Category Archives: Diet

Eating Healthily is a Serious Mental Disorder

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Légumes

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Thank you Health Ranger for re-posting this article from The Guardian, which explains an eating disorder called “orthorexia nervosa.”

This “disorder” label is given to people who have beliefs about what foods are “good” for them and what foods are “bad” for them, and who adhere to those beliefs when making food choices, thus resulting in obsession, stress, social isolation and  possibly malnourishment.

HUH???

So let me get this straight.
If I eat only fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, because that’s what I believe is healthy for me, and I avoid processed, chemicalized junk foods, dairy, eggs, and meat because I believe they are not good for me, the animals, or the environment, then I am mentally ill?

Did it ever occur to the author that perhaps in making these food choices I might not feel deprived and in fact actually feel good?
That I might be healthiest I’ve ever been in my life?
That I could have an abundance of energy and strength?

Would the author feel better if I sat on the couch with a bowl of Cheetos covered in hot sauce?

Sheesh!

PS: Full disclosure – I in no way strictly adhere to eating only fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. I’m too much in love with cookies, ice cream, and cake! However, if I or someone I know DID only eat those foods, I’d say “good for you!” I would not try to send them to rehab.

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Friday Inspiration: Unusual Fruits and Vegetables

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So how have you been doing with your apple-a-day goal?

I’m happy to say that I DID IT! I’ve eaten an apple every day since last Friday. I have to admit it really hasn’t been that difficult, I mean the apples – especially the Honeycrisps – are SO GOOD! Even D. is choosing an apple for his snack these days!

So since that was so easy (!), for this next week I propose shifting the focus away

Can you guess what this is?

Can you guess what this is?

from the familiar and onto the unfamiliar. Unfamiliar fruits and veggies, that is. It’s so easy to just stick to what you know, eating the same foods week after week. How often do you go out of your way to purchase a food that makes you think “gee I don’t even know what to do with this!” ? It’s slightly uncomfortable, isn’t it? I mean, WHAT IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT???

But then again, you just might love it.  :)

So over the next week, I will try FIVE new fruits and veggies. Right now I’m thinking that these are the five that I’ll explore:

  1. Persimmon
  2. Yuzu
  3. Damson
  4. Jerusalem Artichoke
  5. Chicory

Of course this all depends on whether or not I can find these foods in my local markets. :)

So how about you? Are you willing to join me in exploring unusual fruits and vegetables?

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“Do one thing every day that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

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Friday Inspiration

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veganmofo

About a month ago I noticed that few fruits and veggies were finding their way onto my plate. A change in my eating habits was in order,

Fresh vegetables are common in a healthy diet.
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which I know from experience is a very difficult thing to do. To get the support and inspiration I needed, I decided to publicly announce my commitment to include more fruits and veggies in my diet. I challenged myself – and you! – to eat NINE fruits and veggies every day for one week. The feedback I got was terrific – apparently I’m not the only one who could stand to add more “dirt candy” to her diet. And so we became a community of fruit-n-veggie eatin’ fools!

I did pretty well for that week –eating anywhere from 6-9 veggies each day, which was a huge improvement for me. And yet the romance of striving to eat nine fruits and veggies a day eventually subsided and (just speaking for myself of course) eventually my eating habits went back to the way that they were. And so here we are a month later and again I’m looking at my diet and again seeing lots of room for improvement.

I am a work in progress. :)

I’ve decided that for each week through the end of the year, I will challenge myself to foster healthy eating and living habits. Each week I will have a new focus. This is just my way of keeping myself engaged and inspired in the process. I hope you’ll join me! The more the merrier, I say, and so I’ve set up a separate page where YOU can share how you are meeting your healthy living goals. Why not support and inspire each other?

An Apple a Day

For the next week, Friday to Friday, I intend to eat at LEAST one apple each day. Now this will not be too difficult given that I absolutely adore Honeycrisp apples and I’ve been stockpiling them over the last month or so. But can I be sure to eat at least one apple every day? Can you?

Who’s in? How will you make sure to eat at least one apple a day? Leave your comments on the new Friday Inspiration page.

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Cheese Free

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veganmofo

“I’d go vegan but I could never give up CHEESE!“

Not only have I heard this a million times, I’ve said it myself when I was a vegetarian. I couldn’t imagine giving up cheese. I mean, how would I eat pizza? Or nachos?  Or grilled cheese sandwiches? Going vegan and giving up cheese just seemed like such deprivation. And here I am just a few months later and I don’t crave cheese AT ALL. Here’s why:

  • Daiya Cheese is an amazing non-dairy cheese that is creamy and smooth, and melts perfectly. Unlike the soy cheeses that contain casein, a milk protein, Daiya is 100% vegan.
  • Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast that has a nutty, cheesy flavor. I use nutritional yeast as a flavoring in scrambled tofu, a topping for popcorn, the based for “cheese” sauces, and a creamy, cheesey filling for a vegan grilled “cheese” sandwich. Not all nutritional yeasts taste the same – my current favorite brand is Red Star, which as an added benefit is also a good source of vitamin b12.
  • Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese is an AMAZING cream cheese replacement. I’ve used Tofutti cream cheese in several baking recipes, including a “Fruit Pizza” that was a huge hit at a party I recently attended. You can find Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese at Whole Foods and I recently saw it at Giant too!
  • Parma! Vegan Parmesan completely satisfies any craving I have to sprinkle something on pasta. It’s made from walnuts, Red Star, and sea salt. It’s more of a seasoning than a cheese (i.e. it doesn’t melt), but I think even non-vegans would really like it.
  • Tofu can be a great substitute for recipes that include cottage or ricotta cheese. You cannot even tell that my vegan lasagna uses tofu and not ricotta.
  • Finally, many foods don’t even need cheese! I’ve discovered that many of my previously favorite cheese conduits are perfectly fine on their own. Cheese-free pizzas, made with a really good tomato sauce and lots of veggies is delicious (and of course I can use Daiya if I really want “cheese”). I don’t miss cheese on my salads – I instead toss in some walnuts and / or avocado instead. And other foods like burritos, soups, and pastas are fine without it – I’ve just gotten used to not including cheese on them.

I hope this is helpful if you are like me and just can’t imagine a cheese-less life. It’s easier than you think!

What is your favorite recipe for replacing or omitting cheese?

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Craz-E Burger + Homemade Almond Butter

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veganmofo

I know. It’s VeganMoFo.

And here I am writing about the latest omnivore invention.

I just can’t resist. This one is over the top.

The Craz-E Burger, aka the Luther Burger (in case you were confused), was reportedly a huge hit at a recent fair in Manhattan. Consisting of a bacon cheeseburger smooshed between two halves of a buttered, grilled, and glazed doughnut, fair officials report selling 1,000 of these heart-attacking inducing monsters…PER DAY. The fair lasted 17 days. So yes, you calculated that correctly. Assuming one burger per person, 17,000 people actually bought and, I assume, consumed this thing.

You’ll be relieved to know that  “No single ingredient dominates the burger. They all complement each other…The glaze smooths over the burger and oozes into a foreign but delicious combination with the crisp of the bacon.”

Photo: STEPHEN DUNN/COURANT

Photo: STEPHEN DUNN/COURANT

This wasn’t a one-and-only state fair appearance for the burger. The Gateway Grizzlies, a minor league baseball team in Illinois, sells these burgers at their games. The Grizzlies have “improved” on the concept by deep-frying the donut that’s being used as the “bun.”

You can read the whole nightmare story at telegraph.co.uk. I especially love the labeling of Americans as “calorie comfortable.”

So ok peeps, how can we veganize this? Er…do we even want to?

Back to VeganMoFo…

Didja ever have one of those moments when you realized that something you thought might be difficult is actually ridiculously easy? Well that’s my experience with almond butter. For years I overpaid for jars of almond butter. Then I learned that you can make it at home, rather inexpensively, in just 10 minutes.

Homemade Almond Butter

Ingredients

  • 2 cups raw almonds
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in your food processor and process for about 10 minutes.
  2. That’s it!

DSC_0016

I know.
Ridiculous, huh?
Feel free to experiment with other add-ins, like maple syrup, cinnamon, orange essence, cherries, chocolate.

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Vegan Myth: Calcium

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veganmofo

One of the most popular questions non-dairy eating people get is “How do you get your calcium?“calcium

Good question!

Calcium as you probably already know, is a mineral that is super important for us to have in our diets. Calcium not only helps to strengthen bones, it also assists in nerve and muscle function and blood clotting. The Recommended Daily Allowance for adults is 1000 mg for people 18-50 years old, slightly more for lactating women.

The Dairy Industry

The dairy industry would like us to believe that cow’s milk is the only real source of dietary calcium and that dairy products are a necessity. This in fact is just not true. You have to remember that the dairy industry’s number one goal is to sell more dairy products! The truth is that dairy products have been linked to:

  • Increased rates of cancer and autoimmune diseases (The China Study)
  • Increased bone breakage (Nurse’s Health Study)
  • Increased bone loss (National Dairy Council!!
  • Crohn’s Disease (American Academy of Family Physicians)
  • and so on….

Here’s what the Harvard School of Public Health has to say about dairy:

Harvard School of Public Health, on the Consumption of Dairy Products (2005):
“The recommendation to drink three glasses of low-fat milk or eat three servings of other dairy products per day to prevent osteoporosis is another step in the wrong direction. … Three glasses of low-fat milk add more than 300 calories a day. This is a real issue for the millions of Americans who are trying to control their weight. What’s more, millions of Americans are lactose intolerant, and even small amounts of milk or dairy products give them stomachaches, gas, or other problems. This recommendation ignores the lack of evidence for a link between consumption of dairy products and prevention of osteoporosis. It also ignores the possible increases in risk of ovarian cancer and prostate cancer associated with dairy products.”

Milk is the perfect food…for baby cows!

Vegan Sources of Calcium

The truth is that there are abundant sources of non-dairy calcium (per 1 cup):

Dark Leafy Greens

  • Cooked turnip greens (450 mg)
  • Cooked bok choy (330 mg)
  • Cooked collards (300)
  • Cooked kale (200 mg)

Cooked Beans

  • Navy beans (140 mg)
  • Soybeans (130 mg)
  • Pinto beans (100 mg)
  • Garbanzo beans (95 mg)
  • Lima and black beans (60 mg)

Sea vegetables

  • Nori (1200 mg)
  • Kombu (2100 mg)
  • Wakame (3500 mg)

Nuts and Seeds

  • Almonds (750 mg)
  • Hazelnuts (450 mg)
  • Walnuts (280 mg)
  • Sesame seeds, whole, unhulled (2100 mg)
  • Sunflower seeds (260 mg)

Tofu made with calicum sulfate (1721 mg)

Calcium-fortified soy milk (approx 200 mg)

Orange juice fortified with calcium citrate, which has been found to be a BETTER source of calcium than milk! (up to 500 mg)

Fortified Cereals (up to 1000 mg)

And of course, supplements!

And the best part of these non-dairy sources of calcium is that animals do not need to suffer for you to get calcium.

I hope this helps answer the dairy question.

Do you get enough calcium? What non-dairy sources do you include in your diet?

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Kale Five Ways

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veganmofoKale is one of the most amazing vegetables.

Freshly picked Siberian kale.

Image via Wikipedia

Dubbed the “King of Calcium,” kale is also a great source of:

  • Vitamin A – good for your eyesight and your eye, skin, and nose membranes, AND is an antioxidant that fights free radicals
  • Vitamin C – good for cold prevention
  • Vitamin K – aids in blood clotting, which can be a good thing!

Kale is part of the cabbage family that also includes broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels Sprouts. Kale is low and calories and inexpensive too! It comes in several varieties but the ones you’ll see most often are curly kale and dinosaur (flat) kale, both in beautiful hues of green and purple. Choose a bunch that has strong, crisp leaves with no brown spots, and store in your crisper in a large plastic baggie with a damp paper towel included.

When you are ready to eat your kale, and I suggest that you eat it soon after bringing it home, first wash the kale and then strip out the stems and rip the leaves into small pieces. Then, here are my five favorite ways to prepare kale:

  1. Saute.  Saute the leaves in sesame oil and garlic until they are limp and bright, and serve sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.
  2. Roast. Place the DRY leaves in a baking dish and toss with olive oil. Bake in 450 oven for 5-10 minutes until leaves are crispy, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with salt and serve.
  3. Soup. Make a soup out of one head of garlic peeled and chopped, one onion chopped, 1 bunch kale de-stemmed and chopped, 2 medium  potatoes chopped, 2 carrots diced, any other veggies you like, and 8 cups veggie broth. Saute the garlic and onions first, and then combine everything in a big soup pot. Simmer until potatoes are tender. As an option, add rice vinegar, salt, and / or pepper and season to taste.
  4. Smoothie. Make your favorite smoothie, and add in tiny pieces of kale. Start with 1/2 a handful and then add more if you like.
  5. Steam. Bring about 1/2 cup of water in a large pot or Dutch Oven to a boil. Add a tablespoon or two of Earth Balance, and your kale. Put the lid on the pot and steam until kale is tender, adding water as necessary. Then season with salt and pepper,  lemon juice, olive oil, and / or soy sauce.

Have you tried kale before? What’s your favorite way to enjoy it?

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Vegan Mishmash for VeganMoFo

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veganmofoHappy Monday!

I found this vegan survey over at The Geeky White Girl Grows Up and thought I’d play along :)

  1. Favorite non-dairy milk? Homemade vanilla almond milk.
  2. What are the top 3 dishes/recipes you are planning to cook? Rice and beans (a staple at my home), scrambled tofu (we have this every week!), and Crispy Cajun Chickpea Cutlets, a new-to-me recipe from vegandad.
  3. Topping of choice for popcorn? Earth Balance and salt – sometimes a touch of nutritional yeast.
  4. Most disastrous recipe/meal failure? Gnocchi! It turned into a gloopy flour soup! Total nightmare.
  5. Favorite pickled item? Sauerkraut. I get very excited when I see Tempeh Reuben Sandwich on the menu!
  6. How do you organize your recipes? I have tons of cookbooks in my kitchen. If I find a recipe online that looks interesting I’ll email it to myself and then store it in a file in my Mail called “recipes.” I also have a binder in my kitchen where I save hard copies of any online recipes I’ve tried and liked.
  7. Compost, trash, or garbage disposal? Trash and garbage disposal. I’d like to compost but haven’t figured that one out yet.
  8. If you were stranded on an island and could only bring 3 foods…what would they be (don’t worry about how you’ll cook them)? Almonds, Bananas, and spinach. That’s a very tough question.
  9. Fondest food memory from your childhood? Eating my mom’s rigatoni. I LOVED it.
  10. Favorite vegan ice cream? Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Cookie Dough. Nom.
  11. Most loved kitchen appliance? VitaMix.
  12. Spice/herb you would die without? Salt.
  13. Cookbook you have owned for the longest time? Better Homes and Garden New Cookbook. I’ve had this since 1990 and it’s falling apart but I just can’t give it up. I can’t quit you BHG!
  14. Favorite flavor of jam/jelly? Cherry.
  15. Favorite vegan recipe to serve to an omni friend? Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie (made with tofu)
  16. Seitan, tofu, or tempeh? Tofu.
  17. Favorite meal to cook (or time of day to cook)? Dinner – but I often make breakfast for dinner :)
  18. What is sitting on top of your refrigerator? Bamboo cutting board.
  19. Name 3 items in your freezer without looking. Frozen blueberries, Viana Veggie Doner Kebabs, frozen bananas.
  20. What’s on your grocery list? Always: bananas, spinach, non-dairy milk, tofu, tortillas.
  21. Favorite grocery store? Whole Foods.
  22. Name a recipe you’d love to veganize, but haven’t yet. My grandmother’s pierogies recipe.
  23. Food blog you read the most (besides Isa’s because I know you check it everyday). Or maybe the top 3? Wow I read a TON of foodie blogs! Here are three of them: Oh She Glows, Have Cake Will Travel, Happy Herbivore.
  24. Favorite vegan candy/chocolate? Dark chocolate.
  25. Most extravagant food item purchased lately? Laura Lee’s Macadamia Coconut Peanut Butter Treats.
  26. Ingredients you are scared to work with? Tempeh. I haven’t been able to cook it so it doesn’t taste bitter. By the end of VeganMoFo I’ll have it down!

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The China Study

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veganmofoHappy October!

Happy VeganMoFo III!!

VeganMoFo is celebration of all things vegan and I’m excited to be a participant this year! I thought I’d kick of VeganMoFo with a quick report of a book I’m reading:  The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., and his son, Thomas M. Campbell II.

The China Study is the most china studycomprehensive study of the relationship between animal protein and diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis, and autoimmune disease. It was published in 2005 and I’d been hearing all about it, but I had always been hestitant to read The China Study because I thought it would be technical and dry.

Not so!

The China Study is simply blowing me away. And I’m only on page 70!

Here’s what’ I’ve learned so far.

  • There are three stages of cancer, which the author compares to planting a lawn. The Initiation Stage is like putting seeds into the soil. The Promotion Stage is when the grass begins to grow, and the Progression Stage is when the grass gets out of control and grows places you don’t want it to grow.
  • The chemicals that “plant the seeds” of cancer are called carcinogens and they originate primarily from industry byproduct but can also be found in nature.
  • Professor Campbell (author of The China Study) found that decreasing dietary protein decreases the chance that carcinogens will evolve into tumors into the Initiation Stage.
  • He also discovered that when protein needs are exceeded, disease onset begins (the Promotion Stage).

  • Finally – here’s the doozy – plant protein does not promote cancer growth, even when consumed at higher levels. Only animal protein promotes cancer growth.

  • In fact, plant protein actually DECREASES tumor development.

Interesting, huh?

Now I haven’t read past page 70, and I’m sure there are LOTS of critics of this book. AND he did a lot of animal testing, which I didn’t know about before I bought the book and that breaks my heart. But I thought what I’ve read so far was worth sharing. It seems that eating vegan, plant-based foods may decrease the onset of many of the diseases that plague the US. How cool is THAT, VeganMoFo?

If you’ve read The China Study or have any opinions of it, please share!

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USDA Offers Vegetarian Tip Sheet

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This is nice – a Vegetarian Tip Sheet from the USDA!veggies

This brand new tip sheet offers 10 pieces of advice for following a vegetarian diet. It includes things like:

  • vegetarian sources of protein and calcium
  • vegetarian “mock meat” options
  • tips for ordering vegetarian meals in restaurants
  • a reminder to eat foods rich in Vitamin E

Yeah, I was thrown by the Vitamin E thing too. Vitamin E deficiencies are not common in developed countries like the United States of America, and the top food sources of Vitamin E (wheat germ, fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, almonds, turnup greens) are all vegetarian. Sardines and herring are OK sources of Vitamin E but does that really warrant inclusion in the Vegetarian Tip Sheet?

Maybe one of the tips could be for vegetarians to supplement with B12?

Anywho, I’m just being picky. Overall I think it’s a cool Tip Sheet.

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