The Holidays Are Upon Us - Wishing You a Healthy Season!

Time has been flying by so fast lately that I lost track of how long it has been since I added to this blog.  My weight loss progress has been basically on hold for the last few weeks, although I got within 1 pound of my goal as of November 20th.  Since then there was Thanksgiving week and now we are looking at Christmas travel plans, shopping for gifts, etc.  In two weeks I will be traveling to New York to spend the holidays with my domestic partner's mom and sister and his two kids, and visiting with the relatives who live nearby.

The weather has turned colder which has put a damper on my motivation to exercise, but I am making the most of the opportunities to walk while shopping.  It's pretty easy to spend 2 or 3 hours at a time in the mall admiring all of the beautiful displays while looking for special gifts for special people.  It just amazes me to see all of the new gadgets and fabulous clothing that we get to choose from, especially at this time of year.  The creativity that goes into making them is just so incredible.

In looking at my weight loss goals, I am focusing on meeting and hopefully exceeding my original goal of losing 20 pounds from August 25th, although I missed my first deadline of  mid-October (way too ambitious) and my second deadline of November 20th.  I gained a few pounds during Thanksgiving week, but have been pretty good since then. Right now I am only 1.5 pounds above the 20 pound goal.  I would like to work my way down about 3.5 pounds by December 20th so that I am 2 pounds below my original goal weight.  That way I have room to indulge a bit in the last part of December, and New Year's weekend.

I am writing this blog partly to keep myself accountable and to make sure that I stay on track with my weight and with a healthy diet even after I reach my goal.  I also want to share information I come across that is useful to those who are concerned about our agricultural and food production systems and how they affect our own health and the health of our planet.

Below are a few recipes ideas I have come across lately that are tasty and nutritious.

Chickpea Salad

Mash a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or blend in blender until coarsely ground.  Add some reduced fat Vegenaise, chopped celery, spicy mustard, and lemon juice to taste.  Can also add some onion powder and/or curry powder if you feel adventurous.  Serve by itself or on bread as a sandwich.


Caribbean Peas and Rice (from happyherbivore.com)

    1 bunch scallions, white parts sliced thin
    2 whole celery stalks, minced
    4 whole garlic cloves, minced
    2 tbsp fresh ginger root, minced
    4 whole fresh thyme twigs
    1½ tsp Tabasco green pepper sauce
    2 tbsp ketchup
    ¼ tsp turmeric (optional)
    1 bunch kale, chopped
    15 ounces black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
    2 cups brown rice, uncooked
    2½ cups vegetable broth
    2 tsp Jamaican dried jerk seasoning

Combine rice with 2 cups of vegetable broth in a large pot and set aside. Line a skillet with a thin layer of broth and add scallions, celery, garlic, ginger, thyme, jalapeno sauce and 1 tsp jerk seasoning. Cook over high heat, adding additional broth as necessary, until the celery is soft, about 3 minutes. Add remaining jerk seasoning, stirring to coat. Transfer to rice, add 2 squirts of ketchup and turmeric (for color), stirring to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat to low and simmer 40-50 minutes, until rice is cooked, but keep and eye on it, as you may need to add more broth or water (some brown rice is very thirsty). Meanwhile, lightly steam greens. Press out any excess water and chop into bite-sized pieces. Once rice is fully cooked, fluff with a spatula then stir in rice and greens. Serve with jalapeno sauce on the table. 


Bean Bread (from Facebook pal Thomas Bergel)

    1 cup boiling water
    1 cup raisins
    1 (15 ounce) can of your favorite beans (do not discard liquid)
    2 cups sugar
    4 1/2 teaspoons Ener G egg replacement mixed with 6 tablespoons
        water (or 3 eggs)
    1 cup canola oil
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    3 cups whole wheat flour
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    1 cup finely chopped nuts of your choice (optional)

Mix raisins in water; set aside to cool.  Mash beans with a fork or blend in blender until fairly smooth.

Beat oil, egg replacement or eggs, sugar and vanilla with beans.  Mix flour with baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon and add to batter. Drain water off raisins and fold in to batter, setting water aside. Add nuts if desired. If batter is too stiff, add little of water from raisins. Pour into well-greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Wrap in aluminum foil and serve the next day (for better slicing).

Also very good with dried cranberries in place of raisins.  Can make cupcakes--reduce baking time to approximately 35 minutes.

Bean bread is as old as the hills.  The American Indians enjoyed it.  Each tribe had a variation. It doesn't taste like beans but rather like a nice sweet brown bread.

Enjoy!