A Closer Look at the Plant-based Diet

Plant-based nutrition is a way of eating that includes whole foods without added oils, fats, sugar, or animal products.  This eliminates highly processed items from your diet and prompts eating foods filled with a high quantity of micronutrients.  The staples include vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

Although this blog affords me the opportunity to share with you some recipes, products, and general information on nutrition, which promotes a natural and balanced lifestyle, I want to note that this should not be your only source to finding better nutrition.  I hope it motivates you to want to learn more about what's really in your food and what you actually want to put in your body to live a long, healthy life.  I plan to provide articles, documentaries, and books for additional information on the different topics discussed in my posts.

This is the "new food pyramid" for a plant-based diet.  I found it pretty informative and well laid out.  The author, Julieanna Hever is a plant-based dietitian who wrote a wonderful book called, "Plant-based Nutrition."  You'll probably see me referring to it often.

Now, let's take a look at general misconceptions and the adventures of cooking with whole, plant-based foods.  Most people look at you when you say you are vegetarian, vegan, or on a plant-based diet and think you literally eat grass or salads all day.  Unfortunately for them, they are so wrong and there is a whole world of delicious foods and recipes just waiting for you to make them your new staples.

These photos are the faces of a plant-based diet.  Doesn't look to shabby does right?  In fact, I would assume most people think of the picture of spinach below as all you can eat.

Luckily for you that is not the case.  Let's first take a gander at what a plant-based diet is and isn't.  A PBD can be as much work as you want it to be.  If you are cooking inept (like I used to be .. well kind of still am), that's ok.  Start out simple with making lots of green shakes, basic sandwiches, soups, salads, cut up fresh fruit, veggies with hummus, stir frys, pastas, etc.  If you want to be a PBD connoisseur ... well you are probably looking at the wrong blog then, but we are trying to get there!  Eating a PBD is also not an excuse to become a junkfood vegan.  What?  Is that a sigh I just heard?  Yes, I gave one too.  However, we are trying to give our body everything it needs to function at its best and live a long, hopefully disease-free life.  So instead of whining about missing out on all the added animal products, fats, oils, and sugars, let's figure out some delicious things to make in our kitchens to satisfy our tastebuds!  Because believe me, I do not plan to live without dessert, salsa, or queso!

A new way of cooking for a PBD: I plan to explore this topic more in-depth in a later blog, but for now let's look at the basics of cooking with whole, plant-based foods.   

Eggs - are easily substituted in recipes by whisking 1 tbsp of ground flax seed (or chia seed) and 3 tbsp of water per 1 egg. These seeds also add a great dose of Omega-3 and some much needed fiber!

Dairy milk - can be replaced by your favorite plant-based milk: almond, soy, rice, hemp, or coconut.  Which is great because it is fortified with B12.  If you get creative, you can make your own plant-based milk at home! 

White Flour - is a refined substance that has been stripped of its amazing nutrients.  Instead look for whole grain flour, whole wheat flour, brown rice flours, oat flours, etc.  These all have their "whole grain" compounds still intact.

Oil - when baking you can substitute oil for applesauce on a one-for-one basis.  You can stir-fry or sauté without any oil by simply heating the pan before adding the food. You can also add a tablespoon or more of water or vegetable broth to prevent sticking.
*We'll look deeper at the harmful effects of vegetable oil during another post.

Sugar - this can be as easy or tricky as you want it to be.  I stick to recipes where they do not call for sugar, but instead date paste*, dried fruits, bananas, and applesauce to name a few.  But if I do need an added sweetener, I like molasses, pure maple syrup, and stevia.  Stevia comes from a leaf and has been around for thousands of years, has no bad side effects, and is zero calories.
*Date paste is the ultimate sweetener. It can replace sugars in baking and add a sweet flavor to dressings, smoothies, and sauces. To make it, you simply let dates soak in water for several hours to soften (add only enough water to cover the dates).  When they appear flaky, pour out some of the water and blend with the remaining liquid for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.

Cheese - I have started looking for recipes that do not call for cheese because obtaining a vegan cheese is as undelightful as it sounds.  Any packaged soy or rice cheese is going to be heavily processed and often still includes the same dairy ingredients anyway.  So I like to make cheesy textures using nutritional yeast as described below in the following recipes, or making a nut cheese from scratch.  However, please note I have yet to make my own nut cheese, I have only had it at vegan restaurants where it was delicious.  I look forward to coming up with some recipes and trying it with you!
*For me, this was one of the most difficult "foods" to give up because it is actually addicting. Studies show that when you consume the dairy protein, casein, it converts into casomorphins which are nature's way to getting an infant to return to breast milk. Cheese has a very concentrated amount of casein and due to this powerful protein, it is literally like a drug addiction. Doctors have used naloxone, an opiate blocker medication that is used to counteract heroin and morphine, to cut cravings for cheese and similar addicting foods like sugar.  They say if you cut out dairy, it takes three weeks for the cravings to stop.

Meat substitutes - I first want to say, that I am not a fan of any commercially packaged meat substitutes.  They are heavily processed lumps of soy that are not a good foundation of a PBD.  Instead, I do like tofu (since it is minimally processed and comes from a fermenting method that has been around forever).  But, we will discuss the dilemmas of soy products at another time.  As meat substitutions go, it is simple to make your own black bean burgers, your own "meatballs", your own faux meat without having to resort to processed substitutes.  However, aside from bean burgers and using tofu occasionally, this is not my forte because I have been a vegetarian for so long that meat textures never mattered to me.  If you are desiring meat-like things, I encourage you to venture out of the box and do some research on more DIY plant-based faux options.
*You can find a quick list of go-to alternatives if you are having a craving at this site -  http://www.oprah.com/health/Kathy-Frestons-Vegan-Alternatives
*Although, I prefer making any faux animal products from scratch so whole ingredients are used and they are less processed ... but I have had some very yummy almond-based ice creams!

So when you are eating in or out you should primarily be focused on obtaining the staples of your diet (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds) with as minimal processed items as possible.  But with that all said, it is alright to have the occasional food with added oil or sugar like vegan birthday cake, that pesky vegan donut you are craving, or Amy's brand vegan items like her mac n' cheese.  If you are eating a product with such added ingredients or sometimes cooking with them, it is best to use coconut oil or grapeseed oil and maple syrup, honey, molasses, brown rice syrup, and stevia because they are slightly more healthy and less processed compared to very refined vegetable oils and white sugars.  However, as a cautionary note, it is all too easy to fall into a junkfood vegan realm and lose sight of the reasoning behind maintaining a plant-based diet.  It is also just as easy to do a little research and get creative in the kitchen to make whatever you are craving with whole, plant-based foods!

Also, keep in mind that you do not have to limit or label yourself.  Your cooking options are endless.

PBD Recipes
"Cheesy" Cauliflower

 
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower (medium head serves 2)
1 tbsp nutritional yeast

Preheat oven to 400F.

Cut up cauliflower into florets on a cookie sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 20-25 min (until golden brown edges). Remove from the oven and sprinkle with nutritional yeast flakes. Serve warm.

*The nutritional yeast flakes provide a cheesy, nutty texture to the subtle sweet flavors of roasted cauliflower. You can also try this with broccoli or other roasted veggies.
*Note that nutritional yeast may be available at your major supermarket, but if not, any natural grocer will carry it, often in the bulk section. 

Lentil Beans & Rice Casserole

 
Ingredients:
1 medium onion (yellow or white)
1 uncooked cup brown rice
1 cup dried lentils (green, red, or whatever color you prefer)
1 cup cut up spinach (or your favorite leafy veg like kale or collard greens)
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 can diced tomatoes (or whole can if you really like tomatoes, which I do!)
1 tbsp fresh chopped or 1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp fresh chopped or 1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp fresh chopped or dried oregano
4 cups vegetable broth (low-sodium if available)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Chop the onion and herbs.  In a large casserole dish, combine all the ingredients and stir gently. Bake covered for 90 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes to prevent sticking.  Baked until bubblng and browned. Serve warm.
*You can also add corn and other vegetables like carrots and zucchini.
*During the last 30 minutes, you may have to bake it for an extra 10-15 min, look for the browning and bubbles to verify it's done.

Enjoy the recipes and benefits of plant-based nutrition!  If you find yourself in a jam and out of ideas, remember that a plant-based diet is one of the simplest ways to eat.  Fresh fruits and vegetables require no cooking, soup, salad, sandwiches, wraps, side of rice, cous cous, quinoa, etc. are all pretty easy and harmless on your time and budget.  It requires no calorie counting and virtually no guilt (unless you get into a giant bag of dried mangoes ... oops).  In the next blog we will look at protein: myth or magic, and later next week I'll provide you with some PBD starter-kit ideas.

Happy Thoughts from Your Healthy Herbivore,
S

"To make a change, you have to lean into it. When I decided to become a vegan, I did it gradually: one thing at a time over the course of a few years. If I had pushed myself to stop eating all animal products at once, I might have given up." - Kathy Freston, Wellness Expert and Author of Veganist.

Shake Shake Shake

So perhaps you are considering this whole vegetarian or plant-based diet thing, but you are not quite there yet ... that's ok.  It is a process to start giving up the flesh, the cheese, the ice cream .. believe me, I know!  But on your veggie journey to the optimum health and super awesome you, we can begin kick-starting everyday and maximizing your daily nutrient content.  Now, break out the blender and let's start blending!

I'm sure you have heard about green smoothies for breakfast, green shakes for your pre-workout energy, basically green machine madness to supercharge your day.  If you have already discovered the magic of blending, please comment support for those who are a little unsure!  You may think that spinach and other veggies in your fruit smoothie sounds ridiculous and nasty, but I promise whipping up a green shake can include whatever flavors you like and is a great way to get several servings of veggies and fruit out of the way.  It also energizes your metabolism and provides your body with micronutrients galore!

But, first things first: what is blending, why is it awesome, and how do you do it?  Blending is a method of combining intact fruits and vegetables to create a supernutrient shake.  Unlike juicing, all the fiber and pulp are apart of the whole finished product.  More about fiber later, let's look at vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, oh my!

Vitamin A is essential for vision, growth, your immune system, and reproduction. The carotenoids that make up this vitamin are found in the bright colors of produce - reds, oranges, yellows, and dark greens.  It is also a powerful antioxidant to prevent some cancers and diseases.  Excellent sources are squash, kale, spinach, mango, and apricots.

Vit C is a busy nutrient that has many functions in the body. It helps create collagen, neurotransmitters, acts as an antioxidant, and helps with immune function, protein metabolism, and iron absorption. This vitamin is available in many fruits and vegetables including cabbage, kale, tomatoes, strawberries, bananas, berries, citrus, etc.

Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that also participates in other metabolic processes.  Plant sources include avocados, seeds, nuts and nut butter, pumpkin, olives, and leafy greens.

Vit K is essential for blood clotting and assisting in bone metabolism.  Nuts, seeds, olives, leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, lentils, and peas are great sources.

B1 helps convert carbs into energy and is found in whole grains (quinoa, oats, barley), legumes, nutritional yeast, squash, and tahini. B2 is important for energy metabolism and red blood cell growth. It is found in the same B1 places along with soybeans, spinach, mushrooms, sea vegetables, and fortified plant milks. B3 deals with energy and also production of DNA and is found in nuts, rice, grains, tahini, avocados, peas, and potatoes. B6 is involved in amino acid metabolism and has antioxidant properties. Plant sources include bananas, raisins, tomatoes, figs, chickpeas, and lentils. B12 is the tricky vitamin and most criticized in a vegan or plant-based diet. This is the main vitamin you need to concern yourself with getting enough of since it is the only nutrient an herbivore cannot attain directly from most food or sunlight.  B12 is made by microorganisms and bacteria and since we wash these off of our plants before we eat them, we need to use a fortified product like plant milk or nutritional yeast, or a supplement.

Since this section is getting long, I'll quickly mention two important minerals - calcium and iron. Calcium is essential in blood clotting, nerve transmission, bone and tooth formation, muscle contraction, and hormones and enzymes. Plant sources include spinach, kale, broccoli, seeds, beans, bok choy, etc. Plant-based diets tend to be higher in iron than other diets which is great since it is an essential component of proteins and enzymes and important for transporting oxygen.  Iron is found in greens, beans, apricots, seeds, molasses, fortified plant milks, raisins, etc.

Fiber and phytonutrients - so you probably already know that fiber keeps things in the body moving, it also does many other things from preventing cancer to managing your weight. Fiber is also found exclusively in plants. So try to eat a variety of legumes, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, like your green shake which is super-loaded with fiber. Phytos are a naturally occurring substance found in plants that contain powerful elements that protect and nurture the plant, which are then benefits passed onto you. They act like secret agents in your body taking on tasks from anti-inflammatory to anticancer, basically protecting you from the outside environment. The most colorful fruits and vegetables are the greatest holders including dark leafy greens, cruciferous veggies, berries, tomatoes, garlic, onions, citrus, seeds, and legumes.

(The micronutrient information was provided from "Plant-based Nutrition" by Julieanna Hever)

So from this list you can obviously see the super awesomeness of a green shake jam packed with all the above!  Do you think for breakfast you could sit down and eat 4-8 servings of fruits and vegetables?  In a blended shake you can! Not only does blending provide your body with everything it needs to get going in the morning (or whenever), but it is filling and pretty low calorie.

*Quick note on fresh, canned, and frozen fruits and veggies -fresh is best, frozen is a close second since it is typically "flash frozen" and maintains most of the above nutrients intact, canned is not the best way you want to get your produce since it is usually in sugar juices, dipped in sodium, and heated up which destroys a lot of the nutrients.

So before you write off the green sludge in a cup, keep in mind all the amazing nutrients above and give your body what it needs!

How I typically make a green shake is to scour the fridge and grab whatever fruits and vegetables are available.  I always start with about a cup of water in the base, add a leafy green (typically spinach since it has a mild taste), blend for a few seconds, add a banana and some berries, blend, add another veg or two like carrots, blend, add some seeds and more fruit, and blend.  As long as you start with a good leafy base and a sweet fruit like a banana, it's hard to mess up a smoothie from there.

PBD Recipe
My Green Smoothie (makes 2-3 servings)

Ingredients:
1 cup spinach (about a handful)
1 carrot
1 banana
6-8 strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup of pineapple (fresh or frozen)
1 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon chia seed or flax seed
1 tablespoon lemon juice (I prefer fresh squeezed lemon juice and use about 1/4 of the lemon)
3-5 ice cubes

*Note, anything blended is best served right away before the shake starts to oxidize and break down the micronutrients, however, if you cover it in your fridge it is still good to drink later that day.
*I like to add in some nuts or seeds to my green smoothies.  They add some healthy fat to the shake which allows your body to better absorb the nutrients from the fresh produce.

Also, keep in mind that the super green smoothie can be whatever you want it to be! I always start with a green leafy base and a banana and then just grab whatever fruit or veggies I'm craving .. mangoes, raspberries, kale, bok choy, collard greens, tomatoes, peaches, oranges, etc. all make great substitutions or additions! Have fun, and if you have favorite green smoothie recipes to recommend then please do so in the comments!

Side note on my next blog entry - I quickly discovered that it was easy to fall into the junkfood vegetarian realm (think lots of cheese and ice cream, and when I joined the veganism front, it was a tad more difficult since you cannot just buy vegan queso and vegan donuts anywhere ... however, after finding many vegan junkfood options to quench my palate, I watched my waistband expand and my body not feel so great.  Even if you kick meat to the curb, you will not reap the major benefits of a PBD if you consume a lot of your calories from added fats, oils, and sugars.

Happy Thoughts from Your Healthy Herbivore,

S

“You literally empower your immune system to fight off foreign invaders, slow the aging process, and maintain a lean physique by choosing nutrient-dense sources of fruit. It really is that simple.” 

- Julianna Heaver M.S.

P.S. I fixed the follow button, so if you like the blog I hope you follow along :)

Intro to Plant-based Living

Good Afternoon!

This is my first blog entry on “A Healthy Herbivore," so I hope you enjoy the forthcoming tips and tricks I have learned living as a veggie thus far!  A few quick notes about me, I have basically been a vegetarian since I was young and learned that chickens = Chicken Nuggets.  Over the years and through many dairy-addicted struggles, I have adopted a vegan* and more recently, a plant-based diet*.  I have discovered more ways and reasons to rid animal products, processed food, and other unnatural additives from my daily life.

What has inspired me to live and promote this kind of lifestyle is the crazy benefits that eating whole foods* has had on me personally and everything I have learned along the way.  For example, Dr. Campbell’s “The China Study,” was one of the most influential books I have ever read.  I really appreciated it because the research was so well documented, the book was very publicly shown to have no major industries or special interests funding it, and was based on the most substantial nutrition study ever conducted.  If you are interested in not only being your fittest self, but also warding off “diseases of affluence”* then I highly recommend picking up a copy!  Always keep in mind, we were designed to live into our later years, still fully functional and mentally alert ... if we practice this healthy nutrition stuff and maintain an active lifestyle.

Aside from reading The China Study, I would also suggest taking a gander at these documentaries available online on Hulu (some for free), YouTube movies (some for free), iTunes, netflix, and at your rental stores: “Forks Over Knives,” “Vegucated,” “Food, Inc.,” and “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.”  I promise these very well done films will not bore and perhaps may trigger the urge for you to research healthy nutrition for yourself.

Some of the topics I hope to cover in the next few weeks include a discussion on blending, an in-depth look at The China Study, micronutrients and the key to weight management, the importance of exercise, scary dairy, chemical-free house, and what's in your make-up.  Stay tuned!

Happy Thoughts from Your Healthy Herbivore,

S
"Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food." - Hippocrates

*Vegan – is a diet where all animal products are avoided including meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs. Veganism refers to the practice of abstaining from animal products in all aspects of your life including the use of fur and leather. Vegans typically reject animal products based on health, allergies, animal cruelty, and environmental practices for sustainable farming.

*Plant-based Diet – or PBD as I like to call it, typically refers to a way of eating based on foods that come from plants and avoiding animal products, processed and refined foods. Basically trying to eat foods that come directly from nature to your plate and are not stripped of their original packaging. A whole-food, plant-based diet includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

*Whole foods – are simply foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or minimally so, before being consumed. Whole foods do not contain added ingredients and they provide greater nutrition due to a great source of micronutrients, essential dietary fiber, and naturally occurring protective substances like phytochemicals to prevent cancer and disease.

*Diseases of affluence – are chronic diseases common in Western societies like the U.S., which are largely non-existent elsewhere.  These are mostly non-communicable diseases including type 2 diabetes, asthma, heart disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s, autoimmune diseases, obesity, hypertension, cancer, and some allergies. These ailments are believed to be largely caused by diet and lifestyle.

PBD Recipe (1):

Please enjoy the first PBD (plant-based diet) blog recipe, I hope you like enchiladas!

Ingredients:
1 small green bell pepper, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1 cup vegetarian chili (I like Amy's black bean chili or medium chili, both vegan)
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
4 whole wheat tortillas
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground chili powder

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Heat a medium pot over medium-high heat until hot. Add pepper and onion and cook, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup water and cook 3 minutes longer or until vegetables are very tender. Stir in chili, cooked rice and nutritional yeast. Place about 3/4 cup of the chili mixture on each tortilla and gently roll up. Place filled tortillas on prepared baking sheet, seam-side down.

In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce and chili powder and spoon over enchiladas. Bake 10 minutes or until heated through.

*Note, when sauteing the pepper and onion, after 3 minutes I also added in some zucchini, tomato, and a handful of cut up spinach. Add in whatever veggies you like the would taste great in a burrito, the more veggies the better!

Recipe courtesy of Whole Foods Market - http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/3253