Green Spags

All you green eggs and ham lovers will like my green spaghetti with peas dinner tonight.  And, to think I hated peas at one time.  My mom must be so proud.

Daikon

Diakon . .  my first experience cooking with it.  After seeing the picture of Braised Daikon in Mirin and Shoyu from Alicia Silversone's "The Kind Diet",  I had to try it.  I was surprised it turned out just like the photo.  Quite tasty!

we joined a CSA!!!

We are joining a CSA this summer. I can't tell you how excited I am. A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is a way for us to buy produce through a local farmer. By making a financial commitment to the farm, we become members or shareholders, and receive a bi-weekly basket (or share) of produce.

The photo above is one share. We decided to try it this year and become half members. We will receive a basket every other week for 18 weeks starting June 20th to October 17th. Full members receive a share every week. Each basket will vary based on what is being harvested, but typically consists of leafy greens, hearty greens, root crops, and onions. To this, additional items will be added based on the time of year and what is available.

This will cost us a total of $300 for the summer. Yikes, that is steep. But when we thought about it, this should give us plenty of veggies this summer and we will probably spend that much for veggies anyway. I like to look at it as paying for our summer veggies up front. (Doing the math, it's only $16.67 per week - we would wreck that figure buying vegetables on any other given week anyway.) Every other week we will pick up our share of veggies from the local farm which is just a few miles away in the wonderful Cuyahoga Valley. I just love Akron!

We became aware of CSA's last year from one of the films we watched at the Cleveland International Film Festival (coincidentally, this year's film festival starts next month - can't wait - stay tuned). I was aware Cleveland had CSA programs, but didn't know of any in the Akron area. In some CSA's you donate your time to help out on the farm, or you do this in lieu of payment. I couldn't see myself working on a farm, so I just figured CSA's weren't for us.

The other day I was reading an article on CSA's in the Vegetarian Times magazine. It was on how to find a good CSA. It was full of great tips and questions to ask. Ironically enough, when Bryan and I were at the winter farmer's market this past Saturday morning we came across Basket of Life Farm. We spoke to the farmer and were convinced we had to try this whole CSA concept. Not only will we know where are produce is coming from, we will have a relationship with the local farmer, support the local farmer, and eat healthy. They are only accepting 58 families this year and had 15 spots left.

What a wonderful concept - I am so excited for this and hope it turns into a positive experience. I like the idea of receiving random veggies. I'm sure we will receive some veggies we have never had nor heard of. I can't wait!

almond spaghetti with carrots & peas

Tired of your typical spaghetti? Be adventurous and try something new. This recipe has the sweet taste from the almond butter, but has a kick of spice from the chile sauce. Wonderful!

• 1/3 c almond butter
• 1 T water
• 2 T rice vinegar
• 1-1/2 T soy sauce (I used Bragg's, next time I will try namu shoyu)
• 1 T minced fresh ginger
• 1-1/2 t Asian chile-garlic sauce (omit if you don't want the spicy kick)
• 6 oz whole wheat spaghetti
• 1-1/2 c grated carrots
• 3/4 c thinly slices green nion
• 1/3 c chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 c sliced toasted almonds
• 1/2 t salt

1. Combine almond butter, water, and rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger & chili sauce. Whisk to blend.

2. Bring water to boil and add spaghetti & peas. Cook for 8 minutes. Stir in carrots and cook another 2 minutes or until the spaghetti is tender.

3. Drain spaghetti, and add almond butter mixture. Stir in green onions, cilantro, almonds & salt.

4. Enjoy!

colorful quinoa salad

This dish not only looks gorgeous with all the confetti colors, it's also yummy! It makes a wonderful lunch to take to work, or served as a side dish to dinner

• 1/2 c chopped almonds
• 2 t olive oil
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 1T minced fresh ginger
• 1 c organic brown quinoa
• 1-1/2 c carrot juice
• 1 c frozen peas
• 1 medium apple, diced
• 1/3 c unsweetened shredded coconut
• salt & pepper to taste

1. Toast almonds in saucepan over medium heat (3-5 minutes)

2. Remove almonds and set a side. Saute onions. Stir in ginger, quinoa and carrot juice. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to med. -low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.

3. Remove from heat, and add peas. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.

4. Stir in apple, coconut. Add salt & pepper to taste. Garnish with almonds.

5. Enjoy!

vegan mac & cheese- yummy!

This vegan Mac & Cheese is fabulous! I was skeptical of trying a vegan version as with most recipes the key ingredient is nutritional yeast.

The first time I made it we finished it off that night, and I made it again the next day. I researched a bunch of recipes, found one I liked, and tweaked it some after making it a few times. There is no processed vegan cheese in this version (unlike the pizza), so it's quite healthy.

• 1-3/4 c whole wheat macaroni
• 2 T vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance)
• 1/4 c flour (next time I think I will try a wheat flour)
  
• 1-3/4 c boiling water
• 3/4 t salt
• 1 T soy sauce (I used Bragg's, next time I think I will try namo shoyu)
  
• 3/4 t garlic powder
• 1/2 c nutritional yeast flakes
• pinch of turmeric
  
• 1 big squeeze of lemon
• 1 squirt of mustard
  
• salt & pepper to taste
• paprika
• vegan parmesan cheese (I used Parma)
  

1. Cook macaroni according to directions, and set a side. I usually toss in a little olive oil to prevent sticking. In low heat melt margarine, slowly add the boiling water and flour (about teaspoon at a time) and whisk. If this step is done too fast it will be lumpy. Go about doing this step as if you were making gravy.

2. Add salt, soy sauce, garlic powder, turmeric, lemon juice, and mustard. Boil. Add yeast.

3. Mix sauce with macaroni. Sprinkle paprika and parmesan cheese. Bake @ 355 degrees for 15 minutes, or until light brown and crispy.

4. Enjoy!

my influences

My husband and I didn't decide overnight to start eating healthy. This change was a result of many things happening all at once, and being influenced by all types of media:

A friend recommended the book, Skinny Bitch. This is where it all began. It's a simplified version on how bad our food is in the US. After I finished the book, I had discovered I had been fooled by society into believing I needed to drink milk and eat meat. What I didn't know, is that I had began a long journey of educating myself and changing what I thought about food forever.

1. Raw foods - It seemed like I was hearing this word “detox/cleanse” thing more and more. I kinda understood it- but could it be healthy? Our local health food store, The Mustard Seed was offering a detox class. My husband and I came home changed people.  The instructor Janee Iliano spoke of the benefits of a detox and raw foods. We were so intrigued we signed up for a few more of her raw food cooking classes.

Food Inc. - Learn about what the FDA and USDA doesn't want you know with our food supply. Think you are safe buying hamburger meet from that chain grocery store? Wrong- you will learn that most of the meat in the US comes from a few main slaughter houses, and how a few main food companies control our entire food industry. Why E-coli common and why nothing is being done about it? This film is a must see for everyone.

1. Influential books

• Fast Food Nation You will be amazed to find out where your fast food comes and how it is it is made. How french fries have chemical flavorings. After reading this book you will think twice when you stick that french fry in your mouth.

• In Defense of Food After reading this book you will understand why the author suggest:'Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

• Ani's raw food kitchen This raw food cook book is amazing! It was all my husband's idea.

• The China Study One of my top picks. This study explains the connection with nutrition and diseases. Why the US has many diseases and other countries are virtually disease free.

• The Anti-Alzheimer's Prescription How do you decrease your risk of Alzheimer's? Lower stress, get enough rest, and eat a plant based diet. This book has great recipes too.

• The Kind Diet Alica Silverstone's book not only explains the benefits of eating a plant based diet, it also is a cookbook. She is truly an influence to me.

• Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Another great book I just finished. It is a must for anyone who has heart disease in the family. This book is written by a reknowned Cleveland Clinic heart surgeon (Cleveland is one of the top heart hospitals in the world)
  He has proven heart disease can be avoided by eating plant based diet. If one has their cholesterol under 150, it is virtually impossible to have heart disease. Where does cholesterol come from? You guessed right- animal products. This book has wonderful recipes as well.

• The pH Miracle My husband gets the credit for this book as well. It's about how you want to eat foods that keep your body in balance. (basic/acidic). Great recipes

• The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals I love this book as it explains how corn is in most fast food and processed food. It's quite shocking how the corn industry is subsidized by the US government.

• Food, Inc. This book is a companion to the movie (see above), and expands on the issues discussed in the movie, and has suggestions on what you can do to make changes to the food industry.

Keep watching this list as it is updated as I read and learn more. Like they say, it hasn't been a good day unless you learned something new.

so why am I doing this?

If you haven't figure this out by now - health benefits, health benefits, and more health benefits. When I first learned about these benefits I filed it in the back of my head. My “Aha” moment came later. The same common theme was appearing in various books I read, movies I watched, and lectures I attended. Most of these books were written by Dr's with scientific data to back it up (yeah this was the boring part of the book). These facts were based on years of study, research and scientific data. This is where my "Aha" moment came. If I want to live a long healthy live - I had to change.

So, why my connection to all this healthy stuff? Well, before all this research, it was my belief that something was changing with society. So many people were being diagnosed with diseases; heart disease; diabetics, and various cancers. I couldn't believe my dad who has been healthy his whole life was diagnosed with prostrate cancer- what? A female I know was diagnosed with breast cancer in her early 30's! My husband's mom is a breast cancer survivor, his dad passed away at 49 after his 3rd heart attack, his uncle has Alzheimer's, and his aunt was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

We all know people who have some sort of disease. What is happening? Some might believe with today's advanced medical technology we are able to diagnose these problems earlier. True. Is it heredity? True. OK, but why is it that US has one of the highest rate of diseases? Why is it that countries that follow a plant based diet are virtual disease free and live longer? Why is that heart disease has been proven to be reversed in many patients followed a plant based diet? Why is it that by eating the right food, some diabetes can be reversed?

My grandmother influenced my decision even more. I've always considered her a "health nut". I remember going over her house when I was a kid and she never had junk food. I hated that. But through the years I respected her decision to eat healthy. She does eat fish, turkey,and chicken but no other meat. My grandmother is approaching her 90's and in amazing shape. She still walks, still has her mind, and has no diseases. She never needed to take any medication until recently. What more proof do I need?

I know I can't totally prevent diseases, and even if I eat right, I can get hit by a bus tomorrow. There is no guarantee I won't get cancer or some other disease. However, if eating a plant based diet will significantly decrease my risk of getting any diseases, then I am going to follow it. I love my life and I want to do what I can to live as long as I can.

vegan pizza

My husband and I love pizza. I created a new new version a few months ago which includes diary free cheese and a sausage substitute. Tonight we tried a new pepperoni version. Yum!

This recipe is super easy:

• Pizza crust (mine is typically from a package or box)
• Pizza sauce (I use canned organic)
  
• Vegan cheese (Follow Your Heart, Vegan Gourmet Cheese Alternative. We chose nacho cheese)
• Pepperoni (Yves Meatless Pepperoni)

I grated the cheese into shredded pieces. Cheese substitute is made from soy and is more moist compared to your typical shredded cheese. Although it does taste different, it is quite good. I have a hard time keeping this cheese in the house, my husband loves it.

In the past I’ve made sausage pizza using ‘Trader Joe’s Soy Chorizo’ sausage. I have to admit it’s not quite like the real chorizo sausage I use to buy @ the historical West Side Market in Cleveland, Ohio. This substitute one comes in a casing which you remove. The casing holds the sausage together, so you don’t want to eat this.

Something to note: both the cheese and meat substitutes are made with soy and are highly processed. Although this version is a great healthy alternate to your typical pizza - you don't want to be eating this all the time.

Also, when eating substitute products don't expect them taste the same as the original. Think of it as a new opportunity to gain experience eating a new type of food. Different can be a good thing.

action plan

Last year we began our journey by introducing more plant based foods into our diets. We also made an conscious effort to stay away from genetically modified foods, packaged/canned foods with all kinds of preservatives, chemicals, unnatural flavorings, BPA, and all the other things your body has no idea what to do with. We also didn't want the extra hormones (to make animals grow fatter faster) and antibiotics (because the conditions are so bad the animals are sick), both ingredients commonly found in mass produced animal product.

Through our learnings we began eating more and more of a plant based diet. Not all the time, it was more like a here - and - there approach. We looked at it like a game, another a challenge for us.

We knew we could never follow strict vegetarian diet because we loved it all- meat, fish, poultry. And there was no way a total vegan diet would work for either. We loved milk, eggs and especially cheese. We were not going to deprive ourselves, after all life is short enough and you have to enjoy it while you can. Well once again, I have learned, to never, say never.

We tried many new foods we never heard of, and had no clue what to do with (quinoa, tempeh, kale, sea veggies, flax seeds, rice milk). We were having a blast - wow, this stuff was yummy. We tried meat substitutes, vegan cheese, and always bought a ton of produce. We weren't perfect and still ate burgers and cheese, but at least we were trying. That had to count for something. We noticed by the year end we ate less animals product...it just kinda happened.

So, this is why in January 2010 we decided to make a more conscious effort to eat a plant based diet 90% of the time. It's amazing that someone like me who loves burgers, fried food, and generally grew up trying to avoiding all veggies, has switched to a plant based diet. And to be honest, it wasn't really as difficult as we thought it would be - maybe because we wanted it so bad. It's true - the more healthy food you eat- the more you crave it. I actually enjoy dehydrated kale, and the other day I couldn't get enough quinoa beet salad.

At this point I'm not saying I will never have steak, milk or eggs again. Who knows, maybe one day I won't, and in a few years I will be consuming a plant based diet 100% of the time. I guess only time will tell.

the plant based diet

This blog is dedicated to a new way of life for my husband and I - consuming a diet of plant based foods. I dislike the word “vegan,” as people just look at you as if you are totally insane. I was one of those people. Why did people throw a label on themselves saying they were “vegetarian” (eating no meat, poultry, fish, etc) or even worse yet, those “vegans” (eating no animal product whatsoever - meat, milk, eggs, cheese, diary, etc.). I thought these people just needed attention in one way or another. And come on, living on that type of diet just couldn't be healthy. Where do you get your protein? We need tons of protein, right? And all those "got milk" advertisements - we need milk or how else are we to get our calcium? I was like the rest of the population - uninformed and uneducated about a plant based diet. What I was about to learn in the next year drastically changed my beliefs.

According to some people, being a true vegan is just not eating a plant based diet itself- it's an entire life style change. No leather shoes, no make up that has been tested on animals, no animal based product in any household item - period. That's just not me - I'm not claiming to be a hero by any means.

I think most vegetarians/vegans have a huge compassion for the welfare and treatment of animals. This plays into major part of why they choose this way of eating. God bless those souls. Again, that's just not me. I now have a greater awareness of the unnecessary animal cruelty that exists in the US - and believe me it is unimaginable. Most Americans have no idea what goes on with our food behind closed doors while the government willingly turns it's back.

So, for me the main reason why I have chosen to try to eat more of a plant based is purely for the health benefits. I am just a typical girl in the midwest, who was raised on diary and meat. At this point I don't consider myself a vegan, not even a vegetarian. My ultimate goal is to eat a vegan diet, perhaps one day I will be able to say that. It's a tough journey, but one I am enjoying.