a vegan can survive and eat well :)

Salad is essential. Fortunately, even the finest restaurants will have a dinner salad.
NOLA has wonderful red beans and rice. It may have been cooked with ham or bacon grease, but you can avoid the sausage. Tonight at a great seafood place, I had red beans hummus for appetizer!

Breakfast in New Orleans are killer - cheese grits, steak and eggs, fried eggs on top of pancakes. Yikes! But I found a great little place this morning and had breakfast potatoes, fresh fruit, and fresh orange juice. And of course, wonderful coffee. Sides can be a great menu option and cheaper than the giant omelet meal with cheese, eggs, and sausage...My breakfast bill was $7.00. There was no main entre course on the menu under $8.00.

I've had catfish, fried oysters, crab fingers, and lump crab, but otherwise - plantstrong.

I searched for vegan or vegetarian restaurants on my Veg Out phone app, but there was nothing! That qualifies NOLA as a nonvegan friendly city. But if you scour the menu and get creative, you can find some good options to keep you on your path without too much deviation.

School Lunches

I'm finding that as I continue my plantstrong journey, I see outlets for furthering exposure to others. #1 is school lunches, especially in urban core schools where obesity and Type 2 Diabetes are rampant! As I look into this, I'm finding some interesting issues and opportunities. Here are some thoughts.

There is a national Farm to School advocacy effort. One national organization is FarmtoSchool.org and they work to connect local farmers to school districts to help bring healthy and fresh foods to school lunch tables. Apparently, NJ has an effort going with a state Farm to School program in the NJ Dept. of Agriculture. NJ is, after all, the Garden State, and super tasty fresh produce is available in abundance here! There was a recent conference in the state and this website has a great deal of info on "how to" connect farm to school and build a supply chain.

The US Dept. of Agriculture is about to implement new nutritional regs for school meals as part of the 2010 legislation for Healthy Kids. School Districts will have to work with their food suppliers, cafeteria kitchens, and state offices to revamp menus to make them healthy. Some districts are way ahead of the curve. Here in NJ there are several vendors that already take advantage of bulk produce buying and stock the cafeterias of hundreds of schools Informative article in the Courier Post today

One of the issues about fresh food is cost. The NJ vendors quoted prices of $2.75 and $2.50 for lunches purchased in schools. These prices provide students with options such as turkey blt, fruit bar, and fresh veggies. Apparently when kids are paying for their lunch, there are many more options than the prepared standard tray that urban school kids get. In the school where I volunteer in Camden the kids all get the same lunch preloaded onto a tray. While this year's fare is a big, big improvement over last year - adding whole grain buns and fresh fruits - it is far from great. In Camden, kids are on free lunches. The government pays for their lunch. According to the USDA, reimbursement rates for free lunches are $2.72. If the kids in Voorhees can pay $2.75 and get fruit bars and Cesar salads, why can't the kids in Camden have the same?

I also came across a story about how diet can be a big factor in AHDD and that diet not drugs should be the first line of approach. Every urban school district needs to give more attention to nutrition since they are the primary food source for many children during 2/3 of their potential meals for the day. I realize that education is priority #1 and they have a great deal of difficulty managing success. But as a school DISTRICT that is the administrative operation, the question of how food is supplied, the source, and the content needs to be addressed.

Many areas around the country have CSA - Community Supported Agriculture co-ops. Schools can be co-op members and schools can help parents learn about joining and overcoming the inequities of urban food deserts.

We tend to be so silo-ed in our work. The school people are busy over in their area. The CSA and farm people are busy growing crops. The Food to School folks are a bridge, but they need support from parents, administrators, teachers, and students to get nutrition on the table in our schools. Here is an example group that I follow in Los Angeles - School Garden Co-Op. Even DonorsChoose has gotten involved in supporting agriculture/nutrition in schools as part of the causes they enable support for.

Vegans and plantstrong advocates could be a huge support network for this work. Get involved!

Mushrooms and Pine Nut "Gravy"

Invention in cooking can turn out well or really suck!

Tonight, it turned out really well!

I love pesto, but on a no-oil plantstrong, vegan regimen - you have to be inventive to sample flavors you love. I don't eat the faux vegan foods - like the vegan cheese everyone raves about. OIL and CALORIES I can skip. But I do love pine nuts, italian flavors, and mushrooms. Here is my latest creation

Italian inspired Mushrooms with Gravy

Tonight, I used red and white qunoa as my pasta. You could use whole wheat or Jerusalem artichoke pasta instead. I make a full cup of dry quinoa so I have leftover to make a salad tomorrow :).
1/2 C white quinoa
1/2 C red quinoa
2 C vegetable broth Pacific Natural Organic
Put all in a pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, simmer, cover for about 15-20 minutes. Check out the "learn to make: quinoa" recipe on Whole Foods recipes at their web site or on the iphone app!

First - 8 oz of mushrooms. I used white pearl. I also like brown pearl or crimini. Cut them up, slice them up or throw them in whole. As you like it!

I use a spoonful of veggie broth to coat the bottom of the saute pan, and add the mushrooms. Cook over a medium heat. About 5 minutes or so and they start to soften and release water. Add more veggie broth if it evaporates. Push the mushrooms around to coat their surface in the broth so they don't stick to the pan.

I also added about 1/4C white wine for flavor. My current favorite is Eco Domani Pinot Grigio. The best < $10 wine around!

While the shrooms are cooking, start the "pesto gravy."
First you make a roux or paste-like base:
I didn't have any fresh basil, but next time I'll definitely have some.
I used a half bag, 1.5 oz of pine nuts Melissa's Organic
Add a teaspoon full of chopped garlic (I use the prechopped organic kind that is already a little creamy) or 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic depending on how garlic-y you like it.
Add your fresh basil here. Or do as I did and use about a 1/4 tsp or so of dried Italian seasoning.
Chop in a food processor and blend till creamy. You may need to add just a bit of veggie broth or wine to keep it from being dry.

Turn this out into the pan with the mushrooms. There should be liquid in the saute pan and that will turn the roux into gravy. Stir until the roux and liquid are mixed into a nice sauce. Add 2 sliced and halved Roma tomatoes and cook on low heat. You don't want to turn the tomatoes to mush, so keep the heat low.

Meanwhile, finish the quinoa and put your serving onto your plate. Top with the mushrooms, tomatoes and pine nut gravy.

Enjoy!

Asian Inspired Veggies

I try new ways of cooking veggies (sorry to all you raw enthusiasts, but I sometimes need to cook 'em).

Here is a fast, easy and tasty method and you can alter the recipe to suit your own flavor favorites.
I love Asian flavors and this suits my palate!

Use a large microwave safe bowl - I prefer a pyrex or heavy glass bowl
I cut up and throw in whatever I have handy or sounds good. Last night it was:
brown pearl mushrooms
petite fresh green beans
green pepper
sliced leek
broccoli florets
red swiss chard

Put all but the chard in the bowl.

Add a marinade that also will serve as a cooking liquid
In a separate bowl, thoroughly combine:
about a 1/2 cup of mushroom broth Pacific Natural Organic
2 TBS of Tamari Sauce (I use low sodium when I can find it in the store)
1 TBS of chopped garlic (I use it prepared in the jar) Christopher Ranch Organic
1 TBS of chopped ginger (I use it prepared in the jar) Christopher Ranch Organic
sesame seeds
add red pepper flakes, curry powder, or white pepper if you like a kick

Mix the sauce and pour over the veggies. Toss the veggies and let sit for a few minutes. The broccoli and mushrooms will absorb some of the liquid.

Cut the chard into pieces and layer over the top of the veggies, about 1-2 large leaves

Microwave the veggie bowl and cook as you would normally cook raw vegetables.

Spoon the veggies onto your serving dish and enjoy!

If you want, cook some rice or quinoa and spoon some of the remaining liquid over it for flavor!

Onward <3>

Black Bean Soup

UPDATE: I just made a batch and put the leftovers in the fridge without all the liquid. Today I spooned the leftovers on a bed of romaine lettuce and had a tasty. tasty salad! No dressing needed. If I hadn't been lazy I would have added cucumber and some other veggies...


Perfect for a cold, wet day. I trolled the online recipes for black bean soup and came up with this. I think it is yummy! I list the brands I use, but you can use your faves :) . I give measures so you can see the proportions of ingredients. You may want more or less of certain ingredients depending on your taste. I like it spicy, so adjust accordingly.

Black Bean Soup

25 oz can (large can) Westbrae Natural Organic Black Beans
1/2 jar Muir Glen Salsa with Black Beans and Corn (or use diced fresh or canned tomato if you don't like spicy)
1/2 C or so Cascadia Organic Frozen Corn
1 C Pacifc Natural Organic Vegetable Broth
2 stalks or so celery chopped
1/2 green pepper or so, chopped
1/2 red onion or so, chopped
2 cloves garlic (I use the jar of minced in water which equates to 1 spoonful = 1 clove)
1/2 tsp (about) cumen
a few shakes of crushed red pepper flakes
juice of half a lime

Cook for about 45 minutes on low heat. Let the flavors mingle and the veggies soften.
Smells fantastic as it cooks!

Roast Sweet Potato and Cauliflower

I follow the plantstrong regimen and that means no oil. I wanted to try roasted veggies and all the recipes call for oil. So I improvised and it turned out very well!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cauliflower

cut the sweet potatoes into bite size pieces (I leave the skin on but wash thoroughly)
separate cauliflower into small florets

I used 2 small/med sweet potatoes and about a Cup to a Cup and 1/2 of cauliflower. It filled the pan without crowding the veggies too much.

In a small bowl mix the following:
3-4 TBS of veggie broth (depends on the amount of veggies you use)
2 TBS of tamari sauce
1 tsp of garam masala Indian spice
These are rough measures - I just put a few shakes in:
1/8 -1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 -1/4 tsp curry powder
1/8 -1/4 tsp cumin
1/4-1/2 tsp sesame seeds
1/4 tsp pepper (or use red pepper, white pepper as you like)

Put a few pieces of the veggies at a time into the bowl and coat, then place on a no-stick baking pan.

Drizzle any leftover "sauce" over the veggies on the pan

The spice (especially the garam massala) makes the "sauce" slightly thick and helps it coat the veggies. Who needs oil!

Cook in 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

The veggies will probably stick a bit to the pan, so use a wooden spatula to get them off the pan. The outside of the veggies will be slightly crispy so using the spatula won't squish the veggies. They'll come right up.

I like a peppery flavor and a lot of spice. You may want to adjust to your own tastes.

Yummie!!

Onward <3

Easy, Healthy Soup

I know everyone has seen a zillion soup recipes for vegan and plantstrong regimens. But this one is particularly easy, tasty, and nutritious. I grabbed the recipe off the Whole Foods iphone app.

Italian Spinach and Pasta Soup

15 oz kidney beans (1 can)
15 oz diced tomatoes (1 can)
Italian seasoning (unless the tomatoes are already seasoned), I added some garlic
4 C veggie broth
fresh spinach (chopped or whole baby leaves)
pasta

Cook the pasta separately. It will be put in the bottom of your bowl and you ladle the soup over it.

Bring the broth to a boil, turn down the heat a bit, add beans, tomatoes, seasonings. I used dried beans that I had cooked, so I did not have any liquid from a can of beans. Send in the entire can of tomatoes and juice.

Heat that mix back to simmer and let it cook for a bit (the recipe says bring back to simmer). I like the flavors to mingle. Then add the spinach and cook until the leaves shrivel a bit and darken. Don't cook it to death.

Put the pasta in your bowl and ladle the soup over it. About 30-40 minutes start to finish for me.

I use
Pacific Natural Organic Veggie Broth (comes in a box)
organic dried kidney beans
Hodgson Mill whole wheat (eggless) pasta
Muir Glenn Organic diced tomatoes

I cooked enough pasta for my meal tonight and will have the leftover soup, sans pasta tomorrow!

Eating Well, Eating Right

Plantstrong and vegan are great eating regimens. My body really responds well to the nutrition I'm putting in and the junk I am not!! But the brain is a whole 'nuther animal. My brain, when given just the slightest taste of sugar or other fat/oil-based food, loses all control. A little taste today, becomes more tomorrow, and a full-blown loss of control by the end of the week. I'm dramatizing a bit, but it FEELS like that. And that is the problem with the emotional and chemical addiction that sits in our brains - it FEELS REAL. It's almost like, if I don't have this sugar now, I WILL expire.

What I have managed to stick to is a vegan regimen. No dairy, no eggs, no fish. What I have trouble sticking with is the no oil plantstrong regimen - no nuts, no chips, nothing fried, no oil, no HFCS products, basically no candy. It's a bit draconian - but then I have been a wanton Roman for most of life, eating as I please and not worrying about tomorrow. Well, tomorrow is here and now I have to tow the line for a while.

I'm having a great supper of giant portobella mushroom caps filled with my own stuffing - I process a few mushrooms, and some veggies - I chose green pepper and leeks. Then stir in some Japanese bread crumbs (because they are vegan) and add just enough veggie broth to moisten a bit to keep the bread crumbs in. Then spoon that mix onto the mushroom caps. Put about a half/spoonful of veggie broth on the baking sheet and rub the cap on the broth. Keeps it from sticking while baking without any oil. I cook in in 350 degree oven for about 20 min. I should have cooked for 30 min tonight because the caps were thick and the green pepper releases a lot of water. Live and learn, but it is tasty! I would season with salt, pepper, and whatever your taste buds like, but I had a very spicy lunch and wanted something with just natural flavors!

I have a friend that has gradually gone vegetarian, mainly because he hangs around me and others who are vegetarians. But he has taken on a challenge to go dairy-free/egg free for a month. I promised that his palette would change for the better. He's already not into fried foods and a lot of oil, so I am hoping he has amazing results. We'll see how it goes!

Meanwhile, the clothes keep getting bigger as I keep getting smaller, slowly, but surely. Rome wasn't built in a day, so it will take time to deconstruct it :)

Onward <3

Happy Heart Healthy New Year!

January - a time of resolutions, diets, fads, commitment, failure. Many people have or will (including me) committed to resolutions to get fit, lose weight, only to lose steam by February and slowly give up. Radical change is hard, very hard. Willpower does not exist. Either you get over the addiction to whatever foods you are addicted to by stop putting them in your mouth or you won't. Either you will commit to your health and accept that you need to break the emotional ties you have built up with your food "friends" or you won't. If you are massively overweight (like me), you can't have your cake and eat it too. It won't work.

You can, however, ease into a plant strong regimen. But at some point, sooner rather than later, you will have to quit cold turkey certain food items.

Suggestions for you:
1. go vegetarian - heavy on the vegetables and whole grains, light on the cheese, dairy, and snacks.
2. If you are a sort-of vegetarian like I was (avoid meat), commit to 100% vegan for a few weeks. See if you don't notice a difference. 2 or 3 weeks in your life will not kill you, will not be a burden compared to the years you have indulged yourself.
3. If you are a vegan-ish eater, but still can't lose weight and are F-A-T (and I don't mean, oh I need to lose 10 pounds), then you probably need to drop the sugar, drop the processed foods (anything in a box - even all veggie), and drop the vegan cheese, vegan-aise, vegan yogurt, vegan ice cream - the fat and the sugar are killing any attempts to permanently drop the weight.

I indulged over the holidays - which for me meant eating a lot of seafood while in Seattle. Oh yum! Eating nuts and those Japanese wasabi snack mixes - because they were there! I even indulged in a chocolate bar - a 60% cocoa with caramel delicious heaven :D

But since I've been back home, I have gotten back onto my plant strong regimen.
Yesterday I had Mills whole wheat angel hair pasta and homemade sauce - Muir Glenn organic tomato sauce (no oil), organic diced tomatoes, shredded carrots, italian seasoning.
Tonight is Pacific Natural Organic Mushroom Broth with leeks, mushrooms, and fresh peas. I had a wonderful lunch at my neighborhood Cafe -- Bimimbap - a Korean dish with rice, spinach, tofu, lettuce, carrots, and other good stuff.

Since I've been home, I've had soy "ice cream" and some natural potato-veggie "chips." I'm easing back into normalcy and will cut out all unhealthy foods by tomorrow.

I do it because I am committed to my health and I like losing weight. Cheating is only killing me. I really don't have a death wish. The emotional satisfaction I get out of certain foods is omnipresent, but I can work on that. The chemical addictions I have reawakened can be tamed.

If you really understand what you are up against, you will be successful. If you just kid yourself, you will not succeed.

next up, physical activity. Have I said that before? hmmmm.

Onward!