I have never been much of a gardener even though my parents had a pretty big garden when I was growing up. I truly regret not learning from their expertise. I just never really took an interest in the garden as a kid. As an adult, I tried gardening and found that keeping up with the weeds was very difficult and I always produced too much food, so a lot of it seemed to go to waste. So, I stopped gardening. A couple years back I decided to give it a try again. Being a plant-based eater (which I never was when I tried to garden before) I figured I would be more enthused about gardening with my new love of everything green, red, yellow, orange, and purple. Plus I wanted to learn how to can my own tomato soup with chemical free tomatoes, so I was doubly inspired. I am so glad I gave… Read More
Mac and “Cheese”
I’m sure you are like me and have comfort foods that just make you feel good when you eat them. We all need those right now more than ever, right? Mac and cheese would be right up there on my list. But we need to eat a healthier version as we continue to pump up our immune system. However, when you go plant based it would seem that mac and cheese is no longer an option. Well, I have great news if you are plant based (or thinking about it) and want your mac and cheese too! I have tried other mac and cheese recipes, but this one is one of the best because of the delicious sauce that has so many flavors. This recipe came from the How Not to Die Cookbook by Dr. Michael Gregor (sorry — I mispronounced his name in the video). I strongly encourage you to read his book… Read More
Mother Earth Needs Your Help
I think I have always been an environmentalist at heart. I have always cared about animals, picking up litter and keeping our Earth clean. I cringe when I see unnecessary destruction of our land and water. I just don’t understand how people can be so thoughtless and cruel. Call me a bleeding heart, but that is truly who I am at my core. So, today just after the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, I am writing to plead to you to help take care of Mother Earth’s health. Without her being healthy, NO ONE on Earth can be truly healthy. As I have holed up trying to ride out this current “storm”, I have been looking for things to read and listen to. I ended up downloading an app on my phone for podcasts called Stitcher. As I looked through all of their offerings, I came across one done my Micheal Moore — the director… Read More
Penne Pasta with Spinach and Chick Peas
During these last few weeks, health has been our major concern. Well, it’s been my major concern ever since I went plant-based — not just for the past few weeks. Food should always be your number one defense when it comes to your health. In today’s climate we need healthy food more than ever. You simply cannot be healthy if you don’t eat the right foods or get the nutrition you need. This is a very simple 5 ingredient meal I made in about 15 minutes. Even people who don’t like to cook can make this. It is so easy and delicious PLUS it will give your body the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. Just look at the color! Eating the rainbow leads to better health. Stay safe out there! INGREDIENTS: 10 oz. fresh (preferably organic) spinach, chopped About 2-3 cups whole grain penne pasta 2-3 tbsp. veggie broth 6-8 cloves garlic — I… Read More
Quinoa Breakfast Cookies
At this point, I’m sure many of you are as stressed out as I have been about this pandemic we are currently facing. Stress causes people to eat things they really shouldn’t and I am no exception. In an effort to cut down on my sugar intake, but still be able to have something sweet, I decided to try this recipe. It does have some sugar (organic) but there’s not too much. A lot of the sweetness comes from the oranges and the cranberries (which I substituted for the stone fruit). I was also intrigued by the fact that quinoa is a key ingredient. I am still amazed that I was in my 50s before I ever knew what quinoa was. Once I tried it, I loved pretty much everything I made with it. There are so many benefits from eating quinoa. It is one of the most complete plant-based proteins. It’s also gluten free… Read More
You Have the Power! You do!
I’m still in shock, as I am sure many people are, over the current health scare going on worldwide. I find it fascinating that a microscopic organism can shut down the planet, but it basically has. We are to avoid exposure to other people by distancing ourselves and remaining holed up in our homes so as to stop the virus from spreading. One can feel helpless in this situation, but you aren’t helpless. You have more power than you know to get or keep yourself healthy during this crisis. Now is an excellent time to start some immunity boosting activities to help your immune system ward off this virus if you come in contact with it. Unfortunately, our planet is overrun with unhealthy people whose immune systems are comprised. That is one reason why this virus is spreading so rapidly. When the immune system is compromised you are more likely to get sick from any… Read More
Immune Boosting Chili
As you know we are experiencing interesting and unprecedented times with the outbreak of the coronavirus. The health of you and your loved ones is of utmost importance. Having a strong and vibrant immune system is the best protection from ANY virus that may be lurking about. There are many ways to help improve your immunity and strengthen both your physical and energy body. One of the best ways is to eat nutritiously dense food which are ALWAYS PLANTS. I know that it is March and there are signs of spring in the air, but the nights are still cold and the weather has many ups and downs in temperature. So, I decided to make some immune boosting chili which will help keep me warm on these chilly nights. I call it immune boosting because it is full of healthy plant-based nutrition with no oil. Health starts in the gut so let’s feed it something… Read More
Wheat Berry Sloppy Joes
Have you ever heard of wheat berries? I hadn’t until recently. These tasty little nuggets are what wheat products are made from. Sorry to those who are gluten intolerant — these aren’t for you. Wheat berries contain all the healthy stuff that is often stripped away when making wheat products. As far as nutrition goes, they are packed full of protein, iron, magnesium, vitamin E, and fiber. In addition, they are low in calories and very filling. While I chose to make sloppy joes, you can use wheat berries as you would any other grain and can stand in as a substitute from time to time. They also make a great meat substitute as you will see with the sloppy joes. I think I might try adding them to chili next time instead of lentils. Wheat berries may be hard to find in your local grocery store, though. Look at your local food co-op… Read More
Confession: I Love Bread!
I know that bread is an evil food these days with everyone counting their carbs, but this is one food I could never give up. The more I learn about carbs the more I realize they are not the problem if you eat the right ones. Of course, there are bad carbs, but many are good ones too. The real culprit is protein — we eat way too much of that. Read my blog post about protein by clicking HERE. This bread is filling, wholesome, plant-based, and above all –DELICIOUS! This recipe is adapted from a Martha Stewart boulle recipe. I made a few tweaks to make it a little better (in my opinion). Starter: 1/2 cup organic flour 1/4 tsp. yeast 1/3 cup lukewarm water Ingredients: 1 tsp yeast 1 2/3 cup lukewarm water 3 tsp. salt 4 cups organic flour Mix the ingredients for the starter. Make the starter at least 8-12… Read More
Speciesism — Do you know what it is?
Speciesism. I have come to understand this term very well in the last year or so. Have you ever heard of it? It is really pretty simple: it’s prejudice or discrimination based on species. And it is everywhere in this world just like other -isms you know. It just took me 50 some years to figure it out. I have always loved animals. As a kid I remember seeing a picture of a raccoon caught in a trap who died as it struggled to free itself. This picture is still seared in my mind. The fact that it wasn’t a dog or a cat didn’t matter. It was an animal who suffered at the hands of a human and it made me both sad and angry. How could someone do that? So, I have always had a compassion for animals of all kinds. I bet you do too! As a kid, we always had at… Read More
The Poop on Poop
Yes, you heard me right…..I want to talk about poop. Now, I know this is a rather embarrassing and uncomfortable topic, but it’s important to talk about this because what you excrete from your body is just as important as what you put into your body. Your poop can tell you a lot about your health. I will be brutally honest here. Because I eat a plant based diet, I eat a lot of fiber. Fiber makes you poop — in fact fiber is essential if you want to poop regularly (and who doesn’t?) So, I poop as much as 3-4 times a day — regular sized poops. I can’t imagine my day without that. I understand that some people only poop every other day or maybe only a few times a week. Say, what?? Are you kidding me? That is not a person eating a healthy diet, in my opinion. They are eating too… Read More
My Skin Cancer Experience
I consider myself a pretty healthy person — I do my best to eat right and exercise. My body is my temple and I try to treat it that way. So I was surprised when I got a phone call from my dermatologist telling me I had skin cancer. As far as I know, there is not much I could have done to keep from getting skin cancer other than stay out of the sun or protect my skin with sunscreen, so, having a healthy lifestyle, really didn’t help me in this case. Around the spring of 2017, I noticed a spot on the top of my nose. It was very small and I really didn’t think much about it other than I had noticed it was there. I really didn’t want to go to the doctor because I was leaving my job (and therefore my health insurance) so I let it go and tried… Read More
A Perfect Vision for 2020
Last year at this time I gave 5 tips to make 2019 the healthiest year ever. These tips still ring true and if you missed it last year, CLICK HERE to read these tips. For 2020 I wanted to do something a little different. Since the year is 2020 which is perfect vision, I thought I would share some of the visions of how I would like to make 2020 a great year. Look around…everything you see was a vision in someone’s mind before it ever became reality. I see 2020 as a year of vision and following through on that vision so that it becomes a reality. 1. LISTEN TO MORE MUSIC For whatever reason, I have gotten out of the habit of listening to music regularly. Music is and always has been a passion of mine, but recently I have been listening to other things like podcasts or books on tape or… Read More
My Intention Group Experience
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. — Margaret Mead I have always loved this quote and now it means so much more to me. That’s because of my work with an intention group. If you have no idea what an intention group is, please read my earlier blog by CLICKING HERE. I mentioned in my blog that I would follow up with what I have been doing with intention work. That is what this blog is all about. I had no idea I wrote that blog a year ago. Better late than never! After I read the book The Power of Eight and wrote my blog, I decided I wanted to start my own group. I was unsuccessful in getting at least 8 people together and schedules were tough to work around, so I put that on hold… Read More
Harm None Pumpkin Pie
The holidays can be a real drag for the plant-based folks who are often ridiculed or belittled because of their beliefs. Not taking part in the food festivities can be uncomfortable, but there are options and it is the perfect opportunity to get people to taste something plant-based (and they don’t even need to know). Pumpkin pie is one of my favorite desserts this time of year. When I became plant-based I had to give up a lot of the desserts I was used to eating because most contain eggs, milk, and/or butter. However, with the plant-based movement gaining momentum, there are so many options available. This is one of them. I hope you enjoy this plant-based pumpkin pie. PIE SHELL Any pie shell recipe will do as long as it does not contain butter. If you purchase one at the store, just check the ingredients first. FILLING 2 cups pumpkin puree OR canned plain… Read More
Coconut Rice
I found this recipe online some time ago, but it included meat. After I went plant based I decided I liked it enough to modify it. I am so glad I did because it is an easy meal to make. It also makes a lot so I am set for the week. I put everything in my rice cooker and it’s done in about an hour. Plus the list of whole food ingredients is small, so it’s simple and fairly inexpensive to make. Enjoy! Coconut Rice 3/4 of a large onion, diced 1 inch ginger, finely grated veggie broth 1 can coconut milk 16 oz. orange juice 2 cups rice (I used the amount my rice cooker called for which is slightly less than 2 cups) 2-3 carrots, sliced 1 can kidney beans Salt to taste — I recommend black salt, but any salt will do Saute onion and ginger until soft. Cut up carrots.… Read More
Moroccan Stew
I’m sure everyone is still transitioning to the colder weather as we get deeper and deeper into the fall season. What better time to make a hearty stew! This is a Moroccan stew that I got from the following website: The Jazzy Vegetarian. This link will take you to the recipe for the Moroccan stew along with some other recipes you might like to try. This is a wonderful resource for plant based eaters. If you haven’t checked out this website, or her TV show on Create TV, you should! Literally everything I have made from her site has been delicious.
How Not to Die — A Great Read
I have read so many great books on plant based eating since I made my transition for better health. I’ve learned a lot but there is always something new to learn. I learned so much from the book How Not to Die by Dr. Michael McGreger. In this book he dedicates many chapters to very familiar chronic diseases many people face in this country. For example, there are chapters on: heart disease, lung disease, brain disease, digestive cancers, infections, diabetes, high blood pressure, liver disease, blood cancer, suicidal depression, prostate cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and Iatrogenic causes. That is a LONG list of problems and they can all be helped (or even eliminated) by eating a plant based diet. Dr. Greger’s story started with his grandmother who was diagnosed with heart disease at the age of 65. She was sent home to die after several failed surgeries. However, she went on a plant based diet and… Read More
