tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37904147669453520542024-03-19T03:37:58.517-04:00Vegan EpicureanA collection of healthy recipes that taste too good to be good for you, but they are!
You will also find links to articles about health and nutrition.Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.comBlogger1413125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-15139235307047638982013-02-05T21:46:00.002-05:002013-02-05T21:46:58.583-05:00Super Bowl Champions and Eating Out<br />
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Sorry that I haven’t gotten a post up the last two
days. We have been busy the last few
days. First there was Baltimore’s second Super Bowl win since I have lived
here. I don’t have to tell you what sort of pandemonium something like that brings
to a town. However I don’t see anyone
complaining since we were all too busy celebrating. </div>
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Monday I was also busy. First I had to get a lot of things
done at home since I knew I was going with my father for an outpatient procedure
Tuesday morning. Everything turned out fine, by the way. ;-)
Monday night Dan and I had dinner with our architect friend Jeff who is
from Missouri. For those of you who were expecting Phil (he is Jeff’s dad) he
had to stay in Missouri for two funerals so it was just the three (Dan, Jeff
and myself) of us. Since I know you all
enjoy a good meal I thought I would share the evening’s food in today’s post. </div>
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In a very uncharacteristic move I have also
decided to share a pic of me from Monday night.
I hate pictures of myself because all I see is “old” but for those of
you who are curious what I look like here I am. ;-) See, I am definitely more of a curvy vegan than Kate Moss look-a-like. Don't get to used to pics of me since I really don't like them. Just thought you might be curious and felt like "running with scissors" today.</div>
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When we arrived at the restaurant we hear that Ahmad’s last
day will be this week. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span> But on the bright side he will be making more
money and he’s engaged so that part of the story was great. We chatted with him for a while and he
“convinced” Jeff that the jalapeno margarita was the way to go. I had a sip Ahmad was right. Jeff thought so too since he had 2 of them.</div>
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While we were chatting Ahmad told me about some of the
infused spirits he was working with. The
first was the jalapeno tequila but there were also others that he was also
infusing. When he asked if we wanted a taste I was very quick to say yes. So he bought out a flight of infused spirits
including: grapefruit infused gin,
Tahitian vanilla infused rye whisky and blood orange and pineapple infused rum. The grapefruit gin had the most intoxicating
aroma. I will be infusing some for us
soon. I think it will make a kick butt gin and tonics this summer on the boat.</div>
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After the adult beverages and green tea it was time for us
to eat food. ;-) Dan and I started with a bowl of white bean
and kale soup which is usually on the menu and is vegan so you know we like
that. Not to mention can you ever get
enough kale? </div>
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Jeff ordered the Caesar salad with the marinated white
anchovies. If there is one thing I miss about being vegan it may just be the
Spanish marinated white anchovies that Ian always has. Those briny little fish
are the bomb!</div>
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Then Dan and I ordered the kale salad which we split. This
one has lemon juice, olive oil, pine nuts, tomato, golden raisins and
olives. Delicious! When I make it at home I omit the olive oil
and it is just and good and maybe better. But that is because we don’t eat much
oil now. Sorry there is no picture of this dish. I only took one shot and it was
blurry. Oops!</div>
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Next Dan and I split the Sicilian penne. It is a red sauce
with eggplant, onions, artichokes, capers and olives. It has a little bit of heat in the background
as well as fresh basil. It is a delicious dish.</div>
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Jeff went with the crispy salmon over gnocchi, Brussels
sprouts and mushrooms and thoroughly enjoyed it. I know this because he told me that was full
but that it was too good not to keep eating. That is definitely the sign of a
well prepared meal. ;-)</div>
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For those of you looking for recipe ideas, we often order
the cauliflower dish on the menu that is vegan.
It is delicious if you want to try your hand at recreating it at
home. ;-)</div>
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As usual we ate slow, chatted a lot and were the last ones
to leave the restaurant. Basically it
was a typical evening out with us.
;-) </div>
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One of the topics of conversation over dinner was about
eating slowly. Jeff was big into martial arts earlier in life so we were
chatting about health and exercise which you know I enjoyed. Since I only know Jeff as an architect I have
to remind myself that he used to own and operate a martial arts studio. I find
people and their interests so fascinating.
Jeff’s point was that by eating slowly and stopping when you are
satisfied most people can make a big difference in their health. I added that if you also focus on eating your
produce first that will make an even bigger difference. ;-)</div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
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<ol>
<li>Monday was busy but productive. I was able to cross a few
things off my to-do list which was a good way to end my day.</li>
<li>We had a wonderful evening meal with Jeff. What more could
you want other than to spend time with people you like, good food and good
conversation?</li>
<li>Tuesday morning I could not find a single pair of pants that
fit me well. I found one pair which worked with a belt but that was it. While it is good that all my pants are too
big it was also a bit annoying to find it out when I was trying to get dressed.
I knew my jeans were too big but didn’t realize it was all my pants until this
morning. Darn, it looks like it is time for me to go clothes shopping. You know I hate that right? LOL</li>
<li>I am very stoked to try my hand at making grapefruit infused
gin for the summer. I love gin and I
love grapefruit and the combination last night was amazing. Ahmad had a brilliant idea with that
combination. Now I just need to be
careful that this doesn’t lead to too many adult beverages while on the
boat. I can’t wait to share this with
our neighbors Reuben and Eric. *happy
dance*</li>
<li>Speaking of Eric, I had a lovely conversation with him
yesterday. Booz Allen is interested in talked to him about a job and I couldn’t
be happier. Congrats Eric!!</li>
</ol>
<b>Signing out:</b><br />
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I am typing this sitting in the waiting room of the
outpatient surgery center while I wait for my father’s procedure to be
completed. I decided this was a great
time to catch up on the blog since I had a little waiting time on my hands. However I will say that you learn a lot
sitting in waiting rooms. I enjoy watching people and noticing how different
yet similar we are all.</div>
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I hope that you are having a fabulous week so far. Assuming father continues to recover as expected
I am hoping not to miss too many days blogging.
Worst case I expect to be back to blogging by Friday. Talk with you all again very soon. Ciao for now.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-29451370826167324162013-02-03T00:00:00.000-05:002013-02-03T07:10:26.086-05:00Busting a Weight Plateau<br />
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<i>(beet, orange, walnut and upland cress salad at Zaytinya in DC)</i></div>
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“How do I bust my weight plateau” is one of those questions
that I hear all the time so I know that it is a topic that is near and dear to
many people’s hearts. You’ve been doing
the exact same thing that resulted in weight loss for some time and then it’s
like someone hit the brakes and the scale refuses to budge. You stay with your prior program and every
time you get on the scale … nothing happens!
What the heck is going on? Does this sound familiar to you? Weight plateaus happen to all of us no matter
who we are, what we are eating and how much we are exercising. However there are things that you can do to
get the scale moving again and I am going to discuss those in this post.</div>
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<i>(balsamic roasted pears over spring mix topped with hazelnuts)</i></div>
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<i>Why do weight plateaus happen?</i></div>
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People are always asking me why they are doing the same
thing that caused them to lose <i>XX</i> pounds and then suddenly those healthy habits
stopped working. Everyone seems to be
baffled when this happens to them. It is very easy to get stuck in your habits. It is human nature to think that what worked
for you in the past will continue to work in the future but that is not always
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I am going to use a little math to show you why the same
habits won’t continue to work over time.
Hopefully seeing why this happens will help you to shake up your routine
if/when you hit a weight loss plateau.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Assume you are a 50 year old, 5 foot 2 inch, 150 pound woman
(using those numbers because the math is easier). To estimate your basal metabolic rate (BMR)
the formula is 655 + (4.35 times weight in pounds) + (4.7 times height in
inches) – (4.7 times age in years). This
equates to 655 + (4.35 x 150) + (4.7 x 62) - (4.7 x 50). When you run the numbers you get a BMR
estimate of 1,364 calories. Don’t gasp…
I hear you. It isn’t as bad as it sounds
you get to add the calories that you burn with exercise to your estimated BMR
to calculate your allowable calories for the day. I hope this helps you to see why
exercise makes a difference both when you are trying to lose weight and when
you are working to maintain your weight.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now let’s assume that you lost 20 pounds so now you are the
same woman but you weigh 130 pounds. When you run the numbers you now get a BMR
of 1,277. The only thing you changed was
that you lost weight and somehow you now must eat approximately 100 calories
less. Does this help you to understand
why you can’t keeping doing the same thing and get the same results? As we lose weight it our bodies require fewer
calories to maintain themselves. That is what BMR is trying to calculate. BMR
is basically the calories required to maintain your body, your muscle mass, to
fuel your brain that sort of thing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since I know we have male readers the BMR formula for guys
is 66 + (6.23 times weight in pounds) + (12.7 times height in inches) – (6.8 times
age in years). The gentlemen also get to add the calories they burn with
exercise to their BMR to determine how many calories they should be eating
daily.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGcs1TC9ZVthFPTZQhbgIL978-4iTMw3Ed_bmmG2pFi7VUk08zL54yf56SjBkHkFDAdXppPxY-GSIPZo7c_hPE70JBNSEOdZrETLpPFFLOHHhEVg1CClkCB7Xuj-w4ZMoanI4BRquR5rx/s1600/12+28+11+shoes+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGcs1TC9ZVthFPTZQhbgIL978-4iTMw3Ed_bmmG2pFi7VUk08zL54yf56SjBkHkFDAdXppPxY-GSIPZo7c_hPE70JBNSEOdZrETLpPFFLOHHhEVg1CClkCB7Xuj-w4ZMoanI4BRquR5rx/s640/12+28+11+shoes+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(the aftermath of exercising at my house)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>What can you do to get the scale to move?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now there are two obvious things that any of us can do to
get the scale moving. Those would be eat fewer calories and burn more calories
with exercise. After seeing the formula
to calculate BMR above I am sure you all those two suggestions coming a mile
away. ;-)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However there is another possibility that is not as obvious
to the ladies. That would be to create more lean muscle which requires more
calories for maintenance. This is actually also the reason that men can eat so
many more calories than we ladies. Men
are naturally larger (bigger frame) and they have more muscle mass. These two
things mean our men get to eat a lot more than we can. Think about that the next time you are
serving yourself dinner. If you are
eating anywhere near the same amount as your man you are going to be as big as
he is if not bigger and we certainly don’t want that now do we? *shakes head no*</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RQHvlr2O6V98ZgFwxVDISTo2mSK9ugvQ7onScJ_Zp886472LmDejmH0ILjnD19pVy1LjO0DSLyWx_rnPP944jYDt36nUbcU-fZWInR8C3agatU2K248FMt7K113o1MI40tI49Y-rLw3f/s1600/exercise+ball+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RQHvlr2O6V98ZgFwxVDISTo2mSK9ugvQ7onScJ_Zp886472LmDejmH0ILjnD19pVy1LjO0DSLyWx_rnPP944jYDt36nUbcU-fZWInR8C3agatU2K248FMt7K113o1MI40tI49Y-rLw3f/s640/exercise+ball+-+reduced.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(one of my exercise toys)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Men seem to be born knowing how and why to increase muscle
mass. Women tend to run away from it
which is a shame. I hope you all know
that weight lifting will not result in a masculine physique on a woman unless
she has a serious hormone problem. Trust me masculine/muscular appearing women
don’t happen naturally. The odds are very high that those women took steroids in
order to look like way. For those are
you who are reading between the lines yes this means that I am advocating
strength training for the ladies. That
is too big a subject to get into here. However there are many places you can
turn to for help on this subject. One of
my favorite books on the subject is “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Rules-Lifting-Women/dp/1583333398/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359862143&sr=8-1&keywords=the+new+rules+for+lifting+for+women">The New Rules for Lifting – for Women</a>”. If you are new to strength training this book
is a wealth of knowledge and will get you started in the right direction. It also contains a lot of information for
those of us who started lifting decades ago.
Darn I sound old when I say things like that. LOL</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48kA76fPpZbq7kUbZt8PuJD6buSt__7_hxZ20LUkWKORWtHmzZGBrurKuETjrMbWaOp81ro4tckeRyJtuTqWS_Yh7sIV0WiabMhsi4aiIUf2Tbvf9Ic2SQEEuItZd4dvinvDNRlpjE932/s1600/09+10+11+cucumber+salad+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48kA76fPpZbq7kUbZt8PuJD6buSt__7_hxZ20LUkWKORWtHmzZGBrurKuETjrMbWaOp81ro4tckeRyJtuTqWS_Yh7sIV0WiabMhsi4aiIUf2Tbvf9Ic2SQEEuItZd4dvinvDNRlpjE932/s640/09+10+11+cucumber+salad+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(healthy food away from home ... aka on the boat)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>How long should it take for you to see results from changing
your habits?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is one of those questions that I get asked often.
Everyone wants to know long things will take to work. However this isn’t an easy question to answer.
How long it takes depends on how many calories you reduce from your intake and
how many more you burn with exercise.
Don’t forget you have to factor in your body composition (fat and lean
body mass percentages). What I can say
is that if you make changes and stick with them you should expect to see at
least some movement in a few weeks.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Saturday was a pretty good day at our house. Let’s hope that
fuzzy little ground hog is correct and winter will be over in 6 weeks. Wouldn’t
that be lovely? Can you say sailboat time?
*woot woot* </li>
<li>As is typical for this time of year it was absolute frosty
outside today. Our morning started with a “balmy” 21 degrees. *ugh* Fortunately I didn’t freeze to death
this morning when I went out. ;-)</li>
<li>Since Dan needed to go downtown to work today I had some extra
time in the kitchen today and used it to my advantage. I pressure cooked some
dried white soy beans for veggie burgers, made brown rice and pot of minestrone
soup. Tomorrow all I have to do is put the soy and rice veggie burgers together
and bake them and they will go into the freezer for quick meals. BTW the burger
recipe will be coming soon since I perfected it last weekend. As you know, I love having a well stocked
pantry, refrigerator<b> </b>and freezer. Let’s not forget that having a good supply of
quick healthy meals is one of the secrets to maintaining both this lifestyle
and your health.</li>
<li>I also found time to get some pizza almonds in the dehydrator
for a friend. It makes me so happy to
share my healthy food with my friends who are trying to eat better. I still believe that the best way any of us
can make an impact on the world is by being a good example for those around us. None of us can reach everyone, but we can
make a difference for those we know. </li>
<li>I ordered a really cute summer dress from Zulily today. Have
you noticed that my Zulily time out seems to have expired again? Yeah, Dan noticed that too though he doesn’t really
care. I may have to stay off the site for a little while again. Since I get
such great deals I don’t feel so bad about shopping there. That darned site is
addictive.</li>
<li>Its official I don’t have a single pair of jeans that fit me
right any longer. Since they are all too
big I am not complaining about this fact.
Sometime next week I need to get out and buy myself some jeans. *woot woot*
Don’t you just love it when your hard work pays off? I know that things like this just make my
day.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tzLSoM-zjXML04urNw4lrB2kw3zUlRHLJBXPhf7c5rTUStXDwJTCEtcE0jaWlWZpop79lH3mDOyvTXtxDKxr17p8DiaMVn3vroqGczWui_EPyynPBna-4i-QQTAQY2yFSDrX-aVZ3hMT/s1600/maxi+dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tzLSoM-zjXML04urNw4lrB2kw3zUlRHLJBXPhf7c5rTUStXDwJTCEtcE0jaWlWZpop79lH3mDOyvTXtxDKxr17p8DiaMVn3vroqGczWui_EPyynPBna-4i-QQTAQY2yFSDrX-aVZ3hMT/s640/maxi+dress.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(today's purchase at Zulily)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Signing out:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since I was “home alone” without a defined schedule I had
more time to work on my post which means this actually went into the scheduled
posts prior to 11:30 at night. Sad isn’t
it? I totally need to work on my time
managements skills.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have no idea what I will be getting into tomorrow. I hope your weekend has been good so far and
that you are having fun or relaxing whichever you need at the moment. Chat with
you later. Ciao for now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-30949057565187042172013-02-02T00:00:00.000-05:002013-02-02T00:00:02.937-05:00Pantry Staple - Marinara Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgAboNaknTNf_PMnYxLe8PCdWbD-7HgXJIjyb9KdystlU4g_8si5YsJZS7JqY0DXwHUrO8BYzHvroO7lD7hqfNVlbSPM3ic4IifDQR5KupdpKNKsEnthsFI9rE9FAbvyaxcsFA7Bcsydk/s1600/eggplant+and+tomato+sauce+-+reduced.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgAboNaknTNf_PMnYxLe8PCdWbD-7HgXJIjyb9KdystlU4g_8si5YsJZS7JqY0DXwHUrO8BYzHvroO7lD7hqfNVlbSPM3ic4IifDQR5KupdpKNKsEnthsFI9rE9FAbvyaxcsFA7Bcsydk/s640/eggplant+and+tomato+sauce+-+reduced.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(intentional leftovers: red sauce with eggplant)</i></div>
<br />
One of the most common reasons that people give me for not eating like I do is that it is far too time consuming. Generally people are surprised to learn that I do not spend hours in the kitchen and that I don’t even cook every day. I can make this happen using a few tricks and techniques. One is that I intentionally overcook when I do cook. Those of you who have been reading me a while know that I refer to this as making “intentional leftovers” and it makes my life SO much easier. I keep these intentional leftovers in both the refrigerator and freezer. Additionally I keep items in the refrigerator which have multiple uses. For example when I make red sauce (marinara as we refer to it in the US) I always make a large quantity because if freezes beautifully and it has many uses.<br />
<br />
<i>Why cook your own red sauce when you can buy jarred?</i><br />
<br />
Depending on the brand of red sauce you buy it can have HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), too much sodium, added oil and it is not uncommon for it has either cheese or meat. Sometimes it contains chemicals and preservatives also.<br />
<br />
Not only will undoubtedly contain at least one thing that you don’t want it to have it may not be flavored the way you like. I solve all these problems by making my own red sauce. You can simmer you sauce on the sauce, put it in a crock pot or make it in a pressure cooker. As you probably guessed I make mine in the pressure cooker these days because it is the quickest and easiest for me.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdI0d2TxLWjwuIiquwu6zt3l0Iuk7Jl9IPIkKbc2XgRf36bzqpAEaqtVuJk3sa9O9uJywL39d5UL1qB3IMuSWtPY_DB143T9Q4U6k-gcifC7jv4Sewbu15QG5UoXQmZ3AB6UB7BuB-GS_J/s1600/01+06+11+dinner+tomato+sauce+and+farro+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdI0d2TxLWjwuIiquwu6zt3l0Iuk7Jl9IPIkKbc2XgRf36bzqpAEaqtVuJk3sa9O9uJywL39d5UL1qB3IMuSWtPY_DB143T9Q4U6k-gcifC7jv4Sewbu15QG5UoXQmZ3AB6UB7BuB-GS_J/s640/01+06+11+dinner+tomato+sauce+and+farro+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(farro topped with tomato and bean sauce topped with parsley)</i></div>
<br />
<i>What can you do with red sauce other than use it with pasta?</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6ec5av7Rg450JcLudF01Q0BGah0DgGvwHznRtRYf4L7LsfNROVngABaVnLFmYk_X8dPGLLPlHXTU3pJ0FAfr0eZMCHdBo429NhvB-zMnlGLtqlbWmsk9w05RkaccEuMIZ5ad6vTz49ip/s1600/ww+penne+tomato+pepper+zucchini+and+italian+sausage+-+reduced.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6ec5av7Rg450JcLudF01Q0BGah0DgGvwHznRtRYf4L7LsfNROVngABaVnLFmYk_X8dPGLLPlHXTU3pJ0FAfr0eZMCHdBo429NhvB-zMnlGLtqlbWmsk9w05RkaccEuMIZ5ad6vTz49ip/s640/ww+penne+tomato+pepper+zucchini+and+italian+sausage+-+reduced.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(whole wheat pasta with summer squash, seitan sausage and peppers)</i></div>
<br />
In America red sauce is almost predominantly found on past and that is a shame because it works with so many things. I almost always add some variations of vegetables, mushrooms and beans to it and use it alone (with more veg like my pizza veggies) or on top of any cooked whole grain (which I also make in large quantities) and top it with nutritional yeast or walnut parm.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RUjsL7yIIKVu61xJ1AMAEIHSe2G37AH66I4nrYRVCqxEj1HHA_V8BMGjdTpz0QxdF-suxrtdFJryCBJjIXQvgym8yVAiZcRHNPwbu2IhXOej90FbPuF6fnvLN5cwOcfKjLmkjHI82hI1/s1600/12+29+11+salad+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RUjsL7yIIKVu61xJ1AMAEIHSe2G37AH66I4nrYRVCqxEj1HHA_V8BMGjdTpz0QxdF-suxrtdFJryCBJjIXQvgym8yVAiZcRHNPwbu2IhXOej90FbPuF6fnvLN5cwOcfKjLmkjHI82hI1/s640/12+29+11+salad+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(Green salad topped with defrosted veggies, marinara sauce, and raw pumpkin seeds)</i></div>
<br />
Another use for red sauce that happens often at my house is to use it cold for salad dressing the same way you have seen me use salsa. It makes a very flavorful non-fat dressing to moisten salad.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvGliUifIGzyWB3zKO-sou5mz78aps9FChh0LRjQIhqg8rTXqqrP6Ss0dyyws2GIQnRNDrvbY32tOnEIHaZqlw2RtRg1hMy6tZFMcerQXgwue8azvHimbad8Q6C8fai2ztPxMpI7fLpu7/s1600/creamy+tomato+sauce+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvGliUifIGzyWB3zKO-sou5mz78aps9FChh0LRjQIhqg8rTXqqrP6Ss0dyyws2GIQnRNDrvbY32tOnEIHaZqlw2RtRg1hMy6tZFMcerQXgwue8azvHimbad8Q6C8fai2ztPxMpI7fLpu7/s640/creamy+tomato+sauce+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(zucchini spaghetti with creamy tomato sauce and artichokes)</i></div>
<br />
You can take a little marinara sauce and combine it with raw cashews and make a creamy salad dressing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZtmWSQlnIat81VR17glrnx-rHAJvPxmCajLw3DMnmN0fMuzHm_UWt5pbagQmkQDa6rpwcKboc-C9uve-d63wkEM8aV3ovCT9cVy3xprHiR975wZPCv2bHy6buRn2QlUBAUBPMMiuRO5S/s1600/07+16+11+pizza+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZtmWSQlnIat81VR17glrnx-rHAJvPxmCajLw3DMnmN0fMuzHm_UWt5pbagQmkQDa6rpwcKboc-C9uve-d63wkEM8aV3ovCT9cVy3xprHiR975wZPCv2bHy6buRn2QlUBAUBPMMiuRO5S/s640/07+16+11+pizza+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(Pizza topped with red sauce, veggies, fresh arugula and sriracha)</i></div>
<br />
Red sauce it great if you want to make homemade vegan pizza or calzones.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9OkUOqgZo3bEA3QtpyjqbVTquUS0Rttn543xdOro1x9g1_9aEkOsji8T34y1gzPrDtw1NLfRBfvgVjCnP8lh0cjQeeCFMqgzkhv4NRGEE9AsTHRW9BhwdaMmOr2C0gucDg55gjEp1U5I/s1600/cream+of+tomato+with+olives+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9OkUOqgZo3bEA3QtpyjqbVTquUS0Rttn543xdOro1x9g1_9aEkOsji8T34y1gzPrDtw1NLfRBfvgVjCnP8lh0cjQeeCFMqgzkhv4NRGEE9AsTHRW9BhwdaMmOr2C0gucDg55gjEp1U5I/s640/cream+of+tomato+with+olives+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><strike>(</strike>pureed tomato soup topped with dandelion walnut pesto and olives)</i></div>
<br />
I use the red sauce as a base for soups if I want an Italian flavor. For example you can combine red sauce, raw cashews and other seasonings in your Vitamix and make a delicious cream of tomato soup. But you can also use the red sauce like you would canned tomatoes to start soup.<br />
<br />
I hope hearing what I do with red sauce gives you insight into its many uses.<br />
<br />
<b>Happy thoughts:</b>
<br />
<ol>
<li>Friday was a crazy day at my house. I was expecting it to be low key and relaxed but it turned out to be anything but that. However I am happy to say that it was nonetheless a good day. I managed to get a few things accomplished with was a miracle given my day. :-)</li>
<li>We woke up to a beautiful light snow fall just before dawn. Mother Nature puts on quite a show doesn’t she? I never get tired to seeing the beauty in nature. I hope you find time to enjoy it too.</li>
<li>Dan actually came home at a reasonable hour for dinner on Friday which was nice. :-) However he did this because he has to work on Saturday so that happy thought could be better. ;-)</li>
<li>I made a quick delicious curried tomato sauce with “almond coconut milk”, frozen veggies and previously cooked chickpeas. I added fresh cilantro and whole wheat pasta and topped it with some sliced almonds. Dinner was ready in the amount of time it took to cook the pasta. Darn I love meals that come together that quickly and easily!</li>
<li>My father was busy today obsessing over a minor medical procedure next Tuesday. While this isn’t easy for the rest of us to deal with it does remind me how lucky I am that I don’t make mountains out of molehills like I used to. That was a difficult habit to break but it made such a huge difference in overall level of happiness.</li>
<li>We reached our high temperature in the morning on Friday and it got progressively colder throughout the day. I don’t have to tell you that I stayed in today do I? LOL</li>
<li>Today I got a serious bargain on two items at Zulily (again). The first was a faux leather jacket in orange. The second was orange and fuchsia patent leather pumps. Both are pictures bellowed. The best part of this is not only are they cute but with shipping I spent less than $100. If you enjoy a good bargain please check out Zulily. I have gotten some great deals here and you all know I don’t need any baby or kid stuff. ;-)</li>
</ol>
<ol>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL79-ejYivrWZ_m6gu4UAyzMP3VwglW_-OhEZ7qtpzcxXu3GhF-WTqbS4GU05Pngp1oB0GuH8cbYM9LDfQ9Pr09NVs9m_B8IidLOFawsfEpIWJL2HBE-jAE0-Yd-DBrAHev84pS8eFG423/s1600/02+01+13+curried+pasta+and+veg+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL79-ejYivrWZ_m6gu4UAyzMP3VwglW_-OhEZ7qtpzcxXu3GhF-WTqbS4GU05Pngp1oB0GuH8cbYM9LDfQ9Pr09NVs9m_B8IidLOFawsfEpIWJL2HBE-jAE0-Yd-DBrAHev84pS8eFG423/s640/02+01+13+curried+pasta+and+veg+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(Curried veg and ceci in tomato sauce over whole wheat pasta - Dan's dinner on Friday)</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaxhXPCoQo87K2JN-6eTtBskjZqBb_PHcAKu1nI-MOoTlORcu3hjXaeRCs86lFCH4Xtxinfzv8bdzpwOz6EoFB9ND2YpJgYHBjNk5aVM_mg-owkptJKGpQEO7ZA35xiuTluy-47Y8mI6f/s1600/orange+jacket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaxhXPCoQo87K2JN-6eTtBskjZqBb_PHcAKu1nI-MOoTlORcu3hjXaeRCs86lFCH4Xtxinfzv8bdzpwOz6EoFB9ND2YpJgYHBjNk5aVM_mg-owkptJKGpQEO7ZA35xiuTluy-47Y8mI6f/s640/orange+jacket.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
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<i>(my new orange faux leather jacket)</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhSMFmt7WSr7Pt9TbM3XsR3IK3lZ6qLCI7bPj0xl1RjkNVcrNLdCCIlGPkiOraQ93UtYnJKjXeTglIJstWX2IiTQLC3hOYlEMTkj38b4EgSxhwEfY3tab40gpS5xDct7yZBAdEr6BukRC/s1600/shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhSMFmt7WSr7Pt9TbM3XsR3IK3lZ6qLCI7bPj0xl1RjkNVcrNLdCCIlGPkiOraQ93UtYnJKjXeTglIJstWX2IiTQLC3hOYlEMTkj38b4EgSxhwEfY3tab40gpS5xDct7yZBAdEr6BukRC/s640/shoes.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
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<i>(my new orange and fuchsia patent leather pumps)</i></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
<br />
I didn’t sleep well at all last night so I am definitely looking forward to getting some rest tonight. It is funny how you take sleep for granted when you get plenty of it and miss it terribly when you don’t get enough. ;-)<br />
<br />
Tomorrow I have a few things to accomplish and Dan has to go to the office. However I should have time to write a post. *fingers crossed* Let’s all hope the ground predicts the end of winter and that the little rodent is correct. Ciao for now.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-57536234058775736982013-02-01T00:00:00.000-05:002013-02-01T12:10:16.899-05:00How to Stop Dieting and Start Losing Weight<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxr8m1T4bKklGVZKsWnU6LrZJ6oIV96dxDarfxURpPnqWiY1uEBO9PRPazaiE_8t7z6ZpQprcYargfGP9XXWlAO4dA0QKqP69rsO_BYNhvfMDUR_gFjOr_M3zmKKHrdHd1cG79r3T8U51/s1600/06+19+11+puppy!+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxr8m1T4bKklGVZKsWnU6LrZJ6oIV96dxDarfxURpPnqWiY1uEBO9PRPazaiE_8t7z6ZpQprcYargfGP9XXWlAO4dA0QKqP69rsO_BYNhvfMDUR_gFjOr_M3zmKKHrdHd1cG79r3T8U51/s640/06+19+11+puppy!+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(dog and his human mother taken a year or so ago at Tide Point in Baltimore)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Every time I talk to a friend who is going on some new diet
I know immediately what the end result will be. They will lose weight for a
little while and then some event will come up and they go off this diet. The
next thing you know they have stopped losing weight and generally they regain
everything that they had lost. I see this over and over again and yet people
continue to “go on and off” these crazy diets.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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I want to say this in the clearest way possible, <b><span style="font-size: large;">Diets Don’t
Work</span></b>! Those of you who have been reading
me for a while know this s a recurring theme with me. The reason that I continue to bring it up is
that I am constantly talking with people who are going on diets and have high
hopes of success only to see those same people back to life as usual (and the
same weight) within a relatively short period of time.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtCTq2V4gG-xwmmhEdbq41uL2x3EQvy8KSnpFEcLn4LQ_K9B6XD8QTWpanbtjNPILdQESUREfBdb_3-Mqu3bDCHMrfybNWuAXgda_2twL6kl1J043AaNj5THBf2RIwauhELXnWMtIQEEX/s1600/Farmers+Market+haul+May+16,+2010+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtCTq2V4gG-xwmmhEdbq41uL2x3EQvy8KSnpFEcLn4LQ_K9B6XD8QTWpanbtjNPILdQESUREfBdb_3-Mqu3bDCHMrfybNWuAXgda_2twL6kl1J043AaNj5THBf2RIwauhELXnWMtIQEEX/s640/Farmers+Market+haul+May+16,+2010+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(typical farmers' market haul at our house)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>If diets don’t work what does work?</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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The answer is simple yet few people actually figure it out
how to make it work. In order to change
your weight you have to change your habits.
Think about all the habits you have that impact your weight. I will use an unnamed friend of mine as an
example to illustrate my point. This friend always “talks” about wanting to
lose weight but when I make suggestions the excuses start flying. I hear things like, “my spouse won’t eat this
way with me so I can’t do it.” Sometimes
I hear, “I don’t want to cut (<b><u>insert unhealthy food here</u></b>) out of my diet.” Or my favorite, “I’m too lazy to
exercise”. By thinking of reasons why
they can’t succeed this person is actually rationalizing why they won’t be
successful. In essence when people give
themselves excuses they are harming themselves and ensuring that they don’t
succeed. Please think about the next
time you make up an excuse, like that you are too tired to exercise after
work. </div>
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<br /></div>
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By the way, not being able to exercise at night was one of
my favorite excuses. A friend of mine (<i>waves
hi to Matt</i>) exercises multiple times per day and generally in the evening after
work. When I said that I couldn’t
exercise after work because it would keep me awake he called me “on my stuff”. Guess what?
I tried exercising later in the day and it hasn’t impacted my sleep at
all. This is exactly the sort of thing
I mean. Even if you think what you are
doing is the only possible answer, be open to other options particular those that
you are know are better/healthier. In
this case exercising versus not seemed the clear choice and it was.</div>
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<br /></div>
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In addition to problem with excuses there are the people who
want to eat unhealthy food in moderation and yet they expect to get big
results. For example I have worked with
people who want to get healthy, but they tell me that they will reduce but
won’t give up (<b><u>insert any unhealthy food you like</u></b>) from their diet. Often it is cheese that people are addicted
too. Sometimes it is something really absurd like soda or candy. Whatever it is that you think you can’t give up
that is a sign that the food is in control of you rather than you are in
control of the food. It is time to take
back control. I would strongly suggest
that any food that you feel like you “have to have” in your diet needs to
go. By eliminating it for a month you
give yourself time to regain control.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Here is the ugly truth.
Everything that you put in your mouth and every physical activity you
did or passed up has resulted in the health that you have now. If you want your
health and weight to change you have to change what you do. You can’t take a pill to kill your appetite
and expect it to keep weight off you long term without other side effects. You
can’t buy an ab belt off TV to stimulate your abdominal muscles and expect a
flat stomach. The sad fact is that in order to reach and maintain a healthy
weight you have to eat right and you have to exercise. Ok, I can sense the groans as you read this.
But you didn’t really think there was some magic answer did you? People who are a healthy weight have healthy
habits and it really is that simple.</div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TGHwK1G8kKaE12eMAyTbsUw-z33OaawUFFlwLuhn47wrYCLVJT0VvJFBW8dNyMsgzB59ffYldgUcuIhd8z7GdwEMLhomGFWzoQKOmOkblr5ZGe8ujytepJNDkuVkyovuGFpPEo6Nd6tI/s1600/dumbbell+close+up+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TGHwK1G8kKaE12eMAyTbsUw-z33OaawUFFlwLuhn47wrYCLVJT0VvJFBW8dNyMsgzB59ffYldgUcuIhd8z7GdwEMLhomGFWzoQKOmOkblr5ZGe8ujytepJNDkuVkyovuGFpPEo6Nd6tI/s640/dumbbell+close+up+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(My "girlie" adjustable dumbbells LOL)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>How do you start to change your habits?</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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This one I have talked about many times but I think it is
important so I will discuss it again and maybe this time it will click for some
of you. I always start working with
people by asking them what they don’t like about their current physical
condition and how it impacts their life.
This is something that I have them work on for days to get down into
what they don’t like. The reason I have
them do this is cement in their mind why they need to change. Losing weight for the sake of vanity is
generally not enough for people. It works for some people but not many. Most people have to embrace the health,
wealth and quality of life consequences of being unhealthy/overweight before
they are ready to change long standing habits. Whatever you come up with that
will motivate you long-term to stick to healthy habits use that. Remember
motivation is a choice. You either decide to be motivated or you decide to
return to your unhealthy but comfortable habits.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I hope my description of this issue was different enough
that maybe I made some sense to those of you who need a little nudge in the
right direction. One thing that I always
remind myself that may help you is that each choice makes a difference. Each
meal is a chance to nourish myself or to harm myself. Each choice to be active or not is going to
have positive or negative consequences for your health. It helps keep me on track and hopefully it will
work for you too. *fingers crossed*</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
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</div>
<ol>
<li>Our lovely unseasonably warm weather from Wednesday has
disappeared. Today we experienced temperatures 25 degrees colder than yesterday
and crazy winds. All that meant that this girl was happy to be busy inside
today. ;-)</li>
<li>I had some nice calls today which is always a great way to
spend the day. When people are open to
changing their habits there is nothing better than helping them improve their
health. Seriously I get so much enjoyment from it I would do it for free. I
think that is when you know you have found what you should be doing. Love that!</li>
<li>Today I had a friend say one the nicest things anyone has
ever said to me. This person told me
that they considered me "a gift in their life". Seriously guys I almost started
crying. Can you think of anything nicer than that for someone to say? Here is hoping that all of you have people in
your life who consider you a gift too. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></li>
<li>Even though I broke my juice fast yesterday with an enormous
salad the scale this morning was exactly the same as the day before, down 4.2
pounds. *happy dance* See why juice fasting is addictive? ;-)</li>
<li>I have some new “gadgets” that I have been using in the
kitchen that I need to tell you about soon. I get so happy when I find useful
new kitchen items. I am such a geek sometimes. LOL</li>
<li>Last week I ordered Barry White’s Greatest Hits and have
been enjoying it ever since. Every afternoon when I finish working I put Barry
into the CD player and dance. Yes I
actually do this, no joke. After sitting
a lot of the day it good to get up and move around. Not to mention who doesn’t
love to dance? There is something very
positive and uplifting about dancing so I go with it. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></li>
<li>I was chatting with an online friend this morning that just
happened to be traveling through my childhood hometown and he sent me photos. It was
wonderful to see my childhood stomping grounds.
It is crazy how you meet people and they bring something unexpected into
your life. However I love that aspect of life. Sometimes the littlest things just make my day. </li>
</ol>
<br />
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Once again I am writing this late in the evening. I really
need to work on writing this earlier in the day and on my breaks. In the past I was great with time management
so I am not sure what happened. But
hopefully I will figure it out soon. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
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Here is hoping that you have a wonderful Friday and a
fantastic weekend. Ciao for now.</div>
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<br /></div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-33280572187152622962013-01-31T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-31T00:00:01.833-05:00Transitioning to a Healthy Vegan Lifestyle - Step 4 <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZaYsX_Wc4HEH6e1GDvvyZ2bW9ubplPWGIBd0cHkPekIjtlXsj17EGKLgpiWuG_KMtmuxZtYPM75-36zaHd8CwyWD0ySR4GQYwudGIRJ67t0o39J9DLxipnTvWzOmKGHmmJo1TME13lZo/s1600/06+22+11+roasted+veg+with+cheese+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZaYsX_Wc4HEH6e1GDvvyZ2bW9ubplPWGIBd0cHkPekIjtlXsj17EGKLgpiWuG_KMtmuxZtYPM75-36zaHd8CwyWD0ySR4GQYwudGIRJ67t0o39J9DLxipnTvWzOmKGHmmJo1TME13lZo/s640/06+22+11+roasted+veg+with+cheese+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(roasted vegetables with goat cheese)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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How are you doing make lifestyle changes? I hope the first three changes are starting
to stick now. Let’s recap what we have
done so far:</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>Drinking enough water</li>
<li>Consuming at least 10 servings of veggies and fruit per day</li>
<li>Adding at least one cup of beans to your meals per day</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The most difficult change for me in this list was the 10
servings of veggies. However once I
conquered that one I felt so much better that I knew this lifestyle was
something that I would do for the rest of my life. I hope you are also starting
to feel the benefits. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><br /></span></div>
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Today’s step is also going to be difficult for many of you
but once you have mastered it, you are going to feel incredible so I hope you
are willing to at least give it a try.
The next step is to give up cheese.
Are you still with me? I am sure some of you nearly fainted when you
read that and were thinking cheese would be way down the line. However there is
a reason that cheese is so high on my list and I will explain it so that you
understand.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMhV-OgpqqQugUPlFqYHJ1xYWT8iPwU7HDeDqjzkkMzzCmYF6LDALDuswGtfc6kySMtMk5I8ej4mRqGeZBP_T63PV9pA1ortLVLiBTmGDaQ2rK_bx1Qq7bTbaHvSAx1QQ3Lad0VCxYaEd/s1600/quick+mac+nut+cheese+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMhV-OgpqqQugUPlFqYHJ1xYWT8iPwU7HDeDqjzkkMzzCmYF6LDALDuswGtfc6kySMtMk5I8ej4mRqGeZBP_T63PV9pA1ortLVLiBTmGDaQ2rK_bx1Qq7bTbaHvSAx1QQ3Lad0VCxYaEd/s640/quick+mac+nut+cheese+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(quick macademia nut cheese)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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What is wrong with cheese?</div>
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<br /></div>
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In America we have been brainwashed by the dairy council
that we need dairy (milk, yogurt and cheese) for calcium and protein and that
is simply not true. In fact consuming
cheese is harmful for your health for many reasons. No one loves cheese more than I used to. In the past I would have told you there was
no such thing as too much cheese. I
added cheese to anything and everything.
However in my defense this was many years ago, and long before I knew
better.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cheese is extremely high in fat. Thing about how cheese is made. Milk is
coagulated and during that process protein is removed and drained and that
concentrates the fat in the cheese compared to milk. Here is a little chart which shows the fat as
a % of calories in various cheeses.
Please look for your favorite and think about this.</div>
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<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
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<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
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<b>Type of cheese</b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
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<b>% calories from fat</b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
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American</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
73%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Asiago</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
72%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Babybel</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
69%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Blue</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
72%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Brie</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
73%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Camembert</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
71%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Cheddar</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
72%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Cream Cheese</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
88%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Edam</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
69%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Farmer</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
57%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Feta</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
71%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Goat</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
69%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Gouda</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
68%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Gruyere</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
69%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Havarti</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
80%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Jarlsberg</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
66%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Mozzarella</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
68%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Muenster</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
72%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Neufchatel</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
79%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Parmesan</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
59%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Provolone</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
67%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Ricotta</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
64%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Romano</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
61%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
String</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
58%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Swiss</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
64%</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 126.9pt;" valign="top" width="169">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Taleggio</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.5pt;" valign="top" width="150">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
75%</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Did you find your favorite cheeses on this list? Were you
horrified by the percentage of calories in that cheese from fat? My personal favorite cheese has always been
taleggio. However knowing that it gets 75% of its calories from fat is something
that sticks in my mind.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In addition to cheese being so high in fat it is
predominantly saturated fat which is the stuff that plays a big role in: high
cholesterol, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and inflammation. Additionally cheese tends to lead to
constipation so you will feel better if that is an issue for you. Consuming cheese also increases your IGF-1
which fuels tumor growth. Dr. Colin
Campbell was able to show that by adding and taking away the protein in dairy
he could turn on and off cancer growth in animals. What I
was saying is that if you don’t care about the extra weight that usually comes
with cheese then please think about all the other problems that come with
consuming cheese.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3tWIjXhO8g4pZUy4vfdS3ZG0smrvW9LMpDtET3YQRqp2u0q4TVxN3qDnUkxbC7nZPqKL30-jBimFfBXQvBxFKOsV4NvlwlyjBG4Tbru4Lm5gCn8KW-tXyg9hnNP0klyWB98KQzJHrMM-/s1600/cracker+with+nut+cheese+and+veg+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3tWIjXhO8g4pZUy4vfdS3ZG0smrvW9LMpDtET3YQRqp2u0q4TVxN3qDnUkxbC7nZPqKL30-jBimFfBXQvBxFKOsV4NvlwlyjBG4Tbru4Lm5gCn8KW-tXyg9hnNP0klyWB98KQzJHrMM-/s640/cracker+with+nut+cheese+and+veg+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(flax crackers with nut cheese and veggies)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>What do you I use in place of cheese?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This was my biggest question when we went vegan. I felt as though I needed a little parmesan
on food which I am sure is an Italian thing.
I also loved the creamy texture that cheese gives food. Who doesn’t love a nice slab of lasagna
filled with ricotta or a nice stringy queso cheese dip? There
is something gooey and comforting about cheese and I think all of us know
it. Most people don’t say to me I can’t
give up milk; rather it is always I can’t give up cheese. I still remember how hard it was to give it
up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The good news is that there are substitutes for cheese which
are fairly easy to make. While they aren’t
perfect substitutes for the cheese you eat now they do mimic the texture and
taste enough that they will get you through the transition. As much as I used to love cheese I don’t
miss it now. Well I miss it when our
chef friend Ian has to tell me about the taleggio he has and what he could do
with it. That Ian is a stinker. But
other than that I really don’t miss cheese any more I used to eat a lot of it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUwjS9a7alUPIkvcIU_zuj48N_noldgw70wFGnh6baDxFwutf_6dgG9Y8XZDTX51A1vq2A0mEXp2IPfY7nJYnTDmU_jTPKc0woxzADPPuhNon1dj__6JyKL1gcPL01wnnZ4SHPf6MOC0m/s1600/vegan+mozzarella+no+soy+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUwjS9a7alUPIkvcIU_zuj48N_noldgw70wFGnh6baDxFwutf_6dgG9Y8XZDTX51A1vq2A0mEXp2IPfY7nJYnTDmU_jTPKc0woxzADPPuhNon1dj__6JyKL1gcPL01wnnZ4SHPf6MOC0m/s640/vegan+mozzarella+no+soy+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(vegan mozzarella - no soy)</i></div>
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When I feel that I need to aroma and umami of cheese y go to
is nutritional yeast flakes. I sprinkle them on salad or veggie dishes. If I have a bit more time I will make my
walnut parmesan. That has more calories so it usually ends more on Dan’s food
than mine. When we need a cheese sauce I
turn to the queso recipe which his very versatile and a good one when you are
first transitioning off the cheese. You
can make almond feta if you need something cheesy on a cracker. For ricotta you can use the tofu/cashew
cheese in my vegan lasagna. In southern
Italy many recipes use toasted bread crumbs sprinkled on food in place of
cheese. That is something else that you can try. It adds a crunchy texture that I like.</div>
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Removing the cheese from your diet is a huge step. However it is a very healthy step and I think
you will feel better very quickly once you remove it. I know that your arteries will thank you
since cheese has more saturated fat than meat.
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To find any of the recipes pictured in this post enter the name into the search box on this blog in the upper left side. The recipes will come right up for you. :-)</div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
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<ol>
<li>Today was another one of my uber busy days. I have no idea how my life has gotten so out
of control but it has. However I am pleased
that I had time to write this post during the evening. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></li>
<li>I am also grateful that I had time to check on my parents
today and do some things for them. Even
though they know how to push my buttons they are “all mine” and I love
them. ;-)</li>
<li>Dinner for Dan tonight was curried red lentil soup over
brown rice which I also made in the pressure cooker. I was happy for both my pressure cooker and
quick and healthy recipes that Dan enjoys.</li>
<li>I chatted with my friend Angela which is always a good time. She cracks me up. We all need people in our lives who make us
smile. Thanks sweetheart you are good
for my soul. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></li>
<li>I was happy to be able to help a friend with finance
homework today. I get a lot of pleasure
out of being able to do things for the people who I care about. </li>
<li>I almost forgot my good news from this morning. When I got on the scale this morning it was
down again. I am now down 4.2 pounds
after 3 days of juice fasting. *woot woot* Today I decided that I wanted to have a salad
so that is how I broke my fast. But I have to tell you juice fasting can become
addictive because it is so darned effective.</li>
<li>Our weather today was glorious. It was 70 degrees in the afternoon.
All I can say is wow was that a nice treat in January. A girl could definitely get used to this
weather. Come on spring, I miss you!</li>
<li>Next week our friends Phil and Jeff (father and son) will be
in town for work and I adore going to dinner with Phil as he is such a pleasure
to be around. I am already looking
forward to it. There is nothing better
than time with friends.</li>
<li>We are half way through the week! I am hoping for a nice weekend. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></li>
</ol>
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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I didn’t sleep well last night so I need to be in bed before
midnight tonight. I am operating on a
little bit of sleep deficit and don’t want to add to that tonight. </div>
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I hope that your week has been good. Talk with you again soon. Ciao for now.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-7766899706104752402013-01-30T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-30T00:00:03.425-05:00Pantry Staple - Frozen Veggies<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9JqQlJYnXfU7tysREtBMZ_ESIYvhuIEpOvYpa6YQZ6rquPvz_TbbxSTrraxG6Uv57bI3AsFmuNbArDymCFbAdp3H0l1OhXveBTP03wBQrsghdYYvzCNHbDvw816SSZb6VBraiYS8RXZg/s1600/06+05+11+curried+tomato+sauce+with+veg+over+brown+rice+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9JqQlJYnXfU7tysREtBMZ_ESIYvhuIEpOvYpa6YQZ6rquPvz_TbbxSTrraxG6Uv57bI3AsFmuNbArDymCFbAdp3H0l1OhXveBTP03wBQrsghdYYvzCNHbDvw816SSZb6VBraiYS8RXZg/s640/06+05+11+curried+tomato+sauce+with+veg+over+brown+rice+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> (curried veggies over brown rice)</i></div>
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Today I want to talk about something that I rely on when I
need to make a quick meal and we don’t have a lot of fresh produce in the
refrigerator. Frozen vegetables are
something that I always keep on hand and after you read all the things that I
do with them I think you may keep more at your house too.</div>
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<i>Aren’t fresh vegetables always more nutritious?</i></div>
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I think everyone assumes that fresh veggies are always
better than frozen but that actually isn’t the case. Let’s look at the path the typical grocery
store veggies take to get to you. They are picked 1,000s of miles away (often
unripe) and then get sorted, packaged and transported to your store. Now they
sit in the produce case at your store until you bring them home. Next they sit
in your refrigerator until you eat them. Generally they are irradiated or are
given a chlorine bath to extend their shelf life. By the time you actually eat these veggies
they are probably at least a week old. Since the nutrition in plant foods
starts to deteriorate once they are harvested how much nutrition do you think
is left?</div>
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Now think about frozen veggies. They are picked, sorted,
blanched and frozen generally the same day. Sure you lose some nutrition from
the blanching but I doubt that is exceeds the nutrition lost in fresh
veggies. </div>
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Of course you can buy local produce directly from farmers
but not many of us do that. Dan and I
try to buy most of our veggies from local farmers when they are in season. However even then I know by the end of the
week those veggies are a week old. The
best answer is to grow your own food but most of us (me included) aren’t going
to do that.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqDpC5VnBnC5FcF38IHsCyxW5Hsn-6MZJeAz1VSLxEyWlxB5vceaYpaJKVTO43YGli63D6FTjynDOXHlzhQaUKgEu5xiCtdcfly5Y284RHggZziKauqw7Biw0kUyoUw8wzdE0Tdu1Jvib/s1600/01+04+11+dinner+veg+casserole+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqDpC5VnBnC5FcF38IHsCyxW5Hsn-6MZJeAz1VSLxEyWlxB5vceaYpaJKVTO43YGli63D6FTjynDOXHlzhQaUKgEu5xiCtdcfly5Y284RHggZziKauqw7Biw0kUyoUw8wzdE0Tdu1Jvib/s640/01+04+11+dinner+veg+casserole+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(Italian veggie casserole topped with toasted bread crumbs and pine nuts)</i></div>
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<i>Are all veggies good frozen?</i></div>
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This is a subjective question but I think some fare better
during the process than others. Peas,
corn and green beans are great frozen.
Artichokes, spinach and edamame are also good choices. If you store carries it I also like butter
squash puree. I also keep mixed frozen
veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots) on hand. There is usually a bag of oriental veggies
(broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, carrots, and water chestnuts) in my freezer
too though these are my least favorite.
I am not a big fan frozen asparagus as the texture is too “mushy” for my
taste.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjm1DBUpYx9Hg4UPcGB3uRSUbRrIDaQnl7q8H_Jzk5ZkeR9jhnAnP83SYfemcxiWiZ_at2BF5DrIIGyhjRBbZOt36steSfu8wdgyoDVB5N2p26PL2x5DwEAPezLBB2LgRh9wf0GIIHrZa/s1600/01+25+12+soba+noodles+and+veg+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjm1DBUpYx9Hg4UPcGB3uRSUbRrIDaQnl7q8H_Jzk5ZkeR9jhnAnP83SYfemcxiWiZ_at2BF5DrIIGyhjRBbZOt36steSfu8wdgyoDVB5N2p26PL2x5DwEAPezLBB2LgRh9wf0GIIHrZa/s640/01+25+12+soba+noodles+and+veg+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(Asian veggies with soba noodles)</i></div>
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<i>Do you use frozen veggies differently than fresh?</i></div>
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I actually do tend to use frozen veggies differently than
fresh. Once veggies have been blanched I tend to prefer them cooked. There are
a couple of exceptions (peas, corn and artichokes) to that rule. Generally I tend to use frozen vegetables in
cooked dishes like casseroles, soups, and stews).</div>
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If you want to use frozen veggies cold and without cooking
them further what I do is move them to the refrigerator in a strainer (with a
bowl underneath) and let them slowly thaw during the day. This keeps them as
“crisp” as possible.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2c_q8J4Lu6S0QcbA072s3AIwkQ5ykr7cV76QJv2H2Czjtqao6O0xc1dOHotxtkHEaKc5Tu8IzfuK_Jwn_5GfPmWwWUOm0sZPe50EXZxx6mWZwDhSsBUfOp1CUq1LhhCJO5yh7Ayv4xZuV/s1600/02+07+11+pizza+veggies+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2c_q8J4Lu6S0QcbA072s3AIwkQ5ykr7cV76QJv2H2Czjtqao6O0xc1dOHotxtkHEaKc5Tu8IzfuK_Jwn_5GfPmWwWUOm0sZPe50EXZxx6mWZwDhSsBUfOp1CUq1LhhCJO5yh7Ayv4xZuV/s640/02+07+11+pizza+veggies+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(pizza veggies topped with walnut parm)</i></div>
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<i>What are your favorite uses for frozen veggies?</i></div>
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I like to use the frozen Asian veggies to make quick “stir fry”
(in quotes because I make it without oil).
The frozen Asian veggies are also good for a quick noodle bowl with
veggies.</div>
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The mixed veggies I add to any number of casseroles, soups
and stews. For example last night I
added them to the Moroccan chickpea stew to increase the nutrition. I also recently served them under fagioli all’uccelletto
(beans in the style of birds) to make that that dish a complete meal. You can add defrosted vegetables on top of
pizza as well. I have also defrosted and
then roasted frozen veggies to add cold to salads.</div>
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However my favorite use for mixed veggies is what I call
veggie pizza. All I do is heat the veggies, top them with tomato sauce (like
for pasta) and then add nutritional yeast and hemp seeds (or walnut
parmesan). This is hands down my
favorite fast go to meal. For Dan I would serve this over quinoa and add beans
to pump up the calories.</div>
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I hope this gives you some ideas for what to do with frozen
veggies. They come in very handy in my kitchen when we need food and I don’t
have time to cook. For those of you who
think I cook every day I don’t. I have
those days like you do where I simply can’t find the time to get into the
kitchen. Busy days are when frozen veggies come in most handy.</div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
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<ol>
<li>Today was just one of those days that I am happy is
over. However even a day like this has
bright spots. I had some time to chat
with my friend Angela, which was great.</li>
<li>We got more good news from the doctor. Things are definitely starting to fall into
place. Once they are all set I will share.
<span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span> Please keep your fingers crossed for us.</li>
<li>I managed to get time today to catch up on some life
administration (all those details that are required to get through life) which
was great since I am so far behind.</li>
<li>Unless I have lost track of time I think Wednesday will be
three weeks for Matt without cigarettes.
You rock Matt! I am so happy for
you. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></li>
<li>My copy of “You’ve Got Mail” showed up today. I remember seeing it years ago and being “meh” about it. However I watched part of it recently on TV and thought it was very
funny. I ordered it this weekend from
Amazon (for $3.99 I might add). Since I like Meg Ryan it would make sense that
this movie would be a hit with me. I
plan to watch it all the way through soon when I get a little me time to relax.</li>
</ol>
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
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Overall I had a rough day but a good day if that makes any
sense. I had some extremely good things
happen and some not so good. However I
have learned that if I wait out my feelings they always go away with time. No matter how bad something feels in the
moment in the end it is always temporary.
For some of you that might make sense.
I wouldn’t have understood it myself just a few years ago. </div>
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An odd thing happens when cancer enters your life. Things
that previously would have been a big deal become insignificant. After cancer you learn to be grateful for
things like waking up in the morning, getting your first cup of tea, feeling
the sun on your face, snuggling with a pet, or maybe just doing nothing. In a few ways cancer actually brings an eerie
calm to life that is hard to imagine before it happens to you.</div>
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Here’s hoping that tomorrow has more good and less bad and
that your week is going extremely well.
I have a busy day tomorrow but I have to write the next transitioning to
a healthy vegan lifestyle post. Wish me luck since I am going to need it. Ciao for now.
;-)</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-43665985062240003052013-01-29T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-29T00:00:05.957-05:00Randomness From My Life<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIh55z4TbVacjSp8TMft4PzMNAsXgAZEc7drpfHm8ZQiI2Vck0hiFhDdQU5sGwDXiwi3XLCN5fdPcSBJ_KYFfD0_6HwXHs0ZycYhUpxzoA_WfD8PaZlM8Sk83FMfyqybDbx66F8ejD9Vi/s1600/01+17+13+green+juice+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIh55z4TbVacjSp8TMft4PzMNAsXgAZEc7drpfHm8ZQiI2Vck0hiFhDdQU5sGwDXiwi3XLCN5fdPcSBJ_KYFfD0_6HwXHs0ZycYhUpxzoA_WfD8PaZlM8Sk83FMfyqybDbx66F8ejD9Vi/s640/01+17+13+green+juice+-+reduced.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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It was a crazy busy weekend at our place. Just one of those weekends where I didn’t
have enough time for anything that I thought I would get done, including
blogging. Sorry about disappearing on you guys.
At least this time it was only for 2 days this time. ;-)</div>
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My Monday hasn’t been much better in terms of having
time. Even though my work schedule was
light I decided to try to get a lot of things done and that meant that I was a
different type of busy. Needless to say
that meant I didn’t have any time to think about the post for tonight. Translation, I am winging this
completely! </div>
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My morning started with a big glass of green juice which is pictured above. Dan had his green smoothies today this time
made with wild blueberries. </div>
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After breakfast I waited for the weather to improve so that
I could run errands. The weather here
was lousy today. We started the day with
freezing rain/sleet. I had a few errands
to run but didn’t want to drive in the weather. Then I remembered that I had a
rolling cart that I used at the farmers’ market so out the door I went on
foot. I was chatting with a friend while
I ran errands and took some pictures to show the area. Since I have those pictures I decided to use
them here too.</div>
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This is the old St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwQhyphenhyphenbJfLN0BTW-VeFRPdDJs74O4CQc9e7UD1pcD3tmKs4-GaeBtoAmqokJNoId4_ossk8XHKhtZCdhJCoUXaBG2XEJ1o-hQVqUcJKcYSxx_5YE8NqwoFelOnU0e6kxRjL7d_cR8EGwt-/s1600/01+28+13+st+marys+-+reduce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwQhyphenhyphenbJfLN0BTW-VeFRPdDJs74O4CQc9e7UD1pcD3tmKs4-GaeBtoAmqokJNoId4_ossk8XHKhtZCdhJCoUXaBG2XEJ1o-hQVqUcJKcYSxx_5YE8NqwoFelOnU0e6kxRjL7d_cR8EGwt-/s640/01+28+13+st+marys+-+reduce.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here are two pictures of old tombstones from the church
cemetery.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuTyh6ggptxrdEtZKgAH1ZPpNiyuEYJBdrruOPxsuXzkSElRZEo_xgQAQruCrwe4IrHakwjUCNifNYVbEVb-t3jqOBEdB2Z_mIBiT9v0v55YEhSk1AY9si0cl_0C9a401cQyLAT9jucml/s1600/01+28+13+cemetery+1+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuTyh6ggptxrdEtZKgAH1ZPpNiyuEYJBdrruOPxsuXzkSElRZEo_xgQAQruCrwe4IrHakwjUCNifNYVbEVb-t3jqOBEdB2Z_mIBiT9v0v55YEhSk1AY9si0cl_0C9a401cQyLAT9jucml/s640/01+28+13+cemetery+1+-+reduced.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi92rKpqyo_q4WKvL6k0Bpgvk16Yljv6UIWTYVbG5K_epzpGiv0fE-2JUmY2Fc2t04Z3s4Pxh1IlMAxB9ErVkfXfC6h6euS40pojEDuMBNFJ_n-MwUsMMxRhYMyo2Qr1lsydidIZy1VNWF/s1600/01+28+13+cemetery+2+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi92rKpqyo_q4WKvL6k0Bpgvk16Yljv6UIWTYVbG5K_epzpGiv0fE-2JUmY2Fc2t04Z3s4Pxh1IlMAxB9ErVkfXfC6h6euS40pojEDuMBNFJ_n-MwUsMMxRhYMyo2Qr1lsydidIZy1VNWF/s640/01+28+13+cemetery+2+-+reduced.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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This is the firehouse in the CareOne commercial.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAOu9GSc0z56LD609hPFZOjBZi9GgkCVRWJIeJ3wCarBsWE6zaTw0C6pSwXgaGmdviqI0G7DAfqJTiS03wWNgZrt6mObr1_aYJR1S4t6Vd9x1TNHNtTnuYwYa4JxGhztq-ZmJB80YK4SS/s1600/01+28+13+firehouse+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAOu9GSc0z56LD609hPFZOjBZi9GgkCVRWJIeJ3wCarBsWE6zaTw0C6pSwXgaGmdviqI0G7DAfqJTiS03wWNgZrt6mObr1_aYJR1S4t6Vd9x1TNHNtTnuYwYa4JxGhztq-ZmJB80YK4SS/s640/01+28+13+firehouse+-+reduced.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Also on the same street is this house from the same CareOne
Commercial.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZeb3igfY2WdZRDz-mp4MtK7ggqAFI7wsH69mksNbiPtQ9Q3j7lxWDZnQV8Ex82OTlgCKSSfWyIupetx_ReLmkVM5qTnhVQj9qVPE6t36G0EI7gawOZ12EmJfJ2EE0dwoFL0xOeqACzXg/s1600/01+29+13+house+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZeb3igfY2WdZRDz-mp4MtK7ggqAFI7wsH69mksNbiPtQ9Q3j7lxWDZnQV8Ex82OTlgCKSSfWyIupetx_ReLmkVM5qTnhVQj9qVPE6t36G0EI7gawOZ12EmJfJ2EE0dwoFL0xOeqACzXg/s640/01+29+13+house+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZ6GP8DwhqU754P3Gm2NMVOmGYsU5n5t56H92kqOHFNprKx7S0NGruTwzRV0hukBaCrFiKB6pLjVUGyx5yJEdq-cE5cLKHura3WCQuJ_08gugqRpjShgK36mEAdriEPP6krDr2tEm-uFy/s1600/01+28+13+house+3+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZ6GP8DwhqU754P3Gm2NMVOmGYsU5n5t56H92kqOHFNprKx7S0NGruTwzRV0hukBaCrFiKB6pLjVUGyx5yJEdq-cE5cLKHura3WCQuJ_08gugqRpjShgK36mEAdriEPP6krDr2tEm-uFy/s640/01+28+13+house+3+-+reduced.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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This is the infamous Café Hon which you may have seen in the
Gordon Ramsey show. It is a long story about
the restaurant which I will save for another post. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgJOqJBRtkBTjwr9VhDpA2pyaFvm7yWpRR_CUeyVxr688C0O-LtFYrENb-d8j_83vKEINOLRDydGeipGtdXXwnlgwdg55LTcRIGaDMSiXparMI-mbwxN4KQVe9NycHzf0dA5iaQFfV6KE/s1600/01+28+13+cafe+hon+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgJOqJBRtkBTjwr9VhDpA2pyaFvm7yWpRR_CUeyVxr688C0O-LtFYrENb-d8j_83vKEINOLRDydGeipGtdXXwnlgwdg55LTcRIGaDMSiXparMI-mbwxN4KQVe9NycHzf0dA5iaQFfV6KE/s640/01+28+13+cafe+hon+-+reduced.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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These are just random shots of houses along the way while I
ran errands by foot.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5CIrqENztCS7AXZSBLKaXZ6tgeQ0GTU5ONjyR2hiD7PRtk6ey6FV-B5gC22BYEyQMp4xOA-eI4jlUsRszU7sKFe63WokBMbyGy1dh6X-XLANXRpjp6pi6PC6qH1o0Tj1QY6kKbAKECg4/s1600/01+28+13+house+1+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5CIrqENztCS7AXZSBLKaXZ6tgeQ0GTU5ONjyR2hiD7PRtk6ey6FV-B5gC22BYEyQMp4xOA-eI4jlUsRszU7sKFe63WokBMbyGy1dh6X-XLANXRpjp6pi6PC6qH1o0Tj1QY6kKbAKECg4/s640/01+28+13+house+1+-+reduced.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hWsuq5RWipb5KtODTTJo-T8M0vGgn4pMCSmtiHmWl3YqD9c2I9_kueyHlTyEV8m96EqLYZus9PpAT0Yw17OpzC-g6RhZg36BzMmBHdWUpsUFf8F8_WgpBxpw37FFDWxyzlziSOFMZTva/s1600/01+28+13+house+4+-+reduced+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hWsuq5RWipb5KtODTTJo-T8M0vGgn4pMCSmtiHmWl3YqD9c2I9_kueyHlTyEV8m96EqLYZus9PpAT0Yw17OpzC-g6RhZg36BzMmBHdWUpsUFf8F8_WgpBxpw37FFDWxyzlziSOFMZTva/s640/01+28+13+house+4+-+reduced+2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Lunch for me was more green juice. I did a green juice fast
on Sunday and when I got on the scale Monday morning I was down 2 pounds. That
is what prompted me to do another day or two.
Immediate gratification has a big draw for me. ;-)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHyMIToapl5KAcJJZeacMKqpusL0zU47SOoKnDW6wjCIdP02YSztZkLOaWYdzZHX0LSeers3Ruo10TQnbMWezDvNJ1lryNH8uB_XYMc1lbuPKqFUUJKsYUd51NMHqpzj5CtmRHrLkho0m/s1600/01+28+13+moroccan+chickpea+stew+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHyMIToapl5KAcJJZeacMKqpusL0zU47SOoKnDW6wjCIdP02YSztZkLOaWYdzZHX0LSeers3Ruo10TQnbMWezDvNJ1lryNH8uB_XYMc1lbuPKqFUUJKsYUd51NMHqpzj5CtmRHrLkho0m/s640/01+28+13+moroccan+chickpea+stew+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Dinner for me was … more green juice. Dan had Moroccan chickpeas and
veg over quinoa and a salad.</div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
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</div>
<ol>
<li>We got some potentially very good news from the doctor this
morning. Once it materializes I will fill you in.</li>
<li>I was able to run a few errands today by foot which was not
only good for the planet (for fossil fuel use) but was also good for me. Whenever possible I like to use my own energy
to run errands. </li>
<li>The UPS man bought a few CDs for me to today which I have
been listening to all afternoon. Three
best of CDs: Marvin Gaye, Berry White
and Teddy Pendergrass. My house
definitely had an old Motown vibe going today.</li>
<li>I am also grateful for the warm front we are expecting on
Tuesday and Wednesday. If the forecast
holds up we will be in the upper 60s on Wednesday which means boat time. I need
to get down to the marina to check on our girl so why not go when the weather
is nice enough to enough a little outdoor time right? I may have to get a little exercise around
the harbor while I am there.</li>
</ol>
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
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Tomorrow we need to get up uber early since Dan has to be in
Fredericksburg, Virginia by 9 am. Looks
like I will be getting an early start too since Dan has no idea how to make a
smoothie. No I am not kidding he really
doesn’t. Can you say spoiled? Oh well, I
am pretty spoiled too. But I am honestly
not looking forward to being up at 5 tomorrow.</div>
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I have to run since I still have things to do before I can
crawl into bed. Hope your Monday was great.
Talk with you soon.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-27013075629962889982013-01-26T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-26T00:00:04.852-05:00Pantry Staple – Lemons<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59FxP8wPHY0Rlxd-edMbnbxvre2WLxrenOqcTLfCISjmdVAkVM6LUVcbuScopYDzr1hi2Lkpnocflr2Ai_NB9D15jPLJVlklEYabtwKYysv4eG4M3rAczhBdOqZc-ZSBsQ4W23Vuj0jCc/s1600/06+21+11+spinach+and+lemon+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59FxP8wPHY0Rlxd-edMbnbxvre2WLxrenOqcTLfCISjmdVAkVM6LUVcbuScopYDzr1hi2Lkpnocflr2Ai_NB9D15jPLJVlklEYabtwKYysv4eG4M3rAczhBdOqZc-ZSBsQ4W23Vuj0jCc/s640/06+21+11+spinach+and+lemon+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(wilted spinach with garlic, pine nuts and lemon)</i></div>
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For those of you who don’t use a lot of lemon I bet this one
is a bit of surprise. However I always have lemons in my house and I use them
every day, multiple times per day. I
wanted to share with you many of the different uses I have found for lemons.</div>
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<i>Health benefits of lemons</i></div>
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Lemons haven’t always been a staple in my house. However over the last few years I have come
to rely on them for many things. I love
that they are a good source of vitamin C and that it contains a substance
(modified citrus pectin) which binds to heavy metals so those are removed
through our waste rather than being reabsorbed into our blood stream. Lemons are also a good source of vitamin A,
B1, B6, potassium, magnesium, folic acid and limonene. The limonene is found in the pith, has shown
promising anti cancer properties.</div>
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If you plan to use the lemon zest it is best to buy organic
lemons to avoid pesticide residue which is commonly found on lemons. Whether
you buy organic or not it is important to scrub the lemon well before cutting
is so that you don’t introduce any dirt of bacteria from the surface of the
lemon into the flesh while cutting it.</div>
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<i>Storing lemons</i></div>
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Lemons can be stored on the counter if you are planning to
use them quickly. I buy large bags so I
keep mine in a bag in the refrigerator crisper to get the longest shelf life. If you find that you bought more than you can
use there is another option. Zest and juice the lemons and pour that into ice
cube trays and store in the freezer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFPa-t6YxOxXB3CP0jKMdsVr9LGjyq7L8-uX8yzbOCcabj2MBwNST54zliS7ZswDcnAtllCgpkoqzcps0Vofm-8gvHPkOEN9QCkbGyzPSgrxMtulQ8giL11VJ979WEFbkeQi_5cErcf-y/s1600/06+05+11+berry+cardamom+lemonade+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFPa-t6YxOxXB3CP0jKMdsVr9LGjyq7L8-uX8yzbOCcabj2MBwNST54zliS7ZswDcnAtllCgpkoqzcps0Vofm-8gvHPkOEN9QCkbGyzPSgrxMtulQ8giL11VJ979WEFbkeQi_5cErcf-y/s640/06+05+11+berry+cardamom+lemonade+-+reduced.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>(lemonade for sale at the farmers' market - loved the sound of this flavor combination)</i></div>
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<i>Beverages</i></div>
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Most people are probably familiar with lemon in tea which is
delicious. But did you know that adding lemon to your green and white tea
enhances the EGCG you absorb from the tea?
Needless to say we add lemon to our tea.
I add the lemon after the tea has finished steeping since the vitamin C
is heat sensitive. I want to get the
maximum healthy benefits from my food after all. ;-)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2bqYcJR4VZEjL4XCRMIR9OviVI7aAHwipq8m2l8HXI-KPhxNkFSnvcCl2J_MsS-tCet2oOMRNFu8Pp5RAAd9Y-StzMdfCkyPXI_C8m090O4Ti5Xa0Q6Q79xMn2f2_IwE2EyURkRQOdvf/s1600/11+26+11+no+foam+no+lemon+slice+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2bqYcJR4VZEjL4XCRMIR9OviVI7aAHwipq8m2l8HXI-KPhxNkFSnvcCl2J_MsS-tCet2oOMRNFu8Pp5RAAd9Y-StzMdfCkyPXI_C8m090O4Ti5Xa0Q6Q79xMn2f2_IwE2EyURkRQOdvf/s640/11+26+11+no+foam+no+lemon+slice+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(hibiscus tea with lemon)</i></div>
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Another favorite use for lemon at our house in the winter is
to add to hot water. Since tea (and
coffee) interferes with our ability to absorb iron from green vegetables we
don’t drink tea within an hour of having our green smoothies. Instead of tea we have either herbal tea
(with lemon) or hot water with lemon.
Hot water and lemon is something that I used to do 30 years ago and
forgot about until earlier this year. I
really enjoy it. If you haven’t had it you might want to give it a try. With our current cold snap now may be the
best time to try it out. </div>
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You can also make healthy homemade lemonade with lemon
juice, sparkling water and stevia. We
find this to be very refreshing in the warmer months.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6lUJmx_SGsYPiyznAc-5DNLY6mcSiK8IV2izIkN-Up-iDvVBEzs9fkw43K1Is3Px34vOgCHWdtg-OlVKWNLgp8FCXHarsTQVdKsTIzdllyi4SiUqzZb8kTVCTdtc8YjjxsgTVmceZkPM/s1600/cucumber+lemon+water+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6lUJmx_SGsYPiyznAc-5DNLY6mcSiK8IV2izIkN-Up-iDvVBEzs9fkw43K1Is3Px34vOgCHWdtg-OlVKWNLgp8FCXHarsTQVdKsTIzdllyi4SiUqzZb8kTVCTdtc8YjjxsgTVmceZkPM/s640/cucumber+lemon+water+-+reduced.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<i>(spa water)</i></div>
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There is always the classic cucumber and lemon water that I call spa water since my mother started making it after a trip to the spa 40+ years ago.</div>
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<i>Seasoning food in lieu of salt</i></div>
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I have mentioned many times that we gave up using salt in
our food at home so I won’t cover that again here. However, when you stop using
salt you need to find other ways to enhance the flavor of your food. Acids like vinegars and citrus juice somehow
brighten the flavor of food. I wish I
could explain how and why it works but I haven’t researched it. However I do know that it works. I often either serve food with lemon wedges
or squeeze fresh juice over the food just before serving and it does lift the
flavors considerably.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0U0Iz3i7rlU7v9jASjR5SM0p7ZTsXQ7ykyUEIoNSdIYFyJ9VgYkgbrPZwf7ZIhFGpV5d_F3KBC1vqIeTCdzmGbZVgQnDN5t_KKv8vGoERIgaTBCYUhd4JJ0KDt4qKr-AxD_aZKAWwkz7w/s1600/09+18+11+pickled+veg+salad+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0U0Iz3i7rlU7v9jASjR5SM0p7ZTsXQ7ykyUEIoNSdIYFyJ9VgYkgbrPZwf7ZIhFGpV5d_F3KBC1vqIeTCdzmGbZVgQnDN5t_KKv8vGoERIgaTBCYUhd4JJ0KDt4qKr-AxD_aZKAWwkz7w/s640/09+18+11+pickled+veg+salad+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(lemon marinated veggie salad)</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>Marinating veggies</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Another one of my favorite uses for lemon juice and lemon
zest is to flavor raw veggies. You have
probably seen massaged kale salads on the web.
I do something similar but a healthier version. I use lemon juice and zest to marinate a
variety of raw veggies. All you do is
thinly slice or shred the veggies and add lemon zest and juice and toss the
veggies. If you like you can add no-salt
seasoning or other herbs and spices. Then put the veggies in the refrigerator
to marinate. Periodically open the
container and stir the veg. You can do
this in the morning before work for lunch or dinner that day. I have also let this sit for a couple of days
and it is still fine. The lemon softens
the veggies and adds a lot of flavor. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwt8cywuT06WmwA39rRTUejEUzx1hGQNeOUp9NpniJa0VULU5SQtol8j_LkEpn8gePXKmA2QdB8IpdKQ5RRkXxfjUW3rLjzSAYFT8_u-ug5JHfJZc5IA9MVv2oDrMIxaLJ9Xf0c-_Gt2o/s1600/lemon+tahini+dressing+-+reducedjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwt8cywuT06WmwA39rRTUejEUzx1hGQNeOUp9NpniJa0VULU5SQtol8j_LkEpn8gePXKmA2QdB8IpdKQ5RRkXxfjUW3rLjzSAYFT8_u-ug5JHfJZc5IA9MVv2oDrMIxaLJ9Xf0c-_Gt2o/s640/lemon+tahini+dressing+-+reducedjpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(green salad with veggies, baked falafel and lemon tahini dressing)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Salad dressing</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Lemons make a wonderful base for salad dressings. I like to use them in a variety of dressings.
They are great in a lemony raw cashew Caesar dressing (lemon juice, lemon zest,
raw cashew, water, raw garlic and a touch of soy sauce), lemony “honey” mustard
(lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard and stevia) and lemon poppy seed (lemon
juice, lemon zest, raw cashews, water and stevia blended then add poppy
seeds). The dressing options are endless
but I wanted to mention a few of the ones that I make often.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEk_hwJozMpL2z3qjKCyT6ziheBvmuXNBFRTCZ2o8tzwoI7M3PPSTSVYr0nnr1belxKPwheDVyNoOn5LnHo1eIvtkUeDgw3SJGwCxgJjdGDGUBC-05Bq4XpuO-tZ2JwugPJincwkNZ9iHK/s1600/10+18+11+orange+sorbet+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEk_hwJozMpL2z3qjKCyT6ziheBvmuXNBFRTCZ2o8tzwoI7M3PPSTSVYr0nnr1belxKPwheDVyNoOn5LnHo1eIvtkUeDgw3SJGwCxgJjdGDGUBC-05Bq4XpuO-tZ2JwugPJincwkNZ9iHK/s640/10+18+11+orange+sorbet+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(lemon sorbet at Jaleo)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Sorbet or Granita</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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I think people are either lemon or chocolate people though
you may disagree. Personally I love lemon in just about anything and sorbet is
one of my favorites. I make a very
intense (extra lemony and stevia) lemonade and put that in my ice cream
freezer. You could also turn it into granite by freezer the liquid in a shallow
pan and scraping the mixture periodically when it is partially frozen to form
crystals.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Cleaning your cutting board</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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The last use for lemons that I will mention today is to use
the juiced halves with kosher salt to scrub, bleach and disinfect your cutting
board. This is something that I do at
least once a week and sometimes more often.</div>
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I hope all of these tips give you some ideas encourage you
to keep lemons in your house.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
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</div>
<ol>
<li>Today has been a very long day. I didn’t get into bed until 5am and was up by
8am so you know I was tired. Fortunately
it was an easy day today which is about all I could have handled. I am grateful
for my easy day today.</li>
<li>Somehow I managed to get some work done today which was
surprising given my energy level. I am thankful that I found the oomph to get a
few things accomplished.</li>
<li>Late Friday afternoon I made another batch of veggie burgers
which we haven’t tried yet. I am hoping
that I got the texture right this time.
If I do I will be sharing the recipe with you very soon.</li>
<li>I want to send another shout out to my friend Matt who has
still not had a cigarette. In fact it has been so many days that I have lost
track but I think Saturday will be day 17 for him. How impressive is that? Not only has Matt quit smoking but he has
dropped the meat from his life and started adding things like hemp seeds, beans
and artichokes. You rock Matt! Keep up the great work.</li>
<li>Friday in Baltimore was another cold (high of 27) and snowy
day. Fortunately I didn’t have to go out
in that unpleasant weather. Snow is
pretty when you can stay inside and look at it through the windows. Being outside in it, particularly when you
have to drive, is not my idea of a good time.</li>
<li>I have some errands to run tomorrow so I am grateful that
the snow is predicted to end early.
Hopefully that will mean I can get out and knock a few things off my
to-do list. *fingers crossed* If not I am sure that I can find something
productive to do at home. It’s not like
there isn’t plenty to choose from. ;-)</li>
<li>Next week, assuming the weather forecast holds up we are
supposed to reach 60 on Tuesday. That
sounds like a trip to the marina is in order to me. I have been missing my Zen
boat time and just want to sit on the back deck, soak up a little sun and feed
the water fowl. Maybe a little
meditation time will sneak in there too. Can you think of anything better to do
for a few hours than that?</li>
</ol>
<br />
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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By the time you see this the weekend will have started. I think we should all do something to
celebrate though I don’t know what at the moment. If you have any celebratory
ideas, or any other thoughts, please feel free to share.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I hope you have something fun planned for the weekend and
that your weather is better than ours.
Looking on the bright side</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-61246794309132305182013-01-25T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-25T01:03:04.362-05:00Eating Healthy While Traveling<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyVDIuBUyn7m1TlnpIPkIN0blEVbSjSlghTIFraVZH_-Cq2ARWVYuP7KtyUBo-NqVEnlKtVtLWDTmzaS50_L25M4TALnV4mVn3NaNl5RxF70b4OCRQZGFEwXkzOqDbc7Ww3hjFiTvpyp4/s1600/07+20+11+black+truffle+hummus+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyVDIuBUyn7m1TlnpIPkIN0blEVbSjSlghTIFraVZH_-Cq2ARWVYuP7KtyUBo-NqVEnlKtVtLWDTmzaS50_L25M4TALnV4mVn3NaNl5RxF70b4OCRQZGFEwXkzOqDbc7Ww3hjFiTvpyp4/s640/07+20+11+black+truffle+hummus+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(black truffle hummus and cucumbers)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Like many of my posts this one was inspired by something
that happened in my life. Thursday
morning I was chatting with a friend who is on the road this week for
business. I asked my friend if their breakfast
today was a green smoothie since they had been making them in the hotel the
last few days. It turned out that my
friend hadn’t had a smoothie but rather grabbed breakfast in the hotel. This immediately made me realize how
difficult it is to eat this way for people who haven’t lived this lifestyle as
long as I have. I knew this conversation would be very helpful for those of you
who are just starting out on this journey so I wanted to share.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfhhKEkU2mUnJ5EsAU_41Zd3e7g-95ZiJf75YyXq7wnKmUc4o9Z0Grc3OBUP7QUm4MUivb1NzbONyGPj01QlENToJBSuaK1zEeCcPOpHU8pTTRIYh5CUd8lJKqygIq57_TkmoBsXJMeyn/s1600/06+21+11+leopard+car+-+redcued.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfhhKEkU2mUnJ5EsAU_41Zd3e7g-95ZiJf75YyXq7wnKmUc4o9Z0Grc3OBUP7QUm4MUivb1NzbONyGPj01QlENToJBSuaK1zEeCcPOpHU8pTTRIYh5CUd8lJKqygIq57_TkmoBsXJMeyn/s640/06+21+11+leopard+car+-+redcued.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(random crazy car I saw in Frederick, MD)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>What do you do first if you need to travel?</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Whenever either Dan or I are on the road the first thing I
do is research the hotel. In the perfect
world it will at least have a refrigerator and microwave. However that doesn’t all happen when Dan has
to travel for work and I have figured out how to make that work. Once you know whether you can prepare food in
your hotel room or not then you can decide what to do next.</div>
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How do you find out what healthy food is available where you
will be traveling?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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The website I use is happycow.net. On this site you can search by zip code,
city, state or country. The site lists restaurants (both vegan, veg and veg-friendly)
as well as food stores. Since my friend
was going to be in St. Augustine this week I used happycow.net to make a quick
list of restaurants where it would be easy to grab a healthy meal. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I also double checked to see if there was a Whole Foods,
Trader Joe’s or Harris Teeter in St. Augustine but those were all a no go. If this happens to you don’t worry. There
will always be grocery stores in the area and you can find healthy food there
too. Not to mention there is typically
at least one health food store in a town of any size. Even the little town of 60,000 where I grew
up had a health food store back in the day.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDx5a-CEERVg3XrPwJwdVF_ZuPdkUey8ZrcKyEhLv7d8WK6xPwhPvCJzXXJtrojMu3-M2nCoBXNt8ueWQa1UJXNWCo2TLq1YbGcQsiZBPtqizjeYMBmc316O5p_0mp3LuB6H_fZ49Y2Xk4/s1600/09+07+11+mushroom+and+caramelized+onion+pizza+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDx5a-CEERVg3XrPwJwdVF_ZuPdkUey8ZrcKyEhLv7d8WK6xPwhPvCJzXXJtrojMu3-M2nCoBXNt8ueWQa1UJXNWCo2TLq1YbGcQsiZBPtqizjeYMBmc316O5p_0mp3LuB6H_fZ49Y2Xk4/s640/09+07+11+mushroom+and+caramelized+onion+pizza+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(mushroom and caramelized onion pizza - any pizzeria could make you something like this)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Assuming you have a microwave and refrigerator in your room
what do you do?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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If you have a microwave and refrigerator in your room you
have tons of options. My favorite options
all come from the grocery store. You can
pick up any of the following:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Raw veggie tray and hummus (or veggies from the salad bar)</li>
<li>Prepared soup (typically found near or at the salad bar)</li>
<li>Edamame from the refrigerator case or freezer</li>
<li>Salad from the salad bar (with beans from the salad bar or
canned beans)</li>
<li>Amy’s frozen vegan entrees (or something similar)</li>
<li>Soy yogurt, fruit from the salad bar and a bag of granola</li>
<li>Packages of oatmeal that you have with dried fruit and nuts</li>
<li>Small cartons of non-dairy milk for your cereal or coffee</li>
<li>If you have a portable blender you can carry what you need
for green smoothies which are perfect!</li>
</ul>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6EytJWNtGE4bBy1tahS_ZyQpizVZxuUYfRoQdMK8oSHR-JUDFuBttz11RH0p5Yj42zcWmgyKpHmpGqHSbkZ-h5hyphenhyphenhd9WTOxvD_lvo0D6hWEswwAByHBlZYsf5SQ1ZTLMk-NwHF95uLUS/s1600/12+26+11+oatmeal,+bananas+and+granola+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6EytJWNtGE4bBy1tahS_ZyQpizVZxuUYfRoQdMK8oSHR-JUDFuBttz11RH0p5Yj42zcWmgyKpHmpGqHSbkZ-h5hyphenhyphenhd9WTOxvD_lvo0D6hWEswwAByHBlZYsf5SQ1ZTLMk-NwHF95uLUS/s640/12+26+11+oatmeal,+bananas+and+granola+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(oatmeal cooked with water, topped with non-dairy milk, a banana and granola)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<i>What if you don’t have a microwave and refrigerator?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Without a way to warm up and refrigerate food you have a
slightly trickier situation. This requires you to get a little creative. I have used the hotel room coffee pot to warm
up soup and oatmeal for example. Other
options that you might want to consider include:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Single serving packages of non-dairy milk and cereal</li>
<li>Instant soup that you add hot water to (Dr. McDougall makes
some good ones)</li>
<li>Stopping at grocery store for salad meals (see above)</li>
<li>Use <a href="http://happycow.net/">happycow.net</a> to find healthy restaurants</li>
<li>Locating ethnic restaurants (Chinese, Japanese, Thai,
Vietnamese, Ethiopian, and Indian are good choices that can generally accommodate
vegan diners without much difficulty)</li>
</ul>
If you are traveling by car you have more options than if
you are flying for work. When we are
going anywhere by car I also have a cooler with us with healthy snacks. The cooler can be used to keep food cool in
your room if you don’t have a refrigerator and that is handy. In conclusion, I
hope that I have given you some ideas to consider when you are traveling for
work and want to stay healthy.<br />
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<br /></div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Thursday was a really good day for me. It started with shoveling snow first thing
this morning. *woo hoo* Okay I was being sarcastic but the exercise component
was good at least. Plus it was nice to be able to help out since Dan usually
takes care of snow removal.</li>
<li>I had some good calls with clients today which always makes
me happy. I get so jazzed when people
make healthy changes. There is no doubt that I have finally found what I was
mean to do. I still find it hard to
believe that I was ever in finance. LOL</li>
<li>I made a delicious dinner tonight of fagioli all’uccelletto
(beans in the style of birds) and served it over cheesy polenta and veggies. Since I hadn’t made this in a while it was
really tasty to us tonight. </li>
<li>A little while ago I ordered some reusable lunch bags that
arrived today. I am jazzed that I will be using fewer plastic zip top
bags. While I realize that my personal
use of them doesn’t make a big dent in the total I also know if more people
tried to avoid them the environment would be better off. I wanted to mention the idea of the reusable
lunch bags to give everyone something to consider.</li>
<li>Tomorrow is Friday!
That deserves both a woo hoo and a happy dance. I am seriously looking forward to Friday. I
have a light day which means I can be totally productive tomorrow. Love that!
Not to mention it is almost the weekend and you all know how much I love
that. </li>
</ol>
<b>Signing out:</b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Are you as happy that the weekend is almost here as I
am? While I love helping people I also
love my down time. I can’t wait to have
a little time to myself to get things done that have been piling up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope that you have some fun planned for the upcoming weekend.
We don’t yet but there is still time to find something to get into. If the weather
is good I may suggest a little DC time over the weekend.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-6346596828335665522013-01-24T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-24T00:00:08.154-05:00Transitioning to a Healthy Vegan Lifestyle - Step Three<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CmzCiFxGWlCaN2TtYHjS5j-SBZJdI3hF6Tov5sGa6c_x_y87a4cHRo1KtuvVFUn2qKiQ2-Ni08TKHr9J8Dv9ql242nX_6L4zU3RYjgyCjWAB9UdndUJpQM6HkAK76fAQe3b5H4YmcSws/s1600/09+04+11+bean+cheeze+and+veggies+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CmzCiFxGWlCaN2TtYHjS5j-SBZJdI3hF6Tov5sGa6c_x_y87a4cHRo1KtuvVFUn2qKiQ2-Ni08TKHr9J8Dv9ql242nX_6L4zU3RYjgyCjWAB9UdndUJpQM6HkAK76fAQe3b5H4YmcSws/s640/09+04+11+bean+cheeze+and+veggies+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(crudite and white bean cheeze dip)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am really curious how those of you who have made the first
two changes are feeling now. If you are
inclined to share I would love to know about your experience so far. *hint, hint*
;-) You can either post your
thoughts on the blog or send me an email.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thus far we have been drinking enough water to be properly
hydrated and then we added a minimum of 10 servings of produce to our diet. In
comparison the next step is going to be fairly easy. Now I want you to add a minimum of one cup of
beans to your diet. I am still not
asking you to eliminate meat, eggs and dairy, though that will come
eventually. For now simply drink enough
water, eat at least 10 servings of produce, and have at least one cup of beans
every day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Those of you who have conquered the 10 servings of produce
challenge are probably already experiencing significant results. I expect that
your transit time has reduced significantly.
For those who aren’t familiar with the term, transit time is the time it
takes between when food goes in your mouth and waste comes out the other end.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjevn88S9lDKtcEhy2B5RerQ0KhNz0DEumPNMd_7uTziXubR-FpJ-5KXWIFfabis-i9tLr5VXOuRiIet9_uJtFGpODezVKNX-G4S5bVZ6nTdEZo0w58TxHzj0Y9FcF55f2Z-GVqBB5WMml/s1600/12+5+11+chocolate+peanut+black+bean+spread+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjevn88S9lDKtcEhy2B5RerQ0KhNz0DEumPNMd_7uTziXubR-FpJ-5KXWIFfabis-i9tLr5VXOuRiIet9_uJtFGpODezVKNX-G4S5bVZ6nTdEZo0w58TxHzj0Y9FcF55f2Z-GVqBB5WMml/s640/12+5+11+chocolate+peanut+black+bean+spread+-+reduced.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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<i>(chocolate and peanut butter bean spread with cucumbers)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Additionally you should be feeling lighter both in terms of
total weight and how you feel after eating. This is because produce is much lower
in calories than meat, dairy and processed food. Also produce is easier for the
body to digest which means that your body doesn’t need to devote as many time
or resources for digestion and the food moves more quickly through your body.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Now we are going to move on to step three which is to add
one cup of cooked beans to your diet. Those of you who aren’t bean eats may be
curious why beans are important and where to add them to your diet so I will
cover both of those topics.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RxiCylSL6H_QaaiWpWSu-RcW9ckb4XVVN9m3IQ6TiT9xNkggWAshFpMTKSmvdVEsIGFxTsfC8gvVkRx5znw50in2R5JTUh53aTmwWxrUGEeSkgykgCxZzkZSfwbeMkPmkAOqHZl0lhoR/s1600/11+26+11+white+bean+and+kale+soup+with+pasta+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RxiCylSL6H_QaaiWpWSu-RcW9ckb4XVVN9m3IQ6TiT9xNkggWAshFpMTKSmvdVEsIGFxTsfC8gvVkRx5znw50in2R5JTUh53aTmwWxrUGEeSkgykgCxZzkZSfwbeMkPmkAOqHZl0lhoR/s640/11+26+11+white+bean+and+kale+soup+with+pasta+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(white bean and kale soup with whole wheat pasta)</i></div>
<br /></div>
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<i>Why is it important to eat beans?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Beans are a fantastic source of protein and fiber and are also
very satisfying. The fiber helps to
reduce blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. Remember swings in blood sugar can cause you
to overeat so you don’t want that to happen.
The fiber also has the impact of promoting the growth of good bacteria
in your gut which improves your immune system and your body’s ability to absorb
nutrients. Additionally consuming beans
improves your fecal eliminations. The fiber in beans also binds to the
cholesterol in your GI tract so that more of it is flushed out in your waste
rather than being absorbed back into your body.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>What type of beans should we be eating?</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Eat whichever type of beans you enjoy. I love garbanzos and
lentils but if you like black beans and pinto beans eat those instead. The
important thing is to find beans that you like and eat those. Once you cultivate a bean habit you can
explore other varieties and shake things up.
For now just eat at least one cup of beans per day.</div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_PK0amEsd4TIymKkOt9tr6U6phF0j8rLcGJHjB9b76qE70BksfxAhM5KO1auDYY-x2Ecwa-gSCPz-hgSPCbvh_tqypo5pV1QojSoCV5cYfnJotQUla9TK4WiVpZFBm6FdNKhwetI1YE5M/s1600/05+17+11+black+bean+hummus+sammie+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_PK0amEsd4TIymKkOt9tr6U6phF0j8rLcGJHjB9b76qE70BksfxAhM5KO1auDYY-x2Ecwa-gSCPz-hgSPCbvh_tqypo5pV1QojSoCV5cYfnJotQUla9TK4WiVpZFBm6FdNKhwetI1YE5M/s640/05+17+11+black+bean+hummus+sammie+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(black bean hummus and veggie panini)</i></div>
<br /></div>
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<i>What is the best place to buy beans?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is a difficult question because it depends on where you
live. However in general the best place
to buy your beans is the one that has the highest turnover (sells the most).
Really old dried beans take a very long time to cook. That is the reason that
you want your beans to be as fresh as possible.
I get mine from Wegman’s generally but I also buy them other
places. Other ideas include Latino
markets which are a great source for unusual beans. I have also found beans in health food
stores, Asian markets, Whole Foods, Harris Teeter and at our local grocery stores
(check the Latin section of your market if you have trouble locating them). You can also buy them from Amazon which is
probably a great source since they are such a big retailer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxTyY51Bkb2826FqotoAB2mev5Wcn03nbXwq1l__Ux1Rg_4HAAcn7rF6cP0t8bEyf_5xttbnYE8JAXgNUtOLLxPAsutkEQ81Oyjq9g-LDlWeO-CnyynClVaCIBdlDjvczQNljHZHP7JgP/s1600/06+12+11+avocado+and+black+bean+salsa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxTyY51Bkb2826FqotoAB2mev5Wcn03nbXwq1l__Ux1Rg_4HAAcn7rF6cP0t8bEyf_5xttbnYE8JAXgNUtOLLxPAsutkEQ81Oyjq9g-LDlWeO-CnyynClVaCIBdlDjvczQNljHZHP7JgP/s640/06+12+11+avocado+and+black+bean+salsa.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(avocado and black bean salsa)</i></div>
<br /></div>
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<i>What are the easiest places to add beans into my diet?</i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once you get started using beans you will find that they actually
work in almost every dish that you have previously used meat. My favorite uses for beans include:<br />
<ul>
<li>Adding them to sauces (think red sauce for example) with
veggies</li>
<li>Including them in soups (minestrone – a veggie soup with
beans is a terrific example) or as soup (split pea or lentil)</li>
<li>Tossing them in grain dishes (pilaf would be a good example)</li>
<li>Adding cold beans (particularly garbanzo/chickpea/ceci) to a green salads</li>
<li>Anywhere you can add hummus, as a dip in a sandwich, as the base on pizza</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSWLulYG3b8eZ28_L5N2bgneOHQJv2VdBYv0N4US3xQbWBgoMPLGBkaapF4cRouqwCEF19lTa07BT8LkhgTL3yitdFJ3HZ7aXUyctXSOaBV8GAAGt-eA1PRIi7oVYHJusC4WNAdJGSmCc/s1600/06+22+11+quino+and+garbanzo+bean+salad+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSWLulYG3b8eZ28_L5N2bgneOHQJv2VdBYv0N4US3xQbWBgoMPLGBkaapF4cRouqwCEF19lTa07BT8LkhgTL3yitdFJ3HZ7aXUyctXSOaBV8GAAGt-eA1PRIi7oVYHJusC4WNAdJGSmCc/s640/06+22+11+quino+and+garbanzo+bean+salad+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(quinoa and garbanzo bean salad)</i></div>
<br /></div>
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<i>Won’t beans make me flatulent (gassy)?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If your body isn’t accustomed to eating a lot of fiber it
will take a little while for it to adjust.
The easiest way to understand this is that the population of good
bacteria (the ones that digest fiber) in your gastro intestinal tract need to
adjust as your diet changes. Once this happens your flatulence will be reduced.
There are two things that you can do to help reduce this problem. First, you can take a probiotic supplement
(Culturelle or Align) to increase the population of healthy bacteria more
quickly. Second, you can take Beano which contains enzymes to help you body
break down the beans. Even if you don’t
use either supplement within a short period of time (approximately a month)
your body will adjust on its own and the flatulence will be reduced.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>I had a number of great calls today which always makes me
happy. There is just something about
helping people improve their health that fires me up. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span> I guess we all have our passions and that is
definitely one of mine, among many. ;-)</li>
<li>While it was absolutely frigid here today I was able to stay
warm at home for which I am very grateful.
I had no desire to go out the house this morning when I saw it was 18
degrees with a wind chill of minus 7 degrees Fahrenheit.</li>
<li>Dan is continuing to feel good and the mystery fevers have
disappeared. Love that! </li>
<li>Don’t you just love that it’s Wednesday? I am so happy to have the week more than half
over. Come on Friday. I can’t wait for my weekend to begin. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></li>
</ol>
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even though today was a good day it was another long
one. I spent more time on the phone
today than usual and that meant I was still writing this post late into the
evening. I need to come up with a system
soon. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope you are having a fabulous week. I will chat with you again very soon.
Arrivederci.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-172100260949499402013-01-23T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-23T23:11:25.420-05:00Food: Fuel Versus Pleasure<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSmhAzowJyu0b4v3tV0XiAjJD3wRnsealOthg9WDjmivtlxsjT2bkV_8mTCTooM6n3jedxDT9Gx31_cyLFAVdjVZQF-Ubplb_uzcUqESCbCeiXW7OWIAgb-V2OpPrgR0yaLq-YdmyAbpf/s1600/08+02+11+zucchini+ball+cut+open+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSmhAzowJyu0b4v3tV0XiAjJD3wRnsealOthg9WDjmivtlxsjT2bkV_8mTCTooM6n3jedxDT9Gx31_cyLFAVdjVZQF-Ubplb_uzcUqESCbCeiXW7OWIAgb-V2OpPrgR0yaLq-YdmyAbpf/s640/08+02+11+zucchini+ball+cut+open+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(baked zucchini balls)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few weeks ago I was writing about something that I had
eaten and the notion of how my views regarding food have changed over time
occurred to me and I knew I needed to elaborate on how it happened. In the not so distant past I had a much
more hedonistic view of food. What I mean by this was that my food choices
about what to eat were driven first by how much I would enjoy it and
secondarily by how healthy it was. I
don’t have to tell you that when you eat in that manner it is inevitable that
you are going to put on weight and I did.
I was neither happy nor healthy. However
once cancer enters your life you know that something has got to change and we
did.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL79zF0zC5sAvZvM-g9Cclea6W8tz_RQw2wYiThEzyboV4DIm2Xl35jBlm2NnOE8qa41DzWX1clyvRs9J6zftuv7yhpwhsuu2qBXCwH4oDWg6GgQl1eBgXZZpQ_3Ww2fegB4CYkVvhUzZF/s1600/zucchini+and+radish+with+spinach+and+walnut+sauce+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL79zF0zC5sAvZvM-g9Cclea6W8tz_RQw2wYiThEzyboV4DIm2Xl35jBlm2NnOE8qa41DzWX1clyvRs9J6zftuv7yhpwhsuu2qBXCwH4oDWg6GgQl1eBgXZZpQ_3Ww2fegB4CYkVvhUzZF/s640/zucchini+and+radish+with+spinach+and+walnut+sauce+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(zucchini and radish pasta with spinach and walnut sauce)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today my views about food have flipped 180 degrees. My first thought when eating now is how can I
maximize the nutrition in our food? My
second thought is how can I make the food taste as good as possible without harming
the nutrition? By altering my view
regarding food I was able to lose weight with little effort. If someone had told me years ago that the key
to being healthy was changing my view of food I would have thought they were
crazy. First it would have seemed
impossible to me to alter my perspective. Second I wouldn’t have thought that
one simple mental change would have had a big impact. How wrong I was on both of those issues.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeTdSIFzcntMbugAvuEfaD8W2YhkcP_bS0WZ0V_DM4IGkOeOqXnkD92IsQ3BYvww0CGtGTAENJJoNc3pi5BMyf0vY7DaeM86g_Xv11drgCM2KdtokdAkPZLg4swfZ6jrovcqDRAzdC4SJ/s1600/01+19+11+soup+and+salsa+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeTdSIFzcntMbugAvuEfaD8W2YhkcP_bS0WZ0V_DM4IGkOeOqXnkD92IsQ3BYvww0CGtGTAENJJoNc3pi5BMyf0vY7DaeM86g_Xv11drgCM2KdtokdAkPZLg4swfZ6jrovcqDRAzdC4SJ/s640/01+19+11+soup+and+salsa+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(Mexican-spiced tomato and bean soup with avocado salsa)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>How do you start to change your perspective?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That is the $64,000 question isn’t it? I know the specific answer is different for
everyone. But I do know that whatever you use of motivation has to be
critically important to you. For us it
was the cancer and being as healthy as possible in order to stand up to the
cancer. When you are faced with a life or death situation changing your views
on food seems easy. It could also be
that you want to lose weight and improve your health for yourself and your
family. Whatever it is the reason has to
be long term in nature so that you stick with it. Specifically what I mean is losing weight for
a high school reunion isn’t going to work because when the reunion is over your
motivation is gone.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once you find your personal motivation the details are much
easier. All of us know which foods are
good for us and which ones are harmful.
It comes down to eat more of the healthy stuff which will naturally crowd
out the unhealthy foods. If you need more specifics I will be covering those
every Thursday in my “transitioning to a healthy vegan diet series”.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wanted to toss out this idea of eating for fuel versus
pleasure to give you something to think about. Ask yourself this, which have
you been doing up until now eating for fuel or pleasure? Are there foods that
you are convinced “you can’t give up!”
Why are those foods more important to you than your health? Please give that question a lot of thought
because it plays a huge role in your current and future health. Remember you have everything necessary to
improve your health as long as that is what you want.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfuXAKWq4UJ7fyDNsx0njhipb9Tn2BSeRr9X3VVovlStAdPt1F1tp5MaZ_ITiG-WtpXwimPa4AfjUu1ZglLUYEeLCtResbN3836M6vhPbBYw-TsEv8o5Dafkp8i_0VjscTWsjcqx_29V0/s1600/04+11+11+zucchini+over+gnocchi+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfuXAKWq4UJ7fyDNsx0njhipb9Tn2BSeRr9X3VVovlStAdPt1F1tp5MaZ_ITiG-WtpXwimPa4AfjUu1ZglLUYEeLCtResbN3836M6vhPbBYw-TsEv8o5Dafkp8i_0VjscTWsjcqx_29V0/s640/04+11+11+zucchini+over+gnocchi+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(potato gnocchi topped with zucchini and tomato sauce - courtesy of Ian)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Happy thoughts:</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>What a good Tuesday I had!
I got a lot done at home. *woo
hoo* I had some good nutrition sessions.
Love that! I also found time to make
more bean soup in the pressure cooker.
Not bad for a crazy cold and busy Tuesday.</li>
<li>Today I am happy for having a home gym because it was 22
degree this morning with a wind chill of 7.
Darn that is cold. Needless to
say this girl did not go outside for her cardio today. ;-)</li>
<li>I am also grateful that we didn’t get the predicted
overnight snow which would have made Dan’s trip to work in rush hour
treacherous.</li>
<li>I have a new tea gadget that I was able to use on Tuesday
and I love it. I will be writing about
that at some point because I think every tea drinker should have one.</li>
<li>In addition to being productive today I also was able to
write more of this post early which means I wasn’t scrambling at 11:30 to get
this up by midnight. *happy dance*</li>
<li>This weekend a ceramic pan that I had ordered arrived and I
had a chance to use it. I was absolutely shocked by how well it worked. There
will be a write coming on that too after I have had a chance to put the pan
thoroughly thru its paces.</li>
<li>Remember my whining yesterday about the 0.6 pounds that hadn’t
gone away after delicious dinner courtesy of Ian? Well apparently all I had to
do was talk about it publicly because this morning all that indulgence weight
disappeared. LOL</li>
</ol>
<b>Signing out:</b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope you had a great Tuesday and that your week is going
well. Tomorrow (Wednesday) is a going to
be busy for me. However I am looking forward to writing the next of the series
on transitioning to a healthy vegan diet.
For now I need to wrap this up and get some sleep. Arrivederci!
;-)</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-57985034959978199842013-01-22T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-22T00:00:03.292-05:00Pressure Cooker Facts: Stove Top and Electric<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAT2LdkkQWVxP823KY0sxz4Tlavg4PdTqR6GptztNsuw7pNzKA-2s_E4AmNYurAzCoXZsFpRxIpeOgucf9_CnpJjdXFBeD8aPpvgfg0j6mszJcvjE4q22b8lOjalu805xwCx7Jx7IbXw2Z/s1600/pressure+cooker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAT2LdkkQWVxP823KY0sxz4Tlavg4PdTqR6GptztNsuw7pNzKA-2s_E4AmNYurAzCoXZsFpRxIpeOgucf9_CnpJjdXFBeD8aPpvgfg0j6mszJcvjE4q22b8lOjalu805xwCx7Jx7IbXw2Z/s1600/pressure+cooker.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
More than few of you have asked me which pressure cookers I
own and what is the difference between the stove top and electric models. Since it is easier to tell you all at once
rather than individually by email I thought a post on the topic was in order.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Why use a pressure cooker?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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The obvious place is why does anyone actually need a
pressure cooker and what can it do that other cooking methods can’t. What pressure cookers do extremely well is
speed up the cooking process. Utilizing
a sealed environment within the vessel increases the boiling point. What this means is that the food isn’t
boiling at 212 degrees but rather at a higher temperature (approximately 248
degrees). This increase in temperature
decreases the time that is required to cook the food. It also means that the high temperature steam
is better able to penetrate the food. This is why the cooking time is reduced.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Pressure cookers are wonderful for quickly making infused broths
(think the broth for Tom Yum or Pho). Additionally pressure cookers are good at
cooking beans which still retain their shape.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Benefits of pressure cooking in general:</i></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>Speed</li>
<li>Convenience</li>
<li>Better digestibility of beans and whole grains</li>
<li>Uses less energy than standard cooking methods</li>
</ul>
<i>The difference between stove top and electric pressure
cookers</i><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9JLdR2E_8SgXHQwI2X6xMBcTajTgpjNuPIorn3T8tQYPKb0brpurK9TQ0UfxwVMU7hyphenhyphen6CwaEh9SH5I67aD6V9K2606XERYGxmoSeZQO82O5NoxusG1ZjzUeNC39_AEB11emsslCkbLsn/s1600/fagor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9JLdR2E_8SgXHQwI2X6xMBcTajTgpjNuPIorn3T8tQYPKb0brpurK9TQ0UfxwVMU7hyphenhyphen6CwaEh9SH5I67aD6V9K2606XERYGxmoSeZQO82O5NoxusG1ZjzUeNC39_AEB11emsslCkbLsn/s1600/fagor.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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My first pressure cooker was a Fagor 6-Qt which I used for a
while (at least a year) before getting an electric pressure cooker. The Fagor
is easy to use. It has both a high and low pressure setting which I liked a
lot. The pressure release valve is not
complicated and the interior is stainless which I like. Additionally since it
is a stove-top model it can be used when the power goes out. If your power is
unreliable I would suggest sticking with a stove-top model. The other benefit it has over the electric model
is that it can be used on the stove-top as a regular pot. One drawback this has
is that you need to be in the kitchen to turn down the heat once pressure is
achieved. Additionally you need to be
available to turn off the heat when the appropriate time has expired.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2wthGXvQcV6rWZZQO5bc3nUGHOHI5Y1-6_JgXDuWgpb1eT83BVbfyYWkqU207zXsUGdqhYZ1BPxxP_zPWaG2ymRs0jWJk72jFXJSAvwBfeOq4q3eaMYgMP5fdHG-3ognCxpKscjofo2u/s1600/cuisinart-pressure-cooker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2wthGXvQcV6rWZZQO5bc3nUGHOHI5Y1-6_JgXDuWgpb1eT83BVbfyYWkqU207zXsUGdqhYZ1BPxxP_zPWaG2ymRs0jWJk72jFXJSAvwBfeOq4q3eaMYgMP5fdHG-3ognCxpKscjofo2u/s1600/cuisinart-pressure-cooker.jpg" /></a></div>
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My Cuisinart electric pressure cooker reminds me of a rice
cooker. Those of you who love your rice
cookers will enjoy this. With this machine I choose the pressure (with buttons
on the front panel), key in the time required lock the lid and walk away. The machine
automatically stops when the cooking time under pressure has elapsed. What I really like is the machine turns
itself to warm when it is finished. This means I can be detained for quite a
long time and my food isn’t overcooked or cold.
One drawback to this machine is that you can’t use the insert on top the
stove. Additionally the insert comes
with a non-stick pan which I didn’t love. However you can buy replacement pans
that are stainless from Amazon for approximately $25 if you are like me and don’t
like the chemicals in “non-stick” coating.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Which type is better stove-stop or electric?</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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I have been pondering this question off and on all day while
sketching this post out in my mind. I have electric and stove-top pressure cookers both at
home and on the boat. If I could only
have one I would choose the electric model.
I have come to rely on the automatic movement to warm from pressure
feature. I often make soup or red sauce in my electric pressure mid-afternoon and then let is stay hot on warm until Dan comes home. This feature is very handy and I would miss it.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I hope this helped you to understand pressure cooking a
little bit better. If you have any
questions that I didn’t cover please let me know.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
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</div>
<ol>
<li>Monday was a good day for me. I had some “me time” to get my
life a bit more under control. It was crazy cold here Monday morning but I got
my chilly behind outside for some cardio and then I felt SO much better. No matter how much I don’t want to exercise I
never regret it once I have gotten it done.
It is almost as though sweating is good for my soul. *looks around* Who typed that? Kidding!
*wink*</li>
<li>I made a terrific smoky lentil and mushroom soup today in my
pressure cooker. *happy dance* Smoked paprika provided the smokiness that
you typically get from bacon. I also added
a touch of turmeric and black pepper for their nutrition components. I just love when healthy food is also
delicious. BTW Dan really liked this so
I will be making it again this winter and will measure the ingredients so that I
can share it since it was such a big hit.</li>
<li>Now it is true confession time. That 0.6 pounds that I gained from Ian’s food
on Friday has not completely gone away yet and I am a bit annoyed. I decided
late today that tomorrow will be a juice fast day unless the weight is gone
tomorrow when I get on the scale. I don’t
want this weight sticking around until the weekend so it is time to ramp up the
attack. ;-) The reason I am sharing this is to let you
all know that dropping added weight isn’t easy for anyone. This is one of the reasons that it makes
sense to keep it off in the first place IMO.
This also reminds me that I am grateful for my juicer.</li>
<li>The weather tomorrow is supposed to be brutally cold. I can’t say that I am looking forward to
that. However I have decided that cardio tomorrow will be in the comfort of my
home. I am thinking a little biking may
be in order. I am grateful that I have the option of exercising at home and don’t
have to go outside to break a sweat.</li>
<li>I also want to send a shout out to Matt who is still smoke and meat free. You are amazing Matt! Keep up the great work and let me know if there is anything that I can do to help. :-) I am so thrilled for you. </li>
</ol>
<b>Signing out:</b><br />
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<br /></div>
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I have gotten into the bad habit of writing my posts later
in the day which I really need to stop doing.
Scrambling at 11:30 to get a post up at midnight is a bit crazy. Let’s
hope I can finish my writing earlier in the day tomorrow. *fingers crossed*</div>
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<br /></div>
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For those of you on the US east coast please bundle up tomorrow. From
what I gather most of us are in for a steep dip in the Canadian air mass. When I last looked at the weather our high on
Tuesday was supposed to be 27. All I can say to that is brrrr. That is quite a
drop from the 59 we had on Sunday. Come
on spring we miss you!</div>
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<br /></div>
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I hope your week started off really well. I will chat with you again tomorrow. Ciao for
now.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-25856198442065759012013-01-21T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-22T20:48:09.775-05:00Pantry Staple - Hulled Hemp Seeds<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanfESmPA0IqUg3ai86BhzMBZUhgOQFphbADT2y8oVTAzmDLz0mZ0PZigtsdU3YyA8ei5M_SGxhbbKXC6wSg53raS1ZUXxA8ErikwPycc2GoukONtopJsLcfMWtMLkqBuBaTH1E_838HSJ/s1600/Omega+3%2527s+-+reduced.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanfESmPA0IqUg3ai86BhzMBZUhgOQFphbADT2y8oVTAzmDLz0mZ0PZigtsdU3YyA8ei5M_SGxhbbKXC6wSg53raS1ZUXxA8ErikwPycc2GoukONtopJsLcfMWtMLkqBuBaTH1E_838HSJ/s640/Omega+3%2527s+-+reduced.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(pictured: flax oil, hemp seeds, flax seeds and chia seeds)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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I always include foods that are a good source of omega 3
fatty acids into our meals whenever possible. It is common for us to add walnuts, ground flaxseeds,
and chia seeds to our food. However from
both a flavor and texture perspective hulled hemp seeds are my favorite source
of omega 3s. I realize that hemp seeds
aren’t as common as the others I listed and I think that is because of the
“hemp” aspect. There are many misconceptions about hulled hemp seeds. Let’s dispel some of those today.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>What are hulled hemp seeds?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white;">Hemp seeds and marijuana come
from the same species of plant. However
they come from different varieties of the plant within the species. Hemp seeds
do not contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the active substance in marijuana.<span class="apple-converted-space">
Therefore anyone who has to undergo random drug screens (medical
personnel, military, law enforcement, etc.) can eat them without concern of
failing a drug screen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white;">The seeds themselves are very small and have a creamy texture and nutty
flavor that reminds me very much of pine nuts.
Being part Italian you know I love my pine nuts. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmXGdhUr4LcBZ0zT1QAoQdwTwE7bI7tDujhzwEeTAsF8y2MsJXqULRAiCwpENkLPXtPu7QBqjPd6qUQguZx_ff5egsTicC2mSrbtvuYJZXW56ktYD_tI0iwY_CRd7Rdbi5oTypULYeOw7H/s1600/banana+chocolate+and+walnut+butter+oatmeal+-+reduced.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmXGdhUr4LcBZ0zT1QAoQdwTwE7bI7tDujhzwEeTAsF8y2MsJXqULRAiCwpENkLPXtPu7QBqjPd6qUQguZx_ff5egsTicC2mSrbtvuYJZXW56ktYD_tI0iwY_CRd7Rdbi5oTypULYeOw7H/s640/banana+chocolate+and+walnut+butter+oatmeal+-+reduced.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(oatmeal with walnut butter, banana, chocolate chips and hemp seeds)</i></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<i>What are the health benefits of consuming hemp seeds?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white;">Hemp seeds are one of the true super foods. They have a terrific omega 3
to omega 6 fatty acid ratio. The average
American consumes a diet heavier on omega 6 than omega 3 fatty acids which is
inflammatory. Adding additional
anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids to your diet is always a good thing
whether you are vegan or not. In fact it is probably more important if you aren’t
vegan to get your ratio of omega 3 to 6 back into balance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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In addition to the wonderful fat in hemp it is also a good
source of protein. Hemp is another plant food that is considered a complete
protein (like quinoa and soy). Just two
tablespoons of hemp seeds contain 5 grams of protein. Current science suggests that a 40g/10g ratio
of carb to protein is the right balance for after a workout. Four (4) tablespoons of hemp seeds would be
10 grams of protein and perfect in a post workout smoothie. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmkqD3pxdA1umTS6jkmq7CpEX5J4EoMaHtUv4nJ50XQgRHwM25azHAIGymxWKA0tdsm4MFqyj2a0T7eJzxFjrsb3O5mc02b6ufk9Kztbtgym9XFC8s1pd95HYwgrMSr2PJMRCi8MCAw5g/s1600/01+16+13+blackberries+and+hemp+seeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmkqD3pxdA1umTS6jkmq7CpEX5J4EoMaHtUv4nJ50XQgRHwM25azHAIGymxWKA0tdsm4MFqyj2a0T7eJzxFjrsb3O5mc02b6ufk9Kztbtgym9XFC8s1pd95HYwgrMSr2PJMRCi8MCAw5g/s640/01+16+13+blackberries+and+hemp+seeds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(fresh blackberries with hemp seeds)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Where do you buy hempseeds?</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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You can find hemp seeds at Amazon, Costco (some of them not
all), Whole Foods, Wegman’s, and health food stores. I haven’t needed to pick these up at Harris
Teeter or Trader Joe’s but I assume they also carry them. If you don’t live in a large metropolitan
area Amazon is your best bet. They carry quite a few brands and the prices are
good.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>What is the best way to store hemp seeds?</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Omega 3 fatty acids are relatively unstable. This is the reason that flaxseed oil is
always sold in dark bottles under refrigeration. I store my hemp seeds in the freezer for the
longest possible shelf life. However
keeping them in the refrigerator is also fine.
If you plan to use them up quickly they will probably be fine in the
pantry.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eAmUx6sGJKo/UPyvWplKMBI/AAAAAAAAHz4/raZBN-edJl0/s1600/mixed+berry+smoothie+with+hemp+and+brazil+nut+-+reduced.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eAmUx6sGJKo/UPyvWplKMBI/AAAAAAAAHz4/raZBN-edJl0/s640/mixed+berry+smoothie+with+hemp+and+brazil+nut+-+reduced.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(mixed berry smoothie made with hemp seeds)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>What can you do with them?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hemp seeds have the most wonderful rich and creamy
texture. I also love their mild flavor
which tastes like pine nuts to me. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Here are my favorite uses from hemp seeds:</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Use them to top oatmeal (or any other breakfast cereal)</li>
<li>Sprinkle them on salads.
If you combine hemp seeds and nutritional yeast you get a “cheesy”
topping that is high in omega 3s. If you don’t feel like mixing it together add
them separately to your salad which is what I do.</li>
<li>Use them to top fresh fruit.</li>
<li>They are great added to smoothies either in place of flax,
chia or walnuts.</li>
<li>I use them on vegetable dishes (hot or cold) to help our
bodies absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in the veggies.</li>
</ul>
<br />
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNK5M4QHeHphGkn2N1iBdQj_A4jLYYEKuoP1NclFWcHi1waBjwkc5lhOs2nE4wmF0EYq9daNlW3byQ_JhjKvlWYI9KdbaB7uxYC5AoDa-r7GKEH0kn9SArp7fg-4y9GHS-hbNCJUETcQA/s1600/01+09+13+breakfast+salad+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNK5M4QHeHphGkn2N1iBdQj_A4jLYYEKuoP1NclFWcHi1waBjwkc5lhOs2nE4wmF0EYq9daNlW3byQ_JhjKvlWYI9KdbaB7uxYC5AoDa-r7GKEH0kn9SArp7fg-4y9GHS-hbNCJUETcQA/s640/01+09+13+breakfast+salad+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(green salad with artichokes and hemp seeds)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Here is the bottom line as far as I am concerned. We all get enough omega 6 fatty acids, and
probably too many. To bring the ratio of
omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids into line we should be consuming some
combination of: hemp, chia and flax seeds as well as eating more walnuts versus
other tree nuts. If we do this it will go a long way to moving us into an anti-inflammatory
state.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Sunday was a good day at my house. I got a few things crossed off my to-do list
which is always great. Plus I made a pot of soup in the pressure cooker for
early in the week.</li>
<li>The weather on Sunday was amazing. We actually reached 59
degrees which well above normal for this time of year. In addition to warm temperatures we also had winds of 17mph. If Dan hadn’t been at the office it
would have been a great day to get in a little sailing.</li>
<li>Speaking of Dan I am very happy to report that he is feeling
much better now. Saturday he felt good enough to do a little plumbing at home. Then on
Sunday he went into the office for about 5 hours while it was quiet. While I hated that he had that much work to
do I was thrilled that he felt up to going to the office and doing stuff around the house.</li>
<li>It is time for me to buy smaller jeans. *happy dance*
I am thrilled to be down a jeans size in case you missed that. ;-) I
have been exercising harder and have both lost fat and gained muscle in the
last two weeks. Don’t you just love it
when a plan comes together? *woot woot*</li>
<li>Let’s hear a woo hoo for those Baltimore Ravens. Typically I
am a fan of the Chicago Bears but the Ravens were impressive Sunday night in
the playoffs. They definitely deserved
to win the game against the Patriots.</li>
</ol>
<br />
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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`Here is hoping that next week is better than the last couple
of weeks have been here. I have a few
things planned this week which should be fun. </div>
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I hope that you had a fantastic
weekend and that your week is great.
Talk with you again tomorrow. Arrivederci.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-60455599953533492192013-01-20T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-20T05:55:57.445-05:00Pressure Cooking: Beans<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAPtQf2Qv7uDtxptnW6MWYssTmneGajdYQ70PFgTexlrAc1YgmwSb32rUKQK3gxIZeWmti078MbDJTdF2hOsEp00xVk7Y1sIYa1PDZw2-nZG-bbBK65db1WhwprRuuUXxNRsD8sTRjMeN/s1600/egyptian+breakfast+beans+-+reduced.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAPtQf2Qv7uDtxptnW6MWYssTmneGajdYQ70PFgTexlrAc1YgmwSb32rUKQK3gxIZeWmti078MbDJTdF2hOsEp00xVk7Y1sIYa1PDZw2-nZG-bbBK65db1WhwprRuuUXxNRsD8sTRjMeN/s640/egyptian+breakfast+beans+-+reduced.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(Egyptian Breakfast Beans)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This post is going to cover pressure cooking beans. A few of you recently received pressure
cookers and asked me for the time chart that I use for beans by email. Instead of continuing to retype it in emails
I decided that it make a lot more sense to put it on the blog. While I was doing that I wanted to also talk
about why you might want to start pressure cooking your beans if you don’t
currently.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikI0Jau3gFWHctrObpr62rnMkO7l-gMwnvesbuXf77ww4O9ZX6SopbtLK0rivXy3iw4rPBDXtQtgUBCsz5ivWjT9kzDDy1478Q8ncuCCX2SbqqqRHT0uu2jIfciUoY31FumqK-jbtfwRhT/s1600/10+28+10+beans+and+rice+2+-reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikI0Jau3gFWHctrObpr62rnMkO7l-gMwnvesbuXf77ww4O9ZX6SopbtLK0rivXy3iw4rPBDXtQtgUBCsz5ivWjT9kzDDy1478Q8ncuCCX2SbqqqRHT0uu2jIfciUoY31FumqK-jbtfwRhT/s640/10+28+10+beans+and+rice+2+-reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(Black-eyed Peas over Cilantro and Lime Brown Rice)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Benefits of pressure cooking beans</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For most of my adult life when we had beans I bought them in
cans. Getting our beans from a can was easier and we didn’t eat enough beans to
make the price difference between canned and dried matter. Once we became vegan beans became a daily
part of our diet so I moved to cooking my own from dried beans. However it wasn’t until I read in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Over-Cancer-Integrative-ebook/dp/B0013TPWNW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358679228&sr=8-1&keywords=life+over+cancer">Life OverCancer</a>” that pressure-cooking beans improved their digestibility that I starting
using my pressure cooker to make beans. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s true confession time now. I actually owned my first pressure cooker for
over a year before I used it for anything. I bought it because I wanted the
reducing cooking time that a pressure cooker offered. However I also still remembered my mother’s
exploding pressure cooker incident and was a little bit afraid of it. Once I knew it actually improved the digestibility
of the beans I was ready to give it a try.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For those of you who were like me and are afraid of pressure
cookers please don’t be. The first time you use it you will read and reread the
directions (at least I did). However by
the third time you use it you are a pro.
Now I can’t imagine not having a pressure cooker. In fact I love it so
much I have a stove top model as well as an electric model and two more on the
boat (stove top and electric). That is
huge from someone who was afraid of pressure cookers on three or four years
ago.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPbRin3RcdTaqFfrnIhUJZkLnrAx2-hOSkRrnJiBFVq8gUZddnZHvoW9EuJAwW845AAV99q3PKK79O1AQQFnljSqALVEdSvnrx3ojc7Ha4vd5lDzedNnvTb7PKDpY2kOiggdjwUasbjzs/s1600/spanish+rice+with+black+beans+and+queso+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPbRin3RcdTaqFfrnIhUJZkLnrAx2-hOSkRrnJiBFVq8gUZddnZHvoW9EuJAwW845AAV99q3PKK79O1AQQFnljSqALVEdSvnrx3ojc7Ha4vd5lDzedNnvTb7PKDpY2kOiggdjwUasbjzs/s640/spanish+rice+with+black+beans+and+queso+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(Black Beans and Brown Rice with Veggies topped with Vegan Queso)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The benefits of pressure cooking beans include:</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Improved digestibility which also means a reduction in
flatulence</li>
<li>No need to presoak beans</li>
<li>No BPA like you get from the can</li>
<li>You control the sodium</li>
<li>It’s cheaper than buying canned</li>
<li>Faster than cooking them on the stove</li>
<li>Faster than using your slow cooker (Crockpot)</li>
</ul>
You should know that all of our beans are now pressure
cooked. I generally cook an entire pound of beans at a time and put some in the
freezer to have on hand like canned beans.
I truly believe that once you start using a pressure cooker for your
beans you won’t go back.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDA9InXjfWLMbPuNnROvgjwQNxoN65LM2AC7QZ7EKmkb69gV0Zhy-6erHonvv4OaMl_DSD6JYxyx-WXufPcmCL5D7egC6gWqbvmRv0ar5mhgzikuwYl90esKYQmj-WaTjSaClxYj1TJoV/s1600/04+07+11+breakfast+Greek+beans+and+quinoa++-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDA9InXjfWLMbPuNnROvgjwQNxoN65LM2AC7QZ7EKmkb69gV0Zhy-6erHonvv4OaMl_DSD6JYxyx-WXufPcmCL5D7egC6gWqbvmRv0ar5mhgzikuwYl90esKYQmj-WaTjSaClxYj1TJoV/s640/04+07+11+breakfast+Greek+beans+and+quinoa++-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(Greek Beans over Quinoa)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Cooking chart (</i>Times assumes the beans are unsoaked)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>Type of bean<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>Firm beans (retain shape)*<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>Soft beans**<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Adzuki</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
16</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
21</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Black (Turtle)</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
22</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
25</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Black-Eyed Peas</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
6</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
8</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Borlotti (Cranberry)</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
28</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
34</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Cannellini</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
28</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
32</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Chickpeas (Garbanzos)</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
32</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
35</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Flageolet</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
28</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
34</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Great Northern</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
25</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
30</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Lentils (brown or green)</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
1</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
5</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Lentils (red)</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
5</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
5</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Lima (baby)</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
13</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
15</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Lima (large)</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
9</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
10</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Navy bean</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
22</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
25</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Peas, Split (yellow or green)</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
10</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
12</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Pinto</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
19</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
22</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Red Kidney</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
24</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
30</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Roman </div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
25</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
30</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Red Beans, Small</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
26</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
30</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Soybeans, beige</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
28</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
35</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Soybeans, black</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
32</div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
37</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Notes:</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
* Use the time in the firm chart (first column) any time you
want the beans to retain some of their shape.
This would be appropriate for salads or when you beans will be used in
entrees.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
** Use the time for soft beans in the chart (second column)
when you want the beans to break down (like for hummus or bean dip). The longer time list is also good if you are
new to eating beans. By cooking the
beans longer you also make them more digestible which will result in less
flatulence.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The times given in the chart assume that you are cooking on
high pressure and that you allow the pressure to reduce naturally. Every cooker is different so read your
instructions to determine how your machine works. For example on my electric
pressure cooker there are two pressure settings (high and low). This machine automatically stops when the time
has elapsed and moves to warm. During that phase the pressure is reducing
naturally and the lid will open when the pressure has dissipated. On my stove top machine there is a knob that
I turn to both adjust the pressure and to release the pressure. However each one is different. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope that helps and that you develop a regular
relationship with your pressure cooker too. I love mine and use it almost every
day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTT2AwixrBAq5aAW7Q_49ONXQKSExBdJuvy-GF_Jrs_j968BWVM2QZiaze2HmjplUTeA-SZYsqRDNN-dYox5ld7Bsi8Z7SsE6bqv20mNp0dd7UxFsqpWkxpTqVLeKWr1EQpCTk01RZmGKP/s1600/spicy+beans+and+mushrooms+on+sweet+spuds+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTT2AwixrBAq5aAW7Q_49ONXQKSExBdJuvy-GF_Jrs_j968BWVM2QZiaze2HmjplUTeA-SZYsqRDNN-dYox5ld7Bsi8Z7SsE6bqv20mNp0dd7UxFsqpWkxpTqVLeKWr1EQpCTk01RZmGKP/s640/spicy+beans+and+mushrooms+on+sweet+spuds+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>(Bean and Mushroom topped Sweet Potato with Avocado)</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Happy thoughts:</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBEm5S7ASN0jVR7qxSu_tc7ywfh-4VKzQvgqQouTsgj3ghyZu1Ch4peyiXvxwEzDQ1apPyn5eOeVJ4GkN4Li77pyH3P91Gp9IiidDCqJrFswR9OaoHOeglTDj0vn5W-rCUPSfqX0RFbC6/s1600/01+19+13+veggie+burger+experiment+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBEm5S7ASN0jVR7qxSu_tc7ywfh-4VKzQvgqQouTsgj3ghyZu1Ch4peyiXvxwEzDQ1apPyn5eOeVJ4GkN4Li77pyH3P91Gp9IiidDCqJrFswR9OaoHOeglTDj0vn5W-rCUPSfqX0RFbC6/s640/01+19+13+veggie+burger+experiment+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(Veggie Burger Experiment Today)</i></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Let’s hear a woo hoo for warmer temperatures! Saturday at lunch it was 52 degrees in
Baltimore and I was a very happy woman. I love being able to get outside for my
cardio. *happy dance*</li>
<li>I am working on a new veggie burger recipe to share with is pictured at the top of this secion. This one
is predominately cooked soy beans and brown rice. It is pretty good but I want
to tweak it a little bit before I share it with you. Poor Dan will have to suffer through the last
of this batch before I can make another one. ;-) Don’t feel too badly for him they are good,
they just aren’t the bomb which is always my goal.</li>
<li>I almost forgot to share the scale impact from last
night. After consuming vegetable tempura
and crispy balsamic Brussels sprouts, a white bean salad, roasted eggplant,
glazed mushrooms, and a soy cappuccino I was not expecting “good news” from the
scale this morning. To my shock I only put on 0.6 pounds after that
dinner. What? No one was more surprised than me. Just in case I am still went “uber healthy”
on my diet today. </li>
<li>Today I opened a bag of <a href="http://www.teavana.com/the-teas/white-teas/p/white-ayurvedic-chai-tea">Teavana White Ayurvedic Chai Tea</a> and
I really like it. It contains: white tea, green tea, cinnamon, lemongrass,
candied pineapple pieces (pineapple, sugar), red pepper, bruised black pepper,
coconut chips (coconut, coconut fat, sugar), ginger pieces, flavoring,
cardamom, cloves. This stuff has a
really nice flavor. If you like chai tea
I would say you should give it a try. We have a few Teavana locations nearby
but I tend to order my tea from them and have it delivered because it is
easier.</li>
</ol>
<b>Signing Out:</b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For some reason I haven’t slept well the last two days. I think I am going to step up the exercise
tomorrow to see if that helps. If not I will try adding more meditation. I only mention this in case anyone else is having
trouble sleeping and is looking for suggestions. ;-) In
fact if you have any suggestions to share please do. I am all ears. ;-)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I hope you are having a fantastic weekend and that you have
something fun planned for Sunday. If you are on the east coast enjoy Sunday because
the cold is coming soon. Arrivederci</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-23969588170427611882013-01-19T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-19T03:58:19.071-05:00Cancer 101: Keeping Weight On During Treatment While Being Vegan<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjs75oi3VrgWa0Dy7oLNQ137px3T-9KU7xyLTqIgv24Sm3mSqOZgHiQuKLOQnXIz1-A8_zB1h5WF7wV7yDdo9YYg1wnVfhjmXVUVU7s4nD4dKAC8OKdcT4QhbSKUOBCNNxT_9aBjevB4x8/s1600/01+11+11+breakfast+lentil+and+tomato+over+potato+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjs75oi3VrgWa0Dy7oLNQ137px3T-9KU7xyLTqIgv24Sm3mSqOZgHiQuKLOQnXIz1-A8_zB1h5WF7wV7yDdo9YYg1wnVfhjmXVUVU7s4nD4dKAC8OKdcT4QhbSKUOBCNNxT_9aBjevB4x8/s640/01+11+11+breakfast+lentil+and+tomato+over+potato+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(red sauce and veggies over oven roasted potatoes)</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
This is the second in the series on cancer which was
prompted by a reader’s question. She wanted to know how to remain vegan and
keep weight on during treatment. Keeping
weight on as a healthy vegan can be difficult. However keeping it on as a
healthy vegan with cancer is very tricky so I understood immediately why Susan
was asking this question.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Causes of weight loss in cancer patients:</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To give everyone a little background on this topic I will start
by explaining why it is difficult for cancer patients to keep weight on. There
are many things that can cause a cancer patient to lose weight. The mucositis we discussed yesterday makes it
incredibly painful to eat and that can result in a 10 pound loss in a week (we
saw it so I am sure of this). Cancer
treatments can suppress the patient’s appetite which is also a problem. You have to be vigilant and eat when you are
cancer patient whether you are hungry or not.
The treatments can also change your taste buds so that things taste
weird and metallic. This also doesn’t make it pleasant to eat. The tumors themselves release cytokines which
are inflammatory and result in muscle wasting and therefore weight loss. There are many weight loss related issues to deal
with when you have cancer. We have tried
a lot of different things to keep weight on and found a “program” that works
for us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Healthy vegan eating to keep weight on:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Typically oncologists and oncology nutritionists recommend
calorie dense omni food for cancer patients like ice cream, milk shakes, and
heavy cream soups. Needless to say I
think this is beyond ridiculous since the science shows that dairy increases
IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor one) which fuels tumor growth. The impact of animal foods on tumor growth is
the reason we went vegan so eating ice cream (dairy plus sugar – can you think
of anything more toxic?) was just plain idiotic to me. However I also realized that malnutrition
kills 40% of cancer patients so I knew I had to figure this out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlDZFHf0BX5F83lRD1Fg2fgBpk6g1HyfDQctPcu1kY3ovq7K2fd3O9fnehIBTnkOEinCWawvJw9NlcbWitUzXOoNiV0Ba7XVenzVqef4BhaaICkma2hKJyySDnqAZEoBc6gMR90J3kfuu/s1600/bean+and+potato+sald+with+chia+seed+dressing+-+reduced.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlDZFHf0BX5F83lRD1Fg2fgBpk6g1HyfDQctPcu1kY3ovq7K2fd3O9fnehIBTnkOEinCWawvJw9NlcbWitUzXOoNiV0Ba7XVenzVqef4BhaaICkma2hKJyySDnqAZEoBc6gMR90J3kfuu/s640/bean+and+potato+sald+with+chia+seed+dressing+-+reduced.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(green bean and potato salad with a lemon chia seed dressing)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since calories are paramount it is important to concentrate
on the higher calorie foods when you have cancer while still consuming the
healthy things (healthy greens for example). This means you need to eat things
like:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Starchy veggies (sweet potatoes, winter squash, corn, peas)</li>
<li>Cooked beans</li>
<li>Whole grains</li>
<li>Nuts and seeds</li>
</ul>
I imagine some of you are thinking, what do you I with these
to make a meal? About 8 years ago I would have had the very same question. I promise you that you will learn to cook and
eat like this. It becomes automatic
after a while.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHmOP1eOz6q1iMKs8AwrldpM3WMas7GGALQpbzOwsTd_V3vXy38opX99TA0L_fzFnX8oVmzwAW5ebJaAZqE-I7o8Y8rAY6pOpcw6ueEb3U_OEjE30vebFxeDqP0ggNZCZn2bo5HtNe1k7/s1600/01+29+11+Curried+Chickpeas+and+Spinach+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHmOP1eOz6q1iMKs8AwrldpM3WMas7GGALQpbzOwsTd_V3vXy38opX99TA0L_fzFnX8oVmzwAW5ebJaAZqE-I7o8Y8rAY6pOpcw6ueEb3U_OEjE30vebFxeDqP0ggNZCZn2bo5HtNe1k7/s640/01+29+11+Curried+Chickpeas+and+Spinach+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(curried chickpeas with wilted spinach)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I “create” dishes I follow a sort of a formula. First there is a whole grain on the bottom as
a base. Next there will be a “sauce”
that is used wither with or on the grain topping. I typically will wilt some greens and include
those along with whatever veggies I have on hand (mushrooms, carrots, peppers, eggplant,
cauliflower, etc.) There will also be a
<a href="http://veganepicurean.blogspot.com/2013/01/pantry-staple-beans.html">bean component</a>. Finally I always include some seeds or nuts on top for crunch
and flavor but mostly nutrition. The
nuts and seeds are high in calorie and provide fat to which assists the body in
absorbing fat soluble vitamins.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(green salad with artichokes, tomatoes & beans dressed with vinegar, nutrition yeast & chia seeds)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I approach salads using a sort of a formula too. Salads
start with green leafies. I tend to combine shredded kale and romaine for the
green component. My salads always have
beans for calories and protein and I would include more if you have
cancer. I like to keep a cooked and
diced sweet potato in the refrigerator to add to salads for beta carotene and
calories. Cold roasted mushrooms also
tend to be in our salads which I mentioned <a href="http://veganepicurean.blogspot.com/2013/01/pantry-staple-mushrooms.html">here</a>. For cancer patients I would recommend a nut
or seed based dressing to add more calories. The fat in the nuts and seeds also
assists you in absorbing the fat soluble vitamins in the veggies. If you want to take the flavor up another
notch tear some fresh herbs into the salad greens.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JgJpvdyw2nruU8QGi0s-Ta0CgEJwhkuf1_ayzBJSLNOzbO1vw7nzJEbByq4qOR_ghGoJb6RiIjRL9QumlM1WJqAXSrrPlJgUXK1Bpd7m8OM4fqKDTnxnkuFfdRv0UV3kNFq7n0RpdJ1N/s1600/02+13+12+green+smoothie+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JgJpvdyw2nruU8QGi0s-Ta0CgEJwhkuf1_ayzBJSLNOzbO1vw7nzJEbByq4qOR_ghGoJb6RiIjRL9QumlM1WJqAXSrrPlJgUXK1Bpd7m8OM4fqKDTnxnkuFfdRv0UV3kNFq7n0RpdJ1N/s640/02+13+12+green+smoothie+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(green smoothie with walnuts)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If at any point you can’t seem to keep weight on. We found that loading up on nuts was the
easiest way to stop this. We do this by adding them to our morning green
smoothies. You can also make <a href="http://veganepicurean.blogspot.com/2010/09/mixed-mushroom-dahl-and-2-movies-today.html">strawberry and banana soft serve</a> with
walnuts. Another option is to add more
nuts and seeds to each dish.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just keep trying different combinations of the items I
mentioned above until you find the right balance for your body. Everyone will
have different challenges and different calorie burn rates. But don’t give
up. Add calories if you need them to
keep your weight on. Remember losing
weight when you are cancer patient can actually kill you. You need to eat in order to survive.
Concentrate on giving your body the most nutritious food that you like and enough
of it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><b><u>Disclaimer:</u></b> I am not
a physician only an informed medical consumer. Please consult your physician
before making any lifestyle changes.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Woo hoo it’s Friday!
Thank goodness. This is one of those weeks that I am happy to have
behind me. One thing that I have learned
in my 50 long years on this planet is that if you are patient the drama will
always pass and whatever is bothering you will fade away if you wait it out. That deserves both a happy dance and a woo
hoo.</li>
<li>I pulled a vintage sweater dress from the 50s out of my
closet tonight. I haven’t worn it in years and thought it looked good so I wore
it tonight. Everyone was complimentary so I think it was hit. Even Ian and Walid noticed that I had dropped
a few pounds and complimented me. Love
that! Really, who doesn’t love
compliments? ;-)</li>
<li>We went out to dinner tonight with Walid and Jackie and had
the most wonderful time. Ian saw us in
the reservation system and made up an entire menu for us which was beyond
thoughtful. I will tell you all about it in another post. It was all delicious as
usual but a few things really stood out. Since Ian told me what was in them I
will have to recreate them in a healthy way soon so that I can share them with
you. Looks like I will be back on my “uber
healthy” plan for a few days but it was so worth it. I love that Ian he is definitely a keeper.</li>
<li>Big news, Jackie is thinking of shifting back to vegetarianism
and you know I offered to help. We are
going to try to set up some time together soon for me to help her with menu
planning. Walid even said he was going
to eat more vegetarian meals so we are making real progress. Walid (being from Egypt) is a big carnivore.
For him not to eat meat is huge. ;-)</li>
<li>Most of our favorite people were working at the restaurant this
evening. We got to see our precious Aimee and Jeannine. As always there was lots of hugging and
talking. I really missed everyone. They
are such a great group of people.</li>
</ol>
<br />
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am really looking forward to the weekend. My plan is to
sleep in on Saturday, get a little extra exercise to burn off the decadent and
delicious dinner from Friday and do some things around the house. We will see
if Dan agrees with me with me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not sure what we have planned for Sunday but the weather is
supposed to be much colder so it might just be mostly a stay at home day.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-57176099297250628902013-01-18T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-18T04:02:30.697-05:00Cancer 101: Dealing with Mucositis <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-cONwHGqhl0qVsjvKZTLbAcC6mW-IyHtQBS4svlmFDvKnNcP_082fXka2Cc9aXejrnQ4SbSkDAvp7DjKDrm7UXNuRpFQ4intZu6rSdpyQ2P3ZJi2C0Sa6ZBQw6U6Cfqw_zhDrNQHVPLhd/s1600/Biltmore+-+fountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-cONwHGqhl0qVsjvKZTLbAcC6mW-IyHtQBS4svlmFDvKnNcP_082fXka2Cc9aXejrnQ4SbSkDAvp7DjKDrm7UXNuRpFQ4intZu6rSdpyQ2P3ZJi2C0Sa6ZBQw6U6Cfqw_zhDrNQHVPLhd/s640/Biltmore+-+fountain.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Late Wednesday night I received a comment on a prior post
asking me a few questions about having cancer and being vegan. My gut reaction
was to respond to this person individually.
However after I gave it a little thought I realized that given the
current statistics regarding the rate of cancer incidence in this country (1
out of 2 men and 1 out of 3 women will be diagnosed in their lifetime) I needed
to write something that would be easier for people to find. You know what that means right? Yup, another series will be added to the list.
This one I am calling cancer 101 and I will start with Susan’s question which I
think needed to be responded to first.
She wanted to know how you eat when you have mucositis (mouth sores)
from chemo and radiation? First I will
describe what mucositis is and then what to do and not do if you or someone you love has
it.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>What is mucositis and why does it occur?</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The word <a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1079570-overview">mucositis</a> simply means an inflammation (itis) of
the mucosal lining (mucus). However
calling it an inflammation of the mucosal lining makes it sound almost benign
and it is extremely painful and can be dangerous. This inflammation can take the form of a
painful and/or dry mouth, mouth sores, burning, peeling or swelling of the tongue.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The statistics indicate that 40% of patients receiving
standard chemo will develop mucositis. However mucositis is not limited to
patients getting chemo. Other cancer
treatments (radiation and targeted therapies) also can cause mucositis. Bone marrow transplant patients can also have
problems with mucositis.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Your entire gastrointestinal tract is lined with mucosal
cells. These cells produce mucus which
helps protect the lining of your GI tract.
However these cells turn over quickly and need to be regenerated. Cancer meds, chemo and radiation are working
to do the opposite. They are trying to slow the growth of the cancer and that
also slow the growth of your healthy cells. These mucosal cells regenerate
about every 5 days and that is also the time frame where mucositis tends to
turn up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Symptoms of mucositis include but are not limited to:</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Painful open sores in the mouth</li>
<li>Difficulty opening your mouth</li>
<li>Painful fecal elimination (no spicy food)</li>
<li>Difficulty swallowing</li>
</ul>
Sounds like a party does it? It is as actually as bad as it sounds or
worse. Severe mucositis can increase
infection rates resulting in the need for intravenous nutrition, higher level
pain medications (opiates) and the increased risk of death.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Medication options:</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><i>Disclaimer:</i></u></b>
remember that I am not a physician these are simply the suggestions of
an informed medical consumer. Please
talk to your physician about your mucositis.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To relieve mild to moderate mucositis start with an OTC
(over the counter) medication like Tylenol but check with you MD first. If you have impaired liver function he may
want you to use something different. If
you have severe mucositis see your doctor for stronger pain medications than
Tylenol.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In addition to pills there are also prescription mouth
rinses. The most simple is a compounded
(mixed at the pharmacy) product that the pharmacists call “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_mouthwash">magic mouthwash</a>”
which is a combination of meds. Another
option is Gelclair which is a gel designed to stick to the inside of the mouth.
It contains licorice extract, an herbal remedy long used for mouth sore. There is another mouth rinse called Caphasol.
This is a two part product that you mix just before use.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All of these products have been in our medicine cabinet and
honestly they didn’t work great but <a href="http://caphosol.jazzpharma.com/index_temp.html" rel="nofollow">Caphasol</a> is the best of the three but it
isn’t cheap.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can try lozenges of slippery elm which you find at the
health food store. Another option is aloe vera which you can also find at the
health food store. We tried the slippery
elm and it didn’t seem to help here but it may help you. The aloe we tried using by adding a couple of
ounces to smoothies. We can’t say if it helped or not, but it didn’t seem to
hurt.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is some research that using glutamine (an amino acid)
prevents mouth sores. You mix 20 grams of glutamine with 16 ounces of water and
swish and swallow this every hour when you begin treatment (chemo, etc). Early results show this might help prevent
mucositis. Again, check with you doctor
to make certain he/she is okay with this.
We haven’t tried this so I can’t tell you if it is effective or not.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipHwLxUMejQiUumVCQgeSvpjwZR_L9IZosjvj_Tcv_su-qv5ipoNev8xZf2LHuoSlzIA3SpojTDOpovSmjYhAiu_-b5VXGVNF26KZQmYLZeQHWm0UP8XXIr4CUq7dO-VqryQ3pVcONH60P/s1600/06+24+11+frozen+grapes+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipHwLxUMejQiUumVCQgeSvpjwZR_L9IZosjvj_Tcv_su-qv5ipoNev8xZf2LHuoSlzIA3SpojTDOpovSmjYhAiu_-b5VXGVNF26KZQmYLZeQHWm0UP8XXIr4CUq7dO-VqryQ3pVcONH60P/s640/06+24+11+frozen+grapes+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(frozen grapes to use like ice cubes) </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XaB-ADQDB-wRpajI3YEHOeFvOIAgyipFHcnEkIgWf4EWyJdXCk2jJ7lNx6-_JKCXnFgCIaj0GHGx9yKHZI1gzWny5EEePqd0Mh-jTjCenk3Lf0I2COQNnV8-UQNgAuNRs5GR_t7m-fuM/s1600/peach+banana+and+almond+smoothie+-+reduced.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XaB-ADQDB-wRpajI3YEHOeFvOIAgyipFHcnEkIgWf4EWyJdXCk2jJ7lNx6-_JKCXnFgCIaj0GHGx9yKHZI1gzWny5EEePqd0Mh-jTjCenk3Lf0I2COQNnV8-UQNgAuNRs5GR_t7m-fuM/s640/peach+banana+and+almond+smoothie+-+reduced.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(peach, banana and almond butter smoothie)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3qfZz0s5NcJx0Jq4jwUMdDVO8PkK7pu3unjHsOTzZlpTwD_a-rW05L85no9BNa1twocLY5ztuFWi_WJBMeN_iYSF8EY_hA4G_Tfd1_ZXto2wTcWKC39vtOiAKEGI6gK9CdUMwZB0Kn9N/s1600/04+13+11+curried+carrot+soup+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3qfZz0s5NcJx0Jq4jwUMdDVO8PkK7pu3unjHsOTzZlpTwD_a-rW05L85no9BNa1twocLY5ztuFWi_WJBMeN_iYSF8EY_hA4G_Tfd1_ZXto2wTcWKC39vtOiAKEGI6gK9CdUMwZB0Kn9N/s640/04+13+11+curried+carrot+soup+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(curried carrot soup - just use a mild curry and skip the garnish)</i></div>
<i><br /></i>
<i>What to consume when dealing with mucositis:</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li> Eat soft, moist,
non-acidic foods. Example of this would be: bananas, applesauce, melons,
non-acidic fruit juice (peach, pear, apricot), soup, oatmeal, pasta, soft
grains, pureed or mashed foods, tofu, and cooked beans.</li>
<li>If you have a blender you can also make smoothies or pureed
soups. Specifically I would recommend
smoothies with banana and mango or banana and peach. Do not include pineapple or berries in your
smoothies if you have mucositis they will be painful. For the pureed soups I would suggest things
like creamy carrot, butternut squash, sweet potato, fresh pea or any of the
split pea soups which you have pureed.</li>
<li>Cook food well, or until soft and tender. Cut into small
pieces or puree. If you want texture you
can use a potato masher, but I would say go with completely smooth. You can substitute baby food if you don’t feel
like cooking, blending and smashing.</li>
<li>Add gravy and sauces to things to make them easier to
swallow. You could use my <a href="http://veganepicurean.blogspot.com/2009/12/queso-dip-with-raw-cashews.html">queso dip</a> as a
sauce (omitting anything remotely spicy or acidic) or my creamy <a href="http://veganepicurean.blogspot.com/2010/03/walnut-and-mushroom-gravy.html">mushroom gravy</a>.</li>
<li>Try frozen fruit juice pops, frozen grapes or non-acidic
fruit sorbets. Sucking on ice chips can
also bring some relief though no nutrition.</li>
</ol>
<i>What not to consume when dealing with mucositis:</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Anything hard (think crackers, seeds, nuts)</li>
<li>Acidic items (things like tomatoes, vinegar, and citrus)</li>
<li>Spicy foods (anything hot or even mildly hot is a bad idea)</li>
<li>Things you need to roll around on your tongue to swallow (basically
anything with structure). The only exception to that in my mind is frozen grapes.</li>
</ol>
One caution I would give regarding mucositis is not to wait
too long before going to the doctor. It
is important to avoid an infection. If you think you have mouth sores contact
your doctor. After that try these self
help tips and puree your food if it hurts to eat. It is important to stay nourished
when you are battling cancer.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Dan is still feeling better which is a huge relief. Judging
from his late nights at work he must be feeling almost back to normal. ;-)</li>
<li>Our baby has become the sweetest little love. Every day he
comes to see me and demands “loving”. This might not sound like a big deal but
this is the same cat who never wanted to be touched when we first brought him
so this is huge. It is nice to have a snuggly cat in the house. Nicco only had to turn 11 to become one. LOL</li>
<li>Sometimes things happen with friends and someone says
something and the other person misunderstands and suddenly the friendship is
over. However you know someone is meant
to be in your life when they stick around long enough to talk and sort things
out. Just letting you know how much you mean to me and you know who you are.
;-) Thank you for caring enough to work things out. </li>
<li>This is another big shout out to my buddy Matt who is
kicking butt when it comes to give up the cigarettes and now the animal products. Go Matt!
I am sending major (or in your case sergeant) kudos your way as well as
big hugs. You are a rock star! I am so
thrilled for you. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></li>
<li>It looks like we are finally going to see Walid and Jackie.
I am so psyched! They are so much fun I
can’t wait to have dinner with them.</li>
<li>We are almost to the weekend. Can you believe that it is
already Friday? I can’t wait for a
little time to relax. I hope you have
something fun planned. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></li>
</ol>
<b>Signing out:</b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This has been a long week.
It has been good to have Dan almost back to normal. I am also looking
forward to a little time to unwind this weekend. Let’s hope we can all squeeze in some fun this weekend. *fingers crossed*</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will chat with you again very soon. Arrivederci.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-63739163504784327422013-01-17T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-23T15:35:29.567-05:00Transitioning to a Healthy Vegan Lifestyle - Step Two<br />
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</div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8S_LieCiPZkxF8KWeErd1lyTeXnsz_QYME5pyUxmdccXP8Q_AzcC7bNlxqPUfRizWMUXJ-MN1rZlh1w48ebMIAlMlyhGMOaOBIgOBOJ6n4CfxiBh9_QYjjhyBUS_kPc0K_XsaSMdV4-QP/s1600/10+24+11+walking+around+the+harbor+1+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8S_LieCiPZkxF8KWeErd1lyTeXnsz_QYME5pyUxmdccXP8Q_AzcC7bNlxqPUfRizWMUXJ-MN1rZlh1w48ebMIAlMlyhGMOaOBIgOBOJ6n4CfxiBh9_QYjjhyBUS_kPc0K_XsaSMdV4-QP/s640/10+24+11+walking+around+the+harbor+1+-+reduced.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(the Baltimore Inner Harbor near the boat)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How did becoming adequately hydrated work for you? When I changed my water drinking habits I was
shocked how well it worked. Understanding
that the body is mostly water helped it to make sense for me so that I was
willing to do it. Once the benefits kicked in I was hooked. Now you will always find me with a water
bottle. I don’t leave home with it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This second step is more difficult than drinking enough
water but will also make a huge difference in both your health and how you
feel. Next I want you to make certain
that you are eating a minimum of 10 servings of natural produce per day. Okay I almost could hear the collective gasps
when I typed that. Yes 10 servings are
manageable for the average adult. I also make certain that I eat at least that
many fruits and veg each day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZN49QhbknH0bF4jmh7CDABrHSFNi76loDBANYZH-yND2r3ojr20ZvIej_r5v7hgXlv79xU7AhHh4Oao0V5A6r3AzCnzpkdHR2lAyk2UVzwNJWBaHLOaKmGMCJDKmNfLuCqnm2iz0vN1m/s1600/02+11+12+shrooms+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZN49QhbknH0bF4jmh7CDABrHSFNi76loDBANYZH-yND2r3ojr20ZvIej_r5v7hgXlv79xU7AhHh4Oao0V5A6r3AzCnzpkdHR2lAyk2UVzwNJWBaHLOaKmGMCJDKmNfLuCqnm2iz0vN1m/s640/02+11+12+shrooms+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(Roasted mixed mushrooms with a balsamic and soy marinade and candied kumquats over arugula)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Why 10 total servings of produce?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are two kinds of nutrients in food, macronutrients
(fat, carbohydrate, protein and water) and micronutrients (vitamins and
minerals). Americans suffer from an excess
of macronutrients (except water) and an insufficiency of micronutrients. When
you increase your consumption of produce you naturally reduce your consumption
of macronutrients and increase your consumption of micronutrients. Both of these factors improve your health.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It must have been over 10 years ago now that the National
Cancer Institute (NCI) started suggesting that Americans consume more plants. While the original suggestions were 9
servings for adult men, 7 servings for adult women and 5 servings for children
only the 5 a day made it the press. I am
not sure if they reduced the number because the American population was so far
away from the goal or for some other reason. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However I believe that the evidence is clear that eating more plants is
better for your health. Did you know that the average adult American eats
3 servings of fruit and veg per day and half of those are from some form of
white potato? Clearly we have a lot of
collective work to do in this country in terms of our produce consumption.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our ancient and not so ancient ancestors ate a diet very
high in plants and low on meat. Think of
the diet of your grandparents and great grandparents. They ate a lot of produce
that they grew themselves. Meat was a
luxury not too long ago. For our ancient
ancestors meat only came around when someone was able to kill an animal. Without refrigeration it was eat it now
because it won’t be good later. As you can imagine they also ate mostly plants.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Now think of the all the studies you see showing things like
“lycopene reduces prostate cancer” or “vitamin C consumption is inversely
associated with the incidence of colon cancer.”
When I see those headlines 99 times out of 100 they are touting
micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) found predominantly in plant foods. You do occasionally see articles about omega
3 fatty acids but don’t forget these don’t come from fish. Fish get omega 3’s
by consuming plants though that isn’t mentioned often.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Nutritional science is continuing to indentify new
phytonutrients every year. This is another reason that it is important to eat
your produce rather than to get your vitamins and minerals in supplement form.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8eNeuUSpPEn2VDuWWsoybwAflAFVcbLm_pXwJcjXWMQCxcIYsVzuIe0OEpRQuLVUn-APVl7niT8R3XF37KMmn7rzf6ir7Ya3ZT4VwHribT-H_DP_-k-shBy4KxnF4K_tp8B4aK3FyF4Rc/s1600/02+03+12+hummus+and+veg+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8eNeuUSpPEn2VDuWWsoybwAflAFVcbLm_pXwJcjXWMQCxcIYsVzuIe0OEpRQuLVUn-APVl7niT8R3XF37KMmn7rzf6ir7Ya3ZT4VwHribT-H_DP_-k-shBy4KxnF4K_tp8B4aK3FyF4Rc/s640/02+03+12+hummus+and+veg+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(Veggies and hummus with paprika - a common meal or snack here)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>How do you manage to consume 10 servings of produce per day?</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Anything that you want to do requires a plan in my
opinion. I would suggest that you start
by determining how many servings you will get in each meal and then track your
consumption. In order to get 10 servings
you need to average 3 servings in two of your meals and 4 in the largest one.
That is what I find to be the easiest. If
you are still eating animal products you can continue to have those only eat
them after you have eaten your produce. Make the produce the first thing you
eat not the last that way you are certain to get it in. </div>
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<br /></div>
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You can start with a big fruit salad in the morning and
easily get in three plus servings. Maybe
you might want to have a green smoothie which would also be three or more
servings. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Lunch could be something like a big salad or a bowl of
vegetable minestrone. Maybe you might
want some sort of vegetable salad.
Another option would be a smaller salad and a piece of fruit. Maybe you would like to have a big serving of
crudités and dip (salsa, a raw cashew ranch, or humus). Just manage to get in 3 servings of produce.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Dinner can be anything (salad, soup, a casserole, crudités,
etc.) you like again just be certain to reach your minimum 10 servings for the
day.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlMuahmhevNAxQBEzg5sF7xiH3ryQJqsygC1GcOMOFzl1eH8CdiQo6UR_Ox1LE83IQFrapfDEHJKht2LXXuWCVuIoZfdZgEEtGcKAjTHfaXWg3l5br2Y7ywwp9LJQaKQDJf2VelHVMY-E/s1600/09+29+11+tomato+and+watermelon+skewers+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlMuahmhevNAxQBEzg5sF7xiH3ryQJqsygC1GcOMOFzl1eH8CdiQo6UR_Ox1LE83IQFrapfDEHJKht2LXXuWCVuIoZfdZgEEtGcKAjTHfaXWg3l5br2Y7ywwp9LJQaKQDJf2VelHVMY-E/s640/09+29+11+tomato+and+watermelon+skewers+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(Watermelon and tomato caviar skewers with micro greens at Jaleo)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Assuming that you are transitioning from the Standard
American Diet don’t try to move immediately to a vegan diet. For this week simply focus on eating the 10
servings of produce and continue to remain well hydrated (from step 1). Stay on this step until you are easily
consuming 10 produce servings per day then jump into step three which I will
post next Thursday. Don’t worry if it
takes you a month or more on this step. Consuming 10 servings of produce is a
big change from most people. This may not happen quickly or be easy at first. However
if you stick with it you can make it happen and your body will thank you.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Dan is still doing well which I love. It was very scary when his temperature was so
high but he is definitely doing much better now. *woo hoo*</li>
<li>Today I had a chance to check on my folks which is always
good. Having elderly parents is work but they raised me so the least I can do
is help them out now.</li>
<li>I spent a lot of time chatting with a friend off and on during
the day. You can’t put a price on time
on with friends in my opinion.</li>
<li>Our friend Matt is still off the cigarettes and I think this
is day 8 now. Not only is he smoke-free
but is also moving toward an animal free diet.
That is a lot of change in one week which I think is amazing! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today was a busy day but also a good day. I have a lot of things to do tomorrow but
that will keep me out of trouble. ;-)</div>
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<br /></div>
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I hope you are starting to get excited about the weekend, I
know I am. Unless something comes up we should be seeing Walid and Jackie on
Friday. I can’t wait!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Let’s hope that all of us have a fantastic Thursday. I will
talk to you again tomorrow. Arrivederci.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-87913084633043702622013-01-16T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-16T00:00:06.508-05:00Useful Gadgets - The Cuppow<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZar1-f1YLEh79zmCCfHLhFVrY3QcDzncWhZ5VFBOkn9P0xg2tXdn6-CZ0N5g657jVqYZkiRf7wYETqD8KGSx3uYqtuG7F5_3_LrZdQglLHOHSLjCsOrE_3ZhUWrUzAhhYerY7VG0KYHwb/s1600/01+08+13+green+juice+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZar1-f1YLEh79zmCCfHLhFVrY3QcDzncWhZ5VFBOkn9P0xg2tXdn6-CZ0N5g657jVqYZkiRf7wYETqD8KGSx3uYqtuG7F5_3_LrZdQglLHOHSLjCsOrE_3ZhUWrUzAhhYerY7VG0KYHwb/s640/01+08+13+green+juice+-+reduced.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Along with my Pantry Staple series I have decided to add
another series entitled Useful Gadgets. This series will show up periodically like the Pantry Staple staples series on no specific schedule. I am starting this series with an inexpensive but extremely useful item.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the kids at Dan’s office calls this an adult sippy
cup lid and I think that is a fantastic description. This little beauty fits on the
top of a mason jar either with the metal lid or not. You put it under the metal band and on top of
the metal lid and it closes the jar securely for spill proof travel. I use these when I send juice in Dan’s lunch
or when I need to take my juice on the road.</div>
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<br /></div>
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You can buy them from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Original-Cuppow-Regular-Drinking-Canning/dp/B009GLR156/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358305352&sr=8-1&keywords=cuppow">Amazon</a> or directly from <a href="http://cuppow.com/">Cuppow</a>. They are cheaper through Cuppow directly. We bought them early when they were first out
and raising funds through I believe Kickstarter. Before you ask I am not
affiliated with the company nor do I make anything when you buy these. This is a product that I use and believe in. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These are great for carrying juice or tea but I don’t think
the opening is large enough for drinking green smoothies which was how I had
intended to use them. However they are perfect for green juice. If you are a juice person these are very
handy. I love that they work on wide-mouth mason jars which I have in abundance.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Tuesday was a great day.
Dan felt good enough to go to work which was wonderful. The problem is
that he worked way to look (as in after 8:30) but at least he feels better so I
am not complaining.</li>
<li>We had really lousy weather today. Our high might have reached
40 and it was grey and bleary all day. Today
was just not a nice weather day. However
on the bright side my new faux fur sheepskin jacket worked out just fine. Yes, this was another Zulily purchase. I told
you I needed to put myself on a time out. It is scary how many things I have
picked up there in the last two months.</li>
<li>Speaking of out of control Zulily purchases I ordered a one
cup loose tea brewing device which arrived today. Once I have had a chance to
try that out for at least a week I will let you know if it is winner. It looks
like it has a lot of promise so I am psyched to give it a try.</li>
<li>Their furry highnesses were down to one day of their
favorite kibble blend using three different types of Blue Buffalo. This potential
crisis (since my kids won’t eat grocery store cat food…the spoiled brats) meant
I need to go to the pet food store. So I
wasn’t driving to one place I also stopped at Costco and picked up a few
provisions (okay a lot). I am very
excited to try the scallion and chive lentil hummus they had today. If I love
it you know I will be making my own version to share with you. *woo hoo*
I love new food ideas.</li>
<li>I need to give another shout out to Matt who will be on day
7 without cigarettes by the time you read this.
Isn’t that amazing? After smoking for 28 years he has been off the
smokes for 7 days. Maybe I should encourage
Matt to write a guest post about how to quit smoking after he reaches the one
month mark. Yay Matt, I am so proud of
you!</li>
<li>Tuesday when I was at
Costco I grabbed a bag of chia seeds and the cutest little old man spoke to me
and asked me if I was familiar with them and we chatted for a while. He told me
that he had been eating them for about a year and about how great he felt. I told him how to make the pumpkin pie mousse
which he was very interested it. When he
found out I was 50 he didn’t believe it and kept telling me that I couldn’t be
50 years old. Needless to say I told him
that he made my day. BTW to random strangers talk to you in the grocery
store or is it just me? This happens almost every time I go and Dan is always
surprised because he says that it doesn’t happen to him which is why I am
curious.</li>
<li>This evening I have been enjoying Pandora on my TV. I set up a channel and have been listening to
<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=teddy+pendergrass&aq=f&oq=teddy+pendergrass&aqs=chrome.0.57j5j61j0l2j61.6002&sugexp=chrome,mod=7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8">Teddy Pendergrass</a> channel. I may be
showing my age by I love movie from the late 70s and early 80s. For those of you who aren't old enough to remember Teddy check out this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSrEdpW3PoM">Youtube</a> of his song Turn Out the Lights. This may be one of the hottest songs ever written, IMO. ;-)</li>
</ol>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJny3oGp1nsunIUyeIWqFnCtF5s1nCiEi8SsB6VwLkeXh2ZGjy01P1kjwhao1zA6wWR6o4Dn2fG980u-3mqgl8QT4ZA0sHxtBFAerc3hXFpW089pD-KyZBBxntoL8WIUlkgHp6HXJA18r/s1600/jacket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJny3oGp1nsunIUyeIWqFnCtF5s1nCiEi8SsB6VwLkeXh2ZGjy01P1kjwhao1zA6wWR6o4Dn2fG980u-3mqgl8QT4ZA0sHxtBFAerc3hXFpW089pD-KyZBBxntoL8WIUlkgHp6HXJA18r/s640/jacket.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(my cute new faux fur jacket from Zulily mentioned in item 2 above) ;-)</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My Tuesday was busy but productive so I am not
complaining. Wednesday is going to be
another busy day. Looks like I need to
work more on my time management this week. ;-)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope that your week is going well and I will chat with you
tomorrow. Arrivederci.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-68911279438161082702013-01-14T00:00:00.001-05:002013-01-14T21:29:50.906-05:00Pantry Staple - Stevia<br />
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSG0eFapL-AiuxQu-2UD9Rzht4z888TBeWp7ITjh0_ou11YgLeo2MAl_ZcKd82PwCDzNIMWBXVZl2pVKbzF7WsHgFCLaOhkgEcpoYByzc0OIssVbkgI04niE94v7Kjwsn3CKilHcSG7Gf/s1600/14485097-stevia-rebaudiana-sweetener-herb-isolated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSG0eFapL-AiuxQu-2UD9Rzht4z888TBeWp7ITjh0_ou11YgLeo2MAl_ZcKd82PwCDzNIMWBXVZl2pVKbzF7WsHgFCLaOhkgEcpoYByzc0OIssVbkgI04niE94v7Kjwsn3CKilHcSG7Gf/s640/14485097-stevia-rebaudiana-sweetener-herb-isolated.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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(source: 123rfphoto.com)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In my experience people either prefer savory or sweet foods
and there is very little in-between. There are those unfortunate people who
like both savory and sweet flavors which is another conversation
entirely.</div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDT9qP37SnTZJIt8QLdYPRRTTzHA3Zqb8ipNZct4kKUFTw3LG_wbznPMn5jw6nb7vcx3gRDKmDg6MwidmQUku7Kt065HwnjaUh2CvjXDoZVZRledZU0kiYErz1aFg1Ca5Q7WFtIPjVROZ7/s1600/ww+focaccia+with+sd+tomato+-+reduced.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDT9qP37SnTZJIt8QLdYPRRTTzHA3Zqb8ipNZct4kKUFTw3LG_wbznPMn5jw6nb7vcx3gRDKmDg6MwidmQUku7Kt065HwnjaUh2CvjXDoZVZRledZU0kiYErz1aFg1Ca5Q7WFtIPjVROZ7/s640/ww+focaccia+with+sd+tomato+-+reduced.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(my 100% whole wheat focaccia with sun-dried tomatoes)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I definitely fall into the savory camp. Give me a warm piece of bread fresh out of
the oven and a little unfiltered extra virgin olive oil to dip it in and I am
in heaven. Can’t you just taste it? *swoons* Fortunately, I know that none of this is good for me so I keep my intake
of these items to an absolute minimum.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3phHNPTPqeNlFeSuDCu1xGpDdIm_7cJHXRkas2yRQyZv6vWkHoXCj0G6fLmVmRnzuRzFIPJ8uhj16dqQJUZiNeZyc6AJCT_mNAMMQfaHpC2w0oIf8FFNGYo-beCuThNwr-k6rvdK8SKi7/s1600/quick+strawberry+soft+serve+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3phHNPTPqeNlFeSuDCu1xGpDdIm_7cJHXRkas2yRQyZv6vWkHoXCj0G6fLmVmRnzuRzFIPJ8uhj16dqQJUZiNeZyc6AJCT_mNAMMQfaHpC2w0oIf8FFNGYo-beCuThNwr-k6rvdK8SKi7/s640/quick+strawberry+soft+serve+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(Strawberry banana soft serve... Dan's favorite)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the other hand my husband is a sweet person through and
through. His sweet tooth is ravenous and he loves anything containing sugar.
The problem is that sugar (like refined flour in my beloved bread) isn’t good for any of us because
it spikes our blood glucose, increases our insulin and promotes fat storage.
Remember that the next time you reach for a cookie or bread and you might just think
twice before eating it. That trick works for
me. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While I can just say no to many things Dan didn’t want to
give up sweetness so I had to find a healthy alternative. We tried agave
(fructose is evil, will write that in the future), brown rice syrup (trace levels
of arsenic), artificial sweeteners (gasp can you believe it?), Zsweet (not bad)
and finally we have landed on stevia.
Currently stevia is the sweetener of choice at our house. However I know
that it is not as common as some other items and that there are many
misconceptions about what stevia is and what it isn’t so I thought a post on it
was in order.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>What is stevia?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Stevia is a small plant that grows wild in South America
(Paraguay and Brazil) where it has been used as a sweetener for hundreds of
years. It is easy to grow here in the US
even in climates like mine where we get a cold winter. I buy mine from a
nursery off Route 50 in Davidsonville (Homestead Gardens) or from Calvert Farms
at the Baltimore Farmers’ Market under the JFX. You will have to replant each
year as it doesn’t survive our winters.
If you grow your own one leaf or less will usually provide enough sweetness.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you don’t want to grow your own, which is the most
natural version, you can buy powdered or liquid stevia. I have found it at
Harris Teeter, Wegman’s, Whole Foods and our local health foods stores. There are green powders (not bleached) and
white powders. The green “seem” more natural to me but many people probably
don’t want the green color in their food.
The powders leave a little residue (cloudiness) in clear liquids which
doesn’t bother me but it may you. The liquid stevia doesn’t need to dissolve
and disappears completely into clear liquids.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAED8A91dsjM3GE8E0VjfAqbTgdIKgWxT1yQ6t3iJ2muXxyrrn7CuPtHNaivOsa0KnUhf6H4MLAXpKARBTPqegzVh7G6b5iIOD1LB8o9K3ATEDnRy9fIDJ7XQDnqHVRdFEDXRfPeWiPZp/s1600/spinach+salad+with+miso+mirin+dressing+-+reduced.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAED8A91dsjM3GE8E0VjfAqbTgdIKgWxT1yQ6t3iJ2muXxyrrn7CuPtHNaivOsa0KnUhf6H4MLAXpKARBTPqegzVh7G6b5iIOD1LB8o9K3ATEDnRy9fIDJ7XQDnqHVRdFEDXRfPeWiPZp/s640/spinach+salad+with+miso+mirin+dressing+-+reduced.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(spinach salad with miso mirin dressing sweetened with stevia)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Is it safe to use?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Stevia has been used in South America and Japan for a long
time without any reported side effects. I
read a study that looked at 30 years of stevia consumption in Japan which couldn’t
find any adverse effects. However it is
worth nothing that the average use of the people in this study was 5 servings
per day and Americans tend to prefer much more sweetener in their food than
Japanese. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At our house stevia is used in Dan’s green smoothies,
strawberry banana soft serve, some salad dressings and occasionally other sweet
dishes. However I doubt that Dan’s
consumption of stevia reaches 5 servings per day.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On a very positive note<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23061910"> an article</a> in the journal Nutrition
and Cancer discussed the antitumor activity of stevia in regard to breast
cancer. Obviously more research needs to
be done but this result certainly strongly suggests that stevia can be a regular part of a
healthy diet. Remember what is true for breast cancer tends to generally be true for the other hormonally-driven cancers like: ovarian, endometrial and prostate.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>How does it taste?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Stevia is 200 times sweeter than sugar. This means if you
buy it without bulking agents you need very little to sweeten your food. Start with the smallest amount possible
as using too much can turn your food bitter which is the most common complaint that I hear.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrczzDLSqRNdqiZC3oTXmA457Lhy0qlf4EbpB8-102NiMpYQp7E0AyUV7tJxxzqfgOkJGaYUB0SknM4kg26TGLhxSQOtTssJt9sZ8gIm_o19709QhtSYcP7bSDS-vhBChmyN-RsLUAVqc/s1600/caponata+close+up+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrczzDLSqRNdqiZC3oTXmA457Lhy0qlf4EbpB8-102NiMpYQp7E0AyUV7tJxxzqfgOkJGaYUB0SknM4kg26TGLhxSQOtTssJt9sZ8gIm_o19709QhtSYcP7bSDS-vhBChmyN-RsLUAVqc/s640/caponata+close+up+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(my healthy caponata which uses stevia for its sweetener)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Is it heat stable?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unlike most of the non-sugar sweeteners stevia is heat
stable. However you can’t substitute it one for one in baking because it
doesn’t melt and turn liquid like sugar so the chemical reaction you need for
bakery products does not occur. However you can use it if you need to sweeten
things like: caponata, cranberry sauce
or apple butter.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<ol>
<li>I am happy to report Dan stayed home today to catch up on
his rest. However his temperature has been under 100 all day. *happy dance*
<span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span> Something tells me my baby is on the
mend. Love that!</li>
<li>Very importantly I was able to get some sleep last night
which was so wonderful. I am almost starting to feel like myself again. Sometimes we all forget how important little
things like sleep really are until we aren’t getting them. Feeling pretty good today I can now realize
how dysfunctional I was yesterday. I can
only imagine how coherent yesterday’s post was. I hope it made some sense. *rolls eyes*
I am almost afraid to go back and read it. LOL</li>
<li>I almost feel bad being happy about this one but I am happy
so I am sharing it with you. I have
recently (within the last few months) discovered <a href="http://www.zulily.com/">Zulily</a> and have been on a bit
of shopping bonanza. It is so bad that I actually needed to put myself on a “Zulily
time out”. One of my orders recently was
lost and I was a little sad because it contained some clothing that I really
wanted. Today the package arrived after
being told it was lost. I called Zulily to tell them to recharge me since they
had already reversed the charge. They thanked me for my honesty and told me
their policy was for me to keep it no charge.
I said that I felt a bit guilty about not paying for it and said,
“please don’t, consider it repayment for the problem”. Well if I weren’t already a happy Zulily
customer I would be after getting my item for free because it was delayed a few
days. Since I was so blown away by the
customer service I wanted to share my experience with all of you.</li>
<li>Today Dan was feeling good enough to ask me to cook something
for him. This is huge because he has been living on green smoothies and juice for
the last few days. He wanted something “carby”
since he dropped 4 pounds in 4 days being sick.
*shakes head* Dan wanted roasted
potatoes and cauliflower. To that I added carrots and chickpeas for a little
color and protein. Then I tossed the raw potatoes, cauliflower, and carrots and
cooked chickpeas with sherry vinegar. I
add no-salt seasoning, fresh black pepper and smoked paprika and roasted
everything on a sheet pan on 350 convection until the veg were cooked and
brown. If I had cilantro I would have
minced some and added it after the cooking was finished.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSLkDk-dtgvxDSMaZfaJ-VWXswvS6c_cmAChZgXt7-sdHpApiv4Eld8UAkcJBTwbBSsFw3cp_6bQERAGDazM1rsrD6IZUMTul0vtLvWKpYuKMEQUlAUpNb9yosKzSEzjMI_sxvbjtVswH/s1600/01+14+12+roasted+cauliflower+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSLkDk-dtgvxDSMaZfaJ-VWXswvS6c_cmAChZgXt7-sdHpApiv4Eld8UAkcJBTwbBSsFw3cp_6bQERAGDazM1rsrD6IZUMTul0vtLvWKpYuKMEQUlAUpNb9yosKzSEzjMI_sxvbjtVswH/s640/01+14+12+roasted+cauliflower+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(Dan's dinner of Spanish flavored roasted cauliflower, carrots, potatoes and chickpeas)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Signing Out:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is getting late here so it is time for me to log off. I hope that your week started well. Today
feels like a Sunday here since Dan was home.
Tomorrow we will be getting back to our normal routine it appears. As much as I like having Dan home I would
rather he be healthy and at work then sick at home. Knowing my husband he will probably end up
going into the office this weekend to make up for being home sick. Let’s hope
that I am wrong about that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope you have a fabulous Tuesday. Ciao for now, in other words arrivederci
(until we meet again). </div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-51958334771461796402013-01-14T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-14T00:00:08.759-05:00Detoxing: Helpful, Harmful or Useless<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bxnoavpvxuDqlFXzglfG5_WO1lKyjWFqXjFuzhWT-FDHZxWa0l2_zruLWIqesubF0dVssuha1OE8G2ZZrkv25vL69TmIAs4nacPm5rIwSHoIOFhzCLPH49DdLQW7IS5ck4bTqjFnvEiX/s1600/09+04+11+green+salad+juice+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bxnoavpvxuDqlFXzglfG5_WO1lKyjWFqXjFuzhWT-FDHZxWa0l2_zruLWIqesubF0dVssuha1OE8G2ZZrkv25vL69TmIAs4nacPm5rIwSHoIOFhzCLPH49DdLQW7IS5ck4bTqjFnvEiX/s640/09+04+11+green+salad+juice+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(salad juice with cayenne)</i> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is something about being an American that leads us to
look for a quick fix to any and all of our problems. As a nation we love to pop a pill to reduce our
cholesterol. We like to go on a diet
rather than changing our lifestyle in order to lose weight. We are also drawn to a detox to cleanse our
bodies rather than eating clean.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Earlier this week I was asked how I felt about a specific
cleanse in order to detox. Those of you
who have been reading me a long time can probably guess how I feel about this. This post is geared more to our newer
readers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>What will a short term detox do?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Assuming the detox program is well structured it won’t be
adding any toxins into your body which is a good thing. By eliminating anything
that the body’s detox system has to handle we may be able to remove a small
amount of our stored toxins.
Additionally you will probably lose a few pounds but those may or may
not be mostly water weight.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>What a short term detox can’t do.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am sure that I am going to make a lot of people who are
selling detox products and systems angry but in my opinion they are useless if
the person using them goes right back to their original habits. Our bodies are built to detox on a continual
basis. The problem is that we are throwing
into our bodies more toxins than they can push out. When you add to that the fact that our
perfectly designed bodies store toxins in our fat where it can’t harm us you
can see how a short term detox can only be of negligible benefit. When we go on a short term diet (or detox)
the weight we drop initially is water weight first and then fat. Think about that for a moment. How many toxins do you think you could be
removing in a three days or even a week?
My thought is not many at all.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkm2A37l8xwUV-rHYkK9Z6B1tp6ZtdxlRdc6fVfQ50GLW10uWKtVJIVHtHa92ZN-pTzCQJq6vXugvVx27BGN_f3LqpXfci0G00XhaCsC6hKvsbNEBbGU3K4C2Yg2xxYhQKT4EmDNDUsyz/s1600/05+19+12+curried+almond+salad+fixings+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkm2A37l8xwUV-rHYkK9Z6B1tp6ZtdxlRdc6fVfQ50GLW10uWKtVJIVHtHa92ZN-pTzCQJq6vXugvVx27BGN_f3LqpXfci0G00XhaCsC6hKvsbNEBbGU3K4C2Yg2xxYhQKT4EmDNDUsyz/s640/05+19+12+curried+almond+salad+fixings+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(curried almond salad, apple slices and butter lettuce leaves for wraps)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Can a detox harm you?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A short detox program can harm you. If you are thinking of using a commercial
detox product like a powder or a tea I would caution you not to unless the
ingredients are completely spelled out and you have researched the safety of
every ingredient. I honestly doubt that 1 out of 1000 people who consider these
products do that research. Many of these
products contain ingredients that have been studied. Worse some of these products contain things
that are known to be harmful because they rev up the metabolism or are a known
diuretic.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you are thinking of embarking on a juice fast I would
caution you to think carefully about this as well. If you are a healthy person
I don’t think that you have anything to be concerned about and a short juice
fast is probably fine. However if you are on any medication, have diabetes or
cancer I wouldn’t even consider a juice fast.
There are too many things that could become a problem to take a chance
with your health.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For those of you who are thinking, wait a minute you said
that you did a 16 day juice fast not long ago what gives, let me explain. Yes I
did a juice fast but I am on no medication and all my body metrics (blood
pressure, blood sugar, etc.) are excellent.
While I did a juice fast I would never encourage or go along with Dan doing
one.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Is a short term detox ever a good idea?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After I “indulge” in less healthy food I go on a self
imposed detox of sorts but not for the reasons you think. I eat an extremely healthy diet after
indulging and it does have the impact of detoxing me but that isn’t the reason
that I do it. I go on my ultra clean diet to:
1) get the added weight off as quickly as possible, 2) make myself feel physically
better by increasing my phytonutrient (plant nutrients) intake and 3) to get
back on track with my healthy lifestyle as quickly as possible. However I do not do these with the idea of
detox in mind.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlCdlG3Y_yCNybdAutn6Ihege9X-0_jKMOm9mpHEAc756wjCjmBN3iPn-cp3FvaLBMcISm74ECnfsOr25DQG2lfJucHHHnXB-f5vvpWN5HUUeE7MN2skIwHmG1up0aL8lIqvL5erbcaam/s1600/02+11+12+salad+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlCdlG3Y_yCNybdAutn6Ihege9X-0_jKMOm9mpHEAc756wjCjmBN3iPn-cp3FvaLBMcISm74ECnfsOr25DQG2lfJucHHHnXB-f5vvpWN5HUUeE7MN2skIwHmG1up0aL8lIqvL5erbcaam/s640/02+11+12+salad+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(blood orange, fennel, hearts of palm and avocado salad on arugula)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>If a detox isn’t a good idea what should we do instead?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In my opinion this is the most important part of this post. To truly be healthy we need to make healthy
decisions at most opportunities. Our
health is not the result of a juice fast of an occasional detox but rather it
is a function of the last few thousand decisions we have made. Remember we are just a meal or workout away
from starting to change our health. Here
are some things I want you to think about an answer:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Are you adequately hydrated?</li>
<li>Do you eat 10 servings of produce per day on average?</li>
<li>Do you eat predominately food rather than food-like
substances? (This goes back to my rule
of food needs to either rot or sprout. If it doesn’t rot or sprout it is
probably a food-like substance and you should not be eating it.) </li>
<li>Is your diet mostly natural food rather than refined food?</li>
<li>Are you physically active a minimum 60 minutes per day on
average?</li>
<li>Do you have a plan that you use to manage the stress in your
life?</li>
<li>Do you go to the doctor for an annual physical?</li>
<li>Have you had your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar,
vitamin D and B12 levels checked within the last year?</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you answered yes to all these questions congratulations
you are well on your way to vibrant health if you aren’t already there. However if you didn’t answer yes to these
question you need to re-examine what is important to you. Do you want to be healthy or do you want to
continue doing what you have always done? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Inertia is difficult to overcome which is why many of us
stay stuck in our old patterns. However
at any moment any of us can start to move in a more healthy direction. You can make your next meal a big healthy
salad. You can put on your tennis shoes and head out the door for nice
walk. Initially these take more work
that doing what we have always done. As you start to make more healthy
decisions the physical effect will become more profound and more noticeable.
Once this happens it becomes almost as easy to maintain a healthy lifestyle as
it is to live an unhealthy one.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8KbKhv_3K8-SzsFpI689nhUn3SxeFmEWOz2cbQroClHU0KCo12bdE0QxUu5d81OojOArycHffzU7GZNE4gu_nnqvLqWC_0nsn3c4gSTI7nLhQOIB4ZHUbbZ1ogbk8kGw2yVJq83iKT9y/s1600/07+09+11+veggie+wrap+and+salad+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8KbKhv_3K8-SzsFpI689nhUn3SxeFmEWOz2cbQroClHU0KCo12bdE0QxUu5d81OojOArycHffzU7GZNE4gu_nnqvLqWC_0nsn3c4gSTI7nLhQOIB4ZHUbbZ1ogbk8kGw2yVJq83iKT9y/s640/07+09+11+veggie+wrap+and+salad+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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(grilled veggie and hummus wrap courtesy of Ian)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>How do I get started changing my health?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are many options but the one I recommend is that you
follow along in my “transitioning to a healthy vegan lifestyle” series that
started last Thursday and will continue every Thursday for at least 8 weeks in
total. While this series is geared to moving
toward a vegan lifestyle the tips are also good for everyone’s health vegan or
not.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Dan’s fever is continuing to improve which is a huge
relief. His highest temp Sunday was 99.9
(as of this post going up) which is a radical improvement. That gets both a woo hoo and a happy
dance. Dan is sleeping now as I write
this so I suspect when Monday rolls around he might be heading back to work.
*woo hoo* Not that I want him to go to
work but I want him to feel good enough to go to work.</li>
<li>I didn’t sleep well again last night as I was up every hour
or so checking on Dan’s body temperature.
Fortunately I didn’t have anything pressing to do to today so I was able
to take it easy. I am sooooo looking
forward to crawling into bed tonight. I think that I will be out in less than
10 seconds. LOL</li>
<li>The good thing about being low on energy meant that I had
some extra time at home. I used that
time to go a few things and have some pizza nuts dehydrating now which is nice.</li>
<li>My friend Matt will be on his 5<sup>th</sup> day without
cigarettes by the time you read this.
After more than two decades of smoking that really deserves a big high
five. In addition to losing the smokes
he is also working to clean up his diet.
Don’t you just love it when the people you care about make positive
changes? I am so pleased! You rock Matt!</li>
<li>We were so busy with the fever on Saturday that we forgot
that we had a jazz concert in Annapolis. Not that we could have made it but we
could have given the tickets to someone if we had remembered. What I am grateful for is that everything
will be okay and we can go to another concert.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Signing Out:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This has been one long weekend and I am happy to see it end
which is not normal for me. It is time
to get back to our usual routine. Sadly
the weather they were predicting didn’t materialize on Sunday. While it was
warmer than usual it was not close to the 70s that were forecast and it was
foggy all day. Basically Sunday was good
day to stay home and relax.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since by the time you are reading this it is probably Monday
I hope that your week has started off well and that we can talk soon. Ciao for
now.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-22501055757502363112013-01-13T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-13T00:00:02.571-05:00Pantry Staple - Nutritional Yeast<br />
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqJmy8S5chP7Ett9xM9ofys95YgXQ-zeQp1FK69-F8UT4BbIG7v0jSHm9rBrgJgLnIGzmqEIwB3vH4V2JTo6TdYdte4OD3Ztl1AAZLJjnFswhFDUCB_1UyXhjY8xV3qaf3-NRU-3GCU9B/s1600/09+25+11+pasta+with+greens+and+tomato+sauce+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqJmy8S5chP7Ett9xM9ofys95YgXQ-zeQp1FK69-F8UT4BbIG7v0jSHm9rBrgJgLnIGzmqEIwB3vH4V2JTo6TdYdte4OD3Ztl1AAZLJjnFswhFDUCB_1UyXhjY8xV3qaf3-NRU-3GCU9B/s640/09+25+11+pasta+with+greens+and+tomato+sauce+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(Pasta topped with arugula, red sauce and nutritional yeast on the boat)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The savory umami of nutritional yeast is very handy to have
in your healthy vegan pantry. Though I
am not sure why nutritional yeast is something that people seem to love or hate.
I happen to love the stuff. For me nutritional yeast mimics the umami of a good
smelly cheese. I love it so much that I
have a 4 pack on auto-ship with Amazon.
Whenever I have something on auto-ship this is a seriously love affair I
am having with the product. Personally I
couldn’t imagine making this healthy vegan life of mine work without the stuff.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>What is Nutritional Yeast?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Specifically nutritional yeast is a type of yeast
(saccharomyces cerevisiae)<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span>that is grown (cultured) on glucose,
usually molasses. Next the yeast is
killed (deactivated) with heat, washed, dried and packaged. Some manufacturers add B12 to the final
product but not all. Please don’t assume
that that this covers your vegan requirement for B12.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN_p1e-atSukZRfycZHcwXg4cYBRnYwTMS9w4jPp4lu6XzWrdGMdenTb6BVRUDdBC7Orbl0qmEd-KiIFcvQ1aMYjeVZ06wwBMJPO2lw3Z8Vm-_dZSKvbJL2-Zmb9PsRLz9O5wHCiSjW8T/s1600/01+11+13+nut+yeast+label+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN_p1e-atSukZRfycZHcwXg4cYBRnYwTMS9w4jPp4lu6XzWrdGMdenTb6BVRUDdBC7Orbl0qmEd-KiIFcvQ1aMYjeVZ06wwBMJPO2lw3Z8Vm-_dZSKvbJL2-Zmb9PsRLz9O5wHCiSjW8T/s640/01+11+13+nut+yeast+label+-+reduced.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(nutrition label on Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Yeast)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Are there any health benefits associated with consuming
nutritional yeast?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nutritional yeast is mostly protein. But since ¼ cup of nutritional yeast only has
45 calories, mostly protein translates into 6 grams. The Bob’s Red Mill Yeast that I buy contains
B12 but I still supplement with a sublingual B12 three times per week. I use nutritional yeast for the umami flavor
and aroma it provides.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>What Nutritional Yeast is not.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nutritional yeast has been deactivated which means that it
will not make dough rise like bakers yeast.
Nutritional yeast is also not brewer’s yeast which is a different product.
Yeast in a fungus like mushrooms and
therefore not an animal product.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Where can I find it?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Baltimore I can find nutritional yeast at: Wegman’s, Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, and our
local health food stores (The Natural Market, Health Concern and Roots). I have
also seen it at Shopper’s Food Warehouse which is a grocery store near the boat.
They may also carry it at Giant Foods
but I haven’t looked for it there. About
a year ago I put it on my Amazon auto-ship subscription which I find to be the
easiest way to obtain it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCO-0qr-H3tyviuoF0vDkcMdZjbIR_3m9wLxnejW0oTMaHYh-BFRvVkeluc1pXdsTmQ7sVZJU3-KqL06Cg3SU_zRpKP9XzA-ckwIuR-UGxpG6BUAUl60ZEeZCopzxUhh0SJLwCGHlETdO/s1600/02+07+11+veggie+salad+with+walnut+parm+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCO-0qr-H3tyviuoF0vDkcMdZjbIR_3m9wLxnejW0oTMaHYh-BFRvVkeluc1pXdsTmQ7sVZJU3-KqL06Cg3SU_zRpKP9XzA-ckwIuR-UGxpG6BUAUl60ZEeZCopzxUhh0SJLwCGHlETdO/s640/02+07+11+veggie+salad+with+walnut+parm+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(pizza veggies both raw and cooked topped with walnut parm)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>What can you do with it?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nutritional yeast is very versatile. If you add just a little (a tablespoon or
two) to a dish it can mimic the flavor of butter. When you add more yeast it
moves from buttery to cheesy in flavor.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I like to sprinkle it directly on top of food as you would
use cheese. One of my common meals is
frozen mixed vegetables which I steam and then toss with hot marinara and top
with nutritional yeast and hemp seeds. I call this veggie pizza and I really
like it. It is filling, high in
phytonutrients, has a lot of flavor and is in low in calories. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you have more time and extra calories in your food budget
I suggest that you make a batch of my walnut parmesan to keep on hand. This is
wonderful used in any way that you have used parmesan cheese in the past. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7Fi68rd7btp3bbgpVRAHA538CYR8JymFu8gkBe7_BhyQeTufpW_T9hLWQ3q8MvrMZcTx95EtIdp-c-pIOdVhWntEAVfLV9MctpB8vnDmSBskkEZtRSxFT2Ke3_vgXWCmhCxK5emXaIxs/s1600/pizza+slice+3+-+09+10+10+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7Fi68rd7btp3bbgpVRAHA538CYR8JymFu8gkBe7_BhyQeTufpW_T9hLWQ3q8MvrMZcTx95EtIdp-c-pIOdVhWntEAVfLV9MctpB8vnDmSBskkEZtRSxFT2Ke3_vgXWCmhCxK5emXaIxs/s640/pizza+slice+3+-+09+10+10+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(loaded veggie pizza with a little nutritional yeast "sauce")</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nutritional yeast works on vegan pizza. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigYLjHHGVTFpkS78z0kIOQELfPE0u54ia9j874O_ydtU5nNN_fKihGXfXtiX_OzggkBJg7yHR9ljy8e4Q0-VRv28o6YcGYNERI2uqMIW5udgJnpr712tOhmhBiMWasSYiASIzOxPeoXlp/s1600/01+09+10+dinner+risotto+and+salad+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigYLjHHGVTFpkS78z0kIOQELfPE0u54ia9j874O_ydtU5nNN_fKihGXfXtiX_OzggkBJg7yHR9ljy8e4Q0-VRv28o6YcGYNERI2uqMIW5udgJnpr712tOhmhBiMWasSYiASIzOxPeoXlp/s640/01+09+10+dinner+risotto+and+salad+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(butternut squash and mushroom barley risotto topped with walnuts and salad)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We also like it stirred into risotto. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBRgzcmAsRRPZjjLiUxuZ2kOrU08mXMP1Tj1P8QHQ6yQTZAySSj9r_KiG5MwsmkakcXF1HvPwLDJJ3np5shxQmqjCC8F68uEOI7pPrvM0-Uq9xJUv8sE54ddwo9mLfxvMA-M5bkrSqABS/s1600/12+20+10+popcorn+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBRgzcmAsRRPZjjLiUxuZ2kOrU08mXMP1Tj1P8QHQ6yQTZAySSj9r_KiG5MwsmkakcXF1HvPwLDJJ3np5shxQmqjCC8F68uEOI7pPrvM0-Uq9xJUv8sE54ddwo9mLfxvMA-M5bkrSqABS/s640/12+20+10+popcorn+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(nutritional yeast topped "cheezy" popcorn)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is terrific on popcorn.
In fact I love it on popcorn, as does our baby Binky. BTW I have yet to figure out how to get the yeast to stick to the cheese without oil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZALTSixzubQn3q0WowuSnjlsifg6u5oL3jeO5OTclqcYcT8YweYPdKcdQKcJPhVVeOfOB-nKd8PmoT0yVBaIROdjlyCjNg8roqGSZVny4g1AbJGwWb3HNGO_4xsFIDAuPPyCS5sYrTU4/s1600/queso+dip+with+cashews+-+reduced.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZALTSixzubQn3q0WowuSnjlsifg6u5oL3jeO5OTclqcYcT8YweYPdKcdQKcJPhVVeOfOB-nKd8PmoT0yVBaIROdjlyCjNg8roqGSZVny4g1AbJGwWb3HNGO_4xsFIDAuPPyCS5sYrTU4/s640/queso+dip+with+cashews+-+reduced.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(my vegan queso dip and chips)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If cheese sauce is your think you can make my vegan queso
and add nutritional yeast to it. When
Dan was “learning to love” nutritional yeast I made the queso without yeast.
Now I add nutritional yeast (about ¼ cup or so) to this sauce.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>How do you typically use nutritional yeast?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The most common way I use yeast is to top my favorite fast
food, veggie pizza that I mentioned above. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN25J6ZKe8vyQAqwB8rS4mfld6yzK8fFS34DNC806_zdYC-WNOmumteWm2y53CjmX8M7YZYo4KMzYt0EKqs8KXc1NJCha2LYuLC0tdGyp3CX8zwlt9NIlthWNYXM4HsxYzl4wzHmRx70jK/s1600/walnut+parmesan+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN25J6ZKe8vyQAqwB8rS4mfld6yzK8fFS34DNC806_zdYC-WNOmumteWm2y53CjmX8M7YZYo4KMzYt0EKqs8KXc1NJCha2LYuLC0tdGyp3CX8zwlt9NIlthWNYXM4HsxYzl4wzHmRx70jK/s640/walnut+parmesan+-+reduced.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(jar of walnut parm ready for the refrigerator)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also make a lot walnut parm to use on Dan’s food. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVOZ7c6dOqDxqf-j2NSoXmm0dN9ITIoJ2MEZgsfZhSFhbG8-ClAUX7lE4DIvmHbdG6VqnhY0ZWXEHpM27dbP63ol0SqngY0RPy4Dms6lS7G1i52WAp8sOpPRLNI5t95Q18HbtQ7pwU8qy/s1600/09+10+11+pizza+almonds+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVOZ7c6dOqDxqf-j2NSoXmm0dN9ITIoJ2MEZgsfZhSFhbG8-ClAUX7lE4DIvmHbdG6VqnhY0ZWXEHpM27dbP63ol0SqngY0RPy4Dms6lS7G1i52WAp8sOpPRLNI5t95Q18HbtQ7pwU8qy/s640/09+10+11+pizza+almonds+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(enjoying dehydrated pizza almonds on the boat)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We love nutritional yeast on pizza almonds.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlNO5M2bpbmP9Q2kh3JjSilCUEV57OVxYLiS5cAvWvHKJG0JTaj6HkMFM1M9duvjkG7GCCRFlG8fRtfcL8EDsodwnZIUscsHvJ-C3biWTzBW3BscVgRR-Bbk0pY0RytC258WbDi6VibJV/s1600/salad+with+nutritional+yeast+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlNO5M2bpbmP9Q2kh3JjSilCUEV57OVxYLiS5cAvWvHKJG0JTaj6HkMFM1M9duvjkG7GCCRFlG8fRtfcL8EDsodwnZIUscsHvJ-C3biWTzBW3BscVgRR-Bbk0pY0RytC258WbDi6VibJV/s640/salad+with+nutritional+yeast+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(veggie salad topped with nutritional yeast and broccoli sprouts)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I like nutritional yeast and/or nutritional yeast on salad.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHhKQj13MEejjEiv2TxDfJmlxEx6R0J5k6lRGXbo4mjJ12QFdi1UHhKPuw13Yhplbb4I3_LGfftk7ik0hWw0TkwcTcmGFBwJJoG8uYSigmMen3j8WulpIhNPo2vmV0fndxs6OzqB8KGsR/s1600/curried+ravioli+-+reduced.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHhKQj13MEejjEiv2TxDfJmlxEx6R0J5k6lRGXbo4mjJ12QFdi1UHhKPuw13Yhplbb4I3_LGfftk7ik0hWw0TkwcTcmGFBwJJoG8uYSigmMen3j8WulpIhNPo2vmV0fndxs6OzqB8KGsR/s640/curried+ravioli+-+reduced.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(curried ravioli topped with a buttery vegan white sauce with peas, tomatoes and arugula)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally I use nutritional yeast often to
mimic the savor flavor of butter in dishes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>We made it through another day and for that I am grateful.
Some days are a little rougher than others. However every day that we wake up
is a chance to start again and make a positive difference in the world.</li>
<li>Dan is continuing to improve. His fever is generally in the 100’s
and 101’s so far today which is a vast improvement. Now if he can just get some
rest I think he will feel much better. </li>
<li>I got a bit more rest last night and I am also grateful for
that. Hopefully tonight we be even
better but I will take what I can get.</li>
<li>I had a nice workout at zero dark thirty this morning while
Dan slept. I am grateful that my body is capable of taking the punishment that
I dish out without breaking down.</li>
<li>I had a great conversation yesterday with one of guys from
Dan’s office. It was so nice of him to
call and check on Dan. Since Dan was
sleeping we talked for about 30 minutes. Hopefully he and Dan can coordinate
their schedules so the four of us can go out to dinner soon.</li>
<li>I have kept up my super healthy eating that I put into place
after indulging on Sunday and I feel really good.
I think I am going to stay off the grains for another week and see what
happens. I enjoy experimenting with my body to see what works best for me.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Signing out:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Saturday has been a reasonably slow day at our house. Dan
has been napping on an off and I have been busy working, working out and
chatting. It has been as nice a day as
possible given that Dan doesn’t feel great.
However he is starting to look much better so I think we have turned the
corner.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How is your weekend going? Are you doing anything fun? Since I am stuck at home I would love to hear
what fun you are having if you feel up to sharing it with everyone. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span> Ciao for now.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-9063856359248978052013-01-12T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-12T19:24:20.734-05:00How to Enjoy Cheats in a Healthy Way<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMd20XNcwHpAxr3rfWw4KJq-2pa0d86QDzDD1egix3GKjbGx3krww7WuSLo-CX6Njj6b-E5mQlHvy1DtBT5LdDMjOeSl2cb3yLMno4jrndsfbwyfqKHdSsDnmgn5R2EiG_TxuGxjUIOyus/s1600/09+07+11+cupcake+action+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMd20XNcwHpAxr3rfWw4KJq-2pa0d86QDzDD1egix3GKjbGx3krww7WuSLo-CX6Njj6b-E5mQlHvy1DtBT5LdDMjOeSl2cb3yLMno4jrndsfbwyfqKHdSsDnmgn5R2EiG_TxuGxjUIOyus/s640/09+07+11+cupcake+action+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>(My girlfriend Deirdre was having a cupcake one day at lunch and I snapped this for later use)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Earlier this week Clarie (from: <a href="http://www.skinny-vegan-food.com/">almost skinny vegan food</a>)
asked a brilliant question about how do I enjoy cheats without allowing things to
get out of hand or beat myself up. Since this is something that I have also struggled
with I knew immediately that I had to write about this. The question came up after I mentioned
spending all day Sunday in DC which resulted in a 2.2 weight increase on Monday
(BTW the 2.2 pounds was gone by Wednesday morning).</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC32ry1xD4_GMIjPTT7yc6eQMuU_8Bu5tL6QbhoVntB4kZivG7Yd_bIBbERkw2vQdgdGmEmywimlYocxvUzQphFACSJrfudw0f4IAXdLV51LDhcnUzjaYGT6xGgcK62bx-bNlYmdOYR8xE/s1600/01_06_13_liquid_olives+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC32ry1xD4_GMIjPTT7yc6eQMuU_8Bu5tL6QbhoVntB4kZivG7Yd_bIBbERkw2vQdgdGmEmywimlYocxvUzQphFACSJrfudw0f4IAXdLV51LDhcnUzjaYGT6xGgcK62bx-bNlYmdOYR8xE/s640/01_06_13_liquid_olives+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span id="goog_815868884"></span><span id="goog_815868885"></span>(liquid olives at Jaleo this past Sunday and boy were they delicious)</i></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Why have cheats or treats?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I refer to my indulgences as treats and not cheats for a few
reasons. First, I don’t believe that
you can cheat on food. Second, treats is a more gentle word which doesn’t sound
like you are doing something wrong. Third, I believe that life should be enjoyed
and treats has a much more positive connotation to me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0B6stfQVzqho9cmvLUNhM4jD7Y5xORpubcCfMboxOZ8nek48rQ-_96bb4l6EiHMHoRJ8Ag7DkQoBkDp3plsLMFhtLKuqHxziHMC2dT1q7_9kN6Aj7CPj9TfRmPi2EETlN3RC54940IL7-/s1600/01_06_13_zaytinya_baba_ghanoush+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0B6stfQVzqho9cmvLUNhM4jD7Y5xORpubcCfMboxOZ8nek48rQ-_96bb4l6EiHMHoRJ8Ag7DkQoBkDp3plsLMFhtLKuqHxziHMC2dT1q7_9kN6Aj7CPj9TfRmPi2EETlN3RC54940IL7-/s640/01_06_13_zaytinya_baba_ghanoush+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(baba ghanoush at Zaytinya on Sunday)</i></div>
<br /></div>
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In my opinion life is too short to avoid treating yourself
occasionally. I don’t know about you but
if I didn’t know that I could indulge sometimes I would be a grumpy gal. Now don’t misunderstand I don’t consider
steak or cheese a treat, they are not on my list of acceptable treats. For me a
treat is something that I know contains oil, salt, sugar or refined grains. In
fact a little alcohol is also a treat for me.
But those are my indulgences and you need to define what treat means to
you.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNSYFLwK1FiqGb27h4XCUUFkbQyhQrNZL1Swn4wBixIY2jMuTn6nSBR3K9XnC5nDRPA9B98m_tC-Njoo6L4l_hmGlBFbl3Q1yx9sX2CszkmipsMf70CGwAOEZ3gUSfXKajuEzuBuZJx9_/s1600/01_06_13_jaleo_white_peach_sorbet-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNSYFLwK1FiqGb27h4XCUUFkbQyhQrNZL1Swn4wBixIY2jMuTn6nSBR3K9XnC5nDRPA9B98m_tC-Njoo6L4l_hmGlBFbl3Q1yx9sX2CszkmipsMf70CGwAOEZ3gUSfXKajuEzuBuZJx9_/s640/01_06_13_jaleo_white_peach_sorbet-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(Vegan white peach sorbet from Jaleo on Sunday)</i></div>
<br /></div>
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<i>Plan for treats</i><br />
<br />
In the past I wasn’t as selective about when I indulged,
this resulted in more me than I wanted.
Now I have very specific criteria to determine which treats I can
indulge in. These are just my rules and
you should determine your criteria but here are mine:</div>
<ol>
<li>The treat must be consumed in a special place (this Sunday
that was Jaleo and Zaytinya and those are special to me). For example sweet potato fries at a local
restaurant that I can go to anytime is not special so I would pass since that
doesn’t meet my criteria.</li>
<li>The food has to be unique, delicious and/or something that I
can potentially recreate at home in a healthier way. On Sunday we ordered baba ghanoush and hummus
not that they are unique but I wanted to experience them as a creative chef
would prepare them so I could recreate them at home.</li>
<li>My company also has to be special and on Sunday I was with
my wonderful husband who is very special to me.
A good example of not special would be the food at the Hopkins Women’s Health
Conference this past November. Since I
knew the food would not be unique and the company was also not special I
skipped the food at the conference completely by having a green smoothie at
home and bringing my lunch.</li>
<li>My final rule is that I can’t have any treats if I am still
carrying weight from my last treat experience.
That means that Monday and Tuesday of this week after the Sunday
“treat-apalooza” there were no treats for me.
I also make certain to eat very clean until the weight is gone to get it
off as quickly as possible…..leaving room for more future treats. LOL
;-)</li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdrPHYyl2fmACBtEy_AL9P1Q3X8NlfACeoLjSG0o-a5ptmvrNBAoJPkS3F6zWfswo_Lz_Mp4LSAH18mo2FSJpmBSrA4jFN9Uua0tEAV__Jqwcdass0LV8xV-XZJ1jG7VlUD-zwBKE_2TK/s1600/01_06_13_zaytinya_mushrooms_with_dates_and_almonds+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdrPHYyl2fmACBtEy_AL9P1Q3X8NlfACeoLjSG0o-a5ptmvrNBAoJPkS3F6zWfswo_Lz_Mp4LSAH18mo2FSJpmBSrA4jFN9Uua0tEAV__Jqwcdass0LV8xV-XZJ1jG7VlUD-zwBKE_2TK/s640/01_06_13_zaytinya_mushrooms_with_dates_and_almonds+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(mixed mushrooms, dates and slivered almonds at Zaytinya on Sunday)</i></div>
<br />
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<i>What type of treats should you have?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is a loaded question and one that I feel is very
personal. Some people might consider treats meat or cheese and that is fine for
them. I think it all comes down to a
personal choice. My definition of treats
is fairly narrow but it works for me.
This is something that I recommend that everyone give thought to.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>How often should you indulge?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think that it is important to put specific parameters on
treats as I do. Maybe you want to allow
yourself a treat no more than once a week or once a month. If you don’t like
that idea of not having them often, and you have marvelous self-control, maybe
you want to have a treat daily but only allow yourself a bite or two max. The choice is really up to you and what you
think will work for you in terms of being both satisfied and healthy.</div>
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<br /></div>
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For example if you are at or near your healthy weight I
think you can allow yourself more indulgences.
However if you have more than 20 pounds to lose I think you should be
more strict. It is much easier to maintain a healthy weight than achieve
one. Once you reach your ideal weight
you will be able to indulge more often as long as you do it responsibly.</div>
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<br /></div>
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You should probably also remember the post about a week ago
where I showed how an extra 100 calories per day would result in gaining 10.4
pounds this year. This means your treats
could be the reason you don’t reach your goal weight. Think of it this way. Assume that you decide your treat will be a
slice of chocolate mousse pie at your local restaurant once per week. That
slice of pie can easily be 600-800 calories or more depending on how it is
made. If you have that pie once a week
that will results in approximately 100 extra calories per day. I wanted to put that out there for you to
think about when determining what rules you will make for yourself in regard to
indulging.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTcs9o7_3sNWthxZ0Xs9hL8Pw55lUD0HkdIG2cV9oULpyWGFbHoQNYGklvhmUwaM-lS3Ipq4Cb6LRMw-y6EIGMu5dPTGOE8nhaIJjg73Fq-xewQBYQDFPz1E3OiM0TFqlp6v9s4tKpQpU/s1600/01_06_13_zaytinya_beet_salad+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTcs9o7_3sNWthxZ0Xs9hL8Pw55lUD0HkdIG2cV9oULpyWGFbHoQNYGklvhmUwaM-lS3Ipq4Cb6LRMw-y6EIGMu5dPTGOE8nhaIJjg73Fq-xewQBYQDFPz1E3OiM0TFqlp6v9s4tKpQpU/s640/01_06_13_zaytinya_beet_salad+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(beet and citrus salad with upland cress and walnuts from Zaytinya on Sunday)</i></div>
<br /></div>
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<i>How do I know if I am overdoing it?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is an easy determination to make. Are you at your ideal
weight? If you aren’t at your ideal
weight are you moving toward it by losing 1 to 2 pounds per week on
average? If you answered no to both
those questions you are overdoing it and need to reduce your indulgences.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Why don’t you have a little meat or dairy?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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In the past I used to follow Dr. Fuhrman’s option that allowed
10% of your food could be “off plan” and those included animal products if you
choose. However that option didn’t work
for me. After trying that for a while I
realized that I felt much healthier without the animal products. Not only did I feel better but I was
healthier and it showed in my complexion and my blood work. I realized that that by focusing on a
whole-food plant-based diet I was able to be as healthy as possible for
me. As I have said many times in the
past this was not the answer I wanted or expected when we first changed how we
ate. But the results won me over. I feel
better now at 50 than I did at 30 and those are results that I can’t argue with
no matter what I wanted to be the answer.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Many people I have worked with had the same misconception
that I did. They wanted to keep meat,
dairy, eggs, cakes, cookies, etc in their diet but they also wanted to be
healthy. They didn’t want a diet like mine to be the answer and really who can
blame them. The reason people eat
unhealthy foods is because they taste good.
One thing I know after living like this for years. As good as those foods used to taste to me
that will never be enough for me to go back to them. I feel so amazing now I would never
compromise my health and how I feel for the momentary pleasure of unhealthy
food. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Zz1QPa4PBc4hg87rH0fhuJ8XJ1OCteXKZazv5ILjLaP3_mKzVVcMI8_q0glCFDCvOYX3wq1zxN7uh_4oQPxswrZ-4KbczehfJZIHlrNH-C5Z-zzB0dJELhVEgA6WD5ioRAyuV2tAfZZE/s1600/01_06_13_jaleo_spinach_apple_raisin_and_pine_nut_salad+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Zz1QPa4PBc4hg87rH0fhuJ8XJ1OCteXKZazv5ILjLaP3_mKzVVcMI8_q0glCFDCvOYX3wq1zxN7uh_4oQPxswrZ-4KbczehfJZIHlrNH-C5Z-zzB0dJELhVEgA6WD5ioRAyuV2tAfZZE/s640/01_06_13_jaleo_spinach_apple_raisin_and_pine_nut_salad+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(spinach, pine nuts, raisins and apple salad at Jaleo on Sunday)</i></div>
<br />
It really all comes down to what is most important to
you. Do you want the momentary pleasure
of eating or do you want the long-term pleasure of health? I promise you that after about a month of
eating this way you won’t want to go back either. Just know that taste preferences are learned. The longer you eat unhealthy the more you
will want unhealthy food. However the good news is that the converse is also true.
The longer you eat healthy the more you will want healthy food.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Happy Thoughts:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>I am so grateful that Dan’s fever has broken. He hit a high of 103.7 yesterday and Friday
morning it was just slightly elevated (100.1).
Of course he hasn’t been sleeping well with the fever but we can fix
that with a couple of good nights of rest.
It is wonderful to have him on the mend.
BTW if you are faced with a fever and don’t want to go immediately to
meds try sipping a lot of cold water, cold juice and cold smoothies with cold
compresses. By doing this I was generally able to keep his temp down. It also helps to wear light clothing so that
your body heat dissipates. We were
avoiding meds because of the impact they can have on liver function. For those you who don’t know Tylenol negative
impacts liver function. </li>
<li>Yesterday (Thursday) was a rough day. However I am grateful to have made it
through. Some days the best you can hope
for is that something ends and that is how I feel about Thursday. Let’s hear a woo hoo for Friday. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></li>
<li>I was up every hour or so checking Dan’s temp for the last
two days so today I am physically wiped out now. This also means that I am extremely grateful
for my juicers today. I seriously need the energy boost that I get from green
juice today.</li>
<li>A certain unnamed friend of mine is still making green
smoothies in the morning and will getting back to juicing this weekend. I so love getting those texts with pics of
green smoothies from him. It was great
to chat with you last night sweetheart. Thanks for calling to check on Dan. You
are the best friend a girl could have and I am so fortunate to have you in my
life. ((big hugs))</li>
<li>I also want to give another shout out to Matt who is on day
two of no cigarettes. Go Matt you can do
this! Don’t you just love it when people
you care about do things to improve their health?</li>
</ol>
<br />
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<b>Signing Out:</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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I have learned that I spend more time on photographs than I
do anything else for the blog. For the time being it has really helped only
adding one or two new photos to each post.
I wanted to share that tidbit with those of you who also blog. I didn’t realize that the photos were more of
time drain than writing the post.
;-) Like I often say I learn
something new every day. Maybe I should
say every day I learn something that I should have known yesterday. Oh well, at least I know now. LOL</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today I am focusing on eating and drinking my raw veggies
and it has really helped with my energy level.
In the past I would have turned to coffee when I was tired but I now
know that raw veggies work just as well and possibly better to give me an
energy boost. I certainly never thought that would be the case.</div>
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</div>
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Breakfast today was a green smoothie and an orange.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsL1rvymYEfQG6VNrCZ9o7R9slec7IWOwBBoLMmmHuezZaJ9DaqhIREioOFXasnoqaEWG1MnA7WRM1xvSdfgPfYg8OSSZK5XBpcPVWx6sfROh9g_-7o8zG3vNMLB-4XBwdSBBcCNllnjqp/s1600/01+11+13+collard+wraps+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsL1rvymYEfQG6VNrCZ9o7R9slec7IWOwBBoLMmmHuezZaJ9DaqhIREioOFXasnoqaEWG1MnA7WRM1xvSdfgPfYg8OSSZK5XBpcPVWx6sfROh9g_-7o8zG3vNMLB-4XBwdSBBcCNllnjqp/s640/01+11+13+collard+wraps+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I had a very late lunch of collard wraps filled with lemon marinated veg (kale,
carrot, red bell pepper, cooked artichokes and roasted red peppers) and raw
sunflower seeds.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dinner had not happened when this post was ready. However I
am thinking of something simple like frozen veggies tossed with marina and
topped with nutritional yeast and hemp seeds or leftover veggie chili. Nothing too excited planned for dinner
tonight at our house, just fuel.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I hope that you have something fantastic planned for the
weekend. Enjoy yourselves whatever you
decide to do. Ciao for now.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-5554517682586407642013-01-11T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-11T00:00:01.627-05:00Pantry Staple - Quinoa<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10MH3IVZlASKMs8RLgjAbcrhHCT3ezpNScl1Fh_MwPqNxA_JEk3zkWo8toLUQDb3mtgo5uJoVgSsqITlMlJ5vWu5FTi7bfNtjxDQX1v9nrNn4yWFyclpf1l3SUPIEBYtdNKcPoYPmQ8JA/s1600/quinoa+tabouli+style+tofu+sesame+dip+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10MH3IVZlASKMs8RLgjAbcrhHCT3ezpNScl1Fh_MwPqNxA_JEk3zkWo8toLUQDb3mtgo5uJoVgSsqITlMlJ5vWu5FTi7bfNtjxDQX1v9nrNn4yWFyclpf1l3SUPIEBYtdNKcPoYPmQ8JA/s640/quinoa+tabouli+style+tofu+sesame+dip+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(quinoa tabouli, baked falafel and lemony cashew tahini sauce)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Of all the whole-food plant-based carbohydrate sources that are easily
accessible this is by far my favorite.
There are so many things that I love about quinoa that is difficult to
know where to start.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>How do you pronounce quinoa?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am including this at Dan’s request since we hear it
pronounced incorrectly so often. Quinoa
is pronounced as Keen Wah. I know that I
hate to mispronounce words so thought you might like to know the correct
pronunciation too.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLgkCZQXm9rkfbwuUlPw5auLfbmC0tpBCDAWKyuinQ-vdFmuxkwBfsZe_SMNeIlc5aNyQquWtkFxtfGpfRsjv9H2qW6iqQS5Mr6LL3u5D0HqiAaqTOZ2Av3ZXScftJd_Dw-QRCo5IbhA1i/s1600/02+27+11+quinoa+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLgkCZQXm9rkfbwuUlPw5auLfbmC0tpBCDAWKyuinQ-vdFmuxkwBfsZe_SMNeIlc5aNyQquWtkFxtfGpfRsjv9H2qW6iqQS5Mr6LL3u5D0HqiAaqTOZ2Av3ZXScftJd_Dw-QRCo5IbhA1i/s640/02+27+11+quinoa+-+reduced.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>(black quinoa at Wegman's)</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>What is quinoa?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While we consider quinoa a whole grain it is actually a
seed. It is related to beet, chard and spinach and its leaves are also edible
if you can ever find them sold in the US (I haven’t found them just so you know). The quinoa we see most often is white though
it also comes in orange, pink, red, purple and black. Our local Wegman’s has had the black and red
in the past and they taste the same in case you were wondering. You knew I had to try them when I saw them
right? ;-)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>What are the benefits of eating quinoa?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Quinoa is a terrific source of protein because it contains all
8 essential amino acids. The essential
amino acids are the ones our bodies are not capable of making from others. If you enjoy quinoa like we do this is a great item to add to your diet. Additionally
quinoa is gluten-free and said to be the least allergenic of the “grains”.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This little powerhouse seed is also a good source of
magnesium and manganese. It contains B2,
vitamin E, iron, phosphorus, copper, zinc and fiber.</div>
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<i>(Mexican black beans and tomatoes over quinoa and topped with cilantro)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<i>What does quinoa taste like?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Quinoa has an extremely mild flavor. It is similar to eating rice in my
opinion. I use it in recipes where rice,
pasta, or potatoes would be traditional.
It also makes a terrific substitute for bulgur in tabouli as I pictured at the top of the post.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Where do you buy quinoa?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have found quinoa at Costco, Wegman’s, Giant, and our
local health food store. Costco sells a
3 pound bag of organic quinoa at the best price that I have found. Quinoa is so common where I live that I half
expect to find it at 7-11. You might be
surprised to find that your local grocery store carries it too in the whole
grain section near the brown rice. If they don’t have it now ask for it at
customer service. Grocery stores want happy customers sometimes you just need
to ask.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgHCG9Bku-3hSLAlH3lVyMejutvLb_awbP0-hQ0WROnLqzhbDzhEloFCWvAkYU4anFrUImANoNSI_9Z6wtej4EXk-WQ1dzUiZSU6GmFpUyR2q0GKqdQPCfqa5d1L5qqa7U4EXj74szyIw/s1600/01+27+12+blueberry+oat+and+quinoa+breakfast+bar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgHCG9Bku-3hSLAlH3lVyMejutvLb_awbP0-hQ0WROnLqzhbDzhEloFCWvAkYU4anFrUImANoNSI_9Z6wtej4EXk-WQ1dzUiZSU6GmFpUyR2q0GKqdQPCfqa5d1L5qqa7U4EXj74szyIw/s640/01+27+12+blueberry+oat+and+quinoa+breakfast+bar.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(wild blueberry, oat, quinoa and walnut bars - an experiment I am working on)</i></div>
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<i>How do you store quinoa?</i></div>
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Typically quinoa comes in bags. Until I open the bags I store them exactly as they come when purchased. Once the bag is open I pour it into a big glass jar
with a tight lid to keep the critters out.
This is not completely necessary since quinoa is naturally coated in its
own natural bug repellent which should be rinsed off before cooking. However you know that I tend to be conservative when it comes to food safety. Quinoa
should be stored the same way you handle brown rice and/or barley.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmAyuUkMua7483qpLvrKUJyioaI69mpqG5mRpgGOT3hu3XQ4aEMP-1FqkqYRULGJV9KClUYyAhJGoXLSMgoYComNs73v0KhaRXI8OfSmU-FvriJwF8TH3ZF3Gpo1t8MwkucZ4NpCukgXhyphenhyphen/s1600/02+18+11+breakfast+marined+veg+and+quinoa+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmAyuUkMua7483qpLvrKUJyioaI69mpqG5mRpgGOT3hu3XQ4aEMP-1FqkqYRULGJV9KClUYyAhJGoXLSMgoYComNs73v0KhaRXI8OfSmU-FvriJwF8TH3ZF3Gpo1t8MwkucZ4NpCukgXhyphenhyphen/s640/02+18+11+breakfast+marined+veg+and+quinoa+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(lemon marinated veggies over cold quinoa topped with sliced almonds)</i></div>
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<i>How do you cook quinoa?</i></div>
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Some brands of quinoa still contain their natural saponin
(the bug repellant I mentioned earlier).
This saponin is a little bitter and should be rinsed off before cooking.
To do this place the quinoa in the fine mesh wire strainer and rinse it with
cool water while rubbing the quinoa between your fingers. I do this for 30 seconds or so. If you aren’t sure if you rinsed the quinoa
long enough place one or two grains of quinoa on your tongue. If you detect any
bitterness rinse the quinoa longer. Once
you have removed the saponin you are ready to cook. For
those of you who don’t want to be bothered with rinsing I have found that the
organic brand at Costco does not need to be rinsed which saves a step.</div>
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To cook the quinoa, place twice the amount of water (1 cup
of quinoa to 2 cups of water) in a heavy pan with a lid. Bring the water to a
boil and turn the heat down to a simmer.
Cook the quinoa for 15 -20 minutes or until the water is absorbed. If you use an enameled cast iron pan to cook
your quinoa it can be ready in as little as 12 minutes depending on the power
of your burner so keep an eye on it.</div>
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If you want to add a nutty flavor to your quinoa you can
toast it before cooking. To do this put the rinsed quinoa in a dry pan and cook
it over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it just starts to turn brown.
Now add the water and cook as usual.</div>
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<i>Are there any specific seasonings that work well with
quinoa?</i></div>
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Quinoa is so mild that anything will work with it. I sometimes add a little nutritional yeast,
turmeric, black pepper and bay to the cooking liquid to make a yellow quinoa
which is similar to yellow rice.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4lWgI2Qf4m0xyFm0UU3ryDfN7NsTs4yU4iTfsZMbWdnQYm8l2QyrywYrFLIG8OoB5JGQTx7tR2Rh8y_4lZByi0rqigF7KIVtXTM15NV0uJMrVulMwM_1UH8K5P2mPRe-NaLdW-zSFeinW/s1600/09+30+10+snack+sausage+and+peppers+over+quinoa+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4lWgI2Qf4m0xyFm0UU3ryDfN7NsTs4yU4iTfsZMbWdnQYm8l2QyrywYrFLIG8OoB5JGQTx7tR2Rh8y_4lZByi0rqigF7KIVtXTM15NV0uJMrVulMwM_1UH8K5P2mPRe-NaLdW-zSFeinW/s640/09+30+10+snack+sausage+and+peppers+over+quinoa+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(homemade vegan Italian sausage, peppers and onions over quinoa topped with my walnut parm)</i></div>
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<i>What are some of your favorite uses for quinoa?</i></div>
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At our house quinoa is used most often as a stand in for
rice. I like to serve it under soups to add body, calories and protein for
Dan. It also makes a terrific base for
cold veggie salads similar to a rice salad.
We like it to have it stuffed into peppers again like you would use
rice. Another favorite at our house is spinach,
cilantro and lime quinoa. I cook the
quinoa with frozen chopped spinach. Once
it is has finished cooking I allow it sit 10 minutes (to give the grain a
little time to steam and separate) then fluff it with a fork. Now I add the
chopped cilantro, lime zest and lime juice and fluff that in. If you like Mexican food this is a great side
dish.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFor8yWUq9b0f0UQJaYRLngeBd1OkLN8TkYmfVhgIkVlxqaKGea5IRFe8bsJHZA8Pkd9Mhnwy5Xl9WXQIPK67fvzCwWDxW54JXeBZrDujzX59aFf-jqNGDmXpafNgh2CjyR8Nl3NMXzFAt/s1600/quinotto+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFor8yWUq9b0f0UQJaYRLngeBd1OkLN8TkYmfVhgIkVlxqaKGea5IRFe8bsJHZA8Pkd9Mhnwy5Xl9WXQIPK67fvzCwWDxW54JXeBZrDujzX59aFf-jqNGDmXpafNgh2CjyR8Nl3NMXzFAt/s640/quinotto+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(Mushroom quinotto from the blog)</i></div>
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Quinoa can be used instead of rice to make risotto.</div>
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If you have any leftover quinoa in your refrigerator you can
use it to make a nice hot breakfast cereal. Simply combine cooked quinoa,
non-dairy milk, cinnamon, vanilla, stevia and any dried or fresh fruit you have
and cook it until it is warm. Top your quinoa with nuts or seeds and you have a
quick, tasty and nutritious breakfast.</div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
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</div>
<ol>
<li>Dan’s temperature was lower this morning but is still
elevated. Fortunately it was easy to convince him to work from home today. I
like knowing how he is doing and having him here makes that much easier. Looks like I will be getting my stairs in
today going to the third floor all day to check on him and make sure he is
staying hydrated. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></li>
<li>I slept so much better last night and woke up feeling
refreshed. Getting enough good rest
really makes all the difference in my mood.
I know that it is also good for my health. I hope you are also getting
enough sleep. Remember our bodies repair themselves while we sleep so this is
as important to your health as eating right and exercising.</li>
<li>Yesterday I made a terrific salad, which I forgot to
photograph, for Dan’s lunch. I topped
shredded romaine with cold sweet potato chunks, roasted mushrooms, and
artichokes. I made a quick sweet miso
dressing by combining yellow miso, red wine vinegar and stevia. Then I packed raw sliced almonds for Dan to
add after he dressed the salad. I always
pack the salad, dressing and nuts or seeds separately to keep things fresh and
crunchy. This was fast and Dan really
enjoyed it so I thought you might want to try it too.</li>
<li>Breakfast this morning was a tasty green smoothie. This one contained: raw kale, frozen banana, frozen strawberries,
vanilla, cinnamon, stevia and hemp seeds.
In spite of the scary green color it tasted terrific. I love when
healthy stuff also tastes good. I clipped the picture in below.</li>
<li>Just saw on the weather we are now expecting our high to be
in the 70s on Sunday. That gets both a
woo hoo and a happy dance. I am so
excited! Can’t you just hear the Pointer
Sisters belting out that song now? Here
is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-LbvFckptY">a link</a> in case you don’t remember it or it was before you time. The constant upbeat tempo of
this song makes it great for cardio in my opinion.</li>
<li>Speaking of excited my last happy thought goes out to my
friend Matt who is on day one without cigarettes. I am so proud of him for quitting. You rock
Matt! ((sending hugs your way)) I also am thrilled that he had tofu spring rolls and veggie pho for lunch on Thursday. *<i>she quietly whispers in her sexiest voice....come to the dark side with me, its nice here.</i>* ;-) I crack myself up. LOL</li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZOcaP3qpXEK7BbIJtS3CT6MBbcwDz8GrEO5NJSbta70XErXnpUZN73_KNslLGOXU5JJ8aaYQp2nkqtjGqkaZJaFldHEgcB0Lz4tR2DXq4EHI0dKamAGI5cqBcakPukYbeU6jtPLDS22O/s1600/01+10+13+green+smoothie+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZOcaP3qpXEK7BbIJtS3CT6MBbcwDz8GrEO5NJSbta70XErXnpUZN73_KNslLGOXU5JJ8aaYQp2nkqtjGqkaZJaFldHEgcB0Lz4tR2DXq4EHI0dKamAGI5cqBcakPukYbeU6jtPLDS22O/s640/01+10+13+green+smoothie+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
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Thursday is another busy day for me. I am seriously looking forward to tomorrow
and being closer to the weekend. Can’t
wait for some downtown to relax and regenerate.</div>
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I hope you week is going well so far. We have almost made to
the weekend. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span> Ciao for now.
Hope to hear from you soon.</div>
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Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-84983612890771159442013-01-10T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-10T00:00:02.297-05:00Transitioning to a Healthy Vegan Lifestyle - Step One<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1q4ce0xelXCqagaZNmfTt41dgKajtTKHkBMmjF8m-PCfMdlcQ8iTp170exgmSEZsU5rLj1fOe739gJs3hajAYgJo9P_kQImNO9rGiynCzePD9zwhfYk-4XNV8iPetLPHKgExuX92991QI/s1600/Venezia+from+the+Rialto+Bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1q4ce0xelXCqagaZNmfTt41dgKajtTKHkBMmjF8m-PCfMdlcQ8iTp170exgmSEZsU5rLj1fOe739gJs3hajAYgJo9P_kQImNO9rGiynCzePD9zwhfYk-4XNV8iPetLPHKgExuX92991QI/s640/Venezia+from+the+Rialto+Bridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(Venice from the Rialto Bridge, there is a tie in to this post though it isn't obvious at first) ;-)</i></div>
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I have been in the series writing mood lately and decided to
start yet another one. In case you were
wondering having multiple series going gives me flexibility and allows me to
switch things up so I don’t get bored. This new series will be about easing
into a healthy vegan lifestyle. While I
dove into this lifestyle with both feet I know that most people do better
easing into a big change like this. This
series, which I will write once per week on Thursday, will give you suggestions for
the changes to make, and the order in which I suggest making them, with the ultimate
goal of living a healthy whole-food plant-based lifestyle.</div>
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This is a topic that I have given a lot of thought to for
obvious reasons. The first step that I
suggest is going to surprise many of you but it is one that I think makes a big
difference fairly quickly. I recommend
that the first change everyone makes is to drink more water. You are shocked right? I bet you were
expecting something much more extreme.
Fooled you! ;-) </div>
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The amount of water that we need is dependent on a lot of
factors including body weight, activity level, and diet to name a few. The easiest way to tell if you are drinking
enough water is the color of your urine. Gross I know but that is only way to
know for sure. The next time you urinate
check the toilet. If there is only a touch of a pale yellow color, or an
imperceptible color then you are drinking enough water. However if you see an
obvious yellow color then you are not drinking enough water. There is one other common thing that can
influence the color of your urine and that is B vitamins. If you are taking a B complex you will see an
almost electric yellow color early in the day. However this won’t last all day
so check the color of your urine later in the day to know if you are properly
hydrated.</div>
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<i>Why does water make such a big difference?</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIc8Ti64aQ-0cx_VY-Vmvrpu20a_Gvztybj0Zlrzm51fKjQysq7RHeO_DkvuA8HyRVh6AFbg5C7lJjTGj9izZi1apz0rXg6cgKW8qcYC30TuoV9u2juIybIY5igJIqxtYozF5T49HKKcD/s1600/lionfish+1+-+reduced.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIc8Ti64aQ-0cx_VY-Vmvrpu20a_Gvztybj0Zlrzm51fKjQysq7RHeO_DkvuA8HyRVh6AFbg5C7lJjTGj9izZi1apz0rXg6cgKW8qcYC30TuoV9u2juIybIY5igJIqxtYozF5T49HKKcD/s640/lionfish+1+-+reduced.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(A Lionfish at the National Aquarium in Baltimore)</i></div>
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Did you realize that your body needs water to perform most
of its bodily functions? Without
adequate water you body simply cannot function at peak efficiency. Many years
ago I learned from my pharmacist buddy that many headaches are caused by
dehydration. Now when I get a headache
the first thing I do is drink more water and 9 times out of 10 my headache will
go away with no meds required.</div>
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Think of it this way. Your body is <a href="http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/propertyyou.html">60% water</a> and your brain
is 70%. The amount of water in our
bodies is 10 gallons or more depending on size.
Throughout the day we will lose 48 ounces of water through urination,
perspiration and respiration and that is before we exercise. It is easy to see why consuming water
regularly is important right?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmxZ92p_qDGr5F38GK4H8RiTr0YNzDKAZpDHzXN8eAC3czJfkSfFv3yB12spAzQb7id4dVQ9o56pBsfTJkP6WmAg0e8PH4xOUhJcwHV39Tpfi8UFU7IcHIfTnI_wpk47O49fXFN4jvR-4/s1600/aqua+fresca+lemon+green+tea+with+chia+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmxZ92p_qDGr5F38GK4H8RiTr0YNzDKAZpDHzXN8eAC3czJfkSfFv3yB12spAzQb7id4dVQ9o56pBsfTJkP6WmAg0e8PH4xOUhJcwHV39Tpfi8UFU7IcHIfTnI_wpk47O49fXFN4jvR-4/s640/aqua+fresca+lemon+green+tea+with+chia+-+reduced.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<i>(Acgua Fresca Lemon Green Tea with Chia Seeds)</i></div>
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Something else to bear in mind is that you need water to
dissolve those wonderful water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C. Water is also how waste is carried to your
kidneys for elimination. Water also helps to move the solid waste out of your
GI track more easily and quickly. Water
is a component of the blood in your body as well all your cells. Basically we all need water for a multitude
of reasons.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The problem is that most people are chronically dehydrated
and they don’t even know it. However now
you will know because you are going to look the next time you are in the
bathroom. Right? </div>
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Did you know that dehydration may also trick you into
thinking you are hungry when really all you need is water? That’s right,
dehydration leads to overeating. If you
want to lose weight drink more water. I
specifically recommend a cup every hour or two.
Another idea is to carry a water bottle with you all the time and sip all
day long. Once you are drinking an
adequate amount of water for you not only will your body function more
effectively but you won’t be misinterpreting dehydration for hunger.</div>
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<b>My day:</b></div>
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It has been another one of those days where a few too many
unanticipated things popped up. Isn’t
that always what happens? Luckily I
started this post yesterday or I have no idea how I would have gotten this
written today.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9RcOhxsUQJ9HmGkd7RbeuXkgFtVoOowZhLgJbvbuHSSZ2GBJxpkOF-Ta1z3y8p8J2dkG8n2VnnghtOmq8QpVSLPcrUdiBeFR4tEnLzH65vuZBgRCq3AsmQZWeEB1PKmDQ8OvWglugJQyP/s1600/01+09+13+breakfast+salad+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9RcOhxsUQJ9HmGkd7RbeuXkgFtVoOowZhLgJbvbuHSSZ2GBJxpkOF-Ta1z3y8p8J2dkG8n2VnnghtOmq8QpVSLPcrUdiBeFR4tEnLzH65vuZBgRCq3AsmQZWeEB1PKmDQ8OvWglugJQyP/s640/01+09+13+breakfast+salad+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Today was one of those days where I was lucky to get
breakfast and lunch. I was so rushed my
breakfast was salad (romaine, artichokes and hulled hemp seeds) and lunch was
veggie chili that I made yesterday for Dan’s lunch. I also had a grapefruit, seaweed and Brazil
nuts but nothing else other than green and white tea.</div>
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This was definitely one of those days where food was fuel
and nothing more. I need to add that to
my file of potential blog posts. For
those of you who also blog I found that keeping an ongoing list of ideas as I
think of them helped me a lot when the time comes to write and I am drawing a blank.
</div>
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For all the cat owners don’t make the mistake I did and
allow your felines to try roasted seaweed. Remember how I told you that Nicco
(Binky) loves roasted cashews? Well we can now add roasted seaweed to the list
of things he loves. Our little baby woke
up from a nap today when I cut open the seaweed package and demanded to share
my seaweed. If this continues Dan and I
will be going outside to eat our seaweed.
Think carefully before you do what I did and allow your cat to try
seaweed.</div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
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<ol>
<li>I walked to the grocery store today and stocked up on more
kale, collards, grapefruit, cucumber, tomatoes, carrots and bell peppers. As usual I bought too much given that I
walked to the store. While what I bought
might not sound like a lot it was a volume issue as well as weight because it
included: 5 pounds of grapefruit, 5
pounds of carrots, 3 pounds of kale, 2 pounds of collards, 3 cucumbers, 2 pints of tomatoes, and 6 bell
peppers. I always forget that things add
up fast when I am walking and all the stuff is in one big canvas bag. I do this all the time you would think I
would learn but apparently not. Maybe I
should take the cats to the store with me since they are brains of this
operation. LOL ;-)</li>
<li>Our weather today was very nice. Today I ran a few errands
on foot for my parents and was comfortable in a light jacket and jeans which is
amazing this time of year. I enjoy
walking to take care of things and like to monitor my activity level and track
it. I guess the financial part of me
never completely went away since I still like numbers. The current activity
monitor that I am using is the <a href="http://www.fitbit.com/store">Fitbit One</a>.
This was one of my Christmas presents and so far I like it. I will write
a post about this sometime too.</li>
<li>Dan has been running a fever the last two days and while he
went to work this morning. However at
least he had the good sense to come home before 5 so I could take care of
him. Why are husband’s blasted
stubborn? *rolls eyes* At least Dan didn’t work late like usual so I
guess we are making progress. He is
resistant to go to the doctor because he doesn’t want a repeat of January 2012
where a mystery fever had him in the hospital for a week. I can’t say that I
blame him but I am more cautious and would like to get it checked out. *sigh*
Being married is always a compromise isn’t it?</li>
<li>I did some good work today which always makes me happy. I really enjoy helping people. It is so rewarding when the light bulb goes
off for people and they understand what good nutrition can do.</li>
<li>Early in the day I had a chance to check on my parents and
run two errands for them. I am grateful
for the time I have to look in on them and that they are still with me since so
many of my friends have lost one or both of their parents by now.</li>
<li>I almost forgot to say that I am grateful that the 2.2 pounds I gained in DC were all gone by Wednesday and they took another 0.4 with them when they left. This is what I mean by not letting these little indiscretions stick around too long. Where most people get in trouble is gaining a pound here and there and not getting it back off right away. This is one of those reasons that I get on the scale every morning. </li>
</ol>
<b>Signing out:</b><br />
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Today has been another long and stressful day and I am
really tired. Please don’t be surprised
if tomorrow’s post is relatively brief.</div>
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I hope your day was terrific and that we get a chance to
chat tomorrow. Ciao for now.</div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3790414766945352054.post-16733873895983481362013-01-09T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-09T00:00:02.761-05:00Getting Healthy -- Finding Will Power<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWxjNj64CdTR0CtLrTNJxT3SdCJv4jk8zsg6F81G0K0xnMNmsM8NT0m7o00M5pZzm5wbvqtjWpVl-ZndhlL5P5U6OpcBd7ScvyLq0z3U8OWCV388GpUW0OVZzvCEJCXcZmr9WDDboVIWq/s1600/track+looking+around+12+2+10+-+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWxjNj64CdTR0CtLrTNJxT3SdCJv4jk8zsg6F81G0K0xnMNmsM8NT0m7o00M5pZzm5wbvqtjWpVl-ZndhlL5P5U6OpcBd7ScvyLq0z3U8OWCV388GpUW0OVZzvCEJCXcZmr9WDDboVIWq/s640/track+looking+around+12+2+10+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(The track at our gym)</i></div>
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The comment I hear from people more often than I can count
is, “I can’t do what you do I don’t have the will power.” Sadly these people actually mean this and
that is the worst part of this. I hear
it so often that I decided that I needed to write something about it
particularly this time of year when everyone is struggling to make healthy
changes.</div>
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<i>What is will power? </i></div>
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Merriam-Webster defines will power as “energetic
determination”. However I prefer the
definition at Freedictionary.com which says will power is “<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The strength of
will to carry out one's decisions, wishes, or plans”. When you look at will power as your ability
to do what you need to do to make your dreams come true it seems far less
daunting doesn’t it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><i>(I see change as climbing out of our old habits to a new wonderful vantage point on life)</i></span></div>
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<i>How do you get will power?</i></div>
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Now this is one of my favorite questions because the answer
is simple. You get will power simply by deciding
to do something. Yes will power, or
motivation whichever label you prefer to call it, is a choice. Will power isn’t
something magical it is nothing more than a decision that you follow through on. For example let’s say that you want to lose
weight this year. Are you sure? If you are certain that this is important to
you and you remind yourself that is important with each decision you make then
now you have will power. I know you are
thinking it isn’t that easy. However let
me assure you it really is that easy.
Whenever I make food choices I ask myself, “what is the healthiest food
option available that will satisfy me now?” and that is how I choose what I
will eat in any moment.</div>
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<i>What if you think you don’t have any will power?</i></div>
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My response to that is rubbish. Of course you have will
power. Do you get up every morning and brush your teeth whether you feel like
it or not? Do you take a shower every
day because you know that you should? Do you take out the trash when it is
full? Do you go to work even though you
would prefer to stay home? See what I mean? There are some things that all of us
do whether we feel like it or not and they all require will power. Making healthy food choices is no different.
Once you realize precisely why you need to change and how you need to change you will do
it.</div>
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<i>(One of chef Ian's special Veggie plates)</i></div>
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<i>I have tried dieting before and fell off the wagon?</i></div>
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Whenever I hear someone say I tried to diet before but I
couldn’t do it my response is that this is because you didn’t make the diet (or
any behavioral change) important enough to you.
Now don’t get me wrong I am not a fan of diets because I think they
don’t work because people see them as temporary. However lifestyle changes I am all for those
since they are permanent. When someone
comments on my diet I try to emphasis to them that I am not on a diet this is
just how I live and I mean that. I don’t
think of how we eat as something that is temporary and I think that is the key
to making it work. We don’t want to just be healthy today, this week or this
month but rather we want to be as healthy as possible until we take our last
breath. It is similar to what I say to
people when they ask me how long they have to eat healthy. My answer is how long do you want to be
healthy? When you stop doing things which are healthy (like eating right and
exercising) this will lead to your health deteriorating. You may not see it immediately but it is
happening on a cellular level. Eventually those bad choices will make
themselves seen either through chronic disease or weight gain.</div>
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Once you begin to see a new food plan as part of who you are
it becomes easy. For example when we go
out I ask questions of the servers about what is in the food. I make certain that the servers know that I
don’t want any meat, milk, cheese, or eggs in my food. When we were out in DC this weekend I very
casually told the server that we were vegan.
Just to be certain he knew what that meant I asked specific questions
about eggs and dairy where I thought they might be found in the items we were
interested in trying. When you are nice
about your requests no one has a problem helping you. The reason I say nice is that I have heard
horror stories from server friends about other vegan customers being judgmental
and calling meat murder and that isn’t going to make the server (who probably
eats meat) want to help you. I was a server in college and grad school and
trust me they are in the back with your food. It pays to keep the servers on
your good side in my opinion.</div>
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<i>(Studies show that believing change is possible makes it more likely to happen)</i></div>
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<i>How can I get motivated to change?</i></div>
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About now I can imagine some of you are saying well that is
easy for you but I don’t have enough motivation to make it happen. No one has been diagnosed with cancer at my
house so I just can’t get motivated. I am
going to share an exercise that I give my clients to keep them pumped up and wanting to make healthy changes.</div>
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Get out a piece of paper and make a list of all the things
you don’t like about being unhealthy/overweight. Don’t be shy here this is your
list and no one will see it but you. What are the things that happen in your
life that you don’t like? Maybe you want
to wear prettier clothes or you want to be able to play football with your
boys. Do you want to rock a bikini this
summer and make the 20 something’s look flabby? Possibly you just want to get back into a
favorite piece of clothing. Do you think
that how you look is impacting your advancement at work? Maybe you don’t want to be left out in social
situations when all you fitter girlfriends are being hit on. You could be like us and want to improve your
health so that you can enjoy life as long as possible. Whatever bothers you about being your current
size and physical condition write it down.
Focus on making your list as extensive as you can. Nothing is too small
to be included on your list.</div>
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Now I want you to imagine yourself as you would like to be.
See yourself wearing something that you would love to wear. Imagine yourself in any situation and how you
would be behaving. Do the issues that
you listed above bother this new healthy you?
I bet the answer is that they don’t.</div>
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Which person do you want to be the one you imagined or the
one you are now? Keep this in mind when
you are deciding what to eat. Keep this
in mind when you are choosing between the couch and putting on your running
shoes. When you remember your goal and
why it matters then you will naturally make better choices.</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbt0vl_WJiWj6SEXLf4gg61NQuGcV9sPj94df50a8zWVRVqwkAJCqwWj6PTZu-Zp4z_LLGUkwdnFj7YpHyl1kzY7A8eKIGL8MPjOcJUwctbWeCx0adrqqMaCn2p9m0KKROV-PkDRQl8Nd/s640/06+24+11+veggie+wrap+-+reduced.jpg" width="640" /><i>(One of chef Ian's grilled veggie wraps with hummus that he makes specially for us)</i></div>
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I also suggest that my clients write down their goals in a
specific way. I make certain their goals are SMART
(specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely). By having SMART goals and tracking them you
can tell where you are making progress and where you are falling short. An example of a smart goal would be: I will be eating 6 servings of vegetables every
day (specific, measurable and attainable) by the last day of January (timely).
This goal would make sense if you currently eat 4 servings then 6 is both attainable and realistic. However if you are currently eating
the SAD (standard American diet) of 1.5 produce servings per day then 6 is not realistic. Does that make sense?</div>
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Now you need to figure out how to make changes so that you
reach those goals. Let’s assume your
goal is to eat those 6 servings of vegetables and/or fruits per day. First you have to know what a serving is
which may take some research. Next produce has to be available for you to
eat. You will have to plan what produce
you want to eat each day. In order to
get the 6 servings into your meals you should plan how you will do it. For example will you have two servings with
each meal? A meal plan and grocery list will be in order as will a trip to the
grocery store. Possibly you will want to
prep the next day’s produce for your lunch the night before if you aren’t a
morning person. Maybe you will decide to order a salad from place near your
office. Whatever you decide to do having
a plan makes it happen. Conversely not
having a plan we all tend to naturally gravitate back to your old habits. </div>
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I also want you think about all those things that are
problem situations for you. Using the
same example of 6 servings of veggies per day I will give you some
examples. Maybe you have friends with
unhealthy habits and all they want to do is go to the bar or pizza joint where
you can’t find healthy food. What can
you do to change this? You could do a little research and find place that have
both unhealthy and healthy offerings and start meeting your friends there. What
if you significant other is the problem, now what? This can be trickier but
also you have more leverage. This person should want what is best for you. By
talking to them about what is important to you and why you want to change they may more easily support you
than your friends. The important thing
is to list your problem situations so that you brainstorm solutions.</div>
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In conclusion changing any unhealthy habit is not magical it
just takes a little thought and planning initially. After a month or so your new habits will
become routine and you won’t find them difficult or time consuming. However please be
aware that initially making changes will seem like a lot of work. That is because changing habits takes you out
of your routine which requires thought. The good news is that once you change
those new healthy habits also become very easy to maintain.
Trust on me on this one. I went from a very hedonist omnivore lifestyle
to what you see now and I hardly give it a thought these days. My healthy vegan life has just become what I
do. It is part of who I am.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9y7lU0uyDpI/UOxl_SW8edI/AAAAAAAAHWM/iQEFBAdBgFA/s1600/insalata+caprese+with+scape+pesto.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9y7lU0uyDpI/UOxl_SW8edI/AAAAAAAAHWM/iQEFBAdBgFA/s640/insalata+caprese+with+scape+pesto.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(homemade vegan mozzarella with garlic scape pesto)</i></div>
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<b>Happy thoughts:</b></div>
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<ol>
<li>What a good Monday I had.
I love having time to myself to relax.
Let’s hear a woo hoo for down time.
<span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span> I am not sure why but being off or on
vacation always means I need extra time to get back into my routine. What is that all about?</li>
<li>The 2.2 pounds that I gained eating out twice on Sunday are more
than half gone. While I know that this
is mostly due to water retention it is still frustrating even for me. I wanted everyone to know that this happens
to everyone and it is normal. The pounds
will disappear once we get back into our healthy routine. Momentary lapses from your normally healthy
diet don’t have to derail your health.
The key is not to get too far away from your typical intake and don’t
let the indulgence last long. On Sunday we had lunch at Zaytinya and dinner at
Jaleo. Both of our meals were vegan so
we didn’t get far from our plan. However we did eat olive oil and salt and I
had an adult beverage (Dan was good). Those three things were my indulgence for
the day and they showed on the scale the following day. However I bet all those pounds are gone by
tomorrow.</li>
<li>I am so psyched for the weekend. We are expecting the
temperature to reach 67 on Sunday. You know we will outside enjoying the
warmth. I can definitely see some marina time in my future. *woo hoo*</li>
<li>Today I am very thankful for my juicer (Omega 8006) since I
seriously need the energy boost I get from green juice. When I don’t get a full
8 hours of sleep I am a bit of a zombie.
I shouldn’t leave out my other juicer (Omega VRT) which my hubby got me
as an early Christmas present. One of
these will be living on the boat next season.
I am very fortunate to have them.
<span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span> Let’s not forget the farmers’ market near the
marina on Saturday. Woo hoo for
extremely fresh local produce to juice.
*happy dance* BTW there really is
a happy dance which my husband will attest to and I do it every day usually
multiple times per day. I hope you also
find joy in the little things in life.</li>
<li>Currently it is a little cool outside (50 degrees) which
means I am grateful for veggie chili. I
put some in the pressure cooker a little while ago and am looking forward to
having it in the refrigerator for Dan’s lunch for the next few days. As usual I seasoned it with: chipotle in adobo, cumin, espresso powder,
cinnamon, cocoa powder, oregano and smoked paprika. Can’t you just imagine the aroma and
flavor? Delicious! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span> I just love well seasoned food. </li>
</ol>
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<b>Signing out:</b></div>
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Thank goodness I wrote most of this Monday as I didn’t sleep
well at all Monday night and Tuesday is busy for me. This girl is dragging today. Nothing will knock me down quite like lack of
sleep. :-P</div>
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Since I am dragging today I decided to start my morning with
juice for the added energy. Today I had kale, green apple, lemon, ginger and kiwi. Boy was this stuff green. :-)</div>
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I hope that you slept much better than I did and that your
day is fantastic. Chat with you again soon. Ciao for now. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
Vegan Epicureanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203676819322299569noreply@blogger.com9