K's personal health journey (members read only): Smart Food Choices that Improve Your Health & Life

[Kätzchen]

Today, it's very cold and chilly, so I'm out in the kitchen working on an organic stir fry medley.

1/2 of an package of organic Tempeh
1 Tofurkey Italian Link Sausage (cut up in slices)
3/4 cup of shredded cabbage and carrots
A few cloves of roasted garlic cloves
3 mini organic peppers (red, yellow, orange, cut up)
1/2 organic zucchini (sliced up into rounds)
Fresh organic romaine leaves
Vegan Blue Cheese Organic dressing

Directions: place tempeh, tofurkey, and cabbage carrot mix in an pre-oiled skillet, turning contents over quickly, so nothing gets burned or sticks to the pan. Once your tempeh, tofurkey veggie stir fry is thoroughly cooked, turn off the burner and cap up the skillet. Place freshly chopped Romaine lettuce on your plate, then ladle about and cup of the stir fry on top of the lettuce. Drizzle vegan blue cheese dressing on top. Finish by sprinkling Chia seeds and Sesame sticks on top. Enjoy!

It's an high protein, low carb meal that is simply delicious.

[homoe]

Miss Katz you may want to check out the documentary Eating Animals produced by Natalie Portman. She was interviewed on Friday's on CBS This Morning.
“Eating Animals,” an urgent but uncertain documentary that amplifies and expounds upon the argument Jonathan Safran Foer laid out in his 2009 book of the same name.


Eating Animals opens in theaters today Friday, June 15.

[DapperButch]

Ok, guys. So, I shared I was having some surgery at the beginning of June and wanted to make sure that I was eating super healthy during healing. I decided to go with a food delivery service.

I am absolutely blown away by how fresh frozen food can be. It is hand prepared, then flash frozen and sent the same week. So, I guess this is the reason. The vegetables taste as fresh as if you just bought them fresh at the store. Of course it is organic, GMO free, preservative free, etc.

The food is out of this world. Amazing. I mean, it is ridiculous how good the food is. You can buy the food a la carte or do a subscription. The subscriptions are listed as "weight loss" plans, but you certainly don't have to do it for weight loss. You can customize all of your deliveries. This means that I can pick every meal that I want. I am essentially doing "a la carte", but at a lower price since I am going through a subscription (which you can cancel at any time).

Although it is broken down into 3 day, 5 day, 7 day meal plans, it is best to think about it in terms of how many meals over 14 days that you want. So, I got the 5 day plan, as it is 30 meals for 14 days. My breakfast is always steel cut oatmeal with strawberries/blueberries, so I don't worry about that meal. Since I don't always want a "meal", and just desire a simple peanut butter sandwich, it is fine if I don't have the corrrect number. If I was doing a weight loss plan, then I would stick with the program.

The cost with a 5 day plan is $279 for 30 meals, which equals out to $9.30 per meal. I also just got a $25 off coupon for my next order.

The other thing to consider is that it is a way to eat healthy when traveling. You can get it sent to any address. so, lets say you are going somewhere and are getting an Airbnb. You don't want to spend your time cooking, but you want to eat healthy. This is an option.

https://www.veestro.com/

[Kätzchen]

Originally Posted by Kätzchen

Thanks Dapper for that documentary recommendation! That's an really good documentary. I highly recommend watching it too!

Here's an supplemental Huffington Post article on why eating an plant based diet can save your life and reduce your health care costs (see link below).

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/861672


Title of article:

Forks Over Knives: How An Plant-based Diet Can Save America (July 13, 2011).

Originally Posted by Kätzchen

While the proverbial jury is still out on giving plant based diets the full stamp of approval, there is strong indicators of proof that plant based diets will not only improve your overall health, but if you have pre-diabetes issues associated with blood sugar levels and how your body produces and uses its own natural insulin, then this article will give you an better understanding of why changing your normal food choices to an Plant Based Diet, could save your life.

I radically changed my diet to be top heavy on Plant Based foods, which in turn has allowed my bodily processes to self correct in natural ways. I am on an medically supervised diet as prescribed by my primary physician. As well as switching to an plant based diet, I continue to lose weight, my heart function improves and before too long, I won't need experimental medication to aid in correcting my blood sugar issues .

Bonus info to other medically endorsed studies discussing Plant Based Diets is included in this scholarly article.

Title of Medscape article:

Vegan Diet Rapidly Improves Type II Diabetes Markers In Adults (Jenkins, K., February 26, 2018).

LINK: www.medscape.com/viewarticle/893125

Since early March of this year (2018), I began to transition to an all plant based diet because of the capacity for plant based diets to reduce and/or correct my bodies' capacity to produce its own insulin and to aid in the recovery of my health.

Since March, I have slowly weaned myself from eating animal based products.

I do not regret choosing to become vegan.

It's the best decision I've made and it's one of the best outcomes I could ever imagine.

For me, it's not about weight loss. It's about NOT becoming diabetic.

I visit my primary doctor next week to continue tracking my progress. If my blood labs come back with data proving that my commitment to not eat foods that spur diabetic outcomes, and proves that I won't need medication intervention, then I will have won an very important battle in saving my own life by sheer will and self determination.


Here is what I feel is the best documentary, which argues effectively for renouncing animal based diets and investing in an Vegan Plant Based Dietary Lifestyle : Forks Over Knives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZb-35oV_7E

Dapper? Thanks so much for sharing that link you provided earlier today.

--K.

[Kätzchen]

Today, since it's fairly brisk outside, I thought I'd make an batch of soup, which can be enjoyed as hot or cold soup.

I used the following vegetables:

Carrots, Butternut squash, sweet mini red bell peppers, sweet onion and chickpeas.

I pulsed the carrots, squash, chickpeas, chopped sweet onion and red bell peppers, so it's half creamy, yet somewhat chunky. To season: I added powdered ginger root, a couple tablespoons of Chia seeds, and a titch of sea salt.

Once it has simmered on the stove for about an hour, on low heat, I'm going to have a bowl of hot soup, and use Sesame Sticks and Roasted Peas as an garnish on top, which will enhance the soup's protein content.

Here's the link to the recipe I adapted my soup recipe from, it's fairly easy to make and it's tasty.

http://frugalfeeding.com/2014/01/03/...chickpea-soup/

Yesterday I roasted an bag full or organic peas, which I bought at the grocery store.

[candy_coated_bitch]

I'm vegetarian, but not vegan. I try to eat as much plant based meals as I can but I have SUCH a weakness for cheese. How do you get past the cravings? Do they go away after a while,? I was vegan in college for a year but don't remember feeling remarkably different.

What advice would you give someone who wants to move to a more plant based diet but struggles with being strictly vegan? I'm convinced it's healthy I'm just not convinced I can do it.

[Kätzchen]

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

I'm vegetarian, but not vegan. I try to eat as much plant based meals as I can but I have SUCH a weakness for cheese. How do you get past the cravings? Do they go away after a while,? I was vegan in college for a year but don't remember feeling remarkably different.

What advice would you give someone who wants to move to a more plant based diet but struggles with being strictly vegan? I'm convinced it's healthy I'm just not convinced I can do it.

That's a really good question, CCB; but I can only tell you that it's not been easy for me.

In my case, my work related accident impaired my ability to be mobile in ways like I used to be (I rode my bicycle to and from work, 22 miles daily, on top of the vigorous exercise my job duties required of me). Plus before this happened to me, I began to experience allgeric reactions to milk based products (I'd break out in hives).

So, I'm not sure I'd say that I'm strictly vegan or vegetarian, but I mostly consume only plants now. By switching to an plant based diet, I turned the tables on becoming diabetic. My mobility impairment placed me at huge risk to become diabetic if I refused to give up foods that my body can no longer process (ie, meats, milk, cheese, pasta, rice or even certain vegetables that I'm allergic too, like tomatoes or any nightshade plant like potatoes or eggplant, etc).

I've since learned to use nut based or plant based products to replace milk or butter or yogurt or cheese. They don't taste the same, but for me it's not about taste as it is about not succumbing to diabetes.

I was never at risk for diabetes until the accident impaired my mobility. And because I can't be as mobile as I once was, I decided to tackle my prediabetic condition by radically changing the types of foods I consume.

So my primary doctor set up an consult with an staff registered dietician, who gave me lots of research to read and made recommendations on how to create new food behaviors and choices.

I stick to the food choices the dietician and doctor recommended to me, to help combat blood sugar issues arising out of my post-accident condition.

I see my primary doctor this month for an blood draw to test my A1c levels. If my blood labs come back clear and free, and below the A1c test scores, then I won't have to take experimental medication to keep me from slipping over into an full fledged diabetic state.

I changed my food choices to directly tackle that health issue. So while sometimes I wish I could have meat or cheese or foods that rapidly convert to blood sugar in the blood stream, I stick to my plant based diet, so I won't become diabetic. I've got two brothers who areally full fledged diabetic and they have to take insulin shots several times a day. On top of it, insulin is terribly expensive and not covered by my insurance. So I took corrective action on what I could do to not become diabetic.

One of the benefits of making a choice to do this, has been the unexpected outcome of weight loss. Since March 3rd, of thia year, I've dropped nearly 40 pounds. Another gift directly related to changing how I eat foods is that I'm creating a way for my body to heal by not consuming foods that put me at huge risk to become diabetic.

I feel better. I've lost some weight. And there's a huge chance I won't have to take experimental medication anymore, if the corrective measures I've taken leads to an medication free life.

My story about utilizing an plant based diet might not be the same for others, as to how or why people choose plant based diets over consuming food in ordinary ways.... But it's working for me, and I'm grateful for the gift of wellness, by rectifying my choice of foods.

K.

[nycfem]

How do you roast the peas? Sounds good.

Originally Posted by Kätzchen

Today, since it's fairly brisk outside, I thought I'd make an batch of soup, which can be enjoyed as hot or cold soup.

I used the following vegetables:

Carrots, Butternut squash, sweet mini red bell peppers, sweet onion and chickpeas.

I pulsed the carrots, squash, chickpeas, chopped sweet onion and red bell peppers, so it's half creamy, yet somewhat chunky. To season: I added powdered ginger root, a couple tablespoons of Chia seeds, and a titch of sea salt.

Once it has simmered on the stove for about an hour, on low heat, I'm going to have a bowl of hot soup, and use Sesame Sticks and Roasted Peas as an garnish on top, which will enhance the soup's protein content.

Here's the link to the recipe I adapted my soup recipe from, it's fairly easy to make and it's tasty.

http://frugalfeeding.com/2014/01/03/...chickpea-soup/

Yesterday I roasted an bag full or organic peas, which I bought at the grocery store.

[Kätzchen]

Originally Posted by nycfem

How do you roast the peas? Sounds good.

I'm glad you asked because I only learned how to do it, several years ago, when I attended an family Thanksgiving dinner, with an dear friend in college.

I roast both Peas and Brussell Sprouts, the same way. They're delish!

To Roast Peas:

Take an small bag of frozen organic peas and break them apart from each other, in a good sized bowl.

In another bowl, mix up about a 1/4 cup of EVOO, a dash of sea salt and a splash of Modena balsamic vinegar. Pour over the frozen peas. Mix up the peas until they are coated well.

Line an cookie sheet with heavy foil, matte side up (shiny side down). Place all the coated peas on the cooking sheet and place in oven.

Turn oven on to 500 degrees.

Set timer for 20 minutes.

Open oven and rotate all the roasted peas, so the other sides of the peas can be roasted.

Set timer for 8 minutes.
Check your peas and see if they're roasted enough. If not, roast for a few short more minutes. Once finished, they should resemble an carmelized appearance and be dark green in color (the edges will be more carmelized looking).

Turn off oven: Serve once they've cooled off for about five minutes or so.

Roasted Brussell Sprouts:

Take about 15 or 20 freshly picked brussell spouts and wash them and then dry them off. Cut off the very bottom of the brussell spouts, so you can peel each leaf free of the bloom pod. Place all the brussell spout leaves in an big bowl. Use the same blend of roasting oil (EVOO, sea salt, and Modena Balsamic Vinegar) and pour it over the leaves and make sure they're all coated.

Roast the brussell spouts with the same timing and temp procedure, as above.

It only takes about an half an hour, not much longer, to roast frozen Peas or fresh Brussell sprout leaves.

The peas have a certain crunchiness to them, but they're not as crunchy as left over eats. However, the same holds true for roasted Brussell Sprouts. They only retain the roasted quality for an limited time. Plus, they're so tasty that they're usually all gone, so you won't worry about left overs.

Bon Appétit!