Kale Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

I have been following the weight loss plan I mentioned in my post of August 25th fairly well.  I'm tracking everything I eat and the approximate number of calories, focusing on high nutrient whole foods and avoiding processed foods almost completely.  So far I have lost about 2 pounds in the last 10 days, so I think I will make some adjustments to try to speed things up a bit.  Exercising for only 15 minutes at a time doesn't seem to be doing too much and I am still not mentally into the high intensity weight workouts, so I will notch that up to 30 minutes of cardio and light weight training at least 4 times per week.  Also, I may have been overdoing the nuts and seeds a bit.

I love green salads, especially at this time of year, and will be increasing that portion of the diet.  I may need to stay a little closer to the Eat to Live diet which is primarily low starch veggies and a little lighter on the fat levels, although we do need healthy fats in order to absorb fat soluable vitamins and to get our good omega fats which have great health benefits.  I am looking for a weight loss plan that burns body fat relatively quickly without leaving that worn-out starvation feeling.  So far I feel very good and have lots of energy.

Speaking of green salads, I came across a recipe for kale salad that was easy to make and very delicious.  I tweeked it a little for my own taste, adding more ginger and substituting sesame oil in place of some of the tahini sauce.  Below is my version of the recipe. Fresh ginger really makes this salad extra yummy!

Fresh Kale Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

2 bunches of organic kale (no pesticides!)

2 tbsp tahini dressing/dip

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 inch section of fresh ginger root, peeled

2 rounded tsp crushed garlic

4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Juice of 1 small lemon

3 tbsp honey or other natural sweetener

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

 

Wash kale and lay flat on paper towels; pat dry with additional towels. Strip the leafy part from the stems with fingers. Chop washed and deveined kale into strips by layering several leaves one on top of the other and thinly slicing. Slice again crosswise to get smaller pieces.

Blend dressing ingredients in blender or food processor to make a smooth puree.  If it tastes a little too tangy for you, add more honey or your favorite natural sweetener. Pour dressing over kale and toss to combine thoroughly. Let the salad sit for ten or twenty minutes to marinate. Toss again just before serving.  Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for several days.

This dressing is also good served with spinach or other dark green leafy veggies. 

Robust Tomato Based Veggie Stew with Eggplant and Sun-dried Tomatoes

A few days ago I decided to concoct a new recipe with some ingredients I had on hand.  It turned out to be very tasty so I am posting it here for anyone who likes these ingredients.

This recipe is so rich and flavorful that you will be satisfied with a small serving. It has lots of powerful plant nutrients too. Be sure to use organic ingredients wherever possible.  Makes a wonderful meal served with a green salad.

½ large yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced

½ medium sized eggplant, diced (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons crushed garlic

1 link Tofurkey Italian sausage, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil (or use olive oil cooking spray)

½ cup sundried tomato, chopped (I used the type that is marinated   
  in olive oil)

26 ounce can of seasoned spaghetti sauce (e.g., garlic and onion)

14 ounce can of diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning

½ cup dry cooking sherry

2 teaspoons dried sweet basil

15 ounce can of black beans, drained

In a large sauce pot, sauté the onion, pepper, eggplant, garlic and Italian sausage in olive oil or olive oil cooking spray for a few minutes to soften.  Add sundried tomato, spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, cooking sherry, basil and black beans.  Simmer until all ingredients are tender and flavors are blended, about 30 minutes.  Enjoy!!!

Veggie Weight Loss Plan

Yesterday I decided to start a weight loss program based on a combination of several different plans I have read about.  My goal is to lose about 20 pounds in the next 7 weeks.  One of the plans is a vegetarian option focusing on low starch vegetables and high fiber fruits and whole grains.  This is the Eat to Live Diet which was discussed in one of my previous posts. (Eat to Live: The Revolutionary Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss)  The second plan is also vegetarian (although it also includes options for nonvegetarians) and includes more selections of high protein grains and legumes such as quinoa, soy, and nut butters--one small serving with each meal or snack.  This plan also emphasizes 15 minutes of high intensity weight training at least 3 times per week.  I will try to manage the intensity level as best I can even though I am not very big on high stress workouts.  I will probably include more types of interval workouts which alternate cardio and weights.  Here is a link to the Fat Burning Furnace diet plan if you want to check it out: Click Here!  The third plan focuses on belly fat by suggesting foods that help to target that part of the body.  These foods are packed with monunsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) which help to burn fat and reduce inflammation, including olive oil, avocados and certain nuts and seeds.  The best book I have found which centers on this concept is this one: Flat Belly Diet!    All of these plans have options that I really like, so I am going to pick the foods and the suggestions that appeal the most to me and see how it goes, making adjustments as I go along.  I will report here on my progress periodically.

These are the basic foods I will be eating:  green veggies (lettuce, kale, bell peppers, broccoli, green beans, spinach, asparagus, brussel sprouts, cabbage, celery, cucumber, zucchini, artichoke), other low starch veggies (cauliflower, eggplant, onions, garlic, mushrooms, carrots), plant proteins (soybeans, tofu, black/navy/pinto beans, chick peas (garbanzos), lentils, green peas, raw nuts and nut butters, seeds), high fiber fruits (apples, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, papaya, bananas, berries, grapes, peaches, pineapples, mangos), whole grains (oats, whole wheat pasta or bread, rye, quinoa, millet, barley, sprouted grain bread or tortillas), and other nutrient rich whole foods such as sweet potato, melons and fresh corn (limited quantities).  Fats include olive oil, avocados, nut oils, sesame oil and coconut oil, plus flax seeds.

For beverages I will try to stick to herbal teas and water or mineral water flavored with small amounts of fruit juice such as freshly squeezed lemon, lime or grapefruit, or blended smoothies made with fresh fruit and soy or almond milk.

For two meals a day I will include 2 servings of fruit or veggies (about a cup each), 1 serving of protein (palm of the hand for legumes or tofu), and one serving of carbohydrates (1/2 to one cup depending on how dense the food is).  The third meal will be primarily low starch veggies and a small serving of protein.  Fats should be limited to small portions, just enough to stir fry the veggies or add texture to salad dressings (sticking to low fat dressings on salads).

For snacks I plan to include cut veggies such as carrots, celery, cucumber, zucchini seasoned with herbs and some fat free marinade.  Also apples or applesauce, edamame, or some raw nuts and seeds.  Green salads with low starch veggies and fat-free sugar-free dressing can also be used as snacks, and can be included with meals without adding much to total calories.  For a treat, the Flat Belly Diet also allows some indulgence in dark chocolate, which has natural substances that boost good HDL cholesterol, relax blood vessels and help regulate insulin and seratonin, the "feel good" brain chemical.  The darker the chocolate the higher the cacao content and the least amount of sweetener will be added in processing.  It is possible to find good organic chocolate that is lightly sweetened with organic evaporated cane juice; I look for chocolate that is at least 70% cacao and has less than 7 grams of sugar per 100 calorie serving.

For the next 7 weeks I am going to stay away from added sugar (with the exception of the small amounts in dark chocolate) or excess sodium, and highly processed foods.  Even some of the meatless veggie products such as veggie burgers can contain ingredients that are not natural so I am going to read the ingredients before I buy them.  In sticking with natural whole foods, I believe that my body will get all the nutrients it needs and be relieved of some of the burdens of filtering out toxic chemicals that are found in many of the processed foods we find in grocery stores.

OK, that's the plan.  I will report my progress and any pitfalls I run into as I go along....

Food Agenda 2020

Please consider this important alert from the Organic Consumers Association and learn how you can take action to help change our policies relating to food production. I would also add that when we choose to buy healthy, natural and environmentally friendly products we are placing a vote with our wallets and adding demand for those products while decreasing the demand for those that have detrimental effects on ourselves and our world.

Three Food Policies Essential to Solving the Climate Crisis:

1. Truth in Labeling --Tell Consumers How Food Choices Impact Climate Change

Local, organic & fair trade food and products are the climate-friendly, humane and healthy choice, but consumers should have the same right to know when their purchases have a negative impact on health, justice or sustainability. Food labels should reveal the presence of genetically engineered ingredients and pesticide residues, the use of antibiotics and artificial hormones, the product's carbon footprint and its country of origin.

2. Green Budget Priorities--Subsidize Solutions Not Pollution!

Voters want clean energy, green jobs, and a food system that's local, organic and fair trade, but it's not going to happen as long as our tax dollars are spent on industrial food and farming, fossil fuels, and war.

U.S. taxpayer subsidies to fossil fuels and industrial food and farming amount to $60 billion a year, while resource wars in Iraq and Afghanistan cost us $200 billion annually. This wasted money is enough to fast-track the conversion of the U.S. and global economy to organic agriculture and clean energy and save the world from climate catastrophe.

3. Regulations That Promote Health and Sustainability--Protect Consumers and the Environment from Hazardous Agricultural Practices

Consumers often complain that local, organic and fair trade products are too expensive. Of course, you can economize on your organic food or green product purchases if you can buy directly from the farmer or producer or buy in bulk quantities with others in your community, but there's no denying that Food Inc.'s "business as usual" practices - polluting the earth, destabilizing the climate, using toxic chemicals, cutting corners on ingredients and nutrition, and exploiting workers from the farm to the checkout counter - generate products with lower sticker prices. However if you add in the hidden health and environmental costs and collateral damage of GMOs, pesticides, antibiotics, heavily processed and packaged foods, and the climate and environmental "footprint" of chemical and energy-intensive food and farming, our cheap food system is in fact dangerously expensive.

To level the playing field for healthy, organic climate-friendly foods and products, we need to make the polluters and junk food purveyors pay for the damage they are causing to public health and the environment. We need to demand sensible and equitable regulations from our elected public officials that protect consumers and the environment, and we need these policies now, not in ten years. We can start by phasing out the inhumane confinement of animals in factory farms and eliminating billion dollar subsidies for genetically engineered crops and biofuels. We can phase out toxic pesticides, methane generating chemical fertilizers, artificial hormones, the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics, sewage sludge "fertilizer," and animal feed made from slaughterhouse waste.

Sign the Petition: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4442

Organic Solutions to Climate Crisis

Just returned from a very relaxing holiday (vacation) in beautiful Kauai.  If you've never been there I highly recommend going. It has a great variety of scenery from the dry eastern side of the island which boasts a mini grand canyon to the rainforest interior that has the honor of having the wettest spot on earth, receiving an average of over 35 feet of rain annually! Of course there are beautiful beaches galore for swimming, snorkeling and boogie boarding. The island has also been the location for filming of countless movies and television shows, including Jurassic Park, Gilligan's Island, Fantasy Island, Blue Hawaii (Elvis Presley), and more recently Pirates of the Caribbean 4, a new Adam Sandler movie (not yet named), and a new movie with George Clooney titled The Descendants I was told.  There are island tours you can take that are specifically geared for pointing out many movie locations.  And don't miss taking either a helicopter or boat tour of the breathtaking Napali Coastline with its jagged and lush vertical cliffs.  

Hawaiian cuisine can be quite interesting and delicious; I especially enjoyed the fresh caught fish such as Ono and Ahi.  There is also locally raised grass fed beef which is used by many of the high end restaurants.  (I am not a beef eater so I didn't partake in the local beef dishes.)  The local fruits and veggies are absolutely incredible--fresh sweet pineapples, mangoes, papayas and bananas, plus Hawaiian staples such as the traditional taro root and some rice farms that were created by migrant Chinese sugar plantation workers.  Kauai had the first commercial sugar mill that was built in Hawaii, although sugar production has now declined and is no longer a major Hawaiian crop, and the sugar mill is no longer operational.  There is still lots of wild sugar cane growing by the side of the roads. 

One of the newer crops in Kauai is the cacao plant which is grown by small local farms.  There are several companies now producing gourmet chocolate which can be purchased in some of the grocery stores.  We took a tour of one organic farm that practices biodiversity and raises many different kinds of tropical fruits along with the cacao. There is an increasing emphasis in buying locally grown organic produce, and you will find many farmers markets available in different locations on the island. 

Speaking of organic farming, here is the "quote of the week" that I found in an e-mail from the Organic Consumers Association: 

"The future of life on this planet may depend on what we eat. Factory farmed junk food is the #1 cause of climate change, but we can save the planet by going organic.

"The greenhouse gas emissions from factory farms, deforestation, industrial crop production, food processing, and long-distance distribution make the food sector the biggest cause of climate change, responsible for at least a third of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Factory farmed meat, dairy and eggs alone may contribute as much as 51%!

"But we can change food system pollution into food system solutions. A worldwide shift to local, organic food production would drastically reduce food system emissions and turn the world's farmland into a carbon sink to capture and store 40% of global greenhouse gas pollution."

- Excerpt from Organic Consumers Association's "Food Agenda 2020: The Organic Alternative" http://organicconsumers.org/food-agenda/

The "Eat to Live" Diet

I have recently been focusing my attention on the concepts that are discussed in Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s book, “Eat to Live”. What I am really looking for is a way to get my weight down to my preferred level while maintaining a very high nutrient diet; i.e., to lose excess weight and keep it off without any feelings or symptoms of starvation. I would like to lose about 15 pounds to look and feel my best, but I want to do it in a way that does not feel like self deprivation. According to Dr. Fuhrman it is possible to take off those extra pounds (i.e., fat) while maintaining high energy and promoting better health by eating a diet consisting primarily of veggies and whole fruits, and lowering your starch and fat intake.

For the first 6 weeks of his eating plan, the aim is to eat about 90% unrefined plant foods, especially low starch vegetables such as dark leafy greens (e.g., romaine lettuce, spinach, turnip and mustard greens, etc.), cucumbers, peppers, sprouts, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, garlic, mushrooms, eggplant, etc. Half of the veggies should be eaten raw as salads or prepared with herbs or spices (no salt though). The other half can be cooked, again with herbs and spices but no added salt. You can also have four servings of fresh fruit per day. You are encouraged to eat legumes instead of grains for your starch quota; you can have one cup or a bit more daily of your favorite beans or tofu. Cooked high starch veggies and grains are limited to no more than 1 cup per day. High fat foods, even healthy ones such as nuts, avocados and olive oil, are to be restricted to about 2-3 ounces. You can also have 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed daily to get your healthy omega-3 fat. I have long been a fan of fruit smoothies and like to incorporate flax seed into them for that purpose.

Dr. Fuhrman includes some great recipes for low fat salad dressings that you can make at home, along with soups and stews, main dishes, shakes and desserts. I personally cannot fathom eating green salads without a nice dressing, and this makes it possible to use a dressing that doesn’t include the unhealthy oils contained in many manufactured dressings.

The goal for the first 6 weeks is also to either completely eliminate or only include a very small amount of animal products (meat and dairy). After that, you can add back some low fat (hopefully healthy organically fed) animal products if you really miss them, but use them more as a side dish rather than the main portion of your meals.

Although some nutritionists are concerned about the level of protein included in an all plant food diet, according to Dr. Fuhrman there are more than adequate levels and varieties of protein (amino acids) contained in green vegetables and other plant foods if they are eaten in sufficient quantities. For example, out of the total calorie content of spinach about 50% is actually protein. And because his diet is very nutrient rich while low in calories overall, you will get enough protein along with the highly beneficial phytonutrients from plants without the body converting excess food into fat for storage. Eating high quality, nutrient dense foods is the key to this diet.

I highly recommend reading this book even if you are not ready to follow his program “all the way”. He shares some valuable information about foods that promote excellent health, and some necessary reinforcement as to the reasons why our typical high fat, highly processed American style diet is definitely not in our best interest. Dr. Fuhrman cites many reasons why he considers green veggies to be the healthiest food on the planet.

The hardest part of the diet for me is limiting whole grain products to one small serving per day during the initial phase. I really enjoy having whole grain toast in the morning and brown rice or whole grain pasta along with lunch or dinner. This is a bit of a sacrifice to me, but if I can lose weight, maintain a good energy level and not feel hungry on a diet of mostly unrefined low starch plant foods I am willing to do it. I must admit I am still working on the resolve to take this 6-week plunge and see what happens.

Right now I am just at the start of a (too-short) 10 day vacation in beautiful Kauai, Hawaii. This is obviously not the best time to go on a strict diet, but I am going to try to ease my way into eliminating starchy foods and high fat dairy while I’m here. More to follow…

The Food Revolution

There are many great books and wonderful resources that give us detailed information about the impact that changing some basic things about our eating habits can have on our own health and the environment as a whole.  I think one of the best of these books is “The Food Revolution” by John Robbins.  The following are some reviews of the book that can be found on Amazon.com.

A life changing book, October 29, 2005

This book is basically a rewritten, enlarged and updated version of "Diet for a New America". It explains the extreme benefits of adopting a whole foods plant based diet. He presents the scientific evidence supporting the multiple health benefits for eating this way, as well as the strong ethical reasons. It is above all a fascinating read, written by the person who was the heir to Baskin-Robbins, the world's largest ice cream company (he rejected it to live according to his own values). One also gets a deep sense of the immense compassion of the man through his writing.

Exceptionally good book, November 11, 2008

Reading this book compels the conclusion that we act in our own self-interest, as well as the planet's, by eating a plant based diet. The book shatters myths regarding the supposed need to eat meat, dairy and eggs. It illuminates the misinformation spread by the cattle, swine and poultry industries. To achieve and keep whatever strength, smarts and health we can, this book cogently asserts that we'd be better off eliminating animal products.
   As a beacon that approaches its subject with zeal while maintaining an objective tone and compassion for us who are ignorant , the thinking set forth in this book could truly change our lives and eventually our planet.
  

Important book for its time with a real message, May 29, 2008

Robbins lays out the facts, using research articles as evidence, to criticize the food industry's claims and present the contradicting findings resulting from good sound science. Using this method he exposes the stark realities of the American diet that for the most part will get you to wonder why you have lived your life without ever wondering about such things as where your food comes from, how it was made, and what impact it has on the environment. Robbins explains to you the enormous impact that the single act of eating has on your body, the human population, and the planet itself. This book is huge in its scope and contains facts from hundreds of sources, and its rather objective delivery makes it a necessary read for anyone interested in studying diet, nutrition, disease, environmental protection, science, and agriculture.

As Above, So Below..., February 14, 2008

It's truly rare to discover a book that literally changes your life, but this book is one of them. Mr. Robbins meticulously researches and presents an argument for how one's diet can change not only one's personal well being but the well being of all sentient beings, including the sum of the parts (our planet Earth). This book makes it clear that through our personal dietary choices we can either save the planet (and ourselves) or ignore the problems until it's too late. And although the book implicitly argues for the adoption of a vegetarian diet, it's my hope that people not willing to go that far will at least start making conscious decisions about the purchase of animal products, and realize that supporting humane agriculture is a form of philanthropy that they realize direct benefit from (e.g., it simply tastes better).
   In an age of information overload and seemingly insurmountable global problems this book gives rise to a feeling of personal power and the ability to literally change our lives and the planet with every bite we eat.

Incredibly thought provoking, May 19, 2005

This book gives you a multitude of reasons to at the very least alter your diet. Be it for your health, the environment or for compassion toward animals you will walk away from this book with an understanding of how our diet affects ourselves and our world. One of the sections I found most interesting was in regard to GM foods. Fascinating! This is a book I would definitely recommend and will be giving as a gift.

Life-changing, June 2, 2009

I read The China Study a few years ago and began to believe that meat and dairy products are harmful to our health. However, I was not fully motivated to make any changes to my diet as a result of reading the book. I read this book last week, and it has changed my entire outlook on my diet and the world. Robbins approaches meat and dairy products from three different angles: 1) the health issues, 2) the treatment of the animals, and 3) the effect of meat production on the environment and other nations and peoples. This book convicted me and convinced me not just in my mind but in my heart. Robbins provides so much scientific data as well as information on the politics and economics. He also includes some personal stories, most prominently that of "the pig farmer," that demonstrate how deep this issue really goes. Robbins treats the subject with a lot of care and thoughtfulness even as he communicates how serious the consequences of our diet choices really are. I am truly grateful for the ways in which this book - this author - has opened my eyes and my heart to the interconnectedness of life.

For more information, click on the cover of the book (above right) or here:   The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World