Stuffed Acorn Squash

This is similar to make as the butternut squash from last week, but has a completely different flavor profile.

Acorn Squash:
Preheat oven to 450*
Lightly coat with coconut oil and kosher salt
Bake 30-45 minutes until tender with a fork.

Stuffing:
Lightly sauté Onions, mushrooms, cauliflower, kale and Swiss Chard in some coconut oil and kosher salt
Stuff squash and ENJOY!

Light Lunch Wrap

I really enjoy wraps and wanted to have something light and refreshing for lunch.  This is a simple tortilla with Vegan Ranch, fresh cilantro, avocado, tomatoes and mini sweet heirloom bell peppers.  It was so good I had more than one! 

You could change it up by using hummus with citrus flavors.  Or maybe use greens like arugula and kale with some ginger, corn and black beans.  If you are going gluten free you could use a large Swiss chard leaf instead of a tortilla, or use a corn tortilla.  The sky is the limit with fresh produce.

What are some of your favorite ingredients to put in a wrap.

Vegan Tips

You don't have to give up flavor to go vegan, you just have to get creative!  No meat, no dairy, no animal byproduct.  Yup we can do it...uh...I think?  We have chosen to eat vegan at home and not be strict when out with family and friends that way our bodies are getting what they need but we still have flexibility (except for those pesky artificial food colors and the like...we avoid those like the plague no matter where we are).  Our first day eating vegan was February 23, 2013.  So by the time you read this we will have been eating vegan as a family for 1-month.

Tips:

1. Make the same foods/dishes/meals you already make just without the meat and animal byproducts.
2. Use coconut oil, sesame oil, avocado oil, olive oil (all organic) instead of butter.
3. Use vegetables as a meat instead of meat: acorn squash, butternut squash, eggplant, portabella mushrooms, zucchini...
4. Eat legumes, beans and whole grains (if your body allows).
5. Eat a TON of fresh fruits and veggies (mostly raw when you can).  This should be the majority of your diet.  The fiber will keep your blood sugars stabilized.
6. Drink fresh juice and smoothies.
7. Trail mixes, dried fruits and nuts are your friend.
8. Use milk alternatives: Almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk... (Organic/Non-GMO) and if you are concerned about hormone balance stay away from soy on a regular basis and only use on occasion.
9. Drink lots of water.
10. Grow some of your own food.
11. Make your own food.  Homemade dressings, spreads and breads are good!
12. Use a lot of herbs.  Herbs add flavor and nutrients so you use less of the higher fat items.
13. Shop Organic.
14. Remember, many foods are still higher in fat content, even the vegan foods, but some of the fats are short chain and easy for the body to process, digest and eliminate (opposite of animal fats which are long chains and difficult on the body causing clogged arteries and other issues).

If you have special dietary needs such as gluten free then you can simply remove the gluten grains, or if you need meat you can search out the Paleo style of eating.  We are eating vegan with some of the gluten grains but mostly without.  Many of the products we purchase or make at home are gluten free...that will be our next adventure, but not yet.

Some products we have found:

Do you feel the need for a creamy ranch style dressing that is vegan and gluten free?  This is a good one that we found at Whole Foods.  We also like to make our own dressings.  Adding 1/4 avocado to many of our homemade dressings gives it a creamy texture and taste!

Do you NEED chips?  Some times my kids do!  Here are some vegan and gluten-free 'chips'.  We are careful when buying because we avoid natural flavors in the ingredient list, and some of this brand contain those; otherwise this particular flavor does not and we like them.

I have not tried this Rice (soy free) vegan cheese, but my kids and hubby like it for sandwiches.  I just don't want to try a 'cheese' and it disappoint.

Vegenaise.  My husband loves mayonnaise, and thus so do my kids...vegenaise has solved that problem for us.  This one is made from Grapeseed oil, but there are many varieties.  I like the way this one tastes, and it is gluten free.

Vegan Sandwich Lunch

In a former post I told you that I like to eat, and like for my food to taste good.  Hopefully you have been able to see that from some of my Food Friday recipe posts.  Today is about lunch!  Above is one of my vegan sandwiches.  That is sourdough bread, vegenaise, tomato, avocado, lettuce and cilantro.  Very tasty!  Add a side of fruit or Lentil chips if you need that added crunch.

The vegenaise we use is a Grapeseed oil base and it tastes really good, oh and it is Gluten free also!

Lentil chips, Vegan and only a few ingredients

 

Wisdom Wednesday - Protein

Original Picture from Roma Foods

Do I get enough protein?  What if I am vegetarian, or vegan?  What if I just juice or am a raw foodie (eat raw fruits and veggies only)?  I'm glad you asked, let's find out! 

(By-the-way, raw foodies consume much larger quantities of fruits and veggies than the average person, eating an entire bunch of bananas, or a huge bowl of berries, or even a large plate of peaches all at once...that is how they get their calorie and protein intake.  Oh, and their salads are the Big serving bowl size, not a little cereal bowl size...yumm!)

First, what is protein?  Protein is the basic building block for the human body.  About.com explains that about 16% of our body is protein: muscle, hair, skin and connective tissues; and that it also plays a major part in our DNA and cellular activity. 

Since childhood we have been told that we have to eat meat (or other animal byproducts like eggs, cheese and milk) to get enough protein in our diet.  Is this true?  Are there other sources of proteins?  Are there better sources of proteins?

So, how much protein do I need?  The basic calculation for how much you need is your body weight in pounds x .37 =  minimum daily protein intake.  So for me that would be 103 x .37 = 38.11 grams minimum per day.  Athletes and pregnant/lactating women need more.  This is just one way to calculate daily needed protein, but it is good enough for any examples I use today.

Children are a little different, they are continually growing and learning so according to Baylor College of Medicine their calculation looks like this:
Ages 1-3 years: .55 x body weight in pounds = daily protein intake
Ages 4-6 years: .5 x body weight in pounds = daily protein intake
Ages 7-14 years: .45 x body weight in pounds = daily protein intake
Ages 15-18 years: .4 x body weight in pounds = daily protein intake
18+ uses calculation above for adults

My children would look like this:
Mackenzie: 43 x .5 = 21.5 grams daily
Micah: 29 x .55 = 15.95 grams daily

These numbers are very easily reached if animal byproducts are consumed.

3 oz. of chicken breast = 25 grams protein (the same as beef and turkey)
1 cup non-fat milk = 10 grams protein
1 cup cottage cheese = 28 grams protein
4 oz. ocean caught fish = 25 to 31 grams protein
6 oz. yogurt = 5 grams protein

If you use me as an example of needing 38.11 grams protein per day I would meet that with 4 oz. of fish, 1 cup milk and a yogurt.  Chances are I would eat MORE than 4 oz. of fish in a sitting.  Or, maybe I had 6 oz. of chicken...that is a whopping 50 grams of protein, way more than I need.  And this does not include all the extras like butter and cheese!  So yes, on an animal rich diet you can easily exceed your daily protein needs.

What about protein on a plant based diet?  You do have to be a little more intentional, but doable especially with grains, seeds, nuts, beans and legumes.  Let's take a look using my 38.11 grams of protein per day.

1/4 cup Nuts:
Almonds, Sesame and Pumpkin seeds: 7 grams protein
Peanuts and Sunflower seeds: 8 grams protein

1 cup cooked beans:
Black, Garbanzo and Kidney: 15 grams protein
Black eyed peas and Mug: 14 grams protein
Navy and Split Peas: 16 grams protein

1 cup cooked grains:
Wheat, Couscous, Bulgar, Groats: 6 grams protein
Brown Rice, Quinoa, Barley: 5 grams protein
Wild Rice, Oat bran: 7 grams protein

Raw Fruit:
Most of your fruit has 1-2 grams of protein per serving.  1 serving being either 1 medium fruit or 1 cup (like berries and cherries).  Some fruits have more like Durian or Avocado which has 4 grams of protein.

Cooked Vegetables:
These vary widely, so I am going to take a small sample of those with the most protein and those with the least protein.  Your green leafy veggies contain quite a bit of protein.
Medium Artichoke, 1 cup Collards, 1/2 cup peas: 4 grams protein
1 large cob sweet corn, Baked potato: 5 grams protein
Sweet potato: 3 grams protein
1 cup summer or winter squash: 2 grams protein
5 Asparagus spears: 2 grams protein
1/2 cup broccoli, Brussel sprouts: 2 grams protein
1 cup cucumber, lettuce, eggplant, celery, spinach: 1 gram protein

2 Tablespoons Peanut butter: 9 grams protein

Woo, that's a lot, and I didn't even include meat substitutes like tofu, milk substitutes like almond/coconut/soy milk, butter substitutes like olive oil or nut butters (which are high in protein...like 4-9 grams of protein per 2 Tablespoons)! 

Now, let us use my 38.11 grams of protein needed daily.  Can I do it?

2 slices of whole wheat toast (my bread has 5g per slice) with 2 tablespoons peanut butter for breakfast: 19 grams protein
Avocado, cucumber, tomato, whole wheat sandwich with strawberries on the side: 16.5 grams protein
By lunch I have already consumed 35.5 grams protein; more than I need for the day.
1 apple, 1 banana for snack: 2 grams protein
Roasted Eggplant, potato, sweet potato over brown rice for dinner: 14 grams protein
Daily total: 51.5 grams protein without animal byproduct!  And I usually have 2-3 snack per day.  Plus this did not include any milk, meat or butter substitutes.  When I juice each glass usually contains about 10 to 15 grams additional protein.  So I could easily get 66 grams of protein in my daily diet without the use of animal byproducts.  For me that is enough to live and work out on!  Actually, that is enough for some smaller men.  I usually do not have peanut butter and am heavier on the leafy greens and beans/legumes which would actually increase my daily intake of protein!  Now, having seen this, it is easy to see that unless you are on a vigorous workout schedule or are pregnant or nursing you probably do not need to stress out about your protein intake.  I exceeded my daily needs without even trying!  Also, don't eat processed and junk foods or drink unnecessary sugar and calories.  Those simply strip your body of the good stuff you are getting and trick you into thinking you are still hungry and need more protein!

Yes!  It can be done!  Even if you don't eat grains.  My large salad made the way I like it can easily contain 16+ grams of protein (a lot more if I add beans or eat a bigger portion).  Or even oatmeal with berries could have 6 grams or more!

Now, do I need to avoid animal byproduct?  That is a personal conviction.  Plant based proteins are easier for the body to digest and utilize, while animal based proteins cause plaque in arteries, disease, inflammation and high cholesterol/blood pressure things that the plants do no cause.  I would recommend you watch Fat Sick and Nearly Dead and/or The Beautiful Truth (check out my blog post here) to decide your stance on eating with our with out (or even limited) animal foods.

My next big topic to study...Gluten! 

What are your thoughts about protein? 

What would you like to read about?

Leave your comments and let me know!

Spinach Wrap Dinner

This is a twist to the normal fajita dinner, and instead it is a spinach wrap dinner.  Very tasty and light, yet filling.

First I began roasting the veggies of choice: cauliflower and eggplant in a little extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt.  Roast in the oven at 415* for about 20-25 minutes, or until eggplant is soft and cauliflower is caramelizing.  Done!

Than I began making a potato salad (yes, to go in the wrap).  Cube and boil potato of choice until soft about 12-20 minutes depending on the potato you choose.  Once done I drained then added minced garlic, coconut milk, cilantro and a dollop of veganise to the hot pot.  Re-added the potatoes and mixed together. Done!

Finally I chopped up some tomato and lettuce and we all sat down to fill and eat our spinach tortillas!  Yummm!

Roasted Veggie Dinner

I love the flavor profile of roasted veggies, especially potato, sweet potato and beets.  Here is a vegan dinner we made with the roasted veggies as the star.

White rice (I prefer brown, but hey, this is what we had) cooked according to package directions.  We actually buy organic bulk.

Sautéed veggies in Coconut Oil: Swiss Chard, Beet tops, Onions, Mushrooms.

Roasted Veggies on the side: Roasted Potato and Beets in oven at 420* for 45 - 50 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Eggplant Spread

Today I will post some food recipes and ideas.

I still owe you that leftover eggplant spread that was suppose to be posted last Friday, oops!

Eggplant Spread:

Leftover Eggplant
2 Garlic Cloves
Cumin
Squeeze fresh lemon
Dash Kosher Salt

Ingredients minus eggplant and garlic

Roast eggplant and garlic cloves together at 400* for 10-15 minutes, or until garlic is getting soft. 

Place all ingredients into food processer and process until a thick paste.  Does not look very appetizing, but my kids liked it in their pita as a meat substitute.

Use as desired.  We added it to our pita with lettuce and avocado.  You can dip veggies or use as a sandwich spread.  Or you could process with olive oil, avocado oil or sesame oil to thin out or veganise to make creamy, even change the spices to tahini, ginger or orange for different flavor profiles.

Food Friday - Inspirational Food

Food comes in all different forms.  There is junk food, healthy food, food from God.  There is solid food, liquid food, spiritual food, mental food, emotional food, food that is just good for the soul.  Today, instead of reading what I have to say, I want to share with you the inspirational story of a friend of mine that just competed a 21 day juice fast.  You will read his why, how and what story of the fast.  Click here and enjoy!

Picture from 80 Breakfasts

I used the above picture as inspiration, but did not follow the recipe or make the yogurt...since I was making a vegan meal.

Roasted Eggplant with Sweet potato and Beans:

Ingredients:
1 eggplant
Sweet potatoes
Onion
mushrooms
Swiss Chard
Pinto beans
Minced Garlic (1-2 cloves)
Coconut Oil
Kosher salt

First I cut the eggplant in half long ways then scored the white flesh diagonally both directions being careful not to cut through the purple skin.  Brush on a little olive oil or coconut oil and sprinkle with a little kosher salt.  Place on baking sheet skin side down  and put in a preheated 350* oven for 45 minutes.  Once roasted this is our Main dish.  Just scoop out the eggplant squared with a spoon...yumm!

While the eggplant is baking I prepare my steamer and cut the sweet potato in 1 inch rounds and steam on high for about 20-25 minutes.  This is our 'veggie' part of the dinner.

While those two are going I prepare a skillet with a little coconut oil, minced garlic (I like a lot), and a little kosher salt.  I then sautee' the onions, mushrooms, Swiss chard and pinto beans.  This is our warm salad part of dinner.

Try to time everything to finish cooking together, serve up warm and enjoy. 


PS - Don't throw away any leftover eggplant or the skin.  Next Friday I will show you how to make a good dip/spread with them.