The Healthy Vegan Kitchen

Hi all!  I hope things are going well for you as school is starting back up & summer is coming to a close.  I hear that the summer head cold is passing around.  If you are starting to feel tired or just not up to par, make sure you are eating your fruits and veggies.  Drink your smoothies everyday, maybe adding some emergen-C packets (or take a multi vitamin), keep some carrot sticks & other veggies nearby for your snacks. 

Quick & easy snacks: when you get home from the store, chop of your carrots into sticks & put in zip top bags so all you have to do is grab one when you’re hungry.  Chop up or just grab an apple, peach, nectarine, pack up some grape bunches into zip top bags.  Better yet, try some fresh figs a papaya or mangos!  Not sure how to cut them open, or what part to eat of some of the “weird” fruits & veggies?  Just do a quick search on the web using goodsearch.com or ggogle.com  they will have pictures as well as descriptions. 

Eating your fruits & veggies at every meal & cutting down on your sugar (which weakens our immune system) will help you to fight off & hopefully not get the bugs that come knocking on our immune systems, especially as the kids head back to school.

Last nights dinner is found on page 84 of Veganomicon.  If you already have cooked quinoa (or other grain), this comes together in 15 minutes, if not, it’ll take you a little over 1/2 an hour.  A great quick and easy weeknight meal.  This salad contains quinoa, cilantro, scallions, red peppers, black beans, and mangoes.  My husband absolutely does not like mangoes, so I chopped those up and put them in a separate bowl because manogoes are probably my favorite fruit (at least I got to eat them all!). 

What is quinoa you ask?  Quinoa is a grain that is very high in complete protein and highly nutritious.  First cultivated by the Inca, we can now enjoy this scrumptious, lightly nutty flavored grain.  You can use it in muffins, pilafs, salads, and makes a great side dish too.  It looks a little like couscous with a “halo” around it.  To cook it, use a 2 to 1 ratio (2 cups water to 1 up quinoa).  Put both in a pan and bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed.  Its good cold or warm. 

Verdict: I loved it, the mango really gives it an extra boost of flavor, yum!  My husband, well, he actually really liked it (sans mango) and took 3 helpings!  I will be making this one again. 

I have found it helpful just to eat a salad with lunch and dinner & have some carrots and celery to munch on throughout the day.  A quart size baggie holds about a pound of veggies. 

Here is an article you might enjoy: Why Drinking Water Really is the Key to Weight Loss

http://inch-aweigh.com/water.html

Things we should/shouldn’t eat to keep us young & healthy.  We know most of it, but it was a good reminder.
Five to AVOID
1. Saturated Fat
2. Trans Fat (anything that says Partially Hydrogenated)
3. Sugar
4. High Fructose (again, sugar)
5. Enriched flour, enriched wheat (this means they took the good stuff out & put a little back in!) Instead go for whole grain.

The 5 to Eat Often
1. Nuts — esp. almonds and walnuts — NOT roasted ones!
2. Spinach
3. Tomato/tomato sauce
4. Garlic — cancer fighter!
5. Pomegranates

one more water tidbit:

When you’re hungry, your body may really be thirsty. Well, does that really make sense, because when you think, when I’m hungry, I’m HUNGRY, I’m not THIRSTY.

Here is another way to explain it. When your body thinks it won’t get enough real water, it knows it can draw water out of the food you eat, so it will increase your appetite to get it. Duh! 

Here are some EASY high-fiber tips:
1. Use fresh vegetables and fruits for snacks and desserts.
2. Focus more of your meals around whole-grains and vegetables. Use meat for a GARNISH and FLAVORING, rather than the focus of the meal.
3. Look for breads and cereals that list a whole-grain flour, like whole-wheat, FIRST on their ingredient label.
4. Leave the skins on potatoes, vegetables and fruits whenever possible. Plant skin is high in fiber.
5. A piece of fruit is better for you (and more filling) than a glass of fruit juice - it provides more fiber!

You have to remember to drink your water!! Stat hydrated!!  I know some of you may not like the taste of water or don’t get enough of it during the day…well here are some tips to help you change that…

Drink, Drink, Drink!!

Don’t forget that when you increase your fiber intake, you also need to increase your fluid intake.  Make sure you’re getting your 96oz a day!  It will make everything flow smoothly.  Here is a quick and yummu recipe to get in some more fiber.

For those of you who are trying to lose a little, or just maintain your weight. 

3 minute rule (weight loss tip)
Try this: the next time you want to eat something you know you shouldn’t, wait for 3 minutes. Walk away from the food & occupy yourself for 3 minutes. Then, re-evaluate whether you really want that food.

If the answer is yes, enjoy it — every bite, very slowly. Savor it. If it’s worth the trouble, make sure you make it last long enough to really appreciate it.

If the answer is no, do something else — go for a walk, organize the mail, take a bath, paint your toenails, practice your harmonies for songs this weekend!!

The 3 minute rule is a good way to decipher if you are truly hungry, or if you are being driven to the kitchen for other reasons. If it’s for other reasons, the 3 minutes may be long enough to let you realize that & choose NOT to indulge. Give it a try.

Water: You’ve likely heard this one before, but it’s true. Drinking water will curb your appetite. Try guzzling a full glass of it before a meal, and there’s a good chance you’ll eat less. If you have trouble getting cold water down, try drinking the stuff at room temperature