A holiday tradition in our family has been to create narrative poems that weave in the events of the year. The following poem from me to you is an ode to creating new holiday traditions on the heels of a transformative year.

One of the ways we transformed in 2020 is that we cooked more. Americans got back into the kitchen and plant-based eating grew over 400%. Will these trends become more traditional? Only time will tell, but here is some food for thought.

We are drawing a close to a most unbelievable year

And the holiday season is finally here!

We withstood being told to change how we live,

And while we’re in our discomfort zone,

Why not change for good?

As we were nesting all in our homes,

We found ourselves eating differently with less choice
and freedoms.

When going out to eat was taken off the table,

Americans started cooking at home more, and that’s not a fable.

We continue to do so at levels not seen before

And the trend is expected to continue beyond this year,
four-score.

While these adjustments have been wildly inconvenient,

Changing our habits can take on a new meaning.

A more intentional, conscious way of living can emerge,

Allowing us to shift from rituals that no longer serve.

A time for fresh traditions to be formed

That become comfortable, the unexpected “new norm.”

BAKED VEGAN CREAMED SPINACH

Makes 4 to 6 Servings

In our family, my mom’s “Serbian Spinach” was a traditional holiday dish. It was gooey and full of cottage cheese, egg and Velveeta. It also was full of cholesterol, chemicals and hormones. But to us, it was as festive as the lights on the Christmas tree. This version is much healthier, yet keeps an old tradition alive.

Ingredients

1 package firm tofu

Juice of 1 lemon

3 cloves garlic or 3 teaspoons minced

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour

¼ cup nutritional yeast

2 cups chopped onion, approximately 1 large

1 pound frozen spinach, thawed

1 cup cubed or shredded vegan cheese, optional

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cut tofu into cubes. Add tofu, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, flour, nutritional yeast to a food processor and blend until creamy. Set aside.

In a large skillet, dry sauté onion for
four to five minutes. Add water, if needed, one tablespoon at a time to prevent sticking. Add spinach and
mix thoroughly. Add the cream sauce and mix again. Adjust seasonings to taste. If desired, mix in the optional vegan cheese at this time. Transfer to
a casserole dish and bake for 35
to 40 minutes.

NO-BAKE ICED
GINGERBREAD BARS*

Makes 20 Servings

Gingerbread houses and cookies have long been a Christmas tradition. Their popularity grew when the Brothers Grimm published the story of Hansel and Gretel, in which the main characters stumble upon a house made entirely of treats deep in the forest. These treats are not scary in any way, and can ring in notes of tradition in a healthier manner.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons rolled oats

1/3 cup almond meal (or unsweetened shredded coconut)

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 cups pitted dates, lightly packed

¼ cup raisins

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup coconut butter

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 ½ tablespoons non-dairy milk

A couple of pinches of sea salt

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest, optional

To make the bars:

In a food processor, combine the oats, almond meal, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Pulse a few times to get the oats crumbly. Add the dates, raisins and vanilla and pulse a few times to start to incorporate. Then begin to purée steadily, continuing until the mixture becomes cohesive. It will form a large ball on the blade. Remove the dough and press it evenly into the prepared pan.

To prepare the icing:

Combine the coconut butter, maple syrup, non-dairy milk and salt and gently warm. You can do this in a bowl set over a hot water bath or in an oven-proof bowl in the oven/toaster oven set to low heat. Be careful not to scorch the coconut butter, just warm it until it softens. Once softened, mix it until smooth and add the lemon zest, if using.

Pour the icing over the dough and spread to distribute. Chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, and then cut into bars.

* Recipe and photo credit: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)

I stopped making new year’s resolutions a while ago. Like weight loss diets, which have a start date, an end date, and an energy of holding your breath until the torture is over, new years’ resolutions are rarely successful. Neither are most “diets”.

According to some estimates, diets fail 95% of the time. Not only is long term weight loss rarely achieved, diets can result in weight gain over the long run. Restrictive eating can lead to loss of lean muscle mass, the slowing of metabolism and eventual disordered eating patterns that may trigger gorging and binging down the road.

Back in my younger days when I carried 40 extra pounds and peanut M&M’s were my oxygen, I went on a lot of diets. They were often preceded by a feast of Big Mac’s, greasy pizza and lots of chocolate. I rarely got through the first week before bailing. My bon voyage feast most likely totaled more calories than the calories I lost in the days that I white knuckled through the “diet”. I was probably in the hole each time I attempted to lose weight.

On January 1, 2012 I made a dietary change, quite spontaneously. I decided to stop eating meat after watching a film that expanded my consciousness about the ethics of eating animals. I felt so much compassion for abused farm animals and what they endure in our factory farming system that I lost my appetite for meat and never looked back.

That decision has taken me on the most amazing odyssey. In the years following, the expansion of my consciousness led me to a progression from a vegetarian way of eating, to vegan and eventually to a whole food, plant-based lifestyle.

What is the difference between vegan and a whole food plant-based “diet”? A vegan diet means you eat no animal foods or animal by-products. Like a vegan diet, a whole food, plant-based diet omits all meats, fish, dairy, and eggs as well as most refined and processed foods like refined white flours and overly refined grains, sugars and oils. A whole food plant-based diet is a healthier version of a vegan diet.

If you are not eating animal foods or heavily refined foods, what do you eat then?  Lots of things. Vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans move from the side of your plate to the center of your plate. There are literally hundreds of varieties of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans that can be eaten and prepared in ways that replicate the comfort foods you enjoy today.

Plant-based diets can help you lose weight and keep it off because they are packed with fiber, which helps fill you up. If you aim for 40 grams of fiber a day, you will be full, satisfied and will not need to count calories or go hungry. Studies have shown that when eating this way, a 16 percent increase in after-meal calorie-burning speed occurs, referred to as the thermic effect of food. This appears to be because the vegan diet improves insulin sensitivity by 24 percent. Improved insulin sensitivity allows nutrients to enter the cells of the body more rapidly and converted to heat, rather than to fat.

Still not sure? Why not try this way of eating for 21-Days and experience what it does for you? Think of it as a test drive, not a diet. The free, evidence-based 21-Day Vegan Kickstart has everything you need to get started on a plant-based diet: meal plans, recipes, grocery lists, daily videos, nutrition tips, cooking demonstrations, and more.  To learn more or sign up, visit the link below:

kickstart.pcrm.org

Whenever I demo this recipe in a “PCRM” “Food For Life” class it is a hit. It’s a simple yet tasty snack, appetizer or light meal.

Veggies in A Blanket

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup store-bought hummus or bean dip (or homemade using recipes in the guide)
• 8 whole-wheat tortillas
• 4 carrots, grated
• 8 lettuce leaves, 1 cup baby spinach, or 1 5-ounce container sprouts
• Optional: Add thin sticks of cucumber, red bell pepper or shredded red cabbage before rolling.

Directions:

Shred carrots. Spread hummus or bean spread thinly on tortillas, and then add carrots and lettuce, spinach, or other veggies. Roll up each tortilla, secure with 5 evenly placed toothpicks, and slice into 5 individuals rolls per tortilla (one toothpick per roll) if serving as appetizers

For a meal, cut each tortilla in half.

Power Plate Meal

Veggie sauté with Baked Oven Fries

Keeping things simple is helpful when trying a new way of eating. Recipes that are fussy and that require lots of unfamiliar ingredients and spices can be overwhelming. Some of my favorite meals are whipped up by whatever I have in my refrigerator.

Veggie sauté

Chop and over medium heat, dry sauté whatever veggies you have on hand. Onion, mushroom and greens are my favorite combination. Dry sauteed means using no oil. You will be surprised to learn that oil is not needed to sauté vegetables. If they start to stick, just add water, 1 tablespoon at a time. You can also splash with veggie broth or tamari to add moisture and flavor. Season according to your taste, using the spices you have on hand.

Baked Oven Fries

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

• Cut 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes into fries, about ½ inch thick.
• Place in saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil
• Boil for 5 minutes
• Drain well and place in a bowl
• Add salt and pepper to taste, toss until fully coated
• Lay evenly on a cookie sheet or baking pan lined with parchment paper
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy
• Serve with ketchup, or your favorite oil free sauce.

I am passionate about helping others reach their best physical and emotional body. Are you ready for a supportive, interactive approach in taking charge of your life and health? Are you ready to rewrite your story? If the answer is yes, contact me HERE.

Watch this inspirational video   “To Die For” A Double Entendre

My childhood holidays are filled of sweet memories. My mother, Bunny, made sure we were indulged in every way.

Bunny was an only child of Irish descent who grew up in a Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn. She was born to parents of the Greatest Generation who never forgot the lessons of the Great Wall Street Crash. My mother’s father, who we called Poppy, worked on Wall Street in 1929 and witnessed the devastation firsthand.

Because of this, my grandparents never invested their money in markets or in a home. My mother grew up in a one bedroom flat with very few frills or holidays trimmings. When she became a mom, she decided to celebrate in a very differnet way.

Back to the sweet memories. I mean, literally sweet. The celebrations started with St. Nicolaus day on December 6^th, when Bunny would wake us to Christmas stockings filled with candy and gifts. That was just after we were given our own Christmas Chocolate Advent Countdown Calendars. Remember those? 24 Days of being rewarded with chocolate candy while you ticked away the days till the motherload.

Of course, there was the Christmas cookie baking extravaganzas and overflowing candy dishes abound.

When Christmas morning came, I’d lick a candy cane or two while waiting for the family tradition to be served, Petit Fours from Kirschbaum’s Bakery.This was the commencement of a two-week feast of sweets!

Now that I am more than grown up, and admittedly growing older, I’ve decided to celebrate in a differnet way. A healthier way.

Living a whole food plant-based lifestyle doesn’t mean sweets be shunned, but it’s not so nice to your body to overindulge in refined sugar. Sweet treats can still be enjoyed, but with healthier ingredients.

I’ve used substitutions to “plantify” goodies I’ve been making for years such as banana bread, pancakes and cookies. Perhaps you can enjoy some of your traditional sweets with plant-based ingredients so you can, as they say, have your cake and eat it too. 

This chart will guide you in making healthier swaps while still enjoying holiday sweets and baked goods.

Two recipes that I’ll be serving a lot of this season are made mostly with shelf stable ingredients. This means they require no refrigeration and can be whipped up quickly. Ideally, a food processor and high-speed blender are needed to make these recipes work.

*See note on high speed blender in Chocolate Nirvana Crème Recipe.

These vegan coconut bliss balls, which my sister insists I call Betsy Balls, are always devoured.  I’ve become known for them in my community and corporate workshops and have made many friends serving them. They are a wholefood breakfast, snack, dessert or any time of day kind of treat that fill you with wonder that they are actually healthful.

• 1-1/2 cups sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 5 medjool dates, pitted
• 1/4 c. grade A maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a food processor cup fitted with the s-blade, grind the sunflower seeds, walnuts, coconut and sea salt to a crumbly consistency but leaving some chunks of nuts.

Add in remaining ingredients and process until the mixture forms into a sticky dough. Remove lid and scrape out into a bowl. Form into balls and roll in shredded coconut. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

This crème is heavenly warm or cold.  You can adjust the sweetness to your preference.

Serve as a dip with fruit, over pancakes or waffles, with sundaes or lick the spoon to your hearts content. This is a decant treat you can eat without regret.  

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 5 oz. medjool dates (about 10 large) soaked in hot water for 10 minutes to 1 hour
• ¼ to ½ cup grade A maple syrup
• 4 cups warm water

Using a highspeed blender with a heating element and the ability to cook food, add all ingredients to blender and blend on high for 5 minutes, or until creme begins to thicken. You will hear the motor slow down and the sound get louder as the creme gets to the right thickness.   Once thick, stop the blender and quickly transfer to a large container.  It will thicken more as it cools. Store in refrigerator.

If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can use a standard blender, transferring mixture to a medium to large saucepan once blended. Stir over medium to high heat until desired thickness is reached.

Black History Month is the time for celebrating and thanking black Americans who have inspired us and shaped our history. I’d like to take this opportunity tell you about Eloise, a woman who has impacted my life greatly. I met Eloise on the day I was brought home from the hospital. She greeted me with unconditional love. As I grew, her presence taught me a valuable life lesson that has guided my life.

I was born in Cincinnati, OH in 1965.  Mark Twain once said, “When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati. It is always ten years behind the times.” 

But, in October 1965, the month of my birth, the Cincinnati Strangler was on the loose. The crimes continued, and it was several years later that a black man was arrested.  So much had happened by that time and racial tensions in Cincinnati grew so thick that Martin Luther King made a special trip to appeal for calm. So that was the climate in which I was born, very racially charged.

Eloise was my “mother’s helper” spending a day at our home each week, although she had 5 babies of her own to care for. Eloise was soft spoken with light blackskin. She was a warm hug on a chilly day.  I wish I had more time to tell you about her, but what is most important, is how much we loved each other. So much so, that as I grew and was able to speak, I would protest when it was time for her to go home and beg her to take me with. On occasion, my mom would give in and Eloise would scoop me up and take me to her house after work, which was no easy undertaking, because Eloise didn’t drive at the time.  It was two buses across town to get to her home in College Hill.

The more than middle-aged woman I am today bears little resemblance to the spirited, chatty toe-headed girl traveling across town in a prejudiced society. My soul remembers, and Eloise would later recall, how we would get stopped. She would often be questioned about why she had this white girl in her charge. Children see injustice in the world, and because of my sensitivity and my vantage point, I could sense how the world treated her differently. I grew an antenna and became very aware of social injustices.  It’s been a hallmark of my life. I have been the defender of the underdog as long as I can remember. Not in always in an organized or heroic way, but in standing up for what’s right, what’s fair, be it kids being bullied, the homeless or the helpless.

Looking back, it makes perfect sense that I became a passionate defender of neglected and abused animals. After becoming involved in rescue work, it seemed odd that I would go great lengths to help certain kinds of animals but continue to eat others. Soon it led to the awareness that domestic animals are not the most abused and neglected. It’s the animals in our food system that suffer the most and that we seem to care the least about. I stopped eating animal foods and began to study health, nutrition and food policy, which led to the awareness that we as a society are suffering terribly because industry and government are influencing us to crave and consume large amounts of processed and animal foods. This creates disease, for which we are encouraged to take prescription pills that often make us sicker. All of which contributes to the destruction of this beautiful planet we live on, giving birth to my life’s work as a Global Wellness Consultant and the belief that a plant-based diet heals the root cause of much of the suffering and destruction mentioned.

I look at the first picture ever taken of me and laugh that I was born doing the fisticuffs. Born to defend. But it was Eloise, who from the very beginning, with her unconditional love, reminded me that it’s better to stand for what you believe in, not against what you don’t.   

Even though we moved from Cincinnati before my 4^th birthday, she remained in our life, traveling on a Greyhound bus to Chicagland for occasions like my wedding and my 40^th birthday. I visited her in Cincinnati over the years and spoke to her on the phone August 5th 2008, the day before breast cancer took her life. She whispered “I’ve always loved you like a daughter” to which I replied, you’ve always been my angel.

Her picture sits just over my left shoulder in my office and I send her love on the regular and include her in my prayers daily. Thank you Eloise Shelton, for gifting me a valuable life lesson that has guided my life.

It’s Black History Month I am glad for this opportunity to share Eloise with you and think about how far things have come, and how far they still need to go.

I am passionate about helping others reach their best physical and emotional body. Are you ready for a supportive, interactive approach in taking charge of your life and health? Are you ready to rewrite your story? If the answer is yes, contact me HERE.

Watch this inspirational video   “To Die For” A Double Entendre

Need help rewriting your story?    Let’s get in touch