Raise-the-Roof Sweet Potato-Vegetable Lasagna

"Amazing" is what I wrote on the recipe page, p. 202. This is my daughter's favorite, and I made it for her as her last meal before leaving to study abroad. It has also become a Thanksgiving dinner tradition with family all helping to chop the many veggies. It's gluten-free if you use brown-rice pasta noodles. You can double the recipe or halve it (see photo towards end with dish sizes). And the left-overs are extra-yummy. :) There is more prep-work for this meal, that's why I save it for special occasions. It's so worth it, though! If you make the smallest version, the prep-work isn't too much. Bonus: you don't need to pre-cook the noodles.

Have you seen the life-saving documentary, Forks Over Knives? Fire-fighter and athlete Rip Esselstyn is in it showing how a whole-foods plant-based (wfpb) diet improved the health of his fellow firefighters and can be flavorful at the same time. This recipe is from his book, The Engine 2 Diet. I've been enjoying many of his recipes. His father is Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., famous heart surgeon who shifted his focus to reversing and preventing heart disease, proving heart disease need not exist at all when following a wfpb diet.

Ingredients: (conversions not verified by my kitchen scale, yet)

1 medium sweet potato or yam, cooked and mashed

8 oz (127 g) frozen spinach, thawed, drained/squeezed (see photo towards bottom)

8 oz  (127 g) firm tofu, pressed, diced

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 head garlic, all cloves pressed or chopped

4 oz (113 g) mushrooms sliced

1/2 head of broccoli, chopped (I should have seen how many cups that is. See photo)

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 can [4about 5 oz (142 g) worth] corn, drained (can save liquid for cooking veggies)

1/4 tsp (1.2 g) cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp (2.3 g) basil

1/2 tsp (2.3 g) oregano

1/2 tsp (2.3 g) rosemary

1.5-2 jars pasta sauce [each jar at least 25.5 oz (722 g, 780 mL)] (may not need a full 2)

1 package (12 oz, 340 g) of whole-grain lasagna noodles (can use brown-rice noodles for gf)

1/2 c (113 g) raw cashews, ground (via blender, processor, or crushed in bag with hammer)

9 x 13 inch (23 cm x 33 cm) oven-safe dish

Aluminum foil to cover

L-R/T-B: yam/sweet potato, drained spinach, pressed and
diced tofu, onions, garlic, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli,
corn, red bell pepper, spices, ground cashews.
Not pictured: whole grain or brown-rice lasagna noodles,
jars of pasta sauce.

Directions:

-Do-ahead: Make sure the sweet potato is cooked (boil whole until soft, about 30 min, when knife can easily be inserted) and mashed, the frozen spinach is thawed and liquid squeezed out,* and the tofu is pressed and diced. *I tried fresh spinach, but the water content made the lasagna extra runny once cooked.

-Pre-heat oven to 400 F (200 C, gas mark 6)

-Sauté the onion, garlic, and mushrooms until onions are limp and mushrooms give up liquid, then place them in large bowl (reserve any mushroom liquid in the sauté pan)

-Sauté broccoli and carrot for 5 min. Add to same bowl.

-Sauté pepper and corn until just beginning to soften. Add to bowl.

-Add the tofu and spice to bowl. Gently stir and combine.

To assemble: (see the following 3 photos)

-Cover bottom of 9x13 in. dish with a layer a sauce. Add a layer of noodles, then cover the noodles with another layer of sauce. The liquid from the sauce will cook the noodles in the oven.

-Spread the veggies over the sauced noodles, add a layer of noodles then more sauce.

-Add the spinach on top (I have to use my fingers to pull it apart)

-Cover the spinach with the mashed sweet potato (plop it on then spread thin)

-Add another layer of sauce, then noodles, then sauce. Make sure the top layer of sauce covers the noodles so the noodles soften. The original recipe calls for one 25 oz jar, but that just didn't seem enough. That's why I list 1.5 to 2 jars of sauce in the ingredients. You may not need the full 2.

-Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes

-Remove foil, add cashews, return to oven for 10 min.

-Remove from oven and let sit for 15 min before serving

Put thawed frozen-spinach in a cloth and squeeze
out liquid. Discard liquid.

8x8 in. (20x20 cm) cook 35 min/10 min
9x13 in. (23x33 cm) cook 40 min/10 min
11.5x17 in. (29x43 cm) cook 45 min/15 min

💚Happy Thanksliving! 💚

Sage and Onion Lentil Loaf

Gluten free. Low sodium. This is so good and tastes like a holiday! My 14 yo son LOVES this meal and asks for seconds. The recipe is from Dr. Pamela Fergusson, a registered dietician and with a PhD in nutrition. Click here for her website, PamelaFergusson.com Dr. Pamela was there for me when I was trying to figure out how to help my father change his eating habits during and after his stay in the ICU. You can find more of her recipes under "Blog" on her website. I wonder if these would make good "meat"balls. I may try that sometime!

{Additional links for: gravy, mashed potatoes}

Ingredients: (conversions not verified by my kitchen scale, yet)
1 C (227 g) dry lentils (green or brown)
4 C (1 L) vegetable stock

1/2 onion, finely chopped (about 1- 1.25 c or 120 g)
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 carrot, finely chopped (about 7" long or 60 g)
1/3 c (40 g) walnuts, chopped

1/3 c (83 mL) applesauce
2 T (28.3 g) ground flax seed

1 T + 1 T light olive oil (15 mL, 15 mL)
1/2 tsp (2.4 g) garlic powder
2/3 c (151 g) oat flour (see end of post on how to make own) - can use bread crumbs, too
1 tsp (5 g) poultry seasoning (thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, nutmeg)
1 T (14 g) fresh sage, minced [or 1/2 tsp (2.4 g) rubbed sage]

for the glaze
1 T (15 mL) mustard
1 T (15 mL) maple syrup
1 T (15 mL) applesauce

5.25'" x 9" x 2.75" (135 x 230 x 70 mm) loaf pan lined with parchment paper or foil
(see photo below). Next time I may just coat bottom with light oil or non-stick spray.

Notes:
-If using water instead of stock, add 1/2 tsp of salt (optional if watching sodium)
-Rosemary or oregano can be nice subs for sage
-If using canned lentils instead of dry: omit vegetable stock and increase seasonings and salt
-If no applesauce: shred an apple (recommend granny smith apple, but any might work)
-To save time: make lentils the day before or prepare loaf the day before and cook it day-of
-The glaze is really good...you can double it, save half to drizzle on after loaf is cooked

Directions:
-Heat vegetable stock, add lentils, cook until soft (about 40-45 min). Check before draining.
-Drain excess stock from the lentils
-Heat 1 T oil in pan or wok and sauté the onion, garlic, carrot, and walnuts
-Stir the ground flax into the  1/3 cup of applesauce. Set aside for 10 min
-Mash lentils with a potato masher until about half of the lentils are mashed (you can use a blender or food processor for this step but it may turn out more-finely mashed)
-Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)
-Add the sautéed vegetables/walnuts, 1 T olive oil, oat flour, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, and sage to the lentil mixture. Stir
-Add the applesauce/flax mixture to the lentil mixture. Stir
-Fill the loaf pan with the lentil mixture
-Make the glaze by mixing together the mustard, maple syrup, and 1 T applesauce. Spread the glaze over the top of the loaf
-Bake at 350 F for 60 minutes. Remove from oven and let loaf cool for 15 minutes before slicing

Re lining the pan with parchment paper:
just push it in and form the creases. Then
once you begin pouring in the lentil mixture,
the mixture will push the paper down.
(Trim the top).
Next time, I'm going to try without the paper.

Pre-oven

Pre-oven with yummy glaze

Out of the oven and sitting for 15 min
It smells so good!

Making oat flour:

I used old-fashioned rolled oats and a blender. Pictured here is a high-speed blender (NutriBullet). I wanted a rough-flour, so I only blended them for 1 second. For a finer flour, blend a few seconds longer. One cup of oats before blending will reduce the volume as shown below.

Turkeys can be very affectionate and form bonds not only
with their own feathered-family but also with people
and other animals.

Something else I didn't know:

Over 40 million turkeys are artificially bred into existence and held in cramped living conditions each year for our holiday meals. Their transport and slaughter prep cause fear and pain. Because of the high assembly-line rate of their slaughter, not all of them are dead when they begin going through the scalding, plucking, dismemberment, etc.

The good news:

We aren't required to eat turkey, and we don't need to. There are so many other plant-based options (which are healthier than turkey flesh)! And when we choose plant-based options, we are truly showing our gratitude and respect. "If my happiness depends on another being suffering, I need another kind of happiness." Choose ethics over habits.

Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Eat to Live “Six-Week Plan/Intervention”

Although named the six-week plan, the intention is to make this way of eating a lifestyle and not just a temporary diet. The "life plan" is the "six-week plan" but with more whole-foods options. Dr. Fuhrman treats 1000s of people with chronic disease and obesity, and this nutritarian eating plan is what he advises to turn health around in a doable way without starvation. More information can be found in his book Eat to Live.

UNLIMITED

All raw vegetables (goal: 1 lb daily) The object is to eat as many raw vegetables as possible.

+Snow peas, red bell peppers, carrots, raw peas, tomatoes, cucumbers, sprouts, watercress, celery, radishes, kohlrabi, lettuce (romaine, bib, Boston, red leaf, green ice, iceberg, arugula, radicchio, endive, frisée)

Cooked green and non-green nutrient-rich vegetables (goal: 1 lb daily) Eat as many as you can

-Non-green, nutrient-dense includes: eggplant, peppers, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower, garlic, stewed tomatoes, mushrooms (eat lots of mushrooms)

-Green: string beans, broccoli, artichokes, asparagus, zucchini, kale, collards, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, okra, Swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, escarole, beet greens, spinach, dandelion greens, broccoli raab,

Beans, legumes, bean sprouts, and tofu (goal: 1 cup daily, but you can have more)

-Technically a starch but is acts more like fiber during digestion; it’s a “resistant starch”

-Eat beans with every lunch

-Chickpeas, black-eyed peas, black beans, cowpeas, split peas, lima beans, pinto beans, lentils, red kidney beans, soybeans, cannellini beans, pigeon peas, white beans

Fresh fruits: at least 4 daily (frozen okay but avoid canned)

-Apples, apricots, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, clementines, grapes, kiwi-fruit, kumquats, mangoes, melons, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, persimmons, pineapples, plums, raspberries, star-fruit, strawberries, tangerines

-Exotic (Dr. F’s faves) blood oranges, persimmons, cherimoyas

LIMITED (limited)

Cooked starchy vegetables or whole grains (not more than 1 serving, or 1 cup, per day) 

-Calorically dense

-Starchy veggies: Most should be colorful- butternut and acorn squash, corn, turnips, parsnips, sweet potatoes, yams, winter squash, pumpkins, rutabagas. White potatoes, chestnuts, water chestnuts.

-Grains: barley, buckwheat (kasha), millet, oats, quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, bread, cereal (tip: soaking whole grains for a day before cooking increases nutritional value)

Raw nuts and seeds (1 ounce max per day)

-Almonds, cashews, walnuts, black walnuts, pecans, filberts, hickory nuts, macadamias, pignolis, pistachios, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds (ground). Best in salads, dressings, and dips

Avocado (2 ounce max per day, about 1/2 an avocado)

Dried fruit (2 T max per day) Use for sweetening

Ground flaxseeds (1 T max per day) Includes daily for omega-3 fats

-Other sources: hemp seeds, walnuts, soybeans like edamame. Veg DHA supplement

Spices, herbs, condiments

Use all spices and herbs except salt. A little mustard is okay. No pickled food. Unsweetened ketchup. No-oil tomato sauce.

OFF-LIMITS

Dairy, animal products

Between-meal snacks

fuit juice

oils

salt

Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen

Dr. Michael Greger's Daily Dozen

YouTube introduction link here

Increasing plant-based eating while moving away from the habit of eating animals can be challenging. Where do you start? How do you know you’re getting your protein, calcium, and omegas?

Dr. Michael Greger’s “Daily Dozen” is a good place to start. The list below shows foods to add each day to get the nutrients and fiber needed to fuel and clean our body. If you are active, add more servings to get the calories in.

Hate tracking? Me, too. The list can be used initially as a tool to get you into a routine and to think about how to add more nutrients to your meals. Then tracking isn’t necessary. 

He has a free phone app if that helps.

Because going plant-based successfully isn’t just about what you stop eating, it’s also about what you START eating to ensure you get the calories, fiber, healthy fats, omegas, vitamins, minerals, protein,  “good” carbohydrates, and hydration. 🎯

BEANS - 3 daily servings 

1/4 c hummus or bean dip

1/2 c cooked beans, split peas, lentils, tofu, or tempeh

1    c fresh peas or sprouted lentils

BERRIES - 1

1/2 c fresh or frozen

1/4 c dried

OTHER FRUITS - 3

1 medium-sized

1 c cut-up

1/4 c dried

CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES - 1

1/2 c chopped

1/4 c Brussels sprouts, broccoli 

1 T horseradish

Includes: arugula, bok choy, cabbage, kale, mustard greens, radishes, turnip greens, watercress

GREENS - 2

1 c raw

1/2 c cooked

Includes: arugula, beet greens, collard greens, mesclun mix, mustard greens, sorrel, spinach, Swiss chard, turnip greens

OTHER VEGETABLES - 2

1 c raw leafy vegetables

1/2 c raw or cooked non-leafy vegetables

1/2 c vegetable juice

1/4 c dried mushrooms

Includes: artichokes, asparagus, beets, bell peppers, carrots, corn, garlic, mushrooms, okra, onions, pumpkin, purple potatoes, sea vegetables (arame, dulse, nori), snap peas, squash, sweet potatoes/yams, tomatoes, zucchini

FLAXSEEDS - 1

1 T ground

NUTS AND SEEDS - 1

1/4 c nuts or seeds

2 T nut or seed butter

HERBS AND SPICES - 1

1/4 tsp turmeric

Any other (salt-free) herbs and spices you enjoy

WHOLE GRAINS - 3

1/2 c hot cereal or cooked grains, pasta, or corn kernels

1 c cold cereal

1 tortilla or slice of bread

1/2 a bagel or English muffin

3 c popped popcorn

Includes: barley, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, oats, whole-wheat pasta, popcorn, quinoa, rye, teff, wild rice

BEVERAGES 5

1 glass (12 ounces/350 ml) = 1.5 cups [5 x 1.5 = 7.5 cups] … so approx 7-8 cups per day

Includes: water, teas, coffee, hot chocolate 

EXERCISE - 1

90 minutes of moderate-intensity activity

40 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity

Vitamin B12: supplements 2,500 mcg per week -or- 250 mcg daily, “cyanocobalamin”

Vitamin D: Moderate sun exposure (no burns) or 2,000 IU supplements “D3”

{250 mg daily of pollutant-free (yeast or algae-derived) long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA)}

Mashed Yams with Pineapple

Easy. Can do ahead. Great as left-overs. So healthy! No oil, no processed sugar, no salt. 

I originally wrote about this dish nearly 9 years ago, and the original recipe contained butter, brown sugar, honey, and salt (click here to see original). Since then, I've removed those ingredients because our tastebuds have changed, and we enjoy the natural flavors so much more. And removing those makes the recipe that much simpler and easier to clean up after. It's a nice holiday dish, too.

I should try sprinkling hemp seeds on top
for added omegas

Ingredients:
4-5 yams or sweet potatoes
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple (in own juices), drained
cinnamon
pecans (or walnuts)

Directions:
-Boil a pot of water, enough water to cover yams
-Add yams and gently boil for about 30-40 minutes until inserted knife goes in smoothly
-Remove yams and drain
-Cut skins and remove (I have a great yam-skin recipe I still need to enter)
-Mash naked yams in large bowl
-Stir in whatever amount of pineapple, cinnamon, and pecans you want (I use the whole can)

Something else I didn't know:
Not all carbohydrates are created equal. In the diet and diabetes industry, a carb-phobia has been created, and unfortunately the good-carbs have been dragged down along with the bad carbs. This has resulted in a lot of confusion and messed-up metabolisms and eating habits.
Good "whole" carbs have natural fiber and include all vegetables, whole fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, tubers (potatoes).
Bad "refined" carbs include processed foods like sugar, white flour, sugary drinks, fried potatoes, white rice.
The good news:
We need good carbs and can enjoy them knowing they help us thrive! And, T1 diabetes insulin resistance can be greatly helped on a plant-based diet with good carbs while T2 diabetes can be reversed!! No one used to think T2 could be reversed and that those suffering from it would be on meds the rest of their lives. There is actual hope to get off the meds...tangible, doable, life-saving hope and results! Click here to find out more at MasteringDiabetes.org It's the animal protein and fats that interfere with insulin resistance...not fruit!

Avocado Chocolate Pudding

I know. It sounds gross. I waited a long time to try it when I saw different versions pop up on IG accounts I follow. I never would "save" it because it just didn't appeal to me. But yesterday I was trying to think of ways to get more nutritious calories into my dad who needed to gain weight after returning home from the hospital. Avocados! Except he doesn't like avocados. Then I recalled the avocado pudding recipes posted. Well, let's try it... We did, and it was a success! Message from my dad, "It's delicious! Amazing how chocolaty it tastes." We don't taste avocado flavor at all.*
{*Update: I just made a batch and can taste the avocado this time. I left out the protein powder, too. Looks like it depends on the avocado. My dad still likes it a lot.}

My recipe is inspired by two other recipes: one from AllRecipes "Chocolate Avocado Pudding" and the other from Dr. Michael Greger's How Not to Die Cookbook "Berry Chocolate Chia Pudding." This is a rough estimate for 1 batch, approx 1 cup:
Calories 590
Protein 18 grams
Fiber 18 grams

Some of those numbers are from a plant-based protein powder I added which has 65 cal, 10 g protein, and 2 g of fiber per tablespoon (NOT the scoop in the container, which is 2 T). The protein powder does add a slight bitterness to the pudding.

Equipment needed: high-speed blender (regular one may work, too*)

Ingredients: (conversions not verified by my kitchen scale, yet)

1 large avocado, ripe

3 T cocoa powder (I used a Dutch chocolate blend)

1 T plant-based protein powder (mine was vanilla flavored) [T, not the scoop in the container]

1/4 cup date syrup** (100% pure maple syrup works, too, but will lower fiber content)

1/4 cup soy milk (I used vanilla flavored, sweetened)

1 t vanilla 

Directions:

-Cut open the avocado, remove seed, scrape out the green part (discard skin and seed)

-Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. May need to stop and scrape edges. Can also add more soy milk to thin the pudding. (If you end up adding too much milk and it's too thin, try stirring in a T of chia seeds to thicken it up. I haven't tried that, yet, but some recipes I saw use chia seeds.]

-Eat within 2-3 days

The vanilla powder is upside-down because I didn't use
it in this recipe because my soy milk and protein powder
were already vanilla-flavored. If they weren't, I would
use the vanilla powder (or extract).
{Update: use the vanilla anyway; it adds a nice flavor
and seems to help cover avocado flavor}

*Blenders

I used a NutriBullet high-speed blender. If you make a larger batch, use a Vitamix. If I were to use my regular kitchen blender, I would chop up the avocado into smaller pieces, stir the mixture first, and add more plant milk. Then I'd stir in some chia seeds or ground flax seeds to help it thicken up.

**Date syrup

I used store-bought date syrup but plan on making my own next time. This is from Dr. Michael Greger's How Not to Die Cookbook, page 3. You could halve the recipe, too.

1 cup pitted dates

1 cup boiling water

1 tsp lemon juice

Combine the dates and hot water in a heatproof bowl and set aside for 1 hour to soften the dates. Transfer the dates and water to a high-speed blender. Add the lemon and blend until smooth. Transfer to a glass jar or other airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. Store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 weeks.

Creamy Potato Soup

This is a winner in our home. I don't remember if my oldest who is in the army now liked it or not. I think so. Hm. This is from The Clear Skin Diet book by Nina and Randa Nelson. It is influenced by John McDougall, MD. Page 205. Low sodium (or no sodium if using water instead of broth).

-Tool used: immersion blender...could be very good not blended, too

Topped with marinated and cooked bunapi
mushrooms and baked tofu slices.

Ingredients: (conversions not verified by my kitchen scale, yet)
6 gold potatoes, cubed
4 stalks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3/4 C (170 g) chopped onions (can use 1/2 c dried minced onions)
2 tsp (9.5 g) garlic powder (I use 1-2 cloves)
4 C (500 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 C (125 mL) non-dairy milk (I use almond milk or soy milk)
2 tsp (9.5 g) poultry seasoning*
2 C (227 g) fresh or frozen corn (I leave out bcz youngest doesn't like it)
1 T (14 g) nutritional yeast

*poultry seasoning: 1 tsp sage, 1/2 tsp marjoram, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp celery seed  (approx)

Directions:
-Begin heating liquids in pot while washing and chopping veggies
-Add all ingredients except for the corn to the pot; bring to boil on high
-Reduce heat to medium, simmer covered for about 1 hour until potatoes are softened
-Remove soup from stove
-Use immersion blender to cream the soup
-Add the corn and return the lid to the pot. Let is sit for a couple of minutes without adding additional heat. The corn will be warmed by the hot soup

"Something Else I Didn't Know" Collection

At the end of many of my recipe posts on this blog, I add a thought regarding something I didn't know about animal-agriculture and/or health when I was a non-vegan. These pieces of info contributed to me switching to and maintaining veganism (defined as a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose). I also add a piece of good news to instill hope and achievability for change. I will collect those thoughts here and continuously update this post.

Vegan Cabbage Rolls 6-23-21

Something Else I Didn't Know:  The US government subsidizes the meat, dairy, and egg industries with our taxes while not subsidizing fruits and vegetables...except for the plants produced for animal agriculture like corn and soy. This is why it seems like the produce section the grocery stores is so much more expensive than animal products. Lobbyists, advertisers and those at the top of industrialized animal agriculture are making the $$$ at our expense. It's difficult for smaller farmers to switch over to producing healthy foods for us when their income is better by supplying Big Ag.

Good news: We could solve world hunger with less acreage by phasing out animal agriculture and instead supporting farmers in growing fruits, vegetables, grains-for-people, nuts and seeds. We could then replant trees which were cleared to make way for the increased demand for animal agriculture...like the Rainforest which is being destroyed mainly for beef and other livestock. Wild horses would no longer be rounded up and killed for the sake of "grass fed beef." Water would no longer be contaminated from animal agriculture. Air would be cleaner. Diseases like heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, hypertension, hypothyroidism, dementia, some kidney diseases, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, many autoimmune diseases, ++ could be nearly eliminated.

💚
Vegan Cheese Sauce 11-18-19
Something else I didn't know:
Consuming dairy can increase breast cancer risk as much as 50% (link). There's also an increased risk of prostate cancer.
The good news:
We do not need animal milk to survive. Our health is better without dairy. (And the cows and planet are better off without the dairy industry).
💚
Sage and Onion Lentil Loaf 10-26-19

Something else I didn't know:

Over 40 million turkeys are artificially bred into existence and held in cramped living conditions each year for our holiday meals. Their transport and slaughter prep cause fear and pain. Because of the high assembly-line rate of their slaughter, not all of them are dead when they begin going through the scalding, plucking, dismemberment, etc.

The good news:

We aren't required to eat turkey, and we don't need to. There are so many other plant-based options (which are healthier than turkey flesh)! And when we choose plant-based options, we are truly showing our gratitude and respect. "If my happiness depends on another being suffering, I need another kind of happiness." Choose ethics over habits.

💚
Mashed Yams with Pineapple 10-10-19
Something else I didn't know:
Not all carbohydrates are created equal. In the diet and diabetes industry, a carb-phobia has been created, and unfortunately the good-carbs have been dragged down along with the bad carbs. This has resulted in a lot of confusion and messed-up metabolisms and eating habits.
Good "whole" carbs have natural fiber and include all vegetables, whole fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, tubers (potatoes).
Bad "refined" carbs include processed foods like sugar, white flour, sugary drinks, fried potatoes, white rice.
The good news:
We need good carbs and can enjoy them knowing they help us thrive! And, T1 diabetes insulin resistance can be greatly helped on a plant-based diet with good carbs while T2 diabetes can be reversed!! No one used to think T2 could be reversed and that those suffering from it would be on meds the rest of their lives. There is actual hope to get off the meds...tangible, doable, life-saving hope and results! Click here to find out more at MasteringDiabetes.org It's the animal protein and fats that interfere with insulin resistance...not fruit!
💚
Edamame 10-1-19
Some people are concerned about soy products having too much estrogen. Some of that fear stemmed from backlash from the dairy industry threatened by soy products like milk, yogurt, cheeses. Soy has phytoestrogen which is not harmful to humans. However, cow milk has mammalian estrogen meant to grow a calf into an adult cow and is harmful to humans. We are supposed to be weaned from milk, and forcing our body to consume breast milk especially from another species over the long-term has negative health consequences.
💚
Banana Bread 8-9-19
Something else I didn't know:
In nature, hens lay 10-15 eggs per year and mate naturally. To meet consumer demand, the egg industry has artificially bred hens to lay 200-300 eggs per year, which is very taxing on a hen's body and can result in painful complications. The industry has tricks to manipulate more egg production which includes intermittent starvation. Commercial egg production packs their hens into rows of tiny crates with other hens, cutting off the tips of their beaks to prevent pecking and eating their own eggs. "Organic" and "free-range" are marketing terms and don't mean the conditions for the hens are much better than the caged. Male chicks are of no-use to the egg industry and will either be ground-up alive or dumped into a plastic bag to suffocate.
The good news: We don't need eggs to survive. On the contrary, regular egg consumption is not good for us. The government-subsidized egg and dairy industries were sued and it is illegal for them to advertise that they are healthy or nutritious (nutrient-dense, yes, but not nutritious). Just like the tobacco industry lying to generations before about the benefits of smoking, the egg and dairy industry have also lied while using biased, industry-funded "studies" trying to show health-benefits so they can make money.

I used to cook eggs for my kids every single morning. Omelets, homemade eggnog, quiche, crepes: these were a regular part of our diet. Knowing what I know now, I am whole-heartedly happy to give those things up.
💚
Beans n Greens n Grains 8-8-19
Something else I didn't know: Once our digestive system is free from animal products and adapts to beans, beans won't cause the bloating and flatulence for which they are blamed. Much of the bad rap for beans grew out of short-term studies in the 60s that didn't account for our body's ability to adapt. Dairy products are actually the leading cause of flatulence.
The good news: Our body adapting to beans is the good news because beans are so good for us! They are a great source of protein, fiber, and other nutrients. We can survive and thrive on a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet. More good news: tastebuds CAN change. I never liked beans (except jellybeans). Now I love them!
💚
Mango-Banana 8-6-19
Something else I didn't know: People with diabetes don't need to avoid whole fruit. Type 1 can manage their insulin resistance through a whole-foods, plant-based diet. Type 2 can reverse and eliminate their diabetes. For more information, see MasteringDiabetes.org
The good news: I'm no longer pre-diabetic and my blood pressure has dropped well into the healthy range.
💚
Chocolate Cream Pie 8-5-19

Something else I didn't know: Dairy calves are forbidden from drinking their mother's milk. I naively used to believe that somehow dairy cows made enough milk to share with us humans. Newborn calves are taken from their mothers within 24-48 hours. If female, the calf will be put in a tiny pen and fed supplemental food. If male, he will be either immediately slaughtered and disposed of or kept alive for a couple months then sold and slaughtered as veal. When dairy cows collapse from the exhaustion of multiple consecutive artificially-produced pregnancies, they are dragged off and slaughtered for ground beef. "The dairy industry is the meat industry."

Good News: We don't need cow-milk to survive. In fact, we are supposed to be weened. We can obtain all of our nutrients from plant sources, which provide better calcium absorption and superior protein over casein. More good news: There are many yummy plant-based cheeses, yogurts, ice-creams, and milks... and tastebuds do change! 

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Chopping Greens 7-20-19
Something else I didn't know: Remember the E.Coli scares that resulted in recalling spinach and Romaine lettuce? The contamination came from animal agriculture. Animal waste from the thousands of tightly packed livestock contaminated the water supply. Some farms spray waste water into the air.

Good news: Reducing consumer demand for animal meat will reduce the amount of animals the ranchers artificially reproduce. Less animals, less contamination, better water, better air.

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Oatmeal 7-18-19
Something else I didn't know: Feeding our growing population industrial meat is extremely inefficient. While about 40% of the world's grain is fed to livestock (and about 70-80% of the USA's grain is fed to livestock), a billion people go hungry each day. When we get this grain back in the form of meat, it comes at a significant calorie loss. For every 100 calories of grain fed to livestock, we only get 3 calories of beef and 12 calories of chicken back.

Good news: We can all fight world hunger by choosing more sustainable foods every time we eat. The less animals we eat, the less ranchers will artificially reproduce them. If we redirected all crop production for human consumption instead of livestock, we could feed an additional 4 billion people. 

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Mock Tuna Fish Salad 7-16-19
Something else I didn't know: Fish feel pain. The hook they are tricked into eating hurts. While trying to breathe, they suffer and drown in our atmosphere like we would suffer and drown in their environment. And sadly, they are often alive when cut open and gutted. Their brain and nerves feel that pain.

Good news: We don't need to eat them to survive (unless you live in a region where fish are the only source of food). Plant protein is much healthier and provides fiber. With all of the contaminants fish muscle absorbs, we definitely don't want to be consuming them anyway. And if you are concerned about getting your omegas, get them from where the fish get them: PLANTS!

By ceasing to eat fish, the marine life thanks you and the exploited* oceans thank you.

*The news today reports that fish may be extinct by 2048 

Mashed Potatoes

I don't have a measured amount of anything. It's all by sight and taste-preferences. Once, I didn't have regular soy or almond milk and only had vanilla soy. "What the heck, let's try that!" The vanilla soy milk was a wonderful surprise! It's so good. I don't even need gravy, personally. Now, this is not a health-food because of the processed oil from the vegan butter, the sodium, and sugar in the sweetened milk if you are watching for those things. But this is a family fave. {I am looking for WFPB mashed potato recipes, though :)}

Gravy link here

Ingredients: (conversions not verified by my kitchen scale, yet)

5-8 yellow potatoes, cooked

vegan butter
vanilla soy milk
garlic powder
onion powder
pepper
salt (I like kosher)

Directions:
-Mash the potatoes and gradually add milk about 2 Tablespoons at a time until you get the consistency desired
-Mash in the other stuff

Tip about salt: leave it out and only add it after it's been served. Having the salt on top rather than incorporated into the food can reduce the amount needed to satisfy the taste

Gravy

Amazing gravy. I want to put this on everything. My youngest also loves this stuff. (Does contain sodium). I adapted this recipe from a blend-and-tweek of two others found on allrecipes dot com: "Vegan Gravy" by Fatty, and "Vegetarian Gravy" by Becky.

Ingredients: (conversions not verified by my kitchen scale, yet)
1-2 T (15-30 mL) light olive oil
1/4 C (57 g) chopped onion (have also used one whole green onion)
1 T (14 g)  pressed garlic cloves
1/3 C (75.6 g)  all-purpose flour (or whole wheat or oat flour, all-purpose has better flavor for this)
3 T ( 45 mL) Tamari sauce (it's high-quality natural soy sauce without gluten)
1 C (250 mL) vegetable broth
1 C (250 mL) soy or almond milk
2 T (56.5 g) nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp (2-3 g) dried sage
to-taste black pepper, ground

Directions:
-Have all of your ingredients prepped and measured out
-Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat*
-Sauté onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 min.
-Reduce heat to lowest
-Stir in flour, nutritional yeast, and Tamari sauce to form a smooth paste
-Gradually whisk in broth and plant milk
-Season
-Bring to boil - stir constantly
--Reduce heat, again, still stirring, about 8 min or until desired thickness

*you could leave out the oil and sauté in water which is good if you are recovering from heart-disease. But if your diet has typically no processed oil, having this amount may be okay. The original recipes called for 1/4-1/2 cups of vegetable oil, which is way more than necessary to get a nice richness and texture, and the oil helps get a nice smooth paste when adding the flour/yeast/sauce.

Meals for Dad

September 28, 2019. This past week, I almost lost my dad due to bleeding ulcers and failing kidneys. He is completely on-board with switching to a whole-foods, plant-based, low-sodium, no-processed oil lifestyle. To pamper his healing stomach and kidneys, we need to avoid phosphorus, acid-forming foods, table sugar, and sodium. Here I will post the foods I have been feeding my father as a reference. This post will be updated as I add items to it. Some photos include links to recipes in the description.

[Phosphorus: Animal flesh and dairy are high in phosphorus as well as acid-forming (bad) in the body. They produce phosphate which ends up in the blood. Plants also contain phosphorus but are alkaline-forming (good) and produce phytate, which helps bind phosphorus and make it much less bioavailable in the blood system than animal-based phosphorus. <-- Which makes sense since we are biologically herbivores.]

1. Yams, beans, broccoli

Ingredients for Joe's Mean Green

2. Joe's Mean Green (Joe Cross): 4 oz twice daily
before breakfast and lunch (while still in ICU).
Then on 8 oz before breakfast in regular room.

3. Cooked tempeh with sauce from
"Plant Based Dips N' Dressings
by Melissa Raimondi

4. First morning home. Teaching Dad how to
make non-mushy oatmeal with apples, walnuts,
hemp seeds, ground flax seeds, and sweetened
with chopped dates (in water while heating)

 5. Creamy Potato Power Chowder from
"The Clear Skin Recipes"
influenced by Dr. John McDougall, MD

 6. Stew: potatoes, artichokes, peas, lentils,
leeks, onions, garlic, saffron, curry

7. Stew: garbanzo beans, carrots, onion, garlic,
turmeric, cinnamon, green onions

8. Dr. Greger's How Not to Die cookbook.
Beans, sweet potatoes, red bell pepper, onion,
mushrooms, broccoli. Umami and veg broth
also from Dr. Greger's cookbook.

9. Edamame Snack

10.  Avocado Chocolate Pudding

11. Mashed Yams with Pineapple