plant-based diet Archives -

October 4, 2021October 7, 2021

Healthy Eating – Vegetarian Eating- Were We Born This Way?

World Vegetarian day is October 1^st, and so is my birthday. Coincidence? Probably not.

Is it possible we are born to be vegetarian? I’m convinced I was born this way because even as a small child, if I just started thinking about the animal who I was eating, I’d have to push my plate away. I could not enjoy meat while thinking about what the animal might have suffered.

The group think is that humans are designed to eat meat. After all, isn’t it said that we evolved more rapidly during the meat-eating paleo days? Aren’t we hunters before gatherers?

Looking at our digestive system might give us a different view. While the data points below vary according to the source, it appears that the digestive systems of herbivores and humans are more closely linked.

Saliva – Carnivores and omnivores do not have enzymes in their saliva to digest carbohydrates, whereas herbivores and humans do.
Acidity – The stomach acidity of carnivores and omnivores is higher than herbivores and humans.
Intestines – The combined small and large intestines of carnivores and omnivores is 3 to 6 times the length of the body, where herbivores and humans have intestines that are 5-10 times the length of the body.
Colon – The colons of carnivores and omnivores are short and smooth; the colons of herbivores and humans is long and sometimes sacculated (a medical term meaning a structure formed by a group of sacs).
Kidney – Carnivores and omnivores have highly concentrated urine where herbivores and humans have moderately concentrated urine.
Teeth – Carnivores and omnivores have many sharp teeth for ripping into flesh, while herbivores and humans have more flat teeth better suited to grind plants.

Living in harmony with our design by eating more of the foods that our bodies were born to digest is a more biological approach to good health and a robust immune system. So, even if you aren’t ready to eat vegetarian all the time, I invite you to celebrate World Vegetarian Day and my birthday on October 1^st with these recipes, or by serving up your favorite veggie meal.

Vegan “Meatloaf”

Makes 4-6 Servings

This is my version of a popular online vegan meatloaf recipe. I’ve simplified it a bit. You can play with this recipe by adding veggies you have on hand, or by increasing the oats to give it a firmer texture. One of my clients served this “meatloaf” to a family member who refused to believe it was vegan!

Ingredients

1 large minced onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

8-10 ounces minced mushrooms

1 large minced carrot

3 cups cooked green lentils

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

2 teaspoons low-sodium tamari

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon ground sage

1 teaspoon paprika

Salt to taste – optional

1/4 to 1/2 cup organic barbecue sauce or ketchup

Garnish with fresh herbs if desired

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a sauté pan or wok, cook the onions for a few minutes on medium-high heat until they begin to soften. The moisture of the veggies should prevent sticking. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, if needed. Add the garlic, mushrooms, and carrots, and continue cooking for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft.

In a medium bowl, mix the cooked lentils, oats, nutritional yeast, tamari, paprika, black pepper, rosemary, onion powder, dry mustard, and sage. Drain the veggies if the mixture is too wet before adding them to the bowl of lentils and spices, and stir until it becomes somewhat sticky. A sticky consistency means it is ready for the loaf pan.

Coat the bottom of a loaf pan with 1/4 cup (or less) of ketchup or barbecue sauce, then add the vegetable and bean mixture. Try to level the surface before spreading another thick layer of ketchup or barbecue sauce on top.

Bake for 1 hour. Allow this dish to cool a bit. It cuts MUCH better when it has had time to cool and set.

Healthy Eating – Vegetarian Eating- Were We Born This Way?

April 1, 2021October 7, 2021

Springing to life with Vitamin D

I have a confession to make. I’ve been overdosing on vitamin D all winter.

How does one get extreme doses of the sunshine hormone? One way is spending lots of time outside in the light. Five to fifteen minutes of midday sun exposure can be enough to meet many people’s vitamin D needs. That is the other part of my confession. I’ve been wintering in our Florida bungalow, walking, biking, and paddling outside for much more than 15 minutes each day. I must admit, it’s been nice—except that I didn’t even see snow this winter.

Sunshine indulgence is not without its effects. The immune system greatly benefits from healthy doses of vitamin D, which is not just a vitamin. Vitamin D is a hormone the kidneys produce that controls blood calcium concentration and elevates the immune system.

Our friends at The Physicians Committee tell us that vitamin D consumption and supplementation may reduce the risk for viral infections, including respiratory tract infections, by reducing the production of pro-inflammatory compounds in the body. Increased vitamin D in the blood has been linked to the prevention of chronic diseases including tuberculosis, hepatitis, and cardiovascular disease.

Food sources of vitamin D include mushrooms, fortified cereals, plant-based milk substitutes, and supplements.

As we emerge from what some have called a dark winter, and bounce into the season of renewal—ripe with opportunities to enjoy nature—we might feel like we are springing to life.

Wishing you all a beautiful spring and Easter to those who celebrate. May the recipes I share with you liven up your holiday tables!

DRUNKEN MUSHROOM NOODLES

Makes 4 servings

All mushrooms contain some vitamin D, but mushrooms have a distinctive ability to increase vitamin D amounts with UV light or sunlight exposure. Like humans, mushrooms naturally produce vitamin D following exposure to sunlight or a sunlamp. For the maximum amount of nutrition, eat the darker varieties.

This dish is a cross between Thai drunken noodles and stroganoff. I was recently inspired to create this recipe when I had leftover lasagna noodles, lots of portabellas in the fridge and not much else.

8 ounces of pre-cooked noodles (I cut leftover lasagna noodles into strips.)

1 medium onion, chopped

8 ounces of mushrooms, chopped (about 4 portabella mushroom caps)

3 garlic cloves, chopped (3 teaspoons minced garlic)

1 cup warm vegetable broth in a medium jar or bowl

3 tablespoons liquid aminos

1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder

1 teaspoon ground sage

1 teaspoon basil

½ teaspoon pepper

Salt to taste, optional

Vegan sour cream, optional

Heat vegetable broth and liquid aminos in a small sauté pan or add to a medium bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk in the cornstarch or arrowroot powder until it has dissolved. Then add the sage, basil, pepper and salt, if using. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan, cook onions for three to four minutes or until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes. Stirring often, add the seasoned broth and cook down until the liquid evaporates. Once the vegetables have caramelized, add the cooked noodles and mix thoroughly.

Serve with vegan sour cream, if using. (It adds creaminess, but I skipped
this option.)

QUICK RICE PUDDING– A PCRM recipe

Makes 4 servings

This is not only a wholesome sweet treat, the fortified soy milk in this recipe will boost the sunshine you hold inside.

1 ½ cups plain or vanilla soy milk

1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder

2 cups cooked brown rice

¼ cup maple syrup

1/3 cup raisins

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

Pour soy milk into a medium saucepan and add the cornstarch or arrowroot powder. Add the rice, maple syrup, raisins, and cinnamon, and cook over medium heat.

Cook the rice pudding for three minutes. Then remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla and almond extracts.

Serve hot or cold. Top the pudding with sliced bananas for extra flavor and nutrition.

Healthy Eating – Springing to life with Vitamin D

August 25, 2018September 6, 2018

The Astonishing Effects of Food on Your Mood

Nearing the end of a weeklong workshop at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York, I’m in a really good mood. As I write, I’m watching fellow visitors enjoy the beautiful wooded setting and magical energy of this place. People here break into spontaneous laughter, song, music and dance. The energy at Omega is palpable, and its Energy Work, specifically EFT Tapping, that brought me here.

Food has the power to heal many things. It’s my go to medicine and first line of defense against anxiety and chronic disease. But, how do we maintain a healthy lifestyle long term? What is the best way to manage stress and daily triggers? Core beliefs about ourselves, the universe and how we fit into the world shape our life experience and our choices. And if we are seeking positive change in our health and want long lasting transformative shifts to occur, we need to uncover limiting beliefs and emotions that lay locked in our mind and even in our bodies. Often, it needn’t be a long or difficult process. That is what energy work can help us to do; dissipate stress and habits that don’t serve us. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) has been well documented, studied and has been proven to be extremely effective. More on that next week.

What I want to talk about this week is how food effects your mood. When I stopped eating meat cold turkey on January 1st, 2012, I had no idea that I was on a journey to a more peaceful and delicious life. If you read my blog on Rewriting Your Story, you know that I narrowly survived a suicide attempt in 1981. What I didn’t know back then is that I was overfed and under nourished. My body was overloaded with sugar, processed foods and chemicals that triggered mood swings and depression. My body was also starving for healing foods and mood regulators found in whole plant foods. Continue reading “The Astonishing Effects of Food on Your Mood”

August 17, 2018September 6, 2018

Coaches Catapult Results

Last night my sister texted me a selfie of her attending the Cincinnati Master’s. She’s a tennis fanatic and was over the moon to be there live watching (the mostly vegan) Wimbledon winner, Novak Djokovic. Sports can be riveting! Watching athletes push themselves toward greatness, breathtaking. It’s always inspiring to hear about their journeys. Focus, drive and determination are consistent themes… as is a coach. Athletes are blessed with great physical gifts, but it’s not enough. Beside each of them is a coach. A coach draws on their experience, an outside perspective and expertise in their sport. Their direction is a compass on the road to greatness.

Now I’m not going to lead you to a gold medal or Wimbledon win, but what if I guided you to a more exhilarating life? I think this a natural parallel for me as a certified health coach and educator. I draw on not only my 20 + years of leadership in corporate America and my certifications in nutrition and wellness, but my personal experience in transitioning to a whole food plant-based diet.

For instance, when I switched abruptly to a meatless diet and substituted eggs and cheese for other protein, it wasn’t all clearer mind, brighter colors and feeling like I could take on the world. Much to my chagrin, a few months later, I was puffier, foggier, chubbier, stressed and irritable. I also suffered horrible bladder infections. Overall, I was just feeling crappy, but couldn’t go back to eating meat. Continue reading “Coaches Catapult Results”