I am not kidding when I tell you that I think you can fool your friends with this “pulled” pork made from a fruit! Jackfruit, that is. I had never heard of jackfruit until a few years ago. In the grocery store they can be found fresh in the produce aisle. It looks like this and can be as large as a watermelon. It can also be found in cans — usually at a specialty or health food store. However many regular grocery stores are also carrying jackfruit in cans these days. I have only bought fresh jackfruit once. Luckily it was already cut into slices so I did not have to cut it in half, which I think would be quite tricky. CLICK HERE to see me dig through the jackfruit I bought. The fresh fruit is quite tasty and can be eaten raw, of course. This recipe is similar to that one, but… Read More
Healthy Green Bean Casserole
The garden is not as plentiful this year as last year, but we did manage to get some green beans and I even canned 11 pints. All these green beans made me hungry for a green bean casserole. But this is a healthier plant based version which is almost oil free. It is pretty easy to make too. Here are a few reasons why you should eat more green beans: They are full of nutrition and contain vitamins A and C — both boost your immune system which everyone should be doing these days. They contain minerals like calcium, magnesium, and iron. They contain protein –about 2 grams per serving. They are an excellent source of fiber — sadly many people do not get enough fiber. They are a great source of complex carbohydrates and are considered low a glycemic food. CLICK HERE for a link to the recipe I used. I did make… Read More
Wheatberry Salad
I mentioned at one point that I wanted to find a wheatberry salad recipe after really liking the wheatberry sloppy joe recipe I made last fall. CLICK HERE if you missed that recipe. I found THIS SALAD RECIPE and it was was very good. It is definitely a different salad with the roasted veggies and wheatberries which added unique textures and flavors. I have enjoyed cooking with wheatberries and experimenting with them. I am sure I will find new recipes to share soon, but for now, here is how I made the salad. You will need about 4 leeks and a red onion. Slice them up thinly. Be sure to thoroughly wash the leeks. Use parchment paper or foil to line the pan. Spray the veggies with cooking oil. Roast the veggies in a 400 degree oven until they are slightly browned and soft. Stir half way through for even browning. Cook about… 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
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
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
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.
Killer Kale Salad
Kale — it’s a four letter word for many people. In my opinion, kale has gotten a bad rap. It is one of the healthiest things you can eat. It’s full of nutrition and fiber. What could be better for your health? I read recently that the average person eats about 1 cup of kale every 10 years — or some outrageous fact like that. That is crazy! Kale is one of the cruciferous vegetables (others include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, arugula, cabbage, and bok choy ) which are about the healthiest things you can eat. They lower your risk of getting cancer and heart disease. I encourage even the people leery of anything kale to try this salad. It is very flavorful and it has great tastes and textures. It really is a power salad. The recipe I used can be found by CLICKING HERE. I only modified it in that I did… Read More
Deep Dish Pizza with Homemade Cheese
For some reason I had a craving for a deep dish pizza so I was inspired to make my own cheese to go with it. Both are relatively easy to make. In case you missed it, CLICK HERE to get to my blog about making the cheese. Here is how I made the pizza: Sauce 1 15 oz. can organic crushed peeled tomatoes 3 garlic cloves 1 1/2 tsp. oregano 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. sugar (optional) Cook for about an hour or so until the sauce becomes thick. Dough 1 1/2 cup organic flour (use about 2 cups if you are not using teff flour) 1/2 cup teff flour 1 1/2 tsp. yeast 3/4 tsp. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt Mix everything together into a bowl. Add 1 cup warm water. Mix well and knead for about 10-15 minutes. Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Veggies Cut up and saute whatever veggies you like… Read More
Lettuce Wraps
I grew some great looking and tasting lettuce this spring in my garden and it inspired me to make plant based lettuce wraps. I followed no real recipe, but things I knew would taste good together. Boy, what a treat! They can be eaten as a wrap (a little messy) or you can make a salad out of the mixture. Either way, it’s a nutritious and delicious lunch or dinner for summer. Lettuce wraps: Cook about 1 cup of brown and/or green lentils. I happened to have both. Cook until soft. Then set aside to cool. Saute celery and carrots in veggie broth (I used an ice cube I keep my freezer). Add cut up mushrooms and saute until they are soft. To add some flavor, I dolloped in some nutritional yeast, coconut amino acids, regular amino acids, and tamari (soy sauce) while the veggies and mushrooms were cooking. Cook the veggies until they are… Read More
Plant based sushi with mushrooms and cucumber
I was never brave enough to try “real” sushi with raw fish. YUCK! However, I did start really liking sushi when I tried a plant based version of it. This is a simple dish that you can fix and take to your next gathering. It’s a great finger food at picnics. While making sushi might seem a little intimidating at first, it is really not too hard once you get the hang of it. I hope you enjoy! I took this to a plant based potluck and it went over very well. This potluck was sponsored by the Plant Based Nutrition Support Group. They are nationwide and they help people become better informed about plant based eating. There might be a group near you. CLICK HERE for a link to their website. To make the sushi: Boil cup of sushi/sticky rice with 2 cups of water. Boil until the rice is tender and the water… Read More
Rice Casserole with Lentils
Rice and lentils are staples for plant based eaters. That is the basis for this casserole, but there are plenty of veggies too. How can you go wrong with that? Well, you can’t. This is a hearty dish that makes A LOT. Since I am the primary one eating the meals I cook, I will probably only make 1/2 of this recipe next time because it was hard to eat it all in a timely way. For a big family this dish is perfect for dinner plus some leftovers too. I got the recipe from Forks Over Knives. If you are a plant based eater AND you want to cut down on oils this website is a must see. Click HERE for the recipe. I would love to know if you made and enjoyed this casserole as much as I did!
Carbs — they aren’t so bad after all!
I am a Food Over Medicine instructor through Wellness Forum Health Wellness Forum Health in Columbus, Ohio. I do presentations for groups to help them better understand how they can take charge of their health. This presentation dispels some of the myths that have circulated in our society and uses data and research to explain the true facts. For example, many people believe that diseases are genetic. If your mom or dad had heart disease or cancer, you are more likely to get it. However, the presentation shares research and statistics that identical twins and Native American populations who are genetically identical or similar often have different health outcomes and it can all be traced back to diet. It was the diet that determined their health, not their genes. If you think about it, you probably eat what your parents ate and that’s why you might get their same diseases. There are many controversial topics… Read More
