Adapted from Leanne Campbell's "The China Study Cookbook"
1/3 cup apple cider or rice vinegar or orange flavoured white balsamic (this is a sweet vinegar)
1-2 tbsp lime juice depends on sweetness of mango
1/2 cup mangos diced (frozen works too)
1/2 tsp grated ginger
pinch sea or pink Himalayan salt
Blend together in a blender.
Monday, 29 February 2016
Salad season????
It is only February & normally here in Calgary it's still cold, the snow is on the ground and salads are the last thing I want to eat.
Not this year! The temperature has been very mild & the snow has almost melted. I have even been out without a coat!
My body has been craving salads.
Normally this is no problem I have some favourites like my "Everything but the kitchen sink salad", which is just what it says, any and every veg I have chopped up with nuts and seeds added then mixed with a favourite dressing.
The difficulty is I am addressing 2 issues, firstly my pre-diabetic glucose levels and secondly my weight and most salad dressing you can buy are either high in oil or sugar or have something I suspect as not being healthy added. All the plans that prevent & reverse diseases recommend adding no oil as there are more than enough essential fatty acids in veg & fruit. Fortunately the books I mentioned the other day by Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. T Colin Campbell, Dr, Thomas Campbell, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn & Rip Esselstyn as well as cookbooks by Leanne Campbell all have delicious dressings.
But what to do when there are none in the fridge an no time to make one?
I have at last discovered the freshness of a few drops of lemon juice, a splash of apple cider vinegar or Komucha. While these are all acidic they actually help your body maintain alkalinity which is vital to health. If they are too tart for taste-buds a few blueberries or a slice of mango chopped into the salad bring the hint of sweetness needed. I have always found processed foods including dressings in Canada to be too sweet and certainly that is no help when watching weight, glucose levels or food addictions, but the added fruit to a salad helps find a balance between too acidic and too sweet. It also adds nutrients and fiber which sugar, honey, maple syrup or argave do not. If sweet is what you crave see the mango dressing under the label "Dressings etc"
If your dressing lacks "stickability" put a tsp or less of of ground flax seed in your dressing - a little goes a long way so experiment with a pinch or too first. The flax meal greats a gel when mixed with water so a pinch shaken with a no-oil dressing can just add a bit of sickability like oil does.
Not this year! The temperature has been very mild & the snow has almost melted. I have even been out without a coat!
My body has been craving salads.
Normally this is no problem I have some favourites like my "Everything but the kitchen sink salad", which is just what it says, any and every veg I have chopped up with nuts and seeds added then mixed with a favourite dressing.
The difficulty is I am addressing 2 issues, firstly my pre-diabetic glucose levels and secondly my weight and most salad dressing you can buy are either high in oil or sugar or have something I suspect as not being healthy added. All the plans that prevent & reverse diseases recommend adding no oil as there are more than enough essential fatty acids in veg & fruit. Fortunately the books I mentioned the other day by Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. T Colin Campbell, Dr, Thomas Campbell, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn & Rip Esselstyn as well as cookbooks by Leanne Campbell all have delicious dressings.
But what to do when there are none in the fridge an no time to make one?
I have at last discovered the freshness of a few drops of lemon juice, a splash of apple cider vinegar or Komucha. While these are all acidic they actually help your body maintain alkalinity which is vital to health. If they are too tart for taste-buds a few blueberries or a slice of mango chopped into the salad bring the hint of sweetness needed. I have always found processed foods including dressings in Canada to be too sweet and certainly that is no help when watching weight, glucose levels or food addictions, but the added fruit to a salad helps find a balance between too acidic and too sweet. It also adds nutrients and fiber which sugar, honey, maple syrup or argave do not. If sweet is what you crave see the mango dressing under the label "Dressings etc"
If your dressing lacks "stickability" put a tsp or less of of ground flax seed in your dressing - a little goes a long way so experiment with a pinch or too first. The flax meal greats a gel when mixed with water so a pinch shaken with a no-oil dressing can just add a bit of sickability like oil does.
Simple oil-free Beet salad or relish
1 large or 2 small beets
1 orange
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
cilantro or mint chopped
Grate beets, chop orange flesh in a bowl to collect juice. Mix all ingredients together & leave for at least 20 mins for flavours to meld.
Simple, nutritious & delicious. This is good as a salad or on top of a veggie burger.
1 orange
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
cilantro or mint chopped
Grate beets, chop orange flesh in a bowl to collect juice. Mix all ingredients together & leave for at least 20 mins for flavours to meld.
Simple, nutritious & delicious. This is good as a salad or on top of a veggie burger.
Saturday, 27 February 2016
lentil black bean patties
1 small onion, finely chopped
4-5 crimini or brown cap mushrooms finely chopped
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp tamari wheat free soy sauce or Braggs
1-2 tbsp red wine (optional) - the alcohol cooks out
Put all ingredients in a frying pan on medium to high heat and cook down until softened and very little fluid remains.
Add 1/3 cup rolled oats
1 cup cooked drained & rinsed brown lentils
1/4 - 1/2 cup of smashed cooked black beans (do this in a bowl with a fork to make a rough paste - I use the ones at the bottom of the can that have some of the thick black fluid attached, this makes the paste stick to the other ingredients better)
1/2 cup of whole black beans
2 - 3 tbsp organic tomato ketchup, one with no sugar added
1 heaped tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp of herbs (I use tarrogon & thyme or Provencial mix, but you can use your favourite herbs)
1-2 tsp ground flax seeds (this acts as a binding agent)
salt & pepper or Montreal Steak spice
Mix everything together. Add a little more tamari if the oats remain very dry looking. The mix should be moist but not too wet.
Cover & leave for at least 10 mins for flavour to meld, the oven can heat up to 400 degrees F while you wait.
Form into 6 patties and place on baking sheet lined with Parchment paper. Cook for about 7 min, gently flip and cook for another 7 min. If the mix is a bit wet cook for slightly longer. They should be crisp on the outside & moist but not wet inside.
Enjoy topped with salsa or grated beets marinated in a little apple cider vinegar alongside a tossed salad.
4-5 crimini or brown cap mushrooms finely chopped
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp tamari wheat free soy sauce or Braggs
1-2 tbsp red wine (optional) - the alcohol cooks out
Put all ingredients in a frying pan on medium to high heat and cook down until softened and very little fluid remains.
Add 1/3 cup rolled oats
1 cup cooked drained & rinsed brown lentils
1/4 - 1/2 cup of smashed cooked black beans (do this in a bowl with a fork to make a rough paste - I use the ones at the bottom of the can that have some of the thick black fluid attached, this makes the paste stick to the other ingredients better)
1/2 cup of whole black beans
2 - 3 tbsp organic tomato ketchup, one with no sugar added
1 heaped tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp of herbs (I use tarrogon & thyme or Provencial mix, but you can use your favourite herbs)
1-2 tsp ground flax seeds (this acts as a binding agent)
salt & pepper or Montreal Steak spice
Mix everything together. Add a little more tamari if the oats remain very dry looking. The mix should be moist but not too wet.
Cover & leave for at least 10 mins for flavour to meld, the oven can heat up to 400 degrees F while you wait.
Form into 6 patties and place on baking sheet lined with Parchment paper. Cook for about 7 min, gently flip and cook for another 7 min. If the mix is a bit wet cook for slightly longer. They should be crisp on the outside & moist but not wet inside.
Enjoy topped with salsa or grated beets marinated in a little apple cider vinegar alongside a tossed salad.
Monday, 22 February 2016
Back with a vengeance - cos sometimes it ain't what it looks like
I have had a very stressful couple of years! The result is I eat badly - I crave unhealthy carbs, meat, salt in excess- the typical addicts response. Yet even with my out of control eating I still looked like I am eating more healthily than most people. But appearances can be deceptive.
While I have kept to an 80% vegan gluten-free lifestyle it is the 20% that messed me up. The occasional gluten, fat & sugar filled muffin, a big handful of roasted salted nuts or some fries once a week, the once in a rare occasion steak or a bit of salmon cos the menu is not vegan friendly have exerted their toll. To all those who say
"a little of what you fancy won't hurt you"
I am here to say that is the lie that kills you.
My little fancies have resulted in a diagnosis of pre-diabetes, a gain of 20 lbs after loosing 45 lbs after the heart attack, a bit of a rise in my cholesterol & being sick for about six weeks with flu/viral symptoms that would not clear.
So I got mad! Then I got miserable....
Then I decided to get out the books that saved my life before (no not the Bible this time) To remind me of the why & how to get back on track I re-read Dr.Neal Barnard's "Reversing Diabetes", Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's "Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease; Dr, Dean Ornish's "Program for Reversing Heart Disease. At the same time I went back on a strict vegan whole food eating plan cut added oil from my diet and began adding squeezed lemon to my water again.
Between Jan 1 and today I have lost just over 14 lbs.
I borrowed a glucose monitor from my dear friend Gwen & have become OCD at taking readings. The good news is that my fasting glucose is down from around 9 to an average of 7.4 since Jan 26 when I started & my after food level is never more than 10 - the highest point for a healthy 60+ year old & it's usually between 6.4 - 8.0. All this in only a matter of weeks!
The eating plan is easy!
The food is delicious!
The results are astounding!
Why are our doctors, dietitians & health gurus not proclaiming it from the hill tops?
I know there are lots of reasons, many of which are highlighted in the books I just mentioned and in books like the China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell or the Campbell Plan by his son Dr,Thomas Campbell; but the one I keep coming across in Alberta is our deep seated belief that meat & dairy are essential or we won't get enough protein.
The fact is we need only 12.5 grams of protein per 500 calories of food to meet all our needs. Whole plant food provides 29 grams which is an optimal level as plants have loads of fiber, no cholesterol & just the right balance of essential fats to keep us healthy, slim and feeling good. Meat & dairy provides 51 grams & in this case more is not better for the combination of fat, cholesterol, no fiber & excessive hard to digest protein in even the leanest meat & lowest fat dairy are shown to be major causes or contributors to diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. They also contain substances that are addictive to our brain & our gut; so the thought of giving them up can bring on some strong emotional response. The fact is that if you go full out on a whole plant - no added oil way of eating for 3 weeks you feel so much more alive that the initial learning curve is worth it.
I am not saying you won't be tempted to go back.... I know I am, but only when my life gets so stressful I want to check out for a while. The stupid thing is that is exactly when a whole plant-food diet is essential; the substances in say whole oatmeal (rolled or steel-cut), barley, brown rice, whole grain pasta or even a baked potato etc bring on a sense of comfort and release chemicals in our brain to reduce stress, give energy and make us feel good. The fruits and veg bring our body & mind back into balance - it is healthy self-medicating! Add some exercise & the stress begins to melt.
Thanks for reading.
Debbie
While I have kept to an 80% vegan gluten-free lifestyle it is the 20% that messed me up. The occasional gluten, fat & sugar filled muffin, a big handful of roasted salted nuts or some fries once a week, the once in a rare occasion steak or a bit of salmon cos the menu is not vegan friendly have exerted their toll. To all those who say
"a little of what you fancy won't hurt you"
I am here to say that is the lie that kills you.
My little fancies have resulted in a diagnosis of pre-diabetes, a gain of 20 lbs after loosing 45 lbs after the heart attack, a bit of a rise in my cholesterol & being sick for about six weeks with flu/viral symptoms that would not clear.
So I got mad! Then I got miserable....
Then I decided to get out the books that saved my life before (no not the Bible this time) To remind me of the why & how to get back on track I re-read Dr.Neal Barnard's "Reversing Diabetes", Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's "Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease; Dr, Dean Ornish's "Program for Reversing Heart Disease. At the same time I went back on a strict vegan whole food eating plan cut added oil from my diet and began adding squeezed lemon to my water again.
Between Jan 1 and today I have lost just over 14 lbs.
I borrowed a glucose monitor from my dear friend Gwen & have become OCD at taking readings. The good news is that my fasting glucose is down from around 9 to an average of 7.4 since Jan 26 when I started & my after food level is never more than 10 - the highest point for a healthy 60+ year old & it's usually between 6.4 - 8.0. All this in only a matter of weeks!
The eating plan is easy!
The food is delicious!
The results are astounding!
Why are our doctors, dietitians & health gurus not proclaiming it from the hill tops?
I know there are lots of reasons, many of which are highlighted in the books I just mentioned and in books like the China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell or the Campbell Plan by his son Dr,Thomas Campbell; but the one I keep coming across in Alberta is our deep seated belief that meat & dairy are essential or we won't get enough protein.
The fact is we need only 12.5 grams of protein per 500 calories of food to meet all our needs. Whole plant food provides 29 grams which is an optimal level as plants have loads of fiber, no cholesterol & just the right balance of essential fats to keep us healthy, slim and feeling good. Meat & dairy provides 51 grams & in this case more is not better for the combination of fat, cholesterol, no fiber & excessive hard to digest protein in even the leanest meat & lowest fat dairy are shown to be major causes or contributors to diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. They also contain substances that are addictive to our brain & our gut; so the thought of giving them up can bring on some strong emotional response. The fact is that if you go full out on a whole plant - no added oil way of eating for 3 weeks you feel so much more alive that the initial learning curve is worth it.
I am not saying you won't be tempted to go back.... I know I am, but only when my life gets so stressful I want to check out for a while. The stupid thing is that is exactly when a whole plant-food diet is essential; the substances in say whole oatmeal (rolled or steel-cut), barley, brown rice, whole grain pasta or even a baked potato etc bring on a sense of comfort and release chemicals in our brain to reduce stress, give energy and make us feel good. The fruits and veg bring our body & mind back into balance - it is healthy self-medicating! Add some exercise & the stress begins to melt.
Thanks for reading.
Debbie
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