Vegetarian Summer Grilling
By Sarah Kruse

Nothing says summer more than grilling outside. Buts what’s a health-conscious, vegetarian or vegan supposed to do? Join right in, of course!

Forget the standard, boring vegetable kabobs or fake “meat” products. Here are a couple of inspiring options.

For the traditionalist: Try a homemade veggie burger. Kristin has several yummy recipes in her cookbook and I’ll share my secrets for grilling success.

First, you need some fat. That’s often the missing ingredient when it comes to cooking veggie-based burgers. After I form my patties, I spread some coconut oil on both sides. The reason I use coconut oil is because it’s solid up to 78 degrees F and can be spread onto the patty without making it a soggy mess.

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It is possible to have a Thanksgiving meal without a turkey on the table.

Here’s a look at what we ate this year.  For additional pictures check here.

Apple-Cabbage-Radish Slaw

Grapefruit-Avocado Salad

Carrot-Parsnip Soup with Parsnip and Leek “Chips”

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Steamed Swiss Chard and Collard Green topped with Savory Cranberry Granola

Pumpkin Dumplings with Radicchio and Chives

Cornbread-Amaranth-Chestnut Stuffing from Voluptuous Vegan

Harvest Stuffed Portobellos

Lentil-Sage Seitan Loaf

Mushroom-Miso Cashew Gravy from Therapeutic Chef Cookbook

Roasted Mini Potatoes with Rosemary and Thyme

Cashew-Banana-Vanilla “Ice Cream” from Vice Cream Cookbook

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

So many people want to know, so here you go…

Friday:

Breakfast: 1 slice of sprouted whole grain toast almond butter and 1/2 banana.

Green tea (2 cups)

Lunch: 1/2 bean and potato burrito topped with salsa and 1/4 avocado.

about 3/4 cup of cabbage slaw with red onions, capers, mustard-agave-hemp seed oil vinaigrette.

Dinner: Braised Lentils with carrots, onion, celery, garlic, mache and chard.

Served over mashed millet and cauliflower (pg 278) – (with some rutabaga in there too).

And 1/2 cup cabbage slaw from lunch.

All day Tea: mixture of nettles, peppermint, rosehips and fennel seed.

Snack:

Smoothie:  1 banana, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1 scoop green powder (vita-mineral greens), 1 TBS hemp seeds, 1 TBS raw cacao nibs, a dash of himalayan salt, and ice and water to reach desired consistency.  This serves 2 people and it’s awesome!!!

Hey!

Follow this link to read a review of my cookbook, Therapeutic Chef:  Recipes to prevent cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

http://bit.ly/bDb26L

It’s from a blog called ‘Cooking for a Vegan Lover.’

Lindsay, author of that blog, is from Vermont and posts recipes, product reviews and other handy vegan tips on her site.

Check it out!

Start the New Year off right!
When we eat the right foods we feel better and we stay healthy. Proper nutrition and getting regular exercise are both essential for preventing heart disease, diabetes, and for boosting our immune system.

Here are some nutrition tips for staying healthy in 2010:

• Eat Breakfast, but not one that’s full of refined sugar.  Aim for whole grains like rolled oats and top it with a sprinkle of walnuts and chopped fruit.
• Seek out foods that are naturally high in fiber, low in fat and high in vitamins and minerals.  Best examples are fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, lentils and whole grains.
• Drink plenty of water.  Cut back on soft drinks, coffee and alcohol.
• Eat smaller meals every 3-4 hours.  This keeps blood sugar levels even to sustain energy needed for an active lifestyle.
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It’s easy to enjoy the holidays without loading up on excess saturated fat and cholesterol.

Here’s my plan:

First of all I must give credit to Chef Bryant Terry from Oakland, Ca,  author of Vegan Soul Kitchen for the recipes. Yum!

Menu:

Seitan Medallions with Mushroom Gravy

Mashed Potatoes with Cumin and Caramelized onions

Toasted Almond Stuffing

Collard Greens with Orange Juice and Persimmon

Chocolate Pecan Pudding Pie

Check out his book Vegan Soul Kitchen or pick up a copy of Vegetarian Times Magazine (Nov/Dec 2009 issue).

It’s Flu season. Stay Healthy by remembering this:

* Wash your hands often and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
* Decrease sugar intake. It impairs the immune system.
* Decrease dairy intake. It create mucous- where germs harbor.
* Decrease processed foods, fried foods, caffeine and alcohol.
* Avoid food allergens (wheat, dairy, soy, or anything else you are allergic to).

*Increase colorful fruits and vegetables.
*Increase vitamin C from citrus fruits, kiwi, papaya, berries or take a supplement.
*Increase onions, ginger, garlic and hot peppers to increase circulation.
*Increase Shiitake or Reishi mushroom intake (fresh, dried or capsules and tinctures).
*Increase probiotics (I take capsules made by New Chapter).
*Increase water and herbal tea intake to flush out germs and toxins.
*Take Amla Churna/Powder – 1 tsp in water, daily (www.znaturalfoods.com).
*Take Elderberry Tincture daily (www.bearwallowherbs.com)
*Get plenty of sleep.

Recipes:

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High blood pressure is often caused by, or, can cause atherosclerosis, or arteriosclerosis which means the arteries have become hardened or thickened due to either fatty deposits or calcium deposits on the walls of the arteries.  If left untreated patient could have a heart attack or stroke.
Cause of heart disease: if the high blood pressure is a result of thickened arteries then the cause is diet, and it can be reversed with diet.  Arteries become thickened and hardened from eating saturated fat and cholesterol.  These are found in all animal foods, even low fat, even organic, even fish, even eggs.  A diet that contains no animal foods, and instead is full of whole plant foods (not refined or processed, and no trans fats) will reverse heart disease. (more…)

This post is an answer to a question that was posted after someone viewed our “popcorn” video.

Stove top popcorn is definitely better than microwaved popcorn but air popping is the best because you don’t have to use oil.  If the stove top is all you’ve got then make sure to use an oil that can take the heat, like tea seed oil:

http://www.republicoftea.com/templates/detail.asp?navID=406
If you ever see  your oils start to “smoke” in the pan then that means the heat is too high and the oil has been heated to its smoke point.  This is a bad thing, the oil has been damaged and could be very unhealthy and toxic (that’s another reason fried foods are so bad for us!). (more…)