Vegan RD

Leafy Green Veggies Cut Diabetes Risk

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

According to a recent study published in British Medical Journal, which reviewed several studies that explored the link between fruit and vegetable consumption and Type 2 diabetes, eating one and a half extra servings of green leafy vegetables cut the risk of diabetes by 14 percent. As if we needed another reason to eat more leafy greens! Calorie for calorie, no other food packs in more nutrition than leafy greens. Which means you can eat and eat, get very few calories (many of which come from protein, by the way) yet a ton of protective phytonutrients and antioxidants that fight disease.

It's easy being green! Read on for some ways to incorporate more leafy greens into your diet.

* Toss a couple of handfuls of baby spinach into the blender next time you make a frozen fruit smoothie. Try this: in a drink blender, combine a pre-peeled and frozen banana with a cup of frozen berries and/or cherries, a few chunks of melon or peeled peach or nectarine, and about a cup of almond milk with 1/2 bag of baby spinach. It'll look a little funky but you won't taste the greens.

* Add shredded lettuce to sandwiches and wraps.

* Add frozen or fresh chopped kale or collards to homemade soup.

* Whip up greens Italian style: Lightly steam chopped up cooking greens. Heat olive oil in a large pan and add a couple of cloves of sliced garlic. Saute until fragrant. Add the greens and saute until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. For a final touch, add a splash of fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. (For a heartier dish, add a can of rinsed white beans to the greens and toss well.)

* Add sauteed spinach to pasta, omelets, rice dishes, and sauces.

* Serve your next meal over a bed of steamed greens. They're good with just about any sauce or gravy.

* Start with a bag of mixed baby greens. Add toasted walnuts, thinly sliced apple, a bit of crumbled tofu, and your favorite no-sugar-added dressing for a gourmet first course before dinner.

* Pile sauteed or steamed greens on homemade pizza.

* Choose a large green like collards, and make burritos and wraps using the leaves as the wrappers.

How to pick: Look for fresh, bright, firm leafy green veggies, free of foul odor and a limp appearance. Try broccoli, mustard greens, Chinese greens (not just bok choy-- visit an Asian grocer if you have one, and check out the variety!), kale, collards, arugula, chard, and spinach. If you have a budding green thumb, try growing some in your garden.

Crispy Kale and Jerked Tofu

2012-01-19T09:35:00.002-08:00

Here was dinner last night: Jerked Tofu, Crispy Kale, and Seasoned Quinoa (I got "Quinoa AGAIN?" from Ben, which I found rather humorous).

The tofu was really easy to make; I just took my favorite Jerk spice rub, Busha Browne's, which is a thick sauce, almost a paste, and tossed about 1 tablepoon with 1 lb cubed tofu, and pan fried in a little oil. Next time I'm going to slice the tofu in thin slices, because it took longer than I would have liked to turn the tofu cubes to get them evenly cooked. This particular brand of jerk seasoning is bold and balanced, with the perfect combination of tangy and spicy, without an overpowering "hot spice" load. I highly recommend it.

The kale was more of an accident -- I left it in the oven a bit too long and it got crispy. It was delicious. I make oven-roasted kale a lot, and I vary the seasonings. Last night I used lemon pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. The kale was completely dry (I used a pre-washed variety) so I think that's why it crisped up so fast (usually I give it a rinse before roasting).

I've been getting a lot of questions about leafy greens lately, so stay tuned for a new post on leafy greens.

The quinoa was made with water and a sprinkle of onion soup mix (my new secret ingredient) and was awesome.

A Falafel Makeover

2012-01-16T12:37:00.001-08:00

Not to sound like a broken record, but I again have to send a boatload of thanks to Trader Joes for tasty, high quality, mostly nutritious vegan convenience food. One of my favorites is their frozen falafel. It's better than some that I've had in restaurants. And it's ready in one minute in the microwave.

I'd been enjoying falafel sandwiches (on either whole wheat pita or wraps) with chopped raw veggies and tahini sauce, while also trying to drop this stubborn baby weight (which, since I've hit 40, is doubly hard to shed), and I realized I'm not going to get very far if I continue: for only three balls of falafel, I'm getting 320 calories and 19 grams of fat. And sometimes I eat 4! Add a large pita (about 200 calories) and a couple tablespoons tahini sauce (another 100 or so calories), and (we won't count the veggie calories) that equals over 600 calories. For lunch! And I'd often have a piece of fruit an hour after.

But I don't want to give up my beloved falafel, which is delicious and not terribly unhealthy (a bit oily, true, but it's not an everyday indulgence). But I sure can give up the bread, and I can use less tahini.

My new take on a falafel lunch is pictured here: a huge bowl of chopped raw veggies, three balls of falafel (quartered), and watered-down tahini sauce. New calorie count: 400 (plus veggies, again, which we won't count). This is better not only for the calorie savings but because I now incorporate more raw veggies, which means more antioxidants and fiber, and I really do feel full until dinner. Plus who needs more wheat?

A vegan diet is a great way to control weight. But if you're like me, sometimes delicious prepared/convenience foods can sabotage our best efforts. And it's up to us to find ways to balance portions, satiety, flavor, and nutrition. It's a continuous learning process, even for the pros!

Best Vegan Creamy Salad Dressings

2012-01-15T11:36:00.001-08:00

Trying to cut back on oils, processed soy, or both?

Most creamy salad dressings rely on concentrated fats (oils) and/or tofu (or tofu products, like tofu mayo/sour cream) to give the dressing that creamy texture. And that's fine, but if you're eating as much salad as you should be, you might feel the need to mix it up a little, and if (like me) you're always looking for ways to cut calories while maximizing nutrient density, here are a few ideas.

Watered Down Hummus

This sounded gross to me the first time I heard about it, but I tried it and now I'm an addict! I make my own hummus most of the time, but my all-time favorite hummus is Trader Joe's Edamame Hummus. I just put a big spoonful in a bowl, add about the same volume of warm water, stir, and pour on my salad. I find that strong-flavored hummus works best for this dressing.

Sesame Dressing

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this dressing for everything from falafel to a dip for raw veggies to a sauce for steamed greens. But it can be pretty high in calories, and the addictiveness of the flavor can make those calories add up quickly. So I make a regular tahini sauce and thin it out with water. It is super-delicious. All you do is start with a spoonful of tahini, slowly add water and lemon juice until at the desired consistency and flavor, and season with a bit of sea salt. Sometimes I use garlic but I've been enjoying the clean flavor of just the sesame and lemon. You can really thin this out a lot and retain the wonderful flavor.

Avocado Dressing (A.K.A. thinned out guac)

This stuff is decadent! Start with a ripe avocado in the food processor. Add lime juice, cumin, fresh parsley, salt, and water until at the desired consistency. Yum.

White Bean Dressing

This is a lot like hummus. Basically make a white bean hummus in the food processor with white beans, lemon juice, tahini (optional), white pepper, and salt. Add water until at the desired consistency.

Cashew Dressing

This can be done with most nuts and seeds. Soak raw cashews in enough water to cover for 1-2 hours. Blend both in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add lemon juice OR a clear or light-colored flavored vinegar of your choice, garlic, and more water to desired consistency.

Ah the magic of water -- the more you add, the fewer calories end up on your salad. It's up to your taste buds to find the right balance between flavor and nutrition value. And certainly if you need to GAIN weight, keep it thick, as these dressings are chock full of health-supporting nutrients!

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

2012-01-14T16:25:00.001-08:00

Still on a mission to use up the wonderful winter veggies I got from my co-op this week, I decided to make the ultimate comfort food: Shepherd's Pie. Now, my favorite recipe for shepherd's pie comes from friends Gene and Helen, who, in 1994 or thereabouts, for the holidays gave their friends a printed compilation of their favorite vegan recipes, bound by a plastic coil spine. The recipe calls for shredded frozen tofu (which has to be done in advance) and walnuts (which my son is allergic to) so to the web I went for a new recipe.

The one I ended up making is based loosely on this on e from vegweb. (If you haven't tried vegweb, you have GOT to! It's saved me literally dozens of times when I've needed quick recipe inspiration.)

As you can see here (bad picture of Emily; she was in the process of blinking), everyone LOVED this dish. And if you cook for a family, you know how wonderful that feels. As it was a cold weekend day, comfort food was on the mind, so I also served this with a thick brown gravy and not-so-good-for-you-but-so-delicious store-bought dinner rolls, heated in the oven.

Here's my rendition, which used all organic white potatoes, yellow onions, broccoli, collard greens, and carrots. This is that awesome, forgiving sort of recipe that allows you to put in pretty much whatever vegetables you have lying around.

You will need:

For the potatoes:

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
unsweetened almond milk (you can use any plant milk, to taste)
earth balance (you can use any vegan butter, to taste)
salt and pepper, to taste

For the veggies:

1-2 tbsp broth (if you want this very low in fat) or olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped

(for the veggies here, you can use about 4-6 cups of chopped vegetables of your choice in place of what I used)

2 cups chopped broccoli
6 huge collard green leaves
2 large carrots, shredded
2 celery ribs, chopped

And the rest:

1 package Gardein beef skewers, chopped (you can use 8 or so ounces of any veggie meat substitute you like)
1 tsp savory
1 tsp basil
2 tsp thyme leaves
1 tsp sea salt
ground pepper to taste
1 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (any plant milk will do)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons flour
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (don't do what I did, which was to sprinkle from the container only to discover that there was no sprinkle top. Oops.)

1. Boil potatoes. Drain and mash with the milk and butter, salt and pepper to taste.

2. Heat the broth oil in a large pan and saute the garlic and onion over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the veggies and veggie meat and cook until veggies start to wilt. Stir in seasonings. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

3. Add the broth and 3/4 cup milk along with the cornstarch and flour. Let the mixture come to a boil, stirring frequently. Sauce will thicken up a bit. When all the vegetables are cooked, remove from heat.

4. Spoon the vegetable mixture onto the bottom. Cover with the potatoes and smooth them down. Sprinkle the top with nutritional yeast. Heat in oven for 20 minutes or so until top is slightly firm.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Black Beans, and Apples with Oniony, Kaley Quinoa

2012-01-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

This colorful, hearty, family-friendly winter meal from tonight was inspired by the ticking clock, leftover kale, and a recent delivery of fresh baby butternut squash and apples from my co-op.

It's a great way to use winter squash when you don't have much time.

You will need:

2 baby or 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, and cubed
1 large or 2 small apples, cubed
2 tbsp Earth Balance, then melted
2 tbsp maple syrup
cinnamon
1 can black beans, rinsed

Preheat oven to 425. Place squash and apple in a baking pan with 1/4 cup water. Toss.

Roast for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together the margarine, syrup, and cinnamon. Remove pan from oven and add the sauce; toss to coat. Add the beans and toss again. Put back in the oven for another 10 or 15 minutes.

The quinoa (1 cup) was prepared with water (2 cups), a 1/2 packet of organic onion soup mix, and chopped up leftover kale.

Dinner on the table in about 40 minutes, and much of that time was spent not cooking!

Success from Vegan Geico

2012-01-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

This is one of those success stories that makes you so happy to be a vegan. Check out this article: With Workplace Support, Co-Workers Slim Down on Vegan Diet. Three Geico employees took the vegan challenge, and "Not only were they able to give up meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products with what they described as surprising ease, but they also lost weight and improved their overall health." Great news!

I wasn't surprised to discover that this study is part of a PCRM research project. They're always doing wonderful things that really do a great job showing people how a plant-based diet can make a real, dramatic difference in their lives. These folks have lost weight, dropped their blood pressure, and are enjoying increased energy. One even had her first normal mammogram in years, another eliminated her gastric reflux, and another saw her rheumatoid arthritis symptoms disappear! They say the diet is filling and that they plan on sticking to it.

In this study, the employees get medical supervision, group support, education sessions led by dietitians, tips on menu planning, and vegan eats in their cafeteria. I have to wonder, when the study is complete, will they continue to follow the plan? Will it be more difficult? Will they have support?

I think this shows us how important it is to be ambassadors to the movement: gently encouraging those whose minds are open to going vegan: in our workplaces and communities, offering support, opening our homes for vegan potlucks, being open and positive about our own habits and lifestyles, posting vegan recipes others have enjoyed, and sharing vegan treats for celebrations. The more positive exposure folks get on vegan living, the more widely accepted it will become.

Yes, it's vegan

2011-12-12T13:01:00.000-08:00

It's 2:00. You have been running around all day: meetings, errands, work, playdates, what have you... and it dawns on you that you haven't had lunch yet and you're starving!

You head to the nearest eatery--a Starbucks (hey a soy latte will hold you over until you find real sustenance) and notice something that looks suscpiciously vegan: a sesame noodle "Bistro Box." A quick glance confirms your suspicions: it's vegan!

This happened to me today. I'm super excited. Vegan meals are going mainstream. It seems like yesterday that we had to peel the meat and cheese off of a sandwich in order to have a vegan meal (lettuce sandwich) because nothing else was available.

The meal was very good. The snap peas were fresh and crispy, and the noodles tasted fresh. The tofu was yummy. It was flavorful without being overly salty. I would definitely get it again.

No time? Ideas for quick vegan meals

2011-11-08T13:44:00.000-08:00

Pictured here is Soy Boy ravioli, jarred marinara, carrot sticks, and blanched broccoli. A yawner of a dinner but it turns out that everyone loves it and it is SO easy to make. I just boil the ravioli, put the broccoli in the water towards the end of cooking, and slice up some carrots. Both kids gobble it up (no raw carrots for the baby of course). They love plain pasta too, they don't always get excited about tofu. "Hidden" in this way, they get an extra boost of protein and calcium in the meal.

I have more nights than I'd like to admit where I don't have time to make a meal totally from scratch. Here are a few more throw-together ideas that both kiddos like, using what I like to call "healthy convenience food helpers":

- Leftover or quick-cook brown rice with mixed frozen vegetables, crumbled felafel, and a vegan jarred sauce
- Canned "no chicken noodle" soup with saltine crackers and sliced raw fruits and veggies (Emily still can't chew so she gets frozen vegetables added to the soup)
- Frozen seitan "riblets" with microwaved potatoes and a big salad (Emily gets pureed or soft-cooked veggies)
- veggie burger or nuggets with peas and sliced apples/applesauce

Any other ideas welcomed!!

Vegan CHOPPED?

2011-10-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen the show Chopped? I adore this show. The premise is, four chef contestants compete for $10,000 by cooking 3 courses (if they're not eliminated first): appetizer, main course, and dessert. The catch is, they are required to use four pre-determined "mystery" ingredients in each course. And they have a very short time to cook! After each course their dishes are judged, and one chef is eliminated. By dessert, there are two left, and the winner is declared at the end of the show.

I like Chopped so much because it shows me new cooking techniques and creative ways to put food together. What I don't like is that anything goes -- I've seen them use everything from eel to veal.

I did a quick google search and found a few references to a vegan Chopped. Check these out!

http://vivelevegan.blogspot.com/2010/03/next-generation-of-chopped.html
http://vegetarianstar.com/2011/05/30/cindi-avila-chopped-meat-from-diet-to-become-great-celebrity-chef-video/

I dream of a vegan version of Chopped. So if anyone out there is in production and wants to do this, count me in! Or maybe we can find a company or organization to sponsor a Chopped-like contest where contestants have to create a vegan recipe using four mystery ingredients (red lentils, durian, turnips, and hominy, anyone?).

Polenta Pizza and Last Minute Saute

2011-10-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

The other day I knew I was in trouble when I opened the fridge (at 5:15pm) to find little more than aging carrots, and old (but still good) log of polenta, leftover quinoa, a few wrinkling snap peas, 1/2 bag baby spinach, a 1/2 huge onion, and condiments. In the freezer was a 1/2 bag of Meal Starters Chick'n Strips. Fortunately a (compact fluorescent) lightbulb went off in my head. What would you do with all this, to serve a family of 4? Here's what I came up with.

Polenta Pizza

I think I'll always keep a log of polenta in the fridge for this -- honestly it wasn't my favorite thing, but my husband and son loved it.

1 log polenta, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
tomato sauce of your choice
Daiya mozz
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wipe a thin layer of olive oil on a roasting pan to prevent sticking. Assemble the pizzas and place in pan. Bake until cheese melts.

Last Minute Saute

This is one of those recipes you would NOT take to the store with you to buy ingredients. This is a recipe you turn to when you have a bunch of leftovers you don't know what to do with. While mine had carrots, onions, spinach, snap peas, chick'n strips, and quinoa, yours can have any veggie, bean, faux meat, and/or grain. Here's how you adapt it.

Chop your veggies into bite-sized pieces or dice into small pieces. Heat a little olive oil or broth in a large saute pan. Add the veggies in order of how long they take to cook (I always start with onions and garlic). Keep stirring the veggies around on medium heat until they start to stick to the pan and/or things are looking a bit dry. When that happens, add vegetable broth, just enough so that there's a 1/8 to 1/4 inch pool at the bottom of the veggies. The broth should be boiling gently (not boiling so hard that the liquid is spattering and starting to burn). Next, add beans or faux meat and incorporate.

Now the fun begins. At this point, if you don't object to alcohol, add cooking wine. My favorite is sherry, but you can use any wine, even table wine if you want. If you prefer, use diluted flavored vinegar. Stir everything around. While that cooks, visit your spices and choose 2 or 3 that you think would best complement your dish thus far. Shake them in. (You might need to add more broth to keep the veggies moist.) Next, add the juice of a half to one lemon or lime. Blend and taste. At this point, you might be done. No? Ask yourself: does it need sweetness? If so, add a 1/2 tsp of vegan sugar. Does it need heat? Add pepper sauce or chili powder. Finally, add salt to taste, if it needs it. Keep cooking, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is completely absorbed.

Serve over leftover grains or in a sandwich wrap.

Julieanna Hever on Dr. Oz today!

2011-10-28T13:26:00.000-07:00

Ok my timing is terrible because if you're here on the east coast, it is now too late, but if you're elsewhere, be sure to catch my friend and colleague, the wonderful and talented Julieanna Hever, the Plant Based Dietitian, on the Dr. Oz show today!

I promise to post again when they're re-running the show later in the season. And if it goes online I will post that as well.

Julieanna explains how to follow a whole-foods, plant-based diet. Her principles (and recipes!) are in her wonderful new book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition. Check it out!

Really, are potatoes so terrible?

2011-10-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

If you've been following the popular health news lately, you've come across a litany of articles warning us of the "danger" of the humble potato. Several advocacy groups have even gone as far as to get the USDA to consider cutting back on or completely eliminating potatoes from the school lunch. I agree the school lunch would benefit from improvements but to get rid of potatoes and keep all the other crap (chicken nugget ban, anyone?)? Sure, take away the fries, puffs, and tots but keep the whole potato please!

The well-respected (including by me, usually) Harvard School of Public Health has come out with their own version of MyPlate (coined the "Healthy Eating Plate"), where potatoes (in any form) are strongly discouraged.

In my opinion, demonizing one food (particularly a whole plant food) can lead to consumer confusion/frustration. Even though epidemiological studies have suggested that potatoes are associated with weight gain, I've yet to meet a person who lost weight by cutting out potatoes. It is only one part of the diet, and it is the diet and lifestyle overall, not the inclusion or exclusion of potatoes, that determines one's health and weight. I've personally been so annoyed by this that I've gone out of my way recently to buy (local/organic) potatoes. And fortunately, I got a couple of pounds from my CSA last week. I make them garlic mashed, roasted, and pan fried. Yum.

Here's my recipe for quick vegan mashed potatoes.

2 lbs potatoes
4 Tbsp trans-fat-free tub margarine like Earth Balance
2 tsp seasoned salt
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
unsweetened soy milk as needed (or other unsweetened plant milk)

Peel and chop potatoes into approximately 1-inch cubes. Boil until soft. Drain.

Return to pot and add margarine, salt, and yeast. Mash with a potato masher. Slowly add milk and keep mashing until at desired consistency. This shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. Old-fashioned potato mashers work great, and leave in a few lumps, which adds authenticity. :-) Serve. (Note: If you're watching your fat intake, eliminate the margarine or use a teaspoon or two of olive oil instead.)

How did you celebrate Food Day?

2011-10-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

Food Day, which was yesterday, October 24th, is a celebration spearheaded by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

It was a great success around the country. The day really spread awareness about food issues and challenges, and inspired ideas for solutions. Getting people talking about food and understanding how important it is for everyone to have access to safe, nutritious foods is, to me, the ultimate drive for success.

Food Day's goals ("6 principles") are to:

Reduce diet-related disease by promoting safe, healthy foods
Support sustainable farms & limit subsidies to big agribusiness
Expand access to food and alleviate hunger
Protect the environment & animals by reforming factory farms
Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing to kids
Support fair conditions for food and farm workers

The idea is to transform the American diet by inspiring people who want healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. This means getting people cooking real food for their families again; having fewer people at fast food restaurants and bigger crowds at farmers markets; celebrating fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains - and supporting the farms
producing them; ensuring everyone has the option to select healthy diets and avoid diet-related health issues.

How cool is that? My town, Montclair, NJ, celebrated this day with activities at the public schools and around town such as movie screenings, apple tastings, a produce drive, and food collections for the needy. The grain and bean posters pictured here are on display at my son's elementary school; I spent a good part of the weekend making them (I'm not the most creative person so I'm rather excited about the role of my new glue gun!). I can't solve the nation's food problems, but I can help teach kids about healthy foods, so why not start in my son's school?

How about you? If you didn't know about it or didn't have time this year, start thinking about how you can make a difference in your community next year!

A tofu scramble -- what is my SECRET ingredient?

2011-10-18T10:50:00.001-07:00

Per request, here is my tofu scramble recipe! In the past I've resisted posting it because, honestly, it's never the same recipe twice.

This is the BEST recipe for literally throwing in your leftovers. The one pictured here had the last bit of my friend Lisa's amazing bean chili and a few jalapenos from my CSA share.

Here are some favorite add-ins:

leftover cooked veggies
cooked leafy greens (try spinach for a Florentine flair!)
beans
salsa (goes especially well with black beans and chili powder for a Tex Mex delight)
diced cooked sweet potatoes
diced cooked winter squash
veggie bacon or sausage

I've been known to even add in leftover soup!

Now, I never claimed that this is supposed to mimic scrambled eggs. It doesn't. It started out that way, years ago, when the recipe was basically, well, tofu plus turmeric (for the yellow color) and some seasoning. But this recipe has morphed over the years, culminating into what would be more appropriately termed "Tofu Mish Mash" or "Kitchen Sink Tofu." It's healthier too, with all those delicious veggies for antioxidant and fiber power.

You will need:

2 lbs firm tofu, pressed and drained
1 tbsp trans-fat-free vegan tub margarine (I like Earth Balance) or veggie broth or water for sauteeing
1 small or 1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup diced)
2-3 small bell peppers (it's nice to use 3 different colors), diced (about 1.5 cups diced)
***SECRET INGREDIENT!!!*** 1/2 package soy chorizo (available at Trader Joes)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 cup Daiya cheese (I usually use Cheddar but if I'm doing a Tex Mex Scramble, I'll use the pepper jack. The Mozz is good if you're in an Italian mood.)
1 tbsp turmeric
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp seasoned salt (MSG free)
1 ripe tomato, chopped

1. Press the tofu by taking it out of the package, setting it on a large flat plate, and placing a heavy pot of water on top (balance carefully now!). The longer you do this, the firmer the result. I tend to do it for 5-10 minutes, or longer if I have a lot of "wet" add-ins.

2. Heat the margarine or broth or water over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and saute until they start to get soft, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the tofu. Break it up with a spoon in one hand and fork in the other, as you mix it with the veggies. Try to leave a few bite-sized chunks so it's not all crumbs.

4. Add the chorizo and carefully incorporate. Warning, this step can be messy.

5. Sprinkle the yeast, cheese and spices evenly over the mixture and saute until it's one uniform color (you might need to add more turmeric) and the cheese is melted.

6. When it looks and tastes done, add the tomato and fold in and keep it on the heat for another minute or two.

Serve with whole wheat toast for a fabulous brunch. Also a GREAT filling for a wrap!

Again! Don't be shy! Other than leaving the burner on high and going to the movies, it's virtually impossible to mess up this recipe. Experiment!

Hooray for vegan bake sales

2011-09-18T19:37:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, my local group, Montclair Vegans, held a bake sale to raise money for Vegan Outreach, one of my favorite groups. My only regret is that I didn't take a photo of the tables and tables of amazing looking baked goods, everything from spinach pockets to personal pizzas to carrot cake cupcakes to chocolate strawbrery thumbprints. I made chocolate chip cookies (photo here) and gluten free muffins (below).

This is an incredibly easy recipe for gluten free applesauce raisin muffins, using Arrowhead Mills gluten-free pancake and baking mix.

Gluten-Free Applesauce Raisin Muffins

2 cups gluten-free baking mix, such as Arrowhead Mills
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups rice milk
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup soft raisins

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with foil baking cups or well-oil-sprayed paper ones (boy do these stick to paper ones without oil spray!). Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk in the rice milk and oil until smooth and well combined. Stir in applesauce and raisins. Spoon equally into the baking cups. Bake on the center rack until lightly browned and a cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin tests clean, about 25 minutes. Turn out onto a rack to cool.

Enjoy!

Secrets for a Fast and Easy Tex-Mex Dinner

2011-09-11T18:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight's dinner was fabulous. It might have tasted as if I cooked for hours, but I used several shortcuts to get it on the table pronto.

The #1 criterion I use to decide whether to make a Tex-Mex-like meal is whether I have ripe avocados. Those babies have a short window of yummy edibility! Tonight I had 2 perfect avocados and only an hour to cook, so I got busy.

I made several different things, each with its own shortcut.

FAJITAS:
I had bell peppers and onions, as usual, which are the base for a perfect veggie fajita. I also had sliced portabellos and a big eggplant, so I figured why not. I decided to marinate and oven-roast the mushrooms and eggplant, since they soak up liquid flavors, and quick-saute the onoins and peppers.

My shortcut here? I put the sliced mushrooms and eggplant in a pre-made marinade (I used Goya's Mojo, but any will do) while I sliced up the onions and peppers and got other stuff ready. Later on, I threw the mushrooms and eggplant in the oven and sauteed the onions and peppers in a bit of the same marinade plus a couple of teaspoons of powdered fajita seasoning.

VEGGIE TACO FILLING:
This is super-easy. I always start with a chopped up onion (optional; I just love onions), which I cook up in a bit of canola oil or veggie broth. Then I add soy-based ground "beef" and the secret ingredient -- tomato salsa -- as well as a sprinkle of taco seasoning. The salsa gives it that perfect kick and tomato flavor, and the seasoning keeps it real.

BEANS:
So quick it's almost embarrassing to admit. I just pour canned seasoned black beans into a pot and turn on the stove. I used Trader Joes Cuban Black Beans. I also often use 365 Spicy Black Beans.

GUAC:
The great thing about guacamole is that you can make it without cutting any corners, and it's still quick and easy. My recipe is 2 mashed avocados, juice of 1 fresh lime, and a sprinkle of sea salt. What could be easier, or tastier?

I rounded out the meal with a few add-ins: shredded lettuce (with some finely chopped broccoli hidden in there too for some added nutrition), chopped tomatoes, Daiya pepper jack cheese, Tofutti sour cream, tortillas (whole wheat and brown rice), and chips (baked organic white is a healthful option).

The kids didn't adore everything, but they liked enough of the choices to have a really healthy (and fun!) meal. And we have plenty leftover for tomorrow.

I can't get enough of this sandwich!

2011-09-07T09:37:00.001-07:00

Trader Joes has done it again -- I've been obsessed with this sandwich lately, and every one of the ingredients comes from TJs. (Click on the photo to enlarge the ingredients.) You can get most of them from other stores too, of course (except maybe this particular type of hummus) but I like Trader Joes for their great quality, vast selection (organic produce, organic groceries, and vegan choices abound), good customer service (usually -- this past week I encountered a poor-mannered cashier), and unbeatable prices. The edamame hummus is a great way to get in unprocessed soy protein, and it gives this spread a naturally sweet flavor. It has become my favorite hummus.

This is a perfect lunch for a busy day. It's easy to make, filling, high in protein and fiber, moderate in the good fats (thanks to the avocado and hummus), and bursting with protective micronutrients. It's also quite versatile-- note the list of substitutions below.

You will need:

1 brown rice wrap (SUBS: 2 slices whole grain bread, whole grain pita or wrap)
4 tbsp edamame hummus (SUBS: any hummus will do)
1/2 small or 1/3 large avocado, sliced
2 large slices of tomato
2 large romaine lettuce leaves (SUBS: baby spinach and arugula work well here, or any raw green)

Place sandwich ingredients inside wrap or between bread. Enjoy!

Enough excuses! I'm officially back!

2011-09-06T14:46:00.000-07:00

Emily is healthy, school starts tomorrow, my nights are no longer interrupted by multiple nursing sessions, and I'm a new person, new mom, new wife, new worker, and new blogger! I am also super-inspired by the recent Vida Vegan Conference -- a recent gathering of vegan bloggers in Portland, my favorite city (wish I coulda joined y'all! Shout out to Jen G. and all my pals who got to go!). I heard it was a tremendous success.

I've been blogging "in my head" for months now so I have some great ideas I'd like to share. With a family of 4 to feed (and the challenges with feeding one child with no teeth and another with multiple food allergies), I've had to be pretty creative.

A special thank-you to my loyal readers (many who continue to comment on old posts), family, and friends (you especially, JH) who have supported me through a pretty hellish year. Love ya, babes.

Gluten Free, Soy Free, Vegan Convenience Foods

2011-04-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, I love to cook (and I've been doing my fair share lately) but some days, just the thought of lifting a pan to the stove is a bit more than I can take.

Back before my elimination diet, the solution was Takeout. (Prior to THAT it was actually dining, out, but of course that was before kids came along.) Fortunately I live in a town where vegan takeout abounds. Thai, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Ethiopian, Mexican, all within walking distance, all cater to my vegan tooth. But in most cases, the starring roles were soy (Sesame Tofu, Masaman Tofu Curry, faux meat made of soy, etc.), wheat (pasta, burritos), and nuts/seeds (sushi with sesame seeds, curries with cashews, etc.).

Indian works pretty well but since I'm cooking my way through The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking (including an eggplant-spinach curry I whipped together for lunch today), I'm avoiding Indian restaurants for the time being.

Anyway. Convenience food. I have found some a-may-zing things for us food-sensitive vegans. I plan on indulging in these goodies well after I resume my joyful soyful diet. Here they are.

1. Whole Foods 365 Rice Crust Roasted Vegetable Pizza. I didn't expect much from a frozen pizza but WOW is this stuff good. How do they get so many veggies on there? And the rice crust... you'd NEVER know. I slather it with Mozz Daiya Cheese with 5 minutes to go in the toaster oven and I'm in pizza heaven.

2. Trader Joes Vegetable Panang Curry with Jasmine Rice. Again, I didn't expect much. I expected a weak curry, needing serious doctoring. Boy was I wrong! This entree is incredible! Rich, flavorful, and satisfying, with just the right amount of spice. Soy free, gluten free, and vegan! Unbelievable! Better than I've had at some restaurants, truly. For Dan, I add 1/2 lb cubed tofu, and there's plenty of sauce to go around. If the rice were whole-grain brown, this thing would be perfecto.

3. Imagine Foods Organic Black Bean Bisque. Ok granted, dozens of packaged soups are vegan, gluten free, soy-free, and tasty. (Yes, Amy, I'm talking about you!) But this one rocks my world. It is SO delicious; I don't just use it as a soup. I use it as a sauce for steamed veggies, as a mix-in with my quinoa, and as a base for other soups. It's that good.

4. Amy's Tamale with Roasted Vegetables. This is a great meal! It's got a nice sized tamale alongslide flavorful black beans. It's the only Amy's frozen entree that is gluten free, soy free, nut free, and vegan. I wish there were more!

5. Bahama Rice Burger. Mmmmm a spicy, hearty veggie burger free of soy and gluten! It comes in Original, Mediterranean, Pineapple-Mango, and Jerkin Spicy (mmm!) They also have "meatballs" (which I've tried -- they're pretty good) and "sausage" (which is next on my list!) They are a little dry and a little heavy. And I don't think any human stomach could tolerate one served on a gluten-free roll, so enjoy sans "bread" (I like it with the black bean bisque on top!)

Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate and Lime

2011-03-28T17:25:00.000-07:00

Well I'm still on my elimination diet, and I've been cooking up a storm! I have some blogging catchup to do; unfortunately Emily has been in and out of hospitals and doctors' offices so updating this blog has become lower on my list of priorities.

During her "well" times, I find creating new recipes to be relaxing, rewarding, and fun. Since I am currently avoiding wheat/gluten, soy, nuts, and most seeds, it's been challenging to find scrumptious, nutrient-dense meals that will satisfy, produce optimal breastmilk, and taste delicious.

Tonight I mixed it up a little: I made dry-saute potatoes from The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking (an 800-page book that is most definitely in my top 10 cookbook collection), spicy collard greens, and this tangy, yummy quinoa salad.

I make quinoa every week. Usually I throw in sun-dried tomatoes, onions, lemon juice, and salt and pepper... sometimes other raw veggies that are aging in the crisper. This time I incorporated pomegranate seeds that I found at Trader Joes on Saturday, and I created a dressing I thought might complement them well. Here's the recipe. (Note it's salt free -- this is one of the few grain-based recipes that, in my opinion, doesn't need salt!)

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
2 cups water
about 1/2 - 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 small or 1 large stalk celery, diced
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp olive oil

Cook the quinoa in the water according to package directions. Fluff and allow to cool.

Add pom seeds, sunflower seeds, and celery; toss.

In a small bowl, combine lime juice, agave, vinegar, and olive oil.

Drizzle over quinoa and toss well.

Serve!

Soy-free, wheat-free, nut-free vegan breakfasts

2011-03-07T12:38:00.001-08:00

Now that I'm following a diet free of so many wonderful yummy and nutritious things, people often ask "what's left?"

I would like to share some of my favorite products and recipes. Starting with breakfast.

Most days I start out with a bowl of oatmeal. Some people say that oatmeal is not gluten-free (and I'm not avoiding all gluten, but it is an issue so I'll mention it here), but the reason that it traditionally has not been free of gluten is due to contamination with wheat. In fact, oats made in dedicated GF facilities can be sold as "GF Oats." More on this here.

But, if oatmeal doesn't agree with you, you can always start the day with creamy millet and/or amaranth (make with a 1:4 ratio of grain to water for a creamier consistency).

On top of the oatmeal go my obligatory fruits: sliced strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Ground flax seeds go on next (note: I'm not eating sesame seeds, since my son is allergic and allergies run in families. But I am enjoying flax). I top it off with coconut beverage (Silk and So Delicious are 2 easily available brands), rice milk, or hemp milk.

On days I prefer a cold cereal, there are a ton of options. From crispy brown rice to GF flake cereal, I've tried several. When I want something a little sweet, I reach for Nature's Path Sunrise cereal (pictured above). I love this cereal! I also have been enjoying several wheat-free, nut-free granolas, my favorite being New England Naturals Omega Hemp & Flax. I like making a breakfast parfait with plain coconut yogurt (very sweet for a plain yogurt), berries, and granola.

Breakfast is pretty easy, once you have your allergy-free options in your fridge and pantry. And these days there's no shortage of choice.

Sick children change everything!

2011-03-02T11:06:00.001-08:00

Where have I been, you ask? Why, taking care of Emily! The poor little thing has had quite a year so far. She is doing much better (see her sweet smiling face) but for a while there she had us pretty scared. After 5 hospital admissions and a slew of tests (including a brain MRI!), doctors still have no idea what was plaguing her.

It all began after a 10-day round of antibiotics given for a mild staph infection in late December (doctors in Florida, where we were visiting, were a bit aggressive and gave her broad-spectrum IV antibiotics). I believe that her problems were a direct result of the antibiotics, but there's really no way to prove that one way or the other.

One of her symptoms was severe vomiting, so the pediatric gastroenterologist advised me to stop nursing and give Emily an elemental formula (one based not on soy or dairy protein but built up from amino acids, oil, sugar, and vitamins/minerals). That recommendation felt like a slap in the face, given my commitment to breastfeeding and knowing that with all that she was going through, at least she was getting the benefits of my milk. I did understand that doing the switch would assist in diagnosing her with a food allergy, and, as science-minded as I am, I do have to admit that I was very happy when she refused the formula (even when she was starving due to having had fasted for a test). To make a VERY long story short, she is still being breastfed (exclusively) and never had any formula. And she has vomited only once in the last 3 weeks, a marked improvement.

No one knows whether she has food allergies. I do know that she tolerated my milk just fine for 5 months without as much as a spit-up, but in case she suddenly developed one or more (due to the antibiotics), I went on a strict elimination diet. For several weeks now, I have followed a diet devoid of soy, gluten, nuts, seeds, caffeine, and alcohol.

I have been cooking quite a bit and have created some wonderful low-allergen vegan recipes.

Being a vegan never felt that much like a sacrifice, since vegan food is so delicious, but I have to say, once you omit the wheat and soy (and nuts and sesame seeds) it gets pretty challenging. I am looking forward to being able to re-introduce some of these foods!

Meanwhile, I have been enjoying bean soups, GF pastas, fruits, GF granolas, rice products, chilis, and Indian curries.

So for a while, this blog will feature vegan, soy-free, gluten-free recipes. Stay tuned!

Resolutions 2011

2011-01-04T09:01:00.000-08:00

Hope you're all having a wonderful 2011 so far! This year, my resolution is to go to bed earlier. This may sound like a rather self-indulgent goal but the truth is that I do not sleep enough. And not only do I suffer for it, but my kids do too. When I'm tired, I have less patience, less capacity for work, and compromised parenting skills. And who wants to start a new activity, cook a meal, or take a walk when all you want to do is take a nap?

My perpetual exhaustion is largely a result of nighttime feedings. Thankfully, Emily is down to one feeding a night, which usually takes place between 2 and 4am. But even that relatively minor interruption in sleep, when it is night after night after night, can lead to tough days. Add to that a regular bedtime of midnight or so and needing to get up before 7am, and we have a recipe for zombie.

I am a night owl AND a morning person. I love to stretch the evening out sans children, hanging out with Dan, laughing at the TV, indulging in a novel I cannot put down, organizing a drawer or closet, watching 80's commercials on youtube, catching up on email, etc. I also love the early morning. Being outside in the fresh morning air, feeling the quiet and newness of the day, knowing you have the whole day in front of you, all can be quite invigorating. But burning that candle at both ends has finally caught up with me. I've become a molten blob of wax, and I need to get back into shape!

So I have committed to stop all non-bedtime activity by 10pm, and be IN bed by 10:30. At first I tried to be in bed by 10 but that resolution was broken on night #1. Not realistic at all. So far this year I've succeeded in being in bed by 10:30 (of course it's only been 3 nights) but already I feel a difference.

My other resolutions (less measurable, but of which I'm very mindful) include being a more effective parent, getting more work done in less time, replying to emails and phone calls in a more timely manner, telling people "thank you" rather than just feeling grateful privately, being there for friends and family in need, cooking healthful foods and exercising daily, and making time to do extra things like volunteer in my community. Hopefully sleeping more will prove to be the first step towards these other improvements.

Incredible Shrinking Greens

2010-12-18T10:28:00.000-08:00

Given the frequency with which I prepare greens, you'd think I'd be used to the shrinkage by now. But it never ceases to amaze me. What appears to be enough greens to feed an army (when raw) ends up being this tiny pile of tender yumminess. Just for fun I took a before and after picture of the turnip greens I made the other night:

Before:

And after:

Pretty amazing, right?

I used to be intimidated by greens. I didn't grow up with them (except for frozen spinach or spinach salad), and they just seemed unfamiliar. Plus, the first few tries often yielded a stringy, chewy mess. By asking questions over the years (as in, "how did you prepare these amazing greens?"), reviewing cookbooks, and trial and error, greens frighten me no longer. And it's a good thing because they're SO healthy and cheap and mild tasting.

When you're not following a recipe or not sure what to do with fresh greens, I recommend simmering about a cup of vegetable broth or water per pound of greens, then add the greens, mixing them around frequently (good tongs are a must!!). After a few minutes, taste them. Still too chewy? Cook some more. When they're good and tender, remove from heat. Then add them to another dish, like a tofu scramble, bean dish, grain dish, stir fry, whatever. Or just throw on your fave seasonings and serve as is. It's that easy.

The greens pictured here ultimately became smothered with garlic and black bean sauce, added to sauteed onions and veggie chicken strips, served over brown rice. The dinner took about 10 minutes to make (this time I used quick-cooking brown rice because I was in a hurry; I keep some in the pantry for such emergencies). I used pre-washed, pre-chopped Glory Greens, which are becoming easier and easier to find (they come in big orange bags in the produce section of the supermarket).

A few months ago I tasted the most incredible kale at a health food store in Morristown, NJ. I asked the cook how on Earth they got so amazing, and I was told that the kale was first steamed, then marinated all day long in the sauce. What a concept! I'm going to try that next.

Cute Holiday Nibbles

2010-12-16T08:44:00.000-08:00

I admit I love pretty holiday food. Most of my meals are not all that gorgeous (well, they have "inner beauty," like last night's turnip greens with onions and tofu) so when it comes time for the holidays, serving up attractive food is ultra fun.

First is a recipe that may look familiar -- I can't seem to get enough of my bean salads, which I make every Sunday. I just vary the beans and veggies. Here's my Festive Holiday Bean Salad! Fortunately there are a ton of green and red veggies out there so this is a no brainer.

Festive Holiday Bean Salad

2 15-oz cans cannelini (white kidney) beans, rinsed well in a colander and drained
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup (packed) fresh parsley, washed well, rinsed, and chopped
juice of 2 lemons
sea salt to taste
white pepper to taste
cayenne pepper (optional)

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently. Serve as is, over a big bed of lettuce, or with a whole grain like whole wheat cous cous.

Xmas Tree App etizers from Pillsbury

If you know me, you know that I indulge in some refined foods on occasion, and holidays are certainly no exception. I love serving both whole food dishes (based on veggies and whole grains and beans), AND refined things that say, "Yes, I really am vegan!"

Here is an idea I poached from Pillsbury.com. I found out from reading December's VegNews Magazine that Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (yes, those ones that come in a can) are vegan. (I know, the packaging is atrocious and the preservatives are scary sounding) but I couldn't resist posting about this because it is so very cute. Of course, you can make your own bread dough and do the same thing.

For this recipe, just substitute vegan sour cream and vegan cream cheese for the dairy versions.

Tree-Shaped Crescent Veggie Appetizers

Veggie trays, move over! This colorful tree-shaped appetizer will add an interesting twist to your appetizer buffet.

Prep Time: 30 Min
Total Time: 1 Hr 15 Min
Makes: 32

INGREDIENTS:

2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
3 cups finely chopped assorted vegetables (bell peppers, broccoli, carrot, cucumber and/or green onions)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 375°F. Remove dough from cans in rolled sections; do not unroll. Cut each section into 8 slices (16 slices from each can).

Place slices, cut side down, on ungreased cookie sheets to form trees. To form each tree, start by placing 1 slice for top; arrange 2 slices just below, with sides touching. Continue arranging row of 3 slices, then row of 4 slices, ending with row of 5 slices. Use remaining slice for trunk. Refrigerate one tree while the other bakes.

Bake one tree 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute; carefully loosen with pancake turner and slide onto cooling rack to cool. Bake and cool second tree.

Place each tree on serving platter. In small bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, dill and garlic powder; blend until smooth. Spread mixture over both trees. Decorate trees with assorted vegetable pieces. Refrigerate until serving time. To serve, pull apart slices of tree.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):
Bake 13 to 15 minutes.

I love this one -- it's already vegan, and they're so pretty and festive. Plus who doesn't like chocolate and mint together?

Peppermint Patties from FamilyFun Magazine

These are the addictive classics, with a snappy, minty middle and a luscious chocolate coating. Packaged prettily, they make perfect gifts. Be sure to whip up a test batch for yourself just to make sure they're really, really good.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar (3-3/4 cups)
1 tablespoon shortening
10 to 12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
6 hard mint candies (we used Starlight), crushed in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the water, corn syrup, lemon juice, and peppermint extract, then sift in half the confectioners' sugar. Add the shortening. Beat on medium, then slowly sift in the remaining confectioners' sugar until the mixture is well combined.

2. Knead the mixture into a ball (it will be very stiff; if necessary, add 1/2 teaspoon water to make it workable). Use the bottom of a glass pie plate to apply firm, even pressure to flatten the ball between sheets of waxed paper into a circle about 9 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick. Lay the waxed-paper-covered disk on a cookie sheet and freeze it until it's firm, about 15 minutes.

3. Place the frozen disk on a cutting surface and remove and reserve the waxed paper. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment. With a small round cutter (ours was 1-1/4 inches), cut out circles from the disk, then place them on the cookie sheet. Gather the scraps into a ball, use the pie plate and waxed paper to flatten it again, and cut more circles until the entire disk is used up. Freeze the circles for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water. Coat the patties one at a time: balance each on a fork and dip it (use another fork as needed to flip the patty in the chocolate), then shake off any excess chocolate before returning the coated patty to the parchment. Sprinkle each patty with a bit of crushed mint candy. Add more chocolate to the double boiler as necessary until all the patties are coated.

5. Harden the finished patties in the refrigerator for at least an hour, and preferably overnight. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge, layered between sheets of waxed paper, for up to one month. Include tags with your gifts instructing recipients to keep the patties refrigerated.

Makes 5 dozen.

Vegan Latkes Shortcut!

2010-12-09T11:42:00.000-08:00

Happy Hannukah, to those who celebrated! Most years, I make vegan latkes (potato pancakes) from scratch. Not an easy task. Last year, I quadrupled a recipe, and for days I couldn't get the onion odor off my hands. Not to mention the oil splatters off the wall. I was in my first trimester at the time so it was really quite horrible. This year, with a newborn and a bunch of other things going on, making latkes was out of the question. But I still wanted to serve this festive food.

So I cheated. I found frozen vegan hashbrowns at Trader Joes, and called them latkes. You can fry them, bake them, nuke them... you really can't mess them up. They are insanely good and Ben loved them (he asked for them every night, and even had one for breakfast this morning!) He never had hashbrowns before so it's kind of funny to hear him go on and on about how much he loves these "latkes." He had 'em with ketchup, with applesauce, with vegan sour cream... any way worked for him!

Since these aren't exactly healthful, I don't plan on buying them regularly. But that's OK -- when they're gone, we can say that we'll get latkes again for Hannukah next year.

When your vegan kid starts to question meat...

2010-11-30T19:36:00.001-08:00

I knew it was only a matter of time. Benjamin, my 5-year-old, has been talking more and more about eating meat. Well, lately it's all about turkey, since everyone in his school talked about it for weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. Even afterward, he was asked, "How was your turkey?"

Ben is starting to get that he is different than other kids, in that they all eat chicken nuggets and hamburgers and ham sandwiches. I have always told him that "Most people eat animals. In our family, we don't eat animals." He's always accepted this but now he's starting to think more abstractly about this concept and what it means.

I'm not totally comfortable imposing such "weirdness" on my child. It's a struggle that I would think most vegan and vegetarian parents deal with: we want to be true to our ethics and beliefs, and we want to minimize animal suffering, but at the expense of our children suffering?

Ok fine, different suffering. But you know what I mean.

Here is my approach. I tell him, "If you want to eat meat, that is your choice. I will not buy you meat with my money, but you can buy meat with your money or have meat at your friends' houses or at parties. Do you understand that this meat is ground up animals? Real, furry or feathery animals, with blood and a heart and a brain, that had feelings and were killed?"

This way, I figure, he is making his own informed choice, rather than feeling that he HAS to say no to meat. Of course, I spare no detail. And I maintain, why should I? I was told recently that this is "too much information" and I should lighten up. I disagree. I say why not be honest with the kid? Imagine all parents reminded their kids where their food came from! No, most parents lie; is that better? They go as far as to assure their children that the animals they're eating are "not like our pets" and are "meant to be eaten" and "don't feel pain" in order to desensitize them early and preserve this... disconnect that is really unnatural for children but become the norm as adults. Children naturally adore animals and if we allowed them to understand what meat really is, what is so terrible?

Plus, I think that this approach may decrease the likelihood that he will "rebel" and go on a meat binge when he's eight, just to push my buttons. If I don't give him those buttons to push, then there's no drive to eat meat other than curiosity. Exploration of this nature is better than doing it to get a rise out of his parents.

In my heart I think that he will "experiment" eventually, but that he'll ultimately return to a vegetarian lifestyle. But time will tell.

I welcome your thoughts on this and your advice for approaching children and dietary choice.

I'm back! Happy Vegan Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T08:23:00.001-08:00

Hello loyal friends! I've missed blogging and I've missed your comments!

I had quite a few months off, I know; I cut back on computer time as I reached the end of my pregnancy and have been caring for my new little girl, Emily Hannah. She's a few days shy of 4 months old, and things are starting to return to "normal" in our house.

So many times, I've had an idea or found a new food or made a kickin' dinner or observed something interesting and wanted to post it here -- it's amazing how addictive blogging can be. But I needed a few months for family and now that I'm back on track, I'm so excited to share musings, recipes, new products, etc.

So, Happy Hug-A-Turkey Day! I hope you all have a wonderful day and enjoy peace and comfort and joy with the most treasured people in your life.

Love,
Dina

Vegan Brunch Bonanza: Tofu Quiche and Waffle Recipes

2010-04-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

This morning I made a lovely brunch with even lovelier friends and their adorable kids. I'm always nervous cooking for omnis but these guys are super about trying new foods, and have no problem with meatless meals. We had waffles and quiche, and the guests brought a gorgeous fruit salad. Unfortunately we ate everything before I thought to take out the camera, but next time I make the quiche (which will be soon because I have dough left for crust) I will post it here. Here are the recipes. They both turned out surprisingly good. The kids loved those waffles.

Tofu Spinach Quiche

Crust:

1 cup whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cold water
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Mix all, divide in half, roll, and press into pans. Makes 2 pies. I do NOT recommend this pie crust for a dessert; the olive oil in the crust pairs beautifully with a savory pie only.

Filling:

1 lb firm tofu
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 small or 1/2 large onion, chopped (about 2/3 - 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped jarred of fresh sweet red pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp sherry
2 tsp salt, divided
1 10-oz box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed out WELL (to make it easy, do it with a large sieve or a colander with tiny holes)
juice of 1 small lemon, divided
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp rice (or apple cider) vinegar
few pinches of sweet paprika

1. Press tofu for at least 15 minutes. (I place it between 2 plates and top them with a huge pot of water). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Saute onion and cumin in 1 Tbsp olive oil on low to medium heat for 10 minutes, until onion starts to caramelize. (If using fresh red pepper, add them about 5 minutes into the saute period.) Add sherry and cook until evaporated. (If using jarred peppers, add them now.) Add 1/2 tsp salt and saute a couple more minutes. Place veggies in a small bowl until later.

3. Saute garlic in remaining olive oil over low to medium heat until garlic starts to become a bit golden. Add spinach and saute about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 of the lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Saute another 2 minutes and remove from heat.

4. Place pressed tofu in a food processor. Blend until very smooth and creamy. Add remainder of lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, white pepper, basil, and vinegar. Process until completely smooth and blended.

5. Add spinach to tofu mixture in the processor. Pulse a few times until just blended. Do not over-process.

6. Scrape tofu-spinach mixture into a bowl. Fold in onions and peppers until combined.

7. Pour into shell, sprinkle on paprika, and bake for 40 minutes, or until tofu is set and crust is golden brown.

Dina's Foolproof Waffles

1 cup whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 packet instant oatmeal (I used organic flax-blueberry - nice!)
1 tbsp sugar
2 cups soy milk
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk together dry ingredients. Stir together wet ingredients. Combine all and stir until just mixed. Let sit for at least 5 minutes (gives the oats a chance to soak up the liquid and act as a binder).

Pour into prepared iron (might need to spray with nonstick oil spray) and serve with fresh fruit.

What's your biggest Veggie Vent?

2010-04-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

It's time to vent! Pet peeve, whine, grouse, kvetch, anyone?

Here's my #1: When there's a vegetable soup on a restaurant menu (be it black bean, minestrone, lentil, or just plain old vegetable) and it's made with a chicken or beef stock. WHY? Make it suitable for everyone! What, will the meat eaters refuse it because it's made with a rich, roasted vegetable stock instead of canned chicken broth? Can you imagine?

Patron: "Hi, I'll have the lentil soup."
Server: "Ok, but you're aware it's made with a veggie stock?"
Patron: "Oh NO! Well in that case I'll have the beef chili."

This morning I came across another common complaint: GVP. The Grilled Vegetable Platter. The standard veggie entree in restaurants and catered events across the world. This blogger wants to start an anti-gvp movement:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/04/down_with_the_gvp.html

Actually I don't mind a (very flavorful and perfectly cooked) plate of grilled vegetables. It's better than a plate of steamed vegetables, don't you think?

Here are a few more veggie things I've wanted to vent about for a while:

"Ah, you're vegetarian! We have a lovely lemon sole this evening..."
All fresh pasta seems to be made with eggs. If they can do it for the boxed version, why not fresh?
Order a salad "without the cheese" because the menu says it comes with goat cheese... and the salad arrives without the goat cheese but with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top (this happens with pasta too)
When you order something at a restaurant "without dairy" or "without cheese" and the server says, "oh it's just a little bit -- you can eat it."
Shopping for a loaf of bread or something similar, and the last ingredient is whey.
Soy milk made with artificial sweetener (8th continent, to be exact. I've emailed them but they just don't get it.)
Otherwise vegan cereals fortified with vitamin D3 (which is animal-derived)
Dark chocolate with butterfat added (but then again, this is a good way to weed out the poor quality brands)
Foods with "less than 2% of the following" and there is an animal ingredient or two... well if it's less than 2%, do you really need it?
Restaurants listing 10,000 entrees, none of which are vegetarian
(Many thanks to my DH Dan for this one): when you order an expensive entree, like linguini with shrimp, hold the shrimp, and you ask them to add sun-dried tomatoes... they don't reduce the price for excluding shrimp, but they charge EXTRA for the tomatoes!

Green Smoothie Yumminess

2010-03-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

What took me so long? I've been reading about green smoothies for ages (fruit smoothie with leafy green veggies thrown in) but I just never got up the nerve to try it. Kale and spinach ... in my fruity breakfast? Well what finally got me was this video by Julieanna Hever, fellow vegan dietitian (and quite possibly my new BFF). She promised that I wouldn't even taste the greens. And she was right! The secret is including a frozen banana every time. I've been having one every other day for breakfast (alternating with whole grain hot cereal with fresh fruit and nuts and flax), and I feel great! Watch her video and give it a try! And for more yumminess and great healthy vegan tips from Julieanna, visit her web site and blog.

New York City Musings

2010-03-08T19:31:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we spent a beautiful, unseasonably warm Sunday in Manhattan. In the morning, Dan, Ben, and I drove in, parked the car in a free "no parking except Sunday" spot, walked to the Intrepid Sea/Air/Space museum (Bank of America cardholders can get in for free during the first weekend of every month), then to Times Square, then took a subway to Greenwich village, and back again. A lovely, full, perfect day. Over the course of the day, I thought of ten NYC things I thought would be fun to share here...

1. I would kill for a vegan hot dog from one of those street vendors in Times Square.
2. NYC public works construction guys are the nicest folks ever.
3. Lula's Sweet Apothecary is still as amazing as the day they opened. I don't know which is better, the incredible selection of organic vegan ice cream, or the friendliness of the owners.
4. The playgrounds at Tompkin's Square Park ROCK.
5. Mahmoun's falafel is quite yummy. They offer whole wheat pitas (bonus!). Extra tahini sauce is a must though.
6. Macoun apples are the perfect sweetness and crispness. And they can be found at the Farmer's Market at First & St. Marks.
7. I just don't get all the hype over H&H bagels. I was told I "had" to have a fresh one. So I did. It is the very definition of mediocre. And at over $1 a bagel, I'm awed that they manage to stay in business.
8. I've never seen so many 5-pound dogs in one day in my life.
9. You can get an "I Heart New York" tee shirt for $2.99.
10. As long as I live, I'll never get to try all of the Indian restaurants in Manhattan. But I'm sure going to try.

School Lunches, Bento Style

2010-03-02T06:50:00.001-08:00

Most school lunches are nutritionally dismal. Recently I took tours of my town's elementary schools in preparation for sending Ben next year, and I peaked at the kids' trays during lunch at one of the schools. Meatball sub, canned peaches, chocolate chip cookie, milk. It's depressing. Truly it is. I've been reading a lot lately about people who are passionate about doing something about changing school lunch; I plan on getting active locally when my son starts kindergarten. One particularly interesting blog, called "Fed Up With School Lunch," is about a teacher who has committed to eating her school's lunch every day for a year. She figured, if it's good enough for the children, it should be good enough for the adults. Read about her adventures here.

Fortunately for many of us, our children do not have to eat what is served in the school cafeteria. They can bring healthy and delicious food from home. In the Pre-K my child attends, school lunch is not an option so he is quite used to bringing a lunch every day. That won't change when he starts in a new school in the fall.

Today, Ben got a fun lunch: three mini pita sandwiches (you can get Mini Whole Wheat Pita Pockets at Trader Joes for $1.49), one with almond butter, one with tofu salad, and one with black bean spread; a homemade vegan banana flax muffin; carrots, celery, and dip; and grapes and strawberries. If you're wondering about that cool lunch box, it is a Laptop Lunch Bento Box, which I've been using for almost 2 years now. I love that thing; it cuts back on waste (no paper or plastic bags needed) and encourages me to include a variety of healthy foods every day (gotta fill those sections!) Most of you out there probably already know about the blog Vegan Lunchbox; the blogger, mom Jennifer McCann, has the Laptop Lunch systems as well (she showcases the one I have in older posts). I think that her family is the best-fed family on the planet!

Anyway, back to school lunch...The sad truth is that many families cannot afford to send their children to school with fresh, healthy food. They qualify for free or reduced school lunch, and since the USDA promises that the meal meets at least 1/3 of a child's daily requirement for nutrients, it should be a trusted program. Unfortunately, the meatball sub meal mentioned above DOES meet these requirements. But imagine if the standards were different -- imagine the meals had to meet OPTIMAL nutrition standards! Antioxidants. Phytochemicals. Fiber. Disease-preventing phytonutrients. The problem, as always, comes down to money: the government provides subsidized foods to school, mainly dairy products and meat. Healthy foods, in OUR system, are costly. It doesn't have to be that way.

In future posts I'll showcase some of the heroic pioneers who are transforming school lunches to make kids maintain a healthy weight, perform better in school, and have reduced risk of chronic diseases that are more frequently showing up in childhood, particularly heart disease and diabetes.

"Chicken" Marsala and Nutty Quinoa

2010-01-18T15:01:00.000-08:00

In a strong yet brief moment of inspiration and short-lived deficit of queasiness today, I took the opportunity to throw together dinner. I have a feeling that my brisk walk today (we finally had a break in this frigid weather: a sunny, bright day) did a lot to lift my spirits and chase away the preggo blues.

I made something I loved from my forever-ago bird-eating days: chicken marsala (click on the photo to zoom in). My version features baby bellas, shallots, and mixed bell peppers, but it's a very flexible recipe. I also made a quick quinoa pilaf. Some might argue that these flavors don't meld well, and actually, I would normally agree, but for some reason they worked well together. Plus I served them with a salad with mustard-tarragon salad dressing (by Organicville).

Dina's "Chicken" Marsala

There's something homey and comforting about marsala sauce. If you don't have soy creamer, unsweetened soy milk will work well as a substitute. Less creamy but still yummy.

olive oil or oil spray
1/4 cup chopped shallots or 1/2 cup chopped onion
1 10-oz package sliced mushrooms (baby portobellas or button)
1 cup chopped bell peppers (they're not a traditional ingredient, but they are tasty IMO, and do boost fiber and antioxidant content. Use whatever veggies you like.)
2 packages Light Life Chick'n Style Smart Strips (you can also use 2 lbs sliced seitan, 4 defrosted Morningstar Farms Grillers Chik'n, 1 package of defrosted Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chik'n Strips, OR 1 package defrosted May Wah chicken substitute. Just don't use pre-breaded veggie chicken.)
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp Earth Balance margarine
1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup vegetable broth or vegetable stock
1/2 cup marsala wine
1/2 cup organic soy creamer (unflavored)
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp powdered sage
Salt & pepper to taste

First, keep the last few ingredients out on the counter, because you might want to change the amount of wine, creamer, lemon, etc. to taste. The amounts here are mere suggestions (plus I didn't measure; I'm guestimating by memory).

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add chopped shallots or onions, and cook for about 3 minutes or until translucent. Next add mushrooms, and cook for about 8 minutes, until most of the moisture is expelled from the mushrooms. Then add the peppers, and saute until the peppers start to soften. Saute for another minute or two, and transfer the veggies to a bowl.

Dredge/toss the veggie "chicken" in the flour until well-coated.

Return skillet to stove and melt the margarine with the olive oil. Add the "chicken" and fry until golden brown on all sides. You may need to do this in two batches. Remove the "chicken" from the pan (add to the veggies if room in the bowl, to avoid having to wash an extra plate). The skillet should have tiny bits of floury "chicken" -- leave them in the pan.

Return skillet to stove and pour in the broth, marsala wine, creamer, lemon juice, and sage. Let simmer for about 2-3 minutes (it should thicken a bit). Then, add back the "chicken" and veggies and coat with sauce. Let the sauce boil gently for about 4 minutes; it will thicken nicely. Taste, and adjust by adding salt and pepper, and more lemon juice, creamer, and/or marsala.

Easy Quinoa Pilaf

Since the "chicken" recipe has quite a bit of fat, this oil-free recipe goes quite nicely.

1 cup quinoa
1 3/4 cups water or vegetable broth (I used a little of each)
1/2 cup sliced and blanched almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
pinch cinnamon

Rinse quinoa well by running plenty of water through a sieve filled with the grain. Combine quinoa and water/broth in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.

Meanwhile, toast almonds in a dry pan or in the toaster oven. Keep a close watch so they don't burn.

When quinoa begins to boil, add almonds, cranberries, and cinnamon and give it a stir. Turn heat to low and cover, cooking for about 1o minutes or until all water is absorbed.

Pregnancy Reflections

2010-01-16T16:14:00.001-08:00

This post is neither educational nor interesting; it's also off-topic. I just wanted to get my thoughts down on "paper," as I've been reflecting a lot on this pregnancy.

I'm not the first woman to be pregnant, and I don't feel particularly special. What I do feel is bewildered. Bewildered and curious about how women over thousands of years handled the challenges of pregnancy. About how they endured pregnancy again, again, and again. And again. And how in spite of the challenges of pregnancy, they produced healthy, well-developed offspring.

I feel so nauseated, so disgusted, so lousy, so exhausted, and because of this, I think I actually am experiencing a touch of depression (and I consider myself a generally well-adjusted, content, and happy person; I've never been depressed before). I wonder if many pregnant women experience this, or if I'm among a "lucky" minority. I wonder if it's because I'm older (my first pregnancy, 5 years ago, wasn't this intense). I also wonder if feeling this way is a function of modern life; if women felt better when life was simpler -- small-town, little-house-on-the-prairie lifestyle. I wonder if being indoors so much, if dealing with the stresses of a career and modern life (on top of the usual responsibilities of mom and homemaker) explains why this pregnancy is kicking my butt to the moon.

I don't know. What I do know is that feeling this way makes it nearly impossible to work (I'm behind on all of my projects), impossible to clean the kitchen (the smells are overwhelming and just the sight of crumbs in the sink makes me gag), and I just want this to be over and done with already. I have about 26 more weeks to go.

I've been contemplating the ironies of pregnancy. How the most nutritious foods are often the least appealing. And how the junkiest foods are often irresistible. How I am sure that a glass of wine would relax me and make me feel better, but can't have it. How I'm getting a lot of help (thanks, family) but am still behind. How I feel utterly debilitated during one of the most critical periods of my life: I'm responsible for the healthy development of another human being (what is more important than that?), yet taking good care of myself is more difficult than ever. So why can't I catch a break?

Scientists don't really understand exactly why pregnancy causes these symptoms; it is known that nausea tends to increase with an increase in pregnancy hormones (though this is not the case for all pregnant women) but the mechanism remains a mystery. For me, it's a different kind of nausea than, say, motion sickness. I've been able to reverse motion sickness in seconds by eating a small piece of candied ginger; if I have ginger now, I just feel additionally nauseated.

For dinner tonight I had a bowl of cut up fresh fruit. And honestly it's all I could imagine keeping down. To have to actually plan to get enough protein is something I'm not at all used to; in general I love all sorts of healthful foods and get enough just as a function of getting enough calories from a variety of plant foods. These days, I can't read my own appetite at all (the thought of eating sends my stomach spinning, but often it's a sign that I need to eat something), again, ironic, considering that now more than ever, my appetite should dictate how much I need.

I know what to do: I know the nutritional guidelines for vegan pregnancy inside-out, and I've helped other women eat optimally throughout their vegan pregnancies. It's just particularly challenging to follow those guidelines.

I'm not worried about the baby. I got an ultrasound last week and all is well. In fact, according to my tests, my risk of carrying a baby with Down's is about 1 in 2300, while an untested 38-year-old has a risk of 1 in 114. I have not lost (or gained) any weight, and the baby's growth is right on track. So I'm not apprehensive about the pregnancy's outcome; I'm just sick of being sick, as they say.

Here's to hoping that as I become further immersed into the second trimester, these symptoms dwindle away so I can feel human again.

Food Cravings & Aversions During Pregnancy

2010-01-10T13:01:00.001-08:00

I might be having a vegan pregnancy, but I'm not sheltered from the usual symptoms: "morning" sickness (my version is nausea all day, at its worst in the evenings), disturbed sleep, exhaustion, food cravings, food aversions, and being emotional (earlier today, I found myself laughing and sobbing simultaneously).

I'm almost at my 13th week, a time when the less comfortable aspects of pregnancy ought to be ebbing. But for me, not yet! Hopefully soon.

Being a dietitian and all, I've heard some pretty strange stories of food cravings and food aversions. I have come to the conclusion that there is no "normal" or "abnormal" -- we are all different. Each pregnancy is different too. When I was pregnant with Ben, I ate hummus on a toasted sesame bagel with a thick slice of tomato... almost every day. This pregnancy, I can't even look at hummus! With Ben, I craved minestrone soup all the time; I couldn't get enough. Now, I can take it or leave it.

The surprise craving for me these days is INDIAN FOOD. I dream about rich aloo chole, crisp samosas dipped in thick tamarind chutney, roti stuffed with vegetables, and hot, flavorful dahl with ghee-free nan for dipping. Unfortunately, cooking makes me nauseated. But even if it didn't, I cannot cook Indian food like they do at the restaurants. And it's unrealistic for me to eat out very often. One product that satisfies my craving and requires no dining out or cooking is a frozen Indian burger from Trader Joes, called Vegetable Masala Burgers. They are So. Good.

Do you know of any healthful, easy-to-prepare Indian specialties? I've tried those meals-in-a-pouch and find them a bit too spicy. I like flavorful, but mild on the spicy scale.

I get a lot of questions about diet during pregnancy. Is it ok, for example, to feed our cravings, or should we stick to a meal plan? If we crave something, does that mean that it has some nutrient our body needs?

Here's my take on these questions. First, for the most part, I think it's fine to feed our cravings. That said, we have to look at the "craved" food amongst the big picture. So if I'm craving cherry coke, it's really not ok to have a 2-liter bottle every day and little else. But if I'm craving raw cauliflower, it IS ok to eat massive amounts every day. Trying to include healthful foods around the craved foods is really a good approach.

If I'm craving a food, is it because my body needs some nutrient it contains? No, probably not. It's nice to think that our bodies are THAT smart, but unless you're in a dire state of starvation, your cravings are probably a result of your preferences. There's no evidence to suggest that your potato chip craving is your body's way of getting its much-needed sodium, or that a magnesium deficiency explains your yen for chocolate.

What about food aversions? Should you eat your greens (my biggest aversion, when cooked anyway), even though they make you want to vomit? I vote NO. I have, unfortunately, many food aversions with this pregnancy. And many are healthful foods (although I have aversions to many junk foods as well). Forcing down foods that we are averse to you will just make mealtimes that much more unpleasant. If you have committed to eating 5 veggies a day but a pile of veggies makes you sick, give yourself a break. Eat more fruits, or eat a salad (if you crave it) or get Chinese sesame tofu with some chopped veggies if you can stomach that. As a health-conscious vegan, you already have a nutritional edge over folks (believe me, there are so many) whose main source of food comes from a drive-through.

LAVISHY: PHENOMINAL Customer Service

2010-01-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

Something amazing happened this week. So marvelous, so stupendous, so incredible, I have to share.

I experienced outstanding customer service. Beyond my wildest dreams.

Back in September, during Dan's and my trip to Portland, we were shopping at Herbivore, and a cute wallet caught my eye. It looked and felt like leather, but it was faux leather, made of recycled materials, and with colorful embroidery. My old wallet was falling apart so I decided to buy it and support this vegan store. Well I've never got so many compliments on any sort of "accessory" before. It's a great wallet -- fits all my stuff without bulking out, and closes with a magnetic snap -- the only problem is that last week, the stitching at the edge was starting to come out. I was going to take it to a professional shoemaker or someone similar, but first I decided to call the company which, I discovered by looking inside the wallet, is LAVISHY, a Canadian company.

A real live person answered right away and listened to my story. She took down my name and address and promised a replacement. Pretty impressive. I asked if she wanted me to send back the old one. No thanks, she said.

The NEXT DAY, no kidding, an overnight package arrived from Canada -- with a brand new wallet, a duplicate of my own. I couldn't believe it!

If you do a google search or google image search for "Lavishy Wallet" you will see their collection. I could not find my particular wallet online (but the one pictured above is close enough; mine has 4 smaller butterflies with embroidered green swirly flora). Their newest collection (including wallets with dogs, cherries, flowers, birds, more) can be seen via slideshow here: http://www.amazingaccessories.com/feature/mani.html. In addition to wallets, they have checkbooks, cell phone holders, change purses, handbags, passport holders, and luggage tags. They also have a beautiful line of fashion jewelry.

I'm the last person anyone would go to for fashion advice, but I will tell you that I'm brand loyal, and that LAVISHY can count on my sale whenever I'm looking for a new accessory for myself or one of my girlfriends. THANK YOU LAVISHY!

Soy can actually INCREASE longevity in breast cancer survivors

2010-01-04T18:19:00.000-08:00

There seems to be widespread fear around soy and breast cancer: I have heard unsubstantiated claims (from the general public), everything from soy causing breast cancer to needing to completely avoid soy products if you already have breast cancer.

Thankfully, those fears can be put to rest: a recent scientific study published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that soy can help decrease risk of death and decrease the chances of a breast cancer relapse. The study looked at a 4-year outcome period amongst 5,000 breast cancer survivors, and measured their intakes of soy foods in their diets. Women with the highest soy intakes had a 29 percent lower risk of dying and a 32 percent lower rate of their breast cancer returning than those who had the lowest intake of soy.

What I think is a very important point here is that these are not women who took soy supplements, or packed their diets with isolated soy protein. Tofu, soy milk and fresh soybeans (cooked soybeans or young soybeans, aka edamame) were the soyfoods most commonly consumed. So the study is NOT suggesting that breast cancer survivors eat soy bars, soy shakes, soy meat alternatives, and soy ice cream all day: the most protective soy foods are those that are the least processed/fractioned: tofu, tempeh, natto, miso, soy milk, and just plain soybeans.

Much of the worry and confusion surrounding soy and breast cancer stem from the fact that soyfoods are super sources of isoflavones, naturally-occurring, estrogen-like compounds. To many, that sounds like we're "eating estrogen," but actually the opposite is true: Breast cancer depends on estrogens to grow, and soy's "weak" estrogens compete for space on cell receptors and bind there, but do not exert estrogen's dangerous effects. So in essence, isoflavones are thought to BLOCK estrogen's deleterious effects.

In addition, the study authors reported that the results eased previous concern that isoflavones might interfere with tamoxifen, a cancer drug designed to block estrogen. The study found higher soy food consumption was beneficial regardless of whether a patient was taking tamoxifen.

The USDA recommends a daily intake of 25 grams of soy protein; this study suggested that 11 grams is enough for a significant benefit. This works out to be 1 to 2 servings of soy a day.

Click here for the study abstract, and option to purchase the full text:

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/302/22/2437

Fast food linked to diabetes risk

2010-01-02T18:19:00.000-08:00

Not that it's shocking or anything, but yet another study, this time from the December issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests that people who eat fast food are at an increased risk for diabetes.

Here's the link to the study summary per Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BS37B20091229

In a nutshell, the study, based on the eating and lifestyle habits and health outcomes of 44,000 black women over 10 years, reports that those who ate fast food burgers or fried chicken at least twice a week were 40 to 70 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than their counterparts who never ate such foods.

Maybe our national health care overhaul should include an adjustment on our premiums based on fast food consumption. Now, wouldn't that be something?

It's official: another little Vegan will join the world

2009-12-29T16:55:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all who've been asking where I've been... sorry about laying low for so long. It's just that it's hard to focus on anything when you are experiencing morning sickness ALL DAY. Fortunately I am in week 11 now and the nausea is finally starting to ease up a bit.

Baby Aronson is due in late July and we're all pretty excited. Ben's convinced he's getting a sister, but I have no clue what the gender is. I'll be finding out ASAP though!

In the coming months I'll include more posts about how to ensure a healthy vegan pregnancy, and if you have any questions, please do submit them!

Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season, and here's to a healthy, happy, prosperous 2010!

Top Vegetarian and Vegan Blogs

2009-11-19T06:18:00.001-08:00

It's been brought to my attention that someone has taken the time to compile the Top 75 Vegetarian and Vegan Blogs! And I'm honored to have this one included in the list :-). It appears on a web site about pharmacy technician certification programs.

The author, Ashley M. Jones, even grouped them in the categories Cooking & Recipes, News & Politics, Health & Nutrition, Animal Rights, Lifestyle, Beauty and Fashion, Thinking-of-Becoming Veg, and Family.

You can be sure I have bookmarked this site and will be returning again and again. What a fantastic resource. THANK YOU ASHLEY!

3-Cheese Vegan Pasta and Vegan Orange Chicken

2009-11-11T16:41:00.000-08:00

This is a pile of vegan, soy free cheese by Daiya Foods.

Tonight I made a dinner that is about as kid-friendly as it gets. I made orange "chicken" and penne and "cheese" with salad and cubed cantaloupe. Ben said "Mommy, your kitchen is just like the inside of a restaurant." And he didn't mean how my kitchen (which was last updated in 1954) looks, but the food. I'm not sure I've ever seen him eat so much at one sitting. What is more gratifying than watching your child devour your homemade cooking? Now I get why traditional [enter ethnicity/religion here] moms are known for their insistence to "Eat, Eat, EAT!!"

DISCLAIMER: This is not a good example of a health-supporting meal. I mean it won't kill you, and nutritionally it beats McD's by leaps and bounds, but do keep in mind that ideally, a healthful vegan dinner should contain fewer processed foods and more whole foods. For this reason, this meal was served with a huge salad and a cantaloupe. Anyway, this was just one of those nights, a night sandwiched between a one featuring homemade bean-and-collard greens soup and another featuring something equally wholesome tomorrow night.

Unfortunately the camera didn't make an appearance so you'll have to picture it in your mind. However I do remember how I prepared everything so I'm happy to share.

3-"Cheese" Vegan Pasta (serves 4)

1/2 lb pasta of your choice (we used whole wheat penne)
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated (but not "light") vegan margarine, like Earth Balance Soy Free Spread
1 packet of Road's End Organics cheddar-flavor Chreese (WHERE DO I GET THIS STUFF?)
1/2 cup shredded Italian Flavor Daiya Cheese (WHERE DO I GET THIS STUFF?)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk

Boil pasta in sufficient water in a large pot. While pasta is boiling, get the other ingredients ready. You'll want to work fast and while the pasta is still very hot.

When pasta is done, drain the water (do not rinse) and return to the pot immediately; put the pot back on the stove over low-to-medium heat. Add the margarine and stir constantly until margarine is melted. Add the Chreese, Daiya, and nutritional yeast and stir until the Daiya is completely melted. Slowly add the milk until it's at the desired consistency.

I SWEAR this tastes like the real thing.

-----

Orange "Chicken" with Broccoli (serves 2 hungry appetites or 4 small appetites)

1 package Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chick'n Strips
3/4 lb broccoli florets
1 tbsp canola oil

Sauce:

2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Orange Sauce and Glaze (available at Asian stores and in the Asian section of large supermarkets)
1 tbsp corn starch
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp agave nectar (or liquid sweetener of your choice)
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 cup cold water

(note: If you don't want to use the jarred sauce, which, admittedly, has corn syrup and other similarly undesirable ingredients, try using the zest of 1 orange, plus its juice, an option that is likely acceptable in flavor, and certainly superior nutritionally. But if you're like me, maybe you think it's OK to use these products once in a great while.)

Take out the Chick'n Strips so they start to thaw.

Lightly steam the broccoli (a quick way: find 2 matching soup bowls. Put the florets into one bowl with a couple tablespoons water. Cover with other bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes. If you're uncomfortable with a microwave, steam the old-fashioned way on the stove).

Put the sauce ingredients into a large (2-cup liquid) measuring cup and stir with a little wire whisk or fork.

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the Chick'n strips (it's OK if they're still frozen). Stir fry until heated through. Add the sauce. Heat until thickened. Add broccoli, toss to coat. Serve.

(This would certainly go better with a pile of brown rice than with my mac and cheese but hey I had a 4-year-old in mind.)

If you make either of these... let me know how it turned out!

Americans' food habits ... and national healthcare

2009-11-09T10:25:00.000-08:00

You've seen the Nutrition Facts labels on foods -- they give you the nutrition info per serving of that food, and they also provide a Percent Daily Value, which is based on a 2000-calorie (or "average") diet. In other words, this number represents the contribution (expressed as a percent) of that nutrient to a diet providing 2000 calories. The number 2000 was agreed upon by FDA nutrition scientists who came up with the newest nutrition facts label.

Maybe at one time, 2000 was the average number of calories consumed by American adults. No longer. According to recent research, the average American consumes over 3,500 calories a day. I found a fantastic interactive diagram that illustrates caloric intake of various populations around the globe. (You'll need Flash installed to use it.) This illustration shows the percentage of calories contributed from each food group among different nations. You will notice that Americans consume the most calories, and that Americans get almost 40% of their calories from fats and sugars. Intake of fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and root veggies (all together), only account for 10 percent of total calories. TEN percent! Another 23% come from grains (white flour is the base of a huge proportion of what Americans eat), and 24% from animal products. No wonder 2/3 of Americans are overweight and diseases of excess are at an all-time high.

Compare US sources of food calories to that of other countries. We consume the most fat, sugar, and animal products, while consuming the least plant-based foods, of all countries represented.

And our healthcare crisis overshadows that of any other country.

Do you think these two facts are related?

Whether you support or reject universal healthcare, I have a question for you. What about personal accountability? While there's been widespread debate over the national healthcare plan, much of it revolves around whether or not the government should offer an affordable plan to everyone, and what should and should not be available to people. But looking at the problem a bit differently, why do we have this crisis in the first place? Why are premiums so high, and why is everyone in the red?

For many years, healthy people were the majority of the insured and sick folks were the exception. All of the insurance premium money went into a pool that provided medical services and pharmaceuticals for unexpected illnesses and illness of older age. Nowadays, insurance companies are having a harder and harder time affording to insure people because so much more money is being spent on preventable disease management and drugs, and the affected are getting younger and younger. Now, the majority of the insured need more money in treatment than their premiums cost. And the shrinking source of that money? Premiums from healthy people who take care of themselves.

Which, I feel, points to accountability. Are people who eat themselves into a heart attack or gastric bypass surgery entitled to full coverage of these procedures? People choose unhealthy lifestyles knowing full well the risks. Sure, smokers' premiums are a bit higher, and some insurance plans charge more for high BMI (measure of obesity). But this does not begin to cover the cost of all the drugs, illness, and treatment resulting from lifestyle-related diseases.

In my opinion, if more people actually took care of themselves by eating less overall, incorporating more plants and less junk, and exercising, our healthcare crisis wouldn't be so dire.

I'm interested in hearing others' views on this.

Vegetarian moms less likely to have kids with diabetes

2009-11-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

Pardon my absence; switching over to a new computer has taken over as priority lately. I'm happy to return to regular postings with a report of this recent study, which looked at vegetable consumption in 6,000 Swedish pregnant women and, 5 years later, risk of diabetes in their child. It turns out that the higher the vegetable consumption during pregnancy, the lower the risk of type 1 diabetes in the child. The vegetable link, while strong, may not reveal the whole story, warn the researchers. Something else about the women's lifestyles could also be at play.

This study reminds me of another way that vegans are protected against type 1 diabetes; some research has suggested a link between dairy consumption and increased type 1 diabetes risk. For example, this study from 2000 (click to see the full-text version of it) from the journal Diabetes declares, "our results provide support for the hypothesis that high consumption of cow’s milk during childhood can be diabetogenic in siblings of children with type 1 diabetes." Another study published in the same journal in 1993 found a link between early exposure to dairy milk and diabetes risk.

At this point, no one knows conclusively what causes susceptibility to type 1 diabetes, but it looks like a plant-based diet, at least in part, plays a role in reducing risk.

Portland, Oregon: A Vegan's Paradise

2009-10-19T07:05:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to all who asked... I will finally write about my Portland trip. My husband Dan and I were there in late September following a few days in Reno, which I wrote about here. On a personal note, it was an especially important trip because, as I mentioned before, it marked our 10th wedding anniversary, and, it was a much-needed week of complete relaxation, total avoidance of computers, and no child (who, by the way, had a ball at home with his grandparents).

Portland was incredible. The weather was perfect, the people were welcoming, and the vibe was outstanding. We took a lot of pictures but the memory card got corrupted, so unfortunately a lot of the photos are gone. But we do have some from another card. I was going to blog all about the trip but I never got around to it after coming home!

Portland is the most bike-friendly city in the US. We arrived in the late afternoon, took a train to the hotel, chilled out, and then the next morning we walked to City Bikes Co-Op and rented bikes and a bike map (very useful -- showed the best bike routes around town. Thanks guys!). We basically biked everywhere the whole week we were there! We stayed east of the river so we biked across the bridges most days; the bike paths are everywhere! One day we biked along the river going south, and it just kept going for miles and miles along a train and beautiful woods.

We tried 6 or 7 veg restaurants; all of them were great. It was a vegan's paradise.

My favorite day was when we biked into town on a Wednesday, when they have an amazing Farmer's market right in the middle of town.

We got some fruit and walked around, then biked to the university area. We got on the train, hung our bikes on the hooks (can you believe they have hooks for your bike?), and went 1 stop up the mountain to Washington Park.

We took the bikes up the elevator and out, and coasted down the hill for some time, then stopped where there were hiking trails.

We locked up our bikes, hiked and ran on the trails (PERFECT packed dirt trails, and I got to break in my new trail running shoes).

Eventually we ran into the Japanese Gardens, so we decided to take a tour. They were beautiful.

Then we hiked back up, got on the bikes, and rode back into the city. We headed straight for Voodoo Donuts and had a glazed and some other concoction with about 83 toppings.

Then we rode back to the hotel, showered and changed, and went to dinner at Portobello, our fanciest meal there. We indulged in Pate al Tartufo (pate with bread, figs, mustard), polenta, and gnocchi. And dessert. If only I could remember what. I just remember it was good. Everything was scrumptious.

Here are some of the other vegan and veg-friendly restaurants we visited:

Vita Cafe: This was a favorite of mine. We biked there for breakfast several times. They have a ton of comfort food and the feel of the neighborhood is great. We even got to know some of the staff pretty well. (Hi, Dave.) If you go, the morning potatoes are a must-try. And if you're gearing up for a day of hiking, do try the porridge; it kept me going for hours. Dan loved the chicken-fried steak. We both loved the corn cakes and scrambles. Across the street they have a place with vegan pizza. In fact at least 3 pizza joints have vegan pizza. I can't recall the names; do the goog before you go, to see what's in the neighborhood you'll be in.

Paradox Palace Cafe: Ok I can't stop thinking about their BBQ Rib & Peanut-Sesame Salad. I cannot remember anything else about the place. Order that.

Bye-and-bye Bar: Vegan bar food? You bet! We had a grilled cheese for goodness sake! And I had the Bye and Bye drink... served in a quart-sized mason jar, I kid not. And they don't skimp on the alcohol. That night we traveled by hotel shuttle, rather than bikes, in case you're wondering.

Blossoming Lotus: Raw food! Loved it. The Nachos were seriously one of the most delectable things I've ever eaten. We also tried the live sampler platter (highly recommend); my favorite on the plate was the cashew hummus. It's only been a month but I cannot remember what else we tried!

Sweatpea Baking Company: More than a bakery! One morning we got bagels and GLOBS of "cream cheese" -- it was a taste of Long Island out west. Their cinnamon rolls are terrific. Everything looked good but we only have 2 stomachs between us so we couldn't try everything we wanted to. Of course, this bakery is part of the Vegan Mini Mall, so we also spent a lot of time (and cash) at Food Fight and Herbivore. In fact last night I made beef stroganoff from the mix I got at Food Fight.

Planning to visit? Make sure to check out Veg Portland before you go!

Christina Cooks Vegan

2009-10-09T14:07:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have a realization that something has been there right in front of you, and it totally relates to you and what you love, but you never knew about it? It's surreal, right? Here I am, a vegan, foodie, and dietitian, and I am ashamed to admit I never knew about Christina Pirello. Do you know who she is?

The other day I came home from a jog and plopped on the sofa with my mom, who was visiting for the day. She had the tube on in the background, and there on PBS was a cooking show called "Christina Cooks." The word "tofu" caught my attention so I started to watch. This lovely woman Christina was making 3 recipes containing silken tofu, and ALL were vegan! I thought, how lucky, I stumbled upon "tofu day" on this show, but not only that! I stumbled upon a cooking show that is ALL VEGAN! I couldn't believe it. My mother was very amused by my reaction, I am sure. The show ended with singer/songwriter Jon Michaels playing his guitar and singing right there in the kitchen, which was a nice touch.

I went to Christina's web site, checked out the recipes, and read her story. Christina is the author of the newish book "This Crazy Vegan Life," which I actually have heard of (and flipped through at the bookstore), along with other books. I never knew she had a cooking show too. A Philly native, Christina is a TV personality, talented chef, cancer survivor, and health guru. She's had her show going for SEVEN years! Plus she gives cooking demos and classes, mostly in Philly, but in other cities as well. After spending several minutes on her web site, reading her story and watching her video, I felt as though I've known her for years. Check it out!

I am so thrilled that her cooking show has gone mainstream. Her angle is health, and the "V" word is used sparingly (actually, I don't think she used it at all in this particular episode), so omnivores are her main audience. As such, what a service she is doing not only for her viewers, but for the animals and the environment. Her recipes look delicious and simple; I learned a thing or two about making perfect pan-fried tofu (something that I always manage to mess up, usually due to it sticking to the pan) and other quick and easy delights. She obviously inspires her fans to eat better and get excited about cooking, which is so important for people to include more plant-based meals in their diet.

New study on fruit and vegetable consumption in the US

2009-09-29T13:47:00.000-07:00

Today the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the results of a new study called the State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, 2009. This document summarizes data for fruit and vegetable consumption from multiple sources and, for the first time, breaks the results down by state. It also discusses policies and environmental supports that can make it easier for everyone to eat more fruits and vegetables.

The report lists the top states for fruit and vegetable consumption, and the bottom ones. It's interesting to note that most of the former group are blue states, while the latter group are the red states. Does this mean that Democrats care more about what they put in their bodies? Or is there some other explanation?

While all states are well below recommendations, those states doing a better job of eating their 2 or more fruit servings and 3 or more vegetable servings are, for adults:

District of Columbia - 20.1 percent
Vermont - 17.9 percent
Maine - 17.7 percent
Hawaii - 17.5 percent
New York - 16.5 percent
Massachusetts - 16.4 percent
Connecticut and New Hampshire - 16.2 percent (tie)
Arizona and California - 16.1 (tie)

Among the states most in need of improving fruit and vegetable consumption are (among adults):

Mississippi - 8.8 percent
Oklahoma and South Carolina - 9.3 percent (tie)
Alabama - 9.8 percent
South Dakota - 10.0 percent
West Virginia - 10.3 percent
Kansas - 10.6 percent
Kentucky and North Carolina - 10.8 percent (tie)
Arkansas and Missouri - 11.2 percent (tie)

(Taken from a press release from the Produce for Better Health Foundation.)

Healthy Savings from Mambo Sprouts

2009-09-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

Coupons are awesome. They're a main reason I subscribe to my local Sunday paper--they have pages and pages of grocery store coupons. But most weeks I'm disappointed, as more coupons get left behind than clipped. This is because the vast majority of them are for products that I wouldn't buy: heavily processed foods, cleaners that harm the environment, sugary cereals, mixes and similar things filled with preservatives, refined sweets and beverages, and junky bars, cookies, and salty snacks.

This is why I am a frequent user of Mambo Sprouts coupons. Companies that offer coupons through Mambo Sprouts are carefully selected to be organic and/or natural, healthful, and good for the environment. The Mambo Sprouts folks have been around a long time -- I remember using the coupons years ago, back when "green" was just a color and when "organic" was a term most people thought were reserved for certain chemists. I'm sure I've saved over $350 on Mambo Sprouts coupons alone! Now, of course, they have a cool web site with recipes, articles, shopping, events, and printable coupons, in addition to their traditional coupon book and mailer.

Right now Mambo Sprouts is celebrating back-to-school with product savings that appeal especially to families like mine. For example, there's a coupon for $.50 off two Clif ZBars for kids, a convenient mid-day snack option on the go or packed in your child's backpack (they're organic and made with whole grains). They also have one for $1 off Robert's American Gourmet -- the folks who make Tings. Ben loves finding Tings in his lunchbox, and I feel good about it because they look and taste like "cheese puffs" but they're 100% vegan, baked (thus low in fat), and gluten-free (they contain only corn, expeller-pressed oil, nutritional yeast, and salt). Just a few of the kid-friendly savings include $.75 off a Healthy Valley product (have you tried their bars?), $1 off Ian's organic cookies (the chocolate chip buttons are vegan), and buy-2-get-1-free Stretch Island Fruit Strips. They also have $1 off my favorite coffee -- Equal Exchange (organic and fair-trade) AND my favorite tea -- Good Earth. They also have one for $1 off any Seventh Generation cleaner, which I always need!

You can get Mambo Sprouts coupons at Whole Foods (they have a special collection called "The Whole Deal") and at most health food stores (just ask the store manager or use the online store locator), and you can receive them by mail (they come with a newsletter with informative articles and recipes too) by signing up at their web site, mambosprouts.com. You can also print some (but not all of the ones from the booklet) from the web site. I recommend both getting them mailed to you AND signing up for their enewsletter, so you can get updates on new product savings, including online-only coupons.

The best thing about Mambo Sprouts (besides the money I've saved) is that I don't have to spend a lot of time combing through a newspaper or coupon web site to get the ones I really want--they've done the work for me!

Vegan at LAX

2009-09-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

Note: This post nwas written on September 13, 2009

So here I am at the LA Airport and I have some time to kill so I whipped out Dan’s computer for a bit of a rant (for once, I left mine at home on vacation).

Dan and I are on our long-awaited trip out West, celebrating our landmark 10th anniversary. We’re waiting to board a plane to Portland, OR, America’s vegan-and-bike-friendly city, and we can’t wait. But first we must endure airports.

Before I rant, allow me apologize to Reno. Reno, I am sorry. I misjudged you. And I’ll miss you. I fully expected to have major problems finding decent food in Reno, but boy was I wrong! First of all they have the most amazing Whole Foods I’ve ever been to, with more vegan choices (local to the CA Bay Area) than I’ve ever seen. They actually have a Trail Mix "Bar" (not a bar like a wrapped snack, but like a salad bar)! Perfect with our morning oatmeal! And fortunately, we stayed at a hotel that is walking distance from the Whole Foods. Furthermore, we enjoyed s dinner out at a Thai restaurant that made everything vegan for us (thanks, Thai Lotus). And we enjoyed yummy dinner one night at Pneumatic, an all-vegetarian restaurant downtown. Thanks guys. I took some great pics there but my memory card got corrupted and is unreadable.

Anyway, to add to the vacation serendipity, yesterday we drove to Lake Tahoe for a day of biking and sailing, and happened upon a natural foods store (and I mean happened upon – we were looking for the bike trail that goes along the Truckee River and we went totally the wrong way and saw it, our own oasis!) called New Moon. We asked the folks there for directions and they got us back on the path, and after our 12-mile ride we lunched there, enjoying a 100% raw meal that was absolutely outstanding. We got the sprouted lentil salad with Indian spices and a cilantro dressing as well as the Raw-Co, a “taco” whose shell was red cabbage and innards were all sorts of delicious fresh veggies, seeds, soaked nuts, sprouted beans, and herbs/spices, served with a raw lemon tahini sauce.. Nothing could possibly beat this healthful, energizing, delicious lunch on this gorgeous day after a long ride. Plus the folks there were super-friendly.

So this morning we said good-bye to Reno, and now we have this horrific layover at LAX. With no time (or appetite) for breakfast this morning, getting off that plane, I was HUNGRY. No more trail mix, soy Jerkey, or Lara Bars (our usual travel fare); I wanted a real meal. Unfortunately the only places (without leaving security) to eat here are Burger King, Starbucks, a fish restaurant, and a California Pizza Kitchen kiosk (with ready-to-go food).

First, to Starbucks. We got a fresh fruit salad. A little pricey at $5 and change, but that’s no surprise at a Starbucks. Some of their drinks cost the same. (They also have nuts, trail mix, and oatmeal, all of which are good choices, but we were growing tired of these foods and craved a salad.)

Next, to CPK. They had 3 salad choices! Yeay! Oh, wait, ALL THREE have CHICKEN. Shame on you, CPK.

Next to the fish restaurant, called Gladstone’s Fish. They have salads on the menu! And it’s a sit-down place so surely they can make salads to order, right? WRONG. They flatly refused to make us a salad without some sort of meat in it. Shame on YOU, Gladstone’s Fish.

Next, to Burger King. They have a side garden salad, bird flesh optional! Yeay! So I got it. Imagine my surprise when I was told how much it costs – $5.79. Not that this is a terrible price for a salad, but this is Burger King for goodness sake. The guy in front of me got a ginormous burger with fries and drink... for around the same price. No wonder cash-strapped folks skip the salad and go right for the burger and fries! Understandably, they would rather pay less than a penny per calorie of food (typical “value meal”) than several cents per calorie (vegetables). What this comes down to, I have figured out, is that Burger King penalized people who try to eat well. How dare they charge so much for a salad, which by the way, as evidenced by the photo above, contained lettuce, five pathetic little baby carrots, four tiny cherry tomatoes, and of course the obligatory croutons and cheese (straight from the “garden”). I understand that they operate on volume, and thus must charge more for a salad (which also has a far shorter shelf life than, say, frozen french fries). But if they charge so much, no one buys it and the price has to stay high. So that said, why not reward people who want vegetables instead of fatty, salty food for lunch, charge them a fair price for the salad, and raise all other menu items by 1 cent? Call it BK’s own health tax. And imagine if their competitors did the same! Judging on this country’s current fast food consumption rate, I bet if they did this, they would make a huge difference in the morbidity rate in this country. But they’re not in the business of health, they’re in the business of profit.

The salad was surprisingly good. The vegetables were very fresh (I like to think this isn’t due to the addition of some chemical to retard spoiling, but I’d rather not go there right now). They also had lite Italian dressing (vegan), by Ken’s. The cheese was in a separate section so easy to omit, and the croutons came in an individually wrapped bag (there were about 49 ingredients in there, some not vegan, so I skipped them). An addition of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit (from Starbucks) would have made it better; in hindsight that is what I should have done. But it’s hard to be creative when you’re hungry. So... next time.

Off we go to Portland, where fresh, delectable plant-based meals abound.

PeTA's Save The Whales Campaign

2009-08-20T07:40:00.001-07:00

If you haven't seen PeTA's recent billboard, feast your eyes.

Offensive? Sure. Effective? Maybe. Attention-getting? You bet. And that has been PeTA's strategy from day 1. The billboard has created quite a buzz, which, of course, is PeTA's goal. I found it kind of funny in a satirical way, with a healthy dose of discomfort over their choice to call large people whales. Yes, it stings, for those of us who are heavy or really anyone who's ever struggled with weight or loves someone who does. But it's important to look at the big picture: Will some people identify with it and maybe pass up their burger tonight? Maybe, maybe not. Will they think twice next time they hear something about the cruelty on factory farms? Perhaps. Will they listen up next time they hear about yet another study suggesting that vegetarian diets protect against obesity and chronic disease? Maybe. Advertising experts tell us that we need multiple exposure to an idea before it becomes part of our consciousness. Is PeTA going on that theory? I'm not an advertising expert or psychologist, so I do not know; I'm just putting ideas out there.

What I do know is that the American Dietetic Association's (ADA's) response to it was almost as inappropriate as the ad itself. Watch this video:

I found Zied’s “Vegetarian diets CAN be healthy IF PROPERLY PLANNED” remark (I lost count after 4 times) far more offensive than the whale ad.

Meat-containing diets CAN be healthy IF PROPERLY PLANNED too, but she, as most do, confirms the ideology that eating animals is the norm and that eliminating their consumption is something to be approached “with caution.” The ADA is doing nothing to challenge this ideology, which is literally killing millions of people in the form of preventable chronic diseases.

Furthermore, Zied attempted to contradict the assertion that vegetarians weigh less than their omnivorous counterparts by claiming that the ADA Evidence Analysis Library tells us that there are other effective ways to lose weight besides going vegetarian. That was not the issue, and no one is disputing otherwise. Did she selectively ignore ADA's very own position paper on vegetarian diets, part of the Library, which clearly states that vegetarians have lower BMIs than meat eaters? Who’s selling the distorted messages here?

Quick (REALLY!) Eggplant and Quinoa Salad Recipes

2009-08-11T17:20:00.000-07:00

My evening of cooking started out rough. I boiled a cup of quinoa while prepping some organic broccoli I bought from my local organic farmer at the farmers' market last weekend, and while doing so I noticed a LOT of aphids on the broccoli. I did a quick soak in warm water and rinsed them once more, but still found hundreds of these little buggers clinging to and hiding in the otherwise gorgeous broccoli florets. So one centimeter at a time, I went through the broccoli with TWEEZERS and removed these creatures. After clearing six florets, I gave up and threw the rest away. Which I absolutely hate to do. The whole ordeal took a little over an hour! Ben (who just turned 4 last week) said "MMM broccoli!" so I gave him the bug-free greens and he gobbled them up with some pasta and tomato sauce. I was planning on eating together, the 3 of us as a family, but the broccoli took so long and Ben was hungry, so I had little choice but to feed him first and make something for Dan and me.

Ben's dinner done, I opened the fridge in frustration, poking through the veggie drawer, wondering what to make for the two of us.

I spied a bug-free (!) eggplant I'd purchased from the same organic farmer, so I scrubbed it while trying to figure out what to do with it. Eggplant is usually a production for me -- in casseroles like vegan eggplant parmesan, or in ratatouille, or sauteed for a long time. None of those ideas appealed to me. Another challenge with eggplant is that it soaks up cooking oil like a sponge, so it's easy to prepare a dish with too much fat. Under pressure, I created the following recipe, which was ridiculously easy and honestly, absolutely delicious. Redemption.

QUICK and Tasty Eggplant

1 cup vegetable broth
1 medium to large eggplant, cubed into bite-sized pieces
1-2 tbsp olive oil (depending on the size of the eggplant)
1-2 tbsp Balsamic Glaze (such as Blaze)

Place the broth in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally to cook evenly, for about 8 minutes or until tender. Drain out the excess broth in a colander by shaking the eggplant around.

Return the eggplant to the pot, add the oil and balsamic, stir until well blended, and serve.

Unbelievable!

As you can see by the photo (click it to enlarge), I also made Quinoa Salad. This dish, though never prepared exactly the same, is becoming a staple in my house. Here's all you do:

Quick Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
2 cups water
juice of 1 large lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
handful of fresh flat parsley, chopped
1-2 scallions, white and green, thinly sliced into rounds OR 1/2 small red onion, chopped finely
1 pint cherry/grape tomatoes, halved, OR 1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes (packed in oil and drained)
1 can (1.5 cups) beans (I like chick peas best), drained and rinsed
Freshly ground sea salt to taste

any raw veggies, finely chopped, such as:
* bell pepper
* celery
* carrots
* cabbage
* spinach

optional:
* chopped olives
* nuts (sliced almonds, pecans, or pine nuts work great)

Simmer the quinoa in water for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prep the other ingredients. When quinoa is done, transfer to a bowl and fluff. Let cool or not (warm is nice too) and add remaining ingredients. Toss well.

This is really nice on a bed of fresh salad greens.

Easy Recipe: quick kale, collards, or mustard greens

2009-08-03T10:52:00.001-07:00

No longer is the excuse "they take too long to wash and chop" acceptable as a reason not to eat leafy greens every day. While I do still buy full bunches of greens (particularly from John, my favorite local organic farmer), I also pick up bagged, prewashed, ready-to-cook greens in a bag. Glory brand greens have become my guilty pleasure for everything greens. Even my local Pathmark sells these greens -- I've gotten kale, collard greens, and mustard greens there. And unlike most ready-to-eat options (versus fresh produce), these greens don't cost more! Add to that the fact that you don't have to wash, chop, and discard the tough roots (such as the kale), you've got a wonderfully healthful, easy, versatile, and affordable dinner option.

My recent favorite way to prepare greens has been a big hit with my family and guests, and it's so easy, people can't believe it! I never was a big fan of boiling vegetables, but when it comes to leafy greens, it's my new way to ensure tender, evenly cooked leaves. Here is my recipe:

Greally Great Glory Greens

1 bag of Glory greens (or about 1 1/4 pounds fresh greens, weighed before discarding tough stems and chopped into large bite-sized pieces)
water for cooking
2 tbsp of Bragg's Liquid Aminos or Tamari
1 tbsp hemp oil (optional, but a great source of vegan omega-3s)
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Fill a big pot of water with a couple of inches of water. Bring to boil.

Add prepared greens and, with tongs, turn them several times over several minutes so they cook evenly. Collards need 5-10 minutes, while kale needs 10-15 minutes. They're going to shrink big time. Don't overcook; taste as you cook and stop when they're ready.

Discard water or save for soup stock.

Whisk the Braggs and oils together, and toss the greens with the dressing. Adjust to taste (you might like more Braggs or sesame oil). Toasted sesame seeds make a nice topper too.

Serve immediately.

Want more greens recipes? Check out this older blog post, What to do with kale.

Hot Dogs = Cancer Risk Lawsuit

2009-07-28T06:59:00.001-07:00

Photo courtesy of Sarah Lewis.

Did you hear about this? The Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine is suing several hot dog companies over requiring a warning label stating the link between processed meats and cancer risk.

Please take the time to read the story as posted on the Meat Institute's web site (my comments follow):

Meat Institute urges court to dismiss ‘nuisance’ hotdog lawsuit

By Caroline Scott-Thomas, 23-Jul-2009

The American Meat Institute has urged a New Jersey court to dismiss a lawsuit from vegan advocacy group Cancer Project that claims hotdogs should carry a cancer warning label.

The Cancer Project, an affiliate of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, said it is acting on behalf of three New Jersey residents and has filed a class-action consumer fraud lawsuit, arguing that hotdogs should carry the following label: “Warning: Consuming hot dogs and other processed meats increases the risk of cancer" on the back of recent studies that have linked the consumption of processed meat with higher cancer risk.

The five companies being sued at the Essex County Superior Court are Nathan’s Famous, Kraft Foods/Oscar Mayer, Sara Lee, Con Agra Foods, and Marathon Enterprises.

President of the Cancer Project Neal Barnard said: "Just as tobacco causes lung cancer, processed meats are linked to colon cancer. Companies that sell hot dogs are well aware of the danger, and their customers deserve the same information."

But the American Meat Institute (AMI) has rejected the move as a “nuisance”.

"We hope the court will move quickly to review the science affirming the safety of hot dogs and processed meats and dismiss this lawsuit, recognizing it for the nuisance that it is," said AMI President J. Patrick Boyle. "Meat products are regulated and inspected by USDA and bear the federal government's seal of inspection, showing they are wholesome and nutritious.”

Conflicting science

Studies that have linked processed meat with cancer risk have often focused on nitrates and nitrites which are used as preservatives. However, these also occur naturally in fruits and vegetables, and recent studies have even linked the much maligned additives to improved cardiovascular health.

However, the Cancer Project cited a report from the American Institute for Cancer Research which claimed that a daily 50-gram serving of processed meat – about the amount in one hot dog – consumed daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by an average of 21 percent.

“The nitrites often used as a preservative can produce compounds that are suspected carcinogens. The bottom line is that science has tied processed meat consumption to increased cancer risk. That’s why hot dogs should be avoided,” the organization said.

However, other scientific reviews, including one from Harvard University in 2004 that examined 14 previous studies, have not found the same link.

Commenting on his own study into the additives, Dr Nathan Bryan, an expert on nitrates and nitrites from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, said: “The public perception is that nitrites and nitrates are carcinogens but they are not. Many studies implicating nitrite and nitrate in cancer are based on very weak epidemiological data. If nitrite and nitrate were harmful to us, then we would not be advised to eat green leafy vegetables or swallow our own saliva, which is enriched in nitrate."

----

If this weren't so outrageous, it would be just ridiculous. So, essentially, the Meat Institute is ignoring research that links consumption of processed meats with colon cancer, and actually have the nerve to turn it around to suggest that fruits and vegetables share one nutritional similarity to processed meats, and therefore processed meats are not any more dangerous to consume than fruits and vegetables.

This is absurd on so many levels. Where do I start?

First of all, I have to say, I got a little snicker out of them saying that this is a "nuisance." Well, that much is true. Who would want to put a label on their goods that translates to "DON'T BUY ME"? Yes, I agree this is a nuisance to the meat institute.

Second, the argument that nitrites and nitrates are in fruits and vegetables too, well, that's seriously flawed logic. According to an article published this month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists are starting to question the toxicity of nitrates and nitrites to humans, suggesting even a protective benefit. I can buy that, if the studies pan out. The authors DO state, however (and I quote): "It is reasonable to conclude that all food sources of
nitrate and nitrite are not equal with regard to potential health benefits or risks." [Hord N, Tang Y, Bryan N. Food sources of nitrates and nitrites: the physiologic context for potential health benefits. Am J Clin Nutr 2009; 90(1):1-10] But even if it were discovered that nitrates and nitrites are Miracle Nutrients, eating more hot dogs is not the answer. Regardless of the true dangers/benefits of dietary nitrate/-ite, the fact still remains that high intakes of processed meats are associated with an increased risk of cancer. Period. Maybe scientiests incorrectly hypothesized the reasons for this association, but the association still exists.

Third, I take issue with the statement, "Meat products are regulated and inspected by USDA and bear the federal government's seal of inspection, showing they are wholesome and nutritious." Seriously? How much meat do you think is actually inspected by the USDA? According to an ABC News Story, a minimum of one chicken per 22,000 per week is tested for the dangerous E. coli 015H7; and inspectors only test a minimum of one of 300 beef carcasses per week. Have you seen the movie Food Inc.? Apparently the USDA is fine with fecal matter all over its meat. But really this is a topic for a whole different post.

Fourth, and most obvious, the group that stands to suffer the most (the Meat Institute and its members) is the one most loudly complaining about the labeling.

So what do you think? Is a lawsuit the way to go? Is it fair for the government to require such a warning, like they do for tobacco? I look forward to your comments.

Ding-Dong! Feeding unexpected guests

2009-07-21T14:08:00.000-07:00

So you're vacuuming your living room or paying bills, and the phone rings. It's your friend saying that she's in town so how about if she stops by for a quick visit? "I'll be there in 5!"

Being the fun-loving, nurturing foodie that you are, you want to have something yummy on the ready. But you're no Bree Van de Kamp so chances are you don't have freshly baked blueberry muffins on your cooling rack. What to do?

I actually love when people (veg*n or not) drop over unexpectedly. (For one thing, just the thought motivates me to keep the house presentable.) Years ago, I would struggle with what to serve; I never felt prepared. Nowadays I have a secret stash of non-perishable (or easily replaced) "emergency guest food" and it pays off when I see the look of delight on my guest's face when they're served instant (but special) nibbles. Here are my ideas:

1. Keep a can of stuffed grape leaves in your pantry. You'd be surprised how many people love these things, or have never tried them and discover they love them. They're best with fresh lemon slices, but don't fret if you have none on hand. Right out of the can (they're also good gently heated), arrange prettily on a small platter and hand out cocktail napkins. If you have hummus in the fridge, throw some in a little bowl for dipping.

2. Keep at least 2 bottles of sparkling water, and some sort of fruit juice. Refrigerated juice eventually spoils -- not true for canned juice (like pineapple or Goya Nectars) or juice boxes/aseptic-pack juice. A fruit juice (or white wine) spritzer is a lovely, refreshing beverage for a wary traveler. Don't forget to keep ice in the freezer (and despite what my dad thinks, you don't need an ice maker hogging your freezer space. Old fashioned ice cube trays work just fine.)

3. Have a bag of chips (which last a few weeks unopened) and a jar of salsa ready. I recently discovered Trader Joes Organic Corn Chip Dippers. They are essentially organic Fritos and they are fantastic. If you have the space, keep a jar of black bean dip too. When my "guest stash" is a few weeks old, I replace it and open the old one for my family and use them for Nacho Night. Salty, crunchy heaven.

4. Always keep sliced up raw vegetables in the fridge. For you and your family, of course; but who says you can't share with guests? Serve with hummus or black bean dip (see tip #3) and nut butter. If you have a container of mock sour cream, blend it with an envelope of dip mix (check the label -- get one without MSG, such as Simply Organic).

5. A vacuum-sealed can of salted, roasted cashews isn't as healthy as raw cashews, but it lasts a lot longer in your pantry and will make your guests feel pampered.

6. Tea. Yes, a no-brainer; do have a selection of caffeinated, non caffeinated, and herbal. If you're not a frequent tea drinker, buy a variety pack of individually-wrapped bags (the wrapper can be recycled with the paper).

If you are given an hour's advance notice...

1. Keep a box of (preferably organic) baking mix in the pantry, or mix together the dry ingredients for your favorite quick bread or muffin recipe, stored in a baggie (make sure the recipe is taped to the bag!). In minutes, your house will smell like a bakery.

2. Now that affordable vegan marshmallows are readily available, keep a box of crispy rice and the marshmallows (hide from the kids and/or the husband) and margarine on hand. They take only a few minutes to make. Who wouldn't love being greeted by the scent of just-made rice krispy treats? (Who cares if they're not "set" yet? They're great warm and gooey too.)

3. Got veggie dogs in fridge? Or soy meat balls in the freezer? This idea works for both. Mix together bbq sauce and any flavor of jam/jelly (really any without seeds... grape jelly always works) at a ratio of 2:1 in a small saucepan. If using veggie dogs, slice them into cocktail size, heat with sauce, and serve with toothpicks. If using soy balls, defrost in the microwave or in boiling water, heat with sauce, and serve with toothpicks.

4. Got space in the freezer? Vegan options for heat-and-eat hors d'oeuvres are on the rise. How about some mushroom bites? Or Health Is Wealth Line of veggie Munchies? Try the "Egg" Rolls, Potstickers, and my personal fave, the Buffalo Wings. You can also make your own fancy vegan appetizers, and freeze them for those unexpected drop-ins.

Petting Zoo Rant

2009-07-09T06:37:00.000-07:00

I Hate Confrontation. I really do. So it was really hard for me to write a letter to the director of my son's camp, explaining why I'm keeping him home from camp. Tomorrow, there will be a petting zoo. I'd like to share my letter with you. What do you think?

July 9, 2009

Dear ____,

I’m writing to compliment you and your staff on an exceptionally well-run camp; Benjamin is having an amazing time. He loves his counselors and other children, and tells me excitedly about all the projects and activities he partakes in. ____ and ____ are such great leaders; my husband and I have been very impressed with everything.

I’m also writing because I wanted to express why I’m keeping Ben home tomorrow. There will be a petting zoo, and I do not want him exposed to it. Please allow me to explain. As a vegetarian, Ben has an acute understanding that people eat animals, and that they first must be killed. If he sees and touches those animals, and then sees kids eating sandwiches made from the same animals they just touched and loved, it will be an emotional experience for him, to say the least.

Animals used for petting zoos live lives of confinement and fear, and are repeatedly poked and prodded by strangers. I can’t even imagine what that must be like. Farm animals are not dogs; they don’t run and play with children.

We are teaching Ben that it is our responsibility to show animals the respect they deserve. Since exploitation may be too advanced a concept for Ben, I would rather expose him to things like zoos and circuses later, when he is able to critically analyze his own feelings about them.

I am also concerned about the health risks of contact with farm animals. According to the Humane Society:

“In December 2002, Pennsylvania passed a bill requiring petting zoos and other animal exhibitions to provide hand-washing facilities and to post information about the more than 75 diseases humans can contract from contact with animals. The impetus for the bill was a an outbreak of E. coli in 2000 among visitors, most of them children, to a Montgomery County petting zoo. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that 55 cases of E. coli were confirmed, and 16 people were hospitalized. One child, a four-year-old girl, required a kidney transplant from her father.

“According to the CDC, each year an estimated 73,000 people become ill and 61 people die from the potentially life-threatening bacteria, E. coli O157:H7. Although many cases are due to contaminated food and water, transmission of E. coli from animals to people is a growing concern. Several recent outbreaks at petting zoos across the country have prompted the CDC to issue federal safety guidelines to animal attractions that allow human-animal contact.”

For the health of our children and to make a statement respecting fellow sentient beings, I hope you will reconsider using petting zoos in future years.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Respectfully,

Dina Aronson

Vegetarians have less cancer

2009-07-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

(Photo courtesy of Raven3K)

Well, we are already aware of this, mostly from population studies, but a recent study involving close to 62,000 adult participants (about half of whom are classified as vegetarian) found that that vegetarians developed less cancer -- specifically of the blood, bladder, skin, and stomach.

The study, which is published in the British Journal of Cancer, divided the people into three groups: meat eaters, those who ate fish but no meat ("pescatarians"), and vegetarians.

Given that eggs and dairy products are not protective against cancer (and might raise the risk), the findings make quite a powerful statement for the exclusion of meat, which is, at the end of the day, the only thing that separated the meat eaters from the vegetarians. Note that fish consumption did NOT offer cancer prevention benefits over its avoidance in this study. I would love to know the rates of cancer among vegans; this was not measured.

One of the big challenges with doing this sort of comparison study is that it is not really that descriptive to label oneself as a "vegetarian" or "meat-eater" because the latter could indeed consume more fruits and vegetables than the former.

Picture two groups of people: one that at a completely vegan diet, and one that ate a meat-containing one. But here is how they eat:

The Omnivore:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with walnuts, flax, dates, and strawberries
Lunch: Big green salad with olive oil/balsamic, whole grain crackers, and a cup of low-fat yogurt
Snack: Fresh fruit
Dinner: Stir fry with onions, broccoli, carrots, sliced almonds, and shrimp, with brown rice

The Vegan:

Breakfast: New York-style salt bagel with soy margarine, coffee with sugar and nondairy creamer
Lunch: Soy turkey sandwich on white with Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos (yup, they're vegan)
Snack: Vegan chocolate chip cookies
Dinner: White pasta with marinara, chicken-style gluten strips, iceberg lettuce salad with Kraft creamy Italian (yup, it's vegan)

Obviously this is an exaggeration, but I hope I've made my point. Which group do you think is better protected from cancer? It's very difficult to study the health benefits of an eating style that can take on so many different varieties regarding healthfulness of its constituents.

What we really need to see is the RELATIVE IMPACT of both meat avoidance AND fruit/vegetable inclusion, to really demonstrate the powerful benefits of a healthful vegan diet based on whole plant foods.

Good Manners Rule in a Burger King World

2009-06-23T09:07:00.001-07:00

As much as I love the vegan lifestyle, I fully recognize that it's not for everyone. Would I like it if everyone embraced it? Of course. But I have learned to show the same respect toward others for their lifestyle choices that I would like to be shown for mine.

Today a boy in my son's preschool class had a 4th birthday celebration, and his mom brought in Burger King meals for everyone at lunchtime. The teachers warned the parents yesterday, in case we would have preferred our child take a lunch from home. I have a feeling they had me in mind; no other parent minded.

I'm ultra-sensitive to my son's being "different" than the other children, so I regularly make a concerted effort to help him identify with the other children while not completely sacrificing our ethics. This means, for us, making a few concessions with food.

Ben is not completely vegan. He eats cheese pizza at parties, as well as birthday cake (which contains eggs). Interestingly, when I first became vegan 17 years ago, and even while pregnant, I fully expected to do everything in my power to keep my future child/ren 100% vegan at all times. I have changed. (That said, he is 100% vegan at home.)

Anyway, so I was correct in guessing that there would be burger meals and chicken nugget meals (the nuggets are shaped like crowns, if you can believe that). So just before party time I made a boca burger on a bun, and 3 vegan chicken nuggets, and I jogged them over to the school. (Incidentally, it's a good thing I intervened b/c Ben is allergic to sesame seeds, and guess what's scattered all over the buns?)

Once there, I met the host mom, and I offered her my help, which she gratefully accepted. Turns out she works at BK, so she probably got a discount on the food. She saw my home-brought goodies and I explained with a smile that Ben is a vegetarian, so I brought special chicken and hamburger. She said "Can he have the fries? Can he have cake?" and I assured her that those were OK. We chatted a bit about this and that, and as it happens, this mom was SO nice. She even invited me and Ben to the birthday party she's having at her home this weekend. I couldn't help thinking that I could have easily alienated myself and made her feel uncomfortable, and how pleased I was that she was so accepting and understanding.

Internally, I stress over potential pain my son might endure due to the fact that he is "different." It was an interesting scene, 15 3- and 4-year-olds eating fast food out of bags while one is eating a Boca Burger on aluminum foil. And it turns out that my discomfort with this scene is just my own. Ben is totally happy not eating what everyone else is eating (unless it's pizza, which he adores, even the vegan variety we make at home). He understands he is a "vegetarian" and we don't eat "real chickens or real cows" or "milk from a cow." A small part of me fears that, ironically, he will be somehow damaged by being the odd man out. But fortunately he is a very laid back kid who has a natural love for animals and can't understand why people would want to kill and eat them. He brings up the topic quite a bit, and I tell him that we don't eat animals but that "when you're a big boy, if you want to eat animals, that is your choice." I also tell him that it is impolite to put down other people's food, as kids this age love to say, "EWWWW!"

I think taking these gentle approaches minimizes conflict, and maybe even gets people thinking about the issues, because they are not put on the defensive.

What do you think? What would you do in this scenario?

Happiness takes effort

2009-06-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

I have friends that are perpetually positive, who always seem to glow with happiness. I also know folks who are mierable almost all the time. Today I thought about what the happy people all have in common.

Are they rolling in cash? No.

Would they qualify for People Magazine's World's 50 Sexiest People? No.

Do they have perfect families and careers? No.

Do they have problems? You bet. The three happiest people I know well have problems just like the rest of us. Health issues, family problems, money problems, relationship problems, no one is immune. But they play the hand they're dealt and find a way to smile and capture happiness.

But they all have something in common. And among the most miserable people I know? None of them share this special trait with the happy folks.

***

This morning, I took a look out the window and sighed, wondering when this rain would finally stop. I had to run errands and didn't feel like dealing with the downpour. But I had to send out the Father's Day cards (since mail isn't delivered on Sundays, it's a challenge for me to get cards out in time for those Sunday celebrations), and of course I had to stop at the bank, the grocery store, etc. So I put on my old running shoes (no sense in getting my newer ones wet) and a rain pullover, threw everything in my backpack and drove off.

I was itching to exercise but wasn't in the mood to try to find parking at the Y (all meters too) and exercise in the musty rooms (it's always musty in there on rainy days). After my errands, I decided do just take a walk in the park -- rain and all. Brookdale Park has smoothly paved paths, lots of trees, and is spacious and clean. So up my hood went and I started my walk. After a few minutes, I started feeling so good (it was 63 degrees, raining steadily, with no wind) that I took off my hood and started jogging. I ended up jogging for about 40 minutes and it was amazing! My mood was so high afterward, and quite frankly I'm still feeling great (the shower afterward helped too).

Sopping wet and driving home from the park, I got to thinking about the power of exercise and mood. I've blogged about this before, and this connection has been studied and reported numerous times. But it's truly amazing to experience it firsthand. I realized that exercise not only helps with mood on a short-term basis, but it appears to have lasting impact one one's entire personality.

And that is the one thing that happy people seem to have in common: they are regular exercisers.

Just from my own personal observations (no science here, just anecdotal), I realize that all of the happy people I know exercise regularaly. And, the relatively miserable people I know do not. Furthermore, exercise is not a chore for these happy people -- it is a break from the day, a time for THEM. One of my good friends starts getting really moody if she skips the gym for more than 3 consecutive days; she absolutely itches to move. And it's not just for physical reasons -- she actually gets moody and snippy if she goes too long without her gym fix!

Happiness is the ultimate goal. It is the main motivator behind most everything we do, at least to some degree. It is linked to optimal health, longevity, kindness and compassion, and doing things we find rewarding. If you feel like you're not as happy as you want to be, and you don't exercise regularly, then make a change in your life. Move your body. I challenge every one of your excuses. No time? Too many responsibilities? Too tired? Have a disability? Almost no one has a real excuse not to move their body in some way that will benefit their body and mind. I've used the excuses -- I have MS, gym memberships are expensive, I have sports injuries that sometimes make walking impossible, I have a child, I work, and the weather stinks. So what. Find a way to move. Whether it's doing jumping jacks in front of the TV in the evening, using a fancy elliptical machine at the gym, going for a bike ride, doing yoga poses in your living room, jumping rope with the kids, swimming laps in your community pool, lifting hand weights (or cans of soup!) or just walking around the block, you will benefit from this effort.

The Vegan Sandwich Grill

2009-06-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

Call it the George Foreman, the Panini Grill, the Sandwich Grill, or the Indoor Mini Grill: it's a great piece of kitchen equipment no matter what your diet. They run from about $20 to $150, but you can get a decent one for about $40.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, take a peak here. These grills are traditionally known for grilling meats, but more and more of them are being advertised as a cooker for veggies and sandwiches as well.

This is the one I have, and I love it. As the reviews say, it's extremely easy to clean and cooks food FAST! And I got it for only $20 in a store that was going out of business.

The other day I made roasted vegetable wraps and my mouth is watering just thinking about them.

My secret is that I spread the wrap with a thin layer of hummus first. The flavor is like a Mediterranean sauce for the veggies, but the wrap stays nice and crisp on the outside. The veggies were a breeze to make. Simply toss sliced peppers and onions with some olive oil and herbs, and roast in the oven at 400 degrees, tossing every few minutes. For more delicate veggies like eggplant and mushrooms, slice and marinate in a balsamic-olive oil mixture for a few minutes, and roast for a much shorter period (no tossing needed).

For this sandwich, I used a flax wrap, Sabra's hummus, roasted onions and peppers (tossed with olive oil and italian seasonings) and marinated portabello mushrooms (with balsamic BLAZE and olive oil).

I think I'll go make another one!

If you have recipe ideas for a panini grill, please send them along.

Study-Parents have little influence on children's eating habits

2009-05-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of http://saskatoonphotography.co.nr.

Here is the press release right from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health (from http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/jhub-nsi052909.php):

New study indicates that parents' influence on children's eating habits is small

The popular belief that healthy eating starts at home and that parents' dietary choices help children establish their nutritional beliefs and behaviors may need rethinking, according to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. An examination of dietary intakes and patterns among U.S. families found that the resemblance between children's and their parents' eating habits is weak. The results are published in the May 25, 2009, issue of Social Science and Medicine.

"Child-parent dietary resemblance in the U.S. is relatively weak, and varies by nutrients and food groups and by the types of parent-child dyads and social demographic characteristics such as age, gender and family income," said Youfa Wang, MD, PhD, senior author of the study and associate professor with the Bloomberg School's Center for Human Nutrition. "When looking at overall diet quality, parent-child correlation in healthy eating index score was similar for both younger and older children. To our knowledge, this is the first such study that examined the similarities between children's and their parents' dietary intakes in the United States based on nationally representative data. Our findings indicate that factors other than family and parental eating behaviors may play an important role in affecting American children's dietary intakes."

Researchers examined data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals, a nationally representative multi-stage sample of 16,103 people containing information about dietary intake, socioeconomic, demographic and health parameters surveyed from 1994 to 1996. Average dietary intake and dietary quality indicators were assessed using two 24-hour dietary recalls provided by study participants. Researchers also assessed the overall quality of the participating children's and their parents' diets based on the USDA 2005 Health Eating Index (HEI) along with a number of other covariates. They found that the correlations between children's and their parents' HEI scores ranged from 0.26 to 0.29 across various child-parent dyads such as mother-daughter and father-son; for total energy intake they were 0.14 to 0.29, and for fat intake, -0.04 to 0.28. The range of the correlation measure is between -1 and 1, while 0 means no resemblance and 1 indicates a perfect resemblance. The researchers also found some differences in the resemblance between different types of child-parent dyads and nutrient intakes, and by children's age and family income.

"Factors other than parental eating behaviors such as community and school, food environment, peer influence, television viewing, as well as individual factors such as self-image and self-esteem seem to play an important role in young people's dietary intake," said May A. Beydoun, PhD, co-author of the study and a former postdoctoral research fellow at the Bloomberg School.

"Our findings have a number of important public health implications. In particular, the overall weak to moderate parent-child resemblance in food groups, nutrients and healthy eating index scores suggest that interventions targeting parents could have only a moderate effect on improving their children's diet. Nevertheless, based on our findings stratified by population groups, for interventions targeting parents, those would be more effective when targeted at mothers, minority groups, and as early as possible in childhood. We suspect that the child-parent resemblance in dietary intake may have become weaker over time, due to the growing influence of other factors outside of the family," said Wang.

Ok, you know I'm going to offer my 2c, and here it is. This is NOT an excuse for parents to get (even more) lazy about feeding their kids, because "it doesn't matter anyway." I'm actually quite disappointed in the title of this press release, which may be the only part of the report that parents read. And what parent hearing this news wouldn't throw up his/her hands in disgust after years of trying to impart positive nutrition habits in the kids?

And the study says that "child-parent dietary resemblance is relatively weak." Well, isn't that to be expected? Children are *supposed* to eat differently than adults, in order to support healthy growth and development.

When I serve dinner, my plate looks different than my son's. We might all have a veggie burger (for example, last night I made broccoli-almond patties) and salad. My plate will have 5 times more salad than my son's -- he's THREE! His stomach is a fraction of the size of mine, which means that he eats less at every meal. It also means that requires a higher proportion of calorie dense food than I, or else the poor kid would be hungry every other hour. The nutrient profile will not be all that similar, but we still eat the same things. I know we're not THAT unconventional!

I think if different parameters were studied, such as the actual types of foods consumed (versus what they did: nutrients, food groups, and diet quality) food choice behaviors, we would see a much more positive correlation beween parents' and kids' eating habits.

Furthermore, the researchers did not report the differences between parents who have nutritious diets and parents who have poor diets. I can't know but I suspect that there is a HIGHER correlation in parent-child behaviors among the junk food group than the health food group. Which would mean that even if kids aren't eating as healthfully as their parents, the ones with parents who eat crap all day are more likely to do the same. Kids don't usually choose HEALTHIER foods than their parents, so no point in throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

If you look at the study, the main point is that external influences are playing a larger role than they used to, with regard to eating habits. Well, of course. It's no secret that our society has shifted, that families eat fewer meals together, that more people eat "on the go," and the power of junk-food advertising to children. This does NOT mean that parents can't have a very significant effect on their children's eating habits.

As a clinical outpatient dietitian years ago, I routinely saw children raised in traditional Indian homes (most were vegetarian). These kids ate what their parents ate: vegetable curries, dahl (lentils), chapati, rice, yogurt. Sure they ate chips and things, but the bulk of the foods they eat strongly mimic that of their parents. I also saw families where parents ate one way and kids another. It's just easier to make a box of mac and cheese for the kids while the parent eats a Lean Cuisine. That's the way many families operate... and it rarely has to do with nutrition. This could be a topic for a whole other post, but it's been shown that working parents give their kids less-than-optimal foods for reasons other than nutrition: guilt from being at work all day (so compensate by giving kids favorite foods), time (it's easier to pick up a Happy Meal than to cook a stir fry), control/behavior issues (parent at end of rope; quash the complaining/whining with comfort food), and degredation of values (in the 50's, you ate with your family and had a balanced meal. That's just how it was. That value is gone among most families).

Back to topic... again, these findings do not indicate that parents are powerless over influencing their kids to eat right.

Most of my readers are vegetarians or vegans, and I know some of you are parents. Do you really believe for a second that your child eats significantly more meat than you? Of COURSE the parent's influence is a strong factor!

I welcome your comments please!

Vegan Summer Recipes

2009-05-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, and that means summer food. Picnics, Memorial Day, July 4th, cookouts, graduation celebrations, reunions, and backyard parties dominate the culinary scene. For most Americans, that means grilled meats and mayonnaise-laden salads. But a growing number of folks (vegetarians and non-vegetarians) are appreciating the healthfulness and subtle flavors of lighter, fresher foods like grilled vegetables, bean salads, dishes based on raw vegetables and fruits, and light whole grain dishes.

This potato salad pictured here is one of my favorite summertime treats. And people never guess that it's vegan.

Dina's Picnic Potato Salad

3 lbs small red potatoes, scrubbed and rough spots removed (or peeled)
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onions
1 scant cup vegan mayo
2 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
juice of 1/2 large lemon
2 tablespoons sweet relish (finally, a way to use all that relish!)
1 tsp paprika
sea salt to taste

Cut the potatoes into chunks a bit larger than bite-size. Boil the potatoes while you chop the veggies.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, relish, and paprika. When the potatoes are tender (don't overcook!), rinse well in cold water. When they're cooled, add dressing and toss well. Add the veggies. Salt to taste.

Lemony Buckwheat Noodles with Tempeh
(sorry I forgot to take a picture!)

This recipe was something of an accident; I had the tempeh in the fridge and I sort of threw together leftovers to complete the meal.

8 oz buckwheat noodles, cooked, drained, and rinsed well with very cold water
1 package Tofurky brand marinated lemon pepper tempeh OR 1 package Lightlife brand "tempehtations" zesty lemon tempeh
Juice of 1/2 large lemon
1 small onion (Vidalia if available), chopped
1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil, divided
2 cups broccoli florets, steamed
2 large carrots, 1/4" thick cut on the diagonal, steamed
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
freshly ground sea salt to taste

Time-saver: throw the broccoli and carrots into the cooking pasta water when noodles are almost done, rather than steaming them.

While pasta cooks, saute the onion in 1 tbsp of the olive oil until soft. Add the broccoli and carrots and saute until crisp-tender. In a big bowl, toss veggies with the cooled noodles. Add tempeh and toss again. Make sure you scrape the sauce (from the tempeh package) into your bowl--it's part of the dressing! Add remaining olive oil, lemon juice, and parsley and toss with two big forks until the dressing is well-dispersed. Season with salt and serve.

This recipe is so versatile; use whatever vegetables you'd like.

Tofu Salad
This is a crunchier, healthier rendition of the egg salad you might remember from days past.

1 lb firm tofu, water pressed out (my secret: place tofu in a huge soup pot. Cover with a plate. Place your tea kettle, filled to the top with water, on the plate. Dump the water from the bottom of the pot every few minutes (about an hour total) until the tofu is dry.
2 tsp turmeric
1 small dill pickle, chopped and drained well
1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
1/3 cup soy mayo
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup diced celery
2 scallions, finely chopped

Press tofu as directed, or your own way. Crumble in a bowl with a fork. Add turmeric and toss around until uniformly yellow. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add to tofu. Mix well and eat. I love this in a romaine lettuce wrap!

Going Meat Free one day a week (at least)

2009-05-18T11:21:00.000-07:00

Image poached from http://www.guerrillawords.com without permission

Check out this article from CNN! Hooray for Belgium (which has an amazing populations of vegans; I had the honor of speaking at a vegetarian conference there a few years back).

So, it's Thursdays in Ghent, and Mondays in the US. I sure hope that Ghent has better luck than the US in promoting it.

Here's the Meatless Monday campaign; have you ever heard of it?

It's noteworthy that the Ghent effort focuses not only on the health consequences of eating meat, but the environmental ones as well. Americans' awareness of the link between our food choices and the environment are increasing but are still behind the times.

Meatless Monday, a non-profit organization working in association with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is a national public health campaign designed to help Americans prevent four of the leading causes of premature death: heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. The goal of the campaign is to reduce the consumption of saturated fat in America by at least fifteen percent by 2010; its main efforts aim at encouraging people to be moderate in their eating and meal planning. Twenty-eight other public health schools across the country also support the campaign, which provides tools and resources to help Americans cut the saturated fat once a week. The effort also works towards helping people make other healthy lifestyle choices beyond just Monday.

The Meatless Monday campaign is not an anti-meat crusade or a “go vegetarian” message. Interestingly, the eschewal of the word “vegetarian” is rather absolute; the V word makes hardly an appearance on the campaign’s web site at all, in spite of the term “meatless” in the campaign title.

According to the campaign’s description, “meatless” means no beef, pork, poultry, and full-fat dairy products. Fish is acceptable, but a warning for pregnant women and women of child-bearing age is included.

The campaign also encourages other positive behaviors such as increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, not smoking, and exercising at least 30 minutes a day.

Meatless Monday is not about becoming a vegetarian one day a week; it is about cutting saturated fat significantly on that one day (by eliminating its major food sources), which will hopefully perpetuate a healthful message for the remainder of the week that eating a diet low in saturated fat is not only good for us, but that it’s not difficult and can be delicious too. But a rose by any other name smells just as sweet; if all Americans went meatless (and chose wisely too -- we're not talking about eating junk all day in place of meat) one day a week, billions of animals would be saved per year, and you can bet your booty it would make a difference in people's health.

According to researchers, the average person who cuts out meat and high-fat dairy products one day a week will reduce his or her consumption of saturated fat by 15%. (That's the amount recommended by the American Heart Association, Healthy People 2010, the US Department of Health and Human Services, and the USDA.) Thus, if people could commit to changing their less-than-stellar eating habits just once a week, it could mean a notable change in health outcomes.

Some experts may argue that once a week is not enough; why not maximize health benefits by significantly reducing saturated fat and other harmful components, every day of the week? And what about emphasizing the health-supporting foods, such as whole grains, legumes, and fresh produce? According to the American Dietetic Association's position paper on vegetarian diets, “…appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.” But this statement is based on studies of healthy vegetarians who avoid meat over many years, not once a week.

“Meatless Mondays are a wonderful starting place,” says Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, nutrition advisor for the Vegetarian Resource Group and co-author of the ADA’s position paper as well as The Dietitian's Guide to Vegetarian Diets: Issues and Applications (2nd ed., Jones and Bartlett, 2004). “Ideally, as people get used to eliminating meat one day a week, they'll realize that meat is not a dietary essential and will move closer and closer to a vegetarian diet.”

However, one of the reasons for the success of the Meatless Mondays campaign is that it does not prescribe a vegetarian diet; unfortunately, most people are not willing to commit to this level of change. It is a game of compromise: one meatless day a week is manageable and comes with measurable health advantages; 7 days a week may turn people off to making healthy changes altogether.

But those who wish for significant disease reduction risk (particularly those attempting to reverse heart disease and related conditions) may need to take a step further for maximum benefit. “In terms of health advantages, certainly avoiding meat and eating more dried beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables one day a week is better than nothing, but I wouldn't expect to see the same health benefits that are seen in long-term vegetarians who eat this way on a daily basis,” notes Mangels. And I agree, of course.

Why Mondays, you ask? When public health experts designed the Meatless Monday campaign, they recognized the fact that adding a time factor to a message helps people to change their behavior. And Meatless Wednesday just doesn’t have the same appeal. In addition to the memorable alliteration, of course Mondays are traditionally the “start healthy eating” day. We'll have to see how Thursdays work out for Ghent.

Check out the site; there is some good info on there and nice recipes (many of which are either vegan or veganizable).

Recipes from fellow bloggers -- on my list!

2009-05-13T07:15:00.000-07:00

I've been finding some great original recipes posted by fellow bloggers! These are on my To-Try list. Check these out:

http://dinedishdelish.blogspot.com/2009/05/quinoa-arugula-grape-tomato-salad.html

http://jeenaskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/05/dairy-free-vegan-lasagna-recipe.html

http://dreaminitvegan.blogspot.com/2009/05/agave-grilled-tofuportobellos-wwild.html

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/03/coconut-chai-breakfast-cake.html

http://veganmenu.blogspot.com/2009/04/tea-smoked-tofu-and-rice-balls-with-red.html

Thanks folks -- you all make a vegan lifestyle healthy and exciting!

Raising the Bar on Nutrition Bars

2009-05-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I attended the New York State Dietetic Association's Annual Meeting, which featured several food, beverage, and pharmaceutical exhibitors. One of the exhibitors, Kardea Nutrition, was giving out samples of a nutrition bar designed for "natural cholesterol management." I glanced over but didn't check it out; typically bars like this are made of cheap sweeteners, isolated fiber, and vitamins.

Fortunately, the founder of the company, Rob Leighton, stopped at my booth (the Vegetarian Nutrition and Nutrition in Complementary Care Dietetic Practice Groups) and asked me to try a sample. "They're vegan," he told me. Even so, I was wary at first because most bars made up of functional foods (specialty ingredients designed to manage a health issue) are kind of gross. But I tried one and was completely amazed. (Click on the image above to see the details of the bar.) Then I tried the other flavors and was totally blown away. Really. The founder went on to tell me that his mission was to create nutrition bars with unique and scrumptious flavor profiles, based primarily on whole foods and natural ingredients, that people managing their cholesterol could enjoy.

Check out these flavors!

Chai Spice: the real cardamom and clove flavors linger on the tongue
Banana Walnut: reminiscent of a thick, rich slice of homemade banana bread
Cranberry Almond: the perfect balance of sweet and tart, chewy and crunchy
Lemon Ginger: with REAL lemon zest and ginger -- the flavors literally pop!

Yesterday DH and I bought 2 of every flavor at Whole Foods! I got the high-five approval from him as well as from my pre-schooler.

Each bar has 150 calories, 5 grams of fat (mostly from real almonds and canola or sunflower oil)between 9 and 11 grams of sugar (depending on the flavor), 7 grams of fiber, 5 grams of soluble fiber, and less than 100 milligrams of sodium. They each contain 7 grams of protein, primarily from almonds, soy protein, and brown rice protein. They are sweetened primarily with whole foods (bananas, cranberries, etc.), brown rice syrup, agave nectar, and molasses. They also have psyllium husk, chicory root fiber, and acacia fiber, natural ingredients known to promote cholesterol health.

Disclaimer -- two of the flavors, lemon ginger and cranberry almond are not listed as vegan because they contain an ingredient (lemon zest) that is made with sugar (the company cannot find a supplier of pure zest at this time). Because it could not be determined with 100% certainty that the sugar in this ingredient was not processed with bone char, the company did the responsible thing and listed them as vegetarian but not vegan. My take on that? One, the amount of sugar that ends up in a bar is miniscule; it's just a carrier for a flavoring. Two, these days, most sugar is manufactured without the use of bone char, so there's a good chance it may be purely vegan anyway. How far we take our veganism is an individual choice; the way I see it is, the company goes out of its way to use whole foods and vegan ingredients, and even declines to label them as "vegan" because of the undetermined source of the sugar, and that's a company I'm going to support.

Ok, I know. You may be thinking, "But I don't need to reduce my cholesterol. Why would I want these bars?" I had the same thought. I even brought up this question to the founder. After all, these bars are so delicious, but ANYONE can enjoy them, not just folks who need to closely monitor their cholesterol.

Well, here's how I see it. Reasonably healthy and moderately processed foods such as this can have a place in a healthful diet. (They're not completely processed; they also have whole foods in them, like nuts and fruits.) These bars are not designed to replace a healthy diet. A healthy diet will always consist primarily of vegetables, whole grains, beans/nuts/seeds, and fruits. These bars are a tasty and nutritious compromise when you'd like a quick and easy snack, and they support healthy cholesterol levels. Those of us with normal cholesterol will not see a dangerous plummet with these bars, just as we wouldn't see it with daily inclusion of oatmeal (known to lower cholesterol). We all have choices. If you're hankering for an in-between-meal snack, this bar is reasonable for its nutrition profile (for most people, 100-200 calories is ideal between meals, and it's got a healthy dose of fiber and protein) and exceptionally yummy flavor.

Reducing risk of ovarian cancer: Eat your apigenin

2009-04-25T19:29:00.000-07:00

Ovarian cancer, like all cancers, is scary. Each year, approximately 20,000 American women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and about 15,000 women die of the disease. Fortunately, you can reduce your risk significantly by choosing the right foods. According to a new study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, women who eat the most amounts of plant-based foods and drinks with the naturally occurring flavonoid, apigenin, may have a loser risk for ovarian cancer than those consuming the least.

Apigenin is found in celery, parsley, red wine, tomato sauce, and other plant foods. It appears to protect cells against oxidative damage, which can lead to cancer. The study that found the association investigated the diets of over 2000 women, about half of whom had ovarian cancer.

Sprouting for Beginners - Day 4

2009-04-23T07:28:00.001-07:00

Now we're in business. I would say that the majority of the beans have sprouted. It's time to get munching!

I tried each one separately, and they're quite tasty. The flavors are hard to describe -- my mom says they're "grassy" -- they are crunchy, slightly (but not unpleasantly) bitter, and even a little sweet. The ones that don't have shoots are still edible.

I'm leaving them to sprout a bit more, and tonight I'll rinse them well in cold water and store them in a covered container in the fridge. I plan on adding them to a big green salad tonight. Anyone have any recipe ideas for fresh bean sprouts?

When I was in Hawaii in 2005, I bought prepared Raw Hummus from a health food store. It was one of the most delicious hummuses I've ever had, and I was told that it was made with sprouted garbanzo beans. I'd like to try to recreate the recipe, so my next sprouting attempt will be 100% garbanzo beans. Stay tuned!

Sprouting for Beginners - Day 3

2009-04-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

It's working! The sprouting has begun! This is such an amazing process for a preschooler to see; I'm pretty impressed too.

The blend I'm using is a mixture of mung, adzuki, and garbanzo beans, and as you can see by the photo (click to enlarge it), the mung beans have started to sprout. The adzukis and garbanzos look ready to pop any minute. I'm pretty psyched about this, because I've read in several places that the ideal sprouting temperature is 70 degrees F, and my kitchen is a chilly 65. But this does not seem to have posed a problem.

I've been rinsing with warm water 3 times a day, as the instructions indicate. This would present a challenge for folks who are not accessible to their sprouts throughout the day, so right after work on a Friday (or whatever time starts a 2+ -day stretch at home) is a good time to start a sprouting cycle. For families with children, this is a nice task for them to help out with.

I'm curious to see what happens with the 3 different beans, and if I will have to remove the mung beans first (I hope not!), as it seems that OVERsprouting is a real possibility. At the point of oversprouting, the sprouts begin to grow leaves and taste bitter.

Sprouting for Beginners - Day 2

2009-04-21T07:02:00.000-07:00

Well the biggest change since the beans began to soak several hours ago is the size of the beans -- they've about doubled in size. After about 12 hours of soaking, directions say to drain and rinse with lukewarm water. We did this. Then we placed the jar on its side, to maximize the surface area of the beans to allow more room to sprout.

Also, I found out that shaking the beans may disrupt them, rendering them unsproutable, so gentleness is important.

You'll read lots of claims about the health benefits of sprouts, and it may be difficult to determine which are actually factual. I did a short review of the scientific literature, and here's my take on the nutritional facts about sprouts:

Sprouting increases enzyme activity, which renders the nutrients more digestible. This means that sprouted grains and legumes may offer a nutrition advantage with regard to total usable amounts of certain vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. For example, phytate, found in whole grains, is a powerful inhibitor of iron absorption. However, when the grains are sprouted, phytase (the enzyme that degrades phytate) is activated, breaking down the phytate and allowing for improved iron absorption.

Sprouting for Beginners - Day 1

2009-04-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

I was going to call this "Sprouting for Dummies" but a) I don't want to insult anyone, and b) there might already be a book by that name. I've personally always felt, well, challenged, when it comes to sprouting. But every time I read about it, I'm told how "easy" it is. And the fact that sprouts are super-nutritious and economical just reinforced my desire to give it a try.

So, this is the first of several posts that will detail my very first attempt at sprouting.

Today, a cold rainy day, Ben and I embarked on our Sprouting Journey. We got this Sprouting Jar and the sprouting seeds at our local health food store, which cost less than $10 (for both!). Yes, you can use any old glass jar covered with a cheesecloth/rubber band, but I opted for a large jar with the metal mesh top. And you can sprout many different beans and seeds, but I opted for the stuff sold specifically for sprouting, just to start.

We washed the jar, measured out 1/2 cup beans, and rinsed them well. We put the rinsed beans and 2 cups of lukewarm water into the jar and set it on the counter.

That's it.

They stay there for 12 hours. And during that period, I will dump the water, rinse the beans, and replace the water.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's sprouting adventure.

Easy Recipe: Blazin' Green Beans

2009-04-10T17:13:00.000-07:00

DH almost finished the whole pound before I had a chance to taste one! These green beans were so easy to make, it is hard to believe they were so tasty.

Dina's Blazin' Green Beans

1 lb or so of fresh green beans, trimmed and rinsed
1 tbsp EVOO
1 tsp crushed garlic (QUICK FIX: Garlic from a tube or jar)
dash or two of sea salt
2 tbsp balsamic glaze (recipe below) (QUICK FIX: Balsamic glaze from a jar, like BLAZE brand)

Steam green beans until bright green and crisp-tender (on the "crisp" side). Meanwhile, saute garlic in a medium frypan until it starts to get golden. Add the beans and saute over medium-high heat. Add salt and cook for about 2 minutes. Add glaze, toss to coat, and serve.

Balsamic Glaze:
I've discovered Blaze and I love it. But you can make your own glaze too. Just simmer 1 cup of good quality balsamic vinegar mixed with 1 tbsp brown sugar for about a half hour. (The longer you let it simmer, the thicker and more intense the flavor.)

A vegan faux meat you've got to try

2009-04-07T11:38:00.000-07:00

I saw this new frozen vegan faux meat product at Whole Foods and thought, "sure, the last thing we need is another faux meat" but bought it just the same. Hey I have to know what things taste like before recommending them, right?

This stuff ROCKS. It ranks top 5 (along with May Wah's edibles) for Best Vegan Meat Experience Ever. The soy-wheat protein blend cooks up into chewy, satisfying, non-uniform "cutlets" (more like small, irregular chunks). It's not organic but it is made with non-GMO soy. The sauce is absolutely delectable. The ingredients state that the sauce is just maltose (a sugar), plum juice, and vinegar, but the spices added to the product as a whole end up in the sauce, which is a wonderful combination of sweet, tangy, earthy, and spicy-hot.

I just microwaved it as directed; it was perfect "as is." But this is a fantastic meal starter, perfect for stir fries (I envision snow peas, broccoli, pineapple, carrots, and bell peppers with it); on skewers with grilled onions and bell peppers; chopped and tossed cold with edemame and soba noodles... the possibilities are deliciously endless.

One serving (1/4 of the box -- watch out; it's easy to overdo!) contains 210 calories, 12 grams of protein, 8 grams of fat, 530 mg sodium, 3 grams fiber, and 6 grams sugar.

Brand: Vegetarian Plus
Web Site: vegeusa.com
Item: Vegan Citrus Sparerib Cutlets in Plum Vinegar Sauce

Vegetarian Plus sells other faux meat products as well, some (but not all) of which are vegan.

Spring Cleaning

2009-04-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

Part of my spring cleaning routine involves the fridge: not just discovering what forgotten leftover lurks in the far back corner, but really starting fresh. All the foods come out, the baking soda box gets changed, and all shelves, walls, and drawers get a good scrub.

Something about this task inspires me to cook more, to procure fresher produce, to buy less stuff in jars and bottles.

This year, I was mortified to find 4 containers of Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream, 3 jars of (opened) sweet relish (anyone have any good recipes calling for sweet relish?), 3 jars of (opened) salsa of different heats, 9 onions, and 13 different kinds of Asian sauces! My fridge is average-sized, mind you; things just get lost in there what with the fresh greens (which need their own zip code), fruits and other vegetables, bags of nuts and dried fruits, jars of nut butters and jams and salad dressings, and of course my stir fry sauces.

In the spirit of wasting not, I kept everything that had no evidence of spoilage, and I rearranged everything a lot more logically. (My mom would be proud.) Doing this is a great exercise in starting anew as far as cooking and meal planning. I have decided to shop more often but buy less (mostly to keep veggies fresh and avoid overcrowding), to keep leftovers front and center so they do not become lost and forgotten, and inspire creativity with all of those sauces and spreads.

How about you? What spring rituals help you eat better, live better, and feel better?

Study-Red Meat and Processed Meat Increases Death Risk: Really?

2009-03-24T06:30:00.000-07:00

I thought this was already well-established, but for for the skeptics out there, this is one of the largest and most comprehensive studies to date on meat consumption and mortality (death rate) from disease. The study, "Meat Intake and Mortality: A Prospective Study of Over Half a Million People," was published in the esteemed journal Archives of Internal Medicine this month. Click here for the full abstract.

UPDATE 5/5/09: Jane Brody published a really well-written story on this in the New York Times -- take a look.

Investigators studied a half a million people aged 50 to 71 (at the outset), looking at their diets and their ultimate causes of death. They specifically were looking for a connection between intakes of different types of meat (red, white, and processed) and risk of cause-specific mortality (meaning, which diseases did they get that led to their deaths?).

Over ten years, deaths and their causes were recorded. The main finding was that the higher the red meat and processed meat intake, the greater the risk of dying from cancer, heart disease, and just dying in general.

Interestingly, white meat consumption was not shown to have any association with these risks, but that certainly does not mean that the fountain of youth is hidden in your McNuggets. Certainly red and processed meats contain more saturated and trans fat than white, and that can explain at least part of these results. I am skeptical that white meat is in any way protective -- I have noticed in general that people who eat a lot of poultry also eat lots of salads and vegetables, so this may account for the lack of association. Whatever the explanation, no study has ever shown an increased risk of death or disease from including more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans, so vegans still have the best competitive edge.

Vegan Nachos Supreme

2009-03-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

My family's tummies are very happy tonight after this special Sunday treat: vegan nachos. There's absolutely nothing missing from this indulgence except the usual suspects in the typical version: cholesterol, saturated and trans fat, and other junk. This vegan version is made with organic, natural ingredients and is just as delicious and satisfying as it looks. And it's really easy to make -- we took the convenience short cuts (pre-made guacamole, packaged sour cream, canned beans, etc.) It's a fantastic family delight, and kinda fun to share with your S.O. with a couple o' beers.

Dina's Nachos Supreme

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
1 package of Smart Ground Mexican Style
1/2 cup salsa
1 tbsp chili powder
shredded Follow Your Heart Nacho Style "cheese"
natural tortilla chips of your choice
shredded lettuce
chopped fresh tomatoes
1 can jalapeno black beans or plain black beans
1 can organic "refried" pinto beans
salsa of your choice
guacamole
Sour Supreme tofutti no hydrogenated oil sour "cream"

Chop up the onion and saute it in the olive oil for a few minutes. Add the veggie Ground, salsa, chili powder, and saute until it's hot. Heat up the black beans (if unseasoned, add a whole lot of cumin and other seasonings of your choice) and refried beans on the stove or in the microwave. That's it! Now just assemble the remaining ingredients. Either put it all together like they do at the pub, or, put everything in little bowls and have folks take what they want, how they want it. You can substitute taco shells for the chips and make tacos instead.

Calories in this meal can add up quickly, so if you're watching it, go easy on the chips, cheese, and sour cream, be liberal with the veggies and beans, and moderate with the guac and ground. You can also stretch it to save calories, by including additional chopped raw veggies like bell peppers, cucumbers, and shredded carrots.

MTV serves up a Side of Truth

2009-03-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

Compassion Over Killing is doing a great job making restaurants rethink their offerings. This commercial, which is being aired nationally by MTV, is making an impact.

This article from QSR (Quick Service Restaurant magazine), entitled "Will a MTV Commercial Negatively Affect Your Sales?", shows the commercial and explains the reasons Compassion Over Killing gives for creating these commercials. The article is interesting in that it is geared towards quick-serve restaurant owners (like fast foods and fast-casual), and it's informative without a lean (positive or negative).

Hopefully, this commercial, as well as other efforts such as consumer demand, will result in more vegan items appearing on menus. As that happens, more and more people will opt for these choices, and there will be less meat consumed overall. It's a win-win-win: for the restaurants, for the consumer's health, and for the animals.

A big apple

2009-03-07T14:43:00.000-08:00

No, this time I'm not talking about New York City; I'm talking about a ginormous mutant apple that we recently found at Whole Foods. (This picture was not doctored up other than blurring my little guy.) Believe it or not, it was really crispy and sweet; the three of us dipped slices in almond butter and we were good for several hours.

Apples, even though best in season (the fall), are available all year round. Local ones are usually best, not only because we're all trying to decrease our carbon footprint, but also because they've been exposed to the least abuse via transport and temperature changes. I prefer organic to conventional, because those pesticide residues not only hide out on the skin (especially the dimpled parts), but those toxins land on the whole tree and seep into the ground, becoming part of our ecosystem: in the soil where the trees grow (making the INSIDE of the apples affected with the pesticides, not just the skin), in the groundwater, and on the foods eaten by birds, deer, and small mammals.

Does an apple a day keep the doctor away? No one is really sure (but I do enjoy following this blog -- written by a woman who eats an apple every day). But it certainly can't hurt to follow this advice. Apples are chock full of both types of fiber, but is a particularly good source of soluble fiber, the kind that helps lower your cholesterol. This fiber, called pectin, also provides bulk and digests slowly, helping us feel fuller longer. Apples also have antioxidants called flavonoids, which protect the heart even further and may help decrease inflammation.

Here are my 5 favorite ways to eat apples (other than simply "out of hand"):

1. Slice it up and dip into almond or peanut butter.
2. Chop into small pieces, grab a couple of spoonfuls of raisins or currants, and cook along with whole breakfast grains like oats and barley. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and eat.
3. (This one is great for apples that are past their prime but not "bad.") Dice into cubes and place in small pot. Add a bit of water, cinnamon, and some agave nectar and simmer for 8-10 minutes. While apple cooks, soak a handful of raisins in hot water. When apple is done, drain raisins and toss with cornstarch. Add raisins to apple mixture and boil for a few seconds, until thickened. Use as a topping for whole-grain waffles or pancakes, or as a whole grain crepe filling.
4. Slice thin, sprinkle on cinnamon, and dry in a desiccator.
5. Throw apple slices into a vita-mix with 1/2 frozen banana, 1 cup frozen berries, and 1 cup hemp milk.

Recipe: Collard Greens with Beans and Barley

2009-02-24T17:21:00.000-08:00

This week my grocery store is having a sale on collard greens, and they looked really fresh, so I bought an enormous bunch of them, about 2 pounds. This afternoon, trying to figure out how to prepare them, it was getting late so I decided to make a one-pot meal with whole grains and beans.

I love white beans with greens, so I fetched a can of cannellini beans. Next I had to choose a grain. I was not in the mood for rice, and kamut takes too long. I had about 2 cups of barley left, so I decided to make that. It takes about 50 minutes to cook (and the grain/water ratio is about 1:3). Once I had the barley simmering, I went to work cleaning the greens, which is, to me, the least fun part of cooking greens but a necessary evil. After they were rinsed, I chopped them and dropped them into boiling water to blanch them and reduce them to a reasonable volume. I gathered the rest of the ingredients and, in less than an hour, dinner was on the table.

The beauty of this dish is that you can substitute the collards for any green, the white beans for any bean, and the barley for any grain.

Of course, this is an extremely nutritious meal, absolutely packed with both kinds of fiber, protein, calcium, iron, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. Omega 3's from the greens are a welcome component, and you can boost the content by sprinkling on a little flax oil or ground flax seeds just before serving.

It's also a very economical meal; barley is just pennies a serving, and the greens (which were pre-trimmed and in good shape) had no waste and were on sale for 79 cents a pound. The whole dinner (which made enough for 4 adults) cost around $5 (if you make your own veggie broth, you can do it for less than $4).

Dina's Collard Greens with Beans and Barley

1 big bunch collard greens, rinsed and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tbsp crushed jarred)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons flour
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4-5 cups cooked barley (start with about 1 1/2 cups dry)

Cook barley in salted water using a ratio of 3:1 water to grain for about 50 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. (It's nice to cook extra so you can have a nice hot cereal the next morning.)

Bring a few cups of water to a boil. Add the collard greens and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they're cooked down and starting to darken in color. Drain.

In a large pot, saute onion and garlic in heated olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Whisk the flour and broth and add the mixture to the pot. Bring to a boil. Add beans, salt, and pepper and simmer, stirring around for a minute.

Add the blanched greens and cooked barley. Simmer, stirring frequently, until flavors are melded and much of the liquid is absorbed.

Serve with vegan parmesan, if desired, or any seasonings you like. I spiced mine up with a bit of red pepper flakes and Fakin' Bacon bits.

Getting kids to eat vegetables and other healthy foods

2009-02-23T14:14:00.000-08:00

People tell me that I'm lucky that my 3-year-old son eats vegetables. (Well, not all veggies, but most.) I think it's more than luck; I use a few techniques that I think work really well. Here are my top ten success secrets.

1. Make it fun. See this photo? Ben loves letters and numbers, and he was thoroughly delighted with the 10 carrots and the "10" written in vegan Ranch. And don't do this ONLY for the picky ones -- Ben would have eaten these carrots regardless, but making it fun reinforces positive associations with healthy foods. Some other ideas: a smiley face on oatmeal with raisins and nuts; sandwiches cut with a cookie cutter; anything that contains their name (ever try to write your child's name with string beans?), a flower out of apple slices... really the possibilities are endless. Once I sliced a banana into coins and arranged them around a plate with a big strawberry in the middle. It didn't represent anything but it was fun to eat!

2. Try not to engage in a power struggle. I have never, ever forced Ben to eat anything. But he knows I love it when he tries new things and enjoys his food. So every once in a while he's in a surly mood and declares, "I'm NOT going to eat this" in attempt to get a rise out of me, and I say, "OK!" with a big smile. Nine times out of ten, he eats it a few minutes later, because he realizes I really don't care if he eats or not (well, I DO, but he does not know that!). Because I am a dietitian, parents are often surprised to see how I handle mealtime issues. For example, when Ben takes one bite and tells me he is no longer hungry, I excuse him and that's that. The kid knows he's full; who am I to force him to overeat? Children are born with an acute sense of satiety. We need to nurture that instinct, not destroy it by forcing them to eat "three more bites" when they're not hungry. (Obviously, this goes for healthy children of normal weight; children with growth or weight or serious food issues need special care.) Every now and then, 10 minutes after the meal is over, there will be a request for food, and the answer is NO -- mealtime is over. After 2 or 3 of these episodes, children learn that you mean business. And if they go hungry for an hour or two before the next meal or snack, it's ok; they won't whittle away to nothing. Because of this approach, there is no stress or anxiety associated with our mealtimes, and they are usually quite peaceful.

3. Resist the temptation to reinforce the notion that vegetables taste bad but they have to be eaten. As hard as it is, try to treat all food relatively the same (except of course for special occasional treats like candy). That way, if you put all healthy foods in front of your child, they will pick and choose based on color, flavor, texture, and desire for variety -- not what is "good" or "bad."

4. Never use food as a reward. There are books written about this, but I'll try to sum it up with three points: one, using food as a reward ties behavior in with foods, which might lead kids to all sorts of parental manipulation using food. Two, if reward foods are a special kind of food, then non-reward food might feel like a punishment. Three, if reward foods are associated with parental pride and acceptance, then those foods might be later abused as a way for the child to feel accepted and loved.

5. If your child declares s/he does not like something, do not make a big deal out of it. For example, when I first gave Ben almond butter, he turned his nose up at it. I said, "Thank you for trying it." About 3 months later, he saw me eating almond butter on a cracker, and he asked to taste it. I gave it to him and he LOVED it! I didn't remind him that he didn't like it before, and now almond butter is a regular part of his diet (which thrills me, since he's allergic to most nuts). Another example: Ben used to love raw peppers, then for a while refused to touch them, and the other day he put away almost an entire red pepper cut into strips. I never said a word about it. I think if you "call" kids on their former likes or dislikes, they feel threatened or embarrassed or have hurt pride, and will continue to refuse food. Once we recongize that kids' food preferences change like the weather, we accept their "pickiness" as normal.

6. Once you find a veggie your child likes, go out of your way to prepare it. I discovered Ben's affinity for raw cabbage when he tried a piece of pickled cabbage at Veggie Heaven, our local vegetarian Chinese restaurant. So the next week I made him vegan cole slaw (I call it "cabbage salad") and he is addicted to the stuff. I use different dressing combinations, and I vary the veggies (I have mixed shredded cabbage with broccoli slaw, carrot slaw, and other shredded veggies, even very finely shredded raw kale.) You would not believe the portions of cabbage this kid puts away.

7. From as early as possible, make mixed dishes. Ben fully expects pasta, rice, tofu dishes, soups, stir fries, and even sandwiches to contain bits of vegetables. We don't usually have a blob of vegetables as a side dish; they're often incorporated into the main dish. I think this shapes the way kids think about food; they don't see vegetables as a pile of evil; they see them as a normal part of the meal at large. In addition, the veggies used in a main dish will be seasoned well, which is welcomed because oftentimes the flavor of plain vegetables is too bitter. I, myself, don't like plain steamed cauliflower, but I'll eat it in a curry. I do the same for my family.

8. Keep healthy snacks visible and accessible. When hunger strikes, Ben knows he can reach into the fruit bowl and always find something fresh, sweet, and delicious. Or he can open the fridge and see, at his eye level, containers of cut up veggies, cut up fruits, soy yogurt, almond butter, etc. What he sees is what he wants. (By the same token, if you don't want your child to ask for junk, then don't have junk in the house. They can't argue with, "We don't have any.")

9. Don't encourage a sweet or salty tooth. There is no reason for toddlers, or older children, to eat surgary cereal, sweetened oatmeal, or salted chips. Salt belongs in savory foods, and sugar belongs in desserts and sweets. Once a child gets used to overly sweet or overly salty foods (which are perfectly acceptable in their natural state), they will begin to reject the plain versions. And of course, it's less than ideal to overindulge in sugar and salt.

10. Relax. I think this is the most important thing. Food is not supposed to be a weapon or threat or reward or punishment. Provide delicious, natural foods to your family every day and they will thank you with big smiles... and optimal health.

Move over, soy ice cream!

2009-02-19T19:38:00.000-08:00

There's a new kid in town. In Manhattan town, that is. I know, I know, I keep writing about these fantastic places to eat in NYC, leaving non-New Yorkers cranky. Sorry -- now you have even more reasons to visit the Big Apple.

What am I raving about this time? An all vegan ice cream parlor, that's what. Lula's Sweet Apothecary, located at 516 East 6th Street (at Avenue A), is a scoop of heaven smack dab in the center of Veganville, NY (AKA the East Village). A cute little place that gets crowded quickly, Lula's sells frozen desserts (sundaes, floats, malts, etc. too, of course) with all the toppings (marshmallow, hot fudge, you name it), candy, and other sweets. Did I mention everything is vegan? Fortunately they're open late; check out their hours on their site, but don't plan to go on a Monday, because that is the one day they are closed.

The store's wonderful and charming wife-husband owners, Blythe Boyd and Derek Hachett, thought nothing of our request for one small scoop of each of their NINE flavors because we couldn't decide which ones to try. So my husband and I were presented with dishes of tiny (we're talking melon scoop sized) samples of each and every flavor. (See photo above) Literally, a bite of each flavor for each of us. What a treat, and what a great idea! My favorites were the Cake Batter (yup, it really tastes like the stuff you used to lick off the spoon when you were a kid) and Cinnamon. Dan particularly enjoyed the S'mores and Peanut Butter Chocolate. Truly, the stuff had no soy aftertaste or weirdness that some nut-based ice creams have. The flavors are beautifuly balanced and the texture is just right -- creamy, without coating the tongue, and deliciously sweet without being syrupy. They had some really interesting flavors, most of which rotate (so it's best to visit frequently!). We had a lovely time chatting with Blithe and Derek, and left with a naturally sweetened pomegranate lolly for my 3-year-old (who told us the following day that it was his "favorite candy ever.")

This was the perfect dessert after our light dinner at nearby Pukk, an all-vegetarian Thai restaurant with fabulous prices and gorgeous, wholesome food (subject for another day).

Wondering why a dietitian is writing about ice cream? Because I truly believe that sweets in moderation are OK. They are an indulgence, a celebration, a treat. There's a place in the vegan diet for sweets now and then. And the best sweets are those made with love and care, and that's what you find at Lula's.

If you're going to indulge in ice cream, make it natural, make it dairy-free, make it organic, and make it Lula's. Gone gluten-free? All GF selections are highlighted. Avoiding soy? Try their nut-based frozen delectibles. Into raw? They've got that too. There is truly something for everyone.

The New Trend in Fast Food

2009-02-17T10:25:00.000-08:00

Yesterday the family took a day trip to Manhattan and went to the top of the Empire State Building, wandered down 5th Ave, and had a lovely time overall. When 6:00 struck we were all in the mood for a veggie food fix -- would have loved Candle 79, but not with a tired 3-year-old! So instead we hoofed it over to Better Burger on 3rd Ave. Better Burger? You'd Better Believe It! Next to Josie's (a mostly veg, beautiful restaurant and owned by the same folks), Better Burger is just that -- they offer traditional beef and turkey varieties (hormone- and antibiotic-free) as well as 2 vegan varieties: veggie grain and soy. Other vegan offerings include soy hot dogs, chili, and smoothies.

We tried the spinach salad with tofu, grain/veg burger, and hot dog. With air-baked fries, of course. We shared everything and really enjoyed it.

Better Burger has 3 locations in NYC; visit their web site to find out more.

Interested in more such places? They're starting to open up everywhere! Here are just a few I know of; do you know of any more?

Veggie Grill
Elevation Burger (opening a location in my town soon!)
4food
vg burgers

Hopefully these new places will redefine Fast Food as we know it!

"Shop the Perimeter": My Theory

2009-02-11T16:43:00.000-08:00

If you're a reader of health magazines and such, no doubt you've come across the grocery shopping advice to "shop the perimeter of the store." In a nutshell this implies that the healthiest foods in the store are the ones found in the outer border of the grocery store.

I've heard this "tip" about 4000 times over the course of my career and I am making it my mission to toss it out the window. It should have been rendered obsolete right along with the 4 food groups! But just today I saw it discussed as a good tip by the dietitians in my professional email list.

I don't know about your local grocery store, but here's what I find at the perimeter:

dairy products (cheese has the highest amount of saturated fat of any food, and don't forget the butter, cream, etc.)
canned dinner rolls and refrigerated cookie dough
meat
poultry
fish
hot dogs
cold cuts
bakery
deli
eggs
fruits and vegetables (yeay!)

Are these really the healthiest foods in the store? Well, yes to the fruits and vegetables, but the rest? I smell a rat.

Here's my theory. It's one of the most successful nutritional conspiracies of all time. I think the USDA made it up! After all, their job is to promote and protect the interests of animal agriculture, and they're all placed at the perimeter. Consider this: all of those things need to be refrigerated, and it is most cost-effective for stores to house their refrigeration cases against the walls. How convenient for "experts" to advise folks to shop the refrigerators--meat, dairy, eggs, (and produce).

Even your average nutritionist would agree that the following foods are an integral part of a health-supporting diet:

whole grains like brown rice
products based on whole grains (cereals, breads, crackers, etc.)
dried and canned beans
nuts and nut butter
seeds

If we shop the perimeter and ignore the aisles, we miss out on nature's healthiest foods (in addition to fruits and vegetables). So ignore the "perimeter" advice and rely on your common sense!

A new twist on oatmeal

2009-02-04T18:15:00.000-08:00

I came across a nifty product at Whole Foods today. Uncle Sam now sells instant oatmeal in single serve packets. One kind has with flax seeds and crunchy whole wheat flakes. It contains only 130 calories, 5 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, no sugar, no trans fat, 3 grams of total fat (from the oats and flax seeds), and only 20 little milligrams of sodium (most plain oatmeals have more). Top with a sprinkling of chopped walnuts and fresh fruit, and you're good to go 'til lunch!

Another, Uncle Sam's Instant Oatmeal with Soymilk (in French Vanilla and Cinnamon Raisin) is made with dried soymilk and a bit of sugar (evaporated cane juice). Yes, soymilk! Now, I'm not a big fan of added sugar, but a serving of the Vanilla has just 1 1/2 teaspoons (2 1/2 if you opt for the raisin flavor, since raisins are a natural source of sugar). Better without extra sugar? Of course. BUT -- some folks just LOVE flavored instant oatmeal packets (you know the brand I'm referring to) and for them, this is a vast nutritional improvement. Plus, if you use soy milk in your oatmeal, you're getting at least this much sugar in your bowl. These soymilk flavors have only 160 calories, but also include the wheat flakes and flax, so they provide 3 grams of healthy fat, 5 grams of fiber, 7 grams of protein, and 50 mg of sodium. Not bad!

Now, can you DIY (ie make plain oatmeal and add ground flax and whatever else) and save a bunch of money? Sure. But some people are happy paying for convenience, and for them, this is a great choice.

You Are What You Eat

2009-02-03T07:13:00.000-08:00

Recently, a new product came to my attention. It's not vegan, so this is a bit off-topic. But I couldn't help but write about it.

It was discussed at length on a dietitian list serve that I'm a member of, and it originally came from a blog post by Gail Shepherd of the Miami New Times. Before you click on that link, read this list of ingredients. What do you think this "food" could possibly be?

Ingredients: reduced fat milk, heath bar crunch ice cream (cream, nonfat milk, caramel ribbon (corn syrup, sweetened condensed whole milk (milk, sugar), water, high fructose corn syrup, butter (cream, salt), propylene glycol, sodium alginate, salt, natural and artificial vanilla flavors, potassium sorbate (preservative), soy lecithin, annatto color, sodium bicarbonate, propyl paraben (preservative)) , heath® bar candy pieces [milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, nonfat milk, milk fat, lactose, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), salt, and vanillin (an artificial flavoring)), sugar, palm oil, dairy butter (milk), almonds, salt, artificial flavoring, and soy lecithin], sugar, corn syrup, toffee base (sweetened condensed whole milk, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, natural flavor, disodium phosphate, and salt), whey powder, cellulose gum, mono and diglycerides, guar gum, carrageenan, polysorbate 80), fudge topping (corn syrup, sugar, water, hydrogenated coconut oil, nonfat milk, cocoa (treated with alkali), modified corn starch, salt, sodium bicarbonate, disodium phosphate, potassium sorbate (a preservative), natural and artificial flavors, soy lecithin), jamoca ice cream (cream, nonfat milk, sugar, corn syrup, jamoca extract (coffee extract, sugar, potassium sorbate and methyl paraben (as preservatives)) whey, caramel color, cellulose gum, mono and diglycerides, carrageenan, polysorbate 80, carob bean gum, guar gum), caramel praline topping (corn syrup, sweetened condensed whole milk, water, sugar, modified food starch, butter, salt, propylene glycol, natural and artificial flavor, sodium citrate, xanthan gum, lecithin, potassium sorbate and propyl paraben as preservatives), Hershey’s® Heath® Milk Chocolate English Toffee (milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, nonfat milk, milk fat, lactose, soy lecithin [an emulsifier], salt, and vanillin [an artificial flavoring]), sugar, palm oil, dairy butter (milk), almonds, salt, artificial flavoring, and soy lecithin), whipped cream (whipped cream (cream, milk, sugar, dextrose, nonfat dry milk, artificial flavor, mono & diglycerides, carrageenan, mixed tocopherols (vitamin e), to protect flavor, propellant: nitrous oxide).

Do you REALLY want this stuff in YOUR body? Think about it! When we buy something as seemingly innocent as a Baskin Robbin's Shake (which is what this is, and by the way, contains 2310 calories, 64 grams of saturated fat, and 1/2 pound of sugar), do you actually think of the components that are becoming an actual part of your body? That's what making smart choices is all about. We tend to make food choices based on what we're in the mood for. But our taste buds aren't the best judge of what we really need... we have to introduce our taste buds to our brains.

Taste buds: "I want a cold, sweet, creamy dessert."

Brain: "Throw some frozen fruit and almond milk into a blender."

Brain would never reply: "Whip up some disodium phosphate with jamoca extract and an additional 114 ingredients."

No one wants to walk around sluggish, fat, tired, and in a haze. But when we eat junk, we become junk. When we eat Real Food, that's when we can start to look and feel Real Good. And that's the foundation of a healthy diet, vegan or not. Want processed foods now and then? Fine. But at LEAST 75% (more is ideal) of our food should be something that we recognize as a plant part that grows on a tree, in a flower, in the ground, on a vine or bush, or underground.

Must-have new book on vegetarian nutrition

2009-01-31T06:07:00.000-08:00

Peggy Carlson, MD has compiled the ultimate source on vegetarian nutrition. Check out The Complete Vegetarian: The Essential Guide to Good Health (University of Illinois Press, 2008). Each chapter provides a comprehensive analysis and review on topics most important to vegetarians, including all of the relevant nutrients, common diseases that are affected by diet, vegetarianism in childhood, pregnancy, and lactation, sports nutrition for vegetarians, and vegetarian meal planning.

The chapters are written by experts in their respective fields and reviewed by Dr. Carlson. Unlike your basic "for dummies" books on vegetarianism, this one is "for smarties" -- it provides the latest scientific research and information, and puts it into a context that we can all relate to and learn from.

One particular area, in my opinion, that seems to swim in controversy is fats in the vegetarian diet. How much omega-3 do we need? How are the needs for fats different for vegans compared to vegetarians and omnivores? Should we take supplements? These questions and more are answered in the chapter on fats, written by Brenda Davis, RD, leading expert on fatty acid nutrition.

Dr. Carlson herself wrote most of the chapters on chronic diseases, and they provide a really in-depth review of the role of diet in preventing, managing, and reversing these conditions.

You can buy it from amazon or other booksellers.

Make meal planning a success!

2009-01-27T18:00:00.000-08:00

It's hard to plan meals! You have to have the time and the energy, and it helps to be in the mood to do it. But the more you do it, the easier it gets. This week, I planned my meals on Sunday and went shopping Monday. Here's what my week of dinners looks like:

Monday: Tofu and vegetables with Thai peanut sauce
Tuesday: Hawaiian "Chicken" with broccoli and quinoa
Wednesday: Bean chili, cornbread, and salad
Thursday: Spelt pasta, lentil "meatballs," veggies, marinara
Friday: Roasted vegetable pizza

It's Tuesday, and so far so good. One trick that saves a lot of trouble is the gadget pictured above: it's a double-decker steamer. Basically the steamer (which is a pot with holes) nests inside and atop a regular pot. The beauty is, that you can either just boil water in the pot, or, cook food. Either way, the stuff in the steamer gets steamed. For example, tonight I steamed the broccoli right on top of the cooking quinoa. Last night I steamed green beans right over the rice. This saves energy (one stove burner instead of 2), saves cleanup time, and keeps things neater.

Another trick: do a little pantry inventory to get started on your planning. Do you have a jar of curry, a packet of taco seasoning, or a can of black beans sitting around? Plan around what you have. If you're like me and keep lots of non-perishables in your pantry (usually because of a sale too good to pass up), then most of your shopping will be fresh produce and bulk grains and beans.

There are other tricks of the trade: using a pressure cooker or crock pot; keeping frozen veggies and canned beans for when you're in a pinch; and learning how to turn a salad into a main course. A little planning goes a long way towards being organized and well-fed... it also helps control waste, which is good for those of us on a tight budget. Happy planning!

Web Site of the Week: Raw Food Chef

2009-01-22T20:25:00.000-08:00

If you think raw food is about weird ingredients and endless hours of prep, think again! Every cuisine has its longish recipes and its shortcuts, and raw food cuisine is no different.

In my quest for quick and easy raw recipes, I was thrilled to find Raw Food Chef, which is the web site for the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute. So this site is not only about recipes; it's a complete home-base for all that is raw.

This morning I made the Sunflower Sun-Dried Tomato Pate. It is absolutely spectacular, and so quick and easy to make. You do have to soak a couple of ingredients first, but it's not like you have to watch it happen; you just soak, go about your business, and later on, throw everything into the food processor. Delicious.

This site is comprehensive and very easy to navigate. You'll find general info about raw foods diets, information about certification (yup, you can become certified as a raw foods chef), classes galore (many of which are offered online!), a huge store bursting with tools and guides for raw "cooking," events, community stuff, and much more.

They also offer a free newsletter.

Whether you want to immerse yourself in the wonderful world of raw cuisine, or just get your feet wet and try a recipe or two, Raw Food Chef is a great place to start.

Vegan eating on a budget

2009-01-20T11:23:00.000-08:00

Want to eat cheaply yet healthfully? Vegan is the way to go.

Vegans can still eat on a budget, stay or become healthy, and honor our values; it just takes a little bit of tweaking how we think about grocery shopping and structuring our meals. I’ve compiled several ways we can still eat healthy in our budgets, and how we can overcome some challenges of rising food costs.

Of course, no one approach fits all. It all comes down to tradeoffs. If your weekly sushi habit is non-negotiable, so be it. Feel free to pick and choose from these tips and maybe save a few dollars so you can still splurge with good conscience on the things you’d rather not sacrifice.

Perhaps one reason so many people think it costs so much to be a healthy vegan is because food items labeled “vegan” tend to be pricey. And this is true for things like frozen meals, soy cheese, faux meats, many ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, snacks and desserts, fancy sauces, and prepared delicacies. But these foods are to be used more as condiments and sides, not as the main fare. Used that way, our diet is no more expensive than the average person’s; it is in fact less so. The healthiest diets are the most simple: they are based on whole grains, legumes (beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds), fruits, and vegetables. And we don’t need a “vegan” label for those!

Regardless of price tags, foods that make up the Standard American Diet (SAD) are really the most expensive of all. This is because the SAD threatens our well-being and promotes chronic disease. So if we’re really going to analyze the cost of our diets, consider the cost over years of eating a poor diet. Medical care, lost work time, and chronic illness cost our country billions of dollars annually, not to mention pain and suffering, which of course have no price tag.

Whether you shop at Whole Foods or Wal Mart, you can make smart choices that will save you money:

Stick to a list. The point is to shop with a plan rather than impulsively.

Compare not only item prices, but unit prices (prices for the same quantity).

Keep a running total as you shop.

Never shop hungry. Trust me.

Clip or print coupons, but only for things you’re planning to buy.

In the produce section, choose fresh/whole over the pre-washed bagged stuff.

Fruits and veggies are not as pricey as you think (unless you include organic, out-of-season, and specialty items). According to a study by the Economic Research Service of the USDA in 2008, a person needing 2000 calories a day could meet their fruit and vegetable recommendations for less than $2.50 a day (I think we need more than the USDA recommendations, even then it’s still under $5 per day).

In-season fresh produce is almost always cheaper. And consider frozen.

Store brands are OK. Many store brands offer organic choices too.

Buy in Bulk. Flours, whole grains, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, dry beans, and mixes are almost always cheaper in bulk. And you can buy only what you need.

Bypass the mixes. Boxed rice is little more than rice and a seasoning packet. For a quarter of the price, you can buy rice in bulk and add your own seasonings. Baking mixes are nice but you can save a bundle by baking from scratch. Easy recipes for vegan baked goods abound.

Go easy on the snack foods (cookies, chips, nondairy frozen desserts, etc.). Vegan “junk” food is fine on occasion, but regular consumption supports neither optimal health nor a tight budget. Splurge every now and then if you must (set a limit), or make your own using whole grains and minimal sweeteners.

Pass on the “single serving” packs. Trying to control calories? Pre-pack your own (in reusable containers of course).

Skip the warehouse clubs. Why? First of all, your savings (over regular store prices) over the course of a year would need to offset the annual fee. Second, foods like bread, fruit, and vegetables have to be consumed super-fast or else they’ll go to waste (not an issue for huge families or those who buy for others). Third, huge amounts of food in the home encourage overeating.

Start a garden.

Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).

Start your day with hot cereal made from whole grains.

When possible, make your own:
• seitan (all you need is wheat gluten, broth, and seasonings)
• popcorn
• soy milk (from soy beans, water, and optional flavorings)
• soy yogurt (from soy milk)
• sprouts (from fresh legumes and grains)
• nut butters (if you have a good food processor or grinder)
• veggie burgers
• bread (a bread machine is a fantastic investment)
• “energy” bars
• salsa

Focus on one-pot meals.

Be creative with leftovers. Make a wrap with last night’s black beans; use leftover lentil soup as a topper for whole-grain pasta; throw yesterday’s veggies into a tofu scramble.

Save from spoilage. Use what you have; throwing away food is throwing away cash.

Dine out smartly.

For more info on how to be a thrifty vegan, see my upcoming article in Vegetarian Voice.

Easy Recipe: Vegan Pigs In Blankets

2009-01-13T16:19:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, I loved pigs-in-blankets, aka "cocktail franks." Of course, I never really thought about the fact that there really WERE chopped up pigs in there!

Recently we were invited to a potluck for families with children aged 3 and 4. I thought the little things would be a big hit, and I was right. And the recipe couldn't be easier! (DISCLAIMER: this is not a health-supporting recipe. Both ingredients are heavily refined foods. It is a party recipe, a fun recipe, a once-in-a-while food. So save it for a food-sharing event!)

Dina's EZ Vegan "Pigs" In Blankets

You will need:

1 package of puff pastry (found in the frozen food section) (yup, the Pepperidge Farm stuff is vegan)
2 packages of vegan hot dogs (we like the Tofurkey franks, but any will do)

Thaw the puff pastry according to package directions.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Count how many dogs you have and multiply by three. Slice each veggie dog crosswise into thirds. Once the puff pastry is thawed, slice it into long triangles -- make as many triangles as you need (number of dogs times 3). This is fun because you have to use your math skills as well as geometry :-). If you have school-aged kids in the house, this is a great activity! [And by the way, I made a few more triangles than I needed (on purpose!!) and made a few different things with it. Our favorite was chocolate-chips-in-a-blanket.]

Roll each triangle around a piggy. Pinch it closed and placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry starts to become golden brown.

Serve with fancy mustard (maple mustard is awesome), ketchup, BBQ sauce, hummus, whatever!

(Note: You could also use one package of hot dogs and just one of the pastry sheets, as the package comes with two)

NEWS FLASH: Where do you get your red?

2009-01-11T09:52:00.000-08:00

(Photo from the Florida Center for Instructional Technology, University of South Florida.)

Just where do they get the "natural color" from that ends up in candy or sweetened cereal? Many vegans are aware that some manufacturers use crushed cochineal bugs to color their foods, and worse, they never had to declare this source on the label! Until now.

According to this article from NutraIngredients, food and drink manufacturers that color their products with cochineal extract and carmine must now declare the ingredients on the label under a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruling.

The legislation is largely due to poor folks who have severe allergies to the additive, but it benefits us in other ways, not to mention the millions of (female only) insects who are bred to be crushed alive. Who wants that in our bodies? Now that labels will reveal this source, we can expect companies to switch to more humane and healthier colorings. What's wrong with beet extract?

Compliance due date is 2011. Until then, avoid artificially colored food, unless the label lists the source as something familiar and plant-based. Turmeric, beets, and blueberries are all used to naturally color food.

Top 5 Health Habits for 2009

2009-01-11T08:07:00.000-08:00

Nobody's perfect, including myself. I fall into some bad habits and sometimes let the pounds creep on. When that happens it's time to take a good hard look at the problems, and come up with a plan for improvement. Here are my personal top 5 new health habits for 2009:

1. Improve time management. See the graphic above? (Click on it to enlarge.) It represents my daily goal: we only get 24 hours in a day, and with all that's going on it's easy to let priorities slip. Having your day mapped out in a pie chart is a really useful tool. You can do this too: either with a pencil and paper, or in Excel like I did it. Start with sleep (assign at least 7.5 hours), then other necessities like work, commuting, hygeine, and eating. Then add your priorities, which should include exercise and food preparation. It's kinda scary how fast that stuff adds up, and how little time is left for leisure. For that reason, I try to combine activities, such as cooking with my preschooler (food prep + family time in one), washing dishes while on a (muted) conference call, etc.

2. Start every day with a huge glass of water. I admit, one of my challenges is drinking enough water. I also admit that I'm often not hungry in the morning, so I sometimes go too long without anything to eat in the morning. Starting each day with 2 cups of water gets our metabolism going, rehydrates us after a long night, and prepares the body for a healthy day. It also helps control hunger, so we won't overeat at breakfast. On days I want something else, I'll make decaf green tea or sqeeze a little fruit juice in the water. I also keep a pitcher of decaf green tea in the refrigerator.

3. Make at least one meal a day RAW. This is breakfast or lunch, or both. Raw food is living food, and it supports a healthy body and high energy. Going 100% raw is not for me (though others certainly do amazing with it), but I think everyone can benefit with more raw foods in their diets. I got some great information on raw food living for vegans with The Raw Food Revolution Diet by Brenda Davis, Vesanto Melina, and Cherie Soria. Great raw breakfasts include fresh fruit with muesli, fruit smoothies with nut or seed butter, and pre-soaked rolled oats with fresh cashew "milk" and dried fruit. Raw lunches are typically big crunchy salads with different lettuces, spinach, carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, etc., sometimes with sprouted lentils, raw "crackers" (you can get these at some health food stores or online), nuts, or seeds.

4. Listen to my body: don't push too hard. I am injury-prone. I have orthotics for my shoes and I've had my share of ankle and knee problems. I also have multiple sclerosis. When I push too hard, I suffer the consequences, sometimes for weeks or months. As much as I'd like to run 5 miles every day like I did in my 20's, that's no longer an option. So I mix up my workouts as much as possible, and take care to avoid injury, care for new aches and pains, and rest when I need to.

5. Make a big batch of soup or stew every week. Soups and stews are an easy way to pack in several servings of vegetables and beans. They're high in water and fiber, which fills us up and promotes weight loss. And of course they're chock full of health-supporting vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They're easy to make, too! Just saute an onion and some garlic in olive oil in a big pot, add water or veggie broth, and add whatever combination of vegetables (fresh or frozen), beans (if you use dry beans, make sure they're little or you pre-cook them), and herbs/spices you like. Simmer until everything is tender. If you make a lot, you'll have enough to start your dinner every day (or freeze for later). Soup, by the way, is great for weight loss if you eat it before dinner, because it curbs your hunger so you eat less. I even got a friend in on this: we make something healthy and split it, and take turns with it.

What are your health goals for 2009? Whatever they are, you'll be more likely to stick to them if you write them down and look at them every day. Good luck!

Really? Vitamins don't help prevent disease?

2009-01-08T14:34:00.000-08:00

You may have heard about or read this week's USA Today article, "Vitamins get 'F' in cancer prevention." What? When I saw the headline I was completely baffled. Then it hit me that when most folks hear the word "vitamin," they think of a pill or capsule. And that's just what this title is referring to. When we nutrition folks hear "vitamin," we think about vitamins in foods, and how nutrient-rich foods are proven cancer-fighters and lower risk of chronic disease. Indeed, the article confirms that, without a shadow of a doubt, nutrient-rich FOODS play a major role in the prevention and treatment of disease. Food is our main medicine; it is what nourishes us and becomes part of us. We literally are what we eat: all of the proteins, carbs, fats, water, vitamins, minerals, etc. that we put into our bodies from the time we are born (and your mother's food before that) are the building blocks of all the cells that make up YOU. So of course that headline was designed to catch our attention. It did mine.

I hope that nutrition skeptics read past the title. Because here's the best quote of the article: "health-conscious consumers should focus on getting their vitamins from plant foods, such as vegetables and whole grains, which contain precise mixtures of hundreds or even thousands of compounds. Many of these compounds may work better in the combinations selected by nature." Another point scored for a vegan lifestyle.

This article reiterates what we've known for many years: certain supplements, taken in isolation, may be harmful. Beta carotene and vitamin E are culprits in notorious studies that suggested that these nutrients (taken as supplements) may do more harm than good. The main reason cited for individual nutrients' lack of protectiveness is that nutrients found in whole foods work together, synergistically, to enhance health and protect against disease. Isolate just one or two nutrients from the rest of the food and boost the dose, and the balance is thrown off.

However, scientific research on certain supplements strongly favor a benefit when taken along with a healthy diet, particularly for vegans. These nutrients include:

Vitamin D. Take 1000 IU per day to ensure good status.

DHA. Take 250-300 mg per day to promote healthy fatty acid balance.

Vitamin B12. Take 400 to 1000 micrograms per day to keep status high.

Also, keep in mind that taking the RDA for all the nutrients is ok, so do pop that multi to ensure good nutrient status. Just beware of taking vitamins/minerals above the RDA for any one nutrient, unless specified by your nutritionist or physician.

New Years Eve Celebration Dinner

2009-01-04T16:46:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to blog about the New Year's Eve Dinner that my family enjoyed last week, but what a long and busy weekend, what with some great hiking weather (finally, dry AND above freezing!), a few local bargains to be had, and just chilling out with the family, enjoying some lovely free time.

Our dinner was hearty and delicious, with an Eastern flair. Clockwise from the top you see: twice baked samosa stuffed potatoes, chili lime crusted tofu triangles with dipping sauce, coconut-tamarind vegetable-chick pea curry, and saffron-garlic rice with toasted almonds.

Most of the recipes came from Veganomicon, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. The actual recipe names and pages are "Samosa Stuffed Baked Potatoes" (p60), Chile Cornmeal-Crusted Tofu (p127) and Saffron-Garlic Rice (p119). The curry was a "cheat" -- I just sauteed some onions and peppers, added a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas and a pound of frozen spinach, and poured on a jar of coconut tamarind curry sauce.

Everything was exceptionally good. This cookbook is truly excellent and comes with my highest recommendation. I do have to warn you, though, unless Isa and Terry have fulltime kitchen staff, their estimate of 20 minutes (minus baking time) for the potatoes is a typo. It is a very labor-intensive dish; there's no way I could possibly dice the onion, dice the carrot, grate the ginger, mince the garlic, crush the coriander seeds, juice the lemon, scoop out the potatoes, and actually saute (which it says to do for 7-10 minutes, then add a bunch of things and cook some more...) all in 20 minutes! The sauteeing itself took 20 minutes. So, chef beware; this dish is totally worth the effort, but pre-prep he ingredients in advance!

The tofu was surprisingly easy to make, and turned out really good. First you dip in a batter, then a cornmeal mixture, then fry. The cornmeal mixture called for lime zest (it ended up being a whole lime for me), so I was left with a naked lime. I decided last minute (and I mean last minute -- everything was already on the table) to squeeze all the juice out of the lime to create a limey dipping sauce. It really added a nice touch to the dish, and you get to use the whole lime! I whisked together the juice of one lime, some rice vinegar, a bit of agave nectar, a dash of tamari, and a sliced up scallion for the sauce.

The rice was really special; it calls for saffron threads (which are pricey and, in my kitchen, get used only on special occasions). It, too, was a pretty easy and quick recipe.

I'd love to post the recipes here but that wouldn't be fair -- you really should buy this book!!

Happy New Year!

A Southern Feast

2008-12-27T18:33:00.000-08:00

Tonight my Georgia (the state)-native mother-in-law helped me create a delicious vegan southern feast for dinner. Sorry we forgot to take pictures! I made this collage of the staples we used, which brought back memories for my MIL and got my preschooler excited about trying some new foods.

Dish #1: Pan-fried okra and potatoes. I'd never bought okra before yesterday. Honestly I'm not a big fan of the gooey vegetable. But my MIL loves it and I wanted to surprise her. I learned that, when choosing fresh okra from the store, smaller is usually better, and firm is better than flimsy. But they should not be too hard either. I think I did ok. We sliced each thin (they're very pretty once sliced, like little stars) and cubed a few potatoes into tiny pieces. I tossed them both in a mixture of flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Then pan-fried them in canola oil. Yum.

Dish #2: Collard greens with "bacon." Traditional southern collards almost always call for a ham hock or bacon. Or both. I pan fried some fakin bacon and used that in simple braised fresh collards. I was surprised at how yummy they were. They were my son's favorite. There's nothing like watching a 3-year-old stuff his face with cooked leafy green vegetables.

Dish #3: Blackeyed peas with "sausage." Ok have you ever tried soy chorizo? The stuff is unbelievable. And the recipe is laughably simple: 2 cans of rinsed, drained blackeyed peas, and 1 tube of soy chorizo (1/2 a package). (I used the Trader Joes brand.) Heat, stir, serve. Tastes like a complicated dish slaved over for hours.

Dish #4: Quinoa pilaf. Ok, NOT traditional southern, but I wanted to include a healthy grain. We pretended it was grits, but of course quinoa is a much better source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Dish #5: Sliced cucumbers and tomatoes in vinegar and dill. Southern, I'm not sure... but what American vegetable garden is without cukes and tomatoes? I watered down the vinegar and threw on some dried dill.

It's fun to pick a food theme and run with it. And in this day and age, there's almost nothing you can't veganize yet still maintain an authentic look and flavor.

Vegan Treats Get Fancy

2008-12-17T08:17:00.001-08:00

Check out this recent story from the Washington Post -- a former Ritz Carlton pastry chef is baking vegan cookies! Every week I see more evidence of a mainstream acceptance of vegan foods and a vegan lifestyle. This article also features a recipe for vegan biscotti -- a challenging cookie to veganize. I can't wait to try it. Here's the recipe for Chocolate Ginger Biscotti, and Pecan Snowballs. One thing is for sure: vegans aren't hurtin' for dessert. And even non-vegans (as this article agrees) are jumping on the vegan dessert bandwagon -- my dad (a self proclaimed NON VEGAN) prefers the vegan version of Whole Foods bakery chocolate chip cookies to the traditional ones. It's endearing, the way he thinks he's boosting his health with these cookies as if they were steamed kale, but I'm not about to burst his bubble. And I've yet to meet anyone who did NOT take second helpings of my vegan chocolate mousse pie, made, of course, with tofu.

Now, to find a vegan meringue....

Bone Health: not only about calcium

2008-12-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

It's always been a pet peeve of mine that "calcium" is synonymous with "bone health." There's no question that bone is predominantly calcium and that dietary calcium is important. However, there are so many other factors that are crucial to bone health, but they don't get all that much attention. This is probably due to the Dairy Council's fine job at convincing most Americans that without dairy products and all that calcium, they can't possibly have strong bones. Nutrition experts know that this is ridiculous; dairy products are just one food (essentially milk from a cow), and cultures worldwide and for thousands of years have enjoyed superior bone health without a spec of dairy. Dairy farming is a relatively recent advent in history, and not practiced by all cultures. Furthermore, we know that dairy is not the secret to osteoporosis prevention, because the countries with the highest intakes of dairy products also have the highest osteoporosis rates. Calcium is abundant in whole plant foods; we don't NEED dairy products to get calcium.

Want strong bones? It's not only the calcium you take IN that matters, it is important not to LOSE the calcium that you have. And it turns out that if you're doing all the wrong things and you're LOSING calcium from your bones, all the calcium pills in the world won't do much for you. You have to RETAIN that calcium, and the best way to promote calcium retention is to practice those habits that make the most difference. These include:

EXERCISE. Weight-bearing exercise is the cornerstone of bone density. Even seniors can build bone mass by doing regular, moderate exercises. Indeed, studies have shown tremendous benefit to certain exercises with regard to reduced risk of fractures. Free weights, running, walking are all good bone-building activities. Swimming and biking are great cardio workouts but aren't good bone-builders; mix up your routine for the best results.

MAXIMIZE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. A recent study out of Boston published in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism showed that forcing an alkaline environment in the gut promoted bone retention, while an acidic environment promoted bone loss. This relationship has been known for some time, but this study actually measured the results in a methodical fashion. The authors suggest that increasing fruit and vegetable intake will naturally help lean the environment more alkaline, helping to retain bone mass. Yup, ANOTHER benefit to eating lots of fruits and vegetables! Foods like meat and dairy promote acidic environments, leading to bone loss.

MINIMIZE ANIMAL PROTEIN AND SODIUM. Both have been linked to calcium excretion.

TAKE A VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENT. The research keeps pouring in about vitamin D. Vegan or not, take 1000 IU a day. Vitamin D is absolutely crucial for bone health; indeed the #1 symptom of vitamin D deficiency is rickets, which is a bone disease. Furthermore, studies have shown that supplementing with D reduces fracture risk. See vitamindhealth.org for more information.

EAT YOUR SALAD. Vitamin K is an important vitamin for bone health. It is found mostly in leafy green vegetables (raw or cooked, doesn't matter). Potassium, a mineral found in abundance in most fruits and vegetables, is also important. Do you see a pattern?

Getting back to my point that calcium intake is still important, the best vegan calcium sources include leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds, calcium-set tofu, calcium-fortified soy milk and OJ, and some dried fruits. Base your diet on a nice variety among the Basic 4 (whole grains, nuts/beans/seeds, fruits, and vegetables), and follow the guidelines above, and you're well on your way to optimal bone health.

A vegan gelatin?

2008-12-10T09:03:00.001-08:00

Has it really been this long since I've posted? Yikes, time flies this time of year, doesn't it? I'll be more consistent in '09.

Well I am excited about a story I just read, brought to my attention by the nutrition news group nutraingredients: a new vegan gelatin is in the works!

This is great news for vegans and vegetarians (since an animal must be slaughtered to manufacture traditional gelatin), because a few treats are almost always made with gelatin, most notably marshmallows. And sadly, our beloved Emes vegan marshmallows (which were made with seaweed-based "gelatin") have ceased to exist for many years now. (There are vegan marshmallows out there -- Sweet & Sara's -- but they're not priced like the Campfire ones [nor do they look like the ones we used to float in our cocoa]. You can get them at Cosmos and Vegan Essentials.) According to a recent article in Vegetarian Journal, the reason for the lack of vegan gelatin is simply cost: it is far more expensive to manufacture a vegetarian gelatin than an animal gelatin. But if the folks at Avebe (an Australia-based company) can swing it, gelatin made from slaughterhouse byproducts might become a distant memory.

Things like candies and supplement capsules often contain gelatin, so hopefully this new vegan gelatin will be the standard for such products and more.

A good week for nutrition news

2008-11-24T06:41:00.000-08:00

We all love to read good things about foods we love but we know, deep down, are not really nutritious (yes, me too). As a vegan, I also enjoy reading things about foods that people justify, over and over, as healthful and appropriate, when we all know that regular consumption of these foods is the foundation of chronic disease. The more evidence that piles up against the consumption of animal products, the bigger push there will be towards the general acceptance of plant-based diets.

This month, the journal Diabetes Care (click here for the abstract) published a study by Harvard researchers who reported that people who eat eggs daily may substantially increase their risk of type 2 diabetes.

According to the study, this is the first time researchers investigated this particular connection. The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; no conflict of interest has been reported.

The study analyzed the eating habits of 57,000 people (a combination of the Physician's Health Study and the Women's Health Study) and concluded that men and women with the highest level of egg consumption (one a day or more) were 58% more likely and 77% more likely, respectively, to develop type 2 diabetes than those who did not eat eggs.

That's pretty impressive. Sometimes study results can be attributed to chance or confounding variables. With numbers this high (57,000 subjects) and the effect this strong, it's highly unlikely that these results are not real. Of course, correlation is not necessarily causation, so the effect may not be quite this strong, and of course not generalizable to everybody. Some alternate explanations for the reported observations include (per the lead researchers): First, the data did not include repeat fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and other biomarkers of glucose metabolism to comprehensively examine possible physiologic mechanisms. Second, he observational studies may also have been limited by self-reporting and residual confounding, Third, the generalizability may have been limited as well by the homogeneous, primarily Caucasian health professional population, which may have different behaviors than the general population (reference).

In other news, a recent Dutch study presented at a recent American Heart Association Meeting reports that all trans fats -- regardless of its source -- raise blood cholesterol levels. (Click here for more details.) This is an important finding because historically, nutrition professionals have warned against the trans fats that are manufactured as a result of hydrogenation of fat (listed on a label as "partially hydrogenated oil" -- found mainly in processed foods like crackers, cookies, and condiments), essentially ignoring the contribution of naturally-occurring trans fat, that is, trans fat found in dairy products and meat. Most people aren't even aware that animal products are a natural source of these damaging fats. The amount of trans fats in a typical serving of meat or dairy is relatively low, but over time the amounts do add up and are indeed significant. Add yet another reason to follow a primarily (or exclusively) plant-based diet.

Hummus Heaven

2008-11-18T12:21:00.000-08:00

I love hummus. I crave it like some crave chocolate cake. When I was pregnant, my favorite meal was a sesame bagel smeared with hummus and topped with a thick slice of tomato.

Hummus is a simple spread made from cooked, mashed chick peas (garbanzo beans), sesame tahini (ground sesame seeds, or sesame butter), lemon, garlic, olive oil, and seasonings. The recipe originated in the Middle East, and sure enough if you visit different ethnic restaurants, each region does something a little differently with their hummus. The quality, type, and proportion of the ingredients yield wildly different results. Vary with herbs like parsley; other beans like black beans; add-ins like roasted red pepper or hot peppers, and the possibilities are endless. Cedars brand used to make a chocolate hummus!

A trip to your local grocery store will reveal no shortage of hummus; there are at least 7 different brands I can think of, with a huge variety of flavors, sizes, and prices. I have sampled many, many types of hummus in my time, but none compare to the one pictured here: it is from my local bagel store, called King of Bagels, at 560 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair. The woman who works there makes the hummus herself, and it's delicious.

Since I love hummus so much, I thought I'd share some favorite ways to use it, and give you my own recipe:

1 can chick peas (drained, liquid reserved)
1/4 cup sesame tahini
3 cloves garlic
juice of 1-2 lemons
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
fresh parsley
salt, pepper, and cumin to taste (note: you may not need salt because the liquid that the chick peas are canned in is already salted.)

In a blender, puree the drained chick peas and remaining ingredients. Add reserved liquid slowly until desired consistency is reached.

Hummus is good for you too! Of course it is -- it's 100% whole plant foods (plus the olive oil, which you could leave out). It is a good source of iron, calcium, zinc, protein, fiber, and vitamin C. And it has a nice balance of carbs, fat, and protein, making it ideal for stabilizing blood sugars and avoiding that spike that often results from sugary or low-fiber snacks.

Some uses:

In a pita with lettuce, tomato, and chopped raw veggies
As a mayonnaise or pesto stand-in, on a roasted vegetable sandwich (see my last post!)
Thinned out and used as a salad dressing
As a dip for raw veggies, chips, pretzels, mini toasts, rice cakes... anything you can dip
On a cracker
On a slice of bread or bagel, topped with red onion, sprouts, lettuce, tomato...
In a wrap with tabouli (another Middle Eastern salad) or falafel
As a sauce -- try tossing with piping hot spaghetti and freshly roasted or steamed vegetables
As a topper for brown rice or other whole grain
Mixed with chopped olives, roasted portabello mushrooms, and roasted red peppers for a chunky side-dish
Right off the spoon -- a great pre-workout snack!